28 June 2019
I have written here before about Andrea Levy’s ‘Small Island’ – one of my favourite novels of recent years – a moving tale of Caribbean immigrants to the UK after the Second World War which manages to show you events through the eyes of each of the main protagonists so that you amazingly find yourself simultaneously sympathising with both sides of the racial prejudice at the heart of the story. It’s a brilliant novel and I had some trepidation about going to see the NTLive screening of Rufus Norris’s National Theatre production of Helen Edmundson’s stage adaptation of ‘Small Island’ at the Odeon in Milton Keynes on Thursday. Much as I knew I would enjoy revisiting Andrea Levy’s rich characters, I worried that the theatrical version would have to reduce a long and complex book so much that the best aspects might be lost. I need not have worried. Helen Edmundson has created a very inventive play of two halves which works extremely well. Whereas the novel starts with the arrival in post-war London, from Jamaica, of Hortense and Gilbert and then fills in the back story of each of the main characters through lengthy flashbacks, the stage version uses the flashbacks to create a linear, chronological first half. Rufus Norris uses the vast stage of the Olivier Theatre to create an epic, cinematic story, spanning decades and continents. After the interval the second half of the play starts with Hortense and Gilbert arriving in London and tells their ‘present day’ story as a more straightforward play-within-the-play, claustrophobically focussed on two rooms in Queenie’s house. By the time we get to this main story of West Indian immigrants coping with the harsh realities of 1940s London, we already know each character well. It’s an incredibly emotional story – funny, moving and shocking. It was great to be in a packed cinema to experience the collective gasps of the audience at some of the viciously racist language. And the acting was excellent, with the two female leads – Leah Harvey as Hortense and Aisling Loftus as Queenie – both outstanding. My only slight disappointment was with the portrayal of Queenie’s husband, Bernard. I think Andrea Levy’s greatest achievement in the novel was to allow the reader despise this most horribly racist bully, before filling in his backstory (particularly his experiences in the RAF in Burma and India) and making us shocked to find we can begin to find some sympathy for Bernard. In the play I felt the actor playing Bernard was too young: in the early scenes he came across as a socially awkward young man who was slightly too likeable. And because Bernard’s wartime experiences are cut from the play, and only briefly referred to in passing, we don’t really get the chance to see events from his point of view, making him seem jarringly unredeemed at the end. But apart from this slightly missed opportunity, the National Theatre production of ‘Small Island’ was truly excellent and it was wonderful to see it attracting a truly diverse audience – both in the theatre and the cinema.
Friday, June 28, 2019
Friday, June 21, 2019
Fever-Tree Tennis Championships 2019 at Queen's Club, London
21 June 2019
On Thursday we made a first-ever visit to the Queen’s Club in West London to see the pre-Wimbledon Fever-Tree Championships. After most of the matches scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday were postponed by rain, we were extremely lucky to see more than nine hours of uninterrupted tennis on Centre Court. The Argentinian clay-court specialist Diego Schwartzman played brilliantly to beat reigning champion Marin Čilić in straight sets. We saw two extremely close matches decided by final set tie breaks, with Nicolas Mahut triumphing over Stan Wawrinka (in the best match of the day) and the top seed, Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, finally beating Jérémy Chardy of France after both men had succumbed to nerves when serving for the match. Finally we were thrilled to see the return to competitive tennis of Andy Murray, playing doubles with Feliciano López. Murray got an incredible reception from the Centre Court crowd and he and Lopez won a thrilling match against the top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah at the end of a wonderful day of tennis at Queen’s.
On Thursday we made a first-ever visit to the Queen’s Club in West London to see the pre-Wimbledon Fever-Tree Championships. After most of the matches scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday were postponed by rain, we were extremely lucky to see more than nine hours of uninterrupted tennis on Centre Court. The Argentinian clay-court specialist Diego Schwartzman played brilliantly to beat reigning champion Marin Čilić in straight sets. We saw two extremely close matches decided by final set tie breaks, with Nicolas Mahut triumphing over Stan Wawrinka (in the best match of the day) and the top seed, Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, finally beating Jérémy Chardy of France after both men had succumbed to nerves when serving for the match. Finally we were thrilled to see the return to competitive tennis of Andy Murray, playing doubles with Feliciano López. Murray got an incredible reception from the Centre Court crowd and he and Lopez won a thrilling match against the top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah at the end of a wonderful day of tennis at Queen’s.
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Northampton Symphony Orchestra concert
18 June 2019
The Northampton Symphony Orchestra held its first rehearsal on 24 October 1893 with 21 members and gave its first concert in a crowded Northampton Town Hall on 20 January 1894, having grown to 40 players. The programme consisted of a large number of short ‘light’ pieces, including songs. The orchestra’s second concert the following November was a ‘grand success’ and the £10 surplus from the concert was used to buy 31 music stands and a cupboard to keep them in. In the following 125 years the Northampton Symphony Orchestra has gone through many changes but, in celebrating this momentous anniversary with a gala concert at the Derngate in Northampton last Saturday, I think we showed that the orchestra is arguably the biggest and best it has ever been. We had assembled a mammoth orchestra (116 players) for a mammoth programme.
The concert opened with a new piece commissioned by NSO to mark its 125th anniversary. ‘Overture: From the Heart of the Rose’ by the young composer Alga Mau, paints a picture of Northampton and the surrounding countryside from the bustling Victorian town of 1893 to the present day. It is, in part, a deliberate homage to the music of Eric Coates, whose ‘London Suite’ Alga Mau remembers playing during his time in the Northamptonshire County Training Orchestra. The overture is a tuneful, jolly piece which deserves many more performances. It was followed by a rousing performance of William Walton’s ‘Crown Imperial’, written for the coronation of King George VI in 1937, perhaps the best known piece on the programme.
