#I think Lili's known he's trans for a while. and been on t for at least 3 years at least

[lulu-draws-stuff]

do yyou think you can share any transmasc lili or transfem raz design ideas you have

Ok ! I didn't have any designs planned out yet, so I took this ask as an opportunity to try my hand at it :] maybe I'll line and color this later, idk

(Any pronouns for Raz and he/they for Lili here ok)

[jghouse-asia-pacific]

New Post has been published on https://www.jg-house.com/2019/08/24/deceit-desire-saigon/

Deceit and Desire: Saigon

At 9:00am, Lan and I finished breakfast and left the dining room on the 2nd floor of Hotel Vissai to go to the Golden Smile Clinic. It was on Ký Hoà Street in District 5 of Ho Chi Minh City, about 30 minutes away. The previous night a new patient, from Australia, had arrived in the city formerly known as Saigon. The woman, Mary Lynn Tefford, lived in Canberra, Australia, and was desperate.

“She will be at my mother’s clinic at 10:00,” Lan said as we rode down in the elevator. “She phoned two weeks ago. She flew in yesterday.”

We exited the lobby and waited on the sidewalk in the polluted air. Binh, my taxi driver, brought his small car to a halt before us. He smiled, revealing a gap in his top teeth, a gap which hadn’t been present the previous day. Two days prior, he had mentioned needing to see a dentist, but I assumed he was going to have a minor procedure, like a teeth cleaning or a filling replaced.

Young Men Playing Cards, Saigon, Vietnam

The Edge of the City

The first rain clouds, dark specters, appeared on the horizon as Binh wove in and out of the buses, cars, and motorcycles on Nguyễn Văn Trỗi Street, the main thoroughfare between the airport and the center of Saigon in District 1.

By now, though, the daily changes in the weather were familiar.

Binh turned right on Công Ty Cp Bằng Hữu Quốc Tế-Cửa Hàng Số Street and then merged onto an even busier street, Trần Huy Liệu.

As Binh drove, he stared periodically at Lan and me sitting in the back seat. He wanted to listen to the story about Mary, the new client whom Lan’s mother’s had acquired and intended to treat for a recently discovered benign tumor in her uterus.

“She’s 42 years old,” Lan said. “She’s re-married. She wants to have a child with her new husband.”

Binh looked out the window and waved to a woman on a motorbike, who waved back at him.

“Mary doesn’t want to have surgery,” Lan said. “She wants to avoid any cutting with scalpels and a long recuperation from the trauma of surgery.”

Binh soon halted the car in an alley between Lương Nhữ Học and Triệu Quang Phục Streets. The area was popular with people looking for natural or herbal healers and for acquiring exotic and sometimes very expensive medicines.

Streetside Pedicure, Saigon, Vietnam

Golden Smile Clinic

Inside the Golden Smile Clinic, we saw the same miniature clerk who had greeted us two days before. She was 25 years old, but looked 16, and wore a white pressed blouse, skirt, and stiletto heels.

The clerk passed through a door at the back of the clinic, and we followed her into a narrow yard. We immediately saw a garden with an impressive collection of plants, not only sprouting from the ground but growing in pots hanging from a wooden structure with curls drooping onto the ground. The clerk pruned several leaves off of a tall vine with white and pink flowers, a pink-striped trumpet lily.

“We grow them for our clients,” a woman’s voice coming from behind me said. I turned and saw Lan’s mother. She smiled at me.

The clerk then cut off a Vietnamese coriander sprout and gave it to Lan’s mother. The clerk disappeared back into the clinic again.

The mother spoke to me. “Western medicine can help only so much in the most severe cases. I know it is the same in your country, even though you have many big hospitals and expensive clinics.”

The clerk, who re-appeared suddenly with a surprised look on her face, said a few words in Vietnamese to Lan and her mother, standing next to each other beside me.

“Mary has arrived,” Lan said, turning to me. “You can stay in the garden, if you like. Just relax until Mary leaves.”

Lan and her mother went inside.

“Do you want some water?” asked the clerk, whose name was Tran. “Perhaps coconut milk?” I shook my head to both questions.

The humidity was rising quickly. Lan and her mother didn’t return to the garden as Tran led me from plant to plant in the yard, describing each one and its uses, including the tần dày lá, or plectranthus amboinicus, for respiratory tract disorders; the sả hoa hồng, or palmarosa, for skin maladies; and the rau má, or centella asiatica, for blood circulation.

When I went into the clinic again, I saw Lan and her mother with the new patient, Mary, talking in low voices.

The Australian woman, who had short, blond hair and wore a blue polo shirt, tennis shorts, and Adidas shoes, was drinking a green liquid from a painted glass. The woman looked closer to 25 than 45 years old; she was muscular and appeared athletic and coordinated.

“My goal is to reduce the size of the tumor inside me so I can get pregnant again,” Mary said to me after shaking my hand. She looked as if she wanted to tell me more about herself, but she seemed to be distracted. “It’s important.” A jeep pulled up outside. “I have to leave. I’ll see you again, I’m sure.”

Two Men Contemplating Their Next Move, Saigon, Vietnam

In the Heart of the City

I told Lan that I had to go to District 1 and collect a folder of statistics on bilingual students speaking English and Vietnamese. Lan looked at me, disappointed, and her mother frowned. An idea occurred to me. I asked Lan if she could meet me for dinner at 7:30 in the rooftop bar of the Rex Hotel, one of the most iconic landmarks in Saigon.

Lan’s mother nodded, as if giving her daughter permission.

Karen had said to me earlier that morning that Duy planned to take her to the Rex at 8:00. Lan agreed to meet me. I wanted Karen and Lan to have an opportunity to talk. Although they were my two best friends in Vietnam, I suspected that they would soon hate each other or, more realistically, that they already did. I wanted to introduce them to each other before matters got any worse.

At noon, dark clouds gathered overhead as Binh brought his taxi to a stop on Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai Street.

A door opened on the ground floor of the three-story house, and Karen appeared in the doorway. “Emily is here,” she said. “I’m going to take her to SEAMEO when I go back for my afternoon class. You can come with us to the school. I have the folder ready for you in my classroom.”

I stepped inside. The smell of a recently cooked meal was obvious.

“Emily wants an extra teaching job,” Karen said to me, as we entered the kitchen. “But do you really need this job?” Karen said to Emily, who had just entered the room from another door.

“Yes,” Emily replied. “I can’t take any money from my mother in Texas right now. She opposes my relationship with Cao. I need the extra cash.”

