Last night, I was supposed to be back with CT and Shake It Up: The Improvised Shakespeare Company, first Monday of every month in the Hen & Chickens. But Lordy, last Saturday night, the organiser of The Hideout persuaded me to join them again yesterday evening - the original Poltergeist was showing in Cineworld Leicester Square. We were meeting in Victory House again beforehand. And so that was two outings with CT cancelled in a row!
I went in early enough to eat in Bella Italia, if I could get a table - I hadn't been able to get one online when I finally got a chance to try, but it being a Monday night, I figured it was a case of online bookings being closed, rather than them being full. And so it proved, with plenty of empty tables.. but of course, this was quite an early showing, which meant I was eating early; by the time I left, it was much fuller. Wow, I do love their tortellini.. sadly, no time for dessert, but I was well satisfied by the time I left. Particularly as they took the time to remind me of the £5 pasta offer they have on at the moment (every day except Saturday).. which, of course, I had a code for and completely forgot about! Thanks guys..
And so to Victory House, where we had a great chat about horror in general.. and on to the film. And oh, the nostalgia - they're running a Spielberg season, you see. And yes, this is the original film - I haven't seen any of the sequels. Since I booked though, the theme music had been running through my head.. Funnily enough, I didn't remember much at all of the start - all my memories were focused on what happened later; to be fair, it's so dramatic that I think that's reasonable.
Major poltergeist activity is all well and good until a spectral gateway opens in the children's closet, and I don't think it's a major spoiler to say that Carol-Ann, the littlest, gets pulled into it. Mind you, before that, she was communicating with the spirits through static on the television - a major argument for not leaving static playing, if you ask me. The parapsychologists that arrive to investigate are suitably professional and serious (mostly), but I always used to feel that the psychic they subsequently call let the film down a bit, with her squeaky voice and diminutive stature.
This has the unmistakable stamp of Spielberg though - and that psychic is part of that. And to be fair, rather than detracting from the horror, I think it makes the film quite unique - she's one of the most memorable characters. Her appearance, the way she speaks, are unexpected - and the last thing you want in horror is to be predictable. Similarly, with Spielberg, you know you're going to get a family you learn to love and feel for, you know that humanity is going to feature largely.
And for all the, frankly, terrific special effects, with the exit from the spectral realm being in the living room, and things materialising out of thin air somewhere near the ceiling, the memorable scene with a guy thinking his face is coming off, and the creature that appears in the bedroom closet door (a truly scary being) - what stands out most about the film is its humanity: the family's love of one another that will make them go that extra mile, the sympathetic psychic. It is, in fact, a feel-good horror film.. and that's why I always feel nostalgic about it, and why I always love to see it. Very glad I went along!
Now, this blog post has been a long time gestating.. because I've been booking ahead. Enthusiastically. But first..
Tonight, I was back with London Fun for Churchill's Urinal, about a female Chancellor of the Exchequer wanting the urinal in No. 10 removed.. showing in the King's Head. The organiser bought the tickets - and later informed us we'd been upgraded. As he says, another reason to buy the cheap tickets! (Much discussion in the group ensued on the relative merits of Churchill himself.. always a heated topic.)
Again, I headed in early to eat - and as always in Islington, in The Bull. Interestingly, Google Maps initially thought that the buses near me were still diverted because of road works - it's a good job I saw one pass as I walked past the stop, and returning to check, saw they were all scheduled as normal! The buses were packed - doubtless because of today's Tube strike - but I managed a seat most of the way, and didn't arrive too late. Neither did I have to spend too much time in the rain that had been forecast to have dried up by then. Got a table easily and ordered straight away - they brought the food 15 minutes later. I had the schnitzel - but you know, although it was fine, I've had better.. and I know they do fantastic fish n chips here, arguably the best in London. Think I'll have that next time I'm there.
I was only a short walk from the theatre, arriving shortly before the organiser, who direly warned me there might be a problem with my QR code. Sure enough, they directed me to the box office, where they were most confused, probably because our original seat numbers were now coming up as not sold. Plus, I couldn't remember his actual name.. well, he duly arrived, and as the minutes ticked down to start time, they tried to thrash it out, he eventually running to the loo, while the nice lady at the box office gave me a couple of tickets for us and sent us on our way. I took the lift down, in the interest of expediency, met him as he came out of the toilet, and gave him a ticket. There were a lot of spare seats, mind - again, probably because of the strike - and when he spotted the others in the group, he motioned them to come and sit with us.
It's a two-hander - mostly her on stage, but there is another who plays the assistant (or whatever the official job title is) to the PM.. and does his best work playing the eponymous urinal, channelling the spirit of Churchill. I wasn't the only one in our group who felt that the beginning dragged.. she's far too good at playing a politician, and who wants to spend the evening listening to someone speak politically..
Ah, but then someone leaks the news that she wants to get rid of the urinal, and all the crazies come out. And before she knows it, she's besieged on all sides. It's brilliantly written, including a lot of one-sided phone calls - to the ass-kissing assistant to the PM, to her soon-to-be-ex-husband and his lawyer, and to her cack-handed PA - and a disastrous video call with the media on her laptop. She has earbuds in, so as usual, we only hear what she says, and see her reactions. But oh! she plays it brilliantly.
As to sundry people's assertions that they wouldn't see it because they weren't Churchill fans - well, they do address some of the controversies about him. She and the urinal discuss them, among other things, as she comes to her nadir.. and perhaps she needs some of Churchill's famous spirit to get through this..?
Brilliantly written, brilliantly acted, and very entertaining - highly recommended. Hurry though - it only runs to Saturday. We chatted for a bit afterwards, and as the organiser said, we might have gone for a drink, but for the strike, and the difficulty in getting home. Still, it was nice to have some extra time to do what I needed to do..
On Friday, I was supposed to be back with The Hideout for the latest Scary Movie! The trailer looks hilarious, with its references to horror films and popular culture.. and as usual, it'll be interesting to try and spot them all. Only thing is, it's run by the Southeast London branch.. and while I'm in the Southeast, this is far, far southeast.. they're headed to Vue Bromley. I'd have to get a train.. But wouldn't you know it, they switched to Saturday, which I can't do. Never mind, sez I, I'm looking forward to it too much, I'll go see it on my own on Friday. Closer to me. Turns out it's showing in The Arzner, which I've never yet been to, but which is walking distance from me! It's an LGBTQ+ cinema, and Friday's showing apparently has a drag intro.. well, fine..
Then on the 10th, the best looks like Tuner, about a piano tuner turned safe cracker. Closest evening showing to me is in the Everyman Broadgate.
Three days of Meetup follow - on the 12th, I'm back with UITCS for A Fine Idea at the Arcola. A play that looks into the motivation behind the global causes that inspire us.
On the 15th, off with CT again to a play called Before I'm Dead at The Glitch. The story of a teenager with a terminal brain tumour, determined to record a eulogy while she has the chance.
Two more days of Meetup - on the 19th, I'm 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.. Details TBA, but it'll be in Leicester Square, phew!
And the 20th is with LoMAZ, for 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..
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