Play: Iphigenia in Splott

Tonight, I booked for Iphigenia in Splott, in the Lyric Hammersmith. Having had no really good eating experiences in Hammersmith, I headed back to O' Neills - for the first time in a week! And yes, the friendly waiter with the topknot recognised me, which was nice. I have to say - after a couple of days of Greene King pies, the O' Neill's chicken katsu curry didn't quite compare: but I still prefer the atmosphere here. Great to have the choice, so close to home!

It was always going to be Tube to get there, of course. Now, if you take the Circle, or Hammersmith and City, lines, it's a separate station - across the road, actually - from Hammersmith Broadway, where the Piccadilly Line station is. And if you take the Circle or Hammersmith and City - as I did - you come out right across from the theatre - just hang a right and you'll see it, across another road. So in I went - and was most impressed with the decor in the ground-floor cafe!

And so upstairs, and to the first-floor cafe - where, shock horror, they had no cake! Damnit, I'd been looking forward to that. I do see, however, that they've developed their food offering, now offering main meals up to 9pm, five days a week! Must check that out, in future. Meantime, I had a glass of sauvignon blanc - which, I must say, was sharper than I am used to. I was early enough to get a decent seat at a table for four. By 6.45 - 45 minutes before start time - the place was overflowing. I ended up sharing my table with two elderly ladies, one of whom explained that her daughter had urged her to see this, said it was amazing. She was unsure about how to pronounce it, though.. They were appalled to hear that they had to go upstairs again for the theatre, but relieved to be told there are lifts.

Me, I went up when I'd finished my wine:

That rear wall is composed of flourescent strips - some askew, doubtless a reflection of the squalid world in which our Iphigenia - "Iffy", as she calls herself - lives. Cardiff, she's from. And there are many who will not warm to her upon meeting her - loud-mouthed as she is, clad in trackies all day, sculling vodka and weed.

But oh, just you wait until she starts to tell her story. I have not seen a performance like this since Jodie Comer in Prima Facie. The blurb describes it as "shattering", and it is that - an amazing piece of writing, a stunning piece of acting, and a scathing indictment of modern Britain. By the end, having lived through her experience with her, I guarantee you will have changed your opinion of her diametrically. The standing ovation was well-deserved. Run and get a ticket - this is only on till Saturday!

Tomorrow, was supposed to have drinks with Ivan. But now it turns out he has Covid, so that's off the menu. Instead, I'm headed to hear the London Handel Players perform At Their Majesties' Pleasure, a programme of Baroque dance music, at St. John's Smith Square. Courtesy of TAC.

On Thursday, back with Civilised London for dinner at Le Sacré Coeur. Always good.

On Friday, back to Ireland again. Film for Saturday is looking like The Banshees of Inisherin! Another written and directed by Martin McDonagh, starring Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell as lifelong friends who live together on a remote island off the West coast of Ireland: except Brendan is finally sick of Colin. Also starring both Jon Kenny and Pat Shortt (past constituent members of d' Unbelievables), as well as Barry Keoghan, this is looking like comedy gold!

Monday is my mother's birthday, so I'm staying in Ireland for that - looking at films for Sunday, I think I can get away with seeing Emily - a film that imagines Emily Brontë as a rebellious lass. I'll be interested in this - Wuthering Heights has always been one of my favourites, and the trailer looks good. It's on a bit late, but I should be ok. Stars Adrian Dunbar as her father. Both films showing in Ennis.

I don't think I'll manage a film on Monday - if I can, all that's on in the afternoon is Halloween Ends. Looks like a real reprise of the original, with the "final" confrontation between Jamie Lee Curtis and her maniacal brother. Anway, flying back next Tuesday. I've already cleared it with work.

On the 26th, I've booked with UITCS again - for Mary, at Hampstead Theatre again. Political machinations in the court of Mary, Queen of Scots. Funny thing - there were two seats in the main seating section at the cheapest price, but the site objected to me just booking one of them. No problem booking an equivalent seat in a higher price bracket, though! So I booked one of the high seats, at the back, instead. At the lower price.

I hadn't anything booked for the 27th - was thinking film - and then Ticket Text (one of hundreds of ticket organisations I seem to have signed up for) sent me an advertising email. So, it seems that night the comedy venue, 21Soho, is holding an event of Comedians Telling Spooky Stories. Which sounds the business, for the week that's in it. So I booked. Hallowe'en fancy dress, apparently - well, I'll have a think. I do have some duds that might do.. 😜

The 28th, I've kept free for an all-night drinking session with Ivan. Man, I've missed these! In vino veritas, as they say, and these are wonderful chances to get stuff off your chest. He fancied doing it earlier, but I didn't want to have to take time off work - this was the first overnighter I could fit in. And with him taking ill, it seems it was just as well! I hope he can make this one.

Which should make the 29th interesting - I'm on another walk with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners! Might not actually get to bed in between.. this one is the Edgy London Walking Tour, and is one of his new ones.

And yes, I have something to do that evening! (This month is far too busy.) I'm back with the Crick Crack Club, for the Game of Candles - their Hallowe'en offering, where they extinguish a candle for every spooky story told. Tim Ralphs and Sarah-Liisa Wilkinson - in King's Place, lovely! I can walk (or stagger) home..

