End of the Rainbow

Tracie Bennett deserves every one of the five stars she has been receiving for her rendition of Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow, however the play does not. This bio-play relives the final sad days of Garland’s life when she struggled through a five week season at the Talk of the Town in London. The storyline is flimsy with no explanation of how Garland got to this disastrous stage in her life, and no mention of the dreadful ordeal child stars of her era went through. In fact the play consists mostly of ferocious arguments and is, as a result, rather grim to watch.

I have never been to the Trafalgar Studios before; it is a one tiered theatre, that for the audience is a bit like looking in on a shoebox. The stage is nicely decorated as Garland’s London hotel room, although with no set changes throughout, it looks stale by the end. The band are cleverly located behind the back wall of the stage, and are revealed for musical numbers.

Bennett truly is a tour de force, belting out Judy’s most famous songs with power and yet a unique vulnerability, that makes you want to listen. She manages to conquer even the trickiest of Garland’s songs: ‘The Trolley Man’ and ‘The Man That Got Away’, with real power and emotional intensity that must be hard to sustain on stage for two hours. Occasionally Quilter’s play allows for a little humour, and Bennett masters this too, most memorably when she realises she has swallowed drugs intended for a Cocker-Spaniel and starts to do hilarious canine impressions.

Starring alongside the diva are her fifth husband-to-be, Mickey Deans (Stephen Hagan) and her sympathetic gay pianist, Anthony (Hilton McRae). McRae is faultless, and is a pleasure to watch with Bennett, he also proves to be a very accomplished pianist, playing alongside her live on stage. I felt sorry for Hagan whose role in the play is not particularly meaty, but he does what he can with the part.

End of the Rainbow continues at The Trafalgar Studios until 5 March 2011. Book here.

L & F London: Vintage Clothes Launch

I feel very proud of my friends, who all seem to be making their mark on the world in creative and unique ways. Last weekend I went along to the launch party of L&F London, a bright new company selling finely picked vintage and second-hand clothes, at insanely low prices.

L & F stands quite simply for Lizzie & Florrie, the names of my two friends who have recently brought their whimsical fashion idea to life. It’s a plan I’m sure many have considered; I for one regularly take my unwanted clothes to the retro shops that litter the Notting Hill area, unfortunately only receiving a fraction of the amount I paid for them but definitely getting a sense of satisfaction from the transaction... the point is, very few people have the stamina, motivation and flair to put the idea into motion. The realisation of L&F turned out to be quite spectacular on Saturday afternoon, I was wholeheartedly impressed.

Located at Florrie’s house in Fulham, the collection of vintage clothes and accessories filled an entire room. Immaculately set up, the colourful array was extremely tempting. Being a bit of a shopaholic myself, I had disciplined myself to resist, but this good behaviour lasted a mere two minutes. Once I’d slurped down the last of my hot spiced cider (yes they were offering drinks and handmade canapés too), I went to look through the rails. I picked up about eight items before heading to the makeshift changing room. After an hour of umm-ing and ahh-ing I decided on five items: leather boots £8, butterfly patterned shorts £15, flowery dress £16, Spotty shirt £12.50, and corduroy cropped trousers £20. All of which now have special places in my wardrobe, in fact I’m wearing the spotty shirt as I write this, and can honestly tell you I have had at least two compliments on it already today.

There is definitely an extraordinary quality to these clothes – Lizzie and Florrie have a keen interest in the history behind the garments, rather than just appreciating their prettiness, and this ethic can be seen on their own blog. The walls of the studio were covered in pictures of their models – stunning, but approachable; I felt guided by them to pick clothes that might look good on girls who are not lucky enough to have never-ending limbs. It seems a novel idea – vintage clothing that can actually flatter your figure! Each piece had a personalised touch too – a cute ‘Picked By L & F London’ label, lovingly sewn on by hand.

The L&F sale was accompanied by beautiful foodie treats from entrepreneurial chef, Georgia Doherty, who is talented both in the kitchen and on the design side of things; her presentation is rivalled by no-one. I bought some Christmas presents, and a few chocolate snacks to munch on the way home.

Lovely to see so many old friends and encounter L & F London for the first time. Visit their blog here.

