all about paul

What's Occuring?

2012-01-25T17:37:00.000Z

The period between October and February are filled with looming deadlines at the paper including the Christmas Issues, seasonal shows and the annual make-up and costume feature that precedes the International Make-up Artist Trade Show. Add to this the Off-West End Awards and a personal life and you are close to understanding the long space between a languid weekend in Belfast that already seems light years away and IMATS on February 4.

Please understand that I am not complaining, by any stretch of the imagination. I love the work I do and feel honoured at the opportunities I have been given over the last few years. It is just at this time of the year I usually begin to loose focus and have to gather my thoughts before heading forward. I suppose that this is the real time for a holiday and in fact, I have booked a few days off.

I shall try to make the most of it, although it now contains two feature deadlines, a visit to the Landor to see Lucky Stiff, a visit to Catford to see Romeo & Juliet, the IMATS show and the Off-West End Awards Ceremony.

Hopefully I will be able to get some painting done too.....

My Lips Are Sealed

2012-01-22T17:33:00.002Z

Last Thursday saw the judging of the Off West End Awards, where myself and several of London's leading theatre critics got together to whittle down the long list to discover the finalists and indeed winners for 2011. Locked in a room with nothing but bottomless coffee and Smarties for sustenance (Cheers, Diana!) we pondered a year in theatre and choose what I consider to be a particularly valid list of names and shows.

The results have actually been embargoed until 26th January, where The Stage Newspaper will break the news. I believe there are quite a few surprises in there and I am now looking forward to the award ceremony at the Theatre Royal Stratford East. In the meantime, congratulations to all those who made the short list and good luck for February 5th.

I'll Sit This One Out, Thank You!

2012-01-22T17:26:00.004Z

So far, I had managed to avoid Dreamboats and Petticoats, which had done the rounds of the provinces and finally landed in the West End at several venues including the Savoy and the Playhouse. Karaoke style musicals are a bit of a hit-and-miss affair at the best of times and this week I witnessed the birth of another. Save The Last Dance For Me by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran uses the music of Pomus and Shuman to colour the simple tale of a holiday romance between a schoolgirl and an American GI. Amiable enough, producer/director Bill Kenwright has employed a young cast, many of whom fail to exhibit the emotional maturity vital to handle themes of race and sex. In the casts defense the story takes a very definate second place to the songs, which interrupt the narrative with a monotonous regularity.

Save The Last Dance For Me features some particularly well arranged versions of classic pop songs but an undernourished libretto and so-so acting let the side down.

Glitter And Be Gay

2012-01-22T17:11:00.004Z

It seems strange to imagine that I wrote this whilst on my way home from Sean's other weekend. The power of the iPad I suppose and the joy of a relatively empty train from Croydon. This week has seen the beginning of my review year with pithy first two plays having a gay theme. Firstly, the private life of playwright Terrence Rattigan was examined in The Art Of Concealment by Giles Cole at the Jermyn Street Theatre and secondly TV chat show hell reared it's ugly head in Sleeping With Straight Men by Ronnie Larsen at the ATS.

Both plays are somewhat flawed, fleshing out the characters and situations in too broad strokes. Each play contained several unexplored plot opportunities and the Rattigan biog had at least one character who was decidedly superfluous to requirements. The questions raises its ugly head of which of the two I preferred. By far and away it was Sleeping With Straight Men.

The company Above The Stag created a really good atmosphere with their play, which could also boast a much more refined design element - certainly with David Shields the design at ATS has improved greatly. The broadness of the drama was matched by some thoroughly OTT performances that enhanced the entertainment value of the piece rather than working against it.

For me the Rattigan play should have known better. Exposition abounded with moments of clunky dialogue and whilst there seemed to be plenty of good ideas bouncing around, none of them were explored deeply enough. There was however a particularly absorbing performance from Charlie Hollway as Rattigan's lover Michael.

Back To The Grindstone

2012-01-06T18:51:00.003Z

My first week back at work has not been too bad all things considered although I couldn't wait for a bit of "me" time by Thursday. With IMATS at the beginning of February, the OFFIES and changing my role at the office this month is going to be pretty hectic. My first swim of the year on Tuesday morning wasn't too bad at all and I cycled to work and back AND got to the gym twice already. I am aiming to go to the gym at least 3 times a week and to swim a minimum of 10k per week. I have also scheduled for what the gym people call a RE-FOCUS, which is where I should imagine they will explain to me where I am going wrong. I was thinking that if I could keep this momentum up during my busiest period, then hopefully I might be able to top it up later. Who knows?

Next week, I start back with my reviewing with The Art of Concealment at Jermyn Street followed by Sleeping With Straight Men at Above The Stag. I am rather looking forward to both of them as well as seeing old friends for the first time in the New Year.

In the meantime, here is a snap I took on the way through Crystal Palace Park this morning on my way to the train. The park continues to astound me after living here for nearly two years.

Twenty Twelve

2012-01-01T11:21:00.001Z

OK, so here we are at the beginning of a New Year. Some people can be very cynical about giving themselves goals - achievable or otherwise - at the beginning of the year. I tend to not be one of those people. Because my life both personal and professional, tends to lack formal structure simple goals help me to focus. Last year I had about 12 resolutions of which I feel I completed about 4 or 5. I had forgotten that lifting myself from the pool was one of them - now it's second nature! I gave up on swimming in all the pools on my list - I simply didn't have the time! So here are my resolutions for 2012:-

Drink more water

Make more of an effort with the blog and social networking*

Maximise my exercise regime - gym, swim and cycle.

Make more time for painting.

Assist with a charity.

Sell things on EBay*

Not be cynical about the Olympic Games in London

* hopefully all much easier on my new iPad

So a Happy New Year, one and all and here's to a riveting twenty-twelve!

New Years Eve

2011-12-31T15:19:00.002Z

OK, you got me! This year I may have managed to redesign my blog and in the process focus the aim of it a little better but it resulted in the least posts I have done in three years of blogging. I can make up all kinds of excuses for this but mostly it has been a question of time. In the latter part of the year I tentatively joined the gym, which I have rather enjoyed and have extended my membership to the New Year. Swimming continues to be an important part of my routine but I feel the benefit of working out at the gym.

My reviews have been in fits and starts, one week with simply one play and the following consisting of four opening nights and I still enjoy the excitement of seeing young performers, designers and technicians pushing forward with their careers. We are coming to the close of the 2011 Off West End Awards and the votes are in from the panel for the final. That will be an eye opener I am sure!

Sean has been extremely busy over the past few months and I have been a support where I can. We spent a very different kind of Christmas together this year, tinged with sadness but together we are facing 2012 with optimism. Keep an eye out for films he has worked on including Jack The Giant Killer, Snow White and the Huntsman, Dark Shadows and Anna Karenina.

This may be the last post of the year but it is the first posted on my new iPad, hopefully it will mean that I will be able to post more often as it is much more convenient to carry around.

Tonight we are off to Surbiton to visit Kim & Lewis and see the New Year in there. may I take this opportunity to wish all my friends and readers a Happy New Year.

Crazy For You

2011-10-12T12:21:00.005+01:00

Last night was one of those unusual evenings when somebody was taking me to the theatre, in this instance to see the Regents Park Open Air transfer of Crazy For You into the Novello. I must say it was a particularly odd experience visiting a show that I knew to be - for want of a better phrase - old-school musical theatre, when I knew nothing of the plot or songs.

I have a deep-seated liking of musicals, as my readers will know and Crazy For You is a wonder of ridiculous plotting, silly situations and punchy one-liners. The music and lyrics are George and Ira and the book is Ken Ludwig - which might go someway as to explaining the strong affinity to the recently closed Lend Me A Tenor, also by Ludwig.

