If you've got it, flaunt it!

Picture Accreditation: Paulmcdee

At 7:30 the curtain rose to a wave of anticipation from the audience. Two and a half hours later, the actors were bowing to a standing ovation. This was the Mel Brooks musical 'The Producers' being performed at Lincoln's Theatre Royal for just two weeks. This musical has to be one of the must un PC in history. It isn't averse to celebrating the life of Hitler nor seriously stereotyping gays. However it does this in such a light hearted and humourous manner that I would be surprised if anyone would get offended last night. I went to see the musical (performed by the Lincoln Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society) last night with a couple of friends and I was captivated from start to finish. I had already seen this musical live in Manchester a couple of years ago when Peter Kay was playing the part of the gay director, Roger De Bris. I have to admit that this amateur version was just as good, if not better than the professional version in Manchester. Every actor had their own take on the character that they were playing, with the actors playing Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom being especially strong. I fully recommend this to anyone who wants to see a musical with a difference. The writing is obviously fantastic as it was written by the legend that is Mel Brooks. The musical, written in 2005, is based on Mel Brooks' original 1968 film of the same name. As Ulla says i n the musical, 'If you've got it, flaunt it.' Mel Brooks certainly is flaunting his talent with this masterpiece.

Library Workshop

Picture Accreditation: Monika Bargmann

I went on an all day Library workshop yesterday at Grantham library. I was one of just three men there! The idea was to teach us librarians about the new RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system that is going to be installed throughout Lincolnshire Libraries later this year. The lady who held the seminar was raving about it as the system has already been tried and tested in libraries across the country and in Australia. RFID is basically a self issuing system so that people can take out books without having to stand in a queue at a counter. Apparently this will revolutionise our libraries and will get more people using them. Fiona (that was the lady's name) also talked about what we can do now to get more people borrowing. At the moment, libraries in Lincolnshire take on a very 1950s feel and they often have a stigma attached to them. People are put off going to libraries because they feel that they have to be quiet and must choose their books and get out. We are now trying to break this image. More of our shelves will be arranged in square shapes to create a living room type atmosphere. Bean bags and sofas will be strategically placed to make it more comfortable for readers to sit and read through books. All the notices such as 'No food and drink', 'No mobile phones' and 'Always stir your drink before drinking' (yes, that was up at one library in the county!) will be taken down, unwanted posters will be removed and leaflets will be given a thorough clear out. All of this should add up to a more spacious, more friendly feel when entering a library. these places are no longer the uptight, rule-crazy places they once were. The plan is to make the library the social hub of every community. However, there were some women on the course who were old fashioned librarians. They couldn't stand all the talk of change and would challenge Fiona about it at every opportunity. Fiona set them all straight though with one quote - 'If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always had.' With book issues being at an all time low in Lincolnshire (here the average library issues 10,000 books a month, in Australia its 80,000) and talk of the 1964 Libraries Act being revoked, now is the time for change. The old librarians are just going to have to get used to it!

Should Euthanasia be Legalised?

Picture accreditation: Lenneke Veerbeek

Should terminally ill have the right to die?

On the 27th February 2009, terminally ill couple Peter and Penelope Duff made the gruelling trip to Switzerland to humanely and legally end their lives. The husband and wife were both suffering from raging forms of cancer, they felt it would be better to die in peace rather than put their family through weeks of seeing them both in agonising pain. However, voluntary euthanasia is not legal in this country so the pair had to go to Switzerland. If euthanasia was legalised it would come as a welcome relief to many terminally ill people who would rather die in peace than wait to die in pain. Should terminally ill patients have the right to decide that they want to die? If it was legalised in the UK it would have to be very carefully regulated of course. Ethical questions would arise; for example, would a terminally ill child have the right to choose to die, would they know what they're agreeing to? Would this decision be down to the parents? What if the parents had chosen for the child to die, but the child doesn't want to, or vice versa? What if there is a chance that the patient could eventually get better? These questions probably make it impossible for suicide clinics to become legal in the UK. The point can be argued that if a terminally ill patient really had the willpower to go through with suicide then they should be willing to travel to Switzerland to do it. The case of voluntary euthanasia was brought up recently by the ITV drama 'A Short Stay in Switzerland'. This drama was based upon real life Dr. Ann Turner's last days before she decided to take the trip to Switzerland. In this drama the viewer was given a inside look on how this decision affects the surrounding family. Again another ethical question arises: Is it better for the family to see you die naturally but in pain, or for them to see a planned death but in peace?

In my opinion voluntary euthanasia should be legalised in the UK as long as it was specifically only for people who were definitely terminally ill and only for those over the age of 18 when they can be considered old enough to make their own decisions. The situation becomes far too complicated if children become involved.

Dinner Party Guests

Picture Accreditation: Allan Engelhardt

Who would you invite to your party?

