theatre

A Variety of Theatre Visits

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In August I was once again lucky enough to attend theatre productions on a number of occasions. Each event was brilliant, but they were also very varied. As you most likely know, my preferred choice is musical theatre, but recently have been fortunate to see some slightly different performances, which is always interesting and adds a new perspective to the world of theatre.

Fiddler on the Roof – Grand Theatre, Leeds

I have always loved this show, ever since seeing the film version when I was very young. I have seen a number of stage versions. This one was the same production I saw in Regent’s Park last year. I was interested to see how it would transfer to indoor theatre, as the outdoor theatre definitely makes an impact on productions.

I went with my friend who has never seen the show before. I have tried many times to get my husband to go and watch it, but although he likes the majority of the music, he finds the film too long and boring, so will not give the live version a go.

The production lived up to expectations. The singing and harmonies were beautiful. The dancing, particularly by the men was amazing and the set was pretty impressive and very close to how it had originally been staged at the outdoor theatre. I wasn’t sure what my friend would think, but at the interval she turned to me and just said “wow”, which told me everything I needed to know.

There has been some criticism of the use of regional accents rather than the traditional Jewish accents. For me it did spoil it at all and I would prefer actors using their own accents, or ones they know well rather than hearing disappointing attempts at an accent which then takes away from the enjoyment of the show.

I am so glad I got to see it again. It is an old story, but the themes of suspicion of others, rebellious children, culture clashes, politics, belief and tradition are all still relevant in todays society. The sad thing is that in many ways we don’t really seem to have moved forward.

The Tempest – Ascott House , Leighton Buzzard

I have not seen a lot of Shakespeare and generally stick to the well known ones (Romeo and Juliet, MacBeth), or the one I learned at O’Level (A Midsummer Night’s Dream). The main reason I saw this was because my daughter’s partner was in the production. This was an outdoor event, in the most beautiful surroundings on a beautiful sunny day, with very lovely snacks and in the company of friends, so what’s not to like?

The Tempest is a story of romance, magic, betrayal and forgiveness. In this production the majority of the actors play a number of characters. This works very well and the majority of the acting was entertaining and convincing. It had some very funny moments, involving people within the audience. There was a lot of action, running around the stage and out into the audience which gave it an energetic feel.

It was an excellent evening and a good way to see Shakespeare if you’re not sure whether you’ll like it or not. It certainly makes the plays more accessible to an audience who may have previously avoided Shakespeare.

Brigadoon – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

I am a massive fan of this theatre and feel that it gives new life to shows that have not been seen for many years. The theatre itself has a lovely atmosphere, particularly at this time of year when you suddenly realise that it has become dark whilst you have been watching.

As always the set was imaginative and stunning. The show began with two pipers walking down the extremely steep steps to the stage, such a beautiful sound and sight which made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.

The story is about a village which only appears every one hundred years. There is love, laughter and jealousy amid some beautiful music and some of the most incredible dancing I have seen in a long time. The singing was breathtaking.

The costumes were a blend of traditional Scottish attire, muted colours and a modern twist, which worked really well and looked beautiful.

As always in newer productions some things had been altered from the original, but in this instance it did not feel that it interfered with the flow of the show and for me, actually added to the drama of the story. I enjoyed the evening and I would describe it as “nice”, which sounds a little bit flat, but it left you feeling warm and calm rather than elated or heartbroken.

Guys and Dolls – Wakefield Youth Theatre, Theatre Royal Wakefield

We have supported the Youth Theatre at Wakefield for many years and have never been disappointed with any of their productions. This year was no exception. Guys and Dolls is one of my husband’s favourite shows with his favourite number being “sit down you’re rocking the boat”.

This production had everything you could hope for, colourful costumes, amazing singing, excellent acting and precise, energetic dancing. All the leads were flawless and the ensemble gave their all to each and every number.

My husband’s favourite number was performed to absolute perfection and we left the theatre feeling impressed and with our moods lifted, ready for the rest of the weekend.

The Good, The Bad and The Phenomenal

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It’s been theatre time again over the last few weeks. Sometimes we don’t seem to go see a show for ages and then suddenly we are going numerous times. One was good (well better than good, but I saved phenomenal for later), one was bad (It probably sounds a bit harsh, but it was awful) and the final one was phenomenal.

I’ll start with the “Good”

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake

I have not seen many ballets compared to other types of shows and have generally seen ones where I am already familiar with the story. When I was given the opportunity to see Swan Lake, I jumped at the chance, as I know Matthew Bourne’s work is very different to the classic ballets. I went with my eldest daughter to Bradford Alhambra when the show was touring a couple of weeks ago.

I certainly wasn’t disappointed! The music alone is beautiful to listen to, but coupled with the amazing dancing it was magnificent. From the moment it started, I was entranced. There was so much to look at on the stage throughout the whole performance. I just couldn’t take my eyes off the stage. The style of dancing was unusual and quirky in parts, but so satisfying to watch. The swans were such powerful dancers, graceful and strong and sometimes a little bit scary. The costumes were impressive and unexpected, from long flowing gowns, sparkly mini dresses and pyjamas There was not a traditional tutu in sight.

