Film: Amazing Grace

For today, mention was made last week of Ivan playing piano, at some bar or other. But a venue wasn't specified, and sure enough it didn't happen. Instead, I thought about cinema. Top of the list came Amazing Grace - a documentary about Aretha Franklin, who recorded an album of the same name before a live audience in a Baptist church, singing hymns from her youth. Apparently, she repeatedly blocked its release while she was still alive! I saw Mick Jagger, in the audience in the trailer.. Anyway, with both showings at the Curzon Bloomsbury sold out, I thought I'd better book when I saw availability at the Rio. I booked the matinee.

Walked up there, in intermittent pouring rain. Was early, and somewhat thirsty after my walk, so I treated myself to a rather excellent Hackney gelato, which they were selling behind the counter. And boy, few things have ever tasted so good! We were told the screen wasn't open quite yet, but eventually we just started to wander in. Seating was unassigned, and we waited.. and waited.. the program of ads eventually started 10 minutes past the scheduled time.

It's quite the tour de force, this film, shot over two nights of recording. Billed as a religious service, it's the liveliest I've ever seen! Both nights have Aretha giving her all in her inimitable way, but for my money, the second night was the night to be there - her dad showed up, and gave a speech - he was a Baptist minister himself. This was also the night that Mick Jagger showed up, among other notables. And just as entertaining as the performance - which reduced the resident pastor to tears - was the audience on screen, breaking into a frenzy at regular intervals. It was just lovely to see people moved to stand and move with the music, without some pillock telling them to sit down, they couldn't see! Mick was one of those so moved..

So, an interesting film, for a variety of reasons. Of course, with it starting late, I was out of the cinema late - but the buses served me well, and I was in good time to the estate agents' to pick up the keys to my new place! After walking to the flat and rearranging some furniture, I was starving, and fancied a Nando's - in that part of town, nothing is too far away, and I was very well fed indeed! Although I had a wait at the till, behind a group of kids, one of whose mothers had given him her card to buy food for them all, but the bill was too high for contactless, so he had to ring her for her PIN 'coz he'd lost the bit of paper with it written on. He didn't remember her phone number either, but had it written on his arm, mercifully.. Currently back at the old place, waiting for my flatmates to head out for the night, so I don't have to walk past them with a load of luggage, inspiring questions..

Well now. Tomorrow, I don't have anything booked, but was thinking of film again. If I do that, top of the list is The Samuel Project, showing in the Jewish Centre, JW3. It's about a Jewish teenager who has to do a school project, decides to interview his grandfather for it, and lo, finds out all about his wartime adventures. Trailer looks decent. Or I might just traipse back and forth, moving stuff..

On Monday, the Crick Crack Club is back at Soho Theatre with The Big Blind: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups.

On Tuesday, I'm back with North London Friends for the first time in months, at the Royal Court for Salt: A Journey to the Bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, an exploration of the old slave routes.

On Wednesday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for Man of La Mancha, starring Kelsey Grammer and Nicholas Lyndhurst, at the Coliseum. Being in the balcony as usual, I had to go in the very back row - can't handle those vertiginous stairs! Tickets a bit cheaper with WhatsOnStage. Mixed reviews for this - we shall see.

On Thursday, back at another Spooky London Paranormal Pub Meetup. This time, it's The Morpeth Arms. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.

On the 20th and 21st, it's UITCS again. On the 20th, we're going to Rosmersholm, by Ibsen, at the Duke of York's Theatre.

On the 21st, it's Our Town at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. Hope the weather holds!

On the 22nd, back at last with London Literary Walks - whom I'm shamefully neglecting - for "The Second Westminster Walk".

And on the 23rd and 24th, back with UITCS. The 23rd, it's for The Starry Messenger, at Wyndham's, starring Matthew Broderick. I waited the longest time to book this, because I have theatre tokens, earned from posting photos to Seatplan, and every time I thought of booking it, I was either away from where my tokens were, or it was out of office hours - and they have to be booked by phone, generally. Well, I was to be glad I waited - they finally released really cheap front row seats in the stalls! (Restricted view, it's a tall stage.) And I was within arms' reach of my tokens, mid-afternoon. After being kept forever on hold, I was put through to someone who had to have everything spelled out for her, and emitted a big sigh when I told her I had a theatre token. So she had to log into that site. But it was all worth it, to get a ticket for £2.25..

And on the 24th, we're off to Jude, at Hampstead Theatre.