Play: Mother of Him

Tonight (assuming Extinction Rebellion let me out of the building - they were supposed to be protesting there today), I booked to see Mother of Him, at the Park. I see North London Friends is going to this a bit later, and already raving about it..

Well, no sign of the protestors - bar a helicopter that buzzed us for a few hours, and increased security on our building. No, I had other problems.. I was asked, unexpectedly, to review a doc - and as it wasn't that long, I really wanted to get it done this evening. However, I really wasn't expecting it to take as long as it did - much of which is down to the buggy nature of Microsoft Word, which, when you're copying something from one document to another, decides willy-nilly to change the font. Of course, it doesn't help that our marketing department has decided to use a non-standard font! Anyway, I needs must go and change all the fonts back..

Believe me, that was enough to make all the difference. Well, I was too late for the bus, so Tube it was - where I saw my only protesters of the day, making their way home. (I guess that's why they don't target the Tube - they are conscious of needing a way home after.) And I arrived on the platform just in time to hear the train I'd needed to catch making its way out. It was when I saw that the next wasn't due for four minutes (!) that I knew I probably wouldn't make it - but I still held out hope.

At least today's Central Line was squeezable onto - that extra hour or so makes all the difference. So I got on the first train - and changed onto the Piccadilly Line, busier than last time. Had missed my connection, of course. Cursed the red light we were stopped at. And alighted at Finsbury Park. Where, of course, the entrance on the theatre side is still closed, and probably will be forever more. So when I saw, upon exiting, that I was already four minutes late - and knew I'd have a walk of a few more minutes around to the other side of the station - well, that was that. I wasn't scurrying around the building for the sake of pleading with theatre staff - and I had a ticket for the front row, which doesn't help. Instead, I took a complicated combination of buses home - for the sake of speed and convenience. The advantage of the Hopper fare! Well, an early night lets me catch up with myself..

Tomorrow, Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) is off to the Albert Hall for Symphonic Queen - the Royal Philharmonic is performing Queen. And, of course, one advantage of Meetup is that you usually meet beforehand - which does give you a buffer, in case you're running late, so you at least make the show! And ooh, it seems it might not rain tomorrow, for once..!

Then begins a long period of non-Meetup stuff. On Wednesday, I'm heading to the ballet Manon, at the Opera House.

On Thursday, the Crick Crack Club (CCC) is back at Rich Mix, with Melusine. TUUP is the headliner on this occasion, which should be terrific!

On Friday, Helen's in town, heading to a Midge Ure concert at the Palladium - we're meeting for dinner beforehand at the Slug & Lettuce. Now, that's the day I should be flying back to Ireland - so I'm going the next day instead. And with my mother's birthday during the week - and not having any major holidays booked - I said, why not just take the week off and spend it in Ireland? So I am.

On the 28th, the CCC is back again - Ben Haggarty is in Soho Theatre with Grim Grimms - a dark take on fairytales, highlighting four lesser-known tales of the brothers Grimm. With musical accompaniment. Tickets weren't available when I noted this in my calendar - they have now, predictably, sold out.

On the 29th, I'm trying to persuade the social group from my former company to come with me to a Design My Night event - Fright Night Cinema is showing Hallowe'en in the Rivoli ballroom, with a themed cocktail bar and people dressed in spooky costumes. Now, that sounds like fun.. I've booked, at least, and a couple of others have indicated they'll come.

On the 30th, back with Meetup at last - UITCS is at a mixed programme by Birmingham Royal Ballet, at Sadler's Wells. I've seen part of it before, and it's excellent.

For Hallowe'en, The Embers Collective stepped up to the plate, with a storytelling performance called Witch, at The Jago.

On the 1st, meeting Ivan.. he's away most of the time till then, and I'm busy the rest of the time!

And on the 2nd, I've booked with Best Authentic Walking Tours in London, for a Royal Maritime Greenwich Ghost Tour. Now, this is - as with all their walks - with Funzing, so I can get a refund up to 48 hours beforehand. Which I'll probably do (have, in fact, done for this twice already), as I might go to a film that day - depending what's on - or, if I don't like the offerings, Love London Theatre, Arts, Music & Stuff is off to Blood Wedding, a new adaptation of the Lorca play, at the Young Vic. By 'eck, though, I see there's already limited availability on tickets for the whole run, and several dates sold out! Hope I don't lose out..