see our top ten highlights and get yourself ready for an amazing trip to a amazing city...with the real Highlight to see Damian Lewis on stage from 16th April to 27th June
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| copyright: visitlondon.com |
Monday 30 March 2015
Highlights....
see our top ten highlights and get yourself ready for an amazing trip to a amazing city...with the real Highlight to see Damian Lewis on stage from 16th April to 27th June
We go into hot phase
its almost April and we going to get closer to american Buffalo
today our last tip for March and be with us when we start
the our highlights and all about American Buffalo in April and March...
we cant wait and wish already everyone involved a terrific time
no matter if you go and see the play or all the cast and crew involved.
have a great time everyone!!
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today our last tip for March and be with us when we start
the our highlights and all about American Buffalo in April and March...
we cant wait and wish already everyone involved a terrific time
no matter if you go and see the play or all the cast and crew involved.
have a great time everyone!!
Friday 27 March 2015
London Dungeon....
AGAIN please do not read with children or when with person who anxiety level...is real high:-)
The London Dungeon is quite a horror museum but a must see if you like it to be scary...here a few
examples....
JACK THE RIPPER
The London Dungeon is quite a horror museum but a must see if you like it to be scary...here a few
examples....
JACK THE RIPPER
Come in from the storm. Have a pint (don't mind if we do)
and settle those nerves. However this is no ordinary pub, this is the Ten Bells
where Jack the Ripper's victims once drank.
THE TEN BELLS PUB
Let Mrs Waldren, the landlady, tell you the ultimate ghost
story on a stormy night. Who was Jack the Ripper and will he strike again?
Only time will tell. Drink up now, before the lanterns go
out!
Read more about Jack
the Ripper in his personal profile.
Name:
I have kept my true identity well hidden and I am certainly
not going to reveal it here. But to aid your guessing game, here are some names
that have been whispered: Prince Albert, Dr T Neill Cream, Montague John
Druitt, James Kelly, Michael Ostrog
Nickname:
Jack the Ripper, Leather Apron, Whitechapel Murderer
Age:
39
Occupation:
Serial killer
Trademark appearance:
Black top hat, long black cloak with red-lining.
Favourite hangouts:
Whitechapel, East London
Likes:
Anatomy, internal organs, knives, writing letters and blood
graffiti.
Dislikes:
Police investigations, alibis, busy-bodies, the media.
Preferred Victims:
Drunken female prostitutes, loose women.
THE TORTURER
Abandon all hope, as you find yourself in the Torture
chamber. The Torturer is looking for 'volunteers'. Anyone need a good stretch?.
RELAX, THIS WON'T HURT (OH... WAIT)
Let's be honest. The Torturer is a craftsman... at least he
uses tools. Also he is very practically minded and LOVES to teach - usually by
demonstration.
This show is consistently one of our highlights - delighting
and repulsing in equal measure. Just remember, like any artist The Torturer has
his sensitive side. (Actually so do you... ask him and he'll show you where it
is)
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
What is pain and punishment Dungeon's style?
What are the tricks of the trade?
What do your insides look like?
pictures copyright London Dungeon
if you are brave enough...watch their website:
Wednesday 25 March 2015
The Blog day in pictures...
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| copyright madame Tussaud |
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| copyright madame Tussaud |
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| source:damian-lewis.com |
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| copyright: madame tussaud |
Tea and a Mag...extracts
"When we were smaller, my brother and I had a pretty
expansive fantasy life. We had two bikes, very '70s bikes, at least in London,
called Grifters. We invented two characters for ourselves called Bob and
Charlie, and we'd go up and down the street and all around the neighborhood
solving crimes. That's what we did. We also had a couple of other alter egos
called Pete and Dave. We were called Damian and Gareth. I think we were looking
for just very plain names."
"I was directed by my younger brother [Gareth, in The
Baker], which was a great experience actually. All things considered, it went
pretty smoothly. I don't like to take anything too seriously."
"I went to boarding schools at a very early age -- the
age of 8 -- so in some ways have been institutionalized really for 10 years of
my life, technically speaking. I suppose mentally and emotionally
institutionalized, as well.
You are guided by those experiences. ... My elder
brother had already gone, and it was made very clear to me what it was I was
going into. I was all up for it. I really wanted to go. They give you a lot of
recreational time when you go to a boarding school. You learn at an early age
to get on without your parents' support. You become very adept for the rest of
your life at dealing with situations and knowing how to negotiate difficult
times, different scenarios. Probably there is a cost. A toughening up of an
8-year-old. You probably do push down a whole load of natural emotions."
