Before I start I should say hanks for all your thoughts and well wishes. I don’t usually catch colds and this one came as a surprise but its just about gone now, never to be seen again LOL
Now the grandkids sometimes use the word wicked to mean something really good – well – that musical called Wicked, the one Dh and I went to see yesterday was really WICKED.
We decided to save a bit of cash and took the train courtesy of our free Seniors Sunday transport card. We’ve used this quite frequently but I’ve never seen the train packed like it was for a long time and when we actually arrived at Flinders Street Station there were people everywhere.
The forecourt was teeming like rush hour during the week and once outside and down the steps you wouldn’t have thought it was a Sunday as we tried to cross the Young and Jackson Intersection. No policeman with a whistle in the middle of that intersection these days and even with Swanston Street being a Mall there seemed to be just as much traffic as before.
There was a Footy match on for a start – so many people in the train covered in red and navy scarves, beanies and clothing hoping for a good game. When we realised the game was on at Docklands we wondered how we’d get a seat on the way home, Happily luck was on our side later tho’ as the train went out and via Spencer Street to the loop after leaving Flinders Street.
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Walking up Swanston Street we saw a huge line at the front of St Paul’s and also other long lines when we got to the beautiful restored Regent Theatre. There were placards and brochures around with the words Melbourne Open House – reminded me about this event. Lots of places open to the public, this was the first year of this event and hopefully I’ll be able to get to the next one.
Have a look here to see more – what it was all about.
There was a demonstration in the City Square – something to do persecution in China. Lots of noise and colour, banners, drums singing and talking, shame we couldn’t take it all in but we’d timed the train to get there without having to wait too long in the cold.
Now on to the fabulous Regent Theatre and the show, which was much longer than I’d expected. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it, mind you I love the theatre especially if it involves singing and dancing lol
It’s a funny but sad story about what happened in Oz before Dorothy’s Day Out in the storm. Supposedly about how the characters were conceived and the aftermath of it all. Fun show and will be a good drawcard for visitors to Melbourne – local and interstater and maybe International. I don’t think its going anywhere else and have heard its here in town for quite a while.
At the end I wished we’d saved the money I paid for Guys and Dolls earlier in the year so I could have put it towards seeing this again. Like The Phantom I felt it was one that could be seen again and again to take in all the set designs and the costumes, which were fabulous, especially in the Emerald City scenes. They were sort of weird and way out like some runway high couture.
We were in the Dress Circle, with a reasonable view – ‘cept when the woman in front of me moved her head a certain way, which she did quite frequently as the one in front of her was bobbing around, so mine was going from right to left trying to find that elusive clear view and I’m sure annoying the people behind me anyway as noise travels I found it very noisy in some scenes and at times hard to hear what the ensemble were actually singing – thought it was me but dh made mention of it during the interval. Half their words were blurred and indistinct so the crowd scenes just came over as noise.
Not needing to ‘be seen’ we stayed inside in our seats during the interval and there were sellers in the aisles with little trays round their necks just as in the old days. Went to get a Magnum ice cream and nearly had a fit at the price $5 – then saw someone come back from outside with a Choc Top (like at the cinema and which I love) and heard them complaining about the price as well. Dh just laughed and said if you are willing to pay over $100 for a seat to see a show why would you complain at the rather inflated price of the ice cream.
Hmmm – Point taken – next time I’m going be dressed to kill and take a shopping bag filled with chips and lollies and we’ll see if he walks in beside me lol
Got crushed in the train coming home and loved the sight of the rain as we got further east. Our garden must have been drenched during the day and yet there was none in the City.
Today is cold but clear and now its time to look out some shorts and t-shirts to launder and get ready for next week. Must get the cases out and start gathering things together – Sunny Queensland here we come.
Still Waters 