Chat Thread
If you have looked in the comments on Gill's biography lately you will see that there is quite a bit of off topic discussion going on. Ryan suggested that we should have a chat thread like they do over at One for the Dads so that specific threads don't clogged up with off topic discussions. So as I usually find this kind of stuff reasonably entertaining I thought I would kick thinks off. So if you fancy engaging the rest of the people that you see are logging in, in some discussion that does not really deserve a topic of its own, this is the place to start the ball rolling.
Panfan, if it is possible, it might be a good idea to shift some of that stuff in Gill's biography thread over here. But there again you have probably enough else that needs doing to render such a request a complete waste of your valuable time.
Oh by the way, welcome to pp.com Chrisb, I should imagine that Ryan and Suefan will be extremely jealous of that letter you have from Sue.
User login
Who's online
There are currently 0 users online.
Quick Links
Recent comments
Recent content
Active forum topics
- Like Nuns?!
- The Benny Hill Show
- Pauline Hairstyles
- Patti Gallery
- LOST PAN'S PEOPLE/LEGS & CO ROUTINES FOUND.
- TOTP in Audio
- Chat Thread
- Legs & Co Birthdays
- Baby Come Back: The Equals
- Questions for Ruth Pearson
- Questions for Dee Dee Wilde (Pan's People)
- Beg Your Pardon
- BBC4 to screen FULL episodes of TOTPs from April
- five things....
- Questions for Patti Hammond (Ruby Flipper & Legs & Co)
- Questions for Lulu Cartwright
- Apologies for the Interruption of Service!
- The Witch Queen Of New Orleans 1971
- Gilbert O'Sullivan TOTP 197?
- F I R E B A L L :1 9 7 1
Poll
Who's new
- johnbright17
- W.B.
- raretvarchives
- jedburghuk1
- Rob Gregson
- Bibachick
- Kev Coombs
- Colinm
- petersidley
- JeffM
Visitor Locations
That's a good idea to start
That's a good idea to start this Simon. Sometimes we do veer all over the place and so far we haven't had a designated spot for chatting about any and everything!
Let's hope this proves popular and a great way for getting to know each other!
I'll see if I can move some of the other posts. In the old forum on PP.net, it was trivially done, just press a button marked split topic. Here I have to manually create new posts with the content copied, then change the author name and date, then remove the original ones.
I was going to say on the subject of celebrities and autographs, not all is bleak these days. Last January my son enjoyed seeing Brian Cox doing his TV astronomy shows andre sent him a drawing he made. It took a long while, presumably on account of all the mail he gets, but we did get a signed photo if him: we noticed that he had handwritten the envelope too, so here was someone taking the time to answer and address all his correspondence personally.
Good to have a place here, as that would be veering a bit too OT on the Sue thread!
Celebrities and Fans
In todays online world it must be quite difficult for celebrities to know where to draw the line. Signing the odd photo is one thing but with fans following some celebrities every move on Twitter it easy to see how fans start to imagine that the celebrities are some how part of there life. I think there is also quite some pressure from agents etc to allow this Twitter window on the celebrities world. I imagine that some enjoy the attention and some get round it by employing somebody to invent a life for them.
But unlike other jobs it seems quite a price to pay for being in the limelight that their whole life becomes public property. It is therefore understandable that any celebrity should think twice about how they interact with fans.
SIMON
SIMON
Thank you for the welcome. i just dug the letter out, its still as fresh as the day it was sent all those years ago, just like it was sent yesterday....I wonder if Sue sill has the letter and photo I sent her ..Lol
ChrisB
What, you mean it's not
What, you mean it's not framed and displayed on the wall!!! :)
I'll ask her and see if she recalls!
Hi Chris
Sue must have used good quality writing paper then, sounds like you made a special impression then. Most ordinary quality paper would have turned a bit yellow over that time period.
Simon.
Avatars
Picking up on what PBP said on Gill's bio about being uncomfortable using images of individual dancers as avatars because he did not want his views to ever be mistaken for the dancers views. I too would be uncomfortable using one of their photos as my avatar for a quite different reason. For me an avatar is the image I choose to represent myself, so no matter how much I admire a particular dancer, it would seem like misrepresentation to us one of their images.
I can quite see that other people will not have such qualms and do not have a problem with seeing the avatars of Ryan, Suefan, TOTP fan etc and associating these with the style of writing that I have become accustomed to.
