Office Party & Catchups

On Thursday afternoon, we had our office Christmas Party. Literally in the office, which they transformed into a casino. We were instructed to take lateral flow tests beforehand.

It was pretty much impossible to get any work done that day - the above photo was taken from my desk, so you can see how close I was to the party area! And for hours beforehand, they were setting up - the company had really gone to some effort. We were intrigued by the variety of stuff appearing. In the end, the tally was as follows: two casino tables (blackjack and roulette), with accompanying cards and chips: a table football game: an air hockey game: a Scalextric track, and any amount of food and drink - plus uniforms for the caterers. They'd also brought a bar to operate from, but found our existing kitchen area handier. And there was a dj in the corner.

We had to hand it to them, the whole event went really well - initially hesitant, after a while crowds had gathered around everything. Except the dj - they had left a small dance floor, but no-one was tempted. The bar had a small menu, offering three different cocktails and red and white wine - I spent the afternoon downing "mandarin martinis" - vodka martinis with orange. Far too easily drinkable. And to be honest, I wasn't feeling quite myself after that - I was rather glad when they ran out of orange, and I switched to wine and felt much better! Prosecco was also on offer. And I was in a table football-winning team! It was lovely to get chatting to people I hadn't spoken to in a while, or not really at all.. and I was even dragged into a couple of pictures in the photo booth they set up in reception. Complete with festive headgear.

Anyway, that evening, the Crick Crack Club was supposed to have their first Christmas show ever! In Rich Mix. Wow, promised to be epic. But.. wouldn't you know it, a spot was reserved in The Paternoster pub near the office, and some drinks pre-ordered. So I said I'd see how it went - tarnation, why does everything have to happen on the same night?! So was I delighted when I got an email that morning to say the show had been cancelled, owing to the illness of a cast member. Awesome. When I finally managed to drag some of my colleagues to the pub, we discovered that a corner area had been roped off - a bit snug for everyone that eventually showed up, but we managed - and drinks were indeed waiting for us in the corner. I managed on the white wine that was available - plus one drink kindly bought for me by a colleague. And again, spoke to people I knew pretty well, some I hardly knew at all.. a very successful night, and I'm glad I could go. Despite the lashing rain that doused me on the way home!

On Friday, I met Ivan and another ex-colleague for drinks (I didn't expect the other ex-colleague to last the night, but anyway.) He suggested Soho, I suddenly remembered where the Man with the Hat used to take us! The Nellie Dean would do very well indeed - I have so many good memories. I also remember the Man with the Hat once asking us whether we'd miss him..

Yes, we do. Very much.

Anyway, we arranged a time, and were, of course, all late - me, least so, so I said I'd hang around upstairs until a table was free. Which I did. Then another of us arrived, and we ordered food - downstairs, awkwardly, although they cook it upstairs. By the time it came though, a decent-sized table had come free, and we moved over there - and there we stayed until they closed the upstairs bar and we all moved outside. In due course, it was just me and Ivan, as predicted, and we headed to The Hippodrome, which has the advantage of being a central location where you can spend the night drinking without having to dance. Service is friendly, and they and they have a "boozy tea room", open till after 2, where it's a little quieter. We had very tasty nibbles, and when they chucked us out, it was to the restaurant overlooking the gaming tables, where you can still order food and drink until whatever time you want to leave.

The (free) cloakroom is interesting - they take your mobile number, and text you a retrieval code - although Ivan never got a text. However, your mobile number itself will do as well. By the time we left though, the cloakroom was unattended - we had to ask the bouncer, who told us to find the gaming manager, who got someone, and we were sorted. Really, all they need is to open some rooms to sleep / wash change in, and they'd have everything!

I even got a few hours sleep before dragging myself into wakefulness to meet Helen! London Transport Museum it was, and brunch would be welcome. I fact, I made it early - and across from the museum, on Tavistock Street, I discovered the Covent Garden Cafe, where I decided a hot chocolate would be wonderful while I waited. I was lucky to arrive early though - by the time she got there, it was packed! But we didn't stay, as she needed the toilet, and they don't actually have one.

And so to brunch - she generously paid, and I thought the Cote I could see ahead would be a good choice. They were manically busy, but said that yes, they could seat us, if we could be done in a little over an hour. So we agreed - and ended up beside the stairs to the kitchen. And had great fun watching the frantic dashing to and fro of the waiting staff. I went for my usual steak frites - and when she saw it being served to the table next to us, she decided on the same. It's simple, it's tasty, it's quick. A bottle of Chardonnay accompanied it - a little sharp, I thought, and I'd probably go for something else next time. And we chatted apace - when the tables started to empty out a bit, and we saw they weren't moving us, we decided on dessert - chocolate fondant for her, chocolate mousse for me. She asked whether she could have the version of her dessert listed on the festive menu, with the cinnamon ice cream - but apparently not. But anyway, we were well fed - if slightly neglected in the hubbub - and I felt much restored.

And so around Covent Garden, where much purchasing was done - on my part, principally in the ever-popular Hotel Chocolat.

The drizzle that greeted us when we emerged from Cote turned heavier for the afternoon, but we braved it. Some places were far too expensive to shop in, but we made a fair dent in our bank accounts in others. We next headed to Christmas in Leicester Square - and let me tell you, this beats Winter Wonderland hands down! Sure, head there if you want the funfair, or specific shows - but the market is much better here, they have shows, and it's free! We were laden down with shopping by the time we wanted to sit and have a drink. Now, I wasn't enamoured of Costa, the last time I was there - so we carried on, and as it turned out, found a much better place! O Be Joyful is a tiny, French-style cafe, tucked away down Whitcomb Street, with extremely friendly service, and a range of teas and jams.