The climax of the first half of the concert was Tchaikovsky’s ‘Piano Concerto No 2’ played by Peter Donohoe, who has been one of the UK’s best known pianists since winning the International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow in 1982. I have fond memories of performing the Grieg Piano Concerto with Peter Donohoe in a youth orchestra concert in Manchester when I was still at school and it was amazing to see him again so many years later with the same virtuoso technique, thrilling style and showmanship. Tchaikovsky’s Second Piano Concerto is a huge and fascinating work but is much less often performed than its more famous predecessor. The first movement lasts more than twenty minutes and feels almost like a complete work in itself: applause from our audience in the Derngate felt natural and deserved, and was smilingly acknowledged by Peter Donohoe. The second movement of the concerto is a beautiful and surprising triple concerto for violin, ‘cello and piano. In Saturday’s concert the orchestra’s Leader, Stephen Hague, and Principal ‘Cellist, Corinne Malitskie, played the solo parts stunningly. It was a mesmerising performance which transfixed the large Derngate audience – a real highpoint of the evening. The final movement of the concerto was a frenetic romp with Peter Donohoe racing the orchestra to a thrilling finish. He then treated us to an encore, playing the teasingly contemplative ‘Dumka’ by Tchaikovsky.
In the second half of the concert we played ‘An Alpine Symphony’ by Richard Strauss – a piece most French horn players dream of playing but rarely have the opportunity. The symphony is scored for 20 horns – 8 horns on stage (including 4 also playing Wagner tubas) and 12 offstage horns (4 playing each of 3 parts). Given that most orchestras usually have 4 horn players it is a major challenge to amass sufficient forces. We managed to bring together 17 horn players (from orchestras in Northampton, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Luton and Windsor & Maidenhead) which allowed us to cover all the parts and sounded fantastic. ‘An Alpine Symphony’ was one of the first pieces I played with NSO – in a one-day workshop with members of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in 2000 – and it was amazing to finally get the chance to perform the symphony in a concert 19 years later, as part of this massive horn section.
Richard Strauss’s programmatic symphony tells the story, in 22 short movements, of a mountain climb in the Alps. The trek begins before dawn, witnesses sunrise before embarking on the main ascent, travels through woods, by a brook and past a waterfall. It continues through flowering meadows, past cattle grazing on high pasture, emerging into bright sunlight on the glacier then reaching the summit. In the descent the party are caught in a furious storm before the symphony finishes back at the foot of the mountain with sunset and a return to night.
One of the most memorable moments of the symphony is the sound of a hunt in the distance, created by an offstage brass section. This offstage section only lasts about 40 seconds, and happens about 6 minutes after the start of this long symphony, so I am particularly grateful to everyone who joined us on Saturday just to create this brief but vital musical moment. I think the offstage section went even better in performance than it had in rehearsal, perfectly co-ordinated with the orchestra on stage, and it sounded fantastic.
The Alpine Symphony was a considerable challenge for the orchestra but I think our performance was really special. NSO conductor John Gibbons, who was deservedly awarded a British Empire Medal, for services to music, in the Queen’s Birthday Honours last week, managed to create a moving, disciplined and powerful performance from the mass of performers on and off stage. There were so many highlights it would be impossible to mention them all but I particularly loved our brilliant percussion section who created a terrifying storm, and the brass section were outstanding with amazingly piercing high notes from the trumpets. For me, however, there was nothing better than that magical moment, at the summit of the mountain, when the 12 onstage horns all played together for the first time. It was incredible to be part of this huge team effort, and it was a wonderful way to celebrate 125 years of the Northampton Symphony Orchestra.
[Many thanks to Graham Tear's excellent programme notes from which I have blatantly pinched!]
The Northampton Symphony Orchestra held its first rehearsal on 24 October 1893 with 21 members and gave its first concert in a crowded Northampton Town Hall on 20 January 1894, having grown to 40 players. The programme consisted of a large number of short ‘light’ pieces, including songs. The orchestra’s second concert the following November was a ‘grand success’ and the £10 surplus from the concert was used to buy 31 music stands and a cupboard to keep them in. In the following 125 years the Northampton Symphony Orchestra has gone through many changes but, in celebrating this momentous anniversary with a gala concert at the Derngate in Northampton last Saturday, I think we showed that the orchestra is arguably the biggest and best it has ever been. We had assembled a mammoth orchestra (116 players) for a mammoth programme.
The concert opened with a new piece commissioned by NSO to mark its 125th anniversary. ‘Overture: From the Heart of the Rose’ by the young composer Alga Mau, paints a picture of Northampton and the surrounding countryside from the bustling Victorian town of 1893 to the present day. It is, in part, a deliberate homage to the music of Eric Coates, whose ‘London Suite’ Alga Mau remembers playing during his time in the Northamptonshire County Training Orchestra. The overture is a tuneful, jolly piece which deserves many more performances. It was followed by a rousing performance of William Walton’s ‘Crown Imperial’, written for the coronation of King George VI in 1937, perhaps the best known piece on the programme.
The climax of the first half of the concert was Tchaikovsky’s ‘Piano Concerto No 2’ played by Peter Donohoe, who has been one of the UK’s best known pianists since winning the International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow in 1982. I have fond memories of performing the Grieg Piano Concerto with Peter Donohoe in a youth orchestra concert in Manchester when I was still at school and it was amazing to see him again so many years later with the same virtuoso technique, thrilling style and showmanship. Tchaikovsky’s Second Piano Concerto is a huge and fascinating work but is much less often performed than its more famous predecessor. The first movement lasts more than twenty minutes and feels almost like a complete work in itself: applause from our audience in the Derngate felt natural and deserved, and was smilingly acknowledged by Peter Donohoe. The second movement of the concerto is a beautiful and surprising triple concerto for violin, ‘cello and piano. In Saturday’s concert the orchestra’s Leader, Stephen Hague, and Principal ‘Cellist, Corinne Malitskie, played the solo parts stunningly. It was a mesmerising performance which transfixed the large Derngate audience – a real highpoint of the evening. The final movement of the concerto was a frenetic romp with Peter Donohoe racing the orchestra to a thrilling finish. He then treated us to an encore, playing the teasingly contemplative ‘Dumka’ by Tchaikovsky.
