Reading around the play

Wars of the Roses: Stormbird by Conn Iggulden

Earlier in the year I had my mad but thoroughly enjoyable day at The Globe watching the three Henry VI plays all in one day. The day was great and the plays have stayed with me since the viewing but they did make me realise just how little English history I know.

When Net Galley offered advance copies of Iggulden's new book I had everything crossed that I'd be allowed to download it ready for my holiday as it covers the exact period of the plays. I know from having heard Iggulden speak about his other books that he researches thoroughly and that I'd come away knowing a lot more accurate history of Henry VI's reign than that given by Shakespeare in his plays!

From the start I was thoroughly involved in the plots, deceptions and politics of the time and found I could see everything that was happening - books that play visually as I read them don't happen that often and those that do are often the books that become my favourites.

Iggulden doesn't create black and white characters, all of those in the book have shades of grey to them even if they are the traditional good/bad guys.

My one problem with this book is that because I read an early copy of this book I am going to have to wait even longer for the next instalment.

Conn Iggulden is coming to Norwich very soon to talk about and sign copies of this book - sadly I am working but it will be a great evening if you can make it.

It is a truth that I need to acknowledge...

Longbourn by Jo Baker

Here comes a big confession from a bookworm who has worked in the book trade for fifteen years - I've never read (or watched and adaptation of) Pride and Prejudice.

I feel better for saying that out loud.

However while we were away I did read and thoroughly enjoy Baker's retelling of the story from the servants point of view - if the Bennett sisters think that they have a hard life that is nothing at all compared to the 4 people who keep the house running.

Having not read the source book I can't comment on how accurate to the story it is, or how well this book sits with it but as a stand alone book I found it compelling*.  There were enough little twists in a fairly predictable plot that made the story a great escapist read. The servants came alive in the writing and Baker painted some wonderful images for me, while I was reading the book I did feel I had travelled in time.

Who knows I may now read the original...and that is something that even Colin Firth in a wet shirt hadn't inspired me to do!

the copy of Longbourn that I read was an electronic proof from Net Galley

*I've just read a long awaited final book in a series and was very disappointed in it - mainly because you had to have (recently) read the other books in the series to understand any of the plot. Prequels and sequels are all very well but they have to work as stand alone books for new readers.

Book Binge

Mr Norfolkbookworm and I have just come back from 2 glorious weeks in Crete. We did a little sightseeing and a lot of relaxing, eating and drinking.

In fact over the course of the holiday I finished 25 books - this might actually be a record for me and once more I am grateful for the existence of eReaders as due to luggage weight limits and a lack of English books in the book swaps I'd have been stuck without it!


The books I read:

1. Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont - Elizabeth Taylor
2. When You are Engulfed in Flames - David Sedaris
3. Wars of the Roses: Stormbird - Conn Iggulden (eProof)
4. Flowers of the Field - Sarah Harrison
5. A Flower That's Free - Sarah Harrison
6. Stone - John Williams (eProof)
7. Instructions for a Heatwave - Maggie O'Farrell
8. The Old Ways - Robert Macfarlane
9. Dear Lupin - Roger Mortimer
10. Longbourn - Jo Baker (eProof)
11. Life After Life - Kate Atkinson
12. Canvey Island - James Runcie
13. Why be happy when you can be normal - Jeanette Winterson
14. Big Brother - Lionel Shriver
15. A Time of Gifts - Patrick Leigh Fermor
16. Testament of Mary - Colm Toibin
17. The Suicide Shop - Jean Teule
18. Hector and the Search for Happiness - Francois Lelord
19. Harvest - Jim Crace
20. Ranger Confidential - Andrea Lankford
21. Lucy Maud Montgomery - Mary Henley Rubio
22. Neither Here Nor There - Bill Bryson
23. Anne of Green Gables - L M Montgomery
24. The Interestings - Meg Wolitzer
25. Transatlantic - Colum McCann

I did start a couple of others but they didn't capture me after 70 pages - I'm not sure if they just didn't fit my mood or if they aren't for me...I'll give them a go again sometime to make a decision.

Of the 25 my favourites were Longbourn, The Interestings, Stoner, Stormbird and A Time of Gifts. When we first got back I included Life After Life in this list but since then the feeling of enjoyment has remained but the plot has faded.

