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- Birthday July 8th, 1957
- Gender Male
- Country United Kingdom
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.The quality of a pearl is dependent on the grit in an
oyster and Kay Mellor's theatrical production Band Of Gold contains enough grit
for a whole bed of oysters, the result being scene after scene of undoubted dramatic
Between 1995 and 1997 some 15 million viewers a week tuned
in to gain a glimpse into the tough world of a group of Bradford prostitutes
and their attempts to preserve their dignity, humanity and, indeed, humour under
the trying circumstances of their trade. Before writing the series Mellor spent ten months talking to sex workers
in Leeds and Bradford to find out what drove women to sell their bodies.
For the first time viewers heard compelling and authentic voices from the women
who worked the streets.
Mellor's theatrical
production returns us to the early 1990s, that period between the capture of
the Yorkshire Ripper and the dawn of internet porn when the hard action was still
on the street rather than at the end of a mobile phone or available at the
click of a mouse. The two acts neatly divide into first, a modern take on the Harlot's
Progress, how a young woman, through poverty and the selfishness of men settles
for a life on the streets and second a whodunit, when one of the girls is found
murdered but the financial plight of the women means they still have to work .
There are some serious
themes here and each character exemplifies a particular reason why women choose
to embrace the life. That said, he production is never stilted – the issues
come alive through the strength of the characters and Mellor's clarity of
writing and direction.
The heroin-addicted Rose, played
with brio by Gaynor Faye, is the alpha female of 'The Lane' - the red-light area of the city. She is a
born leader and it is she who decides whether a streetwalker can work there.
She has a love/hate/business relationship with the gobby Carol (powerfully
portrayed by Emma Osman), a woman with a financial mind quicker than a
calculator and who only works the streets to be able to provide a better life
for her daughter.
The hapless Anita doesn't
even consider herself to be part of this world – a part-time chanteuse, she's
sure to reserve time for her married sugar daddy between other 'engagements'.
Her chances of finding contentment, happiness and fulfilment? Next to zero. Her
descent is one of the most heartbreaking aspects of the piece.
Into this world comes Gina,
survivor of a mean-spirited and abusive marriage whose attempt to break out of
poverty via selling cosmetics fails leaving her in the talons of a moneylender who keeps ramping up the
interest with menaces. Sacha Parkinson is outstanding in this
role. Her surrender to fate is poignant in its despair.
Act 2 opens the door to myriad facets
of toxic and entitled masculinity played brilliantly by an accomplished cast: Andrew Dunn as Barraclough, a pompous councillor
who expects favours; Mark Sheals as George (Anita's lover), a businessman on
the make who will stop at nothing to make sure he gets the council cleaning
contract on offer and Kieron Richardson who plays Steve, Gina's husband,
as a seething mass of tenderness, violence and self-pity.
A hat tip, too, to Shayne Ward who plays the principled Inspector Newall, whose desire to
catch the killer is spurred on by his feelings for Carol, with whom he had a
relationship and may be the father of her daughter. It's an impressive display
of tortured rectitude.
Mellor's choppy scene
changes are aided hugely by Janet Bird's set design: Screens bearing abstract
yet recognisably urban scenes shift constantly under the orange sodium street
lights creating a sense of oppression. The seedy pub where the girls gather is
well shetched, too. Never has a poster for a meat raffle carried so much
Band Of Gold is a must-see:
thoughtful, emotionally challenging and darkly funny by turns.
Band Of Gold is at Milton
Keynes Theatre until Saturday 14 March.
I had to take the day off after seeing Peter Pan Goes Wrong
the night before. Obviously my ribs were aching from laughing so hard but in
truth I was still sniggering and snorting so much I couldn't bear my colleagues
demanding what was so funny.
Peter Pan Goes Wrong is not just Very Silly, it's Very
Silly Indeed; a brilliant and very English combination of panto, Python,
physical comedy, sight gags and sheer embarrassment.
It's the first night of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society (a staple vehicle
in previous Goes Wrong stage productions and TV show) production of Peter Pan
and the audience enters to an army of stagehands in the auditorium attempting to
fix the shortcomings of the electrical system with miles of wiring. Tools get
lost, tempers get frayed and the scene is set for disaster.
Any attempt to describe the subsequent action in detail
would rob you of the joy and delight in the craft of the production but any
amateur production that, from the start
involves artistic differences between the director and assistant, sorry,
co-director; an actor with chronic stage fright; a young man who's only in the
production because his dad is stumping up the cash for the show (last year's
under-financed Jack And The Bean didn't play well) and a bewildered thesp who
needs a headset to remember his lines is bound to be doomed. What could
possibly go right?
Some of the stunts look pretty dangerous to the untrained
eye and it's a tribute to the clowning craft of the performers and the
behind-the-scenes tech team that Act 2 doesn't take place in A&E on a
regular basis. The script, too, shows some terrific structural touches: there
are lots of things planted in Act 1 that have glorious pay-offs later on.
Adam Meggido directs the 14-strong cast with flair and the
cast responds with boundless energy, essential in a parodic farce such as this.
It's unfair to single out individuals from this zesty ensemble but Tom Babbage
as the hapless Max wins the hearts of the audience, who, themselves are drawn
into the action.
So you got through dry January? Give yourself a treat with
this intoxicating production. And take the kids!
Peter Pan Goes Wrong is at Milton Keynes Theatre until
Saturday Feb 8.
Giuseppe Verdi was a
Shakespeare obsessive and spent many years trying to put together an opera
based on King Lear. He abandoned the idea but his immersion in the study of
tragedy resulted in his own masterpiece: Rigoletto. a portrait of a man caught
in a corrupt world, the escape from which can only be obtained through
Jester to the Duke of
Mantua, Rigoletto wields his wit like a knife. His mocking of Count Monterone after
the duke's seduction of Monterone's daughter results in a curse that
conditions Rigoletto's subsequent life. He seeks revenge on his
employer for kidnapping and seducing Gilda, the daughter he loves and has kept
hidden away from the intrigue of court life. The fact that Rigoletto was
tricked into helping the duke to do so adds to the darkness to come.
The tale, based on a
Victor Hugo play, brought out in the score what we now think of classic Verdi
but was revolutionary for the time: a constant throbbing menace providing a black
background for memorable tunes such as 'La donna e mobile'. In this Glyndebourne
production Thomas Blunt's control of the orchestra and the score is the
foundation for the many musical delights of the evening.
Georgian baritone Nikoloz Lagvilava has great vocal style in the title role, though
many would say there's more to acting though than occasionally looking a bit
goggle-eyed at the horror of it all. Gilda is played with panache by Vuvu Mpofu
the South African soprano. Act One saw her struggle a bit with the lower
registers but from 'Tutte le feste al tempio' in
Act Two she soared. Top marks of the night go to Italian tenor Matteo Lippi as
the duke. His singing is consistently sweet and powerful conveying the swagger
of a character who has more testosterone than his trousers can bear. The Russian
bass Oleg Budaratskiy is greasily menacing as the assassin Sparafucile.
But what
distinguishes this production in the setting. Not for director Christine Lutz
the mores of 16th century Italian court life; she has chosen to
transpose the action to the Hollywood of the silent era. The duke is a studio
owner, Rigoletto a Chaplinesque figure and, among the cameras and studio
paraphernalia, courtiers become a collection of PRs, lighting men, gofers and
In the
age of the Weinstein scandal and #metoo, this should carry substantial weight
but in many ways it fails to engage. Sure, Lutz has some good ideas – her interpretation
that Gilda is perhaps the child of Monterone's daughter brings a hint of the horror of incest to
the duke's seduction and the fact that Rigoletto has looked after Gilda for 17
years adds weight to the enduring power of the curse.
But some of the innovation
is plain confusing. Why, during the
overture, does a man
take most of his clothes off and scribble on the floor? Why does this character
appear during an emotional scene and start scrubbing? Why is there newsreel of
a much older Rigoletto – 'Charlie' being
There's a certain
clumsiness too. The moment when the curse bears its tragic fruit and the
curtain falls on the devastated Rigoletto is one of the great moments in opera;
by having older versions of the duke and the jester stab each other to death at
the same point seems a senseless over-egging.
It's bold, brave experiment
that doesn't quite work. But the music is forever and well worth the price of
Rigoletto is at Milton
Keynes Theatre on Saturday Nov 16 at 7.15pm
Rom-coms don't come any more rom or com than Donizetti's L'elisir
d'amore and Annabel Arden's Glyndebourne production is the frothiest, lightest,
gladdening confection of superb singing, fine acting, inspired setting and
masterly musicianship imaginable.
Lez Brotherton's evocative village square set, dominated by
a grand yet slightly decaying house, places the action in the rural south of
Italy in the early 1920s.
Poor honest bloke Nemorino is in love with posh bird Adina,
all sass, class and sharp as a tack. She knows of his feelings but gives him
the 'it's not you, it's me,' routine, and his cause seems lost when the
handsome but vain Sergeant Belcore arrives in the village with his men and
takes a shine to Adina. When Nemorino hears Adina reading to her workers the
story of Tristan and Isolde, he is convinced that a magic potion will help him to gain her
love. The mug.
Enter itinerant quack Dulcamara, who is
