This One’s For Wales

Wednesday evening I found myself leaving work in a panic, as I had signed myself up to do live karaoke for Show Studio. Exciting one might think? Yes, but when being filmed by Nick Knight, at Abbey Road studios to go live around the world there is also a degree of terror.

Not only that, but my impulse song choice was bothering me. I am used to East end karaoke sessions; I know the usual ironic/cool song choices, yet I requested to do Tom Jones- It’s not unusual in a moment of patriotic passion! Oh dear.

I thought a pair of good falsies would help- lashes that is; stopping off at Liberty to get some Shu Umera feathers fixed I did feel in better spirits despite the pouring rain.

We managed to get to Abbey Road late after walking around with sodden feet for quite sometime. People kept directing us the wrong direction, and eventually we hopped in a cab as a last resort.

Cue costume change; at the speed of light, I whipped off my soaked black tights and pumps and struggled into some white tights and the highest most ridiculous pair of shoes I own. The taxi driver chuckled and said ‘don’t worry! I will not look! Is it safe to turn around!’ etc jest etc. Sadly, I am too observant and noticed him discreetly adjust his mirror in my general direction…

We went into the ‘green room’ and I cannot for the life of me remember if it was indeed green in colour, but I suspect it was. The studio itself was down below, a massive wooden hall style space with an area sectioned off for the performance. It took me quite sometime to descend down the metal steps to get there in my silly shoes, I went side ways, like a crab and avoided disaster.



I drank lots of champagne quite quickly, thought this was the best tactic in such a surreal situ. There was a small crowd of us jigging around in bright artificial light with a camera in our face, as one person took centre stage. And there were certainly some performers; emotional falling to the floor, high kicks, screeching, wallowing. I don’t wish to discuss my personal performance, I got through it without falling over, which was my main objective.

Except to say; all day I had been thinking of something I wished to do. During the funky opening of It’s Not Unusual, ‘do dodo do dodo’ I wanted to say into the mic, ‘this one's for Wales’. I thought that would really amuse me. But when it came to the into it was all I could do to stop myself keeling over, and the words left my mind. So sad!

What fun. And I must mention the luxury buffet. Amongst the goods there were actual lumps of Parmesan cheese to eat, how decadent!

We ended the evening with more karaoke at sing-a-long and a lengthly dance on the light-up dance floor. It was in Electricity Showrooms that I finally fell. I toppled down the stairs but all limbs were in tact, so I felt that in general, the shoes had been a success.