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Posts Tagged 'Meow Meow'
Edinburgh Festivals 2017 – the 2nd half
Posted in Art, Cabaret, Comedy, Contemporary Music, Photography, Theatre, tagged Adam, Assembly Hall, Assembly Studio Two, Barbara Dickson, Cardboard Citizens, Cathy, Cathy Come Home, Cekhov, Coming Clean, Danny Thompson, Enduring Eye, Enterprise, Field, Fruitmarket Gallery, Harvey Nichols, Highlands to Hindustan, Into The Woods, Jac Leirner, Janis Kelly, Karine Polwart, Ken Loach, Last Queen of Scotland, Little Mermaid, Mark Steel, Mark Thomas, Mark Watson, Meow Meow, Mike Heron, National Library of Scotland, National Theatre of Scotland, Playhouse Theatre, Pleasance Dome, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Seagulls, Shackleton, Sondheim, Stand One, Summerhall, The Hub, The Music of the Incredible String Band, The Seagull, The Whip Hand, Traverse One, Underbelly, University of Edinburgh Library, Volcano on August 18, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Picking up steam now; my first four-show day, though it started with a couple of small exhibitions. At the National Library of Scotland, Enduring Eye featured new prints from the original negatives of the photographer in Shackleton's 1914 Antarctica expedition, and they are extraordinary. They bring to life this amazing adventure on the other end of the Earth whilst World War One is taking place. At the University of Edinburgh Library, Highlands to Hindustan brings together items from their collection given by people returning from India; a small but fascinating collection of pictures, sculptures, books and even some video and sound footage.
Enterprise was a show I added when it got a Fringe First Award and I'm glad I did. At Assembly Studio Two, it's a satire on corporate behaviour, featuring four men in suits in various permutations in a series of short scenes which added up to a rather accurate and very funny expose of corporate greed and ruthlessness. Back at the Traverse One, the National Theatre of Scotland's Adam was the fascinating true story of an Egyptian refugee girl's journey to Glasgow and to manhood, with Adam telling the story himself, with the help of another actor. The closing scene, where video clips of hundreds of people with similar stories from around the world singing 'I am Adam' was deeply moving. The Last Queen of Scotland overcame the handicap of being in one of the fringe's worst venues – Underbelly, a damp, caverness, airless space without natural light – and proved to be a very original story of a Ugandan Asian woman's childhood flight from Kampala to Dundee in 1972 when Idi Amin, himself bizarrely obsessed with Scotland, expelled them. The Dundee accent was sometimes impenetrable and the superb actor playing her was young and white, but the true story of her return to her home country and the Kent refugee camp shone through. Only time for a solo pasta today as we were all in different places with busy days, before ending with comedy – Mark Steel at Assembly Hall. Steel's recent divorce loomed large and my companions thought him bitter, which he was, but I thought he was also bloody funny, with insightful views of what's happening in our society to go with the personal story. One of my favourite comedians with an excellent, very personal show.
Wednesday started well back at Traverse One with a proper play called The Whip Hand – living room set, five characters, dense plotting, multi-layered – which was a touch melodramatic, but unpredictable, pleasingly inconclusive, covering a lot of personal and geo-political ground. Very satisfying. An unscheduled interlude at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery enabled me to revel in the beauty of the recently renovated main hall once more, to see their latest hanging of an extraordinary collection of contemporary portraits, to catch an interesting exhibition called Looking Good / The Male Gaze, spanning five centuries, and a more depressing one of Graham MacIndoe's photos of his own addiction in Coming Clean. Across the road at Stand One Mark Watson gave us some work in progress, partly created from audience pre-show input. A touch lazy, a bit rambling, but it's hard not to like his anarchic charm, an antidote to the slicker comedians. A lazy afternoon with a light lunch, a glass of wine or two and a view of the castle in the fourth floor restaurant at Harvey Nick's was followed by more comedy, favourite Mark Thomas with his new show at Summerhall. It re-cycles two ideas, with a new spin on Manifesto (more audience pre-show input) and the biographical Bravo Figaro, but his passion and audience engagement is unrivalled, so you do leave thinking you've spent 70 mins with an old mate having a bit of a rant. Dinner at http://www.fieldrestaurant.co.uk was a welcome return to their simple seasonal and local food; but I struggle to understand how they survive with twenty-six covers, of which we comprised a fifth! At the international festival's The Hub, a late night 'cabaret' proved a disappointment, though views amongst the group differed, with me the most negative. Meow Meow's would have been better if she'd dropped the Little Mermaid concept / 'show' and delivered her normal edgy burlesque cabaret, rather than a contrived piece which was good when she sang but fell flat on it's flipper with the embarrassing sequences in-between. It was intensely uncomfortable, physically and intellectually, and I would have walked if you could have done so quietly. The main festival trying to be as cool as the fringe and failing.