only too keen to relieve Nemorino of his cash in exchange for his miraculous
elixir, which is actually cheap wine. Told to wait until the next day for the
effects to kick in (so Mr Snake Oil can scarper), Nemorino is nonplussed when
he discovers that Adina and Belcore are to marry that evening.
Cue screwball fun and dramatic reverses all
Sehoon Moon's Nemorino is a wonder. His light,
pure, beautifully controlled tenor is the ideal vehicle for Donizetti's
yearning arias. He also displays comic timing straight out of the Norman Wisdom
Hapless Innocent handbook. It's an endearing and tender performance. Benedetta
Torre is also in fine voice as Adina. A warm soprano, she comes into her own in
Act 2 when her indifference to Nemorino gives way to first affection then love.
Matthew Durkan's swaggering
Belcore, provides a fine comic counterpoint to Nemorino. Big guy versus small
and braggartry versus diffidence. Yet again it's a warm performance in which Belcore
never comes off as evil or a scheming villain.
Misha Kiria is a splendidly
dodgy Dulcamara, imperiously strutting the stage but aware of his fakery in his
asides to the audience. He is partnered by the mime Maxime Nourissat as his
rascally assistant, who provides the production with some proper Grade A smut
that surprises and amuses in equal measure.
The Glyndebourne Chorus look
like they're have a whale of a time as the scandal hungry villagers, and down
in the pit Ben Glassberg maintains the essential link between the music and the
action with the aplomb you'd expect.
If you've never been a fan of
opera, this is one to change your mind.
L'elisir d'amore is at Milton
Keynes Theatre on Thursday Nov 14.
If you're a fan of William Friedkin's 1973 landmark horror film there are three things you want to know about any attempt at a stage version: do we get the 360 degree head-spinny thing, how do they manage the puking and what about That Bit With The Crucifix? Yup, they're all there and achieved with some aplomb.
In fact this production, adapted by John Pielmeier from William Peter Blatty's original novel, parallels the film's structure to a great degree and tells the tale of a teenage girl possessed by a demon at a fair old clip. It's never going to be as terrifying or thought- provoking as the movie: time and changes to society have seen to that, but what you get is an exhilarating and entertaining ghost-train ride of an evening in which the screams just about exceed the laughter and the melodrama makes your flesh creep agreeably. This atmosphere was particularly enhanced at the MK performance as the bar pianist in the foyer iced the atmosphere by expertly tinkling out the theme music to the movie (Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells) and then followed it up with the theme from Ghostbusters. The man deserves a raise.
Sean Mathias's production has technical virtuosity at its heart. The show begins with a bang –literally – and some bits of business among the audience in the pitch black set off a wave of screams. Mathias's subsequent use of light, stage tricks, screen effects and, above all, sound ratchet the slow-burn tension by degrees. On the subject of sound, Ian McKellen's uncredited pre-recorded voiceover as the demon is a genuine show-stopper. This is a smooth devil – by turns unctuous, seductive controlling and arch, but always with the requisite whiff of sulphur. The set admirably conveys the spirit of seedy rented gothic and offers an effective opening out of a story in which most of the action takes place in a pre-teen's bedroom.
If you haven't seen the film the tale runs like this: a young girl, Regan (Susannah Edgley, brilliantly unnerving and psychotic), is possessed by a demon, who is gradually revealed as the Devil himself. Her progressively disinhibited and terrorising personality swings prompt her film-star mother Chris (Sophie Ward, who does a good line in gibbering maternal insecurity) to call in All The Medical Science Known To Mankind but to no avail. When the rational fails she recruits a hip, young, two-fisted local priest Father Damien Karras (Ben Caplan, a solid, grounded performance laden with guilt, doubt and compassion), who, after coming off worst in a metaphysical tussle with The Horned One, gets back-up in the form of the Ant Middleton of demon-smiters, Father Lankester Merrin.
Father Merrin is played by Paul Nicholas. Yes, I know! The casting of an actor known more for musicals and comedy is a terrific piece of work and as Merrin, who has vanquished Old Nick on previous occasions much to the Devil's chagrin, he artfully conveys the idea of a spiritual gunslinger heading for a final showdown.
All said, it's not an ambitious production in the sense that it hardly deviates from the film but there's been some real thought put into making the show something you're glad to have laid out your hard-earned cash for.
And if the bar pianist had played Dancing With The Captain my evening would have been complete.
The Exorcist is at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday October 12. This production is not suitable for anyone under the age of 15 or for those of a nervous disposition.
goodness the producers had the gumption to take The Mousetrap on tour in spite
of fears that its status as a West End destination might be diluted – this production
is a joy from beginning to end.
far too long a portion of its 67 years (and counting) on stage it has simply
been a comfy wet afternoon excursion for transient Americans and coach parties
of uncomprehending Japanese tourists. Agatha Christie's sharp little murder
mystery has long deserved a more appreciative audience.
been no updating of the play since its debut in 1952, and in spite of
Christie's instruction that the play is set in 'the present' we're presented
with a dessicated tableau of an England in which Winston Churchill is Prime
Minister, there's rationing, national service and a suspicion of foreigners.
Come to think of it, this sounds too much like a Brexiter's wish list, but
let's press on.
it means in dramatic terms is that it would have been so easy to produce this
play as a knowing send-up the mores of the age and, to be sure, there are
enough opportunities to slice the ham thickly enough to get sponsored by
Plumrose, but Gareth Armstrong and his
first-class cast of eight play it absolutely straight, cleverly bringing out
the tension, which consequently refreshes the humour in the piece.
Novice guest house owners Giles and Mollie Ralston are about
to open their doors to paying guests at Monkswell Manor for the first time. A
raging blizzard and news of a murderer on the loose does nothing to calm their
nerves. Their guests arrive one by one as the house becomes snowbound.
First to
arrive is the camp and neurotic Christopher Wren, a young architect with a
taste for the macabre. Next up are Mrs Boyle, a hyper-critical ex-magistrate
with an over-inflated sense of entitlement, and Major Metcalf, an outwardly amiable old military buffer. More
striking is the arrival of Miss Casewell, an mannish (as they said in the
Fifties) young woman who has returned to Blighty for Enigmatic And Opaque
Reasons. To round off this clique of Cluedo characters, Mr Paravicini, one of
Christie's obligatory funny foreigners, knocks on the door after his Roller
overturns in a snowdrift.
Five guests. Everything to hide. Nowhere to go. Enter the
dogged Det Sgt Trotter, hot on the heels of the murderer and with a chilling
warning to the unhappy campers – one of you will be next. Gulp.
The cast, as stated previously, are first-rate, with honours
going to Lewis Chandler as Christopher Wren, who wrings
the comedy from his every line, and the magnificent David Alcock who plays Paravicini
like a portly knock-off Bela Lugosi, all velvets and silk and whose accent appears
to start in Bucharest, stops for a weekend break in Naples before ending up a
little south of Pontypridd.
Nick Biadon and Harriett
Hare are an engaging Giles and Mollie Ralston. There's a
genuine chemistry between the pair that enhances their slick and often
exasperated exchanges. Hare, with her English rose pluck and cut-glass vowels
puts one in mind of the performances that made Margaret Lockwood famous. No,
you're thinking of Margaret Rutherford. Just look it up.
Penhaligon is marvellously bitter and demanding as Mrs Boyle; Saskia
Vaigncourt-Stratten is as sharp as a stiletto as Miss Casewell while Geoff
Arnold as Trotter applies the psychological screws with aplomb.
are some lovely touches: as we hear on the radio about the murderer's dark,
overcoat, light scarf and soft felt hat, guess what every character is wearing
when they enter? And with a beautifully rendered set faithful to its West End roots, inventive
lighting really cranks up the oppressive atmosphere.
At the end of a mightily entertaining evening one feels proud to
be inducted by the cast into the confederacy of those who will never let on who
the murderer is.
By Quentin Fox
It's 30 years since Fame The Musical made its debut on
Broadway and this anniversary production has already had thousands of people
shaking the moths out of their legwarmers.
The stage show is based on Alan Parker's immortal film and
follows the lives and loves, the triumphs and disasters of a cohort of students
at New York's High School For The Performing Arts.
All are brilliant in their fields, but will talent be
enough to gain the fame they all desire? For this is not a simple feelgood tale
– we see the characters sweat and sometimes fail to become the people they
could have been. In line with Parker's vision it's very much an issues-based
yarn that, though still set in the early 1980s, in many ways chimes in with today's
societal concerns: identity, drug abuse, intimacy and sexuality among many.
As the catchline for the movie stated: 'If they've really
got what it takes, it's going to take everything they've got.'
Fame The Musical has seen seven West End runs since its
inception, so it has clearly found a place in the hearts of theatregoers. This
time round Nick Winston, the director and choreographer, has opened up the show with some new songs and has
cranked up the dance numbers to new heights of energy and skill.
He's helped in his endeavour by Morgan Large's set, which
is composed of head-and-shoulders shots of alumni , at once bringing to mind
both a high-school yearbook and casting bibles such as Spotlight, used by
directors to select actors for parts.
Also of immense value are the
contributions of actors in the cast who have already found fame: Mica Paris is outstanding as Miss Sherman, the school
principal, whose rendition
