Confessions of a Theatre Snob

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

A Tale of Two Gigs

(I’m a bit late with this one – what can I say, Christmas intervened)

Gig the first

It’s an awful long time since I’ve been to two Griffin gigs in a week (well, if you discount the Ivyrise gigs, which I do, as they weren’t actually about him)!

But the week before Christmas, I found myself travelling to London to the Cobden Club, which I’d arranged before it was announced that there would also be a band gig at the Ainsty pub (about two miles from where I live, and at the end of my friend’s road) later the same week.

The image that ‘private member’s club’ conjured up in my mind was somewhat different to the reality, which was a converted ‘Worker’s Institute’ in North London, but inside, it was a pretty nice venue, with a ‘proper’ stage, and a bar at the back – and bar prices that caused a sharp intake of breath!

The room seemed fairly empty when we arrived, though we did take what were almost the last seats, but filled up later – though as this was behind us, I didn’t actually realise it at the time. As well as Griffin, there were two other performers – I didn’t catch the name of either of them, and won’t be bothering to try and find out. Neither of them was exactly cheerful or Christmassy, and the second one in particular just made me replace the exceedingly expensive vodka with wine!

Griffin did two sets - a few songs from the Ivyrise gigs, a couple of new ones, and a couple of old favourites. Thankfully he performed first in the second half, so we didn’t have to sit through the most miserable guy again, and headed for the last tube. Crossing London late at night on a Sunday is not easy, however, and we missed the last train from London Bridge, picking up a taxi instead. The bonus? When he dropped us off, we were able to get chips!

Gig the second

The Ainsty is a pub I haven’t been to in a very long time. When we entered, it was to find a spacious but busy pub, which seemed to have lost a few interior walls since the last time I’d been.

In the best sense of ‘it’s sooo 2004’, this one was a bit like going back to somewhere near the beginning. J and V had come along with Corinne and I. As neither of them had seen Griffin since the heady days of the Grand Opera House, I wondered what they’d think of it all. Somehow, we ended up right in front of the ‘stage’ (or rather, the elevated seating area), and were in prime position for dancing, which meant that for once he didn’t have to make more than one appeal for people to dance.

The whole set was covers, which worked for a Christmas gig, and was also good for those in the audience who just wanted to hear songs that they knew. J and V both really enjoyed it – more so than the Opera House, they said (!!!). As for me, well, I spilled my wine, danced my feet off, and waved my arms in the air, whilst Coza continued the 2004 tradition by getting the set list, pinching beer and a guitar*. It all felt a bit rock and roll in a way that it hasn’t for ages.

As we made our way home sometime after midnight, chips were mentioned, and I discovered the disadvantage of an out of town gig. We couldn’t find any!

*An inflatable one from the Pound Shop!

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Friday, December 26, 2008

Introducing 'Ethel*'

When V booked for us to go and see Peter Pan at the WYP, I have to admit that the most exciting bit was that it was on ‘Pirate Friday’, when the audience were invited to go dressed as a pirate.

Of course, this meant another trip to Costume Hire. In short order, I’d found myself a slightly shabby frock coat, embroidered waistcoat, frilled shirt and tricorn hat. As this is me, my pirate also had to have backstory, and a name. I was, of course, a girl pirate, with ropes of pearls and jewels (from my ‘props box’ which I’d found when I cleared out the study). I already had a pirate cutlass, from our camping trip to Whitby!

Arriving at the theatre, we looked around for the other pirates. Oh there were a few small children dressed up, but the adult theatregoers of Leeds are very boring. Eventually we spotted two other adults who were dressed up (I didn’t count the couple of people wearing cardboard pirate hats as being dressed up – a hat does not a costume make!), and that was it.

Did we care? Not a jot, and we proceeded to take photos and have cutlass fights in the bar – threatening a few small children in the process. Once the show started, we wouldn’t have looked out of place on stage.