Really handy double-layer glasses, so the drink is kept away from you and you don't burn yourself - and note the little churn of milk! Goes to show what you can find if you snoop around a bit (although neither hot chocolate I had yesterday was up to my standards. But I am exacting!)

On the way home, we stumbled across yet another excellent market - in Trafalgar Square this time!

And so home for us both - one of my carrier bag's handles conveniently broke just as I got on the bus, but I did manage to get everything home safely. Of course, all this drinking and all these late nights meant I was too tired to get the blog done - but better late than never!

And tonight, I'm booked with Guided Walking Tours in Brighton & Sussex again, for Victorian Ghost Stories at Christmas (via Zoom)..

Performance: Two Man Show (Take 2)

Our last outing to Two Man Show was a great hit - not a surprise that the Man with the Hat decided to take us again. London for Less Than a Tenner was there against night - and I figured it had been good enough to see again.

A pleasantly short, 7-minute walk from the office got me to Soho Theatre in time to get a seat in the bar, at the reserved tables, before we trekked all the way upstairs. The seating arrangement is the same as last time, but this time I happened to sit over the other side.. and yes, I can confirm that they do favour one side over the other, just a couple of times - sit on the right as you go in to take advantage of this.

Well! I remember being a bit dazed the first time, and was keen to read my report from last September. Several people asked me whether it was the same show as before - well, I think so, although to be honest, so much happens in this show that - especially the first time you see it - it can be hard to figure out what's going on.

I'll say this - I'd forgotten how good Rashdash are! Terrific singers, accomplished musicians, good dancers. Not to mention the creative engine behind a very thought-provoking and audacious performance. And I'll also say that this show definitely merits a second viewing. See, last time I was so much on tenterhooks for whatever unexpected thing was going to happen next that the overall story was kind of lost on me. This time, I was expecting more of it, and had more mental energy to have a think..

Right, so it's all about men, women, and the relationship between them. They start as women, with a quick history of society and the development of patriarchy, which undermined the old, goddess culture. (Phew!) Then they take off their clothes. (Baring their emotions?) Then they take the part of men, specifically two brothers dealing with major life changes, in a most male and emotionally stunted way - to describe the crisis in masculinity. Finally, one reverts to femininity, while the other decides she'd rather stay as the powerful male, and they have a really well-done male-female dialogue.

In between, there's a dazzling and very enjoyable show. Not surprising it's won awards - and we were all impressed. And a bit bemused. Runs until Saturday - definitely one to see.

Across to The Nellie Dean again after, where we had tables reserved. There was bar service upstairs, for once - but the Man with the Hat (obviously conserving his energies for the rest of the week) vanished, once he'd seen us settled. We hung around for a good while, - well, there was a lot to discuss in what we'd just seen - and as usual I was one of the last to leave, following a really interesting chat about music. Grabbed a couple of doughnuts in Tesco on the way home.

Tonight - Round 2 of the week with the Man with the Hat. More traditional this time, presumably - we're off with Let's Do London - for less! to Sleeping Beauty, at the Opera House.

Tomorrow - well lookee that, the same group is off to Roundelay, at Southwark Playhouse. Three in a row for the Man with the Hat. About time we got back to Southwark - we've missed it!

Thursday, I was thinking of free comedy in Hammersmith - this time with London Live Comedy, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, and Random London. But then Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts (and Walking Victorian London) announced a walk called True Spy Stories! So I thought that sounded more interesting, and booked.

Friday, Crick Crack is telling stories - Daniel Morden and Hugh Lupton are performing Metamorphoses at Rich Mix. However, the Rich Mix website doesn't seem to have heard of this.. unless you search for that specific day. The independent Crick Crack Club website has a link to buy tickets from Rich Mix though, and at the moment they're being sold at a discounted preview price. And now that the link is available, their Meetup group is advertising it too.

Saturday, Let's Do London - for less! is back to see Sleeping Beauty - and so am I. Honestly, this was a mistake on my part - I was booking a lot at the time and forgot I was already going - but hell, I'd rather be doing this anyway than not. Amphitheatre, this time - it's been a while since I was there.

Sunday, London for Less Than a Tenner advertised "Soho: the Roots of the Swinging Sixties - guided walk"! Now, this confused me, before I read deeper.. I do recall the Man With the Hat saying that, while he was interested in guided walks, he wasn't interested in actually guiding them. Turns out someone else is doing the actual guiding.. Anyway, I booked, but it seems not enough of us did, and he's cancelled the event. The walk is still going ahead though - check out Back in the Day Walks for more details. Me? I might just go to a film - we'll see what's on, closer to time.

Monday, I'm off to see Russell Howard at the Albert Hall.

Next Tuesday, jeez, the Man with the Hat is back again! Hard to keep up these days - so I'm going with Let's Do London - for less! to The Diary of a Teenage Girl at Southwark Playhouse.

Wednesday 8th, I finally get to go to something with the Post-Apocalyptic Book Club - not a book discussion this time, instead they're off to a play called The Machine Stops, at Jacksons Lane Theatre. Suitably post-apocalyptic. Then I'm back to Ireland for a long weekend.

Monday 13th, I'm with London Dramatic Arts at the Royal Court, for The Kid Stays in the Picture.

That rescheduled talk on Brexit Vs. Trump from a couple of weeks ago is on Tuesday 14th. Unless I decide to go to a film instead - being Funzing, I can get my money back if I cancel at least 48 hours in advance.

On Wednesday 15th, the Man with the Hat is taking London for Less Than a Tenner to Top Secret.

Thursday 16th, he's back to the Opera House for the opening night of a mixed bill of ballet. As usual, he's in the slips with London for Less Than a Tenner, and in the amphitheatre with Let's Do London - for Less!

Friday 17th, I got a cheap ticket to a very topical version of Twelfth Night, in the Drayton Arms. Ah, I remember when I was walking distance from there..

