Well, what can I say, fantastic, fantastic, fantastic!!!!!!!!
He certainly lived up to his promise to put on a hell of a show! Lee was a brilliant performer, great voice, acting, dancing, the works.
The evening almost ended up in disaster before it had even begun. After getting back from DS1's karate class, I had precisely 10 minutes to get ready and hand over the boys to my mum before heading off for the station. Halfway to the station I think tickets!!!. I'd only gone and left them at home . So I run back, grab the tickets and sprint to the station, catching the train by the skin of my teeth (my dream was an omen after all ). Then at the other end I have to charge through the rush hour crowds like a demon and make it with five minutes to spare.
DP and I get a large glass of white wine in plastic cups and settle into our tiny seats, looking at an empty stage with just a wooden chair in it. I'm seated next to a fat bloke whose bum spills under the armrest and takes half my seat as well (and he had stinky feet but I tried to ignore that). Then minutes later His Leeness appears, looking as fantastic as ever, singing Any Dream Will Do. His voice was superb throughout the whole show, apart from one very loud, very long bum note which made me cringe .
The show was just amazing, all the cast put in excellent performances, including the understudy who was playing the part of the narrator tonight. I'd never seen Joseph before so didn't know what to expect. There wasnt really that much of a story but it was so colourful and energetic. I loved the Elvis Pharoah bits and all the little jokes they snuck in.
Then before I knew it it was winding up, with a big dance routine at the end and Lee in his gold breast plate singing Close Every Door for a second time. Then he stands on some sort of lift thing and is raised in the air to exactly my eye level and I could swear he was smiling at me (ok, wishful thinking I know, but it was still a special moment).
At the end everyone hot-foots it out the door and there's a big crowd waiting behind velvet ropes just outside the main doors, so I loiter as long as I can then head outside, where I have to stand at the front. Then Lee comes out to sign autographs and the man himself hands me a signed photograph and smiles at me . I was literally less than an arm's length away from him and I told him how good I thought he was and he smiles again very briefly while handing out more signed photos and signing people's programmes. then he waves to the adoring crowd and disappears back inside and it's all over.
Then I start wishing I could go again and, wait, hang on, I'm going again on Monday . This time I'll buy a programme and get him to sign it.
Then DP takes me for a birthday drink at the American Bar in the Savoy Hotel across the road and we head home.
And that's it. A fantastic birthday treat and I can't wait till Monday.
G'night all.