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High anxiety: Collapse - Riverside Studios

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It’s a brave or maybe slightly provocative production to use Hammersmith Bridge on their artwork for a show called Collapse, which is about how everything collapses—poorly maintained bridges, relationships, and jobs. Nothing works. That’s probably too close to home for Hammersmith residents stuck with a magnificently listed and useless bridge on their front door. It gets even weirder when you realise the piece is staged in what looks like a meeting room with a bar. However, keeping things together in the most unlikely of circumstances is at the heart of Allison Moore's witty and engaging four-hander, which is currently having a limited engagement at Riverside Studios . The piece opens with Hannah (Emma Haines) about to get an injection from her husband (Keenan Heinzelmann). They’re struggling for a baby, and he’s struggling to get out of bed. But he managed to give her a shot of hormones before she started worrying about the rest of the day. She’s unsure she will keep her job with ...

Film: Dreamgirls

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DREAMGIRLS , originally uploaded by 浮躁 . Finally caught a preview of Dreamgirls on Sunday (which opens in the UK this Friday officially). I managed to drag Ad, F and S to see it with me based on what was probably about six months of hype that I had been drip feeding (including various podcasts, news updates and songs). Seeing it was closure more than anything else for all of us I am sure. I thought it was two hours and ten minutes of great entertainment. Ad, F and S were not so keen on musicals it turns out. At one point they were exasperating at yet another song. While I wasn't surprised with their objections, these guys really should have their pink cards revoked. Dreamgirls the show has been a cult, a hit and lost musical in the 25 years since it first premiered. The songs from it and the original Broadway soundtrack have been a staple in drag performances, dance clubs, and it even garnered mentions in episodes of Will and Grace. It's a story about black women made by g...

Scenes from the Bakerloo line Saturday 23:24

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Scenes from the Bakerloo line Saturday 23:24 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . A gay reader with a very big book... Must be one of those sci-fi novels...

Overheard in a Clapham Cafe Saturday...

Lady 1 : Oh I went to the dentist this week... Lady 2 : Is that the gay one Lady 1 : Oh yes, but he has lovely eyes, and nice hair... Lady 2 : I went to him once... Thought he was a bit stiff... Lady 1 : Oh but I could stare into his eyes all day...

Film: Babel

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Babel , originally uploaded by stef_install . Thursday evening I caught Babel . All three hours of it. Sitting there for that long you run through various thoughts such as, "can this drag on for any longer?" or "why is nobody wearing makeup?" "how much blood can Cate loose?". It aims to be a sprawling global story connecting everyone through a single moment but it really boils down to depressing and pretentious story. I can see why Americans may take to it as it is full of angst about Americas place in the world, but it is seriously undermined by really poor characterisations and a never ending stream of unbelievable events. Not all the actors have much to do in this flick either. Before Cate gets shot she just looks sullen and Brad Pitt looks very old and dusty throughout most of the film. If there was a makeup artist present, you wouldn't know it. It all seemed a bit depressing, but I left the movie feeling that the central message of the film wa...

Scenes from Clapham Wednesday 8:59

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DSC04374 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . A light cover of snow. It was the first significant snowfalls since 2003. By 9am it had started to melt and by the lunchtime it was gone... Pity... SW4 had never looked so pure...

Crap television of the week...

The things people do for publicity... Such as the London Gay Men's Chorus . Well I guess any publicity is good publicity...

Scenes from Leicester Square Sunday 17:33

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Scenes from Leicester Square Sunday 17:33 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . TV celebrity with very pink turtleneck interviewing punters who were big fans of Beyoncé at Dreamgirls premiere in Leicester Square. Beyoncé showed up later so it was a bit of filler... I hadn't seen such a small crowd at a premiere since Superman Returns. There were more temporary barriers than people...

Scenes from Charing Cross Station Thursday 20:22

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DSC04340 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . No trains due to the weather. People transfixed at blank screens. All the good reason not to live in Orpington I guess...