Fox in a Box Escape Rooms – 16/06/24

Posted on July 6, 2024 by katese11

It’s taken me a little while to write this one up because, really, what can you say about escape rooms? You can’t give away too much otherwise they’ll find you and lock you up for real. But I’ll try to give you a flavour of the experience as best I can.

First though, the flavour of lunch. You can’t lock three teenage boys and a tween girl up in a room without feeding them first. Roo wanted to try Grab Burger, which was at Dalston Junction, just opposite the escape room. Sadly it was closed so we walked up to Honest Burger near Dalston Kingsland. It wasn’t super quick service but the staff were really friendly and we had time to kill so that was fine. And the burgers were good  – I had the Dalston special, which came with a little pot of jerk gravy. I could have done with a nap after all that food but no, onwards.

We still had a little time to kill before we went in, so we hung out in Dalston Curve Garden, which was heaving on a sunny day (remember those? We had about three of them in June). We found a small table and enough chairs to have some of Roo’s birthday cake and relax while the teens hit each other with sticks. Standard stuff.

Then it was time to go and get locked up. We’ve been past Fox in a Box many times but it doesn’t look big enough to have three separate escape rooms inside. Turns out that you don’t need much space for prison cells. There are three options of games to play and we’d chosen “Prison Break” which was meant to be Intermediate difficulty. There’s no formal age limit but under 14s need to be accompanied by an adult.

I can tell you that we spent some time trying to solve a tanagram puzzle in the lobby and the fights over that made me think we were doomed. There are also lockers and loos while you wait so leave some time to get yourself sorted before the experience begins. There’s also the Wall of Shame, which we assumed we’d end up on.

Then you are ushered through the portal and into the prison. The six of us were split into two cells by the very serious prison officer and from there we were on our own….albeit with a few handy hints from a mysterious voice.

I won’t tell you too much about the experience except to say remember the principle of Mise-en-scène – everything in an escape room is there for a reason, even if the reason for some things is to act as a red herring and throw you off the scent. There was a fair bit of a lateral thinking needed and even a bit of maths but the mysterious voice kept us on track and we managed to escape with a full nine minutes left on the clock. Given we utterly failed last time we did an escape room, I’m pretty pleased with that result. We celebrated with juice from the nearby Co-Op and sent the spare teens packing.

So a fun afternoon out, if a little on the pricey side. It lasts 90 minutes so definitely good to have lunch and a bit of chill out time before going in. It was the right kind of challenging for teenagers and their increasingly brainfogged parents. The orange t-shirts were a nice touch and we got sent team photos for no extra cost. The staff were all super helpful – when not in character – and it felt like everything had been considered in making it a smooth experience. Plus, we won so no Wall of Shame this time! Maybe we’ll be back to try out some of the other rooms….

Posted in Creating precious childhood memories or something (days out) | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

LWAT is 800! A Guide to Leaving London

Posted on July 3, 2024 by katese11

I mean, not permanently..what the heck kinda move do you think this is for an anniversary post? Though I do have a bit of a blogchange coming up which will surprise and shock you all. But that’s still a week or so away, so watch this space.

No, I’m talking about leaving London for a weekend or maybe a short break using one of our eight glorious railway termini. Yes, that’s the link to the 800th post. It’s a bit lame but it came to me as I was on my way to Leeds at the weekend, which slightly doing anything more practical for the 800th post. Eva and I travelled about 400 miles in total so if you times it by the two of us, I guess that’s 800 miles covered. But more relevantly, we got to hang out in Kings Cross for a while which is one of the eight I’ll be covering. I know the Monopoly board tells you there are only four but Monopoly lies to you. In so many ways.

We’re starting at the North-West corner though, with:

Paddington

Where is it? Nearish Central London, nearish to Hyde Park on one side and Little Venice on the other.

Where can you get to? Wales! Which used to be handy for nephron exchanges before half of them moved up here. Reading, which I used frequently when I lived there and Nathan was in London. Various other places along the M4 corridor like Bath and Bristol and places in the West Country, like Plymouth and Penzance.

Have I blogged about it? It’s popped up a few times.  We passed through last October between the Rickroll tunnels and candy floss the size of Eva’s head. And we picked up special packages there in 2017 before walking through Hyde Park to the Royal Albert Hall. We also went there on Nathan’s birthday in 2022, mainly to try out the new (at the time) Elizabeth Line.

Is there a Pret? Yes

Is there a Five Guys in the vicinity? Noooo, doesn’t seem that way

Any special features? Everyone loves petting the statue of Paddington, don’t they? He’s moved around a bit but photos on Google Maps from last month suggest he’s still there and up for selfie opportunities. This picture of mine was from quite some years ago though.

What’s the overall vibe? Big, echoey, confusing tube interchanges…it’s basically three or four stations in one. Nice roof.

 

Then moving East to:

Marylebone

Where is it? Kinda near Regents Park but not really close to anywhere

Where can you get to? Birmingham and Oxford mainly, with stops along the way in the Chilterns. Eva and I went there to get our connection to Stratford-Upon-Avon last year, changing at Leamington Spa

Have I blogged about it? Yes, on that visit in 2023 but also on our Monopoly jaunt for the 500th post (which was a lot more effort than this post)

Is there a Pret? Yes and this was post-subscription so of course I went there. Even though it’s really hard to balance coffee and suitcases

Is there a Five Guys in the vicinity? It looks like there’s one on Baker Street but it’s a rare Central London branch that we haven’t blessed with our presence.

Any special features? As mentioned above, it’s a Monopoly square so that makes it special but also it has a tiny version of Bicester Village in the middle of the concourse.

What’s the overall vibe? Super-cute, retro, redbrick. Half the appeal of going to Stratford-Upon-Avon was the chance to catch a train from here.

And again to:

Euston

Where is it? Very Central London, right on the Euston Road. Not near anywhere pretty but handy for UCL and museums like the Wellcome Collection.

Where can you get to? All the biggies of the North and the Midlands – Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool as well as a bunch of places in North-West London that are basically the Bakerloo Line. I also took my niece there to eat Burger King chips one night a few weeks ago because of…complications. We sat in cinema-style seating and watched the stressed-out passengers trying to catch the last train. I also caught the train to Manchester on a work trip there a few months ago and it was an underwhelming experience

Have I blogged about it? It certainly featured in this post, about one of the most surreal moments of my life. We also visited on mine and Roo’s big adventure to see the Cbeebies panto in 2014. Apparently we also visited in 2013 on our way to Southport but I have very little recollection of this. And even further back, in the very first month of the blog, it featured in this classic post.

