A week of Robert Galbraith

 Welcome to books on Wednesday.  

This is the book l was going to read, 

The book is by Mary  Haverstick.

Instead l spent the week reading Robert Galbraith books on my Kindle. Have you ever done that, been ready to read a book  and then something else,  something shiny comes along and the original book is put aside.

Do you read a favourite book over and over or a see a film, or TV show again and again? Are you willing to step outside your comfort zone and do, or see, something different. 

Taylor Swift is in Australia next month for concerts.  I wonder how many will go to more than one. I have to admit l have seen different performances of the same ballet and musical theatre but not constantly.  There is a production of Chicago coming to Melbourne which I'm thinking of seeing.  The last time l saw a production of this show would be 7 or 8 years ago.

Not that I'm having a go at anyone who does like seeing, reading etc the same thing over and over. We're all different and if that makes you happy more power to you.

I just wonder how many of you have spent a week reading different books by the same author like l did.😊

Songs that make you smile

 You're out going about your day when suddenly you hear music, you hear a song that you know, a song you love; a song that makes you smile.

You stop and listen. You may want to dance even. Memories cone flooding back, good memories. 

Then you keep walking smiling with your mood lifted. 

That's what music can do.

The website this week and books

Arts on Friday 26/01/24

 Arts Centre

Frankston Arts Centre

Daniel Champagne 01/02 7.30pm

Tom Burlinson: Now We're Swingin' 02/02 10.30 & 1.30pm

artscentre.frankston.vic.gov.au

Kingston Arts Centre

www.kingstonarts.com.au

Blues Clubs

Hume Blues Club

Thursday nights at the Thornbury Bowls Club, free entry

humebluesclub.com

Birds Basement

Richard Clapton 26 & 27/01

The Harmonix Experience 31/01 7.30pm

Wendy Matthews 01/02 6pm

Cool Change 02/02 6pm

birdsbasement.com

Way Out West Music Club

wowrootsmusic.com

Meat Market

One of Them Ones by Charlie Josephine 31/01 6.30pm

Stuck by Kikki Temple 31/01 8pm

Vespertilio by Barry McStay 31/01 9.15pm

meatmarket.org.au

Jazz Clubs

Paris Cat

Remember the time 26/01 6pm

Cannonball feat. Chantal Mitvalsky 26/01 9pm

Craig Smith Quintet plays Billy Joel In a Jazz state of mind 26/01 9.30pm

A new take on Disney 27/01 6pm

The music of Mobley 27/01 6.30pm

George Byrne presents 'Come Away with me, Ladies who Jazz 28/01 6.30pm

A musical Tribute : Wes Montgomery 01/02 7.30pm

Blue Note '58 01/02 8pm

pariscat.com.au

Uptown Jazz

Julien Wilson's "One flight up "Quartet 27/01 8pm

Brett Williams and Mark Fitzgibbon Solo Piano 28/01 7.30pm

uptownjazzcafe.com

Theatres

Drum Theatre

Coal Miner's Daughter 02/02 7.30pm

drum.greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au

Bunjil Place

Evan Band Live in Australia 28/01 8pm

MIFF Summer Screenings 2024: Thicker Than Water - Cultural Connections 01/02 6.30pm

