Comedy: Avocado Presents - Improv

Tonight, back with TAC for Avocado Presents - Improv, at Etcetera Theatre. Had no actual idea what to expect, but as it wasn't starting till 9, I said I'd eat beforehand. Had thoughts about eating in the pub downstairs, the Oxford Arms, but the menu looked a bit fiddly - still, looking at the map revealed lots of eateries round about, so I said I'd decide when I got there.

Three different bus combinations I could take, from three different places - the tyranny of choice! Happily, it was a lot less crowded than yesterday, and it wasn't complicated to get there. Looking around, I came across Rossopomodoro - an Italian that looked the most promising option. So I decided to try it, and got a table without issue. Checking out the starters, the garlic bread came with tomato sauce, so I said I'd skip it - I might have tried the calamari, but thought £11 was a bit steep for it! So I went straight for the main - thought I'd try the chicken thighs with mushrooms and potatoes. Wine isn't the cheapest either, at a minimum of £10 for a 175ml glass. But of course, I ordered a glass.

I have to say, the chicken was delicious! and the potatoes were sautéed, and lovely - mind you, there were far too many, and far too many mushrooms. I had a basket of bread along with the main, and it has to have been the softest bread I've ever tasted. So, I was well fed. Now, I might well have had a dessert - but they never came near me! To be fair, this might have been because I was engrossed in my phone game, and they didn't want to disturb me. They didn't need the table, after all. I was keeping an eye on the time, and when it was time to leave, I asked for the bill, and had no trouble catching the maitre d's eye. And wow, I think that £45 was enough to be paying for one course! (albeit that £20 of that was on wine.) After all, the listed price was £16.95.. Included a 12.5% service charge, £2.95 for the bread, and a £1 "Cook for Ukraine" charge, which goes to refugee relief. The service charge isn't calculated on that, and I was happy to pay it. But this is still going on my list as one of the more expensive places to eat..

And so across the road, where I found the theatre entrance without difficulty, at the rear of the pub, and got my name ticked off, and a card that entitles me to £1.50 off shows there for the next year. The guy on the door told me that an announcement would be made in the bar when they were ready for us to go up - so out I went again, and had time to grab another glass of wine. Despite it taking forever to get served! Anyway, real Irish vibe to the place:

In due course, the announcement was made and the pub emptied. And so, up the narrow pub stairs, and into the small theatre - unreserved bench seating. Nobody went for the front row, and I positioned myself with others in the second. Just two chairs on stage, so we waited for developments. And waited - it was 10 past before anything happened. Whereupon an announcement explained that the show was completely improvised. And then two blokes appeared.

Ahah, it's comedy! See now, when I did a search to see what it might be about, so much came up about music that I got confused. Actually, this show had no music at all - just two guys, bouncing ideas off each other. Improvisationally. And when you get to see people do it properly, as they do here, it is a joy to watch! If you watch closely enough, you can see how they take cues from each other - and if one makes a blunder, the other is on it like a whippet. They covered about four stories over the course of the next 50 minutes, switching roles, improvising wildly - to hilarious effect. Really, this was another winner! Seems their next show is in Baron's Court, they were saying, on the 21st.. Highly recommended.

Afterwards, the internet on my phone completely gave up, leaving me at a loss as to how to get home. So, I managed to retrace my steps to where I'd got off, then not seeing a bus stop on the other side to go the opposite way, consulted the bus stop directions to see where I should head. And as I was making my way there, lo, I happened on a bus stop with an LED indicator that, as I passed, advertised the 214 to Moorgate. Um - that's walking distance from home! And it was imminent. So, I lucked out there - not until halfway through the trip did the internet start working on my phone, though!

Well, the background screening for my new job is finally complete - and the one thing they couldn't verify was my last job! (Oh, for the love of..) Their story is that they tried several times and got no response - yet nobody that would have been sensible to contact had any word from them! So, with no definite word on that yet, I won't be starting tomorrow, and have booked with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners, who are off to see Elegant London! Booked fast track in the airport, just in case.