Just to finish this post off this is the view from where I did most of my reading...

Hats Off!

The President's Hat by Antoine Laurain

My friend and colleague Jon (who blogs here) recommended this book to me recently and when it became eBook of the day shortly after I decided that I really should read it.

A few years ago I read a few other Gallic Press books and enjoyed them so I was looking forward to starting this one and a long train journey gave me the chance to read it all in one go.

It was a delight from page one - it is a strange, whimsical tale about how one simple black felt hat can change the lives of all who come into contact with it, even if they don't come by it strictly legally...

I don't know how to talk about the book without spoiling it for you but this book has jumped to the top of my favourite reads of 2013 and I think everyone should read it.  And then when you've finished it go and find another Gallic Press book - The Suicide Shop - which is equally bizarre but equally enjoyable!

Backlog of books

Over the past few months there have been loads of advance copies on the download Net Galley service.  I've been approved for lots of them but have only recently had time to read them.  I'm saving the rest for my holiday and for light relief as I work through my uni reading list.

The first book I 'opened' was Last Launch by Dan Winters this is a beautiful photographic book dedicated to the last 3 flights made by each of the Space Shuttles before they were retired a couple of years ago.  I viewed this one on my PC as it wasn't Kindle compatible and as a proof it worked completely as I fell in love with the pictures and have added the book to my wish list.
The advance copy gave a nice flavour of the book but there really is no substitute for a nice coffee table book.

Next I came to The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan and this book was in equal parts informative, interesting and totally frustrating. I knew a little of the history of the Manhattan Project but not a lot and this book did give me an overview of how the decisions were made and how 'the Gadget' was put together in various factories throughout the USA.
It was also nice having the focus on the women workers on the project rather than the scientists, like so many war time industries it was quite a female dominated industry.
But...and you just knew this was coming!
The book chopped and changed from history to science to biography so rapidly that I never felt I got to grips with any part fully and disappointingly it was the biographies of these fascinating women that lost out the most.
The book doesn't set out to discuss the rights and wrongs of nuclear weapons, it is just supposed to be a personal take but the lack of follow through on the stories left me frustrated at the end.  These were people who worked in a highly dangerous, unregulated and unexplored industry and we don't find out how they coped after the war - were there illness etc?

I wanted to really love this book - social, thought provoking personal histories are just my thing but I left feeling disappointed by this one.

Lastly I had a copy of Fortunately the Milk by Neil Gaiman. I have a love-hate relationship with Mr Gaiman's books and recently at a book group I was the only one in a group to not like the book we'd read. This one however was great fun - mum's away and the milk for cereal runs out. Dad goes out to get some more and is gone for ages, when he gets back it is with a wonderful tall tale to explain the delay.

The plot, when mixed with Chris Riddell's fabulous illustrations, was a delight from start to finish and I can't wait until my nephew is old enough to have me read this to him!

Books by post

Lots of the books I've been reading and enjoying lately have come from very small, independent publishing houses and a lot of them have also been books in translation.

While the books can be found in mainstream book shops and of course in the library I decided that I wanted to support these publishers in a more direct way than just reading the odd book.

Both And Other Stories and Peirene Press run a subscription model.  Like a magazine you subscribe to them and every time they publish a book it is sent to you - generally slightly in advance of the book being available on the general shelves.

Both publishers have produced books that I've enjoyed a great deal, and even when not quite my cup of tea the books have been thought provoking. I don't subscribe to any magazines and so unable to decide which publisher to support I threw caution to the wind and joined both schemes.

I've had at least one book from each scheme now and it is a great feeling knowing that quality books are going to be delivered regularly to me and a little bit before many readers will discover these titles.

The books from Peirene also have the advantage that they are all novellas so this means that as I have less time in the autumn thanks to returning to study I won't have to feel guilty for reading new books rather than the set texts!

Theatrical Interlude 26

Blue Stockings, The Globe Theatre, London. August 2013.

I'd given up hope of seeing this play as it had so few performances and even fewer matinees but sometimes luck works in my favour and Mr Norfolkbookworm agreed that we could go on our wedding anniversary and he'd drive us home afterwards as he had the day after off work.

