Monday, 13 April 2015
Theatre Review: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Set in pop-up style pie shop Harrington’s, in swanky Shaftsbury Avenue, Sweeney Todd is a decadent, comical, and heartfelt play, which boasts all the best elements of theatre.
Wedged between Gielgud theatre, where The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time reigns, and Les Misérables in the Queen’s theatre, Harrington’s pie and mash shop is a 69-seater copycat version of a shop of the same name in Tooting, where the musical was originally set.
Due to its vast popularity, it moved to the West End thanks to composer Stephen Sondheim informing his good friend and theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh of the spectacle. Mackintosh’s office then called the producer of Sweeney Todd, Rachel Edwards, to let her know of a venue that might be suitable for the production, owing to the fact that the original Harrington’s was closing for refurbishment.
Directed by Bill Buckhurst, who recently co-directed the international touring production of Shakespeare’s Globe’s Hamlet alongside Dominic Dromgoole, the darkly atmospheric play’s residency has been extended until the 30 May, and when you experience what the cast, musicians and behind-the-scenes workers have to offer, it’s no wonder Tooting Arts Club’s production has been so successful.
Sweeney Todd tells the tale of London barber Benjamin Barker, who signature villain Judge Turpin transports to Australia for a crime he didn’t commit, because Turpin lusts over Barker’s wife Lucy. Barker leaves his young baby and wife alone and closer to the clutches of Turpin. Some 15 years later, Barker, now a slightly deranged mad-man renamed Sweeney Todd, returns to London to seek revenge on the man who ripped everything he loved away. Bursting at the seems with tragedy, dark comedy and great characterisation, Sweeney Todd is a theatrical masterpiece.
Jeremy Secomb (pictured on the left), who I was lucky enough to see play the title role in The Phantom of the Opera a few months ago, portrays the role of Todd impeccably, yet still brings his own epic flavour to the character. His piercingly strong yet tender voice is a perfect fit for the music, and his chilling, piercing eyes allow him to haunt the audience into feeling part of the play from start to finish.
Mrs Lovett, Todd’s partner in crime, who is played by Siobhan McCarthy, whose fabulous caricature-style make-up, great comic timing and manic obsession with Sweeney is wonderfully illustrated. The rest of the cast, are some of the most diversely talented actors and singers I have ever experienced. Because of the small-scale style of the play, several actors also create sound effects alongside playing different roles in crowd scenes, as well as their main parts.
The majority of the cast has been involved in the production since its Tooting roots, aside from soaring soprano Zoe Doano as Joanna, Sweeney’s daughter.
There’s also a great trio of musicians, with piano underscoring from Benjamin Cox, gnawing strings from Petru Cotarcea, and clarinet from Rachel Ridout.
As my first experience of immersive theatre, Sweeney Todd does exactly what’s expected and really gets the audience involved, making them feel that they might even be on the menu! If you’ve experienced the simplistic scenery, small cast and physiologically creepy staging of The Woman in Black, get ready for Sweeney Todd.
Breath-taking, intensely tragic and beautifully told, Tooting Arts Club truly does justice to the razor-sharp tale of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
5/5
Labels:
Cameron Mackintosh,
immersive theatre,
Jeremy Secomb,
Les Mis,
Les Miserables,
musical theatre,
pie shop,
play,
Shaftsbury Avenue,
Sweeney Todd,
The Phantom of the Opera,
Tooting Arts Club,
West End
Location:
London, UK
Wednesday, 1 April 2015
Film Review: The tale of princess Kaguya
Released in the UK on 20 March, The tale of princess Kaguya is the
latest offering from Japan’s most famous family animation film studio, Studio Ghibli.
As Japan’s answer to Disney, Ghibli is known for offering audiences gripping tales with stunning animation, such as Spirited Away (2001) and My Neighbour Totoro (1988).
![]() |
| The official film poster |
With fantastically intricate
hand-drawn animation and whimsical characters, The tale of princess Kaguya, which was a decade in the making, has
already raked in $24,149,665
worldwide to date. It has also won a total of seven awards, including Best
Animation Feature Film at the 8th Asia Pacific Screen Awards and
Best Animated Feature at the Toronto Film Critics Association Awards. It was
also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 87th
Academy Awards (the Oscars), losing out to Disney’s Big Hero 6.