As much fun as I found the show it did creek awfully loudly in places and what may have been great fun to watch on a balmy evening in Regent's Park, now seems decidedly doughy in places. The costumes seem a little workaday, the set - evidently a wonder of creativity on the Regent's Park stage - behind a pros arch seems simply uninspired. The group choreography is great fun in places but individual dancing lacks joi-de-vivre.

Whilst I may have enjoyed myself a little, Crazy For You is simply a filler; a shoo-in for the awkward, uninspiring Betty Blue Eyes, which shuttered early despite the critics and West End Wendys lavishing it with superlative reviews. Personally, I would much rather have seen the meatier Ragtime get a transfer but I suppose, this was a 'safer bet' with the right size set.

Awe Inspiring Beauty

2011-10-11T13:16:00.001+01:00

Keeping Up

2011-10-11T12:27:00.002+01:00

Trying to catch up with highlights from over the last couple of months. Anyway, here's a montage of images that should speak volumes....but probably don't.

Theatre Family

2011-10-11T09:19:00.011+01:00

Trying to catch up with things a little bit, I couldn't help but pause and take note of the wide theatre family that was around me a couple of weeks ago at Noel & Gertie. The show itself was fun and threw up the second performance I have seen from Helena Blackman - the first being in Saturday Night at Jermyn Street. It was also the second time I had seen Ben Stock on stage - the first, bizarrely in G & I at the New End, where he was playing second fiddle to Anita Harris Gertrude Lawrence.

However for me, one of the real pleasures of this press night was the wonderful Kevin Wilson guest list of fun and talented people. Our hosts were the gorgeous producer Mr Tarento and the director Thom Southerland. Naturally Howard Hudson, the lighting designer was there and there would be little to see on the Fringe without his machinations. My guest for the evening was Ross Leadbeater, the young Welsh musical director whilst musical director Michael Bradley arrived too, direct from a brief visit home to Ireland.

With this being the 'same team who brought you Parade', there was a selection of Parade people there including the very talented Laura Pitt-Pulford and Terry Doe, the latter I was rather keen to meet as I had also seen his remarkable performance in Roar of The Greasepaint at the Finborough. Making a fashionably late entrance was the incomparable Christopher Cleggosaurus, producer of the recent Betwixt! at the Trafalgar Studios whilst Phil Matthews was snatching pictures for Fourth Wall Magazine and looking gorgeous as ever. Scott Matthewman, Chad Armstrong, Aline Waites, Penny Horner and Sarah Lark......

As Noel Coward once said, 'I've been to a wonderful party!'

Feeling Blue

2011-09-01T13:08:00.002+01:00

BlueBirds is one of those musicals where you go into the theatre humming the tunes. Not quite karaoke theatre as such but author Julian Woolford dresses episodic backstage dramas with WWII popular songs. Woolford knows his audience and with a little more attention to detail, this would be a very marketable show. The young cast give it their all in what is very much a departure for Above The Stag.

Before Parade Passes By

2011-09-01T12:54:00.003+01:00

To my mind, the sign of a good play is how long it remains in my head. The same applies to musicals except I should be hearing the songs in my head for a while too. As an example, La Ronde at the Rosemary Branch this year still has musical phrases that knock about in my head, more so say than Cleveland Street or 1888. With Parade, currently running at the Southwark Playhouse this isn’t quite the case. I am no particular fan of Jason Robert Brown but his work on Parade is excellent and remarkably satisfying after the ridiculously pretentious Five Years Later. Ultimately however it is the story that has stayed with me more than the music but this production by Thom Southerland is well worth a visit.

135

2011-09-01T12:48:00.004+01:00

Firstly the FOX Seminar was great fun and another good opportunity to catch up with make-up people such as Jos, Corinne, Tanya and Sharon as well as the FOX team. I invited Paul along as a guest as I thought he would find the demos and new contacts very useful. Indeed he did and has already got an interview to teach at West Thames College. The event took place in the Macmillan Studio of the Royal Opera House in the evening I met Sean and we both travelled to Streatham for dinner at Rory & Marina’s. It was good to catch up with them and it gave me an opportunity to see the ‘painting’ in place.

Pause For Breath

2011-09-01T12:47:00.001+01:00

Another huge pause in my blog has appeared but this is simply because of scheduling. Since I last wrote I had to miss Nine, regrettably but have been to see Parade, Blue Surge, BlueBirds, South Pacific, attended the 135^th Anniversary seminar of Charles H Fox Ltd. and celebrated my 46^th Birthday with a visit to Gloucester. Nine was part of the Camden Fringe Festival and the play took place in rep at the Lion & Unicorn. I had intended to go but on the only day I had available, I was asked to review Parade. Still I do hope to get along to the L & U in Kentish Town again soon.

Chapel Street II

2011-08-22T21:56:00.001+01:00

So well received was Chapel Street, that it had its run extended and got itself reviewed.

Chapel Street

2011-08-14T12:33:00.004+01:00

A night out on the town for an Essex boy and girl. This wonderful two-hander from Luke Barnes is definitely worth watching. Barnes, a Liverpudlian, has not only perfectly captured the zeitgeist but also the very natural rhythms and language of a couple of disillusioned young people. The acting is quite sublime but ultimately it is the script that hypnotises, crackling with energy and dripping with humour. Chapel Street is on at the Old Red Lion in Islington and I urge you buy a ticket now. This really is a cut above the rest - and it's Barnes first play.

Fighting For The Crown

2011-08-12T12:30:00.002+01:00

Last night I travelled via the Overground Line to Kentish Town, to see The Giant Olive Theatre at the Lion & Unicorn. Hidden in a leafy wide street, the pub is an absolute delight offering a selection of standard gastro-pub fair and some nice wines. The theatre itself is a decent size with comfortable loose seating for about 60 people, I would guess. From a production POV as with most theatres of this sort, there is only one entrance to the stage.

I was planning on seeing Beauty Is Prison-Time, written and performed by Zoe Mavroudi but I was also invited to attend the opening night of the play beforehand - I'll Show You Mine. Both plays were of a particularly high calibre and Mavroudi is well worthy of her nomination for Best Actress.

Next week I am back at the venue seeing Nine - not the musical, I hasten to add - but another one-woman show, which has also been nominated for an Offie.

Needless To Say....

2011-08-11T18:03:00.001+01:00

I now ache like buggery in places I never thought I had thanks to the gym work-out. Swimming today had all the joy and frivolity of climbing rope. Still here is my design for this years Halloween costume and I need a body to match. Here's hoping.

The Star & The Fan

2011-08-11T14:02:00.002+01:00

Wednesday saw my first visit to the gym unsupervised, a round up of Autumn highlights in the West End for What’s On Somerset Magazine and finally The Fan and The Star and The Star and The Fan, a new play by Jan Harris staring Jenny Logan as fading singing legend Ezzlie and Janice Day as Fran, the not so pliable fan of the title. TF&TS&TS&TF has a lot going for it, although certainly not the daft title. The plot is pretty predictable but sadly most of the best bits have been left out. There are a wealth of ideas here, gagging to be thrashed out on stage with a larger cast and more time. I understand the commercial advantages of a two-hander, the writing wasn’t anywhere near as accomplished as it should have been to pull the idea off.

Logan as Ezzlie (with two ‘zees’) is rather fun, relishing the opportunity to play the imperious lush to the hilt. Day’s performance as Fran is a little more hit and miss and frightfully difficult to pitch, undoubtedly due to the thinness of the script. Andrew Ward performed his minor role as if he was the Stage Manager.

TF&TS&TS&TF (that’s GOT to change!) as presented here is less like a first draft and more like a collection of interesting ideas. Whether it is developed is anyone’s guess.

