Tag Archives: Catherine Balavage

Frost's Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

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Frost is a sucker for Valentine’s Day. With so much hate in the world what is wrong with a day celebrating love? Gift buying can be a nightmare so Frost has done some of the hard work so you don’t have to.

SWATCH 2012 Olympic Watches. Functional, cool, what better way to say ‘I love you’.

Stockist: WatchShop.com – www.WatchShop.com – 0844 736 5340

WatchShop.com Price: £36.00 each and free shipping in the UK

These Swatch Olympic 2012 watches are made from plastic/resin and powered by a quartz movement.

Created with one eye on fashion and the other on the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games, they merge pro-sport aesthetics and classic London design. The new watches are available in brown/pink and blue colourways and each features the 2012 logo.

The designers have given a nod both to British fashion’s mod-heritage and the London 2012 Olympic Games logo by means of a two-toned palette.

Water resistant to 30 metres.

It’s never easy for a man to find that perfect give for his loved one on Valentine’s Day. But with these mobile phone cases featuring Rebecca Bonbon, a charming little French bulldog designed by the creator of Hello Kitty, it’s a lot easier. We think the range is cute.

Available in a wide range of designs and colours – rose, fuschia, white, black.

Managing Director, Andy Tow comments: “ Our range of accessories is continually expanding and we now have mobile phone cases for all occasions.”

If edible is more your thing then Pierre Herme should be your port of call. Try these, our mouths are watering already.

Macaron Envie (Composition: Macaron biscuit, violet cream with whole blackcurrants). A small round biscuit, with a crunchy outside and smooth, velvety violet cream filling with whole blackcurrants.

Valentine’s Day Gift Boxes

The Valentine’s collection also features limited edition boxes created by designer and scenographer Marianne Guély. The box, in vibrant shades of pink and green and filled with either macarons or chocolates, will make the perfect Valentine’s gift. Available from the 6th February in the boutique located at 13 Lowndes Street as well as in our in-store boutique at Selfridges.

Valentine’s 16-piece Macaron assortment: £33
Valentine’s 200g Chocolate Assortment: £31
Macaron Envie : £1.85 per piece
Available online at www.pierreherme.com

Feeling adventuress? Then try something fun and different.

Looking for an exciting way to woo your valentine this year? Does squeezing into a packed restaurant among hundreds of other couples sound particularly unromantic, and corny to you? Why not impress the love interest in your life with something completely out of the ordinary for a valentine’s date?

Go Ape! Tree Top Adventure has found a rising number of pri(mates) are visiting the forest adventure courses for a romantic date, taking the time to bond while helping each other tackle Tarzan swings, zip lines and rope ladders up in the tree-tops. With 27 courses set in beautiful countryside locations across the UK, Go Ape provides the perfect fun-filled adventure.

Prefer to keep your feet closer to the ground? Go Ape also has a range of other activities available for adventure-lovers wanting to escape the norm this Valentine’s Day. Explore the forest off-road with Go Ape! Forest Segways? The self-balancing electric segways are a totally unique way to tackle tough trails and have plenty of fun at the same time. Or why not jump on a bicycle in the great outdoors? Go Ape! Forest Biking is available in the beautiful setting of Black Park Country Park, Slough.

Or play it safe with stuff they will use and cherish forever;

Iconic striped china Cornishware from T.G.Green & Co. has a new addition to its range of Cornish Red for last minute Valentine’s Day gifts. A couple of mugs are a pair of red mugs which can be personalised with up to 12 letters each in a stylish gift box for £25. If two sets are bought postage is free from Cornishware maker T.G.Green & Co’s online shop www.tggreen.co.uk. The mugs solve any Valentine’s Day dilemmas with last orders for Valentine’s Day midnight on 5th February and also make great wedding presents.


Happy Valentine’s Day from Frost.

