#my friend's vocals are actually top notch he did SUCH a fantastic job

[goldendoodlerlockerlove]

So, I have this friend from choir while I was still in high school who's Genderfluid as well, which I love, (he uses He/They pronouns) and awhile ago, we made this cover of Bikini Bottom Day from The SpongeBob Musical, and it's definitely a few years old as it's from 2020.

Yes, while the world was in COVID lockdown, I was remotely making covers with my friends to keep my sanity, pffffft. Discovering this musical actually really helped during lockdown, because the songs are so lovely and fun, and it just makes you happier when you listen to it.

Anyway, I just wanted to share more covers I've done, and I actually still kind of like how it turned out?? There was definitely a period where I was embarrassed by it, but I think now, I really enjoy listening to it again.

I was The Narrator, SpongeBob, Gary, Patrick, Plankton, Karen, and Pearl. My friend was Squidward, Sandy, and Mr. Krabs. Plus, we both did all of the background vocals.

Tagging @br1ghtestlight just because he mentioned enjoying The SpongeBob Musical awhile back, and that reminded me that this cover existed.

[takerfoxx]

Arcane, Season 1, Episode 1, "Welcome to the Playground," First Impressions!

Because YOU demanded it!

I have heard a lot about Arcane. When it came out, people were RAVING in a way I haven't seen people rave for a new fantasy/sci-fi show since, I don't know, early Game of Thrones or Stranger Things. It became the new watercooler genre show, i.e. the one everyone watched and was talking about, and the fact that it's an animated show for adults only make it all the more intriguing.

So of course I had to at least give it a google, and I have to admit, I was surprised that it was a League of Legends show, but that was mainly due to the cliche of anything cinematic being made from video games almost never being good. But upon some reflection, I shouldn't have been surprised.

Look, say what you will about Riot as a corporate entity or the reputation of League's fanbase, but when it comes to them branching out into other mediums to promote their game, they do not skimp on the quality. All of their cinematic trailers are top notch and often tell way more interesting stories for something that's basically a bunch of really colorful characters kicking the shit out of each other, and their music forays have just been fantastic. And I don't just mean the image songs (though those are great too), I mean them defictionalizing their in-universe musical groups K/DA and Pentakill and having them release actual music. They hired REAL stars in their respective genres for the vocals, put in the work to create REAL songs that unironically slap, coupled with some really cool and creative music videos. Like, I'm not a League fan. I've never played the game and never will. But I'm always excited for a new K/DA or Pentakill or even a True Damage drop, because their stuff is just that good. So it shouldn't be surprising that when they decided to make an actual show detailing the backstories of some of their characters, they would go all out (see what I did there?) and throw real money into hiring real talent with real passion to make something that's not only a good adaptation of a video game, but just a great show in it's own right.

And honestly, that's how I'm coming into it. Like I said, I respect League and the effort they put into everything, but it's not my thing, it's not my genre of video game, so I've never played it and never will. I only know a small handful of the champions, and that's mainly those that show up in the musical projects, plus a very small handful of the more famous ones. So anything referencing League stuff will mostly go over my head. I'll point out the stuff I do catch, but mostly I'll be reviewing this show on its merits as a fantasy/sci-fi story.

And the hype don't lie: though I've only seen one episode, it was fucking great. And you guys were right. This is very much up my alley. I mean, an animated fantasy/sci-fi show for adults taking place in a super-cool steampunk city starring a bunch of street kids pulling heists just to get by? Fuck, I must have been a good boy this year, because Santa has come early!

Of course, that's going to change as the show goes on, and I will get to that, but putting all the League stuff aside, I would totally watch a show just about these kids pulling jobs and growing as friends.

So, what do we got for our set-up? Well, after being orphaned in a horrible war thingy that I'm sure we'll learn more about (and how was that for an opening scene?), sisters Violet and Powder are taken in by career criminal Vander, who raises them as his own. Now, years later, along with a pair of boys Mylo and Cragglor, they've formed a small gang of petty thieves determined to follow in Vander's footsteps and make their own place in the world. But when Powder pokes around something she ought to have left alone during their first real heist, it brings the attention of the rich and privileged Piltover onto the scrappy undercity of Zaun in a big way, and now Vander much choose between protecting the kids he's come to love as his own versus the good of Zaun as a whole, while our gang of misfits has to decided how to approach being wanted criminals in a big way, and Powder especially, who not only caused the explosion but also lost all their loot and apparently has a habit of screwing up jobs, is feeling the weight of her failures. Meanwhile, a sinister figure known as Silco is preparing a deadly mutagen and is looking to take advantage of the chaos to further his yet unknown agenda.

