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#property photographer in london
spacephotouk · 2 months
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SpacePhoto is professional property marketing company that elevates listings to attract more buyers and tenants. Boost your property's appeal with stunning visuals and quick sales.
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8 Elements  Highlighted in Commercial Property Photography
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When it comes to showing off a commercial property, photographs can often do more than words ever could. That’s why successful businesses rely so heavily on professional commercial property photography when marketing their buildings, offices, workshops and factories - pictures are worth thousands of words! However, capturing the best image isn't always easy; there are certain elements that should be given priority in order to create an eye-catching photo. In this blog post we will look at the key eight aspects and elements considered by a top commercial property photographer to create visually stunning images.
Commercial property photography focuses on highlighting the key features of a property. This can include interior and exterior shots, as well as wide-angle images that capture the entire building or landscape. Common elements featured in commercial property photography are:
1. Interior Design & Architecture: This type of photograph allows potential buyers to get an idea of the overall design of the property, as well as details like wall colors, materials used, and furniture placement. A professional architectural photographer is well-versed in the techniques of creating images that are sharp, clear, and free from any distractions or defects.
2. Exterior View: This type of shot shows off the building's exterior architecture, landscaping elements, parking areas, and nearby amenities. A knowledgeable photographer will take the time to get a good angle and background for this shot, as it can highlight a property's unique features.
3. Natural Light: Showcasing how natural light is used to illuminate the interior spaces of the property is important for showing potential buyers how well-lit and inviting a space can be.
4. Technology: When there are features such as security systems or automated lighting, these should be highlighted in photographs to give potential buyers an idea of the high-tech amenities that come with the property.
5. Surrounding Area: It is important to capture the building’s environment, such as nearby roads, parks, cafes, or other attractions and a professional architectural photographer does it successfully . It can help drive home a sense of the property’s location and draw potential buyers in.
6. Uniqueness/USP: Showcases any unique features that set this property apart from others on the market, such as outdoor entertaining areas, custom built-ins, or modern amenities.
7. Emotion: Capturing images that evoke emotion or highlight how a property can be used to create a certain lifestyle is the key to drawing in potential buyers. Showing people interacting in the space is also a great way to bring life and energy to commercial properties.
8. Details: Capturing small details like the knobs on a kitchen cabinet, the handles on a set of doors, or even the texture of a wall can help potential buyers get an idea of how luxurious and high-quality certain features are.
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Equipment Used by Commercial Photographers:
A commercial property photographer uses the latest digital cameras, lenses, and lighting equipment all play a part in creating the perfect commercial property photography shoot. By taking the time to properly highlight elements of the property’s design, architecture, and amenities, potential buyers will have a better understanding of what the property has to offer.
Professionals can create photographs that will capture potential buyers by considering the above elements and emphasizing those most relevant to your property. If you're looking for a leading commercial property photographer in London, connect to the experts of Lekas. The company has a squad of the best photographers having the expertise and advanced equipment to tell the story of your commercial property and highlight its beauty.
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viewphotos · 2 years
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Property Photographic Services London
With our Property Photographic Services in London, you can sell your house for the best possible price. To display your home in the best light, we provide you with a full-service package that includes interior and outdoor HD video recordings. Go to https://viewphotos.co.uk/ for a price quote!
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Thanks to Khatere for sending this super-cute fairytale house for sale in Haringay, London, UK. ‘The Mushroom House’ was formerly a lodging house for the gatekeeper and staff, of the Chilts House Estate. It was built in the early 1800s has 2bds, 1ba, and asking £350,000 / $436,891k in cash.
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Tiny entrance foyer. There is a catch, though: The Haringay council wants the next live/work resident to operate the property as something to benefit the local community, although any business will be considered (present owner is a photographer).
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The adorable little home is built around a large double fireplace and has 2 floors.
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Here are the stairs to the bedrooms, and you can hang coats from them, too. I guess the house is so small there's not much storage.
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They have hooks on the fireplace, too. You really can't have a family in here.
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Teeny kitchen. They got a nice size fridge in here, though.
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I didn't see a sink, but there it is next to the fridge. Here's the other side of the fireplace. It looks original, too. It looks like they've been replacing and shoring up the beams.
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Here's the sink and another counter with a coffee bar.
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There's another door that opens to the garden.
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There's laundry, which is a good thing, and they have a big table, too.
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A curved wall leads into the primary bedroom. And there's a space for a small dresser in this nook. Storage is a bit of a problem.
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The 2nd bedroom has a cute fireplace. You can tell how old the house is by the fireplace bricks.
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Check out the zinc tub. I think that I would have to epoxy that wall & floor to keep it dry.
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The realtor's description says that the garden has been re-wilded in the last year. I don't know if that means they deliberately let it get overgrown or it was just a nice way of saying that the owner let it go.
https://uniquepropertycompany.co.uk/property-results/uncategorized/the-mushroom-house/
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na19love · 2 months
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THIS! THIS! THIS!
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Also being harassed by paparazzis while dating William
And more:
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Also, George being harassed by paparazzis in 2015. They were desperate to get photos of George so they:
Used long range lenses to photograph the Duchess of Cambridge playing with her son in private parks
Monitored the movements of Prince George and his nanny around London parks, as well as the movements of other household staff
Photographed the children of private individuals visiting the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's home
Pursued cars leaving family homes
Used other children to draw Prince George into view around playgrounds
Hidden on private property in fields and woodland locations around the duke and duchess's Norfolk home
Obscured themselves in sand dunes on a rural beach to take photos of Prince George playing with his grandmother
Placed locations near the home of Catherine's parents in Berkshire under steady surveillance
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vintage-london-images · 8 months
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Its 1942 and a fairly busy scene in London's Regent Street as a bus, taxis, cars and pedestrians go about their daily business.
The photograph is taken looking towards Piccadilly Circus, and the boarded up Eros and advertising in Piccadilly Circus can just be seen in the background. On the left of the photograph is the Quadrant Arcade and on the right is the Piccadilly Hotel. A man with a sandwich board can be seen in the bottom right hand corner of the photograph, he seems to be advertising railway lost property.
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tinydeskwriter · 2 years
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Traitor
EXTRA ONE; PARTE TWO; EXTRA TWO; PART THREE
singer!reader
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summary: he took everything from you, so you are taking something from him. or, Harry is your ex, who left you for another woman after eight years of dating, your feeling revengeful and it's the Grammy’s night 2021.
word count: 3567
warning: angsty
A/n: THIS IS MY FIRST TIME WRITING HARRY. Niall make’s a appearance, Zayn is mentioned, let’s remember that this is fiction and it doesn’t reflect my personal opinions, but, like in every cheating story, we need villains… reader is in no way perfect, she is revengeful, she’s not meek, I decided to write her because I am tired of the nice, understanding, good girl, forgiving and moving on trope, I want someone who will be revengeful and mean and make him pay and regret for her broken heart…even if she still loves him. English is not my first language, so please be kind.
