Play: Horseplay

Today, I signed up for a walk called Papers, Palaces & Priories: a Guided Walk of Fleet Street and the Strand, by London Walks, Art & Culture Explorers. But last night - listening to the torrential rain bucketing down outside - I had a look at the weather forecast, which promised rain all day, from morning. So I cancelled, and instead - there not being a helluva lot on Meetup - turned to TAC. Where I had a choice of two plays - Horseplay, at Riverside Studios, is further out, but looked more fun, so I booked that.

The day dawned clear - tarnation, and that walk looked good! But I'd booked the play now. The theatre emailed me the ticket, which was handy - they like you to come half an hour early to pick them up, so that it can be done discreetly, which I now didn't have to do. The rain was now supposed to come later - and wouldn't you know it, it bucketed down just as I headed out! (A friend messaged me about this time, pointing out that it was happening at the time of the new PM's speech, which he mused might have been an omen. He may have been right.) Ironically, I wouldn't have got wet at all if I'd gone on the walk, and headed home after - as it was, I was soaked. Now, for dinner, I wasn't going near Riverside, after my overpriced experience last time - I just went to O' Neill's, where I was fed well, and cheaply.

This far out, as usual, it had to be Tube - I figured the Piccadilly Line would be more crowded in the early evening, so ended up on the Circle Line instead. Where I got a seat, by virtue of heading to the end of the train - doesn't matter which end, just don't go for the middle. Unfortunately, while this train was going in the right direction, the Circle Line is - well, like a circle, with a string hanging off one end, which goes to Hammersmith. Which is the bit I needed: but this train was doing the loop. So I had to change. This was announced just as we approached Edgware Road, so I changed there - happily, it's just a cross-platform change.

Every stop we stopped at, on the Hammersmith line (which is above ground), when the doors opened, it was to a curtain of rain. With that, and the lowering skies, I wasn't optimistic about my walk from the station - but as it happened, it was clear then. And this time, I knew where the entrance was! Now, I seem to remember Riverside Studios being a more accessible place - not that it's actually unfriendly or anything, but nothing is really simple. There is a bar attached to the cinema - but otherwise, no separate bar! There's that restaurant I was in last time, or the bar / kitchen. Which was table seating only - nor could I see anyone ordering at the bar.

Not, mind you, that anyone was watching me to see that I needed a seat! Oh no. I had to go in search of them, and explain that I just wanted a drink. Fine, they showed me to a table - with a reservation sign on it, which was - apparently - no longer valid. I needed to vacate it in an hour - well, I was within an hour of the show, so that was fine too. I was left with a food menu and a drinks menu. Looking at the food, nothing appealed - I was glad I'd eaten before coming. The wine wasn't the most expensive I've had - it was the second-most expensive. On the plus side, they are dog-friendly, bringing a bowl of water for an attractive little terrier that came in with his humans. Honestly though, what a kerfuffle, just for a drink - if you're not a dog..

I had nearly finished the drink by the time the house opened - and the box office had sent me a second ticket! I flagged it with them, they apologised and said my original booking was still valid. With the first ticket in Row A, and the second in Row D, I thought I'd stick with the original - mind you, it turned out to be right at the end of the row (which wasn't even the first row, but the second): so I might have been better to switch. My view was a little restricted:

That, I'll have you know, is a sex dungeon. Well now. The steps to the left lead to the door, a couple of curtained alcoves hide interesting items, there's a red-lit fake window (we are in a basement) with a candelabrum, and a bed. Complete with - accessories. All becomes clear in due course, and the play does carry a warning of explicit content. And loud noises.

So, this couple have booked the sex dungeon as a treat. Unfortunately, things don't go exactly to plan - cue a lot of tittering, the British being famous for their attitude to sex, and things kinky. It all starts to go wrong when, with the customers incapacitated, the "escort" - or "master" - who is the only one free to move around.. slips and knocks himself out. Shades of a number of horror stories I can think of, there - most appropriately, Gerald's Game by Stephen King, where a woman is handcuffed to a bed, when her husband has a heart attack and dies. Similar circumstance here - they're restrained, and he's out cold. Not to mention that the door has a passcode - which they don't know! And that's just the start.

It's well-acted, and has quite a cute guy playing the "master". I'd have found it funnier if I were inclined to giggle automatically when anyone mentions sexual stuff - sadly for this production, what they focus on is of a level I find quite tame. They did hint at more extreme practices, but gee, I think they're above the censorship rating of this production! Takes a good bit to shock me, honestly. One of the funniest bits, for me, was when the ladies in the front row dropped a water bottle, which rolled on stage, and then they had to decide whether to retrieve it! (They did, before the actors got free.) But hey, it's enjoyable - runs till the 24th, if you're interested.

