Choose Life, Choose a Job, Choose a Family, Choose This Little Life of Mine

Izzy (Kate Batter) and Jonesy (James Robinson) think back to happier times, photo courtesy of Charlie Round-Turner

             Pick two: work, relationships, or self-care. Most of you will have seen variations of this work-life balance triangle graphic online. The career one is split between a job that pays well, is in a good location, or advances your career. The college one confronts you with whether or not you want good grades, enough sleep, or a social life. Again, you can only pick two. They might seem somewhat humorous or like melodramatic ultimatums, but for most of us, they’re decisions we face (and struggle to juggle) on a daily basis.

             That’s why the new musical from Michael Yale, This Little Life of Mine, at Park90 has tapped into something entirely human and relatable. Main characters Izzy (Kate Batter) and Jonesy (James Robinson) want it all – their own flat, their first child, and time not only for each other, but also for their friends.

Photo courtesy of Charlie Round-Turner 

             They settle into a small flat, but that’s London for you. Jonesy comes home from work too tired for sex and lusting for a beer, but Izzy is raunchily positioned on the couch ready to pounce, because she’s “ovulating”. It’s a word I thought I would never hear in a song, but “Tick Tick Tocking” somehow pulls it off. That’s the genius of Charlie Round-Turner’s music. They’re propositioned by a married couple they’re friends with who turn out to be swingers. I am reminded of the “Expectations vs. Reality” scene in the film (500) Days of Summer, where the lyrics of Regina Spektor’s song “Hero” ring out: “No one’s got it all.” Pick two.

             It’s true; the course of true love never did run smooth. Although this quote first appeared in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream hundreds of years ago, human nature at its heart is, in essence, predictable. There are ups and downs and when the audience laughs or falls silent during This Little Life of Mine, it’s because that theme, moment, or even a look, resonates with this little life of yours and mine.

Bartender and barista Raphael (Greg Barnett) keeps the alcohol flowing when Izzy and Jonesy's relationship is on the rocks, photo courtesy of Charlie Round-Turner

             One such example is the exchange between Raphael (Greg Barnett), a barista, and Tina (Caroline Deverill), Izzy’s friend. It is in fact Barnett and Deverill who steal the whole show and garner the most chuckles. In a singsong Portuguese accent, Raphael chirpily introduces himself and runs through the expected and dreaded spiel that comes with ordering coffee, much to Tina’s impatience. “When you say you want small, do you mean tall?” What follows is the “Song of the Barista”, which Barnett delivers in a mock somber tone that only adds to its hilarity. When he sprays his cleaning product on the counter with utter determination and not even a quiver of a smile, it’s enough to send me into fits of giggles.

             That’s not to say that Batter and Robinson aren’t strong leads, but when pitted against Barnett and Deverill, who revolve five and four roles respectively, it’s difficult to compete. They are the comedic value, because the storyline involving Izzy and Jonesy is emotional. We watch their relationship slowly deteriorate after a traumatic experience only breeds distance and disconnect rather than the child they long for. The theatre accommodates 90 people and I was sitting in the front row, perched practically in their living room. This made me feel all the more invested in their relationship and all the more eager for it to work.

Jonesy seeks comfort in friend Tina (Caroline Deverill), photo courtesy of Charlie Round-Turner 

             However, life is not full of happy endings. Izzy sings, “When I dreamt of happy ever after, I didn’t really picture it with you” to Jonesy in “Hey Prince Charming” at the beginning of the musical. In the finale number, “My Life Story”, she sings, “In the film of my life, everything will be cinematic wonder and happy ever after, but that’s just movie make-believe.” Both songs highlight the pursuit of perfection, but perfection doesn’t exist. The sooner we come to realize that, the happier we will ultimately be. For a generation that expects to have it all, sometimes all we really need to aim to achieve is contentment with what we already have. This Little Life of Mine perfectly reminds us of just that.

             This Little Life of Mine is running at Park90 in Finsbury Park until 29 October. Book tickets here.

Photo courtesy of Charlie Round-Turner

Peace, Love & Zara Taylor Jewellery

             All you really need in life is a little peace and love, and good jewellery of course. When it comes to Zara Taylor’s London-based brand, you can have all three. I was introduced to Taylor’s creations firsthand at her boutique in East Dulwich. The shop was a treasure trove of temptations, an Aladdin’s cave. Chains and rings melded with semiprecious stones and gems caught my magpie eyes. That makes Taylor the magical genie granting our every wish, and she is happy to do so by making minor alterations in-store. Tucked inside a little alcove of the boutique is her workshop, where she tinkers to her heart’s content – the fruits of her labor laid out only a few steps away on warm wooden displays.

