Archive for December 2nd, 2007

Cruising the West End

(Like most of my blogposts, the thumbnail images are clickable for a screen size image).

 

Commemorative glass sculptureExterior corner graphic on metallised finish curved wallBack in the 1930s, indirect cove lighting was De Rigeur so it is unsurprising that a 1937 theatre had a lot of it. The Prince of Wales theatre is built in the style of an Ocean Liner, although it isn’t entirely obvious. The corner entrance symbolises the prow of the ship, stylized somewhat but suggested by this glass sculpture in the lobby which commemorates the reopening in 2004 by Royalty (Charles & Camilla, of course). If you look closely, you will see that there are some plastic cups behind it. It also had a newspaper and a ring binder, along with assorted paperwork. (Look at yesterday’s posting and click on the second photo to see!).

 

30s style wallpaper with a shell motifLobby covingThe ceiling has had the coving restored, with a lot of shiny metal, cold cathode lighting and burnished metallic wall finishes. The (new) staircase down to the Piano room (formerly the American Bar) has a striking stencil graphic. Many of the walls have this very shiny wallpaper which has a very 30s feel to it (& I bet it cost a lot more than woodchip!)

 

Inside of the towerThe corner entrance is now open on three levels above the Foyer, forming two separate circulation areas, the higher one being usable as a VIP space. The upper level used to be the Delfont Boardroom and the lower one is now known as the Folies Room as the London Version of the Folies Bergere was based in this very theatre, or more accurately, the pre-1937 Princes Theatre on this site. (Mrs. Henderson Presents suggested the Windmill was used but the story is a bit of a pastiche, it seems, history here). There is a circular drum opening reflecting the exterior tower and a very effective mural painted on the ceiling.

 

 

Mural, tower side upMural, ship side upThis mural is rather interesting, as when you first look at it, you see the masks of comedy and tragedy along with the landmark tower of the theatre. You also recognise other motifs like a stage spotlight beam asnd hints of Americana. Then, when you look at it from a different angle, you suddenly realise that there is a big four-stacked ocean-going ship in the design and a deck handrail. (It helps if it is pointed out to you!)

 

Ladies toilet in the Delfont BarAnyone who is a theatre-goer knows that theatres never have enough toilets for the fairer sex and generally only (just) enough for the hairier sex due to our outside plumbing. Mackintosh was determined to do something about this and there is a very large (and very smart) ladies lavatory in the basement with fifteen cubicles. So proud are they of this that it was included on the guided tour! Those sinks look like they should have come with Kenwood mixers though.

 

Here are a few snaps of other ceiling coves, niches and features in the foyer spaces, some original, others a recreation where stairs had to be relocated (or room made to fit in a lift). Words should appear when you mouse-hover them.

 

American Bar under the Circle, ceiling originalCove in Folies Bar, a recreationCoving in the basement Delfont Bar, originalA niche figure in the lobbyFolies bar, with mirror backed grilles and edge lightingCoving in the Piano Bar, a recreation of something similar lost due to reconstruction

 

I’ll stop now, auditorium and memorabilia shots another time.

 

To get the Cameron Mackinosh angle on the reconstruction, take a look at their site.

Get some sticky-back plastic…

Fair use claimed- illustration of blogpostingThere is a lot about Advent in the Blogosphere at the moment. Whenever I see an Advent candle I always think of coathangers. This is because Blue Peter always used to make one every year with four candles (or was that Fork Handles?), lighting one each programme before Christmas. I was surprised that I couldn’t find an image online, but eventually I tracked down some instructions on how to make one, click on the picture for a bigger image (and to read the words).
Christmas traditions- source link below

Instructions for making one from this site

I did look to see if I could find it on YouTube, sadly not, however, here is Valerie making things for Christmas…

Meanwhile, here is Major Misunderstanding…

Good with colours

you are lightcyan
#E0FFFF

Your dominant hues are green and blue. You’re smart and you know it, and want to use your power to help people and relate to others. Even though you tend to battle with yourself, you solve other people’s conflicts well.
Your saturation level is very low - you have better things to do than jump headfirst into every little project. You make sure your actions are going to really accomplish something before you start because you hate wasting energy making everyone else think you’re working.

Your outlook on life is very bright. You are sunny and optimistic about life and others find it very encouraging, but remember to tone it down if you sense irritation.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

I’m not really, I just chose a number of adjectives that applied to me some of the time (and didn’t tick any that didn’t).

Hat tip: Thunderdragon

Blogpower Roundup

JMB has produced a labour of love with the biggest blogpower roundup yet, fifty recent posts from Blogpowerers.

As Wardman Wire puts it, it might be the only post worth reading today. I wouldn’t go that far, but it will keep you busy. I’m in there somewhere…

“You can’t say that!”

A great article on Spiked points out that whilst we all look on at the Sudan teddy bear affair in bewilderment, it isn’t all plain sailing back in Blighty where we have our own policing of morality.

Perhaps we should show our contempt of irrational theocracy by repealing our blasphemy laws, rather than all of this incitement to religious hatred stuff which is a sort of blasphemy-lite for non-christianity. As it stands, the opinionated blogger is walking on eggshells saying anything that offends the PC liberal classes.

There are now quite a few things categorised as hate crimes in Britain. What is hated? Sometimes it might just be intense dislike. Is a particular crime more serious because it is against a protected minority group than anyone else? The home Office definition is:

Any incident, which constitutes a criminal offence, which is perceived by the victim or any other person as being motivated by prejudice or hate.

(My emphasis).

However, Wikipedia adds the following:

Hate crimes differ from conventional crime because they are not directed simply at an individual, but are meant to cause fear and intimidation in an entire group or class of people.

Yes, that makes sense, shipping Jews off to Belsen and Auschwitz certainly passes that test.   However, what about the following?

My eye was caught by an article on the beeb called fears over disability hate crime. It is appalling that some narrow minded f*ckwitt Chavs behave this way, but surely this isn’t a hate crime at all, it is just plain old fashioned bullying. It used to happen to me as a kid because I wore specs…