London Black Cabs September 24, 2008
Posted by admin in : advice , add a commentHow to hire London black cabs and what to expect.
Big, black, taxi cabs, in London you see them everywhere but how easy is it to actually travel in one and just how expensive are they? It can be daunting getting around the city if you don’t know London well. London taxi drivers are famously well trained in getting around the maze of city streets. So grabbing a cab seems the obvious solution. However, people visiting the city are often wary of the possible expense and how exactly do you hire one anyway?
London Cabs Have an Agreed Fare Structure.
London taxi cabs fares are regulated. The current tarrif (from the TFL web site)
|
Distance |
Approx |
Monday to Friday |
Monday to Friday |
Every night |
|
1 mile |
5 - 12 mins |
£4.40 - £8 |
£4.60 - £8 |
£4.80 - £8 |
|
2 miles |
8 - 15 mins |
£6.80 - £10.60 |
£6.80 - £10.60 |
£7.40 - £11.60 |
|
4 miles |
15 - 30 mins |
£11 - £18 |
£12 - £18 |
£14 - £21 |
|
6 miles |
20 - 40 mins |
£17 - £27 |
£18 - £27 |
£23 - £32 |
|
Between Heathrow |
30 - 60 mins |
£40 - £70 |
£40 - £70 |
£40 - £70 |
There is a minimum fare of £2.20 at all times.
How it works:
The meter calculates the maximum fare based on:
- Time of day
- Distance travelled
- Taxi speed
The passenger will be expected to pay the full fare displayed on the meter at the end of the journey unless the driver and passenger agree on the final fare to be charged before the start of the journey.
The cab can take up to 5 passengers. There is no additional charge for passengers or luggage.
Where to find a Black Cab? Ranks and Hailing Passing Cabs
Cab ranks can be found at all the major railway stations. They really are the simplest way to get to and from your hotel if you arrive in the capital by train. Travelling by tube with luggage is not a pleasant way to start or end your break. If you can possibly afford it take a taxi!
If your hotel is a distance from the theatre you may want to organise a cab to take you there and back. If you organise this through the hotel staff make sure they order you a licensed taxi cab with a meter rather than a ” car service” or unlicensed mini-cab. These can work out much more expensive and are not regulated in the same way. Many of the larger hotels have their own taxi ranks.
You can also hail a black cab, just like they do in films 
If a cab has its FOR HIRE sign lit, even if it is going the other way, just stick out your arm and shout ‘Taxi’!
They Are Not All Black But Make Sure Yours is Licensed!
Surprisingly enough not all London taxis are black, some are red, but they all have that unmistakable cab shape and they MUST have a yellow “FOR HIRE” sign.
WARNING - Unlicensed Cabs
Unlicensed cabs are frequent in Central London. These are unmarked vehicles. They are unregulated and uninsured. The drivers pass themselves off as legitimate minicab operators. These fake cab drivers are common in the major tourist areas like Leicester Square, Theatreland, and Soho, and if you look lost they may approach you. It really is not worth the risk!
Use your phone to get a legitimate cab
Just about the easiest way to get a cab or licenced mini-cab is to use the Cabwise Service run by Transport for London. Simple text HOME to 60835 and they will send you the number of one taxi and two licensed mini-cab firm in the area you are texting from. It cost just 35p plus the cost of the text. Just be aware there can be an extra charge of up to £2.00 for a telephone booking.
Useful Links
London Taxis - site run by a London cabbie
Come Dancing, Reviews and Previews September 21, 2008
Posted by Linda in : Musicals, come dancing, reviews , 18commentsCome Dancing is a new musical by Ray Davies of the Kinks.
Come Dancing reviews
We really enjoyed our evening at Come Dancing, the new Ray Davies musical, at the Theatre Royal Stratford East on Friday. I thought the show was perfect for the theatre and for the Stratford audience. I can’t really give a fair Come Dancing review, as it was still in preview, so these are just my impressions.
The Come Dancing Set
The first thing I noticed on going into the theatre was that a few rows of seats had been replaced by tables and chairs and some people were seated at tables on the stage. There was also a bar on stage which the audience were encouraged to use during the interval.
The set is designed to give the illusion that most of the time we were actually in the Ilford Palais dance hall in the mid ’50s. Lighting changes were skillfully used to convey set changes.
I’m usually wary of this kind of thing in traditional theatres but I think it worked very well. We were in the first row of theatre seats (row D) and had a good view of the production. The tables looked like great fun and I’d be sorely tempted if I went again!
The Cast of Come Dancing
Ray Davies
Ray looked quite nervous at first, in his role as narrator but he soon settled into it. I thought he was in good voice and gave an excellent and at times very touching performance.
