Right! I'm back. Well, I always am, eventually.. sorry for the delay, but a lot has been happening..
Remember how on Thursday, I'd booked Universe, a Crick Crack Club (CCC) show happening in Oxford and live-streamed? And then, the day before, I got an email to say that the recording of Universe would be made available to me for a week afterwards! Well, that didn't happen.. seems they had technical issues, and not only could some people not access the whole show, but they couldn't record it either. So they've refunded me. Ah well, as I mentioned, I had seen it before. Just as well it didn't get in the way of my other plans, though!
On Friday, I was back with the London European Club (LEC) for a concert - Balkan Music, courtesy of Raka & Balamuc, in The Post Bar, Tottenham. Sounded like fun. We wouldn't have access to our desks by that night, though, what with moving office soon - so I had to empty mine: and to save taking loads of unnecessary stuff to the concert, I left work a bit early, to get it back to the flat. So I was slightly exhausted by the time I hopped on the bus to the concert.
It's a long, long, straight road, from where I live - and the first time in years I sat upstairs on the bus, what with there being little choice downstairs. The bus dropped me across from the bar, and in I went - was about to grab a drink at the bar when I saw a Meetup sign peeping around it from a table at the other side, near the stage. So, around I went - and there was the organiser, and someone else I hadn't met since I came back! Cool - I grabbed my place on the sofa that came with the table, went back to the bar, and returned with a drink. Later in the evening, others joined us - some I knew, some not, but the chat was good. And oh, it was great to chill..
The first band up was Balamuc - and my, they had technical issues! It took them ages to get the mic fixed, there was terrible feedback. I also remember having to waft through a cloud of rather smelly smoke that was pumped out - for effect, naturally. But when they finally did get going, they were catchy, they were fun.. the floor in front of the stage was really filling up, but we were fine.
Raka came on at about 10:30 - too late for some, who had to be up early. By this stage, it was getting quite packed, and our table had been removed to make room. Honestly, I didn't get as much from their performance as from Balamuc - they weren't as catchy, and as I didn't understand what they were singing about, they pretty much lost me. So I didn't stay for much of their set, leaving at about 11. But the night was a good one, mainly for meeting and chatting to people. And as our organiser said, it was great to see the venue getting the custom - it was heaving by the time I left.
I couldn't have stayed up much later anyway; I flew back to Ireland the next day. With a few days off, I'm not flying back until Thursday. At least I'm not working from home this time, so didn't have to bring the laptop! Now, I didn't do anything on Saturday - the day I flew - and Sunday was my mother's birthday, so I left it alone. But yesterday, I took myself to the pictures. Highest-rated of the films showing locally is Dune, with Timothée Chalamet - a coming-of-age sci-fi film that I honestly have no interest in. But then, I never did read the book.
Nope, I took myself to one of far more interest to me. The Last Duel - directed by Ridley Scott - is based on the true story of the last trial by combat to be held in Europe. (Careful, that link contains spoilers.) In 1386, Sir Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) was horrified when his beautiful young second wife (his first having died of plague), Marguerite (Jodie Comer), broke the news that, while he had been away recently, his neighbour, Jacques le Gris (Adam Driver), had inveigled his way into the castle and raped her. Now, the two men had been at loggerheads for a while, over land.. and le Gris was the favourite of the local lord, Count Pierre (Ben Affleck, as a blonde). Le Carrouges was never going to be able to get a verdict in his favour locally - and so appealed to the king, Charles VI (Alex Lawther). Both parties wanted a fight to the death - that was the only way to repair the damage done to their honour. The king agreed, if the court could not come to a decision - and so it came to pass. Harriet Walter plays le Carrouge's mother, and John Cavanagh is le Gris' priest.
Showing at a slightly earlier time in the Omniplex, so I took myself in there. It was a bit of a scramble to make it in time, but I got there while the ads were still running - mind you, there were only about 10 minutes of them! They've really cut down on the programme these days, I'm finding.
Ah now, I am exactly the demographic for this film. I love history. I adore medieval history. I have a particular fondness for the 14th Century. And you won't find it more accurately represented on screen than in this film. Both Affleck and Damon contributed to the screenplay, which was based on a book about the subject by historian Eric Jager, who also oversaw the dialogue used in the film. As Marguerite goes about her business on the estate, she takes great care over the day-to-day running of the farm - and we learn a lot about how a medieval estate would have been run. I'm not a historian, but I couldn't fault it. And Alex Lawther plays a blinder, utterly believable as the young king who would later become famously mad..
It's very cleverly told. As they say, there are three sides to every story - here, we start with le Carrouge's version, then le Gris': and finally, Marguerite's. So, we essentially get the same backstory three times, with a slightly different twist each time. I do love seeing stories from different angles - and it is so interesting to look back afterwards, and note what exactly they changed. As you might expect, the woman's story comes out completely different from the men's.
