MADTrust events and lots of new writing!

It’s the last week of the Summer Holidays and all I can say is…thank Christ for that! It has been a nightmare trying to find the time to fit in all my writing work; my days are filled with mummy duties and with no school in the morning, her early nights have not been so early.  Add to that my weekend bar shifts and I’ve had to attempt to do everything in the time slot of five free(ish) evenings a week. Hardly ideal. Still, I can see that light at the end of the tunnel now and as from next week, ‘mummy head’ will be firmly locked away in the storage cupboard during the day and ‘writers head’ will have free reign once again. It is rather pleased about this…

Aside from swings at the park, board games and colouring fun, I’ve also managed to make room for a few theatre-related endeavours – both business and pleasure. The past few weeks have been dedicated to new writing mainly, with the SimGProductions ‘Summer With…’ cabaret season at the Battersea Barge and covering recording sessions of the My Land’s Shore demo as well as Joe Sterling’s album.

I spent last Tuesday at the Auburn Jam recording studio in Raynes Park with Joe Sterling. His debut album features a number of songs from the concept musical ‘Roundabout’ he wrote with Bob Gould, who was also with us in the studio, and from what I heard, the plan to workshop it next year is a worthwhile one. There is a varied range of sounds mixed in there and all of them good. They had Jack Shalloo, Jonathan Eio, Ross Hunter and Rosa O’Reilly come in to record that day, with Christopher Orton and Rhiannon Porter having laid down their vocals the previous day; more sessions are planned for September with a host of names, including Craig Mather and Jonathan Williams. Curly-haired Joe shows promise as a songwriter and I have happily added him to the list of new writers that I think are the future of musical theatre, joining other such talented folk as Tim Prottey-Jones, Chris Passey, Dougal Irvine and Steven Luke Walker. There are many more of course, but taking into mind my enthusiasm for new writers, you’d spend the next ten minutes reading off all their names.

The week before Joe’s session, I was in a different studio for a different recording: My Land’s Shore. It was only recently that my attention was drawn to this Welsh musical but, since having looked into the history that its story is based on and listened to some of the score, I’ve found myself rather excited about this one. I’ve made no secret of the fact that the growing fascination with film-adapted musicals and the seemingly endless jukebox shows is not something I believe to be good for the West End. They have their place, but have begun to dominate Theatreland, at the expense of original and fresh new work and it is in danger of turning into a bland and mundane place, where stunt casting runs wild and every show is something you already know! A big, new melodramatic production is needed to breathe some life and creativity back into the theatre scene and lead the cause for the different and unknown – I really think My Land’s Shore could do that. The tale of Dic Penderyn grabbed me instantly and the score is just stunning, simply stunning. Chris Orton and Bob Gould have been working on the show for years and believe it is ready to be seen; I’d have to agree. When the demo recording is released, I sincerely hope you all get yourselves a copy – I want everyone to love it as much as I already do and I know that with one listen, they will. The people they have singing on this recording are superb; people like Jonathan Williams, Rhiannon Porter, Gareth Richards, Kelly-Anne Gower and Mark Evans, not forgetting the ensemble who took part that day. I felt truly privileged to be there in that room with the people and the music… I can’t get any more behind My Land’s Shore than I already am! I can say with 100% certainty that it will find its way to a West End stage and is going to completely transform the theatre scene. It is powerful and epic and…beautiful.

An interview with Joe Sterling will soon be up on The Public Reviews website, as will the article on My Land’s Shore which includes an interview with Chris Orton, Bob Gould and Jonathan Williams, so look out for them!

All work and no play makes Julie a dull girl though. To remedy this, I went along to the three cabarets that made up the SimG Productions ‘Summer With…’ season, which kicked off with Annalene Beechey and Rebecca Locke. Beautiful, talented, funny and they brought baked goods and MD Peter White…what more could you ask for in a cabaret? The following ‘Composers’ cabaret also over very well; an evening with the future of musical theatre – Laurence Mark Wythe, Grant Olding, Dougal Irvine and Tim Sutton, with guests Samantha Barks, George Ure, Stephen Ashfield and Annalene Beechey. The amount of people who showed up for them (sold-out Barge) only shows the level of support they, and new writing in general, have out there. It was all nicely rounded up last night by Jack Shalloo who, as well as performing songs from his ‘London Soul’ album, brought along some friends with him; The Lovable Rogues, Natalie Green and Gina Beck and MD Spesh Maloney. Fun, laughter and good times by all.

A SimG cabaret is always a guaranteed good night out but most importantly, it gives a platform for new writers and performers. The support of SimG Director Simon Greiff is an asset to new work and he did a wonderful job with these summer cabarets. The next cabaret event will be 18^th December; I’d strongly suggest you keep the date free for it.

It really has been a strong few weeks for new writing and it’s only going to continue. Album releases are popping up all over the place, with the two closest being those from Tim Prottey-Jones and Chris Passey. I recommend you get yourselves down to Dress Circle for their album signings, Tim in October and Chris the following month. Not only are they rather talented in the composing department, they’re also rather fun and lovely folk – see for yourselves at Dress Circle (you can also read my interview with Chris Passey on The Public Reviews site. A TPJ one will be following it)!

It hasn’t been all about the new writing lately though. Sunday 21^st August was also the day of the MADTrust Garden Party. We had cabaret entertainment from the superb Gay Soper and also from Will Barratt, accompanied by Nadim Naaman and Kate Batter, all of which did a fine job of entertaining the guests. The cast of War Horse also staged a poolside performance, and none of them fell in, which was good!

The food was amazing and the raffle and auction raised a fantastic amount for the Trust – our auctioneer Christopher Biggins was just grand at getting the guests to empty their wallets in our name… Plenty of fun was had in the pool, even more so as the cocktails kept on flowing, thanks to Freedom Bar, Soho. It was a pleasure to be there and it was great to see everyone having such a good time. Nobody does a better job of making fundraising fun than MADTrust. Of course, our next event is this coming weekend with West End Bares: Clothing Optional; perhaps the most fun fundraiser of them all! ‘Hot guys and gals taking their clothes off’ - does it need more of a selling-point than that? Add to that, our hosts Gok Wan and Sheridan Smith, as well as Ramin Karimloo performing and it promises to be one of the best ‘Bares’ of all. There are very limited tickets available now, so if you want to come along then move quickly. At last check, there were still a few VIP tickets available which grant you access to the after-party; well worth getting your hands on one! I shall be working both shows that day (behind the scenes of course) so I hope to see a few of you there. It will be a sizzling hot night!

There’s a lot of exciting things coming up the following weeks and months and I shall of course endeavour to keep you all up to date here. Among other things, I’m working on a really fun feature right now and also have an upcoming interview with everyone’s favourite French policeman… wink wink.

Thanks to all who have been reading my blog – I do hope you find it interesting! I always enjoy writing it… J

Remember…create, love, inspire!

Miss Julie

Week in Review - Les Mis vs Phantom!

With Les Miserables celebrating its 25^th anniversary last year and The Phantom of the Opera celebrating the same this year, these two shows are undoubtedly the powerhouses of the West End. The ‘mum and dad of musical theatre’ (I’ll leave you to decide which is which!) are leading the way, after all; there’s a reason they have been around for a quarter of a century with no sign of their popularity waning…

So it was a good week for me as I had a little taste of both!

This past Tuesday, I finally got myself along to the Queens theatre to see the now not-so-new cast of Les Miserables. En-route however, we heard that Alfie Boe would be off that night due to illness. It’s become somewhat of a running joke that every time I go to the theatre with The Mother, the lead isn’t on; it happened the same way the first time we went along to Love Never Dies as well.