In the second half of the concert we played ‘An Alpine Symphony’ by Richard Strauss – a piece most French horn players dream of playing but rarely have the opportunity. The symphony is scored for 20 horns – 8 horns on stage (including 4 also playing Wagner tubas) and 12 offstage horns (4 playing each of 3 parts). Given that most orchestras usually have 4 horn players it is a major challenge to amass sufficient forces. We managed to bring together 17 horn players (from orchestras in Northampton, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Luton and Windsor & Maidenhead) which allowed us to cover all the parts and sounded fantastic. ‘An Alpine Symphony’ was one of the first pieces I played with NSO – in a one-day workshop with members of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in 2000 – and it was amazing to finally get the chance to perform the symphony in a concert 19 years later, as part of this massive horn section.
Richard Strauss’s programmatic symphony tells the story, in 22 short movements, of a mountain climb in the Alps. The trek begins before dawn, witnesses sunrise before embarking on the main ascent, travels through woods, by a brook and past a waterfall. It continues through flowering meadows, past cattle grazing on high pasture, emerging into bright sunlight on the glacier then reaching the summit. In the descent the party are caught in a furious storm before the symphony finishes back at the foot of the mountain with sunset and a return to night.
One of the most memorable moments of the symphony is the sound of a hunt in the distance, created by an offstage brass section. This offstage section only lasts about 40 seconds, and happens about 6 minutes after the start of this long symphony, so I am particularly grateful to everyone who joined us on Saturday just to create this brief but vital musical moment. I think the offstage section went even better in performance than it had in rehearsal, perfectly co-ordinated with the orchestra on stage, and it sounded fantastic.
The Alpine Symphony was a considerable challenge for the orchestra but I think our performance was really special. NSO conductor John Gibbons, who was deservedly awarded a British Empire Medal, for services to music, in the Queen’s Birthday Honours last week, managed to create a moving, disciplined and powerful performance from the mass of performers on and off stage. There were so many highlights it would be impossible to mention them all but I particularly loved our brilliant percussion section who created a terrifying storm, and the brass section were outstanding with amazingly piercing high notes from the trumpets. For me, however, there was nothing better than that magical moment, at the summit of the mountain, when the 12 onstage horns all played together for the first time. It was incredible to be part of this huge team effort, and it was a wonderful way to celebrate 125 years of the Northampton Symphony Orchestra.
[Many thanks to Graham Tear's excellent programme notes from which I have blatantly pinched!]
Friday, June 14, 2019
'The Pope' by Anthony McCarten
14 June 2019
The Royal Theatre in Northampton is on an impressive run of form. The last three home-grown productions we have seen there have all been excellent ('Ghosts' by Henrik Ibsen, reviewed here in April 2019, 'The Remains of the Day' by Kazuo Ishiguro, reviewed here in March 2019, and 'Our Lady of Kibeho' by Katori Hall, reviewed here in January 2019). Royal and Derngate Artistic Director James Dacre’s production of Anthony McCarten’s new play ‘The Pope’, which we saw at the Royal Theatre on Thursday, maintains this glowing track record. Anthony McCarten is an award-winning screenwriter and film producer whose credits include ‘The Theory of Everything’, ‘Darkest Hour’ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ – all fictionalised versions of relatively recent events. ‘The Pope’ is an even more contemporary tale, looking at the decision in 2013 of Pope Benedict XVI to resign – the first Pope to do so for more than 700 years. Anton Lesser plays Pope Benedict with Nicholas Woodeson as Cardinal Bergoglio (the future Pope Francis). The play has a simple and very effective structure, with mirrored scenes in the first half in which both men explain their intentions to female confidantes before the two of them come together for an extended dialogue to attempt to resolve their impasse. The script is remarkably witty – very funny without ever being disrespectful – and the play focuses on the contrasting characters of two men with a common purpose. Anton Lesser and Nicholas Woodeson are wonderful – it’s a great two-hander.
The Royal Theatre in Northampton is on an impressive run of form. The last three home-grown productions we have seen there have all been excellent ('Ghosts' by Henrik Ibsen, reviewed here in April 2019, 'The Remains of the Day' by Kazuo Ishiguro, reviewed here in March 2019, and 'Our Lady of Kibeho' by Katori Hall, reviewed here in January 2019). Royal and Derngate Artistic Director James Dacre’s production of Anthony McCarten’s new play ‘The Pope’, which we saw at the Royal Theatre on Thursday, maintains this glowing track record. Anthony McCarten is an award-winning screenwriter and film producer whose credits include ‘The Theory of Everything’, ‘Darkest Hour’ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ – all fictionalised versions of relatively recent events. ‘The Pope’ is an even more contemporary tale, looking at the decision in 2013 of Pope Benedict XVI to resign – the first Pope to do so for more than 700 years. Anton Lesser plays Pope Benedict with Nicholas Woodeson as Cardinal Bergoglio (the future Pope Francis). The play has a simple and very effective structure, with mirrored scenes in the first half in which both men explain their intentions to female confidantes before the two of them come together for an extended dialogue to attempt to resolve their impasse. The script is remarkably witty – very funny without ever being disrespectful – and the play focuses on the contrasting characters of two men with a common purpose. Anton Lesser and Nicholas Woodeson are wonderful – it’s a great two-hander.
Friday, June 07, 2019
‘Mum’ by Stefan Golaszewski
7 June 2019
I’ve written here before about ‘Mum’, Stefan Golaszewski’s brilliantly bittersweet TV sitcom starring Lesley Manville (reviewed here in March 2018). As the third and final series comes to an end on BBC2, I have to reinforce my earlier praise. Over the three short series, every one of the seemingly ridiculous characters becomes completely sympathetic, without ever losing their obnoxious traits. It is beautifully written and wonderfully acted drama. All the actors are fantastic but Karl Johnson and Marlene Sidaway’s foul-mouthed grandparents deserve a series of their own! In this golden age of television, ‘Mum’ is one of the most precious gems.
