Rocky Horror Picture show

My first time seeing this crazy musical. A real blast! It was at the Camps Bay theatre and we were there with Wendy and Graeme.

The Rocky Horror Show, the legendary cult rock musical, was created by Richard O'Brien, blending science fiction, horror, comedy, and glam rock into one wildly unconventional theatrical experience. First performed in London in 1973, it tells the story of an innocent young couple who stumble into the bizarre mansion of the eccentric Dr Frank-N-Furter and encounter a cast of strange and unforgettable characters. Packed with iconic songs, outrageous costumes, and audience participation, it became one of the most famous cult musicals of all time and later inspired the hugely successful film The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

One of Sam's ex classmates played Brad. He was amazing.

What a setting for a theatre!

Memorable moments: The human landmark

I was at the Nico Malan Theatre in Cape Town, enjoying a musical from my prized aisle seat. When the house lights came up for intermission, the usual stampede for the bar began.

A woman in my row, clearly in a hurry for her Chardonnay, managed to plant her heel firmly—and painfully—onto my foot as she pushed past. I braced for the apology, but she didn’t even break stride. She vanished into the lobby, leaving me nursing my dignity and a throbbing toe.

Twenty minutes later, the bells chimed and the audience filtered back in. I saw the woman returning, this time trailing her partner behind her. She stopped right in front of me and peered down.

"Did I step on your foot earlier?" she asked pointedly.

I straightened my posture, ready to graciously accept the long-awaited apology. "Yes," I said, offering a small, forgiving smile. "You did."

She didn't smile back. She didn't say sorry. Instead, she turned to her partner with a look of triumphant relief.

"See?" she announced. "This is the right row!"

The Colour of Rust: A development reading

One of Tanya's friends has written a play, inspired by a memoir, about an Italian girl who falls for an Australian guy while travelling and moves to Sydney to be with him.  As part of the play's development process, we attended a session where actors acted out the parts while reading the lines. It was absolutely brilliantly acted and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was there with Tanya and Rajesh.

On the right, Tanya with the playwright

Alan Committie's "Fast and Reasonably Furious" at The Theatre on the Bay

 We went to this with Russell and Heather to celebrate Heather's birthday.  One of the very best comedy shows I have ever been to.  He had us rolling in the aisles.  So good.

Shows I've seen

Childhood

• South Pacific

School years

• Several Shakespeare plays at Maynardville (including The Tempest, Midsummer's Night)

University years

• District 6
• Madam Butterfly

Old Mutual years

• River Dance
• The Buddy Holly Story

London (1997)

• Phantom of The Opera
• Jesus Christ Superstar
• Miss Saigon

London (2000 - 2005)

• Chicago
• Les Miserables
• Boy George
• Lady Windermere's Fan
• Shock Headed Peter
• Starlight Express
• Vagina Monologues
• The Importance of being Oscar
• The Mikado
• Mama Mia
• Joseph
• The Lion King

Australia

• Pricilla Queen of the Desert (with Ally & Kerri)
• Jersey Boys (with Lizzy)
• Chorus Line  (with Dani)
• Anything Goes (with Sue)
• Evita (with Christina)

Cape Town visits

• Annie
• Ndlovu Choir
• Rocky Horror Picture Show

London

A few weeks in London, reunited with Ally after a year apart (except for our Lake District and Scotland  and Italy trip in 1996) before heading off on my travels.

Hello Ally

• Ally and I are reacquainted. I stay with her in North Acton with Eilean, Teresa and Helen.

Friends

• Lunch with Pippa to meet Rob, then walk in Hyde Park and visit Harrods.
• Go drinking at an Irish Pub with Colleen and co. Guiness!
• Visit Kew Gardens with Colleen (Victorian greenhouses), followed by a braai and X Files at her place. Oldest pot plant in world (1700s) is SA.

Theatre

• Jesus Christ Superstar
• The Importance of being Oscar (Savoy Theatre): One man show with big bits out of all his book, poems and plays. Played multiple parts. How did he remember the words?
• Miss Saigon
• Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre

Museums

• My first solo journey on the "tube" to visit the British National Museum to see ancient statues and relics including Egyptian mummies.
• Imperial War Museum: Trench and blitz experience for World Wars)
• Museum of the Moving Image: A fascinating history of cinema and television, even video games.
• London Dungeon:  Torture, punishment, and Jack the Ripper - sit in car, plunged into darkness, lifted up , face firing squad, then whoosh down water slide.
• Science Museum
• Museum of Natural History
• Theatre Museum

Stratford Upon Avon

• Visit Ally's aunt, Carol. Day trip to Stratford Upon Avon to see Shakespeare's birth place.

Greenwich

• Dock Road train to Greenwich - no driver - to see the gardens and the Observatory - sunburnt! Jump from east to west instantly.

Open air bus tour

• Views of Big Ben, Parliament Building, London Tower and Bridge, Westminster Abby, Fleet Street, HMR Belfast, The Bank of England, Trafalgar Square)

Walks

• Walk through Soho
• Walk in Regent park

Landmarks

• Visit to St Pauls and Buckingham Palace
• Pepsi Trocadero - entertainment complex of the future
• Sat in the Royal Courts listening to an undue leniency case for professional bank robbers - bewigged!
• Speaker's Corner at Hyde Park - some so serious, others taking piss. Black brothers talking racism, other topics were battle of sexes etc.
• Tower monument to the Great Fire of london - 311 stairs to a wonderful view
• Porchester Turkish Baths (steam rooms, jacuzzi, sauna and cold plunge pool)

Eating out

• The Hilton for a night of dinner and dancing with Ally
• Waggamamas (Japanese noodle bar with computerised ordering and green tea to finish off)

Memorable

• Nearly arrested for making a bomb threat while making a phone call.

Farewell Ally

• Starting to really think about my trips - visit travel agent
• Delicious farewell dinner and romantic goodbye with Ally.

Next stop

• SW England, Wales, Scotland