For today, Meetup's most interesting suggestion was from Ken's Events (and its spin-off, London Art, Comedy and Culture Lovers), who were doing Open House. This is where buildings not typically open to the public are open to the public for one weekend of the year, for free. So naturally, the above groups charge £3. So I decided to do it on my own. And then Helen got in touch to ask whether I'd be interested - so that was handy!
Well, she sent me a shortlist of buildings, and boy was I glad I didn't go out last night, and had time - among other things - to work out the transport connections between them (handily, as it turned out, because she - and her husband, who came too - hadn't had time to do so). The most interesting to me was the Custom House, firstly because it's in the oldest part of town, and more importantly for the detector dog displays. :-) So we decided to meet in time to make the 1:30 display.
I fully meant to take the bus to Waterloo, and as usual, approached the stop just in time to see the one leave that I should've taken. Now, bus does take longer than train - and although I was too early to take the train, I was now too late to take the bus, and doing anything else while I was waiting would've made me late, overall. I took the train, occupying myself at Waterloo by buying a drink - from the kiosk, rather than the shops - and finding a seat.
Yes, I was in plenty of time, and when they arrived, we confirmed that yes, we were off to the Custom House, and yes, by bus (I'd also prepared the Tube option). Off, then, down the steps to Stop W, and one came nice and early, leading us on an interesting route through the backstreets south of the river (bit bumpy, too). Helen remarked that it was nice, travelling by bus and getting to see something of the city above ground - and we agreed that the display that tells you what stop is coming up just makes the whole thing very easy. I couldn't agree more - I love it. Across London Bridge, past the Monument, and traffic was so terrible on Great Tower Street that the driver let us off where we were - I do believe we'd have been late, otherwise.
Ahead, around the corner, and cross the road - you couldn't miss it. We weren't sure where to go in, until we saw the crowd.. beckoned in by a lady with an excitable dog. Yes, this was the place, and we were advised to go straight down and nab a good spot to see the display, which would be starting shortly. So we zipped through the old corridors of the building, passing several enthusiastic volunteers, some of whom were slightly dismayed that we were passing them by. We promised them we'd be back.
And so out to the car park, where we got a good vantage point overlooking the arrangement of luggage laid out in a large ring. We had one of the senior handlers explain to us how the star of the show - Teddy:
.. (the enthusiastic dog at the gate) would demonstrate how he could detect drug traces in one of these suitcases. (More photos here.) Or hopefully he would, since he'd only been in training for a week! Naturally, he played a blinder:
It was also interesting to hear how the dogs could be used to sniff out animal products, or even money. And the meet n greet with the dogs afterwards was very popular!
Several more interesting displays awaited us - a display on diesel smuggling, a table with examples of bomb components, a demo of how to disarm someone, a room full of examples of illegal animal products from endangered species. In one room, a hugely enthusiastic presenter made the talk about money laundering that much more interesting. I have to say, the friendly and welcoming atmosphere here made it a must-see destination for Open House, and there has to be something for everyone. Highly recommended.
Next on the list was the Senate House, so back to Great Tower Street, and a two-bus combination to Tottenham Court Road - the 15 and the 25. (It wasn't going to take much longer than the Tube.) Actually, I'd forgotten that the 15 is one of the great regular bus routes for sightseeing, and we got some great views of St. Paul's as we passed right by - I've been here a lot this week!
Now, I can't seem to reproduce the directions that Google Maps gave me yesterday, but I swear it said to change at Fetter Lane, direct from one bus to the other. The first piece of fun was when our driver passed that stop entirely, and we had to walk back. The second was when the 25 turned out not to stop there at all - we walked up Fetter Lane, turning onto High Holborn, and found a stop there to catch the 25, which, handily enough, was just coming.
All's well that ends well, and we made it to the Senate House soon after. I did remark on the difference between the neighbourhood we'd left and where we now were - so much more genteel. Anyway, the Senate House is the administrative building for the University of London, and an imposing, art deco building, apparently used as the backdrop for sundry films:
We didn't see much by way of definite guidance in there, although the advertising for the Shakespeare exhibition is prominent:
We did find a film, showing on a loop, made of archive footage of the laying of the foundations of the Senate House - which was interesting, and the architecture is gorgeous, the rooms stately, with more upstairs. As we felt we'd seen enough, and were making for the exit, someone working there advised us to go up to the exhibition - we took the lift up, only to be greeted immediately with the announcement that "Open House is closed - you can't go into the exhibition, and they shouldn't have told you that". Ah well.
