On Monday, I was back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for Jitney, at The Old Vic. I didn't fancy the cheapest seats - but gee, SFF had seats in all but the most expensive price bands, for very little more! So I now found myself in the central Stalls for this..
No work locker yet, so I went hopefully to security. They told me that they hadn't got anything from my boss - I checked with him, he apologised, he hadn't had time to send them my photo yet. Duhh.. so he did. And in the evening, it was ready! Then wouldn't open doors. Back down to get it reset. Now it opened doors - ooh goodie, next comes a locker. You have to swipe the card at the locker door to unlock it.. but it wouldn't work. Messaged my boss - he wasn't in the office. He didn't think it was anything he could help with, advised me to contact security again. Back down to security - who said that, since I was "external", i.e. a contractor, as this company initially hires everyone, I needed special permission to have a locker. Back to messaging my boss, who said he'd get onto it. Meantime, I had to leave - laptop on my back, to walk to the Old Vic.
Well, I made it in time for the play - by the time I got there, the group, which was pretty large, had gathered outside. Unfortunately, with this group, when a lot of people attend, it becomes pretty difficult to talk to many people, as everyone breaks into little groups. Particularly when you're trying to avoid hitting people with a backpack. Ah well, it wasn't long until it was time to go in anyway - and was I glad to be in the Stalls, and not climbing stairs! Awkwardly, I did have to squash in past a couple of people, but mercifully, the seat on one side of me was free, and remained so all evening - so that's where my laptop sat. Its opinion of the show has not been noted.
So - throughout, old black and white footage of Pittsburgh is displayed on the stage surrounds. The stage itself depicts a run-down jitney office (a jitney is an unlicensed taxi). The action all takes place there, as we meet the different drivers and learn about their lives through their interactions with each other, with customers, and with the family members who happen by.
It's set in the 70s - and boy, does it show! The fashions look pretty authentic to me - as do the afros! (Everyone in the play is black.) With the dialect they use here, it can be difficult, certainly at the start, to figure out everything they're saying - especially when they are laughing and joking together. It gets easier over time, both because your ear becomes attuned to it, and because with the more serious themes that develop later, the dialogue becomes more sparse.
I enjoyed the banter among them, and later on it provides relief from the other things that happen - but I was glad when some dramatic tension crept in, as personalities clash, as family issues creep in, and as the cab office itself is under threat from developers. By that stage, we've gotten to know them somewhat, and it is really engrossing to watch the tension mount. All in all, a well-written play, and a real snapshot of the era! Runs till the 9th.
Sadly, there was no way I was dragging my bag upstairs to the bar to meet the others at the interval - instead, I stayed where I was and had an ice cream. Don't care much for the Old Vic bars anyway, crowded and overpriced as they are. We met briefly afterwards, and then I lugged myself and my baggage home - by bus, this time, as I was going further. Ran too late to blog, though, being in the office again next day, as usual.
Praise be, when I got in on Tuesday, I had an email confirming that my approval for a locker had been granted! I just had to go down and get my pass scanned. However, only the security guy could do that - and he was with contractors all day, it seemed. Tracked him down in the end - and hallelujah, now I have a locker, which fits my laptop bag, and has a convenient shelf for smaller things. And wow, have I felt unencumbered ever since, not having to drag the laptop bag around with me.
As to the blog - I meant to do it in the office on Tuesday, following my 1-1 with my boss. But the upshot from the 1-1 was that I'm not being kept on after my contract expires, on the 5th - they're letting the other writer go too. Not enough work for us, it seems! Well, I never got the feeling that they were a writing-focussed company.. Anyway, after that, my day got a bit busy (so, no blog) with updating my cv, letting the right people know I was looking, and applying for a job! Worked - I already have an interview scheduled: for the 5th, would you believe! with a company that sounds keen to talk to me, and offers 30 days holiday to my current company's 20. And, crucially, is offering a permanent position. Watch this space, and keep everything crossed..
On Tuesday night, I was at the Royal Court for That Is Not Who I Am, a play about identity theft, from a mysterious writer about whom we have few details, except that he has worked most of his life in the security industry. Ooh.. Now, Tuesday was also the day of the largest transport strike in the UK in 30 years! Led to many show cancellations too - happily, not mine. I wouldn't have been on the Tube anyway, which was closed - the problem was all of the people who would normally have been on the Tube, and were now on the buses, or in cars. I managed to cram onto a bus all right - whose driver then decided he wasn't going all the way, and we'd have to wait for the next! When that one came, it did take me (almost) to where I wanted to go - but took a solid 10 minutes just to get around Hyde Park Corner. Happily though, I'd left early, so still made it in time.
