Friday 28 July 2017

Yerma


Friday night - the boys settled down in the hotel
(Premier Inn County Hall)
Megs and I walked over to the Young Vic to watch the revival of Yerma
Last year Billy Piper won an Olivier Award for this-
So when we discovered that it was back whilst we were in town -
And that preview tickets were only £20 -
We were in!

If the prospect of seeing her original acting idol wasn't enough for Megs -
as we were walking in she looked up at a tall chap in a baseball hat and discovered it was the one and only Tom Hiddleston!
She smiled. He smiled. He said "Hello" She said "Hello" 
It was a special moment!

and so I know what being in the presence of a Norse god will do to a girl.
We were both giddy - and when he came to sit right in front of us -
hat still on, slumped in his seat - unrecognized by the people next to him -
we were in seventh heaven.


But back to the play.
Very very funny - right up to the point that it wasn't funny - but heartbreaking -
and ultimately devastating.

The transverse staging was amazing -
the sets and changes in utter black out stunning -
the music and lighting both electrifying.

And Billie Piper?
Funny and beautiful and sexy (that smile!)
And the most real performance I have ever seen.
She broke us into pieces - just as she did to Megs long ago when playing Rose.

After the curtain calls (and I've never been so quick onto my feet)
we sat - too stunned to leave the theatre.
We watched Mr Hiddleston leave
(the ushers were in the know - and were equally starstruck)
and then high on the performance -
we laughed and giggled and made our way back to the hotel along the South Bank -
in love with the city and the theatre and life.








Having a whale of a time!

First stop on our London weekend -
The Natural History Museum to see the Blue Whale - 
(the replacement for the beloved diplodicus)

It was certainly very impressive - 
so there are a LOT of photos
(a bit of a theme this weekend)




























Friday 21 July 2017

Really Very Good

The last week of term at school- 
We should have been winding down, tidying up, enjoying the last few days with this cohort.

But instead -
We got the call!
Ofsted arrived on the Tuesday - and stayed for the Wednesday.

The official judgements won't be public until September
But I can say that the HMI did comment to our headteacher that
"The EYFS department is really jolly good"

And the Ofsted Inspector who observed in Pre-school told me that she would be happy to send her Grandson to me.

So - with the endless help and support of Tracy and Sinead -
We smashed it!




Wednesday 12 July 2017

Julius Caesar



Megan asked if we could see the filmed Caesar - 
directed at the Donmar a couple of years ago by Phyllida Lloyd -
with the divine Harriet Walter as Brutus -
and a all female cast.

It was quite a rush to get to the cinema at FACT after a parents evening -
but we just made it in time.

It was quite brilliant - set in a prison - a play within a play with prison life breaking through.
Quite marvellous.


Sunday 9 July 2017

Spider-Ben


Spiderman Homecoming - great movie - Ben loved it - 
and we realised that he's just the same age as Peter Parker -
all downhill from here Ben!

Saturday 8 July 2017

Don Juan in London #ilovelondon

Had the loveliest day yesterday in London.
The sun shone as we sat outside Kings Cross whilst Megs refueled after her all night rave -
 we walked down to Leicester Square and ate outside at Steak & Co -
 we sat in the National Gallery whilst Megs had a quick nap 
and had great theatre afternoon. 

David Tennant as wonderful as usual in the very rude and very funny Don Juan of Soho. In the interval Catherine Tate walked past and rendered Megs speechless. At the end David gave a speech about London and the terrorist attacks before the cast collected for the red cross appeals. 

Then it was coffee at Foyles and a walk back to the stations. Pretty perfect. 


Wednesday 5 July 2017

Megan is 19 - La cage Aux Folles

Megs celebrated with friends during the day-
But in the evening we had a great theatre night seeing La cage Aux Folles at the Empire

Just what we expected - camp and simply fabulous - 
a story about drag and family and most of all love.

And a performance of "I am what I am" from John Partridge that had us all on our feet at the interval - that's a first!



Sunday 2 July 2017

Leaving Endcliffe

We drove over to Sheffield to move Megs out of her Endcliffe Flat

And into her new house - she is in the attic - lots of steep stairs!

Afterwards we had tea at the infamous Wetherspoons - 
"Spoons Tuesdays" has been a feature of her first year at Uni -

Goodbye Endcliffe and Froggatt G3!







Saturday 1 July 2017

Ben is 16!

To celebrate Ben's 16th birthday

A day trip to Wales for another go on the Fforest Coaster at ZipWorld

And then a happy birthday crepe (with candles) at Looking Glass

Happy Birthday Ben!