Trips to the Theatre, Flat Four, Isaac's first Christmas and The Wedding of Sarah to James have been the highlights of the last month. Not in that order.
At the end of November the FF 'Bromham' Christmas commenced the celebrations with a trip to Bath market (where I learned the Wenscelas Pizza joke...ha!) and Bath Theatre Royal and a dire production of The Constant Husband. Criminals should be made to sit through this as a punishment. The average age of the cast seemed 100 and the pace, wit and style of the script were squandered. A lack of substance and no style. The weekend was excellent though and 'Christmas Dinner' on the Sunday was greeted with actual snow flurries.
At work the research project continued and I actually completed the first experimental stage and commenced analysing the Control Group. Hope to be finished in January. The expected visit from our Sardinian colleagues did not occur...due to illness, this time.
Managed to get to see David Tennant's Hamlet in London (before he slipped a disc and left the cast). John arranged it and managed to get tickets for the Flat Four Ladies as well as Laura, Ian, Rachel and David. Everybody enjoyed it.....well...did I? The RSC put on a excellent production. It was, again stylish, updated and intelligent. Flashy, stylish but no soul. I didn't care about the Prince and I really think I should. Everything was perfect but something missing. I felt no sense of tragedy (which I did feel when I saw Daniel Day Lewis at the National). Style over substance. Good night though. Polonius and Claudius were both triumphant.
I was anticipating great things of 'Warhorse' at the National. It had very good 'crit's' and I had waited a year to see it. But the script was sparse and, frankly, poor. As my companion said ' Boy meets horse, boy looses horse, boy finds horse again'! Well I suppose it's a children's story? But the technical side was undoubtedly a triumph. The puppetry was amazing. The full scale shire horses were manipulated by 4 people and were the real triumph of the performance. There was a 'coup de theatre' when a formation of cavalry emerged prior to a charge. But again I feel I should have been more involved in the story. I was entranced by the puppets but did not care about the fate of the protagonists. If the production had worked then I shouldn't have noticed how it worked. A bit like David Tennant -lots of tricks and athleticism rather than depth of feeling. Style over substance. Form over content.
Then to a concert with Maddie Prior and the Carnival band. I've loved Maddie for years. But she does less and less on stage now (in a performance), relying more on her 'backing group', and looks tired. Only a few glimpses of the vivacity of old. The voice,once glorious, is a memory of what it once was. She said that Steeleye Span will tour this year (40th Anniversary). I don't think I will go. Keep the memories.
I sound discontented. Not so. Just nostalgic.
The Carnival Band were entertaining and as humorous as ever and I learned a new word 'Macaronic'!
The weekend before the Wedding and we arranged to have 'Christmas' early, at our house so that Sarah and James could come (otherwise on Honeymoon). As it transpired Sarah was ill with flu. So we had a very large turkey for the Jeffcoate-Flints and us. Isaac was the star of the show.
And then THE WEDDING. (this deserves a section to itself so see above.........)
Getting ready at the Belfry
Proud Dad
St Thomas Church
Sarah looked radiant 
The Bridesmaids were great.Some of their comments made me blush!
Lara, Dom and Alicia
