I was anticipating a kitchen sink, period British quirky comedy. What I found was that, and much more.
The ensemble cast, are without exception, superb. The premise is that in post great war Littlehampton in the south of England someone is disrupting the community by sending profane poison pen letters. Feisty recently widowed young Rosie, Irish and with a young child is prime suspect, pillar of society Edith a middle aged Devout spinster the initial target of the campaign.
What unravels is much more nuanced than I was anticipating. A young Asian WPC has to endure misogyny and racism, and pious Edith is supressed and repressed by controlling parents and father in particular with Roses struggle for acceptance greater than is first apparent.
Thea Sharrock directs superbly, the poignant moments are poignant but not maudlin, the comic sequences funny s nth period detail a delight. Olivia Colman excels as Edith the confined woman who wants to break free, Jessie Buckley revels in carefree abandon as Rosie who doesn’t give a f***. Alongside the imperious Timothy Spall deliver much from a limited screen time and Anjana Vasan offers a strong, unsentimental performance as WPC Moss.
Writer Jonny Sweet has fashioned a little gem, happy to use profane and crude language for effect and laughs, but wholly within context
Derby theatre have been trailblazers in the provision of BSL performances over the past several years, performances which have drawn out some of their best work.
Alice in Wonderland is theatrical gold. A phantasmagorical construct where anything and everything is possible. Where chaos abounds, and nothing is quite what it appears. Nicola Wernowska is the writer entrusted with making sense of it all in her new production
This is a family show so I brought with me a five year old boy, two eight year old girls and a ten year old boy to give me their verdicts, theirs being the ones that matter.
The set ( courtesy of Emily Bestow) is magnificent, brightly lit ( Alexandra Stafford) ,lavish colourful and sprawling, with two raised elevated balconies a fun feature, a slide providing a connection between the two worlds.
The show occasionally teeters towards the chaotic, but is steadied by a tremendous performance from April Nerissa Hudson as the Queen of Hearts. April delighted Derby when she performed in Home Girl several years ago, and revels in being the centrepin now.
Director Sarah Brigham enjoys her political undertones. Here April channels a bizarre mix of Liz Truss (Kwasi Kwartang fell victim to one of her “off with his head moments”), and Suella Braverman, in not even countenancing the possibility she could be wrong. Education is not allowed, as an educated Wonderland would do no-one any good- would it?
The costumes, and shoes, were -simply gorgeous realised by Tim Heywood.
Composer Ziad Jabero has created an original score which fuses folk with Rap, “Stop the queen “ being the best. My five year old loved all the songs.
The second act is mainly taken up by the Tea party and the trial. My two eight year old were thrilled by the tea party, a visual delight and a celebration of being bonkers, but particularly that number.
I saw two performances of this, the first a preview on Saturday, and the second, tonight, Press Night. It is to Director Sarah Brigham’s credit that the shortcomings of the preview, mainly a longer than needed first Act ,were put right with a shorter and much sharper first act which in turn energised the entire cast. The result was something sharp and snappy with the eighty or so Brownies and rainbows sat in front of me spellbound.
The BSL was well integrated into the story, and never once felt clunky, with my ten year old engaged throughout, although I would say that the show best suits junior school age children. Rhianon Hopkins shone as the mouchard making the most of the running gag that the French for rat is rat. Rhianon May was energetic and convincing as the naïve Alice, Chiomi Uma had great fun transforming Wonderland into m a smoky jazz club.
Such is the textual density of Lewis Carroll’s original work that paring it down into an eighty minute ( not including interval) stage show is an Augean task, Writer and Director can be proud of the result. The Tea Party continues until Saturday 6th July.
A week ago today myself and Jane Osborne were setting off with expectation and apprehension to our first Scottish UFO and paranormal conference.
Jane specialises in Past Life Regression and Alien Encounters so we hoped to meet some kindred spirits, those hopes were realised in spades.
Glasgow is a magnificent place , the University imposing, and the atmosphere in the city was bouncing with the national football team opening the Euros in Munich, what a treat it was to watch the game in the Merchant Quarter.
The Queen Margaret Union auditorium worked particularly well, the University setting casting a welcome air of credibility upon proceedings. The roster of speakers was continuous from 10am onwards, with the stands at the back offering plenty of background material and information.