This was the preview night, it seems, and they had a Q+A afterwards - but as another audience member remarked to her companion, she just didn't have anything she wanted to ask! Neither did I, so I left - on the Piccadilly Line this time, which I thought might be faster. And just to carry on the comedic turn to the night, a young lady with a brolly was blocked getting off - because she had the brolly turned horizontal, preventing her from getting through the door! Caused massive amusement to the folks getting on..

Tomorrow, I'm back to storytelling! Oh joy.. the Crick Crack Club is back, with Strange Girls, Beautiful Monsters, as told by Sarah Liisa Wilkinson, at Rich Mix. Good to see them on the road again!

And on Thursday, back with Watch Improv & Chat Comedy for Avocado Presents: An Improvised Play, in Baron's Court Theatre. Easily known the main group is back from their holidays - you now have to pay for this! and the discount code advertised on the event page has expired, grr..

Concert: Liza Pulman - The Heart of It

Tonight, back to Riverside Studios, for a rescheduled concert. Liza Pulman - The Heart of It was supposed to happen over lockdown. She'd be singing popular show songs. And at least, after Tuesday, I knew where I was going! Well, as far as the main door anyway.

I had little to do at work, said sod it, and escaped early so I could get something decent to eat. Decided I'd eat out there - and when I got to Hammersmith, decided to eat at the venue, whose website said they do food. When I arrived at the venue, I had a shock - a massive queue snaked in the door! Mercifully, it wasn't for my show - Have I Got News For You was filming in another of the studios - a sign inside the door said for everyone not involved in that just to come on in. Inside, I had a look around - came across Sam's. It looked like a semi-expensive option, but checking out the menu, I figured I could go for the chicken, which sounded nice.

I was given a table on the understanding that I'd be done by 7.15 - I needed to be out by 7.30 anyway, so that was reasonable. And I had the chicken - and a carafe of lovely white rioja. Didn't see anything I fancied for a starter. The chicken took a while to come - not worth the wait, I'm afraid. All you get - for £22.50 - is a large chicken escalope with a slice of lemon, some rocket (which I can't stand), and a small jug of melted butter on the side. Now, the butter was very nice - particularly when I managed to get it mixed with the dribbles of lemon I'd manage to squeeze out - but the chicken, while perfectly fine, I'd have to say was no better than yesterday's KFC. Which was 1/3 of the price - and part of a box meal. And it was nowhere near as good as the chicken I had at the Archduke, which was also cheaper than this - and came with chips. No, avoid the chicken, if you eat here.

However, with time to kill, I said I'd have a look at the dessert menu. Wow, it's a long time since I was so torn by a dessert menu..

I ultimately couldn't resist the salted caramel martini. And oh, it was divine.. I could have drunk a bucketload. Definitely a good reason to come back - I just won't have the chicken!

And so to the show, which I found quite easily - as I was wandering around looking for it, an announcement said that the house was now open, whereupon two ladies descended on an usher standing at a doorway into a hall. Ah, that'd be it, then. I was in F7 - so, apparently, was one of the couple that sat beside me, according to her, but I held my ground. This wasn't the only confusion over seat numbers..

The lady came on a bit late - but I can always use the extra time to organise my diary, so that worked out well for me. Turns out she's also in Fascinating Aida! Gosh, I love them. Anyway, she has a terrific voice - we also learned that, in a previous existence, she was an opera singer. But you see, she has a penchant for show tunes, old popular numbers.. tonight, we got songs from films, songs from the 20s and 30s, songs made popular by Streisand.. They're not to everyone's taste - indeed, the couple beside me left at the interval (happily, because she was jiggling up and down a lot, and being a large lady, she caused the whole row to jiggle too). And people didn't know all the songs. But really, it's a terrific show if you like Bernstein, or Irving Berlin.. the most modern she got was one by Billy Joel. All the razzmatazz of a big band show - she even had the obligatory outfit change at the interval. And she signed cds in the lobby afterwards.

Recommended, for fans of the genre - it runs here until Saturday, and you should have no trouble getting tickets; even CT has them now. And she's back, at Wilton's, on the 4th and 5th of July.

Tomorrow, back to Ireland for the weekend. Yes, almost every weekend this month - it just worked out that way. I'd normally have been in London last weekend you see, except for staying in Ireland to see my friend. And this trip for the upcoming weekend was already booked when that was organised. Now, it's a long weekend, so I have an extra day there - can see two films! The Arc Cinema now being the cheapest around, I'm concentrating on that - there isn't anything special showing in Limerick anyway. Higher rated is The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, a comedy where the versatile Nicholas Cage plays a version of himself, apparently sending up his iconic characters. I'll have to see how many I recognise - I'm not the most dedicated follower of his work! Also stars Neil Patrick Harris. So, thinking of that for Saturday.