of 'These Are My Children' exudes heartache and soul; former Hollyoaks star Jorgie Porter charms as Iris, the queen
of the ballet class; Keith Jack, who had
a good run in the TV talent show Any
Dream Will Do, plays Nick, the confused and confusing Shakespeare maven.
There are great individual performances from the rest of
the 20-strong cast: Jamal Kane
Crawford brings depth and moves to the character of dancer Tyrone; Stephanie
Rojas displays first rate acting and singing as Carmen, the diva destined to
crash and burn – her 'In LA' marks a poignant Act 2 turning point; Molly
McGuire's Serena steers an amusing and likeable course between ingénue and
ingenuity; and Albey Brookes provides some
broad-brush comedy as Joe the Brooklyn goofball. The only casting mis-step is
the casting of Simon Anthony as Schlomo, scion
of a musical family. An excellent actor, singer and instrumentalist, and who
displays massive heart in the part, it's a bit of a strain to take him
seriously as a 17-year-old.
There are other performances worth
highlighting, but that's exactly the problem with show: whose story is it? While Nick Winston
has done a fine job in creating a punchy and likeable show, he's fighting
against a vehicle that's structurally weak. There are so many characters their
story arcs become fleeting and shallow; even in an ensemble piece such as this
it's good to have a narrative lead to follow.
In addition, the music and lyrics, in the
main, lack that show-stopping quality. Tim Whiting as musical director works
hard to invest some power but it's an uphill struggle.
Not the production's fault, but certain
tiredness now afflicts the book. Surely the chippy ghetto kid is now a cliché? And
who laughs at fat gags these days?
In pleasing audiences for so long we know
that Fame The Musical will live forever; it just needs an overhaul to learn how
to fly again.
Fame The Musical is at Milton Keynes Theatre
until Sat 29 Jun 2019. This production is recommended for ages 12+ it
contains sexual, drug, mental health references and mild swearing.
The American Dream is a fine thing: a freedom that offers the opportunity for prosperity
and success through hard work. But how far would you go to achieve it?
Glengarry Glen Ross, David Mamet's 1983 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama sets out
to answer that question – and Sam Yates's
punchy production shows the results are not pretty.
The play is set in the scruffy Chicago office of a real-estate company
where Mitch and Murray, the bosses, have set up a month-long contest for their salesmen.
The best will get a Cadillac; the two worst performers will be fired. And the
end of the month is looming…
For some it's a chance to show unequivocally who's top dog; for
some it's a chance to show they've still got the magic; for some it represents
the end of a career that's seen them beaten too many times. As the clock ticks inexorably down desperation sets in,
insecurities are revealed and savagery ensues. The number of knives in the back
make Julius Caesar look like a laughing party.
Mamet captures the sweary locker-room machismo of sales teams
perfectly. When first produced the play was largely an elegiac bookend to
Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman but possibly the play has even more
relevance today's world of corporate steamrolling of the soul, the gig economy and
money pimping. How well we understand this now. Compassion, team spirit,
friendship and even basic humanity are sacrificed for the mighty dollar.
play uses the first act to set up the theft of the Glengarry leads that drives
the action. The scene then shifts from a Chinese restaurant to the salesmen's
office. It's worth mentioning here that Chiara Stephenson's office set makes
the piece – you can almost smell the fug of cigarette smoke and nervous BO.
Yates's direction brings out accomplished performances all round: Nigel Harman
is smooth and calculating as ace salesman Ricky Roma, and his interactions with
his client
James Lingk (James Staddon) combine snake-like hypnotic power with insouciant swagger. Mark Benton as Shelly 'The Machine' Levine, is
a model of decline and panic. His mask of increasingly forced bonhomie conceals
an existential anxiety that his powers are on the wane.
Conway gives us a perpetually angry Moss, whose invective is plentiful rather
than inventive. Wil Johnson's George Aaronow is a great comic foil for Moss. Never was there a better
example of a man in the wrong job – slow on the uptake, credulous and timid.
Like so many in that career but without the essential carapace of confidence.
quality as a writer shines through. Though billed as comedy, it could equally
be a tragedy. It's a night that for every laugh, there's a shudder, too.
Glen Ross is at Milton Keynes Theatre from Monday April 1 to Saturday April 6
In his
pomp, Gaetano Donizetti went on a rampage through British history producing an
opera about Anne Boleyn (Anna Bolena, natch), one about Mary, Queen of Scots
(Maria Stuarda) and, finally Roberto Devereux, which tells the love story of
Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex, which is vividly brought to life by
Welsh National Opera. Any resemblance to
actual historical veracity is occasional and, more frequently, coincidental. All you need you know is that It Will Not End
Set in England in 1601, Elisabetta, Queen of England has sent her
young lover Roberto Devereux, the Earl of Essex, to conduct a military campaign
in Ireland. This she has done to cut court gossip and to maintain her
reputation. In Ireland he disobeys the Queen's orders by signing a peace treaty
with the Irish rebels. Her advisers, jealous that he is the queen's favourite, charge
him with treason and have him arrested.
To skip the charge all he has to do is present a ring given to him by the
queen. Elisabetta haughtily demands that his heat belong to her. His reluctance
makes the jealous monarch suspect she has a rival. Hmmmmmm.
Unknown to the Queen, Roberto is still infatuated with Sara,
Duchess of Nottingham, an ex-lover who was compelled to marry his friend the
duke. Sara and Devereux know their love is doomed but he entrusts her with the
Queen's ring and in return she gives him a scarf she has embroidered.
Elizabeth resists signing Roberto's death sentence until she is shown the
scarf. Nottingham also recognises the scarf and erupts with jealous rage.
Equally distraught at Roberto's infidelity, Elizabeth signs the death sentence. Sara rushes
to see the Queen. She presents her with the ring and begs for mercy on
Roberto's behalf. Elizabeth, deranged by jealousy, tries to stop the
If you've never seen an opera before this is a great one to start with. The
historical context is clear; the characters are strongly drawn and have clear
motivation and the music is emotional and inspiring in the bel canto tradition.
And surprisingly jaunty considering that Donizetti places each of his principal
characters on the horns of a dilemma: Elisabetta is conflicted between her duties
as ruler, which she handles with practiced ease, and her feelings as a woman,
which are a toxic storm of the insecurity the older woman has for the much
younger man; Devereux is torn between living a lie as Elisabetta's lover and dying
in peace content in a love with Sara that can go nowhere; Sara herself is
tormented that her mad love for Devereux has poisoned the marriage she worked hard to
hold together and her friendship with Elisabetta; and the duke has to reconcile
his strong friendship with Devereux with knowing that the man whose life he's
trying to save has cuckolded him.
The bare bones of the story make for a fine piece of theatre, but Madeleine
Boyd's austerely stylish design of this production take it to an even higher
level of intensity. Black, funereal and forbidding Elisabetta's court is a web
of deceit, a web of intrigue, a web of lies, and at the heart of it all is the
queen. Arachnid references abound, from her giant metal spider throne, to her
shadow cast on a wall, to the cords that bind Devereux.
Joyce El-Khoury is spectacular as Elisabetta, displaying supreme
musicality and emotion from the start but no more so than in the final scene in
which grief and derangement consume her haughtiness. Justine Gringyte makes for
a superb Sara; effortlessly articulating a doomed, doomed love.Barry Banks's
Devereux has a Napoleonic swagger about him but who reveals tenderness and
melancholy beneath his tough carapace, and Roland Wood as Nottingham the displays
the power and range of emotion that made him such an excellent Renato in this
company's production of Un Ballo In Maschera.
An emotion-shredding evening of unrequited love, forbidden
happiness, jealousy, betrayal and revenge. Perfect.
Review by Quentin Fox
Mozart's The Magic
Flute has always been a crowd-pleaser because it was, basically, written to
please the crowds, and in that tradition Welsh National Opera's revival offers
an evening of enchantment and sublime music for all.
By 1791 the composer
was ill and desperately short of money. Over the preceding couple of years he
had realised that his best chance of not starving lay in his co-operation with Emmanuel
Schikaneder, singer-manager and showman par excellence. Together they hatched
not a opera but a singspiel, a mix of
music and spoken word that was usually based on a fantastical theme. What
better bit of esoterica to work with than the Masonic ideals of love and
brotherhood to which they both subscribed? This boffo japefest was a world away from the
emperor's court and Italianate earlier works such as Idomineo. The
sausage-scoffing suburban crowds of Vienna loved it from the start – it's
burlesque meets the transcendent.
Caroline Chaney's revived staging of Dominic
Cooke's production is warm, joyous and witty, aided hugely by Jeremy
Sams's bright English translation which adds shine and laughter to an
ill-matched-buddies-on-a-quest-to-get-the-gal plot that Schikaneder pillaged
from several sources and must have been already familiar to audiences at the
time of writing.
In a nutshell: the
mysterious Queen of the Night coaxes Tamino to rescue her beautiful daughter
Pamina from the grip of the evil enchanter Sarastro. With a magic flute and a
set of magic bells for protection he sets off on his journey aided by Papageno,
the feckless bird-catcher. But as they overcome a series of challenges, it
becomes apparent that all is not what it seems – will they complete their quest
and find true love?
All fair enough. But taken at face value The Magic Flute
presents modern directors and audiences with some teeth-grinding moments in a
