Songs: Doesn't Remind Me

I'm not quite sure why I like this so much.   I usually like things that are a bit bolder.   Still, this is good.   And is a surprisingly good karaoke song.  

Gig Reviews: Josh Ritter

Given everything you know about my musical tastes, it may surprise you to know that one of my favourite singers ever is a country singer called Josh Ritter.  I've been to see him a couple of times, most recently in Glasgow.   It was an odd sort of gig for me, as it was seated.   Haven't been to many of those.   It's a whole different experience.   Calmer, more comfortable, but not as much energy, and so much further from the stage.   The first time I saw him he created absolute magic on the stage.   He was mesmerising.   So so powerful.   This wasn't quite up to that standard.   Maybe it was the seatedness that did it.   Or perhaps that he didn't do a lot of my favourite songs.   He did do Lillian, Egypt though.   Hurrah!   Still a good show and I'm glad I went.   The venue was lovely too.  The Old Fruitmarket.   I'd never been there before and it was quite lovely.   All fairy lights, and still with the old storefront signs up.  

 

         

Music: Gymnopedie No. 1

I love this.   It's so bittersweet and melancholy.

Book Reviews: Boy

This is Roald Dahl's own account of his childhood.   It describes his time at school, his friends and their escapades, his family and long summer holidays in Norway.   I enjoyed re-reading it, but somehow I wanted more from it.   I wanted the autobiography of one of the most brilliantly creative and imaginative and disgusting children's writers to be full of weird occurences, colourful characters and wacky adventures.   Instead it mostly seems to consist of being miserable at school.   There are a few nasty medical procedures described as well, reminding us how recently we didn't have things such as anaesthetics.   It's not a very happy book.   What does come through is what a great woman Roald Dahl's mother was and what a great influence she had on him and how strong their relationship was.   She sounded like a very strong and brave lady.   And his descriptions of Norway make you desperate to go and spend long summer days exploring the fjords alone to your heat's content.

    

Songs: Crazy Bitch

This one is rude and naughty and oh so catchy.   And also, you know, the band name is a pun.   Everyone likes puns!

Show Reviews: Cabaret

For years my only knowledge of Cabaret came from the weird Lisa Minelli film which I didn't really like.   Then I saw half of it in the theatre volunteering for the Red Cross, and I really enjoyed what I saw.   It was happier and less weird and perverted than the film.   So when it came back to Edinburgh I was eager to go and see it properly.   I'm very glad I did.   It was great!   It's set in Berlin at the outbreak of World War II and features a host of colourful characters.   Most of the action centres around a Cabaret where Sally, the female protagonist, is a performer.   She was very ably played by Siobhan Dillon whose warm performance made me totally fall in love with her.   The real star of the show, though, is the narrator, with masses of stage presence, plenty of quirks and great songs, played by - wait for it - Will Young!   I remember him as a pretty wet singer off Pop Idol, not a creative and powerful performer.   The title song was very well done too.   I'd only ever heard it sung as a joyful, confident song, but in this production it was done more timidly, and a little manically.   A more fragile performance, which I think was much more appropriate, considering that Sally has just had an abortion when she sang it.   The real power of the show though, comes towards the end, with the rise of Nazism and the lives of the charactes being torn apart.   I cried my eyes out.   Well worth seeing!

            

Film Reviews: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

This is a film I love for many reasons.   Firstly because it's so unusual.   It's like nothing I've ever seen before.  It's about a man (Doctor Parnassus) who is a thousand years old and immortal.   He travels around with a rag-tag bunch of companions in their caravan/travelling show.   He's made a bet with the devil.   He needs to win souls by his daughter's 16th birthday, or she'll belong to the devil.   He has to get people to step through a magic mirror powered by his trance.   Once inside people are brought face to face with their own imaginations.   They then have to make a choice.   The problem is poeple always seem to make the wrong choice and give their souls to the devil instead.   Until they rescue a mysterious stranger who they find hanging under a bridge.  He turns their fortunes around and helps them to win the bet.  

The second reason I love it is the casting.   It's got so many of my heros in it!   As well as the wonderful Heath Ledger and ever-fabulous Johnny Depp, it also features Paloma Faith and the great Tom Waits.   Who knew they could act??   Tom Waits is a fabulous devil.   Lily Cole puts in a great performance as the doctor's daughter,Verne Troyer (of the Mini Me fame) is excellent, as is Christopher Plummer as Parnassus himself.   As Heath Ledger's last film I also feel a big emotional connection with it.   He died half way through filming.   Instead of giving up, Terry Gilliam (the director) got in three other actors to replace him.   Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell.   All three of them were great pals of Heath's and wanted to help.   They came up with the genius idea of giving Heath a different face every time he entered the Imaginarium.   The rejigged the story so that they didn't need to get many more shots, and for those they still needed they put an actor in a mask so you couldn't tell it wasn't Heath.   The whole thing is very neatly done and if you didn't know the story you'd never think one of the leads had died half way through filming.   I think it's a beautiful tribute to him.   He was wonderful.  

Finally I love it because of the director.   Even if Terry Gilliam wasn't a brilliant director he'd still be one of my heros because of his Monty Python connection.   I always loved his hilarious, wacky animations in the show, as well as his performances.   They were so imaginative!   Well, that amazing Gilliam imagination is well and truly on show in this, both inside the imaginarium and out.   Look at this!   Look at it!   Look!

I just love it.   It's such a refreshing break from all the comic book films, sci-fi prequels and remakes.   I'd love to know what it looks like inside his head.   Well worth a watch if you want something strange and beautiful.