I started writing this post back in early November and then gave up because I needed to source pictures. -
"I have been writing this blog for nearly three years and I have still not found a satisfactory way of creating engaging posts on a regular basis. I thought the iPhone would be the answer but whilst it allows me to post remotely, I can't seem to get it to include images. I am sure there is a way, but as yet it evades me. At least this way, my journeys home on the train would at least afford me some time to post, especially as I am no longer on Grindr!
Since my last list of reviews, there have been no less than 9 shows including 2 cabaret, 1 new musical, 2 revivals, 1 new adaptation and 3 new plays - in 8 different venues! D'ya know what, I have just double-checked my diary and it's actually 10 shows in 9 different venues - I sneaked an Offie nomination in on a Saturday. "
All well and good, but I never got around to finishing it. I shall have to do better but it has been such a busy season and since I wrote this I have actually been to 25 more productions in London and even a couple out-of-town. No point in dwelling on my lack of blogging prowess. I might as well start with a fresh new year.
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
A Pause
I realise that gaps in my blog are becoming more regular but work has gone through the roof recently. If I am not reviewing I am judging for the Offie's and if not that then I am swimming or sleeping. Tonight I am in Colchester to see Andrew Neil in Pinter's A Slight Ache and then I will have two WHOLE catch-up days then a weekend in Crystal Palace. I need this time to clear my Xmas work load, so I will hopefully be able to enjoy the holiday season. This will be days for prioritising. Well, I hope that's how you spell it!
Thursday, 4 November 2010
iPhone Casualties
With the problems I had with my iPhone today I have lost all of the apps I had downloaded. Most of them were free anyway and those that weren't have not cost anything to replace. Interestingly there are a couple of free ones I am not replacing either, namely Grindr and Bejewelled Blitz. I waste far too much time on either!
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Oh Yeah....
..... I am looking for trackie bottoms and a nice overnight bag. For me, that's a lot of shopping.
Shopping List
Bizarre as it may seem, i'm one of those gay men who doesn't seem to have the shopping gene. It usually fills me with dread so I was considering going on e-bay. I'm not particularly ambitious about this but I will ask Sean's advice as he e-bays much more than me. I am looking forward to a visit to the 99p shop tomorrow, though! Class!
Get Up & Go
My get up and go appears to have been replaced by a dull lethargy that doesn't sit well with me. Whilst I have more than adequately caught up with my sleep, it seems to be taking me a while to crank up, back into my usual fitness routine. At least yesterday gave me a chance to catch up on my blog and organise my diary for the next few weeks. This week is now taken up with openings including another Bond play at The Cock Tavern, my first, albeit off-beat Christmas Show at Above The Stag and Saturn Returns at The Finborough. I have also decided to head over to Hoxton on Saturday night to see Secret Boulevard, as I have been shamefully neglecting my judging duties. I also need to try and see Reasons To Be Cheerful at Stratford East at some point.
Since last night I have already committed to several events in November, including a trip to Colchester, plus the Offie Dinner, meetings, launches and of course, work. I must not loose sight of the photo shoot which should take place at the end of the month and the Diaghilev piece I am supposed to write. If that lot isn't a reason to be on top of my game physically I don't know what is. I also have a wedding to go to in early December, so I shall use that as my focus.
Since last night I have already committed to several events in November, including a trip to Colchester, plus the Offie Dinner, meetings, launches and of course, work. I must not loose sight of the photo shoot which should take place at the end of the month and the Diaghilev piece I am supposed to write. If that lot isn't a reason to be on top of my game physically I don't know what is. I also have a wedding to go to in early December, so I shall use that as my focus.
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
As you may be aware, I regularly use Twitter. I actually rather like it and the other day I witnessed, or as close as anyone could, Stephen Fry's departure from the world of Tweets.
I forget why but I was logged in when he was posting images of The Harry Potter set. At the time I thought this was odd and indeed when he later posted that he had to 'sit on the naughty step' I asked if it had been because of the images. Such things are SO ridiculously protected.
Anyway he didn't reply and then a fellow Tweeter spotted him in town. No great shakes, except that the post reminded me to look him up, literally minutes after he posted 'Bye Bye' and closed the site.
I forget why but I was logged in when he was posting images of The Harry Potter set. At the time I thought this was odd and indeed when he later posted that he had to 'sit on the naughty step' I asked if it had been because of the images. Such things are SO ridiculously protected.
Anyway he didn't reply and then a fellow Tweeter spotted him in town. No great shakes, except that the post reminded me to look him up, literally minutes after he posted 'Bye Bye' and closed the site.
