Play: A Playlist for the Revolution

Last night, I was back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for A Playlist for the Revolution, at the Bush Theatre. First though, back to the lettings agent to get yet another set of keys, in the hope these will work - haven't yet had a chance to schlep down there to check. The lettings agent's office is, in itself, a schlep - not an insignificant trip across town!

By the time I got done there, there was about enough time to eat, then head to the theatre. I couldn't see anywhere I fancied eating out in the direction of the lettings office, in Stepney Green, nor much around the theatre - so I decided to break my journey at The Lucas Arms. Not much longer that'll be an option.. after that, the only reasonable choice was Tube, to get to the theatre in time. Sadly, no papers available to read on my journey - they weren't quite out yet. I'll say this, it's dead handy to get to the theatre from the station - a sign at the exit tells you which direction to turn in, and it's right across the road! I got a drink and searched for the others, finding them in the "library" at the back. It was nice to be able to unload to them - and when it was time, we went in, me having to switch my drink to a plastic container. Funnily enough, even though we'd all got "Count Me In" tickets - cheaper, but you don't find out your actual seat until the day - we turned out to be all sat together!

An interesting set design sees a whole pile of blocks around the central stage area. They kind of resemble buildings, so could be taken for the skyline of Hong Kong, where this is set - however, they also act as storage boxes for props, and can be removed, to act as props themselves! The story starts with a meeting between a native Hong Kong-er, a conservative young man, into playing the piano - and a kooky young woman, of Hong Kong extraction, but living in the UK, who has taken some time out to visit Hong Kong and explore her roots. Both are students - he, of economics, she, of law. They meet at a nightclub, and there's an instant attraction - but she's on the point of going back. Still, they exchange numbers - and bond over their shared love of music (albeit different kinds).

Back in the UK, she's fascinated by the Hong Kong revolution - he hasn't the heart to tell her he's not involved. And they start to collaborate on a "playlist for the revolution" - he with the help of a cleaner at the university he attends, who's big into protesting. This actor, by the way, pretty much stole the show, in the opinion of someone sitting near us - and I agree. Meantime - I was fascinated that the play went in this direction; I guess I hadn't thought long enough about the title: but certainly, the latter part of the play is all about the revolution.

This revolution is something I've had a longtime interest in - the last time I came across anything about it though was over a year ago, with the memorable film, Revolution of our Times. It's such a titanic struggle - and ultimately, a pretty hopeless one. Very well depicted here, with only two actors and limited props - but some clever lighting - as our Hong Kong student finds himself inspired to join the cause at last. An excellent production, which flashes up the Hong Kong skyline on the back wall, after the interval:

A message displayed at the end offers anyone who needs it the chance to stay in the theatre for up to 15 minutes afterwards. Very sensitively done - recommended. Runs till the 5th of next month.

Couldn't blog last night, I had to be up early for the cleaner's last visit. Tonight, thinking film again - and it's looking like Hello, Bookstore, a documentary in the Curzon Bloomsbury again.

Then two more days with UITCS - well, they book so much stuff! Tomorrow, it's Robin Hood: The Legend - Rewritten, at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. Hope today's promised rain clears for that..

On Thursday, it's School Girls: Or, the African Mean Girls Play, at the Lyric Hammersmith.

On Friday, London Baroque Music Lovers lately advertised a concert, by La Nuova Musica, at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, of Handel's Coronation Music. Oh, lovely - I found this music so moving at the recent coronation! My sometime companion from UITCS suggests we eat there beforehand - which is fine, as long as we can find each other!

Saturday could be a landmark moment - could I get my four ex-colleagues together in a room at the same time?! So far, so good - nobody's yet said they can't make it - although one is worried about the planned train strikes. And although I'm already supposed to have moved, well, I'm between places - particularly with the constant mix-ups with my keys! so I just booked The Lucas Arms again.

On Sunday, heading with Cultureseekers, for a Historic Hampstead Treasure Hunt. We'll be split into groups, apparently, and the clues relate to historical plaques and the likes in the area. Official guides not allowed to participate. Hmm - how much can I remember from Laurence's walk there..?

On Monday, booked with TAC for an interesting-sounding show - Blood, Gold and Oil is about Lawrence of Arabia, and showing at Riverside Studios. Part of their "Bitesize Theatre" series.

