Three shows to see in London

Between London's West End and Broadway, theatregoers are spoiled for choice but it's only in the last couple of years that I've actually invested any real time in going. Over the last couple of years, I've been to Shakespeare's Globe twice to see A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Comedy of Errors, Sadler's Wells to see Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake and Soho to see Les Miserables, Miss Saigon and Shakespeare In Love. 

This year's been better than ever and I've been so lucky to see another Shakespeare play and two of the biggest shows to hit the stage. Back in December, my then boyfriend S bought me tickets to see the limited run of Cats on Valentine's Day eve. I grew up reading the original playbill back to back and TS Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats until I knew the poems and the costumes off by heart. Having waited 25 years to watch it, seeing the stage explode with dancing and singing cats was amazing and whether it was me or the elderly gentleman gleefully knowing all the words, it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. The run's now finished but make sure you catch it when it comes back!

Two months later to the day, I'd booked tickets for S and I to see The Book of Mormon to celebrate an anniversary. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be and I took the other man in my life, my dad, to the acclaimed show, not knowing whether I'd be cringing into my hands and watching a disgruntled father disappear to the bar at the first sign of poor taste. I had nothing to fear though as it was absolutely amazing and we both loved every second. It's quite possibly some of the least politically correct writing in the mainstream today but it is so self-aware and gloriously brilliant that you can't help but we swept up in the whole spectacle. It's a musical about two Mormon Elders being sent on a mission to Africa and every scene has an unexpected twist. Watch out for the stupidly catchy songs - my faves are Spooky Mormon Hell Dream and Turn It Off - and some really touching scenes in the middle. Tickets are always in demand but well worth the hype and wait.

And then last month, Mum and I made it a hat-trick with a third show at Shakespeare's Globe. We'd booked As You Like It, a pastoral comedy with lots of dukes, women disguised as men, and even some prime bit of comedic dancing thrown in for good measure. My love for Shakespeare was rekindled all over again as the beautiful language was brought to life by the talented players, and the satirical observations as modern as ever. Seeing Jacques deliver the famous 'All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players' in The Globe was one of the most memorable experiences and deserving of the rapturous applause at the end. Whilst reading Shakespeare might be a challenge for some, seeing it performed live brings its beauty to the fore and casts aside any of those torturous schoolbook sessions. As You Like It's on til September so check it out before the season closes and the run changes next year.

So three shows in six months - what's next?

Cats

Good things come to those who wait, right? And surely what feels like all of my 25 years is long enough. Let's start at the beginning though. Ask anyone who knows me to describe me and quite possibly the words 'cat' and 'lady' may recur. I grew up in a house of animals (cats, dogs, chickens, horses, hamsters, sheep, errant stoats/rabbits/voles brought in by aforementioned cats etc) and will still find any excuse to talk to anything that passes me on four legs. Friends would probably also mention 'books' - I devour books at an insatiable speed and as a child used to read TS Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats cover to cover, as well as the programme of the poems-brought-to-the-stage-production Cats that I'd swiped from the bookshelf.

Cats left the West End back in 2001 and my dreams of meeting magical Mr Mistoffelees were shattered until S bought me tickets to see the reboot for Christmas. Almost two months later, the time had finally arrived and I was off to The Jellicle Ball.

One of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's most successful musicals, Cats is a riot of Eliot's poetry brought to life through incredibly feline dance and Trevor Nunn's award-winning score. There's a loose story woven around the characters and each appear on and off stage as languidly and louche as the very best cats do to tales of Macavity (the mystery cat), Growltiger (who's a cat-pirate) and my favourite Mr Mistoffelees (an entertainer through and through with a brilliantly adorned costume).

Despite not having read the poetry for many years, I found myself knowing all the words and loving that the grandfather in the row in front of us was singing along to Journey to the Heaviside Layer. I had goosebumps through Memory and overheard the granddaughter ask whether the cats were real.

The production is brilliant and I'm loathe to reveal too much because you absolutely must go and see if for yourself before it disappears from the stage once again. And if there's one thing you'll definitely take away (other than how can people look so good in catsuits and costumes) is that The Naming of Cats is a serious thing.