The other locations were within walking distance, but it was getting to closing time by now, and we didn't feel like the walk, and were hungry. Helen, who used to work nearby, remembered a good Italian - and so we came to Olivelli's, a short walk down Store Street. Apparently run for a long time now by a Sicilian family, service is friendly, and the food is somewhat spectacular. For my part, excellent garlic bread - and a generous portion of it - was followed by a great saltimbocca, but the absolute highlight for me was the "torta paradiso", a house specialty, including a layer of hazelnut praline that I just couldn't resist. Not cheap, but this was the best meal I've had in an age. Memorable, and recommended. And the snipe of limoncello offered at the end was much appreciated!
I'd been too tired to research the bus route back from here to Waterloo, so we just took the Tube, Helen remarking that she was glad we hadn't been doing that all day, it was so hot underground! It was a good day though, good to catch up, and good to see these new places. And I now know of another excellent restaurant - for special occasions.
Tomorrow, those Meetup groups (and some others) are doing Open House again, and I'm going local with it - keeping it nice and simple. Locally, only one location is open tomorrow - St. Mary's Church, Battersea - so that's where I'm going. And it's close enough to walk. Could do with simplifying my life.
Next week is pretty busy - Monday, I'm back with London Dramatic Arts, for Father Comes Home from the Wars. A trio of short plays about a black man fighting for the Confederates in the American Civil War, it's a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and showing downstairs at the Royal Court - the very first venue I ever went to with them, as it happens.
On Tuesday, the Man with the Hat is taking Let's Do London - for Less! to Southwark Playhouse for another wartime drama. This one is The Greater Game, based on the true story of a football team, all of whom signed up to fight in the First World War.
Wednesday is actually Helen's birthday, I've taken the day off, and a few of us are headed for a full day of merriment. The plan as it stands is to start with the Clangers, Bagpuss & Co. Exhibition at the V&A Museum of Childhood, then we've booked a chocolate afternoon tea at Rabot 1745, followed by an evening of Colouring with Cats at Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium.
Thursday is a leaving do at work - taking place at The White House, in Guildford. So I'll take the train to work that day, for once.
Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend, and a well-deserved rest..
Before the following week! Monday sees the long-awaited return of the Crick Crack Storytelling Club, who are at Soho Theatre with The Girl who Married a Dog.
Tuesday, I'm back with Kensington Classical Music, for a concert at Asia House - part of the Talent Unlimited Music Futures Festival, for young performers, which runs all week.
Wednesday, the Man with the Hat is taking London for Less Than a Tenner to the Top Secret Comedy Club.
And Thursday sees my second outing of the week, with Kensington Classical Music, to Asia House, for that Talent Unlimited Festival.
Ah, autumn. For me, primarily of interest is Hallowe'en - the perfect excuse to indulge in things spooky. And it started last night, with a Ghosts and Executions tour - advertised by London for a Tenner or Less, and booked, therefore, through Funzing.
I was a bit worried after having had to rush home early the night before, with a sick stomach - but I was much improved yesterday, and no such emergencies arose. Curiously, although Funzing said I didn't need to print anything out, London for a Tenner or Less said I did - so I did, for safety. It was a late enough start that I could take buses all the way, so I availed of that cool Hopper fare again - all hail our wonderful mayor, again! The route with less walking involved the 344 to Elephant & Castle and the 100 from there - it was to stop just past our meeting point, at Exit 2 of St. Paul's Station (beside Caffe Nero).
A delightfully easy journey - I was glad I'd left enough time though, it usually takes a bit longer than estimated. And it was nice and dark well before I got there. Sure enough, I alighted just past where I needed to be, and as I walked back, saw a crowd of people standing near the Tube entrance - and saw the "Mystery Walks" sign that the guide had said he'd bring. (He does have a website, but it's really underdeveloped - you're better off looking on Funzing.)
