HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

It's 4am in London and I am about to crash...Happy New Year to one and all!!!!

MARY POPPINS was delightful.

Tomorrow is a day trip to Oxford.

Details to follow.

Rule, Britannia!

FLT3

Day Three In London

Last night was SPAMALOT at The Palace Theatre (former home to LES MIZ which has now moved across town.) Amazing...phenomenal...I can not say enough good things about SPAMALOT. Even those who are not Monty Python fans should love it. A complete hit!

Yesterday's tour was fun and informative...a high point was driving down Fleet Street and seeing the locale of Sweeney Todd's atrocities. Ghoulishly clever of them to have a pie shop on site...

Today will most likely include a visit to Harrod's, and possibly a walking tour. I am definitely planning a day trip to Oxford, which may be on the agenda for tomorrow. So much to do, so little time...

It's good to recharge the batteries with a few days here in The Motherland. If I don't breathe English air every couple of years or so, I begin to get depressed. Every day here makes me feel more rejuvenated, despite the fatigue from walking everywhere (well, okay, there is the tube and the taxis, but you get the drift...)

More later...cheers!

FLT3

First Dispatch From The Motherland

Saturday Morning, 8am: Just finished breakfast and am about to start the day. Arrived safe and sound yesterday and managed to stay awake through the day by basically never slowing down...took a long walk and, admittedly, got blissfully lost in London. A couple of hours of complete displacement was delightful.

Staying at the St. Giles' Hotel, which is quite nice. It's within walking distance of King's Cross Station and the West End, which is very convenient. Last night was fun...had dinner with some friends at a cafe in Covent Garden, and then saw LORD OF THE RINGS at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Amazing stagecraft, phenomenal sets, a technical treat...with one of the most pedestrian scores I have ever heard. The Tolkein fans should keep it alive for a while, but I don't know that it will ever join MY FAIR LADY and HELLO, DOLLY as one of the classic musicals of all time...

Today is our half-day tour of the city, including The Tower of London, which I have not visited in years, so it should be fun. Tonight will probably be either MARY POPPINS or HAIRSPRAY.

Will post more later...Rule, Britannia!

FLT3

Boxing Day and Off To The Motherland...

Happy Boxing Day!!!

Yes, Christmas has come and gone, and tomorrow we leave for The Motherland...14 CenterStagers and I are departing for London tomorrow afternoon. We will be there for a week, and I am ready to get there! This time tomorrow, I will be approaching The Sceptered Isle... Friday night brings Lord Of The Rings at Her Majesty's Theatre, and the week beckons beyond that...

The holidays were, as always, wonderful. My mother truly outdid herself on Christmas dinner, which was simple but outrageously good...standing rib roast (medium rare, of course) with a mountain of mashed potatoes, green peas, and salad. Add some melt-in-your-mouth garlic rolls, a pretty decent merlot, and some lemon cake and ice cream...and that was Christmas dinner at chez mum and dad. I honestly don't remember when I've had a better meal. :-)

Saw Sweeney Todd last night with some friends. I loved it, but I am not a Sweeney purist. I understand that to those who are persnickety about such things, the singing by Depp and Bonham-Carter was not up to the stage version, but I really enjoyed the film.

Not sure what internet access will be like for the next week, but will try to post from time to time.

Today's News From The Motherland...will be reported in person ASAP. :-)

FLT3

Flatus Interruptus...?

Not much time to post today...between performances of A Christmas Carol at BCT...

Today from The Motherland, a gassy pensioner is ejected from his pub.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7126973.stm

FLT3