I’ve written here before about ‘Mum’, Stefan Golaszewski’s brilliantly bittersweet TV sitcom starring Lesley Manville (reviewed here in March 2018). As the third and final series comes to an end on BBC2, I have to reinforce my earlier praise. Over the three short series, every one of the seemingly ridiculous characters becomes completely sympathetic, without ever losing their obnoxious traits. It is beautifully written and wonderfully acted drama. All the actors are fantastic but Karl Johnson and Marlene Sidaway’s foul-mouthed grandparents deserve a series of their own! In this golden age of television, ‘Mum’ is one of the most precious gems.
‘The Affinity Bridge’ by George Mann
7 June 2019
I’ve just finished reading ‘The Affinity Bridge’ by George Mann (as an unabridged audio book, narrated by Simon Taylor) – the first book in the ‘Newbury and Hobbes’ series of Victorian detective/fantasy/science fiction novels. Despite being set in a strange parallel universe where the streets of Victorian London are dominated by steampunk vehicles and giant airships and the fog hides armies of zombie ‘revenants’, ‘The Affinity Bridge’ is a surprisingly believable period piece (including the attitudes to gender, race and class). Sir Maurice Newbury and his assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes are unfailingly politely spoken, even in the most harrowing encounters with the forces of evil. And the amount of Earl Grey tea they manage to drink beggars belief! The book reminded me of 'Rivers of London' by Ben Aaronovitch (reviewed here in June 2018), ‘The House of Silk’ – Anthony Horowitz’s Sherlock Holmes novel (reviewed here in January 2012) and 'The Massacre of Mankind' – Stephen Baxter’s sequel to ‘The War of the Worlds’ (reviewed here in February 2017). ‘The Affinity Bridge’ is a very stiff-upper-lip, jolly-hockey-sticks tale, and its a ripping yarn.
I’ve just finished reading ‘The Affinity Bridge’ by George Mann (as an unabridged audio book, narrated by Simon Taylor) – the first book in the ‘Newbury and Hobbes’ series of Victorian detective/fantasy/science fiction novels. Despite being set in a strange parallel universe where the streets of Victorian London are dominated by steampunk vehicles and giant airships and the fog hides armies of zombie ‘revenants’, ‘The Affinity Bridge’ is a surprisingly believable period piece (including the attitudes to gender, race and class). Sir Maurice Newbury and his assistant Miss Veronica Hobbes are unfailingly politely spoken, even in the most harrowing encounters with the forces of evil. And the amount of Earl Grey tea they manage to drink beggars belief! The book reminded me of 'Rivers of London' by Ben Aaronovitch (reviewed here in June 2018), ‘The House of Silk’ – Anthony Horowitz’s Sherlock Holmes novel (reviewed here in January 2012) and 'The Massacre of Mankind' – Stephen Baxter’s sequel to ‘The War of the Worlds’ (reviewed here in February 2017). ‘The Affinity Bridge’ is a very stiff-upper-lip, jolly-hockey-sticks tale, and its a ripping yarn.
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Govan Craft Cafe 'Colour Workshop' by Impact Arts
14 May 2019
On Tuesday afternoon I was at Elderpark Community Centre in Govan for the Govan Craft Cafe Colour Workshop. The Craft Cafe is a regular free creative programme for people aged 60+, delivered by Impact Arts every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The Colour Workshop, part of the 2019 Luminate Festival, had attracted several newcomers as well as many Craft Cafe regulars. When I arrived at the all-day drop-in session there were about 30 people busy exploring colour through a range of visual art techniques. Charlotte Craig and her team were helping the participants to make circular mandalas to experiment with colour mixing. I joined in with a group making a giant mandala in the sunshine outside the Community Centre, wetting a large circular piece of paper with water before sprinkling powdered pigment on it to create a beautiful array of swirling patterns. It was interesting how this group creative activity naturally led to a rich conversation. The companionship and fun that people get from taking part in the Craft cafe was plainly evident.
On Tuesday afternoon I was at Elderpark Community Centre in Govan for the Govan Craft Cafe Colour Workshop. The Craft Cafe is a regular free creative programme for people aged 60+, delivered by Impact Arts every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The Colour Workshop, part of the 2019 Luminate Festival, had attracted several newcomers as well as many Craft Cafe regulars. When I arrived at the all-day drop-in session there were about 30 people busy exploring colour through a range of visual art techniques. Charlotte Craig and her team were helping the participants to make circular mandalas to experiment with colour mixing. I joined in with a group making a giant mandala in the sunshine outside the Community Centre, wetting a large circular piece of paper with water before sprinkling powdered pigment on it to create a beautiful array of swirling patterns. It was interesting how this group creative activity naturally led to a rich conversation. The companionship and fun that people get from taking part in the Craft cafe was plainly evident.
‘The Museum of Hope in the Dark’ by Forest Fringe
14 May 2019
On Tuesday morning I was at Tramway in Glasgow to see ‘The Museum of Hope in the Dark’ by Forest Fringe, part of the 2019 Luminate Festival. Andy Field’s installation consists of a darkened room with six bare light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. Each of the bulbs flickers on and off, apparently at random, but actually creating messages in Morse code, transcriptions of short texts about Hope by six older women: Lois Weaver, Jo Clifford, Geraldine Baird, Samshad Waheed Ghani, Tasneem Karim and MAC. You are provided with paper, pencils and a guide to Morse code and invited to decipher the messages but I found it impossible to follow any of the quickly pulsing lights, and was too distracted by the other five. Fortunately the full texts are also provided to visitors (in a sealed envelope). They address a range of topics, including depression and discrimination, in prose and poetry, finding hope in the darkest places.