Shakespeare In Love

John Dryden once wrote:

'But Shakespeare's magic could not copied be; Within that circle none durst walk but he.'

And I'm inclined to agree. As most lovers of the English language will attest, Shakespeare is one of the greatest writers ever to have graced the pages of literature. Whether from his tragedies, his comedies, his tragicomedies (they exist) or his sonnets, practically everyone in the English-speaking world and beyond can quote at least a line of Shakespeare.

Mum and I have made it an annual thing to visit The Globe to watch a play. Last year it was A Midsummer Night's Dream, this year The Comedy of Errors. Next year? Well we're waiting for the schedule to be released but determined to get our Shakespeare fix, we booked Shakespeare in Love. Based on the Oscar-winning film (and written by the same guy too), it tells the fanciful story of Shakespeare, his friend and rival Kit Marlow and his love interest Viola de Lesseps as our hero attempts to pen his latest work and chase off the debt collectors. 

It's one of my favourite films so I had high hopes for the stage production (which has been extended into the New Year) and definitely wasn't disappointed. A faithful adaptation of the onscreen oeuvre, the cast were absolutely magical and brought the characters to life spectacularly, simultaneously bringing me to tears (that scene) then having me dissolving into laughter. I never wanted it to end and the interweaving of Shakespeare's sonnets and plays (in particular Romeo and Juliet) had me falling head over heels in love again with the playwright's poetry. 

Now, if only I could write something as beautiful...

The Comedy of Errors, Shakespeare's Globe

It finally rolled around. Having booked it months in advance, when the tickets get released at the beginning of the season, Mum and I were off to see our second play at The Globe in as many years having fallen in love with A Midsummer's Night's Dream.

One of Shakespeare's earliest, The Comedy of Errors is one of his shortest and most humorous plays. What's it about? 

Take one pair of estranged twin brothers (both called Antipholus), and one pair of estranged twin servants (both called Dromio), keep them in ignorance of each other and throw them into a city with a reputation for sorcery, and you have all the ingredients for theatrical chaos. One Antipholus is astonished by his foreign hospitality; the other enraged by the hostility of his hometown. The Dromios, caught between the two, are soundly beaten for obeying all the wrong orders. Basing his plot on a face by Plautus, Shakespeare caps the mayhem of his Roman original to build up a hectic tale of violent cross-purposes, furious slapstick and social nightmare.

I'll be the first to admit, I'm not a huge fan of slapstick comedy. Throwing custard pies and sticking a leg out? No thanks. But right from the off of this play, I was hooked.

A glorious cast jest their way through a script that is simultaneously elegant and naughty. Complaints of Shakespeare being difficult to follow could be completely assuaged by seeing this play - the words were brought to life with such beauty that it inspired me to pick up my languishing copy of his Works. The joy of Shakespeare is that despite the somewhat antiquated language, the jokes and the passion still shine through and they're just as easy to find funny - the entire audience were in complete hysterics with some well-timed japes (and of course, a ridiculous scene involving a rubber octopus) and there was a brilliant nod to both Hamlet and Harry Potter in one understated scene.

Being able to see a play that's been performed for almost 400 years today is such a privilege, and The Globe is one of the most accessible theatres in London. Standing tickets (groundlings) are as little as £5 so you can simply wander in to watch that day or book in advance and snap up seats for a bit more - we go for what we call the best in the house - H5 and H6 on the Upper Gallery for pure, interrupted viewing.

We've vowed to go once every season so I can't wait 'til April when the next run of shows gets released. Who knows, maybe they'll do a classic Romeo & Juliet? Here's hoping.

Miss Saigon (and how London's got a lot for us)

I'll have lived in London seven years next month. Well six if you count that I spent a year in Paris in the middle. So, six/seven years since the Saturday when my parents helped me move some hastily packed boxes into a shabby terrace house (the definition of student digs) to start a four year adventure in the big city.

Most of those four years were spent dashing around the city and frequenting a heady mix of questionable student venues and clubs at the opposite end of the spectrum. I didn't have the time or money to spend on covetable shows and tickets so the wonders of the West End mostly passed me by. Until now. 

