Category Archives: Entertainment

This Is An Ex-Parrot!

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GIANT DEAD PARROT INSTALLED ON LONDON’S SOUTH BANK AS MONTY PYTHON RETURN FOR FINAL LIVE SHOWS

 exparrot montypython deadparrot

  • 15-metre long deceased “Norwegian Blue” unveiled to mark the screening of Monty Python live on TV channel Gold this Sunday 20th July
  • Dead Parrot Sketch voted the ‘nation’s favourite Monty Python sketch’

 

The dead parrot at the centre of the eponymous sketch performed by John Cleese and Michael Palin, first screened 45 years ago, has been recreated on a giant scale to celebrate the screening of the very last Monty Python live show on comedy TV channel Gold this Sunday, the 20th July.

The mammoth model of the ‘Norwegian Blue’ was commissioned by the comedy channel following a survey of 2000 comedy fans which named the surreal pet shop skit as the nation’s favourite Monty Python sketch of all time. The famous sketch was first broadcast on 7 December 1969 and remains a firm favourite with audiences who have been enjoying the live shows at The O2 this month.

The sculpture caused a stir amongst London commuters as it was hung upside down by a crane before being respectfully laid to rest on its back at Potters Fields on London’s South bank near Tower Bridge.

The model, which is made from fibre glass, took a team of three sculptors over two months to design, construct and paint.  The giant dead parrot measures 15 metres (almost 50 feet) from the tip of its tail to the top of its head, the equivalent to the height of five elephants standing on top of one another.

Lead sculptor Iain Prendergast says, “We are all Monty Python fans so we were delighted to receive the brief from Gold to recreate the mythical ‘Norwegian Blue’ on a giant scale. We watched both live and televised versions of the sketch and found that there have been a number of different incarnations of the parrot with a variety of different plumages.  Our sculpture provides a colourful hybrid of the dead parrots which have featured in the celebrated sketch. The key challenge for us was capturing the comedy value of the dead parrot, keeping the realism of the bird whilst also adding touches like the bloodshot, ‘stunned’ eyes.” 

The homage to the iconic Monty Python sketch will be taken to The O2 arena where fans attending the final run of live shows will be able to say their final farewell to the comedy troupe, taking pictures of the giant dead parrot and adding to the Twitter buzz using the hashtag #montypythonlive.

 

Gold will be screening the live broadcast of the final Monty Python Live (mostly): One Down Five To Go stage show on Sunday 20th July.

 

The top ten Monty Python Sketches according to 2000 Brits 

 

  1. Dead Parrot – 45%
  2. The Lumberjack Song – 28%
  3. The Ministry of Silly Walks – 23%
  4. The Spanish Inquisition – 16%
  5. Spam – 15%
  6. Four Yorkshiremen – 12%
  7. Nudge Nudge – 11%
  8. Fish slapping dance – 8%
  9. The Restaurant sketch (dirty fork) – 7%
  10. The killer joke – 6%

Just missing out on the top ten were the Silly Olympics, Hell’s Grannies and Gay Policemen (all with 6%).

 

 

Simon’s Cat Indiegogo Film Campaign Raises Over £88,000 In Under a Week

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simon's catBritish animator turns to crowdfunding to make first colour enhanced extended film

The #1 UK animation channel on YouTube with over 500,000,000 views!

 

The lovable and mischievous Simon’s Cat first appeared online in the animated film ‘Cat Man Do’, which was a viral smash-hit on YouTube in 2008. Now boasting over half a billion views and 3 million subscribers, Simon’s Cat is the #1 UK animation channel on YouTube.

 

The Simon’s Cat animation studio is looking to fund a special extended-length, colour episode, based on the chaos that erupts on the day of a veterinarian appointment. For this they have adopted the Indiegogo crowd-funding platform.

 

Simon’s Cat creator Simon Tofield explains “In the messages we receive from fans, a film about preparing for and visiting the vet is definitely the most common request. It’s a deep subject to explore, rich with the potential of loads of humour which is why we feel we’d like to make this our first broadcast length episode in colour! I am so grateful to our fans for their wonderful support!”

 

Indiegogo’s UK’s Anastasia Emmanuel says “We’re delighted and proud to have helped the Simon’s Cat team achieve their ambitions with ‘Off to the Vet’. We’ve successfully helped fund the ideas of hundreds of creators, inventors and businesses across the globe. Simon’s Cat is definitely one of the most fun and memorable campaigns we’ve ever hosted. We can’t wait to see the final film!”