On that score, I don't know what my avatar says about me, I kind of liked the Art Deco image of a dancer and it was neutral enough for me not to be uncomfortable with using it to represent me.
Anybody got any views on avatars?
Simon.
Avatars
I like to use an avatar to show my admiration of a Dancer on this site and have also used them to show a mood change or opinion in the past. In general I think they do become part of how we express ourselves on here just like T-shirt logos or badges in life. On OFTDs I change my avatar all the time but on here I like to keep it constant but I'm not sure why this is. I too find it interesting that there seem to be different opinions about our comfort with different types of avatar. Personally i'm fine with anything as long as it doesn't offend a reasonable person and like Simon I say to each his or her own
Rusty
I don't have the luxury of
I don't have the luxury of being able to use an avatar showing my favourite dancer (Lulu), unlike many other posters both here & on OftDs, I'm really too self-conscious about many of the things I say denigrating her, because somebody has just visited the forum, seen what I wrote, & not thinking straight have assumed that Lulu has said something nasty.
I don't want that to happen, no nice person deserves to be vilified because of a case of a mistaken identity, If I was a nicer person then fair enough I may consider using the sort a avatar most posters use at the two websites, besides which somebody here & overt at OftDs, is already using a brilliant Lulu avatar anyways, not sure if it's same person, they're both a called Glenn, but have different screennames!
Justin
Avatar Policy at Lettuce Cottage
Hi Simon
At Lettuceville we draw our own dancer Avatars, this avoids copyright problems and makes for a fun activity with children.
Have yor read my response to your introductory piece about yourself. Hope you find it interesting.
Best Wishes
Fresh Lettuce
I'm Back... *the* temptation was too much
Finally dropped back in....after many months.
Thanks to panfan for his cajoling....and the golden temptation..Ruths upcoming interview...
I used to be 'dancing with PP on TOTP' status on the old site...suppose Im starting all over again now.!! alas last year was not good for me..illness, medical interrogations, illness in close family, all ontop of a hard work schedule....and some things had to give..timewise. But I'm still here (this planet)... for what it's worth
!!!
So, just gettin used to the site...this seemed like a good 'natter point' of no particular theme- (very good thing to have)..
Look forward to joining in some chat, pan-de-moniums, debates etc., when I can..
Now........when is Ruth
gonna be here lads n lasses ?
be seein you,
-pastpanfan
Welcome back!
Welcome back, pastpanfan!
Great to see you finally around again. Long ago we used to talk about turning PP.net into a proper website, and it was such a shame than when it finally came to pass last Spring, all those things prevented you being able to get involved. But don't worry, we've kept a seat at the table with your name on it!
For those who don't know, pastpanfan was my co-moderator on PP.net and played a large part in keeping the good ship afloat during my prolonged hiatus on account of family illness. And of course he keeps his position in our now enlarged admin team.
Site wise, the layout is rather different and there's lots of things to sort out. We should be able to display things like post count, rank, etc, but that's another thing that's 'operating in a mode of non-functionailty' as I once heard someone say.
Anyway, great to have you back. I've certainly missed your banter and contributions! Just take it easy and don't put any pressure on your health.
Mojo will certainly be pleased to have his fellow Ruth fan back on board! The interview here will likely be next year, but please add a question to the TOTP Playback thread so you can hear a spoken answer.
I thought for a moment there
I thought for a moment there that pastpanfan was panfan in an earlier incarnation & panfan's past self had travelled forwards in time to our present day, but anyways welcome PPF to pp.com from me as well, it's great that we're such a growing army, giving all of the old dance groups the respect that they deserve!
Justin
Hi Simon, great idea to start
Hi Simon, great idea to start a chat thread. You and others will find it a great way to have a bit of banter and of course, threads like Gills will not get clogged up with blokes like me rabbitting on. By the way, im not jealous of ChrisB. I have plenty of correspondence from Sue, she has been very kind to me in that regard.
Avatars are quite an interesting topic. I have the same one for the 3 sites i regually visit and also the same user name. I dont see the point in chopping and changing. To me its like a signiture, it stays with me for life.
My chosen avatar, as you all know is from `The Theme From Mahogany` by Diana Ross. I consider Sue to be as near to perfection in that dance as she ever could be. I can honestly say ive never been tempted to change it either.
