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Exhale to Inhale provides weekly yoga classes at domestic violence shelters and community centers in NY and LA
If you believe in our mission and would like to help, please click here to make a tax deductible donation. If you would like to host a fundraising class or event click here. If you would like to establish a program at your shelter or community center and you are in NY, or L.A. send us a message.


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The Russian Ministry of Defense has concluded a new contract with the Irkut aircraft manufacturing corporation for 30 more Sukhoi Su-30SM Flanker C fighter aircraft. The contract was announced on Sunday 3 April.
Deliveries of this latest batch of advanced fighter jets are to be concluded by the end of 2018. Total orders for the Russian Air Force now stand at 90. Meanwhile, the Russian Navy is also eyeing the type.
Over the last few months, Russian Air Force Su-30SM jets also participated in Russian air raids over Syria. The majority of those aircraft was pulled back from Syria in March.
© 2016 Airheadsfly.com editor Elmer van Hest
Featured image (top): A Sukhoi Su-30SM. (Image © Russian Ministry of Defense)

subset: commoncrawl


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10 Things To Do This Holiday Season
Hello December !!
The countdown to Christmas has officially begun and if you are like me you have already begun blaring your Mariah Carey Christmas album! lol
In all honesty, I have been wanting to decorate for the holidays for the past few weeks, but we just recently moved into a new townhouse as of YESTERDAY (I will not even begin to vent about the stressfulness of that day), so of course it made no sense to decorate in our old house, just to pack it back up and move.
This weekend will be filled with organizing and cleaning the new place, and hopefully the beginning of decorating for the holidays! =)
Now that December has arrived, here are 10 Things on my "Bucket List" to do this Holiday season!
- Have a Christmas Movie Marathon : I could never get sick of watching "Home Alone" no matter how many times I've seen it! Get into your cozy Christmas PJs, get a cup of hot cocoa (or if your like me, a nice glass of wine) and watch all your favourite holiday movies to get right in the Christmas spirit (my top 3 are Home Alone, The Grinch and Nightmare Before Christmas!)
- Decorate a Gingerbread House : I haven't decorated a gingerbread house since I was a kid and I think it would be fun to decorate one with Amare this year. =)
- Indulge in a Beauty Advent Calendar : I have seen so many of these and I think they are super cute as a gift, or you can treat yourself with a gift that gives all month long!
- Go Ice Skating : I haven't been ice skating in years, but I definitely want to go to the outdoor rink downtown Toronto, by the Christmas tree. It would be Amare's first time too, so it makes it even cuter. lol
- Fill your house with the smell of Christmas : Whether it's holiday scented candles throughout your house, freshly baked cookies, or a homemade mix of holiday smells, I love walking into my home and automatically feeling the holiday spirit! Last year I would simmer boiling water with some pine needles from our Christmas tree, cinnamon and orange halves all day long !
- Create your Christmas Playlist : I already have my Christmas playlist ready to play all month long! What are some of your favourite Christmas songs?
- Decorate for the Holidays : I have two bins filled with decorations ready to be emptied and this year I am going to make some DIY decorations as well. Keep an eye out for those "How-To" posts.
- DIY a Wreath for your front door : This is one of the crafts I would like to do this year!!
- Donate clothes to Charity : Tis' the season of giving and I will definitely be doing a huge closet clean out to donate to my gently loved clothes to charity this holiday season. My #1 Rule: If you haven't worn it this past year, donate!
- Buy myself an "Ugly Christmas sweater" : Your Christmas sweater doesn't have to be "ugly", but I definitely suggest picking one up to really get into the Christmas spirit. ** I can actually cross this off my bucket list, since I picked up my Christmas sweater over Black Friday weekend, from Blue Notes. In honor of one of our favourite Christmas movies, my man and I got matching "Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animal" Sweaters. ❤
I hope you enjoyed this list and maybe even got some ideas of things you want to do this season. Comment below and let me know what's on your holiday bucket list.
Thanks for Following. Xo


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Product Description
Sweet little cut-out flower earring in sterling silver with a hammered and slightly reticulated texture.The diameter of the earring is 10mm and the depth is 1.2mm and the earrings sit flat against the ear. The ear-fittings are of good quality and are robust, making a good value gift.
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[JT Look Back at Me]
Chapter 2
Abandoned Hope
Over the next year, John Thornton became a shell of the man he once was: a thinking human being with no central core, little constancy, adrift in his own life. In an effort to keep his company from failing, he kept long hours at work, trying to lose himself in his mill. Margaret's words, on the day of the riot, continued to haunt him. He recognized that consideration for the human condition of his people was the road to the mill's salvation, but how to accomplish this remained an issue for him and all the cotton masters. Feeling lost, he nevertheless was determined to resolve the wage issue, even if it meant losing everything to do it. And through it all, his faith in Margaret's insights remained intact. Resolute to form a new perspective, John set to work on a solution.
By the end of that first year after Margaret had left, he began to see the benefits of his hard work. He had successfully tightened controls, hired capable, more productive people, and retrained his workers. In order to pay wages, he diluted most of his personal financial holdings. He met with his workers individually, and held monthly meetings so they could air their grievances. Wanting his labor force to comprehend the whole picture, he demonstrated, with slate and chalk, where every pound was going, and helped clear all their financial misunderstandings of the company. His goal was to make them partners in his decisions. Over time, the entire mill came to recognize their newly acquired knowledge (some absorbed more than others), as fair and equal. They had a sense of partnership and they had a purpose: they wanted John to succeed. He wasn't only their boss, he became their friend. In the end, the workers' personal interest in the success of the company, and their mutual pride and dedication to workmanship, produced a finer product.
Before long, John's mill began to reap great rewards; the other mill masters, observing the result of changes he had made, began to follow his lead. Although they didn't always agree with him on his expenditures and personal sacrifices (with regard to the workers), John showed them that sacrifice was at the core of his success. He believed in a new way of thinking: a future vision that embraced the workers' humanity and would ultimately resolve most problems. Recognized as a highly acclaimed merchant within the Cotton Industry, it wasn't long before other burgeoning industries began to take notice of the name John Thornton and the town of Milton. Respect and admiration for his business skills, and absence of dissention among his 300 plus workers, resulted in his fame being spread throughout other areas of commerce. His methods were recorded in trade journals, and he was asked to speak at various functions around the country. John was obliging, but shunned the limelight, and never put himself forward to be admired. He disliked receiving praise for common sense work and he highly undervalued himself. The world, however, saw him differently…
At a time when John was achieving great success and blazing historical trails, his personal life was far from successful, but he kept it well hidden from all but his closest friends. Margaret never wrote to him after her bereavement ended. He had written her two letters, but they went unanswered. This puzzled him. It was most unlike Margaret to be so impolite. Having had no communication from her, and having heard no news of her, he began to worry, sensing she might slip through his grasp.
My destiny cannot be to live without her.
In the second year after Margaret left, John attempted two more courteous letters but received no replies. Now, concerned that something was amiss, he wrote to Dixon, hoping she could shed some light on Margaret's apparent disregard for his letters. Clearly, this was not the Margaret he once knew. He had to find out why.
