With our office move, we were supposed to leave work by 4 - but that was because our receptionist wanted to give us our new passes, and wanted everyone to get them before she left for the day. Except they never arrived - so, change of plan: we show up to the new building with our old passes as ID on Monday! Doh. Anyway, for yesterday, this meant there wasn't such pressure to be out of the office - but when the packers arrived and started to size up the goods around me, I decided it was time to leave. Just as well - I had to take my laptop home and get cash en route, then schlep off to Covent Garden. Even without eating, I barely got there in time!
We sure got great directions - opposite the Tube station, at the junction of Long Acre & Neal Street, where there are three trees. Mind you, the best indicator of all was the top hat our guide wore, which was festooned with lit fairy lights. As was the thick, tinsel necklace he wore. (We'd also been sent a picture of these things.) And as the crowd grew and grew around us (Fridays are busy, of course), he ticked off names in his notebook. Unfortunately, Ivan got sidetracked with work, and though I said he could join at any point (it being pay-what-you-want), he said he'd just meet me for drinks at the end. With these numbers, it didn't matter - lots of +1s cancelled, we still had plenty.
Our guide - an out-of-work Irish actor, as he explained - was hilarious throughout, with a touch of Jim Carrey about him. First stop was back to Covent Garden, which I'd passed through on the way - I'd never known there was a miniature ice rink there, sponsored by Tiffany's! But we were headed for our first stop - a stall where you could buy mulled wine or cider. With the huge queue that formed, no wonder she gave him a hug and kiss! and let him steal a gingerbread man and a brownie as he went on his way, having regaled us with tales about the origins of Christmas, as illustrated on the tablet he carried with him. (Very nice mulled wine, too.)
Our passage of the piazza - where he tried to make a stop, to chat about the enormous tree - was foiled by a nearby busker (and a laugh-inducing reaction from our guide), so he took us somewhere quieter before leaving Covent Garden for nearby streets.
Some of these streets I've seen on previous tours, but Carnaby Street always does something different. And he had plenty of interesting stories for us - for instance, he made an intriguing claim that George IV's portraits were doctored, giving him larger shoulders than he had, to balance his enormous girth. Pity that made his head look so small..
Our second stop was in the Bavarian Market, which I was delighted about - he gave us nearly 15 minutes to wander around, which gave me a welcome opportunity to grab something to eat. Same organisers as Winter Wonderland, but on a much smaller scale. Caveat: if you buy alcohol on the premises, you can't take it out of the market - you must drink it there. There are bag checks.
At several points on the walk, he ran across people he knew, who greeted him with a friendly high-five - a nice touch. A useful part of the trip was a shortcut through Kingly Court - gee, I never knew this centre for restaurants was here! And naturally enough, we finished up with the spectacular decorations of Mayfair - they mightn't change, but they are gorgeous.
He passed the hat around at the end, and I was delighted to give him £20, more than I ordinarily pay for a guided walk. But then, he had an impressive number of stories I hadn't heard before, and was consistently entertaining. Mind you, the "suggested amount" in the email, where it's mentioned that others charge £35 a head, is having a laugh - nobody charges anything like that: and with the number of walks I've been on, I should know!
It started to rain just as the walk was coming to an end - Ivan had taken the precaution of standing under a canopy outside the Hard Rock Cafe. He explained to me that a couple of his friends were having drinks, and had invited him - or we could stay local, just the two of us. Well, I said, why not join them? Everywhere around there would be jammed anyway. So we ended up getting the Tube to Arsenal, and schlepping through the rain to the Bank of Friendship. Unusual name - and unusually late opening! Still, not late enough for us - we ended up round at their place, with Ivan and his musical mate jamming until the sun came up. Lovely, hospitable people - would be delighted to see them again.
Got the bus home - mercifully, it was a gentler journey than the last time I took a bus after drinking too much! So, I got to bed at about 10am today.. Slept till 5: so much for my grand plan of getting anything done today! This evening, I was headed with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) to the Orange Tree, for Candida, by Shaw.
Now, the last couple of times I've been out here, I've had to take the train - which is much more expensive than Tube. So, Tube was what I determined to use today. Unfortunately, it'd have taken too long to take it all the way from Liverpool Street, which is closest to me - instead, I walked to Monument to take it from there. And wouldn't you know it - the tunnel allowing access from the street was closed! probably because of flooding. I had to walk to Bank at street level, enter the station there, and walk all the way back underground! By now, I had a sinking feeling I was going to be late - should've taken the train.
It took so long for any District Line train to come that when one did, I took it - even though it had the wrong destination. Changed at Earls Court - and contrary to what the boards originally said, the information soon changed to show a Richmond train! Hallelujah - so, if I'd just let another couple of trains pass at Monument, I'd have got the right train next. And a seat - it was jammed. But I did get a seat after a couple of stops.
Finally arriving at the theatre, I found it locked. Boo. But as I descended the stairs again, someone came to the door to ask whether he could help. I explained that I'd bought a ticket, but was late - he showed me to the upstairs room, where I could watch the first half hour on a tv screen. There are West End venues that don't do that - the Old Vic, for instance! He pulled up a chair for me and everything. And after half an hour, as promised, he came to show me to an inconspicuous upstairs seat - I could take my own at the interval. Exceptional customer service!
So, this is a comedy about a young man, down on his luck, who comes to stay with an idealistic pastor and his wife - and falls for the wife, in a big way. As he and the husband clash over who would provide a better life for her, she takes them both by surprise with her decision as to which she'll choose - mainly because of her reasoning!
I have to say, it makes a nice change to see a period piece, played in the period in which it's set, and more particularly in period costume! Nothing wrong with a modern conversion - Cyrano de Bergerac is a case in point - but it is refreshing to see something traditional, for a change. And while I didn't really feel that the humour had passed the test of time, it is an interesting study, well-played, of Shaw's interpretation of the nature of marriage at the time, and what each spouse represented to the other. Oh, and that young man is annoyingly earnest.. I couldn't have lasted very long in his company myself. Runs till the 18th of next month.
The Tube back afterwards was much simpler - and quicker to go all the way to Liverpool Street, at this late hour. But would you believe it, now I couldn't walk underground from Monument to Bank (!) and had to head over at street level. Which was now possible, if not convenient - there was a deluge as I did so. And the Central Line was packed, as usual - happily, I was only going one stop.
Tomorrow, my last visit of the year to the Crick Crack Club - Emily Hennessy is telling the Ramayana at the British Museum. Oh, and I'd completely forgotten that was on when I booked with North London Friends for a carol concert at St. James' Muswell Hill, followed by drinks at the John Baird. Sounds lovely - but I wouldn't realistically make both, and I've cancelled. With such a huge group going, I doubt I'll be missed. So that makes tonight my last Meetup of the year - I fly back to Ireland for Christmas on Monday.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
..and I'm off again next month, flying back to London on the 5th. On the 6th, I will start as I mean to go on, with UITCS at the Almeida for the Duchess of Malfi.
On the 7th, I'm off to the Opera House, for the Royal Ballet's production of Coppélia - one I've never seen.
And on the 8th, the RSC's production of Measure for Measure, at the Barbican. Set in decadent 1900s Vienna.
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