Next Tuesday, back with UITCS - really excited to see The Pillowman, by Martin McDonagh, at the Duke of York's Theatre.

On the 12th, back with the World Music Meetup (and Tuned In London) for a concert by the Scottish/Zambian singer Namvula, at City Hope Church. Tickets through Billetto. And yes, closer to my new place, so it'd be really nice to be able to stay there that night..

On the 13th, back with UITCS for Cuckoo, at The Royal Court. Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again.

On the 17th, back with UITCS for Song from Far Away, at Hampstead Theatre. I suspect this is one that Meetup just declined to notify me about.. I don't remember seeing it advertised before, although it's been up for a while.

On the 18th, I've signed up for the Epic Film Location London Tour Part 1, with London Socials, a new group to me.

And on the 19th, another new group - London Circus Cabaret and Burlesque Meetup is headed to Fool's Moon, a drag circus act at Soho Theatre. Meeting beforehand at the Nellie Dean - aw man, it's ages since I was at these places! I'm the only person to join, at time of writing..

Musical: A Strange Loop

This evening, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) again - this time, for A Strange Loop, at the Barbican. Multi-award-winning, it seems - cheaper tickets available from WhatsOnStage (WOS), fulfilled by London Theatre Direct. Interestingly though, to get the cheaper offer, buy through WOS..

I had a yen to eat at Cote Barbican - but checked this evening, only to find they were completely booked up. Durnit! I didn't fancy eating at The Lucas Arms again so soon - and frankly, didn't leave myself much time to eat at all. So, Pret it was - and then Tube. The Northern Line promised the least walking - and my shoe was chafing - so that was how I went. Ran into one of the group as I was coming off the Tube, and together, we navigated the building works all around there, joining the rest eventually, downstairs at the Barbican. Not, perhaps, the wisest location for those of us sat in the higher levels.. Anyway, most of the bar was roped off for a conference: and wouldn't you know it, they'd literally drunk the bar dry! of white wine, at least. They had rose or prosecco, both of which give me a headache. So I passed. We were subsequently passed by a guy trundling a crate full of bottles of white wine, headed for somewhere else in the building.. I seriously considered an ambush..

And so we slogged upstairs, in due course. I then had to clamber down some more stairs, to reach my precarious seat at the edge:

There were a couple of people sitting inside me in the row - he congratulated me for making it all the way up there!

Ah, where to start. Multi-award-winning, eh? Well, someone beforehand did caution that that was in America.. Good point, and one that came back to haunt me through what I found a gruelling production. Now, I will happily concede that it's well-written - lyrically clever. The performances are top-notch. And I'm guessing the awards were mostly awarded on the basis of it being "woke". The protagonist - and author - is, by his own admission, fat, he's homosexual - of which his staunchly religious parents disapprove. He's in a dead-end job, which he hates, and his mother accuses him - with some justification - of wasting his expensive education. So he, em, decides to go off and write a musical about it.

Now, I love musical theatre as much as anyone - and as I say, this is award-winning in America - but could he not possibly have, I dunno, written a book instead? What in the name of all that's holy convinced him to write songs about this? And it's basically an autobiography - the "strange loop" of the title is an examination of the ego, as he explains to someone on the subway (actually a figment of his imagination, as are many of the characters on stage).

Someone was of the opinion that it went downhill in the second half - that there was something to applaud in the beginning, but after that, it became a feast of self-loathing. I agree about the self-loathing; I just failed to be much enthused about the first half either. As someone else pointed out, a lot of the American references were lost to a British audience - as a prime example, I was left wondering who on earth Tyler Perry was, who features so prominently! A couple of warnings, also - there's quite a graphic and disturbing sex scene, as well as a section where the lights are directed straight at the centre of the audience! A couple of our group were sat there, and one described being blinded - sure enough, that had occurred to me, sat safely over the side as I was.

This has been described in reviews as "hilarious".. well, I did laugh once. Mainly though, it came across to me as self-indulgent. And there he was on stage, with his "inner voices" telling him he had to let the audience know when to go home - and I was so tempted to yell "yes please!".. Now, some from our group absolutely loved it, and I'm happy for them. Me, I was first out of there.. Currently booking until the 9th of September, if you're curious.