"I think it's a different time now. I think my children
won't go to boarding school at 8. I wouldn't mind sending them at 12 or 13.
It's a different climate now. A lot of those schools have become places for
parents who work abroad and want to have their children at an English school
but can't be there all the time."
On his flawless American accent: "My cultural heritage,
if you like, is so pervaded by American pop culture. I grew up on Kojak and
Colombo and Starsky and Hutch, the Rockford Files and Magnum all those things.
Also our family ... had cousins in Connecticut, so we would go on holiday. We
used to do summer holidays up in Portland, Maine, actually. So I've always kind
of felt pretty attached to America. Now that I'm doing this show, I stay in an
American accent all day long just because it would be harder to switch in and
out. I find that I've developed an American persona now. I got involved in a
huge argument with someone the other day and usually when you are angry or when
you are drunk you go back to your own accent. I found myself having this great
fight all in an American accent without thinking twice about it. I thought, 'I
wonder if this guy knows I'm English?' He's definitely going to hit me if he
hears me."
"I think you can only, as an actor, be an interpreter
for what's written. When you are doing your job well, you hopefully heighten
what's on the page."
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| source.damian-lewis.com |
Madame Tussaud's and the chamber of Horrors
ATTENTION: This report is not for people with anxieties and not for children s eyes!!!!
The Chamber of Horrors is one of the attractions at Madame Tussauds in London, being an exhibition of waxworks of notorious murderers and other infamous historical figures. The gallery first opened as a 'Separate Room' in Marie Tussaud's 1802 exhibition in London and quickly became a success as it showed historical personalities and artifacts rather than the freaks of nature popular in other waxworks of the day. Today it continues to be a popular feature of the London attraction.
The Chamber of Horrors is one of the attractions at Madame Tussauds in London, being an exhibition of waxworks of notorious murderers and other infamous historical figures. The gallery first opened as a 'Separate Room' in Marie Tussaud's 1802 exhibition in London and quickly became a success as it showed historical personalities and artifacts rather than the freaks of nature popular in other waxworks of the day. Today it continues to be a popular feature of the London attraction.
The forerunner of Tussaud's Chamber of Horrors was the Caverne des Grands Voleurs (the Cavern of the Great Thieves) which had been founded by Dr Philippe Curtius as an adjunct to his main exhibition of waxworks in Paris in 1782. Here Curtuis displayed wax figures of notorious French criminals who had been executed, as well as members of the French royal family and aristocracy who had beenguillotined during the Revolution.
When Marie Tussaud moved to London in 1802 to set up her own exhibition at the Lyceum Theatre she brought some of these figures with her and set them up in a separate gallery; and when later she toured her exhibits around the country she maintained this division in her exhibition using a 'Separate Room' to display them in.[1] The exhibits at this time included the heads of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, as well as Madame du Barry, Marat, Robespierre, Hébert, Carrier and Fouquier-Tinville in addition to models of a guillotineand the Bastille and the Egyptian mummy from Curtuis' collection.
In 1835 Madame Tussaud set up a permanent exhibition in London, and here the 'Separate Room' became the 'Chamber of Horrors'. At this time her exhibits included Colonel Despard, Arthur Thistlewood, William Corder and Burke and Hare, in addition to those listed above. The name 'Chamber of Horrors' is often credited to a contributor to Punch in 1845, but Marie Tussaud appears to have originated it herself, using it in advertising as early as 1843.[2] Visitors were charged an extra sixpence to enter the 'Separate Room'.
In 1886 the exhibits included Burke and Hare, James Bloomfield Rush, Charles Peace, William Marwood, Percy Lefroy Mapleton, Mary Ann Cotton, Israel Lipski, Franz Muller,William Palmer and Marie Manning.[3]
Other exhibits have included Colonel Despard, Arthur Thistlewood, William Corder, Charles Peace, Florence Maybrick, Mary Pearcey, George Chapman, Hawley Harvey Crippen,Henri Landru, Buck Ruxton, Bruno Hauptmann, John Christie, John George Haigh, George Joseph Smith and Charles Manson.
This part of the exhibition is in the basement of the building and includes wax heads made from the death masks of victims of the French Revolution including Marat,Robespierre, King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, who were modelled by Marie Tussaud herself at the time of their deaths or execution, and more recent figures of murderers and other notorious criminals.