Soho Unplugged

2011-08-11T13:24:00.004+01:00

In a week dominated by riots firstly in the capital and then reverberating throughout the country it seemed vaguely suitable that I was in a theatre when it all kicked off. I had been invited to review David Hoyle: Unplugged as part of the opening season at the new and dare I say wonderfully appointed Soho Downstairs. A cabaret venue to rival the Pizza Express and the Leicester Square in all but affability – some of the staff there do appear to need the stick removing from their behinds! As if to add to the tension that had gradually risen through the day, Soho had a power cut. Not an uncommon occurrence but one that added to the uncertainty of the encroaching evening.

Riots and Soho aside, I was rather looking forward to Hoyle’s performance as I had heard much of his exploits and whilst I had not seen him live, I did watch with wonder at his early Channel Four broadcasts. As I mention in my review, Hoyle seemed remarkably tame compared to my memory of him. He also looked particularly dapper, swathed in scarlet, sequins with the trademark barnet tamed into rigid jet atop his carefully made-up face. I was expecting chaos but was served an almost gentle evenings entertainment complete with the third rendition of You Made Me Love You that I have heard in a month – (Liza and Rufus) – and in my opinion, the best. Bereft of his Divine David persona, Hoyle is reminiscent of an amiable, veteran Northern comic, made all the better as we are never quite sure if the demons might escape at any moment.

On an unconnected note I felt an overwhelming desire to paint him and then I realised Otto Dix had got there first. Hoyle’s image stayed with me all the way home as I caught up with the tweets of other Londoners either in the thick of the riots or completely oblivious to them, praising the latest production of Crazy For You at the Open Air Regent’s Park.

Warming

2011-08-06T15:06:00.000+01:00

I am warming to the new look of my blog. Hopefully I shall be able to start posting soon!

New Design

2011-08-05T20:40:00.000+01:00

Rather than change all the settings I decided to go for a different look. It's getting there....

Bear With.....

2011-07-14T11:48:00.000+01:00

I am currently in the process of changing certain accounts and it is here that I shall probably close this blog. Many thanks to my readers over the last few years. This in not the end.... x

Giant Lemons in Greece

2011-05-28T15:15:00.000+01:00

Dr Marina Murphy as Saint Marina of Antioch

2011-05-27T19:01:00.000+01:00

Before I left I delivered my painting to Marina. Here is the finished article, 500mm x 750mm, mixed media on canvas. Detail below.

Ayios Nikolaos

2011-05-27T18:45:00.000+01:00

A mile down the cost from Stoupa is the little fishing village of Ayios Nikolaos and Sean suggested we walk there on the Wednesday. The scenery was lovely and I was really glad I took my camera. I never really thought of Greece as being a mountainous country but I was soon proved wrong.

Greece Is The Word

2011-05-27T18:38:00.000+01:00

Ok, so 2010 wasn’t exactly holiday light what with trips to Sydney, Besancon, Somerset and Cornwall. It’s also true that I have only just come back from NYC but in all fairness, I did work for part of that break. The important thing about this holiday was that I was going away with Sean for the first time – properly. I mean, longer than a weekend and just the two of us. A little bit scary, a lot exciting.

Sean had been to Stoupa before a few times and he chose this particular villa both for its views and its ease. It had its own pool – small but perfectly formed – three bedrooms, a pretty garden and a delightful cocktail terrace, which Sean and I made great use of.

The week was spent sunbathing, swimming and eating either simple breakfasts next to the pool or lunches and dinners in one of the many tavernas in the village. The food was good, if a little predictable and the wine was particularly to our tastes. The natives were very friendly and the area is pretty unspoiled by tourism, although there were moments when Sean and I felt as if we were on a Saga holiday.

All in all, it was a beautiful week to relax and spend some quality time with Sean away from work of any kind. I even took some paper and pencils with me and on a couple of afternoons did some drawing – scribbles, really just trying to free myself up a little before my next project.

Sean and I had a fabulous time but I managed to wrench something in my shoulder whilst doing some, ummm….excercises. I have no idea how or why but I managed to impinge my scapula (Doctor speak) and have been on pain killers, ever since. I go back in a weeks time for a check-up. To the doctors that is, sadly not Greece.

Sympathetic Characters

2011-05-05T10:34:00.000+01:00

There is no subject that can't be adapted successfully for musical theatre. Murder, infidelity, insanity, prostitution have all featured at some point or another in a back catalogue of hit musicals.

It really depends on the writers approach to the material and how an audience is supposed to find empathy with it's characters. Essentially, your leading characters have to be presented sympathetically or the audience will loose interest. To quote Richard Andrews, from his wonderful book Writing A Musical, "Unsympathetic characters in an unattractive situation will only provoke disinterest".

The thing is, we don't go to the theatre to watch the characters on stage laugh, cry, fall in love or battle evil. We go to the theatre because WE want to experience those things for ourselves. Theatre - and indeed film - is a matter of emotional transference and people will want to relate to the hero, understand his problems and make his journey with him.

There is also of course, the zeigeist to take into consideration. Proof in point being Chicago, a musical that premiered in 1975 and it's nihilistic, cynical style had no place in Jimmy Carter's USA. Even after it's successful revival in 1996, the movie version of Chicago in 2002 would not allow Roxie Hart (Rene Zellweger) to commit a cold-blooded murder, they had to show Fred Casely (Dominic West) roughing her up first. This doesn't happen in the original stage production.

Musical theatre certainly doesn't have to be trite or simplistic to succeed but difficult subjects require very careful handling.

Just Off The Tottenham Court Road

2011-05-05T10:30:00.000+01:00

Glen Chandler is an amiable and undoubtedly talented gentleman with a BAFTA to prove it. I had been hearing about Cleveland Street for quite some time as his next project, a musical based on the infamous Cleveland Street scandal of Victorian England, where it was discovered that telegram boys were being recruited to work in a male brothel. I must say that the concept of a musical doesn’t particularly spring to mind when thinking of brothels. Let’s face it, Best Little Whorehouse In Texas was hardly a great idea.

Quite rightly, Chandler chooses to examine the scandal at several levels particularly the hypocrisy of Victorian values and due to the important names amongst the clientele, the ensuing cover-up of all involved. There is also emotional engagement as we witness a complex web of relationships flounder at the exposure of this disorderly house.

Devereaux’s score rarely rises above fairly predictable music-hall pastiche – a default style for any new musical set between 1814 and 1914 - but many of Chandler’s lyrics are lost to the elision of an enthusiastic cast. There is very little light and shade present in the music and song-points are washed over or completely ignored.

Fiona Russell’s design is a huge improvement on My Beautiful Launderette but could still do with some tweaking and for some reason all the wigs used in the courtroom seen are worn backwards!? Tim McArthur’s direction is perfunctory and the choreography grates against both the period and the space. Unfortunately little of it is achieved with any level of finesse and the lowest common denominator appears to flourish in every scene. Arses are slapped; crotches grabbed and groped; cocks are flashed with gratuitous reliability but the whole thing is boring rather than bawdy.

Less Than Thrilled

2011-05-04T21:11:00.000+01:00

Thrill Me was an intriguing prospect for a musical, detailing the life of Leopold and Loeb, a couple of rich-kids in the 1920’s who had committed the most notorious crime of the 20th Century. There have been many interpretations of the case on film but here, Stephen Dolginoff opens a musical two-hander with Nathan Leopold explaining his motives to a parole board.

I had several problems with this show and I shall endeavour to explain. Firstly the music, whilst being accomplished if not in the least bit memorable, at no point attempted to reference the period. Secondly, the subject matter is overbearingly distasteful. Essentially this is a musical that attempts to put understanding behind a woefully bleak crime, with two teenagers killing a 14 year old for kicks. I could understand a play attempting to examine their motives but somehow the handling didn’t suit the subject matter.

In terms of Offie nominations, it has achieved five including Best Actor for both Jye Frasca and George McGuire who play the pair of killers.

