Ramp up

April has been a really full month, so full that I feel I haven't had either the time or the energy to see some of the shows I've been invited to. And yet, there are 11+3 lines in the calendar, so we'll count them at around 12-13 shows, let's see how it goes. And no doubling, though I have seen two shows on two Saturdays, daytime while going to the HoB Speakeasy in the evening. But we've established we're not counting Speakeasy as shows seen, as that would add 16 performances to my total. I'm rambling.

First show seen was on 2 April, KDC's Do You Feel Anger?, an excellent new writing American dark comedy with a strong feminist note. Then on the 3rd, for my birthday, we went to see Magic Mike, which was an absolute revelation. Best show of the year by some distance.

That's me in the corner

4 April was the Arches Lane Theatre launch party. Now, there's a lot of talk about the grind and the thrill, about the massive amount of work you need to put into a career in theatre, or any artistic profession for that matter, and how it's all made to worth by moments of incredible high, in the same way in which climbing a mountain is rewarded by a superb view from the top. 4 April was such an exhilarating high, one that took me some two days to recover. I haven't taken two days to recover from something since the massive drink binges in uni. 200 people coming to see us, and coming to show support. Never ever had I thought I'd get to anything near this. Ay, but was it a show? Hard to say. Some of the people who were there seemed to believe so, and they're certainly saying so. It wasn't necessarily my intention. Rather, I had thought about putting some sort of a lineup together, of anything, and calling it entertainment, or maybe 'something to happen'. It seemed to go down well, and it seems there is nothing more to a 'show'. I've had a few people from upcoming shows at Barons Court reading bits of their show, Elena singing some Amy Winehouse, Maria reading in exclusivity an extract from her new show, and Gracie Disgrace gracing the stage with some burlesque. And me MC-ing. Not too different from a show, I suppose, the structure of the likes of Magic Mike or Paradise Under the Stars, albeit of vastly different quality. Meh. I had fun.

Sunday Fix on 6 April. Definitely half a show, and I narrowly avoided directing a piece. I have also missed Sisyphean Quick Fix at Riverside because of it but hey ho, shit happens. 

Suzette's scratch night on a Monday evening, the exact same scratch night I've seen last autumn. Much less entertaining second time around.

The Argument, show 2/4 for April at Barons Court, was a moment of wonderful madness, the like of which I'd like to transfer to Arches Line. Not gonna happen, one of the dudes lives in Liverpool.

My second visit ever to The Space happened on 11 April, to see Amalia's Incomplete. A very sweet love and loss story with Mark Keegan and Kathy Bates in an ensemble piece of 6. I like Amalia, I like Mark and Kathy, and this play is very sweet, but it should be shorter and way more daring, way grittier. Amalia is allergic to grit, though, and nothing can be done about that.

Sunday, 13 April I gave Paul Wasy a night of stand-up comedy, Neurohahaha. The concept is great, I hope they come back to do it again, and I hope they'll be more successful.

Poor week of theatre, the third one, but a trip to Manchester on Thursday and the biggest high so far at Old Trafford, with 4 goals against Lyon in the last 10 minutes of extra time. United's worst season in my lifetime, and we might end up with a European trophy. Not too shabby. Anyway, theatre.

Sabrina Simohamed's All the Worst Parts was the typical student masturbatory show with some genuine (acted) masturbation. But they did it over Easter Weekend, and they sold out two performances, who am I to complain?

Kelsey's It's Nothing Personal, It's Just Business was as personal a show as it can get. It was also the worst-reviewed show in our time at Barons Court, and hopefully, the lessons will be taken from this. There are positives to it, and I think technically Kelsey has done a great job.

Roxy Does Chicago at London Cabaret Club last Friday, a show I might see a lot more of. Twice a week at least, apparently.

Then Saturday, a trip to the deep south of Sidcup to see Mara Borsa's Departures as part of the Rose Bruford Graduation Showcase. The show made me late for the Speakeasy, but I'm really glad I discovered the young Romanian movement girl.

Tall Tales and Cocktails, second out of three, and hopefully the saddest, with three comedians on stage and 9 people in the audience. One more on 25 May.

And finally, Mermaids Have No Tears, a show with a lot more potential than it's showing at the minute, but there's a pregnant feeling it will get better. Almost saw it for the third time today, luckily United played and won at Bilbao away, a win as good as trophy. May might be a good month.

Let's count 14 for this month. 39 for the year at the end of April. And Brighton Fringe is coming up.