Of course, it was bound to happen.
I don't know about you, but when it comes to making lists, I often omit one of the first things I should have noted down.
For example, my Jazz list in my previous post. I forgot to note 'Gypsy Jazz'.
That is to say the kind of Jazz played by Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt during their tenures with 'The Hot Club Of Paris' back in the 1930s.
This form of music, I'm happy to say, is still alive and vibrant, the torch being more than competently carried aloft by such skilled contemporary artists as Bireli Lagrene, Stochelo Rosenberg, Angelo DeBarre, Florin Niculescu, Luc Sylvain, Fapy Lafertain, Romane and many others.
Thanks to the marvels of modern technology (i.e. 'YouTube'), you don't have to take my word for how good this music can be. Please go along and check it out, or better still, support live Gypsy Jazz whenever you get a chance- venues for which are a bit thin on the ground in the UK, but they are there nonetheless.
The energy and technical skill is generally pretty stunning.
In fact, that's the start of 'Things you really should do before the next recession / ice age' or some other jaunty, uplifting title.
This will be a list in no particular order of things I think everybody should do / experience if they haven't already.
1 Go and see live Gypsy Jazz.
2 Go and see 'The National Theatre Of Brent' live on stage.
3 Listen to 'I'm Sorry, I Haven't A Clue' on the radio.
4 Watch 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' and 'The Big Lebowski' at the cinema- or on DVD- then check out the rest of the Coen Brothers' canon.
5 Go to the Lake District (in the North of England). Actually, don't- it'll get too crowded...
6 Read Phillip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials' trilogy.
7 Get up on stage and have a go at some kind of live performance- or write something for other people to perform..
8 Go to 'The Globe Theatre' in London and see some Shakespeare.
9 In fact support any live performance that takes your fancy- it may well all disappear under a cloud of legislation one day.
10 Watch 'Monty Python's Life Of Brian'.
More to follow- suggestions appreciated.
While you're here, you might be interested in viewing the list of theatre productions I've seen- which seems to be a paltry amount...
Twelfth Night (1970) RSC, (Adwych)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1971) ?
Decameron ‘73 (1973) (Roundhouse)
From Moses To Mao (1974) Le Grand Magic Circus (Roundhouse)
(A play about the depression in Canada in the 1930s) (1977?) ? (Young Vic)
Once In A Lifetime (1979) RSC (Aldwych)
Not In Front Of The Audience (1982) Not The Nine O'Clock News Live (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1987) National Theatre Of Brent (NTOB) (Tricycle)
Button Moon (1991?) ! (Beck Theatre, Hayes)
Animal Crackers (1998) Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester (Barbican) Three times...
Mr Puntilla And His Man Matti (1998) Right Size (Albery)
Love Upon The Throne (1998) NTOB, (Comedy)
Beauty And The Beast (1998?) (Dominion)
The Man Who Came To Dinner (1998) Steppenwolf Theatre Of Chicago (Barbican)
The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe (1999) RSC (Sadler’s Wells)
The Messiah (2000) NTOB, (Bush)
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (2000) Steppenwolf Theatre... (Barbican)
Excentricus (2000) Cirque Eloize (Sadler’s Wells)
The Wonder Of Sex (2001) NTOB, (Lyttelton, National Theatre) Twice.
Blue Man Group (2007) (New London Theatre Drury Lane)
Pantos I have personally been in (amateur productions, of course):
Sinbad
Aladdin
Jack And Jill Beyond The Hill (which I wrote)
Jack And The Bean Stalk
Humpty Dumpty
Plus several musical revues- and many gigs with various bands.
Not good enough to give up the day job, sadly...
2 comments:
Watch Edge of Darkness.
David- sorry to have taken so long to acknowledge your comment!
Tempus Fugit. At a great pace, apparently.
Watch 'Edge Of Darkness' indeed- a great piece of TV, and it's in my collection.
As you know, my tastes are reasonably eclectic, recent acquisitions being 'Danger Man' and 'The Worker', both from the mid 1960s and both featuring characters by the name of 'Drake'.
Danger Man was a great series, historically interesting for the scenes shot in London (including a not yet completed Post Office Tower- which is around the corner from where I work), but also, as my teenage son would say, McGoohan's a 'ledge'= legend.
The Worker 'works' for me on a few levels. Probably best described as a vaudevillian satire. Or something. 'Third wall' breaking a speciality. Co-written by the star, who frequently broke himself (in a Buster Keaton way) for the sake of his art.
Also snagged 'Gangsters' and 'Strangers', both a bit dated now, but some fun to be had- especially Don Henderson's begloved, Shakespeare quoting George Bulman.
Also of recent times enjoyed 'Hot Fuzz', 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang', 'Flight Of The Conchords' and 'The Lives Of Others', which is a truly great film.
Hey- I might get new some blogging done.
Thanks for your comments.
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