Saturday 18th, I'm back with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts for an Oliver Twist walk. Back with Hazel, excellent!

Sunday 19th.. not a Man with the Hat event, but one he's advertised. One member of his group plays Spanish guitar, and is giving a concert that night - so I've booked a ticket. Well hey, I do love Spanish music..

Monday 20th, I'm off to a Funzing talk on The Science of Psychedelics. Courtesy of London Speaks Sessions, LDN Talks @ Night, and London for a Tenner or Less (nothing to do with the Man with the Hat). Unless I think of something better up to 48 hours beforehand..

Tuesday 21st, I'm with London European Club (LEC) for Carradine's Cockney Singalong, at Hoxton Hall. Had some fun with this last week, when I noticed another group member had confused it with something at a different venue, and thought it wasn't now happening..

Wednesday 22nd, I'm headed with LEC again - with a different organiser - to see 2 Cellos in concert in the London Palladium. Cool - never seen them before, never been there before, and I can probably walk there!

Thursday 23rd, another Funzing Talk, with the same three groups, on The Science of Hypnosis. Again, unless I get a better offer in the meantime. And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again..

Performance: Two Man Show

Man with the Hat. Soho Theatre. Another of those no-brainers - booked (it was London for Less than a Tenner). (BTW, if you check the ticket price, you'll see we got a discount. Shh.) Last night's started quite early, at seven - but I was working from home, so that was ok. Now, it wasn't actually until yesterday that I read the blurb he'd written for Two Man Show - nudity, an in-your-face trailer.. ah yes, a pleasant evening out.

I had an idea to bus it, and researched the whole route - the 44 to Victoria, the 38 from there. And with our esteemed new mayor's new Hopper fare (came into force just yesterday), you can get two buses for the price of one, within an hour of each other! All hail the chief. I had to make my way to Battersea Park Road to pick up the 44 - on the hot walk up there, I got slightly lost trying to follow the route that Google Maps suggested, but when I realised that I had to go down a footpath, it became much easier. Then I got myself on a bus that turned out only to be going to Battersea Park Station - well, it was confusing, the front of the bus said it was going all the way! Shouldha' checked with the driver.

Curiously, while I was waiting for a bus there to take me further, a coach passed that I had to do a double-take for, as the destination display read "Áth Cliath" (Dublin). I guess it's a common sight, but it made me feel strangely nostalgic. Anyhoo, another #44 duly arrived, and took us all the way to Victoria. Well, to be fair, we'd just passed the coach station when we hit gridlock, and the driver started letting people off where we were stopped. I eventually joined them - only to find myself waiting at the next bus stop, staring at more gridlock. Gave it about five minutes and took the Tube instead - which was so overcrowded that they started letting us through without touching in. Which means I was charged maximum fare, because the system couldn't figure out where my journey started. Well, they're good enough about refunds.. have to get onto that, but need to allow 24 hours.

And so down Oxford Street - Exit 5 and turn right, keep walking till the construction hoarding; Dean Street is on the other side. What'll we do for a landmark when they (eventually) finish building work? Meantime, we pedestrians were delayed while a lorry reversed into the site. Still, I made the theatre in plenty of time, got a drink, and plonked myself amongst our group at the tables reserved in the bar.

When the house opened, we made our way (all the way) upstairs, to the studio. As I remarked to those around me, how much better it is since I started coming here with Meetups - means I arrive early, and don't end up dashing up all these stairs and giving myself a coronary, with someone in the box office having radioed someone upstairs to say I'm on my way. O believe me, that's happened more than once!

When we got there, the first item of interest was a kind of box display of "patriarchy". Definitely attracted my attention, but I didn't get much of a look at it - apart from a sort of Barbie doll with her intestines showing, which - from the explanatory text, was apparently something used for anatomical discussions. From what I gathered, the point was that she was sexy, which was shockingly patriarchal. Anyway, I decided to make for the water that was kindly provided just outside the door.

Got a front-row seat - seating is unassigned. The stage is a long strip, with mics at one end and musical instruments at the other, and the surface of the stage area was swept down before the performance started. And when it did start, we were treated to the sight of three ladies, clad in sort of silver robes, singing most beautifully in harmony. After which they separated - one to take her place behind the keyboard, the others to a position of prominence at the other end.

This is an ambitious show, covering a few different themes in its (roughly) 90-minute runtime, no interval. To begin, we're treated to a perky analysis of how patriarchy came to be, back in prehistory, when humans moved from a hunter-gatherer society to a more settled one. And over the next while, they present a few different takes on gender stereotypes.

The company in question is Rashdash, composed of Abbi Greenland and Helen Goalen, Becky Wilkie on the keyboard at the other end. The "two men" of the title, whom they portray, are dealing with the reality that their father is dying.. but the girls go much deeper than that. As the clothes come off (yes, the promised nudity does happen), so, I guess, the emotions are laid bare. Not only what it means to be a man - and what we expect of men - but also what it means to be a woman. One of the most powerful pieces of the performance comes from Abbi, who refuses to give up her male persona, in order to accept what she sees as the straitjacket of a femininity that she can't accept. Immediately followed by Helen, who defends that same feminine ideal, most eloquently.

But, as Helen says during that piece, words simply aren't enough - and so there's music and dance as well. They're all terrific singers. The dancing is mostly contemporary, performed semi-nude, sweat streaming down their torsos in the overheated room, air conditioning not doing much. I was taken with the bit where Abbi was posing Helen, like one might that Barbie doll outside the door. Helen, I daresay, is classically trained, given her dainty little ballet dance near the end.