RYAN
I hope the thread will be
I hope the thread will be successful and give everyone a chance to chat about anything without fear of going OT.
I've often wondered why although we have plenty of visitors, there doesn't always seem to be a lot of chatting contributions. Are people too confused by the layout they spend all their time searching for things as opposed to posting? Do they feel that unless they can add information it's not worth posting (I hope not!), or is it more a case of waiting for others to take the lead?
Having an active membership who post is my main priority here, and I try to do my bit to comment here and there: but with so much development still to do, I often don't have a lot to add beyond a few one liners or words of encouragement.
Please don't anyone feel over awed by the TOTP experts etc! Don't worry, I know next to nothing compared to all the experts we are lucky to have who know all the routines and dates.
So hopefully this thread can be a place to just chat away, moan about the weather or whatever (I'm sick of the rain!).
As far as avatars go, I'm trying to be a little more adventurous on occasion too as opposed to keeping the same one all the time. If I can get the user panel configured, then the avatar should be more closely identified with the poster. I certainly hope that no one mistakes an avatar as indentifying a poster as a dancer. I would think, or hope, that any familiarity with this or any sort of fan forum would show that posters typical use avatars of their faves.
Looks like I have started something here...
For once I don't visit durring the day only to discover that I have half a dozen posts to reply to. But thats good, I have tried a couple of times before to put up topics that people could run with only for it to fizzle out as soon as the topic drops out of the left side navigation panel.
Don't get me wrong, I don't mean I am competing in some kind of popularity competition. But more like Panfan and Ryan, I would like to see pp.com lighten up with a bit of banter. Sure the research and the discoveries are an important part of what goes on. I am quite in awe of the patience of Cornershop, Jez and Andy amongst others in tracking these things down. But there is a limit to how much they can keep things going. But something we can all do is express our thoughts. We have at least one common interest, so why not talk about it.
I need to read my daughter a bed time story now, but I will be back later to reply to some of the comments.
Celebrities?
It is interesting thinking about what we do here and OFTDs.It must be very strange for the dancers,who today lead very different lives from those they lead 30 years ago,and yet still have fans as if nothing's changed.I've been tempted to write to one or two of Legs,but then i have to pinch myself and realize that they aren't in the public eye anymore.
As for avatars,i think they just indicate a favourite dancer.By and large you know who is a fan of whom just by the avatar.Justin,i am the same Glenn as over on OFTDs.I didn't think too much about names when i joined the two sites,hence i'm SuPaLu over there.
Glenn
They're more interesting than celebrities!
Dear Glenn
Yes, you touch on an important point there, there is no way that 30 years ago any of the dancers could have had a slight suspicion about their legacy, and persistence of their popularity.
Sometimes I think that they are glad that there is some interest, but sometimes fanhood gets a bit out of hand and people start doing odd things (like Madonna's stalker, amongst other celebrities). This must be a concern to the girls - how do they know we're not all a bit unbalanced!?
Think that my family are "new" fans, I refreshed my knowledge of the scene in 1994 with that year's documentary and then April 2011 and BBC4 came just when the kids liked that sort of thing. Although I do remember Sue and Pauline from when I used to watch in 1979.
I won't be writing to any of the dancers - the opportunity to leave a question and then read the interviews is quite enough for this family man.
Fresh Lettuce
It's the old TOTPs re-runs
It's the old TOTPs re-runs that must've fuelled any resurgance in popularity of it's former dancers, & as we're into the Legs & Co. era now, I wonder If L&C will get to match or even surpass the popularity of Pan's People, at least amongst younger viewers!
Justin
More thoughts about Avatars
Hi Glenn, I have always loved the picture of Lulu in you avatar. But I think there is a bit more to avatars than just indicating a favourite dancer. It is more than likely that there is a subconscious element in image choice. Out of all the images that you could choose of any particular dancer the particular photo you choose will probably say something about you.
From what I have seen over in OftDs forum I can see that Ryan can stand a bit of teasing so I will illustrate my point with him. His photo of Sue (which again is a photo I very much like) she has a certain look on her face that dare I say could be described as smug (I hope there are not too many gasps at my gall at this point). Then you look at his posts and may I also go so far as saying that sometimes they might be described as a little cocky. Are you starting to see a pattern here.
My avatar is actualy a bronze medal, hope it does not mean that subconsciously I see myself as cold like a lump of bronze.
