Musical Performance: The Show Must Go On

Well, my mother finally got sick of the same old stories on the current affairs programmes tonight. Now, on Sunday - Thumbs Up Theatre Toronto watched a live stream from the Palace Theatre London! It was the swansong for The Shows Must Go On - a medley of songs from the famous musicals. Sadly, of course, I was stuck watching tv with my mother, as usual. But YESSSS - IT'S STILL AVAILABLE! For a week afterwards, it seems - so, until Sunday night, I guess. So I whacked it on my phone..

Oh man, it's awesome. I don't know how many times I broke down, just to see live musical theatre back. And the nostalgia of all the shows I'd seen - & Juliet, Hamilton, Mamma Mia!, The Book of Mormon, Come From Away, Everybody's Talking About Jamie, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera. The shows I'd booked, which got cancelled - Dear Evan Hansen and Tina. And all the others: SIX, The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Pretty Woman, Back to the Future (jeez, I didn't even know there was a musical of that!), Matilda, Wicked, and The Prince of Egypt!

Songs were introduced in pairs - one from each musical - and belted out with gusto. Even my mother listened to most of it - and decided that the singer of Bring Him Home from Les Misérables wasn't as good as Colm Wilkinson. She came with me to Dublin to see that - Phantom, we saw in London when I was a kid. I can't fault John Owen Jones' powerful performance, though. But the standout performance for me was Aisha Jawando - practically channelling Tina Turner in an explosive performance of We Don't Need Another Hero, from Tina. Oh, I MUST book for that again.

Peppered throughout the show are ads for Theatre Support Fund, where you can donate, or buy merchandise. I have my eye on the t-shirt, personally.. might wait until I'm back, though, and it's cheaper: and the whole spectacle finishes with a speech by Sadiq Khan (interesting to watch the chat at this point, where people wondered what he was going to sing), and a thrilling version of The Show Must Go On, performed by the whole company! Ah, if you love musical theatre, you just have to watch this..

They're advertising Crazy Rich Asians as the Saturday night movie. Awesome, another I hadn't seen.. being stuck in Ireland for the pandemic is at least helping me get through my film list..

Harpist Kristan Toczko LIVE in Concert

Tonight, Thumbs Up Theatre Toronto scheduled a last-minute event, listening to a classical harp concert! Fantastic - it's so long since I listened to classical music. And mercifully, it wasn't on as late as the other recent events! Funnily enough, I was messaged today by someone in the group, who must have seen my name on the list - and I swear he was chatting me up. Based in Toronto as he is, that seems rather optimistic to me. Anyway, he said he'd be at the concert tonight, and I said I'd see him there. Which got me out of what was becoming an interminable conversation..

Ah well, at last, a Meetup I could chat at. Although 36 signed up, only six actually showed to the pre-show chat. (No sign of my admirer - to my relief, as I'd said quite enough to him for at least one day. Didn't really expect him to show anyway, I didn't think it was his thing.) The small number meant I could have a decent chat - and as most hadn't realised I was from Ireland, they were duly fascinated! One had just seen Wild Mountain Thyme, loved it - described it as a real weepie. Now, this is the film that's been panned in Ireland for the accents - don't think I could probably sit through it. But anyway. And I had to keep schtum when someone started railing against the pandemic (non-existent, to her mind), and the vaccines (not to be trusted, to her mind). Some people, you just can't argue with. Mercifully, the show came to save us from argument.

Now, I was at a harp concert before. There were five or so performers, and while it was lovely, it was also just a bit much, harps on their own for so long. Well, delighted to say that tonight's concert was nothing like it! A personable young lady - who apparently also teaches harp and piano - took us through a brief programme: 40 minutes or so in all:

• Debussy/Coeur – Clair de Lune
• J. S. Bach/Grandjany – Violin Partita No. 1: Sarabande
• J. S. Bach/Grandjany – Violin Sonata No. 2: Andante
• Caroline Lizotte – Suite Galactique
• Carlos Salzedo – Tango
• Carlos Salzedo – Rumba

I have to say, I was enchanted throughout - my objections last time must have been caused by the playlist. This time, it was perfect - the Clair de Lune was possibly better than the piano version, the Bach was lovely. The Suite Galactique was a revelation - I don't usually like contemporary classical music, but this was lovely. And the two dances to finish were an inspired choice.

Afterwards, there was an unexpected Q+A on Zoom - I decided to join, and was glad I did. Especially once they switched to gallery view, and we could see her - the option to switch wasn't available in my view. We found out all about the pedals on the harp, and how she's involved in rearranging music for harp - she says, if it was written for piano, it's pretty much easily transmutable. She also transcribes from other musical genres - now, that could be interesting! And she's apparently A Big Thing on TikTok..

A delightful concert, this is part of the Scotia Festival of Music (practicing "scotial" distancing). which runs for another week. And this concert is still available to watch, for free - check out the link at the top. Highly recommended.

Afterwards, I logged back on to the Zoom chat - the organiser had kindly waited, and we chatted for a while, but it seems the rest had logged on earlier, not bothering with the Q+A. Well, very thoughtful of her to think of anyone who had attended, and might be logging on late!

Tomorrow, I have the UK Bank Holiday, and while I've been really lucky with Meetup for the past few days, tomorrow will have to fend for myself, what with so many Meetups now being in-person. So, it's back to the most excellent St. Patrick's Festival website. TV permitting..

