Tag Archives: Paloma Kubiak

How Well Do We Know Our Friends?

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I met Paloma at a Tweetup in Ealing. It was towards the end of the night and it was almost a fluke that we met, and a very happy one at that. At the time she worked for the Ealing Gazette and she interviewed me for it. This was a marker for our future friendship: she is generous, giving and always looks for opportunities to help people. She really is a true friend and is now my chief bridesmaid at my wedding in July. When I met her I thought she was beautiful, nice, sweet, smart, a decent person and great company. All things turned out to be true.

Paloma Kubiak

However, it was a little embarrassing doing the Flowers of Holland competition challenge which is hosted on their Facebook page, because I learned that, even though we know a lot about each other, there is quite a bit I don’t! Almost like a Mr and Mrs challenge where the guy does really badly. For the challenge, if you guess your best friend’s favourite flower correctly you are entered to win a bouquet of flowers. Which is pretty cool so take the challenge yourself.

I will find out soon if my answers were even slightly correct, but what I do know is that we have loads in common: we have the same anniversary with our fiancees’, got engaged at the same time, are the same age, are the youngest with two older siblings…the list goes on. You can take part in the competition yourself here.

Flowers flowers summery

What is my friend’s favourite cafe?

It will be somewhere amazing that no one else had heard of yet. She is good at finding the buzzing places before they are trendy.

What’s my friends’ favourite place to shop?

She has good style but is also not too frivolous. I reckon she might like Topshop and will also know lots of out-of-the-way boutiques and shops that no one else knows about.

What’s my friend’s favourite city?

London I reckon. It is an amazing city and she grew up in London.

What’s my friend’s favourite movie?

Oh, hard one. Maybe Dirty Dancing? It is pretty classic and most women like it.

What’s my friend’s favourite flower?

Roses I think. Paloma is elegant.

What’s my friend’s favourite fragrance?

Maybe something from Dior.

I hope I got some of these right! I now nominate two excellent bloggers, http://teatimeinwonderland.co.uk and http://www.lookwhatigot.co.uk/ to do the challenge. Good luck gals!

Take the challenge yourself and leave your link below, I would love to read it.

 

Sponsored Post.

 

PVT Wars Review

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As the stage lights flick on and off to separate each scene of PVT Wars, we capture a glimpse of the mundane activities and conversations of three Vietnam War veterans recovering in hospital.

 

On the outside world, they wouldn’t have been friends, but circumstance has bought them together and their friendship is marked by satire, violence and a desire to get better rather than die or rot in hospital.

 PVT2

Gately, the most personable character, frustratingly slowly attempts to fix a radio piece by piece. 

 

But it seems his physical task also plays an important part in his mental psyche: ‘If a guy like me can make a radio work than the whole of America will work.’

 PVT1

Setting about this task helps restore Gately’s own mind as each screw, nut and bolt restored to the radio makes him believe he’s one step closer to helping America too.

 

But his colleagues Natwick and Silvio don’t lend themselves to helping him; each pockets different essential parts making it nearly impossible for Gately to accomplish his important job.

 

Somehow as the three men celebrate Silvio’s impending release back home, Gately pushes the switch and the radio starts playing music.

 

Silvio is the Italian Catholic predator going around the hospital wards flashing the nurses.

                       

He’s arrogant, cocky and torments Natwick. But we see his vulnerable side as he relates his concerns to Gately about wearing floppy underwear and kilts for better sperm count.

 

While the bravado and bragging underlies his character, we later learn shrapnel blew off his penis and testacles so in reality, he’s all talk and no action. 

 

Natwick is the thinker out of the trio. From a privileged background, he’s intelligent and sensitive, often heard reciting poetry.

 

While his family had high hopes for his career, he feels a failure in hospital and attempts a suicide bid as ‘when you’re rich you only have one way to go; down’.