Anyway, then back to Ireland for the weekend again, and on Saturday, I've booked to go see The Batman at the Omniplex. It's free to book, and handier when you get there. And gee, I've heard great things about this! A very dark take on the story, it seems - has Andy Serkis as Alfred, and Peter Sarsgaard as the DA.

On Monday, going to see Daddy at the Almeida. Having never seen a bad production here, I have high hopes.

On Tuesday, finally going to see Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella! I hear good things.. it's playing at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, which is new to me - Seatplan was invaluable in choosing the best seating option. What's On Stage provided the cheapest price for that seat, though!

On Wednesday, back with Civilised London (CL) - for a play this time. This is The Fever Syndrome, at Hampstead Theatre.

Next Thursday, back with TAC for One Night With Robbie Williams. This is at The Courtyard.

On the 1st, back with the Crick Crack Club (CCC) for - The Grand Annual Lying Contest! at Rich Mix.

On the 2nd, I had booked with Walks, Talks & Treasure Hunts for a Regent's Canal Walk. But yay, Laurence and the 45+s then advertised another walk for that day, which is pretty much guaranteed to be superior. So I've booked it. This is Scandals, Scriptwriters & Sumptuous Architecture - and of course, it being a London weekend, I can go!

That evening, an ex-colleague of mine is having a leaving do - he's emigrating. Happening at The Woodman, in Highgate. I said I'd put in an appearance.

On the 3rd, the CCC again! Emily Hennessey and Sheema Mukherjee are at the British Museum, with Holy Cow! Tales from the River of Life. Unfortunately, the London Landmarks Half Marathon is also that day, so I'll probably be on the Tube, at least getting to the museum. 

On the 4th, I'm back at the Park Theatre for the first time in nearly three years! This is for Clybourne Park, a comedy about a white family moving into a predominantly black neighbourhood.

On the 5th, I'm headed to But I'm a Cheerleader, a musical comedy at the Turbine Theatre.

On the 6th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats at Southwark Playhouse, and another free ticket for me! This time, it's for Anyone Can Whistle, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

On the 7th, Tommy Tiernan is playing at the Hammersmith Apollo! Now, I failed to get a ticket for this the first time around. Then it was rescheduled because of Covid.. and I got a ticket for the rescheduled event! Then that was rescheduled.. third time lucky?! Love Tommy Tiernan. The show is called Tomfoolery. And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again.

On the 11th, I've booked for The 47th, at The Old Vic. Written by Mike Bartlett, this imagines the American presidential elections of 2024. I am really looking forward to this play..

On the 12th, I'm finally going to Six, the Musical! Based around the story of the six wives of Henry VIII (very loosely, I'd say), it's playing at the Vaudeville and I hear good things. Cheapest tickets from Leicester Square Box Office.

On the 13th, back with CL, who are off to the opera at the Southbank Centre. The show in question is The Paradis Files. Next day, I'm back to Ireland for Easter - but left it so late to book, I could only get an afternoon flight, and will have to start my new job (whenever) by asking for that day off work!

Well, my friend got back to me - they're away in the middle of Easter week, back on the 21st, so the most sensible thing to do seemed to be to visit on the 22nd, which I've now arranged with her. Whether I take that week as holiday, or take the laptop there and work from Ireland, remains to be seen. Anyway, I'll fly back to London on the 24th. And on the 25th of next month, I'm off to The Corn is Green, at the National.

Plays: Train Journey & The Improvised Shakespeare Show

Tonight, Up in the Cheap Seats again, same organiser as earlier in the week, for another Camden Fringe double bill: this time, it was Train Journey at the Etcetera Theatre, and ShakeItUp: The Improvised Shakespeare Show at The Upper Room. With an early start to the first, I skipped my last meeting - to be honest, I think my boss did too! We rarely get anything from that one, and he confessed today that he's sick of meetings. Plus we're headed into a bank holiday weekend - neither of us felt like it.

