" Make A Date With The Daymons"

 

HERE are The Daymons.
This includes my elder son and Friends, all talented musicians.
The Band appears during Chester's Northgate Fesival next week. You can catch them on the main stage at Alexander's Jazz Theatre, Chester, on Sunday May 26th, PM.
Hopefully it'll be a sunny Sunday...with lazy lollings to some mellow moody music...
SEE: https://www.facebook.com/thedaymons
For lots of details.

" This Blogger Well Liked THIS HOUSE!"

 

Another National Theatre Live performance last Thursday at a local cinema.
And this time we had a " delightfully nimble-footed look" at Parliament ( says "The Evening Standard")  and I couldn't agree more.
In fact, THIS play was one of the most entertaining AND informative I've enjoyed.
Set in 1974 (when politics were particularly embittered) we seized onto a gripping storyline.... based ( and inspired) by actual events...and of course, on actual people .
AND yes, we searched for the Look-Alikes, e.g. Hesseltine ( glorious mane majestically flapping as he wielded The Ceremonial Mace) ....and that rather brooding hooded-eyed ( my mother's description all those yrs. ago) John Stonehouse....... ("drowning" on stage in a rippling sea in merely his underpants...)
Fascinating characters created, certainly a very heady mix  ( mainly menfolk, BUT the odd female was chucked in..coz .Mrs T would soon be seizing the day in her pussycat bows and ladylike lippie..... Mrs T, a Boadicea, teetering on the horizon....)

The play was written by James Graham, who was still a twinkle in Pop Graham's eye in 1974.
Graham has much to be congratulated upon. We will hear more. LOTS.**
facebook.com/ntlive

" Past Times For Future Generations...."

Last week, the landmark Exhibition at Chester's Grosvenor Museum opened ( see snap) and as my writing group ( "lovingly" known as the Hoole-igans....coz we meet in a place called Hoole) were involved, we were invited to the Launch.

This was a fabulous session. We examined many of the exhibits... ( although we definitely need another trip!) ....and we also heard presentations from the main organisers of the entire exhibition.

It was also a delight(!?!) to see some of us on videolink reading our work as part of the exhibition....and also some of the group had their work decorated by a very talented group of local calligraphers.

AND I hope we can be involved with the Grosvenor Museum again soon....
LOTS more re Exhibition on:
www.grosvenormuseum.co.uk
http://discover.medievalchester.ac.uk

" Monty Don Mooches Down To Malpas"

Monty Don....a guy much appreciated by several of my friends....AND probably not JUST because he's a fascinating gardener...visited Malpas on Friday as part of the Malpas Art and Literary Festival. ( www.malfest.com )

This Festival is now in its very successful 3rd year....fast becoming an annual  juicy staple of life in the Cheshire countryside.

AND in a packed ( standing room only for some..) marquee, Monty conversed with Diana Mather ( writer, TV producer, also an instigator of MalFest)......AND it'd be true to say you could've heard a pin drop...or should I say "a small trowel drop"?

 SO Monty talked about his life,  his gardening, his writing and his work in general....and the enormous audience loved it...and I imagine a return visit would bring back the hordes!

After all, his lovely home in Herefordshire is not ALL that far away, is it....!??!

" Hedda At Little Theatre"

Chester Theatre Club have produced a late 1950's version of Ibsen's 1890 play " Hedda Gabler" this month.
In a nutshell, it's the provocative story of a woman ahead of her time, which Laura Smith well portrayed,  along with an able cast, including newcomer Pat Cameron, giving a suitably warm depiction of Aunt Juliana, Bill Smith as Hedda's somewhat bewildered husband, George, and Tony Kemp, as Judge Brack, splendid with muchly-darkened hair, manly moustache and dignified dutiful demeanour.
The play was directed by Tony O'Byrne, with co directing by Jenny Shryne, who has developed a very successful Youth Group at the theatre.

