Did I ever get a shock or did I get a shock! There I was sitting in the second row at the Grand Opera House excited about the production which runs this week. Rock of Ages isn’t based on the hymn written by A.M Toplady but the story of a vibrant group of young people enjoying the Rock and Roll lifestyle on 1980s Sunset Strip. Strip by name and strip by nature, this musical is anything but reverent, it’s a blast, racy, raunchy and really fantastic. In the interval a woman told me that her little 13 year old daughter turned to her and said “I don’t this this is appropriate for me.” Perceptive child.
The story covers life in general and survival in particular. When a German entrenpeur arrives and decides to buy the Temple of Rock and Roll to knock it down for redevelopment, these involved on the Strip band together to protest. All of this is the back ground to a love story, boy (Luke Walsh) meets girl, (Jodie Steele) boy looses girl, but does boy get girl in the end – guess! Every member of this large cast is a class act but there was much love shown to Kevin Kennedy who will always be Curley Watts in Coronation Street but in this show he is Dennis the owner of the night club and he is brilliant, great voice and tremendous rapport with the audience but the narrator Lonny played by Lucas Rush took the biscuit. He’s very naughty, weaves in and out of the story, he’s hilarious and loveable. But. Towards the beginning of the evenings fun he picks on a woman sitting in the second row and begins a flirtatious, suggestive relationship with her. Me! “What is your name,” he croons. “Anne.” I quiver.
And so begins a relationship which includes a lot of eye contact, suggestive comments, when he carries out one of the protest placards saying SAVE OUR STRIP, he turns it round and it reads I LOVE YOU ANNE. So it goes on and the audience love it and to be honest so do I. At the end of this brilliant production, dancing, singing, acting, music and the musical numbers and lighting, the entire cast are on stage singing Don’t Stop Believin’ when Lonny gazes down at me, jumps off the stage, gives me a hug and a red rose. Did I feel special or did I feel special. Yes I did. So much so that I went with my daughter across the road to Robinsons to meet my amour and what a charming man he is, born in Black Rock, had worked in theatre, film and television.
I did get a surprise being in the spotlight but I did like being famous in front of 800 people for one night only!
One additional point about last night’s performance and that was Steven who signed for any audience members who had hearing difficulties. He certainly enjoyed the night but had to dig deep to sign some of the more ranchy dialogue. I won’t go into that too deeply!
You just might get a ticket if you’re quick as the show ends on Saturday. More at www.goh.co.uk
BE VERY AWARE OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
“In five years time 70% of jobs available to young people don’t yet exist.”So says Conor Houston, and he should know.
That’s scary – 70%. So what are these jobs? Think a world of digital technology, advanced space age knowledge and equipment, algorithms, data analytics, controversial G5, it’s a currency where data is the new oil according to Conor who is Head of Engagement at Digital DNA the company behind an important event last week at the St. George’s Market. 150 speakers, exhibitors and a chance to network with the best in the business. “We don’t have enough specialists in Northern Ireland so this event will encourage and inform.” It’s a world for young people, Conor talks of adults being the alians, the young people are the natives with the bravery to talk truth to power.
One topic discussed at the event was the cyber security industry which generates salaries of over £70m each year and employs almost 1700 people here and the fact that Northern Ireland is a world leader.
“Our mission is very simple; to encourage and support the growth of all things digital and to keep digital technology at the forefront of people’s minds.”
Already life is adjusting to this brave new world.
Co-Working Space
This is a growing phenomena throughout Ireland. Typical is an area in Danska Bank in the middle of Belfast offering shared facilities for individuals, a desk, phone, and power point and a meeting place, self employed or staff no longer tied to one address.
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Talk to a 20 year old and it’s scary. “Cyber terrorism is the danger,” he told me. “Could shut us all down, think of it no TV, no street lights, forget your phone, planes couldn’t operate nor would your car, all records held digitally would be lost. specialists couldn’t continue intricate life saving operations. It’s a fragile situation.”
Therefore it’s important we have experts to prevent this happening and keep us safe and secure in this world of artificial intelligence and the World Wide Web.
John Browne, author of Make, Think, Imagine: Engineering the Future of Civilisation says you can’t stop progress, that by-in-large it’s successful but he acknowledges good things can be used badly by bad people, thankfully he reckons artificial intelligence will never replace the brain: “One single human brain has more connections than all the computers in the entire world added up.”
It’s brain power that has developed hi tech but can it control it?
Details of Digital DNA at digitaldna.org.uk
On Your Bike
In a world of high tech what better way to clear your head than to get on your bike and enjoy the highways and byways – if you can avoid the potholes! I remember my first bike, a black Raleigh, Richard Bradley remembers his, it was a smart BMX delivered by Father Christmas. There was great excitement and today he is offering that excitement to others through his shop in Queen Street Belfast. City Centre Cycles is a special place, bikes of all shapes and sizes for sale, for hire with free deals for disabled cyclists.
The BBC film of tandem riders in Victoria Park that comes between programmes, has been seen round the world with Richard giving the orders dressed in blue – look out for him. The back seat drivers are all blind with pilots in front, in fact Richard is looking for volunteers to accompany disabled cyclists either on a tandem or a three saddle triple Phron model. Interesting that the original cargo bike sitting in front of the shop came from the Netherlands where these are still working bikes for traders to deliver their goods.
Before opening his cycle shop Richard worked in the Blind Centre’s audio department where he recorded talking newspapers, now at the back of the shop he has a small studio to continue this valuable service; as a member of the Association of Talking Newspapers he produces three publications a week and three monthly papers.
Wheels For All
Interesting that many of his clients are visitors to Belfast from other parts of the world, some who have seen him on BBC, and many students are using bikes to get around more efficiently and cheaply. The council bikes are proving popular too with new stations appearing but vandalism is still a problem. There are no taxes or MOT required for bikes, no harmful emissions either so if you’re a careful rider you are on a winner and Richard’s joy is that his four year old son recently rode his bike – no stabilisers – along the coastal path in Whitehead.
City Centre Cycles sells reconditioned bikes for £100 or less and any donations unsuitable for reselling are fixed up and given to charity. Bikes for sale come with a three month guarantee and an antitheft sticker under the Bike Registrar scheme making them easier to trace.
The freedom of cycling the countryside is something very special, why not give it a go this summer.
More at City Centre Cycles (028) 90806655