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Post by rockinrobin on Dec 10, 2018 12:36:48 GMT
It never happened to me - probably because of my anxiety. My problem is exactly the opposite - I'm always so worried about being late that I end up arriving much too early and then I don't know what to do with myself (unless the bar is open...). OK, I was really late once - so late that I actually missed the show completely, because my plane to London was hugely delayed. And it was McKellen's King Lear. And I'm still gutted.
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Post by rockinrobin on Dec 9, 2018 14:33:03 GMT
I've seen about 30-35, I think. But I still have 8 shows to see in December (and my itinerary includes Company, The Inheritance and Swan Lake so I can't wait).
The biggest disappointment must be the Scottish play at the NT. I never thought Macbeth could be so dull! Only God knows how many times I yawned. Biggest surprise: Jean Paul Gaultier's Fashion Freak Show in Paris. I had nothing to do on a lonely weekend and booked a ticket, and had great fun. Very enjoyable dance show, with some incredible and truly moving performances (if Gregoire Malandain reads this by any chance - I want to marry you). Another nice surprise was a really lovely post-show Q&A with Alfred Molina and Alfred Enoch when I saw Red. It was a delight to listen to their thoughtful, nuanced replies.
My personal top 3: Fun Home, Sea Wall (the award for the best individual performance goes to...) and A Monster Calls. A Monster Calls was actually one of the most profound and beautiful, and definitely the most catharctic theatrical experience in my entire life. I cried buckets. I remember walking back from the Old Vic to my hotel in Holborn with tears still rolling down my face. This was definitely the best show of 2018 for me. Also the Monster himself, or actually Stuart Goodwin gets the Hug of the Year award from me, for being wonderfully kind and compassionate to all the poor souls at the stage door (and for almost crushing my ribs).
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Post by rockinrobin on Nov 30, 2018 19:38:30 GMT
Bad luck email here as as well. Fine. No hard feelings. Perhaps I'm just not meant to see any of Katie Mitchell's productions - last time, when I booked to see "Lessons in Love and Violence" at the Royal Opera House, I didn't go. I was visited by the lovely London Ambulance Service paramedic instead. That was a sign, I guess.
Anyway - congratulations to all who succeeded, and please write lengthy reviews!
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Post by rockinrobin on Nov 29, 2018 11:03:55 GMT
To my surprise, it was seamless - I expected the usual horror but spent only 8 minutes in queue and then got my ticket very easily. I'm horribly ill but had to go to work today because of a super important meeting (which was obviously cancelled) so at least I'm feeling less miserable now. After all, I'm going on a date with Tom Hiddleston next year (not that he's aware).
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Post by rockinrobin on Nov 27, 2018 10:36:54 GMT
Aspirin and a bucket of tea with ginger...
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Post by rockinrobin on Nov 9, 2018 20:16:06 GMT
Booked for Lyric Hammersmith. Very, very happy although it means yet another visit to London next year (i.e. flights, accommodation, all that jazz - hello, dust diet, my old friend!). And it also means I'll miss my boyfriend's birthday. Oh well. Priorities, priorities.
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Post by rockinrobin on Nov 7, 2018 19:56:54 GMT
What's particularly disturbing is that we're not talking about hormone-struck teenagers here. We're talking about adult people - in their 30s, 40s, 50s... - who get so obsessed with their favourite actors that they kind of think they own them. Of course, they are closer to them than ever because of social media but still, if you've been living on this planet for some time, then FFS, you should understand that Twitter, Instagram et cetera are NOT reality. And also, while it's not impossible to actually become friends with the artist you admire - I don't think there are many artists under the sun who'd happily befriend someone who tweets them 80 times a day, and who insults their friends and relatives.
Anyway, the worst thing I've ever seen so far this year was a person literally getting in the actor's way and trying to hug him. He managed it quite well and walked away but that whole situation was genuinely creepy. I mean, when I walk down the street and see a handsome guy walking in my direction, I don't stop him to squeeze him (maybe that's why I never got married...) - why would you do that to an actor? Actors, even if their face is the first thing you see in the morning because you used their headshots as your bedroom wallpaper, are still strangers to you and you are a stranger to them. Of course, if you ask politely, you'll probably get your hug. Earlier this year, at the Wyndham's stage door, I saw a guy who managed to get a photo with Jeremy Irons (despite abundant "no photos" signs and warnings) simply because he was nice and very kindly asked for it, fully aware that his request would probably be refused. And he heard "OK". Of course, if an actor clearly just wants to go home, you should respect it, full stop. But if you really, really want this autograph/selfie/handshake/hug AND if your beloved thespian is not in rush - just be kind and ask. No need to force them to do something against their will.
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Post by rockinrobin on Oct 12, 2018 22:01:39 GMT
Worst - The Trial at the Young Vic. I will never get these 2 hours back. Felt like 20. God, how I suffered. And the guy next to me was actually snoring.
