Monty Python Live!!!

Man oh man, I can't believe I haven't shared this with you guys yet!

If anyone from college was sat in the refectory on the 25th of November at approximately 10am, you would have heard a scream. That scream was me getting my hands on tickets for the only night that Monty Python were re-uniting in the O2. (they released more shows that day, but I had the original day!) I had been sat hunched over about 4 different electronical devices since the morning, and had been in about 2 queues for around an hour and a half, but I did it. I later found out that the tickets had sold out within 45 seconds of them being released. I was so shocked that I managed to get them that I cried. Then rang my Dad to tell him that I managed to get them!

After 8 months of waiting, July 1st arrived. Me, my dad and my friend, Mia, all headed down to the O2 (which was humongous). I'd never been there before, it's amazing! The show was so incredible. I saw people dressed as various knights, and walking around with Gumby handkerchiefs on their heads. We walked in, and the stage looked incredible! My photo completely doesn't do it justice. We were sat right at the top as I just wanted to get the cheapest tickets, but they weren't bad at all!

When they walked out it was amazing, and I was laughing from start of the show right through to the end! The songs, the choreography, the humour, everything was just right! They even paid a little tribute to Graham Chapman (RIP) by having his sketches on a big screen. So wonderful. I can't actually put into words how much I enjoyed the evening! Think of all your favourite MP sketches... they were in it. The camp army march, the argument clinic, the silly walk had a dance of it's own, and of course, the Dead Parrot Sketch.

The five of them were clearly having a such a great time performing all their old sketches, and their improvisation is incredible. At one point, John Cleese had to walk off the stage because he was laughing so much. He also spoke to the audience and said "I'm not impressed with Argentina's performance tonight" to which Michael Palin just said "Are you talking to the audience? Section 24 B of the Comdey Sketch act clearly states no talking to the audience." So excellent. They also had a couple of celebrity guests! During the Galaxy Song, Prof. Brian Cox rudely interrupted and began to prove that the song was scientifically incorrect, to which Prof. Steven Hawking (!!!!) then ran him over and went flying off into a spaceship singing it. Steven Fry also made an appearance, he came on stage with a paper bag over his head during the spoof TV show, Blackmail.

I'm very glad to have seen them, it was a wonderful experience and I did not regret a single penny that was spent on those tickets.

The Magical World of Harry Potter

On Christmas morning, I was told to open a certain present last. It was envelope shaped, and inside was possibly the best Christmas present any Harry Potter fan could ask for - two tickets for the Harry Potter Studio Tour. I immediately texted Flatty B, knowing she was a massive HP fan too and that she hadn't been before. She said yes, and I promptly booked it.

That day, was yesterday! I was practically crying with excitement all the way down from Manchester to the studios. It was a dream come true. The shuttle bus was possibly the finest decorated bus I'd ever seen, and I believe I actually squealed with excitement when it approached the bus station in Watford Junction.

One of the first things you see when you get in is three of the original giant chess pieces from the first film. I squealed again (there was a lot of squealing going on today, well done to Flatty B for coping), and I went over to have a photo. So many photos were taken, I'm sure my facebook friends thoroughly appreciated the 196 photos I uploaded this morning. 

We arrived a little early, so we went into the shop and had a look around. Memorabilia galore! So many trinkets, hoodies, glasses, mugs, scarves, books and wands! So many wands!

Voldemort's wand!

Anyways, we began to queue, and while you passed the cupboard under the stairs complete with glasses and the little horse toys that Harry plays with at the beginning of the first film. Again, much more squealing. We were taken into a waiting room, then into a cinema. They showed a brief introduction to the tour by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. This gave way to the main doors to the Great Hall. The magical words were said "Welcome to Hogwarts". We were both so excited and bounced into the Great Hall. The amount of detail was absolutely astonishing, and they even had the actual costumes that the actual actors wore! 

We were in here for about 15-20 minutes, before being herded into the back room to make way for the next tour. This room was so very magnificent. It had everything from information on all the directors, to make up, to the gates of Hogwarts, to Dumbledore's office, to troll's armour! 

Educational Decrees!

The Chamber of Secrets has been opened

Flatty B having a cheeky pose

In a little room off of this massive room was the opportunity to have a ride of a broomstick, which of course we jumped to the end of the line. Well, I flew a broomstick, Flatty B didn't want to. She played Mam for the day and held all my stuff. Thank you! But in order to have a go on a broomstick, you got to put on some robes. I was Gryffindor (of course....).

After this, we looked around the rest of the room. We saw the great big statue that was placed in the Ministry of Magic in the later films. You know, the one with the oppression of muggles! Oh, we saw some Death Eater's masks and costumes as well as the original Marauder's Map!! 

After about an hour in this room, it was time to go outside for a lovely refreshing drink of.....Butterbeer! It was very nice, very sweet though. Not what I expected it to taste like. It was like cream soda, caramel and something else that I couldn't put finger on. It was here that you could see the Knight Bus, Privet drive, Godric's Hollow and some more chess pieces. 

The next room we went into was one which was all about the CGI effects and make up. For example, the making of Robbie Coltrane into Hagrid, and we saw dead Dobby in a class case (always a sad moment....), and a werewolf, and the basilisk's head, and Aragog. He was hanging from the ceiling and I hadn't noticed him until Flatty B turned and said "oooh that's not very nice", I jumped and screamed. I don't like spiders at the best of times, let a giant one hanging from the ceiling. Needless to say, I scurried on quickly after that. Into Diagon Alley. The most magical street in the UK. The home of Gringotts Bank, Flourish and Blotts, Olivanders, Madam Malkin's Dress Shop, and of course, the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. This, up to this point, was my favourite place and I really did not want to leave at all. The window displays were so detailed which all these strange gadgets that I really wish were real so I could go in and have a play with them. Amazing. 

The penultimate room we went into was my favourite room of the whole day, it found it quite emotional for some reason. I was so happy and excited that I couldn't contain it. Emotional music was being played, and the tears welled up in my eyes. It was real, standing in front of me, a giant model of Hogwarts. It was so much bigger than I expected, as people had said that it was quite small. As if, they must have seen a different model or something....? 

Apologies for bad quality and lighting, I had to use my ipad as my phone was running out of battery and the lights switched between night and day.

We then went into a room full of wand boxes, and I suddenly remembered something I had read ages ago, that each of the names on the wand boxes were the names of each member of the cast and crew. I told this to Flatty B and one of the workers overheard me, and seemed quite impressed that I knew. (Spot the nerd...).

This lead out into the shop, where I got excited and sad, because I didn't want to have to leave! I bought a big book on how they made the books into the films, and have been flicking through that this morning. There's so much information to take in, I can only read it in little chunks! I also bought a chocolate frog that I munched on the train home. I got the Helga Hufflepuff card! My most exciting purchase was the hardback edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I've never seen it in hardback, and as it's my favourite book, I couldn't resist. It now has pride of place on my bookshelf with all my other copies of the books. I cannot wait to read it.

This day was amazing. As a Harry Potter fan from a really young age, stepping into the world really made it come to life for me. I would happily go down again next week and the week after and the week after that. In the summer I am hopefully going to drag my parents to come with me and see it again. Such an amazing day, and I went to bed with a great big smile on my face. A massive thank you to Flatty B for coming with me, and for coping with my excitement all day, and a super-massive thank you to Mother and Father for giving me this wonderful experience for Christmas.