Romeo And Juilet

I have to admit, it really is rather nice to be able to see the whole stage during a ballet (or almost all of it at any rate). Last time I saw Romeo and Juliet (the ballet) at the Royal Opera House it was a bit of a learning experience. The lesson; never buy slips seats for a ballet! I missed so much that when I saw the production was coming around again I couldn’t resist. Especially once I heard that Carlos Acosta was playing Romeo. This time I booked row E of the amphitheatre, sideways on enough to save a bit of cash, but central enough to see the action. It was certainly well worth the extra money.

The big numbers in this ballet are particularly spectacular. I absolutely adored the ball. The dramatic music (yes, the Apprentice, I know, but screw that, this is much better), the fantastically elaborate costumes all combining together in a whirl of opulent style and rich autumnal colours, contrasted beautifully with the whites and blues of Juliet and Romeo. I also thought the pas de deux following the balcony scene was beautiful (not least because I could see the whole thing this time!).

The bright market place routines in the second act were also splendid, particularly in the third scene before the fight. By the end of the act, watching Romeo pick up the sword to fight Tybalt I wanted to scream at him to let it be and walk away. Romeo’s grief after he won the duel left me in tears, which were only added to by Lady Capulet’s absolute devastation. It was heartbreakingly beautiful.

I often find that the emotions attached to a show one has never seen are enhanced through shock, whereas a tale that one is already familiar with is enhanced through anticipation. Knowing what will happen, wanting to change things and knowing that you cannot, can sometimes be even more emotionally wrenching than an unexpected twist. The fight in which Tybalt kills Mercutio and Romeo then kills Tybalt is one of those turning points at which you know it’s all going to start going downhill fast, yet every time you watch it, hoping that this time something will be different, that this time it will end happily ever after. (Well I do anyway!)

The third act was beautiful throughout and I cried for most of. I was properly in tears by the end and I can’t remember when I’ve ever been so emotionally engaged by a ballet before, though this is probably the saddest one I’ve seen (the last time doesn’t count since it loses far too much of the drama when you can’t see what’s going on. I had the same issue with the operatic version of Manon, which incidentally I’d also like to see again one day from a better seat). The odd pas de deux which Romeo dances with the seemingly dead Juliet was heart wrenching and the final scene tore me apart.

Carlos Acosta was magnificent as ever and Tamara Rojo was spellbinding. I think she’s absolutely wonderful and together they’re magical. For some reason (probably stage door related) I’ve always found Carlos to be a little cool and detached, but when he smiled in this show, it was like he’d lit up the whole opera house, it was incredible. I’ve liked Gary Avis for a while now, but I think he surpassed himself this time. He’s a fabulous dancer, of course, but it’s his acting that makes him truly exquisite. His Tybalt was fabulously strong and manly, he sent shivers down my spine, especially in the opening dance at the ball scene. I think I might have a new balletic love and he, at least, appears at the ROH on a regular basis. Elizabeth McGorian played Lady Capulet and I was certainly impressed with her.

I told myself I wouldn’t go to the stage door and I really did mean it, but then somehow I ended up there anyway. It was worth it – autographs from Jose Martin (Mercutio), Elizabeth McGorian as well as signatures and photos with Carlos and Tamara – but I was kinda disappointed not to see Gary Avis who was a big factor in my reasons for waiting in the first place. Still, there’ll be other times, I hope.

I keep telling myself that I’ll cool it with Opera House bookings next season and then I see something like this which totally knocks that resolution out. That said, I’ve not actually looked at what’s on next, so I might calm it down a bit simply through lack of interest. For the most part I’m avoiding seeing things again unless there’s a very good reason, generally related to casting.

Anyhoo, it really was a marvellous production and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Tomorrow is either a night off, swing class or the Lion In Winter depending on how I feel (I’ve not felt very well the last couple of days and I could probably do with another night in, but we’ll see), but Thursday is We Will Rock You and I can’t wait. I’ve also booked a trip to see Earl Carpenter as the Phantom of the Opera (I’m still working on possible tour dates for John Owen-Jones) and thanks to GILT I’m bang in the middle of the second row of the stalls! It’s all very exciting.