The final day was the sort of eclectic one you can probably only get in Edinburgh. It started with my 10th production of an old favourite, Stephen Sondheim's musical Into the Woods, staged and performed in the Assembly Hall by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. I very much enjoy my outings to London's conservatoires and I enjoyed watching future talent here just as much, in an excellent production. Odd to be at a full length fringe show after a week of pieces under 90 minutes, though. At the Fruitmarket Gallery, I rather took to Brazilian Jac Leirner's obsessive collection and presentation of all sorts of items – wire, rulers, spirit levels, cigarette papers – part of a very limited presentation of contemporary art this year. Cathy at Pleasance Dome was campaigning theatre, urgent and important as well as being good theatre itself. It was a new play effectively updating Ken Loach's iconic TV play on it's 50th anniversary, staged by Cardboard Citizens on their 25th. Like Loach's recent film I, Daniel Blake, it puts up a mirror to modern society and in particular our approach to housing and benefits and shames us. Down in Leith, Volcano presented a riff on / deconstruction of Chekhov's The Seagull called Seagulls in an extraordinarily atmospheric disused church. Full of surprises and, surprisingly, laughs, it was captivating if sometimes puzzling, but after processing it I realised it was quite faithful to the original, albeit with only five of the ten main characters – and a lot more entertaining! After a shaky start, seeming under rehearsed with poor sound, The Music of the Incredible String Band at the Playhouse Theatre, weaved it's magic, bringing waves of nostalgia for 50-year-old music that is a key part of the soundtrack of my life. Eight soloists, including Mike Heron himself, beaming in wonder, and a surprising but delightful triumvirate of ladies, opera singer Janis Kelly, folkie Karine Polwart and Barbara Dickson(!), were accompanied by seven musicians, including Heron's daughter, a member of the McColl folk dynasty and Danny Thompson, who played on many of the original recordings. A lovely conclusion to the week.
Perhaps not up to 2015's vintage year, but a particularly diverse one. Disappointing for art, but great for music, the Traverse on fine form and excellent food. Until 2018………
The Rest of August
Posted in Art, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Film, Opera, Photography, tagged Arcangelo, Arcola Theatre, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Barbican Art Gallery, Barry Humphries, Bastien & Bastienne, BBC Proms, Bernstein, British Museum, Cadogan Hall, Callum Thorpe, Cape Town Opera, Cherubini Requiem in C Minor, Cole Porter, Colour & Vision, Ella Kruglyanskya, Everybody Razzle Dazzle, Finzi, Francis Bacon: Invisible Rooms, Francis Townes, Fretwork, George Gershwin, Georgia O'Keeffe, Ghostbusters, Greenwich University, Grimeborn, Huw Watkins, Ira Gershwin, Jason Bourne, Joby Talbot, John Wilson Orchestra, Jonathan Cohen, Katherine Watson, Keith Lockhart, Liverpool Biennial, Made You Look: Dandyism and Black Masculinity, Mandela Trilogy, Maria Lassnig, Matt Damon, Meow Meow, Mike Campbell, Mozart & Salieri, Mozart Double, Natural History Museum, Nico Muhly, Opera Alegria, Peter Blake, Peter Louis van Dijjk, Photographers Gallery, Ragnar Kjartansson, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rogers & Hart, Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, Samuel Bowen, Speed of Light, Stile Antico, Sullivan, Tate Liverpool, Tate Modern, Terence Donovan, The Impressario, Thetare Royal Liege, Tosca, Travel Photographer of the Year, Walker Art Gallery Liverpool, Walton, Weimar Cabaret on September 1, 2016| Leave a Comment »
There was a lot to love about Weimar Cabaret at Cadogan Hall. The period and the place produced an extraordinarily eclectic collection of original music which gathered together has an eccentric, manic quality. The Australian Chamber Orchestra played brilliantly, in dark suits and trilbies, and Barry Humphries provided insightful and funny commentaries, and sang a song or two with cabaret star Meow Meow, who sang a lot on her own and with a lady violinist from the orchestra. I will never forget her Serenata Erotica! A unique evening.
John Wilson has a large, loyal and attentive following and last year's brilliant Bernstein Prom propelled us to book for this year's Gershwin Prom. I was expecting some, if not all of it, to be from Broadway, but it was all Hollywood, and a third of the songs were Ira Gershwin's lyrics without the then late George Gershwin's music. The first half disappointed; with little light and shade it was relentlessly showbiz and the sound mix wasn't great, with strings buried beneath brass. It picked up significantly in the second half though, with better sound, some slower numbers and the ballet from An American in Paris as a closer. Overall, though, a bit too Friday Night is Music Night for me, and a rather expensive one too.
I've never seen anything in the Arcola's annual Grimeborn opera festival before but after their brilliant Tosca, very powerful at close quarters, I won't make that mistake again. In fact, I've already booked for another two! The singing was superb and the whole score heroically played on one grand piano, and all for the price of a cinema ticket. Eat your heart out, ENO & RO.
