HP & the Goblet of Fire: Page vs Screen

The great HP re-read continues with Goblet of Fire, and this time I managed to squeeze in a re-watch too. This was the story I could remember the least about. I realised it’s been 16 years since I first read the book (feel old? Don’t give me a panic attack) and 11 since I saw the film.

It’s definitely the darkest HP story so far. This is where shizz gets real. The fun of the last three books is still evident but the story is streaked with dark overtones and takes a sinister turn in its final act, paving the way for final three books. By the last few pages there’s a real sense of the beginning of the end.

The story opens in Voldemort’s dilapidated former home. He’s hiding out with Wormtail and Nagini when he is interrupted by muggle Frank, who he quickly executes. It’s quite a disturbing start to the story and I remember as a ten year old noticing the shift in tone. The plot continues with lots of references to missing people, wizards tortured into insanity (poor Neville) and the introduction of three terrible curses. I’ve said before that JK is able to skilfully handle adult themes whilst maintaining a focus on her younger audience. Well, this is even more evident in this story.

This is also the story where Ron, Hermione and Harry start…well…erm….noticing the opposite sex. I totally missed this the first time round (well…I was ten!) but Ron’s crush on Hermione is so obvious and quite cute to read. (I know. I’ll vomit later.) It did strike me as a bit weird though that Viktor Krum is supposed to be 18 and Hermione is supposed to be 14.  I don’t think many 18 year olds nowadays would want to pursue 14 year olds.  Also, why does everyone suddenly have long hair? Harry…Ron…Neville…all the boys have suddenly developed floppy long locks! Perhaps the Hogwarts Hairdresser was another of Voldemort’s victims…..

The biggest shock of the fourth book is the death of Cedric Diggory. Knowing Cedric is about to meet a grisly end certainly adds a chilling dynamic to his introduction. It’s clear his father,Amos, idolises him which makes his final appearance even more upsetting. Reading/watching Cedric gear up for the final task with the knowledge he won’t survive is actually awful and almost unbearable. I actually wept (stop chucking) during the film as everyone celebrated the end of the tournament, slowly realising Harry was crouched over Cedric’s body. Wow, talk about dark. Amos’ cries of ‘That’s my son!’ nearly broke me *sniff*. His actual death, in both versions of the story, is so swift and sudden. It’s genuinely shocking and you can’t help feel that he deserves a farewell speech or heroic moment or something. Cedric is built into a key character throughout the story, and comes across as a decent, genuine guy. Then flash. He’s dead. Just because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. How cruel. I suppose this re-establishes Voldemort’s ruthlessness and the fact that he’s just so damn evil. What a bastard, eh?

Anyway, here are five things missing from the film that are awesome in the book.

• P.E.W. – Remember Hermione’s civil rights campaign for house elves? I’d forgotten all about it to, but her determination makes for some fun scenes.
• Dobby – Our favourite little elf was cut from the film but plays an integral part in the book, handing Harry the gillyweed he uses in the second Triwizard task. In the film, Neville gives him the weed (*ahem*) which does kind of make sense with him being a top herbologist.
• Blast ended Skrewts and the Sphinx – No, this isn’t a hip new indie band. There’s quite an absence of magical creatures in the movie compared to the book, with unicorns and flobberworms also not making it to the big screen. Although the mermaids, dragons and grindylows are visually brilliant, it would have been nice to see the odd Skrewt appear.
• Beetle Skeeter – Journalist Rita Skeeter’s subplot it tied up quite neatly in the final chapter of the book, as Hermione reveals her to be an unregistered animagus who can transform herself into a beetle. In the film, no reason is given for her ability to seek out secret scoops.
• Ludo Bagman, Peeves, Bill and Charlie Weasley – These characters, particularly Bagman, play vital parts throughout various plots in the book but sadly don’t appear in the film. Ah, the curse of the edit strikes again. Let’s just blame Voldemort. Or the Hogwarts Hairdresser. 