Anyhoo, that’s all for now,

Peace, loVe loVe and happiness,

K xx

Sleeping Beauty

I make no promises, but I shall endeavour to get back on track with my reviews. I have nothing to blame for so many delays beside the fact that I’ve been reading desperately in an attempt to finish books before I see related productions. I failed at the first hurdle with Breaking Dawn, which I saw at the midnight showing last Thursday night. I managed to read as far as the film went, but I didn’t manage to finish it (I have read it many times before, but that’s not the point) until the weekend. Next up, and the book I’m currently reading, is Dracula, prior to the hotly anticipated performance of Dracula L’Amour Plus Fort Que La Mort this weekend. Once I finish that (I have high hopes I’ll manage it in time, though I have read it before and I’ve seen the film, so I should be ok), I just need to squeeze in ‘The Railway Children and then I’ll have slightly less pressure on my time. I say slightly, I still don’t see how I’ll ever manage to get all the things I want done in the painfully limited time available.

So anyway, the point of this post wasn’t actually intended as an extended excuse, but rather a review of the Royal Ballet’s production of Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Opera House (back in the amphitheatre, sadly).

I found the prologue a trifle boring, though very pretty and colourful. I did like the various fairies and all the stunning costumes.The first act was infinitely superior and Aurora’s choreography is something to rival Odile’s multitude of pirouettes. It was equally beautiful, though the colours were more muted and I adored watching Aurora dance. Further, I actually found myself on the verge of tears at the close of the act when the princess pricks her finger. I’ll blame it on exhaustion and personal issues, but the fact remains that I was surprisingly emotional. I also loved the close of the act where the lilac put the kingdom to sleep and protected it with the deep forest.

The second and third acts were better than the prologue but also contained far less plot and far too much random dancing for my taste. That said, the section in which the fairy shows the prince the sleeping beauty and the following dream-like sequence was lovely and very Swan Lake-esque. I also liked the fairy tale characters in the final act, particularly Red Riding Hood and the wolf. Of course, the grand pas de deux between Aurora and her prince was also breathtaking.

Tamara Rojo was stunning as always and I loved her portrayal of Aurora. Prince Florimund was played wonderfully by Federico Bonelli. I also have to give a shout out to Itziar Mendizabal who was wonderful as the lilac fairy. The rest of the company were equally good, but I shan’t list them all here.

Overall, it felt a little bit too long for my taste, but I think that was mostly down to the way they combined the final two acts. Personally, I think the prologue and first act should have been paired, with the intervals between the remaining acts. But hey, what do I know? It was still a very enjoyable way to spend an evening and one of the prettiest ballets I’ve seen in some time.

Next up is Les Mis again, rescheduled from the other week when I had to miss it. I’ve got a restricted view seat, but it’s in the dress circle, where it hugs the walls around the side of the theatre. I’m not sure how severely the view is impacted, but I’ll be closer to the stage than on any previous occasion and it’s all very exciting. Liam, Alfie and Hadley, I’m coming to get (autographs from) you!

Peace, loVe loVe and happiness,

K xx

Sparkle, Sparkle

I’m not really one for abstract ballets and to be honest, I only went to see this one, Jewels at the Royal Opera House, because I like colourful sparkly things. The costumes were indeed beautiful and jewel encrusted and the choreography often made good use of patterns. There was no real set to speak of beyond some hanging bits I could hardly see (and I was only in row E of the amphitheatre) and different bits for the wings at the edges of the stage. It was unusual for a ROH production and I found it slightly strange to see such a huge expanse of empty space with, at time, only a single dancer in the centre.

The first of the three acts was Emeralds which was very pretty. The vibrancy of the costumes and set gave it all an extra hint of drama. They used patterns a fair bit and I do always like that, especially when viewing from above! Tamara Rojo was the lead ballerina and fabulous as always. I also particularly enjoyed one of the male dancers who I believe was called Alexander Campbell but I can’t find him in the programme so I may have the wrong name.

Rubies followed the interval and was by far my favourite. Again, the costumes were beautiful, though the tulle skirts were replaced by a sort of gladiator style thing. The colours were expectedly vibrant and the jewels sewn on the skirts clattered noisily every time they moved, but I quite liked that. The dance style was very unusual, or at least, it was nothing like the performances I’ve seen before. It seemed to have an element of what I suppose would have been modern(ish) dance styles at the time. It reminded me a bit of Fred & Ginger or ‘fun’ ballroom style dances like Lindy Hop. Whether I’m right about that, I don’t know, but I suppose it doesn’t matter all that much. Surely dance is meant to be interpreted by the viewer as much as by the original intentions of the choreographer? Anyway, before I get too philosophical, I shall move on to give some serious credit to the principal dancers. The pas de deuxs were danced by Sarah Lamb and Steven McRae both of whom I enjoyed, but I’ve always rather liked Steven McRae. The spins in this were rather spectacular. Zenaida Yanowsky also performed and was equally brilliant. I really did enjoy the choreography of this one, with the combination of unusual sharp movements and the fluidity of traditional ballet. It was incredibly fascinating to watch, in any case.

