The Theatre of Cruelty :)

Ahoy hoy readers (I use the "S" loosely) well the show is over, no more Guys and Dolls for ever and ever and ever! It came off wonderfully and plenty of people came to see it, well, the first night was a bit sparse but it was sold out by the end :) clappy clappy clappy clap!

The after show was good, chinese food was eaten, drink was drunk, I fell over to everyone's amusement and Sophie and Tready tried to steal some poor family's Christmas Tree and by extension steal their Christmas spirit (under my instruction, eat your heart out Grinch!) it was unfortunately firmly planted in the Earth so as bold as our attempts were, they were in vain. Probably for the best really; no place to put it.

Since Friday I've had the joy of Flu and it's HORRID!! It could be years before I fully recover from the ordeal, I've taken the liberty of prescribing myself bountiful amounts of laudanum to stimulate the healing process, only good can come of that methinks. Seriously though, I'm still ill and I don't have any energy, just enough for blogging and dusting off my gaming hands and going Jean Grey on everyone's ass on my X-Men game.

-----We interrupt this blog to bring you a political broadcast on behalf of the Tory Party*------

* Well a pretty picture anyway to keep your attention



Hope you enjoyed that, I can guarantee that a large percentage of my blog readers loved it, which is actually quite sad if you know the maths.

Well that's pretty much all this updated, I've got a lot to do, presents to buy- which I can't do because I'm ill, and school work- which I'm too tired to do. So I've got to rush off to do nothing. TAH RAH!

Oh before I forget, in my previous post I spoke about the restaurant Wagamama which some people mistakenly believe is a chain, this is an elaborate sham to make their business appear established in these uncertain economic times, Wagamama HQ is actually run by one very arthritic Asian man named Oshi in a toolbox in Shanghai. I accept your apologies in advance for your misconceptions.

Here's Love cats by The Cure by a string quartet! The original has embedding disabled :( still pretty nifty though :D... if a teensy bit sounding like an alternative theme tune for university challenge!

In with the old, out with the new :)

I'm back to the usual format for this post, no more of that crazy literature for a while, it's habit forming and is shown to affect your brain!
Right so I went to see Evita in Cardiff on Saturday and got some Christmas Prezzies such as these Mondrian inspired Vans for me!

Evita was fantastic, especially the actress playing the title role and the dancing was incredible, it really is a show worth seeing, and I had a lovely meal beforehand at the new city centre Wagamama which as always does lovely food but does seem a bit clinical, maybe it will be nicer when business picks up however it seems like a great place for a nice lunch.

Rehearsals have been FRANTIC for Guys and Dolls and I think we're finally going to be ready to perform on Tuesday, but this show has been sooo stressful and we've been more behind in rehearsals than we ever have in the past, I just hope enough people turn up to see it as ticket sales have been awful.... FINGERS CROSSED!

Me and my friend Harriet have been writing sketches for our comedy project with our friend Amy and we're really excited about that, hopefully if we stick to it we'll have something solid to put online and hopefully perform round Cardiff in the near future!
We also went to the AMAZING Cardiff Vintage Fashion Fair with our friend Stephen and had a smashing time and we each picked up some gems! And we had a right spiffing time on the Winter Wonderland Carousel as you can see! ahahaha



Well I'm off now, gonna have Chinese tonight for my Bro's Birthday which was actually yesterday. Oooh and if you wondering what the lookbook thing is on the right of the screen then it's a wiget for this really amazing fashion site Lookbook Byeeeee!

Susan

Here's a short story I've written about Susan from The Chronicles of Narnia and how she is left out of "Narnia" (which is in essence a metaphor for heaven) at the culmination of "The Last Battle" and left alone with the news that her entire family have been killed in a railway accident. Exactly why she is excluded remains a topic of fierce debate, many consider her exclusion to be the result of her sexual awakening and Lewis' naive and skewed view of female sexuality while others argue that her exclusion is merely because she has chosen to forget Narnia and Aslan and no longer cares for what she sees as a childhood fantasy.

""Sir," said Tirian, when he had greeted all these. "If I have read the chronicle aright, there should be another. Has not your Majesty two sisters? Where is Queen Susan?"

"My sister Susan," answered Peter shortly and gravely, "is no longer a friend of Narnia."

"Yes," said Eustace, "and whenever you've tried to get her to come and talk about Narnia or do anything about Narnia, she says, `What wonderful memories you have! Fancy your still thinking about all those funny games we used to play when we were children.'"

"Oh Susan!" said Jill. "She's interested in nothing nowadays except nylons and lipstick and invitations. She always was a jolly sight too keen on being grown-up."