Tomorrow, thinking film - and delighted to see that Asteroid City has risen in ratings, and is now top of my list! Ah well, that's a no-brainer - a Wes Anderson comedy, with an all-star cast, including Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Maya Hawke, Rupert Friend, Steve Park, Liev Schreiber, Matt Dillon, Steve Carell, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Goldblum (playing an alien, appropriately I guess..), Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie.. and probably some other people I recognise. Anyway, I love Wes Anderson's stuff - and it's on in my local cinema (for flat #1). And there are showings all day, so, given that I probably shan't have any other demands on my time that day, until I get another job, I can go to whatever suits!

On Thursday, thinking of heading back to Watkin's Bookshop, for the first time in an age - they have an author talk called Holy Waters - Searching for the Sacred in a Glass. There's a new book about this, which considers the use of alcohol in religion - sounds interesting!

Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again. Still waiting to hear what rating the new Indiana Jones film will have - Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny sees Harrison Ford, back again as the coolest archaeologist in the Western world. And yes, your eyes don't deceive you - that is Phoebe Waller-Bridge, tagging along as the female interest (his god-daughter). So, expect some good lines. And Antonio Banderas shows up as - someone scruffy-lookin'. And I'd be happy to see it - if only for the CGI that makes Harrison Ford look young and gorgeous again.. (there's some time travel, I believe).

Failing a high rating, or any rating (although it shouldn't be long) for that, the highest rated is, ahem, Jesus Revolution, based on a real-life spiritual movement across America in the 70s. Stars Kelsey Grammer as the straight-laced pastor whose daughter convinces him to give these long-haired hippies a go.. Showing, as is Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, in Limerick Omniplex.

And on Monday, I'm back with UITCS for A Playlist for the Revolution, at the Bush Theatre.

Walk: Discover the Secrets of the 19th Century London Docks

Yesterday, back with Discover London - History Walks and Events to Discover the Secrets of the 19th Century London Docks. Always love this part of town - again, this was walking distance from my new place. So it would've been nice to stay the night.. still waiting on word of my keys. Anyway, I was so glad it wasn't on till afternoon, and I could lie in!

Still ended up rushing, knowing me - just made the bus in perfect time though. Wow - must have been the hottest day of the year (or one of them) - I felt like I was cooking from the minute I stepped out of the house. Glad I brought a hat. Was a bit early for the start, and took myself first to the nearby ice cream stand - never has an ice cream tasted better. And they had Flake to put in it - that shortage must have ended! Well now..

I finished it before joining the others - didn't want to have to multitask by eating, talking, and paying, all at once. We made sure to stand in the shade as we waited the usual 15 minutes for people to arrive. And indeed, we spent most of the walk in the shade - much pleasanter.

We started on the attractive St. Katherine Dock:

It's always lovely to be near water on a sunny day:

We moseyed mainly through less-trafficked, more residential areas: with, we decided, utterly unaffordable housing. Except for wildlife, which there was in plenty:

before coming to Tobacco Dock - most recently a conference centre, as, indeed, mentioned by one of our group, who had been to a conference there. The hogs' heads decorating the gate refer to the name of the large barrels they're depicted with:

We passed through Wapping Woods to get to Shadwell Basin, the largest remaining body of water in the docklands. Which seemed to be hosting a tightrope competition! Well, of all the days to get a dunking:

And so, finally, to the Prospect of Whitby - an attractive pub, with lots of cubbyholes, and a long history. Used to be called The Pelican - which is where the adjacent Pelican Stairs, down to the water, got their name. The tour actually ended down the stairs, but I've been down there before, and have a thing about stairs - so I gave it a miss.

Into the pub then, for what turned out to be a long afternoon - a couple of us had food. It's a Greene King pub, whose steak and ale pies I love, but I skipped it on this occasion, what with the heat. Decided on chicken kyiev instead. We sat upstairs, where there was more space - and handily, there was service up there too. Mind you, although the queue was shorter, it was still a pain - and the food took forever to arrive. When it did, the coating on my chicken was a bit burnt - and it didn't taste much of kyiev - but it was succulent, and hit the spot. My fellow eater had a burger, which she proclaimed lovely. And then the afternoon passed merrily, with a few of us sharing bottles of wine, and some excellent conversation. All in all, a most enjoyable outing! Pity I don't get to go with this group more.. Anyway, with all that wine, I was too tired last night to blog.

For today, got a cheap ticket with CT for From Swing to Soul, a concert series at Wonderville. I do wonder whether they fixed their tech issues from last time..