I'm so pleased that we could see this as a play about the struggle that women had in the past for the right to vote and for an education ticked so many of my personal boxes.  I went to an all girls school where it was expected that most of us would go on to university and take a degree but little was made of the fact that this expectation was a recent phenomenon. I certainly didn't know just how much of a fight women just 100 years before I took my undergraduate degree had to even attend lectures let alone graduate.

We saw the second performance of this new play and from the very beginning I was swept up in the story, the conflict between the male and female students, the conflict between the classes and the conflict between the desire for an education and a love life all came to life before my eyes and it really did feel like I was seeing history rather than a fictitious story.

Today women may be able to attend university on the same grounds as men but the fees are making it as hard for some to gain an education now as it was for women 100 years ago and this parallel made the play even more poignant to me.

I think that there were two things about this play that stood out for me - firstly the story focused on women trying to obtain science degrees (and being better at science than the men) not typically female 'arty' subjects and secondly that there were many sly digs at either Shakespeare or the topics (i.e. the French) that he typically made fun of which linked the play nicely to the setting.

This was the first modern piece that I'd seen at the Globe and it has made me keen to see more of the plays commissioned for the space - I wonder if I can fit in a trip to see The Lightning Child?

Theatrical Interlude 25

War Horse,New London Theatre, London. August 2013

There are some plays that are so good that seeing them multiple times is a treat and seeing War Horse for the third times was as moving and fantastic as the first time.

I was joined on this trip by my mum and my aunt and all of us were spellbound.  We sat in the circle and the view of the stage was great - we could see all of the small details as well as the projections and peripheral action clearly and even being further back the horses were 'alive'.
It didn't matter that this was the third time I've seen the play - I still jumped, laughed and cried and I still managed to forget that the horses on stage were puppets and not 'real' animals.

All three of us agreed that in many ways this is a brave play - mixing animals, folk music and dialogue in French and German whilst creating a play that appeals to an audience from 8-108 is no mean feat, especially when there are 6 or more performances a week.

As the centenary of the outbreak of WW1 approaches this play is only going to get more popular and more poignant and I am sure that I will go and see it again.

Advance excitement

Wake by Anna Hope

Twitter can be a source of many things but for me this week it was the cause of a late night and tears.  Not because I was a victim of Internet bullying but because of a book sent to me by the publicist @alisonbarrow from Transworld.

Despite knowing that I had a long day at work ahead once I'd started reading Hope's Wake there was no way that I could stop reading it until I'd got to the end. Compelling and a war story - sleep didn't stand a chance!

The main action takes place in the week leading up to the burial of the Unknown Warrior on Armistice Day 1920, but to tell the story we go back to the action in World War One.

I've read many books set during WW1 and many of them stop as the guns fall silent and then pick up the story many years into the future, if they go beyond that at all. The idea of seeing how people coped in the few years just after the war was a fascinating idea and handled so much better than in another recent proof that I read.

At first I didn't warm to the female characters, I couldn't see at all how they could be connected realistically but slowly and cleverly the story unfolded and I was sniffling several times during the novel.

It sounds glib to call this an easy read but it managed to get the tragedy of fighting and dying in a war, as well as the tragedy of surviving a war, across without needing a lot of description of the horrors.  What is left unsaid is more effective than detailed description.

The descriptions of some of the post war activities mean that this is still definitely a book for adults despite the lack of violence/horror, and it is going to appeal to women more than men but they are my only less than positive comments for what was a great read.

It is a brave move to bring out a book about the end of the First World War in the year that we commemorate 100 years since the start but I hope that the book (and author) get the attention that it deserves.

**Although this review is for a book I was sent to read/review I haven't been paid for this blogpost and the views really are what I felt for the book.**

Theatrical Interlude 24

Barnum, Theatre in the Park, Chichester. August 2013.

Mr Norfolkbookworm and I had a new companion for our outing to Chichester this past weekend as we went with his aunt - who had also kindly treated us to the tickets as well.

I think that it is fair to say that this wasn't a musical that we'd probably have chosen to go to of our own choice, and that after reading some of the reviews and blog posts we were actually quite nervous about. It really seemed to be pushing us both out of our comfort zone, however our companion was very keen and waxed lyrical about the show so we went with open minds.

And very quickly had those minds blown.