"Grown-up, indeed," said the Lady Polly. "I wish she would grow up. She wasted all her school time wanting to be the age she is now, and she'll waste all the rest of her life trying to stay that age. Her whole idea is to race on to the silliest time of one's life as quick as she can and then stop there as long as she can."

"Well, don't let's talk about that now," said Peter. "Look! Here are lovely fruit-trees. Let us taste them."

-From "The Last Battle" by C S Lewis


Susan

The peal of blithe laughter and shrill goodbyes as she left acquaintances at the entrance could be heard from the lounge and the door made of apple wood closed with a snap as she entered the house. The confident echo of her stiletto heels entered the room before she did; her cloven hoofed stride certain and sure. The man in the dark blue suit, uneasy in that debutante address, the lodging as unknown to him as she was. The quivering sheets of paper within his hands one of which bore her name, he’d never had to tell someone so young. How could he face this stranger, this girl this…Susan?

“Hello can I help you Mr…” She queried calmly in her flawless RP; if she was surprised in the least it didn’t show beneath her calm smile.

“Detective Inspector James. I think perhaps Miss Pevensie you ought to sit down.”

“If you wouldn’t mind, I’d rather stand.” And with that declaration she took her place by the hearth, the unlit fireplace bereft of fuel the sight of which suddenly made the inspector realise the bitter cold which gripped the room; the dark room of antique mahogany and modest light. In the gloom it was harder to see the peeling wallpaper and chipped tiles, the moth eaten curtains and the chair arms worn away to wood. She could feel the detective’s gaze wandering around the room, concern lining his face.

“Oh how remiss of me, would you care for some tea inspector?”

“Well actually Miss Pevensie the reason for my visit is of some urge-”

“Nonsense! I’ll just get the service.” Her voice cracking with hidden emotion under her mellifluous tones, like honey over splintered glass. The silver service she brought into the room gleamed, its pristine sparkle dazzling even in the dim light, yet when she brought it closer it was clear that it must have been polished hundreds of times gradually stripping away its silvery radiance.

“This is a rose pouchong a friend bought me from China,” the words flowing as she poured the golden liquid into dainty china cups. The floral scent drifted around the room like an incense, its drowsy fragrance taking hold.

“Roses…” whispered the inspector, “roses. Like Turkish delight.” Susan’s cup shattered in her clenched hand, her formal gloves torn but her skin intact the colour drained from her face.

“Weak…cups.” The only scrap of language she could manage. As the inspector bent towards the floor, scrambling for shards of broken china he looked at her properly for the first time. Her tresses of russet hair fell about her shoulders framing a face that while beautiful appeared drained for someone so young; exhausted by looking elegant, her vivid green gown captivating but frayed from too much wear.

“Miss Pevensie I really must tell you why I am here. I’m afraid I have some terrible news. There has been a… catastrophe, a freak rail disaster on the same train which your family were taki-”

“What hospital are they in? Can I see them straight away?”

“I’m sorry miss, there were… no survivors. I have a list…” His words trailed off, useless as they were as he stretched out his hand holding the sheet of paper that had weighed so heavy in his heart. She became as still and cold as a statue, her hazel eyes glazed and listless and her skin as white as the paper she now clutched and there was no bell to ring to rouse her from her grief. There in the parchment were the names of a world that so suddenly had ceased to exist, but a world she had left long ago. The first two old and frail the witnesses of her world’s inception, her fellow adventurers brothers and sister through so much who had lived in her world’s golden age and those two who had journeyed after her, keeping the land alive; the final names her parents such accidental victims to a cruel and proud spirit. Within the names of that sheet of paper her heart had been made and died, the golden train carriage with its engine roar and mane of steam had claimed her world and family and her reason to live. Were their deaths incidental or integral, how could she know?

Will they think of me as the girl who abandoned them, will they know I’ve been toiling for them? Every night I put on my debutante smile and clutch my lipstick and invitations to try to secure our future, I was never allowed to live in fantasy with them when I could see our money was so short. To secure a future for all of us. But it seems someone has left someone behind. After so many hard hard years circumstance was a cruel beast.

Susan shed silent icy tears and snow began to fall outside the window, snow as white as a shroud, or nine shrouds as Susan thought; signalling the start of a winter that would never cease for her.

Updates Updates Updates!!

Yeesh it's been a long while since updating this blog but since I have miraculously found myself with no homework and some spare time this evening: here goes!

