Storytelling: The Bodies on the Beach

Tonight, back with storytelling - and the Crick Crack Club (or more likely, Laura Sampson) has a new idea, the Story Pick + Mix, organised by what she seems to be calling The House of Rumour - 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 Theatre Deli, right in the City. Booked to eat in La Spezia restaurant next door beforehand - not a long journey, happily.

In fact, close enough to walk there. Boy, it was cold though - and foggy, most of the tops of the taller buildings obscured. I found the restaurant readily enough, but slightly late - not a problem, I probably didn't need to book; it looked pretty empty. The nice man took my coat and showed me to a really out-of-the-way table, with a great view of the underside of the stairs, hmm. I ordered wine straight away - the Sauvignon Blanc is wincingly expensive, at over £18 for a large glass, but well, I was new to the place and said I'd give it a try. And it was excellent - and I had another, thus greatly increasing the cost of the meal. Hey-ho. Interestingly, for a large glass, they actually bring a carafe, and only pour half initially.. such a ceremony.

I was then left, had to grab the guy's attention. I have to say, they were very charming - just not completely on the ball. I wasn't hugely hungry, but ordered the calamari to start - again, for purposes of research. Interestingly, they are served as kind of calamari fingers here! Lovely, soft crumb coating, and thick - fingers - with lemon and aioli on the side. Very nice indeed.

I would have had pasta, but the chicken milanese caught my eye - definitely one of the more expensive things on the menu. You could have it with salad or spaghetti pomodoro - so I had the spaghetti. The lot came on an enormous, and quite hot, plate. And the spaghetti was very tasty - but of course, it came with tomato sauce, and I'm intolerant to tomato - I got about 2/3 of the way through before I started to burp, and had to leave it. The chicken.. well, it was edible, but not a patch on Bella Italia; indeed, I've had better in most places I've had similar, and at about half the price. I wouldn't have it again here.

In summary, lovely service but overpriced - and avoid the chicken. Well, now I know.

I ended up leaving half the chicken - really wasn't interested in it, and it was time to go anyway. My destination was literally next door - we had to sign in at the main building first, which was a bit complicated - the destination we had to input was "next door"! And then we did indeed go next door - where, happily, Laura, who was on the door, had our names on a list - phew, because for the life of me I couldn't find a ticket! All I had was an email from her yesterday with instructions, and which mentioned that it was sold out (although, as it happened, the seat beside me was free). Not to mention I'd hardly had any reception in the restaurant..

Plenty of instruments on stage - mind you, I didn't think they honestly made the best use of them, they tended to come across a bit weird. Not the storytelling though, which was spot on.. having said that, I had a quibble with the use of flashbacks, which were used a couple of times to cover essential story points that hadn't been mentioned.

Well now, I'd heard of Fionn MacCumhail, but not of all of his tales of derring-do.. and just like a Viking saga, it's all about battles with monsters, magic, a little romance.. Two things I had heard of were the salmon of knowledge (which imparted the wisdom of the world, as well as the knack of foresight, to him when he tasted it) and the Tóraíocht, as it's called, which we studied in Irish class in school, and which covers the hunt for his nephew Diarmuid (Dermot), who's just run off with Fionn's new young bride, Gráinne. 

The story cycle is beautifully told, the storytellers - Ben Haggarty and Steph Brittain - divvying up the stories between them and telling them with the drama and passion that both the stories, and the storytellers, are famous for. Looking forward to many more of these..

Interestingly, also, Laura took a leaf from Nell Phoenix's book and provided goodies - I half filled a paper cup with a literal pick + mix from the sweets available. And at the interval, there was both Jameson's and Bailey's, if you wanted.. sadly though, although I took one of the feedback forms that she was handing out with pens, my pen didn't work, I couldn't find another, and I had to go unheard. (sniff*)

And so, out into the mysterious fog:

I decided to take the bus home. Interestingly, I came out at a new stop - at Threadneedle Street - that's not listed on the apps! For safety, I walked to the next nearest stop - but yes, when I did catch the bus, it stopped there as well.

Tomorrow evening, back with Up in the Cheap Seats 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? An early start - but a quick bus trip from the office, so should work, as tomorrow is my office day.

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! On Saturday, thinking of seeing The Secret Agent, finally - a political thriller set in Brazil in 1977, highly rated, and happily still showing in Ennis, which is handier.