Kick.

Ass.

Okay, so this was absolutely top notch, and it held my attention all the way through. I totally got invested in these kids, in this world, and genuinely became afraid for their safety during the chase and the ensuing fight with Deckard. I've always been a fan of the Lost Boys set-up (a bunch of kids banding together to survive, especially in a fantastical world), so this was very much my drug. And like I said: they did not skimp on anything. The writing, the voice acting, and the direction are all top notch and creative.

And okay, there weren't exactly a lot of surprises how everyone was characterized or the conflicts between them. These are all very familiar character tropes and roles, but they're common because they work. Vander is exactly what you'd imagine when I say aging criminal mentor looking after a gang of scrappy kids. Violet is what you'd expect, Mylo is what you'd expect, Powder is what you'd expect, Cragglor is what you'd expect, and the list goes on. But they still worked, and I still grew very fond of all of them, and want to see what happens to them going forward.

And on that note, I was genuinely surprised that Mylo wasn't voiced by Jack De Sena. He just feels like a Sokka, you know what I mean?

And oh man, the world was fucking beautiful. Piltover kind of reminded me a little of Dinotopia, to be honest. And Zaun was exactly what you would want from a crime-filled undercity.

Anyway, the chase scene was a thing of beauty, but I liked the brawl with Deckard's gang even more. These are obviously kids used to fighting for what they have, and their respective fighting styles reflect that, from Violet taking advantage of her agility to Mylo's crafty opportunistic style to Cragglor's just chucking motherfuckers about. And honestly, I know that Mylo is kind of an asshole, and I do feel for Powder, but he kind of...wasn't wrong, you know? I know the smartmouth dude pointing out the obvious but getting smacked down for being insensitive is used so often for a reason, but c'mon. Was he wrong?

And I'm always here for a sophisticated crime boss with an intimidating voice who enjoys the finer things in life while ordering acts of horrible brutality! So yes, give me more Silco.

Okay. Now, let's talk about...that.

Like I said, I don't play League, so I recognized basically no one right off the bat, and since no K/DA characters show up this season apparently, I expect that to continue. So after watching this episode, I got curious and checked to see who showed up.

Okay, so Silco's mad scientist is a dude called Singed, so that's neat I guess. And hey, the little kid sweeping the floor at the pawn shop is Ekko, the teleporting dude from True Damage, so that's cool!

Wasn't surprised that Violet is also a champion, and I expected Powder to be one as well. But like I said, I'm not familiar really with the game or its lore, so you can imagine how hard my jaw hit the floor when I found out that Powder is...JINX?!

That Jinx?

I know Jinx; of course I know Jinx! And I had heard that Jinx was in the show, but I expected her to show up in a supporting role later on! I didn't think that this was her origin story!

So of course I hopped onto TV Tropes to see what the deal was between her and Violet, and...

Oh.

Oh, all of my yes!

Yes, I like that a lot. Yes, I would like to see this story play out, thank you very much. Oh, I am very excited for this.

Strap in, my dudes! This is going to be fun!

[fmdhaseo]

spoiler alert: i haven’t made up my mind for character #2, and i still need help, so if you’d like to lend me a hand, click the read-more for more information!!  ＼(●~▽~●)

sOoOoOoOoOo i’m still really indecisive about who i should bring to the group, so i started working on writing up a rough draft for the two people who won my last poll ( park jinyoung and shin yeeun ) and sadly, i don’t think they were going anywhere i liked. ( ◡△◡✿ ) so here i am again asking for more opinions, but with more information on muse ideas i think would be interesting to play around with and to develop!! i’ll be providing some brief ideas below, then on this poll, you can tell me who you think the dashboard needs the most!!

OPTION 001  //  choi bomin, takata mashiho, lee daehwi, or kim yonghee // vocal unit leader / lead vocal of charm, or lead dancer / sub vocal of charm, or vocal of charm.

he would be on the younger side of the spectrum as far as charm’s age range is concerned, but he’d be of the most responsible out of the group, which explains his title as vocal unit leader if that’s the role i can snag!! see, he grew up in a single mother household, and due to her multiple jobs to keep a roof over their heads and groceries in the fridge, she wasn’t around a lot when he was growing up, and to top it off, he has four younger siblings ( a set of twin brothers, another brother, and one sister who’s closest to him in age!! ) that he has to watch out for. if anyone’s seen shameless us, think of him as a fiona gallagher type, but obviously not as intense as she and her family are in the show!! anyway, his childhood was mostly spent cooking meals for them, helping with homework, and cleaning the house—even when he was in elementary school. his mom and pop trusted him with a lot. so now, he’s a bit of a mother hen figure to everyone because that’s how he was raised, but he’s also severely exhausted, and he constantly puts everyone before himself, but that’s actually a fatal flaw for him instead of an act of selflessness. now, if you’re wondering where his love for music comes from, it’s because he learned to play the piano before his parents divorced, and it’s one of the only things that calms him down. in order to get his siblings to sleep, he plays a portable keyboard he bought with his life savings, and sings for them until they pass out. playing music reminds him of simpler times, and music itself, is his first love.

