Concert: Scott Bradlees Postmodern Jukebox

Tonight, I was at a concert at the University Concert Hall, Limerick - Dolans Presents Scott Bradlees Postmodern Jukebox. Ate before I left the house, made it to the concert hall in good time, got a decent parking space. The hall was already open, so I took my seat - I'd managed to get one at the end of the third row - so, at the edge, but close to the stage:

I wasn't sure what exactly to expect from this - what we got was a jazz band, with jazz covers of pop classics. Terrific singers, I have to say - including the MC:

There was a great tap dancer, too. Several outfit changes for all the main performers. One of the singers, with an American accent, explained how this was a special performance for her, as her grannie was from Limerick, and this was her first time there! Standout performances of the night, however, were from a plump little lady that we were told was Mexican - and who had the most incredible voice! Her solos of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah and Creep by Radiohead  - which closed the show - brought the audience to its feet. Truly special. Apparently this was the first stop on their European tour - excellent show, I have to say! Glad I caught them.

Tomorrow, the very last decent thing on locally in mainstream cinema is God's Creatures, at the Omniplex again, in which Emily Watson plays Paul Mescal's mother, in an isolated fishing village - sounds Irish, by the accents - where she finds herself lying for him. Which has repercussions..

Now, I have an old friend, Vicki, in Cork, whom I usually go down to see once a year, staying the night - usually at Christmas, but she was too busy for me last Christmas. So we've arranged for me to go and stay on Tuesday, coming back on Wednesday. (Just when the first storm of the season is predicted to hit! Typical.) Now, that realistically means I can't fly to London before Thursday - but with nothing unmissable on Friday, I'm flying back that day instead. I checked on my holiday request, and it looked approved..

On Thursday, I might think of Plan 75, showing at the Belltable as part of the Japanese Film Festival - people aged 75 or older are given the option of assisted suicide, with free burial, and a $1000 grant to do with as they please.

I definitely have to be back in London for Saturday though, when I'm booked on another walk with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners! This one is A City built by a Genius - Wren's London. And as of now, he's scheduling walks I haven't done for days I can make them! Very cool.. because I do love his walks. And lunches.

Now, my boss suggested - quite a while ago - that we might have a jaunt to the head office in Tel Aviv next Sunday! I hadn't heard anything since, though - so I finally asked him. He confirmed that it won't be until at least next month now - wants to get the latest release out. (Just as well really, with all the unrest over there.) So I'll be in London that week. And in fact, that day, I finally found something good to do - London Herstory Guided Walks is doing Movers & Shakers of Marylebone! Great to be back with Mandy again.

However, there isn't honestly much coming up on Meetup - so, for the 19th, I've booked For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide.. at the Apollo. I have a front-row seat in the Dress Circle - now, I seem to remember ridiculously tight legroom, here - so I'm at the end of a row, and Seatplan says it'll be OK if I lean forward..

On the 20th, I'm with TAC for a talk on Arab & Islamic Roots of Europe's Architecture, at St. Mary Magdalene Church.

Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend. On the 24th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for The Secret Life of Bees, at the Almeida - no seats left in the stalls! Seatplan made me wary of the cheapest seats, so I'm in the next bracket up..

And on the 25th, back with Over 40 Living the Life, for dinner at the Greenwich Yacht Club again. Well, it was good last time - good food, cheap prices, good company. Three of us going so far - I'm sure there'll be more!

Concert: Saint-Saens' Cello Concerto & Opera: Griselda

With my mother's birthday today - and not having any major holidays booked - I said, why not just take the week off and spend it in Ireland? So I am. Now, I don't usually go to things when I'm over, as she doesn't get out much any more - but she mentioned to me that there'd been a newspaper article about a performance of Griselda - the first time a Vivaldi opera would be performed in Ireland - tonight only, at the Limetree, and suggested I go. Or, she suggested, there might be something else. Well, the range of nearby venues is limited, so it didn't take long to check - and when I came up with a performance of Saint-Saens' Cello Concerto, with soloist Sheku Kanneh-Mason (the soloist at the Sussexes' wedding), for last night, at the University Concert Hall - I thought that sounded rather unmissable too. So I booked both.

