Play: The Glow

For food at Liverpool Street today, I didn't know what I fancied - ate in Cote yesterday, didn't fancy the other restaurants I'd tried roundabout. The Upper Crust had sold out of the baguette I like! Wandering on, I came across Delice de France, and decided to check out what they had. Ooh, lots of hot food.. ooh, steak slices! Decided to try one of those - and I have to say, it was the crispiest steak slice I've ever had, and quite delicious. Will definitely be back - that was just what I needed.

Tonight, I was at The Glow, in the Royal Court - nice, spooky sounding play about someone with a gift for the supernatural! As usual, not a place you can usually get discounted tickets for - although, in one of those annoying twists, CT came up with cheap tickets after I'd bought mine (now sold out, I think). But slips tickets tend to be great value, as long as you're not too close to the stage and having to crane your neck.

I've said it before, but it's worth mentioning - I am SICK of cyclists in central London. If I'm not dodging them on the pavements, I'm wary of crossing when the pedestrian light is green, because I just know there's a cyclist somewhere who probably won't obey the traffic lights, but will take it as their opportunity to sail on through. This evening, I wasn't the only one swearing when we had to stop dead, while walking across at a major junction, because someone was speeding towards us on a bike and we had to give way. And it isn't that long the lights stay green for pedestrians, you know!

Well, as if in apology for yesterday's fiasco, the buses were all quite prompt today. And wow, for whatever reason, the estimated journey time to the Royal Court was under an hour, even in early evening by bus! I had a choice of three, chose the first to come along - which was along straightaway. With this one, I had to change at Waterloo - lucky I'd done it before, and knew I needed to go into the station itself to access Station Approach! There was my next bus, somnolent at its terminal - a lady and her son were wondering when (or whether) it was going to move. So I checked my Buses Due app - which said it'd be 12 minutes. They had thought only two minutes - so when another arrived that they could take, off they went. And then lo and behold, two minutes later, the lights were switched on in mine, and off I went as well. So there, app..

I arrived at the theatre a little early - and somewhat hungry, so ventured to the bar for something to eat. Lordy, I've never seen such a queue - had to queue for five minutes to pay for my packet of crisps! Two Farmers, they were, and rather salty for cheese and onion. But they did keep the wolf from the door - and I just got them eaten by showtime.

Nice, black spooky stage. And it was a nice, black spooky opening too, with plenty of ominous music, as a lady in early 19th century garb, who markets herself as a spiritualist, brings home a mysterious young woman who seems the real deal, able to conjure the dead. Contrary to what you might think from the marketing though, this isn't a spooky play - more a time-travel thing actually, interesting to those of us who are into history. Quite an ambitious plot, which only makes sense at the end. I wasn't hugely enamoured of it, but it is interesting. Terrific staging as well, with projections on the stage walls setting the scene. Runs until the 5th, limited availability on Mondays, when tickets are cheaper.

Tomorrow, I'm back with Guided Walking Tours in Brighton and Sussex, for London By Night - an Illuminating Virtual Tour. Online, should be nice.

On Thursday, back with Crick Crack! which should hopefully happen this time. This is a double bill - The Thief's Tale and Future Imperfect, at Rich Mix, Daniel Morden one of the performers. And there are a couple of others from the London European Club coming, which is cool! I could do with some face to face contact with friendly faces, haven't had any since I came back to London this time. Unfortunately, the Crick Crack show that was cancelled a while back is livestreaming the same night from Oxford! which just can't be helped.

On Friday, back with Civilised London for a play called The Ballad of Maria Marten, based on a real-life murder mystery, at Wilton's. Now, I'm rather tired of craning my neck here, so I went for a slightly more expensive seat, with a more direct view - albeit still in the balcony.

And on Saturday, I'm headed off with 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners again, for Laurence Summers' Elementary Sherlock Walking Tour.