Directed by
Isao Takahata, best known for his fantasy films with an air of expressionism, The tale of princess Kaguya, is a movie
that stays with you long after you leave the cinema. It captures the imagination,
no matter your age, but strikes a chord with parents who want the very best for
their children in particular.
Based on the folktale The tale of the bamboo cutter, the film focuses on a poor, ageing bamboo cutter named Sanuki no Miyatsuko, (played by Takeo Chii and James Caan of Elf (2003) for the English dub) who unearths a miniature girl (voiced by Aki Aadkura and Chloe Grace Moretz in the English dub) inside a glowing bamboo shoot. Believing her to be a divine presence, Miyatsuko and his wife decide to raise her as their own, calling her Princess.
The girl mystically and sporadically grows, earning her the nickname from other children in the village ‘Takenoko’, which means Little Bamboo in Japanese. The ‘princess’ takes a particular liking to Sutemaru (voiced by Kengo Kora and Glee’s Darren Criss for the English dub), an older boy she becomes friends with.
When Miyatsuko comes across gold and fine cloth in bamboo in the same way he found his daughter, he believes it has been proven the princess’ divine royalty. He consequentially forces her to move into a mansion in the capital in an attempt to uphold a lifestyle fit for a princess.
It is this occurrence that will cause audiences to disassociated themselves with the father, given his harsh and brash approach towards his daughter. Particularly as the princess begins to become somewhat unhinged whilst attempting to please her father by becoming a noblewoman with the help of an uptight governess.
When she comes of age, the protagonist is given the formal name Princess Kagua, meaning ‘shining light’, and seems to have been put out by the incomprehensible demands of her father.
Beautiful and sad in equal measure, the story
leads to a startling ending to say the least, but is clearly lovingly crafted. It's
not an event-packed tale, given its running time of more than two hours, but
some how, The tale of princess Kagua does
not outstay its welcome. The fact that much of the movie is hand-drawn in watercolours reflects the gorgeous detail it evokes, and transports the audience back to the yesteryear of animation.
Although it takes a good few minutes for the average film-goer to get to grips with the free-hand style of the film, it charms you in a way you may not expect.
With themes of love and morality, and a strong heroine, The tale of princess Kagua is a slightly dark but sumptuous feast for the eyes with a dainty yet contorted story. The ending ultimately lets it down but it’s a film that’s rough around the edges in all the best ways.
3/5
Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lDrkokymLQ
Labels:
acting,
animation,
art,
awards,
children,
cinema,
Disney,
dubbing,
Elf,
family,
Film Review,
Glee,
Japanese,
movie,
My Neighbour Totoro,
Oscars,
Spirited Away,
Studip Ghibli,
The tale of princess Kaguya,
watercolour
Location:
London, England
Thursday, 26 March 2015
The Zayn Malik saga
As I’m sure
most of the world’s population is aware by now, Zayn Malik (pictured), one-fifth of One Direction
has left the band.
Announced
last night (25 March) through a statement on the boyband’s Facebook page, the
news has led to devastation from devoted 1D fans all over the world.
The story
began last week when Zayn was signed-off the group’s tour with stress,
suspiciously soon after he was pictured cuddling a woman who has not his fiancé
Perrie Edwards, singer in girl band Little Mix.
This has
lead to some fans implying that the mass of female attention balance with his
relationship with Perrie is the reason Zayn quit the band. One fan tweeted: “PERRIE EDWARDS IS THE YOKO ONO OF ONE
DIRECTION”, referencing when Beatles’ member John Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono being
the reason the Beatles ended their career.
One Direction
has confirmed they will continue as a four-piece and their current world tour
will carry on as planned.
In the statement on their Facebook page, the
band said: “We're really sad to see Zayn go, but we totally respect his
decision and send him all our love for the future. The past five years have
been beyond amazing, we've gone through so much together, so we will always be
friends.“The four of us will now continue. We're looking forward to recording the new album and seeing all the fans on the next stage of the world tour.”
Zayn added: “My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. But, after five years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band. I'd like to apologise to the fans if I've let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right in my heart.
“I am leaving because I want to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight. I know I have four friends for life in Louis, Liam, Harry and Niall. I know they will continue to be the best band in the world.”