Yesterday was the first rainy day in a few days! so it decided to make up for it by being miserable. I had some errands to run in Limerick that day, so decided to eat near the university - there used to be a good Chinese across the road. Sadly, when I got there, I discovered it's been replaced by another eatery that I didn't fancy. The new restaurant at the university also seems to have vanished. So I fell back on the old reliable of the bar at the Castletroy Park Hotel. Found a parking space quite near the door - which was handy, as it was pouring rain.

Well, the bar here keeps changing its name - but some things never change. I was sat at my table for 10 minutes before I caught anyone's eye to give me a menu. Ordered soup - always advertised as vegetable, it's always a bit sweet, and always looks like a curry: but I like it very much. And I thought I'd have the actual curry for main course. I also ordered a glass of wine.

The soup was served with bread and butter, and without any cutlery. Or a napkin. I figured he'd be getting me those presently - I mentioned to him about my glass of wine, which hadn't yet arrived, and he said someone would bring it soon. (I guess that wasn't in his job description.) Well, seems he wasn't on his way to get me cutlery - perhaps that wasn't in his job description either. I had to wait till I grabbed someone else's attention to get a spoon - then realised I hadn't mentioned the lack of a knife, which I needed to butter the bread, so she had to go back again. A napkin never occurred to her, and I figured I could do without that. Funnily enough, watching where she went, I could see that the cutlery was right beside the kitchen door that the guy had to come out of with the food he was serving. Oh, and the soup was lovely, BTW.

I'd just finished it when the guy who'd taken my order - who hadn't served me after (do they have really segregated jobs here?!) - suddenly noticed that I didn't have any wine! (Happily, I had a large jug of iced water - and even a glass.) He was rather shocked - 20 mins had passed, after all, since he'd - I presume - told someone. So I got wine shortly after. Then my main course arrived, and the waiter asked whether I needed anything else. "A knife and fork?" sez I. He laughed. And I got a napkin with them, even! Pity the curry was quite bland, and the chicken a bit tough - I was sorry I'd gone for that, and shall try to remember not to go for that again. If I come back.

Not a hope I was ordering dessert - even had I fancied anything on the menu, it was time I headed over - parking is tight on concert nights. Naturally, to save time, I walked up to the till to pay - I'd still be there if I waited for someone to bring me the bill. As I paid, I casually remarked that it was hectic that night. He replied that they were inundated, and he had no idea why! Uh, maybe the concert across the road?! Jeez, if they get this flustered every time there's an event in the university - and they're the closest restaurant to the university - I suggest they be avoided on event nights!

Took a while to turn onto the busy main road.. I did get a space down the back of the car park: too far from the door, had my mother come along, but fine for me. The place has changed a bit since I was last there - right from the entrance doors, where they've removed the central, revolving door and replaced it with swing doors, and the side doors are now for disabled access only. They've also replaced the notice boards with a set of changing, electronic displays on one side, and a swish welcome panel on the other!

Upstairs, more surprises - where I spent some time as a PhD student (the research area) is now an outpost of the law department!

And there's now a permanent bar, with decor to match the revamped box office, and much more cafe-style seating on both sides. Yes, someone has really put a lot of thought into it.

I had a glass of wine while I waited for the house to open - it didn't open as soon as it should have, and there was no seating available, so I watched an introductory, aerial video of the campus, on a loop on a screen to the side. I just had time to finish my drink before the doors opened - and had much more, by the time they actually let us in! (There was a problem scanning print-at-home tickets - since I don't have printing facilities at my mother's, I elected to pick mine up at the box office: strangely, though, it arrived by post.)

My seat was in the row we always favoured - Row P has an aisle in front of it, so no-one to block your view: and also a railing, handy for coats, or umbrellas or walking sticks with hooks. I'd forgotten how nice and close to the stage that row is, here! Anyway, the performance was by the ICO, whose administration is based here - and the MC, in his introductory blurb, mentioned that the ICO Youth Orchestra had been performing, which would explain all the young people with instruments, roaming the halls. He also mentioned that this was this soloist's debut performance in Ireland, wooh!

The programme started with some Beethoven - recognisably so, it couldn't have been anyone else. And I was happy, as he's my favourite. This was followed by our star performer, and Saint-Saens' Cello Concerto. A beautiful piece, played with passion and intensity - this finished the first half, and jeez, at the end, he got an almost complete standing ovation, and came on for five bows. Following which, he decided we'd earned an encore, and played some piece that involved plucking the strings. And he finally walked off, carrying the cello like a child, still plucking.. some good showmanship, there.

