With our regular conductor, Alexander Walker, away conducting ‘The Nutcracker’ in Norway, this year’s Northampton Symphony Orchestra Christmas Cracker Concert provided a first opportunity for guest conductor Stephen Ellery to join us for a concert. Steve often takes NSO rehearsals when Alex is away and is great fun to work with. This year the Christmas Cracker Concert had a pantomime and fairy tale theme and featured Humperdink’s wonderful ‘Hansel and Gretel Overture’, the ‘Mother Goose Suite’ by Ravel, the overture to Rossini’s opera ‘La Cenerentola’ (‘Cinderella’ – reviewed here in November 2010) and music from the Disney films ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ (by Frank Churchill) and ‘Aladdin’ (by Alan Menkin and Tim Rice). Steve really seemed to enjoy himself and the audience loved his enthusiasm and eccentricities, especially when he ran in through the auditorium dressed in a full bear costume, and roaring at various audience members, to conduct the ‘Three Bears Phantasy’ by Eric Coates! The orchestra were also very taken with Steve’s habit, at the end of each piece, of calling on particular players to take an individual bow by miming the relevant instruments. There was also some lovely comic interplay between the conductor and our excellent compere, Graham Padden. And when Steve turned round to conduct the audience, in the Christmas carols and to get them whistling along to ‘Whistle While You Work’, he seemed to inspire them to enjoy themselves as much he was. I think we all left the concert with smiles on our faces.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Northampton Symphony Orchestra concert
21 December 2012
With our regular conductor, Alexander Walker, away conducting ‘The Nutcracker’ in Norway, this year’s Northampton Symphony Orchestra Christmas Cracker Concert provided a first opportunity for guest conductor Stephen Ellery to join us for a concert. Steve often takes NSO rehearsals when Alex is away and is great fun to work with. This year the Christmas Cracker Concert had a pantomime and fairy tale theme and featured Humperdink’s wonderful ‘Hansel and Gretel Overture’, the ‘Mother Goose Suite’ by Ravel, the overture to Rossini’s opera ‘La Cenerentola’ (‘Cinderella’ – reviewed here in November 2010) and music from the Disney films ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ (by Frank Churchill) and ‘Aladdin’ (by Alan Menkin and Tim Rice). Steve really seemed to enjoy himself and the audience loved his enthusiasm and eccentricities, especially when he ran in through the auditorium dressed in a full bear costume, and roaring at various audience members, to conduct the ‘Three Bears Phantasy’ by Eric Coates! The orchestra were also very taken with Steve’s habit, at the end of each piece, of calling on particular players to take an individual bow by miming the relevant instruments. There was also some lovely comic interplay between the conductor and our excellent compere, Graham Padden. And when Steve turned round to conduct the audience, in the Christmas carols and to get them whistling along to ‘Whistle While You Work’, he seemed to inspire them to enjoy themselves as much he was. I think we all left the concert with smiles on our faces.
With our regular conductor, Alexander Walker, away conducting ‘The Nutcracker’ in Norway, this year’s Northampton Symphony Orchestra Christmas Cracker Concert provided a first opportunity for guest conductor Stephen Ellery to join us for a concert. Steve often takes NSO rehearsals when Alex is away and is great fun to work with. This year the Christmas Cracker Concert had a pantomime and fairy tale theme and featured Humperdink’s wonderful ‘Hansel and Gretel Overture’, the ‘Mother Goose Suite’ by Ravel, the overture to Rossini’s opera ‘La Cenerentola’ (‘Cinderella’ – reviewed here in November 2010) and music from the Disney films ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ (by Frank Churchill) and ‘Aladdin’ (by Alan Menkin and Tim Rice). Steve really seemed to enjoy himself and the audience loved his enthusiasm and eccentricities, especially when he ran in through the auditorium dressed in a full bear costume, and roaring at various audience members, to conduct the ‘Three Bears Phantasy’ by Eric Coates! The orchestra were also very taken with Steve’s habit, at the end of each piece, of calling on particular players to take an individual bow by miming the relevant instruments. There was also some lovely comic interplay between the conductor and our excellent compere, Graham Padden. And when Steve turned round to conduct the audience, in the Christmas carols and to get them whistling along to ‘Whistle While You Work’, he seemed to inspire them to enjoy themselves as much he was. I think we all left the concert with smiles on our faces.
'Rapunzel' by Lea Pryer
21 December 2012
It was a delight to return to the TADS Theatre in Toddington last Saturday to see this year’s TADS pantomime. ‘Rapunzel’ was written and directed by Lea Pryer, who wrote the wonderful 2010 pantomime ‘The Pirate Princess’ (reviewed here in December 2010). ‘Rapunzel’ was another original script which incorporated the conventional pantomime elements. I particularly loved Rapunzel’s tower and the use of puppetry to show the prince climbing up on Rapunzel’s long hair which was hilarious. Mike Collins, who stood out as a mercurcial Irish Puck in the TADS production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (reviewed here in May 2012) was very strong as Prince Edward. The wonderful youngster Harry Rodgers (who was Flute in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’) confirmed his graduation from TADS Teens, taking his place next to regular Janet Bray as one of the two gargoyle henchmen of the enchantress Griselda. As Griselda Rachel Birks stole the show with a commanding performance, a fantastic sneer of contempt for the audience and a nice line in heckle put-downs as she battled with a completely sold-out, largely adult audience. Rachel Birks and Chloe Palmer, who played Rapunzel, have particularly strong singing voices and the success of the musical numbers bodes well for the forthcoming TADS production of ‘Little Shop of Horrors’.