Musical: Our House

 A while ago, Thumbs Up Theatre Toronto were watching Our House - a musical based on the music of the band Madness. So, with a lull in tv programming today, I caught up with that..

I like Madness. Was never a huge fan, but like everyone else, got interested in their music videos in the 80s. Their madcap antics in those, however, disguise some very deep themes in the songs - which are as catchy as ever, and a delight to listen to in this musical. It's a rather sweet story of a boy, trying to make his way through life.. at the pivotal age of 16, his story splits into two parallel lives; in both, he's the same person, in love with the same girl, but his experiences are different, and lead to very different outcomes in each. Kudos to him for the rapid costume changes.. Either way, a feelgood way to spend a couple of hours. Recommended for fans of the music, or of musicals. And free!

Well, it's a bank holiday tomorrow. Sadly, no chance of me getting back to Blighty just yet. Anyway, I guess I'll check out the St. Patrick's Festival website again - yes, it's still there! And tomorrow night, looking forward to the Bank Holiday Movie - The Delinquent Season stars Cillian Murphy and the delectable Andrew Scott as Dublin friends, both married - and wouldn't you know it, Cillian goes and sleeps with Andrew's wife. Tsk. Well, I'd watch Andrew Scott staring at a wall, so I suspect I'll enjoy this..

Musical: Ruthless

This evening, Up in the Cheap Seats is watching Michael Ball perform a Heroes concert, full of showtunes, on The Shows Must Go On. However, this is only in some parts of the world - here, they're showing us Ruthless, the musical that spoofs musicals. It'd be great to see a musical again, it's been a while - and hey, I couldn't have watched with the group anyway, they're watching too late for me..

And yes, it is great to see a musical! A Broadway production, it has a bit of everything - as you might expect. Marvellous performances as we watch Shirley Temple's evil twin plot and scheme her way to the lead role - no surprise that it's once she gets it, the show takes off! I particularly loved grandma's number, "I hate musicals". Had it all been that good, I'd have been more entertained. So - I didn't find it laugh-out-loud hilarious, but I did chuckle. Amusing entertainment for a cold afternoon. Showing until 7pm tomorrow, GMT.

Tomorrow, looking like film again - and Amazon Prime kindly sent me an advertising email while I was watching Ruthless. Some highly rated stuff - so I'll give it a shot! Highest among them - that I'd be interested in - is Good Omens, a sci-fi comedy about the end of the world. Somebody has triggered Armageddon, it seems, and it's up to an angel (Michael Sheen) and a demon (David Tennant) to stop it. Frances McDormand is God, Miranda Richardson plays the hapless medium who represents the first recorded case of angelic possession. Based on a book co-written by Terry Pratchett, it looks quite clever - and I do love that the Antichrist is a small boy. Seems so appropriate. Anyway, I love that kind of stuff - and end-of-the-world stories seem so appropriate, these days!

Film: La Petite Vendeuse de Soleil

I owed myself another film for yesterday; of the next on my list, La Petite Vendeuse de Soleil was next alphabetically, and having no particular preference, I went for that. Courtesy of Sands Films, it has the added advantage of being short.

It was too late last night really, so I just watched it now. As I say, conveniently short enough to fit into a gap in the tv schedule. And it's a charming little thing, under an hour long - even with all the speechifying of the director of the film club! This seems to have been one of the first they released after lockdown, and he spends some time pondering that. If you're not interested in that part, he starts to talk about the film at about 9:45, and the film proper starts around 12 minutes in.

Set on the busy streets of Dakar, the film tells the story of a little girl who pretty much lives on the streets - we don't get to see where she actually sleeps, she's just out all the time. Most of the beggars we see have some kind of disability, as does she - one of her legs is in a brace, and seems pretty useless. She uses crutches to get around. Similarly, her grandmother - apparently her only family - is blind. But you know, there isn't a moment of pity in this film - seeing the brash boys that sell newspapers, she decides that's the job for her, and indeed, she makes a real go of it! Highly recommended, as a gentle peek into the day-to-day life of poor Africans.

And in under an hour, my first Meetup of the month! London Social Detours, naturally, with a virtual themed tour "Spies, Lies & Espionage".

Musical: From Here to Eternity

Yesterday, Up in the Cheap Seats was watching From Here to Eternity: The Musical on YouTube's The Shows Must Go On channel. As usual, they were running too late for me - but hey, I could watch it independently. Wow, it's months since I watched that channel! About time I got back to it

And I'm so glad I did. The music is really catchy (lyrics by Tim Rice), and I'd forgotten how much I missed watching a musical. The frequent musical numbers do drag out the story - but it's worth staying with it, the ending is quite moving. Just a shame I couldn't have joined the group and chatted about it. Also a shame that it's already unavailable..

For Saturday, back to film. And gee, Raindance kept its site up! So I'll have a look then and see what's still available..

Play: Blueprint Medea

Well now, I'm taking this week off work! Simply, I need to use up my leave - and could do with the break. So, expect me to schedule something or other for every day this week. And, for a change, Meetup provided me with something to do yesterday! (Not live, mind - they were meeting in the evening again, so I couldn't meet them, but I could watch the show anytime.) Wouldn't you know it, Up in the Cheap Seats got back to scheduling things online - they took a break from that for a while there; doubtless the increased viral spread prompted their decision to schedule online again. Finborough Theatre is broadcasting a play called Blueprint Medea on YouTube, for free - the theme transmutes the original Medea play to the story of a Kurdish refugee in London. Yippee, it's been weeks since I saw a play! And I see the theatre has a few on offer..