tale that embraces some dodgy Masonic philosophy as well as a large and
ungenerous dollop of misogyny. This production attempt to nullify these
negatives with Surrealism. The set is pure Magritte – all doors and sky. Thus,
in a world where lions read newspapers, boys in sailor suits ride through the air on a
bike made out of a fish, and Sarastro commands a corps of Orangemen (literally)
to do his bidding, everything is
uprooted from reality, so one idea is as daft as another. If Shakespeare can
get away with 'Exit, pursued by a bear,' in The Winter's Tale, we can certainly
deal with 'Enter, pursued by a lobster,' here.
But, ultimately, it's about Mozart's music. Damian
Iorio whips the WNO orchestra through the overture at such a breakneck pace you
wonder whether the 2hr 50min running time is an exaggeration, but as soon as
the principals appear it's a smooth and mellifluous flight.
Mark Stone excels as Papageno, a part that
brings out not just his fine baritone and clear diction but his superb comic
timing, both sung and spoken. Clair Hampton's Papagena is an equally wonderful
comic foil. Anita Watson's sweetly innocent Pamina and Samantha Hay's Queen of
the Night provide a running current of light and dark energy. Hay totally owns
both the famous arias, hitting the 'Hofer highs' with aplomb. James
Platt's Sarastro is powerful but stolid and feels a little restricted in
characterisation by this production.
Ben Johnson's Tamino is, to be honest, a disappointment. An
audience is rather like a baby duck we tend to latch on to the first thing we
see and follow it forever. This Tamino leads us nowhere. Fuzzy in diction and
with all the expression of a piece of four-by-two, Johnson appears to be
seriously miscast.
A mere cavil on a night of miracles, wonder and laughter.
Review by Quentin Fox
With Un Ballo in Maschera Giuseppe
Verdi gives us a taste of nascent Scandi Noir but with big Italian flavours –
passion, betrayal and death, especially death, saturate the piece, turning this new
production by Welsh National Opera into an evening of gothic splendour.
The 1859 opera is based on
the 1792 assassination of the
Swedish king Gustav III. who was killed as the result of a political
conspiracy against him. He was wounded while attending a masked ball and subsequently died. In
his opera, however, Verdi insisted on giving the ruler and loyal adviser
Italian names - Riccardo
and Renato repectively, which can be a point – a small one - to
stumble over.
At the heart of the plot is
a love triangle – Riccardo loves Amelia, wife of Renato, but while she loves
him, she won't disgrace her husband. A midnight assignation goes terribly wrong
and in saving Riccardo's life, Renato discovers his wife's apparent indidelity,
which s enough to drive the adviser to join the plot against the king. Add a
seasoning of magic herbs and witchcraft and the stew bubbles over.
What makes this dish so
delightful, though, is director David Pountney's decision to stage the opera with
what is almost a punk pop video aesthetic in red and black. The first act
brings out the substantial dark humour of the piece, the second the agonies of
love, the third a ramping up of tension as the plot against Riccardo comes to a
climax. Death where is thy
sting-a-ling-a-ling indeed.
Any piece of storytelling
involving an assassination is a tough one because, obviously, we know what
happens in the end. In this production a drawn-out death scene at the end is
subverted by opening the first act by Riccardo waving from his coffin to Oscar,
his waspish page and Ulrica, the witch who lights the blue touchpaper for the
Hugely enjoyable too are the
set pieces for the ensemble. Of particular note is the ghoulish ball of the
title, in which the sober garb of the conspirators is swapped for Day of the
Dead-style skeleton costumes.
As Riccardo, Gwyn Hughes Jones was in fine
voice, balancing his role as capricious frivolous,
slightly debauched leader of men with that of the ardent lover. His voice is
powerful, true and sustained. Exactly what Verdi was looking for in the part.
His performance was matched – even exceeded
- by that of Mary Elizabeth Williams as Amelia. We're given a sample of her range
and power in the first act but it's in the arias and duets with Riccardo in Act
2 and Renato in Act 3 that her singing and acting reveal a huge emotional heart that is literally
breath-taking. It's a role made for her.
Roland Wood's Renato was stern, censorious – and beautifully sung, as was Julie
Martin du Theil's impish page Oscar, who radiated a larkish charm whenever she
appeared on stage.
On this night the WNO Orchestra under
Gareth Jones were at the top of their game especially in providing an emotional
base for Renato's celebrated "Eri tu" aria.
A very fine spectacle indeed.
Don't miss it when it comes your way.
Review by Quentin Fox
By Quentin Fox
As editor of Private Eye, the satirical magazine, Ian Hislop
knows more than most about having to stand up in court to defend his brand of
snark against the forces of the powerful, which is why Trial By Laughter, his
latest collaboration with Nick Newman, hits both your funny bone and your
thinking bits so well.
The play is a fast-moving courtroom drama based on contemporary
accounts of an 1817 trial that not only revives the reputation of an almost
forgotten figure in the fight for freedom of speech, freedom of the press and,
well, freedom, but also asks whether our current liberties are as strong as we
think they are. And there are fart gags as well. Result all round.
In the repressive days between Waterloo and Peterloo, William
Hone, a hapless publisher and satirist, is arraigned for taking pot-shots at the Lord's Prayer, a tyrannical government running scared of the dangerous ideas of
the French Revolution and the sybaritic excesses of the Prince Regent.
It's as true today as then that tyrants hate the sound of
laughter, so Hone, whose only crime is being funny, finds himself up on a
charge of "blasphemous libel", though it's not so much about God being
offended, but more about the abuse of a more earthly power.
A man of meagre resources,
(he has eight children) and failing health he is compelled to mount his own
defence but is aided by the brilliant George Cruikshank - caricaturist,
cartoonist and total chancer.
Against all odds Hone gets off,
but a vengeful Establishment, egged on by the Prince Regent, pulls off a dodgy "best of three" set of charges (because
they can), causing him to be hauled into court twice more in 48 hours on
increasingly serious indictments.
When a man has nothing, he has nothing to lose and Hone begins a
series of rebuttals from the dock that see him grow in stature and his barbs grow
more coruscating. When the court sheriffs order
the audience not to laugh at Hone's jokes it has, as it must have done
at the time, completely the opposite effect.
Hislop and Newman have reassembled the creative team that made
their previous stage venture, The Wipers Times, such a success – a versatile set
design by Dora Schweitzer, ingenious sound by Steve Mayo and Caroline Leslie's
hand on the directorial tiller.
It's impossible not to love Joseph Prowen's earnestly engaging Hone,
a physically weak but mentally strong man willing to risk all for the right to
be funny. Eva Scott is excellent as Sarah, his long-suffering but fiercely supportive wife. As
with many of the cast she gets a run-out as a second character, in her case Lady
Conyngham, one of the Prince Regent's ghastly mistresses. Applause, too, for
Peter Losasso as the rascally Cruikshank, and for Jeremy Lloyd as a petulant,
brattish Prince Regent.
We live in an age where freedom of expression
is still challenged and chilled by the powerful with their injunctions and
super-injunctions. This production is inspiring in reviving the name of a real
hero of liberty. Find a young person and take them to the play to show them
what needs guarding for the future.
Trial by Laughter is at the Milton Keynes Theatre
until Saturday March 2
- By Quentin Fox
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As an actress Fiona Shaw is renowned for heavyweight parts in tragedies such as Electra, Medea and Mother Courage. More recently one of her directorial big hits was the The Rape of Lucrecia, Britten's mournful chamber opera. Sure, a lot more people know her these days from her lighter moments as Petunia Dursley from the Harry Potter films. Ooh! And don't forget she was in the Super Mario Brothers film… But.
Look, what I'm trying to say here is that on paper she looks an odd fit to direct, for Glyndebourne, Massanet's Cendrillon, one of the frothiest, airiest, lightest, melt-in-the-mouth Crunchie moments in the whole world of opera. Cendrillon is the tale of Cinderella, based on Perrault's 17th century telling of the story. From the start you know it's not going to be any kind of Cinderella you've come across before – to start with, it's opera, for heavens sake – so no well-upholstered pseudo-dames, no bumbling no cheery Buttons
(Hiya, kids!) no Anita Harris in thigh boots and, as far as film fans are concerned ***SPOILER ALERT*** no singing mice. Definitely not.
What you do get though are some fine moments of singing among sets that do some of the psychological heavy lifting that Shaw wishes to imbue, Angela Carter-like, into the fairy tale. In her re-telling how much is real? How much is a dream? Who's doing the dreaming? Is the tale all in the head of the 12-year-old Cendrillon who appears silently at key moments?
Alix Le Saux's Cendrillon is tender, sweet and damaged, seeking love in the ashes of a life laid low. Caroline Wettergreen's Fairy appears to be the memory of her dead mother, coming back to defend her from the predations of her avaricious stepmother, Madame de la Haltière (Agnes Zwierko) and her two horrible-rather-than-ugly daughters (Eduarda Melo and Kezia Bienek), whose selfies and slapperdom lighten every scene they are in while William Dazeley is a suitably weak and useless Pandolfe, Cendrillon's dad.
Massanet created the part of Prince Charming for a female (Quiet, Anita!) perhaps acknowledging the love between the prince and Cendrillon to be as some idealised dream cypher. As the gender-fluid prince Eléonore Pancrazi excels, particularly in Act 3 when s/he literally wears a heart on a sleeve in swooning duets with Le Saux: it's pure romance, as the composer intended. Shame, though, that the prince looked so Primark. Going to a ball in what look like Sandi Toksvig's gardening clothes? Anita would have none of that.