 

Despite his wealth and intelligence, in hospital with the other men, he’s an equal in every sense and he’s seen as nothing more than an ‘asshole’. His recital of TS Eliot’s ‘peach on a beach’ may have been applauded back home, but here, it’s laughed at.

 

PVT Wars, a Bare Bones project, written by James McLure and directed by Naomi Wirthner is about fighting your own wars rather than interfering in others. Each character is fighting their own personal battle as well as helping others to fight their own demons. Slow in pace and filled with ramblings from each man, PVT Wars at The Space, gives an insight into the state of mind of soldiers following every war, not just Vietnam.

 

Gary Wright who played Gately portrayed him with a real sense of compulsion with just the right expressions of confusion. But Jim Pople (Natwick) and Laurie Wilson (Silvio) played their parts with equal triumph too. 

 

Festen Theatre Review

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FestenTheatre ReviewA word of warning: Festen is not for the light-hearted. It will leave you sickened, violated and shocked and this is by no means a criticism but credit to the cast for pulling off such a raw production.

 

The title itself conjures up thoughts of a happy, joyous occasion and the audience in the intimate Space theatre almost feel a part of the 60th birthday celebration.

 

Successful patriarch Helge marks his special day with his closest family and friends but the evening itself becomes a platform for the party to confront ghosts of the past. 

 

As eldest twin, son Christian, stands before his proud father, we note there is no personal contact when they greet each other, only an exchange of words and then we learn that Christian’s twin sister, Linda, committed suicide.

 

Helge asks his son to say a few words at dinner as he fears he may be overcome with emotion if he has to give a speech.

 

During the first course, Christian stands before his relatives and gives his father a choice of two speeches; one in a yellow envelope and one in a green envelope.

 

As he picks the green envelope, Christian says he’s made a good choice as he recalls happy memories of the family. But then he reads out: “And do you remember when you continuously raped me and Linda on the green sofa?”

 

In a split second, the clean man, the man of steel, Helge, has his reputation shattered. Festen, as well as reminding me of a celebration, also brings to mind the word ‘fester’. And for Christian, the suicide of his sister and the painful memories of his childhood will no longer fester in his thoughts – he’ll vocalise them at his father’s 60th birthday.

 

The family attempts to continue the celebration but the moment has been lost forever. And just when we think there are no more surprises or incredibly awkward moments, Christian re-enters during the main course and reads out his sister’s suicide note. She couldn’t bear to continue her life anymore as her father had started to take her again.

 

The servants seem to forget their place and congratulate Christian for standing up to his father and finally revealing his monstrous character which he has hidden for so many years.

 

At breakfast the next morning, the family attempt to come to terms with the truth and as soon as Helge enters, the atmosphere becomes ice-cold. Michael, another of his sons gets up to take his baby girl away from the grips of his paedophilic, incestuous father.

 

Festen reveals how behind a loving, successful family, there are painful truths and soul-destroying secrets. The expert pauses of silence round the dinner table enabled the audience to breathe each breath and watch the family’s eyes dance round the room as the gripping storyline took hold.

 

There were also some incredibly uncomfortable scenes. First when Michael and his wife Mette have sex following a violent argument. Then the moment Christian reveals to the family that his father raped him and his twin sister when they were children and finally when Helene, another daughter invites her black boyfriend to dinner. Michael jokes that a monkey’s joined the party.

 

Rowan Finnegan who plays Christian was simply fantastic. We saw all his emotions in stages, from the calm demeanour as he greets his father; to his singing and dancing round the table to celebrate his birthday to the stern look as he reveals the sordid past and smashes his fist on the table in anger.

 

There are some plays you enjoy and there are some you’ll never forget. Festen is certainly one which had me gripped and will be remembered for years to come. It’s another notch to The Space Theatres brilliant production list.

The Significant Other | Theatre Review

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Insignificant others theatre reviewThe Significant Other can be best described as flicking through the glossy pages of a real life-story magazine.

