Play: The Boy with Two Hearts

Yesterday, I "provisionally" booked for the Soho Comedy Factory again.. but lo, was saved from having to make another of those difficult decisions, when Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) posted a trip to see The Boy with Two Hearts, at the National! Based on a true story, of a refugee family from Afghanistan, with a little boy with heart problems. Interestingly, I thought to use my Theatre Token for this - since I was finally booking something during box office hours, and could ring them up; few theatres take them online. But with them, phone booking incurs a £3 fee that other booking methods don't! So I left it, and just booked a ticket online for full price. Was perplexed when it wouldn't accept my card - until somehow I was logged into my National Theatre account, and noticed I had an old billing address. When I changed it, I had no further problems. There's a moral there. (Interestingly again, I couldn't even cancel my attendance at the comedy club - they now close RSVPs very early!)

See now, I do know somewhere good to eat nearby - The Archduke, a steak restaurant, does a cracking roast chicken. Ironically, when I tried their steak, I wasn't mad about it.. Anyway, it's a bit expensive, and frankly, I prefer O' Neill's. So I ate there. The waiter I got hadn't noticed me the last few times I was in, it seems, and welcomed me back! and I was well fed, and quickly. I hadn't such luck with the buses - I started out waiting for the #91, but my Buses Due app disagreed with Google Maps, and said it wasn't due for half an hour! With no sign of the bus that Google Maps said was imminent, I gave up on it and schlepped around the corner, to Upper Woburn Place, where I could get a variety of buses. And.. which had a great big "closed" sign on it, for this week, it seems. Hmm.

Well, I could see no good reason for it to be closed - and with one of my buses approaching, and knowing I couldn't get to the next stop in time, I said I'd see whether it stopped - they sometimes do. Another guy had the same idea. When the bus happened along, the driver gesticulated wildly to indicate that the stop was closed, and drove on.. we schlepped in the direction of the next stop. But then - he was stopped at the lights, and opened the door for us! So we got on - with just a small lecture from him about how the stop was closed. Nyeh, we were on, that was the main thing..

And we got off on Waterloo Bridge, where I walked back to the steps to get down to the theatre. And guess what I saw:

They were just closing up as I passed.. and as I walked past the length of it, a very interesting rumbling emananted from inside.. more anon.

At the theatre, I met the others and we chatted briefly - we hadn't long before showtime. We'd all been upgraded, which was nice! And this was press night, so some were in hopes of seeing some celebs - no such luck, though. Although I did see a couple of journos taking notes, in front of me.

Rows of shirts hang from the ceiling, more clothes are scattered at the foot of the stage - I guess this represents the refugees that, at the start, this family is on the point of joining. And soon into the production, we're introduced to the most beautiful singer, who, throughout, provides a stunning and, at times, heart-rending soundtrack to the action on stage, as she moves around the stage, always just at the edge.

This is a fabulously directed production - five actors do the entire thing, representing mostly the parents and three sons of the family, but also swapping, when necessary, to represent a Taliban soldier, neighbours, border guards, or doctors. It's as simple as donning a jacket, or swapping it with another person. And it really works! Some imagination is required to remember that there are always supposed to be five family members, but otherwise, it's flawlessly done. Searchlights are used when required - otherwise, props are minimal. There's a section above the stage, that acts to depict the family being squashed into compartments as they are smuggled to the UK - a harrowing story in itself, which takes up most of the running time. And oh, the animations on the front of that section over the stage are fantastic.. to depict rain, the letters "r a i n" drop and scatter, like raindrops. To depict a heartbeat, the word "heartbeat" scrolls across the screen, with a pattern that looks like a cardiogram. And that's not the half of it..

This play is based on a book, written by the younger brothers about their older brother, the one with the heart condition. And with minimal staging - but terrific animations, beautiful singing, and very clever direction - they have crafted a wonderfully moving story. It's an absolute credit to them, and the standing ovation at the end was no surprise. Highly recommended - runs till the 12th of next month. Includes flashing lights at one point, and a gunshot early on.

With an early start, it also finished nice n early, allowing me to shop on the way home - but I couldn't blog, having to be up early for the presale for Bono's book tour! Have been completely unsuccessful so far, BTW - tickets seem to have sold out in seconds for where I was looking for, London and Dublin. Still trying, in the vain hope of a ticket drop - the presale is technically on till 5.

Today, I was thinking film - but what was coming up wasn't as interesting as what the same group is advertising in Hampstead Theatre. So I booked to go and see Ravenscourt with them - a medical drama, centred on the failings of the mental healthcare system. And yay, for this I finally used my Theatre Token! (No phone booking fee, here.) Well, that's a weight off..