So much for not needing to print anything - despite having all our names, he insisted on having a voucher! (Mind you, with his thick Cockney accent, it took me four goes to figure out what he was talking about.) He was happy with my confirmation email - well, he'd have had to be! I didn't mention that Funzing had specifically said we didn't have to print anything. When another couple arrived, he mentioned Groupon - I guess those would be the vouchers in question. In fact, I just checked, and they're cheaper there - bugger!
Anyway, there were five of us with him in total - as he said, it was nice to have a small group. Two more had been supposed to come, but didn't show, despite him waiting nearly 10 minutes past time, and didn't contact him - don't you just hate that? I know stuff happens, but the fact that they didn't let him know they weren't coming inconvenienced not only him, but the five of us who were also waiting to get going..
A nice full moon set us on our way. Now, I had covered a lot of this ground previously, but the guide was a knowledgeable one, and did tell me some things I hadn't known before. We went at a decent pace - brisk, but not too much so, and he was very conscientious about not going too fast for people, and for that matter, about never crossing unless the pedestrian light was green. He'd also brought laminated articles, complete with pictures, and a tablet to show us more photos.
He stopped at Amen Corner, beside where the clergy of St. Paul's live in Amen Court, to give us some history.. while he was talking, we had the interesting distraction of a pizza delivery man on a motorbike, who was a bit phased by the barrier across the lane. After a bit of inspection, he lifted it, looked at it very dubiously as he passed under, made his delivery, and dutifully lowered it again after himself as he left..
Upon entering the church of St. Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe for a look at what is reputedly the oldest bell in London, we were greeted by gorgeous singing. Our guide left the ghostly talk for outside though - apparently the Church doesn't approve. Now, one of the interesting facts that he imparted to us is that the reason for all the little alleys around St. Paul's is that the height of the surrounding buildings was limited so as not to block the view of St. Paul's - well, they got around that by creating lots of little alleyways that you could see it from - so you can be sure of seeing it from every alleyway in the area!
More photos here.
I had to laugh when I got a message halfway through that the event had been cancelled - typical of London for a Tenner or Less, who seem to be trying to hide the hundreds of events they're posting, after the fact. Probably trying to stay under the radar, as Meetup doesn't consider themselves a commercial entity. I laughed again later when London for a Tenner or Less emailed me to say they hoped I'd enjoyed the (cancelled) event, and would I like to leave a review..
St. Bride's and the church of St. Bartholomew the Great featured, as they have done before, and with good reason - both historical and picturesque, and the latter with its own ghost. Interestingly, as we stopped at the William Wallace memorial, I noticed Scottish flags and flowers - apparently, they were left on the anniversary of his execution, a few weeks ago.
My only quibble with the content came right at the end, when we made the obligatory stop at Greyfriars Church, where Queen Isabella is buried, and which she's supposed to haunt. Now, this guy claims to be a historical consultant, who's worked on many documentaries - so why oh why did he tell us that she was married to her father-in-law, Edward I, when in actual fact she was married to Edward II? What was that nonsense about her only surviving her husband by three days? And what was that about Jane Grey being buried there? Maybe I got the wrong person. Maybe he should read up on his royalty - I don't think it's his strong suit.
So, good walk, despite the fact that I'd heard a good bit of it before - occupational hazard. And a pity about that annoying mistake at the end. But he's a good tour guide, all told. And so home.. I'd forgotten how impressive St. Paul's actually is (I really don't get into town enough these days):
That's a 17 at the stop. By the time I got there, it had left, and I was to discover that it would have done me as well as the 15 that Google Maps had advised me to take. Never mind, a 15 wasn't long in coming. I got off at Monument, back around the corner, and was just in time for a 344 to take me all the way home. Nice one! Too late to blog though, with me in Guildford today.
Tonight? Best thing Meetup is suggesting is a Korean Music Festival at the British Museum. Yes, I was at a Korean concert before, it was very nice, and this sounds interesting. Advertised by London Art, Comedy and Culture Lovers, who charge £3, so I'd go on my own, as usual. However, I've had a long week, could do with a decent meal, need to do a shop, and the weather is miserable. So I think I'll pass.