as a preteen, he was scouted by bc entertainment due to his visual charm, but when he auditioned for them, they were quite fond of his voice. it was untrained, but really beautiful to listen to, and they decided to take a chance on him. presently, he’s so dedicated to his work, and to his craft, but he fails to care for himself—often falling sick due to lack of sleep in conjunction with exercise, writing music, and other idol duties. i envision him similar to woozi in that he’d be someone who contributes composition, lyrics, and productions to charm’s albums. he’s very multi-talented, but he’s recently let that swallow him whole, and it’s not good for his health. he works so hard because he still has this idea that he needs to be the sole provider for his family since his mother is even more overworked than before, and his younger sister is now in charge of the siblings, which makes him feel guilty.

personality wise, he’d be a little bit of a soft, sad boy aesthetic come to life. moody, tired, emotional, and sensitive, but in all the right ways, if that makes sense!!

OPTION 002  //  kwon nara, park jiyeon, im yoona, or kim seolhyun // vocal of gal.actic, leader / main rapper / lead dancer / vocal of fuse, or lead dancer / vocal of lipstick.

think of a strict visual center type who’s also an actress, model, and master spokeswoman—a girl who’s calculating and who draws in a large crowd; someone that ever woman aspires to be and every man aspires to marry; she’s just that good, sparkly, and golden, you know? she’s a sunbeam on the outside, and her image makes her palatable to all types of people, so she isn’t just a sex symbol meant to capture the male gaze, she’s meant to be a people pleaser by default, and she’s really good at that. however, she’s been in the business for a very long time, and she’s pretty tired of it, but her bank accounts are nice and full due to all of her side gigs. like the muse in option one, she comes from very humble beginnings, but it was more so that her parents were dirt poor after being ostracized by their much wealthier families. see, the two of them were never meant to be together ( think romeo and juliet ) but decided to defy the wishes of their own flesh and blood, and embarked on a journey of their own!! it was hard, and neither of them adjusted well at first, but when they became pregnant, they kind of had to get their shit together really quick. when their daughter was born though, they loved her unconditionally, and raised her to be humble... as well as a bit of a con-artist, but that wasn’t necessary their intent. they needed help with bill and rent payments, amongst other things, and at a young age, she discovered that painting on a face and being a good actress would help them a ton. she was an innocent looking kid, so when she’d swipe the money from cash registers, or steal groceries from the supermarket, no one ever knew it was her. she was a bit of a master thief as a child, but it was all in the name of helping out her household. it was what she could do to contribute.

however, as a teen, she took it up a few notches and started to flirt with rich boys in school to get access to their money, or like, she’d find ways to manipulate people into eating out of the palms of her hands, all in the name of survival. though, when she was scouted by her company, she was able to convince them to sign her as a trainee despite having no talents. she promised them to work hard, and that she did, and even though she didn’t train for a long time before she debuted, she proved to be an asset to her group due to her ability to woo people of all types. her life, in a sense, primed her for fame, and she wants to take advantage of it now that she has all eyes on her. her past also made her into a fantastic actress, and she’s known to give thrilling and believable performances.

personality-wise, she’d be very two-faced, but never intensely malicious. she’d never like, manipulate her friends into bending to her will, or treat her boyfriends with any sort of toxic behavior on purpose, but she’s definitely not the girl on tv that everyone knows and loves in real life. however, the one good deed she does more often than not is volunteer at food banks and homeless shelters to assist those who were once in her position. so she’s not, like, chaotic or true evil per se, but more chaotic neutral more than anything. she’s definitely motivated by success and money, and in the past, has been accused of social climbing to gain further notoriety, but that’s neither her nor there now!!