My mum and I try to spend a day each month together in London and we aim to mix things up a little and see new things. We've seen A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Globe (and loved it so much we're seeing something else next month), visited the Saatchi Gallery in its new home, saw Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, watched Les Miserables, went to Marina Abramovic's 512 hours exhibition at The Serpentine Gallery and then, for my birthday, went to see Miss Saigon. 

I knew the basics about the musical - an interpretation of Puccini's Madame Butterfly, it's set during the Vietnam War and tells the tragic story of Kim, a young Vietnamese girl, and Chris, an American GI - but not much else. Having been to Vietnam in 2010 and seeing the memories and aftermath of the conflicts, I was intrigued to see how this could be brought to life on the stage.

It's a rip-roaring musical adventure that takes you through every single emotion possible and right back again. Whilst we didn't recognise any of the songs, they were sung with such conviction and skill that you felt you'd known them all your life. And the set - oh, the set. The ingenious designers created a world of iniquity (Dreamland, the brothel above), of poverty, of decadence and most spectacularly of desperation (I won't spoil the incredible surprise how) to try and give the audience a glimpse of the hardships suffered. And you can't forget the cast - from the 18 year lead actress making her West End debut as Kim to the theatre pro who stole the show as pimp, The Engineer (resplendent in pink snakeskin flares), there's no denying that the people behind this show are a talented bunch indeed.

If you could only say one thing about London, it's that there's always something to do. London's West End is constantly evolving with brand new shows and plays that mean you're never without something to do. Admittedly, good and affordable tickets are hard to find unless you book months and months in advance but it's worth the effort and the wait. 

We've already snapped up tickets for the last matinee of Shakespeare In Love in October and we're seeing The Comedy of Errors at The Globe next September.  I'm taking my dad to see Jersey Boys for his birthday and I'm trying to get hold of tickets for Cats (the dream). So you could say we're making up for lost time. And boy, isn't it fun.

Secret Cinema: Miller's Crossing

Surely you've heard the latest? The 88mph buzz. It's been everywhere. Immersive cinema production company Secret Cinema are building a life-size replica of Hill Valley, the town where much-loved Back To The Future began.

And so it seemed fitting that I could finally talk about my Secret Cinema, back in April. Way back in deepest, darkest winter my friend James badgered me about buying a ticket. He'd been to four or five before with his girlfriend, Lauren, and was adamant I should come to the next one. I'll admit, I was intrigued but £50 for a cinema ticket sounded like something even a fool wouldn't fall for.

But let me stop there for a second and give you a bit of background. Secret Cinema was born in 2007 from a desire to challenge the mundane movie-going experience. Creator Fabien Riggall builds 'elaborate, site-specific worlds...where the lines between reality and fiction are increasingly blurred'. A film is chosen and the work begins behind the scenes to build a storyline that'll immerse the ticketholder in a whole new way. Everything's hugely hush hush - there must be some serious NDAs going down - to keep the surprise and magic for the last participant just as special as for the first.

James had been to a few before, notably the showing of Prometheus before it was released in cinemas and The Shawshank Redemption, where he had to strip down to his basics to be sorted for his crimes so his constant urging to buy a ticket had to be for good reason. Ticket bought, we waited patiently for our April slot.

Regular emails keep you tantalisingly hooked. Unlike the 'Secret Cinema Presents...' runs (of which Back To The Future is one, and the very popular The Grand Bupadest Hotel is another), the original Secret Cinema stays secret. With no idea of what you'll be seeing, you're fed snippets of information such as dress codes and propaganda all to be squirrelled away until the big day.

And

Almeida and Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake

Despite appearances, I do do other things than spend a seemingly inordinate amount of time in restaurants. I just don't always get round to writing about them. But I couldn't not blog about one of the best Saturdays I've ever had.

For Christmas, I bought my mum and I tickets to see Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake. If you haven't heard of it - where've you been hiding?! Whilst the swans in the original Tchaikovsky masterpiece are all played by women, Bourne's production is infamous for having a completely male ensemble. It's won multiple awards and is heralded as an important piece of dance.

