How Can Theatres Survive In A Post-Covid World?

Wednesday, September 30, 2020 West End, London


On average, a theatre needs to hold performances at 70% capacity to break even. If it costs more to perform a musical to a socially distanced crowd, than to not bother at all, how will London’s famous theatre industry survive?
 
On 16th March 2020, a week before lockdown officially began, theatres across the country closed their doors, with no one knowing when they would re-open. As each month went on, more shows were cancelled, more runs postponed, and then postponed again. Eventually, some of the West End’s most popular shows, including Les Miserables and Hamilton, announced they would not be reopening until 2021. The industry seemed doomed; it’s difficult to socially distance an audience, but even more difficult to distance a large ensemble cast, in a musical jam-packed with energetic dance numbers. The idea of bringing these shows back while social distancing remains the norm may be hopeless. The time and effort required to rehearse a show revamped for social distancing measures, along with a highly reduced audience capacity, would lead to a greater loss than not performing at all.
 
Despite this, early attempts were made to adapt the theatre industry for social distancing. Back in July, Andrew Lloyd Webber organised Beverly Knight’s performance at the London Palladium, trialling an audience sat several seats apart and wearing masks. However, renowned stage producer Cameron Mackintosh described it as a ‘disaster’, with Webber himself commenting that the distanced audience was a ‘sad sight’. Venues are designed to be packed; a quarter-full audience does not have the same atmosphere, nor does a masked audience have the same cheer. Is it really possible for the industry to adapt to our new normal?


It’s worth remembering that turning off the lights of the theatre industry doesn’t just affect theatres alone. With over 15 million tickets sold for shows at London’s West End every year, theatres are at the heart of the capital’s tourism. The influx of theatregoers increases spending on other industries including travel and hospitality; many restaurants in Theatreland have a dedicated pre-theatre menu, demonstrating their reliance on show-business.
 
So, how can theatres survive? The government announced a £1.57 billion support package for the arts industry, but for many this seemed to be too little, too late. This money will go towards buildings and institutions that house the industry, but not the freelancers that make up its majority workforce. Instead, the theatre industry has had to adapt to the situation with creativity, turning the focus to the online world. From the comfort of their homes, theatregoers are switching to digital content, with many shows being streamed online. The National Theatre’s At Home series streamed some of their most popular plays, including A Streetcar Named Desire, for a free limited period on YouTube. With a similar approach, The Old Vic used streaming as a way to boost revenue, streaming a performance of Lungs starring Claire Foy and Matt Smith, with tickets starting at £10. A digitalised version of the theatre industry could carry on into the future, as this makes performances more accessible to all, even if it's not in the traditional theatre as we know it. 
 

 
Contrary to Webber and Mackintosh's initial disappointment, physical theatres are now beginning to be adapted in accordance with social distancing guidelines, in order to kickstart the industry again. I visited Wembley's Troubadour theatre for the first large scale socially distanced performance - the musical Sleepless, starring Jay McGuinness and Kimberley Walsh. With an audience sat in bubbles and a cast tested daily, it became a prototype for what we may see in the future. With Nimax theatres announcing socially distanced runs of shows such as the popular Six from this November, it looks like we might be beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
 
 
Will theatres return to their original glory? I certainly hope so. Socially distanced seating plans might not be the perfect long-term solution, considering the heavily reduced capacity and its finanical effects, but I'm happy to get used to the extra space and leg-room for now and wait out the storm until I can see my favourite shows again. 
 
Have you experienced a digitalised version of theatre during lockdown, or perhaps are planning to attend a socially distanced show? I'd love to hear!
 

EG x

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Liquid Matte Eyeshadows: Glossier VS Too Faced

Saturday, September 26, 2020

 
Liquid eyeshadows have been around for some time, from NYX's Lid Lingerie, to Stila's Glitter and Glows, but it's only recently that I've started to notice matte formulas popping up in the beauty world. 
 
The idea of a matte liquid eyeshadow intrigues and excites me: this is a product you can swipe across the whole eyelid for a classic look with minimal time and fuss. It's perfect for travel - even if you carried a couple of these, it's a world away from lugging a big palette around. I've always liked shimmery liquid eyeshadows like Glossier's Lid Star, but find they can be difficult to blend out - a matte formula is so much more versatile.
 
The two biggest liquid matte eyeshadow releases this year come from two of my all-time favourite brands, so I had to give them a go. Glossier's Sky Wash, released in March, came first, but was shortly followed by Too Faced's Melted Chocolate eye shadows two months later. Today I'll be putting these two to the test, comparing formula, longevity and ease of application. 
 

GLOSSIER SKY WASH:


Price: £15 (£4.28 per ml)

Packaging: The Sky Wash has Glossier's trademark simple but effective packaging. It's easy to see the shade of the product with the colourful lid, and the sleek design makes it the perfect travel companion. 