TRAITOR
Grammy Night- 2021, March 14
Her skin is glowing and she is more beautiful than ever.
Her hair shines under the lights, loose in waves to her hips with a diamond star tiara adorning it borrowed from Fred Leighton. Her dress is entirely hidden under a cloak embroidered in silver threads and small crystals, which she has no intention of taking off before her performance.
It's the first time the pop icon has been seen in public since the end of her more than eight-year long relationship was announced by her ex's representatives back in December.
Her team had remained silent, even when they were approached by members of the press for comment after Harry was photographed with his new love less than a month later. Her only comment to the whole debacle was a post on Twitter: {I guess I won our ‘I love you more’ game}, that fans took as a admission that Harry had left her for his director.
For all intents and purposes, Y/n seemed to have disappeared from the face of the Earth after their break-up.
Emails went unanswered, messages went unread and calls ignored. No one had found her in their London home, the penthouse in Tribecca, the mansion in Los Angeles or the Villa in Italy that the couple had acquired together during their years of relationship,— another thing they had to sort out— despite never having married, they had acquired assets together, properties, cars, works of art, Harry's lawyers were already starting to lose patience with Y/n's team not knowing the singer's whereabouts. He wanted to solve everything as quickly as possible to start the new chapter of his life.
Y/n posed for some photos on the red carpet—she looked more beautiful than ever, yes, but fans would comment on the photos afterwards, she didn't look radiant as usual, her smile was small and forced, and her eyes lacked the usual sparkle— she refused to do interviews or answer questions, soon being escorted by her manager into the event.
The singer had seven nominations, and after the critical success that her album had been, it was certain that at least some of the awards she would take home— to join the twelve she already had from her previous albums—, after her dramatic four-month disappearance, her performance was also highly anticipated, as was the reunion between her and Harry—after all, he had also received nominations and was expected to perform that night—.
Y/n walked around the event hall being escorted to her table at the front of the stage, stopping from moment to moment to be greeted and congratulated on the nominations, one person or another regretted the end of the relationship, 'you two made such a beautiful couple' she listened more than once that night.
Their table was between Billie Eilish and Dua Lipa’s table, and she had a perfect view of Harry’s a little further back. He was the opening performance, so she wouldn't see him for a while.
Y/n would only perform in the middle of the show, she was the artist who had received the most stage time— long enough to sing a three-song medley, never heard before music that would be released on EP that night—, it was her way of correcting the narrative and to let people know her side of the story. For far too long she allowed his team to control the narrative, control the damage to his image.
After all, TPWK is kind of hypocritical when you cheat on your girlfriend of almost a decade and leave her for another woman.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” her manager and friend questioned when they were both sitting away from the hearing field of the people around them. “You can keep the cloak on during the performance…”
“But then it wouldn't be revenge...” Y/n said back. “He took everything from me, I want him to suffer a little, I want to make it difficult, I want him to see wha I am taking from him...”
They were supposed to be planning a wedding.
The beginning of the rest of their lives together.
They had been together since she was sixteen years old, she had practically 'grown up' with him, H was as much a part of her identity as she was his. They knew each other better than anyone, all the secrets, the personality traits. They were one of those couples that didn't even need words to communicate, that was the level that they knew each other.
He took her happiness away from her.
And why? Because he was lonely? Because he couldn’t be by himself for two months?
They usually planned their schedules around each other so they could be together, the longest period they had away was when he was still in the band, and Y/n embarked on her first solo tour. But now they were getting into acting, and Covid got in the way of filming schedules, her movie was pushed, and then they are filming at the same time in two different countries.
There was also some sourness over the fact that she got the role in the Elvis biopic and he didn’t.
The ceremony began. Y/n barely paid attention until Harry walked onto the stage, handsome in a black leather suit, shirtless and with a green boa. She smiled slightly, knowing there would be cameras on her, and held back the urge to cry—in vain, as her eyes were watering, and by the end of the performance when she gracefully clapped, tears had run down her face—.
How could she not cry when he was on stage, singing a song about her, as if it didn’t affected him after he'd broken her heart?
She had already won Video of the Year at the premiere ceremony, beating Beyonce, Harry and Drake, and lost Best Duo to Ariana and Lady Gaga.
Y/n was ushered backstage to prepare for her performance just as Harry took the stage to receive his first-ever Grammy—her second loss that night—.
As she walked, an assistant helped her remove her tiara and replace it with a more over the top headdress, a large halo with flowers and a delicate red veil that fell over her eyes.
The singer dropped the cape, showing off the dress she would wear in the performance.
A masterpiece in fabric. Sheer so you could see her skin through the fabric, the delicate tattoos accumulated over the years, the delicate crystal flowery embroidery covering all the necessary parts, and the colorful embroidery of a bleeding red heart between her breasts.
Her belly of almost six months of pregnancy delicately accentuated and proudly showing for the word to see.
Y/n truly looked half a goddess.
The woman smiled when she saw her longtime friend waiting for her near the stage stairs, guitar in hand.
“Thank you for agreeing to this.” She greeted him with kisses on the cheeks as the stagehands prepared her.
“And miss my chance to perform at the Grammys?” Niall joked with a smile, then got serious. “He's my friend but you're a sister to me, and he hurt you, of course I'll stand by your side.” Y/n never had a big family, her whole life had been her and her mother, and her mother had passed away in 2019 after two years of battling cancer. When Harry left her, she lost the last family she had left. Hearing Niall call her sister made her emotional, no matter how many times she heard it.
She didn't know what would become of her if it wasn't for Niall and Zayn in the last few months. Zayn, Gigi and Khai had been her support system when everything seemed to fall apart. It was Zayn who called Niall, who dropped everything to be with her.
Niall and Zayn had helped her write her heartbroken songs, her version of the breakup that still generated tabloid gossip. The songs were more acoustic than her usual, and normally she would play the guitar herself, but her belly wouldn't allow it, so she asked Niall, who knew the compositions as well as she did. She needed the emotional support of his presence to keep from falling apart—other than that she knew the internet would go crazy seeing her accompanied by another member of her ex's former band—.
“Thank you so much Ni.” She thanked him with a sincere smile, squeezing his hand. “You and Z, I don't know what I would do without you two.”
He gave her an understanding smile and helped her onto the stage.
Y/n's stage was simpler than Taylor's cabin in the woods had been, but her intention was to keep things simple and delicate so as not to distract from the songs.
