Swan Lake

Well, that's over with for another year. Last week saw frenzied activity with technical rehursals, dress rehursals and performances on Saturday (2) and Sunday (1), not to mention 2 evenings worth of carol concerts with the girls singing in the choir.
Anyway, the ballet went above expectation and whilst it is the most ambitious and difficult production we have ever done, we did it justice and despite the complaints beforehand, after it was all over, we sat round at the after-show party wanting to go out and do it all over again. I put in a creditable perfomance as Benno valet/servant to the Prince. For all you northern types, there's a viscious rumour that we might be performing in Manchester next year... get your therapy booked now.
Only disaster was that I laddered my tights on the final performance! I am distraught.
Apologies for lack of photos, don't think I could inflict such images on a public site.

Magical Mystery parade

Spent a very pleasant afternoon on Sunday with a couple of hundred other people. It's always interesting when you see signs warning of a "Religious Procession" and wonder what people are expecting.
The local churches decided to do something different this year. Some of us gathered in Hanwell (where we live) dressed as shepherds (or similar). We then set off down the Uxbridge Road singing Carols until we met up with the next group of Angels half a mile down the road and the final group of wise men (women and children) joined us for the final leg past all the Ealing Broadway shops before arriving at Haven Green. A small stage was set up with a variety of entertainment for all us walkers, singers and anybody else passing by including mince pies, whilst we waited for the arrival of the mystery guest. Even the local shops joined in with one distributing free cups of hot chocolate. The Bishop of Willseden was in attendance and it was a pleasant, if cold way of spending a Sunday afternoon. The mystery guest failed to appear, but a lady called Mary did give birth on a nearby bus as there was no room at any of the local hotels... As a different way of presenting the Christmas story, it was great. As a way of bringing the local churches together it was fantastic. A small of group of carol singers is one thing, but a couple of hundred walking down the main street is something else. Also, it was my first Christmas event as I have been too involved to give it a second thought and I appreciated the wake-up call. After all, it's only a few days away... Better start doing some shopping.