Ghost Brothers Haunted Houseguests 1.2 "When Shadows Attack"

                                              
Episode 2 continued in the same vein as the first with the Brothers helping out another family who were being menaced by a shadow figure, as well as the presence of a girl's spirit.  The family had to move away but had to move back now to the house they left behind for financial reasons.  Thus they needed help.  The house was put on the market but didn't sell.  Jeff played them back spirit box voices he had caught saying "Liz"; "don't hurt me" and he had seen a dark figure in his daughter, Mackenzie's bedroom and also one in the closet.  As well as the basement.  Apparently the girl spirit also held his hand and it appeared she was prevented from leaving by the shadow figure.

Immediately Juwan ans Dalen saw a shadow figure in the room, the same corner as Jeff did and there appeared to be some sort of light anomaly which zoomed out of the right corner, which could have been related to what they both saw.  It moves fast but it doesn't appear to be a bug.

They decided they should play hide and seek with the girl spirit.  But Marcus found them!  Using the Ovilus they got "bad" coming through, as well as "hey sad."  Which was strange as it came through in a deep voice.  They stayed overnight in their sleeping beds and next day, Marcus carried out some research, meeting with the Mayor who took him to the cemetery, explaining an African American family owned the house as a farm.  Their graves were also moved and replaced again, but no one was certain who ended up in the right one of now.  Marcus took a rubbing of the initials EG from a headstone, which could be the name, Elizabeth.  As Jeff got "Liz" on the spirit box.

They bought in a medium, Samantha, who was there before to do a reading and she felt the presence of the girl and also the shadow figure.  She told them the girl was white and wore a blue gingham dress, as Jeff said he saw.  She was buried somewhere near a tree and a rosebush.  She was up one night and then her father came home and she couldn't get back to her room so he pushed her down and killed her.  Her death was kept a secret.  Wouldn't there have been records on who owned the house at that time.

Using a doll and clothes, they used the SLS and also Samantha asked her to come and play with the doll.  They caught her on the SLS sitting on her lap and also playing with the doll.  Then the tall figure appeared and tried to tower over Samantha and touch her.

She was creeped out and seized the moment by telling the entity to leave as it doesn't have any power here and it vanished.  She told the little girl to go as she was free now.  They laid flowers by the rose bush and also placed a headstone there with the words "Be Free" on it.  Such a touching and fitting tribute.  I haven't seen many investigators do that but it tugs at the heart strings.  Now she knows people will remember her too.
The family told them the house was sold two weeks later and they were moving away.

It appears they didn't get anything again during the night when they were sleeping there, wonder why, I ask out of curiosity.  Glad to see something was done by them to help and by also allowing Liz to move on, the entity had no control over her or anyone anymore.

Ghost Brothers Haunted Houseguests 1.1 "The Bad Man"

                                               
The anticipated trio return in a new series of an altogether different show.  It's still about the paranormal, but this time round they're using their knowledge and experience as investigators to help out families being menaced by spirits and evil entities.  This time helped by Juwan's little black book!! Ha. Was hoping for a little of the other show to return, but at least we get to the Ghost Brothers on our screens once more and delve further into their alternate style of investigating. 

They find themselves in Vassar, Michigan to help Jessica, her husband veteran, Conrad and their four year old son, Xavier, who have been plagued by an evil spirit they call, The Bad Man.  Jessica was attacked by him when the mirror in the bathroom was thrown at her, a fragment cutting her leg, causing her to have a few surgeries in which she almost died.  Leaving a massive scar on her leg.  She has also heard the man call her name whilst in the kitchen and has appeared in her son's room too and he has also seen him.  There is also a 'pretty lady' in a white dress who roams the house.  Known as The Wedding Cake house cos of its tiers, a house Jessica had always dreamed of owning.  Built by original owner Richard Burdis who Dalen found out also passed in the house and a wake was held there.

Carrying out research he also spoke with journalist, Mary Drier who provided him with photos and also a photo of the second owner, Byron Coles, who she was told by an offshoot of his family how he was trouble.  Byron also died in the house.  Their initial investigation found Juwan filming a figure on the SLS by Xavier's room and by Jessica's bedroom, vanishing and then reappearing. 

A spirit box session on Dalen's phone app had them get the name Richard coming through, who was the original owner.  In the kitchen they found the stove turned on by itself and then went off too.  As well as Dalen saying this was dangerous for the family.  In the basement, Marcus used the Rempod which belted out some Morse Code which he hasn't seen it do before.  Also telling Conrad to leave.