Tomorrow evening, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) again - this time, for A Strange Loop, at the Barbican. Multi-award-winning, it seems - cheaper tickets available from WhatsOnStage (WOS), fulfilled by London Theatre Direct. Interestingly though, to get the cheaper offer, buy through WOS..

On Wednesday, thinking film - and delighted to see that Asteroid City has risen in ratings, and is now top of my list! Ah well, that's a no-brainer - a Wes Anderson comedy, with an all-star cast, including Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Maya Hawke, Rupert Friend, Steve Park, Liev Schreiber, Matt Dillon, Steve Carell, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Goldblum (playing an alien, appropriately I guess..), Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie.. and probably some other people I recognise. Anyway, I love Wes Anderson's stuff - and it's on in my local cinema (for flat #1). And there are showings all day, so, given that I probably shan't have any other demands on my time that day, until I get another job, I can go to whatever suits!

On Thursday, thinking of heading back to Watkin's Bookshop, for the first time in an age - they have an author talk called Holy Waters - Searching for the Sacred in a Glass. There's a new book about this, which considers the use of alcohol in religion - sounds interesting! Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.

And next Monday, I'm back with UITCS for A Playlist for the Revolution, at the Bush Theatre.

Play: The Comedy of Errors

Today, delighted to be back with Expat Bucket List London! Well, back with the founder of both this and Bucket List London - I hadn't actually been with the Expat group yet. Yippee, back to the Globe - for The Comedy of Errors. Unfortunately, while I was in the Lower Gallery, as usual, the others were upstairs.. the organiser did offer to switch with me, so I'd have some company, but I wouldn't subject him to such a lower-priced seat! Anyway, I do like to be close.

Slight confusion beforehand - I couldn't find the message where we'd arranged where to meet, but thought it was the river entrance - but when I got there, there was no sign. So I meandered around to the other entrance, then back - and wouldn't have spotted them at all, but for that he spotted me. Do you know, it turned out I was the only one of us to have been there before! so I did a wee tour for them, before we went in. Someone had advised him against the Lower Gallery seats, tsk..

It was such a hot, clammy day - as usual, the ushers' main job was preventing groundlings from sitting on anything. Several people were fanning themselves, lots had the Globe "hats", which provide a shade for the eyes but not much else. I really pitied people caught in the sun, when it came out - a couple felt faint, and were let sit in the Gallery. (You can actually see my fellow group members in the photo, if you zoom right in.. they were directly in my sight line.)

Well, the performance - typically for here - was as merry and raucous as you could wish. A boat "sailed" in through the crowd a couple of times, and there was a bit of banter with the crowd near the stage. Interestingly, I see they now have two groundling rates - near the stage and not near, perhaps? One of the main performers had injured herself, and someone had to stand in for her - as another explained at the start, with absolutely no rehearsal - they don't have understudies. She acquitted herself quite well, although having to read, and not getting to dress up..

Well, 'tis another barmy tale of mixed-up identities - Shakespeare did seem to fancy those. Identical twin brothers - to be fair, played by similar-looking, and identically dressed, actors - are separated at birth, and their lives follow quite separate paths. They finally fetch up in the same city, and hilarity ensues as one is mistaken for the other. The craziness is compounded by the fact that each has a manservant who is the brother of the other's - and guess what? They look alike, too. Or maybe people don't pay so much attention to servants - certainly, they dress the same, though. There's also a father knocking around - and as the Duke says at the end, there'll be a lot of gossip at the feast!

As usual, my side view wasn't really a problem - except when there was some visual gag, and a huge laugh from the crowd, just as the actor was standing on the other side of a pillar from me. They had a platform running into the audience this time - that's nice, you do see more. Not to mention it gives the groundlings another thing to lean on. Only quibble from me - the father, in particular, had poor projection: and frankly, they all needed to yell today - the helicopter that keeps swooping over was particularly noisome. Hovered right above for what must have been 15 minutes - I swear, I have a theory they're watching the show. The actors feel it too, of course - in fact, it was even woven into the text today, with one of the servants complaining about the helicopter! ("Whatever a 'helicopter' is..")