Late one evening, John returned home from the mill. As he entered the sitting room, Hannah was sitting at the dining table, reviewing Cook's menus for the following week.
"Good evening, Mother. How has your day been?"
Hannah Thornton looked up from her work and smiled fondly at her son. "Oh, a bit tiring…" Lottie came by to gossip for a while and we had tea. Then I wrote a letter, did a little cross stitch… and here I sit working on our meals for next week." Rising from the table, walking to the couch, she watched him, as he removed his coat and cravat and placed them over the back of a chair. "And how was your day, John?"
John walked over to the buffet and poured himself a brandy before responding. Lifting the glass he turned slightly towards Hannah, "Mother?"
"Yes, John, but I would prefer a small sherry, instead. By the way, something came in the post for you today. It's on the dining room table."
Without acknowledging her comment about the post, John continued pouring their drinks. "It was a rather easy day, today. Higgins still amazes me with his capacity for completing all the work I assign him. I can't find the end of the man. He never tires, never complains, good teacher – a perfect overseer. I'm going to get him into the office for some of the financial side of the business." Picking up her sherry, but leaving his brandy behind, John walked to the dining table and retrieved the letter. Crossing the room, he handed his mother her glass. He paused a moment to open the note, quickly scanning for a signature.
"Finally," John said as he walked back to the buffet and picked up his brandy. Walking over to his leather chair in front of the fire, he sat down and began to unfold the letter.
"Who is it from?" his mother asked, watching John's movements.
"It's from Dixon, the Hales' housekeeper. She now works for Margaret."
Hannah looked at him angrily. "John, you didn't! Please tell me you didn't write to her and ask about Miss Hale behind her back."
Raising his eyes to meet hers, John answered, "Mother, I cannot tell you so, because I did write to her. I wrote to Margaret four times in two years and received no response to my letters. I thought a quick note to Dixon, requesting a reply, would let me know if Margaret received them. I have reason to suspect that her family may be censoring her post. I didn't tell you about writing to her because I knew you would go on . . . like you are about to do now . . ." He paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words sink in. His mother's consistent negativity towards Margaret Hale, from the very beginning of their acquaintance, was an ongoing source of frustration for him. "So," he continued, "if you don't mind, mother, I would like to read Dixon's letter now."
As John began reading, Hannah was up and pacing the floor. She was worried about this "re-emergence of the "Miss Hale" story. For the past two years, he had been seeing other women, no one permanently, but she thought Miss Hale was far from his mind. Suddenly, Hannah's thoughts were interrupted as she heard the sound of glass, shattering on the floor. She quickly turned around and saw John, still seated, bent slightly forward with his elbows supported on his knees. He was holding his head in his hands, looking down, staring at the letter that had fallen to the floor.
"What is it, John?" she asked, alarmed by his pale face and empty unfocused eyes.
She watched as he stood up. Without acknowledging her question, and oblivious to the glass fragments on the floor, he walked out of the room, down the stairs, and out the front door with neither coat, nor hat, in hand. Hannah was stunned; he'd never done anything like that before. She hurried to the window, in time to see him walking through the mill gate.
At the sound of footsteps coming from the kitchen stairs, Hannah turned and saw Jane, the housekeeper, entering the room, dustpan, and broom in hand.
"I thought I heard the sound of breaking glass, ma'am." she said, glancing around the room.
Hannah composed herself. "Over here, Jane," she said as she pointed to the floor, "but hand me that letter first, if you don't mind?"
Jane handed her mistress the note and began to sweep the glass. Hannah waited patiently for her to leave, then sat in John's chair and began to read.
Dear Mr. Thornton,
It was nice hearing from you. I do not think Miss Margaret got your letters because I think she would have told me. She and I are close friends. She does not care for London, so we talk a lot about Helstone and Milton. I know she wrote to you once or maybe it was two times, because she asked me if I wanted to add anything. I just wanted to say Hello to you. Did you not receive them?
I don't know if this is good news or bad news for you, but Miss Margaret married her a college professor last month. She is not living here anymore. They live on the school grounds somewhere. I was not allowed to go with her because they have their own staffing.
To be honest with you Mr. Thornton, I don't know if she was happy to be married or happy to be out of here. She's been very sad a long time, but I don't think it is all about her parents dying. She just hates living here and society life being pressed on her. I know she would have been happy to hear from you, because we wondered how you and Mr. Higgins were getting along. I think that is all you wanted to know. Please write again if I can tell you anymore, I like getting letters. Dixon
By the time Hannah finished reading the letter, tears were rolling down her cheeks, and her heart beat rapidly in her chest. She felt terrible for her son. She decided to wait and have dinner with him, but he didn't return and she could not eat. Feeling unwell, she retired to her room for the evening.
Knowing John was at a very low point, weighed heavily on her conscience, exhausting her even further. She recognized she held some blame in this disaster in her son's life. Originally, she never endeared herself to Margaret, and had since tried to sweep her memory out of the way. John, meanwhile, had been holding on to her tightly, in his heart. "How he must have struggled to tolerate me," she thought," when I was so quick to dismiss any conversation about Miss Hale."
Will he ever forgive me?
Outside, John walked towards nowhere; numb, not caring, and oblivious to everything around him, including the cold and the approaching darkness. His thoughts were incomprehensible; he was inconsolable.
I cannot believe what has happened to my life. It is over.
John had loved Margaret for over three years. Although there had been no communication between them for two of those years, he still had clung to hope. He had dreams and he had plans, all of which just died a horrible death.
Walking with his head down, people stared at him as he passed. He wandered aimlessly out of town and found himself at the cemetery, where Margaret had visited weekly, at the grave of her lost friend, Bessie.
John's insides were churning as he walked around in circles, simultaneously wrestling with anger and sorrow. Tears rolled down his face, as his stomach convulsed with pain, and pure mental agony consumed him.
Margaret . . . my love, my life, why did you marry someone else?
Holding his arms straight over his head, shaking his fist skyward, shouting and sobbing at his maker, John wailed to the heavens, "Why, God . . . why? Why take Margaret from me, again? What have I done to deserve this? . . . God, anything but this!"
John silently cursed his god. For him, God no longer existed. With despondency heavily descending upon him, he slid to his knees and fell backwards on to the cold damp ground. A few moments later he sat up, resting his head on his arms, which were laying across his up-drawn knees. Tears of utter desolation poured out from him. He thought he was watching himself go mad.
"I have loved her for three years, God. Two years ago, my heart broke when you took her from me. I have not looked into her face since then, but have continued to live in hope every day. And today, God, you put a pistol to my head and pulled the trigger. You have taken away my love, my reason for living, my everything. She wrapped herself around my very soul, now you've wrenched her away. You have destroyed me, God. I am done with you, as you are done with me." John cried uncontrollably, feeling as if he was bleeding to death, and wishing, somehow, that he could.
As the hours rolled by, he sank deeper into despair, and thoughts of ending his own life began to appear, but the recollection of the family's grief, over his father's suicide, kept him teetering on the brink of life. He knew, without a doubt, living in a world without Margaret, in a world without hope of Margaret, meant living in a void: a meaningless, senseless life; forever floating, trapped in a world of depression, and ostracized from reciprocated love.
