Harry Potter and The Cursed Child

I cant reveal anything that happened in this play because I know it would spoil it for many people like me who have only just managed to get tickets to see it and also I have been specifically emailed to “keep the secrets”. What I will say though is if like me you have been a Harry Potter fan for over 15/16 years of your life , you need to see it. (Directed by John Tiffany)

(Photography – Jess Pratt aka me)

I cant lie , over the last few years I have lost the magic and buzz within me due to exams and stress and just general growing up tumbles and turns. But this play has brought back something inside of me that I simply cannot begin to verbalise. As a 19 year old this play brought me back to my childhood and where I really started to treasure Harry Potter.

I got the tickets for my 19th Birthday and my mum was slightly skeptical when I opened them saying “we can swap them for Hamilton or something else” but I knew as a true fan , this was something I needed to see and soon. I phoned up my friend and we both squealed with excitement at the thought that we would actually be going , this wasnt a dream.

One of the very special things about the experience is as soon as you get in the theatre , almost everyone who works there has their house colours on (Slytherin , Hufflepuff , Ravenclaw and Griffindor) They are also friendly and fill you with joy and talk to you about Harry Potter and whether youve seen the play before and which house you are in.

Another thing that is noticably different from other West End shows , is that it is in two parts and this made both parts feel like christmas morning mixed in with going on holiday abroad , birthdays and easter.

We actually saw it on two different days , you can see it on the same day or on different weeks (For different weeks it may not have the same cast members which for me would slightly ruin it).

I also was taken a back by the illusion and magic within the play (Created by Jamie Harrison and Chris Fisher) there arent many things that can shock me but this did. I had my mouth wide open (how the hell did they just do that ?) I also loved the Set design too , Christine Jones (Set Designer) did a fabulous job in making it so life like, and feeling like you were at Hogwarts and in the different scenes.

The quality of acting was all round superve , the portrayal of characters and then taking individual quirks from both book and movie brought back so many lovely memories for me , J.K.Rowling would be proud to see that they have made so much effort and made the characters their own. Ron played by Thomas Aldridge (known for being in Les Misérables at the Queen’s Theatre) was partcicularly a stand out for me , so witty and hilarious and exactly the way I have always imagined Ron would be all these years later and there he was as he always was , it was quite something.

Other names to mention are Samuel Blenkin who played Scorpius and Theo Ancient who played Albus. Their duo throughout made it for me and the connection that was felt between them felt so genuine. Theo did his training at RADA and Samuel at Guildhall which is particularly inspiring to me as a young performer. Im sure we will be seeing both of their names in many other shows over the years.

Me and my friend sneakily went to the stage door , not really expecting to be able to meet any charcters at all but it turned out we met many of the cast members. They were polite and also took the time to talk to us about the play which I thought was a really nice touch , as a fan something like that is irreplacable and will be in my memory forever. (Along with a few photos and signatures).

We are currently doing our degree at Chickenshed Theatre , so as aspiring Perfoming Arts students , it meant alot to be able to meet the people whove made it onto such a well known and renound play at the Palace Theatre.

The thing that also added to the experience for me was the people we met along the way. The only person with their Slytherin colours on that my friend could find in the theatre and took a picture with , the girl who couldnt stop laughing with us on the train and made the old guy next to her laugh so much he was crying , the two girls on the tube who had their harry potter badges on or the woman who overheard us talking about it on the tube to the two girls and thought it was so lovely (her 19 year old daughter also loves Harry Potter).

Thats what Harry Potter does in a way that not many things do these days , it really and truly brings people together. And thats the magic in what J.K.Rowling has created , that over 20 years later , people still love and have a really important bond over Harry Potter, the boy who lived and also the boy thats added great value to my life.

Creed

Oh my goodness me , so much to say about one film. I cant really describe particularly why I loved this film , there were so many elements to it that just worked.

