The two bus journeys, there and back, were excellent.
The venues, Southwark Cathedral and St Alfege’s, Greenwich, were great open spaces. ‘St Alfege Church has a rich musical tradition and is the burial place of Thomas Tallis, the father of English church music, who composed and directed music under four monarchs from Henry V111 to Elizabeth 1. St Alfege Church maintains a fine reputation for cathedral-standard music with over 30 choir members led by Director of Music, Ben Newlove’.
Appreciative audiences. Enjoyable good performances. The final note in You’ll Never Walk Alone is odd – I had a ‘hypo’ and was listening at the back of the church.
Getting about was mostly on foot, with ‘Uber’ boats for distance.
Accommodation a brown-grey student block. Basic and okay, great breakfast. Hot sleep.
Organisation superb – Steve Flynn.
Our Pick. The walk over Millennium Bridge, 11 pm return from the afterglow at The Cockpit, near St Pauls. Cool breeze and magnificent illuminated views of London’s riverside skyline. Solos from the usual suspects. Emidio on ‘South Australia’, a tribute to David Haigh. A final Sunday pint in The Swan. The barmaid gave us a tutorial on electronic ordering at our table. I’m no wiser.
English National Theatre production; a restoration comedy along the line of Sheridan’s ‘The Rivals’. Caroline Quentin as Mrs. Maloprop. We ate here. I won’t go into the price of water and other hidden extras. There’s a war on. An RAF station during the ‘Battle of Britain’. Men die and it’s horrid. What did they do in their spare time? No guesses. All but one of the actors ended up with a partner in the final act. The ‘but one’ was killed flying a spitfire, defending an air raid. So, many of the malapropisms referred to sex. Quite salacious. The play came alive in the second half for me. Lots of action and a song and dance routine. Class wars a subplot.
A successful and enjoyable weekend. We spoke to quite a few singers and wives we didn’t know well. Some with a London background which helped. After my ‘hypo’ Steph Horne talked about her diabetes – she is brilliant. I shared some of the older male preoccupations with baritone Ibbo and tenor Chris after a few pints of Landlord. Can’t remember what they were. And time away from our busy lives in the north.
Additional thanks to pianist Emm and musical director Dorian.
There were frustrations. Inevitable with popular bars and eateries, good weather and the weekend. So lots of people and queues. And expense, but that’s everywhere these days. Suck it up and enjoy. Most of us won’t do it again. The tall buildings might almost be alien and intimidating. They block the sun. Confusing maze-like back alleys away from the river and many disorientated singers and wives. Walking took on extra distances. It was Mackie’s first substantial London trip. He loved it but, “Can I go home now?”
Back home, Mackie presented Steve with a decent bottle. Steve wants the organiser’s job next year.
ps. on recent narrowboat trips we didn’t cruise as far as expected. Sowerby Bridge to Aspley – no, Brighouse instead and great. In Scotland no further than Linlithgow from Stirling. So it was on Sunday morning in London. Tate Modern? Borough Market? No – a walk to The Swan and back, quickly taking in some of the sights, smells and sounds of the market.
JRR – John Rotchell, one of the deaf basses, seen mostly from behind.
