Musical: The Magic of Motown

Tonight, the last of three musical evenings in a row, I was with Over 40 Living the Life, for The Magic of Motown tribute show, at the New Wimbledon Theatre. Ah Lordy, what a busy day - with one thing and another, I did leave later than I intended. With so much walking incorporated in Google Maps' suggested journey, I thought I might make up some of the time by catching a bus to London Bridge, where I'd need the Northern Line - no such luck. I arrived as a bus that would take me there was due - but it turned out to be terminating early, and the next that'd take me wasn't due for ages. I wanted time to eat before meeting the others, so the only option - as another person waiting obviously agreed - was to walk, and we set off.

The Tube, when it came, was horrendously packed - happily, tons of people got off, and were replaced by tons of us. And ooh, we were squashed, although I've had worse - and at least I'd got on the first one. And after Kennington, I even got a seat. It only really emptied out when I was nearly there, though - and I developed something of a coughing fit, probably not helped by the crush of people and the lack of oxygen. Mercifully, I was carrying Strepsils - but I was still glad to get off.

I got a bus to the theatre, to try and give myself more time. It's surrounded by places to eat - for some reason, I thought I'd eaten in Nando's the last time I was here, and headed for there: but wouldn't you know it, there was likely to be up to a 15-minute wait. So, having wasted some time finding that out, I noticed the GBK on the other side of the theatre, and recognised that as where I'd actually eaten! I even ended up sitting right beside where I was before. They now have tablets on which you can order, it seems - but when I tried mine, the menu didn't seem to work properly, so I ended up at the till. Happily, service was really fast (and it's friendly here) - and gee, they still have the panko crumb chicken poking out either end of the burger here.. it was all delicious, and I finished in reasonable time.

..and then spent what felt like an eternity at the theatre door, waiting for the elderly couple of ladies in front of me to have their tickets scanned. Fair play to them for having a go at electronic tickets, but honestly.. first, they didn't realise they had to download them, then they didn't know how to do that (the doorman had to do it), then when, having done one, he pointed out he had to scan the second ticket as well, he gave up and let them through. He'd also had to halt a couple of people who'd come in the side in the meantime, without being scanned, who now had to wait for my line to go through..

That hurdle navigated, it wasn't as bad - I headed up to the Dress Circle bar and got a drink. Couldn't spot anyone from the group, and it was now 7, by which time the indication was that our organiser would be in her seat, so I headed in there - and it turned out we had the entirety of one half of the back row in the Dress Circle.

Well well well, since when did theatres start putting kiosks in the actual seating area?! A very good idea.. and the boxes on either side looked lovely, complete with armchairs. All in all, a very comfortable theatre. And as we waited, we were regaled with a compilation, on the screen at the back, from the various different musical tribute shows they put on here. Which explains why, when I came in, they were showing Abba! I did think that was a bit odd for a Motown show..

Well, it's a jukebox musical, all the hits: or a lot of them, at least. As someone remarked, and I agreed, perhaps the track listing could have been better - but realistically, there's so much, you're never going to please everyone! What I did really like - again, praise for the theatre - was the way they allowed people to get up and dance if they wanted! Crikey, I remember the last Motown show I was at, in the West End - an excellent show, but they strongly discouraged that, even having a sign in the toilets that read "It's 'Dancing in the Streets', not 'dancing in your seat'! Tonight, as mentioned, we were in the back row anyway, so we were fine.. and it was amusing to look down at the front Stalls, which at one point looked like a mosh pit!

One amusing incident had a few ladies, two rows in front of us, who wanted to stand - to the indignance of the elderly couple behind them, who did not. The first time, they let it go - the second time, the woman irritatedly tapped the woman in front of her on the shoulder to get her to sit down. She hadn't reckoned on that woman's mouthy friend, at the other end of the trio, who gave her a right earful about "not telling her what to do" and actually swapped places with her friend, just so she wouldn't be sitting down. (I was on the "standers" side, of course - how many times have I been intimidated into sitting at U2 concerts..) Ironically, the three friends left not long afterwards, the woman they'd had the run-in with giving them the dirtiest look.. when they could no longer see her, of course..

Speaking of U2, why, one of the singers even pulled one of Bono's tricks, and invited a young lady from the audience to dance with him on stage:

Some of the glittery outfits put me in mind of a box of Quality Street sweets, with their dazzling wrappers:

In all, a very fun night - the most fun I've had at a concert since last year in Vegas. And unlike last night, a packed house. Very glad I went.

Tomorrow, I was to be back at Watkin's Occult Bookshop, first time in ages - this was for a talk from the author of a new book - on Book Curses! Eating afterwards at Bella Italia Cranbourn Street again. But I subsequently decided to check out the film list - and top of the list was No Other Land, a documentary formed from a young Palestinian boy filming every eviction from his village by Israeli forces. Teams up with a sympathetic Israeli to do it. Sounded more interesting to me. Closest showing to me is in the BFI - and with it mostly sold out, I said I'd better book. Eating in The Archduke beforehand.

Then, a couple more days with Meetup. On Friday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for The Glorious French Revolution at the New Diorama Theatre! Eating beforehand at the nearby Greene Man, which is a Greene King pub, so good food should be had. Most of the group is actually eating at Ravishankar - but with it being vegetarian, I'm not keen.

On Saturday, back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpies, yay! This walk is Baker Street and its Quirky Surrounds.

As is becoming something of a habit, afterwards I'm joining Movie Roadhouse London (MRL) for a film! This time, it's Gladiator II, at Picturehouse Central, with Paul Mescal replacing Russell Crowe as the gladiator who shows Rome the error of its ways, and a return by Connie Nielsen.. seems I mistook who was whom, and her son is actually the aforementioned Paul Mescal, by Russell Crowe! So yes, he IS his son.. Denzel Washington also shows up as a slave that wants to overthrow Rome. Directed by the very bankable Ridley Scott.

On Sunday, I'm back with the Crick Crack Club (CCC)! This time, it's Queen of Between, with Sarah Liisa Wilkinson, and it's at the British Museum again - which means I'd better leave a huge chunk of time for queueing!

On Monday, I'm headed to Reykjavik, in Hampstead Theatre.. which, ironically, UITCS went to a while back..

Tuesday is looking like film - and as usual, the blog was delayed by me looking up the film list. So, what I've come up with is Soundtrack to a Coup d' État, a fascinating-looking documentary about events in the UN in 1960, with the entry of a host of newly independent African nations, shifting the balance of power. We get Khrushchev banging his fist, we get Eisenhower - and we get a political assassination. Lots of shenangigans - and all to a rocking jazz soundtrack. Showing in the ICA.

Next Wednesday, another social with The Hideout and their sister group, MRL, at the BFI Riverfront Bar - this one is fetchingly called Frost Descent. Easting beforehand at The Archduke, as usual.

On the 21st, the CCC has an event in The Cube, Bristol - which has the advantage of having streaming tickets, one of which I've bought. I'll probably be in the office that day, and for once yes, heading home afterwards! The event is The Three Snake Leaves - and ironically, is happening in King's Place in January, which I'd have preferred - I always prefer to go to things in person, and especially storytelling. But never mind..

Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend. And on the 25th, unless something else crops up, I'm thinking of just heading around the Southbank Winter Market..