You Dress up for Armageddon, I Dress up for Polar Winter

Chaotic yet chic: the Hives

Let it never be said that I am not a person of diverse interests. And this week in particular seems to have been all about polar opposites, having finally managed to shake off my recently found Sky Plus addiction (why-oh-why, did it take me so long to discover TV that you can pause, rewind and fast forward?) and get out of the house!

WEDNESDAY: FRAM AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE

On Wednesday a quick stint through the north pole with Fram, a new play by Tony Harrison about the expeditions of 18th century Norwegian humanitarian and "hero" Fridtjof Nansen. The play, which has just premiered at the Olivier stage, feeds off various sources - such as Greek theatre, photography, video installations and even ballet (ex Royal Ballet principal Viviana Durante dances a small piece by Wayne McGregor called "Aurora", a reference to Nansen's beloved Northern Lights) - to show us Nansen's journeys from the north pole of the earth to the north pole of the soul, his life focus changing from deepest isolation to full involvement in humanitarian causes.

Having managed to break through thick ice and conquer Northern Norway with his ship, the so called "Fram" (forward in Norwegian), Nansen is then seen trying to break trough the ice of the human heart in campaigning various humanitarian causes (from the 1921 Russian famine to Greek refugees in 1922) but in the end, the pessimistic message of the play is clear: the ice age is here to stay.

I thought this was a well written and well staged production, with plenty of depth, shifting from funny to touching, from philosophical to disgusting. As I walked from the Olivier back to Embankment station the cold wintry night reminded me of the play's final image: a video screen projecting London' south bank entirely covered in ice. Nansen WAS right, at least in London there's definitely no sign of anything but everlasting winter...

THURSDAY: ROYAL OPERA HOUSE - PREVIEW TO NEXT SEASON

The next evening put me amongst an audience of mainly sexagenarians at the Royal Opera House, for an interactive talk about some of the Operas and Ballets coming to Covent Garden next season. It was presented by music writer Daniel Snowman, members of the Royal Ballet and the Royal Opera and interspersed with a few live arias (unfortunately not remarkably sung) and ballet extracts (these were beautifully performed by promising young dancer Yuhui Choe).

Not that I mind being one of the youngest in the audience (and I am not that young after all...), but this taster of "what's coming next" seemed like the perfect opportunity for the ROH to bring in a fresh crowd (which they seem so intent on doing, as seen in recent press articles) and yet, unless you are a regular Opera/Ballet goer you would not have seen this event advertised anywhere, not even on the ROH's trendy Youtube and Facebook pages. Shouldn't they be trying to preach beyond the converted?

FRIDAY: THE HIVES AT BRIXTON ACADEMY

From Norway to Sweden. And from sitting with a mature crowd to dodging flying beer bottles at Brixton Academy last Friday...

The Hives were back in town promoting "The Black and White Album", a title which seems to herald a band thriving on extremes. How can they sound so loud yet so crisp and clear? Even when Howlin' Pelle Almqvist (you gotta love the name!) is screaming at the top of his lungs you can still discern the lyrics perfectly. Their garage pop is irresistible and completely conducive to half-rebellious, half-joyous dancing.

They are hilarious as well: dressed in elegant suits and ties the whole band "freezes" on stage for exactly one minute halfway during the aptly named "You Dress Up for Armaggedon". And at one point a disheveled Pelle pleads to the roaring audience: just give me a second to adjust my hair, it is crucial that my hair looks very tidy as the next song is very fast (or something like that). He then slicked his hair back into shape and started howling again. To me that just seemed to summarize the way the Hives sound: ironic, chaotic and chic at the same time. And cool as Swedish ice...

Blindness - Is it worth seeing?

I am torn between the eagerness to see one of my all-time favorite books adapted through the usually sharp lenses of director Fernando Meirelles and my fear of seeing way too much...

How much will Meirelles leave to the imagination? And how much will he show of the stomach-churning events that unfold in the book when "ordinary" people start to lose control of their lives? Will he put us in the same uncomfortable spot that José Saramago put the doctor's wife?