In the event, I got caught up doing other stuff - easily done - and only got to watch it now. It's about an hour and a half, straight through - with a large cast, for such a small theatre. The quality of the video isn't marvellous - it's from a live performance last year, obviously never meant for broadcast, and the visuals break up a bit. The audio is quite muffled in parts - towards the end, I found it useful to display subtitles, or I'd never have known what they were saying.

Well, it's based on a Greek play, which might explain some of the performances - especially towards the beginning, they seemed stilted to me. Perhaps they were weighted down by history - whatever, it makes for sluggish watching. And while Medea does go crazy in the end (spoiler!), I thought she was unnecessarily intense throughout - a breakdown waiting to happen, rather than inspired by events in the course of the play. Hey-ho.

As in the original, she's with Jason - except in this case, that's just what he calls himself; he's Muslim, and called Mohammed, but thinks Jason "Jay" is cooler. And they have two sons. But hey, his father disapproves, and finds him another bride. And so Medea exacts a dreadful revenge, using both his sons and his new wife..

It isn't only about that - we see a snippet of her coming to London, getting a place in a hostel as a refugee: but she has trouble there, and ends up moving out and working in the black economy. She's working as a cleaner at the gym where Jay works out - that's how they meet. And as we get flashbacks of her Kurdish experience, we see how it moulded her - and how it hurts her when others in her English class don't even know where Kurdistan is. Desperate for acceptance, we see how invested she is in her relationship with Jay; however, his background won't allow him to consider a future with her - pay attention if you ever thought that refugees' backgrounds were all the same. I thought the way she exacted revenge on his fiancée was an interesting touch..

I nodded off a bit during the first half - thought it picked up when they'd had the kids and the story started to progress. The first half, however, I found weak - it had things to say, but I felt the points made were underdeveloped. But hey, it's an interesting play. Showing till the 14th of November.

I was planning to see a film today - and Lady Vengeance is the most interesting thing topping my list, currently: a Korean film about a young woman, unjustly imprisoned, who on release, well, seeks vengeance. I don't think I'll watch it tonight, but will hopefully get to it at some point tomorrow. Amazon Prime again.

Meantime, back to Meetup tomorrow - London Social Detours has Part Six of her reading of The Little Book of the Tudors. My first Meetup in over two weeks.. and the first of these I've been able to attend, midweek as they are. Well, I might not enjoy her reading style - but I am interested in the Tudors!

Play: Last Train to Nibroc

Third night in a row that the decent programmes expired early. The difference tonight was that Meetup finally had something other than film to offer! Up in the Cheap Seats was watching a play on YouTube, entitled Last Train to Nibroc. And Jo was organising - and I tend to like her choices. So glad to be able to see one of them again, even if I couldn't make the actual Meetup!

Well, she hasn't lost her touch. This is absolutely charming! A WWII romantic drama - with plenty of sparky comedy - it has a young pair, both from Kentucky, meet in three separate scenes. Like so many great romances, it begins on a train - and when they discover they're from not far from each other, the rest of the play happens close to home. The chemistry between them is fantastic, the dialog quick-fire, and the romantic tension is brilliantly played out to the very end. About 90 minutes straight through, and very highly recommended - we should all have such a romance in our lives..

On Saturday, for some reason, no-one is doing online Meetups again. At the moment, I'm thinking film -  never fear, there's always another. Well, there's a halfway infinite list! As a friend of mine once asked - is it my aim to see them all one day? Certainly looks like it's happening - slowly.. Next up is Almost Famous - directed and written by Cameron Crowe, it is semi-autobiographical. A young lad aspires to be a rock journalist, and gets a break with Rolling Stone, for goodness' sake! Frances McDormand is his disapproving mother, Zooey Deschanel his more sympathetic sister. Philip Seymour Hoffman is the journalist that acts as his mentor. Billy Crudup is lead guitarist of the band he's covering. Also stars Kate Hudson, Jimmy Fallon, Noah Taylor, and Anna Paquin. Set in the 70s, it looks like a glorious free-for-all, in the days of rock n roll excess..

On Sunday - why, London Social Detours has something on again at a time I can make! Specifically, a slideshow about the history of Islington - where I used to live, and which is still just up the road from me. Cool - I've signed up.

On the 22nd, they're doing another "time-travel" - Ancient Rome this time, complete with a short film again.

And on the 23rd, they just announced a talk, by someone from the National Gallery, about Catherine of Aragon! I was the first to sign up - nice to be kept busy again..

Classical Music

Today had no online Meetups that I could see. However, the London Chamber Music group was attending a classical concert, live in Highbury. I couldn't go, of course - and it was sold out anyway. But as they published the programme - I could recreate it for myself. A popular set, including Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven - just the thing for whenever there was a black hole in the tv listings! I couldn't have the setting - but it couldn't be helped.

The listings weren't actually terrible today - but there did come a point where I decided I'd rather be listening to some good music, so I turned off the tv and set to it. And I must say, it was blissful - positioned right in front of the fan, to cope with the sweltering heat (I have it on most of my waking hours, now). The first two pieces were absolutely perfect for a relaxed, sunny, Sunday afternoon. Funnily enough, I wasn't enamoured of the Beethoven - he's my favourite classical composer, but I just thought it didn't quite fit with the others! The more dramatic tone jarred slightly - perhaps it would have fitted better, live. Anyway, I included the YouTube links on the composers' names, above, so you can try the combo for yourselves..

