A Day in Stratford

When Alison told me she was going to meet her sister in Stratford (as her husband was taking her there with their daughter for a short break to celebrate Anne's 50th) I could not let the opportunity pass. We took the park and ride which proved quick and very economical. The weather was perfect, with clear blue skies for most of the day.

We started off with a walk over the pedestrian bridge to the other side of the river. The landscaping around the canal basin is very tasteful. We had coffee and cake sitting outside the theatre on the river side before heading for Shakespeare's Birthplace where I had never been before (see photo below). Well worth a visit. After an unexpected shower, we found Hathaway Tea Rooms for a late afternoon snack. The building is from 1610 and has recently been refurbished. A pleasant end to a very nice day.

131 Songs - Numbers 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, and 123

Number 116 - Nothing Else Matters by Lucie Silvas

This list of some of my favourite female singer songwriters starts with three great waltzes. I just cannot believe Lucie Silvas has not been more successful. She has two fabulous albums, "Breathe In" and "The Same Side", but was dropped by her record label after the second had poor sales. She apparently has recorded some new songs, so here's hoping for their release soon and some live shows.

Number 117 - Through The Dark by KT Tunstall

After her first excellent album "Eye to the Telescope" (from which my chosen song is taken) and then the not quite as good but quite reasonable "Drastic Fantastic", I did not even bother with her latest disappointing "Tiger Suit". What we want is more songs like the sublime "Through the Dark".

Number 118 - Freeze by Honey Ryder

Honey Ryder are Lindsay O'Mahoney and Martyn Shone. Their only album "Rising Up" is an absolute belter. I have chosen "Freeze" but there are other great tracks too. They are working on a new album, so I hope we do not have long to wait.

Number 119 - Poison Prince by Amy McDonald

This was a hard choice. There are so many good songs on her two albums "This is the Life" and "A Curious Thing". Her uptempo numbers are particularly good and "Poison Prince" is one of those. It never ceases to thrill. I also posted a review (31st October 2010) when I saw her live in Cambridge.

Number 120 - Hometown Glory by Adele

There has been enough said about Adele so it doesn't need me to say how brilliant she is. I try not to play her two albums "19" and "21" too much so they stay fresh when I hear them. "Hometown Glory" (from her first album) is remarkable for the combination of the song, Adele's voice and the piano of Neil Cowley. Superb.

Number 121 - Again Today by Brandi Carlile

I was so disappointed when Brandi cancelled her tour here when we had the ash cloud as I was so looking forward tom seeing one of my favourite singers. Like the last two artists, there are two competing albums for my choice, "The Story and "Give up the Ghost". Her self titled debut album is also pretty good. I nearly chose "Before it Breaks" from her latest album or the title track from "The Story" (with the crashing chords that put Coldplay in their place). But "Again Today" from the same album is just so wonderful, it gets me every time.

Number 122 - Take My Hand by Dido

It was hard to pick a Dido song as there is not one that stands out. But I love her albums ("No Angel", "Life for Rent" and "Safe Trip Home" so much, I had to find one track for this list. And from her first album I found that "Take My Hand" is actually a classic.

Number 123 - The Cheapest Key by Kathleen Edwards

Of all the songs she could have chosen for her set on Monday, the one I was really looking forward to was "The Cheapest Key" from her latest and best album "Asking For Flowers", although "Failer" and "Back to Me" also have some very good tracks. But it just didn't happen. I guess it needs her full band to give it the big impact it certainly has.

Midnight in Paris, Real Steel and Contagion

I have never been a great Woody Allen fan, but his "Midnight in Paris" had received mainly good reviews ("a return to form" etc). I found it pretty lightweight, but are all his movies the same? It did have a certain je ne sais quois (get it?), the scenes of Paris being quite beautiful as expected. The mix of time travel and the introduction of many characters who inhabited Paris in the past (Ernest Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, Cole Porter, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali to name the most prominent) was interesting, but reminded me too much of the book I have just read ("Any Human Heart"). The scenes where Owen Wilson (seemed to struggle with his lead role) meets Rachel McAdam's family I found embarrassingly amateurish. However, it was mostly an entertaining 90 minutes.

It wasn't even half term and Aylesbury Odeon had little to offer. "Real Steel" was one of those movies that seemed quite enticing on the trailer, but ended up a very poor affair. It could have been so much better, but a clumsy script and ridiculous characters made for a very disappointing movie.

I was looking for a a much more tense thriller than "Contagion" delivered. It had all the hallmarks of a documentary with too much switching between all the organisations looking to contain or cure the virus and the people who are effected. But director Steven Soderbergh and his all star cast have produced something that is clever and watchable. Marion Cotillard produces the best performance, but like the other stars, is on the screen all too briefly. A slick and informative thriller that sort of peters out at the end. But overall a quite enjoyable film.

