Ah, Valentine's Day. Rarely have I had a more unpredictable one - first, I had booked burlesque, but frankly decided that Leytonstone was just too far out - Funzing, so could cancel 48 hours in advance and get my money back. So then I booked a Funzing talk on Brexit Vs. Trump. Then that got booted to next month. Then I booked myself on a guided walk - Walk About London (and Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts) was going on a walk called My Bloody Valentine. But it's all change - over the weekend, both walks were cancelled, as the guide has, apparently, lost her voice! So I swapped my walk for comedy (again!) - I went to TNT Comedy, it's closer to me now than the free comedy in Hammersmith.
A little delayed, but I was still in plenty of time - from the office, the 134 took me to within walking distance of The Vine. Some evidence of Valentine's Day.. one guy on the bus with a bouquet of flowers, one writing a card for "Cathy xx". A puddle of vomit at the bus stop, which I accidentally avoided. A longer walk than I might have expected to the pub, where I ordered a drink.. and got the most fabulous welcome from the organiser! Turned out she was standing right beside me - I hadn't noticed her - and fair play to her for recognising me, it was only my second time, and it's been a while.
Anyway, it was now nearly 8, and I headed straight up. They now have little direction signs to the little room at the end of the hall, which is a good thing. And just as well I went when I did - there were hardly any seats left. Not that that stopped people arriving - the organisers just kept coming with extra chairs and stools, cramming them in wherever, and people squeezed in where they could. We later learned that 18 comedians were scheduled to perform, so if you count them and their friends, that alone would explain much of the audience.
I've gotta say, there's a great atmosphere there, very supportive to the performers, many of whom are obvious newbies. Which is just as well, because I'm afraid the comedy last night was almost universally awful. Fair play to them for making an effort, but oh dear.. of course, I can't even tell you who was on, because the mc had an annoying habit of getting people whooping and cheering before telling us whom we were cheering for. So I usually missed the name. Kudos to the comic who had his printed on his cap - Seemi Ceeda. His set, mind you, was a controversial one, focusing primarily on domestic abuse. Other memorable acts included the middle-aged guy called Andy (something), who mentioned Meetup, and the stand-out act for me for the whole night, the guys who came on at the end of the first half, one carrying the other like a victory parade, then giving us the most surreal set in high-pitched voices. Really hilarious, and the only belly-laughs I had all night.
So anyway, the mc droned on.. I didn't sleep well for the two nights before, and what with the glass of wine, was fairly exhausted, so I stayed in my seat at the interval. The poor organiser remarked, as I was leaving, that she had lost track of me! The second half was more to be endured than enjoyed, the odd flash of funniness breaking through. But hey, as I say, the atmosphere is good, and I'm happy to give it a shot. If I'm otherwise stuck. And the bus home - the C2,this time - saw a couple of couples, the ladies with single flowers, and a conversation between the couple behind me about why he'd bought her a carnation instead of a rose - he swore it wasn't the price..
Finished my excellent book, and had a decent night's sleep, for once. Tonight sees the Man with the Hat back with London for Less Than a Tenner at Top Secret comedy. We have a lot of first-timers tonight - hope some of them fancy a drink after, there's been a shocking lack of that of late. Maybe as the nights get milder - I certainly noticed an improvement in temperatures last night!
Tomorrow, he's taking London for Less Than a Tenner to a concert in St. Martin's, where we have gallery seats. And he's sold out his quota, I see.
Friday, I'm back for free comedy in Hammersmith. Courtesy of London Live Comedy, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, and London Art Comedy and Culture Lovers.
Saturday, after lunch with Helen - venue TBD - I'm back with London Dramatic Arts for a production of Hamlet, at the Almeida.
Sunday is shaping up to be a busy day. I'd booked to go to a free organ recital, with the London European Club, at the Methodist Central Hall. Then the Man with the Hat decides that would be the perfect evening to take Let's Do London - for less! to see the Pop-up Opera, with the Barber of Seville, at Charing Cross Theatre! With a 6pm start, I'll have to rush over from Westminster.. have to make my excuses to the London European Club. My, what a busy life!
Monday is the only day I have free to use my Wowcher before it expires - it's for the Magic Lantern festival.
Tuesday, unusually, London European Club is taking us to some storytelling - up in Cambridge Heath!
Next Wednesday, I'm headed, with LDAM, to The Cherry Orchard, at the Arcola.
