World class

[puckrobin]

When Toronto newspapers tout that Toronto is a "world class" city filled with all sorts of "world class" whatevers ... well, they are seriously kidding themselves and us.

Yesterday, I spent yesterday walking the banks of the Thames which did not rise and kill everyone as the Evening Standard cheerfully predicted, and then hung around the West end and visited the National Gallery to see Georges Seurat's paintings among others. Pointilism looks even more impressive close up. Still, I was tempted to remark "Boys with their clothes off. I must paint a factory next." But I imagine anyone who could offended would recognise the reference to Sondheim's "No Life."

Speaking of which, I am in Gatwick. Soon to return to Toronto. Talk about no life.

Allen

Comments

[alysscarlet.livejournal.com]

How was the play last night?

Glad you didn't get washed away. :-)

[puckrobin.livejournal.com]

The Thames was definitely higher than usual, but no one along the embankment appeared to be fleeing the city.

It wasn't so much a play as a bunch of songs strung together with minor bits acted out from a programme-sized bio to string it all together. Some of the cheesiness came from the writer wanting to make the main character likeable at the expense of any darker truths (only discussed obliquely). And there was something which struck me as a company line that one must tow to get the music rights (also repeated in a related product) at variance with all documented facts.

I wish St. Joan hadn't been sold out the night before, but I probably would have been too tired to enjoy it.

Allen

Toronto Redefines "World Class"

[diresquirrel.livejournal.com]

... to mean whatever it wants.

Nothing new there, but Toronto should really stop worrying about New York, Paris, London, Hong Kong, Tokyo etc.

[puckrobin.livejournal.com]

But it won't. And I'm sure the city will go on foolishly spending taxpayers money to support things like the Lord of the Rings musical in their mad quest to buy a seat at the grown-ups' table.

Really, what Toronto needs is confidence. Not a constant desire to prove itself.

Allen