July favourites – Theatre – “Birdland” – written by Simon Stephens

Admittedly I didn’t see this in July, but I didn’t go to the theatre this month, and I didn’t want to pass on an opportunity to review this!

I went into The Royal Court  Theatre having  no idea what to expect from this production. With Simon Stephens (one of my favourite writers, also known for adapting “The Curious Incident of A Dog in the Night-time” and writing “Sea Wall”) having written it, and Andrew Scott (one of my favourite actors who’s performance never fails to disappoint me, throughout his roles in Sherlock, The Town, etc) I thought it would be good, but I had never seen anything with a similar plot about a rock star before.

I was aware at the time that they had previously worked together as Scott was the main, and only, actor in “Sea Wall”, however on seeing “Birdland”, I had not seen this. Having now seen the short film of “Sea Wall” and having seen “Birdland”,  I can assure you, they make a great team.

The play itself was fascinating. It illustrated how fame can often not be a blessing, by enabling the audience to feel sorry for Paul (played by Scott) as he slowly became more corrupt by his success and lost all sense of reality. The set was extremely basic, however I feel this was definitely deliberate. Along with only a very small cast, this simplicity allowed the audience to focus on the dramatic and entrancing acting, and also lose a sense of reality as Paul did.

As I said, there were few details within  the set, however the props used were weighted with symbolism vital to the play, giving the impression that the words too, when looked at in detail would also carry deeper meanings.

On leaving The Royal Court, I was left with a lot to think about and many questions, not necessarily about the plot, but on how it linked to reality. Something I found strange was the fact that on exiting the theatre, I saw a large huddle of people waiting to pounce on Scott for autographs and photos as he left the stage door; had they missed the message of the play entirely? This was just another thing for me to think about from the play, and I always value this.

Not only did this play include brilliant writing and acting, but it really caused me to think, and change the way I view fame entirely. Highly recommend.

July favourites – Music (CD) – Tim Minchin And The Heritage Orchestra – by Tim Minchin

Most musical artists would probably struggle to adapt their songs as well as write brand new ones to fit an orchestra, but Tim Minchin certainly manages it. The sound of his witty lyrics accompanied with not only his usual incredible piano playing , but also with the entire Heritage Orchestra is astonishing.

As long as you ignore the occasional fangirl shrieking “I LOVE YOU TIM,” the recording being from live at a live concert also hugely adds to the CD . Hearing the audience react to his jokes and word play makes it even funnier, as well as highlight  the humour you may have previously missed.

Minchin’s songs address controversial issues from a controversial point of view, but he knows this and always manages to steer  his songs out of the “horrifically offensive” bracket to make it laughable; that’s not to say that no one is angered by his music, however.

His extraordinary view on different issues working together with and amazing sense of humour, incredible piano playing skills, and such a talented orchestra, to me, forms the perfect combination, and results in one of my favourite CDs.

Below I have linked “Rock N Roll Nerd”…enjoy!

July favourites – Art/Artist – “Two Dancers On A Stage” – by Edgar Degas

“Two Dancers On A Stage” is just one of the many  ballet themed paintings of Degas, many of which are incredibly beautiful.  When painting, he used mainly oil paints, pastels, or water colours; in the painting I have chosen he used oil. I have admired Degas’ work for a while, mainly since I visited the “Degas and the ballet” exhibition at The Royal Academy of Arts, London, and chose “Two Dancers On A Stage” print from the shop.

This was, and still is, one of my favourites of his, mainly I think due to the colours. The deep shades of green in the background offer contrast to the whites, pinks, and yellows of the dancers. Also, the fact that Degas  has chosen to incorporate some of the dark green into the ballerinas (especially on the skirt of the dancer on the right) links the two aspects of the painting together, as well as providing the dancers with darker shading (something some other artists shy away from doing) and so more shape.

Cutting the edge of the stage out of the painting also adds interest as it causes the viewer to question “who is watching?” The dancers look peaceful and content, however we will never know if this is merely due to the fact that they are confident with their performance, or due to the fact that they are just practicing.

Recently I have rediscovered this print to put up on my wall and it truly is a fascinating painting. The colours are so beautiful that you can appreciate it at a glance, yet also there is a lot more to it, meaning I could be content looking at it for hours.

July favourites – TV show – “Friday Night Dinner” – created by Robert Popper

“Friday night dinner” is hilarious. Whether it is the ingenious writing, the comical acting of the characters, or the uniqueness of every week’s plot line, I am left with tears of laughter running down my cheeks every week.