             Taylor scours vintage markets for unique and quirky finds to incorporate into her jewellery, and it is this love for vintage that inspired her to launch her designs in 2010. That influence is very much alive in her boutique, with it’s inviting décor and homey feel. She even operates from an antique cash register, the kind that essentially lets out a jubilant “Ka-ching!” each time a transaction is made. Taylor was born and raised in South London and is of Irish and Thai descent. This multiculturalism, coupled with her travelling experiences, informs her creative process today. The result is a range of eclectic jewellery that maintains a vintage feel at its heart – the more, the merrier!

             Celebrities such as Fearne Cotton, Kelly Rowland, Jessie J, Taylor Swift, and Millie Mackintosh (who wore the Peace & Love Earrings on an episode of Made in Chelsea) are fans of Taylor's work. If that wasn't enough of a selling point already, the prices for all of the pieces are relatively low, while the cost of impact is high, high, high!             

             Rather than being encased in glass, as at most jewellery shops, rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings are eager to be picked up and put on. Each piece is meant to feel like an heirloom. An article entitled “Rich Mix” by Ellie Pithers in the March issue of Vogue proposed heirlooms as the new “it” accessory. They’re making a comeback in a big way. We want to feel connected and emotionally attached to our jewellery more than ever before. The Future Laboratory, a consultancy responsible for trend forecasting, “sees [it] as part of a broader shift in the luxury market towards storytelling.” 

             Every heirloom has to start somewhere and with Taylor’s jewellery, you can create your own story. Whether that story involves evil eyes, subtlety, gothic skulls, dainty amulets, exotic animals, notice-me pendants, chokers, charms, or metals, there’s something for everyone to begin telling theirs. Besides, since Vogue is the fashion bible, it would be sacrilege not to obey...

             Unlike a thieving magpie, I was given my treasures to take away with me and I will now share how I styled them. Jewellery polishes off any outfit and presents so many opportunities for self-expression. The most exciting part resides in the fact that these same pieces can be styled in a myriad of different ways, depending on each individuals' personal preferences. 

             For my first outfit, I wore Zara Taylor's Peace & Love Ring in silver, the Peace Stud Earrings in white, and the Peace & Love Long Chain Pendant in silver. Since it's festival season, I opted for a bohemian look with fringing, patterns, and a flower crown, adorned with the recurring peace and love motif, which naturally screams hippie chic. I would like to give a big thank you to my friend, Christian Johnson, for taking the following photos. 

             To get in touch with my inner Pink Lady à la Grease, I wore Zara Taylor's Crystal Ear Jacket Earrings in gold and the Diamond Shaped Ring in gold for my second outfit. I can't get enough of front-back earrings at the moment and these Zara Taylor ones are the perfect addition to my growing collection with crystals that catch the light. I would like to give a big thank you to my friend, Sunna Naseer, for taking the following photos. 

             Now it's your turn to get shopping and get styling! Check out the Zara Taylor Jewellery website here or pay a visit to the boutique in East Dulwich.

Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man Will Rev Your Engine

Jonathan Ollivier smoulders as "the car man," photo courtesy of Chronicle Live

             Whenever a production of Matthew Bourne’s comes to London, you can be sure that I’ll be there with bells on. This time around, I attended a performance of The Car Man for its short one week run at New Wimbledon Theatre. For my previous reviews (always bound to be glowing) of Bourne’s work, you can read about Swan Lake here and Edward Scissorhands here. Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen is having a bit of a moment, as I mentioned in my previous post about Carmen Disruption at the Almeida Theatre (find it here if you would like a brief overview of Carmen’s storyline).

New Wimbledon Theatre

             To begin with, Carmen is already a very sexually charged opera. When you pair that with Bourne’s sexually charged choreography in what he proclaims is a “dance thriller,” magic happens. Take the original Spanish cigarette factory and turn the set into an American 196os neon-lit garage-diner called Dino’s. Add in the famous scores that have been arranged by Terry Davies. What you’re left with is a testosterone-fuelled vision of the tale involving sweat, sacrifice, and of course, lots of sex.

Man wanted very much indeed...photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             A giant sign with imposing letters welcomed the audience to the small Italian-American town of Harmony, population 365. Just like the idealistic-sounding Pleasantville, Harmony is also the actual name of several locations in the United States. For the purpose of the performance, the sufficiently deceptive and clearly ironic name choice inferred the calm before the very big storm.

