Hamnet

Based on the Maggie O'Farrell novel of the same name, it tells a story of the brith anddeath of the son of Agnes Hathaway (Jessie Buckley) and William Shalespeare (Paul Mescal) - yes, that William Shakespear - and the grief they endure in their different ways. 

First meeting, courtship, disapproving parents, marriage, children.  The playwright spend ing much of his time away in London, leaving wife and household to cope, as he builds his reputation and career.  With inevitable tensions in the marriage, made worse by their differing approaches to the loss of their child.  He throwing himself deeper into his work, she withdrawing deeper within herself.  It takes the prodcution of Hamlet to bring understanding and resolution, but it's a herd road to get there.

The coulourless life of the sixteenth century, and the inherent sadness of the theme, can make it a hard watch.  Both leads are excellent, bringing the characters to life, with real emotional depth, but that still doesn't stop it from dragging at times (I almost fell asleep at one point...) so that my overall feeling was one of disappointment.  I'd enjoyed the novel, and had hopes for the film as a result, but felt short changed by the slowness of the plot and the over realiance on shoskc moments.  

KInnaris Q, Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow - Celtic Connections Festival

Support came from Sidiki Jobarteh, a hugely talented Gambian balafon player (a gourd based xylophone), with a percussionist and guitarist to provide the backing.  Jbarteh is also an impressive vocalist, and the others provided backing vocals too.

He is very much rooted in the Gambian folk tradition, with a mix of  old and new, including several self penned, and composition by his mother (Sona is a renowned kora virtuoso).  He has a sympathetic feel for the music, and the old rhythms that underly the melodies.  It's impossible to sit still when listening, this is music to move too.  The beat almost jazz like, Jobarteh's hands a literal blur at times, and the crowd were borought into play singing along to the final number.  This lad has a big future, and this was a great way to open the night.

The Kinnaris Quintet have now become, with the departure of Laura Wilkie, a quartet called Kinnaris Q.  But nothing else has changed.  Still the same high standard of musicality, still the origninality and variation in theoir m usic, and still having enormous fun with each other.  Aileen Gobbi remains as bubbly and hilarious as ever in her introductions, the music as complex as ever.  It was a shame that the sound balance sounded a bit off at times, but even that couldn't hide the quality of the music, or the way it engages their audience.

A wonderful gig.