Sloane Square was a bit packed - turns out they've made a "Summer in the Square" arrangement, where some local restaurants have plonked tables in the square for people to drink and dine al fresco. Very pretty, I have to say.. runs till September.
And so to the theatre - the house wasn't open quite yet, but there wasn't anything much I could do in the meantime (like schlep all the way to the basement bar for a drink), so I mooched around until they let us in.
Security footage, from multiple cameras, is displayed on the safety screen as we wait. When the background noise gets louder, you know it's about to start.
You know, I love the tagline they have, that "you'll never anticipate the beginning".. Put it this way. There are some shows that you really shouldn't give away the details of - "The Mousetrap" springs to mind! And if you've seen it, you'll know why. This is kind of like that - in that, although spoilers are available online, it'd ruin it for you and you really shouldn't read them until you've seen it! I didn't, and was glad of it.
I can say very little about this without giving the entire game away. Suffice to say that it's nothing you expect - except in that, I guess, it's about government surveillance. And it has great fun breaking down the fourth wall. But it does make for an interesting evening! if a long one - at nearly two hours without an interval.. Never mind, it gave me more time to get home. Or rather, to get lost - the whole bus journey back was full of people who had no idea what they were doing, or where they were going, being used to the Tube. And it seems to have been infectious, because I took a bus in the wrong direction myself, to start with! Well, it had been a trying day. And so it ran to a very long night, and no blog was written. This runs till the 16th, if you're curious..
And most of my free time yesterday was spent booking ahead - of which more anon. Last night, I was back with TAC for The Lark Ascending and Piano Quintet, a classical concert with the London Philharmonic at St. Giles' Cripplegate, a church I'd often passed but never been in! Part of the City Churches Music Festival. Bus for this one, and I was a little tight for time, as it started at 7, rather than the more normal 7.30. So I picked the one that would get me there fastest. And then I noticed the warnings about diversions that Google Maps had gleaned from TFL, related to the route - one concerned gas works, but was over. The other concerned waterworks, which is ongoing.. no wonder all the buses are wacky! The upshot was - not only the stop I wanted to get off at, but also the stop before, are "not being served". So I decided to get off two stops early, and see what my best move was from there!
Turned out to be a 15-minute walk.. I had 20. So off I went. As I say, I'd never been here before - but Google Maps directed me right, apart from losing track, for a while, of what direction I was walking in! Just as well I knew I was right.. So, to access this church, head north(-ish) along Wood Street to the end, then hang a left. And behold, there it is, snuggled in and hidden by the towers of the Barbican Estate:
The lady at the door crossed my name off a list - quite definitively, I thought - and in I went. They were selling wine by the glass at the back, and I thought about beating the interval rush by buying a glass now - but every time I looked that way, the table had been left again. So I waited for the interval.
Walked in to the office today in persistent rain - it took hold with a vengeance. Tonight, back at the same festival - with CT, this time, for a concert of English Song at the lovely church of St. Bartholomew the Great. It's been too long.. This festival ends tomorrow, and I can't recommend it highly enough.
Then back to Ireland for the weekend again. There are a few films on that I'd like to see.. now, when I first looked, Elvis was as yet unrated on IMDB. Directed and co-written by Baz Luhrmann and with Tom Hanks as Col. Tom Parker and Austin Butler in the title role, it subsequently debuted with a high rating of 8.1. But in the meantime, I'd become enthused at the next highest rated film - The Black Phone, currently at 7.4, a very high rating for a horror film, is the story of a 13-year-old boy who is kidnapped by a serial kidnapper and killer of small children (Ethan Hawke). Trapped in a soundproof basement, when the disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, he answers it - and finds himself talking to the killer's previous victims. So, you know, I think I might go see that - Elvis has fallen quite a bit in ratings in the meantime anyway. Both showing in Ennis, and at roughly the same time - watch this space!
On Monday, I've booked with TAC to hear an interview with Chris Patten, the last UK governor of Hong Kong before it was handed back to China. Happening at Conway Hall.
On Tuesday, back again with Free Stuff and Free Events, for their Free Tuesday Sing-a-Long for Health and Pleasure. Online, and one where you're muted, so you don't even have anyone hear you sing! Great for the shy.