             When an incredibly masculine and muscular newcomer called Luca (played by hunky Jonathan Ollivier) arrived, he shook things up in ways he couldn’t have possibly imagined. Ollivier was precisely the dominating male lead The Car Man called for. He was equal parts brawny and believable, supported by a stellar cast and set design by Lez Brotherston. A car positioned on the left hand of the stage was the perfect prop for the dancers to slide all over or use for a quick sex romp.

Lana, one-third of the love triangle, photo courtesy of Chronicle Live

             The modern twist unexpectedly showed itself by way of bisexuality, or perhaps what we could call curiosity. Either way, the handsome stranger not only began to toy with the heart of a woman (Lana, Dino’s wife), but also of a man (Angelo, a bullied hired help). This made Luca the ultimate lusted-after individual, appealing to both sexes, each blissfully unaware of the tangled web “the car man” was beginning to weave.

Angelo faces off against Lana for Luca's affections, photo courtesy of Chronicle Live

             The Car Man was the most erotic of Bourne’s productions that I have seen to date. My mouth was on the verge of being agape for its entirety, but my eyes certainly compensated by staying wide open. My friend and I nudged each other and giggled like schoolgirls during the shower scene, where the macho car mechanics stripped down to nothing but a towel, hiding their modesty (just about) by a strategically placed horizontal bar.

No caption necessary *ahem,* photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             The dancing was raunchy and steamy as the dancers’ bodies were slick with perspiration. Mimicking sexual positions, there was no shortage of gyrating or thrusting and occasional nudity. The greasy garage men in their oil-stained wife beaters chased after the women who provocatively teased them. The energy reverberating from the stage pulsated intensely as audience members most likely fell into one of two categories: squirming in their seat or becoming a bit hot under the collar.

It's getting hot in here...photo courtesy of Chronicle Live

             The plot thickened when the devilishly good-looking Luca and the female object of his desire were fooling around and her brutish husband Dino (played by Alan Vincent, the original “car man”) returned. One thing led to another and Dino was killed. When the police arrived, Luca’s male lover seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. In a flurry of confusion and cunning quick thinking on the part of Lana, the innocent Angelo was dragged away by police, leaving the guilty two to live happily ever after…

Lana's husband Dino (Alan Vincent, the original "car man") catches her in the act with Luca, photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             …or not. The saying goes “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” but in this case we would need to replace the woman with a man. Revenge is a dish best served cold and the pair who escaped their fate would soon receive their comeuppance after Angelo’s jailbreak. If you know the story, then you know that it ends with a very literal bang. I’ll leave it up to you to find out who in the love triangle receives the brunt of the blow.

In Angelo's case, "Hell hath no fury like a man scorned,"  photo courtesy of  Johan Persson

             Although The Car Man does mirror Carmen, Carmen ultimately gave birth to the car man. The Car Man stands completely on its own and brings something new to the Carmen circuit. Whether Luca, Lana, or Angelo represents Carmen is up to individual interpretation, but Bourne did not intend to capture another Carmen. He instead created a car man and beautifully at that. Bourne loves to push the boundaries and The Car Man certainly surpassed my expectations, quickly securing itself a top spot alongside my other favorite of his, Swan Lake.

             As the reworked performance came to its dramatic close, the same Harmony sign from before made another appearance, cheerily prompting us to “come again soon.” To Harmony? Perhaps not, but to Bourne’s productions? Always.

 The Car Man's stellar cast, photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             The Car Man is coming to London’s Sadler’s Wells starting July 14^th until August 9^th. Book here now to avoid disappointment.

             [Author’s Note: On August 9th, before he was due to give his last performance as Luca in The Car Man, Jonathan Ollivier was tragically killed in a road accident. I was truly heartbroken to hear this news, especially having witnessed him perform so beautifully on stage. My thoughts are with Ollivier's family and the dancing community, who have suffered a monumental loss of an unforgettable talent.]

Edward Scissorhands Cuts Straight to the Heart

             The true test of a great show is when the audience leaves wondering how the time could have possibly elapsed so quickly. Another is when the dance moves all look completely effortless, but you know that they are anything but easy. This is the power that choreographer/director Matthew Bourne holds with all of his dance productions. As the puppeteer who manipulates the strings, Bourne leaves you spellbound as a visionary fairytale is woven in front of your eyes. If you couldn’t tell already, I highly recommend Bourne’s work, having previously attended performances of Swan Lake (find my review here), Sleeping Beauty, and Nutcracker! Now I am able to add Edward Scissorhands to my ever-growing list. The show ends its run at Sadler’s Wells Theatre this month on the 11^th.  All tickets unsurprisingly sold out, so I apologize that they will be unavailable to purchase after I rave about it!

