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Post by bimse on Dec 16, 2017 18:25:54 GMT
I forgot to add, there’s no Dame or Idle Jack characters in this panto either, very strange , and unfortunately the whole show is more or less given over to Barrowman and the Krankies, sadly with the above result .
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Post by bimse on Dec 16, 2017 18:21:12 GMT
Caiphas posted about this in the London Palladium thread and I replied on there .
My neighbours saw the show , they’re not easily offended , they have a good sense of humour , but they felt it overstepped the mark and was embarrassingly crude rather than cheeky innuendo . Families will attend because of the Krankies , and I doubt they’d expect this sort of constant rudeness , Barrowman or not. But then I find him totally unfunny and self indulgent anyway, so I admit I’m completely biased and wouldn’t attend for that reason . Pity because the Krankies can be hilarious and don't need to be crude to get laughs .
Julian Clary gets away with innuendo , he’s witty with it. Barrowman is just crude .
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Post by bimse on Dec 15, 2017 17:56:19 GMT
I had read about this, and also my neighbours went to the show, they’re very good humoured , not at all prudish and enjoy a cheeky joke, but they said they felt there was just too much rudeness, too often, for the kids. There’s a difference between broad, cheeky humour and embarrassingly rude. They were surprised there was no Dame, no idle jack type character either . I wonder why this is ? Does Barrowman think he’s so funny that he can carry both those roles as well as his own , or is that just 2 less wages to pay? Manchester has had some very disappointing pantos lately .
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Post by bimse on Dec 11, 2017 18:27:22 GMT
Personally dont really think Peter Pan is the right for panto I agree. It's an odd choice, as it is very "story-heavy" and doesn't have much potential for crazy set pieces like normal panto. The Regent's Park Open Air version is definitive on that one, I'd say - can't wait for May to see it again. Peter Pan never seems to work as a pantomime for me, especially if they try to shoehorn in a Dame character in as Mrs Smee , or a Magic Mermaid character. It’s much better as a play, but then that’s how I remember Peter Pan from my childhood .
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Post by bimse on Dec 10, 2017 19:40:39 GMT
It's not uncommon for the billed stars to write their own material for their "solo" section. In the DW programme it says "Extra material written by..." - I'm sure both Clary and Zerdin were credited there, but I can't be 100% sure so will check when I get home later! But yes, it's certainly not their fault in that Michael Harrison could say "come on Paul, you use this stuff every year, come up with something new" but doesn't, so he must be happy with it. I can't speak of this year as I haven't seen it yet, but in the Cinderella programme, it does say "additional contributions by Zerdin, Clary and O'Grady" as well as 3 or 4 others. In the past, pantomime scripts would be part scripted and otherwise would just have the scene number, the name of the character (eg scene 3: Idle Jack ) and “business” written next to it. That’s where the performer had to include one of their own routines . I wonder how much of this happens these days . I’m sure it will still be the case for performers such as Gary Wilmot, and Paul Zerdin so I’m surprised he is doing the exact same routines.
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Post by bimse on Dec 7, 2017 6:42:24 GMT
Closely followed by “Its A Small World Laa-la-la” which Disney is also responsible for. And Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo not far behind
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Post by bimse on Dec 6, 2017 15:34:36 GMT
They did that audience interaction thing, with the cast doing tricks and stuff in the stalls before curtain up on the Conley “longest cold in the world” Tour. Hideous. And if Marcus is being truthful when he says that during the show he interacts with the people who look away then I think that’s odd, if not a bit malicious. Leave people alone if they don’t want to take part. Cajoling audience members to join in on a kazoo, selecting people who look away (thus indicating their discomfort ), how unpleasant . Must admit I’d definitely hate this , I don’t pay good money to be embarrassed. I saw Barnum at the reopening season at the Manchester Opera House. Apart from enjoying the charismatic performance of Michael Crawford , it’s not my favourite show.