Kathleen Edwards and Bon Iver at Hammersmith Apollo

This was the first time I went to a concert specifically to see the support act. I do like all three of Kathleen Edwards' albums and seeing her perform live seemed like a chance too good to miss, even though only as the support. Her performance, with the accompaniment of only two other guitarists and no percussion did nothing for the vast expanses of the Apollo, was not helped by the background noise of a thousand people talking loudly throughout the set. So her plaintive, and often quiet, songs were not really suitable for the venue. Things were better when rocking through her uptempo pieces. Her 45 minute performance felt too short, but the audience were all there to see the main act. One positive feature from her set was what I presume were songs from her new album due out in January. They were all great, so looking forward to that.

I had listened to bits of Bon Iver's latest album on Spotify, and thought it was not really my kind of music. I made up my mind to listen to a couple of numbers but ended up staying over an hour. This is one band who are obviously brilliant live. Nine musicians including two drummers can really make some noise. And when they go into mainstream mode (which is less than half the time) they produce a powerful and awesome sound. If only their songs were all like that. But overall, I was very impressed.

131 Songs - Numbers 114 and 115

Number 114 - Loch Lomond Live by Runrig

I just love recorded live albums. From The Beatles Live at the BBC" to Jackson Browne's "Running on Empty" and Dire Straits "Alchemy" and "On The Night", there are so many I will have to make a list sometime. But I have to admit that the only reason I bought the CD "Once in a Lifetime - Runrig Live" was for the one track. "Loch Lomond" is transformed from a light Scottish ballad to something raw, powerful and uplifting. It is the one time I wish I was Scottish. When I listen to the rest of the album, I'm glad I'm not.

Number 115 - It Must Have Been Love by Roxette

The only full length live version I can find is my own tape recording of a Wembley concert by Roxette, transmitted on BBC radio. I have had the tape for years, and I must get someone to put it on to CD. It is somewhat spoilt by the lazy audience participation for the chorus they are expected to sing, but it gives it a spontaneous quality not found on normal released albums. I did buy Roxette's "Tourism", but this track has only a short live intro before reverting to an acoustic studio version. The song itself, written by Per Gessle and sung by Marie Fredriksson, is a run of the mill power ballad. But somehow I regularly dig out the tape to play.

Kate and Isabel Hoyland

Kate and Isabel Hoyland were born in Sheffield in 1869 and 1872. Their parents were Charles Hoyland (see "Three Generations of Brush Manufacturers" posted on 23/2/2009) and Hannah Selina ne Wynne. They had one brother, Charles Haywood Hoyland (my great grandfather) and one sister Hannah (see "Hannah Mayor" posted on 10/8/2009). Kate and Isabel never married and were able to live comfortably from the proceeds of their father's business. They were still living with their parents when they were in their twenties, according to the 1901 census. This was at Norwood House in Dore outside Sheffield.

Their other sister Hannah, an artist, had married another artist called Fred Mayor, against the wishes of her parents.

After their father died in 1905, Kate moved to Surrey and at the 1911 Census, age 43, was living at Burghley Road in Wimbledon. She was head of the household and had visitors there on the day of the census including Hoyland nephews Charles (17) and Stanley (5) and niece Louise (16), plus a widow age 41 and a servant. Amazingly, Isabel was then living on Busheywood Road in Dore. Was this the same house that Mum and Dad moved to with John and I sometime around 1947/8?

I guess it was soon after 1911 that Isabel left Sheffield to join Kate in Surrey. When we moved to London in the 1950's, we were told they were living in Esher. It was during our time in London that we used to meet our great great aunts when they treated John and I (with parents in tow) at Christmas to tea and a show in the West End. I can remember a production of Toad of Toad Hall, and possibly A Midsummer Night's Dream. At this time the sisters were in their eighties and still going strong. It seems that they both died in 1960. Kate had reached the ripe old age of 90 and Isabel was not far behind.

The Homecoming

I haven't seen as many plays by Harold Pinter as I would have liked. "The Caretaker", "Old Times" (twice - you would not think it was the same play), "The Dumb Waiter" and the totally brilliant "No Man's Land", and that is all. So when a new production comes on, I make sure I book tickets early. It was just not possible to get into London to see "Betrayal", but "The Homecoming" by the RSC at Stratford was too good to miss.

This is not an easy play to watch, especially if you know nothing of the plot. Even the critics argue about what it all means. It is a dark family drama inhabited by unpleasant characters, who are mostly unpleasant to each other (just like "Eastenders"), so fun it is not. Pinter never revealed the meaning of any of his plays, so it is up to the director, and the audience, to come up with their own interpretation. You cannot take anything anyone says for granted, you have to make your own mind up what is true and what is a lie.

