The Joys of External Stimulation
The Ipod is on Shuffle. And I just going to write.
Firstly, Pinter. Last Wednesday we went to see The Caretaker at the Theatre Royal Brighton. I enjoyed it. I like the way the dialogue works and how it affects the mind. Junior didn't like it although it has meant that he now refers to things I do as "Pinteresque". I am somewhat at a loss to understand what he may be referring to here.
For a review of the play, I can think of no better place to direct you to than Anna's fabulous review. Whilst, I don't agree 100% with her emphatic praise (I can only assume that the audience on Press Night in Sheffield was more into it than the audience when we saw it - one man, who was wearing a cravatte was proclaiming loudly in the interval that he didn't like it at all!) the review gets all the important points across.
It has given me a taste for Pinter now and like the true zealot that I am, I have been to the library and acquired everything I can about him and hired from the video shop every play that has been filmed (ok, so there's only really the Birthday Party available but its better than nothing). I can't say just yet what it is that makes me like his work so much but I think I love it because it challenges me. They put me on edge - which makes a change.
Film-wise there is very little to report. After the decadence of Shortbus last year (I would recommend that film - it also challenged some of my perceptions in a beneficial way - but go with an open mind, please), I haven't seen a thing. So tomorrow we are making ammens by going to see Babel. It's Junior's choice really but it has Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in so I doubt it can be too bad.
Books-wise things are much healthier. I finished On Beauty by Zadie Smith last week and would recommend it to anyone - except my mother. I have never read anything which makes you like the character so much, nor have I cared about the ending so much and not cared about not liking it so much. So read it, please and post what you think.
From there I have moved onto Youth by J M Coetzee. This speaks to me too but to different parts of me. Its about a 19 year old boy (you are not given his name) who is striving to be indepentant and an academic. He moves to London and tires to make ends meat but finds it difficult to match his artisitic ambition with the need to make money to live. Its a very male book and I love it. But I can see that this isn't everyone's cup of tea.
Finally food. This weeks marks the first real step on my World Tour of Restaurants. I'm starting with Polish Food. I'll let you know what it was like.
posted by Mouldy @ 6:32 pm
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