17th July 2025
Hi my loves,
I hope you are all well?
I have missed you a lot.
Lots of theatre stuff has been happening for me recently. This chat might feel a bit like a flashback and then a race forwards, but stick with me and we will be fine.
I want to tell you all about the amazing theatre I have had the opportunity to witness recently and last year. The reason for this is that I have been working at The Lighthouse: Poole’s Centre for the Arts. I have been there in the Ticket Office for the past year. My contract is coming to an end in August. I have made some great friends and had a character building experience there. I love assisting the customers and talking about shoes all day. I even get to go to the Cinema at work sometimes. It’s pretty cool. I have even joined a Sci-fi and Fantasy book club that my friend Kate’s husband runs in Waterstones. I haven’t actually managed to make any of the face to face meetings yet but I have read both of the books since finding out about it and sent my thoughts via Kate. I am planning to make the next one. I promise!
Today’s read will be the first book I read for that book club. I bet it’s nice for you guys to have an Outlander break.
More on that later.
I would like to say ‘Curtain up!’ to my last two years of theatre.
2024-2025 The Shaftesbury Theatre – London
Mrs. Doubtfire
I went to see this twice it was that good. The first time was with my sister Jess and nephew Rudy. Nicki came with us too! It was a blast! I enjoyed it even more when I went with my beautiful friend Rosie. The songs are so upbeat. They made me want to get up and dance till I dropped.
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) is one of my go-to feel good films when I’m down with the late great Robin Williams and the musical is just as heart-warming. I laughed and cried in equal measure. It was beautiful.
My favourite song is Make Me a Woman when Daniel transforms into Mrs. Doubtfire to make sure he can see his children.
Make Me a Woman
18th May 2024 Dominicon Theatre – London
Sister Act
This was Fabulous Baby! I was taken by Bethan. We loved it. We also got to see the amazing Ruth Jones as Mother Superior which was crackin’! I love her as Nessa in Gavin & Stacey. She did an amazing job. I wanted to join the brilliant Beverley Knight as Delores Van Catier and escape to that Convent full of love and joy.
The best song from this was Here Within These Walls
The musical really makes itself heard. Knight and Jones make the iconic roles their own. Move over Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith. Hello the new nuns in town.
Nessa, Gavin, Stacey and Smithy
Bethan and I looking Fabulous Baby!
We even got a video at the end!
April 2023 and March 2025 – Victoria Theatre, London and Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
Hamilton
First Jess and Nicki took me to see this explosion of a show for my birthday last year.
2023
Nicki and I
Jess and I
2025
Then I listened to King George and he was right, I was back with Rudy and Bernie. It was really breath taking both times. I was so glad to go back to the room where it happened in Southampton.
Me, Bernie and Rudes being silly!
The songs are so powerful. I can’t even pick one to share with you. I love them all. Ha I have picked one.
Dear Theodosia
11th April 2025 Apollo Victoria Theatre – London
Bernie took me to see Wicked and I can tell you it lived up to its name. the special effects and stage set were magical. There is no place like home. I do have some picture from that day but I will show you those at a later date…
My favourite song was I’m Not That Girl.
It was amazing to watch this prequel to The Wizard of Oz. I know it’s been around for ages but I am so glad I got to see it now.
The final London we did was a work trip for us all. We went to…
1st June 2025 The Trubadour Theatre – London
Starlight Express
This was a show that stopped me in my tracks. There was so much going on. I loved the roller skating and the costumes. I felt a little bit like an owl, trying to focus on everything that was happening. I wish some of my nice childhood dreams would come to life. Instead of me giving you a song I have a video to share. Thank you Nicki and Bernie for taking me to race night. It was wonderful!.
Now I expect you’re thinking, wow that is a lot of theatre. What about The Lighthouse?
I have been to see quite a lot theatre and film there. It’s one of the perks of being staff you see.
Here are some pictures of me on my induction day and my first proper day.