Of course, the rumblings of discourse could be heard as soon as we got to the theatre. I enjoy Boe’s voice, but having already seen his performance in the Les Mis 25^th concert and heard him sing Bring Him Home a dozen-odd times since then, I confess to not being overly disappointed at his absence – although I’m sure he would have been wonderful. Having heard many positive things about the alternate JVJ, Jonathan Williams, I was actually rather pleased to have the chance to see him for myself.

Many of you will recall the furore of a few months back, concerning the letters sent into the stage by theatre-goers who were unhappy at ‘settling’ for an understudy/alternate instead of the lead they were expecting. If you were one of those who complained, then I would suggest you take a little trip down to the Queens theatre one Monday night to see Williams’ performance; perfect example to dispel such nonsensical thinking!

Sat in the second row of the stalls, I had an up-close and personal experience of Williams’ Valjean and he quite simply blew me away. Williams possesses a powerfully emotive voice and makes for a very strong Valjean, perfectly capturing his growth from convict to man of redemption. His Bring Him Home was just outstanding… Within moments of him appearing on the stage, the inevitable comparisons to Boe were forgotten by the audience as Williams swept them up in the character and the story and if the volume and length of the standing ovation he received at the end is anything to go by, not one person in that theatre went home harbouring the intention to write off to The Stage…

This is a personal theatre blog, not a review site, so I’m not inclined to do a full blow-by-blow stripping down of the production and cast. It made a nice change to just go along and watch purely for my own enjoyment. It says something about the quality of the show and its cast actually, that I didn’t feel the usual itch to have a pen and pad in my hands. I will say though, that this is a very strong cast full of ridiculously talented people! Caroline Sheen, Lisa Anne Wood, Liam Tamne, Alexia Khadime and, of course, Matt Lucas are all brilliant additions to this iconic show and I was particularly impressed by Craig Mathers; especially with this being his first job out of MTA. I’m sure he has big things ahead of him.

For me though, the other person who stole the show along with Jonathan Williams was the ever-charismatic Hadley Fraser. He brings a menacing intensity to the character of Javert, to the point where The Mother whispered how he seemed ‘almost evil’. Fraser is a truly committed actor and absolutely commands the stage; he has perfectly tapped into the conflict that rages within Javert, between his unflinching conviction in the power of the law and his encounters with Jean Valjean. Of course, he also has an outstanding voice to back it all up - those who may only know him from his Sheytoons gigs with Ramin Karimloo will be taken aback by it. His rendition of Stars was one of the best I’ve ever heard, just stunning. Fraser has been somewhat of an underrated talent in the past, and I for one hope that now people will start to realise just how good he really is.

Don’t overlook the supporting cast either! There are some names in there that really stood out for me and I can guarantee that you’ll be seeing some of them in leading roles one day very soon…

It’s a sign of a good musical that as soon as it’s over, you want to see it again! Les Miserables is of course, a big melodramatic production – which I just love. You don’t make it 25 years without having something very special and Les Mis certainly does, but with a cast as strong as this, it just got that little bit extra special…

Two days later, it was all about The Phantom of the Opera however. No, not the production (although I am long overdue for a visit to Her Majesty’s), but A COMPLICATED LOVE: The West End Cast of The Phantom of the Opera in Cabaret. If you follow me on Twitter (@MissJulie25) then you can’t have failed to miss my endless promo tweets for this over the last month or so. The cast of Phantom came together in their 25^th year to help out the MADTrust charity, now in their 21^st year! All profits from the night went to the MADTrust Hardship Fund, helping those within the entertainment industry who are suffering from a long-term illness. If you were there, then you’ll already know just what a fantastic night it was.

I actually headed to the Delfont Rooms in the afternoon for the dress rehearsal – which is to say, I sat eating M&Ms with fellow MADTrusters, Christian and Jane, as a makeshift audience while the Phantom cast did all the work! We did do some actual work back in the MADtrust office afterwards though. J

The whole team for the night arrived back at the Delfont Rooms during the second act of Mamma Mia to set everything up for cabaret. We had a branding board, a table chock-full of MADTrust flyers, pins and programmes (and a donation bucket of course) and a whole book of raffle tickets to sell, which I and my friend Anna mercilessly proceeded to do. Perhaps it was my impressive selling technique that persuaded people to dip into their pockets, but more likely it was the chance to win themselves either two tickets to West End Bares (3^rd), two tickets to the Garden Party (2^nd) or a framed Phantom poster, signed by the whole cast (1^st). I did enjoy being the ‘promo-girl’ during the draw though, smiling winsomely and gesturing towards the prizes displayed in my hands… everyone’s done that at some point right?

On a serious note, it was wonderful to see so many people turning up to support the cast and the charity, including the soon-to-be alternate Phantom, Simon Shorten and a couple of Les Misers (Matt Lucas, Scott Garnham, Carl Mullaney, Craig Mathers) – although I’m sure they were just there to check out the cabaret competition, right guys?

Having already had my sneak peek at the dress rehearsal, I already knew that this was going to be a brilliant night for all involved. There was a great mix of material in there, from hilarious ‘character’ songs to beautiful ballads, all taken from an array of musicals. It was nice to see they weren’t all the usual obvious choices too. Us MADTrusters were laughing our heads off at We’re Just Friends (I Love You Because), What Am I Doing (Closer Than Ever) and Runaround Sue, but the funniest one of the night had to be Wendy Ferguson with To Keep My Love Alive (A Connecticut Yankee). Just brilliant… The heart-rending duet Touch My Soul (Bare) was another highlight of the night, as was the HOT El Tango De Roxanne (Moulin Rouge), which of course included some very steamy moves from some of the ballet chorus of Phantom. The all-female first half closer, You’re My World/All I See Is You and the all-male second half opener, And So It Goes were simply sumptuous;  truly music to the ears.  We also had an original number, written by two of the Phantom cast, Will Barratt and Nadim Naaman: Complicated Love, featuring all the cast members was wonderfully written; both beautiful and wittily amusing. A fabulous effort.

The whole night was a huge success. Everyone there went home with a smile on their faces, including us MADTrusters. The MADTrust cause is a deeply important and meaningful one, but when we can raise much-needed funds for our cause in such a fun and enjoyable manner, it’s a great thing. And really, it’s just what The Make A Difference Trust is all about. Some give to charity because they feel obliged, some do it out of guilt (of course, some do it because they genuinely want to help, I’m not altogether cynical!) – how nice it is to give to a charity, knowing that not only are you supporting them, but getting a great day/night in return for it… J

So a huge thank you to all of the cast members of The Phantom of the Opera who gave so much of their time to us and did such a phantastic job with it. I genuinely love being a part of MADTrust and I feel so lucky to be able to involve myself in nights such as these. A lot goes on behind the scenes with every MADTrust event, and it’s always lovely to see the fruits of your labour pay off so abundantly.  

With Les Miserables and the Phantom cabaret, it really has been a pretty good week for me; for both those reasons and more. In August, there’s only more good things ahead too! There is of course, the MADTrust Garden Party on the 21^st and who could forget the SimG Productions SUMMER WITH…. cabaret season? Kicking off with Annalene Beechey and Rebecca Lock on the 14^th, it moves onto ‘The Composers’ night, with Dougal Irvine, Lawrence Mark Wythe, Tim Sutton and Grant Olding and featuring guests Samantha Barks, George Ure and Stephen Ashfield on the 21^st and wrapping up with Jack Shalloo and Friends, of whom he has gathered Beth Morrissey, Jonathan Eio, Spesh Maloney and Gina Beck on the 28^th.

I will be at all of these and I sincerely hope some of you will be too! So get your tickets and join me for a wonderful Summer of Fun!

Remember…create, love, inspire!

Miss Julie

Take a look at the MADTrust website for details of the Garden Party and our other events coming up this year.

