#Amanda Abbingdon

[teenagefeeling]

being a fan of british celebrities is such a fucking challenge lately 🙃

[bakerstreetbabble]

The Six Thatchers: a return to form

​"I found myself in dream-land, with the sweet face of Mary Morstan looking down upon me." [SIGN]

[This review was also published on I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere, where you can read other contributors' reviews as well.]

After 2014's filler episode of Sherlock, "The Abominable Bride." I was afraid that the Moffat and Gatiss may have painted themselves into a bit of a corner. As entertaining as it was to see Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman transported into a more traditional Victorian setting, the one-off episode didn't really advance the plot of the show at all. Besides, I've never been the kind of Holmes fan who really gets much of a charge out of the Victorian nostalgia aspect of Sherlockiana. I know all kinds of Sherlockians really dwell on that whole period, and I get it, it can be a lot of fun. But I've always thought the great strength of the BBC's Sherlock was their ability to make Holmes and Watson so contemporary, while still always retaining so much of the flavor of Doyle's original stories. For me, then, "The Six Thatchers" was a stunning return to form. I may as well take this chance to warn any readers who may be approaching this review without having seen the episode, that MAJOR SPOILERS lie ahead! If you read from this point on, I am assuming that you have seen "The Six Thatchers." So let's move along, shall we?

For much of the first act of the episode, I wasn't certain that this episode was going to work: there was a lot of comedy in that first twenty minutes. I was beginning to think, "this is all very enjoyable, seeing Cumberbatch displaying his comedic side, but when does the story really begin?" As the story began to get more serious, however, and the plot began to reference "The Six Napoleons" (as we all thought it would), I really began to be drawn into the story. Looking back on the episode now, I feel as if the comedy towards the beginning really heightened the drama to follow.

One thing I'd like to mention right off the bat is how much I enjoyed Amanda Abbingdon's work in "The Six Thatchers." Ever since they introduced her as Mary, I've thought the chemistry she shared with Martin Freeman's Watson has been spectacular, and the equal rapport with Cumberbatch's Sherlock was just as enjoyable. Most of us who have loved Sherlock from the beginning knew that the Holmes/Watson duo was one of the best in film and TV history; Mary changed the relationship into an intriguing equilateral triangle. Indeed, for a little while during this episode, I found myself wondering if the attention paid to Mary's role in the show might be working at cross purposes to the dymamic of Freeeman and Cumberbatch's perfect balance as Holmes and Watson. As the show progressed, though, all of those fears were put to rest as, in the end, Mary's presence (followed by her absence) made that Holmes/Watson relationship even more powerful for me. (I told you there would be spoilers...)

[friend-through-teenage-nights]

Relistening to this having read a (highly abridged) version of the two books last year I found in Oxfam and I am now in a position to appreciate how little they changed it...like yes, Sancho literally does just leave his family to be Don Quixote's squire. The adaption adds some silly voices (the priest being a particularly good one..."they have a priest-conception of me") and jokes and made some scenes less serious with character motivations more flippant (and Sancho reacts appropriately upon discovering someone wrote a book about things that happened when he and Don Quixote were alone).

"[the windmill adventure] is the most well known not because it is particularly exciting but because it is the first one and most people don't get very far through the book" is exactly the idea my housemate had as I gave her daily updates every morning while I was reading it.

"they had many such adventures, each more similar than the last" SO TRUE that is NOT a castle it is an INN for the third time in a row and that was in an abridged version so I shudder to think how many times it happened in the full text.

"this is all in the book so please don't write in" not about Don Quixote being honour-bound by the knights' code to whip Sancho on the buttocks hundreds of times but it could have been.

[enigmaticagentalice]

spending Christmas eve eve watching old episodes of Poirot

because...nothing says Christmas like people being brutally murdered, I guess?

[gaymer-hag-stan]

Lara Croft's Biography

This is my attempt at consolidating Core Design's two biographies for Lara Croft as well as Crystal Dynamics' revised version for Legend into one, cohesive background story that includes all key events from her past adventures. Certain elements of the first nine games and their backstories are bound to be included in the new, unified timeline so any Reboot fans that are not as familiar with Classic Lara may find this interesting to read :) Hope you like it!