There were some very dark moments in the story, which were projected so well through the dancing, but there is also a lot of lighter moments which made the audience laugh out loud. I would definitely like to see some more of Bourne’s work, as it gives a completely different slant to ballet which I really enjoyed

Bat out of Hell

I was looking forward to this as I had never seen it before, but sadly I was very disappointed. It was bad! I didn’t read the synopsis before I went, but then I very rarely do, as I hope that the show itself would tell the story for me. Unfortunately it didn’t. It was a very weird mixed-up story with characters that didn’t seem to know who they were or what they were portraying.

Some of the singing was good, but a lot of it wasn’t. At first I thought they were having issues with technology, as they were passing hand held microphones between the cast whilst singing, which apparently is meant to appear more like a rock concert, but just made it look a bit amateurish. The acting from most of the cast was lack-lustre and at times downright annoying.

There were some scenes when I wasn’t sure whether it was trying to be a parody, a comedy or whether the performances were meant to be serious. There were a couple of moments in it where it was just downright cringey. The cameraman videoing for the screen throughout was distracting. It also felt like there were too many people on stage. It reminded me of a school performance where everyone is given something to do, which is fine on those occasions, but not in a full on professional production.

At the interval my friend asked me “Is he meant to be dead” and my reply was “I don’t know and I really don’t care”. It is the first time I have been to a show where I considered leaving at the interval.

The second half wasn’t any better and I spent the last half an hour just waiting for it to be over. I feel for the performers involved, as I don’t think this show did some of them justice. My husband quite rightly pointed out that the band were amazing and he had spent most of the show watching them rather than the performers on stage. They definitely put in 100% effort. There were lots of people in the audience who absolutely loved it and I have heard and read rave reviews, but this was definitely not for me.

Kinky Boots

This is one of my favourite shows and I was very excited to see Joahnnes Radebe taking the part of Lola. I have never heard him sing and there are some big numbers in this production, but he hit every note and his portrayal of Lola was funny, moving and uplifting.

The whole cast were exceptional in all aspects of singing, dancing and acting. It is hard to pick people out of such a great cast, but the characterisation of Lauren was one of the best I have seen and had me in stitches at times. The choreography was wonderful and it just filled me with joy to watch the dancing with Johannes at the centre.

There have been a few changes since I last saw it. The set has been altered slightly, but gives more room for the superb dance numbers. There are quite a few different costumes to previous production, but I thought they worked really well. The other difference is that the Angels are more diverse looking which is more in keeping with the shows ethos of being yourself and accepting people for who they are.

This was an absolutely wonderful night out and I left the theatre feeling elated and singing along to the songs for the rest of the week. It was so good in fact that we went back to see it again later in the week and it was just as good!

A Trio of Theatre Visits

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Just recently I have been lucky enough to enjoy three trips to the theatre. All of them were to shows I’ve not seen live before. I’ve done a little review on each one

Hamilton

Bradford Alhambra was the location for the touring production of Hamilton. I have seen the Broadway version which was filmed and shown on the Disney channel, but was looking forward to seeing the live version in person.

Firstly I have to say that it was much better for seeing live, as most things are. When the show first came to the UK several years ago, there was a lot of hype surrounding it.

Although the music isn’t generally the type of music I would listen to, I enjoyed the score. I would say that there are a couple of really good songs, which do stick in your mind, but on the whole, it’s not one of those where I travelled home unable to stop singing. The production was amazing, as was the choreography. I was able to hear more clearly the words of the songs than when I watched it on TV.

In my opinion, I think the cast did a great job. I really enjoyed the production and I can understand all the hype when it was first produced. It was great to see something I had not seen before, but it isn’t one I would be rushing back to see.

Only Fools and Horses

I wasn’t really sure what to expect with this one. It was a TV comedy I grew up with and I always found it funny, but wasn’t sure how it would lend itself to being a musical. It was on tour and we saw it at Leeds Grand Theatre.

The show is built around the upcoming wedding of Rodney. There were all the usual jokes, bad French phrases and physical comedy you would expect. The cast were excellent, bringing the characters to life on stage. The singing and music were good. There were no real memorable musical numbers, other than the theme tune, which was used at the beginning and then during scene changes.

All in all it was a really good night. There were lots of laughs out loud moments and great characterisation. It worked really well as an entertaining piece of theatre, appealing to fans of the show.

Calamity Jane

This was one I was really looking forward to. It was a firm favourite with my family when we were young. My children always loved watching the film when they were little and my husband was in the school production when he was younger. The touring production was at Leeds Grand Theatre.

The show was excellent, with everything you would expect from a traditional musical. The ensemble were incredible, playing musical instruments alongside singing, dancing and acting. They put their heart and soul into
all the big musical numbers, with some excellent choreography and great singing.