They spent the night there and Byron didn't approach them.  Appears he only shows himself in front of defenceless women and children.  Juwan decided to bring in some help and contacted a medium, Carrie.  Showing her the photos, she found that Richard and his wife, Flora, the pretty lady, were looking out for the house and protecting it.  But that Byron was "devious and malicious."  Why would he even do that?  The house wasn't his and he should pass on.  Granted he probably did know he had passed, but wanted to keep hold of the house. An indication that he was still here and malicious, as he said "hurt and halo" on the device used in the basement.  In the closet, the room near to the bathroom where the mirror was pushed on Jessica, the same thing happened to Carrie as she was pushed from behind, almost hitting the vanity mirror if Juwan hadn't gotten hold of her.  Again attacking a woman, a cowardly spirit.  Could be seen from his photo, he looked rather arrogant in it.

Marcus thought it would be better if they left the house, or to get a priest or pastor to carry out some form of spiritual blessing.  Five weeks later, Jessica contacted them to say they were staying and would face this with the "tools" they had provided the family with.  An interesting approach and show which luckily wasn't all about being overly dark and demonic, though it was just the first episode.  It was interesting with the Brothers and their relaxed method of investigating and putting pieces of the puzzle and their evidence together and am looking forward to the other episodes.

Ian Somerhalder LFCC Q&A 28 July 2019

Finally got to meet Ian Somerhalder at LFCC on Sunday seeing as it was postponed from last year!  Well he couldn't make it as he was filming V Wars.  But he didn't have to live up to the hype, he is genuinely the most sweetest, caring person out there!!  He spoke a lot about the bad things going on in the world, re his ISF Foundation and how working tirelessly to save our world from "climate disruption" as he calls it, to dirty water, pollution and plastic pollution/waste.  How everyone needs to have a hand in speaking up and doing the right thing.

He said how we all need three words: "gratitude, reverence and compassion" and make ourselves better people and those around us too.  That parents can teach their children to be good, teach themselves too in that process.  That it all starts with the parents.  Which is so true, unless you have a starting point and good role models there's no hope of teaching anyone about life and doing the right thing; and I allude to Ian's three words again above.

As well as speaking of being nice to one another.  He loves how everyone comes together at cons, fans et al and are so nice to each other, but as soon as they leave here and go back into the 'real' world, the niceness ends!  Why can't you just carry on being nice?!!  The sense of community vanishes!  No truer words have been spoken and his sentiments weren't demonstrated; but sadly the opposite was.  Actually both were.  Most were all smiles at his talk but once they left and went to his photoshoot, boy did the claws come back out.  Quite a number of fans were, what can I say, butter couldn't melt and all that.  Which was immediately doing the opposite of what Ian just said.  Boy does it not get any better.  That was an insult to everything he stands for and what he meant to better ourselves and those around us!  Never had I seen such pasty faces, snobbery etc, in a lot of people in the queue.  (Sorry but this also included some crew and pit bosses as well!)  Feel I need to apologize to Ian too, seems we need more than just words and even words from someone as cool and awesome as Ian fell on deaf ears!  Sorry dude,  we need to help them do better!

He mentioned his new show, V-Wars and where it's about vampires too, but he doesn't play one this time round and he's a scientist, Dr Luther Swann.  That we gotta watch his shows on Netflix etc when they come out cos he wants a season 2!!  Even if you just click the round button and don't even watch it he added!  Ha.
Also how he had no say in the direction of The Vampire Diaries as it wasn't really his show.  He also died in season 1 so...Then he had a coffee spillage on stage!  Not too major!

Great photoshoot, sadly the prints have shrunk and have so much room around the actual photo, they didn't come out so great and were really dark for some reason.  I looked like a bloke with thick set eyebrows - no joke!!  Anyhoo I said to Ian how I would've loved to have seen him last year and he replied he was filming V-Wars and "you will watch it won't you."  He then took my arm and gosh I had to hold his (hairy! ha) arm back and say 'yes' and that I watch him in everything!!  Of course.  Then they came to drag me outta there, well almost, as I said my farewells!!  (Loud sobbing!)  Hands down he's such a darling and he lives by everything he says about being kind!!  A true humanitarian ambassador if ever there was one!
(Take note all you grumps who couldn't even manage a smile!)