An impassioned, sassy and provocative show. I think the audience was mainly female - certainly, the voices I heard whooping and cheering at the end seemed to be! A well earned standing ovation ended the show. Recommended - runs until 1st. There was a Q+A afterwards, but most of us needed to get out into the cool air, frankly, not stay upstairs in the heat.

Our fearless leader (complete with hat) selflessly led us to the Nellie Dean, across the road, before nipping back to the Q+A. We headed upstairs, as is our wont, and occupied the sofa at the end - the upstairs bar wasn't serving, mind, and we had to go downstairs again to order. Now, I've never eaten here, but tonight one of our group did:

..and proclaimed the "deerstalker" pie to be rather good, with a hearty filling and crisp crust. Dunno, he should really have been the one to take this picture; turns out - which I hadn't realised - he's an award-winning filmmaker, these days concentrating on photography. Interesting website here. And he's recently had some big news - been nominated as an official finalist in the London Photography Festival, and a semi-finalist in the prestigious Australian 'Moran Prizes' competition. Well now! Best of luck to him - you really do meet the most interesting folks in this group. Here are the photos that impressed the judges:

(I don't think the second one is a self-portrait!)

Without an interval, and with an early start, the show had finished really early, and we weren't very late in the pub. I managed to bus it all the way home.. thanks again for the Hopper, Sadiq! Still n all, the blog's been a bit delayed - never mind, as long as it gets out before the next event.

Tonight, I'm back with London Literary Walks - this one is called the Tate Switch Walk. And tomorrow, I'm delighted to be going on my first pre-Hallowe'en event.. London for a Tenner or Less (NOT the same as last night's group), and therefore Funzing, have organised a Ghosts and Executions tour. Cool - I missed the first date of this, but they do tend to repeat them.

Performance: The Passion of Lady Vendredi

Right.. as mentioned previously, I was supposed to go to something else entirely this evening. London Dramatic Arts (LDAM) was headed to Dr. Faustus, which I'd booked with them, and I was really disappointed when the Man with the Hat announced that both of his groups (Let's Do London - for less! and London for Less than a Tenner) were headed to The Passion of Lady Vendredi at the Soho Theatre, on the same evening. I really wanted to go to both..

And then, all of a sudden, I could! The mother-in-law of the organiser of LDAM died, as it happened, and the funeral was today, of all days. Last weekend, I found out about this. So the trip to Dr. Faustus was rescheduled, and for cheaper, even! I got a refund of the difference, which more than paid for The Passion of Lady Vendredi. (Oh, and I went for the cheaper London for Less than a Tenner - why not? I'm unashamedly cheap.) All good, and may the good lady rest in peace.

Of all evenings, one of my passengers needed to stay late at work. He kept apologising as he passed my desk.. he had to deal with a stroppy customer, what can I say? We did eventually get away, but the whole way back I was afraid I'd be late. In the event, by the time I rocked up to the theatre, everyone was still in the bar, and I could've relaxed. Slightly., it wasn't more than a few minutes before the house opened.

We were downstairs. We entered a smoky room, with people cavorting through it.. we'd been told this would be a "promenade" performance, with performers moving among the audience. I took what I considered an inconspicuous place - mind you, you're required to move around a bit during the show, so it doesn't really matter where you put yourself. And in this weirdest of performances - rest assured, they will find you..

Ah now here's the fun part. I'm not the first to think this is hard to describe. As soon as I heard the name "Lady Vendredi", I thought of Baron Samedi - hence, voodoo. Gee, seems I was right.. the whole performance had a terrific undertone of voodoo drums, of which I'm a great fan. So far, so good - I was bopping away for most of the night.

I really liked the music - and, indeed, the band carried on onstage for the duration. But mostly, we were distracted by the cavortings of the lead singer and her companions.. now, I've mentioned that it was a promenade performance. Well, for one thing, as they moved through the crowd, they fed us - I got a piece of (salty) popcorn, but missed out on the lollipops - for which you had to kiss the guy on the cheek. (What can I say, he didn't saunter in my direction.)

We had the whole priestess vibe. Not only Lady Vendredi - we got a woman in what looked like a wedding dress (with a veil), and most eerily, a woman in bra and crinoline, strings of pearls draped around her person, and completely enveloping her eyes (at first, when she was led around).

But the costumes got more fantastic, the music more manic, and the whole experience crazier as the evening continued. Every shadow that moved behind me.. every brush of my shoulder.. made me apprehensive about what was about to happen behind me. But, while there was a constant element of audience interaction, none of it was anything much to worry about. And, as the evening drew to a close, we got to meet Baron Samedi himself..!

Terrific stuff. Runs until 30th (not Mondays) - and booking advised, they can't fit so many in that space, with all this other activity. Jeez, I have to hand it to them - this is the most unusual experience I've had in a while, or am likely to have for another while! Afterwards, we went back to the Nellie Dean, where no-one was quite sure what to make of what they'd seen - still, I didn't meet anyone who hadn't enjoyed it.

Ah man. You know what? I think the Man with the Hat (which he'd now taken off) was right - I'd have sat through it again. You don't often see the like. Well, sadly I'm not with him (or either of his groups) again until next week.. and there's a change of plans for tomorrow. I was supposed to go to a comedy show.. instead, when I saw (only this afternoon) that Kensington Classical Music were off to a concert in the Royal College of Music, I decided I'd prefer that. It's closer, for one thing. This, of course, is the group that charges you £2.50 extra just to go along and chat to them.. so I bought my own ticket, and will be looking to avoid them. It's a bigger venue than last time this happened, and I'm sat right down the back, whereas I know they got the more expensive seats. Think I might be luckier this time than last..?

And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend, again. For a break, like..

