Off Topic The Review Thread

Well, it’s another warm day up here and I need to quench my thirst. So I’m off to the great pub capital of the world, Stourbridge, again. I’ll report back on the very slim chance we find new boozers on our fifth (or possibly sixth, things get hazy) visit, but will certainly be spending time in the Royal Exchange , the epicentre of English drinking.

 

No new pubs, but an excellent day.

 

If I end up at Stourbridge for the Glass Biennale I know who my reference will be for drinking holes

 

Apparently there is an excellent glass museum here but they wouldn’t let me in in my current state. A risk to the exhibits.

 

That may say more about you than it does about them Sb.

 

Want Shakespeare? Here it is….The Winter’s Tale at the RSC.

Wasn’t familiar with this play. First half is very dark, a King destroys his own family through misplaced jealousy, second half huge contrast, kind of semi comic pastoral, with a massive bolted on happy ending. Usual Shakespeare specialities, mistaken identities, hiding in forests for decades etc. No hugely famous lines but it’s the one with the stage direction ‘exit pursued by a bear’.

Really enjoyable production, some great performances especially Madeline Appiah as the hugely wronged Hermione and Trevor Fox as wandering conman/narrator Autolycus. Great lighting and live music too. Apparently large chunks of daft unfunny comedy and insane coincidences and exposition cut out of the second half. Nice work.

 

I would like to revisit Shakespeare at some point and "The Winter's Tale" sounds like a good starting point. Visited the RSC website and they certainly have quite an impressive selection of upcoming productions (but would have to get over before the end of the month to catch yours!). Could perhaps it up with one of our southwest coast away matches, Bristol, Swansea, Southampton?

 

Just off to slide down the Mittal Tower with my grandson.

Not sure that doing something that requires me to sign a waiver is necessarily the best idea ay my age.

 

Good fun, but a lot of time and expense spent for 35 seconds of excitement. A bit like my love life.

 

I thought the Mittal Tower was in Bangalore. Are you in an exotic holiday?

 

Are you talking about Orbit outside the West Ham ground? That has been a financial disaster for its operators. I thought it was still closed down.

 

No, it's the thing outside the London Stadium.

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Still going, but it was pretty quiet.

 

I was blissfully unaware of its existence. I get a nosebleed that far east in London.