It was a delight to return to the TADS Theatre in Toddington last Saturday to see this year’s TADS pantomime. ‘Rapunzel’ was written and directed by Lea Pryer, who wrote the wonderful 2010 pantomime ‘The Pirate Princess’ (reviewed here in December 2010). ‘Rapunzel’ was another original script which incorporated the conventional pantomime elements. I particularly loved Rapunzel’s tower and the use of puppetry to show the prince climbing up on Rapunzel’s long hair which was hilarious. Mike Collins, who stood out as a mercurcial Irish Puck in the TADS production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (reviewed here in May 2012) was very strong as Prince Edward. The wonderful youngster Harry Rodgers (who was Flute in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’) confirmed his graduation from TADS Teens, taking his place next to regular Janet Bray as one of the two gargoyle henchmen of the enchantress Griselda. As Griselda Rachel Birks stole the show with a commanding performance, a fantastic sneer of contempt for the audience and a nice line in heckle put-downs as she battled with a completely sold-out, largely adult audience. Rachel Birks and Chloe Palmer, who played Rapunzel, have particularly strong singing voices and the success of the musical numbers bodes well for the forthcoming TADS production of ‘Little Shop of Horrors’.
Friday, December 14, 2012
'Sweet Danny Wilson' by Danny Wilson
14 December 2012
One of the joys of the instant availability of music online is rediscovering half-remembered tunes from many years ago. Gone are the days when you leapt to your feet when a particular song came on the radio in the knowledge that it was your only opportunity to hear it. Now a memory can pop into your head and within seconds you can have found the relevant track on Spotify and started listening to it again. Last week, for some reason, I found myself thinking about the opening line “I'm sorry for upsetting the apple cart” and desperately trying to remember the song it comes from. After a little detective work I had downloaded the greatest hits of Danny Wilson (‘Sweet Danny Wilson’) and was reliving the late 1980s with the song ‘Never Gonna Be The Same’. Danny Wilson was a Scottish pop group formed in 1984. Like Alice Cooper, Danny Wilson was the name of the band rather than the singer – named not after the much-loved Barnsley Football Club manager (“it’s just like watching Brazil”) but in honour of the 1952 Frank Sinatra film, ‘Meet Danny Wilson’. Danny Wilson’s biggest hit was ‘Mary’s Prayer’ which reached number 3 in the UK charts in 1988. The other song of theirs I remember is ‘The Second Summer Of Love’. Their music is catchy, tuneful 80s pop with a Scottish tinge – not unlike Hue and Cry, Orange Juice and Hipsway – well worth revisiting. It’s strange how every song you listen to in December sounds like it was intended to be a Christmas song – those are sleigh bells in ‘Never Gonna Be The Same’ aren't they?
One of the joys of the instant availability of music online is rediscovering half-remembered tunes from many years ago. Gone are the days when you leapt to your feet when a particular song came on the radio in the knowledge that it was your only opportunity to hear it. Now a memory can pop into your head and within seconds you can have found the relevant track on Spotify and started listening to it again. Last week, for some reason, I found myself thinking about the opening line “I'm sorry for upsetting the apple cart” and desperately trying to remember the song it comes from. After a little detective work I had downloaded the greatest hits of Danny Wilson (‘Sweet Danny Wilson’) and was reliving the late 1980s with the song ‘Never Gonna Be The Same’. Danny Wilson was a Scottish pop group formed in 1984. Like Alice Cooper, Danny Wilson was the name of the band rather than the singer – named not after the much-loved Barnsley Football Club manager (“it’s just like watching Brazil”) but in honour of the 1952 Frank Sinatra film, ‘Meet Danny Wilson’. Danny Wilson’s biggest hit was ‘Mary’s Prayer’ which reached number 3 in the UK charts in 1988. The other song of theirs I remember is ‘The Second Summer Of Love’. Their music is catchy, tuneful 80s pop with a Scottish tinge – not unlike Hue and Cry, Orange Juice and Hipsway – well worth revisiting. It’s strange how every song you listen to in December sounds like it was intended to be a Christmas song – those are sleigh bells in ‘Never Gonna Be The Same’ aren't they?
Friday, December 07, 2012
‘Standing in Another Man’s Grave’ by Ian Rankin
7 December 2012
There was a degree of inevitability that, like Arthur Conan-Doyle with Sherlock Holmes, having retired his famous fictional detective, Ian Rankin would be persuaded to resurrect John Rebus. In ‘Standing in Another Man’s Grave’ Rebus doesn’t have to return from death like Holmes. This is a more prosaic return from retirement which finds Rebus working, as a civilian, in a police cold case unit and, unsurprisingly, getting drawn into a current murder investigation. ‘Standing in Another Man’s Grave’, which I read as an unabridged audio book, narrated by James Macpherson, was an engrossing serial killer mystery with all the tropes that made Ian Rankin’s Rebus novels so successful. I felt a little disappointed with the denouement, which seemed a bit corny after the clever puzzle that was gradually unravelled through the rest of the book. But I enjoyed the return of Rebus and hope we haven’t seen the last of him.