The stage was covered in flowers, a garden of wilted sunflowers, there was a high stool for Niall to sit on, and a white grand piano, the backing singers and her band were already in place. Niall sat in his place, while Y/n positioned herself behind the door she would enter through.
She heard Noah Trevor announce her performance on the main stage, and the voice in the earpiece cued the band to start playing the chords of I Burned LA Down.
Y/n opened the door just before singing, the spotlight focused on her, she walked through the stage in between the flowers as the background changed to the Positano summer sunset.
The same sunset under which Harry had proposed her in 2019.
She hooked the microphone to the stand, eyes closed as she sang to try to contain the emotion, one hand on her stomach where the only good things left of their relationship was kicking her hard on the ribs.
You can’t make a God of somebody, 
Who isn’t even half of a half decent man
Her band started to transition to Traitor, she took a deep breath, knowing she probably wouldn't be able to hold back the tears now, the next two songs in the medley are deeply emotional ones to her.
Green guilty eyes and little white lies Yeah, 
I played dumb but I always knew 
That you'd talk to her, maybe did even worse 
I kept quiet so I could keep you
She was accusing him in every way except calling out his name, everyone knew who she meant, and she imagined everyone's shock.
There was no need for a guessing game as in the songs of so many other singers.
Y/n had only dated Harry since she was 16, he had green eyes, the timeline of his new relationship was already suspicious to many fans, but so far Y/n hadn't spoken about it and everyone accepted the version given by the team of the new couple.
The dancers entered through the same door that she had entered, during the chorus, they danced among themselves and around the singer, interacting with her at one time or another as she could not properly dance.
The background was slowly changing to the starry sky of Palm Springs, the same beautiful winter night sky from the day that he broke up with her—because he was starting to grow feelings for the director ten years older than he was, and he wanted to explore those feelings—.
It took you two days 
To go off and date her 
Guess you didn't cheat 
But you're still a traitor
Y/n didn't even realize when she started crying.
Her voice expressed all the pain and suffering she felt at that moment, and there, present and at home watching, thousands of hearts broke alongside with hers.
The more observant would notice that she still had her engagement ring on her finger, as well as Harry's 'S' ring —which he had given her a few years ago, representing the fact that he intended to one day make her his wife— and she played with the rings over her bulging belly.
When she's sleeping in the bed we made 
Don't you dare forget about the way 
You betrayed me 
'Cause I know that you'll never feel sorry 
For the way I hurt, yeah
Dramatically, Y/n intended to return the rings to him during the ceremony, the famous 17-carats engagement ring and his gold ‘S’ ring would be delivered to his table as soon as she was called on stage to receive an award—because everyone knew she would receive it— her latest album had broken all records, and she was the female artist with the longest-running song on the Billboard 100 for 78 weeks, the same song that had won Video of the Year for.
The lights dimmed as the song transitioned to Enough for You, the dancers left the stage, followed by the background singers and part of the band. Under the spotlight were just Y/n, Niall and Jay, her guitarist.
I knew from the start this is exactly how you'd leave 
You found someone more exciting 
The next second, you were gone 
And you left me there cryin', wonderin' what I did wrong
Y/n looked off into nothing while singing, it wasn't like there was an audience, the only people watching was Taylor Swift, who had performed shortly before and was returning to the main stage, and Dua Lipa, who would perform later, and was on the way to her stage.
She had learned of the closeness between Harry and Olivia through Glenne Azoff back in November, but chose to believe Harry when he visited her in Australia and said there was nothing between them. How foolish she was. The next time she saw him, she was excited to inform him about the possibility pregnancy they'd been dreaming of, but before she could say anything, he broke up with her.
He said all his reasons. And Y/n had never felt so worthless before, so not good enough.
And maybe I'm just not as interesting 
As the girls you had before 
But God, you couldn't have cared less 
About someone who loved you more 
I'd say you broke my heart 
But you broke much more than that 
Now I don't want your sympathy 
I just want myself back
She'd given herself 100% in a relationship for nearly nine years, she'd loved him with every bit of her broken heart, only for him to dump her for a woman he'd met in two months.
Don't you think I loved you too much to be used and discarded? 
Don't you think I loved you too much to think I deserve nothing?
Her voice failed amidst the tears, though she kept singing the song until the end, it was safe to say there weren't many dry eyes.
You say I'm never satisfied 
But that's not me, it's you 
'Cause all I ever wanted was to be enough 
But I don't think anything could ever be enough 
For you, enough for you, oh-oh 
No, nothing's enough for you
The stage lights dimmed with the last chords played by Niall, and the camera turned to Noah Travor, as stagehands approached to help the singer with the equipment strapped to the back of her dress. Niall dropped the guitar leaning it against the bench he had been sitting on, and approached his friend hugging her while she finished crying in his arms.
“You were fantastic.” Niall praised her stroking her back. “Breathtaking, I don't think I've ever seen such an emotional performance.”
“I'll never be able to thank you enough for everything...” She said against his shoulder.
They were interrupted by Y/n's assistant warning her that she had to change clothes and get back to her table, she only had twenty minutes until the next category she was nominated for was announced. She said goodbye to Niall with kisses on the cheek, promising to see him later at the after party in her house.
The assistant helped her change her hair ornaments on the way to the dressing room, her dress zip was already halfway down when she reached the door, and her support staff made quick work of helping her get dressed. Her second dress was worthy of a movie star, with crystal embroidery, and fringe, tight, again showing off the shapes that Y/n had gained with pregnancy —she was one of those lucky women who had only grown in her belly, from the back she didn't even look pregnant—. She glowed under the artificial lights, the crystals shimmering rainbow colors whenever she moved.
“Y/n...” Lisa, Y/n's assistant for over five years called her. The singer turned, her eyes quickly falling on the jewelry box the older woman had in her hand. The young woman sighed, taking one last look at the rings she had worn more than any other piece of jewelry in her life, she had put them on for the first time in months that night, and it was as if she had never taken them off. She slipped them through her fingers for the last time, depositing them inside the box offered by Lisa. “I'll deliver it myself, as soon as you're on stage.”
The singer just nodded, following the stage assistant back to her table. She was greeted by Taylor Swift on the way back, who praised her performance, the two briefly took off their masks to speak, and Y/n was sure there would be photos online of the moment "Harry Styles' two famous exes hug at the Grammys. After Y/n Y/l/n debut songs about the breakup with the British singer."
Y/n had barely sat down when the night's second General Category was announced. The video with the Song of the Year nominees played on the screen, and then Noah opened the envelope with the winner's name.
“Wow, this is tense...” He said into the microphone, holding up the open envelope. “And the Grammy Award Winner for Song of the Year is... Boys Will Be Boys* by Y/n Y/l/n.”