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Post by bimse on Dec 5, 2017 19:39:12 GMT
The problem with The Heat Is On - as with London - is the very loud shouting from the marines and the smacking of the steel chairs which makes a lot of the girl's solo lines hard to make out. I would agree, there seemed to be way too much going on both visually and vocally, which, without prior knowledge, would make it difficult to understand what was going on . For a setting the scene routine it’s very noisy and frenetic, but I guess that’s how it would be in reality.
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Post by bimse on Dec 5, 2017 18:50:54 GMT
Thank you @theatremadness, like many of the other posters I have been wondering when this revival would make it on to the screens of those of us with gas tv . My all time favourite line came when the late Debbie Reynolds as Grace’s loud and very annoying mum arrived , constantly singing show tunes. Grace asked her mum if she’d do her a favour, and go and see her (Grace’s) counsellor. The mum refused, saying she doesn't need counselling . Grace says “I didn't mean that , it’s just that he thinks I’m making you up “.
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Post by bimse on Dec 5, 2017 18:39:40 GMT
I think the Wales Millenium Centre is one of my favourite theatres, it’s a beautiful building inside and out and looks like it was just built yesterday. The auditorium is stunning with its wood and (I think slate) frontages to the balconies and boxes , the exterior is attractive and imaginative, and the foyers, bars and catering areas are spacious and clean , and I found the staff all round were friendly and polite . I second all of the above. The WMC is a fantastic theatre! Did have quite bad legroom on Saturday though, which surprised me as it’s always been great before. For future reference, where did you sit @steve1006? I was in the stalls row k, centre block to one side, but not actually in the side block. Leg room was fine , but I’m not tall anyway .
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Post by bimse on Dec 5, 2017 16:39:24 GMT
Saw this in Cardiff last night. Very unimpressed with the sound quality in Act I. Sounded like an overamplified bootleg recording! Was better in Act II. Didn’t like the guy playing the Engineer. Far far too camp, bordering on laughable. Kim was fantastic. And, apart from the sound, the production values were excellent as expected. I also saw Miss Saigon in Cardiff, on Monday 4th December, the house was just about full from what I could see in the stalls (admittedly I couldn't see the upper circle) . I thoroughly enjoyed the production , as spectacular and slick as the original production which I saw in 1989 . The helicopter scene is, if anything, more dramatic than the original , very well done. I agree with steve10086 the sound was very harsh at times, especially at the beginning , and most of the words were unintelligible, but it improved later on . I thought the opening was a bit frenetic too, it was hard to tell what was going on (especially since the sound wasn’t great. The performances were great though , especially Kim who was wonderful, and Chris, the engineer on the night I saw it was the “alternative” who had a tendency to over act and again wasn’t very intelligible most of the time . I think the Wales Millenium Centre is one of my favourite theatres, it’s a beautiful building inside and out and looks like it was just built yesterday. The auditorium is stunning with its wood and (I think slate) frontages to the balconies and boxes , the exterior is attractive and imaginative, and the foyers, bars and catering areas are spacious and clean , and I found the staff all round were friendly and polite .
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Post by bimse on Nov 29, 2017 15:54:14 GMT
Follow-up to the Elaine Paige story: someone I chat to online regularly was also at the concert, and went to the stage door after. Apparently, the youngster and another youngster with similar condition were also waiting. They had a huge bag of memorabilia... and Ms Paige signed it all. I won't have a thing said against her, now. Nice to hear this, very kind of the young lady to shout out her appreciation, and very kind of Elaine Paige to sign all the memorabilia for both young people.
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Post by bimse on Nov 26, 2017 16:31:55 GMT
Am I the only one who hadn't bothered to book yet but lowkey doesn't really mind waiting? 😅 no you’re not the only one , I can also wait , along with a few other posters above. must admit it’s a show I know nothing about, subject or music, except it’s been a big hit in the States. I’ve not researched it because I can’t splash out on a London trip and mad ticket prices too often , so I’ll wait and see if it grabs me as I get to hear the music . Maybe I’ll have to await the U.K. tour !