Personally I was intrigued by the voice-over recordings of the parole board, credited as Patricia Quinn, Lady Stephens, Les Dennis and Lee Mead. I have a feeling favours were being pulled in from somewhere but what a strange mix of performers?! What a fascinating play a dramatization - fictional or otherwise - of that recording session would make!

Little Shop of Invention

2011-05-04T21:09:00.000+01:00

Whilst official reviews have been relatively thin on the ground at the moment, I have been trying to keep up with the wealth of shows being put forward for Off West End nominations. Certainly one show I was looking forward to seeing was Little Shop Of Horrors taking place at the White Bear in Kennington. Billed as an ‘all-male’ production although this was not actually the case, Paul Taylor-Mills production was a revelation in terms of invention. Both the design and choreography suffered from a lack of budget and imagination but this was a production that really worked in this tiny venue.

Taylor-Mills had previously spent some time working with Cameron Mackintosh and he brought a little inventive spark to this much-loved musical by getting the girl-group trio – Chiffon, Ronette and Crystal to also play Audrey II. Taylor-Mills had pulled together a strong cast, with lots of swings for most of the roles and this girl-group played alternate nights with men in drag.

Whilst Taylor-Mills was frantic that I should see the boys playing the role I could not actually make that night. I was however more than happy to see the girls playing the plant, which certainly adds an extra frisson to the idea of a man-hungry vegetable.

This production of Little Shop of Horrors deserved a much longer life and for a moment it had the opportunity at the Landor, although this has since been quashed. Certainly there were many things to recommend this production particularly an endearing central performance by Ceris Hine as Audrey, subtle undertones of comedy from Paul Christalos as Mr Mushnik and brilliant MD and keyboard work from Huw Evans.

Keeping Up

2011-05-03T20:46:00.000+01:00

Loads has been happening lately, not least the Easter and Royal Wedding holidays, which gave Britain a vast swathe of time-off at the end of April. Canny office workers realised that if they got in quickly, they were able to get 11 consecutive days off with only taking 3 days holiday. Personally I wasn’t really into having such a stretch off work, especially as for me, this period is practically bookended with holiday overseas anyway. What with NYC and these public holidays, I think I actually spent more time at work in February last year – when I went to OZ – than I have in April this year.

The blessing about hanging out with Ralph is that he lives in Brooklyn. Historically, the borough is pure Nouveau, with vast brownstone mansions, built to house the new, wealthy middle-classes as the moved away from the crowded city to the developing, spacious borough. It is difficult to put into words the studied opulence of these buildings, many of which retain their single-home status. Oddly, their virtuosity reminds me a great deal of the Crystal Palace, which also gained it’s popularity at about the same time for much the same reasons.
If I won the lottery – I mean a big win, not the £6.40 I have won 3 times this year – then I would buy a home here and move myself (and Sean, natch!) into a five-storey brownstone. He would make hats for vastly rich ladies on the Upper East Side and then come home to me in the evening for a Cosmo and a home cooked meal. Failing that, I will just have to wait for Ralph & Tyron to buy one and we will move in. Honestly, they are so big, they probably wouldn't even notice I was there!

That Face

2011-04-20T15:52:00.001+01:00

Just need to apply tattoo and halo.

Blast From The Past

2011-04-17T20:22:00.001+01:00

It came as a surprise to see this picture appear on Facebook today. It was a publicity shot taken for a production of West Side Story, which was being performed by the Gloucester Operatic & Dramatic Society Youth Group in - the latter end of the last Century - eeek, that sounds so old.

There are some very young faces here including Kyle Davies, Andrew Doyle and they guy who posted the picture Clive Montellier, who doesn't seem to have aged at all. Rowena Davies was the director and I was her assistant. Thankfully neither of us are featured here.

Focusing on The Cock

2011-04-17T19:34:00.000+01:00

Whilst away from the UK I could not help but watch with interest the events unfolding at the Cock Tavern. I had already been privy to the controversy over the paying of actors and had pretty much assumed that the furore would have died down after I had got home.

It turns out that in fact, the team at the Cock Tavern were performing without an entertainment licence and the small theatre has now closed business indefinitely. Needless to say Adam Spreadbury Maher is still the AD of the King's Head Theatre and will no doubt continue his work there.

As to the National Minimum Wage debate, I say be careful what you wish for, it may come true.

That's all.

Godspell

2011-04-17T18:59:00.000+01:00

This is the second time I have seen this musical this year as it celebrates its 40th year. I have made no bones about the fact that I have issues with the show itself and I had high hopes for this production at The Union, which was put together by the same team that created Company & Assassins at the Union previously. Sadly, despite great production values and some genuinely thoughtful and often rousing performances, this musical has again failed to engage me.

Director Michael Strassen has created a piece that ventures to translate the shows message in much broader terms. Strassen's lucid programme notes detail the need for a sense of community in our lives and focus on the death of an innocent within this structure. This is an interesting and appealing approach but as Strassen himself points out, much has changed since this piece was written.

Schools now no longer exact Christian studies as part of the curriculum and so the language of the libretto has become somewhat obsolete. Swathes of the text appear as excerpts from The Bible, making the language vaguely archaic and the further one attempts to make the scenarios accessible - modern colloquialisms and the odd expletive - the less engaging or believable they become. Godspell is very much a reaction to the era in which it was written and unless there is a major re-working of the book, it is unlikely to ever sustain a valid revival.

Notable performances stood out in this particular production such as Sophie Issacs and Jeremy Batt but praise is due particularly for its vocal arrangements by Iain Vince-Gatt.

Baby Jesus Freak & Stage Kiss

2011-04-17T18:06:00.001+01:00

Literally no sooner had my plane landed this week than I was heading straight to the Fringe Theatre, or more accurately The Space in Mudchute. Those of you unfamiliar with the venue might find it very much worth a look, although it is situated at a rather inconvenient postcode on the Isle of Dogs. The quickest way to get there is by bus from Canary Wharf.

Baby Jesus Freak by Ian Winterton covers an interesting premise set in motion by the death of an evangelist and the reaction of her two adult sons. The younger son had long since joined his mothers cause whilst the elder appears to have spent a lifetime battling demons of a different sort. Winterton's play raises many questions but thankfully he has woven a human story that plays particularly well on stage.

The performances are good too with particularly astute work from Adam Lowe and Claire Dean who have the oft difficult task of making Christian fundamentalism appear rational in a modern world.

Stage Kiss is a slightly less successful, albeit extremely short play from Andrew Jones. Despite the very few major successes, audiences will rarely be interested in backstage stories. Actors are singularly peculiar creatures anyway and showing their existence off the stage rarely excites and audience.

This said, the tale tells of Amy's return to the stage before committing to marriage with her bullish fiance, Henry. The central dilemma is the emotion behind a stage kiss as opposed to a real one and quite frankly, it's not a particularly engaging argument either way. At only forty minutes however the play still manages to run out of steam.

Danny Wainwright is excellent as the pragmatic Henry and it is always a joy to see Lisa Baird on stage but this is a blunt piece of writing that needs to go back to the drawing board.

Both plays have been cleanly and clearly directed by Matthew Gould. If you get an opportunity, visit The Space. It is a great venue that appears to be desperately seeking an audience.

Real Paul

2011-04-13T16:57:00.000+01:00

Not having access to TV in the UK has led to my missing a couple of vital TV series. Ralph and Tyron are serious about their reality TV and naturally as international make-up professionals they go gaga over Ru Paul's Drag Race. I have now seen a few episodes from series three and I have to say it is outrageously addictive. Why in God's name the British drag sorority have not created their version I have no idea. Anyway, online there is a Dragulator where you can get a drag make-over and this is what Ralph did with mine. I am, naturally, Real Paul - givin' it real, girlfriend, stateside!

