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.

Play: Orlando

For the next week or so, it's all Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS)! Last night, for some reason, I hadn't seen their advertised event to see Orlando, based on the book by Virginia Woolf, and showing at the Garrick. For this, however, I found the cheapest tickets from Official London Theatre (OLT).

We were meeting beforehand in The Chandos, because the theatre bar is so small and we had a large group. And it's just around the corner. Our organiser booked a table. I checked - yes, they do food - so I decided to head there early, try and grab a bite before we met. Turns out the main dining area is upstairs, although they do number the downstairs tables as well - I asked where her table was booked (upstairs or downstairs), but she didn't know. So, seeing that the downstairs was quite packed, I headed upstairs - our table wasn't booked for a while yet, so I grabbed what looked like the most convenient spot to eat at, a shelf with high seats. It did have a young couple at one end - sod it, this wasn't really like sharing a table! So I occupied the chair at the far end. Whereupon he remarked to her that this wasn't very private. Aww..

Well, I ordered at the bar. Funnily enough, they don't do sauvignon blanc, but they do a very nice chenin blanc. I could have had the steak and ale pie - to compare with Greene King - but I decided to have the half roast chicken instead. Very moreish, I have to say - yummy chicken gravy served with it, in a sauce boat, accompanied by pots of BBQ sauce and aioli. All massively tasty, and my chips did a round of all three. I posted on the Meetup page where I was sitting - there were people at the table we'd reserved - and was just about finished when people from the group started to arrive.

In due course, the organiser arrived, said hi, and went off to see about the reservation, digging out her confirmation email. Well! She came back in high dudgeon. Although someone had indeed emailed her to confirm the reservation - and given her a table number - they were now saying they didn't take bookings! Indeed, I hadn't been able to see a booking option when I looked it up on Google Maps. Now, it's one thing not to take bookings - it's another thing entirely to take a booking and then let customers down! Of course, the exact same thing happened on Sunday, when our organiser had booked a table at The Museum Tavern, which staff knew nothing about when we got there.. Well, you have been warned. Just because you're in a popular area, it's not worth treating customers badly. In the end, we did get a table downstairs, and chatted away until showtime.

Another cursory bag check, and we were in - and how pleasant it is to be on ground level! The Dress Circle, where I was booked, leads straight off the lobby. And it's lovely to be so close to the stage - closer than I usually am in venues like this. Good, comfy seat, too.

The only thing I can say I didn't like about this play was the use of no fewer than nine (!) Virginia Woolfs on stage, mostly just overseeing proceedings. I don't get the point of that, and as our organiser said, it's awkward when they're all speaking together - which, happily, doesn't happen much. Well, Emma Corrin plays the title role - a young man at the Elizabethan court, who zips through history, looking for love. Every time he goes to sleep, he seems to wake up in another time period - from the 1700s, he becomes a woman! (There is a maid to keep us all informed, but we can also tell from the costume changes.) By the end, (s)he is flummoxed - still Orlando, but when asked what (s)he loves, the best answer seems to be "a good red wine"!

It's a feminist piece, of course - and I guess there's no point in representing our hero as a woman before the 1700s, she'd have had so little say in her own life. By the 1700s, she might have had some - but, as we learn, she couldn't own property, and basically had to choose an obliging husband, who would allow her to live the life she chose. The Victorian period is funny, with the straitlaced manners, and the husband who marries her, then disappears to sea - indefinitely! The play's aim is ultimately unfulfilled, as despite his/her perambulations through history, (s)he cannot find an era where (s)he's truly happy, or a person with whom (s)he's truly happy. But hey, it's a fun romp through history! Runs till the 25th of next month, if you want to check it out for yourself.

Couldn't blog last night - I had to be up early for a delivery today. Which hasn't arrived yet, and won't now, unless it's by courier. Tonight, we're off to see John Bishop at the Leicester Square Theatre. Love him, so I booked as soon as I saw this advertised - one of the few things for this month that I booked last month! Not that it seems to be selling out..

Tomorrow, we're off to The Vaults Festival - specifically, The Welsh Lxdies, a bilingual show about the women of Wales.

Then back to Ireland for the weekend again. With partial film listings finally out for there, it's looking like The Fabelmans, in Ennis - an autobiographical tale from Stephen Spielberg, about how he got into filmmaking.

