Pictured on the front of the new style Norwich Theatre Royal brochure is Matilda the Musical, which I actually mentioned about a year ago when it was announced. I can confirm I am still very much looking forward to it. The buzz around the production is starting to build, with the Matilda map starting to be populated in Norwich and Norfolk.
Dance is becoming more prominent in the programming at NTR as time goes by. This year there's not One but TWO visits from New Adventures. The first production they are bringing is Swan Lake, arguably the work that made Matthew Bourne's name. Somehow I've never seen it, so next week on Wednesday will be my first EVER time watching. The second production they are bringing is Romeo & Juliet. Not only is this exciting because it is new, New Adventures are working with a Young Cast at each of the venues and to my understanding young people are also working within other stages of the creative process.
Keeping on dance, the Mark Morris Dance Group, fairly fresh from a residency at Sadler's Wells, brings Pepperland. An ode but also a re-working of The Beatles' Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club. This looks zingy and fresh, as well as a nostalgic feel.
I really enjoyed the book Girl on The Train, but I didn't make it more than half an hour through the film. I am intrigued as to how the stage adaptation will differ from the book and the film, and also how the heck they are staging it; the trailer doesn't give much away.
Finally to round this post out with another musical; Kinky Boots tells the story of an unlikely friendship, traditional Nottingham Shoe Maker and Drag Queen. Music by Cyndi Lauper and successful runs in the West End and on Broadway, what's not to be excited about?
Those are my top five picks, that I'm looking forward to seeing later this year.
Whenever I think about this production of Company a smile on my face suddenly makes it presence known to me, which is nothing in comparison to the grin which appears on my face when I am telling someone about it.
I've always enjoyed the premise (nothing gets me like an interesting structure/narrative) and Sondheim's score of Company. This production is so special, iconic even as it captivates the mood of the nation at this moment in history. Many of us are yearning for more settled times what with Brexit, Trump, House Prices, the NHS in trouble our lives are seemingly on a knife edge - yet once an aspect of life becomes settled it puts us on a knife edge.
Company opens at the surprise 35th birthday party of our Central character Bobbie. Throughout the show Bobbie is trying to reconcile why she wants to get married, if she wants to get married and how that would look for her; by examining the relationship of her close coupled friends.
Originally the character Bobbie, was Bobby (Robert). In this 2018/2019 gender switched production the above takes on a new poignance particularly for the female audience, and the non straight cis male audience for that matter. There are enough stories about the straight white male at this point in time. The fact Bobbie is female amplifies the societal pressure around being 35 and single. Her friends feeling equals levels of concern and jealousy of Bobbie's relationship status. The overall context is what takes this production of Company to a new level.
Other aspects of this production are female-led Marianne Elliot renowned theater director previously has directed Angels in America, War Horse and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime perhaps her most notable productions. This is still not the norm for productions which is frustrating! From reading about her the process with actors is collaborative, the product of this giving the actors real ownership over the role. In the rehearsal process actors played scenes in their own accent with their own names, to help them get close to the character. Which I thought was so ingenious. Elliot had been looking to direct Company, but it wasn't until she formed her production company Elliot and Harper productions, looking for good parts for women, when it was suggested turning Bobby into Bobbie. As I have said this is what has turned Company into something else.
Sometimes when you're watching a production if you find your eyes wandering around the set, instead of looking at the action on stage - you've got a problem. The set in Company doesn't necessarily place the show in a particular era or place. The set is almost like a tetris game or a puzzle, and Bobbie is working out how it all makes sense and goes together. The different sections, to me represent the compartments of thoughts, or how Bobbie compartmentalises different aspects of her life. Whilst also being different peoples apartments/homes, a subway train and a club. Which creates the feeling of a busy bustling metropolitan city. It works so ingeniously on so many different levels.
I don't want to single out any particular cast member, not even you Patti Lu Pone, which goes to show what an ensemble piece Company is, though centring around Bobbie. The harmonies, as expected with any Sondheim, production are tight, not only because Sondheim is partial to those close notes, but this cast does really become one on multilayered notes. The movement sections are equally as insync and detailed. Movement pieces that come to mind are Another Hundred People and Side by Side.
I do have a few highlights of this show, You Could Drive A Person Crazy, the barber shop take on the song is as close to a theatre orgasm I am going to get. The second is the outstanding performances to all those involved in Getting Married Today. Just pure genius. Finally Being Alive, such a huge sing and the perfect round up of the show.
