I Was "Enchanted" to See Her - A Taylor Swift Eras Tour Retrospective

 To a casual observer, when you hear the name Taylor Swift you will likely have an impression of her, good or bad. Even if this is not the case, you will no doubt have an opinion on her music, whether you've heard one song, or twenty of them.

I have been a Taylor fan for years, and knew this was going to be a special show, particularly as this was the first time I was seeing her live, but this concert was to redefine the concert experience for me, in all the best ways. 

Whether you're a casual fan of something, or know every inch of the folklore behind the art / artist itself, I think there's a beauty in people being united by a love of the same thing. The Eras Tour was a stark reminder of how wonderful humanity can be, and how united we can be, if we only realised our similarities as humans far outweigh our differences. 

I went to night one of the Eras Tour in Wembley Stadium, London, and the whole area was in full Taylor Swift festival mode, with a venue dedicated to playing all of Taylor's hits being the perfect spot to get the party vibes going in preparation for the concert itself. There were songs of hers blaring out all the way to the stadium from speakers, so that even the journey up to the venue felt magical, and everyone was adorned in the most creative of outfits, some of which mirrored the aesthetic of some of her albums, or may have been a copy of an outfit or dress Taylor wore at one of her shows, another clear sign that creativity breeds creativity, and this is always something to be celebrated. 

Taylor had some incredible guest performers, from a fabulous singer called Mette, to the already well established and well loved band Paramore. I enjoyed both performances immensely, and it made me feel so much more appreciative for any opening act, whether it's in comedy or music; it is never an easy feat to open for any name that is not only well known for the art they produce and craft, but for having easily the most passionate, and slightly insane (in the best way), group of fans. Paramore, of course, are no strangers to the limelight themselves, and many of their well known hits such as "Misery Business", "The Only Exception" and "Still Into You" were still well loved, which just goes to show how music never really goes out of style, no matter the genre or the creator.

Then, we come on to the fabulous Taylor Swift herself. There is a reason this woman, despite the critics, the naysayers, and the haters, draws in the crowds and keeps a loyal fanbase: she knows how to command a stage, as well as write songs that can make you feel every emotion under the sun, sometimes all just one album. 

Forevermore, this night will be engrained in my memory, not just because the sheer scale of the night, and the venue, blew my mind, but because it was so surreal to see her in person, adorned in different outfits of varying degrees of colour and style. She was effortlessly fearless in commanding her audience's attention at every given moment, and it was absolutely lovely to see her genuinely enjoy her job. Being an artist in this day and age, having to tread carefully on the line to be true to yourself but also true to your fans, is no easy feat, but Taylor still walks that line beautifully. 

Her set is over three hours in length, an almost unthinkable amount of time to spend at a concert for just one artist, but you quickly lose track of the time, as this show celebrates all the different eras she has cultivated in her time, and the songs that have enthralled and hooked audiences across the world over the years. She proves time and time again her songs have made their stamp on culture, and she dances through genres like it's as natural as breathing. You can be dancing one minute to the "sick beats" advertised in her classic hit "Shake It Off", and then the next you are bawling out the painful words echoing a past heartbreak in "All Too Well". 

I think it's impossible to have a discography like Taylor's and not have one song that you sort of like, or find yourself dancing to, even if it's against your better judgement, but I think it's still equally to state that not everyone will or does like her, and that's okay. Music is not a one size fits all type of medium. Music is an art form designed to move you, inspire you, and be a companion to you in hard times. It is there to be joyful with, or cry alongside, or to escape from reality. 

When the final notes of "Karma" blared out over the stadium, signalling the end of the show, there was an odd feeling of being bereft of something, and it was strange how a concert, even one of this magniture, could cultivate this feeling of loss after such a fantastic evening, but it did. In some ways, this was the great compliment I could give the show; that it gave so much of itself, and fed you so much, that when the last crumbs were gone, you were left satisfied, but longing for more. 

