It's a bit hard to tell from the title what today's post will be about, but it's Karl Pilkington, known as the "the little round-headed buffoon" by Ricky Gervais. There aren't any song titles with Karl Pilkington in, so I went with a song that reminded me of his head, lol.
Karl Pilkington came into my TV life a few years back when the first season of The Ricky Gervais Show was on. In all honesty, before this show, they're weren't many cartoon based comedies I liked (barring Family Guy), so it was my brother that convinced me to watch it.
I obviously knew of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant because of The Office and Extras, but didn't know who this other person was and what to expect - no, I didn't even know about the radio show they used to have.
I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Not at Ricky Gervais taking the piss out of someone (we've all seen that before), but this seamlessly comic character, who even through constant ribbing from the other two, is just being honest about his thoughts.
I wouldn't try and re-create any of the conversations from season 1 (because it which just seem weird and wrong out of context) but I literally cried through some of the episodes at the randomness of some of Karl's responses. That and the fact that he would stick hard and fast to his views even when they didn't make sense - I applaud you sir!
After watching season 1, I then couldn't wait for season 2 and also the arrival of An Idiot Abroad (a Sky series where Karl gets sent by the other two to see the wonders of the world, even though he dislikes the idea of travel).
Karl is a pleasure to watch and always has a surprise up his sleeve: watch his funny but awkward interview with Warwick Davis and then in complete contrast, his more serious role in the pilot episode of Derek (One of Gervais's newest creations). He is an interesting person not to be misconstrued.
If you haven't experienced his wonder check out some of the things I've mentioned. He's not the "diamond in the rough" exactly, but more like the unusual pebble next to it that everyone's been ignoring because it's not shiny!
Bless Karl Pilkington for bringing a new edge to comedy and keep up the good work : )
Hey all, I've been rubbish again at writing (if you saw what happens to me on the weeks I work on shows, you'd understand - it's working and sleeping pretty much, not even a drink at the pub : s)
But back to my usual stuff.
Now I think I did a blog on job hunting or something similar but this is a little different.
I have just finished working on the start of the UK tour for Starlight Express, one of my favourite shows of all time.
Let's go back to 1994 (if your my age, you'll remember it), Boyzone were popular, clothes were generally rather awful and the only reason Tony Blair was known was because he used to be the annoying miniature character in Spitting Image that always got shut out of 'adult' political meetings. That about sums it up (oh yeah and most importantly, Ant and Dec had already left Byker Grove because one of them got shot in the eye with a paintball when they took their goggles off - paintball is dangerous kids!)
Anyway, for me, 1994 was starting a new school I hated, dreaming about leaving (within a month of getting there) and loving my swimming and performance activities out of school (mainly due to escapism from education I think). My parents decided to take me and my brother to a West End show for my birthday. I knew nothing about Starlight Express, apart from all my parent's friends raved about it when they came round and said that we'd love it.
Little did they know how much!
I remember stepping into the auditorium, shocked by the vast space of the venue - I don't think I had been to a West End theatre before this - and the fact that there were tracks round the outside with barriers. For a kid that has roller-skates at home, this was exciting!
The show passed by very quickly and I just remember being in ore of the experience. It had everything that a tom-boyish kind of girl of my age wanted: the romantic storyline (in those days, I still believed everyone stayed with who they married - I still do, my friends are never getting divorced from their lovely spouses, I just haven't told them yet, lol), the excitement of skating round what was like a massive playground, catchy tunes that I would remember forever and awesome costumes - to me it was heaven! For my brother, there were great elements too (not to embarrass him : p): Women in tight costumes (he was about 8, so I don't want to know what he was thinking, but we'll say it for all the other men in the audience), strong male leads (not all gay, but manly), experienced roller skaters that you wanted to be like and a reasonably cool storyline (there was something for everyone).
I am not going to say that my career in Theatre started from that point, but it definitely had a major effect on what I wanted to do. Asides from constantly listening to the sound track at home and getting my brother to listen to it too and sing (that's what older sisters do : p), I knew I wanted to be in the industry. Originally I thought this meant learning to skate, become a model and generally perform, but this was just the lead up to everything else.