The ball is a good point to mention the work of set designer Jon Bausor. The Palace ballroom is composed of four revolving mirror towers that aid concealment and revelation and add to the dreamy quality for which Shaw is striving. All black and silver and crammed to the gunwhales, it's a dead spit for any Top Rank Suite circa 1972. That's a compliment, by the way.
Musically, it's a treat. Just like a fairy godmother… er… father, Duncan Ward conjures up some spells of his own in bringing out the best from Glyndebourne Touring Orchestra, presenting with enormous freshness the differing soundscapes in each of the four acts. There's pomp, there's eroticism but most of all there's a delicacy and melodic precision that enchants.
In truth, the production is like watching a boxing match between Sigmund Freud and a meringue. Freud may walk away with the fight but it's the smashed meringue that you'll remember.
Glyndebourne's Cendrillon is at Milton Keynes Theatre on Saturday Dec 1 at 7.15pm
By Quentin Fox
How can you expect me to write a review of The Comedy About A Bank Robbery when I'm in pain? I laughed so hard at the Milton Keynes Theatre I pulled something and now my ribs hurt. Judging by the gales of laughter from the rest of the audience I'm sure A&E must have been packed later. This is not new. When a friend saw Mischief Theatre's last show, The Play That Goes Wrong, she snorted so hard she got a nosebleed. These guys are more like a health hazard than a bunch of thespians.
The play itself, brilliantly crafted by company founders Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer
and Henry Shields, takes the heist genre and turns it into a non-stop fiesta of sight gags, slapstick, wordplay, farce, surrealism and sheer silliness.
We're back in the 1950's and a Canadian gang is intent on crossing into the US to steal a half-million dollar diamond from a rather down-at-heel bank in
downtown Minneapolis. The characters are on the make, on the take or on the fake. As one says presciently, 'In this
town everyone's a crook.'
The relentlessness and absurdity draw comparisons with the film Airplane! but
its comedy wellspring goes back much further; the historical setting signposts the Marx Brothers, Abbot and Costello, The Three Stooges and the frantic screwball comedies of the 1930s. Knockabout farce? Certainly there's a satisfying loss of many pairs of trousers.
This is no mere homage, however. This is a complex piece of theatre that involves tremendous craft in its execution: a folding bed that acts so well it could be considered a member of the cast; a dazzling set that
presents an aerial view of the action, and in which gravity gets the best laughs; laundry baskets that turn into cars and a rope trick that would have India's finest magicians nodding with approval.
But it's the cast that provides the real magic. Quicksilver verbal exchanges pile gag upon gag – just when you think an exchange can't be topped in comes the clincher. Impressive too is the physical comedy – a scene
in which one man plays three people beating each other up demands to be savoured.
It's a fun and frantic free-for-all that appeals to all tastes and ages – teenagers will love the physical stuff and the absurdity whereas the grown-ups will love the craft of a brilliant ensemble at the top of their comedy game. Go see.
The Comedy About A Bank Robbery is at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday Nov 24
- By Quentin Fox
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Cameron Lowe Editor at UK Theatre Network Lol, I think I've pulled a muscle myself!
There's not a word spoken in the English National Ballet's
production of Kenneth MacMillan's Manon but such is the power of dance and the
clarity of the storytelling in this beautiful performance that you'll leave the
theatre with your head full of imagined dialogue, swearing to yourself that you
were privy to intimate exchanges that hang in your consciousness like a
half-remembered dream. You simply understand.
If you reckon that ballet is about the unworldly and ethereal
you're in for a dazzling awakening. The story, of young
girl named Manon who must choose between her love for a penniless student, Des
Grieux, and the diamonds, furs and riches that the lascivious and degenerate
Monsieur GM can give her, is much more than a historical tragedy: grooming,
trafficking, sexual exploitation and the power exerted by corrupt men remain a
sickening commonplace in our own world.
This particular ballet is a modern in
another sense: it's a high-culture mash-up that any hip-hop fan would recognise.
When legendary choreographer Kenneth MacMillan first thought of staging Manon
as a ballet in 1973, he chose not to use existing works by Puccini and Massanet
but rather he chose to pillage Massanet's back catalogue to piece together a
score that would suit the dark sensuality of his vision.
And what a vision. Unlike many ballets in
which there is a total dependency on the principal dancers it's a fabulous
ensemble piece, the stage packed with people as the tale takes you through the
drawing rooms, stews and brothels of Paris before coming to a tragic end in the
swamps of Louisiana. The party in the gambling den, in which Manon revels in
her diamonds while Des Grieux despairs, is the spectacular and captivating heart
of the second act. The third act, in
which Manon is convicted of prostitution and sent to a penal colony in New
Orleans, hinges on a moving scene in the dockyard, the new female convicts
moving like broken dolls as they embrace their degradation.
The chemistry
between Jurgita Dronina (Manon) and Isaac Hernandez (Des Grieux) is powerful,
no more than in the fiercely erotic pas
de deux that dominates the latter part of the first act. As Monsieur GM,
Fabian Reimar has the gift of a sneer of cold command and depravity but it's
Ken Saruhashi's limber, lithe and louche Lescaut, Manon's rascally brother, that
catches the eye. It's always a pleasure,
too, to hear an orchestra on top form: the English National Ballet Philharmonic
under Gavin Sutherland make an immeasurable contribution to the production.
If you've
never been to the ballet before, this is an exceptional production to start. If
you're already hooked this is an exceptional production to savour. In any case,
don't miss it.
Manon is at
Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday Oct 27
- By Quentin Fox
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Elaine Pinkus Saw it on Sky Arts and loved it. Now booked for mid Jan 2019 at London Coliseum.
There were howls of anguish from a loyal ITV audience when Benidorm chucked in its beach towel after 10 successful seasons. But creator Derren Litten has moved the saga of the Solana on with a live show that, freed from the constraints of public service broadcasting guidelines, turns up the breezy postcard humour into a bracing
gale of single entendres.
The show features six cast members from the TV show and each duly receives a warm and on their entrance (Sorry, this stuff is contagious). Sherrie Hewson's Joyce Temple-Savage, the hotel manager, does an exemplary job of being tough, tender and lofty and bitchy, generally all at the same time; Jake Canuso reprises his long-standing turn as latin lothario Mateo the barman and Shelley Longworth makes a welcome return as Sam Wood, now a wise-cracking member of staff of the three-and-a-half star flop house.
Janine Duvitzki is back, too, as Jacqueline, founder member of Middlesbrough Swingers Association and still a believer that three (or more) is the magic number. Duvitski's comedy pedigree is beyond impressive: never forget that she was a member of the original cast of Abigail's Party back in the 1970s. Her timing, delivery and relish for a telling line turns weapons-grade smut into comedy gold. Spoiler alert: there are few actors that can deliver the words 'pink pussy' with such panache.
On excellent form, too, are
the staff of the Blow 'n' Go hairdressing salon. Tony Maudsley's Kenneth and Adam Gillen's Liam are a double-act that takes in high camp, low camp and all camps in between. The portly Kenneth is a revelation – the revelation being how a bloke that big fits into Lycra pants designed for the smuggling of any number of bird species. Liam is essentially an innocent abroad, a masterpiece of characterisation that channels the ghost of Norman Wisdom.
But it's not just the TV gang that impress: Tricia Adele Turner and Bradley Clarkson grab plenty of laughs as a posh couple slumming it at the Solana, while Damian Williams is a tour de farce as Gay Derek, who only has eyes for Kenneth's many bulges.
If you've ever seen Fawlty
Towers, El Dorado or Duty Free you'll recognise a plot full of undercover hotel inspectors, imminent bankruptcy, class warfare and cheery knockabout British loathing for other nations. But it's not a familiarity that breeds contempt; the plot is simply a vehicle for some zinging exchanges that certainly left many of the audience sitting in damp patches.
Holding it all together is Mark Walters's accomplished set design, which in the first act serves as reception, salon and poolside and in the second as the infamous Neptune.
Benidorm represents a good
night out in the British music hall tradition – some banter, some music, some dancing and a bit of a sing-along. All that was missing was Mabel and her
mobility scooter.
Benidorm Live is at Milton
Keynes Theatre until Saturday October 20
- By Quentin Fox
- 1 comment
- 1 like
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text:
Karol Bieniaszewski added a comment - 15/Jun/20 02:26 PM
I do not know if this should be somehow "fixed".
If db itself for its data do not need some udef e.g for restore i do not see reason for not restoring db. Maybe as some warning but not an error.
Anton Shchyrov added a comment - 15/Jun/20 02:37 PM
I am not saying that there should be an error restoring the database. But there are no messages at all.
Adriano dos Santos Fernandes added a comment - 15/Jun/20 02:47 PM
I agree with Karol, defining a function should be allowed even when the library does not exist.
Anton Shchyrov added a comment - 15/Jun/20 03:10 PM - edited
But when defining a function, at the time of commit I get an error. What is the difference between UDR and UDF in this respect?
It seems to me that masking an error until a function call is made directly is a bad idea.
Dmitry Yemanov added a comment - 15/Jun/20 04:05 PM
IIRC, the engine was always returning a warning for the physically missing UDF if it happens during restore.
Alexander Peshkov added a comment - 16/Jun/20 02:08 PM
I see no reason changing engine behavior for deprecated in FB4 UDFs.