It was a fantastic show from start to finish, and the whole technical crew, the dancers, and the venue staff must also be praised for how visually spectacular everything was. So many things could've gone wrong but didn't, and whilst Taylor may have been the reason we were all there, her crew and dancers and the venue staff were all the reason we got to see her elevated in the way that she was, and hear her music blast through the stands and beyond so that even the people positioned on the highest seats could not feel left out.

I will just say one last thing to sum up how I feel about Taylor, and why I feel my appreciation for her will never cease to exist: she's a star, but a star that knows and appreciates the magnitude of the sky that she's in, and all that help magnify her shine so that she can be seen and heard around the world. 

Musical Quote of the Moment

 "Seems you get to live your life just once, and if that's how it's gotta be, then I'd rather breathe in life then dusty air." - Bonnie from Bonnie & Clyde the Musical. 

How Acting Saved My Life

 To a casual observer, acting may be considered a hobby, rather than a career. Yes, it may be a career, but not a career to particularly aspire to, and this is because of the many misconceptions people have of acting, and its purpose in the world. 

It seems unlikely I will ever act full time and as a career, but I can tell you one thing: we are all acting in this world, whether it's acting like we're okay, acting like we enjoy something when we do, or acting like we don't care about something, when actually it's our biggest passion and we are having to suppress it in order to fit in. The difference between those people, and those that do acting as a career and / or hobby, is that playing pretend actually has a benefit, a purpose to us.

Let me paint you a picture of an eleven year old me. 

She's quiet, unsure of herself, and worries constantly that she's going to fail in the world. She doesn't have many friends, and sometimes the world scares her. Well, it scares her a lot actually. Still does even now, if we are being brutally honest. I dare you to look at the state of play the world is today and not be a little frightened, no matter what political, scientific, or environmental issue is you consider to be more central in your world. 

This girl needs a hobby other than just reading books, and she knows this. Her mum has tried coaxing her into social situations, with some successes, but also a lot of failures, and this isn't down to her mum being pushy - far from it in fact, as her mum is her number one supporter in everything - but down to her own crushing lack of self-confidence. This has not been helped by a history of being bullied for the sole crime of being a bit quiet, a bit on the fringe of everything. 

Call it happenstance, call it fate or chance, but thanks to the suggestion of a friend of one of her mum's, she is steered into joining a local amateur dramatic group. On paper, this does not sound like a hobby she would enjoy, even with her previous theatre experience, but there's something about this particular group that makes something inside her make sense. It may be the people, it may be the type of shows this group performs, it may even be the fact her first role with this group is a singing role, something she always has shied away from doing in front of people before; whatever the reason, this group lights a fire inside her that still, to this day, burns bright. 

I am not exaggerating when I say this group is a big part of how I've become the person I am today. Of course, there are other reasons, and other important influences that have shaped my personality, and I think we can all agree that no one person has ever had just one event, or person, or group solely influence who they are. You are more interesting as a collection of ideas and opinions, experiences and events, than you are as a solitary figure revolving around just one theme. 

Now we come on to why and how acting has saved my life.

I suffer from anxiety and, sometimes, a crumbling sense of self-identity. Even though I am more sure of who I am today than I have ever been, it doesn't mean that sometimes I don't question why I'm here, what is my purpose, what am I even doing if I'm not doing something meaningful? I sometimes worry I'm not making a big enough mark on the world to justify my presence here, that I'm not progressing enough in life to justify me being the age that I am, which is ridiculous. We are all competing in the same marathon of life, but not everyone has the same targets, and not everyone has the same obstacles or hurdles to try and overcome, so why should we use the same benchmarks for ourselves as other people use? 

If I allowed these thoughts to make me spiral, I know every day would be a struggle. I wouldn't get anything done, and life would be far less enjoyable. I used to panic that I didn't have a passion, that if I did find one what if I wasn't any good at it, and that life would be pointless if I didn't find one. I can't tell you the amount of hobbies I started but never finished, sometimes out of boredom, sometimes because it wasn't the right fit for me at that time.

What I love about acting, is that it's an art of self-discipline. It teaches you to hone all the energy you have into a character often so different from yourself. It teaches to look at the world at another way, sometimes a sillier, more playful way, but it gives you a different sense of perspective, and I think this is part of why theatre is so important to me. 