At the interval, I had some ice cream from the usher - figured I deserved a dessert. The soloist came and went through a door near me, and I couldn't but notice how open he was to all his fans. And how many matronly women were acting like simpering, awestruck teenagers. But he was happy to pose for photos, and selfies, until his minder hurried him away.. to a seat in the front stalls, from which he watched the rest of the concert.

The second half started with a modern piece - Meltwater was better than I've come to expect from modern classical music, and quite nicely evoked glaciers cracking and melting. And our evening finished with a lovely piece by Bizet. Delighted I went, and it was great to see what they've done to the place. Most nostalgic too - I've spent more time on that campus than anywhere else in my adult life!

Today started teeming, but the rain dried off by early afternoon. To be replaced, of course, by bitter cold - no good at all for my sensitive nose. Anyway, I had to take my mother for her flu jab, so had to rise early - no blogging. After yesterday's hoo-ha with food, I ate at my mother's, and headed in later. Just nicely in time to get petrol, find the college, find parking, and make my way to the building with the theatre in it. Now, it's a building on two levels - the theatre, from the side I approached, is on the first floor, and my, but there's a long flight of steps up to it, and to the box office, whose sign is just tantalisingly visible from the bottom. There is a motivational sign, mind:

Panting, I reached the top, queued, and got my ticket. At least they hadn't taken it upon themselves to post it! Meanwhile, I noted the positive development - like the UCH - of more seating round about. Not, of course, that I got any - you have to get here quite early. Never mind, the house was soon open - and I had B1, at the edge of what turned out to be the front row; they hadn't seated anyone in the very front, because they had to squish the orchestra in there. The Irish Baroque Orchestra, as it turned out, and with just a couple of unusual instruments:

The staging, as you'll notice, was split-level - and video screens displayed, like CCTV, what was happening in various parts of the stage. Or what they wanted us to imagine was - a handy way of making it all more realistic. Also handy for seeing what was happening in the corners we couldn't see from the edge..

Again, if you're at all familiar with Vivaldi, this is recognisably a composition of his. I kept noticing familiar riffs. Anyway, this is the story of a king (of Thessaly) who repudiates his wife, Griselda, because - apparently - public opinion has convinced him that she's too "common". However, her enduring love for him, and for their son, keeps her hanging around - so you never know what'll happen!

Lovely music, gorgeously sung. Very blingy costumes, on the part of the upper classes at least. The only thing is.. being baroque, it has all these extra flourishes. And it's as though Vivaldi, upon writing what he considered to be a "good bit", decided to emphasise it. So you find tracts of singing, repeated as many as six times in a row. Continually, throughout. I found myself counting the repetitions, with some irritation. But I did ultimately get into it - and I must say, fair play to them for finding a different way to act, on each repetition! A nice production - and again, great to get back here and see what's happened in my absence.
Nothing else planned for my stay. Back to London on Sunday. On Monday, the Crick Crack Club is back again - Ben Haggarty is in Soho Theatre with Grim Grimms - a dark take on fairytales, highlighting four lesser-known tales of the brothers Grimm. With musical accompaniment. Tickets weren't available when I noted this in my calendar - they have now, predictably, sold out.

On Tuesday, I'm trying to persuade the social group from my former company to come with me to a Design My Night event - Fright Night Cinema is showing Hallowe'en in the Rivoli ballroom, with a themed cocktail bar and people dressed in spooky costumes. Now, that sounds like fun.. I've booked, at least, and a couple of others have indicated they'll come, with one from Friday expressing interest.

On Wednesday, back with Meetup at last - Up in the Cheap Seats is at a mixed programme by Birmingham Royal Ballet, at Sadler's Wells. I've seen part of it before, and it's excellent.

For Hallowe'en, The Embers Collective stepped up to the plate, with a storytelling performance called Witch, at The Jago.

On the 1st, meeting Ivan.. venue TBC.

