Oh, yes it is, it’s Panto Season! This year we joined Jo, Janet, Helen and Carol for Cinderella!

Closer to home too, as we headed to The Lighthouse Theatre right here in Kettering, rather than the usual trip to MK! . Keeping it local meant we could pay a visit to the quaint ‘Blitz Tea Rooms‘ in town that we haven’t been to for a good few years (July 2018!) for some pre-Theatre nibbles.

As the name suggests, this is a 1940s-themed Tea Room.

We arrived just before 12.15 and the place was deserted, but happily, it soon filled up, and by the time we left, it had quite an atmosphere.

It was ‘light-bites’ all round, where the food and service were as good as we remember it! It’s a charming location, with prices that are still very kind on the wallet – and the quirky themed interior makes it equally unforgettable. Personally, if it weren’t tucked away near the Library and was located with the rest of the shops in the town, I’m sure it would be even busier.

Quirky and enjoyable!

Our next stop? The Lighthouse Theatre

Judging by how full their car park was, this was a popular event. Once we got inside, it was, as expected, PACKED! When the curtain went up at 2pm, it was pretty much a full house. For me, it was slightly weird that there was no cast list, and we certainly didn’t recognise anyone in the few publicity posters we’d seen leading up to today’s matinée.

I did wonder if this was going to be a poor imitation of the more lavish productions we’d got used to at MK over the years, but I needn’t have worried! . I learned later this was a KD Theatre Production err, production, and they’ve got quite a track record with Pantos.

‘Buttons‘ got the audience onside from the off, and the Ugly Sisters were entertaining enough to have the whole Panto to themselves! The singing was well above average, and the choreography was spot on! Even the plug for the show’s Sponsors (Wilson Browne Solicitors) was delivered in such a way, for it not to feel forced – and it even received an appreciative response from the audience!

I liked the way the script had been updated to reflect contemporary culture, including: naming the Ugly Sisters, ‘Tess’ and ‘Claudia’/a non-complimentary reference to Rachel Reeves/something about the number ’67’ (which I didn’t ‘get’ and even after looking it up HERE, it didn’t help much!)

Yes, it was just as a Panto should be – laugh-out-loud funny – with jokes as corny as they come. For us, the funniest (and original) part was the ventriloquist sketch featuring a member of the audience. I won’t spoil it here, but it’s worth going JUST for that scene – HILARIOUS! . There was some genuinely innovative stuff too! – a variation on The 12 Days of Christmas Carol plus a short sketch involving a shopping trolley full of ‘big brand’ carrier bags (cleverer and funnier than my description here!)

It was a two hour performance with a 25-minute break exactly halfway through. It passed in a flash, and like all good productions, it was over too soon. When I got home, I decided to do a little digging to identify the cast members who had impressed us so much. Success!

• Cinderella (Maisie Asbury)
• Wicked stepsisters Tess (Michael Loftus) and Claudia (Dominic Mattos)
• Buttons (Sean ‘Rollo’ Rollason)
• Prince Charming (Daniel Breakwell)
• Dandini (Jon-Scott Clark)
• Fairy Godmother (Jessie Waterfield)

This had been a great afternoon! Not just a quality performance, but just a short distance from home and a good value Lunch too! I think today proved that you don’t need a ‘headline name’ in a Pantomime cast list for it to be a success. The Panto here next year is Peter Pan, and it’ll be on our (very short) short list! Today may not have featured any Turkey, but we’ve certainly topped-up on the Christmas Spirit!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Pantomime (Cinderella) 2025 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Well, we haven’t done this in a while! The last time we saw this Play was back in July, 2021 at Tolethorpe Hall.

We headed off to Stratford upon Avon and The Bear Pit to see the matinée performance by Am-Dram group, Second Thoughts of The Importance of Being Earnest. It starred good mate and ex-business colleague, Ian McLean in the role of Lane, the faithful long-suffering Butler of the Play’s Algernon Moncrieff.

Thanks to some good advice from Ian, we arrived early to avoid the impact of some extensive local roadworks and the Runaway Mop Fair which threatened to derail our journey into the town.

Well, we got there without any drama apart from some nonsense on the M6 that added 30 minutes to the adventure! – A really good job that we left early, as after a quick nibble at nearby Lily’s in Rother Street, we only had around 20 minutes before curtain up.

A slightly unusual structure to the performance, but it suited the plot – three acts!

All-in-all a very enjoyable production with (for us) standout performances from ‘Jack’ and ‘Lady Bracknell’ (the part was made for this actress!). Plot-wise, it was, perhaps, a more simplistic offering than we’ve been used to with Second Thoughts – but you can’t beat Oscar Wilde for a reliable plot that just works! Note to self though: Take a cushion next time – those seats were designed for more flexible backs!

Afterwards, we headed off to the nearby Carluccio’s for a quick nibble with Ian and Ann.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post The Importance of Being Earliest appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Luckily, we didn’t need the Sat-Nav to get us to 42nd Street today, as it was a welcome return to Kilworth House Theatre where we’ve been about a gazillion times before!

But before the Show, we stopped off at The Wharf Inn in nearby Welford for an early nibble. Last time (and the first time!) we ate here was in February, last year, as our alter-egos, The Northants Nutters! It’s one of those places where, from the outside, doesn’t look much, but inside, is a different story. The food was FAB last time! Hopefully, it’ll be same today!

It was!

The food was superb, and so was the service (just how we remember it!). The prices were attractive, with Mains at £17 and Desserts around £6.50!

The Desserts, especially, were memorable – they were homemade – finishing off a superb dining experience all around. What would have been perfect at this point would have been an afternoon snooze, but we had places to be! It was then off to Kilworth House Theatre for their annual musical-theatre offering! The last time we were there was to see ‘Hairspray’ in August 2023 – I can’t recall why we didn’t go LAST year.

Well, the weather had certainly cooled down! Gone were the sweltering temperatures in the 30s, which we sizzled in as recently as last weekend when we went to Tolethorpe Hall. But at least it was comfortable with the occasional gentle breeze.

This year’s production, a real Broadway Classic, took us back to the golden age of musical theatre, where Kilworth’s website promised us foot-tapping classics such as “We’re in the Money” and “Lullaby of Broadway” plus many others! – and that suited us!

By curtain up at 2.30, it was pretty much a ‘full house’ (quite normal for Kilworth!)

It turned out to be a GREAT production – possibly one of their best (and we’ve seen quite a few here over the years). Superb choreography matched with great singing, as well as a fantastic set. Sadly, no photographs are allowed once the performance began, but here’s one just before the start, showing off the stage.

I said it before, but this was ‘West End standard’ at Leicestershire prices! Sadly, leaving wasn’t quite as well choreographed. In a first, since we’ve been going, two massive coaches had parked opposite the main exit route, meaning the car-park attendants were forced to be quite creative in establishing both a safe and effective exit for pedestrians AND cars! It probably took us fifteen minutes to finally exit Kilworth Theatre (hardly a hardship), and once on the A14, it was plain sailing all the way as we followed Janet, Jo, Carol and Chris back to basecamp.

What a great Saturday! .

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Kilworth House Theatre – 42nd Street appeared first on Steve's Blog.

A day of culture today as we headed for Tolethorpe Hall with Jo, Janet and Carol to see the matinée performance of Agatha Christie’s, The Mirror Crack’d. The last time we all there was back in August last year, to see The Recruiting Officer and we’ve built up quite a track record of visits here!

Previous Visits to Tolethorpe
2007 – The Importance of Being Earnest
2008 – Romeo & Juliet
2009 – The Tempest
2009 – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
2015 – Henry V
2021 – The Importance of Being Earnest
2022 – Spiders Web
2024 – The Recruiting Officer

According to Tolethorpe’s website:-

Hollywood descends on the sleepy village of St Mary Mead when a glamorous American film star buys Gossington Hall. However, the real drama unfolds off-screen, when an unexpected and ruthless murder is committed during a party filled with suspects. It’s up to Miss Jane Marple to unravel a web of lies, tragedy and danger.

This fresh and witty adaptation of the Queen of Crime’s famous novel brings real emotional depth and psychological insight to a thrilling story of revenge and dark secrets. This amateur production of “The Mirror Crack’d” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk

But before all that, there was Brunch!

