xmas and royal variety show :twitch:

[burntcopper]

And still, the bloody cousins thwart me in being present-annoying.

Bro, who has stated that he wants vouchers, and has enough clutter, will be getting chocolate. I refuse to give vouchers. (it's a hangover from my tosser of a granddad who used to give cheques without even a card, so sue me) Chocolate, at the rate *he* eats it, never counts as clutter. So he'll be getting James Chocolate in many novelty flavours and shapes. They do piglets. They rule. Discovered 'em at discworld con, then proceeded to ply workmates with it when I came back. Where it was discovered the boys are wusses who cannot take chilli chocolate.

Watched Royal Variety for John. The things I do in the name of fangirling, dear lord. John was of course fab. First performance better than end one, due to choice of songs - he really needs more that showcase his voice. Louise made comment that he really loves himself. Well, duh. We know about the man's ego and stage persona and we don't mind. Also, second performance, there was a girl dancing around him that... well, it didn't work too well. Probably didn't help that he wasn't making much effort to have any chemistry with her. (and yes, you can tell when he's making an effort. Seriously. track down the marias kissing vid on youtube and call me when you've finished with the ice bath.) And, well, everyone knows he's gay so it looks a bit silly when he's just partnered with a prop for a song.

Augh. Manilow. The man has *no* stage presence. First three comedians hysterical, fourth (the Irish one) so unfunny it's not true. Meatloaf, cheesy though he may be, is immense fun to watch because that man knows how to put on a performance. Rod Stewart, me and the flatmate made the comment that it must be great to never have to rely on your voice if it was crap to start out with. And dear lord, *how* much botox have he and Manilow got in them? She also had never been introduced to Ken Dodd. This was rectified. Take That? Hadn't seen them at all before, and I must say, Gary's survived best looks-wise. Must have something to do with not being one of the cute ones. Probably helped that he was the lead on the songs they performed.

...I need to see Avenue Q. NEED. :unsubtly elbows jamjar: Tosh was in the line-up last night.

Comments

[jamjar.livejournal.com]

I know! I want to see it too!

It's just getting organised...

[snowballjane.livejournal.com]

I too need to see Avenue Q! It's stupid working in the West End and going to almost no theatre here out of uselessness. If you are getting up a party to go, please let me know.

She also had never been introduced to Ken Dodd.
I met him once when I was about 6. He was buying socks in M&S in Liverpool.

[munchkinott.livejournal.com]

I sat through the entire Royal Variety Show and tore the direction, staging decisions and running order to pieces.

Worst thing was saying to Mumsie as soon as Barrowman's closer was announced 'Don't evac to the 'puter yet, mum! He's brilliant!' and... *waves hands around* ARGH! Whatabloodyletdown. *sulks*

Don't even start me on the disorganised, badly shot curtain call.

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

I want to know what the cameraman thought he was doing 90% of the time.

Avenue Q being a case in point - 'let's pull back from the main singer when we'd rather like to see his expressions/gestures!'

And the Twist. er. no, I have no words.

[munchkinott.livejournal.com]

I want to know what the cameraman thought he was doing 90% of the time.

Clearly they were acting on the orders of a TV director who was trying to shoot heroin into his eyeballs instead of switching through to the right camera.

And the Twist. er. no, I have no words.

I have several... 'Equity collectively disowns you' and 'never again, lest we forget'

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

someone just stuck the first song up on youtube - now I'm seriously wondering why they didn't keep that set for a lot of the performances (aside, obviously, from the musicals stuff). Would've worked with a lot of them. and oh my god, the flying camerawork ...augh, it's actually worse than I remember.

[fan-elune.livejournal.com]

Oh, god. I did just track down the snogging the Marias on YouTube and oh, god. OH, GOD. Can you imagine that? Having to pull back from that kind of a snog going, "okay, that was just an act." Phew. I'm still a little weak-kneed here.

Having John Barrowman for a drama teacher? Best thing ever.

[sabremeister]

Where it was discovered the boys are wusses who cannot take chilli chocolate.

I like it when I tried it at CCDE last year. Mind you, I have been known to eat mustard powder...

I want to know what the cameraman thought he was doing 90% of the time.

Don't blame the cameraman, blame the line producer and the director. The cameraman does what the director tells him, and the director tells him what to do based on what the line producer says he wants to see. If the line producer is either new or stupid, and the director is likewise new or stupid, you get poor camera-work and really bad editing options, because that's all there is available.

[i_kender]

Not only do you *desperately* need to see the funny that is Avenue Q (realises that I'm now over-selling it, so will shut up now) but I thought of another new US show you've probably missed because you haven't been keeping up - dude, Heroes! Awesome new show. As a comics fan, you would dig it, I'm sure. Let me know if you want a disk...