And on the 2nd, I booked with Best Authentic Walking Tours in London, for a Royal Maritime Greenwich Ghost Tour. Now, this is - as with all their walks - with Funzing, so I can get a refund up to 48 hours beforehand. Which I knew I'd probably do (have, in fact, done for this twice already), as I might have gone to a film that day - depending what was on - or, if I didn't like the offerings, Love London Theatre, Arts, Music & Stuff is off to Blood Wedding, a new adaptation of the Lorca play, at the Young Vic. But I now see that's sold out - was bound to happen. Well, I finally did come up with an alternative that made me cancel the ghost tour - another ghost tour! specifically, of the British Museum, with Spooky London. I mean, technically I could probably go to both - I just couldn't be bothered rushing the first to traipse all the way out to Greenwich, for an event that wouldn't be at all sociable! Might get on that walk some day.

Opera: La Boheme

Back to Ireland for Easter. Happy chocolate bunny time, as they say! And isn't it lovely that the spring opera at the University Concert Hall was scheduled to coincide with that, taking place on Good Friday, of all days..

A dry day - the only one in Ireland annually, apart from Christmas Day: so you couldn't buy alcohol. I considered smuggling some wine along with us, but decided it wasn't really worth the trouble. When we entered the bar at the Castletroy Park Hotel, it was obvious there was 
something different - it was as deserted as I've seen it! There were a couple of people drinking what looked like alcohol, but they must have been residents (there are some exemptions to the rule). At least it meant there was little trouble getting seating! or service.

We had our usuals - soup and a stirfry for me, salmon for my mother. This time, tap water for me (in an interestingly slanted jug), tea for her. She proclaimed her salmon nice - unfortunately, my bad restaurant run was continuing! It seems that alcohol wasn't the only thing missing from my meal - they seemed to be skimping on the flavour as well. I'm no cook (when would I have time?!), so I don't know what was lacking - but both soup and stirfry were curiously, and unusually, bland. (The bread that came with the soup was nice.) I was glad to finish, and we skipped dessert.. although we were quite early, the desserts here tend to be fiddly affairs. And I noted that the price was still high enough, despite us only having had two mains, one starter and a pot of tea - it's not the cheapest, here.

And so over to the concert hall, whose car park was already, unfortunately, pretty full. I let my mother off at the door - she can't walk far - and secured parking as close as possible. Then we headed in, and up to the cafe - plenty of seating, although not on the sofas she prefers. And, of course, no alcohol - although they had wheeled out someone to manage the bar they open for concert hall events; he stood forlorn and neglected behind a couple of displays of chocolate. Instead, I fancied an ice cream, and headed over to that stand. And after some unmerciful whining of instruments, drifting from the concert hall - they were practicing - they opened the doors, a bit earlier than usual.

We had booked quite central seats, and the stage setting was quite impressive, I thought - there isn't any curtain here, so you get to see everything from the get-go:

(Mind you, their garret does look rather open to the elements, here..)

This was a production of La Boheme, which is my favourite opera. However, this was also an Ellen Kent production, as always in this venue - and that is not my favourite opera company. And sure enough, I've seen far better productions of La Boheme than this. Now, to be fair, the stage sets were good - although lordy, they did take their time about the change in scenery between the first two acts, when they didn't have a proper interval, and of course, with no curtain, we could see exactly what they were doing!

A few things combine to make this such a great opera: the fun scenes where the students are bantering together, the tragic and sudden death scene, leading to an abrupt ending (spoiler!).. and primarily, the gorgeous score. The last time I saw this, several of the scenes moved me to tears - and indeed, I have to give credit to Musetta, who played her part to a T. (And to her little dog, so popular with audience  and cast alike, and that my mother remarked was very calm, amidst all the attention.)

But oh, I could have wept with frustration for the performance of Rodolfo. Great voice, but as wooden an actor as the set behind him. It wasn't such an issue after the first act - when he's trying to act cold anyway, and when he doesn't play such a role in the last act. But my, in the first act, when he's supposed to be a passionate poet, falling in love with Mimi - it destroyed the whole act for me! Not the whole opera, and I did shed a tear at the very end - but what a disappointment, considering other productions I've seen. Ah well, typical Ellen Kent.

