We were at an Indian music concert once (the full sitar experience), in the early-music series of evening concerts at the Uni. It was very noticeable that most of the audience were sitting there, politely silent (or po-faced, if you will), and only applauded in the big gaps; but the Indians who'd come along with the band were loudly enthusiastic throughout as the improvisations got more extravagant. "Like a jazz audience," says Herself.

We had to leave at what turned out to be the end of the first raga, as our taxi driver was waiting for us, with the meter running. At the next concert, we asked the lassie in charge of the series when the session had finished. "It went on all night," says she, "and I had to stay right to the end. Never again."