Karen stared at Emily. “Do you really think that Cao will sacrifice his career in the army for you?” Karen said. Cao was a major in the Vietnamese army and rising fast in the Communist Party in Saigon.

“Why would he lie to me?”

I could think of at least ten good reasons. I thought that probably Karen could, too.

Two Women on a Motorbike, Saigon, Vietnam

SEAMEO School

Because Karen had to be back at the school at 1:30pm, I had to walk with her and Emily as they argued. Finally, from Lê Thánh Tôn Street, we entered the courtyard of the school, a property which once housed the CIA headquarters in Saigon.

Emily stopped and turned to Karen. “I appreciate your help in introducing me to the administrators here,” Emily said, “but I don’t understand your attitude toward Cao. I know you had a bad break-up recently. I guess you’re still hurting.”

Karen shook her head.

“I feel bad for what happened to you,” Emily continued. She was referring to Karen’s recent affair with a security guard during which he had fathered secretly a child with another woman.

Karen didn’t reply.

“Although Vietnamese men have a reputation for promiscuity,” Emily said, “I’m not concerned. I know Cao loves me. My situation is different.”

More dark clouds gathered in the skies above us, blunting the force of the sun’s rays but, at the same time, turning up the humidity.

“What Cao says now and what he says next month very likely will be different,” Karen replied with a scowl on her face.

“Let’s go and see the director,” Emily replied, ending the conversation.

Street Vendor, Saigon, Vietnam

Inside a Stretch Limousine

After walking the short distance from SEAMEO to Hotel InterContinental, I stopped under a tree on Hai Bà Trưng Street across from the hotel. A black stretch Mercedes stopped in front of me.

Although the driver, a Vietnamese man in his 20s, could have been anyone, I thought I recognized the big car. When the window in the back of the car rolled down, I recognized Howard in the dark interior. The car, I knew, belonged to Howard’s friend, Emile.

I assumed, then, that Emile’s girlfriend, Natasha, was with Howard in the car. I remembered that Natasha had just flown in from Moscow where she lived most of the year. Probably Howard and Natasha were on their way to look at more properties in the tony districts of the city. Natasha wanted a villa to rent, and Emile wanted Howard, who was a long-time friend from Pittsburgh—part of a large Jewish community in that city—to help her find a suitable one.

But I thought Emile also wanted Howard to help Emile hide his increasingly serious relationship with a young Vietnamese woman, a financial analyst who worked for Emile. Howard had become a shield or a diversion, enabling Emile to pursue the affair. I had tried to warn Howard, but he didn’t want to listen to me. He was in a dangerous position.

“Good afternoon,” Howard said, opening the door. “It’s cool in here with the air conditioning on.”

Howard slid to the opposite side of the car, and, while closing the door, I sat where he had been sitting. Phi, sitting beside Natasha, was facing me. Natasha was facing Howard.

The window next to me went up again, and the big car started to move quietly, as if it had a mind of its own. While the air cooled my face and arms, the blue light overhead made me relax and forget about the two American women, Karen and Emily.

“Howard thinks he knows the real-estate market in Saigon better than I do,” Phi remarked. “How long has Howard been here?” Phi said. “A month? It’s impossible. Absurd.”

Natasha glanced at me. “Although Howard knows the real-estate market in the States,” she said, hesitating and calling attention to her Slavic accent, “how he might or might not be able to find a house for me in Saigon is not important. I have Phi helping me.” She ran a hand through her hair, looking at me, expecting a reply.

Natasha, in her 30s, had high cheek bones, full lips highlighted with a pinkish gloss, and extra long dark hair. She looked more than exotic. She looked expensive.

I noticed Howard staring at me, wanting me to defend him, but I glanced at Natasha and decided I should refrain. The situation was complicated. I could have said many things, but I said nothing instead.

Natasha preferred a villa in the An Phu neighborhood, an exclusive area, located in District 2, but she hadn’t bothered to tell any of us, or even Emile himself, what she expected. Anyway, I knew that she had her own money and did what she wanted when she felt like it.

Emile was a little afraid of Natasha. All of us were.

Howard picked up some papers lying next to him on the seat. “From the listing for the property Phi has selected,” Howard said, “I don’t know why we should even bother driving out to it and viewing it.” He pointed to the listing. “It’s written in English. I have pictures, too.” He looked up at Natasha. “I know what the place has to offer. Nothing.”

Natasha, dressed in shorts with a see-through shift covering her legs and her upper body, placed a hand on Phi’s arm. “We’re going to see the place you’ve selected,” she remarked. “Don’t worry about it or worry about what Howard says or worry about what Emile might have told anyone. It’s my decision.”

Now I noticed Natasha wore a gold chain around her neck with a gold medallion suspended between her breasts. Howard looked out the window of the Mercedes. “What street is this?” he said.

Woman Eating Lunch at the Market, Saigon, Vietnam

Bar on the Ground Floor of the Hotel InterContinental

It was 4:00 in the afternoon. The crowd at Hotel InterContinental’s ground-floor bar, called Purple Jade, occupied all of the tables. A group of foreigners—all men—sat close by. The men spoke with English accents. Natasha, Howard, Phi, and I sat at a separate table next to the four middle-aged Englishmen. They had been been gambling at a casino, called the Palazzo Club, a couple of blocks away. Three of them were discussing what they had lost. The fourth bragged about what he had won.

“I told you,” Howard said, looking at Phi, “the master bathroom has to connect to the master bedroom. And, as you will recall, in the last place we visited, it did not.” Howard drank some wine from his glass. “Also,” he continued, “you must keep in mind that Natasha has a maid and a hairdresser. They go with her.”

We had walked through a villa with 12 rooms, renting for $20,000 a month. Natasha had followed Phi through all of the empty rooms and been impressed with the lay-out of the house.

“The place was beautiful, but it was not for me,” Natasha said. “We’ll look at two more places tomorrow if I have enough time.”

Howard drank some more wine. He looked at me and then at Natasha. “Don’t feel like you have to settle,” Howard said. “Phi has to find something you actually want.”

“That’s the problem,” Natasha said. She smiled. “I don’t know actually what I want.” She looked at the Englishmen, almost dismissively.

Abruptly Natasha stood up from the table. Her see-through shift seemed to get caught on her chair. “I’m going upstairs,” she announced. Her bare thigh brushed my arm as she passed between the tables.

The men from Great Britain watched Natasha. They smiled, a little sheepishly. They wanted to question us about Natasha, but they didn’t. They were silent for the first time.