Tomorrow, Helen is coming to town and we're doing the annual Open House, where buildings are open to the public, for one weekend only, that aren't normally open. All we have to do is decide which of the hundreds of buildings available we want to visit! At least the weather's supposed to improve..
I always enjoy London Literary Walks, and last night's offering was ideal - the Tate Switch promised to take us around Southwark, an area I've always loved. So I booked - for free, as always.
How unlucky to be struck down with a tummy - well, something. With hindsight, it seems a bit like food poisoning, but when I was getting ready to leave, I swear I only had a mild tummy ache. On the bus, I had a few rough moments, but was sure I'd be ok in a bit. Traffic was heavy, but I did make it to Southwark Tavern in time - the organiser always waits for half an hour in the pub beforehand.
He'd said to go downstairs, so I did - not seeing the group immediately, I headed for the toilet - thought that was wise. And as I was coming out, I met one of the group, who told me where they were - down some steps, and in "Cell 5". I did find them without too much trouble after that, but I must say the layout is fascinating. I recommend the basement if you're here - air conditioning made it cooler than the bar upstairs, and the "cells" are individual, private alcoves, containing tables, benches, stools. Nice and cosy.
We hung around for a bit, our leader regaling us with whatever interesting snippets crossed his mind. And I was excited to be there, and would normally have loved this bit - but it was a bit spoiled by the fact that the pain in my stomach was getting worse. I consoled myself with the thought that walking would probably cure it - didn't think it'd be wise to get a drink, though.
We hung on for the one remaining member who hadn't arrived yet, but I was quite relieved when we left. Made our way outside, and I did manage to get a nice shot of the Shard:
..and uh-oh, that pain in my stomach was getting worse. Anyway, we moved on a bit, and the organiser was full of interesting titbits about the alleys and courtyards, and how this area was originally outside of London, and was bought by the city. And contained a lot of coaching inns, where people could replace their tired horses after a long journey, and rest and refresh themselves.
..and now, whether we were standing or walking, that pain wasn't going away. I tried to hold out as long as I could, but finally decided this was just going to get worse, made my apologies and left. Yes, I know I missed a ton of information I'd have loved to hear, but what could I do?
The journey home was interesting, of course - I had a bit of a walk to the bus stop, and hadn't quite made it when I suddenly and desperately needed the toilet. Oh where, oh where could I find one? Across the road, I spied the Southwark Rooms, and made my way over there - luckily, there wasn't much traffic, and I got across quickly enough. They were completely empty, and as I entered, the barman approached. I asked for the toilet and was directed downstairs.. oh, what a relief. Diarrhoea. When I considered it safe to move again, I left - to see him closing the place up. Fair enough, it was empty - but 8:30 is quite early to be closing..
It wasn't fun waiting for the bus, and when I got on, it was even less fun. Finally I decided I'd need to get off at Vauxhall and take the train - I was lucky to get a nonstop, but was still literally praying for my station to arrive. Managed to get home, and threw up about half an hour later. Felt much better after that, although gutted to miss the rest of this walk.
I do feel a lot better today - although rather dubious about eating, as I write this just before going for lunch. So I'm going to risk the Ghosts and Executions walk tonight. Booked through London for a Tenner or Less, so Funzing - too late to cancel now and get a refund, anyway! Curiously, Funzing says you don't need to print the confirmation, London for a Tenner or Less says you do.. I have, for safety.
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.
Man with the Hat, Southwark Playhouse. No-brainer. He was taking Let's Do London - for less! to see something called Punkplay. Yep, fine - this was going to be a good night; I booked.
I was in Guildford today, but it was a late start at Southwark Playhouse, so I figured I'd be ok. Given the nature of this guy's events, I scheduled my days to work from home to be the days after his two events this week - so, tomorrow and the day after. In case of late nights, you see. ;-) And indeed, despite having to drive back from Guildford this evening, I was in plenty of time to take the bus.. I must've just missed one, because I actually had to wait this evening, rather than have one pull up as I arrived!
