Musical: Passing Strange, company summer party, & Film: Horizon, an American Saga - Chapter 1

Last Tuesday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Passing Strange, a rock musical at the Young Vic. So that was Bar + Block Southwark - the first of them I tried! and the best. Hmm, no steak for ages, then three nights in a row..

Google Maps sent me on a fascinating jaunt through backstreets - I arrived a bit early, and do you know, whereas they've always required bookings here, I got the impression that he didn't expect me to have one! Service was flawless though - I had the sirloin for a change, instead of the fillet, and it was buttery soft and perfect.. seriously, if I had to request a last meal, it'd be from here. Good as I'd cook myself. As I remarked in the review they asked me for, my only problem was that the red wine and mushroom sauce is so good I had to order it, but the steak is too good to pour it on! So it gets wasted on the chips.. a trio of mini desserts to end, and I left happy and full. Love it here..

The others were standing outside the theatre when I arrived - apologies for being late, but seriously, this food can't be rushed.. we chatted for a bit before taking our seats. Annoyingly, when I booked this, I hadn't realised - or perhaps it simply hadn't been advertised - that this was available on cheap ticket sites! So they got theirs cheaper than I got mine. Never mind, I was a bit further back - which was better for getting a view of the entire stage:

Blank, white walls, eh? Nah, they never have blank, white walls on a stage - unless perhaps for SciFi. Sure enough, they were used for a variety of projections in what was, you could say, a lively show. Also note the band on stage - this is the story of a young musician finding his path, and a variety of different music is played. Live. And they're good..

As I said at the interval, this is a concert masquerading as a play! I mean, this music is really good, played really well. He starts in the Southern States, brought up with Gospel - moves himself to Europe in the 70s or so, finds himself in hippy dippy Amsterdam, then braves punk-era Berlin. As one of the group remarked afterwards, that was the only section of the music she didn't like - I agree, it's not my bag either. But really, we don't get too much of it.. me, I spent much of the interval reminiscing about some of my own time in Berlin. That bit comes up after the interval - the supporting cast need the extra time to get themselves kitted out appropriately!

It's fantastic. The music is great, it felt more like a concert - and the actor who plays the musician in later life is constantly present, keeping an eye on his younger self. As I say, it feels more like a concert - not at all surprised it got a standing ovation at the end. Finishes today (Saturday) - very highly recommended, go see! (Contains flashing images.) Unfortunately, I got tied up with the film list that night, and it ran too late to blog.

Wednesday was the company summer party - in The Lighterman. I guessed it was heavily subscribed because, unusually, we were asked not to come into the office that day if we could avoid it - if we weren't coming to the party, or not coming from far. So, I'll said I'd go straight from home. Jeez, it was lovely for once, attending a social without the laptop! Bus would have taken quite a while at that hour, so I was on the Tube to King's Cross, then walked - and kudos to HR for providing us with pictures of the venue, which made it very easy to find! It's the first building you come to, across the bridge..

I'm so glad I went to this, above all socials - with the others, we had quite a lot of space, so it was hard to talk to everybody - here, we were all kind of squished on top of each other, so all you had to do was turn around and you were talking to a completely different crowd! And you know, next day in the office, so many more people were greeting me than before.. yes, this was a good social to attend. Would've been lovely on a sunny day, rather than the unpredicted rain. Nibbles were good, although in short supply. Far too tired to blog afterwards though, especially with having to be in the office on Thursday.

Thursday was film - and what came up was Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1, a Kevin Costner Western. He plays what must have been a boyhood fantasy - a horse trader, solitary man, honourably roaming the plains. Looked suitably epic - also stars Sienna Miller and Sam Worthington (as a Cavalry lieutanant). Kevin Costner is also director and co-writer. Handily enough, it was showing in the Odeon Covent Garden - walking distance from the office, which I had to go into that day - and I could eat in Seven Dials again. Had to do that beforehand - it's three hours long.. 

It's been an unusually heavy week at work - hence, mostly, the delay in the blog. Also, I stayed behind a bit longer than intended on Thursday, trying to finish something - and then had to rush to the loo - so I was dashing for food. The queue for the fried chicken was, therefore, not appreciated! Still, I reasoned, I did need to eat - and hey, there'd be ads before the film, I could afford to be a bit late. The guy behind the counter looked askance at me when I said I wanted it without spice, but I persisted - it's fine for me that way. Grabbed a glass of wine, found a table, drummed my fingers while I waited for the food - to be fair, it was only about five minutes, but when you're in a rush..

It came, it was gorgeous. I love the chicken, I love the dip that comes with the fries. The fries themselves are also quite good. Only had one glass of wine, and legged it. Not far to the cinema from there, and when I arrived, I peeked at the concession stands - I'd have ordered another glass of wine, but there was no-one there! Indeed, neither was there anyone to scan my ticket - I was searching for it on my phone when someone materialised, and then had trouble scanning it. But I got in.. And yes, they were still on the trailers. Result!

Caveat - this is a long film: three hours (+1 minute). Find a comfortable seat - mine wasn't. This cinema, I have to say, is in a terrible state of repair - Screen 1 has ripped, patched carpet, torn seats.. and my seat was far too hard for a marathon like this. Not surprised there was only one other person at the screening.

This hasn't had the best of reviews - someone said it failed to take off, for all its epic scale. True - it was more like binge-watching a miniseries. Having said that.. it is truly epic. The landscapes are sweeping and stunning, and deserve to be seen on a big screen - with several different stories, set in different locations, seems it was actually filmed in Monument Valley, Utah.

The stories seem to cover several different Wild West tropes - and there's some hard-hitting stuff, make no mistake. Much of it centres on a settler town called Horizon - or rather, the idea of a town. Actually, it's on an Apache hunting ground - and they're none too happy at all about the encroachment of the "white-eyes". Expect (bloody) confrontation.

Beautifully shot, beautifully acted - we really care about the characters, even those who end up not living very long. Kevin Costner's 15-year-old son, Hayes, actually stars as Sienna Miller's son! (His first acting job, and a fine turn from him.) And the stories really stayed with me.. interestingly, at the end of the film, they spend an extended time previewing what's to come.. I'm interested.. I'll probably be there for Chapter 2, slated for next month.. I'll say this, you'll never see a more comprehensive vision of the Wild West..

Now, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend. Loving the change of pace, TBH. One point - I used to love the steak slices from Panopolis, which I'd get in transit - but after my last experience, I never will again; mine was burnt to a crisp and inedible, and I had to throw it away. When they're good, they're very, very good - when they're bad, they're terrible..

On Monday, back with TAC for another talk at The Conduit - this one is History for Tomorrow, about what we can learn from history, and is, as usual, also the occasion of a book launch. Now, here I'd normally go to Bella Italia again - but I've discovered it's actually closer to Seven Dials! So I'll probably do that - looking forward to that fried chicken again!

On Tuesday, back - first time in a while - with Over 40 Living the Life, for a dinner in the Greenwich Yacht Club. 

On Wednesday, in Greenwich again - I should nearly stay the night! This time, I'm back with London Literary Walks for The Greenwich Walk. We're meeting in The Spanish Galleon, and as usual, I've booked to eat there beforehand.

And on Thursday, film.. and what completely changed my mind about what I was going to was an email from UK Jewish Film - they're previewing The Commandant's Shadow, about the son of Rudolf Höss, the governor of Auschwitz, and his coming to terms with what his father had done. A documentary about the real-life characters depicted in The Zone of Interest, and a very interesting follow-up.. It's in the Phoenix, in East Finchley, and includes a Q+A (afterwards, I presume) where Vanessa Feltz speaks to the filmmakers.