Speaking of links, London Social Detours (LSD) finally published the links to the Elizabethan videos included with yesterday's event:

Elizabethan London
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKIvtriwyEk

Life at Court of Elizabeth l
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc6exSlx5jA


What was life like for the poor in the towns of Elizabethan England?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gWiGuQvPsY


What was life like for the rural poor in Elizabethan England? | History - Elizabethan England
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3dQR2UfC2g&t=22s


Who were the rich in Elizabethan England?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDh-i6hdA2g&list=PLcvEcrsF_9zLTTFTWEPC-St2l7TedKwG6&index=4

To what extent was life changing in Elizabethan England?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXiQBef7X4E&list=PLcvEcrsF_9zLTTFTWEPC-St2l7TedKwG6&index=5

As I said, the ones I saw so far were most innovative and entertaining, and I'd be happy to check out the rest!

On Saturday, for some reason, no-one is doing online Meetups again. At the moment, I'm thinking film - highest on my film list (on Amazon Prime) is A Good Day to Die, a documentary about the American Indian Movement. Looks compelling. Incidentally, Mubi is no longer an option - my free period expired, and I cancelled my subscription. Now, the last time I did that, they gave me an extra free month - this time, they offered a year at half price! I still decided it wasn't worth paying for.. (I actually left it slightly late to cancel, so it's a good thing that the payment card I'd specified has since been cancelled, or I'd have been charged!)

Next Sunday - why, LSD has something on again at a time I can make! Specifically, a slideshow about the history of Islington - where I used to live, and which is still just up the road from me. Cool - I've signed up.

And on the 22nd, they're doing another "time-travel" - Ancient Rome this time, complete with a short film again. They're getting busy, these days..

Talk about Elizabethan Times & Film: A Mighty Wind

 I was very excited about today - the Old Vic has taken to streaming shows live in camera (so, played to an empty theatre). And coming up next is Three Kings - a one-man show with Andrew Scott! Showing from Wednesday to Saturday, it replicates a live theatre show, in that you have to attend at the scheduled time - so the only show I can make is the Saturday matinée. For which I snatched a ticket asap! Caveat - despite the different ticket prices, the view is the same for everyone - it's just a question of how much of a donation you feel like making. They're supposed to send me a Zoom link, shortly beforehand - oh, and these are non-transferable, you can only use the link on one device. But boy, do I love Andrew Scott.. 

Sadly, he had to go to hospital (neither serious nor Covid-related, we're assured!). So it was rescheduled to this week - but they then informed us that it's now postponed to an unspecified date, as he's still not feeling well. Watch this space.. blast. At least it freed me up for Meetups - so I booked my first meeting in months with London Social Detours. This one was a chat about Elizabethan times, along with a short film. A small charge, but what the hey.

I decided to use my work computer, to ensure a smoother performance - I could have used my phone, but the whole event was supposed to last two hours, which is a bit too long to hold it! Happily, my work computer worked just fine. I logged in about five minutes early, as instructed - and was the first there. But within a couple of minutes of the scheduled start time, most people had arrived - sadly, one forgot all about it until it was nearly over, as she messaged us after.

It's become rather amusing to see the host's continuing struggles with technology - today, it ranged from not being able to broadcast sound with the video she was showing, to not being able to share her screen at all. Never mind - she tends to get there in the end. She actually showed two short films, both available on YouTube - and despite everything I've seen on this period, these were well worth a look, with a new, engaging narrative, and some clever visuals to recreate the Elizabethan town over the modern-day facade. Now, she was supposed to share with us at least the links to the other videos in that playlist - nothing at all yet, though.

In between, she had prepared a slideshow of interesting things to look at from the period, each complete with accompanying narrative. And I really do have to commend her thoroughness - even though I still don't like her breathy, gasping reading style. And even I learned new stuff - we spoke about how rats have been somewhat let off the hook for spreading the plague, and the second video had a very interesting sequence about the development of the ruff. The chat afterwards was a relief - I don't get to chat to enough people from the outside world these days. Even if, as the host bemoaned, just like every talk, it did work its way around to Covid!

After a slew of films on telly that I'd already seen, late tonight finally threw up one I hadn't. A Mighty Wind is a mockumentary about the reunion of a (massive) folk group, in memory of a recently deceased concert promoter. Written and directed by, and starring, Christopher Guest as one of the musicians, it stars Eugene Levy as another, who turns in a wonderful, half-crazy performance as someone that seems to have just left a home for the bewildered. All in all, this is a lovely, daft, ensemble piece with a sustained, wry humour. Recommended.

Now, tomorrow has no online Meetups that I can see. However, the London Chamber Music group is attending a classical concert, live in Highbury. I can't go, of course - and it's sold out anyway. But as they've published the programme - I can recreate it for myself. A popular set, including Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven - just the thing for whenever there's a black hole in the tv listings! I can't have the setting - but it can't be helped.

Ballet: Jekyll & Hyde

Even less on telly these days, with Virgin Media's Festival of Football - the halfway decent programmes finished so early that I determined to see what Meetup was up to. And so I discovered that Up in the Cheap Seats was watching Jekyll & Hyde, yesterday. Screened free on YouTube by the Old Vic, when I checked the details, I discovered that it's showing until Wednesday. Excellent - this seemed a much better option than the telly!