![]() |
| Zayn Malik and Perrie Edwards |
Many have taken to Twitter to vent their frustration and sadness at Zayn’s departure and startling trends such as #ZaynPain and #Cut4Zayn reflect the severity of the pressures from some fans Zayn must have been experiencing, and simply wanted to escape from.
Online trends such as this illustrate the dangers of obsession with something you cannot control, whether it be a film, book, a band, or something else entirely.
One
fan, @jessnoopdogg
tweeted: “@zaynmalik U have let me down U have rly
let me down”, whilst another,@Robynnmanzo
said: “Nobody understands that this isn't just ‘Zayn malik leaving
one direction’ this is the end to a huge part of me I'm dying inside.” and @talkdirtylouis
posted: “I DON'T EXIST IF WE DON'T HAVE ZAYN THE SUN DOESNT SHINE THE
WORLD DOESN'T TURN ALRIGHT.”
“Used
in a positive way, social media can play a useful role in a person’s wider
support network. However, it is vital to recognise the huge danger created by
any site or social media trend that promotes self-harm.
"Self-harm
is an incredibly serious problem and should never be trivialised. We urge those
using Twitter or other social media sites at this time not to engage with posts
that promote harmful behaviour, and to report any activity that causes them
concern.”
The
ironic thing is, ‘trends’ such as #Cut4Zayn are likely to have pushed Zayn into
quitting his life in spotlight. And maybe reactions from the general public
have also sparked frustration and the idea that a 22-year-old, no matter his
circumstances, couldn’t possibly understand what it is like to experience
stress.
Neil Shah, founder of The Stress
Management Society and author of The
10-Step Stress Solution, said: “Stress can affect everyone, no matter of
age, sex, career, financial status. If the demand exceeds the person's
resources, the person will experience burn out."
In fact, a person’s ability to cope
with everyday life is not always utterly dependant on their experiences,
lifestyle or situation, and stress, anxiety and depression can occur due to
someone’s body and/or mind being unable to deal with life as a whole. The
conditions are about a chemical imbalance in the brain, and not how much money
you have, or what your job is like. But factors such as these can trigger
mental health issues on occasion.
![]() |
| One Direction |
As for the future of 1D, the band’s
manger Simon Cowell said: “Fans
can rest assured that Niall, Liam, Harry and Louis are hugely excited about the
future of the band.”
However, music fans have watched this type of
saga unfold time and time again. From Take That to the Spice Girls, many bands
eventually part ways after one member becomes suspiciously ill, leaves the
group in due course, and the remaining members are unable to cope without the
quitting member.
It’s clear to see that Zayn Malik’s departure
has left many One Direction fans devastated. But the fact is, he made the
decision to quit and no amount of begging, pleading or cutting for that matter
is going to make him re-join anytime soon.
Labels:
anxiety,
depression,
fans,
Little Mix,
Mind,
music,
news,
obsessed,
One Direction,
Perrie Edwards,
quit,
Simon Cowell,
social media,
split up,
stress,
tour,
Twitter,
Zayn Malik
Location:
London, UK
Monday, 19 January 2015
Theatre Review: The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-time
Based on the much-loved 2003 novel by Mark Haddon, The Curious
Incident of the Dog in the Night-time was brought to the London stage in
2012, and later to Broadway in 2014. Having already own won a mountain
of prestigious awards, including seven Olivier awards in 2013,
comprising including best of best actor, best set design and best new
play, these achievements accumulate to create one the most creative,
mesmerising and acclaimed shows to appear in recent years.
The story concerns a mystery surrounding the death of a neighbour’s dog that is investigated by 15-year-old Christopher Boone, who we learn has suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome. The narrative also focuses on vulnerable Christopher’s relationships with his parents and school mentor, specifically the struggle for him and others to create and maintain relationships, and the tragic damage that his relationships creates for the lives of others.
The production is one of the most creatively diverse in the West End currently, due to the number of elements to it that work so well. Everything from the acting, to the staging, the script and close relation to the book is so captivating; there is something for all theatre lovers to enjoy.
The set, for example is seemingly simplistic at first glance, but as the story unfolds, the audience is treated to an array of lighting and sound effects, as well as interesting staging which highlighted the quality of acting, and helped the plot to progress, whereas some hinder and distract play components such as acting and lighting.
