Tonight, I was headed to see The Throne, a comedy at Charing Cross Theatre, in which the Queen gets locked in a portaloo with a staunch republican. Time Out had an offer of £10 tickets for the cheapest seats for this - a saving of more than 50%! Sadly, I then got word that remaining performances of this production have been cancelled, due to covid. Still with nothing on Meetup that appealed, instead I went with TAC for a classical concert - Mario Brunello is playing Bach on the violoncello piccolo, at Wigmore Hall. He's playing this evening as well - and London Baroque Music Lovers (LBML) are now going - but cheap tickets were available for the matinee.
Got myself in in good time - for once, giving somoene correct directions on the best way to get to Oxford Street! Poor woman, she had two small kids with her, didn't know London at all - and all she wanted was some bus from that stop that would help. Happily, the #73 goes from there to Oxford Circus - which would have to do. And there was one just approaching. My good deed of the day, I guess! When I got to where I was going myself, I hardly recognised it - the entrance is covered with scaffolding. They're revamping the entrance, it seems - I walked past it while consulting my phone! Inside, I queued for the box office - I've made the mistake before of going to the "prepaid ticket" desk, but that turned out to be for press. When it was my turn, he asked for my confirmation - first time in years that's happened! They usually keep a list - not here, I guess. Anyway, I confirmed that I just needed one ticket, and he tore one off for me.
Not a bad seat, huh?! Row H, dead centre - they hadn't opened the balcony for this performance. And wow, what a powerful performance - I rarely see a solo instrument in concert, and when I have, it's been piano - this was the first time I'd seen a stringed instrument in glorious isolation, live on stage. Bach wrote some stirring solo pieces, and we heard three of them today - two before the interval, one after. And throughout, it was absolutely engrossing - well worth a visit. The only problem was the continual banging that plagued most of the first half - from the building works, doubtless. Still, it didn't drown out the music, which was fabulous. Particularly for £3.60 for a seat I would probably have had to pay £35 for at full price - a nearly 90% discount..!
Afterwards, I was hungry, so headed down to St. Christopher's Place - an absolute hive of eateries. A preponderance of Italians - and the large outdoor space of Isola caught my attention, so I ate there. They have two adjacent premises - only one entry and exit though, so you have to go through the interior to get to the other side! And it being such a nice, sunny day, with a cooling breeze, I ate outside, under their extensive awning. Mind you, some were complaining about the sun catching them through gaps between the sections of awning - as he rightly pointed out, even if they moved table, the sun would catch them sometimes..
They do half bottles of wine, so I had one - not cheap, but what the hey. It took a while to arrive, so I asked another waiter, who said she'd get it for me - meanwhile, the wine waiter arrived with my bottle: and was in the process of opening it when she appeared with another, and gave him a dirty look. :-) Good atmosphere among the staff.
I had calamari to start - again, not cheap: but a massive plate! I managed them, and they had an interestingly tangy taste - very moreish. For main, I had spatchcock chicken. They're not terribly clear what it comes with - it actually comes in a kind of pan, on top of a whole bed of baby new potatoes! Very nice.. but far too many spuds, even for me. I had an entertaining waiter, mind, who asked whether I was defeated - and when I said I was, he waved his white napkin in the air as a flag of surrender, exclaiming "She is defeated!" He might have been Middle Eastern - he spent a while chatting to a couple that he established were Kuwaiti.
I finished with a chocolate bombe - well, it has to be done! He served it just as they did in the Ivy, pouring salted caramel sauce from a height onto a dark chocolate shell, encasing vanilla ice cream - unlike the Ivy, it didn't melt it, and we stayed staring at it for a moment. "It's supposed to melt!" he exclaimed. Yes well, it might have if the sauce had been hot.. Anyway, it was a good meal, but not worth the price. And for chocolate bombes, if you're having one here, remind them to heat the sauce.. Anyway, I was glad to get home at last and digest! It was all quite heavy in the end.
Tomorrow - tan-ta-ra! I finally managed to get a decently priced ticket to Jerusalem, at the Apollo. I have heard so much about this, and it's always at the top of the Time Out listings - nearly as hard as Hamilton to get a reasonably priced ticket for, so I'm delighted to get one, if only not to have to look any more.
On Wednesday, I was to head back to Summer by the River again.. for Bumper Blyton: Improvised Adventures for Grown-Ups! Improvised comedy in the style of Enid Blyton books. But now, I'm headed with LBML to a Grimeborn opera at the Arcola - I' Incoronazione di Poppea. I'm in the stalls - could have got a cheaper ticket in the balcony, but you can't take a drink up there! Just as glad not to be headed outdoors really - the very hot spell has passed for the moment, and the weather is cooler and in-between.
On Thursday - another Up in the Cheap Seats event that Meetup finally decided to flag to me. So I've booked to go with them to see Briefs Factory's show, Bite Club! at Queen Elizabeth Hall. Drag, burlesque.. should be fun!
On Friday, I was thinking about the National Theatre's River Stage 2022. This will be the first night of the Hackney Empire's Young Producers Weekend, and there'll be some dance and some music. But now, Civilised London has organised an Ecuadorian meal at El Inca Plebeyo - so I'm going to that instead. His choices are always good. Meeting beforehand at The Canonbury Tavern.
On Saturday, back in Greenwich with Bucket List London - we're starting with the Old Royal Naval College and National Maritime Museum. Was originally supposed to be the Queen's House to finish, but turns out they're booked out all day for a wedding, despite not having clarified that on the website! Then in the afternoon, we're headed to Eltham Palace and Gardens. Quite the packed day.. Unless the rail strike scuppers it! He's considering cancelling. Well, I don't think the tickets are refundable, so if I have to head out there by myself, I will..
On Sunday, back with TAC for the opening night of I'm Not Myself Today: A Villainous Cabaret at the Bread and Roses in Clapham. An hour in which someone discusses with us why we all love the villain!
Next Monday, I'm going to the Kiln Theatre for The Darkest Part of the Night. Another troublesome website - I tried for days to get it to work..!
And on the 2nd, thinking vaguely about the Camden Fringe, which runs all next month - there's, for example, an interesting audio event called A Little Drape of Heaven, where you hold a precious item of clothing to your heart, then press play to access a YouTube link that you've paid for. Hmm.. Meantime, I had booked a walk with Laurence and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners for last Tuesday. This is The Magic of Midtown - and as I said to him, it finishes very near my new home! And wouldn't you know it - he postponed it, as a result of the heatwave, to this day. Not that I'm not glad he didn't run it last Tuesday - but I hope I can still make it..
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