Is there a Pret? Yes and it’s really crowded and stressful….there’s a one-way system and nowhere to sit.

Is there a Five Guys in the vicinity? Not super near, no

Any special features? Well, there’s the way that you now have to leave the station to get into the tube which really confuses people like me. And I think there’s a street food market outside but I’m not sure whether that’s permanent or a pop-up.

What’s the overall vibe? Shed-like, hectic, full of commuters and people who seem a bit cross. Apparently it used to be beautiful but the frontage was all torn down in the 60s.

Even further East to:

Kings Cross

Where is it? Near Euston really but with easy access from Islington

Where can you get to? The North – we were there just a few days ago for our trip to Leeds. But you can go even further than Leeds to places like Newcastle and Edinburgh. Plus of course Paris and Brussels from the neighbouring St Pancras.

Have I blogged about it? A surprising amount, yes. Firstly in 2011 before all the redevelopment when it was just a claustrophobic glorified waiting room. Then two years later when I seemed amazed at all the changes and we visited the the Camley Street Natural Park. Then various posts about the fountains, the canal and ukulele busking there last Christmas. Plus a very special trip there on Eva’s 9 3/4 birthday

Is there a Pret? I think there are about three and at least one has decent seating even if the queuing system is chaotic.

Is there a Five Guys in the vicinity? Yes, and we went there both ways on the Yorkshire trip last weekend. Saturday AND Sunday fries

Any special features? I love the roof. I really cannot stop taking pictures of it every time we’re there. I know I’m sad. But it is a thing of beauty. Plus, a fun kids area in the waiting room and a birdcage with a swing it in just outside

And of course THE tourist attraction  – a bit of wall with a trolley sticking out of it and adjoining gift shop. Not to be missed!

What’s the overall vibe? I would never have said this in 2011 but it’s pretty chilled out. Having Granary Square to hang out in before your train makes all the difference as you can watch the boats on the canal. Also the interior is relatively spacious even when it’s crowded and there are a nice range of eateries (Leon and a mini-Giraffe). A definite favourite.

South a bit and East again to:

Liverpool Street

Where is it? Just on the line between the City of London and the start of East London. Handy for the City but also close to Spitalfields and Brick Lane

Where can you get to? Mainly Essex and Cambridgeshire destinations, with a quick link to the seaside. Plus all the Overground lines to Cheshunt, Enfield and Chingford.

Have I blogged about it? Yes, which seems weird seeing as I walk through it hundreds of times a year. so it’s a bit like blogging about our local Tesco. But we lingered back in 2021 on our way to Adventure Island and of course we went there on the Monopoly day. And I took a bunch of English class students for lunch there after the Lord Mayor’s Parade.

Is there a Pret? Yes – at least three in easy reach and I’m a regular at two of them. I know all the staff. Don’t judge me.

Is there a Five Guys in the vicinity? Yes. Weirdly narrow stairs but nice and spacious upstairs

Any special features? The Kindertransport statue is always kinda moving, even when there are pigeons perched on all the children’s heads. There was an episode of “The Piano” being filmed there when I walked through the other day but I suspect a lot of the stations will have that same claim to fame.

Plus there’s that weird rusty brown obelisk thing at the Elizabeth Line end that doesn’t seem to serve any purpose.

What’s the overall vibe? A confusing mix of commuters and tourists heading for the Stansted Express. Both groups get very tetchy with each other when there’s a queue at the gates. The station concourse is spaciousish but you’ll probably still walk into someone if you don’t look where you’re going.

Heading South to:

London Bridge

Where is it? Just south of the river, opposite the City

Where can you get to? Kent mostly – I think I went there on the way to Orpington and Herne Bay but I don’t think I’ve caught a train from there in years. There’s also the Thameslink to Luton in the opposite direction to where you’d expect a South London station to connect to.

Have I blogged about it? I’ve blogged about the surrounding area a lot but I’m not sure the station itself has ever come up much. the trip to Orpington and back in a morning is referenced in this post but nothing about the station. There are lots of posts about trips to the Globe and the Tate Modern, which are both in the vicinity and this trip last year to Delight in Borough Yards

Is there a Pret? Yes but Eva was sick in it in 2015 so we can never go back

Is there a Five Guys in the vicinity? No but there are so many nice places to eat in Borough Market that even Eva can accept the lack of fries.

Any special features? That giant Shard thing is quite a feature but it would really eat into your schedule if you were in a rush to get a train and wanted to go view the loo with a view. Obviously the view from the bridge itself is pretty special and I can spend ages there taking pictures of Tower Bridge and the City. The incredibly steep steps coming off the bridge are special in their own way too and there are often random statues along the embankment there.

At one point, I swear the station was missing a Platform 7 – with signs to Platforms 1-6 and 8-14 (Guess which platform we needed?) That’s pretty special.

What’s the overall vibe? Very commutery and hectic but with the river nearby for a welcome breather.

Heading back West again to:

Waterloo

Where is it? Also just south of the river but further west – opposite Westminster and near our old Kennington haunts

Where can you get to? Why yes, I HAVE been waiting for thirty years for someone to ask me to recite all the stops between Winchester and Weymouth. What, you don’t want me to? Fine. I’ll just say it’s heading towards my own home turf of Hampshire plus the seaside delights of Dorset and the slightly less delightful delights of Portsmouth. Also handy for Surrey and if you’re insane, you can get the train to Reading from here instead of going from Paddington. But don’t blame me if you age a decade on that train.

Have I blogged about it? I’ve blogged a million times about the South Bank and stuff to do a mere stone’s throw from the station…it remains one of my favourite places to hang out even if we don’t live just down the road anymore. I’m sure I’ve mentioned the station itself before, like in this trip to Feltham in 2015 and a more recent meet up in 2021 when we had relatives coming up from Hampshire. And we saw the naked bike ride. Don’t click on that link expecting pictures tho.

Is there a Pret? Yes but you have to go up a flight of stairs to get in, which isn’t fun with luggage and would be completely impassable for a wheelchair or a buggy

Is there a Five Guys in the vicinity? No, they seem a bit sparse south of the river.

Any special features? The view as you come into Waterloo never gets old – there is something so very London about glimpsing the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye as you pull in. There’s a whole new bit of the station that I haven’t explored yet so that might throw up some interesting features. And the clock that you meet people under is pretty iconic if you come from Hampshire. Also, do check out the graffiti tunnel if you have time before your train.