Sing for your Supper at Zizzi

I must congratulate Zizzi restaurant for quite simply getting it right. This popular Italian chain have opened a stunning new branch in St Giles Plaza (near Tottenham Court Road) and it conquers the surrounding eateries hands down. The venue that boasts artwork by promising artist Camille Rousseau, is quite unique in its design. I particularly love the wall decoration leading the way downstairs to the toilets, twisted branches romantically depicted and painted by hand.

The real selling point of this restaurant though is the fantastic new jazz night every Thursday... ‘Sing for your Supper’, raising money for the Prince's Trust. The night is led by charismatic musician Becki Biggins and the Laurie Holloway Trio, and every week diners are invited up to sing (from a list of about eight songs). If you sing, your supper is on the house – what could be better than that? With the recent closure of Pizza on the Park, and Jazz Pizza Express always in demand, it seems bizarre that no-one else has thought of this brilliant idea. Not only does it encourage young talented musicians, but also provides those eating at Zizzi’s a wonderful soundtrack to their meal.

The Launch of Sing for your Supper and Zizzi, St Giles took place last week, with pretty pink Prosecco and hot canapés on offer to all the guests. Becki was there, looking just the part in a sparkly gold number. I couldn’t stay for long, but was so impressed with every aspect of the restaurant and concept that I promised myself I would return.

And so I went to Zizzi, St Giles a second night to eat, and can honestly say it was scrumptious. The food is fabulously fresh and full of flavour, and I realised I was scraping up every last crumb despite the very generous portions.

To start we ate:

TRICOLORE 5.15

Our salute to the Italian flag: buffalo mozzarella,

fresh baby plum tomatoes and avocado with

fresh basil

CROSTINI FORMAGGIO DI CAPRA 4.75

Light, crisp ciabatta topped with goats’ cheese

and oven-baked with balsamic onions. Served with

mixed leaves in a honey mustard dressing

For mains:

AUBERGINE PARMIGIANA 9.25

Aubergine in a rich tomato sauce oven-baked with

mozzarella and a big sprinkling of Grana Padano

cheese. Served with a mixed salad

CARNE PICCANTE 9.25

Chicken, meatballs and Bolognese, with

mushrooms, chilli, mozzarella, and tomato.

Served with a mixed salad

And for dessert:

TORTA CIOCCOLATA 4.95

Thick, crisp hazelnut and chocolate base topped

with a rich chocolate torte. Served with vanilla

mascarpone

PANNACOTTA 4.95

A northern Italian speciality, our creamy vanilla

pannacotta is served with a fruit compote

All the food was excellent, and I can honestly say that Zizzi’s is now rivalling Pizza Express in my heart. I have included all the information above, so you can see what good value the food is.

The starters are wonderfully presented, no fuss, just good quality ingredients creating some of Italy’s favourite dishes. Mains are sublime in flavour and taste and my aubergine dish filled me up without making me feel bloated. The fact that I managed to fit in any dessert at all is a compliment to the standard of Zizzi’s puddings. I particularly loved the pannacotta, light but creamy with a subtle hint of vanilla.

Most of all though I found the service at this restaurant faultless. Friendly and yet discreet, I felt well looked after but not smothered as is often the case. Specials are given and extra condiments suggested at each course. I must also mention the complimentary homemade Zizzi ice-cream that came to our table with desserts (yes we looked like greedy pigs!) Two balls each of the most delicious gelati – strawberry, chocolate, creamy vanilla, and best of all a nutty pistachio.

You must visit this branch of Zizzi’s, try to go on a Thursday when the restaurant is transformed into a jazz soiree, with lucky hopefuls singing for their supper. I will be there singing a number on Thursday 23rd December, so come down and cheer me on, I may even give you a slice of my pizza in return.

Visit the Zizzi website here.

500 exclusive Zizzi goodie bags are on sale now for £6, with all the proceeds go to The Princes Trust.

X FACTOR - The Results Show

You can pretend not to be interested, but really X-Factor is irresistible, and inevitably most of our nation get involved in the hype, even if that is just ‘loving to hate it.’ I love to love it, and even auditioned for the programme this year, keen to experience the process for myself. (Read about my audition here.)

