Now in two cheap ticket days. Tonight, back with CT - which is playing a blinder - for Amores Pasados, a medieval concert with a modern twist, at St. Clement Danes. Performed by the Alternative History Quartet, regular-priced tickets from Ticket Tailor. I booked to eat beforehand in Cote Covent Garden.
In retrospect, I could have eaten afterwards - it was over early enough, and I could have worked for longer. Certainly have enough to do. But who knows, in these cases? Anyway, I was just preparing to leave, checked how the buses were doing - only to find that my bus was early, and due to leave in two minutes. So I missed that.. and ended up waiting 15 minutes for the next. And I was slightly late for my booking - just over five minutes. I then spent an extra five minutes waiting in the doorway for anyone to notice me! Finally, someone did, and found me a cosy table in the corner, which needed to be cleaned.
They were busy as hell. The couple at the next table were waiting on their mains - and were waiting long after I arrived, getting ever more irate, as one said to the server that they had to leave in 20 minutes. They asked for the bill at the same time, and it arrived just after the food. As for me, I caught the server's eye and ordered - and was waiting another 15 minutes for my starter, and 20 minutes after that for the main. So, so glad I left plenty of time - I certainly wouldn't have had time for dessert. Anyway, the food was good, and I copied that couple's example and asked for the bill as soon as my main arrived. As I paid, I remarked on how busy it was, and she confided in me that one of the grills was down.. and just at the busy time too! It was just clearing out as I left, and I bet they were glad of it..
Just made the church with minutes to spare. Programmes were £1, cash only - they're playing with fire there, so many people don't carry cash any more! I figured I'd better have one, and rooted in my bag for the requisite cash, then took a seat to the side, so I could get a bit closer:
It is a gorgeous church. Another quibble - no mics! I could hardly hear what the guy beforehand was saying, about emergency exits and such - and we could have done with mics for the performers too. The lutes were a bit muted, and when one of the singers was explaining a slight change to the programme, again, I couldn't really hear him. Ah though.. the other singer, Anna Maria Friman, had the most gorgeous, strong and beautiful voice.. sublime. Not to say that the others weren't good - but she was outstanding. As I say, perhaps if they'd been miced..The concert was named for the first piece. This group have hit on the idea of playing both medieval music, and modern music with a medieval twist.. and this is a trio of Spanish poems, set to music by John Paul Jones - yes, the bass guitarist for Led Zeppelin! A few Renaissance pieces followed - and we were back into the modern stuff for the remainder, one piece by Tony Banks, keyboardist with Genesis.
It made for a lovely concert. On the way out, I paused to read the history board at the door:
With an early finish, at least I could shop on the way home. And tomorrow, back - at last - with TAC for more magic! This one is James Phelan: Showman, playing at Underbelly Boulevard. Yes, the same guy that headlined last Thursday's show. Somehow, I'd forgotten to check where to eat - well, now I've booked for Saffron Soho - happily, nice and close to the office, where I'll be tomorrow.
Next was supposed to be three more days of Meetup - on Friday, I booked with The Hideout for Disclosure Day, in which Emily Blunt plays a TV weather forecaster who suddenly finds herself communicating in a strange, clicking language, which only Josh O' Connor finds he can understand. Colin Firth seems to play a bad guy, as per the trailer. Directed by Spielberg again.. Now, when details were finally announced, it was in the Odeon Leicester Square, fair enough - but at 3.45pm?!! Talk about not catering to people with office jobs! So, four of us cancelled our attendance on foot of that - and are now headed, together, to the much more sensible 7.30pm showing in the same cinema! And for anyone that wants to join me, as I said, I've booked for Bella Italia beforehand.
The weekend is London Museums A-Z (LoMAZ) again - on Saturday, we have a day in Hever Castle! We're to arrive at St. Peter's Church in time for a guided tour thereof by our accomplished organiser, then spend the afternoon exploring the castle, and its Capturing a Queen exhibition, focusing on what Anne Boleyn, whose childhood home this was, actually looked like. The castle is also hosting a Home Front 1940s exhibition - no thanks, don't think I'll take their invitation to dress up accordingly. Optional drinks afterwards, of course - and travel is convenient for me, with direct trains from London Bridge taking under an hour. Already booked my ticket with Uber, with which I had so much credit, it was nearly free..
And on Sunday - I was thinking of heading to see West End Live, the free performance snippets of West End shows, performed in Trafalgar Square.. always a good one! But recently, on what was a very busy day for Meetup organisers, LoMAZ organised a guided walk! And as it's around my area, I could hardly resist - we're meeting in Starbucks before heading off on a Southwark Hysteries Solstice Special walk, as presented by Herstorical Tours, in the person of someone who glories in the name of Lydia Chlamydia, and is a whore of Ancient Rome.. the Solstice Special includes other actors popping out along the way, and it apparently includes the option of a post-walk drink in a historic pub. I have my suspicions where that might be.. and the person who advertised it to LoMAZ did such a good job of selling it on Sunday that she got a good few more takers.
Tuesday is our work summer party, in The Rotunda again, which proved so popular last year.
The next two days are with Up in the Cheap Seats - next Wednesday, we're at Under the Shadow, a horror play, based on the film, about a mother and daughter, trying to survive in a Tehran that is being bombed, who find themselves being haunted, on top of it all. Showing in the Almeida.
And on the 28th, LoMAZ is supposed to be doing a tour of Brompton Cemetery - possibly including the crypt - as part of the series of Dracula events we're doing for the year. Mind you, it's slightly up in the air.. watch this space. If we do still go, that'll have been every weekend this month with LoMAZ..
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