For this evening, I'd been thinking cinema - but changed my mind and went for TAC instead, there being nothing much on Meetup. And so I booked for a comedy show at Leicester Square Theatre - at a fraction of the price. Not to be sneezed at. He's playing there for most of the rest of the year, it seems - but just one show a month, as he's simultaneously playing on Broadway! He's the only Western Rakugo master - it's Japanese comic storytelling, apparently.
Boy, it was bad when I set out. The wind picked up as I waited for one of the two buses I could get.. and as one approached, I ventured away from the bollard I was hanging onto, and braved the walk to the bus stop. I waved him down as I went, then concentrated on making for the bus stop, to hang onto it. And I swear, when I looked around again, the driver was on the point of pulling away! I guess he thought I changed my mind. So I flagged him again, and he swerved in my direction. Mercifully.
I took it to the end of the line, then we all got off - into an unpleasantly strong wind. Still, it wasn't anything like it had been when I got on! I scuttled on down to the theatre - and had to join the end of a queue. Bags were searched, and I picked up my ticket at the box office. Was delighted to be in, especially in a basement theatre, nice and snug. Treated myself to a drink at the bar, and took my seat - in the second row! And whom should I spy, at the end of the front row and a couple of seats to my right, but the London European Club organiser! Well, what a nice surprise. He had, as he said, got his ticket by the same route I had. Of course he'd be interested in this - he's interested in all things Japanese, his wife is Japanese.. she doesn't really like to go out much, so she hadn't accompanied him. Anyway, it was lovely to catch up - I hadn't seen him in weeks.
It wasn't long before our performer appeared, all bedecked in complicated Japanese garb. This kind of storytelling takes place with the performer kneeling - not for me, then, with my bad knees - and of course, with him being from Toronto, much of the humour derives from the confusion between native speakers of different languages. He speaks several - English, of course, but also Japanese (having lived in Japan for 25 years), and he's learning Mandarin Chinese. And Italian, for a break from the Chinese.
The stories themselves are short, with a punchline - and yes, I'm happy to report that he's really good at it. A naturally funny guy, he has a wealth of these rakugo stories to draw on, and it's most original on the comedy circuit. Good for him! The show isn't long, but is well worth the money. Perhaps not so much at full price.. but I would be interested in coming again, hearing that he tells different stories every time. Anyway, I made my farewells to my friend, and toddled off home, glad to be out early, and glad that the wind had died down somewhat. Although the bus stop was shaking slightly alarmingly as I waited..
For tomorrow, my other cheap ticket club - and more comedy. CT has limited tickets for the excellent Rob Newman's comedy show at 2Northdown. At least I believe the rain is supposed to die off.
On Tuesday, I finally get to see Laurence Summers again - 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners are off on a Cruising Covent Garden pub walk. Except I saw it first on their sister group, Carpe Diem, and have booked with them. Let's hope the storm has cleared off by then!
And on Wednesday, I'm with Civilised London again. They're going to a lot of plays these days - on Wednesday, we're at The Forest in Hampstead Theatre. A few famous people in this - Millie Brady, Silas Carson, Paul McGann, Gina McKee, Toby Stephens.. A while ago, I was contacted by the box office to say that during rehearsals, they'd discovered that my seat had a restricted view. Which is very thorough of them! So they'd reduced the price. I had a choice to make - did I want to stay in that seat - in which case they'd give me a credit note for the price difference, or change to another seat - if available, or upgrade to a more expensive seat and pay the difference, or perhaps book for another night? Well, I didn't want another night - so I rang them, and discovered there were no other seats available at my original price, so I upgraded, and am now in the second row. Well, as she said, the view would be excellent! Anyway, this is now sold out for the entire run.
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