IMATS Report

2011-04-12T17:41:00.001+01:00

Lipstick Testing - Done

Chill-axing

2011-04-12T17:29:00.000+01:00

It is now my second 'day off' in NYC and today I woke up at 11.50am. Needless to say there have been some very fun evenings out here that have been nore about relaxing than about activity. Yesterday, as a thank you to Ralph and Tyron for putting me up, I bought them a set of martini glasses. They certainly seemed happy with them and naturally we tried them out straight away.

About to head off for brunch now on Fifth. Need a coffee so much!!!

BTW...

2011-04-08T15:51:00.000+01:00

Rufus Hound, Sally Philips and Michael Urie at the opening night of Celebrity Autobigraphy. Did I mention Rufus Hound…..phroawr! God, I have some weird photo-opps in my back catalogue!

Brooklyn Bound

2011-04-08T15:48:00.000+01:00

It’s a bit mad when you think about it but Ralph and I have known each other for 10 years. Yesterday I – quite literally – followed him across the Atlantic to spend some time with him and his partner, Tyron. Ralph is now doing really well as a make-up artist, which is immensely satisfying for me as I have seen him grow professionally. His new agent will ensure that he travels to London regularly and finally all his hard work is paying off.

The journey was eventful only by it’s total lack of event arriving ahead of schedule by nearly 50 minutes. I nearly asked the pilot to go around the block again until Boardwalk Empire had finished. Anyway, the route through customs was very swift and a cab too me swiftly to Dean Street and then Ralph whisked me even more swiftly to a sushi bar. Here I met AA Nominated Actress Taraji P Henson, a friend of Tyron’s and an absolute blast. She was hysterical and the evening ended with my first viewing of Ru Paul’s Drag Race (WTF? Why isn’t the UK doing this?) until I was finally beaten by the lag. I made my apologies although I had been awake 24 hours.

Evidently it takes a lot to fool my body clock and freakishly I was up at 6.00am New York Time. I was in my favorite local diner by 7.00am. Carb Heaven.

Feeling Blue

2011-04-05T19:45:00.001+01:00

Sitting in the Blue Elephant bar always gives me a strong sense of theatre on the London Fringe that I don't often get in other venues. On one hand they are very unlucky to appear so distant from public transport links. On the other hand they are right in the middle of the Camberwell /walworth community - for the 14 years I lived in bubbling suburb of Streatham nothing like this existed and indeed still doesn't.

They are also not governed by the caprices of a brewery so the people hanging about there are actually there to see or appear in theatre rather than a bunch of post-work trendies, popping in for a quick one.

The staff are always friendly and Jasmine Cullingford, the theatres AD is always welcoming. Tonight I am seeing a production of Macbeth by Ricky Dukes at the Lazarus Theatre Company. We have previous, admittedly but this place always fills me with hope. I really wish it well.

More Nominations

2011-04-03T21:29:00.000+01:00

OK so no prizes for guessing I didn't pop home to visit my Mother this weekend but I did get sent a few nominations to take into consideration for the Offies. A Cavalier For Milady has already been nominated, and my review of that production should be live online tomorrow. I have also been sent notice to attend Iolanthe at Wiltons and The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged) at the Old Red Lion. I shall attempt both upon my return from NYC and until then, I have Betty Blue Eyes tomorrow with Sean and Macbeth at The Blue Elephant on Tuesday. After that I need to pack. Eek!

Oh wow!

2011-04-02T13:50:00.000+01:00

It can now! Fab. Blogs on a train.

Teaser!

2011-04-02T13:40:00.000+01:00

This Tool Is Very Clever...

2011-04-02T13:38:00.001+01:00

...I just wish I could post images too!

Resolutionary

2011-04-01T22:00:00.000+01:00

Whilst I am on the subject of New Year Resolutions, I just thought I would go over mine for this year and see how I am getting on.

1. Loose weight - yawn! - maintining would be more apt.
2. Concentrate on Stomach and Butt exercises - nope.
3. Swim in all the pools belonging to GLL Swim London - nothing new there.
4. Aim to lift myself from the pool without using the steps - oooo, I do that all the time now. It's easier when I have been swimming on my back for some reason.
5. Help with a charity - nope.
6. Do the lottery on a weekly basis - kerching!
7. Drink more water - hurrah! At last.
8. Find more time to paint - still looking.
9. Become a better blogger/social networker - ummmmmm...... 3 months.
10. Find time for creative writing - no chance.

Still a way to go but I remain determined.

Lottery

2011-04-01T18:53:00.001+01:00

As it is Friday night it is time to do the lottery again. I made it one of my new years resolutions this year and I have to say that since I began playing, I have probably won enough to take part. The other morning I decided to log in online, something I tried about 3 years ago and to my surprise I had won £8! That would have been two packets of fags 3 years ago! Needless to say, I re-invested. See you next week in Rio!

OMG IMATS NYC

2011-04-01T14:00:00.000+01:00

Next week I am off to the inaugural International Make-up Artist Trade Show in New York. In a bizarre twist of irony worthy of a chorus from Alanis Morisette, my dear friend Ralph will be in London for some of this time. There are several things I want to try to do whilst I am in NYC. Central Park is three of them. Walking across Brooklyn Bridge is another. Breakfasts are pretty much the rest.

Whilst I am at IMATS I am moderating a discussion with Broadway Make-up Artists Angela L. Johnson, Jimmy Cortes, Christina Grant, Tiffany Hicks and Vinnie Schicchi on the Sunday at 11.45am.

I have also heard a rumour that elusive British make-up artist, Tyra will be visiting New York at this time. Hopefully I will be able to track her down and speak to her about her Fall season.

Bed And Sofa

2011-04-01T12:35:00.000+01:00

The much loved and much lauded Finborough Theatre appeared to have taken a sidestep here with a baffling musical based on an early Russian silent movie. There is little to add to my review for The Stage. Did I miss some irony that might have made it all make sense? At least the Wine Cafe is in perfect working order downstairs and afforded me a chance to play catch-up on here.

On a side note, Penelope Keith's appearance did remind me of an old Offie nomination that got dumped within the formative months of the awards. There was a nomination originally scheduled for Best Off-The-Wall Moment. I was aching to include the time I saw Debbie McGee toking on a 6 foot doobie in Frank's Closet but unfortunately that was in 2009. Keith's inclusion here would be a serious contender.

Notes on The Offies

2011-04-01T12:06:00.000+01:00

I guess the most important change to the last year’s agenda were the Off West End Awards, or as they were rather catchily dubbed – The Offies. On the whole, they were a huge success for all concerned and I was immensely proud to have been an important part of the process. Judging for the 2011 Offie’s was already underway on the day of the event, and this year my visits to theatre has increased to an even greater extent if you can imagine that possible. From today, I shall try to offer some sort of more detailed dialogue for the nominees to follow.

So far, I have visited a few of the new venues (for me, anyway) including The Rose Bankside, which proved to be an uncomfortable, baffling experience that sinks site specific productions to new depths. The production of Edward II wasn’t bad at all, it simply wasn’t served well by the venue. I also visited the New Red Lion, a venue with a great deal of promise but scant transport connections, where I saw the delightful Kissing Sid James. The Print Room in Notting Hill offered the fantastic Snake In The Grass, exquisitely designed and offering a version of Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte set in Hampshire. Accolade launched another show-stopping season at the Finborough, where I am currently typing this up-date, before reviewing Bed & Sofa. Other highlights included Amphibians at The Bridewell, which focused on the emotional trauma for young people entering the Olympics; Irish Blood, English Heart at The Union about a dysfunctional family trying to cope with their father’s death and bizarrely The Diary of Anne Frank at the Broadway in Catford.

Clare Burt and Nathan Osgood were the saving graces of Vernon Little God, the success of which I can only put down to the fact that the audience doesn’t venture too far from The Cut for it’s entertainment. At the Tristan Bates I left after the end of Bane, not wishing to see much of the same in Bane 2. Godspell at Ye Olde Rose & Crown did very little for me despite it’s nominations and the welcoming Walthamstow venue still has a long way to go to get it’s Front of House in order. Before I fly next week I will have seen Ricky Duke’s new production of Macbeth at the Blue Elephant in Camberwell. I shall endeavour to keep up with my blogging and review each of the shows I see in turn.

