Books for Bank holidays

The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks (book club)
This was a nice light read as a change at book club, by the author of the Notebook. It is a real romantic read and you know where the story will end from half way, although it did keep me guessing. Glad I didn't go to see the movie as there is no way Zac Efron can pull off tough ex-marine Logan Thibault. All in all a good choice for your next holiday lounging by the pool.

Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James
Over the Bank Holiday I got absolutely hooked on E.L. James Fifty Shades books, so much so I read them all in one Bank Holiday. These were recommended to me at book club and the description as Mills & Boon on steroids was pretty accurate. Fifty Shades of Grey was a fast paced introduction to the characters, although perhaps not one I'd discuss with my mum! Fifty Shades Darker moved the story on and Christian's character developed but there was an added element of danger and mystery as his history started to catch-up with him. Although I tore through the last book, Fifty Shades Freed was almost a let down. The storyline was fun with some real intrigue including a kidnapping, but what let me down was the character development as I found myself going off both characters Christian became more protective and Ana spent her whole time feeling sorry herself as she tried to figure out the man she married. Although not for the easily embarrassed I'd recommend these books and if you have a Kindle no one will know what you are reading.

Kennel Maid Nan by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
This was the second book from mum's latest Girls Gone By purchase and I was lucky enough to get my hands on it first. A complete change from my previous read but a lovely trip back to my childhood. Nan is typically naive as she heads to Miss Francie's kennels and gets caught up in some trouble. I learnt about house training puppies amongst other things but most of all I learnt that in the world of Elinor a good friend is all you need to help you stop an evil grown-up poisoning one of your puppies. A nice fun read, perfect for the end of a long day.

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall, Denver Moore and Lynn Vincent (book club)
This was pitched as controversial and so I read it with interest but was disappointed not to find any intrigue. The discussion at book club revealed that the religious elements of the book were the 'controversial' elements with people in the group being at times uncomfortable with the visions of angels and overtly Christian sections. This was not just the story of two men from very different backgrounds but the story of how one woman bound them together for life. The book was slow to start and I struggled to connect the two story lines as it jumped between characters. However once I got going I found a truly moving story of devotion hidden underneath.

Songs of Fire and Ice: Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Ever since P heard about this series on the web he has been keen to read them. His enthusiasm got me started with the books and I may just be over taking him. this was another book where every chapter is a different character and although each chapter is clearly named I struggled to connect. However by the second time I came to each character I had got my head around it and enjoyed the story. Some story lines were stronger than others and I was sorry to see Eddard Stark die so early in these series. Paul described these as Lord of the Rings with less fantasy, there is also more killing and I'm not sure the writing is up to Tolkien. Now I know where this heading in the short term I think it is good enough to pick up Book Two and I'll let you know how I get on with that.

Streetcar Named Desire

One of the ballet folk I follow on twitter, @DaveTriesBallet, who also has a fab blog, mentioned that the Scottish Ballet were bringing A Streetcar Named Desire to Sadler's Wells. So once again I made a last minute decision to head up the road after work to watch the ballet and I'm very glad I did.

I have never seen Tennessee Williams' original screen play staring Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando so I picked up the programme to get a heads up on the story. I love raw, stripped back sets and this set was just that series of boxes and crates in a black box contrasted with the ballet. Opening with a lone dancer, Blanche (Claire Robertson), reaching to a bare light bulb you realise that this is not going to be a light evening of dance. The ballet moves on in an ever darkening whirl as the people that Blanche loves leave her and she spirals down, increasingly losing herself.

There are some lighter moments, the New Orleans sections allow jazz elements to appear and the bowling scene is particularly fun, I still want one of the dresses from this scene. Talking about the costume, Niki Turner designing for the ballet for the first time did a fabulous job. The result? Costumes that you could imagine on the street and each character with a colour and hue of their own. Blanche's costume was particularly fascinating as she moved through the ballet she moved from pale white costumes through to shades of fuschia as she slowly descended into alcoholism and fantasy.

Throughout the ballet characters emerged from the background to fulfil their role and then as their part finishes they fall back into the corps. I liked the continual thread with Alan (Andrew Peasgod), Blanche's dead husband, appearing throughout the ballet as a reminder that this was where her life started to fall apart. there were a number of moving dances between Alan and Blanche and when a third party was involved it was as though they weren't really such was the connection between the two. I left A Streetcar Named Desire with a sense of loneliness. I felt sorry for Blanche but I wasn't sure I actually liked her, in fact I'm not sure I really liked any of the characters.

I did however love this ballet and I will be heading back to see more from the Scottish ballet. With Sadler's Wells just up the road from the office and a stack of vouchers for my birthday I'm looking forward to my next foray up the hill. My next ballet will be back at Covent Garden on Saturday for Ballo della Regina and La Sylphide.

Forgotten books

I have been better at my theatre and ballet updates than the book updates this year so here is a catch-up on what I've been reading.

