'If I were a bell I'd be ringing'

First things first. I found the cds - they were, as expected, in an obvious place, just buried under other 'stuff'.

Still, that's not what I'm writing about. Another week, another theatre trip, (another musical - I really have to see some straight plays soon!) This time it was the touring production of Guys and Dolls at one of my favourite theatres, the Sunderland Empire. It's a big theatre, but it doesn't feel it, though that's perhaps because we've never sat far from the front. It also has a very nice Italian restaurant that's very close, for pre theatre, and a pub next door for post theatre - what more could you want? There's also a car park that closes at midnight, as we know to our cost, but there was no chance of pushing that envelope this time.

It's years since I last saw Guys and Dolls, and that was an amateur production, but it's a show I love, with great songs and dancing and snappy dialogue, so I'd wanted to see this production as soon as I knew it was touring - yes, I'd love to have seen Ewan McGregor in the West End, but hey, sometines you have to be realistic - and I thought it was really good. We had Norman Bowman* as Sky Masterson, Louise Dearman as Sarah Brown, with Alex Ferns (he used to be in East Enders, apparently) as Nathan Detroit, and Samantha Janus as Miss Adelaide (very good, but then it is probably the best part). It was a great high energy show, with humour, and enough slushy romance for me to have a soppy grin on my face. This isn't even a review, I didn't think that deeply about it, I just enjoyed it.

*Who I thought was very good, but perhaps a little young for the part - but from a bit of 'web-browsing', I discover he's 37 - he definitely has a picture in the attic!