Play: Britannicus

Headed for a late lunch this afternoon, which served for dinner as well.. and I fancied having a trawl around my now-local train stations! I could see nothing in King's Cross - apart from a walk of fame, naming all the films that were shot there!

So, over to St. Pancras - passing a checkin queue, for the Eurostar, that I can only describe as horrendous! As I passed, an announcement apologised for the delays, and advised people to have their Covid vaccination documentation ready. Hah! I somewhow suspect that's not what was holding it up, so much as a personnel shortage..

Anyway, restaurants were, apparently, upstairs. The lift was broken, so I schlepped all the way over to the other side of the station for the escalator - they really don't make it easy to get around here! Made it upstairs eventually, meandered around.. didn't see anything that grabbed me until Carluccio's. Ah, I thought, I have good memories of this chain.. so I wandered over, after a bit got someone's attention. She asked whether I'd like to sit inside or outside - jeez, given that the restaurant itself is in the station, it hardly makes a difference.. I decided to sit outside, so I could people-watch.

Oh, I really should have checked the online reviews. Service here is so hit-and-miss as to make you wonder whether they're taking the p***. I started making note of the timings; 15 minutes to get anyone to take my order (I resorted to drumming my fingers in an annoyed manner, in the end), another 15 minutes to get my drink (at least they serve wine in carafes), another 20 minutes to get my soup. Soup, FFS! In the meantime, they'd passed with soup for someone else - they're surely not going to say they make a fresh batch of soup for everyone! I presume theirs and mine came from the same pot - could the waiter not have carried two bowls? Could someone not have reached in and filled a separate nowl for me? Wouldn't have taken long - they definitely weren't busy. I think it was the manager who eventually brought mine - my exclamantion of "Finally!" went straight over her head. Oh, and the bread served with mine was a bit stale. Funny tasting soup, too - I wouldn't have it again. But by now I was starving.

Five minutes or so after that, someone finally thought to remove the extra setting at my table. Meantime, I finished my soup, and checked in with a phone call to my mother. Described to her what was going on - for instance, how I'd watched the ladies at another table arrive, be served, finish, pay, and leave, while I was still waiting for my starter - and I have to wonder whether someone wasn't listening! All of a sudden, service became quick. I wasn't off the phone when my chicken came - which was ok, nothing special, came with sauteed potatoes (eight bite-sized pieces, I counted). I grabbed someone for the bill after that - I'd have loved dessert, but not only had I already been there quite long enough, but I remembered that the cafe at the theatre did great cake, figured I'd go for that. And gee, I hardly had time to sip my last glass of wine when the lady came with the bill and the card machine, and asking me whether it had all been ok! Yeah, not worth the price.. certainly, don't go there if you're pressed for time!

On my way out, passed not one, but two pianos being played! Interestingly, one was attracting much more attention than the other..

Tonight, headed to Britannicus at the Lyric Hammersmith (and damned if CT doesn't now have tickets for this as well!). Thought I might make my initial office trip today, it'd shorten the journey. But then, I wanted to change clothes, so it was handier to be at home.. and anyway, I'd have had to be up half an hour earlier! And so home - briefly - and to the theatre, which I still had to take the Tube to! With luck, I might have managed a bus from the office in an hour.. well, never mind, I was on the Circle, which is spacious and has a good overground section. 

Damned if the theatre cafe no longer does cake! Muffins, yes, but I didn't feel like them. Bah humbug. So I had a glass of wine, headed up when the house was open. And I was front row, centre! Unfortunately, beside what acted like a group of schoolkids, all jittery and shaking the seats - happily, they were very attentive during the show.

So, this is set during the early days of the reign of Nero, when his mother, Agrippina, who secured the throne for him, finds herself shut out as he shows the first signs of the duplicity that would define his reign. (Does the fact that I couldn't stop comparing him to Boris Johnson say more about Boris, or about me? To be fair, the actor is blond..) Anyway, the play concerns both his relationship with her, and also with his step-brother, Britannicus, the late emperor Claudius' son, and so with a stronger claim to the imperial throne than Nero himself. So, nothing to do with Britain then.

It is a marvellous display of unadulterated power - the jitterbug beside me was enthralled. Nero's bloodymindedness, the way no-one can trust anyone, the complete betrayal of everything that you might consider sanctified.. there's a reason people like plays from this period in history - the emotions are so uncomplicated, although the actions are savage. The only thing I found unnecessary was the fits that everyone goes into, between scenes. We get it, it's stressful - do you really have to act out the emotion? Anyway, it's well-acted - highly recommended. Runs till the 25th. No interval, which is always nice - there was a Q+A after tonight's performance, and I debated - briefly - staying - but well now, did I really want to sit and listen to the actors expound on how it was to play someone nasty, or someone who's lost everything? Not so much - I decided I'd like my evening back, and scurried off home.

Tomorrow, must leave back the keys to my old place. Then back to Ireland for the weekend. And with a couple of films showing that I'd be interested in seeing, the higher rated is a horror film (yay!) called Men, in which Jessie Buckley decides to take a trip on her own through the English countryside, following her ex-husband's suicide. She rents a country manor from an odd chap, played by Rory Kinnear - and he ain't the only odd man she meets! England can be a rich trove of horror stories - certainly, the books are hardcore. Let's hope the film is as well. Written and directed by Alex Garland, who has an impressive pedigree as a writer. Has a slightly earlier showing in the Omniplex, so I'll think about heading there.