There was a degree of inevitability that, like Arthur Conan-Doyle with Sherlock Holmes, having retired his famous fictional detective, Ian Rankin would be persuaded to resurrect John Rebus. In ‘Standing in Another Man’s Grave’ Rebus doesn’t have to return from death like Holmes. This is a more prosaic return from retirement which finds Rebus working, as a civilian, in a police cold case unit and, unsurprisingly, getting drawn into a current murder investigation. ‘Standing in Another Man’s Grave’, which I read as an unabridged audio book, narrated by James Macpherson, was an engrossing serial killer mystery with all the tropes that made Ian Rankin’s Rebus novels so successful. I felt a little disappointed with the denouement, which seemed a bit corny after the clever puzzle that was gradually unravelled through the rest of the book. But I enjoyed the return of Rebus and hope we haven’t seen the last of him.
'One of Our Thursdays is Missing' by Jasper Fforde
7 December 2012
Halfway through reading Jasper Fforde’s latest Thursday Next novel, 'The Woman Who Died a Lot' (reviewed here in April 2012), I realised I had missed the previous book in the series. Regular readers may remember that I started reading the series in reverse order so reading the latest two books backwards seemed an appropriate continuation, in keeping with the surreal complexities of the books themselves. I have now finished reading ‘One of Our Thursdays in Missing’. Thursday Next is largely absent from this novel which is set in the ‘bookworld’ and features the ‘written Thursday’ – the fictional version of the literary detective – who is called into action to investigate the real Thursday’s disappearance. This is a very silly, and incredibly confusing, exercise in surreal meta-fiction, which owes a debt to ‘Don Quixote’ (reviewed here in January 2012) but takes the conceit much further. Fforde’s development of the bookworld into a geographical form, with the possibilities of journeys across genres, demonstrates the thinking which led him to create the post-apocalyptic world of ‘Shades of Grey’ (reviewed here in April 2011). I suspect you either love or hate this kind of thing but I’m really looking forward to the next adventures of Thursday Next.
Halfway through reading Jasper Fforde’s latest Thursday Next novel, 'The Woman Who Died a Lot' (reviewed here in April 2012), I realised I had missed the previous book in the series. Regular readers may remember that I started reading the series in reverse order so reading the latest two books backwards seemed an appropriate continuation, in keeping with the surreal complexities of the books themselves. I have now finished reading ‘One of Our Thursdays in Missing’. Thursday Next is largely absent from this novel which is set in the ‘bookworld’ and features the ‘written Thursday’ – the fictional version of the literary detective – who is called into action to investigate the real Thursday’s disappearance. This is a very silly, and incredibly confusing, exercise in surreal meta-fiction, which owes a debt to ‘Don Quixote’ (reviewed here in January 2012) but takes the conceit much further. Fforde’s development of the bookworld into a geographical form, with the possibilities of journeys across genres, demonstrates the thinking which led him to create the post-apocalyptic world of ‘Shades of Grey’ (reviewed here in April 2011). I suspect you either love or hate this kind of thing but I’m really looking forward to the next adventures of Thursday Next.
The Blockheads
7 December 2012
When we visited Kent in March, you may remember I was struck by the fact that that the village next to Sandwich is called Ham. We returned to the area last week for a lovely long weekend in Ham. On Friday evening we made the short trip to the Astor Community Theatre in Deal to see a concert by The Blockheads. We last saw The Blockheads in Milton Keynes 5 years ago (reviewed here in July 2007) when they were celebrating their thirtieth anniversary, with Phil Jupitus standing in for the late Ian Dury. The Deal concert was part of their thirty-fifth anniversary tour – particularly impressive as the drummer is only 26 years old! This time there were no guest stars, just a very slick band that have clearly been playing together for a long time. The original members of the band must all be in their 60s: Mickey Gallagher lamented the passing years, saying “we used to turn up to gigs and ask where are the women – now we ask where are the toilets!”. But the Blockheads are still a great band. Last time we saw them they were joined by the great jazz saxophone player Gilad Atzmon, but this time the quite different style of excellent regular saxophonist Dave Lewis, combined with Ian Dury’s witty lyrics and the cockney accent of singer Derek the Draw made The Blockheads sound, at times, remarkably like Madness. It was a great gig – I look forward to the fortieth anniversary!
When we visited Kent in March, you may remember I was struck by the fact that that the village next to Sandwich is called Ham. We returned to the area last week for a lovely long weekend in Ham. On Friday evening we made the short trip to the Astor Community Theatre in Deal to see a concert by The Blockheads. We last saw The Blockheads in Milton Keynes 5 years ago (reviewed here in July 2007) when they were celebrating their thirtieth anniversary, with Phil Jupitus standing in for the late Ian Dury. The Deal concert was part of their thirty-fifth anniversary tour – particularly impressive as the drummer is only 26 years old! This time there were no guest stars, just a very slick band that have clearly been playing together for a long time. The original members of the band must all be in their 60s: Mickey Gallagher lamented the passing years, saying “we used to turn up to gigs and ask where are the women – now we ask where are the toilets!”. But the Blockheads are still a great band. Last time we saw them they were joined by the great jazz saxophone player Gilad Atzmon, but this time the quite different style of excellent regular saxophonist Dave Lewis, combined with Ian Dury’s witty lyrics and the cockney accent of singer Derek the Draw made The Blockheads sound, at times, remarkably like Madness. It was a great gig – I look forward to the fortieth anniversary!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
'Duet for One' by Tom Kempinski
29 November 2012
As the publication of the Leveson report approached, for some reason I have been thinking a lot about Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin’s much-missed Channel 4 sitcom ‘Drop the Dead Donkey’. So it was lovely to have the chance to see on of its stars, Haydn Gwynne, at the Watford Palace Theatre last Saturday in ‘Duet for One’ by Tom Kempinski. The play focuses on a world-renowned violin soloist who has recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. In a series of visits to a therapist (played by William Gaunt) she begins to come to terms with the end of her performing career and the major changes to her life. ‘Duet for One’ has clear parallels with the life of the ‘cellist Jacqueline du PrĂ© whose career was cut short by multiple sclerosis. It also says a lot about the nature of psychotherapy and ‘talking cures’ and reminded me of 'Freud's Last Session' by Mark St Germain which we saw in New York last year (reviewed here in April 2011). ‘Duet for One’ is a moving and clever play, and the performances by Hadyn Gwynne and William Gaunt were excellent, but I felt that, dramatically, it needed a little more variety. It consists of a series of conversations between the same two people in the same room and, although there was certainly development of character and a journey of discovery and realisation, I felt it needed something more.