On Monday, we're heading to Noises Off, starring Felicity Kendal, at the Phoenix. Again, cheapest tickets from OLT.

On Tuesday, with a group I haven't joined in a Very Long Time - I'm back with London Dramatic Art, from whom I've got a front-row ticket for Sylvia, at The Old Vic; this is the story of Sylvia Pankhurst, and stars the excellent Beverley Knight. Completely sold out - this was my only way to get a ticket!

Next Wednesday, back with the Horror Book Club. This time, it's The Ballad of Black Tom, based on the Lovecraft story, The Horror at Red Hook, but told from the perspective of a black man. I managed to get through the club's book, and read the entirety of the story it's based on, which is much shorter - and less coherent. Again, the meeting is in the Prince of Wales, Covent Garden. Question is, will the kitchen be open..?

On the 2nd, I'm on my own for My Son's a Queer (but what can you do?), a musical at the Ambassadors Theatre.

On the 3rd, my first meeting of the year with London Classical Music and Theatre Group! We're off to Wigmore Hall, to listen to the Hagen Quartet play Mozart. They're Austrian, so that's appropriate.. I just need to remember not to drink the ultra-expensive sauvignon blanc!

On the 4th, well, Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners are back to Greenwich again. Now, I have been there with him before.. not sure how "new" this one will be, but hey, it was a great day last time! Indeed, that evening might be the time to meet Ivan - and our coworker, if he's recovered, by then, from the jetlag he'll suffer from the trip to India he's currently on!

On the 5th, nothing on Meetup appeals massively at the moment - I might go for a walk along the Ken's Events route, if I feel like it! (on my own). Or Over 40 Living the Life has advertised a walk along the New River.. I'll have to see, as I have to pay to sign up (refunds given to those who then come). And I might well change my mind.. 

On the 6th, my first actual event with that group. We're off to How Not to Drown at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East - the first event of theirs for which I couldn't get a cheaper ticket! So I decided, if I couldn't beat them, I might as well join them. True story of an unaccompanied, 11-year-old asylum seeker.

On the 7th, excited to be headed to see Derren Brown in Showman, at the Apollo Shaftesbury Avenue. Cheapest tickets with OLT again.

On the 8th, off to The Lehman Trilogy, at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Based on the true story of the bank that collapsed. Got the last £39.50 ticket!

On the 9th, back with UITCS for Winner's Curse, at the Park Theatre - an interactive show about a peace negotiation. Turns out North London Friends are headed to it the same night - what, are they now copying this group, as another group did some time ago? (since closed down). And then I'm back to Ireland again.

And on the 13th, I'm headed to Allegiance, starring George Takei in a musical based on the true story of his time in an American internment camp during the Second World War. Showing at the Charing Cross Theatre.

Concert: Bach Violin Concertos

Tonight, Let's Do This were back to St. Martin-in-the-Fields, where London Concertante was performing Bach Violin Concertos. An easy stroll from the office (in its current location), and I stayed in the office till about 6:50 - the organiser said he'd be outside, with our tickets and free programmes, from 7. Indeed, I nearly made that - we met on the porch, got our tickets and programmes, chatted a bit - and when everyone had arrived, we went inside. It was pretty damn nippy!

We who had side seats were seated in boxes - which meant a side view for me, and my neck stayed twisted uncomfortably for most of the night. And I could've done without the fat lady in the box beside me, who needed so much space for her elbow that I couldn't sit back. Never mind.. I had the best view of the stage (well, altar!) that I've had for years! I mean, I could actually see the harpsichord..

Ah, Concertante. The same old jokes - but they're good ones. We'd miss them, to be honest! And for all the times I've come here, I keep forgetting what a lovely venue it is, with its ornate gilt chandeliers and plastered ceilings, like a wedding cake - and how perfectly it suits the music, which was sublime. Mozart was followed by Albinoni was followed by Bach - and Oblivion, by Piazzolla, as usual, to take us into the interval. For afterwards, more Mozart and Bach. I was truly transported - it's not that often I get to classical concerts, of all the things I go to, and this venue is a treat.

