Right, this is going to be a blatant act of begging from me, but do I really ask you for much these days? (Close friends may disregard that question, haha)

I don't really care if you know of musicals at all or if you absolutely love them, I am going to be completely selfish and ask you all to sign the petition for a complete recording of the revival of Evita. If only to shut me up about the production (for a bit). Or I'm afraid I will have to use the late John Peel's immortal words: "I will break wind in your kitchens."

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Labels: evita, musicals, theatre

I really like the fact that Bill Fichtner (for once billed just that) saw the light and moved from the absolutely terrible Invasion to the absolutely brilliant Prison Break. This is going to be a good series. (As in "season" for any American readers.)

And a short comment for those who know Norwegian: I read a comment yesterday, written in "English" by a Norwegian guy, in which he said "this email address has been out of drift for along time". So...it's finally working again? Sod.

Labels: humour, linguistics, TV

This is possibly the ugliest thing I have seen all week. No, scratch that, it IS in fact the ugliest thing I have seen this week. That is including the next five days, that's how confident I am.

If they'd only made the controllers plushy and maybe put glitter on the console's top, it would be fab!

Labels: gaming

Yeah, yeah, just thought I'd catch your eye there for a moment.

In case I haven't been going on and on and on about this game yet, please read up on a future classic and definitely revolutionary game from the already well-accomplished Will "Everything Sim related" Wright - Spore. I have been hearing about this game for about...uhmm...much more than a year now? And the release is still more than a year away. But when it arrives...my god, I may just die from excitement.

It's still not my ultimate game, though, and I dare say I will never, ever see that game in real life, but dearest Will has in fact been closer to bringing me that game than any other developer. And who knows what the future will bring? (Those who do, must be either very scared or very bored.)

Labels: gaming

Lots to do at work today; brilliant! On my way back, I started thinking about something I've thought a lot about lately - why don't mp3-listening people around me tap the beat to the music they're listening to? Am I being weird? Again?

And I think Lord Lloyd-Webber just flirted with Graham Norton. In his I-work-in-theatre-but-I'm-straight kind of way. Funny to watch. Andrew almost laughed his head off, Graham drily stated that "and people all over the country are spitting out their tea".

At least the possible Marias are getting better.

Labels: comedy, Lloyd-Webber, music, musicals, personal, theatre, TV

Another three days have gone by without my doing much of anything. OK, so I have been "grown-up" enough to do the laundry, dishes and grocery shopping, but I haven't written a single word and I never got around to playing any computer games.

I have, however, watched a few episodes of Brotherhood (I really like that series, and not just because of Jason Isaacs) as well as a couple of films. Thank You for Smoking was very good, I laughed out loud quite a lot. Especially liked Adam Brody and Rob Lowe, and Bill Macy was brilliant, as per usual. I also watched The Sentinel, which was surprisingly good! I almost remembered why I used to like Michael Douglas. Almost.

So it's back to work tomorrow (it's plain wrong to start the working week on a Saturday, but there you go) - I just hope I'll have more to do than what has been the normal situation lately, as it has been extremely boring just sitting there. Even the Internet has its limitations (well, at least without being able to plug in one's headphones). Speaking of which, I have succumbed to the mainstream agenda and been sucked into YouTube. I have found a few favourites. If you can't be bothered to check out my favourites, I would at least urge you to check out this commercial (sound required), which I first saw in one of those "funniest commercial" programmes, and which I was able to find again on YouTube. I love this one! It is at its funniest the first time around, though.

I have stopped listening to the Evita album. It is making me sad. Really wish music wouldn't go straight for my emotions. Last night I found a lot of old favourites on my Zen (because I do not have an iPod; I try to avoid Apple as much as possible), from around when I was (overly) active in Oslo's underworld (well, actually it was just the gay scene) and used to go out "clubbing" (drinking and dancing feverishly, more like) more or less every day of the week. Lots of great music, lots of embarrassing memories, LOL! But hey, there you go. That's what music does.

Ooh, and I finally got my National Insurance Number! Yay me! I will be taking over this country in no time! ;)

Labels: evita, film, jason isaacs, music, musicals, personal, theatre, TV, writing

OK, the real fascination is of course not with Evita itself, but rather its stars...or one of them. Just came back from the signing event at the Dress Circle. I bought the CD yesterday (afraid I would not be able to do so before the event today) and listened to it the minute I got home after work. It is absolutely fabulous, even though I feel like I'm running through the whole musical, because it is a highlights album. Still, definitely better than nothing at all (I can name numerous musicals of which I would have wished to have a recording, but that would only make me sad). And of course The PQ Guide has started a petition to get a complete recording of the musical.

