Dazzling footlights

The train is hurtling through the night, its wheels clacketing over the rails.

I’m traveling home from London, after a breathtaking evening filled with fishnet stockings, glittery eyeshadow and wigs.

I was at La Soirée, a fabulous new cabaret show at London’s Aldwych Theatre, which a friend of mine has produced.

Afterwards, backstage, I met some of the cast. All of them were lean, bright-eyed and surprisingly gentle and humble compared to their larger-than-life stage personas. They seemed genuinely thrilled that I had enjoyed the show, despite their assorted niggles of sore throats, tiredness or dodgy knees. But for me, their performances had been full of magic.

I watched them head out of the stage door and disappear into the night in search of a pub.

And I thought to myself, the best that any of us can do is to work on shining our magic, and do our best to spread a little inspiration, despite our sore throats, tiredness or dodgy knees...

Pearl