Celebrity is such a strange thing, at the time I sympathized with Britney Spears when she had all her hair shaved off. Although the attention from fans must in one sense be flattering in another it must be scarry that lots of people feel they know you.
My introductory piece
Hi Fresh Lettuce,
I hadn't seen your response over at introductions, but I have read it now and I will slowly bring bits of your comments in over here for discussion. But I don't want to swamp the discussion with too many topics at once, so I will take it slowly.
I was wondering if your avatar might work better if you reversed the tones and made the background white and the lines white. I think it should be possible to do this in paint. I think it would stand out more so it could be seen more easily.
Indeed Bar Mitzvah Boy was a Jack Rosenthal play, he did so much fine work for the TV. Has anybody seen it recently enough to remember the scene where the boy admits his crush on all the members of Pans People to his older sister. Unfortunately I did not get to see the Jack Rosenthal play that you mention (P'tang Yang Kipper Bang) but I will look out for it and give it a go if I get a chance. Evacuees was another very special Jack Rosenthal play.
Simon.
Clearer Image
Agree Simon, my daughter's art needs boosting for the thumbnail picture. If you see the picture full size, it just about works but despite improving the contrast digitally I have not been able to render it any better.
I plan to post a new image each month, which may adversely affect recognition, but as no-one else currently uses hand-drawn pictures I'm hoping we'll still be as recognisable.
When I get chance to bath my kids they both ask me for Top of the Pops questions, sometimes they want me to mime a dance and they guess it. An easy one was the bathroom door for "Let 'em In". My son called the song correctly, but on a technicality gave it the wrong title, so my daughter got the point. There was then civil war.
Is it the same with your little ones!
Fresh Lettuce
Age Gap
Hi Fresh Lettuce,
Childrens art is always such fun, so it is a pity that you have not managed to boost the contrast sufficiently. On paint under the image menu there is something called invert colours. I don't know if that would work, but I suspect it would need putting into photoshop and the tonal range adjusting. Panfan is a wizard with things like that, but in view with the amount of work he has I dare not suggest you push it in his direction.
I am sure that nobody will have any trouble working out who you are with a name like Fresh Lettuce. It is hardly forgettable.
It is usualy civil war in our household. There is quite a gap between the two of them as the younger is 5 and the older is 13. The 13 year old had her parents to her self for far too long, now she has to share. Sharing is difficult for a child that is not used to it. The younger loves to sit and watch PP routines especialy Coconut. The older is far too cool to want to watch anything so last century. Just annoys me with Jessie J's foul mouthed lyrics at full volume. But really most of the stuff she listens to is not bad. Lady Gaga, Pink, and Avril Lavigne are all reasonable.
Simon.
FL drawing
Here you go, FL. Would get a betterresult with a large version. I tried inverting, but thought this way looked better!
Wow, I was right when I said you were a wizard Panfan.
Thanks for proving me right, I am sure that FS will be pleased with it. It certainly was worth it, I can see what it is now and like I said childrens drawings are a lot of fun.
Simon.
Hehe, no wizardry involved -
Hehe, no wizardry involved - takes 5 seconds in Photoshop. Just a quick Levels adjustment to adjust the spread of tones.
Now you can see the likenesses, thanks
Wow thanks Simon, thanks Panfan, Lady Lettuce's picture looks like it should. It's A Kind of Hush from the Brown Eyed Girls line-up. Poor Ruth has been subtracted from the picture, like the 1920s pictures from Stalin's USSR!
I'll try and grab that much improved picture, but it's due to be replaced at the end of the month anyway.
Fresh Lettuce
A kind of hush
Hi Fresh Lettuce,
I can see why little girls would be attracted my own 5 year old likes nothing better than to dress like a princess. But I find watching this is tinged with sadness. Karen Carpenter was much more comfortable dressed as a tomboy and hiding behind her drum kit, but management and brother bullied her into fronting the group in flouncey outfits.
It goes back to what I was saying about celebrities the marketing expectations are often just too high. For me the importance of Karen Carpenter was her voice not what she wore. She was beautiful, but why should somebody who is not comfortable with assuming a glamourous image be pushed in that direction? I have yet to work out how she managed to produce chords when she was singing. For most singers it is all they can do to adequately sing single notes, but the richness that comes from being able to produce more that one note at the same time is what makes her voice so angelic. I wonder if this ability was a real talent, or something created in the studio by over dubbing.