Skip forward to summer 2001, by now I had been through secondary and college (thank god, years I am glad passed) and due to a painful slip on my coccyx (something that caused back problems for the future), I was starting to wonder whether dance was now for me. I was currently a Student Dance Teacher at weekends, whilst also working in a Box Office and WHSmiths, but then I saw an advert that stood out in The Stage (which was currently cooler than it is now) "Front of House Assistants needed for the final shows of Starlight Express". I had recently gone with a friend to see the show, (after raving about it to her) but had no idea it was closing. Although I was sad it was going, I was more excited that jobs in the venue were available.
As soon as I could, I filled in the application and sent it off. Within a few weeks I had an interview and shortly after started : ) Now in no way would I say the job was glam (if you've ever worked Front of House and especially in the West End, you'll know what I mean) but I was hired by "The Really Useful Company" (Andrew Lloyd Webber owns this) and was working on one of the best shows I had ever seen. Pre-show and after show tasks were a blur, but the moments before the show as the lights went down were amazing. As much as I could, I asked to sit in and learnt the different Front of House positions for the auditorium (the best was downstairs where you either sat on the edge of the well - where they skate around in the middle of the stalls - or the outside barriers - where you had to open barriers at different points and sometimes got to say hi to the cast : p) The three months were tiring (I was working 4 jobs) but it went quickly and soon it was final night. The auditorium was packed, Andrew Lloyd Webber was in and my favourite show would soon be gone. (I had also managed to miss the famous photo, now in an archive somewhere, where everyone working on the last day stood on the rotating bridge for a photo - loads of us went on lunch and hadn't heard the announcement - still gutted today about that). In a blink of an eye, the show passed by and as I left the Apollo Victoria for the last time, I watched as the auditorium (seats and all) got ripped out as soon as the audience were gone (it was horrible!)
Years passed and every now and then I'd put on my favourite CD, but I was now moving from front of house to backstage and marketing and time just passed me by.
In 2007 I did see the tour of Starlight that they took out, but it wasn't that great and I missed the racing which made it different from any other show.
And now to present. Aged 29 and I get to dress on one of my top five ever shows - Starlight Express. I can't say the experience was exactly what I expected it to be, but one I'm glad I've had. Many of the cast had come from the last UK tour and from the German version (which has been going for about 2 decades), I knew some of the company and to see all the costumes, make-up and lighting up close was a dream come true. The show definitely looks better from out front though, I couldn't see anything much in the wings : (
But like many good things, it also proved to be the ending of one part of my working career, which will hopefully be the beginning of change (in a good way). I have been dressing on shows since 2003 (in between other stuff) and I have loved the people, shows and costumes I have had the chance to work with, but I know it is not for me anymore.
Although Starlights not quite my last dressing job, it's not far off now and the fact that I am being more open about it now means I want it more than anything (that's how I roll baby, lol).
I want to dedicate this post to all the wonderful people I have worked with over the years. (I'm not aiming to leave the industry but I will be in a different part of it). I have worked with some great, kind and famous cast members who have made it a pleasure to work with. But more so, I have worked with so many funny and hard working crew members, who are the reason I did this work as long as I did - it definitely wasn't for the pay, lol.
It may be the light at the end of THIS tunnel but there's more tunnels to be explored.
I leave you now with a few links below of Starlight Express - inspiration in a show!
A picture I took in the final week (it's in an old scrap book) of the fans who used to dress up in costumes they'd made and skate up and down outside the Apollo Victoria (right).
Post title inspired by this song from Starlight Express: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3sMwiL4GtM
My favourite song from the old show, that is no longer in it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAFVgMjXOko&feature=related
And if you want to catch it live now on the UK tour, here is a clip that was on BBC Breakfast a few weeks ago to advertise the start of the new tour: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzLS3UkOkxY&feature=related
I find it very hard to relax. I think my main problem in recent years have been doing freelance work, mainly because I am always looking for my next contract and worry myself into the ground until things are sorted.
Apart from dancing, singing (and listening to music) and socialising, one of the most relaxing things I like to do is draw. There is something about drawing that makes me forget about everything else. And I am not talking about Draw Something (popular app on phones), I enjoy using this app, but it is not relaxing, it is just something fun to do on the train. No I am talking about real drawing and sketching.
