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Belters and bohemians: Opera Locos @Sadlers_wells

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At the start of the Opera Locos performance, the announcement says that they really are singing. You could be forgiven for wondering that, given the amplification turns up the backing track and the voices so loud that you can't always tell what's real. But this is a mostly harmless and slightly eccentric blend of opera classics fused with the occasional pop classic. However, recognising the pop tunes would help if you were over a certain age. The most recent of them dates back twenty years. It's currently playing at the Peacock Theatre .  Five performers play out a variety of archetype opera characters. There's the worn-out tenor (Jesús Álvarez), the macho baritone (Enrique Sánchez-Ramos), the eccentric counter-tenor (Michaël Kone), the dreamy soprano (María Rey-Joly) and the wild mezzo-soprano (Mayca Teba). Since my singing days, I haven't recognised these types of performers. However, once, I recall a conductor saying he wanted no mezzo-sopranos singing with the s

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...

Weather: Severe Gales

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Millennium Bridge closed today , originally uploaded by Ian Tindale . The "death winds" closed the Millennium Bridge as police feared people could be blown into the water ... It would probably not be a nice way to go... The Tate Modern lost a few panels from the top of its chimney... All the action of the City of London police telling people where to go was captured by a Flickr user... By the end of the day the death count across Europe was: Britain - 9 Germany - 7 The Netherlands - 4 Czech Republic - 3 France - 2

Overheard in the gym

Man (to another): Lorrell, where's my dress?

Film: Last King of Scotland

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Idi Amin gives a speech to his people. , originally uploaded by foxsearchlightphotos . Some people like rom-coms, some people like dramas, some people like political thrillers. I like 'em all, but I did have to lie to get F (who dragged me to that Holiday film) to attend this. Since he knew nothing about the film or Idi Amin I told him The Last King of Scotland was a comedy. A comedy it ain't but a great blend of fiction and fact with an incredible performance by Forrest Whitaker as Amin. Ok Whitaker has been around for years, but this is going to be a performance to be remembered... The fictional part of the story involves a young doctor ending up going to Uganda and ending up as Amin's personal physician. Against this is the real story of Amin's erratic rule and reign of terror. You don't see much violence in the film until towards the end. It is enough to want to make you throw up in a popcorn bucket, but a worthy experience all the same. The film looks grea

Scenes from the tube Tuesday 23:12

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Scenes from the tube Tuesday 23:12 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . General shenanigans...

Music: Dreamgirls

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I finally got hold of the double CD album of Dreamgirls with Beyonce, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Anika Noni Rose and Jennifer Hudson. They all sing on this album and for a Broadway score about a motown-like group channeled through a movie soundtrack idiom (with R&B producers) I think it was fantastic. Also with what is likely to be the best possible cast assembled for the job. The show is all about compromising to get that "smoother sound" and I enjoyed the irony of it all with the super-smooth sound of this album... Oh and when it arrived it was hard not to revert to complete stereotype (see previous post on Jake Gyllenhaal). But hey, this is still great music. The single album is at the top of the billboard charts this week. This album could potentially go the way of The Bodyguard . Ok it doesn't feature Kenny G, but who knows what will do it for the punters these days? The dance mixes for "One Night Only" and "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Goi

Conversation openers for January...

You look like you should be on Strictly Come Dancing. Nice shirt. Zara ? Nice profile. Online. Which gym are you at? When did you see Kylie at Wembley? Looking forward to Dreamgirls opening? Speaking of Dreamgirls. Jake Gyllenhaall appeared on Saturday Night Live and provided a tribute for his "brokeback" fans...

Unique selling proposition...

Vauxhall: Home of spooks and gay men. Discuss...