Lockdown Changes

(Monday)The government is changing the slogan regarding coronavirus advice from 'stay at home' to 'stay alert,' and now people are saying that the public will be 'puzzled' by the change? How? Is it just more nanny state? Do we really take notice of slogans, almost what you get for brands, sound bites, for example, for Sainsbury's it's  'making life taste better'  and with Tesco it's 'every little helps' or for KFC, 'Finger licking' good.' Are we sucked in to this sort of stuff? I don't honestly think so. It's politicising this pandemic just to score points. We know that the government has made mistakes, but it's understandable, and whatever they do is going to be criticised and the BBC is the worst offender. Just listen to the questions thrown at by the BBC reporters during the daily press conferences to the politicians and science advisers. Always attempting to make trouble just to make a story, to stir up trouble. Never anything positive, almost always negative. Which ever party was in government, there would always be some sort of mistake, we haven't been down this road before in living memory, when did we have a lockdown because of a pandemic like this? It's totally new territory.

I am attempting to encourage Alfie to go out a good deal later and we have done up until now, so we went out at gone 7.30 this morning and he didn't seem to object, thankfully, so I get a bit longer in bed.

The weather was bright and sunny this morning, but as the day progressed it became windy and wet. Fortunately I went on a further photography expedition early enough to avoid the rain which swept in around lunchtime. I have watched a further episode of 'The A Word' via BBC iPlayer and have done some more work on my writing. Research rather than actual pen-to-paper and uploaded some more photographs onto Facebook. I kept an eye of the weather and we went out for another walk but no sooner had Alfie realised that it was wet and not to his liking, he turned tail and took me home. He just doesn't appreciate rain at any price.

(Tuesday) A good deal brighter and warmer this morning.

I've been looking around on the internet for shorts. I wanted another pair and went on the Weird Fish website as a result of reading one of their emails. I have ordered cargo shorts in a light beige colour. The extra pockets will be useful for change, spare batteries or small items when I'm out and about with the camera.

I haven't been out to give the car a run for the past couple of days so I've driven down Chaffron Way as if I was going to Camphill (I wish I was because it's Tuesday and I would have been going there under different circumstances.) I went past Waitrose and was about to turn into the entrance but then decided that there was likely to be a 40-minute wait because of the queuing arrangements. By the time I turned off at the roundabout near Oakgrove school, I decided to have a look near the carpark and I found nobody queueing so I parked the car and went in as I needed more fruit and some sweets. Just can't resist a Rownstree's fruit pastille. I drove off along Brickhill Street and then onto Childs Way and then back onto Chaffron Way and up towards Morrison's at Westcroft and then round the roundabout and back to Oldbrook and home. At least its keeping the car battery charged up and preventing it from needing a jump start which is what I'm attempting to avoid.

(Wednesday) I'm writing this at 6.60a.m. I've been reading The Age of Decadence by Simon Heffer. I think I've mentioned this book and the earlier book by the same historian/suthor before in earlier blog posts. I'm reading the chapter on Edwardian literature, covering such authors as Conan-Doyle, H.G.Wells, Rudyard Kipling and Arnold Bennett. I've read Conan-Doyle, as I love Sherlock Holmes, and the Granada Television adaptations which starred Jeremy Brett as Holmes. I actually worked as a supporting artiste on one of those episodes, 'The Man With The Twisted Lip.' I did see the Benedict Cumberbatch modernised version, which was cleverly done, but it did become somewhat self indulgent in the later episodes. In that respect I'm a bit of a purist and prefer the stories set in the era they were originally set. I have read most of Well's novels, 'The Time Machine,' 'The Invisible Man' and 'The First Men In The Moon,' but none of what are described as 'romantic,' 'Kipps,' (The basis for the musical 'Half A Sixpence.') 'Ann Veronica,' and  'The History of Mr Polly.' Perhaps I should buy them in paperback and give them a go. Also, the 'Clayhanger' novels by Bennett. I think perhaps it's time that television did adaptations of them, that is, if we are to get fresh interperetatons of period novels, not the somewhat over warmed adaptations of Jane Austen which have now been done to death.

