Belfast

 Set in 1969 Belfast, right at the start of the euphemistically named 'Troubles', other critics have labelled the movie sentimental, romanticised and self indulgent.  All three are true in their way, but not to the detriment of the story.  This is being told by an adult, through the memories of the nine year old boy he was at the time, with a child's perspective on the world.  A world that mixes the love of family with the fear and danger of the developing crisis.switches to monochrome to take us back in time. 

Buddy (Jude Hill) lives in a working class area, predominantly protestant but with catholics often as neighbours.  He knows everyone, everyone knows him, it's a safe welcoming community.  His father (Jamie Dornan) works away in England most of the time, so he spends a lot of time with his grandparents (Judi Dench and Ciaran Hinds), while his mother (Catriona Balfe) struggles to pay the bills.  Life changes, dramatically and fearfully, when unionist thugs descend on the street, attacking the catholic homes and accusing all who are against them as collaborators.  Which includes Buddy's Pa.

The wee boy sees the terror, the changes, the arrogance of the suddenly imposed British military, without understanding.  His elders try to shield him from the realities of the bigotry.  But he does know the bad men want to harm his family, and that there is a big decision to be made - stay or leave?  He finds himself sucked into criminal activities like looting which he views as games, albeit risky ones, ones he's been told are wrong.  But he also continues to find joy in his surroundings, his relationships, and, big treat, going to the fantasy world of the cinema.  Which in turn is used as a clumsy metaphor.  His father trying to take a stand against the local thugs is paralleled with Gary Cooper in High Noon.  The sense of dropping into the unknown that the barricades and soldiers offered becomes the doomed, plunging Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - which goes on to fly into the blue yonder of course.  

This is a nostalgic, rose-distorted view of the times, which offers no insights into the underlying causes of the problems which would lead to all the violence and unhappiness of subsequent decades, but that's not the point.  It's a nine year old's contrast between the comforts of home life and the evil he is not equipped to understand.  This is a feelgood film about childhood, without pretensions towards political or social comment, and, taken as such, makes for good entertainment.  It's far from perfect, but it is engaging and beautifully acted.

(But I couldn't help wondering if  the real 1960s Belfast ever featured such a good looking family as this one!)

Brian Finnegan with Ross Ainslie & Tim Edey, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Celtic Connections

 Three very differing sets to this gig, which had been moved into the wider spaces of the main concert hall.  

The opener brought some confusion.  Two woman, a harp and a fiddle.  I immediately recognised them as Rachel Newton and Lauren MacColl, but neither organisers nor the performers themselves made any introductions so if you didn't know who they were to begin with you were no better off by the end.  A strange omission.

Rachel did introduce the work they were to play, four musical interpretations of Mairi Kidd's stories about Scots women who were persecuted as witches.  Not the cheeriest of subjects, but the music, with Rachel's vocals, was accompanied by short films on the screen above their heads and provided some thought provoking moments about one of the darker corners of our history.

Another duo followed, and they soon made it know that they were Tim Edey (guitar and button accordion) and Ross Ainslie (whistles and bagpipes), in case you didn't know already (I did).  Edey is well know, not just for his outstanding musicianship, but as one of the zaniest characters on the British folk scene, and he did not disappoint in providing entertainment.  His grin was wide before they'd settled into their seats and expanded with joy as the set progressed.  The giggling laugh is pretty infectious as well!

But it was music we were here for and these guys deliver.  A well balanced set of differing tempos and styles, some of it lightning fast.  Ainslie is always an imaginative and varied player, but it was Edey's guitar work that stood out most.  Not just constant chord changes, but style changes too, so that one number might feature folk, jazz and blues guitar all jumbled up, but never inappropriate and always adding to the whole.  Tunes of their own were joined by compositions from the likes of Donald Shaw (Mr Celtic Connections of course!), Charlie McKerron and Tommy Emmanuel (aka God according to Edey!).

Wonderfully entertaining, and Edey's smile would bring sunshine into a blizzard.

Finally the main act of the night, Brian Finnegan and band.  The Irish whistle virtuoso performing material from his acclaimed new album, Hunger of the Skin.  With him on stage were John Blease on percussion and Liam Bradley on drums, Sean Og Graham on guitar, Patsy Reid on fiddle, Paul Dunlea blasting out the trombone, and Conor McCreanor on bass.  Plus, for a couple of numbers, being joined by Finnegan's Flook partner, Sarah Allen on Flute.  All that and some recordings of poems, with images, being played in the background.

Brian, as he admitted from the off, likes to talk to audiences.  Which is a plus, for he's an engaging speaker and keen to explain the thinking behind the various pieces of music and poetry, all on the theme of togetherness.  The music provides strong melodies and even better arrangements, Finnegan's incredible flying fingers back by strong and imaginative rhythms, and lovely harmonies and solos from the others.  We had a battle of the percussionists, which was fun, and Allen intrigued with her stance, a style tribute to Ian Anderson and a stork.  