After Brunch at the always-reliable Old Forge in Cranford, we squeezed into Janet’s car and headed for Stamford Shakespeare Company for an afternoon of murder!

On arrival, the grounds opposite the Hall were packed – I don’t think we’ve ever seen it so busy!

Well, maybe it was the gorgeous weather today!?

Inside, for those of you yet to visit, the design of the performance space means the stage is actually out in the open air – quite unusual, and perfect for today with the sun shining!

Or was it? . By the time the curtain went up at 1.30, it was pretty much a full house. That meant around 400 bodies all under the same roof! Cue, lots of theatre fans reaching for the other sort plus bottles of water. Thankfully, Janet had planned ahead and brought with us a coolbox containing bottles of iced water… and during the interval, something a little more alcoholic! . It’s all quite ironic really, as in previous years, at some of these performances, we’ve been concerned about being too cold and brought blankets. I think this year was a first! . The sight of soaking wet backs is never a good look – especially at the theatre (dahling!)

And what of this afternoon’s performance? Well, they stuck mostly to the book, although I did feel that the first half was a little disjointed. I blame the heat, but I eventually realised that the short ‘musical sting’ every so often meant that the scene was now a flashback. Once I’d got that straight into my head, it was a lot easier to follow! Doh! .

The acting was top-notch, and the scenery was impressive. In the latter’s case, there was the innovative use of the ‘three-section’ revolving partition that allowed characters to appear briefly (and sometimes sequentially) to amplify some of Miss Marple’s deductions! Very clever! . Folding wall panels were also part of the set-up that allowed the background to be easily and quickly changed to mirror (see what I did there?) the storyline.

Given this one is a mystery and not a musical, there wasn’t much of a soundtrack, but that didn’t matter as the storyline demanded a fair amount of concentration (especially for any ‘Mirror Crack’d Virgins in the audience).

Any negatives? Certainly not regarding the production itself – it was delivered with passion and professionalism throughout. Where problems did arise were down to Mother Nature and the effect of the heat on the audience. Within 25 minutes of the first half, Row G saw its first casualty! Luckily, there were plenty of first-aiders on-hand to deliver some much-needed TLC. As part 1 continued, a few others were seen wobbling, while others simply ‘did an Elvis’ and left the building – in search of something or somewhere cooler! After the interval, there were a lot more empty seats, where I think some of the audience just gave up. Meanwhile, the Players stuck to their mantra: ‘The Show must go on!”

In a way that was a shame, but with our summers getting warmer, Tolethorpe will need to come up with a permanent solution. Certainly, AC wouldn’t solve the problem (and would cost a fortune), but maybe some solar panels powering fans from the ceiling???

See you on Dragon’s Den!

The performance ended around 4pm, and we all agreed that (heat aside) it had been a very enjoyable performance. Even the usual congested exit (always a ‘feature’ of the Tolethorpe experience), somehow, magically, evaporated, and we were soon on the road back to Kettering.

Happy days and it’s nice when the sun is shining – but not TOO much!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Tolethorpe Hall – The Mirror Crack’d appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Yes, it’s that time of year again (‘Oh no, it isn’t!), it was off to Milton Keynes for our annual Panto visit!

Going to MK at this time of year for our Panto-fix has become quite a tradition, having seen Cinderella in late 2023, Snow White in early 2023 and Jack and the Beanstalk in 2022!

Janet, as usual, booked it, together with a planned ‘cheeky Chinese’ afterwards at 8.15, just round the corner.

Cast-wise, the only one I’d heard of was Craig (now sporting a bushy beard – I’m assuming he’s playing Captain Hook!)

Wow! What a performance! With (comedian and ventriloquist) Max Fulham as Smee stealing the show together with his cheeky Monkey (literally!), ‘Gordon’. With Zara MacIntosh as Tink, Evelyn Hoskins as Wendy and Ross Carpenter as Peter, they won the audience over the audience from the off, and we were soon cheering and hissing like the rest of the kids!!!

CRH was indeed playing Captain Hook and was the perfect villain with his ‘Strictly’ references and catchphrases! I think he enjoyed every minute of his role tonight! He’d even grown a beard for the part (no doubt to the annoyance of the company who produced the advertising posters!)

Completing the cast was a group of acrobats that impressed us all with their gymnastic abilities.

A cracking good Panto – maybe the best we’ve seen in a while (I’m sure we say that every year) with everyone at the top of their game. It’s worth mentioning two aspects that added to the overall enjoyment… One: Max Fulham was nothing short of EXCELLENT! None of us had ever seen a ventriloquist live before – and his voice skills were simply outstanding! Two: When Craig Revel Horwood sang his cover of ‘My Way’ towards the end of the production, I think we all saw him in a different light – what a powerful and emotional performance!

Next year, it’s Goldilocks and Three Bears starring Brian Conley and others (yet to be announced).

Cheeky Chinese!

With the Panto over for another year, we headed for the Chinese restaurant, a few minutes away.

As usual for this time of the year, it was frantically busy when we arrived just after 8.15, but it got progressively quieter as meals ended and customers headed elsewhere to see in the new year.

Having carefully worked-out what we fancied and being careful not to over-order (we ordered for FOUR even though there were five of us)… we failed spectacularly with the Shanghai Set-Menu, and we still had far too much food! The service was like it always is here – outstanding. The waiters even ran around to ensure everyone was attended to! .

We finally gave up force-feeding ourselves just before 10. We said our goodbyes outside as Ann wasn’t sure she’d make it through until midnight and we headed back to our cars. What a fantastic evening! The journey home was hassle-free with very few cars on the road and we were soon indoors.

Hello 2025!

Back home, Ann turned in whilst I watched a little of Graham Norton, Jools Holland and then Sophie Ellis Bextor’s Kitchen Disco Party before crashing out at a pathetically early 11.45pm! Sadly, neither of us were quite the Party Animals that we hoped for, so here are the London Fireworks that we missed! .

Happy New Year!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Pantomime (Peter Pan) 2024 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Off to the Lighthouse Theatre in town tonight with Jo, Janet, Helen and Carol to see Dolly Parton and her Country Superstar friends.

I don’t think any of us were completely sure what this evening would be like – all we knew what that it was a group of tribute acts. But by the time the curtain went up, it was pretty much a full house, so that was surely a good sign! I’m not particularly a country fan, but I do like a good tune. With that in mind, how much of the evening would be devoted to ‘just’ Dolly with her country superstar friends in support – or it would be an even mix of talent on stage?

We settled into our front-row seats in the Circle and waited for the Superstars to appear. Interestingly (or not) the over-the-air announcement positively encouraged us to take photos during the performance and share them (no video though!) as much as we liked!

It was to turn out to be a very ‘interconnected’ evening (more about that later) where the entertainers really engaged with their audience. I guess it was quite a logistical exercise to get all these tribute acts all in one place – and in sleepy Kettering too! – so hats off to the promoters and organisers

Yee hah!!

7.31pm: We’re off! With the five-piece Band, Dolly acted as our host for this rainy Friday night and launched into many of her hits including: ‘Jolene’, ‘Here You Come Again’ and ‘Applejack’. Actually, she was a really good lookalike and soundalike too. A powerful voice together with that familiar twang made for a very convincing Dolly! It already felt like we were in for a great time – there was already a couple dancing in the aisles and we were only 10 minutes in! . We were all hoping that the rest of the acts were as good!

Dolly introduced her next guest – Johnny Cash – as she left the stage. He did a few of his better-known songs, and again, he was pretty convincing. Tribute acts are a big thing these days, sometimes sounding as good as, or even better than, their source material! He didn’t disappoint and there was no need to work the audience, as we were already clapping in time (and the aisle was getting even busier now below us!)

Next up was a rather strange looking act. I quickly learned that this was ‘Billie Jo Spears‘ and I wasn’t sure what it was, but she ‘looked’ a bit odd. Anyway, her singing was a good as those that had come before, and when she launched into ‘Blanket on the Ground’ pretty much everyone in the audience was joining in.

Garth Brooks appeared next with a facial hair that had been chiselled within an inch of its life and looking every inch a ‘man’s man’ (jealous? moi?). This was an energetic performance where his daily step count will have been impressive by the end of this turn.