Afterwards, just a couple of us repaired to The Chandos - much busier than the last time we were here, and tables and chairs were prized properties! Our organiser kept a keen eye out, and we were sat before long. A most pleasant chat ensued, putting a fine end to what was a delightful evening. So glad I came..

Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again. And on Monday, back at Southwark Playhouse with Up in the Cheap Seats - this time, it's for A Day By the Sea.

Concert: Vivaldi Concertos

Last night, I was to be with North London Friends, and another talk on Fake News - different speaker from the last I was at, mind! This was the Fulbright Commission annual lecture, at the British Library. However, much more attractively, Let's Do This were reviving what used to be a regular Man with the Hat event - we were off to St. Martin-in-the-Fields, for some Vivaldi concertos. With a discount, yet! London Concertante, as usual.

It's only about a five-minute stroll from the office, so I was pretty relaxed about getting there. "Stroll" is perhaps not the right word, given all the swerving I had to do around slow-moving tourists, and people who just stopped randomly in my path - this is a busy part of town! Saw the church in the end, up the steps, and there they were. I was almost the last to arrive, but still in time, and we soon went in - gratefully, as it was chilly!

We were all downstairs this time - unusually for me.

The program - their first of the season - was pretty standard. Jokes n all - hey, if it ain't broke.. The crowd was certainly appreciative, giving thunderous applause and a standing ovation at the end. We started, as before, with Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Violins in A Minor, then had a new piece - La Follia, which contained a foretaste of The Four Seasons. And what a joy it was - it's been far too long since I heard such beautiful music in such a beautiful setting. Appropriately, we then had Summer, from the Four Seasons - and more appropriately yet, considering that more modern music was seeping through from somewhere outside, and was quite distracting. Just as well this is the loudest of the Four Seasons pieces.. We also had an extra harpsichord piece, and they finished the first half with Oblivion, by Piazzola.

The second half brought us Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Violins & Cello in D Minor. And then they figured they'd given us enough Vivaldi, and finished with some Bach. And a fun piece, which, as usual, they let us record if we wanted. Afterwards, we met outside, and about half of us repaired to the pub - The Chandos, first time in an age! It's just up from the church, but the Man with the Hat used to go to the Amba, in preference - he did have a bigger group, and The Chandos can get quite packed. Anyhow, we had a most excellent evening, and a lovely chat there - it was their three-month anniversary, you know, and their 20th event! Worthy of a small celebration - and a most convivial time was had.

The group is going from strength to strength - I believe they have secured some contacts from the Man with the Hat for discount tickets. Fair play, and more power to them, as they say in Ireland! I look forward to seeing what they come up with next. It's just a pity that so many of my old friends from the Man with the Hat's groups are excluded from membership of this one, with their stringent membership criteria..

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

Tomorrow, Helen and I have our 25km sponsored walk, in aid of Haslemere's Cat Protection Society. We're going as Dick Whittington and his cat, respectively, and the route is the Thames Bridges Trek. You can donate here.. Got a pair of Skechers Go Walk 4s last week, woo! Dying to try them out on the walk. I can register early this evening, which I'll do, to avoid getting up quite so early in the morning.

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

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

On Thursday, I was at another talk with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts - this one, at Southwark Cathedral, is about the River Effra, South London's Secret Spine. Another free Eventbrite event, this is to publicise a book about the subject, and the talk is again given by the author. Another thing that had no tickets, then it did (no notification)! Now I've changed though, and will be off with Up in the Cheap Seats to Loot, at the Park Theatre. Got the last £20 ticket, yay! Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.

On the 18th September, I was off to Showstopper! at the Lyric. Ticket courtesy of From the Box Office again. I have actually seen this before - but, being an improvised musical, it literally is different every time! But you'll never guess - the Crick Crack Club finally announced their autumn schedule recently, and now, that night, I'm off to Eaten Father, Eaten Mother by Ben Haggerty. In Soho Theatre, first time in ages. Finally advertised by their Meetup group, jeez!

On the 19th September, I was back with the Scarlet Ladies, for a talk entitled 100 Women - Their Breasts, Their Stories. No longer, of course - now I'm joining London Science Talks and Museums Meetup for a talk at the Alan Turing Institute about the future of data in public life. Most pertinent, given the talk I was at last Thursday.