 

For more information visit:

www.igg.me/at/simonscat

www.simonscat.com

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/simon-s-cat-in-off-to-the-vet

 

How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur Book Review

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The daughter of a friend of mine is in her second year at drama school. She’s good: can sing, can dance, can act – particularly in comedy. So, she has it all? Trouble is, so do so many of the rest of her year group. And so do all of those other aspiring actors in all those drama schools across the country. She’s beginning to ask how she can show she’s different, that she deserves to be remembered from one audition to the next. How she can avoid annoying someone whose off hand influence can close as well as open doors for her?

howtobeasuccessful_actor_book become How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an ActorpreneurI’m going to give her a copy of this book. It may be the single most useful thing I ever do for her. How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur by Catherine Balavage is one of those practical, down-to-earth guides which doesn’t try to hide the obstacles and difficulties of choosing an actor’s life but does give solid and sensible, practical, advice on making the best impression and avoiding the worst pitfalls. Equally valuably, Balavage makes suggestions for networking, for working with others to help each other through teamwork (e.g. helping film each other’s showreels), working for nothing except getting your name out there, remembering names, and never, never, never forgetting to say thank you – even when you don’t land the part. She is upfront about the chances of success in acting: ‘Only act if you cannot do anything else. It is the hardest and most competitive industry you can go into. Your chances of success at making a full-time living for the rest of your life are small.’ And then she offers clear and straightforward, practical advice about how to shift the odds just slightly in your favour.

 

This book seems, at first glance, rather plain, with no images and most chapters simply divided into paragraphs with explanatory headings, or questions followed by responses. I like this format. It’s no-frills and underlines the fact that this is a handbook. A ready reference tool which will be highlighted and annotated by anyone who uses it regularly. The pages of useful contacts and Top Tips are invaluable. I also liked the interviews with others in the profession: the replies to questions overlap with each other in ways which reinforce what Balavage has already said. This reinforces my conviction that this author really is writing from experience and passing on advice distilled from her own hard work. Which I really hope my young friend will take.

 

[Editorial note: Catherine Balavage is an editor of this magazine]

 

Groundbreaking Festival For Girls To Be Headlined By Jessie J

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Girls are the most powerful force for change on the planet

girleffect festival London will host Girl Effect Live, an event bringing together some of the UK’s best and brightest talent, to celebrate the potential of girls, to stop poverty before it starts

 

Jessie J will headline Girl Effect Live, an all-day festival taking place in London on Sunday 20th July, which promises a day of celebration, creation and conversation about the power of girls to break the cycle of global poverty.  It will bring together some of the UK’s best and brightest talent to spotlight girls as the most powerful force for change on the planet.

 

Girl Effect Live will take place in venues in and around London’s Brick Lane two days before the world’s first ever Girl Summit, hosted by the UK government and UNICEF.  It will comprise a series of exciting and inspiring happenings during the day, and a gig in the evening to celebrate, incite and educate young people in the UK about the aspirations and opportunities of girls living in poverty.

 

The daytime schedule at the Vibe Bar kicks off at 13:00 and will feature a range of creative activities including spoken word performances from exciting talent including Dizraeli and James Massiah; comedy from female comedians: Mae Martin and Ava Vidal; SLAMbassadors UK workshops hosted by the champions of UK youth slam Megan Beech, Ollie O’Neil and Tiana Oldroyd; a live graffiti wall and exclusive Girl Effect nail art by Wah Nails – the acclaimed London-based nail salon.  Visitors will also be able to purchase a limited edition ‘Girl Effect’ necklace by Tatty Devine.

 

Truman Brewery’s Dray Walk gallery will also play exclusive host to the ‘Girls Reframed’ exhibition: featuring exclusive pieces from renowned artists such as Jimmy C, Hattie Stewart, Magnus Voll Mathiassen, and Michela Picchi.

 

At Loading Bay there will be a girls-only immersive experience that brings to life the realities faced by girls living in poverty with artistic consultancy provided by Punchdrunk Enrichment.

 

As night falls the day’s festivities will culminate in what promises to be electrifying performances from Jessie J, supported by Sasha Keable plus special guests at Village Underground, celebrating the potential of girls around the world and the achievements of the day.