Motorbike Riders Awaiting a Green Light, Saigon, Vietnam

Driving in the Rain

Under the tree on Hai Bà Trưng Street across from the entrance to Hotel InterContinental, I waited for Binh to arrive in his taxi and take me back to Hotel Vissai. The rain came down in sheets. Howard had borrowed a large umbrella for me from the concierge.

In the taxi, Binh practiced his English. I paid no attention. My thoughts turned to Karen, who now showed an interest in a relationship with Duy. Or, at least, she acted as if she no longer opposed one.

Binh pulled up in front of Hotel Vissai. I asked him to pick me up in one hour.

After showering, dressing, and sending e-mail messages to the States, I found myself back in the taxi with Binh. It was still raining. Once again, Binh talked to me in English. Once again, I paid no attention to him. I thought about Karen and Duy.

At the Rex Hotel on Nguyễn Huệ Street in District 1, in the heart of Saigon, I saw that it was brightly lit in the wet, shiny darkness.

“Are you going to meet the American woman or the Vietnamese?” Binh said.

“Both,” I replied. “It’s probably a bad idea.”

Garbage Collectors, Saigon, Vietnam

Bar on the Roof of the Rex Hotel

Under the awning, a cool breeze was blowing over the tops of nearby buildings and distant streets. I took a sip of Malbec, apparently imported from Argentina, and set the glass back down. I sat near the entrance on the rooftop where I had a clear view of the elevator and of people arriving. It was 7:30. The rain had stopped and a cool breeze swept across the city.

A couple emerged from the elevator.

At first, I didn’t recognize Karen, who, wearing makeup and high heels, looked 10 years older than usual. She was taller than Duy. Even for a Vietnamese man, he was short. The maître d’, wearing a black and orange uniform, led the two of them to a table along the railing at the front of the restaurant, where they had a view of the park below. They didn’t see me.

When the musicians started playing, I turned around to listen and, a minute later. I felt Lan beside me, touching my arm.

“Is that wine for me?” she asked.

She knew it wasn’t, but she started to drink it anyway.

The music was loud; the singer, with long, black hair, was Filipina, but she sounded American when she took the microphone and began singing.

“I know the song. It’s by the Eagles,” I said. “I can’t remember its name.”

Lan laughed. “Take It Easy,” she said. “It was sung by Glenn Frey.”

A Band Performs, Saigon, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh’s Statue

“I like your dress,” I said to Karen. Lan nodded. I knew she wasn’t agreeing with me. Far from it. Lan didn’t like Karen, although she never said so.

I sat next to the railing on the rooftop and looked down into the street and the adjacent park. I stared at the bronze statue of Ho Chi Minh, a symbol of the past in the middle of the park.

“We went to the opera two nights ago,” Karen said. “We saw the Magic Flute, which turned out to be very good. First class.”

Lan didn’t respond.

Lan knew the opera and liked Mozart in particular, but she was pretending she didn’t to stifle the conversation.

“My friend was singing a leading role, the role of Pamina,” Duy volunteered. “I’ve known her for many years, someone I knew up the coast in Hoi An.”

I couldn’t keep my mind engaged. I stopped following the conversation.

After a few moments, I realized I was staring at Duy and Karen. My mood quickly was worsening.

I had hoped that Lan would like Karen. Now I knew it was impossible.

#LifeCulture, #Vietnam #Beauty, #HoChiMinhCity, #Love, #SoutheastAsia

[gayside-blog]

You have to do them all sorry I don’t make the rules

This about to be so long! But thank you! This kept me busy while at work! I didn’t include questions I answered already so scroll down a couple posts on my blog to see those.

Amaranth: Pronouns/Gender?

Male, he/him

Amaryllis: Birthday?

July 18!

Angelonia: Favorite TV show?

The Office will always be a classic

Aster: What’s one of your favorite quotes?

“If you come to a fork in the road, take it.” I was always very indecisive until I heard this and it just made a lot of sense to me. Along the same line, “Take it easy, but take it.”

Aubrieta: Favorite drink?

Water! But my favorite special drink is probably hot chocolate in winter and lemonade in the summer

Baby’s Breath: Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?

I shouldn’t! (I don’t think I could)

Baneberries: Favorite song?

Literally changes every hour but The Good Side by Troye Sivan has been up there for a while. Iscariot is stuck in my head at the moment. Boy Meets Evil gets an honorable mention. This question is too hard

Basket of Gold: Describe your family.

I have my mom who’s a teacher, my brother Scott who’s 20 (21 in a few weeks!) and studying applied math, my sister Amanda who’s 18 and studying animation! I also have a (beautiful) dog Lexie who is 10 and practicing vigilance. I also have a whole extended family that I love and who support me and a bunch of compassionate friends who I want to give the world to

Beebalm: Do you have a best friend? Who is it?

I have many! Amanda, Lio and Alex, and Annie and Gabe :) And Lexie!

Begonia: Favorite color?

Yellow probably! The pale kind!

Bellflower: Favorite animal?

Literally any animal, but especially dogs and cats and squirrels and guinea pigs!

Bergenia: Are you a morning or night person?

I think I’m going to be a morning person but I love staying up late & in college, everyone kind of has to be a night person

Black-Eyed Susan: If you could be any animal for a day, what would it be?

What happens to the animal when I become it?? If I become an animal does that animal then become me? Who’s going to my classes? Do I have work? Do people still know I’m me? Can I talk? What about to other animals? Am I still in Ann Arbor? I have a lot of questions

Bluemink: What are your thoughts on children?

I like kids! I really am excited to be a parent! My number one priority in life is to be a good one

Borage: Give a random fact about your childhood.

Uhh I remember none of it!

Buttercup: Relationship Status?

I’m not dating anyone right now

Camelia: If you could visit anywhere, where would you want to go?

I think it’d be cool to leave the country! But I haven’t really travelled much so I still think going anywhere is exciting !

Canna: Do you have any tattoos?  

Nope!

Canterbury Bells: Do you have any piercings?

Nope!

California Poppy: Height?

5’5

Cardinal Flower: Do you believe in ghosts?

I don’t know! I think it’s a bit silly to say no because I don’t have any evidence that they /don’t/ but I don’t that they do either. The world is weird. I’d like to be a ghost for a bit so I hope they do!

Carnation: What are you currently wearing?  

Boots and jeans and a red t-shirt (I realize I wear this most Thursdays)

Catnip: Have you ever slept with a nightlight?

Yeah!

Chives: Who was the last person you hugged?

My friend Kelsey

Chrysanthemum: Who’s the last person you kissed?

An ex

Cock’s Comb: Favorite font?

Hind

Columbine: Are you tired?

A little, yeah. I haven’t slept much these past few days & I think it’s time for a good night’s sleep

Coneflower: Dream job?