I have loved drawing since I can remember. I have a folder tucked away somewhere of some of the better stuff I did as I grew up (some of the pictures - especially of my parents - are hilarious). I think it probably made a big difference that my mum has always been a creative person and got my brother and I to be arty in all kinds of ways.
As I got older, I started having more of an interest in collage drawn images and portraits, although if I had an idea, I will generally just have a go at drawing.
In the last few weeks, I seem to have been re finding some of my creative interests and I have tried to put more time into doing this (mainly cos it makes me happy).
I think one thing that I have realised as I have got older, is it is great to grow as a person, but you do not have to leave your old life behind. There are past times we may forget about, but at the right time or place, they will spring up from nowhere and it will seem like they have never left.
In the last week, I have done a comic drawing, a portrait and just drew a pretty dress for a coke bottle (competition drawing) and it has made me feel great. Find your inner artist and then never let it go!
Blog title based on a nice summery tune called Do your Thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_n1FHX3mBw
I went for a road trip with my brother the other week, as neither of us were doing anything that day and my brother enjoys driving to random places. We listened to old cassette tapes created during our childhood, caught up in general and went driving round different coastal towns - it was a really nice day!
My brother and I have been close all our lives. It might be because of how we were brought up or because we are both creative or it could be something completely different, but all I know is it is something nice to have.
Growing up I had a lots of mates who didn't get on with their siblings and didn't get how we got on so well, but for some reason it worked. We are four years apart in age (me being the older) and not being the same sex helps, as there has never been a massive rivalry in anything. We have been a similar height at times (me being tall for a girl and him suddenly shooting up in height) making some people think we were twins (hell NO, I'm the oldest sibling) or even worse, him the older one (hell NO, LOL)
The great thing about having a sibling as a child, was always having some around who you could have a laugh with outside of your friendship groups (for someone like me that had friends at school, but hated school, this was great!). Our child hoods were made up of making and creating props and sets and having fake fights or fantasy adventures - our mates used to come round and love all the costumes and things we built and we'd have crazy tournaments in are garden. It was a lot of fun! As we got older we both became interested in filming, so landed up making mock music videos normally including us both and any mates that wanted to be part of it - we had such a laugh.
As we have got older, we have both developed keen interests in stand up comedy and a range of music genres, meaning that we have a mutual understanding (most the time) of good entertainment. Although we don't always see each other (as our work timetables cross over most the time), we still have that other person we can talk to outside of our friendships, relationships and of course, our parents.
As an adult, I feel really lucky to have a brother like the one I do. He may not always be right (I'm most probably right, lol), he might not always make the best choices, but he's my brother and I'm lucky to have that extra person in my life that can make me smile and laugh when I'm down.
I want to dedicate this post to not only my brother, but all the great siblings of my friends, that make all our lives happier. We may not say it all the time, but we are lucky to have you : )
Us as kids
Blog title inspired from this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1KtScrqtbc
Went to my 3rd ever Hen Do on Saturday (I think it's my 3rd, I don't think there has been any unmemorable ones : s). I've been invited to others, but normally because of work, haven't been able to make it.
This particular Hen Do was for someone I have known for a few years, who I was lucky enough to meet through another close mate of mine. I felt really privileged to be invited to her Hen Do because we don't get to see each other that often, even though we get on well when we see each other. Therefore, I would like to dedicate this blog to her (you'll see her at the end of the blog, I'm putting her picture up, lol).
Anyway, so the Hen Do. I have to say, I think my ideas of Hen Do's have changed over the years. When I was really young (early adult, not a child, lol) I thought of them as scary nights out where old woman get drunk and get off with people, when I was a bit older, I saw it as a good old piss up with the girls, as now, I like the idea of having a realign good day, night or weekend with the girls without the piss up being the main and only feature.