However he made my year with his compassion and positivity!  Would that we all could and should allude to be the same!! Such a shame he couldn't make it last year but hopefully will make it back here more times!

Ghost Adventures 18.13 "A Haunting in Scottsdale"

                                             
Zak et al are called to the home of Todd in Scottsdale, Arizona as he's been plagued by negative activity, leaving him with feelings of rage and violent thoughts. As well as being told about a girl, a former resident who died on the property, whom he saw walking on the trail one night and asked her how she was, replying she's okay.  So surreal, almost like a Supernatural episode (Roadkill) comes to mind but in that ep the spirit didn't know she was really dead and they filmed it from her point of view.  Finally realizing she had passed, but not left this earth.  Wonder if this female spirit actually knows she's passed.  Especially since they did get female EVPs, then we don't actually know if it was her or not, or whether it was someone else and whether they were manipulated when Billy got "Trail" on the Paranormal Puck.  After all that voice he got when he did go alone to the trail later, didn't even sound female.

As soon as Zak stepped into that house he felt feelings of anger and directing violence even against Todd.  He's been feeling that quite a bit lately and how Todd felt the same towards him.  As well as cold spots and the meter getting some static readings.  They brought in Patti Negri on the request of  Todd who personally asked for her.  The Go Pro getting knocked over when interviewing Krys.  Also getting a female voice on the spirit box sounds like "yes" when asked if there's anyone there. When they move to the other bedroom, sounds like "who".  It's not clear enough.

Zak feels it's something ancient there, particularly as the area was Native American beforehand.  (Isn't everywhere!)  Billy gets "Girl" on the Puck when Patti goes into the house.  She feels stifled and not being able to talk, or being prevented from speaking; who needs to be heard, she isn't at rest. There are seven non-responses on the Puck and Aaron gets spikes on the meter.  More light anomalies are seen.  Apparently the broom and rake weren't knocked down Zak left on the first level and the laser grid wasn't broken either.

On the second level, Aaron gets dizzy and  "have to make that wish" is what I hear on Billy's recording on the trail in a male voice.  The Direct Link back at the house captures a female voice saying "help."   The second capture says "voice" and then when asked if she can tell them her name, she says "no."  The male spirit says "touch this!"  The thing about the US pronunciation of Aaron is that it sounds the same as Erin, so it could be either name.  I don't hear Zak, but "it's sad."
Aaron takes the Direct Link and the female voice says "help."  "I missed you" doesn't sound female, but a mimicking male voice, highly pitched!!  A male voice says, "? Eddie?"  Sure sounds like a name.  Next response says "ancient."  Before that it sounds like "death" which comes through when Zak asks, "what happened on this land?"

Zak gets one of the most best stick figures on the SLS!  For a first, the figure sits on the loo, pulls up its pants and vanishes!  As for sitting on the loo, I said it pulls its pants up.  Poor spirit caught in the act! But imagine if someone sits on top of the spirit when it was on the loo!  Eeww!  Then again does this capture show that even spirits need to pee and poop still!

Then the figures in the mirror and coming through the mirror as it's a portal.  It stepped through for a quick pee! ha. When Patti cleanses the house, she too heads to the two mirrors and a light anomaly rushes as if to get through before any portal closes.  Wish they told us if the house was actually cleansed.

Some of Billy's pics on the trail appear to have faces in them, feel free to find them all.

Ghost Adventures 18.12 "Idaho State Tuberculosis Hospital"

                                       
The Idaho State tuberculosis hospital which later became an asylum and now houses a family with twelve special needs children, two of whom died in this place at so young an age. Svetlana saying they feel Johnny's spirit here; as well as locking himself into a room, that is sad and awful, have to wonder if it was just a coincidence.

Gloria, a housekeeper, seeing a man reflecting in the mirror of  the bathroom standing by the edge of the bed.
The door being pushed when Zak was opening number 3 and catch a tall figure on the SLS camera before the investigation began.  As well as the deep EVP voice, sounds like "some bad" after Zak asks if there was "something evil there, something bad?"
Aaron goes into the basement with Nick, an investigator who felt like something went through his body.  Zak looks through the research of those who had passed there and the name Anton Beaver resonates with him.
That spirit box session was uncanny, I'm sure you can hear "An-ton" after Aaron asks "can you tell me his name?"
Sounds like "it's Steve to me" not "it's me;" even though Zak says "it's me."  There's a heavy emphasis on a 'v.'  After Aaron asks "something more clear."