Now, nowhere in the description did it mention that it was a ballet - which came as a complete surprise to me. Mind you, if they can do a ballet version of Frankenstein.. Anyway, in this version, Dr. Jekyll is a mild-mannered botanist who runs a flower shop, and whose life is made a misery by the local tough guy. One evening, of course, Dr. Jekyll makes a surprise discovery when he's messing around with a growth potion in the lab.. and enter Mr. Hyde, and a complete change in Dr. Jekyll's fortunes!

I thought it started out very Little Shop of Horrors, with the nerdy florist and the 50s costumes. And to be honest, I wasn't at all sure I was in the mood. But I was to be very glad I persisted - the sequences with Mr. Hyde have a sexiness and an edge to them that's completely lacking from Dr. Jekyll's. And by the end, I found I really cared about the characters. Highly recommended - you will not believe the transformation, once the man takes his potion..! (Contains some nudity, and plenty of suggestive scenes..)

I was very excited about tomorrow - the Old Vic has taken to streaming shows live in camera (so, played to an empty theatre). And coming up next is Three Kings - a one-man show with Andrew Scott! Showing from Wednesday to Saturday, it replicates a live theatre show, in that you have to attend at the scheduled time - so the only show I can make is the Saturday matinée. For which I snatched a ticket asap! Caveat - despite the different ticket prices, the view is the same for everyone - it's just a question of how much of a donation you feel like making. They're supposed to send me a Zoom link, shortly beforehand - oh, and these are non-transferable, you can only use the link on one device. But boy, do I love Andrew Scott.. 

Sadly, it was supposed to take place last week, but he's been in hospital (neither serious nor Covid-related, we're assured!). So it was rescheduled to this week - but they then informed us that it's now postponed to an unspecified date, as he's still not feeling well. Watch this space.. blast. At least it frees me up for Meetups - so I've booked my first meeting in months with London Social Detours. This one is a chat about Elizabethan times, along with a short film.

Musical: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals

Today wasn't showing anything on Meetup that appealed - so I thought I might catch up with something that Up in the Cheap Seats watched on Friday. The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals is available for free on YouTube - and is, indeed, a musical.

Ah jeez, I liked musicals till I saw this! Honestly, I had to bail (very) early - I was so sick of it. To be fair, the singing is excellent-  but oh, the inanity of the characters when they're not singing. The guy of the title is the most sane person in it. And dear Lord, where did they get the crowd?! Doesn't take much to make them laugh. Great numbers - but dumb, dumb, dumb. Uch. Watchable if that's your thing - it isn't mine. Much rather be watching The Fall - which is getting more and more interesting, in Season 3.

Very excited about Saturday though - The Old Vic has taken to streaming shows live in camera (so, played to an empty theatre). And coming up next is Three Kings - a one-man show with Andrew Scott! Showing from Wednesday to Saturday, it replicates a live theatre show, in that you have to attend at the scheduled time - so the only show I can make is the Saturday matinée. For which I snatched a ticket asap! Caveat - despite the different ticket prices, the view is the same for everyone - it's just a question of how much of a donation you feel like making. They're supposed to send me a Zoom link, shortly beforehand - oh, and these are non-transferable, you can only use the link on one device. But boy, do I love Andrew Scott..

Play: The Deep Blue Sea

Oh dearie me. Well, I suppose the tv schedules can't always be good.. nothing really worth watching, after the main evening news. So I headed for something that Up in the Cheap Seats were watching on Friday - The Deep Blue Sea, presented by the National Theatre.

So, this is written by Terence Rattigan. Set in 1952, it's the story of a woman (played by Helen McRory), who left her stable, dependable, respectable, and adoring husband a year ago, it transpires. I guess things had got too safe. Instead, she hooked up with a dashing and exciting pilot, with whom she's now living in rather more modest circumstances. However, things aren't all rosy - when we meet her, she's passed out in the sitting room, where her neighbours find her; lucky the door wasn't locked, as she was trying to gas herself - and might have succeeded, if not for forgetting to put money in the gas meter!

What follows is the most marvellous character study. It's revealed that she has a talent for art that was never realised - this was a time, of course, when her best course of action was to marry well. We also get a real insight into her boyfriend's character, thanks to a wonderful performance of his drunken reaction as he vents to his friend about this vexing suicide note she left, and spends most of his time whining about how it'd make him look if she'd succeeded! A grown-up with a child's reactions, he also resents her for tying him down. In complete contrast, of course, is her still-adoring husband, who is telephoned by a neighbour who doesn't know whom else to call. Always smartly dressed (and sober), he rushes straight over - and makes obvious how much better her life would be with him. So she has a few options.. but which will she choose?

This really hit close to home - I used to be involved with someone very, very like her boyfriend. And it is quite devastating to see desperate she is to keep him. Sharply scripted, it gives each character enough space to develop, while allowing for some real verbal tennis among her and the men in her life. Absolutely marvellous, one of the best things I've seen in ages. Highly recommended. Quick though - they only leave these shows on for a week, and have a new one every Thursday..

Same-o situation for Saturday as for this past weekend. Funnily enough, highest on my film list now is Fleabag! (which I've already finished a season of, on Amazon Prime Video). I tried to start Season 2 - and would you credit it, it's not licensed here! Bah humbug. I ended up having to buy a dvd boxset of both seasons - it's being delivered from Germany. I couldn't bear not to see the rest - won't be delivered for a couple of weeks or so, though. Next up - on the same platform - is The Fall. About which I hear good things.