Best - A View from the Bridge, also at the Young Vic. People, Places and Things. The Dazzle. A Monster Calls. Apparently I have a disturbing tendency to enjoy the shows that make me cry buckets. Masochist.
That said, I've realised I saw dozens and dozens of shows that left me indifferent. I can't say anything about them. And that, I think - a show that doesn't make the audience feel anything - is somehow worse than a really horrible piece of theatre.
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Post by rockinrobin on Oct 8, 2018 19:32:14 GMT
Urm. My Earth overshoot day is 7th March... That's a bit horrifying.
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Post by rockinrobin on Oct 6, 2018 17:19:13 GMT
"A Christmas Carol" is a wonderful production. I wasn't really convinced (I know the story, I don't really like Charles Dickens, Christmas shows are not my cup of tea etc.) but grabbed a last minute ticket... and it was one of the most beautiful and touching evenings in my life. This show is pure magic. I would book if I were you (and I'll book again this year anyway).
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Post by rockinrobin on Oct 1, 2018 21:10:13 GMT
Ahem. Madonna (for whichever reason my autocorrect changed her name to "Mayonnaise") at the wonderful, camp and sexy JPG Fashion Freak Show in Paris yesterday. This, however, also falls under "Bad behaviour..." category; the show started with a 30 minute delay and she clearly filmed some scenes - published the footage on social media afterwards.
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Post by rockinrobin on Sept 30, 2018 8:25:53 GMT
I was at the Moulin Rouge last Friday (do NOT go, I beg you, it's horrible). Of course, a lot of bad behaviour of all kinds - inebriated people, loud people, people with phones - but I have to say I was impressed by the speedy and firm reactions of ushers. Any attempt to take a photo failed because an usher was immediately in front of a guilty person, probably making them feel even more guilty by pointing a torch at them. Watching this was far more enjoyable than the show itself.
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Post by rockinrobin on Sept 28, 2018 17:15:58 GMT
Seamless. Just a few minutes in queue, got my favourite seat (again!), paid and did it all whilst in a conference call (and I was presenting! I'm such a pro.)
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Post by rockinrobin on Sept 27, 2018 10:06:22 GMT
Phewww. Made it and even got the seat I wanted. My usual trick worked - I used my phone browser instead of PC. The queue was moving much faster and DMT site was also reloading without problems. So, panic gone and now I just need to make sure I'm still alive in April 2019.
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Post by rockinrobin on Sept 27, 2018 9:03:43 GMT
That's my problem too. 10 minutes is just not enough!
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Post by rockinrobin on Sept 27, 2018 8:00:22 GMT
They could give a bit more notice about the presale and link arriving to calm those of us with a hysterical disposition ! Exactly! My anxiety kicks in... I want my presale link and I want it NOW, otherwise I'll turn into a shaky jellyfish.
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Post by rockinrobin on Sept 22, 2018 8:13:32 GMT
Jean-Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show at Folies Bergère in Paris.
I know.
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Post by rockinrobin on Sept 20, 2018 19:29:59 GMT
Oh. I had my first crush on a boy when I was 11 years old, and I've been straight since then - but looking at Gillian Anderson in this photo, I'm not so sure anymore...
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Post by rockinrobin on Sept 16, 2018 10:31:12 GMT
I suppose this was more clueless than bad. At Sylvia, we were sat towards the back of the stalls with a clear view. The woman in the seat next to me had a thick pillar in front of her and understandably moved over a seat once the lights went down and there was a spare. There were some late arrivals and kerfuffle at the end of our row. At the interval, a woman apparently associated with the kerfuffle people interrupted our conversations with 'Hey guys, there is spare seat next to you, so would you shuffle down so I can sit with my friends.' I said no as then I'd be looking at a pillar (which she could see.) She looked annoyed and stomped off. If you are going to ask something ridiculous of someone at least do it politely. Ah yes, happened to me as well. I usually swap seats with people on airplanes and in theatres when they ask nicely and there's not much difference in terms of view/comfort but I hate when someone expects me to do it. At "Mojo" a few years ago a lady asked me to swap seats with her - hers was, of course, behind the pillar... - because she wanted to sit closer to her friends and I was on my own (it seemed kind of obvious to her that since I am a loser who goes to the theare alone, I wouldn't care where I sit). I politely refused. She said "pfff", returned to her seat and gave me the "you ruined my life" stare when I passed her in the interval.
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Post by rockinrobin on Sept 6, 2018 19:27:05 GMT
Slightly off topic but if "Frozen" ever transfers to the West End, I hope Timothy Hughes transfers with it. And I'll be in the front row. No flags, just staring lovingly. Sorry.
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Post by rockinrobin on Sept 4, 2018 14:32:15 GMT
Yup, Generator is ok if your budget is tight - good location, decent breakfast, nice bar, the rooms are clean. That said, it's not a quiet place. And, um, couples (or strangers) having sex in shared bathrooms are not an unusual sight on weekend nights. Although maybe that's just my luck!
