Thought for the Week

"A hug is a perfect gift - one size fits all and nobody minds if you give it back."
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Exhibition & Theatre

Each year, for our wedding anniversary, G and I try to spend time together to celebrate, at least since this kids were old enough to look after themselves we have.

Last year, some of you will remember the post I did about our trip to London and the Champagne Flight we had on the London Eye, courtesy of our kids.

This year, I booked tickets to go and see STOMP the musical in London. We have both wanted to see this show for several years so I thought our anniversary would be a good time. Having booked the tickets several months ago, the theatre contacted me to say the shows run was ending a little early and so instead of going next month, we had to go this month.

We travelled up to London by train to save the hassle of driving into the city and finding appropriate parking etc. Exiting at Charing Cross, we walked along to the Embankment and across the bridge to the South Bank where the London Eye is situated. There is a festival on at the moment and the whole area is alive and jumping with all sorts of cultures and stalls and entertainment. The atmosphere was just fantastic. We made our way through all the excitement, slowly, soaking up the noise, and commotion. Breathing in the aromas from the food stalls as we passed each one. Fresh cut fruit, BBQ meats, roasted nuts.. the choices went on.

The younger children were wide eyed with fascination as they witnessed clowns and jugglers and uni-cyclists doing their thing to entertain the crowds. Older people were enjoying the group of bongo drummers, the stalls selling unusual items, such as digeridoo's and having henna tatoos.

Our destination was the Dali Exhibition. Dali is one of my favourite artists, I have several of his prints on my hall walls. I especially like his dream images.
As we approached the steps, a young lady thrust 2 booklets at us and asked if we would like a discount. £1 off each!! I looked at G and smiled, 'I don't think we'll be needing those darling'.





Before we had left home I had quickly looked on the internet for an offer - I am getting wise in my old age, it is rare that you have to pay full price for something like this when you have the internet to hand!! The ticket that I had printed off at home was a '2 for the price of 1' offer... total saving.... £12.00. Oh yeah, she could keep her measley £1 off each!!! I felt so chuffed with myself. Even more so when the couple infront of us paid £24.00 to get in!

It was fascinating not only to see in the region of 500 of Dali's paintings and sculptures, but to read about the meaning of them and the symbolism of certain elements that repeat throughout his works such as the melting clockface and the open drawers.

This last image is another of my favourites, I'm not sure how much detail you will see here but I love the two almost identical figures which are actually created by different means. The image on the right is actually a hand.



After the exhibition, we retraced our steps back along the South Bank towards Charing Cross and into The Strand where the theatre was located. I had booked a matinee performance so that we could have dinner afterwards.

I had never seen a show at the Vauderville Theatre before and was quite taken aback at how small it seemed. It was a cosy sort of feeling though, and I liked that.

STOMP's musical sound is unlike any other, the idea behind it is finding music in noises which we usually try to block out. There is little or no melody in a strict sense so it doesn't matter whether you prefer jazz, rock, classical, dance or pop, STOMP is about rhythm which is the basis of all music. STOMP combines the raucous with the delicate creating complex soundscapes which are endlessly inventive. STOMP's music is uncannily orchestral and joyously infectious.~Quotation from internet ticket site.


The show started with one guy walking onto the stage with an ordinary, run-of-the-mill broom. He was making 'sweeping' sounds to which he soon added banging sounds by tapping the broom head onto the stage. Every 10 seconds or so another cast member joined the stage, each with their own broom, adding to and building the full rhytmic 'tune'. It was incredible to watch.



This was the stage set, the backdrop to the perfomance. Even here though, they encompassed the road signs, metal poles, oil drums, saucepans and wheel rims in a truly magnificent orchestral piece in the latter half of the show, and all this was accomplished with two of the eight performers suspended on a rope and swinging from side to side to reach all the different 'instruments'.



Other 'Instruments' included many everyday objects, and here are a few pictures of some of them:













The finale involved 3 of the cast members using oil drums like stilts, with others playing drums on plastic water butts, cymbols with drum lids and a myriad of other complimentary percussion. Absolutely amazing.