The Fringe Report Awards 2012

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John Park has run the Fringe Report for ten years, and I am as unhappy as the other 400 odd people who turned up to the Fringe Report Awards that The Fringe Report is ending this year. John has run the Fringe Report without profit and has connected everything and everyone on the fringe of London, and indeed, the UK.

James Aylett, James Yardley and Lynn Howes.

The Fringe Report Awards took place at Monday 6 February 2012 at The Leicester Square Theatre. The Leicester Square Theatre was packed with the great and good of Britain’s theatre and acting talent. [Disclaimer: I am an editor, writer and photographer for the Fringe Report].

Jack Bowman and Catherine Balavage

The awards were as fun as ever and the list of winners is below. Goodbye to the Fringe Report. The fringe now weeps at your loss.

Elliot Grove – Outstanding Achievement Award – Film
Steve Forster – Best PR – Theatre
Flavia Fraser-Cannon – Best Creative – Producer, Photographer, Publicist
Paul L Martin – Best Producer – Cabaret
Sibyl Madrigal – Best Music Curator (for Boat-Ting)
Performers Without Borders – Best Encouragers of Talent
Steve Henwood & Wendy Matthews – Best Festival Directors
Guy Chapman – Outstanding Achievement Award – PR
Kiki Kendrick – Best Creative – Actor and Writer
Becky Talbot – Best Presenter – Radio
Kevin Sampson – Outstanding Achievement Award – Literature & Film
Vocal Motions Elastic Theatre – Best Theatre Company
Sasha Regan – Best Venue Director
Adam Morley – Best Director – Theatre & Film
Ricky Dukes – Best Artistic Director (Lazarus Theatre Company)
James Hyland – Best Performer – Solo Show (for A Christmas Carol / Jacob Marley)
Paul Sayers & Simon Bolton – Best Shakespeare Producers (Rooftop Theatre)
Paul Levy – Best Publisher
Tactful Cactus – Best Short Film (for Starcrossed)
Alison Wright – Best PR – Arts
Stuart Price – Best Creative – Director & Writer
Laura Pitt-Pulford – Best Performer – Musical (for Parade at Southwark Playhouse)
Alexander Parsonage – Best Artistic Director (Finger In The Pie)
Andy McQuade – Best Director – Theatre
Catherine Brogan – Best Poet

Brighten Up Valentine's Day in Aid of UNICEF

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PURPLE RONNIE BRIGHTENS UP VALENTINE’S DAY WITH A SPLASH OF COLOUR

– Retro poet provides uniquely created poems in aid of charity –

Romantic rhyming favourite, Purple Ronnie, is creating a series of one-off poems for loved-ones this Valentine’s Day, to accompany a very special gift – your very own colour.

A world first, men and women will be able to gift their loved-ones an actual colour for them to own, through Facebook.com/OwnAColour, for a minimum donation of £1 – an initiative in aid of UNICEF, the world’s leading children’s organisation.

A number of celebrities have named their own colour, including;

Jemima Khan – CFC Blue, named hers for her Chelsea mad son

· Sir Roger Moore – Swedish Blue, I chose to name this particular shade of blue Swedish Blue as it is the colour of the Swedish flag, the homeland of my very wonderful and very beautiful wife, Kristina, and not far off the cyan blue that represents UNICEFfor his wife

· Matt Dawson – Arcos Olive, Reminds him of his wedding day as it was the theme of my Wedding so will always be associated with good memories

· Duncan Bannatyne – Scottish Saltire Blue, It represents my proud Scottish roots

The gift of colour, accompanied by a unique Purple Ronnie poem, will be available from 8th February – for those who are organised – until Valentine’s Day itself – for those not so organised – and provides a special solution for all those Valentine’s Day gifting dilemmas, whilst also contributing to a great cause.

The limited-edition poem, in Purple Ronnie’s iconic cheeky style, will appear on your loved-ones Facebook wall on the 14th February, along with a link for them to pick and name their colour of choice.

