That's the England I Remember..

For anyone, abroad (my missus par example). If you ever want to know what you're missing out on. Watch this: 

                               

My thanks of course to the smorgasbord of chuckles that is Robert Popper

Stella

Finally The News Makes Sense

Adam Buxton is funny, and seemingly delightful man. His Radio Show on a Saturday morning is always worth a listen. Seriously, it goes down reaaal easy. Him and Joe Cornish have been being silly together since the 90's...still rockin 2day woop woop.

                           

And this guy...

                           

Too true.

Paxman

I Likes My Politics Rowdy

Yesterday Prime Minister's Question Time was cancelled due to the tragic death of Ivan Cameron (I got your back DC). Here's the kind of sparring that will have to wait for another day...

Oooooh!

Black Rod

After The Crunch

Me and my mates will be doing this as a stans...

                              

The bit at the end where MA$E takes a bite out of a brie wheel...

Opulence..

Young Money

Lucky I'm Broke

Credit crunch gotta be good for something right?

Stanford

REVIEW: Spring Awakening

Some theatre just feels slightly fresher than it's contemporaries. Much like the two pots of hoummus on the top shelf of my fridge both without sell-by dates. There's no way of telling which one will taste a bit sludgy and which will be surprisingly zesty. Or indeed why that is the case. Thus I stumbled with my metaphorical warm pitta in hand, to see Spring Awakening at the Lyric Hammersmith on Wednesday.

I'm often clueless about the shows I end up seeing at the theatre. Firstly because I'm pretty out of step with the comings and goings of theatreland, and secondly because the few things I do read up on, I'm guaranteed to end up missing. But the one benefit of being so gloriously un-informed, is that it often makes for a far more surprising theatrical encounter.

Turns out Spring Awakening is a US import, having done the rounds on Broadway for a few years solid winning 8 Tony Awards (as you do). Though, putting a few N'Sync-esque key changes aside, it couldn't be further from what you'd expect from an American imported musical. For one thing it's based on a German play from 1891, set in the confines of an archaic boarding school, where a gaggle of lonely teenagers get to grips with what it really means to be alive. The atmosphere is one of deep repression, where a few wrong Latin declensions could wind you with six of the best....to the face. Latin chanting, sexual brooding, child abuse, and characters with names like Ulbrecht and Melchior....the kids from Fame this aint.

By removing the plot from a contemporary setting the young audience (and it was) is caught off-guard as the "issues" appear stealthily from beneath the veneer of olde-worlde respectability. And what a clever device. Rather than having leaden, teenage, navel-gazing dumped on an audiences plate like stodgy mash. The hurt, and self discovery of the characters seems tangible and their revelations genuine. They seem as surprised as you are to have the plot unfold.

At various stages I found myself asking: "This shouldn't be moving, this format is designed to feel false?!" But it is. The set while beautiful, is pared back to a backdrop complete with elaborate neon lights, with an open arena in the middle where all the action takes place. All the adult roles are played by two older actors while the young chorus picks off everything else, but with no loss of potency.

The musical numbers (for those are the currency, in this genre) are good. Not perfect, there are a couple of numbers that feel limp, but overall a fine pedigree of well rounded pop songs. Rocky in some places, Motowny in others, but all with a consistent "soulful" quality. And having the live band on the stage (complete with set list scrawled on the back wall) is yet another wonderful touch.

It's very hard to do plays about young people well. Somehow, despite coming at it with a format that on paper is designed to make things seem irrelevant and false, this show charms and captivates in a highly original, and creative fashion. Watching it in a packed house must've been similar to what the first people who saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show felt. That exciting sense of all being there sharing something fresh, exciting and above all new.

Spring Awakening - 9/10

Keep Calm And Carry On

Something to remember in trying times:

Listen Here

Another gem from the Today programme.

Humphries 

The Morning After The Night Before

....you don't know what you've got till it's gone

Frosty

I Had To Get To Work This Morning

I am nothing if not dedicated. It was quite a commute.

Shackleton