Peter Viney's Blog

Fortunes of War – 1987

20/10/2023 by Peter Viney

I started a pithy short review of Olivia Manning’s FORTUNES OF WAR TV series (FOLLOW LINK), written by Alan Plater with award-winning performances by Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh, let alone a support cast with Ronald Pickup, Charles Kay, Robert Stephens, Alan Bennett. It was acclaimed as the best fictional work on WW2 and was also the BBC’s most expensive production up to that point. My short review grew and grew and grew … but it was worth it.

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A View From The Bridge- Chichester 2023

18/10/2023 by Peter Viney

Review of Arthur Miller’s A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE at Chichester Festival Theatre. (FOLLOW LINK TO REVIEW). This one is a joint production with Headlong, Octagon Bolton and Rose Kingston. It features Jonathan Slinger and Kirsty Bushell as Eddie and Beatrice Carbone, both great RSC stalwarts over the years. Its a play I know extremely well, and this is the best version I’ve seen from the acting point of view. That’s not all though. See the review.

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Driver Awareness

02/10/2023 by Peter Viney

I’ve been taking stuff from an old iMac before scrapping it and I found a few old articles and added them to RANTS here.This one is “Driver Awareness Courses” (LINKED) and date back a dozen years. Please add comments if you’ve ever done one.

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Toyah & Robert – review

01/10/2023 by Peter Viney

Review of Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp on their Sunday Lunch Rock Party Tour. (LINKED). It started at the Tivoli, Wimborne in Robert Fripp’s home town. It goes on through October around the country. Tickets are going fast! Full set list and review.

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Parlophone – 45 sleeves and labels

30/09/2023 by Peter Viney

The third article on the Parlophone label at AROUND AND AROUND, Parlophone- sleeves and labels is linked here. Of all labels, the value and interest of Beatles singles make this the most researched record label of all.

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Music, Art & Divinity

26/09/2023 by Peter Viney

People have been reading my two humorous articles on my 1960s grammar school education:
Eng Lit in Britain Past
Language Learning in Britain Past

I decided to add a third one on Music, Art & Divinity (follow the link). Feel free to comment on the page.

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As You Like It – Globe 2023 review

25/09/2023 by Peter Viney

After The Globe’s poor ‘Macbeth’ we move from the ridiculous (Macbeth) to the sublime. AS YOU LIKE IT (follow link to review) is the perfect Globe production. We thought it easily the best Shakespeare production this year. Read the review … and it’s running till 29 October and you can always get into the Globe, either seating at the sides or standing. It’s exuberant, creative and stimulating.

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Macbeth – Globe 2023 review

25/09/2023 by Peter Viney

It’s a mystery to me, but I’ve seen far more poor versions of Macbeth than good ones. This review is the current Shakespeare’s Globe production of Macbeth, linked here. Follow link to the review. If you want a taste of what follows, check these quotes from the programme by the dramaturg:
Macbeth represents the emerging capitalist order –
This rationalism which came to define the logic of capitalism has brought us the climate crisis –
European colonialism was reshaping the world – built on a culture of cultivation in complete ignorance and denigration of the practices of non-Europeans –
The misogyny of witch hunts and the racism of white supremacy are thus closely entwined-
Human means white male classically educated and able-bodied –
The food we eat from beef to chocolate is driving deforestation –

These are allegedly comments on Shakespeare’s play!