3 Guys Naked From The Waist Down off the Fulham Road

I managed to get off my arse and cycle into town for the first time in a while yesterday, which may have been freezing cold but was certainly worth it. It's about a 40 min cycle to the Chelsea Sports Centre (just off the King's Road) from Kingston, which is a relatively short jaunt considering Crystal Palace to London Bridge was about that.  As it happens, I was heading that way for 3 Guys Naked From The Waist Down, which opened at the Finborough last night.

It's been a while since I've been to the Finborough and while this show was piggy-backing on the set of Flowering Cherry it soon over-powered the chintz to make its own mark. Thoughtful performances from the three guys in the cast - Simon Haines, Benedict Hastings, Guy Woolf - and a cracking band led by Josh Sood. I didn't know the score at all, but it's a thoroughly engaging story about the aspirations of three stand-up comics. Jerry Colker's book and lyrics glitter with touches of Kaufman, Williams, Belushi and Martin, complemented by a strident score from Michael Rupert.  

For whatever reason, there were no further collaborations, which is a shame as 3 Guys is a genuinely good piece. Catch it if you can. The performances may have been a little raw last night and the lighting all over the place but I have no doubt it will soon settle in. Hopefully my new gym regime might do the same at some point soon.

Out and About

Theatrically it was a fairly slow week for me, with a visit to only two theatres - Above The Stag and the Old Red Lion but each for very different reasons. The ATS was celebrating its second year at the Vauxhall venue with an informal cabaret and drinks party. Artistic Director Peter Bull was in fine form, dropping hints about the forthcoming year and thanking members for their continued support. The last year at ATS had thrown up some great plays including Encounter, Fanny & Stella and the acclaimed The Sum Of Us. The future year at the venue looks interesting including the usual mix of bawdy comedy and thoughtful drama including a new piece staring Andy Bell. There's not much out there about this self-penned piece from the Erasure front-man but as a big fan of the group, I can't wait to see what it's all about. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to Tinderella! Cinders Slips It In - this year's offering from Jon Bradfield and Martin Hooper for the ATS's now legendary adult pantomime.

Midweek, I popped over to the Old Red Lion, where Artistic Director Stewart Pringle had very kindly invited me to see Sparks, a new play by Simon Longman that had received good notices. An affecting play, it touched on the nature of family ties and how a trauma in our early years may affect the way we develop as adults. Longman's writing, consisting of many rambling, amusing monologues left me slightly unmoved personally but you couldn't fault commitment from either actor - Sally Hodgkiss and Sofie Steer - particularly as they were alternating roles throughout the run.  I may have had difficulties with Longman's dramatic style but the piece is definitely worth a trip to the ORL.

RVP 2015

For three years in a row now I have been lucky enough to get to review the Royal Variety Performance for The Stage. The last two years, the event has been held at the Palladium and the venue and team has provided both a sense of occasion and spectacle unparalleled in today's live entertainment market. It's a long old show but oh, the acts! In three years I have seen Robbie Williams, Bette Midler, Shirley Bassey, Kylie Minogue, Jack Whitehall, One Direction, McBusted....you get the picture.

The ticket price is hefty but it is important to remember that this event takes place to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity - previously known as the Entertainment Artists Benevolent Fund - a worthy cause if ever there was one. To be honest, the price of the ticket is irrelevant when you catch the line-up each year. Imagine the cost of buying a ticket to each of their live concerts? Also I need to point out that my ticket is free of charge, at the invitation of the producers.

This year the venue returned to the Royal Albert Hall, a venue with a huge capacity, ergo a much bigger money spinner for the RVC. It also means that more people get the chance to see the show live. The problem is that this style of venue compromises the theatrical element to such an extent that it becomes more of a 'posh live recording' than a theatrical highlight.

The thrust stage provides much better control for the ITV cameras recording the show but this year much of the theatrical magic has been dissipated to serve the live recording. There are no tabs to hide the many scene changes and rather than have the wonderful host Jack Whitehall keep us entertained in between, we are shown video compilations of previous RVP highlights. Also sad to say that these pauses provide the perfect excuse for an audience to get-up for a pee, go for a walk or sadly go the bar for a top-up.