Just around the corner, and just in time for my bus! It was packed though, and I didn't get a seat until King's Cross - as has happened before. Got off a short walk from the venue - which was a good thing, as it was raining(!). I picked up my ticket first - which was just a large envelope containing fliers advertising other Fringe events - and joined the others at a side table. Having already consumed most of the unusual free bottle of wine in the office, I didn't feel like any now - I just took a seat on a comfy, chenille-covered stool.

When it was time to head upstairs, we wended our way up narrow, twisting stairs to the little room I hadn't been in for more than a year. For once, we weren't in the front row - our group spread itself over the next two. We thought that the theatrical fellow who came in moonwalking was the start of the show - turned out he was just one of us. However, this was to set the tone for the weirdness of the show..

I still can't tell you what it's about. We tried afterwards, really we did, to figure it out - it takes the form of a train carriage (Southern), with six passengers and a conductor. I can also tell you that the role of conductor switches among all the different characters, and that the conductor's duties involve keeping some kind of control over the others. Which some manage better than others. The passengers alternate between sitting obediently on their seats, and devolving into manic creatures.

And gee, all we could determine online afterwards was that it's a juxtaposition of order and chaos, with the train carriage representing the journey through life. Vague doesn't begin to describe it though - nor does there seem to be any particular reason for the successive conductors to read from a soft-porn book called "The Sexy Conductor" - although I'm sure the director was delighted to find it. No character development, no exposition, no explanation, no plot, no conclusion, no moral of the story. No coherent story, at that. Runs till Sunday - and is only half an hour long: but then, it doesn't have much to say!

Afterwards, we two who were continuing to the next show hung on in the pub for a while, as we weren't sure what the setup was at the next venue, or whether there'd be anywhere to put ourselves. The others didn't fancy staying. We spent our time, as I say, trying to find out about what we'd just seen, and just chatting in general. My companion had researched the location of the next venue - just down the road - beforehand, handily; it was particularly good to have a rough idea where it was, as the rain started in earnest at that point!

The Upper Room turns out to be owned by St. Michael's Church, and we followed a group of people right up the stairs to the top floor. Where they were getting us to finish sentences, on narrow strips of paper. Sentences that started with phrases like "Methinks", or the likes. They had plenty of pens. It turns out to be rather tricky to write on such a narrow strip of paper, but once we had, we were free to progress to the room, where our names were checked on the computer. Or we could pay at the door, although I daresay that was cash only.

Free seating, and we ended up in the front row again. Nice, comfy seats they were, most of which were occupied by what I'm guessing were acting students - and probably pals of the performers. Sure enough, the screams of appreciation when they came on were literally ear-splitting. Said performers have a uniform of trousers and a kind of medieval-style unisex smock, in black or white, lacing at the front. So they can be male or female, quite flexibly.

After a brief reccie of the audience to find out what their favourite Shakespearian plays were, where they were from, and where they'd like the play to be set, they settled on "The Wench in the Forest" - or something like that. Speaking of flexibility, what followed was the most madcap, convoluted plot they could come up with, randomly dotted with lines taken from audience suggestions, written on scraps of paper that they pulled from their pockets.

An hour long, it was absolutely hilarious, the performers game for anything, and delivering the maddest lines - verbatim. Special mention must go to the diminutive lady with the Spanish accent, who played a fairy - spectacularly well. And kudos, no matter where it went, they bravely carried on with it. And yes, we did have them climbing over us - sitting in the front row can be an interesting experience. Full of fun, full of energy - sadly, this was their last Fringe show, but they apparently have a regular gig at The Cat's Back. Check them out!

