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Chess In Concert
Courtesy of the sparkling form of Sebastian Crawford I was, on Tuesday night, to be found merrily ensconced in the Royal Albert Hall enjoying the second and last night of “Chess in Concert“. Anyone who know me will know that it is my personal favourite musical - let’s face facts: Benny and Bjorn of ABBA are the finest tunesmiths ever to grace this earth - and so when faced with the offer to attend it was the moment of but seconds to go “well, duh - yeah!”
It was a night not without its problems for many of the attendees apparently. The Royal Albert Hall, oddly enough, seems to be a difficult venue for sound. I keep hearing reports that most gigs or concerts have dead patches where the acoustics are so bad you just hear an indistinguishable wall of sound, and the two nights of this event were apparently no exception for many of the attendees.
Thankfully I wasn’t one to suffer from this. Apart from some dodgy amplification on Idina Menzel (as Florence) for her first couple of songs, it was all crystal clear and hugely enjoyable from where I was sat and just re-enforced my feeling that it is truly one of the richest scores I know.
For me, Josh Goban as Anatoly and Adam Pascal as Frederick put in what I consider to be the definitive performances of “Anthem” and “Pity the Child” respectively. And David Bedella gave a richly satisfying performance as Molokov, with Idina Menzel and Kerry Ellis putting in a fantastic “I Know Him So Well”. Menzel’s “Heaven Help My Heart” and “Nobody’s Side” were also particularly of note, as was Ellis’ wonderful rendition of “Someone Else’s Story”.
I’m really hoping this gets a West End revival soon. Its about time this cult musical finally made it back in a definitive version after its varied history.
That said, they were filming it so hopefully a DVD release is on the cards which will keep me going in the interim.
Posted on May 15, 2008 | Filed Under Pop Music | No comments
Back on the Road Again
Much to our annoyance, Chris and I have been informed by our Landlord that he’s having his house refurbished and therefore needs our flat back for three months while it’s done. And so, once again, we find ourselves looking for a place to live.
And therefore back facing the same sorts of difficulties we faced before. The whole “yeah, but this bedroom could only fit a double bed if you took a chainsaw to it” thing is much in evidence, which is terribly frustrating - although at least this time we have only encountered one case of “which part of ‘must have a garden’ do you not understand?”
God I hate this process. It’s utterly soul destroying.
This time round, it has to be said, Foxtons have upped their game considerably and have been very helpful and efficient, not something I’ve encountered from them before. Sadly in the last year prices have gone up rather a lot (as the sales market slumps) so we’re going to be paying a premium rate but there’s not much that can be done about that.
One thing that has made life easier this time, though, is the fact we’re already in the sort of area we want to be in, so we’re no longer travelling for 45 minutes each way to view properties. It’s been quite nice taking a short walk in the sunshine to get to the places we’ve viewed so far! It’s just a shame the search is so far proving so fruitless.
Posted on May 12, 2008 | Filed Under My So-Called Life | 5 comments
Self-Cancelling Arguments
My stepmother - Shelley - has many virtues, but all too often it seems that the ability to form a watertight argument isn’t one of them. Indeed I once found myself in the position of watching her conduct a monologue in which she decided to stop taking the car to school of a morning but ended up with her deciding against it five minutes later.
No other person got a word in edgeways, it was a pure case of managing to talk herself out of something entirely unaided - quite a fascinating thing to view in many respects.
She is also able to sound off for ages on the evils of immigration whilst conveniently forgetting that her own mother - sadly recently departed - was born and raised in Holland and only popped over when the Second World War kicked off.
Last weekend, however, she outclassed herself. First, whilst merrily beavering away over a pile or ironing, she put forwards the view that a couple of generations ago people were able to live longer. She then put forward a load of caveats that would have prevented this, which it seemed was destined to become pretty much endless.
“So,” I said, after a moment’s pause in the speech, “what you’re basically saying is: in the old days people used to live longer as long as they survived?”
Best was yet to come though. She later took the opportunity to blast my father for his dependence on powered transport to go anywhere. “I mean,” she fumed, “you’ve got all these opportunities around for nice long walks but you never do any bloody exercise do you? All you do is your keep fit!”
Dad looked over at me and I’m afraid to say I just dissolved into a fit of giggles which took me a good five minutes to recover from and were in serious danger of damaging me.
Thankfully she is able to recognise these flights of self contradiction and laugh about them or I guess evenings at home would be quite frosty at times.
Bless
Posted on May 11, 2008 | Filed Under My So-Called Life | No comments
Site Refresh
Hello there - and sorry to those few people (bless you) who were worried by the extended maintenance mode time since last weekend. No need to panic, it’s just that I’ve given the place a bit of a lick of paint to make it a bit sexier. (And, indeed, less “corporate” as one person described it.)
Hopefully you like it and it works in whatever browser you have as your preference. Seems okay in IE, Firefox, Camino and Safari anyway.
Hope you’re having a lovely weekend and enjoying the sunshine - nice out isn’t it?
Posted on May 10, 2008 | Filed Under Site News | No comments
Humphrey Lyttleton
Ah, rest in peace Humph.