With a stroke of genius luck I got invited to the live show last Sunday, in none other than the VVIP section (that’s right Very VERY Important Person!) I went along with my best friend. We met up a few hours before the show to get ready and prep ourselves for the night ahead. With a little guidance from my younger sister and other helpers we decided on sequined dresses – of which I have two, a glitzy Primark number for my pal, and I wore my beautiful vintage Butler and Wilson dress that normally hangs in pride of place on my bedroom wall. Make-up was applied, sparkly gems glued to our cheeks, heels fastened and feathers tucked into our perfected hair. We were finally ready to go.

The journey in the car there was relatively easy, the venue, Fountain Studios in Wembley, isn’t far away from my house. We passed rowdy queues of excited fans as we circled the studios trying to find a parking space. Thankfully we didn’t have to queue, in fact we just quoted our names and waltzed in with the other lucky VVIPs. The ladies toilet was where we found our first exciting encounter of the night – one of Nicole Scherzinger’s dancers, noticing her (even more glittery) make-up we plucked up the courage to chat to her.

We were soon ushered into the, surprisingly small X-Factor studio which, I later found out, was in fact the largest in Europe. We sat in our seats (about 10 rows behind Louis Walsh), and waited for a painfully exciting 15 minutes. With five minutes to go the audience warm-up man came up on stage to prepare us with cheering instructions. It all came and went by very quickly, but I absolutely loved every second – the atmosphere, the music, the bitchiness, the celebrities. We decided that perhaps the most intriguing part was seeing the action in the studio when the cameras weren’t filming: who talked to who, which contestants were friends and which judges demanded the most pampering.

Performing on Sunday night’s show were The Wanted, Nicole Scherzinger and mini popstar Justin Bieber. They all put on a fantastic show, and it was fascinating to see how swiftly the management team transformed the stage. The Wanted boys drove around in dodgems and Nicole came down from a circular construction in the air. The star of the three was little Bieber, who I had previously dismissed as a phoney untalented kid... as it turned out, his new single is pretty catchy and as a dancer he is absolutely exceptional. Adorably he played up to the audience too, throwing his leather gloves to nearby screaming girls.

I don’t need to tell you who was evicted, I’m sure you all know, once Katie Waissel had gone it was down to Louis’ two contestants, Mary and Wagner to wow the judges with a final offering. Both belted out classic songs, but it was (unsurprisingly) Mary that made it through, with all four judges choosing the Tesco check-out lady over wacky Wagner. I liked Wagner and his presence in the show, and was sad to see him go; he left the stage with great dignity.

After the live show, we went into the special canteen-type room to greet (well more like mob) the remaining X-Factor contestants. The One Direction boys were super cute and very friendly, all of them willing and enthusiastic about having their photo taken with the fans. We chatted to One Direction Louis’s little sister for a while about what it was like being the sibling of one of these famous young boys, she seemed unphased and instead told us all about the news from the X-Factor house, and some excellent gossip! We shamelessly fought through the people to meet most of the X-Factor stars, and have the photos taken to prove it! I have to say after meeting them all, my alliances have changed rather dramatically... with One Direction and Matt Cardle firm favourites at the top.

An unforgettable evening!

Apologies for the ultra long post – I assumed you’d all want to know EVERY detail!

La Soiree at Southbank Big Top

La Soiree is a fusion show of all things fun and fabulous from cabaret to circus, burlesque to vaudeville; it's got it all. The performance takes place at the Southbank Big Top, a huge mystical coloured tent, located just behind the National Theatre.

The show rotates a number of artists, all unique in their special talents. Many of the performers have come straight from award-winning show La Clique. La Soiree is held together by a few key performers: Scandinavian contortionist Captain Frodo, ‘Bath Boy’ David O’Mer, tumbling duo The English Gents and cabaret chanteuse Miss Behave. Each act has its own little quirks, and fine detailing that has been perfected for the short sketches.