One Saturday evening , we drove down to the cinema to see Creed. My dad had been going on about it hours earlier , for some unknown reason it failed to click in my brain that this was something Id been waiting to see for some time. It was only in the car that I recalled having seen the advert months before .I couldn’t help but feel extremely buzzed.

I had my doubts before the film started because the parking was awful and it was pouring with rain . When we got into the cinema people were talking during the adverts , some guy in front of me had his phone on FULL brightness and just in general the cinema was restless but when the lights went down and the film started it all stopped. Everyone was there for the same reason , they all wanted to see whether this was going to be as good or high quality as other Rocky films that have been out before.

I would say the first thing that hit me was the quality of the acting. Michael B Jordan , (who has been in films such as Fantastic 4 and The Awkward Moment) , Sylvester Stallone ( who has previously been in the Rocky films) , Tessa Thompson (who is an amazing singer , Ill get onto that later) and Phylicia Rashad (also a singer and has starred in Steel Mongolias and Just Wright) were all stand out for me , all portraying their characters in a way that made you truly believe you were inside the story, not many films make me feel this way so I was pleasantly surprised.

One of the themes within the film is when Rocky finds out he has cancer. The feelings , emotions and the fight that I saw within his character made me think of members of my own family who have been through that battle. Adonis and Bianca supporting him through this reminded me strangely , of myself. I’m sure so many people have been in that place , so it was key point of the film for me. It made me remember how much life is worth and how everybody is fighting their own battles , whether that be quite literally fighting (Rocky or Creeds son Adonis boxing in the film) or emotionally , through illness or a bad situation.

The second thing was the music. In almost every film I go to see one of the first things I pick up on is the music within the film and I’m usually that person who will find the soundtrack , download it and rave about it for the next year or so. Creed was one of those times. Not to ruin the plot but Bianca who is a singer in the film (played by Tessa Thompson) writes and produces her own music writes one particular song for Adonis (Michael B Jordan) called Shed. The song blew me away in the cinema so I searched it up , funnily enough it is actually sung by Tessa Thompson and so are Grip , Be Alright and Breathe , I have slowly fallen in love with her voice and style.

 

 

 

 

 

The third thing well , I’m going to be all cheesy here and say the relationship between Adonis and Bianca. The chemistry was so spot on and the way they slowly fell for each other sort of made me feel all gooey inside (That’s the romanticist inside of me coming out).

Overall a truly incredible film , about a boy with a dream to follow his dads footsteps and become a boxer. Highly recommended and I don’t think its on in cinemas for much longer !! Don’t miss out , definitely worth watching in a cinema for a full experience. Oh and if you do go to watch it , look out for the view in Philadelphia at the end its so beautiful.

 

 

Chickenshed Christmas Shows 2015-16

Last year and this year I have been participating in this years Christmas show the 12 Days Of Christmas. Having been to see it 3 times I can safely say it is an amazing show and made me laugh so much. 

But behind the show , where the audience can’t see , is the dressing rooms where the cast is and this is where I have made some of the best friends in my life . This year in particular , I’ve had the honour of working with one of the best groups of people I have worked with. They are kind , considerate , understanding and just really funny 

My favourite thing about Chickenshed is the fact that it doesn’t matter who you are or what age you are , there will always be people who will welcome you with open arms. One of my fave things of this particular show was the laughs I’ve had with all my friends , the jokes that we’ve made from the show and the fact that we’ve met up outside of Chickenshed too. Chicken Salsa Wrap and Hold/ Take my hand (will I ever get this right ?) have been some of my fave memories and ovbs the Geese scene , I mean who could forget that craziness and paranoia 

The reason I’m writing this blog is just to say , Thankyou to all those people in Green Rota Geese this year who have shaped me into the person I am today. You’ve made it a really positive experience and I will be so sad to see the show end on Saturday but I’m ready for a new challenge and I know that we will all stay friends for a long time. 

(Oh and btw I’m still determined to buy you guys red roses everyday) 

But really it’s not that deep. 