Review: After Alice by Gregory Maguire

The first book on my 2016 reading list was After Alice by Gregory Maguire. Maguire’s signature move is to take familiar tales and flip them on their head. This time it was the turn of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. After Alice begins shortly after Alice has taken that faithful tumble and we join Ada on the search for her friend. Ada encounters Alice’s snooty older sister, Lydia, who is reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream beneath a tree. The story splits off here as we follow both girls in the aftermath of Alice’s disappearance. Ada finds herself crashing into Wonderland whilst Lydia remains above ground, bickering with the Victorian servants and falling for the charms of an American gent.

It’s this split in storytelling that makes After Alice a bit…well…odd. It’s hard for me to criticize Maguire’s work (because I really do think he’s a genius) but I can’t help feeling like After Alice is a bit rushed. The majority of the story takes place above ground in Victorian Oxford. A place which, let’s face it, is considerably less interesting than Wonderland. I found myself hoping that the next chapter would rejoin Ada down under but was disappointed to find another chapter set in the grounds of Alice’s home. It feels like Maguire has wasted an opportunity to Oz-ify Wonderland – expose the darkness and revel in the absurd. That’s what he does best. Ada’s encounters with the inhabitants of Wonderland – particularly the Mad Hatter and the March Hare – do feel wonderfully genuine and reminiscent of Carroll’s original creations. Maguire has certainly captured the quirky style of Carrol but too much time is spent in the real world. It feels like Alice is having all the fun in Wonderland and we’re stuck on the wrong side of the rabbit hole, missing out on one hell of a party.

It’s not that I didn’t enjoy this book, it’s just that I was expecting more from it. Wonderland, like Oz, is an impossible place and therefore bursting with possibilities. To get the chance to write in a setting like this is a writers dream and, whilst it’s clear Maguire has a lot of admiration for Carrol’s work, it feels like more could have been made of his opportunity to explore this world. There are some lovely moments – Ada’s freedom from her iron equipment, Siam’s decision to stay and a reference to Victorian’s needing a whacky fantasy novel – and Maguire has created a likeable character in Ada.

The Wonderland stuff works pretty well. It just feels like we should have more of it. The London based stuff is where the novel sinks slightly. A lot of conversations seem more like extracts from a thesis rather than a novel and I’m not really surely what the point of Lydia’s hinted relationship with Mr Winter was. It was an interesting touch to have Charles Darwin appear as a friend of Mr Winter’s and Alice’s father. Darwin and Carrol are two figureheads of the era so Darwin’s presence feels right. His final words on the human being’s capacity for imagination is also a neat way to end the story.

Overall, After Alice is a must for any fan of Maguire or Carroll but don’t expect another Wicked. The front cover declares it a ‘Christmas gift to the dear reader of Wicked in memory of Alice in Wonderland.’ I think this is pretty accurate. I’d be grateful to read any new work from Maguire, particularly if it’s within his fantasy style, and After Alice does feel like a love letter to Carroll’s work, but to not explore Wonderland further, Maguire is clearly mad. Then again, all the best people are.

Review: Harry Potter 1,2&3

This year I decided to take a leap back into my youth and re-read a set of books that were a permanent fixture throughout my childhood. I first read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone when I was 11 years old. Fourteen years later, and the same book had me gripped all over again. There is something magic about Rowling’s work. She manages to discuss so many adult themes within these books – loss, death, betrayal – whilst ensuring they are still appealing to that younger audience. Philosopher’s masterfully introduces the wonderful wizarding world and its inhabitants, setting us with up for a journey that will last a further six books. I think it is a faultless children’s book, offering plenty of escapism, without being too childish for us adults either. I used to dream of worlds like this when I was a child and suddenly there was a whole book based around that dream!