As much as you can lose yourself in a theatre piece, be it musical or a strictly performative piece, you also can find yourself as well, or even discover a new skill or talent that can lead on to more exciting paths.

In Trinity Players, I found a girl who not only loved the spotlight, but thrived in it. She wasn't just a part of the laughter, she helped create it. She didn't just read words, she breathed a new life into them. This girl found a family in a place that could've made her or broke her, because the theatre can be just a cruel a place as the rest of the world if you don't have the right people at the heart of it. 

This is why my biggest message to anyone who is struggling to find a place in the world, even if theatre isn't your place, you can find a space anywhere to grow and flourish. Find people who make you better, and who you make better just by being there. It may take time and energy, but the best environments only flourish with the right light and care. The moment something becomes toxic, then you need to step away; not every happy place is a happy one forever, but the world is wide enough for you to create and thrive in new spaces. 

There are different ways to save a life other than physically stopping you from dying, just as there are other ways to live other than just existing and breathing. 

Acting saved my life because it gave me a reason to love myself, it gave me goals and challenges to set myself to grow and develop, it gave me a whole new set of characters in the book of my life to laugh alongside and enjoy the company of. I can't pretend as well that it wasn't the perfect place to foster the love of musical theatre I have today. 

Thank you to all who have shared my acting journey, whether it's by supporting me on stage (sometimes getting me out of sticky spots with my lines!), or watching and cheering me on from the audience, or just giving me a stage to try and make people laugh on. 

You are more appreciated than you will ever know, and I hope if this post does nothing else, it reminds people of why acting is an important art form, and why it will always have a place in this world.

Come From Away - A Musical Worth Coming From Away To See

 To a casual observer, when you think of musicals, rarely do you think that they can be born from tragedy, or from a corner of history of so dark it is still remembered every year without fail. You think of corny songs, of big opening and closing numbers designed to get you talking long after the show is over, of big, beautiful sets that glitter and shine under the spotlights. 

Come From Away is a unique musical as it doesn't strive to tick those boxes. It still manages to, but the goal is undeniably to showcase an extraordinary tale of community that I hope is a sentiment we can echo around the world. It is a musical that truly showcases the best humanity has to offer, and is why no matter what the world throws at us or, indeed, what we throw at the world, I do believe we are amazing creatures when we want to be.

It tells a tale of a town called Gander, in Newfoundland, that had to host a great number of displaced passengers when planes had to be grounded in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks in America. It was a wide awakening for me that, even as a Brit watching this show, there is actually a shocking amount I didn't really know about the aftermath of that horrific day beyond the initial media coverage, and what television shows and films have carved stories from. 

I went to watch the musical at The Curve in Leicester, as it was the first stop this particular cast and crew were hosting their terrific show at. This venue is always a fantastic place to visit, but as with every show I go to see, I am always interested to see how a show with such a following adapts to each theatre it visits.

What shocked me most about this performance, was how simple and stripped back it was. You had the chairs and tables that formed most of the set, and quickly became everything needed to tell you the story, from the seats of a restaurant, to the aisle of a plane. The movement from scene to scene, from song to song, was phenomenally done, and fit the pace and tone of the overall story that was going on.

The cast were also phenomenal, and the fact that there was no single person that stood out more than the others speaks to how brilliantly everyone worked together, in a community effort that was a beautifully fitting tribute to the real life heroes this story was based on. 

"That's how we started speaking the same language," I think was the most hauntingly beautiful line of the whole show, because it summed up how even though we have much to divide us, we have just as much, if not more, that unites us. We forget that sometimes, and it's why sometimes it is dispiriting to see how much hatred and vitriol exists in the world, and certainly on social media spaces. 

There were fleeting moments that felt genuinely uncomfortable to watch, but it was exactly what was needed, and that included moments when one passenger was met with such mistrust and fear all because they were a different colour and nationality to the rest. I think this was handled beautifully, and I think it teaches us that uncomfortable moments in a musical can be vital to selling the story. You can't buy into a musical, unless you feel something in the moment, good or bad. Feeling something for someone or something within a piece of theatre, negative or positive, tells you that you are connecting to something that either mirrors a memory of your own, or ignites knowledge that makes you see the world in a different way. 