I have always been surprised by how little recognition this sit-com has got – if the brilliance of the whole program  hadn’t gained the attention of most, I expected the famous faces within it to attract more viewers: Simon Bird (well known to play “Will” from “The Inbetweeners”); Tamsin Greig (known to have played “Maggie” in “Shaun of the Dead” or ” Beverly Lincoln” from “episodes”); and Mark Heap (who played the character “Dr. Alan Statham” in “Green Wing”).

Like many sit-coms, each episode follows a fairly similar structure: it is Friday night, and the two, now adult,  sons of the family  return to their childhood home to have dinner with their parents; except their evening never quite goes to plan.

The comedy of the show (similarly to “Peep Show” or “The inbetweeners”, both of which writer Robber Popper has been involved with) is based primarily on the characters finding themselves in various awkward situations. “Friday Night Dinner” is more family friendly than these shows, and so has substituted some more adult humour for ridiculous and unlikely situations – something which a few other critics seem to dislike but I find endlessly amusing.

The third series has been shown throughout July, putting it in my favourites, however I do think that the occasional episode did not live up to my high expectations created from the previous two series, so if you do decide to watch this show (and you definitely should) then start from episode 1 – they’re all on 4oD!

 

July favourites – Film – Notting Hill – written by Richard Curtis, directed by Roger Michell

To me, “Notting Hill” is a must watch to all. I haven’t chosen it to be in my July favourites because I have only just discovered it, but instead because this month I have watched it yet another time and still love it as much as when I first saw it.

Yes, it is a rom-com, so yes, it does have slightly cliche “ahh” moments, however I do feel that this film stands out from others in its genre. For one, it isn’t overly cheesy. It is based on a fairly simple plot line, yet one that hasn’t been worn out, and this story is accompanied with interesting, lovable characters, each with their own collection of beautiful lines – one of my favourites being “I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” Another reason it stands out from others is the filming. Moments of this film include really imaginative camera angles or shots, for example a scene where William Thacker (played by Hugh Grant) is walking through Notting Hill market, and the passage of time is beautifully indicated through the gradual changes of season.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I still liked this film when I watched it earlier in July. Being someone who can hardly stand anything overly cheesy or sentimental (even Disney films) I was convinced I would be forced to stop watching, but as I said, I loved it. I loved it when I first saw it, I love it now, and I honestly think it will always be one of my favourites.

I was going to include the trailer for “Notting Hill” in this post, however I cannot find one that seems to do it justice – they all seem overly cheesy, or include huge spoilers, so youtube it if you wish, but I would recommend just watching it!

 

July favourites – Book – “The Miniaturist” by Jessie Burton

Although I am yet to finish this book (or even get halfway through for that matter) I can already tell it is brilliant. My lack of progression in this story is due to lack of time, and is certainly not a reflection on my interest in the book.

The blurb talks of a dollhouse and unexplained occurrences surrounding this item – a plot line which sounds both interesting and creepy at the same time. Whilst other books over-do the dramatics with a scary plot, the blurb of “The Miniaturist” simply talks of “escalating dangers” and being “mystified” by the sequence of events.

This story is gripping and has left me  searching for any moment when I can sit down and read. I highly recommend this book (or at least the first third). Already I have fallen in love with Jessie Burton’s almost poetic style, and in doing so have found myself lost in 1686 Amsterdam – the location of which the book is set.

Film review – “Cabin In The Woods”

“Cabin In The Woods” is not the cliche horror film I expected it to be before watching; in fact it’s far from it. With over the top, comical gore, similar to that in “Shaun of the Dead”, it is surprisingly funny!

Although whilst watching you get slightly attached to the characters, it is nothing close to the extent at which you are forced to with the victim in a traditional horror film, meaning you can see the funny side of (often over dramatic) death within the plot. The whole concept of this film is unrealistic, but this is far from a criticism as it undoubtedly adds to the overall humour of it.

If you are searching for a spine chilling ghost story, “Cabin In The Woods” is not the right film, however this is not to say it isn’t worth watching. Being action packed, funny, and with only a few jump scares thrown in, it is a film to be enjoyed by even haters of the average horror film. 

Film review – “The Stag”

Despite what the title may suggest, this is not a ‘lads film’ similar to The Hangover, in fact, it is quite the opposite. The overall feel of the film is similar to that of a rom-com, however it is mainly based on the characters’ ‘bromance’ over their romance. Following a simple yet effective plot line, it includes just the right balance of Irish comedy, sadder moments, and character development which result in a really enjoyable watch! A great film with a heartwarming plot line dotted with brilliant Irish humour – highly recommend!