my own private hidey-hole

So. Months of hype. Overexcitability. Shiney red shoes. On Monday, I finally got to see Wicked at the Victoria Apollo. My wonderfully cheap dress circle preview tickets had a FANTASTIC view, I urge you all to book scarily in advance for these ace deals :)

But what did I think of the actual show? ( I should probably cut this in case it has spoilers for Wicked the musical, Wicked the book, or general Oz mythology, although if you don't know most of this nonsense you are obviously very good at steering my conversations elsewhere. Onto Wings, perhaps. Anyway....... )

In conclusion: a damn fine night out, but I think I'd have enjoyed it more had I not expected it to be true to the book. It is a good show, and a good story, but it isn't really Wicked. Does that make sense? I don't think I'm going to spend a fortune going again, at any rate....

******

I was feeling grumpy last night, prepared to be let down by Marion. However, a mini pub crawl of Camden and chance meeting with angelv and sibling later things weren't so bad. And, like one of those rude people I hate, I forced myself down towards the front of the Barfly (where all the ljusers in the world were) before they came on.

Cor, and I loved it so much more than Bath! Perhaps due to not having to look after acid-flying friends, perhaps because I knew how to get home, perhaps I've heard the new songs more. But ahhhhhh, 'Time', 'Fallen Through', 'Sleep', 'Sparkle', all good stuff. And I think I'm falling in love with 'Crystal Blue'. They're still the same old Marion, and Jaime appears to have one of those 'colds' (oh dear), by which I mean I love them dearly, but can't see how they are relevant to *now*, or what they're trying to be.

*******

It would be wrong to think of a computer game character as attractive, wouldn't it?( image behind cut )

I had to stop playing DS on the train today, as I'd got up to the fingerprinting stage of Phoenix Wright, and didn't fancy looking like a mental whilst blowing pretend dust of a screen........

I read in the paper this morning that some airlines are soon to be letting hand luggage back on flights. I don't quite understand this, does it mean that all terrorists have been eradicated? They have blocked all their passports? Why is the risk any less?

Also, to celebrate, Ryanair are going to be offering 'free' flights. Cash Back!

****

Last night I went to see A Caucasian Chalk Circle at The Scoop, which is the outdoor concrete ampitheatre near Tower Bridge.

It was a lovely balmy evening to sit happily on my own and watch a really quite good free production. It was even lovlier to be surrounded by dubious youths (obviously on some sort of school trip) to find out they weren't dubious at all, and very keen.

Even when the rain started gently, they carried on, as promised. When it started tipping it down we were soooooo close to the end and the not-so-dubious-youths and everyone else sat there getting wet cheering for them to finish. So they did. In the pouring rain.

It was brilliant :)

****

Yesterday I heard many of my favourite noises:

♥ the roar of traffic pulling away from the lights at London Bridge
♥ the gentle pitter patter of light rain on umbrella
♥ the beautiful, beautiful ear-slamming thunder! God, I love storms :)
♥ the rain beating down on the bedroom window*

****

I don't think I'll be going to the free theatre today, I'm not sure the weather will let me.....





*NB this sound kept me awake and eventually made me angry, gah!

much as i loathe the summer, despite it containing my birthday, summer weekends do have the potential to be amazingly magickal.

this weekend contained, in no particular magickal order:

♥ fugitvemotel's birthday drinks at the faltering fullback with football on t'telly.

♥ dancing to dr_f_dellamorte and co in a bar in Hoxton that wasn't full of gunts and was actually much fun.

♥ BONVING!!!! or more accurately spectating at the bonving in Regents Park whilst drinking champagne and eating strawberries.

♥ playing in the sandpit, courtesy of thechild. You should have seen our castle! it was HUGE! though we did have a bit of help from a crack team of Kosovan labourers and a small child that followed me around silently. hmmmmm.

♥ slimelight. yeah yeah, shudduppaya face.

♥ early morning wandering through Dalston in search of cider. it already being baking and only 5am or so.... market traders doing things......

♥ party with ace folk until well into sunday.

♥ my first ever visit to the open air theatre in Regents Park - what a glorious venue! surrounded by trees, sitting in the end of the sun towards the end of the day watching my top magickal thing of the weekend.....

♥ ....which was Daniel Kitson. marvellous, absolutely marvellous. first half comprising a set of excellent stand up, second half being told stories in the dark with tears rolling down my face, interspersed with songs from a chap whose name i have forgotten but with a lovely voice and a guitar.

Seriously, chaps, that was the happiest i have been in a long time. i love that man. i may be feeling post-weekend toxic, but i'm still up there.....

Friday I rushed off from work to meet up with Lisa in a pub near GOSH. A couple of pints, and a desperate chat up attempt (to her, not me, obv) later, her current fella arrived and we headed off to the St Aloysius Social Club in Euston for Dr DiMaglio's.

It is always reassuring as you enter a venue to have a flashback to your hen night, and accidentally spanking the compere and also the chap on the door (of the cabaret thing) so hard on the bum they had serious welts. Yes.

Apart from that slight 'oops' moment (for which I lay the blame entirely at thermaland's door), I had a very good night. I forget how much I actually love cabaret nights - a bit of everything, a veritable smorgasbord. (Heh)

So who did we see?

Well first off was Paul Foot, who wasn't as entirely rotten as I'd been led to believe. His first 10 minutes or so was actually Quite Good, but the rest wasn't. I'll say no more. Some people liked him.

Next up was Whatsername Kitchen Sink, who was clearly a raging radical feminist and quite mesmerising. Not just because her dress was kind of see through and her nipples were clearly visible. Off putting. I did consider telling her to wear a bra, but I didn't think that would go down too well. Anyway, she did a wonderful ranty performance poetry type thing about cvnt, which happens to be one of my favourite words. It was ace. I would have told her, but I was scared and clearly hadn't had enough cider.

Final act in the first half was Simon Brodkin, who lost me at times, but had moments of genius. And I don't say this just because he spoke and acted a lot like my future brother-in-law. Heh.

The second half was my favourite though. And not just because I got to get on stage. Attention-wh0re? Me? What now?

My favourite bit was Stuart & Barry, aka the2magicians or something. They've been on telly, but I didn't see it. They wear New Rocks! Will watch their Easter special now though. My dad always loved magic, which is probably why I do quite a bit too. I was something of a card trick demon as a pre-teen. Where was I? Oh yes. I'm not going to write about magic tricks because it always sounds naff unless you see them. You'll have to believe me. It was ace. And I was on stage and they picked my card etc etc and I had to kiss one of them. On the cheek and the lips. Its alright, it doesn't count as infidelity if its part of a show ;)

The last act was Beardy Man who was an amazing beatboxer. I didn't think I could take very long, but after half an hour of sitting there gobsmacked we all wanted an encore. Aceness!

Toby the compere was pretty damn good too, although I am a little scared of his dislocating shoulders his robo cop is a treat. Again, describing physical comedy is not really going to work, and this entry is already too long.

We finished off the evening with some funky, pretty animation.

I think we shall be going again. Hoh yes.