I quite like the tomboy look anyway, I suppose "Homely girl" is one of my favourite PP routines for that very reason.
Simon.
At least in those in there
At least in those in there was no excessive use of "autotune" with a vocoder (voice encoder)!
Justin
What's that about, Justin?
What's that about, Justin?
A Vocoder is used IMHO, in
A Vocoder is used IMHO, in cases where the vocalist's singing voice sounds so awful that it needs to be disguised with the bum notes being weeded out, but the end result often sounds much worse, the vocoded voice just sounds so artificial, like an electronic voice like with some children's toys.
Any vocalist with a naturally pleasent sounding voice doesn't need to be autotuned!
Justin
A letter from the 19 year old Sue.
Hi Ryan,
Jealous was really only a figure of speech, I know that Sue is such a generous person and has been known to even have messages posted here as well as her wonderful interview. But I still think getting a hand written communication from her when you and she are 19 certainly takes some beating.
I hope you don't mind me teasing you about your avatar earlier.
Simon.
I picked my Avatar because it
I picked my Avatar because it sort of fits with my user name and it features my favorite dancer. I don't think there is any problem using a picture of one of the ladies, for instance when I see Ryan's or Suefans picture of Sue I know who it is straight away without looking at the name.
As for different user names it didn't take me very long to work out the alter egos of Glenn and Rusty on the OFTD site. I'm not sure who else is on both sites with different id's.
Proud Of My Avatar
Well, Im proud of my Avatar and Im not going to ditch it to please others, it shows our admiration for our favourite TOTP Dancers, I like your Avatar by the way Doc.
Giant Millipede
Paperboyplod wrote:
It's the old TOTPs re-runs that must've fuelled any resurgance in popularity of it's former dancers, & as we're into the Legs & Co. era now, I wonder If L&C will get to match or even surpass the popularity of Pan's People, at least amongst younger viewers!
I think certainly anyone of around age 40 and older will have heard of the troupes, and with repeat shows from UK Gold to TOTP2 to BBC4, there will be few under 40 who can't have at least heard of PP & L&C
We certainly do have a lot of members aged in earlier 30s and indeed some in 20s, which testifies to their appeal to newer audiences
Now, the title of my post - in case you were wondering!
Last year a local attraction had a collection of exotic animals and held a competition to name a giant millipede. And ever though this was aimed at the younger kids and parents (who would have been mostly in their 40s at the older end), one name came up trumps and was chosen the winner. I don't think I need to say which!!
Simon O wrote:
Simon O wrote:
But more like Panfan and Ryan, I would like to see pp.com lighten up with a bit of banter.
Yes, it would be greta to have a little more discussion and sgaring of personal opinions. For me this is a major aspect of the site. We could have had a static site, with no discussion, but the community aspect comes number one.
I wonder why some view the site as stuffy or heavy. Certainly we try to provide a good resource of material, but that doesn't mean we can't post away in the forum on whatever takes our fancy too!
(past)panfan
Paperboyplod wrote:
I thought for a moment there that pastpanfan was panfan in an earlier incarnation & panfan's past self had travelled forwards in time to our present day, but anyways welcome PPF to pp.com from me as well, it's great that we're such a growing army, giving all of the old dance groups the respect that they deserve!
Like the Three (well Two) Doctors?!
Truth be told, I saw pastpanfan post in a forum first, and as I totally lack imagination, I plumped for, something simpler!
User panel
This is what one day should contain avatars and info about users...one day...!
It gets a thumbs-up from me!
It gets a thumbs-up from me!
Justin
Quotations
Hi Panfan,
Is the quotations that you have used above some new functionality that you have managed to get working? If so are you going to explain how it works. My apologies if I have missed it and you have already explained elsewhere.
Simon.
If only!
If only!
There is a 'quotes module', but that's another thing not working, I'm afraid. So I just did a copy and paste and changed the background.
One day......!
Sorry.
Wasn't meaning to put extra pressure on. I did remember that you had mentioned a quotes module, just thought you might have got it working.
How is it going with II62, I saw that he had managed to sort the jagged logo. Hopefully you are still making progress with recent comments. With all the activity on a single thread, I would hate people to miss out on Cornershop's finds. But I guess that is the way with PHP coding (and any other coding for that matter) its obvious once you solve it, but very far from obvious until you reach that point.