My journey to and from the Arcola Theatre for my second Grimeborn production was more than twice as long as Rimsky-Korsakov's rarely staged 40-minute opera Mozart and Salieri. Composed eighty years before Peter Shaffer's play Amadeus on the same subject, also derived from Pushkin's play. It was a bit slight for me, though it was well staged and performed. I've only seen a few of his fifteen operas and this was more of a collector's item than anything else.
Grimeborn reached its pinnacle with Opera Alegria's Mozart Double – an opera he wrote when he was twelve, Bastien & Bastienne (not his first!), which may or may not have been performed at the time, and one from his late career when he was thirty, a satire on opera itself The Impresario. You can hear clearly how he matured, though both operas are good. As they both have dialogue they are technically operettas or singspiel and the settings in this production are contemporary, the libretto updated. The performances were brilliant and it was the most fun I've had in 35 years of opera-going.
Cape Town Opera's Mandela Trilogy at the Royal Festival Hall was a hit-and-miss affair. It told Madeba's story in three parts – youth to University, the politicised years centred in Sophiatown and his trial & imprisonment through to his freedom speech on release. I liked the prologue and Parts 1 & 3 by Peter Louis van Dijjk, but though I liked the idea of the Part 2 jazz musical by Mike Campbell, I wasn't convinced by the contrast its inclusion created. It was semi-staged but from our top price front stalls seats we couldn't see the singers, which rather marred the experience.
The off-site Prom at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse was an absolute treat and a triumph. Eleven piece ensemble Arcangelo led by Jonathan Cohen played Shakespeare-inspired music from the late 17th century by candlelight with three brilliant soloists, Katherine Watson, Samuel Bowden & Callum Thorpe, who animated the arias by interacting and moving around the space. Wonderful.
A gorgeous lunchtime Prom at Cadogan Hall paired viol ensemble Fretwork with vocal ensemble Stile Antico for a programme of 17th century Shakespeare settings (plus a few others) with two brilliant contemporary ones by Huw Watkins and Nico Muhly. A real tonic.
The third Shakespeare themed Prom showcased music for stage and screen, with the first half music by Walton, Finzi, Sullivan and Joby Talbot written for screen and ballet versions of Richard III, Love's Labour's Lost, The Tempest, As You Like It and The Winter's Tale and the second half music for the stage – Bernstein's West Side Story based on Romeo and Juliet, Cole Porter's Kiss Me Kate based on The Taming of the Shrew and The Boys from Syracuse, a version of The Comedy of Errors by Rogers, Hart and Abbott. I really liked it, more than the Gershwin Prom (with better sound), and conductor Keith Lockhart engaged with the audience unlike most conductors.
European cities usually have a cultural black hole in August, but I managed to find a performance of the rare Cherubini Requiem in C Minor at the Liege Opera House during a short overnight visit. Though I'd never heard it before, it seemed a bit lacklustre – WNO on an off night (we don't know how lucky we are) – but it was good to hear it, and the theatre was lovely.
Matt Damon didn't have many lines to learn for Jason Bourne which was all action, exhaustingly so, with an extraordinary car chase at the end that I honestly don't know how they pulled off. Great fun.
I eventually caught up with the female Ghostbusters remake, which was good fun and technically accomplished, though hardly ground-breaking.
The Liverpool Biennial Festival of Contemporary Art was absolute shite. It was devoid of any beauty, lacking in ingenuity and it all seemed derivative and dated. Fortunately, Tate Liverpool had three good exhibitions – Francis Bacon: Invisible Rooms, Maria Lassnig & Ella Kruglyanskya, the latter two artists completely new to me. These, together with the permanent collections at Tate and the Walker and the Peter Blake designed Mersey Ferry, Everybody Razzle Dazzle, redeemed the weekend. I won't get fooled again!
Icelandic performance artist Ragnar Kjartansson's 'exhibition' at the Barbican was about as off-the-wall as it gets. The only live part was ten troubadours lounging, strumming and singing – for the whole 8 opening hours! There were records of previous projects, mostly on video, including a 9-screen installation recording a 1-hour concert where each player was in a different room of a house (including the bath!), brass players cruising whilst they played in Venice for six hours every day for six months, a crooner singing the same three words for 30 minutes, band The National singing their song A Lot of Sorrow continuously for six hours, 144 paintings of the same subject in the same place where they both spent six months and four 5-yearly videos of his mother spitting in his face. I rather liked it all!
I managed to catch the exhibition of Francis Townes' late 18th century watercolours of Italy on its last day at the British Museum. They were beautiful, though a touch faded and mostly behind glass. He was apparently never accepted by the art establishment, despite his undoubted talent.
The Travel Photographer of the Year exhibition has moved south-east and indoors to Greenwich University and, despite the journey, is better for it. It was the usual high standard but it made me feel less inadequate as, since last year, I've done a short photography course, had some coaching and went on some photographic safaris, so next year I think I might enter!