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Post by bimse on Nov 24, 2017 21:02:47 GMT
I believe your exact phrase was "try and be democratic instead", meaning "accept the result". Of course Leave voters are entitled to continue to make their case too; those of us who voted differently, though, are equally entitled not to be told to "be democratic" by people who very clearly don't know what the word means. I believe you’re just being pedantic. I understand what I’m saying thank you . You really don’t need to explain words to a poor leave voter . (Humour intended)
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Post by bimse on Nov 24, 2017 19:41:40 GMT
EVERY disaster ? Stop exaggerating and don’t be so condescending. Try and be democratic instead . "Democratic"? Democracy is not a one-time only event. Those of us on the opposite side of the argument are entitled to continue to make the case for EU membership/EEA membership/whatever up to and beyond the moment the UK leaves the EU ( if we do, because there are still scenarios in which the process could be stopped). THAT is democracy. Dissent has not yet been outlawed, and the fact that the other side won the vote does not mean the rest of us all have to fall into line. It works both ways , leave voters are entitled to continue to make the case for leave being the best option. Dissent has not been outlawed? I thought it had , because it feels like dissent to have voted leave, with the awful things being said about leave voters by remainers. And for the record, I have never said that there can’t be an opposing view. I don’t know where you’ve got that from, because I agree we don’t all have to fall into line, and believe me, I won’t. ( who was it said you should fall into line? Not me).
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Post by bimse on Nov 24, 2017 15:49:26 GMT
To say nothing of the EUs spiteful and obstructive behaviour Calm down. You've had your way. The UK is leaving the EU as a result of your vote. Every disaster from now on is your own fault. EVERY disaster ? Stop exaggerating and don’t be so condescending. Try and be democratic instead .
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Post by bimse on Nov 24, 2017 15:04:56 GMT
Holy crap I am just embarrassed every goddamned day this useless weak corrupt government insists on dragging us all down with it, blathering on about how 17 million voices out of 65 million is a clear majority that cannot possibly be defied even though a referendum isn't legally binding and is basically a glorified opinion poll. What about the letter the Prime Minister sent to every single household in the country saying: “The referendum on Thursday 23rd June is your chance to decide if we should remain in the European Union. This is your decision. The Government will implement what you decide.” Just ignoring that ? Also, just incidentally, Corbyn whipped Labour to vote in favour of A50 submission and just the other night to abstain on a motion to leave open staying in the Customs Union and Single Market. I suppose your analysis is that he too is useless, weak and corrupt ? Well said dr Jan Brock. It was a referendum , asking stay or leave , there was no percentage attached to the vote (I think there should have been but hey, too late) and it annoys me intensely that people are saying the result isn’t valid or if you voted leave you’ have little to no intelligence ..... that attitude makes ME ashamed to be British .
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Post by bimse on Nov 24, 2017 14:58:54 GMT
Interesting - I didn't know that. I wondered why these British cities had carried on their campaigning post-Brexit and that explains it. Brussels seems determined to give Britain a spiteful punishment-beating for this vote which frankly shows them up for the great 'friends' they were. Members of the EEA (Iceland and Norway) and candidate countries (Turkey) can also be part of the process. We won't be any of those things once we leave the EU. It's still a bit petty but given the British Government's behaviour over the last year or so not undeserved. To say nothing of the EUs spiteful and obstructive behaviour
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Post by bimse on Nov 24, 2017 13:37:44 GMT
It's daft and petty really. I mean Istanbul was "European Capital of Culture" in 2010 and it's not even fully in Europe, nor is Turkey anywhere near EU-membership. Reykjavik (Iceland), Bergen and Stavanger (Norway) have been Capitals of Culture too despite both countries, Norway especially, constantly turning up their noses at EU membership. Exactly , I totally agree, which is why the European Commission should reimburse Britain’s contribution to this project .