In Shakespeare’s “As You Like it”, Duke Senior declares: “Sweet are the uses of adversity”. The first speaker, Karen Strang embraced that principle. Karen is a visual artist and painter whose opening slot was hamstrung initially by the visual display screens, and microphones, not functioning. With time slipping away because of the delayed start Karen eschewed the need for visuals and amplification by simply launching into an impassioned talk on her subject- and triumphed.
The audience wanted her to succeed, and succeed she did with a brilliant, engaging, informative and humorous talk on her work and interest in the Scottish Witchcraft Trials. Her studio is by the Cunninghar in Alloa and is well worth exploring further.
Polymath Rev Alyson Dunlop Shanes was a delight. The technical issues had been resolved and her first hand experience of Psychic attack was compelling.
Gordon Rutter somehow managed to interweave the Day of the Triffids, the Invasion of the Body Snatchers and the myths and legends of plants and trees into a fascinating cohesive package.
I particularly enjoyed Ron Halliday’s trip to Ancient Aliens, a talk which could easily have had double the time allocated to it. Doyen of ghosthunters, Linda Whiteford, took us to the Ghosts of Culross, a talk neatly complimented by Alan Murdie’s fascinating exploration of the ubiquitous white lady tradition.
Founder of SPI Malcom Robinson was the star of the show delivering a riveting examination of Scottish UFO encounters. His geographical pointers to us Anglo’s in the audience as to where some of these locations were was much appreciated, as was the detail of his subject matter.
It was a wonderful day, and well worth the ten hour round trip drive from the English Midlands. We were made to feel so welcome by the fellow audience attendees and the presenters who gave freely of their time when not performing . Their website with further information is:
London Classic Theatre brought their revival of Joe Orton’s classic farce, ‘What The Butler Saw’, to Derby this week as part of a nationwide tour which recently took in Ipswich, where Orton secured his first job as a theatre stage manager having just graduated from RADA.
Orton’s public and writing career, which began in 1959,was colourful, impactful and tragic, culminating in his murder in 1967 by his lover , subsequent to which this play was performed and produced posthumously.
I was immediately struck by how this half century old comedy focuses on an older man, Doctor Prentice, ( John Dorney) attempting to seduce his secretary Geraldine Barclay ( Alana Jackson) , and how it echoes both the contemporary “Me Too “ movement, and Orton’s own experiences with a lover several years his senior.
At its heart this is a farce, underpinned by satire. Prentice’s wife ( Holly Smith) unwittingly disrupts her husbands overtures to his now concealed and naked secretary. But his wife has problems of her own – compromising photos of her own infidelity taken by a bellboy.
The arrival of a government clinic inspector , Doctor Rance ( Jack Lord), at the clinic, followed by an inept policeman , Sargent Snatch ( Jon- Paul Rowden) does not help. Farce, mistaken identity, gender swaps , slapstick and double entendres ensue over two slick fifty minute Acts. Director Michael Cabot moves proceedings along at breakneck speed resulting in the final scenes in Act 2 becoming a blur of activity and laughter for the hardworking cast of six.
All of this is framed by a colourful, superbly designed Pop Art set by Bek Palmer, reminiscent of Wayne’s World, Monty Python and Warhol, brightly lit by Hector Murray.
But beneath the superficial comic veneer lies a dark textual underbelly. The dialogue, often shouted, is delivered at quickfire breakneck speed, so fast that you have to listen hard s whilst gasping: “did they really say THAT ? ” To the modern ear, the content is uncomfortably close to Jim Davidson doing a midnight show ( complete with a gag about Winston Churchill’s penis) at a holiday camp,, has the brash aplomb of Oscar Wilde and the comic guile of a Shakespeare comedy ( particularly the gender swaps). This is not dated, nor has dated, like a Ray Cooney farce has.
John Dorney is fabulous as the lusty psychiatrist, Doctor Prentice. Jack Lord exudes supercilious arrogance as the clinic inspector, Doctor Rance, who sees madness in all things. Alex Cardall is magnificent as bell-boy blackmailer, Nicholas Beckett. Somehow he convinces both as a lothario, and lady boy in a slinky leopard-print dress . Jon-Paul Rowden’s bumbling and dutiful Sergeant Match is a delight. While Holly Smith as Mrs Prentice plays the prim and proper neglected wife who longs for a good seeing to, with vim , brio and sassiness, and loves her every minute on stage.
