AnneMarriott

18 minutes ago, penelopesimpson said:

 

 

 In today’s politically correct world,many of us see the Arts as one of the few areas left for free expression which is probably why we react somewhat vehemently when PC revisionism rears it’s head.  

OK but perhaps sometimes the vehement reaction is disproportionate to the unintentional offence caused?  (Puts on tin hat).

16 hours ago, linda.ballet said:

Haha yes she could lol....... Dame Darcey gives this production a....7!!!

You've lost me - which post are you responding to please, so I can look back at it?

1 hour ago, alison said:

All good to hear, Anne, thank you - I wish I'd been able to join you  .  Pennefather actually did some very good performances as Des Grieux with the RB.

Yes, I remember it well!  Incidentally we were very lucky with trains - via Reading, all connections on time and with booked seats for added comfort, all for £19.75 return (with senior rail cards).

Yesterday's matinee at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton was well attended and very much appreciated by the audience, although there were a few sharp intakes of breath at some of the more bawdy moments from the largely mature members, not least the grandmother escorting her little grandson in the seats in front of us. 

 I had forgotten how colourful the women's costumes were and this time I found them a little distracting, but otherwise I quite like the designs.  The beggars were excellent and I found their antics entertaining for the first time in ages, and how nice to see Three Gentlemen who could take off and land in unison while still portraying recognisable personalities.  James Streeter's vile gaoler was just as vile as I remember (I'll never forget Louise Levene's take on his notorious simulated oral rape: "Most gaolers make do with a modest clench of the buttocks.  James Streeter's satisfaction was so complete that it's a wonder he didn't lie down and light up a cigarette.")

The orchestra was on fine form - lovely to hear the brass sounding accurate and enthusiastic.

Several debuts, not least Lescaut's Mistress (Jung ah Choi) very fetching and obviously a girl who is happy in her work, and Emma Hawes as Manon - mischievous, winning and seductive, which made her ultimate downfall all the more poignant.  But I confess that the main reason for making the journey to Southampton was to see Rupert Pennefather, on stage again for his debut as Des Grieux with ENB.  Well, he hasn't lost his beautiful line, his fine technique or his secure and courteous partnering.   He was never rated as the world's greatest actor, but he convinced me as Des Grieux and I found his sorrow and despair at the end really very moving. I don't know what he's been up to since he left the Royal Ballet, but it hasn't done him any harm.

20 minutes ago, Mary said:

Might be worth getting the book cheap or second-hand: because there are some very nice photos of Johnny Cope in it!

Thanks for this - I wasn't planning to buy it but now it's on my Christmas request list!

49 minutes ago, bangorballetboy said:

Afraid the only thing I know about cat urine is the smell of Sauvignon blanc!

I knew there was a reason why I liked Sauvignon blanc ...

35 minutes ago, Jane said:

The dipsticks now detect leukocytes so assume that was the vets ‘white cells’. 

I thought the same about the bite especially as he had 1.5 litres of urine in bladder but when you get into consulting room now they immediately say ‘this is the aggresive one’ as he wanders over and climbs onto the scales and lays down. 

Aha!  Yep, that's the white cells.  Things have often moved on since my nursing days!  1.5 litres is a huge amount - I think any reasonable cat would bite anyone with or without a catheter in their hand.

Thanks, Jane.  That's a good idea.  As a former nurse I know what's normal in human urine but have never thought about cats' urine in that way.  A dipstick would show up blood and protein, as well as glucose and bile products but not white blood cells so I've no idea what test the surgery did on the original sample.  Incidentally I think anyone trying to catheterise a cat without a general anaesthetic deserves to be bitten!

Vets and their bills.  Recently, after receiving two emails reminding me that my cat was due for a routine urine test (which came as news to me) I reluctantly supplied a urine sample, collected with some difficulty, and took it to the surgery.  A 'phone call informed me that there were abnormal elements present, namely blood, protein and white cells, probably indicating infection.  So I wrestled the poor cat into her basket and took her to the surgery for cystocentesis (taking a sterile sample straight from the bladder using a needle).  No luck - she emptied her bladder in the basket and refused to refill it during the day!  So the next day, wrestled her into the basket again and took her to the surgery from where she was due to be transported to the main branch for cystocentesis under ultrasound.  Surprise, surprise, they were able to get the sample at the surgery, so no transport or ultrasound required.  Today a 'phone call from the surgery announced that there were no abnormalities with the urine.  No infection, no kidney problems and no presence of stones.  Although there's a certain amount of relief that I won't have to try to get antibiotic tablets down her or switch to a (highly expensive) prescription diet, I feel aggrieved, not least at the the £200+ bill.