On Monday, I've booked for Tony! The Tony Blair Musical, at the Park Theatre.

On Tuesday, booked for Girl on an Altar, at the Kiln Theatre. This is the story of Clytemnestra and her husband, Agamemnon, following his sacrifice of their daughter to the gods.

On Wednesday, I was going to a concert in the City Churches Music series. This is Brilliant Brass, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Brass Quintet in the church of St. Stephen Walbrook. This day, however, tied with the following day as the preferred day for our work dinner, and the boss decided today to pick Wednesday, venue TBC. I got my ticket for the concert from CT, and have now cancelled it - no ill effects, as of yet!

Next Thursday, headed to Mad House at the Ambassadors Theatre. 

On the 17th, back with the Crick Crack Club! for The Nine Muses of Queen's Crescent, at Rich Mix. Courtesy of my favourite storyteller, Clare Murphy, whom I haven't seen in an age!

On the 18th, I had booked with TAC for Haydn's Creation at St. Pancras Church, Euston. And then I saw that Bucket List London had booked something for that afternoon! specifically, a trip to Greenwich Royal Observatory and/or the Ranger's House. Ah well now, I haven't been out with this group since January! Ironically, that's where I first met Laurence, on so many of whose walks I've subsequently been - and who knows when I'll see him again?! since he seems only to run walks on weekdays, now. I seem to be swapping one for the other.. So anyway, I'm now going to all of the above. One of those busy days.

On the 19th, back with London Guided Walks - but, armed with the information that they now advertise through TAC, I've booked through them instead! This is the Secrets of St. James Walk, and given how I booked, I must remember to bring £3 cash on the day. I have to admit, the standard of these walks is excellent.

On the 20th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Jitney, at The Old Vic. I didn't fancy the cheapest seats - but gee, SFF had seats in all but the most expensive price bands, for very little more! So I now find myself in the central Stalls for this..

On the 21st, I'm at the Royal Court for That Is Not Who I Am, a play about identity theft, from a mysterious writer about whom we have few details, except that he has worked most of his life in the security industry. Ooh..

On the 22nd, back with TAC for The Lark Ascending and Piano Quintet, a classical concert at St. Giles' Cripplegate, a church I've often passed but never been in! Part of the City Churches Music Festival.

And on the 23rd, back at the same festival - with CT, this time, for a concert of English Song at the lovely church of St. Bartholomew the Great. It's been too long.. Then back to Ireland for the weekend again.

Cool Camden Pub Walk & Play: Scandaltown

Well, Wednesday was Star Wars Day. And I had another flat viewing on Wednesday evening - advertised as a 1-bed! Imagine, affordable and within walking distance of work - I hoped it'd work out, I'd love to live alone again, for the first time since I moved to London!

I could have taken a bus, but with a last-minute work demand and having to call my mother, it ran too late, and I ended up on the Tube. I arrived where I'd been told to go on the dot of 5, when I'd arranged to be there. Messaged him to let him know I was there..

So, it started to rain. No response from him, and the only people around had shopping bags, so I figured none was him. I messaged him every few minutes, no response. No sign of him either. Then it started to pour - I finally took refuge under a large tree across the street. I might have left, but was so keen to view a 1-bed that I hung on. At 5.30, he apologetically messaged back, asked whether I had a UK number. Duh, no, just the one you've been messaging me on! I pointed out to him that it's on WhatsApp, on which you can call and message for free - indeed, this was what we were talking on! He told me there was someone in the flat, who would call me on WhatsApp.

He did, told me to come into the courtyard. I told him the gate was locked, he contradicted me and said it was open. I said it had been open, but someone had gone through and locked it. He said he'd come down.

No sign. His boss, whom I'd been speaking to first, got back to me to say the other guy had been calling and there was no answer. Meantime, someone opened the gate and I entered the courtyard. I didn't know the flat number, got it from the boss - but checking the list of flat numbers, I couldn't see it! A local resident passed, and I asked - he told me I was on the wrong side of the building, I'd have to go out and around. Sure enough, there was another courtyard with another gate - and it was open! Guy #2 called me again, I explained what had happened, and he came and got me, led me up to the flat.

He told me someone else was also looking. Well, duh - I should have been in and out by now. Lo, it was a couple that had also been waiting around the other side - pity I didn't get talking to them! Now, they'd got directions from someone, and come around here before I did - pity the idiot didn't join the dots and realise I'd got lost the same way. Anyway. The place - described in the ad as "spacious" - was the pokiest flat I've ever seen. A tiny kitchen, a tiny bathroom, no storage anywhere - and two other rooms. The whole place still needed furnishing, which makes it odd that it's already available! Anyway, I was confused about the two rooms - oh, he told me, he's renting out both! So it's a 2-bed. Well, they were way too small for my purposes, as was the whole flat. What a let-down. I legged it out of there, and reported the ad to Spareroom as misleading. They've been on to him to change the description.