As the publication of the Leveson report approached, for some reason I have been thinking a lot about Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin’s much-missed Channel 4 sitcom ‘Drop the Dead Donkey’. So it was lovely to have the chance to see on of its stars, Haydn Gwynne, at the Watford Palace Theatre last Saturday in ‘Duet for One’ by Tom Kempinski. The play focuses on a world-renowned violin soloist who has recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. In a series of visits to a therapist (played by William Gaunt) she begins to come to terms with the end of her performing career and the major changes to her life. ‘Duet for One’ has clear parallels with the life of the ‘cellist Jacqueline du PrĂ© whose career was cut short by multiple sclerosis. It also says a lot about the nature of psychotherapy and ‘talking cures’ and reminded me of 'Freud's Last Session' by Mark St Germain which we saw in New York last year (reviewed here in April 2011). ‘Duet for One’ is a moving and clever play, and the performances by Hadyn Gwynne and William Gaunt were excellent, but I felt that, dramatically, it needed a little more variety. It consists of a series of conversations between the same two people in the same room and, although there was certainly development of character and a journey of discovery and realisation, I felt it needed something more.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
'Bleak Expectations' by Mark Evans
22 November 2012
Harrumble! for the return of Mark Evans’ joyously silly Radio 4 comedy ‘Bleak Expectations’ (previously reviewed here in August 2008) which started its fifth series this week (Thursdays, 6.30 pm, BBC Radio 4). It’s come a long way from the initial Dickensian parody and has become so self-reverential that new listeners might find it difficult to appreciate, but for those of us who have been there from the start it’s wonderful stuff. And you've just got to love the unbreakable optimism of Harry Biscuit who is convinced that there is no problem that cannot be solved with swans (and cake!).
Harrumble! for the return of Mark Evans’ joyously silly Radio 4 comedy ‘Bleak Expectations’ (previously reviewed here in August 2008) which started its fifth series this week (Thursdays, 6.30 pm, BBC Radio 4). It’s come a long way from the initial Dickensian parody and has become so self-reverential that new listeners might find it difficult to appreciate, but for those of us who have been there from the start it’s wonderful stuff. And you've just got to love the unbreakable optimism of Harry Biscuit who is convinced that there is no problem that cannot be solved with swans (and cake!).
Friday, November 16, 2012
Northampton Symphony Orchestra concert
16 November 2012
Our Northampton Symphony Orchestra concert last Saturday featured one of my favourite pieces of music, the Second Symphony by Jean Sibelius. This was the first full symphony I played on joined the senior Saturday-morning orchestra at Didsbury Music Centre nearly 30 years ago and I have always had a soft spot for it. Even after the rigour of weeks of rehearsal for this concert I haven’t tired of Sibelius 2: it’s a sophisticated, emotional work that manages to be both delicate and powerful with a truly rousing finale. Our performance on Saturday was the best we had played the piece: I hope it was as enjoyable to listen to as it was to be part of. Mozart’s ‘Sinfonia Concertante’ provided an interesting contrast to the Sibelius, requiring a different kind of discipline. The orchestra’s leader, Trevor Dyson, and principal viola, Maria Dehandschutter, were excellent soloists.
Our Northampton Symphony Orchestra concert last Saturday featured one of my favourite pieces of music, the Second Symphony by Jean Sibelius. This was the first full symphony I played on joined the senior Saturday-morning orchestra at Didsbury Music Centre nearly 30 years ago and I have always had a soft spot for it. Even after the rigour of weeks of rehearsal for this concert I haven’t tired of Sibelius 2: it’s a sophisticated, emotional work that manages to be both delicate and powerful with a truly rousing finale. Our performance on Saturday was the best we had played the piece: I hope it was as enjoyable to listen to as it was to be part of. Mozart’s ‘Sinfonia Concertante’ provided an interesting contrast to the Sibelius, requiring a different kind of discipline. The orchestra’s leader, Trevor Dyson, and principal viola, Maria Dehandschutter, were excellent soloists.
Friday, November 09, 2012
'NW' by Zadie Smith
9 November 2012
Zadie Smith burst onto the literary scene in 2000 with her remarkable debut novel, ‘White Teeth’ – a brilliant comic tale of modern multicultural Britain. Her latest novel, ‘NW’ (which I have just finished reading as an unabridged audio book read by Karen Bryson and Don Gilet), is a more serious affair. It’s a fascinating book which tells of the lives of two thirty-something women who grew up together on an estate in North West London. The first section focuses on Leah Hanwell, her family and friends in the present day – gradually filling in her backstory through flashback and reminiscence. The writing is teasingly impressionistic, giving us all the pieces of Leah’s life but leaving the reader to complete the jigsaw. At first this style felt difficult to follow and I was frustrated by the slow progress of what I had assumed was to be the main plot. But after a while you learn to let the stream of consciousness flow over you and the richness of the beautifully written prose builds a wonderfully rounded picture. The second half of the book gives us the life story of Leah’s childhood friend Keisha Blake, in linear, chronological order through a rapid series of nearly 200 very short chapters. This section felt easier and more enjoyable to read and the inevitable convergence of Leah and Keisha’s stories had a satisfying feel. Buried almost unseen in the middle of the stories of these two women there is a small, sad murder mystery that pulls the various strands of the novel together. ‘NW’ is an epic London novel with a Dickensian feel – a ‘Bleak House’ for the 21st century, perhaps.