Film: Trip Along Exodus

Today, with Meetup full of live meetings again, I decided on film again. For a change, I was thinking of heading to Reel Palestine, which is supposed to be streaming a very highly rated short film called My Neighbourhood. But wouldn't you know it, when I tested the link, it wasn't working! Never fear, there's a wealth of films out there.. instead, I decided to watch Trip Along Exodus, also available on that site - or, indeed, on YouTube! It's a documentary about the late Elias Shoufani, a council member of the PLO.

No dry documentary, this - it was made by his elder daughter, a poet, and is divided into sections, each punctuated with a snatch of poetry, some music - and the photos and video footage that appear throughout. It's kind of linear, but has no problem in jumping around in time a little. Never fear, it's not confusing - just sit back and absorb the atmosphere. The music and images give a real insight into life in the Middle East, and make this an entertaining watch.

By 'eck, he was a character! This was filmed a couple of years before his death, but he is sharp as a tack - and age gives him licence to diss all comers: although a remark towards the end of the film suggests that he was always an argumentative sort. In his day, he was regarded as the foremost authority on the Middle East. He had a PhD from Princeton, lived in the States for a while (on an Israeli passport, which was the only one he could get - as soon as he got a green card, he dispensed with the Israeli passport, for obvious reasons). Met his first wife there - it didn't last long, unfortunately, as he became more closely involved in politics, and couldn't see a role for her in the revolution.

He frequently lets rip. He left the States because they were assisting Israel to fight the Palestinians, but is also scathing about Palestinian patriotism - as he says, he's not a farmer, he has no interest in land unless as in the concept of a motherland: nationhood. So he has no time for attachment to place - indeed, he lived in several different countries, and eventually ended his days in Syria. He says, mind you, that the greatest problem is Islamic fundamentalism, and that the association of religion with politics just leads to backward thinking, and regression. Which leads him nicely onto a lengthy dismissal of Arafat, who, he says, had a "fossilised brain", and could only consider the political situation in terms of religion. Not that things in the PLO improved after his tenure: no, he says, after that, it was run by Arafat's cronies - a bunch of highwaymen and thugs.

Very much worth watching, it's also a fascinating insight into the situation in Palestine in the late 20th century. Recommended.

Same-o situation for Saturday. Funnily enough, highest on my film list now is Fleabag! (which I've already finished a season of, on Amazon Prime Video). But I'm hoping to be finished Season 2 by then, and that's all she wrote, as they say. Couldn't wait to watch it. Assuming that I am finished with that, next up - on the same platform - is The Fall. About which I hear good things.

Play: Les Blancs

On Friday, Up in the Cheap Seats was watching Les Blancs, streamed by the National Theatre. Unable to make it that day, I thought I might watch it today instead.. and so I did, finally.

Why, oh why, does everything have to be so long? Does everyone want a magnum opus? I remember when I was doing my PhD, my supervisor remarked that it was better to have a long one, it looked more impressive - a short one could pass, but it'd be more difficult. More, more, more - and it seems the same is true for playwrights. At least, for productions staged in venues that consider themselves bastions of culture. Like the National. This one is 2.5 hours, I noted, sighing, as I started.. mind you, that does include a 1.5 minute interval, during which we are encouraged to donate to various charities. Don't get me wrong, I completely approve of that.

The action takes place in an unspecified African country that has been colonised by Britain, and centres on a local mission. The local major keeps popping by - an insurgency is brewing, and he's attempting to keep order. As well as the kindly folk who run the place, we have the native house servants, the old, blind, white lady who's spent most of her life in Africa, loves the people, and is beloved by them - and a white American journalist, who's staying for a while to get the feel of the place for what he's writing. Nearby, we meet a local family - the father has just died, the mother died a while ago, the younger son works at the mission - and the older son has just returned from abroad, complete with European wife, and a baby. Whom we never do meet.

The journalist, of course, is there for exposition - he's never been to Africa before, and needs everything explained to him. And everyone fits into pretty standard roles - the mission folk are there to help, the major is predictably racist and reactionary. The chap back from abroad, in his suit, is full of exciting new ideas. But in this Africa, nothing is as it seems..

It's a very atmospheric piece - the set revolves to give us either the mission perspective, or the native one: and the drums set up a rhythmic background. Which we learn not to be entirely comfortable with, as rebellion is brewing. But, sweet Lord, it's long! Never mind cutting half an hour out - I think they could quite comfortably have lost a whole hour of this without even disturbing the narrative! Especially given that everyone, at least initially, conforms to type..

It's not till near the end that things hot up, as the doctor explains to the journalist what's really going on, in an incendiary speech fuelled by Scotch. And he has some very interesting things to say, about the patronising nature of colonialism, the way the locals are kept down - and the necessary consequences of that. One man's terrorist, as they say, is another's freedom fighter - and shortly afterwards, the action explodes quite shockingly, proving his point.

So, my recommendation would be - watch the second half, it eventually gets gripping: and if you skip the first half, you'll still understand everything, but won't have to wade through so much waffle. Showing until 7pm BST on the 29th.

For Saturday, would you believe, they same group are watching something on Amazon Prime Video - which I have a year's subscription to, with the new telecom contract we took out! Hadn't bothered with it till now, but I just activated it - my free Mubi subscription will have ended by then anyway, and I don't think it's worth my paying for. But wouldn't you know it, what the group are watching isn't on the list in Ireland. Rats. Never mind, there's plenty I can watch.. and top-rated in my list at the moment (and available in Ireland) is Belonging: The Truth Behind the Headlines, an exposé of the collusion between UK governments and business, and how it erodes our human rights. Ooh, and for another day, guess what they also have, which I've only seen snippets of..? Fleabag..