I was due back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners shortly afterwards! Ah, it'd been too long.. someone suggested that I skip off work for a couple of hours during the day to go on the walks, but seriously, every time I checked when his walks were, I had a meeting that clashed! So, not an option. Anyway, this was the Cool Camden Pub Walk! and a short walk from where I was. It was actually rescheduled - was originally supposed to happen last week. Unfortunately, last night it clashed with a couple of other things - a Civilised London (CL) meal I was actually booked on (happily, he gave me a refund of my deposit), and leaving drinks for my favourite ex-boss from my last company. Tarnation. Well, couldn't be helped - I really wanted to go on this. I was originally booked for an online talk that night - Fight Them on the Beaches was a talk about the greatest speeches in parliament. Courtesy of Guided Walking Tours in Brighton and Sussex. But they record the talks, and indeed the organiser sent me the link yesterday, since I didn't attend. True, isn't it - everything happens on Wednesdays!

So, I was the first Laurence met. And heading to the nearby station, we met someone I literally haven't met in years! Great to see her. The others happened along gradually - only half the number who'd booked, because of the rain. And off we schlepped, through the always-interesting streets of Camden. To be fair, it did rain on us a bit, but not as much as when I was stuck under that tree. It was chilly, though..

Came across a statue that Laurence described as "unloved" - but this guy does deserve respect, as the man who helped to repeal the corn laws, which had such a devastating effect on Ireland as well as England.

Famous residents included:

and I've always loved the graffiti:

We even saw some blue sky, eventually:

Our first pub was The World's End, with nice heavy music on the sound system, and a barman who (again!) mistook my request for a glass of white wine, and tried to serve me red. And him Irish, too! Mind you, he was a bit away with the fairies - stared into space as I was ordering, and came back to himself with a jolt. Anyway, I always like this pub.

Next was The Dublin Castle, which had a loud, live gig in the back (with well-soundproofed doors, thankfully). This is where we shared a table with someone who used to work there, and regaled us with stories..

And so finally to Camden Market:

and our final pub, the Hawley Arms, where Amy Winehouse used to work. V musical part of town, Camden!

Terrific to see everyone! I'm nearly forgetting how to have proper conversations these days, it happens so seldom.. Anyway, I was too tired that night to blog. Mercifully, my internet connection was down yesterday morning, so I got a bit extra in bed. And then too busy to blog all day!

Last night, I was off to Scandaltown, at the Lyric Hammersmith. Yet another play by the prolific Mike Bartlett, this is a revamped Restoration comedy, set in modern-day, debauched London. As always, love his stuff and was really looking forward to this. But wouldn't you know it, now CT has tickets.. ah well..

Again, work got in the way of my leaving at a decent hour - and again, I had to do without a proper dinner. Grabbed a molten steak slice from Delice de France in Liverpool Street Station en route to catch the Tube. And while I was there, caught sight of a Tube status update board - severe delays on the Circle, District, and Hammersmith & City lines. For different reasons, it transpired. All the lines I could get direct to Hammersmith. Happily, there's an alternative - Central and Piccadilly lines. Just as well I've been out there several times lately, and knew what I was doing.

Now, this had all been a rush - which is why, as we approached Hammersmith - in the above-ground section, where I can get internet - it occurred to me that I hadn't dug out my ticket yet. They had texted me a link, but that was to pre-order drinks. So I set about finding the ticket - and was so engrossed, would you believe it, I missed my stop! Jesu. I ended up all the way out in Acton! Non-stop between there and Hammersmith on the Piccadilly line, mind you - so I just caught the next one back. Having said that, I was so flustered, I was in grave danger of missing it - it's years since I lived in West London and used to fly to/from Heathrow, so was familiar with this station..

The Lyric isn't far from the station, is well-signposted, and visible once you're at the right exit - all v helpful. It also helped that I knew where to go - the entrance is on the right, the theatre upstairs (not immediately obvious) - and with all of the fuss, I just made it in time! Well, I might actually have been slightly late, but that was due to the horrendous queue on the stairs. And I had a nice seat, third row in the Stalls:

I'd heard a bad report of this - but that was from someone who doesn't like Restoration comedies. Me, I absolutely loved it! The tone is exactly right, rather silly and very debauched, with even some of the appropriate language creeping in! (The excuse for the two young persons at the centre of the plot speaking in such an old-fashioned way is that they were raised by their aunt, who "wanted to raise them right"). It's hilarious - and wow, does it poke a pin in the inflated ego of some of today's sacred cows! Politics, TV, social media, "wokeness".. scathing dialogue combines with very topical plotlines. Covid shows up, appropriately, as the Plague - Tories having parties in the garden, anyone? The hapless politician, squirming and changing sides as he finds himself in bind after bind, turns to the audience at one point for support. Heh. In fact, there was a good bit of heckling, all taken in good spirit by the cast. Silly, cheeky, OTT.. Highly recommended! Only runs till the 14th - run and see it!

(Oh, and maybe buy something from the poor usher who positions himself in the Stalls at the interval - with everyone heading out to the landing, where there's a bar as well as an ice cream stand, he had nothing to do! Occupied himself bopping to the interval music. Well, I'd have bought my ice cream from him, but he didn't arrive in time..)

Anyway, the Tubes were all running again when I was headed home, and I got a direct one. Ran too late to blog though, as I had to be up for a meeting today - which, ironically, I couldn't attend: internet problems again! For tonight, another ex-boss, Ivan, asked could we do drinks again! He also suggested we try to find somewhere quieter than the last place - not an easy ask, for a central venue on a Friday night. Ah, but I have contacts.. the organiser of CL once recommended to me a pub just off Charing Cross Road, which he knows as quieter than the usual - I couldn't remember the name, but he reminded me it's the Round Table. I'd have booked, but they seem not to take bookings on Friday evenings. Our ex-colleague, James, was coming, and for the first time, my aforementioned ex-boss from my last company! Promised to be cool, and would make up for me missing her leaving drinks on Wednesday night.