American Assassin by Vince Flynn
This was my first book read on the iPhone, however it was such a compelling story that I couldn't stop reading and soon got over that hitch. This book mixed my love of mysteries with an old love of war/spy books. This was more graphic and violent than previous books and included a healthy dose of revenge. Mitch Rapp was the central character and I'm not sure that I ever really liked him although he was on the 'good' side in this book about counter-terrorism efforts primarily in Beirut. Once I had finished the book I realised it was actually the latest in a series and I am glad I read this one first and am looking forward to reading the other books in the series. That all said the iPhone will not be replacing my Kindle and I only have free books on the iPhone and I suspect I will only finish them if they are really gripping.

Death Comes to Pemberley by PD James
A colleague recommended this book after reading it with her book club. I bought it and then suggested my dad might like to read it which meant I lost my Kindle into his hands over Christmas. Once it was returned I was distracted by other books but finally got round to reading this. I've not read PD James before but I am of course familiar with Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice in particular. PD James picks up six years after The Darcys' marriage and the world of of Austen is plunged into uncertainty and mystery when Lydia pitches up on the door step hysterical and claiming the Wickham has been murdered. Cleverly written the character continuity is right on the money and I didn't work it out until the very end when all was made clear with a confession. Having read this book I might try another of PD James books to see whether this was a one off.

Sister by Rosamund Lupton
This book was much more than a 'simple' murder mystery as it entered into the world of genetic treatments and cystic fibrosis. I was quite convinced by the 'unethical' trial processes in place I can't quite see that level of falsification passing muster in the real-world but as it was only a story I'll let them off!  I got drawn in and felt sorry both Bee and her dead sister Tess at different points throughout the story. Was it murder or suicide? I was with Bee throughout and at every twist and turn I realised maybe a page ahead of her that she was following the wrong route but even then I didn't see the ending coming. Another great addition to my murder mystery collection that kept me up late at night trying to reach the end and find out what really happened.

Falling Star by Diana Dempsey
I enjoyed this book both for the story line but also for the relevance to my work. Diana Dempsey used to be a broadcast journalists and although set in America this book gave me an insight into the hierarchy of the broadcast news programmes where the news anchor is king. A good mixture of the insights into what makes a good news story and the logistics of putting it all together mixed in with some sexism and a nice dollop of intrigue. Reading this reminded me a little bit of Gemma Halliday's Spying in High Heels with an under-prepared  girl 'investigating' and inevitably ending up in trouble. A good quick read with a neat resolution, I think I might look into some of Diana Dempsey's other books and who knows I might learn some more about TV journalism from them.

To Davy Jones Below by Carola Dunn
After a bit of a break I thought it was time to come back to Carola Dunn and the reading of this book seemed perfectly timed as the TV scheduling was fixated on Titanic it being a hundred years since the sinking. I think the break was a good idea as I really enjoyed this one although I was a bit surprised at how many people got knocked off on a ship without Alec and Daisy figuring out who did it. Mixed in with the whodunnit element was a good sprinkling of class snobbery and of course in true Daisy style it all came out in the wash. I'm looking forward to the next instalment after I've read a few more books in between.

Valeria's Last Stand by Marc Fitten (Book Club)
This was the first book since I joined The London Girly Book Club two years ago where no one in the room seemed to have a good thing to say about it. At first I thought I would quite enjoy this book but by the end of chapter one I wasn't convinced. I carried on and by the half way point I was just ploughing on to reach the end before Book Club. I found the storyline to be mundane, the characters were all unlovable, perhaps the problem was that it was all too much like real-life in a Hungarian village and I just couldn't connect. I was reminded of a Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka, however Marina Lewycka does not shy away from parodying her characters adding humour to lift what could have been a story of everyday life. I won a copy of Marc Fitten's next book Elza's Kitchen as an uncorrected proof and I'm not sure I can bring myself to read it.

The Chalet School and Robin by Caroline German
I grew up on a diet of school literature from Enid Blyton's Mallory Towers to my mum's collection of Abbey Girls (EJ Oxenham) and The Chalet School (E Brent-Dyer). I always wanted to go to the Chalet School but although that never happened I still love to curl up with on of these books. The Chalet School series has a number of gaps and also some inconsistencies which has left the series open to a number of filler books written by fans of the series. Mum's latest purchase was this one and it was a particularly good filler. I was impressed that the style was so close to the original books and although I had forgotten that Robin's time as head girl was not included in the series this book fitted in and cleverly added details to some of the stories mentioned later in the series but never spelled out.

Alice in Covent Garden

Last year we were disappointed to miss the debut of Alice in Wonderland at the Royal Ballet. We caught it on the TV and loved it but it is never the same as seeing it for real on the stage. This year we got organised I became a friend and we secured tickets for Alice (amongst other things).

Yesterday after a delightful afternoon at the V&A seeing the golden spider cloak, the British design exhibition including Kit William's fabulous golden masquerade hare and finally the Cecil Beaton royal photography exhibition mum and I headed to Covent Garden.

We enjoyed a light dinner at Cafe des Amis behind the opera house and then we headed in for a magical evening. One thing that Disney have done is sanitise Alice, my childhood memories of the book with the slightly ominous ink drawings has been replaced by a cute blonde girl and a jolly smiling purple cat. Tim Burton's movie adaptation perhaps pushed it too far in the other direction but the combination of Christopher Wheeldon, Joby Talbot and the wonderful Royal Ballet has hit the spot.