Play: What I Learned from Johnny Bevan

Honestly, I had no idea what What I Learned from Johnny Bevan was about when I booked it - I had a brief read of the Soho Theatre's description, it seemed to be about New Labour, and with this venue and Let's Do London - for Less! organising.. yeah, I booked. No-brainer. Love the place, love the group. Frankly, it'd take U2 playing in town to top that combo. Whatever it was..

Back in Ireland, there was a general election last Friday - Labour was in coalition in the outgoing government, and, as is the way with outgoing governments, got a suitable drubbing. No, actually, that was their coalition partners - Labour were massacred. Perhaps people expected more of them; there's a general belief that Labour stands for something more than the general impression of politicians as self-serving, vote-grabbing fat cats. When a government that includes Labour lets them down, then, people take it a bit personally.. how much more so in the UK, where Labour had the chance to go it alone? And take the blame alone..

I was in Guildford today, but bless 'em, my passengers are becoming better trained at leaving on time, and traffic was blissfully light! (And driving is so much cooler now that I'm getting used to the London lanes!) So I got back in plenty of time. Arrived on the platform at Clapham Junction just as a train to Vauxhall was boarding, arrived there to an announcement that the Victoria Line had minor delays. Not too bad, it seemed - although I just missed one, there was another right along. And when I disembarked, I strolled happily to the theatre, confident that - for once - I was in time. Hell, the Man with the Hat even remarked on how early I was..!

I was even in time to chat briefly to my co-attendees.. when did that last happen? Anyhoo, after a bit we made our way (all the way) upstairs, and took seats - I ended up front row centre (seating being unassigned, as usual). All the better to read the large screen, which had the show title projected on it. And there was a stool. And that was it.

It started a few minutes late - is there a show in London that doesn't? And then our star appeared. As previously mentioned, I didn't know what to expect - I didn't expect what I got, for sure. Luke Wright comes on like a hurricane, machine-gunning words at the audience in what seems like stream-of-consciousness, but obviously isn't. And tells us the story of Johnny Bevan, a staunch believer in New Labour, in front of a changing backdrop of images, projected on the screen.

It occurred to me that this is the third thing in a row I've been to that is word-based: first, storytelling, then a performance of Battlefield, which owed more to storytelling than to play writing. Now, a passionate description of shattered hopes, fired at us in verse, practically nonstop for an hour or so. The closest reference I had to it was Lose Yourself.. he was electrifying as he prowled the stage, I couldn't take my eyes from him. And sitting in the front row, you'd better prepare to be shouted over..!

Loved it. Seriously impressed - bought the book, for a tenner, on the way out. Runs till the 12th - go see! Most exciting thing I've seen in a long time.. pretty full, especially for a Monday - booking might be advisable for weekends.

Afterwards, we repaired - as usual - to the upstairs of The Nellie Dean, where we commandeered the sofa in the corner and drank and talked until we were done drinking and talking. Well, it was a Monday, I guess.. we didn't stay very late.

Tomorrow is film again.. the ICA (haven't been there in a while!) is showing the BAFTA-nominated shorts. One of them - Prologue - won the Oscar for best animated short.. was going to go to those, but they sold out some time this afternoon / evening! Ah well.. Instead, I'm heading to Deadpool. My local cinema, and a nice, late showing so I can get free parking. Looks like fun! On Wednesday, I'm headed to the Chinese Lantern festival at Chiswick House.. hope I can find my camera.

Thursday should've been London Dramatic Arts (LDAM) - I actually do have a ticket for Hangmen, at the National, which they're going to. But the organiser went into such a sulk over me getting my own ticket for that - honestly, I must've got the last ticket that was cheaper than what she had - which blossomed into a full-blown row over my blog, and posting links to ticket resellers in it.. So she banned me from linking to my blog on her pages, and frankly, when the Man with the Hat advertised The Young Visiters, at the Tabard (with his other group, London for Less Than a Tenner).. I booked that, and am going to that instead. I'd much rather. Pity my other ticket will go to waste, but what the hey. Only thing is, I'm driving from Guildford again, and have to stay a bit later that day.. pray to the Traffic Gods!

Friday and Saturday are LDAM again. On Friday, I'm going with them to The Mother, starring Gina McKee, at The Tricycle.. and on Saturday, to Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, at the National. For the latter, I didn't get my ticket with them - but that's acceptable to her, since her tickets were sold out at the time. So I'm semi-officially going with them. Ironically, they do now have a ticket available, and a better - and cheaper - one than I have. Ah well.

On Sunday, none of my Meetup groups had anything interesting, so I'm piggybacking on an event of the Russians in London group - I don't really want to join the group, but the balalaika concert at Rossotrudnichestvo in Kensington sounds interesting, so I'm going to that solo. On Monday, I'm back with LDAM, for a performance of Uncle Vanya, at the Almeida - their second trip, and a Q&A after.

On Tuesday of next week, I'm back with London for Less Than a Tenner, for a comedy night for a change, at the Star of Kings. Wednesday of next week, I'm headed to a Trans-Siberian March Band concert at Rich Mix, with the London European Club - again, I was interested in going with LDAM that night, but they're going to the St. James Theatre, whose legroom is a bit tight for me; I did ask whether she had any aisle seats, and she said she'd get back to me, but never did. What the hey, Miss Atomic Bomb didn't sound great anyway.

On Thursday of next week, I'm back at Rich Mix for a concert by Iness Mezel. - I've signed up for that jointly with London European Club and the World Music Meetup. Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again, followed by the Crick Crack Club on the 14th, who are back at Soho Theatre for an evening of storytelling entitled UniVerse - as ever with these, booking essential; they always sell out. On the 15th, I'm with Let's Do London - for Less! again, as they head to Cyrano de Bergerac at Southwark Playhouse - another of the Man with the Hat's preferred venues, and another good one.

