My new Dr Gonzo Tattoo by Guy Neutron

My new tattoo is a Dr Gonzo illustration by Ralph Steadman from the book 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' by Hunter S. Thomson. My tattoo was by the super talented Guy Neutron at Love Hate Social Club in Notting Hill. Love Hate opened in 2012 and is owed by Ami James of Miami Ink fame and Huey Morgan of the Fun Loving Criminals. With a great atmosphere and the world's best tattoo artists either residing or doing guest spots Love Hate is the hottest new tattoo shop in London and I cannot rate it highly enough. I have waited 8 years to get my tattoo done and it exceeded all my expectations. I cannot praise Guy enough! And I think the proof is in his work. My tattoo is stunning! Guy - I salute you!

'We Will Rock You' - A West End love letter to the music that shaped our lives

‘We Will Rock You’, the now infamous rock musical written by Ben Elton and set to the soundtrack of Queen, is now entering its 11^th year in the West End. This is a big achievement, and there is a reason why this show has staying power.

‘We Will Rock You’ is set in the future where our lives are lived online and all music is electronically made. A small group of ‘Bohemians’ are trying to find ‘The Dreamer’, the one who dreams in lyrics and sound. ‘The Dreamer’ who will bring back real music to the world. But their quest is blighted by the ‘Killer Queen’ and Commander Khashoggi , who are on a mission to ensure musical instruments remain forbidden.

Unlike some other jukebox musical ‘We Will Rock You’ has a story that is strong enough to stand up to the legendary sounds of Queen. It also brings an exciting concert vibe into the West End.

‘We Will Rock You’ is a love letter to the music that shaped our lives, narrated by Queen tracks. The show had incredible foresight when it was created all those years ago into how the digital sphere would impact on our lives. Listening to the charts these days you will hear a lot of electronically produced music and some may say the artistry of making music is losing its prominence. ‘WWRY’ ignites the audience with a passion for ‘real’ music and is a reminder of not only how Queen are one of the best bands to have come out of the UK, but also the power of music as a whole.

The stage looks dystopian, depressing and sparse. It gives a great sense of the mundanely of life lived without live music and without connection to other people. The costumes are incredible and really show off the characters personalities. The costumes also create  some hilarious surprises!

There are impressive uses of the set which allow the audience to get up close and personal with the action with one particularly wowing moment that will stay with audiences long after they leave. ‘WWRY’ also stays totally current with all of the references in the show being occasionally updated making the show totally relevant to the audiences. Plus it means if you visit the show more than once chances are you may have new jokes and references which keeps the script fresh.

The cast are really wonderful and a mention must go to the incredible live band. There are some awesome singers that leave the hair on the back of your neck standing up! Oliver Tompsett (Galileo), Rachel John (Meatloaf) and Brenda Edwards (Killer Queen) gives outstanding performances. One stand out moment in the show is ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’ which gave me goosebumps.

‘WWRY’ is not just a celebration of Queen but of all the great musicians which really makes the show so much more powerful. There is a beautiful moment where the cast list a name of musicians that changed music who are no longer with us before ‘Only The Good Die Young’ is performed. It is such a touching moment and a beautiful tribute. ‘WWRY’ highlights the power of music and the deep connection people feel to it.

Once the big Queen hits start coming there is an incredible atmosphere in the theatre. By the end of the show everyone is one their feet singing and dancing along. Queen were a band that changed music and are loved globally. ‘We Will Rock You’ celebrates this.

 For all the music lovers out there ‘We Will Rock You’ is rockin’ out at the Dominion Theatre. 

Viva Forever! - Sure To Go Down In Theatre History (For All The Wrong Reasons)

Regardless of critics opinions there is no doubt Viva Forever! is one of the most talked about theatre shows in recent years.

The story revolves around Viva, a young singer in a girl group who appear on the talent show Starmaker. After getting through to the live shows the band is torn apart as the judges suggest Viva goes solo. The story follows Viva through the world of TV talent shows where every trick in the book is tried to win more votes, for the judges of course. With little regard for Viva she quickly becomes disillusioned and wonders whether this is what she wants. What she really, really wants.

Although this is known as a Spice Girls musical the story is not the story of their rise to fame. In fact there is very little Spice in the show. There are only a handful of Spice Girls songs , most of the songs are original. But when the Spice Girls hits such as Spice Up Your Life and Wannabe are performed it is a great moment where all the audience join in singing and dancing along to the original routines. There are two moments in the show that feature Spice Girl medleys and these are certainly the highlight.