Superficially, there is the. appearance of a standard farce with doors closing and opening, shouting and characters in their underwear. However, as act two develops, so other themes surface . Orton playfully toys with the idea of what madness is in a mad world. His observations on heterosexual and homosexual relationships, and lust generally, are more awkward, particularly the frequent references to pederasty. However you cannot beat a good laugh, and these were plentifully delivered by an excellent cast. Th warning against Royal indiscretions and the perils the middle class faced with a post War labour Government benefitted from their newfound contemporary currency. The warning against Royal indiscretions and the perils the middle class faced with a post War labour Government, delivered with a waspish smile by Holly Smith, benefitted from their newfound contemporary currency.
A hugely enjoyable and entertaining play and performance. But remember , if you are offended by any of the jokes- it is what Orton would have wanted. Continues until Sat 15th then continues on nationwide tour.
This was my first experience of this rock festival in a holiday camp, guaranteeing no weather interrupted performances, and food and drink, and toilets on tap.
I offer this as a record rather than as a review,
On Thursday evening at:
8pm “Mr Spanky & The Hipthrusters” featuring the wonderful Rev Kenny Petrie whose romp through classic rock covers was well received, and well done ,the ideal festival opener.
9.25 “ Telegram Sam” serviceable but too reliant upon imploring the crowd to Boogie. Not as good as T Rexstacy
10.50pm The Upbeat Beatles who were surprisingly good majoring on their 3 minute hit singles from the early years. You forget what a great pop band they were.
Friday
12.30pm Money for Nothing, had the thankless task of opening proceedings to a just assembling and hung over crowd. Totally proficient, but included a sax player – which is anathema to all die hard fans. An odd set list eschewed the first two albums and Expresso love. Opening with Sultans of Swing and closing with Brothers in Arms. Enjoyable but a mis fire, wrong time slot, wrong running order.
5.40pm Sex Pistols Expose the hour long set exposed the thinness of the Pistols material with a slew of covers unnecessarily thrown in and “ Belsen was a gas” unforgivably given an airing, Just because you can doesn’t men you should. Visually strong, musically adequate, but short of decent material.
9.20 Boot led Zeppelin were magnificent, Great set list, great performance. Awesome.
9.45 Maet Live. A preposterous Meat Loaf tribute which the crowd loved and I didn’t.
Saturday
12.30pm Straighten Out suffered the same challenges as Money for Nothing the day before. An initially thin crowd, hung over and unresponsive . The boys compounded this by a lacklustre performance of a set list which on paper should have been brilliant, but performed, was insipid. Very disappointing, I would not see them again
1.50pm Fleetwood Bac Outstanding.
The one hour slot was totally insufficient and shamed straighten out by energising the crowd.
3.10 Green Days I don’t like Green day and enjoyed their tribute clones even less, unlike the rest of the audience, who loved it
4.30 The Kinks Experience. Fronted by an energetic young band they were terrific with a shrewdly chosen mix of the hits and the best of the rest. Outstanding. They played as if their lives depended upon it.
8.40 Rainbow in Rock. Exceptionally wonderful with a scintillating “Catch the rainbow”.
Sunday
12.30 Sack Sabbath – who cares about the early slot they blew the place apart!
A fantastic weekend full of fantastic music and fantastic people. A special shout out to the stage crew who unbelievably kept the show times on point and the tech working.
The whole point is to experience a smorgasbord of music. Some will be from tributes where you barely remember the originals, some from much anticipated tributes, and some original music. They will delight, frustrate and entertain in unexpected and unequal measure, but will always leave you with a smile on your face.
The script writer had the month off, as there were so few words spoken, the CGI creators went into overdrive with convincing apes and lush sets
The story was dreadful, a hybrid Western Revenge story with dollops of cod philosophy thrown in. It follows a new group of characters featuring Noa an ape who is learning about the human world and what Caesar was. After his village was attacked by a tyrannical Ape named Proximus. Noa and a human Mae ( Freya Allen ) have to work together to help stop him. There are factions between humans and apes and these factions have confrontations, but it all seems contrived even though some time has been spent on the ape’s culture , traditions, habits and costumes.