Jeez, I'll never get used to the temperature difference between here and Ireland. I was freezing over the weekend - this evening, I had to take off my coat on the bus, or swelter. At least it dried up the (pretty bad) head cold I caught in Ireland. Arrived at the venue, headed for the bar - where, as it happens, I ran into the Man with the Hat. Well, I knew he'd be around here somewhere. And so down the back to meet some familiar faces, and shoot the breeze until the house opened.
This play was in the "Little" - we entered a rather smoky environment, which seemed familiar from before, and sure enough, they did that here the last time too, for Thérese Raquin. As blogged about. Unassigned seating - we ended up around the middle. Watching silver balloons sway at the end of ropes, spelling out "Punkplay" - now, had the Ps aligned, I'd have liked to take a photo: but they only did very briefly, right before the show started. So that wasn't happening.
Yes, there's punk in this - but fear not if that's not your thing, there isn't an awful lot of real punk. For one thing, it's set in 1985, which is post-punk. And - as stated in the programme - this is obviously a memoir, inspired by real-life adolescent experiences. Madder than anything that happened to me as a teenager, but what the hey. Basically, it's about two teenage lads, embracing the punk ethos of just going for it, as they learn how to live their lives.
What it is, is a real nostalgia trip. I was never into vinyl, but my collection of cassette tapes was prodigious; they have both. The fashions, the hairstyles, the glitter balls - and roller skates: the whole cast spends pretty much the entire play skating back and forth. Gosh, if I had to do that, I'd twist an ankle pretty quickly - fair play to them. And for those of us who really lived through the era, the show was great fun. Yeah, if you want a blast from the past, it's very true to life. Runs until the 1st.
Afterwards, a few of us hung on for yet more shooting the breeze, and (joyous day!) the conversation swung around to U2. So that was a happy end to the night - but hey, it would've been anyway.
Yippee, we get to do it all again tomorrow - in Soho. He's taking London for Less than a Tenner to Soho Theatre, to see Two Man Show. Which, as you might expect, has two women in it. Talking about men. Just as well I'm working from home - it has a somewhat early start. And hey, maybe there's a bus option I can take for once, given that I'll have the time..
On Wednesday, I'm back with London Literary Walks - this one is called the Tate Switch Walk. And on Thursday, I'm delighted to be going on my first pre-Hallowe'en event.. London for a Tenner or Less (NOT the same as the above 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.
Back to Ireland every second weekend, and hardly ever anything to go to - not anything near enough to be feasible, anyway, and that my mother would also enjoy. So when A Great Arrangement came up, it sounded like that elusive thing we could go to. She agreed, and I booked. On in the Limetree, and she suggested we eat in the Castletroy Park Hotel. I hadn't travelled from there to the Limetree before, but when I looked it up, it was easy - down Childers Road, turn off just before Lidl, and straight ahead till you come to the main entrance to Mary Immaculate College, where it's located. 15 minutes.
We were relieved, when we arrived, to find no sign of a wedding - this is a major venue for them, and they do tend to spill over into the bar. When we're eating at the Castletroy Park, we don't go for the main restaurant - we prefer the bar, which used to be called the Merry Pedlar, and is now "The Brasserie". I guess this was inspired by the knocking down of the back wall, opening it to the other public areas, and making it lighter and brighter.
Their soup is always excellent, so I had that. Decided to have steak, for a change - and o my, what an excellent idea that was! The lamb t-bone was the cheaper steak, so I had that. And it was fine - the real stars of the dish, though, were the roast potatoes, the mash (which was supposed to be minty, which I couldn't taste, but was tasty nonetheless).. and the gorgeous whiskey and pepper sauce that I doused everything with. Gosh, I should start looking for dishes with whiskey in 'em - I always seem to love it! Dessert was an "artist's platter" - ice cream of three different colours, with sauces of accompanying colours, sloshed messily around the plate. Calling this artistic is really pushing it, and the ice cream wasn't the best - I wouldn't bother with it again. But that sauce with the steak was truly memorable..
We left in plenty of time for the Limetree - I actually beat Google Maps' estimate, and got there in about 10 minutes. That turn-off by Lidl, which was the first part of the journey that was new to me, was clearly signposted for "Mary Immaculate", and the later signpost - a confusing one, shown on Google, that directed you to the offices, which wasn't the way I needed to go - wasn't there any more. Instead, before I knew it, I was upon the large, concrete entrance to the college.