On Tuesday morning I was at Tramway in Glasgow to see ‘The Museum of Hope in the Dark’ by Forest Fringe, part of the 2019 Luminate Festival. Andy Field’s installation consists of a darkened room with six bare light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. Each of the bulbs flickers on and off, apparently at random, but actually creating messages in Morse code, transcriptions of short texts about Hope by six older women: Lois Weaver, Jo Clifford, Geraldine Baird, Samshad Waheed Ghani, Tasneem Karim and MAC. You are provided with paper, pencils and a guide to Morse code and invited to decipher the messages but I found it impossible to follow any of the quickly pulsing lights, and was too distracted by the other five. Fortunately the full texts are also provided to visitors (in a sealed envelope). They address a range of topics, including depression and discrimination, in prose and poetry, finding hope in the darkest places.
Monday, May 13, 2019
‘Timefield’ by Ian Cameron, Kate Clayton, Frank McElhinney, Annie Peel and Lesley Wilson
13 May 2019
On Monday afternoon I was at the Platform Arts Centre at The Bridge in Easterhouse on the outskirts of Glasgow (where we held the 2014 Epic Awards Ceremony) to see ‘Timefield’ – a cross-art collaborative installation developed by five older artists, as part of the 2019 Luminate Festival. Ian Cameron, Kate Clayton, Frank McElhinney, Annie Peel and Lesley Wilson have created a fascinating, immersive experience about nature and ageing. As you enter the room you are surrounded by large painted wall-hangings and encompassed by John Wills’ three-dimensional soundscape. Projections of long exposure photographs on two sides of the room display a montage of naked older bodies, showing the impact of time on the body. The soundscape and the projections are each on repeating loops of varying lengths and there is a hypnotic quality to the way they occasionally seem to coincide and reinforce each other. It was also interesting, when you accidentally walk through the beam of one of the projectors, to see your own shadow alongside the projected bodies and reflect on your own ageing – briefly becoming a participant in the piece.
On Monday afternoon I was at the Platform Arts Centre at The Bridge in Easterhouse on the outskirts of Glasgow (where we held the 2014 Epic Awards Ceremony) to see ‘Timefield’ – a cross-art collaborative installation developed by five older artists, as part of the 2019 Luminate Festival. Ian Cameron, Kate Clayton, Frank McElhinney, Annie Peel and Lesley Wilson have created a fascinating, immersive experience about nature and ageing. As you enter the room you are surrounded by large painted wall-hangings and encompassed by John Wills’ three-dimensional soundscape. Projections of long exposure photographs on two sides of the room display a montage of naked older bodies, showing the impact of time on the body. The soundscape and the projections are each on repeating loops of varying lengths and there is a hypnotic quality to the way they occasionally seem to coincide and reinforce each other. It was also interesting, when you accidentally walk through the beam of one of the projectors, to see your own shadow alongside the projected bodies and reflect on your own ageing – briefly becoming a participant in the piece.
'A Creative Century' by Voluntary Arts Scotland
13 May 2019
On Monday morning I was at Dance Base in Edinburgh to see ‘A Creative Century’ – Voluntary Arts Scotland’s exhibition exploring ten decades of creativity as part of the 2019 Luminate Festival. Kelly Donaldson has curated a fascinating series of portraits of ten Edinburgh residents and their creative pursuits, from a child under ten to a person in their 90s and every decade in-between. The stories are inspiring and Derek Anderson’s photographs are lovely, beautifully composed and showing the joy these people get from their creativity. Placing the exhibition in Dance Base is also very clever: Scotland’s national centre for dance runs hundreds of dance classes every week and huge numbers of people will see the pictures in passing and will undoubtedly be drawn in by the stories. You can see all the portraits and videos online at: https://www.voluntaryarts.org/creative-century
On Monday morning I was at Dance Base in Edinburgh to see ‘A Creative Century’ – Voluntary Arts Scotland’s exhibition exploring ten decades of creativity as part of the 2019 Luminate Festival. Kelly Donaldson has curated a fascinating series of portraits of ten Edinburgh residents and their creative pursuits, from a child under ten to a person in their 90s and every decade in-between. The stories are inspiring and Derek Anderson’s photographs are lovely, beautifully composed and showing the joy these people get from their creativity. Placing the exhibition in Dance Base is also very clever: Scotland’s national centre for dance runs hundreds of dance classes every week and huge numbers of people will see the pictures in passing and will undoubtedly be drawn in by the stories. You can see all the portraits and videos online at: https://www.voluntaryarts.org/creative-century
'Northanger Abbey' by Jane Austen, adapted by Katherine Rigg
13 May 2019
On Saturday we were at The Place in Bedford to see the Cyphers Theatre Company’s production of ‘Northanger Abbey’ by Jane Austen. Katherine Rigg’s adaptation, directed by Marcus Bazley, is good fun, capturing the tone of Austen’s spoof gothic novel with the right balance between earnestness and mockery. The energetic young cast of five actors very effectively conjure up the genteel society of Bath and the disappointingly modernised Abbey with minimal scenery and props. The show is silly while still managing to find some real Austenian pathos and romance.
On Saturday we were at The Place in Bedford to see the Cyphers Theatre Company’s production of ‘Northanger Abbey’ by Jane Austen. Katherine Rigg’s adaptation, directed by Marcus Bazley, is good fun, capturing the tone of Austen’s spoof gothic novel with the right balance between earnestness and mockery. The energetic young cast of five actors very effectively conjure up the genteel society of Bath and the disappointingly modernised Abbey with minimal scenery and props. The show is silly while still managing to find some real Austenian pathos and romance.