Dance: Celtic Tiger

Today, there still isn't anything I can make on Meetup. But yesterday, Up in the Cheap Seats was watching Les Blancs, streamed by the National Theatre. Unable to make it yesterday, I thought I might watch it today instead..

And then, another bunch of people from the same group advertised a watching of Michael Flatley's Celtic Tiger, this evening on The Shows Must Go On. Ok sure, his shows are always worth watching - I'm surprised though, I thought the channel was exclusively for Andrew Lloyd Webber's stuff! As usual these days, they were to start watching too late for me - so I watched it on my own.The ads on YouTube were slightly annoying - but it's available at a couple of other links on Time Out and Playbill.

Ah, Michael Flatley. He won the Guinness World Record for number of taps per second, you know (still holds the record as the highest paid dancer ever), and was the first American to win a title at the World Irish Dancing Championships. (Irish parents, you see, and I guess they instilled in him a passion for things Irish.) Turns out he's also an award-winning flautist - so I suppose, when he seems to play in the show, he probably is actually playing!

The show was filmed live, outdoors in Birmingham in 2005 - he's retired since, with aches and pains all over, as you'd expect from the torture they inflict on themselves. And it has all the glitz, glam, and razamataz that you'd expect from this flamboyant performer. Starts with the standard, militaristic drumming of lines of dancers - it's almost 10 minutes before there's any accompanying music.

At the start, they're in warrior clothing - the girls at the front dressed like Amazons, he himself flounces on in a stylised gladiator costume. We're then taken on a whistle-stop tour of Irish history, a video montage at the rear displaying attractive aerial shots of Ireland.. we get dancers that represent nature - bird and flower costumes - and a very nationalistic bit where Irish-dancing British soldiers (in stylised uniforms) set fire to a cottage, spewing out a huge number of scraggly-looking Irish in rags, hollow-eyed. Michael is the saintly and persecuted priest. Fast-forward a bit, and the same soldiers are having a pow-wow with some more confident-looking Irish guys, as Michael Flatley reads a bit of the Proclamation of the Republic. A few musical interludes are interspersed - FYI, the song "Four Green Fields" refers to the four provinces of Ireland, "in bondage to foreigners". This was a good performance - I could have done without listening to the other singers.

So far, so coherent. The rest of the show, however, seems to be an excuse to throw all sorts into the mix - different styles of dance, different costumes - under the guise that Ireland is now careering into the modern world. And there's a helluva lot of dancing before they finally leave - at which point I was slightly relieved, if only for consideration of their poor joints!

I have to agree with the comments under the video - I've seen better. It does veer towards tackiness - and in one particularly questionable sequence, a prim Aer Lingus stewardess (in very non-regulation specs) has her head turned by a dashing pilot (guess who?), and is inspired to - ahem - strip off, down to a stars n stripes bikini (leaves the heels on, though). As someone pointed out in the comments, this was before the #MeToo movement!

Ah well, on balance it's enjoyable, if flawed. And he's done an awful lot for the popularisation of Irish dance. I've seen a few shows like this, and I always enjoy them - but this isn't the best I've seen. Anyway, if you want to check it out, it's on until 7pm tomorrow (BST).

And for tomorrow? Again, nothing I can actually make on Meetup - might get to see Les Blancs, after all.

Musical: The Hired Man

Today, Up in the Cheap Seats was watching The Hired Man - too late in the day for me, so I thought of watching it earlier. Who knows when I'll get to a Meetup again..?

In the end, I started to watch it quite a bit later than they did - too late to be able to watch all of it, but I figured I could catch up later. Well, I got to see about 45 minutes' worth. And based on what I saw - despite all the positive comments below the video - I couldn't be bothered watching the rest.

I'll give it this, the music is catchy - but although I do admire actors who also sing and play instruments, this singing wasn't great. There was, in fact, one duet where I actually cringed, they were both so incapable of carrying it off. And although I'm sure the story grew legs eventually, all that happened in 45 minutes was that we were introduced to the main characters, and the wife fell for the local bigshot while her husband was away. Maybe I fell asleep without noticing, but I didn't notice them starting an affair, as was hinted at in the duet. It would've livened things up. As it was, every few seconds, they seemed to launch into another blasted song about how great rural life was. No wonder it was taking forever! Sorry, I just couldn't get into it.

Probably film again on Saturday - best on Mubi at the moment (that I haven't seen) is Woman at War, again. 

Film: Galileo

So many programmes, so little to watch. So I took to my film list instead. Now, trawling through, I noticed that The Life of Galileo was quite highly rated - and searching on YouTube, I found a copy. So I just watched that. Lots of famous people in it - turned out not to be the one on my list, but it did pass the time.

Based on a play by Brecht, it follows Galileo through the years between his pioneering of the new-fangled telescope to the University of Padua, where he was working at the time, and his smuggling out of his new book of scientific theories while under house arrest, decades later. So, a potted history of his scientific career, showing some experiments in between his clashes with the Church, which disagreed with his idea of the Earth rotating around the Sun. And you just didn't disagree with the Church, in those days.. not with the threat of the Inquisition hanging over you..

