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millionreasonsTo Brighton (via Borough Market for quiche and chocolates for the train). Taking advantage of the free Art Fund card I got from a Guardian offer (which I think would be a good deal even if I'd paid for it), we go around the Pavilion, somewhere I've long wanted to go, but was always put off by the £9.80 entrance fee. Unlike most tasteful National Trust type properties, this is opulence with a capital OTT, from the astonishing crystal of the banqueting room and the dragon-pagoda chandelier and chinoiserie of the primary coloured music room to the fascinating kitchens. As is usual in such places, there is plastic meat and vegetables to give the place an air of authenticity, but bizarrely, a real stuffed swan in a roasting tin as if waiting to go in the oven. There's also an interesting exhibition on WW1 when the Pavillion was a hospital for injured Indian servicemen. There's a quote from one man: "The Victoria Cross is all very well, but it's the gas that's done for me", which sums up the conflict reasonably accurately, I feel. The Muslim soldiers were buried at the Mosque in Woking, which seems like an unfortunate ending.
Apparently, George's niece, Victoria, stripped the place and carried its goodies off to Buckingham Palace and the place was a shell by 1850. I had assumed it had been a royal palace since the 18th century, but as with everything royal it doesn't really have a long history stretching back to Guillaume le Conquérant. It's all pretty random and accidental. Here, much of the furnishings are not original but recreations.
A security guard in the gift shop[pe] is asked by a foreign tourist about the current monarchy. "So William will be on the throne soon?" "No, no the Queen is on the throne, Elizabeth II, then it'll be Charles." "So the queen now is Queen Catherine?" "No". But when asked how long QE2 has been the monarch, he has to calculate it. Even I know that.
We wander around the remains of the street fair selling hydroponic plants, samosas, and council teatowels to Food For Friends, Brighton's oldest but not best vegetarian restaurant, and then make our way to the Theatre Royal for Corrie! the Stage Play which is somewhat like the Reduced Shakespeare Company in that it condenses 50 years of Britain's best soap into a two hour play. It's written by my fave Coronation Street writer, Jonathan Harvey, who's also a Proper Playwright. He'd said on twitter that he was going to be in the audience with "TV's Julie Graham" but alas, I didn't see him.
Narrated (rather badly) by Judy Mallett, 6 actors play multiple parts: Becky, Ena, Elsie, Ken, Deirdre, Gail, Jack and Vera, Richard Hilman, Roy, Hayley, Tracy, Bet; some of them in drag (Audrey played by a man was more realistic than Audrey played by Sue Nicholls) and it was brilliant to see Blanche reincarnated, although she did seem to be played by Alan Bennett. I spent quite a lot of time thinking that Spider, Liz McDonald, Reg 'n' Curly, the Windasses, our Betty, Kev and Sally or of the ethnic minority characters should also have been in it. But I laughed, I cried, I'd walk on hot coals for that Jonathan Harvey.
This - one of my favourite scenes - was included.
Sunday, to Hurwundeki cafe in Cambridge Heath to drink the nice coffee and look at the Dazed and Refused exhibition - artists who didn't make the final cut for the BP portrait exhibition. I've been to every portrait exhibition since 1993; this was the first time I've seen the ones not accepted by the NPG. Some of them you can see why. Some of them look exactly as if they'd fit in.
Apparently, George's niece, Victoria, stripped the place and carried its goodies off to Buckingham Palace and the place was a shell by 1850. I had assumed it had been a royal palace since the 18th century, but as with everything royal it doesn't really have a long history stretching back to Guillaume le Conquérant. It's all pretty random and accidental. Here, much of the furnishings are not original but recreations.
A security guard in the gift shop[pe] is asked by a foreign tourist about the current monarchy. "So William will be on the throne soon?" "No, no the Queen is on the throne, Elizabeth II, then it'll be Charles." "So the queen now is Queen Catherine?" "No". But when asked how long QE2 has been the monarch, he has to calculate it. Even I know that.
We wander around the remains of the street fair selling hydroponic plants, samosas, and council teatowels to Food For Friends, Brighton's oldest but not best vegetarian restaurant, and then make our way to the Theatre Royal for Corrie! the Stage Play which is somewhat like the Reduced Shakespeare Company in that it condenses 50 years of Britain's best soap into a two hour play. It's written by my fave Coronation Street writer, Jonathan Harvey, who's also a Proper Playwright. He'd said on twitter that he was going to be in the audience with "TV's Julie Graham" but alas, I didn't see him.
Narrated (rather badly) by Judy Mallett, 6 actors play multiple parts: Becky, Ena, Elsie, Ken, Deirdre, Gail, Jack and Vera, Richard Hilman, Roy, Hayley, Tracy, Bet; some of them in drag (Audrey played by a man was more realistic than Audrey played by Sue Nicholls) and it was brilliant to see Blanche reincarnated, although she did seem to be played by Alan Bennett. I spent quite a lot of time thinking that Spider, Liz McDonald, Reg 'n' Curly, the Windasses, our Betty, Kev and Sally or of the ethnic minority characters should also have been in it. But I laughed, I cried, I'd walk on hot coals for that Jonathan Harvey.
This - one of my favourite scenes - was included.
Sunday, to Hurwundeki cafe in Cambridge Heath to drink the nice coffee and look at the Dazed and Refused exhibition - artists who didn't make the final cut for the BP portrait exhibition. I've been to every portrait exhibition since 1993; this was the first time I've seen the ones not accepted by the NPG. Some of them you can see why. Some of them look exactly as if they'd fit in.