Ok well Sweeney Todd is cast and I got the part of Judge Turpin!!! EEEEEE I'm chuffed it's gonna be an awesome character to get into and he's got some ace singing parts which sit really comfortably in my voice :) Not like my part in school who is a really good part but should really be played by a proper tenor as his song "sit down you're rocking the boat" is killing my voice! Speaking of which my throat is awful and I've had barely any time to recover it, I'm going through honey and lemon at an alarming rate! the school show is coming together though........SLOWLY!

I saw the spectacular Hot Chip play an amazing set in Cardiff with my friend Fran and they were on superb form and the hilarious yet oddly catchy tunes of Max Tundra were an unexpected bonus!

NEW YORK WAS AMAZING!!!!!! We had such a good time and some absolutely hilarious experiences!! America is such a bizarre country! I definitely want to visit again but from what I've seen I don't think I could live there happily for longer than a year....

Here's a pic of Me, Chloe, Laura and Sian in good ol' NY!



Continuing with the New York theme, me and my friend Hari went to see the band Electric Tickle Machine at Tafod in Cardiff and had a lovely time and they are really lovely people! Halloween was rubbish this year I did nothing but watch Psycho and The Birds! (the Hitchcock classic, not the animals). However the Halloween sixth form Partay was lots of fun and my steampunk inspired costume was I think you'll agree- more than a bit awesome!

Well that's you essentially all updated, now I'm off to fill in my application forms for Welsh National Youth Opera and chillax with a nice hot mug of honey and lemon :D

A Very Merry (un)Birthday!

Oh my I have a lot to tell you blog readers! And I'm now convinced that someone must be reading this so don't be frightened leave a comment :) Anyway I shall relate my news in a chronological fashion ergo I shall,
"start at the beginning and when I come to then end; stop."

On Friday I went on a wonderful trip to a classical music concert with the school music department, although we were going for Beethoven's fifth (one of our study pieces) it was The Hebrides Overture which stood out as a highlight. The BBC Wales orchestra were highly skilled despite the first violinist breaking a string mid performance! Oh and it should be noted that our music teacher failed to turn up! The ever absent minded David Hale had apparently "forgotten" and he had spent his evening in his local....
Oooh I nearly forgot, the meal before the concert was lovely and Megan, James, Dani and I dined like Latin Kings in "Las Iguanas" and had a thoroughly lovely time when we met up with Loz and Beth.

On Wednesday had my audition for "Guys and Dolls" which I'll tell you about later and me and Laura went into town to find an outfit to wear to the sixth form partay on Thursday. Needless to say while my burgundy and white checked shirt, black braces and grey plaid trousers looked lovely (honestly it did.... well I think it did) the effort was lost on the less fashion rebellious in the obligatory jeans and smart/casual shirt ensemble. The party was quite good however it would have probably been better had I not heard the EXACT same songs in the EXACT same venue for the Rougemont sixth form partay. Lazy DJs lead to lazy dancers people!

However. My weekend was AMAZING!! My sister Rhiannon arranged a trip to London for our Mum's 50th birthday and she did a fantastic job. Les Miserables was fantastic, Madame Tussuad's, a lovely meal and Cream Tea at The ""Tea Palace"" (definitely definitely worth a trip) made for a brilliant weekend.

I've got to be honest readers I have been ill with a cold since Wednesday and it's only just beginning to fade, I honestly think if you cut me I would bleed lemsip right now! so that in combination with school on Monday did not leave me with a jaunty attitude. However the good news is I have the part of "Nicely Nicely Johnson" in Guys and Dolls!!!! Oooh it's going to be soo much fun, he has some really good songs :D AND They are casting Sweeney Todd at Congress in 2 weeks time!!!! VERY exciting but the competition is daunting to say the least, I shall need to do some Sweeney method acting methinks ;)

Anyway it's my Mum's actual birthday today so HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! (I made a cake, it looked bad, tasted loverly)
also happy birthday to Laura, Ryan and some German teacher who someone said was her birthday.... ooh and Marc Bolan... sort of.... IT'S A REGULAR BIRTHDAY BONANZA!
As for the rest of you I wish you a very merry unbirthday and leave you with the delightful Dresden Dolls.

Sweet Dreams xxxx

The Wisdom of Cats!

Hello cyber people! Sorry I haven't been telling you my tales for a little while, and I know how distraught you must be due to me absence, due to school being very busy this week I have not been able to give you the musings you so sorely need!