What’s the overall vibe? A fair amount of commuters rushing around but prone to flash mobs and people giving away free ice creams, which cheers things up a bit. The stepfree access is a bit out of the way but works once you know where you’re going. 

And back over the river to:

Victoria

Where is it? Central London, near Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park

Where can you get to? More seaside! Sussex destinations like Brighton and Littlehampton as well as less glamorous Kentish spots like Gravesend. We’ve picked relatives up from the coach station a few times too, but it’s not super close to the train station.

Have I blogged about it? Not really and I’ve only passed through it when I was childfree, I think…on my way to Worthing in 2022. It also gets a mention in this very stressful post from 2013. But we wandered around the area lots when we lived in South London and could walk to places like the secret paddling pool of Pimlico. 

Is there a Pret? Yes, a couple and I’m sure I’ve been to at least one but I can’t remember much about it

Is there a Five Guys in the vicinity? Apparently so! But we haven’t been there…we don’t seem to go to Victoria very often

Any special features? Didn’t a baby get left in a handbag somewhere around here?

What’s the overall vibe? Super touristy, with all the attractions nearby and the Gatwick Express. No one has any idea of what they’re doing so you will almost certainly trip over a suitcase if you’re not careful. Or maybe a handbag.

 

So I know after reading 2,400 words about train stations you’re desperate to know how I rank these eight. Well, wait no longer:

#8 Euston – just so lacking in character theseadays

#7 London Bridge – sorry, you’re just not that useful and the station itself has nothing much to recommend it

#6 Victoria – crowded and I just don’t seem to have used it often enough to love it

#5 Paddington – useful but an awkward trek from everywhere we’ve ever lived

#4 Liverpool Street – not the most aesthetically pleasing but super useful and has its charms

#3 Waterloo – this may be mainly nostalgic but also it has the South Bank right outside

#2 Marylebone – such a small and niche station has no right to score so high but have you seen it? So cute and twee and takes you to other places that are also cute and twee

#1 Kings Cross – some great destinations, the best outside space and that showstopper of a roof. A deserving winner!

 

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Club de Fromage Daytime Party – 22/06/24

Posted on June 23, 2024 by katese11

I know – I’m getting adventurous in my middle age. Not content with Disco 2000ing in the evenings every few months, I’ve now taken to over 30s daytime clubbing at Scala. Wild times indeed.

And in that spirit, we started the afternoon with a nice margarita from Sons and Daughters in Granary Square. In case you hadn’t worked it out by now, this was a childfree excursion. My kids might be ageing rapidly but last I checked neither of them were quite in the over 30s bracket yet. So we started almost as we meant to go on – I must admit, getting trapped on the wrong side of a cycle race wasn’t in the plan.

But we found a way out via a kind of footbridge over the track and we were free to go party.

I haven’t been to Scala in years. The last time may have been in 2002 when Bob and I were promoting Scooby Doo the move there. I know a photo exists but sadly I can’t find it anywhere. I also remember going to see Gorillaz there in 2001ish and both times I thought it was a huge space. When we walked in yesterday, all of us thought it seemed tiny compared to what we remembered but maybe we’ve just grown.

It being 3PM, the dancefloor took a little while to get going but when they played “Crash” by the Primitives I decided I might as well go for it. It’s not like I’m a stranger to starting a dancefloor. And seeing as the playlist promised “Pop” and “Cheese”, I wasn’t sure how many danceable songs there would be.

Turns out, quite a few. We were on the dancefloor solidly all afternoon, with only the necessary bar and toilet breaks. Some of the music did fall into an indie girl’s nightmare playlist – the kind of songs that were used to torture me in the student union at the turn of the century. I couldn’t quite bring myself to dance to Steps, Ricky Martin or the Spice Girls but the full-on cheese of the decade before that is just fine by me. So we wailed along to Bonnie Tyler and quick stepped to Footloose with no shame at all. And there were plenty of songs that were in the rock and indie genre too. Bob remarked that Kurt Cobain would not be overly happy to be classed as “cheese” but I guess he doesn’t get an opinion.

But no one goes to Club de Fromage for the groundbreaking playlist. It’s all the extras – confetti cannons, balloons, limbo competitions – that make it a fun night. Or afternoon, in this case. And the four Club de Fromage dancers were what kept the party moving. Whether they were dressed as grannies doing the splits, football fans tossing out giant balls into the crowd or rock chicks with mullets and inflatable guitars they did everything with a grin on their faces and a sense of fun that was pretty infectious. My favourite was the one in the wedding dress, who constantly looked like she was living her best life.

So yes, three middle-aged mothers survived an afternoon’s clubbing with only a small amount of backache to show for it. Staggering out into the slightly jarring sunlight, we took refuge in the nearby Pizza Union for dinner and some frozen mojitos. Rock and roll, indeed!

If you want to see what it was all about, have a look at my video on YouTube here:

No disclaimer needed cause I paid for this one but for more info, click here

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Family Sword Fighting Demonstration at the Globe – 01/06/24

Posted on June 1, 2024 by katese11

Copyright Pete Le May

Half term may be nearly over but the summer holidays aren’t far away and I bet you’re looking for something to entertain the tween or teen in your life. Well, I have just the thing for you. It helps if your kids are into DnD and/or Shakespeare but luckily I have a Shakespeare obsessive who doesn’t mind a bit of DnD and a DnD obsessive who doesn’t mind a bit of Shakespeare. So a demonstration of Shakespearean sword fighting seemed perfect for us.

What wasn’t perfect was the signal failure at Clapton that meant all the trains were cancelled. We wearily flagged down a 275 and headed to Woodford, via the North Circular – a diversion that adds an extra few minutes to an already lengthy trip.

But the good news is that once we got to Woodford, a Central line train was just about to leave and so we jumped on and were at St Pauls within half an hour.

Plus, we were sitting opposite two small doggos, which pleased Eva. And you get to play the Central line Museum of Illusions game. Where’s your head at, Roo?

None of this left much time for lunch which was, of course, at Eva’s preferred fries dispensary. Happily, there’s a branch just next to St Paul’s so we managed to grab some food and walk over the wobbly bridge in time for the workshop to start at 2. In fact, we had a few spare minutes to wash the ketchup off our hands and relax in the the tent downstairs.

