These two days are with TAC. Tonight, I headed to Whattalife! - part of the Wimbledon Music Festival, this is the story of English contralto Kathleen Ferrier. Took place in St. John's Church, as usual.
There's always a palaver getting to this festival - and more so, given that I'm now on completely the other side of the city. So. It was going to take an hour or so, however I played it - Northern Line, then a bus. And then I realised I hadn't got the e-ticket that my club had said the venue would send me. Now, I didn't want to embark on this odyssey if there was a chance that I mightn't be let in! so I contacted the club, who nice and quickly got back to me, and reassured me that my name was on the list, it'd be fine. I was somewhat disappointed - I had no excuse now!
Mercifully, the Tube wasn't too full, and I got a seat - I had a long way to go. I'd picked up a paper on the way in, which turned out to be surplus to requirements - there were already two on the seat I sat on! I had a choice of getting the bus from Colliers Wood, or one Tube stop closer to the venue, at South Wimbledon. Figured it made more sense to get the Tube as far as possible, as it was faster. I was worried we got there a bit late - just as well I'd got an earlier Tube than expected! I had to round the corner to catch my bus - there were two going in the same direction - and wouldn't you know it, as I turned the corner, I saw one of them stopped at the lights. Blast, I thought, I've missed it - and then I came upon the stop, between me and the lights! Weehee, perfect timing..
I alighted at the bottom of Spencer Hill - took me five minutes just to get across the road. And wow, Spencer Hill.. you know, I remember this from the one time I was here before, and I see I made it too late and didn't bother going in. Gee, this is where you find out how fit you are! The awful thing is, I was tight for time - anyway, I don't think stopping for a rest would have helped much. I finally wheezed my way to the entrance, two minutes to spare, and was explaining myself to the ladies at the door when an anxious chap appeared and said it was about to start, and brought me to the ticket desk. When I said my club name, he didn't even bother to check, just told me to sit anywhere in the centre. Which I did. Phew!
I'm happy to report that this was worth the trek. It's the heartwarming story of a Lancashire lass, as they say, who was discovered as a singer relatively late, then had an absolute whirlwind career, singing at home and abroad, until her untimely death from breast cancer. It's told from her point of view, and we get lovely descriptions of both her excitement at the work, and the travel she gets to do - visiting post-war Vienna, taking the boat to New York for an American tour! But oh, the singing that punctuates the show, to give us an idea what she's talking about.. absolutely sublime. The audience was moved to applaud after one number, despite her being in the middle of a scene! Terrific stuff.
At the interval, I wasn't moved to buy a programme, but I did treat myself to a rather small glass of quite decent wine - it was worth it, just to watch him figure out how to set up the card payment system! The show was over quite early - mercifully, given the length of my journey home - and at least the beginning was now downhill:
A bus was along directly - they were very obliging, tonight. Google Maps was still insisting I take the bus to Colliers Wood - rubbish, I got off at South Wimbledon and passed through Colliers Wood on the Tube - much faster. And for a lot of the journey, I had the carriage completely to myself!
Tomorrow, it's comedy - Holier Than Thou is a one-man show about a vicar, playing in the Canal Cafe Theatre. So, Tube again - but only half the journey time!
On Wednesday, back with Invigorate for a pub crawl! (Oops, I mean a tour of historic pubs..) Now, that's also my birthday, so I'm sure I'll get a birthday drink! ;-)
I would have travelled somewhere foreign for my birthday, but well, that's not so much of an option these days. Anyway, I'm taking that day off work - so my boss has suggested birthday drinks for me on Thursday, as we should be back in the office by then. And then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend - it's easier to get Friday flights at the moment!
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