Friday, May 10, 2019
‘Placeless’ by Masha & Marjan Vahdat and the Kronos Quartet
10 May 2019
Of the many performances I have seen at the WOMAD Festival over the past fifteen years, one that has stuck in my memory was two sisters from Iran, Masha and Marjan Vahdat, who I saw at the 2014 festival (reviewed here in August 2014). Masha and Marjan Vahdat break Iranian law every time they perform in front of an audience that includes men, but proudly continue to do so around the world. Their haunting voices – usually taking turns to sing solo, only occasionally duetting – are both powerful and melancholic. I was fascinated to discover that they have now recorded an album with the Kronos Quartet – who feature on my favourite world music/string quartet collaboration on the Malian singer Rokia Traoré’s 2003 album ‘Bowmboi’ (which I have written about here in December 2007 and September 2016). ‘Placeless’ is a collection of songs written by Mahsa Vahdat, with lyrics by the classic poets Rumi and Hafez as well as three contemporary writers. The Kronos Quartet provide an unobtrusive accompaniment to the sisters’ voices. It’s a beautiful, thoughtful, serious collection which blends Western classical music with the Iranian vocals. ‘Placeless’ is part of a bigger Kronos Quartet plan to highlight music from the seven Muslim-majority nations affected by President Trump’s US travel ban. You can see a video of one of the tracks from the album at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK2sHz8Rs5k
Of the many performances I have seen at the WOMAD Festival over the past fifteen years, one that has stuck in my memory was two sisters from Iran, Masha and Marjan Vahdat, who I saw at the 2014 festival (reviewed here in August 2014). Masha and Marjan Vahdat break Iranian law every time they perform in front of an audience that includes men, but proudly continue to do so around the world. Their haunting voices – usually taking turns to sing solo, only occasionally duetting – are both powerful and melancholic. I was fascinated to discover that they have now recorded an album with the Kronos Quartet – who feature on my favourite world music/string quartet collaboration on the Malian singer Rokia Traoré’s 2003 album ‘Bowmboi’ (which I have written about here in December 2007 and September 2016). ‘Placeless’ is a collection of songs written by Mahsa Vahdat, with lyrics by the classic poets Rumi and Hafez as well as three contemporary writers. The Kronos Quartet provide an unobtrusive accompaniment to the sisters’ voices. It’s a beautiful, thoughtful, serious collection which blends Western classical music with the Iranian vocals. ‘Placeless’ is part of a bigger Kronos Quartet plan to highlight music from the seven Muslim-majority nations affected by President Trump’s US travel ban. You can see a video of one of the tracks from the album at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK2sHz8Rs5k
Friday, May 03, 2019
'Father of the Bride' by Vampire Weekend
3 May 2019
In February 2008 I wrote here that “my new favourite band is Vampire Weekend”. We’ve both come a long way since then but I’m enjoying listening to the first Vampire Weekend album for six years, ‘Father of the Bride’, which came out this week. It’s a sprawling, varied double album but the mood is mostly cheerful and upbeat. Ezra Koenig continues to combine an eclectic range of influences. ‘This Life’ returns to the jangling sunshine African guitars of ‘Oxford Comma’, ‘Married in a Gold Rush’, featuring Danielle Haim, has a country feel, while Alexis Petridis in The Guardian suggests ‘Sympathy’ is “equal parts flamenco and early Pet Shop Boys”. I hadn’t noticed before how much Koenig owes to Paul Simon but I can now hear that influence in many of the tracks. Try ‘This Life’ at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIGNNOZ0948
In February 2008 I wrote here that “my new favourite band is Vampire Weekend”. We’ve both come a long way since then but I’m enjoying listening to the first Vampire Weekend album for six years, ‘Father of the Bride’, which came out this week. It’s a sprawling, varied double album but the mood is mostly cheerful and upbeat. Ezra Koenig continues to combine an eclectic range of influences. ‘This Life’ returns to the jangling sunshine African guitars of ‘Oxford Comma’, ‘Married in a Gold Rush’, featuring Danielle Haim, has a country feel, while Alexis Petridis in The Guardian suggests ‘Sympathy’ is “equal parts flamenco and early Pet Shop Boys”. I hadn’t noticed before how much Koenig owes to Paul Simon but I can now hear that influence in many of the tracks. Try ‘This Life’ at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIGNNOZ0948
Friday, April 26, 2019
'The Odyssey' by Mark Hayward
26 April
On Thursday I was at The Place in Bedford to see The Pantaloons performing ‘The Odyssey’, co-written and directed by Mark Hayward. This is my sixth Pantaloons production but the first time I have seen them indoors: they have tended to specialise in summer outdoor shows, such as 'Much Ado About Nothing' and 'Pride and Prejudice' (both reviewed here in August 2015). Their approach is always charmingly silly and ‘The Odyssey’ follows the usual Pantaloons formula. It is written in modern rhyming verse with a multitude of contemporary references and no pretence of a fourth wall. There is much audience participation, competitive improvisation and occasional corpsing and it is a very funny show while somehow managing to actually stick to Homer’s tale. This trailer will give you a flavour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdTLad-AAbU
On Thursday I was at The Place in Bedford to see The Pantaloons performing ‘The Odyssey’, co-written and directed by Mark Hayward. This is my sixth Pantaloons production but the first time I have seen them indoors: they have tended to specialise in summer outdoor shows, such as 'Much Ado About Nothing' and 'Pride and Prejudice' (both reviewed here in August 2015). Their approach is always charmingly silly and ‘The Odyssey’ follows the usual Pantaloons formula. It is written in modern rhyming verse with a multitude of contemporary references and no pretence of a fourth wall. There is much audience participation, competitive improvisation and occasional corpsing and it is a very funny show while somehow managing to actually stick to Homer’s tale. This trailer will give you a flavour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdTLad-AAbU
'Ghosts' by Henrik Ibsen in a new version by Mike Poulton
26 April 2019
Ibsen’s ‘Ghosts’ is a grim play: the Daily Telegraph review of the first London performance in 1891 called it “a wretched, deplorable, loathsome history”. It’s a tale of incest, betrayal and sexually transmitted infection but Mike Poulton’s new version, which we saw at the Royal Theatre in Northampton on Saturday, finds some welcome humour amongst the angst. Lucy Bailey’s Royal & Derngate production is simple and effective, with great acting from Penny Downie as Helen Alving and James Wilby who manages to make Pastor Manders both a scheming manipulator and a bumbling fool. Mike Britton’s set, inspired by the paintings of Vilhelm Hammershoi, is bold and clear and it was good to see the Royal & Derngate continuing its practice of using a Community Cast of local amateurs alongside the professional leads.