Y/n stood up to the applause, hugging her manager, and walking to the stage in calm steps concentrating on not falling off her high heels, her music playing in the background as Noah offered her his hand on the steps.
“Thank you.” She thanked him before going to the microphone, and taking the award in her hands, feeling the weight in both hands. She looked at the people seated and smiled. “Golly, I honestly didn't prepare a speech, my manager, I love you Lia, said and I quote: You're against Queen Bey, Billie, HER, TS, Dua and Julia...don't even bother...” Y/n waited for the affectionate laughter to subside before continuing. “I would like to dedicate this award to all of my fantastic team, to the fans, without you I wouldn't be here today, to my fellow nominees, just being nominated alongside you would have already been an immense honor, I would also like to dedicate this award to all the artists who wrote and released spectacular songs in the year gone by and weren't nominated tonight, an award, a nomination, doesn't diminish your worth. Thank you.”
Y/n was hugged by Lia and Lisa as soon as she left the stage.
“He looked like a kicked puppy when I handed him de box.” Lisa commented in the singer's ear when the two hugged. “He's completely stunned, and Jeff looked stressed.”
Knowing Jeff as she did, he was probably thinking of ways to reverse the negative publicity they were getting.
Lia showed the cell phone to the singer.
By all estimates, Y/n's EP could break the record for most streams in the first 24 hours held by Taylor Swift's 'Foklore', while 'Traitor' and 'Good Enough' were competing against each other for the song with the most number of streams in the first 24 hrs. People were listening and commenting, sharing their reactions on Tik Tok and Instagram.
It was all trending on Twitter, the Harries were disappointed in their idol, and Y/n's fans had even started a boycott campaign on Twitter canceling Holivia and their movie. If until now things were contained with their blurry narrative, after the release of the EP and the singer's performance at the Grammys, it had turned into a truly shit show. Her pregnancy had also blindsided the world, most agreed that the baby was Harry’s, with only a few questioning the paternity.
She gave Lisa her phone back.
They went back to their table, Y/n still had three more nominations.
“Jeffrey texted me.” Lia commented, already typing a reply. “They want a meeting.” The older woman didn’t take her eyes off her cell phone, typing furiously on the device. They knew lawyers would be included in the meeting, Lia was used to Jeff's more aggressive MO.
Y/n had never had to deal with any of that, because until that moment she had been Harry's ‘Lovie’, and they were in same team, now she would be on the opposite side of the table.
“We’re ready.” Y/n said without taking her eyes off the stage, clapping at the right moments. “The lawyers have already prepared all the documents.”
Y/n intended to make him pay for her broken heart.
She glanced quickly at Lia. “Just make sure the meeting is after the interview airs.” Her manager just nodded.
The singer ended the night with three more awards, beating Harry’s Fine Line for Best Vocal Pop Album, and taking the other two awards in the General category, being the biggest winner of the night.
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brf-rumortrackinganon · 2 months
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Timeline: Part 7 - October 2017
For earlier timeline posts: click here or here.
There are three installments of the "Meghan's PR Timeline" today, which will see us finish out 2017: October 2017, November 2017, and December 2017.
One particularly interesting observation about this period of time is that from mid-October to mid-November, there are actually whole days without a single item or piece about Meghan. It's very strange because from about the end of April 2017 to the end of September 2017, we were being bombarded DAILY by stories about Meghan.
Is the missing coverage because those pages, stories, and articles were scrubbed in 2018/2019 when Meghan's PR was cleaning up her image?
Did Meghan finally get the ring in early October and no longer needed her PR to pressure Harry and force him to propose?
Or is it the quiet before the storm (i.e., the engagement announcement)? Meghan decided to drop coverage to get more bang when the engagement was announced?
10/1/2017: Toronto Invictus Games Closing Ceremony. Meghan, Doria, Jess, and Markus arrive early and are in a box. Meghan arrives first and is caught directing photographers where to go and what angles to use. Harry arrives later. Meghan leaks that Harry and Doria met at the closing ceremony and they get along fabulously.
(For additional context timeline-wise: 10/1/17 is the Route 19 Harvest Festival shooting in Las Vegas)
10/2/2017: Harry returns to London via Heathrow Airport and it's listed in the Court Circular. Meghan teases an engagement to E News and says that her friends have become Harry's family.
10/3/2017: Meghan merches her shoes from a September 2017 papwalk. She also tells Elle Magazine that she and Harry are unofficially engaged, and everyone knows.
10/4/2017: Meghan modernizes the monarchy if she marries Harry. Charles is in Malta.
10/5/2017: Ronan Farrow's Weinstein expose is published by The New York Times. Meghan merches her Invictus Games clothing - Opening Ceremony Outfit, Closing Ceremony Coat.
10/6/2017: Carole Middleton and Doria Ragland are the same.
10/7/2017: Charles's letter to Tony Blair about the hunting ban is published.
October 7th is the first day with no Meghan stories or Harkle coverage since early summer.
10/8/2017: Meghan has moved to London and is being driven by a royal chauffeur.
10/9/2017: Harry's ex Cressida makes the news for being connected to Harvey Weinstein. Jess Mulroney sources an "all about Meghan's bestie, Jess" story.
10/10/2017: Meghan's PR takes a dig at William and Kate, asking why they never hold hands. Kate makes her first public appearance since announcing her third pregnancy, implying that she is on the mend from HG.
10/11/2017: Meghan's 2011 film, Dysfunctional Friends, resurfaces. Her character is a photographer for male underwear models. Meghan tries to be a fashion influencer, gets linked to Julia Roberts, Naomi Watts, and Greta Lee as a major "power dresser". She also merches the nail polish she might wear for the wedding and/or the engagement announcement.
Meanwhile, Harry attends the 100 Women in Finance Gala Dinner. Kate's aide, Rebecca Deacon, receives the Royal Victorian Order. Buckingham Palace announces that Charles will lay wreaths at the Cenotaph for The Queen during the Remembrance Sunday service, and The Queen returns to London, ending her summer Balmoral haloriday.
10/12/2017: The Queen's first day back in London/work following summer holidays. Harry has #1 sexiest celebrity beard. (No, they're not talking about Meghan. They mean the actual hair on his face.)
10/13/2017: Meghan and Harry leak that they're house-hunting in the Cotswolds for a marital home and merch a few properties in the Daily Mail. Meghan also teases wedding speculation and Soho Farmhouse's newest financial report reveals that they lost $34.48 million in 2017 (hence the Harkle sponcon throughout 2018)
10/14/2017: Royals living in the US - forgotten Spencer cousins who call the American Pacific Northwest home.