Barnum isn't the strongest musical out there - the 'plot' is wafer thin and the songs not that memorable but thanks to the energy that the cast brought to the performance and sheer talent that the cast showed it was a delight from the metaphorical curtain up.

The musical is a version of P T Barnum's life as a showman, manager, politician and then showman again and as Mr Norfolkbookworm said afterwards it was like they'd actually trained a circus cast to act a little in support of the main roles for the rope work, juggling, tumbling and choreography was faultless and breath taking.

Circuses with animals and freak shows are pretty frowned upon now but the clever staging meant that no one was mocked and we were treated to theatrical humbug of the highest order! Who'd have thought that you really could get a elephant into the temporary tent theatre at Chichester so convincingly!

I can see that this may not be to everyone's taste - lets be honest I didn't think I'd enjoy it a fraction as much as I did but this is no turkey of a performance. As the theatre was full on the Saturday afternoon with people of all ages - all of whom had a smile on their faces as it ended - I'm pleased that people trust the CFT and aren't listening too much to the reviewers!

Chichester is a long way from Norwich so I don't know how often I'll make it back but from flicking through their brochure for the rest of the season there's already 2 things I am hoping will transfer or tour.

The theatre tent in the distance across the lovely park

Theatrical Interlude 23

A Change of Heart, The Blakeney Players, Blakeney. August 2013.

Once more Mr Norfolkbookworm and I headed to the Norfolk Coast to support the Blakeney Players and as ever the evening was a total delight.

This was another original play that managed to poke fun at London based multi-national companies and the Blakeney Players themselves whilst including some terrible puns and plays on words involving Shakespeare.

As ever the plot isn't the point of the play but the story was funny and the choreography and singing was brilliant - I dread to think how long it took them to learn the routine to All That Jazz but it was better than a lot of entries I've seen on 'find a star' TV shows.

I was pleased to hear that the Players are already thinking of their Christmas show - I can't wait to see it!

Theatrical Interlude 22

The Color Purple, Chocolate Menier Theatre, London. August 2013.

Every year at the library where I work we run promotions to tie in with Norfolk's Black History Month and the ALA Banned Books Week.  In 2013 we are linking the two promotions and focusing on two books that are important for both - The Color Purple by Alice Walker and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

After the initial planning meeting I was pleasantly surprised to find that my hobby and my job had once more coincided and that in the summer of 2013 both books would be adapted for the London stage.  I didn't manage to see the version of To Kill a Mockingbird at the open air theatre in Regents Park but four of us travelled to London to catch a performance of The Color Purple.

I haven't yet re-read the book ready for our events in October and I could only remember the bare minimum of the plot in advance but I think that this was ideal as I then wasn't suffering from 'adaptation-itis' and wincing at changes from the original. This was echoed by my companions who all agreed that it felt 'right'.

This was a musical version and while very occasionally I found the music a little too loud for the venue and was unable to hear the singing but overall I was swept away from the instant the cast appeared on stage.  The Menier Chocolate Theatre is a pretty small and intimate place and thanks to the staging I felt that I was almost part of the cast - this was helped by actors leaving the stage and shaking hands with the audience in the opening number.

The Color Purple deals with some very heavy issues - rape, racism and abuse to name a few - but the genius of this production is that none of these themes is either over written or dealt with flippantly. As in life there are moments of humour even in the bleakest scenes.  Being a musical the tone so easily could be 'off' and the poignancy of the story lost but that doesn't happen at all. There pretty much wasn't a dry eye in the house as Celie sang the penultimate song 'I'm Here.'

The staging was very simple for the play, a huge thrust stage with chairs hanging on the wall. These chairs were used as seating, as props, for dancing on and for creating height on stage. There were no stagehands and these chairs were moved and used by all of the cast so smoothly that they were almost like another person on the stage. The lack of interruptions for scene shifting kept me thoroughly engaged in the play and constantly marvelling about the talent of the actors.

Apart from the very occasional moment when the orchestra drowned out the singing this was one of the best things I've seen at the theatre all year.  Much of the cast played more than one role but I really have to single out Sophia Nomvete playing Sofia and Cynthia Erivo who played Celie.  Erivo manages to convey a scared, pregnant teenager, downtrodden wife and also a woman of her own means just by changing her posture. Her voice is no less impressive!

