Play: All the Men Are Going to Hate Me

Tonight, second night in a row, I was back with CT at the Bitesize Festival at Riverside Studios, for All the Men Are Going to Hate Me, another comedy, about a woman trying to write the century's great (female) sex novel! After last night's experience with the food, I decided to skip the pub - there's a Wasabi near the station that I decided to try; I missed their katsu chicken curry!

Same journey as last night, then - but outbound, I decided to use the District line as well; it's a lot easier to change lines in Westminster than in Green Park - escalators instead of a few minutes' walk along seemingly interminable corridors! Jammed, of course, both of them - I got a seat right near the end of the journey on both trains. It was a great relief to arrive at Hammersmith - and ooh, that katsu hit the spot! Yum. Chicken was a little burnt, mind, but it was still delicious.

Heading to Riverside, I passed the Hammersmith Apollo - where someone called Jordan Davis was playing to a sold-out crowd. By the looks of the queue, which literally stretched the whole of the distance to Riverside (a 10-minute walk) and then another bit around the corner, the place had waited until that moment to open. By the looks of the outfits worn by members of the queue, he's a country act - stetsons and cowboy boots abounded.

Skirting the queue, I arrived at my destination about a quarter of an hour beforehand - made sure to go to the box office this time to collect a ticket, but I still don't think there was any need. The guy on the door (when it eventually opened) was pretty cursory in checking tickets, I think. Anyway, I had time to run to the loo, and indeed, time for a sit-down - it was late in opening. Same room as last night - the River Room, at the far end of the foyer on the right. I could have got a drink, but didn't bother - from previous experience, the Sauvignon Blanc is overpriced, the Chardonnay unpleasant, and the service as slow as watching paint dry.

As I queued at the door - a queue did form eventually, which I kind of felt obliged to join - I removed my glasses to see my phone better. And was privy to a conversation behind me, the young girls obviously bored enough to consider me the prime focus of their attention, and one commenting to the other how vexing it must be, when you're older, to have to remove your glasses to see stuff close up.. Indeed, it is, of course, more vexing to be the focus of a nearby conversation. Now, did they think my hearing was faulty as well..?

We finally got in, and squeezed our way through imperfectly aligned rows of seats and a stage that doesn't leave much space around it. A white sheet covers something on stage - you can just see a light under it, and it's obviously the performer, apparently typing on a laptop. Cleverly, that is how the show starts - the words displayed on a screen behind.

I was rather glad I hadn't sat in the front row, or near the middle aisle - she does like to involve people (slightly). It's not major, but still, I was happy to stay out of it. There are handshakes, there's a stetson, there's a kind of water pistol fight (sat at the other end, I only got slightly splashed). The most audience participation comes when she invites a man (specifically) to come up and read from a script, recreating a previous date of hers.

Because that's what her "great novel" is about - each chapter is about a failed dating experience. Now, I'll say this for her - she's a natural performer, very charming, very endearing. Which makes this rather compelling to watch. With not quite everything going to plan, she herself described the show as "chaotic" - but then, she did have a lot of family or friends in tonight's crowd, by the look of it. Honestly though, this feels rather like Bridget Jones' Diary as she runs through a hapless round of dating descriptions - although her re-enactments can be quite funny. So, entertaining enough - if you're in the area, it's showing again on Saturday and Sunday, early in the evening, for £6.50 a ticket if you're buying from the venue.

Coming up, I have five (!) days of Meetup: the next three with Up in the Cheap Seats. Tomorrow, we're at When You Pass Over My Tomb, at the Arcola. A "story of love and lust beyond the grave", as described, it sounds like an interesting way to spend Valentine's Day.

On Thursday, we're at Double Feature, at Hampstead Theatre.

And on Friday, we're at Hir, a transgender comedy at Park Theatre. My companion of a while ago is coming to that as well, and we, at least, will probably head to My Cottage Restaurant afterwards.

On Saturday, I'm back (whee! at last!) with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners.. I've been persuaded to redo his Dickens walk. Well, it's months since I was on one of his - and he now only does one Saturday a month, says there's no real demand! And since I can no longer go on the midweek ones, in general.. well.. it'll be great to be back with them anyway.

And on Sunday, back with Discover London - History Walks and Events: it was a while before I thought to check that website to see whether there was another walk, and there is, that day! So we're off to Discover London's Oldest Market and Original "High Street"..