Heineken Cup Semi-Final

So this weekend I cheered on the Saracens as they took on the formidable Toulon in
the Heineken Cup semi-final at Twickenham.

Having been a supporter for many years of the wonderful Saracens, totally not
biased, this was set to be a tough game as Toulon had shown great
form recently and they were determined to make it to the final. 

Let's not forget who their fly half is.... Jonny "drop kick
gorgeous" Wilkinson. No matter the shirt colour Jonny is one of
the best fly half's in the world, as quoted by my housemate, but how would he
fare against Owen Farrell? 



After the cringe worthy Sarries anthem the game started and the
stadium screamed, shouted, gasped and sighed their way through the first half.
The speed of Toulon was mesmerising whilst Jonny's kicks
were faultless. Sarries maintained a strong defence to prevent Toulon scoring
tries and kept a level head despite some bad referee decisions - still not
biased.



At the half time whistle Sarries were on 9 points, but Toulon were
leading with 12. One could only hope that the pep talk by the coach would lead
us to victory.



The second half was packed with near tries for Sarries, but as hard as
they tried no one could stop Jonny Wilkinson's left foot.



The final score 12 to Sarries and 24 to Toulon. Sarries won't
be going to Dublin for the final to play Clermont, but at least we tried
our best and I can rest my vocal chords. 



Man of the match? Why it could only be Jonny Wilkinson.

Battle of the Sexes

So this weekend I travelled to the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith to see a new and highly praised production of Augustus Strindberg's play Miss Julie aptly renamed Mies Julie.

Having studied the play at school, what feels like a lifetime ago, I was was keen to see how the South African based Baxter Theatre Centre, would translate the sexually explosive play to make it relevant to a modern audience. 

The play was written in 1888 and its clear, for all those who have studied the play, that Strindberg wasn't overly fond of women and that the battle between sex and class is central to the plot. Women aren't perceived in the same way as they were back in the late 19th Century. Women can work and have a family or even become the CEO of some of the top businesses in the world. Unless you are playing it as a piece of late Victorian drama then you can't update it.... well so I thought. 

Director, Yael Farber, has transported the play away from the Victorian era to post apartheid South Africa. As the audience, we observed the personal struggles, ambitions and fears of the characters in the play who were left in the aftermath of the apartheid. From the first line you were swept up in the emotive dialogue, aware of the bareness of the stage and haunted by the constant droning of the backing track all of which evoked the hopelessness of the original play.

Hilda Cronje's Mies Julie, teased her way across the stage radiating feminine sexuality in the first half before melting into moments of hysteria and vulnerability as Julie gradually looses control. Bongile Mantsai captured the ambitious nature of John, seeking any means to take what is rightfully his. Although aggressive at times towards Julie, Bongile brought to life the good side of John through his devotion to his mother who he is desperate to please.
It's a powerful re-telling of the play which shouldn't be missed! Visit www.riversidestudios.co.uk to book your tickets.

Ice Cool Estonia

So a few weekends ago I took a trip to the picturesque capital of Estonia - Tallinn. 

With temperatures around -6 it was stunning, but absolutely freezing with snow as far as the eye could see. Thanks to a last minute purchase of wellies (slight obsession with these beauties) I didn't slip up once on the treacherous ice - no I'm really not exaggerating.

During my stay I tempted my taste buds with elk and rooster; ventured down into secret tunnels in the city, admired the beautiful palace built by Peter the First of Russia for his wife and sat in the chair of the KGB director who was hiding in the Viru hotel.

It's an amazing place. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Turn of the Scream

So this weekend I waltzed down to the Almeida Theatre to see the highly acclaimed and first dramatic production of the Turn of the Screw.

The theatre production of Henry James' famous gothic novel is a first for horror specialists Hammer, who are best known for their iconic horror films from the 60's and most recently their spine chilling adaption of The Woman in Black. You just know that anything that involves Hammer will be spectacular and leave you in sheer terror.

The biggest problem with any form of adaption from play to stage or novel to film is that your vision isn't necessarily everyone else's. I am a big fan of the novel, although it took me years to eventually read it, especially the persevering Governess and the visitations by the ghosts. I was sceptical as to how the tale would translate from the page to the stage, but I needn't have worried. Rebecca Lenkiewicz's script and Lindsay Posner's direction transported the sinister and spooky goings on at Bly to the stage for an utterly terrifying 2hrs and 10mins for the audience.

