Review: Anton du Beke - Ballroom to Broadway

It's that time of year again...

For the sixth year in a row lovely Anton off of Strictly is on the road independent of the official Strictly tour, taking his brand of shtick, fleckles and excellent suits on tour. So what's new?

Well, first things, first he's on his own. Pro partner Erin Boag is, selfishly, pregnant meaning that her role in the tour is limited to some choreography and wardrobe advice (she still gets a whole page in the programme, mind). Instead, lovely Anton is joined by Summer Strallen aka current darling/superstar of the West End aka the one that Andrew Lloyd Weber inserted into a lengthy Hollyoaks storyline to publicise her run in his production of The Sound Of Music.

Is Erin missed? To be blunt, not really. See, the thing about Summer Strallen is she has an incredible voice AND is an incredible dancer. She partners lovely Anton in all of the 'Broadway' numbers in the show and does so faultlessly. She also has a couple of show stealing solo numbers, including belting out All That Jazz whilst hanging upside down in a box split suspended between the shoulders of two male backing dancers. She's magnificent and, to be honest, I'm a bit sad that she won't be on the tour next year when Erin comes back (according for the advert in the programme).

The absence of Erin also makes for a cheekier lovely Anton. As well as his usual line in Strictly anecdotes, verdicts on the other contestants ("Susanna Reid was a bit annoying") and musings on his own attractiveness ("I know, I've got a mirror") we were also treated to jokes about his sexuality, how many menopausal women were in the audience and 'shoe' size.

The quality of the dancing was no lower either. As well as the 'Broadway' routine with Summer, there were also a number of proper ballroom routines with Burn The Floor alumnus (am I the only person in the world that hasn't been in that show?!) Faye Huddlestone. A highlight of her involvement was a mind blowing quickstep with a series of frightening lifts.

Music-wise, the excellent Lance Ellington was back for another year. Criminally underused in the Strictly band, Lance was as cool and accomplished as ever; a cracking version of This Is The Moment was a definite highlight for me. He also got to dance a bit too, and did very well in a trio rendition of (the frankly not very good) Steam Heat from The Pyjama Game.

All in all a great night out, as lovely Anton tours always are. Recommended.

Posted with Blogsy

Things I'm loving this week: #12

Favourite random news stories
Sean Bean is hard. Fact. So hard that after get glassed in a fight he went back into the pub and ordered another drink. I imagine he pulled the glass out of the wound with his teeth or something. Either way, what a legend. (Don't try this at home kids!)

Somewhat more predictably, the fact that Anton won Rear of the Year has also been keeping me amused:

Du Beke described the award as an ''absolute honour. Sadly, it has often been said that my rear is better than my front, so thank you very much indeed,'' he said.

It's nice that sometimes awards go to people who deserve them:

Photo stolen from Katie H on Facebook. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off for a lie down in a darkened room. 

Soundtrack to my life

At the moment I'm obsessed with Kanye West's new(ish) album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. As the name suggests it's not for the faint hearted - or easily offended - but I love it. Not sure there's a standout track for me, I love them all, but if pressed I'd go for Monster, which also has a completely mad video (serious health warning on this - it's an incredible video, in both senses of the word, in my opinion - I love the bit with Nicki Minaj - but not without... controversy). 

Speaking of mad videos I'm also majorly loving Katy Perry's new offering, Last Friday Night. This video is a work of genius: 

Rebecca Black AND Corey Feldman? What more could you want!

New reading matter
I've just started Tony Blair's 'A Journey'. Initial thoughts are positive - it's very engagingly written and his analysis is incredibly sharp, even if I don't agree with all of it. It's also disarmingly self deprecating - very unexpected from someone like TB! I'm looking forward to getting stuck into it properly.

Best film I've seen in ages
I'm increasingly a massive comic book geek, as my Batman Converse and tickets to Batman Live will attest. So perhaps it's unsurprising that I loved X Men: First Class. It's that rarest of rare things: a big budget blockbuster with a brain. I thought both Michael Fassbender (who, incidentally, is seriously fit - how did I not know this?!) and James McAvoy were pitch perfect as the young Magneto and Professor X and I adored the scene stealing Kevin Bacon having way too much fun as a proper comic book baddy. I think pretty much everyone I know has seen this film now but if you haven't then go and go now!

