Weekend Breaks with Basil December 5, 2007
Posted by admin in : weekend breaks , add a commentI’ve always fancied the idea of weekend breaks in my favourite TV hotels. You know, like spending a weekend in the set of a Poirrot, or even at Fawlty Towers! I never thought I’d get the chance but it is now possible!
I got to meet Basil, Sybil and Manuel (all played by professional actors) and to stay in a hotel that just for one evening was being Fawlty Towers. Having said that the hotel was actually far more comfortable than that might suggest and the food was a terrific gourmet treat (No, really!).
The main thing though was the entertainment - it was hysterical! This was definitely helped by the other guest who entered into the spirit of the thing, playing along when Basil mistook them for AA Inspectors or was unbelievably rude to them and started calling them riff raff.
There were a couple who seemed to be German and I’m still not sure if they were part of the act or not but it gave Basil chance to trot out all the classic “don’t mention the war” gags.
Oh and we got to meet Manuel’s Siberian Hamster, though thankfully not at the dinner table. Manuel also serenaded us at our table with classic seventies songs. Not a bad seenger really 
The highlight was Basil and Manuel’s Flamenco master class. I’m not sure I ever laughed so much even at the original!
And of course there was Sybil who was simply dead pan and magnificent.
We had two nights at the hotel with dinner, bed and breakfast all included in our package. Luckily Basil and his companions were only looking after us on the second night
It was a really funny and relaxing weekend break and a great alternative to a traditional theatre break.
Murder Mystery Weekends December 5, 2007
Posted by admin in : weekend breaks , 2commentsWeekend Breaks with a twist
My office manager decided that rather than do yet another team building exercise, you know where the office hard men get to lord it over the wimps (that would be her and me!), we’d try a Murder Mystery Weekend Break at a rather nice hotel in Edinburgh. At first there was a bit of resistance, especially from a couple of the blokes. I think they look forward to splattering the boss in paint, or mud or whatever fresh hell the team builders come up with this year. Still, she is the boss, so the day dawned early (6 a.m.!) and after freezing on the station we all found ourselves curled up on a comfy train going north. This was a very civilised start to what up until now had been my annual ritual humiliation. I’m not very out-doorsy!
Right from the start there was plenty of action. As soon as we arrived at the hotel we were allocated roles and costumes. Our theme was the Roaring 20s and my Flapper costume was an absolute dream! There was a wig and everything! The biggest surprise was seeing how handsome some of the blokes looked in their costumes. Hard to believe that Jimmy from Accounts, a rather spotty youth (!) had somehow transformed into a dashing young hero! I think that’s one change of image that might stick, he certainly enjoyed all the female attention he got.
A team of professional actors guided us through the day. At first we assumed that they’d be the both the victims and the suspects and we’d have to work out who did it. So it came as a great shock when Lavinia (my best mate Sue) keeled over into her soup. Splat! Straight in - she always did love a bit of Am Dram! And there, in her back, a gleaming and rather convincing dagger! EEEK!!! I thought Mrs W was going to faint on the spot.
Well, that changed everything. Suddenly we didn’t know who to trust anymore. It became obvious that at the same time as I’d been getting my 20s cossie and a little card with my character’s details on it other people had been given quite different roles. It helped as well that there were people we didn’t know there too so we couldn’t be sure if they were actors or not. We were seated on tables of 8 or so guests, not all from our office. This definitely made life more interesting, what with the blokes all looking so handsome in their suits. Actually, a couple of them admitted how nice it was to see the women all dressed up rather than covered in mud
It was like being in a real live episode of Poirrot and ‘those leetle grey cells’ were working overtime! The plot had enough twists and red herrings to challenge my favourite TV sleuth while at the same time providing lots of fun.
Talk about team building though! Over our scrumptious three course dinner we tried to work out what exactly was going on. We were the sleuths now and together we had to work to establish the identity of the murderer. Just like Poirrot we had to look for clues, talk to witnesses, never knowing who might keel over next. It was sooo cool! I’m not going to say anymore about the plot really. I’d hate to spoil it for other people, plus which they make you sign a note in your own blood swearing never to reveal the murderer’s true identity before you can go home. OK, I made the last bit up but you get the idea
I had a chat with one of the organisers over the full English (yummy!) next morning and they do lots of these weekends. Each one has a specific theme, like a Masked Ball or a Medieval Supper, your team gets to dress up, become characters and let your imagination carry you away. Some people don’t get as into it as much as me and that’s fine they can just sit back, relax and watch the show.
It’s not just that hotel either. These things go on all over the country. We are definitely going again next year. I think the murder mystery weekend was just about the coolest corporate training we ever did! Thing is, I enjoyed it so much I’m trying to persuade my partner to go on one with me just for a laugh. I think a Murder Mystery Weekend Break could be quite romantic and I’d quite like to see him in a dinner suit, or even doublet and hose
Book a trip to a Murder Mystery Weekend Break, with tickets to murder mystery and hotel accommodation included in the price.