To book tickets for one or all of the SimG Production’s SUMMER WITH… cabarets, click HERE – you can book all three for £30, saving yourself £7.50 (which you could put towards a ticket for a MADTrust event?) J

The Ups and Downs of Theatre-Life

Editor John Roberts started The Public Reviews in 2006: the theatre review site ‘for you, by you’.  Using a team of dedicated volunteer reviewers, John has built the site into a trusted and significant player in the reviewing-game - the growth of TPR in just four years is an admirable feat; one which has been achieved through hard-work, unwavering commitment and a love of theatre.

The site receives nearly half a million hits per month and is regularly invited to review all manners of theatre, both on and off-West End, with many of our reviews having been quoted on show posters and websites. We’ve also run interviews with a number of big-name actors/actresses, such as Rebecca Caine, and are always being contacted by theatre companies/individuals who contact our site looking for promotional interviews or articles. The name of The Public Reviews is a well-known one now and is gaining more and more recognition every day – so the news last week that TPR has not been given Press accreditation for this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival is astounding!

John Roberts wrote a blog post detailing his disappointment at the decision of the Ed Fringe Media Accreditation Team (MAT). I highly recommend you take a look at it - HERE – and if you wanted to leave a message of support for TPR, we would very much appreciate it. Theatre companies whom we have reviewed/interviewed have shown their support, as have a great number of TPR’s followers too.

Personally, I feel it is extremely short-sighted of MAT to not offer TPR accreditation. We were also denied it in 2010 and to this day, have still not received a clear answer as to just why that is. Taking into account everything I have mentioned already about TPR, what is it that makes it so ‘inappropriate’ to offer us accreditation?

For those who are not aware, I have been writing for The Public Reviews for six months now as one of the Features Writers, covering articles, reviews and interviews – so I know first-hand just how well thought-of the site is. John regularly forwards me e-mails he has received, asking for an interview, a feature article or a review of their show and, I personally, am constantly inundated with similar requests. People come to us because they accept and welcome us as a valued theatre site, which is why it saddens me that the MAT still does not: after all, isn’t Ed Fringe all about being accepting and welcoming? ‘Open to everyone’! Well, clearly, not everyone it seems…

I would urge you to read some of the messages of supports we have received on John’s blog, it is overwhelming how much positive feedback TPR has received regarding this issue. From people whose first stop for reviews is our site, to theatre companies who find our reviews so important to their work, everyone has echoed the incredulity at our situation and is behind us all the way, for which I would like to take the opportunity to now thank each and every one of them. It’s truly heart-warming to see and just reaffirms our determination to go to Ed Fringe, accreditation or not.

There was one comment there however I’d like to address here:

“I’m not saying the contribution of TPR isn’t valuable. Just that it seems inconsistent for a site – the very premise of which is the participation of amateur reviewers and “the public” – to get upset because it is being denied VIP treatment.”

First off – we are hardly asking for VIP treatment. A review site which is regularly invited to review all the major West End shows – as well as hundreds of Fringe theatre productions – alongside the other accredited critics should surely be extended the same courtesy, wouldn’t you agree? Why are we being singled out here – that is our issue…

It seems ‘Sans Taste’ believes it is our amateur reviewers which may be the reason. As part of the TPR writing team, it does rile me when our efforts are looked upon in a negative and dismissive manner and to be honest, I find it insulting. Every person who writes for TPR has had to submit examples of work (to a high enough standard) to be accepted. We all share a love of theatre; we know theatre and how to write about it and just because we are giving our time voluntarily, it doesn’t mean we are incapable of critical reviewing that stands up there with that of The Guardian, The Independent, The Stage and so forth.

Two of my biggest passions in life are theatre and writing, and being able to combine the two by writing for TPR is something I am very grateful and thankful for. I am not someone who cares to blow my own trumpet and you will never find anyone more critical of my work than me, but you know what; I am good at what I do – if I didn’t believe that then I’d have no business writing in the first place. People approach me to write for them, so I must be doing something right! J The point is; having voluntary reviewers write for TPR does not make it any less entitled to the same treatment other review publications receive.

So, with my self-righteous indignation dissipated, I’ll lay the subject to rest for now by asking once again for any help you can give in supporting The Public Reviews. We are here to stay and are only going to get bigger and better with every coming year, so come along for the journey and help us prove to Ed Fringe MAT that their decision was wrong!

On a happier note, I was at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane this Wednesday for the showcase of a new musical, PLAYBACK. Having already heard the premise and the demo recording, I must admit I was rather keen to take a look and see how it was coming along.

Written by Paul Rayfield, PLAYBACK is a satirical take on the ‘trailer trash’ daytime TV shows (think Jeremy Kyle and you’re on the right track!): a callous, self-obsessed presenter, outlandish paternity claims – with the obligatory lie detector tests – and plenty of behind-the-scenes dramas… Here, the audience of the musical are also the TV audience within the show, encouraged to participate in the action.

Being a showcase, we only get a taste of PLAYBACK -it’s very easy to see just how good it will be when staged as a full-on production however. The dialogue is witty and has a great back-and-forth rhythm between the characters, while the songs are fun, upbeat numbers to get the audience going. Designed to be catchy and memorable, they certainly achieve this (Café Caipirinha – Sarah Lark – Owain Williams).

Simon Greiff of SimG Productions directs (and also produced the recording through SimG Records) while MD AnneMarie Lewis Thomas of the MTA can take credit for the arrangements. A number of her MTA students did an excellent job providing backing vocals and the main cast (Jon-Paul Hevey; Graham Bickley; Anita Louise Combe; Peter Duncan; Sarah Lark and Owain Williams) were simply brilliant.

I thoroughly enjoyed PLAYBACK and am looking forward to seeing how it progresses from here. Being in the developmental stage, there are, of course, elements that still need work, but a showcase isn’t about presenting a complete, polished production: the purpose is to, well…showcase what you do have; offer an early glimpse of the production and give the audience a chance to see the backbone of the model. The PLAYBACK showcase introduced us to the characters, the songs, and the story and provided a clear view of what it’s all about. I can easily picture how it would come across on stage, backed up with the sets and costumes and technical additions…hopefully, something we’ll all be able to see for ourselves soon enough!

The team are working towards staging an Off-West End run of PLAYBACK in 2012 and are currently looking for backers to support them in this aim. After my sneak-peek at the musical, I for one wish them all nothing but good luck in this endeavour and am confident that they can make this happen. It’s a fun, good-feel musical that entertains enormously and I would love for others to experience it.

You can check out the website www.playbackthemusical.com for all PLAYBACK news and hey, if you were a lucky Euromillions winner this week, you could always throw a little in their direction? ;)

I couldn’t end things here without mentioning MADTrust’s presence at London’s Gay Pride on Saturday. Myself, along with Trust Director Steven Inman, my lovely friends Anna and Jo and a few new volunteers, joined in the parade to highlight the charity and its support, as well as raise some awareness for our September event, West End Bares. We handed out almost five thousand flyers that day and all involved had a fabulous time! We laughed, we made some nice new friends and some of us even got hugs (not me though. Sad face)! I can’t stress enough just what a lovely bunch of people the MADTrust team are – I am so proud to be a part of it as, along with the fantastic and inspiring work we do, I have found some life-long friends through it all. I absolutely love being involved with them – the more the better!

It’s been a week of ups and downs in theatre circle, but hard work, a great product – be it a new musical or a website – and a little bit of faith can go a long way: if you have all of these things, you’re bound to get to where you want to be. The bumps in the road just make it all the more worthwhile when you finally get there. J

Remember…create, love inspire!

Miss Julie

Viva New Writing!