As it happened, the workshop wasn’t in the main bit of the Globe at all but around the corner, at the entrance marked as “Guided Tours Entrance”. We had a few minutes to kill before the workshop started so posed a bit for this photo opportunity:

As per the instructions, I didn’t take any photos during the workshop itself but here’s a press image so you can get the idea:

Copyright John Wildgoose

Our hosts were two actors called Marie and Rob. I believe Marie is also a fight co-ordinator but they both knew a lot about the artform and how swords were handled in Shakespeare’s day. Apparently swords were as common a sight in Shakespeare’s London as cars are today and, like cars, there were varying degrees of quality and prestige. They talked us through four different types of weaponry and at each stage, demoed the weapons with a fight. Occasionally they reminded us to not try this at home and I have tried to re-enforce that with Roo but he seems keen to try out the new knowledge he’s absorbed. Maybe he’ll be able to work it into GCSE Drama somehow. I should also say that the weapons were blunted as they’re stage weapons and they would also have been blunted in Shakespeare’s time.

The first weapon was the Rapier, which was demoed alongside the dagger. As well as showing off their duelling skills, the hosts also linked the different weapons to characters in different Shakespeare plays – from Tybalt vs Mercutio to Prince Hal vs Hotspur. There’s a lot of information but interspersed with the practical demonstrations, which included some very dramatic death scenes. I forget all the types of swords we were shown but Reuben, who was obviously listening well, tells me there were longswords, shortswords and staffs. Plus one which had a Scottish name that none of us can remember but it was used along with a shield in the Scottish play. I should probably pause at this point to apologise to Marie and Rob for the number of times that Reuben said the name of the Scottish play. I think he underestimated just how superstitious actors are.

There was a bit of time for questions and the hosts answered everything we threw at them, such as whether there were any female swords(wo)men, whether anyone in Shakespeare’s company ever died on stage from a swordfight and whether the hosts themselves had ever sustained any injuries from swordfighting. If you want to know the answers to these questions, you should probably just book tickets to go. No spoilers here.

At the end, we got the chance to handle two of the swords ourselves. They were held at the other end by our hosts but I promised the kids I’d magic-eraser the hands out so it looked like they were freely wielding the weaponry. In the interests of transparency, I’ve included both versions here – health & safety version followed by clumsily edited version. No one lost any limbs, that’s all you need to know.

So, here’s Reuben with the Rapier:

 

And Eva with the same, stabbing Rob to death:

And both kids with (I think) the longsword:

 

It was a really fun afternoon out and really interesting to learn a bit about the art of stage fighting. For two Drama students it was a handy lesson and feeds into their special interests as well. It’s probably more for older kids than littlies as the swords are quite heavy and, even in this controlled environment, could be dangerous in toddler hands. Besides, there’s a lot of listening to be done and a basic understanding of Shakespeare comes in useful. But for my two, it was pretty much spot on and it meant we got to see a bit of the Globe we’d never visited before and there were some cool things to see along the way. There’s even a fake but lifesize tree down there:

So definitely one for the older and geekier kids in your life. Don’t forget the (near-obligatory) trip to Spice Mountain in Borough Market afterwards, to stock up on weird flavourings and fruit powders. I didn’t get a photo of Eva’s spoils of war but trust me, our spice drawer is now full restocked.

The sword fighting demonstrations run until 27th October. For tickets and more info, click here

Disclaimer: I received free tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions remain honest and my own. 

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Sunday Sunday Here Again

Posted on May 26, 2024 by katese11

It’s a Sunday afternoon before a Bank Holiday and I am doing nothing in particular but it’s given me time to write about what we got up to the last Sunday before a Bank Holiday. Which was also nothing very exciting but it was un-exciting in a geeky music fan way.

The short version is that we found St Charles Square, which has recently been memorialised in a blur song:

The “why” of this story is a bit longer. Blur have featured on this blog a few times – from a trip to France where I referenced every song on Parklife to actually seeing them in the flesh at Wembley last year (albeit from a long way back). And of course, we have this Parklife landmark just a few minutes’ walk away from home:

Essentially, we found ourselves childfree and directionless in West London that Sunday. Not quite lost on the Westway, but we did at one point pass Under The Westway:

We’d dropped Eva off at a bowling party in Queensway and Reuben was playing DnD with friends in Dalston so we could have just gone home and waited for the chicks to return but we were so close to that Square that I figured we might as well jump on a bus and see what there was to sing about.

Funnily enough, the bus we’d got on the way there from church also had a bit of a blur-themed stop:

From Queensway, we jumped on a number 70 bus which not only passed under the Westway but also crossed Portobello Road, which I think is referenced on a song from “Modern Life is Rubbish”. I did not get a good photo of the sign.

But here we are at the St Charles Square bus stop:

We were on the lookout for the sign in this tweet but  – spoiler – we never did find it. We did walk round the entire square, which is no way a square, and found a few signs but none that matched exactly.

And when I say it’s not a square, I really mean it. These yellow highlighted bits are what is labelled as “St. Charles Square” and yes, we did walk down each of these offshoots to see if we could find the right sign.

And on the unhighlighted bits, we found some interesting Things to See, like this house which is more plant than dwelling:

And this office building, which used to be a furniture depository:

It felt like we were in Hampstead Garden Suburb or some kind of far off village rather than a few minutes north of Notting Hill.

After such a lot of adventuring, we naturally retired to the pub:

And on the way back to Ladbroke Grove happened to catch a band called Phantom Limbs, rocking up a storm on the pavement:

So this might have been the epitome of LWAT “Just Wandering” but it was a fun afternoon’s walk and another pop culture landmark to add to our list, alongside the house from “Spaced” and the phone box from the back of “Ziggy Stardust”. Not bad for a Sunday Sunday walk in the park….

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Legoland – 04/05/24

Posted on May 8, 2024 by katese11

It’s been a couple of years since our last trip to Legoland but as soon as I started planning, I remembered the drill. Harvester breakfast, check:

We still miss the pre-Covid buffet but you can’t dwell on the past indefinitely.

Trolling the kids that we weren’t actually going to Legoland and were planning on staying in Harvester all day for the free coffee refills, check. They didn’t believe us when we tried to tell them that this *is* Legoland, Windsor:

Tickets bought with Clubcard vouchers, check. Parking bought online, check. Ridiculous amounts of snacks, check. Legoland itself did throw us a slight curveball by directing us to a brand new car park that wasn’t there last time we went but that’s OK – we remembered where we’d left the car because it was by the new woodland village that wasn’t there last time we went and still seemed to be under construction. I think the adventure golf by the front gates was also new and the giant letters as we drove in all had new minifigs. Times, they are a-changing.

And for us too there was change afoot – Eva was in charge, given it was her birthday treat, and she asked to turn left at the top of the hill instead of right. Like Zoolander, we never go left so this was a bit of a novelty. Roo had wanted to start at the Star Wars exhibition, given it was May the fourth but sadly that was no longer there. I think I read somewhere that they lost the licence.

