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Same but indifferent: Laughing Boy @JStheatre

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Stephen Unwin's Laughing Boy, adapted for the stage from Sara Ryan's Justice for Laughing Boy, is a powerful and moving story about a mother and a family that keeps asking questions despite the victimisation and harassment from the institution - the NHS - that was supposed to protect her son. It's a moving, celebratory account of a life cut short due to indifference held together by a remarkable performance by Janie Dee as Sara. It's currently playing at the Jermyn Street Theatre .  Sara's son, Connor, is a little different to others. He is fascinated by buses and doesn't like things like loud noises. But as he becomes an adult, his seizures and unexpected outbursts mean the family turn to their local NHS for support. Little did they realise they would receive such little care from a service that was institutionally incompetent and covered up thousands of unexplained deaths of people with disabilities, including Connor's. The search for answers about why he

Overheard on my footpath Saturday evening...

Girl #1 : Aye think aye need a belt for thees dreess... Girl #2 : Aww aye think aye need a belt for meyne too...

Scenes from Carnaby Street Saturday 14:57

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DSC03997 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Christmas shopping in full swing... And rather annoying when you are trying to get into Soho quickly...

Scenes from North London Wednesday 22:57

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Scenes from North London Wednesday 22:57 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Quiet night in N4... Only the noise of the traffic and the whir of the CCTV camera could be heard...

News: Bond premiere

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Daniel Craig as Bond! , originally uploaded by yahoo_movies_uk . The new James Bond movie Casino Royale had its premiere tonight in Leicester Square . The early reviews are saying this "reboot" of the series is a good one... But really all the talk is about this particular scene of Daniel Craig emerging from the water... Hmm bit of an upper body workout happenin' there... (And ok it was a cheap excuse for a bit of flesh on the blog site...)

Cults and wardrobe malfunctions 101

My Monday's have been a lot busier since I joined the London Gay Men's Chorus . Actually I should correct that. My Monday's, Wednesday's, occasional Thursday's and Weekends have been a lot busier. We are preparing for a Christmas concert, but joining a choir is like joining a cult as it takes up all your life... But it has been fun singing in a community choir. With the exception of tonight. Tonight after some tricky choreography there was a wardrobe malfunction: my trousers split. Not the best of looks in this particular choir. The trousers look like jeans and have been a little controversial in the office as denim is forbidden. Every time I wear them to work I usually end up having to argue that they are not jeans but a "leisure pant". Well anyway, not anymore... They are also a little on the "form fitting" side which probably didn't help things tonight. There was a fortunate end to the story (and no it wasn't that I was wearing the Au

Scenes from Regent Street Sunday 19:29

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DSC03968 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . The Christmas (not to be confused for winter) lights for the year...

Scenes from the South Circular Saturday 13:36

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DSC03953 Originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Best if you leaf it...

Movie: The History Boys

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The History Boys Originally uploaded by Jo Salmon . I finally caught the film version of The History Boys . When I saw it staged at the National in April 2005 (with the original cast now in the film version) I thought it was one of the best plays I had ever seen. The best thing about this film is the amazing performances by Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour and the boys including Samuel Barnett and Dominic Cooper are on film. Set in 1983, it tells the story of eight boys in Sheffield who are preparing to take the entrance exam that could see them get into Oxford or Cambridge. From this premise themes of the purpose of education, sexual and emotional freedom are explored. Above all a series of characters emerge so real and genuine. Their virtues and their fears and limitations are all on display. For instance, Richard Griffith's character Hector inspires the boys with "general studies". But he also likes to grope the boys if he gets the chance when giving them rides h

Theatre: Bent

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Today I was mentioning to colleagues how I was going to the theatre tonight to see Bent and they were a little surprised with my excitement in seeing a revival of a play set in Dachau about two gay men. Well Martin Sherman's play is still well regarded, and the reviews from this new revival with Alan Cumming at the Trafalgar Studios have been good. I was also seeing it with A who insisted that we sit up close to appreciate the show, and its full-frontal nudity, without having to rely on opera glasses. It was not a light night out at the theatre however... Not that it wasn't watchable, but the full-frontal nudity gave soon gave way to blood-spattered walls and trashed apartments. The play opens in Berlin on the "Night of the Long Knives" when Hitler executed Ernst Röhm and his gay stormtroopers. Suddenly it wasn't good to be gay in Nazi Germany. The play then follows, step by squeamish step, the fate of the three main characters. The first half was a bit distract

Scenes from the Southbank Saturday 18:47

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Scenes from the Southbank Saturday 18:47 Originally uploaded by Pauly_ .