And now Ivan has cancelled - as usual. Complicated life, as he says - he swears he'll make it up to us. Ah well, I did enough drinking on Wednesday night anyway! And my ex-boss is still recovering from her debauchery on Wednesday. James is still meeting me for a meal - we've booked Cote Covent Garden. V necessary on a Friday night.

Tomorrow, back with Laurence and the 45+s - this time, it's a walk called Red Lights, Rabble Rousers & RocknRollers, around Soho. And Helen is coming up for it! So, a highly sociable week! Sadly, this'll probably be my last trip with Laurence and the 45+s this month.. the trials of working during the week.

On Sunday, back with the Crick Crack Club (CCC). This is The Origins of Life and Death, with Jan Blake, at the British Museum, which I missed in January. Limited availability at time of writing, as they have socially distanced seating.

On Monday, I'm headed to a film - Everything Everywhere All at Once is a Chinese English-language comedy about a woman travelling through multiple alternate realities. Jamie Lee Curtis shows up too. Nearest showing to me is in Hackney Picturehouse, and I've booked because it's booking heavily.

On Tuesday, what I think is my last event rescheduled because of Covid - I'm headed to the postponed Tarot, at Soho Theatre. Wow, it's over two years since I was there last.. (and now TAC have tickets, blast.)

On Wednesday, back with TAC - for another operatic evening at Hoxton Hall. National Opera Studio is presenting Mozart: Secrets and Seduction. (So much for Meetup being busy on Wednesdays!)

On Thursday, my only Meetup of the week - I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats, to see a performance of As You Like It at Wilton's. Went for a slightly more expensive seat than usual, this time - I'm sick of straining my neck.

Then back to Ireland for the weekend - would you believe it, I've exhausted the films showing locally that I'm interested in! So it'll be a quiet one.

On the 16th, headed to Middle, at the National.

On the 17th, back with CL for a meal at last - this one is at Mestizo (Mexican). Not usually my favourite, but I'll give it a shot. Meeting beforehand at the Crown & Anchor.

On the 18th - well, I saw on Meetup that a group called Get a Tech Developer Job has a free webinar, Learn Web Scraping with Python! Now, we're expected to use Python in my new job, and I never have - so this could be very handy indeed.

On the 19th, I'm headed to the CCC again, for Astray, at Rich Mix. A storytelling double bill.

On the 20th, headed to Marys Seacole, at Donmar Warehouse. Based on a true story, I've heard mixed reviews - we shall see.

And on the 21st - well Lordy, I've booked for the Roman London Walk, with Walk About London (also advertised on Walks, Talks & Treasure Hunts - both linked to London Guided Walks). Now, I missed the last two I was booked on with this company - third time lucky?

Play: Love, Love, Love

Tonight, I was headed back to the Lyric Hammersmith, for something called Love, Love, Love, written by the excellent Mike Bartlett. Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) is heading to this later in the month, I see. Well, this far out, it was going to be Tube - didn't need to leave until evening. But I fancied breakfast from the Upper Crust, in Liverpool Street Station - and since I was going to be leaving from there, it made sense (I thought) to go straight, and head to Hammersmith early.

They really do make excellent baguettes - and once I'd finished mine, I set off. Unfortunately, I was just in time to miss my train - the Metropolitan Line was the only one from that platform that wouldn't be any good to me, and sure enough that was all that was coming. It wasn't until the third train following the one I'd missed that another came that I could use.

Mind you, I was just using up time - I had hours and hours to kill. Thought, first, that I'd better get something to eat - and lo, it suddenly occurred to me that I'd like a Chinese. I was to discover that Hammersmith isn't abounding in them. I ended up in a basic-looking joint called Sanbao Chinese Kitchen, where staff were friendly enough, if not exactly providing silver service. The guy who served me was perplexed when I asked for a glass of wine - it isn't included in the lunch menu, you see, whereas I could have had a free soft drink. But I could see the bottle, and I fancied one! (And yes, he mistook what I said and initially poured me a glass of red.)

He then repaired to the side, where he tuned into some football match on his laptop - the commentary mixing with the commentary from two separate Chinese programmes, showing on the two tvs on the wall. The rest of the work was left to the young lady who'd just arrived - a very personable young lady too, although the sole other customer asked for salt, then had to show her where it was on the stand. I think he was a regular!

Mind wasn't too long in coming - but on the basis of it, I won't be back. The prawn crackers were tasteless. Before I'd finished them, the beef szechuan appeared - at least this was tasty, although I didn't have a choice of rice, it had to be plain boiled. Which was served on the same plate. Just as well, considering how little szechuan there was.. and I've had better beef, too. No, Hammersmith is not the place for Chinese, it seems!

So I mooched up the street - as slowly as possible - towards the theatre. I intended to have some cake in their excellent cafe - but it was so early that I baulked at going to the upstairs cafe, and went into the street-level one instead. Where I picked out a slice of marble cake. But the staff were on a break, and weren't encouraging me to hang around.. which is how I came to spend a couple of hours in The William Morris pub, across the square. I was damn lucky to get a table, mind.. and watching the food stream past me, I regretted not just coming there to eat! Ah well. Seems the carpet is patterned on a design of the man in question!