However, I know this is likely to be an unpopular opinion, but I wasn’t a huge fan of Carrie Hope Fletcher’s portrayal of Calamity. She was good, but there were times, particularly in the first act when I couldn’t hear what she was singing. She also appeared a bit laboured in some of the dance numbers. I know she is seen as a big ticket seller and has a massive following, but I have seen other less well known performers over the years, who could have done a better job.

This did not spoil it though as the whole show was fast paced and left you uplifted and singing your head off on the way home, which is just what you need from a night at the theatre

London Theatre Trip

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It was definitely time for a another theatre trip to London. My daughter and I usually go to the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre near her birthday in August. This year we struggled to find a weekend when we were both free, so our visit was delayed until almost the end of September.

Meg has recently moved out of Central London to Leighton Buzzard, into a lovely apartment by the canal with her boyfriend. I travelled on the train on Friday afternoon. It was more straightforward to travel into London’s Kings Cross, walk to Euston and catch the train back out to Leighton Buzzard. There are other ways to do it, but this seemed the quickest and easiest route. It was a pleasure to sit on the train, eat my lunch and read my book without any interruptions. It’s very rare I get chance to sit for two hours without having to get up to do something. It may sound sad, but it felt like a bit of a treat.

There were no issues on the train and I arrived in Leighton Buzzard around 4pm and was met at the station by Ed. After a catch up on the latest news and events, we had a tasty risotto cooked by Ed (referred to as dinner by them, but tea if you live further north). We then played a few card and board games, followed by Tiramisu for desert. It was a very enjoyable evening and it was relaxing to be looked after by someone else instead of running round after everyone.

On Saturday morning, I slept longer than usual, due to the quietness and darkness (we don’t really get this at home as we live near a main road) and as a bonus, the weather was glorious. We had a breakfast of fruit, yoghurt and freshly baked croissants before catching the train into London.

Neither of us really knew what we wanted to do, so we walked from the Euston Station heading towards Regents Park, thinking we would have a little walk whilst we decided what to do. We didn’t really want to go shopping and it was too nice to be inside, so we ended up spending the whole of the day in the park. We walked (a lot!), sat and had a drink and a snack and listened to jazz at the bandstand (although it was almost finished by the time we sat down). There was also an exhibition of modern art as part of Frieze London. It was interesting to look at, but I openly admit I don’t really get most of it and prefer my art a little more traditional and to look like something tangible. Maybe I just don’t have the imagination to see some of the sculptures for what they are meant to be, but they don’t really appeal to me. I enjoyed looking around the sculptures and it was amusing listening to some of the conversations around them. Some were like me, not really understanding what it was all about, but the best were the people who talked about them in an intelligent way. I’m never sure whether they really do, or whether it’s a case of being pretentious to appear intellectual.

After a delightful afternoon in the sunshine we headed of to have something to eat at The Real Greek in Marylebone, which was only a short walk from Regents Park. We enjoyed some tasty food and drinks, before making the short journey back on foot towards Regents Park for the evening performance of Fiddler on the Roof.

I love the open air theatre. The reason we originally went was because it was the first one to reopen after the Covid pandemic, but it has now become a yearly tradition for us. The productions are usually excellent and this was no exception. From the moment the fiddler played the opening bars, I had goose pimples. The singing was amazing with some beautiful harmonies. The acting was superb, with some very moving, emotional performances. The girls were more spirited than in the film and older productions, which I liked. It was very well cast. I love the show and the music and this didn’t disappoint. The threatening storm held off until after the performance, despite several flashes of lightening in the last half an hour.

There was a cancellation of trains on the way back, so it was a late journey and a packed train back to Leighton Buzzard. We enjoyed a cuppa and a chat when we got back, heading off to bed at 2am. It’s a long time since I had such a late night and I definitely felt it later in the week

The following morning, we went for breakfast at the vibes cafe at the side of the canal. We sat outside, but undercover as it was raining, but fairly warm. The breakfast was very tasty. I had brioche French toast with fresh fruit and maple syrup. After breakfast it was time for the short walk up to the train station to catch the train into London and then home. Unfortunately, once again there were cancellations and delays on the trains, but I managed to make it back to Kings Cross in plenty of time for the train back up north.

My husband collected me from the railway station and on returning home there was a lovely Sunday roast all ready. What a lovely surprise. It was a great weekend and I felt I had time to chill out and enjoy some relaxing time with my daughter

A Weekend Break In London

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This is quite a late post, as once again I have been so busy, I never got around to writing it at the time. During the glorious summer, I went to London with my husband and our youngest daughter and her boyfriend. We arranged to spend some time with our eldest daughter whilst we were there. We had an amazing weekend, with beautiful food and gorgeous weather. We were so busy and saw so many things, so were exhausted by the time we got home, but it was well worth it.

The British Museum and a Pleasant Surprise

We travelled by train, dropped our cases off and et our eldest daughter. Our first stop was the British Museum. It was extremely hot inside and we started off by looking at all the Egyptian relics. I had read reviews before I went and I had to agree with some of them, that there is nothing British about the museum. It is full of items “recovered” from other countries. It is great to see the artefacts, but I question the need to have so many items out of their natural environment. Although I love history and I am no expert, it did feel like there was just loads and loads of the same things for miles and miles. After about an hour, we decided to leave the museum and go and have some fresh air.

