Concert: Liza Pulman - The Heart of It

Tonight, back to Riverside Studios, for a rescheduled concert. Liza Pulman - The Heart of It was supposed to happen over lockdown. She'd be singing popular show songs. And at least, after Tuesday, I knew where I was going! Well, as far as the main door anyway.

I had little to do at work, said sod it, and escaped early so I could get something decent to eat. Decided I'd eat out there - and when I got to Hammersmith, decided to eat at the venue, whose website said they do food. When I arrived at the venue, I had a shock - a massive queue snaked in the door! Mercifully, it wasn't for my show - Have I Got News For You was filming in another of the studios - a sign inside the door said for everyone not involved in that just to come on in. Inside, I had a look around - came across Sam's. It looked like a semi-expensive option, but checking out the menu, I figured I could go for the chicken, which sounded nice.

I was given a table on the understanding that I'd be done by 7.15 - I needed to be out by 7.30 anyway, so that was reasonable. And I had the chicken - and a carafe of lovely white rioja. Didn't see anything I fancied for a starter. The chicken took a while to come - not worth the wait, I'm afraid. All you get - for £22.50 - is a large chicken escalope with a slice of lemon, some rocket (which I can't stand), and a small jug of melted butter on the side. Now, the butter was very nice - particularly when I managed to get it mixed with the dribbles of lemon I'd manage to squeeze out - but the chicken, while perfectly fine, I'd have to say was no better than yesterday's KFC. Which was 1/3 of the price - and part of a box meal. And it was nowhere near as good as the chicken I had at the Archduke, which was also cheaper than this - and came with chips. No, avoid the chicken, if you eat here.

However, with time to kill, I said I'd have a look at the dessert menu. Wow, it's a long time since I was so torn by a dessert menu..

I ultimately couldn't resist the salted caramel martini. And oh, it was divine.. I could have drunk a bucketload. Definitely a good reason to come back - I just won't have the chicken!

And so to the show, which I found quite easily - as I was wandering around looking for it, an announcement said that the house was now open, whereupon two ladies descended on an usher standing at a doorway into a hall. Ah, that'd be it, then. I was in F7 - so, apparently, was one of the couple that sat beside me, according to her, but I held my ground. This wasn't the only confusion over seat numbers..

The lady came on a bit late - but I can always use the extra time to organise my diary, so that worked out well for me. Turns out she's also in Fascinating Aida! Gosh, I love them. Anyway, she has a terrific voice - we also learned that, in a previous existence, she was an opera singer. But you see, she has a penchant for show tunes, old popular numbers.. tonight, we got songs from films, songs from the 20s and 30s, songs made popular by Streisand.. They're not to everyone's taste - indeed, the couple beside me left at the interval (happily, because she was jiggling up and down a lot, and being a large lady, she caused the whole row to jiggle too). And people didn't know all the songs. But really, it's a terrific show if you like Bernstein, or Irving Berlin.. the most modern she got was one by Billy Joel. All the razzmatazz of a big band show - she even had the obligatory outfit change at the interval. And she signed cds in the lobby afterwards.

Recommended, for fans of the genre - it runs here until Saturday, and you should have no trouble getting tickets; even CT has them now. And she's back, at Wilton's, on the 4th and 5th of July.

Tomorrow, back to Ireland for the weekend. Yes, almost every weekend this month - it just worked out that way. I'd normally have been in London last weekend you see, except for staying in Ireland to see my friend. And this trip for the upcoming weekend was already booked when that was organised. Now, it's a long weekend, so I have an extra day there - can see two films! The Arc Cinema now being the cheapest around, I'm concentrating on that - there isn't anything special showing in Limerick anyway. Higher rated is The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, a comedy where the versatile Nicholas Cage plays a version of himself, apparently sending up his iconic characters. I'll have to see how many I recognise - I'm not the most dedicated follower of his work! Also stars Neil Patrick Harris. So, thinking of that for Saturday.

And for Sunday, it's looking like Downton Abbey: A New Era. Like the tv series, the films focus on an aristocratic English family: Dame Maggie Smith as the dowager Countess, Hugh Bonneville as the Earl, Brendan Coyle as his valet, Laura Carmichael as one of his daughters, Jim Carter as the butler, Penelope Wilton as a cousin, and friend of the dowager Countess, whose son is heir to the earldom, as the Earl and Countess have no sons. I was never a fan of the tv series, and didn't see the first film, but hey, it should be watchable. Apparently, in this one, a film crew arrives at the stately home - the real-life Highclere Castle.

Back then on Monday, and on Tuesday, a revamped version of Oklahoma at the Young Vic!

On Wednesday (Star Wars Day - May the fourth be with you), I'm at last back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners! Ah, it's been too long.. someone suggested that I skip off work for a couple of hours during the day to go on the walks, but seriously, every time I checked when his walks were, I had a meeting that clashed! So, not an option. Anyway, this is the Cool Camden Pub Walk! It was actually rescheduled - was originally supposed to happen yesterday. Unfortunately, on Wednesday, it clashes with a couple of other things - a Civilised London (CL) meal I was actually booked on (happily, he gave me a refund of my deposit), and leaving drinks for my favourite ex-boss from my last company. Tarnation. Well, can't be helped - this is a pub tour I really want to go on. I was originally booked for an online talk that night - Fight Them on the Beaches is a talk about the greatest speeches in parliament. Courtesy of Guided Walking Tours in Brighton and Sussex. But they record the talks, so I can catch it afterwards. True, isn't it - everything happens on Wednesdays!

Next Thursday, I'm off to Scandaltown, at the Lyric. Yet another play by the prolific Mike Bartlett, this is a revamped Restoration comedy, set in modern-day, debauched London. As always, love his stuff and am really looking forward to this. But wouldn't you know it, now CT has tickets.. ah well..

Just as well I had the 6th free when another ex-boss, Ivan, asked when we could do drinks again! He also suggested we try to find somewhere quieter than the last place - not an easy ask, for a central venue on a Friday night. Ah, but I have contacts.. the organiser of CL once recommended to me a pub just off Charing Cross Road, which he knows as quieter than the usual - I couldn't remember the name, but he reminded me it's the Round Table. I'd have booked, but they seem not to take bookings on Friday evenings. Our ex-colleague is coming, and for the first time, my aforementioned ex-boss from my last company! Should be cool.

On the 7th, back with Laurence and the 45+s - this time, it's a walk called Red Lights, Rabble Rousers & RocknRollers, around Soho. And Helen is coming up for it! So, a highly sociable week!

And on the 8th, back with the Crick Crack Club. This is The Origins of Life and Death, with Jan Blake, at the British Museum, which I missed in January. Limited availability at time of writing, as they have socially distanced seating.