Name: Lara Croft

Nationality: British

Date of Birth: 14 February 1968

Birthplace: Wimbledon, London

Marital Status: Single

Blood Group: AB-

Height: 1,75m

Weight: 58 kg

Hair Colour: Brunnette

Eye Colour: Brown

Distinguishing Features: 9mm Handguns

Bio

Lady Lara Croft is an 11th generation Countess. The Croft family was granted the title and rights to Abbingdon, Surrey by King Edward VI in 1547. The Croft Estates are comprised of three separate manor houses, two of which are maintained by the National Trust, and the third is home to Lady Croft.

Lady Croft herself has suffered several personal tragedies, including the deaths of both parents on separate occasions before she came of age. Reputably an accredited genius and Olympic-standard gymnast, Lady Croft is the focus of wild speculation and intense debate in both the scientific and political communities in addition to the popular press. Idealized and vilified in equal measure, she is perhaps one of the most fascinating and enigmatic figures of our time.

Lara Croft was born in Surrey's Parkside hospital on the 14th of February in 1968 to Lady Amelia Croft and the notorious archeologist Lord Richard Croft, the late Earl of Abbingdon. She was raised to be an aristocrat from birth, and had lived in luxury and security aloof from the world at large. Between the ages of three and six, she attended the Abbingdon Girls School, where it quickly became clear that she was an exceptionally gifted child.

At the age of nine she survived a plane crash in the Himalayas that took the life of her mother. In perhaps the first story of her prodigious indomitability, she somehow survived a solo ten-day trek across the Himalayan mountains, one of the most hostile environments on the planet. The story goes that when she arrived in Katmandu she went to the nearest bar and made a polite telephone call to her father asking if it would be convenient for him to come and pick her up.

For six years following the plane crash, Lara rarely left her father's side, traveling around the world from one archeological dig site to another. During this period she was ostensibly given a standard education from private tutors, but it would probably be more accurate to say she was her father's full time apprentice.

When Lara was fifteen, her father went missing in Cambodia. Extensive searches by the authorities and Lara herself turned up human remains that could not definitively be identified. Since Lord Croft's body was not officially recovered, Lara could not directly inherit the Croft title and Lara was thrust into a bitter family feud over control of the Abbingdon estates with her uncle Lord Errol Croft. Lara eventually won the legal battle, and took possession of her inheritance but at the cost of a deep rift in the Croft family that left her estranged from her living relatives.

At 16 she began studying at Gordonstoun, one of Britain's most prominent boarding schools where she discovered the mountains of Scotland. One day Lara came across a copy of National Geographic on the hall table. The front cover featured a familiar name - Professor Werner Von Croy. A respected archaeologist, Von Croy had once lectured at Lara's school to pupils & parents alike.

The experience had a profound effect on Lara, triggering a desire for travel to remote locations in search of adventure. In some ways Von Croy had become an inspirational figure for Lara. As Lara read further, she learned that Von Croy was currently preparing for an archaeological tour across Asia, culminating in a potential new discovery to be made in Cambodia. Unable to pass up this opportunity, she walked over to the desk & penned a letter to Von Croy. She Introduced herself and offered financial assistance in exchange for her place on the expedition. Von Croy's reply assured her that the territories were friendly and that he had ample experience to look after both his & Lara's well being.

Lara's company as an assistant would be welcome, as was the offer of such a generous cheque. He remembered Lara from his lecture - her incessant yet insightful questions had made quite an impression upon him. And so it was agreed that Lara would accompany Von Croy for the duration of the tour.

At 21, while in college, she was part of a team of aspiring archaeologists in charge of a dig in Paraiso, Peru. Her closest friends, Amanda Evert, aspiring anthropologist, and Anaya Imanu, engineer, among them. They were attempting to break through the tomb of the Queen of Tiwanaku. The expedition was cut short however, as a tragic accident led to the deaths of most of Lara's friends and colleagues, including Amanda, with Lara and Anaya emerging from the dig as the only two known survivors.