Purpose ~Justin Bieber

Ok so many people who dislike him will instantly not read this because of the title but this is actually one of his best albums and I’m not just saying that as a fan girl.
His last album was slightly poppy, a little bit out of touch with what people really wanted and now in this album his true feelings of music and life have come out , it’s made so much difference. The beats have changed , the style , it’s almost as if the music has grown with Justin.

What Do You mean was interesting , it talks about a girl who is confused all the time about what she really wants and the guy being just as confused as she is. In this day and age we have become so obsessed with this idea of a relationship that sometimes we don’t think about our actions and we don’t think about whether that is what we really want. Justin’s right we are running out of time , so we need to know or our lives will be controlled by the not knowing.

The second song off the album that was released was Sorry. A very interesting topic as we wonder if Justin is saying sorry to somebody or just vocalising a lot of people’s voices who have done things wrong. It is interesting that this has come out at the same time as Hello By Adele also asking to say sorry to apologise. Its intriguing how people can not mean to break up with somebody because they realise they simply cannot live without that person , they have made a mistake.

The 3rd single that has been released is I’ll Show You. It’s almost Justin is saying please don’t act like you know me just because of the media . We all know that over the past couple of years Justin has been put into extremely bad light by the media and people expressing their hatred for him. One of my favourite lines is “don’t forget that I’m human don’t forget that I’m real” and he’s right. How many people do things wrong and make mistakes and get completely battered for them? A lot of people. I think everyone’s forgotten that everybody makes mistakes , it’s a part of human life ,if we didn’t make mistakes we wouldn’t be human we’d be robots , all perfection.
So that’s a pretty deep analysis of all 3 of Justin Biebers songs that have been released from Purpose.

Take some time to listen to it and not just the ones that are constantly on the radio!!. It’s looking really promising .I just wish people would stop looking at the media to judge artists and start looking at the things they have done right for a change. Listen to the lyrics it really shows him as a person and who he is looking to now become as a young man.

Beauty Behind The Madness – The Weeknd

Dont think I have ever ever been so attached to an entire albumn before but this has totally blown my mind.

There is not a single song that I would change , every one touches me or reminds me of a deep time . Some people wont see it with him but the music speaks to me in a way that no other artists does. The songs include : Real Life , Losers , Tell Your Friends , Often , The Hills , Acquainted, Cant Feel My Face, Shameless, Earned It, As You Are, Dark Times, Prisoner and Angel. If I had to pick my fave it would have to be Losers , as he collabs with Labrinth and its just amazing to have two awesome artists collabing together.

Please please go and listen to him , he is just great. Some of his most popular songs are Earned It and Cant Feel My Face but the albumn as a whole is a different level from his popular stuff.

This is a link to a snippet of his whole albumn :https://soundcloud.com/theweeknd/bbtm-leak

PIQUADRO

Found this company in The Fashion Issue from The Guardian and I have fallen in love with their bags and accessories. From handbags , to Backpacks , to even IPad Cases , they have just about everything that you could need.

Below are a few of my favourites :

Double hand portfolio briefcase . There is also a Matching Clutch and  a Phone Case to go with.

These also come in Blue and Black with the same designs.

My favourite Backpack is the Expandable computer backpack , which comes in a variety of colours but my favourite is the Electric Blue

They also do Beauty cases and my favourite is the Celeste

I love this company so much !!. They have a shop in Regents Street or you can go and check them out online here :

http://www.piquadro.com/gb/new-collection-fall-winter/fw-2015-16-woman-handbags.html

Gigi Hadid Topshop Collection

I am loving the Gigi Hadid Topshop Collection , she as always is looking flawless.

