(no subject)

[girlofprey]

I have a question - has anyone ever been to the London Coliseum (I think you know what city it's in)? There's a couple of things on there that I want to see in January and April next year, and I got my parents to put up half the money for decent-priced tickets. I went to my first opera - I don't think I mentioned, it was brill - and sat in one of the cheapest seats, and it wasn't actually that bad. But looking at these other things now, there are still some of the most expensive, stalls seats left for only a bit more, and I'll be up on the second balcony otherwise. And it strikes me that if the London Coliseum is bigger than the Nottingham Theatre Royal, and chances are that it is, it might make a big difference. Anyone actually know what it's like in there?

Well, anyway. I'm still working. I got let go from the job I had at the beginning of the month because the work dried up, but the Monday after that the agency that had got me that job, had another one for me. Which I wasn't expecting. And it was a reception job, so they were all "Can you go in this morning? Can you go right now?", and hadn't had a shower or washed me hair or in fact had more than about five hours sleep, as I recall, and I was all "WHAT??", but we managed to negotiate for about half past twelve, and I had a semi-quick cold shower, and everything was fine. It's not too bad actually, it's a reception post at a little civil engineering company, and last week most of the staff were on holiday or at various sites, so apart from a bit of typing I mostly didn't have much to do all day. Which is fair enough. They want me for this week as well, so I'll have worked a full month, yay! I have a feeling I should be saving at least some of my wages in case I don't have anymore work for a bit. But on the other hand, almost every band I like seems to be playing somewhere this autumn, so - we shall see. The odds don't appear to be in saving up's favour though, honestly.

I've been watching TV, I have things to say, I generally have so many things to say about it that by the time I get round to posting anything I have FAR TOO MUCH TO FIT IN A POST. The main things were though, about why lots of people - mostly men - think it's alright to make fun of Deborah Meaden on Dragon's Den? Particularly since she's the BEST ONE, and BEAUTIFUL. She has the BEST LAUGH I HAVE EVER HEARD. I LOVE HER. And people are very strange about her. Also, Strictly Come Dancing. I only just found out because I was looking up when it was coming back on. BUT WHAT THE FUCK? They've fired Arlene? They've fired ARLENE? And replaced her with a younger woman? What the fuck, BBC? And the younger woman is Alesha Dixon, because she used to be a contestant. What? I vaguely get their point about her knowing what it's like to be a contestant and being able to offer advice the dancers can possibly understand better - but isn't the point that it's a dancing show, and they have the judges for technical criticism and the public for sympathy, and their partners for actual specific help? Wasn't that how it all worked. And do the BBC actually not see a problem with making the only female voice on the judging panel no longer an informed, technical one, but a basically emotional one? What the hell? Also, they have fired Hayley and hired another female dancer, for no apparent reason. What is that?

Hmph. Anyway. There's been TV I like. Single-Handed was brilliant, and it's now over. I love Jack Driscoll, in all his self-righteous, furious-about-corruption-but-willing-to-use-it-for-his-own-ends glory. You can still watch it on the itvPlayer, if anyone is interested. I highly recommend it. I'd say I don't think I've slashed anyone with their evil father quite so much before, but that would mean ignoring Logan/Aaron, so never mind. Gary's coming back into Coronation Street this week. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. Check out his look of UTTER HATRED for David on his return. You can see the hatred right? That certainly couldn't be confused with any other emotion. I love Coronation Street. Also I'm loving Ugly Betty at the moment. Every episode is a bit pointlessly upbeat, but I HONESTLY DON'T CARE. OH GOD BETTY AND AMANDA AND MARK. I LOVE THEM. ALL I WANT IS THE THREE OF THEM, AND OFTEN THE SHOW DELIVERS. 2 ASSISTANTS AND A RECEPTIONIST DREAM TEAM FOR THE WIN. And Daniel is quite good, and Wilhelmina. BUT THEY'RE NO BETTY AND AMANDA AND MARK. OH. Also in NCIS this week they made Ziva and McGee go out on a case together. I don't understand why they can't be partners all the time. They could keep DiNozzo with Gibbs, or send him away somewhere, and I everyone would be happy. I should be running television. Honestly.

So from this post you can probably tell what I've mostly been doing lately. TV and work. Hurrah. I'm hoping that the agency I'm using at the moment might find me some work after this job finishes too. Although I do need some time off in September. But even so, some wages would be nice. Who knows?