We walked down to Trafalgar Square and were excited to see the whole area was set up for the Women’s Euros. There were music acts on stage, food and drinks and football events around the square. The steps had been covered with coloured Astro turf. We got drinks and sat on the steps, spending the afternoon in the sun watching the events and people watching.

Come From Away

In the evening we were booked in to see Come From Away at the Phoenix Theatre. On the surface, this musical has a strange premise, as it is about the terrorist attacks of 911, where the aeroplanes were diverted from landing in America, to Newfoundland, where thousands of people were accommodated by a small community.

The show was incredible. The small cast played several different characters in such a believable way. The singing and acting was astounding. There were moments of laughter and some very moving scenes. It was one of the best performances I have seen in a long time.

 Changing of The Guard and New Introductions

This is an event that really surprised me. I remembered watching the Changing of The Guard as a child, but it was so much better than I remembered. The ceremony lasted about an hour altogether, with some beautiful band music, marching, ceremony and tradition. I love the sound of a brass band in the open air and this did not disappoint.

Recently, with the death of Queen Elizabeth II, and seeing all the pomp and ceremony on TV, it made me feel so privileged to have seen this in real life.

Later in the day we went to The Bike Shed, a restaurant in Shoreditch. When I say restaurant, it also has a tattoo and barbers’ shop, merchandise and a motorbike workshop. The motorbikes arrive through the outside seating area. It is a fascinating place, with excellent food. This evening we also met our eldest daughter’s boyfriend for the first time. It was lovely to finally see him and to see our daughter so happy.

Afterwards we went to Junkyard Golf, where we had cocktails and great fun playing the crazy golf. It was a lovely, relaxed evening and we laughed constantly.

The Tower of London

We visited the Tower of London a few years ago, but there is plenty to see, so it is always worth another visit. On this occasion, we also walked through the moat area, which has been planted with a sea of wildflowers. As it had been quite hot, some of the flowers were probably past their best, but it was a lovely day, so it was nice to wander through in the sunshine.

We enjoyed looking around the historic Tower and visited as many of the areas as we could, learning lots about the Tudor buildings, but also the interesting exhibition about the Tower during more recent conflicts, where it was utilised for training the armed forces.

We couldn’t visit without seeing the Crown Jewels and although it was busy, the queue soon moved forwards and we were able to see the amazing exhibition. They are so impressive and beautiful to see under all the lights, which makes them look exceptionally sparkly and regal. In these times of austerity, it seems strange to enjoy looking at something so lavish and extravagant, knowing that the value of the jewels could help so many people in need, but I love the history attached to them and the amount of people waiting to see them, is testament to the value of them as a tourist attraction as well as their monetary value.

Grease

This has always been one of my favourite films and I have watched it so many times over the years. I have also seen the stage musical a couple of times in the past. The production at the Dominion Theatre was slightly different, with some aspects that were great and some not so good. The dance numbers and ensemble pieces were impressive and lively. However, Danny and Sandy seemed to have very little chemistry. The transformation of Sandy in the finale was lack lustre but did not spoil the amazing singing and dancing in the final stages of the show. There were times when the musical seemed to merge with the storyline of West Side Story, which was unnecessary and a little confusing.

It was an enjoyable show, very uplifting with great songs and Peter Andre was amazingly funny and entertaining.

Imperial War Museum and Camden Market

As well as all this, we managed to fit in a visit to the Imperial War Museum. This is an amazing place which really makes you think about the tragedy of war and the cruelty that humans can inflict on each other. It may not sound like the most uplifting of places, particularly the section on the Holocaust, but the personal stories make the experience moving and fascinating as well as horrifying.

We were all a little subdued when we came out of the museum but followed this up with a visit to Camden Market.  I have never been her before, but really enjoyed the atmosphere of the market, the variety of shops and stalls, but most of all the extremely tasty street food.

All in all, we had a superb weekend. There was certainly a lot of variety from hilariously funny laughs to thoughtful, sombre moments. It was great to spend some time together as a family and I can’t wait to do it all again. The other thing, which was good to see, was the business of London itself and the return of international tourists to our country after a tough couple of years for the travel and hospitality industry.

I’m Back!

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I didn’t realise it was so long since I last wrote my blog. In one way, there doesn’t seem to have been very much going on, but me and my husband seem to have been so busy, I haven’t had time to sit down and write. I have taken on extra hours and responsibilities at the Food Bank, am still running our small business-Mezzy Creations and we are helping my renovate my daughters house. Alongside the other day to day things, there never seems a moment to spare. I decided this morning to try and sit down and write my blog, as I have always enjoyed doing it and don’t know why it has been sidelined so much.