Ravenhill on the Cock
Mark Shenton retweeted a link to Mark Ravenhill's piece for The Independent today, discussing the work of Edward Bond at The Cock. It rankled slightly as you don't have to read too far between the lines to see how this was simply a very well timed piece of advertising for Adam Spreadbury Maher's new production, bearing in mind that Ravenhill is planning a new production of Madame Butterfly at The Lil' Opry House, Spreadbury Maher's other theatre in the not-too-distant-future. Quid Pro Quo Clarice, Quid Pro Quo.
Ravenhill points out in his piece that Bond, generally considered to be one of our greatest living playwrights, has been abandoned by the big houses such as the Royal Court and The National. The truth is Bond's work, as great as it is, is distinctly unfashionable at the moment. It may seem a harsh truth to take, but larger houses are businesses and any business that doesn't heed market trends runs the risk of loosing money. Bond plays - both content and style - are the very stuff of Fringe Theatre at the moment and his appearance in a season at The Cock Tavern is no more unexpected than, say seeing Shopping And Fucking being performed on The Fringe. The only unusual thing is his involvement in the season.
The legacy of the playwright is that his work lives for ever and Bond is particularly lucky because his genius was discovered and celebrated in his lifetime. Actors and their performances may come and go but plays live eternally.
Ravenhill points out in his piece that Bond, generally considered to be one of our greatest living playwrights, has been abandoned by the big houses such as the Royal Court and The National. The truth is Bond's work, as great as it is, is distinctly unfashionable at the moment. It may seem a harsh truth to take, but larger houses are businesses and any business that doesn't heed market trends runs the risk of loosing money. Bond plays - both content and style - are the very stuff of Fringe Theatre at the moment and his appearance in a season at The Cock Tavern is no more unexpected than, say seeing Shopping And Fucking being performed on The Fringe. The only unusual thing is his involvement in the season.
The legacy of the playwright is that his work lives for ever and Bond is particularly lucky because his genius was discovered and celebrated in his lifetime. Actors and their performances may come and go but plays live eternally.
Halloween Prep
I enjoy a good party and Halloween is a chance to dress up like a tit and really party! For the last few years I have been going over to Northern Ireland for Halloween, enjoying the hospitality of David & Vincent. Sean assisted me (told me what to do) again this year and the action shot below is the result. This year, David and Vince actually threw the party and they really went to town to create the best haunted house in Belfast.
The Rest Of My Life
One of the most fun things I did over the last three weeks was visit Harrods for tea - or more accurately perhaps, Laudree, which is based in Harrods. It was an opportunity for me and Sean to met Edd Kimber, winner of The Great British Bake-off. I had been interested in this cutesome young chef since I saw the programme - I don't see much TV - and I decided to follow him on Twitter, where I invited him to tea. It was a lovely time although Sean had much more in common with him than I did. I did, however relate in a very particular way, to the cakes on offer!
Much Of The Same
OK, I'll admit there has been another large gap in my blog but to be honest the situation has not changed. I am at the theatre every night, it seems, sometimes witnessing moments of unadulterated pleasure and sometimes wishing I hadn't bothered. The last show I wrote about was Heroin(e) For Breakfast at the Croydon Warehouse. Since then I have had tea at Harrods, travelled to Northern Ireland, made a fancy dress outfit, partied Above The Stag, visited four hiterto unseen theatres and got a new bike. More of those things later, here are the links and further comments to productions I have seen.
The Fool by Edward Bond featured as part of their Bond season and was actually directed by the man himself. Running at 2 hours 45 minutes it was ridiculously long in such an uncomfortable theatre and desperately needed cutting but I guess that's the last thing a writer/director will do. Adam Spreadbury Maher should have regarded the whole and demanded the cuts of the director. The design reached depths that not even the Union Theatre had sunk to. This was supposed to be a double night of Bond but because of the new running time, I had to reschedule The Under Room for the following Sunday. Another well crafted play given a shameful treatment, staging it in the beer cellar of the Cock - I suppose that's five new venues I have visited then! Uncomfortable, noisy and ill-suited to performance, I would love to know how they got the venue past the Fire Officer's checks. I had no idea where the emergency exits were.
