In the theatre we sit ‘there without moving. But under us all moved, and moved us, gently, up and down, and from side to side’. ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’ stuns and ‘moves’ me.

April 23, 2025

The stages of a long ovation: Gary Oldman honours his audience as Krapp. I am starting this blog in the train home from seeing Gary Oldman in Krapp’s Last Tape in York Theatre Royal. It is a strange thing trying to find the one phrase or sentence of action or speech that stays with you … More In the theatre we sit ‘there without moving. But under us all moved, and moved us, gently, up and down, and from side to side’. ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’ stuns and ‘moves’ me.

Great art framed in the closet: the multiple reference of queer American art.

April 22, 2025

I have to admit that this blog came yet again from my cataloguing exercise. I have reached a stash of books to sort in our conservatory, They are a kind of shrine this section to my love of Byzantine Art. Nestled amongst these books was a copy of the American art magazine [pictured above] art … More Great art framed in the closet: the multiple reference of queer American art.

It’s all bananas: theatre posters and Samuel Beckett’s ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’.

April 21, 2025

It’s all bananas: theatre posters and Samuel Beckett’s ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’. The poster for the rather famous production starring Rich Cluchey; the lower photograph is Cluchey in the role Tomorrow I am going to see Krapp’s Last Tape at York Theatre Royal. The show booked up a long time ago but I managed to get … More It’s all bananas: theatre posters and Samuel Beckett’s ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’.

The quiz of yesterday (after I lost faith in its fun): the answers.

April 20, 2025

In what follows, I scatter the correctly paired works variously in labeled collages: Barbara Hepworth Winter Solstice at ItDibs Hepworth’s idealistic iconography certainly extended to her self-portrait. The use of blank space on paper characterises the treatment of her massive forehead, full of space which her abstract figuration also has, wherein colour tones and shades … More The quiz of yesterday (after I lost faith in its fun): the answers.

Have a go at this exercise! I dare you! It is an exercise on whether we can use terms used in talking about art, in this using the term ‘style’ alone, to recognise a artist’ s work.

April 19, 2025

Me as a more-than-tubby queer angel. The title of this piece is a bit presumptuous. Too few read this blog, and very much fewer respond (though I am grateful for those who do feedback their thoughts either personally or in public) to assume anyone either wants me to set them a little experimental exercise or … More Have a go at this exercise! I dare you! It is an exercise on whether we can use terms used in talking about art, in this using the term ‘style’ alone, to recognise a artist’ s work.

Visualising passion – approaching J.M.W. Turner’s  attempt to capture the embodiment of desire in ‘Turner’s Secret Sketches’ edited by Ian Warrell (2012).

April 18, 2025

Visualising passion – approaching J.M.W. Turner’s  attempt to capture the embodiment of desire in Turner’s Secret Sketches edited by Ian Warrell (2012) Tate Publishing. I am still cataloguing my books, abandoning many along the way, and have reached book number 3744 of the books I am keeping. The book is Turner’s Secret Sketches, edited and … More Visualising passion – approaching J.M.W. Turner’s  attempt to capture the embodiment of desire in ‘Turner’s Secret Sketches’ edited by Ian Warrell (2012).

Samuel Beckett was as meticulous about writing his stage directions as he was in writing poetic prose, and contingent character-based exclamations, of the monologues and dialogues spoken on the stage. How radically will Gary Oldman dare, if at all, to rewrite both the stage directions and words of Beckett’s spoken by him as ‘Krapp’.

April 17, 2025

Gary Oldman viewing the auditorium of the York Theatre Royal, on whose stage he opened performance last night for the first time of the play by Samuel Beckett, under his own direction, Krapp’s Last Tape. I see it at 7.30 p.m. on 22nd April. Photograph from theatre website: see https://www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/latest/gary-oldman-stars-in-samuel-becketts-krapps-last-tape-at-york-theatre-royal/ I will see Gary Oldman … More Samuel Beckett was as meticulous about writing his stage directions as he was in writing poetic prose, and contingent character-based exclamations, of the monologues and dialogues spoken on the stage. How radically will Gary Oldman dare, if at all, to rewrite both the stage directions and words of Beckett’s spoken by him as ‘Krapp’.

The Art of the Pit Head Bath. Tom McGuinness: metamorphic artist

April 16, 2025

The Art of the Pit Head Bath. Joanna Drew (Arts Council of Great Britain – ACGB), Douglas Gray (art selector & essayist), Norman Siddall (British National Coal Board – NCB), Sir William Rees-Mogg (ACGB) & Dr John Kanefsky (essaysist) (1982: page 81) Coal: British Mining in Art 1680 -1980, London, The Arts Council of Great … More The Art of the Pit Head Bath. Tom McGuinness: metamorphic artist

Putting my head above the parapet again, if only for a gesture: ‘a GREEN thought in a GREEN shade’.

April 15, 2025

Describe one positive change you have made in your life I suppose a large part of my life previously has been committed to politics, having joined the Labour Party for the first time in my teens but I suppose that my politics may have faded in my life after I left the Party. I did … More Putting my head above the parapet again, if only for a gesture: ‘a GREEN thought in a GREEN shade’.

I decided never to rely on my very first impressions of what is likable or not. Why I persevered then with Rupert Everett’s short stories in ‘The American No’. This blog is mainly on his Oscar for A Last Season.

April 14, 2025

I decided never to rely on my very first impressions of what is likable or not. Why I persevered then with Rupert Everett’s (2025) short stories in The American No London, Abacus Books. This blog is mainly on his Oscar for A Last Season The American No is a new set of short stories by … More I decided never to rely on my very first impressions of what is likable or not. Why I persevered then with Rupert Everett’s short stories in ‘The American No’. This blog is mainly on his Oscar for A Last Season.

When did I last feel nervous? Literally, when I read that poem.

April 13, 2025

The question today is full of Unstated assumptions about the word ‘nervous’, even if we grant that it is older meaning in thr history of the usage of this Latin-derived word in English is obsolete which I can’t quite admit. Here is the point about the word in etymonline. com: late 14c., “containing nerves; affecting … More When did I last feel nervous? Literally, when I read that poem.

Happiness can only be a fleeting accident of life, not a permanent keepsake.

April 12, 2025

What are 5 everyday things that bring you happiness? Today at Bishop Auckland festival market, I looked for five things that gave me happiness. They don’t endure. They can’t.  Happiness can only be a fleeting accident of life, not a permanent keepsake. I have tried to unpack my issues with the expectation of ‘happiness’ already … More Happiness can only be a fleeting accident of life, not a permanent keepsake.