On the way, we stopped at the sweet shop by the hill train to buy some refillable cups. We don’t always get these but it looked to be a hot day and the idea of being able to just grab a cold drink whenever we wanted was appealing. It’s £14 per cup, which is steep, but we got two to share between the four of us and that worked fine. It’s ten minutes between refills so we couldn’t exactly share one cup between four like we have done in the past but neither did we want to have to have a full cup each every time we filled up and then all have to be carrying something….so this worked.

With the preliminaries finally out of the way, we were ready for our first activity. And while Eva had Miniland in mind, we found something along the way – the Ferrari-sponsored “Build and Race”. There was a very short queue, which Roo used to add a Lord of the Rings reference to our day:

Then we were in after just a few minutes. The first room is a lifesize Ferrari made of Lego, which I’m sure some punters would spend a long time examining. We had a quick pose and moved on to the building room next door.

We did get confused and think that the idea was to design cars on the screens in this room but the “lights flash” buttons were actually controlling the Ferrari model. The actual idea was to build a mini Ferrari and race it on the tracks:

Sensors would give you your lap time and display it on the screen. One track also had a camera in it for action replays. All very hgih tech but the concept was scuppered by a more low tech problem. Well, two related problems.

The first being a distinct lack of wheels in the brick trays:

A sign near the exit made us think this might be due to light-fingered wheel enthusiasts.

The second problem being that the wheels were quite grippy so actually the cars didn’t roll well down the tracks and rarely made it as far as the sensors. It might be a technique issue but Reuben experimented and found that it worked better to just throw a small stack of bricks down than anything even vaguely car-shaped.

Eva, meanwhile, had located the camera in Track 2 and was using it to rickroll people. Standard tween stuff.

There was also a giant virtual racetrack at the end of the room and you could scan your car to make an avatar of sorts for racing round. That was fun, even if Reuben’s avatar looked like a small pile of bricks, for obvious reasons.

We were in there for about 30 minutes I reckon and it’s not a place I’ve ever noticed before – I don’t know whether it’s new or just out of our usual route but it was good to start with something different and it’s interesting for older kids with an interest in cars and/or the law of physics. You can guess which one my geeky boy leans towards.

Next up, we considered the new Minifig Speedway. Eva talked a brave talk and we even stood in the queue for a bit but after watching the ride a few times, she changed her mind about wanting to go on it. I’m going to say that Nathan and I were both a bit relieved as I don’t think either of us really wanted to go on it either.

So instead, we went for the gentle delights of Miniland and trying to spot the bus that Eva remembered from the “Inside Legoland” TV show. We didn’t spot the bus but did get a photo of Roo in Canary Wharf, where he went for his actual work experience. Actual as in, it wasn’t just a small boy hanging around a Lego version of Canary Wharf and posing. I know – the latter seems the more plausible option, doesn’t it?

And we also got a shot of Eva in her beret by the Eiffel Tower. Hopefully we can get this too in IRL before the end of the year:

Next, we wandered down to the Kingdom of the Pharaohs, where there were more gentle delights on Desert Chase and Thunder Blazer, which are basically just a carousel and a swing ride. But Eva enjoyed them and Roo was game for the “flap your arms to make this work” patter on Thunder Blazer.

Then we went on Laser Raiders, which is an old favourite as it’s not very scary and the kids get to chill out in their own zone while we do the queueing. As we snaked round the queue with the kids out of sight and not much to do, I started frantically refreshing Google on my phone for any news on the mayoral election. No real news was forthcoming but I did reach the front of the queue more cautiously optimistic than when we’d joined. That might be because I downed half a packet of Fruitella and made art out of the wrappers to stop myself draining my phone battery. No, I am not going to share my wrapper-art. Sorry.

We had a quick go on the PS4s on the way out of Laser Raiders and then decided to be a bit more intentional about where we wanted to go next. The queue for Laser Raiders had taken an hour or so and it was 13:30 already so we were slightly running out of time before we’d even really got started.

We decided to go to Mythica, stopping briefly at the loos in Heartlake City on the way. There Eva remembered how much she’d enjoyed the Hydra’s Challenge last year. It was another long queue, so we sat down for a few minutes to have some crisps before joining it.

I decided to let Reuben drive the boat again, slightly against my better judgement. At least I wasn’t feeling as seasick as I was last time we went on this ride but still, I was slightly dizzy afterwards. The announcement said we’d be battling Duo the Hydra, which made us think that this is what happened when you didn’t complete your Duolingo….Duo evolves from an angry green owl into an absolutely furious, two-headed abomination.

Quick, stop whatever you’re doing and complete a sentence about potatoes. You have many of them but you don’t have a cupboard.

Anyway, Hydra’s Challenge is fun but if you’re at the back you’ll get a rougher ride and act as human shield for the blasts of water. It’d be good when it’s hot out but it just so happened that we went on it during one of the only slightly chilly spots of the whole day and I packed waterproofs for the kids but not for me. Ah well, I dried out and warmed up eventually.

As is tradition by now, Nathan took Eva on the Fairytale Brook while Roo and I went on the helicopters. None of us want a repeat of the 2018 incident. But we darn near had a 2024 incident as our helicopter got stranded at the top of the pole and wouldn’t come back down. Much as Roo kept pushing the “down” lever it was not going down and we were pretty high up. When we did go down a bit, it was when a distinct “clunk” and then no more movement.

Nathan and Eva had reappeared after their trip on HorrorBrook so I tried to signal to them that we might be in a little bit of trouble. They didn’t necessarily pick up on my signals and just kept waving cheerily back at us and taking photos. Eventually, I tried turning the helicopter to the left and that got us past the sticking point and back to the ground. Who knew that the Duplo Airport was just as Xtreme as its watery neighbour?

Again, I was feeling a bit motion sick after all that so as we passed the Haunted House Monster Party I mentioned that I was glad Eva didn’t want to go on it because it was the last thing I felt like doing right that moment. Then Reuben clocked that there was no queue at all and Eva suddenly decided that she did want to go on. So I found myself in a disorientating spinning room with a very tight lap bar. The motion sickness remedy that absolutely no one recommends. There was a fair bit of faffing from the staff at the start as well, because the ride wasn’t full and they kept counting spaces and counting again like they couldn’t believe it. I mean we could barely believe it either, as last time we’d queued for an hour. But it did break the spooky atmosphere somewhat to have quite so much fussing. The ride itself was fun and I still can’t quite figure out how they do it. I’m just glad that Eva wasn’t screaming in my ear this time.