Lara probably should have died there, as most did, instead she learned how to depend on her wits to stay alive in hostile conditions a world away from her sheltered upbringing. Her experiences had had a profound effect on her and in that process transformed herself as well. Her Peruvian odyssey was both miraculous and enlightening, as the young woman not only survived, but gained a perspective on herself and the world that made her past appear shallow and naive. Out of the darkness of her ordeal, she saw her future reflected in a different light.

She felt profoundly that there was more for her in this life than the coddled existence that had become her numbing habit. Unable to stand the suffocating atmosphere of upper-class British society any longer, she realized that she was only truly alive when she was travelling alone. Over the eight following years she acquired an intimate knowledge of ancient civilizations across the globe. Despite this drastic life change, Lara still retains the essence of her upbringing - most notably with her polite, upper-class accent. She turned to writing to fund her trips.

While in England, Lara lives in a mansion in Surrey which she inherited many years ago. At one time she saw little use in it but now realises that, if nothing else, it is at least handy for storing all the artifacts she has acquired on her travels. She has also had a custom-built assault course constructed in the grounds for training purposes.

Lady Lara Croft has already eclipsed her father's career; as of this writing she is credited with the discovery of some fifteen archeological sites of international significance. These sites are still yielding new and exciting insights to the past on an ongoing basis. No one can deny Lady Croft's incredible contribution to the field of archeology, however she is not without her detractors.

Lara's methods have been frequently called into question by government officials and other practicing archeologists. She has been described variously as anything from cavalier to downright irresponsible. Some scholars have suggested that her notorious lack of documentation and brute force methodology have contaminated countless sites and done more harm than good. There have even been (unsubstantiated) allegations that Lara actually takes items from these sites before informing the international community of their locations, and that she is nothing more than a glorified treasure hunter.

Despite the tabloid press's infatuation with her, Lara Croft guards her privacy with complete determination. She has never granted an interview nor made any personal comment to any of the rumors associated with her, preferring to express herself through brief formal statements given by the family solicitors, Hardgraves and Moore.

Predictably there have been a number of unofficial biographies printed about the young Countess, that attribute wild and fantastic feats to her exploits, ranging from the discovery of living dinosaurs in the Congo to infiltrating the infamous Area 51 in Nevada. The official line from the Croft Estate to these works is simply that "...these books are utter rot: disgraceful, trashy works of total fiction."

Nevertheless if you even make a cursory search on the Internet for the Unexplained, the Mysterious and the Downright Unbelievable, time and again you will find Lara Croft's name appearing. She appears to be a hero to conspiracy theorists and alternate history aficionados alike.

It seems the further you dig into Lady Croft's life, the more bewildering and mysterious she becomes. Perhaps like the archeological sites she discovers, we have only scratched the surface of this incredible woman and the complex and inscrutable secrets buried deep within her.

Lara Croft became the seeker of truths, both large and small, and in that pursuit she continues to this day.

Employment

Lara doesn't consider tomb raiding as a job, merely a way of life - although she has been known to uncover archeological artifacts on commission. To fund her radical lifestyle, Lara writes travel books. Titles so far have included 'A Tyrannosaurus is Jawing at My Head' and 'Slaying Bigfoot'. Her common complaint though is that she doesn't have enough time to put pen to paper.

As well as uncovering many notorious archeological sites - including the Atlantean pyramid and the last resting place of the dagger of Xian, Lara has found fame in other areas - she has driven the dangerous Alaskan Highway from Tierra del Fuego in South America in record time (although this was later denounced by the Guinness Book of Records due to her "reckless driving") and she hit the headlines again when she hunted out and killed Bigfoot in North America.

Sports

Not much of a team player. Discovered rock climbing while at Gordonstoun and used to set off into the hills alone during netball practice. Also took up shooting as an extra-curricular activity but was instantly banned for showing "too keen an interest'. However, the strength that climbing gave her fingers was to become useful when she started pulling triggers for real.

Music

Lara was brought up to appreciate classical music but having been a guest on U2's Popmart tour, has since become a fan of their music. She has also been introduced to the sounds of Nine inch Nails by her Aunty and considers it "good easy listening". Finds trance music, in general, good for training.

Food

Despite being a proficient cook from her days at finishing school and having sampled most of the exotic delicacies of the world, Lara usually opts for beans on toast when at home.