ALSO RECENTLY:
A batch of new plays by North West writers were read carefully by several Theatre Club directors over the last few months ....and two of them were premiered with rehearsed readings in the theatre's newly vamped Club room, now the Salisbury Studio. 

Pat Sumner's " Beyond Reach" and Sian Williams' " The Writers Group " were the lucky plays chosen , read superbly by a clutch of actors who clearly enjoyed the sessions. Sian hope to take her play to the Edinburgh Festival and Pat looks forward to seeing hers on stage too.
 This was a 1st for the Club and hopefully more plays will follow suit.

** NEXT: " Lettice and Lovage" ( Peter Shaffer) Sat June 30th and Mon July 1st to Sat 6th ( inclusive)**
                                      CONTACT :   www.chestertheatreclub.co.uk

" Fay Weldon Warms Up Marquee With Her Wonderful Crinkly- Face Smiles!"

ON FRIDAY, a longtime favourite writer, Fay Weldon, CBE.....(over 80 years old and as effervescent as ever).....came to Malpas Arts And Literary Festival (www.malfest.com) to talk with us about her writing and her life....

AND WOW!.....Ms. Weldon's is a packed life....AND as she recounted her adventures, it burst at the seams with her wonderful joie de vivre.....
And as she talked, her face-crinkly smiles warmed the room....sorry, warmed the marquee....T'WAS a little chilly....but the marquee was an ultra glam one ( frills an'all!) which sort-of madeup for the chillinesss...!!
AND we listened, we exclaimed, we clapped.... and we laughed as Ms Weldon entertained her vast audience with her witticisms, her wisdom.... and her well-practiced words about writing.

AND.... ( another WOW!)..... I was lucky enough to have lunch with Ms Weldon, probably over a decade ago...and believe me, her charm has diminished not a jot.  She is still very much a People- Person ....which is , I imagine, one of the secret ingredients of her writing recipes...
AND let me add: I'm NOT a Lady Who Lunches Prolifically ( I slurp the odd Hot Choc in Carluccio, Chester.....) BUT that particular day at least 10 yrs ago, I was introduced to Ms Weldon. ....and it was a pleasure to meet her....before she entertained the audience at Chester Literature Festival.

Friday was a super session. I hope she returns to Cheshire soon,....well before another decade passes...!

** Ms Weldon has written 3 novels in 2yrs. Her latest one is " Long live the king", the 2nd in her " Love and Inheritance" trilogy.

" IS THERE ANYBODY THERE???????"

Here they are, the Condomines and the Bradmans....about to start their seance with the crazy amazing Madame Arcati ..... who aims to link them up to many a Blithe Spirit.....
AND last evening I witnessed the whole creepy spine-tingling performance at Tiptop, The Forum Studios, Chester.....where Noel Coward's play will run until next Saturday ( May 24th)
The play is produced by Mark Newman and you can glimpse it on:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-YQfvSaiE&list
...I guarantee you'll enjoy this lively and hilarious version of a Noel Coward classic.
From L: with hands shiveringly flat on table: Bill Robertson, Jane Chance, Pat Pearce and Ray Bengree, awaiting blithe spirits.....    SEE: www.tiptopproductions.co.uk/

Six New Posts...Until Next Time!"

I've been blogging away today... so hope whoever reads them enjoys these postings.
Happy Spring time!
AND I'm taking my parka and duffle to the Cleaners tomorrow....
and then I'm putting them away until the Autumn...!
Fingers Crossed.

" Waverton Not Only Reads....But It Writes!" ( And It Does Fun Concerts Too!!)

A good time was had by all in Waverton Village Hall last Saturday!

Waverton is a popular village near Chester....
and now firmly on the map of the writing world, principally due to its celebrated Good Read Award.
( SEE: www.wavertongoodread.org.uk for plenty more details)

WGR was instigated 10 years ago by enterprising trio: Gwen Goodhew, Wendy Smedley and Carol Archer....hence the Anniversary bash last week.






