At the end, we left them to convene with their pals at Brewdog, across the road, and we headed our separate ways. Happily, my bus stop was covered from the still-heavy rain, and my bus came soon - and this time, I got a seat. All went well until we got down to St. Pancras.. the traffic was woeful, and I was sitting on the bus, remarking how cold it was outside, how much nicer to be on the bus, and enjoying the vibrating massage I was getting as we made our slow way towards the traffic lights, which kept changing to red.

..until the driver spoke to someone on the radio, and told us there was something up - roadworks or such - and he was dropping us at the next stop! When we finally crawled our way over there, we were deposited in the middle of a crowd of people - it was like an evacuation. Loads of people wanted to get on, and there was an argument with the driver. Well, the departure board said my next bus was due in eight minutes, and seeing how many people wanted it didn't inspire me with confidence. A young woman with a German accent was talking on the phone, explaining how every bus that came told them to get on the next, and how she wasn't finding London friendly at all. I decided I was better off walking.

Down the road a bit, I came to the next stop - far fewer people, and now a choice of two buses. And my alternative arrived just minutes later. Disembarking, and heading up the road home, I saw they were just closing that off too! Cue lots of confusion at the other end, drivers changing their minds at the last minute, going the wrong way down one-way streets.. oh, the streets are crazy tonight!

And tomorrow, I'm back with Walking in London, for yet another ghost tour - this time, it's the London Bridge Ghost Walking Tour! Got my usual 10% discount. Supposed to be cold, but drier than today.

Play: Dark Room

Tonight, back with Up in the Cheap Seats at the Camden Fringe: just a single play this time, Dark Room, at the Etcetera Theatre. A late start, so despite my late meeting, I had plenty of time. I tell you though, it was a good job I was circumspect when researching my travel options; most just gave me the 29 as an option. However, one particular combination of requirements gave me the 24 as an alternative - and boy was I glad, considering I was chatting with a guy at the stop who'd been waiting for the 29 for over half an hour! Just as the 24 was coming, and I got on, feeling rather smug. Oddly, as we progressed, we passed a 29.. has TFL changed the route without telling people?!

The routes diverge at Camden Town Station, which is exactly where I got off. And as I did, the place looked familiar - yes, I was here once before! Straight up the road I went, admiring the scenery:

And in the Oxford Arms, companion pub to the Etcetera Theatre, I shortly met with my companions, and we had a good old chat. Before noticing that the crowd assembling for the theatre had started to make progress, so - having checked our names off the list - we made our way upstairs. I made much better progress up the narrow staircase this time with my glass of wine, but then it was mostly empty by now!

Unassigned, upholstered bench seating with a back - the show, last of the run, was sold out, and we ended up sitting at the back. Still a small theatre, so it didn't matter from the point of view of, well, view.. it was quite warm though, and there was a strange noise from the back, something like coffee being brewed. Hey-ho.

As befits the title of the play, the stage was painted black, the illumination provided by a bare lightbulb suspended from the centre of the ceiling. We were introduced to characters A, B, C, and D - members of a club that met weekly. A was the leader, B something of a hothead: C was a femme fatale, D a recent recruit. And the business of the club, which met in the basement of what was apparently A's house..? Why, murder!

Photos on the wall depicted the victims, and D was eager as he was initiated into the group. A big fan of Ted Bundy, he soon became infatuated with C, but irritated with B, who was always picking fights. As we agreed afterwards, how marvellously normal it all seemed, with them arguing about being out of milk, and whose turn it was to help A's mother to the toilet!

As the run is now ended, I don't have to be so careful about not revealing the plot twist. Let me describe it like this - as they say in card games, if you can't recognise the patsy, it's you! As someone remarked on the stairs, they had wondered whom they were going to be killing, when there were only four actors in the programme.. Nicely written, nicely understated exposition.. very dark comedy, and a very enjoyable night!