It's probably best that my friend and I leave it to the professionals...

             Bourne wanted to rework Edward Scissorhands for the stage ever since he saw the 1990 film directed by Tim Burton. The film has become a cult classic in its own right and usually pops up on television screens around Christmastime, just as it did this past year. If you don’t know the story, it follows quirky outsider Edward, who is the unfinished creation of an inventor who died before completing the job. Edward’s quest for love and acceptance proves not to be so easy, as his many efforts are thwarted and made more difficult due to having scissors for hands. The cookie cutter suburban town Edward finds himself in doesn’t know what has hit it!

 Johnny Depp, the Edward Scissorhands we have come to know and love, "teetered on the verge of tears throughout" Matthew Bourne's production and paid a visit to the cast backstage, photo courtesy of Sky TV

             Edward Scissorhands is a beautiful story in general, but when it’s coupled with tender dancing to music from Danny Elfman and Terry Davies, we are left with an even more melancholic and enchanting story. As with all of Bourne’s productions, the stage is a hotbed of activity. Since no talking is involved, the dancers have to rely on relaying nonverbal cues and facial expressions to the audience. This assumes a certain amount of perception from the audience members, because with such a busy atmosphere, it is up to us what we decide to hone in on and what we decide to leave in the periphery.

Domesticating Edward, photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             For example, take the scene where the residents attend a Christmas dance. Edward starts to feel awkward and ashamed as he sizes up the dancers around him, each with two perfect hands. He cowers away from the dance floor, opting instead to slope around the outskirts. The embarrassment on his face is apparent and the longing he feels for Kim, who is dancing with her boyfriend Jim, is written all over his face. I divided my attention between the rest of the cast dancing and Edward, because by himself, his body language and pained visage told a story of its own accord. Details like this are precisely what will draw audiences to Bourne’s productions over and over again. Your observational skills and level of appreciation will continue to grow right alongside your number of viewings.

Photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             The idyllic neighborhood is made up of quaint homes and quaint people. The houses are painted in cheery hues, with cheery faces that emerge and retreat from their doors. There are the obligatory cheerleaders, jocks, doting mothers, and hardworking fathers. Despite appearances, the town holds its fair share of secrets as well. Joyce is a lonely housewife who regularly cheats on her husband and that shines through in her brilliant, sexualized dancing persona. She tries to seduce a very confused and frightened Edward, while the religious fanatics try to repel Edward with their crosses and prayers.

Photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             The breathtaking set borrows recognizable Burton-esque elements from the film. However, as to be expected, there are unique alterations that add a spin to the original. Edward finds nifty alternative uses for his “hands,” such as pruning bushes and hedges into animals, ice carving (which involves a scene with a gorgeous ice angel sculpture prop), and even making a job out of giving the neighbors “edgy” new haircuts. The production introduces a lovely dream sequence where Edward imagines that he has real hands. He is able to flirtatiously chase Kim around a garden made up of shrubs and trees decorated into shapes, which are actually people. They playfully join Edward and Kim’s game, concealing and revealing the two blissful imaginary lovebirds.

Edward and Kim share a tender moment, photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             As for Dominic North, who plays our antihero Edward, anyone who can forgo opposable thumbs, trade them in for workable scissors (albeit false ones), and still manage to dance gracefully must automatically be dubbed as a seriously standout dancer. Indeed, North was nominated for Outstanding Male Dancer at the National Dance Awards in 2010. The irony of Edward Scissorhands though is the fact that Edward is gentle and peaceful. He doesn’t use his “scissorhands” with malicious intent, although he could well do. Jim, however, is rough and ready with his hands, using force with Kim and having an eventual blowout with Edward.

The neighborhood kids, with Kim and Jim front and center, photo courtesy of Johan Persson

             The story stands as a testament to human nature; we lash out against and attack what we don’t understand. Just as we are about to claim that nice guys don’t always finish last and Edward and Kim finally kiss, Edward is exiled once more to his former house upon the hill. As the cast took their final curtain call, they stayed in character until the very end, and as the applause subsided, we were all left wondering how the time could have possibly elapsed so quickly.

             For upcoming performances at Sadler’s Wells, visit the theatre’s website here. Explore the Edward Scissorhands production on the New Adventures website here. New Adventures is Bourne’s company with co-director Robert Noble.

Photo courtesy of Johan Persson