Well, despite that, another fun production at the Globe - and as usual, this feels like the start of summer for me. Runs till the 29th of next month. Afterwards, with the organiser having to shoot off, I didn't wait for them - headed off to the adjacent Pizza Express, as usual when I'm here, and asked to sit upstairs, for their gorgeous views. And tried another of their new starters - the garlic mushrooms are very moreish, very strong flavour, what with the balsamic syrup.. served with slivers of goat's cheese, which counterpoints the flavour nicely. And I had my usual carbonara (which arrived while I was still tacking the mushrooms) - didn't honestly think I'd manage to finish it, in this heat, but I surprised myself. Had to be ice cream for dessert, of course. And then a bus home - and here's an interesting thing - I caught it on Blackfriars Bridge, and lo! it has something like half the number of steps up to it of, say, Waterloo Bridge. Now, that's a fact worth knowing, if you're not keen on overexerting yourself..

I fully intended to move into my new flat tonight, stay till Monday - when I'm at something nearer my old place. I packed a load of stuff - as much as I could reasonably take in one run - and slogged out there, in what was a cooler, but still muggy, night. On which none of the buses obliged me, and I was waiting for ages. Only to discover that my flat key wouldn't work! They obviously gave me the wrong one. Well, I knocked, and lo, the flatmate whose room is near the door let me in. So at least I got to meet him! We confirmed that I had the wrong key - I did get into my room though, which has a code (or I probably wouldn't have). But, well, I did leave some stuff, moved the furniture around, hooked my phone up to the WiFi.. Not practical to move in though, until the key issue is sorted. Not and have to have someone let me in all the time! I still have the old place until the end of next month anyway.. I'd just have liked to leave more stuff out there, but it didn't work out that way. Never mind.

Tomorrow, back with Discover London - History Walks and Events to Discover the Secrets of the 19th Century London Docks. Always love this part of town - again, this is walking distance from my new place. So it would've been nice to stay the night.. So glad it's not on till afternoon, and I can lie in!

On Monday, got a cheap ticket with CT for From Swing to Soul, a concert series at Wonderville. I do wonder whether they fixed their tech issues from last time..

On Tuesday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) again - this time, for A Strange Loop, at the Barbican. Multi-award-winning, it seems - cheaper tickets available from WhatsOnStage (WOS), fulfilled by London Theatre Direct. Interestingly though, to get the cheaper offer, buy through WOS..

On Wednesday, thinking film - and delighted to see that Asteroid City has risen in ratings, and is now top of my list! Ah well, that's a no-brainer - a Wes Anderson comedy, with an all-star cast, including Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Maya Hawke, Rupert Friend, Steve Park, Liev Schreiber, Matt Dillon, Steve Carell, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Goldblum (playing an alien, appropriately I guess..), Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie.. and probably some other people I recognise. Anyway, I love Wes Anderson's stuff - and it's on in my local cinema (for flat #1). My new flat isn't so close to a cinema, so I'll stay in the old one for this, while I still have access to it. And there are showings all day, so, given that I probably shan't have any other demands on my time that day, until I get another job, I can go to whatever suits!

On Thursday, thinking of heading back to Watkin's Bookshop, for the first time in an age - they have an author talk called Holy Waters - Searching for the Sacred in a Glass. There's a new book about this, which considers the use of alcohol in religion - sounds interesting! Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.

And on the 3rd, I'm back with UITCS for A Playlist for the Revolution, at the Bush Theatre.

Musical: We Will Rock You

Last night, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) - for We Will Rock You! at the Coliseum. Excellent - this didn't have tickets for the night I looked for before. Written by Queen with Ben Elton, promised to be a great night out.

What a day, though! Got the keys to my new flat, quit my job.. fingers crossed for the one I've applied for, which sounds ideal, and is walking distance from my new place. Anyway, I was "tired and emotional" when the time came for me to head out. Food would help - I thought I'd eat at The Chandos, just down from the theatre - and lo, they had plenty of space! Interestingly, they seem to have removed the "table numbers" from the various nooks and crannies around the room that you can sit in - I guess they no longer intend for people to eat there, but at busy times, it's all that's available.. Anyway, I ate well, and sure enough, felt much better.

Enough for the mammoth climb to the Balcony of the Coliseum, where we were all seated - we met in the Balcony bar (there is a lift, but it's teeeny). Speaking of nooks and crannies, this is quite a cosy bar, with lots of those. And it was great to chat to people, after my day - alcohol-wise, I was determined to make a night of it, but not on the sauvignon blanc, although it's not (quite) the most expensive I've seen - rather, I went for the (slightly cheaper) pinot grigio. The cocktails are all named for Queen songs, and there's a picture of Freddy Mercury, arm raised, everywhere you look - on the bar menus, on all the stuff on the merchandising stall..