Daytime Music Theatre : The Voice of Silvie Paladino 02/02 10.30 & 1pm

www.bunjilplace.com.au

Regent Theatre

Moulin Rouge 20/08-04/02

marrinergroup.com.au

Forum

Blackstreet & Montell Jordan 26/01 7.30pm

The Breeders 29/01 & 30/01 

forummelbourne.com.au

Forty Five Downstairs

The Inheritance by Matthew Lopez 17/01-11/02

fortyfivdownstairs.com

The Butterfly Club

The Big HOO-HAA 26/01 8.30pm

Murder Village: An Improvised Whodunnit 27/01 8.30pm

Drawing Straws 30/01 7.30pm

thebutterflyclub.com

Her Majesty's Theatre

Grease The Musical 25/01/16/03

hmt.com.au

Athenaeum Theatre

Dogman The Musical 17/01-08/01

athenaeumtheatre.com.au

Princess Theatre

Groundhog Day the Musical 24/01-07/04

www.marrinergroup.com.au

The Round

Carrie: The Musical (Preview) 02/02 7pm

Zeppelin Unledded - The Page & Plant Years 02/02 8pm

Pursuing Pleasure 02/02-04/02

www.theround.com.au

Theatre Companies

Beaumaris Theatre Company

beaumaristheatre.com.au

Phoenix Theatre Company

phoenixtheatrecompany.org

Mordialloc Theatre Company

mordialloctheatre.com

Heidelberg Theatre Company

www.mtc.org.au

Malvern Theatre Company

malverntheatre.com.au

Essendon Theatre Company

essendontheatrecompany.com.au

Williamstown Musical Theatre Company

www.wmtc.org.au

Altona City Theatre

altonacitytheatre.com.au

Museums

The Johnston Collection

A Home of One's Own 18/10/23-11/02/24

johstoncollection.org

Heide Gallery

Surrealist 04/11/23-25/02/24

www.heide.com.au

The Dax Centre

Cunningham Dax Collection

www.daxcentre.org

Hellenic Museum

Viewfinder until late February

www.hellenic.org.au

Gallery Smith

gallerysmith.com.au

Mornington Peninsula Gallery

Know my Name : Australian Women Artists 25/11/23-18/02/24

www.mprg.mornpen.vic.gov.au

Books on Wednesday - The Boxer Rebellion

A good history book will make you feel that you have been transported back in time and are walking the same dusty streets.

A good writer will make you want to keep reading and Diana Preston is a good writer. This was the first of her books l read but l have read others.

The Boxer Rebellion happened in 1900, over a century ago but reading this book made me feel like it was happening in the moment. So much has changed and yet nothing has. It is not a pleasant story and there is fault on both sides, but, so much of it is a human story with emotions that do not change. In the same way that Shakespeare's works are still relevant today so are the emotions that are in this book.

It is a true story and, let's not forget, that it was 15 years later that the First World War started. That famous phrase by George Santayana kept running through my mind as l was reading: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

I think Diana Preston gives a fair retelling of the story. She does not favour either side. The language she uses and the pace of narrative made this a very interesting book to read. 

China is a country that interests me and l know that there are viewers from China who look at my website. Could l ask then are there any walls still standing around Beijing and is there any housing that has been preserved from those times. I know here in Melbourne l see photos from that time and hardly recognise the city. It would be interesting to know if the same thing has happened in China.

And that's another sign of a good book: it makes you think of it after you have finished reading it and l definitely have been thinking about this book. For those of you who like reading about history l think this is certainly one worth reading.

 

The Boys in the Boat

 

I saw this film on the weekend. 

I don't see many films as l'm not keen on most blockbuster type of films, but, l saw this one and thought it would be good. It was.

This film is based on a real life story of the USA rowing team winning gold at the 1936 Olympics in Germany. The only thing l knew about these Olympics was about Jesse Owens winning gold. So l was seeing a film about something new to me.

George Clooney directed and l think they have faithfully recreated the 1930's look with this film. The acting was good as was the writing. It showed the lives of some of the rowers at a time of great hardship and l think that a large part of the film was character driven, working as a team.

The other  real star of this film is the cinematography. As this a film about rowing there are scenes on the water. There is something about rowing. In my favourite novel of last year, Lessons in Chemistry, the main character was also a rower. There is something about rowing and being one with the boat. I know that The Husky Clipper was being rowed by actors but they must have learnt how to row and be very fit. The other crews around them must have been local rowing clubs. The footage, especially the overhead footage was wonderful; seeing all the boats glide through the water with all the oars moving as one was like seeing poetry in motion.

It all made for a very enjoyable film. Definitely worth seeing and l was surprised to also be interested in some of the shorts that were shown before the main film. Maybe l will be seeing more films in the future.