[cielowrites]

FFXV Scenarios - Ignis/Retainer!Reader (pt. i)

i / ii / iii

I’ve had this idea floating around my head for sometime but I can’t really put it into drabble form atm So I’ll be putting this down with bullet points to make it easier for myself ahaaa ;;; I tried my best to make this as gender-neutral as possible so everyone can enjoy our favorite spectacled chocobro

So here’s how it goes: 

You’re one of the many retainers for the Lucis family and your family prides itself with being the best butlers/maids/stewards, etc.. The unfortunate thing is that you are NOTORIOUS for being an absolute CLUTZ. Think Felicia from Fire Emblem Fates, cause she’s the inspiration for this and you’ll see why later on too *wink wonk* 

Broken dishes, laundry taking a mysteriously long time to get washed even with the top-notch washing machines and dryers in the Citadel, pots being burnt, it’s just-    it’s kind of amazing and sad

It’s mind-boggling to your family and so they’re about to pull you out of working for the royal family but whaaat Prince Noctis wants you to be his personal retainer??? Your Highness, are you sure about that?

 Yes, John Cena, I am

When you were younger, you took a break from training and had a moment where the expectations your family had for you plus being painfully aware just how bad you were at your job just PUNCHED you right in the gut to leave you in tears 

Noctis just happened to pass by when he saw you crying and did what he could to comfort you. Poor kid didn't know what to do and so he took you to the gardens so you can cry in private while he awkwardly rubbed your back. After talking it out (with Noctis sharing a few things about his own doubts on himself) the two of you ended up becoming really close friends 

Your family didn’t want to soil their name with you being the prince’s retainer, more so since no one in the family’s been in that high of a place. Hell, you didn’t want to be his retainer because you didn’t want to cause him any trouble but this is Noct we’re talking about folks. He always finds a way. 

And so you ended up in the position you were in. Expect some jealously from your fellow servants, especially with how familiar you are with the prince. The only one who didn't feel this way is Ignis, but even he has very heavy doubts on how capable you were. 

Not only is he the most neutral, but he is surprisingly the most vocal about his thoughts and gives you a lot of lectures for your clumsiness and it just sounds so brutal at times that there are days where you end up in tears again. Just like before. 

You don’t know that he doesn’t say these things to make you quit or anything like that. He just forgets that he’s not speaking to a fellow staff officer. Staff officers and retainers are not exactly the same job, but being chosen by the prince himself to stay by his side meant you had new expectations now and he wasn’t about to let Noctis rely on someone who can’t even help themselves.

Learning how to fight is one of those new expectations. It’s daunting at first as it’s something you didn’t have you learn because your family was content with only being attendants to the royals, but you knew how important this was for Noctis’ safety so you power through it. 

You happen to be fantastic with a sniper rifle and decent with a lance, but people thought that you being good with a gun was useless when protecting Noctis. Gladio tells you to ignore those nay-sayers and keep working with what you do best (expect a bear hug from him as well cause Six knows you needed one. Or two...) 

Ignis, well, he tells you to keep it up. (He’s somewhat impressed with the records you set in the shooting range. ... SOMEWHAT)

It was great for arcade and festival games  “Hey (Y/N), can you get me that chocobo hat”  “Of course, Noct! As long as you let Propmto take a picture of you wearing it”  

You and Prompto get along soooo well and bond over your friendship with Noctis as well as the insecurities you have. You become each other’s hype man when you’re feeling down  “I broke another set of dishes today...”  “Aw c’mon (Y/N)! They were probably ugly anyway!”  “... They actually were omg shit son u right” 

Years pass and it took time but being around Ignis wasn't as bad as it was before. The lectures were not as frequent thanks to Noctis, but that doesn’t mean his words didn’t stick. They’ve been your source of motivation and, harsh as they were, you appreciated the push.

You decided that your life goal would not be just keeping the Crown prince safe, but to gain his future advisor’s trust as well. “(Y/N), it’s okay. You don’t need to work yourself too hard about it.” “No way, Noct! I have to be a better retainer for you!” “That’s not what I meant and you know it.” “I... I have to be better... than this.”  This makes Noct and Prompto very sad for you

Road trip time and booooy howdy were you so happy for Noctis and the boys and- what? He wants you to come along? Are you sure about that??

Again, John Cena, I am. Can we go now? 

Gladio and Prompto are more than happy that you’re coming along, and Noctis wants one of his closest friends to be there when he gets married. Ignis is... very reluctant for various reasons. Majority rules are enacted and you tag along this obviously straightforward car ride to Altissia 

Get ready for the most dangerous and stress-filled road trip of you life. This is going to get bumpy.

All right, I have to make a second part to this because this is getting longer than I expected owo Getting sleepy though so I’ll have them up later today 

[asdamagicbiscuits]

Theatre Highlights 2018

My Top 10 Theatre Highlights and Moments of 2018 (in no particular order other than roughly chronological. I combined things together to make it easier to read and talk about without doubling back on myself). Let's go!