Although we enjoyed the show**, we all agreed it was so afraid of being thought a pantomime that it lacked fun and energy. The cast were all very accomplished singers, but it was all a bit pedestrian. Though it could have partly have been because they had had their Christmas party the night before!

My advice for another year is, be braver! Don’t worry about going for the fun element – and if you want people to dress up, offer them an incentive, like a free drink.

*As in ‘Romeo and Ethel, the pirate’s daughter’
** We came out praising the production, the movement and the set which tells you a lot.

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Just remember that the last laugh is on you

Every couple of weeks or so, I visit my aunt, who’s in a care home about 10 minutes from me. It can be very hard going to try and hold a conversation, but last weekend, when I arrived a local theatre group were just setting up to do a bit of a concert for the residents.

Their repertoire was ‘interesting’ to say the least. White Christmas, Somewhere over the Rainbow, yes, (but I’m not sure the Eva Cassidy version was appreciated). I was less sure about Good Morning Baltimore, from Hairspray, and the Time Warp, however, by this point, most of the back row were asleep.

‘Now it’s time for our grand finale, so let's all sing along to Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.

I couldn’t help it, I wanted to laugh. I couldn't imagine a more inappropriate setting. But they launched into it with gusto!

‘Always look on the bright side of death,
just before you draw your terminal breath…’

I had to stifle the giggles as I looked around. Certainly no one else was seeing the funny side.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

So that's it then

Austin and Erin have gone from Strictly. The only person I’d really singled out for the final, so much so, that I didn’t seriously doubt that he’d get through.

I didn’t watch it live, as I arrived home halfway through, so ‘saved’ it till later. Once I watched, and saw the scores, I knew they were in trouble. I think I’d probably have picked the phone up, but it was too late. I actually shed a tear when I saw Erin crying*.

So we have two girls and one guy in the semi. I predict a Tom/Rachel final, though I’d probably prefer Tom/Lisa. I like her better, and she’s had more or a ‘journey’, but I’m guessing Brendan didn’t win many fans with his strop on Saturday. I’m also guessing that the men have been consistently getting more votes than the girls, who have only avoided the dance off if top of the leader board.

It just hasn’t had the impact of last year. Roll on January and the tour. I'm already quite excited about it!

*There are rumours that some of the dancers may leave after this series, so it might have been her last chance to win.

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Thursday, December 04, 2008

So long, farewell...

I finished one of my jobs this week. It was January when I told my boss that I wanted to leave, as the travelling was too much for me. I finally left at the beginning of December. I guess you can’t ever say I didn’t give enough notice. So, in this time of the ‘credit crunch’ (how I hate that phrase), I’ve voluntarily halved my income, which is a bit scary!

I can’t believe its 21 months since I went down to Hertfordshire to do a ‘short term’ project with a couple of small organisations. These small organisations are now one large organisation, and employ over 200 people. It’s easy to forget how far we’ve come.

In that time, I’ve got lost in St Albans, spotted the site of an inn which has an obscure Shakespearean reference, stayed in more hotels** than I’d ever wanted to, and realised that there really is a north/south divide.

For once, I actually had a ‘leaving do’*, and people said some awfully nice things. I’m not sure I recognised myself in what they were saying, however.

Even though it was only ever mean to be short term, I’m going to miss them. My boss did write on my leaving card ‘don’t think you’ve got away from me yet!’ though.

*when other jobs have ended through redundancy, no one really feels much like a party!

** For the record, I recommend Beales Hotel in Hatfield, and Tewin Bury Farm, Welwyn.

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Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Technology

‘You never really escape, do you?’

I was at a seminar today. After we’d broken for lunch, and were sitting eating, I looked around and everyone was checking their mobile phones.

These days, you’re accessible wherever you are, and people don’t now just ring the office for messages in a break. Oh, no. Now, we can all read our emails on our phones (or Blackberrys, or whatever we happen to have), and reply to them.

So now, no one chats any more, we’re all too busy working.

I’m just glad that no one could see that what I was actually checking was Facebook!

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