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

On the 21st September, it was free comedy in Hammersmith - with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, and DiscoverLDN.UK. But yay, I have my alternative at last! Going to some comedy I have to pay for, which will probably be better. Mae Martin is at Soho Theatre. Advertised by a group called Moxie Ladies.. good luck to them, but as they charge extra, I'm going solo.

And on the 22nd September, the same free comedy - with DiscoverLDN.UK. I rather doubt it though - don't you?

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

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

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

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

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

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

On the 2nd October, I had booked at Hampstead Theatre, for No One Will Tell Me How to Start a Revolution. North London Friends are attending - and charging extra, so I was going it alone! But now it turns out I'm spending the week in the Stockholm office - back on the 8th.

On the 3rd October, it was free comedy in Hammersmith - nominally. With Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich. So, that was easy to cancel, for Stockholm!

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

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

And finally! on the 6th October, headed to see Chekhov's The Seagull, at the Lyric. Third night in a row for that group - almost as busy a group as I am a person! So, four things in all I had to cancel, without refund.. what the hey, I'll doubtless be saving money in Stockholm! Expenses paid, after all.

On the 9th October, I'm finally going to see the show so many people have asked me whether I'm seeing. Ink is showing at the Duke of York's Theatre. 

On the 10th October, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Ballet Boyz at Sadler's Wells.

On the 11th October, back with Funzing for a talk on Revolution in Iran: Girl with a Gun. This will be an interview with a female Kurdish revolutionary.. on the Battersea Barge, which I believe can get choppy. Never mind. This is one I got for free, for completing a loyalty card with three talks.

On the 12th October, Let's Do This are back to St. Martin-in-the-Fields, where London Concertante is performing Bach Violin Concertos. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.

And on the 16th October, back at Southwark Playhouse with Up in the Cheap Seats - this time, it's for A Day By the Sea.

Opera: The Barber of Seville

Wow - a Meetup with Let's Do London - for less! that I could actually make. Seriously, I'm out of the country as often as I'm here these days, what with trips to see U2 adding to the regular trips to Ireland.. Anyway, this was perfect, as I do love The Barber of Seville. And these, as ever, were the best value tickets going..

It was a real Manic Monday though, and deadlines saw me heading straight from the office (after meeting said deadlines). I could just about have gone home first, but they were meeting for drinks first, and oh, but I needed a drink after today. So off I trotted. A Tube was waiting for me on the platform, and having dashed on as the alarm went off to indicate that the doors were closing, I threw myself into a seat, bruising myself on the armrest.

Disembarking at Embankment, I walked up a packed (as always) Villiers Street. A brave taxi inched its careful way through the crowds of people (and one fox, that came from the Charing Cross side and dashed across, making several folks go "aah..").

They were meeting at The Chandos, which I was actually in only last Thursday, and knew to be the pub on the corner as you approach the Coliseum. And I knew, without being told, that we'd be meeting upstairs, because they're renovating downstairs. I see it's called - appropriately - "The Opera Room". Anyhow, I walked the length of it, to discover them at the same table I was at on Thursday, right at the back. I saw the organiser's hat, long before I saw the Meetup sign! (Large as it was - the sign, I mean.)

Much faster service tonight than on Thursday. We spent a pleasant half hour or so there, and I met some old acquaintances and made some new ones. And then we meandered off to the Coliseum, just two doors up - although I wasn't sure which door I'd come out of, and had to get my bearings). We blithely passed the man in the hat, who had re-positioned himself outside the door for the benefit of those who didn't fancy the pub (ah, the dedication of the organiser..). And we took ourselves inside and upstairs.

What luxury it is, being in the Upper Circle of the Coliseum. I think it's only happened to me twice before - I'm usually in the balcony, which is a full two floors higher and extremely steep. What was also good was that we came to our seats along a side aisle, with a railing - the steps here have irregular heights, and I'm not good with stairs in general, so it's something of a minefield for me. In fact, I couldn't have requested a better seat - we were all about halfway down, with a perfect view of the stage, and with most going in the row in front of me, I found I had two free seats beside me. So I moved over into one as the lights went down, and had a free seat either side! Very handy for spreading out.

I'm sure I've seen a production of this before, but it has been a while, and it was an absolute delight. The singing was spectacular, the costumes and setting reminded me of those old Ladybird children's books - you know, with the sumptuous illustrations. In general, the production played up the slapstick, and was full of fun. And when the evening came to an end, the director (we think) was brought on stage to take his bows with the rest.