Tomorrow, I had booked with Funzing: LDN Talks @Night and London Speaks Sessions for a talk called Z List - Dead List! So, a comedian is to regale the audience with tales of nefarious dead people, and they are to decide who deserves to become a celebrity forever! I got a 30% discount with the code WELLBEING30. Shoreditch, as usual - this one is in the Loves Company Cocktail Bar. But just today, the organiser of tonight's outing emailed us to say he had some cheap tickets to King Cowboy Rufus Rules the Universe, at the London Theatre Workshop. ! Well now, how could I say no to that?! It's yet another dig at Trump. Got to be worth a look.

On Wednesday, another Camden Fringe double bill with Up in the Cheap Seats: Ego, in The Lion and Unicorn, and The Trial of Le Singe, in The Water Rats.

On Thursday, I'm headed to a rather interesting talk on Bodysnatching in Southwark! Mary, too.. and it's a funny thing, all the tickets were gone when I first saw it, but then I checked again on spec, and more were available! Lucky. As advertised by Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts - but they're not running it, tickets are available on Eventbrite, and are free. I see London Social Detours are going too. Then I'm back to Ireland again for the weekend.

Next Monday, I'm off to see Jesus Christ Superstar, finally! At the open-air theatre in Regent's Park - again, I hope it doesn't rain.

On the 22nd, my first talk with Scarlet Ladies UK (!). Their stated aim is to abolish the stigma of talking about sex.. so they have a load of talks. This one is about the history of slut-shaming.

On the 23rd, I was back with Jennifer Rees (and the same two Meetup Funzing groups again), for a talk about the Psychology of Serial Killers. This is at least the third instance of this talk - I was booked for one last month, but had to cancel - it clashed with the trip to the Icebar. The next was sold out - and then I saw this one and booked, at last! It's on the Battersea Barge, of all places! Just a 10% discount this time - I see the latest code for that is crazy_fun. And gee, guess what.. London Literary Walks just advertised a Regent's Park Walk for that day! Guess I'll never make this talk..!

On the 24th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, a musical about the life of Billie Holiday. Nice and close to me, at Wyndham's. Passed it the other evening, in fact.

On the 25th, back with the same group (!) for yet another Camden Fringe double bill: Boris - the Musical! at the Cockpit again (the London European Club - LEC - are also going to this), and Make Advena Great Again, at Camden People's Theatre. Goodness, that's only a short walk from home..

On the 26th, I'm back to the Proms for the first time in years! Funnily enough, it was inspired by a Meetup group - Gothic Requiem London (!). This is the "Gothic Prom", you see - all the composers are Czech (Bohemian). Now, I'm no Goth - but the Proms sound like a great idea.

On the 27th, I'm off on a day trip to Bath, with Carpe Diem: booked while I was in Barcelona, recently.

On the 28th, the organiser of Walks, Talks & Treasure Hunts promised Helen and me free tickets to a treasure hunt she was organising that day - in recompense for that treasure hunt, not run by her but advertised by her, where the organisers never showed, and instead marked us as no-shows. However, the event on the 28th still hasn't been advertised, and what with severe engineering works at Waterloo for the whole month, Helen's not sure she can make it at all. We shall see.

On the 29th, I'm off to see Five Guys Named Moe, at the Marble Arch Theatre - a pop-up, it seems! From the Box Office provided the best deal on this occasion.

On the 30th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats, for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, at the Apollo (although booking is with the Young Vic), with Sienna Miller, Colm Meaney, and nudity. Cheapest tickets this time were with LoveTheatre.

On the 31st, back with those two Funzing groups. This time, the talk is entitled "Can You Trust the Media?", and is given by Annie Machon, who gave an interesting talk last month on Russian Hacking. Another 30% discount. I just wish she'd use some visual aids.. At the Lighthouse again, terrific. :-/ Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.

On the 4th September, I'm finally going to see Dreamgirls, at the Savoy, courtesy of Amazon Tickets.