As the pale light of dawn rose over the smoky town, John stood slowly, straining at his stiffness, and decided to go home and try to survive the rest of his damaged life. There were no tears left to shed. He was completely and utterly spent.
Everything is gone . . . lost to me now . . . and I, too, am lost.
Approaching his home, John tried putting on a good face for the early workers wandering the yard, but he knew he looked awful and it matched his mood. Feeling unprepared to face his mother over Miss Hale, again, he mounted the porch steps, took a deep breath, and turned the doorknob. As he came bravely through the door to the sitting room, Hannah looked up from her chair and quietly gasped. Standing before her in muddied clothes, looking totally exhausted, was her son: face swollen, eyes bloodshot and cheeks stained and streaked with tears. He was a broken man and her heart sank for him. How he suffers… Without saying a word, she walked over, putting her motherly arms around him. She wanted to tell him she was sorry, but it didn't seem enough, considering her past attitude toward Miss Hale, so, she kept silent on the matter.
"Would you like something to eat, John?" Hannah asked, tentatively, as she stepped back from him.
"No thank you, mother. I'm going to clean up and lie down for a few hours. Would you send Jane to find Higgins and tell him it will be a while before I get to the office?"
Hannah said she would take care of it. Having decided she would say nothing about the letter until he did, she stood silently watching him. Picking up Dixon's letter, John turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. Hannah thought to herself that she had never seen him so dejected. Unfortunately, and all too late, she realized the great love her son had for Miss Hale; so much more than she had ever thought. At last, she fully recognized the understanding John had of Margaret. Hannah knew, for certain, she had misjudged this woman.
In his room, John undressed and bathed, feeling the weight of loneliness descend upon his tired body. Putting on a fresh undergarment he lay down on the bed. Exhaustion overtook him, finally, and he slept fitfully, never finishing Dixon's letter.
He awoke several hours later, bathed in sweat. Throwing his legs over the side of the bed, he sat up, trying to clear his head. He wished he was awakening from a nightmare, but there it was, on the night table: Dixon's letter, spelling out THE END to the rest of his life. Reaching over, he picked it up, and began reading where he had left off:
To be honest with you Mr. Thornton, I don't know if she was happy to be married or happy to be out of here. She's been very sad a long time, but I don't think it is all about her parents. She just hates living here and society life being pressed on her. I know she would have been happy to hear from you, because we wondered how you and Mr. Higgins were getting along.
Suddenly, he stopped. "What did that mean . . . happy to be married or happy to be out of there?"
John stood, continuing to read, as he paced the floor and ran his fingers through his hair. They were words, just words, but ignoring them would haunt him forever. Nothing could be done now; there could be no difference in their permanent separation. But still… he had to know…
Did she marry for love?
It seemed absurd to want to know the answer; what difference would it make? Yet, deep down, burned the desire to feel what might have been. What if she could have loved him? That, at least, would be worth something to him.
He knew what he must do… In a few weeks he was due to attend the annual convention for the cotton mill industry, held in London.
"I will visit Dixon while I'm there. I must understand what she meant by those words."
(Continuing on Mondays)


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Here's Variety's version the lip-biting incident:
Previous to the opening of "The Gold Rush" Chaplin got a flood of publicity in New York without the assistance of a press agent. It was suspected the p. a. sent out, verbally, an account of the comedian's illness. That was picked up by the dailies and carried along, until the "News"published a story that Chaplin had been bitten on the lip by a chorus girl of the Ziegfeld "Follies." The "News" named Katherine Burke of the "Follies" as the biter. It was not Miss Burke, but Flo Kennedy. According to report, and It was not a bite but a sort of crush.
At a dinner given for Chaplin about eight of the "Follies" girls attended. After the dinner Chaplin was asked for a memento by the girls, but, not having eight of anything that could be distributed, he proposed to give away his gold cigarette case to the girl drawing the winning number from a hat. Miss Burke got the case. Miss Kennedy, It is said, in appreciation of Chaplin's good nature, sought to give him a collective kiss for all of the girls, and enthusiastically started to do so, misjudging the distance, however, on a flying leap, with her teeth making a slight mark on the comedian's lips.1,2
Burke later told reporters that she didn't know what all the fuss was about because she didn't see anyone bite Chaplin. "I don't think he was bitten at all," she said.3
Nevertheless, headlines touted that Chaplin had been bitten on the lip, blood poisoning had set it, and that he was near death. It seems Chaplin was ill, but not from a bite on the lip. In a statement made by his doctor, James B. McKenzie, Chaplin was suffering from "low blood pressure" brought on by "overwork" and "the tedious trip from the coast." He called the reports that Chaplin was blood poisoned from a kiss: "a lot of rot." Besides exhaustion, Chaplin was also suffering from a cold.4 Years later in his autobiography, however, Chaplin stated that he had had a "collapse":
I was staying at the Ritz Hotel and I could not breathe, so I frantically telephoned a friend. "I'm dying," I gasped. "Call my lawyer!"
"Lawyer! You want a doctor," said he, alarmed.
"No, no, my lawyer, I want to make a will."
His friend (Harry d'Arrast?) called both. His lawyer was in Europe but he was examined by his doctor who said he had an attack of nerves brought on by the oppressive heat in New York. He suggested that Chaplin leave the city and head to the ocean where he could relax in peace and quiet and get the sea air.5
Chaplin & d'Arrast headed to Brighton Beach. On the way he recalled that he "cried for no reason."
No sooner had they arrived at their beachfront hotel that Chaplin heard a barking dog. "It was a man drowning," recalled Chaplin. "The lifeguards brought him in right in front of my window, and gave him first aid, but it was too late; he was dead." He said that two others were also brought in by lifeguards but they recovered. "I was in a worse state than ever," he wrote, "so I decided to return to New York."6
Coming up on the 16th: Chaplin attends the New York premiere of The Gold Rush.
1Variety, August 19th, 1925.
2Louise Brooks later asserted that it was actress Blyth Daly who bit Chaplin's lip when she took offense at an unwanted kiss. Walter Wanger, who was present at the incident, told her that Charlie "made a hysterical scene , screaming 'blood poison!' and required the services of several doctors." (Barry Paris, Louise Brooks)
4Los Angeles Times, August 12, 1925
5Chaplin, My Autobiography, 1964. Chaplin also states that two days after returning to NY, he was well enough to return to California. He is a bit off in his chronology here. Newspaper reports state that he arrived in Brighton Beach on August 14th. He didn't stay long because he was back in the city for the premiere of The Gold Rush which took place at midnight on August 16th. He didn't return to California until October.


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Patty Andrews
( b. Feb 16, 1918 Mound, Minnesota, USA - d. Jan 30, 2013 Northridge, California, USA ) Female
Biography: Patty Andrews was born Patricia Marie Andrews was born on February 16, 1918 in Minneapolis to Peter and Olga Andrews. She was 14 when the Andrews sisters trio (comprised of her and her sisters, Maxene and LaVerne) began to perform in public. Their jazzy renditions included "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," "Rum and Coca-Cola," and "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else but Me)." She married movie producer Marty Melcher and then Wally Weschler, who became her manager.