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child 

My first London theatre trip of the year saw me and my very good friend Hannah make our first visit to see Cursed Child. After a year and a half of trying to get tickets we finally won the Friday Forty and had PHENOMENAL seats - we couldn’t have asked for more with front row stalls, just off centre. It meant that I could see every detail of everyone's performances and the slightest of reactions which I may have missed sitting elsewhere. The show blew my tiny mind. I turned to Hannah in the interval of part one and said that this was going to be the best thing I saw this year and as the year draws to a close I can safely say past me was VERY much correct!! The things they achieve on stage are outstanding and just goes to show anything is possible with theatre, including magic!

In my six visits to see the show I’ve seen some of the brilliant covers in both the second and third year companies including Gideon Turner - First Cover Harry Potter Year Two, Tom Peters - First Cover Harry Potter Year Three, James McGregor - First Cover Bane Year Two and Three, April Hughes - First Cover Delphi (I have SO MUCH I want to say about April’s performance but #KeepTheSecrets and all that but everyone needs to see this girl as Delphi!) Ed White, Tom Mackey and Martin Johnson were the covers I had on in the principal company playing Draco Malfoy, Albus Potter and Amos Diggory/Dumbledore respectively on my first visit to the show and I was genuinely blown away by their performances. I have to talk about Ed and Tom’s performances as they were incredible and stole the show for me.  Firstly, Ed as Draco. Now like many other fans I grew up reading the books and watching the films and everyone was very much I love Draco, he’s great. He’s such a layered character. Now I didn’t get why everyone was so obsessed with him, like what am I not seeing? Then I saw Ed as Draco and was like Oh. Okay, NOW I get it. Ed brought such a warmth and a heart to the character I hadn’t actually noticed before and completely changed my opinion on how I view Draco. The bit which got me was whenever Draco was talking about Astoria and especially the scene in the ministry with Scorpius. It was beautifully acted and a stunning performance. It was a similar thing with Tom as Albus, going in to watch the play I had an idea of what Albus��� character would be like having read the script before hand, yet watching the story unfold Tom played it completely different to how I pictured it in my head. I laughed, I cried and I just wanted to give Albus a hug at the end of it. Those two really stick in my mind when I think back to my first visit and even a year later I’m still talking about it. 

Lastly, as I’m aware this is only the first section and it’s already massively long, I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, shout out to all the Swings, especially on this show as they are all phenomenal and all the tracks are so intricate and they play multiple characters in a single ensemble track, it must be so challenging on cut shows making sure it all gets covered. Loving ya work Swing Team!

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is running at the Palace Theatre so make sure to grab your tickets!!

Miss Saigon UK Tour 

I was so thrilled to get to see this wonderful show again on tour three times after having seen it in London. It was just as moving and powerful as it was in London and hats off to everyone involved with getting the show on the road. You’ve done a grand job. It was lovely to see Zoë Doano on stage again, she delivered such a beautiful performance as Ellen and stole the show with Maybe. The whole company were exceptional, Sooha Kim as Kim and Ashley Gilmour as Chris were such a fabulous pairing. Last Night Of The World was so gorgeous and my favourite song in the show. Barnaby Hughes and Vinny Coyle were standouts in the ensemble and it was fabulous to see James McKeon at the helm conducting, doing a marvellous job. Love your work James!

Titanic UK Tour 

Now for those long standing readers of this yearly blog post, some might remember back in summer 2016 I saw Titanic at the Charing Cross Theatre and just fell in love. 

Well fast forward to 2018 where I got to see this fabulous show again three times on tour. It was just as moving, emotional and breath taking as I remembered. The first time I saw the tour was in Southampton I was physically shaking before the show had even started because I love it so much. It’s safe to say I was a pure wreck during that show. I had cried three times by the end of the first song and by the end of the show I’d cried so much there was no moisture in my eyes whatsoever. It was so great to see so many returning performers who I’d seen in the show in London. Dudley and Judith are sublime as the Strausses and of course it was so brilliant to see the heart and scene stealer that is Victoria Serra, who I have to say was born to sing Yeston’s music. Such a gorgeous vocal and performance. Ladies Maid will always be my favourite song in the show and Victoria leads it beautifully. I have a lot of love for that girl. 

I have to mention Kieran Brown, who was wonderful as Murdock, and Chris McGuigan, a sublime Jim Farrell, who were standouts each time I saw the show. 

There are pieces of theatre which just move you so much and deserves to be seen by everyone. Titanic is just this.