Murder Mystery Breaks are currently provided at Cambridge | Harrogate | Loughborough | Matlock Bath
Phantom of the Opera December 3, 2007
Posted by admin in : Musicals, Shows, phantom , add a comment** book Phantom of the Opera breaks **
The Phantom of the Opera
Monday - Saturday at 7.30pm
Tuesday and Saturday also at 2.30pm
Her Majesty’s Theatre
Haymarket
London
SW1Y 4QL
CURRENT CAST:
RAMIN KARIMLOO The Phantom
LEILA BENN HARIS Christine
ROBYN NORTH Christine
ALEX RATHBERGER Raoul
WENDY FERGUSON Carlotta
JAMES BARRON Firmin
SAM HILLER Andre
HEATHER JACKSON Madame Giry
BENJAMIN LAKE Piangi
LINDSEY WISE Meg
NIC GREENSHIELDS Alternate Phantom
JOHN ADDISON Solider (Hannibal) / Policeman in the Pit
ANNA CERVANTES Ballet Chorus of the Opera Populaire
NAOMI COBBY Ballet Chorus of the Opera Populaire
ALISON CONNELL Swing
ALISON CROFT Ballet Chorus of the Opera Populaire
LISA DOWSETT Ballet Chorus of the Opera Populaire
SOFIA ESCOBAR Princess (Hannibal)
HELEN FRENCH Page (Don Juan Triumphant)
KATHERINE GLASSON Madam Firmin
MELANIE GOWIE Wild Woman (Hannibal)
PHILIP GRIFFITHS Monsieur Reyer / Auctioneer
ALISON GUILL Confidante (Il Muto)
ELLEN JACKSON Wardrobe Mistress
JIMMY JOHNSTON Joseph Buquet
DAVID KRISTOPHER-BROWN Slave (Hannibal) / Monk
TIM LAURENTI Swing
DAVID LAWRENCE Monsieur LeFévre / Don Atilio (Il Muto)
ADAM LINSTEAD Swing
BRIAN MCCANN Passarino / Hairdresser
STEPHEN MCCARTHY Swing
MATTHEW MCKENNA Jeweller (Il Muto)
FIONA MORLEY Dance Captain / Ballet Swing
CRAIG NICHOLLS Fire Chief
EMMA NORTHMORE Ballet Chorus of the Opera Populaire
SIMON RACKLEY Slave Master (Hannibal)
RACHEL SPURRELL Swing
DANIEL TANNER Porter / Lion Man
CLAIRE TILLING Ballet Chorus of the Opera Populaire
** book Phantom of the Opera breaks **
Avenue Q at the Noël Coward Theatre December 3, 2007
Posted by admin in : Musicals, Shows , add a commentA Monster Night Out!
The Noël Coward Theatre
St Martin’s Lane
London
WC2N 5AU
London Underground: Leicester Square
Buses 24, 29, 176
LIFE MAY SUCK ON AVENUE Q, but for a bright-eyed college graduate called Princeton, this is his new neighbourhood. A tiny bank balance and a variety of weird and wonderful friends and neighbours lead Princeton on a hilarious journey of self-discovery.
Since opening a year ago, cult hit AVENUE Q has been playing to hugely enthusiastic crowds and standing ovations, proving highly addictivewith its legion of fans coming back to see it over and over!
Brash, vulgar and just downright funny, the puppets and humans on AVENUE Q in downtown New York are out of work, out of luck and desperately seeking a purpose in life. A love story like no other mixed with some hilarious songs, AVENUE Q is a guaranteed laugh-out-loud night out! Winner of awards both in London and New York including Best New Musical at the Tony’s, this is the show you’ll want to see again and again!
Times:
Monday - Thursday at 8pm, Friday at 5.30pm and 8.30pm, and Saturday at 5pm and 8.30pm.
Theatre breaks in London - Desperately Seeking Susan Closes December 2, 2007
Posted by admin in : Musicals, Novello, news, theatre breaks in London , add a commentIf you are thinking of booking a theatre break in London this might be one to avoid!
Desperately Seeking Susan” is at the Novello Theatre, London but only till Dec 13th! It crashed and burned with at best luke warm, and at worst downright hostile, reviews. One reviewer described the dance routines as “organised fidgeting”!
It did seem a slightly strange idea to combine the music of Debbie Harry’s Blondie with the plot of the film that saw the debut of that other great eighties diva Madonna. Time has probably been a little kinder to Madonna, though most of the music she was making back then is long forgotten.
Why not try the Award winning musical Hairspray? It has a great retro vibe and the music is 100% better! It would make an ideal choice for a post Christmas theatre break in London!
