Where are you going tonight?

[jimbo]

Been to a couple of gigs this last week. Foals in Liverpool were incredibly good, and well worth a look. That was a brilliant night.

Went to see Florence at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool last night, which was less brilliant. I've seen her before and really enjoyed her, but that was a shorter set. She's not really got the depth of material to entertain a big venue as a headliner. There was just something lacking in it all, which is a shame as she's one of my favourite artists and it's one of my favourite venues!

[Bruce Rioja]

Went to see Florence at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool last night, which was less brilliant. I've seen her before and really enjoyed her, but that was a shorter set. She's not really got the depth of material to entertain a big venue as a headliner. There was just something lacking in it all, which is a shame as she's one of my favourite artists and it's one of my favourite venues!

See, I've seen this happen before, when a band/artist become all-of-a-sudden-successful, that the emphasis moves sharply from writing more stuff to going with what you've got around bigger venues. I assume it's pressure from the record company really, but is often counter-productive.

[jimbo]

Went to see Florence at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool last night, which was less brilliant. I've seen her before and really enjoyed her, but that was a shorter set. She's not really got the depth of material to entertain a big venue as a headliner. There was just something lacking in it all, which is a shame as she's one of my favourite artists and it's one of my favourite venues!

See, I've seen this happen before, when a band/artist become all-of-a-sudden-successful, that the emphasis moves sharply from writing more stuff to going with what you've got around bigger venues. I assume it's pressure from the record company really, but is often counter-productive.

It's a strange situation. There's the demand out there - the tour sold out pretty much straight away, but she's probably not ready for it. Also, I'm not sure how she likes actually settling down in the studio recording. IIRC she was touring and gaining reputation for around a year before she released her debut, so maybe she's just carrying on doing that. I still maintain that she's talented and entertaining with a belting voice, but needs to beef up the catalogue. Others I went with enjoyed it, but me and another were a little disappointed, but maybe that's due to a recent run of great gigs.

[Lord Kangana]

She'll need to become more than Beth Orton-lite to take the next step.

[clapton is god]

Catching the matinee performance at The Royal Exchange this afternoon, Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, an 'anarchic and magical' comedy with the tag line 'Twelfth Night Meets Fawlty Towers'!

This is only my second Shakespeare comedy and I'm seeing it as a direct result of seeing Midsummer Nights Dream at the Octagon earlier this year. Enjoyed that immensely so very much looking forward to this production.

Not seen this production but comedy of Errors a brilliant, hilarious and very silly farce... i love it...

Really, really excellent! Was it a Brian Rix farce or by Shakespeare? Even had lewd bawdy jokes in it - but no trousers falling down. Yes, a full on farce. Very witty that Mr Shakespeare was. The whole audience (and it was a completely full house) was falling about laughing. Tremendous fun.

You've missed your chance to see it now, I'm afraid. The run ended yesterday evening.

[William the White]

Catching the matinee performance at The Royal Exchange this afternoon, Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, an 'anarchic and magical' comedy with the tag line 'Twelfth Night Meets Fawlty Towers'!

This is only my second Shakespeare comedy and I'm seeing it as a direct result of seeing Midsummer Nights Dream at the Octagon earlier this year. Enjoyed that immensely so very much looking forward to this production.

Not seen this production but comedy of Errors a brilliant, hilarious and very silly farce... i love it...

Really, really excellent! Was it a Brian Rix farce or by Shakespeare? Even had lewd bawdy jokes in it - but no trousers falling down. Yes, a full on farce. Very witty that Mr Shakespeare was. The whole audience (and it was a completely full house) was falling about laughing. Tremendous fun.

You've missed your chance to see it now, I'm afraid. The run ended yesterday evening.

That's ok - seen it four times before, including - a fave - about 15 years ago at the octagon, set present day, on a greek holiday isle, where they'd taken the majority of seats out and turned the theatre into a beach, souvenir shop, cafe etc... Directed by romy baskerville, brilliant and hilarious...

[CAPSLOCK]

Thats a blast from the past

What a name, Romy Baskerville

Ex corrie, lived near The Rocket

[William the White]

Thats a blast from the past

What a name, Romy Baskerville

Ex corrie, lived near The Rocket

Correct - did you see her production of Comedy of Errors?

Or her articles in Tripe n Trotters?

[CAPSLOCK]

Was it on Sky?

