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Two Ladies: La Bella Bimba at Barons Court Theatre / Canal Cafe Theatre

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T hey sing. They dance. They clown around. They even wash clothes! Such is the story of La Bella Bimba, part of the Voila Theatre Festival, which highlights new and emerging artists. A tale of two Italian ladies who land in 1920s New York, trying to break into Broadway without speaking a word of English. It’s harmless, primarily even if a little nonsensical, and is currently playing as part of the Voila! Theatre Festival .  I caught the performance at the Barons Court Theatre , where the intimate setting created an evocative atmosphere reminiscent of dark New York alleyways. The space was almost claustrophobic with a distinct smell of rising damp, making you feel immersed in the story of two Ladies hanging around the theatre doors of Broadway. On the plus side, the theatre has some of the most comfortable seats you will find in any pub theatre in London. As the naive and hopeful singers, Co-creator Lucrezia Galeone as Carlotta and Sarah Silvestri as Cecilia are fine singers with co...

Scenes from Hammersmith and City Line Monday 21:41 - Listening to iPOD between Farringdon and Kings Cross St Pancras. Have just downloaded Ute Lemper's latest album Blood and Feathers. Its recorded live and is what some people I know would describe as her "head up her arse album" given the self-indulgent asides into screeching and germanic-jazz-scat that sounds like scheisse. Ute is a bit like that though. I'll keep buying her albums anyway as listening to Ute is always an experience... Posted by Picasa

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