Like Alice in Wonderland, the below teaser leaves me "Curiouser and curiouser"!

Iconic people

Picture: Madonna as a Raphael Madonna

Q: What do the following people have in common?
(Other than their varying degrees of "iconicity")

Vaslav Nijinsky, Leni Riefenstahl, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Anna Pavlova, Drew Barrymore, Louise Brooks, Arthur Miller, Babe Ruth, Greta Garbo, Madonna, Jean Cocteau, Virginia Woolf, Irving Berlin, Fred Astaire, Isadora Duncan, George Clooney, Gary Cooper, Cecil Beaton, Claude Monet, Jessie Norman, Lance Armstrong, Kate Winslet...

A: Their timeless portraits are sharing the same walls until end of May at the "Vanity Fair Portraits" exhibition. Go and gasp!!!

A thank you note

I am very honoured that Linda from Mirando el Catalejo has named Monomania Diaries one her favorite blogs.

Linda stumbled upon this blog by chance when she was searching the blogosphere for posts on a certain petite Romanian ballerina I idolize.

Now the funny thing is: Cojocaru is the reason I first stumbled upon Linda's own blog too, way before we even started reading each other's blogs regularly ... What can I say, we both have great taste, he he!

The hedonist's guide to winter - Part 2: Hot Chocolate

I had been meaning to write about hot chocolate, one of my instant cures for winter blues, for a while and when I had finally compiled a list of London's worthiest purveyors a few weeks ago, Time Out stole my thunder by publishing their own. Not fair...

However, this fresh spate of chilly weather - reminding us that winter is not over yet - and the fact that that Time Out's list seemed far from definitive, encouraged me to revisit the topic: while I give TO credit for introducing me to chocolatier Paul A Young's wonderful spicy hot choc, I disagree with their pick of Carluccio's and here's why: powdered cocoa mixture, thickened with corn/maize starch does not result in proper hot choc. I appreciate this is the Italian method, which gives the drink a gloopy consistency, but taste-wise, it's a no go.

When it comes to hot choc, expertise lies with the Mexicans (as most of you know, they invented the stuff and plus that trademark hint of cinnammon is genius!) and the French (pure chocolate thickened with cream and more cream, none of this starch nonsense).

So, which ones are truly worth wasting your calorie allowance on? In my opinion:

1) Konditor and Cook

Very dependable, choc-tastic hot choc from this mini chain of patisseries. A real pick-me-up. I love it even more with some of their Kipferl biscuits on the side.

2) Paul A Young

Thanks for the tip Time Out! You can add whichever spice mix you fancy (cinammon, cardamon, nutmeg, chilli, everything...) to this exquisite dark chocolate blend. Their other chocolate treats and cakes are glorious too!

3) La Maison du Chocolat

Choose between a darker or lighter blend. Either way, there's no need for adding extra sugar as both versions are quite sweet. Great for takeaways.

4) Laduree

Perfectly thick and gooey. Not too sweet, not too bitter, just right and heavily caloric!

5) The Wolseley

You can go with the basic hot choc or add extras (whipped cream, alcohol, etc.). Much less thick than the options above but they score top marks for presentation (beautifully served in a tall glass and silver tray) and lovely surroundings.

Try at home:

In a pan or on microwave: mix a generous amount of melting dark chocolate flakes or pieces (good buys: "Prestat" or "Hotel Chocolat" flakes, "Cool Chile Co's" Mexican hot choc pastilles) with full fat single cream. You can use half dark, half milk chocolate for balance. Add hot milk to taste (but watch the consistency!) and blend with a hand mixer to froth the whole thing up. Finish off with cinnamon on top! Yum, yum!

See also: The hedonist's guide to winter - Part 1: Cupcakes

Sunny days in London

The month of February brought an unusual and welcome guest to London: the sun!!

All of a sudden, the cold did not matter so much and I felt like those lucky New Yorkers with their winter bright skies. For about 2 weeks London was just perfect (well, almost: transport was still as chaotic as usual)!