Things I'm loving this week: week 10

(Well it's kind of week 10 I suppose. I've lost track.)

Soundtrack to the week
Like pretty much everyone else in the world I'm currently obsessing over Lady Gaga's new album 'Born This Way'. It's so, so good. So good. It's rare that I'll say that an album has no filler but literally every song on Born This Way has me hooked. Edge of Glory is my personal favourite track.

Worth-every-penny splurge of the week
My new Gold Series GHDs were by no means cheap but my god they're money well spent. GHDs have always been the daddy of hair straighteners and the Gold Series is the best I've used. The plates glide through your hair so easily and leave hair silky smooth. I can't stop touching mine. It's becoming a bit of an issue. At about £120 a pair they made for one very expensive lunch hour, but for the effect - and on a cost per use basis! - they're completely 100% worth it.

Guilty pleasure of the week
I'm not a particular fan of Jersey Shore. I can't stand The Only Way is Essex. So my viewing of Geordie Shore on MTV last night was only exploratory. In theory. In fact I love the show. For those unaware of the concept eight (four girls, four guys) young, good looking, incredibly shallow Geordies are put in a stupidly nice house with a fridge full of booze and draws full of condoms and, essentially, left to their own devices. Hilarity ensues. And/or all hell breaks loose. It's hard to tell the difference. It's not big, it's not clever but it is entertaining. Trashy, but entertaining.

Some early thoughts: Greg and Vicky are my favourites, Vicky should get with Greg not Jay, Jay's eyebrows are weird and 'a million and ten per cent' is a wicked catchphrase.

Girl crush of the week
Michelle Obama. With the state visit happening at the moment the Obamas are all over the news. This pleases me intensely. Now, y'know, Barack is pretty cool but Michelle is just amaze, as the kids would say. I've always had a soft spot for her but this developed into full on girl crush thanks to the incredible white Tom Ford gown she wore to the state banquet. Oh. Em. Gee.

Shoes of the week
I love Schuh. It's just the best shoe shop out there, especially their web shopping. I particularly love their great range of cute kitten heels which, not being much cop at walking in anything higher, are my go to work/occasion shoe style. My most recent acquisitions are another pair - I already have them in black glitter! - of their Clara courts. And they're ace.

Things I'm loving this... er... non specific period of time

Stop looking at me like that. I'm aware it's been a while. What can I say? Life's been a bit... life-y recently. By which I mean, if you'll excuse the language, it's been a bit of a cluster fuck. Personally and, moreover, politically things have not been great. I'm not going to dwell on either other than to say, on both counts, keep calm and carry on.

Anyway, enough of that. Here's some stuff that has been providing much needed smiles and fun:

Music

I seem to have discovered a lot of new (to me) music recently. Top top top recommendation goes to Hugh Laurie's new album 'Let Them Talk'. This is genuinely brilliant for anyone who has even a passing interesting in old school proper blues. The musicianship is astonishing. My favourite track from it, I think, is Swanee River for which the superlative has yet to be invented. Buy it. Now.

Also rocking my socks has been Alexis Jordan's eponymous début album (top track: How You Like Me Now), which is much better than it has any right to be given it came from an American Idol reject, and the excellent Bomb Shelter Sessions by Vintage Trouble. You may have seen these beyond fabulous retro rockers on Jools Holland - if not you missed a treat. Here they are doing my favourite song from the album, Blues Hand Me Down:

Books
Not that I've had much time to read, but when I have I've been absorbed by either travel guides for Malta (the destination of my much anticipated October break this year) or the thoroughly excellent 'Behind the Black Door' by Sarah Brown. This book is a completely compelling, very entertaining account of life in Downing Street by the former 'first lady'. I've not quite finished it yet, watch out for a full review when I do.