Film/TV Credits: Film credits include: "What's Cookin'?," "Private Buckaroo," "Swingtime Johnny," "Her Lucky Night," "The Phynx," and "The Gong Show Movie." Television credits include: "Die Andrew-Sisters in Berlin."
The Andrews sisters sold over 75 million records.
Find out where Patty Andrews and are credited together


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Miki - Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, MaidenheadBy Kate Braxton
There is always a point between Christmas and New Year where children and adults alike become restless, and this little nugget of theatrical wonder is the perfect treat to keep the magic of the season alive.
Based on the illustrated book by Stephen Mackey, Miki is an inspiring tale about friendship, courage and adventure. Created for the stage by Slot Machine Theatre Company and Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, the show's action hugs an enchanting original musical score by Nick Tigg, and is proudly unfolded by three masterful puppeteers. Rich production values and neatly delivered messaging transport us deep into Miki's world in just under an hour. It is at the very least, sweet escapism.
Miki (Peyvand Sadeghian), Polar Bear (Ian Harris) and Penguin (Jack Kelly) live far away in the icy mountains. One midwinter eve, Miki makes a wish, the moon weaves its magic and she is taken on a delightful journey as she tries to catch a star that will shine forever. The friends' adventure leads them through an underwater voyage, where they meet all kinds of amazing, friendly creatures.
So committed to their roles are our three actor-puppeteers, while the integrity of the piece lets the imagination run free, I would defy even the grumpiest family member not to suspend their disbelief for a time.
The set and staging appears simple, yet one standalone, three dimesional feature cleverly doubles as both the mountainous landscape scene, while also housing the subterranean action below.
Lighting plays a key part in drawing the audience into Miki's world, matching ultraviolet effects with brightly coloured underwater characters. The puppetry and choreography are attentively detailed and we find ourselves quite caught up in the current of the underwater setting. Miki is a tightly meshed collaborative piece, but so good is the original music, it could tell the story before a puppet has lifted its head.
Norden Farm Centre for the Arts is a terrific venue for a good-value family show and it comes as no surprise that their prior successes adapting One Snowy Night and Kipper's Snowy Day have been followed by such a charming Christmas audience captivator.
Suitable for ages 3+
For tickets Call Box Office: 01628 788 997 or www.nordenfarm.org
Runs twice daily, 11am and 2pm until Saturday 30th December
Cinderella, The Alhambra, BradfordBy GRAHAM CLARK
The Bradford Alhambra pantomime is rightly known as one of the best pantomimes in the country - this year it even opens with a song about the theatre with the lyric "at the Alhambra, the greatest of them all"
Yorkshire comedian and former Butlins redcoat, Billy Pearce is much apart of the Alhambra as its famous domes. Playing Buttons in his 19th performance here, this is a lavish West End style production, proving too that he is still the King of panto.
Coleen Nolan as the Fairy Godmother was all motherly and charm whilst her real life son Shane Nolan eventually settled into the role of Dandini as the evening progressed.
The Ugly Sisters were a scream with costumes as outragous as their lines. Hernia (Graham Hoadley) and Verruca (Jack Land Noble) played their characters with a wicked menace.
Sarah Goggin as Cinderella appeared all youthful innocence and charm whilst Sam Barrett played Prince Charming as suave and debonair as you would expect with a chemistry between the two.
The traditional Bradford Sunbeams were present providing a youthful exuberance to this captivating pantomime.
Of course you have to be as up to date as possible with the songs, so the Ed Sheehan hit Shape of You becomes Gonna Be A Prince Like You when Dandini becomes the Prince.
Special effects such as Cinderella's coach and horses riding out over the audience in the stalls and a life like 3D Forrest scene kept everything high tech and magical.
The scene where Buttons has a talking bear - Bertie the Bear from Barnsley was laughable as the bears mouth stopped working half way through the act, with years of panto experience Pearce carries on only to say at the end "that bear is going back to the shop in the morning"
Despite all the hi tech treats the simple slapstick routines seemed to go down best with the younger members of the audience which showed that sometimes you do not have to go above and beyond to get the best reactions.
With spectacular costumes, fast paced cheography and a wonderful story this was a regal, funny, entertaining and joyful panto. Bradford has done it again and raised the bar for others to follow.
Runs until Saturday 28 January 2018
Telephone: 01274 432000
Peter Pan: A Musical AdventureBy Kirstie Niland
Blackpool Opera House, until Sunday 7th January 2018
Peter Pan is sprinkling fairydust over Blackpool this Christmas with a new musical production by the award-winning Selladoor Family, and this show is a welcome alternative to the standard Christmas panto.
The cast features X Factor eye candy Jake Quickenden in the title role, and TV star Jennifer Ellison as an impressive Captain Hook. Radio Wave presenter Scott Gallagher totally steals the show as Smee, and Blackpool's treasured Maureen Nolan plays Mrs Darling. Joining them are a strong cast of triple threats.
No spoiler alerts here, except to say don't book this expecting a traditional pantomime. Whilst there are some panto style comedy moments, this show is exactly what it says on the tin - a musical adventure - packed full of foot-tapping chart hits and energetic choreography. This means lots of nods to the original stage play, so here is the background story of how the boy who never grew up first took flight.
Peter Pan was born in 1902 in J.M. Barrie's novel The Little White Bird, as a baby who lives on Kensington Gardens' Serpentine Lake and learns to fly. The story of Peter was adapted to create the children's book Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (1906), which Barrie dedicated to "Sylvia and Arthur Llewellyn Davies and their boys. My boys". Barrie said these five boys - George, Jack, Peter, Michael and Nico - formed Peter Pan's character: "I made Peter by rubbing the five of you violently together, as savages with two sticks produce a flame. Peter Pan is the spark I got from you". And so it was that the boastful, careless boy who can fly, and wouldn't grow up, was brought to life.
However, the origins of Peter Pan are more tragic, as he was first based on Barrie's brother David, who died in an ice-skating accident the day before his 14th birthday. Barrie and his mother remembered David as "forever a boy" - just as Peter Pan has remained a youngster for over a century, known to fairytale lovers the world over as the beautiful boy with a beautiful smile.
Barrie's stage play adaptation, the musical Peter Pan, was an instant hit when it opened at London's Duke of York theatre on 27th December 1904. It was tradition then for women to play young boys, so sadly Barrie never fulfilled his wish to see a boy play Peter, and the much sought after role has continued to be played by females, with West End lead's including household names such as Lulu and Bonnie Langford.
Next came Broadway and critical acclaim, and then the silver screen, with Disney's Peter Pan in 1953 and Steven Spielberg's Hook in 1991. Hook attracted a stellar cast, with Robin Williams (Peter Pan), Dustin Hoffman (Captain Hook), Glenn Close (Gutless the pirate), Gwyneth Paltrow (Wendy), Bob Hoskins (Smee) - and Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell.
Tink the fairy wasn't always played by a pretty woman though, in the original stage production she was a tiny but powerful dot of light. Meanwhile Captain Hook didn't exist in the first drafts of the play, he appeared later to entertain pirate-loving children and take over the reins of evil from Peter Pan - who was initially the villain of the story. And Peter didn't wear green, his clothes were the autumnal colours of skeleton leaves.