And for Sunday, it's looking like Downton Abbey: A New Era. Like the tv series, the films focus on an aristocratic English family: Dame Maggie Smith as the dowager Countess, Hugh Bonneville as the Earl, Brendan Coyle as his valet, Laura Carmichael as one of his daughters, Jim Carter as the butler, Penelope Wilton as a cousin, and friend of the dowager Countess, whose son is heir to the earldom, as the Earl and Countess have no sons. I was never a fan of the tv series, and didn't see the first film, but hey, it should be watchable. Apparently, in this one, a film crew arrives at the stately home - the real-life Highclere Castle.

Back then on Monday, and on Tuesday, a revamped version of Oklahoma at the Young Vic!

On Wednesday (Star Wars Day - May the fourth be with you), I'm at last back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners! Ah, it's 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 is the Cool Camden Pub Walk! It was actually rescheduled - was originally supposed to happen yesterday. Unfortunately, on Wednesday, it clashes 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, can't be helped - this is a pub tour I really want to go on. I was originally booked for an online talk that night - Fight Them on the Beaches is a talk about the greatest speeches in parliament. Courtesy of Guided Walking Tours in Brighton and Sussex. But they record the talks, so I can catch it afterwards. True, isn't it - everything happens on Wednesdays!

Next Thursday, I'm off to Scandaltown, at the Lyric. 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 am really looking forward to this. But wouldn't you know it, now CT has tickets.. ah well..

Just as well I had the 6th free when another ex-boss, Ivan, asked when we could 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 is coming, and for the first time, my aforementioned ex-boss from my last company! Should be cool.

On the 7th, 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!

And on the 8th, back with the Crick Crack Club. 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.

Film: CODA

Tonight was film - with a few Indian films at the top of the list looking unappealing, I rejected them when I checked out the trailers. Which left CODA! Winner of best picture, best supporting actor, and best adapted screenplay at the Oscars, this was actually showing a while ago and is no longer on general release. I missed it at the time, and am lucky that Riverside Studios decided to re-release it, on foot of its Oscar success, for just two days, today and tomorrow. There's only one showing each day though, and early enough, so I'd have to hustle to make it all the way out there in time! Wasn't booking out, so I didn't book. "CODA" stands for "Child Of Deaf Adults", and focuses on the hearing child of deaf parents, who kind of deserts them when she decides that she actually wants to pursue a career they can have no real appreciation of - singing, of all things! Marlee Matlin plays the mother.

Tube, of course, so far out, and I was lucky enough to catch one straight away. Then I got lost, looking for the way to Riverside - well, it's been a while since I was last there! And as for Riverside itself - huh. Completely forgot where the entrance was. They really should have a signpost of some kind, pointing to the right as you come from the station, as most people do! I wasted some minutes figuring out the correct direction, finally coming across the entrance. The lady who greeted me at the box office had to direct me to her colleague - they only had one card reader. That lady, having sold me my ticket, was good enough to volunteer to tell me where to go. Damn confusing building. Anyway, at least when you get near the stairs heading down to the cinema, there's a sign.

Downstairs, I headed for the bar first, for a glass of wine and a pot of chocolate jazzies - I was hungry. And so into the smaller screen, where the trailers were showing. Good timing then! The film itself is subtitled. It'd have to be anyway, for the scenes with only sign language, but actually it all is. Indeed, I'm sure I passed a deaf lady as I was looking for the door (signing to her friend, who was inside the glass, obviously asking the same thing!). There were probably deaf people at the screening. Nice to see.

It's an interesting point they make - what happens if you grow up as the only hearing person in the family? So, we learn that when she started school, she was bullied because of her "funny accent". And as she has grown older, she's got interested in music - but it's something none of the family get at all. She is told off for listening to music on her earbuds, which, as she points out, she has to because everyone is so noisy! Indeed, they are so deliberately - if someone puts dishes down with a clatter, you can feel the vibration in the table. Her dad drives with rap music blaring at full volume - he can feel the vibration. It's a nightmare for a hearing person.

On top of all this, her father and brother have a fishing business, but legally need a hearing person on board for using the radio, hearing sirens and warnings etc. And she doesn't have to be paid.. so she gets up at 3am to work with them, falls asleep in class, and everyone makes fun of her. And when she turns around and says she wants to go and study music.. and they just don't get it.. and can't tell whether she's any good.. well.

How they overcome all this is a fascinating tale, and heartwarming too. As her classmate points out, at least her parents are mad about each other - his can't stand each other! The acting, as you'd expect, is superb, and it's a gorgeous film. Troy Kotsur, who plays her dad, really deserves that Oscar. One you really should see.