But before we excitedly made our way down to Sadler's Wells, we found time for lunch at Almeida, a classic French restaurant just off Upper Street. The friendly staff gave us a table by the French windows (which open onto the street terrace in the summer) giving us the perfect opportunity to spy Matt Smith being swamped by fans whilst diving into the theatre opposite. We opted for the menu du jour to keep things simple and affordable, despite the a la carte being hugely tempting. We started with goats cheese 'bon bons' that came with a winter salad of pickled vegetables, persimmon and lardons that was the perfect combination of crunch and creaminess. I had the panfried sea bream with roasted aubergine puree to follow, which sadly was a little bland, but Mum's pork belly was much better - and oh, the crackling! We couldn't resist a third course and went for the poached orchard fruits with champagne sabayon (for mum) and the petit pot de chocolat for me. Three courses were ridiculously affordable at £20.00 and afterwards, we practically rolled down Upper Street to the theatre.

It was my first time at Sadler's Wells but it definitely won't be the last. Renowned for its productions, it's been the home to Bourne's Swan Lake on and off for the last ten years as well as a whole host of other performances. Predictably for its age, its modern inside but within the theatre itself, there's room for two circles above the stalls and an orchestra pit (which was fully utilised by the most fantastic musicians). We had seats in the second circle which gave us the most perfect view of the stage and we settled in to watch one of the most moving pieces of art I've ever seen.

When I was younger, my mum used to take me to Buxton Opera House and I have lasting memories of velvet dresses, boxes of Maltesers in the theatre boxes, and the most beautiful music. We watched Swan Lake, Coppelia, Giselle, La Sylphide... and this performance took me right back to that girlish excitement. Matthew Bourne's interpretation of the ballet is incredible with comedic elements and little modern updates, whilst still remaining true to the incredible story of the Prince and the swans. It was so perfectly choreographed to the infamous score that it had both of us crying at the end, all the way through the applause at the end. If I could have stayed for the evening show, I would have and I'd have loved to have asked the dancers for a crash course in choreography... 

Swan Lake's run at Sadler's Wells is almost over as it's about to head off on tour. If you can catch a performance, please do and buy me a ticket too?

Photos not my own as no cameras allowed!

The Sound of Music at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

When I was growing up, I practically wanted to be the eighth Von Trapp child. I used to watch the video every single day (much to the chagrin of my parents) and can still recite most of the film verbatim. So when my housemate had tickets to see The Sound of Music, I jumped at the chance. What made it even better was that it was an evening performance on Bank Holiday Monday. And in an open air theatre.

I'd never been to the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park but was very pleasantly surprised. A steep amphitheatre seating over 1,000 people, it's nestled into a gorgeously verdant part of the park and you'd almost never know it was there. It's host to all sorts of productions from Shakespeare to Hitchcock and is open to the weather (so do take a jumper just in case!). I was running late so picked up my ticket on the gate, whisked through the bar area and found my seat with the others - talking of seats, it seems there's no 'bad' seat as visibility from all angles is brilliant and the production makes the most of the space it's given.

Kicking off at 7.45pm (although there are matinee performances), The Sound of Music fully immerses you in the world of Maria and the Von Trapps. All the characters from the film make appearances and are uncannily like their original counterparts, proving the value of the director's observation. The instantly recognisable Rodgers & Hammerstein score is, of course, prevalent throughout with the actors voices surprisingly strong - and at the curtain call, it's revealed that a live orchestra has been accompanying the entire performance.

The production isn't just a 'live version of the film' - some artistic licence brings the classic right up-to-date with a knowing nod between cast and audience. The action is expertly captured and you could feel a genuine, palpable affection from the latter for such an expert adaptation. As the dark descended, the amphitheatre felt quite romantic, lit with fairy lights in places and the flicker of fireflies dancing above us, and it was quite emotional watching the production draw to a close. There's some real talent in this production and it was so good to see one of my childhood films brought to life so well.

I definitely recommend the Open Air Theatre, tucked into the heart of one of London's favourite parks. Pack a picnic and a bottle of wine and make a right evening of it, soaking up some great culture in the city. The Sound of Music ends on 14 September but you can also catch screenings of Hitchcock's The Birds and Into The Words, dark retellings of the Grimm fairytales.

