Artsmonkey Blog

Back to small provincial City from two days in the ’smoke’ where I walked the culture laden streets of Southwark trying to avoid being mowed down in the rain by actors and dancers rushing to and from rehearsals at the Old/Young Vic, The Union, The Jerwood etc., most amused to find that London Taxi Cab drivers don’t really have ‘The knowledge’ anymore but still retain their sense of humour when oiks from the country like me can’t quite remember how to we got from Southwark to Camberwell and what road our Hotel is on, especially when I refer to a triangular patch of grass surrounded by traffic lights on all sides as a roundabout.

Really enjoyed my late night tour of major roundabouts south of the river, not quite on a par with a Banksy tour but saw a lot I wouldn’t have seen if I had remembered the name of the road the Hotel was on, so all good. Didn’t quite manage to avoid the very suave and pink shirted Director of ‘The Jerwood Space’ who found me wandering the corridors with my little case on wheels trying to find my way out having taken a short-cut - although, in retrospect he may have, in fact, simply been throwing me out in a nice, polite fashion as only people with status can. But despite views of the Tate Modern and the Pickle (or was it Gherkin?) quite glad to be home, head crammed full of facts, figures, debates, job-lists, stomach full of food and wine and heart full of love for the joy of London and it’s quirky little pockets of raw, dickensian, vibrancy where Hotels are named ‘Mad Hatter’ and people still smile at you before they poke your eye out with their standard issue black umbrella.

Ah London, I may not be able to sleep when I’m with you but you do make me laugh.