This is a list of all the instruments I could recall, although knowing my memory there are some I have missed:

Plunger, Sink (with water), Saucepans, Brooms, Basketballs, Oil Drum, Plastic Containers, Platic Bottles (from water cooler), Road Signs, Metal Pipe, Rubber Pipe, Platic Bag, Paper Bag, Matchbox with matches, Cigarette Box, Metal fold up Chairs, Dustbins, Dustbin Lids, Zippo Lighters

The other thing that I wasn't aware of is that the show actually incorporates a great deal of comedy. It is brilliantly written and superbly executed and if anyone wants to see it, get your finger out and do it.

*Please note, that as cameras were not permitted in either the gallery or the theatre, the images here are from various online sources, and not my own work.

15 comments:

Digital Flower Pictures said...

It is pretty amazing what they can do with everyday items. I thought the show was really good.

Boy, would I love a train trip to London, that sounds great. I guess I will have to settle for Manhattan.

I am surprised you weren't allowed to take pictures in the gallery. Most here allow photography but no flash. It can be an interesting photography challenge.

Unknown said...

sounds like you had a great time

Akelamalu said...

Stomp was one of the shows we thought about seeing on our recent trip to London (we opted for 'We will rock you'). If it comes to Manchester we will probably go and see it after reading your review!

You can make some big savings with vouchers off the internet if you take the time to look - well done you.

photowannabe said...

First of all happy Anniversary in advance and it sounds like you have a fabulous time celebrating. I have only seen the Stomp show on TV. I was tatally fascinated with the musical rhythmn. I loved every minute of it.

Elaine Denning said...

OK, I'm as jealous as hell.

Wanna see it again? LoL.

As for Dali...well. You may remember reading a post of mine ages and ages ago, about the day I told my housemates he had died. Everyone was gutted.

And then 24 hours later...he died.

Yep...my first premonition.

I love him too. He's definitely my favourite...and that picture you mentioned (with the hand) I had on the wall in my very first bedsit :)

kml said...

A great way to send a special day! Happy Anniversary!!

mrsnesbitt said...

Wow! Great stuff! Loved the caberet..remember seeing these guys with the brooms on TV show some time ago.....but would have loved to witness such a show live!
We are off to IOM TT next year for our 20th Wedding Anniversary!

Ali said...

DFP ~ I would love to see the show over there. Maybe one day I will. I'd go and see it again tomorrow if I could.

Pauline ~ We did, thank you.

Akelamalu ~ That's another show I would like to see, but I don't for one second regret choosing Stomp on this occasion, it was awesome.

Ali said...

Photowannabe ~ Thx for your kind advance wishes.

If you ever get the opportunity to go and see the show live, take it. The TV show, although very good, is not a patch on the live performance.

Miss U ~ I would see it again tomorrow, no hesitation. I even checked on the site when I got home to see if it was still on when we meet in London... it is.

As for Dali, I knew he was one of your favourites too, I thought about you whilst I was looking around the exhibition. Again, it is something I would happily do again if you would like to see it. I only saw half the exhibition really. Downstairs is Picasso, but G didn't fancy it and we were a bit short on time so we skipped it.

Ali said...

KML ~ It was the most enjoyable day I've had in quite some time.

Denise ~ Oh Wow. The IOM TT, lucky you, you'll both have a fab time.

Neva said...

"Sounds" like you had an awesome day!! I would see this in a heartbeat based on your narrative.

Elaine Denning said...

Have we got time for a stop off at the National Archives as well? LoL.

ellie said...

Sounds like a brilliant day out, would even go so far as to say that I wish I had an anniversary to celebrate! Will have to make one up! lol
x

Mike said...

I'd love to go and see that show. Glad you a good time.

Ali said...

Apologies, I am so short on time, and I still have tomorrows ABC to sort as I am out all day tomorrow.

I just wanted to say thankyou to everyone who has left a comment, your visits are all appreciated. x