The film starts dramatically, with the joust. Now, I used to attend the Knights' Tournaments - and before Health and Safety got so prissy, I remember I used to be able to get right up to the fence. And WOW! Let me tell you, little compares to the sheer drama of the horse thundering past you, and the crash of the lances against each others' shields. Stirring stuff - and this brought it all back for me. But we don't see it again until we're finished with all three backstories - and we get to see the conclusion. Caveat: as with other aspects of the film, the battle scenes are realistically gory. And there's nudity, plenty of violence..
Compelling - especially if you like things medieval. Filmed in Cahir Castle, near enough to where I am now, as it happens. But also a terrific examination of women's life in medieval times. An absolute must-see. At least for the likes of me! I just wish I had it to see all over again.
Yep, and today's film was also excellent. The Rescue is a documentary about the relatively recent rescue of 13 Thai schoolboys, and their football coach, from a flooded cave - monsoon season had come early. A highly rated film - but films about "worthy" subjects often are; it doesn't always mean they work as an enjoyable film.
This, however, is terrific - unexpectedly moving, with original footage and reconstructed scenes (using some original participants), alongside interviews with people involved. And it's interesting to note that the rescue effort was spearheaded by English amateur cave-divers.. nobody else had the relevant expertise, nobody else knew what equipment would be required! The step-by-step recounting of the process required is absolutely fascinating - and terrifying, as they convey how improbable it was that everyone would come out alive. Footage at the end, also, of the Englishmen receiving knighthoods. I felt like giving them a round of applause myself.
This was a preview - it's not officially out until Friday. And for once, I ended up in the Odeon, which was the only place showing it! Tonight only, and I'm glad I made the trip. I had to check my route though - it's been years. And I see they've built a whole new (since I was there last) shopping centre! Other things of note included the check of my Covid cert as I entered - they do that in Ennis, but not in Limerick Omniplex - and the neverending queue for McDonald's drivethru as I left. (I was passing, to be clear, not queueing.) Oh, and I had a squeaky seat in the cinema..
No more films here for now - my mother has booked me to open her birthday present (a Dyson) tomorrow evening, and I'm expecting a call in the afternoon. And I'm flying on Thursday, so it'd be too complicated. But on Friday, back with the LEC again, for Carmen - contemporary flamenco at The Place. (Might work from home that day, as we won't be in our new office yet, and I'd have to carry my laptop around with me.) Funnily enough, someone in the group said there were no individual seats left, and asked whether anyone wanted to double up with her. I offered, if there were no other takers - but she never got back to me. So, since I was now up to that date in my schedule, I decided to check for myself - and got an individual seat! So I've booked it.
On Saturday, I'm doing something nice and Halloweeny - a ghost story event entitled Night Owl - changed from Scared to Death in the Woods, which they're now doing on Hallowe'en itself, and which has sold out. Tickets from Design My Night. So, an organisation called London Dreamtime is leading us off into a undisclosed location, somewhere around Hampstead Heath.. we're to dress warmly, and bring a blanket to sit on, and a "candle in a jar" - I actually went out and bought an LED flickering candle in a lantern-style holder. Well, thought it was the most practical! And I got batteries today.
On Sunday.. Halloween itself.. I finally have something to do! One of my cheap ticket groups (CT) finally sent me an email with good suggestions - one of which was the Cloak & Dagger Immersive History Tour (yes, with actors). Starting and ending at The George, and yes, running on Halloween. Sadly, all their ticket allocation had gone - I just booked one direct with the company.
On the same email, they advertised the Unrestricted View Horror Short Film Festival, at the Hen & Chickens Theatre! I found tickets even cheaper with my other cheap ticket group, TAC, however.. They have three sessions that day, the last of which finishes an hour before my walk, giving me time to get there. So I booked the first - but when I tried to book the others, the system wouldn't let me, saying they were too close together! I had to contact the box office direct to book them for me - which they promptly did. So, three 1.5-hour short horror film sessions, lasting all that afternoon, should set me up nicely for the walk!
On Monday, back with the CCC - at King's Place, this time - for their annual Day of the Dead celebration! Keeping the spooky tradition nicely alive, there.
Next Tuesday - weyhey, back with Ivan! Don't know where yet - watch this space.
Therefore, I'm taking the next day - the 3rd - off work. As I said to my boss, it'd be that or a sick day! That evening, however, I'll be dragging myself to the National for The Normal Heart, of which I've heard good reviews.
On the 4th, finally getting to see Tina - The Tina Turner Musical, which I'd booked pre-lockdown and got a refund for! Cheapest tickets, I found, were direct from the Aldwych Theatre. Peculiar website though - I couldn't see my basket without going back into the booking section. And then I'm flying back here again - a Friday flight, for once! Just for the weekend, this time.
No comments:
Post a Comment