When I re-read Chamber of Secrets I was struck by the cleverness of the plot. It really is the perfect whodunit! All the subtle references to snakes and events of the past are tied up beautifully at the end and I was almost jealous of my younger self for reading the story without knowing the outcome. The reveal of Tom Riddle’s true identity is beautifully written and a real surprise (to my younger self).  Rowling finds a neat way of using her main antagonist without actually using him (if that makes sense!) which means fans don’t get bored of Voldemort (after the first book, he doesn’t actually appear again until the fourth, but his presence is certainly felt.)

After plunging back into the non-muggle world, I was keen to move on to Prisoner of Azkaban. Again, I could not put this book down, even though I knew what was coming. The world Rowling creates through her descriptions of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade is wonderful. It really fizzes through the pages in Harry’s third outing. The subplots of Hermione’s timeturner and Scabbers’ apparent illness also pay off in the big finale and prove to be more highly significant details that Rowling has seeded through book. She create a brilliant faux-villain in Sirius Black and it’s really heartbreaking when Sirius is forced into hiding, meaning poor Harry is sentenced back to life with the Dursley’s.

Reading these books reminded me of that excitement I would feel on the eve of a HP release. It was like Christmas Eve. My mum would head to town at midnight to buy the book for me, so that when I woke up it would be there. I remember the weight of it. Running my hand over the cover. Studying the artwork. Then the reading would begin. I would read at EVERY opportunity until I had finished. I have never loved a book like I loved the Harry Potter books. Now, as an adult and a writer, I can appreciate their brilliance on a whole new level. To all wannabe authors, Rowling is the perfect teacher. You can tell that she immersed herself fully into this world and truly loved creating these characters and their stories. When it comes to writing, Rowling is a wizard.

A Day at Wales Comic Con 2015

 29^TH November 7.30am.

My alarm goes off. Fuzzy from the wine the night before, I burrow deeper into my cocoon of blankets and try to think whether it’s a week day and if I have to get up for school. (FYI, I don’t drink on school nights. Thought I’d better clear that one up).Then I realise – it’s Comic Con day! Suddenly enthused, I’m up, showered and dressed within half an hour.

I have loved Wales Comic Con since my first visit in 2013. This event has something to offer for everyone and we always consider ourselves so lucky that we have something like this so close to home. The entry queue is always enormous – a testimony to just how popular it is – but, weather permitting, the queue is one of the best parts. The buzz as the people begin to arrive is amazing and it’s great to see so many people putting in so much effort to cosplay. This is an event that people really care about. Each year we comment on what a lovely atmosphere the whole event has. There’s never any trouble, everyone is friendly and there to have a good time. People chat to each other in the queue as if they go back years. It’s a refreshing change and a great opportunity to meet some amazing people as well as try to spot Doughnut Guy (selling…not ‘dressed as’) as he mixes with the crowd, selling refreshments and cracking jokes. (OK. This might not be for everyone but it has become a bit of a tradition for us. Doughnut Guy is becoming just as much of a legend as the folks signing autographs….)

Once you’re inside the Con, that’s when things get even more exciting. The main hall is geek-central (doesn’t that sound like the best place?) with stalls and stars galore. The stalls this year were fantastic, as with every year, offering everything from homemade geeky trinkets (check out my Fourth Doctor Dragon courtesy of Goblin Dreams) to the most fantastic (and under-priced) fudge I’ve had in a long time.  If you’re after something quirky and interesting then this is the place to find it. There are also tons of comics, books, prints and memorabilia to buy – it’s dangerous time to have it so close to Christmas!

Now, I’m a Torchwood fan and the past few WCC’s have given me the chance to talk to (A.K.A., stand awkwardly in front of person whilst staring at the floor and muttering ‘hello’ like some sort of lunatic) the cast. Eve Myles, Naoko Mori and Gareth David Lloyd have all had the pleasure of seeing my most star-struck facial expression. (There was also an embarrassing incident with Shane Richie which I can never repeat. Ever.) Each one of them has been absolutely lovely and completely down to earth. I’m so used to seeing Gareth (first name terms there) now that he was stood right next to me yesterday and I didn’t turn into a gawping, stuttering mess. The teenage-me would never have thought I’d be so calm about standing next to Ianto Jones. Further proof that Comic Con is amazing.