subset: commoncrawl


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Equine Retreats Inspired By Our Horses.
Meet Yourself In The Now
Experience--perhaps for the first time--meeting yourself and another being through breath, mindful connection, compassion and empathy at our mindfulness retreats to receive a deserving dose of mindful attention.
In the presence of horses, lives tend to open in miraculous ways. Participants undergo transformational shifts at our equine retreats: clarity around creative endeavors and career trajectories, heal intimate relationships and finally recognize the exceptional wisdom they alone can offer the world.
We'll notify you about upcoming retreats if you fill out the form on the bottom of the page.
Meet Your Horse In The Now
Explore how - often in magical ways - you can support your equine co-facilitators mindfully. The simple act of connecting through breath can shift your relationship forever.
In this domain-changing, three day, equine-inspired retreat at our equine sanctuary, you'll learn to see the world through your horses eyes, and get excited about the new approach you will bring home to your horses.
You'll encounter the captivating power of the horse and sail-- unbound and uncensored--on the open page.
If you long to deep dive into the magnificence that is your most creative self, if you are looking for an awe-inspiring adventure to break the spell of conditioning and overwhelm, if you want to shed that which no longer serves you and come home to the rhythm of who you truly are, please join me and the herd at my idyllic retreat in Marlboro, Vermont.
Please use this form to email us your questions and concern about our Horse Service Equine Retreats.
Meet Your Horse In The Now And Take Your Life From Mind-Full To Mindful.
Click on the following equine offers:
Equine Coaching Equine Courses (virtual) Equine Retreats
at my Animal Communications website
Stressed? Frustrated? Need help?
Learn how you can have mindful connections with your pet.


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Apple has reportedly stabilised the iPhone X's production, which means many customers who were first told to wait until 2018 to get their new phone may actually have one in hand before the holidays.
A new note sent to investors by Apple watcher and KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (which we first saw via MacRumors) says that production issues "have been well addressed" over the past few weeks.
Foxconn's facilities could only produce about 50,000-150,000 iPhone X units a month initially, which resulted in a scarce number of available units at launch; those numbers are closer to 450-550,000 units-a-month now, according to Kuo, which is good news for Apple just weeks before the Christmas holidays.
Kuo estimates that overall production for the fourth quarter could be between 15 and 20% higher than initially estimated, with many iPhone Xs ready to be shipped to customers before the year's end.
The acceleration also means that shipments for 2018's first quarter may be flat or even slightly lower when compared to this quarter.
Here's an extract from Kuo's note:
"Hon Hai's daily shipments of iPhone X have climbed to 450-550k units, up from 50-150k units 1-2 months ago; (2) shipments of Career's LCP LTE antenna will likely grow 100% mum in both November and December; and (3) production yield of Dot projection module, made by LG Innotek (KR) and Sharp (JP), has moved quickly above 80-90% or higher from below 60% 1-2 months ago."
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Enjoy easy living when you finally settle in this 10.78-Acre lot situated in Cibola County, New Mexico. This property is in Fence Lake on a treeded area. In just a 10-minute drive, you will be able to reach Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary where there are lots of things to learn about wolves.
This property is situated 31-minutes southwest of Mountain view. Easy access to this property is available and you can build a homesite in the area. What more could you wish for? This lot is for you!
Cash Price: $8,000
Buy On Terms
Terms Price: $1,500 down and $299 per month 28 months
Size: 10.78 Acres
State: New Mexico
County: Cibola
Legal Description: SUBD: CHARLIES RIDGES LOT: 1 10.78 AC MISTY PINE HILL 87357
Center Point: 34.923167, -108.509401
GPS Coordinates:
General Elevation: 7470 ft.
Power: In the area
Water: Would be well or Alternative System
Sewer: Alternative System
Roads: Dirt
Property Tax: $145.46
Time Limit to Build: No Limit
Closing/Doc Fee: $250
About the Seller:
Hello, Land buyers I am Willie G! I am born and raised in the Chicago land area and I am offering a wide variety of acreage in the sunny state of California. While I strongly considered investing in the land out here in my local area, I figured buying somewhere with a more desirable climate made more sense from a practical standpoint. I lived in the California inland empire for four years and fell in love with the warm climate, the laid-back culture, and the immaculate beauty of the state. While I have invested in land in five states, I have chosen to focus on sunny Southern California I know I have provided many quality lots to my buyers in this area.
Over time, I have tested and refined my system for buying land at unbelievable discounts and passing the savings on to my buyers. On average, I sell these vacant lots for 50-80% below market value and I am not interested in squeezing out more profit in each transaction. My goal selling land is not to make a lot of money on each lot, but to sell many lots over time and have satisfied customers who want to continue buying land from me over and over again.
If you have any questions or concerns about any properties and want to talk with me personally, reach out and I am happy to discuss. Thanks for reading and happy land-buying!
– Willie G


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The Persona 5 "Revealing the Phantom Thieves" live stream will be happening soon and you'll be able to follow updates as they happen through our liveblog.
Event Schedule
The links where the live stream can be seen are:
This post will be updated as new information becomes available. Make sure to follow this page for up-to-date information on the latest Persona 5 related event.
What to Expect
Taking place at E3 2016, the following are some of what the live stream will potentially entail:
- Direct feed gameplay footage seen previously at the E3 2016 gameplay demonstration presentation.
- Shenanigans by the Persona Stalker Club hosts.
- Shigenori Soejima appearing as a guest during the stream to talk about the game.
The "Take Tokyo Tower" Persona 5 live stream event preceded this one last month, on May 5, 2016.
Persona 5 is slated to be released for the PS3 and PS4 in Japan on September 15, 2016, with a February 14, 2017 North American release date.
Atlus (2017-04-04)


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Council Home
Support Scouting
Find a Unit
Youth Protection
Youth Protection Training: This training increases awareness in youth protection issues, reviews all of the BSA youth protection policies and is required for all of the Leader training awards. Youth Protection Training is required for all registered leaders participating in any nationally conducted event or activity and is recommended for anyone working directly with the youth. Youth Protection training is available online or through your district. Time to complete varies. Youth Protection Training Online.
If you are already registered as a BSA member, you will need your Person ID Number, which appears on either your BSA membership card or your printed unit roster.
If you are not a current BSA member, you may still take the online training. Just leave the ID number space blank when you register, and print out the confirmation page at the end of your training and submit it to the council office.
For questions on your youth protection status, please contact the council registrar, Anna Marie Pepper at [email protected]
Follow @buckscountybsa


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The leading fertility specialists at Rotunda IVF in Dublin can provide expert advice to help you conceive and offer a complete range of fertility tests and treatments. If you are having difficulties conceiving please contact us or book an appointment with a fertility specialist.
Dr Renato Bauman
Clinical Director
PhD, Ob/Gyn Consultant, Subspecialist in Infertility
Renato graduated from University of Zagreb, Croatia in 1992. In 2000 he gained his MSc and in 2012 his PhD.
Dr Adeola Adewole
MBBCh, BAO, LRCSI&PI, MSc Repro, MRCPI, MRCOG
Dr Adeola Adewole graduated with Honours degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin in 2006.
Dr Osman Shamoun
Fertility Consultant
After Dr Shamoun graduated he was sponsored by the Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecology in London and joined a training scheme in obstetrics...


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A professional services business is considering relocating its headquarters to Fort Lauderdale from the East Coast, according to the city of Fort Lauderdale.
The company would bring 250 jobs with an average annual wage of $55,990, according to an item on the City Commission agenda Tuesday.
The undisclosed headquarters, expected to be located in the Cypress Creek Road area, would bring $6.8 million in economic investment to the region, according to a city analysis.
The Fort Lauderdale Commission is scheduled to consider a $750,000 economic incentives package to help sway the company toward moving to the city.
If the incentives are approved and the company chooses Fort Lauderdale, the city would pay $150,000, or 20 percent of the incentives, and the state would $600,000, or 80 percent.
The incentives would be in the form of tax refunds and only paid when job creation by the company is confirmed by the state.
Company relocations and expansions are kept confidential until the business signs incentive contracts with state and local government.
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Services we can organise for you:
Location, Wedding Breakfast, Photographer and Video, Transport, Music and Entertainment, Flowers and decoration, Wedding Cake, Hair and Make Up Artist, Italian Favours, Table plan, Invitations, Babysitting service and entertainment, Accommodation, Celebrant, Private tours, Legalities of getting married abroad.
Coordinating every aspect of your wedding from start to finish as well as being with you to oversee and manage your special day.
We will arrange meetings with suppliers negotiating rates and costs. Organising viewings to help you find your dream location
Meeting with us 6 weeks before your wedding date to go through all the wedding details making your day truely special.