ORIGINALLY 18 Readers read a clutch of debut novels .....NOW this group has greatly grown....so that each year, literature-loving Wavertonians gorge books, eventually choosing an overall favourite new novel .
Winners have included: " The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-time", " A Short History Of Tractors In Ukranian" , " Boy A", " Salmon Fishing In The Yemen"........a vast variety of characters and plots and writing styles....

AND to celebrate this decade, Wendy, Gwen and Carol produced an anthology of writing by local people.......short stories, poems, memories, pictures....lots to enjoy. It's all in " Waverton Writes" which in itself is a collection worth celebating.

AND what were we doing in the Village Hall?...
WGR were launching this great little book....and we were also enjoying a village concert...a massive variety of acts....singers, musicians and actors.....who gave its audience a very jolly evening indeed!

"Those Ladykillers........Donkeys' Years On!"

 

My folks saw the original  film in the long-ago 50's. They loved it!  They laughed for days as they reminisced at breakfast over our porridge/boiled eggs/toast/ marmalade... with silly grins on their faces.
(My brother will probably vouch for it.)

SO ON HEARING there was to be a 2013 production at M/Ch's Lowry, I reckoned The Time Was Nigh...to find what all that joliity/hilarity was all about....

AND yes, this production was old-fashioned comedy at its traditional best....including Michelle Dotrice, brilliant as the dotty Mrs Wilberforce .....and Marcus Taylor ( stepping in last minute for Clive Mantle...I hope his ear is better now) was Just Right ....

The audience was MATURE....Hmm...there was lots of clicking of specs cases...of walking sticks to trip over....of rushes ( well, gently fast walking) to loos in the Interval.....and I can't help but think many folk  came to see what THEIR folks were giggling about all those years ago........! 

" No! No! No! Yyyyyes! .......What A LOvely Vicar!"

With friends recently, we enjoyed a performance of " The Vicar Of Dibley" at the Forum Studio Theatre Chester, by Tiptop Theatre Company. SEE www.chestertheatre.co.uk  for more.

Lots of short sharp scenes featured on a cleverly designed stage set.... with Dawn French lookalike Joanne Lloyd, stunning as Vicar Geraldine.....supported ably by a great cast.
This included Kathryn Wilson, the perfect ( NOT exagerating) Alice Tinker... ..who was JUST as dottily engaging as the original.....plus a posse of menfolk, wonderfully in character.

All deserve mentioning as all shone out. They were Mark Shenton as Mr Horton, Kiefer Jones, a beguiling Hugo, with Mike Heathcote as Frank and Grahame Smith playing a dopey hilarious Owen.

John Lindop was a super Jim Trott.......
AND it seems next day, my friend was browsing John Lewis.....the store, not a person, I hasten to add......only to glimpse Jim Trott, busily shopping himself...........  my friend declares it took great control on her part.... not to rush over to say: " No! No! No! Dddddon't buy that...!"

*** NEXT production: Noel Coward's " Blithe Spirit" May 16th until 25th. See website for booking etc.

" A Cracking Observer Of People"

 

Alan Bennett is always appreciated as a most accurate observer of the jolly old Human Race....
" Talking Heads" ( Thora Herd, Patricia Routledge et al) exemplified that....as did his " History Boys" .....with the lately lamented Richard Griffiths.
That's just 2 thoughts in Bennett's huge archive of wittily moving sensitive writings.

Recently we headed to a local cinema for a National Theatre Live showing of Bennett's latest play " People". It's set in a stately home....where we meet Dorothy ( peer and ex model.......SOME combo!) played by Frances de la Tour...... plus Linda Bennett as Iris, her devoted "companion" .....and Selina Cadell playing Dorothy's sister June, a strident grumpo tweedily-suited Archdeaconess.

This at-1st-glance masks as comedy...but WHIP OFF that mask..... and see a provocative/thought provoking play ....with dubious heartbreaking family relationships.......past personal histories.......the power (?) of The National Trust.....a Valuer who suggests moving the whole house far away....( all the way, brick by ancient brick) from Yorkshire to the Dorset coast......INDEED, there are massive far-reaching decisions to be made......AND also  there are porn movies.......   which get filmed hilariously on stage......
A super evening's entertainment, with Alan Bennett's grip on character as strong and absorbing as ever....