One political book I have finished recently is the amazing '22 Days in May' by the equally amazing David Laws. If you've not read this book and have the faintest interest in British politics at the moment then you really need to. The epilogue in which he outlines his hopes for the coalition explains what I believe and why I'm a Lib Dem more eloquently than I ever could.


TV
First of all, yes I did watch - and enjoy -  every second of the Royal Wedding. Let's just say that and get it out of the way. Apart from the bits with Fearne Cotton, I thought the BBC coverage was pretty good. (And, if you're wondering, my picks for Best Dressed Guest go to Lady Frederick Windsor - AKA Big Suze off of Peep Show - in deep blue Georgio Armani, Sam Cam in beautiful Burberry and Miriam Gonzalez Durantez and that amazing embellished turban.)

Second of all, yes I did watch - and enjoy - every second of Eurovision, including the two semi finals. My favourite songs were from Switzerland and Iceland. I also adored Lipstick by the ever youthful and energetic Jedward. So shoot me.

Finally, if you have Sky and enjoy trashy shit as much as I do then I implore you to check out Spartacus: Blood and Sand on Sky 1. It is... well, it's awful! It's kind of like what would have happened if a 13 year old boy had written HBO's excellent Rome. There's a lot of (fairly graphic) completely gratuitous sex and all the violence you could ever want, inexplicably shown in slow motion. I'm not really making a good case here am I? But seriously if you have a spare hour and it happens to be on then do have a look. It will make you giggle.

Finally finally, if you have Sky and enjoy properly good drama then look out for In Treatment on Sky Atlantic. Another HBO export, it stars the uber dishy Gabriel Byrne as a therapist - and he is mind blowingly good. It's not always an easy watch (each episode is a simple double hander between Byrne's therapist and one of his patients, or occasionally his own therapist) but it is just supremely good.

Things I'm loving this week: week 8

Ironically, I'm far too knackered from an awesome week to blog at any great length about all the people and things that have made it awesome. So some very select highlights...

This week I'm mostly drinking: Old Rosie. Oh yes. The defining drink of my student days is having a bit of a resurgence thanks to the emergence of a new drinking buddy. Old Rosie is a ridiculously strong, still cider that has one of the oddest flavours I've ever tasted. And I adore it. I've not had any for years so to rediscover it this week was brilliant.

This week I'm mostly listening to: the Rihanna and Britney remix of S&M. It's not big and it's not clever but it is so SO good! Today I've randomly been listening to last year's Eurovision entries. I'm not 100% sure why. I'd forgotten how truly dire the UK one was.

This week I'm mostly watching: DVDs. I spent a fabulously lazy day on Sunday watching Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 1 followed by Toy Story 3. Heaven. And brilliant films both.

Photos of the week: from Matt's birthday night out last Saturday. The photos as a set are brilliant, but these are my favourites:

Chris, me and Matt in Reflex with the CRAZY drunks and least sexual pole dancing ever.

Matt and me in the newly refitted Fibbers. Some of Chris' better camera work.

Josh, me, Chris and Matt peering through the somewhat excessive dry ice. 

Things I'm loving this week: week 4

Yes, I'm starting with politics this week. But don't worry. Frivolity returns very quickly.

This week I'm mostly agreeing with: Nick. You see what I did there?! It's very rare I talk shop on my blog but I thought Nick Clegg's speech to Lib Dem Conference over the weekend was one of the best I've heard him give. Check out the video.



Now for frivolity. And also Anton. Keep reading, I've saved him for the end.

This week I'm painting my nails with: MAC Soiree. It's a great bronze polish with a hint of glitter, and looks really classy. It also goes with pretty much everything I own which is useful. It'll always have good memories for me too - I bought it in the swanky department store in Dublin and wore it to go and see Puttin on the Ritz the first time. Good times.

This week I'm travelling to: Bristol to see a number of friends from Uni. I know very little about Bristol other than that it has a Harvey Nichols. And that'll do for me.

This week I'm mostly listening to: Nicole Scherzinger's new song 'Don't Hold Your Breath'. I'm obsessed with it. The lyrics describe my current 'love life' situation exactly. It's almost uncanny.