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Green Malay Kratom Powder
If you want to talk about Kratom strains that have stood the test of time, in that conversation you need to refer to Green Malay Kratom, as well as many others. Green Malay Kratom comes from the forests that are found within Malaysia's mountainous countryside. This strain boasts 40 active alkaloidal properties within its chemical makeup, thus creating a powerful concoction for the user who is looking for both quality and high levels of Kratom powder influence. This higher concentration of mitragynine is important, of course, but what will turn your head about
this strain is the levels of 7-hydroxymitragynine which are flowing throughout the leaf. This strain has consistently been one of the most demanded strains of Kratom powder over the years, mostly for reasons I just mentioned. Each of our Kratom products is ethically harvested. We test our product in accordance with GMP regulation of square root of the lot size (n) + 1. Every lot we touch is tested 8+ times for salmonella, e.coli, staph, yeast, mold, and to confirm its 100% all-natural Mitragyna Speciosa.
You may be charged a small processing fee by your financial institution when paying by credit card. We are not responsible for this fee in the event of a refunded purchase.


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Concept/Innovative : 0.4 -Concept is well known now and it offers little new things to user. User need to arrange objects of same kind in group of 3 or more. User can purchase some items to enhance their character by using coins.
Usability: 0.8 - No complications.
Functionality/Correctness : 0.8 - No major issues found though sometimes objects doesn't vanish even after they are grouped into 3 or more.
User Interface : 0.5 - UI is average. Some objects/texts doesn't look appealing on iPad
Performance : 0.5 - Concept is widely used now. We expect more new features in it.
Review and Ratings:
Use below code to Display rating widget to your website


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Snug Harbor Marina and Motel
Effic. units on the water, dockage avail., pool, playground, BBQ area, conference room, A/C, HBO, water skiing, sunsets over the harbor. Limited pet friendly rooms. Wi-Fi available.
- Phone: (631) 668-2860
- Mailing Address:
3 Star Island Rd.
Montauk, NY 11954
- Location:
3 Star Island Rd.
Montauk, NY 11954
- Website: www.montauksnugharbor.com


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NOTE: We have released new android app version, please go HERE to download new app version.
Home » WWE: Story Time Season 4 » WWE: Story Time Season 4-episode-1-
When becoming members of the site, you could use the full range of functions and enjoy the most exciting films.
You may use socials, gmail, yahoo mail,...etc to login/register ;)
Connect with:


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This page is available under these URLs:
Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment
M. Dachler, I. Kernmayer, H. Spiegel and M. Mazorek:
Results of extensification experiments on arable land in Austria
The influence of two intensity levels of nitrogen fertilization and pesticide regime on yield, quality and income from common large-field crops under different climatic conditions was investigated at two sites in Lower Austria for a period of nine years.
• Yields were generally lower at the extensive level.
• With respect to quality traits, the protein content was generally higher at the intensive level, and only there did wheat attain values needed for classification as "quality wheat". Sugar content of sugar beets and fat content of rape were slightly higher at the extensive level.
• In general, higher proceeds (after deduction of treatment costs) were achieved at the dryer site with the intensive level and under more humid conditions with the extensive level. Leaving sugar beet out of consideration, the extensive level resulted in higher proceeds at both sites.
On the basis of relevant prices a reduction in the intensity level of nitrogen fertilization and pesticide regime is possible under the following conditions: Control of weeds can be achieved mechanically without the use of herbicides as long as no manual labor is required on a large, field-wide scale.
Nitrogen fertilization can be reduced as long as higher protein contents (especially in wheat) need not be attained.
Key words: extensification, nitrogen fertilization, pestizides, arable crops.


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Adults only (18+)
This website contains adult material and is only suitable for those 18 years or older. Click Enter only if you are at least 18 years of age.
or Exit
EZ DUZ IT ON ICE - E-Juice Ruthless Vapor - 60ml
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Ez Duz It on Ice E-Juice on Ice is the perfect of vape juice for those who love vaping and enjoying the luxuries of life. Every hit delivers a great combination of strawberries, watermelon and a subtle kick of menthol to round out a unique e-liquid flavor you won't find anywhere else.
Ratio: 85VG/15PG
Nicotine Levels: 0MG, 3MG, 6MG


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ABOUT: John Shook
A Confutation of both Sam Harris and Richard Carrier on Science and MoralitySeptember 5, 2013
I won't be submitting a 1,000 word "refutation" to Harris's challenge. My confutation of both Harris and Carrier takes less than 2,000 words.
Religion is the Opposite of HumanismAugust 31, 2013
Can humanism and religion sometimes agree on ethics? Sure, but not because religion got there first.
Skepticism and Humanism – Allies?August 23, 2013
If you could go back in time to ask Bertrand Russell, what would he say?
'Atheophobia' Hysteria?July 30, 2013
Has the slandering of atheism, long heard from religion, been detected as lurking treachery within our own secular ranks?
You Aren't Religious, But Who Are You?July 5, 2013
Just when you thought that categorizing types of nonreligious people was getting old….
Does the Internet Generation Have Its Own Priorities?May 25, 2013
If you're wondering what the Millennials could bring to any social movement, look at what they typically value.
Skepticism and ReligionMay 9, 2013
So the Skeptic "movement" really can't comment on what religion is all about, it seems.
Theology Just Won't Understand Human MoralityApril 30, 2013
Frustrated theologians just can't see how humanity can be moral all on its own.


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When searching for a good deal, it's best to be prepared for potential fluctuations in price. We recommend booking at least 52 days in advance, which can save you up to 32% on flights from Niagara Falls to Mexico compared to booking the week you need them. Waiting 52 days out may not be for everyone, so we have options available for flights within the next two weeks, with the lowest price starting at $302. For sooner than that we have options available in the next 3 days from $320.
May can be a great time to fly to Mexico from Niagara Falls with a flight ticket averaging about $263. Cheapflights users have found deals in the month of May for as cheap as $189. The most expensive prices can be found in the month of December.


