Nick Payne - Constellations

(http://www.constellationstheplay.com/index-constellations.php)

During my Christmas break I went to see Nick Payne’s play Constellations at the Duke of York Theatre in the West End. The first thing that struck me was the atmosphere in the theatre prior to the start of the show, with the set already visible and the ambient music playing in the background (which reminded me of walking round earth/space Galleries in a museum) I already knew I was in for something different.

The set was brilliant, consisting of only balloons suspended above the stage and a single raised platform.  It was so simple, contrasting with the complexity of the play.   These balloons were utilised throughout the play by marking a change in the situation/universe by flashing accompanied with a sound not unlike a heartbeat. 

Santacon! 

The play was brilliant, it is the most thought provoking piece of theatre I have ever seen and it moved me to tears even after I had left the theatre (luckily Santacon was taking place in Trafalgar Square so that helped me stop blubbing!). 

The subtle differences between scenes playing out almost the same situation caused me to consider how much we really control our own destiny.  Perhaps the play was showing us that fate is mapped out and subtle changes we make don’t really change this path however I have read other reviews that suggest the differences marked parallel universes.  So perhaps a decision we make in this universe is reversed in another universe somewhere else? Throughout I found myself trying to figure out whether we can escape what lies in store for us or is everything down to chance/fate?  However I found I was contradicting myself when discussing the play on the train home.  An illness is diagnosed as fatal in one scene but curable in the next – thereby disputing the idea that fate has decided what is in store for us from the outset.   Unless of course fate leads different paths in different universes….

There is a scientific element to the play which I found incredibly difficult to get my head around, quotes in the front of the text of the play suggest that there is no purpose for the universe, that this is a human invention.  Things like this really make my brain hurt, it’s the very reason I avoid programmes with Brian Cox in.

Sally Hawkins performance was fantastic; I loved her in Happy Go Lucky and was not disappointed with her stage presence. She was funny, moving and really brought the character to life.   Rafe Spall was also brilliant, although he didn’t shine quite as much as Sally.  Their chemistry on stage was fantastic and they kept the audience in the palm of their hands throughout.

Sorry this is a bit deeper than most of my other musings … but I wanted to share my thoughts on this, a play which almost a month later is still circling in my mind. 

My Top Ten Tracks of 2012!

One of the biggest ways I procrastinate from doing work is browsing through Spotify and finding music I love! This year I’ve had the excuse of this being part of one of my modules, African American Music, and each week listening to 10 tracks that related to the lectures has been part of my coursework.   This means I’ve fallen in love with Al Greens ‘How Can You Mend a Broken Heart’ and loved dancing round my room to James Browns ‘Get Up Offa That Thing’, I've even found myself listening to N.W.A (those who know me know this is quite outside of my comfort zone!).

Music can take you straight back to a particular situation and make a memory so real again, something which I think everyone can relate to.  So here are my 10 top songs that do just that, as well as some that I’ve just loved throughout last year!

1. Sea Stacks - Flaws

As mentioned in my review of 2012, this year Sea Stacks got the chance to perform at Lee Fest and we were asked to do a cover of a song by another band performing - as Bastille were performing here is our cover of Flaws. 

2. Bombay Bicycle Club - Always Like This (Live from Ally Pally)

This was one of the best gigs I've ever been to and during this song my feet literally didn't touch the floor - maddest crowd ever and we were half way back!

Loving the tone death guy singing along throughout :-s

3. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - Stronger

When I was on placement I loved spending my train commute listening to new music but I also needed music to get me at a good walking pace so I didn't miss my train - here's a perfect example of a song that did just that. I think it's impossible to not feel awake after power walking to the station listening to this.

4. Arctic Monkeys - Come Together

I think anyones got to be pretty brave to do a Beatles cover, especially at the Olympics, but the Arctic Monkeys definitely pulled this one off. 

5. Man Like Me - Squeeze

Saw these guys live this year and they are the most charismatic performers! Brilliant fun to watch and this song was stuck in my head for most of the summer.

6. Al Green - How Can You Mend A Broken Heart

Pretty sure my flatmates were being driven mad by me playing this song on repeat for a few weeks - it's the best song to de-stress to and forget about all the stuff you have going on!

7. Elbow - The Night Will Always Win

You know you're at a good gig when you're fighting back the tears - I still get goosebumps watching this back. Hearing Wembley descend into almost silence for this track will stay with me for a long time. 

8. The Maccabees - Child

I think if I had to chose my favourite album that I've been listening to this year I'd chose The Maccabees - Given Into the Wild. It's pretty perfect!

9. Lianne La Havas - Forget

I saw Lianne supporting Bombay Bicycle Club and have been smitten ever since. This is a great one to sing along and dance around to.  I also love her style - serious wardrobe envy going on!

10. Grimes - Oblivion

I've only recently started listening to Grimes - she strikes me as very mysterious and quirky which I love! 

That was so hard - limiting myself to 10 was definitely a good idea or I could of gone on for hours! Maybe I will do monthly top 10s for 2013 so the end of next year isn't such a challenge - and there's my New Years Resolution - I've been trying to think of a good one that is actually feasible. 

