Equus and Uncle Vanya

Two trips to Milton Keynes Theatre in just over a week. I'm not sure why Equus was not as enjoyable as I had imagined. Was it something in the writing? The monologues from Simon Callow were hard going, or did he have a bad night? It was a lot better when he was talking to other characters, especially Alfie Allen. On his own, he made the night worthwhile. Here is a brilliant young actor (roles in Atonement and Joe's Palace) who is destined for big things.

I have always enjoyed plays by Chekov, but maybe they are now past their sell by date. Modern productions on TV have a much fresher approach to family dramas. Take Lark Rise to Candleford. Pretty boring when we did Flora Thomson's novel at school, but turned into something special and heartwarming by the writing of Bill Gallagher. Julia Sawalha deserves all the awards going for her lead role as the postmistress. Back to Uncle Vanya. A stodgy story only brightened by the directing of Peter Hall and an excellent turn from Neil Pearson as Astrov. Michelle Dockery did not shape up in the female lead as she had in Pygmalion. But Loo Brealy did well as the girl on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

Take the Long Way Home

Ashes to Ashes has been a great piece of television, and not just because of Keeley Hawes. The final episode came to a conclusion with a highly charged and emotional ending played out with the backing of Supertramp's Take the Long Way Home.

I have now transfered the ending to DVD. After seeing it again, it is now my favourite piece of television ever. It starts after Alex's godfather takes away her younger self with the words "Its just you and me now Alex, for ever and ever". The song then plays out in its full 5 minutes and eight seconds over the final scenes, including the entry of a recovered Shaz and Chris' quick fire, pathetic Italian jokes for Luigi. The last bars are played right to the end of the credits. Great timing. The song even reached number 100 in the itunes chart the following week.

I'm not a big fan of The Who, but their song Won't Get Fooled Again at the end of last week's Heartbeat certainly enlivened this particular episode. The 50 second synthesizer and guitar intro was played at full volume before the song played out to final "action". At 8 minutes 32 seconds, it is obviously a firm favourite with sport, tv and films. Wikipedia list them all.

The First Beautiful Spring Day

At last the weather has changed from a cold and damp northerly to todays clear blue skies and temperatures up to 13 degrees. Yesterday's walk was a tramp round the muddy paths of Wendover Woods, mild but caught in a heavy shower. Today no coat was necessary for the first time. Warm in sheltered sunny spots, absolutely ideal walking weather.

I started from the car park at Wilstone Reservoir and walked across the fields to the Wendover arm of the Grand Union Canal. I always turn left and end up at Marsworth, but today for the first time I turned right and walked a length of the canal I had never tried before. Past the end of Phase 2 restoration and on to the A41 before returning the same way. An excellent walk.

The Bank Job, Vantage Point and The Other Boleyn Girl

A comedy crime thriller, The Bank Job is entertaining without any pretence of being more than that. The hectic pace saves having to listen too hard to the pretty basic dialogue, even though the screenplay is by Dick Clement and Ian Le Frenais. Jason Statham plays himself, Saffron Burrows plays who knows and it is left to cameos from David Suchet and Keeley Hawes to provide some proper acting. As Lonnie sang "It helps to pass the time".

Vantage Point is a superior political thriller with an original twist. The same 23 minutes repeated eight times, each from one of a different point of view. But the characters all overlapping and a cliff hanger at the end of each segment keeps us guessing and waiting in anticipation for the resolution in a cracking finale. I love the technical originality of such films. From Groundhog Day to Memento, even Back to the Future, The Prestige and Inside Man all have a novel time twist.

There had been mixed reviews for The Other Boleyn Girl and I can see why. Easy on the eye, the adequate screenplay by Peter (The Queen) Morgan was interrupted by too many silent sequences. The casting was mixed. Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson were fairly convincing but David Morrissey as the Duke of Norfolk almost ruined the whole movie. Luckily it was saved by the brilliant Kristin Scott Thomas as the mother. Must be in the running for the next Oscar for best supporting actress. A fairly turgid first hour slowly gathered momentum as Anne gains the favour of Henry and all hell is set loose. Ultimately a reasonable film, but the final frames capturing the young Elizabeth showed how emotional the film could have been.

Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset

At last I have completed the reading for my project on Edward Seymour when he was Protector of the Realm for the three years from 1547 to 1549. The thirteen books (as well as many articles) range from England Under Protector Somerset: An Essay by Albert Fred Pollard in 1900 to Edward VI The Lost King Of England by Chris Skidmore published last year. The latter is the last book I have read, and the best. Although only 27 years old, and being the first book he has written, this is a remarkable publication. The most readable and informative of all those I have studied, it was marvellous to finish my research with the best of the bunch.

The final paragraph even locates the burial place of the three main characters (Edward and Thomas Seymour and John Dudley). The Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London contain their bones alongside those of three queens: Anne Boletn, Catherine Howard and Jane Grey.

Juno, National Treasure and There Will be Blood

For such a low budget movie, Juno is a remarkable success. The witty script by Diablo Cody, for which she deservedly won the Oscar for best original screenplay,and the acting of Ellen Page carry the film. Occasionally the quick fire dialogue is hard to catch, but the acting overall is first class. Juno's parents bring an unexpected warmth to the proceedings, and even Jennifer Garner does a good job. Why do other reviews concentrate on the director? Anyone could have made an equally good film given this piece of brilliant writing. There are moments that make you think long after leaving the cinema. I only questioned why the intended adopter's husband left his wife much later, and suddenly realised that he would be much more comfortable with a partner like Juno than his stodgy and humourless wife.

I had a difficult decision to make the week I went to see National Treasure; Book of Secrets. I crossed off Jumper and The Bucket List, so decided this was the best of the week. I was pleasantly surprised. A lightweight but enjoyable adventure with some unusual casting. Nicholas Cage did OK, but Helen Mirren was out of her depth in the final action sequences.

Now There will be Blood is a different type of film altogether. I can see why the audience numbers were quite low. I thought I would be the only one watching when I went, until two couples arrived late. It is slow in parts but I found every minute was highly watchable. I think someone said it was the kind of film to sit back and let it take you over, and I can see what he meant. The cinematography is some of the best ever, and deserved the Oscar. Daniel Day Lewis gives one best of the all time performances. The trouble is, he is so good at portraying a man who basically hates everybody, that there is no counterweight to the foreboding that persists throughout. But as a piece of acting on screen or in the theatre, I have seen none better. I also think Paul Thomas Anderson deserved an Oscar. It is his screenplay and direction which make it a work of art. The movement of the camera following the rescuers to the fire is absolute magic. I think it deserved the Oscar for best film, for me it just beats No Country for Old Men. An outstanding movie that will stand alongside the best of all time in years to come.

19, Raising Sand and Others

The first time I listened to Adele's CD, I was totally unimpressed by the first few tracks, apart from the obvious hit single "Chasing Pavements". And then I hit track nine and everything changed. The only cover on the album, "Make you feel my love" is an absolute belter of a Bob Dylan song that various artists had already recorded. This version has just a brilliant piano accompaniment which, coupled with an undeniable great voice, makes just one marvellous piece of music. Then the final track maybe goes one better. For me, the best song Adele has composed, "Hometown Glory" has my new favourite piano introduction to another brilliant song.

It is only on these two tracks that Neil Cowley plays piano. And what a difference it makes. Classically trained and now with his trio touring jazz/chill out, Neil takes soul piano to a new level. On "Hometown Glory, the pause between the slow intro and main pulsating melody is absolutely exquisite. The other tracks on the CD are very different, but some are beginning to grow on me.

The same can be said for "Raising Sand". I do not possess a Led Zep album, so Robert Plant is new to me. I am not impressed at all by his vocals on this recording, however Alison is her usual wonderful self. And it is those tracks where she sings solo that do it for me. The instrumental backing is highly original and take some getting used to. On the fourth hearing, they are just beginning to make an impression. It is the fusion of the acoustic bass, and sometimes 6 string bass, with the other instruments that makes for such a distinctive sound.
Other recent new CD's include:

"Drastic Fantastic" by KT Tunstall - a good follow up to "Eye to the Telescope" .

"A Hundred Miles or More" by Alison Krauss - a collection of mainly rather dull old songs, only worth listening to for the vocals and the duet with John Waite on "Missing You"

"Kill to Get Crimson" by Mark Knopfler - can he get even more laid back? Good, though.

"Count to Ten" by Tina Dico - one of my female singer songwriters that I collect - this is good (five Stars for each of the five reviews on Amazon), even better than her best known album "In the Red".