I used to be a reasonably heavy drinker. Not in a really bad way, just I got used to holding my alcohol and being able to hold my own on a night out. Then after one or two particularly embarrassing nights, I lightened my drinking and became a lightweight (something I hadn't been since I was about 18/19). The problem is once you've been a heavy drinker and then cut down, you have seen yourself and others in a really bad state and it doesn't seem so appealing as the first time around. I like to be happily tipsy or toasted sometimes but the puking thing is not and never was fun (and this is coming from someone who has only ever been sick outside the boundaries of her house once and even in the house it has been bucket or toilet allocated - you should be impressed by that, I am : p).
My last two Hen Do's were quite different. The first one I went on was a weekend away in Brussels with all the girlfriends of my boyfriend's school mates. At the time I had been part of the group for a few years (and I wasn't the newest member of the team at that point), so it was an enjoyable trip where we went sight seeing, shopping, eating and drinking - it was a really good weekend. It was also the first time I think that any of us had seen a massive public billboard with a man and woman completely naked on it in missionary position - I tried to take a picture at the time, but we were on a bus, LOL
The second Hen Do was for a friend of mine from university. For this one a really big group of us started at my friends house drinking champagne and then went on to have a night of crazy drinking and dancing at a Bavarian pub in town - dressed as wenches and maidens, LOL. I have to say, due to starting with Champagne, I actually didn't drink that much, as I was worried about feeling ill (especially after feeling sick in the toilets). It was fine though because I took lots of pictures, helped other people that had drunk too much and in general, had a really good night. I think the scariest point of the night was a man wearing red Baywatch pants, no top on and wearing a giant horses head - thank god I didn't drink more, that would have haunted my nightmares, lol.
So, back to the other night. We started in a really nice restaurant South of the river Thames (three course meal and cocktails) and put on badges and sashes for the night ahead (classy ones I tell you, very classy). After a few more drinks at the bar, we were very kindly given lifts by some of the girls and headed to the O2 for Kisstory (the best music from the history of Kiss Fm). Now, you may or may not appreciate Kisstory, but it is one of many music hours I love listening to on the radio and couldn't wait to experience the club night.
Well, the people were as I expected them. It sounds harsh, but I don't fit the expected target audience of Kiss. I am an all-round music lover (who looks more rocky than anything) who breaks the boundaries of the usual target listeners and hard core Kiss fans these days are normally bracketed more as trendy, urban and young! You see I know loads of people that like Kisstory and don't fit this mould, they just wouldn't go to the club night (closet listeners, lol) I have to say though, I was a little worried of fights or punch ups starting in general, but only two people got chucked out that I saw and the bouncers did it quickly and smoothly - I was VERY impressed! That and Kele Le Roc played, Justin Wilkes rocked the tunes and it all took me right back to the old Skool : )
So, the night at Kisstory went well, we danced our socks off to Reggae, Garage (not so much me, lol), Dance and R n B until the final song - it was good! We even got our Hen's inflatable Gary Barlow joining into all the tracks (our Hen is a big fan of his) - slightly worried that he got more attention from guys in the club than we did, but that's Gary for you!
The only let down was out two cabs not turning down. I wouldn't normally do this (because I am bigger and better than this) but don't use Blackheath cabs (putting a downer on my friend's Hen Night - tut tut!) They not only didn't turn up, they kept telling my friend on the phone that they were on their way... for nearly an hour! So after freezing ourselves to the bone, we managed to get two other nice companies to drop us all home - hooray, it all turned out well in the end! And that was the success of another Hen Do : )
For more from Kisstory, follow Justin Wilkes
@justinwilkes
Blog title based on Single Ladies by Beyonce: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1EFMoRFvY
And just for fun...
Piss take with Justin Timberlake in: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRGogYu2gRE
Gary Tank Commander piss take: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TRiLDuzx5A&feature=fvst
I apologise for once again not blogging for ages. I have been trying to sort out the un-fun task of finding permanent work and it's been getting me down a bit, so didn't want to really bring that on to my blog. But I'm back baby! : )
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So I decided to to my bit for Scope the other day by filling up one of their charity bags for collecting. I knew I had a reasonable amount of stuff that I had to get rid of and now seemed the perfect time to sort it. On top of all the random household stuff they are interested in, the main things that I can normally supply is clothes and shoes - mainly cos I love shopping and I always have things I have been meaning to get rid of for ages.