For a London girl who doesn’t live in London, life can be frustrating. I grew up in London, but moved away almost ten years ago yet, like most first loves, I’ve never really gotten over Her…

This is why I’ve been trying to come home to the Big Smoke. I had a place lined up and arrangements were being made – then today I found out that it’s all fallen through. Fiddlesticks. I walked out on London and I guess She still hasn’t forgiven me…but when it’s true love, you don’t take no for an answer! I’ve already found another two properties who are interested, so fingers crossed it will all go well and I’ll win Her over through the summer holidays.

My love of London aside, it really is difficult living at the other end of the M20 when everything you write about revolves around (mostly) West End theatre: I much prefer interviewing face-to-face, but often have to conduct them as phoners or through email; I have to work out reviewing gigs around when I’m in town and have had to turn down invites to various theatre-related events more than I like because travelling makes attending unfeasible. Take tonight for instance: I was invited along to Soho Theatre tonight as a guest of cabaret act, Late Night Gimp Fight - they just started a two-week run there and tonight is their Press Night – but had to turn them down as I can’t make to up to London and back tonight. Hardly ideal. So I truly cannot wait to get back to London, for reasons of both business and pleasure which, as luck would have it, often mix! J

Of course, there are some events in London which are quite simply un-missable; last Friday’s was one of them. I would hope that most theatre-fans know as to what I’m referring, but if you’ve just emerged from that rock you’ve been living under, then you may be unaware that last Friday 24^th June was the night Scott Alan and Friends came to town.

If you haven’t heard of Scott Alan, the truly brilliant American composer/lyricist, then you’re reading the wrong blog my friends. My readers (hopefully) know by now that I am a big advocate for the support of new writing and it is because of people like Scott Alan that I am so. I really hope you own, or have heard, at least one of his albums because Scott is an extremely talented song-writer.

You may have read my previous blog on creativity. If you have, you may also recall what I wrote about creativity and expression. If you haven’t read it, or just found what I write to be unmemorable [ ;) ], then let me enlighten you as to what it said:

“Creativity is a gift we are given, the key to escaping the prison of our minds. It allows us to express those thoughts and feelings which we cannot always voice: an artist uses a brush; a writer uses the pen; a musician uses an instrument; a dancer uses their body…

Whatever the tool, it works as a release. We put a piece of ourselves into every creation and in doing so, free ourselves.”

Scott Alan is one of those creative people who would understand just what I was trying to say here. He pours himself into his music - every note he plays, and every lyric he sings, comes straight from the heart. Scott completely bares his soul, sharing intimate thoughts and feelings that offer his listeners a glimpse into moments of his life; sometimes beautiful and sometimes heart-breaking, but always honest. It’s this honesty which allows you to connect with his songs so deeply. Scott has said himself that music is like therapy for him and, although it sounds rather trite, you really do go on a journey with every song.

The Scott Alan concert was a rather last-minute affair, taking advantage of his last night in London before returning to New York. It was held at the Jermyn Street Theatre which is…cosy, to say the least! It was the perfect venue for Scott’s ‘Living Room concert’ however. The night was put together by Simon Greiff of SimG Productions; a very close friend of Scott who, as he said himself, has been instrumental in getting him known here in the UK. It was a wonderful night full of laughter, friends some special moments…and talking. Lots of talking. Lots and lots of talking. To anyone who knows him, this will come as no surprise; Scott Alan is an incredibly warm and funny man and possesses that extraordinary quality (I refuse to call it an X-factor!) which makes you like him instantaneously.

It wasn’t called Scott Alan and Friends for nothing, by the way. Some of Scott’s dearest friends joined him to sing a selection of his songs: Annalene Beechey, Mark Evans, Ashleigh Gray, Stuart Matthew Price, Cassie McIvor and Bradley Whitedale. I’m not writing this to review, so I’ll just say that it was a wonderful night, with stunning songs and gorgeous voices and that I’m very glad I was there to be a part of it – which I very nearly wasn’t actually. I was too slow on the uptake when tickets went on sale it managed to sell out in a number of hours, before I’d had a chance to get mine. Luckily for me, a friend of mine helped me out at last minute (thanks again for that lovely! x). It was lovely to finally meet Scott after admiring his work for so long and when he next returns to our shores, I’ll look forward to seeing him again.

I must say, this seems to have been the week for new writing. Along with Scott Alan’s appearance, London also held host to another new writing event this week: The 2011 Tim Williams Awards. This is the fourth year the Awards - created in memory of the late Musical Director, Tim Williams - have taken place, being held this year at The Cochrane Theatre. It celebrates the art of composing British theatrical song - specifically those using lyrics from established sources that were not originally intended to be sung. The Sunday event saw twenty two British composers submitting original work, and was won by our very own Stuart Matthew Price! His song, Stories of Heroes, features on the SimG Records’ produced album, Beyond The Gate and, in case you were wondering, this is the only place you can hear it so; if you wanted to own it, why not click on this handy link to the SimG Productions website  and get yourself a copy?! ;)

I really am very pleased for Stuart – he is a talented writer in possession of a delectable voice and I look forward to hearing more from him in the future. Events like the TWA are so important to new writers such as Stuart. There are not always a lot of opportunities or support out there for them, so having the chance for a wide audience to hear their work is a fantastic thing. There needs to be more platforms like this for new writing to be heard so that these originally creative people are not passed-by.

Next week, the theme of new writing continues for me. Next Wednesday, I’ve been invited along to an Investors Showcase of a new musical that is currently in development by the show’s director, who is a friend of mine. It is an ‘interesting’ premise and, from what I’ve heard of some of the songs on the demo recording, it’s going to be a very entertaining 70 minutes. I shall of course, fill you all in more next week, but this is one I am rather excited about: I was very pleased to be asked along and I’m very keen to see how it’s all coming together. Viva new writing!

Remember…create, love, inspire!

Miss Julie

Create, love, inspire!

‘The soul’s freedom lies in its creativity’.

This is a quote I came up with when I was taking a Philosophy class and it’s one that has stuck with me over the years.

People can become so trapped; hiding what they think and what they feel: unable to bare their soul for fear of ridicule; of being hurt; of rejection…We become prisoners of that fear and, to use another quote, as the great Baz Luhrman once wrote –

‘A life lived in fear is a life half-lived’.

Creativity is a gift we are given, the key to escaping the prison of our minds. It allows us to express those thoughts and feelings which we cannot always voice: an artist uses a brush; a writer uses the pen; a musician uses an instrument; a dancer uses their body…

Whatever the tool, it works as a release. We put a piece of ourselves into every creation and in doing so, free ourselves. Only the truly creative being is truly free.

I think this is what I love most about the arts, especially theatre. It absolutely celebrates creativity! Every person involved in this industry possesses a creative soul and whether they are on the stage, behind it, or still trying to reach it, they are putting that creativity on display for all to see. Ever heard a piece of music and felt the tears well in your eyes, but you don’t know exactly why? Ever watched the graceful movements of a dancer and found yourself impassioned by them? How about when you open a book and something in the words connects with you and compels you to keep reading? A painting, a song, a poem…when it touches you in some way, that is the creativity within speaking to you: it draws you in and makes you feel! It never fails to move and inspire me.

I am a creative, yet complex person. I am passionate, but sometimes choose indifference – I am proud to be in touch with my emotions, but I fight to hide them – I am full of love, but run from it – I long for adventure, but also find pleasure in banality – experience has made me cynical, but I still believe in hope and positivity – I feel older and wiser than my years, but also so young and inexperienced – I am confident and speak my mind, but inside I am self-conscious and full of doubt – I love the person that I am now, but there are times when I loathe myself too... My mind can be a strange, but wonderful place; swirling with so many thoughts and emotions that sometimes I find myself simply overwhelmed by them all and if I didn’t find a way to let them out then I think I’d go crazy!

