“Being a star in our own Twitterverse, sometimes resplendent, but more often fading (however continual our hard tapping may be), is all that may be left of the desire to belong to something that is more substantial and larger than our self”. A blog based on Leopoldstadt, the new play by Tom Stoppard seen 27/01/2022 … More “Being a star in our own Twitterverse, sometimes resplendent, but more often fading (however continual our hard tapping may be), is all that may be left of the desire to belong to something that is more substantial and larger than our self”. A blog based on ‘Leopoldstadt’, the new play by Tom Stoppard seen 27/01/2022 live-streamed to many venues.

‘.. a streak of normality and even banality, which assumes its own surreal tone.  Love letters to the past are always addressed to an illusion, yet this is a seductive piece of myth-making.’ (Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian 21 January 2022). ‘If Belfast had been rolled round in the dirt and broken glass, it might have … More Even if we accept that art owes a debt to truth, what kind of truths must it tell and / or show in order to be great art? Steve reflects on this in the case of cinema films that wear their search for excellence of a kind on their sleeves.  The reflection happens around a case study of Kenneth Branagh’s ‘Belfast’ (based on seeing it for the first time on 21st January 2022 at the Odeon, Durham and two reviews). 

‘… stories are at the heart of it … the stories we tell to create ourselves… the stories we tell to create others. … And, of course, the stories we tell to fall in love’.[1] This is a blog reflecting on the role of story-telling in queer fiction and why a ‘story about crocodiles’ might … More ‘… stories are at the heart of it … the stories we tell to create ourselves… the stories we tell to create others. … And, of course, the stories we tell to fall in love’. This is a blog reflecting on the role of story-telling in queer fiction and why a ‘story about crocodiles’ might be an appropriate vehicle for such reflections. It is based on Philip Ridley’s 2021 revision of his novel ‘Crocodilia’ (first published in 1988)

Reflecting on an exhibition I had not expected to enjoy so much. It was at York Art Gallery, entitled Young Gainsborough: Rediscovered Landscape Drawings (based on a visit to it on the 15th January 2022).  Visiting any city as Omicron sweeps over us with our ignorance of it as deep as that of a directionless … More Reflecting on an exhibition I had not expected to enjoy so much. It was at York Art Gallery, entitled Young Gainsborough: Rediscovered Landscape Drawings (based on a visit to it on the 15th January 2022). 

This blog is based on my own belief that the writing of a queer ‘life’ (whether as biography or autobiography) is fraught with difficulties that are sometimes also experienced in living such lives. I test it by examining R. Tripp Evan’s 2010 book, Grant Wood: a Life New York, Alfred A. Knopf. ‘A Life’ is … More This blog is based on my own belief that the writing of a queer ‘life’ (whether as biography or autobiography) is fraught with difficulties that are sometimes also experienced in living such lives. I test it by examining R. Tripp Evan’s 2010 book, ‘Grant Wood: a Life’.

It is Paul’s birthday tomorrow. Lest his card fails to reach him here are added contents.

Artworks ‘are coagulations of the time their creators spent making them. They offer us a particular quality of time’s passing, and ask for our time in response. But how much time? …’.[1] Truth-telling in spite of the academic conventions: a case study of how to do this in Joe Moshenska’s (2021) Making Darkness Light: The … More Artworks ‘are coagulations of the time their creators spent making them. They offer us a particular quality of time’s passing, and ask for our time in response. But how much time? …’. Truth-telling in spite of the academic conventions: a case study of how to do this in Joe Moshenska’s (2021) ‘Making Darkness Light: The Lives and Times of John Milton’

Watching Prince in Purple Rain – a blog. Paying a debt to a friend who introduced me to this artist. It simply amazes me that I have watched and enjoyed Purple Rain and even more so that I want to write about it. For this film is a long way from the status of an … More Watching Prince in ‘Purple Rain’ – a blog. Paying a debt to a friend who introduced me to this artist.

Watching Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland – a blog. It is quite usual I suppose when considering a film on mainstream cinema to make much of its cast, but despite the wonderful achievements of its professional actors – particularly Frances McDormand – in this case you feel you have to start with its non-professional cast. Modern-day nomadic … More Watching Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland – a blog.

Card text in jpegs. Full text typed below. As Christmases go, this takes the first prize Because at Blue Stone the hosts’ kindly eyes Look for each trick to increase our pleasure. Urgently careful, meticulously clever, Each guest feels themselves to be a true friend Soon after they enter until the end, That comes too … More Steve and Geoff wish A Happy Christmas to Blue Stone Cafe:

‘You … “as Virginia [Woolf] once told Stephen Spender, ”have to be broken by things before you can write about them”.  It was this, one suspects that T.S. Eliot meant when he told her “the young don’t take art or politics seriously enough”’.  Can reviews really help us to know the qualities that make a … More ‘You … “as Virginia [Woolf] once told Stephen Spender, ”have to be broken by things before you can write about them”.  Can reviews really help us to know the qualities that make a book readable and/or valuable: a case study using Will Loxley’s (2021) ‘Writing In The Dark: Bloomsbury, the Blitz and Horizon Magazine’

This blog is a postscript to an earlier one revisiting its errors in the light of Andrew McMillan’s new poem for Manchester Literary Festival. But it can be read without the earlier blog. @AMcMillanPoet Not long ago I quizzed some words in a short essay by Andrew McMillan, possibly my favourite poet. I did this, … More This blog is a postscript to an earlier one revisiting its errors in the light of Andrew McMillan’s new poem for Manchester Literary Festival. But it can be read without the earlier blog. @AMcMillanPoet