The staging also assisted in building the tension of the plot, in tandem with the futuristic, heart-pumping music and effective choreography, which fit the narrative like a glove.
The protagonist, currently played by Graham Butler (pictured), was one of the most precise actors I have ever seen perform. Not only was his portrayal honest, it was very consistent and charming, with excellent execution of the comedic parts, in addition to an extremely expressive and passionate performance in the scenes that demanded nothing less. The supporting cast were also fascinatingly diverse, all playing various parts, keeping the story fresh.
In terms of the story itself, drawing attention to the issues surrounding autism is something rarely, if ever, seen on the West End stage. And I am certain it will seldom be carried out in such an enthralling and informative manner as it is in The Curious Incident….
The story is also composed a blend of emotion-forming moments, so there is something for all members of the audience to enjoy and relate to. And being led by a fantastic yet simplistic first person narration style, you are certain to be allows the audience to deeply immerse themselves in the tale and truly understand the struggles of Christopher.
With everything from top-notch acting, to sensory and emotional overload, this heartfelt rendition of an incredibly popular, poignant and powerful book is nothing short of a wonderful representation of the power of theatre done well.
5/5
The story concerns a mystery surrounding the death of a neighbour’s dog that is investigated by 15-year-old Christopher Boone, who we learn has suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome. The narrative also focuses on vulnerable Christopher’s relationships with his parents and school mentor, specifically the struggle for him and others to create and maintain relationships, and the tragic damage that his relationships creates for the lives of others.
The production is one of the most creatively diverse in the West End currently, due to the number of elements to it that work so well. Everything from the acting, to the staging, the script and close relation to the book is so captivating; there is something for all theatre lovers to enjoy.
The set, for example is seemingly simplistic at first glance, but as the story unfolds, the audience is treated to an array of lighting and sound effects, as well as interesting staging which highlighted the quality of acting, and helped the plot to progress, whereas some hinder and distract play components such as acting and lighting.
The staging also assisted in building the tension of the plot, in tandem with the futuristic, heart-pumping music and effective choreography, which fit the narrative like a glove.
The protagonist, currently played by Graham Butler (pictured), was one of the most precise actors I have ever seen perform. Not only was his portrayal honest, it was very consistent and charming, with excellent execution of the comedic parts, in addition to an extremely expressive and passionate performance in the scenes that demanded nothing less. The supporting cast were also fascinatingly diverse, all playing various parts, keeping the story fresh.
In terms of the story itself, drawing attention to the issues surrounding autism is something rarely, if ever, seen on the West End stage. And I am certain it will seldom be carried out in such an enthralling and informative manner as it is in The Curious Incident….
The story is also composed a blend of emotion-forming moments, so there is something for all members of the audience to enjoy and relate to. And being led by a fantastic yet simplistic first person narration style, you are certain to be allows the audience to deeply immerse themselves in the tale and truly understand the struggles of Christopher.
With everything from top-notch acting, to sensory and emotional overload, this heartfelt rendition of an incredibly popular, poignant and powerful book is nothing short of a wonderful representation of the power of theatre done well.
5/5
Labels:
autism,
novel,
play,
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,
theatre review,
West End
Thursday, 11 September 2014
The Big Questions about Scottish Independence
The time to vote for or against Scottish independence is creeping ever
closer. With less than a week until the big ballot day, big names from Rita Ora
to Sir Sean Connery are actively highlighting their views on the matter to sway
voters. So the question is, what will life be like in Great Britain if Scotland
becomes autonomous on 18th September?
According
to a new poll, 53% of people will vote for Scotland to stay in the U.K. in next
week's independence referendum. If the majority of Scotts were to vote Yes,
their government has a set a date 18 months from now, 24th March 2016
for their official independence day.
There would be amendments made to the constitution and the 1707 Act of Constitution
would be dissolved but the Queen would remain as monarch of the country. It’s
also been said that the Queen has been privately concerned over the referendum,
and as for the 2015 General Election, Scotland would still be invited to take
part, but their representatives would only potentially serve a 10-month term in
office.
