Tonight, Over 40 Living the Life was - again - headed to the Vauxhall Comedy Club, on a "special deal for regulars". And I - again - headed there on my own. Because, if you book direct, tickets are cheaper than the price quoted for this group - regardless of whether you're a regular. I located my ticket, and my previous ticket - on the Eventbrite app, but couldn't find the loyalty card I signed up to, last time. Well, I figured the usher might help me.
Vauxhall Food & Beer Garden, where the club is located, only had about two food stalls open this evening - like before - and anticipating that, I didn't fancy it. So I headed back to O' Neill's - where, unusually, I got a table on the ground floor! Ordered my usual - from the table - and one of the regulars brought me my drink. The guy who brought my food must have been new, however - he completely mistook the table, initially asking a couple of girls at another table whether they'd ordered it. Just as well they hadn't! Happily, I'd noticed him passing with it, so when he was coming back, confused, I grabbed him. All's well that ends well - and I entertained myself by watching the news, showing on the tv across from me, handily. And wow, was I surprised to see Theresa May queueing to view the Queen's coffin! Of course, the sound was down, and the caption didn't explain what was happening - I now understand that she, like other MPs, got to jump the queue. Bloody cheek.
Well, I chose to take the bus from there - I had enough time. Had to get two buses.. I changed on Strand.
Now, my second bus - suggested by Google Maps - wasn't scheduled on the display at all. So I started to get worried.. and then thought to read the warnings accompanying the bus routes on Google Maps. Sure enough - from today till Sunday, several bus routes are not running along this route. Including the bus I wanted. I decided not to faff around, trying to find alternative bus routes - I cut my losses, and made for the Tube. Which, of course, I could have taken the whole way, and saved myself a lot of time, and some money. Bah humbug.
Neither Tube was too crowded - but wow, the Victoria Line was stifling! as was Vauxhall station. At least, coming by Tube I knew exactly which way to turn. The bouncer let me straight in - much easier to be a single female than a guy in a group, as the group of guys behind me was to discover! Made my way straight down to where I knew the venue to be - they really should put a sign over it! even if only a temporary one. (It's a sex club, in another incarnation.) Anyway, the usher scanned my ticket - and obviously identified that I already had a loyalty card, as she didn't ask me to sign up for one. She gave me my drink token and waved me toward the bar - where I was early enough to skip a queue. And while I drank, I watched them set up for a charity table quiz at the bar at the end. They were choosing team names - following an obvious theme:
She'd asked me to return in time for the comedy to start at 7.45 - yeah right, it was an 8pm start, as usual. If that. Actually, her urgings seemed to have worked on the others there - it was pretty full when I went in, and I ended up sitting farther back than usual. I always try to identify that Meetup group - haven't managed yet.
Unfortunately, I haven't got a set list - they're not easy to get for here. But I can say that the acts improved after the first of the two intervals. The jokes didn't, really, most of which were new material - but when the delivery is good enough, it hardly matters. One shining example of this is Luke Craig, who had us chuckling happily at quite controversial subject matter. And near the end, we had the comic cabbie, known on TikTok as Big Trev's Taxi! AKA Trevor Bickles. Yeah, the quality is quite decent here - all held together tonight by resident MC Mooch. Just leave your inhibitions at the door. Oh, and be prepared to donate - if possible - on the way out; with a bucket / jug and a card machine, they have covered all eventualities!
On the way home, I nearly froze - the temperature has really dropped, and I was grateful for every stitch I had on. Managed buses all the way, this time, taking ones that skirted the restricted area. Very closely - at Lambeth Bridge, which we approached from the south, turning right, the queue for the coffin was moving from the north, and turning to our left. I managed a quick snap:
Back on Sunday. On Monday, there was a suggestion of seeing Ivan - he fancies a blowout again. But with it being declared a bank holiday, he's instead taking himself off to see the family. Probably. Well, the best Meetup alternative seems to be a Zoom talk about The Black Historical Presence in Surrey. Courtesy of the Surrey History Meetup. So I signed up to that.
On Tuesday, I'm also going virtual - this is a new group, called London History & Culture, and the talk is on Jack the Ripper and Victorian Times, courtesy of Heygo, who seem to do a lot of these. You have to register separately with Heygo for the talk, but hey, it's free! Like Monday's. Jeez though, this is feeling like lockdown again..
And on Wednesday, back with Civilised London (not Up in the Cheap Seats, mea culpa!) for Eureka Day, with Helen Hunt, at the Old Vic. Oh thank goodness, an in-person Meetup at last!
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