Lord of the Rings: The Stage Show

Patrick Theatre, UK Life

9+ hours of movies, three huge Tolkein books compressed into a West End production? Indeed it’s possible and the current show is very well done as well. Last Thursday I managed to see the latest book, turned movie, turned stage production based on JRR Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings. This show is set in three very compressed, though well timed acts, and broken up by two intermissions. It’s filled with entertaining characters, vivid costumes, finished off with a fantastic assortment of sets and visual effects. I especially liked the how-do-they-do-fly-and-glow fireflies at the start and the disapperance of Bilbo Baggins.

Most of the characters were well done though the Dutch-sounding Saruman and the Scottish Boromir sounded out of place on stage. The hobbits really looked the part – even though I’m sure they’re people of normal height, they somehow looked much shorter and stockier in their roles. Gollum, with the hard task of the voice and contortionist requirements did an amazing job playing his role. The Ents towered perfectly over everyone and though the orcs reminded me more of the hyenas out of The Lion King more than anything, still did an okay job.

A fantastic show that you have to see before it ends. It’s not like the books or the movie and is definitely a theatre experience worth seeing.

The Editors @ The Roundhouse

Patrick Music, UK Life

The Roundhouse is yet another magnificent venue walking distance from Camden station and recently reopened after renovations starting in 2004. On Wednesday I went there to see The Editors supported by two man band, I Was a Club Scout, and the bigger quartet, The Envy Corps. Out of all of the venues I’ve been to so far in London, this venue has a size ideal for more intimate gigs being slightly bigger than the Islington Academy. Only formed with two floors, the first is all standing directly underneath the dome, and the second being a circular row of seats. Most seats have a great view of the stage except for those unlucky enough to be directly behind the poles that hold up the roof.

The Editors

The support acts were not bad although most of the concert goers sat outside on the first level roof indulging in the long lasting sunshine and warm weather we’ve been having lately. I’m not quite sure how to rate The Editors – I found their set a strange choice combining their popular old songs with many of their new songs from their yet to be release album, An End Has A Start. Although I, like much of the audience, enjoyed many of their songs that I knew, I found it hard to react to songs that I’d never heard before. Watching from the second floor, the standing crowd also definitely didn’t know how to react with songs either receiving the all-arms-in-the-air treatment or the stand-and-listen-and-be-relatively-silent for all the new songs. They still played a decent set though I cannot say it was very memorable.

They still played well and I had a lot of fun listening to perform. I’ll now have to watch out for their new album.

TheKua.com Rating: 6 out of 10

Spiderman 3 @ The Electric Cinema

Patrick Movies, UK Life

Spiderman 3 The MovieOn Tuesday I saw the latest Marvel comic based movie released by director Sam Raimi, Spiderman 3. I saw it at the amazingly stylish theatre on Portobello Road, The Electric Cinema, something I’ll write about another time and highly recommend anyone the cinematic experience it offers.

The movie met most of my expectations – some good visual effects, a nice adaptation of the comic book story to introduce and link some of the characters as best could be fit into a two hour movie, the standard cameo appearance of Marvel comic book writer Stan Lee and the poor acting and cheesy scenes that always seem to make it in.

It’s easy to say that none of the actors in the film will win any Oscars, and I think Tobey Maguire wins the award for worst overall performance with too many frustrating scenes of endless cheese. The choice of Thomas Haden Church to play new villain Sandman worked out really well, and very much looked the part after donning the classic green and black striped t-shirt though I though Topher Grace, playing Peter Parker and Spiderman’s nemesis Eddie Brock and Venom turned out as a poor choice as he was far too small to fill his role.

The movie, like most comic-based ones focuses excessively on the action with some fantastic fight scenes that are very enjoyable to watch, though the viewers need to suspend a certain amount of belief and logic to make it believable. The movie certainly wasn’t produced for die-hard fans and is a film worth watching if you want some light hearted action entertainment.

TheKua.com Rating: 6 out of 10

Porgy and Bess

Patrick Entertainment, Theatre, UK Life

The latest musical showing at The Savoy Theatre on the Strand is the apparently popular Porgy and Bess production. It’s set in the 1930s and revolves around the life of a group of African Americans, and the strange relationship that develops between the cripple and beggar, Porgy and wild seductress Bess after the murder of one of the town folk. From a story point of view, it shows the hardship of the poor, and something that I think is a rather tragic story all up.

Like most West End musicals, even on a Tuesday evening, the theatre was almost full. The audience was composed of much older people than many other West End shows I’ve been to, probably because I don’t think Porgy and Bess appeals to a much younger crowd. The music is entertaining, with a couple of songs that I’d recognised although I started to find them slightly monotonous towards the end.

I can’t recommend this show for everyone although it is something a little bit different.

TheKua.Com Rating: 6.5 out 10

Bloc Party, Brxiton Academy

Patrick Music, UK Life

I’d managed to get some tickets to see South London indie rock band, Bloc Party at Brixton Academy. As usual, the academy was packed out and the usual ticket scalpers stood at the Tube station entrance trying to work the market. We missed the first support act (Mahogany), but caught the second support act, Biffy Clyro who were very impressive and played a very decent set. I’d highly recommend trying to find a track or two of theirs to listen to.

Bloc Party

Bloc party came on in no time and really got the crowd pumping. We were upstairs which was seated although that didn’t stop some people from standing up. Strangely enough, security constantly went through the crowd in waves shouting at people to sit back down, the first time I’ve seen that at Brixton upstairs. It turned into a little bit of a game with many of the attendants as it became what looked like a whack-o-mole game.

The band played a fantastic set, part of which came from their new album, A Weekend in the City, and the other, made up of many hits from their previous album, Silent Alarm.

Thekua.com Rating: 7 out of 10

28 Weeks Later

Patrick Movies, UK Life

28 Days Later was a pretty impressive film for me mainly for the way it managed to empty (or simulate) many parts of London (such as the ever busy area of Big Ben and Westminster Abbey).

28 Weeks Later

I stumbled across this painted sign (above) all over pathways around East London and is promoting the upcoming sequel release, 28 Weeks Later. I don’t know if they had local council or city approval, but I like way this biohazard symbol is enigmatically painted all over the pavements. This one I caught outside Old Street station on the way to Hoxton Square.