(no subject)
Um, er, when I said 'later', I obviously meant in that kind of 'Several days later when I'm slightly less ill but only just' sort of later. Oh, it doesn't matter anyway, it's that 'Livejournal's dead then?' time of year again. Remember last year?
Well, we managed to pack a fair bit into the ol' week. I went to to stay at Craig's house for a few days in Orpington (I say that, but it sounded like I was simultaneously in Kent, Bromley and London) - very nice, by the way. I'll present all this unnecessarily in a day-by-day deconstruction account:
DAY 1 (Why do I feel this bit should be announced in a Geordie accent? I don't even watch Big Brother anymore)
We went to Guilford (which...I can't...spell) to go and see a performance of Ayckbourn's Communicating Doors. Not bad! It was the first night and to be honest you could tell here and there, a few hiccoughs with lines, but enjoyable overall. I don't know how much sense the play makes to those who haven't seen the script beforehand (ie: not me) as it's complicated time-space-continuum stuff in a hotel but I've always looked forward to seeing it on stage.
DAY 2
Theatre, but on a grand scale this time - central London. Les Miserables. Bloody hell on a pogo stick. I can't claim to be one for musicals, despite being an everlong RH fan, because people 'singing' speech makes me giggle, but it really is as impressive as people make out. Amazing sets, and all performances faultless (even though there was loads of understudies in apparently).
I've had Lovely Ladies stuck in my head ever since. Don't know what that says about me.
And afterwards...OMG. I was stood in a crowded bar shouting talking and having a drink with... Tracie Bennett. She played Madam Thernardier. She also served behind the bar in Corrie. And of course.... there's always JOKING APART OMFG. She was really nice, very husky Northern voice and wearing a trendy hat and earrings. She's pretty much my height too, so it's good not to be get a crick in my neck for once. She wasn't in the best of moods because I think she thought the night's performance hadn't been as good - all understudies and colds and all that. I was doing my best not to sound like a complete sycophant by genuinely insisting it had been brilliant from the audience's point of view.
She kissed me before leaving, which was surreal to say the least. Actors, darling!
DAY 3
Following the Joking Apart theme, we drove around and had a look at some of the filming locations today (Robert and Tracy's house, the pub, the brothel, the newsagent-that-isn't-one-really). I've said before, I get star struck by buildings, you can imagine what I'm like with actual people.
We got caught in the London rush hour traffic, but I didn't mind at all. Change of scenery means I can easily put up with all that. We passed a pub called The Cock. THE COCK, for goodness sake. And then, oh my days, a shop called Nicolas. This clearly means our two Nicks not only have their own namesake bar, they own a shop now too! It'll be stocked with nicked things, you mark my words.
And in the evening we saw Paul Raffield (hmm, there's definitely a running theme here somewhere) in the Frayn play Donkey's Years. S'very funneh. In most farces there's going to be a bloke with his trousers down at some point, but David Haig (Inspector Grimm! <3333) spent an entire act running around with his trousers round his ankles, quite an impressive feat. It also had Martin from Green Wing, but who I didn't recognise until afterwards because he had a beard and was Surprisingly Tall.
DAY 4
HELLO LONDON. I navigated lots of tube trains, one of which I undoubtably picked this cold up from, and did the Touristy thing. Saw the Tower Bridge and had a really good tour around the Globe theatre. The man at the desk looked dubious when asked for two adult tickets, LOLZ I MUST LOOK UNDERAGE. That can only be a good thing when very very soon I've got to change one of the digits on my age.
And then we went to see the fireworks at Black Heath where it was FRICKIN' FREEZING. Jolly good display though.
I think that's everything. In a nutshell. It probably isn't. But no doubt I'll be doing something similar later this month, so stay tuned.I'm highly excited and nervous in equal amounts about that visit.
I'm off to see Muse tonight. If I keep this up, it'll probably fool someone into thinking I actually go places and do interesting things, whoas.