10/15/2017: Meghan confirms that she is finished with Suits when Season 7 wraps in November. #MeToo movement begins and James Middleton, Donna Air split is revealed.
10/16/2017: Meghan leaks that she and Harry are already engaged but won't announce it until Suits filming has ended. Harry attends the WellChild Awards. Also, Harry tells people that he doesn't want a formal pageanty Cambridge-like wedding.
Meanwhile, Harry accompanies William and Kate to an engagement celebrating the release of Paddington 2.
10/17/2017: No new Meghan or Harkle stories, but Eugenie is papped in Los Angeles; William and Kate announce the baby is due in April; and Camilla gives a landmark speech on osteoporosis.
10/18/2017: Meghan leaks to the Daily Mail that she and Harry had tea with The Queen at Buckingham Palace on October 12th, and it's the first time Meghan met Her Majesty.
Note: This version of events contradicting Harry's claim in Spare that Meghan met The Queen for the first time on Sunday at the Royal Lodge while visiting the Yorks. October 12th is a Wednesday.
10/19/2017: Meghan teases Harry's proposal plan.
10/20/2017: Meghan's copycatting of Diana's outfits and behavior finally gets noticed. Meghan hints about etiquette lessons and teases the engagement.
Samantha Markle sets up a gofundme to raise money for an accessible home as her MS progresses, capitalizing on Meghan's fame.
10/21/2017: No new Meghan or Harkle stories.
10/22/2017: No new Meghan or Harkle stories.
10/23/2017: Harry has an away day in Lancashire.
10/24/2017: Meghan makes a dig at Kate - why she never wears red nail polish.
10/25/2017: Meghan merches her voice (perhaps this is when she starts negotiating for a Disney documentary voiceover gig...).
10/26/2017: DailyMailTV discusses Meghan's ancestry. Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan leak that:
Harry has had a crush on Meghan since 2015 when he saw her on Suits and he did tell friends back then that she was his ideal woman.
KP aides have been instructed to begin wedding planning and are reviewing dates.
The Cambridges announced Kate's pregnancy early because protocol requires the wedding can't take place until after the baby is born.
10/27/2017: Channel 4 broadcasts a "10 Things About Meghan Markle" documentary.
10/28/2017: Meghan and Harry are actually related! They're distant cousins.
10/29/2017: No new Meghan or Harkle stories.
10/30/2017: No new Meghan or Harkle stories.
10/31/2017: Harry is in Chicago to attend the Barack Obama Foundation Summit, and Charles and Camilla are in Singapore for royal tour.
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blueshistorysims · 3 months
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July 1922, Henford-on-Bagley, England
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It seemed that fate wanted to punish him for his supposed good fortune. He was alone. His wife was in another continent, all his friends lived too far to visit, and no one cared enough to see how he was doing. 
Summer was meant to be full of parties and swimming and vacation, but instead, Byron wallowed in self-pity, shut up in the castle he hated. 
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Drink had become his friend. As did books. They allowed an escape from his miserable life, alleviating some of his stress and burdens. Of course, reality always bled back in.
There were debts. Many debts he was not aware of while Thomas Walsh lived. There were from the seventh Duke’s lifetime, Thomas’ father, who had taken a great debt while purchasing land in some of the colonies. He surmised that Thomas had kept the fact that they owned land in parts of Africa and Asia because he’d know that Byron would throw a fit. And he would have. 
Disgusted, now he was forced to get rid of the land. He’d want to return it to the original people, but he needed the money, so he bit his tongue and swallowed his morals, selling the land away to some other rich person.
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He planned to sell Henford Castle. He had told no one yet, but it had been one of his original plans. A man had already written in interest of buying the property. He had yet to go to it, but there was another property in Henford. It was far smaller, but still a proper country house aristocrats would approve of. 
More now than ever, he thought of his brother. Alexander would have loved being a duke. He was the perfect fit. He was charming, educated, and unlike his little brother, he knew when to keep his mouth shut. God, he bloody missed him. 
“Christ, what are you doing?” He asked himself. “You live in a fucking castle and have a bloody title. Your sister lives in a shabby apartment in East London, why haven’t you help-” He faltered when he realized he hadn’t written or phoned his sister since April, other than a single letter where he complained about his life the entire time, not a thought or question about her life. What kind of brother was he? He missed her fucking birthday without a second thought. He glanced at the photograph of his brother. “You’ve given me an idea, Alexander,” he muttered, turning toward his bathroom. He needed to shave.
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spacephotouk · 2 months
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If you are looking for a reputed real estate photographer, then your search ends right at SpacePhoto. This premier property photography service provider offers high-resolution and quality photographs of your property. Due to these photographers, property get maximum attention from the potential customers. Visit the website or dial 02032876610 Ext 1 for more information!
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usafphantom2 · 5 months
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IMAGES: U.S. Navy and Air Force recreate iconic scene from the 1970s
Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 01/13/2024 - 21:39in Military
The U.S. Navy and Air Force recently recreated a famous photo from the 1970s to highlight the national asset that is the R-2508 test field in Southern California.
The photo, which shows a Navy F-4J Phantom from the then Four Air Assessment and Test Squadron (VX-4) based on Point Mugu in formation with one of the legendary SR-71 Blackbirds flying more than Mach 3 from the USAF Air Base in Beale, was originally staged to put these two black birds together in the test range of the R-2508.
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The famous photo of the F-4J "Vandy 1" flying in formation with an SR-71 in 1972. (Photo: U.S. Navy)
Referred to as "R-2508 Complex", the range extends over more than 51,700 square kilometers of special-purpose airspace, covering parts of Fresno, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Tulare counties. Most of the Complex is above other federally owned lands, including national parks, national forests and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) properties.
Airspace is a vital national good, crucial for the testing and development of aircraft, spacecraft and other advanced technologies, fundamental to national security. It is the largest land area of special-use airspace in the U.S., established during the height of the Cold War in 1955 as a controlled space to operate experimental aircraft and other military aircraft in tests and operational evaluations.
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Most of America's world-famous "X planes" flew and were developed here. They still occupy their skies today. The area is administered and used by the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, the National Army Training Center in Fort Irwin and the Air Force Test Center at Edwards Air Base, all in California.
Recently, the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 9 (VX-9), successor to the VX-4, organized a photographic flight session to celebrate the formation seen above. In doing so, it draws attention to the legacy of military aerospace testing in Southern California, to almost 70 years of multi-service cooperation in testing and evaluation, and to the value of R-2508, which is threatened by the invasion.
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Well above the test range, a VX-9 F/A-18F Super Hornet encountered a U-2 Dragon Lady operated by the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center support center at Plant 42, part of the 412ª Test Wing at Edwards Air Base.