On the 16th, I got a cheap ticket to a concert by the Coppell High School Band, at the Central Hall, Westminster. A new venue for me! Cool, I do like to keep discovering them. On the 17th, Kensington Classical Music is off to a concert by the Trio Isimsiz - you had to get your own ticket, though, then pay extra to join the group at the concert. Huh. I'll avoid them, and the extra charge - have to be discreet though, I believe it's a small room! It's at the 1901 Arts Club - another first for me.

On the 18th, I'm joining Spooky London for their monthly spooky pub night! Wherever it is. If I actually go. And on the 19th, I'm back with the Crick Crack Club, for an event entitled Seven Princesses - at Rich Mix, which will be my first event there with them.

Comedy: Free Admission

A provocative show. Soho Theatre. London for Less than a Tenner. Someone was asking me this evening - seriously, is that all you know about it? but what did I need to know..? I knew it'd be good. I booked.

I was working in Guildford today, and a 7 o'clock start at Soho Theatre meant I'd have to catch a train from Clapham Junction at 6.20 at the latest.. that'd be tight. So I had my passengers carefully drilled in the art of leaving the office early. Well, they were obliging - and gloriously light traffic (thank the half-term!) meant clear roads practically all the way. If only all journeys could be this short! So I arrived at Clapham Junction at about 6.05.

Checked the departure board for trains to Victoria.. "Due", "Due".. 6 mins. Third time lucky, I thought as I made my way to Platform 12. Arrived with 5 mins to go. The time came, the train didn't. The large crowd there were all looking at their watches as the minutes passed, and the departure boards disagreed: the one near me insisting, as we moved further past the time the train was due to depart, that it was still on time. After about five minutes, the platform announcer finally told us we'd have better luck on Platform 14.. down the stairs, down the corridor, up the stairs we went, and sure enough, did get a train from there. Eventually. Late.

Well, I was at least glad I'd arrived early, and had some leeway! Then it was Victoria Line to Oxford Circus, and walk to the theatre. Of course, I would find myself stuck behind a slow-moving, elderly French couple, just as I turned onto Dean Street and the place was in sight. Hey-ho, I made it in time to catch the Man with the Hat while he was still holding court in the bar.. and after me telling him he should probably leave my ticket at the box office. Figures. After a couple of minutes, I headed upstairs..

Seating is unassigned, and the usual principle applies: if there's a crowd, head down the aisle on the far side - it'll be much easier to get a decent seat over there. And it was - I got a pretty central one. We started a bit late, of course. On walked our star of the evening, Ursula Martinez. Very sophisticated.. white power suit, jewellery, red lipstick. I hadn't seen her before, and when she spoke, I got something of a shock - she reminded me of no-one so much as Maggie Thatcher. A combination of the accent and the power suit, methinks.

So it was something of a surprise when the work gloves appeared. She delights in shocking, this one - beaming at us as we looked on, bemused. And most of this quite unusual act involves her - building a wall. For real. With, you know, mortar and trowels and bricks. And her behind it.

Surreal. But quite clever, as she can use it as a distraction while she does her thing. Because she's not just building a wall, y'see. O no, she keeps quick-firing soundbites at us. While she's bricking herself in. And if she feels like a pause.. well, there's always another brick. And as you watch the rhythm of her bricklaying, you slip into the rhythm of joke (laugh), joke (laugh), not joke (aborted laugh). Clever - she slips the incendiary statements in there, and if things get too heavy, she can just flash a smile, and slap on another brick.

Those familiar with her shows will know to expect some nudity, and won't have been disappointed - although it did come as a surprise to some of our group. Particularly with all those bricks in the way. And a fine figure of a woman she is.. kudos to her too, on this cold night! Anyhoo.. A q&a afterwards cleared up such thorny questions as, did she go on a bricklaying course? (yes - and someone took her to task on her knowledge of the craft, too!) and how far does she go, down the road in the nip? (No, you just have to go see it, I'm not explaining that.) And more serious questions, about how elements of the show have been inspired by the barrage of emails and tweets she's got about previous shows - not all pleasant.

Surreal, provocative, intelligent. Recommended - and, q&a excepted, it'll only take up an hour of your time. Runs until Saturday.

Afterwards, we scurried off to the Nellie Dean again (yes, I'm familiar with it now!) Like the Soho Theatre bar, it was emptier than usual on this Monday night - upstairs was pretty deserted, so when we found a space downstairs we stayed there. And some got food, which looked decent. And I got wine, which was decent - and had my first contactless payment experience, which was freaky. (What, you mean I don't have to sign anything, or put in a PIN?) And as ever, we held court and the conversation flowed freely - until we were done, and wended our way home, and as I remarked, it was nice to get home early for a change!

Victoria Station was the usual muddle, with its departure board all higgledy-piggledy, trains in no particular order. It was miraculous that I noticed one that stopped at CJ was about to depart from a nearby platform - so I dashed for it, only to discover that the sadists weren't opening any doors at the rear of the train, so we all must needs dash for the middle. Made it, settled down with a paper. Had time to read most of it, too, considering the journey took twice as long as it should have.. stopping every so couple of minutes for unknown reasons. At least the view was nice:

And boy am I glad I'm working from home tomorrow! :-)

Tomorrow, the Man with the Hat is off to another classical concert at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. And so am I. Working from home, I'm sure to make it on time. Which is why I'd better be careful.. On Wednesday and Thursday, I'm back with LDAM - on Wednesday for The End of Longing, starring - and written by - Matthew Perry, at the Playhouse Theatre. His playwriting debut. I got my ticket through London Box Office. On Thursday, we're headed to The Patriotic Traitor, at Park Theatre. Tom Conti stars as Philippe Pétain, the title character, a good friend of De Gaulle, who nonetheless has him tried for treason as a Nazi collaborator.

