Late November Bag

I've been somewhat remiss in updating this blog with my various doings over the last week or so. Let's see what's in the bottom of my plastic bag today...

Little Shop of Horrors

Chris took me to see 'Little Shop of Horrors' at the Menier Chocolate Factory last week. I've seen the film, which is not one of my favourites, so it was with some trepidation that I wandered into the Factory looking for the big vat of chocolate to jump into (and still not finding it). The show was still in preview so it was a bit amusing to see the stage-hands having to push some of the scenery back into place when it didn't move automatically, but the actors were throwing themselves into it like there was no tomorrow, lots of energy spilling off the stage.

One of my favourite scenes was Sheridan Smith singing 'Somewhere That's Green' and seeing the tears run down her cheeks while banging was going on backstage with the scenery, tears in keeping with the song, not the banging. I was pleasantly surprised to realise who she is - I associate her with 'Two Pints Of Lager' - and how good her voice is. I also loved the ever expanding plant! I enjoyed it so much on a first viewing that tickets have already been bought for January. See it if you can.

Beverley Knight

Went to see Beverley Knight again this week at the Hammersmith Apollo. An evening of great songs and great showmanship, Beverley certainly knows how to work an audience. She included a short accoustic/unplugged set in the middle of the show which worked really well. Highlights for me were 'Gold', 'Piece of my Heart' (which works so much better live than on record) and 'Come As You Are'. She prowled the stage as ever and that made taking photos a challenge since she was never still, but taking photos at concerts is my new hobby, so here's a couple of Beverley ...

Despite Beverley being on top form and a very professional show there was something missing, that little bit of sparkle that I can't put my finger on. Maybe the new album will jump-start her again and help her decide what her show is about and where she sits in the music spectrum - possibly it's a bit too bitty at the moment, partly promoting 'Voice' and her hits and partly trying to hit all musical bases? The new songs sounded good so let's wait and see.


'Stranger Than Fiction' & Emma Thompson

Chris took me to see 'Stranger Than Fiction' again (we saw it in October at the London Film Festival), this time without subtitles, at the Tricycle Cinema up in Kilburn. I thoroughly enjoyed it, very touching and funny by turns, hitting all the right notes. Even though I knew what was going to happen it was still fresh and capitvating. I want to see it again in a less crowded cinema (I'm detecting a trend here - after the first viewing it was 'see it again without subtitles' and now it's 'less crowded', but it warrants several viewings).

The big draw was that after the film Emma Thompson was scheduled to do a Q&A. She came across as a really nice person, witty, intelligent and thoughtful with (as you'd expect) an anecdote for every occasion. Chris plucked up the courage to ask her a question about the director which she engaged with despite a diversionary comment at one point from elsewhere in the audience.

After the Q&A Chris went up to say hello as an old chum and her face was a picture when she realised who he was,and they both started gossiping away. I had to intervene to ask for a photo of them both since time was passing and others were waiting for autographs and I didn't want to miss the opportunity. So with two big smiley faces in front of me I went 'click', but that's a private photo and not for the web. Mind you, she obviously doesn't remember him very well since, as we were leaving, she told me he was 'gorgeous'.

What a delightful way to end the evening and start the cold damp trudge back to south London.

Cressida Bell

Last Sunday saw the annual trip out to Hackney for Cressida Bell's open studio afternoon, to see her works, have a chat and a glass of wine and, possibly, buy some goods. I bought a wonderful green lampshade from her a couple of years ago that still has pride of place in my living room, lots of different trees painted round the shade in a variety of shades. This year I got a silk scarf in lovely shades of green and purple and a silk tie (not matching) and finally bought her book on decorative painting (I've been meaning to paint a bookcase for about two years now... one day!). She was doing a roaring trade when we left, with a full workshop and a celloist in full noise-mode. Shopping was followed by food in Islington and then back home in time to watch Madonna's 'Confessions' tour on telly to relive some great memories from the summer.

Carry On Doctor

After seeing the Vampires of Tooting a couple of weeks ago comes the various consultations - last week was the Liver Doctor and this week was the Diabetic Doctor. In both cases I waited an hour to be seen only to have a consultation lasting a few minutes. Why is that, I wonder? In part, the short consultations are good because I'm doing so well but they're also a bit unsatisfactory after such long waits. I was surprised to be told that, provided I keep on doing what I'm doing, then I shouldn't die of liver failure (I didn't realise it was actually suffiently serious for that to be a possibility but, apparently, it was) and got a gold star from the Diabetic Doc for controlling my blood glucose so well. Gee thanks. I now have appointments for late November 2007 to see them both again (with blood tests and scans earlier in November).

I weighed myself at the gym today. I've lost just over 2 1/4 stones since mid-June and yes, I do have a smug grin on my face. Weights are very difficult since everything is in kilograms these days so, using a nice programme on the web, I convert kilograms to pounds and then divide to get my proper weight in stones (I understand good old imperial). A long way to go, of course, but it's nice to know - and increasingly see - the progress.

Christmas Lights

'Tis the season to be jolly and be all lit up like a Christmas tree. The best so far are the lights on Carnaby Street (I still think the Carnaby lights of two years ago were the best ever) and the worst (and almost certainly the cheapest) are on Kilburn High Road. Oxford Street lights are ok, Regent Street lights are shoddy and both are the same as last year (except the cartoon being advertised on Regent Street has changed). The lights on Streatham High Road went on last week and, although they're the same as last year, with moving snowflakes and shooting stars, they look very nice indeed. With these gloomy nights starting at 4pm we need Christmas lights more than ever to add a bit sparkle to the cityscape. But Kilburn? Be ashamed of yourself.

Now that it's December I can finally load my Christmas CDs onto iPod - what a merry old time I'll have singing along! Altogether now: "So here it is Merry Christmas everybody's having fun ..."