As if I needed an excuse to go back to London

I'd completely forgotten about this until a friend emailed me about it.

The new Fagin in the new production of Lionel Bart's Oliver!?

Rowan Atkinson.



Cameron Mackintosh is behind this new staging, the first in the West End since 1994. It's at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and has a cast of over 100. Jodie Prenger, winner of the TV series I'd Do Anything is playing Nancy and Burn Gorman, who played Owen Harper in Torchwood is Bill Sikes.

Fagin is one of my favourite musical characters - I think the best characters in theatre tend to be Jews - and I'm brilliantly fond of Ron Moody's portrayal of him in the film version. When he bounces out during I'd do anything always brings a smile to my face.



Still though, I'm looking forward to seeing what Rowan Atkinson could do with the role. I think he's a fantastically understated character actor, particularly given his film role choices and this could bring a whole new dimension to the character and the audience. he's due to star as Fagin until July 18.

I'd be tempted to go over just to see him perform this, my favourite Fagin song:



The official website, with times and prices, is here.

Interview with Mark Goldthorp and Daniel Boys from Avenue Q

(If you're already familiar with what Avenue Q is about, you'll find the interview here.)

We had a somewhat serendipitous visit to London's West End this year. Having left the conference post champagne but pre potential embarrassment (trust me on this), we meandered over Waterloo Bridge towards theatre land, passing a beleaguered Paul O' Grady, aka Lily Savage being swamped outside the ITV studios by fans from his home town - "I shop with your mother in Sainsbury's, Paul!" one woman exclaims.


(Yes, it's a terrible photo.)

It wasn't celebrity spotting we were doing though, and we didn't stop for an autograph. That night I was introducing Niamh to one of my favourite boroughs of New York, a "real life" neighbourhood populated by a variety of characters, celebrity, human and not so human. Yes, we were heading towards the Noel Coward Theatre for the evening show of AVENUE Q. And, almost needless to say, I was excited.



This was to be the third time I'd seen the show in London. Since being introduced to it over a year before, the appeal of the characters, the music and above all the songs has drawn me back like a familiar favourite film, where you know the script but watch anyway. Indeed, how could I not like it, this remarkable adult homage to Sesame Street with its premise of

"Life may suck on AVENUE Q but being jobless, homeless, politically incorrect, having sex (whether hetero, homo or porno... and that’s just the puppets) are just some of the topics featured in the terrific songs of this show."

Puppets you say? Yep. From Wikipedia:

The show is largely inspired by (and is in the style of) Sesame Street: Most of the characters in the show are puppets (operated by actors onstage), the set depicts several tenements on a rundown street in an Outer Borough of New York City, both the live characters and puppet characters sing, and short animated video clips are played as part of the story.

However the focus on this street is not on education, but on sheer entertainment. We follow Princeton, a bright-eyed enthusiastic college graduate who discovers Avenue Q as he tries to follow his dreams and discover his ever-elusive purpose in life.

It's no fairy tale though - he has to deal with failed celebrities, closeted and porn addicted puppets, inter-racial marriages, the distraction of a busty blonde, homelessness, racism, an ever decreasing bank balance and all the problems faced by people in their twenties and thirties, "thus making the show more suited for the adults who grew up with Sesame Street."


(Photos from Avenue Q)

We take our seats at the back - only restricted view available, we're told. I'm consoled by the fact I've seen it before - poor Niamh though won't get the full effect. However, just as the theme starts and the curtains part, an usher directs us to empty aisle seats a few rows from the stage, a lot better than those we had. Characters appear on stage, voices are raised in song:

"You work real hard and the pay's real low, and ev'ry hour goes oh, so slow. And at the end of the day there's no where to go but home to Avenue Q!"

and I relax for the first time that day, indulging in the sheer enjoyment of knowing the show and amusement at the reaction of those who don't. Familar faces - Christmas Eve, the Japanese therapist, Kate Monster, the Bad Idea bears, Lucy the Slut and TV's Gary Coleman - who has ended up as the superintendent on Avenue Q - fill the theatre with laughter, song and smart ass dialogue.