Company is a production is challenging as an audience member in terms of structure, and that it makes you look so closely at your own life. It is also incredibly funny, there are moments where you will want to be extremely unBritish and stand a woop mid-production. I've seen many many productions, and I doubt that this one will move from the forefront of my mind. It's one of those musicals where you think you know it, but you can see it again and again, listen to again and again; each time will you find new quirks and little snippets. That's the sign of a job well done.
Finally you can listen to the cast recording on Spotify here
I am so fortunate that I am able to go down to London quite regularly, but I always stick to the same thing each, and every time I visit. My standard visit is now a fail safe, arrive at Liverpool Street, head to Topshop Oxford Circus, watch a matinee, grab dinner (Bills, Pret or Leon) go home. Which is great but not really getting a true reflection of this multifaceted, exciting, bustling city.
I should begin with the places I have featured in the image at the top.
Columbia Road Flower Market, such an iconic place and somewhere you picture when you think of London.
The Barbican Conservatory, I believe this is open once a month, and just looks like a really relaxing place with lots of plants (that as a 20 something millennial I am rather into).
Sketch, this restaurant especially the pink room pictured above and the toilets have reached a rather cult status. I am a fan of afternoon tea, not something I regularly indulge myself in, and boujee surroundings.
Finally pictured is the Sky Garden at the top of the Walkie Talkie building. What a view that place must have and the surroundings inside make my heart sing.
Other places I would like to tick off:
The Natural History Museum
Kew Gardens
The Shard (I am obsessed with this building for some reason!)
The V&A
Tonight Josephine
A Psycle class (this does partially scare me)
The London Eye at Night
A Cat Cafe
Peggy Porschen (again instagram goals, and coincidentally Peggy was my Nan's nickname)
I also want to finally track down Fenty Beauty and see it with my own eyeballs, get a Maria Tash piercing (maybe a 25th birthday treat to myself?!) and finally start trying all the independent coffee shops London has to offer.
Finally being the stagey that I am, I would like to see these 3 shows.
Come From Away - I have heard so many good things!!
Everybody is Talking About Jamie
Dear Evan Hansen - opening towards the end of this year.
That is how my bucket list is shaping up at the moment. London based friends I hope you are ready for a KP visit.
Today I thought I would chat/braindump about my relationship with feminism. I last wrote about feminism in 2017 two whole years ago, I have matured from then but I still have a lot to learn. Since then I have become less naive seeing how different aspects of people's identity has a direct impact on their paths through life. I would now say I am an intersectional feminist, my blinkers have started to fade away and I can see that the fight for equality is not as simple as it seems.
Also since writing the post the #MeToo movement has seen dramatic and much needed rise in momentum, most notably with the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Since I last wrote on the topic more people are openly feminist and the stigma surrounding the word seems to have eased. ‘The original purpose of "Me Too" as used by Tarana Burke in 2006, was to empower women through empathy, especially young and vulnerable women. In October 2017, Alyssa Milano encouraged using the phrase as a hashtag to help reveal the extent of problems with sexual harassment and assault by showing how many people have experienced these events themselves.' Since then changes have started to be made most notably harassment in the workplace men having to stop and think about what they are saying and somehow only in the 21st century are realising their actions have CONSEQUENCES. They can be told to fuck off, disciplined, fired, taken to court - depending on what exactly they have done.
I have also tried to start educating myself, being aware of what I am consuming. Last year I read Why I Am No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge, which looks indepthly at the ingrained structural racism in society, which white people aren't even aware of and the ignorance of BAME peoples experience. This was one of my favourite books from last year, but I really need to read it again to let the dense information in this book sink in more thoroughly.
Jess Phillips MP for Birmingham Yardley has recently been in the news for the Olive speech in the House of Commons.
"Since I was elected I have met many people who earn way more than £30,000 and have literally no discernible skills, not even one.
"I met none before - I thought I had met posh people before I came here, but I had actually just met people who eat olives.
"I had no idea of how posh a person could be.
"Waitrose is apparently not the marker for being really, really posh.
"There is a lovely Waitrose in Birmingham Hall Green; it is the one I like to frequent.
"I have not necessarily met such people in this place, although there is a smattering.
"I would not let some of those very rich people who earn huge amounts of money hold my pint if I had to go and vote while in the bar.
"Because they would almost certainly do it wrong."
She is one of only a few MP's who have a no nonsense attitude, who knows what she stands for and her beliefs. Her book Everywoman was an eye opening read and empowering. In fact when I gave it to Grace for Christmas, before I knew it it had been passed around her work place for all her colleagues to read.
