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Friday, September 1

Anarchy

Dress Down Friday
The company I worked for here in Farnborough (I suppose I still work for them, but they're a bought-out entity, so it's hard to tell) had a dress code which prohibited the wearing of jeans in the office. However, as I look around me, I can see several people in denim. I'm not sure what this means. I think that there's been something of a rumour suggesting that the dress code won't be part of the requirements in the new world order. However, I also think that the abandonment of the dress code is some expression of rebellion by the various staff who are aware that we're all potentially facing redundancy, though in an unquantifiable way. We'll only know once they've actually alerted people to whether their specific role is at risk.

I suppose people need something to rebel against.

I've rather become used to dressing a little smarter for work than I used to. It gives work a sense of distinction from the everyday other stuff that I might do. However, I won't mind if I'm told I can wear comfier clothing. Actually, a new chair wouldn't go amiss either.

Writing, but not profitably
At the moment, I'm finding it hard to know what to do. Writing my blog is hardly a profitable exercise, but it is, perhaps a better way to occupy myself than tackling a variety of things which might be for my own personal gain, but which would feel like cheating my employer. I don't like the idea of being paid to come into work and then using that time to do something which I might get paid for outside of work. Luckily, nobody pays me for this blog, so I don't feel even remotely guilty for adding to it.

I would like to do some writing. I wouldn't mind a few days of just me and my laptop and my thoughts. I'd like to write some more of The Musical!, actually. Either the radio adaptation I started and never quite got more than 10% into, or maybe the rewrite for a two-act stage version, which some folks in Southampton seemed so keen to put on.

Alternatively, I've got an idea for a novel, which involves a dangerously insane comedian.

Reflections on Seurat
Last night's trip to Sunday In The Park With George was, I think, a success. Although the seats proved to be on the second row of the highest circle - which some might term the balcony - the view was reasonably unspoiled - only one pespective didn't quite work - and the performances were, on the whole, stunning. Sondheim is very difficult to get right. He writes with a relentless word power with syllable after syllable of both incredible strength and subtlety. With rhythms that are hard to listen to, let alone sing correctly, and speed that seems to defy the performer to get any thought or expression into their reeling out of the text, it seems that Sondheim should normally sound disastrous. However, the cast at The Wyndhams Theatre knew what they were doing. Though clearly well drilled, they also had a spontaneity and wit, which made the show light up.

Everyone enjoyed themselves, and I was somewhat elevated from the slump in spirits which had started around midday yesterday.

Listening to the soundtrack from the original Broadway cast, I can see why I failed to spot so much of what this musical has to offer. It is very complex, and the performance on the CD lacks much of the dynamic range of expression that we witnessed in a live performance. Maybe it was hard for a young show, being performed in a recording studio, to have this range for the recording. Perhaps I should buy the London Cast recording.

Mental Kitten
We returned home last night for a night of kitten-sitting my girlfriend's sister's kitten - Marley. Don't ask me why the kitten is named after either the Reggae star, or ghost from Dickens: I couldn't tell you. Anyway, this kitten, after an evening sitting alone, decided to go mental for a while - chasing nothing in particular. Eventually, she curled up and went to sleep and I think I found her curled up near me at various points in the night. However, this morning, she had a total attack of the mentals and the predatory instinct. Anything which moved was fair game for some clawing and biting and my hand was included.

I invented a new game, though. Cat-Matador. You use a t-shirt as the thing to attract the kitten and then whip it out and over her head as she attacks. Extra points if you can throw it on top of her. This diversion can be used to allow clothes to be put on so you can get to work with only minor abrasions.

Other Musicals
As I've got musicals on the brain today, I'd like to list some shows I'd like to see in the next few months in London:
  • Evita
  • Avenue Q
  • The Producers - with Reece Sheersmith
  • Guys and Dolls
I'm sure there's more. Perhaps Wicked won't be as bad as it sounds. I'll also probably take my girlfriend to see both The Sound of Music and also Dirty Dancing and maybe I'll go and give Spamalot another try.

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