Happy October! Every month, I’ll share with you all the narratives I managed to enjoy throughout the month. This is a way for me to keep track of all the art I consume, but also to recommend some books/shows to you guys. This is the art I consumed in September…vamos! 😊
- La Casa de Papel (Money Heist)
Where do I start? Many sleepless nights were had because of this original Netflix drama. La Casa De Papel is a Spanish show about a gang of criminals who decide to pull off a heist at The Royal Mint of Spain. The criminals are headed by mastermind, “The Professor” who has planned every single possible outcome of the heist and has a utopic plan for the heist in which nobody is injured, but which will allow the gang to exit with several million euros in hard cash. He is several steps in front of the police…or is he?
Honestly this show is sooooooo good; it makes you consider how everyone has both good and evil residing within them. It’s fast-paced, filled with tonnes of action and also heartwarming scenes and wonderful actors, brilliant writing, and you can watch it with English subtitles.
One line summary: It’s like Death Note…but if the characters made much more stupid decisions… 😉
- Don’t Get a Job…Make a Job: How to make it as a creative graduate by Gem Barton
So, er…I accidentally picked up a book about architecture and it turned out to be really good.
Okay to be fair, it’s not about architecture. It’s about how to be creatively successful and how to generate your own business – but through the lens of architectural design. Nonetheless there were several parallels between what I do as an artist and what architects also do as artists, and so the lessons within are very much applicable to people in all types of reative careers. I recommend it whether you’re a recent graduate or not. I myself learned a lot from it.
- The Village by April De Angelis
As part of Nina Raine’s new season at Theatre Royal Stratford East, The Village is an adaptation by April De Angelis of Lope de Vega’s Fuenteovejuna. (Before I went to see this, I didn’t realise it was an adaptation of a work of art by the most influential Spanish playwright of the 17th Century).
The adaptation shifts the location to the Indian village Sahaspur. The lead (Anya Chalotra) is a stunning actress and very captivating to watch. It’s a really strong show with a powerful message – calling out to woman everywhere to rise up and avenge themselves.
I would issue out a trigger warning about rape, though. It’s not handled in a gratuitous manner but it is still very, very harrowing.
4. Slammed by Colleen Hoover
I haven’t yet finished this one, but I’m mentioning it anyway because…well I have made a significant amount of progress with it. This is a contemporary YA novel about a girl who falls in love with her teacher. Is it as cheesy as it sounds? MOST DEFINITELY.
I am finding this book frustrating for the following reasons:
1) I genuinely feel too old for it. My sixteen year old self would have probably swooned at the developing romance between this 18 year old student and her twenty-something year old teacher but….no, ugh, no. It’s so cheesy!
2) I’m listening to it via Audible and the narrator’s voice just gets on my nerves (This is harsh I know)
3) The main reason I started reading (listening) was because I’d heard the book incorporates a lot of spoken word poetry… a) it does, but much less than I thought it would and b) I don’t really find the spoken word poetry within the novel mindblowing at all.
So yeah, it’s not a terrible book. I’m honestly quite interested in it and there have been some truly poignant moments. I will finish listening to it I think, but it hasn’t been what I was expecting!
- Aladdin – West End
I saw Aladdin at the West End! One word? MAGICAL.
The music was wonderful and the dancing was incredible! What impressed me the most was how every single character had such a strong presence, and how the supporting characters had interesting stories and fun ways of telling them. A real credit to the writing but also to the performers themselves.
And guys…that magic carpet ride…AHHHHH ❤
Okay I recognise I’m just fangirling now, but honestly it was such an entertaining performance and the genie was especially incredible. Anyway, I have an entire review of the show for London Box Office, linked here, if you’re interested in reading.
Okay that’s it! Thanks for reading :3 I’ll be back with another monthly wrap up at the end of October.
Hope you’ve had a great month and if not…there’s a new start approaching.
Much love,
anartisttravels x
anartisttravels 