On Wednesday, I was back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for Bleak Expectations, a Dickens-based comedy, with a different star every week, showing at the Criterion. We got Julian Clary.. I ended up going up a price band here, the cheap tickets all seemed so restricted!
Oh, what a horrendous couple of weeks it's been at work - hence the delay in the blog, I literally have been that busy. On that note, I did not have time to eat on Wednesday evening - dinner was a box of Maltesers and a glass of reasonably-priced sauvignon blanc at the theatre. We all met in the attractive Dress Circle Bar:
and chatted away until it was time to take our seats. I was fourth row from the front - someone else from the group was in my eyeline, but obligingly ducked to the side for me to take a shot of the stage!
It's a quirky stage, for a quirky play - as the blurb says, much as Dickens would have written, had he been at the gin. Julian Clary played - well, himself, except, as he pointed out, heterosexual, and a Victorian gentleman, whose own story he was supposedly narrating. It is, as you might suppose, a mishmash of various Dickens stories, with sundry Dickens quotes; a trio of siblings find themselves in trouble when their father dies, their mother goes insane, and a wicked guardian takes over, packing young Pip (the narrator's younger self) off to a suitably Dickensian boarding school, while conspiring to marry his elder sister and claim the family fortune for himself. Now, where have we heard that one before..?
It's utterly bonkers. It was exactly what I needed, but wasn't everyone's cup of tea, and one left at the interval. Be warned, it is a farce, it is exceedingly silly - but if you're cool with that, do go along, because it's a lot of fun. I, at least, had a great time! and the acting is excellent. Runs till the 3rd of September - recommended, for those who like their comedy OTT.
No time to blog afterwards - no time for a full night's sleep all week! When I came home, I was working - slept a few hours, and was back at it again..
Yesterday, back with North London Friends, for the first time in, oh, ages.. we were off to The Park, to see The Shape of Things. Different people from last time, these were some I knew before. But it's been years! Anyway, happily, this time I took time out to eat.. The Lucas Arms beckoned, and it was nice to feel human again! Caught a bus from just around the corner, and met the others, sat outside the theatre on what was an unusually nice evening, not as cold as recently. In fact, it was so nice, just sitting there, a gentle breeze blowing, that I couldn't even be bothered getting a drink beforehand..
There was a slight delay getting into the auditorium - when the usher got to scanning my ticket, her scanner - which had been playing up for ages - broke completely, and she finally gave up and let me in. I was right around the side - no photography, thank you: probably because two of the cast were already onstage.
The story is one of college students falling in love. They're interesting characters, but so far, so samey - I was wondering what made this so special.
I was to find out in the second half. Don't be fooled - this is seriously one of the best twists I've come across in a play, one of those classics that has you all talking afterwards and re-examining everything you thought you knew. I really can't say any more - except that, when they start to show things on the screen, don't worry if you're to the side, as I was - it's also shown on a small TV screen, directly opposite the main one. To reiterate - one of the best-written plots I've come across. Very highly recommended - runs till the 1st.
Afterwards - speaking of post-show discussions - we repaired to Oak, around the corner - which I haven't been to since I was last here with this group! I generally prefer New World wines, but last night found myself reverting to the sauvignon, even though it was Old World. What can I say, it is my favourite.. and an excellent chat was had, until it came time to go home. Where, of course, I was working again - not blogging, frankly, I couldn't face that on top. Anyway, lovely to see these people again! May the next time not be as long in coming.
Last night was as soon as I was able to consider what to do this evening - and I'd completely forgotten that Eleanor - of TunedIn.London and the World Music Meetup - had advertised an album launch - The Devil's on the Mast, by Cider with Kirsty (Ciderhouse Rebellion with Kirsty Merryn). At the Finnish Church. Folksy kind of music - I liked what I heard, and booked. Again, didn't really have time to eat, on what was the last working day for me, before the work deadline - I made for Pret, in the station. Sadly, not only was their main seating area closed off, but they didn't have the salmon sandwiches I love! so I went to the takeaway one, outside the door, instead, and ate my sandwich at a convenient bollard. Ah, food.. great start to the weekend.
A bit tight for time, I took the Underground, followed by the Overground, changing at Whitechapel - where, paradoxically, I had to climb down to get from the Underground to the Overground! Anyway, the sun streamed in the windows on the whole section above ground - it was a gorgeous evening to be travelling. I arrived quite early - said hi to Eleanor, took a seat near the front. Where, again, the sun streamed in the door to the garden - which was left open, allowing a lovely, cool breeze to waft over us.
They make a lovely sound, complete with historical context - it's just a pity that the music was quite soothing, and I was fit to drop - I spent the entire concert fighting to stay awake! Absolutely no reflection on them - it's just that I could happily sleep for a week. Honestly, I was delighted that it finished a bit early - apart from giving me a bit of leeway with my evening, it meant that I could shop! which I was in dire need of. But anyway, lovely to get to another of these concerts. Even if it's a bit of a slog to get there.
And now I need to get to bed.. I have to be up in the morning.. uhh.. Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners are headed on a new walk, Rockin' in the West End! Must dig out some U2 gear.. it certainly seems as though it's gonna be t-shirt weather! Tomorrow evening, I was supposed to be having my monthly get-together with my ex-work colleagues, too - at The Lucas Arms - but two can't make it, and the other two of us have decided to wait for next month, and do it properly.
On Sunday, back with the Crick Crack Club, for Dauntless - Grace O' Malley, Pirate Queen, at the British Museum. AKA Granuaile, she was a real person.. the pirate queen of the West of Ireland, who did one better than Mary, Queen of Scots, and actually did get to meet Elizabeth I! This one isn't told by Clare Murphy, though - it's Debs Newbold.
On Monday, taking myself off to see The Accidental Death of an Anarchist, at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. I've heard only good things..
On Tuesday, giving up on Meetup, I'm with TAC, for Mixed Omens - an improvised horror show, at the Drayton Arms.
On Wednesday, thinking film - and what's coming up is a documentary called The Pearl Button, set in Chile. Scenery looks spectacular.. this is showing in the ICA only. Wow, it's years since I was last there, too!
On Thursday, back with UITCS, for All of It, at the Royal Court. And then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
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