I’d promised Eva that we could visit The Hungry Troll at some point, which was a chip shop in Mythica. I don’t normally stop for any meals between Harvester and Heston but it was her birthday and she wanted chips so who am I to deny her?

Turns out I couldn’t deny her but the eponymous troll could. The chip shop had closed already and the statue of the troll with his handfuls of chips was just…well, trolling us really. So we checked the app and set off in search of treasure at Pirate Shores.

Bounty successfully plundered! And despite all my meal-avoiding at Legoland over the years, it seems that buying chips is not actually going to bankrupt us. In fact, they’re cheaper than Five Guys but the portions aren’t nearly as generous. Still, salty fries are one of my recommended motion sickness cures and they worked a treat. So much that I was ready for a rollercoaster, albeit a very tame one.

Oh yeah, Dragon’s Apprentice. That’s about our level. Reuben used the in-queue Lego to leave what is fast becoming “his tag”:

It was gone 5pm by this point but the park didn’t close till 6 so we thought we could squeeze one more ride in. Looking at the app, Hydra’s Challenge only had a five minute queue so guess where the birthday girl wanted to return to? Yes, that’s right – with the weather rapidly cooling down and the sun going in, it was time for the birthday girl’s mother to get soaked for a second time.

I’ll leave you with that thought. Happy family days out…!

 

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“Paws on the Wharf” – 06/04/24

Posted on April 8, 2024 by katese11

So this might be an unusual post for me because I’ve got lots of pictures and not too much to say whereas I normally rabbit on for pages about complete nonsense. This time though, the story is simple – we went to Canary Wharf, we found some fake dogs, we petted some fake dogs. What more is there to say? You wanna get a load of the fake good boys and girls dontcha?

Wish granted! We only got round two of the areas on the “Paws on the Wharf” trail as they’re quite spread out but we picked up all the ones in Jubilee Park and outside the Elizabeth Line tube. At one point, we found a roof garden on top of the Elizabeth Line station, where the map had said they would be two doggos. We never found them but it was a pleasant spot to hang out in for a bit anyway:

And on the way, we also found this wall of mirrors outside the “Illusionaries” exhibition:

There is a lot of public art around the Wharf   – permanent pieces as well as the dogs. Like this giant shiny teardrop:

And this water feature which might be mistaken for a bench if you weren’t looking:

I always think of Canary Wharf as being a slightly soulless, very shiny wind tunnel but there are pockets of green pleasantness – I mentioned Jubilee Park earlier as home to four of the dogs but it’s also a nice place to just wander through and – if you’re Eva – channel Fraulein Maria at the horse fountain. I didn’t get a picture of her water-flicking but here’s the fountain in question:

Jubilee Park also has a shopping centre right next to it, with toilets, a Pret and a Five Guys….all very handy although we tried to get out through the back door and couldn’t so nearly had to live off Pret and Five Guys for the rest of our lives. I don’t think we’d notice a difference tbh.

We did eventually escape back into the fresh air and even had time to pick up bubble tea for Eva from T4 and an armful of random stuff from Flying Tiger (picture frame, pretzels, fake tictacs, ivy-string lights). And don’t worry if this is all sounding a bit too bohemian. There are still plenty of shiny buildings around the place:

See, wasn’t that snappy by my standards? Don’t worry – normal service will soon be resumed…

“Paws on the Wharf” is on until 17th May. For more info, click here.

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“Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank: Romeo and Juliet” at The Globe – 03/04/24

Posted on April 4, 2024 by katese11

A scene from Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare @ Shakespeare’s Globe. Directed by Lucy Cuthbertson.
©Tristram Kenton 02-24

It’s funny – when someone mentions a modern-day adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet”, a  lot of people my age will automatically think of the 1996 Baz Luhrmann version. I even saw it mentioned on Facebook just the other day. But it’s depressing to think that 1996 was almost 30 years ago and even that film probably looks dated to today’s teens. So it’s time to reboot the reboot and that’s where this gritty, urban production comes in. The language is (nearly) all Shakespeare’s own but the setting is bang up to date and set in a world that will be sadly familiar to many watching – that of teen-on-teen violence and floral tributes piled up on street corners, decorated with teddy bears and blown-up versions of the victim’s profile pic.

The production notes for this said it was aimed at 13+ kids so I decided to take Reuben with me instead of Eva for this one. He’s studying GCSE Drama so any theatrical input he can get is valuable and he’d never been to the Globe before, unlike Eva who was there exactly a year ago. We had a small diversion to Canary Wharf along the way but timed it perfectly so not only could we swing by Leon for waffle fries and nuggets but we could also bump into the friend who we always seem to see at these kinds of things.

Just a note to say that evening performances do get a little chilly in the open air, even though we were in the sheltered bit. I had packed an extra jumper and was grateful for it by the end. The cushions for the wooden benches are also much appreciated. The show is abridged, so a 90 minute running time but even so, that might feel a long time if it weren’t for the cushions.

©Tristram Kenton 02-24

So, we all know how Romeo and Juliet starts, don’t we? Two households both alike in dignity etc….it’s essentially a synopsis of the whole play spoken from (presumably) a narrator who has seen the ending. What this production quite cleverly did was to frame it as a vigil for the young people lost during the course of the play. Ladies Capulet and Montague held up those larger-than-life size profile pictures while spitting out those classic lines with something approaching bitterness. It put a new spin on something that’s been seen so many times before. And the cyclist doing wheelies in the middle of the audience was entertaining but also set the scene….this was going to be about how real teenagers act and the impetuous things they do. A bike can be used as a weapon when it’s trapping a victim in place and the tricks weren’t just impressive – they were ominous too. The character is listed in the programme as “Fate” and he appears every time a significant moment is about to happen, like a harbinger of doom but in a hoody. It’s unsettling but effective.

©Tristram Kenton 02-24

Right from the first scene, the violence feels real and dangerous. The police have to break up the fight and it’s down to the Prince to implore all concerned to “Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground” – a slogan that adorns the lecturn in almost an electioneering style. Safe to say it falls on pretty deaf ears – if it didn’t, there wouldn’t be much of a story really.

As it’s abridged, there are chunks of dialogue cut out – the characters still bite their thumbs at each other but don’t talk at length about it – and the plot moves on rapidly. Via the medium of phone-snatching, the Montague gang gain their invite to the Capulet party and Romeo evens finds a gold tracksuit for the occasion. The most stylish character is, of course, Mercutio (Ashley Byam) who matches his “dancing shoes with nimble soles” with a pretty groovy gold shirt. In fact, everyone in the party scene is in gold which makes for some spectacular visuals when they’re dancing.