On the 5th September, I was back with the Scarlet Ladies for a talk on Generation Sex. Until Let's Do This advertised a concert that sounds really good.. at the Apples & Pears Bar. Hey, I do allow myself to change if something sounds better..

On the 6th September, I'm with another new group - North London Friends - for an interview with Michael Palin, at the Knowledge Centre Theatre at the British Library. I was really torn, though - the LEC is off to an early music concert the same night, and I do love that - but had already booked this, and it is Michael Palin. Hey-ho..

On the 7th September, back with North London Friends, and another talk on Fake News - different speaker, mind! This is the Fulbright Commission annual lecture, at the British Library.

On the 8th September, until the other day I was still technically booked for free comedy in Hammersmith with DiscoverLDN.UK. But, as I say - good atmosphere, but the comedy is usually pretty bad. I was saved - again - by Up in the Cheap Seats, who are off to see Doubt, a Parable, in Southwark Playhouse. Aww.. it's so long since I was there, and I have so many good memories of it from my time with the Man with the Hat!

On the 9th September, Helen and I have our 25km sponsored walk, in aid of Haslemere's Cat Protection Society. We're going as Dick Whittington and his cat, respectively, and the route is the Thames Bridges Trek. You can donate here..

Which will tire me out nicely, just in time for my flight to Prague the next morning! I'm at a conference there, Sunday to Tuesday. (What a nice company I work for!) Gee, but I love Prague - most beautiful city I've ever seen, and I've seen a few. They're putting me up at a nice hotel too, just down the road.

So, I fly back on the 12th September, and on the 13th I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats, at Sadler's Wells, for the Hofesh Schechter Company grand finale.

On the 14th September, I'm at another talk with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts - this one, at Southwark Cathedral, is about the River Effra, South London's Secret Spine. Another free Eventbrite event, this is to publicise a book about the subject, and the talk is again given by the author. Another thing that had no tickets, then it did! Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.

On the 18th September, I'm off to Showstopper! at the Lyric. Ticket courtesy of From the Box Office again. I have actually seen this before - but, being an improvised musical, it literally is different every time!

On the 19th September, back with the Scarlet Ladies, for a talk entitled 100 Women - Their Breasts, Their Stories.

On the 20th September, Funzing (same two groups) and Jennifer Rees again - this time, a fun talk about the Psychology of Batman Villains! The first of hers for which I managed to get a 30% discount.. and it's on nice and close to me again. Seems to be a feature of her talks!

On the 21st September, technically, free comedy in Hammersmith - with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, and DiscoverLDN.UK. And on the 22nd September, the same - with DiscoverLDN.UK. I rather doubt it though - don't you?

On the 23rd September, I was to do the same, but am now headed to the launch of Rob Luft's new album, Riser, at King's Place. As advertised by The London Jazz Meetup. I finally ended up paying their membership fee after booking an event with them the other day, for November, which someone is attending that I know. So I figured it was wiser!

I had booked the same free comedy, with the same group, on the 24th September, but was again saved - this time, by the World Music Meetup! They're off to see Kefaya, in Nell's Jazz and Blues bar, back in my old stomping ground of North End Road! Happy days, when I was working there..

On the 25th September, a group called Theatre and Stuff is off to see Prism, at Hampstead Theatre. They're charging extra to go with them, though - so I happily bought my own ticket. What the hey, odds are I won't know any of them anyway.

On the 26th September, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats - to see Wings, at The Young Vic. Accidentally booked standing, I think.. :-/

On the 27th September, with Up in the Cheap Seats again - for Jekyll & Hyde, presented by the National Youth Theatre, at the Ambassadors Theatre.

On the 28th September, with another new group: London, Surrey and Beyond.. for an event called "A Unique Experience. Olde Pub, Gerry's Private Club, 2 'i's Famous Fish 'n' Chips". Which says it all, really! Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again.

On the 2nd October, back at Hampstead Theatre, for No One Will Tell Me How to Start a Revolution. North London Friends are attending - and charging extra, so I'm going it alone!