" Sublime Talents"

A friend and I enjoyed a programme of Dance last night.

Theatr Clwyd in Mold  ( www.clwyd-theatr-cymru.co.uk ) hosted National Dance Company Wales (www.ndcwales.co.uk  ) who  presented 3 fabulously contrasting works.

These were"Virtual Descent" ( dancers being " new warriors of hope, leading us towards a brighter future).....plus  "Dream" ( a celebration of the sheer enjoyment of highly physical movement in all its forms".....and also"Noces" ( a shocking and tragic festival of brides and bridesmaids....veils and funerals.... and macabre celebration...

Neither of us had seen any dance for a while........but this delicious serving of the most spiritedly talented of dancing has made us want more!
We will be looking for more!

" A Stunning Role...... For A Longtime Star"

I thought I knew Lenny Henry.....
Long standing comic, noisy Guffawer, crazy presenter of TV shows, co-founder of Comic Relief.
That's your lot. That's what I knew, what I thought I knew.

BUT THEN  I heard how he'd made the most brilliant of Othellos for Northern Broadsides.....
How his talent for Shakespeare had emerged like sharp triumphant arrows flying to some theatrical bulleseye.

THEN someone I know saw his "Comedy Of Errors"........and she was equally riveted. AND believe me, THIS ( particular) LADY is not easily riveted...
.
SO when he was coming to Theatr Clwyd( www.clwyd-theatr-cymru.co.uk )  in a production of "Fences" ( director: Paulette Randall, associate director for 2012 Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, among other things) we had to go.

" Fences" was written by August Wilson ( hailed as "perhaps the greatest American stage poet since Tennessee Williams")  and was 1st produced in 1987.

AND this play provided Lenny H with the most superb of characters and scripts....in which he gave a performance that stunned us.
Movingly, tragically, amusingly...only a handful of years back, he was an Undiscovered Actor....
BUT  he's now well and truly DISCOVERED.
Thank Heavens indeed!!

Spring Has Sprung..........( Yes, And The Daymons Are Playing Tomorrow)

SPRING! Hmm? ....IS it here at last?....Hopefully it's here to stay!
( Thankyou, David Hockney, for colours to celebrate!)

AND if you live in or near my ancient and lovely city of Chester...AND if tomorrow evening you fancy some good food and good drink... laced with cool tunes and funky sounds, go to Alexanders in Northgate Street where THE DAYMONS are playing again..
AND Just An Idea: while enjoying your Friday night music, scoff a tasty 3 course dinner for a mere £ 14.95 per head!
SEE: www.alexanderslive.com
AND also see:
www.facebook.com/thedaymons

"Treasured Treats"

" AS I advanced, all that I saw or felt was gentleness and peace...."

SO said William Wordsworth... when writing of Morecambe Bay near Conishead Priory, near Ulverston, Cumbria.

AND just last week, we stayed with Our Friends From The North...and as usual, we enjoyed several Treats...one being a tiny late afternoon stroll on the beach by Conishead.

Hmm: Mountains and Sea and Very Good Friends.......Wordsworth's words were apt...believe me.

" In The Heart Of Lakeland....."

 WHEN I'm in the heart of Lakeland, I'm used to something taking my breath away......the grandeur of mountains, the vast skies, the shape of trees.... the colour of leaves.....BUT last weekend was different....
BECAUSE in the heart of Lakeland is a shimmering surprise: a modern Buddhist Temple.......in the grounds of Conishead Priory, a large Gothic mansion, set in gardens and woods stretching down to the beaches of Morecambe Bay.  
AND the Temple, where visitors take part in courses in Buddhism , Meditation, or pray for World Peace... contains the largest bronze Buddha statue ever cast in the West...AND the Temple itself gives a view into Buddhism which is both precious ..and , to me, extremely novel...( see snap)
Conishead is 2 miles out of Ulverston, only 30 mins from the M6...and visitiors are clearly welcome whenever...See www.manjushri.org

" Yum! Yum!"