Tomorrow, I have another flat viewing scheduled - with no word about the last one, I think I'd better attend. It is slightly closer to the office, you never know, it might suit better. For the evening, I was without anything in particular to do for a while - unusually for a Wednesday! Of course, Meetup annoyingly doesn't always show everything running on a particular day - not even for your own groups. So it was only last week that it reminded me that Up in the Cheap Seats had an event on! They're going to see The Misfortune of the English, at the Orange Tree, and I got the last cheap ticket in the front row. It's based on the true story of a group of English schoolboys who arrived in Nazi Germany in 1938 to go on a walking tour in the Black Forest - just as a blizzard kicked in. And it'll be lovely to see some folks I haven't seen in ages! My only social event of the week, too. Delighted I caught this.

On Thursday, back to Riverside, for a rescheduled concert. Liza Pulman - The Heart of It was supposed to happen over lockdown. She'll be singing popular show songs. And at least I know where I'm going, now!

Then back to Ireland for the weekend. Yes, almost every weekend this month - it just worked out that way. I'd normally have been in London last weekend you see, except for staying in Ireland to see my friend. And this trip for the upcoming weekend was already booked when that was organised. Now, it's a long weekend, so I have an extra day there - can see two films! The Arc Cinema now being the cheapest around, I'm concentrating on that - there isn't anything special showing in Limerick anyway. Higher rated is The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, a comedy where the versatile Nicholas Cage plays a version of himself, apparently sending up his iconic characters. I'll have to see how many I recognise - I'm not the most dedicated follower of his work! So, thinking of that for Saturday. (Funnily enough, that was the first trailer I saw, this evening.)

And for Sunday, it's looking like Downton Abbey: A New Era. Like the tv series, the films focus on an aristocratic English family: Dame Maggie Smith as the dowager Countess, Hugh Bonneville as the Earl, Brendan Coyle as his valet, Laura Carmichael as one of his daughters, Jim Carter as the butler, Penelope Wilton as a cousin, and friend of the dowager Countess, whose son is heir to the earldom, as the Earl and Countess have no sons. I was never a fan of the tv series, and didn't see the first film, but hey, it should be watchable. Apparently, in this one, a film crew arrives at the stately home - the real-life Highclere Castle. (And this was the second trailer I saw this evening! The third was for Operation Mincemeat, which of course I've already seen.)

Back then on Monday, and next Tuesday, a revamped version of Oklahoma at the Young Vic!

On the 4th (Star Wars Day - May the fourth be with you), I'm at last back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners! Ah, it's 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 is the Cool Camden Pub Walk! It was actually rescheduled - was originally supposed to happen tomorrow, which was why I was left with nothing to do tomorrow. Unfortunately, on the 4th, it clashes 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, can't be helped - this is a pub tour I really want to go on. I was originally booked for an online talk that night - Fight Them on the Beaches is a talk about the greatest speeches in parliament. Courtesy of Guided Walking Tours in Brighton and Sussex. But they record the talks, so I can catch it afterwards. True, isn't it - everything happens on Wednesdays!

On the 5th, I'm off to Scandaltown, at the Lyric (which I passed this evening, helpfully). 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 am really looking forward to this. But wouldn't you know it, now CT has tickets.. ah well..

Just as well I had the 6th free when another ex-boss, Ivan, asked when we could 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 is coming, and for the first time, my aforementioned ex-boss from my last company! Should be cool.

On the 7th, 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!

And on the 8th, back with the Crick Crack Club. 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.

Film: Life Feels Good

I didn't think I'd get this blog done at all - when I tried to open the dashboard, it just displayed a blank page. Turns out to be yet another Internet Explorer issue! Honestly, where is it going to end? That's now the third page I can't safely open in IE, after Google Maps and Time Out. Although this is the first that's been a problem in Windows 8. I dunno, that browser just gets worse.

Right then, let's get going. So, with getting theatre tickets proving to be an ongoing problem, I was headed to a film again today. And after checking the IMDB ratings, it was down to two - Dinosaur 13 and Life Feels Good. IMDB didn't have a trailer for either of them, I had to look them up on YouTube.. after which, I decided that Life Feels Good looked the more interesting of the two.

It was showing as part of the Polish Film Festival at Riverside Studios. So that meant a bus trip. Good job I headed out early - firstly, the bus was late. (Distractions while I was waiting included a couple of guys wanting to know whether they were in the right place for EasyBus - they were, according to the address on their confirmation. Interesting - I hadn't known they stopped just there. The other main distraction was the chap heading down the road dressed in a grass skirt and a floral garland. Oh, and running shoes. Brr..) Secondly, the traffic on Fulham Palace Road was atrocious! Thirdly, the cinema was packed - not completely full, but nearly. So I was happy to get there in time to get a seat near the back - you enter from the back and there are steps down, and without a rail. With my fear of steps, I find it an absolute nightmare. The fewer steps, the better, then.

It turns out that this is the UK premiere, and we had two of the main actors for the Q+A. Anyway, I knew from the trailer that this was a film about a young man with cerebral palsy, who is unable to speak, and thought to be mentally retarded, although he isn't. It looked like it was handled in a fun way.