During the investigation, Aaron and Zak both see a dark mass on the floor which frightens Aaron, in turn shocking Billy with his reaction.  Zak sends Jay to the attic where they haven't been before and no one ventures.  The sound appears to be a child's voice saying, "knocked me down, or knocked you down."  Lots of light anomalies floating around too. Then Aaron asking "what do you want me to do?"  Which will echo for Billy too later when he sneezes and Zak exclaims, "why you gotta sneeze?!"  And why not dude!

Aaron feels a lot of energy and Zak tells him there's a glowing face over his shoulder. Which doesn't really freak him out.  The long sentence was a bit grainy "I might get hanged?? for speaking to you..."  Yeah that's just my initial listen through, I need my trusty headphones to decipher further and will get back to ya here!
Billy tells him to do another EVP and they get a voice, when Aaron gets a coughing fit.  The screaming could be the spirit mimicking what he went through and the way he reacted when he coughed uncontrollably, same thing as happened to Aaron?? Should've used the Direct Link here too, it's clearer than the recorder.  Zak then sees some light which could be the one Jay captures on camera in the attic.  The 'creepy' laugh was definitely a child.  Appeared to be laughing at Aaron for his fit, or just generally.

Zak getting "Geek" on the Ovilus was funny cos that's how he would've looked to a child. As well as the stools being moved and plates in the kitchen.  His favourite animal: wolf.  Billy gets spooked by a toy dog moving.  As well as a light anomaly whilst setting up a camera in the family's quarters.
Zak gets the words,
Cold
Measure
Around on the Ovilus and Aaron gets cold in the basement.  With a voice on the spirit box saying "gonna get ya."   Appear; anomaly; comes through the Ovilus for Billy.  Wonder if the activity has decreased since their investigation or whether it's still the same.  It's not clear the actual end result of this investigation, with so many children there, it would've been helpful if they had said more.

Ghost Adventures 18.11 "Union Hotel"

                                             
As almost all historic hotels go, this one in Benicia, was no exception with hauntings relating to the Californian gold rush, a flophouse, saloon...  With its employees having encounters and one, Nina, getting an attachment and being possessed, after working in the Peony Room (or as Zak pronounced it 'PandE' - that's what it sounded like on my computer!  They caught a voice in the same room after Aaron holds the meter over the bed and Zak asks about the device and if he's causing it to move.  The voice saying "yeah."  That was much clearer than the usual EVPs they get.  Especially when Nina was in the room with them too.  One where a prostitute hanged herself.   In that same room where Zak got angry, nothing on the Ovilus and the word 'make' came up after Zak hands Nina the recorder.

Zak also talking about the stone tape theory again as the hotel still boasts the presence of the original bar, recording every moment that went on there when drinks were ordered, fights broke out etc.  Hearing growls and seeing figures in the hall.  Heard a muffled voice which they say said "hello."  Zak hearing footsteps behind him during the investigation and lots of bangs, especially on command. The laser mic moves and sounds like walking can be heard. With 'big' showing up on the Ovilus.

The static energy detection device goes off many times.  The Direct Link device is used and a mist is caught by the full spectrum camera.  The voice at that time says "run."  A forewarning perhaps before the hectic events in the Poeny room.  Zak gets, "one, two, three" in response to his question of "how many spirits are here with us?"  The female voice sounds like "all the f*ed up music."  "Adam" comes through.

The male voice says "hurt Zak."  Who then passes out on the bed.  Boy I wish I could fall asleep like that!  Ha.  But of course he's blacked out and has no recollection of what happened to him within those two minutes. That's what was possibly meant by "hurt Zak" but also makes sense in the context of Aaron and Billy also getting affected in the room with violent thoughts and especially Billy.  Who wants to overturn the bed and attack Zak!  Then Billy goes out onto the balcony and if not for the cleanliness of the air who knows what might've happened.
I don't hear "ashes" I hear 'Scott' or 'hot'??  Though hot could be relevant as Nina was feeling hot out in the hallway earlier on.

The Geo device shows up a ten degree temperature fluctuation.  A figure is mapped by the SLS from the lamp crawling onto the bed and the camera freezes.  Around the 28.26 mark you can hear almost like a breath which Zak says is a growl and no one else hears it.  Unless it's him, but you can hear something if you listen carefully.  It goes "huh."  That's when the agitation increases even more.
The recorder captures an EVP asking "are you talking to me?" in an accent. After Zak asks "is this what you want to do to us? and I wanna hear its voice."  Not being funny but that voice sounds like Miss Piggy in a deeper voice!  The Ghost Adventures School of Languages and Accents.