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Post by rockinrobin on Sept 4, 2018 11:07:59 GMT
That's awful. That woman's reaction, I mean.
My boyfriend's brother is an actor. He's always had another job. When he was in his 20s, he was spending summers doing various seasonal jobs (anything, from painting fences to picking fruit) on a farm in France for a couple of years. Many of his colleagues were doing the same back then - theatre salaries were (and still are) ridiculously low. Since then, he's been teaching, working in the radio (OK, that's not really far from acting but still), working in PR. He is now 50, one might say he's been fairly successful - not a celebrity but has been in films, tv shows, still does theatre. But - he's still out of the job sometimes and he has two children; one of them is ill. He basically needs a stable source of income (and acting isn't one, even for someone recognizable) because, well, kids need food from time to time, and his kid also needs a costly therapy. It's romantic to be an actor, but there's nothing romantic in not being able to pay your bills or provide for your children. And after all, it's perfectly normal and not unusual to do something else than you've been trained to do and/or have been known for doing - we all need to earn money, dust isn't really calorie-high and we don't want to live with our parents until we're 48. For example, I'm a journalist. I work in a bank. It happens to all of us. We sometimes need to... adapt. As they say in my country - if you don't have what you like, you like what you have. Nothing wrong about it. And certainly nothing to feel bad about, dear ms/mrs Karma Lawrence.
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Post by rockinrobin on Sept 2, 2018 10:41:25 GMT
Ah yes, I also love the Open Air Theatre "foyer". So romantic (and the drinks are good, too). Shame I'm usually on my own there, all these lights and flowers make me want to hold someone's hand and look them deeply in the eye. Oh well. Maybe one day.
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Post by rockinrobin on Aug 31, 2018 21:39:37 GMT
I've been fangirling (sorry, I know, horrible word) Zubin Varla since my father once brought me the 1996 "Jesus Christ Superstar" recording and I got crazy about this man's huge voice. I had to see this show.
It is beautiful, touching, engaging, funny. Possibly not everyone's cup of tea but I loved it - and I'm not a fan of musicals. A wonderful story about how what can happen when you come to terms with yourself - and what can happen if you don't. It is a painful show, yes - but in a good way.
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Post by rockinrobin on Aug 31, 2018 21:26:57 GMT
I have travelled to London for almost 15 years, every month or two. Never counted but I think I've stayed at approx. 50 hotels, hostels, B&Bs, serviced apartments - including some horribly dodgy places in Acton and near King's Cross when I was a poor student. I actually packed my stuff quickly and left a place once because I felt genuinely unsafe. But then, that's another story and another thread...
I'm team Premier Inn as well although I love last minute offers at Double Tree by Hilton or Radisson Blu in November or February (normally I can't afford them since I live on the continent, so I'm always chuffed to bits when I find a nice room for half price, and low season is actually a great time for theatregoing). I did use Airbnb a couple of times but it's not really my thing - the hosts were lovely but I just didn't feel comfortable. I'm getting older and I like my air conditioning, fresh linen, shower and the afore mentioned kettle. Strand Palace is also nice - ok, the rooms are small but the location!
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Post by rockinrobin on Aug 26, 2018 0:04:27 GMT
Saw the final show tonight.
Obviously, for those who have been there and know what it's like, it is a painful and intense experience. I cried buckets. But then - theatre is one of the greatest therapies. This show didn't make me feel sad - it made me feel RELIEVED, it made me... exhale. That's theatre at its best, simple yet powerful, helping you fight or befriend your demons, let go of your emotions and come to terms with yourself.
And Matthew Tennyson is going to be very, very famous one day.
And Stuart Goodwin gives fantastic hugs.
(Of course, I loved the music and the ropes - it was mesmerising - but that hug!)
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Post by rockinrobin on Aug 21, 2018 11:29:18 GMT
Saturday - King Lear and A Monster Calls. Sunday - a gap yet to be filled in. Monday - Aidan Turner of Inishmore. Tuesday - Othello and Home, I'm Darling. Wednesday - Fun Home and Aristocrats. Thursday - again, anxiety attack at Luton airport.
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Post by rockinrobin on Jul 1, 2018 18:45:58 GMT
I enjoyed it more than I thought I would - mostly because of phenomenal Adam Gillen, who steals the show. I liked Orlando's performance (and bum) but he wasn't menacing enough in my opinion.
Also, this show is not for the those of a nervous disposition. I jumped in my seat a few times.
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Post by rockinrobin on Jun 30, 2018 10:44:24 GMT
Got up at 5, flew from Paris to London, currently relaxing at Searcys champagne bar. Then - Killer Joe and Sea Wall.
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Post by rockinrobin on Jun 29, 2018 18:07:02 GMT
Also no DOakes, no rockinrobin... But, on a more serious note, I'd happily see it again.
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