DRAMA SKOOL
review: Patrick Johnson
Today I told the 547 people who follow me on Twitter that I made some soup, yesterday I told them I had a spider in my hair. As I type this, Wiley is broadcasting his business affairs live on Ustream. The fourth wall has well and truly come down and we now basically all live in a virtual halls of residency, constantly updating each other on the last time we sicked up in our mouths.
But for me, there is one thing I never mention, a fact that is undeniable yet unspoken - a weapon for those who know it to bring up in arguments against me. So here it is, the truth ... I went to drama school. A fact that instantly earns anyone who admits it a big 'I am a big cunty showoff' sticker slapped on their forehead. But hey, I was young, we all make mistakes. For some reason, and I really don't now why, Janelle Monae doesn't hide this fact. I saw her last night at Camden's Koko. Every shimmy, snap, pa de bure and mic stand flick said 'I went to a performing arts school, now cave my face in with your heel" - amazingly though, she pulled it off. The reason being because she has the songs to back it all up. Opener 'Dance or Die' clattered into the 3 songs that followed, and before we knew it she was reeling off hits 'Wondaland, Cold War and Tightrope' in quick succession. The set ended with stage dives, multiple encores and Janelle frantically signing whatever was put in her face. She treads a fine line, occasionally veering into the realms of pantomime but luckily for all that witnessed it, she has the strength of the music to keep her little plimsoled feet on the floor.
