Something For The Weekend

On The Third Day...

Even in the West End, it's rare that the opening of a play attracts television camera crews and photographers en masse, but on the opening night of Kate Betts' new play there was a sense of chaotic productivity in the flutter of flashbulbs and reckless swoop of boom-mikes outside the New Ambassador's Theatre. The commotion was created, of course, by that highly fertile media-machine, reality TV; Kate Betts is the winning playwright from Channel Four's recent series "The Play's the Thing". The concept of the programme, for those who didn't catch it, was to search out a brand new play, from an unpublished writer, and follow its development from submission to staging - the end product of which is the much-discussed "On the Third Day".

What's it like?
It's an absorbing journey into the emotional anguish of an estranged family. It's stark, other-worldly, often clever and, judging by the sniffles from the people sitting next to me, very moving.

What's it about?
Very near the beginning of the play there is a sweetly comic rendezvous between the female lead, Claire, and a man she's invited back from a bar and is trying, rather awkwardly, to seduce. The scene is lighthearted and filled will very natural and well-observed dialogue. It's a beginning that belies the emotional depths soon to be dredged - the disturbing subject matters of incestual confusion, bereavement and self-harm are met head on in this production with an unflinching eye.

Who's in it?
Maxine Peake - impressive performance as the vulnerable and neurotic Claire.
Paul Hilton - fantastically natural, believeable and magnetically engaging as Mike/Jesus.
Tom McKay, as Claire's brother, Rob.

Who'd enjoy it?
On the Third Day is not for the feint hearted, there are weighty and potentially distressing issues which are blown wide open. If you enjoy a deeply emotional drama, rich in symbolism with some heroic acting performances this could well be your bag.

Book tickets to the exclusive On The Third Day Q & A night, July 20th - just £10

Sara Sha'ath

And the winner is...

Last week we asked you all to tell us why you think you deserved to win our 'Perfect day out in London' competition - a trip down the Thames on a speedboat and dinner for two in a top restaurant.

We had so many brilliant entries but sadly there could only be one winner. We chose Aysha Tupman. Here's what she said...

"Bitten by the travel bug, I went to New Zealand to try a life of farming, surfing, and relaxing.

Four months in, and my heart ached for my wonderful home city - and mostly for my wonderful boyfriend who I'd left behind.  As each day passed I realised more and more how fantastic London is and how much I missed it. The people, the mix of cultures, the mix of the old and the new architecture, the hidden streets and forgotten gems. The smells of foods, the feel of old stone, the art, the theatre, the grafitti. The variation of menus, of cocktails, of themed bars, of warehouse parties.

Now I am back with my two loves - my city and my boy - and want to make the most of every last minute I have here. I'd love to treat him to a romantic day on the river in style,  to remind us both of why I came back - to be with him in London."

Aaaaaaaw, doesn't that melt your little hearts? (sniff)  Congrats Aysha, you'll have to tell us all about it!

Festival fever down South

It's an age old debate - what part of London is the best? The North of the Thames or the South?

Well, it looks like the South dwellers come out on top this week.  If you happen to live in Streatham you're in luck... the Streatham Festival kicks off on Thursday the 6th of June and carries on until Sunday the 16th. 

If Big Brother and noshing on Pot Noodles is all you've got planned for the weekend then shame on you. Get off the sofa, get out of the house and get your butt down to Streatham.

There's something for everyone. Last year, thousands of people took up the opportunity to participate in a huge variety of events including music, dance, art, poetry, film, theatre, walks, talks, open days, sports and comedy. This year there'll be more culture than you'll know what to do with - the hardest part is deciding what you want to see.

There's a BBQ garden party for the over 50's, parades, jazz extravaganzas, Brazilian festivities, inspirational talks, street dance, soulful summer grooves, heritage walks Shakespeare and even a film festival.  Phew - I need a lie down just talking about it all.

Our little lastminute.com air-wave addict Katie, will even host a radio show highlighting the events. Post your song requests and shout outs in the comments section at the bottom of this post.

For more info and a full list of events, check out the official website

Mug shots with a difference

Some people have all the talent... you know the type: beauty, brains and a barrel of talent.

Rebecca Grant is one of the world's gifted people (if she wasn't so damn nice we'd hate her for it).  You might remember her from the West End play 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' where she starred across from Hollywood 'hunk' Christian Slater and Alex Kingston (ER).  It turns out that Miss Grant can not only act, she does a pretty good job on a blank canvas too.

While most of us struggle to compose a smiley face, Rebecca whipped up a series of portraits for the cast members of the play and is planning to sell them to raise money for Asthma UK. There are 20 sketches in total, 5 separate drawings and a batch sale of 20 portraits. We'll be auctioning them on lastminute.com so watch this space for details of the auction and information on how you can bid.

Who knows, Rebecca could be the next 'Monet'; they say art investing is the next big thing and rumour has it that you'll have to get in quick before Christian buys them all...

See How They Run

What’s it like?
Philip King’s classic British comedy went away for 22 years and came back more stupid than ever. Well, stupid in quite a good way, as in it’s funny. Remember when your dad used to howl at Some Mothers Do ‘Ave Em, and you never quite understood what the fuss was all about? Why did he do all that stupid stuff? This is a bit like that, only now you’re all grown up you can actually appreciate the complete pointlessness of the actions that lead these characters into despair.

What’s it about?
Set in 1942 the play follows the residents of idyllic English village Merton-cum-Middlewick as they await the imminent German invasion. Don’t worry, it doesn’t go all depressing and war-time on you, in fact, the only thing German about the whole thing is a strange escaped prisoner with a dodgy accent who comes in to spice things up even more. There’s a nosy old neighbour who gets sloshed and falls over a lot, a dressing-gown clad bishop who spends the entire play asking what’s going on, a wayward ex-actress and her ‘friend from the stage’, plus a lot of vicars.  As uniforms are lost, invisible scotch is sipped, cupboards are closed containing semi naked parish people and someone strange lurks menacingly in the garden, you can’t help but wonder what else can possibly go wrong. And then, naturally, it does.

Who’s in it?
No one particularly famous, although the cast is probably better for it.  This is British farcical comedy at its best and needs no big names to reel us in.  Natalie Grady’s caricature-like maid, Ida is funny to watch, and Julie Legrand’s Mrs Skillon’s descent from stiff-upper-lipped nosy neighbour to inebriated, word slurring cupboard dweller is slapstick comedy at its most entertaining.

What should I look for?
The dog, Digby. Blink and you’ll miss him.

Verdict
Well you can’t get much sillier for a night out in London, really, except for maybe Avenue Q, but that’s a whole different league entirely. See How They Run is that show you’d see to remind yourself how 'very British' we used to be, and still probably are in the eyes of people who don’t know how much our country has changed, even since the 40’s. It’s bursting with stereotypes - the tea drinking, the snooty maid, the eccentric vicar, the vain soldier, the arrogant German… but it manages to pull it off simply because it’s set in a time that’s well and truly gone by.  The comic timing is impeccable, the detailed set of the house is inviting and the characters, stupid, exaggerated and old fashioned as they are will have you laughing like your dad over Frank Spencer. Ooooh, Betty!

Book tickets for SEE HOW THEY RUN from just £10