Don't believe me? As sure as my camera is my witness, I swear...

Picspam: 2008 Red Carpet Face Off

Better late than never. I may have missed Sunday's red carpet reports but - as Lady Catherine de Bourgh would say - "I simply must have my share of this conversation". I am, after all, a big party frock enthusiast!

You Go Gal!

A common theme in the red carpet this year seemed to be relative newcomers stealing the fashion thunder of more established A-list actresses - check this out:

Katherine Heigl - The Knocked Up star was a knockout in red. This Escada dress was - in my opinion - not only the best of the red squad (I counted at least 5 ladies in red), it was the best of the whole evening. A wonderful one shoulder + elegant sweep combo.


Admittedly, I would not wear this Galliano dress in a million years but Oscar winner Diablo Cody looked amazing in it. And what a great idea to accessorize this bad girl gown with a big tattoo à la Brody Dalle. Much better than borrowed diamonds.

A controversial choice: Some considered it bland but I loved Zellweger's nod to vintage Hollywood in this sparkly Carolina Herrera. So glamorous! But I would have loved it even more had it been worn by a pale skinned brunette (I'm thinking ultimate glamour queen Dita Von Teese).

Must Try Harder

Marion Cotillard - I have nothing against the mermaid theme at the bottom but not keen on the foamy effect at the bust level. It looks like it's been finished off with whipped cream...

Penelope Cruz - She was one of my favorites last year, but now only one thing springs to mind with this Chanel: kangaroo pouch!

Heidi Klum is this year's winner of the "This dress is larger than life" award. Past winners include Charlize Theron (2006) and Nicole Kidman (2007).

And finally, Tim Burton and wife Helena Bonham Carter looking half eccentric, half drab as usual. No, wait... it's Day-Lewis and his missus, oh dear!!

Source: www.oscar.com

Othello: Ewan has really come a long way round

I had seen other high brow Shakespeare adaptations before (most memorably, Ralph Fiennes in Richard II and the wonderful Ben Daniels in As You Like it) but I think Michael Grandage's intimate staging of Othello, which mr. R and I were lucky enough to catch last weekend, raises the bar for theatrical greatness.

One of the Donmar Warehouse's biggest assets, other than its artistic director (Michael Grandage), is the pocket size space: with limited seating and a tiny stage one is drawn into the drama, not as spectator, but as an eyewitness... because you cannot physically distance yourself from the play you also get emotionally closer to it than in a conventional theatre (which makes me think: what a shame that the Donmar will be staging Twelfth Night and Hamlet at a much bigger venue!!). Add to that a strong cast, dramatic sound effects plus a few clever props to evoke Venice (a very interesting water feature replicating the canals and sewers) and later Cyprus (Turkish motifs, sun light pouring through the windows) and you have an Othello as poignant as it gets.

Some critics maintain that Ewan McGregor is miscast (probably the same ones who criticized Ewan's delicious all singing, all dancing Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls) but I thought his Iago was spot on. If at first you cannot get the full dimension of his evil mind (and why would everyone trust Iago so blindly if he did not seem genuinely nice?), once he starts laboring the ugly beast of his revenge you really hate him! And yet you cannot help but empathize when Ewan shows Iago's obsession with Desdemona. He looks at her suggestively, he softly touches her. She is like a precious object he can never have... and how that plagues him! But here's just one of the myriad reasons he hates Othello so much.

When compared to Chiwetel Ejiofor's Othello there is no doubt Ewan's Iago is (and has to be!) a more subtle characterization. You get immediately taken with Chiwetel, he has enormous range and his diction of the Shakespearean verse is beautiful. His delivery of the text is so musical it is almost an operatic experience! Throughout you really feel this guy's pain, all his self doubt. The scene where he smothers the poor Desdemona was bone chilling. Same when he discovers the truth about Iago.

The all strong cast drew loud cheers from an adoring crowd. Given all the hype (ie. likeable Ewan playing a baddie!), the production is entirely sold out, but a limited number of day tickets are up for grabs. It's worth joining the queue!!