I should imagine the TV recording will be a very slick affair, with only advertising interrupting the viewers but it's a step backwards in terms of theatrical presentation. Also, the production design appears to lack creativity on the last two years, something made self evident simply by watching a few of those video compilations. These might seem like minor irritations but they all reflect on the live theatrical presentation. Audiences are of course changing. Perhaps the RVP should become a stadium event?  Either way, this year the RVP may be the best light entertainment programme on ITV but unlike the last couple of years, I'd have to hesitate before labelling it the best live show in town.

My Mind Is Clearer Now

Today the next year's season at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park was announced as including a new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Jesus Christ Superstar. As it happens, JCS was the first West End production I ever saw, thanks to a church outing of 42 years ago - give or take a couple of years. The musical became one of my favourites and remains so to this day, despite arena productions and celebrity castings.

I remember catching up with the video of the Lyceum production starring an excellent Glenn Carter as Jesus some time ago and not really liking it. Aside from some of the vocal performances, I felt the filming of the show didn't do justice to the power of Lloyd Webber's unashamedly rock sensitive score.

Hopefully with Tim Sheader directing and the marvellous Drew McOnie choreographing in that fabulous open air venue, the production will live again - without the need for filling vast arenas, stunt casting or a television series to create interest.

Back In The Gym

Back in the gym again this morning for a Re-focus session with Salih Tahir, the gym manager who has been the most effective member of staff at Crystal Palace Sports Centre. When I say most effective, I probably mean most approachable as so many of the staff in gyms generally seem distracted by paperwork, cleaning or - more often than not - female gym members.

Anyway, Salih took me through some new movements to help me trim up before the holiday season including a regime called German Volume Training. GVT means that on one visit a week - I think - I will concentrate on only 2 exercises and perform 10 x 10 reps of each. Gulp! On top of this there is a challenge to master the Punch Ball. Now I can assure you that I am the last person to throw a punch and today pretty much showed why. However, as hopeless as I was at it today, I plan to look back on it in 6 week time and realise that I am now an expert.

What Punching Ball Should Look Like

Well, that's the plan anyway. Thankfully, the punch ball is in a small room off the main gym so nobody will either see my efforts or hear my sobs.

A Summer's Lease

It's been a summer of organised chaos - literally. Firstly, August was completely written off as I headed up to Scotland for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as part of the reviewing team for The Stage. It was a real challenge but an exciting one, epitomised by some great theatre and a quality team. Bit by bit, the shows are trickling down to London and I am seriously looking forward to catching Penny Arcade again next week with her show Longing Lasts Longer.

After Edinburgh, I had a single rest day before heading into a new temp job, helping install the festive lighting at Canary Wharf. Hard work but again, working with a great team makes all the difference and Dave, Craig and Mark have been great fun. I even got to wear a high viz jaket and a harness, and I've not done that since the early 1990s - ahem.

Being in Edinburgh meant that I was out of town for my 50th birthday, which I celebrated at the Gilded Balloon's Loft Bar. I had a great time - from what I can remember - but the real surprise was when I got home and Sean had booked the two of us into a luxury room at the Asfiya Sea View Hotel in Kalkan. A week of sun, swimming and delicious food. Below is a picture of Mustapha, who spent much of the day posing for me by the pool. 

So as November hits and the clocks have well and truly gone back, I am finally back to 'normal'. My job at Canary Wharf is over, save for a few days later this month when the Christmas trees arrive and I have now pretty much tied every weekend before Christmas in events.

'Sober October' was a complete wash out and 'Mo-vember' seems fairly pointless when you have a beard. To prepare myself for the holiday season, I am off to a Gym Re-focus session tomorrow morning at Crystal Palace. I managed to swim in Edinburgh but the gym evaded me and has done throughout the whole of my time in Canary Wharf, so a Re-focus seems appropriate.