Friday 22nd January 2010
Late last year I was able to get tickets to The Misanthrope at the Comedy Theatre so planned a mini theatre break to London around it.
I get to London my usual way which is the train from Chester to Euston, but this time there is some problem with the signals and we needed to be diverted via Wolverhampton adding an extra 45 minutes to the journey.
Once I get there I catch the underground to Tower Hill which is where my hotel is, the Travelodge Tower Bridge. I have stayed here before and is great for the price, I was able to get it for £9 for the first night and £19 for the second night so can’t complain.
After I check in I relax a bit before heading over to the Leicester Square area to try and get Keira Knightley’s autograph. She comes out after her performance and signs for about 10 people in the quickest time as possible.
After this I head over to The Little Dog Laughed where I got autographs from the whole cast; Tamsin Greig, Rupert Friend, Gemma Arterton and Harry Lloyd.
Finally I meet Richard Wilson after his performance in Twelfth Night before heading back to the hotel.
Saturday 23rd January 2010
For breakfast I go to Weatherspoon’s across the street to the hotel and get a large breakfast and some orange juice.
After breakfast I catch the tube and DLR to Greenwich and go to the National Maritime Museum followed by the Royal Observatory.
The Observatory is on the top of a hill and I pass many people stopping for breath on my way up there. This is where the Prime Meridian is located so you can stand with one foot in the East and one foot in the West.
After I finish visiting both these places I head back into central London and meet Damian Lewis, Tim McMullen and Chuk Iwuji after the matinee performance of The Misanthrope.
On walking back up the street The Little Dog Laughed cast were just coming out so got some more autographs from them again.
I then head over to the Savoy Theatre where the cast of Legally Blonde was signing autographs, I was able to get Jill Halfpenny, Duncan James, Alex Gaumond, Chris Ellis-Stanton and Sheridan Smith. Sheridan was really friendly and spent at least 30 minutes signing and posing for photographs.
I then get my dinner at Hamburger Plus on Leicester square before going for a bit of a random walk around as I waited before Misanthrope started.
Had great tickets for The Misanthrope in the centre of the third row, all the performers were great and the play was very entertaining. After the show I get another autograph from Keira but again she does not want to pose for any photographs.
Before I head back to the hotel I pop over to Hairspray the Musical and get an autograph from Phil Jupitus.
Sunday 24th January 2010
At 5.40 this morning I am woken up by an alarm, at first I think it is my alarm clock and after hitting it a few times it suddenly dawns on me that it is the fire alarm, great!!! I manage to put my clothes on and exit the room, I was in a bit of a daze but there are quite a few people starting to emerge out of their rooms, one man was standing in his doorway in the nude with just his hands covering his b*locks.
When we get outside it is freezing and we have to wait for 40 minutes until the fire brigade give us the all clear to go back in. It looks as though it was set off but some idiots, when I get back into my room I hear security shouting to someone to pack their bags in two minutes and leave or they were going to call the police. I go back to sleep and when I finally get around to checking out did not get any sort of apology from the hotel which you would have expected them to do.
I walk around London for a bit before heading to Euston and catching my train back home, after making use of the first class lounge and drinking plenty of free drinks.
