David Benedict

We’re so neck and neck!

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Memories of singing the premiere of the huge Miserere from the film score at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall with the Michael Nyman band. Sold out so fast we had to repeat the performance.

Press night is Thursday.

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Slightly astonished.
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Were you there?!

I think the phrase you are looking for is “eleven o’clock number”. I would make good on the strong first impression midway through the first act.

I didn’t pass on offers. There weren’t many.

Quite.

IF ONLY!
I entirely misspent my misspent youth, alas.

So fast that in the woods we lovers got exit rounds in every scene.

Putting the panting into panto coverage.

Here I am, “a couple of” years ago giving my very stern Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by James Macdonald.

I would return to the stage for a featured role.

It's revealing about taboos around racism that the visceral bullying racism of schoolboy Farage cuts through while the much more consequential thinly veiled racism of adult Farage doesn't. Many people need that veil and flinch when it's removed. You can advocate racist policies but not say the words

@mrjamesob.bsky.social @lbc.co.uk Calling a premier female journalist of the Jewish faith “lower grade.” He’s not doing that 49 years ago - he’s doing it yesterday.

Give credit where it’s due: Labour is finally doing things its supporters actually want | Gaby Hinsliff From tackling child poverty to being honest about Brexit, the party seems to have recognised the growing electoral threat to its left, says Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff

Give credit where it’s due: Labour is finally doing things its supporters actually want | Gaby Hinsliff

It’s Otto Preminger’s birthday.
Anthony Hopkins:
‘Preminger bullied Jean Simmons whilst making Angel Face.
Robert Mitchum had to slap her face & was made to do it repeatedly. Mitchum went over & slapped Preminger hard in the face.
‘You mean like that?’
Preminger stopped it.’

this story isn’t going away

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

I am going to the wrong dentist.

YouTube video by that jalopy virginia o'brien sings salome in du barry was a lady (best quality, complete)

Did someone mention Dubarry? The film version is largely dreadful, but… youtu.be/XVtqtbzS28k

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I worked on it!
I was the one who edited the three novels together for the (lazy) screenwriter. With no screen credit or thanks I may add

Minutes from my front door.

Won’t somebody please think of Britain’s poor £2m homeowners? Oh, wait – everyone already is | Jonathan Liew Contrast the furious reaction to Rachel Reeves’s ‘mansion tax’ to the response offered to those living with real housing injustice: indifference, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew

There are 37.4m UK taxpayers.
Mansion tax will affect just 165,000 of them. Several of them, it would seem, own and edit newspapers and other media outlets. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

It can be done: in 2000 when Michael Grandage took over Sheffield Crucible he changed the sweets on sale in the auditorium to address that very annoying problem.

Nigel Farage’s schooldays We've all been there, haven't we? Well, haven't we?

A short free post on you-know-who having been a bit you-know-what open.substack.com/pub/davidaar...

All carols, no lessons:
I’m singing in @elysiansingers.bsky.social Christmas concert. Tickets are going fast so book now for a night of delights shimmering, splendid and delightfully silly from Europe and America.
See you there.
Thurs 18 Dec, 8pm.
www.tickettailor.com/events/theel...

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Fascinating! Thank you.