Tammy Wynette followed Garth and gave us first-class performances of ‘D.I.V.O.R.C.E‘. and ‘Stand by your Man’. Another powerful and authentic performance!

Then it got really spooky – in a good way! Tammy handed over to John Denver who looked so much like err, John Denver, we all had to do a double-take. It was when he launched into ‘Annie’s Song’ that the goosebumps started! Yikes, this was uncanny! If you closed your eyes, it could have been the real John Denver. Fantastic talent and they were lucky (and so were we) to have all these acts.

8.45pm: A short 20-minute intermission gave all the acts time to get their breath back AND an opportunity for us all to compare notes. We all agreed that it had all been really good so far. There was some talk about ‘Was Dolly also Tammy’? and ‘Glen’ also ‘Garth’? I’d already thought that there was some duplication for some of the acts – but surely not ALL of them??? My fellow music-lovers (ie EVERYONE else!) were confident that the Green Room wasn’t anywhere near as full as I thought it was!! Ann had a radical view that it was also a FAMILY affair – and they were husband and wife AND the backing vocalist (who only appeared briefly) was their daughter. OK, very ‘EastEnders’ and we dismissed the idea as being too radical.

Meanwhile, I was still reeling from the shock that I may have missed the obvious and where this evening’s spectacle of singers was down to just TWO people. Surely not?

Glen Campbell was our next Superstar (they were certainly coming thick and fast!) and you can imagine the anticipation in the Green Room whilst all these acts queued, waiting for their turn to entertain us! – or were they?

I was now scrutinising each act even more closely during the second half! Shania led another energetic performance including her hits: ‘You’re Still the One’ and ‘That Don’t Impress Me’ and the truth was slowly (very slowly) beginning to dawn on me! Yes, this was the same person who I’d/We’d seen earlier. The pennies had now finally dropped. OK, I was now convinced it WAS just a single woman playing all the female parts tonight. How did I miss that?

Willie Nelson joined the band on stage. Well, at least this couldn’t possibly be the same person who was also Dolly Parton – at least I got that bit right! But was it the same guy who we seen in the first half? Having looked even more closely, realisation at last!!! . I blame my medication! Doh!!!! . Superb renditions of ‘You Were Always on my Mind’ and ‘On the Road Again’ followed.

Now it was the turn of Patsy Cline. With my now newly discovered ‘suspicious head’ could this be the same person, who, ten minutes before, had appeared as Shania Twain? Surely not? This performer walked differently, looked much older and had completely different mannerisms. A closer look revealed she now even sported different-coloured nail varnish! Talk about ‘method acting’… talk about ‘Mr Stoopid’. If we’d had goosebumps earlier when John Denver sang, this was ‘goosebumps on goosebumps’ when we heard the 1961 hit: ‘Crazy’. Wow!

Kenny Rogers was the final act of the evening and as the full realisation of my previously poor observation skills hit home, at least I was certain this wasn’t the same person as the singer who’s portrayed Dolly Parton earlier!

…especially as they rounded off the evening with a duet featuring both Kenny Rogers AND Dolly Parton at the same time! . ‘Islands in the Stream’ was performed with all the passion and professionalism of the original artists. And in a final reveal during the ‘thanks to everyone’ part by our host, Dolly revealed that she was really ‘Sarah Jayne’ and ‘Kenny’ was ‘Andy Crust’. The background vocalist (who appeared earlier and towards the end of the show) was their daughter, Lucy. Mrs P was right, and our jaws collectively dropped!

10.30pm: Longer than we imagined it would be (in a good way) we left the Theatre just after 10.30pm. It had been a fantastic evening. Eleven Country singers for the price of two – and each ‘one’ at the top of their game. The support band – the Country Superstars Band were equally skilled and probably could have hosted an evening of their own!

Great to see such a polished performance – and locally too! Go see!

Read more about them HERE

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Beg your Parton! appeared first on Steve's Blog.

We’re at Tolethorpe Hall for Stamford Shakespeare Company’s production of ‘The Recruiting Officer‘.

Those with an HR background (and like me, unfamiliar with this title) will be disappointed to learn that it’s nothing to do with employment best practice! According to Tolethorpe’s website, it’s a tale of…

“plot twists, cross-dressing, forged letters, mistaken identities, love triangles,
hilarious disguises, a merry band of folk musicians and a host of colourful, comic characters”.

Nope! Definitely NOT HR then!

Being at Tolethorpe Hall, for us, it also meant a picnic and meeting up with friends. This year, fellow picnickers Jo, Janet, Carol, and Helen joined us (Chris couldn’t make it). The only difference this time was that unlike every other year we’ve been here, today, the performance came first followed by our picnic – something that Tolethorpe had introduced to better manage the crowds for both the matinée and the evening performance.

Previous Tolethorpe visits…

2007 – The Importance of Being Earnest
2008 – Romeo & Juliet
2009 – The Tempest
2009 – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
2015 – Henry V
2021 – The Importance of Being Earnest
2022 – Spiders Web

We all went into this one a bit cold. None of us were familiar with the title at all or had heard of the writer: George Farquhar. As we made our way to the seats, we could hear a Band playing (that’s a first for Tolethorpe Hall). It turned out to be a five-piece group dressed in period clothing and playing instruments of the time – and they certainly did a great job warming up the crowd. An excellent start! That same group then became part of the troupe and provided the music throughout.

Unfortunately, for me, it all went downhill from there. Strange really, in that the acting was superb, the costumes, colourful, the lighting was spot on and the scenery well constructed and imaginative. In fact, it was SSC at its best… except I just didn’t ‘get it’. Clearly the humour was mostly in the dialogue and occasionally, visually and that’s exactly my sort of humour, but it was just too confusing for this poor soul! . I WAS obviously missing something because a lot of the audience were giggling along as the production progressed – and it was a full house too!

It probably didn’t help that dialogue volume was somewhat variable depending on the actor, requiring us, as the listeners, to work extra hard to make sense of what was going on. It was such a shame as I really wanted to like this – surely anything that contains cross-dressing, forged letters, mistaken identities, love triangles and hilarious disguises is guaranteed to raise a titter… or ten!

Would I see it again just to be sure? Nope! Would I recommend it? Definitely not! Would I see a different production, sometime in the future? Probably not!

For me (and I suspect a few others too) the most disappointing production I’ve ever seen at Tolethorpe Hall . Well, at least we had the picnic to look forward to!!

We discussed what we’d just seen…and it looked like I wasn’t alone! I did some research on George Farquhar in between courses. Irish by birth, it seemed he only had a short life (he died before his 30th birthday) and in that time was responsible for three pieces of work.

Additional entertainment – provided completely free of charge – was supplied by Jo and me. If you think deckchairs can be unco-operative, try these particular tables that fold down the size of a matchbox, but require infinite patience to assemble them! – and there were TWO of them!!!

Well, at least today’s food was outstanding!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Theatre: Tolethorpe Hall 2024 – The Recruiting Officer appeared first on Steve's Blog.

For me, the most eagerly anticipated theatre trip in a long, long time – “Fawlty Towers – The Play”.

The ‘Famous Five’ aka Jo, Janet, Carol, Ann and yours truly jumped on board the 10.28 out of Kettering, heading for the capital.

The train was busy, and I think we got the last seats. Noisy too, with multiple Hen Parties all attempting to see who could be the loudest and dress using the least amount of clothing. Don’t they know I’m on blood pressure tablets?!?!

Our trip to London was in part a celebration of Janet’s birthday (yesterday) and we’d also booked the Apollo Theatre a while back with plans to also squeeze in a ‘cheeky Chinese’ before the performance.

And if the train was busy, London itself was even busier! Just to keep things interesting, most of the roads near the Theatre had been fully closed-off meaning there were people spilling out onto the road as well. Manic!!! . We later learned that it was all down to a march involving far-Right, Tommy Robinson as well as a counter protest by Stand Up To Racism.

Our eatery of choice was The Orient in Wardour Street, right in the heart of London’s China Town. It was an excellent meal! If anything, there was far TOO MUCH food!! . Note to self: Next time, stop ordering after you get to the Crispy Duck course!

Yes, far too much!