Well, what I saw was astounding. The film is never mawkish, but deals with this guy's problems with a great sense of humour. There are some laugh-out loud moments. Then, as the film progresses, and he moves from the supportive environment of his family to the officiousness of a state-run institution, some of what happens is horrifying. But then we're back to his indomitable sense of humour again. And scenes near the end, when, through a new system, he learns to communicate, are profoundly moving. Both I and the lady beside me were in tears.

As the film progressed, it occurred to me to wonder whether this guy was actually disabled. Because, if he wasn't, this was an astounding piece of acting. I read the name on the credits. And then - it turned out that he was one of the actors in the Q+A! Dawid Ogrodnik - remember the name. Completely able-bodied. I leapt to my feet to join some others in a standing ovation. I remember Daniel Day-Lewis, who got an Oscar for performing a similar role in My Left Foot. Will this actor be similarly praised? I hope so - it was a remarkable performance at the centre of a lovely film.

In the Q+A, everyone who asked a question was Polish. I suspect the non-Polish were few at that screening. There was an interpreter on-hand, though. There was some hilarity when Dawid, who speaks some English, forgot to go through the interpreter, who promptly repeated everything he just said! (phrased slightly differently.) The guy beside me asked whether there was a political subtext to the film - "No", was the short answer. Someone asked how much time Dawid spent with the man on whom the film is based. Turns out he only met him three or four times. He was also helped by a mime artist. Unbelievable.

Had a chilly wait for the bus back, which was, of course, late. Tomorrow's film is looking set to be These Birds Walk, showing at the Gate cinema in Notting Hill. It's a documentary about street children in Karachi. And for Monday, I managed to score a ticket to the opening night of 1984, a new production that kicks off where the book left off. I missed its run in the Almeida, but now it's moved to the Playhouse, which is closer. I see they have a number of tickets for £19.84, but they all have restricted view, so I went with the next price up. I got a better deal with lastminute than with the venue website - same price, but lastminute doesn't charge booking fees. Which saves me a few quid! With a Tube strike planned for the beginning of next week, I may have to take a bus, and would do well to check the routes. But they're going to try to run trains on my line, although less frequently - so we'll see.

Film: The Turtle's Rage

I nearly didn't go to this, this evening. I heard that the secret cinema was, for once, letting us know what film they were showing! and it was the Grand Budapest Hotel, whose trailer is very funny, and which looks very good. Now, this was previewing this week, in the British Film Institute only. So, of course, by the time I came to it, it was sold out. And next week it's only showing on Sunday, when, of course, I'm in Ireland. So this showing was very tempting. But the problem is, they don't tell you where it is until you've booked. And the event timing is supposed to run from 6 - 11pm, which is quite late, and I don't know how long it would take to get back from wherever it is, and I have work in the morning. And the ticket price, including booking fee, is over £57..

So, in short, I went to The Turtle's Rage instead. Showing at Riverside Studios, I certainly knew it would be easy to get to - five minutes by bus, off-peak. It's highly rated on IMDB, and the description, of the daughter of a Palestinian exile seeking to find out more about her father and about Palestine, sounded interesting. The "turtle" of the title is, of course, her father, who disappeared to Palestine when she was 12 and came back some time later, and lived in the basement, not talking to anyone. Retreated into his shell, you might say. So the film is about her attempt to understand what's going on.

I hope she did, because I didn't. The more I think about this film, the less satisfied I am with it. Her father comes across as a crochety old geezer, mad at everyone, even comparing the Germans (they now live in Berlin) with the Israelis. Very gradually, through the film, his reasons for doing what he did - and what he actually did - are revealed to us. Even so, you have to guess a lot. Like, when he and his daughter travel to Gaza to see his sister and he fails to get in, does he eventually succeed? Is that his sister who's interviewed sporadically throughout the film? Who is the older woman? Who are all the other people, probably family members, that we see him with? They are never introduced. Most of the time, I hadn't a clue what was going on. The director doesn't seem to find it necessary to tell us, happy to leave it as an impressionistic mishmash. And as for finding out about the wider Palestinian question, as it says in the summary, I saw no evidence of that whatsoever. This is the second documentary about the Palestinians, made by the child of a Palestinian refugee, now living in Europe, that I've seen this week. The first, A World Not Ours, I found much more satisfying.

Of course, I didn't say any of this in the survey I filled out as I was leaving. :-) But honestly, it is a good film - maybe a 7.5, rather than the 7.9 IMDB has given it - and it was upon reflection that I thought of what was wrong with it. It is interesting. But I prefer the other, as I say.