Finally there’s the Q&A sessions. In the past we’ve only visited the Torchwood Q&A which never fails to be totally hilarious as well as totally X-rated. Yesterday was no exception with Gareth, Naoko and Kai Owen answering questions on everything from the best kisser to Ianto’s shrine. We also got chance to see the first WCC Doctor Who panel featuring Sylvester McCoy, Colin Baker and Terry Molloy. Watching them discuss google glass was like watching your grandads discuss technology and it was interesting to hear their thoughts on the new series (12 year old Doctors, CGI, Jennifer Lawrence and sonic sunglasses featuring heavily).

In recent years, WCC has become a bi-annual event, which is bloody brilliant as it means we don’t have to wait as long until the next one. I would recommend this event to anyone. It’s a fun-filled day run by people who genuinely care about your experience and, again, it’s incredible that we have something like this in Wrexham.

5.30pm

As the kettle boils, I look out of the window and spot a bunch of cosplayers heading from the direction of the Uni. They are huddled together against the rain but still have excited grins across their faces. The weather hasn’t ruined their fun. I admire my new dragon which is perched on the top of my bookcase. He’s looking pretty cool. As I settle down with a mug of tea, I look forward to April, when I can buy him some little friends.

Goodbye, Clara Oswald.

 

This weekend Clara Oswald faced the raven and bid a tearful farewell to the TARDIS. After months of speculation, Clara met a surprising end after risking her life in a fashion only the Doctor could survive.

In this house, a tear was shed when Clara realised the repercussions of her actions and bravely accepted her fate. Although, in my opinion, nothing will top the traumatic departure of Donna Noble (‘Binary binary binary’ *gasps*), Clara’s farewell did seem fitting for her character. Some might argue it was a demure, I would say it was chillingly humble, given the peril Clara has faced in the past. It just highlights how dangerous travelling with the Doctor can be and the vulnerability of his human companions.

Clara growing more Doctor-like has been a theme of this series and the foreshadowing of previous episodes certainly paid off. Over the last few weeks I have found myself cringing each time Clara has almost over stepped the mark and grown more and more reckless. That raven had her number from the start of this series and sooner or later it was going to catch her.

Clara has become the longest serving companion (since 2005) and she’s been part of many classic Who memories. Her first introduction in Asylum of the Daleks was brilliant! What an introduction. It was one of those surprise jump-out-of-your-seat moments that Doctor Who does so well. Clara (or rather…sort of…Oswin) was instantly likeable and the twist at the end was another memorable moment. Then we jumped to Clara running round the streets of Victorian London at Christmas, which was lots of fun, capped with another surprise twist…as Clara died. Again. Another great moment was the flash forward to modern day at the end of the episode, with the real (at last) Clara finally being revealed. Goosebumps.

There were some dodgy times in Clara’s pre-50th stint but one of her defining moments came in the cold open of The Name of the Doctor. Another amazing Who moment. That opening sequence was able to produce more squeaks of excitement than a whole episode and the idea of Clara being spliced through the Doctor’s time stream in order to save him was a remarkable move my Moffat. Clara was suddenly incredibly important.

Jenna Coleman had excellent chemistry with Matt Smith and I was worried about how Clara would work with Capaldi’s Doctor. Jenna and Peter have worked beautifully though and the way Clara has slowly moved from being the Doctor’s apprentice to carer to equal has been great to watch.

It’s also worth mentioning Clara’s tragic romance with Danny Pink. When Pink died, Clara was bereft and after initially severing herself from the Doctor’s life through her own grief, she was tempted back into the TARDIS this year. It was clear that Danny’s death had changed Clara. After initially being morose, she became intent on living her life to the full, even if it did mean throwing herself into dangerous situations.