1920's Dresses to Bring in 2013!

This New Years I’m going to a Prohibition themed party and can honestly say I’ve already had a blast just in preparing my outfit.  I may have got slightly carried away and brought three possible outfits but I couldn’t resist - the sales have been incredible! This also gave me the perfect excuse to play dress up and give myself my own little fashion shoot – a little self-indulgent but hey, it’s still technically Christmas, isn’t it? 

I always find myself getting slightly obsessed with a particular era and the 20s are definitely my era of the moment.  I’ve gone through fazes, probably led by many magazines as well as my love of old movies, the 50s has probably been the era whose fashion I've loved the most.  I have a gorgeous 50’s vintage yellow dress that I wore on my 16^th Birthday to dress up as Sandy from Grease, and re-used it at my 19^th Birthday which was movie themed (yes, I created the theme as an excuse to wear the dress again).  I also love Doris Day, I think her voice is so effortlessly beautiful and her movies are brilliant. They vary from the classic rom-com of the time to thrillers by Hitchcock, she’s starred with stars like Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra although my favourite of her many co-stars is Rock Hudson.  Pillow Talk is my absolute favourite and the film, Down With Love, starring Rene Zellweger and Ewan McGregor which is inspired by Doris's films and Pillow Talk in particular, is a treat.

Sandy blowing out the candles at her 19th Birthday

Back to the 20s, and my New Years outfit, I’ve had so much fun deciding on what I’m going to wear. Getting ready is always the best part of a night out, so I’ve just spread this out to last a few days rather than the few hours before you leave. I think I’m going to go with the black playsuit for the party but can't wait to wear the other two at events in the future! I've attempted 20s style hair too although will be getting some vintage styling tips on the day. 

The chosen outfit!

Thanks to my Mum and her expert techniques at making fake cigarettes 

Look how prettyyy it is!

Accidental pic but I quite like the effect!

 I hope everyone has an amazing New Years and has as much fun getting ready as I have so far.

Happy New Year!

So that was Christmas, I hope you had fun

I can’t decide if I like Christmas or not, I think it’s a strange time of year mainly because there’s such expectation that it will be the best day of your year and you will be happy and you will love every second.  I don’t think of myself as a ‘Scrooge’ but I do sometimes struggle to truly embrace the Christmas spirit when Christmas day arrives.  However I love the build up, from buying gifts you know people will love to dancing round the house to my Christmas playlist while covering as much as possible in glitter and tinsel.

Family Gingerbread House creation 

But there is just something about Christmas day itself, which is always slightly disappointing, nothing in particular, there’s always just an air of ‘oh’. Is it just me? I suspect not, anything that is built up that much for weeks on end can never quite live up to expectations.  The huge sense of pressure to have fun is also quite stressful; I don’t think any day can live up to that. Quite often I think spontaneous things are the best, so if we could all just pretend Christmas isn’t happening up until Christmas Eve and then suddenly universally shout “SURPRISE it's Christmas tomorrow!” it would be much more fun in my opinion.

My 2012 Highlights

I think we can all say that 2012 has been one to remember; from major events like the Olympics to more personal ones, it’s not one that I will forget in a hurry.

Here are some of my personal highlights:

New York New York

Taking in the (cloudy) view from the Brooklyn Bridge

So February saw my Mum and I travelling all the way to the Big Apple to celebrate my 21^st and I can truly say it was the trip of a lifetime. We were true tourists seeing the sights and sounds of a city and I loved it, although I did feel slightly like I was cheating on London. I was hoping that our surname, Middleton, would gain us some perks owing to Americas fascination with our royal family and the popularity of a certain Kate Middleton, however all I got was a dodgy chat up line at customs – “Middleton, like Kate? Can I be your prince then?’

The best bit about the city is that it truly is like a film set on every corner – literally for us! On a trip to Greenwich Village we suddenly came across lots of 50s/60s American cars parked up but interestingly they were really dirty, not something you often see with vintage cars. Then we turned another corner and came across a pile of snow (it hadn’t snowed anywhere else in the city) and lots of people dressed in vintage 60s costume. We had stumbled upon a real life film set! The film is about a 60s jazz artist and stars Carey Mulligan and Justin Timberlake, who unfortunately we didn’t bump into, and will be out sometime in 2013.

Film set in Greenwich Village 

We also went on some swings and ate Razzles, which will mean nothing to those of you who haven’t seen 13 Going On 30 but for those of you who have will hopefully understand.

I couldn’t go to New York and not see a Broadway show, so we saw Anything Goes! Perfect show for Broadway especially as I had been a part of a school production of the show. I found myself knowing much of the script as well as the songs, hopefully I kept those to myself. I fear I may be about to sound like my Gran, but the most impressive thing about the theatre was the toilets.  There were hundreds (those of you girls who have been to West End shows know the torture of queuing for the duration of the interval and missing out on an ice cream) and the cleaner kept everyone in order with military precision.

I also nearly saw Coldplay performing in Times Square, they were on a breakfast show programme and it took a while but we soon realised the studio overlooked Times Square and crowds were watching them perform, so I ran the three blocks from the hotel to the studio and got there just in time to see them walk off stage and their crew start packing up, never mind, nothing could dampen my spirits being in such an amazing city.