I recently am thinking I’d like to teach some college nursing courses one day but I’m not sure! I’d love to get my MSN or DNP and practice as an NP

Crane’s-Bill: Introvert or extrovert?

A little bit of both. Almost an extrovert

Crown Imperial: What’s the farthest you would go for someone you care about?

This is hard. I would do almost anything for someone I care about. I don’t think I would let someone abuse me mentally, physically, or emotionally, but also I would save someone I really cared about over myself if it came down to it. Does that make sense? I think it matters that they also care about me and that what I do for others is out of mutual respect and love not manipulation or abuse.

Cyclamen: Did you have a favorite stuffed animal as a child? What was it?

I did! Her name is Rabby and she is a rabbit. She was initially my brother’s but he wasn’t interested so I got her when I was born. I also had Baby Blue and he is a very small blue bunny & Rabby’s adopted son.

Daffodil: What’s your zodiac sign?

Cancer

Dahlia: Have you done anything worth remembering?

Depends who you ask, but I think so!

Daisy: What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment?

Becoming a kinder person

Dendrobium: Who is the last person that you said “I love you” to?

Amanda, I think!

False Goat’s Beard: What is something you are good at?

I’m generally a good student! I have a good work ethic

Foxgloves: What’s something you’re bad at?

Typing :( I failed fifth grade typing, so I still use the two-finger method. Also I’m not good at dancing but I’d love to be!

Freesia: What are three good things that have happened in the past month?

I had a really great spring break with Alex and Lio!!

I went to the Arb with Alex the other day and saw a bunch of deer right up close!

I’ve learned more about myself!

Garden Cosmos: How was your day today?

Honestly I’ve been feeling pretty anxious today but I did get lunch with Lio and it’s a pretty chill day at work so it hasn’t been too bad!

Gardenia: Are you happy with where you’re at in your life?

Yes. I appreciate where I’m at and how far I’ve come and I’m unbelievably proud of that, but I also have so much more to improve upon and grow with so I’m excited for the future as well.

Gladiolus: What is something you hope to do in the next year or two?

I’m uhh considering coming out to my nursing friends as gay. We’ll see what happens

Heliotropium: What helps you calm down when you feel stressed?  

Music. If my thoughts are very loud then I turn up the music really loud and it drowns them out enough to calm down. If I’m anxious, very quiet music helps. The more anxious I feel, the quieter the music. I don’t know why it works but it does. (Note to include here is that what doesn’t help is touch!)

Hoary Stock: What are you proudest of?

Actively working towards bettering myself and my life (still and always working more, but that doesn’t negate the progress already made)

Hollyhock: Describe your ideal day.

I just love spending time with people I care about. It’d probably involve staying up late up to antics or chatting and cooking (and eating) some good food and not anything extravagant. Ideally there’d be pets involved too.

Hyacinth: What do you like to do in your free time?  

Usually I like to just take time for myself. Self care, working out, meditation, Netflix, reading, or practicing the things I’d like to learn (recently, this has been handstands). I think it’s good to enjoy spending time with myself!

Hydrangea: How long have you known your best friend? How did you meet them?

Like I said, I have many! I’ve known Amanda for my whole life. We got Lexie when I was almost 9. I met Gabe in seventh grade, Annie in sophomore year (but we didn’t become really good friends until senior year!) and I met Lio and Alex September last year when I moved to AA!

Irises: Who can you talk to about (almost) everything?

Amanda

Laceleaf: How many friends do you have?

A lot! I probably have like 15 close friends but I couldn’t really sit down and list everyone

Lantanas: What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?

I don’t know! It’s nice when people believe I’m kind or cool!

Larkspur: What do you think of yourself?

I think I’m a pretty kind and genuine person. I tend to be optimistic and I like that because it took a lot of CBT to get to this point. I do think I’m smart but I also feel that a lot of that comes from work rather than natural kind of ability. I’m also becoming more assertive which is a big deal for me and makes me feel more confident! I think most of the time I look good but I want to work towards being more physically fit and feeling like I look cool because I’m not a big fan of the clothes and things I wear right now. Other than that, I think I come off as a good person and people tend to trust me and depend on me which I appreciate.

Lavender: What’s your favorite thing about yourself?

I tend to be a pretty open-minded person and I like that I try to empathize with and understand other’s positions and adapt to them

Leather Flower: What’s your least favorite thing about yourself?  

I don’t think I’m very fun, especially around people I don’t know very well

Lilac: What’s something you liked to do as a child?

My siblings and I would spend a lot of time playing the colony game which I loved! It’s a simulation game we made up and as we grew it got more and more complex which was awesome

Lily: Who was your best friend when you were a kid?

I had a few! Mallory, Lindsey, Kirsten, Summer!

Lily of the Incas: What is something you still feel guilty for?

Just every inconsiderate thing I’ve ever said or done

Lily of the Nile: What is something you feel guilty for that you shouldn’t feel guilty about?

Being trans/gay

Lupine: What does your name mean? Why is that your name?

Charles means masculine! My mom just liked I guess and it’s also a little bit of a family name! Fun fact though I really love that my mom picked my name

Marigold: Where did you grow up? Tell us about it.

I grew up in the house I live in now! It was always very cozy. The house is really a communal space 100% so I never felt like I couldn’t be anywhere growing up which is so good and it also has a nice backyard and we had a trampoline which was my favorite thing!! I would spend all day out there just being a kid and it was incredible

Morning Glory: What was your bedroom like growing up?

Sparse! We didn’t have many toys besides a couple stuffed animals each but my (and Amanda’s) room had a bunk bed, two dressers, and a bookshelf

Mugworts: What was it like for you as a teenager? Did you enjoy your teenage years?  

From what I can remember, I was going through it from about age 10-16. When I started junior year, I ended a toxic relationship and started going to therapy a lot more and it’s only gone up since then!

Norwegian Angelica: Tell us about your mom.

She’s a fifth grade teacher and you’d know that as soon as you meet her! She talks a lot and is very excitable but I love that because for a long time she’s been mentally and emotionally not doing great. It wasn’t easy growing up with her the way she was but now we are both in such better places and I feel closer to her than ever. It’s a work in progress. She is big into physical contact in a way that I’m not comfortable with but that really allowed me to practice being assertive and setting boundaries in a healthy but kind way which has been good for me. She really loves me and my siblings and most people with her whole heart. I love her a lot even though we’re very different people.

Onions: Tell us about your dad.  

Oof. I don’t have much to say about him I guess.

Orchid: Tell about your grandparents.