It was this attitude that caused her downfall. The moment in Face the Raven when Clara recklessly dangled above London, laughing as she clasped to the TARDIS doors made me feel genuinely nauseous. Clara was heading for trouble. Confidently taking it upon herself to save poor Rigsy, without reading the small print, was an admirable but costly move for Clara. That finally conversation with the Doctor will be remembered for a very long time and it was a smart move for the writers to make the Doctor promise Clara he wouldn’t seek revenge. That was certainly a very Clara thing to do and reminded us just how much she knew the Doctor (‘You’re going to be alone now….and that’s not good for you…’ *sniff*).

Played perfectly by Jenna Coleman, Clara Oswald has made Who history for many reasons, and has given us some incredible moments that will never be forgotten.

Goodbye to The Impossible Girl.

 

 

Review: Wicked by Gregory Maguire

Warning: This blog contains spoilers.

In the autumn of 2006 I was introduced to what would become my favourite ever book. I’ve made no secret of it in previous posts – I love Wicked and I love Gregory Maguire. Autumn, for me, has become synonymous with Wicked (as each time I’ve seen the show and read the books it has been September/October) and every year I find myself listening to the soundtrack or reaching for the book. Musical aside, what’s special about Wicked is that each time I read it I spot something new. I always take something different from each re-read. My last re-read was in 2012 so I decided I was long overdue a visit to Oz. The story never ceases to capture me and I am always devastated to reach the end. It’s one of those rare books that you cannot get enough of but are wary of visiting too many times in case the magic wears off. (Though, I don’t think that’s possible).

Maguire manages to re-vision Oz in a completely new light to Baum’s world by using vivid and powerful imagery (who would have thought the yellow brick road would be described as ‘a noose’ around Oz? A symbol of its controversial political implications). Maguire’s Oz is magical but it is also a horribly sinister place – which makes it a lot more like our own world. Maguire’s Oz is real. Yes, there’s magic and talking Animals (note the capital) and TikTok robots but there’s also political unrest, discrimination and conspiracy.

One of the brighter highlights of the novel is the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda. In earlier chapters, Glinda’s snooty judgements are often comically countered by a sarcastic sting from Elphaba. As the two settle into a friendship they develop a powerful bond which leaves the reader genuinely saddened when Elphaba sends Glinda back to Shiz, leaving her in the Emerald City. Their brief reunion at Colwen Grounds years later is a treat to read with Elphaba’s spikiness continuing to douse Glinda’s snobbery. By their last meeting, it’s touching to see that Glinda truly cares about Elphaba, a stark contrast to their initial meeting. It’s also poignantly clear that Elphaba cares about Glinda but is too proud and enraged to show it.

From this year’s visit to Oz I picked up to two references to previous Oz stories which I hadn’t noticed before. Firstly, the sands surrounding Oz are said to be considered in some cultures as ‘deadly poison’, a reference to the wheelie’s description of the sand in Return to Oz. I also yelped when I deduced that the famous scene from the movie where the Witch spells ‘Surrender Dorothy’ above the Emerald City could actually be Elphaba asking the Wizard to ‘Surrender Nor to Me’, as she pleads with him at Colwen Grounds. (Oh! I just love Gregory Maguire!)

A major issue throughout Wicked is the struggle between good and evil. Elphaba tells her son, Liir, that ‘evil is always more easily imagined than good’, which links in to my discussion last week about finding villains easier to write. This phrase struck me as an unfortunate truth as, as well as when writing, us humans do tend to focus on the evil within the world and ignore the good. It’s evident in our newspapers, our televisions, even our classrooms sometimes. What is it about evil deeds that fascinate us so much?

Maguire’s main achievement with Wicked is that he casts doubt over the position of the Wicked Witch of the West on the evil-o-metre. Though it could certainly be open to interpretation, I don’t think Elphaba is evil, just a victim of injustice, society and…well…bad luck!  In this latest re-read I really felt for Elphaba in her pre-death descent into paranoia and desperation. She has harboured this urge for forgiveness for years and Sarima slyly refuses her that by befriending her and forbidding her to discuss Fiyero (talk about cold anger!) It hadn’t moved me so much before. Following a life of neglect, failure and loss, it’s no surprise Elphaba sinks into an alcoholic and sleep-deprived madness following her failed attempt to kill Madame Morrible.