On Friday, I've got another cheap ticket to the Circus Show at The Aeronaut - it'll be interesting to see how much the lineup changes from last time! On Saturday, I'm back with the London European Club, for Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras, at Sadler's Wells. Part of their Flamenco Festival. Olé! And on Sunday, I'm finally heading to one of those famous free gigs at the Finsbury - there are actually two Meetup groups heading there, I've signed up with both! - specifically, the World Music Meetup and London Gigs and Alternative Events.. 6 currently going to each, I see, but not the same 6, by the look of it..

Play: Kite

A windy day, for a play called Kite! The Man With the Hat was taking the London for Less Than a Tenner group there - so, you know, I booked. Love the group, love the venue and pretty much everything they show there (I do have some traumatic memories of Dr. Brown, but let that pass).

It's in Soho Theatre, which I've been to so many times before - but, you know, not since I moved! And so back to Google Maps. I restricted myself to public transport - wouldn't take a car up there, it'd be madness any night of the week: congested, impossible to park. Google helpfully suggested a train to Victoria, then the Victoria Line to Oxford Circus and walk from there. Okedoke.

Naturally, on the London Departures board at Clapham Junction, the next train to Victoria was departing in 1 minute. From the other end of the station. Huh. They didn't mention any more, so I took myself down the corridor to find out where trains to Victoria normally depart from. The sign said platforms 12 & 14. Ok. So I carried on to 12, where I saw, on the departure board for that platform, one was due in 5 minutes. Figured that was as good as I'd get, and up the steps I went.

I might've made the other one - I saw it leave from Platform 14 as I waited on 12 - but probably not. The train I did take was a minute late, and was I glad to get in from the cold... non-stop to Victoria, and of course, when we arrived, it did take about five minutes to weave through the crowd, all the way over to the Underground. When I got there, o sweet Christ, I really thought I'd never make it, and cursed myself for not leaving earlier (which I could've - I was working from home today, and ready to go about 15 minutes before I eventually did! I'd thought I'd be too early). It was like those pictures they put in the papers, to highlight overcrowding on the Tube. It was like a sea of refugees, seeking to gain entrance to the Promised Land.

What the problem was, see, was there was a large flight of steps down to the Underground - the crush was at the top of the steps, and not at all helped by the iron grille they'd pulled across to block off two-thirds of it. Compounding this were a couple of ladies, with large cases, who seemed to be having some disagreement with the station staff, and were having it at the top of the stairs, so we all had to step around them. Things went a bit more smoothly after that.

I didn't bother with a seat on the Tube, although I could've got one - it was only two stops. I even found the right exit onto Oxford Street! I oriented myself by shops, of course - had never heard of the stores I'd be passing between, so instead I marked where I was supposed to be relative to H&M. And that's where I found myself. Proceeded down the road, and was soon to find that it's every bit as bad trying to make progress on this road (dodging shoppers and tourists) as on the roughly parallel Shaftesbury Avenue (dodging theatre-goers and tourists). Dean Street was just past the hoarding - as depicted on Streetview; I was glad I'd checked it there though, and knew where to expect it, or I'd have overshot - the hoarding has expanded since the Streetview shot was taken, and Dean Street is now accessed through a passageway in the middle of it..

I made the theatre at about 6:45, just when the house was supposed to be opening. A quick scan of the bar found the Man With the Hat (and tickets), but I still had to squeeze through a crowd in the foyer (I hadn't come directly into the bar), and around some tables and hop over some bags to get to his free side. And just as I did, he saw me and whipped out a ticket. Good stuff! (Aside: someone later brought up the question of what would happen if you hadn't met him before, and there were several men with black hats.. it's an interesting thought for an idle moment.) He also helpfully pointed out that I could take in a drink, if I got it in a plastic container. So I did, and still made it onto the end of the queue, which snaked halfway down the stairs. And I was far from the last person in!

He'd recommended where to sit (seating is unassigned). Heh. Maybe if you were in early enough. Me, I ended up near the back - well, that was fine. Latecomers, I noticed, were snuck into the balconies on either side - I've been there, on occasion! Our row also proved popular.. particularly the far end of our row, what with all the people asking us to stand so they could edge their way over there..

And so, on with the show! This is advertised as a show without words - immediately appeals. I've loved wordless drama since I first really noticed it, in the film Lost in Translation, with that long, expressive, silent section at the end. It forces the story to tell itself in a different way. Actually, the first part of this reminded me more of ballet - or perhaps contemporary dance - with its telling of the story through the actors' movements. In short, the story is of a young girl, forced by circumstance to move from her (seaside, from the sound effects) home to noisy, crowded London to live with her gran. And I had to chuckle, when they had to take the train, then Tube, then press through crowds.. and indeed, deal with London traffic (I think they took a taxi). Pretty realistic, including the only words uttered in the piece - "Mind the Gap!".

Of course, this is about a kite, and there is some indoor kite-flying as the story progresses. And as the kite takes off, they turn to puppets to tell the story in large-scale; as someone later remarked, these are pretty realistic - one for the girl, one for her gran. It only runs for about an hour, but this is an engaging, frequently enchanting, and quite moving story. Loved it! Only runs till Saturday, too.. booking definitely recommended, tonight's showing was packed. 7pm each night, with a matinee at 2pm on Saturday.

Afterwards, with the theatre bar too crowded, we popped off down the road for drinks, the Man With the Hat telling everyone to Follow Me! (That's me, not him..) I admire his faith in me, but frankly had only the vaguest notion where we were off to - I couldn't really remember, and when we came to the Nellie Dean I thought maybe, but wasn't sure, it'd been too long - by the time I'd texted him, he appeared and led us all upstairs. Well hey, I got them to the building..