As for Peter's ability to fly, he tells the Darling children this is only possible through lovely wonderful thoughts and fairydust. Barrie introduced the necessity for fairydust to stop children from injuring themselves while trying to fly like Peter and the Lost Boys. Take note kids – don't try this at home.
So Peter Pan has glided through various pages and performances over the decades, but it wasn't until changes in copyright were made that the play could be adapted to create a pantomime. Since then Peter Pan has become a popular Christmas show at theatres across the UK.
Barrie's instructions over the copyright of Peter Pan have also enabled the character to forever be a help to children in need of support. For in 1929, he gifted it to Great Ormond Street Hospital, which means GSOH receives royalties from every production. When Barrie moved to London from Edinburgh to pursue a career in the arts, his lodgings were in Grenville Street, behind GSOH, and this house was the inspiration for the Darling family's home. It is a fitting tribute therefore that his magical legacy lives on through such a worthy cause.
Peter Pan's latest swash-buckling adventure in Neverland runs at Blackpool Opera House until Sunday 7th January. Book tickets here.
Photographs courtesy of Selladoor Productions.
The Wizard of Oz at the Heywood Civic CentreBy G.D. Mills
The Wizard of Oz has had thousands of incarnations, the most famous of which must be the 1939 Techni-colour film starring Judy Garland. Few people realise, however, that it started out in life as a children's book by L. Frank Baum, published some 39 years before the double Oscar winning musical appeared on screen.
Liam Mellor's adaptation for Heywood Civic Centre, like any successful pantomime, amply accommodates for an audience across the age ranges, and comes replete with engaging visuals, groan-worthy puns and a scattering of satirical swipes sophisticated enough for an adult palate.
At the beginning, true to the original story, we find ourselves on a Texan farm where a willow-like, honey-voiced Dorothy (endearingly portrayed by Lauren Ramsey) sets off on her mission to find the City of Emeralds.
Accompanied along the way by a scatter-brained Scarecrow (Mike Smith – Cbeebies, BBC warm-up man), a timorous lion (Jordan Kennedy – Victoria, Waterloo Road) and the loveable Tinman (James Edgington – Hollyoaks, Downton Abbey) this fantastical triumvirate encounter evil in the form of a cackling witch (Victoria Roberts – Britain's Got Talent, Let me Entertain You) and the munchkins (represented by the Tymcyshyn School of Dancing), only to discover that the wizard, flamboyantly played by reality show star Liam Halewood, has been with them all along.
Julia Haworth's (Coronation Street, Peak Practise) plays the glittery Good Fairy with impeccable grace, while Mike Smith, a seasoned presenter with a comic's instinct for killer timing, frequently shatters the fourth wall to deliver some of the funniest lines of the evening.
The dialogue gallops along at a break-neck pace (sometimes the audience needed time to process the jokes) and a little judicial editing might have honed the performance to pantomimic perfection, but otherwise this is a stomping good musical with a generous dollop of the Xmas feel-good factor.
You can book tickets by visiting the website here:
Heywood Civic Centre
The Rat Pack - Live from Las VegasBy Trevor Gent
Last night my guest and I enjoyed a Christmas treat with The Rat Pack - Live from Last Vegas at the Haymarket theatre in London (from January 9th to Saturday 3rd February 2018 it will be The Rat Pack - Live From Las Vegas celebrating Ella Fitzgerald's centenary).
The celebrated West End production of the Olivier Award-nominated The Rat Pack - Live from Las Vegas, returns to the Theatre Royal, Haymarket – which was its home for its first West End run in 2003 - for a strictly limited season from Wednesday 13 December - Saturday 3 February.
The cast features Garrett Phillips as Frank Sinatra, Nigel Casey (Dean Martin), David Hayes (Sammy Davis Jr), with Joanna Walters, Amelia Adams-Pearce, Rebecca Parker and Laura Darton as The Burrelli Sisters.
Musical Director of the 12-piece Rat Pack Big Band is Matthew Freeman.
Nicola Emmanuelle will also join the show from Tuesday January 9
to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the First Lady
of Song and Queen of Jazz, Ella Fitzgerald. Songs featured in
this special edition of the production will include Night and
Day, The Lady is a Tramp, Mack the Knife and S'Wonderful.
From 13 December to 6 January, The Rat Pack - Live from Las Vegas - devised, directed and choreographed by Mitch Sebastian - will have a Christmas theme with the Pack's unique take on such festive classics as Baby It's Cold Outside, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, White Christmas, Winter Wonderland, Jingle Bells and Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow.
The original show updated
At the start of the 1960s, The Rat Pack led by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. were the toast of Las Vegas. With the world's rich and famous jetting in to see them joke around and sing some of the finest songs ever written, the guys also starred together in a series of glamorous Hollywood films, set fashion trends, rubbed shoulders with the US President, politicians and mobsters... and partied hard as the coolest cats on the planet. The Rat Pack - Live from Las Vegas recreates that special time. Prepare to drift back in time to an era of glitzy nights spent on the Vegas strip in the company of three of the world's most popular entertainers. This spectacular production - with a very special Christmas theme until 6 January - celebrates the incredible singing talent of three world-famous entertainers and performers and some of the finest music and song that has ever been recorded. Frank, Sammy and Dean are once again performing in the world-renowned Copa Room at the famous Sands Hotel, supported by the fabulous Burrelli Sisters and The Rat Pack Big Band in a critically acclaimed show that clocked up over 1,000 West End performances on its West End premiere. Frequently imitated but never bettered, The Rat Pack - Live from Las Vegas features hit after hit, including Pack favourites The Lady is a Tramp, Mr Bojangles, That's Amore, I've Got You Under My Skin, What Kind of Fool Am I?, Volare, My Way, Candyman, Everybody Loves Somebody and many, many more. If you wish you'd swung with the hardest partying pack in town, now's your chance!
With the arrival of Frank on the stage the show swings straight into action and flows smoothly as we meet Sammy and then Dean. Filled with fun and laughter, not to forget a song or two, this will have you head nodding, knee and foot (and whatever else) twitching along with tunes you will know. You may even be tempted to sing along with some too.
The three main cast members were all superb and smoked and drank their way through the show (with the odd joke or two) engaging with the audience well.
The experience was slightly affected by a couple of rather inebriated girls in the row in front of us who swayed, chatted and whooped throughout, and a loved up couple next to them who maybe should have just got a room instead of going to see the show?
Nevertheless well worth a visit to see this show so catch it if you can.
Post London dates are detailed below. Enjoy and Happy Christmas!