Musicals are definitely back

One of the most exciting things to happen over the last few months, is that the theatres are open and I have had chance to go and see some amazing productions, including some I have not seen before. The first one was School of Rock, which we bought as a Christmas present for my daughter and her boyfriend. He had not been to see musicals at the theatre before, but loves the film. We thought that this would be a good way to introduce him to the theatre. It was an absolutely amazing show, with an outstanding cast of adults and children. It was so engaging from the very beginning, right up to the standing ovation at the end. I think we have a new theatre convert and it was such a joy hearing him singing the songs and talking about it over the next few days.

Six The Musical was also another show I had not seen before. This was one that had been booked last year, but was postponed, along with many others. I wasn’t sure whether this would be my cup of tea. Although I had heard rave reviews about it, I did not know if it would be more suited to younger people. I couldn’t have been more wrong! This was a lively production, with some great music, comedy and some wonderful performances by such a small cast. It is only a short musical compared to most, with no interval and it never stopped entertaining throughout. I was absolutely blown away by it and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

We have also been to see The Book of Mormon, which we have seen in the past, but once again it didn’t disappoint. Although very inappropriate and probably offensive to everyone, it is very entertaining, hilariously funny and thoroughly enjoyable. The only issue is, it’s very difficult to find a song you can sing out loud once you leave the theatre.

Choirs are also back

Throughout the pandemic and for many moths afterwards, it has been very difficult to sing in groups. Thankfully we are now back at Batley Community Choir, although numbers have diminished which is such a shame. We have still managed to sing together and I know that those who go get so much out of it. It’s great to be able to sing in a group, even if you don’t have a brilliant voice. We were lucky enough to take part in a charity event with a number of local choirs, raising money for Kirkwood Hospice. It was a great evening, both to be able to sing again for an audience, but also to listen to the other choirs. I think we sounded pretty good too!

I have also started singing with a new choir, Leeds Musical Theatre Choir, which began earlier in the year. This is a choir on a much larger scale with over 100 singers. As it says in the name, the songs are all from musical theatre productions and the quality and volume of sound produced is phenomenal. Some of the singing is quite challenging, but being able to listen to others around you, really helps to get it right. I have to say though, sometimes I am so caught up in listening to the sounds, that I forget to sing.

If you’ve ever thought of joining a choir, but can’t read music or think your singing voice isn’t good enough, I recommend that you get in touch with your local community choir. No matter how big or small, it’s a lovely warm feeling singing with others, is great for you wellbeing and also a good way to meet new people.

Back on the canal boat

Another holiday which was delayed from last year, was our trip on a canal boat. We chose to complete the Black Country Ring, from Gailey Marina, as it was a route we are a little familiar with. The last time we went on the canals, we were with our friends who had been before, but this time we were with different friends, which supposedly made us the more knowledgeable ones!

We had an amazing week, blessed with really good weather. There is so much to see along the canals, with an ever changing landscape as you travel along.

Some of it has changed slightly particularly in the area where the scenery has been devastated to make way for HS2. Around Birmingham city centre, there is lots of regeneration going on, but also lots of neglected areas once you leave the city centre. I was appalled at the amount of litter and filth that was in the canal in various places. It is such a shame that people treat these areas of beauty with such disrespect.

We visited the Black Country Museum again, which is a brilliant place to visit. It is currently having lots of building work done, making areas to depict the 50’s and 60’s, which will be superb when it is completed. The work didn’t spoil the visit and at various places you can see plans of how the new areas are going to look once they are completed.

One thing that was great about the museum was the enthusiasm of the people who work there. They are so knowledgeable and have great tales to tell whilst staying in character. We were particularly entertained by a couple who were having a picnic to celebrate their wedding anniversary, and a young lady who was crocheting whilst travelling on the bus, all very entertaining.

Well I think I’m caught up for now. Hopefully it won’t be too long before I get chance to write again.

Cornwall Revisited (2)

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Newlyn and Mousehole

On Thursday morning, the sun was out and it was warm, so we spent the morning relaxing in the garden at the cottage. After lunch, we decided to drive to Newlyn and walk along the coastal path to Mousehole. The walk is around a mile and a half and is a shared footpath and cycle path. There are coastal views along most of it, and at various points along the way, St Michaels Mount can be seen from slightly different angles. There is also a memorial to the Penlee Lifeboat disaster, where the crew lost their lives whilst attempting a rescue in an horrendous storm. The garden is set on top of the cliff above the old lifeboat station.

The weather was just right for walking, warm with a gentle breeze, but not blazing sunshine.

Mousehole is a stunning picturesque village, with quaint cottages sitting around the harbour. It was late in the afternoon and quite busy. It was great to see children, having finished school for the day, playing on the beach and in the sea. After strolling through the village, and enjoying the scenery, we called for a coffee, before heading back on the path to Newlyn.

We were unable to find a restaurant which was open and had room for us to eat, so called for takeaway from Lewis Fish and Chips. We sat on the benches by the war memorial eating them out of the box. They were excellent and I would recommend them if you were calling at Newlyn at any point.

The Minack Theatre

Having featured recently on a documentary, the Minack open air theatre had been added to my list of things to do. We had tickets booked for Thursday evening, for a production of The 39 Steps. The drive to the theatre is an interesting one, on some very narrow and winding roads. Once we arrived, the staff were amazing, guiding us to a parking space and then into the seating area.

