Musical: Anyone Can Whistle

Tonight, back with Up in the Cheap Seats at Southwark Playhouse, and another free ticket for me! This time, it was for Anyone Can Whistle, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. In the afternoon, we had the most horrendous thunder shower, and I hoped desperately that would clear up by the time I left!

Well, it did - pretty much. My quicker bus, I was told, was the #35 - and it was due. No sign of it, of course - it didn't actually appear until Buses Due had given up on it. When it did, it was pretty crowded - I ended up upstairs, unusually for me. Where we were entertained by a man - who sounded drunk, but you never know - who was having a conversation with everyone and no-one. We learned that he had throat cancer. He informed us that it would take him, or his voice. I guess he was making the most of it while he could, then..

I alighted - into light rain - and crossed via an enormous puddle to Mercato Metropolitano. When I was looking for somewhere to eat around here, I'd completely forgotten about this place, until Google Maps reminded me! Well gosh, it was good to be back - the Uzbek place looked good for food, but she completely ignored me, so I ended up back at the Italian. Where he gave me a buzzer that would go off when my food was ready. Meantime, I headed off and got a rather delectable glass of wine at the nearby bar - pretty soon after that, my tagliatelle bolognese was ready, and I took a seat at a nearby bench. And it was delish! Returned the dish afterwards, and wandered around with a second glass of wine - I resisted having a third, knowing that I'd be drinking at the theatre as well.

Crossed back to the theatre a little early, where I met the organiser - we were to be the only ones from the group that showed. As I "checked in" at the box office, he warned me that the front row would be subject to audience participation. Hmmm. Anyway, I had my third drink, the organiser and I chatted, and it was good to see him. And we hung around the bar until it was time to go in, just in case. Then took our seats, a spare seat between us where another group member had been supposed to sit, but she couldn't make it.

Oh dear, what a difference from last night. For a start, whyever it was, I couldn't hear all the lyrics - might have been because of the stage design. But that wasn't the half of it. Now, to give it its due, the songs were catchy, the singing was excellent. It's just the completely bonkers, infantile story, which had lunatics escaping from the asylum (the "cookie jar") and hiding in the audience. Which theme was repeated again.. and again.. as if to tease us. Well, at least my organiser got some fun out of it - he ended up with one of the ladies on his lap! She even invited him home for dinner later.

Me, I could not keep from looking at my watch - and apparently my sigh of relief when the first half was over was pointed. We both legged it out of there at the interval. For the love of God, avoid - runs till the 7th. Don't be tempted. But it was good to get an early night for once.

Tomorrow, Tommy Tiernan is playing at the Hammersmith Apollo! Now, I failed to get a ticket for this the first time around. Then it was rescheduled because of Covid.. and I got a ticket for the rescheduled event! Then that was rescheduled.. third time lucky?! Love Tommy Tiernan. The show is called Tomfoolery.

And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again. For Saturday, I've booked Uncharted - an Indiana Jones-style adventure, probably with less style, but at least starring Mark Wahlberg and Antonio Banderas. Could be fun, and anyway, the choice for daytime isn't spectacular. Showing, as usual, at the Omniplex.

On Monday, I've booked for The 47th, at The Old Vic. Written by Mike Bartlett, this imagines the American presidential elections of 2024. I am really looking forward to this play..

On Tuesday, I'm finally going to Six, the Musical! Based around the story of the six wives of Henry VIII (very loosely, I'd say), it's playing at the Vaudeville and I hear good things. Cheapest tickets from Leicester Square Box Office.

Next Wednesday, back with Civilised London, who are off to the opera at the Southbank Centre. The show in question is The Paradis Files. Next day, I'm back to Ireland for Easter - but left it so late to book, I could only get an afternoon flight - no problem getting the day off work though!

Well, my friend got back to me - they're away in the middle of Easter week, back on the 21st, so the most sensible thing to do seemed to be to visit on the 22nd, which I've now arranged with her. Happily, my boss was also fine with me taking that week as holiday. Anyway, I'll fly back to London on the 24th. And on the 25th, I'm off to The Corn is Green, at the National.