This week I'm mostly loving Twitter because: basically, Anton is great. Maybe I should just change the name of this blog to that. But he is great. Check out the following evidence. The first is his response to my complaining that my 2010 tour pen had run out and the second is, well, just funny.

 

See? He's great. The second one is slightly embarrassing given I was somewhat the worse for wear in the conference bar when I sent the original. Note to self: don't tag people in drunk tweets if you don't want them to see said tweets. Muppet. But seeing the reply really made me smile. A lot. Because he's great.

Things I'm loving this week: week 3 (the return of the grump)

I'm not going to lie, this week I'm struggling to find things to love. Currently I have an absolutely streaming cold, the worst I've had in ages. This is compounding the stress of a heavy work week in the run up to Lib Dem Conference this weekend. Even Conference - which I adore - is hardly filling me with joy on the grounds that it involves spending a weekend in the immediate company of the ex. Frankly, it causes me some consternation that we have to be on the same planet, being in the same small collection of hotels and bars in the same city is just a depressing concept. Don't get me wrong, there are loads of people I'm looking forward to seeing at conference, not least some bloke called Nick (with whom I still agree, by the way), but it's not been a month yet and everything is still too raw. At least there'll be wine, I suppose. Lots of wine. Anyway, some cheer:

This week I'm mostly wearing: since it's conference, it's all about dressing it up and breaking out my 'I'm a  real grown up, honest' work wardrobe. I have two training sessions to deliver on Saturday (fingers crossed my voice holds up!) and will be doing so in a Next Peter Pan collar LBD and Kurt Geiger patent purple kitten heels. For the rest of the time, I'm currently thinking* my new ASOS ankle length boyfriend jeans and Sam Edelman sequinned lace up flats.
*normal rules on a woman's prerogative to change her mind apply!

This week I'm mostly eating: PANCAKES!! I love pancake day and am massively excited about over indulging as soon as my flatmate gets home. I'm all about the sweet toppings and went a bit nuts with chocolate, caramel and maple syrups as well as traditional lemon juice and sugar. I've even made some caramelised banana sauce from scratch with no recipe - very proud. I don't know why I don't eat pancakes more often since I love them and they're super easy to make. Probably to the benefit of my general health that I don't though..!

This week I'm mostly planning: lots of exciting things. The best solution to current crappiness is planning future excitingness, as I'm sure someone of note has said much more eloquently. So on that logic I'm currently planning an October getaway to somewhere warm, sunny and luxurious (suggestions welcome). There's also been a week-cheering announcement from Anton: Tour 2012 is on. Needless to say I'll be going. Check out this video for said announcement and other insights that have brought me some cheer:



This week I'm mostly listening to: Kesha. Judge if you must, but I love her album. It's my current post-shower soundtrack and does put a spring in my step.

Things I'm loving this week: week 2

This week I'm mostly wearing: my Wales rugby shirt, since it was St David's Day yesterday. Although I've been living in exile (in a non-dramatic, non-former-despot sort of way) for ages now and am frequently - and correctly - told I don't have a trace of Welsh accent, I'm still really proud of my Celtic roots. Today, I'm working smart casual for a day of London meetings. I'm teaming my Asos dusky pink peg trousers with a plain black top and Dune monochrome brogues. I lose these shoes - the closest I will ever get to being able to dance an Argentine tango!

This week I'm mostly listening to: when the flat is otherwise empty, Pink's Greatest Hits. It's a great singalong album and I have been singing along - loudly - a lot. I'm also loving My Chemical Romance 'Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys'. Not usually my favourite band, but this album is great. Pretty up tempo, not emo, and featuring the truly awesome lead single in Na Na Na. 

This week I'm mostly geeking out over: the Irish election coverage. Specifically, how much better it was than anything I've ever seen over here. The debate was reasoned and civil, the punditry was top class, at no point did anyone dress up as a cowboy (Jeremy Vine I'm looking at you), and it was STV. I'm not going to go into the finer points of why STV is amazing but it just is, and the preference-related punditry it leads to really makes the coverage interesting. This was clearly a game-changing election for Ireland and it was cool in a highly nerdy way to watch that happen. 

