Avocado Presents: An Improvised Play

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

The last time I was there, and waiting in the Curtains Up pub upstairs, I noted that they served food, and said I must try it next time. So I did - actually left very early, as I had to post something for my mother, was hungry already, and decided to head straight out there. Tube, as usual - and Piccadilly Line, not only because it was direct and I'd have to change with the other route option, but the other option also included the District Line, which was, apparently, experiencing severe delays. Again, managed to get a seat - well, I just about beat rush hour.

Alighted in Baron's Court - to a curtain of rain. Mind you, it had pretty much stopped by the time I left the station.. so I made my way to the pub. Now, earlier in the day, I'd caught the news that the Queen's children, along with the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke of Cambridge, had assembled in Balmoral - which couldn't be a good sign. They had the BBC news on both tvs when I went in - the sound was down, but seeing how engrossed I was in it, the barman kindly turned it up for me.

'Tis a dog-friendly pub indeed - although this little chap got a terrible barking-at from another, woolier creature when he came in. So the humans are friendlier to the dogs than the dogs are to each other, sometimes. Meantime, I was having food - none of which I shared with them! Burger, steak or fish. Burger or steak.. well now, there's a saying about that. So, hang the price, I had steak. Let's say it was in Her Majesty's honour.

I had a nice little table, with a good view of the telly. And while we all waited, watching the crowds outside Buckingham Palace, watching the closed gates of Balmoral - I chatted things royal with someone on the phone. And had an exceedingly good steak, yum! with a coating of garlic butter, and lovely, presalted chips. And some of their tasty Marlborough sauvignon blanc. And visited the loo, which is exceedingly decorated - and as someone in there remarked, with my red top, I matched the decor!

I had hours to kill - the show wasn't starting till 9. So I also had dessert - they didn't have chocolate ice cream, so I had salted caramel - which was quite nice!

But the news was to keep me occupied for longer:

Truly historic. 70 years, she was on the throne - longer than most people have been alive. Longer than anyone else was on this throne. She lived longer, and travelled more, than any of the others too. The world has changed so much during her reign. As people were saying, we'll never again see a reigning queen, or anyone rule so long, in our lifetime. RIP Lizzie, you were much-loved.

On another note - hold on to your hats. The British do nothing so well as pomp and ceremony, and there is no more ceremonious occasion than what's happening now. This will be interesting.

I did wonder when on earth the improv was going to start - I nipped downstairs to take a look at five to, but the door was still closed. So it was a bit after 9 when they let us in. Checked my name off a list, and I chose a seat. It wasn't hard - unlike the last time I was here (when it was actually free), there were plenty of seats; they'd attracted an audience of about six. Three had signed up through the Meetup group..

So, I remembered the two guys, and they had two chairs. However, no audience interaction.. was it because the audience was so pitiably small? Well now, the whole thing fell a bit flat. With cued music, I had to wonder - how improvised was this, really? and if it was actually rehearsed, jeez, it should have been better. I sat stone-faced, wishing there weren't people on either end of my row, preventing an early escape. I fairly ran out of there when they finally ended. Have now left the group - I won't be going back to their shows. Pity - the pub is a good one.

Back at the station, they were on the ball:

Tomorrow, the best thing coming up was Clorinda Agonistes ("the warrior") - a mixture of dance, opera, and film, courtesy of Sadlers Wells. Based on an opera by Monteverdi, it's the story of a female Saracen warrior, Clorinda, who loves a Crusader, in Jerusalem, back in the day. Which sounds like it'll have a particular resonance for me, as I've just finished reading a book about the Queens of Jerusalem, which concerns itself with this period. Anyway, this is advertised by Up in the Cheap Seats. (And it beggars belief that Meetup consistently refuses to advertise their stuff to me, considering how often I've attended their events!)

Anyway, again, I wanted to use my theatre token from Seatplan. Again, this is one of the venues that don't accept them online - so I had to ring the box office to book. Unfortunately, the box office has opening hours - and again, I couldn't get organised to ring during office hours. So I finally gave up, and booked without use of a token. Again. At least I got my favourite seat, all on its own to the side - "restricted view" because of a teeny rail in your line of vision. Mind you, when I booked, the entire back of the second circle was free - so I might have half the theatre to myself!

On Saturday, back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners. This time, it's a tour of The Backstreets of Islington! Lovely, my neck of the woods - in fact, this is a walk I can walk to. And Helen is coming! Which will be nice, and the first time in ages I'll have seen her.

And on Sunday, Cultureseekers is heading to Open House London - which used to run over a weekend, and has turned into a fortnight-long extravaganza! This festival, which started today, allows access to buildings you normally can't see. They're off to the Banqueting House, which I've never seen, and the Royal Opera House, which I have - including on a backstage tour. Just before the world went into lockdown. So, I fancy the Banqueting House - but I don't fancy accompanying this group, which currently numbers 202 attendees! I'll go on my own, thanks - in fact, I'll be trying to avoid this humungous group, who will be there from 1-2.30 approximately. You have been warned.

