Tag: trafalgar studios

New Boy, Trafalgar Studios – London and Paris preparations

thegirlinthecafe 10 Comments

New Boy

The story is a bit wobbly here and there but what great performances of especially Nicholas Hoult (from About a Boy with Hugh Grant/Skins) and Gregg Lowe. It’s refreshing to see great young actors like these, the future of British stage and theatre is looking good.

The play is both funny and serious (without ever becoming too serious) and makes for an enjoyable night out.

I can only highly recommend you to catch it, but it seems so popular that the complete run has already sold out. It’s performed in a very small (but intimate) theatre, and deserves to be extended, and maybe even moved to a bigger theatre.

I just checked my hotel booking for Paris and saw that I have booked a Superior Single room. I wonder what Superior means in this case.

And I prepared a quick Paris map. The camera icons are places I might go to snap some photos. And if you are wondering what the snow flakes are: Ice cream shops, don’t underestimate the importance of those.

And I know there is a lot of talk going on about Google Streetview, but thanks to the genius of it, I just checked out the front of my hotelยทยทยท, so I know what it looks like (and what to look for) when I arrive. I also checked how to get there from Gare Du Nord, which turns out to be easy peasy as it is right opposite the station. And there is an Italian restuarant right beside it, handy!

I think that is all the preparation I need. Now I just need to pack and catch the train Saturday morning.

Elling, Trafalgar Studios – London, review

thegirlinthecafe 5 Comments

John Simm shines as EllingHere are a 100 reasons why you have to go and see Elling:

John Simm

That’s it, that’s a 100 reasons.

Here is the story:

Mummy’s boy Elling (Simm) and his roommate, the uncouth reluctant virgin Kjell Bjarne (Bower) are the Odd Couple of Oslo: a pair of confused souls taking their first steps in the outside world after years of an isolated and institutional life. Given a flat in the city by social services, their mission is to re-assimilate themselves into society – it’s either that or a return to the asylum. All they have to do is convince their social worker that they really are ‘normal’, even if it does feel safer sleeping in a wardrobe…

It is an incredibly funny but also very touching story, and John Simm’s performance is stunning, he is one of the best actors I have ever seen on stage. It’s all in the details, the way he speaks, the way he moves, the movement of his eyebrows, he becomes Elling. It was striking to see him leave the stage after the last scene, and come back as John Simm as we know him, in order to get the audiences applause. The audience was roaring for him.

I can only very highly recommend you to see this play, it will make you laugh, it will make you nearly cry, and it will make you think about how “normal” we all are these days.

Elling runs in the Trafalgar Studios until the 6th of October 2007.

Go see it. GO SEE IT!

[rating:5/5]