On the 3rd October, free comedy in Hammersmith - nominally. With Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich. Or not!

On the 4th October, Up in the Cheap Seats and Labour of Love, with Martin Freeman, at the Noel Coward Theatre. Cheapest tickets from the venue, for once!

On the 5th October, same group - headed to see the Company Wayne McGregor, at Sadler's Wells.

And finally! on the 6th October, headed to see Chekhov's The Seagull, at the Lyric. Third night in a row for that group - almost as busy a group as I am a person!

Play: The English Heart

Last night, I had one of those £3.60 tickets, to a play called The English Heart, at the Etcetera Theatre. The closest interesting thing to me that they had on their list, basically. Nice n close, in fact - I could practically have walked, but it was still a little far, so I took the bus - the 24 or 29 would do it in about 15 minutes. And mercifully, the bus wasn't too hot - despite being crowded.

I disembarked at the same stop where I'd been so confused on Friday - it was a short walk ahead to The Oxford Arms. Well jeez, I know they say that Camden is Irish - despite the name, this might well be the most Irish pub in it. (Actually, I technically live in Camden, but anyway.) I have a strong suspicion that the family - which has apparently run the pub for three generations - hails originally from sweet Mayo:

And look, yet another place that sells Tayto! I'm telling you, it's an epidemic.

The theatre was easy to find - it has a permanent sign above the door. Doors don't open until five minutes before showtime though, the box office half an hour before; I had my ticket already (good value, given that the regular price is £15), so got myself a drink. And when the doors did open, someone wandered through the bar, yelling the fact, so you couldn't miss it. I had some trouble with the narrow stairs and my drink, but reached the top safely and took a seat on the front bench - seating is unassigned.

Just three characters in this one, and the writer was there to explain the timeline to us - it runs from just after the Brexit vote to just before the recent general election. So, a married couple in deepest, darkest Lincolnshire - devastated by the Brexit vote, which was enthusiastically welcomed by their neighbours - are thrilled when the house next door, her traditional family estate, is bought by a dashing young chap, born in England, raised abroad, but now returned and anxious for a traditional English lifestyle.

Yes, they're both very taken with him, and as you might expect, this play is highly politically inspired. Peppered with political jokes, too. Oh, and quite risqué.. well, I did say they were taken with him. Brexit represented as a human relationship? Nice one. Well written, beautifully acted - it does flag just a little in the scene where it becomes apparent who's representing what. But it's quite clever, and I really enjoyed it. Recommended - runs until Saturday. Only thing was, the theatre was roasting, and I was glad to leave - it's not long though, 70 mins without interval.

On the way home, I decided to take the 27, which would be direct. Imagine my surprise when the bus stop I was sent to by Google Maps - confirmed by TFL - didn't have my bus listed! I schlepped on down the road to the next one, and have complained, for all the good it'll do.

Tonight, I'd provisionally booked for free comedy in Greenwich, with Random London, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon & Greenwich, and London Live Comedy. Naturally, I couldn't be bothered - instead, I'll go to a film. Top of my list (apart from Wonder Woman, which I'm not interested in) is Stranger in Paradise. No, not the song from Kismet - this is a documentary about refugees. BFI again - not selling out yet, but I'm keeping an eye on it. I'll walk down there later - with this promised to be the hottest day of the year so far, I wonder whether I'll see the same queue outside the ice cream shop that I saw on Monday, stretching into the road!

Tomorrow, I'd originally booked for free comedy in Hammersmith, with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, and Random London. Also advertised with Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, and Discover LDN.UK (twice). Instead, I'm back with Funzing - London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night have a talk on Urban Legends of the Tube. I got this one for free, for filling a loyalty card for LDN Talks @ Night, having been to three talks (more, but anyway).

Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend, and on Saturday my mother and I are off to the Limerick Sings International Choral Festival - always worth a look, and the gala concert takes place in the University Concert Hall that night.