Stewart Longhurst from the Own A Colour team comments:“What’s great about the Own A Colour initiative is that, not only does it allow people to put their name to a never-before-owned colour, but it harnesses the power of colour to have a positive impact on saving lives of children. Colour is such an important and personal method of expression, so what better way to show someone you love them this Valentine’s Day than with a colour of their very own, accompanied by an original love poem?”

PURPLE RONNIE OWNACOLOUR

With Own A Colour, your Valentine will be the exclusive owner of one of the 16.7 million colours that the average computer, smartphone or tablet can display.

Recent celebrity donators include The Saturday’s beauty Frankie Sandford as well as other UNICEF Ambassadors and fans such as Jemima Khan, Matt Dawson and Sir Roger Moore, who have all been inspired by their loved-ones in buying and naming their colours; Jemima Khan named hers CFC Blue for her Chelsea mad son, Sir Roger Moore’s Swedish Blue for his wife and Matt Dawson’s colour reminds him of his wedding day.

To Own A Colour, and for more information, visit: Facebook.com/OwnAColour

Diary of a Fashion Week Intern…

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Having given up my place at the London College of Fashion for Drama School, I have never looked back, but it hasn’t stopped me wondering where I would be now if I did chose to embark on the fashion world instead of the thespian… would I be treading the boards at Elle, Or selling my creations at Portobello Market?  I’m sure if I chose that over acting, I would be sitting here thinking exactly the same. It goes without saying, I have not lost my passion for fashion and continue to build a portfolio of fashion drawings as a hobby. So it was a great pleasure when Catherine Balavage, the esteemed editor of Frost Magazine, was looking for interns to cover London Fashion Week, the most prestigious Fashion event of the capital.

Whether you have been to fashion week before, or not, I’m sure you can imagine the biggest dilemma I am faced with…WHAT TO WEAR????

 

 

Keshini Misha

xx

True Blood is Back!

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True Blood is back with fairies, panthers, wolves, vampires and witches all in one tiny American town. This should be interesting….

Spoiler Alert

Sookie is back after going missing for two years.(she was hanging out with fairies and her dead grandfather) A lot has changed since she left and her brother has sold her house. But who bought it? Eric, and not surprisingly, that causes some problems.

Season 4 Episode 1 “She’s Not There”

Sookie journeys away from Bon Temps leaving Eric and Bill to win back the human public.  Elsewhere, Jason learns that no good deed goes unpunished.

Season 4 Episode 2 “You Smell Like Dinner”

After returning to Bon Temps, Sookie adjusts to the town’s new realities. Meanwhile, Bill reveals more about his past and Eric crashes a witches meeting. The witches put a spell on Eric and he loses his memory. Sookie ends up looking after him. Little does she know that her brother has been kidnapped and someone is trying to use him to have babies with.

True Blood is pure fantasy. It is lots of fun and it is also very adult. Not one for kids but a good evenings entertainment.

True Blood is on FX every Sunday, 10pm.

David Beckham For H&M

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David Beckham celebrates the launch of David Beckham Bodywear for H&M in London

This week in London, David Beckham celebrated the global launch of David Beckham Bodywear for H&M with an in-store launch, followed by a cocktail party at a pop-up gentleman’s club created especially for the occasion. At the in-store event at H&M on Regent Street, David showed the new television commercial, met with fans and signed the collection. Later, celebrities such as Bianca Jagger, Emma Bunton and Jessica Ennis joined David to toast his bodywear range. This debut collection is the first in a long-term partnership between David Beckham and H&M, and is available from today in 1,800 H&M stores worldwide, as well as online.

“I am very proud to launch my Bodywear collection for H&M in London. It was amazing to see the product at the in-store launch after so many months of development and meet with fans. I loved the pop-up gentleman’s club, which felt both traditional and brand new. It’s the same mix I hope men will find in the Bodywear collection. It was an amazing evening to launch my new collection.” David Beckham.