In the auditorium, I was supposed to be in the very back row, at the edge. But I got a slight upgrade when the guy in the seat in front wanted to sit in my seat, beside his wife!

FYI You can not only bring in drinks here - I think they're automatically served in plastic, for that purpose - but also hot food; a guy in my row came in with a hot dog! Unusually lax.. ditto the lack of policing of the woman beside me, who arrived late, and proceeded to film much of the first half on her phone.

Well, the songs are set around a dystopian future, where all music is synthetic, and fed to the populace by a global corporation. The actual making of music is outlawed - but we follow the adventures of a dreamer, who has unbidden snatches of Bohemian Rhapsody, of all things, coming into his head. And of course, there's a group of rebels - "bohemians" - who dream of finding a dreamer, who will head to the "place of champions" and actually use the instrument there..

The songs are beautifully performed. In fact, I was seriously unimpressed with the crowd around me, who singularly failed to get animated during the first half. They improved in the second half - doubtless after a visit to the bar. And while the hit parade continues, we keep getting teaser snippets of Bohemian Rhapsody. When they came to the finale, I was surprised they hadn't played it! But - spoiler - as people are leaving, they do play a terrific version. So, don't be too quick to leave! My only quibble - I was miffed at the gaps between songs, while they developed the story. Really - who comes to these things for the story?! Anyway, I was well positioned to get out early - it took a while for everyone to get out, and meet outside for a chat. And yes, it was a great night! After the day I'd had, I was way too tired to blog, though..

Tonight - heading out to Elstree, of all places, for Giffords Circus. Well, it was the best of what I saw advertised.. it's a helluva journey, and I'm planning to eat out there - they apparently have "food wagons". Well, not working now, so I can leave at whatever time I need to!

Tomorrow, my sometime-companion from UITCS suggested a murder mystery! The Murder Express: Jewel of the Empire.. set on a train, and includes dinner. Oh, lovely.. she got a Groupon deal, apparently..

On Saturday, delighted to be back with Expat Bucket List London! Well, back with the founder of both this and Bucket List London - I haven't actually been with the Expat group yet. Yippee, back to the Globe - for The Comedy of Errors. Unfortunately, while I'm in the Lower Gallery, as usual, the others are upstairs.. the organiser did offer to switch with me, so I'd have some company, but I wouldn't subject him to such a lower-priced seat! Anyway, I do like to be close. And if I can organise myself to move some stuff in by then.. I might be walking to this!

On Sunday, back with Discover London - History Walks and Events to Discover the Secrets of the 19th Century London Docks. Always love this part of town - again, this is walking distance from my new place.

On Monday, got a cheap ticket with CT for From Swing to Soul, a concert series at Wonderville. I do wonder whether they fixed their tech issues from last time..

On Tuesday, back with UITCS again - this time, for A Strange Loop, at the Barbican. Multi-award-winning, it seems - cheaper tickets available from WhatsOnStage (WOS), fulfilled by London Theatre Direct. Interestingly though, to get the cheaper offer, buy through WOS..

On Wednesday, thinking film - and delighted to see that Asteroid City has risen in ratings, and is now joint top of my list! Ah well, that's a no-brainer - a Wes Anderson comedy, with an all-star cast, including Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Maya Hawke, Rupert Friend, Steve Park, Liev Schreiber, Matt Dillon, Steve Carell, Tilda Swinton, Jeff Goldblum (playing an alien, appropriately I guess..), Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie.. and probably some other people I recognise. Anyway, I love Wes Anderson's stuff - and it's on in my local cinema (for flat #1). My new flat isn't so close to a cinema, so I'll stay in the old one for this, while I still have access to it. And there are showings all day, so, given that I probably shan't have any other demands on my time that day, until I get another job, I can go to whatever suits!

Next Thursday, thinking of heading back to Watkin's Bookshop, for the first time in an age - they have an author talk called Holy Waters - Searching for the Sacred in a Glass. There's a new book about this, which considers the use of alcohol in religion - sounds interesting! Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.

And on the 3rd, I'm back with UITCS for A Playlist for the Revolution, at the Bush Theatre.