 

A swift visit on Saturday to Broughton Village Bakery ( see the smiley and welcoming Bakeress above!) where we scoffed delicious scones and teacakes... while sipping our coffees and Hot Chocolates....in relaxing cheerful surroundings.
The Bakery ( see: www.broughtonvillagebakery.homestead.com/ ) took part in ITV's Best British Bakery competition...coming out as Lake District winner and Northern Regional Finalist. And from what we saw, it was so well deserved....
AND Broughton in Furness itself is a quirky intriguing Lakeland village..with a square of higgledy piggledy houses painted in a rainbow colours....needs exploring another weekend...

" Peace On Earth"

A couple of weeks ago, we stayed in the old market town of Kirby Lonsdale.

Kirby Lonsdale is in the south Lakeland part of Cumbria.Once it was classed as in Westmoreland...which I reckon was one of the best of place names....BUT now, like so many other names which were part of our heritage...it's long gone.

While there, we enjoyed "Ruskin's View" ( above) which John Ruskin, art critic/social thinker, described as " one of the loveliest views in England" .

Turner painted it too.... and countless people over countless years, have gazed across the Lune Valley, finding peace and comfort in its calm and fetching beauty...

Babes At The Zoo...."

Three trips since Christmas to Chester Zoo.
 I love going on crisp bright wintery days...and there's been a few of those lately.

 AND several animal babies have been born...and it's good to meet them....BUT aplopogies if I miss out any little ( or big!) new creature....

There's a baby elephant, born  3 weeks ago. And after a voting process involving us public, she was christened " Bala Hi Way" . "Hi way" is a family name...and there are now 4 generations in this family at the zoo.

NEXT: a baby giraffe. She's a pure Rothschild giraffe called Kanzi, born to mother Dagmar. THIS is excellent news as there's now less than 670 Rothschild giraffes left in the wild.

NEXT: a baby Black Rhino. Chester Zoo now houses 8 black rhinos...and these are earmarked as critically endangered species...

NEXT: a baby Sumatran Orangutan. The parents, Emma and Pulah, are part of the European Endangered Species prog. This ties up breeding betwixt zoos to keep up genetic diversity....

Now, when are we going again?......

SEE: www.chesterzoo.org

" Scaramouche Jones Clowning Into Chester"

 

Clowns are endlessly fascinating. At least they are to me! They intrigue, amuse, mystify, scare even....and recently, Chester Theatre Club accomodated the excellent **White Cobra Productions Company** for an evening...telling the story of one particular Clown. This superb one man show was written by Justin Butcher, winning several awards and produced in 5 other languages....
Richard Jordan played Scaramouche Jones, ( 1st performed by Pete Postlethwaite at London's Royalty Theatre).....and we witnessed Scaramouche's amazing life story in 90 minutes...listening to his sadnesses, laughing at his happinesses... revelling in his story...
And coincidentally, I read the next day, about the most intriguing of events.Each year, a clowns' service is held at Holy Trinity Church, Dalston, London...in memory of the inventor of the modern clown, Joseph Grimaldi. What a wonderful sight of fantasy that must be....
** SEE: WWW.WHITECOBRAPRODUCTIONS.CO.UK

Other Stuff lately: 2 pantos last month: brilliant " Dick Whittington" at Theatr Clwyd with 7 yr old grandson...and also the equally brill " Cinderella"" by Tiptop Productions, Chester, with my two 4yr old grandbabes. NOW we're all panto-ed out until next year!!

Several films recently: " Quartet" ( Tom Courtenay stole the show....BUT then he always does as far as I'm concerned) plus " Lincoln" ( DDLewis...one of the most marvellous actors ever, even in my 'umble view) plus " Les Miserables" ( couldn't get used to R Crowe bursting into song) and last but not least " Skyfall" which kept my old bones on seat ( or sofa ) edge until the very end....  

