Paul in London

News: Puttin' on a show Last year was a record year for West End theatres , and goddammit, I am sure I at least tried to see every show... or at least every other show, concert, live performance or whatever you call it. On the plus side now tickets for me a half the price they once were as I only have to buy for one... Going solo to a theatre can have other benefits too... Apart from eavesdropping on other people's conversations you just never know - if it is some enchanted evening - just who you might meet across a crowded foyer / room... Life: Support Broke the news to colleagues today... (the news that I am single). While unfortunately nobody chimed up with "Oh well I have this terrific friend..." (dammit), they have been great and let me pay out on them more so than usual today. One asked me, "But you seemed so happy," to which I replied, "Well that's okay, I was!".

Moving and all it entails... Notice has been given on the lease so I have six weeks to find short-term accommodation so have been reviewing The Gumtree , London Craigslist , Freedomlet and Gayshare . It has been so long since I had to look for something that I had to go back to the August 2003 postings from this blog to remember the names. Fortunately all the sites are still there... Should have some certainty by the end of this week about where I will be living. The other part of the equation is how much longer will I stay here. I have a job until Easter... maybe a little longer... but after that might be the natural time to return to Oz. Since I am looking for something for the first half of the year I have been debating should I go for miserable and frugal or decadent and expensive? I think I will make the decision on what's available of course but these thoughts cross one's mind... Plus something handy to public transport with regular Night Buses...

I need a new suit... of armour... You can never say you are at "the museum" in London. There are so many of them. After shopping for sales on Oxford Street I made my way over to the Wallace Collection where they have a very impressive display of armoury...  

Theatre: Grand Hotel Grand Hotel was a fabulous little diversion for the evening, the weekend, the month... The run at the Donmar has completely sold out and for good reason since the show is so stylish and cleverly put together with a great cast. There is not much set just the back of the hotel sign and a few props. The blanks are filled in with songs and dancing. So who could fault that? The history of this musical is that it was based on the 1938 film, but also on a failed musicalised version in the 1950s by the collaborators on Kismet. Half the songs were replaced in this version and it probably was for the best as while the shift in music styles is noticeable it also helps keep things moving. There is no interval but the one hour and 45 minutes just breezes by. This production tells a much darker story than the film, but that probably suits modern tastes. Best of all was the Baron, played by Julian Ovenden - who was eye candy and ear candy with his looks and tenor voi...

The Green Park Shuffle. Friday Night. 

Theatre tonight Busy week, but at least I get to take the next two days off, and tonight will be heading to the Donmar Warehouse to see "Grand Hotel". I explained to a colleague that it was an old movie that they turned into a Musical. Greta Garbo's character is played by Mary Elisabeth Mastrantonionionionio.... What I'm listening to: Songs For a New World It's about one moment That moment you think you know where you stand And in that one moment The things that you're sure of slip from your hand And you've got one second To try to be clear, to try to stand tall But nothing's the same And the wind starts to blow And you're suddenly a stranger In some completely different land And you thought you knew But you didn't have a clue That the surface sometimes cracks To reveal the tracks To a new world - from "The New World" by Jason Robert Brown 1997 There's something in that for all of us ...

I surprised myself too Well in the end it was an adventure leaving work for the last time (especially after noting on the JAL website that the flight was landing in ten minutes). Marc breezed through customs and was already waiting by the time I got to Heathrow Terminal Three. He just looked at me and laughed and various airport meetup scenes from movies of past ensued. Apparently he figured something was up when nobody emailed him back after his emails from Osaka. Darn forgot that. So much for the great cunning plan. But hey it didn't matter... So now I am going to bid farwell to my trusty bloggersite. I am leaving paulinlondon.blogspot.com and now you will be able to see my continuing adventures at Paul and Marc in London ... Over and out...

Aha! The counter-surprise operation is still in full swing... I thought after yesterday's posting the game might be up but then I got this email this morning... Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2003 18:40:26 -0800 (PST) From: "Marc" Subject: is something brewing???? To: "Paul" Hey there pauley.... sorry I haven't called or emailed in the last 24... hope you haven't been worried too much. All is well....... Lets just say that there is a little surprise coming your way....you won't know when and how it is going to hit you but I think you'll get a kick out oif it!!! Love you lots pauley and will talk again real soon M Well really, it is all good. We will be back together in less than four hours... not that I am counting down. JAL reports the flight is 20 minutes ahead of time as well... Will Paul make it to the airport in time? Will Marc breeze through immigration and be left waiting for Paul to show up? I have decided no...