Last week I was sitting in the café at the new English Heritage Visitors Centre near Stonehenge, listening to a conversation between two American visitors. “Well,” said one, “I definitely think it was three things; a church, a burial ground and a place of healing.” “You don’t mean church,” said her friend. “Oh no. Well,Continue reading “Ancient Civilisations: Reflections From Stonehenge”
Category Archives: people of inspiration
People of Inspiration: the Much-Loved Pythons We’ve Followed Through the Years
Last night I watched the final live Monty Python show broadcast from the O2 arena and delighted once again in those famous sketches, performed by the original Pythons, less of course, Graham Chapman. I recalled one night at university when I sat on a bed with a group of fellow-students, and one got hold of myContinue reading “People of Inspiration: the Much-Loved Pythons We’ve Followed Through the Years”
The Therapeutic Journey of the Fictional Hero or Heroine
Recently I came upon an article in The Psychotherapist magazine which highlights the close parallels between the novel and the process of psychotherapy. In her article Psychotherapy and the Novel, in issue 56 Spring 2014 edition, the author (therapeutic counsellor Rosamond Williams) makes the point that only the novel (of all the narrative art forms) offers a parallelContinue reading “The Therapeutic Journey of the Fictional Hero or Heroine”
A Night When Neil Gaiman – Quirky, Subversive, Whimsical – Held Us Entranced at the Barbican Hall, London
Last Friday evening I was at the Barbican, London, to hear author Neil Gaiman read some of his short stories plus a novelette called The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains, accompanied by the Australian string quartet Four Play. This production was originally commissioned by Sydney Opera House for its Graphic Festival andContinue reading “A Night When Neil Gaiman – Quirky, Subversive, Whimsical – Held Us Entranced at the Barbican Hall, London”
Sir Antony Sher in Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part II at Stratford-upon-Avon: the Powerful Impact of One Picaresque Character, Performed by a Great Actor
Sir Antony Sher shone out as Sir John Falstaff in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Henry IV Part II which I saw the other day in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. I was at the camera rehearsal for Henry IV Part II, the day before the production was to be broadcast live to cinemas.Continue reading “Sir Antony Sher in Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part II at Stratford-upon-Avon: the Powerful Impact of One Picaresque Character, Performed by a Great Actor”
In Commemoration of Anne Frank on the 85th Anniversary of Her Birth: the Power of the Pen, Mightier Than the Sword
Today (12 June 2014) is the 85th anniversary of Anne Frank’s birth. Coincidentally – or maybe, by synchronicity, for I was unaware of the significance of this date at the time – I only just finished reading The Diary of Anne Frank all over again, two days before writing this post. I first read AnneContinue reading “In Commemoration of Anne Frank on the 85th Anniversary of Her Birth: the Power of the Pen, Mightier Than the Sword”
Supernatural Power versus Rationalism: Sorcerers and Sceptics at Warwick Words Summer Festival 2014
Last night I went to a fascinating discussion between two authors at the final event of the Warwick Words summer festival. The talk was held in the beautiful 15th century Great Hall of the Lord Leycester Hospital, Warwick. Ian Mathie, author of Sorcerers and Orange Peel, spoke about his travels in remote African communities over many years andContinue reading “Supernatural Power versus Rationalism: Sorcerers and Sceptics at Warwick Words Summer Festival 2014”
Hope That Eurovision Might Value Performers for Their Own Sake and Not for Their Country’s Politics
I was pleased to see Austria’s win in the Eurovision Song contest 2014. Not only was there the pleasure in seeing a country win that had not seen success at Eurovision for 49 years, but also I thought it a genuinely good song, performed beautifully by Conchita Wurst who has a wonderful voice. The standardContinue reading “Hope That Eurovision Might Value Performers for Their Own Sake and Not for Their Country’s Politics”
Rocky Hillsides, Dark Valleys and the One Voice You Can Trust
In our lives we can often find that there seems to be one poem or a prayer which has been most helpful, most meaningful to us. For me this has been the 23rd Psalm: The Lord Is My Shepherd. In times of strong negative emotion, the words though I walk through the valley of the shadow ofContinue reading “Rocky Hillsides, Dark Valleys and the One Voice You Can Trust”
The RADA Student Who Felt Like Packing Her Bags and Going Back North
The BBC Radio 4 Today programme is often a source of inspiration to me. And today at 8.20am I heard an item about the party for former RADA students that the Queen will be holding in Buckingham Palace this evening (Monday 17 February 2014) I’m very interested in the life of an actor, partly because the acting world doesContinue reading “The RADA Student Who Felt Like Packing Her Bags and Going Back North”
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