Anyway, the big exciting news is..... I have two new siamese kittens within my household - Merlin & Mim (Yes of "Sword in the Stone" Fame :D) My parents brought them home after they decided that home just wasn't home without the yowlings of siamese cats (anyone who has ever come into contact with a siamese will know what i mean) after our lifelong family pet Minnie sadly had to be put to sleep recently. They are just adorable and I cannot wait to discover their personalities :)



Well I do have lots of other news but I'm trying to ration it a bit for the inevitable in a few days when nothing will have happened. So I'll leave you with the exciting news that I HAVE KITTENS!! (Well coming up to five months old anyway) and that school particularly English has swallowed up plenty of time! Although Jane Eyre is proving to be a really good book!
Here's some Goldfrapp for you to enjoy! xxxx

What to write......

....To be perfectly honest I'm not quite sure. I'm finding it really hard to know what to write about in this blog, of course it's a day to day blog but I can't decide where to draw the line between daily happenings and ludicrously mundane details; do promise you'll tell me if you spot something ludicrously mundane, it will be promptly removed and destroyed :P

Went swimming tonight with my friend Kath, so naturally another case of the "junkie eyes" for me! Whilst i was there I tried to book a gym induction but due to the grunting gym lackey and my inability to comprehend his ramblings I realise I booked it at the same time I start back at Congress Youth Theatre so that will have to be postponed.

Speaking of theatre, auditions are on Wednesday for the school play! It's "Guys and Dolls" and I can't say I'm particularly excited but it'll be fun as always, now I've just got to think of an audition song.......

Although I've yet to pick an audition song, I have found an invaluable resource for listening to music:
www.last.fm
and my profile: http://www.last.fm/user/Rhapsodomancy">http://www.last.fm/user/Rhapsodomancy

A really excellent website.

School is as school usually is- ongoing, unchanging, unwavering and what little novelty there was to be had from a school day without lessons is completely gone. Alas what can i do.... fire you say? Hmmmmmm..... No..... that won't do at all.......unless.......nah.

Well TAH RAH!! x

On The Ros!

Continuation of a theme

Heya guys! (as absent as you are)

This has been my first chance to carry on this blog as I couldn't use my laptop until I got a replacement power cable, but I'm back on now so crisis averted! I've had my first school week and my first week of sixth form. It's more of the same really just with a really screwed up timetable, one day I have no lessons (literally) and the next I have a day completely full with a lesson even in my lunch hour because they've really cocked up music! Drama was excellent though as we're studying Sweeney Todd, a dream role of mine :D and "A Doll's House" by Ibsen which should be interesting and I'm just beginning to troll through it at home.

I've been for a swim which was fun as ever but yet again the chlorine in the pool has made my eyes sooo red I look like a junkie! It's a tough look but I think I can pull it off. The swimming is part of my drive to get into some sort of shape, part of the reason why I ate before going to meet up with friends at *shudder* "pizza hut," it's bad I know, but when you live in a town like mine you struggle to find any restaurant, let alone a half decent one. This healthy diet plan is hindered somewhat by my obnoxious father's infuriating habit of stuffing the cupboards to the brim with biscuits and chocolate. Naturally with all things sweet being a real weakness there has been a binge or two!

Well that's the majority of my news, I'm ploughing through 6 books at the moment so I'll tell you about them when I finish them. Oh also I've booked tickets to see Hot Chip!!!! Ahhh I'm so excited! Me and my friend Fran will be seeing them in October, THE night before my trip to New York! I am going to be knackered! If you don't know who Hot Chip are I thoroughly suggest you check them out at www.myspace.com/hotchip or catch them on tour!!
Here's one of their singles, ENJOY! xx

Ahoys in the dark

Ahoy there blog readers! I say ahoy but I suspect that my ahoy will not be answered as this, my very first blog-ship is so new there is no crew to answer my call. Alas, I ahoy the void and hope it will soon fill.....doubtful.
After a bit of searching around I fear that this blog is ill fated, it seems that a blog's success lies in it's unique attraction, it's single minded expertise that is afforded those who specialise in a given direction and fill their own gap in the market. As I have not fully deduced what the focus of my blog should be, if indeed it should have a focus, I cannot yet tell if there is a gap in the market for what i shall write, or if such a market even exists now or ever. Do the people want to read the trials and tribulations of sixteen year old I? If so, who are the people?

I digress.

Given the nonsensical ramblings of my profile page, I shall describe myself and my current position as best I can and then you, oh absent reader may deduce if this blog shall be of any future worth, or like most things, merely transient.

I'm a Welsh lad honest and true and stand ready to embark on what is now self imposed education, IE I begin sixth form on Monday. Over the next 2 years I shall slot my numerous interests and a social life around studying Drama, History, Music and English Literature - noble pursuits I'm sure you'll agree. Well that's about all I'm willing to divulge as of now, make of it what you will, if in fact you are there at all.

xx R R xx