And so back to Ireland tomorrow, hopefully without the delays I had last time, which led to me spending half the weekend in Heathrow! The storms seem to have died down anyway. I had the devil of a time doing my film list for next week, there were so many new entries - and so many highly ranked! But if I do go to a film on Monday - which seems likely, given that the only seats left for A Taste of Honey are still of the £50 variety - then my choice is likely to be Non-Stop, which is pleasantly highly rated. Stars Liam Neeson as the saviour of a planeful of people who are under terrorist threat. Also stars Michelle Dockery and Lupita Nyong'o (goodness, she's everywhere all of a sudden!) as flight attendants, and Julianne Moore as a passenger, and therefore potential suspect. Watch this space..

Films: The Devil's Ballroom & North of the Sun

I headed to the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith tonight, for a double bill showing as part of the Nordic Film Festival - The Devil's Ballroom and Nordfor Sola (North of the Sun). They're both Norwegian shorts.

I left work a bit later than intended - had meant to go home first, but realised I realistically wouldn't have time. So I decided to go straight to Hammersmith, but forgot I could reasonably have walked it, and took the Tube instead. Still, that did get me there early enough to take advantage of their 10% discount voucher on the first drink purchased in their bar, when you buy a double-bill ticket. BTW, I was a bit phased by the huge queue on the way in, but apparently they were queueing for a tv recording. They have quite a few there, and the guy selling me my ticket explained that they have nowhere inside for them to wait. About time, then, that they got that new development that's been proposed!

So I gulped my drink and panted my way upstairs (it's a long way, and it's been a while). Goodness, that's two days in a row of panting - I am getting my exercise! As it was, they started a bit late. The Devil's Ballroom is a cute little film, only fifteen minutes long, about an elderly explorer heading for the North Pole. It has a concise story, but I can't really give anything more away without giving too much, so I won't. Suffice to say that the snowy wastes sent an icy chill through me.

Nordfor Sola is an interesting film (and the picture on the Nordic Film Festival website is a still from it). It's the story of two young Norwegian men, keen surfers, who find a gorgeous deserted beach in the Lofotens, north of the Arctic Circle, and decide to spend the winter there. And surf. There really is no accounting for taste.. Mind you, I cannot fault the scenery, which is breathtaking. This is a part of the world I've always wanted to visit.

And these guys truly are amazing - they took all the footage themselves (except for a couple of shots they can't have, but a couple of other people make brief appearances and I guess it could have been one of them). Some of the most stunning shots are taken while paragliding. They built their own cabin out of rubbish they found on the shore - we could all learn survival skills from these guys! Driftwood hammered together, plastic bottles for insulation - they even built their own wood-burning stove out of an old oil drum! They did make the odd trip into town for provisions - they weren't completely cut off, although it was a hefty hike over the mountains. When there, they chose food whose expiry date had passed, which was therefore free. In all, they spent three months there, and surfed when there was enough light. And I have absolutely no desire to do the same, but kudos! One of the most amazing survival films you're likely to see. And they also go snowboarding, BTW - as off-piste as you're likely to find.

Tomorrow is looking like another film so far, and top of my list is Le Mépris, directed by Jean-Luc Godard, starring Brigitte Bardot and Jack Palance. Often on the lists, it's currently showing in the Barbican, if I can be bothered dragging myself all the way across town for it.. we'll see.  For Thursday, I've booked to see Saving Mr. Banks, at the local Cineworld, because they do give a discount for booking..

Film: No Fire Zone - the Killing Fields of Sri Lanka

This is certainly a great week for documentaries. One about John Milius yesterday, one about Sri Lanka today, and likely one about adoption tomorrow.

So, it was back to Riverside Studios today for No Fire Zone - the Killing Fields of Sri Lanka. It's the first time I've been here since I moved to the new place - could have walked from the last one, but it was a bit far from the new one, so I took the bus. And therefore approached the Studios from the other side. After climbing all those stairs, I panted my way to the top and chose a seat.

Which would have been less easy, had I arrived later. It was packed. Of course, this was the only showing of this film. Part of their DocHouse Presents season, this is the story of the Sri Lankan government's clampdown on the Tamil Tigers, and consequent massacre of the civilian population. The director, award-winning documentarian Callum McCrae, was present and stayed for a Q+A afterwards.

It's horrifying. He warned us beforehand, and also assured us that every single fact had been checked, double-checked, and verified. In short, the Sri Lankan government chased the Tigers, a militant independence group, into an ever smaller portion of the country. They tore through the civilian population to do it. The most callous thing they did may have been the establishment of "No Fire Zones", where people could flee and be safe. Yeah, right. As their villages were flattened around them - and one of the most moving images, for me, was of a whole village trying to take shelter in a ditch they had dug, while shells were falling around them - the only thing they could do was make for these "safe zones".