A good 4.5 stars.

Country Music

Arts on Friday 19/01/24

 Frankston Arts Centre

Twist & Shout: A salute of Rock & Roll of the 50's and 60's 21/01/24 2-4.20pm

artscentre.frankston.vic.gov.au

Kingston Arts Centre

kingstonarts.com.au

The Round

Teeny Tiny Stevies 20/01/24 10.30 &1.30pm

www.theround.com.au

Theatres

Fortyfive downstairs

The Inheritance by Matthew Lopez 17/01-11/02/24

fortyfivedownstairs.com

The Butterfly Club

The Big Hoo-Haa 19/01/24 8.30pm

Drawing Straws 23/01/24 7.30pm

thebutterflyclub.com

Regent Theatre

Moulin Rouge 20/08-04/02/24

marrinergroup.com.au

Southbank Theatre

mtc.com.au

Athenaeum Theatre

Dog Man - The Musical 17/01-28/01/24

An Evening with Tony Hawk - Birdman 22/01/24 8pm

athenaeumtheatre.com.au

Forum

Blackstreet & montell Jordan 26/01/24 7.30pm

forummelbourne.com.au

The Princess Theatre

Groundhog Day the musical 24/01-07/04

www.marinergroup.com.au

Comedy Theatre

Fantastic Mr Fox 13-01-21/01/24

www.marinergroup.com.au

The Drum Theatre - Dandenong

Dr Seuss Summer 19/01-31/01/24

drum.greaterdandnong.vic.gov.au

Bunjil Place - Narre Warren

bunjilplace.com.au

Her Majesty's Theatre

Grease 18/01-16/03/24

www.hmt.com.au

Wyndham Cultural Centre

www.wyncc.com

Blues Clubs

Bird's Basement

Mark Seymour 18-19/01/24 6pm

The B# Big Band with Jefferson Smith 20/01/24 7.30pm

Lee Harding Mystify 25/01/24 6pm

Richard Clapton 26/01-27/01/34

www.birdsbasement.com

Hume Blues Club - Thornbury

humebluesclub.com.au

Jazz Clubs

Paris Cat

The Syncopators 19/01/24 9pm

Charlie Parker with Strings 20/01/24 6pm

Feelin' Groovy: the Simoan & garfunkel Project 20/01/24 6.30pm

Paris Nocturne 20/01/24 9pm

Oscar Bruten Septet plays: The Music of Monk and Mingus 20/01/24 9.30pm

 Music Clubs

Prince Bandroom - St Kilda

theprince.com.au

Northcote Social Club

Ivan Ooze 20/01/24 8.30pm

John Floreani 21/01/24 8pm  (selling fast)

Social Sanctuary 22/01/24 7pm (free entry)

Sarah Mary Chadwick 25/01/24 8pm

northcotesocialclub.com

Pascoe Vale RSL

www.pascoevalersl.com.au

The Drunken Poet - West Melbourne

Traditional Irish Music 19/01/24 6pm

David Cosma 19/01/24 8.30pm

The Maskell-Love Band 20/01/24 9pm

Kelly Auty & Brian Fraiser 21/01/24 4pm

Bonafide Travellers 21/01/24 6.30pm

Tribute Tuesdays - James Cisco plays the songs of Hank Williams 23/01/24 8pm

Wine Women Whiskey - Jessey Jackson 24/01/24 8pm

Sam Curtis 25/01/24 8pm

Craig Woodward 25/01/24 9pm

thedrunkenpoet.com.au

Books on Wednesday

 I had never read a Harlan Coben book before.

This is a library book. As some of you may know l don't really like owning books. They seem to multiply and then they have to be packed or whatever. If l ever do buy a book l make sure to pass it on when read. I like the idea of a book going from hand to hand. 

The first thing to say is that l think this is a very readable book. I know he is a very popular author and that shows in his writing. Having said that l don't think the book really took off before the 7th chapter. This is a book about the past. I especially like these types of mysteries and once l made the decision to sit and read l finished it in an afternoon.