Watching Coldplay's guys pack up ...  :-(

I don’t think any reflection on a trip to New York would be complete without mentioning the shopping, from the huge Forever 21 and the magic in the Disney shop in Times Square to the glamour in Tiffany’s it was amazing.  We also went to a doll shop that was slightly scary – there was even a hair salon especially for your dolls.

I could go on and on about our trip, from the museums to the cocktails, joining in a student protest on the Brooklyn Bridge and scouring the streets for Carries brownstone steps, it truly was the perfect trip.

Dublin

After our New York trip we had caught the travel bug, going from a family who haven’t been on holiday together for years and years, my Mum and I were off to Dublin in September. Our second holiday in one year, how extravagant.  I loved Dublin! As a child I learnt Irish Dancing and have to admit was slightly obsessed with all things Irish so it was heaven.  We even went to the Museum of Irish Dancing and saw a dance and music show at our hotel. 

Cocktails in Dublin!

We met an old friend of my Mums, she moved back to her home country when I was tiny, and she gave us a tour and forced a pint of Guiness down us, which was actually not as bad as I expected. As theatre lovers, we wanted to find a show to see while in Dublin. We came across a production of Steel Magnolias starring Mischa Barton (Marissa Cooper from The OC), a fantastic production and even if Mischa’s part wasn’t very different from her part in The OC she did it well.

Sea Stacks

Another highlight of my 2012 is playing in Sea Stacks and getting to play at Lee Fest! Definitely a dream come true – playing at a festival with a line up including some of my favourite bands.  A highlight of my summer is definitely dancing around to the Mystery Jets full of strawberry cider knowing I’d performed on the same stage just a matter of hours earlier. Here’s a bit of self promo but check us out at ‪facebook.com/seastacks  or http://www.seastacks.co.uk. We are a slightly curious band, I play violin and there is not a guitar in sight, but that's what makes it so much fun.

Backstage at Lee Fest

Look out for our video for ‘High Tide’ which should be out soon – memories of the filming include freeeezing on the South Bank and dancing in slow motion on a random beach on the Isle of Dogs.

Angel Live Lounge

Another musical highlight of my 2012 was performing with Angel on BBC Radio 1xtra’s Live Lounge sessions.  I’d previously attended a recording session for Angel’s album, not knowing whose album we were recording for until we got to Sarm Studios, where the likes of Bob Marley and Grace Jones have recorded! Being asked to play with his band on the Live Lounge was slightly surreal, especially arriving at Maida Vale and going to a studio that the Beatles had recorded some of their radio shows in. Lets hope that’s just a taste of things to come … I can dream!

Gigs

As well as getting to perform in some amazing situations, I also got to see some of my favourite bands this year. Snow Patrol, Bombay Bicycle Club supported by Lianne La Havas and Elbow are definitely my highlights.  

Elbow at Wembley

Olympics

I think anyone who considers the highlights of 2012 and doesn’t mention the Olympics is slightly mad. Even me, who used to avoid PE like the plague, embraced London 2012 with open arms.  If you had told me I’d be in a sports arena screaming at the top of my voice and almost getting teary I would have laughed in your face, but going to the Stadium for Paralympics Athletics was incredible.  

Our view of the Stadium - good job we don't suffer from vertigo!

Seeing David Weir win yet another gold and hearing the roar of the stadium as it became clear he was leading still gives me goosebumps when I look back on it, although I’m still not convinced whether that or seeing Kirstie Allsop in the Olympic Park was my Mums highlight of the day.

Trooping the Colour

I love the Royals and I’m not afraid to admit it, so this year I decided to attempt to spot them all at the annual Trooping the Colour and I was definitely not disappointed.  We got there nice and early to save our spot and were entertained by watching the soldiers getting into place and having their fluffy hats tweaked ready for the Queen (sorry to any in the army who happen to read this – I don’t know the official language).  

Then the parade started, it was very impressive and seeing the Royal Family pass by in their carriages did cause us to squeal slightly. After they had processed past us on their way back to the Palace we made the run to see them all come out on the balcony of Buckingham Palace ready for the flypast, after seeing this iconic image on TV so many times I have to admit I may have got a bit teary (I’m coming across as a very emotional person in these highlights … which isn’t far from the truth to be honest)

Horniman Museum and Gardens

I couldn’t write about my highlights this year without mentioning my time at the Horniman Museum and Gardens working in the Marketing, Events and Press Department.  I loved my time there and was thrilled to be offered a job after my placement finished to fill up my time before I returned to University for final year.  Highlights within my placement include an event where the guest of honour was Dame Vivienne Westwood, various filming taking place and meeting all the amazing and fascinating people I got to work with, including the giant overstuffed Walrus I walked past on the way to the office everyday.  

Me and my mate, the Walrus

If you haven’t visited the Museum, what are you waiting for! It’s a treasure trove of amazing curiosities and even has a small aquarium, which used to feature a lobster called Lily. www.horniman.ac.uk

So those are my 2012 highlights, unless something amazing happens in the next 5 days – can’t wait to see what 2013 has got in store for me!