Thursday 23, the Crick Crack Club is back at Crouch End, with The Fate We Bring Ourselves - not that you'd know it from their Meetup page! Ben Haggerty standing in for Claire Muireann Murphy, who's having a knee operation, it seems. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
Monday 27th, London for Less Than a Tenner is off to Two Man Show at Soho Theatre. I've seen it before, but it's worth seeing again. And so is the group!
Tuesday 28th, Let's Do London - for less! is off to Sleeping Beauty, at the Opera House.
Wednesday 1st March - well lookee that, the same group is off to Roundelay, at Southwark Playhouse. Three in a row for the Man with the Hat - we'll have to carry him off on a stretcher. About time we got back to Southwark though - we've missed it!
Thursday 2nd, 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 Walk, Talks and Treasure Hunts (and Walking Victorian London) announced a walk called True Spy Stories! So I thought that sounded more interesting, and booked - they're both the same price, this time.
Friday 3rd, again, 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.. The independent Crick Crack Club website now 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 4th, 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. Amphiteatre, this time - it's been a while since I was there.
Sunday 5th, London for Less Than a Tenner is advertising "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, count me in.
Monday 6th, I'm off to see Russell Howard at the Albert Hall.
Tuesday 7th, jeez, the Man with the Hat is back again! Hard to keep up these days - so as of yesterday, 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 LDAM at the Royal Court, for The Kid Stays in the Picture.
And to complete the tally of a month from now (!), that rescheduled talk from last night is on Tuesday 14th. Unless I decide to go to a film instead - as previously mentioned, I can get my money back if I cancel at least 48 hours in advance.
Showing posts with label The Vine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Vine. Show all posts
Wednesday, 15 February 2017
Tuesday, 3 January 2017
Stand-Up Comedy at TNT Comedy
Wow, I'm back! Departing from a deserted airport, this time - the least busy I've seen it in months, literally. Which meant they didn't offer to check in hand luggage - which meant the first time in months I had to bring my case on board. But I did have a gallant gentleman sitting beside me, who asked whether I had a bag stored overhead, and lifted it down for me. Easily known he was of a previous generation..
Wasn't sure whether I'd feel like traipsing all the way to Kentish Town this evening - but you know, I had a relaxed day, with work not starting till next week, and said, why not? A check of Google Maps revealed that I could get the Overground to Gospel Oak and walk from there, so that's what I did. Of course, my determined plan to catch an earlier train than required didn't quite materialise, but I got the one I needed. And the 35-minute journey just gave me time to read the paper.
Turn left out of the station, past an interestingly named dog grooming service:
..take the first right onto Highgate Road, and The Vine is on the left. The traffic lights obliged me, and the whole walk took maybe ten minutes. I'd never been here before, and I have to say it's a lovely place! An old Edwardian building, large bar area, large windows, and a beer garden in front - this would be great on a sunny summer's day.
Well, I wouldn't have recognised anyone, as this was my first time with Dave's Stand-up Comedy - honestly, I'd have been at the free comedy in Hammersmith tonight, but they cancelled, for reasons unspecified. I've been there so often, just because it's closer. Anyway, I made my way to the bar - helpfully, there's a blackboard with a very informative wine list, from which I chose a pinot grigio. And I have to say, the advantage of having to cancel your card and get a new one is when the new one is contactless.. I used to be suspicious of it, but it's really so convenient.. (FYI, Paypal did give me my money back eventually, so apart from a bit of hassle, all's well that ends well. But I still cancelled my Ebay account.)
Well, another sign said the comedy didn't start till 8, so I was about half an hour early. I figured that was a bit early to head upstairs, so I mooched around. Where I was spotted by the TNT organiser, who did her organiser-y thing and found people for me to talk to. Sadly, although I remembered I was with Meetup, I completely forgot which specific group it was, when she asked! Hey-ho.. and this only organised by one group, too. Anyway, I ended up with a group of comedians, one of whom was to be on tonight - his very first time! So, much of the conversation naturally revolved around that, until the time came for us to head upstairs.
There's a function room straight off the landing, but the room used for this function is down the hall, at the end on the right. Past the toilets. Pretty snug - and I don't know what it is, but the crowd that this event attracts is huge in comparison to that in Hammersmith. If you arrive by the advertised time, you will get a seat - but in the end, not only was it standing room only, but they spilled out into the hall - audience, comedians, timekeeper.. the show was marked by a constant parade of folks peeping in and around the corner to see the performer.
