Top Hat on Stage ('11/'12'/13'/'14)

The film has been adapted into a stage musical that began touring the UK during late 2011. The Show opened at Milton Keynes Theatre on 19 August 2011 before touring to other UK regional theatres including Leeds, Birmingham and Edinburgh. The production is also scheduled to transfer to the West End's Aldwych Theatre on April 19, 2012 with an opening on May 9, 2012 and bookings ended on 26th October 2013. 

On Thursday 1st December 2011 I went to the Leeds Grand Theatre with my Mum to see Irving Berlin's Top Hat which is based on RKO's Motion Picture. It is Fred and Ginger's greatest Hollywood dance musical - live on stage for the very first time in 76 years!

 

Tom Chambers ('Strictly Come Dancing' winner and 'Holby City' heartthrob) plays Jerry Travers, the famous American tap dancer who arrives in London to appear in his first West End Show. Travers meets the irresistible Dale Tremont, the girl of him dreams, played by Summer Strallen (triple Olivier Award nominee and star of 'Love Never Dies', 'The Sound of Music' and Hollyoaks') and follows her across Europe in an attempt to win her heart with his wonderful song and dance routines.

Irving Berlin's celebrated score features such classics as 'Cheek to Cheek', 'Let's Face The Music and Dance', 'Isn't it a Lovely day to be caught in the Rain' and 'Top Hat, White Tie and Tails.'  It was also Black Tie and Tiara Night for one night only on the 1st December so I wore my ballgown and felt very special in it!   Top Hat was brilliant at the Leeds Grand Theatre! Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen are fantastic as Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont! The rest of the cast are great too. They sang some of Irving Berlin’s greatest hits, such as, 'Cheek to Cheek' and 'Top Hat', 'White Tie and Tails', 'The Piccolino', 'No Strings' (I'm Fancy Free) and 'Isn't This A Lovely Day To Be Caught In The Rain?' which are all in the film 'Top Hat.' They also sang 'Let’s Face the Music and Dance' and 'I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket' which are from the film 'Follow The Fleet.'

The costumes, sets and dance routines were all wonderful and I loved every minute of it! I want to see it all over again! I had a lovely time!

 

 

If you are a fan of Fred and Ginger, you should definitely watch the film and then go see the show in the West End, you will love it!! :D xx  

 

New Year's Day 2013

The celebrations held world-wide on January 1 as part of New Year's Day commonly include the following:
Parades
American football: In the United States, January 1 is the traditional date for many post-season college football bowl games, which are usually accompanied by parades and other activities to celebrate the events
Football: In Europe, Association Football, where a Full Fixture programme is usually played throughout the Premier League and the rest of the League/Non League system in England
Ice hockey, most famously the Winter Classic in North America, a National Hockey League game that is played outdoors
Concerts
Entertainment, usually enjoyed from the comfort of home
Family time
Traditional meals
Church services

 

 

I hope 2013 is a great year for us all!!

Update

Hi everybody,

I'm sorry I haven't written a post for a while. I haven't had access to the Internet for ages.  In July I went on holiday to Gloucester and visited Lacock, Lacock Abbey, Highclere Castle, Bath, Weston Super Mare and Gloucester Cathedral.   In August I went to a family wedding in Dorset, it was lovely!   Now September is here I am looking forward to watching some good TV shows - Strictly Come Dancing and long anticipated third series of Downton Abbey!!  Although I love Downton Abbey I thought Series Two was a little weak at times so I hope the new series is really good.  I can't wait to see my favourite characters, Matthew and Mary get married!  I think Edith gets married too.  I also think Violet is going to die as Maggie Smith has said she would like to leave the show and do some more serious acting.  I saw the trailer for the third series of Downton Abbey on TV and became very giddy! I can't wait to watch it.  All the drama and romance! :) xx

My visit to Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey!)

On the 10th July 2012, my family and I went to Highclere Castle aka Downton Abbey. I was so excited! I went round the library, the music room, the ladies sitting room, the drawing room, the dining room, the saloon and the hallway. I was unable to go upstairs but my mum and brother did, they saw Lady Edith's room, Lady Sybil's room, Lady Grantham's room (used in series one) and Mr. Pamuk's room. My Dad and I looked through a photo album of the upstairs rooms. We also went around the grounds and gardens which were wonderful!

I can't wait to see Series 3! :)

Gloucestershire and Highclere Castle

On the 6th July 2012, I am going on holiday with my family to Gloucestershire. I have never been here so I am looking forward to it. 

But guess where I am going on the 10th July...

                                 HIGHCLERE CASTLE!!! (Downton Abbey!!!)

I am really excited and can't wait to look around the Castle and gardens! I wonder if I'll bump into Dan Stevens while I'm there? Hmmm.. ;)

 

 I will tell you all about my visit! :) xx

   

Haddon Hall Bakewell, Derbyshire (2010)

Haddon Hall is an English country house on the River Wye at Bakewell, Derbyshire, one of the seats of the Duke of Rutland, occupied by Lord Edward Manners and his family. In form a medieval manor house, it has been described as "the most complete and most interesting house of its period."

Franco Zeffirelli chose Haddon Hall as the location for his 1996 film of Jane Eyre. Since then, it has appeared on television in 2006 as Thornfield Hall in Diederick Santer's 2006 BBC version of Jane Eyre and in Cary Fukunaga's 2011 film of Jane Eyre.

On Friday 27th August 2010, my parents took me to Haddon Hall which is a beautiful place! As I am disabled and in a wheelchair I thought I would not get to see very much of the inside of the Hall but Liz, one of the women who works there asked me which Jane Eyre version was my favourite and I told her it was the 2006 one and that I was a massive fan of Jane Eyre.  She said 'The 2006 version is my favourite too.' She then introduced me to her boss who was there when the 2006 Jane Eyre was being filmed so she told me some wonderful Jane Eyre facts! They also showed me the kitchens, Rochester's study, where Jane plays the piano, the staircase where Jane walks down in her wedding dress, the doorway where Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester kiss in the rain, the chapel and Bertha's tower. Polly, the lady who was Liz's boss told me all about how the fire was filmed and how it took the crew two hours to get the owl to fly past the hall! She showed us a big picture of the fire scene.  I saw Jane's bedroom window too and Polly told me that I had entered the way where Edward Rochester rides off followed by Pilot, his dog.  I loved every minute of it, my Mum did too and my Dad took lots of photos.  Mum and I got very excited!

I had a lovely day and got to see more than I thought I would thanks to the kindness and generosity of the staff at Haddon Hall.  My Mum walked through the Long Gallery (which unfortunately I was unable to see) and took a photo of it for me, she saw the stairs where Edward Rochester walks down after Jane after the money scene. I also went outside and saw the path where Jane Eyre looks around Thornfield and walks down the steps opposite Bertha's Tower. I asked Polly where the library was and she told me it was upstairs.

The only thing that was missing was Toby Stephens striding out of the Hall towards me to hug and kiss me! Oh well... I can dream can't I?!   Whenever I watch Jane Eyre 2006 in the future I will remember this wonderful day which has added to the magic of Jane Eyre 2006 and I love Jane Eyre even more!  I highly recommend everyone visiting this wonderful place!
:) xx