Dalston Street Feast

When: Friday 3rd August

Where: Dalston

Why: Team outing with work

As we dodged our way through the car park and edged past a people carrier advertising itself as a ‘LOCOG official sex tours’ vehicle (nope, no idea…), I began to wonder where my colleague had brought us... But as we reached the Street Feast, which appeared before me basically as a concrete rectangle of deliciousness, I breathed in a sigh of both relief and barbecue-smokey goodness.

I love you Sorbitium.

Stalls ranged from Jamaican jerk fare, to burgers, kebab wraps and veggie curries, as well as a stupendous offering from The Rib Man and his “holy fuck” hot sauce. I went for a cheeseburger from the very friendly ladies at the Korean kimchi stall (@kimchicult) which was salty, meaty fabulousness. I followed this with a double scoop of HEAVEN from Sorbitium Ices (@sorbitiumices), sampling the cipriani chocolate (dark, smooth and sort of caramel-y) and watermelon, rose & lime sorbet (light, fragrant and angelic).

Happy bellies.

Brixpig x

Mack and Mabel

When: Wednesday 1^st August

Where: Southwark Playhouse

M & M

Why: LOVE the soundtrack

This production of Mack and Mabel seems to have divided audiences and critics alike – even my mate Nikki and I found at the interval that we were having completely different experiences. The show itself is known to be imperfect and problematic in its narrative and characters, as well as the fact that it exists in several different forms. This version definitely hasn’t solved those problems, although director Thom Southerland’s version set the whole show in Mack’s memory, which was a clever touch. Although it was a generally enjoyable experience, I’m definitely erring on the side of the critical at the mo.

Laura Pitt-Pulford as Mabel was erratically pleasing and her voice was completely brilliant. She also stood out from a cast of otherwise seriously, seriously questionable American accents (I genuinely thought Mack, played by Norman Bowman, was doing a Scottish accent for the first half). Mack is supposed to be supremely charismatic despite his boorishness and single-minded selfishness in pursuit of making movies, which is a challenge for any actor, I grant you, but I wasn’t convinced by Bowman. He played the husky, regretful and emotionally stunted aspects of Mack well, but didn’t really match it with the big personality and big performance – just with empty shouting and a mediocre singing voice. Which was a bit of a shame. However, the supporting cast shone as an ensemble, and the chorus numbers were fantastically choreographed, especially in quite a restricted space, and their energy and panache was properly impressive. Jessica Martin as Lottie was the true stalwart of the show and was pleasingly Bonnie Langford-esque in her performance (that’s a compliment).

Fabulous chorus.

It’s a fringe theatre so I expected it to be a bit grungy, and the Vault at the Southwark Playhouse certainly is that – but it’s also awesome, inventive and atmospheric. The sound of the trains rumbling overhead somehow manages to contribute to the experience, and the staging and visuals of the set were really great. On the downside, all the actors were mic-ed and seemingly turned up to max volume which was far from ideal, and often even so found themselves battling with the band (who were also being piped in from backstage – SO far from ideal). The seats were unbelievably uncomfortable, which, call me old fashioned, but I think is quite a vital issue – if you’re squirming around throughout, it has to take away from the performances somewhat, especially if the whole spectacle isn’t thrilling enough to distract you from your twitching legs and the stabbing pains in your arse. However, we were given free cheese at the bar in the interval, which went a long way to soothing my wounded body.

As I think will always be the case until the end of time (or until the day my dreams come true and the leads are played by Nikki and John Barrowman), the true stars of this show are the songs. The score is just amazing. The fabulous, unbeatable overture, as made famous by Torvill and Dean, is amongst my top played on iTunes, and Wherever he ain’t has to be the ultimate kick-ass break-up song. I won’t send roses is essentially the entire plot summed up in a few poignant verses, and the brilliantly random Tap your troubles away always makes me laugh (even despite the fact that is it has been tainted improved for me forever by Acorn Antiques’s alternative version, the ‘Tip Top Tap’). So in that sense it’s always worth seeing this show just for the music alone, and this cast did do them justice, for the most part.

I like the theatre’s chilled out style and aeroplane-style pricing for seats (earlier you buy the cheaper they are, show up and sit anywhere scenario), but I was 50/50 torn between enjoyment and beady-eyed criticism the whole way through, which made it – combined with the seats – a literally uncomfortable experience in general. Not sure I’d go again. Sad face.

Brixpig x

Zoo Lates

When: Friday 27^th July

Where: ZSL London Zoo

Why: Partying with penguins – who would say no?