Comments

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Theatremonkey doesn't do opera, but has this:

From what readers have told the monkey, the following applies to the London Coliseum, if it helps:
"the central stalls are good, the stage boxes have a one-fifth restricted view but are great for close viewing, the top balcony cheap with bars in the way but a value-for-money view of the stage for £5, and the sound and air-conditioning are variable! The Upper Circle seats are now spaced as well as the stalls, but the front row lacks legroom."

I have no idea if that helps.

[girlofprey.livejournal.com]

It does help, thanks. There's a plan of the seating on the site, and I've just noticed some of the sections have a feature where you can see a view of the stage from a particular in a little box. If that makes any sense. Sadly, the only section that doesn't seem to have that feature is the one I was looking at for the decently-priced seats. Oh well. Happily, the front row seats of the Upper Circle have already been taken, so I don't have to worry about that :)

[jekesta]

do the BBC actually not see a problem with making the only female voice on the judging panel no longer an informed, technical one, but a basically emotional one

I KNOW. I HATE THEM SO MUCH. I can't believe they've done it. And what the fuck? What is Alesha going to say to them, they have EACH OTHER if they want to talk to people who know what it's like. I just hate them. Arlene is the one who actually made them better. And Len is going to be all smug that she's not there. And I might just not watch. I hate them.

And yes, I hate that people are weird about Deborah Meadon. I'm so glad they found her, because the woman before her really was a bit rubbish, but she is awesome.

Saving up is difficult to vote for really.

[girlofprey.livejournal.com]

What the fuck is it? What is up with all the shows at the moment seeming to change their format? I'm not much of a fan of X Factor, but they're holding the initial auditions now in a big hall instead of an individual room, where people can sort of - open up, a bit better, maybe. What is that? It's just all getting ridiculous. Like they can't trust us to just like the shows we like, they have to keep "spicing it up". It's rubbish. But at least the X Factor haven't done anything like GIVE AWAY ARLENE, and hire someone NOT REALLY QUALIFIED TO JUDGE. It's annoying, because I was actually looking forward to it this year. Oh well.

I didn't even know there was a woman before her. I can't imagine her even being as good as Deborah. I've been wanting to sort of complain about it since Paul White and Harry Enfield did their show with the Dragon's Den spoof in it, and the female character was the only one who didn't get to have a name, officially, and was the one who was gurning all the time. But now I'm actually watching the show, it seems even more ludicrous, and slightly misogynistic. I love Deborah Meaden. She is beautiful.

There are shoes in the shops, Jennifer. BEAUTIFUL shoes that are fairly reasonably priced. How am I supposed to ignore that in favour of saving up?

[jekesta]

I flicked onto the x factor tonight and saw that. I think that's rubbish. I think you might not necessarily start out with the confidence to sing in front of everyone, but if they told you you were good enough they could get you there for the live rounds. I don't watch x-factor really, but bah.

ARLENE WAS THE BEST THING ON TELLY BY SO FAR. EVERYTHING IS RUBBISH NOW. I try not to think about it. It's so ENTIRELY WRONG. Len. Len is the judge that you should get rid of if you want to get rid of a judge. And I didn't know they had got rid of Hayley. Did she want to leave or was it really a sacking? That's rubbish too. EVERYTHING IS RUBBISH. THE BBC SHOULD KNOW BETTER.

The woman before Deborah had to leave because she went bankrupt and wasn't really a dragon so much as a failure. It was quite embarrassing.

[girlofprey.livejournal.com]

Arlene, Craig, Alesha and Bruno. There is NOTHING MASSIVLEY WRONG with that line-up. According to the news stories, she says they sent an email to her agent saying her services would no longer be required. They've hired another young female dancer now. I had a feeling they might drop Hayley, she didn't get as much coverage as Kristina, and Kristina and Brian were the ones doing the most "professional" dances on the shows. Still. It annoys me. They couldn't even give her a few seasons to prove herself? It makes me want to get hold of all the Dancing With The Stars episodes from New Zealand she was in and watch them, possibly instead of watching this years' show, but I wouldn't know how.

I saw that when I was looking up Dragon's Den. That is slightly embarassing. A bit of a shame for her though, that she lost her business and then they had to be all "Well, you can't actually be on the show giving out business advice anymore". But fair enough I suppose, for a show about business. Hurray Deborah.