The Georgia O'Keeffe exhibition at Tate Modern exceeded its expectations bigtime. A hugely comprehensive retrospective which also allowed you to learn about her life through photographs and room descriptions. I've always loved her work, now I'm virtually obsessed. I'll be back!
The exhibition I went to the Photographers' Gallery to see, as instructed by Time Out (!) – Made You Look: Dandyism and Black Masculinity – disappointed, but upstairs there were two floors of Terence Donovan's wonderful, iconic, mostly black and white 60's and 70's photographs in Speed of Light. An unexpected treat.
Colour & Vision at the Natural History Museum sought to explain the evolution of vision in the animal world. It started well, with fascinating fossils in particular, but then threw in the kitchen sink and became overpowering and confusing. Shame.
A Midsummer Night's Dream – Shakespeare's Globe
Posted in Theatre, tagged Anjana Vasan, Ankur Bahl, Edmund Derrington, Emma Rice, Ewan Wardrop, Katy Owen, Kneehigh Theatre, Meow Meow, Ncuti Gatwa, Shakespeare's Globe, Stu Barker, William Shakespeare, Zubin Varla on June 14, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Well, Emma Rice certainly knows how to make her mark. Her inaugural production (and only her second Shakespeare) at The Globe is exuberant, anarchic, irreverent, cheeky and packed full of ideas. It's populist stuff and the audience loved it.
She starts by making her mark on the venue. There are a dozen opaque green tubes hanging over the groundlings (damaging the sight lines in the middle and upper galleries!) and even more giant white balloons providing an (incomplete) roof. The actors are miked and there's a fair bit if artificial light. Four round tables occupy the front of the groundling space so that the action can spill off the stage. She also takes a lot of liberties with the play, chief amongst them is that Helena has had a sex change and is now a man called Helenus. The rude mechanicals are members of the Globe Team, including the cleaner and the Health & Safety Officer (the only man). Puck has also changed sex and is now an impish punkess with horns. There's a lot of music and dance routines, notably a short Bollywood Beyoncé, and a lot of changes to the text (together with a snipe at those who would want it as written). It was a few too many liberties for me, I'm afraid, burying Shakespeare's play in too much funny business and losing its magical quality.
I like the idea of a Bollywood version, but it's a bit half-hearted in that mission, and the differing styles of the lovers (Hoxton cool), the fairies (punk gothic) and rude mechanicals (theatre staff) didn't combine into a cohesive whole for me. There are some lovely performances, though. Edmund Derrington, Ncuti Gatwa, Anjana Vasan and Ankur Bahl are a fine quartet of lovers. Amongst another fine set of performances as the rude mechanicals, Ewan Wardrop shines as Bottom, and Katy Owen is a delightfully cheeky Puck. Zubin Varla is the best verse speaker as Theseus / Oberon and it was good to see Meow Meow as his (burlesque) queen. Stu Barker's music covered too many genres for me; I'd rather have a uniform style, perhaps Indian.
You expect a new Artistic Director to bring their past with them, but this felt like they'd moved Kneehigh in, rather than appointed Emma Rice. Notwithstanding my reservations above, it's a good first show, but she must move on and embrace diverse approaches and talent. I enjoyed it, but it bothered me coming soon after her negativity about Shakespeare plays in the press.
The Rest of May
Posted in Art, Classical Music, Comedy, Contemporary Music, Film, Opera, Photography, World Music, tagged Adam Green, Alan Curtis, Andrew Tortise, Ariodante, Attack the Block, Barbican Centre, Clemency, Eamonn Mulhall, Fred Sandbach, Grant Doyle, Hanna, Hannah Waddingham, Hayward Gallery, Ian Bostridge, Ian Shaw, Il Complesso Barocca, Incredible String Band, Jame MacMillan, Janis Kelly, John Mark Ainsley, Joyce DiDonato, Karina Gauvin, Laura Cantrell, Leanne Jones, Lesley Garrett, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Mark Thomas, Meow Meow, Mike Heron, Nicholas Phan, Nick Pynn, Paul Graham, Roundhouse, Royal Geographic Society, Royal Opera House, Sabina Puertolas, Sam Furness, Somerset House, Sony Photography Prize, Staff Benda Bilili, Stephen Sondheim Society, Stewart Lee, Survivors UK, Taron Egerton, Tracy Emin, Trembling Bells, Tricycle Theatre, Union Chapel, Whitechapel Gallery on May 31, 2011| Leave a Comment »
When she walks onto the stage, she looks like she's just left the set of Desperate Housewives or come straight from a meeting on Wall Street, but when Laura Cantrell strums her guitar and opens her mouth, you're in the presence of one of the greatest modern country singers. She's not been here for 6 years and with the release of her Kitty Wells tribute album, I wasn't expecting such a varied set – the best of her back catalogue, some covers, some new songs and a few of the Kitty Wells songs. The two guitars (one sometimes pedal steel) / mandolin line up proved perfect for every song in a brilliant selection and ninety minutes later we were on our feet in appreciation. The Union Chapel proved yet again – despite the bum- numbing pews! – that it's the perfect venue for this sort of concert.