Where they were sitting ducks. It became apparent that the government's real intention was to wipe out the Tamils as completely as possible. When the Red Cross came through and found a field hospital, they communicated the coordinates to both warring parties, as is procedure, to make sure that the hospital would be safe, under the terms of the Geneva Convention. In Sri Lanka, however, the hospitals had to ask the Red Cross to stop doing so, because whenever they did, the hospital would be shelled shortly after. The Sri Lankan army was guilty of the rape of female prisoners, and the execution of prisoners, including those who had surrendered. Again, violations of the Geneva Conventions. By definition, war crimes.

Ironic that the president used to be a human rights lawyer. Interesting, also, how he's gotten away scot free. As a UN representative remarked in the film, he gambled that the world would do nothing.. and he was right. And today, the same area in which tens of thousands of people were massacred is aggressively marketed at tourists. And that self-same president - who has voted himself a lifetime term of office and immunity from prosecution - will shortly host the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, which will be attended by David Cameron and Prince Charles.

The Q+A afterwards was the longest, and liveliest, I've seen, lasting nearly an hour. The poor host's attempts to wind things up, because our time was up, were scuppered first by a Tamil lady living in London who'd lost 17 family members in the genocide and couldn't be prevented from speaking, and lastly by an elderly gentleman sitting in the row in front of me, who said he was Sinhalese - the majority race in Sri Lanka, and the one in power. He accused the organisers of preventing Sinhalese from speaking, and said that while he accepted some points made in the film, others were clearly fabricated. When another Sri Lankan challenged him, I was afraid it would come to blows. The audience's applause for the second man's statement gave the host her excuse to applaud the director and wind it up.

Apparently, the film is about to receive its debut screening in India, but the director can't attend - he's been trying to get a visa since February but they're ignoring him. (Tamils aren't terribly popular there, it seems, after a number of attacks some time back.) And during a screening in Kathmandu, the place was raided.

Well, tomorrow will probably be Mercy Mercy: Adoptionens Pris - a documentary about the adoption of two Ethiopian children by a Danish couple. There's another Q+A, although I can't imagine it'll be as lively..!

Films: Yojimbo & Rashomon

Yojimbo and Rashomon, both films by Akira Kurosawa, were showing as a double-bill tonight at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith. So, off I trekked again. Except, again, I had visions of walking, but left it too late and ended up taking the Tube. Where I ran into Nabeel, who asked me what I was going to. And I ended up having yet another of those discussions with someone who's dubious about my policy of following IMDB ratings.

Undaunted, I made it to the venue with not much time at all to spare, given that I had to queue to get my ticket. I see the 10% discount voucher for a drink seems to be standard with double-bill tickets. Had to get it in a plastic container this time, and take it upstairs - they were calling for people to come for the film while she was still trying to figure out my discount. No calculator on the till, I guess! I made it upstairs without spilling very much, and as I climbed, it occurred to me that I've improved - the first time I went to the cinema here, I was nearly dead by the time I got to the top - now, it hardly phases me. Oh, and I got there with several minutes to spare, it turns out. So I think they were just trying to scare us. :-)

I knew little about Yojimbo before tonight, apart from that it was an influence on many spaghetti westerns, particularly A Fistful of Dollars. And the trailer looked ok. Well, I was blown away. It's from 1961, but it looks and feels so modern.. it's excellent. A Western with samurai. Swords (mainly) instead of guns. Pathos. Dramatic music. You can see the influences on Western cinema.

It was so good that I decided to stay and see Rashomon, despite it being available on YouTube. There was a short film in between, during the 20-minute interval. And then Rashomon started, which is an even older Kurosawa film, from 1950. It deals with a murder, committed in the woods, and the stories of the people who were there (including the murdered man, via a medium - quite a creepy sequence). Everyone has a different perspective, and we get to see the scene re-enacted from each point of view. Terrific film, this - even better than Yojimbo. When I see Kurosawa films mentioned again, I will take notice. And so, proof yet again that my system of following IMDB works!! I wasn't even keen on going to see these tonight - what a great night I would have missed.

Let's hope I do half as well tomorrow night, with Brighton Rock at the BFI.

Film: The Bad and the Beautiful

Despite some rain this morning, it cleared up nicely in the evening and I did, indeed, walk to Riverside Studios for their double-bill. I was only interested in the first, The Bad and the Beautiful - the other was Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, which I've seen and wasn't interested in seeing again. However, I didn't lose out - they only charge the same for a double-bill as for a single film. I even got a 10% discount voucher to use at the bar! So I did. I could've taken my drink upstairs with me, but had time to finish it in the bar.

The Bad and the Beautiful, directed by Vincente Minelli, stars Kirk Douglas as the film producer nobody likes. He's pissed off three old friends - including Lana Turner, who was once his leading lady, in love and in films - and wants them to come back to work with him once more, on his comeback film. It's a good story, and showcases plenty of old Hollywood glamour. Ah, the fashions.. and it's supposed to have been a real expose in its day, giving a behind-the-scenes look at how Hollywood really works.

