Mission Drift @ The Shed, National Theatre

Excellent satire from New York's Team group, and proves to me that the NT is the place to see first rate theatre. With two disappointing rep outings this year, the three NT productions have proved illuminating and all where we have sat on stage right next to the actors (The Architects slightly different maybe).
The Shed is a great temporary theatre, all little too warm for the hottest day of the year so far but appropriately intimate, what will happen to it once the refurb to the Cutteslow is complete who knows but it will be a shame if it is just dismantled. Architecturally it brings a welcome alternative form (and colour) to the otherwise bleak, but extremely vibrant (the pop up container bar in front of the Hayward another exception) South Bank.
Roll on Punchdrunk's Drowned Man is a few weeks time.

9/10

Lucinda Williams @ Barbican Hall

Described as an 'Intimate Evening With Lucinda Williams' this was anything but. Apart from the good acoustics, The Barbican Hall is not a venue to recomended for anyone of the rock/folk/country etc etc community. It is souless with 1% atmosphere, a cavernous hall. Why oh why was she promoted here? Audience, predominatly middle class and middle aged, including myself, not even sold out, unlike the last two occsions at a packed and very responsive Shephers Bush Empire. She even said after three songs that it was a bit quiet. Wrong venue Lucinda!
However, a strong selection of songs, and a majority that I have not heard live before, tailored to the fact she was accompanied by lead guitarist Doug Pettibone and bassist David Sutton. A good format which allowed space for the songs chosen but could have done with a precussionist (not drummer) in the mode of someone like the late Don Alias had with Joni Mitchell in her golden years to fill and add that little bit extra texture.
Low lights were Drunken Angel when she either got ahead of herself or Pettibone and Sutton were way behind and the new number Something Wicked This Way Comes. (the other new one I Look At The World showing early promise)
Highlights, her voice was on good strong form... Car Wheels... Copenhagen.... Nick Drake's River Man (a surprise)...Blessed and of course Ventura for a number of reasons one being that I will try and drive Ventura in July but also for the fact that Neil Young ('put Neil Young on and turn up the sound') was playing at the very same time five miles away over at the O2. If he turned up his sound, maybe we could hear him.
Did she entertain me? for a fan the glass was half empty.
Late in the day but it occurred to me that her songs were real life vignettes
Managed to get one half decent photo which was not bad as we were in the circle but security at the Barbican was lax as I just walked through with a big camera.

Set list

        Can't Let Go
        Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
        People Talkin'
        Pineola
        Sweet Old World
        Something About What Happens When We Talk
        Ventura
        I Look At the World
        Copenhagen
        I Envy the Wind
        I Lost It
        Drunken Angel
        Something Wicked This Way Comes
        Those Three Days
        Hard Time Killing Floor (Skip James)
        Essence
        Joy
        Honey Bee
        Encore:
        River Man (Nick Drake)
        Blessed
        Get Right With God

7.5/10

Behind the Candelabra

Top rate performance from Douglas and even Damon is a surprise. Enjoyable movie with plenty of grimace factor.
But no chance of an Oscar for Douglas as considered to be a film made for TV. Would have deservedly been nominated otherwise.

8/10

David Bowie is @ The V&A

Was never a fan but they have put on a great exhibition. Two high points for me were a couple of scraps of paper with costing for hire of musicians for a recording in London, The £12 for Piano (Rick) was presumably Mr Wakeman, and the projected images/videos on to suspended cubes or the great hall of three storeys high was gobsmackingly outstanding.
9/10