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I seem to have been going to the theatre incessantly over the past few weeks and whilst I find this to be a generally joyous experience, it spare me very little time for personal musings. I shall try to break down my last few visits with links, so I can get on to the more fascinating things that have been happening in my life. I actually need to refer to my diary for this!

Monday saw me at the opening of Celebrity Autobiography - a fascinating import from the States that could well be the saviour of the Leicester Square Theatre. Not that it was floundering, but this is a show blessed with an interchangeable star cast and an endless supply of unintentionally comic material. The Leicester Square Theatre, of which I am particularly fond, is gradually building a reputation as a cabaret/comedy venue and I sense CA to be a long runner.

Tuesday was a disaster on many levels that in turn, brought my attention to the power of Twitter and Facebook. I was supposed to attend Fascinating Aida at the Pheasantry, the Pizza Express venue that aimed to replace Pizza On The Park. Press, Management and PE Staff and general politeness fell out of the window on that opening night in a flurry of 'We've Sold Out Arrogance and Indifference'. Faced with this I left the building and in a fit of anger announced on Twitter that I would never return. Since then I have had formal apologies all round and a particular invitation to attend once more at my own convenience. I will be there next week and shall keep you posted.

The Irish Curse at ATS was an interesting play that never quite matched the courage of its convictions. Basically I felt there to be a little too much schmaltz in there and some of its cast lacked the emotional maturity required. Somebody asked me if they should see it and I said that they should, but they should go later in the run. I felt the cast needed time to get to know each other a bit better.
Me & Juliet was a brilliant production of a VERY bad musical by Rogers and Hammerstein. Nuff said. The Finborough Theatre currently has no bar attached and cannot house its customers comfortably before the show or in the interval. I have been reassured by AD Neil McPherson that the new bar/restaurant will be open before Christmas. This venue has produced particularly great work here this year and yet the bar has been an absolute nightmare.

Friday was a bit of a surprise with a rare visit to the Croydon Warehouse. Heroin(e) for Breakfast was loud, obnoxious, aggravating and desperately good theatre. Get there if you can.

Well that was last week!!!! This week I had the first of my Edward Bond plays at The Cock Tavern. The Fool, originally staring Tom Courtney in 1975, is a good play that was here given a mediocre staging. Bond himself directing probably didn't help and it would have been interesting to get a young, edgy directors approach to the piece that seriously needed both pace and a little editing - it's running at 2 hours and 45 minutes at the moment! I was somewhat encourage by the 6 names listed adding to the artistic team in the play including make-up and wigs, costume and set design. It look shit! A complete joke that I tried to ignore until one actor walked on with a wig SO IMMEASURABLY BAD it was difficult to stop bursting into laughter. Quite why anyone would walk out onto a public stage, in a drama wearing that I am not sure.

I would love to have a chat with their artistic team to find out their training, background and commitment to the this Bond Season as, quite frankly, this work was an insult to it.