There were also some moments of humour where Spice Girls songs are a backdrop for comedy moments. I won’t give too much away but when an awkward scene in a hotel bedroom where ‘2 Become 1’ is played something very cringe gets turned into something very funny! Plus a brilliant use of the song ‘Too Much’ is used in relation to waxing.

Unfortunately that may be where the praise stops. The reason the Spice Girls were so popular was their message of Girl Power and sense of fun. Viva Forever! lacked both of these and is a story about failure, not success.  The concept of a Spice Girls musical is so exciting but Viva Forever! missed out on the opportunity to harness this and instead created a story which has no relation to the Spice Girls.

The story is weak and you don’t feel a huge sense of wanting the characters to succeed. In fact you feel very little towards them at all.  There is a love story thrown in but just as an after thought. The love interest doesn’t even say a word until the second half! Jennifer Saunders is one of the nation’s most loved comedic writers and performers so it is quite a shock at just how bad the story turned out.

It is not all bad though! Lucy Montgomery, who plays Suzi (a friend of Viva’s mum), is hilarious and very much pays tribute to Ad Fab.  Hatty Preston, who plays TV producer and overall media luvvy, Minty is also very funny and brings much needed laughs. In these moments it does show that at its core Viva Forever! was to be the Ab Fab of the modern age but unfortunately it fails to get there.

Overall Viva Forever! sadly does stand to receive much criticism but that is part of the fun of the show! Sometimes pop culture that is so bad becomes something so well remembered. And Viva Forever! may be the latest member to this club.

Viva Forever closes on 29^th June 2013 so make sure you get your tickets before it is too late! Do not miss the opportunity to be able to say ‘I saw that’ in years to come when people are still speaking about the show.

Viva Forever! is playing at the Piccadilly Theatre. 

Burn The Floor Review - A Showcase of the Best of Partnered Dance

‘Burn the Floor’ returns once again to the London stage. Showcasing the best in partnered dance ‘Burn the Floor’ features hot choreography, even hotter dancers and legs that move so fast it is a wonder that the floor doesn’t set alight!

To open the show the cast descend through the crowd dancing their way to the stage. What a way to open! ‘Burn the Floor’ takes a while to hit its stride but once it does there is no stopping it. Whether jiving, waltzing or shaking it samba style the audience is taken on a rollercoaster ride moving between slow styles and fast, up tempo routines. Featuring some lifts and tricks that leave the audience wowed, ‘Burn the Floor’ is an energetic and modern celebration of latin and ballroom dance.

The cast, lead by Strictly favourites Robin Windsor and Kristina Rihanoff, are the crème de la crème. There are no leads in this production, every member of the cast is exceptionally talented. A special mention should be given to Giselle Peacock, a total firecracker with the fastest feet on the stage.

After a slow start the show comes to life once the whole cast take to the stage and the lights start a dance of their own. When the audience cheer and clap there is a real party atmosphere.

A rendition of ‘Proud Mary’ gained a standing ovation, a routine featuring a blindfold adds some spice and the moments of contemporary dance were a beautiful break in the frenetic performance.

‘Burn the Floor’ will be a delight for lovers of Strictly or latin and ballroom dance. Featuring no story it is a showcase of the plethora of dance style performed to the highest standard. The dancing is highlighted with popular songs, and some unexpected choices, accompanied by Peter Blewden and the brilliant Vonzell Solomon, who sparkles with her beautiful dresses and powerhouse voice.

 ‘Burn the Floor’ is playing at the Shaftburys Theatre until 1^st September 2013. Book tickets here http://www.burnthefloor.com/westend/

Wicked Review - A Magical Night Out

Believe the hype.  ‘Wicked’ is one show in the West End that everyone seems to rave about. After seeing it you will be too! ‘Wicked’ tells the story of the two witches of the Wizard of Oz and how they came to be. Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good (played by Hayley Gallivan, the understudy of Louise Dearman and Gina Beck) meet at school and throughout a whirlwind of a tale we find out just how Elphaba came to be the Wicked Witch.

 The story is genius. As a prequel it takes a totally original direction and ends up changing the way you view the Wizard of Oz whilst seamlessly joining with the original tale. Unlike other attempts at creating a backstory (such as the recent film Oz: The Great and the Powerful) there is nothing predicable in this tale.