" Writing Class: Film Stars For An Afternoon!"

 I mentioned in previous posts ( Oct 3rd, 17th) how my writing class were creating pieces for Grosvenor Museum's landmark Exhibition on Medieval Chester...

SO last week, some of us were filmed reading our stuff in the lecture theatre...beneath massive paintings, beside crimsom walls...and in sight of a bust...looking incredibly like Sir Richard Branson...although I WAS gently informed that it was actually Oliver Cromwell..

We had a super afternoon.
Film maker, Louise,  was SO patient ( eg. pausing, while clutches of schoolchildren rushed about in the entrance hall with a couple of bare-legged Roman soldiers...and also tirelessly searching the Museum for the source of weird whistling noises in the pipes...)

AND, of course, it was good to see Sue again, Director of the Museum, who came last October to talk with us in Hoole ...and gave us lots of thoughts and inspiration.
* The snap shows Carol ( surveyed by Oliver Cromwell) reading her piece for filming.
* The Exhibition takes place a the Grosvenor Museum, Chester, from May 4th until Sept 22nd.

"The Joys Of Workshopping..."

Joy Winkler was a much enjoyed Cheshire Poet Laureate in 2005 and since then, her work has gone from strength to strength...
.
This week, she led a writing workshop for 18 Friends of Chester Lit Fest... at the lovely home of a Waverton F(f) riend.

WE had 2 hours of pure pleasure...listening to sage advice from Joy, reading poems ( including Carol Ann Duffy's ode to charity shops: " Oxfam"  and a piece from Angela Carter's " Shadow Dance" )
AND of course,  we scribbled our own pieces ...
All this in a wonderful room overlooking lush Cheshire countryside.
A REAL TREAT.
Picture shows Joy ( right) with poet Helen Hill beside her.

" Angelic Faces??"

 

Here's the cast in Sam and Bella Spewack's " My Three Angels", directed at Chester Theatre Club recently by the lovely Margaret Bennett.
It's a comedy, set enticingly on Devil's Island, South America.....And it leaves you thinking.....it leaves you persusing about 1st impressions, about differences betwixt Goodies and Baddies....perusing about things we reckon are most important in Life.
Great fun and great cast. This included Tony O'Byrne ( directing Ibsen's " Hedda Gabler" at C.T.C from  May 4th until 11th  inclusive)......  also Jac Wardle and the  irrepressible and super-energised Andy Hutchings as the Angels.....or were they the Criminals??
AND there was strongly able support from Sue Elliott, Ray Bengree, Stacey Warner, Malcolm Gledhill, Tom Bentley and Rebecca Staven...
SEE: www.chestertheatreclub.co.uk

" The Daymons...Catch Them If You Can!....."

 

Here's a snap taken at Alexander's Bar, Chester, during Jubillee celebrations. My son's in the centre playing guitar and singing with his Band......
Tomorrow evening, they appear again at Alexander's.... and on Thursday (17th) they're at Telfords Warehouse, supporting musician Richie Syett, with his Band.
The Daymons came together last year, although my son and two of the Band members ( including superb trumpeter, Jim) played together previously while living in both Chester/London....  but this summer, they re-formed ...with another guitarist, plus bass guitarist and a drummer completing the line up........thus providing a great mix of fine songs, interesting voices.. a heady mix of acoustic plus electric guitar...with the jazzy snazzy  trumpet adding something extremely special to this tasty blending...
It's a fusion of Indie, Folk and Rock.....something to revel in!
See www.facebook.com/thedaymons   

Glimpsing A New Horizon....?

Happy 2013!

 In March we visited David Hockney's Exhibition at the Royal Academy....and his series of the seasons, painted at Thorndale, Yorkshire, was a particular delight....

Here's Winter: starkly beautiful. 

May your New Year be a lovely one...