Me in my uniform
I have been to see Sleeping Beauty which was last year’s Panto, it was very funny, particularly The 12 Days of Christmas and Nanny Nut Job!
In the cinema I have seen the astounding film Lee, that stars Kate Winslet as the no nonsense Second World War photographer, Lee Miller. Lee risked her life to bring the real story of the war to everyone’s attention. She was once a medel for Vogue but with her keen eye for photography she became so much more than that. Winlet’s portrayal of her is so raw it brought me to tears.
Just recently I went to see Chris McCauland, Strictly Come Dancing winner 2024 do his comedy show Yonks! In the Concert Hall. My god! He was just the tonic me and Nicki needed that day. He was so funny and down to earth. Such a relatable show! I loved his and Dianne Busswell’s team name, ‘Wining Isn’t Everything’ on Strictly. He showed me I cam do anything I put my mind to. It’s okay to fail, all you have to do is try.
Chris and Dianne’s Waltz will go down as one of the best things I have seen on Strictly Come Dancing to date.
One more show before we almost hit the Sci-Fi and Fantasy book club book….
I took my gorgeous friend Jade to see Burn the Floor: Dianne and Vito’s Red Hot & Ready show in the Theatre at work. The dancing was beautiful in the first half but we really enjoyed the energy in the second half. We didn’t stop singing all the way home. It was great to see these two Strictly Pro Winners do their stuff. I loved the bits where they were telling the audience about their lives and watching the dances form around that. I still can’t get Pink Pony Club or Lady Gaga out of my head!
Our meal ar Defino Lounge pre show.
Our drinks
Our dinners
The stage
Jade and I ready to Burn the Floor
Curtain Call
Instead of a dedication today there is a curtain call and a big thank you to Kate Stanton who I work with at The Lighthouse. I want to thank her for introducing me to the Sci-Fi and Fantasy Book Club at Watersones. I also want to thank Kate for creating a beautiful personalized name transfer for Pudding’s blanket for her second birthday. I can’t believe she is 2 now.
KateCreates can be found on Etsy, Instagram, Facebook or contacted via email. She even makes personalized cake toppers. Next time we visit The Cerebral Pantry, you can see what I mean.
So, let’s let the theatre take its final bow, for now. And say hello to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club’s May 2025 read.
Author: Ali Smith
Book Title: Gliff
Publisher: Penguin Books
Imprint: Hamish Hamilton
Review
Started reading: 17th May 2025
Finished reading: 19th May 2025
Ways of reading: Audiobook/Hardback
Genre: Science Fiction
First published: 31st October 2024
Original language: English
Recommended by: Sci-Fi and Fantasy Book Club
Number of pages: 288
Reading stars: *
Reading ease: 1/5
Enjoyment: 1/5
Would I recommend: No
Book club Month: May 2025
I loved the tactile cover of this book. However, I really struggled with what was going on in the plot. I think it was maybe due to the way the writing was laid out. There was barely any punctuation. Just the occasional full stop. It felt like I was reading an updated 1984. The humans are being reduced to just data.The bits where the horse was involved were lovely as the main character tries to remember before the world turned to tech, and they were trying to escape. Reading this book felt very disjointed but I don’t know if this was Ali Smith’s intention in Gliff or if it was just me, in my headspace at the time. I think Smith is trying to shed light on how digital the world is becoming.
I found a quote I really like in Gliff, ‘I am all my Me’s.’ For me this means iam every person I have ever been and every emotion I have ever felt. I can’t wait to see who I am next and what I can achieve.
I am glad I joined the book club because it means I get to pick up books I would never think to try. It shows as well that even if you don’t like something it is always worth a go.
Thank you Sci-Fi and Fantasy book club in Waterstones. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
When I see you next we will be in the Cerebral Pantry, taking you all the way back to 26th birthday cake! Yum! Then when we come back to the Reading Corner it will be my best holiday of 2024.
See you soon.
Love Hatts
Xxx
Hatty’s Reading Corner 
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