It's Behind You!

Someone at work mentioned the other day that there were only two more paydays until Christmas. That's quite worrying in a way, as it's proved just how quickly this year has gone.

Another feature of the Christmas season is the traditional panto, and the Nottingham Playhouse often puts on the best. No guest celebrity from the world of film, music or TV grace their stage, just good quality actors, slapping their thighs and and shouting "It's behind you". They are always written and directed by the one and only Kenneth Allan Taylor, who has been involved in the Playhouse's pantos for decades.

This year's panto was officially launched today. Not at the theatre as you might think, but in the window of a department store. John Lewis in the Victoria Centre became the stage for a publicity photoshoot for both the Playhouse itself and the local newspaper. I of course popped along to see what was happening and try and take a shot or two for the blog.

Table Manners

Posh is a play that chronicles a group of students at Oxford University who are in an exclusive dining club and get up to some bad behaviour.

The play is based around the exploits of the real Bullingdon Club, whose members have included David Cameron, George Osborn and London Mayor Boris Johnson. The all male group dined, got drunk then would often run amoco in restaurants, breaking windows and smashing things up, and being from wealthy backgrounds, would apparently pay for the damage in cash.

The Playhouse hosted the play, which was written in 2010, last week. Sadly I didn't get to see it, but to tie in with the performances, the theatre ran a competition on Twitter to win a copy of the script, signed by Laura Wade herself. Fortunately I was one of the winners, and went to collect the book from the Playhouse today.

Act Of War

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the start of World War One and those terible four years of battle with soldiers stuck fighting in trenches around France.

This horror of this time was brought to life tonight with the Nottingham Playhouse Youth Theatre's production of 'All Quiet on the Western Front' at the rather unusual, but very atmospheric old Barton's bus garage in Chilwell, and is part of the NEAT14 festival.

The play is based on the 1929 book of the same name by Erich Maria Remarque and has been adapted by Robin Kingsland. He was actually in the audience to see how the first night went and the audience's reaction to the unfolding tale.

He didn't have to worry at all, as the young cast did an excellent job of portraying people of the same age who had to face death, injury and destruction on a daily basis. To show that these soldiers were still  basically of school age, they carried large T squares and rulers instead of guns.

What makes the story really poignant, is it is told through the eyes of the German side. How they were just ordinary schoolboys like the English 'Tommys', and who had been encouraged to enlist and fight for their fatherland, but they didn't really know what they were fighting for.

The final scene is quite profound, and there was an almost stunned silence when the lights finally went out, and before the applause started.

The play runs until Sunday and is well worth seeing. But if you do, take your own cushion, as the old wooden seats available are very hard.

The Wedding Singer

It's sometimes funny how things can happen when you have no idea that they are going to take place.

Take today for example. I had no idea that we would be going to the Playhouse in the evening, due to something that I read on a friends' Facebook page.

Someone he knows had put this message on asking if anyone could visit the theatre and do a review of the musical that he was involved in. As I have done small reviews of shows, restaurants and events before, I contacted Darren and so Gail and I found ourselves sitting in the Playhouse and watching some great performances in action, even though they were all amateurs. First year students actually at Trent University.

The musical version of The Wedding Singer is based on the 1998 film of the same name. It's the usual story of boy meets girl, they both fancy each other, but are both too shy to declare their love for each other. Of course it all ends happily, just as the audience left the theatre.

Curtains?

It's been a very sad day today for local theatre, as Nottingham County Council voted to cut all of its grant to the Nottingham Playhouse. This equates to about £94,000, or an average of 12p per person, per year.

What some of the councillors may not of grasped, is the huge amount of money it brings into the county through the shows it puts on and through tourism. The Playhouse also works in the community to promote the arts.

As I am off this week, I popped down this morning to join the demonstration before the council meeting took place. There must have been about 60, or 70 people there. Just ordinary theatre goers who don't want to see the quality of its shows diminished, as the theatre builds its own unique sets from scratch, rather than just using a touring companies' own. Also among the demonstrators, were the cast of the present production; The Threepenny Opera.

The press were of course there taking photos and interviewing the demonstrators. The two main directors of the Playhouse, Stephanie Sirr and Giles Croft were there to plead their case to the councillors. But sadly to no avail.

I don't know what this cut will eventually mean to the Playhouse. An undoubted rise in ticket prices for certain, and maybe not so many high quality shows. I hope it doesn't mean any redundancies, as I believe everyone who works there loves it.

That Hitchcock Moment

Here's the moment that I was telling you about yesterday, when I walked past the BBC interviewing Stephanie live on local television at the Nottingham Playhouse.

That's me carrying my camera and looking for the next shot and not sadly the dapper looking gentleman in the DJ.

Fortunately I found the interview on iPlayer, so I was able to grab a quick shot off my computer.

From The Sublime To The Ridiculous

This evening turned out to be quite eventful for two reasons, firstly I went along to Paul Smith's store on Middle Pavement, as I'd found out that he was going to be there signing copies of his new book about the history of his fashion empire.

