My Life as a writer - When I'm not scribbling

I love London, I love theatre land, unfortunately I don’t get there as often as I would like, which is why I love the National Theatre’s live streaming of some truly remarkable performances. The Barbican’s current run of Hamlet staring Benedict Cumberbatch was the latest offering, which I was glad to see knowing I wouldn’t otherwise get the opportunity to see the performance. The Barbican is a grade two listed building, from architects Chamberlin, Powell and Bon as part of the regeneration of London’s bombed landscape.   It opened in 1982 and is Europe’s largest multi arts and conference venues. Hamlet (5 August – 31 October 2015) Shakespeare’s great tragedy has been adapted for the stage by Director Lyndsey Turner and Producer Sonia Friedman.   The run time is approximately 1 hour 50 minutes. Hamlet played by Benedict Cumberbatch is grieving for the loss of his father and is enraged by the marriage of his mother to his uncle.   As war looms outside the g...

It’s almost Halloween, it’s the time of year the nights draw in, the cosy jumpers work their way back in to your closet and it’s time for those films that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.   The films that make you look over your shoulder and wonder if someone is lurking in the shadows.    So with all the feelings of what the coming darkness brings I ventured out to see the well hyped Crimson Peak. How could it go wrong? A perfect movie for Halloween if you believe the trailer, ghosts, creaking old mansions, red blood like clay, a harrowed heroine and elegant but sinister leading man.   Unfortunately, that was were the tension and expectation peaked. Initially I thought Del-Toro was on to a winter, a haunted house piece with a great cast and from the initial images and trailers an impressive set.    However, within the first ten minutes the film went downhill rapidly until it crashed and burned to an obvious end. The sto...

Having read Little Shop of Hopes and Dreams last Christmas I was interested in reading this offering from Fiona Harper.  Gladly I wasn't disappointed,  I do admit it's taken me a while to read this book, not because of the book or writing simply due to life getting in the way of reading time! Doris Day Vintage Film Club By Fiona Harper The story follows Travel Agent Claire Bixby, (I admit I felt an affinity due to the name) who plans romantic trips for her clients and works close to the Little Shop of Hopes and Dreams from the previous novel. She is also friends with Peggy from the previous novel who crosses over in to this novel,  filling the same role in this novel as the first.  She's the type of friend everyone would love to have and I enjoyed getting to know her better as she was a nice aside to the main story in both Hopes and Dreams and Doris Day.  I wonder if she will get a break out novel of her own one day. Claire has had a previous bad relatio...