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RAGAS & POLYPHONY: New works for multi-track Indian vocals, just intonation piano and tabla by Michael Harrison
The Latest Update
New version of an old Tarana features my collaboration with Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan
Tarana features Mashkoor Ali Khan singing one of his rare and old traditional taranas in raga Yaman Kalyan. He and guest vocalist Daisy Press also sing composed taans, harmony parts and countermelodies, with tabla played by Anindo Chatterjee's disciple Meghashyam Keshav, just intonation piano and tanpura played by me, and Western production techniques by Chris Botta. Although Indian classical music usually includes a lot of improvisation, this work is completely notated; yet the tightly structured 6-minute work allows for the music to come alive. Because Ustad is a master of a centuries old aural tradition, he has never needed to read music. Therefore we developed most of his parts based on things that he already knew, with countermelodies and harmony parts that he learned by ear.
To provide a little background for my work on this project, since 1978 I have studied and practiced singing Indian ragas on an almost daily basis, first as a disciple of the late Pandit Pran Nath, and his two foremost Western disciples, composers La Monte Young and Terry Riley, and since 1999 as a disciple of Mashkoor Ali Khan. When I was first getting started, La Monte encouraged me to study and practice the music in its pure form rather than creating hybrids. Whether consciously or not, I took his advice to the extreme. As a result, although practicing Indian music has profoundly influenced my life and work from the beginning, it has only been the past five years that I have directly used materials from the genre in my original works. La Monte's advice enabled me to dive much deeper into the music; and decades later, with relatively equal training and background in both Western and Indian classical music, it comes naturally for me to merge elements from these diverse traditions. As a result over the past few years I have shifted my riyaz (daily practice) from singing with the tanpura, to singing and playing ragas on the just intonation piano. It is incredibly rewarding to start each day exploring the merging of the two musical traditions that I love best. Now I am more excited than ever about the possibilities, and it is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream to collaborate with my Ustad!
Composer/pianist Michael Harrison has been a serious practitioner of North Indian classical music since 1979 and a disciple of the great Indian vocalist Mashkoor Ali Khan since 1999. This project will be the first of its kind by commissioning Harrison to compose new works for a CD and performances with Mashkoor Ali Khan, Anindo Chatterjee (tabla), and Harrison (piano and tanpura). The works will be composed using the basic structures and materials of Indian classical music including ragas (melodic archetypes), talas (rhythmic cycles), alap (non-rhythmic introduction and development), bandish (traditional vocal compositions), gamaks (melodic embellishments), taans (virtuosic riffs), and highly stylized structured improvisation. However, by adding pre-composed elements of multi-track Indian vocals and just intonation piano, the Western hallmarks of harmony and polyphony will also become integral elements of the music.
Harrison, Khan, and Chatterjee will give numerous performances before recording a CD featuring the commissioned works with Grammy-winning classical producer Adam Abeshouse. The American Academy of Indian Classical Music is sponsoring the recording and will cover all expenses associated with the production of the album.
Project Media
Jaunpuri (Rendition of a Raga) (2015) is a composition by Michael Harrison based on a traditional Indian raga and rare old vocal composition. The work is recorded by Mashkoor Ali Khan (Indian vocals), Kimball Gallagher (piano), Anirban Chowdhury (tabla), and Aaron Shraage (tanpura). Jaunpuri combines Western compositional structures and harmony with materials of Indian classical music including raga (melody), tala (rhythmic cycles), alap (intro), bandish (fixed composition), gamaks (embellishments), taans (riffs) and structured improvisation.
Just Constellations, composed by Michael Harrison, was commissioned by Roomful of Teeth and premiered at MASS MoCA in August 2015. This work is included as an example of layering voices in just intonation and to provide a premonition into the sound world that Harrison will explore by multi-tracking Indian vocals with Mashkoor Ali Khan.
The New York Times wrote "Michael Harrison's 'Just Constellations'… proved particularly arresting, a celestial soundscape of gorgeous harmonies… the notes rang out like a jubilantly microtonal choir of bells."
"Ascension" is the third and final movement of "Just Ancient Loops," Harrison's collaboration with filmmaker Bill Morrison and cellist Maya Beiser. The work is a 25-minute musical odyssey for an orchestra of cellos, with each cello part recorded separately by Beiser in the studio. This work is included as an example of Harrison's more rhythmic and polyphonic work layering and multi-tracking a single instrument.
Harrison & Beiser's "Time Loops" CD featuring "Just Ancient Loops" was selected for NPR's "Top 10 Classical Albums of 2012."
Start and End Dates
05/01/2017 — 07/15/2018
New York, New York
Project Created By
In Collaboration With
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Article Category
January/February 2013 Content ▾
- The Art of Branding
- Pricing Your Worth: Tips For Deciding Costs And Promoting Cosmetic Procedures
- The Full Package: Experience Counts
- The Subliminal Difference: Sell The Outcome
- Ethics Of Aesthetics: Patient Management
- Editorial Board Forum: Can We Avoid The Commoditization Of Aesthetic Medicine?
- Consistent Demand: How To Avoid A First Quarter Decline
- Hot Aesthetic Trends In 2013
- Modern Aesthetics: Partner in Your Evolution
- News & Trends
- Research Briefs
- New in My Practice: Cosmeceuticals
- New in My Practice: Devices
- Eczema: Treatment And Management For ALL AGES
- New Products
- Opening a Practice
- Aesthetic Marketing Matters
- What's the Big Idea?
- More Patients "Liking" Aesthetic Procedures
- Meeting Notes
More Patients "Liking" Aesthetic Procedures
As growing numbers of patients acknowledge the influence of social media on their decisions to undergo aesthetic procedures, facial plastic surgeons are seeing, an "increased sophistication of the public," according to Robert Kellman, MD, President of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS). In response to results of the annual poll of 752 AAFPRS board-certified facial plastic surgeon members, he says increasingly savvy patients are welcome in the aesthetic space, and that their attitudes demonstrate a growing overall acceptance of aesthetic procedures.
According to the survey, facial plastic surgeons have seen a 31% increase in requests for surgery as a result of social media photo sharing. The social media influence, along with findings that suggest a phenomenon of female bonding through aesthetic procedures, suggests that "acceptance of procedures is growing," Dr. Kellman says. AAFPRS members report a 16% increase in mother-daughter procedures, and a 12% increase in sister-sister procedures. Importantly, Dr. Kellman stresses, "Patients' willingness to discuss procedures and be open about having them doesn't mean that someone wants to look 'done'."
Surgeons must continue to be sensitive to patients' needs, applying their skill and expertise to provide results that are "as natural as possible." At the same time, Dr. Kellman, stresses, it is important to identify a patient's motivation for seeking aesthetic enhancement. Peer or family support are beneficial, he says, while any sort of pressure clearly is not. "We do not want to have patients seek surgery based on someone else's perception of them," he maintains. Patients who are themselves interested in procedures and are then referred by someone they know tend to be more comfortable about undergoing procedures.
That "patients are becoming more sophisticated, more knowledgeable," is reflected in the way they talk to their physicians, as well, Dr. Kellman says. Survey results show that there was a 31% increase in requests for surgery as a result of social media photo sharing. Furthermore, respondents noted that only a small minority of patients (7%) ask for celebrity procedures, while a majority (53%) ask for a procedure by area of concern, and more than a quarter (28%) asking for procedures by name.
The desire for natural looking outcomes may contribute to an overall increase in the use of combination procedures by facial plastic surgeons, Dr. Kellman offers, noting that growth in combinations was not directly assessed by the current data. The latest figures do, however, show a resurgence of surgical procedures, an increase in procedures among men, and a growth in demand among members of ethnic minorities. Look for more on these trends in the next edition of Modern Aesthetics.


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Weight loss camp
A weight loss camp, also known as a weight loss resort, retreat, or holiday, is a type of residential program where people who are …
Chris Powell: Extreme Weight Loss Guru
Trainer moves in with his super-obese clients to help them lose weight.
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WEIGHT LOSS WONDER. People who ate more of THIS fat burning food lost an extra 2 pounds: http://t.co/qfjH8Gho
Weight Loss Pill Qsymia 'Gaining Traction'
Analysts say sales of the prescription weight loss drug are up, but some critics still don't support it.


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Liberty Hall Historic Site consists of two historic houses—Liberty Hall and the Orlando Brown House—surrounded by four acres of lawns and gardens. Until further notice, the Orlando Brown House is closed to the public, but guests can see Liberty Hall on guided tours offered Monday-Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Please note: We will be closed for the season from December 16, 2020 - March 13, 2021. We will re-open for tours on March 15, 2021.
Guests are asked to purchase tickets online and arrive at the front door of Liberty Hall, located at 218 Wilkinson Street, at the tour time. Until further notice, there is no indoor waiting area. In keeping with Kentucky requirements that museums "enforce social distancing and masking when patrons and staff are in close proximity or passing by each other," masks are required unless prevented by a medical condition. We also ask that guests in separate households practice physical distancing.
The first part of the tour interprets the years 1801-1838.The tour guide will introduce first-floor rooms and work areas restored to the early decades of the 19th century. Guests will see the elegant lifestyle of Senator John Brown and his family as well as learn about the enslaved people who made that lifestyle possible The second floor houses the Senator John Brown Library and Archives, a furniture exhibit, Kentucky Made, and the bedroom where the famous Gray Lady Ghost has been spotted. Guests may explore the exhibit and the bedroom on their own. After touring Liberty Hall, guests are invited to see the garden on their own.
Virtual Tours
Behind-the-Scenes Attic Tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x3uMI35bqg
Inside the lives of the Stepney family: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_smcVIBtAFI
Formal Parlor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pr1gBf5WAc
Liberty Hall Historic Site is located on Wilkinson Street between Main and Wapping Streets in downtown Frankfort, Kentucky. For a map and driving directions click here.
Tour Prices
$9 for adults (18+)
$7 for seniors (60+)
$4 for youth (6-18)
Free for children ages 5 and under
Free for National Society of Colonial Dames members and their families
Group tours are not available at this time.
Liberty Hall is not wheelchair accessible. To access the first floor, guests must climb 5 steps, and to access the laundry and restrooms, guests must descend 4 steps.
Customer Care Policy
The staff at Liberty Hall Historic Site are dedicated to providing high-quality, friendly services to all our guests. To meet Kentucky Healthy-at-Work guidelines, staff are wearing masks and following CDC guidelines for disinfection by cleaning high-touch surfaces before every tour. There are hand-sanitizing stations in several locations in the building.
Click here to read our customer care policy.


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In China's Industrial Centers, Lung Disease and Hard Choices
Posted by fidest press agency su lunedì, 5 novembre 2018
ON ANY GIVEN day at the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University in Shijiazhuang, an industrial city roughly 200 miles south of Beijing in northwestern China, a wall of ailing patients can be found tethered to breathing machines. In many cases, they are there after years of smoking. But when asked, most will also recall decades of breathing other noxious stuff: thick smog, combustion dust, and other contaminants churned into the air by the region's vast panorama of industry.Liu Wenzhi, a grocer who now suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, recalled clouds of fine white powder from nearby ceramic and cement factories. They swirled constantly above his vegetable stand in Handan, he said, and he tried not to look up at the sky, to avoid getting dust in his eyes and his mouth. Li Baozhi, a fellow COPD patient, worked in power plant construction, where dust and, later, soot would be regular byproducts.It's a potent cocktail, and in April, a group of four-dozen Chinese doctors and researchers confirmed what these men, their doctors, and surely millions of modern Chinese citizens already knew: Just like smoking, long-term exposure to high concentrations of PM2.5 pollution — microscopic, airborne particles 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter — significantly increases the risk of COPD. The epidemiological study of more than 50,000 people across the nation, published in The Lancet, noted in particular that annual mean exposure to levels of PM2.5 greater than 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air — a common condition in many Chinese cities — was associated with a significantly higher rate of COPD even among people who never smoked.Patients like these face difficult choices. On the one hand, they have been told to stay indoors to avoid inhaling pollutants that can worsen their COPD. And yet, they must venture outside in order to access treatments they hope will prolong their lives. In this way, they are not so different from their fast-growing country, which also faces excruciating either-or choices as it tries to balance economic growth with the need to clean up its spectacularly dirty air. China's leadership is now working diligently to navigate the myriad trade-offs — sometimes with a brutal efficiency."You have to pay attention to two weather conditions: One is gale, high wind, which brings heavy dust. The other is a cold day with 'big fog,'" said Li Fengchen, a farmer and another COPD sufferer. "I will not walk outside on those days."