Here are some of my favourites from the collection :

Checked Bomber Jacket , £65

Sporty Stripe Bra , £16 and Mini Knickers , £10

Frayed Hem Zip Up Hoodie , £22

Checked Jacquard Tunic , £42

This collection is in the Topshop lookbook for this season so go check it out !! The links for each item are below :

Checked Bomber Jacket :

http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/clothing-427/aw15-campaign-4665683/cool-basically-4672002/checked-bomber-jacket-4655865?bi=1&ps=20

Sporty Stripe Bra and Mini Knickers:

http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/clothing-427/aw15-campaign-4665683/cool-basically-4672002/sporty-stripe-bralet-and-mini-knickers-4584304?bi=20&ps=20

Frayed Hem Zip Up Hoodie :

http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/clothing-427/aw15-campaign-4665683/cool-basically-4672002/frayed-hem-zip-up-hoodie-4575566?bi=20&ps=20

Checked Jacquard Tunic:

http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/clothing-427/aw15-campaign-4665683/cool-basically-4672002/checked-bomber-jacket-4655865?bi=1&ps=20

What Do You Mean By Justin Bieber

I have been waiting so so long for this and finally its come out !!. Ive gotta put it to Justin , I absolutely love it , its so catchy , I already know half of the lyrics and the video made me laugh so much.

I think over the years Justin has found himself as an artist and who he wants to be in the public eye , yes hes had his struggles but I think hes stepped up with this song.

The song is really all about his confusion for the girl he loves and what do you mean , is him saying I dont understand you because you send mixed signals. I really like the clock sound throughout and the beat just makes me wanna get up and dance.

I go back to school in a couple of days and this has cheered me up so much , its definitely gonna get me through autumn , its such a great end to one of the best summers of my life.

Respect Justin as an artist so much , go watch to it here :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK_0jXPuIr0

or look at the lyrics : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NywWB67Z7zQ

Tuxedo By MIC Lowry

Having supported this band since the initial beggining of them slowly going viral across Facebook and Twitter , to seeing them now with a single on Itunes is amazing.

So your probably wondering , who are these boys and why should you be listening to them asap. They are a 5 Piece RandB/Soul group , from Livepool , whos names are : Ben , Kaine , Akia, Delleile and Michael and they bring with them a passion and enthusiasm that makes you love them even more

.

They have done a couple of song but my faves are :

Tuxedo ( Currently on Vevo) :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2ns98e0ESA (It is so so catchy and I cannot stop singing it , listening to it it, still hasnt got old in my books)

Beyonce/Bruno Mars Medley cover : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9-bnCHK5YQ (Which is actually the first time I came across them as a band , so it was an exciting time for me)

So please go check them out , they are quite something and different enough from any bands around today.

Their latest single , Super Super Super Models , comes out on 14th August.

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/wearemiclowry ,

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wearemiclowry

YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEaHpq2JUv7xRs6CC55uQNg

Travelling

Travelling , it’s always been such a massive part of my life , ever since I was little I have loved the sensation of going on a train or bus that can take you to a completely new place.

I particularly love travelling up to London , I live 5 mins walk from the northern line so it’s just brilliant . You can get up to London in less than an hour plus it’s a really fun and enjoyable experience.

This particular time I’m travelling up to Waterloo to meet my friend Frederick. (This is gonna sound really stupid but I’ve never been on the tube on my own for this long before so I’m excited ) It’s actually a great experience and I love just seeing all the different people and thinking about where they may be going.

  

I actually read something recently about this thing called Humanising. Its basically where you pick one bit of someone that you really like ( could be their clothes , smile , bag ) or you listen to their conversation or whatever. This sounds really strange but apparently , the more you do this the better you get at socialising and when alone it can make you feel less isolated (with only your iPhones music for a friend )and more comfortable.

The thing I also love about travelling up to London is , you always see different types of people , you will have a new experience every time you go and I find that I’m always quite excited to go to London (even if it is a bit of my second home)

So next time your on a tube or bus , look around you , look for new things you’ve never seen before , your life will be enriched . That , in my opinion, is how you get the best out of a life that can seem quite normal into a quirky , different experience.