Film: Boiling Point

Tonight, film again - all Meetups seem to happen on the same day! (and not today). (Joint) top of the list - and the most interesting of the three there - was Boiling Point, if I excluded all the films that were starting a bit too early. This sounded interesting (and, thankfully, quite a bit shorter than last night) - it's the story of the busiest night of the year (around Christmas, of course) in a restaurant. Shot in a single take - apparently the third of four they tried. They would have had a few more goes, but decided it was safer not, because of Covid. Seemed they'd made something quite intense! Showing in the Curzon Bloomsbury.

I skipped the earlier showing, on the grounds of it being too early - so my showing was quite late. So I could work late - just as well, with all I have on - and still made it in plenty of time. In fact, I was the first there! And I'd made sure to pick a seat with a free one beside it - as well as Covid considerations, it's very handy for leaving my stuff on!

It's not surprising that they'd make a restaurant-based film - an Irish TV series, The Restaurant, which ran for a number of seasons a while ago, took us behind the scenes as a different celebrity each week acted as head chef in The Courtyard Restaurant, conveniently located near the TV Studios where the programme was put together. With real chefs putting together the head chef's menu, and real diners - including two regular critics and a different guest critic each week - were fed it. It was compelling viewing, and apart from seeing what rating the celebrity's menu would get, part of the fun was the diners trying to guess who had designed the menu, before the big reveal prior to the awarding of the result!

Tonight's film reminded me a bit of that, as we get to see both behind the scenes, with stressed staff, and front-of-house, with difficult diners. Mainly, the camera follows the head chef, who's got personal problems as well as having to deal with everyone else's issues. But there's the restaurant manager, whose dad owns the place and who is in over her head, there's the sous chef, so at the end of her tether that she's demanding a pay rise, or she'll walk - and she might anyway. There's the new chef, a bit befuddled by the chaos around her, and whose first language isn't English, so she gets confused. There's the dishwasher, overworked and rattled at the guy who's supposed to be helping her, but spends his time getting stoned. There's the commis pastry chef, who is great at his job, but has serious personal problems. There's the waiter who's always late because she wants to act, and has auditions.

Oh yes, don't forget the customers - the demanding table for whom nothing is right: the table of Instagrammers who want special treatment, and something that's not on the menu: the table reserved for a couple, and he's let the manager know that he's going to propose, so they must be treated like royalty. Oh, and let's not forget her nut allergy. And on top of that, the table with the celebrity chef at it, who used to work with this head chef - and shows up with an unexpected guest.

I have never had more respect for restaurant staff. You think your job is stressful? Go watch this! It's compelling. Not least the manager constantly having to tell the kitchen staff to swear quieter, they can be heard on the floor.. If you have ever eaten in a restaurant, you will enjoy this. You might even recognise yourself.. go see. Recommended. Mind you, after last night, I felt surprised it came to so quick an end..

On the way home, Google Maps suggested a change of buses. But knowing the area as I do, I found a better combination.. ;-)

Tomorrow.. hmm. Well, I was supposed to go on another Invigorate pub crawl. Until I got the shock yesterday of being notified that I had been removed from the group! and when I tried to ask the organiser what was going on, I discovered he'd blocked me. Not to mention, when I thought to check today, he'd unfriended me on Facebook! Well now, and I've known that guy for years. Goes to show, you never do know with people.. whatever his reason for removing me (probably because I don't tend to go on hikes), it seems terribly cowardly to block me on the message system as well! Never mind, Wednesdays are the most popular weekday for Meetups, and I can always find something else - indeed, instead, I'm delighted to be headed with London Classical Music and Theatre Group (LCMTG) to a London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) concert at the Royal Festival Hall! Nice, cheap tickets available - as usual - with TAC, who send you a promo code to book on the LPO website. So, bye-bye Invigorate - I'll miss this group, it was one of my friendliest, but if the organiser is going to behave like that..!

On Thursday, back with the LCMTG for a concert by the 23 String Orchestra at Cadogan Hall. This had cheap ticket offers too, but I booked too late - hey, it's been hectic!

On Friday, I've pencilled in to meet my ex-coworkers again - Ivan isn't sure whether he can make it, he's to let us know.

On Saturday, back with Cultureseekers - for the first time in person! They're off to the Cinema Museum - apparently only group visits are allowed, these days, and it only reopens the day before. They also have a talk organised. With a choice of two times, I have - of course - chosen the later one! Cash on the day - I'll have to get some.

On Sunday, ooh - London European Club is at a storytelling event in King's Place! Not Crick Crack this time - this appears to be an independent event, a telling of The Little Prince, with piano accompaniment. Sounds lovely!

On Monday, Surrey History Meetup has another Zoom meeting - this one is on Canal History and Heritage.

Next Tuesday, my first in-person Meetup with 45+ not Grumpy Old Londoners - a guided walk with Laurence Summers! This is the Feisty Fitzrovia pub tour - and since I used to live there, I can hardly refuse! Another pay-on-the-day, damnit.

And on the 26th - would you believe, my first Meetup of the year with Up in the Cheap Seats! Well, they're going to see Magic Goes Wrong, which I've been dying to see - again, I could hardly refuse! Yet again, I missed out on cheap tickets - ended up in the Gods, but at the end of a row, and the view should be OK. The Apollo Theatre, tickets now cheapest on the official website. And with all the seats that are still free, you never know, I might get an upgrade.. The ticket was a nightmare to book, mind - when I tried to add my payment details, it gave me an error! Failing to get a response from the box office, I tried the workaround of adding the payment details to my account and checking out again, which worked.