Her apparent death at the hands of Dorothy is a final insult and indignity to a modern literary hero.

Review: Bewitched (1964-1972)

When I was a child, being ill had a very important perk. It meant I got to curl up on the sofa, drink lucozade and watch Bewitched. I loved it! I loved the old-fashioned slapstick humour, magical nose-twitching characters and the madcap plots.

My favourite character was Aunt Clara. On those rare occasions I was allowed to stay at home I would hope for an Aunt Clara appearance. She reminded me of my great-grandma and I found her magical clumsiness very endearing. I’d laugh every time she appeared in the fireplace, covered is soot, and because of her I strongly believe everyone should carry a collection of doorknobs.

A few weeks ago I was rooting through the boxes of DVDs under my bed and stumbled across a couple of Bewitched boxsets. I should explain – the first time I was granted access to a bank account coincided unfortunately with my discovery of amazon and play.com. So, I went through a phase of buying any book and DVD I came across just for the novelty of having it delivered to my door! It’s been a few years since I ventured to my under-the-bed DVD vault, so I’ve spent the last couple of weeks reacquainting myself Bewitched.

Now, 15 years after watching as a child, I can admire it from a different view point. It’s totally camp (which is never a bad thing) but not without its flaws. Some of the plots are little bit clunky –especially in the last half of series five, but that’s probably due to last minute script changes following Dick York’s illness. The main thing I noticed is Darrin’s attitude towards Samantha which is sign of the times. If he told Samantha to behave like a normal wife in 2015 he’d be, quite rightly, sworn at and turned into a worm. Still, I think sixties Samantha is more than capable of holding her own.

Elizabeth Montgomery is amazing. Her comic timing is masterful and she has a nostalgic screwball charm about her. She makes the show.  She is Bewitched and it’s no wonder attempts to re-make have failed (let’s not even talk about the 2005 movie. *shudders*)

I think Bewitched is the underdog of sitcoms and doesn’t get enough praise. Clever, humble and with a wealth of fantastic supporting characters portrayed by truly talented actors (Agnes Moorehead, David White and Marion Lorne to name just three) Bewitched is certainly, in my eyes, a classic that should be re-visited over and over again.

Why I’ll miss Glee

‘It’s over!’ was often barked manically by the wonderfully outlandish and Glee club arch nemesis Sue Sylvester. Now, it’s true.

After six years, Glee is over.

Now, Glee has had a mixed reputation over the years. Some will say the storylines are cheesy and inconsistent, the characters are one dimensional and the music is just terrible. (These people are stupid). Others will say it is the perfect form of escapism. (And anything that puts Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth on my TV screen automatically wins me round. No further info necessary.)

Yes, sometimes the storylines were completely ridiculous but….that’s OK. A show about people who randomly burst into song can never totally be about realism. Glee has had lots of crazy storylines that didn’t seem to make any sense (Whatever happened to Sue’s baby?) but that was the nature of the show – it was quirky and fun and completely off the wall. I liked that. The beauty of this was that when Glee did deliver more emotional storylines, they hit you right in the chest. (I’m sure I don’t need to mention The Quarterback).

For the majority of it’s run, Glee was fresh, vibrant and exciting. In my opinion, the only dip in quality came from the last section on season five. Glee seemed to have lost its way once it had decided to do away with the new generation of New Directions and move to New York. However, the final season was incredible and Glee was back on witty form. When Rachel and Blaine began recruiting at the start of season six, it brought a welcome sense of nostalgia as we were taken back to those early episodes. The new batch of glee-clubbers were more than a match for the old favourites and it’s a shame we won’t get a chance to see more of the new faces.

