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One hundred people’s ninth favourite thing: [title of show] @swkplay

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[title of show] takes you back to a time before the fast paced social media where word of mouth for a positive show came from chat boards, video diaries or (god forbid) blogs. A simple staging makes it an ideal (and economical piece to stage), but it’s sweet and earnest take on just putting on a show, and putting it out there and taking a chance gives this show its heart. With a strong and energetic cast and endless musical theatre references, it’s hard to resist and it’s currently playing at the Southwark Playhouse .  It opens with Hunter (Jacob Fowler) and Jeff (Thomas Oxley) as struggling young writers in New York City. An upcoming New York Musical Theatre festival, inspires them to write an original musical within three weeks to make the deadline. As they discuss ideas, writers block, distractions and endless other good and bad musicals, an idea for a show emerges. Which is about writing a show for a musical theatre festival.  Their friends Heidi (Abbie Budden) and Susan (Mary Moor

Movie: I'm Not There



Since Christmas it has been a chance to drink loads of champagne, sleep in and do very little. However before the holidays came to an end I did manage to catch the Bob Dylan movie I'm Not There. The film directed by Todd Haynes uses a number of actors to depict different periods of Dylan's life. Watching it and not knowing a great deal about Dylan's life except for that period where he went electric probably doesn't help, but it is a fascinating movie that probably gets better with repeated viewings. Cate Blanchett as Jude Quinn (electric / druggy Dylan) was particularly entertaining and who would have thought her hair was a perfect match for him at that period (even if it was not a wig)?

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Play ball: Damn Yankees @LandorTheatre

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