They’re awesome!! Pop can be a lot sometimes but we all know it and he’s working on it. They both have such compassion and my grandma is the most graceful person in the world (she’d never let me say that about her if she could hear it but she really is incredible.) Pop is the person who pushes me the most academically but I know he is looking out for me and sometimes he softens up for a sec and goes on about how proud he is and I could cry every time. Both of them give the best hugs. I love them a lot and I’m so grateful they’re in my life.

Pansy: What was your most memorable birthday? What made it be so memorable?

I’m not sure what year it was—I think 14—but my sister had a softball tournament in Wisconsin that week so we were staying in a Wisconsin Dells hotel and it was very hot and I didn’t really want to be at the game. Then, the other team didn’t show up!! So we went back to the hotel and we spent the day at the waterpark and it was so fun and already a great day and then when we came up to the room, my mom pulled out a gift for us that I had no idea she had snuck along and it was just the nicest surprise of a day I’ve ever had :’-)

Peony: What was your first job?

Babysitting! But I guess the first proper job I had was as a janitor

Petunia: If you’re in a relationship, how did you meet your partner(s)? If you’re not in a relationship, how did you meet your crush/how do you hope to meet your future partner(s), if you want any?

At school!

Pincushion: How do you deal with pain?

I think I have a pretty high physical pain tolerance. Most of it is a mental game for me

Plantain Lilies: If you could go back in time, what is one thing you would stop/change?

I don’t know! I’m a strong believer in the butterfly effect so probably nothing (@alex this is a Jin move) but if everything else would be the same, I’d start focusing on recovering/therapy earlier and transition immediately

Prairie Gentian: Who is someone you look up to? Describe them.

I look up to so many people but I haven’t talked enough about my brother yet so. He’s so cool! I always admired him for being smart and creative (he would make up the most fun games when we were kids!!) but he’s also super charismatic and likable and he’s great in social situations! And still overall, he’s a kind and reliable and caring person. I love talking to him about philosophy and things because he’s super passionate about it and he thinks through things thoroughly and in a way I never thought about before. We’ve grown so much closer in the past few years and I love that.

Primrose: Describe your ideal life.

I just want to be happy and make the people around me happy!

Rhodendron: What is something you used to believe in as a child?

Santa!

Ricinus: Who’s the most important in your life?

Amanda

Rose: What’s your favorite sound?

Rain outside when I’m inside and it’s just a little chilly

Rosemallows: What’s your favorite memory?

I have so many great memories and I can’t pick just one!! I have nice memories of my family spending winter weekends all in pjs and sitting in our family room reading with fire in the fireplace and those are very nice! I also have a lot of great memories at the Culver’s by my house bc that was the high school place to hang out and it was always a fun, chill time :)

Sage: What’s your least favorite memory?

The most loaded question?? I have some bad memories from being a kid but I’m not going to talk about them in a Tumblr response

St. John’s Wort: Is it easy or difficult for you to express how you feel about things?

Usually kind of difficult if it’s got to with emotional things because I’m still working on distinguishing which emotions are which so articulating that can be a challenge when I’m already not feeling good

Sunflower: What is something you don’t want to imagine life without?

Lexie :(

Sweet Pea: How much sleep did you get last night?

5-6 hours

Tickseed: What’s your main reason to get up every morning?

I try to get excited for something happening that day! I also will make time for meditation or something if I’m anticipating a rough day

Touch-Me-Not: How do you feel about your current job?

I like it a lot! I work in the nursing clinical simulation lab and I’m learning a lot and it’s exciting to be getting the chance to practice stuff before doing it for class

Tropical White Morning Glory: Describe your aesthetic.  

I’m into the pastel inspirational quotes and things because they make me feel very calm. I’m also a big fan of things with symbols and stuff

Wisteria: How many books have you read in the past few months? What were they called?

I think the last non-textbook I read was The Stranger over winter break! It was really good!

Wolf’s Bane: Where do you want to be in life this time next year?

I want to be applying for CNA summer jobs and spending time with my best friends and feeling accomplished about being halfway through nursing school!!!

Yarrow: Do you know what vore is?

I think so but I don’t want to

Zinnia: Give a random fact about yourself.

One day I drank like 150 oz of water in 3 hours and got very sick

[sydrave]

Charlie asked me to do all of them...

Alisons: Sexuality? Queer? Like panro ace ish

Amaranth: Pronouns/Gender? Non-binary/male, they/he

Amaryllis: Birthday? 11.24.99

Anemone: Favorite flower? I love receiving daisies and sunflowers and roses. Yellow daffodils are my absolute favorite though. 

Angelonia: Favorite t.v. show? I don't watch a ton but I enjoy dystopias and YA series

Arum-Lily: What’s the farthest you’d go for a stranger? As far as they'd like me to without putting myself in too much of a risky situation. Pet peeve is when people assume I need help, so I'd ask first. 

Baby’s Breath: Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? Absolutely not.

Balsam Fir: Have you ever been in love? Yes

Baneberries: Favorite song? Right now I'm digging Tyler Glenn Midnight

Basket of Gold: Describe your family. Pretty average divorced family. I don't wanna get into too much detail publicly. I have a mom and a dad and a sister and a stepmom.

Beebalm: Do you have a best friend? Who is it? Ren! Danny boy! Charlie! Alex! Al-Pal!

Begonia: Favorite color? Yellow -- all shades of it, including gold.Bergenia: Are you a morning or night person? Night, but slow mornings to reset are so lovely.

Black-Eyed Susan: If you could be any animal for a day, what would it be?A bird. I'd love to fly. Mobility, I guess? I've also always just wanted to fly

Bloodroots: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Paleontologist. Plan B was a pop star.

Bluemink: What are your thoughts on children? I love them! I'd like my own but I'm a little afraid and have some stuff to figure out first.

Borage: Give a random fact about your childhood. I was bullied pretty bad in elementary school, pre-coming out and everything. I ended up needing to switch schools.

Bugleherb: How would you spend your last day on Earth?  I value my own time and happiness a lot, so I don't think much would be different. I'd love to spend time with Charlie and Alex. Bri and Mom, too. I'd like to see Dad and Brittany before heading out. Books and music, soup, nice smelling lotion, the works. Something gentle and full of love.

Buttercup: Relationship Status? Single and less happy about it

Camelia: If you could visit anywhere, where would you want to go? I'm in love with the Cali beaches. San Diego is lovely. The coast.

Canna: Do you have any tattoos?  No, but I'd maybe like some someday.

Canterbury Bells: Do you have any piercings?  No, don't want any.