Right to conclude this wordy post, in 2019 I now identify as an intersectional feminist, there have been massive steps forwards for Women's rights (not enough alas!) and I am trying to become more educated and woke, so I can speak more eloquently on things that matter to me.
Resources:
Books! Feminists Don't Wear Pink and Other Liescurated by Scarlett Curtis a great book to start out on your feminist journey/discovery The Guilty Feminist (book) by Deborah Francis-White for an overview and wide angle Becoming Michelle Obama one of the most anticipated books of the year, Michelle's account of the journey from Chicago to the White House Animalby Sara Pascoe examining how the animal within the human race effects the relationship between men, women and the patriarchy Every WomanbyJess Phillips a feminist take on parent-hood to labour politics to domestic abuse Why I Am No Longer Talking To White People About Raceby Reni Eddo-Lodge what it says on the front cover
Podcasts!
The Guilty Feminist
Feminists Don't Wear Pink and Other Lies
Instagram! I Weigh The Insecure Girls Club
YouTube! Leena Norms Rowan Ellis
In all of the above categories I am looking for more by BAME, LGBT and other under represented people.
Then finally to finish this mammoth post off, a truly iconic advert voiced by Serena Williams
Hi, its me potentially back from the longest hiatus ever. I really fell out of love with my blog at the beginning of last year. I had just completed Blogmas in 2017 and I kind of felt I had nothing left to say. At the time of writing this, I am trying to brainstorm some ideas, so that March has some posts up and we will see where we go from there. For now I will stick to an absolute classic post on this here blog, as you can see in the title a current favourites.
Films:
These are perhaps my favourite films from the end of last year.
Mary Poppins Returns
Never before have I been so nervous for a sequel to be released, that is seriously saying something as I was terrified they were going to ruin Mamma Mia with Mamma Mia here we go again. ANYWHO back to Mary Poppins, possibly my favourite disney film (and stage show). There were nods to the original film whether that was little bit of music in the underscore, Mary Poppins 'we are still not a cod fish' to Michael and a cameo appearance from Karen Dotrice (the original Jane Banks!). Highlights for me were the scenes on the Royal Doulton bowl and Turning Turtle - that's just naming two. I really bloody loved this film.
Bohemian Rhapsody
This film has unlocked some kind of underlying Queen obsession. Queen's music is definitely part of the British psyche especially their anthem songs. Both my parents are fans, my Dad in particular reminding me he saw them back in 1986. Bo Rhap predominantly focuses on Freddie's life as the front man of the band, and whilst there are some chronological inaccuracies, it gave something you can't necessarily get from interviews/performances, a deeper idea of the person.
I also feel this film has made my generation closer with my parents generation when there is definite friction between the two in these times.
Theatre:
Company
I have SO much to say about Company, in particular the 2018/19 London production. I am hoping to get all my thoughts out in a post entirely dedicated to it. Which no one will find interesting but me. This production is my new benchmark for musical theatre productions. It's extremely honest, funny and intelligent.
Waitress
I first mentioned Waitress back in spring 2017 on the blog, talking through my favourite soundtracks I was listening to. 2019 comes around and the show transfers to the West End, which I was lucky enough to grab some tickets in previews. We walked into the theatre and it smelt of freshly cooked baked goods - which is dreamy. I was already somewhat familiar with the music, due to my prior dedication to the soundtrack, but I hadn't listened to it for a while. The music as expected was beaut, however this was a more grown up and sophisticated musical than I expected. (that makes it sound boring - trust me it was not) If you are looking to see something in London this is probably second to Company on my what you should see list.
RSC's Romeo and Juliet
A Shakespeare that I have come away somewhat enthused by. This was fast moving and kept me gripped throughout. This was super engaging and I did not feel intimidated by this production. I also watched the signed performance, the signing which was integrated with the rest of the performance which really added to the performance for all members of the audience. This was a very important well executed step forwards for accessible performances.
Instagram accounts/Influencers:
dianachamomile, pipjolley, geehawkestattoo, meganellaby
Since taking a step back from my blog and to an extent blogs in general, Instagram is where I have headed to for fashion inspiration. 3/4 of the insta accounts here are fashion. I like people who have fun with colour and encourage me to step outside of the easiness of monochrome. Also shout out to Geehawkes whose tattoos are just so beaut, and making me seriously tempted to get inked myself.