This And That

I've been doing The Bible Course at church and fortunately it's being run during the day, which is better for me, because if it was run in the evening, as most of these courses are, by about 8 o'clock I'm beginning to flag somewhat and my concentration goes out of the window. There is one more session next week and the 8 weeks is over. I think I'll give it a rest on the course front for a while. I went from the Oaktree Centre to Sainsbury's, because I had been texted by Lloyd's pharmacy that my repeat prescription was ready to collect. I can't believe they had it ready so quickly, because I did the order on line only a couple of days ago. From there, I went home, and had lunch, a sandwich bought in Sainsbury's, sitting and watching Bargain Hunt, something of a habit, I know, but nevertheless, I have learnt quite a bit about antiques from this show. It was being done in aid of Children In Need, with Debbie MaGee and Joe Pasquale and Richard Cadell and the infamous Sooty (in a box. WHY? We all know it's a man with his hand up the backside of a bit of fur fabric, so why the pretence? And why does Sooty never speak??? I've always wondered that, as a child, and even more so as an adult. Well, the wretched Sweep squeaks, so why doesn't the bear talk?) what has happened to Sooty? He looks different. His face is fatter. Has he been stuffing his face on cakes and buns? It's not the same Sooty I remember as a child. Mind you, when I was an A.S.M. at Liverpool Playhouse in the early 1970's I remember Harry Corbett bringing Sooty to the Playhouse for a week of shows, and being disappointed that there was actually more than ONE Sooty! I saw the many and various versions of Sooty as a puppet and it somewhat spoilt the illusion that they used more than one puppet. How soon the innocence of youth can be spoilt by such things.  But, it was for a good cause. Then, with his pleading eyes, Alfie insisted on going for a walk around Oldbrook Green. (Well, he'd been left all alone since I went out at about 9.15, so he did deserve it, poor little mite.)

A lot of really good television drama coming up. 'His Dark Materials' has already got to the second episode, of, how many? Is it eight or ten? Well, at least they're giving it space to breathe and do justice to the really complex storyline. Season two already in the works, so I believe. They're got the feel of the 'alternative Oxford,' Sort of steampunk feel, with airships as a form of transport. The Daemons are C.G.I., photo-realistic and seem to work very well, fitting in to the action very well and don't look as if they've been pasted on as some C.G.I. characters do, such as has happened in the revived 'Doctor Who.' Then, following that series, 'The War of The Worlds.' I'm intrigued to see how they manage to do this, set in the late 19th century, at the time it was written. I read all of H.G.Wells science fiction books when I was a teenager, 'The invisible Man,' 'First Men In The Moon,'The Time Machine' and 'The War of The Worlds.' Wells was amazing in that he was writing far in advance of his time and probably best described as The Father of Science Fiction. His short stories are also worth looking at and some are really creepy. Then 'The Crown' returns on Netflix, with Season 3, which, as far as I can understand, takes up the story in the 1970's and I think covers the Miners' Strike and other matters. Meanwhile, not to be outdone, Amazon concludes 'The Man In The High Castle,' which I've been following and have found to be really intriguing and I'm looking forward to how it all ties up. Can't wait to see what all these channels and other television services come up with. I know Apple TV + has just started and then there's Britbox, which is a joint venture between BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

What's On Television?

As the days draw in, the children go back to school and everyone (presumably) stays in and watches television, the new Autumn television schedules start in earnest. 'The Great British Bake-Off" started it's latest series on Channel Four on Tuesday. I can't say I'm all that bothered with it. I can't say I'm that interested in cake-baking competitions. I did see some of last year's episodes, but I don't know why this has taken the nation by storm. I know there was a great deal of fuss when the BBC lost the show to Channel Four because, basically, the makers of the show got greedy and wanted more for making it. I still don't see how it can be worth something in the region of £5 million pounds. After all, they don't have to pay actors, writers and all the host of production staff that you would need for, say, a costumer drama, or any other sort of drama. Nor would they have to do endless takes as you have to have when making drama. I actually prefer the similar show where potters have to produce ceramic items. 'The Great British Throwdown' or something. I think it's made by the same production company that makes 'Bake Off,' called Love Productions. They also do something else called 'The Great Sewing Bee,' both shows were on BBC2. Having done a Google search I find that the pottery competition has been cancelled after two series and another says that the company who makes it is 'looking for contestants.' So, which one do I believe? I know you can't believe everything you see on the internet, but it seems a pity that the BBC had to fall out over 'Bake-Off.' Independent production companies are great, but I think some have let things go to their head. Money, that is. The format of 'Bake-Off' isn't exactly original, let's be fair. We all know it's 'formats' for television shows like this that sell. Different television 'territories' around the world, remake their own versions and the originating production companies make a lot of money from this. No doubt there are many versions of 'Bake-Off' being made in other countries. But if it wasn't for the broadcasters, such as the BBC, ITV or Channel Four, they wouldn't be able to survive without their money to make their shows, which they seem to forget. If the BBC hadn't commissioned the show in the first place, and looked after it on BBC2, where it started life, and then, eventually, moving it to the higher-rated BBC1 where it really took off, then they couldn't have managed to hike the price when it caused the trouble when the BBC realised they could no longer justify the higher production costs, hence the move to the commercial Channel Four, who can at least recoup the costs with sponsorship and higher advertising revenue. 

