Opera: Amadigi

Well, back in London again! Tonight, it was back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS), to an opera by Handel, called Amadigi. Playing at the Hackney Empire, courtesy of the English Touring Opera.

Kee-rikey, what a lot I had to do today at work! (Happens, when you've been away the rest of the week.) However, I firmly resolved to get to the theatre in time. It'd take a while by bus, and a change of buses, but that was ok - and I did manage to drag myself out in time to catch one of the two that Google Maps gave me as an option. (Just as well, considering that all of a sudden, the other had no projected arrivals!) Getting to that bus in time was one of the most stressful things I've ever done - but I now had a nice, long journey to get over it, and calm down. And it was a nostalgic run - I'd forgotten that this was a bus I took all the time in my last accommodation, and we actually passed very close to there! Damn, I didn't get on with my flatmates, but there was terrific storage.. How I miss the storage..

It was stuffy enough that I had to take off my mask for a while, during the journey. My second bus was a lot more crowded though, so it was a relief to get off after five stops. Much fun was had with a bunch of rambunctious kids playing down the back, whose mothers were sitting opposite me - they did try to keep one of the kids with them when she dropped down for a visit, but in vain. They had some success in keeping an eye on them via the CCTV.. but of course, one ended up having to go down there. The stern one, I'm guessing. And then I got off.

Almost all the group were in the Upper Circle, whose entrance is around the side of the theatre. So off I went. 52 steps, we'd been warned. Gee, I think that's actually more than I have to climb up to my flat! For sure, I'm unaccustomed to the exercise, these days. So up I climbed. I was glad not to have to rush. And at the top, as there was no-one there I recognised, I treated myself to a celebratory drink - a decent size, for once. My first theatre drink since before lockdown! I took it outside to the auditorium - the bar is very small - and behold and lo, the group started to arrive. It transpired that anyone who came early had met in the garden outside. Ah well, we had a good chat.

Now, I have been here before - seven years ago! Twice that year, in fact. On at least one of those occasions - very likely both - I was in the Stalls. So I can be forgiven for not knowing where I was going. Mind you, the place seemed confusing to the usher as well (who tried to direct me to my seat when I was looking for the bar, and pointed me in completely the wrong direction for my seat). (The bar is in the middle, at the back of the auditorium.) I finally figured out where I was going by starting the booking process for another show on my phone, and seeing what the seat numbers were, and so we duly made our way to our seats. Well, what can you expect from a theatre that has seats 6 & 7 on one side of the auditorium, and 8 & 9 all the way over on the other, in the same row? Also watch out for the hidden slope in the floor, and the rather large step depths - I was glad I was over the side, and could take the railing along the wall to make my way down.

It wasn't until the interval that I got a chance to take photos - and it is gorgeous. As someone mused, I wonder whether they used lockdown as a chance to renovate..?

And so, off we go. We all agreed that we love the music - it is sublime, and a terrific end to a stressful day. The story involves a damsel in distress - she's been kidnapped by a sorceress, and it's up to the dashing hero to save her. The sorceress' assistant, mind, has fallen for her, too.. expect lots of derring-do, and sword-brandishing.

The story, as always in baroque opera, is perhaps a bit over-wrought, and it's a good thing to have a bit of comedy. The props include voodoo dolls, the male characters' costumes have rather enormous shoulderpads. The evil sorceress' apprentice looked like a hunchback. (Spoiler - he descends to Hell in the second act, and comes back looking good and spooky. Just the thing for October!) And I just loved how the damsel spent her time in prison.. But as always, it was the music that did it for me. It's just a shame that, during the second act, I felt unwell briefly and had to repair to the loo. (Thank goodness I was at the end of a row, and near enough.) And felt guilty when I flushed.. so I made sure not to use the hand dryer..!

Anyway, baroque opera is not for everyone, but if you do enjoy it, you'll enjoy this. Curiously, they switch to English at the end (with Italian surtitles). At which point I lost the plot, literally - I had more chance of understanding the Italian surtitles than understanding English sung like that! Ah well. Apparently, the surtitles throughout were approximate to what was actually being sung - for which I'm sure they had an excellent reason. The old-fashioned dialogue doesn't always translate.. Playing there again tomorrow night, then touring the country until the 17th of next month - see the opera company's website for details.