I see they've (probably wisely) made it a policy for people to order downstairs now. And a good night was had, although not a terribly late one - he's got a couple of Valentine-themed events coming up, for the month that's in it, and the conversation was dominated by things of that nature. So, tales were told of internet dating mishaps, and zombie-themed weddings.. On the way home, I just made a train departing imminently for Clapham Junction. And it transpired we had one of those drivers with a sense of humour, who told us as we approached that we were coming into the craziness that is Clapham Junction. Where we could get connections to lots of interesting places that start with "W" - Wandsworth, Woking, etc. As well as other places..

Tomorrow, I'm off to see Billy Connolly at the Hammersmith Apollo - and I'm leaving the rescue of my ticket from behind the chest of drawers to tomorrow! What fun..

Comedy: How to Keep an Alien

Ah goodee, Let's Do London - for less had an event last night! It's rare that they run something I don't like, and I do love to meet this group - attracts the most interesting people, I find! So, since the show wasn't anything I objected to, I booked, asap.

Left from the office, again. Worked till the last minute, again. Since taking the Tube to Earl's Court is only ever a last resort - you can't depend on the trains - I risked walking there, this time. And ended up with a five-minute wait for the next train! Oh, this week just isn't fair.. Anyway, managed to cram on, and composed a text to the Man With a Hat - which I couldn't send yet, being underground - to say I might be late, and to go ahead and leave my ticket at the box office if he didn't see me.

It was in the Soho Theatre, which meant getting off at Leicester Square and trotting through Chinatown and up Dean Street. I did think I'd make it in time - just - but this wasn't going to be easy. It was made even less easy than usual when the crowd leaving the station by Exit 2 (the one I wanted) was so large that I left via Exit 1 instead, taking my chances crossing the road. Oh, London in December is a nightmare if you're in a hurry.. every corner I rounded, I was met with another crowd to push through. It was rarely possible to make speed.

On Dean Street, things were a bit better - just the usual pub crowds blocking the pavement. When I got to the theatre, sure enough I couldn't see the Man With the Hat. I had a couple of minutes to go - queued at the box office, got my ticket (under the booking name of Meetup) and joined another couple of ladies heading upstairs - we decadently took the lift. First time I've done it - it was quite slow.

The show itself was How to Keep an Alien - an almost solo show by Sonya Kelly. There is also a "stage manager", who stood in the stage area and greeted us all as we entered. A casual show, it began with Sonya struggling to get out from behind the curtain to the rear. And I needn't have worried about being late - she just happily greeted latecomers, telling them to come on in, there's a seat over there. When somebody's phone rang, she said "If that's for me, I'm not here!"

The show runs for about 75 minutes, and someone afterwards remarked how hard it must be to learn all those lines - but then someone else pointed out that this is her own true story, so she didn't have so much to remember. It's the story of her trying to get a visa for her Australian girlfriend to stay in Ireland. So there's a lot of her prancing about, telling the story - and a folder full of documents, possibly the actual ones used for her application. And sound effects, ably provided by the stage manager - who has his own folder, of stage directions.

Comedy is subjective. But in my humble opinion, I found this absolutely hilarious. But then, Sonya Kelly seems to share exactly my sense of humour, and I'd crack up watching her read the phone book. Her companion (Justin) is perfect as the deadpan stage manager. Her story takes us from the couple's meeting, through the letters written by this Australian woman's great-great-grandmother, who emigrated from Ireland to Australia in the 19th Century, and through interminable visits to the immigration department. This award-winning show runs until Saturday of next week, and I highly recommend it..

Afterwards, the theatre bar was too crowded, so we made our way across to what seems - in my absence for U2 concerts - to have become the group's go-to place for shows here: a pub just up the road, The Nellie Dean. Again, downstairs was too crowded, so we made our way up the cramped stairs, where there were lots of seats. And a tipsy group of revellers. And.. no service. A couple of us found better service in the heaving bar downstairs. Interestingly, the one who served me ended up upstairs later on. And then the service up there improved..

The ladies' toilets, reached across a sticky floor (downstairs), have interesting, contactless sanitary bins. Which are shiny and clever, but unnerving to use, as you're not quite sure whether the thing is going to snap shut on you. And the hand dryer is one of those that seems just too exhausted to work. No bin for the toilet paper you have to use instead. Back upstairs, I squeezed onto a bench that had ended up angled towards the table we were sat at. And my house white was so limp, it tasted like alcoholic water.

But the conversation flowed freely. As I say, this group is great for meeting interesting folks. Speaking of which, two met who had been Facebook friends for a while, but never met in person before! Ah, Meetup - there to bring folks together. And one of them has a website, which I can't seem to access from work (I wonder why!) - but do feel free to check it out: http://www.sexandrope.co.uk/

The Man With(out) a Hat - he doesn't wear it once his charges are safely shepherded to the pub - lit out early, unusually. The remaining five of us lasted until we were politely thrown out. And Mr. SexAndRope wanted a Chinese, as we were passing through Chinatown, en route back to the Tube - but some of us (me) had to be up in the morning, so I passed. As usual with this group, I found myself home after midnight. I love 'em, though!

Tonight, the organiser of the Kensington Classical Music group has very kindly invited me - as her guest - to another classical concert - up in the Royal College of Music, unusually. It's in conjunction with the London European Club, though. Tomorrow, I'm headed with the London European Club to a carol service with a difference, at a Romanian church in town. And on Sunday, I have an overdose of The Man With the Hat; Let's Do London - for Less! is off to a matinee of "Your Last Breath" at Southwark Playhouse - based on the true story of a Norwegian woman found trapped in the ice - and in the evening, London for Less Than a Tenner is off to a concert in Cadogan Hall. Actually, so is Let's Do London - for Less! but there's no conflict.. guess who's in charge of both?! So I can blithely pick the cheaper group. ;-)