Evita @ The Manchester Opera House

I am not at all a lover of musical.  I love this show though.  Maybe it's the subject matter that drags me in.  I find Eva a fascinating character.  The songs appeal to me.  They have spunk.  I like the battle between Eva and Che.

I haven't seen this musical on the stage for over 20 years.  I have seen the film but it didn't have the same resonance with me.

I was wondering how I'd find it.  I have lived for 20+ years on 2 flawless cast recordings from the beginnings of this show's life.  It's hard to live up to Julie Covington and Elaine Paige.  One of the first things I noticed was how the show has evolved since I've seen it.  The music has a much more Hispanic feel.  Though this felt slightly strange at first it works well in an Argentinian tale.

The cast were pretty good.  The only weak link for me was Che.  He played with sarcasm well but with not enough force or spite for me.  Eva was played well by Abigail Jaye.  She did the iconic role justice.  I just wish the band wouldn't have drowned her out in parts of the earlier numbers.  We had the understudy Juan Peron, Johnathon Tweedie.  Who was perfect in the role.  The stand out performer for me was Sasha Ransley as The Mistress.  She has a wonderful voice and I will try and see more of her in other roles.  After a wonderful performance you were left a little gutted that she wouldn't be on stage again.

The sets were quite sparse and multi usage.  I was quite impressed with how, and the speed in which, they changed them around.  Thus never interrupting the flow of the show.  The lighting was pretty great too.  Mostly used to change the atmosphere on stage.

I wasn't chuffed to see they'd introduced You Must Love Me into the show.  I find it awfully meh.

As ever my favourite song was Rainbow High.  It didn't quite reach the heights I was looking for but it was done very well.

4 out of 5 pawprints  and I think I'll be digging my biographies out again soon :-)

Book 33 of the 50 Book Challenge

Murder in the Central Committee by Manuel Vasquez Montalban, 203 pages

 

Started May 14th, finished May 19th.

 

Quite a while ago I'd read a couple of this author's books and really enjoyed them.  So I decided to get through the rest.

 

The books tell the tale of Pepe Carvahlo, a food loving, loose living private detective in Barcelona.  Not long after Franco's death.  The books are interesting for their descriptions of Barcelona, it's foods and wines and a look at the politics of the time.  Usually without getting too deep.

This book was my least favourite of the ones I've read so far.  It is the one most heavily mired in politics.  the politics of the Communist Party. Carvahlo is asked by the Communist Party to discover who murdered their Secretary Genral, in a closed room with a small amount of suspects.  Carvahlo himself is an ex-communist and is therefore reviled by many of those he is investigating.  The politics are not uninteresting it's just that there is too much that over everything else.

 

It is an interesting tale but I got bogged down by all the political discussion.  Also the book is set in Madrid and doesn't have the same vibe.  There is less discussion of food on a regular basis.  Though there are the typical seductions.

 

I think if I had a better knowledge of Spanish history under Franco's rule I may have found it an easier read.  That is definitely a knowledge void I need to work on.

2.5 out of 5 pawprints

Total so far, Books - 33, Pages -10,161

Next - The Overlook by Michael Connelly

A Passionate Woman @ Oldham Coliseum

I knew nothing about this before I went in apart from the fact that it was written by Kay Mellor.  I had a inkling that it may be a comedy.

It started off quite well.  The main part of Betty the housewife was played by Kay Mellor herself.  The woman was quite witty and Kay played the audience really well.  At every hint of humour the row of old ladies in front began to compete on who could guffaw the longest.  Something that always irritates the hell out of me.  Mellor was good, she delayed her next line to let the OTT laughter die away so you could hear the next line.

The problems began when the other cast members arrived.  Most were played well but I just couldn't believe how the story was beginning to pan out.  It's the day of Betty's son's wedding.  Her only son who she is supposed to think the world of.

SPOILERS BELOW rollover to read

Instead of helping get her mother to the church and get everything to run smoothly.  The mother of the Groom is in the attic, cleaning and feeling sorry for herself.  Despite pleas from her son to come to teh church she just moan and whines about her own life. This is totally unbelievable if the close relationship that is set up is to be believed.  I can't stand selfish behaviour.  I despise people who try and ruin someone else's happiness or big occasions with it.  Despising the main character of a play, who's designed to win empathy or sympathy is never going to work for me.

In the first act we are introduced to a ghost.  Not that we're supposed to wonder if it's in Betty's head as he has a physical impacton other characters too.  This was the weakest link for me cast wise.  I'm unsure if it was how the role was played or how it was written but it was so lame.

This play didn't work for me on most of it's levels.  As a comedy it wasn't bad.  As a story of the supernatural it was awful.  I expect some kind of atmosphere or presence in those kind of tales.  As a tale to make you sympathise it was terrible.  I just wanted to slap Betty and tell the rest of her family they were daft to let her get away with her behaviour.