So I embrace this gift of creativity. I use it as my outlet for all the joy, the fear, the hurt and hope that I have within me. I’m not a singer, I’m not a dancer; I’m not a musician, I’m not an artist. I have love for all of these things and will sometimes turn to them, but I just don’t know how to use them to fully express what I want to say; I can’t use them as my own personal outlet. No…the outlet for my creativity is my writing.

When things get too much I write it all down, letting out all the tension and confusion through the ink of my pen. When I want to fight for a cause I believe in I write it all down, pouring that passion and fire onto the page. When an idea strikes and inspiration consumes my thoughts I write it down, desperate to put it into words before it disappears back into the ether.

There is beauty in the written word. Words…just a random mass of singular nouns, verbs and adjectives yet, when you put them together in the right order, they can have such power. You can use them to convey exactly what lies deep in your soul and evoke those same thoughts and feeling in those who read them. There’s another quote - which is one of my favourites, I absolutely love it – that seems apt here, ‘Ink on paper is as beautiful to me as flowers on the mountains; God composes, why shouldn't we?’ (Terri Guillemets). It is every writer’s hope that their words will somehow reach out and touch someone in some small way…Yes, I am a writer.

Another way I express my creativity is through my tattoos. Many people look on tattoos as ugly; defacing your skin and being something you’ll regret in your latter years - tattoos are just another form of art, using the human body as their canvas. They have been a part of human expression for thousands of years. It is only in our modern society that they have become ‘trendy, fashion-accessories’, made popular by celebrities like Cheryl Cole and Angelina Jolie…for most people, the tattoo is a style choice; it’s lost its meaning.

Not for me. I have five tattoos and not one of them is a Tweety-pie bird, a butterfly or a random (and probably incorrect) Chinese word! I couldn’t bear to go into a tattoo parlour and just pick one from the wall, knowing hundreds of other people would be walking around with that exact same one – I designed each of mine and considered them for at least six months before making the decision to have them inked. My tattoos are unique and personal to me, each one detailing a chapter in the story of my life:

1: Dragon - right shoulder. I was 18 when I had my first inking. The dragon represented my fascination with the mythical and fantasy - always appealing to my imagination. I was also a huge wrestling-lover at the time: the struggles and sacrifices of the journey to the ring resonated with me, so I wanted that represented as well. I chose the Undertaker symbol as its supernatural aspect was another fascination of mine.

2: The Eye of Horus – left shoulder. I had my second inking about five years after the first. Egyptian history has also been an interest of mine and ‘the wedjat’ represents the sun; it is an ancient symbol of protection, power and good health. I also added the number thirteen above it in Egyptian numerology – always preferring to swim against the current; thirteen is my lucky number, simply because others see it as being unlucky.

3: ‘Bad Wolf’ – right wrist. I love Doctor Who. I discovered it at a very hard time in my life and the freedom and adventure it portrayed spoke to me, offering me a distraction from the difficulties of reality. ‘Bad Wolf’ (if you’re not a Who-fan, it will take too long to explain what this means) not only signifies that, but also stands for the importance of connection – of two people being linked to one another; an unbreakable bond.

4: ‘Chloe’ – left hand. This is my daughter’s name. To make it extra special to me, it’s in her own handwriting too – whenever I look at it, I will always see her at five years old… J

5: Phantom mask – right ankle. Yes, The Phantom of the Opera is my favourite musical, but no; that’s not what this tattoo is for. Wholly. What I love about PotO is the passion and the need for music and creativity that runs through the entire story. It speaks to me and I find it inspiring. Mostly though, the mask represents the rediscovery of my love for theatre. Moving away from London and raising a child alone led to me abandoning it for a while, but an impulsive decision to watch the 2004 film version of Phantom reignited it within me: I haven’t looked back since.

I’m sure some of you reading this will think some of my inkings are – well, crap! That’s fine. To me though, they have meaning, each and every one of them. It’s the only reason anyone should get a tattoo. The first tattoo I had – would I necessarily have still chosen it today? Perhaps not, but I don’t regret it. Each one is a part of me and my story. I can look at them and remember a piece of my past, a piece of me; of who I used to be and my journey to who I am now.

Creativity is such a vital ingredient of life. It can lead you to the path of happiness and, while it can’t promise that you’ll find it, it can provide a light in the darkness to help you find your way.

Creativity is not just for the Self though; it is so much more. It can touch people, change lives and inspire! Envision a world without imagination…oh, what a dark place it would be indeed. That is why we must always encourage and support the creative soul.

When I first started writing this blog, I was writing for myself. Gradually though, more and more people began to take an interest in what I had to say. As much pleasure as I get from writing for its own sake; to know that people were reading it and appreciating my words – even taking the time to tell me how much it resonated with them…well, it gives me such a sense of fulfilment. It’s an incredible feeling.

I am so fortunate with the writing opportunities that have opened up to me this year. I get to write about my passion for the theatre sites I work for; I may not be getting rich off it, but it doesn’t matter because I do it for the love of it. My blog has become a place where I am free to express any and all of my thoughts and feelings and offer people a taste of my world. I am so lucky in that I have these platforms to share my creativity with everyone – so many don’t.

That is why I am such an ardent advocate for the support of new writing. This country is full of amazingly talented people who have a world of creativity inside them that is being repressed and denied! All too often now, the creativity of others is being recycled instead of there being a belief and trust in our own. These people who are being stripped of their voices are still creating, they can’t be prevented from doing that – but where is that true sense of fulfilment if they can’t share their work?

Creativity and originality are essential in building for the future and inspiring the next generation. If they’re not allowed to shine through, then that dark world I spoke of? It might not be so far away. So embrace your creativity and that of others – encourage it, nurture it and please, support it! 

“There is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost.”  — Martha Graham

Remember, create, love, inspire!

Miss Julie

Les Mis Gives...Again

Last October, the cast of Les Miserables staged a benefit cabaret night in aid of the AIDs-supporting charity, The Make A Difference Trust. Les Mis Gives... was a great success; so much so in fact, that last night they were at it again.
Les Mis Gives...Again returned to the Delfont Room at the Prince of Wales' Theatre, this time to raise money for the children's charity, Great Ormond Street Hospital.
The cosy and intimate setting of the Delfont Room provided the perfect atmosphere for a night of banter, laughter and some general feel-good fun. Compering for the night was Scott Garnham, alongside Norm Lewis, both of whom were warm and inviting hosts whose amusing onstage exchanges and performance links saw the night running smoothly along.
There was not so much of the show tunes and ballads that can monopolise some cabarets; instead, the audience were mostly offered a variety of comedically entertaining performances, such as the one from Natalie Day and George Miller. Their duet of Cubicle of Love provided an enjoyable start to the evening, while other stand-out performances came from: Jay Bryce, accompanying himself on piano for the 'unofficial Cornish anthem', to the tune of The Grand Old Duke of York; the fast-paced turn from Mark Hedges and Chloe Brooks (whose vocals and expressive characterisation in her later version of Shy wac uncanny in their likeness to Julie Atherton) and Scott Garnham's rendition of the humerously witty Tim Minchin song, Inflatable You - bringing the inflatable 'Felicity' onstage with him at one point to a chorus of laughs.
Another of the night's highlights came from Garnham, who put together a quartet with Martin Neely, Matthew Seadon Young and Jay Bryce; their barbershop-style medley seamlessly ran through a diiverse array of songs, from Beyonce's Crazy in Love to Eminem's Slim Shady. Mention must be made here of the wonderfully talented MD Niall Bailey, who joined the Les Mis cast once again as the night's pianist and who can also take credit for the brilliantly creative arrangement.
The audience were further treated by a sneak preview of incoming cast member Lisa-Anne Wood, fresh from her first outing at the Classic Brit Awards earlier this month. She can be seen as Cosette from 23rd June, taking on the role straight out of the Guildford School of Acting (GSA) : as Scott Garnham quipped, 'it's not a bad first job!'. Wood has a lovely lower tone and easily reaches those high notes - one to look out for come June...
The appearance by another new cast member perhaps provided the biggest laughs of the night. Matt Lucas, Les Mis' next Thernadier when he joins the show next month for a twelve-week run, performed his unique version of The Impossible Dream. With Garnham and Lewis selecting written suggestions from a hat, they threw a variety of accents at him to incorporate into the song; to hilarious results. Ranging from Northern Irish to Glaswegian; from Lancashire to Kiwi - and not forgetting the inevitable showings of Little Britain characters Bubbles, Marjorie Dawes and Vicky Pollard (as well as a cheeky Alfie Boe impersonation) - it was a rendition the likes of which have never been heard, and I'm sure, never will be again.
Some of the bigger songs and voices perhaps did not benefit from such a small space, but with the exception of a few 'so-so' songs, all of the vocal performances delighted, dazzled and delivered; most notably those from Chloe Hart (an underated talent in this writer's opinion), Scott Garnham and of course, the sensation that is Norm Lewis.
The cast gave the audience a wonderfully enjoyable experience, which ended in the in the early hours with the pleasantly apt Sunday song and with 100% of the profits going to Great Ormond Street Hospital, Les Mis Gives...Again was a successful continuation of a valued and worthwhile event which one can only hope shall soon be seen again.



