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The brown word: Death on the Throne @gatehouselondon

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We’re warned at the start of the show with an upbeat number that this is not the usual sort of musical. And it turns out to be just that. But with boundless enthusiasm and energy from its two leads, who deploy a range of voices and breathtaking energy to create a series of voices for puppet characters, a bedtime story becomes a silly oddball tale about four souls stuck in purgatory. With puppets. And various toilet humour references. It’s currently playing at Upstairs At The Gatehouse . The piece starts as a bedtime story. Daddy (Mark Underwood) is about to read a bedtime story for Louise (Sarah Louise Hughes). But her stomach felt funny, and soon, she went to the bathroom. Then, for reasons that seem to only make sense in the confines of the show, they start telling the story of four people who died in unfortunate circumstances in the bathroom. Depicted as puppets, they’re stuck in purgatory as St Peter doesn’t have enough space for each of them in the afterlife. And so begins a puppe...
Living: The hunt continues

Went to Ravenscourt Park (near Hammersmith) to see another place. Definitely would take it if offered. Don't know if I passed the "beauty contest"... Since I was late coming from work (again).

It was the first place where the person offering it described a 10 minute walk as 10 Minutes.

This was unusual given the London exaggerations such as:
* A five minute walk really takes ten to fifteen minutes
* Close to shops and transport links means forget about getting to them without a car
* Modern furnishings = Ikea
* 8" = 6"

Its all part of the games people play in London. Sometimes you just have to go what-evaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

Actually I say that at work a bit and for a skinny white guy saying that, it gets lots of cheap laughs.

News: Ken not sorry

London Mayor - that's the Mayor of the Congestion Charge and general publicity - Ken Livingstone is in hot water for likening a reporter to a concentration camp guard.

While most reporters here are like attack dogs, it is not the done thing to make references to the war in that context and his conduct has been referred to the standards board - which could recommend he be suspended from office.

The Olympics Inspectors are in town - hence the tube trains with the bright yellow seat covers...

And it is London fashion week and the news is "bling is out". Expect to see more narrow flannel trousers and single breasted jackets for winter 2005/06...

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