California Poppy: Height?  5'3

Carnation: What are you currently wearing?  Jeans, yellow converse, Flint pride t-shirt, brown jacket. Red beanie on and off. Kaliope has been out for a bit today but she's away currently.

Catnip: Have you ever slept with a nightlight? Still do, but I'm not opposed to the dark.

Chives: Who was the last person you hugged? Charlie last night

Chrysanthemum: Who’s the last person you kissed? Elliot

Cock’s Comb: Favorite font? The typewriter one

Columbine: Are you tired? Right now, yes, emotionally. I'm feeling Big Sad today.

Common Boneset: What are you looking forward to? Dinner with my friends tonight. Getting my journals done.

Coneflower: Dream job? Working with queer youth in a queer little bubble. 

Crane’s-Bill: Introvert or extrovert? Both? Formerly exclusively introvert. Now I'm not sure.

Crocus: Have you ever been in love? Yes

Crown Imperial: What’s the farthest you would go for someone you care about? As far as they'd consent.

Cyclamen: Did you have a favorite stuffed animal as a child? What was it? Yes! Several! Muu was the biggest one. She was a Webkinz Jr Pig. Muitha Marie Hammie was her full name.

Daffodil: What’s your zodiac sign? Saggitarius

Dahlia: Have you done anything worth remembering? A lot of things but I'm sentimental and value memories

Daisy: What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment? I ended up kind. 

Daylily: What would you do if your parents didn’t like your partner(s)?  Cry probably. It depends on what their concern was. I'd probably hear them out but wouldn't base anything solely on that.

Dendrobium: Who is the last person that you said “I love you” to? Charlie, Alex, and Ren. I read this question last night and realized I didn't know, and I value telling my friends I love them, so I did. 

False Goat’s Beard: What is something you are good at? I'm trying to not use the words good/bad to describe myself, but I'll tell you something I enjoy! I really like reading!

Foxgloves: What’s something you’re bad at? Same as above -- I don't enjoy writing journal entries for school

Freesia: What are three good things that have happened in the past month? -I went to Chicago and Flint with Charlie and Alex!-She Kills Monsters!-I had a really good AMCULT class

Garden Cosmos: How was your day today? Today was tricky. I had a great, calm start with lots of water and self care and things that smell nice, but my day has gotten more frustrating and difficult as it went. I met Charlie for lunch which was lovely, but then people were saying really mean things about my friends and my show at my lab, and then I went to a class that I guess wasn't meeting today, and at work people were mean and they're kinda exploiting my city and calling it an "aesthetic." Plus I'm just regular sad too I guess. I'm feeling sad right now, and maybe a little anxious. 

Gardenia: Are you happy with where you’re at in your life? Absolutely. I've been working really hard to be able to say that.

Gladiolus: What is something you hope to do in the next year or two? Tackle this second major.

Glory-of-the-Snow: What are ten things that make you happy/you’re grateful to have in your life? People, coffee, soup, books, blankets, journals, poems, outside, night time, love.

Heliotropium: What helps you calm down when you feel stressed?  Blankets real tight wrapped around me. Things that smell nice but aren't overwhelming. Tactile things -- nice hugs and touches. 

Hoary Stock: What are you proudest of? My sister

Hollyhock: Describe your ideal day. Making breakfast with someone I love (romantic or not (preferably romantic) and could be more than one person but not a party y'know). Eat together and have some coffee. Nice sunlight. Snuggling and reading books or watching movies. Staying in comfy clothes all day. Maybe making them lunch or them making it for me. We can bake cookies and play games or build puzzles in the background. Soup is in there somewhere. Just a nice, cozy day in.

Hyacinth: What do you like to do in your free time?  I don't really have that but I like books

Hydrangea: How long have you known your best friend? How did you meet them? I'm gonna go with Ren. We met my first day of 6th grade, which was scary because I was the new kid (that whole switching schools thing). So, like 7 years now? She was the first person to show me kindness in a while. Irises: Who can you talk to about (almost) everything?I don't know if I have this person right now. Maybe Ren or Kota, but we don't talk terribly often. 

Laceleaf: How many friends do you have?I'm not sure how to count that. I consider a lot of people to be friends.

Lantanas: What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received? Someone told me once that I'd make his grandmother proud because of my dedication to disability representation. I cried. Still do when I think about it. Recently, someone told me, "Lio, a single word cannot encompass all you've done besides give," which was so kind of him.

Larkspur: What do you think of yourself? I think I'm pretty okay. I try to be a good person.

Lavender: What’s your favorite thing about yourself? I'm open to recognizing where I'm wrong and changing. 

Leather Flower: What’s your least favorite thing about yourself?  I'm really sensitive

Lilac: What’s something you liked to do as a child? Play Little House on the Prairie 

Lily: Who was your best friend when you were a kid? I had a few. Paige Albert, Meghan Donnelly, Megan Connelly, Izzy Carlyon, Ariana (idk her last name now she was adopted recently). 

Lily of the Incas: What is something you still feel guilty for? This is a Big Secret I'm never going to talk aboutLily of the Nile: What is something you feel guilty for that you shouldn’t feel guilty about?  Using resources and accommodations I needLupine: What does your name m

ean? Why is that your name? Derived from Helios, the Greek sun god. I thought it was fitting. 

Marigold: Where did you grow up? Tell us about it. Flushing. White, boring, and sad.

Morning Glory: What was your bedroom like growing up? It was light blue with the "Starlight Starbright" rhyme stenciled all around. Yellow glow in the dark stars and my name on the wall with the same material. Glitter constellations on the ceiling. 

Mugworts: What was it like for you as a teenager? Did you enjoy your teenage years?  (TW Mental Health)I struggled a lot. I was a trans kid in small-town midwest with anxiety and depression and an ED and had self-harm issues for a while. It wasn't great. I'm having a much better final teenage year though. 

[Skipping the ones about my family]

Pansy: What was your most memorable birthday? What made it be so memorable? I had a scavenger hunt in 7th grade! We had two cars of 4 and drove around Flint taking pictures with different things on the list. I was mad because my dad cheated so I'd lose, even though it was my birthday. It was a lot of fun though.

Peony: What was your first job? I tutored Algebra

Petunia: If you’re in a relationship, how did you meet your partner(s)? If you’re not in a relationship, how did you meet your crush/how do you hope to meet your future partner(s), if you want any? I'm not, but I don't have a specific way. I'd like to be their friend first.

Pincushion: How do you deal with pain? Distractions and meds. Kaliope. I just kind of have to, I'm not sure how I do it. 

Pink: Where is home? I'm not sure right now. 