Ibsen’s ‘Ghosts’ is a grim play: the Daily Telegraph review of the first London performance in 1891 called it “a wretched, deplorable, loathsome history”. It’s a tale of incest, betrayal and sexually transmitted infection but Mike Poulton’s new version, which we saw at the Royal Theatre in Northampton on Saturday, finds some welcome humour amongst the angst. Lucy Bailey’s Royal & Derngate production is simple and effective, with great acting from Penny Downie as Helen Alving and James Wilby who manages to make Pastor Manders both a scheming manipulator and a bumbling fool. Mike Britton’s set, inspired by the paintings of Vilhelm Hammershoi, is bold and clear and it was good to see the Royal & Derngate continuing its practice of using a Community Cast of local amateurs alongside the professional leads.
'Mary Queen of Scots' by Josie Rourke
26 April 2019
Last Friday we made a first visit to the new Curzon Cinema at Milton Keynes Gallery to see Josie Rourke’s film ‘Mary Queen of Scots’. Although the film plays fast and loose with history, as a study of the characters of the two Queens – Mary and Elizabeth I – it’s a gripping drama. Saoirse Ronan is stunning as Mary and dominates the film, but Margot Robbie makes Elizabeth surprisingly sympathetic. There’s also a great supporting cast, including Martin Compston from ‘Line of Duty’ deploying his natural Scottish accent for a change and David Tennant playing John Knox behind a beard that deserves its own Oscar!
Last Friday we made a first visit to the new Curzon Cinema at Milton Keynes Gallery to see Josie Rourke’s film ‘Mary Queen of Scots’. Although the film plays fast and loose with history, as a study of the characters of the two Queens – Mary and Elizabeth I – it’s a gripping drama. Saoirse Ronan is stunning as Mary and dominates the film, but Margot Robbie makes Elizabeth surprisingly sympathetic. There’s also a great supporting cast, including Martin Compston from ‘Line of Duty’ deploying his natural Scottish accent for a change and David Tennant playing John Knox behind a beard that deserves its own Oscar!
Thursday, April 18, 2019
'As You Like It' by William Shakespeare
18 April 2019
I first saw ‘As You Like It’ on our first visit to the old Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1992 when it was Samantha Bond as Rosalind who took the stage alone at the end of the play to say “It is not the fashion to see the lady the epilogue”. I’ve seen it many times since and really enjoyed Kimberley Sykes’ new Royal Shakespeare Company production which we saw this Wednesday at the Odeon in Milton Keynes, broadcast live from the new Royal Shakespeare Theatre. ‘As You Like It’ has some great comic scenes and is always fun, though there are parts of the play that often seem to drag. But it is a rare Shakespeare play to have such a dominant female lead and Lucy Phelps was fantastic as Rosalind. Her manic nervous energy in the Ganymede scenes was brilliantly done with an amazing rapid fire delivery of the lines. Sophie Stanton, who is wonderful in the current RSC production of ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ (reviewed here in March 2019), played a female Jacques with a twinkle and a smirk that relieved the melancholy. David Ajao showed loveable vulnerability as a childlike Orlando, Sophie Khan Levy was a very funny Celia and Emily Johnstone gave a great comic turn as Le Beau. I have fond memories of a 1996 production of ‘As You Like It’ at Nottingham Playhouse in which Shaun Prendergast played Touchstone (the Fool) as Eric Morecambe – so it was fascinating this week to see Sandy Grierson’s Touchstone clearly channelling Billy Connolly.
I first saw ‘As You Like It’ on our first visit to the old Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1992 when it was Samantha Bond as Rosalind who took the stage alone at the end of the play to say “It is not the fashion to see the lady the epilogue”. I’ve seen it many times since and really enjoyed Kimberley Sykes’ new Royal Shakespeare Company production which we saw this Wednesday at the Odeon in Milton Keynes, broadcast live from the new Royal Shakespeare Theatre. ‘As You Like It’ has some great comic scenes and is always fun, though there are parts of the play that often seem to drag. But it is a rare Shakespeare play to have such a dominant female lead and Lucy Phelps was fantastic as Rosalind. Her manic nervous energy in the Ganymede scenes was brilliantly done with an amazing rapid fire delivery of the lines. Sophie Stanton, who is wonderful in the current RSC production of ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ (reviewed here in March 2019), played a female Jacques with a twinkle and a smirk that relieved the melancholy. David Ajao showed loveable vulnerability as a childlike Orlando, Sophie Khan Levy was a very funny Celia and Emily Johnstone gave a great comic turn as Le Beau. I have fond memories of a 1996 production of ‘As You Like It’ at Nottingham Playhouse in which Shaun Prendergast played Touchstone (the Fool) as Eric Morecambe – so it was fascinating this week to see Sandy Grierson’s Touchstone clearly channelling Billy Connolly.