The director, David Farr, has brought in Justin Salinger for his RSC debut as Teddy, and very good he is too. They worked together at the Lyric Theatre's 50th anniversary production of Pinter's "The Birthday Party". Apparently the author left Justin a phone message to say that his performance had changed his view of the play, and Justin has never erased the message. All the cast are terrific, and it is the acting that makes it such a wonderful performance. Nicholas Woodeson shines as the bad tempered father Max, he reminded me a little of Bob Hoskins. Jonathon Slinger and Aislin McGuckin (who played Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in the play I saw a few weeks ago) were much better in this. David Farr has produced something special, if I had one small concern it was the pauses that litter a Pinter play. There were very few. But that may have made it better.

131 Songs - Numbers 111, 112 and 113

Number 111 - The Scientist by Coldplay

One of the few modern male bands that I like. In fact, I will have to see them live sometime. The magic thing about this brilliant song is the way the instrumental builds through the piece. It starts with a quiet organ before being joined by acoustic guitar and piano, and later electric guitar and drums. It is when the guitar crashes into the final instrumental that it really gets me every time.  I love their breakthrough album "A Rush of Blood to the Head" from which this track is taken, but "X&Y" that features "Fix You" is even better. I have to say that Chris Martin has always been very generous the way all the songwriting credits go to the whole band. How often can we say that about others.

Number 112 - Bohemian Like You by The Dandy Warhols

I have no idea who The Dandy Warhols are, but I have always loved this song.

Number 113 - When the Stars go Blue by Ryan Adams

I will look for recommendations of songs in many places: the radio, amazon, newspapers and magazines. But I have my son Michael to thank for finding Ryan Adams. I started of with his album "Gold" as I guess many newcomers would. It may be his classic album, and certainly my chosen song is here, along with other great tracks. But the other three albums of his in my collection are also very good, all in different ways. "Cardinology", the last of these, is fresh and exhilarating. And I am really looking forward to hearing his latest, and very well received, album "Ashes and Fire". On my Christmas list?

Jane Eyre, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Drive

The common dominator of these three wildy different but highly worthy movies is that they all take their time. There are slow, sometimes silent, moody passages where the director wants to create atmosphere. I have to say that there is the odd occasion when you want to yell "just get on with it", but by and large they work OK.

My main reason for wanting to see "Jane Eyre" is that earlier this year I went to see a play in Oxford called "Bronte" (see posting 6th April). It was about the three sisters and one brother and whose house on the moors was echoed in Charlotte's book. It was interesting to see some of her experiences used for the story. There have been many films and TV productions of "Jane Eyre" but somehow I must have missed anything recent, so it all felt pretty new. The two leads made the film. Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender are excellent. They are well supported by Judy Dench and particularly Jamie Bell as St John Rivers. The script is fine but the direction of Cary Fukunada is nothing special. Haddon Hall is the wonderful setting for Thornfield House, the third time it has been used for a "Jane Eyre" production. The costumes are what you would expect from a superior British period piece, and the music is also terrific. In the hands of another director, this could have been a superb movie.

Another film based on a well loved book. John Le Carre is my favourite author (although I do prefer is later work), and the seven episode 1979 TV series of "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" with Alec Guiness as George Smiley is a masterpiece. So how did it work, condensing the story into a two hour movie? Well Connie Sachs, played by Kathy Burke, has, I think, one scene? She is such an integral part of the book, it did leave me a little flat, and that was my overall impression. That is not to say it was disappointing. The casting was about the best you can get. Gary Oldman is spot on for Smiley as is the rest of the cast. The most impressive character for me was Mark Strong as Jim Prideaux. He was absolutely brilliant. The direction of Tomas Alfredson (the man responsible for the superb "Let The Right One In") really captured the atmosphere of post war England and the shabby world of espionage with all it's lies and devious plotting. Worth seeing.

As I watched the first half of "Drive", I wondered why it had an 18 certificate. There was nothing to trouble the censor there. But then the violence all kicks off, and pretty graphic it is too. Ryan Gosling plays the driver without any other name. He is monosyllabic and has no social skills. He is very good at one thing and that is cars, whether behind the wheel or under the bonnet. At night he moonlights as a getaway driver, and the opening sequence is absolutely fabulous. In the day he does odd stints as a driver in movies. He makes contact with a lonely mother ( Carey Mulligan) and her son who are neighbours on the same floor of their apartment building. They start what seems a platonic relationship, he husband is in jail, and it seems that for the first time in his life, the driver has found something more than cars. It is only when the husband returns that things start to go wrong. So we have what is an interesting story, but the uncommunicative nature of our hero does nothing to ease the sense of melancholia. That is until a bungled robbery results in the bloodthirsty second half, full of tension and drama. Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan are both very good. The direction of Nicolas Winding Refn is amazing. The car chases are few, but they are so well done. His photography of Los Angeles is wonderful and the pace of the film is just right. And the visual flair is there for all to see. Just be careful if you don't like violence.