Had to be in bed early last night, to take the doggie to the groomer today. And doesn't she now look lovely! Afterwards, we headed to the Abbey Tavern, as usual - where we were lucky to get one of the last parking spots, ahead of a large funeral to be held there this evening. I had one of my usual dishes, the steak - and what a treat! Some meals are, in themselves, a celebration - and with perfectly cooked steak, perfectly singed onions and mushrooms, and perfectly crisp roast potatoes with fluffy innards - this was one such. Truly, it's made my weekend.

Finally, to Mass - and Easter Saturday services involve the lighting of the paschal fire, to symbolise Christ's rising from the dead. Wisely, what with local weather conditions, this is generally done indoors, in front of the altar. And it had been set up, in some container housed in a wok, sat on a table. However, the poor chap charged with doing it couldn't seem to get it to his liking, and as he continued to fiddle with it, it veered from shooting flames high into the air (a tricky thing to light the paschal candle from!), to billowing smoke upwards instead. As someone behind me remarked, he wouldn't have liked to be sitting in the balcony. As someone else remarked dryly, "What DID we do long ago..?" And as the priest remarked wryly, when the bit with the fire was over, it had been safely extinguished, and the church retained a slightly smoky demeanour - "I was assured it wouldn't smoke.."

Safely back, with no lasting damage from smoke inhalation, I'm headed back to London on Monday, and on Tuesday back with Funzing - London Speaks Sessions, LDN Talks @ Night, and London for a Tenner or Less, for a talk on the Science of Paranormal Activity. Unless I get a better offer, in time - it'd have to be a good one, I'm interested in this! Be nice if I got a stamp on my loyalty card - I didn't at the last one!

Wednesday, London Literary Walks is off down Brick Lane - and so am I. There'll be a few familiar faces at that - be great to see them again!

Thursday, I had my usual placeholder of free comedy in Hammersmith - courtesy of Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Greenwich, and London Live Comedy. Of course - much like Funzing - I usually end up cancelling these, when something better comes up. And lo and behold, it did - Walking Victorian London is off to see Six Islington Squares. Did sound better, so I cancelled the comedy - the walk costs £12, but I wasn't charged on RSVPing. So, when I later got an email from ShowFilmFirst, advertising £2 tickets to a concert - Nancy & Beth - at the Royal Festival Hall.. well, that sounded better again, and now I'm going to that. Stars Megan Mullally, from Will & Grace.

Ditto the comedy on Friday - or I may go to the cinema that day. As usual, watch this space..!

Next Saturday, I'm off to see the Naked House Cleaner! Venue to be revealed just the day before.. ooh!

On the 23rd, I'm on a walk of Hampstead Village Highlights, with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts. Be good exercise, leading up to my own sponsored walk in September, in aid of Cats Protection.. Helen and I are going as Dick Whittington and his cat. She's the cat.

The 24th, a summery treat! The Man with the Hat is taking both London for Less Than a Tenner and Let's Do London - for less! to the Globe (ah, it's been too long..). For one night only, the Comedy Store Players will regale us with Shakespeare-inspired improv. As usual, London for Less than a Tenner standing in the yard, Let's Do London - for less! in lower gallery seats. Which is where I go - couldn't take standing for that long. Better savour this trip - he only has four more events scheduled, three of which I'm going to, with no word on whether he'll continue longterm. And if he doesn't (Heaven forbid!), that'll leave a huge, hat-shaped hole in my life. Plenty of other stuff to go to, but hardly anything I'll look forward to as much as his events.

The 25th, London European Club again - it'll have been a while! They're off to an informal evening of classical music, in Peckham.

The 26th, London Literary Walks is doing the Sloane Ranger.

The 27th, Helen and I are on an Underground treasure hunt, courtesy of Walk, Talks and Treasure Hunts. TFL goodies to be won, it seems.. Then back to Ireland for the bank holiday weekend - which I'd forgotten was a bank holiday, or I'd have stayed over an extra day!

Instead, for 1 May, I've booked The Ferryman, with LDAM, at the Royal Court.

And 2 May, those same three Funzing groups have advertised a talk called Origin of Vampires: Fact or Fiction?

Concert: An Evening With Colm Wilkinson

Colm Wilkinson, it has to be said, always gives a good show. So when I hear he's scheduled to play anywhere near my mother (Limerick or Ennis), I book. Last time he was supposed to play the University Concert Hall in Limerick was in October - but he did his back in, and rescheduled for last night. Fair enough - I'd have had to book a flight specially to see him in October, but hadn't booked that far ahead yet, so wasn't at a loss. And my new boss had no problem in giving me these couple of days off, so I could fly on Wednesday and go to the concert last night.

