Play: Lynn Faces

Tonight, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Lynn Faces, a comedy about women of a certain age starting a punk group, and playing at the New Diorama. 

My plan was to eat at the nearby Wasabi beforehand. It was another member of the group, who, when we're both headed to something, joins me for food beforehand, that spotted that it closes at 3! Undeterred, we decided on the one by Warren Street. I got there early, as it happened - to discover that that one is essentially a cupboard with shelving. No seating whatsoever. So, Plan C - I took myself off to the other alternative we'd considered, the Greene Man, pretty much across the road from the theatre, and which, when I spotted it, I realised I'd eaten in when I was here before! On the way, I passed the other Wasabi, the one that closes early.. I see they have lots of space..

Happily, the pub wasn't too busy, and I got a table without trouble, where my companion duly joined me. And we both had their delectable steak & ale pie. I went for mash, for once, and was glad I had - it was delicious! And of course, we weren't at all far from the theatre now, making our way over when we'd finished. They don't issue tickets in advance here - they just have reusable ones, which you collect at the box office, then you return as you enter the performance. I ran to the loo - they turned out to be unisex cubicles, each fitted with a basin and hand dryer. And when I came out, I had a really nice glass of wine.. Yes, I like this theatre!

Seating is unassigned - well, necessarily, with all those identical tickets! We decided against the front row:

Well, as is obvious from the stage design, this is meant to represent a concert by this band. The whole thing is supposed to be an homage to Lynn, a character from Alan Partridge - something I've hardly watched, and so I had no idea who she was. When they come on, they're wearing masks of her face..

It's a madcap thing, this. I was never a great fan of punk, but the great thing about it was the freedom it gave people who wouldn't ordinarily have been considered suitable for a career in the music business a chance to have a go! In other words - people who couldn't sing, couldn't play instruments, didn't want to have to dress a certain way.. hell, U2 started on the wave of optimism that that created, so I can hardly complain!

Having said that.. this band is awful. They haven't rehearsed - their drummer replied to the ad, but never actually showed up, and they don't even know what she looks like - they haven't agreed on the setlist.. And it's hilarious. Well, I thought so. The whole thing turns out to be a kind of self-expression on the part of the singer, a sort of bucket list activity to help her get over her breakup with the love of her life - who never did treat her very well. And what happens over the course of the next hour and a bit - is manic.

We were glad we hadn't sat in the front row - there is a little audience participation (not major!). And the story does switch from that of an inept band, to the story of the breakup of an abusive relationship, with a great deal of sensitivity, but somehow not losing its lightheartedness. Very nicely balanced - and we had some pre-warning, when the nice people at the box office made sure we were aware of the trigger warnings, printed at the top of the programs. I'm not surprised this is award-winning - I was very impressed. Runs till Saturday - highly recommended: and anyone who's tried to form a band will doubtless sympathise with the concert aspect!

And so to the bar - not to drink, but to have a cheery chat about the imminent end of the World as we know it. Perhaps the group should also come with a trigger warning..? Anyway, good to be home early. I do appreciate my sleep, for all that I so frequently go without it!

And that's it for socialising for me for the week - the rest is on my own.

Tomorrow, I decided on film - and the film at the top of my list looked really good; I'm Still Here is about a Brazilian woman whose husband disappeared during the military dictatorship. Based on a true story, this is receiving a lot of attention. Also showing widely - the closest to me is in the BFI. I booked it, because it had started to sell out - in fact, now it's completely sold out - and booked to eat at The Archduke afterwards. Interestingly, Movie Roadhouse London saw it yesterday, and loved it.. if I hadn't had this booked, I'd have gone with them! And by the time I discovered I was free yesterday, of course I'd already booked for tomorrow..

On Wednesday - whee, more storytelling! This one is Folk Horror Night, and takes place in Folklore Hoxton, tickets through Dice - run by the Crick Crack Club, performed by Laura Sampson and Daniel Morden. Also already sold out. I've booked for The Blues Kitchen Shoreditch beforehand.

On Thursday, I've booked - because it was also selling out - for Intercepted, an interesting-sounding documentary, showing at Curzon Bloomsbury only, as far as I know, about phone calls home from Russian soldiers in the Ukraine, and intercepted by Ukrainian security forces. And then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.