Pottering around in Potter's Field in my lunchbreak earlier today, I found this guy.
You never know what you might find in More London, I swear. Camels one week; statues of ancient tribespeople the next. I'm not sure I particularly like this sculpture: somehow it really doesn't seem to fit with the area, where there are more abstract pieces of art, and a very modern vibe. But I'm sure he'll blend in eventually. That's what London's like, right?
There's loads of long-range theatre news about this week.
My favourite being the annoucement that Kevin Spacey's going to do Richard III at the Old Vic for 2012. And it'll be directed by none other than that chap Judi Dench described as "My dear boy" when he was about 16 and starting out, Sam Mendes.
Now there's something to get excited about in the Olympic year. There's a show I'd sign up for ticketing alerts and endure endless near-irrelevant emails in the meantime...
In my head it's all modern and twitchy, and Our Kev's grown a moustache to signify that he's a bit evil, and all the women are played by total stars. But that's just in my head.
This last week of August is becoming almost farcical in its rubbishness, culturally and meteorologically speaking.
Apart from the end of the month, and at last, a move into September and some sensibleness with a return of the government, children back in their schools and proper plays opening in the West End, there's really nothing much at all to look forward to.
And the weather is utterly, relentlessly bad.
Happily, many Hendrix fans are excited about a new exhibition at the Handel House Museum, so at least other people are looking forward to something. I guess if you're a fan, this exhibition must sound completely unmissable. It's the kind of thing that the other musicy venues, like the BME and the Hard Rock Cafe can only dream about, really.
It probably won't come as a surprise that I loved the BBC's new Sherlock mini-series.
To my mind, Sherlock had everything a good TV show should have. Fab scripts, nice twists, beautifully shot, wonderfully acted.
And, as m@ londonist has pointed out, it was saturated with shots of sexy London. OK, so the second episode of the trio was significantly weaker in my opinion, but I'm willing to overlook that for the classy quality of the rest. The third episode fight scene alone was a terrific piece of TV: it had me holding my breath in wonder...
So, too, did the the arrival of Moriarty. I was paused, waiting for a quiet moment to start breathing again. Here, to my mind, was an unknown, although clearly terrifically talented, actor chewing up the scenery like he'd been born to do it. (His performance soon disipated my all my initial disappointment that Moriarty wasn't a woman.) It was quite a surprise. I suppose I was expecting Moriarty to be played by someone as familiar to me as Sherlock, Watson, Mrs Hudson and Lestrade are.
Turns out, of course, that he's been around for a while. Of course. Andrew Scott was even credited in Saving Private Ryan. And he's been winning awards left, right and centre in London's theatres for a while now.
Researching the upcoming Design For Living at the Old Vic, I came upon this:
If I'm to bring theatre news to the Visit London Blog every Thursday, in order to increase inbound links to theatre pages, and talk about shows we'd never have the time to write about normally, I'm going to have to, as my first-ever Italian student Franciso would say, "put a piece of my heart in the pan."
Here it is. Wrapped up in sensible updates about what's happening this week in the merry-go-round of theatrical press releases, is my birthday, my first (and probably still best) West End musical experience, my fave nearly-Dorothy and a two references to actors who I happen to find quite sexy.
Be honest: it's less messy than what Francisco was suggesting, isn't it?
Sometimes you head outside for a lunchtime wander around More London and Potter's Field and there's nothing of interest to distract you from the silent in-head planning of your afternoon / next big idea / wedding.
Today was different. Today, there were camels, giving kids rides around on the grass by the river. A nice stunt by easyjet.
A good photo op for your now-never-without-her-camera correspondent.
It's very rainy and grey in London today: not the kind of weather that makes you make plans, book tickets, and get excited about going out, it has to be said.
Sometimes, August in London is just a bit strange. Empty desks in offices, totally unexpected weather, a weird Bank Holiday, not much going on, the feeling that you could be on holiday, but you aren't...
Nevertheless, here's the latest on what's going on in mainstream theatre, art, dance and opera-ish things from londonist: Arts Ahead.