I'd had an ice cream at the interval, but was slightly relieved when the mood was not for drinking afterwards - I was, and am, very, very tired. I'd be asleep now, but that I was hungry, and fancied something to do while I ate.

For tomorrow, I got a cheap ticket for a play called Moments, in the Drayton Arms - honestly, chosen because it was the closest option. And on Wednesday, I'm back with Let's Do London - for less! again, for Carmen, at the Opera House. Always delighted to get together with them..!

Concert: Spem in Alium

Well, no thought was required when I saw that the London European Club from Meetup was headed to an early music concert - Spem in Alium - in St. Martin-in-the-Fields last night. And so I booked. When I mentioned to my boss what I was going to, he put on his Latin cap to try and figure out what the title means.. (turns out it's "Hope in Any Other"; there's a Wikipedia article).

So, off I trotted. The concert itself was on good and late - 9.30 - which left us time to meet beforehand for dinner/drinks in the Silver Cross, down the road in Whitehall. I'd never been here before, but with Google Maps' help it was easy to find, and I turned out to be the first to arrive (apart from the organiser). He hadn't been able to find a very big table, but after a bit the next table became vacant, and we just slid it over.

It wasn't long before I abandoned him to go to the bar and order food. I had to wait an age to be served - and when I was, darned if I couldn't remember the table number! I had to go back and make note of it, as a result of which I lost my place in the queue and had to wait another age. Finally, I ordered a Hunter chicken - covered in cheese and bacon, and doused in bbq sauce: a British pub favourite. And wine. I must say, it took a lot less time for it to be delivered to my table than it had to order it! And although the chicken was small, it was delicious.. sadly, the fish goujons ordered by another of our group were less successful.

We sat for a good while and chatted, I went for another wine, and it was duly time to head to the church: good and early, to have a good choice of seat. First though, we had to pick up our tickets, in the box office - through the "glass pavilion". As you approach from the south, this is on the other side of the church, and I have probably been here before - I just can't remember when; when I've been here recently, someone has collected my ticket for me. So, downstairs is a box office, a large lobby, and a crypt cafe. Where, possibly, we could have come to eat instead. Never mind - when we all had our tickets, it was about 9 and time for the church doors to be opened, and we headed up.

We took seats near the front of the central nave - seating was unreserved. I discovered they had footrests under the pew in front, as well as very handy shelving to leave your stuff on. And in due course, the choir filed on - all 40 of them, dressed in black. Tiered staging had been arranged in front of the altar.

The concert lasted about an hour. And it was simply stunning! Under most circumstances, being so close to such a large choir would be an experience in itself - but this music made it extra-special. I didn't buy a programme, but this was part of the Brandenburg Choral Festival, and there were programmes for that lying around, from which I gleaned that, as well as the title piece, we'd be listening to Bach and Taverner (Spem in Alium itself isn't long enough to last a full concert). And it was chilling.. it's rare to hear such a large choir, unaccompanied by instruments (although one piece did have a couple of trumpets), and the sound of so many voices in this setting was moving - in parts, eerie. Spem in Alium, which came last, was the highlight though, and I could hear why it's so well regarded. It was breathtakingly moving - as I remarked on my way out, much better than on YouTube..!

Afterwards, some of us elected to go for a drink in the nearest pub, given the coldness of the night's breeze. And so it was that we went for one drink in the Chandos, just across the road. Downstairs was being refurbished, so we headed to the cosy upstairs lounge, where we nabbed a table in the corner. I ordered a drink from a seriously tired-looking (and sounding) barmaid, and we had a most pleasant time before venturing out in the cold again.

This evening, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.. tomorrow, we're off to Glór to see Regina Nathan in concert. On Monday, I'm back - at last - with the Let's Do London - for less! group, to see the Barber of Seville at the Coliseum. Upper Circle - it's always nice not to have to climb all the way to the balcony, in this extremely high theatre. For Tuesday, I got a cheap ticket for a play called Moments, in the Drayton Arms - honestly, chosen because it was the closest option. And on Wednesday, I'm back with Let's Do London - for less! again, for Carmen, at the Opera House.