Kid Smokers Improv

Tonight, I booked a free ticket with an improv group called Kid Smokers Improv! at Barons Court Theatre. (It's Pay What You Can, actually.) They're actually stepping in while Avocado Presents takes a summer holiday - they have a residency here, now. Anyway, I've seen Avocado Presents before, and they're excellent - so I figured I'd give these people a shot! Avocado Presents, interestingly, have a Meetup group now - Watch Improv & Chat Comedy! which I've also just joined.

I was delighted it wasn't on until late, the day was so hot and clammy - thinking about where to eat, I couldn't see anything much around the theatre, so decided to head to O' Neill's en route. My usual table was free. My usual table was also wet. And when I looked closer, it was soaking.. and when I sniffed what was dripping on my clothes, it had the distinct whiff of beer (I'm not a sufficient conoisseuse to tell which!). Eww - it was as though, not a single beer, but a barrel of the stuff had been poured on the table! I sat elsewhere. Apart from that, I was well fed.

This far out, it had to be Tube - and wow, was that unpleasantly hot and sweaty. It's so long since I was out this way - the nostalgia came flooding back. I mainly know Barons Court Station from when I was living in West Kensington, and flying to / from Heathrow, and the Tube from the airport dropped me here - I'd then get a District Line, or just walk, if it wasn't due for a while. Anyway, this evening's walk took me through a pleasant residential neighbourhood, to the Curtain's Up pub - the theatre is in the basement.

I was early, and asked for a savignon blanc - dead impressed when the lady behind the bar asked whether I'd prefer one from New Zealand or Chile! Browsing the food menus, of course it occurred to me that I ought to have given this place a try for dinner - never mind, perhaps I'll be back.

I sat myself opposite the door that said "Theatre", and waited. I moved when I saw some folks headed downstairs - but they turned out to be members of the improv group! So I finished my drink upstairs again, and waited until the man stood in the doorway and bellowed that the house was now open, and no tickets were required..

Open seating - a small space, which was nearly full by the time the show started:

Four people in the troupe, two chairs as props. As one of them explained, the format would be that they would chat a bit with someone from the audience, then use elements from that conversation to improvise a sketch. Now, wouldn't you know it - practically the entire audiemce was packed with drama students! And as luck would have it.. their chosen interviewee for the first part was.. a builder from Cork. You couldn't make it up. (It's such a cliche, Irishmen coming over to work on London building sites - many of which are Irish-owned, too.) Kudos to the chap doing the asking, who remembered that Roy Keane was from there ("my favourite combative midfielder..").

Now, I remember watching improv years ago, which - not to put too fine a point on it - was s***e. My, how it's improved - two people per sketch, and if one of the "subs" thinks they can add something more, they tap the person they want to replace, and they're off on a different tangent. No matter what storyline they follow, they're always trying to draw elements of the initial conversation with the audience member into it. What we saw on this small stage tonight was some brilliant, on-the-spot development of a scenario, of characters, thinking on their feet.. stunning improv ability. At least to me, who couldn't improvise my way out of a paper bag! Very highly recommended.

Tomorrow, I booked for the Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street Tour with Poppy's Events for 40s 50s and 60s, another new group to me. But Laurence and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners have a walk that day as well - the Strange Tales of Old (and New) London Tour. And with one company I applied to having rejected me, and the other saying they won't let me know before that day - I'll be free. So now I'm going on this instead - don't fancy doing both, although I could. And, of course, we're headed to the pub after. Being mindful of the heat, of course.. it's supposed to be a scorcher.

On Saturday, I'm off to see The Ehrlich Brothers, a magic show at the Wembley Arena. This is with Friendly Frolickers 50+ Meetup Group - so I've joined them as well. I was - as often happens - rather frazzled when I booked though, and completely forgot that they have their own, discounted tickets! Blast - they do this specifically so that they can sit together. Well, I've booked my own - more expensively - and explained. Can't be helped. Oh, and again, CT now has tickets for that very day..

On Sunday, I booked with the 45+s again - but not with Laurence this time! They do have walks guided by other people, and this one is of Brick Lane. Except.. today I noticed it's also on TAC. So I've now cancelled my original booking, and booked through them instead (cheaper). Oh, how mercenary of me.. but the guide was the one who decided to advertise it there as well!

For Monday, I finally gave up on Meetup - the best things coming up were walks, and it's supposed to rain. Instead, I'm headed with TAC to a show called Mediocre White Male, at the King's Head (another place I haven't been to in years!).

On Tuesday, back with Civilised London - for a Syrian meal this time, at Imad's Syrian Kitchen. Meeting beforehand at The Clachan.

And on Wednesday - well, I've signed up with Soho Comedy Factory Shows and Socials, which organises free events on Wednesdays at the aforementioned Soho Comedy Factory. Again. And again, this is subject to change. Watch this space..