I think we are just about done avatars, I have another topic in mind now. I will add shortly.
Simon.
Don't worry Simon!
Don't worry Simon! I've go an ever expanding To Do list, but whether sooner or later I'll get to things.
I have to try out a snippet of PHP that ll62 made to see what values it returns for recent comments, and take if from there.
Maybe I'll win the lottery and I can just hire a professional web developer to sort out all the coding stuff for me: I can but dream!
As it is, I have to divide my time between correspondence, routines lists and videos, graphics, trying to sort out the software glitches, backups and updates, contributing to the discussions, and the not so small matter of trying to get the Lulu interview done!
Rather than try to do everything of one thing before starting another, I try to do little bits of each aspect to keep up with things, but I know it means things can appear frustratingly slow. But I have to pace myself and try not to let it all take over my life as I don't want to end up burned out or with an RSI or something. I could easily spend all day here and still struggle to catch up!
At the moment I'm way behind, so please bear with me as it can take days if not weeks to act on requests for various things to be done on the site. I do have a list of things to do, and requests do get added to it, and I will get there eventually!
White Heat
I think I saw somebody say that they had been dissapointed with BBC drama series. Now that I hav seen it all it, I can say that I was personally far from dissapointed with it.
I think that the flatmates were meant to be aged about 18 in 1965, so about 13 years older than me. But the portrayal of the UK over the extended period (1965 to date) seems very much how I remember it.
The politicians on both sides of the divide made some very big errors of judgement. But really it has been a country that has struggled to recover from the economic consequences of two world wars, both of which we were in from the start.
Then Mrs Thatcher came along, I thought it was brilliant how she continued to drone on in the background on the TV, while the action unfolded. If it were not for the Falklands war, I think it would have gone on with both Tories and Labour swapping after single terms. But it did come along and although society continues to evolve, this became a tipping point.
When Thatchers second term started things got much more serious minded. On the work front things were much more relaxed before this second term. I had my guitar at work and used to strum away at lunch time. We still got through plenty of work, just the atmosphere was less pressured. Maybe this change is attitudes is what killed off dance troops on the TV.
So thats it, my thought for the day General Galtieri was the reason that Legs and Co finished on TOTP.
A bit far fetched but hopefully will start a discussion.
White Heat
Hi Simon
It was me that felt disappointed by this effort. Watched two episodes and gave up, reckoning that it could not be salvaged. Well done for sticking with it, you have been rewarded with a prize I was too impatient to receive.
Hugely interesting concept, expected something like Our Friends in the North or even Heimat, reasonable characterisation and good acting, alas, just a really poor script for me.
So many people have a a good idea in outline but fail to attract collaborators of sufficient quality or experience to turn the concept into something of quality, and I think that it happened here. Similarly The Boat That Rocked, great idea, rubbish script, as I have whinged before.
Hope Cambridge is looking pretty this April
Best Wishes, Fresh Lettuce
Question of taste?
Hi Fresh Lettuce,
Sometimes it is just that a particular TV series just does not speak to you, so maybe just a question of taste. Admittedly it is not a new idea and has been done over an over for different periods of time. Brideshead Revisited, Any Human Heart etc. But it not many works cover the period I grew up in. Because the detail seemed to fit with my recollections it spoke to me, but maybe your experiences were that much different that you failed to find the same.
But like I always say you are entitled to your opinions and I will not try to convince you that it was any better than you think it was.
Some other films that seemed to describe times that I grew up in reasonably well include Mile Leigh films especially naked (obviously not the detail, just the spirit), the cement garden, me without you. Any of these appeal to you?
Cambridge is looking decidely wet today, I hope that where ever you are based is a little drier (sorry if you have said where this is and I missed it).
Simon.
Mike Leigh, Oh Yes Please
Simon
Bullseye, Mike Leigh will do for me, especially Nuts in May, I like that they have got Ray to play a role as a Cardiff bloke, can you hear that his accent is different from the rest of Wales? Similarly everyone loves Abigail's Party. I saw David Thewlis in the film Naked, a more recent piece, it was quite raw.
Yes, Any Human Heart, one of my favourite three or four novels, William Boyd's best, the last part of the dramatisation with Jim Broadbent was the best. I also like the books of JM Coetzee and Paul Theroux.
