Well, tonight, thank God it's them instead of you

Got to love Bono, such an ambassador for the people. 

But yes, that does mean Christmas is coming. 

So Slava's snow show at the Southbank last year was pretty wack. It was entertaining by the end because if we didn't join in the laughter, I would have been sad about the time and money I wasted. Best bit was a guy (Russian clown?) sliding across the floor with a fin on his back pretending to be a shark. For 5 seconds. 

This year, I've managed to bag tickets for Westminster's Abbey Carols Service which I'm excited about it. They are free tickets so sell out instantly. Never been inside Westminster Abbey either (you know how it goes when you live in the capital). More info here.

I'm also going to head out with the family to Christmas at Kew, there is Santa and rides for the nephew but also it just looks really nice all lit up - a bit fantastical which I guess is good at Christmas. Let's hope it doesn't rain.

Info here. 

IT'S CHRISSSTTTMMMAASSSS

As part of my way to get all Christmassy - the Oxford Street lights do not count - my family and I are heading to Slava's Snow Show for the first time. Info here. 

Last we did panto - with Jo Brand no less - but I'm very excited about this. 

I'm also heading to Cadogan Hall for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Christmas Cracker, planning to queue up for the free carols at St Pauls too. 

These other events looks great, but sometimes it's not possible to do everything 
Mrs Hudson's Christmas Corker at the wonderful Wilton's Hall and the Royal Opera House's Alice in Wonderland. 

Polymath weekend

So last weekend was slightly James Franco themed, whilst in town for an eye test (my first in about 12 years and yes, I need glasses now), I popped into his Pace Gallery exhibition 'Psycho Nacirema'. 

It was inspired by Psycho - he recreates the Bates motel - and the 20s scandal surrounding Fatty Arbuckle - which I wasn't familiar with previously. 

I found the whole exhibition a little pointless however and the excessive red paint was a little GCSE Art. 

The next day, I had tickets to see him introduce Hitchcock's Psycho at the BFI - as part of their Screen Epiphanies series. He spoke for longer than anyone else I've seen there and it was mostly him talking as opposed to a Q&A. Listening him to talk did make me think better of the exhibition slightly, he seems to be a  fan of art as a concept than as content. 

Franco explained that when Gus Van Sant remade Psycho, he wanted to re-create it frame for frame - focus on the shots opposed to the dialogue - and the film would have worked a lot better if Hollywood hadn't spent so much money on it and it remained more of an art house project than an entertainment project. Psycho was made after the critical and commercial success of Good Will Hunting, so Van Sant was allowed to do anything. I haven't seen the film myself, but I do feel that re-making a movie by frames would lend itself a lot better to a piece of art than a film (not that films aren't art, but you know what I mean!) as you're potentially not bringing enough to the table to justify a remake. 

Anyways, Hitchcock's Psycho was great! 

Grief

Last night I went to The National to see 'Grief', a new play by Mike Leigh.

I was expecting the play to be set in the current day, something I associate with Leigh films (without having seen that many) but it was actually set just after WWII. The script had me and my flatmate in giggles but it was also a very moving story about loneliness.

On a side note, on the way home, I read that Mike Leigh had picked up Best Director at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards... I haven't seen enough plays this year to judge.

Interval

So I've decided to try harder to keep at this...

After a delightful Christmas (Die Hard should be on every year)
New Years was spent in Diss, Norfolk - good food, lovely walks and lots of games courtesy of Toby Price - alpaca alert!

Then there was Fela at The National Theatre (don't ever want to see a theatre audiece shaking their hips again), Tom Wrigglesworth at the BBC Studios, Jonny Sweet at The Soho Theatre, The Wild One at The Phoenix, The Big Sleep at the BFI, BUG at the BFI (the videos weren't as good this time), a ski lesson in Hemel Hempstead (I didn't fall over!), Bob Le Flambeur at the BFI (Hello Jonathan Ross), Alex Winston at Bush Hall, The Dogs at Wimbledon's Stadium and a delicious roast at Mason & Taylor.