As usual, we decided to eat beforehand in the Castletroy Park Hotel, across the road form the university. No problem getting parking, and we went in - noting, on the way, all the functions that were booked in the various function rooms. The problems started when we entered the pub, where we normally eat.. no free tables! I think that's the first time that has happened to us. Anyway, the server found us a nice table in the conservatory, and we ordered - our usual, basically: soup, wine, stir-fry, salmon. We know these things are good, here.

The drinks came, the soup came - accompanied by their excellent bread. Service was friendly, and we noted how busy they were. We had plenty of time to watch them scurrying around.. Eventually my mother announced that she'd had it, she was leaving - we didn't want to leave it too late to find parking at the university. With no sign of anyone coming near us, I went to ask about our main courses. He said he'd check in the kitchen. I don't think he ever did. After some minutes more, we finished our drinks and I went to pay for what we'd had - he apologised profusely and discounted us a bit for our trouble. The kitchen, he said, was under severe pressure - sure enough, a middle-aged lady who'd arrived after us came to the counter at that point to order directly, considering it'd be faster (she must have been on her way to the concert too) and was told she had no chance of getting any food in under 40 minutes! (Pity they hadn't warned us of that.) They were negotiating the ETA of chips when I left.

So, no dinner then. My mother hadn't had any soup, but was glad she'd had one of my slices of bread. We headed to the university, where I was lucky to get parking fairly close.. upstairs, at concert hall level, it was manic. We normally get a seat at that time in the adjacent cafe - my mother begged a spare seat from someone at a table, while I queued to buy the very last slice of cake, and a bar of chocolate. Then queued for a glass of wine, at a different counter. As you might expect, the concert was sold out - as the lady at the box office told one poor, optimistic soul hoping to get a last-minute ticket. I've never seen it like this, though. Maybe it was just a perfect storm, a combination of people coming for the concert, and people doing other things at the hotel..

After gobbling what I'd foraged for, we made our way in - at least we had good seats. Sure enough, we watched the stalls and balcony fill up completely, and of course the show started a little late. The crowd weren't bothered though, and Colm got a rousing round of applause when he came on. Now, his background is in musical theatre, which naturally comprised a lot of the programme - and in a week when I'd seen Phantom of the Opera for the first time in decades (!), it was great that he started with Music of the Night..

He's not getting any younger, but as someone was to remark on the way out, his voice seems to be improving with age! Now, he also has a great interest in country music, which made an appearance or several - and with his accompanying singers, he also included many popular songs. (Thanks, Colm, for the performance of the U2 song, One!) The only quibble I had was his perpetual urge to hit a high note at the end of songs, whether or not they called for it - but he does like the high ones. Speaking of which, I didn't join in the almost universal standing ovation when he left the stage - but only because I knew he'd be back. As Jean Valjean in the original English-language production of Les Misérables, for whom Bring Him Home was specifically written, he always likes to end with it - when he leaves after the main show, it's just to put on the jacket! And he told us how, when he was in New York, someone sent him a ticket to Forbidden Broadway, and how much he enjoyed their hilarious send-up of Les Misérables - also singing a bit of their version of the song.

I was happy to jump to my feet when he finally did finish. He's still got it. Got home pretty much just in time to go to bed, ready to take my mother to an appointment today - and today was busy. But hey, I did find time to blog finally, eh? And we finally got fed, at the Abbey Tavern this evening - where I had chardonnay, because I don't like their new pinot grigio, and tried a new special that turned out to be terrific. The herb coated supreme of chicken with herb stuffing comes highly recommended, if you happen by there and they happen to have it..


Flying back to London on Sunday. On Monday, I got a cheap ticket to a comedy show - Alasdair King is performing at the Pleasance Theatre.

On Tuesday, I was supposed to go to a Funzing talk - Brexit Vs. Trump - but it's been bumped to next month. So now I'm going on what you might call an anti-Valentine's walk - Walk About London (and Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts) is going on a walk called My Bloody Valentine. And bloody hell, if I haven't booked with Walk About London, and later discovered that Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts is cheaper! Ooh, will have to keep an eye out for that in future - too late now..