Every year during June and July, ZSL opens its doors on Friday evenings to those who fancy an evening of face painting, ridiculous costumes, boozing with baboons, lolling with llamas and grooving with gorillas (sorry, got carried away). My companion heard one of the security guards describing the attraction’s main audience as ‘yuppie stoner’, which I think was a reasonably fair assessment.

Entertainments included beer stalls and a Pimm’s garden complete with deck chairs and a Pimm’s peddler dressed only in red Speedos, silent disco and merry-go-round, and standard zoo activities such as watching the animals get their dinner. The feeding show left us feeling sorry for the zoo staff who were attempting to be both banterous and informative to a gobby, well-on-their-way-to-drunk audience, but what else can you realistically expect when you combine lager and penguins?

This lad was the star of the show.

We also took in some of the improv comedy in the aquarium, by a group called Austentatious (brilliant name), who didn’t fail to impress and generally kept the crowd in order – apart from perhaps yours truly, who always gets carried away with suggestions at improv comedy events…

My ‘early bird’ ticket was pure bargainous at £10, and I’ll definitely be heading back next year (with a big group of people and a picnic).

Brixpig x

Mt. Wolf

I've been listening to this song basically all day, so had to add it. This is Mt. Wolf, who we saw at the Coveryard (see below). 

Beaut.

Brixpig x

The Coveryard

When: Saturday 21^st July 2012

Where: St Peter’s Church, Notting Hill

Why: My mate was singing and ukulele-ing – how could I refuse?

A gorgeous evening of music and new discoveries. St Peter’s in Notting Hill is a fabulously preserved church, brilliantly adapted inside for musical purposes, and a captivatingly orange hue on the outside. Bit Mediterranean. It also looked beautiful inside, lit by hundreds of tea lights – good work whoever lit all of those, and sorry for accidentally plunging my finger into one of them almost as soon as I entered.

We settled on comfy rugs and cushions in front of the altar, unscrewed our booze (BYO in a church, win win) and prepared our ears for an onslaught of beauteous tunes. The evening was collection of musicians brought together to showcase their own tunes and various innovative covers, accompanied by a talented orchestra and choir (+ ukes). All the performances were of such a high standard and the song choices were inspired – covers included a re-worked version of Greensleeves, Teardrop by Massive Attack, The Smiths’s There is a light that never goes out, and some Usher was chucked in there too. Eclectic is the word.

Obviously my friend Nikki was the true star of the show, but I also discovered some seriously great new musicians. Personal fave was the incredibly inventive Abi Wade, who takes multi-tasking to a whole new level – she plays the cello, sings, does percussion all at once, basically every limb and probably every particle of concentration is used up, and the result is lush. I also loved Mt. Wolf, who covered Teardrop which was my song of the evening, and their lead singer’s voice had a kind of Scandinavian sound to it (even though she’s English I think) – their music is divine and I seriously advise you to have a listen. We also heard from Faith Taylor who was more folky and sounded a bit like a grungy Kate Rusby – very talented and impressive.

This was the first Coveryard event, and hopefully the first of many, as it was so well received by the crowd and genuinely so enjoyable and chilled out. Massive congrats to all involved. Hooray.

See below for a cracking cover of Eleanor Rigby (sung by Georgina Hunt) which was demanded as the encore for the night. This is my video, so it's not great, but bear with.

Brixpig x

A Doll's House

When: Wednesday 18^th July 2012

Where: Young Vic

Why: Bargain £10 ticket procured by my pal @cakespeareuk

The Young Vic is so cool. It’s such a young person’s, vibrant, funky theatre. Love the balcony bar and the bench seats. Big fan. And the play wasn’t bad either. I’d seen A Doll’s House once at uni: a production starring my (petite, dainty) friend as the maid, where she had inexplicably been forced to wear a fat suit. I’m afraid the hilarity of this somewhat distracted from the content of the play, but I do remember finding the subject matter intriguing – wife plays up to the typical wifely, dependant, daffy creature for the sake of her husband, but eventually goes mental with the strain of it all and chucks him in. Very good story stuff.

I knew I knew Hattie Morahan’s face but didn’t try and find out where from until after the play – turns out it was from Outnumbered. She plays the main role of Nora and she is so charismatic and convincing in managing to be simultaneously emotionally repressed, manipulative and still kind of charming. She has a brilliantly expressive face and a great way of transferring the meaning of her words straight into the heads of the audience. She also completely led the show, and was only upstaged for a few minutes when the baby was brought onto the stage – cue loud and sustained coos from the audience as it gurgled and chuckled. Not sure how they managed to find such a well-trained child – our theory was that they had a row of babies backstage from which they selected the most cheerful when it was time to go on. That’s what I would do. The little boy actors were also pretty good, which was a blessing as kids on stage in supporting roles generally annoy me (see for evidence the blank-eyed boy in the Duchess of Malfi. Only exception obviously is Matilda, where all the kidlets are stupdendous.)