I came out of this play wishing I could go straight back in and I am now hoping for a transfer to the West End so that I can see it again and talk everyone I know into coming with me.

The cast towards the end of the play, Celie is in the white blouse and Sofia in the green trousers.

Theatrical Interlude 21

The Hush. The Shed at the National Theatre, London. July 2013.

In London for the weekend and with open return train tickets what were Rebecca and I to do but squeeze a fourth play into our brief holiday...

Even we admitted that we didn't think we had the stamina for a full length play - although Amen Corner looked very tempting - so we decided to try the new temporary venue and a 55 minute play.  The free drink was also welcome on a warm afternoon!

The Hush isn't getting great reviews from either the press or other bloggers but I enjoyed it a lot, and the more I think about it the more happy I am that I saw it.  It is a simple play with just two speaking characters, one male and one female.

The characters enter a room called The Hush, the man is recreating noise for a scene (but you never really know if he is writing a play or recreating a memory) and the woman is listening to recordings created by her (dead?) father.

The stars of the show are the Foley editors. On a balcony above the set are two people creating the majority of the sound effects in the play - from showering to turning over in bed.

I found it very clever and with no script the impact of noise became very clear and when a cold wind was played I did get goose bumps and I now have immense respect for those who create all of the sound effects for radio plays.

There was no real story and through the use of sounds the audience is left to create a narrative, I can see that some would find this pretentious but for me the chance to try something so different was a treat and I am glad that we went.

The Shed - a temporary stage while the Cottesloe Theatre is being renovated to relaunch as the Dorfman

Exhibition Oddity

David Bowie is... Victoria and Albert Museum, London. July 2013

While Mr Norfolkbookworm and I were enjoying the Pompeii exhibition earlier in the summer Rebecca was queueing at the V&A museum securing us tickets to this summer's other sell out exhibition.

I wasn't at all sure about this trip at all. Apart from Under Pressure, Space Oddity and Ashes to Ashes I wasn't sure that I knew any Bowie songs and I'd not been that inspired to look any more up in advance of our visit.  I didn't own up to this while we were waiting for the museum to open however as there were probably a couple of hundred people desperate for tickets - as soon as the doors open they took off at a run for the ticket desk and I feared for the safety of the statues in the corridor!

I was in for a nice surprise as I found I enjoyed the exhibition more than I thought I would.  Bowie is an interesting character and there is a lot more to him and his music than the flamboyant stage persona.  On entering the area everyone gets an audio guide, but this isn't giving a dry talk about the exhibits but is in fact loaded with sound clips and music that start playing as you walk around.

Bits of the exhibition (probably the bits that Rebecca liked the most!) left me cold but sitting in a cool space listening to Bowie's music through a good sound system while watching concert footage was brilliant - people were dancing or toe tapping but as everyone had headphones on it was like being at a silent rave.

A real experience and I will be looking for more Bowie music to add to my iPod before we go away.

Theatrical Interlude 18, 19 and 20

Henry VI trilogy, The Globe, London. July 2013

I think it is fair to say that The Globe Theatre doesn't have the reputation for being the most comfortable theatre. Deciding to see three plays in a day there had lots of people laughing very hard at Rebecca and I as we planned our weekend.

The thing is that if a play is good you forget your surroundings entirely and any discomfort fades away totally.

I'm pleased to say that the Henry VI trilogy fell firmly into the second category and for over 9 hours on Saturday I was living in the world of Henry VI totally.

A small cast acted their socks off all day.  Apart from Henry VI himself all of the actors doubled/tripled/quadrupled up and we travelled from France to all areas of England, fought battles, saw treason and experienced the struggles of the throne.

I was spell bound from start to finish, the use of the stage was clever and with simple tabard changes actors became French, supporters of the House of Lancaster and then supporters of the House of York. Simple application of face paint made it easy to identify the sides in battle scenes.

Although almost the simplest part to play I found the way Graham Butler played Henry VI captivating. At first he was like a child - at the sign of conflict he would scamper to protected places or climb high on the set to avoid the trouble.  When meeting his bride to be for the first time he is shy and while she is waiting for a meaningful kiss he puts an embarrassed peck on her forehead.  Later on his love for her has grown but he is weak enough that he's content to be lead by her and by the end it is clear that all he wants is to be left alone with his religious works.