2.15pm: We took our seats for the matinée performance. The Apollo is one of the smaller Theatres in London, and it filled up pretty quickly. By the time the curtain went up, it was pretty much a ‘full house’. Surely a good sign of things to come?

THE Fawlty Towers?

The real Fawlty Towers? Yes, pretty much! The Play is a comedy also penned by John Cleese based on the TV sitcom of the same name that he co-wrote with Connie Booth. The theatrical version is adapted from three episodes of the TV series forming one seamless storyline; “Hotel Inspectors”, “The Germans” and “Communication Problems” – three of my favourites, but let’s face it, they were ALL hilarious, weren’t they?

Sadly, none of the original stars is in this, the theatrical version, but you would have never have known it! The actors captured their alter-egoes perfectly, with a special shout-out to Adam Jackson-Smith who played Basil.

…and we shouldn’t forget the creatives that made it happen on the night…

The Verdict

I guess it was a risky business, attempting to transfer such an iconic show as TV’s 12-episode Fawlty Towers to a West End production. Would it be as funny as we remember it and would it ‘work’ as live production? Well, based on our collective thoughts (and based on the laughter around the Theatre) – a resounding success!

Yes, we knew every line before it was delivered, yes, we knew where the multiple stories were heading, and yes, we knew ALL the punchlines, but it didn’t stop us laughing at all those familiar iconic scenes as if we were seeing them for the first time.

So, if you’re worried that they might have ruined a classic – don’t! This was a hilarious 90 minutes of nostalgic fun where it literally was: ‘a laugh a minute’.

The performance finished around 4.30 and we were soon back on the Tube heading for St Pancras International where thankfully, it was a lot less busy heading home. Janet dropped us off at Dave and Rosi’s so we could wish Dave ‘Happy Birthday’ from earlier in the week. Paul & Karen were there together with John & Trish. We stayed for a quick chat and a few nibbles (more food!)

8pm: Phew! What a memorable day – for all the right reasons! . Happy Birthday Janet and Dave!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Theatre: Fawlty Towers appeared first on Steve's Blog.

We headed off in the direction of Kettering’s Lighthouse Theatre this afternoon to see ‘Legally Blonde’ (based on the 2001 film of the same name, that starred Reese Witherspoon). It wouldn’t be my first choice of theatre entertainment, but with six women – Ann, Jo, Janet, Carol, Helen and Chris and just me along for the ride, I was happy to be outnumbered!

Apparently, fans of the original film have a ‘thing’ about the Chihuahua!

I saw the above notice on the Theatre’s website – that’s a first for me… Not sure anything about the Lighthouse is formal as it’s just not that kind of place. . Apparently, it was aimed at those on the autistic spectrum, and in my book, that’s a nice touch.

We were ‘up in the Gods’ and it gave us a great view of the stage.

2.30pm: Curtain up! First, I should say that we learned that this was an amateur production, so we weren’t expecting West End/Kilworth Theatre standards. The show had been on for about a week and had received rave reviews – so what could possibly go wrong?

On a positive note: great sets, comfy seats and plenty of legroom! . And it’s great to support a local cause, isn’t it! The performers were clearly having the time of their lives… the trouble was, for us, that feeling remained on the stage! . The only exception was the lead actress who had a very pleasant voice and carried the part well – the trouble was, she was outnumbered!

I’d love to say: “It was so bad, it was good”. Sadly, not this performance! With the majority of the female voices specialising in the ‘screech owl’ style; some actors who simply couldn’t sing; painful harmonies; the incoherent plot and poorly choreographed dance routines, it was a performance to remember – for all the wrong reasons! The only saving grace was the ‘ahh factor’ in the shape of the two dogs who made brief appearances before and after the interval. I recall the original film being quite amusing, but there was nothing here for me to raise a smile . We swapped notes at the interval, and our dropped-jaws were similarly synchronised!

Clearly, those in the Stalls were watching a different show and ‘whoop-whooped’ their way through it all. It must be my age, but I’m sorry to say it was the worst amateur production since the early 70s, where my Bottom was the talk of the sixth form during the School’s production of Midsummer Night’s Dream.

…but that’s another scandal story!

Generally, I always enjoy amateur productions and I really was looking forward to this one! But it wasn’t meant to be – so excruciatingly awful, I think I’m going to need counselling. This performance has a famous line: “Oh, my God, you guys!”…

…my feelings exactly! I’m off for a lie-down – I may be some time!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Theatre: “Legally Blonde” appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Off to the local Lighthouse Theatre to see the ‘adult’ Panto: Jack and the Beanstalk! We’ve not been to an ‘adult’ Panto before, and this one promised that it was ‘very rude’, ‘full of innuendo’ and with ‘plenty of audience participation’! .

With the ‘audience participation’ part ringing VERY uncomfortably in our ears, we realised we were prime targets, with seats near the front, in ROW B!! That immediately sounded postiviely dangerous until we spotted we were actually seated in the CIRCLE! Phew! .

We were soon seated – looking for places to hide, should we need to! Just take a look at that official blurb above for tonight’s performance… . This was either going to be a memorable evening…or a car crash. It was also my first ‘official’ social event without my recent recent companion – the splint on my left arm – where I was hoping that the sign of that alone would dissuade ANY of the cast thinking I was a target for participation!

We’ll see! Eeek!

Popular?

Well, judging by how many people were already there when we arrived- a big YES! On taking our seats in the Circle, it was clearly a full-house. In a first from my experience of this Theatre, prior to curtain-up, there was an announcement for everyone to vote by DM on Facebook to vote for which member of the cast should be nominated to get drunk during the performance!

The Royal Opera House this WASN’T! .

So far, all the signs were that this would turn out to be the sort of production that Ann and I would hate… but do you know what – as things turned out, it was one of the funniest evenings we’ve had at the theatre for ages (probably EVER!). All the essential Panto ingredients were there – cheeky lead, multi-talented Dame, Fairy Godmother (sort of!) the obligatory Panto Cow, plenty of song & dance etc etc. And once we got over the shock of the VERY obscene language (it took me a while!) and the threat of audience participation ( I think the ‘member of the audience’ chosen to have eggs rubbed in her hair was a ‘plant’) – it felt all very traditional! The audience was onside from the off, which clearly helped, and the three-hour production passed in a flash. Best of all, the cast looked like they were having the time of their lives. The frequent ‘corpsing’ and ad-libbing was a testament to that!

Would we go and see future productions (I think their next one is ‘Aladdin’) – a definite yes – but it’s probably NOT one suitable for your Granny!

Well done to everyone who made tonight such a treat! You can read more about them – ‘Pissed-up Panto’ – HERE (Facebook)

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Pantomime (Adults Only!) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Off to Milton Keynes Theatre to see their Panto performance – Cinderella!

Sadly, Carol was not feeling 100% and couldn’t join us. Janet took on taxi duties, picked us up just before 4.30 and we were soon on our way in the cold and wet weather heading for MK `and the 6pm performance.

They’re always great productions here at the MK Theatre, and this is our third consecutive year, having enjoyed Snow White in 2023 and Jack and the Beanstalk in 2022. Afterwards, we’d booked a new year celebratory Chinese meal at nearby Taipan and then we plan to see the new year in at J & J’s.

The roads were pretty empty `and after a hassle-free (but damp) journey, just as we arrived, the weather deteriorated further and it began chucking it down as we took the short (and very wet and ‘hoods-and-brollies-essential’!) walk to our destination. Ticket-checking took no time at all, and we were soon in the warm and dry. Judging by the sheer numbers, it was certainly well-supported, with a packed house tonight!

After a quick coffee, we took our seats together with the rest of the population of Bucks!

We had a great view and as things were to turn out, we were glad we weren’t too close to the stage as ‘audience participation’ was all part of tonight’s performance! “Oh, yes it was!”

6pm – curtain up!

Brian Conley (BC) has lost none of his magic and he really carried the show. The rest of the cast, we’d not heard of, but it was good that BC’s daughter was part of it all, playing ‘Fairy 312’. As you might expect (being a Panto) there were quite a few laugh-out-loud moments, and you can’t beat a bit of ‘toilet humour’ (especially if it involves an actual toilet!).