Madagascar The Musical UK Tour 

I went to this see this with my friend, Sejuti, and we went to go see Shane McDaid in the show. We were probably also the only people there without kids but we LOVED IT!!! Such a fun show, great music and the penguins were hilarious. My favourite bit was when they were in the antarctic! Excellent comic timing. I’m far from the target audience for this show but I’d recommend it in a heartbeat. Great for adults and kids alike and I’m definitely going to be seeing it again when it comes closer to me. 

Madagascar the Musical is on tour during 2019, check their website for tour dates. 

Shitfaced Shakespeare 

It’s not a secret how much I blooming love this company. As always it’s top notch Shakespeare, hilarious antics and you are guaranteed to have the best hour of your life when you go and see any production they do. This year they had Merchant of Venice, Romeo and Juliet in London and Hamlet on the Fringes so got introduced to two new (well new to me) Shakespeare plays. Ophelia becoming Queen and turning Arass’ were a thing which happened in that time right? 

Got some great compère and drunk combos and two shows I had been waiting to see for over a year so I was happy!!

Unsure how they will top this year but undoubtedly it’ll be genius whatever they do! The big thing for me in 2019 though is to see Saul Marron compère more than once per a season. Am I cursed to only see him once a year? 😢 I hope not! Will update you all on if I manage it next year! 

Keep your eyes peeled on what shows they are doing at the Fringes and in London next year, make sure to grab your tickets when they go on sale in 2019, it’s gonna be a corker for sure!! 

Edinburgh Fringe

I don’t know where to start here. I had simply the best time. I slept a lot as I was knackered but I saw some BRILLIANT shows and Edinburgh is such a gorgeous city as well, especially at Fringe where it’s so busy and got a lovely atmosphere about it. (Still gutted I never found where the pretty Edinburgh Gin Bar at Fringe was. I saw some lovely photos on Instagram!) Fringe staples were Shitfaced Shakespeare and Showtime obviously, did you even do Fringe properly if you DIDN’T see one of those shows?! Another show which I loved whilst up there was Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts Parody. Saw it twice and oh my word they were all so fantastic and it was hilarious. I also cried when Muffin died. BOTH TIMES. Legit it got to me. The Amazing Bubbleman - mind blowing, Out Of The Blue, Paddington’s First Concert, Gulliver Returns were some of the fantastic shows at Fringe I saw. I also bumped into my old headteacher on the first night I was at Fringe, at Shitfaced Shakespeare, so I ended up going to see the show he had brought up with a few of the A level drama students at my old school. I was really surprised at how well I followed it (we all know how confused I get at plays. It doesn’t always end well) and all of the girls delivered excellent, solid performances. 

I’m already BUZZING to go back to Fringe next year and the magical waffle place of dreams is actual perfection, very much worth a visit!!

Shitfaced Showtime

Again like with their sister show, I have a lotta love for those musical booze loving beans. I was lucky enough to catch this show twice on Fringe and then once in London. It definitely is a theme with me that at Showtime I always see the drunk I see the show I’m at is compère the next time I go and it’s pure coincidence but I love that it’s worked out like that. I was THRILLED to get to see Nick, the Musical Director, as the drunk on the last night of Fringe, genuinely don’t think I’ve ever laughed that hard before ever. It was a show I really wanted to see at some point and shout-out to Jessica and Beth for doing an ace job looking after him. I’ve said this before but I’m gonna say it again, everyone needs to see a Shitfaced Showtime production and every Musical needs to get the Shitfaced treatment as it’s pure brilliance how they put it all together!!

And lastly, someone cast Issy Wroe-Wright as Fantine as the pipes that girl has are out of this world and she’d slay it. #IssyForFantine 

Phantom Cast Change 

Cast Changes don’t get any easier and this year I had to say goodbye to the lovely Leo Miles who was a swing and then moved to ensemble and Second Cover Raoul (he was flawless as Raoul. Definitely one of my all time favourites.) I’d watched Leo in the show from when he joined back in 2013 so to see him leave was sad but I’ve loved watching him on stage those five years and seen his journey. He is one of the loveliest people on the planet and destined for great things and I’m so excited to see him in the Les Mis tour next year! 

Twelfth Night - Young Vic Theatre

Now no theatre highlights of mine would be complete without mentioning Natalie Dew and the show she was in. As I mentioned earlier on that Cursed Child was the best thing I saw this year, it was equalled by Twelfth Night at the Young Vic. I did a review of it which is also on here if you want to check out my full thoughts.

However in brief, it was sheer brilliance. The music was INCREDIBLE and getting to hear Nat sing again was so fantastic (there may have tears) and also getting to see Rupert Young perform live was great. Rupert hands down has one of the best Male voice I’ve ever heard. The tone and quality of it was just gorgeous. I could talk about this show all day, uplifting, delivers such a good message at the end and so good for the soul. 