It’s always interesting to see how the Capulets and the Montagues are differentiated from each other, especially when they’re dressed to match. I noticed that Capulet and the Nurse both had Welsh accents and Tybalt had a Scottish accent – I don’t know whether that was deliberate casting to contrast with the London accents of the Montagues or whether it was just coincidental.

If you’ve noticed I’ve skimmed over Juliet’s introduction don’t worry. I’ll tell you about her now. Juliet is a really tricky character to get right as she’s so very young but has to do all the heavy lifting of the plot and much of the verse. So it needs experience but also naivety, which is a difficult balance to pull off. Looking at her acting CV, I’d say that Felixe Forde was a little older than 14 but she does a great job of portraying a young teenager, with all the flippancy and impulsivity that has the character dancing one minute and committing to a lifelong relationship the next. I mean, that lifetime is only another few days but she’s not to know that. She has the teenage attitude and speech patterns but is confident and fluent with Shakespeare’s words. She’s well matched with Hayden Mampasi, who plays Romeo as wide eyed and optimistic almost right to the end. They are a very convincing couple, with good energy and a balance between the tragic and the flippant – just look at them taking selfies in bed when Tybalt’s blood is probably still under Romeo’s fingernails:

©Tristram Kenton 02-24

Speaking of Tybalt, his was another character that felt convincingly teenage with all the anger and damaged pride that comes with your enemies seeming to mock you. Played by Liam King, Tybalt is aggressive and reactive and is beaten into submission by Capulet (Gethin Alderman) to stop him ruining the party. Capulet is certainly played a lot harder in this scene than in other productions I’ve watched – there’s always a suggestion that he’s abusive towards Juliet (forced marriage when she’s still grieving, anyone?) but in this version he’s also abusive towards not only Tybalt but also his wife. The whole family seems to walk on eggshells around him and it’s not surprising that Tybalt then takes his own anger out on Mercutio.

The fight between the two of them is my favourite scene  – isn’t it everyone’s favourite scene? – and it’s well executed with plenty of realistic-looking stage blood. I think this might be where the 13+ rating comes in. Mercutio is cocky right up to the point of being stabbed and even afterwards while Tybalt and his friends are cold-blooded and furious. It is almost too realistic and can be challenging to watch, knowing that it’s being played out on a regular basis not far from here. But it’s an important message and a good illustration of how destructive and wasteful knife crime can be. The only thing that jarred slightly for me is that all the teens still seemed to come from quite privileged families and the reality is that it’s often poverty that forces young people into gang warfare. But there’s no real good way to change that without hugely altering the text so I can understand why it had to be that way.

©Tristram Kenton 02-24

There were a few alterations, like several characters being played by women (Benvolio, the Prince and the Friar). That worked fine for me though as those characters represent the voices of reason in the midst of all the male aggression so it makes total sense for them to be female. I think a few lines were tweaked to accommodate these changes but it was fairly seamless. Roo and I debated the role of the Friar on the walk home because they really make some poor decisions towards the end but they are certainly well-meaning to start with and not the last person to make a crazy decision in the hope of bringing about peace.

While we’re talking about deviations from the script, it would be remiss of me not to mention the hallucinatory sequence while Juliet is taking the draught of living death. I won’t say too much in case of spoilers but if you ever wondered how you’d add a hen party vibe to this scene, there’s no need to wonder any more….it was an interesting addition and in a play that’s so well known anything fresh is to be welcomed. Definitely a touch surreal though.

So definitely a 21st century take on a classic and some purists might find it uncomfortable in parts but I’d encourage you all to go with an open mind. This is a teenage story and it only makes sense through a crazy hormonal filter, which is definitely evident in both the romance and the violence. It’s relatable for teens and young adults and would make a great first Shakespeare for anyone who finds it hard to connect to the more traditional versions. It’s only on for another ten days so be quick though. Booking details are at the bottom.

On the way home, we walked over the wobbly bridge as is fast becoming traditional post-Globe. You just can’t beat these night-time views:

What you can beat is a signal failure at Hackney Downs, which meant no trains home and an interesting diversion on the Stansted Express via Stratford to Tottenham Hale and then a bus home from Walthamstow. What with that and the Canary Wharf trip, my Google Maps timeline for yesterday looked like a toddler had been let loose with a sharpie on my phone. Happily though, we bumped into a friend at Liverpool Street so had company for the crazy adventure. But if you’re wondering why this review is both late and a little vague, that probably explains it. I’m a bit tired. It was a great night out though.

“Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank: Romeo and Juliet” is on at the Globe until 13th April. For tickets and more info, click here.

Disclaimer: I received free tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions remain honest and my own. 

©Tristram Kenton 02-24

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The LWAT Guide to “The LWAT Guide to Completing the London Metro Memory Game…Kinda”

Posted on March 17, 2024 by katese11

So on Friday night I took an unwanted diversion on the Central Line and stood outside Leytonstone tube for 35 minutes waiting for a bus. Instead of relaxing when I got in and never thinking about the tube again, I instead spent an hour twenty recording the video above, which includes all of what I laughingly call “hacks”. Most of them just involve spending a lot of time on the tube but seeing as I’ve documented some of my wildest tube wanderings, I thought I’d link to them here so if anything in the video sounds in any way intriguing, you can see what me and the kids got up to in West London on that day in 2015. Aren’t you lucky?

I realise as I’ve gone through this that I’ve excluded most of the Zone 1 stations from the links. I guess that’s because they’re the kind of places that loads of bloggers visit so not much to boast about. Whereas making it to Amersham or Roding Valley is a bit more interesting. Still, I’ve included some which have sentimental value…like Coram’s Fields or the Science Museum.

