Making my mark

Writing - Making Your Mark - is the latest exhibition at the British Library. It takes the theme of how we communicate in marks and scratches and explores both history and future.

    There's a long story to tell - 5,000 years of turning speech into symbols as written communication has evolved - and continues to evolve.

    Well worth a visit.

Fun and frolics from the RSC

The Royal Shakespeare Company's As You Like It was streamed live into The Broadway Cinema in Letchworth, bringing a lot of fun and more than the usual gender-swapping roles.

    Shakespeare's separated lovers are reunited and all ends happily, with some of the expected twists and turns. What this production offers is gender switches that make for more confusion and fun. As ever, it was a joy to see great performances and stage effects beamed into a local cinema.

'All About Eve' with National Theatre Live

The National Theatre Live programme allows those of us in the provinces to enjoy West End theatre in our local cinema. Excellent seats at a reasonable cost and home before 10pm!

    This month's delight was All About Eve, a stage adaptation by Ivo can Hove of a 1950 film adaptation of the original play by Mary Orr. Although you could see what was coming, the suspense was still gripping and the case extraordinary.

    Both Gillian Anderson as Margo Channing and Lily James as Eve Harrington put on dynamic performances that made their characters evolve through the events on stage. By the time Tsio Habte put in an appearance as the new Eve - Phoebe - in the final scene, we knew all about Eve and her ilk.

    There is something deeply satisfying about enjoying such outstanding performances within a few miles of home and my writing partner and I are booked in for all the screenings this season.

    Next week, we're set for The RSC's As You Like It, of which more, later.

Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen

I, like most people my age, grew up knowing little about Copenhagen apart from what Danny Kaye showed in the 1952 film Hans Christian Andersen. This weekend has been an education.

    Four days in Denmark’s capital has been a joy, not least because of the wall to wall sunshine. Apparently, it’s been raining in the UK.
    I’ve toured museums and art galleries, eaten in local restaurants and met some lovely people. I chose a more expensive hotel, so I could be right in the heart of the city, and it was worth every penny. Coming and going through the day was made a pleasure, with the Skt Petri’s staff and facilities always providing whatever I needed.
    While the UK continues to shamble towards the disaster that is Brexit (in case you weren’t clear where I stand on that whole issue), the Danes seem mildly amused by our chaos.
    If anything, this weekend reinforced my view that we’re better as part of Europe. We always will be, in my humble opinion. I might have to fill in more forms to come and go across the Channel, and it all might become more expensive, but it won’t stop me feeling part of something greater than our (albeit wonderful) little island.
    One of my favorite memories of Copenhagen will always be the boat trip, driven by Frank, who insisted on explaining to me why Brexit was a stupid idea, despite my making it clear from the outset that I agreed with him. Seeing the city from the water gave a fresh viewpoint, after two days spent on foot.

    This morning’s trip to the Botanical Gardens was a lovely, restful way to complete my trip. My camera contains more than 100 shots of plants and scenery. Getting closer to nature while still in the city centre gave more insight into everything Copenhagen has to offer.