Where are you going tonight?

[clapton is god]

Palace Theatre, Manchester, to see The Rocky Horror Show

I love Rocky Horror! Its a theatre must-see event when it comes around and right at the top of the list for audience participation. Its de rigueur to dress as one of the characters but not at all frowned upon if you don't. On my previous visit around 50% of the audience dressed to impress for the show. On this occasion I'm attending with three women. Jane is going as Janet, Janet is going as Janet and Nicky is going as Janet. Deansgate and Oxford Street will be a riot of stockings and suspenders before and after the show! Rest assured though that Clapton is going as Clapton!

Should be a fantastic night!

[Lofthouse Lower]

Even with Ainsley Harriot?!?!?

[clapton is god]

Even with Ainsley Harriot?!?!?

Absolutely! The narrator is a very important part. He is up there to be boo'd, ridiculed and generally lambasted. I'm sure he will be fantastic at it.

[Lofthouse Lower]

Even with Ainsley Harriot?!?!?

Absolutely! The narrator is a very important part. He is up there to be boo'd, ridiculed and generally lambasted. I'm sure he will be fantastic at it.

I've heard he is very good at it, and more importantly has the pins for it too.

[clapton is god]

Even with Ainsley Harriot?!?!?

Absolutely! The narrator is a very important part. He is up there to be boo'd, ridiculed and generally lambasted. I'm sure he will be fantastic at it.

We didn't get Harriot - we got BIGGINS!

Tremendous night out as I knew it would be. The audience is totally mental and I've never seen so much bare flesh in my life - and that was just the men! I went to the gents at the interval and the guy stood next to me was towering over me which is unusual as I'm six foot four. He was wearing a basque, silk knickers, suspenders and six inch platform boots! The campest,wildest night out in theatredom and I can't wait for it to come round again!

[Lofthouse Lower]

Even with Ainsley Harriot?!?!?

Absolutely! The narrator is a very important part. He is up there to be boo'd, ridiculed and generally lambasted. I'm sure he will be fantastic at it.

We didn't get Harriot - we got BIGGINS!

Tremendous night out as I knew it would be. The audience is totally mental and I've never seen so much bare flesh in my life - and that was just the men! I went to the gents at the interval and the guy stood next to me was towering over me which is unusual as I'm six foot four. He was wearing a basque, silk knickers, suspenders and six inch platform boots! The campest,wildest night out in theatredom and I can't wait for it to come round again!

Ah so that was you? I was going to say hello but was too shy.

[William the White]

Was at the Lowry tonight for a new play, Slave - based on the Mende Nazar true story, a young girl from the Nuba tribe in Southern Sudan, captured in a raid supported by government forces aged 11, raped and sold into slavery to a wealthy Sudanese Arab family, and then sold onto the Sudanese charge d'affaires at the London Embassy. She then escaped and was, after a struggle, given asylum in the UK.

I so wanted to like this play, with such a powerful story to tell, but, in truth, it's dreadful. It's from Mende's auto-biography and, i suspect, follows it faithfully. So there's no real drama, just events. An important tale in a world where slavery is returning, in various forms, but the writers totally failed to make it into a play.

[Lofthouse Lower]

Sounds great.

Went to see 'It's Only A Movie' with Mark Kermode. Was really interesting to hear his tales and funny events from his career as a film critic, the Q & A session afterwards was equally fascinating. Plus he seemed to be a really nice chap and even signed a flyer I'd brought along. Enjoyable stuff. The Dancehouse Theatre is probably my favourite venue in these parts, in fact so much that I'm off to see John Shuttleworth there on Friday

[David Lee's Hair]

Was at the Lowry tonight for a new play, Slave - based on the Mende Nazar true story, a young girl from the Nuba tribe in Southern Sudan, captured in a raid supported by government forces aged 11, raped and sold into slavery to a wealthy Sudanese Arab family, and then sold onto the Sudanese charge d'affaires at the London Embassy. She then escaped and was, after a struggle, given asylum in the UK.

I so wanted to like this play, with such a powerful story to tell, but, in truth, it's dreadful. It's from Mende's auto-biography and, i suspect, follows it faithfully. So there's no real drama, just events. An important tale in a world where slavery is returning, in various forms, but the writers totally failed to make it into a play.

There was a dramatisation on C4 I am Slave based on the book not too long ago when they were doing a run on human slavery. Even that wasn't the best. I think it is definitely something to read rather than watch.

[Bruce Rioja]

An important tale in a world where slavery is returning, in various forms, but the writers totally failed to make it into a play.

Interesting, William. See, if there isn't a stage play in her story then 'I'll be bloody buggered like, you know?!' if there's one in the story of Fred Dibnah. I honestly thing that The Demolition Man will be Thacker's most testing project in his time at The Octagon.

[William the White]

An important tale in a world where slavery is returning, in various forms, but the writers totally failed to make it into a play.

Interesting, William. See, if there isn't a stage play in her story then 'I'll be bloody buggered like, you know?!' if there's one in the story of Fred Dibnah. I honestly thing that The Demolition Man will be Thacker's most testing project in his time at The Octagon.

Absolutely agree. It's all down to the writing though - and Thacker must have confidence in it or he wouldn't have scheduled the play.

This might interest you - and others - the writer's own blog.

http://aelishmichael.blogspot.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Lofthouse Lower]

Bloody love The Demolition Man, Wesley Snipes has never been better IMO

[P.O.S.]

Bloody love The Demolition Man, Wesley Snipes has never been better IMO

I'd have a joy joy time with Sandra Bullock the way she looks in this classic film too!

[Lofthouse Lower]

The dogs...kids....love...to.....BUYYYYYY

[General Mannerheim]

she is funny in it too, "Looks like there's a new shepherd in town."

[Lofthouse Lower]

Still not sure about the three seashells.

Be well, John Spartan

[P.O.S.]

Still not sure about the three seashells.

Be well, John Spartan

East Lower you are fined one credit for violation of the verbal morality code

[Il Pirate]

but the writers totally failed to make it into a play.

Personally, I feel this has been a problem with theatre for the last ten years or so. It also reflects what I quoted about Jimmy McGovern (another post) when he claimed theatre writers have a licence to bore. ( I haven't read the writers blog yet). But too many writers are good at story, particularly if they are adapting real life events; but are not skilled enough in drama. Not having worked in drama for getting on for 15 years now, I don't know if it's a problem with drama/performance art education in general, or that there are so many opportunities and venues for writers these days to have their work produced, that many them write their story and think thats it. They give little thought to structure and / or action. It used to be, and correct me if I'm wrong, that every scene should be a type of crossroads, to build the dramatic entity of a play. I feel too many plays these days are presented as a straight narrative and the writer(s) are just happy to have their story told. Experiment and innovate, yes; but give us drama, not what I consider to be in many cases, just a read through of a script on stage. As my old uni lecturer used to say; make it live on the stage, not the page! Of course this should be done through the collaborative process, so is it also an indictment of directors as well? Maybe I'm not going to the theatre enough these days and am missing some great productions, or I'm just getting old, but a quick read of some of the scripts on Bushgreen.org (Bush theatre website), has me crying out, " It's a story yes, but that is not drama ".

[Bruce Rioja]

I have to say that I thought that that comment was a bit rich coming from Jimmy McGovern, fella. A man that seems to tell exactly the same story in as many ways as he can.

[Il Pirate]

I have to say that I thought that that comment was a bit rich coming from Jimmy McGovern, fella. A man that seems to tell exactly the same story in as many ways as he can.

He'll never escape his catholic angst and guilt.