Film: Wasteman

Last night, headed to a film - Wasteman is a prison drama, closest showing to me in the Everyman Broadgate. The trailer looked really powerful, as an inmate close to parole, and looking forward to seeing his son, gets a violent new cellmate and finds himself in danger of losing his "good behaviour" status. Because most of the seats in that screen are sofas, tickets for which have to be booked in pairs, I thought I'd better book an armchair while they were going. Booked to eat in the Red Lion Moorgate beforehand - a Greene King pub. I was in the office again during the day, and it closes at 7 - I wanted a booking around 7.45, but had to settle a little later, at 8pm; they were booked up till then.

Stayed in the office until about 6.30, then took the first bus that arrived and that Google Maps said I could use in a combination to get me there. Sure enough, arrived at the pub about 7.40 - and my heart sank to see the crowd outside. Still, I persevered, pushed through the bar to the stairs, clambered up, laptop and all - to see a sign on the door to the upstairs room, saying it was closed for a private function. Turned out to be a table quiz, as I discovered when I pushed my way in to ask the guy behind the bar, who winced and said my table was probably downstairs. Down I went again.. looking at the heaving crowd there, it was obvious I wouldn't get a table early, and even when I did, it wasn't going to be a pleasant experience, and they'd probably have to evict whoever was on it. I decided to walk on and look for somewhere else.

Now, it was with great glee that I spotted a Gaucho right across from the cinema! (well, past the construction hoarding). It's a glass construction - I had to walk right around to find the entrance. Asked the lady on the desk whether they might have a table for me, and she rang downstairs to check - the restaurant itself is actually downstairs, accessed by stairs or a glass lift; the bar is at ground level, and was quite empty.. I imagine that was because of the price of the drinks, which I was to discover. Anyway, she said someone had just paid, and if I could just wait at the bar for a few minutes, she'd let me know when I could go down. While I was waiting, I cancelled my reservation at the pub - the time for it still hadn't come.

I was welcomed downstairs, and offered the chance to leave my bag in the cloakroom, which I did. Just as well - the dining room is cramped. They do have a private dining room in fact, just at reception - I passed it. All its walls are glass, and at this point are stacked with wine bottles. I was shown to a small table at the far wall of the main room, suitable for one or two. The place was pretty packed, and the noise pretty deafening. She came quickly to take my drink order - I hadn't had much time to look, but scanned the wine list quickly. Not that many available by the glass, and then only medium - I chose the Sauvignon Blanc. Which cost £15.

When I got a chance to look at the food menu, I wasn't enthused by the starters, although I was hungry - decided just to have a main. I know they're famous for their steak - but wasn't really in the mood, particularly since the steak prices start at £35 for anything other than rump. I thought I'd try their steak pie.. it comes with mash; I skipped ordering any more sides.

It did take a while to arrive, but I was early - the mash is served in a separate bowl, and there's sauce in a little pot. The pie itself is wide but shallow.. and imagine my surprise when I took a bite and discovered it was lukewarm! Another piece was warm, so I continued.. when the third piece turned out to be practically cold, I signalled to the manager, who was passing, and explained the situation; he took it all away. Took a while to get a replacement - and they did replace it fully. And yes, it was suitably warm - and pretty bland. I found some mushrooms in it, which did nothing for the taste. And I kept remembering the lovely steak and ale pies they do in Greene King pubs, with the gorgeous sauce.. the nicest part of this pie, I have to say, was the pastry. The mash was nondescript too. At least I did better with the wine when I ordered a second glass, and asked whether I could have the albarinho I'd noticed.. that had some flavour.

I might have had dessert, but it had run late, and I'd spent the night pretty much being ignored - as usual, the tables with groups got much more attention. So I decided to cut my losses and run, asking for the bill when she came to clear the table. Nobody had even asked how I'd liked my second dinner. I was then kept waiting for five minutes at the cloakroom, no staff being nearby. I'll certainly not be back..

A blustery walk to the cinema made me thankful I wasn't going further. As usual, the business here is all done downstairs - so both restaurant and cinema were underground! Good night for it. At the bottom of the stairs, I was met by a guy with a clipboard, who asked what I was going to and said that screen was just being cleaned - so I got another glass of wine from the bar (larger, cheaper, and tastier) and took a seat on the couch. I saw the guy come out with the bag of rubbish, and moseyed in a few minutes later - I was first in, the lady was just removing some of the food waste; you can order to your seat in Everyman, of course. And I might have, if anyone had asked - they didn't, and there wasn't anything in particular I wanted. I tell you something though, I could have done with a headrest - my neck ached, despite the comfy upholstery I was sat on.

Well now, this film is excellent.. the producer is Philip Barantini, who directed and co-wrote the tense Boiling Point. And our protagonist is the epitome of meek - he's a hairdresser, tending to the other prisoners, and he works in the kitchen. And wow, he's up for early parole - the prison system is overwhelmed, as you'd expect. He can get out and see the son who doesn't know him - he just has to keep his nose clean for a couple of weeks. So, it's just terrible timing when an arrogant young crim becomes his new cellmate, and starts to drag him into things that could scupper his chances for a normal life..!