Meantime, as the family nearby fed their already hyperactive toddler a whole sharing pack of M&Ms.. I had a leaf through the Wetherspoon's magazine on my table. (This being a Wetherspoon's pub, you see, and me trying to save the rapidly decreasing battery on my phone.) Well, not a good idea for anyone not in favour of Brexit..! After some pro-Brexit rhetoric at the start, there's a "balanced" presentation of views from both sides. Well, it'd be more balanced if each one wasn't prefaced with an editorial comment on what he (a stauch Brexiteer, of course) thought of them! or if a Remainer had also commented on each. Honestly, with all that, and some geezer sitting down on my other side and defending Brexit to his pal as they put the world to rights.. I was glad when it was late enough for me to defend trying the theatre again! (And as I did, the toddler had finished his sugar binge and was on the run again, pursued by his harassed mother. Who, at least, was getting some exercise out of it!)

This time, I headed to the theatre's upstairs cafe - where I had a slice of their excellent lemon drizzle cake. And more wine. And waited for them to open the house.. while I watched one woman greet people she knew by bumping elbows. Interesting ways they have of avoiding coronavirus!

Which they did, about half an hour before start time. I turned on my phone just before going in - the problem was, my ticket was a e-ticket, only displayed on the phone! so it had to work long enough to get me in. Well, it did - and I was second row in the stalls. I might have taken more photos, but my poor phone wasn't up to it!

And so to the play, which takes place over three acts (therefore two intervals - which were quite boring for me, as I could neither use my phone, nor leave the auditorium for fear of not being able to get back in again, unable to show my ticket!). As I discovered from the people around me who'd splashed out on programmes, these three acts represent three different years - 1967, 1990, and 2011. And over these years, we follow the story of a couple who meet in 1967.. by 1990 they're married with kids.. and in 2011 the kids are grown up. And it's now that we see the full consequences of the decisions made all those years before.

One quibble: Rachael Stirling, who plays the woman of the couple, Sandra, is supposed to be a teenager in the first act. Now, she's excellent in the later acts - and they do their best for the first act, giving her long, loose hair, putting her in youthful clothes. But really - a teenager?! I had to laugh (discreetly) when she mentioned something about not having wrinkles.. her partner, Nicholas Burns (Kenneth) ages much more convincingly!

Overall though, the acting is excellent, and the staging for each act does reflect the time period it's set in. The play is billed as telling the story of the different perspectives of the two generations - and yes, the issues raised are very topical. A real talking-point, too - someone behind me, as I was coming out, was railing against the couple's daughter.. and this is one where you're liable to take sides, parents or children. But the most enjoyable aspect of the production has to be the soundtrack - before the start of each act, they blast you with some evocative pop music from that era. And it really brings back memories! Very enjoyable, as well as thought-provoking. Highly recommended. Runs till the 4th.

As the lights came up at the end, I heard my name called from the row behind - someone from UITCS had spotted me! I asked him whether he'd enjoyed it - I thought his reply of "it's all right" was quite a recommendation. On the way home, of course, I had no phone to entertain me. However, something did happen on the Tube that got me thinking. As sometimes happens, we got a beggar - a scruffy looking gent, slurring his words, walking funny, begging for change as he moved through the train. By and large, people were ignoring him - until he got to the young Muslim woman, sitting a few seats down from me. She was carrying what looked like a takeaway, in a plastic bag. She spoke to him briefly - I wasn't really listening - and then gave him the bag! Whether or not he was genuine, it was a lovely gesture - I just hope she didn't have a hard time explaining the story to whoever was waiting for that takeaway!

Tomorrow, I was thinking of film - got the film list done on Wednesday, then wasn't too pushed about what was coming out on top. Not that it was easy to get the listings, mind - my film site has a new look, still apparently gets the new listings on Tuesday evenings, but now doesn't seem to list the times for the following week along with the new films! So I can see what's on, just not where or when. I managed to Google a couple, which had their own websites, and from those I determined that they're not showing on days that'd suit. Others, I wasn't so lucky with, and just had to guess on the basis of the cinemas in which they were showing currently, whose websites I then had to check.

Anyway, the upshot was that I thought Meetup had better suggestions. So now, tomorrow I'm joining North London Friends for a concert called Some Kinda Wonderful - a tribute to Stevie Wonder. Run by the Chickenshed - the link was broken for a while, but was working again, last I checked. Unfortunately, it's all the way out in Cockfosters - ah well. I can tell you this, I'm not keen on spending all day up there!

On Monday, back with UITCS for City of Angels at the Garrick. Funny thing is, I was recently looking ahead for shows to book, and this came up - was on the point of booking for it, busily looking for deals, when I suddenly realised I'd already booked! The perils of booking early.. I booked this the day after Christmas.

On Tuesday, whoop-de-doo! Finally got a decently priced, decently located ticket to the show of the moment, Hamilton! Showing at the Victoria Palace, booking through Ticketmaster exclusively. Booked the same day as City of Angels - I often block book. So I get to see whether it lives up to the hype - I'm just delighted to be able to stop searching for tickets for it! Must just remember to bring the ticket to the office with me - they insisted on posting it.

On Wednesday, back at Soho Theatre (hopefully - at least the show is later than Tuesday's, which I missed!). This time, it's Sara Barron's show, Enemies Closer.

