With so little choice on Meetup at the moment, these 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! Today sounded interesting - it was Ophelia Thinks Harder (a reworking of Hamlet) at the Bridewell Theatre. Which is walking distance from me - as long as it wasn't lashing!
Well, it was raining when I headed out, but not lashing - so off I went. First to Liverpool Street Station, where I checked out The Upper Crust again - and boy, I wasn't disappointed! I had a simple ham and cheese baguette, but however they manage it, they make the tastiest baguettes I know of. I enjoyed that, wandering around the station. And when I'd finished, I was fortified to head off to the Bridewell.
Miserable weather. I strolled at an easy pace, made it in plenty of time - and the cheery lady at the box office, when she heard where I'd got my ticket, produced a bundle of them and sorted through, looking for my name. Produced it, and said the house wasn't open yet, but the bar might be.. looking around, I saw a sign for it, and headed downstairs. Where I came upon a lovely little bar, with exposed brickwork and snug booths. There was hardly anyone there. I got myself a drink, and took a seat - I was lucky to arrive early, it really filled up!
When it was time for the show, we headed back up - we had allocated seating, and I found myself near the back. Pointlessly, I'd been placed beside someone, when we were not only the only ones in our row, but there was no-one in the two rows in front of us!
Oh Lord, what a piece of tripe. This is told from Ophelia's point of view, of course - but peppered with quotations from the original play, spouted by Hamlet, by her, or even by her maid. And of course, Ophelia, in this, is a proto-feminist - so we're absolutely cudgelled about the head with feminist lamentations about the state of women in Those Days. TBH, I never liked the character Hamlet - thought he was a dithering idiot. Unfortunately, in this play, it seems to be catching, and we are forced to endure Ophelia displaying the same lamentable condition. Hamlet, meanwhile, is quite menacing whenever he visits her chamber, and makes an absolute prat of himself - particularly when she decides it might be wiser to cool the affair.
I was desperate to get out of there before even half an hour had passed (Act I, sadly, was 85 minutes), and absolutely raced for the door as soon as I could. A mishmash of quotes from the original Hamlet, and hokey philosophy, with a very nasty version of the Hamlet character - I'd avoid, if you ever come across it.
Unfortunately, when I left, it was now pouring - I got very wet heading for Cote Barbican, having decided that that was where I fancied eating. And wouldn't you know it, when I finally did get there - they were full! It'd be an hour before they had a table free. So, on I trudged. figuring there might be something in Liverpool Street Station. But the pub I used to eat in is now gone, and literally the only sitdown restaurant right now is Wetherspoon's. I popped my head in - but the din inside was so cacophonous that I poked it right back out again. I could hardly see a free table, and it wasn't exactly pleasant. I ended up grabbing something for dinner in M&S Simply Food and bringing it home - and to be fair, it was very nice. Also nice to peel off my wet clothes..
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 booked for tonight. I was back in time to eat and get set up. Headphones and app download required - I still have the app from last year, and I brought my headphones from work. Blindfold highly recommended, as you're not supposed to peek..!
Three separate access codes to be entered, and I was ready. The whole thing took 90 minutes - gaps between sections so you could move from one location to another, but although I found park benches near me, I wasn't sitting on one in this weather! Neither was I finding a car - I'd probably have had to hire a taxi. For the last part, I was supposed to sit in "a chair, in the largest room in my home". HAH! The only room where I could guarantee not to be disturbed is my bedroom, where there isn't room for a chair. Never mind, I listened to them all while sitting on the end of my bed.
I don't think it impeded the experience, mind. Sadly, this isn't scary - until, perhaps, you come to the last scenario, where all is revealed. Until then - and even when the whole story is revealed - it's quite disjointed. The listener has no real part to play in the story, and there's one jarring piece of dialogue where a couple of the characters are talking about the listener, whom they refer to as "they". Surely that could, and should, have been rewritten? Very, very disappointing, after the tremendous show they put on last year.
Tomorrow 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. I also believe it's forecast not to rain.
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.
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, Up in the Cheap Seats 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! I just hope the general run turns out to be better than today's..
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