The final piece of the triple act performance was Diamonds. Again with the beautiful costumes and some proper tutus this time, although I felt that silver might have been a more pleasing colour for ‘diamonds’ than pale gold, though I suppose that fits with yellow diamonds. Anyway, the music was Tchaikovsky so I suppose it’s unsurprising that I found myself comparing it to Swan Lake. It was beautiful in the same sort of way, with the shapes and patterns formed by the corps de ballet, but without a plot to support it, I found it not quite as engaging. Unusually for me, I actually found the pas de deux a little boring, but the rest was quite enjoyable. Alina Cojocaru and Rupert Pennefather were fabulous though and it’s certainly no criticism of them. I just enjoyed the choreography far more when there were other dancers on stage.

Unfortunately, as I so often am at the moment, I was totally exhausted and sadly relieved when it was over. I didn’t bother with stage door either, partly for that reason, but also because I figured half of them would have left already anyway.

Overall, I did enjoy it and if one is a fan of ballet for ballet’s sake, I’d recommend it, but I think in future, there will need to be a very pressing reason for me to go to another abstract ballet.

So, South Pacific is next and with any luck I’ll be able to stay awake for this one. I know I keep saying it, but four shows in a week really is overdoing it and I’m actually looking forward to having less to do next week. Perhaps I can manage it once in a while, but not two weeks running, if for no other reason that I get too tired to really enjoy things.

Anyhoo, I’m trying desperately to stay on top with my reviews, but my mammoth runaway fanfic (that started off as a one-shot of no more than a few thousand words and is now pushing 30,000 with plenty of unfinished scenes and no hint of an end in sight) has been keeping me rather busy, so you’ll have to excuse all the back-dating.

Also, did I mention I’ve bought more tickets for Les Mis? Front row centre of the stalls, no less! And on Liam’s birthday… hehe. I wonder if I start composing the message for the card now, if I’ll have any hope of ending up with something I’m happy with by the time the date rolls around… Anyway, on that note, I got a tweet from Liam too! It really wasn’t all that exciting as all I did was ask if he would be performing that day and he said he would (and also that it was his birthday that day – which I might possibly have already known and that might possibly have been the reason I picked that day to come, but it was nice to have the confirmation all the same!). Anyhoo, I was beaming all day after that. In fact it’s still making me grin, even now. I really am a pathetic muppet, aren’t I?!

So I think it might be best to leave it there!

Peace, loVe loVe and happiness,

K xx

Manon, Le Ballet

Manon at the Royal Opera House, the ballet this time (though it also featured the music of Massenet), was absolutely beautiful. It was wonderful to see Carlos Acosta again, particularly in a role which seemed to feature him far more prominently. Tamara Rojo, however, completely blew me away. I could hardly keep my eyes off of her and that’s saying something, given who she was sharing the stage with.

As I’m sure I’ve already mentioned, I adored the opera and I was very aware that the plot differs somewhat when translated between the two mediums. In the ballet Manon herself is a far less loveable character, leaving Des Grieux because she is seduced by a wealthy lover rather than because she knows his father doesn’t approve. Generally I find it harder to empathise with bitchy, selfish characters and Manon loses much of her charm by becoming such a money-grabbing sell-out, yet I found myself completely won over by her in the end and I adored watching her dance throughout.

The first act was absolutely stunning and I loved the first pas de deux in the market place. It was then completely blown out of the water by the following pas de deux in the bedroom. I could practically feel the love between them, it was simply wonderful.

I actually missed half of the first scene in the second act and not because I was falling asleep, this time. As I said, I simply couldn’t take my eyes off of Manon and she spent the majority of the scene sat at a table in the corner of the stage, flirting and drinking with Monsieur G.M.. I found myself absolutely captivated by their interactions and totally forgot that I was supposed to be watching the dancing in the middle of the stage. Even the presence of Des Grieux didn’t distract me much. I did, at least, see most of Lescaut’s drunken routine, which was wonderfully well executed and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The later scene in the bedroom was, by contrast, rather heart breaking. I jumped when the gun went off and nearly cried at the end of it.