Zadie Smith burst onto the literary scene in 2000 with her remarkable debut novel, ‘White Teeth’ – a brilliant comic tale of modern multicultural Britain. Her latest novel, ‘NW’ (which I have just finished reading as an unabridged audio book read by Karen Bryson and Don Gilet), is a more serious affair. It’s a fascinating book which tells of the lives of two thirty-something women who grew up together on an estate in North West London. The first section focuses on Leah Hanwell, her family and friends in the present day – gradually filling in her backstory through flashback and reminiscence. The writing is teasingly impressionistic, giving us all the pieces of Leah’s life but leaving the reader to complete the jigsaw. At first this style felt difficult to follow and I was frustrated by the slow progress of what I had assumed was to be the main plot. But after a while you learn to let the stream of consciousness flow over you and the richness of the beautifully written prose builds a wonderfully rounded picture. The second half of the book gives us the life story of Leah’s childhood friend Keisha Blake, in linear, chronological order through a rapid series of nearly 200 very short chapters. This section felt easier and more enjoyable to read and the inevitable convergence of Leah and Keisha’s stories had a satisfying feel. Buried almost unseen in the middle of the stories of these two women there is a small, sad murder mystery that pulls the various strands of the novel together. ‘NW’ is an epic London novel with a Dickensian feel – a ‘Bleak House’ for the 21st century, perhaps.
Friday, November 02, 2012
'Medea' by Euripides: a new version by Mike Bartlett
2 November 2012
On Saturday we were at the Watford Palace Theatre to see Mike Bartlett’s new contemporary version of ‘Medea’ by Euripides (a Watford Palace, Headlong and Citizens Theatre, Glasgow joint production). After a hectic week at work I wasn't sure I was really in the mood for Greek tragedy but this was a very witty, tragi-comic ‘Medea’ which preserved all the original elements (right through to the inevitable, bloody conclusion) while creating a really enjoyable, and often very funny, piece of theatre. This didn't feel like ancient characters merely transplanted into a modern setting but a very believable 21st century domestic drama. Rachael Stirling was great in the title role – simultaneously distraught, disturbed, angry, clever, witty and self-aware. And a special mention should also go to the wonderful life-size doll’s house set (by Ruari Murchison) with its sliding walls revealing each of the rooms of Medea’s home in turn.
On Saturday we were at the Watford Palace Theatre to see Mike Bartlett’s new contemporary version of ‘Medea’ by Euripides (a Watford Palace, Headlong and Citizens Theatre, Glasgow joint production). After a hectic week at work I wasn't sure I was really in the mood for Greek tragedy but this was a very witty, tragi-comic ‘Medea’ which preserved all the original elements (right through to the inevitable, bloody conclusion) while creating a really enjoyable, and often very funny, piece of theatre. This didn't feel like ancient characters merely transplanted into a modern setting but a very believable 21st century domestic drama. Rachael Stirling was great in the title role – simultaneously distraught, disturbed, angry, clever, witty and self-aware. And a special mention should also go to the wonderful life-size doll’s house set (by Ruari Murchison) with its sliding walls revealing each of the rooms of Medea’s home in turn.
Friday, October 26, 2012
'Black Box' by Jennifer Egan
26 October 2012
One of my favourite recent novels was 'A Visit from the Goon Squad' by Jennifer Egan (reviewed here in July 2011). I've just read Jennifer Egan’s latest book ‘Black Box’ which takes one of the characters from ‘A Visit from the Good Squad’ into a story of her own. But ‘Black Box’ is a very different kind of book. It is extremely short (really a short story rather than a novel), it is written entirely in the second person and it was originally written (and published) entirely on Twitter. The story therefore consists of a series of short sentences, each no more than 140 characters. At first this feels very odd and disjointed but soon you get used to the rhythm and poetry of this structure and you focus on the story itself. It’s a peculiarly interesting and enjoyable experiment.
One of my favourite recent novels was 'A Visit from the Goon Squad' by Jennifer Egan (reviewed here in July 2011). I've just read Jennifer Egan’s latest book ‘Black Box’ which takes one of the characters from ‘A Visit from the Good Squad’ into a story of her own. But ‘Black Box’ is a very different kind of book. It is extremely short (really a short story rather than a novel), it is written entirely in the second person and it was originally written (and published) entirely on Twitter. The story therefore consists of a series of short sentences, each no more than 140 characters. At first this feels very odd and disjointed but soon you get used to the rhythm and poetry of this structure and you focus on the story itself. It’s a peculiarly interesting and enjoyable experiment.