It's almost a pity I'd played the soundtrack so much in the house - Niamh was very used to the songs, thereby losing the surprise of the lyrics. From "What do you do with a B.A in English?" through "It sucks to be me", "If you were gay (that'd be okay)", "Everyone's a little bit racist", "The Internet is for Porn" and the incredibly poignant "There's a fine, fine line" it's all I can do not to sing along but instead distract myself with the gasps of shock, laughter and appreciation from a new-to-the-show audience who thoroughly enjoy themselves.

No mere puppet or muppet show this - it's a show that goes right for the funny bone and refuses to let go.



Now in its third year of the London production, the show has had over 1,000 performances and outstanding reviews. "It's not every show that manages to be tongue-in-cheek and hand-on-heart" says The Independent; "A hip, happening, adult puppet musical with a difference" says the Sunday Express, while the New Statesman rates it as "Riotous. A night bursting with invention, bawdiness and dollops of stage chutzpah".

Since its New York opening in 2003, its won several Tony Awards, including the award for best musical, and the soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy in 2004.



The challenge for the audience is to try take it all in. The live action mix of human and puppet can prove an intentional distraction as the puppeteers act as much in character as the figure they hold in their hands.

In the big cast scenes, where most of the characters are on stage, you'll find yourself watching the puppet more than the human, almost believing that it's the foam-and-wire ensemble singing with Gary Coleman about Schadenfreude: "The world needs people like you and me who've been knocked around by fate. 'Cause when people see us, they don't want to be us, and that makes them feel great." or giving the racial acceptance message "If we all could just admit that we are racist a little bit, even though we all know that it's wrong... maybe it would help us get along".

For any West End actor, going out night after night delivering the same lines and lyrics must be quite an endeavour. Add to that the pressure of puppeteering, of making the audience believe that puppets can have sex or be gay or be addicted to porn or fall in love and the commitment and talent of the actors comes to the fore. With this in mind, I went to meet Daniel Boys and Mark Goldthorp, two of the show's main puppeteers and actors to ask a few questions and find out more about what they do.



Mark plays three of the puppet characters on stage - internet favourite Trekkie Monster, Nicky, the well intentioned but lazy flatmate and one of the Bad Idea Bears. A wonderful actor, voice over artist and singer, his theatrical pedigree includes such high profile west end shows as Les Misérables, Beauty and the Beast, Me and My Girl and Whistle down the Wind.

Daniel, who plays main character Princeton and Rod, the closet gay liberal, is possibly best known this side of the water for his participation in Any Dream Will Do (BBC1’s search for Joseph) and When Joseph met Maria has an equally impressive portfolio including Sweeney Todd, West Side Story, Grease and Rent.



When I meet the guys, after an unexpected but hugely appreciated tour of the set - the bed the puppets have sex on has a real fitted sheet and pillowcases, the money they collect during the "Give me your Money" scene goes to charity and only certain cast members or the puppet master (yes there is one) can touch the puppets - they're warmly welcoming, polite and bizarrely, in character.

As I shake hands with Princeton, I repress the childish urge to giggle - it's like meeting Kermit. Equally, as much as I want to hug Trekkie Monster, the presence of the puppet master reminds me we have a job to do here. Photos taken, we talk about the show.

So, over 1,000 shows in, multiple audiences, cast changes, the same songs and characters now for over a year – obviously it’s a good experience but is Avenue Q as much fun for you both as it was at the beginning?

Mark (MG): Yes!

Daniel (DB): Absolutely, I love the show and have done since I first saw it so getting to go on every night with a cast and crew who are all such good fun and to see an audience having such a great time is a real joy.

Was the puppeteering element of the role (which can be quite physical at times) a difficult thing to get used to?

MG: Yes, it was at the beginning. You can never stop learning – I love that with both puppetry and acting.

DB: There is no doubt that the puppetry is one of the hardest things about the job. Puppetry is/was a new skill to learn and a very difficult one too. It hurt my arm a lot in puppet school and rehearsals but I’m used to it now and have become quite attached to the puppets.

You both have very varied musical and television backgrounds. Does Avenue Q allow you to bring as much of you that you’d like to the stage?