Anyway, I started out being nervous about actually getting to Dress Circle in time today, so it didn't even hit me that I was going to see Philip Quast up close for the first time in three and a half years until I was actually there, in the queue. Did we see him come cycling down the road half an hour before the event started? Some of us think so. I'm pretty sure, as I saw some evidence of it as he signed my programme. And yes, the signing itself should probably be mentioned. We were ushered in there, down to the basement of this teeny weeny shop (I hadn't even been there before, the last time I was there they were doing refurbishments), and the three stars (Matt Rawle, Elena Roger, Philip Quast) were sitting at a table, frantically signing whatever people threw at them. OK, I'm lying. I was among the first ones in, though, so this could have changed during the course, but when I was there there was no panic, only a couple of fans that were more stressed than the rest of us. Presumably because they needed to have a few more items than just the CD signed, and also wanted to take a photo or two. This latter part came to my benefit, as it meant I had to wait for them to finish also (PQ was keeping my programme for a long time because he stopped for the photo and a quick chat). This gave me plenty of time to take in the...uhmm...view. Ahem.


Proof. And no, none of this is for sale.

Well, after a "thank you so much" or two, I left the premises and it suddenly dawned on me that this was the first time I had actually got PQ's autograph. After A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at the NT in September 2004 I thought I'd go to the stage door the next day (I was going to see two performances), but of course that day PQ didn't perform. In May 2003 I was the only bugger outside the stage door of the Royal Albert Hall who didn't get his autograph, simply because I hadn't planned ahead and brought a pen. Silly sod. It still didn't feel like I had wasted my time there for the past two hours, though. After all, I had lasted the whole run and ended up standing next to my idol for a while. God, how pathetic. But hey, even our idols have idols, so I'm going to wallow in these stories even if some people think it's stupid.

In other news, I am going to see Thank You for Smoking tonight. Just thought I'd let you know.

Labels: evita, film, musicals, name-dropping, philip quast, theatre

Went to the Royal Court Theatre on Saturday to see the National Youth Theatre's rendition of Savages by Christopher Hampton. The whole play, about Cuba, Brazil and aborigines, was very good and I couldn't help but crying at the end. The actors were mainly good, although some of them will need more training. Unfortunately I cannot let you know who appeared, as I was too cheap to buy a programme.

I did, however, buy the souvenir programme for Evita yesterday as I went there for the second time. That particular programme had not yet been made the last time I visited, presumably because it was during the previews. Remember my saying the last time that if the previews were that good, how brilliant would the show turn out? Well, I was right (of course) - the show has only got better and I was thoroughly enjoying myself. I would love to see it yet again. I would recommend seats on the 3rd-5th rows, around number 18-22 for anyone wanting to take a(n expensive) look. This area is just perfect for seeing the whole thing, as I discovered last night.

Unfortunately I was once again part of an embarrassing audience, i.e. one that did not give a standing ovation. I was embarrassed when I saw the actors' reaction to that; they seemed genuinely surprised and disappointed! So I vow to stand up the next time, no matter who else will join me (quite possibly none at all).

I finally had the chance to attend an interview for a National Insurance number this week, and that was an interesting and very boring experience. First of all, the Walthamstow DWP building has seen better days. Obviously way back in the sixties or something. I was going to say some of the employees had seen better days too, but that would be plain rude of me, so I won't. Well, the whole ordeal took about 1 1/2 hours, excluding the actual bus trip (with one change) to and fro the venue. That took another 2 hours, including waiting time. But of course, my local job centre, which is a ten-minute-walk away from my house, would not do. I guess I should be thankful I didn't have to go to what appears to be my tax office...in Sheffield. Or Glasgow. I forget. Perhaps because I have had several since I started working here. What a joke. I am clearly in the middle of the Core of Bureaucracy.

We started watching that How to Solve a Problem Like Maria programme on Saturday, where Lord Lloyd-Webber tries to find Maria for his new Sound of Music production in the West End. I was a bit scared, but at the same time there is so much talent there, so many to choose from, that he will definitely make sure that the final ten or whatever, the ones we as the audience may vote for, are all people he would be confident about letting onto the stage. Otherwise who knows whom we, the public, would choose. Have mercy.

I had an idea for a sub-plot the other day while watching Must Love Dogs (yay, Elizabeth Perkins is always fun), and I think I may be able to weave it into my current, huge project (still only in my mind and on a few pieces of paper spread across my room and several bags). It is, of course, going to be absolutely fab and everyone will love it.

Or summat.

And last, but not least, a belated greeting goes to Philip Quast who started his fiftieth year on this earth on Sunday. He didn't seem to have aged much when I saw him yesterday, and his voice was still...heavenly...wonderful, so I think we have nothing to fear yet (except for his future refusal of doing anything music-related). And when I say "we" I mean the half-crazy fans of his...no, sorry, I meant the creme de la creme of his admirers, yes, that's it. Ahem.

Labels: elizabeth perkins, evita, film, Lloyd-Webber, musicals, personal, philip quast, theatre, TV, writing