Gemma Salter was fantastic as Ray’s youngest sister Julie. She has a great voice and a strong stage presence. This is her first major role and I am sure it is just a glimpse of things to come. She looked frail and delicate, as the role required, but she gave the part just the edge of steel it needed. (I couldn’t help but think what a wonderful Nancy she might have made!)
I thought Alasdair Harvey’s portrayal of the fading band leader Frankie was superb but it’s not really fair to single people out as the rest of the cast were terrific too.
The Story of Come Dancing
I’m not going to spoil it by saying anything much about the plot. It is a really genuine, touching human story. Ray Davies has done his best to show us a moment of transition, the birth of the teenager, the start of rock and roll and what it meant to that post war generation. I think he’s done a good job of capturing the raw, sometimes dangerous, energy of the time as the new generation began to emerge.
The Future for the Musical of Come Dancing
I really hope that Come Dancing gets a West End transfer, or perhaps a regional tour. It was still in previews when we went so it would not be fair for anybody to write full Come Dancing reviews just yet. Still, I’m happy to give an initial thumbs up because I feel so positive about the show. The audience were on their feet clapping and dancing by the end. It was a great night out, full of excellent music, wonderful dancing, laughter and tears.
If you get the chance to see Come Dancing, even if you are not a Kinks fan, go!
There are one or two less favourable Come Dancing reviews around already but the vast majority of the audience on Friday night seemed to share my positive opinion of the production. Hopefully it will soon be everyone’s favourite new musical. We’ll be watching Come Dancing’s progress with the highest of hopes for all involved.
Other Views and reviews
- LondonTheatreGoer “I still don’t like musicals“
- Lyn Gardner, The Guardian “not theatrical rock’n'roll“
- Wharf “sure-fire hit“
- Tim Walker, The Independent
- Fiona Mountford, Evening Standard
- Londonist
- British Theatre Guide “I have rarely been more touched“
- Kate Kellaway - Observer “hackneyed”, “embarrassing“
- Financial Times “a comfy evening
- Sunday Times - “wide-eyed fun and tension”, “mostly sweet and sometimes memorable”
Open Comments
Agree or disagree with our review, have you seen Come Dancing yet or hoping to? Ray Davies fan or not, what do you think of the issues and ideas behind bringing this musical to London?
Update
The show is almost over now so will it make a transfer to the West End? Make up your own mind and thanks to our commentor Frank for this video:
Joseph Theatre Breaks September 19, 2008
Posted by Andy in : joseph, theatre breaks , add a commentJoseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat
Most of us remember the musical “Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat” from a school performance, either as proud parents or as young performers ourselves! In my case, both - but the earlier memories are somewhat faded from the 1960s. The show was originally written as a ‘hip’ musical that schools would enjoy producing and if your memories are good ones then you’ll really want to see the full West End version of the show at some point in your life, and so will your kids, just to see how it looks when put on by professionals with all the accoutrements of the West End stage.
Any Dream Will Do
Of course the other possibility is that you watched the TV show “Any Dream Will Do” from which Lee Mead emerged as the star to play Joseph, and he continues to play the lead role until 10 January 2009 so there’s an idea there for December and New Year perhaps.
See Joseph in London with Joseph Theatre Breaks
The London show usually just called “Joseph” and it has been tweaked just a little over the years, for example there’s a completely new song for Pharaoh (Elvis) called “King of my Heart” but you’ll still recognise all the old favourites like “Close every door”, “Coat of many Colours” and “Any dream will do”. Joseph Theatre Breaks are packaged so that you get top tickets for the show bundled with a reasonably priced hotel stay so you don’t have to worry about getting away after the theatre, and if you book the rail journey at the same time it saves up to 40% on those tickets as well. The train is most convenient for visiting London from most parts of the UK and most people turn it into a theatre break weekend or take a day off midweek to go shopping and see the sights of London, maybe adding an extra excursion like a flight on the London Eye or a river trip.
Joseph Theatre Breaks in October - Special Offer
You’ll have to be quick but there’s a special discount offer on for Joseph Theatre breaks booked before October 9th for Monday to Thursday shows until October 16th, 2008. This brings the price of a ticket to see Lee Mead in Joseph and a night in a London hotel down to as little as £79.50 per person. But if that isn’t convenient try doing a search for the dates that do suit you and you’ll be surprised at the theatre break deals you might be able to find, even for those special times of the year in some cases.
Calendar Girls September 1, 2008
Posted by admin in : Calendar Girls , add a commentCalendar Girls is a new play based on the phenomenal film of the same name about a group of WI members from Yorkshire.