Hamish McCann's Gene Kelly-inspired pole-dance routine was particularly memorable. He grips onto a lamppost, and magically holds his body horizontal as he walks through the air. The ease with which he perform is quite astounding considering the physical feat. I loved Captain Frodo, I couldn’t tell exactly how much of his act is genuinely him and how much is his alter-ego character, either way it works, and he immediately has the audience captivated. Twisting his body and comically narrating his act as he goes.

The venue is enchanting, warm with a waft of freshly made popcorn in the air. La Soiree certainly considers the audience's total experience. I didn’t find everything funny, and think there is perhaps a little too much clowning around, the acrobatics and tricks are so impressive I would like to see more of that area.

The best thing about it is every night of La Soiree is different so you can go again and again.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 27

Slippers really are essential in the cold winter months; I love wearing them in summer too. I currently have two pairs on the go - a gorgeous furry pair my mum, sorry Father Christmas, got me last year, apparently from the market on Marylebone High Street (check it out, it is lovely). And the second pair, that I wear most often, are cute grey Cath Kidson ones, a plainer version of this week’s H on the H.

I must quickly mention the story behind my first pair of Cath Kidson slippers... I popped into their Chiswick branch about a year ago and, having a few minutes to spare, took part in the ‘guess how many sweets in the jar’ competition, not thinking much of it. I guessed 247, and turns out this was the closest number! My first ever competition win, and a prize of £30 worth of vouchers for the shop... so I bought the slippers, that I had been longing for for months.

Cath Kidson’s Felt Corsage Sheepskin Slippers are 100 % genuine sheepskin and will keep your tootsies toasty all year round. I can understand those who feel a little bored by all the Cath Kidson prints, that seem to be everywhere at the moment... but the brilliant thing about these slippers is that they have the prettiness of Cath Kidson with the felt flower, but with no familiar print in sight they are totally original looking too.

They cost £40 and are available in sizes 4-8, they have a similar pair for kids too, priced at £15. Buy HERE.

John Lennon at PROUD Galleries

This week Proud Gallery Central introduces another moving photography exhibition – Imagine: John Lennon.

I went along a few nights ago for a sweet little gathering at the King’s Road venue. The champagne was flowing and arty guests wandered round smiling knowingly when they came across an image they recognised. I felt a little underdressed – the Proud girls were all glammed up, and looked suitably stylish in black and white, matching the vintage vibe of the photos.

Many of the photographs pictured John with his wife, the magical Yoko Ono, perched in the background. This remarkable woman, who is an artist, musician, author and peace activist, has a certain aura in these photos and had a profound influence on her late husband. I loved the photos of The Beatles; Lennon often had a blank look, that perhaps shows his thoughtfulness. It was hilarious to see Paul McCartney, always with a cheeky grin on his face.

Proud Central always has a collection of its favourite photographic prints downstairs, so even if Lennon doesn’t interest you, it’s worth dropping by to see some of the other works on display.

30 years after his untimely death these poignant photographs fondly remember the important days of John Lennon’s life and the band that changed pop music forever.

Exhibition runs until 16 January 2011, see more info here.

A Dog's Heart at The ENO

The ENO are shaking things up this season with the UK Premiere of the shocking A Dog’s Heart by Alexander Raskatov based on Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel. The composer, worked with director Simon McBurney and Complicite from the start, so music, text and action are all inextricably linked. The outcome of this is a piece of art that overwhelms the senses.

The opera is unconventional, and several have contested whether in fact it can even be categorised as such. The music is discordant and lacks the richness of harmony, but the tricky sporadic melodies are tackled well by the cast, in particular the female singers whose voices seamlessly leap from end to end of the pitch spectrum. Nancy Allen Lundy sparkles as Zina the maid, hitting amazingly crisp top notes, and rampaging round the stage as the mad girl. Peter Hoare is brilliantly hideous as the monster of a man, Sharikov. He has a snarling power and sings the grossly worded songs with no shame, I must especially give him credit for proudly baring all on the Colliseum stage and screaming to the audience, ‘Suck my Cock’ just before the interval. It certainly gave us lots to giggle about at half time!

