Peter Viney's Blog

Review of the two early 60s Harold Pinter one-act plays The Lover and The Collection at Bath’s tiny Ustinov Studio (linked here). As ever, the Ustinov attracts a stellar cast … David Morrissey, Matthew Horne, Claudia Blakley, Elliot Barnes-Worrell. If you can get tickets, go for it, though we could only see two empty seats (fortunately right next to us). I’m fairly sure it will migrate to London. It’s directed by Lindsay Posner, and that’s what normally happens.

I mentioned the pink and blue colour coding for female / male elsewhere, started to post and found it turning into a full length rant. Here it is THE PINK AND THE BLUE (linked)

I’m unable to resist watching The Famous Five, even though the first in the new BBC series was so dire. This one, THE FAMOUS FIVE- PERIL ON THE NIGHT TRAIN (link to review) is better.

Just published! ITALIAN AFFAIRS.

1977. It’s five years on from the events in Foreign Affairs. A new English Language Teaching text book by Graham Donaldson, Intercourse (he thinks it means ‘conversation’),  is about to be launched on an unsuspecting world by the august United Universities Press. Graham wants time off from teaching at  World English Centre (WEC) in Bournemouth for his first promotional tour ever, which will be in Italy. It gives his Director of Studies, Malcolm O’Reilly, an idea. He can go out to the major language teaching conference in Rome and promote WEC at the same time. Gloria, his wife, can accompany him and do a little sightseeing. Graham’s travels take him right around Italy with the UUP reps, the elegant Francesca and the punk-rocker from Blackpool, Luciana. How will the reclusive and bad-tempered Graham take to Italy? The food? The drink? The incessant history? The teachers? The large bottle of olive oil which he has to carry round from place to place? Then there’s Giles, his editor, tagging along to persuade him to become a full-time author. The issues all come to a head when they reach Rome.

Though chronologically the second in the series, it’s the fifth of the comedy series to be written. Readers of the later ones wanted to know just HOW the testy and irritable Graham managed to become world-famous.
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It’s on Netflix. It’s included. It was perfect viewing for a bank holiday, when one deserves lavish costume drama. Follow the link To DOWNTON ABBEY:” A NEW ERA.

Philips – 45 sleeves and centres
This is an extension of the main article for those into the details, but it also extends the story. There was too much to include in the main article, which is already long.

Philips Group has the introductory page on the fourth of the “Big Four” UK record companies with the links to various Philips labels.

Philips is a large section covering the label from 1953 to 1974. It’s heavily illustrated, and includes its issues of classic Columbia (USA) originals up to 1962. Then we have Frankie Vaughan, The Springfields, The Four Seasons, Dusty Springfield, The Walker Brothers, Scott Walker as well as the brief releases from Elton John, then David Bowie.

Review of Matthew Bourne’s dance theatre adaptation of EDWARD SCISSORHANDS (follow link). This stage dancing spectacular is on a long tour and we saw it at Southampton’s massive 2300 seat Mayflower Theatre. It was virtually full. It is a major theatrical experience – very funny, romantic, thrilling, with superb dancing, set and costumes.

A play by Jez Butterworth is a major event. After The Ferryman, Jerusalem, Mojo he is as good as it gets for the 21st century. A review here of THE HILLS OF CALIFORNIA, yet another 5 star triumph for us. It’sset in Blackpool in 1976, with flash back sequences to 1955. Go to the review to see why. it is unmissable.

Review of OPENING NIGHT, (follow link) adapted by Ivo Van Hove from an obscure John Cassavetes film. It stars Sheridan Smith as the famous actress, Myrtle Gordon, preparing for a play’s opening night on Broadway. Music is by Rufus Wainwright, and it’s a musical, though a musical without dancing. Sheridan Smith and the other leads, Nicola Hughes and Hadley Fraser, are brilliant. However, the adaption itself is deeply flawed. Go to the review.