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More sex and violence: Playfight @sohotheatre

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The funny thing about three girls growing up under a tree is that you never quite know when they're being serious or just messing about. One time, they might be talking about giving blow jobs on a tennis court at school and another, they might be yearning for a connection that they can't quite explain. That's what happens in Playfight, an Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2024 hit currently showing at Soho Theatre .  Writer Julia Grogan doesn't give us much time to dwell on the lives of these three young teenage girls. One minute, they're fifteen and giggling, and then the next thing, they're off getting married or going to University. But underneath all the smutty talk, humour, and quick scene changes, there is a darker underbelly about relationships, power, and consent. It's about finding your way in a complex world that can dehumanise and degrade you. But as things move so quickly, you could blink and miss it. This is too bad as the performances capturing this co...

Rehearsal: Week four

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It helps to pull ones weight... Sent from my iPhone Posted by email from paulinlondon's posterous

Music: Favelization

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It had been a while since I had been to the theatre, and so Felicity and I caught Afroreggae 's Favelization concert at the Barbican on Thursday evening. Afroreggae have played at the Barbican a few times over the past few years, but this is the first time I caught them. Afroreggae began in Brazil in the shantytowns (favelas) and the music is a fusion of reggae, hip hop, soul, pop and latin rhythms. In addition to this the music also is a call to action about many of the injustices in the world, particularly among the world's poor and disenfranchised. Of course being in Portugeuse this was lost on me. I checked with Felicity and she was a little rusty on it too. I guess most of the audience may have been in the same boat. While there were projections that accompanied the show the rapid fire words deserved to be comprehended. So after making a mental note to add language course to my new years resolutions, I could sit back and enjoy the concert. It was interesting that despite...

Hot news this week in London

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doggers delight , originally uploaded by red5standingby . A local candidate is even promising to arrive on scene and disrupt the goings on ... Ron Davies should have thought about that as an excuse rather than badgers...

Rehearsals: week three

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Rehearsals for the Christmas concert were progressing as normal as could be expected and then Sasha whipped out his fish... Posted by email from paulinlondon's posterous

Hot news this week in London...

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Shockwaves Rock Shares , originally uploaded by LinkMachineGo . Keep on rockin'...

Theatre: 365

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I wasn't quite sure what to expect from seeing 365 . It played at the Edinburgh Festival to some very positive reviews, but a two hour play about children in care taking their first steps to independence seemed like an unusual way to spend a Saturday evening at the theatre. Since it was based in Scotland I dragged fellow chorister Stephen to see it since he was from Glasgow and I figured he could help with the translation (well of the accents anyway). I was hoping I would get away with nudging him and asking from time to time "Wha-did-he-say? Wha-did-he-say??" This sort of worked... The play unfolds telling the stories of a group of children who pass through a "practice flat" as they gain their first steps to living independently and... adulthood. There is much scope for dream-like sequences, music and movement and these appear throughout and help make what could be a depressing subject a little more insightful and dare I say it... Even entertaining. While at n...

Idle Banter in Soho Saturday

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Man #1: How much is he selling it for? Paul: I think he said £20... Man #2: Will he throw in lube for free? Paul: Only if you want his spit... Posted by email from paulinlondon's posterous

Rehearsals: The view from the back

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The first rehearsals for the London Gay Men's Chorus started Monday evening... And it was a packed house... The concerts are at Cadogan Hall on December 19 and 20. Posted by email from paulinlondon's posterous