Film: Young Woman and the Sea

After much deliberation, yesterday's film was Young Woman and the Sea (the title obviously inspired by The Old Man and the Sea). This is the story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel. Played by Daisy Ridley. And it's showing in the Odeon Covent Garden - ah, I remember when my office was right next door!

Skived off work early - the only evening showing was at 5.15. I have to say, for once I had no trouble with the bus - jeez, they were every couple of minutes, like the Tube! Now, why they can't be like this when I'm heading to the office.. anyway, walking the last bit, I discovered a dead handy shortcut to Shaftesbury Avenue, down the side of St. Giles', courtesy of Google Maps! Arrived in good time, grabbed a glass of wine from the curly-mustachioed attendant - the screen is downstairs. I needed the loo, but didn't fancy going upstairs for it, as the sign indicated - happily, there is one (just the ladies'), on the way to Screen 4. It kind of looks like it's in a cupboard, but is perfectly serviceable. No sign of the mouse I saw, last time..

Oh, the trailers were a pill - almost all for kids' films! I know we're coming into the season, but.. Anyway, wow - I was not expecting this film to be so moving! As it starts, we meet the young Trudy, desperately sick with measles in New York, where she's from. And when we meet her, there's a major ferry disaster - a ferry catches fire in the middle of the river, and most of the dead are women. Why? Because in those days, women couldn't typically swim. In fact, it was seen as unladylike. (In real life, apparently Trudy herself nearly drowned as a child, which was actually why she was sent for swimming lessons.)

But yes, the film is a real feminist struggle - her father doesn't initially support his daughters swimming, but happily, they have a bull-stubborn mother, who takes in sewing to pay for their lessons. And when they grow up, they have to deal with a press and public who just don't think that women can compete in sports! Mind you, plenty of fact-checking sites across the internet will tell you the things the film fudged - one was that she did actually win Olympic medals, where it's implied in the film that she didn't, because the women's training was neglected.

One thing that is apparently true is that her first coach, played by Christopher Ecclestone, really didn't think she was up to it! He'd tried, and failed, 22 times to swim the Channel himself.. I guess he just couldn't accept that a "mere woman" could beat him. So it wasn't until she got a coach who'd actually succeeded in doing it - and thought she certainly could - that she managed it. Mind you, her first failure in crossing (with her first coach) doesn't seem to have been for the reason given in the film (although it was what she thought happened - I won't give it away). In real life, she returned to New York before trying again the next year - in the film, she turns right around and does it again!

You wouldn't think, to a non-swimmer, that this film could be so interesting - but it really is. The sexism is infuriating, the attempts are suspenseful.. and me oh my, when she's stuck in the shallows at the end, at night, nearly there, but lost in the dark, without the ship to guide her because it can't follow her in there.. absolutely soul-wrenching. Yep, a great turn from Daisy Ridley, and a fascinating film about an amazing feat! Not least that, on her successful attempt, she shaved two hours off the men's record..

Food beckoned afterwards, and I headed to Seven Dials Market again. Where I passed Stakehaus, but didn't really feel like a steak.. heading downstairs, I came across Lucky's Hot Chicken. Which basically does fried chicken and chips - you can have it completely non-spicy (which I did), or on a scale that goes all the way up to XXX. I also had crinkle-cut fries. And wow, when it came - that is the most delicious fried chicken I've ever had. I think it must have been thigh meat, it was so tasty. And it comes with a moreish dip. Oh yeah, I'll be back.. as I was nearly finished my wine, one of the roving waiters asked whether I'd like another, so I had one. Delivered to me. I see they now also have a DJ at the end - a nice addition.

Too tired to blog last night. This evening, I'm "stalking" Buddies on Budgets in London again - just like last Tuesday, they're going to something I really want to see, but by the time I got around to deciding I wanted to go, all their tickets were gone. Never fear, other tickets were available.. this is part of Sadler's Wells annual Flamenco Festival, so irresistible to me. In fact, this is the last day - and this is a performance by the Ballet Nacionál de Espana - Invocación. And I managed to score one of those nice, solitary seats at the side.. olé! For dinner, as usual here, I'm heading to The Wilmington. And ooh, it is nice to have some time to chill beforehand!

Tomorrow, squeezing in a meeting with Ivan - the only weekend day he and I can both make, this month! We're trying out Brown's on Butler's Wharf, near me - the posh side of the road! James is off to Taiwan, and currently incommunicado. Last night, I finally heard back from Martin, who's had a tiring time of it lately, but says there's always hope..

On Monday, back with CT - to learn to sing showtunes with Ensemble at the Prince of Wales Drury Lane! Eating there beforehand.

On Tuesday, back with TAC for another talk at The Conduit - this one is Survival and Sisterhood in the Age of the Taliban, and is the story of the captain of the Afghan ladies' football team. It'll be really interesting to hear from an Afghan woman personally. And I've booked for Bella Italia St. Martin's Lane again.

On Wednesday, back with London Literary Walks for The Chaucer Walk. Meeting at The Bell, and I'm eating there beforehand again.

On Thursday, back with CT for an LSO concert at the Barbican. Which gives me an excuse to head back to my old stomping ground of the local Cote! Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.

And on the 24th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats - this time, for an interesting-sounding play called Visit from an Unknown Woman, in Hampstead Theatre..