I could go on and on about this musical, but it had everything, from love and laughter, to heartbreak and loss. When a musical covers a news story or event that took away a lot from the country affected, it has to make you care, and it has to have a message that doesn't just leave you depressed and hopeless after. For me, I can't watch or consume media that just showcases the worst of humanity. It is important to be aware such horror and travesty exists in our world, but I think if we don't showcase the best of humanity, it is easy to believe it is the worst, and then you think, why do we bother at all?

Come From Away is a well needed boost to the system, and I hope it finds a permanent home somewhere. Until then, I wish it safe travels, and hope every community it visits welcomes it as much as the communities of Newfoundland did for the misplaced passengers it rescued and gave homes to back in 2001. 

This is a show you are going to want to come from away to.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟  

Some Musicals Were Born to Follow, This One Was Born to Lead

 To a casual observer, a musical comedy about a world war sounds like an endeavour doomed to fail. After all, particularly in this day and age, what humour is there to derive from war? 

Operation Mincemeat is a theatre show unlike any other. It has a cast of five, who change characters as easily as day turns into night. What this cast do is something extraordinary. They take a dark, fearful period in history, and a plot that had all the potential to fail and cost us the war, and turn it into a piece of theatre that is side splittingly funny, but also isn't afraid to tap into raw emotion every now and then. 

The plot is around a scheme devised by the British to fool Hitler and his armies to divert them away from Sicily, where we planned to invade, and direct them to Sardinia. How do they plan to do this? Well, I won't spoil it, but it does involve creativity and genius that we forget sometimes the army, MI5, and other intelligent agencies build their strategies from. 

It's not necessarily the strategy and how it's enacted that makes this such a wonderful piece of theatre, however, because what really needs to sell a piece of theatre about the war is the humans in the thick of it.

You can't, after all, do any piece of theatre about the war and not focus on the human side of it, not just the decisions made in the name of protecting our lands and our freedoms, but what was lost along the path to victory.

Dear Bill, for example, was a poignant song that could've sounded very silly in the wrong hands, but the way it was sung it quickly became clear that whilst the intention was to initially demonstrate an example of a letter a loved one may write to their partner fighting in the war, it drew from experience and that made it a thousand times more powerful. The fact the audience held their breath all the way through the song is testimony to how emotional and moving the song was. 

The forces behind the musical were Natasha Hodgson, David Cumming, Felix Hagan and Zoe Robert. I think the fact there is such a thriving fandom behind the musical is a testimony to how their brains and creativity work. A new musical can either sink or float in this industry, and this musical has already taken on a new life of its own, with each performance a new take on the script, and with the difference range of characters and cast combinations, you are never likely to see the same musical twice. 

The cast I got to see was Natasha Hodgson, David Cumming, Claire Marie-Hall, Christian Andrews and Zoe Roberts, and each of them shone spectacularly in their roles, encompassing each new character with as much ease as it took to slide on a new piece of costume. Each comedy line went down a treat with the audience, and the rawest moments equally were treated with due care and respect, as, after all, it was a theatre show born from one of life's most difficult periods. 

Songs like Born to Lead and A Glitzy Finale opened and closed the show in spectacular fashion, summarising the start and end points of the characters in this period, whilst paying respectful tribute to the real life people behind the roles.

There is a danger sometimes if we make a musical about a real life event, it takes something away from the reality, because real life is not a song and dance, it isn't a string of silly quips and quick costume changes.

War as we are seeing every day in some part of the world or other, is brutal and sad and tragic and desperate. We don't always see the heroes behind the scenes who draft the battle plans, who make the life and death decisions, who weigh up ethical conundrums against the preservation of life; we just see the men carrying out the orders. 

