Musical: How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying

Tonight, my local cinema's excellent doc house was showing Tina, a documentary about the phenomenon that was the late Tina Turner! but then, Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) advertised How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, at Southwark Playhouse. Happily, the organiser informed us that tickets are available from CT - so I got one of those! and as I had a little credit with them, got them at a small discount..

I'd be walking past The Lucas Arms to catch my bus - but I didn't feel like eating there two nights in a row, and thought I'd try Mercato Metropolitano instead - it's been a while! I had to change buses - and the second bus was packed like sardines - I was lucky I'd got on early. I squeezed off at the Mercato, had my bag checked, and went for.. exactly what I usually have, the handmade pasta and a glass of wine. Well, if it ain't broke.. and it was nice to get back here.

And so to the theatre, where I queued for a glass of wine, and - ooh! they had Tayto! so I had to have some of those. And so we chatted until it was time to go in - and we were all sat together, except for the organiser, who discovered his seat had been double-booked! and chivalrously surrendered it to the lady already in it, coming to sit with us at the side. Both sides were quite empty, anyway.

Ah, this was exactly what I needed, in another horrendous week! Cheesy, catchy, great fun - the lead character starts as a window-washer and works his way through to the top of the corporate world. In about a fortnight, and without much effort, as the title suggests! The singing was great, the story is barmy, but who cares.. my only quibble was that the first half is 90 minutes long and the seats, while comfortable enough, are not up to being sat on for that long. Happily, the second half is shorter. Never mind, all in all, I loved it! And sitting in the rear of the bar at the interval left me so nostalgic for happier times.. Runs until the 17th - recommended for a fun night out. Sadly, even though the bus dropped me right outside my local shop - and I did need shopping - it had, as usual, decided to close 10 minutes early, so my shopping list remains unfulfilled. (sniff*)

Tomorrow, back with the same group for Bleak Expectations, a Dickens-based comedy, with a different star every week, showing at the Criterion. I think we're getting Julian Clary.. I ended up going up a price band here, the cheap tickets all seemed so restricted!

And on Thursday, back with North London Friends, for the first time in, oh, ages.. we're off to The Park, to see The Shape of Things. Different people from last time, these are some I knew before.