“The debut of David Beckham Bodywear is a very special moment for us at H&M. It marks the beginning of a new kind of long-term partnership for H&M, one based on quality and excellent design to H&M prices. I am very excited to see how our customers will receive the David Beckham Bodywear collection.”
Karl-Johan Persson, CEO of H&M.

At the cocktail party, guests were treated to a unique David Beckham for H&M experience, with decor, food and drink designed to reflect not only classic gentlemen’s clubs but also David’s British roots. Live music was provided by the James Pearson Trio, direct from the infamous Ronnie Scotts club, followed by a DJ set by ”Mani” from The Stone Roses and DJ the Queens of Noize.

The event marks the debut of David Beckham Bodywear for H&M, a new collection which focuses on fit, function comfort and design. Designed by David’s in-house team and sold exclusively at H&M in around 40 countries worldwide, this first collection presents the nine key products which will go on to form the core of the range. The collection will develop seasonally with new styles, new fabrics and new patterns.

“Lots of people have worked with H&M, so why not David Beckham? I think it’s a really good idea. It means that now everybody can have a bit of him.” Suzy Menkes, International Herald Tribune.

The Wireless Theatre Company Presents THE STRANGE CASE OF SPRINGHEEL'D JACK

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The multi-award winning* Wireless Theatre Company proudly presents its first-ever audio serial:

THE STRANGE CASE OF SPRINGHEEL’D JACK

Starring Julian Glover.

Synopsis:

London, 1837. An inhuman fiend stalks the night. With no time to lose, brilliant young police constable, Jonah Smith, must unmask the monster before he strikes again. Follow our hero on a terrifying adventure as he races to solve… The Strange Case of Springheel’d Jack!  

Episode One: http://wirelesstc.wordpress.com/2010/12/24/the-strange-case-of-springheeld-jack-episode-1/

Episode Two: http://wirelesstc.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/the-strange-case-of-springheeld-jack-episode-ii-the-crypt-of-evil/

Episode Three: http://wirelesstc.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-strange-case-of-springheeld-jack-episode-iii-the-face-of-the-fiend/

All three episodes of this thrilling, award-nominated** audio serial are available to download free.

 

The Strange Case of Springheel’d Jack Cast:

Christopher Finney, Matthew Jure, Jessica Dennis, Jack Bowman***, Ben Whitehead, Colt Holt, Trevor Cuthbertson, Jamie Cartwright, Ceri Gifford, Simon Walters, Ashley Munson, Lizzie Goodall, Andrew MacBean, Caitlin Birley, Debbie Leigh-Simmons, Mariele Runacre Temple, Charlie Adams, with Jonathan Hansler, Nick Lucas, David Benson and Julian Glover.

Crew:

Writers: Robert Valentine and Gareth Parker.   Editor: Andrew Swann. Music: Francesco Quadraruopolo. Artwork: Jamie Egerton. Producers: Mariele Runacre Temple, Robert Valentine and Jack Bowman. Director: Robert Valentine.

Awards and Nominations:  

*Mariele Runacre Temple; Best Radio Drama Producer, 2009, Fringe Report Awards; Best Entertainment Producer, Best Online Multi Platform Creator, Radio Academy Radio Production Awards

**Mariele Runacre Temple, Robert Valentine and Jack Bowman; Radio Academy Radio Production Awards, 2011, nominated for Best Drama Producers.

***Jack Bowman; Radio Academy Radio Production Awards, 2011, nominated Best Radio Creative.

 

The Wireless Theatre Company’s mission is to keep radio drama and comedy alive and well in the 21st Century by creating original, relevant and exciting audio productions – both for radio lovers and the ‘Facebook Generation’ – which can be downloaded free to computers, iPods or MP3 players directly from the Wireless Theatre Company website. Wireless Theatre creates a platform for fresh new writers, up and coming acting talent and interesting new ways of producing audio theatre.