 

Jessie J comments:  “Living in the UK, we’re fortunate that we have the opportunity to strive for and fulfil our full potential, but this isn’t the case for many girls living in poverty. I am involved in Girl Effect Live, because I want to take a stand with other girls in the UK to inspire, recognise and celebrate the amazing potential of girls everywhere.”

 

Girls will be invited to lend their voices in support of girls in poverty, by going to a video booth or speaking to the roving camera crew. Their voices will be edited into a film that will be taken to the Girl Summit where they will contribute to the efforts to end FGM and early, forced and child marriage within a generation.

 

The Girl Effect Live: Day event is completely free but capacity is limited at some events, so pre-booking is recommended. Tickets to the Girl Effect Live: Night event are priced at £10 and will be issued via an online ballot. Lucky ticketholders will also receive a limited edition ‘Girl Effect’ necklace from Tatty Devine.

 

For more information on how to register for the day event and the ballot for the evening music performance visit:www.girleffectlive.com.

 

To share your voice and help make a noise on social media about the event, the UK public are also invited to join in conversations on social media using #GirlEffectLive and via Girl Effect on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  There will also be coverage of Girl Effect Live throughout the day on SBTV.

 

 

Introducing stickybackplastics | Music Profile

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stickybackplastics is all about about dark, bluesy, heavy hooks with a noise-rock undertone. Grinding riffs, brooding basslines. Epic vocals. Music to make your hair stand on end. The York-based alt-blues three-piece are- Roz Walker (guitar) and Heather Niven (vocals), alongside Dom Smith on drums.

The band came together with a simple desire to create music to soundtrack the world’s best and worst heartbreaks.

Stating their influences as Garbage, PJ Harvey and Portishead, the band are “driven by a shared desire to create great guitar and blues-driven rock music that emotes any type of emotion in the listener”.

stickybackplastics

Roz and Heather met at a way-too-grown-up garden party in deepest North Yorkshire, and quickly realised they had a great synergy for all things creative.

Vocalist Heather says: “There is something instant, forceful and immediate about singing, there is an excitement and passion like nothing I get from painting. Have you ever had goosebumps from looking at a painting? Music reaches a different part of you.”

Roz and Heather have been working together as artists for a number of years before their began exploring their collective musical potential. The track on the debut EP were built by Roz a number of years ago, and they’d been looking for a drummer to turn their work into a proper band. Following a number of meetings over the years between Heather and disabled entrepreneur Dom Smith within York’s vast creative network, a friendship grew that led to him becoming the drummer and perfecting the trio.

Their debut EP, a self-titled introduction to stickybackplastics recorded at The White Rooms, York, UK, is available on Bandcamp: http://stickybackplastics.bandcamp.com – fans just need to name their price

In the coming months stickybackplastics will be releasing an EP of remixes, followed by a new music release by the end of the year.

 

 

A Menacing Moggy- The Best Candle Ever?

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We love cats at Frost, but that doesn’t stop us loving this menacing cat candle. With an imaginative inner the Pyro Pet candle unveils its eerie interior once burned.

catcandle

It’s feisty feline appearance is the both beauty and brilliance in one, Kisa was made to kindle.

Made to melt, this candle peels away the prrr’fect pink to reveal a surreal skull, sculpted out of metal.

Almost Aztec in shape, the sharp and sleek design is strikingly beautiful conveying an innocent idea of the cat. The frame inside is almost frightening and portrays a pet of two halves.

scarycatcandle

Wondering why the Ancient Egyptians worshiped the Cat? We wouldn’t want to be on Kiza’s bad side…

Cunning & curious is this creative cat… the price of this pet? £24.95 from www.prezzybox.com.

 

Features:
· Approximately 20hours burning time
· Each candle is slightly different and will burn in its own unique way
· Put on a plate when lighting.

 

 

 

 

The Travelling Band Announce Third Album The Big Defreeze

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Manchester five-piece The Travelling Band, famed for their wonderful live prowess and feel-good epic-folk, have announced the upcoming release The Big Defreeze. The album is hugely anticipated following a three-year gap since their last long-player, Screaming is Something, received both critic and fan adulation.