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Post by bimse on Nov 24, 2017 13:35:34 GMT
Brexit means I am ashamed to be British Giving tax payers money to satisfy the unreasonable demands and vanity projects of unelected foreign Bureaucrats makes me ashamed to be British . We signed up to the common market , not a federal expansionist Europe . I read just yesterday that back then senior ministers were warning of the federal ambitions and the chances of national governments being eventually ruled by unelected bureaucrats , these warnings were covered up. The so called elected European Parliament is just a front , no notice whatsoever is taken of this so called Parliament .
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Post by bimse on Nov 24, 2017 13:23:44 GMT
All five bids from the UK have been excluded from consideration by the European Commission. Brexit means Brexit. No doubt Britain will have made a financial contribution towards this project , which makes me wonder if the European Commission have any right to exclude British bids (I’ve read a report that bids are open to cities outside the EU anyway ?) . Or are they going to reimburse us that contribution ? Either way they should not have accepted bids in the first place , several British cities have wasted large sums on this.
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Post by bimse on Nov 24, 2017 13:14:34 GMT
Nice short tribute to him by Pappano before tonight's performance of Semiramide. "We won't see him perform again, but his voice is in these walls" That’s a beautiful and appropriate tribute , so sad to say goodbye to Dmitri Hvorotovsky at such a young age . Forgive me changing the subject , did you attend Semiramide? I saw the live steam from Munich , and wondered how it comes across live?
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Post by bimse on Nov 24, 2017 11:41:50 GMT
Just listened to the real Jamie and his mum on “women’s hour” as I was driving , they played Josie Walker singing “he’s my boy” from the show. This was the first song I’ve heard and i must say I was impressed with the lyrics and the performance . Jenny Murray confessed to shedding a tear at the press night . Jamie and his wonderful mum gave a really good account of their experiences . They said their story resonates with all teenagers in general, most of whom have differences to contend with . They were amazingly generous in recognising what most people go through as they grow up . . I must admit I thought the original documentary wasn’t as incisive as it could have been , but it’s nevertheless opened a talking point of prejudice, bullying etc of all kinds. A follow up documentary would be good, and I hope the show has a good long run . I doubt I’ll see it , but who knows?
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Post by bimse on Nov 22, 2017 16:27:17 GMT
This is a beautiful film. Its story so bizarre it must be true, which of course it is. And it is slight: older film star falls in love with a younger man. It’s Sunset Boulevard without the melodrama. But it’s much more than that: it’s about one of the most precious but painful moments Life can give us- the chance to say goodbye before a loved one finally slips away… The opening credits show Gloria Grahame putting on her make-up backstage, and while she's doing so she puts on a tape of her favourite tracks using her portable cassette player. Elton John’s (mostly) instrumental Song For Guy plays, but we never get to hear its only lyric- Life isn’t everything. And I’m not sure if it’s because we’re being told that Life really is everything, or whether something else is. Finding true Love perhaps…? She seems to find true love after four wrecked marriages, moving from Hollywood to Primrose Hill of all places, where she meets Peter Turner, a young actor who’s currently taking whatever roles he is offered. And from here we watch their brief romance played out in scenes, sometimes in flashback, and out of sequence. We move into these through doorways and windows- a verandah door opens onto a beach right on the Pacific, another opens from a Manhattan hotel room onto a balcony facing the Chrysler building, and doors off a dimly lit corridor in a modest Liverpool terrace open into a sanctuary, a bedroom in the Turner home where Gloria will try to die. When she is lifted through the taxi door towards the end of the film, we know it will be the last doorway we’ll see… The pivotal scene is played twice over in fairly quick succession, but from two different viewpoints, Gloria’s and Peter’s. There really are two sides to the story, and we see them both. Annette Bening is completely