Wednesday sees the Man with the Hat back with London for Less Than a Tenner at Top Secret comedy.

Thursday, 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.

Next 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 of next week, I'm back with London Dramatic Arts for a production of Hamlet, at the Almeida.

Sunday of next week 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 20th is the only day I have free to use my Wowcher before it expires - it's for the Magic Lantern festival.

Tuesday 21, unusually, London European Club is taking us to some storytelling - up in Cambridge Heath!

Wednesday 22, 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, back to free comedy in Hammersmith - this time with London Live Comedy, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, and Random London.

Friday 3rd, again, Crick Crack is telling stories - Daniel Morden and Hugh Lupton are performing Metamorphoses at Rich Mix. However, neither Crick Crack's Meetup group, nor Rich Mix, seem to have heard of this, and tickets are not yet available to buy - despite Ben Haggerty advertising it just last Monday!

And 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.

And then I may need to be stretchered out..

UL Orchestra Christmas Concert

Last thing I had booked for the year (with my mother) was the UL Orchestra's Christmas concert, which happened yesterday, and nicely coincided with one of my weekends in Ireland. And one of the last things I did before leaving London was, as usual, to try to Print at Home - I've always booked Print at Home tickets, it's handier than finding, and queueing at, the box office. And this was the third time in a row that the link didn't open properly, and I had to ring them and ask them to print and hold the tickets for me. Must be something to do with my trying to access the link from London - I don't have a printer in Ireland, you see. Won't be using Print at Home for UCH tickets any more..!

Well, it has become our custom to eat at the Castletroy Park Hotel across the road from the university, and so we did yesterday - had to park on the far side of the entrance, but otherwise no problems, we got a decent table despite the crowd. As the song says.. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..

 

 

 

Had to ask a second person for the menu, but that second person turned out to be quite efficient, so 'twas for the best. The menu had varied a bit, which was a relief - my mother's usual salmon, and the usual soup (which I find very tasty, and always have), but for main course I had the beef and vegetable curry. Which was also very tasty! And when the server found out that my mother's sauce hadn't arrived on the side - which she swore she'd specifically asked them to do - she offered to change the dish; when my mother said no, it was ok, she said our bill would be discounted instead. Dessert for us both was a lemon and meringue tart - the lemon was zesty enough, but the meringue was nondescript. And I don't know by how much our bill was discounted, but it was still reasonably high.

On our way out, we passed the gingerbread model of the hotel they'd made for charity:

We waddled out to the car, suitably stuffed, and exchanged the Christmas decorations of the Castletroy Park for the Christmas decorations of UCH:

..and hunkered down for a long wait (we were quite early). We didn't want any more to eat or drink.. at one point, I went in search of a programme, but none were to be seen. When the doors finally opened - a bit late - we took our seats, which were slightly more central than they should have been, owing to the fact that another couple had taken them, and asked whether that was ok. (?) Eh, ok then..

What followed was enjoyable enough, but singularly the worst organised event I've been to in ages. I saw several people with programmes, and went in search of them at the interval - to no avail. I wanted to book tickets for something else, and went to the box office at the interval - it's usually open at the interval during an event, but it must be that Christmas feeling - they'd already locked up and gone home! And in the second half, there were words to a carol in the programme (apparently) that we were to sing along to - except they couldn't find anyone to get the house lights up so they could be read. Not to mention that none of the conductors were mic'ed, and we couldn't hear properly what they were saying to us..

So. I don't really know what we were listening to, since I never did get a look at a programme, but the first half was classical - Borodin's Symphony No. 2 and Beethoven's Egmont Overture, according to the brief blurb on the publicity. The second half opened with a couple of youth choirs, both with the same conductor, who performed pleasing, unusual programmes, of both of which we only recognised one piece; the first choir opened with the lovely Carol of the Bells, and the second finished with Jingle Bells (and a smile). Sadly, I can't tell you who they were, having had no programme.. Finally, the orchestra came back on, all bedecked with tinsel and Santa hats. I really wished I had my phone on, to snap the cello section, all with Santa hats over the heads of their cellos.. They ended with a carol medley, and it was obvious that the audience would've liked to sing along - well, my section sang snippets most heartily - but it wasn't designed for that.