Both characters - and indeed, the prisoners they come into contact with - are beautifully drawn. The new youngster is cute, brash, seems to have access to all sorts of luxuries - tons of chocolate, he has a network that can get him new trainers, he has a flash air dry cooker installed in the cell. And crucially, he has a phone, which he lets his cellmate borrow, first to track down his son, then to make contact with him online. But of course, he pisses off others who think he's encroaching on their territory, and a terrible turf war starts, with him expecting his new bff to act as his heavy..

The tension is terrific, as the camera follows this timid guy around, unsure about what he's doing, unsure whether he'll manage on the outside, afraid to contact his son. Plus, he developed a drug addiction in prison, which he's trying to cleanse himself of before his release. So, just as in Boiling Point, when the pressure builds to an unbearable level.. something has to give. And the conclusion is masterfully executed. It isn't an easy watch, but it's a rewarding one, believe me.

A blustery trip home, but happily, I seem to have got home before the worst of the weather hit, by the sound of what was going on outside. Seems to have cleared up again today. And, of course, it ran too late to blog last night.

Tonight - way-hay! I've become a big fan of the Irish comedy trio Foil, Arms & Hog, from their online videos. I've never seen them live - and was very keen to see them when I heard they were performing their latest show, Skittish, at the Palladium! For some reason, however, I could never get the booking link to work - and just as well, because tickets then came up on CT and I snapped one up. Eating in Shakespeare's Head Soho beforehand - a Greene King pub again. And wouldn't you know it, I mistook the showtime and booked dinner too late.. it was only last night that I thought, am I sure it's on that late? Sure enough, it isn't, and I've managed to change my dinner booking for an earlier time. I wanted 6pm, they'd only give me 5.45 or 6.15, so I chose 5.45 so as not to be rushing - I can easily leave work a bit early, nothing to do anyway.

Tomorrow, absolutely delighted to be seeing the medieval music group Rune again. They're now artists in residence at the medieval church of St. Bartholomew the Great, and I'm on their mailing list - they've announced a programme of four concerts there for the year, but only the first two are so far available to book. This one is Soave Dolce Melodia: Music of the Trecento (14th Century Italian). I emailed the Old Red Cow for a dinner booking beforehand - and they confirmed the same night! Maybe they're speeding up.

Sunday is when they're celebrating St. Patrick's Day in London - I think I'll take myself along to the festival. A Meetup group called Explorers is going, but I don't know anyone in it well, so I think I'll do my own thing - besides, 210 people have signed up! It'd be like a small army.. although rain seems to be forecast, so we'll see. Mind you, that'd only be appropriate..

On Monday, Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) is off to another spooky thing - It Walks Around the House at Night has an actor playing the ghost that inhabits a remote manor house, scaring visitors.. only to discover that he's not the only one there! Mwah-hah-haa.. Showing at Southwark Playhouse.

Then, two days of films, catching a couple I've had my eye on for a while.. On Tuesday, Paddy's Day itself, my thought was to go to a film with an Irish connection.. not a great choice of them amongst the highly rated though! I finally plumped for seeing Hamnet at last, my justification being that it has two Irish stars - Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal. They play Shakespeare and his wife, respectively - although her name seems to have changed from Anne to Agnes! Mind you, it is based on a novel. Deals with the death of their son, Hamnet, and how that provided the inspiration for the play Hamlet. Closest showing to me is in Rich Mix - which I've booked, because I also booked to eat in The Blues Kitchen beforehand, and figured I'd better book the one, since I'd booked the other.

And on Wednesday, finally heading to see No Other Choice, a dark comedy about a middle-aged Korean man who, finding himself unexpectedly unemployed and with a family to support, and faced with competing with younger, brighter applicants in the jobs market, decides that the only reasonable course of action is to eliminate them.. Handiest close showing to me is in the Curzon Bloomsbury - I've booked it with the last of my year's free tickets. Always good to use a free ticket for something that's not a documentary, and so is priced higher..

And then three days of Meetup. On Thursday, back with UITCS for the opening night of Body and Soul at Sadler's Wells, eating at The Wilmington beforehand as usual.

Next Friday, back with The Hideout at last, to see Dead Lover - the trailer is so ridiculously OTT, I can only hope the film is worth it! About a gravedigger, finally finds the man of her dreams, and he goes and dies! Naturally, what can she do but resurrect him..? Showing in the Prince Charles, and we're meeting in Victory House beforehand. Now, I'd normally book at my favourite restaurant for this - but would you believe, by the time I decided what I was doing, they were fully booked for early evening! Eating at the Bear and Staff instead, I know they're good.

And on the 21st, finally back with LoMAZ for their bi-monthly birthday bash - meeting at Benugo in Waterloo, then having a self-guided history tour (ahem) within the station, and repairing to the Union Jack..