We went to the Questors theatre in Ealing to take in the fun- our second time.
Joe was in place having arrived from NZ on Tuesday.
A good fun evening with classic corny jokes and activities.
Pantomime 2022
Category: Culture
Messiah
This year’s visit was to the Royal Festival Hall. A new venue for us I think, but I think impressive.
Of course we, that is me, Shaz and IQ, wow critical. Shaz did not like the conductor as he seemed to tell the audience when to applaud. There was too much clapping during the performance-it became disruptive.
The choir was substantial- about 300-and so gave good volume. One of the males seemed under-powered. Overall it seemed a little flat.
James Blake
This is very late in the day but…..never too late?
EQ bough tickets for James Blake at the Alexander Palace for Shaz’s birthday. However in the end- EQ decided to go to Croatia with the baby. So I filled her shoes.
It was on a Tuesday night, 10 days ago now, but a school night…so a little dangerous.
The journey there was in truth quite straightforward with an easy walk from Wood Green tube.
And the event-not bad. I like a lot of his music but I am not sure how well it transfers to the live settling. There were 10,000 people there who seemed very relaxed, white, coupled and not raucous.
A good event but not the best.
And a few extracts of music:
A good read
A book that I really liked- having given it to EQ as a Christmas present.
It tells the reality of living under different political structures when Albania ‘transitioned’ from one to another. The story strips out the bullshit of what democracy is and what it has to offer. A socialist state had its strengths.
The sad thing was of the stage when so many people were trying to leave the country. They knew how to go where they wanted…. but did not know why or what was at the destination.
A Christmas Carol
A very seasonal trip to the Old Vic to see a version of the very famous story.
A great performance by Stephen Mangan.
I loved the whole thing
The Messiah
Late to the piece but last Friday IQ went with me to the Barbican for the annual trip.
Shaz was indisposed awaiting the result of a PCR which was reported as negative just as the show was about commence.
It was a smaller scale affair with only 26 in the choir and the music played by a sinfonia rather than full orchestra. Despite this the acoustics of the venue helped project the sound thought the variation in tones was not evident as it can be with a larger choir.
The audience was reduced- fear regarding infection I suppose.
From the Barbican website:
‘Handel’s glorious Messiah holds a special place in many people’s hearts over the Christmas period, but perhaps it will be even more significant in 2021
After a year without the triumphant ‘Hallelujah’ chorus ringing out in churches and concert halls, Britten Sinfonia will give an intimate but impassioned performance. A star-studded line up of soloists joins conductor David Watkin and the Choir of Jesus College, Cambridge.’
Anything Goes
A trip to the musical which is laying at the Barbican Centre. Great fun, lots of energy, silly humour and great dancing. I can see why it received its rave reviews. Great escapism. Shaz loved it and a second visit a possibility with the baby in tow.
Les Miserables revisited
The long running LesMis production has just moved to the Sondheim theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue. So Joe’s and my return to the show was at a different venue to the one that Shaz and I watched in last year.
As with these it events it was full. We were near the top rung again but not so high and uncomfortable as with other shows.
The show was great and the apparent innovations introduced worked very well in my eyes. The projection of the sewers and the falling off the wall of the policeman to his death.
A wonderful experience for both of us. I would happily see again.
More RAH
Another family trip, all five, to the musical venue. The show was a mixture of classic carols and well known Christmas populars.
Good fun for the most part and of course a bit cheesy in places. There were plenty of opportunities to sing along.
Panto
The Christmas binge goes on and Friday night was Panto night at the Questors in Ealing.
A trio for five that was fully enjoyed. It was a different style of performance from last year when Shaz, Joe and I went to Wimbledon Theatre to see Paul Merton among others.
The actors were mainly children from the Questors young person’s school. There were lots of their mums and dads in the audience I think.
The Pantones was funny, good fun and beautiful. Very different from last years but good all the same and still the same classic format.
Cool.