And now I've seen it, and can ignore it when some cinema shows it again, as they regularly do. And that's about all I have to say about it. It was pleasant to watch, but didn't engage me as much as, say, Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory, which was made a few years later.

Coming home, and fancying a meal out, I remembered that Latymer's is on the way, and that I once had an excellent Thai meal there, so decided to stop off there again. It's a pub, with a restaurant at the back - you can also get your meal served to you in the bar. On this occasion, I decided to sit in the restaurant. Service is excellent - prompt and friendly - and the food as delicious as I remembered. Good job I came when I did - I wasn't finished my main course yet when someone came to tell me that the kitchen was closing, and ask whether I wanted anything else. I had been planning to have a dessert, but decided not to, when I heard this. So - take note - the kitchen closes at 9. On a Sunday, anyway. Prices very reasonable. Recommended!

Looking ahead, I saw that the film I was planning to see on Tuesday - Brighton Rock at the BFI - was half booked out already, so I've booked that. Annoyingly, all the cheap Tuesday seats were already gone. And, looking further ahead, I fancied taking a jaunt by Eurostar for the bank holiday weekend. I've been to Paris a couple of times, seen the sights - so instead, I'm off to Lille for a few days. In the nearer-term, I'm thinking of hitting Riverside Studios again tomorrow for another of their double-bills.. this time, a double of Akira Kurosawa films: Yojimbo and Rashomon. Or, indeed, Rashomon is on YouTube, if I get tired of sitting there all night..

Film: Paths of Glory

After a lazy day - during which, mind you, I got some things done that had been needing doing for a while - I took myself down to Riverside Studios in Hammersmith this evening. I've only ever been to plays here before, but they do have a (one-screen) cinema, which was showing Paths of Glory (today only). As it was a lovely evening - sunny, mild - and Google Maps assured me I could walk it in 25 minutes, I decided to give that a try.

At an easy stroll, I got there in about 30 minutes. Passed the Hammersmith Apollo on the way, where it seems Lana del Rey was playing. The doors were open by that time, and I briefly considered buying a ticket from the touts I was passing, but although I like her singles, I have heard bad things about her live performances. So on I went.

The cinema at Riverside turns out to be on the second floor, reached through a nondescript pair of double doors. Just keep climbing the stairs to the top, where, considerately, they have placed a sofa. I was the first there - the doors opened shortly after I arrived. Open seating, and a rather vivid carpet. Actually, what struck me was that the seats don't come up to neck level, so you can't lean your head back. Jeez, how long is it since I've been in a cinema where I had to hold my own head up?! and when you think about it, aren't we spoiled..

The film itself dates from 1957. Starring Kirk Douglas, it's one of Stanley Kubrick's early ones. Set in 1916, on the French front line, this is as powerful a depiction of warfare as I've seen. And with precious little gore, as such - not as noticeable anyway in b/w. The first part of the film depicts the general ordering Kirk Douglas' character, Col. Dax, to lead his men in a suicidal attack mission on a German position. When the attack, predictably, fails, the general seeks revenge by court-martialling the men for cowardice. Ultimately an anti-war film, the tension of the battle scenes is compelling, and the aftermath would infuriate anyone's sense of justice. This is a film that has aged really well, and is one of the finest films I've ever seen.

"Mess" tomorrow at the Battersea Arts Centre. A play about anorexia, written by, and starring, someone who has suffered from it. Supposed to be very enjoyable. :-) Well, we'll soon see..

Nineveh

So, saw "Nineveh" today at the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith.

Firstly, always excited to go to this place. A short walk from Hammersmith Tube, it's got three theatre spaces, a cinema, and a restaurant. This was only my second time, but they do seem to go for edgy, experimental stuff.

The play itself concerns three soldiers, seemingly trapped in the belly of a whale or such, reminiscing about their wartime atrocities. They're put to shame when a young African boy arrives with tales of being a child soldier.

'Tis good, but not as shocking as you might expect. Apart from one bit, which I won't describe. Maybe I'm just immune after years of exposure in films and on tv. Anyway, I might've expected more.

Was going to eat in the bar-restaurant there, but I could only see one other person eating - most were drinking - and no menus or table service. I did see the menu on the way out, but it struck me that it would probably be some trouble to get served, and I skipped it and am now listening to the oven count down the time behind me. Nyeh, you get tired of eating out anyhow.

While we're on the subject of Riverside, let me STRONGLY recommend another play currently running there, until 19 May. "Mies Julie", which I saw some weeks ago, must be the best thing I have seen in London so far. That's saying something, folks. If Nineveh lacks intensity and shock value, Mies Julie more than makes up for it. GO SEE, if you haven't already.

So long - dinner nearly ready. "Book of Mormon" tomorrow..