Funny Gals, Theatr Clwyd

It may have been cold and drizzly at the top of the hill, but the weather did not dampen the atmosphere at Theatr Clwyd last night. Armed with my camping chair, my thermos, a blanket and waterproofs, I realised it was the closest to Glastonbury I’d even been, and once I had settled into my pod and the music started, there was something so comforting about being back at a live performance.

After five months away, Theatr Clwyd has become one of the first venues in the country to offer open air performances in this new Covid-conscious era. We booked for ‘Funny Gals’, a fun-filled evening of comedy and music from Vikki Stone and Natasha Barnes. The talent of both Stone and Barnes is immediately enviable as they tickle the ivories through the eras, treating us to everything from Merman to Mormon (as in…’The Book of’…nevermind)  Stone and Barnes take us on a musical journey, performing songs made famous by funny women through several eras, including Kristin Chenoweth, Julie Walters, Barbra Streisand and Angela Lansbury. Barnes’ performance of ‘The Girl in 14G’ is particularly impressive and we even got a sneak peek at two songs from Stone’s own hilarious musical, #ZoologicalSociety (definitely be looking that up on Spotify later). It’s clear they’ve had a lot of fun putting this set together and the intimate feel of the show made it perfect for a post-lockdown return.

In terms of safety, there was nothing more Theatr Clwyd could have done to put the audience at ease and keep them safe. When we arrived, our info was taken for track and trace purposes, and we were directed up the bank to our pods. Each pod had plenty of space around it, whilst still ensuring a great view of the stage and the illuminated building behind it. The new TC app enables drinks to be ordered and delivered to your pod. It was all very calm and organised, and I’m already looking forward to my next visit in

a couple of weeks.

If you’re itching for a fix of live performance, these outdoor events are perfect and there’s plenty to choose from on the TC website. If it’s comedy and cracking vocals you’re after, ‘Funny Gals’ is set to be live streamed

from The Crazy Coqs in London later in the year.

 

 

August Update

Greetings everyone!

Can you believe we still have four months of 2020 to go?? The last six months have been testing for everyone and some have been less fortunate than others. For those who have struggled, I sincerely hope things start to look up for you soon, but know that you are not alone and, please, reach out for help when it is needed.

Like thousands others, every aspect of my life seemed to have been thrown into chaos – it’s just been everywhere, hasn’t it, and sometimes it has felt relentless.  But what I have learnt, is to count my blessings and know when I am fortunate.

Whilst I’ve not been able to write for theatre as much as I’d like, this time has enabled me to think more about other projects. I’ve revisited the first novel I ever wrote – which, to my horror, was ten years ago! I’ve spent the last couple of weeks tweaking and editing and rewriting, and I’ve now started looking at self-publishing (which, by the way, is the most confusing thing I’ve ever done! If anyone’s got any experience with this I’d be really grateful to chat to you.)

There had been a children’s story ticking away at the back of my mind for some time, and I’ve finally been able to get that written – hoorah! Very excited about what could happen next with this one.

So there we go. After a few months away from the blog I felt I needed to just share what was going on here. Hopefully we will start to rise out of this hideous time together and we will start to see some light at the end of the tunnel, but in the meantime my DMs are always open for a chat. Whether you want a great big bloody moan or just a distraction from the news, it’s all good.

Take care, G.