Today I felt like a kid on Christmas morning.

At the Palace Theatre 

Today I felt like a kid on Christmas morning, and the day certainly did not disappoint. After winning tickets in the Friday Forty Lottery we only had a couple of days to wait to see the show, 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'. I really didn't believe I would see the show until I had the tickets in my hand and was sitting in my seat.

I caught the train up to Waterloo and sat in the Quiet Zone ...with a Hen Party..... That's two phases that truly shouldn't be together. They popped Prosecco and were all as bubbly as the drink they consumed, and I sat there quietly hoping the Bride to Be would be as happily married as I am. Even though I always wear my 'I am a free elf, Dobby has no master' socks when ever he is away on business. ha ha

The person winning the tickets has to bring ID to pick them up and I used my Driving Licence which never really looked like me, but since my facial surgery I was sure they would not believe it was me. The Ticket teller did look at me and the licence twice and so I grinned like a maniac. He either believed it was me, or I scared him enough for him to pass the golden tickets under the forbidding barrier.  

I truly believed I couldn't be this lucky, but, I was and so was my step Son Ollie. He also entered for the Friday Forty so we had two chances and who ever won had to take the other. We have been watching the Harry Potter films together since they started, so it seemed only right to watch the play together as well. I live near Portsmouth and he lives in London and so I met him at Covent Garden and together we started our exciting day.

We had an hour or so to kill after picking up our tickets so we went to a Leon Restaurant on Shaftbury Avenue. Now if you haven't been to one then imagine a great tasting healthy fast food chain! I had Sate Chicken with rice and salad, and Ollie had Falafel and salad. Both meals were very reasonably priced and very tasty! While there what I forgot to mention it was the LGBT Pride parade in London. The streets were gearing up for a huge influx of people and roads were being closed. We were enjoying a chat and our meals and all of a sudden a guy enters the place with just pink speedos on and asks one of the employees to help him stick a tattoo on his bum!! OMG! So right there and then in the middle of the restaurant she is eye level with his pink bulging speedos sticking a Pride sticker on his butt cheek! I really didn't know where to look other than at my chicken and slowly loosing my appetite. He was soon off shaking his feathers, and his newly decorated posterior and we soon got back to our conversation. 

What caption could I possibly put here??

We wandered back to the Palace theatre joined the queue which went around the whole building. We felt a bit stupid walking all the way round back to where we started to join the end of the line. But it was moving quite quickly and we had so much to chat about (including seat roulette,) we didn't really mind. The security search was quite thorough and bottles and cans were taken. My refillable was fine as were my M&Ms, so don't believe all you read about them taking snacks off people. 

Second row seats!

In we filed and found our seats. We were in the second row of the stalls and I nearly cried with joy, I could almost lean forward and touch the stage! As always, I play seat roulette and look for the tallest person in the row in front of me. Now I couldn't be really magically lucky and for once not have the tallest person in the row sit in front of me could I?? NOPE, as always the tallest person sat down and I got to see my usual Theatre and cinema view, the back of their head obscuring the stage or screen. Luckily the seats were staggered so he sat in front of myself and Ollie.  "I only get 4 points today as he's not directly in front' I told Ollie and we then noticed the second tallest person was next to him and again in front of me so it boosted the points back up to 5. Ha Ha Ha

The Stage was set and when the show began I shed a little tear of delight. Happiness is a wonderful gift and this is another moment for my happy book. (I have a small note book I put happy moments in and when I feel sad I open the pages randomly and read them. Some are basic like Blackbird song, and some are unique like this moment.) At the interval we both sat looking at each other in happy shock of what we had just seen, eagerly awaiting the show to start up again soon. By the end of part 1 we were itching to see part 2 so we were so happy to be able to see both parts in one day.

Harry Potter Original Art Museum

Just around the corner of the theatre is Minalima where you can see original art work for the Harry Potter films and Fantastic Beasts. Worth a visit but a good place to go and use up some time till the next performance. From the top of the museum, looking out the window we could see al the people still singing and marching in the street. I have never seen so many people in London before and my feelings ranged from excited to fearful! Ollie and I then ventured to a nearby cocktail cafe for a drink and salad. I had one of their Rainbow Pride salads and it was quite delicious as well as colourful.

LGBT Parade London

Soon we were back in the queue, security checked and back in our seats for part 2 which was as brilliant as part 1.  Ice creams during the interval and on to the finale. Apart from Harry Potter being a little whiny, which if I remember righty he certainly was not in all the other books, it was a triumph and I could have honestly sat through it all again right there and then. We left picking up our #keepthesecrets badge as we left.

#keepthesecrets

Outside was still heaving and due to a suspect package all underground was shut in the area. Roads still closed so it was a brisk walk to Waterloo and we just managed to jump on a train 2 minutes before it was due to leave. we even found seats although they were apart. However the person I sat next to asked if Ollie was my parter and he would happily swap seats with him so we could sit together. Ollie was obviously horrified at being called my partner, but it did make me laugh. We got back in the early hours of the morning still buzzing wondering if we can continue to try our luck at the Friday Forty because we would love to see it again.

The LGBT Rainbow Salad was lovely and I hope to recreate it sometime soon and it looks so inviting. Quinoa topped with Red pepper, Carrot, Sweet corn, Avocado, Borage flowers and Red cabbage which should be called purple cabbage really!! lol

LGBT Rainbow Salad

Ollie and I are still discussing the play asking who was the cursed child, what does the boy in the nest depict on the palace theatre roof, and on all the merchandise. Looking back the true genius of the play were the things and people you didn't see. The costume designers and stage designers who made things look ethereal and make the magic real with no CGI to help them. I want to tell you so much but it would spoil it for you. I will just say Dementors! It was an amazing experience and a big entry in my happy book!!

If you were looking for spoilers you weren't going to get them from me, I'm #keepingthesecrets so others can enjoy the show, but here's just a few tips. The Minalima is worth a visit, take your own water its expensive in the theatre, if you are short take a cusion, as the closer you get to the stage you cant see whats happening on the floor of the stage. And there is always my seat roulette to think of! The security is fast but the queue is long, however as long as you get there in time, you will get in  eventually whether you queue or not.

Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters 

My next show I'm actually dragon hubby along to , its a local youth group acting out Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Systers at the Pallant Theatre in Havant. I'm hoping they will help get hubby enthused into joining me at the the theatre in future so wish me luck

I'm off to cook dinner for my man so until next time,
 X Love and Light Peeps X

dbee x