Flamenco: Identidades, Walk: Southwark - Seedy & Sublime, & Film: Scream 7

I finished off the month with three more Meetups - last Friday, back with La Isla Flamenco Club, olé! Back in the Gold Bar in the Colab Tower for a show called Identidades - tickets from We Got Tickets, as usual. Had a lovely nap first, which perked me up for the evening. Went early, so I could eat in Nando's Clink Street - got a table beside two American-sounding girls, who arrived before I did, but they were so indecisive about what to have, by the time they got their order in, I was halfway through my dinner! Two more things struck me about them: firstly, they were talking about some acquaintance of theirs who was "obsessed with men" - laudable, that they considered it more important to do other things, even in this day and age! And secondly, when they had finally ordered and went off to get their cutlery and napkins, one left her phone on the table.. wooh, that's highly dangerous. Hope she doesn't find that out the hard way..

And so to the venue - this helpful sign would be invaluable in finding it!

They were letting people in faster than last time - no waiting around, I went straight through; the organiser was taking names, and recognised me, passing me to the person who was deciding where we were sitting - I had to share again, of course. Interestingly, the other woman at the table sounded English, and by the sound of it, was learning flamenco, travelling over and back to Spain. The table was closer to the stage than last time.

And the music was divine.. the dancer, who had a couple of costume changes, encouraged the audience to join in at the end, and personally called to our table to invite that aforementioned dance student to the floor - perhaps she's been teaching her, I do see she has a school in London..

A great night - but it ran too late to blog, as I had to be up early. Yesterday, I was back at last with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpies for his rescheduled Southwark: Seedy and Sublime walking tour. More walking than I've done in a while - he's recovering from having dislocated his shoulder, still hasn't got proper movement back in the arm: and I'm as bad, with something wrong with both my shoulders! I can only trace it back to my cruise on the Polarlys, with the very hard mattress, and me sleeping on my side - something's been off since, and it's been getting steadily worse, with pins and needles in my arms, sporadic shooting pains, and now it's gotten to the stage where my movement in one arm is somewhat restricted - high time I did something about it, and I've booked to see a chiropractor tomorrow - got a lunchtime slot. (Handily, I can expense it.) Anyway, I spent the entire walk in slight pain.. still, I think it did me good overall, to get out and about.

The morning's rain had just cleared, and the sun came to accompany us - and me, pessimistically, having left my sunglasses behind! Well, here's a building on Borough High Street that I never noticed! Must have passed it a million times - it's an old hop dealers, this being an area with a great history of brewing:

Our way wended through Borough Market - he told us about it before we went in, as guides are apparently not allowed inside - and down the tourist trail to the Golden Hinde. I didn't take as many photos as I might have, I'm too familiar with the area. Goodness, we even passed the sign from the night before (pictured above). Naturally, we had a stop at Winchester Palace:

We had a stop at The Clink - of course, the last time I was here was for the LoMAZ January/February birthday bash, which incorporates a guided walk, the blurb for each stop generated from ChatGPT and read by volunteers; I did this one, but have to say, it wasn't as interesting as Laurence's!

Naturally, we wended our way around to the site of the original Globe Theatre, and to the Rose Playhouse, across the road:

We ended up walking by the river - and although there was a very cold breeze, the view is always tremendous:

Having been to the site of the original Globe, of course we stopped at the reconstructed one (Laurence pictured in the flat cap). Note also the roof of the Jacobean Wanamaker Playhouse, to the left of the Globe on the same site:

And of course, there was a mention for the oldest house in the area to survive - complete with some false rumours about famous people who stayed there:

Apparently, they do talks on specific paintings in the Tate Modern (covers art from 1900 onwards). Gee, that'd be really cool - particularly for someone like me, who knows zip about contemporary art!

Wow, as we passed under Blackfriars Bridge, we came across the most energetic buskers I've ever seen - they were doing a cracking version of You Really Got Me, by The Kinks, lepping all over the place. Just a shame we didn't have time to stay and watch:

And so across the bridge to the other side of the river:

We were eating in Ye Olde Cock Tavern afterwards - which was a bit of a walk along Fleet Street. En route, Laurence pointed out to us El Vino wine bar, which was used as Pomeroy's in Rumpole of the Bailey:

And so, at last, to the pub - where I had a very moreish steak and ale pie, the only one at the table to have it, I do believe! And it went down very well, as did the wine - I see they've changed the Sauvignon Blanc from Spy Valley to Montford Estate - still Marlborough, still delicious. And as ever, the chat was good - very good to see these folks again! When we finally left, two of us walked in the direction of Leicester Square - it being a nice evening, and indeed a pleasant, and not overly long, walk:

That evening, I joined The Hideout again for Scream 7 - stars Courtney Cox as usual, and Neve Campbell, the original protagonist in the franchise; this time, the intended victim is her daughter. We were heading to the Vue West End, drinks beforehand in Victory House. I arrived about the right time, got a drink - someone was sat in the area, but I didn't recognise him and wasn't sure, so sat a little down from him. It wasn't until someone else arrived and started to talk to him about film that I confirmed they were newcomers to the group and sat closer. Gee, he even turned out to be from Clare, like me! (other side). Anyway, the organiser duly arrived, and when it was time, we popped over to the cinema.

Oh dearie me. As a member of the group astutely said later on the WhatsApp chat, this was so predictable, it could have been written by ChatGPT. I was literally laughing in my seat as I watched it, so little effort seemed to have gone into it. And I know it's Neve Campbell's schtick not to be intimidated by the killers, but with her own daughter under threat, you'd think she could summon up some emotion! Courtney Cox makes a token cameo. If all they're doing in this franchise now is rehashing old ideas, I don't think I'll be watching any more of them. Anyway, I was too tired last night to blog - came home and crashed.

Today, thinking of another film - what came up was The President's Cake, set in Iraq when Saddam Hussein was in power, and schoolkids had to prepare a gift for his birthday.. the rating has dropped, but I prefer it to anything higher-rated. It's showing in a couple of Curzons - I'll go for the Curzon Bloomsbury, it's handy for shopping. Later showing, obviously - at least giving me time to blog first!

Tomorrow evening, assuming I'm not ripped to shreds by the chiropractor, back with Shake it Up! The Improvised Shakespeare Show, at the Hen & Chickens. And my dinner companion from last Monday is coming too. We'll be trying 314 Bar and Kitchen, across from the pub, for dinner.

On Tuesday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for Ukraine Unbroken, a set of five short plays at the Arcola, incorporating Ukrainian music.

On Wednesday, back with storytelling - and the Crick Crack Club has a new idea, the Story Pick + Mix - apparently rough cuts, experimental work. This one, The Bodies on the Beach, is the story of the legendary Irish hero, Fionn MacCumhaill, and is said to combine elements of 15th-century manuscripts, archaeology, and folklore. And these shows are happening at some place called Theatre Deli, right in the City. Eating in La Spezia restaurant next door beforehand.

On Thursday, back with UITCS for Blink, at The King's Head. A romcom that asks, in the digital age, when we can see everything someone is doing, what does it actually mean to know someone? And then I'm heading back to Ireland for the weekend - a little earlier than anticipated, but I'll be busy for the rest of the month, so might as well go now, before things hot up!