And so, to the third act. The entire show had a set that the Royal Opera House could be proud of, but the dock yard scene, visually at least, was probably my favourite. The scene directly following that was strangely appealing and I found the gaoler unexpectedly sexy, at least until he practically raped Manon – he was rather less attractive after that. Even so, I thought it was a fabulously well choreographed scene and incredibly powerful. The final scene was utterly heartbreaking, from the dancing to the acting to the music. I absolutely adored it from start to finish, but the end was by far my favourite part.

Of course, Carlos was breathtaking as always, and I’ve already mentioned how much I adored Tamara’s performance. Gary Avis has become another of my favourites over the months I’ve become a regular at the Royal Ballet and he excelled himself as Monsieur G.M.. Jose Martin deserves a mention for his fabulous performance as Lescaut, particularly when he was supposed to be drunk, and I also thought Paul Kay was exceptional as the beggar chief in the first scene.

The stage door afterwards didn’t really happen. I waited about ten minutes before someone came out to inform us that Carlos was at a party and was unlikely to be out any time soon. The added information that the stage door closed at midnight was more than enough to prompt my departure. It would have been nice to meet him again, but I got my autograph and photo after Swan Lake, so it wasn’t the end of the world not to meet him this time.

So, this is rather on the late side and I actually spent this evening at the ROH as well seeing Werther. I’m almost done with that review, though, so hopefully it will be up some time tomorrow.

Anyways, until then, peace, loVe and happiness,

K xx

Swan Lake

Swan Lake is one of my favourite ballets. It’s romantic, often features a large number of tutu clad ballerinas making pretty patterns on stage and has one of my favourite classical scores.

I’ve seen several productions in the past year or two, specifically Matthew Bourne’s and a more traditional performance in the round at the Royal Albert Hall (though it featured an unexpected happy ending). Both were fantastic for different reasons and the Royal Ballet’s production was just as wonderful.

The scenery, as I’ve come to expect from any performance at the Royal Opera House, was spectacular. The Ballroom scene in the second act particularly impressed me, though it reminded me strangely of the Masquerade scene in Phantom of the Opera. An impression intesified by the vibrant costumes and masks held by the dancers during the scene.

My favourite scenes, unsurprisingly, were those involving the swans. I particularly enjoyed the way they portrayed the Evil Spirit’s command over them. Also, the way their arms moved to emmulate flying really stood out for me every time they repeated it.

I have few criticisms, though there are a couple. The celebration scene in the first act did drag on a little and given that they had a may pole, I thought it was a shame that they barely used it. Also, I thought the final ‘jumping to their death in the lake’ scene deserved a bit more drama and emphasis. It felt a bit ‘blink and you’ve missed it’, I know I almost did.

Carlos Acosta played Prince Seigfreid and the few decent parts that he actually had were very impressive. I knew before I went, of course, that the Prince, though often on stage, does very little, but it still seemed a bit of a waste of such a talented dancer. The pas de deux in the third act, however, was truly spectacular.

Tamara Rojo danced the parts of Odette and Odile and was just as wonderful as she always is. After Alice the previous week, it was delightful to see her in a more serious role. Of course, I adore every scene with the swans (the dance of the cignets was particularly enjoyable) but there was just something extra when she was on stage, with or without Carlos. Her pointe work was beautifully elegant and her steadiness totally blew me away. Perhaps another prima ballerina would be just as good, but it doesn’t change the fact that Tamara is a very talented dancer and a pleasure to watch. I also enjoyed Gary Avis who played the Evil Spirit/Von Rothbart.

I ummed and ahhed through most of the evening over whether to go to the stage door or not, but in the end I caved. It turned out to be well worth it as there were far less people than the previous time and I was first in the queue. Not only did I get my programme signed by Gary, Tamara and Carlos (without needing to chase him down the street for it), I also got a photo with him! It was a very exciting evening.

Anyhoo, that’s all I managed to write in the aftermath of the performance and I’ve forgotten what else I may have wanted to say, so I shall leave it there. I saw Aida last night and I will do my best to get that review out tomorrow, but I’m not making any promises. Bobby Cronin isn’t looking too likely either, at least not before America. Did I mention I’m going in a few days?! Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeel!!! Get into it!