NOTES TO OFFIE NOMINEES If you have been nominated for an Offie, lobby for judges to attend but don’t be disappointed if we can’t attend. We all have ridiculous work schedules but your encouragement and enthusiasm will be noted.

If you have been nominated for Best New Play or Most Promising New Playwright then please back this up by sending us a copy of your play.

If you have been nominated for Best Costume/Make-up/Set Design, back your nomination up with a presentation of images from the production and or design notes.

Perhaps.....

2011-04-01T11:28:00.000+01:00

.....just a re-design?

Notes From Earls Court

2011-03-31T17:57:00.000+01:00

OK – so I haven’t been blogging for about three months and it has been on my mind terribly. It’s not that I have had no time to do this, it is more about time management and whilst Sean will be the first to tell you about how I tend to plan things, time for filing blog posts escapes me. My first thoughts on how to deal with this was to write shorter posts but often. The problem happened that this job was increasingly taken up by Facebook and then to a greater degree by Twitter. Where possible I try to tweet immediately after each show, in a style borrowed from Mark Shenton although unlike Mark I post mine from my trusty iPhone on the train. Ultimately, the last three months have been a bit of a whirlwind that have included the re-structuring of my day-job; The Stage New Year Party; The Inaugural Off West End Awards and plans for a trip to NYC in April and in May a trip with Sean to Greece. I have been trying to focus my attention on the various options available to me as a blogger, reviewer and judge for the Offies. As my blog was always a rather personal affair it sometimes included candid information on my private life much of which will be of scant interest to theatre people. There again, there are friends of mine who find my life in London eclectic to say the least, with theatre being very much a part of who I am and what I do. In essence I cannot work out whether to start over with a new blog based solely on theatre and leave the weight-loss, mood-swings and bakery to Facebook & Twitter OR, and that’s a big OR, continue to combine the two. My life in London for the past 15 years could and possibly would not have existed without theatre. It is very much a part of who I am and how I live my life so how do I separate the personal from the professional and indeed, should I? Ensconced in the particularly nice Wine Café of the Finborough Theatre it is certainly seems a less demanding dilemma. Over the next week I am travelling to New York to visit my dear friends over there and join in with the inaugural New York Make-up Artists Trade Show. I shall take my lap to with me and begin to think around my dilemma.

2011-03-03T13:01:00.000Z

Blimey!

2011-01-04T12:54:00.000Z

On a lovely day like this and everybody seems to be ill! It is rather worrying. I shall be going for an outdoor swim this evening followed by a show at The Pheasantry on the Kings Road.

My Christmas In Ten Pictures

2011-01-03T18:55:00.001Z

and of course,

Heating

2011-01-03T17:46:00.000Z

Has anyone else got the heating off? I actually don't mind a colder house but this season has been particularly bad. My flatmate however is never very keen to turn on the heating outside its alotted schedule. I think (hope) its a money issue. Whilst I normally keep quiet about it I have to say that she currently looks more than a little strange. She has a visitor with her and they are both sat around the advent candles, shivering. Huh!!!!! Surely a visitor would merit switching the heating on for at least a little while?!

Resolutions

2011-01-03T17:13:00.000Z

I like New Year Resolutions. I know a lot of people pooh-pooh the idea but I have always enjoyed the idea of striding out to do something new during a period of miserable weather and long dull evenings. Thankfully giving up smoking is no longer an issue but whilst maintaining my weight for a year, I have let slide a little. A mix of impenetrable weather, the party season and late nights have meant that I have put on a not inconsiderable amount of weight. So here is my list of resolutions for the 2011.

1. Loose weight - yawn!
2. Concentrate on Stomach and Butt exercises - I have an app for that - more later.
3. Swim in all the pools belonging to GLL Swim London - 40 in total.
4. Aim to lift myself from the pool without using the steps - there will be no pics of that!
5. Help with a charity - not sure which yet.
6. Do the lottery on a weekly basis.
7. Drink more water - 3rd year in a row with that one.
8. Find more time to paint - eek!
9. Become a better blogger/social networker - see Scott Matthewman.
10. Find time for creative writing.

Not earth shattering, I know but all of them are achievable and hopefully I will not have given up by the second week in January.

PS

2011-01-03T17:11:00.000Z

For all the photographs I have taken, the best will appear in my Review of 2010, which according to my track record, should be ready by about March!

I Began This.....

2010-11-16T17:28:00.000Z

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.

A Pause

2010-11-16T08:19:00.001Z

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!

iPhone Casualties

2010-11-04T18:46:00.001Z

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!

Oh Yeah....

2010-11-03T18:54:00.001Z

..... I am looking for trackie bottoms and a nice overnight bag. For me, that's a lot of shopping.

Shopping List

2010-11-03T18:52:00.001Z

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

2010-11-03T08:39:00.000Z

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.

Twitter

2010-11-02T22:11:00.000Z

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.

Ravenhill on the Cock

2010-11-02T21:20:00.000Z

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.

The Changing Seasons

2010-11-02T17:01:00.000Z

Are producing some glorious sunrises.

The Winner

2010-11-02T16:58:00.000Z

The Disgraced Councillor

2010-11-02T16:56:00.000Z

The Hosts

2010-11-02T16:54:00.001Z

The Dance Floor

2010-11-02T16:47:00.001Z

Halloween Prep

2010-11-02T16:31:00.000Z

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.

Espresso Martinis

2010-11-02T16:29:00.000Z

Bad!!!!!!!

The Rest Of My Life

2010-11-02T16:18:00.000Z

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

2010-11-02T13:26:00.000Z

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.

Back to Back

2010-10-14T11:52:00.000+01:00

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.

Giving Thanks

2010-10-06T15:57:00.000+01:00

The most important thanks I will give this November is that Sean has had an all-clear from the doctor. Recently he asked me to assist him trying to meet deadline on Priscilla. Naturally I took the task extremely seriously!

Bike Voucher!

2010-10-06T15:56:00.001+01:00

Eeek! My bike voucher arrived and I will have my new bike for the weekend. How exciting! I was beginning to feel that I may strangle somebody on the train in the morning and they never ran on time. I also picked up a nasty cold so its been a really gross couple of weeks for me studded with moment of absolute gorgeousness.

As the new weekend approaches I fully intend to detox, resume excercises and make a wellness plan for my soujorn in Norhern Ireland.

Zorro, Packed Houses, Tears and Bells

2010-10-06T15:31:00.000+01:00

A week in theatre can be a hit or miss affair but I must say that this week the bar was raised a level. The Drowsy Chaperone on Tuesday meant a schlep up to Highgate where I have to say, I have always felt a little awkward. The Plews Clan have always been terribly welcoming but the shows tend to be a hit and miss affair. I seem to remember liking Deathtrap, Forever Plaid and Hot Mikado there but being quite cutting about a few others. Fortunatley Racky had done a grand job with Chaperone and it was fun to catch up with various people including the gorgeous producer de jour, Thomas Hopkins, the ubiquitous lighting designer Howard Hudson and the lovely Matt Rawle who were in the audience.

I wasn't expecting much on Wednesday at the White Bear in Kennington but I knew that I was going to meet Angela again. I had no idea what The Last Pilgrim was about but I steeled myself for some drama. It was one of those VERY rare moments for me and I left the theatre with tears in my eyes. Compelling, gripping theatre expertly performed.

Departure Lounge at the Waterloo East Theatre was Hollyoaks After Hours, set to music. Good music but terrible construction and lacking the courage of its convictions. Very dull!