Whichever way the poll sways, it’s still yet to be decided what currency
Scotland would employ if they separated from the rest of Great Britain. The three main
Westminster parties - the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats have
ruled out a currency union, although Mr Salmond, Scotland’s First
Minister insists an independent Scotland would keep the pound, take on the Euro
or retain their own Scottish pound exclusively. Moreover, in terms of national
debt, it’s also yet to be decided how much of the UK national debt would be transferred to Scotland. It’s likely to be
worked out on a per capita share based on population.
Additionally,
an independent Scotland’s stance on global affairs is yet to be negotiated. The
nation would have to negotiate its own entry into the European Union and NATO
and with regards to the issue of defense, the strategy is not yet certain if
Scotland were to be a standalone country. As NATO is fundamentally a nuclear
alliance, and if Scotland struggles to become a member, they are likely struggle
to join the EU too, which would have a big impact on their economy. They are
likely to have their own defense force, particularly because they have their
own North Sea oil and fishing industries to maintain and protect.
Immigration
is undoubtedly an immense problem in Great Britain currently, but it’s already
been decided that an independent Scotland would control its own borders.
However, the Scottish National Party (SNP) aspires to have an open border policy
but Home Secretary Theresa May has already warned she will not allow Scotland
to be used as a way for immigrants getting into England if Scotland adopts a
looser immigration policy.
The
laws surrounding passports depend almost entirely on whether Scotland joins the
EU; Scottish citizens would be entitled to a Scottish passport, but a UK
passport would still be valid until it expires. British citizens who were
habitual residents in Scotland would be automatically considered Scottish
citizens.
State
taxes and benefits would become the responsibility of the new Scottish
government, meaning they could potentially create their own policies, and with
this and so much else to consider before the poll, it’s easy to see why many
English politicians, including David Cameron and pushing the No Campaign. However, Mr Cameron has insisted his sudden
boost in interest in the referendum is not due to a lack of support in recent
polls and that he will not be resigned as Prime Minister not matter the outcome
of the vote. Some have even argued that the announcement of a second royal baby
was tactically revealed to sway voters to remain faithful to the unity of Great
Britain.
Furthermore,
Royal
Bank of Scotland (RBS) has
drawn up plans to shift its Head Office from Scotland, where it has been based
since 1727, most likely to Central London, in the event that next week's
referendum backs a break away from the rest of the UK. On the other hand,
one of the North Sea’s biggest investors, BP has urged Scotland to vote against
independence, arguing that oil wealth
would best be protected by remaining inside the UK.
Scotland’s education system has always been distinct from the rest of the UK, but
the future of the country’s schools and universities is still a key issue in
the independence debate. Questions have
been raised about tuition fees, research grants, overseas students, teacher
recruitment and exam options as the Yes and No campaigns battle it out and with
four universities based in the Capital, Edinburgh has a special interest in
what independence might mean for higher education.
Whatever the final verdict come 18th
September, Scottish and British politicians alike have a great deal of negotiation
and debate ahead of them in order to decide how to lead their nations if they
do their separate ways. Many aspects of British life are up in the air, but it’s
only a matter of time before questions about the vote will be answered.
Labels:
David Cameron,
debate,
EU,
Mr Salmond,
NATO,
political,
politics,
poll,
public,
RBS,
Scotland,
Scottish Independence,
UK,
vote
Friday, 5 September 2014
Album Review: John Legend- ‘Love in the Future’ (30/08/2014- Columbia)
Actor, do-gooder and 9-time Grammy Award winning R&B/Soul
Singer songwriter- John Legend has
been gracing us with his presence since 2004. Before becoming a recognised
artist in his own right, Legend collaborated
with the likes of Jay-Z, Kanye West and
Alicia Keys.
Legend’s debut studio album ‘Get Lifted’ sold over 116,000 in its first week, but since then,
the Ohio-born singer has gone from strength to strength, with his first single
from ‘Love in the Future’, ‘All of Me’- which is dedicates to his
model wife Chrissy Teigen. The single
has shifted more than 4 million copies in the U.S. alone, and has therefore
gone 4x platinum. As for the album itself, it’s sold over 500,000 copies in the
U.S. and 100,000 in the U.K.