4 minutes ago, Tony Newcombe said:

And exactly how much is Baker Richards costing

Let's hope it's less than £400,000, ha ha!

Well let us all hope that the hundreds of passers-by enticed into the Opera House by the prospect of coffee and tomatoes on toast really are inspired to book for a ballet or opera;  but let them beware of falling sufficiently in love with the art forms to become part of the hard core of regulars.  They may then find that the open-arms welcome is short-lived.

This ticket has now been sold.  Thank you.

This ticket has now been sold.  Thanks.

10 hours ago, Josephine said:

Apologies - I have made a mistake about the date. I cannot use this ticket and thus have not sent a PM. Thank you.

No problem!

Stalls Circle seat C36.  Classed as restricted view, but in my experience the view is fine!  £37.00.  Cast change:  Ball now replaces Hirano as Rudolf.

This is an actual ticket, not an eTicket so I would have to post it.  Anyone interested, please send me your full name and address and I'll post it first class.

2 minutes ago, Odyssey said:

Earlier in the thread there was mention of a feature on one of the news slots - can't remember when or where, but I didn't come across it. I was fully expecting there would be quite a lot of coverage on the news channels and possible a feature  on The One Show. it really brings home to me how niche ballet and opera are considered to be nowadays.

There was a short feature on BBC1's The One Show yesterday.

10 hours ago, Jane said:

Bank holiday weekends inevitably bring hoards of cyclists and motorcyclists to our narrow country lanes who convienently forget people live and work in said countryside. Today I thought I was seeing things, someone riding a penny farthing with the necessary headphones on, completely oblivious to the two tractors and queue of cars trying to overtake him as he wobbled along. 

Good grief!

Lots of charities take old British coins and foreign coins.  If you can't find any collector shops, try googling "old British coins and foreign coins for charity".

I believe Specsavers in Newry have a hearing centre.  Your GP could refer you to them for NHS hearing tests and the wait is unlikely to be more than a couple of weeks.  Or if you could consider  "going private"  you can simply make an appointment with them direct.  Just a thought ...

Not the promised deluge, alas, but enough to clear the air and moisten the tinder-dry ground.  First since May and very welcome.  More please!

I have several open water containers in my front and back gardens.  They are very popular with the wild life (not to mention one or two cat visitors).  However we have found several dead frogs and toads in the garden and in the fields across the road - presumably the heat is killing them because we're not short of water here with the Jubilee River and the Thames nearby as well as various garden ponds.

17 minutes ago, Lynette H said:

Spotted right at the end of the Friends June email: 

 

"As a result of tough economic conditions, reduced funding and rising expenditure, we must make sure that we manage our costs effectively. Therefore we have increased the fee for exchanges and re-sales from £2 to £4, with effect from the 2018/19 Season."

 

You beat me to it, Lynette - was just about to post this up myself.  Sharp intake of breath when I read it!

4 minutes ago, Coated said:

Busted, that was me. I probably should have asked him to stop, but wasn't up for the potential argument.

I noticed him first - very fidgety, changing his mind about where to stow his bag and so on.  Then I noticed the binoculars and couldn't fathom out how they worked - did they have a nifty device like a sort of horizontal periscope that allows the user to look through them without blocking the view of nearby audience members, for example?  So glad I know the true story!

7 hours ago, Coated said:

 

 

Today's swan lake was enhanced by a non-stop chewing gum chewer, thankfully he was noiseless with it, but the movement of light bouncing off his  overactive hamster cheeks was pretty distracting, so I'm now in possession of a slight ballet injury from holding up my binoculars non-stop to block him from my view. 

Was this the matinee?  And were you sitting in Stalls Circle C36?  If so you have explained what I took to be eccentric use of binoculars by the lady in front of me - I was standing in D9.

16 hours ago, alison said:

 

No, but I wish I had been for Will Tuckett's License My Roving Hands for BRB at Sadler's Wells years ago!

Yes, it was loud, wasn't it?  However it was worth it for the sight of a leather-clad Miyako Yoshida bumping and grinding enthusiastically, and the steady trickle of elderly people, fingers in ears, tiptoeing up the aisle to the exit within seconds of the start.  

3 hours ago, trog said:

There is a post office in the Stourbridge High Street but you can only pick up parcels there. It's all fitted out with counters but to post anything, pay road tax, etc you have to go down the road where they are renting a shop fitted out as a post office. Madness.

 

That's really weird!