Staff Benda Bilili are a bunch of homeless (well they were!) street musicians from Kinshasa, DR Congo, most of whom are paraplegic. They were the subject of a documentary that went on to raves at Cannes and a cinema and DVD release, part of which included making an album and making live appearances. Their Roundhouse show was as uplifting as the film, though in 75 minutes the pace doesn't let up and this old man found it exhausting! Young Roger, who plays a one-string instrument of his own invention and manufacture, became a bit over-excited, but who can blame him given his journey. Great stuff.
A Sunday afternoon at the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year (plus the Stiles & Drew Best New Song Prize) – phew! what a title – proved a real pleasure. The standard was very high (I'm glad I wasn't judging) which is what I find in my regular visits to our best drama / music colleges. Future musical theatre talent is secure, though how all of these will get work I don't know. None of my personal top 4 made it, but I was happy with winner Taron Egerton (not just because he's Welsh!) though less keen on the runner-up.
I don't normally go to those benefit evening any more as they're rarely satisfying because they cram so much in. Fortunately, Survivors UK at Cadogan Hall concentrated on a few excellent artists, including Lesley Garrett, Leanne Jones, Ian Shaw, Meow Meow and Hannah Waddingham, which made it a lovely musical evening. I was given a free ticket, which made me feel like a shit, so I made a donation higher than the cost of the ticket!
The Incredible String Band is part of the soundtrack of my life. I was surprised to see one of its founders, Mike Heron, on a bill with newbie's Trembling Bells as part of Stewart Lee's Austerity Binge mini-festival at the Southbank Centre, but couldn't really resist. I certainly didn't expect a magical hour of (mostly) early Incredibles' songs. With help from Mike Hastings of Trembling Bells (and later the whole band), multi-instrumentalist Nick Pynn (who had opened the show with a virtuoso set) and someone called Georgia, he delivered these 35-40 year old songs so beautifully that Sleepers Awaken and A Very Cellular Song brought me to tears. Trembling Bells made the mistake of following him; however good they were, they were never going to live up to something so unexpectedly stunning.
Having been indifferent to James MacMillan's last chamber opera, Parthogenesis, my expectations for Clemency weren't high, which may be part of the reason I enjoyed it so much! It's the story of three strangers who are befriended by Abraham and Sarah en route to reeking vengeance on twin cities full of sin. They prophesy a post-menopausal pregnancy for Sarah whilst the couple seek to persuade them to abandon their plan. I liked the triptych framing of the design and Janis Kelly and Grant Doyle were both excellent in the lead roles whilst the 'triplets' of Adam Green, Eamonn Mulhall & Andrew Tortise sounded great singing in unison. The music is easily accessible, though yet again a lack of surtitles means you miss a lot of the (English!) libretto.
Ariodante in concert at the Barbican was an absolute joy. I'm a bit puzzled that I haven't seen Baroque group Il Complesso Barocca and their conductor Alan Curtis before; the musicianship was exceptional and the assembled cast first class. After a shaky start, I warmed to Marie-Nicole Lemieux's thoroughly dramatic performance as baddie Polinenesso. Karina Gauvin sang Ginevra beautifully and sounded great when dueting with Joyce DiDonato's stunning Ariodante. Sabina Puertolas and Nicholas Phan sang Dalinda and Lurcanio respectively with great style. When he was asked to stand in as Odorardo, RAM student Sam Furness probably couldn't believe his luck. He acquitted himself very well in such an outstanding cast, but so good was this evening he may have to come to terms with the fact it's all downhill from here! It was DiDonato's evening though – after only two concerts, I've fallen head over heals for this American mezzo.
John Mark Ainsley's lunchtime recital at Wigmore Hall was a treat – Britten, Purcell & Poulenc – right up my street! We're so lucky to have so many good tenors whose voices suit English song; just one week later I was back there for an evening recital by another – Ian Bostridge – whose programme was a very original affair, though very dark. It started with Purcell's beautiful Music For A While and stayed light-ish in the first half with some rare Bach and Haydn pieces. After the interval, though, it was a funeral lament, bleak tales of violence pain and death of children and the American Civil War. It was all a bit challenging, but fortunately he encored with the opening Purcell to lift our gloom before we left!
I love people who use their talent for good and top of this list is comedian Mark Thomas who combines humour and passion in equal measure so effectively. In his new 'show', Extreme Rambling, he tells the story of walking the wall between Israel and Palestine, the people he met and the things he learnt. It's a rare thing to go home having learned a lot while being entertained (but not preached at) and the Tricycle Theatre is the perfect venue for this.
I couldn't believe Hanna was directed by the man who gave us Pride & Prejudice and Atonement – talk about change of direction! I loved the quirky cocktail of fantasy, action adventure and humour which was often unpredictable, never dull, but sometimes too violent (how on earth did it get a 12 rating?!). The Chemical Brothers soundtrack added much to the action sequences and the performances were all outstanding.