Remember...create, love, inspire!


Miss Julie


NOTE: Apologies if I made any song/performer mistakes - I did have a couple of glasses of wine while there... ;)

Addressing the 'Circle'

The state of the UK economy is not a healthy one. Living costs are rising, job opportunities are falling and people are simply not spending. Hundreds of shops across the country are closing every day – the sight of the High street filled with a long line of empty shop windows is becoming a familiar one…

Failing businesses have become a common and wide-spread fall-out of the economic climate we are currently experiencing: it’s sad of course but we accept it, shrugging our shoulders and seeing it simply as a sign of the times.

The impending closure of one struggling shop is not being accepted however. Yes, I am talking about Dress Circle.

The news that the Covent Garden-based theatre shop, Dress Circle, may only be weeks away from closure has lit a fire under theatre twits, with debates springing up all over the social networking site. A number of theatre fans, as well as those involved in the industry, have rallied together with plans to stage a benefit concert on behalf of Dress Circle, resulting in very divided opinions. A line has now been clearly drawn in the sand: on one side are those who see Dress Circle as a West End institution that needs support and to be saved; on the other, we have those who argue that it is a business, not a charity, and that the shop’s problems are of their own making and funds would be better used elsewhere.

I have stayed away from the debate thus far, undecided as to what side I come down on, but I felt it was time to speak up and give my thoughts on the whole affair. I don’t want to lecture as to what I think is best for Dress Circle, merely discuss some of the comments being thrown around and offer a personal opinion of my own.

First things first: Yes, Dress Circle is a business. It is not a charity and shouldn’t need to rely on outside fundraising to stay afloat. The fact that it has come to this shows that there are real problems within DC that need addressing if they want to survive. What are these problems? Well, the main ones which seem to be repeatedly cropping up are: too many staff; high prices; lack of stock; store location and attitude to customers.

Starting with the number of people employed by Dress Circle – nine. A number which seems, to many, to be excessively high for a business which is struggling and in obviously need to make cuts and save money where they can. Staff cuts, while undesirable, are always an area that an employer must look at. Dress Circle have defended themselves with the response that their nine staff are not all store-based, but still; in tough times, tough decision must be made…

High prices and lack of stock are another two which have to be a massive part of DC’s problems. I have heard dozens of complaints from people in regards to the price of their CD’s. In our modern society, you have to offer competitively priced products in order to keep up with online sites such as Amazon and EBay, whose entire purposes are the provision of cheap merchandise. If your prices are too high then people are going to go elsewhere for a better deal. Fact: although, if you don’t have an available product in the first place, the price is a moot point anyway. A few friends of mine have been in there recently and relayed to me the lack of available stock on the shelves. Customers who can’t purchase the items they have gone in for are not likely to return. With the business struggling, I can understand why DC may not be bringing in vast volumes of stock – if it doesn’t sell, then they’re making a loss…but the flip side is that if it’s not there to buy, then they are driving away potential sales.

Of course, a Covent Garden location right in the heart of London’s West End is a pretty perfect spot for a shop whose exclusive focus is on theatre, but ouch! I’ll warrant that’s a pretty high rent they’re paying…A move to less expensive digs may be something to consider?

One of the most commented-on aspects of the store that I’ve noticed is that of its attitude towards customers. ‘Snotty’, ‘Elitist’, and ‘Unwelcoming’ – these are a few of the descriptions flying around. It seems that, unless you are a big-name theatre face, there’s not much friendly customer service going on. That being said, a fellow MAD-Truster of mine went in there the other day and found the staff to be chatty and warm, even offering a ten per cent discount upon learning she was involved with the charity. Whether they should be handing out discounts in a time of need is a separate matter, but I just wanted to highlight that, although the majority view of the staffing seems to be a negative one, there are positive stories as well.

I think everyone is in agreement that Dress Circle has internal problems which it must address: creating a service and atmosphere that makes the customers feel welcome and wanted and offering a wide range of products that are competitively priced will help to draw the customers in again, while a good, long look at their out-goings and making tough decisions will help to make the business more viable.

The biggest point of contention amongst people on Twitter is the benefit concert which Stuart Matthew Price and James Yeoburn are attempting to set up in support of Dress Circle. Let’s look at this from both sides shall we?

A benefit concert should be fundraising for charities, not for a business.

Dress Circle’s troubles are partly of their own making – how much or how little is up to you to decide – so surely it should be down to them to find a way out of it? Businesses in trouble need to change the way they operate and/or find people to invest in them if they want to turn things around – look for ways to save themselves instead of allowing others to do it for them. That seems to be the general view of those who are coming down on this side of the issue. A benefit concert will make money for Dress Circle, undoubtedly; but what will it achieve? One benefit concert is not going to rescue an entire business, merely delay the inevitable…

As said before, Dress Circle isn’t a charity. With theatre companies closing all over the country and such a vast multitude of charities and causes out there that are in real need of funds and support, people are demanding to know, ‘why aren’t you doing something to help them instead?’. There are so many worthwhile causes out there – is Dress Circle really the most deserving?

Dress Circle is a theatre institution – we can’t lose it!

Dress Circle is the only London shop which devotes itself entirely to theatre. It offers a wide range of Cast Recordings which just aren’t available elsewhere – I was in HMV recently and was very disappointed in the extremely limited range on show there. With in-store signings and album launches, it is a great platform for West End soloists, providing them with the opportunity to draw in a crowd, raise some awareness (and sell some CD’s too!). Perhaps most importantly, it’s a place where people with a love of theatre feel they can go to, browsing though the shelves, making new and exciting discoveries and meeting up with other like-minded theatre lovers.

There has been a lot of suggestion that Dress Circle should become an online store, and if they can’t turn things around then that is what it will become. Having been a part of the West End for decades, people do not want to see it disappear – there are plenty of online sites where you can buy theatre merchandise, but only one place where you can go and completely immerse yourself in the theatre surrounding…

One thing more – yes, there are a lot of charities out there which need help, but can we support them all? No, of course not. The theatre industry does a lot of work for charity already, often putting on concerts and cabarets for a specific cause they believe in and you can’t overlook The Make A Difference Trust of course! The theatre industry works with MADTrust all year round, giving their time and support tirelessly and enthusiastically. They can’t help every single charity out there, but they certainly do their bit, but is it really such a big deal if they put on one benefit concert for a cause – albeit a business – that they love and believe in? Whether or not you think that Dress Circle is deserving of this support or not, to be fair here, they did not approach anyone. The support has come from people who want to give it. Every time we buy a ticket to a West End show, that is money we could have donated to a charity!  We don’t though because, although charities are deserving of all and any money they receive, we sometimes need to spend our money on the things we want, and that’s no selfish thing. If people want to give their money to a business which they have find pleasure from or has helped them, then surely that is up to them?