Hey-ho, it wasn't over too late. Still too late to blog, given that I had to take my mother to Mass today. And the day was too hectic to blog thereafter, till I got back to Blighty. Tomorrow - not much on Meetup, if I don't fancy - heh - exercising. Carpe Diem is off to the Southbank Market - now that sounds like a plan, I haven't hardly done any Christmas shopping yet! However, not only are they charging a fiver - and you know, in a group I mightn't have time to do that shopping - but then they're off to St. Paul's, which I've seen quite enough of. So my plan is to hit the market on my own - perhaps head to Winter Wonderland, which is bigger, if I don't see what I want there.

Then on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Man with the Hat opens his busy Christmas season - on Tuesday, he's taking London for Less Than a Tenner (and Let's Do London - for less!, it's that borderline £10 price again) to Soho Theatre, for a play called Underneath, about which I hear good things. Anyway, it's by Fishamble, which is ample recommendation. They don't do bad.

And on Wednesday, London for Less Than a Tenner is off to the cinema! Pop-up, "Cinema in the Snow" - we're in Hackney Showroom, where they're apparently treating us to fake snow and real hot chocolate. :-) Oh, and we enter through a wardrobe. Kewl.. The film? Elf. Well hey, it's festive..!

Opera: Aida

Back in Ireland for the weekend, and what a joy it is to get away from the stress for a while. Anyway, Limerick University Concert Hall, near where my mother lives, stages two Ellen Kent operas every year, and we go if we can. This weekend, it was Aida. 

We considered eating elsewhere, but in the end went back to the Castletroy Park. It's just so convenient. And though we had the same, I have to wonder whether they've been reading my blog; my stir fry was much less salty, with a more manageable portion of noodles.. much better. More chicken, too. We tried the sauvignon blanc for a change, which was lovely, and I had the ice cream without the sauce - much less slosh. Very satisfying, in all!

We arrived early at the concert hall, and took our seats:

On a bitterly cold night, the hall was cold to begin with, but it soon warmed up as the hall filled, the last audience members arriving to the opening strains of the overture. And I have to say, I can't remember a more dramatic production. Sadly, many of the soloists were drowned out by the orchestra.. until Aida herself took the stage and blew the rest off of it. Performer of the night, definitely - a French soprano, Olga Perrier. Suitably dusky, as befits her Ethiopian character. 

No actual fighting in this, of course, but plenty of talk about it, which gives them ample opportunity for toe-tappingly patriotic music. Which might be why someone in our row was jiggling so much. The kids that are essential to every Ellen Kent production made their appearance at the start of the second act, performing some very non-Egyptian dance in the princess' chamber. But you know, you get used to it. Oh, and there was a fire juggler - close enough to the back of the orchestra that one musician, in particular, looked very nervous, checking to see just how close he was..

A good night, then, although it lagged for me when Aida wasn't on stage, and I felt that the ending lacked pathos. The lift took so long to come up from the floor below that we thought it wouldn't come at all, and as we prepared to leave the building, the only rain of the day decided to douse us. Just until we were in the car.

On Monday, I've booked for a talk given by a new group, Org London, whose theme is Digital Dystopias: Orwell's 1984 and the Internet Age. Or I might go to a film - we'll see. Need to get that film list done - I've only just done the Ls.

Tuesday, yippee, I'm back with free comedy in Hammersmith! (so far). Only with three groups so far - Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, London Live Comedy, and London for a Tenner or Less (just the once).

Wednesday is back with the Man with the Hat, who's taking Let's Do London - for less! to Southwark Playhouse, to see Orca.

Thursday - yes, you guessed it, free comedy in Hammersmith! Think of it as a placeholder. Funnily enough, I'd just booked with London for a Tenner or Less, and only just noticed that Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, and London Live Comedy, were also advertising. Again. So I've booked. Again. What the hey, it's free.

Now, on Friday, London Dramatic Arts are off to see King Lear at the Barbican. Haven't seen that since I studied it in school. Well, I'm off to see it too - cheaper, and sat in the very back row! Hopefully, with the maze that the Barbican is, it'll be fairly easy to avoid them.

And I did have something to do on Saturday - or rather, the Man with the Hat did, until hardly anyone booked, so he cancelled! Bah humbug. Might go to the Lord Mayor's show, which is on that day. Or perhaps a film.