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The aircraft, a contemporary of the SR-71 that remains active and the other that represents the heart of the U.S. Navy's fighter fleet, formed after completing its own separate test missions, reminding us of what the U.S. is still able to do - if it still has the will.
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The F-4J "Vandy-1" or "Black Bunny" makes a low passage at high speed with another F-4 Phantom.
The Super Hornet is coated with the glossy black painting scheme that became famous for the VX-4. In U.S. Navy circles, it is said that bright black paint was applied to a VX-4 Phantom in 1969 during night tests. The radio call sign of the VX-4 squadron was "Vanderbilt" or Vandy, for short. The squadron captain's jet was known as "Vandy-1" and it was this plane that carried the black scheme.
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The famous F-4J Phantom II attributed to the VX-4 portrayed after employing a drag kick during landing after a flight demonstration on NAS Pt. Mugu, California, in 1974.
It also carried the logo of what was then an American institution - Playboy magazine. In 1969, Hugh Heffner's Playboy Enterprises bought a Douglas DC-9 commercial aircraft and converted it into a large executive jet with bright black paint and its renowned rabbit logo on the tail. It was capriciously called "Big Bunny".
Not long after, several sources claim that a photo of the Vandy-1 with the rabbit logo stamped on its vertical stabilizer began to circulate in October 1971. Wags referred to the black Phantom of the VX-4 as the "Black Bunny".
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Playboy owner Hugh Heffner's DC-9 lands in London.
Playboy Enterprises is said to have sent a letter to the VX-4 warning the squad that the rabbit logo on the Vandy-1 was not approved and suggested a possible legal action. But Playboy astutely added that no action would be taken if the squad used a rabbit stencil provided by the company to reflect its world-renowned trademark art.
Whether it was enacted by Heffner or another executive of the company, it was a cunning move and, subsequently, the official stencils were sent to the U.S. Navy to match Playboy's design. The rabbit was also seen in the successor to the VX-4, Vandy-1, an F-14 Tomcat and, appropriately, in a USAF SR-71 dubbed "Rapid Rabbit" that was almost shot down over Hanoi in 1972.
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The VX-4 F-14-Tomcat returns to Key West Naval Air Station NAS after intense dogfight training over the Atlantic Ocean during the Cope Snapper 2002 exercise.
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An SR-71 also displayed the Playboy ringy logo. (Photo: Lockheed Martin via HABU.ORG)
The Playboy logo disappeared in the early 2000s, as American society became increasingly politically correct and, in today's indisputably toxic social climate, it cannot appear in the VX-9's Super Hornet "Vandy-1".
But the feeling of pride, friendship and loyalty suggested still exists in the military flight test community. As noted, the R-2508 is fundamental to the work carried out by the organizations that use it. However, the pressure from renewable energy lobbies and the frequency spectrum (telecommunications) can jeopardise the scope of the test, such as urban/suburban growth sustained by the political power of real estate developers.
Preserving the air and land space that the R-2508 Complex offers - its bombing fields, supersonic corridors, low-altitude and high-speed maneuver areas, radar interception areas and refueling areas - is simple common sense.
It is worth highlighting the recognition of its value by the U.S. Navy, exemplified by the test framework at the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station and VX-9. The U.S. Air Force agrees and according to Chase Kohler, head of communications of the 412ª Test Wing in Edwards, the photo session offered "offered an excellent look to show the joint collaboration that is the R-2508 air space complex".
Hopefully, the Navy, the Air Force and the Army can continue to collaborate for many decades.
Source: Forbes
Tags: Military AviationF-4 PhantomF/A-18E/F Super HornetSR-71 BlackbirdU-2 Dragon LadyUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air ForceUSN - United States Navy/U.S. Navy
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Fernando Valduga
Fernando Valduga
Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.
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viewphotos · 2 years
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pwlanier · 8 months
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A 19th Century photograph of Harry 'Brusher' Mills (1840-1905). Brusher Mills was Britains last professional snake catcher. He lived as hermit in a charcoal burners cottage in the New Forest, Hampshire, making a living ridding local properties of adders and grass snakes, then selling them to London Zoo. He became a draw to visitors to the New Forest, an object of curiosity and local folk hero, He sold snake ointments and their skeletons to passing tourists. A regular at local cricket matches he was paid to sweep the pitch between innings; hence the name 'Brusher'. In 1905 his cottage was badly vandalised and he was left homeless. The culprits were never found. Robbed of his home, Mills died a short time after.
Silver gelatin print photograph C.1890
Stothert and Trice
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Let’s tour the most mysterious house in London. After being uninhabited for over a century Tim, a museum director, and Todd, a landscaper, bought the huge Georgian mansion from the Spitalfields Trust for only £250,000. It is now the most superbly restored, privately owned Georgian house in the country. 
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Over three centuries, the house had been extensively altered. It was divided up into smaller lodgings and two shops were built in the old front garden. Most of the property became storage for the shops when Tim & Todd came along.
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Guided by historic documentation and surviving evidence, the shops were demolished, revealing the house surprisingly intact, and this is what it looked like when they restoring it.
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Philippe Debeerst, the photographer, described it as spellbinding. Hieroglyphics lined the entrance hall wall.
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Have you ever seen a fireplace like this? I can’t believe they were able to light it- after all these years, it still worked.
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Both Tim and Todd are avid collectors.
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They love having the opportunity to expand their collections.
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This restored sitting room looks cozy.
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Their dining room.
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Look at how cool the old kitchen is.
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This is an interesting skeleton and it even has an egg.
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Really, I think the stores were a good thing- the house was pretty well-preserved behind them.
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Can you believe all their stuff?
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They’ve got the bathrooms up and running (and decorated).
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They also have a large religious collection.
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I wonder if these heads came with the place. 
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This bedroom and bath turned out beautifully.
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This looks like a basement room. 
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Todd working on the garden.
https://spitalfieldslife.com/
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New post: "EDDIE REDMAYNE & GAYLE RANKIN BRING AUDIENCES INTO THE KIT KAT CLUB"
FRANK DILELLA | FEBRUARY 6, 2024.
Starting April 1, a hearty “Willkommen” awaits at the enticing and electrifying Kit Kat Club (a.k.a., the August Wilson Theatre) on 52nd Street on Broadway. The London transfer of the 2022 Olivier Award–winning revival of Cabaret is one of the most highly anticipated musicals of the spring season. Tony-winning actor Eddie Redmayne is set to reprise his performance of the Emcee, a role he won an Olivier for when he opened the show in the West End. He’ll be joined by actress Gayle Rankin, who is new to this production of Cabaret, taking on the show’s leading lady, Sally Bowles. Entertainment journalist for Spectrum News NY1 Frank DiLella caught up with both Redmayne and Rankin to talk their love of Cabaret and much more.