'The Woman in White' by Wilkie Collins
26 October 2012
I really enjoyed 'The Moonstone' by Wilkie Collins (reviewed here in June 2009) so I thought I would explore some of his other novels. I've just finished ‘The Woman in White’ – an intriguing Victorian mystery thriller. Through a series of first person narratives from different perspectives a pseudo-legal case is built to prove how the young heroine has been wronged by her husband and to unearth the murky secrets of his past. It’s a cleverly constructed book with an unpredictable and gripping plot that I enjoyed being wrong-footed by several times. Collins is also very funny, drawing comic portraits of characters from one person’s perspective that are confirmed through their own words when the relevant character becomes the story’s narrator (something he also did in ‘The Moonstone’). I'm looking forward to reading more by him.
I really enjoyed 'The Moonstone' by Wilkie Collins (reviewed here in June 2009) so I thought I would explore some of his other novels. I've just finished ‘The Woman in White’ – an intriguing Victorian mystery thriller. Through a series of first person narratives from different perspectives a pseudo-legal case is built to prove how the young heroine has been wronged by her husband and to unearth the murky secrets of his past. It’s a cleverly constructed book with an unpredictable and gripping plot that I enjoyed being wrong-footed by several times. Collins is also very funny, drawing comic portraits of characters from one person’s perspective that are confirmed through their own words when the relevant character becomes the story’s narrator (something he also did in ‘The Moonstone’). I'm looking forward to reading more by him.
The Western Mediterranean
26 October 2012
We had a wonderful two weeks on board the P&O cruise liner, Ventura, in the Western Mediterranean. This was an even bigger ship than the Oriana which we went to Norway on earlier this year but the food, service and entertainment were of the same excellent standard. We ate far too much but worked some of it off through an intensive programme of ballroom dancing on board and walking on our days on land. We visited seven places: Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Elba, Rome, Naples, Alicante and Gibraltar. In the limited time available we only scratched the surface of the big cities but we enjoyed our whistle-stop tours. We did a lovely 9-mile hike on the isle of Elba, over a wooded hill to a secluded bay and back round the coast. Another highlight was our first visit to Pompeii which was as fascinating as I was expecting but a much bigger site than I had realised. We took the cable car to the top of the rock in Gibraltar and encountered the famous Barbary apes. It was a great holiday.
We had a wonderful two weeks on board the P&O cruise liner, Ventura, in the Western Mediterranean. This was an even bigger ship than the Oriana which we went to Norway on earlier this year but the food, service and entertainment were of the same excellent standard. We ate far too much but worked some of it off through an intensive programme of ballroom dancing on board and walking on our days on land. We visited seven places: Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Elba, Rome, Naples, Alicante and Gibraltar. In the limited time available we only scratched the surface of the big cities but we enjoyed our whistle-stop tours. We did a lovely 9-mile hike on the isle of Elba, over a wooded hill to a secluded bay and back round the coast. Another highlight was our first visit to Pompeii which was as fascinating as I was expecting but a much bigger site than I had realised. We took the cable car to the top of the rock in Gibraltar and encountered the famous Barbary apes. It was a great holiday.
Thursday, October 04, 2012
'Rope' by Patrick Hamilton
4 October 2012
We are back at the tiny TADS Theatre in Toddington on Saturday to see Patrick Hamilton’s 1929 play ‘Rope’ – famously filmed by Alfred Hitchcock. This was another great TADS production, directed by Lea Pryer. The balance between tension and comic relief was expertly managed as the murderers Brandon and Granillo serve dinner to their guests on top of the trunk which only they know contains the body of their victim. James Sygrove gave a fantastically physical performance as Granillo – his guilty looks, nervous twitches and descent into hysterical terror about what he has done all accomplished with great subtlety. Cameron Hay handled Brandon’s brash confidence well and Stephen Pryer’s expressive face showed us every thought process as their friend Rupert Cadell begins to suspect that all is not what it seems.
We are back at the tiny TADS Theatre in Toddington on Saturday to see Patrick Hamilton’s 1929 play ‘Rope’ – famously filmed by Alfred Hitchcock. This was another great TADS production, directed by Lea Pryer. The balance between tension and comic relief was expertly managed as the murderers Brandon and Granillo serve dinner to their guests on top of the trunk which only they know contains the body of their victim. James Sygrove gave a fantastically physical performance as Granillo – his guilty looks, nervous twitches and descent into hysterical terror about what he has done all accomplished with great subtlety. Cameron Hay handled Brandon’s brash confidence well and Stephen Pryer’s expressive face showed us every thought process as their friend Rupert Cadell begins to suspect that all is not what it seems.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
'Lost in Yonkers' by Neil Simon
26 September 2012
On Saturday we were at the Watford Palace Theatre to see ‘Lost in Yonkers’ by Neil Simon. This Pulitzer Prize-winning play from 1991 is clearly a mature work which marries Simon’s trademark comic quips and wry observations with an achingly poignant tale of family relationships and dependency set against a backdrop of war in 1940s New York. We see events through the eyes of two Jewish teenage boys who have to move in with their fearsome German grandmother while their father is away on business, but it is the boys’ Aunt who emerges as the heart of the story. Her imperfect memory and ditzy absent-mindedness initially make her seem a peripheral, comic character, but she gradually moves centre-stage and her yearning to leave her over-bearing mother and start her own family is terribly moving. The Watford Palace production was excellent with strong performances throughout the cast, particularly Laura Howard as Aunt Bella – looking and sounding uncannily like Kristen Schaal’s goofy New Yoik stalker-fan Mel in ‘Flight of the Conchords’.
