Play: The Art of Illusion

Well, I made it back to London with far less trouble than I had in leaving! Today turned out to be an interesting day, starting with the arrival of an unexpected package. What should it turn out to be, but a New Year party pack from my new company! Wow.. including a bottle of Moet et Chandon, and a box of Ghirardelli! A little late, but who's counting.. This evening, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for The Art of Illusion, at Hampstead Theatre. Award-winning, it seems..

I had one of those typically last-minute emergencies at work, and got a bit delayed - so decided on the Tube, rather than bus. Which got me there in time to grab a bite to eat - and I'm fond of the grilled chicken at Ye Olde Swiss Cottage. Hadn't had it in a while, so I headed there. Sure enough, they still only have one kind of white wine (chenin blanc, if you're curious), but they did better on food than last time, and I could have my grilled chicken. Which was lovely, and I was well fed - while eavesdropping on the adjoining table, populated with actor types. Part of the discussion centred on The Southbury Child, which I'm happy to say they enjoyed as much as I did..

And so to the theatre, where I managed to get a drink and a seat before anyone else in our group got there! As the others arrived, we had a good chat - then headed in, behind not so large a queue as I've seen here on previous occasions. And plonked ourselves right in the front of the side (well, most of us):

Another case of having to watch your feet, so you don't trip up the actors! Now, to the show..

Do you believe in magic? Do you ponder how they do it? Do you feel that sense of wonder as they bedazzle you? Roll up, my friends, this is that kind of a show.. I remarked afterwards what fun it must have been to take part in it, because they all perform at least one trick! And close as we were, there were still tricks I couldn't explain..

But it isn't a magic show, per se. What it is, is.. oh dear, I can't think of a better word than magical! It hearkens back to the old days of magic, when performers dressed up, shows were intimate, and everybody expected to be overawed. With a bit of playful hopscotch through history, we get the story of Robert Houdin - in whose honour the famous Houdini chose his stage name, apparently! But we don't stop with "conventional" magic - no, we also meet Georges Méliès, who brought us magic through his early movies - and right at the end, watch the kid playing videogames. The message is, I guess - these other pioneers were also discouraged from wasting their time at their passion; let's not discount it, but consider what could come of it..!

Marvellous stuff - highly recommended for those with magic in their souls. Runs till the 28th - go see..

Afterwards, I joined someone who hadn't managed to grab a bite beforehand, on a foray to see what was available - we decided we wouldn't waste much time looking, on what is a bitterly cold night. So, when we came to Mia Lounge, which had a menu outside.. in we went. And then up, because there isn't anything on ground level. On the first floor, we came to a deserted area with a bar and tables, and a guy behind the bar. He said yes, we could get food - or we could try upstairs. I thought he sounded a bit mysterious..

The smell assails you as you climb higher. Basically, you come here for the shisha, and ours was the only table that didn't order it. :-) Indeed, the waiter seemed surprised when I didn't order anything from the special, shisha menu.. I wasn't actually hungry at all, and just had a dessert - they didn't have my first choice, so I ended up with a chocolate milkshake, served in a jam jar, and quite tasty. My companion chose the lamb beyti, which she found unexpectedly spicy.. and we shared a decent bottle of wine. Aircon was weird, alternating between too hot and frigid - but we were basically fortified for the journey home. By bus - quicker at this hour. Would have been quicker still, if the driver hadn't dropped us off somewhere quite different from where we expected to be! I've complained again..

Tomorrow, I'm headed to Chicago Blues Explosion in the January Blues Festival at the 100 Club. Tickets from See Tickets (ST) - just a shame their early bird tickets were sold out. My companion of tonight thought that sounded good, and is now coming too - we've planned to eat beforehand at Bistro1. Lordy, it's years since I was last there!

On Wednesday, with TAC for a classical concert at King's Place (nice and close). This is the Kirckman Society for young artists, presenting Connaught Brass.

On Thursday, Ken's Green Walks for Health (aka Ken's Events, to those of us who know it from before) is off to see the Winter Lights at Canary Wharf. Now, I wouldn't go with them in a fit - but there's nothing to stop me seeing the lights myself for free, eh? I don't see the point in paying Ken £5 to lead a group around.. Mind you, the lady that sold me my ticket for Mandela was in touch afterwards to say that the theatre is offering a free link to a livestream of the full show! and she was asking me what day would suit. This being one of the options, I figured it'd be a good way to avoid the cold of Canary Wharf..

