Today I begin writing sensibly, with ear phones, so as not to disturb Joss who has come to deal with the drainpipes.  But let me tell you – if you are tempted to try this – that the first note of Any Time At All, by the Beatles, if not regulated, can cause severe ear damage.  It’s like a gun shot.  But such a good song.

So, Thursday, off to see Mark Steel.

A long chat with the very friendly guy at the ticket office of the Leicester Square theatre.  We agree that 2 hours is long for a show, and he warns darkly, ‘There is a projector.’   But this leads on to a discussion of film.

We compare a 2 hour stand up performance to a 3 hour film – I have just seen ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ and he has been thinking of going.  Three hours, at first blush, not an attractive proposition.  But I urge him to see it because the time flew by.  Too many naked women of course – why why why? – but otherwise a fab film.  Leonardo di Caprio acts his socks off, literally and metaphorically.  So much better than American Hustle, I say.  Yes, he has seen that and we agree we can not see what all the fuss is about.  The first 10 minutes are good he says, and after you’ve got the idea there’s not much else.  Quite so.  After checking, he says, yes, Mark Steel starts on the dot of 7pm.

So a mercy dash to Pizza Express, two pizzas, Four Seasons and La Reine, plus the necessary red wine, ordered for me and C – currently stuck on a stationary train in darkest Surrey.  Will she get here in time?  Yes, no, yes, no.  Yes!  And he is good, very good.  Lovely to hear socialist humour.  So little of it about in the world of stand up – or at all.  And, as if he is the Wolf of Leicester Square, two hours fly by.  The projector is good too.  Audio visual aids are rarely a bad thing.  He is a very good impressionist – Ian Paisley, Tony Benn, others.  A bit of chat with the audience.  He makes it look so easy.

Romance is in the air, or on the air.  With a Daily Telegraph journalist asking stupidly rude questions of Francois Hollande – like a child.  You want to say – ‘that’s not clever or funny.’  But people who decide what news is broadcast on Radio4 obviously got a shiver of pleasure as he dared to speak.  Did they think, ‘Ooh, so brave’?  And the questions are played over again.  How is that good journalism?  My mum – who is not a journalist – could ask questions about people’s personal lives – except she wouldn’t.  There are wars going on and absurd amounts of money being paid to bankers, and issues about income tax (let’s just remember we need, we love, income tax – it’s what society’s all about).  But no, we have to ask the President of a very large country, adolescent questions on who you’re going out with.

But in the spirit of reconciliation, and remembering that the Beatles sang, ‘All You Need is Love’ (although I never really liked that track) onto the old British Legion Hall in Crouch End for an unlikely performance of Romeo and Juliet

It is a modern day production, set in a caravan park, reminding me that I once represented a man charged with a murder committed in a caravan park.  So I am a little anxious that I might know how the story ends.  And I am right!  Tragedy all round.  But a great evening.  A wonderfully enthusiastic young cast, no prompting.  The balcony scene translated into a discussion through a caravan window – so well done.  And for the audience, tables, candles, sofas, and an open bar.  We are at the holiday camp too.  Starts at 8, ends at 10.  Good parking.  And one more night to go – book your tickets now!  £7.  A bargain.