No, I didn't, but I've just seen she has Supajohn on her friends list

Looks like a bit of a commie

[General Mannerheim]

i think you must be a pretty depraved miserable bastard to actually dislike the Hangover, it might not be your cup of tea, but its just easy going harmless fun. Personally I absolutely love it, but then im also a Vegaslomaniac!

But i do see your point about Four Lions, its just not what you have come to expect from Chris Morris. still undoubtedly funny, but to quote a review i read this morning...

Four Lions is, however, a solid comedy from the tradition of Dad's Army et al, but falls frustratingly short of the potential offered by the subject matter and by the pedigree of the writers and director. I was expecting to leave the cinema with a traditional Chris Morris-instilled mind-wrenching cavalcade of existential bleakness to wrestle with. Instead, I quickly forgot about the film, and carried on with my evening.

i watched Cemetery Junction last week and could not stop smirking about it all the way home, (same with the Hangover) but like the reviewer said, this film just dosent effect you that way.

[P.O.S.]

I agree with what you said on the other thread about Four Lions being more slapstick than satirical and I was laughing at it often, I did find parts of it extremely funny, I think my disappointment came from knowing who had made it and not being given something resembling something like Brass Eye, or the Six Months That Changed A Year thing he co-wrote.

I think I just came away feeling that one of many different comedy writer/directors could have been responsible for Four Lions rather than being able to say "that was Chris Morris' doing!". I saw a review on youtube by that Mark Kermode the other day, he summed it up well. It's been interesting to see how little coverage and outrage there has been about it, even the Daily Mail gave it 4 out of 5!

[General Mannerheim]

I agree with what you said on the other thread about Four Lions being more slapstick than satirical and I was laughing at it often, I did find parts of it extremely funny, I think my disappointment came from knowing who had made it and not being given something resembling something like Brass Eye, or the Six Months That Changed A Year thing he co-wrote.

I think I just came away feeling that one of many different comedy writer/directors could have been responsible for Four Lions rather than being able to say "that was Chris Morris' doing!". I saw a review on youtube by that Mark Kermode the other day, he summed it up well. It's been interesting to see how little coverage and outrage there has been about it, even the Daily Mail gave it 4 out of 5!

apparently it was them two from The Peep Show who co-wrote Four Lions, which figures tbf.

[as]

Four Lions for me toneet, it'd better be good!

Frst time at the pics since that Paranormal Activity, which was utter guff.

[Bruce Rioja]

Watched Four Lions last night. There isn't a single thing that I could possibly add to, nor indeed take away from P.O.S's exacting take on it. OK, but way short of expectancy.

[William the White]

Octagon brochure for next season arrived... Looks another unmissable season to me... personal highlights... Streetcar Named Desire - just brilliant play, poetic, moving, vicious... Love on the Dole - really moving northern drama... Romeo and Juliet - I just know this will be another David Thacker special - the brochure hints at a Tarantino influence...

Can't wait... Rafta Rafta on Friday... will report...

[CAPSLOCK]

Speaking of which

Read some Bill Naughton as a youngster - was only 2 minutes ago I discovered he wasn't from Bolton - so in Traff Centre Waterstones t'other day and I thought I'd buy a couple for the kids

Not one BN title on the shelves

Is Sweetens still trading?

[William the White]

Rafta Rafta at the octagon tonight. Very, very funny. Great script that takes the naughton original and replants it into a bolton asian family. And it's utterly convincing. Seems to fit like a glove.

One more great show in a great, great season.

Seriously, the octagon the best producing theatre in the entire region.

Was also the official launch of the new season. Again looks tremendous.

[William the White]

Speaking of which

Read some Bill Naughton as a youngster - was only 2 minutes ago I discovered he wasn't from Bolton - so in Traff Centre Waterstones t'other day and I thought I'd buy a couple for the kids

Not one BN title on the shelves

Is Sweetens still trading?

Grew up in Bolton though - from something like 8 years old. But I'm told retained an Irish lilt all his life. Not sure which, if any, are still in print. Amazon probably the way to go.

[clapton is god]

Rafta Rafta at the octagon tonight. Very, very funny. Great script that takes the naughton original and replants it into a bolton asian family. And it's utterly convincing. Seems to fit like a glove.

One more great show in a great, great season.

Seriously, the octagon the best producing theatre in the entire region.

Was also the official launch of the new season. Again looks tremendous.

Excellent. Glad to hear it, I was wondering if this one would live up to the high standards set previously.

We're there tonight so I'll let you know what we thought.

I'm pretty sure we will get season tickets again once the holidays are out of the way.

[bobby5]

Here