The Chamber of Horrors was renovated in 1996 at a cost of $1.5 million,[5] bringing to life the history of crime and punishment over the last 500 years and including items fromNewgate Prison and featuring replicas of instruments of torture displayed amid a recording of the victims' groans and screams. An innovation in recent years is to have actors in macabre make-up and costumes lurch at customers from the dark shadows and recesses of prison cells, where some cells are occupied with waxwork figures and others have the doors ajar, giving the impression that a dangerous maniac is on the loose.[6] Historical characters displayed today include Vlad the Impaler, Genghis Khan, Guy Fawkes andAdolf Hitler. Unlike murderers of lesser fame, there is no waxwork figure of Jack the Ripper in the Chamber of Horrors, in accordance with Madame Tussaud's policy of not modelling persons whose likeness is unknown.[7]
Visiting the exhibit is optional and is not recommended for young children or pregnant women.
Back in the theatre….a real challenge for me
I remember when Damian Lewis went on stage five years ago and
the news came out
on a rainy October day it was Friday the ninth in fact I am
sure every fan in Britain and Europe
was happy and planned their trips.
I went to a heavy depression phase that time and it was no
question I would go to see him
but during a level of depression you are not able to feel
joy or happiness so I planned my
trip and hoped to reach a lower level until my trip which
started in the first week of march in 2010
but I was wrong so me and my dark thoughts traveled to
London to see Damian Lewis in
The Misanthrope….what a nice resemblance.
Anyway the play was very good but I was never able to really
enjoy it and it’s hard to explain
how a diehard fan couldn’t feel the happiness and luck to
see him on stage but there was
a constant darkness around me and when returned home I swore
myself never ever again
come back to London because over all those years London was
my heart home a city I
felt free and happy and my illness never interfered until
this trip and it cut an illusion
the illusion not be the weirdo with panic and depression but
the free spirit who is able to enjoy herself far away from home and problems.
The depression phase went away as usual and I re discovered
Damian Lewis and a year after
I was back in London to see him at the BFI preview for
stolen and yes I was in London again and again and saw Damian Lewis again and I
was every time in a perfect shape and mood luckily….
But now he goes back on stage a situation I prayed for years
because he is a real event on stage
a different kind of event since he totally different on
stage than he is on screen but perfect
on both waysJ
so I was hoping for another chance to really see him on
stage and enjoy myself and have fun and
realize how thankful I can be to have the opportunity to
travel to London and to see
the actor I adore but with my twenty years of illness(oh gee
I am sounding like a long term weirdo)
I have kind of fear to screw up a second time to have
another depression waiting around the corner
But this time is a bit different. I have my Darling Emma
with me and she has already so amazing plans
for us and we also have an exciting meeting coming up too so
I feel loved in the city I love and that’s
the difference. I am still an enormous fan who is excited
just thinking about the trip but I am no longer alone and that’s worth to try
the new challenge. Don’t you think?? J
Monday 23 March 2015
Madame Tussaud's....part two
In the 20th century Madame Tussauds’ role began to change.
Thanks to the rapid growth of both popular tabloid press and public literacy,
information about current events was easily acquired. The attraction gradually,
therefore, became less a source of direct news, than a commentary on popular
celebrity. It also came through some major upheavals, surviving near
destruction by fire (1925), earthquake (1931) and World War II ‘Blitz’ bombing
(1940.) Today, Madame Tussauds is bigger and better than ever, combining its
diverse history with the relentless glamour, intrigue and infamy of 21st
century celebrity.
Some of Madame Tussauds’ original work and earliest relics
are still on display in London, including the death masks she was forced to
make during the French Revolution and the Guillotine that beheaded Marie
Antoinette. Guests can also marvel at probably the earliest example of
animatronics –‘Sleeping Beauty’, a breathing likeness of Louis XV’s sleeping
mistress Madame du Barry sculpted in 1763, is the attraction’s oldest figure on
display.
And then there are the more contemporary, more interactive
stars. From Brad Pitt, with his squeezable bum, to Kate Moss, alongside whom
you can pose for the cover of a glossy fashion mag, the biggest names in
entertainment, sport and politics are all dazzlingly represented; authentic down
to the very last eye lash….
Finger On The Pulse
Madame Tussauds continues regularly to add figures that
reflect contemporary public opinion and celebrity popularity – Bollywood kings
like Shah Rukh Khan; Hollywood sirens such as Nicole Kidman; pop idols Timberlake
and Minogue. The attraction also continues to expand globally with established
international branches in New York, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Shanghai, Amsterdam
and Washington DC soon to be joined by new outlets in Berlin (July 2008) and
Hollywood (2009) – all with the same rich mix of interaction, authenticity and
local appeal.
A visit to Madame Tussauds is essential – where else can you
savour two centuries of fame and notoriety, and tell the great and good exactly
what you think of them? It’ll be your most famous day out ever!