On Thursday, back with This & That (not for ages, then twice in one week!). This time, it's a pre-Paddy's Day concert with the Band of the Irish Guards, at the Guards' Chapel. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.

On the 16th, back at Soho Theatre again - this time, for the opening night of Tom Rosenthal's show, Manhood.

The 17th is, of course, Paddy's Day itself - and like last year, I'm off to the Irish Centre in Camden. And again, they have a St. Patrick's Night Special - I've already booked my ticket. Dunno whether anyone will join me, but hey.

On the 18th, back with UITCS for Be More Chill, at The Other Palace. My only Meetup that week!

The 19th is going to be hugely busy for me. So, first I'm at Soho Theatre for Jena Friedman's show, Miscarriage of Justice. And then, wouldn't you know it, The Embers Collective scheduled a series of shows at the Vault Festival. And blast it if I wasn't already booked for the whole week! But hey, with the comedy show finishing at 8.30.. and the storytelling not starting till 10.. this one was doable! Their show that night is Queerstory - LGBTQ+ - themed. And I'm going.

On the 20th, finally getting to see Dear Evan Hanson, at the Noel Coward Theatre. It got the royal seal of approval during the week, of course! And it's about time I saw it - UITCS went last year.

On the 21st, a proper social at last from my last company, woo-hoo! We now have 5 (possibly 6) confirmations for a dinner at my current favourite Italian - Amarcord Museum. The place with the chocolate mousse cake to die for.. I've booked, on the assumption that I won't get any more takers. And that laying a space for 6 is much the same as laying a space for 5. And I've asked specially for the chocolate cake..

On the 22nd, heading to the last night of a classical spectacular at the Albert Hall. Popular classical tunes, complete with lightshow - sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

On the 23rd, back with UITCS for Far Away, at Donmar Warehouse. Unfortunately, I'm now hearing really bad reviews of this - ah well. Not surprised, given that it's by Caryl Churchill, who also wrote A Number. Which I didn't rate highly.

On the 24th, seeing The Dumb Waiter, by Harold Pinter, at Hampstead Theatre.

On the 25th, back with UITCS for Clybourne Park, at the Park Theatre.

On the 26th, back with them again - for the opening night of a Ballet Black Mixed Bill, at the Barbican, for once! Much handier for me. Interestingly, no fewer than three Meetup groups are going to the same thing - but UITCS advertised it first, and I've booked with them and will not be repeating the chaos of multiple bookings that I tried previously. One in particular, Love London Theatre Arts Music & Stuff (LLTAMS) - which has a habit of booking the same thing on the same night as UITCS - has introduced a new rule that you can't book with them if you've booked with someone else as well. Well gee, no problem - wasn't going to anyway. Not really the way to increase your group's attendance, if you ask me. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.

On the 30th, ironically, I'm with LLTAMS for something that they're the only ones to advertise! It's a classical concert of religious music at Queen Elizabeth Hall, and should be lovely.

On the 31st, back at the Barbican for It's True, It's True, It's True. Dramatisation of a 17th-Century rape trial.

On the 1st, I find myself with London Science & Geek Chic Socials! We're off to a talk at the Star & Garter (Greenwich), entitled Greenwich Skeptics: A Magician Among the Spirits, which describes the confrontational relationship between magicians and psychics - the name is taken from a book by Houdini.

On the 2nd, back with UITCS at the Barbican - this time, it's the opening night of Orlando.

And on the 3rd, back with them again for Last Easter, at the Orange Tree.

Restaurant: Byron Burger & Play: Faustus - That Damned Woman

Today, Helen came to town and we arranged to have lunch - in Byron Burger again. Earliest time available, since I had a lunchtime meeting! Well, I did manage to get up and out in time.. made it to the office in time to stick my phone on for a quick charge, unlock my drawers and extract, plug in, and switch on, my laptop.. and then I was off again. As I headed down the road, she messaged where she was, sitting in the glorious sunshine!

Gee, we were their first customers! Took a seat at the sofa, and we ordered - both fancying the delicious bbq chicken burger, her with cheesy fries, me with regular. And a bottle of pinot grigio. Which was half gone, half an hour later, when she - who was facing the restaurant - remarked that some people had finished their starters and gotten their mains, and we (who hadn't ordered starters, as the mains are so filling) remained unfed! A quick word with another waiter, who went to check the computer, then called over the one who'd taken our order.. uh-oh, I bet she did something wrong and it didn't go in! Not a mistake she'll repeat, probably. We got our food not long after. And, to be fair, it was worth the wait - indeed, not worth rushing, so I didn't; I wasn't speaking at that meeting anyway. And I still made it back in time for most of it - we didn't have dessert, but the choice isn't huge anyway. And not very appealing if you're not a fan of Oreos!

This evening, I was off to see Faustus: That Damned Woman, at the Lyric Hammersmith. As usual, that far out meant Tube - I could have got there slightly faster by changing lines, but decided on a direct one - and the Hammersmith & City line arrived at the platform just as I did. More spacious than most, and airier - however, I had to stand for a few stops, which was a bit of a nightmare; they don't have horizontal overhead bars to hold onto, and it was a struggle to reach out to the nearest available bar - my back was killing me. Much better when I got a seat - and I just got my paper read by the time I arrived in Hammersmith.

