London Still Rocks!

Yesterday, yes, back with CT for Hot Mess , a kind of cosmic musical at The Other Palace . Eating at the Bag o' Nails beforehand.  The bus came in good time - and then wasn't going all the way! I decided to go as far as it was going, though - which turned out to be a good plan, because I had a better choice of buses there . Had to wait a few minutes, which meant I was slightly late at the pub.. went straight upstairs, as I should have the first time, only to discover the upstairs dining room was shut! so I struggled back down with my rucksack and asked at the bar. They'd reserved a seat for me in the corner. I was served quickly, and the chicken was lovely and tasty.. it was close enough to when I needed to collect my ticket that I skipped having another drink and went straight to the theatre when I'd finished eating. Got a very reasonably priced drink there - the bar was really crowded, but I managed to get a seat on my own and finished the drink before I went in....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...