Handbag walking gets serious - part 2

On the second day of our walking weekend, we headed the short distance from our hotel to Malham, where we were joined by J, our third handbag walker. Many of the other people from the hotel were also in the car park preparing themselves for their walk – waterproofs, gaiters, boots, packed lunch, rucksack, sticks. Even V and J had waterproofs and sticks, which I felt was letting the side of the handbag walkers down a little. Me, I had my handbag and my pashmina!

This walk was a bit like déjà vu for J and I, as we did it on a geography field trip when we were doing our A level. It’s a bit scary how well I remember it! It was nice not to have to measure the depths of streams or the size of rocks*.

The landscape around Malham is stunning and varied, from Janet's Foss waterfall, to the drama of Gordale scar, and the waterfall that thankfully we didn’t have to climb this time, to the escarpment of Malham Cove and its limestone pavement.

We even had our own snacks – well, we had lime chilli and coriander corn chips, liquorice, a kit kat and oat and cranberry cookies.

It was pretty cold up there, however, so once we’d finished, we went into Skipton, treated ourselves to fish and chips for lunch, and I bought a ‘proper’ walking jacket. I think I did that bit the wrong way round! We are becoming scarily well equipped for these walks now.

*To this day I’m not sure how that helped me with my A level, but hey, I passed. I also vividly remember whinging about the long walk – this is not a new thing!

Handbag walking gets serious - Part 1

We’ve completed our trial walking weekend. As I’ve said, our plan is to work up to the Dales Way, so we planned a two day walking excursion. We did two walks, so 11 miles over the two days*, one six mile walk round Bolton Abbey, and a five mile one round Malham and I was remarkably pain free.

As always, the first walk turned into a bit of an adventure. While we walked through the Strid woods there was police helicopter circling above looking for someone who had gone missing. We had to walk before we ate (but only because the first tea shop was full!) When we got to Barden Tower, we found a fab little restaurant, where we ate tea and cakes with some South Africans who were touring the UK, and who couldn’t understand why anyone would walk in this weather. We also got the business history of the place from the woman who runs it.

Walking back, we had time to call in at the shop, before heading through Skipton to our hotel, which we’d booked through late rooms. We knew it specialised in walking holidays. What we didn’t know was that we were booked in with the Cheshire County WI, and the Dudley Ramblers!

As it turned out, it was great fun, (possibly aided by the wine we consumed before dinner). They were very friendly and really wanted to look after us and include us. We’d booked dinner, as we didn’t want the hassle of going out and trying to find somewhere. As the tables were large, everyone had to join in, and they all seemed quite impressed that we were doing this independently (which isn’t difficult if you have a book, and can read a map.)

The funniest moment came after dinner, when they had a quiz. The first round was close up photos of 20 essential things to take with you on a walk. How many did we have? One – the mobile phone!

I think our team mates were a little bemused by our style of walking. Alas, we didn’t win, but our team of 5 came second to a team of 9, who had seen the answers of one round before we started, so once again, we had the moral victory!

* This may not seem a lot, but then you have to factor in the coffee, lunch, and tea stops, and the shopping.

Photoshoot

For my birthday*, I was given a voucher for a photo session. It’s taken about 6 months for me to get round to booking this**, and today I finally went to get the photos taken.

Now, anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a poser – point a camera at me, and I will pose – which I maintain is because I look so awful on any un-posed photos, so you would think that this would be a doddle for me. But I found myself feeling very self conscious and nervous when I got to the studio. The photographer was very nice, and chatted with me to get me to relax, but I knew I was hard going***. It didn’t help that I didn’t feel I was looking my best, as I’m so tired at the moment.

I’d decided to wear one of my current favourite outfits, (black, turquoise, purple – the usual colours!) - but had taken other options with me, though I never actually took them out of the car.

I’m not sure what I expected a ‘photoshoot’ to be like – the only professional photos I’ve had taken before are my graduation photo, and a photo that was done when I went for a magazine makeover a few years ago – but there were quite a few of us then, and no one got much individual attention.

All the time he was taking photos, the photographer was chatting away. I guess you could say we covered wide ranging topics, from the best places to eat and drink in York, to Krakow, and gradually I found myself relaxing.

At the end of the shoot, we did some ‘fun’ shots, which in fact meant being a bit theatrical. Of course, I felt more comfortable here than in any of the previous poses, as suddenly I was ‘on stage’ and performing to the camera. I think I just needed a few props!

I don’t get to see them until next week, by which time he’ll have hopefully have edited out the horrid ones. He gave me his price list as I was leaving. I get one photo in with the shoot. Looking at the prices, I doubt I’ll be buying very many more!

* that’s last year’s birthday, not this
**I had to lose weight before I could even think of any photos!
***I think it was a reflection of the cr**py week I’m having. Last weekend was fabulous, but I am paying for it by being knackered as I followed it with three hectic and very long days of work.

Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic!

We saw the shy and retiring John Barrowman in Gateshead on Friday evening, and it was thrilling. Sometimes when you have high expectations it can be a bit of a let down, as you’ve built it up so much in your mind that the reality doesn’t come close. Not this time!

From the moment he came on stage for ‘It Had Better be Tonight’, until he left it after ‘That’s Life’ he had us in the palm of his hand. He said he would make us laugh and cry, and he did. (There were also quite a lot of girly squeals and whoops from us, which is always the sign of a good show).

