Theatre: Alice in Wonderland......

Red Rose Chain Christmas Show
The story is traditional Alice cleverly brought to a small stage by just three performers with so much energy. They kept the audience engaged and laughing from start to finish.

With very clever lighting, lots of costume changes, audience participation, song and dance and use of dolls and toys all the characters we expected were brought to the stage, Queen of Hearts, Cheshire Cat, Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee not forgetting the White Rabbit or The Mad Hatter.

I'm not surprised almost all performances sold out so quickly.
I went with Daughter and O who had already seen it but were excited to be seeing it again which is recommendation indeed.
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Theatre: Fenland Screamers.....

A new masterpiece to celebrate this seasonal milestone... After 30 years they still feel as fresh as they did when they were first unveiled in 1988. They are a brilliant alternative to a pantomime and long may they continue. Hilariously life-affirming, but watch out for the Screamers!

EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES

The Fenland Screamers is hilariously funny.... A refreshing change from the usual festive offering in theatres at this time of the year...well worth a watch. A brilliant piece of theatre – We loved it!

IPSWICH24 MAGAZINE

Extremely cleverly written and a laugh a minute. A brilliant evening’s entertainment - a must-see

BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE

They were invited to see out the Old Year – but would they ever see in the New?!

Pat Whymark and Julian Harries bring The Fenland Screamers & Other Boggy Tales to Ipswich, Woodbridge & Peterborough this year!

It is the 30th December, 1930. Young amateur sleuth siblings Sloppy & Sixpence arrive at a remote house in the middle of Clinker Fen, invited by a distant relative to celebrate the New Year. Tempted by the idea of a grand weekend party, they find the place deserted apart from the creepy butler, Tangent. He is expecting them and despite their misgivings, they decide to stay.

Other guests arrive, all strangers to one another, and as the fog descends, cutting them off from the outside world, they pass the time by telling stories. It becomes apparent that they all have a guilty secret, and are unnerved when Tangent tells them the local legend of the Fenland Screamers, avenging spirits who emerge from the bogs to drag the guilty back down into the mire.

When one of the guests mysteriously disappears, they all begin to fear for their lives. Can Sloppy & Sixpence solve the mystery before the Screamers come again and take them all, one by o

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Not much more I can add to this, yes it was over-the-top hilarious and the group I went with all enjoyed it. One of our Christmas traditions 😊🎅
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NHS Fast-tracking........

This is a medical update so you'll be relieved there's no photos 😉

15/11/17 Operation to remove cancer tumour from my lonely left kidney

18/5/18 Six month follow up CT Scan, all clear 😆

16/11/18 One year follow up CT Scan

21/11/18 Phone call from Specialist Urology Nurse Charlotte. Kidney is all fine however the scan showed an abnormal mass in my bladder and they need to have a much deeper look. She will take it to the Multidisciplinary Meeting on Monday and let me know what they decide.

26/11/18 Hospital meeting, Charlotte phoned as promised almost straight after. She explained all the details and options very clearly and is so sympathetically understanding. The decision they came to was surgery by general anesthetic to investigate and remove whatever they find. A full hystology report will be needed to decide if it's cancer and what grade and if any further treatment is needed.

27/11/18 Appointment with consultant Mr Brierly but he was busy so was seen by Patrick O a registrar I think. Nurse Charlotte was also there.

30/11/18 Hospital for pre-op assessment. First nurse took weight and height on a wall measure that was definitely falling off the wall. She spent a lot of time trying to decide if she was taller than me or not and had to ask another nurse to decide, she was a little taller.

3/12/18 Surgery! Was hoping to be a day patient but prepared for an overnight, however, that turned into staying Monday to Friday. I was told hystology report comes back within two weeks and surgery gets repeated all over again in six weeks!
So grateful this was found purely by accident only because of a follow up scan! Just like last time! I was obviously fast-tracked but told I took up a cancellation space but also heard the words aggressive so may have been deliberate. Whatever the reason it gave me less time to worry and now that bit is behind me.

For now I'm home with no after effects and enjoying the Christmas festivities (had to cancel all the fun arranged for last week) and we'll not think about what happens next until we need to.
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