Film: Indiscreet

So, with nothing better on tv this afternoon, I ended up watching (most of) Indiscreet, a stylish film set in London in 1958. Ingrid Bergman - an actress so successful that she not only has a palatial apartment, but also a couple of servants (!) - starts an affair with married man, Cary Grant. It's a comedy.

Well, had there been anything better on, I'd have chosen it. The beginning seriously irritated me, as she played the simpering, docile female, meekly accepting of his various absences, waiting for him, adoring, when he returned. The film MASSIVELY improves when she discovers something that changes her perspective, and she becomes sparkier.. sadly, he kind of wins in the end anyway. But hey, the outfits are lovely.

I return to London on Monday. And meantime, my afternoon improved a great deal when London Classical Music & Theatre Group (LCMTG) suddenly organised a trip for Tuesday, to see Habeas Corpus, an Alan Bennett farce at the Menier Chocolate Factory. I rather baulked at the steep ticket price - but then thought, why don't I try my cheap ticket clubs? As someone remarked last year, a serious number of shows are using them, desperate to sell tickets. And sure enough, TAC stepped up to the plate - so instead of paying £45.. I paid £3.60! Now, that is one of the best-value deals I ever got from them. Also, this is a new organiser with this group, and we have already arranged to meet. Lovely!

That's the start of a few days with cheap ticket clubs - on Wednesday, I'm with CT to see Clean Slate Comedy, at Alice House, West Hampstead.

On Thursday, the same organiser with LCMTG has arranged an outing to a classical concert by the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican.. and wouldn't you know it, I had just booked the same thing with TAC! D'you think she is in the same club..? ;-)

On Friday, North London Friends is off to - Matthew Bourne's production of The Nutcracker, at Sadler's Wells! Aw man, I've been dying to see this! Well, they had their own tickets, and all are now sold out - but they were more expensive than I tend to go for, anyway. So I booked one of my regular seats, in the gods,a single seat to the side. Perfect. (Annoyingly, CT offered tickets to this - very briefly - last year, but by the time I checked, they were all gone. But my seat isn't expensive anyway.) Had to reset my password - they've enhanced the security requirements for passwords.

Next Saturday - ironically, the most expensive thing I've booked - I'm headed with London European Club to an Albrecht Durer exhibition at the National Gallery. I could have booked for free if I'd taken out membership, but I don't think I'd get the value of it. We're supposed to get access to a free audio guide with the booking, accessible through our smartphones, but I can't seem to see any evidence of it.. if we are getting one, I'll have to pop into the office during the week, I left my headphones in there! Anyway, we're meeting beforehand at Notes Coffee.

On the 9th, I'm with Discover London - History Walks and Events for a walk entitled Bawdy Borough: Poverty, Prostitutes and Playhouses. Cash on the day, annoyingly - I just about have it, as long as she doesn't mind a bit of change!

And on the 10th, back with LCMTG, for a Gabrieli Consort & Players concert at Wigmore Hall. And wouldn't you know it, the organiser gave his seat number for once - so, when I saw the seat beside him was free, I booked it! So, on my third Meetup with him - I just might get to meet him, finally!