I had intended to write a much longer blog telling you all about the man that was my Dad and my best friend but decided to keep some of my most treasured memories to myself. My dad died when I was just 8yrs old but I still have such wonderful memories of this amazing man and I know that he is looking down on me and that one day we will be reunited.
The following video is the song of my heart today.
To all Father's all over the world, enjoy your day. To those of you with Fathers who are still with you, cherish them and make the most of every minute with them.
Don't take them for granted for they are one of the best parts of your life.
The RSC ‘s latest production of the Merchant of Venice directed by Rupert Goold and starring Sir Patrick Stewart is a production that has to be seen to be believed!
I have always thought that Shakespeare’s plays can transcend any era and thereby appeal to audiences of any age. However, this production takes this idea to a new level by setting the play not in Italy but in Las Vegas - complete with its own casino and hip shaking, singing Elvis! The question of who will marry Portia is still decided through the choosing between the gold, silver and lead caskets but this has been modernised into a cross between a weekly game show and a reality TV show called Destiny as each suitor by choosing a casket, chooses their destiny. I have seen many Shakespeare productions given a more modern setting but the idea of this staging seemed quite outlandish – and yet, it worked! Not only did it work, but it worked so brilliantly that you were left in awe at how well it transposed to this setting.
Portia , under the terms of her late Father’s will is obliged to marry the suitor who chooses from amongst the caskets of gold, silver and lead and finds the one containing her portrait. The young Venetian Bassanio is determined to woo and marry Portia and so to improve his chances, asks his good friend Antonio a rich merchant to lend him the money ($3 million) to fund his voyage and improve his status. Currently short of available cash owing to his ships being at sea, Antonio borrows the money from Shylock, a Jewish money lender, who charges extortionate rates of interest and who Antonio has previously insulted. Shylock proposes as terms of the loan that instead of interest, if Antonio refuses to pay back the money in the time specified, he will be entitled to a pound of Antonio’s flesh. Meanwhile, Bassanio’s friend Lorenzo elopes with Shylock’s daughter Jessica who brings with her money and jewels stolen from her father. Distraught at the loss of his daughter, but more importantly his money, Shylock seizes on the news that Antonio’s ships have been lost and sea and demands his pound of flesh...
The play has everything you would expect from Shakespeare, comedy, tragedy, mistaken identity and above all some excellent soliloquies. Patrick Stewart delivered his infamous speech “Hath not a Jew eyes...”with such brilliance that he captured the attention of the entire audience. The speech by Portia disguised as the attorney sent to judge the case of Antonio V Shylock, ”The quality of mercy is not strained...” was also beautifully delivered and added a poignancy to the scene. It was also interesting to see how many phrases we use in modern day language seem to have emanated from this play; in the twinkling of an eye, cut-throat, blinking idiot and all that glisters is not gold. The fact that these words are still used today combined with the modern setting of the play made it seem more natural and definitely more accessible. Anyone who had ever thought Shakespeare boring and irrelevant to our time would be forced to think again after seeing this production.
Patrick Stewart who as you might expect from an actor of his reputation and calibre gave a powerful performance but didn’t dominate the whole production as he blended well with the other actors in the ensemble. Susannah Fielding is also worthy of a mention as the dizzy blonde Southern belle Portia who then transforms into the learned, eloquent young lawyer sent to try the case of Antonio and Shylock. There were many other fine performances from the cast and I enjoyed how they used different American accents to portray the various characters and make them more individual and idiosyncratic.
Emily Plumtree as Nerissa,Susannah Fielding as Portia & Patrick Stewart as Shylock
The production was a delight to watch from start to finish and quickly dismissed any previous misconceptions I had about the play at the start. If you are able to catch a performance before the run ends in September then I highly recommend it as I couldn’t praise it enough.
Now I know Blake have performed at many different types of venues but before you ask, No, they weren’t performing in a garage! However, as it had been over 9 months since I had last seen the guys perform, I do believe I would have turned up at a garage if it had meant seeing them perform locally.
For those of you who are aren’t familiar with them, Blake, consisting of Ollie Baines, Humphrey Berney, Jules Knight and Stephen Bowman are four British classical crossover singers who formed through Facebook back in 2007 and who have been thrilling audiences ever since with their unique style and incredible harmonies – it doesn’t hurt that they are also four handsome young men with a great sense of humour and are genuinely friendly and down to earth guys.
They are currently touring the UK inviting audiences to spend “An Evening with Blake” for two hours of wonderful songs, amazing harmonies and friendly banter. All of which makes for a very relaxed and intimate show and judging by the ticket sales, an evening which is very popular with audiences everywhere.
At their concert in Burnley, they performed songs from each of their three albums; combinations of well known pop and classical songs and each showing not just their individual strengths in solo parts but also their unique and often breathtaking sound when they harmonise together. Whether accompanied by their musical director, backing track or performing a Capella, these guys hit the right notes in more ways than one. Some of the songs literally gave me goose bumps as they are performed with such feeling and emotion that you really get to appreciate the beauty of the music and the lyrics. Many of the songs would be familiar to audiences as they are taken from film soundtracks or were well known traditional songs. It was nice to hear the guys introduce the songs explaining a personal connection to them as it gave an added poignancy. I was pleased to hear many of my favourites performed such as Because We Believe,Bring Him Home, Chasing Cars, And So It Goes, Hallelujah, God Only Knows and finishing with my absolute favourite Jerusalem. There’s something about Jerusalem that I have loved ever since I was a little girl, it is such a stirring arrangement and Blake always perform it with such fervour you can’t help but feel patriotic.
It was also the first time that I got to hear them perform All of Me, a song released especially to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Both Jules and Ollie have connections to the royal couple and this was their special tribute to them. It is a touching and romantic song that I suspect will be played at many weddings in the future. I have to say that as much as I have enjoyed this song through recordings, it sounded so much better live as you could hear the individual voices combining in such wonderful harmony.
Afterwards the guys took time to meet with fans, sign autographs and pose for photos. Ever since I have known them, they have always taken the time out to talk to their fans and show their appreciation for the support they are given from them. It’s something that adds to the appeal of the group and sets them apart from others of their genre.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to see Blake in concert then check out their website for upcoming performances and book tickets for a venue near you. I guarantee you, there’s no better way to spend an evening than in the company of Blake.
For more information about Blake, their tour and current album releases go to their official website http://www.blakeofficial.com/