What Operation Mincemeat does well I think is that it brings these heroes in the shadows forward, and makes sure they are recognised and appreciated. I think musicals can spark life into history, as is proven by the success of the musicals Six and Les Mis, even if you have to insert some fiction to give it that little spark. We just have to recognise the reality behind the story as well as enjoy the amazing performances the cast give us.

After all, real life war, real life history, is not something to sing or dance about, but even in the darkest of times, hope is a prevalent force, and that is something to celebrate and give a stage for. The moments of victory in between the struggles and defeats, is what life is truly worth living for. Operation Mincemeat not only showcases this point, but it does its best to educate and enchant its audience from the very first note, to the last bow. 

The cast, creators, musicians, directors and all other creative forces should be very proud. Their own little operation, Operation Putting On An Amazing Show, was a triumph. I cannot wait to see it again and again and again. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A "Giant" Triumph - Jack and the Beanstalk Pantomime Review

To a casual observer, pantomimes are an annual event, something you are inevitably dragged to at some stage in your life, and whilst they are fun to watch, it's sometimes disregarded as an art form, even mocked. 

Here is how the pantomime at De Montford Hall in Leicester proves pantomimes are so much more than what we give them credit for.

The cast for starters were a treasure all of their own. Sam Bailey, a former X Factor winner, absolutely shone in the role of Fairy Flutterby, and whilst her voice was never up for debate as to how great it is, what took me by surprise was how she wore pantomime like a second skin; she just slipped into another character the way her voice can slip into any song with ease. 

Jarred Christmas stole the show for me. His every day career as a comedian was always going to help and not hinder a role in a pantomime, but what is a skill that should never go unappreciated is the way to adapt yourself and the comedy you present to a younger audience. At every stage of the show, he invited the audience in to every joke, and made sure everyone was included into the story, and did it all with a twinkle in his eye. His character, "Lazy Larry", was, ironically, never lazy in making every joke, every line hit, and pushing the story along. 

Scott Mills was a pantomime newbie, but was always going to be a big crowd pleaser because of his role in radio. Whilst it was clear it was his time doing a pantomime, it was also clear he enjoyed every minute of it, and he was a pleasant surprise and a welcome addition to the cast. The show also didn't waste any chance to highlight his radio background, and made references to it that strangely enough made sense in the world that had been created.

This is the beauty of pantomime in a nutshell: it shoehorns references in that will delight the audience, whilst not taking away from the story itself. 

A1's Mark Read, and Christina Harris, made up our Jack and Jill. They were charming in their prospective roles and, again, the show didn't shy away from highlighting Mark's pop background, and in fact made it a key point of his character, as he was constantly referencing 90s songs. I thought that was a rather clever quirk to include, as it was another point to engage the audience, which is always vital in a pantomime. 

I can't go on about a pantomime without referencing the dame, which is a very tricky role to absolutely nail. The audience has to be aware, even the children, that the dame is a man playing a woman, but in such a way that the woman is too ridiculous a figure to even be real, which is where the humor comes from. Jack Ballard was absolutely fantastic and made Dame Trott a ridiculous but warm hearted character that we all could laugh at and root for in the same breath. 

I also have to comment that Mark Beauchamp made an excellent baddy as Fleshcreep. He knew how to play to the audience, even when perhaps the audience weren't as reactive as they could've been. It was just so convincing a role, and it made it easy to react to as an audience.

The set was absolutely gorgeous, the choice of music absolutely outstanding as well. I particularly loved the "Tonight Belongs to You" choice to close out Act 1. Being a huge fan of "The Prom" musical, not only did I love the song already, but I loved the twist in words to make it all about Jack as he ascended the beanstalk. 

All in all, it was a fantastic show, I had a massive smile on my face from the start to the end. Every cast member, from the ensemble, to the leads, acted as if this show had to be the very best one of their lives. Pantomime is an amazing art form because there's something for everyone: rude jokes for the adults, slapstick for the children, and music and dancing to entertain everyone.

The key to a good pantomime I believe is showing your audience you are having a good time. If they buy that, they will buy into all the other magic that is created on stage. I have never seen a pantomime that has not put a smile on its audiences' faces. This one created smiles, laughter and pure joy, three things the world can never have enough of. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Practically Perfect Con In Every Way - Musical Con 2023 Review

 To a casual observer and, indeed, on paper, a musical theatre convention does not sound like it would work, and I will be the first to admit that was my initial thought when I first heard about it. 