Madame Tussaud's
The History of Madame Tussaud's
Millions and millions of people have flocked through the doors of Madame Tussauds since they first opened over 200 years ago and it remains just as popular as it ever was. There are many reasons for this enduring success, but at the heart of it all is good, old-fashioned curiosity. Today’s visitors are sent on a unique, emotionally-charged journey through the realms of the powerful and famous. The museum-style ropes and poles have gone so guests can truly get up, close and personal with A-list celebrities, sporting legends, political heavyweights and historical icons, reliving the times, events and moments that made the world talk about them…
Millions and millions of people have flocked through the doors of Madame Tussauds since they first opened over 200 years ago and it remains just as popular as it ever was. There are many reasons for this enduring success, but at the heart of it all is good, old-fashioned curiosity. Today’s visitors are sent on a unique, emotionally-charged journey through the realms of the powerful and famous. The museum-style ropes and poles have gone so guests can truly get up, close and personal with A-list celebrities, sporting legends, political heavyweights and historical icons, reliving the times, events and moments that made the world talk about them…
from France to Britain
The attraction’s history is a rich and fascinating one, with
roots dating back to the Paris of 1770. It was here that Madame Tussaud learnt
to model wax likenesses under the tutelage of her mentor, Dr Philippe Curtius.
At the age of 17, she became art tutor to King Louis XVI’s sister at the Palace
Of Versailles and then, during the French Revolution, was hastily forced to
prove her allegiance to the feudalistic nobles by making the death masks of
executed aristocrats. Madame Tussaud came to Britain in the early 19th century
alongside a travelling exhibition of revolutionary relics and effigies of
public heroes and rogues.
Bringing The News to Life
At a time when news was communicated largely by word of
mouth, Madame Tussauds’ exhibition was a kind of travelling newspaper,
providing insight into global events and bringing the ordinary public
face-to-face with the people in the headlines. Priceless artefacts from the
French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars brought to vividly life events in Europe
which had a direct bearing on everyday lives. Figures of leading statesmen and,
in the Chamber of Horrors, notorious villains put faces to the names on
everyone’s lips and captured the public imagination. In 1835, Madame Tussauds’
exhibition established a permanent base in London as the Baker Street Bazaar -
visitors paid ‘sixpence’ for the chance to meet the biggest names of the day.
The attraction moved to its present site in Marylebone Road come 1884.
Welcome to our special London week....WAX and HORROR
Hello and Welcome back glad to have you and this week we present you a special Wax and Horror
week for those of you interested in Madame Tussaud's and the London Dungeon...scary
I will also tell you about my personal horror in London.-)
we hope you enjoy!!
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week for those of you interested in Madame Tussaud's and the London Dungeon...scary
I will also tell you about my personal horror in London.-)
we hope you enjoy!!
Friday 20 March 2015
Weekend Reminder
Our Reminder….
Damian Lewis leads a stellar cast with John Goodman and Tom
Sturridge by his side and
tickets are definitely hot stuff!!
Three exceptional actors in a play from David Mamet directed
by Daniel Evans
Don’t miss it and buy your tickets and look with us forward
to a must see show
Tea and a Mag part two
Even though you are a redhead? DL: Yes. I love being a redhead - always have done. I dyed it dark brown once for a job. Never again. It takes forever to grow out. I feel like I've done it. I have no plans to go black, bleach blond or any other colour for that matter.
What would you do if you were invisible for the day? DL: I can't say what I just thought of because it's unrepeatable. I would get myself to America and get on a spaceship and go to the moon. It's something I'd love to do, but I can't be bothered with all the training beforehand. If I was invisible, I could just sneak on. Failing that, I'd walk around pinching bottoms and goosing girls. No really, I'm kidding...
Would you ever move to LA? DL: Not at the moment. Although I do like it. It's always sunny and I always have fun there. I've made some really good friends in Hollywood. But the truth is, I'm a Londoner. I grew up here and I love it. It can get tiresome at times, but then I just escape. I have a country house in Carmarthenshire in south-west Wales. I love going there and relaxing. My dad is half-Welsh so I have family history in the area.
Where do you live now? DL: Camden, North London. I live with my sister and brother. We're surrounded by goths who live nearby.
Would you ever star in an advert? DL: I'm really good friends with Jasper Conran and I always wear his clothes. (Damian then opens his suit jacket to reveal a Jasper Conran label.) The cut is very elegant. I would model for him - if he wanted me to, although I don't know whether he is stupid enough to ask. And obviously, money has something to do with it. But I'm not shy of walking down the catwalk. I've never endorsed a product. I hear stories of Robert Redford doing cigar ads in Japan and stuff like that, but no, not me.
