Concert: The Makropulos Affair

Tonight, last in a run of five Meetups, I was back with London Classical Music and Theatre Group for The Makropulos Affair, by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, at the Barbican - one of the group with a wildcard ticket couldn't go and kindly offered it for free, so I snapped it up. Eating at Cote Barbican beforehand. And gee, you guessed it.. Haven't been there since September, but was with the group slightly more recently, in October..

Having fulfilled a tricky deadline, I was relaxed by the afternoon, and left in good time. Would have made the restaurant even earlier, except the bus bloody let me off early! So I had twice the walk I should have. In pretty heavy rain. Dripped my way inside, 15 minutes early, and was seated without issue. Had calamari - second day in a row, but they're so good here. Had already decided I wanted steak frites - but that's not quite as simple these days; the original is available on the set menu, squeezed in at the bottom of the menu card, but if you're not getting that, you do have to specify. Still, I got what I usually get.

The calamari was an unusually large portion, but gorgeous - a portion of bread and butter came with it, but I hadn't even finished the calamari when my main arrived! Chips spread out on the plate rather than separate, as previously, but it all worked ok. I was still eating that when my erstwhile travel companion - whom I knew was coming tonight, but she hadn't given a time - arrived. She ordered and was served quickly - and we got another carafe of wine (I don't remember Cote doing carafes, is that new?!)  And we paid in time to get to the concert - with the chaos all evening, the servers seeming inexperienced, I decided not to risk the complication of the app.

Sadly, no sign of the group - mostly newcomers tonight, whom I didn't know, and the organiser was delayed: arrived about the same time we did, it seems! She needed the loo, and I needed to exchange my wildcard ticket at the box office. And then the hall was open, so we went in. She'd wondered whether my ticket would be better than hers - and lo, it was! Same row, but a lot more central - granted, I had a big head in front of me, but it was rather a better view than she had:

Essentially, it's the story of a celebrated opera singer, who reminds many people of someone they used to know, and who seems to have a connection with all of these people - well, long story short, turns out she was all of these people. Her father, a celebrated doctor, essentially discovered the elixir of youth, and she's actually 337 years old. During the course of the concert, however, she gets a bit sick of it all, and by Act III, she's finally decided to let nature take its course. The music is modern, but better than most of that I've heard - however, it was the last act where I finally started to appreciate it, as it became more emotive. Was rather impressed by the massive free programmes they gave out, though..

Afterwards, she was peckish again, wanted a coffee.. of course, all the Barbican bars that serve people going to shows close after the intervals, no matter how early, and this show didn't even have one - and the Martini Bar, upstairs, doesn't do coffee. So I suggested we just go back to Cote - it was the easiest, the most comfortable. Neither of us wanted a main now - she had a couple of sides and a coffee, I had the most delish chocolate caramel ice cream and some more wine. Very, very handy resource this, and much nicer than anywhere in the Barbican.

I was having terrible trouble finding anything for tomorrow - and then Nell Phoenix came to my rescue, with another storytelling evening at Torriano Avenue! (I see she's still advertising it as £7, but it's actually £10.) Anyway, that evening, it's Yamamba, with Laura Sampson!

Then, four more days of Meetup. On Thursday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Safe Haven, at the Arcola - the true story of Operation Safe Haven (1991), which protected, and provided humanitarian aid to, Kurdish refugees in Northern Iraq after Saddam Hussein defeated the Kurdish rebellion. Jeez, hard to imagine it happening these days..

On Friday, back with La Isla Flamenco Club, olé! This show is called Light & Shadow, and is happening in The Gold Bar in the COLAB Tower (walkable, lovely.. as long as the weather warms up a bit) - tickets from We Got Tickets. I managed to get an Early Bird ticket, but they're now sold out - regular and student tickets available.

On Saturday, that postponed trip with The Hideout to see 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.. where, doubtless, we'll find out what the deal is with the weird, tracksuit-clothed people who popped up at the end of 28 Years Later, led by Jack O' Connell. Again written by Alex Garland, and again it stars Ralph Fiennes as the doctor studying the plague that has struck humanity. The venue has finally been announced as the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square - thank goodness, there was talk of it being at Picturehouse Central, and after the last time, I'm not keen on a repeat! Eating in Bella Italia beforehand, as usual - brunch, we're meeting so early! And we're apparently headed to the rather deafening All Bar One after the film.. ick.

And on Sunday, back with Rewind Tours of London for his Death, Disease and Fire Walking Tour. We shall see how similar it is to his Hallowe'en walk..