So to the library, nervous of every delay. We arrived near the library at a few minutes before start time, and once I'd squeezed off the bus, which had filled very much, off I charged (as much as possible, given the crowds and the leaf-strewn, slippy pavements). In the wrong direction. Realised before very long, and back I went - luckily, I found a side ramp that took me in a bit quicker: and isn't it lucky that I've been here before, and knew where I was going!
A very cursory bag check - he didn't even open it - and I panted up the stairs, to run into Ben Haggarty at the top, who smiled in my direction as he paced around the lobby. Happily, they never do start on time. I think I was the last to arrive, a few minutes late - it was quite full, but I managed a few seats to myself at the side, so I could spread out.
Poor Jan Blake hobbled in on a crutch, whatever she did to herself! (She never did say.) She came slowly up the steps, and I guess that was the thinking in having the stool in the centre, for the storyteller, should they want it - the two took turns, with two tales each. Two very different styles - Ben more theatrical, Jan more down-to-earth, getting us always to join in. Hell, we ended up carol singing, for the season that's in it! But each managed, in their own way, to transport us completely to a world where anything is possible - with goblins, and a cow that yearns to be human: birds that can speak to humans, and a strange old lady with a music box, tempting children to be bad. Because the theme was "rebel children", who do the opposite of what they're told, sometimes with bad consequences, sometimes with good. Absolutely timeless, absolutely absorbing - and as usual, I absolutely can't do it justice with my description. Go see, whenever - if ever - you can; storytelling done well is one of the greatest art forms. And it's a real joy to see two masters of the art like these.
Handily, my bus home left from right outside - and came straight away! At the end of a line of three - I was lucky to catch it before it left, parked behind the others as it was. Tomorrow, my annual trip to Winter Wonderland - heading to Cirque Berserk and the Ice Kingdom, as usual. Someone said he might come along - but he's been travelling, and was distracted, and never seemed to notice that I was going to events in it! so he didn't sound keen when I explained it to him, and now I don't think he'll come.
On Wednesday, the first night in ages with North London Friends (NLF)! We're at A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, at Trafalgar Studios. Last Meetup of the month, for me.
On Thursday, our ex-company's social group's Christmas meeting. We had a tiff about the venue - the organiser decided on Thai Square, which I think is overpriced and underwhelming. So he started to grumble about the difficulty of getting somewhere before Christmas - which will take a group, and doesn't cost the earth. Still though, he came up with an alternative - we've decided on the Warwick Castle pub in Little Venice. Lovely area, the pub sounds nice - with a Christmassy open fire, and a room we can book - and hey, it's a pub, which won't throw us out as quickly! They have a wine deal.. 10% off if you order at least £150 worth. And gee, he's had us choosing what we want off the menu. I also asked for the wine list - asked for suggestions from the group, but as no-one could be bothered getting back to me, sod it, I couldn't be bothered ordering so much wine for people that don't want to decide whether they want wine at all. A "whine about wine", as someone described it.
On Friday, potentially having Christmas drinks with an old friend who's very hard to pin down! We'll figure it out. Hopefully.
On Saturday, I'm headed to the Tutankhamun exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. They have half hourly time slots for entry throughout the day, and have been sending repeated emails warning not to arrive before the scheduled time on the ticket, because of overcrowding! I booked a nice late one, at 6pm.
On Sunday, I arranged to have lunch with Helen - she's squeezing in a trip to London before the infamous strikes start, next day! We arranged to eat at Bistro1, and booked a table. Now, when I went to book, they advertised a Groupon voucher for a meal for two - great, except when I phoned, I was told it wasn't valid in December! Never said anything about that on the voucher. So I've got a refund on the voucher, and they said they'd inform the restaurant that it was no longer valid. Meantime, poor Ivan is out of town this week for work and missing all the fun - and so, this morning, on the train back from a stay with the family, he floated the idea of an all-day social, some weekend. Starting Sunday. I explained to him that I was seeing Helen on Sunday - "Bring her!" sez he. Helen was ok with them joining us, so now he and another are joining us for lunch on Sunday. The start of a fun day, methinks.
Next Monday, ironically, I'm on another Groupon deal - this one seems to be valid, though. I'm headed to & Juliet, a very non-Shakespearian take on the classic heroine, including a pop soundtrack, with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS). Running at Shaftesbury Theatre.
On the 3rd, back with NLF for Fairview, at the Young Vic.
On the 4th, back with the CCC for a night I'm really looking forward to - Ben Haggarty and Jan Blake again, combined with my favourite, Clare Murphy, and Jordan Campbell, will treat us to a night on the theme Sovereign, at Rich Mix. It's the last in their series called the "alternative tarot", where four storytellers take turns to expand on variations on an archetypal theme, and hold a Q+A after. And I do hope Ivan can make this, because he's a great fan of Jan's, and I do think this is right up his alley.
On the 5th, back with UITCS for Three Sisters, at the National. Also signed up with Love London Arts, Theatre, Music & Stuff for this - the last time I tried to integrate the two, it didn't really work! It'll be interesting to see how it goes this time. I'll try to gravitate more towards them this time, as I missed them completely the last time. And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend, again.
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