You've worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company in the past - are you a luvvie at heart? DL: Yes, I suppose I am. I do air-kissing and go to all the parties. I like to say, I `play' the room rather than `work' the room. There's nothing wrong with a good schmooze.
You appear to choose your roles carefully then disappear off our screens for months at a time. What do you do during those in-between periods? DL: In reality, I've actually been working non-stop for the past year. I've got six things all coming out now. I think I'll have a bit of time off once I've finished promoting everything. I like to play the piano, but I'm really bad. I don't have lessons, I'm teaching myself. I don't have a grand piano, just a normal upright one at home.
What makes you cry? DL: I find it really difficult to cry. When I think about it, I don't feel the need to cry very often. I'm a pretty happy person. If I do feel upset or down, I'm more likely to go quiet. I'm the silent type.
Damian Lewis stars in the two-parter From Colditz With Love on ITV1 tonight, 9pm and tomorrow night, 9pm
DAMIAN'S REALITY CHECK
Who plays Zoe in EastEnders?
No idea. (Michelle Ryan) How much do you spend on a haircut?
pounds 40. I get it cut on Camden High Street. I'd never cut it myself. I am thinking of shaving my head, but am not sure whether it'd actually look that good. Do you do your own washing?
Yes. I separate darks from whites myself. Who do you think does it? A cleaner? She does the ironing.
Have you ever bought anything from eBay?
Never. Although I have been on it. I donated a Band Of Brothers cap for a charity auction, I think it went for something like 42p.
What would you do if you were invisible for the day? DL: I can't say what I just thought of because it's unrepeatable. I would get myself to America and get on a spaceship and go to the moon. It's something I'd love to do, but I can't be bothered with all the training beforehand. If I was invisible, I could just sneak on. Failing that, I'd walk around pinching bottoms and goosing girls. No really, I'm kidding...
Would you ever move to LA? DL: Not at the moment. Although I do like it. It's always sunny and I always have fun there. I've made some really good friends in Hollywood. But the truth is, I'm a Londoner. I grew up here and I love it. It can get tiresome at times, but then I just escape. I have a country house in Carmarthenshire in south-west Wales. I love going there and relaxing. My dad is half-Welsh so I have family history in the area.
Where do you live now? DL: Camden, North London. I live with my sister and brother. We're surrounded by goths who live nearby.
Would you ever star in an advert? DL: I'm really good friends with Jasper Conran and I always wear his clothes. (Damian then opens his suit jacket to reveal a Jasper Conran label.) The cut is very elegant. I would model for him - if he wanted me to, although I don't know whether he is stupid enough to ask. And obviously, money has something to do with it. But I'm not shy of walking down the catwalk. I've never endorsed a product. I hear stories of Robert Redford doing cigar ads in Japan and stuff like that, but no, not me.
You've worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company in the past - are you a luvvie at heart? DL: Yes, I suppose I am. I do air-kissing and go to all the parties. I like to say, I `play' the room rather than `work' the room. There's nothing wrong with a good schmooze.
You appear to choose your roles carefully then disappear off our screens for months at a time. What do you do during those in-between periods? DL: In reality, I've actually been working non-stop for the past year. I've got six things all coming out now. I think I'll have a bit of time off once I've finished promoting everything. I like to play the piano, but I'm really bad. I don't have lessons, I'm teaching myself. I don't have a grand piano, just a normal upright one at home.
What makes you cry? DL: I find it really difficult to cry. When I think about it, I don't feel the need to cry very often. I'm a pretty happy person. If I do feel upset or down, I'm more likely to go quiet. I'm the silent type.
Damian Lewis stars in the two-parter From Colditz With Love on ITV1 tonight, 9pm and tomorrow night, 9pm
DAMIAN'S REALITY CHECK
Who plays Zoe in EastEnders?
No idea. (Michelle Ryan) How much do you spend on a haircut?
pounds 40. I get it cut on Camden High Street. I'd never cut it myself. I am thinking of shaving my head, but am not sure whether it'd actually look that good. Do you do your own washing?
Yes. I separate darks from whites myself. Who do you think does it? A cleaner? She does the ironing.
Have you ever bought anything from eBay?
Never. Although I have been on it. I donated a Band Of Brothers cap for a charity auction, I think it went for something like 42p.
Wednesday 18 March 2015
Special London tip
last night the outstanding actor book with a forword by Damian Lewis launched at Daunt Books...
for us the opportunity to check out the beautiful store more closely
its Emmas turn:-)
Daunt Books is an original Edwardian bookshop with long oak galleries and graceful skylights situated in Marylebone High Street, London. We also have shops in Chelsea, Holland Park, Cheapside, Hampstead and Belsize Park.