The view from the top of the theatre is breath taking, looking down on the theatre itself and in the distance, out to sea, where several fishing boats were bobbling around.

As the production began, the sun started to set. The play was amusing, and all the characters were played well by the small cast. As it became darker, the moon cast an eerie glow on the boats out at sea, creating a unique atmosphere as the play continued. It was a chilly evening, but we were well prepared with coats, hats and blankets. At the end of the production, we all had slightly numb bottoms and achy backs, but the experience was well worth it.

Marazion And St Michael’s Mount

On Monday, we had pre-booked tickets to visit the castle at St Michael’s Mount. We visited last year but could only get tickets to the garden and were unable to visit the castle. We were very lucky again with the weather. We drove to Marazion, a picturesque village, with a soft flat beach and crystal-clear waters.  We walked to the castle along the causeway, which is only visible during low tide. The causeway is cobbled and flanked on both sides with rock pools.

The grounds of the castle are beautiful, with well kept lawns and beds. The route to the castle is very steep, up lots of steps cut from the rocks. The view from the walls of the castle is astonishing, looking out over the bay and the coastline of Cornwall.

The castle is worth visiting, having developed over centuries from being a monastery in the 1100’s to now being owned jointly by The National Trust and the St Aubyn family. There is an online tour which gives information for each room as you walk around the castle. There are also guides on hand if you have any questions. There are the usual art works and artefacts, but it is the structure of the castle and the location that is most impressive.

After visiting the castle, we sat on the lawns in the sunshine, eating lunch, before heading back to the mainland. The causeway was now closed, due to the tide coming in, so we were taxied back by one of the little motorboats, which was only a short journey, but worth the experience.  We had a little wander around the village and then sat looking out across the bay, watching the kayakers, paddle boarders, swimmers and the unusual sight of a man riding a shire horse along the beach.

A Bit Of A Catch Up

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I thought I would just write and let you know what has been going on over the last couple of months. In many ways things are starting to get back to normal, although the pandemic is still very much with us.  I am still quite cautious if I am in a place with lots of people and feel more comfortable in the outdoors than being in an enclosed area. I have managed to get out and about to a few places and return to some of the things that I really love to do.

I’ve managed to get a couple of decent walks in with my brother, whose Charity Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge is delayed until next May. So far I have walked Pen-y-Ghent and Ingleborough with him. He is really good as when he gets a little ahead, he walks back to collect me, meaning he always walks quite a bit further than me. I am still unfit, having reverted to all my old eating habits during the last lockdown over winter. I get plenty of exercise but I do need to stop eating quite so much of the wring types of food, especially in between meals or on an evening.

Having said that one of my other great loves is eating out. It has been great to start doing that again over the last few weeks, particularly in places where you can book a table and know that it is not going to be overcrowded. We have met up with friends on a couple of occasions and it has felt great to be doing something “normal”

As a little treat, my sister in law and I took our mums and mum-in-law out for afternoon tea at Angelina’s Tea Rooms in the Mill Village at Batley. To be fair I had bought the vouchers as a present for Christmas 2019, but we have never been able to use them. It was a really pleasant afternoon, as we rarely all get chance to spend time together. It was lovely to see the older ladies relaxing and chatting whilst enjoying their teas. There were plenty of sandwiches and cakes for all of us and as much tea as you could drink. They all went home with a little box of leftovers which was an added bonus.

Birthday Treats

At the end of July, for my youngest daughter’s birthday, we took both her grandmas (my mum and mum-in-law) out for lunch at The Garden Café, at Bennetts Eggs in Liversedge. It was a warm sunny day. The food was great, if a little much for both the older ladies, who went home with a doggy bag to have for lunch the following day. We had a lovely afternoon, and it was great to be able to spend some time together. After lunch we strolled around the little petting farm before dropping them off back home.

Later in the week, as another birthday treat,  we went to an Escape Room with my husband and my daughter’s boyfriend. I absolutely love escape rooms, and this is one of the things that we have not been able to do over the last eighteen months with all the restrictions. I enjoy the puzzle solving and working together. I am always amazed at how everyone thinks differently. Puzzles that are obvious to one person don’t make any sense to another and it is great to see everyone playing their part to get out in time. If you’ve never done an escape room, I would recommend you give it a go. They are all different levels and themes, so you would be able to find one that suits you. The one we chose was a Titanic theme, in an Escape Room very close to our home. It was not too difficult, and we managed to get out with a good amount of time to spare, with lots of laughs along the way.

A Trip To London

In august it was my eldest daughter’s birthday, so I arranged to visit her. I travelled down on the train and we stayed in a nice hotel near to St Pauls Cathedral. She only lives forty-five minutes away from the centre of London, but I thought it would be nice for her to have a change of scenery, after the lockdowns and not being able to do many of the things she normally enjoys.

