The Befouled Weakly News
18 January 2009 So, this week we had some continuation of the freezing fog and ice which gave way to a day of unrelenting rain. This was followed by more freezing temperatures with a bit more fog followed by a glorious morning (yesterday) with bright blue skies and moderately modest temperatures. This was a relief, partially for reasons explained below and partly because the BBC was forecasting 90 mph winds and driving rain. To be fair, Pen and I think this inclemency arrived at about 2.00 in the morning last night as we were both awakened by howling winds and torrential rain blastering against the windows. The principal reason it was good to have pleasant weather yesterday is that Ms Playchute and I went up to town to see Derek Jacobi (and others) in Twelfth Night with our friends Sue and Stuart from the south coast and Dave and Sue Walton. After the “interesting” performance of Don John I organised for them all to see before Christmas, this was a real delight and I guess one can identify perhaps two main reasons why this was so good and Don John was so poor. Firstly, whoever wrote Don John didn’t have quite the talent of one William Shakespeare and Derek Jacobi and company are perhaps somewhat better actors than the relative unknowns who performed Don John.
It is, of course, highly amusing in a farcical way but what made this production so excellent was the exquisite timing and the actions and facial expressions, often to the audience, signifying surprise and/or bewilderment. The set was strikingly simple with huge floor to ceiling louvered doors which could be opened in a variety of ways to signify different scenes and only a handful of props, again to signify different scenes. It was great fun all topped off with a lovely meal afterwards at Brown’s in the West End. A terrific day out. And, if that wasn’t excitement enough, you will be delighted to know that Penelope has taken up knitting and is currently employed in a project to produce a sweater for her nephew Michael’s 20 month-old boy, Jacob. Fortunately, she decided to produce a sweater intended for a 3 to 4 year old which gives her something approaching two years to finish. This is just as well, she assures me, as she’s already had to unpick everything twice. Still, it is taking shape and I can definitely recognise it as knitting. The following from the BBC site looks like just the job in these financially challenged times (or, perhaps, at any time):
You can view a short video clip at here. See you at the interview! Love to you all, Greg Many supermarkets have an automatic water mister that keeps the produce fresh. Just before it turns on, you hear the sound of distant thunder, and the misters produce the smell of fresh rain. Unfortunately, a new store near my house has taken the concept too far. At this new place, when you pass the milk cases you hear cows mooing and you experience the scent of fresh hay. In the meat department, there's a sizzling sound, and the aroma of charcoal grilled steaks with onions. When you approach the egg case, you hear hens cluck and cackle, and the air is filled with the pleasing aroma of bacon and eggs frying. The bread department features the tantalizing smell of fresh baked bread and cookies. Sounds great, right? But they've gone too far. Let's just say I don't go down the toilet paper aisle anymore. They say that doing some walking can add 5 minutes to your life for every day you do it. This can enable you, at 85 years old, to spend an up to an additional eight months in a nursing home at $11,000 per month. My grandpa started walking five miles a day when he was 70. Now he's 77 and we don't have any idea where the hell he is. I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me. The only reason I would take up walking is so that I could hear heavy breathing again. I have to walk early in the morning, before my brain figures out what I'm doing. I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 bucks. Haven't lost a pound. Apparently you have to go there. Every time I hear the dirty word "exercise" I wash my mouth out with chocolate. I do have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them. The advantage of exercising every day is so when you die, your friends can say, "Well she looks good, doesn't she?" If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country. I know I got a lot of exercise the last few years ...just getting over the hill. We all get heavier as we get older, because there's a lot more information in our heads. Every time I start thinking too much about how I look, I just find a Happy Hour and by the time I leave, I look just fine. Cecil and Morris are walking to services and Cecil asks, "I wonder whether it would be all right to smoke while praying?" "Why don't you ask the rabbi?" says Morris. Cecil sees Rabbi Golden and asks, "Rabbi, is it permissible for me to smoke while I pray?" "No, you may not. That's utter disrespect to our religion and traditions!" quickly answers the rabbi. Cecil goes back to his friend and tells him what the good Rabbi told him. "I'm not surprised. You asked the wrong question. Let me try." Morris goes over to the rabbi and asks, "Rabbi, will it be ok if I pray while I smoke?" To which Rabbi Golden eagerly replies, "By all means, my good man. By all means."
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And don’t let anyone tell you that the language used by Shakespeare is unintelligible to a modern audience – this play was a scream. If you don’t know it, in a nutshell, it shares many of the same features as several other Shakespearean comedies: a set of identical twins, a boy and a girl, are shipwrecked and although both survive, each thinks that the other has perished. Naturally, this leads to several instances of mistaken identity as the girl (Viola) disguises herself as a boy (Cesario) who, naturally, falls in love with the local bigwig, the Duke. Of course, the Duke is in love with another woman (Olivia) and sends the shipwrecked girl (Viola), dressed as a boy (Cesario), to court the other woman (Olivia). She, of course, falls in love with Viola/Cesario, the shipwrecked girl dressed as a boy. When the shipwrecked brother (Sebastian) arrives on the scene he finds, much to his surprise and delight, that Viola fancies the pants off him, takes him to bed and then arranges for the priest to marry them. Later then, when Viola meets Viola/Cesario in the streets she is surprised by her/his apparent lack of interest and ultimate denial that they are married. She/he announces her love for the Duke who decides that he does quite fancy her/him after all and finally all is revealed when Sebastian and Viola/Cesario appear on stage together. Alongside this all there are hilarious encounters between the other characters who together play various tricks on Olivia’s steward Malvolio (played by Derek Jacobi) convincing him that Olivia is actually in love with him.
Feeding fish