visitBlackpool

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

And you can't do anything elese after a visit to the Grand Theatre

Killer rabbits, flying cows, Finnish fish slapping and coconuts for horses, yes the pure sillines of Monty Python took to the stage of the Blackpool Grand Theatre in the guise of Spamalot.

Lovingly ‘ripped off’ from the 1070’s film Monty Python and the Holy Grail we went on a fast paced search for the Grail where the team were met by French Soldiers casting their insults  and The Knights Who Say Ni demanding a shrubbery.

 

The whole show was peppered with dancing knights, showgirls, some of the daftest songs you have ever heard including ‘The Song That Goes Like This’ and ‘I Am Not Yet Dead’  brilliantly performed by the energetic cast.  Heading this very talented band was Phil Jupitus as King Arthur, Todd Carty as his sidekick Patsy whose rendition of ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’  had the audience singing along with gusto and not forgetting Blackpool’s own Jodie Prenger as the Lady of the Lake.

The whole show had the audience laughing from the pre-show announcement to the final curtain call and everyone left with a very big smile on their faces.  It really was one of the most entertaining nights at the theatre for a very long time.

Monty Python’s Spamalot can be seen at the Grand Theatre until 23 April.

Ian Butterworth

What An Energetic Weekend It Was

Blackpool recent played host to the hugely successful 2011 International Fitness Showcase (IFS)  at the Winter Gardens.

The IFS convention, which is dedicated to the UK’s health and fitness industry, attracted over 6,000 delegates. At the end of March, over three hectic days, they took part in 300 different aerobics, step, spinning, dance, weights and other popular fitness classes which were delivered by over 70 instructors drawn from across Europe.

 

The 2011 event was  the first time that every part of the newly restored Winter Gardens complex were utilised. The Floral Hall hosted a range of exhibition stands, the Baronial Hall became the hub for street dance and areas adjacent to the ground floor café were transformed into physio clinics, warm down zones and workout studios.

 

The famous Spanish Hall and iconic Empress Ballroom were home to back-to-back aerobics and Zumba classes; while the cavernous Olympia Hall became one giant step class. The Opera House theatre was also taken over with the creation of a virtual cycle race on its stage while upstairs its ornate foyer was graced by a series of Pilates sessions.

Mandy Tythe-McCallum RHKDWPW9UGR4

An Evening of American/Italian Fun & Food

The first Buca di Beppo opened its doors in 1993 in the basement of a Minneapolis apartment building. They now have 87 restaurants across America, and have recently partnered with Village Hotels and are opening new restaurants across the UK.  The latest and biggest to open so far is at the De Vere Village Heron’s Reach in Blackpool, so of course the visitBlackpool team just had to give it a try for their latest night out.

After a quick drink overlooking the golf course at the Village’s new pub The Victory we made our way to the restaurant which has been transformed to look and feel like an Italian home complete with some great ‘family photographs’

The Antipasti (to share) arrived which was a meal in itself and that was before the three gigantic bowls of pasta, Veal Saltimbocca, Chicken Parmigiana, Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken, Sautéed Potatoes and Broccoli Romano arriving at the table.  By the time we had finished we were all very very full on the excellent tasting fresh Italian food.

The Legenday Meatballs

But that wasn’t the end!  There was still the dessert to come in the form of two very large and VERY chocolaty pieces of cake and one piece of celebration cake, presented to us with a candelabra by the singing and clapping waiting staff to acknowledge those of us on the table that had or were shortly to celebrate their birthdays.

What a cake!

We all left after having a great night with some good food in a really different atmosphere, all agreeing that the legendary Meatballs were indeed something to behold and with a new fondness for their Berry Mojitos .

Ian Butterworth & the visitBlackpool Team