Toby

From a review of "The Infidel" by Peter Bradshaw:

"[Omid Djalili] has a great double act with Richard Schiff, whose comic timing and delivery is a marvel, and a revelation to those who know him only from The West Wing."

Question: Has Peter Bradshaw ever actually watched The West Wing?

A rockin' Saturday night

This evening I have:

• done some work (but not enough)
• cooked and eaten a frozen pizza (pepperoni - average)
  
• had a glass of wine (red - very nice)
• watched Doctor Who (full report to follow, but enjoyed Matt Smith - a relief)
• watched the Dorothy show (I know I should disapprove, but I just don't)
• online shopped at Ocado (I had a voucher if I exceeded £90 - I didn't think I would - how could one woman be so wrong?)

That, my friends, has been my Saturday night.

Question: Do I need to get out more?

Spring Storm - The Cottesloe

Look, look! It's another theatre review! Once I've done this one, I'll be up-to-date. Well, except for the eight plays I saw before the whole blog review resolution thing, and the one I saw on Sunday. But other than that - UP. TO. DATE.

So, anyway. Spring Storm. It's an early play by Tennessee Williams and it's about a lot of things, but basically boils down to a girl deciding between a respectable, rich suitor and a wilder, brutish boy who has (unknown to everyone else) already been her lover for a year and more. It's a production brought to the National from the Royal & Derngate in Northampton and is apparently a European premiere of the play.

There is a great deal to enjoy, particularly in the performances of Liz White as Heavenly Critchfield (never short of excellent names, old Tennessee) once she'd recovered from her accent wobbles in the opening scene and Jacqueline King as her mother (also Donna's mother in Doctor Who, fact fans). It's also fascinating to see proto-versions of later Williams characters - the dialogue and characterisation is good here, but I imagine it would have even greater resonance if the play was in rep with Streetcar.

All that being said, I enjoyed the play less than most reviewers seem to have - the Northampton production picked up four stars from most critics. For me... Not so much. The first half meandered and pootled along. It wasn't until the second half, when the plot starts to move with some urgency, that I felt any real engagement. When it's good, though, it's very, very good and the second half contains a couple of scenes with recognisable Williams themes (suppressed female sexuality, the clash between past and present, courtliness and brutality) that pack a real punch.

All in all, if you're offered a ticket, I'd take it. But I wouldn't necessarily kick down doors to get one.

Verdict: Je dis, "Comme ci, comme ca."

The White Guard

So, I go to the theatre a lot. Like, a lot. It costs me a small fortune. To date, I have not blogged about any of the plays/shows I have been to see. Tonight, people, that changes.

(I bet you're super-excited.)

First up - The White Guard, currently previewing at the Lyttelton at the National. It's by Mikhail Bulgakov and it's all about 1918 Kiev and a family that sees itself as Ukrainian, Russian and Tsarist, with all the terrifying complications that brought with it. An excellent fact about this show is that Stalin loved it, even though its heroes were the White Army - the reason why becomes painfully clear in the final act.

Basically, you should go to see this play. It's dark and funny and satirical and brutal. The cast has no weak links (particular mention for Anthony Calf's perfect cameo and Pip Carter, who looks probably fresh out of RADA and who I have seen in three plays at the National in each of which he has been perfect) and the sets... Well, I'm not one to get excited about sets, or I never used to be though what with going to all these plays now I notice them more, but the design of this show is spectacular.

This is the third Andrew Upton-translated Russian play I have seen at the National in the last few years. If I hear he's translating any more, I'll be first in the queue. Seriously - go and see it.

Verdict: Je dis oui, oui.

The Olympics and how I love it so

My love of the Summer Olympics is well-documented (well, it's documented), but I have been more coy about my love for the Winter ones. Mainly because I love them a bit less. But it really is only a little bit less. I know very little about any of the sports involved, so I have to turn myself into a semi-knowledgeable fan very quickly if I am going to enjoy them properly. Fortunately, I have the commitment to do so - real life goes on hold until the Olympics is over. Well, except my job - I still have to do that.

Anyway, my new grand passion as of last night and for at least the next two days until I get over the excitement is... Snowboard Cross. I watched the men's downhill ski-ing which was super and very exciting, mainly because of the crap snow and the terrible weather, and then I had my dinner and watched University Challenge (natch). And then, oh, then I discovered Snowboard Cross on BBC Three. It is one of the most mental sports I have ever seen - like the BMX racing at the Beijing Games, but crazier, faster, and on ice. I watched it all, and then I turned over to BBC2 and watched it again. It's so good I didn't care about the crap commentary, or about the fact that every time the commentator called it "Boarder Cross" my mind went straight to this song (which doesn't even have the words "border" or "cross" in it, so who the hell knows), I just watched and watched and watched.

Seriously. Watch the highlights. It's bloody brilliant.

Another reason to stay in the house

Dancing on Ice is just starting. I could fight it, but I am too weak.

Did anyone else watch So You Think You Can Dance last night? I rather enjoyed it. I mean, for a start they can all actually dance, which is nice. I'll keep watching. Here are my thoughts for those of you who might be interested.

1. The lack of "celeb" recognition factor was not in any way a problem for me until the judges' recap at the end. "I loved Blah and Blah, but Blah and Blah could be in trouble tonight," etc. It's going to take me a few weeks to know who's who and even longer to care, I suspect.

2. Having said that, I am developing a low-level crush on Alastair. He grew up on a farm and also does ballet. It's all terribly Billy Elliot.



3. Nigel Lythgoe actually speaks sense. Can we have him on Strictly? Instead of Len? I hate Len.

4. Cat Deeley can host whatever she likes. Her and Schofield. I love Schofield. Let's sack Tess and Bruce and Len and get Cat and Schofield and Nigel. Lovely.

5. All of Strictly's mad camera swoops seem to have made it in tact to this show, which is very disappointing, because this show actually has some dancing that we might like to see. Also, all routines are choreographed for a proper stage rather than a ballroom floor, so the camera swoops are unnecessary and distracting - we don't need to see this dance from the back, you fools. Sort it out, please, BBC.

6. Here is the boy who went out last night:



I think he looks like the progeny of Freddie Prinze Jr and Ray Quinn.



I am quite glad he has gone home.

Overdue

Where have I been? Lazing around, that's where I have been. I've also been watching a lot of TV, which I'll fill you in on later. In the meantime, here's a snippet I enjoyed from the So You Think You Can Dance website:

"He left school before completing his A-Levels after being offered the opportunity to understudy the role of Mr Mistoffelees in Cats in Germany – his dream job."

Dream big, my friend. Dream big.