For twenty-five years Daunt Books has been known as one of London's leading travel and literary bookshops. On their website you will find a handpicked selection of their favourite books and recommended titles to buy online, as well as details of forthcoming events
Every month Daunt Books holds a range of interesting author events featuring the likes of William Boyd, Alexander McCall Smith and Jan Morris. Please get in touch if you would like to reserve a signed copy from any of these events.
Daunt Books Festival 2015
Following on from the success of last year's inaugural event, the Daunt Books Festival returns for two days of talks, music and food in our Marylebone shop. Confirmed speakers include Michael Palin, Antonia Fraser and Charles Cumming among many more. Please have a look at our festival page for full information.
http://www.dauntbooks.co.uk/daunt_book_festival.asp?TAG=&CID=
for us the opportunity to check out the beautiful store more closely
its Emmas turn:-)
Daunt Books is an original Edwardian bookshop with long oak galleries and graceful skylights situated in Marylebone High Street, London. We also have shops in Chelsea, Holland Park, Cheapside, Hampstead and Belsize Park.
For twenty-five years Daunt Books has been known as one of London's leading travel and literary bookshops. On their website you will find a handpicked selection of their favourite books and recommended titles to buy online, as well as details of forthcoming events
Every month Daunt Books holds a range of interesting author events featuring the likes of William Boyd, Alexander McCall Smith and Jan Morris. Please get in touch if you would like to reserve a signed copy from any of these events.
Daunt Books Festival 2015
Following on from the success of last year's inaugural event, the Daunt Books Festival returns for two days of talks, music and food in our Marylebone shop. Confirmed speakers include Michael Palin, Antonia Fraser and Charles Cumming among many more. Please have a look at our festival page for full information.
http://www.dauntbooks.co.uk/daunt_book_festival.asp?TAG=&CID=
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| source and copyright:dauntbooks |
Tea and a Mag 2004
DAMIAN LEWIS: `British women are weird' Actor and red-hot redhead Damian Lewis, 34, talks about his kinky fans, pinching girls' bums, and why he's a born liar.
You star in new ITV drama From Colditz With Love, as a prisoner of war who joins the Secret Service. Are you a gadget man? Damien Lewis: I like my sports car. I just got a little Mazda MX5 - it's only a cheap and cheerful one really. It's titanium, a sort of greyish colour. I'm not exactly obsessed by toys. I don't have a plasma TV, just a normal one, though I suppose it's still quite big. I do have an i-Pod, although I need to learn how to download my music. You can pay people to do that can't you? I heard you can pay someone pounds 200 and they'll download you 5,000 songs. I think I'll do that, because to be honest, I'm a bit clueless.
Is it true you were asked to audition for the new Bond movie? DL: That isn't strictly true. I have never auditioned for the role of James Bond. It would be difficult not to consider it - helicopter rides to sunny locations and let's not forget the Bond girls. Halle Berry was pretty good in that bikini, but my favourite was Grace Jones.
It's was rumoured Pierce Brosnan wanted pounds 22 million to play Bond again... DL: Is that right? God. And he wonders why they said no... I think Sean Connery was the best as 007. He was very smooth but had a bit of a bad edge to him. I like it when people start out good and are then corrupted.
Do you have a temper? DL: I get very frustrated sitting in traffic. I want to get out of my car and smash people's windscreens in.... but obviously, I don't.
Is it true you were asked to audition for the new Bond movie? DL: That isn't strictly true. I have never auditioned for the role of James Bond. It would be difficult not to consider it - helicopter rides to sunny locations and let's not forget the Bond girls. Halle Berry was pretty good in that bikini, but my favourite was Grace Jones.
It's was rumoured Pierce Brosnan wanted pounds 22 million to play Bond again... DL: Is that right? God. And he wonders why they said no... I think Sean Connery was the best as 007. He was very smooth but had a bit of a bad edge to him. I like it when people start out good and are then corrupted.
Do you have a temper? DL: I get very frustrated sitting in traffic. I want to get out of my car and smash people's windscreens in.... but obviously, I don't.
You were once linked to Sex And The City actress Kristin Davis. Is she your type? DL: Firstly, I never dated Kristin. That rumour wasn't true. I don't date a certain type of woman. I'm attracted to humour, beauty - although, that's in the eyes of the beholder - and grace. Movement in a woman is very important to me. A woman must be elegant. But wit and intelligence are must-haves.
Is it true you had an off-screen relationship with your From Colditz... co-star Sophia Myles? DL: Off-screen? No. Just good friends.