This is one of the plays I've least enjoyed at this theatre.  It does seem I am the minority though as almost everyone else seemed to be having a great time.

1.5 pawprints out of 5

Book 32 of the 50 Book Challenge

The Small Hand by Susan Hill, 167 pages

Started May 10th, finished May 13th.

 

This was another book swap with  Karode I was interested in reading the book but had always seen bigger books for the same price in the bookshop.  I got  a little tight-fisted about it.

One of my favourite plays is The Woman in Black which I saw before I read the book.  I was slightly underwhelmed by the book.  I took this to be because the play has such a sense of atmosphere.

Then I read this book.  I was a little underwhelmed by this too.  Which is a real shame as I wanted to adore this book.  As I wanted to it's predecessor.  Everyone I know loves the way she writes her 'spooky' stories but there's something which I can't quite put my finger on that takes me out of the story.  I think it may be the way the 'first person' narrates the tale.

This is a clever ghost story.  Not tied to the predictability of a lot that it shares its genre with.  It's not too long so you can fly through it.  It isn't too stylised to make you struggle with the flow.  I just didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoy other spooky tales.  Or as much as I enjoyed Susan Hill's first Simon Serailler book.  I really enjoyed that.  In fact I must pick the rest of the series up.  

3.5 out of 5 pawprints

Total so far, Books - 32, Pages -9,958

Next - Murder in the Central Committee by manuel Vasquez Montalban

Dog Diary vs Cat Diary

 I got this in an email from my Dad.  It's my favourite one of these that I've seen :-)


From a Dog's Diary

8:00 am - Dog food! My favourite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favourite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favourite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and patted! My favourite thing!
12:00 PM - Lunch! My favourite thing!
1:00 PM - Played in the yard! My favourite thing!
3:00 PM - Wagged my tail! My favourite thing!
5:00 PM - Milk bones! My favourite thing!
7:00 PM - Got to play ball! My favourite thing!
8:00 PM - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favourite thing!
11:00 PM - Sleeping on the bed! My favourite thing!

From a Cat's Diary

Day 983 of my captivity.  My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.

They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.  In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet.  I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of.  However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am.  Bastards.

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight.  I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event.  However, I could hear the noises and smell the food.  I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of ‘allergies'.  I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking.  I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches.  The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return.  He is obviously retarded.

The bird has got to be an informant.  I observe him communicating with the guards regularly.  I am certain that he reports my every move.  My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe.  For now... Will keep you posted..

Book 31 of the 50 Book Challenge

Doctor Who and the Daemons by Barry Letts, 166 pages

Started May 7th, finished May 9th.

This is another of the books I've read following the Escape to Danger Target novel blog.  I have to sa tht this is my favourite Jon Pertwee TV serial.  Pertwee and Jo Grant have never been favourites of mine.  How can I not like this though.  It's Dr Who and 'Dark Magic'.  I have thios story on VHS and it's beena  very long time since I've watched it. 

This is a much better read than the last Target novel I read.  It has a proper flow and is fleshed out well enough.  I particularly liked the character of Olive Hawthorne.  I warmed to her she was slightly off it but fun.  

I used to like the Doctor's explanations of it not being magic but advanced science.  However this time it felt a little flat.  Maybe I'm getting a little miserable in my old age.  As a child, who this was aimed at, it worked perfectly for me.

The 3rd doctor doesn't come off as quite as patronising in this story.  He doesn't seem to be in it for a huge amount of time.  A lot of it focuses more on the UNIT characters than usual.  It was nice to see a bit more of them for a change.

I enjoyed reading this and I will be reading it again in the not too close future.

4 out of 5 pawprints

Total so far, Books - 31, Pages -9,791

Next - The Small Hand by Susan Hill

Hamlet @ Oldham Coliseum Theatre

I knew nothing of Hamlet apart from the skull, the quote and it was set in Denmark.  I was worried that the play would be difficult to follow as I hadn't read a synopsis beforehand and for some reason I had it in my head it would be more cerebral than some of his other plays.

The set was very basic.  One was used for the whole play.  This didn't bother me.  I love a lavish set but I also grew up with British 70's sci-fi :-)

The cast were using the multiple role system but they did this very well costume-wise and it wasn't confusing.  The cast did an able job but I have to see I would love to see it done by a more RSC type cast.  If it's on in Stratford I may just have to visit.

The best thing about the play for me was catching the masses of famous quotes.  Most of which I didn't realise were from this play and some of them I didn't even know were ol' Shakey.  My favourites would have to be "Get thee to a nunnery' and "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

The worst part of the play was that I found Hamlet himself very irritating.  He's a faffer not a do-er and I got the urge to slap him into action.

I do want to see this again but not for a few years I think.