I arrived on the Sunday afternoon, and we popped into the amazing Theatre Café for lunch and a couple of cheeky cocktails, before going to the theatre. We had booked to see David Walliams’ Billionaire boy at the Garrick theatre. This may seem a strange choice for two adults, but as her friend was in the production, it was great to support them and see something that we wouldn’t normally see. The production was entertaining. There were lots of funny moments, which appealed to adults, but went over the children’s heads. However, the children did find the jokes about “pooping” and “farting” hilarious.

We popped back to the hotel for a relaxing swim and sauna, before heading out for something to eat. It wasn’t easy to find an open restaurant close by and we did not want to go too far. We arrived at Gordon Ramsay Maze Grill just as they were about to take the last orders at 8pm.  The atmosphere was pleasant enough, the service was efficient, and the food was reasonable, but I was not completely blown away. It did feel that they were getting ready to close by the time we finished our meal. By the time we left there was just us and a couple of ladies on the table next to us. Luckily, no one made us feel that we were being a nuisance by being there.

The following day I had persuaded my daughter to take part in a Sherlock Holmes outdoor game, which took us around the streets of London following online clues on an app. It was an interesting couple of hours. I was surprised by how much building and maintenance work was going on. Considering the amount of time restriction have been in place, it would have been more sensible to carry out the repairs then, rather than in the height of the summer holidays. It was certainly much quitter than usual, with the obvious lack of international tourists, which seemed strange in a capital city.

On the Monday evening, we went to the open-air theatre at Regents Park. We had enjoyed it so much last year, I didn’t really mind what was on, I just wanted to go back. This summers production was Carousel, which I haven’t seen for years and even then, only on film. The production had an unusual setting, with very neutral colours and clothing styles, which di not depict a particular era. The singing and dancing were beautiful. Although it is probably an outdated story, it had been altered to make it a little more relevant to modern times. I am not a fan of changing everything to suit modern values (sometimes we need to see how things were, to understand how far we have come and how much change is still needed), but on this occasion I think that it was needed and was not overdone. All in all, it was a great evening, helped by the warm weather and the different atmosphere that is gained by being outdoors.

On Tuesday, we went out for a walk and had breakfast, before checking out of the hotel. We walked to the station and got on the same tube, before saying our goodbyes and heading off home.  Although we had had a busy couple of days, I felt relaxed as I travelled back home.

Paddle Board Practice

After having our paddle board lesson in June, we decided to invest in a couple of inflatable paddle boards to take with us on our holidays. Although that sounds fairly straight forwards, as we knew exactly what we wanted, it seemed that everyone else in the country had also had the same idea. We eventually managed to pre order some and they arrived on 2nd August. As it was a fine sunny day(and we were self isolating), we spent some time inflating them in the garden. This took quite a while and a lot of energy. Needless to say we have now invested in an electric pump!

Over the August Bank Holiday weekend we went up to Ullswater and spent the day on the lake, with friends practicing on our paddle boards. We had a great day, but I am still struggling to get from kneeling to standing without leaning on my husband. Luckily he is proficient and very confident on his paddle board, so is able to assist with this without me tipping him into the water. Hopefully it will come with practice. If not I’ll just have to keep leaning on him every time i want to stand up!

A Long Weekend In London

~ 50themusical ~ 1 Comment

I had arranged to go to London to visit my eldest daughter who moved back there in March. She came home last summer after working abroad, but it was always her intention to go back down to London when she had saved up enough for a deposit. She had come home a couple of weeks ago as she went to look at bridesmaids dresses with her cousin who is getting married next year. Other than that I had not seen her since March, so I was really looking forward to seeing her and spending some time in London.

A Relaxing Train Journey

My husband normally drives us down to London, but on this occasion I thought it would be nice to travel by train. I booked the tickets in advance which is always much cheaper and you also book seats which means you are not going to end up standing all the way. The journey from Wakefield to London Kings Cross is only 2 hours and it was a really smooth, easy journey.

We arrived in Kings Cross at 3 and then took the underground to where our daughter lives on the outskirts of London. We had time for something to eat and a quick freshen up before we headed back out to the theatre

The Book Of Mormon

I absolutely love The Book Of Mormon. It is such clever writing and the songs are amazing. I have seen it once before, but my husband hasn’t. Once again the performances from everyone were amazing. The singing and acting is superb and the dancing is very slick. It’s a real mood lifter and has a good moral, despite the adult themes and very sensitive subject matter. I was so glad that I got to see it again and I certainly wasn’t disappointed the second time around.

After the theatre we walked in to Leicester Square to have a drink at one of the bars. It was still really warm and there were lots of people still around. We got a round of drinks and sat outside one of the bars. It was a lovely evening and it was great just people watching.

Pride In London

The following day was the Pride Parade in Central London . It’s something that I have wanted to see for quite a while, especially as my youngest daughter has been to the Leeds Pride over the last couple of years and has said what an amazing experience it is.

We travelled down to Trafalgar Square, where there was live music playing and we were able to sit on the steps and watch it on the big screen. Once we knew that the parade was approaching we walked down to the road. The parade was amazing, with all different walks of life represented. The crowd was huge (the news said the following day that there were 1.5 million people there!) It was great to see people dressed up, joining in the music and celebrations and cheering the parade on.

