A Director In Search Of An Actress by Paul Vates

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Pity the poor director who raises his head above the parapet and publicly proclaims ‘Is there anyone interested in playing Nora?’

If you’ve read my previous articles about the process of staging A Doll’s House, you’ll know it’s audition time. The chosen poster used to represent the internal struggle within the protagonist’s mind …

… but now represents the director’s (Kevin Russell’s) horror as the emails began to arrive. The number soon reached 200. How do you find the Special One amongst all those? Stories abound of some producers and directors abhorring hotmail email addresses, detesting specific drama schools or, even, flinching at the names of rivals on CVs. One famous director is known for whittling the list down by deleting every third email and removing every third application from his pile.

Ask any HR Manager attempting to fill a vacancy in a company – it’s a nightmare .So can it all be that random, relying so heavily on luck?

Ohhhh, yes.

Kevin told me that ‘it’s so silly what goes through my mind when looking at headshot after headshot. Whether they can act or not seems irrelevant. The first time acting gets involved is at the audition itself, but that seems so far away.’

He does, though, admit other skills are required. For him – and this is just Kevin, no one else (before someone complains that’s not how it’s done) – Kevin wants a clear CV, a photo that shows a certain attitude and a covering letter that indicates a little thought has gone into the application. The rest is gut instinct on his part.

Gradually, the audition list was reduced until sixteen actresses were invited to the venue, Barons Court Theatre. Then I joined him in the process, as a guide, a shoulder to cry on and the-fella-that-reads-along-with-the-auditionees.

The pressure is on them: 1 – to turn up on time; 2 – to resemble the person in the photograph (you’d be amazed how many don’t); 3 – to enjoy themselves. We assist with the last part, aiming to create a jovial and inspirational atmosphere.

So – the big news … Drum roll … An actress has been chosen and she did say ‘Yes.’ Her name is Alexa Matthews. When asked she said, ‘I have always wanted to play the role of Nora and as soon as I saw there was an opportunity to do so I applied immediately. She’s a complex character and makes such an interesting journey though the play and one that as an actor you can really challenge yourself with, this really excites me.

Alexa Matthews – Photo by Michael Shelford

‘The audition was lots of fun and Kevin and Paul have a way of naturally making you feeling at ease. What I loved was that Kevin directed me in some of the chosen scenes with Paul and we got it up on its feet. Auditions can be a really surreal environment but instead of sitting behind a desk Kevin and Paul were much more involved.’

Where was she when she heard she had been offered the part? ‘I had just boarded the plane to France for a friend’s wedding with my boyfriend and received the email just before taking off. I was so excited to hear the news and couldn’t wait to get back to discuss the play further.’

The whole production rests on Alexa’s shoulders – so no pressure there. It’s such a famous role, it is natural to feel nervous about the months ahead. Alexa said, ‘I really hope that I do the play justice and that the audience come away feeling like they have seen a great version of the play. I hope that they are tickled with its lightness but also come away with an understanding of the fresh and relevant messages it has to convey. Importantly I hope they have a great evening out and that as a company we also have lots of fun.’

What Alexa may not realise at the moment, though, is just how many macaroons she will have to consume during the run. I think I may keep count… but more on that later.

A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen will be performed from November 3rd to 22nd at Barons Court Theatre, west London. Tickets are selling fast, so if you fancy stopping by call the box office direct on 020 8932 4747 or email londontheatre@gmail.com to reserve seats.

www.newdreamstheatre.co.uk

Facebook: New Dreams Theatre

Twitter @KevinNewdreams

#5thviewbloggers Event

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Sarah Bacchus

We attended and amazing blogger event is this Saturday. The event was held at the top floor of Waterstones near Piccadilly with amazing prizes and personalised gifts in the goody bags.

We drank superb cocktails and snaked on delicious honey bee and cheese cookies. The #5thviewbloggers event was held by 2 lovely bloggers Albertine from Dippy Writes & Jessica from LookWhatIGot. It was all about networking with brands and fellow bloggers. We met companies like Bee Good, GelTouch, Mink and Stone and Venus Concept.

These two lovely ladies had the event running so smoothly it was very impressive.
Mink and stone was one brand that blew me away. Their concept is to create your very own necklace and jewellery designs and then for others to purchase your items. If you sell your items then you are rewarded with 10% commission that you then can use to make and purchase more designs. Incredible, beautiful and stunning beads are at your fingertips. I will be doing a full article and review very soon. So keep your eyes peeled for this coming soon.

We mingled and chatted away with fantastic like minded bloggers. The event way too fast and we had the best time ever.

Visit my website www.SLBStyle.com for more about what I get up to. My fashion and beauty loves and general London life as a full time blogger.

