Today, I was going to go to a film - until my cheap ticket club advertised their weekend offerings, just on Friday. Thinking I saw some interesting options, I looked closer - and was immediately captured by a classical Spanish guitar concert in King's Place! Part of the IGF Guitar Summit. So yeah, I booked that without hesitation! Terrific price, too.
I headed out in decent time - but my route involved two buses, so it turned out kinda tight. The first bus ride was notable for the idiot tourist, trying to get the driver to look at a map while the driver was - er - trying to drive! Traffic was bad, and although we'd left early, we just arrived at my change stop around the time Google maps had specified. The second bus also came early - this driver was lucky enough to get a present of food from one of his regulars! Handily, unlike most buses I've taken towards King's Place, rather than dropping me at King's Cross so I then have to schlep up York Way, this one took me most of the way there. Which was good, considering I just had time to gabble my details at the box office, grab my ticket and scuttle downstairs. Got a decent seat in the third row - and you know, they were late starting anyway.
Well, this was a little piece of heaven! Nice one, cheap ticket club.. Marco Socías was first up, with some very soothing Spanish guitar. It was, apparently, his London debut. Unfortunately, I'd had time to have lunch before I came, and he nearly sent me right off to sleep. I managed not to drop off.. sadly, no encore, although I got the impression he would've - but there was no time!
At the interval, those of us who hadn't picked up a programme (I believe they were free, but since this is the only thing in the summit that I'm going to, I didn't bother) wondered whether that was it. I asked to borrow the programme in the possession of the guy next to me - sure enough, we still had a guitar quartet to come. And what a difference! A jazzier sound in general was rounded off - with a good pinch of humour - by a terrific arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue. What a lovely way to spend the afternoon - so glad I did this! Apparently they all give classes, too.. I think the last concert in the summit is tonight. So I'm glad I didn't miss it. Oh, and I managed a single, crowded bus home - but had to walk back to King's Cross for it!
Tomorrow, more music - I'm back with Civilised London (CL) for more jazz - Dai and the Ramblers - at Wilton's. A great atmosphere is guaranteed!
On Tuesday.. well, my cheap ticket club came to the rescue again! I'm off to St. Martin in the Fields - for the first time in a while - for a performance of the Goldberg Variations. (Cheap!) Three - very different - musical evenings in a row. (And wouldn't you know it, ShowFilmFirst just advertised the same tickets even cheaper. Grr..)
On Wednesday, back with London Literary Walks (LLW) for The Richmond Walk. Third West London walk in a row with him - but I'm not complaining, they're lovely settings.
On Thursday, back with the London European Club (LEC) - it'll be my first time in St. Mary's Church Rotherhithe, where the Little Symphonic Duet is performing. They aim to reproduce famous classical pieces, with only a guitar and an instrument called a charango, a kind of miniature ukulele. It'll also be my first time in an age with Tuned In London - delighted to be with them again! Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
On the 29th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) - we're off to see Present Laughter, by Noel Coward, with the wonderful Andrew Scott, at the Old Vic. It'll be interesting for us all to see how he is in a comedy. Rear stalls again, yay! Sold out now, I believe.
On the 30th, I'm back with Anthony's Cultural Events and Walking Activities Group (ACEWAG), who are off to a free Motown concert in Canary Wharf. First come, first served for spots on the grass. Unless it's promised to rain, in which case I'll probably cry off..
On the 31st, LLW just today advertised a walk called Heart of the City. Wouldn't you know it, it goes from practically outside my office.. to practically outside my flat! Couldn't refuse to go on that, now could I?! Why, they'll just be walking me home from work..
On the 1st, attending a performance of Hamlet by Shit-Faced Shakespeare at Leicester Square Theatre, with CL. Apparently, the idea is that one cast member performs while, well, shitfaced drunk. The organiser scored us some cheap tickets.
On the 2nd, back with UITCS for Barber Shop Chronicles at the Roundhouse. A National Theatre co-production, apparently.
On the 3rd, a group called Get Out of London is off to Stratford-upon-Avon. Ooh, I thought, that sounds nice - but they're leaving ridiculously early, and coming back the same evening. It being a Saturday, I thought it'd be much nicer to head off at a more civilised hour and stay the night! So that's what I'm doing. Booked a nice, cheap advance train ticket and a night at the Doubletree by Hilton - and because I booked with Expedia, I got a nice discount, on account of all those U2 trips I've been booking with them lately! It's very near the station, which will be convenient. Handily enough, my guide book to England didn't get thrown out in the recent move - and reading it, I might have missed a trick; seems the Shakespeare Hotel is an olde-fashioned type of establishment, and might have been nice. Never mind, it might just be noisy.
Of course, I've been busy booking other things too - such as a "full-story" ticket to all the five houses associated with Shakespeare (much better value than individual tickets: I pick it up when I get there - valid for a year); a couple of them are a bit far-flung, but I believe the hop-on, hop-off city sightseeing bus covers them all. So I've booked a 24-hour ticket for that too - cheaper on that website. (Valid for three months after booking, and for 24 hours after first use. Cancellable up to 48 hours beforehand. Only problem is, I'll have to find the office printer - they only accept paper confirmations!) And, of course - considering what I'm like - I've booked myself into an RSC production that night, at the Swan. It's not Shakespeare, but it is a period play; Venice Preserved is a Restoration thriller.
I'll come back on the Sunday evening. On the 5th, back with UITCS for Pilgrims, at the Orange Tree Theatre.
On the 6th, I'm off to the Bunker.. they have a program of plays by black writers, called This is Black, and that day, I'm seeing Double Bill 2 (they run on alternate days).
On the 7th, LLW has a walk called Moby Dick (ahoy!). It's around Greenland Dock.
On the 8th, I'm at a UITCS double bill at the Orange Tree! The Mikvah Project and Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography! (ahem..) Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
On the 12th, This is Black, Double Bill 1.
On the 13th, back with ACEWAG again - they're at a free outdoor concert in Canada Square Park, called the Magic of the Movies.
Now, UITCS is at Matthew Bourne's Romeo and Juliet the same night, at Sadler's Wells - and I was gutted not to get a ticket. But guess what - I got one for the next night! Last seat in the house, in fact.. love Matthew Bourne.
On the 15th, back with The Embers Collective, who are performing Full Moon Stories at Cafe Cairo.
On the 16th, I'm back with the Best Authentic Walking Tours in London (aka Funzing) - for the Sex, Drugs, Sausage Rolls Tour. Unusual for me to find a new walk!
On the 17th, going to see The Doctor, with Juliet Stevenson, at the Almeida. Now, I'd originally booked for this for the 15th, forgetting that The Embers Collective were meeting that day. Can happen when I'm booking lots of stuff. When I realised my mistake, I thought I just wouldn't bother with this - then saw that London Dramatic Arts are going on the 17th! So I switched my ticket to that night, and let them know I was coming too. As for whether they'll actually meet me, I'm not sure - the organiser was selling tickets for this, and might take umbrage at the fact that I bought my own: despite the fact that I originally bought it for another night, and wasn't deliberately trying to avoid buying hers! She can be like that, though.
On the 18th, going with CL to the Cartoon Museum - with optional dim sum afterwards. Yes please!
On the 19th, I'm finally going to see Evita, at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. Never have seen it.
On the 20th, with the LEC at the Globe - we're going to risk The Comedy of Errors.
And on the 21st of next month, I'm seeing Showtune - an evening of Jerry Herman music - at the Union Theatre.
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