First thing that struck me about this version on YouTube, in retrospect, is that the initial link you follow is only good for about 1 hour and 8 minutes, after which the rest of the running time is taken up with a mish-mash of previous scenes! Luckily, I checked the comments - where someone had warned about that, and in the replies to the comment was a link to "Part 2". Which picks up where the other left off, and curiously also runs for about the same time, with nearly half an hour afterwards of mixed-up scenes from earlier.

Galileo is played by Topol - Edward Fox is the Cardinal Inquisitor, and other famous Cardinals are Sir John Gielgud, Patrick Magee, and Michael Lonsdale, who has an interest in science himself, which only proves a burden when he becomes Pope. Margaret Leighton shows up as an elderly lady at the Florentine court.

It's played quite stiffly in general, which dates it - Topol does a decent job though, portraying an enthusiastic scientist who turns into a rebellious old man by the end. The Church comes off quite badly, naturally, with a snide dismissal of fact in favour of belief and tradition. One thing did annoy me enormously - what, oh what, do we need the trio of boys for, popping up at regular intervals to sing a summary of where we are in the story? Wouldn't have annoyed me nearly as much if I'd understood more than about half of what they were singing.

What the hey, the story is enduringly interesting, and a tribute to the tenacity of scientists who propose unpopular theories.

What's on Mubi could be relevant for tomorrow, as Meetup's only offerings at the moment for that day are in person (which I can't yet get to, with travel restrictions), or on BBC's iPlayer, which I can't access from abroad. If I'm back on Mubi, the next-highest rated offering was Woman at War, an Icelandic film about a woman whose environmental activism may threaten her ability to adopt a child. But gee - they just uploaded Mulholland Drive! A David Lynch film, it stars Naomi Watts as a Hollywood ingenue who gets involved with trying to help a young woman who's been in a car crash recover her memory. And somehow, I missed seeing it.. well yes, that'll be quite acceptable!

Dance: Matthew Bourne's The Nutcracker

Today, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for - ooh! Matthew Bourne's production of The Nutcracker! Delighted with this  - I love Matthew Bourne, and hadn't seen this.

Unfortunately, the house WiFi crashed yesterday, and isn't back yet. I've logged a fault - jeez, it's one thing after another with them! Anyway, I'm managing on my mobile internet, but the upshot is that I didn't start watching in time to join the group for the chat afterwards. Which is a shame, but can't be helped.

I did manage to watch the production, though. And what a joy it is!  :-) Packed with Matthew Bourne's trademark sense of humour, this version - quirky as ever - starts in a Dickensian children's home. More depressing than your standard version of The Nutcracker then, with bleak, dark surroundings and draconian characters in charge - but retaining the glorious score of the original throughout.

Things begin to look up when the home gets a visit from some VIPs, who bring Christmas presents for the children. Clara, of course, grabs the nutcracker doll. But things really start to look up when they all go to bed, and she dreams herself into a fantasy land, where the nutcracker has turned into a dashing hero..

Now, it wouldn't be a Matthew Bourne production if he didn't turn some things on their heads. And - well, in this version, the nutcracker isn't exactly the knight in shining armour that you'd expect. No, he - er - runs off with the sugar plum fairy, leaving a bereft Clara stamping her feet.. Never mind, tomorrow is another day!

Loved it - highly recommended, as always with Matthew Bourne.

Tomorrow - probably film; Meetup isn't exactly hopping with events. I Vitelloni is no longer showing on Mubi - but the next-highest rated is The Past, which is still showing, and which I'm actually much more interested in, having seen a couple of the Iranian director's previous offerings. 

Musical: Hairspray

Today, Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) were on YouTube, watching a production of Hairspray, with Jennifer Hudson and Ariana Grande. Part of Andrew Lloyd Webber's channel, The Shows Must Go On. By now, I'm afraid it's gone off-air again..

As usual, I started early. And straight away, I was launched into a bright, breezy, peppy, feelgood musical. Spent the next couple of hours or so bopping along to the music. Catchy tunes, bright colours, and a couple of messages to take away, as a fat girl from Baltimore struggles to get herself on tv, and once that's achieved, struggles to get her black friends on too - this is set at the start of the 60s. Politics lite.

Interestingly, the call afterwards was on Zoom again. And again, we had a nice, long chat. And while some agreed with my assessment, a lot of people were disturbed that the political messages in the story weren't delivered more forcefully. As someone joked, perhaps the lockdown was depressing us! The misgivings of others were inspired by the ongoing, terrible events in the States - and as one person said, perhaps this wasn't appropriate to stream, at the moment. And yes, that deserves discussion. But hey, in the end, this is a musical - a feelgood one. And if I want politics, Hairspray isn't where I'll go for it! Still, as I say, a lite introduction to what was happening at the time - if you need it.

Tomorrow (or thereabouts), London Literary Walks gives the results to the final (sigh) round of their quiz.. Now, tomorrow is actually a bank holiday in Ireland. And gee, for me too, as my company introduced an extra day off some years back, in return for overtime worked to get a release out - and decided to keep the tradition! And that bank holiday happens tomorrow. So I get two in a row, hah! Looking for something to do tomorrow afternoon, I think I'll probably watch something on Mubi. Highest rated film currently showing is The Stranger (1991) - an Indian film about a well-off family that receives a visitor, claiming to be a long-lost relative..

And on Saturday, back with UITCS for another musical - Reasons to be Cheerful. Interestingly, for the talk after, we're back on Jitsi again..!