Hobbies

Any challenging sports. Has a particular interest in experimenting with different, often extreme forms of transport. Has also once admitted to stitching a kind of Bayeaux tapestry of her own adventures while at home.

Ambition

With her unique physical abilities, Lara is certain of being able to break many world athletic records and so sees no challenge in this herself. Her main ambitions still lie in the undefined world of tombs and the past. She has also however, developed a personal regard for Brian Blessed's attempts to climb Everest. If he never succeeds, she is determined to piggy-back him up there.

Heroes

All the great ancient figures who respected themselves enough to design such intricate tombs to be buried in. "Nobody goes to trouble like that anymore..."

Fears

Her Aunty's Corgi which has bitten her on several occasions - about which, for once, there is little she can do.

Lucky Charm

Any gun at hand.

[snicole5087]

Theatre Royal Bath Productions has today released production photography of Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party starring Amanda Abbington and directed by Sarah Esdaile. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the classic comedy, the production opened at Theatre Royal Bath and has its official opening night for press on Thursday 6 April at Oxford Playhouse before continuing on its UK Tour and to London’s West End.

Sherlock star Amanda Abbington will play Beverly. Ms Abbington will be joined by Ben Caplan as Laurence, Rose Keegan as Susan, Charlotte Mills as Angela and Ciarán Owens as Tony.

The drinks party from hell begins when Beverly and estate agent husband Laurence invite round new neighbours, Tony and Ange, along with nervous divorcee Sue, jittery about the bash her teenage daughter, Abigail, is throwing up the road. As that party gets out of hand, this one too descends into chaos.

Amanda Abbington is best known for her television work, with recent roles including ‘Mary Morstan’ in Sherlock, ‘Miss Mardle’ in Mr Selfridge and ‘DS Jo Moffat’ in Cuffs.

Ben Caplan most recently starred in Hedda Gabler (Salisbury Playhouse) and as Eddie Kassner in Sunny Afternoon (Harold Pinter Theatre). He is also known for his role as PC Peter Noakes in the first five series of BBC’s Call The Midwife.

Rose Keegan’s stage credits include Alan Ayckbourn’s Bedroom Farce (Aldwych Theatre) and The Revengers’ Comedies (Strand Theatre), Cunegonde in Candide and Peterchen in Sugardollies (Gate Theatre).

Charlotte Mills played Tanya in the original production of Jerusalem at the Royal Court, then at the Apollo Theatre West End and The Music Box Theatre on Broadway. Other recent credits include The Two Gentlemen of Verona at Shakespeare’s Globe and The Winter’s Tale at the RSC.

Ciarán Owens’ theatre work includes Candide, Titus Andronicus and Mad World My Masters for the Royal Shakespeare Company and Oh! What A Lovely War (Theatre Royal Stratford East).

Sarah Esdaile directed Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads for Theatre Royal Bath’s 2015 Summer Season. She was Associate Director at West Yorkshire Playhouse where productions included Deep Blue Sea starring Maxine Peake, Death of a Salesman with Philip Jackson and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Theatre Royal Bath March 2017 Dress Rehearsal Abigail’s Party by Mike Leigh Directed by Sarah Esdaile Janet Bird / Designer Paul Pyant / Lighting Designer Lucy Cullingford / Movement Dance Amanda Abbington as Beverly Ben Caplan as Laurence Charlotte Mills as Angela Ciar‡n Owens as Tony Rose Keegan as Susan ©NOBBY CLARK +44(0)7941-515770 +44(0)20-7274-2105 nobby@nobbyclark.co.uk

Theatre Royal Bath March 2017 Dress Rehearsal Abigail’s Party by Mike Leigh Directed by Sarah Esdaile Janet Bird / Designer Paul Pyant / Lighting Designer Lucy Cullingford / Movement Dance Amanda Abbington as Beverly Ben Caplan as Laurence Charlotte Mills as Angela Ciar‡n Owens as Tony Rose Keegan as Susan ©NOBBY CLARK +44(0)7941-515770 +44(0)20-7274-2105 nobby@nobbyclark.co.uk

