Play: Eureka Day

Tonight, back with Civilised London (CL) (not Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS), as previously stated, mea culpa!) for Eureka Day, with Helen Hunt, at the Old Vic. Oh thank goodness, an in-person Meetup at last! First this week.

For the Old Vic, my go-to for food is the Duke of Sussex pub:

..which was buzzing, as usual. You have to wait to be seated - everyone in front of me had a reservation, I didn't. It had occurred to me to make one, but they don't take reservations for parties of one. When it was my turn, and I asked whether there was a chance of a table, he sighed and was about to tell me I'd have a wait - until he heard it was only me! Whereupon I got a table straight away. So..

Service wasn't too bad for once - the guy who showed me to a table never thought to tell the lady waiting on tables that I'd arrived, but she noted my grumpy expression when she came in, and duly brought me a menu. I didn't fancy a starter, had my usual chicken kiev and a glass of wine - they have a good wine list. And the chicken was good - the mash was a bit bland, and was improved by application of the accompanying gravy. But really, this is quite a moreish dish. Again, I wasn't impressed by their desserts - they serve quite the worst ice cream I've tasted. Gluten free, and also taste-free - avoid!! Which I did, and was well fed with just the main course.

Visited the loo afterwards, where they have a most informational floor:

And so over to the theatre, where I was a bit early to meet my companion. Whose first question, naturally, was whether I was employed yet. :-) Ah, chance'd be a fine thing.. anyway, chat was convivial - in an increasingly packed lobby; tonight was pretty much sold out - until we decided to head to our respective seats (he was in the stalls, I was in the Gods. As ever).

Now, I had to lean over to take this shot, making my excuses. You see, there was a pair of ladies, unable to book seats together because I'd booked the seat in between! So I let them sit together, which meant that one was in my seat, I was in hers - I leaned over to get the accurate seat view. For Seatplan, you know..

Well. So this takes place in a Californian elementary school - Helen Hunt is part of the school's executive board, and that's where we start, at the beginning of the school year. And oh, it's a nightmare of political correctness, as the parents' representative on the committee gets told all the rules, all designed to be "inclusive".. and I'm sitting there thinking "Who'd be a teacher?". But just you wait for what happens next - because one of the kids gets mumps, and there's a health service directive that has to be applied, and they're trying to figure out what to do next..

So they have this town hall meeting, with all the parents. Virtually - the committee in the room, staring at a laptop, the parents online. And they start with the PC BS.. and then the online comments from the parents kick off. And are displayed on the rear of the stage. (It reminded me of a quote of Bono's, around the Zoo TV tour, about how ironic it was to have people come to a rock concert and watch television. And here we were, at a theatre and watching an online chat..) Well, it was hilarious! So true to what an internet chat can become - absolutely spot on - and such a refreshing change from everyone pussyfooting around each other at the start of the play! Now, not everyone appreciated it - the lady to my right was stone-faced throughout, and she and her friend left at the interval. Maybe they'd forgotten their glasses, and couldn't read the chat.. Well, for the second act, I had three free seats!

I met my companion at the interval, and wondered aloud how they'd follow that. Well.. the second half was much less irritating to me than the PC of the first half had been, with several confirmed cases of mumps among the student population, and the committee sorely divided. The argument has crystallised to whether to exclude un-vaccinated children. I was interested to see how they'd treat the anti-vaxx argument, given my personal experience of anti-vaxxers - but was pleased to see they're not pilloried. Still, I think this is a more comfortable watch for people who support vaccination than for people who don't! Highly recommended, with excellent performances, a clever script, and very topical subject matter. Booking through next month.

Afterwards - with the upper levels forced to exit through the fire escape, doubtless because of the crowds - we repaired to The Stage Door. I hadn't been here before - he remarked it was busier than usual. Oh, and they do pieminster pies - if you're there in time! Anyway, the chat was great, and we drank as long as they let us. Terrific to get to be sociable again!

Tomorrow - well, blast, I wanted to use my Theatre Token again, and still haven't gotten around to calling the box office during opening hours! So this evening, I bit the bullet and booked without benefit of token - for Who Killed My Father at the Young Vic, with UITCS.

On Friday, back with CL for a Cajun meal at Plaquemine Lock, with drinks at The Narrowboat. Looking forward to it.

On Saturday, meeting (all going well) Ivan, as well as two other ex-colleagues, at Imad's Syrian Kitchen. Which, of course, I know about from my last CL event! Now, I just hope this rendezvous happens, given the complete failure of last month's..

On Sunday, booked with Discover London - History Walks and Events for the London Sheep Drive & Livery Fair. Have to hand it to her, she always comes up with interesting things..

On Monday, as usual, I'm on my own.. heading to Divas, at the QT bar. Which, of course, focuses on the hits of - the divas!

And on Tuesday, back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners! (Considering I probably won't be in a job at that point.) Gee, seems ages since I saw them.. Anyway, this walk is around Sophisticated (& Sometimes Seedy) St. James'..