MOËT MAGIC WITH MAMMA LION AT KIMPTON BLYTHSWOOD

CHRISTMAS is almost here and the corks are already popping to celebrate the magic at Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel.

Theshowbizlion.com was recently invited to the very special launch of the Moët & Chandon Bar in the swish hotel and we decided that mamma lion needed a night out too. 

We were treated to a lovely night of songs from the Glasgow Gospel Choir along with Moet by the glass, delicious canapés and specially made Moët pretzels. 

Founded in 1743, a bottle of Moet champagne opened every second around the globe so we were in excellent company. 

From the iconic Moët Impérial to the Grand Vintage Collection, the extroverted Moët Rosé Impérial to the innovative Moët Ice Impérial, each champagne dazzles and delights with bright fruitiness, an enticing palate and an elegant maturity. 

At Kimpton Blythswood, for those who feel a bit Naughty, Moet are offering their new cocktail, Fairytale of New York; Solerno blood orange liqueur and orange and clove syrup topped with Moët, and garnished with Moët-branded orange peel for sparkling splendour.

 Of course, with mamma lion there we fell into the Nice camp so we can’t wait to go back and indulge in some Moët Champagne Afternoon Tea, offered daily 12pm to 5pm. As well as a classic combination of finger sandwiches, there are  scones served warm with clotted cream, sweet pastries and freshly baked cakes. The centrepiece of afternoon tea is, of course, a chilled glass of Moët. Cost is £46 per person with Moët Brut Imperial, £47.75 with Moët Rose Imperial served until the 30th of December, 2019.

 Moët moments are best shared with loved ones and clinking our champagne proved to be the ideal pre theatre treat before a brilliant night at Glasgow's Tron Theatre where we enjoyed the launch of the brilliant Cinderfella. 

HARRY POTTER STYLE BUS TOURS ADD EXTRA SERVICE IN EDINBURGH

A Scots company has had to put on extra tours to meet demand after offering Harry Potter style bus experiences in Edinburgh.
The  Red Bus Bistro company began offering its Wonderful Wizarding Tours to fans of the magic franchise in December last year.
Their vintage double decker bus visits places of interest that inspired the book and film franchise including the Balmoral hotel where JK Rowling finished her last book, the Elephant House cafe where the ideas and books began, Victoria Street, the inspiration for Diagon Alley and other spell binding sights.
Owner Alison Simpson and her team also have included a themed afternoon tea including delights like chocolate frogs, jelly beans, I Can’t Believe Its Not Butterbeer cocktails and Sorcerers Sandwiches.
The tour which lasts ninety minutes was originally trialled last year on Thursdays and Fridays but now Alison has added a Saturday to the schedule and will run the services at 6pm.
She said: “Our wizarding tours have been very popular amongst tourists and families alike. When we began at the tail end of last year we were testing the water and now realise everyone loves a bit of magic in their lives. We can take up to forty people per bus.”
“We have employed an actor turned wizard to deliver our unique tour content and we offer quality bespoke food and drink for our customers.
We’ve even got an offer on just now where every child (under the age of 15) eats free with two adults. We charge £37 per adult and we are constantly evolving how we deliver our experience.”
She added: “We can’t wait to tie in with any upcoming conventions and school holidays. Our Red Bus Bistro offers different experiences for a whole range of customers, including afternoon tea and gin tours, hen nights, party evenings and more sedate sightseeing trips.”

Excerpts of this article have since appeared in the Scotsman 

HARRY POTTER'S MOLLY WEASLEY MAKES MAGIC IN SCOTLAND...

HARRY Potter, Mamma Mia and Educating Rita star Dame Julie Walters got into the swing of things when she met up with BBC Radio 2 legend Whispering Bob Harris in Glasgow.
The star of film and TV shows like Victoria Wood has been shooting new film Country Music in Scotland for the last week and managed to sneak in and out of Glasgow's City Halls and Old Fruitmarket without being noticed by passersby.
Julie, 67 who was made a Dame last month on the Queens birthday honours list and also starred in Calendar Girls as well as playing Miss Overall in Victoria Wood's Acorn Antiques, features in the comedy drama about a young Glasgow singer Rose Lynne Harlan played by War and Peace's Jessie Buckley, who hopes to make it in Nashville . Doctor Who's Sophie Okonedo and Macbeth's James Harkness also star in the movie.
Julie, whose character Marion plays Rose Lynne Harlan's ( Buckley) mother in the film, was seen giggling with the cast on set.
She later posed up for a pic with Old Grey Whistle Test presenter Whispering Bob who had flown in for the day for his scene.
Scots musicians Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham also shot their musical scenes in the City Halls which is home to the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Whispering Bob who was staying in the city centre was thrilled to bits to hang out with Julie.
He said afterwards: "It was an absolute pleasure to meet this wonderful woman today. She is a national treasure."
The cast and crew are expected to film in Scotland for the next week before moving onto production in London and then Nashville.
Excerpts of this article have since appeared in the Sunday Post.

From Scotland with Love - theshowbizlion.com

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN MUPPETS PROVES A XMAS HIT IN GLASGOW

Jakey puppets, dragged up mothers, a real life Apple Siri, a pop star Snow White, and hilarious audience interaction are all on offer at this latest production from Inside Out.
Snow White and The Seven Wee Muppets is a refreshing change to the traditional pantos which can often be complacent and rely on hackneyed cliches to keep them going.
You won't find big budget lasers and special effects here but what lacks in the technical department is more than made up for by the talent and the giggles on offer.
You can see that artistic director Paul Harper Swan and his team have worked hard to bring this unique production to the stage.
There are laughs and songs galore from the larger than life characters and the colourful costumes could give any of the bigger pantos a run for their money.
Neil Thomas is a real star as the instantly likeable bubbly panto dame who can sing, dance and has costumes to die for.
Splitting his outfit mid show caused even more laughs.
Alison Rona Cleland also brings a charming humour and cheekiness to her role as computer program and intelligent personal assistant Siri in an innovative twist to the show.
Jamie McKillop adds evil, glamour and plenty of Glasgow style cackles to the cocktail as the badd while Joanne McGuinness proves to be a very modern Snow White who can sing dance and has a bit more attitude than your average panto female.
And smiley Lee Reynolds is everybody's best pal - including Snow White's in the show.
The production which is less 'Disney' and more 'does so' is on until the end of December at Websters Theatre and is definitely worth a stroll to the wild West End.


- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com




- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

HARRY POTTER OFFERS A LIVE SYMPHONY

HARRY Potter fans will be in their element when a live orchestra accompanies a giant screening of the film at Glasgow's SSE Hydro.
For the first time in the UK, audiences will experience a symphony orchestra performing music to the entire film from one of the most beloved film franchises in history.
CineConcerts and Warner Bros. Consumer Products teamed up for the UK premiere of The Harry Potter Film Concert Series, which will take place next year.
Following on from the UK premiere of the series at the Royal Albert Hall, the tour presented by Senbla featuring Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,™ will kick off in Cardiff, going onto Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, and Leeds before finishing up in Glasgow.
The tour which is bound to attract t the odd appearance from JK Rowling herself,  will feature a live symphony orchestra performing, to picture, every note from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
As the conductor creates magic with his wand, audiences will be able to relive the film in high-definition on a 40-foot screen while hearing the orchestra perform John Williams’ unforgettable score.
Justin Freer, President of CineConcerts and Producer/Conductor of The Harry Potter Film Concert Series explains, "The Harry Potter film series is one of those once-in-a-lifetime cultural phenomena that continues to delight millions of fans around the world. It is with great pleasure that we introduce for the first time ever an opportunity to experience the award-winning music scores played live by a symphony orchestra, all while the beloved film is simultaneously projected onto the big screen. It will be an unforgettable event.”
Brady Beaubien of CineConcerts and Concert Producer for The Harry Potter Film Concert Series added, “Harry Potter is synonymous with excitement around the entire world and we hope that by performing this incredible music with the full movie, audiences will enjoy returning to this world, and to the many wonderful characters and adventures that inhabit it. “
This series begins with Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone.


Tour Dates:
May
12 - London Royal Albert Hall
13 - London Royal Albert Hall
14 - Cardiff Motorpoint Arena
15 - Birmingham Barclaycard Arena
16 - Manchester Arena
18 - Liverpool Echo Arena
19 - Leeds First Direct Arena
21 - Glasgow Secc Hydro Arena

Tickets Prices:
£25 - £65


From Scotland with love from theshowbizlion.com

DYNAMO REVEALS SECRETS BEHIND TRICKS

                                                   Jim Marks photo  DYNAMO has revealed the secret behind seven incredible new illusions for a new campaign which will help people add a bit of magic to their selfies.
The magician appears to be floating above the London skyline using an umbrella, shrinking himself l to the size of a pint glass and jumping crowds of people on a pedal bike in the series of clever illusions for the Samsung Galaxy S7 promo.
By using a mix of "forced perspective" techniques, combined with everyday items he's provided a simple guide on how you can achieve special effects yourself.
The Magician Impossible star said: "Ever since I was a child, I have been interested in looking at the world in different ways.​ I have always been fascinated by the fact that a simple twist on perspective can completely affect our perception of an image. I wanted this concept for the Everyday Illusions pictures.
"They say magicians should never give away their secrets - but for one time only, I wanted to create a series of illusions that anyone can create and show you exactly how to do it.
"The pictures highlight the incredible resolution and focus of the new Samsung Galaxy S7 phone. The Images are forced perspective alongside a few simple props to create mind boggling illusions which I believe anyone can achieve​with a little time and imagination."

Here's a guide to the illusions
ILLUSION 1 – GODZILLA – Dynamo appears to tower over a London traffic scene. We created a miniaturised London road with some props to create a forced perspective illusion that really makes you look twice
ILLUSION 2 – THE PUB CHAIR – This illusion uses a simple chair prop. The seat of the chair is actually a separate component which is put further back in the shot which when lined up makes whoever is sitting on it look tiny
ILLUSION 3 – WALL OF WATER - I wanted to try a really cool shot using water, and just by flipping the orientation of the image, I was able to create this incredible image of me walking out of a wall of water.
ILLUSION 4 – THE MATRIX – Creating the illusion that you are standing on a ledge is all about finding the right location, in this case, a concrete bench. The paper aeroplane really adds to the shot casting shadows and confusing the orientation. This shot was caught by using the super-fast focus on the S7 to capture the plane in flight
ILLUSION 5 – BMX JUMP - When I was younger I used to be into BMXing. I’d try loads of crazy scores but I wasn’t that good at it. But using some very clever camera work, you can actually become the ultimate extreme sports star – all you need is your imagination a birds-eye view
ILLUSION 6 – BOOTS – this is by far the easiest illusion of the set but it’s still brilliantly effective and very easy to create, shooting from a low angle and positioning the boots to line with your feet – simple!
ILLUSION 7 – MARY POPPINS – This shot showcases the super-fast shutter speed of the S7 – if you haven’t guessed already this involves a trampoline a decent stretch of sky and trying to look like you are walking rather than jumping! Having a ‘burst mode’ on your camera phone really helps as one out of 10 shots will achieve the right effect
BONUS: STAGE FACE - Dynamo shot a final ‘Bonus’ illusion he has called ‘Stage Face’ – onstage during his tour at the Liverpool Echo Arena