Tonight's bit of awesome was supplied by Marvin Hamlisch conducting the NSO Pops in a concert to celebrate Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday. I actually came to my love of Sondheim quite late - I didn't see a Sondheim musical until Michael and I saw Into the Woods in York in northern England after theatre school (at least I'm fairly certain that was my first). But love him I do. And that production is still my favourite Sondheim to date and one of my favourite productions on record.

Marvin was his usual awesome self - best line of the night, "Sweeney Todd is proof you can write a musical about anything" or something very close to that. If I'm honest, the singers weren't that amazing and I recast the evening about four times in my head with people who would have been better - this would have been easily possible just out of people I consider my friends, not even counting the endless talent in NYC. However, the music itself is so so good, I can't complain.

Near miss for the evening: Stephen Sondheim was THERE but I did not get to meet him. So closse...sigh...ah well, we were in the same room together so that's something.

Earlier in the week I went to see the first school performance of Knuffle Bunny by our TYA department. Knuffle Bunny is a very popular children's book which I didn't know but involves a stuffed bunny who keeps being left behind by his owner. This caused me great anxiety!!! I have real trouble when people in movies leave their handbags somewhere and we don't see what happens to it - it's even worse with stuffed animals. I know this sounds ridiculous but I get very worried. Fortunately I went to the show with the GM of theatre programming who has a 7 year old daughter and so he told me how it ended and that it all worked out! He now of course thinks I'm crazy....