With so little choice on Meetup at the moment, the next four nights for me are with one of my cheap ticket groups (TAC), at £3.60 a pop. Well, it's good to get back with them before they decide I no longer want to be a member! Tomorrow sounds interesting - it's Ophelia Thinks Harder (a reworking of Hamlet) at the Bridewell Theatre. Which is walking distance from me - as long as it's not lashing!

Now, I'm thrilled that Hallowe'en is coming up - so I spent a lot of time during the week trying to find something decent to do that day. And would you credit it, I haven't yet found anything! So I had a look at what Darkfield is offering - that was the best thing I did, last Hallowe'en. They have in-person shows too, but Darkfield doesn't provide a venue, and I don't have one to give them! So, I was delighted to see that they've got a new personalised audio show called Knot. It's a three-parter - the first is designed to take place on a park bench, the second in the front passenger seat of a car, the third at home. If necessary, all parts can be experienced at home, but they ask you to recreate the environments as closely as possible. Currently booking - but only up to the 11th! I'm sure it'll still be running on Hallowe'en, but just to be sure, I've booked for tomorrow night. I should be back in time. Headphones and app download required - I still have the app from last year, and I've brought my headphones from work. Blindfold highly recommended, as you're not supposed to peek..!

Sunday is Love Goddess: The Rita Hayworth Cabaret, at the Canal Cafe Theatre. I believe we have to buy membership on the door, for another £1.50.

Monday is the World Doctors Orchestra, at the Barbican. Yes, apparently with actual doctors. They're to send me a promo code to use to get my own ticket - I asked what the story was, and they said the venue recommends not sending the code out until the day before the event.

Tuesday is Fritz & Matlock, at the Pleasance - they caught my eye by advertising it as a reworking of Waiting for Godot..

On Wednesday, I've signed up for a Free 3 Mile City of London on Screen - Guided Walk & Post Event Social, with Invigorate. It's a tour of film locations, most of which I might know already, but hey. This is a newly minted group, made from one that I used to be a member of, before. And it'll be my first guided walk, post-lockdown! The organiser of this group also organised one of the last events I went to, pre-lockdown..

Thursday, I've promised to keep free so I can go for drinks with my boss and her team again. Happens weekly.

Next Friday, back with TAC for Lately, at the Lion & Unicorn. Then I'm back to Ireland again - on Saturday again, as I was unable to get a Friday flight! Working from home the following Monday, and flying back to London that evening.

On the 12th, I found a curious thing on Meetup - it seems that Watkins Bookshop has its own Meetup group, where it advertises events, and that day there's a talk by Stephen Skinner, about Aleister Crowley's Four Books of Magick. Ok, sounds interesting to me - I signed up.

On the 13th, back at last with Civilised London! We're off for what promises to be another excellent meal, this time at the Korean restaurant, The Petite Corée. Meeting beforehand in The Railway pub.

On the 14th, back at last with London European Club! Happily, they're going to what I'd be going to anyway.. the Crick Crack Club is performing The Women Who Gave No F*cks, at Rich Mix. Fantastic when the London European Club decide to come..

On the 15th, woo! A couple of weeks ago, UITCS was off to 2:22 - A Ghost Story, but I was meeting an ex-colleague for drinks that night and couldn't go. Well, I got a ticket for the 15th - second-last night of the run! Unfortunately, cheapest available were £65, and no availability with cheap ticket sellers - ah well, I decided I really wanted to see it (great reviews helped), so I booked. Had great fun trying to decide which of the few remaining seats at that price was the best.. Showing at the Noel Coward Theatre. And with all the cheap shows I'm going to, I can afford it!

On the 16th, my first outing with another new group - Bucket List London is off to Kenwood House, and I said I'd join them. You don't have to book, but it guarantees availability- tickets for free from English Heritage, via See Tickets.

On the 17th, I found something interesting with London Walks, Art & Culture Explorers! Yet another new one for me. This is an "Uncomfortable Statues Walk" - statues commemorating controversial people. I can think of a few, and it'll be interesting to see which come up on this!

On the 18th, I'm with London Classical Music & Theatre Group, for a choral performance (annual, apparently) by The Sixteen in Temple Church. Fantastic, and I've never actually been inside!

And on the 19th, I'm with Guided Walking Tours in Brighton and Sussex (!). They have an online talk entitled Hallowe'en Penny Dreadful Online Show - The Art of Victorian Horror. I have to say, online has become much more of an option since lockdown.

I'm finally beginning to feel my diary getting back to a healthy state! ;-)