Intelligent
A Long Day's Journey Into Night
01/06/12 19:00 Filed in: Theatre
I knew nothing about this play (other than being familiar with the title) until we went to see it. A highly recommended very depressing intelligent drama. The family is extremely well written and each of them expresses themselves so clearly and so intelligently. They are all very damaged. Not entertaining, but enlightening, and searingly uncompromising. The father of the family (James Tyrone) played by David Suchet with great insight. Not completely sold out, so if you are interested - go see it!
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Julia Holter "Ekstasis"
19/03/12 00:09 Filed in: Music
I have played this CD several times in the last few days, and it’s really become part of my life. I was not familiar with the work until I read about this CD on Boomkat but I’m very happy to have discovered her music, even though I am late to the party.
Incredibly accessible yet enjoyably left-field. Really good stuff. Read a review on the BBC website here. Check out a Guardian review here.
Incredibly accessible yet enjoyably left-field. Really good stuff. Read a review on the BBC website here. Check out a Guardian review here.
Anthony Gormley Studio Visit
08/03/12 00:02 Filed in: Art
I want to mention the wonderful visit we had to Antony Gormley's studio in the region north of King's Cross. I was privileged to be invited with a group of people from Trinity College to an open evening at the studio.
First impressions were awe-inspiring. The size of the forecourt itself was very impressive. It immediately made me think of trucks pulling in pickup the huge pieces creates, or parts of those pieces.
The e-mail invitation suggested that the event would be crowded and so I didn't go on my collapsible bicycle, imagining that would not be room for it in the studio. Ridiculous. The studio was huge. Huge.At least three stories high it seemed, and there was a large selection of works and sketches hanging from the ceiling as well as massive incomplete works scattered about the floor. This was all wonderful.
Even more wonderful of course was hearing Mr Gormley speak intelligently and inspirationally and kindly for an hour about life and art and philosophy. I came away inspired and feeling indebted to be in the presence of such intelligent creativity.
As a creator of large three-dimensional pieces he was extremely interested in the technical details of mass and dimension. And, of course, he's very focused on the body. His body. He spoke clearly about how the inspiration for each piece was his body, and that became apparent as he used the different pieces in the studio to illustrate his thesis. Also he was very keen to stress the valuable input he gets from eth rest of his 18 person team.
Wonderfully (and he's probably said this before) he pointed out that much of his work involves taking a line for a walk (Paul Klee) in three dimensions.
Genius. I was very impressed.
First impressions were awe-inspiring. The size of the forecourt itself was very impressive. It immediately made me think of trucks pulling in pickup the huge pieces creates, or parts of those pieces.
The e-mail invitation suggested that the event would be crowded and so I didn't go on my collapsible bicycle, imagining that would not be room for it in the studio. Ridiculous. The studio was huge. Huge.At least three stories high it seemed, and there was a large selection of works and sketches hanging from the ceiling as well as massive incomplete works scattered about the floor. This was all wonderful.
Even more wonderful of course was hearing Mr Gormley speak intelligently and inspirationally and kindly for an hour about life and art and philosophy. I came away inspired and feeling indebted to be in the presence of such intelligent creativity.
As a creator of large three-dimensional pieces he was extremely interested in the technical details of mass and dimension. And, of course, he's very focused on the body. His body. He spoke clearly about how the inspiration for each piece was his body, and that became apparent as he used the different pieces in the studio to illustrate his thesis. Also he was very keen to stress the valuable input he gets from eth rest of his 18 person team.
Wonderfully (and he's probably said this before) he pointed out that much of his work involves taking a line for a walk (Paul Klee) in three dimensions.
Genius. I was very impressed.
A Dangerous Method
18/02/12 18:30 Filed in: Film
This movie, David Cronenberg’s latest tells an interesting story and makes me want to read the book which is sadly not yet available in Kindle format. I am interested in psychoanalysis and the founding fathers too, so perhaps this is not a movie for everyone. Nevertheless fine performances, ridiculously crisp photography and exquisite attention to detail in the sets and locations made for a thoroughly compelling 99 minutes at the movies. (seemed enjoyably longer) And the spanking.
In Treatment Series 3
04/02/12 20:10 Filed in: DVDs
The Killing
01/01/12 22:58 Filed in: DVDs
Late to the party with this excellent TV series, but nevertheless enjoyed it tremendously. Good twists right until the end. Matter of Fact somehow. Will definitely watch Series 2.
The Kings Speech
09/01/11 18:00 Filed in: Film
Very impressed all round. Made us feel quite “patriotic”
American Madness
22/11/10 20:40 Filed in: Film
Capra’s wonderfully shot essay on Trust. NFT2. Loved it.
Krapps Last Tape
29/10/10 18:00 Filed in: Theatre
Krapps Last Tape - Michael Gambon at the Duchess Theatre. Riveting, bitter and amusing. Getting old is not for softies.
My Afternoons with Margueritte
13/11/10 18:30 Filed in: Film
“My Afternoons with Margueritte” - really enjoyed this movie about the power of reading and the possibility of radical growth in middle age.