So timestamps for the visits I mention start with the Central line I think as I rattle/warble through the Bakerloo pretty quickly. Here you go:

6:40 Holland Park

11:11 Debden

11:33 Epping

11:54 Roding Valley/Buckhurst Hill

12:48 Fairlop

13:00 Barkingside

14:35 Latimer Road

16:24 Barbican

18:59 South Kensington/Gloucester Road

20:21 Richmond Park

20:24 Kew Garden

30:05 Canary Wharf

30:34 North Greenwich

30:50 Canning Town

32:15 Amersham

34:10 Pinner

36:01 Ruislip

36:24 Battersea Power Station

36:38 Morden

36:45 South Wimbledon

37:32 Clapham Common

44:28 Cockfosters

44:33 Southgate

46:42 Finsbury Park

47:21 Russell Square

53:20 Highbury and Islington

53:40 Pimlico

53:54 Brixton

55:08 Westferry

56:00 Mudchute

56:29 Greenwich

59:16 Beckton

1:00:06 Woolwich

1:00:59 Custom House

1:08:38 Gospel Oak

1:08:59 Peckham Rye

1:11:32 Crystal Palace

1:11:46 Forest Hill

1:15:08 Chingford

1:15:16 Highams Park

1:15:49 Maryland

1:18:58 Hanwell

There are many, many other tube stops mentioned on the blog but hopefully that’d given you some context for all this station-memorising. And as I say repeatedly in the video, the best way to learn these places is just to get out on the tube a LOT. There’s plenty to see…so happy adventuring!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“Love From Carmen” at Chickenshed – 07/03/24

Posted on March 7, 2024 by katese11

First things first – happy birthday to Chickenshed! 50 years is an incredible time to be in operation in the arts world and especially so when you’re sticking unwaveringly to your principles of inclusivity and diversity. A quick glance at the interactive timeline in the cafe area shows the sheer amount of love there is for the ‘Shed. And deservedly so.

So congratulations from LWAT and let’s hope that Eva at least is still around to celebrate your centenary. i’m not promising to be there myself.

For such a landmark, you need a spectacular show and “Love From Carmen” was certainly spectacular. It was ambitious – the first time I’ve seen a Chickenshed production almost without any spoken dialogue. There was a lot of rapping and singing but it was operatic in that everything was set to music, often at a frantic pace befitting the urgency and desperation of Carmen’s situation.

I wasn’t overly familiar with the story of Carmen tho I knew the main musical themes from my “keyboard classics” songbook of the 90s. So I could have hummed you “Habanera” or “Toreador Song” before tonight but I couldn’t have told you the context. So I had no idea how faithful to the story this production was but having read the synopsis now, it does seem quite a faithful retelling. And the music is treated with respect as well. At times, I felt like I could have been watching the original opera albeit with updated lyrics. Other times it was a much grittier vibe, with lyrics being spat out by the narrators with that urgency I mentioned earlier. I wasn’t sure how rap would blend with the classical music but it works remarkably well. Transplanting the story into a refugee camp not only made it topical but also gave it that sense of edge and danger that complemented the rap. Being a choir girl, my favourite moments were probably when the whole cast were singing in harmony but I liked the contrast between that and the more dissonant bits.

The lynchpin of the whole story and this show is, of course, Carmen herself and Bethany Hamlin was perfectly cast with just the right amounts of rebellion and romance. I mentioned Bethany in my last review for  – I believe – making us care about a singing alligator and she shines again here. Not only can she sing but she can also rap, dance, act and perform ariel gymnastics.

Oh yes, the ariel work was amazing. Even before the show started, there was a performer doing hoop and silks work and Eva was just gawping. She leant over to me and said “if this was the entire show, I’d be quite happy”. The hoops appeared a number of times during the show and it was impressive every time. It really adds authenticity to the circus setting and I know from Holly’s hooping that it’s blimming hard work. So if these performers learnt these skills just for this show, they did amazingly well.

Michael Bossisse took the other lead role – the narcissistic Escamillo – and he pulled it off well with mostly arrogance but occasional vulnerability. And some of his own circus skills as well. I think I’ve seen him in a lot of Chickenshed productions and he’s always an assured actor. Here, he worked well with Bethany, creating some tangible chemistry but also letting her take centre stage. The other two leads were Cerys Lambert as Micaela and Will Laurence as Don Jose. In some ways, they had less to work with characterwise – Micaela certainly doesn’t seem to get much of her own back story except being a childhood sweetheart of Don Jose. It’s never explained why she wants to be a soldier’s wife – which I believe is also blimming hard work. But Cerys Lambert makes the character sympathetic and her singing voice is perfect, with just the right amount of fragility. When she and Carmen duet on one of the versions of “Habanera” it’s magic – their voices go so well together.

Copyright Chickenshed

Will Laurence really comes into his own in the second act. While Don Jose doesn’t have much to him apart from “soldier” at first, he becomes a lot more interesting once he’s spiralling into a jealous rage. Will portrays that well, taking us with him on the journey from good solder to potential murderer. I also loved the performance of his boss – Jonny Morton oozing evil as the sinister General X.

Copyright Chickenshed

If this all sounds very intense and emotional then let me tell you – it was. This is rated age 11 plus and it really is a more mature side of Chickenshed. There is violence at the end and some language that you probably wouldn’t want your toddler learning. I don’t think Eva would have coped well with this a few years ago but she’s nearly 12 now and she loved it. It reminded me of “West Side Story” at times, with the aggression between the two groups  – the soldiers and the circus people – and it had that same intensity. This story needs passion because it would be flat without it but trust me, this production had passion and danger in spades.

At the same time, there is still lightness and fun sprinkled throughout, with plenty of the trademark Chickenshed high-energy dances where you don’t know where to look because so much is going on. There is still a mixed-ability ensemble who work flawlessly together to create the crowd scenes and there is joyfulness. But this is opera – of course it’s going to end with tragedy. Which is another reason why it reminded me of “West Side Story”. There is an inevitability as soon as Carmen draws the death card that things are going to spiral. The violent scene that is mentioned in the trigger warning is very effectively done and jangled my nerves almost as much as “Stranger Things” did last week. And, as per that same trigger warning, there was nothing graphic in it.

Copyright Chickenshed

I have two special mentions  – one  for the quartet who sang two songs in the second half in beautiful harmony – I think they were “Midnight Song” and “Early Morning Song”. In the midst of all the intensity, those were two very peaceful moments which provided some relief and contrast. The second special mention is for the trio of rappers who acted as narrators throughout. All the rapping in this was right on point but they especially had some heavy lifting to do and were always bang on cue. Nothing about this score could have been easy to master  – fusing rap with Bizet is challenging – but these three made it look effortless.

So a show that’s visually pleasing, musically eclectic and emotionally draining – this is an awesome achievement for Chickenshed’s half century. Do heed the age rating as it is a powerful piece and we wouldn’t want any sobbing three year-olds on the way home. But it’s perfect for your music-loving tweens and teens. Oh, and try the mango and lime ice cream during the interval. It is incredible.

“Love from Carmen” runs until 23rd March. For tickets and more info, click here.

Disclaimer: I received free tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions remain honest and my own. 

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