On the other hand, Bells Are Ringing was an absolute hoot from begining to en. In the bar I was reunited with Andrew and met his colleague Phil. Their critique of the show was hysterical, especially the bit about the Strallens. After this I sped across London with my guest for the evening, Peter Bull to get to Sideshow - The Weirdest Show On Earth in what was a very eliptical week. I am actually exhausted just looking back on it now!

Mad Things

2010-10-06T15:08:00.000+01:00

I recently had a look back at last years blog post at about this time, only to discover a huge gaping hole where my posts should have been followed by a list of shows. It seems its that time of the year again as I appear to be at the theatre 5 nights out of 7.

After my gorgeous anniversary weekend in town - Champagne at Liberty's, Cocktails at Waterstones, Dinner at Kettners, frolics at The Marylebone Hotel - I was rather looking forward to a rest on Monday, albeit after the launch party for Sideshow at the Leicester Square Theatre. At this event I met two very interesting people. Andrew, one of the West End Whingers and Angela Hyde-Courtney from The Audience Club.

I had been intrigued to meet the West End Whingers for some time, particularly after they had quoted my review George M Cohen on their Twitter site. A personable fellow, he had to dash as he was off to see Caroline O'Connor at The Garrick that evening. I was a big fan of O'Connor and Russell Labey was directing so naturally I was rather jealous, which is when they offered me spare ticket.

So my night off was scuppered but the O'Connor show was a triumph.

Happy Anniversary

2010-09-25T00:36:00.001+01:00

And they said it wouldn't last!

Funny Old Week

2010-09-24T17:35:00.000+01:00

I must say that on the theatrical front, I have had a couple of corkers this week. Firstly, George M Cohan Tonight proved yet again that nobody appears to check out The New Players Theatre before hiring it. I personally think that the venue is quite superb featuring a black-box stage and seating for nearly 400 people. There is a bar at the rear of the auditorium and boxes are available. The venue retains its old school shape but cannot seem to find the right show to fill it. Until then, hapless hires and presumably a few goodwill cases rent the place out and die horribly there.

For those planning on renting this venue for their show please take heed. You will need a grand design concept, lots of imagination and a decent budget. Anything less will look lost or cheap. This stage requires textures, colours, inventive lighting and careful sound. Invariably the shows that hire this venue are on Fringe budgets and die a death because of it. George M Cohan Tonight was ill-conceived anyway but I felt the need to remind producers you shouldn't even attempt to mount a show here, without experienced designers on board.

The second show of the week raised so many questions I am not actually sure where to begin. The Ripper's 5 should probably be called The Ripper's Five but that's just me being a little pedantic I am sure. The venue, Theatro Technis, a converted mission hall near Mornington Crescent was completely new to me so I was a little nonplussed upon arriving to discover the gates to the venue still chained up at 7.05pm - the Press Night was scheduled to start in 25 minutes. Before long, the Manager appeared and unlocked the gate to let us in.

Seeing a lot of Fringe shows I am used to often being the only reviewer at a press night but it all gets a bit sad when there are actually very few audience there too. I am under no allusions that Press Nights are often 'papered houses' - freebies, so what does an empty Press Night say about the work you are about to see? You couldn't give tickets away?

The auditorium is large and probably seats about 150 people in total although sadly there were only 17 that evening. The show, by and large, was awful. It was an interesting idea but the creativity stopped there. The gay sub-plot was vaguely ludicrous and did nothing for the story except make it longer. There was gratuitous male nudity, appalling direction - seriously bad - and shoddy lighting. On the plus side there was a valiant attempt at wigs and make-up and whilst the songs all sounded the same, musically they were relatively sound.

I must say that the notice announcing Tuesday Matinee performances are being 'specifically aimed at schools' is something of a worry. Not for the subject matter of prostitution, rape, homosexuality, necromancy or murder - let's face it, that's just another episode of Eastenders. No, I am more concerned that kids might be led to believe that this mess is considered good theatre practice!

Wonder Woman

2010-09-20T12:33:00.001+01:00

OK, well I can probably be forgiven for getting excited about Lynda Carter: At Last. As expected she still looks stunning at 59 and thankfully, she remains affectionate about the role that made her a household name. The problem I had was that we have had no inkling as to her work over the last thirty years. It may be true that she has carved a niche for herself as a vocalist and she can carry a tune but I expect a little more from my musical idols at 59. I expect them to be a little more polished in terms of dialogue; I expect them to remember the names of the band; I expect to care a little more about their musical career not to be surprised that they had one.

Don't get me wrong, she seemed perfectly lovely but there was no emotional connection there. She would have probably gone down better at Ronne Scotts!

Izzy Van Stroe

2010-09-20T12:29:00.000+01:00

Congratulations to Don & Celine on the birth of their second daughther, Izzy.

Butterfly Effect

2010-09-15T17:10:00.000+01:00

Evidently somebody on the other side of the world was having a wonderful time last night.

As I sat down to an evening of Gilbert & Sullivan, my immediate reaction was what the fire officers might think if they saw the usher crowding extra people into the centre aisle/only fire exit. It's always great to see a full house but this was claustraphobic to say the least. The production of HMS Pinafore was not bad, though lacked focus and balance. There were good moments and the scaling down of G & S can work remarkably well but it must be done with an eye on the whole. Here we had accomplished singers but decidedly ropey acting - generally more befitting pantomime rather than G & S and flabby direction. The make-up was particularly bad, especially as the design team seemed to be accomplished in other areas.

I recognised one of the cast from a crowded bar, many years ago.... - well, the embarrasment kicked in. Finally, to cap it all, one of the cast stood at the bottom of the exit stairs - in full costume and make-up but out of character - with a bucket requesting donations for cast drinks! All very disturbing. To cap it all, my cycle was stolen. The lock had been professionally snapped in two and I was left standing in Islington with a helmet and saddlebag.

The Rosemary Branch

2010-09-14T18:43:00.001+01:00

This is a theatre I have been avoiding for years, for no reason other than I was late for a performance once. It took ages to simply get there and nothing should hold a theatre curtain, least of all a critic. I have cycled here today from London Bridge, which made things much easier and they have cycle parking facilities, which is a relief. More importantly they are 4 minutes away from Dalston Junction, where there is a direct line to Crystal Palace! Bring on the showgirls!

Spare Time

2010-09-11T12:49:00.000+01:00

As I may have mentioned earlier this week, it is taking some time to get back up to speed with my theatre going. This is a mixture of Emma, our beloved reviews commissioner being on holiday for a couple of weeks and the new season picking up speed. This said, my evening are beginning to fill up and I found myself at the theatre for four nights last week - more often than some may do in a year. Monday was Maurice, Wednesday was Punk Rock and Thursday, Sofie Mason invited me to attend Spare at the New Diorama Theatre.

Spare is a new piece from Sebastian Rex and his company Acting Like Mad. It deals, in an uber theatrical manner, with the problem the abuse of young people. Despite the many measures that society puts in place to stop the cycle of abuse, it will still happen. Corruption and selfishness is in our very nature and we are unlikely to break that cycle.

Whilst I didn't particularly agree with Rex's message, I have to admire the work he has staged here. The writing has clarity and style without being patronising and the staging is bold and inventive without being superficial. The company consists of a mix of five girls and three boys and there is an interesting surprise that adds a certain frisson to each performance. I am quite tempted to see it again for that very reason and not simply for the boys in their underwear.

Spare runs until the 25th of September at the New Diorama Theatre. Try to see it twice, if you can. I will.

Design For Living

2010-09-09T12:27:00.000+01:00

With the background I have in art and design I was always going to approach theatre productions with one eye on set, costumes or make-up. However I will not always name-check them in a review unless I feel them to be particularly good or particularly bad. This week I have seen two plays that highlight the dilemma.

