I talk too much. Tokyo Story, Moby Dick, Headway Essex, Dance, Party
Today I am tired and hungover but I have completely earned both.
The week began with Tokyo Story after work on Monday. Well, it was actually work, schmoozing Dept for Culture Media and Sport people to try and make sure they keep funding my project as well as the larger programme that my project is part of. The film was very slow, I can see it has charm but I didn't see the ground breaking work that my colleagues described. Each to their own.
Tuesday was an early start as both Tuesday and Thursday I had to work at the office north of London. It takes me a little over 3 hours to get there. After that was Moby Dick at the Lyric Theatre. It was a last minute fabulous surprise from Emma, she had press tickets and her press colleague was poorly.
Moby Dick is essentially an adult pantomime, there is audience participation, songs, lewd jokes and physical comedy. It was utterly enjoyable and we laughed out loud and left the theatre smiling. After mixing with the other guests, press and cast at the after show party I realised it was very late so I crashed at Emma's and borrowed clothes for the next day. I am very lucky to have great friends.
Wednesday was my only night in. I was really pissed off at work and just got up and left at 4pm. I should have been there til 6 but I was in the office at least an hour before anyone else and I really couldn't bear to be there anymore. I came home and chilled out with some Desperate Housewives on the DVR.
Thursday another trek out of north London. Got a fair amount done and restructured my project meetings so that we have less big group discussions. I don't find them productive and it's my project so I persuaded the group to try a less structured way of working. That evening was the screening of The Habit of Art.
Part of the NT Live programme of screening live theatre into cinemas across the country. I saw it at the BFI and I do think that seeing theatre in a crowd is beneficial even if you're not in the room with the actors. They've done several shows like this now and have ironed out most of the blips. We did lose signal a couple of times but you get really close up views of the actors which adds something to replace the live experience. The play is very interesting. The writer Alan Bennett was in the audience and seemed to enjoy the experience of watching it on the big screen. The cast are strong and led by Richard Griffiths they convincingly play actors rehearsing a play about W H Auden and Benjamin Britten. I learned a lot as I know the poetry and the music but didn't know anything about their personal lives.
Friday I was working in Warwickshire. I left the house at 7.15 and arrived at the site at 11.30. It was a ridiculous day of travelling but an enjoyable day none the less. The warehouses are very deep in the countryside and I got a tour which mostly involved walking outside in the sunshine, taking a few photos, having a chat to a nice guy called Rob, watching buzzards soar overhead. Then decided to have our meeting over a pub lunch before I headed back to London.
Friday night was a trip to Sadlers Wells to see Pictures from an Exhibition.
Ratan had been keen to see it. I am deeply suspicious of performances with no interval. Most of the ones I've seen have been performances where I would only have seen the first half. Sadly this was no exception. I stayed throughout as I was with friends and in the middle of a row but several people walked out and I don't blame them. Ratan really enjoyed it but I found it crass and the technique sloppy. Also, I never ever need depiction (however stylised) of child abuse in my art.
When I got home on Friday the post had great news from Headway Essex. The 40's dance fundraiser I helped with last week raised £3875. Bloody fantastic!
Saturday was a manic day. Harvey, my Doctor Who obsessed nephew, turned 5 on Friday so I popped over on Saturday morning to deliver an eleventh doctor sonic screwdriver. He was delighted and we went straight out into the sunshine to play Doctor Who, which mostly involved me getting soniced and thinking up different ways to react!
Then into London all dressed up for a Mad Men themed party. Before the party I went to see How To Train Your Dragon. It's fabulous, the 3D is great and if you listen really hard you can hear David Tennant's voice as the character Spitleout.
It's a really cheerful adventure movie, for kids really but I loved it. Then off to Alex's birthday where my 1960 style would draw less attention than it did at the cinema. Great party. Llew played cocktail waiter for the night and made evil cocktails that were much too moreish.
Hence today's hangover.
I have talked too much - sorry! I'm trying hard to keep next week a little quieter, so far I've managed to keep Monday and Wednesday free, but I might be persuaded to go to a discussion with Alan Bennett on Monday. I'm trying to resist. I woke up with very little voice this morning and I'm hoping a little sleep with fend off whatever is brewing.