The other stars of the show, as pretty much every reviewer has pointed out, were the stage and the music. A genius revolving stage kept the production fluid and dynamic, and projected little scenes of family life giving a really effective domestic and homely impression. This was combined with rousing, emotional music which was just excellent. I’d also been reading the play before I went, and noticed that the version we were seeing was slightly different – a new translation by Simon Stephens which was more modern, colloquial and direct, and which was exactly right for the mood of this production.

The final scene where Nora breaks free from her husband and obligations, and denounces pretty much everything in her world, from morals to religion to duty, was incredibly powerful and not overworked as it might have been. I thought Morahan was as convincing as it’s possible to be with what is basically a really quick transformation of outlook on life – I overheard a few audience members arguing that it just isn’t realistic to change so completely so suddenly. But I think that sometimes things that have been building up in a head for years and years, even subconsciously, can suddenly snap – and when they do things can never be the same again. So in that sense Nora’s rebellion is supremely realistic. I also LOVE the lines which pretty much sum up the entire plot:

Helmer: I would gladly work night and day for you, Nora – bear sorrow and want for your sake. But no man would sacrifice his honour for the one he loves.

Nora: It is a thing hundreds of thousands of women have done.

Ibsen was so insightful and ahead of his time and just generally a total lad.

Brilliant brilliant play. Loved it. Even without a comedy fat suit.

Brixpig x

Let's catch up over a coffee, yeah?

OK I’ve got too much shit to catch you up on so I’m going to BULLET POINT the last few months.

-     Brixpig fitness challenge is CANCELLED because I’m a (financially unstable) shlad and got rid of my gym membership. Quite frankly, I’m not so good at humiliating myself in a sporting environment and it’s unclear to me why I ever thought any kind of challenge would be a good idea.

-    The Queen had a Jubilee. I loved it all and watched far too many documentaries about the royal family and their palaces and horses and family habits (rolling down hills apparently). The Florence in Herne Hill did a special ale (QE Brew, delicious); we went to see the boats and the parade and enjoyed some special crowd action, trying to peer through other people’s periscopes, that kind of thing; Joy in Brixton provided free food for those wise enough to follow them on Twitter, cue mum and I loading up on massive slices of cake and free sarnies; I got to wear my union flag headband that I got ages ago in Brighton Primark. Style. Congrats Queenie.

-     Eurovision occurred. This year, because there was no way we were travelling to Azerbaijan (I’m sure it’s lovely, but just no), we went all out in the mother land, supporting the wonder that is Engelbert Humperdinck. My mother met him once. She remembers him as being very tall and handsome, and, I quote, “he smelled incredible”. So there you go. Reason enough to represent a nation.

-     I saw Matilda again with my mum. BEST MUSICAL EVER.

-     I saw the Duchess of Malfi again. Eve Best is the BEST.

-     My darling schoolfriend got married in Beamish museum and was the most beautiful bride imaginable – she looked like she had been found under a rose bush (that’s a good thing). Her new husband brushed up rather well too, and a delicious day was had by all – literally delicious in many ways, as it was a partly Italian wedding which involved cheese and sausage, prosecco and fab red wine, and also a pie and pea supper provided by Beamish. WONDERS.

-     I went on holiday to Grand Brassac in the south of France with nine lovely friends, where we frolicked and bantered and splashed and sunned and giggled and canoed and cheesed and danced. And I broke my little toe in a canoe but because I was part of team Redgrave/Pincent, I soldiered on and had the best holiday ever.

-     I volunteered at the Olympic Torch Relay finale at Hyde Park, putting wristbands on guestlisters: I endured countless youths insisting that they were “on Dizzee’s list”, told Pixie Lott we had no VIP passes for her, bumped into Dizzee and Mark Ronson backstage, lost my favourite pink cardigan and after 10 hours of stooping in a box office downed two free beers and nearly wet myself on the tube home.

Upcoming:

Mack and Mabel at the Southwark Playhouse

Brixton Splash! (hopefully with a riot-free evening this year…)

Birthday at the Royal Court, starring Stephen Mangan

I’ve also recently booked some exciting stuff for later on this year:

September – Darren Hayes, Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic (starring Sheridan Smith!)

October – Marina and the Diamonds (again)

November – Gotye, Robyn

And what I WILL be booking asap – VIVA FOREVER! The Spice Girls musical. Opens in December. This is what my life has been leading up to, no joke.

I’ve also become slightly too into this Gary Barlow video. Gary BARlow.

Brixpig x