believable as the coyly flirtatious star, inviting Jamie Bell to dance (yes, we see him dance again!) and to drink with her. She’s desperate to act with the RSC. ( How do you get to do it? she asks. Well, I think there’s more to it than filling out a form, he replies. Then I’ll get my agent to call them, she responds. In fact, I’m going off to the Aldwych Theatre now to see them. They’re doing The Merchant of Venice. If she had made it she would have seen Tom Wilkinson, Sinead Cusack and David Suchet. But she never does.) Instead she’s playing in W Somerset Maugham’s Rain at the Watford Palace Theatre. She’s a fighter is Gloria, but she’s running out of time. She’s stood up to her illness, kind of, and she's managed to twinkle for a while. But now she’s fading. Jamie Bell shines as her young lover, kept out of her secret for his protection. He’s swept along by genuine feelings of love, barely able to concentrate on his own career. He’s bewitched by her, initially unaware of who she is and what she’s achieved in her past. But he’s also bothered and bewildered by her behaviour. He’s reunited here with Julie Walters, this time playing his mother and unlikely friend to her son’s once glamorous older girlfriend. But as an older mother, she needs to say goodbye too, to another son in Australia, but it doesn’t stop her putting Gloria first as she resolves to cancel her trip to nurse her. She will happily comb out a Hollywood star’s hair in the family kitchen. There’s a host of big names here, happy with the smallest of roles- Stephen Graham, Kenneth Cranham, Vanessa Redgrave and Frances Barber. I can see why they wanted to be involved. It’s a mini-masterpiece. But it’s Julie Walters who is given the words which crystalise the message of the film. It’s time to let her go…
Theatres and cinemas abound, and location lovers will have a field day. The most touching scene of the whole movie takes place on the stage of the Liverpool Playhouse, a stunning building unknown to me, where we hear familiar words barely audible, against a backdrop of the auditorium. This is no regular performance. And everything captures the period between 1979-1981: clothes, songs, avocado kitchen units, candlewick bedspreads… We know how the story will end before we are told, which is a bit like Life really. But those who have experienced it will know that this doesn’t necessarily make it any easier to deal with. ***** from me Beautiful review @caiaphas, thank you. I must see this film , I’ve been in that privileged position where I got to say good bye to someone I loved , saying good bye is painful and beautiful at the same time , like true love itself.
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Post by bimse on Nov 22, 2017 16:08:10 GMT
I would find this totally irritating as well! Apart from being distracting, I always wonder what people like this think they are proving? Presumably they are showing off their in-depth knowledge in the assumption that people will be impressed or that members of the cast will feel warmly towards them. In practice, surely everyone just thinks ‘what a weirdo’… It could be that they aren't necessarily trying to prove anything at all and just simply love the show so much and are oblivious to anyone around them. To be honest, I have to admit to a rather sneaking admiration that they had the time and effort to pull together all of those props. And anyhoo, isn't everyone just a bit of a "weirdo" in some way or another? Maybe everyone is a bit weird to someone, somewhere, but what is in question here is inconsiderate behaviour and disturbing others who have paid good money, and had their enjoyment spoiled . It’s simply not fair and can’t be excused as “everyone’s a bit weird”, and no, I don’t feel I have to “admire” them in any way. After all I wouldn’t be surprised if those who are disturbing others are the first to take offence if THEY themselves are disturbed or challenged in any way , witness what happened to @n1david a day ago.
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Post by bimse on Nov 22, 2017 7:51:01 GMT
I saw Craig Revel-Horward in an excerpt from Annie , on children in need , and thought his performance was quite frankly very amateurish indeed. Watching this performance I can’t understand how he’s marketed as a big “name” for this show, all over the country, with other actors standing in (usually at weekends) for his pre-arranged tv absences. Not worth the effort of planning for his time off in my opinion , just let the substitutes do the whole run, I’m sure they’d give a more enjoyable performance, or have I missed the point and he’s such a big draw for the public at large?