On Wednesday, I'm finally succumbing to Anything Goes, at the Barbican. Now, I got my ticket for this from Time Out, which is the first place I saw the offer - but it turns out that any number of outlets have £25 tickets! If they're all for the same seats as Time Out, then I'd have to feel sorry for people that bought tickets for £38, which is cheaper than the original price of £45 for the seats on offer! Assuming anyone did. Anyway, with no bad seats here, you'd have to be crazy to pay more.
Next Thursday, back with Bucket List London (BLL) - who obligingly is doing something midweek! I'll have to skip off work early - this is for vespers in Westminster Cathedral, and starts at 4.30. He is actually in Westminster all day, attending Ministerial Question Time earlier - but not only do I have a job to go to, but jeez, I do believe this would just infuriate me! So that, I'm not attending..
On the 1st, back with Civilised London (CL) for dinner at Caravel. Terrific reviews..
That weekend, I'm back with the man with the famous name - Dr. Stephen King (not the writer) is guiding a couple of walks for London Guided Walks (courtesy of Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts). Sadly, not as yet advertised on TAC, so I booked them through the official site (discount of £3 with the code MEETUP3, as usual). Both topics / areas I've covered many times before, but gee, he's such a great guide! So I hope I make these - early. On the 2nd, it's his Southwark Walk.
On the 3rd, it's his Royal Coronation Walk. I just bet he comes up with something I didn't already know..
On the 4th, I'm headed to A Doll's House Part 2, at Donmar Warehouse - sequel to the famous original, where the wife leaves an unhappy marriage; this sequel examines what happens when she returns.
On the 5th - well, I finally saw UITCS' ad for Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch, at the Underbelly Festival! A parody musical, right up my street - I hate how Meetup so often doesn't show me the events I really would enjoy! Just as well I saw this in time, before I booked anything else. So it'll be a hectic evening, with an interview scheduled for 5.30! I'd better quit work early I think, and head home for that - I can't guarantee quiet in the office.
On the 6th, back with CT for a concert by the Royal College of Music Brass Ensemble, at the college on Shelton Street.
On the 7th, back with Guided Walking Tours in Brighton and Sussex, for The London Necropolis Virtual Tour. I pointed out to him that the registration link had the wrong date, and he said it was outdated, and he'd replace it and send me the new link - well, he's removed it, but no new link yet. And then - you guessed it, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again!
On the 11th, I'm going to Favour, at the Bush Theatre - after much effort, as their website wasn't working for days! In fact, it seems to be down again at time of writing. I chose an unreserved seat, will be allocated one on the day. Anyway, I see TAC has now started selling tickets for this - gee, might be not only the cheapest, but the easiest way to book! Wow, was only there once before, 3.5 years ago..
On the 12th, I'm going to The Southbury Child, at the Bridge Theatre. And now CT is selling cheap tickets for that too, bah. I also noticed that UITCS is going, later in the week - ah well.
On the 13th, back with CL for dinner - this time at The Crown itself, where we usually meet for drinks before heading somewhere else for dinner. Excellent choice. Which marks the beginning of a whole spate of Meetups in a row! When's the last time that happened..?
On the 14th, back with The Garden Talks - this online talk is How Do Languages Evolve?
On the 15th, back with the Classical Music and Theatre Group for the opera Otello, at the Royal Opera House.
On the 16th, which is a Saturday, I had booked with Discover London for a trip to see a cart making ceremony - and then Eleanor, organiser of TunedIn London, advertised a concert through the World Music Meetup, for that evening, at City Hope Church. So now I'm going to both.
On Sunday the 17th, back with BLL - this time, it's a trip to Sandown Antiques Market. Well, I've never been to Sandown, so this could be interesting.
On the 18th, back with North London Friends! for the first time since before lockdown. This is for an Edinburgh Comedy Festival preview, at the King's Head in Crouch End, featuring Lucy Porter and Rachel Fairburn.
On the 19th.. I'm taking a punt that I won't actually be employed that day, and have signed up again - at last - for a walk with Laurence and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners. This is The Magic of Midtown - and as I said to him, it finishes very near my new home! I also promised to let him know if I can't actually make it - although, even if I have started work by then (which would be surprising), perhaps I could take a day off.
On the 20th, I finish my Meetup run with a trip with UITCS to Leicester Square Theatre to see Frankie Boyle, who has a work in progress show.
On the 21st, I'm thinking of heading - at last - to Summer by the River at More London. This is for a free evening of music, curated by Soho Radio. And then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment