Backyard Comedy Club

Tonight, I was back with CT for the Backyard Comedy Club, first time in ages! And my sometime companion from Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) was coming - which almost made it a Meetup..

Buses tonight at last, yay! She actually got there a bit before I did - ordered wine, and when I got there, we ordered nibbles. Which, apart from pizza, is all they offer. Which was fine by me - all I needed was something to keep the proverbial wolf from the door. We were the first there, and it not being busy, they brought our food to our table, rather than us having to go and collect it, which was nice. And we had pretty much eaten by the time the show started, which meant that - although we could take it in with us - we didn't have to. Also nice.

Happily, we got a table at the show - I do like that about this venue. Far and away the most comfortable comedy venue I know of. As to the entertainment - jeez, I could have done without the MC, who wasn't great. Happily, the front row were content to be made fun of, and provided some good sport - including the poor girl who'd patently chosen a top that was more revealing than she'd intended. And she was well-endowed.. spent the whole evening covering up!

The comedians were fine - as usual, they tended to improve as the night went on. Fun was poked unmercifully.. when one Indian comedian brought up a cricket defeat of England, someone in the front row exclaimed "F*** you!". Now, to be a good comedian, you have to be able to take heckles - and so he was, pointing out that the Indians had finally given the English a good reason to leave India! So, as he replied, "F*** YOU, sir!"

A fair indication of the tone of the evening. Personally, I enjoyed it - but don't go if you're of a sensitive disposition. But then, you hardly would, I guess.. Anyway, a good night was had.

Tomorrow - yay, he's back! Laurence Summers is taking the 45+ Not Grumpies on a walk around Shoreditch & Spitalfields.. and I'd completely forgotten, but Helen said she'd come on this too! Cool.. should be a great day out!

On Sunday - well, I'm not mad about the film, but I love hanging out with the group, and it's the best option I seem to have! So I'm joining The Hideout for They Live - at the Prince Charles Cinema. Meeting beforehand at Clubhouse 5, as usual.

On Monday, I'm off with TAC to see The Band Back Together, a play with music, at the Arcola.

On Tuesday, back with London Social Detours - first time in nearly six months - for a talk about The Players' Theatre. I see tickets are now gone - just as well she pre-booked! And we have a social afterwards, of course.

Wednesday is another work social - darts this time (!) at Oche.. now, I've never thrown a dart, or even watched a darts match, in my life. So this should be interesting..

On Thursday - yes, The Hideout again! Now, this time they beat off some stiff competition - but the film promises to be excellent. The Substance stars Demi Moore as an ageing star who finds her roles drying up as her looks are fading. So when she comes across a miracle drug - "the substance" - on the black market, which promises to restore her to a younger, more beautiful version of herself.. she jumps at it. Of course, it doesn't work out quite as planned. Dennis Quaid plays her boss, who fires her for not being young enough for her TV fitness show. And honestly, I can't remember when I saw a new-release horror film so highly rated.. few enough of any genre are so highly rated! It apparently got a standing ovation at Cannes, perhaps for its castigation of the emphasis on beauty in the media. We're seeing it at the BFI - and after my previous experience with Black & Blue, I'm returning to The Archduke for food. First time in a couple of months. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.

On the 30th, I'm at Bellringers, back with UITCS at HT. Got a good seat from someone in the group who couldn't use it in the end.

On the 1st, we were supposed to be at Cake: The Marie Antoinette Playlist. At The Other Palace. Booked my ticket from Todaytix. Eating beforehand at the Bag o' Nails, where I'd booked before and had to cancel, when my event was cancelled. Except.. guess what happened? The show's run is finishing (very) early! Before this date.. so the event is cancelled, and I got a mail from Todaytix, with a voucher code for the amount spent, to be used for future bookings. I preferred a refund - who knows when I'd get around to using the voucher? Checking the email carefully, I saw a link to the support page to request a refund - clicked the link, went on chat, probably got a bot - but as I had all my details, the process was pretty quick, and I got my refund. Yay. Ironic that I'd only just booked it - ironic, also, that I've now booked for the Bag o' Nails exactly twice, and had to cancel both times.. gee, must be cursed!

I had some trouble finding an alternative - with nothing decent on Meetup or my cheap ticket sites for the day, I was back to Time Out! I had to scroll a long way down, though.. Giant, with John Lithgow, at the Royal Court, was sold out for the day, Shifters, at the Duke of York's Theatre, had no decent seats available for the day at a decent price (and that theatre has plenty of bad seats).. after pages and pages of scrolling through things I didn't want to do, I've finally booked for Coriolanus, starring David Oyelowo, at the National. Eating at The Archduke again.

The 2nd, I finally leave on my long-anticipated trip to Romania with the 45+s! That afternoon, most of us are flying Ryanair from Stansted, to be met by an English-speaking guide and transferred to the Continental Forum Hotel, in time for an evening tour of Bucharest. (I've already downloaded the Rough Guide to Romania!)

On the 3rd, we're heading straight off by coach to Transylvania.. walking tour of Sighisoara, where Vlad the Impaler was born! Staying in the Hotel Korona that night.

On the 4th, we're off to Brasov - apparently has the narrowest street in the country. Walking tour, staying in Hotel Kolping that night.

And on the 5th, we're headed to Bran - for the famous castle - and Sinaia, for Peles Castle - before heading back to Bucharest for our flights home.

Safely back - hopefully - on the 6th, I'm with Cultureseekers for the Charlie Chaplin Guided Walk. Finishing at The Jolly Gardeners Pub.

And on the 7th, back with UITCS, who are off to Southwark Playhouse for Foreverland - more biotechnology SciFi.. possibly less spooky than The Substance! Booked, as usual, on their excellent PAYG offer, where you pay in advance for discounted tickets to five shows, no time limit..