A Taste of Honey

On Saturday Mum and I travelled up to London for the day to watch the play A Taste of Honey, which is currently running at the National Theatre.

We began the morning at the Barbican (I'll blog another post about that later) and then walked over to St Paul's, before crossing the millennium bridge and heading towards the South Bank for lunch.

 

 

Mum was desperate to have a look at the book market which is just outside the theatre. She rummages at carboots and second hand stalls for vintage books with interesting covers and then reinvents them by transforming them into notebooks. This is her website if you're interested: Vintage Notebook

Afterwards we headed into the theatre and took our seats for the show.

The play is a revival of British dramatist Shelagh Delaney’s first play, written when she was only eighteen. After initially intending to write a novel, Delaney later decided that the declining nature of British theatre meant it needed it more and it premiered at the Theatre Royal Strafford East in 1958. There is also a film version.

Set in Salford in North West England in the 50s it is a gritty depiction of working class life in post-war England, exploring hot potato topics such as class, race and sexuality. Part of the genre that would later become known as “kitchen sink” drama, it offers a stark portrayal of the sharp realities of working class life for one mother and her daughter. Delaney was part of a new wave of writers who were attempting to produce theatre that was more naturalistic and less theatrical and she threw herself into portraying taboo subjects that are intended to shock audiences.

The play opens with the teenage Jo and her mum Helen after they have just arrived at their new lodgings in a rundown and dingy flat. Helen is a chain smoking, good time girl, and although not quite a lady of the night, she is defined by her loose morals. Her loving, but dysfunctional relationship with her daughter is at the centre of the play's drama. As a single mother Helen has had to keep herself and her daughter afloat, which she does, not by working a traditional desk job, but through her choice of men, the flaunting of her sexuality, her style of clothes and her body.

As events unfold, the feisty Jo, in her final few months of school, begins a courtship with a young black sailor called Geoff. Her tenacious mother has also just embarked on a relationship with a rich car sales man called Peter, who is half her age.

Act two opens with Jo, pregnant and alone, after her sailor has left her and gone back to sea. Abandoned by her mother who has married Peter and moved in with him, Jo is looked after by her friend Geoffrey, a gay art student who assumes the role of mother, father and housekeeper, cooking, cleaning and knitting clothes for the baby.

The play draws to a close after Helen returns to the flat, having left the abusive and alcoholic Peter. Meanwhile Jo has just gone into labour and announced to her horrified mother that the baby will most likely be mixed race. Geoffrey disappears having been told to sling his hook by Helen and after that the curtains close and you are left wondering what this new chapter will bring for the mother and daughter duo and how on earth they will possible cope.

The play is first and foremost a tale of mothers and daughters. Lesley Sharp (most recently in the ITV drama Scott & Bailey) plays Helen and Kate O’Flynn her daughter. Both produce highly convincing portraits of two women who are more alike than they would care to admit and their endless energy makes it hard to take your eyes off the stage even for a moment.

Although comic with many tongue in cheek moments, the story is also an emotional one, seen in the tragedy of a young girl repeating the mistakes that her mother so desperately wanted her to avoid. Seemingly an unmaternal, sexually indiscriminate woman, you come to realise that Helen nurtures a caring instinct behind her flighty exterior. Whilst the various men put on good supporting roles the real focus is on the two women at the heart of this story, both of whom need someone to look after them. The pervading strength of the female spirit reigns supreme in this deprived, battered and run down part of Britain that offers little hope of escape for its inhabitants.

Tickets available here: National Theatre Southbank

Afterwards we went for a stroll around London in the sun, even managing to pop in a quick trip to Liberty's before we caught the train home.

A Visionary Delight: The Grand Budapest Hotel

I’ve been wanting to see this film for ages and finally got round to watching it last week and it was definitely worth the wait.

Directed by Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel recalls the adventures and mishaps of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at the Grand Hotel, a famous and elegant pink-painted retreat for the rich between the two world wars.

 

It is influenced by the prolific Austrian writer Stefan Zweig and although not directly based on any of his works, Anderson ensures it evokes the spirit of Zweig's melodramas.

The murder-mystery-adventure-story is recalled in retrospect from the former lobby boy Zero Moustafa, played by F. Murray Abraham, who became Gustave’s accomplish and most trusted friend during his escapades in the 1930s, which include frolics with elegant elder ladies staying as guests at the hotel, a stint and escape from jail and various train trips across a snowy and pre-war Hungarian countryside peopled with soldiers, who he repeatedly gets into scuffles with.

Jude Law plays the young writer who is staying at the hotel, now owned by Zero, which has lost much of the charm and allure of a bygone era and is in need of a good lick of paint. The main plot plays itself out in flashbacks during a dinner between Zero and the young writer in the hotel’s outdated dining hall. Zero returns to the hotel, located in the fictional Zubrowka, every year, but still refuses to stay anywhere but his small room in the servant quarters that he inhabited when an employee all those years ago. Zero himself is still grief stricken from the loss of his sweetheart, Agatha, played by Saoirse Ronan, who worked at the local patisserie, supplying the Grand Hotel with sweet treats.

I don’t want to give too much away because this film is really worth seeing for yourselves.

The plot is a little whimsical but Ralph Fiennes plays the composed yet slightly insane Gustav and puts on a terrific witty performance that will have you in stitches.