I have always wanted to meet him, as he is also a Beeston lad. I did know his parents, who alas aren't around anymore, as his father Harold was a keen photographer in Beeston's camera club.

Afterwards I met up with Gail at Nottingham Playhouse, as it was their 50th birthday and they were having a gala evening. I had won some tickets a couple of hours earlier for this year's panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, so I said that I would meet her outside the theatre just before curtain up.

So I had a wander up to see what was happening, and the place was absolutely heaving with fans of the theatre. The local BBC team were there interviewing Stephanie Sirr, who is one of the executives of the Playhouse over the landmark. I just happened to wander by whilst the interview was taking place, and so appeared on TV for a couple of seconds, as it was going out live!

We then settled down to watch the panto. The stage design and costumes were very colourful. This year also marks the 30th and last show starring Kenneth Allen Taylor as the leading lady. Everyone knows the story and the jokes were as corny as ever. There was a bit of ad-libbing, as one of the actors appeared to have forgotten his lines, and Kenneth did a cod Frankie Howerd impression. I wasn't sure if it was genuine ad-libbing, or rehearsed. But it was very amusing all the same.

Ava Maria

Another bit of luck with a Twitter competition. This time it was to win two tickets to see international musical superstar Maria Friedman, who was appearing tonight at the Nottingham Playhouse.

I was fortunate enough to win a couple of tickets through a competition on Twitter. So it made another pre-birthday treat. Or should that be tweet!

It's been a good day in all, as Gail's ex husband came over to see us and wish me a Happy Birthday, and to congratulate us on seven years of marriage. We all went for a very tasty lunch at the Victoria Hotel, a lovely old pub near Beeston railway station.

Maria sang a number of songs by Stephen Sondheim, just accompanied by a pianist by the name of Jason Carr. Although the only one I knew was "Send in the Clowns' and I didn't even know that it was one of his! I guess it's because Andrew Lloyd Webber's songs are more well known. I think most people have heard "Memory" from Cats, "Music of the Night" from Phantom of the Opera and of course "Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat".

After the show, Maria went into the foyer to meet her fans and sign autographs. In front of me in the queue was a mum and her daughter, who I understood from their conversation that she was studying to be a singer too.

She was telling her mum how to take a photo using her mobile. Poor mum looked a bit worried and said that she hoped it came out OK.  Of course I had my OMD already pried for action and took a couple of shots. I said that if it didn't come out, they may like one of mine. So I gave the mum one of my cards; so hopefully she will be sending me an e-mail, so I can send them a copy. But if anyone does know this delightful young lady, please point her in my direction.

Sign Of The Times - Theme Day

My theme day photo is a little different, in that it is a sign of a building, rather than say a street, or place. I chose this one, as it both shows the name of my city and also I like the reflection of the trees and the buildings.

There are a number of bloggers participating in the theme. Links below:
Seattle (WA), USA - Ocean Township (NJ), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Cleveland (OH), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Singapore, Singapore - Boston (MA), USA - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Kajang (Selangor), Malaysia - Mainz, Germany - Evry, France - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Sequim (WA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Nottingham, UK - Toulouse, France - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Manila, Philippines - Mumbai, India - Montpellier, France - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Stayton (OR), USA - Moscow, Russia - Paris, France - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Austin (TX), USA - Lyon, France - Stockholm, Sweden - Hyde, UK - Hong Kong, China - Joplin (MO), USA - Seoul, South Korea - Chandler (AZ), USA - St. Louis (MO), USA - Arlington (VA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Villigen, Switzerland - Sydney, Australia - Ampang (Selangor), Malaysia - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - San Diego (CA), USA - Bandung (West Java), Indonesia - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Nelson, New Zealand - Quincy (MA), USA - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Bend (OR), USA - Wellington, New Zealand - New Orleans (LA), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Detroit (MI), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Selma (AL), USA - Phoenix (AZ), USA - Miami (FL), USA - Arradon, France - Sheki, Azerbaijan - New York City (NY), USA - Inverness (IL), usa - North Bay (ON), Canada - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Tenerife, Spain - Auckland, New Zealand - Forks (WA), USA - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Chateaubriant, France - Madison (WI), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Orlando (FL), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Ajaccio, France - Baltimore (MD), USA - Crepy-en-Valois, France - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Budapest, Hungary - Lyon, France - Saarbrücken, Germany - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Le Guilvinec, France - River Falls (WI), USA - Stavanger, Norway - Naples (FL), USA - London, UK - La Antigua, Guatemala - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Paris, France - San Diego (CA), USA - Trujillo, Peru - Haninge, Sweden - Prague, Czech Republic - Oslo, Norway - Grenoble, France - Shanghai, China - Toronto (ON), Canada - Durban, South Africa - Zurich, Switzerland - Cape Town, South Africa - Singapore, Singapore