Author Archives: garylongden

Chantel McGregor – Flowerpot, Derby

Posted on December 15, 2018 by garylongden

It has been a considerable length of time since I last went to a gig to see a headline artist whose material I had never heard. But my friend Gary, who had seen Chantel four times before, highly recommended her, … Continue reading →

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Dick Whittington – Sutton Arts Theatre

Posted on December 10, 2018 by garylongden

**** Dick Whittington is one of the better pantomimes with a well known and coherent narrative. The show is written, and directed, by Dexter and Emily Whitehead who know a thing or two about pantomimes. They understand the formula, and … Continue reading →

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Pete Shelley 1955- 2018 – an Obituary

Posted on December 7, 2018 by garylongden

I am not enamoured by the grief fests which sometimes surround the deaths of figures in the public eye. The overwhelming majority of people will never have met or known the individual, their perception distorted through the prism of media, … Continue reading →

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Hansel & Gretel – Derby Theatre

Posted on December 5, 2018 by garylongden

This fable is probably the most well-known fairy tale written by the German Brothers Grimm, first published in 1812. Hansel and Gretel are a young brother and sister kidnapped by a crafty cannibalistic witch living in the forest in a … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a Scandal – Sarah Vaughan, Book Review

Posted on November 22, 2018 by garylongden

I had not read a novel for a while. This book had been heavily promoted and came with enviable review copy. The plot line involving Parliamentary scandal interested me, the author’s credentials as a political journalist were persuasive. Bought. Just … Continue reading →

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Thanks a lot Mr Kibblewhite – Roger Daltrey, My Story – Book Review

Posted on November 8, 2018 by garylongden

      It is impossible to talk about the book, without talking about the band. It is impossible to talk about the band in isolation. The band, The Who, only mean anything in relation to those who experienced them, … Continue reading →

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Indianapolis -Lynn Vincent & Sara Vladic, book review

Posted on November 1, 2018 by garylongden

The sinking of the USS Indianapolis is one of the greatest modern maritime disasters, and the single greatest to befall the US Navy. It is a truism that such disasters are rarely simple. Such is the case with the Indianapolis. … Continue reading →

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Morgan & West: Magic for Kids, Derby Theatre

Posted on October 31, 2018 by garylongden

***** Magic is an uncertain theatrical form. You know that you are watching a trick – but in order for it to succeed, you have to believe it, even though you know it is a trick. Furthermore, the better a … Continue reading →

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Suede – Wolverhampton Civic Hall 1/11/94

Posted on October 26, 2018 by garylongden

A young family prevented me from swooping into the Britpop explosion. Early Oasis, Pulp, and Blur all came and went. But I did catch Suede, although perhaps just a couple of months after their high- water mark. The good news … Continue reading →

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If We Could Talk to the Animals

Posted on October 25, 2018 by garylongden

I am fascinated by means of communication which transcend our known understanding. Plato spoke of Universal Knowledge. Scientists wrestle with epigenetics – the transfer of knowledge from one generation to another, physicists ponder quantum physics, are there multi-universes? Is everything … Continue reading →

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