Quite an extensive lineup, and I won't attempt to remember them all - most of whom I'd never heard of before, anyway. First up was Henry Ginsberg, whose parting joke was a memorable one about time-travelling child killers (you had to be there). Personally, the highlight of the first half for me was a young lady from Rochdale (Kathleen?), who just had a delivery made for comedy: one of those people that could make you laugh by reading the phone book, y'know? It can be tough to catch the names of people you don't know, generally introduced over the applause from the last act - and as someone was later to remark, it's a shame we couldn't always hear her properly, the mic wasn't terrific and you had to hold it really close. But she's one to watch. Whoever she is.
At the interval, I wouldn't have bothered heading to the bar, except that literally everyone in the room was. I bought a raffle ticket on the way out, and downstairs, ordered a chenin blanc this time - the pinot grigio was a bit insipid. Back upstairs, ran into the organiser, who'd located the other Meetup person (!), we chatted for a bit, and I got one of the sweets that were going around.
The second half began with the raffle, and was I glad I didn't win - the prizes were all beer. And I hate beer! Couldn't even have hidden the fact, as they had to chug them on the spot. Back to the comedians, and first up was that Liverpudlian whom I've seen a couple of times in Top Secret, and whose name I forgot the second time. Let the record show that this is Tom Ward! To be followed by.. lots of people, practically none of whose names I got. Shouldn't forget the routines in a hurry though - we had one guy who selected a volunteer to demonstrate how people's memories can be wiped by flashing lights and weird music coming from an iPhone.. we had someone desccribe how he got a date by pretending there'd been a zombie apocalypse (Part #1 of an ongoing saga).. and we had someone asking us to speculate whom they'd like in front of, and behind, them in a human centipede. Now, there's something it never occurred to me to wonder about..
Interesting things, these free comedy gigs - you get a variety of acts, experienced and not, and you might just hear some novel routines. Afterwards, I made my exit, heading a bit back the way I'd come, as far as the bus stop - just as well I'd passed it earlier, because it's completely obscured by trees in both directions. Which I'm pretty sure is illegal. Anyway, luckily it wasn't a long wait for the C2, on such a cold night. (The Overground doesn't run late at night, you see.) At Victoria, changed to the 170 - and how vexing it is to see that TFL still records it as stopping at Stop R, when in fact it doesn't any more, but from Stop G: back up the road and second right. I've complained - this has been going on for a while now. And a cold, shivery wait it was at Stop G, too - unable to see the numbers of the approaching buses, for all the vans parked in our way. Just as well the driver pulled in automatically.
Tomorrow, yay, I'm back with the Man with the Hat (no, not Santa Claus) - Let's Do London - for less! is off on their annual festive trip to The Nutcracker (ahh!) at the Opera House. Sold out performance, I see. It'll be great to see the folks again. And by then, I might have secured a new flat - I have a viewing in the afternoon for a flat very close to my new office. Wish me luck - looks like a good one.
Not much happening with Meetup at the end of the week - but when has that stopped me going out?! On Thursday, I'm headed to another festive tradition of mine - I love La SoirĂ©e, and the fact that I've already seen it twice - and it's much the same each time - makes no difference. I see I last saw it last January.. but for the first time, the Udderbelly Festival - which is hosting it - has now decamped to Leicester Square! I also discovered that the official tickets for that night were completely sold out - however, I could get tickets from no fewer than five different sources: ShowFilmFirst, OnlineTheatreTickets, TheatrePeople, LondonBoxOffice, and BestOfTheatre. All for a markup of over £10, at least on the cheapest tickets - whatever, I love the show, and this is near the end of the run. I was delighted to get a ticket at all. Booked with the first on the list - ShowFilmFirst; they were all the same price, anyway.
On Friday, in contrast, I got a cheap ticket (phew! that evens out a bit) - to Antigone, at Theatro Technis, in Camden. Hey, if I take that flat, I can move in on Friday - that'd be handier to travel there! Of course, I don't start work till next week, as I say.
Saturday has turned out unusually busy. See, a while ago, I saw that the guide on the excellent Christmas lights walk I did was doing a walk of Victorian Covent Garden that day, and I booked. Then the London European Club advertised an "Arab Christmas" - a concert of early Arab Christian chants! Ah well now.. unfortunately, it's on the same day as my walk. Fortunately, the walk is at lunchtime and the concert in the evening! I booked for that as well. Funnily enough, that's in Rich Mix, which is closer to my current flat - I may spend that night there, even if I have the other one by then.