MG: I find there’s a lot of me in the show, both good things and bad!

DB: Obviously the show is about the puppets, but I’m loving showing a comic character role side to me which I’ve never been able to show before.

If you each have a favourite scene or song to perform from the show as any of your characters, what is it?

MG: The obvious ones I’m afraid, 'If You Were Gay', 'The Internet is for Porn', and I love 'I wish I could go back to College'.

DB: My favourite scene and song to perform is 'Fantasy'. We get to see Rod in his true colours and get to see his vulnerability. It's also a great song to sing.

If you could be another character (human or puppet) or choose a song to sing from the show, what would it be?

MG: The song would be “I’m Not Wearing Underwear Today” and the character of Gary Coleman but that would never happen!

DB: Well I do love singing along to “The More You Ruv Someone” in the dressing room!

Who do you think is the best character in the musical?

MG: The most well written is Kate Monster as she has the biggest journey but its all relative

DB: I think Kate goes through the most emotionally but of course I’m biased – I love Rod!

How much does the audience reaction influence how you’ll play a show on a night?

MG: We try not to let it affect us but it does have some affect, especially if they’re quite a quiet audience.

DB: It can be tough sometimes if it’s a small or quiet audience but you have to treat every show like a first night.

You’re in the middle of cast changes – does that affect the dynamic of your performances much?

MG: Not for me, no

DB: A lot! Julie [Atherton - the original Kate Monster/Lucy the Slut for over a year] is very different to Rebecca [Lock, who left the show in November]. They’re both fantastic but obviously it’s hard after a year of doing it to suddenly have to change. It’s fun exploring the characters again.

On a personal level, what would be a West End/Broadway role that you’d love to make your own?

MG: One that has not been performed yet.

DB: Either Marius in Les Misérables or possibly Fiyero in Wicked. I’d also really like the opportunity to create a new role in a musical – a challenge I’ve not yet tried.

With the news that the show will close next year, what, if any, are your plans? Do you think you’ll miss playing your characters?

MG: No plans, and I will miss the everything about the show very much.

DB: I will miss it so much. As for my plans, I just hope to keep working. I love singing and musical theatre but would really like to do some TV or film. I’d also like to do an album at some point.

Finally, would you join Avenue Q on tour and play in Dublin? (Especially if we were buying the Guinness?)

MG: Yes to the Guinness! The other question, talk to my agent!!

DB: I love the show , but unfortunately I think a year and a half is long enough in a show (although the Guinness is tempting!)

As we leave the Noel Coward Theatre, I resolve to return before the show ends its run on March 28 next year. I've had a brilliant evening - Niamh too, though she thinks she'd have preferred not to know the songs beforehand - Darren and Lottie, you're warned - but it was great fun. Highly recommended for laughs and one of my favourite shows, ever.

Outside we pass Joanna Ampil, who has put in a storming performance as Christmas Eve. She's delighted by my praise and practically skips up the road. I'm half tempted to join her, singing my own favourite, For Now.

"For now we're healthy. For now we're employed. For now we're happy, If not overjoyed. And we'll accept the things we cannot avoid, for now... Don't stress, relax, let life roll off your backs... everything in life is only for now"

You can catch Avenue Q at the Noel Coward Theatre, at Covent Lane in London WC2 (very close to Leicester Square). Tickets start at £10, the performance lasts approximately 2hrs 15 mins (including a 15 min interval) and show times are 8pm Monday to Thursday, Friday at 5.30pm and 8.30pm and Saturday at 5pm and 8.30pm. You'll find out more information on the official website here.

You can also find some of the show's songs on my Blip channel here:



A big thank you to Niamh, Kasey, Marion, Mark and Daniel for making this happen. Brilliant night, great experience :)

Dublin Airport's new terminal and Chain Reaction

I'm off to London for a few days to work on the Chain Reaction event. I may not be going through Dublin airport's terminal 2 just yet, but it won't be long by the looks of things.