![]() |
| ‘Love in the Future'- the artwork |
‘Love in the Future (Intro)’ is a simplistic, tender welcome to the record, with elements of seduction, romance and looking ahead, thrown together with an unadulterated golden voice. Right from the word go, John Legend draws you in with his warm and soulful flair and each track is seamlessly intertwined with the next.
‘The
Beginning…’ is put together in a timeless manner,
combining strings, heavier beats and top notch vocals. The instrumentation of
this track is on point, despite the sexual nature of it- proving that writing
songs about sex doesn't need to be seedy. John
Legend is all about commitment on this album, and ‘The Beginning...’ is no different. It introduces the idea of
optimistically planning for the future…babies, a home and o course, changing
the world along the way.
However, I can’t help but feel the record's appeal wanes
due to the generic feel of the backings and melodies. But it’s given a lift fine
piano playing and minor production tweaks. Yet he does capture intimacy very
well, and paints a picture of a long-term couple.
Legend’s dulcet tones in Legend’s
cover of Bobby
Caldwell’s classic ‘Open
Your Eyes’
are the perfect addition to up-beat piano playing weaved into energetic yet
light back beats. While some R&B singers
can get by on the strength of their voices alone, Legend puts in the extra effort to stand out; he knows how to play
to his strengths.
![]() |
| John Legend performing |
These songs are carefully crafted
exclusively to his fitting and he performs every one with so much soul and
passion that it really is moving at times. Album production is also top notch- creating a record
that has a modern vibe with a timeless heart.
The hap-hazard
beginning of ‘Made to Love’ forms the
pathway to a hook-laden, handclap infested feast for the ears. The track also
makes use of djembe drumming and voice-effects that make Legend’s dreamy vocals come across as even more classic, if a
little repetitive. It also features Synthpop singer Kimbra- and its clear her musical influences have crept their way
into the recording. In fact, towards the end of the song, with the addition of
soulful backing vocals, and a sample-like feel, ‘Made to Love’ comes across as a mediocre remix of an R&B
classic with a melodramatic ending.
Speaking of sampling,
‘Who Do We Think We Are’ intertwines Legend’s sublime talent with Jean Knight’s ‘Mr Big Stuff’, creating an example of why sampling is tricky to get right, as this track
is a very hit and miss affair and trickles into its lackluster ending of
talk-singing. It also features rapper Rick
Ross to emphasise that John Legend’s best work is definitely his ballads.
Legend co-wrote next
track ‘All of Me’ the song with Toby Gad and co-produced it with Dave Tozer. It’s easy to see why it was selected as the
first single from the record- it’s intricate tones and meaningful lyrics make
it radio-perfect and suitable for music fans who are into various genres. It’s
stunning in its simplicity, and also highlights the consistency of Legend’s voice as well as his pure
talent as a songwriter. His voice is clear as a bell and generates a calm,
intimate feel with his velvety smooth style and honest lyrics.
‘Hold
on Longer’ is a tender yet dreary track to say the
least; even Legend’s focused singing
doesn’t overwrite how eerie yet dull this song is. With its funky, modern
groove, ‘Save the Night’ makes use of
current recording and studio tricks without superseding John Legend’s lush
vocal abilities. It’s also another
example of how ‘Love in the Future’ looks
at a relationship from different perspectives- the good and the bad, to form a
steady theme.
‘Tomorrow’ is about seizing the moment and ‘What if I Told you?’ boasts a Motown tone
![]() |
| John Legend |
‘Tomorrow’ is about seizing the moment and ‘What if I Told you?’ boasts a Motown tone
against Legend’s husky vocals until it comes to a halt with a cautious
trumpet section. Incredibly repetitive, but bursting with cynicism and
vigilance, ‘Dreams’ is so dreamy and
quietly unapologetic, it almost sends you snoring.
Both ‘Asylum’ and
‘Wanna Be Loved’ are moody and
sinister; even when the latter breaks into a section with backbeats, they’re
incredibly tentative and timid. Soul/Jazz star from the 70s, Anita Baker is also covered on the
record. Her track ‘Angel’ (featuring
Grammy-nominated Stacy Barthe) is so
short-lived it’s barely worth featuring, especially along with another cover
previously.