The lead character is deeply unlikeable and that would normally put me off. It did in a way. He is very rich and the life he leads is not relatable to me. Despite this l still liked the story and the style of writing. I liked the way the story came together and it was told well.

I know that a few of Coben's books have been filmed and shown on Netflix. To be honest this is how l became aware of this author. I had heard of his name but never actually read any of his books.; that may change.

This book is about a crime in the past, family secrets and the uber rich. Did Coben flesh the characters out well, l'm not sure as they are so far removed from me and my lifestyle. Despite this l think that the novel is plotted out well and works despite these issues.

Isn't it a good book if you want to keep reading and l wanted to keep reading this book.

What about you. Have any of you read a Harlan Coben book and , if so, what did you think.

 

An extra post today - Bobbi Lockyer

 I went to the Aust Open tennis on Monday. 

Along with the great tennis l saw l also the artist in residence, Bobbi Lockyer. Bobbi is a Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Nyulnyul and Yawuru woman based in Port Hedland. Port Hedland is in Northern West Australia which means she wasn't melting in the heat like the rest of us.

Me being me l kindly asked Bobbi if l could take her photo and ask about her artwork. Here she is working on a piece that will be used on all the staircases and shirts at next year's tournament.

I like Aboriginal artwork. It must take so much patience and skill. If you look at Bobbi's website you will see how skilled an artist she is and l can't wait to see this artwork next year.

Thank you Bobbi for taking the time to speak to me.

https://www.bobbilockyer.com/

Circus1903, Peanut and ballet

Circus 1903

Firstly can l say that l have never been to a show with that many children in the audience. 

What a boon their energy was. All the oohs and ahs and excited giggles, including from the adults, myself included. There was a little curly haired tot sitting on my left and l could see her rapt attention at everything that was happening on stage.

Ringmaster Willy Whipsnade ( David Williamson) invited children on stage and there is a very old saying never to work with children or animals. Williamson was so good with them and it all added to some laugh out loud moments and joy.

I have included a cast list and you can see that the performers came from all around the world, each one of them so talented at their particular craft. It began with Swedish Teeterboarders and then followed with cyclists, contortionists, strong men, jugglers, trapeze acts and more.

And then Queenie appeared on stage followed by Peanut.

The puppetry was wonderful and this vegetarian is so glad that live elephants are no longer used. They were so life like and all the kids of all ages yelled with joy again. If any of you are on Facebook there is a short video on the Arts Centre page showing Ringmaster Willy going to Flinders Street Station, touching on his Myki( Melbourne's public transport travel card) and he and Peanut entering into the station.

I think this is one of the best shows l have seen recently. If this comes to where you live l would highly recommend you see it.

Will definitely be going if they return next year with Circus 1904.

 

Waiting for the show to start

Arts on Friday, almost

Books on Wednesday

A short history of PLOS

Catch me if you can

The doors opened and in they came, and kept on coming. 

A full house, happy and cheerful crowd.

Welcome to a PLOS show.

This musical, l am told, is based on a film which was based on a book. I had not read the book or seen the film so it was all new to me.

The story is based in the 1960's and l think the set was designed to look like a 60's variety show. The orchestra was on 2 levels and it's a real treat to have a live orchestra playing.

What a triumph for PLOS. The constant high standard of their shows means l will see everything they stage. A real stand out is the singing.  Everyone sang so well and this happens with every show. There was a lot of dancing and costume changes. Everyone played their part well with all of them having American accents.

The best performance was by Aidan Niarros as Carl Hanratty. He is a Primary School Teacher by day, but what a performance. Jordan Poyser as Frank Abagnale Jr was very good too as was Peter Noble Frank Snr. Emillie Toby as Brenda Strong did one song that garnered thunderous appaulse.

In fact the whole show received thunderous applause at the end. I really could not find fault with the production at all.

Having said that l didn't really like the story. I'm glad l've seen it but don't think l will again.

Can't wait to see their next production.

plos.asn.au

 

Waiting for the show to start