We have a host of new drama series coming up, most notably ITV's Sunday evening costume drama, Vanity Fair. I notice it's also being shown on Mondays, so presumably they're hoping that viewers will be so hooked on to it on a Sunday evening that they will want to switch on the next evening. But surely, with catch-up technology, it makes no difference when you watch. I also see it's in seven parts, which at least means they're giving it enough air-time for the story to be allowed to breathe. I was concerned that it might only get four episodes, which certainly wouldn't be enough, because it's a long and rambling novel which has lots of subplots, similar to a Dickens novel. Having read it, Thackeray, it's author, spends ages going somewhat 'off-topic', wandering off from the plot to discuss certain pertinent matters, a bit like Victor Hugo in 'Les Miserables,' where he also spends whole chapters discussing things that aren't all that central to the matter in hand. (This is also going to be adapted for BBC television, as a non-musical version, by Andrew Davies, who has adapted many of the more successful BBC classic dramas, such as 'Pride and Prejudice.') 'This 'Vanity Fair' is  being co-produced with Amazon money, so no doubt you'll be able to see it if you have an Amazon Prime account and a Fire Stick. This is at least the third version of Vanity fair done by television. I remember that the BBC did a version in the late 1970's which had Susan Hampshire playing Becky Sharp and it was probably the first classic serial they did that was in colour, no doubt on BBC2 which was the first channel to go over to colour in 1967. There was a production in 1987 and then a more recent one in 1998. It therefore seems quite a popular book to adapt for television. The newest one is the first done by ITV who don't seem to do a lot of costume drama, unless you count 'Downton Abbey' which definitely isn't (or wasn't, as it has ended it's television run) a classic drama. No doubt the thinking behind this being adapted is that audiences love classic, costume drama, which the BBC seems to have the lead in producing them, when one thinks of the 1995 version of 'Pride and Prejudice,' which has become the blueprint for adaptations of this type. I even hear that ITV is now developing a new version of this Jane Austen book, although one wonders how they can better the BBC, Andrew Davies scripted version. Perhaps it's because these novels are now in the public domain so they don't have to pay royalties to produce them.

I've now seen the first two episodes of 'Vanity Fair.' Having enjoyed the BBC's adaptation which was broadcast in 1998, which I enjoyed enormously, and read the novel, this new version had plenty to live up to. Part from the opening sequence with Michael Palin as Thackerary, and the vision of a carousel and so on, it wasn't particularly inventive in style or production and no more different from any other classic period drama series.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by what they'd done with 'Vanity Fair.' It must be difficult to do a classic novel such as this which has had so many previous adaptations, all having been produced by ITV. There are people on social media, such as Twitter, complaining about nit-picking things such as, why have C.G.I. in a 19th century serial? Doesn't make sense. Nor does the fact someone doesn't like having characters speaking directly to them, breaking the proverbial 'Fourth Wall.' But this has been done plenty of times before, in such shows as 'Lovejoy' and 'House of Cards.' All very petty and why not just enjoy the story and not find fault with things?