I think Sue Sylvester is one of the best characters ever created. Those one liners have often floored me and Jane Lynch has been completely amazing.

There’s another reason I’ll miss Glee. I’ve been part of amateur theatre for eleven years and I’ve gathered a tight knot of like-minded friends. Over the years I’ve met Rachel’s and Quinn’s and Puck’s and Kurt’s and Blaine’s and even the odd Sue Sylvester. From ‘Pilot’, watching this show felt like I was watching a sugar-high, cartoon version of my life. As the Glee club took their final bow, I realised that the curtain has fallen on a chapter of my own life. Our theatre has now closed and it has been over a year since we performed together on stage. Slowly, my theatre buddies are drifting off – moving away, getting new jobs, settling down – and we are unlikely to perform together again. Of course this makes me very sad, but if there’s one message we can take from Glee, it’s that we must appreciate the good times and always have hope.

The final episode of Glee brought us some very touching moments – Mercedes’ goodbye ballad, the gang watching Rachel win her Emmy, Kurt and Blaine continuing to be happy, Sue’s final speech and, of course, that final tribute to Finn, to name a few. Glee had the rare ability to be whacky and ridiculous and highly poignant and I’ll really miss that. Sometimes you would get so carried away in the ridiculousness of it all that those emotive, real-life moments carried even more power. The final sequence of the gang being reunited in one last upbeat song brought back memories of the last time my buds performed together – although our song was slightly bluer and involved more tears, snot and running makeup. Though there was a contrast in moments, both oozed a sense of togetherness.

So, Glee is done. It’s over. But let’s not be sad. Let us raise our frozen slushies, snap our fingers a-la-Mercedes, belt out a mash-up that weirdly shouldn’t (but totally does) work and hope that one day, the Glee club, and my own Glee club, will hit the stage once more.

Review: ‘Wind in the Willows’ at Grosvenor Park

‘There’s nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as messing about in boats’. – Ratty, Wind in the Willows.

Well, actually, Ratty old chap, I disagree because a picnic in the Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre seems very much worth doing!

A bunch of us went to see Wind in the Willows at the Chester theatre on Sunday afternoon. The performance was fantastic and the afternoon was topped by glorious weather. I didn’t really know much about Wind in the Willows before the show – I have vague memories of a stuffy cartoon version when I was younger but that’s it – but I left totally impressed. The story was told in a vibrant, energetic fashion, with super-slick movement between scenes. Imaginative use was made of the seemingly limited performance space, performed in the round, even making use of the area around the outside of the theatre. Special mention must go to the slow-mo battle scene inside Toad Hall which was cleverly choreographed (‘That’s amazing!’ gasped an audience member!). This was certainly the most creatively staged performance I have seen in a very long time. Using only props, the cast were able to effectively portray everything from Mole’s cosy underground home to the echoing corridors of Toad Hall.

Speaking of the cast – I am in total awe of them. I realised afterwards that the same cast is used for all three performances currently playing at the theatre (Wind in the Willows, Romeo & Juliet and The Merry Wives of Windsor). This is further credit to their talent as each member takes on multiple roles across three very different plays! Their versatility was evident in Willows as many performed dual roles. Toad, Badger and Mole were perfectly cast with Daniel Goode skilfully winning over the audience as the flawed but somehow likeable Toad. Thomas Richardson stole a couple of scenes in the second act as the bondage enthusiast washerwoman. Although it’s tough to choose favourites, I did really like the Ferrets. I’ve met a few Ferrets and Ellie Burrow, Adam Harley and Louise Kempton were remarkable to watch as the paper-work and protocol-obsessed Ferrets. But I must say, the whole cast was amazing – each one of them gave a performance bursting with energy. I’m sure they shared as many laughs creating this show as the audience did watching it.

Performance aside, it should also be mentioned that we were very well looked after. Sunday was a scorcher but plenty of sun cream and water was supplied by the stewards to ensure we were comfortable – which was much appreciated!