In truth, in spite of the many laughs, it wasn’t the funniest panto we’ve seen here. Without the ymany ears of acting, performing and general panto craft that BC brought to the production, it would have all felt a bit flat – it really needed a few more known faces to act as a foil for ‘Rocky’. Ironically, the funniest part for us was right at the end when BC invited a family from the audience on to the stage. Whether they were a plant or not, we don’t know, but one of the children was so hyper-active, it forced the star to ad-lib like I’d never seen before, just to simply keep control of proceedings. He was masterful, and the funniest thing I’d seen on stage in ages!

Next stop? Something to eat…

Janet had booked us a table at nearby Taipan. It was perfect timing as we sat down at our 8.40 booking with a minute to spare! It was a great atmosphere and although quite busy when we arrived, it quietened down a lot during our meal.

Choosing what to eat was easy and we opted for the Shanghai Set Menu with extra Chicken Noodles. Service was as good as ever and their speed of service has lost none of its velocity. The food was super-yummy and by the time we left, just after 10, we were one of the last.

Heading home, the roads were again, pretty much deserted, and we arrived back at J&J’s just after 11 where we caught up with the last 20 minutes of Graham Norton on BBC1. We’re all fans of Rick Astley and he was performing a special set afterwards, either side of the fireworks. It was a cracking good show and I think he would have gained a few more fans tonight based on this one-off.

We saw in the new year and exchanged some small New Year gifts. A Faraday Pouch from Jo & Janet and book about Latin from Ann.

These days, being more ex-Party Animals, after the short (and very cold) walk ‘up the hill’ we got to bed around 1am!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Pantomime (Cinderella) 2023 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Off to our favourite West-End-Theatre-that’s-not in-the-West-End… Kilworth House Theatre!

Well, it is west of Kettering!

Kilworth House Theatre?

I must admit, I’d never heard of Kilworth Theatre before we moved to Northamptonshire. Since our discovery, we’ve been coming here pretty much every year to see their latest production. The Theatre is unique in that it’s privately owned and part of the 38 acres occupied by the nearby Kilworth House Hotel (where we spent our Honeymoon night, back in 2011). Celia Mackay is the brains behind it all and also happens to produce all their err, productions. Opened in 2007, the Theatre seats an audience of 547 and where the raked seating ensures that everyone has a great view of the stage. It’s an outdoor theatre too, but even with the British weather, you’re unlikely to get wet as that part is covered! The performers aren’t quite so lucky though – although the stage is covered, the perimeter/entry/exit routes for the performers is exposed (as we were to witness today!)

It’s still known locally as ‘Kilworth House Theatre’ but was recently re-named The Celia Mackay Theatre in honour of its founder.

2023’s Production

Last year we saw Carousel here, and the year before that, Memories of The Musicals. For 2023, it’s…

Together with fellow-Kilworth-lovers, Jo, Janet and Carol, we’d purchased tickets for their 2.30 matinée performance. One of the joys of Kilworth is that it’s always West End quality without the West End prices. Additionally, it’s only a short(ish) drive away, plus they always offer Saturday matinées too! Easy on the wallet and easy to get to, so what’s not to love!? . But wait, there’s more! Free parking, free picnic spaces and a reasonably priced Bar complete the Kilworth experience! Today’s weather forecast was very wet with a chance of even more rain, so the picnic opportunity was dumped, in favour of a late breakfast beforehand at the very local (and ever-reliable) Old Forge Tea Room in Cranford.

We arrived in good time and were soon in our seats. As usual, it was well-supported with pretty-much a capacity crowd! None of us had seen Hairspray before and didn’t really know the plot, but I’d read that the main theme is ‘racial prejudice and freedom of expression’, so it’ll be interesting to see how that translates into a ‘musical comedy’! . And so, with a firm hold on the programme, we settled down for Kilworth’s production.

Main Cast

Tracy Turnblad played by Charlotte Hammond-Jones
Edna Turndblad played by Michael J Batchelor (the funniest drag act I’ve seen in years!)
Wilbur Turnblad played by Steven Serlin
Velma von Tussle played by Jenny Gayner
Amber von Tussle played by Holly Willock
Link Larkin played by Alex Lodge
Seaweed J Stubbs played by Nay-Nay
Motormouth Maybelle played by Ayesha Maynard (a voice that could knock down walls!)
Corny Collins played by Liam Doyle

As usual, we weren’t allowed to snap any photos during the performance, so the obligatory group selfie below was the last before curtain-up!

Wow! What a performance!! . We’ve enjoyed all their productions to date, but this one was in a league of its own. The singing was excellent, the choreography, faultless. Considering we hardly knew any of tunes going in (apart from “You Can’t Stop The Beat!”) we were soon tapping our feet to a variety of 50s and 60s style-tunes. It was topical too – body shaming, racial discrimination and a man in drag! And do you know what? They pulled it off as a musical-comedy with ease! (much to my surprise!). Michael Bradley led the orchestra, as usual , who were at the top of their game.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, given the appalling weather, the Stage Crew worked doubly-hard to keep the rain off the Stage – all-in-all a real team effort. Well done everyone!

It’s the last performance is tomorrow, so be quick if you fancy a thoroughly entertaining production!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Theatre: Hairspray (2023) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Oh yes, we are! — we’re at the Panto!

Milton Keynes was our destination today, together with Jo, Janet & Carol for this year’s offering – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The last time we were in ‘Panto Mode’ was (also) in MK last January to see Jack and the Beanstalk in 2022, starring Ashley Banjo. On that occasion, the performance, although very enjoyable, was hampered by Covid and consequently, a distinct lack of cast.

No issues at all this year, where familiar faces: Lesley Joseph, (Judge) Rob Rinder and Paul Chuckle plus comedian/impressionist/singer Aaron James, singers/actors Dale Mathurin and Charlotte Haines were ready and waiting to get us in the Panto mood.

After a spot of lunch at nearby Taipan Chinese Restaurant, we took our seats at Milton Keynes Theatre.

It looks like it would be a full house judging by the sheer number of people inside (and queuing outside).

By the time the curtain went up at just after 2.30pm, there were just a handful of empty seats left – a good sign surely!

Any good?

It was a thoroughly entertaining performance. The audience were onside pretty much from the off, and as Act 1 got underway, both kids and adults were soon competing with who was laughing the most. Forget the storyline, as it hardly mattered, simply providing a framework for a continuous stream of typical panto-humour that clearly delighted everyone there – us included! In fact, delighted, was probably an understatement, as I don’t think we’ve laughed so much, and so often, in ages!

All-in-all then, a thoroughly well-rehearsed, professionally delivered show. The cast looked like they were enjoying it as much as we were too! Hard to pick a standout moment but for me, ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’; ‘the sword & cucumber’ sketches; and the ‘Spanish’ gags (Q: ‘What do you call a Spaniard who’s lost his vehicle?’ A; ‘Carlos’/Q: ‘What do you call a Spaniard who’s just left hospital?’ A: ‘Manuel’). Yes, c’mon, it’s Panto so drop your quality threshold!!!!

Their final performance is tomorrow and next year’s production is Cinderella.

What a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon! . Thanks for organising things Janet! Pity about the weather home though – the familiar torrential rain that reminded us of our time away for the new year! – thanks for doing the driving Jo.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Pantomime (Snow White) 2023 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Here we are at the rather flashy ‘The Goring Hotel‘ in fashionable Belgravia, London (albeit belatedly) courtesy of a rather generous birthday gift for Ann back in 2021 from Roger, Jane & Oliver. Thanks everyone!

Friday, 5th

Yes, this is possibly the most sumptuous Hotel we’ve ever stayed in – and we’re here until Sunday to soak up the opulence of it all. Yep! It’s a tough life!!

After the typical congestion of London traffic on a Friday (some things don’t change!) our (electric) black cab dropped us right outside, and we were soon checking-in and heading for Room 50! The hotel is quite small by premium hotel standards and is privately owned by the Goring family offering just 69 rooms. Nothing so vulgar (dahling!) as tea & coffee making facilities in the room – if you want a cuppa, they fly a member of staff to the appropriate country where they handpick the leaves/beans for you*

*Not really! But this place is oozing OTTness and is a rare example of how to get it right, all the time, everywhere! Nothing is too much trouble for the team here where everyone knows your name! Cheers! I love it already!!!