The BBC has 'The War Of The Worlds' in the pipeline, the H.G.Wells classic novel, which has been adapted quite a few times, notably the Orson Wells Mercury Theatre radio version which caused panic across the U.S.A. in the 1930's because of the way it was produced, as a sort of 'live' radio broadcast. Then it was made into a 1950's movie and more recently Stephen Speilberg made his own version, starring Tom Cruise. All these had in common was that the story was set in a contemporary period, but this new television version is to be set in the Virctorian era, like the original novel. Great that they are at least setting this production in the period in which the novel is set. I'm intrigued to see how they do the alien war machines and other sci-fi things such as the heat rays, and in particular, the way they do the opening scenes with the Martian spaceships crashing into earth and making the crater and the unscrewing of the capsule which gets buried on Horsell Common. With C.G.I. effects at their disposal they can make the war machines a good deal more realistic than trying to use miniatures which can look really pathetic. Wells gives the novel quite definite locations in places in and around London which gives it a reality amidst the fiction. That is why it works best being set in England and not in America as the two Hollywood films do.

As for comedy, well, sitcom in particular is rather thin on the ground at the moment. That is, if you mean by sitcom something shot in a studio with an audience, more like a stage play and it's done more or less 'live.' In this vein I can recommend 'Upstart Crow,' which is a sort of spoof on the life of William Shakespeare and starring David Mitchell as The Bard Of Stratford-Upon-Avon. It takes liberties with the perceived knowledge about his life and how his plays were written, but it's very funny and can even mention anachronisms which make the whole thing work. It's now in it's third series, which surprises me, because I was almost certain when it was announced that it would be produced in 2016 as part of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death that it wouldn't survive much more than one series. How wrong could I be when it seems to have become almost to have gained a cult following, similar in style and tone to 'Blackadder." Indeed, it is written by one of that show's co-authors, Ben Elton.

Latest Reading

I've been reading some of H.G. Wells's short stories. I had a period when I was a teenager when I read all the classic fantasy and science fiction stories, from 'Dracula', 'Frankenstein' to 'First Men On The Moon' to 'The Invisible Man' as well as H.G.Wells's 'The Time Machine.' I had the complete stories in one volume (since lost.) I have since re-read that particular story (in a volume I bought second-hand through Amazon) and I'm so surprised how modern it is, considering it was first published in 1895. It's amazingly ahead of it's time and must have inspired a whole host of science fiction literature and consequently films, television series ( I can't believe the producers of 'Doctor Who' didn't read it when they were developing the show in it's early days as there are aspects of the story which are similar or at least used in some of the early stories)   Not only is it a great science fiction story, but Wells is able to make political comments which I might never have been aware of  when I originally read it. It has a believability about it which is quite striking.

Sky Arts did a series called 'The Nightmare World of H.G.Wells,' which was a series of adaptations of a few of the short stories. They were 'The Moth,''The Purple Purleus,' 'The Late Mr Elvesham,' and 'The Devotee of Art.' In some ways they have a great deal in common with the stories written by Roald Dahl and used as the basis for the ITV Anglia television series 'Tales of The Unexpected.' All having a creepy and very sinister feel to them, keeping you on the edge of your seat and all having a sting in their tail. I have since read them all and enjoyed them immensely. Another I read recently 'The Strange Orchid' is also exceptionally chilling and I expect it inspired the film 'The Little Shop of Horrors,' both the original black-and-white and musical versions.

Channel Four has recently done a series based on the short stories of Ray Bradbury and called 'Electric Dreams.' I have only seen on episode, 'The Commuter' and starring Timothy Spall. I read some of Brdbury's stories, the 'Martian Chronicles,' when they were adapted for television a couple of decades ago. I'll now have to read the short stories as a result of the latest series.

I have begun writing a 'sort of' science fiction story, very much inspired by the H.G. Wells stories. Actually the opening has been an initial idea for some time, and it's only recently that I've made any sort of effort to commit it to paper. I have been attempting to take it further, a lot of ideas coming since visiting Milton Keynes Hospital lately. It's surprising how ideas are created. Just seems all those corridors and the fact that everything is white and clean. Sort of 'Doctor Who'-type corridors, the idea of being chased along them, or searching for monsters, the 'villain' and so on. Just have to tie the various threads together to create a story line. People in blue or green overalls, with aprons, strange trolleys being pushed about. Makes you wonder, what's going on? Why? What? Lifts to strange places, different time-zones, etc etc.