For me personally, I like to see people rallying around to show their support for what is, to many people, an institution. I don’t want to lose it, BUT! I agree wholeheartedly that Dress Circle have a lot of work to do for themselves if they want to survive. This benefit concert won’t save them, but perhaps it will give them time to find an answer?

The realisation that Dress Circle was under very real threat may be the proverbial kick-up-the-backside that was needed. There has been an upturn in business and Dress Circle have stated that various investors have expressed their interest – so maybe this whole affair; the debates, the concert, the blogs…just maybe they are what was needed. It will take work from both sides – Dress Circle have to re-think how they run the business and as for the theatre fans; if you don’t want to see it close down, then go there and buy something! THAT is what a shop is for. If you’re not willing to spend your money in the shop, then there really is no hope for it…

Anyway, I’ve said my piece on the matter and am moving on…

For those of you who read my previous post about my daughter’s first theatre trip, you may like to hear that she went for her second last Wednesday. We went back to Love Never Dies, mum in tow this time and I am very pleased to say she enjoyed it just as much, if not more, than last time! The ‘itchy eyes’ returned during the end scenes again J but she made it through! She was absolutely thrilled to see Ramin Karimloo on as the Phantom this time round as she adores him, and her night was made when some of the cast spotted her enthusiastically waving away from the front row during curtain call and gave her a little wink and a wave in return…It was very late for her, so despite her insistence that she wasn’t tired, we headed for home – but I have promised her that I will take her to the Stage Door at some point so she can say hello to Mr Karimloo in person!

Sunday night, I ventured out without her and instead had one of my fellow MAD-Truster’s, Anna, with me for company. Sunday was of course, the concert of Legally Blonde’s talented Alex Gaumond, at the Leicester Square Theatre.

After randomly bumping into both him and then, guest performer, Ramin Karimloo before the show (London can be a surprisingly small place sometimes!), we settled into our Row C seats for an evening of entertainment. Gaumond clearly has a penchant for contemporary pop, with a set list that included songs from Snow Patrol, Adele and Maroon 5, as well as a mash-up of ‘Crazy’ and ‘Billy-Jean’ that went down a storm! Of course, as Alex said himself, ‘being French-Canadian, he had to do a Celine Dion song’. At times, he was reminiscent of a teenage kid, posing and singing into the hairbrush in his own ‘bedroom concert’ – clearly enjoying himself, his infectious enthusiasm spread through the audience and had them eating out of the palm of his hand!

I enjoyed the second half of the concert more myself, with one of the highlights being Alex’s rendition of ‘Mad World’, the man himself playing the piano to accompany it. There were great turns from his three guest performers: Ramin Karimloo; Sarah French and We Meet Again, as well as the showcasing of two songs by Gaumond. The first was a catchy number with a tropical beat, while the second was a beautiful, simple little ode to his girlfriend.

It was a great, fun night out, although don’t expect another concert from Gaumond anytime soon – he may be rather busy elsewhere this year… Mr Karimloo put his black-heeled boot well and truly in his mouth by accidentally letting slip Alex’s next project, before any official press release has gone out. Karimloo was suitably mortified, but thankfully, Gaumond forgave him – Canadian brotherhood is a strong bond! J It provided the biggest laugh of the night, but we’ve all signed our confidentiality agreements and Alex’s ‘secret’ (I think everyone already knows…) will not appear online on any forums, on Twitter or any other social networking sites. I’ve been practicing my ‘surprised-face’ for when the news is officially announced – I think it’s pretty convincing!

To round off this week’s post, I want to mention the upcoming MADTrust 2011 Garden Party, an annual event of the Trust which has always been incredibly popular. Held on Sunday 21^st August and hosted once again in the Earl’s Court home and gardens of Mr Rupert Cavendish, you can expect a Mediterranean buffet prepared by an award-winning chef, summer drinks sponsored by Grey Goose Vodka, a pool-side auction (bring your swimsuit for a dip in the magnificent pool!) and live entertainment! Starting at 12pm and continuing till 5.30pm; you get to delight in an afternoon of fine food, drinks and entertainment in the tranquil and stunningly beautiful surroundings. For five hours of fun, food and festivities, The Make A Difference Trust are asking for a minimum donation of £65 for tickets, with all funds raised from the event going specifically to The Helderberg Street Peoples Centre.

It is going to be a wonderful afternoon of excitement and fun, so if you want to join in then here are the ticket details:

Call: 0207 734 5683

Email: s.inman@madtrust.org.uk

More details can be found on the MADTrust website, but please, do consider coming along – it’s going to be a party you won’t want to miss!

Also, keep your eyes and ears peeled for a very exciting announcement from MADTrust this week! I'm afraid I can't give away any details as it is still 'classified information', but trust me; it's going to be worth waiting for...! ;)

Remember...create, love, inspire!

Miss Julie

Classic Awards, New Plays and Cabarets!

Last week’s blog post generated a lot of responses – I had a number of people reach out to me to say how much they enjoyed reading about my daughter’s first trip to the theatre. It seems her wondrous amazement touched a fair few hearts and got my readers reminiscing about their first experience which, I have to say, gave me a smile as big as a Cheshire cat! I’m glad so many of you could share in her joy: getting such a show of appreciation for something I’ve written never fails to surprise and delight me as I’m my own worst critic for everything I do. I suppose I’m trying to say…thank you! All the lovely comments honestly meant so much to me.

Speaking of first experiences, I had one of my own this week. *STANDS UP* ‘Hi. My name is Julie and I have never been to the Royal Albert Hall’. Shocking, I know, but true. Well, it was – until Thursday night. Thursday 12^th May was of course, the night of the 2011 Classic Brit Awards. I’d been looking forward to this for some time, for a variety of reasons: one having to be the outstanding line-up of the night’s performers; another being the chance to visit such an iconic London venue and, as some of you may have gathered through Twitter, I was very excited to be able to dress up and inject a little glamour into my life for one night! A long black evening gown and ‘up-do’ are essential when gracing the RAH with your presence…

What a fabulous night it was. If you have never been to the Royal Albert Hall, you simply must go – pictures do not do it justice. Standing there in person, soaking up its opulence was unbelievable. It is such a beautiful building, truly a grand piece of London history and architecture.

We were fortunate enough to acquire seats which gave us a close-up and clear view although, with the design of the Hall, you’re pretty much guaranteed a decent view wherever you are sat. The night’s nominees were in place at their tables before the stage which looked absolutely stunning; the set and lighting teams really out-did themselves on this occasion.

Il Divo made a perfect opening act, stood upon four circular podiums with a spotlight shining down on each of them and filling the Hall with the sound of their dulcet tones. I could listen to their voices all day. Four incredible talents who are so deserving of their Artist of the Decade award they returned to collect later in the evening. Followed by the company of Les Miserables, we were treated to performances from departing cast members such as Samantha Barks as well as a sneak peek at some of the incomers, including Lisa-Anne Wood, Liam Tamne and of course, Alfie Boe! I don’t want to give to spoil it for those of you who may be watching the televised Brits on Sunday 29^th May, but I will say this: boy are you going to be blown away after June’s cast change…If you haven’t yet bought your tickets, run to that box office as fast as you can!