On Monday, I'm headed to some comedy for £3.60 - this one's at The Tabernacle. Gosh, that's quite close to the site of the dreadful fire last week - I might take a wander up that direction.

On Tuesday, I'm back with the London European Club (LEC) at last - an evening of Welsh stories and writing at the London Welsh Centre. Be lovely to see some familiar faces!

Next Wednesday, I had booked with Random London, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich and London Live Comedy (again) for free comedy in Greenwich (again). And then I switched to West London Improvised Comedy Nights, who have a show at The Lillie Langtry, which is closer - indeed, very close to where I've lived longest in London. However, some more folks I haven't seen in a while - a couple of members of the Man with the Hat's old groups - are headed to a concert at the Royal Academy of Music, with London Social Detours. The concerts are free, but the group is charging a Meetup fee, so I'd normally just go on my own - but I want to meet these folks, so I'll stump up.

On the 29th, yes, once again I'd booked for free comedy in Hammersmith - with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, and Random London. Also advertised by London Live Comedy, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, and Discover LDN.UK (again, twice). But then I'd booked to go with the LEC to a talk on the relationship between Britain and France, at the LSE. Would've been interesting, but sod it, I then realised I have a late meeting that day, and with the talk starting quite early, it's a non-starter. Didn't want to rebook the comedy, having cancelled it. So I had a look at what else was on Meetup - and discovered something interesting. I hadn't been getting a wide variety of things on the main Meetup site - but they've mercifully improved the app. Which is what I happened to consult when I realised I'd have to cancel the talk, since I didn't have a laptop to hand. And lo, the app had LOADS more events. Seriously, there's a real disconnect between the app and the main website. Tons of interesting stuff. And on the app - well, a group called Ealing Ladies Social Group was headed to Terror, at the Lyric Hammersmith. Which sounded the most interesting of all. Not the group, mind, which has far too many rules and regulations for my liking - and they're closed to new members anyway. Nothing to stop me going myself, though..

Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again! Not usual for me to go two weeks in a row.. more details below. On 3rd, London Dramatic Arts is off to see The Mentor, at the Vaudeville Theatre. Expensively, as usual. I'm going as well - cheaply, courtesy of Amazon Tickets. Sat in the Grand Circle, I should be able to avoid them.

On the 4th, I cancelled more free comedy in Hammersmith (Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, London Live Comedy, and Discover LDN.UK) for another Funzing talk - The Psychology of Dreams. As advertised by London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night. Cancellable, but I'm so far unlikely to do so.

On the 5th, back with the LEC, for a concert of Greek music at Sands Films. Looking forward to that - I love the venue, but haven't fancied the last couple of concerts they've had there.

On the 6th, I was booked for free comedy in Hammersmith (!) with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, London Live Comedy, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, and Discover LDN.UK. Did you think I'd actually go? ;-) Well, I'm not - but the reason is an unusual one. My new company is very nice indeed - and they have an annual volunteering day: gardening. I hate gardening. On the 6th. For the whole day, they're at it. And on Monday, the office manager kindly informed us that it was compulsory unless we were on holiday. Huh! Well now, I hate being told what to do. So I've suddenly decided to be on holiday that day - and as it's a Thursday, the next too.

Then comes a weekend I've been looking forward to for a while. Long-anticipated, the European leg of U2's 30th anniversary tour of The Joshua Tree kicks off in Twickenham on the 8th & 9th. 'Mare of a place to see them - after I saw them there in 2005, I swore - never again. Happily, I now know someone living down that direction! :-) Helen is also coming with me to the first concert, and I'm staying with her for the weekend (now starting on Thursday, as she kindly offered). Which sorts transport for the first night - she'll drive. The second night, I'll head back by bus - the train is an absolute nightmare. Anyway, this would have been a weekend in Ireland - hence the trips back two weekends in a row, preceding it.