'Lord, what fools these mortals be!'

Every month, we try to fit in a mother-daughter day (usually in London) - sometimes it goes to plan and we head to the National Portrait Gallery or go for a wander round Covent Garden, other times (once) I end up inexplicably crippled and our day has to be cut short. Friday was not only the best mother-daughter days so far but also one of the best days so far full stop.

Coinciding with my plans to come home for an early birthday weekend (it's actually on the 22nd), I met my mum at Waterloo as our plans for the day were strictly South Bank. The promised weather was less than beautiful but nothing lunch at Brindisa (yes, again - my review here) couldn't put right. Winding our way through the heaving Borough Market, we managed to grab an instant table at the Spanish stalwart, and tucked into some new dishes: huge gordal olives with orange and oregano; traditional potato tortilla; cured iberian ham croquetas; pan fried asparagus with duck egg, serrano ham and romanesco sauce; the old favourite sea bass, and an apple and blue cheese salad. Service wasn't as brilliant this time, which was a shame, but the food was great.

After that came the main event - A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Globe. Shakespeare's Globe is a mecca to English Literature fans, and having been a big reader since before I could read, a pilgrimage there was always on the cards, but always seemed so out of reach. This year, I managed to get my act together and buy two tickets for one of Shakespeare's most loved plays (and one that I knew very little about). It was a dream come true - we had what were probably the best seats in the house (Upper Gallery, H9 & H10) and a front-on view of the stage.

The theatre (fully restored in the last couple of decades) filled up quickly and I lost myself to the poetic genius of the play. A Midsummer Night's Dream is a fantastical comedy and the company pulled it off to an incredible degree with knowing asides to the audience, appropriate amounts of slapstick and some great costumes (above are some of the fairies, Bottom as an ass and Queen Titania). Whilst standing tickets are just £5, ours were understandably a lot pricier but worth every single penny.

After both agreeing that it was the best thing we've ever seen, we wandered back along the South Bank and happened upon Ben & Jerry's Core Tour where they were giving out free tasters of ice cream. We both went for the Peanut Butter Me Up! (raspberry jam surrounded by peanut butter and vanilla ice cream, with peanut butter cup chunks) and I think it's just become my joint favourite (along with Chunky Monkey).

I've been billing this weekend just gone as my early birthday - and I don't think I could have asked for anything better. With a show at The Globe and ice cream, followed by a perfect summer meal and some incredible early presents (more on that tomorrow), I'm thinking that this getting older malarkey isn't that bad after all...

You Could Move

Last night I went to see 'You Could Move' at the Arcola Tent in Dalston. It was a housemate's-boyfriend's-friend-is-the-writer affair and other than a vague suggestion that the play was based on LGB (lesbian, gay and bi) experiences, I didn't know what to expect.

We bought drinks at the bar in the main theatre - just across the road from last night's venue - where two other productions, Gibraltar and Moby Dick, were on stage. Then we settled ourselves on the seating that spanned two sides of the Tent (so-called because of the dark red drape above us) before the production began.

It was an immersive experience in the sense that the cast changed everything up frequently - from the props (lit panels, a table here and there, some chairs and sometimes bedlinen) and their characters, to the nature of the performance and how they interacted with the audience. Well-observed dialogues were intersected with spoken lyrics (think Robyn and Kylie) and monologues taken from experiences of all walks of LGB life. I went with my housemates (a collection of gay guys and a straight girl) and it was interesting to see how much we all related (from our own perspectives) to the content of the production when we emerged, blinking, an hour and a half or so later. It was insightful, entertaining, amusing and interesting all in the one, and it was so good to get a dose of such great culture (and pour the last of my wine right at the quietest part of the production - oops!)

Funded by The National Lottery, You Could Move is the latest production from Outbox, 'a company of all gay performers, focusing on the forgotten and unheard stories of the LGB community. You Could Move mixes up verbatim with physical storytelling, evocative soundscape, glamour, grit and gay abandon to portray contemporary scenes of LGB.' Showing at the Arcola Theatre until 20 April, then Contact in Manchester on the 27 April, tickets are £10 and well-worth every penny.