Pass the first car park on the left, head for the second - then head to the second section of it, which has the closest spaces to the entrance to the Limetree. We were still early - doors weren't supposed to open until half past, and actually didn't open until about 7:50. And the dreadful thing about here - especially considering the elderly demographic of the audience - is that there's really no seating while you're waiting. O yes, there's a bar - you just stand. Would it kill them to scatter a few chairs about the place, before a show? There is a kind of bench seating, down some steps- not suitable for people with limited mobility. It's something to bear in mind if attending here with elderly companions.
When they finally did open the doors, we made our way upstairs, as we'd booked for the back section - it has a ledge in front of it that my mother likes. And there's a lift. And the upstairs door wasn't open, the light inside it was off.. another couple were with us, and we dithered in confusion until someone appeared behind the door, and let us in. Poor management, but we did get in eventually. I remember the last time we were here, we'd booked the same row, but the house was so empty we ended up sitting much further down - not this time.. the place was packed. Including a group of schoolboys that filed in just before the show start time.
Because, you see, this is a historical piece, and would have been educational for them. Five actors portray the Irish Republican Michael Collins, his fiancee Kitty Kiernan, and sundry other characters. In fact, the actors portraying the aforementioned two characters are the only ones who get to keep the same character throughout - the others are forced to switch through an absolute array of them.
The events of the play centre on the negotiations for Irish independence in London in 1921, in which Collins led the Irish delegation. The thing is just about decided by the end of the first half, and debated in the Dáil in the second, when that massive (and somewhat grubby) Union Jack is pulled down to reveal a tricolour underneath. The whole play is based on historical documents of the time. And we're taken briefly through the ensuing civil war, and in a short bullet list, it's explained how Ireland finally gained the status of a republic in 1949.
Because, of course - as is a matter of record - the treaty agreed in 1921 didn't provide republican status. No, that wouldn't have been acceptable to the British - instead, Ireland was offered dominion status, as with Canada. That, or a return to the open warfare of the War of Independence. Now, Collins had had enough of war, and he - and the other plenipotentiaries - decided that equal status with the likes of Canada was much better. But, you know, the Republicans back home didn't agree - and given that the treaty meant swearing an oath of allegiance to the crown, and retaining British naval bases in Ireland, you can hardly blame them. Still, when De Valera led his delegates in a walk-out from the Dáil, starting a civil war, you'd have to wonder about his motives in sending Collins over to negotiate at all. No wonder, as Collins remarked after the signing of the treaty, he'd signed his own death warrant - and indeed, it's not much of a spoiler that he was assassinated in 1922.
To this end, whenever he's on stage talking politics, it's underscored by an ominous, low drone. This is, in fact, a very powerful piece - as one review of a previous performance stated, more of a history lesson than a full-blown play, with the three other actors (the multi-character ones) at the back, rattling off facts and figures. Still, they've dramatised it wonderfully. And those three actors give an absolute masterclass in dialect, switching effortlessly between Irish and English accents to portray people on different sides of the argument - one, in fact, does three, also portraying the prime minister, the Welsh Lloyd George! He also gives the most fantastic impersonation of De Valera, donning a pair of round glasses, a pinched voice and a mincing stance.
Light relief is provided by Kitty Kiernan, whom that review described as "a lightweight", and someone on the way out described as "wishy-washy". She comes across as completely apolitical, talking about dances and romances - possibly a less girlish actor would have come across a bit better, but at least it does give us a break from all the serious stuff happening around them.
Highly recommended, and deserving of the almost complete standing ovation it received - I've rarely seen such enthusiasm from a crowd, here. Sadly, there was no mention on the flier of what theatre company is showing it, but I did see that it's on a tour of the island, culminating in the MAC in Belfast from Thursday to Saturday of next week. If you happen to see it advertised in your area, do try and go.