So, until next time,

K xx

Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland

The fact that I wrote this review at all is testament to quite how fabulous Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland was, even if it took me several weeks to get around to posting it. I’ve found it almost impossible to tear myself away from writing fanfiction as of late (which is why the Bobby Cronin gig review, amongst others, has yet to appear), but I enjoyed this ballet so much that I felt that I had to record it.

According to the programme, Alice’s Adventures is the Royal Ballet’s first new full length work in over fifteen years. It was choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon and was absolutely spectacular. I adored the mix of dance styles throughout.

The set was also wonderful, though that’s hardly a rarity at the Royal Opera House. The gorgeous old house at the start and finish is simple but beautifully effective and makes Wonderland look all the more wonderful by comparison. They used a lot of video for the effects, which I’ve not seen before in a ballet, but I found it rather fascinating.

A couple of my particular favourite scenes included the one right at the start with the ‘drink me’ bottle and ‘eat me’ cake as well as the Mad Hatter’s tea party. The first was done with a mixture of effects that blended together fantastically well to form a scene which can’t be easy to portray on stage. There was a little remote control door that proved to be highly amusing as it whizzed across the stage and a construction towards the back that allowed Alice to look as though she had grown to fill the space previously illustrated by the entire front portion of the stage. I don’t think I explained that very well, but if you can’t see it for yourself, just take my word for it that it was very nicely done.

The second highlight had more to do with choreography than effects, though I did enjoy the bouncy cake chairs. The Mad Hatter was spectacular and probably my favourite character in the show. At his tea party, he opened with a wonderful tap dance routine across the table. I’ll admit that I was far enough away to vaguely super-impose Johnny Depp’s face onto the character, especially given the similarities in costume design, but even so, he deserves all my praise and more.

The cheshire cat was also rather well done, particularly the way he sort of drifts in and out of being. Then there was the flamingo croquet, which was brilliantly funny and adorably cute when a few little kids came out dressed as hedgehogs. Finally, the collapse of the Red Queen’s palace was wonderfully dramatic.

The cast were very strong. Sarah Lamb played Alice and I thought she did a fantastic job, acting the part as well as dancing it. Tamara Rojo who played the Queen of Hearts was also spectacular. Her character’s complete lack of grace and dance skill seemed merely to highlight quite how wonderfully talented Tamara actually is. Her acting was also superb and she was very well cast, I thought. Jonathan Howells played the White Rabbit and I thought he played the part with just the right amount of energetic hysteria. Federico Bonelli played the Knave of Hearts and Alice’s love interest. I thought he was elegant and dashing and ended up rather wanting him for myself, which means job well done as far as I’m concerned. The Caterpillar was danced by Eric Underwood, who moves so sinuously that I half believed he was one. Then there was Steven McRae, the Mad Hatter, who for me was the star of the show (beaten only, perhaps, by Tamara’s crazy queen). Both as an actor and a dancer, he dazzled and drew the eye. Other than that, I’m not sure why they cast an actor (Simon Russell Beale) rather than a dancer as the Duchess, but I haven’t read the programme yet, so maybe there was a good reason. Either way, he didn’t overly impress me, particularly as the only point at which he stood out for me was when there was a bit of dancing and he wasn’t quite in time with the others.

I decided to go to the stage door afterwards and managed to get a good number of autographs, including one from Monica Mason. It did take Sarah Lamb almost an hour to come out and I very nearly gave up on her, but I am glad I waited. There were three little old ladies waiting as well and I have to say it gave me hope that I might be like that too one day! They clearly go to the ballet a lot as they seemed to know all the dancers including the chorus and had obviously been to see the same shows with different casts, but it was all rather sweet.

Anyhoo, I would highly recommend it if you have the chance to see it. It’s a feast for the senses and, at least to the untrained eye, manages to be both modern and somewhat traditional at the same time.

Hopefully I will get the Bobby Cronin review written soon, but if I dont’ I will say that it was a fabulous concert, both in terms of music and casting, and I was very pleased to attend. (And not just because Liam was performing!)

I shall leave it there for now, but hopefully I’ll get a few more posts up before the end of the week… though it is only a few days til Boston, Hair and Steelicious! Hell YES!