My other favourite was Brendan O'Hea who played Richard Plantagenet through the three plays and then in the final play created a stonking Lewis XI, but all of the cast were so good it does feel wrong to praise any of them above the others!

The body count in a play about almost civil war was high but as in Macbeth there was very limited use of stage blood - to the extent that in the one place it is used I was incredibly moved and had a lump in my throat.

Seeing 3 plays in a day was in some ways insanity but with plays of this calibre it was in fact a treat. My one wish...that Richard III was still being performed as this trilogy lead perfectly into that play and I'd love the chance to see it again!

being a good Norfolk girl I did of course like seeing Suffolk's head being chopped off!

Snow in midsummer

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

This book has been sitting on my Kindle for quite a while, a few people told me how good it was but for some reason I just hadn't got round to reading it.

After a conference in London where the publicists of the book gave a presentation on the publishing history of the book I was intrigued and following a few prompting tweets I finally got round to reading it.

I started reading the book in the middle of the longest heat wave we've had in Norfolk for years and being transported in to snow Alaska was heavenly - it cooled me down no end and when I emerged from the book I kept being surprised that it was sunny and summer!

The book is wonderfully lyrical - an older couple have moved to Alaska to try their hand at farming as they are finding it too hard to live back East where all of their relatives seem to have the families that the couple can't have but so desperately want.

Alaska is a hard, unforgiving place and it almost breaks the couple but the appearance of good neighbours and the mysterious snow child turn their lives around.

I can see why this book was such a success - I found it a magical read that totally transported me to the wilds of Alaska about 100 years ago.
I do wonder if reading it in the winter just past would have been a different experience but in the height of summer it was wonderfully escapist!

Theatrical Interlude 17

Macbeth, The Globe, London. July 2013

After my experience with Macbeth earlier in the year I was feeling very unsure about going to see this.  It also turned out to be the hottest day of 2013 so far - were we mad going to see a traditionally bloody play in such heat?

I'm pleased to say that once more the Globe as a venue didn't disappoint. We are quite canny with our seat choice and luckily we remained in the shade throughout yesterday which did make the whole day more enjoyable!

The first play we saw at the Globe was Much Ado About Nothing starring Eve Best and this version of Macbeth was her directorial debut - and for me it was a success.  The play came in at just under 2 hours 30 but told me the story far more clearly than I could have hoped.  Thanks to the daylight and staging it was easy to keep the characters straight, and rather than this version being awash with blood the violence was so restrained that when it did occur it was all the more effective.

There were Scottish actors in the play but the accents weren't too heavy and the speech clear so that not a word was lost. Humour was added to the play through facial expressions and the character of the Porter but it remained clear that this was a tragedy. Lady Macbeth is the driving force of Macbeth's actions and slowly their ambition drives them to insanity.  The ending with Macbeth's (erroneous) confidence that he cannot be beaten is wonderfully realised.

I don't think that Macbeth is ever going to be my favourite play but this version has proved to me that it is still a good play and reinforced my opinion that I prefer my Shakespeare in the open air, performed as it would have been originally.

Despite the heat London was lovely - it felt like the Olympic spirit all over again as you heard the cheers from outside bars where people were watching Wimbledon. Strolling around St Paul's eating ice cream made a perfect end to another great day at the Globe.

Theatrical Interlude 16

Merchant of Venice, Norwich Cathedral. July 2013.

A Shakespeare Festival has been held at Norwich Cathedral for the past few years but for some reason I've never been - or even really noticed it taking place.  This year after some mocking by friends on Facebook about how often I go to the theatre the same friends asked if I'd be interested in going with them to a play at the festival!

In the end these two original companions couldn't come and my companions on the evening were Mr Norfolkbookworm and a friend/colleague Jon. It was a perfect evening for outdoor theatre - not too hot, not too cold, not windy and best of all for this summer not raining.

The Merchant of Venice was a new play to me although I knew the basic premise of the plot, I was surprised to see that in the first Folio had categorised the play as a comedy. I know that sensitivities were different in the late 1500s but still I wasn't sure how the topic could be funny...

This version really showed be just why it was classed as comedy - without over acting the humour was apparent throughout, especially in the characters of Portia and Nerissa.  In fact the comedy character, Launcelot Gobbo, was one of the weaker areas - the two leading ladies stole the show!

