go to cinema or theatre once a week

...tonight (ballet about Piaf and Garbo, I think.)
Songs of Innocence and Experience (choral) tomorrow and Stiles and Drew Sunday. A glut, indeed. Lucky.

Also London Pride tomorrow for extra musical activity. Though getting to the middle-aged point (actually not about age at all – I was always like this) where I’d rather have a comfortable seat with a good view and easy access to all facilities. So maybe just the concerts then

Mamma Mia was so good. The whole cinema was clapping and cheering and crying together. A real feel-good frolic. And when we came out it was only midday. Morning cinema is fun. They were changing the banners outside for the premiere tomorrow night and my friends indulged me by going with me to stand on yet another balcony (open so they could put up new posters) and wave to people who weren’t looking. Girl could get a taste for that.

Inspiring to see Meryl Streep in this – whenever I watch her I come out wanting to be her in some way – in this case, her movement was so flexible I immediately want to take lots of dance classes.

Glad this task is here. Next week – Stiles & Drew and Divas.

Thought I might miss a week then my friend Suzi asked if I wanted to go to the UK preview of Mamma Mia – 10am Sunday, Leics Square. Love Abba. Never been to the cinema so early in the day. Yay!

Cabaret was fabulous – faraway seat, immersed in the spectacle. fantastic show, the cast really shone on the final night.

Went to the end of show drinks party after and posed by a window overlooking Shaftesbury Avenue and pretended, with Emily’s dad, to be waving to the crowds below. Nobody looked! but we pretended they did.

And today, oh the voices. Royal Academy have some huge talent. Grand Hotel was astonishingly good. Met the mother of one of the leads afterwards and she was so chuffed that her son had got a big round of applause. She was all pink and giggly and sparkling fit to burst. Yvonne. It was a joy just to see her pride. Lovely day.

So many shows closing in London this week. I used to dream of being the sort of person who went to the theatre. It’s like magic to me – seems more real than normal life.

A glut of invitations rolled in together this weekend, from which:

1) Last night of Cabaret in West End. Have 3 friends in the show, want to be there for them. So glad I got tickets. Definitely worth seeing one more time. And it being the last show appeals to my sentimental nature.

2) Grand Hotel and musical theatre graduation show tomorrow at Royal Academy, going with my theatre buddy.

As I’ve got older I have realised it is ok to have different friends for different things. My theatre buddy John and I go to musicals. We both love them and it’s the only thing we do together. He’s a real expert and it’s a special treat spending time with him.

I love London. So easy to take it for granted, then I meet people who have travelled hundreds of miles to see something which is on our doorstep.