So, until next time,

K xx

Giselle

Giselle at the Royal Opera House, starring Carlos Acosta, was something I’d been looking forward to for some time, as several of my previous posts will attest to. Unfortunately, my seat was at the back of the amphitheatre again, but I had a clear, unrestricted view and for the price, I really can’t complain (though my aunt was there with some of her family and seated in the stalls which did prompt a brief visit from the green-eyed monster!). Amusingly, before the performance begun, there was an announcement with some cast changes. They turned out to be reasonably minor, but the audience wide groan at the words ‘cast’ and ‘changes’ and the sigh of relief when the words ‘Carlos’ and ‘Acosta’ were not mentioned, was something else. Particularly the way everyone then broke into relieved and excited chatter, though the lights had already begun to dim. I mean really, I thought a ROH audience was above panto style reactions!

Anyhoo (don’t read this paragraph if you don’t want to know how it ends), Giselle tells the story of a girl who falls in love with the wrong man, Loys, who turns out to be the engaged Count Albrecht in disguise. Despite warnings from her mother and Hilarion (a forester who also loves her), she perseveres. When she finds out her lover’s true identity, she dies, stricken with a weak heart and driven mad with anguish. After her death she is called to join the Wilis, spirits of women who have been jilted and died before their wedding day. They prey on men, forcing them to dance through the night, until they die. Hilarion falls into their trap, as does Albrecht, but despite everything, Giselle still loves him. Though exhausted and near death, in the end her love saves him from the Wilis, saving her from becoming one herself in the process and allowing her to rest in peace.

The first act, if I’m honest seemed a bit uneventful for the most part, but then, that said, the opening sequence between Giselle and Albrecht was both sweet and amusing and I very much enjoyed it. The final scene of the act was also rather magnificent, particularly Giselle’s descent into madness.

The second act, I enjoyed far more. The Wilis were quite spectacular – 26 ballerinas, plus Myrtha, their queen, all dresses in white dresses and veils, making patterns across the stage. It reminded me a lot of the swans in Swan Lake; absolutely beautiful. Albrecht’s dance was also spectacular, though I think that was, for me, mostly down to the dancer rather than the choreography. Overall, the second act felt a lot less like ‘dancing for the sake of dancing’ than the first act, even though, to an extent, I suppose that’s really all it was. I guess the difference was that it was more to my taste and seemed more interesting to watch.

Tamara Rojo was spectacular as Giselle and, of course, Carlos Acosta was magnificent as Albrecht. Despite the fact this is the ninth ballet I’ve seen in about six months, I am by no means a connoisseur and I can’t really tell who is good and who is not. During the first act, whether I would have though anything much about Carlos Acosta had I not heard his name so often, I don’t know. The second act was an entirely different matter, however. He blew me away completely. He seems to have an inner strength and presence that I often find slightly lacking in the male principals, but there’s also something more than that, which I can’t quite put my finger on. My mum would probably call it charisma, though, to me, he does seem somehow more macho than a man in tights has any right to be!

Anyways, last night also heralded my first visit to the ROH stage door. I was there for almost an hour and practically had to chase Carlos Acosta down the street for a hastily scribbled autograph, but it was worth it. My programme was signed by Carlos and Tamara and I left with a smile on my face, as well as a determination to return after the next performance that I attend.

So, I laughed, I (almost) cried and I am definitely glad I came. I’m already looking forward to Swan Lake (along with the rest of the performances I have booked over the next few months, of course).

I’ve actually booked a ticket to see Stuart Matthew Price’s show on the Battersea Barge in Feb. I hadn’t really planned on it, but Caissie Levy and Hadley Fraser should be there and the tickets were selling out fast, so I figured ‘why not?’. Should be enjoyable, given how awesome I thought he was at Hadley Fraser’s Waterloo East gig, even if I have yet to hear the album that he will be showcasing. It was also rather cool as I tweeted Stuart to say I’d bought a ticket and he replied saying ‘Woop! Can’t wait to see you there!’, or something to that effect. I don’t think anyone’s ever tweeted me back before, never mind someone in the ‘celeb’ sphere. Even if he’s not exactly what one would call a celeb.

Anyhoo, more reviews on the way after tonight’s performance of Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella and tomorrow’s of Hamlet at the National. There’s also a random ramble about Tommy Joe Ratliff (who’s name has been sadly lacking in my last few posts) and my New York hostel drama to come, so watch this space.

Until next time, peace, loVe and glitter,

K xx