Eddie, congratulations on the Broadway transfer of this brilliant revival. How are you feeling knowing you’re once again taking on the Emcee in Cabaret?
EDDIE REDMAYNE: Thanks so much. Honestly, this is one of the pieces that made me fall in love with theater as a kid, so the fact that I got to play this iconic part on stage professionally in London was truly a bucket-list moment fulfilled. But when I was about 9 or 10, I became oddly obsessed with New York. London was home, but I was always looking at photographs of New York, researching the place. When I eventually came to the city and went to Times Square, it was one of those completely overwhelming sensations. I remember my whole body reacting. So the idea that I now get the chance to play this part in this show that I’m so passionate about in the mecca of musical theater — which is Broadway — is beautifully daunting and also 100 percent thrilling!
Gayle, Cabaret seems to be your show. You were part of the 2014 Roundabout revival with Alan Cumming — you played Fraulein Kost.
GAYLE RANKIN: I can’t tell you how moving it is to have worked on Cabaret a decade ago, and after lovingly letting it go, it’s come back to me with the gargantuan gift of Sally. [Laughs.] It is my show! I feel wildly privileged to be able to say that. I know I have to continue to earn that privilege because of what the show is and what it means. But I have never felt more ready to do that now, inside of this amazing production and with this incredible group of artists.
Eddie, when were you first introduced to Cabaret?
ER: I was first introduced to it when I was in school; I was around 15 or 16, and there was a little production being done at my school. And that was the first time I listened to the music. I remember hunting down all the possible CD versions I could find. I remember looking for a production to see, but there were none playing in London, so the very first production I ever saw of Cabaret was, randomly, the Spanish version in Madrid — and it was the Sam Mendes version, but in Spanish! I was 19 and completely blown away. Since then, I saw Emma Stone and Alan Cumming do it brilliantly in New York, and of course Rufus Norris’s version in London. I’m a sort of Cabaret junkie.
How about you, Gayle?
GR: The first time I was introduced to it was when I was in a musical-theater program in Scotland and one of the other young women had been given the song “Maybe This Time,” and I remember being like, “Wow! What a song!” That’s when I was introduced to Cabaret as a property.
Eddie, it’s my understanding that you were instrumental with making this production of Cabaret take shape.
ER: Ha! It’s been a long old road. After I did Cabaret in school in my late teens, there was an amateur production of Cabaret going to the Edinburgh Festival, and I got cast in that, and the venue that we were doing the show in was called The Underbelly. It was dark and damp and people were sitting around tables. I loved every minute, and it affirmed my want to be an actor. The guys who set up that venue became producers professionally and the Underbelly transformed to become a brilliant venue and producing house in the U.K. They approached me about seven years ago and asked if I would ever consider doing Cabaret again. It had always been on my bucket list, and I thought long and hard about it — as I said, it’s dream territory. Then Jessie Buckley leapt into my mind, who is an extraordinary actor and singer, and she and I plotted together. We both approached the brilliant director Rebecca Frecknall, and piece by piece this thing built momentum. But it had been done so beautifully and vividly before, we only wanted to do it if we could find a new way in, something that perhaps hadn’t been explored before.  And with Rebecca, the brilliant Tom Scutt, Julia Cheng, and Jordan Fein — our designer, choreographer, and prologue director — we took on this idea of inviting an audience through the underbelly of the theatre, taking them through this experience so by the time they arrive in the theatre, they’ve truly left all their troubles outside.
Eddie, you’re taking on one of the great roles of the musical theater, the Emcee, and I have to say, having seen you on stage in London, your Emcee is different compared to Joel Grey’s and Alan Cumming’s.
ER: I think one of the reasons he’s such an appealing part is because he’s one of the most enigmatic parts that I’ve ever read, witnessed, or experienced. The Emcee was a part that was created by Joel and Hal Prince [director of the original Cabaret] to join scenes together. He has no literary basis. So in some ways, the part exists in an abstract way. One of the things that I tried to do when I first started was I attempted to rationalize him and create a backstory. But the second you try to pin him down, he falls flat — he’s too quixotic for that. In the end it became trying to find a way into him physically and through instinct alone. It felt like a high-wire act. But a thrilling one.
Gayle, Sally Bowles is one of the great female roles in musical theater. Who is your Sally?
GR: My Sally is close to me. I think she’s only to be known truly by me. Sally can infamously live in a space where she can be pitied to people, and I don’t think that’s the whole story. There’s more to be told about her. And I feel compelled to take that on.
Do you feel that your experience of doing the 2014 Cabaret revival with Alan Cumming, where you played a Kit Kat Club girl and Fraulein Kost, prepped you for Sally?
GR: How could it not? For something to live inside of you both consciously and unconsciously — I hope I’ve evolved as a person and as an artist, and I feel like I’ve never been more ready to take Sally on. And I feel like I’m a big enough girl to admit the 2014 production — I was not in a place or was the right person to play Sally even though I had the time of my life with that show.
Sally gets some amazing musical moments. “Maybe This Time,” “Cabaret,” “Don’t Tell Mama” … Favorite tune in the show?
GR: It’s always been “I Don’t Care Much” [sung by the Emcee]. Sally’s songs are almost too meaningful; I can’t pick one, they’re like children. [Laughs.] But there’s something about “I Don’t Care Much” that’s so essential to the conversation and the story and lives inside of all those characters. This longing for hope during so much horror. That song just moves me.
Gayle, take me to your opening night, when you take your bow as Sally Bowles.
GR: [Laughs.] Frank! What a question. Now I’m crying. My niece will be there, and she’s 12, and I’ll probably be looking at her. I’ll probably be tired. [Laughs.] I think I’m going to be really happy.
This show is quite the experience. Give a little preview of what New York audiences can expect once they enter the Kit Kat Club.
ER: I can’t paint that picture for you just yet because it’s in the process of being built and designed by Tom Scutt. Tom Scutt is one of the most thrilling creative minds I’ve had the privilege to work with. What his plans are for New York are completely captivating. The idea is that you’re brought in as an audience not through the conventional way of the theatre — you’re met by an entire prologue cast of dancers and musicians. You are submerged into the world of Cabaret from the second you pass the threshold. For me, I hope it makes the experience — you will feel like you’re part of an all-consuming event. You will also get to witness Gayle’s Sally — Gayle is a volcano of talent — Bebe Neuwirth’s Fraulein Schneider, Ato Blankson-Wood’s Cliff, Steven Skybell’s Schultz. A staggering ensemble — the list goes on. So many exciting things.
Eddie, you’re following in the footsteps of two celebrated actors who played the role of the Emcee: Joel Grey and Alan Cumming. Any interaction with them?