On Saturday we were at the Watford Palace Theatre to see ‘Lost in Yonkers’ by Neil Simon. This Pulitzer Prize-winning play from 1991 is clearly a mature work which marries Simon’s trademark comic quips and wry observations with an achingly poignant tale of family relationships and dependency set against a backdrop of war in 1940s New York. We see events through the eyes of two Jewish teenage boys who have to move in with their fearsome German grandmother while their father is away on business, but it is the boys’ Aunt who emerges as the heart of the story. Her imperfect memory and ditzy absent-mindedness initially make her seem a peripheral, comic character, but she gradually moves centre-stage and her yearning to leave her over-bearing mother and start her own family is terribly moving. The Watford Palace production was excellent with strong performances throughout the cast, particularly Laura Howard as Aunt Bella – looking and sounding uncannily like Kristen Schaal’s goofy New Yoik stalker-fan Mel in ‘Flight of the Conchords’.
‘The Slap’ by Christos Tsiolkas
26 September 2012
I’ve just finished reading Christos Tsiolkas’s novel ‘The Slap’ (as an unabridged audio book narrated by Alex Dimitriades). ‘The Slap’ seemed to attract equal amounts of praise and condemnation on its publication in 2009 – its readers taking sides in much the same way as the central plot divides the novel’s characters. The book starts with a family barbecue in Melbourne at which an adult loses patience with an unruly child and strikes the toddler. The rest of the book deals with the reactions of those present, dividing friends and families as to whether this was a justified ‘slap’ or an unpardonable act of violence by an adult on a child. The novel is structured as a series of eight interlinked short stories, each showing the point of view of one of the people present at the barbecue. This allows Christos Tsiolkas to fill in the backstory of each of the families and friends and provides an interesting exploration of varying ethnic and cultural backgrounds and different generations. I liked the way the reader is kept guessing which character is really at the centre of the story. And there is an intriguing inevitability to the way another ‘slap’ occurs towards the end of the story – thought not quite in the way you expect. But I’m not sure I really enjoyed ‘The Slap’: almost all of the characters seem fairly unlikeable – violent, misogynist, deceiving, swearing, drug-taking and cruel. ‘The Slap’ is a very clever novel but I found it a bit cold.
I’ve just finished reading Christos Tsiolkas’s novel ‘The Slap’ (as an unabridged audio book narrated by Alex Dimitriades). ‘The Slap’ seemed to attract equal amounts of praise and condemnation on its publication in 2009 – its readers taking sides in much the same way as the central plot divides the novel’s characters. The book starts with a family barbecue in Melbourne at which an adult loses patience with an unruly child and strikes the toddler. The rest of the book deals with the reactions of those present, dividing friends and families as to whether this was a justified ‘slap’ or an unpardonable act of violence by an adult on a child. The novel is structured as a series of eight interlinked short stories, each showing the point of view of one of the people present at the barbecue. This allows Christos Tsiolkas to fill in the backstory of each of the families and friends and provides an interesting exploration of varying ethnic and cultural backgrounds and different generations. I liked the way the reader is kept guessing which character is really at the centre of the story. And there is an intriguing inevitability to the way another ‘slap’ occurs towards the end of the story – thought not quite in the way you expect. But I’m not sure I really enjoyed ‘The Slap’: almost all of the characters seem fairly unlikeable – violent, misogynist, deceiving, swearing, drug-taking and cruel. ‘The Slap’ is a very clever novel but I found it a bit cold.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
'Bully Boy' by Sandi Toksvig
19 September 2012
Last Saturday we were at the Royal Theatre in Northampton to see ‘Bully Boy’, a new play by Sandi Toksvig which explores the mental health problems suffered by soldiers who have seen active service. The play is a two-hander in which a Major (with his own physical injuries as a result of serving in the Falklands) investigates a young Private who was involved in an incident in Afghanistan in which a young civilian boy was killed. This disturbing subject matter is dealt with cleverly, believably and movingly: there are some nice touches of humour but this is a serious work. In 100 minutes of uninterrupted drama the audience’s attention is held with a measured mixture of pace, plot and movement. Anthony Andrews gives a subtle and thoughtful performance as the Major and Joshua Miles brings an incredible twitchy physicality to the troubled young soldier (and demonstrates a near-perfect Burnley accent!). Simon Higlett’s set makes creative use of projection to conjure up a wide variety of environments. ‘Bully Boy’ is an excellent piece of theatre – entertaining, disturbing and thought-provoking.
Last Saturday we were at the Royal Theatre in Northampton to see ‘Bully Boy’, a new play by Sandi Toksvig which explores the mental health problems suffered by soldiers who have seen active service. The play is a two-hander in which a Major (with his own physical injuries as a result of serving in the Falklands) investigates a young Private who was involved in an incident in Afghanistan in which a young civilian boy was killed. This disturbing subject matter is dealt with cleverly, believably and movingly: there are some nice touches of humour but this is a serious work. In 100 minutes of uninterrupted drama the audience’s attention is held with a measured mixture of pace, plot and movement. Anthony Andrews gives a subtle and thoughtful performance as the Major and Joshua Miles brings an incredible twitchy physicality to the troubled young soldier (and demonstrates a near-perfect Burnley accent!). Simon Higlett’s set makes creative use of projection to conjure up a wide variety of environments. ‘Bully Boy’ is an excellent piece of theatre – entertaining, disturbing and thought-provoking.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Bandstand Marathon 2012
14 September 2012
At 1 pm last Sunday afternoon simultaneous performances started at 300 locations across the UK as part of Bandstand Marathon 2012. We were at the amphitheatre in Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, to see the BradwellSilver Band. It was a lovely sunny afternoon, though the wind presented some challenges with gusts occasionally carrying away sheet music and even a music stand! The Bradwell Silver Band treated us to a mixed programme that included classical music, big band jazz and pop and many pieces with an Olympic connection. It was great fun: watching a band on a bandstand on a sunny Sunday afternoon felt charmingly old-fashioned yet clearly appealed to an audience of all ages. Best of all there were some very young children dancing enthusiastically in front of the bandstand. One boy was using his grandfather’s walking stick like Fred Astaire dancing with a cane. When the music stopped he held the walking stick against his leg, upside down so that the curved handle was on the floor, and bent his leg upwards so that he was standing on one leg, proudly declaring “I’m Jonnie Peacock”. The kids proceeded to enact a series of Paralympic races, emulating their disabled heroes. It was a London 2012 moment!
