John Gibson: Take your partners for the tango

Published on 20/04/2011 11:56

Can't abide the flamenco but the tango does bring the old blood to simmer.

The Playhouse has a tango event coming in June, meantime if the tango makes you tingle get down to London on one of East's trains and nab one of their throwaway tickets and catch Flames of Desire involving Tango Fire, a dance company from Buenos Aires who boast three world tango champions. They're at the Peacock Theatre and can't be topped for authenticity.

We didn't know you were a tango nut, John? Yes, ever since Last Tango in Paris starring a resourceful Marlon Brando in my days as a film reviewer and, more recently, since Al Pacino took to the floor in Scent of a Woman.

And that wasn't yesterday. When I saw that memorable movie I'd been teaching some young whipper-snappers how to do the Palais Glide.

Pond life

Only in the good old Disjointed Kingdom. Only the Brits, up to their whatsits in the morass of economic and political turmoil, could get all hot and bothered over a dozen day-old ducklings.

Most of Lincolnshire's public services, it seems, turned out to rescue the little darlings. Crazy, are you saying?

Anything for break a from Gaddafi and The Wedding, I suppose. If only we could switch off the life support for these hustlers waterboarding us with their election guff.

Mr Muscle

Just as well Prince Edward - he once contested Mister Universe under an assumed name - can flaunt that manly chest and bear the weight of all those decorations. Only Mugabe and Gaddafi can top him for a grand array.

For this 47th birthday he has now had another medal pinned on, the GCVO. Don't know what the initials are for but who cares as long as it enhances his regalia? Eddie is a hero in anybody's book.

Afterwords . .

. . . I thought Johnny Mathis was dead. Glory, hallelujah! The saccharine-sweet John is alive and apparently well enough to play London, Birmingham and Manchester come October. Brings on a certain smile.