It had a real feel of celebration to it, but also a really serious message about tolerance, acceptance and understanding of other people’s lives. I have been fortunate to love and be in a relationship for many years with someone who is accepted by my friends, family, work, faith and society in general. I know that some of my friends are not so fortunate and that life can sometimes be really difficult for them. It would be an amazing world if people were free to love the people that they love, without being judged or condemned.

9 to 5

That evening we went to see another theatre production, 9 to 5. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I have to say that it was amazing. The singing was impressive as was the dancing. The story was really easy to follow and it was also very funny, but with a really topical theme of equality. One of the most impressive performances was by Bonnie Langford, who is so fit and flexible and such a strong performer, as well as being really funny. I was also impressed with Amber Davies, who had an amazing voice and was so much better than her “Love Island” persona. Again it was a really uplifting show and so enjoyable, leaving me feeling very upbeat and happy.

Red Bull Soapbox Race

On Sunday we travelled to Alexandra Palace to watch the Red Bull Soapbox Race. We have loved watching this as a family when it is on the TV and we have always said that it would be great to go and watch it live.

After a bit of a walk to the venue from the underground station, we arrived at Alexandra Palace. The day was amazing, really well organised, well set out and very entertaining. We managed to get a spot where we could see the start of the track where the teams do a short performance, we could see them coming down the track and then over the first water jump. We could then see the rest of the race on a big screen.

For anyone who does not know what the race is about, it is basically teams that build a structure on wheels and then push it down a big ramp, where it picks up speed and has to be steered through obstacles and over various jumps. Needless to say, some of them crash, some of them fall apart, but some of them do make it to the bottom in one piece. It was a great day and really amusing.

Heading Back Home

Om Monday, after a lovely breakfast it was time to head back home.  We got the train back to Wakefield and were home by the late afternoon. We quickly unpacked and put some washing in. I felt like I had had a really long weekend and packed so much in to it.  But by this point I had blisters on my feet and felt like I needed a rest before going back to work! Well worth it though

 

 

 

Happy Birthday To Me

~ 50themusical ~ Leave a comment

So last weekend was my birthday . It has actually turned into more of a “birthweek”, as the celebrations seem to have gone on for much more than a day. I can’t believe that it is now two years since I began my blog and celebrated my 50th birthday.

Escape Rooms

I know that Escape Rooms have been around for some time, but I have discovered them only recently. Our daughters bought us tickets for one at Christmas and then we went to one in the Lake District shortly afterwards. They really grab my attention, as I love puzzle solving, it really gets you thinking and it also gets you working as a team.

On the day of my actual birthday, I had to work, but in the evening had arranged to go out for a lovely meal with my husband, brother and sister in law. We then went on to play one of the escape rooms at the Escaporium at The Piece Hall in Halifax. I had chosen the Halogorian, which was based on the history of Halifax. We had a really great night and also escaped with eight minutes to spare. We were pretty pleased with ourselves I have to say!

Brunch at The Ivy

The following day, I had arranged to go for Brunch at The Ivy in Leeds. This wasn’t particularly for my birthday, as it had just been a date when everyone was free. I had been to The Ivy in Harrogate before, which I had really enjoyed and the one in Leeds didn’t disappoint either.

I think that prior to going, I would have said that I am not an Ivy type of person. I would have expected it to be overpriced and pretentious, but in fact it is a really classy restaurant, with lovely food, in a great setting and not too expensive at all.

Kinky Boots

The next event was to go and see Kinky Boots at Leeds Grand Theatre. I had heard the soundtrack on a number of occasions and it certainly sounded upbeat. I knew the basics of the story, as I had seen the original film several years ago. It is about a traditional shoe factory which is struggling to stay in business, but the owner meets a drag queen and discovers a niche market making boots with heels for drag queens.

The show was absolutely amazing! The singing blew me away, the songs veered from uplifting full song and dance numbers to full on emotional ballads. The dancing was so impressive, particularly from the “Angels” who danced expertly in high heels. The story teaches us a lot about accepting people for who they are, not assuming things about people and getting to know people and what makes them tick.

The whole show left me feeling completely elated and I wanted to dance and sing all the way home (and at work for the whole day after)

A Sunny Easter Holiday

You would think that all that would have been enough, but the week following my birthday was the Easter weekend. It was an absolutely beautiful weekend, with the sun shining and hardly a cloud in the sky.

On good Friday I spent a couple of hours helping at messy church, which was held outside thanks to the beautiful weather. The families that came had a great time and it was lovely to see them enjoying the sunshine and learning about Easter.

Over the rest of the weekend, we had a craft fair, spent some time sitting out in the garden with family (drinking slightly too much prosecco) and walking in the Yorkshire Dales on Easter Monday.

All in all I had a great birthday, on the day itself and for all of the following week. When people tell me that birthdays are just for children and that you get too old to celebrate them, I have to disagree. Birthdays are there for celebrating and enjoying, despite your age!