At 1 pm last Sunday afternoon simultaneous performances started at 300 locations across the UK as part of Bandstand Marathon 2012. We were at the amphitheatre in Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, to see the BradwellSilver Band. It was a lovely sunny afternoon, though the wind presented some challenges with gusts occasionally carrying away sheet music and even a music stand! The Bradwell Silver Band treated us to a mixed programme that included classical music, big band jazz and pop and many pieces with an Olympic connection. It was great fun: watching a band on a bandstand on a sunny Sunday afternoon felt charmingly old-fashioned yet clearly appealed to an audience of all ages. Best of all there were some very young children dancing enthusiastically in front of the bandstand. One boy was using his grandfather’s walking stick like Fred Astaire dancing with a cane. When the music stopped he held the walking stick against his leg, upside down so that the curved handle was on the floor, and bent his leg upwards so that he was standing on one leg, proudly declaring “I’m Jonnie Peacock”. The kids proceeded to enact a series of Paralympic races, emulating their disabled heroes. It was a London 2012 moment!
Friday, September 07, 2012
London 2012 Paralympic Games
7 September 2012
We spent most of last weekend at the Olympic Park in Stratford, East London, watching the Paralympics athletics and track-cycling. It was a fantastic experience. The Olympic Park is wonderful and the organisation, the venues, the wildflowers, the weather and, of course, the Games Maker volunteers were all excellent. You can see a selection of my photos at: http://www.culturaloutlook.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/London2012.
The atmosphere in the velodrome was electric, though the temperature was like a sauna! We really enjoyed watching the sprints with their hesitant ‘cat and mouse’ manoeuvring followed by a sudden dive for position and a desperate race for the line – much more thrilling when the two bikes involved are tandems, and particularly enjoyable as there was an all British final to the men’s individual B sprint with Anthony Kappes and Craig MacLean securing the gold medals and Neil Fachie and Barney Storey the silver. It was great to see the medal ceremony in a packed crowd all singing ‘God Save the Queen’.
We were also very lucky to be in the Olympic Stadium for two evening sessions of athletics. Saturday was definitely Irish Night in the stadium as we watched Jason Smyth win the T13 100m and Michael McKillop triumph in the T37 1500 m. On Sunday saw Oscar Pistorius dramatically beaten by Alan Oliveira of Brazil in the T44 200m – though Oliveira’s incredible acceleration in the last few metres didn’t come as too much of a surprise, having been there to see him do something similar in his semi-final the previous day. We got to sing the national anthem in the stadium too, as we saw the Duchess of Cambridge present the gold medal to the F42 discus champion Aled Davies. And we finished our Paralympic experience on the high of seeing David Weir win the T54 5000m, late on Sunday evening. The entire crowd was on its feet for the whole of the last lap and it was truly thrilling.
As someone who has been eagerly looking forward to London 2012 for the past 7 years, I am delighted to be able to report that the experience exceeded my expectations: it was brilliant!
We spent most of last weekend at the Olympic Park in Stratford, East London, watching the Paralympics athletics and track-cycling. It was a fantastic experience. The Olympic Park is wonderful and the organisation, the venues, the wildflowers, the weather and, of course, the Games Maker volunteers were all excellent. You can see a selection of my photos at: http://www.culturaloutlook.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/London2012.
The atmosphere in the velodrome was electric, though the temperature was like a sauna! We really enjoyed watching the sprints with their hesitant ‘cat and mouse’ manoeuvring followed by a sudden dive for position and a desperate race for the line – much more thrilling when the two bikes involved are tandems, and particularly enjoyable as there was an all British final to the men’s individual B sprint with Anthony Kappes and Craig MacLean securing the gold medals and Neil Fachie and Barney Storey the silver. It was great to see the medal ceremony in a packed crowd all singing ‘God Save the Queen’.
We were also very lucky to be in the Olympic Stadium for two evening sessions of athletics. Saturday was definitely Irish Night in the stadium as we watched Jason Smyth win the T13 100m and Michael McKillop triumph in the T37 1500 m. On Sunday saw Oscar Pistorius dramatically beaten by Alan Oliveira of Brazil in the T44 200m – though Oliveira’s incredible acceleration in the last few metres didn’t come as too much of a surprise, having been there to see him do something similar in his semi-final the previous day. We got to sing the national anthem in the stadium too, as we saw the Duchess of Cambridge present the gold medal to the F42 discus champion Aled Davies. And we finished our Paralympic experience on the high of seeing David Weir win the T54 5000m, late on Sunday evening. The entire crowd was on its feet for the whole of the last lap and it was truly thrilling.
As someone who has been eagerly looking forward to London 2012 for the past 7 years, I am delighted to be able to report that the experience exceeded my expectations: it was brilliant!
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