Plantain Lilies: If you could go back in time, what is one thing you would stop/change? I would stay close with my sister and come out to her. I blame myself a lot for not being close to her. I feel like we should've had important conversations. 

Prairie Gentian: Who is someone you look up to? Describe them. Alex in Seattle. They care about things like I do, but they're a lot more assertive and less afraid to be mean. 

Primrose: Describe your ideal life. I think I might be living it. Romantic love would be nice, but I'm okay without it.

Rhodendron: What is something you used to believe in as a child? I had three ghosts in my house. Catherine, a girl my age that looked similar to me, Casper, like the friendly ghost, and Black Licorice, their black cocker spaniel ghost puppy. I used to ask them to stay with me at night and always felt safe with them, because I also had mean ghosts in my house.

Ricinus: Who’s the most important in your life? Myself and my sister.

Rose: What’s your favorite sound? I love piano. People who sing and give it everything.

Rosemallows: What’s your favorite memory? Recently, when everyone started calling me Lio without me prompting them to, especially my classmates.

Sage: What’s your least favorite memory? Don't want to think about it.

Snapdragon: At this moment, what do you want?  A long hug and some soup. 

St. John’s Wort: Is it easy or difficult for you to express how you feel about things? Both. I'm okay with talking about my feelings, but I'm learning how to use healthier language and methods which is difficult.

Sunflower: What is something you don’t want to imagine life without? Any aspect of my identity. I love being this weird, trans, queer, crip teenager that I am. 

Sweet Pea: How much sleep did you get last night? Never enough.

Touch-Me-Not: How do you feel about your current job? I want to quit. I like it, but the boss has strong opinions and I'm always in pain. 

Tulip: What would be the best present to get you? Love and affection. I'm not sure -- a coffee date? Soup? I like experiences more than things. If we're talking things, essential oils or blankets or stuffed animals or comfort things.

Vervain: What’s stressing you out most right now? Lab journals and school social life

Wisteria: How many books have you read in the past few months? What were they called? Lots and lots. The most important were Eli Clare's "Exile and Pride" and "Brilliant Imperfection."

Wolf’s Bane: Where do you want to be in life this time next year? Right here (or around the corner in my single I guess) with people I love. 

Yarrow: Do you know what vore is?I don't think so..?

Zinnia: Give a random fact about yourself.I hate random facts. 

[londontheatre]

Andrew Polec as Strat & Christina Bennington as Raven in BAT OUT OF HELL credit Specular

2017 has been a busy year with our team of reviewers attending and reviewing nearly 800 productions across London, including West End and Off-West End. These are the top picks for the year.

1. Bat Out of Hell The Musical – London Coliseum (21 June) Andrew Polec, as Strat (leader of ‘The Lost’, a collective of young rebels) leads a ridiculously talented cast with flair, energy and intensity. Polec’s vocals are outstanding, his stage presence amazing, and he was conspicuous by his absence whenever off-stage.

2. Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Apollo Theatre (22 November) Hilarious and hard-hitting in equal measure, this is a great British musical not to be missed. I don’t like this show. I love it.

3. Barber Shop Chronicles – National Theatre, Dorfman (7 June) Filled with laugh-out-loud humour as well as food for thought, this electrifying and magnificent production is theatrical heaven from beginning to end.

4. Henry V – Southwark Cathedral (3 February) I wasn’t prepared for… quite how different and spellbinding this production was from any other Henry V I’ve seen before… Powerful and poignant.

5. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Harold Pinter Theatre (9 March) The narrative unfolds over just one night, and this production is so intense and absorbing I found myself willing both the ‘interval’ of 15 minutes between Act 1 and Act 2 as well as the ‘pause’ of just five minutes between Act 2 and Act 3 to end.

6. The Life – Southwark Playhouse (30 March) The whole cast are well-drilled by veteran director Michael Blakemore, and the show is clearly influenced by more than one well-known musical theatre show […] what a magnificent and sensational production this is.

7. Hamlet – Harold Pinter Theatre (15 June) These sofas, these business suits, these sliding doors. It’s all bound to annoy the purists to high heaven. No matter. This is a surprisingly warm and inviting production, and a welcome addition to the many versions of this timeless play.

31 Hours – The Cast Photo by Lidia Crisafulli

8. 31 Hours – The Bunker Theatre (6 October) An admirable play with compelling performances, this intriguing and informative production doesn’t apportion blame or offer tidy solutions to a persistent problem. The script is poetic when it wants to be, other times flowing between characters so much it requires impeccable timing and pacing, which this cast possesses in abundance.

9. The State of Things – Jack Studio Theatre (13 September) A joyous final number sends the audience out with cheerfulness, even if all the ends aren’t tied up, loosely or otherwise. The script is tasteful and imaginative.

10. Fingering A Minor on the Piano – Soho Theatre (5 April) This is a compelling and passionate show, as much of an education into what’s really going on in the healthcare sector today as it is a fun-filled hour of hysterical anecdotes.

Chris Omaweng

*******

1. Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Bridewell Theatre This story of friendship and hope took two drag queens and a trans woman from Sydney to Alice Springs, in a big pink bus. Along the way, they met new friends, and face rampant homophobia. SEDOS brought every element of the show together beautifully, and to a standard that you would expect to see in the West End. Sold out virtually as soon as it was announced, this was the ‘must-see’ production of the year.

La Cage Aux Folles – Pamela Raith Photography

2. La Cage aux Folles, New Wimbledon Theatre This is was a touring production of a show that demonstrates the importance of family and how much a parent will sacrifice to help their offspring. John Partridge put on the stiletto heels and sequined gowns as Albert/Zaza and delivered a tour de force performance. With wonderful sets, costumes and songs like the iconic “I Am What I Am” this production hit all the right notes.

3. Richard III, Cockpit The amazing Kim Hardy led the cast in the title role of this first-rate production of Shakespeare’s play in fine style. With some extremely realistic battle scenes, the entire production brought the story to life in a really fantastic way. Richard is a role that Kim was born to play and has set the standard for anyone that wants to take on the king in the future

4. Henry V, Southwark Cathedral Another touring production as Antic Disposition visited various cathedrals around the UK this year with their version of this classic Shakespeare play. I caught the production at Southwark Cathedral where, under the watchful eye of the Bard himself. Aside from the highly impressive location, the production itself – set in a World War I field hospital – adds a wonderful poignancy to the show. Rhy Bevan was excellent in the role of Henry and led a superb cast who between them made this a very memorable show.