Life enhancing.

Jack Badcock, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Celtic Connections

 Transferred into the main concert hall for covid reasons, Badcock looked overjoyed to be playing to the larger venue, which was better suited to the size of band he had accompanying him.  Overjoyed, but not overwhelmed, and we were given an hour of smooth vocals and equally smooth string accompaniments.

Michael Biggins on keyboards, Alyn Cosker on drums and Jack's guitar provided the rhythm section.  The lushness came from the string section, headed by ace arranger Seonaid Aitken on fiddle, with Patsy Reid (viola), Su-a Lee (cello) and Charlie Stewart (fiddle and double bass).  

Badcock talked about the theme of the interconnectedness of human beings that provided the common link though the songs, a mix of (mostly) new material with some from his last album.  A couple of pieces went well beyond the usual 3-4 minutes length, allowing for development of themes, both verbal and musical, and the resulting richness is hopefully a sign of things to come from him in the future.  

Always enjoyable, and often beautiful.

Aidan Goatley, The 12 Films of Christmas, Dock Street Studios, Dundee

 Up to Dundee to see the ever reliable Mr Goatley.  With a similar format to his popular 10 Films With My Dad, this show takes us through his top twelve xmas (related) films.  But first, being the friendly chap he is, Goatley gave us an update on his life.  He's recently moved from Brighton to... Middlesbrough.  Suffice to say it's a change to a different world, but one which provides a seemingly unending fund of funny stories.

Goatley lays down the three rules of 'what makes a xmas film,, the most important one being that it invoked the 'spirit of xmas'.  So his selection extends beyond movies set at the end of the year, to embrace some that are traditionally associated with xmas screenings on UK TV.  And which trigger stories from his past.

It's all very entertaining, he gets a bit of audience interaction going, and who could argue with It's a Wonderful Life as his number one choice?  Good fun, occasionally confounding expectations, but always warm and inclusive.  And anti Tory as an added bonus.  Good stuff.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Atkinson, Southport

 An adaptation of Stevenson's classic from Blackeyed Theatre, sticking quite closely to the original storyline.  The tale is too well known to need much repeating here, with obsessive research doctor Jekyll choosing to experiment on himself with the drugs he hopes will unlock the secrets of the human personality, but only succeeded in unleashing his own inner amoral monster, Edward Hyde.

There was a clever, versatile set, apparently constructed from old furniture, providing an adaptable, but very Victorian, slightly seedy, setting.  The atmosphere of Victorian London came across well.

Links between scenes were frequently provided by narration from Zach Lee, a useful device to move on the narrative, but which became itrritating due to the insistence on giving every significant date in full.  A bit more variety in giving indiocation of timescales would have been better ("six weeks had passed...").  And the musical accompaniment could be overly intrusive, with some critical lines drowned out.  These felt like basic errors in script and staging.  

Despite these annoyances this was an enjoyable production, without threatening to break any new ground.  Blake Kubena was a strong Jekyll/Hyde, mixing ambition, desperation and arrogance, but giving his two sodes clear physical delineation.  He managed the transition scenes well.  Lee played his lawyer, and few minot roles, while Ashley Sean-Cook took on the role of best friend to Jekyll, and another slew of lesser characters.  Bit did a decent enough job, without shining.  The final member of the quarter, Paige Round, had the most work to do, with multiple characters and costume changes, and emerged as the strongest of the group, an excellent performance.

A decent night out, but not something I could recommend you rush to see.

Henry Normal - The Escape Room, Liverpool Philharmonic

 A small smiling man in cardigan and glasses walks on to the stage to huge applause and a sense of anticipation.  This is a poetry show, but not in the least highbrow.  Normal's verses are short, funny, poignant, thought provoking.  Plus he has a deep well of stories to draw on from his time as a TV writer and producer.  His tales of the antics of Caroline Aherne as Mrs Merton were a powerful reminder of what a talent she was.  He also talks touchingly of his wife and son, and the humour in their lives, and his own working class upbringing in Nottingham.

The poems are smart, witty, revealing an oblique look at aspects of everyday life.  Lots of clever rhymes, alongside groan inducing puns, and moving images.  All interspersed with much laughter.   Wonderfully original, although many of his his references are probably more meaningful to a more mature audience.  (But since Henry is the same age as myself this wasn't a problem for me at all.)

And I'll always remember that nobody talks about haemorrhoids in Hollywood.

Fortunately... With Fi and Jane

 The conversation was led by a young woman whose name remained a mystery.  Fi and Jane were interesting and funny - no doubt, for I was unable to hear most of it.  Oh well.