We soon unpacked and “Oh, the pressure!”, it’s coming up to 4.30 and that can only mean one thing… Afternoon Tea at The Goring!

The hotel’s veranda area was pretty-much full when we arrived at 4.30, so it was obviously a popular place to enjoy this quaint English tradition. Their Afternoon Tea, was, as expected, super-yummy with excellent service too!

Just enough time for ‘feet-up’ before heading out to the theatre…

Where and what? The London Coliseum Theatre to see ‘My Fair Lady’.

7.00pm Curtain up! I felt a bit overdressed in long trousers and a traditional shirt – note to self: pack trainers, a baseball cap and shorts for next time! Clearly, ‘dressing up’ for the theatre is no longer de-rigueur! OK, some were ‘smart’ but many looked like they’d just stepped off the beach! Yes, I’m getting old, and turning into my Dad!

OK, Victor Meldrew moment over, but would the person in Row A, to my right, stop texting during the performance, please!!!

Wow! What a show! Pitch-perfect singing, great acting, faultless comic-timing and superb choreography made this, for us, the perfect evening out for entertainment. And if all this wasn’t to your taste (why not!?!?) then the innovative set design and the way they choreographed the scene changes – was a performance in itself! Brilliant!!. We pretty much knew all the tunes: “Wouldn’t it Be Luvverley!“, “I’m Getting Married in the Morning“, “I Could Have Danced All Night”, “On The Street Where You Live”.

Additionally – and controversially – “Why Can’t a Woman Be More Like a Man?”. Ahh, bless! They don’t write them like that anymore – which may be a good thing, otherwise, our ‘wonderful NHS’ would be overwhelmed with injured men! .

Any glitches? Generally, a very (very) well-oiled machine, however, the orchestra/vocal/sound mix was a bit ‘off’ during the initial scenes of Act 1 – but they soon put that right!

A word about the Theatre itself: In spite of its age – it was opened in 1904 – there was plenty of legroom, we had a great view (Row B, Dress Circle) and the perfect temperature too! (well, maybe a touch too cool!). Tickets were a whisper under £100 each which we considered a bargain for this part of town!

10.04pm: The curtain came down just after 10pm and after the mass exodus, we were lucky enough to find a cab pretty quickly as we wandered down towards Trafalgar Square. We were soon back at The Goring looking for some nightly nibbles (it must have been the ‘London Air’!)

Ooo! It’s past 10.30 on a Friday night, and we’re staying up late! We headed for the Lounge and tucked into some sandwiches and a cheeky glass each of Pink Port.

11.23pm: That’s it! We’re done! . We’re off to Greenwich and the maritime area tomorrow – we haven’t been there since February, 2016!

Saturday, 6th

9.10am: A lazy start to the weekend! Helpfully, there was an in-room menu to tempt us, and where the Full English (at just under £40 a plate) was prominently displayed.

Maybe,  we should have brought sandwiches, but I think instead, we’ll try the restaurant, and blend in with the other guests (who seem to be 99.9% non-natives). Maybe, Brits can’t afford to stay here – consequently, this felt like an EXTRA special treat from the family.

10.22am: Suitably stuffed for the day ahead, we headed for Westminster Pier. It was a gorgeous day out there and as planned, we headed for Greenwich. We grabbed the nearby 148 Bus and then the famous Thames Clipper (at the time of writing, now managed by Uber), so we half-expected to be heading for the English Channel whilst our ‘driver’ consulted his sat-nav.

10.45am: No such worries, as we skimmed our way along the Thames and arrived at our destination within about 45 minutes. Actually, this was a really good service and a good alternative to trains and the Underground – and the Clippers accepted Oyster Cards too!

Yes, a really relaxing journey taking in the sights of the riverside along the way!

…and a short techy note! Just logged the fastest 5G speeds I think I’ve ever experienced IN THE WORLD – and we’re on a boat, just east of Tower Bridge! Thanks, Three Mobile!

Hello Greenwich!

11.32am: It’s been a while since we were last here. We love the Maritime area and clearly so did a lot of other people – it was buzzing (even though the above pic must have been during a quiet moment!).

The Chapel

11.40am: First stop would have been The Painted Hall, but they were now charging £13 for entry, so we skipped that as we saw it on the previous visit anyway! – and instead, headed for the St Peter & St Paul Chapel (still free!)

It’s still as beautiful as ever, but today, just slightly spoilt by the erected scaffolding at one end!

Next stop? The Queen’s House (where we’d also visited last time)

The Queen’s House

11.55am: As we approached the House, it was just as we remembered it (well, the exterior was!)…

We had only been looking around for a short while and initially, it all looked pretty much as expected, with the gorgeous Black and White floor by Inigo Jones located in the Great Hall.

…but then we spotted a lot of new content…

The new content was a mix of paintings, pottery and busts – and neither of us recall seeing any of it last time. Was it just a bad memory, or something more significant? As it turned out, according to one of the Guides we spoke with, there had been a lot of money spent here in the intervening years since we were last here. The ceiling in the Great Hall had been completely renovated and the art collection had been bolstered. That explained it! .

Probably the painting getting most attention was the complete restoration of the portrait of Queen Elizabeth I known as The Armada Portrait (one of only three in existence in the world). It looked brand new and the colours were spectacular.

We were now all ‘cultured out’ and Lunch was calling us! The nearby Pubs were rammed and there didn’t seem to many places to just get a drink, so we headed for the nearest M&S for some takeout.

12.54pm: We found a nice shady spot within sight of the Cutty Sark and sank our ciders and vegetarian ‘sausage’ rolls (some mistake surely???) in record time. Actually, the pseudo sausage creation was quite tasty!! .

1.20pm: Then, after a short wait, it was back on the Thames Clipper for our return journey back to Westminster Pier.

2.30pm: Back in the room and time for a glass of champers and a shut-eye for an hour-or-two! It had been a GREAT day at Greenwich with the journey there and back trouble-free, and where Greenwich itself had been a delight! It’s still one of our favourite destinations when we’re in the capital!

Time for our evening treat – a visit to Rules Restaurant in Covent Garden, the oldest restaurant in London dating back to 1798 and so-named, after its founder Thomas Rule.

7.06pm: It was already buzzing when we arrived. We were a tad late after the ‘journey from Hell’ in the taxi that meant it took three times as long to get there (and cost twice as much!). We were given a very warm welcome and were soon seated, attempting to decide what to choose. Decisions decisions!

And because the restaurant still thought it was Ann’s Birthday, she was surprised by her ‘celebratory’ Sticky Toffee Pudding!

9.06pm: A perfect evening! Thankfully, the journey back to the Hotel by Taxi was without incident and we were back in Room 50 just after 9pm.

Sunday, 7th

What a great break! It’s been good to be back in London again – especially to see the Greenwich Maritime area enjoying so many visitors! The food and drink everywhere didn’t disappoint (does it ever with me?) and the weather was kind throughout our stay. Some things don’t change though, and the traffic jams were just as we remember them! Horrid!!! But good to see so many electric cars amongst the gas-guzzlers! The Hotel was beyond excellent! The staff were super-attentive, and it was good to be staying somewhere that WASN’T part of a big hotel group!

Sadly, time to head for home and say farewell to London and The Goring Hotel

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post The Goring (not boring!) appeared first on Steve's Blog.

We headed for Tolethorpe Hall today to catch the matinee performance of their latest production: Agatha Christie’s Spider’s Web.

Where’s Tolethorpe Hall?

Just like our other fave outdoor space at Kilworth Theatre, there’s the tradition of bringing a pre-performance picnic – and with the weather heading into serioius scorchio territory this week, it would have been rude not to follow the herd!

We met Helen, Jo, Janet, and Carol there where we’d all contributed to the unfolding feast – enough to feed a small county country!

Boy, was it busy in the picnic area! We thought we go there early at just after midday, but there were already dozens of people there – and they’d already bagged the shady positions! Note to self: get there EVEN EARLIER next time!

And then it began to get hot… and then hotter… and then, after we’d eaten, we had to pack everything up (as usual, but it felt like a real chore in the heat) so we could then queue to get into the theatre space. Mission accomplished, but we did all feel like ‘dish-rags’ when we found our seats.