Theatre Royal Bath March 2017 Dress Rehearsal Abigail’s Party by Mike Leigh Directed by Sarah Esdaile Janet Bird / Designer Paul Pyant / Lighting Designer Lucy Cullingford / Movement Dance Amanda Abbington as Beverly Ben Caplan as Laurence Charlotte Mills as Angela Ciar‡n Owens as Tony Rose Keegan as Susan ©NOBBY CLARK +44(0)7941-515770 +44(0)20-7274-2105 nobby@nobbyclark.co.uk

Theatre Royal Bath March 2017 Dress Rehearsal Abigail’s Party by Mike Leigh Directed by Sarah Esdaile Janet Bird / Designer Paul Pyant / Lighting Designer Lucy Cullingford / Movement Dance Amanda Abbington as Beverly Ben Caplan as Laurence Charlotte Mills as Angela Ciar‡n Owens as Tony Rose Keegan as Susan ©NOBBY CLARK +44(0)7941-515770 +44(0)20-7274-2105 nobby@nobbyclark.co.uk

Theatre Royal Bath March 2017 Dress Rehearsal Abigail’s Party by Mike Leigh Directed by Sarah Esdaile Janet Bird / Designer Paul Pyant / Lighting Designer Lucy Cullingford / Movement Dance Amanda Abbington as Beverly Ben Caplan as Laurence Charlotte Mills as Angela Ciar‡n Owens as Tony Rose Keegan as Susan ©NOBBY CLARK +44(0)7941-515770 +44(0)20-7274-2105 nobby@nobbyclark.co.uk

Images released of Amanda Abbingdon in Abigail’s Party UK Tour Theatre Royal Bath Productions has today released production photography of Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party starring Amanda Abbington…

[confettihipster]

@helenhuntingdon did you watch safe? that netflix show with that guy from dexter and amanda abbingdon? i watched it and i didn’t even know he was in it, he was her ex husband and he was living in a caravan in front of her house. like that is how i imagine he is in real life. anyway he was good in it and i was obsessing over the show enough to ignore that i hate him

[ilovebennystuff]

Letter of complaint to Sherlocked the event organisers.

This is the letter I have sent today to the organisers of the Sherlocked UK con which is being held this weekend. Although I won't get a refund I felt it was important that my concerns were on record. Not that they will pay the slightest attention I am sure. It will be interesting to see whether they reply. To the organisers : This is to explain the reason for my absence from the Sherlocked event this weekend. I realise no refunds will be given, but I wish to put on record my disappointment that so little is on offer to attendees who have paid for Platinum packages. I booked my £595 ticket in January to be sure of getting an early number and also paid for the hotel in advance. I attended Sherlocked UK in 2015 and 2016 and had a great time. But this year there are some major issues. First and foremost , I attend a Sherlock event to enjoy meeting major cast members for autographs and photos. I am not interested in spending a large amount of money to meet minor cast members who have had very little input into the show. Using people like single episode actors like Debbie Chazan, Gordon Kennedy, Marcia Warren and Sacha Dhawan, plus using a number of minors like Louis Moffat, and very young children like Aaron Richards, Indica Watson and Tom Stoughton is not acceptable when the event has cost a great deal of money for participants. None of the major cast are scheduled . No Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman , Wanda Ventham, Timothy Carlton, Mark Gatiss, Andrew Scott, or Amanda Abbingdon. Yet this is one of the big draws of buying a Platinum ticket since it entitles the holder to meet and be photographed with these major actors and attend their talks. I had hoped my Platinum meet and greet ( Group B) would be with Arwel or Steven Moffat . It turns out it will be with Louis Moffat , a junior cast member who I have met before . Louis is a typical teenager, rather shy and lacking in confidence . This will not be a meaningful opportunity to discuss the filming choices made in Series 4. Worse, to attend many of the meet and greets you are auctioning them to the highest 15 bidders. Having already spent £600 to buy my original ticket , I am definitely NOT prepared to spend hundreds more to win a place in Steve Moffat and Sue Vertue's group. None of the talks hold any appeal. I love Una Stubbs but her panel with three very young kids will inevitably be undemanding . And why have all questions got to be submitted in advance? Hardly conducive to spontaneity or a good atmosphere! In the last two days I have been informed that the two set opportunities specifically for Platinum holders ( the tilting set and Mycroft's office) are now not available. Apparantly the Tilting set got burnt during filming, and the Mycroft office set is too incomplete to use it. So now I have been offered alternatives - a photo on the Victorian 221b set ( which I paid extra for last year to be photographed with Louise Brearley and Rupert Graves, as well as the Holmes family) or a photo in front of the 221b smiley wallpaper . Having gone carefully through all the activities on offer I have regretfully decided NOT to attend since I would still have to travel and pay my live in dog sitter for the weekend . To say I am disappointed is an understatement. Having discussed this with other Sherlock fans who are NOT attending it is clear there is a perception that the organisers of Sherlocked are only interested in wringing every last penny from the fans and that it has become a rip off. It leaves a very nasty taste . On the subject of evening parties, I think holding a Culverton Smith hospital party is unbelievably crass , considering this Sherlock scene with Smith and a large group of children was meant to be a mock up of Jimmy Saville's appalling behaviour at the hospitals he attended. Great subject for a party! Also, a bouncy castle??? Really ?? It may have escaped your attention that Sherlock fans are incredibly articulate, intelligent and mature people. We love to discuss with actors and creators all aspects of how the series was made, why choices were made, and are often a step ahead of the writers! I would appreciate a reply from an organiser to at least indicate that they have read my concerns and will act on them . Next year If there is another Sherlocked event, I shall definitely wait to see just who and what is being offered before parting with my hard earned money.