Attack the Block is another very good small scale British film, though I wasn't expecting it to be quite so scary (it's amazing how you can make giant cuddly toys terrify people!). It's a very assured directorial debut but what distinguishes it most is a superb cast of (mostly) young actors. There was a certain frisson seeing it in Clapham, just a few miles from where it is set.
A lovely afternoon of photographic exhibitions paired the RGS Travel Photography Prize with the Sony World Photography Awards at Somerset House. The former was right up my street but gave me a severe dose of wanderlust. The latter was much more extensive than I was expecting, including a retrospective of US photographer Bruce Davidson, such that it was too much to take in; but it was very varied and included some terrific stuff.
At the Whitechapel Gallery, there's an excellent exhibition of the documentary photos, in nine series, by Paul Graham covering a journey up the A1 amongst other subjects! They also have a room with two terrific installations by Fred Sandbach made simply of string; for some reason I found then beautiful!
I suppose going to see an exhibition of someone whose work you have never liked seems perverse. Well, I wouldn't have paid to see it, but as a Southbank Centre member, I decided to make this major retrospective at the Hayward Gallery one last chance to see if there really was anything to Tracey Emin's soul baring autobiographical work. You will not be surprised to hear then that my conclusion is that there isn't…..but I admire her immensely for convincing the art establishment that there is and in doing so make a shitload of money. This collection of drawings, 'sculptures', blankets and memorabilia may make for an interesting diary, but art it ain't.


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text:
Brexit What Happens Next Thread ---multiple merged threads.
By GreenDevil, June 24, 2016 in House prices and the economy
Sheeple Splinter
7 hours ago, Confusion of VIs said:
1. FOM is not unworkable in the longer term. The recent/current stresses were caused by the expansion into Eastern Europe, the surge in migration caused by this is almost over and migration will be back in balance by the time we actually stop FOM.
2. It's true that FOM has proved to be a double edged sword for the EE countries, in the early days it was welcomed but now almost all of the EE states are actively encouraging their citizens to come home and the rising living standards are making this attractive for skilled people.
3. Brexit will prove to be the worlds most expensive ever stable door bolting exercise.
4. You might be right about the Euro proving to be unworkable but leaving the EU will not protect us from the effects of a break up and having to contribute to what will be the biggest bail out in history.
1. We've disagreed on these points upthread WRT EU citizen FoM already i.e. socio-economic factors, accession countries & third country migrants gaining EU citizenship. Do you have any thoughts on the organised, Serbian/Iranian people trafficking throughout Europe ?
2. Have you based that on information such as this?
Many economic migrants from central and eastern Europe who came to work in the UK are returning home...
3. I disagree again but do you think, Merkel has pondered over that phrase?
4. Agreed, imagine if many of the threads hereabouts were proven correct?
7 hours ago, yelims said:
Do you have a Nationalism Kills version for the 3,500 killed in the Troubles?
cock-eyed octopus
44 minutes ago, Peter Hun said:
Do you under stand the difference between the EU's budget an the EU members economies?
The OP was implying the EU budget was the entire GDP of the member countries, thus our piffling 39 bn was irrelevant.
I was pointing out that 39 bn is a large chunk of the EU budget.
jonb2
2 hours ago, thehowler said:
Relax everyone, supplies of chocolate and cuckoo clocks are safeguarded...
Banking?
1 - tried it.
2 - won't work. You might want it to but it doesn't.
3 - yup.
Explain to me how a general election would work without another referendum?
2 hours ago, IMHAL said:
Thank fck for that.
It's probably more about maintaining seamless money laundering between our jurisdictions...we don't want to upset the oligarchs, the mafia or the drug cartels.
Hole in one. It will be about the money business.
IMHAL
36 minutes ago, micawber said:
Nope. I'm pretty good at planning. My main weakness was failing to retire at 50. My planning was a bit out so I had to wait until a year or two later instead.
Be bold, confident and assertive my friend. I wish that May had been.
If you were good at planing you would know what you proposed is not a plan. At best it's an ill considered action.
You can't run a country on a hope and a prayer with a gob of attitude and bravado thrown in.....we're not a nation of used car salesmen.
Edited December 14, 2018 by IMHAL
2 hours ago, onlooker said:
You have no evidence for your claim. It is just Project Hysteria.
No-deal please.
29929BlackTuesday
Yes - WTO please. Don't like the term No Deal - no offence meant jonb2!
Confusion of VIs
Location:Croydon
1 hour ago, ****-eyed octopus said:
Great. They won't miss our not paying them £39 bn then.
Now that is blah blah blah.
We have already accepted it is a legal obligation, deal or no deal, and the UK always pays its debts.
Dave Beans
Location:Somerset
About Me:Groping The Sands Of Time
1 minute ago, 29929BlackTuesday said:
...and afterwards?