Now, this station is in two separate buildings - and handily enough, this line terminates in the building that's right across the road from the theatre! Not that I got there as quickly as I might have - you forget how terrible the traffic is out this way, much worse than in the centre, and it took forever for the lights to change in my favour - jaywalking is pretty nigh impossible. Inside the theatre at last, I marvelled at the number of stairs to climb - after a long flight up to the bar, you have to climb another couple of flights (festooned with fairy lights) to get to the theatre proper. Just as well I didn't have to climb any further - I was in the stalls.

As was everyone else - indeed, when I went in, about 15 minutes early, I wondered whether anyone was going to be behind me - and I was sitting in the second row! The seats did fill in due course, or a lot of them.. and close to the stage as I was, I thought I could smell something odd.. must've been the sawdust they covered the stage with. Quite a spooky set, too:

Because, of course, this is a take on the story of Faust, the doctor who sold his soul to the devil. Like the original play, it starts in Elizabethan times, and Faust - in return for signing away his (her) soul in blood - gets some time, and the use of the demon Mephistopheles in the interim. At the end of the timespan, Faust's soul is forfeit. Unlike the original, this Faust is a woman, not allowed to be a doctor as the original is (initially, at least) and bargains a much better deal, getting a huge lifespan - and also the ability to zip forward to live in future times. Both, however, do end up feeling that they've frittered away the time allotted to them.

There's a lot to like, here. I adored Mephistopheles, who appears as a fashion-conscious demon - indeed, they have great fun with the demons' costumes, which are an imaginative mish-mash of fashions and ideas, and all in shades of white (referring to Lucifer's identity as a bringer of light). And he does go around with a rather endearing smirk, most of the time. And I have to give kudos to the actor playing Faustus, who throws herself into the performance, and is onstage almost all the time, generally wrestling with inner demons. Lots of angst, lots of shouting.. it's a strenuous performance, I bet.

The treatment of the story is also interesting, taking us through sundry time periods, mainly designed to give us a potted history of women's progress in science. So, you know, Faustus meets pioneering female scientists, and finds herself inspired to study. With an insatiable frenzy, she seems to absorb every fragment of information, and ends up trying to work for the good of humanity with the benefit of her vast knowledge - oh yes, and she doesn't age either. But.. what's going to happen to her in the end? and to her legacy..?

Absorbing, unpredictable, with impressively scary bits - I liked it a lot. Runs till the 22nd, then tours the country for the next couple of months. And taking the Tube back to Liverpool Street was handy, as I got to stop in for some much-needed shoppng.

Tomorrow - why, I finally get to an Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) social! They have them every now and again, but they're generally sometime I can't make. I go to so much with them, I'm delighted finally to be able to go to a social as well. This is on in the Phoenix Arts Club - ah, memories of happier days, when I worked in the next building over.. Seems we can order food from 5, but I'd better eat something beforehand.

On Sunday, well, initially I was thinking of film again. But wouldn't you know it, that damn film, Outside the City, is still showing - that day only, next week! It's a documentary about trappist monks, whose numbers are dwindling, and whose members are ageing, so they can no longer run the farm, and have taken to brewing beer instead. Yeah.. I'm sure it's very good, very interesting - but I'm not that enthused. I'm not even a beer drinker. Never mind, UITCS again came to the rescue - and I'm now going with them to an operatic treatment of Alice's Adventures in the Underground, at the Opera House! With a lot wanting lunch beforehand, we're meeting at Wagamama - they have large, communal tables. And I'll be more careful what I order, this time!

Yet again, I was to be glad I hadn't anything booked for Monday - Civilised London left it late enough, but I'm now going with them to another of those Monday jazz nights at Wilton's! This time, it's the Jim Hammond Duo.

On Tuesday, I tried to get the first meeting of the year going with that group from my last company. Had the idea while I was eating at the Amarcord Museum - I love to advertise good places to people, and this is one! But apart from a couple of people who made their excuses because they're on holiday abroad - and despite the invite having gone out before Christmas - the only taker is Ivan, with no-one else even bothering to respond. Dead in the water, that group, it seems. Well, their loss. We'll have a lovely meal, and then he's booked that recording studio again for later that night. And as they do a special deal for 10 hours.. it'll be an all-nighter! So I'm taking the next day off work.

On Wednesday evening, I'm signed up for my first ever event with The Roads Less Travelled: Ekzotic Adventures Travel Club. Not actually travelling, mind - this is a talk about Myanmar. Specifically about the rubies you can get there, but with plenty of other information about the country as well. And I've never been, so it should be interesting. Takes place in a room above The Iron Duke pub. Unless I don't feel like it, after the night before.

On Thursday, I'm back at Soho Theatre for Jen Brister's show, Under Privilege. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend - where I have to sneak a look at my mother's Eir contract. She just changed to a new package, I just got her first bill for it (we've gone paperless, so it gets emailed to me as she doesn't use her email account), and I swear they've overcharged her on the monthly package price. They messed up the email address when I was ordering over the phone, so I never got the confirmation email - will have to check the paper version she got to ensure that what she got was what I agreed on in the first place. No point in asking her to check - she won't know what to look for, and she'll only get hysterical.

And assuming I survive all of that (they are AWFUL to deal with, and I thought her previous internet provider, 3, was bad!), on the 17th I'm back with UITCS for The Haystack at Hampstead Theatre. Another group of them went tonight, and I'm hearing excellent reports..