He performed quite a few of the songs from his latest album ‘Another Side’, mixed with musical theatre, and other numbers. On the album, some of the songs come over a little over produced, and (dare I say it) bland. Live, it’s a different story. He is a theatre man, and it’s all there in the live performance. The set list was beautifully paced and structured, with stories of why he had included certain songs on the album, which personalised them, and gave more meaning. ‘You’re So Vain’ is one of my least favourites on the album, live, it was fantastic.

My favourites were: ‘The Doctor and I’ (actually ‘The Wizard and I’ from Wicked, re-written for the Doctor and Captain Jack). Oh. My. God. He so wants to play Elphaba – well, I’d pay!

‘Man of La Mancha’ which closed the first half (and which someone on Facebook hilariously referred to as ‘the song about a donkey*’). I adore that song, and I want to see him play that part now.

‘I Won’t Send Roses’ – again, I love it, it’s cynical, yet touching.

'Weekend in New England' - my favourite song on the album.

He even coped with the automated fire alarm going off at the worst possible moment, just as he was telling the story of his sister in law who died. He turned the hiatus into a Q&A session with the audience, and, when all was sorted, turned the mood, and brought us back into the moment. Now, that’s an actor.

Sadly, there was no opportunity to meet him this time, as he had to go back to London 'to choose a Nancy' (there was much hilarity from that), so that's the second time Cat and I have missed him. It's only a matter of time, remember, it's the long game.

And, see, I never mentioned his a**e once!

*If anyone is wondering, it's Don Quixote

Rarer than hen's teeth

It’s a little after midnight on Saturday morning, and it’s now officially my birthday. I’ve already had ‘Happy Birthday’ sung to me in the Travelodge bar (very quietly, as I threatened not to give them a lift home), and we’re now back in the room and I get to open my presents.

‘It’s come a bit unwrapped in my bag’. Corinne passes my present over. I can see through the paper what looks like the Doctor Who logo on some card. It can’t be, for they are impossible to get hold of.

I open it, and turn it over. It is a ‘Mini John’ figure*. I’m a bit overwhelmed. Cat picks him up, ‘the profile is uncanny’. And indeed it is, for earlier this evening, we saw real live John on stage at The Sage, Gateshead**.

We turn him round to examine his other ermm, credentials. ‘That bit’s not quite as accurate’! For in reality, the Barrowman a**e is indeed a vision to behold.

*or, if you wish, Captain Jack Harkness, but he will forever be Mini John.
**Of which much more later

Breaking News

So there I am, idly browsing The Stage blogs when I spot it.

Gethin is leaving Blue Peter (you thought I'd moved on? not really!).

I thought it would only a be a matter of time after Strictly. And you know my other thought?

Now maybe he can be Heat's Torso of the Week!

Faith, Hope and Clarity, and the Rutter School of democratic dictatorship

I saw the Northern Broadsides production of Romeo and Juliet at the West Yorkshire Playhouse last week, and overall I enjoyed it. I like Broadsides as a company, with their clarity and use of ‘Northern voice’, despite the overuse of clogs*. And also despite the Barrie Rutter ego trip that tends to be there in every performance. This time, he was Capulet, and it seemed to suit him.

The setting was modern, with a minimal set – practical as it’s a touring production, so has to fit into theatre spaces of various styles and forms. Romeo and Juliet were presented as very modern teenagers, which both worked, and sometimes jarred. They are difficult parts to cast, as the actors have to be young enough to convince, and yet old enough to play the emotional depth, and also to have the experience to deliver the lines. Here we had a pair who looked young, but who sometimes struggled with the verse, occasionally to the point of making me wince.

That said, it did move me, and I found I was crying both when Juliet was found ‘dead’, and then in the last scene**.

In the ‘Talkback’ after the performance, Rutter said that they’re often called ‘the Shakespeare company for those who don’t do Shakespeare’, and I think that’s about right. I could see this production connecting very well with those seeing their first Shakespeare. He was also right when he said that whatever else you thought, you couldn’t fail to grasp the story. He did say a lot I didn’t agree with, mainly about character – but again I agree that with Shakespeare you don’t need to look for the back story as it’s all there on the page for you.

*Yes, I know it’s their trademark, but I really don’t believe that the Capulets would have been clog dancing at their ball!
**I also always cry at the apothecary scene, but that has more to do with the death of Smike in Nicholas Nickleby*** than with R&J
*** too long to explain

Welcome Back

SPOILER WARNING if you haven't watched Partners in Crime yet!

I’ve been a bit lax with the blogging this week. Mainly because I’ve been out every night until last night (not quite as much fun as it sounds, as at least half of it was work, but the bits that weren’t, were good!) And last night, of course, the new series of Doctor Who started.

The trailers started the excitement building a few weeks ago. Yes, I’ve had my reservations about Catherine Tate. I quite liked her as Donna in the ‘The Runaway Bride’, but will she be a bit much for a whole season? For the moment, I’m reserving judgement, though I know I should learn to trust Russell*.

I enjoyed last night’s opener. Donna didn’t need a detailed introduction, so there was the chance to play it for comedy, as she and the Doctor kept missing each other. The aliens were cute, even though the idea was a bit gross (though I wouldn’t mind a pill where you could lose a pound or so of fat while you slept!)

I loved the mimed conversation when they eventually saw each other – though DT was much better at it than CT. Sarah Lancashire was a superb icy villain, though all bluff I thought, as she could easily have got rid of the journalist, so she probably didn’t deserve the ending she got.

Ah, the ending. The one moment when I forgot to breathe, as the blonde woman turned to the camera. Yes, we all knew that Rose would re-appear this series (though we don’t as yet know how), but to see her in the first episode was a shock.

Good old Russell, he still manages to surprise us.

*Yes, I'm referring to Billie Piper!