The rest of my weekend was too busy to blog, culminating in a dinner in the Abbey Tavern yesterday before my flight. Which was lovely - but I missed that whiskey sauce! Tonight and tomorrow are devoted to the Man with the Hat. Tonight, he's taking Let's Do London - for Less! to Southwark Playhouse, for Punkplay - as the name implies, all about punk. On roller skates, I believe. And tomorrow, he's taking London for Less than a Tenner to Soho Theatre, to see Two Man Show. Which, as you might expect, has two women in it. Talking about men. I managed to secure the day after both of these shows working from home - in anticipation of late nights!
On Wednesday, I'm back with London Literary Walks - this one is called the Tate Switch Walk. And on Thursday, I'm delighted to be going on my first pre-Hallowe'en event.. London for a Tenner or Less (NOT the same as the above 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.
Yeah, tonight I was meant to be headed to Bear Jokes Comedy, in Hackney, with London Live Comedy. But more and more, I didn't feel like heading to Hackney. So when I got an email about cheap tickets (there are a few I'm signed up to..), I decided to see what was on offer. Behold and lo, they had The Inn At Lydda, at the Wanamaker Playhouse.. now, I knew that some of those performances had sold out, but I checked, they had tickets, and I said sod it - and booked.
I adore this venue, and its sister, the Globe. I'd literally go just for the venues themselves. Anyhoo, having the whole day to prepare - I was working from home, handily - I was still rushing, of course. As I approached the pedestrian crossing, the bus was at the stop on the other side. The gods were on my side, though - the same light that allowed us to cross also backed up the traffic - so the bus couldn't go far from the stop - so by the time I got to it, it had hardly moved, and I appealed to the driver, who decided he wasn't going anywhere fast, and let me on. And also the guy racing behind me - so I guess my good deed for the day was holding the bus for him.
I had to sit in the back, but I seem to be getting used to it, and had a pleasant enough journey - it was just getting a bit dark by the time I got there. Got my ticket - for the pit. This was the third time I'd been here, and like the first time, I was in the pit - like the Globe itself, this bit is the closest to the stage; unlike the Globe, it's seated. Backless, like the Globe seats. Upholstered, unlike the Globe. The Man with the Hat was also there, coincidentally (without the Hat tonight), and he and his companion were sat right behind me - fancy, I had the advantage over him, he'd never been before, I discovered! He was greatly impressed by the decor, and I agree. Sadly, this venue completely prohibits photographs, unlike the Globe, which does allow them while performances aren't in progress.. last time I was here, I did manage to snap one off from the gallery, while no-one was looking (no flash, of course):
Again, this time I'd have had to fight the usher, standing right in front of me, to do the same. There are better photos online.
The Inn at Lydda is based, apparently, on a historical text that claims that the Roman Emperor Tiberius, seriously ill, sought the healing powers of Jesus. (The Guardian provided an interesting review, by the way.) I certainly had a great seat - front row, and glad of the legroom; I've complained about that before. It did mean I had to tuck my feet in whenever the actors were making an entrance - again, like the Globe, they tend to enter through the pit. I got swished by several cloaks - this was not a great hardship. Other Globe touches were in evidence - the love of including musical excerpts, and minor audience interaction, principally in the form of someone handing out nibbles at the end of the interval. Not that we got any..
The first half is played primarily for laughs, and left me with the impression that the Inn of the title is the crossroads where every crackpot within the boundaries of civilisation met. The three wise kings, in particular - who've apparently hung around all this time - are a hoot, Caesar himself seems a bit touched in the head, and as for his nephew, Caligula - jeez, he's as bonkers as you'd expect. Some gravity is introduced when Jesus shows up. He, and the only one of his disciples - John - who hangs around, lend the piece a solemnity that contrasts strongly with the excesses of the Romans.
Wait for the second half though (actually slightly longer than the first). Caesar meets Jesus, tragedy ensues, and as disaster seems to strike, watch Caligula transform from the maniac party boy of the first half to a psychopathic leader, delivering a rather stunning speech predicting how the leaders of the future will dwarf anything that Rome does, with their cruelty. A nice balance, then, of comedy and drama - I really enjoyed this. Runs until a week on Saturday - recommended.
On Wednesday, I'm back with London Literary Walks - this one is called the Tate Switch Walk. And on Thursday, I'm delighted to be going on my first pre-Hallowe'en event.. London for a Tenner or Less (NOT the same as the above 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.