On Friday (unusually, it's usually Thursday), back with Watkin's Bookshop for a book launch. This is Fifty Forgotten Books by R. B. Russell. Occult theme, as usual. Let's see whether I can avoid falling asleep this time!

On Saturday, back at King's Place - this time it's the Crick Crack Club, with Stories in the Dark. Told in darkness, by the sound of it - sounds divine!

On Sunday, back with Cultureseekers for the Hieroglyphs: Unlocking Ancient Egypt exhibition at the British Museum. Assuming it's not curtailed due to transport strikes - there is a warning on the museum website that galleries might have to close early!

Next Monday, I've finally booked for Best of Enemies at the Noel Coward Theatre. This play concerns a series of debates on US television between liberal writer Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley in 1968 - the interesting twist here, given the time and place we're talking about, is to cast William Buckley as black! Had my own seat review on Seatplan to guide me in picking a seat - this is one of those restricted view/legroom theatres. And despite all the theatre offers flooding my inbox, I found the cheapest tickets for this on the official website! Mind you, what with ST doing the selling, I found myself with a second, unexplained, booking fee..

For the next week or so, it's all UITCS! On the 24th, for some reason, I hadn't seen their advertised event to see Orlando, based on the book by Virginia Woolf, and showing at the Garrick. For this, however, I found the cheapest tickets from Official London Theatre (OLT).

On the 25th, we're off to see John Bishop at the Leicester Square Theatre. Love him, so I booked as soon as I saw this advertised - one of the few things for this month that I booked last month! Not that it seems to be selling out..

On the 26th, we're off to The Vaults Festival - specifically, The Welsh Lxdies, a bilingual show about the women of Wales. Then back to Ireland for the weekend again.

On the 30th, we're heading to Noises Off, starring Felicity Kendal, at the Phoenix. Again, cheapest tickets from OLT.

On the 31st, with a group I haven't joined in a Very Long Time - I'm back with London Dramatic Art, from whom I've got a front-row ticket for Sylvia, at The Old Vic; this is the story of Sylvia Pankhurst, and stars the excellent Beverley Knight. Completely sold out - this was my only way to get a ticket!

On the 1st, back with the Horror Book Club - Lordy, that means I need to read a book! :-) I suppose I can use my flights for that. This time, it's The Ballad of Black Tom, based on the Lovecraft story, The Horror at Red Hook, but told from the perspective of a black man. Which means I should really read that, too.. Nice, I'd like to get back to some Lovecraft! I've read the summary, and am a decent way through the book club's book. Again, it's in the Prince of Wales, Covent Garden. Question is, will the kitchen be open..?

On the 2nd, I'm on my own for My Son's a Queer (but what can you do?), a musical at the Ambassadors Theatre.

On the 3rd, my first meeting of the year with London Classical Music and Theatre Group! We're off to Wigmore Hall, to listen to the Hagen Quartet play Mozart. They're Austrian, so that's appropriate.. I just need to remember not to drink the ultra-expensive sauvignon blanc!

On the 4th, well, Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners are back to Greenwich again. Now, I have been there with him before.. not sure how "new" this one will be, but hey, it was a great day last time!

On the 5th, nothing on Meetup appeals massively at the moment - I might go for a walk along the Ken's Events route, if I feel like it! (on my own). Or Over 40 Living the Life has advertised a walk along the New River.. I'll have to see, as I have to pay to sign up (refunds given to those who then come). And I might well change my mind..

On the 6th, my first actual event with that group. We're off to How Not to Drown at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East - the first event of theirs for which I couldn't get a cheaper ticket! So I decided, if I couldn't beat them, I might as well join them. True story of an unaccompanied, 11-year-old asylum seeker.

On the 7th, excited to be headed to see Derren Brown in Showman, at the Apollo Shaftesbury Avenue. Modern magic! Cheapest tickets with OLT again.

On the 8th, off to The Lehman Trilogy, at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Based on the true story of the bank that collapsed. Got the last £39.50 ticket!

On the 9th, back with UITCS for Winner's Curse, at the Park Theatre - an interactive show about a peace negotiation. Turns out North London Friends are headed to it the same night - what, are they now copying this group, as another group did some time ago? (since closed down). And then I'm back to Ireland again.

And on the 13th, I'm headed to Allegiance, starring George Takei in a musical based on the true story of his time in an American internment camp during the Second World War. Showing at the Charing Cross Theatre.