I am sure I've mentioned that our cultural tastes are different...complementary some would say. By some coincidence, last week was all me, and this week have been all Cat's Mother. So, I dragged her out on a guided tour looking at London lighting...no, not special lights, just how light is used in the urban environment, and the effect it has on the way we behave. Our guide was a very mad American, who decided to describe herself as a night time designer. In some ways that is a fair description, as without light, our night lives would be very much curtailed. Light brings with it a sense of safety and security, as well as creating different shapes and shadows. It was quite fun. Really.
Then we went to Greenwich to see the new production by Shunt...the immersive theatre company. The current production, called The Boy Who Climbed Out Of His Face, takes place in a series of shipping containers, and essentially is a series of scenarios designed to discombobulate you. I shouldn't say any more, as I'd hate to spoil it for you should you decide to go along, suffice to say The Cat's Mother came out with a face that said, "Really?" and I came out with a large grin. Apart from the performance, there was a lovely bar serving delicious food on the side of the Thames, so we could both relax and enjoy that.
The Friday night was The Art of Dining as I mentioned. It was fabulous with colour-coded food, cocktails and lighting.
This week, we went to the Art Fair at the RCA, with paitings and sculpture from £500 - £500,000. We do like to go because it was one of the first things The Cat's Mother and I went to went we became a couple. Usually there's plenty of great stuff, and plenty of nonsense. Much is over-priced and very little would I want on my walls. The exhibition is full of a certain type....arty trustafarians who can make interesting viewing, but truthfully wouldn't be much missed if the RCA fell into a very deep pit.
The next night, courtesy of UP we went to late night Proms to see Rufus Wainright. I can't say I was much looking forward to it as he's not someone whose music I have much enjoyed in the past and I had a cold to boot. But The Proms always sizzle, and I have to say the concert was fabulous...he was quite endearing, and his final song 'Somewhere over the rainbow' (Wizard of Oz is indeed on limited cinema release at the moment by coincidence) was mesmerising. Lovely.
And then last night we went first to the Paramount restaurant - it's the one at the top of Centrepoint -to celebrate a 21st birthday and then on to see Once. Views and food at The Paramount are stunning, so highly, highly recommended. Once was also surprisingly wonderful. There's the merest shadow of a story but some fabulous songs, beautifully sung, a terrific set and a very engaging performance overall. Cleverly too, you can go up on stage at the interval where they have a bar...so that'll be the third West End stage we've been on...a lovely, lovely night out.
Father Muffin has read somewhere that we (that's you, me and everyone else) are using fewer and fewer words in day to day conversation. The net result is that some words are becoming endangered, much like pandas (although there's some debate about whether we should bother with pandas anyway, as they are completely useless at everything, except looking cuddly). Two of the endangered words are marvellous and fortnight. I hope I have helped redress the balance and kept them alive for a little longer.