When the club’s Tim Clarke (68 and falling, oic drama, St John’s College School down the road) suggests you see a particular show he’s probably right. Camice and I made a weekend of the club’s visit to Queen’s and enjoyed almost all of it. Suspiciously cheap parking near St Katherine’s Dock and a walk to The Bridge had us at the Saturday matinee of Guys and Dolls, the movie of which is exactly my age but this was so, so much livelier than me and the movie. We were ‘immersed’ as the show went on in front, behind and all around us. It was simply the best musical I’ve ever seen. The interval has cast members singing to the shuffling crowd and the finale has the ‘immersed’ dancing with the cast on stage. I found myself dancing with Nicely Nicely Johnson but he’s not phoned since. Behind and above us in the more expensive seats was the Clarke clan. He’s trade. He probably gets a discount.

We arrived late at our across the river from Queen’s airBnB. The welcome was a touch terse. No. Seriously. The last time I was that unwelcome at a door I was leading a drugs raid. We chose to breakfast at Queen’s and I never did see what our host looked like from the front. Sunday morning breakfast on the veranda at Queen’s. No adjectives needed. As for the day’s tennis, I can’t be bothered writing it up and have just transcribed our manager’s post match interview.

“We knew it was a difficult place to go. When Stevie Chadwick scored in the winning gallery with the game’s first move, we was hopeful of three points but we let them back into the game and at half time it was all to play for. When two of our senior players, big Dave P and TK, didn’t step up after being nobbled over lunch with white wine by their striker, Sidney Yankson, I knew we were in trouble. You’d think experienced players like them two would know better and the club will have to see what we do about it. Still, the lads dug in and I was pleased with the performance. Jin did well. Real box to box player that lad. Joey Z and young Ed put in a shift. Big Al was very, very solid in defence at the end of the day. I was pleased with the effort. I left Cam and Streetsy on the bench and they’re rooting for the first team. Which was good. I went for an early bath and was disappointed to come back to find big Dave P had signed for the opposition in the post-lunch transfer window. Still, at the end of the day, Joey Z and Big Al kept him out. I’m always pleased when Howard Angus referees. You know exactly what you’re gonna get. But all we do now is look forward to the next match. A game at a time.”

Team : Jin Seok Lee, Tony Revier, Steve Chadwick, Charles Norbury, Dave Pimblett, Joe Zygmunt. Alasdair Bovaird.

Subs : Marcus Streets, Camice Revier.

TK, CURTC