The Rat Pack - Live from Las Vegas is produced by Paul Walden & Derek Nicol for Flying Entertainment & TRH Productions
Following the West End season, The Rat Pack - Live from Las Vegas
featuring Ella Fitzgerald Centenary Celebration will play:
Tuesday 6 - Saturday 10 February
Glasgow King's Theatre
Tuesday 13 - Saturday 17 February
Liverpool Empire Theatre
Tuesday 20 - Saturday 24 February
Manchester Opera House
Tuesday 27 February - Saturday 3 March
Edinburgh Playhouse
Tuesday 6 - Saturday 10 March
Eastbourne Devonshire Park Theatre
Tuesday 13 - Saturday 17 March
Sunderland Empire Theatre
Tuesday 20 - Saturday 24 March
Cardiff New Theatre
Tuesday 27 - Saturday 31 March
Birmingham Alexandra Theatre
Monday 2- Saturday 7 April
Dublin Gaiety Theatre
Thursday 12- Saturday 14 April
Belfast Waterfront Hall
Tuesday 17- Saturday 21 April
Woking New Victoria Theatre
Tuesday 24 - Saturday 28 April
Blackpool Grand Theatre
Tuesday 1 - Saturday 5 May
Sheffield Lyceum Theatre
Tuesday 8 - Saturday 12 May
Darlington Hippodrome
Monday 14 - Saturday 19 May
Dartford Orchard Theatre
Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 May
Bath Theatre Royal
Tuesday 29 May – Saturday 2 June
Crawley The Hawth
Tuesday 5 – Saturday 9 June
York Grand Opera House
WHITE FANG: Park 90 LondonBy Elaine Pinkus
White Fang, written and directed by Jethro Compton, inspired by the Jack London novel.
Mariska Ariya and Danny Mahoney: Photograph Jethro Compton
Jethro Compton emphasised that his is not an adaptation of Jack London's White Fang but more a play inspired by that novel. It is important to take note of that for if you were to buy tickets in the hope of seeing that delicious novel played out on stage, you would be taken aback. Here Compton has taken the premise of White Fang and offers a new narrative which takes the struggle of the half wolf half dog White Fang and turns it into a human struggle for identity of a young first nation girl, Lyzbet, who in 1898 Canada is caught between two worlds: that of good and bad, of kindness and evil.
There are several themes and sub plots running through this narrative: hunter/prey, identity/isolation, good and evil, indigenous displacement, integrity and truth. Lyzbet Scott (Mariska Ariya)and White Fang become one spirit in their journey of discovery, to find who they are and where they truly belong. Rescued as baby/pup, found beside the bodies of their dead parent(s), each is caught between two worlds: that of their indigenous heritage and that of the 'civilised' white man. At their core, they answer to the call of their old world but are trapped in the world of rules and mores. Ultimately it is evident where Lizbet believes she belongs, although her angst can become somewhat repetitive and sermonising in places. In their idealistic innocence and desire, each is taken advantage of by the greed of the white man, who has exploited them at every turn. Her beloved adoptive 'grandfather' Weeden Scott,( Robert G Slade) has deceived her, Beauty Smith (Paul Albertson) has lied and cheated in his greed for personal wealth. These strings of betrayal and deceit can serve only to fuel her hunger for her true heritage and the honest rawness of nature itself. It is only the character of Curly (Bebe Sanders) who is truly open with Lizbet, perhaps because she is a little in love with this feisty young warrior.
Danny Mahoney and Bebe Sanders: Photograph Jethro Compton
The puppetry (directed by James Silson) is inspired. White Fang, shown in three stages of his life/death, is convincing at each point. It is he that evokes the highest level of emotion in his unconditional trust of Lyzbet, taking whatever befalls him as a consequence. Words are not necessary; his physicality (snarlingly realistic) tells all. Just as we took to our hearts Joey in War Horse, we absorb this magnificent creature who is majestic like the landscape and who understands the basic rule of nature, to survive and defend his 'kin'.
The clever staging achieves the harshness of the Northlands (Yukon territories) landscape. Separated only by a white curtain, there is the external solitude and isolation of the freezing elements and the internal starkness of the log cabin. Each is convincing. With the relentless sound of the howling wind (wolfish in its manner) and the crunchy snow, many of the audience reached for their scarves and jackets to ward off the cold. Park 90 is a small studio space, but the staging was entirely effective with two adjacent seating areas around the small stage. As such, the intimacy and inclusion ensured full theatrical effect.
The cast performed their indiviual roles with conviction and were successfully collaborative as a whole. It would be wrong to single out any as all deserve a mention here: Mariska Ariya, Robert G Slade, Bebe Sanders, Paull albertson, Jonathan Mathews and Danny Mahoney.
Paul Albertson, Danny Mahoney and Robert G Slade: photograph Jethro Compton
With his love of the western and his cinematic experience (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Park Theatre), Compton has created a quasi cinematic theatrical experience at Park 90 featuring inspired puppetry (Creator: Eric Davis and puppetry Director James Silson), original plus newly created score, (Jonny Simms Gavin Whitworth and Michael Raabe) and effective creatives of sound, lighting and staging.
Production: 2 hours including a 20 minute interval.
Venue: PARK90, Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, N4 3JP
Dates: 13 December 2017 – 13 January 2018
Age guidance: 12 +
Performances: Tue – Sat Evenings 7.45pm, Thu & Sat Matinees 3.15pm
Prices: Previews £14.50, Standard £18, Concessions £16.50, Child (under 16) £13, Young Patrons £10 (13-20 Dec), Groups: buy 10 tickets get the 11th free
Cinderella at Milton Keynes TheatreBy Louise Winter
Reviewed 13th December 2017 by Vicky Tomopoulou
A sparkling, flying pumpkin carriage, fireworks and lasers, magic tricks, live animals, flamboyant costumes, excellent sound, abundant special effects and most importantly, Brian Conley; his personality and humour dominate every scene. Alongside him, fashion guru Gok Wan, as the Fairy "Gok Mother" is the ultimate co-star. Their interplay is delightful and it's obvious they are having a blast despite the multiple performances.
While Cinderella (Lauren Hall) is looking forward to attending the Prince's ball, her Ugly Sisters (Ben Stock and Neal Wright) make here tear up her invitation and stay at home instead. Buttons (Brian Conley) has a dream too – to snog Cinderella. In his effort to win her love, Buttons brings in the Fairy Gok Mother to help with a magical fashion makeover. The situation gets complicated when the Handsome Prince (Matthew Goodgame) develops a crush on Cinderella too.
image by Barry Rivett
The rest of the cast is delivering first rate performances but the force of the Conley - Gok duo is sometimes sidelining everyone else. Nevertheless it should be said that probably every little girl in the theatre wished that she was Lauren Hall, playing the role of Cinderella with charisma and ease. Chris Ellis_Stanton as Prince Charming has a strong presence although his chemistry with Cinderella didn't feel very real. The Ugly Sisters offer a visual thrill every time they come on the stage wearing a different whimsical costume.
image by Barry Rivett
The play is supported by a team of eight talented dancers delivering the choreography with passion and intensity and accompanied by charming little dancers from Milton Keynes DanceBox Studios. At the same time the orchestra creates a party-like atmosphere with a good variety of songs for all ages and tastes to which the audience is clapping, singing and even dancing along.
The humour is a mix of fart jokes, which keep the kids entertained, and innuendos directed at the adults. The real fun starts when Conley diverts from the script causing Gok to break into laughter as he tries to follow.
image by Barry Rivett
The two hour long show was captivating and the next morning my 8 year old daughter declared that she wanted to watch the whole thing again. Even though it's the simple tale of good versus evil, the adaptation of the storyline is perfect for pantomime with an abundance of visual effects and slapstick.
