Managed to spend a good amount of time writing this weekend. I needed to get to grips with the first chapters of my story and some how pull it together. Once that is done then I think I have a good base to move forward. The problem is that the chapters deal with the six major characters and because they are the opening chapters then they have to pull the reader in, keep them gripped, and move them forward, without let up. Personally I think that can sometimes be a tall order for the first fifty pages at the best of times. The real problem is that you could argue that technically, the book starts after these first chapters so conventional wisdom would suggest cutting them. However these chapters are essential for the understanding of the concepts of the book – so it is important that they keep the reader gripped!
The Golden Compass
I watched The Golden Compass yesterday. What a train wreck of a film! There were a number of changes from the book, and I can accept them. One or two I might have disagreed with or wondered the point of the change, but on the whole that wasn’t the problem. The real problem is that they tried to make it a 1 hour 40 minutes film! It therefore becomes an absolutley fast forward through events that doesn’t allow you to pick up anything from the characters. The plot just zips buy that it becomes incomprehensible. You feel nothing for Lyra and as to why she does things, or indeed why anyone does things. In order to keep this plot going dialogue is thrown in that means too much exposition. I wonder if anyone who has not read the books would get anything out of it?
The Golden Compass
The Golden CompassRelated Posts:
On a night like this…
First things first; we stayed at a little B&B not far (5 mins in a taxi) from the Puerto del Carmen and o2 called One Six Two – it was a great little place, well worth the money and in a fantastic location for the O2. So if you plan to visit the O2, I can highly recommend it, but more on that in another post.
After arriving at the B&B we went to the venue to grab something to eat. We ate at Las Iguanas, a South American style restaurant; it was very nice!
In the concert arena we had seats very similar to those for the Prince concert last year, just on the other side. I was quite relieved as I feared that we would be up in the gods. The o2 has very steep seating, and being near the top could be almost unbearable. As it was we were only 3 rows in on the top tier, which actually gives a very good view of the stage.
The show started at about 8pm. It was basically broke up into 8 acts with a stage theme to each, and a costume change between! Some of it was surreal, some of it was more than a tad camp… but all of it was pretty darned great! I enjoyed a few tracks that had much rockier tracks to them. I also enjoyed the video screens. They were actually worth watching because they would often show the whole stage from a higher angle and show what the all the dancers were doing in context.
Had a fab time – really enjoyed it – well worth it!
I think that this was pretty much the track list…
Act 1: Xlectro Static
* Speakerphone
* Boombox/Can’t Get You Out Of My Head (Greg Kurstin Remix)
* Ruffle My Feathers
* In Your EyesAct 2: Cheer Squad
* Heart Beat Rock
* Wow
* ShockedAct 3: Beach Party
* Loveboat
* Copacabana
* Spinning AroundAct 4: Xposed
* Like a Drug
* Slow/Free
* 2 HeartsBreak
Act 5: Naughty Manga Girl
* Sometime Samurai (video projection)
* Come Into My World (Fischerspooner Mix)
* Nu-di-ty
* SensitizedAct 6: Starry Nights
* Flower
* I Believe in You (ballad version)Act 7: Black versus White
* On A Night Like This
* Your Disco Needs You
* Kids
* Step Back In Time
* In My ArmsEncore
* No More Rain
* The One (Freemasons Vocal Club Mix)
* Love At First Sight (Ruff & Jam US Radio Mix)
* I Should Be So Lucky
Related Posts:
Tired
I’ve just spent the whole day at my brothers wedding. I’m tired now,
it’s been a long day! I cried when Andrew gave his speech; what can I
say, I’m getting soppy in my old age!!!
Related Posts:
Dr Who
I watched the last three episodes of Dr Who, including the season finale; they were all shite! I seem to keep getting the same feeling everytime I drop in to watch an episode…
It’s camp, it’s kitsch, it’s badly written, and it’s badly acted… why do so many people seem to enjoy it?
Tv, Dr Who