A shame we didn't get to see the female figure if she could have been caught on camera and Zak asks her to do something and she makes a banging sound.  In the room directly below on the second floor, after Aaron puts a paranormal puck on the bed, Billy types in 'is there a portal' and 'Adam' comes up.
Something is moved or dropped above them but they don't find anything.  Then Billy gets "between, killed, cleansing" on the Ovilus.  Wonder if they did anything about the cleansing though it'd be up to the owners to do so.  Doubt if they'd want any spirits to be cleansed or removed; no matter how much Adam may have wanted this plea for help to not be ignored.

Rob Thomas Cradle Song - Ten Glorious Years

                                                       
Anniversaries can be good for the most part but not for everyone.  Yet the ten year anniversary of the release of Rob Thomas's album Cradle Song brought back many memories for me; as I'm sure it did for many others.  I don't know; I write about things, his songs and what they mean to me and then I like how I always always come across interviews and such, where Rob talks about the meaning behind them and what prompted him to write them.  This album was no exception.

Going back to what I wrote before in an earlier piece about some of the song meanings, it was good to know that Fire on the Mountain was inspired by a fave book he enjoyed by Dave Eggers What Is the What? The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng (2006) based on the life of Valentino Achak Deng, a Sudanese child refugee who immigrated to the United States under the Lost Boys of Sudan Programme and ended up living in Atlanta.

There are plenty of songs on this album that have had an impact on me over the past decade.  As well as in the way Rob spoke of how Twitter came about back then and he didn't know what to do with it.  Same.  Especially since I didn't grow up with social media around either; back when life was so simple without the added complications of technological imprints!
Her Diamonds, Real World '09, and Fire on the Mountain (mentioned in my previous piece.)  Mockingbird is again almost a lullaby style of song and lyrics especially with the mockingbird not singing and I love that catchy theme.  Snowblind; Gasoline, among some of my faves.  Natural giving an impression of something much more haunting and possessing our lives.

He said that Cradle Song was from the German for 'lullaby' and he wasn't aware of that.  When I heard the title it made me think of the William Blake poem Cradle Song - very poignant considering William lost two of his six siblings.

Looking back to 2009 is a good vantage point to regress back into the past from 2019.  Knowing what was to come and happened.  Thinking how you could have and would have wanted to do things differently.  How inspiring to listen to heroic lyrics that have gotten better with age, found new meanings for me and I'm sure for others.  But also looking backwards/forwards to how the wonderful songs don't stop coming and having so much more to look forward to, from then to now and onwards into the future and another ten years.
Nostalgia through Rob's music is a gloriously, sublime feeling to relive!

The other piece I mentioned:
https://mila255.blogspot.com/2019/05/rob-thomas-chip-tooth-smile-reflection.html

Private Eyes 1.4 "The Devil's Playground" Review

                                         
An ep of a show always has one on a writer and the elusive book mystery, but if they can get the right mix then it works.  This was no exception but what made it good was that their reason for investigation, being hired as Angie (Cindy Sampson) had read the book, The Devil's Playground, was a good enough reason.  Especially being hired by a writer named Thomas King (who played himself!)  Having plenty of emotion this series has grown to include, especially where Angie's father is concerned.  As she reads that book every year at the same time to remind her of her father and also cos he gave it to her when she was 14, was sad.  And no I didn't agree with Matt (Jason Priestly) that she should move on from that.  Sorry writers no points for that.  Though he is pragmatic, he shouldn't have said she should make new memories.  It's true you should, at the same time you can't just magically forget the old ones and nor would you want to.  At least I wouldn't cos a father is not someone you can just move on from in place of new memories.  As Jules (Jordyn Negri) said to him congrats on being a dick!  Obviously not here referring to private dick either!

Matt having to deal with Jules getting a male friend,Liam (Jonny Gray) who is popular with the other girls.  Having to reach out and trust her  and that she'll do the right thing.  Which Angie made him realize too.  Also Matt talking about books such as Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe, etc, with her that she's never heard of; why is it children never read the classics, or read, period! 