Do you get embarrassed stripping off in front of the camera? DL: I think I would be pretty embarrassed if I had to take everything off in front of a camera crew, but I don't mind doing sex scenes. It's part of the job isn't it? If you're working with someone who's fun, it makes the sex scenes less difficult.
Who would be your dream leading lady? DL: Cate Blanchett. She has everything - elegance and wit. We sat together at dinner at the Golden Globe Awards in LA recently. She's fantastic. She was excellent as Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator.
Did you get hate mail after starring as Soames Forsyte in The Forsyte Saga? DL: No I got weird, kinky, love mail. British women are weird - they like cold men. They sent in photos asking me to call them. Obviously I never did. I'd never go out with a fan who wrote to me. Although a friend of mine is marrying a fan of his. He was in a play and she was in the audience. She sent him a note backstage saying she wanted to meet him afterwards for a drink. It worked out. He's lucky, because she's an amazing woman.
Do you believe in marriage? DL: Yes. I'm from a stable family background. My mum's no longer alive, but when she was, my parents were very solid. I don't believe marriage is smooth and easy the whole time. I also don't believe it's possible to remain faithful throughout the marriage, but I do believe in staying together.
What was the last lie you told? DL: The last lie was to Equity - I lied about how much I earned. How much do I earn? I'm not telling you that. Not enough. I used to have tons of white lies up my sleeve because I'm always late meeting people - always. Now, people don't want to hear my excuses, I think it's expected I'll be late.
Did you ever get picked on while at school at Eton? DL: No, never. I was pretty popular.
Is it true you had an off-screen relationship with your From Colditz... co-star Sophia Myles? DL: Off-screen? No. Just good friends.
Do you get embarrassed stripping off in front of the camera? DL: I think I would be pretty embarrassed if I had to take everything off in front of a camera crew, but I don't mind doing sex scenes. It's part of the job isn't it? If you're working with someone who's fun, it makes the sex scenes less difficult.
Who would be your dream leading lady? DL: Cate Blanchett. She has everything - elegance and wit. We sat together at dinner at the Golden Globe Awards in LA recently. She's fantastic. She was excellent as Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator.
Did you get hate mail after starring as Soames Forsyte in The Forsyte Saga? DL: No I got weird, kinky, love mail. British women are weird - they like cold men. They sent in photos asking me to call them. Obviously I never did. I'd never go out with a fan who wrote to me. Although a friend of mine is marrying a fan of his. He was in a play and she was in the audience. She sent him a note backstage saying she wanted to meet him afterwards for a drink. It worked out. He's lucky, because she's an amazing woman.
Do you believe in marriage? DL: Yes. I'm from a stable family background. My mum's no longer alive, but when she was, my parents were very solid. I don't believe marriage is smooth and easy the whole time. I also don't believe it's possible to remain faithful throughout the marriage, but I do believe in staying together.
What was the last lie you told? DL: The last lie was to Equity - I lied about how much I earned. How much do I earn? I'm not telling you that. Not enough. I used to have tons of white lies up my sleeve because I'm always late meeting people - always. Now, people don't want to hear my excuses, I think it's expected I'll be late.
Did you ever get picked on while at school at Eton? DL: No, never. I was pretty popular.
to be continued
Monday 16 March 2015
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace the London residence and principal workplace of the monarchy of the United Kingdom.[3] Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focus for the British people at times of national rejoicing.
for more information please visit royal.gov.uk
Originally known as Buckingham House, the building which forms the core of today's palace was a large townhousebuilt for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 on a site which had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was subsequently acquired by King George III in 1761[4] as a private residence for Queen Charlotte and was known as "The Queen's House". During the 19th century it was enlarged, principally by architects John Nash and Edward Blore, who formed three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace finally became the official royal palace of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837. The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the East front, which contains the well-known balcony on which the royal family traditionally congregates to greet crowds outside. However, the palace chapel was destroyed by a German bomb during World War II; the Queen's Gallery was built on the site and opened to the public in 1962 to exhibit works of art from the Royal Collection.
The original early 19th-century interior designs, many of which still survive, included widespread use of brightly coloured scagliola and blue and pink lapis, on the advice of Sir Charles Long. King Edward VII oversaw a partial redecoration in a Belle Époque cream and gold colour scheme. Many smaller reception rooms are furnished in the Chinese regency style with furniture and fittings brought from the Royal Pavilion at Brighton and from Carlton House. The Buckingham Palace Garden is the largest private garden in London.
The state rooms, used for official and state entertaining, are open to the public each year for most of August and September, as part of the Palace's Summer Opening.
Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837 and today is the administrative headquarters of the Monarch.
Although in use for the many official events and receptions held by The Queen, the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace are open to visitors every year. For visitor information, please visit the Royal Collection website.
Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. In measurements, the building is 108 metres long across the front, 120 metres deep (including the central quadrangle) and 24 metres high.
The Palace is very much a working building and the centrepiece of Britain's constitutional monarchy. It houses the offices of those who support the day-to-day activities and duties of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh and their immediate family.
The Palace is also the venue for great Royal ceremonies, State Visits and Investitures, all of which are organised by the Royal Household.
Although Buckingham Palace is furnished and decorated with priceless works of art that form part of the Royal Collection, one of the major art collections in the world today. It is not an art gallery and nor is it a museum.
Its State Rooms form the nucleus of the working Palace and are used regularly by The Queen and members of the Royal Family for official and State entertaining.
More than 50,000 people visit the Palace each year as guests to banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions and the Royal Garden Parties.
For those who do receive an invitation to Buckingham Palace, the first step across the threshold is into the Grand Hall and up the curving marble stairs of the Grand Staircase. Portraits are still set in the walls, as they were by Queen Victoria.
The Throne Room, sometimes used during Queen Victoria's reign for Court gatherings and as a second dancing room, is dominated by a proscenium arch supported by a pair of winged figures of 'victory' holding garlands above the 'chairs of state'.
It is in the Throne Room that The Queen, on very special occasions like Jubilees, receives loyal addresses. Another use of the Throne Room has been for formal wedding photographs.
George IV's original palace lacked a large room in which to entertain. Queen Victoria rectified that shortcoming by adding in 1853-5 what was, at the time of its construction, the largest room in London.
At 36.6m long, 18m wide and 13.5m high, the Ballroom is the largest multi-purpose room in Buckingham Palace. It was opened in 1856 with a ball to celebrate the end of the Crimean War.
It is along the East Gallery that The Queen and her State guests process to the Ballroom for the State Banquet normally held on the first day of the visit.
Around 150 guests are invited and include members of the Royal Family, the government and other political leaders, High Commissioners and Ambassadors and prominent people who have trade or other associations with the visiting country.
Today, it is used by The Queen for State banquets and other formal occasions such as the annual Diplomatic Reception attended by 1,500 guests.
This is a very formal occasion during which The Queen will meet every head of mission accredited to the Court of St James's. For the diplomats it is perhaps the highlight of the annual diplomatic social calendar.
The Ballroom has been used variously as a concert hall for memorial concerts and performances of the arts and it is the regular venue for Investitures of which there are usually 21 a year - nine in spring, two in the summer and ten in the autumn.
At Investitures, The Queen (or The Prince of Wales as Her Majesty's representative) will meet recipients of British honours and give them their awards, including knighting those who have been awarded knighthoods.
From the Ballroom, the West Gallery, with its four Gobelin tapestries, leads into the first of the great rooms that overlook lawn and the formal gardens - setting for the annual Garden Parties introduced by Queen Victoria in 1868.
From the Ballroom, the West Gallery, with its four Gobelin tapestries, leads into the first of the great rooms that overlook lawn and the formal gardens - setting for the annual Garden Parties introduced by Queen Victoria in 1868.
The State Dining Room is one of the principal State Rooms on the West side of the Palace. Many distinguished people have dined in this room including the 24 holders of the Order of Merit as well as presidents and prime ministers.
Before the Ballroom was added to the Palace in the 1850s, the first State Ball was held in the Blue Drawing Room in May 1838 as part of the celebrations leading up to Queen Victoria's Coronation.
The Music Room was originally known as the Bow Drawing Room and is the centre of the suite of rooms on the Garden Front between the Blue and the White Drawing Rooms.
Four Royal babies - The Prince of Wales, The Princess Royal, The Duke of York and Prince William - were all christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Music Room.
One of its more formal uses is during a State Visit when guests are presented to The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and the visiting Head of State or for receptions.
The last of the suite of rooms overlooking the gardens on the principal floor is the White Drawing Room. Originally called the North Drawing Room, it is perhaps the grandest of all the State Rooms. The Room also serves as a Royal reception room for The Queen and members of the Royal Family to gather before State and official occasions.
The Bow Room is familiar to the many thousands of guests to Royal Garden Parties who pass through it on their way to the garden. It was originally intended as a part of George IV's private apartments - to be the King's Library - but it was never fitted up as such.
Instead, it has become another room for entertaining and is where The Queen holds the arrival lunch for a visiting Head of State at the start of a State visit.
for more information please visit royal.gov.uk
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