You had plenty money 1922

Last night's, one of those go to someone's website, see they're in something a week away. So, Transatlantic Sessions at the Royal Festival Hall to see Julie Fowlis. And, er, other people, which ranged from cajun banjo people to some sort of gospel to some bloke who was apparently a big deal but sounded like Van Morrison, and mad irish fiddlers. Very good, very fun (aside from the Van Morrison soundalike who was just...meh.). whole bunch of musicians, all playing/singing as a group - it varied on who was playing front, but everyone else would be chipping in on instruments or backing vocals. And lo, audience had a fun time.

Lance Horne concert, sunday @ the Garrick.

AKA 'squeeble'. Julie Atherton, Hannah Waddingham, Simon Burke, Ashleigh Gray, Alan Cumming, Oliver Tompsett, Paul Spicer, Alexandra Silber, Graham Norton (I know, but he was hysterical), Norm Lewis, Meow Meow, Cassidy Janson, Emma Williams, Lucy May Barker.

But um...everyone was fabulous? Some of the songs were heartbreaking? Some were hysterical? Lance Horne is adorable? The chit-chat between was funny, all the cast were bitching back and forth between songs, and every time the album was mentioned they all held it up with lots of 'arrgh, it's here somewhere!'.

Special mentions of chit-chat:

Alan Cumming and Lance bitching about their mutual ex (Alan was quick to assert that he dated him first), including when Alan was going through Lance's songs for material for I Bought a Blue Car Today, came across one song and went 'this. I must.' and Lance went 'er, perhaps not that one -' :re-reads lyrics: 'Is this about HIM?' :whistles:

Graham Norton going 'you've got the cream of the West End ...and me. I mean, WTF?' Very, very funny. Good to see him doing stuff that's not just presenting.

Norm Lewis making catty comments about brits coming over and winning Tonys - cue Alan standing up and bowing.

Lance Horne, when coming back from interval: 'What's with the ice cream? It's *January*. We only just got bottled water into theaters in NY.' Audience and UK singers: 'You take our ice cream from our cold, dead hands.'

Gossip and Wendys:
paused to ask bloke in queue if this was just for the box office (massive, *lot* of late ticket buying since it was full - and two of those were sitting next to me), chatted briefly, then Tom Parsons turned up in queue behind us. Clean shaven. Yes, this is a sight that is just slightly disturbing. He was a bit surprised to be recognised, we were more surprised that he wasn't backstage given that Julie and Paul were in it.

Got into foyer, pounced on by Etmuse - who hadn't mentioned she was coming, and another of the Torchwood/Barrowman/Wendy crowd whose name i can never remember, so if you read this, sorry. Gossipped, gossipped about the various West End Wendys - including the usual '...remind me. is that a Wendy or an actor?'

Stage door, got Emma and Oliver photos, Ashleigh Gray and Simon Burke signage (Barrowman obsessives hogging him). Emma's hair is apparently really blonde. Still not sure if we believe her. Suspect everyone else was having a tipple in the back since the rest hadn't come out by 10:45. Me and etmuse proclaimed the gospel according to Legally Blonde and Chris Ellis-Stanton whilst waiting. daniel and John panto discussed (me sulking that the trek to Stevenage involves four trains so logistical nightmare getting back).

Julie Atherton album launch last night (they advertise it as 'The Delfont Rooms', but seriously, it's the Stalls Bar. Which admittedly is a very nice cabaret space, but you don't need to rename it. Just admit it's the bar)

Hee. Julie adorable and in fine voice. Good songs (mix of Perfect Pitch new stuff, bit of Sondheim, Tori Amos, and acoustic/violin versions of Skunk Anansie's 'Weak' and Linkin Park's 'Crawling'*, and a couple from 'A Girl of Few Words'), rather giggly between songs and taking the piss out of her mum on occasion, with added losing an earring and a mishap with the music stand. Paul Spicer introing her - 'This album was achieved by chucking Julie into the studio'. I always forget how pretty her stage husband is in real life. When she intro'd the band, there was the classic moment of her ear-to-ear grin of 'Tom Parsons' and the audience cheering. What dedicated fans? I know no dedicated fans. Which includes 'please tell me that he has more than one of those v-neck t-shirts.' and 'oh good, she's ditched the blonde'.

*Yes, we were blinking a bit too.

Prior to that, went to the Regent St 'Taste of Spain' thing they'd been advertising to waste an hour pre-concert. Which... argh. As soon as I got there, you could tell it was Spanish tourist board-organised. Which should tell you all you need to know. A couple of not great food stalls, loads of tents with bugger all in, massive crowds desperately looking for something to do (fortunately, several clothes shops down Regents St) to the point that they're mobbing one of the tourist stands for free cotton bags, sports demo bits that either weren't working/didn't have anyone on/mostly the MC. Also slightly disturbing : there were churro stands at each end. The queues at each were a good 100+ people, winding round like a queue for a fairground ride. Seriously. it's churros. Deep-fried snack you dip in chocolate. You get them at most seasonal South Bank events. How bloody desperate are you for food? There were icecream vans too... So instead I looked into a few shops I don't normally look into (turns out Calvin Klein does 30DD bras for the same price as Bravissimo, so worth keeping an eye on when they've next got a sale) and meandered into the Regents St food court bit where I found nice pizza in the shade at Piccolino. Sadly not enough time to get a caipirinha at the cocktail bar next door, though.

stuffed. oww. Had restaurant indian for lunch (convinced because I most likely won't be eating tonight) and so very, very stuffed. I have no idea how people eat lunch as their main meal. How do you work when you've got a ridiculously full stomach and're also sleepy? (yours truly was brought up with evening meal as her main, so do not start preaching to me about how it's better to eat a big lunch than a big supper. It's what my body's used to.)

In other news, trying to decide which Daniel Boys late night cabaret-thingy (11pm, after the shows kick out) to go to.

there's two on consecutive nights with various cast members from other musicals next week, and one in aid of TheatreMad on sat 27th which is him, Julie Atherton and someone else doing American Songbook. decisions. I can only go to 2 max. fairyd123, you doing any?

Stiles and Drew, Spoonful of
( I can't carry a tune in a bucket but I'm on the stage )