‪42nd Street‬

‪42nd Street has featured before in my highlights but I want to talk about the brilliant covers I’ve seen in the show this year. Firstly all the principals in both companies are a joy to watch and so fantastic.‬

Hannah Faith-Marram - First Cover Peggy

I only saw Hannah as Peggy once but oh my word she blew my away. Her dancing was beautiful and crisp, lovely vocal and her smile lit up the whole stage. Her interpretation of Peggy was so sweet and everything she did felt so organic. Me and Rebecca, the friend I went with, felt very lucky to get to see Hannah and Philip together as Peggy and Billy. It felt like we were watching a piece of pure magic up there!

Phillip Bertoli - First Cover Billy and Pat

I’ve been very lucky to see Phillip as both of his covers. In year one I saw him twice as Pat and in year two I’ve seen him twice as Billy. He is exceptional in both roles and  also in his ensemble track, he suits the era so well. It’s like someone picked him out of the ‘20s and popped him in present day. Everything about his performance, you can’t help but watch him in the dance numbers. It’s a very classy performance

Ryan Glover - Second Cover Andy/Swing

Want to give a special mention to Ryan as not only was he performing as Andy during one show he also was on in the ensemble during one of the dances as they were on a cut show that performance and I thought he did an outstanding job! 

Finally I just want to say that I’m so gutted this show is closing, the West End won’t be as bright without this wonderfully uplifting show. Thank you to both the original revival company and the second year companies for bringing me such joy over the past nearly two years. You’ve all been magnificent!! Make sure to catch all those hoofers on stage at Theatre Royal Drury Lane before the show closes ‪on January 6th‬ and don’t forget to go see it in the cinema when it’s released!!

Well, that wraps up a very stagey 2018. I’ve got some exciting stuff planned for 2019 so it’s looking to be a good one!! 

Who knows what will make it in next year but I sure know it’s gonna be one fun stagey ride! So make sure you come back next year and find out what my highlights for 2019 are!

Until next time, cheerio! 

[animalhead]

Top 10 Albums/Songs of 2018

Top 10 Albums of 2018

10. Death Grips - Year Of The Snitch - All I could think about on my first listen of this album was Michael Jackson. It's pure theater, pure performance. Multi-layered and captivating. Metal af.

9. Olafur Arnulds - re:member - For the past couple years I've managed to slip a random soundscape/classical album into my list which I'm sure everyone greatly appreciates. Well, this year is no exception. I'll explain myself again - I live in a noisy-ass, toddler-and-baby world and my brain needs some quiet every now and again. I won't pretend to know the state of modern classical music, or what makes a classical album important today, etc. I'll just say that listening to this album makes me feel good. Olafur Arnulds never fails to give me my space.

8. Ashley Monroe - Sparrow - Maybe the saddest album of the year thematically. I don't know if I've heard a more powerful blend of poetry, soul, and country music. Sparrow feels like a crossover, but a crossover from what to what? Where did she come from? It's like Bill Withers and Carole King secretly raised a kid in Nashville. "Hands on You" is the sexiest jam of the year.

7. John Prine - The Tree of Forgiveness - I think the last time I put John Prine on my Top 10 list, I said that I had a feeling it would be his last album. Thank god I was wrong. I can't remember where I heard this, but someone said that the genius of Prine is that he infuses the absolutely domestic with sacred meaning. It's so true: who else can sing about putting stuff on layaway and taking the garbage out and somehow make it seem like the meaning of love and life? And The Tree of Forgiveness proves that he hasn't lost a single step. Just listen to "Egg & Daughter Nite, Lincoln Nebraska 1967" and then "Summer's End". Laugh, cry, repeat. I will forever love John Prine.

6. Sarah Louise - Deeper Woods - Joanna Newsom has been on hiatus and I've been getting desperate for the sort of ethereal, naturalist root music that she does so well. Luckily I found Sarah Louise, who has a Grace Slick-meets-Joan Baez-meets-Nico thing going on. I'll always be a sucker for stripped down spooky Robert Frost folk, and this one covers all the bases. Haunting. 

5. Remember Sports - Slow Buzz - I actually really liked this album so thanks TZ for recommending it; I wish I had more time with it prior to now.  Lyrically it is excellent - it's unique, vulnerable, smart, and relatable all at the same time. The vocals have that indie Pinegrove guts-exposure that makes it so believable. I would absolutely go to a show and stand in the back in my Violent Femmes t-shirt and nod along unassumingly. That said though, I can't get it out of my head that there is something so heartbreaking about this album - it's world-weary and it dares to ask the universe to give back the prom queen angst and Nick-and-Nora breakup 'sad's that were par for the course before weekly school shootings and nazis part deux. I respect it for that.

