Musical: A Face in the Crowd

Tonight, I was back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for A Face in the Crowd, about what happens when someone is plucked from obscurity to become famous. A warning about the dangers of idolisation of celebrities. Showing in the Young Vic - so I booked the nearby Bar + Block, yum yum! And someone from the group said she'd join me. Now, I did try to amend the booking - not a hope! Reserve with Google wouldn't even display my booking! I put the support team working on it - apparently, although after their initial contact, there's been nothing. Anyway, I couldn't see it being a problem to add just one person to a table for one.. and ideally, bump the reservation forward by 15 minutes - it's never been busy when I arrive, despite them requiring a booking.

Happily, my bus arrived in decent time, depositing me at the start of that lovely maze of alleyways that I've used before to get here. Funnily enough, that was this group's last musical here - but when people brought it up tonight, I had completely forgotten it! Ah, how much would I forget if not for the blog.. Anyway, my companion had beaten me to it - we got there 10 minutes before the scheduled booking, which as predicted, wasn't a problem, and neither was the extra person I surprised them with.

I had a lovely Sauvignon Blanc - she had a soft drink, which came in a jar.. didn't know they did that here! And we both had steak, with regular fries rather than the suggested chunky chips. I added my usual garlic mushrooms. And.. do you know, mine, at least, wasn't spectacular - fine, but not memorable. Not to mention they didn't have my favourite sauce.. I ordered peppercorn instead, and ended up pouring it over the steak, to make it more interesting. Goes to show, I guess, even the best can slip.. nor were the mushrooms as good as those at Black & Blue.. But hey, service was good, and we were well fed. Plus, of course, we weren't far from the theatre!

Heading there afterwards, we discovered the group at the far end of the bar (crowded, as usual). Happily, my upstairs seat had been upgraded - late in the day - to one downstairs, as had someone else's in the group. A number had Lucky Dip tickets, and ended up going to the box office to get their seat numbers.. I think most of us ended up seated quite close to each other.

Anyway, I was very happy with my seat:

The show is set in what we took to be America of the 1950s, in which we meet a young radio presenter with the idea to focus on ordinary people. So she takes herself to the local jail - where she happens upon a singer and guitar player with a big mouth. So she offers him the chance to appear on the radio! Takes him a while to accustom himself to this, but when he starts to spin his homespun wisdom, a TV network picks him up and he hits the big time. Beware though - the bigger they are, the harder they fall! and once he starts to believe his own press, there is nowhere to go but down..

Plenty of acting and singing talent here, with music and lyrics by Elvis Costello. And wow, the music is terrific.. I'm not a huge fan of his, but everything I've ever heard from him is good. The singing is fantastic - star of the night though, playing the lead of the guy plucked from obscurity who gets to hang out with the VIPs, is Ramin Karimloo - for whom a queue had formed afterwards, waiting for autographs and photo ops, it seemed. 

Personally, I loved it - loved the music (which will always win me over), was engaged by the story. Most fun part of the evening was at the start of the second half, where he was supporting a Presidential candidate, and held a political rally - oh my goodness, we all agreed, it was like being at a Trump rally! Closest I ever want to get to one, as I said - but gee, it was fun, spreading into the audience as it did..

Not everyone in my group was convinced, but I thought it was a helluva yarn, well-told, and beautifully sung. Runs till the 9th - go see! Oh, my bus back was rammed, as usual, of course, and I was standing again - at least I got a seat after a while, this time!

Tomorrow, it's looking like film again - I'm thinking of My Favourite Cake, a comedy from Iran (and I love Iranian film) about an old lady who never found love, but has an altercation with the religious police when they stop a young lady for having hair showing under her scarf. In the course of this, the old lady meets a taxi driver - invites him home, and they have an evening to remember.. Closest showing to me is in the Curzon Bloomsbury - the booking system is down again, as usual, but hopefully I shouldn't have a problem getting in.

On Friday, I was hardly going to miss a trip to see Smile 2 with The Hideout! I loved the original, was always interested in seeing this anyway.. we're seeing it in the Odeon West End. And I'm eating beforehand in Bella Italia - Cranbourn Street, not Irving Street, which is nearer, but booked up before I could get to it. Ooh, and I get a free starter because I reviewed my last trip to a branch of theirs! Must remember to use the voucher..

On Saturday, back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpies - the walk is Old Street & Moorgate, around where I used to work.

On Sunday, back with the Crick Crack Club at the British Museum - this is for A Figure of Speech, by the excellent Daniel Morden.

The next two days are film, although they're not booking out, so I haven't booked.. on Monday, it's looking like The Outrun, finally, in which Saoirse Ronan plays the true story of a recovering alcoholic who returns to her native Orkney. It's been out long enough that, by now, showings are limited - but it is on that evening at Picturehouse Central.

And on Tuesday, it's looking like Carrie - yes, they're reshowing the restored original, directed by Brian de Palma, starring Sissy Spacek as the bullied girl with telekinetic powers. Based on the debut novel by Stephen King. And showing in the refined surrounds of The Garden Cinema, no less!

Then next Wednesday, I'm headed back to Ireland for a long weekend, it being my mother's birthday on the 24th. I fly back to London on the 27th - and on the 28th, I'm with The Horror Book Club (first time in an age) for an author talk at the Prince of Wales, their usual haunt.

On the 29th, back with UITCS for A Raisin in the Sun, at the Lyric Hammersmith.

On the 30th, back with The Hideout (and their sister group, Movie Roadhouse) for the Darkness Falls social (I think that's a lovely name). At the BFI, as usual - and then they tacked on a trip to see Hallowe'en at the end of the night! I've seen it a million times - but hey, it's a classic, I can see it once more!

Hallowe'en itself is always an important night for me to plan - I had dreadful trouble this year finding something, though. Until.. who should ride to my rescue but the London Irish Centre, with a showing of the first Irish language horror film, An Taibhse (The Ghost)! So, that's a good starting point..