You wouldn't steal a handbag

Last night a group of us went to see Ed Byrne at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith (somewhere in the depths of West London - £30 in a cab - ouch). It was my first stand-up comedy gig and I loved every minute of it. We all needed a good laugh after our hectic weeks (three of the group work in the City - need I say more?) and a good laugh is what we got, again and again and again.

This is one of the jokes from the show, making fun of the "you wouldn't steal a handbag" clip found at the start of most DVDs these days.



If you're a fan of Ed Byrne, or you're simply looking for a fun night out, he's touring the UK all through October and November and is scheduled to appear in Reading, Exeter, Brighton, Leicester, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol and so on. A full set of dates is available on his website. He is highly recommended by all four of us who watched last night's show.

I've been razzle dazzled

Last week I went to see Chicago: The Musical at London's Cambridge Theatre and totally loved it. It's been three days and I'm still singing the songs in my head. I loved the choreography, the costumes, the music, the singing, the atmosphere. And to think I don't even like jazz!

Chicago is the story of Roxie, a chorus girl who has murdered her lover. While in prison, she meets Velma, another murderess, and the two women try to outshine each other in the media, while fighting for the services of sleazy lawyer Billy Flynn. After several trials and tribulations, both get acquitted and team up to form a nightclub act which they hope will keep them in the public eye.

The story sounds a bit lame, even by musical standards, however the beauty of Chicago isn't in the story but the storytelling, the music and, most importantly, Bob Fosse's iconic choreography. It's a feast for the senses. Or, as a Time Out reviewer says: a biting satire on fame, capital punishment, and all that jazz, Chicago delivers its high-heeled kick on every front; as slick, sleek and sassy a West End musical as anyone could hope for.

I couldn't agree more. Sitting back, listening to the music and watching the dancers was simply a pleasure. The theatre was packed although this isn't by any stretch a new show - it's been going for more than 10 years already. Luckily, we had seats in the third row and it felt as if we could almost touch the performers. What a treat - and all for a modest £25 (35€) GILT offer.

Duncan James was the male lead and did a great job as Billy Flynn. Amra-Faye Wright was a stunning Velma, Bonnie Langford a good, solid Roxie, Paul Rider a realistic Amos and Brenda Edwards (of X-Factor fame) simply superb as prison warden Mama Morton. The whole cast were brilliant and felt comfortable in their roles. OK, I'm not a big music connoisseur, but I couldn't fault this show and would gladly watch it again with any of the same actors, particularly Amra-Faye Wright who I thought was outstanding. So good, in fact, that I just can't imagine anyone else playing Velma ever.

Me Got Itchy Hand...

... said Trekkie.

He also (infamously) said: The Internet Is For Porn.

Trekkie is a monster and lives on Avenue Q. He's obsessed with porn. He's also a puppet. Clearly, not the type you'd find on Sesame Street or the Muppet Show...

Avenue Q opened in London last summer, after three successful years in Broadway and a 2004 Tony Award for Best Musical. It tells the story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college grad who comes to New York City with big dreams and no money. He soon discovers that the only neighborhood in his price range is Avenue Q; which isn't the most upmarket of NY streets, and is about as far away from Park Avenue as you can get, but is home to some lively characters: Brian the out-of-work comedian and his therapist fianceé Christmas Eve (yes, that's her name - she's Japanese); Nicky the good-hearted slacker and his roommate Rod - a Republican investment banker who seems to have some sort of secret; an Internet addict called Trekkie (that's the one with the itchy hand); and a cute kindergarten teaching assistant named Kate. Avenue Q tells the story of Princeton and his newfound puppet and human friends, all struggling to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life.

Several of the characters are parodies of classic Sesame Street or Muppet Show characters, but the themes explored (racism, internet porn and unemployment, amongst other things) are very adult indeed. It's interesting to see puppets and actors on stage at the same time, interacting with each other. Despite the fact that the puppets are manipulated by puppeteers, who are also on stage, the end result is fantastically fluid. You almost forget that the puppeteers are there - and if you don't it doesn't matter, because their expressions match the puppets' so well, they almost become one.

Avenue Q is smart, risqué, and extremely entertaining. It's probably not suitable for those who are politically correct or easily offended by swearing and (puppet) nudity, but everyone else will love it. We certainly did!