But the narrative is desperately slow, the action sequences contrived and pasted together to attempt to create some pace, but even that fails, a generic jeopardy/rescue scene on a bridge is laughable with the cliched outstretched hand ( think Cliffhanger) risible. Director Wes Ball echoes the established ape society precepts of fairness, loyalty and communal solidarity slavishly.
I was a fan of Winehouse contemporaneously, and still am. Given her chaotic, controversial career I approached this with trepidation. My verdict? An entertaining watch, but a flawed experience.
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Her early years are pretty much bypassed, her first meeting with the notorious , soon to be her husband Blake Fielder-Civil (Jack O’Connell) doe eyed, rose tinted and gushingly sympathetic- maybe with one eye on a law suit from Fielder
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Marisa Abela is visually convincing as Amy; her relationship with her father less so, Mitch (Eddie Marsan), is treated sympathetically ( the family endorsed h film and cooperated and his pull on her underplayed. The Camden Town location shots are good. But her death is treated suddenly, perfunctorily and unsatisfactorily
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Fans of her music will have enough to enjoy, students of her history will not.
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Director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s focus on Amy’s personal life is entirely speculative – the role of Mark Ronson is largely ignored,
I do not enjoy long flights, and the 8.5 hour o Bridgetown Barbados was made palatable only by the knowledge of our destination. Having arrived in later afternoon , our arrival ws a whirlwind. No passport control no baggage collection- it was packed straight onto the coach .Within 15 minutes we were speeding through largely deserted streets past wooden and tin shack housing before entering Bridgetown itself and the unremarkable port.
Boarding was quick, easy, and efficient onto Explorer 2
First stop St Lucia where we enjoyed a fabulous day trip organised by an ad hoc facebook group. Stops included a rum tasting, the Pitons ( literally the tits)mountains and the volcanic springs, so hot I passed out afterwards.
The French dependency Guadeloupe was next and a shared taxi ride to the beach which was brilliant. A classic Caribbean beach with beach towels I wish I had bought but didn’t and great seafront resturants where I made the mistake of ordering lobster by the helping and not by weight leaving me 100 euros poorer an a lot wiser at the end.
Antigua, an old British colony was last, and it felt very British- without the rain. A lobster boat and beach trip was particularly memorable
And then six days at sea losing an hour each day, which by the end became tiring before we reached the Azores first Ponta Delgada
Then Horta
Another day at sea
before my first time in Cadiz, a magnificent coastal, maritime city at which I wish we could have spent more time.
Engine problems meant we had to miss our last scheduled stop at messina, Sicily,Italy which was a great shame But all was forgotten for the sail into Dubrovnik which was beautiful followed by an equally scenic drive to the airport.
Our adventure started in a still warm Malaga , Spain on 27th Nov 2023.
Our first voyage on Explorer 2. The weather was fine and pleasant enough to sunbathe on the pool deck.
Our first stop was Gibraltar which we had visited twice before, so we disembarked to stretch our legs only, having done the sights before.
We were disappointed to be informed that our scheduled stop at Madeira was cancelled due to industrial action at the port, but delighted to learn that had been replaced with a visit to Las Palmas Gran Canaria, which we had not visited before.
Having previously turned my nose up at the Canary Islands I was very pleasantly surprised, and impressed.
We had visited Antigua earlier on in the year and were delighted to visit again. It did not disappoint.
This was my first visit to the Dominican Republic, a highly prosperous ex Spanish colony sharing an island with the chaotic and anarchic Haiti. Amber Cove, Puerta Plata was a purpose built cruise stop, and felt it, an artificial commercial stopover. We could have been anywhere and felt like a Florida style Disney creation
Next stop should have been Grand Turk , an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands, a British Overseas Territory, tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and northern West Indies, the largest island in the Turks Islands. Unfortunately bad weather meant we could not dock there so we proceeded to Ocho Rios Jamaica which I was pleased about as it gave us a full day on an island I had not previously visited.
And finally the magnificent Montego Bay, Jamaica, the highlight of which was an armed escort for our coach through the stationary local traffic to the airport. A marvellous trip the only downsides were losing an hour a day as we headed west- it catches up with you after a week and the long flight home after a short flight to spain.
Garyswordz 