On Sunday, I'm on another walk - again, with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts - same guide, different group from the Christmas Lights walk. This walk is charmingly entitled Heretics and Horrors - Exploring London's Bloody Past. And although I've heard much about them already, I don't doubt that this guide will shed new light on 'em..
On Monday, I'm with Kensington Classical Music, at Pushkin House, for a piano recital. Oh gosh, I do hope I get that flat - it's so close to this venue you wouldn't believe!!
Next Tuesday, London European Club has a very interesting evening planned - "Beat the January Blues and Discover the Curse of the Green Fairy". Basically, a lecture about absinthe, with tasting afterwards. Tragically, all tickets were sold out by the time I heard about it.. What the hey, I probably wouldn't like the taste anyway. With the free comedy in Hammersmith cancelled again, I'm with TNT Comedy again that night. Provisionally. But they were friendly folk, it's a lovely venue, and I wouldn't mind at all.
Wednesday 11th, the Man with the Hat is taking London for Less Than a Tenner to Top Secret - inaugural visit of the year. And walkable from my new office! I'm liking it..
Thursday 12th, again nothing on Meetup - instead, I'm going to the opening night of Amaluna, Cirque du Soleil's latest show, at the Albert Hall! Cheapest tickets from the venue website, as long as you don't mind a slightly restricted view - for my money, a handrail in my sightline shouldn't prove too much of an obstacle. Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend.
Monday 16th, I've booked for Festival of the Spoken Nerd, at Soho Theatre. Yes, it's a comedy.
Tuesday 17th, I had signed up for free comedy in Hammersmith (!) with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, and London Live Comedy. But.. then I saw that Funzing UK had advertised Rising Stars: East England Burlesque Festival 2017. So I booked that instead - hey, I can get straight there on the Central Line! And I love burlesque. After booking, I got an email from them to point out that there are two events there that night, and that to avoid confusion, the name of mine has been changed to "Star Watch"..
Wednesday 18th, I've signed up with London Speaks Sessions, London for a Tenner or Less (as usual, NOT to be confused with the Man with the Hat), and LDN Talks @Night (or more particularly with Funzing) for a talk on The Science of Psychedelics.
Thursday 19th, free comedy in Hammersmith.. same two groups as above.
Friday 20th, I'm finally headed to The Comedy About a Bank Robbery, at the Criterion Theatre. Same team that did The Play That Goes Wrong - which is excellent - so I'm looking forward to this. Best value tickets from the venue.
Saturday 21st, I'm out with the Man with the Hat again - this time, it's Woolf Works, a Wayne McGregor triptych, inspired by the works of Virginia Woolf and showing at the Royal Opera House. Both his groups are going - as usual, I have a cheap seat.
Sunday 22nd, the ever-busy Man with the Hat is headed (with Let's Do London - for less!) to a dance production - at Sadler's Wells, unusually for him. The Red Shoes, choreographed by Matthew Bourne, is completely sold out for its whole run. Our Man with the Hat has tickets, though.. but he held them back (under his hat, as you might say), with sales starting at 11am on New Year's Day. They sold out in 15 minutes - I checked. That's the speed of U2's ticket sales.. of course, being a seasoned purchaser of U2 tickets, I managed to get one. All he needs now are a stetson and some glasses.. (speaking of which, good news from the U2 camp. Watch this space..)
Wasn't sure whether I'd feel like traipsing all the way to Kentish Town this evening - but you know, I had a relaxed day, with work not starting till next week, and said, why not? A check of Google Maps revealed that I could get the Overground to Gospel Oak and walk from there, so that's what I did. Of course, my determined plan to catch an earlier train than required didn't quite materialise, but I got the one I needed. And the 35-minute journey just gave me time to read the paper.
Turn left out of the station, past an interestingly named dog grooming service:
..take the first right onto Highgate Road, and The Vine is on the left. The traffic lights obliged me, and the whole walk took maybe ten minutes. I'd never been here before, and I have to say it's a lovely place! An old Edwardian building, large bar area, large windows, and a beer garden in front - this would be great on a sunny summer's day.
Well, I wouldn't have recognised anyone, as this was my first time with Dave's Stand-up Comedy - honestly, I'd have been at the free comedy in Hammersmith tonight, but they cancelled, for reasons unspecified. I've been there so often, just because it's closer. Anyway, I made my way to the bar - helpfully, there's a blackboard with a very informative wine list, from which I chose a pinot grigio. And I have to say, the advantage of having to cancel your card and get a new one is when the new one is contactless.. I used to be suspicious of it, but it's really so convenient.. (FYI, Paypal did give me my money back eventually, so apart from a bit of hassle, all's well that ends well. But I still cancelled my Ebay account.)