Well yeah, I've given you the plan. We should have left 2 years ago as soon as it became clear that the EU wanted to hardball. Then we can sort out an agreement that works well for both of us. It really isn't that difficult. If you are weak and woolly then you are going to be played.
If I am a small and I do business with someone that is nearly 10x the size - I better have something the big guy really, really wants - or else they get to dictate all the terms.
It will apply to any trade deal we go for. You think the EU is bad, prepare to be raped by India, China or the USA.
It's how the world works.
I think that you are thinking too negatively. You say screwing up and all of our neighbours. I say rearranging and just some of our neighbours. Be more confident. Be more assertive. Try again.
Ooops. In response to Jonb2.
Why would you be so frightened of the world? I don't see smaller, more confident, countries cowering in their partnerships with these big beasts.
Think of a house purchase. Are you the person who asks for £1K off the price and then pays full whack when they get told no, or are you the one who confidently negotiates 10% off the price or walks away?
Edited December 14, 2018 by micawber
Failed to quote
17 minutes ago, 29929BlackTuesday said:
But it is a no-deal BT.
WTO is failing to negotiate a deal with the EU. Thus no-deal. To further the general confusion, Gina Miller found that some people polled thought that a no-deal meant remain, meaning some remainers would vote for a no-deal and some leavers would avoid voting for it.
I am 100% sure there were far, far better things the Tories could have done for the country than Brexit.
thehowler
33 minutes ago, jonb2 said:
May resigns, Tories and Labour set out their Brexit positions, you vote, whoever gets the mandate takes us forward.
This isn't what I want. I'd prefer May's deal. But doubt we'll get it.
2nd ref is all about remain, there's nothing there for leavers.
5 minutes ago, micawber said:
On your first point, they are not putting over 50% of their exports in jeopardy. Ask Kenya how it would cope when 50% of its exports disappeared overnight.
Second point. Depends on how much you want the house.
You are arguing bravado vs pragmatism. Do you really think you can use the same tactics? This country has been so run down. No industrial programme. Money laundering and the City as its major export. Who needs it.
Signs that even the usual-suspect Europhile journos are embarrassed about the summit...
2 minutes ago, thehowler said:
What are their positions though?
highYield
search DOSBODS.
Tragic that we couldn't have created a 2 speed Europe, together with our natural Europhobic allies: the people of Norway, Iceland & Switzerland.
Edited December 14, 2018 by highYield
1 minute ago, thehowler said:
I don't see how this changes the dynamic or changes anything.
Westminster is done, it's blown a fuse, it's an ex-parliament pining for the Norway plus deal, or WTO, or remain, or May's deal. An election would just produce Brexit, the directors cut. Same as it ever is.
onlooker
LOL how much evidence do you need. The hysteria is coming. from leavers as their project fantasy Brexit hits hard reality.
Quote some then. Evidence that is not guesswork.
It is only 44% of our exports that go to the EU. There is no need to exaggerate. And I'd guess that at least 90% of those exports would continue (Coldplay, Benny Hill, Mr Bean, etc) in the same way that we would continue to buy EU goods. So, yeah, maybe we lose 4.4% of our exports. I could see that being made up with freer trade with the RoW. I'm not scared. I'm confident.
You think we are run down? Have you been to Italy recently?
dugsbody
3 hours ago, micawber said:
I'm not as worried as you are about the future. I didn't need a soup kitchen when I lost my job 25 years ago. I just needed to do a different job in a different part of the country.
Lucky for you we believe in freedom of movement within the UK, so you were able to relocate for another job rather than being confined to your home town.
20 minutes ago, thehowler said:
😂 Give the batshits what they want and do not even think about skimping on the etiquette

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Our European journey this season is over. Following a 3-1 defeat to FC Liverpool, FC Bayern bids farewell on the international stage until the new season kicks off. With the Bundeliga title and DFB-Cup still up for grabs, there is still plenty to play for! However, before looking ahead, we reflect on what was ultimately a disappointing evening at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.


Valerie Nethery is the jewelry designer behind LilyEmme Jewelry. She has spent most of her life in Seattle where the usually-cloudy skies have grown on her. Her original plans were to work in wildlife ecology and she completed her degree in Environmental Science & Resource Management from the University of Washington. But she discovered jewelry near the end of college and shifted gears while still maintaining her love for the environment and finding ways to apply environmental responsibility to her jewelry line.
Val creates jewelry in a wonderfully spacious and beautifully renovated century-old building that operated as an oven manufacturing facility through much of the 20th century. Today it's lofty height with exposed beams, bright white walls and exposed brick make it a wonderful place to work in. Val lives with her husband and fur babies who include 2 kitties and her side-kick Omar, the coolest chihuahua you will ever meet.
P.S. In case you're curious, the name LilyEmme comes from Valerie's little sister's name Lilyana Mireya. Lily was born at the same time that LilyEmme was created and the name just felt right.