The Missionary's Position at Jackson Lane, used an end-of-pier pastiche to tell the true story of Harold Davidson, the original 'naughty vicar'. This show seems to have been touring for a while and whilst I thought it was rather fun, the audience nearly brought the house down with laughter. The Blues Brothers was rather sad. One wag quoted that the Arts Theatre was the 'Theatre of Broken Dreams'. I would be fascinated to know why it consistently fails it's hirers. Here, I would imagine it was the producers who are at fault, as litigation before the show meant that the billboards were painted over, pending the legally correct title for the show. No programme, poor bar service, mediocre script, good performances with a lively band and a house that was a third full on Press Night. Some tickets you can't give away, I suppose.
The Landor Theatre brought it all back to normal with a sublime production of Tomorrow Morning. Tom Hopkins production was wonderful, the design intriguing and the casting excellent. If there is a criticism, the sound was unbalanced quite badly and judging from other reactions to the show, has yet to be adjusted.
Fascinating Aida at The Pheasantry was my second attempt to see this show at this venue, after walking out last time. Thankfully the service - it's a Pizza Express too - was much better, not great but better and was more than made up for by the show. Here is a link to their one of their numbers, which sadly, I have not been able to extricate from my head. La Soiree followed the next evening, at a mirror-tent on the South Bank. Featuring acts from La Clique, it was rather good, but there was little new going on. Thankfully the English Gents supplied us with two new solo routines but the rest, as fun as it was, was a repeat of La Clique at The Hippodrome.
Follies at Ye Old Rose & Crown was a bit sad. Badly designed and staged and featuring some fairly OTT acting, the pub seemed friendly and supportive enough but those running the venue really need to go to The Finborough, The Stag or even the Union to see how FOH is done properly.
Finally in this three week marathon I went to The Blue Elephant to see Mervyn Peake's The Cave, which was both interestingly structured and well performed.
Today, I have spent the day thinking I would have to head out again and I don't. In fact, I got my dates mixed up and don't have to be at the theatre until tomorrow. A bit of a rest I think.
The Fool by Edward Bond featured as part of their Bond season and was actually directed by the man himself. Running at 2 hours 45 minutes it was ridiculously long in such an uncomfortable theatre and desperately needed cutting but I guess that's the last thing a writer/director will do. Adam Spreadbury Maher should have regarded the whole and demanded the cuts of the director. The design reached depths that not even the Union Theatre had sunk to. This was supposed to be a double night of Bond but because of the new running time, I had to reschedule The Under Room for the following Sunday. Another well crafted play given a shameful treatment, staging it in the beer cellar of the Cock - I suppose that's five new venues I have visited then! Uncomfortable, noisy and ill-suited to performance, I would love to know how they got the venue past the Fire Officer's checks. I had no idea where the emergency exits were.
The Missionary's Position at Jackson Lane, used an end-of-pier pastiche to tell the true story of Harold Davidson, the original 'naughty vicar'. This show seems to have been touring for a while and whilst I thought it was rather fun, the audience nearly brought the house down with laughter. The Blues Brothers was rather sad. One wag quoted that the Arts Theatre was the 'Theatre of Broken Dreams'. I would be fascinated to know why it consistently fails it's hirers. Here, I would imagine it was the producers who are at fault, as litigation before the show meant that the billboards were painted over, pending the legally correct title for the show. No programme, poor bar service, mediocre script, good performances with a lively band and a house that was a third full on Press Night. Some tickets you can't give away, I suppose.
The Landor Theatre brought it all back to normal with a sublime production of Tomorrow Morning. Tom Hopkins production was wonderful, the design intriguing and the casting excellent. If there is a criticism, the sound was unbalanced quite badly and judging from other reactions to the show, has yet to be adjusted.Fascinating Aida at The Pheasantry was my second attempt to see this show at this venue, after walking out last time. Thankfully the service - it's a Pizza Express too - was much better, not great but better and was more than made up for by the show. Here is a link to their one of their numbers, which sadly, I have not been able to extricate from my head. La Soiree followed the next evening, at a mirror-tent on the South Bank. Featuring acts from La Clique, it was rather good, but there was little new going on. Thankfully the English Gents supplied us with two new solo routines but the rest, as fun as it was, was a repeat of La Clique at The Hippodrome.
Follies at Ye Old Rose & Crown was a bit sad. Badly designed and staged and featuring some fairly OTT acting, the pub seemed friendly and supportive enough but those running the venue really need to go to The Finborough, The Stag or even the Union to see how FOH is done properly.
Finally in this three week marathon I went to The Blue Elephant to see Mervyn Peake's The Cave, which was both interestingly structured and well performed.Today, I have spent the day thinking I would have to head out again and I don't. In fact, I got my dates mixed up and don't have to be at the theatre until tomorrow. A bit of a rest I think.
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