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The agony and the misogyny: Banging Denmark @finborough

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Banging Denmark, the comic play by Van Badham, answers the question, what lengths does a misogynistic pickup artist go to date with a frosty Danish librarian? It may be an uneasy farce given the subject matter, but it is made more palatable by the cast assembled to convince you of it. It's currently having its European premiere at the Finborough Theatre .  It opens with Guy DeWitt (Tom Kay) at one end of the stage. His real name is Jake, and he's a part-time podcaster whose expertise is misogyny and playing the role of the pickup artist. That is, someone who attempts to coax women into having sex with a mix of flattery or manipulation. His podcast attracts a variety of involuntarily celibate men (or incels), so call in asking for advice. And while he gives the impression of living the high life, he is in a grimy flat strewn with empty pizza boxes.  At the other end of the stage is feminist academic Ishtar (Rebecca Blackstone). She lives out of the photocopy room, losing all her
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Bar tips 101

Chinese New Year was as good an excuse as any to have a few celebratory drinks this weekend, but: Try not to make too much of a scene when encouraging intoxicated friends to sing key songs from Dreamgirls (although helpful to keep unwanted punters at bay) Don't confuse old blonde woman in bar for Jessica Lange post Glass Menagerie matinée Beware that slightly-familiar yet good looking guy in the bar who is checking you out... He may be the star of a children's programme you avidly watched 15 years ago...
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Scenes from Leicester Square Tube Sunday 00:24

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DSC04470 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Missing the last tube from central London after one too many drinks...
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Scenes from WC1 Friday 13:55

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DSC04465 , originally uploaded by Pauly_ . Quiet lunchtime at the recently refurbished Brunswick Centre ... Cinema, chain shops and a Waitrose which goes down very well for the Bloomsbury types...
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Idle office chatter...

Paul (eating) : These Sainsburys donuts taste like poop... Colleague 1 : That's the second time you have said that word today, is that a favourite word? Paul : Maybe... Colleague 2 : I bet you also like using the word... Plop...
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The day that was...

Today was Valentines Day and the only valentine I got was from an email from a creepy consultant that facilitated the office away day a few months ago. He sent it to everyone that went on the course. But that wasn't widely known until I let out a yelp upon checking my email and much discussion ensued. I was just relieved to know that the message from creepy consultant wasn't all about about me... But the fashion for this years VD if you were single was to go out to dinner with friends . It makes sense. If you are going to blow £50 or more on a dinner you might as well spend it with somebody you don't mind hangin' around... I had to work late so I was having none of that. But I did catch up with An later in the evening for some cheap champagne in a straight bar in Balham. Strange, but I had seen this bar before. It was back in those heady days of 2003 . The fish were still there... So were loads of women. I don't think they were all lesbians. I have it on authority
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Theatre: Happy Days

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The first thing you notice when walking into the Lyttelton of this production of Happy Days at the National Theatre is that where there should be a stage there is a huge mound of dirt and a surrounding desertscape. The set is lit by such bright lights that the little old ladies in the row in front were covering their eyes for the first half hour of the production. It was a pity that the ushers didn't offer sunglasses out of a large black handbags. It could have easily been in keeping with the mood of the show... I get the impression Happy Days by Samuel Beckett is the play that is trotted out every now and then to get a great actress to strut her stuff on stage. This time it is Fiona Shaw's turn and she was great to watch as Winnie, the middle-class housewife who has minor worries in life, but is always concerned about whether it will be a happy day. All the time in the first act, she is up to her waist in a mound of dirt. In the second act she is up to her neck in dirt. I h
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Overheard in line at the National Theatre Cloakroom

Lady #1 : Oh I'm still a bit jet lagged... Lady #2 : Jet lagged? Lady #1 : Yeah I was in Miami for two days for work and just got back this morning... Lady #2 : Oh... Lady #1 : You know how it is... You're expected to be the party girl out until 1am; then you have to show up the next day at a meeting and say something intelligent...
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The week that was...

Looking back over the week it was striking the number of single people who in the cold, opted for sleeping with their cats. Maybe I just know a lot of cat people, but what is wrong with sleeping with a hot water bottle with a faux fur cover ? It was the week for the cat people I guess as one by one they all proudly announced how their cat kept them warm to anyone who wanted (or didn't want) to hear.
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