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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

Scenes from Trafalgar Square Friday

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Scenes from Trafalgar Square Friday , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . In keeping with a "grass in unusual places" photo montage... I present... Trafalgar Square (and on fat bastard with a camera trying to take a photo of a yoof having a rest)... Internet is connected at last so regular updates will resume shortly...

Scenes from the National Theatre Saturday

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Scenes from the National Theatre Saturday , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . Grassy and Wet (and it has been a long time but should be back on the internet after moving!)

Conversations over food in the office at lunchtime...

Colleague: Gee Paul, that looks good... Paul: Well... You are what you eat...

Scenes from SW4 Friday 21:52

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Scenes from SW4 Friday 21:52 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . The time has come to leave SW4. This weekend I move north... Well, at least to SW9. I say goodbye to Jesus and the other iconography that adorns my London flatshare... Actually with half his head missing, Jesus looks worse than a Chelsea fan flying back from a match in Liverpool ... Over and out from SW4...

(Little) Theatre: Copacobana

Thursday night (rather than packing) I went to Putney to see the PLOS (that's Putney Light Opera Society) production of Copacabana. Well, I nearly didn't get in as it was sold out. Fortunately thanks to the rather efficient house manager seats were found. Upon getting inside it was immediately clear why the show was a sellout. With 36 people on stage (plus band but they were hidden) even if everyone only sold two tickets the theatre was bound to fill up. As for the show Copacabana. Well the book is so bad that it takes on charm of its own. Based rather loosely on Barry Manilow's song (and co-written by him), the show is padded out with melodrama, bad gags and at least two reprises of the song Sweet Heaven so it was stuck in my head. The actors didn't take all this too seriously and neither did the audience. At one point we all hissed the villain. It seemed so right... The leads were great although at times it was Piccadilly Circus on stage there... Anyway, the Putney

Scenes from Waterloo Bridge Tuesday 23:42

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Scenes from Waterloo Bridge Tuesday 23:42 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . 31 sculptures of artist Anthony Gormley go up over the city... Somewhat confronting... Although perhaps not as daunting as trying to navigate Oxford St to see Kate Moss at Topshop ...

Overheard on Borough High Street

Man 1: It is hard running with this thing in my front... Man 2: Yeah and I'm cold... Man 1: Lets run on the spot... Man 2: Good idea...

Scenes from a church steps in Borough Saturday 19.52

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Scenes from a church steps in Borough Saturday 19.52 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . Cantaloupe

Scenes from Tate Saturday 15:40

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Scenes from Tate Saturday 15:40 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . Despite the warm sunny weather, hundreds of people still flocked to the Tate for the last weekend of the Hogarth exhibition . Warm sweaty (and sometimes a little smelly) bodies huddled close to take in the fine drawings, bringing suffering for art to a whole new dimension... Faces visiting the exhibition looked like some of the post-coital faces painted by Hogarth but it was probably just the hot weather and not something sordid going on in the members' lounge...

Scenes from Waterloo Station Sunday 16:07

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Scenes from Waterloo Station Sunday 16:07 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . I have no idea what they were doing here at Waterloo Station, but it did look rather impressive...