Without giving away too much, the story centres on a Governess who is sent to a remote estate in Bly to look after Miles and Flora, two orphaned children who are under the legal guardianship of their absent Uncle. Despite starting out well and developing a loving friendship, things soon turn sinister as mysterious figures appear in the grounds and in the house all of which links back to the previous Governess - Miss Jessel.

A stellar cast assisted with bringing the supernatural story to life in a way that made me jump out of my seat and my sister scream in the auditorium. Gemma Jones was completely unrecogniseable as housekeeper Mrs Grose, whilst Anna Madeley (most may recognise her as Miss Ravillious from Mr Selfridge) dominated the play as the Governess seeking to protect her young charges Miles and Flora from evil forces.

It's not just the acting that makes the play, but a special mention must be made to the creative genius of Peter McKintosh and his ever changing set. I've seen so many plays recently where one set suits all, so to see constant changes in the setting to illustrate the eerie tale was a breath of fresh air.

Would I take up a position as a Governess in a remote house in the countryside? Probably not, as undoubtedly there would be a curse or ghosts a plenty roaming the halls. What it has made me realise is that once in a while it's good to move your gaze away from the West End and instead seek out the great plays taking place outside of Theatreland. There's more to London than just zone one.

You only have till Saturday 16th March to see this amazing play, so I advise you book now before you miss out. Visit www.almeida.co.uk for more information.

A Little Night Music

So last weekend I ventured to Pimlico for an evening of beautiful classical music at St John Smith's Square.

I rarely set foot in Pimlico, except for trips to Tate Britain, but this performance was not to be missed. Not only was my talented friend Leah performing, but we were being treated to an evening of entertainment with international star Thomas Gould.

Now the name Thomas Gould might not jump out at you, unless you are a classical music addict, but you might remember a certain You Tube video and a world renowned violinist busking on the underground? Well that genius busker was super talented violinist Thomas.

Before I get too carried away with my praise and awe of Thomas we must not forget the talented Royal Orchestral Society who opened and accompanied Thomas during the concert. They opened with a powerful performance of Wagner's Flying Dutchman Overture before Thomas walked on to the stage to lead Britten's Violin Concerto and Stravinsky's Firebird Suite.

It was unfortunate that the hallowed venue wasn't packed to the rafters. Most of London missed out on a treat, but then again I can count myself lucky to have been part of an amazing evening of music. Maybe it's time to dust down my flute and start practicing again. 

Bella Valentino

So this weekend I worshipped at the temple of a designer God with a visit to the Valentino exhibition at Somerset House. The three month long exhibition, celebrates the talent and glamour of Valentino, who has been one of the leading forces in fashion for the last half century.

Now everyone knows Valentino, well maybe not personally, but you'll have heard of his name at least. His stunning gowns have graced the stars of the golden age of Hollywood right through to modern day Oscar winners.  

After quite a long queue in the snow, plus a struggle to find my e-ticket hidden among my emails, I was finally permitted to enter the hallowed exhibition and what a feast for the eyes it was. 

From the moment you step inside you are swept up in a journey exploring the very beginnings of Valentino through to his break in to the fashion world. 

From letters of congratulations from Anna Wintour to glorious photos of Jackie Onassis in head to toe Valentino, you can't help but be amazed at the impact that one single man has had on the lives of women across the world. 

Aside from the letters of love for Valentino, my favourite part was the opportunity to parade down a catwalk whilst designer dresses spectate. I had to hold myself back from jumping over the barrier and attempting to squeeze myself in to Julie Roberts dress from her successful trip to the Oscars in 2008.

If you love fashion, dream of elegantly sweeping down red carpets wrapped in designer dresses or simply like me enjoy staring at pretty things then hot tail it to this exhibition before it closes. You've only got a few days left to enjoy it!

Ping Pong Madness

So this weekend I decided to drop in to Pongathon at the Village Underground in Shoreditch to check out why everyone is obsessed with ping pong.

Now originally I thought we would be watching ping pong masters in action, but alas as usual I was wrong. We were in fact the competitors.

You could enter one or as many different competitions as you wanted. You could make a bid for glory on your own, battle with a buddy, fight against the machine, play sofa ping pong or indulge in mini ping pong.

Not confident in our abilities, my sister and I chose mini ping pong. This was quite possibly the worst decision we've ever made together. One of us has no spacial awareness, whilst the other has an aversion to games with balls.

After some dutch courage, a free cranberry and vodka, my sister and I took up our mini paddles to face our competition. Could we be in with a chance of winning?

Well to cut a long story short we lost every game. I had a John McEnroe style meltdown and we most definitely won't be on the plane to Rio.