The Chain Reaction event looks very interesting. There are some amazing speakers lined up from the world of charity and social entrepreneurship. I'm looking forward to meeting and hearing Richard Branson, Mark Thompson, DG of the BBC, Nipun Mehta, Founder of Charityfocus.org, Colin Parry, Founder of Foundation for Peace and a personal hero of mine, John Bird, Founder and Editor-In-Chief of The Big Issue.

For the programme running over Monday and Tuesday, I'll be reprising my role as a social reporter, helping to blog, tweet, photograph, record, interview and video the event. I'm working with a brilliant team to help all this happen. It's something I hope to be able to help replicate in Ireland soon.

Better go. Lift in 30 minutes, need to shower, nothing packed. The usual!

Animals on the London Underground

Got to love the creativity that has gone into the Animals on the Underground site. I've often stared at those maps myself (wondering how to get from Southgate to Baker Street in less than an hour) but it took Paul Middlewick to see the pattern and spot the first album, an elephant, in 1988.



Now there's t-shirts you can buy, ecards you can send and it's all for the benefit of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.



Other than the dove, I think this tortoise is my favourite



What's yours?

Check out the great site on http://www.animalsontheunderground.com

EDIT: I see 73man has elevated this site to the status of truth before me.

The Animals on the Underground concept and images are the property of Grid24 Ltd. The London Underground logo and map © TfL Reg'd User No 05/4294.

Asbestos: Lost in London

Funny* the things you see in London, in all sort of strange places, this time from Irish artist Asbestos.

The sticker reads:

LOST: HER NUMBER.

Woke up this morning thinking I was the Hoff! But what a muppet am I? I've gone and lost this fine babe's number. Find it and mail lost@theartofasbestos.com

Below reads

LOST: FAIRY LIQUID

My hands are not as soft as my face anymore, so find my fairy liquid and email lost@theartofasbestos.com

If you're not familiar with the wonderful "Lost" stickers by Asbestos (I tend to see them a lot (and smile every time) out and about in Dublin) then check out his work on his great website.



(* yes, funny. Funny the things you find to take photos of ;-))

Drawing on walls, London Style

Sunday morning popped onto Twitter and saw a tweet from Bernie Goldbach (@topgold)



I happened (coincidentally) to be standing outside London's Tate Modern where this was being created:


How so?

With a big crane


and a big piece of chalk


and a lot of talent


Can't wait to see the finished version. I reckon it's for their upcoming Street Art Exhibition, opening on May 23 - the same weekend as their Long Weekend 2008.



So, Bernie, feeling creative? ;-)

Guest blogging at the Shine Conference in London

Following a recommendation from Damien Mulley I've come to the Shine Unconference in London this weekend.

I've been invited to be a guest blogger on the Social Reporter blog which is covering the event.

If you have an interest - even passing - in social entrepreneurs, in campaigning for change and in what people are doing to make a difference in the world, and would like to see what's going on in London, come over and have a read. My first (long of course) post is now live.

My main area of interest is the people here - who they are, what they're doing and their stories.

As I shared, one of my favourite poems - What Is Success by Ralph Waldo Emerson - has these lines, which sum up what a social entrepreneur is quite well for me:

…To find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived;

This is to have succeeded.

Thanks to the lovely people at Unltdworld I have internet access (guess who wasn't intelligent enough to bring his laptop?) and will be blogging there and here (hopefully) over the weekend.

Any and all feedback welcome. You should also have a read of the Social Entrepreneurs Ireland website.

Well I suppose I did ask for it

I love postcards. I pick up a lot of the free ones in town (and I'm delighted to see that the people behind a lot of them, The Picture Works, have a blog - go visit) and I share them, I send them or just store them. The ones from "new" places go on the fridge.

When the ever lovely Ellybabes told me she was off to Arizona recently I cheekily asked for a postcard - after all, I don't have any from there. So when I got home to find this envelope waiting for me, I had an idea of what was in it...



true to her word, there were postcards from her travels



including Arizona



Arizona by night



a lovely shot of the Houses of Parliament in London



and then, just at the end, there were



and



Guess which ones won't be going on the fridge?

How to react? What to say? Well, like any good blogger, all I can do is post and say thanks :D

and then be careful what I choose for her 30th Birthday on May 6...