It's been an interesting week for us Johnsons since I posted my last blog. On Thursday the wife and I went to see The National Theatre of Great Britain's production of Timon of Athens at our local Odeon cinema in the NT Live season. Timon of Athens is probably Shakespeare's least performed play, and because of this I was especially keen to see it. Shakespeare wrote it in collaboration with Thomas Middleton and it's likely that it was never performed in Shakespeare's lifetime. The work is fragmentary in parts and certainly not the kind of complete, polished work we expect from either of these illustrious names. The other great attraction was an opportunity to watch Simon Russell Beale - a truly superb actor. We were not to be disappointed, either by Beale's tour de force performance, the excellent supporting cast, or by the production which was directed by Nicholas Hytner. Hytner had done marvellous things with the text through judicious editing and I believe some poaching from other pieces of the writers' works. The play was set in a contemporary City of London with the emphasis on its worst excesses that have of course been widely reported throughout the media in recent days. The play is a moral fable, about money, greed, corruption amidst an abiding culture of self-congratulatory smugness. Sadly, if you missed this production, you will not get another opportunity to see it, as this broadcast was also its final live performance. If you love great theatre I implore you, wherever you live (these productions are shown in literally hundreds of cinemas right across the globe!), to check out your local NT Live venue.
On Friday, I raised myself bleary-eyed from bed for a day working as a kind (cheap and sub-standard) of removals-man. My son and his girlfriend have just bought their first house together. Both sets of parents lent a hand and in the evening we all piled into cars and came over to our house for a meal. Anyone who's ever bought a house will know the kind of angst you have to go through! They are in! The house is theirs! I guess they'll be living out of cardboard boxes for a while, but they're young, together and I know they'll enjoy the adventure. They have our love and very best wishes.
On Saturday, we went to see the new Bond film, Skyfall. A bit of a departure from the usual Bond template and at times I have to say it felt more like I was watching John Le Carre (or possibly Len Deighton) than Ian Fleming. I know the critics have applauded it, but I'm not entirely sure that I want to see James Bond harassed by dark psychological hang-ups from a damaged childhood. We all know that JB doesn't give two hoots for that sort of thing! Isn't that why we love him? Because he's decisive, untroubled by self-doubts - not in the teensiest least bit screwed-up like the rest of us! I have always been a Judi Dench fan ever since I saw her play Viola in Twelfth Night at Stratford on a school trip there when I was fourteen. However, I must say I thought her character had too much prominence in this film, and when she started reciting Tennyson on a very slim pretext, it felt like the producers had thought, 'Let's give Judi some poetry to recite so we can enjoy her marvellous delivery.' At times watching the film it felt like 'M' might have stood for 'Mummy'! Still, there was a lot of enjoyable stuff too, but I don't personally believe this came close to being a classic Bond film. I did wonder too (no factual basis for saying this - merely a thought I had!) whether the role played by Albert Finney was conceived with Sean Connery in mind? If so, and if he'd agreed to appear this would have been a quite a coup and might have put a whole new complexion on the film. Not that there was anything at all wrong with Albert Finney, but imagine the impact of the first Bond appearing in the latest Bond fifty years on!
On Friday, I raised myself bleary-eyed from bed for a day working as a kind (cheap and sub-standard) of removals-man. My son and his girlfriend have just bought their first house together. Both sets of parents lent a hand and in the evening we all piled into cars and came over to our house for a meal. Anyone who's ever bought a house will know the kind of angst you have to go through! They are in! The house is theirs! I guess they'll be living out of cardboard boxes for a while, but they're young, together and I know they'll enjoy the adventure. They have our love and very best wishes.
On Saturday, we went to see the new Bond film, Skyfall. A bit of a departure from the usual Bond template and at times I have to say it felt more like I was watching John Le Carre (or possibly Len Deighton) than Ian Fleming. I know the critics have applauded it, but I'm not entirely sure that I want to see James Bond harassed by dark psychological hang-ups from a damaged childhood. We all know that JB doesn't give two hoots for that sort of thing! Isn't that why we love him? Because he's decisive, untroubled by self-doubts - not in the teensiest least bit screwed-up like the rest of us! I have always been a Judi Dench fan ever since I saw her play Viola in Twelfth Night at Stratford on a school trip there when I was fourteen. However, I must say I thought her character had too much prominence in this film, and when she started reciting Tennyson on a very slim pretext, it felt like the producers had thought, 'Let's give Judi some poetry to recite so we can enjoy her marvellous delivery.' At times watching the film it felt like 'M' might have stood for 'Mummy'! Still, there was a lot of enjoyable stuff too, but I don't personally believe this came close to being a classic Bond film. I did wonder too (no factual basis for saying this - merely a thought I had!) whether the role played by Albert Finney was conceived with Sean Connery in mind? If so, and if he'd agreed to appear this would have been a quite a coup and might have put a whole new complexion on the film. Not that there was anything at all wrong with Albert Finney, but imagine the impact of the first Bond appearing in the latest Bond fifty years on!
The Sheik (1921) On Sunday, we went to Salomons, which is a unique local venue, to see George Melford's The Sheik, starring Rudolph Valentino and Agnes Ayres. It was accompanied on the Welte Philharmonic Organ by Donald Mackenzie. He is the house organist at the Odeon Leicester Square and has performed all over the world. When he is not performing in concerts he specialises in the accompaniment of silent films and now has over twenty films in his repertoire.
Donald Mackenzie and Welte Organ I saw him with my son at the same venue a couple of years back accompanying Nosferatu (appropriately on Halloween!) and we were enthralled by the experience. The great art and skilfulness of the musical accompaniment totally brought what was happening up on the screen to life! The Sheik was not a disappointment either. Valentino's acting might seem a little predictable today but he was incredibly handsome and it's not hard to imagine the fluttering hearts of many a gal (and perhaps a few lads too!) back in 1921. The film had all the ingredients: romance, action, smouldering sexual passion, a dastardly villain etc. I couldn't help thinking of my grandparents, who married extremely late for their generation (both well over 30), possibly watching this film whilst they courted. I think this movie may well have affected the birth rate!
And now, back to writing! The delightful Brinda @Wilovebooks invited me to take part in a blog interview recently (my first!) which she posted yesterday. Here's the link to Wilove Books if you'd care to take a look.
And now, back to writing! The delightful Brinda @Wilovebooks invited me to take part in a blog interview recently (my first!) which she posted yesterday. Here's the link to Wilove Books if you'd care to take a look.
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