For event photography contact Ian at www.2boxes.co.uk

Willoughbyland by Matthew Parker Book Review

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Another absorbing exploration of lives lived in far off times from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Goldeneye and The Sugar Barons. This time, in Willoughbyland, Matthew Parker explores and reveals the untold story of England’s lost colony in Guina. It is a seventeenth-century tale of empire, El Dorado and violent rebellion, of spies, trickery and forbidden love.

Parker opens with a Foreword in which he travels to dense relentless jungle, searching for traces of the English pioneers and refugees who fled the turmoil of the post English Civil War years. Were they chasing a dream? Of course. After all, the reality of post English Civil War was not a bundle of laughs with its grief and poverty, especially for the Cavaliers who were not Oliver Cromwell’s favourite dish of the week.

I was delighted to review this book, because it is a period that fascinates, and I have always pondered on the fate of the Cavaliers, hustled off into exile.

In this case, a group of Cavaliers set sail for the Amazon and Orinoco rivers following in Sir Walter Raleigh’s footsteps. They set up a new settlement named after its founded, Sir Francis Willoughby. Thus was Willoughbyland born.

Parker sucks up the atmosphere for us, we bathe in it. We breathe in the scent of oranges, and suffer in the humidity, we begin to understand how the dream of the explorers fades in the face of incoming planters and traders. Things grow more complicated as mercenaries and soldiers follow political dissidents and increasingly the dream turns sour. Terror and cruelty become the norm. Sugar is produced, slaves are introduced …

This is an intelligent and evocative examination of a period in history that Parker reveals as a microcosm of the history of empire, with its heady attractions and appalling dangers.

Prepare to BE there, feel the heat, absorb the facts, and understand the English past just a little bit more. Well done, Matthew Parker. I knew nothing of this, and now I do. Fascinating. Good jacket too.

Published in Hardback by Hutchinson. £16.99

Also available in eBook

Win! Three Copies of MAGIX Photostory To Giveaway | Competitions

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Frostie

MAGIX Photostory 2015 Deluxe offers over 300 freely combinable high-quality effects, animations and decorative elements. You can combine individual images to make panoramas or 3D photos, and travel route animations allow you to create interactive presentations of travel images. With over 50 new music pieces and 500 effects, the program now features more than 850 professional sounds & songs for audio dubbing. You can also add your own audio comments and music.

If you don‘t have much time or a creative streak, you can always make use of the Photostory wizard. With tons of thematic templates for birthdays, weddings, Christmas and other events, you can automatically create the right Photostory for every occasion.

In addition to new effects, templates and audio content, the controls have also been further optimized. You can now assign photos, videos and music to up to 8 multimedia tracks, and the optimized multi-track performance allows for a more efficient use of multicore processors.

The program stands out against online slideshow providers in its ability to allow you to create as many slideshows as they want. There is no need to upload photos and video to the Internet, and everything can be saved locally on your PC. You can also choose to export to DVD, mobile end devices, online on Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, as well as showy and we have three to giveaway.

To be in with the chance of winning this fantastic prize, follow @Frostmag on Twitter or Instagram, or like us on Facebook. Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter. Or subscribe to Frost Magazine TV on YouTube here: http://t.co/9etf8j0kkz.Then comment below saying what you did. Competition finishes a month from now.

One Man’s Everest by Kenton Cool by Frances Colville

Posted on August 29, 2015 by Margaret Graham

You don’t have to be an expert, or even a novice climber to enjoy Kenton Cool’s memoir, One Man’s Everest. I’m a wimp of the first order when it comes to heights, particularly if there is a sheer drop in the vicinity. So was this book for me? Yes – I couldn’t put it down.

Kenton Cool (what a fabulous name for a mountaineer) has devoted most of his adult life to climbing, whether completing challenges, or as a climbing guide. He writes with humour and self deprecating understatement which belies the enormous achievements of his career, the summit (no pun intended) of which has not in his opinion yet been reached.

Cool keeps technical language to a minimum and while I’m sure his fellow mountaineers and climbers would find much to enjoy in the book, there is also plenty to interest the rest of us. For this is the tale of one man’s determination to conquer not only the highest peaks in the world, but also his own physical handicaps and his self doubts about what his choice of lifestyle does to his wife and young family. He talks about motivation and about the hardships he and fellow climbers endure. He writes too of the toll the increasing popularity of ‘big peak’ mountaineering takes on the environment and the dangers casual commercialism brings to climbers and their support networks. Poignantly he also talks about the terrible impact of the recent earthquake in Nepal and the devastation it has caused to a people he clearly holds in very high regard.

I’d have liked more information about how he recovered sufficiently from his ear ly accident – after which he was told that further climbing was completely out of the question – to be able to climb Everest on several occasions. You can’t please everyone.