Then, as the theatre filled to capacity, the inevitable occurred – with lots of people in a confined space – it got even warmer… and that was just before curtain up!

The Production: Spider’s Web

Spider’s Web (1954) was Agatha Christie’s second most successful murder-mystery Play – but in spite of that, I wasn’t familiar with it at all. A quick read of Wikipedia put me straight.

First of all, it’s a light comedy! Unfortunately, today at Tolethorpe, so light, that during the first half, it didn’t hit the spot at all for me. AT ALL!!!

OK, superb set, fantastic acting, clever lighting, great costumes (especially for the lead character Clarissa Hailsham-Brown) and potentially great source material, but I really struggled with it! (and that’s unusual, as I’ll watch pretty much anything and see something to enjoy). The choice of incidental music was a little strange too – modern pop hits but with the vocals underpinned by musical styles of the 20s, 30s and 40s. Maybe me struggling with it all was just down to the heat? But I don’t think it was just me fighting with the 30℃+ temperature with no breeze, as out came the fans (the type that you wave about) and eventually, out came some of the audience, looking for somewhere cooler! It was all a bit bizarre!

In all the summer events we’ve been to here (and we’ve been to many!) I’ve never felt that hot in my seat – for so long! But, pretty much everyone was suffering today – except the cast, who carried on like the true professionals they were!

OK, back to the plot. As you might expect, it’s a whodunnit and there’s a body in the library fairly early on. So far, so normal! But as I mentioned earlier, the first half struggled to find my funny-bone and maybe it was simply because the plot seemed so very complex (probably my age!). Add to that, the acoustics for one of the leads wasn’t very good, making it difficult to hear his lines.

Based on the first half, I was thinking: ‘how long until the interval?’ – and that’s never a good sign is it? When it eventually came, after grabbing plenty of water, we were ready for the second half – and hoping for an improvement. Fortunately, things livened up, and it all began to feel much more Agatha Christie. It was also much funnier and morphed into a sort ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ style with plenty of visual gags. That totally suited me, and my faith was restored (although I’m pretty sure that comedic style wasn’t originally written by AC!). At last, things were really warming up – in both senses!!

Probably the most memorable part for me (and many others there) was the (far too short) piece where the whole cast were dancing – as Zombies – to Michael Jackson’s global hit: Thriller. I could have watched that all night! The actor playing Detective Inspector Lord stole the show for me – a cross between Basil Fawlty and Michael Barrymore.

I think it all came right in the end, but it wasn’t really one of my faves where the muggy temperature and differing tones between the two halves left me disappointed. Sorry, Agatha, I know it’s one of your best, but not here, this afternoon. .

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Tolethorpe Hall: Spider’s Web appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Here we are at Kilworth House Theatre with Jo, Janet & Carol for the theatre’s latest production – Rodger’s & Hammerstein’s Carousel! (the pair’s second collaboration from 1945). For those that haven’t heard of this Theatre, it’s local (ish), located in the grounds of next-door Kilworth House Hotel in leafy Leicestershire. Over the years, we’ve seen quite a few of their musicals there, and they’re always nothing less than West End standard!

Anyway, who wants to travel all the way to London by train, and then by Tube, fighting the crowds and experiencing London prices, when Kilworth is pretty much on our doorstep???

I wasn’t as familiar with many of the tunes for Carousel as perhaps other musicals I’ve been to here. But there is one exception of course – a biggie – a song that pretty much everyone has heard of (and probably sung or hummed along to at some point in their life) “You’ll Never Walk Alone”. Actually, less a song more an anthem! . There was also “June is Bustin’ out all Over” – I’d heard of that one too, but that was about it!

The production values were as high as ever and so was the singing, whether it was a solo performance or in a group. As usual for Kilworth, it was well supported. Pretty much a full house, apart from a few empty rows behind us.

All-in-all then, an enjoyable performance, but maybe not one of my favourites because of my unfamiliarity with the tunes and the somewhat depressing storyline.

It’s a long run, beginning on 24th May (finishing on the 3rd July 2022). We saw the matinée that began at 2.30 and with the short (20 minute?) the curtain came down just after 5.15pm. The tickets were £45 each.

Now we just need to get out of the car park (which took us longer than expected because we were parked along the back row!)

Note to self: don’t park along the back row next time!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post “We’re at the Theatre Dahling!” – Carousel appeared first on Steve's Blog.

We haven’t been to London for nearly three years (because of you-know-what) and it felt slightly weird boarding the train. Some things don’t change though, and because of engineering works, we had to skip Kettering station and drive to Huntingdon to get to the capital on time. Again, ‘normaility’ meant the train was PACKED!

The girls got seats, but I opted to stand for the journey. Not one of my better decisions as I was within earshot of what sounded like The Annual Reunion of Macbeth Witches. Eight women with the volume turned-up to 12 for the whole of the journey. On the positive side, they did pack up all their empties before leaving the train – some 25+ cans of premixed G&Ts and Pimm’s (and the train only started at Peterborough!)

After we left King’s Cross, Carol and Ann headed off to the Stonehenge Exhibition at the British Museum, whilst Jo and I did the really important stuff and jumped on the Tube for the innovative and one-off ‘Time Fracture’ Doctor Who event. Described as “a ground-breaking immersive theatrical adventure, [that} plunges you into the incredible universe of Doctor Who” we’d postponed this a while back, and so we were both excited was an understatement!

Located at UNIT HQ, Davies Mews, London W1K 5AB (nearest Tube is Bond Street, nearest Police-Box, somewhat closer!), there are 17 Who-worlds to explore and it’s as interactive as you want it to be. No seats are available, but you can stand and watch the story unfold or be an integral part of the plot as it unfolds before you. No photographs were allowed once we were inside – but we did manage to snap a few at the end.

It was well-supported, and (maybe?) slightly surprisingly, I was the oldest person there by quite a margin!! I won’t give away how it all played out, for fear of spoiling some of the surprise elements of the production, but safe to say, it was well-produced, expertly organised, a little manic in places and as promised, totally interactive. We needed to keep our wits about us, listen well and be prepared to answer questions with virtually no notice at all. It helped to know your ‘Who-foes’ as well as your Who-history. Slightly surprisingly, there was also no need for VR goggles (We’d experienced these at the War of the Worlds immersive back in June 2019) as the action was played out through a series of mini performances. There was great attention to detail and the actors performed their socks off! Brilliant!

My single claim to fame – in the spirit of immersion – was that I was in the final three to ‘wed’ Queen Elizabeth I – I failed in the last task where I had to describe her Majesty in terms of ‘a favourite dessert’. I chose ‘Angel Delight’. A bit spontaneous (not my forté) and not quite clever enough, apparently!

As I mentioned earlier, all photography was banned, although they did allow it right at the end (which caught a few of us out). Still, thanks to Jo’s quick thinking, we did manage a few reminders of our experience.

Reflecting on the whole experience, it all felt exceptionally well organised with great attention to detail. Consequently, it was very enjoyable and certainly worthwhile. As a couple of confirmed Whovians it was a must, although I think for more casual viewers it probably wouldn’t have been such a valued ‘event’ and certainly not a production for those attending ‘on a whim’.

PS: And as I write this the day after, BBC News has just announced the actor who will replace Jodie Whittaker. It’s Ncuti Gatwa (nope, me neither) and there’s more information HERE.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post London-bound: Doctor Who Immersive Experience appeared first on Steve's Blog.

With 2021 behind us “(Oh no it isn’t!”)… it’s Panto time!

Janet and Jo picked us up and after a late breakfast at The Old Forge, and we headed for Milton Keynes Theatre.

We haven’t been to a Pantomime, we think, for about 15 years. Back then, the cast would likely to have been made up of soap-stars and comedians. Fast-forward quite a few performances – and years – and things feel a bit different.

For this production, we have Ashley Banjo (the well-known English street dancer, choreographer and actor as well as being the leader of dance troupe Diversity). We were reminded that they won the third series of Britain’s Got Talent way back in 2009.

Who else..?

