Dear London Town

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Look at that cast!

Ever since hearing that Cat on a Hot Tin Roof was coming to London with their Broadway cast, I knew I had to go. I mean, check out the headliners! Holy cow.

Not a bad seat either!

I booked my tickets somewhat last minute for 20gbp. I had a great view despite paying the lower amount. Normally I buy the tickets for a tenner, but I wasnt sure this time how the theatre was inside and whether I’d be able to move with it being the holidays and theatres being much busier. In the end, I probably could have bought the ticket for a tenner deal, but for once I didnt have to move around. I just had my ticket and was done with it.

As for the play itself, wow. It’s long. It’s all about mendacity. And there are some serious monologues in it. Can I just say James Earl Jones rocked my world? He’s so fantastic. Everyone was, really. The set was great. The southern accents, except for one of the child’s, were spot-on! I could go on and on and give it some proper review, but there really is no way to say how fabulous it was. So just know and go with that.

What I will comment on, and I hope this doesnt upset anyone, is that I loved to see such a diverse audience. Most plays I attend are a primarily Caucasian audience and I really feel that this cast widened the appeal. I’m not really a fan for plays being all white or all black, etc. Unfortunately, most plays when they were written did not have parts in them for minorities beyond the servants seen but not heard. So adapting it for an all-black cast was, honestly, perfect. Again, look at that cast and director! Was it going to be anything other than amazing?

It’s snowing in London (well, if you can call the few flakes of white stuff blowing in the wind snow) and I’m drinking cocoa and listening to Christmas music. Yes, I am *that* girl who listens to Christmas music. I think that this year, having just completed my Masters and not spending money on a ridiculously expensive ticket home to the States, I feel the need to warm up my tiny flat with some Christmas cheer. I dont have a tree or place to have a wreath. It’s just not Christmas enough without some Babes in Toyland, Love Actually or The Holiday playing. I need a little Christmas, right this very minute, dangit!

So between the batches of sugar cookies and pumpkin spice loaf I’m baking, I thought I’d write a little about my upcoming plans for two reasons: 1 – it’s been ages, but now that I’m going to have a bit more free time, I’ll try to be a better blogger; and 2 – I would love to win some lovely Christmas goodies from my friends over at Domestic Sluttery.

This year, I will spend the Christmas holidays with the boy and his family in his hometown – somewhere near Gloucester or Worcester – basically in the country where each town has 5 families on streets sorta near each other. We will arrives in Gloucester on the 23rd and be driven the 30 or so minutes to the house. It’s a large home that has been divided into three; their’s is in the middle. There’s a pub just across the road that also looks like an old country home. It’s very cozy. Other than the few other homes dotting the street, it’s just the pub, a few barns and a lot of land.

Since boy’s mum is a nurse and is working the Christmas shifts, his parent’s wont be there until Boxing Day likely. So it’ll just be boy, his sis, her fiance and me. Quite a quiet holiday. Fireplace glowing and movies on tv…not a whole lot of action in the country. But the plan is to be there till the 29th, hanging with his family, walking the dogs (yay!), eating roasts and drinking tea (and probably some ale, wine or other jolly liquid).

It will be a different Christmas, but I’m looking forward to getting out of London for a few days. My school friends are starting to head home for the holidays, and some are heading home for good. It will be a different London for me when I return. Till then, I remain in the Christmas spirit — baking, making, cleaning, and packing… and singing carols while I work!