Perhaps appealing to a wide range of readers is one of the best tests of a successful memoir and One Man’s Everest achieves this. It is readable, inspiring, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

One Man’s Everest will be published as a Preface hardback on 27^th August 2015.

http://www.prefacepublishing.co.uk

Pimm’s Cider Cup & Pimm’s Summer Crush Review

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Frostie

It is a bank holiday and to start you off we have reviewed two new additions to the Pimm’s family: Pimm’s Cider Cup and Pimm’s Summer Crush. Pimm’s Cider Cup is a very British combination that tastes great. Refreshing and perfect for a hot summers day. It even has hints of strawberry and cucumber. Cider AND Pimm’s in one? What is there not to love about it?

The new Pimm’s Cider Cup is a wonderfully British combination of the crisp taste of English cider and the glorious flavours of Pimm’s. It wouldn’t be the same without a hint of strawberry and cucumber, so the makers of Pimm’s have kindly added that in too. There’s no need for chopping – it’s a union made in heaven.

Simply pour straight from the bottle onto lots of ice, gather your friends and enjoy the fruits of Pimm’s labour in the very latest and tastiest creation wherever, whenever.

Now available in retailers across the land, the new Pimm’s Cider Cup (RRP £2.29 for 500ml) will also be available in pubs and bars with an RRP of £4.50.

Pimm’s Cider Cup is available to buy in Morrisons.co.uk, Tesco.com and Asda.com in a 500ml bottle (4% ABV, RRP £2.29), or in pubs / bars for £4.50.

Pimm’s Summer Crush is delicious and refreshing. Perfect to cool off and can be even eaten as a dessert, or put in a glass to drink. It tastes great and even though it is frozen, it doesn’t taste watered down. The taste of Pimm’s is there along with a hint of strawberry and cucumber. Just wonderful.

Offering another brilliant way to enjoy a Pimm’s O’clock moment this summer, Pimm’s Summer Crush – best served in a long glass with friends – is the ultimate summer refresher.

All you need to do is pop the pouches in the freezer for eight hours and squeeze the ready to serve frozen drink into a glass – what’s more, they also double up as a Frozen Granita dessert!

Pimm’s Summer Crush (4.7% ABV) is available to buy as a 250ml pouch in Tesco and all major retailers for RRP £2.99.

Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Review

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Frostie

The best way to let someone know just how much they mean to you is with chocolate. Well, that is what we think anyway. This gourmet chocolate pizza is not only unique, but it also tastes great and can be personalised. There are a few different ones to choose from and it comes in a cool pizza box. Made with Belgium chocolate and topped with other delicious ingredients…Frost loves.

Chocolate choppers assemble and indulge in a devilish delight you will adore. This all new range of Gourmet Chocolate Pizzas are every food fanatics dream.

Snack on a scrumptious slice, these pizzas can be used for every occasion. So say it in style with Birthday Pizzas, Congratulations Pizzas, and even Personalised Pizzas – give the gift with a difference this year.

These beautiful and delicious pizzas are the tasty treat for every chocolate lover. The novelty pizza takeaway box, keeps your mouth-watering dish fresh and fun looking!

Made with gorgeous Belgium chocolate and topped with a number of ingredients from white chocolate curls, to handmade chocolate hearts, and sweet treats you can virtually have any combination you choose.

This flavoursome food is for everyone! Ranging in Heavenly honeycomb, Crunchy Munchy, Jelly Bean Jumble, Yummy Scrummy, Must-have Marshmallow and Delighfully Dark – we’ve all the fantastic flavours you can imagine.

With up to 24 characters to personalise your pizza, you can create a message like never before, with the unique, handmade plaques your gift will not only be distinctive but delicious.

Delivered straight to your door by www.prezzybox.com only for great prices from £11.95 to £16.95

My Stratford Friend – Dominick Reyntiens by Frances Colville

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Taking the reader back to the time of Shakespeare and setting the scene of his early years – what’s not to like? Once the author Dominick Reyntiens gets into his stride, he captures the essence of the period and creates believable characters and settings.

I love the way Reyntiens integrates actual names and phrases which appear in Shakespeare’s writing. For example on page 1 we learn that Tom’s horse is called Prospero (an important character in The Tempest), and later on we meet the matched pairs of horses, Lysander and Hermia, Helena and Demetrius, all names used by Shakespeare for characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. A man wearing the head of an ass appears as a precursor of Bottom. And we’re introduced to a Robin Goodfellow otherwise known as Puka – a clear link with Shakespeare’s Puck in Midsummer Night’s Dream. This is clever stuff and makes for a fascinating read. I found myself constantly looking out for references to the plays, and at the same time wondering just how many I had missed.

I don’t know, not having done extensive research on Shakespeare’s life myself, whether this is the true version of events. But I don’t think that matters. It’s definitely a possible version, an interpretation of the evidence we have, and a personal view of what might have happened, and that after all is what historical fiction is all about. What’s more, it’s a fast paced well-plotted story. And I very much look forward to reading the next instalment.

Available from Amazon.co.uk