My aim was to get rid of items from my drawers and Wardrobe on top of the four pairs of shoes I was already going to donate. Well, that landed up being a mammoth task.
I have been working recently but it's kind of like one week of ridiculous hours followed by a free week with no work, so my eating habits have been up the spout. I knew I'd put on a bit of weight (not overly look wise, but just in how I feel), but it was obviously slightly more than I thought.
I landed up throwing out a massive bag of stuff! Suddenly half of the clothes I haven't really been wearing don't fit at all. I had dresses with like a 2inch gap at the top of the zip, trousers that wouldn't go on and a few really nice items that I know won't fit again. It was devastating! I'm not one to become sentimental about items, but I think it was more my youth fading away with me. Lots of people put on weight or change shape around their thirties, but I just didn't see it coming!
Luckily, I did some decent me shopping at Xmas, so I am not without clothes, I am just getting older : (
So unfortunately this now means the inevitable - exercising! One of my least favourite things to do. I think it is because I used to be really fit and toned as a youngster and when that went, it was too difficult to get back to what I used to be. The other problem is due to the lack of routine with work, I can't do exercise on the same times/days each weeks, which makes it hard to motivate myself. Maybe I should just finish my chocolate eggs first (yummy) and then go back to fitness, otherwise it is seriously a lost cause. So until they are finished.... : )
Blog title taken from Weird Al Yankovich's Fat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2mU6USTBRE
I've been an indie/rock/metal fan properly since the early 00s (I listened to stuff before then, but this was when I became hooked). Just after 2000, the indie scene became huge with a huge amount of tiny clubs and venues playing the coolest, most popular and underground music they could get hold of.
Mine and one of my mates places was The Roxy (which soon became a popular haunt with many of our other mates too). The thing I loved about The Roxy (even in it's smokey, crazy packed nights), was it was intimate, had great staff and DJs and you felt reasonably safe in there (unlike so many bigger venues). We also used to visit Borderline, The Metro (sadly gone), The Astoria and Mean Fiddler (also both sadly gone : s), Bar Rumba, Strawberry Moons and Button Down Disco (when it was still in secret venues and you had to follow your cartoon map and the bubbles in the air) and White Heat (if we wanted to look at the pretentious people, lol) All these nights were fuelled with jugs of cheap cocktail (in happy hour to get the party started in the club or a visit to Bulushi's first) followed with socialising with randomers whilst dancing our shoes off - it was so much fun (and the pictures only tell half the story). In these clubs and nights out I really became the person I am today and realised that life is for living (which sometimes with work I tend to forget). In these places I felt that all my worries just floated away and the euphoric nature of the music just took me away (it was amazing!).
Anyway, in this great period of amazing music, live gigs and tons of clubbing (I went out all the time then), there were so many bands to listen to. The songs were addictive, with great beats and lyrics and it was just a brilliant turning point for all these fans of grunge etc that had just kind of lurked in the background rather than had a true focus point. I loved it!
So, because this is about one of my favourite eras of music (I'm listening to Bloc Party's first album - in true spirit). I am going to let the music itself prove itself to you with just some links to some of the tracks that made those years so amazing. I don't know what happened to you all (one of the guys from Phantom Planet is actually a known actor now and appears in HBO's Bored to Death) but the ones that haven't returned to the scene (whether your link is below or not) I hope your music and memories at least live on through us, your dear beloved fans and listeners : )
Bloc Party - Helicopter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R6S5CJWlco
The Libertines - Up the Bracket: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8lTyYlQ-Wg
The Rapture - House of Jalous Lovers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HP04nfUi4g
Le Tigre - Deception: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SyBR-M2YvU
The Strokes - Last Night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1vvUec71v8
Razorlight - Somewhere Else: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iun3RtbCE6A
The Departure - All Mapped Out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2nS4plebWM
Franz Ferdinand - Jacqueline: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92GEqgbXE_I
White Stripes - Seven Nation Army: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J2QdDbelmY
The Rakes - 22 Grand Job: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flESd2vFXy4
Title of blog taken from The Strokes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3qgrSon4To
