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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 the BAFTAs Covent Garden Sunday

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100220083933 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . All the glitz, glamour and excitement of the BAFTAs at Covent Garden. A naff awards ceremony that for some unexplained reason gets a lot of attention (probably since the Oscar telecast is on Sky). Still, there were the fashions to behold like this £5 little number from Primark ...

Concert: Chita Rivera

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Saturday night (with thanks to the Whingers again for their very sensible tactic of group booking shows) I saw Chita Rivera at the Shaw Theatre . During the course of the week I had to explain who Chita was to a number of people. After telling them to "wash their mouth" once they asked "Who the hell is Chita?", I explained she originated many of the great Broadway roles including Anita in West Side Story and Velma in Chicago. The fact that West Side Story is celebrating it's fiftieth anniversary also firmly puts her in the category of concerts by old Broadway broads like Barbara Cook, Elaine Stritch or Bea Arthur . There is something fascinating about watching these septuagenarian or octogenarian performers still working and travelling. Whether they need to work or not, they obviously thrive upon the audience adoration. The love from the audience last night didn't quite feel like it was reciprocated however. Mind you, these sorts of concerts seem to dra

Scenes from Camden Saturday

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Camden Fire , originally uploaded by mummybot . Flickr members capturing a fire that seems to have destroyed the Camden Canal Market - one of the Camden Markets - and part of the Hawley Arms tonight...

Overheard after body pump at the gym

Man #1: I haven't seen you in ages! What've you been up to? Man #2: Well this morning I cycled with my boyfriend to Borough Market...

Idle chatter at Canary Wharf bar Thursday evening

Woman (grabbing Paul's arm): Hello haven't I met you before? Paul: No I don't think so but are you having a good night? Woman: I sure am. I'm Elaine. Paul: Hi Elaine I'm Paul. And what are you up to? Woman: Well I'm like going to Brodies now... Paul: Oh Brodies that's where I'm about to head... Woman: Great I'll look out for you... And yes... Paul was lying...

Theatre: Speed the Plow

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It had been over a week since I had been to the theatre so a trip with the West End Whingers to see Speed The Plow at the Old Vic on Tuesday evening seemed like a jolly good idea. Even better due to the fact it starred Kevin Spacey, Jeff Goldblum and Laura Michelle Kelly (who is currently gracing our screens as the warty mad woman in Sweeney Todd ). Mind you when I told a friend that I saw Kevin Spacey at the Old Vic I was informed that he is in every friggin' thing at the Old Vic regardless of how miscast he has been. Well everyone's a critic I suppose. Still there was lots to enjoy about David Mamet's play about Hollywood execs debating the merits of artistic and commercial success. And in between it all is an ambiguous secretary upsetting the manliness of it all. I say ambiguous because depending on whether you could ignore or put up with the secretary probably depends on how much you enjoy this play. Spacey and Goldblum are excellent but when it came to discussing th

Scenes from the Columbia Road Flower Market Sunday

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030220083890 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . Who's the guy with the hairy plant?

Conversations

Paul: I have got a big chicken tonight... Adam: Yeah he is the one doing the hoovering...