Apart from the odd case of picnic-jealousy (still wishing I’d pinched that lady’s cheesecake), it was a lovely way to spend a summer Sunday and I would absolutely recommend it. We’ll definitely be going again!

Freaking out! Writing about our fears.

So three weeks ago I went to watch Jurassic World with some friends. All I wanted to do was enjoy a relaxing Friday in good company, have a few drinks and see some dinosaurs. Instead I was forced to confess an embarrassing secret fear…

Those of you who have seen the film (and for those of you who haven’t – spoiler alert!) will be familiar with the scene were a pteranadon attacks Claire’s British PA. One minute she is chatting away to her fiancé on the phone, the next she is swept up by a winged menace and being tossed perilously above the park. Now birds don’t bother me (moths, however, are a different story) so as much as I was concerned for the PA I wasn’t too panicked at this point. However, just when it looks like she is about to be pecked to death, the poor woman is dropped into a large tank of water. Phew. Thank goodness. A nice soft landing….

‘Oh my God….Oh no! Oh Jesus Christ! I know what’s coming! Oh this is horrific! I can’t look! This is a horror film!’ I cry, clutching my bewildered friend’s arm and preventing her from reaching the popcorn.

The SeaWorld-esque tank is home to a Mosasaur (see above for terrifying image). After lots of gut-wrenching screams and splashing about, the dino-whale leaps from the water and the British PA is swallowed whole. And I am left, peeking through my fingers, totally disturbed.

Because I have a secret fear of whales.

I’m generalising with ‘whales’. It’s more ‘large underwater creatures that could kill you in a heartbeat’. Now, I can’t really pinpoint the origin of this fear. Jaws freaked me out a bit but I think it is more closely linked with my childhood fascination with Shamu (SeaWorld’s killer whale). When I was a child I longed to visit SeaWorld and would spend evenings looking at Orlando brochures and glossy pictures of killer whales. (Don’t judge. It was the 90s). At one point I even found a website with a live video link to Shamu’s tank! I eventually met the whale himself when I was thirteen and remember being completely shocked by his size. He was huge! A bloody big whale! Seeing Shamu made me realise just how dangerous he could be and the fascination twisted into a deep fear. The ‘Wow! He’s amazing!’ became ‘Yes, yes he’s great. Lovely. Thank you. But please don’t make me swim with him’.

I’ve awoken from many a nightmare where I am suddenly attacked by a killer whale or drifting in whale infested waters. When I go swimming (brace yourself for crazy) I always shudder getting into the pool as my mind imagines a dark, brooding shadow waiting beneath the surface…..

I don’t think this is an irrational fear. Whales are beautiful, majestic creatures but just imagine being trapped in a tank with one. How terrifying would that be?

So watching Jurassic World got me thinking about fears and how things change as we grow older. My fear of whales started in SeaWorld and has got worse as I have grown up. When I was a child I was terrified of Bigfoot (and obsessed with the idea that he was in my attic) but now, you’ll be glad to hear, I can look at pictures of him without hiding in the bathroom cupboard. I get freaked out now by more rational, fact-based problems and events. Talking about 9/11 gives me goosebumps. I shudder when I think about losing a family member…..

I started thinking about whether including our fears in our writing can be good for our work and wellbeing. Would it be cathartic or disturbing? Would it enrich my writing or reduce me to a quivering snotty mess? Lots of writers draw on personal feelings and experience within their work – could writing about your deepest fear be a recipe for success or disaster? In Reset there was a whale but I kept it tranquilised and buried in a vault beneath Cardiff (just in case) and I don’t think I’m quite ready to unleash the crazy in novel form just yet (title suggestions always welcome). This particular whale was also a harmless sub-plot but maybe it should have caused more chaos and been given the chance to be utterly terrifying.

So, having been forced to face one secret fear (thank you Jurassic World) the seed has been planted to utilise my phobias in future work. Perhaps writing about another unconfessed fear will prove to be an interesting project….