The special effects that I couldn't imagine on stage filled your vision and the drew you into the mysterious world of Lewis Carroll's mind. Lauren Cuthbertson proved that she created the role and her performance emanated a childlike wonder at the weird and wonderful things around her. Her performance skills along with the special effects meant I really believed that she could not only dance but grow and shrink as well. My only disappointment was the giant ballerina legs and arms, for me they detracted and I'd be interested to see the show without them.

I particularly love the way that the guests at Alice's tea party are realised later as the residents of Wonderland. Edward Watson translated wonderfully from a kindly Lewis Carroll to a slightly panicked and at times bewildered white rabbit. He was seemingly everywhere at once and it felt like by the end he had run a marathon keeping Alice out of trouble.

Fernando Montano replacing Eric Underwood as the caterpillar was a particular highlight for me. His body isolations and undulations really did verge on the exotic insect side of life. Another particularly special animal is the Cheshire cat, a giant animal created by a number of dancers, this Cheshire cat is mysterious and mischievous. It reminded me a bit of War Horse where you forget that the actors are there after just a few minutes. In this case I still wonder how so many people can make this jigsaw of cat parts come together so cohesively that you can almost here him purr!

Jumping on to the Mad Hatters's tea party with giant teapots and tea cakes Steven McRae gave a manically mad performance and his skilled tapping meant he was a strong part of the percussion section. You couldn't help but feel sorry for James Wilkie in the role of the sleepy dormouse continually shoved into the teapot. I would have loved to see more of this lovely trio although the March Hare was rather forgotten.

The flower dance was beautiful with whirling colours and patterns. Then on to the garden for some interesting gardening techniques and croquet. Painting the roses red, or maybe not, the three gardeners, with James Hay delivering a beautifully funny performance when his tree just wouldn't stay red. Laura Morera delivered a crazed red queen with precision and a touch of comedy. The flamingoes were perfect both the dancers and the puppet variety, having worked with puppets I know how hard it is to give a really believable performance and to carry it off while dancing impeccably was a real feat on everyone's part. Meanwhile the hedgehogs were adorably cheeky and I wish I could take one home with me.

The court room scene was just the way I had imagined it as a child reading the books and I haven't forgotten Jack the Knave of Hearts. This is his trial after all and if the crime was a great performance then Frederico Bonelli was guilty. He gave an engaging performance and throughout it felt like he was just a touch older than Alice after more than she was willing give. But at the end I was pleased to see that he got the kiss he had worked so hard to earn. Bonelli is my one to watch list and I'll be looking for him on the cast lists.

So my overall impression, I'm already planning tickets for next year's performance and I shall be bringing P with me as part of his slow education in the wonderful world of ballet. I need to see Alice again as there was so mich going on I know I missed something good. Perhaps next time i might be able to work out which came first Wheeldon's choreography or Talbot's music. It was as though they shared a dream in the creation of this ballet as both parts worked seamlessly throughout and nothing grated.

I have just one question, any chance of Through the Looking Glass? I'd love to see the Jabberwocky and Tweedledum and Tweedledee realised on stage at the Royal Opera House. Now I'm off to plan how I'm going to fit in the current Royal Ballet triple bill...

Oh What a Night!

We finally made it to see Jersey Boys and I'm so glad we did. This was the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and what a story it was. I knew that the music was going to be great and that there'd be so many songs I didn't know they'd sung. What I didn't know was how the seasons changed over the years with Frankie Valli staying the only constant. I was also surprised that the band wasn't Frankie's in the first place and that they grew up out a pretty rough area robbing jewellers and hanging on street corners.

The set was very simple, stark black metal grills and a walk way, with occasional screen additions. The screens played multiple roles throughout and the use of pop art complemented some of the darker set elements. The cast were adept at bringing furniture and props on and off seamlessly between scenes and, with the right lighting and some of the larger pieces rising up through the floor, a simple set was effortlessly transformed from a jail to a smoky jazz cafe and then an arena stage!

I loved seeing the inspiration behind the songs, although I'm not sure 'December 1963' will be the same again...  I thought there'd be more of those famous red jackets and in comparison a lot of their suits seemed bland but I'm sure at the time they were the height of fashion. Talking of fashion dancing has changed and boy bands these days don't have the same snappy moves although the 'step click' is still going strong!

But what I really loved about Jersey Boys was the feeling that when they were acting their stage performances I felt like I was really at a concert and not at a musical about the band. The audience got into it and they used the blinders on stage to great effect. The television filming sections were well done too, somehow you felt like you had an insiders view on how it was shot with them all on stage facing away but a screen showing you what TV viewers would have seen and at times it seemed like they were showing real footage, they weren't.

I had a few gripes, Frankie's mike was glaringly obvious in the middle of his forehead when everyone else's was well concealed and the levels on the moving drum kit were out often obscuring the lyrics which was shame. However the show was nominated for an Olivier award and I really think it deserved one, it certainly deserved the standing ovation at the end. I bought a 'best of' album when I got home and I'm still singing the songs a week later!