Flopsy takes the stage

I've been telling everyone that I wouldn't audition for a play this semester, I ended up sort of auditioning while I wasn't aware I was actually doing so, and as a result ended up with a role! The play is called Wind In The Willows. (click the title for more info) Idea behind me approaching the director was to offer to help out backstage and maybe have a silent part as a tree or something. I have way too much to do this semester and no time for plays of any sort. He then thrust a bit of script in my hands and asked me to read Ratty, one of the major characters. That was followed a callback and finally the first rehearsal yesterday evening. I am now cast as Robert the Rabbit and also Rupert (the Human). In total not more than 5 minutes of stage time, however, Robert has the second line at the start of the play, right after Mole (one of the four main character). So there I'll be, two ears, fluffy tail and a dim look in my eyes trying to play a rabbit. By Jove, that'll be a hoot.

Anyway, all this auditioning and rehearsing took place this weekend, which unfortunately was the weekend that Suzanne was here too (the unfortunate bit being that I had to spend lots of hours at the Student Guild and not at home larking about with Suus and the homies) But we had a blast riding up and down Liverpool and the Wirral visiting the best museums that the region has to offer and also eating lots of chocolate fingers bought for 20p a pop which could arguably have been the highlight of the weekend.

Besides the Drama malarkey and my Dutchie visitor (conversations in Dutch again managed to raise a few eyebrows during dinner, I guess it'll always remain strange language to my English flatmate's ears) nothing much happened except the Improv auditions we held last week (some other witty minds joined our 'Sticky Floor' team) and the general start of Uni. I can now honestly say that Irish is a very difficult language, but that it strangely reminds me of Dutch sometimes (how the Dutch will always pronounce RED as RET and ROB as ROP) because final devoicing is common and the throaty 'g' sound isn't a stranger to them either. (To those more phonetically inclined, lots of devoiced d's and g's and I suppose glottalisation + velarisation in places too). My other classes are pretty much allright too, not as cool as last semester, and I'll probably spend more time worrying about the play and my BA thesis that I still have to write than what to read for the next Lit. Tutorial, but interesting nonetheless.

Oh, I did manage to screw up my bank debit card, I now have to wait for a new PIN number to be able to withdraw and pay money again. (I still can't figure out what my old PIN was, I must have jumbled up the numbers) and my Dutch bank thought I'd withdrawn double the amount I had taken out in actual fact and I had to call them to set them straight. Which happily I could do by way of Skype, which very fortunately is now installed and ready on my own laptop after the decision to at long last hook up my own internet connection. I am typing this blog in the luxury of my own flat and semi comfortable desk chair. You never realise how much you need to have internet in your own home until you don't (A little bit like never realising how much you miss Dutch Stamppot until your mum comes over for New Year's and makes it).
(Ratty and Moley)

....and a Beatle New Year!

Right. OK. Yes. It is now definitely time to write again. I say I've left off a proper blog entry for so long that in theory I should write a short novel, were it not for the fact that I have scant novel writing skills and rather pursue this less exasperating mode of keeping you all up to date.
So, Like I said, the new year. In this year I have already broken a pretty nice record; I have seen, heard and sang to more Beatles than I ever have in all my life. Let me begin where most stories start, the beginning...

As you might well be aware, my mother came over during the holidays. We had a fabulous time exploring the depths and crevices of Liverpools museums, shops and streets (I discovered a whole load of stuff I didn't know about the Pool) and hung out at churches, galleries and sometimes uninhabitable homes a few minutes down the road from my flat. This all out of sheer interest for Liverpools history and to gawk at how a city can have such magnificent cathedrals besides such decrepit slums.
Of course, we also visited the Beatle's Story; the world famous Beatles museum at the Albert Docks. (Technically, this was one or two days before the new year, but we were already celebrating 2008 in spirit) A short summery of the tour; I now know everything to do with the Beatles and I saw John Lennons tinted glasses. Altough I love the band for all they've done for Rock and Roll, and I am very fond of Jude and the Strawberry fields, 10 pounds was a little steep even for a museum full of famous things. But me and mum had a very good time sitting in the Yellow Sub and staring at the fishes. Unlike the clay figurines and wax dolls, they were real.