[thewxman]

TAGGED BY @221bringingitback​

RULES: tell your followers eleven facts about yourself and then tag eleven more people to do it.

O1. I got engaged last summer and now I feel like an adulty adult cause I have to plan a bloody wedding. O2.  I’ve lived in London my whole life and when people say I’m lucky I really don’t get it because it’s so gross here and we get rioted and people spit everywhere and sometimes I see old secondary school acquaintances on Jeremy Kyle but I guess I can see the appeal sometimes.  O3. I’m a singer and I perform in musicals regularly. I have just finished a pantomime run of ‘Frosted’ - a take on Frozen where I played the equivalent of Princess Anna. Don’t tell Disney. O4.  My family friend’s son Tom played young Sherlock in TFP. O5.  Sometimes I go to Speedys just to take selfies, then feel obliged to buy a tea and a sarnie. O6. I’m a total Batman nerd and when I’m not obsessing over Sherlock, I’m obsessing over The Joker. O7. I was a ‘pinup’ for about 3 years, of which I dressed in 1950s style every day. I gave up. Lol. O8. The first person I RPed as was Cassie Ainsworth from Skins. 10 years ago. (help) O9. I work as a Learning Support Assistant for SEN children in a Primary School. It’s the most rewarding job I’ve ever done and I’ve never been happier. 1O.  I have 3 cats- Pepa, Boo and Mitsy. I did  have hamsters once and I called them Seb and Jim but then Seb killed Jim so... That was the end of that. 11. I served Amanda Abbingdon tights when I worked in Selfridges. I got a huge nerve rash all over my chest and she was really sweet.

TAGGING: Anyone that hasn’t yet! Can’t seem to find many that haven’t!

[waltzofjohnlock]

Amanda Abbingdon is on Would I Lie to You, and I actually can’t cope with how perfect her eyebrows are...

They are so beautiful!

[oxeanpotionn]

Had a dream that I took Amanda Abbingdon out for a coffee and she liked her coffee white with 2 sugars so yep

[emilyofhousetargaryen]

Gwen thinks she’s in charge. She’s silly and twitchy and always putting her hand up to say ‘I know! I know! I know!’ when someone asks a question – and often when nobody asks a question!

[itsonthetellystupid]

Sherlock lives! Now all I have to do is hang on until Sunday...

Most of what passes for entertainment on the telly these days is, by and large, utter bollocks. I can’t stand game shows, despise soaps with a passion and am ambivalent about the majority of crime dramas, working on the theory that, like boobs, if you’ve…

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[elopinglock]

At least half of Simon Pegg's tweets are just him trying to humiliate Martin Freeman, using links to the weirdest Sherlock related things he can find on tumblr. So he's probably out there somewhere. Scrolling. Judging.