Operetta: Yeomen of the Guard

Tonight, I was back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) at the Coliseum, for a performance of Yeomen of the Guard, by Gilbert & Sullivan. And knowing the steepness of the steps in the Balcony - and the irregularity - and what with my stairs phobia - I did my best to get a seat at the side, so I could use the handrail to get down. Oh, and an aisle seat, what with the restricted legroom.. So, a very musical week.

There are plenty of places to eat around there - but I didn't fancy Italian, and after Saturday, I didn't fancy eating in a pub there either! (way too busy). So I ate in O' Neill's again - and ate well. Was just in time to miss a bus - waited about 10 minutes for another. When I eventually caught another, I saw a woman with a transparent backpack - was wondering about the practicalities of that when I noticed a cat in it! Hmm..

Anyway, arrived a little later than some others in the group - and wouldn't you know it, I got absolutely no phone reception in the theatre. So I didn't get the message that we were upgraded! Yay, they closed the whole Balcony - and moved us down two levels to the Dress Circle! Now, that's a good upgrade. (Oh, and as opposed to the £10 I paid, this seat would have cost £90 at full price!) See? I keep saying it's worth buying cheap tickets! Well, we chatted a bit, and up we went - the main staircase, for once. Nice big bar there, too. And again, my seat was near the wall, so I had a handrail.

I'm sure I saw this before - but couldn't remember the story, so that was OK. But there was one song I remembered - if there's ever a hook, I'm the one that gets hooked. And the hook in this operetta is I Have a Song to Sing.. I remembered absolutely nothing else, but I remembered this. And I adore it. I was singing it all the way home. So, that's me a fan then. I also liked the production, which was heavy on the humour. And by the time the story had ended, some were unsure about the story, which is a bit darker than other Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. And that started ringing bells with me as well. I actually really like that about it - it's certainly bittersweet, with a not-entirely happy ending. You might, in fact, wish a different outcome for just about all the characters. But hey, maybe it's the antidote to all the others they wrote.. I do like a darker shade of story. And this is as fun a production of it as you're going to get! Highly recommended. Especially if you can get an upgrade. ;-) Runs till the 2nd.

Before the show, we'd had a speech from the head of the ENO - about the government plan to scrap their funding in the New Year unless they leave London. "Levelling up", they call it, spreading the arts to the rest of the country. Jeez, I'm all for bringing culture to the masses - but do they need to impoverish London to do it? And what on earth would happen to the Coliseum, as we mused after? Anyway, if you want to sign the petition against this, there's a link on their page. You can also buy t-shirts with the logo on, at the theatre.. and indeed, the whole cast was wearing them as they took their bows. Best of luck to them..

On a side note, they have the cheapest sauvignon blanc I've got in the in I don't know how long! And the queue moved decently fast. So, that was good. Also great to see the people in the group! I really don't see enough of them. Oh, and on the way home, I just missed a bus. Again! And then discovered that the bus stop I was headed for was closed - which is not flagged online. So, on I schlepped to the next. But at least the rain was lighter than last night..

Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland again. On Saturday, UL is hosting a PhD reunion, with a tour of the campus and, crucially, free lunch. And I'll be using the occasion to catch up with an old friend and, hopefully, find out what finally prompted him to quit lecturing at last, more than 10 years after I did, considering he was bullied even worse than I was! The event is in one of the newer buildings, which I looked up on the campus map - and shared with my friend. Not easy to find - I had to Google it!

Planning a film on Sunday.. and coming up is Aisha, just releasing this weekend, which centres on a young woman in Direct Provision (Ireland's asylum processing system). Looks like a hard watch, focusing as it does on a severely criticised system, which can see asylum seekers stuck for years in limbo, while their claims are processed..

Certainly headed to a film on Monday - I wanted to see Triangle of Sadness last month, in the BFI Film Festival, but it was sold out. Well, it's made it to the mainstream - and now that the listings are (partially) out, I'm going to see it on Monday in the Vue Islington, which is the closest venue to me. It's a comedy in which Woody Harrelson is a cruise ship captain, cynically presiding over a group of scathingly depicted rich folk - and then they get shipwrecked on a desert island. Oh dear, how shall they fare?! ;-) Cheaper if you buy online, so I did.

On Tuesday, I'm with UITCS again, for a double-bill at the Park Theatre. Part of the Make Mine a Double series, where you get a discount for booking two or more. Next week sees a comedy double - Anything With a Pulse, about dating, and Pickle, a Jewish comedy.

Wednesday - oh dear, I'm just not sure. There are a few things coming up that I'm iffy about.. at the moment, I'm leaning towards Chess Community Wednesdays, with the London Chess Community. But I booked with them twice before and cancelled, so am reluctant to do it again - watch this space.

Next Thursday, I'm back with TAC for Haunting Julia, at The Questors Theatre, a new one to me. A ghost story, goodee! Written by Alan Ayckbourn.

On the 25th, back with the Crick Crack Club for The Beast in Me, by Daniel Morden. At King's Place. Fantastic!

On the 26th, I have my Christmas get-together with Helen! We're planning a Christmas bonanza - first to the Magical Ice Kingdom at Winter Wonderland, where we must also have a stroll around the Christmas markets, and get some alcoholic hot chocolate. Then food - then we're on a Tootbus night-time open-top bus tour. As booked on Wowcher.

And on the 27th, I'm back with Discover London, for a walk entitled Secrets of the Riverside Part 1: Tower Bridge to London Bridge. These events are good - I'm delighted to be back on one!