 

It portrays snippets of the relationship between two people in 10 different scenes played out within a strict 10minute window and each one is as far removed in terms of content as the previous story.

 

Performed at The Park Theatre in Finsbury, The Significant Other explores relationships from the hope, boundaries, friendship and passion experienced in every day life.

 

It expertly portrays the awkwardness experienced by two strangers, to the comforts of a long-term relationship and friendship and even tries its hand at the human interaction with an alien, guardian angel and ghost.

 

Each scene is influenced by a different genre from comedy, fantasy, crime and even a musical, spanning both the past and future ideas of the world.

 

The audience is kept guessing at each turn and the play certainly grips your attention.

 

Three scenes stood out for me:

 

Coyi – a fired up couple are watching their football team on the telly (they can’t be there as the boyfriend lost the game tickets).

 

She tells him that she went to the bookies and made a bet on their future if their team wins 2-1 and they get engaged to marry.

 

The audience feels each missed goal and penalty and enters the couple’s living room as they agonise the unpredictable nature of the football match and the hope they’ll win a fortune.

 

A Month and Five Days – Set in the past in a library, a visitor is attempting to study but keeps talking and distracting himself as he is told off and told to be quiet.

 

The librarian is actually in love with the visitor and in an aside, bursts into song calling herself ‘Julie Andrews’ after adopting his surname.

 

This shy librarian has hopes of marriage and the couple realise they are perfectly suited to each other, as long as he can respect the rules to be quiet.

 

Icebergs – A somewhat ditzy brother and sister plot to steal from their employer but at the last minute, the sister pulls out and we see them reveal their thoughts and feelings of being stuck in a little village, missed opportunities and tattered dreams of the future.

 

By far one of the funniest scenes, the audience sees the protective older brother nature towards his sister, as well as his mocking and arrogant character.

 

But in the end, there is no doubt that sibling love reigns rather than sibling rivalry.

 

Performed as part as a festival of genres, the play is unlike any I have seen, and despite their short length, strangely the audience was still able to bond with the characters and the personal impact was not tarnished.

 

Produced by Neil Byden, Serena Haywood and Laura Kim on behalf of The Pensive Federation, it was a light and refreshing performance on a Friday evening and it felt as if we were sitting among friends in the compact loft studio.

 

Olympus Has Fallen | Film Review

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olympushasfallenAs the tattered flag of the USA is flung aside by the North Koreans during their attack of the White House, the President of the USA is taken hostage, his son goes missing and America’s prized nukes become their very own weapons of mass destruction. 

 

Olympus Has Fallen (the code word for the White House) is the scene of a merciless shoot-out between the Secret Service and North Koreans and only Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), can save the day.

 

A disgraced former presidential guard, Butler’s on a one-man mission to save the President (Aaron Eckhart), his son, and to stop the terrorists from obtaining the three passwords to detonate America’s web of nuclear subheads.  

 

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, in the 13 minutes it takes the North Koreans to take over the White House (and a whole two minutes before the Army intervenes) the unwavering attack echoes the tragic scenes of 911 as a bomber plane whistles past high-rise offices and clips the Washington Monument before it comes crashing to the ground.

 

The film’s release is also at a somewhat ironic time as the hostilities between the two nations in our current world are also surfacing.

 

Intelligent and co-ordinated, the attack is played out with militant efficiency as innocents and secret agents’ bodies pile up on the lawn of the Presidential building and inside one of the safest places in the USA.

 

The light and sound effects on the big screen will leave you feeling shocked and impressed at the same time.

 

With its twists, split-second timing and traitors, Olympus Has Fallen has all the ingredients of a Hollywood action movie and at times, picked up on the comedic lines of Bruce Willis in the Die Hard sagas.

 

When the Defence Secretary Ruth McMillan (brilliantly played by Melissa Leo) is kicked and punched to the floor – a tad uncomfortable to view– she asks the president how her hair looks and when Banning calls his nurse wife to ‘check-in’, they both skirt around the truth and say they’ve had busy days.

