We had our Fashion Police out ‘White’ spotting, and as this is definitely the season of the ‘All Whites’, so have got some lovely high street grabs for you if you want to don the ‘demure’. A couple of lovely kids’ white dresses for parties and proms too.
But let us not forget the classic white shirt, you can add a tie to make it a ‘White Tie’ look, and we have also found a gorgeous Love Heart Shirt to wow the onlookers.
IF YOU LOVE MUSICAL THEATRE AND LOVE BEING IN LOVE
These were the words quoted by Daniel Bowling the Head of Musical Theatre at The Royal Academy of Music, and when I saw their latest production of Love’s Labour’s Lost, I fell in love with both the cast and the production.
Anyone who read my recent ‘roasting’ of another show recently at Hackney Empire (YARDBIRD – At the Hackney Empire) will know that as a seasoned theatre goer, I am not easily impressed, but was transformed by the level of performances and quality of the music and storytelling in this stunning adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’ adapted by Alex Timbers and with songs by Michael Friedman.
The energy and passion of the cast at their first Matinee was overwhelming, and as the show progressed, each performer provided the same level of commitment, regardless of their role.
The house was sadly smallish in size, but a magical verve swept through the audience – an experience that is rare in musical theatre these days. The smallish house confirmed that size is just a number, and everyone revelled in the sheer joy of witnessing brilliant musical theatre at its best.
In the interval I managed to catch up with another member of our team, Valerie Mowle, who frequently enjoys musical theatre but is also a hard task master. She was brimming with excitement, and commented upon the level of talent and the show itself. I found her holding court with a group of tourists who had stumbled upon the venue and the show, and who were expressing their delight at being fortunate enough to experience such incredible theatre.
Costume design artwork
This was good to hear as the Royal Academy of Music offers nearly 500 concerts per year – mostly free- and are committed to training the World’s finest young musicians, opera singers and theatre performers. Attracting new audiences is an important part of their purpose and mission, and so this venue had succeeded in drawing in an unlikely crowd.
Some of the performers in rehearsals
While the Academy of Music’s own theatre in Marylebone is being rebuilt, they are taking to the road, and performing at a variety of venues in London, including Theatre Royal Stratford East, Shoreditch Town Hall and Hackney’s Round Table as well as Hackney Empire.
The runs are short, but as we have discovered, are fuelled with enthusiasm and the Academy do indeed take us back to a time when ‘love’ was an overriding component for theatre. Love of the text, the music and the performance, and a determination to bring to the table all that is essential to showcase their craft, and inspire the crowd beyond their wildest dreams.
‘And when Love speaks, the voice of all the gods makes heaven drowsy with the harmony’ William Shakespeare, Love’s Labour’s Lost.
Check out upcoming performances from the Royal Academy Of Music at http://www.ram.ac.uk/
However hot or cold our good old British weather becomes one thing for sure, we will always see a shower or two within any season.
So it always amazes me how unprepared we are – as if we had never seen rain before. The traffic builds up, people run in all directions with no head gear or protection, looking amazed as the skies pour their hearts out to drench all and sundry.
I remember my Aunt Betty when I was a kid would sometimes pick me up from School, and I would wait at the school gate and see her coming, brolly first, often in the matching colour of her outfit. Whatever the season, she would always come equipped for the inevitable downpour. If it was raining she would make a feature of her matching accessory, dipping it up and down so that she would be visible amidst the torrent and make me laugh out loud.
I have decided to follow suit and have been doing my own research into the understated accessory. A bit of historical fact before we start. Did you know In Britain, umbrellas were sometimes referred to as “gamps” after the character Mrs. Gamp in the Charles Dickens novel Martin Chuzzlewit, as Mrs. Gamp’s character was well known for carrying an umbrella.
Brolly is a slang word for umbrella, used often in Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Kenya.
So now you are up to speed with the heritage, here are some fab umbrella ideas, websites and locations for you to step out in style, defy the rain and take a leaf out of Aunt Betty’s book.
From the flowery finest – and the sublime to the ridiculous price wise.
October 17, 2026 1918 Rita Hayworth 1915 Arthur Miller 1938 Ann Jones 1939 Evel Knievel 1940 Peter Stringfellow 1942 Kelly Monteith 1948 Margot Kidder 1969 Ernie Els 1974 Eminem
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