Despite a long gap between album two and three, The Travelling Band have experienced anything but a hiatus, instead taking the time to hone and enhance their already much loved trademark sound. The Travelling Band departed from their last tour in 2011 – which saw them enthral the United States at SXSW – and have since patiently crafted their own personal recording studio, forged a record label and also revolutionised their horizons through remix collaborations with mix legend and Grammy award-winner Chris Lord-Alge. This break between releases has seen The Travelling Band become musical artisans, hugely benefiting The Big Defreeze as a result.

The Travelling Band new album

Produced by Iestyn Polson (Patti Smith, David Bowie) at the ethereally iconic Church Studios, The Big Defreeze oozes with creative freedom and massive landscapes, embodying The Travelling Band’s album gap. Standout track Passing Ships is a marauding beauty that hops, skips and jumps amid a backdrop of pop perfection, deeply breathing in a glorious, vast headspace. Polson has expertly captured The Travelling Band’s eminent live act into a long-player that is second-for- second as equally explosive, giddy and wonderful as a Travelling Band gig.

The Travelling Band’s The Big Defreeze is personified by blissfully clean compositions that still harbour a rough and determined bite. Part E-Street Band and Faces submerged in 21st century gleam and shine, The Big Defreeze will delight and mesmerize deeply-rooted Travelling Band fanatics and newcomers alike; reminiscent of an introduction to a person, whom you could have sworn you met before, whom you fall in love instantly.

The Travelling Bands’ third album The Big Defreeze will be released on Sideways Saloon/Republic of Music on August 25th on limited edition yellow vinyl, 2 disc deluxe CD and digital formats.

The band will also set off in August for the following tour dates:

AUG

8 – CROPREDY FESTIVAL, NR. BANBURY

16 – UNDRESSED FESTIVAL, HALLE ST. PETERS, MANCHESTER

23 – GREEN BELT FESTIVAL, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

30 – OFF THE TRACKS FESTIVAL, DERBYSHIRE

SEPT

7 – SC4M FESTIVAL, WINCHESTER

12 – THE INSTITUTE, KELVEDON, ESSEX

14 – SHREWSBURY FIELDS FESTIVAL

OCT

2 KENDAL, THE BREWERY

3 LEEDS, BRUDENELL

8 LIVERPOOL, THE KAZIMIER

9 EDINBURGH, VOODOO ROOMS

10 GLASGOW, BROADCAST

11 LETHAM, LETHAM HALL

22 LONDON, THE LEXINGTON

24 OXFORD, ARTS BAR (BULLINGDON ARMS)

25 BRISTOL, THE LOUISIANA

28 BRIGHTON, GREEN DOOR STORE

NOV

28 HURST GREEN, VILLAGE HALL

 

 

 

TriCoast Worldwide Strikes UK Distribution Platform Deals For Movie Slate

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Leading US distribution and production outfit TriCoast Worldwide is set to release a number of its top-line movies in the UK including the Digital and DVD Autumn 2014 release of HEAVENLY SWORD, the CGI animated film based on the best-selling Sony Video Game and featuring the voices of  Anna Torv, Alfred Molina and Thomas Jane.

TriCoast Worldwide strikes UK distribution platform deals for movie slate

Newly-formed TriCoast UK Ltd, has agreed digital, DVD and theatrical deals with a number of UK outfits. The Movie Partnership, led by Michael Lee and Peter Dutton, will handle all digital releases as well as manage all TriCoast’s TV sales.  Spirit Entertainment will be handling the DVD releases and all theatrical releases will be managed through UK industry veteran Martin Myers and film financier Bertrand Lipworth. Myers will also oversee airline sales for UK and Europe.

 

Further releases this Autumn include 2 Jacks, directed by British helmer Bernard Rose and starring Sienna Miller, Danny Huston and Jack Huston, Toolbox Murders 2 starring Bruce Dern,  award-winning family drama Among Ravens starring Amy Smart and 3 Nights in the Desert starring Vincent Piazza, Amber Tamblyn and Wes Bentley.

 

CEO of TriCoast Worldwide Strath Hamilton said today:  “After twenty-eight years of producing movies and seven years distributing them in the USA and the rest of the world, we’re pleased to finally enter the UK market, where we’ve noted an upward trend in the distribution landscape, particularly the digital platforms, for good quality independent films”.

 

Acquisitions for TriCoast UK Ltd, will still be handled through the US acquisition team, headed by Daisy Hamilton.