Well, another sign said the comedy didn't start till 8, so I was about half an hour early. I figured that was a bit early to head upstairs, so I mooched around. Where I was spotted by the TNT organiser, who did her organiser-y thing and found people for me to talk to. Sadly, although I remembered I was with Meetup, I completely forgot which specific group it was, when she asked! Hey-ho.. and this only organised by one group, too. Anyway, I ended up with a group of comedians, one of whom was to be on tonight - his very first time! So, much of the conversation naturally revolved around that, until the time came for us to head upstairs.
There's a function room straight off the landing, but the room used for this function is down the hall, at the end on the right. Past the toilets. Pretty snug - and I don't know what it is, but the crowd that this event attracts is huge in comparison to that in Hammersmith. If you arrive by the advertised time, you will get a seat - but in the end, not only was it standing room only, but they spilled out into the hall - audience, comedians, timekeeper.. the show was marked by a constant parade of folks peeping in and around the corner to see the performer.
Quite an extensive lineup, and I won't attempt to remember them all - most of whom I'd never heard of before, anyway. First up was Henry Ginsberg, whose parting joke was a memorable one about time-travelling child killers (you had to be there). Personally, the highlight of the first half for me was a young lady from Rochdale (Kathleen?), who just had a delivery made for comedy: one of those people that could make you laugh by reading the phone book, y'know? It can be tough to catch the names of people you don't know, generally introduced over the applause from the last act - and as someone was later to remark, it's a shame we couldn't always hear her properly, the mic wasn't terrific and you had to hold it really close. But she's one to watch. Whoever she is.
At the interval, I wouldn't have bothered heading to the bar, except that literally everyone in the room was. I bought a raffle ticket on the way out, and downstairs, ordered a chenin blanc this time - the pinot grigio was a bit insipid. Back upstairs, ran into the organiser, who'd located the other Meetup person (!), we chatted for a bit, and I got one of the sweets that were going around.
The second half began with the raffle, and was I glad I didn't win - the prizes were all beer. And I hate beer! Couldn't even have hidden the fact, as they had to chug them on the spot. Back to the comedians, and first up was that Liverpudlian whom I've seen a couple of times in Top Secret, and whose name I forgot the second time. Let the record show that this is Tom Ward! To be followed by.. lots of people, practically none of whose names I got. Shouldn't forget the routines in a hurry though - we had one guy who selected a volunteer to demonstrate how people's memories can be wiped by flashing lights and weird music coming from an iPhone.. we had someone desccribe how he got a date by pretending there'd been a zombie apocalypse (Part #1 of an ongoing saga).. and we had someone asking us to speculate whom they'd like in front of, and behind, them in a human centipede. Now, there's something it never occurred to me to wonder about..
Interesting things, these free comedy gigs - you get a variety of acts, experienced and not, and you might just hear some novel routines. Afterwards, I made my exit, heading a bit back the way I'd come, as far as the bus stop - just as well I'd passed it earlier, because it's completely obscured by trees in both directions. Which I'm pretty sure is illegal. Anyway, luckily it wasn't a long wait for the C2, on such a cold night. (The Overground doesn't run late at night, you see.) At Victoria, changed to the 170 - and how vexing it is to see that TFL still records it as stopping at Stop R, when in fact it doesn't any more, but from Stop G: back up the road and second right. I've complained - this has been going on for a while now. And a cold, shivery wait it was at Stop G, too - unable to see the numbers of the approaching buses, for all the vans parked in our way. Just as well the driver pulled in automatically.
Tomorrow, yay, I'm back with the Man with the Hat (no, not Santa Claus) - Let's Do London - for less! is off on their annual festive trip to The Nutcracker (ahh!) at the Opera House. Sold out performance, I see. It'll be great to see the folks again. And by then, I might have secured a new flat - I have a viewing in the afternoon for a flat very close to my new office. Wish me luck - looks like a good one.
Not much happening with Meetup at the end of the week - but when has that stopped me going out?! On Thursday, I'm headed to another festive tradition of mine - I love La SoirĂ©e, and the fact that I've already seen it twice - and it's much the same each time - makes no difference. I see I last saw it last January.. but for the first time, the Udderbelly Festival - which is hosting it - has now decamped to Leicester Square! I also discovered that the official tickets for that night were completely sold out - however, I could get tickets from no fewer than five different sources: ShowFilmFirst, OnlineTheatreTickets, TheatrePeople, LondonBoxOffice, and BestOfTheatre. All for a markup of over £10, at least on the cheapest tickets - whatever, I love the show, and this is near the end of the run. I was delighted to get a ticket at all. Booked with the first on the list - ShowFilmFirst; they were all the same price, anyway.