Now there was a man whose comic delivery can only be described as impeccable.
Frankly I can’t imagine anyone else delivering lines like this, can you?
Samantha tells me she has to go now as she’s off to the country residence of her new gentleman friend, who has some interesting birds in the thicket. He keeps a young chicken, but Samantha says there are also wild breeds there, and she can’t wait to see his Woodcock, Pullet and Swallow.
The term is often bandied around too often, but I do think the words “National Treasure” apply in his case.
A nation mourns.
Posted on April 28, 2008 | Filed Under In Memoriam | No comments
Sensitive Reporting
You would have thought, given the unthinkably unpleasant nature of the case of the murder of James Hughes and his mother - a tragic case which already beggars belief and we don’t know the half of it - that it would get some sensitive reporting by the UK press, wouldn’t you?
Apparently not if you are The Sun, however.
Their headline today reads “Murder of the Man Boy” which I think shows a staggering lack of intelligence on the part of whoever came up with it really. I was completely stunned when I saw it earlier.
The Sun really is staffed by dickheads isn’t it? It used to be the case that only Victoria Newton was Bizarre, now it seems to be the whole bally bunch of them.
Posted on April 24, 2008 | Filed Under The World we Live In | No comments
All the Misery in the World
Standing in WH Smith’s Queue of Eternity on Saturday (loading up with envelopes and Torchwood magazine - I’m still cut up about Tosh) the flatmate and I were stunned to realise that the Non Fiction section we were standing next to featured not one, not two, but seven true-life stories of child-abuse in the top ten.
I mean… seven! All of which had a picture of a child and a sort of handwriting-ey-esque font on the cover and titles like “Please Don’t Tell Mummy”, “Our Little Secret”, “A Broken Child” and so on.
So, please tell me, British book-buying public… what the hell is the matter with you? How much of other people’s misery do you feel the need to consume? Is this something you have to do to make your own lives seem better or are you just deeply morbidly inclined?
Thankfully Bill Bryson’s entertaining dissection of the life of Shakespeare was number one so I guess there’s hope yet, but honestly…
Posted on April 23, 2008 | Filed Under The World we Live In | 3 comments
Extended Fallout
This happened within about three minutes walk of my house.
I have to say - condolences to the family of the woman concerned aside, because obviously it’s a ghastly thing to happen to anyone - that what I’m mainly stunned by is how long an accident involving one person can completely screw the transport infrastructure.
Even at 2300 hours traffic was unable to pass along Brixton High Street in one direction.
I shudder to think how bad it must have been to take that long to clear up.
Ugh.
Posted on April 23, 2008 | Filed Under The World we Live In | No comments
Thank You!
Just a quick note to say thank you one and all who - despite my completely ignoring the fact and giving no hint whatsoever - managed to remember or deduce that I have now managed to hit the wrong side of 30 on Monday.
I wasn’t really marking it since it’s not exactly a milestone one (more of a millstone really) but your well-wishes and occasional insults were very touching!
Even the chorus of Happy Birthday and TARDIS cake presentation at the quiz yesterday managed to move me (as well as mortify me too).
That said, it’s amazing how many people wanted a piece of David Tennant.
Posted on April 23, 2008 | Filed Under My So-Called Life | No comments
Religious Zeal
I have for some time been a little concerned with the number of ladies (and strangely enough it is always ladies) on the 133 who, immediately upon sitting down, open up their capacious handbags - we’re talking Mary Poppins’ carpet bag here - and pull out a beautifully bound, but clearly well thumbed bible and begin to read it avidly on the daily commute.
I mean… admittedly it’s beautifully written (well, the King James Version is a perfect example of measured and carefully crafted English) but beyond Revelations, which is great blood-and-thunder type stuff, it’s not exactly a riveting read. So, instantly - and possibly a little unfairly - I assume they are religious nutjobs and begin wondering if I start thinking enough dirty thoughts about… oh, I dunno… Chace Crawford, then they might pick up on it and move quickly away.
But today I think my concern may be developing into an actual deep-rooted dislike of such ladies. Today, whilst I was idly enjoying the BWO singles collection “Pandemonium” - and very good it is too - some lady sat on the seat to my left and promptly pulled out what was undoubtedly a bible-shaped book. So I did my usual thing: I internally rolled my eyes (it’s a good trick) and ignored her.
It was only when I realised she was getting the occasional funny look from those around me that I noticed her arms flailing, book in hand and, as one track finished, became awfully aware that she was actually preaching - haltingly and repetitively - at us all.
Thankfully she was blotted out by a burst of “Give Me the Night” at this point but shortly afterwards she got up and started handing round leaflets - one of which I graciously declined - before going upstairs to do, presumably, exactly the same thing there.
I felt a little irked I must say. I don’t mind what religious people do - as long as it’s behind closed doors and they don’t hurt anyone - but she was breaking the first commandment of commuting: namely that you do not attempt to make even eye-contact let alone verbal or physical with any other passenger unless there happens to have been a major accident or a delay of longer than five minutes.
Someone should have words with her, I tell you. (But not me, obviously, I’m far too repressed and English.)
Posted on April 15, 2008 | Filed Under The World we Live In | No comments