Here at the LilyEmme Jewelry studio, we work hard to find ways to be as "green" as possible. While no jewelry item can be labeled as having no environmental impact whatsoever, we are constantly searching for ways to leave a smaller carbon footprint. We wish to provide full disclosure to help you feel confident in shopping with us.
The LilyEmme Jewelry Studio is a minority and woman-owned small business operating in Seattle, WA. We love supporting our local economy, such as by using a local small casting company here in Seattle to help with many of our designs. All of our products are American-made and always will be.
Using recycled metals is the most important quality in our jewelry line and we do so whenever possible. We work with select metals refineries who offer 100% recycled metals, such as Hoover & Strong, a company recognized for their high environmental standards including pollution prevention and minimization. We recycle all of our scrap metal as well. Recycled metals go through rigid purification processes so there is no need to worry about contaminated metals in your jewelry. The only jewelry item that we can't absolutely confirm as recycled is our chains.


THANKS TO ADG GROUP'S CONTINUOUS SPONSORSHIP DESIGNING AND PRINTING OUR "PASSPORT TO ASIAN CINEMA"!
Below is copy of Season SIX E-Passport! PASSPORTS for the new season will be on display at AMC River East 21 2nd half of August, 2018.


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The Mini 4, Mini 5, Multi 12 and Multi 20 blockers are supplied complete with both short and long seed pins, useful for larger seeds & small cuttings.
Eliot Coleman on Soil Blocks – YouTube here!
These blockers both produce 30mm (1⅛") soil blocks.
If you use the standard European/UK seed tray, then two passes of the Multi 30 will fill each tray with 60 blocks.
If you use the standard United States 1020 seed tray, then three passes of the Multi 35 will fill each tray with 105 blocks.
Cube Inserts cannot be used with the Mini 5, Multi 20, Multi 30 or Multi 35, as the side walls of the blocks would be much too thin and fragile.
Click HERE for more info about the new Inserts!
PLEASE NOTE ! At the moment, all our stocks of 'Eco' Mini 4s have the original round holes and so will not take the new-style 'clip-in' Cube Inserts. Zinc Plated Mini 4s are now all 'new type' and so will take the new Cube Inserts. If you order Cube Inserts with your Mini 4, we will send the appropriate type, screw-in or clip-in.


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ART & FILM > IN PRAISE OF SHADOWS
In Praise of Shadows: Solo Show: Video Installation and Works on Paper, Cabin Exhibitions. Chicago, Illinois 2012
SEE IMAGES BELOW, CLICK IMAGES for a LARGER VIEW
The exhibit consisted of Reanimated film then projected, silent and looping in tandem with works on paper, shadow casting sculpture and lamps. An exhibition booklet accompanied the exhibit.
(The film was Schatten – Eine nächtliche Halluzination "Shadows - a Nocturnal Hallucination" also known in English as Warning Shadows is a 1923 German silent film directed by Arthur Robison.)
In the darkness of the innermost rooms of these huge buildings, to which sunlight never penetrates, how the gold leaf of a sliding door or screen will pick up a distant glimmer from the garden, then suddenly send forth an ethereal glow, a faint golden light cast into the enveloping darkness.— Junichiro Tanizaki
The linking together which is everywhere seen, and which holds the Universe in its wholeness and unity, the eye receives, and thereby receives the representation, but without understanding it except as an impression and an image. — Friedrich Froebel
In Praise of Shadows-video installation still at CABIN EXHIBITIONS, Chicago, IL
video projection-reanimated film


text:
Q: Removing old-fashioned finalizers In an almost 10 year old system, I've implemented several IDisposable implementations. Back in the old days, when I was younger and still foolish, the trend was to implement a finalizer as well:
class MyClass: IDisposable
{
    public void Dispose() { Dispose(true); }
    ~MyClass { Dispose(false); }

    private void Dispose(bool bDisposing)
    {
         ... dipose  ...
         if(bDisposing)
             GC.SupressFinalize(this);
    }
}

Finally, after almost a decade, this bit us - the Dispose method threw an exception while being called from the finalizer, and the process died unexpectedly and without warning.
I want to remove all the finalizers, and keep just the Dispose method that will dispose of the resources. Is there any reason to keep the finalizers around? None of the objects use unmanaged resources, so I'm pretty sure I won't get resource leaks. Right?

A: The general advice on when you need a finalizer is: almost never.  See Eric Lippert's response to the following question:
When should I create a destructor?
Whether your application will have leaks depends upon many things.  However, if you have no unmanaged resources, and you are good about Dispose'ing classes that should be disposed, then you shouldn't have leaks.
On your comment above about running into an issue where a finalizer ran on an object that wasn't fully constructed: this is part of the reason why finalizers can be a dangerous thing.  Writing a correct finalizer is a very difficult thing.  If you really have resources that must always be cleaned up, you should be using a SafeHandle:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.runtime.interopservices.safehandle(v=vs.110).aspx

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