Plays: Northleigh 1940, In Stereo, and All of It

Yesterday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS), for All of It, at the Royal Court. Which actually comprises three plays - the others being Northleigh, 1940 and In Stereo. Well, stuff got busy, so I didn't have much time to eat - I thought about eating in Cote, in Sloane Square - but I checked online, and they were pretty busy. So, it ended up being Pret.

It had to be Tube, again, this far west.. Google Maps said Victoria, followed by the District or Circle Line, would be faster, but I remember the Victoria Line being very stuffy, whereas the others have glorious aircon. And so it proved.. Once more, I ended up being the first to arrive in the theatre bar, where I nabbed a table by the toilets, and the others shortly joined me, and good conversation was had.

Now, I had to go up three levels for my seat in the Balcony - but I must have been getting more exercise lately, because I didn't feel as though I was going to expire! I ended up going in by the door on the other side, because my side was all full up - and it turned out that I was sitting behind some of the others:

Legroom was ok, despite the protests of the lady sitting beside me. And there's a railing to lean on, for each row in the Balcony.

So. This is a really interesting trilogy - the word "surreal" was bandied about a lot by our group afterwards (there is no interval). I wasn't the only one to think of Beckett as I watched - what with the rapid-fire dialogue, the unfinished dialogue snippets of All of It (think, for instance, Not I), the long pieces of In Stereo where we just hear a recorded voice, the actor doesn't speak (Krapp's Last Tape, anyone?). Someone remarked afterwards that what he was thinking of was Happy Days! Ah, I love a bit of Beckett.

But this isn't Beckett - just reminiscent of him. All the pieces are about women with interior lives. The first piece, Northleigh, 1940, is set in the author's childhood home, during the Blitz, and focuses on a young female typist, who loves to read (Lovecraft, I think, from the imagery). Most, I think, preferred the others, however - In Stereo, narrated in a Northern English accent, got uproarious laughter for its description of how a woman wakes in the middle of the night and goes downstairs - to find another version of herself watching television. And that's just the start of it.. All of It, finally, is a rapid-fire set of snippets, none quite finished but all recognisable, detailing a woman's life from - literally - birth to death. Fascinating.

Afterwards, just a few of us stayed for the Q+A, moving down to the Stalls - which were quite chilly! The Q+A was fascinating, featuring the writer - Alistair McDowall - and the two directors. And as one of our group remarked afterwards - no, we didn't get a huge insight into the plays: but we did get an insight into how his mind works, and how the plays might have come to be in this format - how he loves the way the words work together, for instance. I found the Q+A almost as fascinating as the plays, frankly - and those of us who stayed had a lovely chat afterwards. All in all, one of the best nights out I've had recently!

Catching the bus, my apps were agreed that I should go to a particular stop - which had none of them listed on it! The buses did stop there, mind, as I discovered while I was trying to find an alternative. It ran too late for me to blog afterwards, though - I was tired.

Tonight, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend. Where, again, there's absolutely nothing for me to watch. On Monday and Tuesday, thinking film - and the top-rated films on my list are all showing at my local cinema. As usual, I had to check that website specifically. Monday, it was looking like Pretty Red Dress, a comic drama about a red dress, and its effects on a family. However.. it's slipped in ratings! and now what's coming up is War Pony, the coming-of-age story of two young Native American boys.

On Tuesday, what's coming up is something not even advertised on my film list, tsk - dunno why I didn't notice it on the cinema website before, either. Seven Winters in Tehran tells the true story of a 19-year old girl in Tehran, who killed her would-be rapist, and was in turn sentenced to death herself, and imprisoned for seven years.

On Wednesday, back with UITCS - for We Will Rock You! at the Coliseum. Excellent - this didn't have tickets for the night I looked for before. Written by Queen with Ben Elton, should be a great night out.

On Thursday - heading out to Elstree, of all places, for Giffords Circus. Well, it was the best of what I saw advertised..

Next Friday, my sometime-companion from UITCS suggested a murder mystery! The Murder Express: Jewel of the Empire.. set on a train, and includes dinner. Oh, lovely.. she got a Groupon deal, apparently..

