Stage Time: Improvised Comedy

Tonight, I was back with CT for Stage Time, the improvised comedy show at Shoreditch Balls. Eating at The Blues Kitchen Shoreditch beforehand.. ooh, was looking forward to that! Figured, as they checked yesterday that I was still coming, they'd be open..!

Made the bus in perfect time, phew. It took me right past both places, on either side of the road - and I was just in good time for my booking. Except.. for the most chaotic traffic at the junction. It took us five solid minutes to creep around the corner, until we finally got close enough to the stop that the driver let us off. Never mind, I still made it on time - to within the minute!

Oh, it was a relief to get inside, out of the bitter cold - it really has got frigid here, in comparison with last week. I was kept waiting while they got their booking system working to check my reservation, then I was shown to one of the tables overlooking the ornate bar. Service was quick, the food was mercifully hot, the chicken was as gorgeous as ever. And I see the chips are still over-salted.. ah well, you can't have everything.

I left after my main, remembering the drink is cheaper in Shoreditch Balls. I was a bit early for the show, I discovered - it starts at 7.30, doors open at 7. The nice man actually came to find me after a while, to tell me the house was open! and the lady in charge remembered me - gee, and it's months since I was last there! As I remarked on the cold, she promised to reserve the seat beside the heater for me. And wow, she did.. and I was so toasty.

The groups were good - a couple were on first, then larger groups. As usual, I seemed to be the only non-performer there - including the door staff! But hey. All took audience suggestions, all went crazy with the plots. We had people locked in the back room of a clothes shop, we had people extolling the virtues of carrots, we had all sorts - it's always a fun night, I do enjoy it. It was nice to be back.

It was nice to be going home early, too, if I could've.. the #47 I'd taken there seemed to have gone on strike. With none in evidence, I decided to take the first bus to London Bridge and change - if there was a problem with the #47, I could get the #381 from there. Mind you, I had a wait at London bridge, with neither the #47 nor the #381 listed.. finally, the #47 was listed as coming in about half an hour, and I was just pondering what to do about that when a #381 arrived, completely unannounced. Honestly, what are they doing..? Good to be home at last, though.

With the film list out nice and early for once, tomorrow I'm off to see All We Imagine as Light, at last - showing in the BFI. I booked, because it was selling out. Set in Mumbai, it describes the relationship between two female roommates of different ages, and their different experiences of love. And sensibly, I'm going back to The Archduke for food.

Next, two Meetup days in a row. On Thursday, I'm heading to A Good House, at the Royal Court, with UITCS - eating in Cote Sloane Square beforehand. Whose service speed had improved, the last couple of times I was there - let's see whether they can keep the side up. Now, following my terrible experience on Wednesday in Cote St. Katharine Docks, they're refunding me, and have given me a voucher, would you believe, redeemable in any Cote! 

And on Friday, I decided to accompany The Hideout to see Presence! in Picturehouse Central. Stars Lucy Liu. Well, it doesn't have a terrific rating, but neither does it have a bad one - and the trailer looks good.

On Saturday, back with the Crick Crack Club at King's Place, for The Three Snake Leaves, with Hugh Lupton, Ben Haggarty, and Sally Pomme Clayton - music by Sheema Mukherjee. Accompanied by a sometime companion from UITCS. Potentially meeting Ivan for a late-night drinking session afterwards - TBD.

On Sunday, two Meetup groups I haven't been with in an age - in the morning, I'm headed with London Literary Walks for a parade commemorating the execution of Charles I! Never heard of it, but apparently it's a thing. We're meeting at The Red Lion, Crown Passage.

And in the evening, I'm back with Buddies on Budgets in London, for the Winter Lights show in Canary Wharf.

Finally, on Monday, I'm back at King's Place for a Kirckman Society concert by the Paddington Trio. It'll be good to get back to classical music, it's been too long..

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