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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

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