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• SPOOF HIT FROM BROADWAY
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TO the Noel Coward theatre in London's St Martin's Lane to see 'Avenue Q', a strange mixture of puppets and actors, music and comedy but one that works. It was a great hit on Broadway and though some of its jokes may be more pertinent to American audiences, it nonetheless translates well, judging by audience reaction here. It won three Tony Awards in New York and has been brought to London by Sir
Cameron Mackintosh, who is confident that he has another hit on his hands.
Don't be confused by the puppets. This is not a children's show and contains some fruity language and sharp satire on American culture, but it is very funny and has some catchy numbers.
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• HOW TO BE A BEST BEST MAN
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MOST mates are understandably chuffed at being asked to be Best Man at a friend's wedding. But when happily agreeing to fulfil the role, they usually have little thought of just what it entails - unless they have been there before, in which case they may not so readily agree.
From organising the stag night to remembering the ring to delivering a speech and much more besides, the Best Man is expected to live up to his title. So a new book from those helpful publishers at How to Books Ltd which sets out to cover all the duties required and how to fulfil them in style is to be welcomed by those just embarking upon the road to the alter alongside the groom.
It is written by John Bowden, who not only has considerable experience as a Best Man but is also a trainer and lecturer in communication skills, a writer on making humorous speeches and a member of the Comedy Writers' Association. A Best Man indeed.
Our only query would be whether he gives advice on the groom's clothing too. The cover of the book shows a shot of two men in tailcoats that look rather big on them -those hired clothes can never measure up to the bespoke outfit, of course. But for general help for Best Men suddenly daunted by the prospect of what they have undertaken this useful little tome is available in bookshops now at £9.99.
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Audio 'books' are increasingly popular. And as the market continues to grow, so the spread of those catering to it means the variety on offer is growing by leaps and bounds. Now we have the first UK-based audio content website being launched, offering over 5,000 titles covering classics and modern authors from a selection of top publishers.
The Audio Publishers Association of America reports that audio book sales in America stood at $832 million late last year, of which downloads represented 6per cent - and growing. The APA for the UK states the audio market here to be valued at £70 million, also growing.
The 'Spoken Network' collection covers broadcast items as well as books and is to be found on www.spoken-network.co.uk. Prices start from 69p up to £18.99.
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• ONLINE LANGUAGE BOOSTER
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There's an online service that aims to help those who wish to improve
their English. This is www.GotItSussed.com which will send daily
messages to a mobile, citing words and phrases and snippets of
information about the English culture. At £4.60 per month, or £49.95
for an annual subscription, it can be trialed for seven days free on www.GotItSussed.com/content/buy.asp.
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::
A Real Book
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"FROM Ovaltiney to Angry Old Man", the book of memoirs by John Taylor, late Editor of Savile Row, enjoyed success at its Soho launch party recently, and is set for another launch in Fleet Street this Summer, to be followed by a further celebration in Savile Row later in the year.
Though John was the arbiter on men's style matter for over four decades, he does not dwell on style matters in this entertaining book, but covers his childhood radio success, Fleet Air experiences in WW2, and then his long and varied career in journalism and TV. Available on Amazon or through this site at £18.95 for the hardback, or £9.99 for the paperback just coming out. |
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:: Help with English :: |
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SINCE the success of 'Eats, shoots and leaves' there has been something of a glut of books in a similar vein. The latest is an enjoyable look at the idiosyncracies of English spelling, 'Spellbound', which traces the source of English words and letters, some right back to Ancient Egypt.
The author is James Essinger, an Oxford graduate fascinated by language. He maintains that English is "the most outrageous, illogical spelling system in the world" but that once you know the reasons why, then the easier it is to spell correctly.
Published by Robson Books at £9.99.
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