I have a passion for history and read many books on historic subjects, and I'm currently reading the first of a series of books covering the last 60 years of British history. I read one which I had for Christmas a few years ago called 'Days In The Sun' and written by Dominic Sandbrook. I was unaware at the time that it was the latest instalment of what will probably be a six-part series, and I'm going back to the beginning of the series with the first book which covers the period from The Suez Crisis in 1956 up until the Beatles in 1963 and called 'Never Had It So Good.' A really chunky volume of perhaps 800-1000 pages. The next volume is 'White Heat',  takes in the 1960's; the next is entitled 'State of Emergency,' covers the period 1970-1974, whilst the third volume  'Seasons In The Sun,' takes in the the years 1974-1979. I believe he's been responsible for a television series called 'The Eighties,' so one assumes there will eventually be a book to go with it. It would be great if he can complete the series with 'The Nineties,' and possibly 'The 2000's' and into the current decade. I have the complete collection. The first two were offered as a set  on Amazon and cost less than the full price of just one volume. A real bargain and they are both brand new copies. These books are really well written, the detail is impressive and it must have been a long process to do all the research these volumes, each at least 800 pages.

I read the two-part 'Making of Modern Britain' written by Andrew Marr. The first book begins in 1901 with the death of Queen Victoria and ends in 1945 with the end of World War 2. The second volume takes up in 1945 and continues on into the 2000's. Both are companion books to Marr's BBC1
 television series.

Current Reading

I'm interested in history. I think there's something really fascinating in learning about what happened in the past, how things perhaps several hundred years ago have an impact on things today. I've read several books on 20th century history, first the Andrew Marr 2-book The Making of Modern Britain. The first goes from the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 up until the end of World War 2 and he second from 1945 up until the present day. I have Peter Ackroyd's first four books of his four-part series on the History of England.  The first is called 'Foundation, 'the second, 'Tudors', the third 'Civil War', and the fourth 'Revolution.' I'm not sure exactly when the final two books will be published or how far the series is likely to go. All these are worth reading. I've just finished reading 'Hope and Glory' by Peter Clarke, a history of the 20th century. I had wanted to read up as much as possible about the history of this period, so as to get a better understanding of why we're where we are now, with such things as Brexit, the E.U. and so on. I probably know more about the Tudor period, in particular anything to do with William Shakespeare, rather than this century.

My interest in history has always been there, but as we are members of both the National Trust and English Heritage you can't be ignorant of all the properties we visit which have connections to some aspect of history. One of our favourite places is Kenilworth Castle. It is a place just brimming over with history, particularly when connected to Queen Elizabeth 1. I read BBC History Magazine and recently started a subscription to History Today, which has had a revamp and is now in a far more compact format.

I've got a copy of  'The H.G. Wells Complete Short Stories.' I had watched a Sky Arts series called 'The Nightmare World of H.G. Wells,' which took a handful of his short stories and adapted them, rather in the style of 'Tales of The Unexpected' or 'The Outer Limits,' which are fantasy or science fiction-based shows. They did four of the stories as 2016 was the 150th anniversary of his birth. They adapted 'The Purple Pileus, 'The Moth', 'The Late Mr Elvisham,' and 'The Devotee of Art,' I've read the most famous story in the collection, which is a good deal longer than the average short story (I think it would be termed a novella) 'The Time Machine' and have read several of his novels, such as 'The Invisible Man' and 'War of The Worlds' but don't know the other stories so well. Today I read 'The Strange Orchid.' All these are exceptionally creepy and strange and not to be read when it's dark. I think 'The Strange Orchid' must have been the inspiration for 'Little Shop of Horrors.' 'The Time Machine', which I'm currently re-reading, is so good because it's convincing. The opening sequence, where 'The Time-Traveller' (who is never given his real name) is explaining his theories of time-travel, is done in such a way you can't not get drawn in, in a similar way to those of his friends who he's talking to. Then I have to ask, who is telling the story? As it's a first-person narrative, are we supposed to believe that it's actually H.G.Wells himself? It's no clear whether it is, but one is lead to suppose that it must be, probably because he wrote the story.

We have a bookcase which is bulging with books. Infact, we probably have more books than most people would usually have. A good deal of them need sorting and taking to a charity shop as they aren't likely to be read again.