The Hollow

This was done by a local dramatic company. It is odd how expectations change with the setting. At one point a character came on stage too early and saw something they shouldn’t have. About two minutes later you find out this was deliberate but at the time I thought it was a mistake by the actress. Maybe the quality of the performance affecting my thinking in this matter. The play was also remarkable for the whistling maid who came on and tidied the set whilst everyone else was changing costume, kind of denoting time passing. She was whistling Elvis with the sight of it causing a little puzzlement and then strange mirth in the audience. As a play it is not one of Agatha Christie’s best. It does not feature any of the great detectives although you feel that she could have turned one of the characters into a long running character if she had not already got a few to write about. In many ways it reminded me of The Seven Dials Mystery and Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent who is my favourite Christie character slightly ahead of Tommy and Tuppence Beresford.

Guys and Dolls

This was a local production and as such was good if a little uneven in tone. The best actors were really good, such as the performance of Sky Masterson, whereas some of the other characters were a little miscast and lacked chemistry with the other actors on stage. The wise cracking hoods made for some of the best lines in the show and some of the stand out characters. AS this is the first time I have seen the show I was not sure if it is intentional that some of the key scenes happen off stage and are referenced by the actors on the stage. Neither the scene where Sky convinces Sister Sarah to go to Havana nor the scene where they get married occurred on stage and as they are two of the key scenes this struck me as slightly odd. In conclusion, it was good for a local production.

Season’s Greetings

Yes – it is about Christmas and I can’t abide talk of Christmas before 1^st December but as a comedy goes this one is brilliant. A whole family surviving under one roof for Christmas with all the different generations getting along or sparking off each other. The characters are well drawn from the odd uncle who is perceived to have failed as a doctor who traditional does a puppet play that is dreaded, the older relative causing chaos in someone else’s kitchen, the strange visitor, the allegations of cheating in the board games, the haggard parents trying to deal with excited children and what can happen under the mistletoe after a glass of vino. Very entertaining and even if I did feel a bit humbug it was well worth the trip.

The Madness of King George III

Rarely have I been moved to give a standing ovation and I would have for the performance of David Haig in the lead role. I didn’t as I don’t think it is fair on the people sitting behind me. The quality of his performance was outstanding both in vocal tone, facial and body expression and mannerisms. The difference between the pain free king with his confident manner, air of command and the addition of wot wot and hey hey to the end of each sentence was in direct contrast to the tortured soul that was being bled and blistered, restrained and gagged with a whining tone, pleading body language and self-pitying tone. The acting to portray those two roles was as I have already stated outstanding and it was difficult to take your eyes of the performance.

I was also interested in the way that government interacted with royalty. The king had got to a position where the prime minister depending on whom the king was. George III favoured Pitt the Younger, his son and potential regent favoured Fox as he shared his values of partying. Without the lack of love between the two the Royal Pavilion in Brighton would not have been built.

With a lot of dramas the comedy is the element that really drives the show. At one point Mr King commenting on his painful stomach tells Mrs King (the Queen) that he will attempt a fart and when one of the footmen is sacked it is suggested he help out at a grocery store but as he comments who ever heard of Fortnum and Papendiek.

Films this summer

Two films stand out. Horrible bosses was a reasonable comedy with a neat-ish twist at the end. Kevin Spacey stole the show and acted everyone else of the screen but ultimately the horribleness of the bosses was too unbelievable to make it realistic. The slutty boss and the drug fuelled boss were too over the top although the other one was evil enough. There are so many horrible things real bosses do there was no need to invent unbelievable characters to fulfil the roles.

Super 8 was really good. The idea of the kids making a film and accidentally filming a scene they are not supposed so was so well done it was brilliant. The inventiveness of the kids when shooting the film was shown really well and that kind of single-mindedness seems to be lost in childhood these days. I loved the end scenes when they show the fill and the way half the audience had to try and come back to the the auditorium to watch it as they all left early. Thoroughly recommended.

Too much shopping?

This summer has seen the following things happen

1. A house needs furnishing including furniture, curtains and varied haberdashery

2. I needed to buy an engagement ring

3. We need to find a wedding venue

All of these required shopping and a lot of comparing. Strangely it has been enjoyable, I mean not as good as other activities, but not as bad as I thought apart from the sore feet.

Kittens Day 1 to 4

So on Wednesday we collected the two kittens. After we had kind of bullied a charity (a bit rude of us but frankly it had been nearly three weeks) we went to pick them up. On the first day they were very shy and after they had come out of the carrier they headed for the box and stayed there until their tummies told them that they had to find the source of the smell. The black and white, who for the rest of this post and maybe his life we shall call Marmite, was first out and has since shown that he will launch head first into any situation. Currently he loves running across the floor and sliding into the target and then anything beyond it.

The second, who for the rest of the post we shall call Box, was more shy and spent time in the box. Over the next few days they have developed their personalities. Marmite is very bold, chases anything, loves to climb on people, loves to be held, can purr for Britain and usually carries on after you have put him down. Box will tolerate being held and has stopped scrabbling. She usually tests things first before attacking. The only thing that Box does better is jumping. She launches herself on to the scratching post everytime whereas Marmite tries to climb it, falls off, scrabbles at the post and usually is left hanging on to the post with one foot.

Saturday update - firstly the kittens have started to play with each other rather than just ignore each other. Marmite loves chasing Box's tail and there have been a couple of wrestling matches. Box usually wins and when Marmite was in her basket Box ambushed him. Held him down and then licked his face. At night they have been chasing their shadows and been very interested in their reflections in the doors and the laptop cover. Marmite killed and ate a flying insect that happened to close. They have been very playful and come to you when you have a treat.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring?