Category
London
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10.09.07Punchdrunk PoeI don't particularly like stage theatre (I find it impossible to suspend disbelief that the actors are anything other than people pretending, and saying the same things, night after night, to cues) but I have to admit that I am finding myself particularly tempted by the idea of a narrative which can be explored in a physical location, in any order you like, with audiences of many or one:"Journey into a macabre world and explore the four corners of Battersea Arts Centre’s Old Town Hall as Punchdrunk immerses the entire site in Poe's imagination. Inspired by the classic short stories ...
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09.11.07A guessing gameSo every day on my way home I pass by the Hammersmith Apollo gig venue. And at least one day in three, pretty much, there's a different band (or comedian) on. But I don't actually get to see the front of the Apollo until the bus pulls out of the bus station. So before that, between the tube and the bus, I get to see hoardes of people swarming the underground station, on their way to the gig, or picking up some refreshment (a sandwich and a neon alcopop, usually) from the Tesco Metro before they go in. And as a result, ...
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07.27.07Things my commute has taught me #2: the space raceFollowing on from my earlier ruminations about commuter seating preferences on the tube, I thought it was about time that I jotted down another thing I've noticed in the process of travelling across London every day (and back) during the peak busy periods. We all know that tubes are crowded during rush hour. Space is a commodity, and it's hard fought for, clung to, and bitterly conceded. But what's interesting is the inventive ways that people find to create or compensate for a lack of space. When seated, there are three main methods for preserving personal space: Putting things on the seat beside ...
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06.07.07Now DepartingI got a new camera a while ago - a Vivitar Ultra Wide & Slim, which is basically a toy camera, being feature and focus free and fashioned from cheapest moulded plastic. It's fun, though, and I've been pretty chuffed with the images I've got back from it so far, including this one I snapped of a train leaving the sidings at Hammersmith station the other day. Seemed somehow apt considering that they're about to demolish the Palais itself. (more toycam pics in this set)
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05.22.07Things my new commute has taught me #1: not all seats are equalFor years (five at least) I had a relatively straightforward (mostly) 20 minute bus hop from home (in Mortlake, SW14) to work (in Olympia, W14). Five minutes walk to the bus stop. A couple of minutes of waiting, then 20 minutes on a shuttle bus through Barnes, up Castlenau (thank heavens for the bus lane - I've never figured out why all those single car drivers (that's solo, not unattached, I assume) bothered sitting in that interminable traffic jam every morning when the bus lane alongside proved the effectiveness of public transport, at least for that stretch), over Hammersmith Bridge ...
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04.27.07Something for the weekendIf you haven't already seen it, there's a great opportunity to catch An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore's double-Oscar winning film about our environmental crisis, this Sunday afternoon, 29th April. In fact, if you haven't already seen it, then this might be your last chance to do so on the big screen, as it's no longer available on general release. There's a special charity screening at The Tricycle Theatre, which is a great little independent place, on Kilburn High Road in NW6. It's handy for the tube/north london line train and loads of buses go up there. Here's a map. The screening starts ...
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03.20.07Desperately Seeking(Overheard on the bus at midnight. Two men, both slurring, slumped on the back seat and reeking of an evening of liquid exuberance.) "What did you think about tonight, mate? Did you have a good time?" "Yeah." "I dunno what you reckon, but I reckon that the...the life force has gone out of 'ammersmiff these days" "Yeah." "It's so important for a place to have a life force, you know?" "Yeah." "Hammersmith used to have loads of it, but these days...well, I dunno, it's just gone, ain't it?" "Yeah." "Maybe next time we could go on a train down to Clapham, there are loads of pubs - great pubs, ...
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03.19.07Craic-headWent to the middle of London yesterday to take photos of the St Patrick's Day parade and celebrations. The weather was bitterly cold, but I'm pleased with the shots I came away with... (in this mosaic, the following pictures: 1. Ice cool, 2. Celebrate, 3. Eddy, 4. Taking a moment, 5. Colmcille, 6. Toast, 7. Smile, 8. Amused, 9. Lined up) More photos (as ever) on Flickr. I'm sorry not to be writing more at the moment - there's a lot going on. Hopefully I'll be able to be more erudite soon!
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02.08.07Let it snow, let it snow, let it snowThere's this consensual, shared hallucination which leads people who live in our nation's capital to loudly insist "Oh it NEVER snows in London" whenever a flurry is forecast by the Met Office. But it does! It bloody does! At least once a year! Admittedly, it's only ever the sort of amount which might make a Canadian consider popping on a light cardigan over their MEC t-shirt, but still. It's often enough to grind the whole city to an embarassing halt, with all its residents screeching at each other in astonishment at the meteorological phenomenon and the effect it seems to have had. ...
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02.04.07RoundupAfter a pretty exhausting & stressful week, I spent much of Saturday afternoon wandering around Brompton Cemetery on a glorious chilly clear winter's day, taking photos of stone, remembrances and small furry critters with bad teeth. Quite apt, really, given that it seems Beatrix Potter may have got inspiration for her character names (including a certain Mr S. Nutkin) from gravestones in Brompton cemetery, when she lived around the corner in The Boltons: He was totally angling for something - I'm afraid other visitors had spoiled him somewhat, by allowing him to feast on nuts and such. I was much stingier than ...
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