Then I'm back to Ireland again, because of the dates I have weekend things in London this month, and the date of my mother's birthday, which I want to be back in Ireland for. It all works out - but only if I switch weekends, which I'm doing by coming back to Ireland again this weekend. Film for the weekend? Currently looking like The Lost King, a comedy co-written by, and starring, Steve Coogan as the husband of the woman who found the remains of Richard III. Under a car park.. Only showing in the Omniplex, and a little late. Ah well.

Monday. Well. 👿 Anyone who knows me well, knows that I love horror. And am really excited that Darkfield is doing onsite shows this month. Mwa-ha-haa.. Five of them, in fact. I've booked the first of them for Monday, the first day I was free - the first they're showing, it's Intravene, nearby the BFI (actually, outside the National Theatre - see above). These are all held in shipping containers, and the unifying idea for all Darkfield shows is that they're aural - you have headphones, which are your main sensory input. The shows all take place in complete darkness. This one is about drug abuse, and focuses on the drug problem in Vancouver. And wow, seeing the container in person finally, last night, has just stoked my anticipation..

On Tuesday, signed up for another of The Garden Talks' free online talks - this one is Does Dark Matter Really Matter?

On Wednesday.. heehee. Back with Darkfield. (Cue scary music.) They're also doing shows in Canary Wharf this year - three, in fact. This is the first night for those.. and yes, I'm doing all three, that night. In fact, they allow for that when you're booking. So, I'm doing them in the following order: first is Eulogy, an unusual Darkfield concept in that it's somewhat interactive, at various points you have to say "yes" or "no"..

Second up, I chose Coma (they all have multiple showings, so you can decide exactly what you want to go to, and when. They just ask that you leave at least 15 minutes between, which I have.) For this one, we get to lie down, I think - which is nice - and get an option to take a pill. :-)

Final for the night is the one I've heard the best reviews of - Flight is a reconstruction of an aircraft cabin, and the show is based around - well, a plane crash! Booked all of these while waiting for my eternally delayed flight on Sunday - as I say, every cloud has a silver lining..

Next Thursday is the next of my busy days. See, first I booked with Civilised London (CL) for Tango After Dark, at the Peacock. All good, no-brainer. Then I was messaged by an ex-colleague - another ex-colleague is having leaving drinks that same night, in the Pelt Trader! Hellfire.. so, what I'm going to do is skip drinks with CL after the show and leg it over to the Pelt Trader - I've ordered her not to stop drinking till I get there!

On the 14th, something advertised with the Crick Crack Club (CCC) - they're celebrating all things Mexican in Kew Gardens, with Mexico After Hours! With something about the Day of the Dead, no doubt..

The 15th is another of those busy days. So.. first I'm headed on a walk with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners - this one is Paddington - Proud, Perky & Picturesque.

But, for nearly a year now, I've had tickets booked, for me and Helen, for Dara O' Briain in the Hammersmith Apollo that night! Crikey, I'd never even have thought of it if it hadn't been noted in my calendar. So anyway, she can't come to the walk, but we'll meet for dinner beforehand in Bill's of Hammersmith. I can only hope for better service than I got in Bill's of Clink Street..

On the 16th, back with the CCC for Inisfáil, Irish storytelling courtesy of the wonderful Clare Murphy, in the British Museum.

On the 17th, I originally booked a free online talk about Railways of Surrey, from the Surrey History Meetup. But now I've finally seen (despite the fact that it was evidently posted months ago) an event from UITCS - Samsara is inspired by the Chinese novel, Journey to the West, and contains partial nudity, we're told. Tickets for this are quite cheap, and we're all in the Stalls, for once - they haven't even opened the Second Circle, where we normally are! So, no stairs, for a change!

On the 18th, I've booked for Iphigenia in Splott, in the Lyric Hammersmith.

On the 19th, supposed to have drinks with Ivan! Might go to O' Neill's, we could do worse.

On the 20th, back with CL for dinner at Le Sacré Coeur. Always good.

On the 21st, back to Ireland again - and the following Monday, it's my mother's birthday, so I'm staying in Ireland for that and flying back on Tuesday 25th. I've already cleared it with work.

And on the 26th, I've booked with UITCS again - for Mary, at Hampstead Theatre again. Political machinations in the court of Mary, Queen of Scots. Funny thing - there were two seats in the main seating section at the cheapest price, but the site objected to me just booking one of them. No problem booking an equivalent seat in a higher price bracket, though! So I booked one of the high seats, at the back, instead. At the lower price.