Shade Range: Glossier's Sky Wash comes in seven different shades, from oranges and beiges to more out there shades like bright blue and yellow. Sky Wash is perfect if you enjoy a more creative and colourful look, but there aren't too many neutral shades to choose from. 

My own shade, Valley, is a gorgeous burnt orange tone. It's a must-have for autumnal months, but because it's not too bold it can be easily worn all year round.

Formula: The Sky Wash is a very sheer matte, with a thin formula. This makes it buildable and suitable for every occasion, whether you prefer a sheer wash of colour, or bright pigment.

Ease of Application: The buildable formula makes applying the Sky Wash super dreamy. It's easy to blend out a little bit with your finger, and put more on as you feel necessary. It's easy to build other eyeshadows on top too.

Longevity: Even though Sky Wash is a light wash of colour, it's still visible for the entire day. I'm impressed that there's no difference whether or not I use my Morphe eye primer with it, it lasts all day without creasing too much either way.

Overall thoughts: Glossier's Sky Wash is perfect if you fancy a light 'wash' of colour all over the lid. It's a very on-brand product, and incredibly travel friendly. Your eyeshadow is easily complete with a simple swipe and blend of Sky Wash, or can provide the perfect base for powder shadows.

View Sky Wash on Glossier's website.
Read my full review of Glossier's Sky Wash in Valley here.


TOO FACED MELTED CHOCOLATE EYESHADOW:


Price: £19 (£3.87 per ml)

Packaging: Like Sky Wash, Too Faced's Melted Chocolate shadows are super travel and handbag friendly. They are all different colours corresponding to their shade, making it really easy to differentiate between them. They are very sleek and have a typically Too Faced style.

Shade Range: Being 'chocolate' inspired, the eight shades are all varieties of neutral brown tones. Some are more purple, red or bronze toned, but they are all based in brown. To some this would lack variety, but I think it means there's a shade for all skin tones and preferences.

The shade I own is Amaretto, a brown with a slight pink tint. Because the shades are all quite brown toned, they are very versatile and match with any sort of look.

Formula: The Melted Chocolates are PIGMENTED! You only need a tiny little bit to cover the entire lid. And yes, like the rest of Too Faced's chocolate range, it does have that dreamy chocolate scent, you'll be pleased to know!

Ease of application: It might just be something to get used to, but because of how pigmented they are, the Melted Chocolates are not the easiest products to apply. Unlike the Sky Wash, which you can blend with a finger, this definitely requires a fluffy brush to achieve even blending (and so your fingertips aren't stained!). 

Longevity: They are long-lasting but not quite as well as Sky Wash - I think because they are more pigmented, there's more product on the lid and thus it's bound to crease easier.

Overall thoughts: The shade range of Too Faced's Melted Chocolates is totally up my street, it was very difficult to choose a shade! While pigmentation is a good thing, I think blending it is going to take a bit of getting used to.
 
View Melted Chocolate on Boots. 


GLOSSIER VS TOO FACED:


Comparing the two by price, Too Faced's eyeshadow costs a little bit more, but you do get more ml for your money so I'd say that evens things out. Too Faced offer eight shades to Glossier's seven, so again, not much difference there. Personally, I prefer Too Faced's neutral shade range but Glossier's more colourful range has an appeal too. 

The difference in formulas is where things get interesting - to say these are both matte liquid eyeshadows, they both have completely unique formulas! Glossier's is sheer and buildable which I find easier to apply. Too Faced's is thicker, more pigmented and more difficult to blend out, but it definitely makes for a more effective and eye-catching look. Where I may be tempted to add other eyeshadows to the Sky Wash to create depth, the Melted Chocolate requires nothing else. 

Overall, both the Glossier Sky Wash and the Too Faced Melted Chocolate shadow are great items in my collection. I'd say that Sky Wash is more suited to everyday looks, but because it is so buildable you could perhaps add a little more to take you into the evening, if you so wish. Too Faced's is probably a product I would be saving for evening/event wear because it is such a bold shade, I'm not so sure I could pull it off everyday!
 

Have you ever tried a liquid eyeshadow? I would love to hear your thoughts!

EG x

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A Socially Distanced Musical: Sleepless

Wednesday, September 23, 2020 Wembley Troubadour Theatre


After many dark months for the theatre industry, with venues up and down the country unable to open, it was Wembley's Troubadour theatre that opened the first large scale show. Sleepless, a musical adaptation of the classic Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan rom-com Sleepless In Seattle, began a month long socially distanced run, becoming a show like no other.
 
As an avid musicals fan, I had, like many others, been sorely missing the theatre. The last time I visited was in March, to see Dear Evan Hansen only days before they all closed, and was longing to see a live show again. I was so excited that the producers of Sleepless, Michael Rose and Damien Sanders, had made this possible, because we all knew this was going to be a challenging feat. I had to go and see it, not only because the show sounded just up my street, but also to support the industry that has been overlooked and in serious danger the past few months.