The week began with Tokyo Story after work on Monday. Well, it was actually work, schmoozing Dept for Culture Media and Sport people to try and make sure they keep funding my project as well as the larger programme that my project is part of. The film was very slow, I can see it has charm but I didn't see the ground breaking work that my colleagues described. Each to their own.
Tuesday was an early start as both Tuesday and Thursday I had to work at the office north of London. It takes me a little over 3 hours to get there. After that was Moby Dick at the Lyric Theatre. It was a last minute fabulous surprise from Emma, she had press tickets and her press colleague was poorly.
Moby Dick is essentially an adult pantomime, there is audience participation, songs, lewd jokes and physical comedy. It was utterly enjoyable and we laughed out loud and left the theatre smiling. After mixing with the other guests, press and cast at the after show party I realised it was very late so I crashed at Emma's and borrowed clothes for the next day. I am very lucky to have great friends.
Wednesday was my only night in. I was really pissed off at work and just got up and left at 4pm. I should have been there til 6 but I was in the office at least an hour before anyone else and I really couldn't bear to be there anymore. I came home and chilled out with some Desperate Housewives on the DVR.
Thursday another trek out of north London. Got a fair amount done and restructured my project meetings so that we have less big group discussions. I don't find them productive and it's my project so I persuaded the group to try a less structured way of working. That evening was the screening of The Habit of Art.
Part of the NT Live programme of screening live theatre into cinemas across the country. I saw it at the BFI and I do think that seeing theatre in a crowd is beneficial even if you're not in the room with the actors. They've done several shows like this now and have ironed out most of the blips. We did lose signal a couple of times but you get really close up views of the actors which adds something to replace the live experience. The play is very interesting. The writer Alan Bennett was in the audience and seemed to enjoy the experience of watching it on the big screen. The cast are strong and led by Richard Griffiths they convincingly play actors rehearsing a play about W H Auden and Benjamin Britten. I learned a lot as I know the poetry and the music but didn't know anything about their personal lives.
Friday I was working in Warwickshire. I left the house at 7.15 and arrived at the site at 11.30. It was a ridiculous day of travelling but an enjoyable day none the less. The warehouses are very deep in the countryside and I got a tour which mostly involved walking outside in the sunshine, taking a few photos, having a chat to a nice guy called Rob, watching buzzards soar overhead. Then decided to have our meeting over a pub lunch before I headed back to London.
Friday night was a trip to Sadlers Wells to see Pictures from an Exhibition.
Ratan had been keen to see it. I am deeply suspicious of performances with no interval. Most of the ones I've seen have been performances where I would only have seen the first half. Sadly this was no exception. I stayed throughout as I was with friends and in the middle of a row but several people walked out and I don't blame them. Ratan really enjoyed it but I found it crass and the technique sloppy. Also, I never ever need depiction (however stylised) of child abuse in my art.
When I got home on Friday the post had great news from Headway Essex. The 40's dance fundraiser I helped with last week raised £3875. Bloody fantastic!
Saturday was a manic day. Harvey, my Doctor Who obsessed nephew, turned 5 on Friday so I popped over on Saturday morning to deliver an eleventh doctor sonic screwdriver. He was delighted and we went straight out into the sunshine to play Doctor Who, which mostly involved me getting soniced and thinking up different ways to react!
Then into London all dressed up for a Mad Men themed party. Before the party I went to see How To Train Your Dragon. It's fabulous, the 3D is great and if you listen really hard you can hear David Tennant's voice as the character Spitleout.
It's a really cheerful adventure movie, for kids really but I loved it. Then off to Alex's birthday where my 1960 style would draw less attention than it did at the cinema. Great party. Llew played cocktail waiter for the night and made evil cocktails that were much too moreish.
Hence today's hangover.
I have talked too much - sorry! I'm trying hard to keep next week a little quieter, so far I've managed to keep Monday and Wednesday free, but I might be persuaded to go to a discussion with Alan Bennett on Monday. I'm trying to resist. I woke up with very little voice this morning and I'm hoping a little sleep with fend off whatever is brewing.