Everyone walks out of the theatre with a big smile on their face and for that reason the standing ovation the cast gets at the end of the show is well deserved.
Cinderella is at MK theatre until 14 January 2018
0844 871 7653
Booking fee applies
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs @ The Waterside Theatre, AylesburyBy Yvonne Delahaye
Walking gingerly along ice-covered pavements with snow stacked up on the side and seeing the glittering Christmas lights glowing certainly puts one in the festive mood! Without the lights, December would be very bleak as we wait for the winter equinox on 21st, heralding the start of winter and longer days. Pantomime plays an important role in these dark days, bringing colour, fun, laughter and mayhem to brighten up our lives.
This year's pantomime at The Waterside is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs starring the sublime Su Pollard as the Wicked Queen. Su is a real trooper, with her unique energy, humour and enthusiasm she captivates you and it's hard to think of her as 'the baddie', as she's so likeable. She also has a great singing voice and her opening number 'One Way or Another' sets the scene nicely.
Often the leading lady is someone who's made their name on reality TV and not for having any specific talent, so they can be quite weak. This year it was good to see Jenna Innes as Snow White, who can actually act, sing and dance, having recently graduated from the Musical Theatre Academy in London. Walking straight into a leading role, she nailed it and I can see a great career ahead for her.
Jon Moses really looks the part of the tall, handsome Prince who rocks a pair of tights and a sparkling tabard, charming Snow White and you could believe they would fall in love at first sight. Best known as a finalist in ITV's Superstar, Jon has a wonderfully rich singing voice and I imagine he would be the Prince kids would envision.
In his seventh year of panto at the Waterside, Andy Collins makes his entrance on an inflatable 'My Little Pony, introducing his character 'Muddles' to start the merriment. We have the usual setting up of whether or not he'd be doing 'The Twelve Days of Christmas', without any doubt that he would of course as we all love to join in. Be prepared for a good water dousing though and you could do (as I did) and take an umbrella!
To complete the comedy double act with Muddles, La Voix returns for the second year to play the Nurse. She has a dazzling array of outrageous costumes and is a strong singer and performer. The only thing that I was concerned about was that a few of the lines were verging on being cruel. Insulting the audience is par for the course in panto, but one or two of the lines felt a bit too personal.
A buzz of excitement permeated through the theatre, as the real-life dwarfs arrived to cheers and claps. Some theatres use children dressed up and that really isn't right, as there are plenty of actors who can play the roles. With Kieran Dumont as Pop, Andy Herd as Sneezer, Kyle Herd as Soppy, Darren Horan as Kip, Emma Jones as Smiler, Trevor Jones as Grouchy and Kevin O'Leary as Twicher, we were a bit confused as to why the names had been changed, perhaps it's something to do with copyright?
It's all good fun and the elaborate opening up of the dwarfs' house was very clever. The finale costumes were gorgeous pinks and silver and the sheer energy, cornucopia of dazzlingly colourful costumes, impressive sets, mischief and hilarity is the perfect way to get us into the mood for Christmas and forget about the weather!
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs runs at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury until Sunday December 31 with morning, afternoon and evening performances. Tickets cost from £11.75. Box office 0844 871 7607 or book online at ww.atgtickets.com/aylesbury
Reviewed by:
Yvonne Delahaye
THE FITZROVIA RADIO HOUR'S 'A CHRISTMAS CAROL'By Elaine Pinkus
The Fitzrovia Radio Hour's A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Adapted from Charles Dickens by Tom Mallaburn with Jon Edgley Bond Directed by Owen Lewis playing at the Paradiso Spiegeltent, Leicester Square
Nestling in the centre of Leicester Square is the Paradiso Spiegeltent theatre, similar in layout to a circus tent where visitors access the main auditorium by walking through a large bar area. Seats are not numbered. My advice, get there early so that you can be sure to grab a decent seat with a good view of the stage, the props and the impeccably attired cast, who are suitably dressed in formal evening suit with bow ties and elegant cocktail dresses.
Samuel Collings, Alix Dunmore, William Findley and Dorothea Myer-Bennett
My husband, who is a keen supporter of the National Theatre of Brent, was very excited to be accompanying me to this review. Those of you familiar with that radio drama will be aware of the format, which is very similar to that of the Fitzrovia Radio Hour. Others who have enjoyed the theatre frolics and capers of productions such as 'The Play That Goes Wrong' will be anticipating fun and high jinks. The promise that awaits is enticing. The stage is laid out with a myriad of accessories, ranging from washboards, cereal packets and rubber gloves as the source of the sound effects; there are microphones and general clutter on stage suggesting potential chaos and cue boards inviting the audience to cheer, applaud and make strange noises. Reminiscent of bygone days this takes us back to those times where audiences would sit glued to their wireless sets and tune in to the current comedy and theatre played over the airwaves.
With plum 1940s accents and reflecting the attitudes of the time, our five actors take to the stage to deliver their classic literary adaptation of Dickens A Christmas Carol. But of course there are issues here and we are told at the onset by the ambitious and dastardly Ernest Andrew that the Fitzrovia Radio Hour cast have had to relocate to this rather noisy tent after a tragic and suspicious accident befell their lead, Stanley de Pfeffel, at the Wyndham Theatre where the scenery from The Importance of Being Ernest collapsed on top of him. Now it so happens that Ernest had yearned for the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, having played Tiny Tim for the last 18 years and is clearly delighted at this opportunity. Valiantly putting his best foot forward he will rise to the occasion in this tented venue, situated in the heart of Dickensian London and where 'pickpockets, prostitutes and suchlike' in the nearby streets add to the authenticity of the time. Ironically his humorous apologies for the noise from the proximity of revellers in Leicester Square's winter wonderland are in fact what mars this performance. The external noise did intrude and in some cases prevented the audience from appreciating the sound effects which were overcome by the volume.
The retelling of the story was delivered in best English Received Pronunciation by the excellent troupe of Samuel Collings, Alix Dunmore, William Findley, Dorothea Myer-Bennell and Michael Lumsden. Each consonant was exaggerated and rang comically through the hall with words such as chris – t – mas! In true tradition, this festive tale was related, with its ghosts and spirits supported by the crunching of cereal bags (to denote fires). And of course, there was the constant reference to their sponsor: a gin brand, their Christmas friend. But it was in the 'intermissions' that the chaos was exposed, with excellent comic timing. Resentment by the cast towards Ernest, opportunist flirting between Vanity Fair and Beau Belles and innuendo a'plenty - all of which raised many a chuckle in the audience.
But, somehow the laugh out loud responses were not there. Was it the noise that infused the tent from the local Leicester Square crowd, or was it the extreme heat inside the theatre? We had so wanted to love it. This is a group with a noted track record whose past productions have been heralded and who hold a regular spot at London's Globe Theatre. Certainly the jokes were there, the premise was just right, the content had been well considered and the characterisation was spot on. And yet ... Audience reaction is so important in a production such as this and I am sure the cast will have been a little disappointed. I suspect that the sound may need to be adapted and the thermostat lowered so that future audiences can really enjoy themselves and laugh out loud.
So bah humbug to those who were sidetracked and distracted and in true festive tradition (and in keeping with Tiny Tim): A merry Christmas to us all: God bless us everyone, and here's hoping that future performances of this delicious festive broadcast will be appreciated more.
