Play: Maybe I Should Stop

Tonight, my second play in a row, headed with TAC to Maybe I Should Stop, at the Drayton Arms. It was a late start, so I should have had time to eat beforehand. Alternatively, I had time to do other things.. which I did. Which meant, in the end, I only just had time to have a packet of crisps in the pub! and a glass of wine, which I took up to the theatre with me. Now, we were told we'd be emailed a ticket, and if not, to present our confirmation - predictably, the ticket never came, so I showed him my confirmation and he let me in. The person behind me was in the same predicament.

We were the first in, having moved swiftly when the bell was rung - with unassigned seating, we had a great choice. She who came after me did as I did, and sat in the second row from the front. A few more did come along soon after. The play is a one-man, one-hour show, about a guy that runs off with his father's ashes, in a Celebrations tub. Much of it takes place on the train that he takes to go to the beach where he wants to scatter the ashes.

It sounds better than it is. He makes eye contact, which is nice - and there's a teeny bit of audience interaction, when he asks someone to name a personality he can impersonate. The whole thing, however - while clever enough - came across as narcissistic, as he jokes around inanely while presenting a disjointed story. I got sick of it very quickly. Runs to Saturday, but I don't know why you'd bother. "Maybe I Should Stop"? Yes, maybe you should..

Sadly, I was too late for the pub kitchen afterwards - looking around for eateries that were still open, I came across Cambio de Tercio, a Spanish place a few doors down. A limited menu, but I figured I'd manage. I have to say, they don't make it easy - I had some difficulty finding the front door! There's no sign on it, you see - you can figure out you're at the right building, it's just the getting in is the problem. Anyway, I was quickly greeted and shown to a table.

They have tapas, but there weren't enough I was interested in - and anyway, given the prices, I figured I was as well off with steak. Sirloin (at £40) - the T-Bone is horrendously expensive! In fact, there was a separate menu for T-Bones - the cheapest three were sold out, it seems, and the prices now started at £106.. They do have one of the most extensive wine menus I've seen, but only one white half-bottle - so I had that, wincing at the £35 cost. But the individual glasses were only 175ml anyway, so..

They have an annoying habit of minding your wine for you, pouring as needed. Which means I was left waiting a couple of times. At the time of the third filling, I asked him just to pour the rest of the bottle - heavens, there was hardly any more left anyway! The steak, I have to say, was unprepossessing.. even though it came pre-sliced, and the waiter took the trouble to show me the cross-section, to check it was cooked to my satisfaction. It was fine, but I've had tastier. No sauces were on offer. I tell you what though - the potatoes that accompanied it were doused in a "special sauce", which was absolutely divine! Without doubt the highlight of the meal. He came, as I was eating, to warn me that the kitchen was closing, and ask whether I wanted anything else - apart from dessert.

True to his word, although it was past closing time, when I finished, he brought me a dessert menu! (Other tables were still occupied anyway.) So I had the frozen margarita.. which turned out to be a margarita with crushed ice in it! Love the goblet:

Well, I probably won't be back - it really is too expensive, and the steak isn't all that. But I satisfied my curiosity - and apart from the delicious sauce, and the lovely margarita, I was also treated to soft guitar music all evening, and the sound of Spanish being spoken, among both waiters and customers. Which made me feel as though I was in Spain, despite the cold, wet evening I soon exited to. And that made it worthwhile. Hey, the maitre d' even bade me buenas noches as I left..

Tomorrow, the Crick Crack Club is in action again, in the form of Ben Haggarty, who's performing The Blacksmith at the Bridge of Bones, at the Story Museum Oxford. Happily, they livestream it - available for a week afterwards - so I'm free to go with Up in the Cheap Seats again that day, making it the first of four days of Meetup in a row - they are headed to Sadler's Wells for Ballet Black, performing Shadows. I'm eating beforehand in The Wilmington.

Then, two days with Movie Roadhouse London. On Friday, we're off to Pillion - showing in the BFI, this is a love story between a man and a handsome young biker.. starring Alexander Skarsgard (most memorable for his role as vampire Eric in True Blood, woo!) Booked for the Archduke again beforehand..

On Saturday, we're going to Winter Wonderland! Oh, I've been to this so many times on my own, it'll be great to go with a group.. we're all going to The Ice Palace, then skating is scheduled - not my thing, I'll be going to Cirque Berserk shortly afterwards. Then we hang out together, doing whatever..

On Sunday, back with LoMAZ for a LoMAZ unlimited - they generally limit their numbers, but have the odd event with unlimited numbers. British Museum - on this day, focused on a Nordic Noir exhibition - and afterwards to Penderel's Oak.

On Monday, off with CT to Shake It Up - The Improvised Shakespeare Show, at the Hen & Chickens.. My sometime travel companion is coming too, and we're eating at La Pasta beforehand - handily, it's quite a late show, which gives us plenty of time.

On Tuesday, thinking film - finally thinking of The Mastermind again! A 70s art heist film starring Josh O' Connor, it's now showing in the Curzon Bloomsbury.

Next Wednesday is our work Christmas party, this year in Brasserie Blanc, pretty convenient to me, but which I've never tried.

And on the fourth - well, looks like I'm finally going to get to see Frankenstein, as per Guillermo del Toro! Looks to be a supremely gothic epic, with Jacob Elordi as the monster, Christoph Waltz, and Charles Dance as the father of the scientist, Oscar Isaac, who brings the creature to life. Well, I've seen the exhibition, it's about time I saw the finished product! Showing in Hackney Picturehouse - and since everywhere was full the last time I was there, I've made sure to book for Pizza Express beforehand.