 

At times the plot was a little contrived and the continuity was lacking. Banning, who no longer worked by the President’s side, was still able to gain access to the White House security systems and files, just as well really.

 

And as the guns blaze and Banning’s driving to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, his smooth face cuts to a stubbly square-jaw line in the next scene.

 

Overall, Olympus Has Fallen is an impressive action movie despite its recurrent plot line favoured by Hollywood directors.

 

And the inclusion of Morgan Freeman, the Speaker of the House who by default becomes the unlikely Acting President, is a sure fan-pleaser.

 

Butler provides the eye-candy, the North Koreans are the baddies and America is hailed as an undefeatable nation.

 

Tartuffe | Theatre Review

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Tartuffe and ElmireSinner or saint, the character of Tartuffe certainly divides opinion.

 

To Orgon, the master of the manor, he is the epitome of piousness, yet to his family, he is nothing more than a vagabond taking advantage of people’s good nature.

 

With his reputation tainted and restored at every turn in the opening scene, the audience is eager to pass their own judgement on Tartuffe but his stalled introduction to the stage acts as a clever device to build the mystery.

 

Orgon’s mind is possessed by Tartuffe and he intends his daughter Mariane to marry him (though she’s already promised to wed Valère), and he even signs over the deeds of his estate to the former beggar.

 

The cheeky glint in Tartuffe’s eyes when he makes his grand entrance further enforces his view of ‘a secret sin is no sin at all’ as he commits the ultimate betrayal by confessing his love to Orgon’s wife Elmire.

 

When the family try to expose his scheming nature, the play comes over a little ‘carry on’ as they hide behind curtains and under tables to catch him out.

 

But once his deceit is unveiled to Orgon, it’s too late as the family’s ordered out of the estate which now belongs to Tartuffe.

 

At each stage, Dorine the maid oversteps the boundaries of her role but gains the trust of the audience as she gives each member of the family honest advice with a touch of flirtatious charm. Played by Katherine Rodden, she was the unexpected the star of the show.

 

Jeremy Gagan convincingly plays Tartuffe and his command of expression in scenes of deceit against those highlighting his virtue are performed with charisma.

 

A modern adaptation by Paradigm Theatre Company of the 17th Century theatrical comedy by Molière, Tartuffe was presented in the intimate surroundings of the Canal Café Theatre in Little Venice.

 Dorine and Mariane

The audience seating area is cleverly used as an extension of the stage, with the characters often mingling among the crowd and eavesdropping on the conversations taking place just overhead.

 

With a comedic value in the form of Dorine, the betrayal of a committed friend and with a heart-warming twist at the end, Tartuffe (artistically directed by Sarah Pitard and directed by Cat Robey) ticks all the boxes. And by no means a criticism, the cast should possess a little more confidence to balance their abilities.

 

Tartuffe runs till Sat 27 Apr 2013, with tickets for the 7pm show Tue-Sat costing £12 and for the 3pm Sat performance, it’s £10. To book tickets, visit www.canalcafetheatre.com and for more information, visit www.paradigmtheatrecompany.co.uk.

Photo credit: Jon Bradshaw


Calendar Girls | Theatre Review

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Tim Firth’s phenomenally successful Calendar Girls has been performed on stage and movie screens across the globe but its run at the local Ealing theatre hut, Questors, is where the drama really comes to life.

Even without Helen Mirren or an expendable budget, the Questors simple props and am-dram cast came together to offer a moving, personable, and simply fantastic adaptation.

After all, simple props such as baked buns and flower-pots were the only items used to protect the women’s modesty for the calendar photo shoot.

From the opening scene of the Women’s Institute partaking in tai chi to the moment they decide to strip for the famous Yorkshire charity calendar, the bonds of friendship are evident both on and off the stage.

Despite the different personalities, from loud Cora, to life-experienced Jessie and the snobbish Celia, once Annie’s husband dies from Leukaemia, they harmonise to raise money for a communal sofa for the hospital which looked after John Clark.