On Friday, in contrast, I got a cheap ticket (phew! that evens out a bit) - to Antigone, at Theatro Technis, in Camden. Hey, if I take that flat, I can move in on Friday - that'd be handier to travel there! Of course, I don't start work till next week, as I say.
Saturday has turned out unusually busy. See, a while ago, I saw that the guide on the excellent Christmas lights walk I did was doing a walk of Victorian Covent Garden that day, and I booked. Then the London European Club advertised an "Arab Christmas" - a concert of early Arab Christian chants! Ah well now.. unfortunately, it's on the same day as my walk. Fortunately, the walk is at lunchtime and the concert in the evening! I booked for that as well. Funnily enough, that's in Rich Mix, which is closer to my current flat - I may spend that night there, even if I have the other one by then.
On Sunday, I'm on another walk - again, with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts - same guide, different group from the Christmas Lights walk. This walk is charmingly entitled Heretics and Horrors - Exploring London's Bloody Past. And although I've heard much about them already, I don't doubt that this guide will shed new light on 'em..
On Monday, I'm with Kensington Classical Music, at Pushkin House, for a piano recital. Oh gosh, I do hope I get that flat - it's so close to this venue you wouldn't believe!!
Next Tuesday, London European Club has a very interesting evening planned - "Beat the January Blues and Discover the Curse of the Green Fairy". Basically, a lecture about absinthe, with tasting afterwards. Tragically, all tickets were sold out by the time I heard about it.. What the hey, I probably wouldn't like the taste anyway. With the free comedy in Hammersmith cancelled again, I'm with TNT Comedy again that night. Provisionally. But they were friendly folk, it's a lovely venue, and I wouldn't mind at all.
Wednesday 11th, the Man with the Hat is taking London for Less Than a Tenner to Top Secret - inaugural visit of the year. And walkable from my new office! I'm liking it..
Thursday 12th, again nothing on Meetup - instead, I'm going to the opening night of Amaluna, Cirque du Soleil's latest show, at the Albert Hall! Cheapest tickets from the venue website, as long as you don't mind a slightly restricted view - for my money, a handrail in my sightline shouldn't prove too much of an obstacle. Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend.
Monday 16th, I've booked for Festival of the Spoken Nerd, at Soho Theatre. Yes, it's a comedy.
Tuesday 17th, I had signed up for free comedy in Hammersmith (!) with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, and London Live Comedy. But.. then I saw that Funzing UK had advertised Rising Stars: East England Burlesque Festival 2017. So I booked that instead - hey, I can get straight there on the Central Line! And I love burlesque. After booking, I got an email from them to point out that there are two events there that night, and that to avoid confusion, the name of mine has been changed to "Star Watch"..
Wednesday 18th, I've signed up with London Speaks Sessions, London for a Tenner or Less (as usual, NOT to be confused with the Man with the Hat), and LDN Talks @Night (or more particularly with Funzing) for a talk on The Science of Psychedelics.
Thursday 19th, free comedy in Hammersmith.. same two groups as above.
Friday 20th, I'm finally headed to The Comedy About a Bank Robbery, at the Criterion Theatre. Same team that did The Play That Goes Wrong - which is excellent - so I'm looking forward to this. Best value tickets from the venue.
Saturday 21st, I'm out with the Man with the Hat again - this time, it's Woolf Works, a Wayne McGregor triptych, inspired by the works of Virginia Woolf and showing at the Royal Opera House. Both his groups are going - as usual, I have a cheap seat.
Sunday 22nd, the ever-busy Man with the Hat is headed (with Let's Do London - for less!) to a dance production - at Sadler's Wells, unusually for him. The Red Shoes, choreographed by Matthew Bourne, is completely sold out for its whole run. Our Man with the Hat has tickets, though.. but he held them back (under his hat, as you might say), with sales starting at 11am on New Year's Day. They sold out in 15 minutes - I checked. That's the speed of U2's ticket sales.. of course, being a seasoned purchaser of U2 tickets, I managed to get one. All he needs now are a stetson and some glasses.. (speaking of which, good news from the U2 camp. Watch this space..)
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