 

Billie Piper Interview: A Passionate Woman.

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A Passionate Woman: Billie Piper plays Betty in the Fifties

 

Are you a fan of Kay Mellor?

“Yes, I loved Band Of Gold – it was my favourite show and one of the reasons I wanted to start acting. I couldn’t believe how compelling Samantha Morton was. It was a great series and Samantha was incredible. I’ve always loved Kay’s work.”

Did you feel pressured playing a character based on Kay’s mother?

“Naturally. It must have been quite emotional for Kay to watch this story being played out before her, however it was helpful and essential to have her around. Kay was able to paint a very detailed picture of her mother and she was keen for me to think about her mum in that situation.”

What drew you to the role of Betty Stevenson?

“I felt profoundly moved by the story. I’ve just had my first child and my marriage is young, it’s a testing time. I think Kay was reluctant to cast me – I begged for an audition. I felt confident with the accent but I’m sure that will be up for discussion! It was a tough job – lots of crying and screaming but well worth it though.”

Tell me about your character?

“Betty is a young wife – quite a peaceful character. She is emotional, sensitive, thoughtful, and compassionate. Not outspoken or feisty. Betty is very poor and lives in a block of flats with her husband, Donald. She loves her son, Mark – and it’s quite desperate love. She absolutely lives for him which plays out in the Eighties episode where Sue Johnston plays the role of Betty.”

Betty’s relationship with Donald seems complex – do you think she has ever been in love with him?

“Betty has an old fashioned relationship with her husband. He goes to work all day, doesn’t really talk to her that much, doesn’t ask her how she is doing – it’s all very practical. They don’t talk about how they are feeling. They both put up and shut up. Betty spent all day at home with the baby – she is not a modern woman, unlike her sister, Margaret.”

Betty seems to fall for Craze immediately…

“Betty is completely bowled over by Craze, this reckless polish neighbour who moves in. He is married to Moira who is the complete polar opposite to Betty. Moira is very liberal, outspoken, sexual – a great spirit which Betty is incredibly jealous of. I don’t think Betty has ever felt love or passion or lust like it before in her life. Craze sexually liberates her and teaches her things she never knew existed. Betty becomes obsessed with him which starts to become quite destructive.

“She has this enormous secret and she eventually confides in her sister Margaret – who is fiercely expressive, a rebel. She hates her husband and is desperate to sleep with someone else! She is so very different and the only one privy to Betty’s secret about Craze.”

Did you get to meet Sue Johnston, who plays Betty 30 years on?

“Yes, I did. We had a day’s crossover during filming – she’s so lovely and an amazing actress, I’ve always loved her. Sue sent me a lovely note to say if there is anything you want to know or talk about regarding the character to let her know.

“People change a lot over all those years and what happens when you are younger really shapes you as a person and so I didn’t want to mimic or do some imitation of her as Betty. We were doing our own interpretation of the character at that time – knowing what they know.”

Tell me about your character’s Fifties-style dresses?

“I really liked them. I find costumes massively helpful especially when you’re playing quite a well turned out character. Betty was obviously very poor although every button was sewn on properly; there were no loose hems, the collars were stiff – the clothes do start to relax after she meets Craze and they become more colourful and passionate! I love costumes and I love period costumes.

“It was freezing up there though and there aren’t enough clothes in the world to keep you warm – cold like I’ve never known it before!”

How do you think you’d have coped living Betty’s life the Fifties?

“I thought about it the whole time and it must have been just so hard. It’s not massively dissimilar to stories my Gran would tell me about how she brought her family up – seven kids, small house. It was so different for wives and mothers then. Never having enough money or having desires outside of the family home.

“Nowadays, we have a lot of opportunities as women to go out and work, socialise, confide in lots of people, network and we are endlessly banging on about how we feel. It was just taboo – those kinds of subjects. I have a very fortunate lifestyle.”