And as the group debate the morality of an artistically ‘nude’ calendar (as opposed to the more common ‘naked’), we shared their every musing from lack of confidence, embarrassment to final empowerment and financial success.

Hannah Whiteoak who plays Ruth was a particular treat to witness.

Her slightly timid, introverted character was played out to comedic effect which balanced the heavier plot of illness and death.

And just when you’re not sure whether she’ll take part in the photo-shoot, she outshines all the ladies as she confidently stretches out her body on the table as fruit envelopes her humility.

Directed by Rachel Knightley (her first production), there were two scenes which really impressed.

In a sombre moment when John’s dying, the women all group together and stand around his wheelchair.

As his lines fade and the lights are dimmed, Annie’s lines overlap John’s as he slowly walks away into the shadows of the stage. It was very touching.

Another clever use of the set was when the WI received all the fan mail after sales of the calendar rocketed both in Yorkshire and abroad.

Letters were dropped to the floor from stage scaffolding above which was very novel.

Despite its amateur status, this is a fine production from Questors and a promising start for new director Rachel Knightley. It had me laughing and caught me crying at all the right moments.

Calendar Girls is running at Questors till Sat 10 Nov. To book tickets, visit: http://www.questors.org.uk/event.aspx?id=364

All photos are by Richard Mead.

The Man on Her Mind

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The Man on Her Mind is a subtle comedy exploring the reality of relationships against the imagination of the soul.

 

Set in the heart of Manhattan, Eleanor anxiously waits for her lover in her 32nd floor studio flat as she disgustedly deletes the countless voice messages of another suitor, Leonard.

 

Never knowing when boyfriend Jack will arrive, once the confident banker breezes into the room, the chemistry between the pair’s evident as they flirt over a glass of wine and he affectionately calls her ‘Nellie’.

 

Jack’s forced to hide in the bathroom as Janet, Eleanor’s older sister, pops by to get the gossip on her love life and quizzes her on why she’s not returned her neighbour’s calls.  

 

Sibling rivalry is evident in the interaction; Janet wants to make Eleanor jealous of her ‘perfect’ suburban family life, mocking her sister’s tiny flat and sporadic lifestyle.

 

The scene then cuts to Leonard’s house.

 

A slightly nervous character, the audience sees the cluttered state of his mind with dozens of large boxes still waiting to be unpacked despite him moving in several months ago.

 

Janet and her husband Frank invite themselves in (he tends to leave it wide open) and do their best to find out more about their neighbour who they’ve already marked as Eleanor’s perfect match.

 

However, once the couple leave, Leonard’s girlfriend confidently strolls down the stairs.

 

And surprisingly, it’s Nellie, the imaginary concept of Eleanor.

 

Similarly, Leonard is the physical embodiment of the subconscious Jack.

 

Ironically, the real Eleanor hates the real Leonard, but somehow he’s manifested himself into her imagination as the perfect man Jack.

 

And Nellie has been formed from Eleanor, the girl Leonard desperately tried to call and hoped to date. 

 

Once the imaginary Nellie and Jack meet, they play the part of guardian angels, willing their real selves to start a relationship.

 

And it’s only a matter of time before Eleanor drops her defences and gives Leonard a chance where they both discover they’re truly soul mates.

 

Written by Alan Hruska and directed by Bruce Guthrie, the pair have composed an original and enigmatic stage production at Charing Cross Theatre for the autumn.

 

Amy McAllister, who played both Nellie and Eleanor, was the standout actress, delivering a charismatic performance, adapting her persona to fit both the real and imaginary characters.

 

The themes of love and rivalry were wonderfully played out and the serious idea of what’s real and what’s imaginary was handled with a refreshing comedic twist.

 

The Man on Her Mind is showing at Charing Cross Theatre till 27 Oct 2012.

www.charingcrosstheatre.com.