‘Wicked’ as well as being magical is also touching. The strong themes of friendship and standing up for what you believe in that run throughout are totally relatable, a great achievement for a fantasy story. The backstory of Elphaba is very believable and will completely change your perspective of the Oz story, and in a good way. If you couldn’t believe the charming world of Oz could be improved then be prepared to be shocked. ‘Wicked’ achieves the unachievable.

As soon as you walk into the theatre you are greeted with a huge and stunning set. It truly is magical! Every part of the set moves and interacts and becomes almost an extra member of the cast.  The Apollo theatre is a perfect fit as the stage is huge and is able to accommodate the vast scale of Wicked’s production. The use of special effects is also dazzling.

Elphaba and Glinda are perfectly cast. The chemistry between Gina Beck and Hayley Gallivan was palpable and made the show ever more believable and enjoyable.  Gina Beck is hilarious as Glinda and brings so many laughs throughout.

‘Defying Gravity’ is the highlight of the show. This song performed in the West End exceeds all expectations. If you are a fan of the Glee version of the song prepared to be blown away! Hayley Gallivan is one of the best performers I have seen, her voice is outstanding and more than once did I get goosebumps. Her performance of ‘Defying Gravity’ had everyone stunned into silence, wowed and more than a few people crying, before bursting into rapturous applause.

Gina is yet another performer with a brilliant voice. In fact every member of the cast sings incredibly well. The attention to detail paid to the supporting cast is fantastic. Every little aspect has been thought about and makes ‘Wicked’ such an incredible production.

The costumes are beautiful. Once again the quality and details are of the highest degree. The costumes not only are there to dress the cast, they are there to be a part of the show.  As Elphaba moves through her journey she starts off as a dowdy teenager but through getting to know herself her appearance evolves. As the people of Oz’s opinion of her changes so does the way she looks. ‘Wicked’ is a production where every single thing you see plays a part in the story.

The songs perfectly highlight what is happening in the show. Moving between drama, laughs and emotion I haven’t stopped listening to the soundtrack since leaving.

‘Wicked’ raises the bar in theatre. Every aspect is first class and this show is what modern productions in the West End must try and live up to. It is boundless in its execution, every member of the cast is exceptional, the sets dazzling, the songs mesmerising. ’Wicked’ is the best show I have seen in the West End. It truly is spellbinding. Do not miss out!

‘Wicked’ is currently playing at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. A UK tour starts in Manchester on 14^th September 2013. Visit www.wickedthemusical.co.uk for all the information your heart may desire!

Happy International Women's Day

Today is International Women's Day. A day to celebrate women, their contribution to society, to history, to families and most importantly to raise awareness of the millions of women who still don't have a voice.

One of the most important books I have ever read is 'Half The Sky. How To Change The World' by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn.

It relates the tales of women all around the world who have overcome adversity, injustice and horrific events to positively move forward in their lives and in doing so advance women's rights and the lifestyles of other women.

It is very easy to forget when living in the UK just how much discrimination and chauvinism is still inflicted upon women throughout the world. Statistically women are the most prejudiced sector in society on a global scale. This is a shocking fact. We are incredibly lucky in the UK.

The recent story of Malala in the press has highlighted the incredible bravery of women fighting for their rights. And unfortunately we have also seen just how far there is to go, with the story of the young Indian woman gang raped, mutilated and left for dead on an Indian Bus.

But the truth is their stories are only the tip of the iceberg  At the very least women still face derogatory treatment, at the very worst they are seen as nothing more than a commodity and are inflicted with horrific torture, abuse and stigma.

'Half The Sky' tells the story of what it is really like to be a woman in the world today. But rather than be a morbid and depressing look at the conditions females live in it is an eye opener. It heightens your awareness of the struggles women face globally, but it makes you grateful for all the rights and privileges we have in the Western world. It makes you angry at the disregard and abuse women face purely because of their gender. It fires up your desire to highlight issues and find out just what can be done to enable equality for all.

But most importantly the book is a testament to the strength and courage of the women. It is inspiring, uplifting and full of hope.

'Half The Sky' also details many brilliant, small charities that help women gain independence, equality and better treatment. If you are wanting to do any fundraising but are looking for small, more obscure charities who really could use the help it is well worth checking out this book.

Just by reading the book and becoming aware of women's stories you are helping because I can guarantee you will not be able to stop yourself from telling other people! Read the book, pass it on to a friend, blog about it, spread the word. Post links to the charities, highlight the stories of injustice and fire up your fellow citizens in the fight for equality!

Happy International Women's day. A day to celebrate the beauty and strength of 50% of the global community.