Monday I was at the opening of Maurice at the Above The Stag Theatre. I am a big fan of the work at the ATS generally, although I do have issues with certain areas of this particular adaptation. This aside, I realise that budgets are particularly tight at many Fringe Theatres so attempting a costume drama is a questionable task. Decisions are made, corners are cut and whilst this production certainly looked better than the last, ultimately it suffered from the lack of a good wardrobe supervisor and set designer. Tim McArthur as the director, has insinuated a line of humour into the play that seems to appeal to modern audiences, which is perfectly acceptable and indeed finding the accessibility of a period piece could be considered his role.

Lack of funds may limit design options but should never limit imagination or care. Sadly, all too often I see plays with unsuitable hats, shoes, trousers or wigs. You almost expect it on the Fringe! But I really get annoyed when I see un-pressed trousers, un-polished shoes or wigs that have simply been taken out of the Smiffy's bag and sat on the head.

Who is saying - "Well, it won't matter. Nobody will notice. It's all about the acting really." ? The Director? The Producer? The Actors? or God forbid, The Designer?

IT DOES! THEY WILL! IT ISN'T

That said, last night I witnessed things at the other end of the scale. The most interesting thing about Simon Stephen's Punk Rock at the Lyric Hammersmith was the set. A vast library. Masses and masses of carefully bound volumes soaring into the flies, punctuated with lead-glass window panes. It looked like something straight out of Hogwarts and was extremely impressive. It completely over-powered the drama of the play, which it must be said, was not a particularly difficult task.

Great designs do not make great plays and great plays can be damaged by bad designs. Think on't.

'Tis The Season

2010-09-08T13:27:00.000+01:00

September is already upon us and as yet my visits to the theatre seem to be few and far between. I caught The Remains of the Day at the Union and Kate Dimbleby: I'm A Woman at the New End but so far that's it so far. I am scheduled for Closer Than Ever at the Landor and the Offies have suggested I visit HMS Pinafore at the Rosemary Branch but to be honest, I haven't even booked that yet. I rather enjoyed the extremely full schedule I had before the Summer and feel a little uneasy as to how quiet it seems to have become.

One highlight was a chance to see the revival of Maurice at the ATS earlier this week. On the whole, I found it a much better production the the previous incarnation. The script has been re-jigged slightly and there are some fine performances but the play remains unbalanced and I am not sure if this is down to director Tim McArthur or the writers Roger Parsley and Andy Graham. Either way, it's an enjoyable romp through the social mores of England at the beginning of the Twentieth Century based on the novel by EM Forster. If you get a chance, go see it and judge for yourselves.

Next week Christina, my flat mate, goes on holiday for a week and during that time I shall attempt to get back to doing some painting. St Marina is severely behind schedule and I simply feel that I have not been being creative enough. I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend with Sean last where I put my all into a loaf of bread but I can't possibly put all my creative side into things that I eat.

Tonight I am off to see Punk Rock at the Lyric, Hammersmith. I know nothing about it and am going simply to take pictures at the aftershow party for work. Someone mentioned wine too.

Remains of the Day

2010-09-03T16:14:00.000+01:00

Last night I visited the Union Theatre for the premiere of The Remains of the Day by Alex Loveless. This was a valient and romantic effort to bring Kazuo Ishiguro's novel to the musical stage but it was always going to be a difficult job. In musical theatre, when the emotions hit a certain height the characters sing. Quite often, if the emotion is beyond expression in song, then the characters dance. It's a simple formula that can be universally applied. Remains of the Day is a novel about the suppression of emotions in favour of duty, so a musical adaptation need special care and a little more delicacy than appears in Loveless score.

The musical structure requires a good deal of work and the focus is off kilter. There are more musical numbers about the impending war and Darlington Hall than there are about the central, unresolved love story and we never really hear Stevens and Miss Kenton sing a duet until the middle of Act Two. When they do finally sing, it's rather lovely but sadly too little, too late.

Remains of the Day is a musical ready for its first workshop before an audience, not its London Fringe Premiere. Hopefully Loveless, who shows promise as a composer, will see the gapping holes in his work and darn them appropriately.

James' Front Page - he has finally left us.

2010-09-02T15:52:00.000+01:00

Mr Groff Does The Wheelbarrow

2010-09-01T20:43:00.000+01:00

Current marketing for the West End comedy-thriller Deathtrap show Jonathan Groff teaching Simon Russell-Beale how to do it, LA style.

Recycled Theatre

2010-09-01T20:07:00.000+01:00

As Mark Shenton noted today the new theatrical season begins this week and it appears that the first offering to be sacrificed to the critical gods deserved its final roasting. The Jellyfish Theatre is a temporary venue apparently built from completely recycled materials. Ecological plays are practically as old as 'message' plays but what I don't understand is why the temporary nature of the build. Surely resources could have been put to much better use staging the play in a venue that already exists. I realise that rents are high for theatre hires etc but think about other options. I have seen theatre on the street; in a hotel; in a disused council house; in a restaurant - in fact I used to direct showcases in a restaurant - so the possibilities for venues for mounting a good ecological play are limited only by imagination.

The imagination that has been put into the build is all well and good but ultimately it is a disposable theatre. It seems that the play being performed there is equally disposable opening to many bad reviews in much of the Press. This is a venture not about the play but about the spirit of the event. Are we critics supposed to sit there and take the play in question on the chin because the company means well? I hope not.

Spot The Difference

2010-08-30T12:49:00.000+01:00

Glitter Pumas

2010-08-30T12:44:00.001+01:00

Saw these babies in a window at Covent Garden and thought they were fab!

Storm Clouds and Rainbows

2010-08-30T12:29:00.001+01:00

This was going to be a difficult weekend for me in several ways, not least that I have been having some issues with the man lately. My birthday had been lovely (Rules) and Rowena had been a guest in my home this week for a couple of evenings, which really just added to the joy of the week. The problems arose from how I was dealing with certain issues badly. I have always striven to be as up-front and honest about my feelings with him as he is so special to me in many, many ways. I had not been true to this for a while and I had let things build and build out of all proportion until I realised I was really upset. For the first time since I had moved Sean came to visit me in Crystal Palace and that was an important start. It rained. Heavily. Thankfully I got him home before the real deluge started but for the first time on my territory we sat and talked about our relationship. I found this an excruciatingly difficult but invaluable exercise that has only helped to make things stronger. The Deucalion storm that beat down upon the rooftops of Sydenham finally abated and a rainbow soared from behind the trees of Crystal Palace Park into the cloudy skies above. A sign? Probably not. Simply a romantic fancy, but I have always been a romantic at heart.
Food and wine followed and in the morning – eventually - a trip around the park. I was eager to show Sean where I swam – he commented that the staff looked worried when I came in but I can’t think why that would be! We then took in the grounds including the dinosaurs and naturally the remains of the palace itself. We also popped into the Crystal Palace Museum which is always worth a look. Sean has a reconstruction of the original catalogue of the Great Exhibition so it was all fascinating for him. After this we wandered up to the Exhibition Rooms where we ate a gorgeous meal until it was time for him to go home.

With all the foreboding aside it turned into a wonderful weekend with baking, cooking, resolutions decided, plans made, drinking and catching up with Simon and Cassy that made it even better. I am glad I was able to make the most of it because, let’s face it, it’s our last Bank Holiday before Christmas.

Body Image

2010-08-26T21:16:00.001+01:00

Those of you who have known me over the last year will realise that I have been dieting. Well in February the diet officially stopped one year after it started and I had hit my goal weight. Naturally after a year of dealing with this, I was at something of a loss as to what to do next and decided to try and tone up a little. Whilst I have actually put on a little weight I have been desperately trying not to feel too anxious about it. As Sean will tell you, I don't always succeed and I still have very dark days when I consider my body.

However, the truth of the matter is that a year ago, I would never have taken this picture, let alone published it. OK, there is still a hell-of-a-lot of room for work but this picture made me feel much better about what is achieve able and what I had already achieved.