Friday 15 June 2012

It's showtime

This might look like it's a post for the gentleman readers amongst us, but no, giggle giggle, it's the Lady Boys of Bangkok, well four of them anyway. There was sixteen on stage last night at the Baths Hall. There was a photo opportunity during the interval where you could have your photo taken with them, taken with your own camera I might add, for the extra special rip off price of £5. Did I bother, no I didn't. I stood with everyone else and snapped away for free. Another thing I didn't buy in the interval was an ice cream. The price was £2 for a tidly tub. I went to the garage across the road and got my favourite Magnum for £1.60.

Here is a woman up for a laugh, and her legs are even skinnier than mine, ha ha.

My thoughts on the show? It wasn't as good as the one I saw ten years ago at Manchester. I think mainly because that time it was performed in their own Sabai Pavilion, which is like a massive marquee, fitted out with all the trimmings to look like a posh nightclub. The round tables were dotted all around the room, and you had your drinks and food served to you. It didn't quite have the same magic last night, performed in a theatre with the audience sat in rows.

As to the show itself, I felt it lacked something. The chappie who announced it had a Scottish accent which didn't really fit in with the theme. At times the dancing wasn't perfectly syncronized, some of the dancers weren't putting as much effort into it as they should have been, they looked bored. There was no scenery just black curtains, and these started coming away from the rail and had to be held together by people behind them untill they could get fixed during the interval. A technical fault. There didn't seem to be a smooth transition from one number to the next, the lights went out too soon at the changeover.

Some of the performers were not very feminine. Last time I saw it they all had womanly curves, this time some of them were quite flat. The grand finale at the end was spectacular but it didn't last long enough. In fact I think were were short changed as the whole show was only two hours, minus the 20 minute break. It finished at 9.40pm which I thought was too early. I have had a feedback email so I will be putting all this down on it. This makes it sound like it was a really rubbish show. Everyone else seemed to like it, maybe it was because I had seen it before in a different setting. Marks out of ten? Seven from me. It was alright, but not great. 

I went to see Barry last night, he is still in hospital and it looks like he will be in a little while longer. Scruff is fine, he has his pal Rocky to go walkies with.

I am putting off doing any shopping untill next week. I still have lots of potatoes left, and some brocolli and cheese, and spinach. I went to town today, and bought six eggs, a cauliflower, potato salad, and bananas. I can manage with what I have in the cupboard and freezer. I popped in Aldi because I park near the store and walk into town. I picked up two items and went to pay. They had two tills operating, and the chappie said could I go to the other till, so I did. Then some more people joined the queue and the cashier told them to go to the other till, the one I was told was closing. I was quite annoyed. They never have enough tills open, one of the reasons why I don't like Aldi.
That's all for tonight, toodle pip.    

15 comments:

  1. It sounds like you noted quite a few technical things wrong with the show. Sorry you didn't enjoy it as much as the last one you saw.

    As for me, I doubt very much that I would find any magic in seeing men impersonate women. This has never been appealing to me no matter who it is. To each his own.

    I hope your friend heals up and is back home soon although it is better for him to stay and get the help he needs. Thankfully the dog has you to help him out. God bless you for it.

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  2. Things are often not as good as when you see them for the first time I think. Glad you still enjoyed the show. It makes a nice change to see a live performance.

    Just wanted to let you know I went to Morrisons today and left some cat food in the collection box for the animal shelter. I did this in memory of Lily. I have done this before in memory of bloggy friends pets.

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  3. Oh dear, I've never heard of the Lady Boys of Bangkok:( Sorry to hear Barry is still in hospital but pleased to hear Scruff is happy going for walks with his pal Rocky:) Have a lovely weekend:)

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  4. I would be happy with my own snapshots, too. I think the venue does make a difference for the performers and the audience. They may have put more into it if the ambience was better.

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  5. Our friend has lots of drag queen friends, some of them are quite beautiful, others.. well????
    Fresh fruit and veggies is what takes up a lot of our food budget, but you've got to have them to keep healthy.
    Jane x

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  6. funny enough, the same thing happens here in Aldi. Never enough tills open. I shop there on occasions but can`t seem to do my whole shopping there. I only ever pop in there to get some of the continental sausage meats I like or to get some cheaper fruits. But the till problem exists here, too.

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  7. I actually asked in Aldi once why they had so few tills open and the Manager was very honest in his answer. He said they keep staffing levels to the absolute minimum, sometimes in the average sized one near Reading they only have 2 or 3 people on at a time. This way they can keep costs right down, he openly admitted that it made for a very quick turnover of staff as too many of them thought they were overworked, but some loved the variety of work, one minute in the warehouse fetching stock or helping unload a delivery the next whicksed onto a till by customer demand.

    I suppose it makes sense, but it can be frustrating at times if you get to the checkout just as everyone else does.

    Sue xx

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  8. Exactly why I don't shop in Aldi very often. There are never enough tills open. A similar thing happened to me in Morrisons this week. I had waited for a good few minutes in a long queue got to where I could start putting my stuff on when I was told to go to another till as this one was was closing - fine - went down to the one I was told only several other people had got there before me and I had to join a queue again. I nearly got till rage.

    Then last night in Morrison (sorry for the moan) nowhere near enough tills open for a Friday night, queued for ages, when I got to the front it turns out the customer before me was a member of staff and seemed to need a 10 minute conversation with the till assistant about mindless tittletattle regarding other staff (after she had paid!) They were completely uneffected by my hard stares and loud coughing. I'm getting to an age when I feel totally happy to complain if I don't get a good service but I wanted to get back for the football. Haha.

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  9. Aldi s operates on the bare no- frills minimum of staff, that is why they can keep their prices low, worth waiting a couple of extra minutes IMHO, especially as I have more time than money most days.

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  10. I think Scruff should be allowed to visit Barry in hospital. I'm sure they would both benefit from this. Sorry the show wasn't up to expectations.

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  11. Glad you had a good time.

    Our local Aldi is great. At the moment there are different staff but probably holiday time. Once I was putting my stuff on the till, and the assistant (male) came round and started putting some on for me. Then he helped me pack. Admittedly it was quiet. I always avoid certain times to make sure there aren't too many people. I also allow people who have only a couple of items to go before me if I've got a trolley load (well nearly)

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  12. ooh cringe cringe ........
    sorry - not for me !

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    Replies
    1. I have a very good Aldi near me and the staff are good, there are always tills open , ours has just started to open until 9pm every night, not that I would be out shopping at that late hour, but I suppose some people shop after work especially flexi hours workers. The red peppers mashed own is good for soup I often blitz parsnipsinto mine for soup, its tasty.
      Danneke

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  13. There was a lot of excitement when Aldi first came to the U.S., but the rats in the warehouses has put people off! The one near us has few fresh veges or fruit- nothing organic. Mostly it has prepared mixes which I seldom use. I thought things might be better in Europe. The best produce and prices in the Midwest are at Meijers, great staff too. Bonnie

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  14. I wouldn't have liked that show but I am sorry that you were somewhat disappointed by it.

    I shop in Aldi some times, especially if I am buying gin to make sloe gin as their alcohol is cheaper and the fruit is too. But I don't think I can do a whole shop there. The bread always puts me off...

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