The Theatre

 
Being a socially distanced event, I have to speak about the setup of the theatre as well as the performance. I had never been to the Troubadour and it struck me as very different to the classic West End venues I am used to, because of its very modern design and feel. The theatre has great indoor and outdoor seating areas to wait in before the auditorium opens - the amount of space makes social distancing a doddle. I realised this would be more difficult in an older venue, where I can remember waiting around, packed into small and uncomfortable corridors.

Inside the auditorium, the capacity had been reduced from 1300 to 400 seats. Cutting back so much causes huge financial challenges, so I have much admiration for the producers making it possible to run. Keeping distance was very easy inside the auditorium, seats are purchased in household bubbles, in groups of between 1-4 people. There are 'X's on many of the seats, demonstrating the distance between everyone. I had a whole row to myself, giving me some unbeatable legroom that I could really get used to! 
 

Being such a modern venue, there's no stalls and circle but just one level on an incline, so you would have an excellent view wherever you sat - especially because there's no one directly in front of you, another social distancing perk!

The Show


Being an adaptation of Sleepless in Seattle, the story is already familiar - a love story between widowed Sam, who's son Jonah rang up a radio station talking about his wish for a new mum, and hopeless romantic Annie, who heard them on the radio. The musical starred Kimberley Walsh as Annie and Jay McGuiness as Sam, who both delivered stellar performances. I've read reviews saying their acting isn't up to Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan's standards, but I mean come on, they're not Hollywood actors! I'm sure Hanks and Ryan could not have delivered the same incredible vocal performances, if we're judging them like that!

The show flowed very well with never a dull moment, and even the supporting cast members had stand-out songs, including the memorable performance of 'Now Or Never' by Jonah and Sam's best friend Rob. All of the songs were brand new and original - it was Annie's songs that stood out for me, especially the Act 1 finale, 'Things I Didn't Do'. The creators of the musical have described it more of a 'play with songs' rather than a traditional musical, but the format worked very well, and a stunning dance number for the show's finale satisfied any traditional musical lover.
 

 
The set design was remarkable, with a revolving house in the middle. Screens came down around it to create an airport, and boards around it towards the end to create a very realistic looking Empire State viewing platform. The Troubadour is a large, wide theatre and they made such great use of the space available.
 

Sleepless is only on for a few more days at the Troubadour, but it has definitely paved the way for other socially distanced shows to come. Slowly the steps are coming together for live venues to open up again and I can't wait. 
 

EG x 

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The Best Novels I Read In July & August

Saturday, September 19, 2020


Time for a book round up! I've read some really great novels in the past couple of months that I had to recommend to you. Three out of my four favourites have been released this year, so there's a lot of hype surrounding them right now and it's worth it! Also, I gave two of these books a whole five stars, so if that doesn't say get reading them immediately!!!, I don't know what will!


Such a Fun Age - Kiley Reid 4 stars

 
A story about race, friendship and privilege focusing on two women: career-focused Alix, and her child's babysitter, Emira. After being wrongly accused of kidnapping three-year old Briar in a supermarket, an unexpected connection between the two women threatens to undo everything.

Such a Fun Age was very well-written, a very-easy page turner, and is a really great and realistic exploration of race and class relations in modern America. I loved Emira's relationship with Briar, who were easily my favourite two characters of the novel. While the ending of the novel was powerful, it was missing a little something and felt very bitter-sweet.


Marian Keyes - Grown Ups 4.5 stars

 
On the outside, the Caseys appear to be the perfect big family, spending every birthday and holiday together, from murder mystery parties, to Tuscan villa trips, at the insistence of Jessie and her generous bank account. But behind the scenes, tensions are rising - some people can't stop clashing, and some like each other too much. What happens when the secrets start rolling out?

Grown Ups is the sort of book that you're still thinking about a week after, it had such a strong impact. It's a long one, and yet I couldn't stop reading. I think I read about half of it in one day and it drove me a little bit crazy!

 

There's a lot of characters in this book - the beginning of the book even includes a family tree, which I found myself referencing a lot, at least to begin with! That means there's a lot of characters to get to know and get your head around. Surprisingly, the majority of them I either didn't like, or could really take or leave. Yet Marian Keyes' writing is addictive, I had to find out what drama was going to happen next.

Me Before You - Jojo Moyes 5 stars

 

Desperate for a job, Louisa Clark becomes the carer of Will Traynor, who was paralyzed in a fluke accident. An unlikely bond leads to a heartfelt and emotional romance story. 