ER: I haven’t with Alan since I’ve played it. I met Alan in Los Angeles years ago and he’s just an extraordinary talent. Joel, I had never met, but then I got through the first act of Cabaret on opening night in London, and at the interval some flowers arrived and I opened the card and it was from Joel Grey. And in the midst of our opening night show, opening his generous card was one of the great moments.
I was so haunted by this production when I saw it in London. The time feels right to see and experience Cabaret.
ER: There is something so searingly relevant with this piece. And I feel like whenever Cabaret is being done, it’s relevant. But with what’s going on in the world today, I feel like it’s a cautionary tale — it sings loudly and clear and it’s this idea of the fear of the other. The political gain of “othering” people. And that constant repetition of scapegoating and hatred is what we’re seeing in our politics now.
GR: I’m not sure what John Kander and Fred Ebb and Joe Masteroff were channeling when they were writing this — they were able to tap into something that’s so cyclical. And as a humanity, I think we all hope that Cabaret becomes not as relevant as it is.
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ingek73 · 1 year
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India archive reveals extent of ‘colonial loot’ in royal jewellery collection
File from India Office archive details how priceless items were extracted from colony as trophies of conquest
by David Pegg and Manisha Ganguly
Published: 14:00 Thursday, 06 April 2023
Five years ago, Buckingham Palace marked its summer opening with an exhibition celebrating the then Prince Charles’s 70th birthday with a display of his favourite pieces from the royal collection, Britain’s official trove of items connected to the monarchy. “The prince had a very, very strong hand in the selection,” the senior curator said.
Among the sculptures, paintings and other exhibits was a long gold girdle inlaid with 19 large emeralds once used by an Indian maharajah to decorate his horses. It was a curious choice to put into the exhibition in light of the violent means by which it had come into the hands of the royal family.
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Emerald girdle of Maharaja Sher Singh, c 1840. Photograph: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023
As part of its Cost of the crown series, the Guardian has uncovered a remarkable 46-page file in the archives of the India Office, the government department that was responsible for Britain’s rule over the Indian subcontinent. It details an investigation, apparently commissioned by Queen Mary, the grandmother of Elizabeth II, into the imperial origins of her jewels.
The report, from 1912, explains how priceless pieces, including Charles’s emerald belt, were extracted from India as trophies of conquest and later given to Queen Victoria. The items described are now owned by the monarch as property of the British crown.
Plundered stones
To fully understand the context behind the jewels, and their place in India’s history, it was necessary to visit the archives.
A journal records a tour in 1837 of the Punjab area in north India by the society diarist Fanny Eden and her brother George, the governor general of the British Raj at the time. They visited Ranjit Singh, the maharajah in Lahore, who had signed a “treaty of friendship” with the British six years earlier.
The half-blind Singh wore few if any precious stones, Eden wrote in her journal, but his entourage was positively drowning in them. So plentiful were the maharajah’s gems that “he puts his very finest jewels on his horses, and the splendour of their harness and housings surpasses anything you can imagine,” she wrote. Eden later confided in her journal: “If ever we are allowed to plunder this kingdom, I shall go straight to their stables.”
Twelve years later, Singh’s youngest son and heir, Duleep, was forced to sign over the Punjab to the conquering forces of the British East India Company. As part of the conquest, the company did indeed plunder the horses’ emeralds, as well as Singh’s most precious stone, the legendary Koh-i-noor diamond.
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The queen mother’s crown sits on top of the coffin during her funeral in 2002. Photograph: Dan Chung/The Guardian
Today, the Koh-i-noor sits in the crown of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, on display at the Tower of London, and it has become an emblem of Britain’s tortured relationship with its imperial history.
Anita Anand, a journalist and historian who co-wrote a book titled Koh-i-noor on the diamond, said it was “a beautiful and cold reminder of British supremacy during the Raj”, the period between 1858 and 1947 when India was ruled by the crown.
“Its facets reflect the fate of a boy king who was separated from his mother,” Anand said. The stone too was “taken far away from his home, recut and diminished”. Anand said: “That is not how India sees itself today.”
Buckingham Palace is plainly aware of the sensitivities surrounding looted artefacts. After the Indian government let it be known that for Camilla, the Queen Consort, to wear the Koh-i-noor at Charles’s coronation would elicit “painful memories of the colonial past”, the palace announced she would swap it for a less contentious diamond.
But, as was discovered by Queen Mary, the Koh-i-noor was not the only gem taken from Singh’s treasury to have found its way to the British monarchy.
Royal with a pearl necklace
Among the jewels identified in the document found by the Guardian is a “short necklace of four very large spinel rubies”, the largest of which is a 325.5-carat spinel that later came to be identified as the Timur ruby.
Its famous name is erroneous: research by the academic Susan Stronge in 1996 concluded it was probably never owned by Timur, a Mongol conquerer. And it is a spinel, a red stone similar to, but chemically distinct from, a ruby.
Elizabeth II was shown handling it in the 1969 BBC documentary Royal Family, and was clearly acquainted with the myths surrounding it. “The history, of course, is very fascinating. It belonged to so many kings of Persia and Mughal emperors, until Queen Victoria was sent it from India,” she observed.
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The Timur ruby necklace, 1853. Photograph: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023
The queen was never pictured wearing the item. However, she may have worn another of the Lahore treasures, identified in the India Office report as “a pearl necklace consisting of 224 large pearls”.
In her 1987 study of royal jewellery, Leslie Field described “one of the Queen Mother’s most impressive two-row pearl necklaces … made from 222 pearls with a clasp of two magnificent rubies surrounded by diamonds that had originally belonged to the ruler of the Punjab” – almost certainly a reference to the same necklace.
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The queen wearing pearls at the Royal Opera House in 2012. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
In 2012, Elizabeth II attended a gala festival at the Royal Opera House in London to celebrate her diamond jubilee. Photographs showed her wearing a multi-string pearl necklace with a ruby clasp.
Were these Ranjit Singh’s pearls? There was speculation they may have been, though Buckingham Palace was unable to confirm either way.
Queen Mary’s interest appears to have been prompted by curiosity about the origin of some of her pearls rather than any moral concern about the manner in which they were obtained. But a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said slavery and colonialism were matters that “his Majesty takes profoundly seriously”.
Shashi Tharoor, formerly an undersecretary at the United Nations, and currently an MP in India, said: “We have finally entered an era where colonial loot and pillage is being recognised for what it really was, rather than being dressed up as the incidental spoils of some noble ‘civilising mission’.
“As we are seeing increasingly, the return of stolen property is always a good thing. Generations to come will wonder why it took civilised nations so long to do the right thing.”
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