Theatre trips

I’ve been to theatre twice in the last ten days.

I went to see Chicago last week. Husband and I saw it years ago in London even though musicals aren’t really our thing. (I think he only went to see the London show because of fishnet stockings and Denise Van Outen’s legs. They were damn fine legs.) Anyway, it’s a great show, fabulous dancing and really funny with it (“He ran into my knife! He ran into my knife… ten times.”)

Then last night I went to see a production of Vagina Monologues. I’d seen this in London too, though not with Husband who simply isn’t brave enough for it. A lot of the first half is funny and the second half is harder hitting; in my opinion it requires experienced actresses (and/or directors) to draw the comedy out. Timing has to be spot on. I think it was the first night but they were plagued with technical problems, mics not working and so on. Interestingly it was part in Thai (with English subtitles) and part in English (with Thai subtitles.) Brave, I thought, but I’m not sure it worked. (Although one of the best monologues was a Thai woman doing the piece about Japanese comfort women in WWII. I was reading the subtitles and half watching her and despite only picking up odd words of Thai, she was bloody marvellous; really harrowing.)

But, the audiences in both shows, though, were shockingly behaved: talking, chatting, using mobile phones, leaving the auditorium mid act, and last night, opening a bottle of champagne!

I tell you, it brings out the ogre in me. It does, it makes me FURIOUS. I think I’m going to have to make a concerted effort to get my theatre fix when I come back to the UK in future.

Today

I had to whizz in to White Sands Beach today to buy some more milk. The fear of running out of PG Tips is one thing, but having to drink Lipton’s Tea made with powdered milk is a horrifying prospect.

The resort runs a courtesy bus service three times a day. Normally they expect you to be two and a half hours in White Sands, but trust me, I love Koh Chang – this is my fourth time here – but two and a half minutes is enough in White Sands … Sorry. So I had to purchase milk, Paracetamol and enough DVDs to last my stay all in about 15 minutes.

Last night’s movie, Where the Truth Lies, was ghastly beyond belief. Nothing redeeming about it, tragically, not even Colin Firth. Soooo, I had to buy something else to watch, cabbage brained as I am after 1000 words of writing. I’m rather pleased with my mixture of films:

The Good German with George Clooney, Cate Blanchett and Toby Maguire. I know something about this … it’s based on book … I’ve heard it’s good.

Chicago with Catherine Zeta Jones, Renee Zellwegger and Richard Gere. I’ve never seen it. Husband would rather poke his eyes out that watch it with me – although oddly he was prepared to see the stage show… all those long legs in fishnet tights, maybe?

Million Dollar Baby with Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman. Love Morgan Freeman … never seen it, seeing as it’s about boxing, but I’m told to forget that and watch it because it’s good.

Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo ‘DiCraprio’ and Claire Danes. Never seen it, but I love the play; Son’s been watching it at school and we’ve been discussing the relative merits of setting Shakespeare in the modern day. Son has been ‘biting his thumb’ at his sister, since watching the movie.

Love Actually, with both You Know Whos: Just another chance of watching the divine Hugh wiggling his hips; as well as fancying Colin Firth myself in the Colin Firth role where he’s writing in beautiful solitude somewhere … I can’t remember (Portugal?). Hopefully my papers won’t all blow away into the water. (Note to self: back up all your words!)

Shall We Dance? With Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon. Never seen in, but total mush for the brain that Husband won’t watch unless I blackmail or bribe him. Love Richard Gere in Pretty Woman – clearly I’m loving emotionally constipated men who break out with the help of a sexy woman.

The Wedding Date with Debra Messing and Dermot Mulroney. I thought this was a wildcard, but Husband’s just told me on the phone that we’ve seen this. Whoops, not a good sign, but I’ll probably watch it again, seeing as it’s proper mush.

Note to Husband following phone conversation: We don’t watch movies together at home, not, because as you said ‘you’re always writing and want to go to bed early…’ but because I want to watch things like the above, and you want to watch ‘guns, aliens, save the world’ films. We have no Venn Diagram.

Words written today: 1,012