Paul in London

Dina at Wigstock a few years back... We were treated to the fiddle as well... Thursday evening I was one of the "peeps" who caught Dina Martina at the Soho Theatre . Dina is part typical drag act and part something else. With a wig that looked like it was inspired by one of Liza's fights with Gest , makeup inspired by a clown, and a belly that was all his/hers, it was pretty out there (or as Dina would say, "Off the charts!")... But as the 80 minute performance went on it was clear that there was a real character in the making and it will be interesting to see her again in a few years. Best parts were the songs with forgotten lyrics, advice on how to deal with global warming (kill or the animals in the sea as that will make the water levels drop), and the mispronounciations of words. I particularly liked the soft "g" in her segment of the show called "gifts to give" which became "jiffs to jiv"... Thanks to Dina, I will try and work

Iron Man , originally uploaded by Luffyd . Caught the movie Iron Man on Wednesday evening as on a warm sunny evening it seemed like a good idea at the time. Besides there are not enough super hero stories set against war-torn Afghanistan (with the occasional nice shot of Miami). While there was a lot to enjoy about it, after seeing it I had a few questions: Why were there so many product tie-ins for crap products ? Why did Robert Downey Jr's character go for models who had too much sun and dimply skin? Why do the agents from S.H.I.E.L.D look like they are from the gay mafia? Did Jeff Bridges shave his head and grow a beard just to look more evil?? Was that final battle sequence made up of out-takes from the Transformers movie? And just how the hell do you take a leak in that suit?

Man #1: Don't I know you from somewhere? Paul: Hmm I don't know you look familiar... Man #1: You from Australia? Paul: I'm from Brisbane are you? Man #1: I lived in Sydney for a while... Paul: Oh I see that doesn't help... Man #1: Ah man I'm sure I'll work it out but I'm buzzing right now...

The Headlines from The Evening Standard , originally uploaded by robbyredbird . Don't panic...

I caught the last night of the Harrison Birtwistles's new opera The Minotaur on Saturday at The Royal Opera . It is a thrilling and slightly disturbing opera (not to mention bloody too). Mind you, before the interval an elderly couple walked out. Maybe all that blood and rape and horror and gore was a bit too much for them. But that's new opera for you... At times I was wondering whether I was watching a high culture horror show (although I could have done with more blood and more realistic killings if that was the case). The first appearance of the Minotaur (played by John Tomlinson ) was a pretty dramatic moment and for nearly three hours the show didn't let up. Still, there is a lot to like about this opera starting with the music . The production design and the costumes - particularly the bulls head - were particularly creepy. The final battle sequence (depicted above) literally had everyone in my section on the edge of their seats (although that was party due to the

Well, at least there was Nina Söderquist It isn't often that I am put off seeing a show just because I have heard the cast album. But when I heard Spamalot a few years back I thought it was such crap that I waited until the ticket prices dropped through the floor before going to see it. Perhaps the show is on its last legs. The show has been a huge hit on Broadway but seems to be struggling here. Monty Python wrote some hilarious music in their day , but you wouldn't know it with this lamely written show that serves up lines like: We're going off to war We'll have girlfriends by the score We'll be shot by Michael Moore Because we're not yet dead Sitting in the front row you can just smell the stench of stale satire. It was a very tame night and hardly the bloody and silly enjoyment of the film that this musical "lovingly rips off". Anything slightly risqué seems to have been cut or toned down (so no oral sex jokes) to the point that instead there are

240420085075 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . The bears are hotter in Paris...

23-04-2008 , originally uploaded by Paul-in-London . Still on holidays this week and soaking up the sights of Paris for a few days... The great thing about French street theatre is that it is so bad you don't mind not giving them any money for it. This one I caught yesterday afternoon basically involved a woman wearing a fox fur (I had to correct my sister who thought it was a beaver) shouting profanities. Every once in a while the man in the white shirt would slap her about a bit. Bearing this in mind I thought I was watching it again tonight when a man started attacking another man with an iron (the kind you use on shirts). It was only when the police started to appear on rollerblades that I started to think that maybe this wasn't so avant garde afterall...