Of The Lord Of The Rings and V-Day

Last night was magical. Apart from Londoner's turning out looking lovely and smelling good. And roses available everywhere, the air, albeit cold, was fragrant!
Him and I went to see The Lord Of the Rings at the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane of Covent Garden. I have seen some musicals and quite a bit of theatre but nothing came close to magic of this one.
I sat there, completely enraptured!

The option for V-Day for me was a cryptic text message, 'Fantasy OR Hollywood'. I did not know what he was thinking but the surprise plan was to ask my opinion and then lead me on to see it! I chose fantasy. And oh boy, did it live up the expectations and a bit more.

The LOTR had magnificent sets, and thats a bit of an understatement! It initially made me look at it and think wow! I moved from being a spectator of the proceedings, aware of the people around me, the heads of the people in front of me, the sounds of people coughing, of crisps being eaten and the occasional mobile phone going off, as things moved on stage, I sort of fell into it. Enraptured, sucked into, speechless and absorbed to the exclusion of my surroundings. The interval made me come back to life and my surroundings.

The costumes were amazing as was the music. Sometime into the play, some Orcs made their way up into the audience and decided to breathe loudly around us and stare up close to our faces, scaring the life out of some, but making the make-believe even more real. They thumped around and snarled and shocked people, especially the children in the audience. It was really good! The Gigantic spider was unnervingly real as were the scenes of battle and the very fluid, slimy and creepy Gollum. Galadriel was ethereal and Gandalf had great delivery with a booming voice. The music of A.R.Rahman made itself known through some beats and use of musical instruments that are familiar to people who have heard his work.

The place was jam packed with families, couples and individuals. The whole thing was seamless.It was well worth a visit. And I was glad I was kept out of the mushy restaurants with hearts on the walls, and roses, and confetti and champagne and starry eyed people staring at each other over candle light. Valentine's day makes me sick with the amount of sweeti-ness that goes around. Him and I tend to run away from the crowds on the mushy day of the year. Whether it is to South Queensferry in Edinburgh, or to Lonavala I think we are expected to quit being mushy in a post marriage stage anyways! I am warned there shall be a day when if he brings me flowers I shall need to ask him - whats up?

Harry Potter - 2

So it took me long to read this one, getting it in the middle of a busy week did not help. But the fact that I had to sit and relish every single page, meant I could enjoy this last offering of Ms JKR for longer.
Well it is good, a bit depressing and complicated in the middle, but a good end to a lovely series, in fact I think I now may back track into my collection and slowly read them all backwards till Harry become 11 again.
Its been an interesting ride, very well developed characters, unique though possible and a really good way of making it all sound possible with the Muggles and Portkeys, and befuddling charms, it makes me think sometimes when I see a stray can of coke lying somewhere and when the British trains seem to collapse for no apparent reason, that maybe, just maybe Harry is fighting Lord V.
I thoroughly enjoyed all the Harry Potters but really the interest began to pick up with the Prisoner of Azkaban, and then worked its way up. The films I have not really seen all, but as usual most films do not really do justice to the depth of the book.
If you have no clue what I am talking about..come back to Planet Earth!! and if you have not got the Deathly Hallows yet, buy it, rent it, copy it...hide in a corner and read it. Quick! Its good!

HARRY POTTER

I thought there would be queues and I thought there would be much excitement at the release of the last in the Harry Potter series...well there was not, apart from the store assistant dressed in Griffindor robes...:( Well I got the book, now its a matter of time before some idiot who is clued in and cool comes in and tells me about who died in the book and spoils it for me..meanwhile I shall get stuck in!!