Plays: America the Beautiful - Chapter 1

Back in London, for last night, I was having trouble finding something - and lo, finally, when I checked last week, my cheap ticket groups had something! America the Beautiful is a set of plays that, as the blurb says, offer "a uniquely skewed view of life and relationships". Showing in the King's Head again - Chapter 1 this week, which is a set of three. Both my cheap ticket groups have it, and for the same price - I booked with TAC, just because I've been going with CT so much lately, to provide some balance.

Showing gloriously late, so I had plenty of time - to work, to have a nap (after my strenuous chiropractic session). Finally moseyed out the door in time to eat - headed to The Bull again, naturally (gee, so long and then twice in the space of a week!). Had the chicken schnitzel again - strangely, they'd heated the lemon that came with it. (?) Anyway, it was good, and this time I had time for two glasses of Sauvignon Blanc - I wasn't asked which I wanted, so I guessed they still don't have the New Zealand. All was good though.

I was required to show up 45 minutes early - with the crowd of people at the box office at that time, it was obvious we were all on the same mission. We were given physical tickets, and off we went - sat in the bar on Level -1 for a while, then when the barrier to the staircase down was removed, I went to check out the bar on Level -4, beside the theatre itself. Sadly, at least on this occasion, that bar was not operational:

Internet wasn't spectacular either, despite their having WiFi. Anyway, when it was time, we went in - with seating unassigned, I went for the front row:

The modular set can be adapted to fit three separate scenarios: in the first play, Hate Crime, a hotel room in which two lovers discuss - well, a desperate act. Kandahar comes next, with a soldier giving testimony in what seems like a courtroom. And to finish, we switch to a living room as The Possible has a girl implementing an unusual strategy to secure the girl of her dreams.

One of the actors in Hate Crime is also the sole actor in Kandahar, but otherwise it's different actors for the different pieces. And the acting is excellent throughout, really compelling. Each story is one of passionate love, compelling the person who feels it to perform desperate acts. For me, The Possible swung it for the sheer originality of the story - the others were on more familiar territory. But it was enthralling throughout - highly recommended. Chapter 1 runs till Saturday.

Didn't get the blog finished last night, was booking ahead. Tonight, second play in a row, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for aggy, at the Park Theatre. As one of the characters presents a fake persona to secure work, questions are raised about attitudes and prejudices.

Tomorrow, more storytelling - seems to be the popular day of the week for it at the moment! This is The Goddess of Spreadsheets, by Tim Ralphs, at Torriano Avenue.

On Thursday, heading to a film - Wasteman is a prison drama, closest showing to me in the Everyman Broadgate. The trailer looks 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. Eating in the Red Lion Moorgate beforehand - a Greene King pub. Now, I'll be in the office again that day, and it closes at 7 - I wanted a booking around 7.45, but I have to go a little later, at 8pm; they're booked up till then.

On Friday - 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 - second night in a row in a Greene King pub.. well, they're central, and the food is good..

On Saturday, 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..

On Monday, 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.. Next 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 the 18th, 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 the 19th, back with UITCS for the opening night of Body and Soul at Sadler's Wells, eating at The Wilmington beforehand as usual.

On the 20th, 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..