Musical: Frankie Goes to Bollywood

Tonight, headed to Frankie Goes to Bollywood at the Queen Elizabeth Hall again - thought it'd be fun. Thinking about food, I was determined not to go back to Bella Italia Wellington Street again, after the last, disastrous visit - instead, I booked the Cote next door. Had trouble enough getting away from work though, what with someone wanting a new piece of documentation - and being new himself, and not knowing how to go about it - plus having to have July's monthly report in by CoB. So I legged it down the road, knowing I'd be slightly late.

I was slightly late, and they had to do a bit of searching for a table for me - happily, I wasn't turned away like the last time I was late, and was duly given a seat in the back. Near a large table, for groups. Which was duly filled by people celebrating the visit of some folks from Canada. They, unfortunately, took much of the attention from the waiters - conversely, it did mean that, with two people serving that table, they were both very conscientious towards me, asking me on their way out whether I needed anything. I frequently got the same question from both.

My though, they could teach their next-door-neighbours a thing or two. I was hungry, so had calamari to start - gorgeous. My usual steak frites for main - lovely. And a chocolate fondant for dessert. Only problem was, that made me a little late - so I had to leg it across the bridge to make the show in time. In what was now persistent rain. Carrying a laptop. I was exhausted by the time I got there. The house was open, of course - I was within a couple of minutes of start time - so I went straight in.


There were plenty of empty seats - it stayed that way. In fact, the people in my row moved further down, just before the show started - 10 minutes late - which was nice, as I had more space.

In short, I'm sorry I went to this - worst show I've seen in a long time. I like Bollywood shows, like the song and dance - the problem with this is it weaves a story around it. It's a musical about - guess what - a young girl called Frankie (from Milton Keynes), who dreams of being a Bollywood star. Guess what? She gets spotted, and wins her place there - only to find it's not as she dreamed. And you'll never guess what happens next.. she ends up on the arm of a rich and famous playboy, to the horror of the sincere young director who invited her over, and has fallen in love with her.

Wow, where have I heard that before..?

I'm betting that how it finished was, she ultimately - for whatever reason - discovered that she was better off with the nice guy. Perhaps she even brought him back to Milton Keynes. But I don't care. I didn't care while it was on either. I left at the interval. I was most of the way home by the time it was over, and I was glad.

The musical numbers were excellent - but the story was laughable, the script predictable. Runs till the 18th, if you could be bothered. I suspect it's not selling terribly well. Ah well, can't win 'em all.

Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again. Film for Saturday - at last! - is Twisters, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones as one of the tornado-chasers. Now, I've heard mixed things about this - but hell, I love a good disaster film, loved the original Twister. I think I'll enjoy it - and am delighted not to be missing it; I was afraid I would! Showing at a nice, convenient time at the Omniplex, for once.

On Monday, heading to Next To Normal, at Wyndham's - cheapest tickets with TodayTix. Eating at Bella Italia (St. Martin's Lane) again. Now, that is a favourite of mine..

On Tuesday, headed back with CT to Stagetime - more improvised comedy - at Shoreditch Balls! Eating at the nearby Blues Kitchen, which I love.

On Wednesday, back with London Literary Walks for Dickens, Woolf and Lawrence. Meeting at The Dolphin, but they don't do food, so I'll eat at the nearby Isolabella Italian restaurant beforehand.

And next Thursday, back with Buddies on Budgets for a sketching evening (!) in Phoenix Garden. Tickets from Eventbrite. If I go.. not usually my thing, but we'll see.

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