I very much liked how the play was performed, once more the idea that the players were travelling actors from times gone by was clear. The stage was simply some boarding with steps to the left, right and centre and all the props were either carried by the actors or stored in two trunks on the stage which doubled as seats.

The evening we saw Merchant was the first time the company had performed the play in public and just occasionally there was a stutter or stumble but as I can't imagine how actors can keep one part in their minds let alone several for more than one play I don't feel I can criticise.

There are downsides to performing outside (not including the weather) at the Globe the actors contend with helicopters flying low over head. In Norwich the outside noise came from the peregrine falcons that nest on the spire - every time Shylock appeared in the first act it appeared the birds took off and flew around the cloister screaming.

The uncomfortable moment in the play when Shylock is 'reprireved' so long as he renounces his Jewish faith and converts to Christianity was met with a big hiss by the audience in Norwich and that I feel was a nice way to deal with the worst moment of antisemitism whilst still enjoying what was a great performance.

I know that I will be keeping an eagle (or peregrine) eye out for the announcement of the festival next year.  I might even pack a picnic and really soak up the atmosphere!

Photo taken from my iPhone - the weather was really much nicer than it looks!

Vive La France

An Englishman Aboard - Charles Timoney
Road to Rouen - Ben Hatch

Travel writing can be very good and sometimes it can be self indulgent rubbish, in the past 10 days two titles about France have come my way - one from the library and one through a competition on Twitter.

Although I am only a little way into Road to Rouen so far both books are fun, enjoyable reads although very different. Both have made me want to visit France and to get off the beaten track once there...

Charles Timoney built a row boat to the amusement of his French friends who at a New Year party challenge him to circumnavigate the length of the Seine.  He quickly realises that it won't be possible to do this in his rowboat and so we are spared long passages of him complaining about blisters and backache but rather have anecdotes on towns and villages near to the river, food and drink reviews of the areas travelled through and a few expeditions on the river in various crafts.  Towards the end I got the feeling that he remembered that this was supposed to be about a boat on the river and not about all the other things and, for me, it petered out a little but on the whole it was a fun read.

Ben Hatch on the other hand is travelling around France with his family and on a mission to write a travel guide.  He is trying hard to find things to review but travelling with young children isn't making this as easy as he'd hoped BUT is very entertaining to read from my (childfree) point of view.

I feel that parents will be nodding along and sympathising with Ben Hatch but I'm afraid I am just enjoying knowing that when we travel it can be spontaneous and that as long as Mr Norfolkbookworm and I have plenty to read and access to nice food we are easily amused.

A few other books have come in to the library for me that I can only borrow for a couple of weeks as there are long reservation lists on them so I shall only be dipping into Road to Rouen for the next few weeks but I know that I'll be looking forward to those moments!

Imperfect?

Perfect by Rachel Joyce

Last summer I was swept away by The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.  There was something very sweet and compelling about the story of a man who decided to take a letter by hand to an old flame rather than put it in a post box.

I was excited to read on Twitter that Rachel Joyce had a second novel ready for this summer, and even more so when I was approved on Net Galley to read an early copy.

The premise is lovely - two school boys hear about leap seconds being added to the year 1972 and then when something happens are convinced that it occurs during these extra moments in time.  A perfect summer and a perfect family then fall apart dramatically and tragically.  Interspersed with this tale is a modern one of a man called Jim trying to readjust to life outside of institutional care.

I struggled with the book, there was so much I should have liked about it but it just didn't grip me. The writing was lyrical and the movement between 1972 and the present was very well done but... And I can't explain why I wasn't gripped.

The tension was such that I did have to stop reading frequently but this was constant - there was no let up and perhaps that is what made it hard going for me.  There was no urgency to the tension and equally no respite, I didn't feel I had to race through the book to find out what happened but there was no slow build either...

I am glad that I read to the end but rather than be surprised I had more of an "oh right" reaction.

I can see from reading reviews on line that I am in the minority (so far) with my views on this book, and it would have been hard to replicate the magic of Harold Fry but this second novel was decidedly 'meh' for me which was a shame.  It is going to be popular with book groups and readers, just not my cup of tea.