It would seem our Les-Misers were just as excited to be there as we were as, after someone forgot to turn the mics off once offstage, they could be heard over Myleene Klass (the Brits presenter) enthusiastically discussing just how much they had enjoyed performing – “Oh my God, that was so much fun!”, “That was AMAZING!” and so forth… Glad to hear it guys! ;)

Further performances throughout the night from violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and trumpeter Alison Balsom went down a storm, as did the Eric Whitacre Singers who were joined on stage by the man himself. A personal highlight for me was Katherine Jenkins: as beautiful as she is gifted, she brought a smile to my face and maybe even a little tear to my eye. I’ve been quite surprised to find that the general consensus on Miss Jenkins among theatre-types I’ve spoken to on Twitter is not a favourable one. It seems she is not particularly rated as an opera singer, due to her commercialism and certain career choices, I gather…Well, everyone is entitled to an opinion – me as much as anyone else – and I think she is outstanding! Another voice I could gladly listen to all day and being able to experience her live like that, was one of those memories to be carefully stored away and never forgotten.

Her rendition of ‘Chanson Boheme’ from Carmen (a favourite opera of mine) was sublime, as was her later duet with Alfie Boe in tribute to late composer, John Barry. Responsible for bringing us timeless scores such as those from Born Free and of course, James Bond, The Classic Brits honoured him with a posthumous award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. Presented by actress Virginia McKenna, who was accompanied on stage by the Duchess of Cornwall (who coincidentally, was sitting in the box directly behind us for the evening), the award was accepted by John Barry’s close friend, lyricist Don Black. The night was perfectly rounded off by a special appearance from the one and only, Dame Shirley Bassey, paying tribute to Barry with the Bond theme song, Goldfinger. I have never seen my mum so excited in my life! J

I won’t detail the Classic Brit winners here – not everyone wants the spoilers…but tune in to ITV1 on Sunday 29^th May to find out for yourselves and marvel in all of the wonderful performances from the night. I think the only thing which could have made the Brits perfect for me would have been a big old pizza box, right there on my lap. Or maybe a carton of chinese… For future reference, eating dinner BEFORE arriving in Westminster is a very good idea. The benefit of hindsight – hey ho! At least I didn’t have a food-bump belly to go with my lovely dress! ;)

I did not make the same mistake on Sunday. After spending the day in London with my dad, sisters and our collective children – belated birthday treat for dad. We took him in the Terror Tombs…not that Terror-fying to be honest – we all sat down to a delicious dinner together before I headed off to The Pleasance in Islington for the last night of THE PORK CRUNCH.

My Twitter followers reading this will all be well aware of THE PORK CRUNCH by now as I have been twittering about it endlessly over this last month. Apologies for anyone who may have been annoyed by it, but I am a big advocate of new writing and when something as good as THE PORK CRUNCH comes along, the more support that can be drummer up for it, the better!

If you didn’t go along to see one of the thirteen performances; boy, you really missed out…They had a full house for their last showing on Sunday and the response from the audience was fantastic. THE PORK CRUNCH is full of a multitude of vastly hilarious moments, which had the audience clutching their sides, gasping for breath and wiping tears of laughter from their eyes. I exaggerate not!

Adam Hunter has written a play which not only tickles the funny bone, but delivers a swift jab of reality in dealing with the dark and desperate side of life. Starring alongside the brilliantly funny Roger Wood and Mia Austen, the three take on a combination of characters between them and have a wonderful working chemistry. The small, dark space compliments the dark comedy of the play and creates an atmosphere of intimacy between the audience and the actors, helped out by the speeches Adam delivers into the audience.

The three main characters of Terry (Hunter), Dave (Wood) and Shelly (Austen) are well-written and instantly likeable: Hunter plays Terry as a sweet, mixed-up, down-on-his-luck guy while Wood is hilarious as fast-talking, Jack-the-lad Dave, infusing him with just the right balance of ‘mouth’ and heart, with Austen’s sharp-tongued, assertive Shelly plays off against him brilliantly. All three are looking to turn their lives around, trying to escape their mediocre existence in search of something more fulfilling.

THE PORK CRUNCH is compelling, exciting and an uproarious success – Adam’s drug-fuelled defilation of a £3,000 fish and the sight of Adam ‘prancing’ around in his underpants are two things which will bring a smile to my face on those days when one is needed. I can only hope that plans to try and bring the play to next year’s Edinburgh Fringe come to fruition because THE PORK CRUNCH is one of those gems that must be seen and admired by as many people as possible: I am sure that whatever happens, this is not the last we will see of it.

As well as enjoying a highly entertaining 90 minutes of Porky-time, I had a delightful time afterwards having a drink and a chat with the driving forces behind it: Adam Hunter and Simon Greiff. Adam is not only a talented actor and writer; he’s also a very lovely and fun guy. Having spoken with him through Twitter, it was nice to finally meet face-to-face out in the real world – as it was with Simon. I’ve been twittering with Simon since I interviewed him for my TPR feature on new writing, The Best of British, so it was particularly pleasing to put a face to that name. A truly great person and just a joy to get to know; as was his lovely wife, Annalene.

Adam and Simon have basically done the entire production on their own. It has been a labour of love, developed over the last two years and their passion for this work is simply inspiring. It’s been a long road for them, but their belief, determination and hard work overcame all the obstacles and they should be extremely proud of what they have achieved here. I am very happy that it went so well for them and also, that I got to be a part of it in a small way. I wish them all the best in whatever comes next.

For SimG Productions, that ‘next thing’ will be the upcoming cabaret night, Scott Alan and Friends. For one night only, acclaimed American songwriter Scott Alan will be hosting and performing with a selection of his West End friends: Annalene Beechey; Stuart Matthew Price; Ashleigh Gray and Cassie McIvor. Coming to the intimate Jermyn Street Theatre on Friday 24^th June, 10.30pm – if you don’t want to miss out, go to www.SimGProductions for details on how to book.

Another forthcoming event to take note of is POPULAR! –The Songs You’re Not Allowed To Sing Anymore… New theatre company, Three Card Cabaret, is collaboration between Chris Macklin and John Webb-Carter. Presenting an evening of musical theatre, featuring songs that ‘no West End performer would dare take into an audition room’, POPULAR! stars Michael Baxter, Adam Bayjou, Poppy Carter and Ashleigh Jones, including MD Chris Macklin. It runs from 24^th-28^th May with a different special guest appearing alongside the core performers each night, beginning with Helena Blackman, then Sam Harrison, Lucy May Barker, Anton Stephans and Jessica Robinson. It promises to be a great night, so go along to the Landor Theatre at 8pm – for one night, two nights, or even all five! Tickets are available through www.landortheatre.co.uk.

On a personal level, it is an exciting time for me. I am juggling a number of features and interviews, the latest of which is up now on The Public Reviews website. Make A Difference with MADTrust focuses on the wonderful charity behind the recent West End Eurovision, who TPR have just made their Charity of the Year! Being involved with both TPR and the Trust, I am incredibly happy with the development of this new relationship and hope to see it blossom into something beautiful. We’re trying to raise a minimum of £1,500 f0r MADTrust, so if you would to donate to a very worthy cause, go to our Just Giving page to find out how.

I’m off to Love Never Dies again tomorrow night, courtesy of a ‘certain kind someone’…who was generous enough to offer me a ticket once they learned that my mother had won two tickets and was taking my daughter. She got them through an online Twitter draw from @LondonTheatre1 – a top-notch guy whose site offer good value theatre tickets and is currently running a series of interviews; ‘Meet The Cast’. Follow him on Twitter if you’re not already! J

I’m always delighted to see this phantabulous show, almost as much as my mother – but not anywhere close to my daughter! We’re going through the daily count-down once again and she simply cannot wait to go back. Come back next week to see if her second trip lived up to the experience of the first!

Remember, create, love, inspire!

Miss Julie

UPDATE! Scott Alan and Friends has sold out in record time! Great news - for those who missed out, better luck next time. :)