Storytelling: The Beast in Me

Tonight, back with the Crick Crack Club for The Beast in Me, by Daniel Morden. At King's Place. Fantastic! And yay, I persuaded the lady from Tuesday who booked the restaurant that night to come to this as well - we were grabbing a bite in the Rotunda Bar beforehand.

Mercifully, after yesterday, I could walk to this. My walk took me past King's Cross, which was handy, as I had errands to run there - one of which was to get a passport photo. They have a photo booth here - which I could look up on Google Maps, or I'd never have found it. And how things have changed since I last needed to do this - this has contactless payment, and allows you to enter an email address for the receipt to be sent to. Lovely! Seems, however, that for all of their talk about sending you a digital copy, that's only for UK passports - me, I have to input a code, which is printed on the same sheet as the photos. (And, as usual, yuck to the photo. But anyway.)

And so up the road to the theatre - I got there early, and messaged her. She gave me her surname, for the booking, and I went in and was shown to a table on the terrace. Brr.. when she arrived herself, a bit later than anticipated, we took a table inside instead.

Now, service has never really been good here. First problem we had was that nobody thought to bring our water and menus from the first table. Well, we decided to share a bottle of wine - that came, but it took 15 minutes to get menus. Another 20 to get anyone to take our order. Another 20 to get fed. And now it was 5 minutes until the doors opened..

As to the food, I had shepherds pie. Which was tasty enough - but the lamb inside was pulled, which hadn't been specified on the menu. Lord, I hate pulled meat - I hate the texture, it's so messy. Well, I gobbled my way through that, and the accompanying carrots. She had ordered mushrooms, which she was surprised to see arrive without sauce - it cost another £3 for a pot of sauce. She had also ordered something with rice - as she remarked, when a dish has rice, you expect to be able to see it! There were a few grains around the edge..

When someone came to ask how the food was, she asked for the bill. Which was brought. Again, 15 minutes more until anyone came with a card machine! After which, I galloped for the toilet, and she brought down the dregs of the bottle, along with a couple of plastic containers and some almonds that had come with her meal. Oh God, I do hate coming here when I have somewhere to be.. it's seriously slow. As she remarked a couple of times during the meal - she was facing the restaurant - they all smiled as they passed, but nobody was bringing us anything.. She deliberately ordered less food, to make room for dessert - which she then didn't have time for!

We just made it before lights down, got a decent seat, although it was quite packed. Ben Haggarty MCed, giving a short introduction to the Devil's Violin - a pair of musicians, Daniel Morden the storyteller. And we were off - for two halves of 45 minutes or so each. Now, it's been a while since I've heard the like of these stories, which followed a theme - in general, we met "The Gentleman", dressed in black, who gave people horrendously difficult tasks, lasting seven years, and took their souls in recompense if they failed.

What a magical, mystical winding road he took us on. I love his storytelling - he can turn on a penny to give us suspense, dread, humour.. Seriously, I hardly felt the first half pass. Delighted to say that my companion seemed to enjoy it as well! I love to spread the word about storytelling - it is something special. And as she says - and others have said before her - music does add that extra level..

Tomorrow, 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. Now, there is a rail strike that day, but she says it's not yet affecting her - she'll keep an eye on it. Mind you, the Tube strike might - I had her asking me for bus directions on Monday! Of course, there's a bus strike too..

On Sunday, 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! And I see this one is now booked up.

The next two days, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) - for some reason, I only just saw their advertised trip, on Monday, to see Austentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel, at the Arts Theatre. Awesome! This should be good - title decided by the audience on the night.

On Tuesday, we're back at the Park Theatre for the Make Mine a Double series - next week, it's Press, which examines the world of journalism, and Tunnels, about two cousins hoping to escape East Berlin. So, darker than this week's.

On Wednesday.. same problem as last Wednesday. Until just today, when the London Classical Music and Theatre Group advertised a London Philharmonic Orchestra concert at the Royal Festival Hall for that day! And wouldn't you know it, there's a Black Friday discount until the end of Monday if you book on the LPO website with the code BLACKFRIDAY. As I'd only just seen! ;-) So now I'm going to that.

On Thursday - well, my contract has been extended, and the new company is busy with a background check, and hasn't yet given me a start date. Which is just fine, as I only have to give a week's notice. I booked an online talk, The Life and Times of Magnus Folk, from the Surrey History Meetup. One of the earliest electrical engineers in England, it seems. Anyway, it's free, and I've now cancelled - I found something more interesting while I was waiting for the play last night. The Arabic Music, Dance and Party Meetup Group are advertising an evening at the Bethlehem Cultural Festival - tickets from Eventbrite - in which there's a talk about 19th century travellers, as well as discussion of a forthcoming book, and a talk from a female artist in Gaza. Not that the group is advertising it, but there's also an Arab dance after, and another talk - you can go to some, or all. Happening in The Tabernacle. So, I booked a ticket - stopped short of joining the group though - we shall see.

Then back to Ireland for the weekend again - flying Aer Lingus for a change! My passport is due to expire, you see - I don't technically need one to travel between Ireland and the UK, but Ryanair demands it. Aer Lingus doesn't.. and I can get on to that renewal as soon as my photo code works! It's not accepting it right now, but it seems that it can take up to 48 hours for the photo to be ready to add online..

On the 5th - yep, the London Chess Community again looked like the best option. Hmm. But just lately - hallelujah! I was saved by London Social & Cultural Meetups, who have scheduled a talk on The 70th Anniversary of the Great London Smog. (Although oddly, we're meeting outside - perhaps the venue is hard to find?) Anyway, I'm delighted - this is that friendly group I joined a while ago for Evensong at St. Bartholomew the Great, and I'm glad to be seeing them again.

On the 6th, well, Free Stuff and Free Events are holding another online singalong. Again, I cancelled my attendance at the last of these I booked for, so am reluctant to rush off and book again.. Or the Garden Talks have one on How Did Language Begin? Unfortunately, my free trial has long since expired, and they won't let me take out another. Well, I might pay - but I'd be paying for a month's worth, so I figure I might as well wait until closer to the date, and get the value..

On the 7th, phew, a definite plan! I'm back with UITCS for Baghdaddy at the Royal Court. About a little girl, realising she's half Iraqi, just as the Gulf War is raging. I see CT now has tickets for this.. unusually for this venue!

On the 8th, I've signed up for another Watkin's Bookshop talk! This is Colin Stanley on Colin Wilson's Introducing the Occult. Well, the last talk I was at here was interesting, so..

On the 9th, I'm heading to Lightopia, at Crystal Palace Park. As suggested by Over 40 Living the Life, who are not actually hosting a trip themselves, but just wanted to advertise it. 15% discount if you subscribe to Lightopia's mailing list, 20% discount for purchases of 10 or more tickets. And durnit if Groupon hsn't just advertised cheap tickets..

On the 10th - I've bravely scheduled another meeting of Those who Do Not Come. It's my last weekend in London before Christmas, you see. Well, so far Ivan and my first boss in London are probable attendees, the one person who came the last two times probably not, for once. We shall see - I asked them again to confirm, and Ivan did, and the one who probably can't make it said he probably couldn't! Nowhere booked yet, but I'm thinking The Lucas Arms, maybe - O' Neill's isn't taking bookings for that day. And then, there's the complication of different festive menus.. and a £10 deposit per person..

And on the 11th, I'm vaguely thinking of heading to see Carnaby Street's Christmas lights..