Of course I respect your opinion over White Heat, it was in intent a serious piece of drama set in context of British social change that, as you say, was contemporary with your own life. For something so ambitious it all has to "line up properly" for me. I detested the flat owning MP's son and couldn't buy the idea that flat mates were "recruited" as a kind of social experiment. The seduction of the auburn haired girl could be seen from about 15 scenes before it happened. The only character I liked was the Jamaican law student. This is sure to be repeated again and maybe I will try episode 3 onwards next time. I don't suffer a poor attention span, having just watched 26 episodes of The Forsyte Saga.
We've gone way off topic, but embedded here I have at least told you roughly where I am!
Best Wishes, Fresh Lettuce
Life is Sweet
Fresh Lettuce,
I have not seen Nuts in May, I kind of discovered Mike Leigh with Life is Sweet and have seen most of his output since, but Life is Sweet remains my favourite. I have seen Abigail's party though and can still picture in my mind 1970s women wearing those hideous dinner party dresses.
I tend to catch most modern literature as film adaptations as I never got past wading through literature from earlier centuries, one day I will make it to more modern stuff.
I did think that early episodes of White Heat owed quite a bit to the L-shaped room and maybe even a little to Rising Damp. The MP's son is meant to be odious, it is needed for the plot. Character development increases as the series progresses, but I think it was more intended as a synopsis of the changes than an analysis of personality.
My contact with people in Wales has not been sufficient for me to identify different accents. This is rather odd as my mother has a small holding near Lampeter and I have just finished a course of study as an external student of Cardiff University. The problem is distance, I took my daugter to visit my mum in February for half term. Seven hours in four different trains followed by 30 minutes in a taxi. It took them two days to recover.
Simon.
Janine Duvitsky's leg cramps
Dear Simon
Abigail's party is still a big draw, it is regularly performed by amateur and professional theatres here. Please do look out for Nuts in May: BBC4 have shown it and it dates from the weekend of 21 May 1976 - experts here could tell us the Ruby Flipper for that week, I'm sure. The play is about a couple's camping holiday in Dorset and clashes of culture between them and their other campers. Life is Sweet, seem to remember the late Karin Cartlidge, or am I getting mixed up.
Guess that you didn't get much contact with the local people if you were an external student, entirely understandable. I liked the representation of Ray, he is entirely true to life and could have been a cousin of mine, people from my part of the world have been badly represented in drama (the journalist in Dad's Army, what a buffoon).
Rising Damp is still hilarious, my mum and dad were regularly entertained by this although I think that like It Ain't Half Hot Mum, they have to be very careful over what can be re-broadcast owing to the new age in which we live. Oh those dark rooms, the muted colours.
Fresh Lettuce
P.S. is your avatar image from the Fitzwilliam Museum? What a shocking robbery (same gang as raided the Durham museum, surely?)
Jane Horrocks not Karin Crtilidge
Hi Fresh Lettuce,
You are a little off track with "Life is Sweet", Alison Steadman and Jim Broadbent play a couple with two almost grown up daughters, one is disfunctional (a hilarious performance by Jane Horrocks of Little Voice fame).
You have convinced me, I will try to catch Nuts in May when I get a chance.
Was the journalist you were talking about played by Talfryn Thomas? I remember him in Terry Nation's survivors, he always seemed to be the butt of everything. Then there was Ruth Madock in Hi Di Hi another stereotypical performance. I listen to people that I assume to come form Wales on R4's Today programme each morning (John Humphreys and Evan Davis) but I don't think I will learn anything about accents from them as they sound English to me.
I don't want anybody to be offended but, I also think it is a shame that classics like Rising Damp have to be buried because of some of their content.
My Avatar was not from the Fitzwilliam, it is by an Art Deco medalist called Marcel Renard, he did a whole series of medals of muses. If you type his name into Google Images, you will see more of his work.
That robbery must have been perpetrated by people that really new what they were doing. Security in the Fitwilliam is very sophisticated. The police are determined to catch them, I think they have about 25 officers on the case.
Simon.
Just to say, i thoroughly
Just to say, i thoroughly recommend `Nuts In may`, a BBC play for today from 1976. It was on BBC4 a year or two back and i enjoyed it a lot. As for `Survivours`, well the first and second series were brilliant TV, totally gripping and quite scary, though the 3rd series was a disapointment.
RYAN
Pages