This week I'm mostly planning: what to wear to Lib Dem Conference in a couple of weeks time. Specifically, is it purple patent or black glittery on the shoe front? Decisions decisions!

Things I'm loving this week

You know what? There's not enough cheeriness in my world. I'm not a naturally cheery person, to be fair, far from it. I like to think it's the combination of my Celtic and Yorkshire roots but more likely I just enjoy complaining. And I do enjoy complaining. But by way of making an effort at cheerfulness I'm introducing a new regular feature to the old blog. Nothing special or complicated, just a list of things that are making me smile each week. Hopefully it'll be more imaginative than the word 'Anton' over and over again 52 times. But we'll see.

This week I'm mostly wearing: an on trend and snuggly fringed cardigan from Topshop. I love all things Americana, and it looks like something a cowboy might wear. You can buy it here - although the sizing is generous and I'd advise you hunt it down in store and try it on first (I'm wearing a size smaller than I usually wear from Topshop and it's still lovely and loose). I'm teaming it with my most worn in jeans, bright turquoise Converse high tops and my Anton and Erin Puttin on the Ritz t shirt.

This week I'm mostly listening to: Lance Ellington (can't get enough of that man!), Cee Lo Green (the best album I've heard in ages) and Sheytoons. You may not be aware of the latter. They're a sort of folksy indie band (think Mumford) comprised of two of my favourite West End stars Ramin Karimloo (of Love Never Dies) and Hadley Fraser. The musicianship on display is awesome - these guys are scary talented. You can check out their music on YouTube, but this is my favourite song of theirs currently, Losing:



This week I'm mostly watching: Boardwalk Empire on Sky Atlantic. This week, and every week. Because it is superb. The best thing that's been on TV in so long. Steve Buscemi is my new god.

This week I'm mostly eating: At Melton's Too, my favourite restaurant ever. If you're ever in York you must go there - the seasonally changing menu is to die for. Doubly excited about this trip as my parents are coming up for a visit, thus it's free!

This week I'm mostly reading: Undisputed by Chris Jericho. It's a WWE memoir so not for everyone, but if you have even a passing interest in 'sports entertainment' it's well worth a read. Funny, readable, pleasingly naughty and full of great anecdotes about all the big name Superstars of the past few years. It's a froot book (a comment that only makes sense if you've read it).

Let's face the music with Lance

First off, apologies to Reg for stealing (borrowing?) your line for the title. It's my favourite pun ever though. And I will get that t-shirt.

Anyway. So I mentioned yesterday that one of the best things about this year's Anton and Erin tour is the inclusion of Lance Ellington on vocals as the man is just brilliant. Today I wanted to emphasise that point. Seriously people: Lance Ellington is amazing.

If you've ever watched Strictly (and if you haven't then what are you doing with your life?!) you'll have heard Lance, although you may not be aware of it, as he's one of the fabulous singers on the show. The fabulosity is increased a billion-fold when Lance is on his own in front of a band though.

As I said in yesterday's post, I'm very picky when it comes to my singers. And were I writing about almost anyone else this would be the point where all the caveats were introduced. I'm trying to think of something - anything - to criticise here. Erm... When I met Lance after the Dublin show he couldn't find his Sharpie so had to sign my programme in regular biro? Seriously. That's all I've got.

His voice is just stunning. Genuinely, completely and utter gorgeous. At the risk of wandering into pretentious bollocks territory, if molten gold could sing it would sound like Lance Ellington. Which, bollocksy as it may sound, actually makes sense if you listen to him. Listening to him sing Blue Moon gave me goosebumps both times I saw POTR. The second time it made me cry.

He is also devastatingly cool. The boy can swing, and rocks a midnight blue tux and suede shoes in the most effortlessly cool way I've ever seen. (Yes I know I said cool twice.) He can dance a bit too. Oh, and you certainly wouldn't kick him out of bed on a cold night either. Or a hot one come to that.

