01/08/15 - American Idiot at the Arts Theatre, London
For the Millennial Generation, at least, you may struggle to find an album that means as much as Green Day's American Idiot. Even in the UK (where we didn't feel George Bush's reign so acutely), it was the soundtrack to many people's adolescence and the first form of media to truly pinpoint our feelings of nonconformity and struggles with identity. It is also arguably the most prominent work of art to openly express opposition to the Bush administration, so much so that even ten years later the themes and ideas that the album addresses are still as relevant as they were at the time. And now, at London's Arts Theatre, these songs are being given a new life in the form of a jukebox musical which expands on Green Day's concept album. Although it may not seem as though a punk rock musical would appeal to either to fans of punk rock or of musical theatre, American Idiot the Musical is a force of nature that somehow just works.
02/07/15 - wonder.land at the Manchester International Festival
If you take your seats in Manchester's Palace Theatre for wonder.land expecting a straightforward musical adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, you will undoubtedly be disappointed. However, if you approach the performance with an open mind, you'll embark on a truly unique adventure down a digital rabbit hole with this visually ambitious reimagining of a British children's classic.
17/06/15 - Granola Recipe
Recently, I've been on a bit of a health kick...which is a phrase that I wouldn't normally associate with myself. Although my diet has never been particularly awful (expect for in the first year of uni but I certainly wasn't the only person living on pasta, chips and £1 shots) and I walk pretty much everywhere, I definitely have some bad habits. For instance I'm not a big fan of any kind of exercise and I can happily eat a whole tube of Pringles in one sitting. But by making a few easy changes to replace less healthy foods with better alternatives, I've found that I feel a lot happier, less groggy and I've been saving money. However, breakfast was proving to be the most difficult meal to adapt. No one eats salad for breakfast, and I definitely needed to steer away from my very bread-heavy morning routine. And that's where this recipe comes in!
04/06/15 - An Evening with Amanda Palmer at RNCM
Amanda Palmer has been on most people's radars in some form or another for the past fifteen years, but it was her 2014 TED talk that made the world sit up and listen. This was followed by her debut book - part autobiography, part self-help book - The Art of Asking which elaborates on her idea of the relationship between artist and audience. Since its release last November, the book has gained momentum with support from the likes of Caitlin Moran and Brené Brown. I bought the book for my boyfriend when it came out after he was inspired to read it by the viral TED talk, and on his recommendation we purchased tickets for An Evening with Amanda Palmer.