The film is modern, innovative and playful, with voice over narrations adding to the visual sophistication. The narrative is also hilarious and excellently executed from the whole cast, with multiple cameos from well known stars, including Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Tilda Swinton and Jason Schwartzman- to name but a few.

For me the film’s real draw was its screen play which is a visceral masterpiece. The meticulous attention to detail and the rich and vibrant colours give off the impression of a fairytale for adults, where you can imagine yourself to be reading an elaborately illustrated children’s book with interactive pop out pieces.

 

Fictitious, bizarre, sad and comic all in one go, this film of labyrinthine emotions is definitely worth a watch.

Happy Easter!

I hope you are reading this suitably stuffed with chocolate after the Easter Bunny's visit.

 

Time for a post-Easter detox anyone?

 

I started my Easter weekend on Friday when I met up with my Bath friends for a picnic at the Crescent. It has been ages since we've all be together so it was really nice to catch up, gossip and eat in the Spring sun.

Although we are all working and studying all over the country we always make time to see each other when we are back in Bath.

We couldn't have asked for a better location- it's just a shame half of Bath and its tourists also had the same idea! The crescent used to be our destination of choice for 'hanging out' when we were growing up, so it was nice to reminisce about all the fun and barbecues we'd had there.

It was surprisingly warm when the sun came out, but decidedly chilly when it went back to its hiding place under the clouds.

 

On Saturday we went for a walk to Cold Ashton, just off the A46 coming out of Bath.

 

The weather wasn't as warm but we were greeted with the beautiful scenery of rolling green hills and blossoming trees nonetheless.

 

 

You descend into the valley and follow a stream round the hillside, navigating through woods and crevices along the way.

 

 

Before reaching the Parish of St Catherine and the Monkswood reservoir.

 

 

The reservoir is locked out of bounds to stop people swimming in the summer but if you walk around the outside of the fencing you can get a good view of it from the hillside.

 

To get there we had to wade through a wooded area with fresh garlic growing.

 

 

 

 

 

We stopped for lunch overlooking the blue waters and imagined we were at the seaside...if it weren't for the barbed wire fencing separating us and the water we could have been!

 

 

A well deserved cup of tea and homemade banana loaf.

 

 

We met some friends on the way back.

 

 

This one was rather nosey...

 

 

 

Beautiful bluebells blossoming.

 

The walk is about 5 miles and takes a couple of hours with a stop for lunch in between.

 

 

The next day was Easter Sunday and we had afternoon tea with the family.

Homemade lemon macaroons with a lemon curd filling.

Chocolate coated strawberries.

Egg and Cress, Cucumber, and Salmon and Cream Cheese finger sandwiches.

 

And the finale: a double chocolate fudge cake which a bird had kindly hatched some eggs on in a perfect symmetrical arrangement.

 

 

All washed down with a glass of champagne.

 

 

Look who we caught making eyes at each other.

 

 

Today sadly it's back to work, but at least I've still got some treats left over to help me through.

 

HAPPY EASTER!

 

 

 

Dinner at The Mint Room

To celebrate Mum's Birthday we went for dinner at Bath's best curry house: The Mint Room.

They serve traditional Indian dishes with a modern innovative twist and all the food is fresh and flavoursome.

The restaurant is located just outside of the City centre by a Sainsbury's and isn't much to look at from the outside, you would probably pass it by without a second glance, but once you are inside you are transported to another world where the food and service more than makes up for it.

The restaurant is open plan and spacious, with tables looking out onto the road or booths set further back in the restaurant.

To start with complimentary poppadoms are served to your table with a delicious homemade chutney and a red spicy sauce. The poppadoms aren't your average round ones but are already broken into pieces perfect for sharing and dipping.We demolished ours in seconds, so ordered another round....and then another after that.

Next we had a round of onion bhajis which were three tiered and perfectly crispy, sat atop a tangy sauce with a delicate cucumber garnish.

All the dishes are meticulously presented with bright colours and dressings.

For my main course I chose two items from the grill: marinated tandoori chicken pieces accompanied by a mint yogurt and prawns in a honey and mustard dressing. I also went for my favourite, a peshwari naan, which was packed full of coconut and sultanas.

The chicken was tender and perfectly cooked whilst the prawns were huge and juicy.

Just a heads up, the portions are ginormous and most dishes are enough to share between at least two people.

Mum went for a prawn curry with a potato and spinach side dish whilst Dad and Jack went for a more traditional korma and tikka masala with pilau rice and garlic naan bread.

There is loads to choose from on the menu, from vegetarian specials, to traditional curries and house specialities which include a spiced tamarind sea bass and an oven roast duck breast in coconut sauce. All the food is made fresh so if you fancy changing an ingredient in your curry or asking for less/more spice, or anything else, they are more than happy to accommodate.

To finish we ordered a round of peppermint tea and some pallet cleansing lime sorbet drizzled in fresh mango puree.

The food is honestly the best Indian food I have ever had. Usually I don't like Indian takeaways as the dishes are always soaked in oil and far too sweet, but these curries are made with low fat yogurt and aren't stodgy at all. They also have a vast cocktail list.

The restaurant has won a host of awards.

It was packed even though it was Easter Sunday so booking is definitely advisable. They also offer a takeaway menu if you fancy enjoying fine Indian dining from the comfort of your home.

Go to: The Mint Room