As for ‘You & I
(Nobody in the World)’; it’s obvious this song was composed as a single-
with popularity taken into consideration. Having said that, it’s just as
vocally haunting as ‘All of Me’ and
takes up the theme of being absolutely in love with someone. In complete
contrast, ‘Asylum’ begins eerily yet
somehow, introduces love song ‘Caught Up’
really well.
Cynical and cautious at times, this record is often the
tricky balance of warm,
soulful performances with the precision of digital programming. John Legend’s caramel-like voice intertwines seamlessly
with the more gentle melodies; however some tracks are so laid-back they
practically send you to sleep, whilst others take away from his vocal flair.
3/5
Labels:
Album Review,
Alicia Keys,
All of Me,
classic,
Jay-Z,
John Legend,
Kanye West,
Love in the Future,
music review,
R&B,
soul
Sunday, 1 June 2014
A Meal at Scott's
Situated in swanky
Mayfair, 164 year old Scott’s has played host to the likes of Simon Cowell,
Bill Clinton, Cheryl Cole and Tom Cruise, so I was expecting big things.
The
restaurant’s exquisite exterior is well-suited to the rest of the businesses that
make up the road’s selection of shops, cafes and eateries. Although it appears
quite corporate, it is complete with sparklingly clean doors, cheery doorman
and an alfresco dining area with outside heating for the typical weather conditions
of the capital.
![]() |
| The kitchen & oyster bar |
The impressive marble floor foyer has a gorgeous statue on one side and a complementary cloakroom on the other. It almost has a feel of a classy hotel as you are greeted by courteous staff waiting to seat you. It is recommended that you book at least a couple of weeks in advance due to the popularity of Scott’s but the waiters are incredibly accommodating throughout the experience.
When my boyfriend
and I arrived, we were a little early and were offered the option of enjoying a
drink or two at the bar or being seated immediately, but as my stomach was rumbling
profusely, we decided to sit down to eat straight away.
I was
delighted with how comfortable the seats were and how quaint the atmosphere
was. It also managed to be busy without being noisy or hectic, perhaps due to
the great design of the main room with its various sections and beautifully-decorated
pillars.
The kitchen
and wonderfully arranged oyster bar are situated in the centre of the room for
all customers to see and witness the experience of their food being prepared. They
are right next to the bar so there is a collective feel.
| Smoked eel served with rosemary potatoes & crispy bacon |
Almost as
soon as I sat down, I was offered a glass of water while I perused the menu-
and not just tap water; I was asked to choose between tap, still, sparkling or
bottled still water, with or without ice and with or without a slice of lemon.
After deciding on still water with ice and slice, my boyfriend and I asked our waiter
to recommend a couple of wines that complemented the food we wanted to order.
As Scott’s is renowned for its seafood, we were both planning to have fish-based
dishes and the waiter was only too happy to recommend a few wines, even giving
us a sample of each to help us decide. We opted for a crisp white (£42) that
was exquisite and placed on ice for the entirety of our meal. Staff were courteous
enough to refill our glasses whenever they spotted them to be empty, as well as
our water.
I ordered girolle mushroom, pea and Gorgonzola risotto (£14.75) which was
lovely and creamy and exactly what a starter should be- satisfying without
being too filling. My boyfriend chose smoked eel served with horseradish
potatoes and crispy bacon (£14.25) and although it is an usual dish, all the
flavours complemented each other really well and both dishes were impeccably
presented.
| Lobster |
We both
selected lobster for our main course (both £42)- I chose grilled lobster served
with veg and lightly seasoned fries and an exquisite garlic butter. My boyfriend
chose lobster thermidor, which involves taking the lobster meat from the shell
and serving it with a beautiful brandy and egg yolk sauce- a posh omelette! He
chose mashed potato as a side which was served in a tiny pan which was a
delightful touch to such a sophisticated meal. The portions were hearty and
just like the starters, presented breathtakingly on the plate.
We were so
full from out first two courses that we didn't have space for a third, but the
dessert menu looked just as fantastic as the others.
The best thing
about Scott’s is how well-cooked, promptly served and delightfully arranged the
food is as well as how the entire experience is high-class without being
pretentious with snobbish staff and minuscule portions. The ambience was
outstanding and staff were attentive and obliging. Highly recommended- you may
just have to penny-pinch before you go!
5/5
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