Alongside them is Pete Firman – English magician, comedian and television presenter together with Gina Murray, actress, who appeared in Sorted (2000), Ankh 3: Battle of the Gods (2008) and BBC3’s (very under-rated) comedy Witless (2016). For those of us of a certain age, she’s also has a famous Dad: songwriter, record producer and author, Mitch Murray.

We arrived in good time! There was a small queue outside as part of the Covid Passport checking, but we were soon inside. A quick drink was in order before taking our seats. It filled up pretty quickly and by curtain-up it was pretty much a sell-out.

Any good..?

In a word: Absolutely!

In a sentence: The perfect tonic for a cold, damp January afternoon!

In a paragraph: Covid had taken its toll on the cast. Gina Murray was MiA, but her understudy gave a brilliant performance as Mother Nature – a great singing voice too! Ashley Banjo made a good fist of the character Jack, but he looked somewhat nervous in the first few scenes and a bit out-of-place amongst the thesps. Ashley Banjo’s group Diversity almost didn’t live up to its name, having been reduced to just three in total this afternoon – with the remaining performers down with the dreaded virus (we estimated around 10 missing). Pete Firman, as Simon, was the glue that held it all together and did a great job of keeping the audience involved. His magic tricks were more Tommy Cooper than Penn & Teller, but it suited the narrative perfectly. Dame Trot, played by Jack Land Noble came across as a seasoned professional in the world of pantomimes, and played his part with energy, commanding a real presence on stage. Elsewhere, for me, the most memorable scene featured Tilly, Simon and Jill, where Simon mimed to snippets of popular songs as part of their dialogue – ruthlessly well-rehearsed and delivered ‘straight’ and with confidence. In a later scene (featuring most of the main characters) I’ll can now never look at a wooden spoon and a saucepan in the same way again! Ouch! – the audience, as a result, like me, were in raptures! Given the logistical challenges, it was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon with friends!

Today had all the hallmarks of a typical panto: Plenty of laughs, corny jokes, a smattering of double-entendres for the Mums and Dads, plenty of “…behind you…” and “oh no, he isn’t…” moments, a water pistol plus a few songs with suitably modified lyrics to suit the venue and location. All in all, a laugh-out-loud Pantomime for which the audience quite rightly showed their enthusiastic appreciation when the curtain fell. But best of all, the cast looked like they were enjoying every second of the performance. And so were the kids! (noisy sods!!!). Oh, and Daisy the Cow never looked nor sounded better! At the end, a few heartfelt words from Ashley himself reminded us how they had struggled to keep the panto running given the number of people down with the virus – it left us all appreciating this performance even more. A great investment of magic beans this afternoon!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Pantomime (Jack and the Beanstalk) 2022 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

It’s theatre time again for us! Today, we headed to Kilworth and their outdoor Theatre to see a very special production called: Memories of the Musicals.

Billed as… “a full-length show featuring the very best songs from every one of the nineteen musicals produced at Kilworth House Theatre since the theatre opened in 2007. Six stars of the West End stage will sing and dance their way through more than fifty songs from Kilworth’s fantastic back-catalogue supported by a live orchestra on stage”

But before all that, there was ‘nosebag’! Initially, we couldn’t decide where or when to eat – before or afterwards – but who wouldn’t want to eat at a restaurant with a name like The Dovecote Buttery?

So we did!

11.15am: Janet acted as chauffeur, and we headed for our 11.30pm table at the Buttery.

Located in the nearby village of Newton, (population around 100, including us!) the eatery is attached to the next-door farm (spookily called Dovecote Farm) where they’ve been serving food since 2004. I can’t believe we’ve never got around to visiting before now.

11.30am: When we arrived, it was already busy, but that was mainly people coming to the end of the breakfast serving period (that also comes highly recommended!)

This was a fantastic experience! This was a real find for us, although Jo and Janet knew it well. Generous portions of food that looked and tasted delicious – I suspect not a microwave in sight! The service was good too! No doubt, we’ll be back!

1.30pm: Next stop (even though we were all so stuffed, we felt like a snooze!) was the Theatre. For those that aren’t familiar with Kilworth, it’s one of the few (only?) Hotels in the UK that has their own Theatre on-site! The Hotel is five-star and based on our previous visits to the Theatre’s performances, productions are easily West-End standard – but without the ticket price and the long journey!

2.15pm: We met up with Carol who’d travelled separately, and after a quick drink and ordering for the interval, the five of us headed for our seats. They were perfectly positioned – second row from the back and pretty central. However, be warned, it’s wise to bring cushions (thanks Carol!!) as the chairs are (ahem!) ‘basic’.

2.30pm: We’re ready! It was almost a full-house, but not quite. However, in a first for the Theatre since we’ve been going, ‘curtain-up’ didn’t happen on time. It soon became clear as to why not: around 20 people in random batches casually strolled in, as if they had no idea what time it was supposed to begin (I hate that!)

2.41pm: Curtain up!

The stage was made up of seven-piece orchestra (actually on-stage, and that’s unusual for Kilworth Theatre) with their VERY enthusiastic Musical Director, George Dyer on piano and keeping time. Whatever he was on, I want some!! I think EVERY note got a workout, and that piano is going to need serious therapy afterwards! Oh and a word about that talented orchestra – there might have only been seven of them, but they managed about double that number in terms of instruments. A very talented group!

In front of the mini-orchestra was a plain set, with (just) enough room for the six cast – Oscar Conlon-Morrey, Matthew Goodgame (also the Director), Julia Imbach. Owen McHugh, Carole Stennett and Emma Williams. They all had impressive histories on the stage, including London appearances. We might be out ‘in the sticks’ but the Theatre DOES attract the best talent. Oscar was clearly the natural comedian of the group, and his later rendition of “I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major-General” was to have everyone in stitches.

It was a VERY extensive song-list with just a short interval in between.

…and I think we knew most of them! That well-worn phrase: “They don’t write them like that anymore” was never truer!

It was impossible to pick the best performance – they were all beyond excellent – but in terms of the ‘immaculate timing award’ that easily went to ‘Singin’ in the Rain‘ (sung by Owen) as just five minutes beforehand, it actually started raining! For ‘blubbing potential’ it had to be ‘Memories‘ (sung by Carole) where, based on the group in front of us and many others, the Kleenex was out, and in full use. Me? I think I just had a bit of grit in my eye!

Almost fifty tunes is a big playlist, but they were all sung with ease, with energy and with passion. The ladies could have brought down large buildings at 1000 paces based just on the strength of their individual and collective voices – impressive! As a bonus, when the group had an opportunity to all sing together, the harmonies were choir-like!

All six looked like they were having great fun too!

4.55pm: When the performance ended just before 5pm, not surprisingly, a standing ovation followed. The cast looked genuinely moved by this, but it was so well deserved. They finished with a couple of tunes from Kilworth’s forthcoming performances – Half a Sixpence and Carousel – “Flash, Bang, Wallop” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone“.

Wow! What a performance – possibly the best we’ve seen there!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Theatre: “Memories of the Musicals” appeared first on Steve's Blog.

We headed for Tolethorpe Hall near Stamford today to see the latest production of The Importance of Being Earnest by the Stamford Shakespeare Company. We haven’t been to Tolethorpe since July, 2015, where we saw Henry V – quite a while! And going further back in time, we last saw a previous production of the same Play back here in July, 2007!

We chose the 1.30pm matinee performance and followed Jo, Janet, Carol and Helen in convoy from theirs.

On arrival, judging by the number of people already there, it was clearly going to be a full house (well, as full it gets with socially distanced seating!). Once inside, with every other seat ‘out-of-bounds’, it was a sell-out!

Curtain-up was bang on time, and with an interval of twenty minutes, the production ended at 4pm. We loved it! It was a superb production from whichever way you looked at it (lighting, sound and set-design etc) – and every character played to perfection. I especially liked the ‘two’ Butlers (same actor, two roles – very under-stated, with minimal dialogue, but laugh-out-loud funny!

A special mention too for the three imaginative scene changes! A complete transformation and very cleverly done… and by just one person!!

And afterwards, it was off to The George Hotel (again!) for one of their cheeky Afternoon Teas (again!)

Happy days!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Theatre: The Importance of Being Earnest at Tolethorpe Hall appeared first on Steve's Blog.