Friday, April 12, 2019
'All About Eve' by Joseph L Makiewica, adapted by Ivo van Hove
12 April 2019
I’ve never seen the classic 1950 film ‘All About Eve’ so I came completely fresh to Ivo van Hove’s new stage adaptation, which we saw at the Odeon in Milton Keynes in a live screening from the Noel Coward Theatre in London on Thursday. Ivo van Hove is a fascinatingly innovative theatre director: I really enjoyed his production of 'A View From The Bridge' by Arthur Miller (reviewed here in April 2015). His version of ‘All About Eve’ draws on Joseph L Mankiewicz’s film but also on the play on which it was based – ‘ The Wisdom of Eve’ by Mary Orr. The story of an ageing star actress and the young fan who aspires to replace her mostly takes place backstage, in dressing rooms, kitchens and bathrooms. Jan Versweyveld’s set cleverly takes the audience into the theatre’s hidden nooks and crannies, using live video projection to give us access to the most intimate spaces. But in a play about actors, this inventive visual approach rightly feels secondary to the acting, with Gillian Anderson and Lily James giving brilliant performances as Margo and Eve. Gillian Anderson’s world-weary cynical drawl delivery is hilarious and Lily James manages to switch Eve’s mood on a sixpence. I loved the way the height of the two characters’ heels gradually shift, scene by scene, to reflect the growing or diminishing strength of their positions – with Eve appearing to grow taller as Margo literally shrinks. The script is incredibly witty and the plot twists were very satisfying. The original music by PJ Harvey captured the ominous mood of the story but felt a little too intrusive at times. Monica Dolan gave a wonderful performance as Karen Richards – for which she has just won the Olivier Award for best supporting actress.
I’ve never seen the classic 1950 film ‘All About Eve’ so I came completely fresh to Ivo van Hove’s new stage adaptation, which we saw at the Odeon in Milton Keynes in a live screening from the Noel Coward Theatre in London on Thursday. Ivo van Hove is a fascinatingly innovative theatre director: I really enjoyed his production of 'A View From The Bridge' by Arthur Miller (reviewed here in April 2015). His version of ‘All About Eve’ draws on Joseph L Mankiewicz’s film but also on the play on which it was based – ‘ The Wisdom of Eve’ by Mary Orr. The story of an ageing star actress and the young fan who aspires to replace her mostly takes place backstage, in dressing rooms, kitchens and bathrooms. Jan Versweyveld’s set cleverly takes the audience into the theatre’s hidden nooks and crannies, using live video projection to give us access to the most intimate spaces. But in a play about actors, this inventive visual approach rightly feels secondary to the acting, with Gillian Anderson and Lily James giving brilliant performances as Margo and Eve. Gillian Anderson’s world-weary cynical drawl delivery is hilarious and Lily James manages to switch Eve’s mood on a sixpence. I loved the way the height of the two characters’ heels gradually shift, scene by scene, to reflect the growing or diminishing strength of their positions – with Eve appearing to grow taller as Margo literally shrinks. The script is incredibly witty and the plot twists were very satisfying. The original music by PJ Harvey captured the ominous mood of the story but felt a little too intrusive at times. Monica Dolan gave a wonderful performance as Karen Richards – for which she has just won the Olivier Award for best supporting actress.
Friday, April 05, 2019
‘The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle’ by Stuart Turton
5 April 2019
‘The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle’ is a remarkable debut novel by Stuart Turton. It has the appearance of an old fashioned remote country house murder mystery but our narrator appears to be reliving the day of the murder, each time inhabiting the body of a different member of the household. It’s like taking part in the same murder mystery role-play game over and over again, always wondering whether this time you might be the murderer. This high-concept device is ingenious, allowing narrator and reader to gradually piece together the jigsaw puzzle plot. It also becomes incredibly complicated but Turton kindly finds an occasional excuse to recap what we know so far. The book (which I have just finished reading as an unabridged audio book, narrated by Jot Davies) is also beautifully written. It is packed with wonderfully quotable similes that perfectly evoke the person being described in an economy of words. I look forward to seeing what Stuart Turton writes next.
‘The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle’ is a remarkable debut novel by Stuart Turton. It has the appearance of an old fashioned remote country house murder mystery but our narrator appears to be reliving the day of the murder, each time inhabiting the body of a different member of the household. It’s like taking part in the same murder mystery role-play game over and over again, always wondering whether this time you might be the murderer. This high-concept device is ingenious, allowing narrator and reader to gradually piece together the jigsaw puzzle plot. It also becomes incredibly complicated but Turton kindly finds an occasional excuse to recap what we know so far. The book (which I have just finished reading as an unabridged audio book, narrated by Jot Davies) is also beautifully written. It is packed with wonderfully quotable similes that perfectly evoke the person being described in an economy of words. I look forward to seeing what Stuart Turton writes next.
Hannah James and Toby Kuhn
5 April 2019
On Saturday we were at the Bristol Folk House to see the young English folk singer, accordionist and clog dancer Hannah James, performing with the French ‘cellist Toby Kuhn. This newly formed duo played an interestingly varied range of songs and tunes, creating beautiful gentle acoustic music. Hannah James is an excellent singer and a very accomplished performer. She is a member of the English folk vocal harmony trio Lady Maisery and several duos as well as performing solo. Her own compositions are great examples of modern folk music, responding to contemporary events such as the 2018 Florida school shootings. She is also an enthusiastic champion for the art of ‘percussive dance’, using her clogs (and occasionally her bare feet) to provide intricate and complex rhythmic accompaniment. (This reminded me of the wonderful Tilly and the Wall (reviewed here in March 2007)). See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLZhTFvLKbI
On Saturday we were at the Bristol Folk House to see the young English folk singer, accordionist and clog dancer Hannah James, performing with the French ‘cellist Toby Kuhn. This newly formed duo played an interestingly varied range of songs and tunes, creating beautiful gentle acoustic music. Hannah James is an excellent singer and a very accomplished performer. She is a member of the English folk vocal harmony trio Lady Maisery and several duos as well as performing solo. Her own compositions are great examples of modern folk music, responding to contemporary events such as the 2018 Florida school shootings. She is also an enthusiastic champion for the art of ‘percussive dance’, using her clogs (and occasionally her bare feet) to provide intricate and complex rhythmic accompaniment. (This reminded me of the wonderful Tilly and the Wall (reviewed here in March 2007)). See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLZhTFvLKbI
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