5. Loot, Park Theatre Back to the swinging sixties with this production of Joe Orton’s farce set around the funeral of an elderly woman. Whilst most assuredly of its time in some of its attitudes, Loot still works very well at holding various parts of society up to a critical light. The cast, set and costumes all worked perfectly to bring the sixties back to North London and overall this was one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long while.

6. The Clockwork Orange, Park Theatre Another trip back to the sixties with this all-male production of Anthony Burgess’s horrific story of a dystopian future that, at times, has too many links to the present to make comfortable viewing. Stripped back in colour and set, the sho is headed up by Jono Davies absolutely smashing the lead role of Alex. An intense production that is not easy to watch but is totally engaging.

7. Lord Dismiss Us, Above the Stag Theatre Glen Chandler’s play is partially based on genuine experiences at a public school in the sixties and as such is a very well observed study of the English upper classes at a time when the world was about to change. However , instead of focussing on the outside, the play brings us into the school where a violently homophobic new headmaster decides there will be none of that business going on in his school. One of the great elements of the play is that one of the more negative characters from the start of the play turns out ot be the hero of the story. A lovely bit of writing, excellent translated to the stage.

8. Posh, Pleasance Theatre Probably one of the real surprises of the theatrical year for me. Posh was the story of an elite male dining club from one of our red brick universities on a night out. A fairly normal story you might think, but in this production, all of the roles were played by women. Retaining their femininity, the actors really brought out the roles well to the point that their gender was totally unimportant. A brave staging choice that worked extremely well.

9, Boys in the Buff – The Musical, Stockwell Playhouse and Boys in the Buff – The Concert, King’s Head Tackling the subject of body image and how we view ourselves and each other is not an easy thing to do but in these productions – the full one and the cut down version – it is done in a wonderful way. Humour, songs, dance and great writing combined to make the Boys in the Buff shows something well worth seeing. A fine cast, willing to give their all for the show, really entertain and inform and leave everyone feeling just that bit better about themselves.

Out There On Fried Meat Ridge Rd

10. Out There on Fried Meat Ridge Road, White Bear Theatre Back in January, this show showed up at the newly refurbished White Bear Theatre and completely took my breath away. The story of the inhabitants of a run-down motel and the wonderful revelations that come out, with the wonderful twist at the end, set the bar for every show from then on. Following its time the White Bear, the play transferred for a very successful run at the Trafalgar Studios.

Terry Eastham

*******

1. Out There On Fried Meat Ridge Road by Keith Stevenson at Trafalgar Studios Small town America at its side-splittingly smallest.

2. Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare at The National Simon Godwin’s delicious production takes role reversal to the limit.

3. Everyone’s Talking About Jamie by Tom MacRae & Dan Gillespie Sells at The Apollo Theatre Funny and heart-warming – best new musical of the century.

4. We Are The Lions Mr Manager by Neil Gore @ Tara Arts Theatre

Girl From The North Country

5. The Girl From The North Country by Conor McPherson @ The Old Vic (transferring). 6. The End of History by Ian Hollingshead @ Tristram Bates Theatre 7. Happiness by Lily Lowe-Myers @ The Bridewell Theatre 8. Rules For Living by Sam Holcroft @ The Rose Theatre 9. The Comedy About A Bank Robbery by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields – The Criterion Theatre. 10. Reasons To Be Cheerful by Paul Sirett @ Theatre Royal, Stratford East

Peter Yates

*******

Amadeus – Royal National Theatre Hedda Gabler – Royal National Theatre Follies – National Theatre Don Juan in Soho – Wyndhams

Paddy Briggs

  Martin Freeman (David Lyons), Tamsin Greig (Jean Whittaker). Photo by Johan Persson

The Ferryman – the most superb play/production seen in London for years! Totally gripping throughout its 3 and a quarter hours – yet nothing happened! So Irish!

The Best Man – which I saw at Windsor and which has not yet opened in London: superb, a gripping play about USA presidential election: could have so easily have been trite but beautifully written and directed and co-starring Jack Shepherd as the terminally ill past president. He was superb: charismatic. I hope Bill Kenwright brings this into town in 2018. (Martin Shaw was very good too!)

Labour of Love at Noel Coward Theatre: again superbly written and acted. There have been many first-rate plays this year!

John Groves

*******

Blush at Soho Theatre The Ugly One at Park Theatre La Soiree at Aldwych Theatre

And an extra that I loved but didn’t review was The End of Hope at Soho Theatre

Roz Wyllie

*******

Rent 21st Anniversary UK Tour – this show stole my heart and reignited my love for theatre. Bruce Guthrie directed the production perfectly. It was raw, gritty and truly touching. Choreography by Lee Proud was innovative and interesting and the entire cast were outstanding. It felt like they were living their lives through the character for those 2 and a half hours each night. All cast members poured everything into each performance and everything came together to create magic on stage.

Yank at the Charing Cross Theatre, London – the story was powerful, gripping and relevant. Scott Hunter and Andy Coxon were just superb in their roles, particularly Scott Hunter who shone throughout. Staging and choreography were slick and in keeping with the story. It was also fantastic to see an audience of predominantly men, so many in fact that men were lining up for the toilet.

The Toxic Avenger at The Arts Theatre, London – the show really impressed me with its comic-timing, fantastic use of the stage and the actors were fantastic. Songs were catchy and the plot fitted well together. Certainly different from my usual favourites but I laughed my way through this show.

Amanda Reynolds

*******

Girl From The North Country: This would have been a wonderful straight play with a tremendous book from Conor McPherson but add some of Bob Dylan’s greatest songs and you have a masterpiece. It’s atmospheric and at times mesmerising. I’ve seen it twice at The Old Vic and hope to see it again when it transfers to the Noel Coward next year.

Follies: Follies has always been a difficult musical to stage due to the fact it has no real plot and a downbeat ending but the National have done Sondheim’s Magnus Opus proud. The production is wonderful and the performances from the likes of Imelda Staunton, Janie Dee and Philip Quast sublime.

Romantics Anonymous: This was the most magical piece I’ve seen on the London stage for a long time and is Emma Rice’s swansong before she leaves her post as Artistic Director at the Globe. This was a bit of surprise as being at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, it slipped under my radar. Let’s hope it gets a transfer to the West End as it deserves it.

Alan Fitter

*******

Alice’s Adventures Underground in the Vaults – a kooky, surprising and interactive take on the classic tale. Hedda Gabler by Euphonia Studio at the Drayton Arms – a stark, pared-down, psychologically compelling performance. When Midnight Strikes by MKEC Productions at the Drayton Arms – a funny and moving tale of a special New Year’s Eve.

Genni Trickett

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