The story revolves around a grotesque operation that turns an ill-treated dog into a man, with horrendous consequences. It possesses a narrative that offended the Soviet authorities so much that they banned it for 60 years. And after seeing the opera I am not surprised it disturbed them. It is the mastery of the Blind Summit Theatre group that is to thank for the beautiful puppetry that recreates the hound, Sharik. Other small animal puppets are also featured. I love the scene towards the end when the poor cat is chased all over the place by the transformed Sharikov.

I was most struck by the beautiful use of film, sometimes as a backdrop, or often as an integral part of the scene. The opening scene takes place between two pieces of gauze onto which is projected falling snow. The fantastic projections are by Finn Ross and depict 1920s Moscow with a gritty realism. Set designs by Michael Levine and costumes by Christina Cunningham also help the scenes come alive.

A visually superb production of a bizarre opera, book here. Continues until 4 December 2010.

Pillars of the Earth

The release of Pillars of the Earth is imminent; a new mini-series that rivals all the other boxed sets out there. I was sent these DVDs to watch, and was surprised to find I could actually relax and enjoy an action series, when after a long day at work I can usually only stomach Glee or Gossip Girl, embarrassingly.

It is tricky to give a story outline without giving too much away. The show is based on a historical novel by Ken Follett published in 1989 about the building of a cathedral in a fictional town in England. It is set in the middle of the 12^th century, and begins with the death of King Henry’s son. The action is set against the backdrop of war, religious strife and vicious power struggles; subjects that seem worrying relevant for an audience today. As well as the epic themes, there is also a great love story in Pillars of the Earth, that shines through the political turmoil.

I loved the decadence and debauchery of this series, with drama so rich that it allows you to become completely lost in the story, exactly what I need on a night off from London’s West End shows.

The sterling cast include: Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, Matthew Macfadyen, Eddie Redmayne, Hayley Atwell, Sarah Parish, Tony Curran, Donald Sutherland, Alison Pill, David Oakes, Natalia Worner and Sam Claflin.

It's all about DRAG: Rocky Horror Show at Richmond Theatre

The Rocky Horror Show is an enduring cult classic, something of which I was unaware until my experience a few nights ago at Richmond Theatre. This darling little venue, located on Richmond Green always has an assorted menu of shows from which to choose. I am so glad I chose to see Rocky Horror, I absolutely loved it. It is no wonder Richard O’Brien’s musical has a loyal fan base. It has been selling out to audiences for the last thirty years.

When I walked in I was stunned to see so many fully costumed audience members; an ecstatic hysteria surrounded me. I love dressing up – why did no-one tell me? As the show kicked off I realised audience participation went far and beyond just wacky outfits. This show relies on the screaming audience’s enthusiasm, and my audience had enthusiasm aplenty. The call and response between viewers and actors was so impressive I began to think it was staged, as the show went on it got rowdier and more improvised, it was absolutely thrilling to be part of it. Even before the famous ‘Time Warp’ song began, the audience were on their feet ready to boogie, soon after the rest of us were following suit and joining in.

Ainsley Harriott features as the fabulous narrator, and is side-splittingly funny, bouncing off the audience interjections with wit and charisma. And he isn’t afraid to let his hair down, joining in energetically with the chorus numbers and dancing about the stage. I cannot fault the rest of the cast, they are all outstanding. David Bedella, who returns to the role of Frank’n’Furter, owns the stage and commands attention, not just because of his daring sequined costume. Vocally the cast is brilliant, not a note is out of place, and the amplification helps make the sound more electrifying, competing with the lively band.

As I left I wondered about the phenomenon of Rocky Horror and why such a crazy show could be so popular and even relevant to people of all ages (the audience were hugely diverse). Perhaps because it acts as a form of escapism that viewers can participate in and feel part of. Or maybe it is a way of dealing with homophobia, poking fun at those hostile prejudices. Whatever it is, London’s West End seems to be all about drag at the moment with Priscilla Queen of the Desert continuing to excite audiences and shows like La Cage aux Folles running well in London, it seems we can’t get enough of it.

It is no secret that I love watching drag, I find it addictive even. And just like Priscilla I feel I could happily see Rocky Horror every week and still love it as much as the first time. Now I’ve lost my ‘Rocky Horror virginity’ I’m looking forward to watching this show for a second and third time.

Rocky Horror continues until Saturday 27 November, book here.