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Post by bimse on Nov 21, 2017 16:42:32 GMT
Glengarry Gen Ross, tonight. Couple in stalls, end of row, next to me. They chat through the first act, I don’t say anything. Second act, chatting continues. 10 minutes in, woman (next to me) spits out a full mouthful of drink over me. Start saying how sorry she is. Gets something out of her bag to wipe me down. I say “I’m fine, but please just shut up”. Male companion, on the end of the row the sto me and says “YOU shut the f**k up, or I’ll make you shut the f**k up”. Chatting continues for the rest of the act. I wait until I am certain that they have left and take another exit. Have never felt so uncomfortable in a theatre. Sorry to hear this. Very bad. Dreadful that this happened to you , I do hope you’re not too shook up, makes me wonder why ushers aren’t on hand to eject anyone , or alert security to eject anyone behaving so badly (and lets face it, criminally, threatening someone like this) . I never like being near people bringing drinks into an auditorium, and I’m not happy that in some theatres you can order drinks via an app? It’s just asking for trouble .
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Post by bimse on Nov 19, 2017 23:01:36 GMT
So, I saw POTO in Budapest on Sunday evening. Wow! It was amazing -- I loved how they not only got free reign on the set design and staging, but also on the characters also. Csengeri Attila is perhaps my new favourite Phantom ever. He was completely amazing, particularly during AISOY Reprise and the final lair. Sets were all great, and I really liked how Phantom disappeared at the end (my only minor complaint is that I feel that surely nowadays technology is better to allow for the cloak to fall like a normal cloak and not a plastic one... Phantom's facial deformities were great too. Also like his long hair - I thought I'd hate it and the promo pictures always annoyed me, but thought it actually added a lot (as stupid as that sounds), especially towards the end of Act 1 when he is crying. The applause at the end though. What was that?!? the other half and I just looked at each other and burst out laughing. Everyone claps in unison, at the same frequency whilst in total silence. It's actually awkward as there is no music either, so it's literally everyone just clapping at the same time, to the same beat to the same frequency in complete and utter silence, even when the main actors came out. Really, really odd. You just clapped louder (but still in silence and in unison) if you liked the character. I did try to encourage a little bit of 'British clapping' ( ) when Raoul came out, but it didn't catch. Also considered standing up, but didn't know if that was acceptable or not... lol... Go and see it! It's dirt cheap (about £15-20 equivalent in Forint for a top price ticket). I think Phantom is gone now until May next year (the theatre has 2-3 shows running monthly and they take it in turns to perform). I believe Mary Poppins is about to start again on Friday with a musical called 1 x 3 (i think?) with Les Miserables and Anna Karanina starting in early 2017. If you're in Budapest, it's well worth a look. There are English subtitles above the stage also. The Hungarian version of Disney's Hunchback starts tomorrow at another theatre in town too. Most Europeans seem to clap in unison to show appreciation, I’ve witnessed it in several countries, even at the opera in Munich and Zurich, where the clapping in unison was accompanied by cheering and eventually by stamping of feet and clapping as we would do .
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Post by bimse on Nov 19, 2017 15:01:32 GMT
My partner’s daughter got tickets for Manchester within the first half hour, but apparently had several iPads , iPhones and laptops fired up at the same time ...... good that they got tickets, but I think this sort of thing creates a bigger queue and jams the systems tbh.
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Post by bimse on Nov 18, 2017 16:12:22 GMT
New doggy friend arrived today- a little bichon called Maddie. Her elderly owner is in a nursing home following an operation, and the poor thing has been farmed from one place to another, including the son's house where she got savaged by his dog. Poor old thing. So she's staying for 3 weeks. Oh and her owner's daughter, who has been looking after her casually mentioned that Tim Rice is one of her best friends. As you do. http://instagr.am/p/BbpEzpmnZQT Well done you @emicardiff, that’s such a kind thing to do, for that lovely little dog, and her owner, who must be worried about her. Does Maddie go to visit her owner , or would that unsettle her? A friend of mine was in our wonderful, local hospice recently , and his wife used to take his dog every day . Sadly my friend has now died, but his wife intends to continue to visit the hospice with the dog , who was so friendly and calm with the staff and patients , it’s therapeutic for the patients, and it was heart warming to see him allow himself to be fussed and petted.
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