 

Usually I like to read the book before I watch the book, but the opposite happened here. A few months ago, I watched the film Me Before You, starring Emelia Clarke and Sam Claflin, and absolutely LOVED it. Like, 5 star movie, absolutely cried my eyes out, kind of loved it. So, combined with the fact I've already read a couple of other Jojo Moyes books that I loved, I had high hopes for the novel. Fortunately, I loved it just as much as the film! The storyline is very similar, with additional moments between the characters that make the story even more impactful. I followed it with its sequel After You which didn't quite live up to it - I can't say too much without spoiling the first, but it felt a little dull and nowhere near as touching as the first.

 


Olive - Emma Gannon 5 stars

 

Olive is independent, loyal, and still figuring everything out. She's on her own path and she's okay with that, until she begins to notice the changes in her friends' lives, towards marriage and motherhood, and she realises her own life looks a little different. Should she be moving along with them, or are they moving away from her?

 

If you liked Anna Hope's Expectation, you are going to love Olive. The writing feels similar, as does its focus - an exploration of female friendship and womanhood, set in London. Olive and her three friends, Bea, Cecily and Isla, are all instantly likeable and relatable in different ways. The four of them are all very different personalities, with different priorities in their lives. Each of the women's triumphs and struggles were presented as equally valid, even though such contrasting issues were explored. Gannon explores how friendships are tested by situations such as not being able to have children, struggling as a new mum, and deciding not to have children at all.


The novel is a celebration of female friendship and being unique and true to yourself, being defined by what you want to do, rather than what you're expected to do. I absolutely loved Olive and cannot recommend it enough. 


The four novels I mentioned were the best I read the past two months, and I would recommend them to everyone. They all kept me hooked, interested and invested in the characters. However, I read two other novels that didn't impress me quite as much. An Unsuitable Match by Joanna Trollope was well-written, but unfortunately the characters were dull, selfish and constantly moaning! Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid had me feeling completely torn. The interview style format is an unusual choice and has caused controversy between many readers - did it work, or not? For me, it was a good idea in theory, but because it's all about a fictional band, we lacked context of knowing their songs or having any connection to them. With an unfulfilling ending to top it off, it didn't really work for me. 


 

Make sure to follow me on Goodreads for all the book updates! Have you read and enjoyed any good novels lately? I would love more recommendations as we go into the autumnal months!


EG x



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Back To London

Wednesday, September 16, 2020 Covent Garden, London, UK


My second year of university is here, and I am back in London! As Taylor Swift said, 'August slipped away' and September is now suddenly upon us. The new academic year is always one of my favourite parts of the year, because it symbolises all things new - from new stationery, new timetables, to new beginnings. 

 

The same can also be said for my blog here - maybe not new, but a restart of sorts. You may have noticed (if you were being very observant) that I haven't posted here lately, which I think would say is for a number of reasons.

 

Firstly, one thing I have learnt this summer is the amount of time that goes into finding a flat! Looking for a place to live in London this year took up a huge chunk of my time last month, and as I spent a ton of time on my laptop endlessly scrolling through Rightmove or Zoopla, I didn't want to spend any more time on it doing anything else. Once I found my place, it turns out planning to move in took up a lot of time too. My blog just wasn't at the forefront of my mind like it used to be, but the good thing is, I knew it was only temporary; once my flat was sorted, I'd be back!


 

But lately I realised that I think I was also in a bit of a creative rut; I didn't really know what I wanted to write about. Everything has changed so much over the past six months or so, and I was bound to feel a bit uninspired at one time or another. Beauty feels a little different now we're covering half our face so much, but I've picked up a couple of eyeshadow products lately that I can't wait to share with you. I  started to read a lot more books through the lockdown time, and while I'll have to make a bit more time for that now, I'm really enjoying it, so expect more book related posts too.


And of course, you can now expect a return to my London content too! Now that I'm settled down in London, I'm feeling less overwhelmed and ready to start writing again. London may feel a little different to last year - the West End is still quiet for now, and big events like Winter Wonderland won't be happening, but the shops of Oxford Street on a Saturday afternoon feel as busy as ever. It's weirdly reassuring that things can find a new normal.

 


This year I'm living in a studio flat that's located more centrally than my uni hall was last year, so expect content around Covent Garden, a stone's throw away from where I'll be. I can't wait to get started with my uni work too. In case you didn't know, I'm a history student at UCL, and while last year my module choices weren't exactly ideal, this year I'm going to be studying some really exciting topics! My modules are all modern, focusing on Europe and America, from culture in the Cold War, to conspiracy theories - yes, I am doing a module all about conspiracy theories, which is so bizarre and fun!

 


There's a little update for you all - hope you're all doing well! I'd love to hear what you've been up to lately. If you're starting uni this year, or going back, I'd love to hear what you're excited about, or maybe what you're nervous about too! A socially distanced uni life will definitely take some getting used to.

 

Anyway, I'm off now to watch some Gilmore Girls on Netflix - I think that was truly what's been taking up my usual blogging time last month, it's just too good!

EG x

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