Skippy dies by Paul Murray

Book group book.  It was OK but FAR too long.  Set in a posh boarding school in Ireland.  Skippy is one of the pupils and he dies at the beginning and then the book goes up to the events that led up to this.  There is drug taking , child abuse, floozies, bullying.  And too much graphic sex.  At the end I found it a bit unsatisfactory

Merchant of Venice

We went to see this in the newly refurbished theatre in Stratford.  It was updated to Las Vegas and it worked very well.  Lancelot Gobbo was an Elvis impersonator and he had a very good voice.  Portia stole the show.  She managed to get that intonation of those girls in the Hills and they did the chosing of the boxes like a game show.  Patrick Stewart was  Shylock and he came across as pretty sympathetic.  Antonia coming across as the baddie

The slap Andrew Tsiolkas

Interesting novel but filled with the most unlikable cast imaginable.  At a family bbq a man slaps a 3 year old who is not his and the book deals with the consequences of this incident on friends and familyand friends attending.  Bits of it I thought were a bit unrealistic.  The elderly Greeks effing and jeffing just seemed unlikely to me.  I got the impression that the author really dislikes everyone from his greek roots because none of them seem to have any redeeming qualities.  A readable book, I wanted to see what happened but not a lovable book

Senna

This film was a documentary about Senna.  I have not interest in formula 1 but I heard various reviews that even people who disliked formula one enjoyed this film so decided to go when it came to S screen.  A really excellent film.  Brilliant editing of contempary footage so that you have reaction shots.  The rivalry between Prost and Senna drives the narrative.  Excellent film

La Boheme

This was in Cambridge at West Road.  Vignette productions.  Very young cast but all very good.  Rudolfo was a bit weak in the first half and struggling with the orchestra who were too loud.  They had set it in a modern post apocalyptic event which worked pretty well.  Although men in white suits came to take Mimi's body at the end which rather spoiled the pathos, I though.  Musetta, keri Fuge was particularly good.  They cut out big chunks of it so it came in well under 2 hours.  But thoroughly enjoyable

The Great White Silence

This film was the official film of the Scot Expedition.  It has been lovingly restored by the British Film Industry and it is absolutely amazing.  When you consider it is over 100 years old.  The guy was there for a year so he didn't know the tragic ending but was able to add that on and it was very moving.  But the beginning had funny light hearted moments  with the team's antics and his filming of seals and penguins.  Really glad I got the chance to see this at a cinema

Harry Potter 7.2

Brilliant.  There were a few little tweeks but I think it stuck to the plot really well.  Best of the lot in my opinion