It seemed unfathomable to me that an event I'd normally associate with comic books and celebrating the works of shows and films, as well as the actors, artists and staff involved in the making of said shows and films, would be able to work in celebrating musical theatre. Now that I have been to one, I have come to one conclusion:

This is a phenomenon that needs to start catching on. 

Musical theatre is something almost everyone has experienced in one form or another, whether you have gone to the theatre on a special evening out, or whether you have forged your career in helping one come to life on stage. To some, it may seem like an art form that is best left forgotten about, but to the vast majority of people, it's an art form that I feel is still vastly underappreciated. 

Musical Con was an event that from the very start, went off very smoothly which, if you know anything about comic cons in general, is a very rare thing for any event to achieve. It was based at London Excel, and on a weekend where there were at least two other events happening simultaneously, so it was clear we were all in for a busy and crowded weekend. Saying this, however, I found the queuing system was not at all as bad as I had imagined, with there being three separate and distinct queues for VIP ticket holders, standard ticket holders, and access pass holders, and the queuing time was made easier by the fact there were dance troupes and choirs singing and dancing to ensure our energy levels and excitement were all up by the time we were allowed in. 

Once inside, it was a well spread out event, with stalls selling different musical theatre branded merchandise, and colleges there to promote their musical theatre programs all scattered out so you could meander through at your own pace and see what everyone was offering. There was a giant Aladdin lamp as well, which whilst promoting the "Aladdin" musical production about to tour in the UK also served as a unique feature, where you could rub it and the television screens above it would tell you if you'd won a prize. 

Just like normal conventions, there were poster boards and props where you could take photos in front of. My particular favourites were the "Newsies" themed board, and the "Everybody's Talking About Jamie" area, which came complete with a pair of stunning red heels and a mirror you could pose in front of. I also couldn't resist grabbing a microphone and busting a pose in front of the giant "Six" poster that 

There were also showcases of new and upcoming musicals. If you have seen my other posts, you'll know I was very hyped about "Ride" so I was thrilled that got a mention, and also "The Book Thief" which, particularly in these unsettling times, has a message that we need now more than ever about choosing love over hate. I also had some new musicals to add to my list, which I think is perhaps the best thing to have come out of this exciting event, even if I know my bank account will suffer down the line.
 

There were autograph and photo opportunities with some of the stars of the musical theatre productions we know and well, as well as master classes and workshops to hone and learn some vital skills for any budding actors. I enjoyed the Acting Through Song workshop with "Newsies" star, Ryan Kopel, which was all about learning how to take a performative song, and enhancing how you told the story within that song to your audience. 

There were also interesting panel talks, detailing about some behind the scenes processes, and how the theatre dealt with important and real life issues, such as accessibility needs, and helping support and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. This was particularly interesting because for a lot of audiences, you take the show that's produced at face value, you don't think about everything that goes into making the show, or the issues that can help or hinder a show's creation, so this made me sit up a little bit and learn to appreciate the people who worked behind the scenes and backstage on a new level. After all, you need just as much, if not more, magic off stage as you do on stage, to make the final product work and shine. 

Finally, there were performances by some west end legends, such as Erin Caldwell, who some people may know from "Heathers", whilst some may know her as Jane Seymour in the UK tour of "Six", or Jon Robyns, who wsas in "Les Mis" and, more recently, "Phantom of the Opera", Alice Fearn from "Come From Away" and "Wicked", and many more. Each dazzled the stage and took everyone's breath away with some powerful performances that just made me love the theatre even more than I already do. 

This was a collaborative effort from so many people, and I cannot thank all those who were involved enough because it heightened my love of the theatre. I could gush on and on about why this was so special, but I think the simplest way to put it is that it was a home for the weekend for musical theatre fans, and made us all unite to celebrate who we all are and who we could be in the future. 

Long may the love and celebration of musicals continue.