On the 24th, delighted to be back with Expat Bucket List London! Well, back with the founder of both this and Bucket List London - I haven't actually been with the Expat group yet. Yippee, back to the Globe - for The Comedy of Errors. Unfortunately, while I'm in the Lower Gallery, as usual, the others are upstairs.. the organiser did offer to switch with me, so I'd have some company, but I wouldn't subject him to such a lower-priced seat! Anyway, I do like to be close. And as I've now booked a flat on that side of town, and can hopefully move in on Wednesday.. I might be walking to this!

On the 25th, back with Discover London - History Walks and Events to Discover the Secrets of the 19th Century London Docks. Always love this part of town - again, this will be walking distance from my new place.

On the 26th, got a cheap ticket with CT for From Swing to Soul, a concert series at Wonderville. I do wonder whether they fixed their tech issues from last time..

And on the 27th, back with UITCS again - this time, for A Strange Loop, at the Barbican. Multi-award-winning, it seems - cheaper tickets available from WhatsOnStage (WOS), fulfilled by London Theatre Direct. Interestingly though, to get the cheaper offer, buy through WOS..

Walk: Rockin' in the West End

I had to be up in the morning.. uhh.. Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners were headed on a new walk, Rockin' in the West End! Got myself out of bed with a sigh, dug out the summer clothes, including a U2 t-shirt.. it certainly promised to be t-shirt weather! Didn't go for a skirt.. the legs are not yet summer-ready, and I didn't leave myself time, in the end, to make them so. I did leave slightly later than intended - but still made it before he left - he does hang around for 15 minutes, for latecomers. And TBH, I was glad not to have been hanging around with him in the sun for that time - it was, as they say, scorchio!

As he said, we'd be more strolling than walking - and we stayed in the shade, mostly. Crikey, what a difference from yesterday, never mind the rest of the week.. our walk took us straight down onto Charing Cross Road, where we passed that marvellous installation, just south of Tottenham Court Road Station - I didn't think to take a photo there, being, frankly, too fascinated with the pictures of Star Wars spaceships drifting through the image. We were, of course, headed to Denmark Street, with its numerous musical associations - and it so happens that the installation seems to have another entrance there! So I snapped off a quick one:

Anyway, we positioned ourselves outside Regent Sounds, which used to be a recording studio, but has now morphed into a guitar shop:

And wouldn't you know it, as we were stood there, one of the workers came out and produced a list of all the famous people who have recorded there. In fact, he started to read us the list.. gave up about halfway through, and just hit the highlights. Wow, huh? Pity about the bloke who popped out after him, offering to sell us merchandise - nobody was as interested in him. But it's good to know they have it, if you need it.

As we went around, Laurence's audience were as vocal as he was, sharing their experiences - not surprising, considering the importance that people attach to the music they love. My personal association with the area dates from when I was based at an office around here - which, as it happened, we passed. Now, I've noticed the frieze on the cinema next door before - what I didn't realise is that it depicts the arts!

There's some dispute over the origin of the name! ;-)

Damn, I could have used one about then..

We stopped outside the famous Ronnie Scott's:

and saw some Pride:

Chinatown baked in the heat, which increased as we went around:

As usual, we went for lunch afterwards - unusually, however, nowhere had been booked! He took us to Caffe Inn - where they were a bit nonplussed to see this group of eight descend on them. We weren't sure, at first, whether you could have a full meal here - but you can, and although menus aren't left on the tables, they do have them. What they had left out at the counter didn't appeal to me, and I had a ham and cheese melt - which was pretty light, just what I needed in that heat. I also didn't think they did wine, until I spotted the bottles behind the counter - so I ordered a bottle of "light and crispy" pinot grigio, to share. And things looked up - especially with a fascinating chat about travel. Ah yes, been there, bought the guide books.. our meal was a bit fraught, however, what with constant mistakes with the orders: but hey, it all got sorted in the end. I wouldn't be rushing back, though.

Afterwards, we repaired to the nearby Ye Grapes:

where more wine, and much excellent conversation, was had before we braved the heat again. Sadly, I dunno when I'll next be with them - he doesn't seem to be doing a walk in two weeks' time, and apparently is only doing one Saturday walk next month, which I can't make. So we'll have to try and coordinate for August..

This evening, I was supposed to be having my monthly get-together with my ex-work colleagues, too - at The Lucas Arms - but two couldn't make it, and the other two of us decided to wait for next month, and do it properly. A pity, but I appreciate the chance to have a rest..

Tomorrow, 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 Up in the Cheap Seats, for All of It, at the Royal Court. And then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.