Grace

So last night, my friend Bec and I went down to Grantham for a bit of local amdram theatre. It's was the shortest distance I've travelled all year to see a play, I have to say - a whole 15 miles down the road! Makes a change! ;) Heheh. Not that I object to travelling to see plays, but it did break with my "tradition". But anyhoo, I digress...

We went to see Grantham Dramatic Society's production of the Discworld book "Going Postal", as adapted for the stage by Stephen Briggs. I'm glad that I finally had a chance to see a Discworld play, and it was an even bigger bonus that, not only was it close to home, but it was "Going Postal", which is certainly one of my favourite Discworld books. (Also, I had entered and won the competition the GDC had run to design a stamp to go on their programme and promo material, and there's nothing quite so cool as to see a piece of your artwork mass-reproduced on posters, leaflets and programmes when you go to see a play! Plus, when your name is printed on the promo material, in the company of Terry Pratchett's and Stephen Briggs', it's more than a wee bit awesome! So, of course, I bought a programme and picked up a leaflet and asked if I cold have a poster too. :3 They can go in my portfolio if nothing else.)



So the play... let's talk about that. ( Intrigue! Peril! The invention of stamps! )

So, all-in-all, a big well done to the cast and crew of the GDC and massive thanks for bringing some Pratchett to the East Midlands! Please say we'll be seeing more in future! :)

I WON! I WON! I WON!!!

*ahem*

I won the Discworld stamp competition, which Grantham Dramatic Society were running in conjunction with their upcoming production of "Going Postal". My stamp design will appear on their promotional material, and I also win a £25 voucher to spend at an art store in Grantham. Wicked!!!


Discworld Stamp by ~darth-jurious on deviantART

I'm so pleased - just because I can support some local Discworld amdram if nothing else! I'm really looking forward to seeing their play at the start of December, and must insist now that if you can come, you do so!

http://www.granthamdramaticsociety.co.uk/

It runs from November 30^th until December 3^rd, nightly performances at 7.30pm. Tix are £8 for the first night and £9 thereafter. (I'm going on Friday 2^nd.) Bring it on! :D

I've seen two Shakespeare plays in the past week as part of my late birthday celebrations, each starring two big names in both film and theatre: I saw "The Tempest" in London starring Ralph Fiennes last Thursday, and on Monday evening saw (what I now realise was the final performance of) "The Merchant of Venice" starring Patrick Stewart in Stratford upon Avon.

( The Tempest vs The Merchant of Venice )

So, all in all: don't go see "The Tempest" unless you like slow song-n-dancy Shakespeare, or absolutely adore Ralph Fiennes. I wouldn't say it was worth it. I *would* recommend you go and see "The Merchant of Venice" but, alas, it has now closed so... maybe just keep an eye on the RSC and do, if you can, try to see something on that awesome stage of theirs. They could do interesting things with a layout like that. (Plus they have an awesome gift shop which I could spend a fortune in if I only had some money to spare...)

I have no money right now owing to ridiculous car repair bills and a rather large phone bill - oops - so no more plays until December when my theatre-friend Bec and I will be going to see some more amdram - the Grantham Dramatic Society, to be precise, and their production of the Discworld adaptation of "Going Postal". I've also asked my mum if she will buy me for Christmas tickets for "The Lion in Winter" which is the next play to run at the Haymarket. I love the movie of that play and would love to actually see it on-stage so fingers crossed for that one! :)

Blimey, I've realised that I spent more time driving yesterday than sleeping - sleep came in at under 4 hours, driving came in at at least 5! Whoops! Also, dinner was sacrificed and no foods were had between midday and midnight. Double whoops! This is what a flying trip to Abingdon following a day at work does to one!

But it's always worth it. :) The play my friend and I went to see by the Studio Theatre Club this time was "The Hollow", an Agatha Christie story. Christie adapted it herself from her own novel of the same name, and made several changes, notably the removal of Poirot - which is no loss. The play certainly doesn't suffer without him.

Last night was a full house - absolutely packed, which contrasted a lot to the half-full-ness of "The Man Who Was Thursday" last May (more of you should have come to see that - it was cool). All the action centred around one room in the country house known as "The Hollow", with various characters to-ing and fro-ing during a weekend when the house owners had family and friends down to visit. As per usual, all the cast were excellent -- my friend Bec and I were particularly tickled by how many characteristics Bec actually shares with the delightfully dotty character, Lady Angkatell (played by Kath Leighton). It was rather amusing! The story was engaging and, both during and after the murder, red herrings were flung all over the shop to attempt to to keep you guessing and counter-guessing at who may have committed the crime. (There was actually a red lobster in the play at one point, but I digress...) Thankfully we didn't end with everyone sat in the room whilst the sleuth explains every bit of the plot, but with a satisfyingly tidy resolution and just desserts came to the culprit. It really was very enjoyable - an excellent lil production and well worth the drive down south to see.

Now I really must catch up on my sleep. Seeing the play has cheered me up, at least - been in very good spirits today despite fatigue. Always nice to be cheerful. :) There's now not another STC play until February - which will be Shakespeare's "Comedy of Errors"! Yay! - so I'll have to fill my time with a few other lil trips -- including "Going Postal", which the Grantham Dramatic Society are putting on this December!

--x-posted to http://jurious.livejournal.com/

I've not been feeling too hot this week. I've had my nine consecutive days at work but, owing to my need to cover other peoples' shifts whilst they're on holiday (all right for some...), I've had to get up at 4am on seven of those nine days. I don't think I've had enough sleep, and the total disruption of my routine has meant that my body has given me the middle finger and I feel like pooh. I'm glad my weekend off is here! Time to recuperate.

I've been doing some doodling, as per usual. This one might be worth psychoanalysis since I was in a very low, unhappy place when I drew it. And, like when your characters run away with themselves when you write fiction, this picture just *happened* of its own accord. I've no idea why I want to draw a wolf with That Man but it asked to be done. *shrug* And a very unhappy wolf by the look of it.

( 'Ventage' doodle... )

Meanwhile this is a WIP for *another* MSND doodle - because, apparently, I'm not dun with that topic yet. Sketch of Oberon and Puck, and Titania with the Changling. They're all so cool that they walk into gale force winds, too. ;) Heheh. There's something wrong with Oberon's legs, I swear it - what do you guys think?

( MSND Doodle )

I'm excited because I've discovered there's going to be a theatre production of the Discworld novel "Going Postal" later this year at Grantham, which is prolly about 15 miles down the A1 from me. Cool! That'll be my first ever Discworld play. It runs from Wednesday November 30^th until Saturday December 3^rd, which is the week after Hogswatch in Wincanton. (I don't know if there are any other Discworld fans in my region, or any who would like to travel to the East Mids to see the play, but if you wanna come with, get in touch and let's organise something! It'll be fun!) For more info, clickety-click: http://www.granthamdramaticsociety.co.uk/p/latest-production.html

There's also gonna be a one-day-run of (guess what?) "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in Lincoln at the start of September. Debating whether or not to go. It'll have a lot to live up to, after all. ;)