After many other things that were very exciting and lots of memorable outings that do not belong is this particular story, it was the New Year. Well, no, it was New Years eve and we were bound for the Anglican Cathedral. A hundred year old and may I say Gigantic and rather Magnificent example of a church. Too bad it wasn't build in Medieval times for that would have been even cooler. For this night, the church had prepared a special evening. And although I wasn't too sweeped away with the 'And on the eight day, God created Liverpool' bit that they'd put into a song and dance routine, the gospel choir did their best to get everyone's hands together. But the best thing came a little later. About half an hour before midnight, the 'boss' (I'm so not sure if in the Anglican faith he's called a dean or a chaplain or very possibly something else) told everyone to go outside. With everyone that was a couple of thousand people who'd slowely filled up the church over the hour. Once outside the real party began, the choir was singing songs and after some mighty ding donging by St George's bell they lit the best fireworks I'd seen since Guy Fawkes day (I'd seen none to be honest but still....) and one minute after midnight the whole street outside the cathedral was full of Hey Jude's 'Na na na na na na na' cus the choir had begun singing the Beatles greatest hits. What a way to begin the new year!

Well, mum left shortly after. And I reunited with friend and housmate who were slowly returning home as well. So, continuing the Beatle tour, on a random Thursday after new year's. I and a host of Germans, Austrians, Swiss and the odd Spaniard (seriously, I'll be fluent in German by the end of this year) finally found time to visit the Cavern, arguably the most famous nightclub in the world. The Beatles did over 30 (I think) gigs here and every Thurs a Beatle tribute band preforms part of their oeuvre to an overexcited audience. I'd never really heard about this before, so was taken by complete suprise when four blokes clad in black and white suits and shoes with heels were shouting well known lyrics in their microphones. Save to say after a couple of overpriced ciders we all agreed all you really need is love and ta ta da da da and so on. It was a hoot.

To top all of this 'experience-the-age-you've-totally-missed-cus-you-were-born-in-the-eighties' thing off, on the 12th the People's Opening of Capital of Culture took place on George's Square. The same place that held so many good memories of failing Christmas lights never being switched on and bands preforming I'd never heard of. This time however, the start of the Cap. of Cult. was great. They had fabulous entertainment like dozens of guitarists on every roof around the square, fireworks, the Wombats (the band, not actual furry animals) and the icing on the cake, Ringo Starr on the drums on the roof of St. Georges Hall. He'd changed since I last saw him in the Cavern tho, he'd gotten a little old and all his hair was gone... It was a party nonetheless and everyone had a great, be it cold and windy, time.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23041807-23109,00.html

So, that concludes how I spend almost a month in a sort of Beatle time. Not even including the Beatle photography exhibition at the National Conservation Centre or the Yellow Submarine at John Lennon Airport.

Now uni is starting again tomorrow, auditions for the plays are on, I'm off on new courses (including a foundation unit in the Irish Language (exciting!)) and loads and loads of BA paper writing to do....FUN!

Will be back soon....

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life. And I'm feeling good

So, 2008 eh? It feels like we're racing through the first decade of the new Millennium like a hamster in a wheel. Anyway, 2008 is a real important year for Liverpool, it's the year the city sort of gets it's former glory back, it's dignity as a city that matters; to shed the image as the scally wally scousers and the chavs living in 'the worst neighbourhoods in the UK' (Toxteth might ring a bell). Many forget that up until the 1920/30's, Liverpool had been a thriving merchant city, founded 800 years ago by monks and later given a real city title by King John himself. Throughout the middle ages and beyond, it was a city that everyone knew; everyone had been and everyone wanted to live in. During the 18th and 19th Centuries it was described as the London of the North. However, during the first world war and the Wall Street crash with the unemployment that followed, Liverpool went along headfirst into despair, desolation and decay. Not even the Beatles and the Merseybeat could make the city climb back on it's feet. But the last couple of years, with 2008 as it's climax, have been tremendously beneficial for Liverpool. Tourism is growing, employment on a steady rise and buildings being repainted and rebuild to their former glory. Ok, it's not like the Pool can compare to London anymore, not even to Manchester or York, but you have to admit, when you walk the streets and docks, there is a great change going on. I like being in a city that's not great, that's not wonderful or fantastic. I like being in a city that has a clear identity, a purpose and a 'feel'. You really feel part of the progress, part of the revival.
Anyway, Liverpool is a heck of a lot more different than Leiden, even though I love Leiden and definitaly want to come back, there's something about Liverpool that makes you want to stay to see how everything ends up, how it turns out 10 years onwards. No doubt I'll be back though to see what's become of my home. But enough with that New Year's blues, I'm not leaving yet, and will keep on blogging in 2008 to keep everyone in the know. Oh, and next week I hope to be in the presence (or at least catch a glimpse) of one of the two Beatles left alive, Ringo Starr, who's giving a little opening concert to Liverpool '08. Together with a few other big names they're providing a sort of party thing to celebrate Capital of Culture. Should be fun. Will let you know how it went!

(Clickable title)