He is the complete package, and your life will be greatly enhanced by getting to know his music. So you can consider the following a public service announcement. You can buy Lance's brilliant album, Aspects of Ellington, from Amazon and iTunes or check it out on Spotify. And you really should. Go, do it now.

You can thank me later. Preferably by buying me tickets to one of his solo gigs. Deal?

Love Never Dies: worth missing Strictly, Anton and Flying Widdy for?

A few years back I read a great op ed in The Independent by Janet Street Porter. It was about how she really wasn't cool. To prove this she admitted she liked the two things it is just unacceptable to admit to liking in Britain: Wagon Wheels and Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals. Janet, I sympathise. Wagon Wheels are lush, especially the extra jam ones. And Andrew Lloyd Webber has written some of the most startlingly good musicals ever.

Now this is not to say that I think everything ALW does is brilliant. Because it isn't. Woman in White, for example, was cleverly staged with a good cast but musically awful. Bombay Dreams was just terrible. And I don't get Cats. It gave us Elaine Paige, for which I'll never forgive it.

On the other hand ALW has produced some works of genius. From big boys Joseph, Evita, Phantom and Jesus Christ Superstar to the criminally underrated Aspects of Love, Whistle Down the Wind, Tell Me on a Sunday and By Jeeves the man knows his stuff.

I have to confess, though, when I heard he'd decided to write a sequel to Phantom of the Opera my heart sank a little. I, like pretty much everyone else in the universe, was convinced it would join the Woman in White axis of awful. But then it started previews and the reviews - shock horror - weren't all bad. There was particular excitement about the show's star - the fabulously named Ramin Karimloo. I was intrigued, and when an opportunity to see the show for myself arose I jumped at the chance.

Actually that's a lie. You see, going to the show meant missing Strictly. Specifically it meant missing Ann and Anton's tango. Even more specifically it meant missing Ann flying. I was stroppy about this. So the attitude I went into the theatre with was 'this better be bloody good'.

And you know what? It damn well was. 


You must go and see this show if you have the chance. You just must. It is amazing, romantic, dramatic, beautiful; ALW at his very very best. I'm not going to give any spoilers - because as I said you must go and see it - but the show takes up 10 years after the original Phantom ended. The eponymous anti-hero is now running a freakshow come vaudeville theatre in Coney Island, NYC, with Madame Giry and her daughter Meg. He's still in love with Christine Daae and successfully contrives to get her to come to Coney to sing for him one last time. She brings husband Raoul (who suffice it to say is not the virtuous young gentleman he was) and son Gustave with her. And, well, I suppose a spoiler free way to describe the rest of the show is all hell breaks loose in an entertaining, musically superb, atmospheric and, ultimately, tragic way.

I really don't want to give anything away about the plot or the music - which is the best that ALW's written for a very long time - in this show, but I will say a few things. There are some standout songs in this score, notably Til I Hear You Sing, The Beauty Underneath (the best song ALW has ever written? Certainly the most ambitious), Devil Take the Hindmost and the title track. The plot hangs together with an amount of credibility very uncommon for a musical, and the ending is in turn genuinely shocking and completely, utterly heartbreaking. I've never been in a theatre audience that simultaneously bursts into tears in the way the LND audience did. The staging, too, is magnificent. There's a lot of clever borrowing of the bits that worked from Woman in White here; indeed in the first scene I couldn't tell which bits of the set were real and which were computer generated.

And then there's Ramin Karimloo who, it turns out, is not just fabulously named but fabulous all round. He has the sort of stage presence that demands attention from the moment he appears. The Phantom is a big part that it would be easy to get swallowed by, but he doesn't. His Phantom is completely his own creation and all the better for it. He has a range and depth that most 'straight' actors, let alone musical ones, would give their right arm for. And his voice. THAT voice. His voice is perfect. Literally perfect. The only voice that has ever made my whole body tingle and every hair stand on hair. Quite simply, he is a superstar. The best actor I have ever seen in the West End. If you think I'm exaggerating, go and see the show. I defy you to reach any other conclusion.

So, is Love Never Dies worth missing Strictly, Anton and Flying Widdy for? Yes it is. Every time.