Photography: Geraint Lewis
Friday 8 December – Saturday 30 December 2017 (full schedule below)
The Paradiso Spiegeltent, Christmas at Leicester Square, London WC2H 7DE
Running time 75 minutes without interval – Age guidance 12+
Tickets: 8, 9, 10 December -
13, 15, 20, 21, 27, 28, 29, 30 Dec - £25
16, 17, 22, 23, 24 December - £27.50
All performances at 3.30pm except 24 December 2.00pm
Concessions £1.50 off all prices / Family deal: £10 off 4 tickets
Box Office 0333 344 4167 / Book online at www.christmasinleicestersquare.com
DAISY PULLS IF OFF by Denise DeeganBy Elaine Pinkus
Daisy Pulls It Off by Denise Deegan at the Park Theatre, Finsbury Park, London.
Ah hah! Bully off, jolly hockey sticks, it's back to those halcyon days of Angela Brazil and the bygone era of girls' boarding schools with midnight feasts, pillow (or in this case hot water bottle) fights and, of course, jolly hockey sticks. Inspired by her childhood reading, and wishing to create a platform for women actors, Denise Deegan wrote the successful, award winning Daisy Pulls If Off in 1980. Since then it has played in many theatres with varying cast sizes. In this revival, it is being performed in its original cast size and, as such, relies heavily on the artistry of the actors and the skill of director Paulette Randall MBE.
On entering the intimate space of London's Park Theatre, the audience is greeted with the Grangewood school motto 'Honesta Quam Magna' (how great are noble things). Yes, in this privileged world it is honour, loyalty, honesty and of course social class that dominates. Will Daisy Meredith, a mere elementary school girl who has won a scholarship to these hallowed halls, manage to bridge the gulf? Will she be accepted by those who consider her their inferior?
Pauline McLynn as Trixie and Anna Shaffer as Daisy
And so it is that the play within a play begins. It is the 25th anniversary of Grangewood School and the girls are to create and perform a play for the parents, aunts, uncles and all who have come to celebrate. This is to be the story of Daisy Meredith and her chum Trixie Martin who set about solving the mystery of the Beaumont treasure, creating for this purpose their Dark Horse secret society. It is a world of latin expressions, 'oh jubilate', of social expectations and of course, sporting prowess. And in this world, there is no sneaking or telling of tales.
Productions have generally been played in a straight way, after all the script is so exaggerated that the humour is obvious within the writing. However, Randall has admitted to changing the rules this time and to allow licence to the talented group of actors who embrace their diverse roles with relish. From the prim headmistress (Lucy Eaton), to the bullying Sybil and Monica (Shobana Gulati and Clare Perkins) to the adorable Trixie Martin (Pauline McLynn), we settle into that world and experience the injustices netted out to poor Daisy. 'Play up and play the game' is central to her story. It may be enacted through hockey (Lucy Eaton as Alice), or led by the faultless headgirl Clare, (Melanie Fullbrook), adored by all but at its centre is integrity and fair play.
There are some wonderful spirited moments and delicious effects of gales and hockey games. As the play returns to its second act the cast settle confidently into their roles and perform with a sense of fun and enjoyment, winning the audience over with their antics. We celebrate the win at hockey through the excitement of Belinda (Freddie Hutchins) in his/her lap of honour and cheer when Daisy saves the day.
The cast of Daisy Pulls It Off: Anna Shaffer, Freddie Hutchins, Lucy Eaton, Melanie Fullbrook
There are some wonderful comic moments with characters bringing to life those glorious boarding school stories. Pauline McLynn as Trixie was an absolute delight, playing her role with uninhibited joy and vigour. Anna Shaffer as Daisy was playing her stage debut and will have gained much from the support of her accomplished fellow actors.
Although I was reticent about the poetic licence and freedom of this interpretation there is no doubt it can be enjoyed by all and is an evening of fun and festve spirit.
Photographs: Tomas Turpie
Venue: PARK200, Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, N4 3JP
Tel: 020 7870 6876
Dates: Tuesday 5 December 2017 - Saturday 13 January 2018
Age guidance: 8+
Tube: Finsbury Park (Station Place Exit)
Running time: 2 hours 25 minutes including a 20 minute interval


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The unprecedented dominance of female artists continues on the music charts, with groups and male soloists being shut out on the two top pop lists for the ninth straight week.
On the singles side, New Yorker Taylor Dayne kept the streak going with ''Love Will Lead You Back,'' which moved up from No. 2 to end the two-week reign of Alannah Myles' ''Black Velvet'' (now No. 5).


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We offer different English taught programmes with different durations. Our professors are internationally active and we work with different partner universities in, for example, France, Italy and Canada.
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text: SACRAMENTO, Calif. --Two major oil companies backing Proposition 23 next week have poured new money into the campaign. Valero contributed an extra $1 million and Tesoro put in $500,000 to suspend California's global warming law while the economy improves. Despite the late contributions, opponents of Prop 23 have raised almost three times as much money and the latest polls show it is likely to go down to defeat.


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Here you will find information on how to submit an order.
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We follow the manufacturing process at Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, by which solid blocks of wood are transformed in to shapely electric guitars.
The manufacturing plant in Corona, California is Fender Musical Instrument Corporation's flagship production facility. The most expensive and highest quality 'Made In the USA' Fender instruments are still produced in California, as they have been since the company was founded by Leo Fender in 1946. Corona is also where Fender's high-end Custom Shop is based, which is responsible for the special edition guitars the company produces in honour of legendary players and musicians.
1. Finished guitars progress through various testing and checking phases, including a final performance check by an in-house guitar player. Once approved, the instruments are signed off and the familiar 'swing tag' attached to the headstock. These guitars are now ready for shipping.
2. The wood for each guitar part is carefully selected, seasoned and dried. A worker then draws around an existing template, for example a Stratocaster. This piece of wood is then ready for routing into the basic shape appropriate for the guitar to be manufactured.
3. Ash, alder, basswood, poplar, mahogany, koa and maple are all commonly used for the body section of Fender guitars, with each wood having a different weight and a subtly different tone. Solid wood typically offers the best tonal response over plywood, regardless of type or density.
4. Fender's guitar pickups are often wound by hand. Tone will be affected by the number of winds, the stagger of the pole pieces inside the pickup, the type of magnet inside (various types of Alnico are commonly used), whether the magnet is wax potted to reduce microphonic feedback and whether the pickup is open‑face or covered.
5. Necks are fully assembled separately from the body section. This includes cutting, shaping, sanding and finishing, as well as installing the fret wire, adding and precisely cutting the nut section, adding the clay or mother-of-pearl marker dots on the neck and applying the Fender decal transfers to the headstock.
6. After painting and varnishing - using a polyester finish for entry-level guitars and vintage-correct nitrocellulose lacquer for high-end instruments, including Custom Shop models - the finished guitars are air dried, suspended high over the factory floor.
7. The test bench is an opportunity to check the electronics of the instrument, as well as its tuning and intonation. This may also be when individual components are added, according to the instrument type, such as specific types of volume knobs, toggle switches and other hardware features.