I was asked the question yesterday, 'If you hosted a dinner party, what five people would you invite?' Although at first glance it looks like quite a straightforward question, it got me thinking.

If I was only allowed five people from throughout history who would I choose?

I could choose close family as they would be the ones who would probably appreciate the party the most. But, I could pick five of my closest friends as this would probably end up being the most fun party. However, in both of these cases people are going to have to be left out. This would then cause arguments and I could even lose friends over it. This would therefore make me feel guilty for throwing the party, no matter how good it was. A third option would be to invite five celebrities that you don't know but could hope to get along with. Theoretically this is probably the best option. Firstly because other celebrities are unlikely to get angry at being left out, and secondly because as there are five of them it is likely that you are at least going to get on with one or two of them. If I invited five celebrities they would be: Paul O'Grady, because he always seems to have something to say and would be brilliant for the conversation at the party. Secondly I would invite Julie Walters, just because I can't think of anything bad that she has acted in and she'd be fantastic in the compulsory game of charades. Next up would be Elvis Presley as he would provide superb musical entertainment. Fourth would be Victoria Wood, the Queen of comedy. She would help to break the ice with a few jokes and may even provide some light entertainment by acting out a few sketches with Julie Walters. Finally I would invite Mel Brooks, the film director. I don't really have a reason as for why, I just like his films. Of course, there is no guarantee that these five people would get on or would even reply to the invites. My friend who first asked me this question has told me that I've thought about this far too much and apparently I should just have given five names!

Facebookaholic

Picture Accreditation: AJ Cann

I am now officially addicted to Facebook. I have pretended for too long that I wasn't but it is obvious that I am. The revelation came last week when from Wednesday to Saturday I was away and therefore I had no access to the Internet. When I got, the first thing I did was to go onto Facebook and change my status and to check any updates that may have occurred in those three days. I am also one of these people who fills out stupid questionnaires just so that I can remain logged in to Facebook. I spend endless hours answering questions like: 'Favourite Colour?' and 'First Kiss?'. Often I'll do these quizzes and then get too embarassed to even post them! Another way of knowing that I am addicted is by how many times I click onto Facebook when I should be doing other things. I often go onto the computer with the sole intention of doing research or getting an assignment done - before I know it, two hours have passed and I'm still making meaningless chat to someone on Facebook. It seems to be programmed into me to click onto Facebook whenever the computer goes on, no matter what the intention. I am not alone though with this addiction, it emerged last week that scientists have now deemed Facebook as addictive as drugs, coffee and sex.

Kids with kids

Picture Accreditation: Daniel

So this week we find out that a thirteen year old boy, Alfie Patten has had a baby with his fifteen year old girlfriend Chantelle Steadman. Alright, I can see the ethical issues that go along with this, but isn't more pressure being placed on them through exposure to the media? Yes, they are too young to even consider raising a child but they can't reverse what they did - now they have to live with the consequences. Among others, one ethical issue being raised here is: when should the media step back and leave people alone? When does media involvement become too much? It is obvious that the media have made Alfie Patten reconsider whether he is up to being a dad as it has emerged today that he will be having a DNA test. Contrast this to when the story first broke. Alfie was quoted saying that he would be a good dad and will care for his baby, Maisie. Now, because of persistent questioning of his ability by the media and the public, he is trying a get-out clause by having a DNA test. I believe that the media have delved too far into this story and should now step back and leave the young parents to it. The story has however has also raised the question of sex education in Britain - again. The Government say that children are getting enough but if this was the case, why is teenage pregnancy the highest in Europe and still on the rise? Children need to be taught at a young age the dangers and consequences that can happen if they have unsafe sex. If the Government could get sex education correct (at the right age and the right amount) then maybe cases like Alfie and Chantelle's may become a thing of the past.

Panto weekend

Pic: Me and Tanya Wenman (Queen Lou and The Cheshire Cat) backstage.

Finally after five months of hard work and countless rehearsals, the Leadenham pantomime came to a close this weekend. 'Alice in Pantoland' has actually been a part of my life since last May when I began to write the script (my second after 'The Genie, The Witch and the Red Robe' for the '08 pantomime). Each performance in the first weekend (30th and 31st Jan) had at least one or two minor hitches - mainly technical problems. I was hopeful that this second weekend would run more smoothly. However, the audiences soon became the main problem. After a small audience on Friday night - due to snowy conditions - I didn't hold out much hope for the Saturday performances. The Saturday matinee seemed to confirm my worst fear, we performed for just over fifty people. They didn't get the jokes and failed to laugh in the places where we thought they would. However, Saturday evening more than made up for the lacklustre afternoon. We performed to a full house of 120 people with every little joke being picked up on. It is a fantastic feeling knowing that something that you've written is actually being performed by and enjoyed by others. The after show party was an excellent way to celebrate all the effort and hard work put in by everyone involved. During this party I was asked a number of times what my ideas were for next year's panto! Truth is, I have no ideas as yet!