4. Mitski - Be the Cowboy - Such great instrumental breakdowns, such strange melodies, such a well-crafted album from start to finish. The way Mitski blends synth with acoustics with electric strings is perfect. She manages to be obscure and 'out there' while simultaneously being so open and accessible; no easy feat.

3. Hop Along - Bark Your Head Off, Dog - Hop Along was a breath of fresh air this year and I think I listened to BYHOD the most of any album. It's light and airy, but cutting and witty also. It plays like a 90s femme alt-rock collection and it's glued together with poignant lyrics. The vocals of Francis Quinlan are fantastic, whose improvised repetition and early indie style rings with the urgency of someone who knows something big is going to happen but can't get anyone to pay attention.

2. Saba - CARE FOR ME - Remember a little album called Good Kid, M.A.A.D City? CFM is the Chicago version. Saba takes you to the honest extremes of his emotion, pulling out raw despair and depression at times and love and hope at other times. No other album this year had me hanging on every word, rooting for the artist throughout the entire track list. To say the album feels like a movie seems to cheapen it, though it has the dramatic peaks and valleys of a blockbuster. No, it's a memoir. Saba treats the listener like a friend, venting and raging on "LIFE", laughing and dreaming on "SMILE", utterly disassembling the music industry on "GREY", and storytelling like a master on "PROM / KING". Listen to this again and then go amend your lists. Oh yeah, Chance is on it.  

1. Snail Mail - Lush - I have a hard time putting my finger on exactly why I loved this album so much this year. Maybe it's the vocals - smooth and swaying, sort of pissed off, sort of disappointed. Maybe it's the space - tracks are minimalist, echoed, and beautifully bare. I tend to lean toward the personality of it all. It feels like Lindsey Jordan is breaking free of something, and that gives the whole album an optimistic, eyes-on-the-horizon vibe that is intoxicating. Top notch album that defined the year for me.

Worst Album of 2018

Decemberists - I'll Be Your Girl - I used to get pumped when a new Decemberists album came out - their stuff was interesting, smart, nerd fuel. These days when they release an album, I only find myself thinking 'ugh just please don't be complete shit'. And this album wasn't exactly that, but it wasn't exactly anything. It's just the last of the crinkled post-its on the bottom of Colin Meloy's weird poem trashcan. There's no real heart or message anywhere. Their last good album was The King is Dead (and it was a really good album), but the band itself is increasingly feeling like Meloy's jackoff mirror. I'm pretty sure he's holding the rest of the band captive in his grapevine garland-draped, all-too-rustic cellar.

Top 10 Songs (that weren't on my Top 10 Albums) of 2018

10. Parquet Courts - "Total Football"  -  "...and FUCK TOM BRADY!"

9. Metric - "Dressed to Suppress"  -  Great track on a really fun album.

8. Natalie Prass - "Short Court Style"  -  Now That's What I Call Music 1,563.

7. Old Crow Medicine Show - "Look Away"  -  OCMS still finding beauty in the rust of the south.  

6. Kanye West - "Ghost Town"  -  Most heartfelt track on a decent, but maybe a little lazy (?) album.

5. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "American Guilt"  - Making Americans examine our own social presence.

4. Israel Nash - "Rolling On"  -  Big full-bodied sound wall.

3. Courtney Barnett - "Need A Little Time"  -  CB gettin' deep.

2. Leon Bridges - "Beyond"  -  Pure, wonderful love song.

1. Dawes - "Crack The Case"  -  Beautiful. One of the best current singer/songwriters.

Top 5 Players from MTV's The Challenge (so sue me)

5. Sylvia - I don't know why I like Sylvia so much. She headbutted that drunken, cig-smoking mom, Marie. She's just a little firecracker. A fiesty underdog with a lot of heart.

4. Shane - Shane is a self-titled bitch. He's the snakiest, slimiest player there is. He actually threw an entire challenge so that a certain player on his team would be voted out.

3. Wes - Arguably the arch-nemesis of Bananas before Devin came along. Always hatching schemes that are way too complicated and get him thrown out.

2. Devin - The way this dude fucks with Johnny Bananas is hilarious. Someone had to come in and usher out the old heads - Devin is the man for the job.

1. Cara Maria - She's a force and completely independent. She was the first woman to ever win The Challenge solo. She can be a bit cringey sometimes, but she's a beast.