They get to hang out at Toronto Island which Angie calls creepy, okay maybe it was but in the sense of there being very few people.  Coming across a man, Kurtis (Ennis Esmer) who likes to take recordings of sound and him telling them he was by the lighthouse when Frank (Nicholas Campbell) was attacked.  He plays the recording and as soon as he did you could tell it was water.  At least I did.  Leading them to the gay TV design couple, Wil (Pascal Langdale) and Gil (Thomas Allison)  where only Gil was gay.  (Too much of a Will and Grace name chime there! ha.  Also with Grace being a designer and Will joined her.)  Frank's daughter, Eliza (Joanne Boland) and Sarah (Laura Cilivetz) the daughter of the man he wrote about in the book being a closet gay, who killed himself after it was exposed, and of course the publisher, Larry (Dan Warry-Smith).  Well there you have it, he was my suspect.  As soon as he said he'd publish anything Frank wrote, that sealed it for me.  Haven't not gotten a suspect yet.  Clearly I missed my calling.

Of course the book wasn't Frank's and was written by Sarah.  So plenty in this ep about fathers and daughters wasn't there with the entire cast and guests too.  That was the theme in this ep.  Several references to Matt's not so hot career too, again highlighting the ups and downs of his life, professionally and personally too.  What matters is what we do with what we have after suffering adversity.  Frank finally making amends with his daughter.
I wrote about this ep as it was aired last Wednesday and particularly on 1st July as it would've been my later father's 90th!  SO as apt an ep as there'll ever be!!

Present Laughter - Old Vic - Review

                                               
Present Laughter a comedy written by Noel Coward in 1939 but wasn't performed until 1942 due to the outbreak of World War II.  The title is from a song in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night: "present mirth hath present laughter."  It is centred around a few days in the life of possibly arrogant comedic actor, Gary Essendine (Andrew Scott) who is visited by many people at his flat.  Including Daphne (Kitty Archer) who claims to have stayed in the spare room overnight as she lost her latch key.  Oft repeated several times during the play.  She claims to love him, but is also after a part alongside him in a play. As well as visits from his wife, Liz (Indira Verma) as she tries to also juggle his 'conquests' with tongue-in-cheek innuendos.  As well as his pot-upon secretary, Moira (Sophie Thompson) who read a few letters from fans and others, surrounded by a trolley full of mail, thrown around by Gary towards the end as it all comes to a head.

He's preparing to travel to Africa and in the midst of the chaos, the door bell never stops ringing, pursued by an errant 'fan' and playwright Roland Maule (Luke Thallon) (whose name must've been intentional) who is in love with him having watched him 47 times.  Gary tells him to go away, write twenty plays and stage the twenty-first one.  Women want to seduce him, as does Joe (Enzo Cilenti) who gets his way.  After claiming he doesn't have feelings for Morris.  As Morris (Abdul Sallis) and Helen (Susie Toase) look for a theatre to stage one of Gary's plays.  As he doesn't want the venues they suggest.  All this and coping with an impending mid-life crisis as he's just turned 40 (thought that came at 50!)  Age being mentioned a few times here too.

Finally it all gets too much for Gary and after much boozing, everyone farcically decides they will accompany him to Africa too, Gary loses it and tells everyone to get out.  Suffering a panic attack as Liz tells him she's coming back to him!  Appears Noel Coward may have been a little obsessed with seances and mediums as they're mentioned here and also he wrote the play Blythe Spirit (1941). Made into a film in 1945 with Rex Harrison and Margaret Rutherford.

This is a thoroughly modern production, but still retaining the time period with it's art deco set was exceptionally funny and thrilling to watch.  As Gary said, he's surrounded by "intrigue!"  Seems all they did was make money from him as an actor.  Never being able to tell if he was still acting or being serious, as the mask didn't drop that often.  Due to the audiences of the day back then and laws against homosexuality, Joe as he was named here was played by a man, but the character was named Joanna back then.  As were most of the characters who would have been marvellously portrayed as gay.

Andrew once again excelled in his performance, not only funny but vulnerable at times.  As he realizes who his friends are at one point when he's left alone and asks Monica to stay to keep him company, but she rushed off home.  Even striking up a conversation with the hired help, who obliges in return for a cigarette.  Lavish costumes and exuberant at times, especially with Gary's pyjamas, as he later finally wears bow tie and tux, as well as suave slacks and sunglasses to gasps by the audience.  Great production. 
Last year Andrew played in Sea Wall here and I said to him this year, see him same place, same time next year!

Another must-see production - runs until 10th August at the Old Vic!