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Opera: I Puritani (The Puritans)

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Tonight, back for the first time in three months with London Classical Music and Theatre Group , for a performance of Bellini 's final opera, I Puritani (set during the Puritan era), at the Royal Opera House - with the cheapest tickets gone by the time I booked, I still managed to get a ticket for under £50, and with an ok view. Eating beforehand at Cote Covent Garden . The bus was nicely airconditioned - but wow, the traffic as we approached Aldwych was horrendous. Happily, the driver let us off on the street, so I not only skipped the wait, but was closer to where I was going than I'd otherwise have been. Made the restaurant about on time, and was seated pretty quickly. They do tend to be quick here - it was no time at all until I had my calamari, and yes, Cote do still serve the best calamari around. The steak was good too, if a little tough - and the fries were gorgeous. I didn't have time for dessert, so just plumped for a moreish glass of dessert wine. Th...
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Play: Horatio, in thy Heart

For tonight, both my cheap ticket groups came up with Horatio, in thy Heart , at the Jack Studio Theatre , above the Brockley Jack pub , where I'm eating beforehand. It is, in fact, the story of Horatio , a minor character in Hamlet . For both these days, I decided to go with CT - they seem more professional, and the tickets are the same price - equivalent to the concessionary price charged at the box office. Two buses, I had to take.. neither with aircon.. and the first one was accompanied alternately with the screaming of a toddler (that tried to grab me as I stood near him) and the rantings of an elderly bloke at the front, who kept shouting at the kid, seemingly not understanding that children sometimes scream, and there's not a lot you can do about it. I don't suppose that was ever his responsibility. And when I got a seat, it was beside him.. oh joy. The mother got off with me.. mercifully, not onto my second bus . No, on that one I was entertained by the elderl...
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Play: Wife to James Whelan

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Now, it took a very long time for anything to pop up that'd interest me for yesterday - finally, as I waited for the others on Sunday , my cheap ticket groups both came up with Wife to James Whelan , showing in the Jermyn Street Theatre . It's apparently an unearthed Irish play that, like so many, was banned back in the day. Again, beautiful aircon on the bus . I went in time to get something to eat - the Three Crowns is very close, but doesn't take bookings just for one, so I went along on spec. A crowd standing outside was disconcerting - but as so often happens, they just preferred to be outside, and there was plenty of room inside (where, to be fair, there was no aircon). I skipped the table with the reserved sign - even though it was for a much earlier time, so they either never showed, or were already finished - and took a table in the corner. It's a Greene King , but sadly they were out of the katsu - it was too hot for a pie, so I went for fish & chips. O...
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Musical: Dark of the Moon & Wimbledon Men's Singles Final

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Yesterday , I was supposed to go to another social with the London SciFi/Fantasy Group in the Mad Hatter - but wouldn't you know it, just like last time, the pub cancelled the booking because of the World Cup ! Instead, I headed with CT to Dark of the Moon , at Charing Cross Theatre . Chose the matinee. Travelled in on a bus with the most delicious aircon. Arrived early and had a glass of wine. Was given an excellent seat, not far from the stage, although there are no bad ones here. Gorgeous aircon too - I was practically cold: 'Tis a story of star-crossed lovers.. one a human girl, Barbara Allen (yes, you've heard the name, but that's a completely different legend, nothing to do with this), the other a warlock. In this, the witches and humans are at war, and the witches are none too happy that one of their number has fallen in love with a human, and wants to be mortal - not least because that reduces the coven number from the perfect number required to conjure...
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Film: Evil Dead Burn

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Tonight, The Hideout  were headed to Evil Dead Burn . Now, I don't usually go for these - gore isn't my favourite thing - but more than I dislike gore, I dislike a boring horror film, as so many are. And if this looked like anything, it didn't look boring.. I particularly love the touch of a zombie literally drinking the wax from a burning candle, as shown in the trailer. Kind of deliciously wicked.. Produced by Sam Raimi . Showing in the Vue West End , drinks in Victory House beforehand as usual. And I booked to eat in Bella Italia Cranbourn Street before that. Rushed out the door - and the bus drive in was exciting, what with a guy in Aldwych who had a temper tantrum, which he took out on his phone, smashing it repeatedly on the ground.. and then an ambulance, attempting to squeeze its way through impenetrable traffic.. and then there was more impenetrable traffic.. and with it all, I was 10 minutes late for my booking. Never mind, he seated me upstairs.. I'd...
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Film: The Invite

Currently, two more films in a row! Yesterday evening, back at last with Movie Roadhouse London for The Invite . Delighted they advertised it - the trailer looks promising. Based on a Spanish film , in this, Seth Rogen and his wife ( Olivia Wilde , who also directs) decide to invite the enigmatic couple upstairs - Edward Norton and Penélope Cruz - for dinner. They have no idea what they're letting themselves in for.. showing in the BFI , and we were meeting there beforehand, and for drinks after. Oh joy, the prospect of a half-hour walk, with a heavy rucksack, in 34-degree heat.. Well, at least it was downhill to the river - I made it five minutes before the scheduled time, running into one of the attendees just as I got there, and we found ourselves in the midst of the London Indian Film Festival ! with sundry stars I didn't know posing for photographs. I had to message the organiser to see where he was - standing under a "Mediatheque" sign, as it turned ...
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Cabaret: The Ladyboys of Bangkok

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Last night, a friend of mine cleverly got in in time to invite me to The Ladyboys of Bangkok , a burlesque in the Sabai Pavilion - he got free tickets. I booked dinner beforehand at The Sindercombe Social . Rushed to get the last post done before heading out to that. Yeah, that didn't work.. firstly, I stayed later than I should have, desperate to get the last post out. This far out, it had to be Tube - but the fastest estimate was on the Central Line , appalling in this heat. So I went for the more civilised Jubilee Line to Baker Street , then the Circle or Hammersmith & City .  The buses were promising to come soon, so I said I'd take one to the station - in the event, all three buses that stop at that stop came at once! A hot and sweaty journey dropped me there.. and the crowds at the station were almost biblical in scale. I had to wait for the second train - but you know, I was lucky to be getting on at a station where people were getting off, and making space -...
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