A Little Of What You Fancy

 Friday. 2.20 p.m. Goodness gracious! It's hot out, the sun is shining! Whatever's next? The digital thermometer currently reads 28ºC.

I've been to Lidl. Again, wrestling with the horrible self-service till I was attempting to use it. The thing was being thoroughly awkward. I really hate the things, and I don't suppose I'm the only person to think so.

Saturday. 7.50 a.m. I didn't wake until quite late, which is totally unlike me. If I do wake up in the night, I am usually able to get back to sleep.

'Mary Poppins: The Musical' is currently on tour and is visiting Milton Keynes in November. I really wanted to see it, and Carol loved the film. I remember being taken to London by my mother and going to see it when it came out around 1964-5. At the time, I didn't know about the books by P.L. Travers, on which the film was based, probably because the books had a more female-oriented audience. Anyway, because I wanted to see the musical, I went on the Milton Keynes Theatre website and found that the tickets were somewhat expensive. I can't really justify paying around £65-£70 for a ticket, so I was somewhat disappointed. But this morning I had another look and I have bought a ticket for £25, but the seat isn't in a particularly good position in the auditorium, in what is called The Slips, which is, I think, right up in the top tier, but never mind. I will go in memory of Carol, but as I love theatre, it will be a well-earned treat.

The last time I went to see a show at the Milton Keynes Theatre was around 2019, to see 'Les Misérables', a show I  originally saw in the West End, when it was playing at the Palace Theatre. I went with a friend on a coach into central London, but, surprisingly, the driver didn't know his way around the West End, so it ended up with me directing him to the theatre! Amazing that the coach company employed a driver who had no idea where he was going! It's incredible to think that 'Les Misérables' is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary.

Monday. 7.40 a.m. It's bright and sunny at the moment. The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºC. Alfie is under my bed, and it's difficult to reach him, so I will wait until he decides to come out before taking him out.

12.35 p.m. I had a voucher to spend in Marks and Spencer, as a result of doing online surveys. I wanted a long sleeve Rugby shirt, as I already had two and, with colder weather coming up soon, or, at least the likelihood, it seemed a good idea to buy. I went onto the Marks and Spencer website and chose the one I wanted, entered the code from the voucher, and ordered. I had an email this morning telling me that my order was ready for collection, so I went into the MK Centre to collect my parcel from M and S.

One Day More

Thursday. 5.00 a.m. Yet another calm and, what I would say, uninspiring day on the weather front. The digital thermometer currently reads 23ºC. 

The title is a song from the musical, 'Les Misérables.'

Friday. 5.00 a.m. An entire day without me reporting ANYTHING! How unusual is that!

I'm getting comments to some of my earlier posts, on my school days. But whoever it was has decided to remain anonymous, which is a bit of a cheek. Why? Never mind. That's the internet, you can make comments but still hide your identity.

The Acorn's playgroup wasn't meeting at the Oaktree Centre yesterday morning. They had gone off to Gulliver's theme park for the day, leaving it incredibly quiet, so my Bible study group met in the café area. 

3.50 p.m. The digital thermometer currently reads 27ºC. According to the weather forecast on BBC Breakfast this morning, it seems likely we're to have the heatwave back. I have both electric fans on at the moment.

Saturday. 5.20 a.m. Another warm but pleasant morning. Having taken Alfie out as far as Oldbrook Green, I was struck by the beautiful clouds, tinged with pink, and looking for all the world very much like a Maxfield Parrish painting. For those who have never heard of this American artist, he was known for his, what I suppose you would call, a hyperrealist style of painting.

Yesterday evening, all those involved with the Acorns' playgroup at the Oaktree Centre, met at the Nut and Squirrel pub in Westcroft, which is next door to the Morrisons supermarket, to have a meal together. I had lasagne followed by apple pie and custard. This is where the men's breakfast group met a few weeks ago (as reported in an earlier blog post.)

Currently, the digital thermometer reads 27ºC.

11.15 a.m. I went to men's breakfast a little before 9 this morning. We had our usual fried food, tea and coffee and then someone did a talk on 'Truth'. In the midst of all this, there were several claps of thunder and then the heavens opened (almost Biblical in its epic sort of way, as these things often are.) After several weeks of a heatwave, it did bring a certain sort of relief.

The Rain It Raineth Every Day!

 Thursday. 5.00 a.m. So, the usual time I take Alfie out, it's raining, although very light. I have to say, it is something of a relief, after the heat of the past couple of weeks. So much so that there are a few tiny snails along the path towards Oldbrook Green. I suppose they prefer it wet. Well, it bought them out of their shells, in the literal sense.

8.16 a.m. It would appear that the rain has stopped, although, looking out of my kitchen window (complete with the lovely hole in it, although not including the infamous extractor fan!) it's quite difficult to make out whether it is raining or not. My eyes play tricks on me, so it can appear to be raining, but it isn't. I can't explain it, but I think if you are expecting rain, your brain has a way of suggesting to you that it is.

3.45 p.m. The current temperature, according to the digital thermometer, is 25ºC. Definitely a far more pleasant temperature. It's also a good deal more overcast. No sign of rain.

Friday. 5.05 a.m. Here we are again. Another day dawns. It's mild. No sun. No rain. Just pleasant. I've been out already with Alfie, around Oldbrook Green. I'm intrigued to know why the grass has been cut and the loose grass removed. This doesn't seem to be a normal procedure. I am trying to think why they've done this, but I have no idea. It looks like a cricket pitch. Perhaps there's going to be some sort of event on the Green. Time will tell.

The current temperature on my digital thermometer reads 22ºC.

I have finished reading 'Les Misérables.' I've now read it twice, both in different translations. Some sections of the text are really heavy going. A great deal of it was excised from the stage musical but kept in the recent BBC television adaptation done by Andrew Davies. The musical lacks a narrator which makes comprehending the story to some extent, but I suppose, being what's called a 'sung-through' musical, you wouldn't expect to have a narrator. However, several of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's shows have a narrator, such as the character of Che in 'Evita.' It wasn't until I read the novel that I understood the relationship between certain characters, such as Thernadier, Eponine and Gavroche. 

12.35 p.m. It's quite windy out, as I write this. I was considering going to the Grand Union Canal to do some more videoing, but the wind has put me off, so I will have to make the trip once the wind drops. It will make it difficult to do any sort of voice recording, which I can do with a lavalier microphone which clips onto my shirt and connects to my iPhone via Bluetooth.

3.55 p.m. I went out with Alfie, but I didn't get far, because it began to rain, so we came home. Just as well I didn't decide to go to the canal to do some videoing. Besides the rain, there was quite a strong wind, which would have made any filming virtually impossible and would have made the sound recording difficult.

The digital thermometer currently reads 22ºC, so things are cooler than last week.

Saturday. 6.35 a.m. I awoke from my slumbers at around 5.30. It wasn't really vital to my day, but I got myself together, dressed and took a somewhat reluctant Alfie out onto Oldbrook Green.

I am now reading 'Peterloo', by Jacqueline Riding, about the awful massacre of around 15 people in 1819, and the basis for the Mike Leigh film of the same name. It has surprising resonances with current history, the riots in France and even with events portrayed in 'Les Misérables.' It's an incident that I wasn't aware of before only a couple of years ago. You would imagine that, after a little over two-hundred years, things might have improved, but they haven't entirely. We do have open elections in this country, the old expression 'one man, one vote' etc. But not everything is as it should be. Read it if you don't know about this shocking incident, or watch the film. I have it on DVD, but I believe it's on Amazon Prime Video (I think Amazon may have funded it.) It certainly makes a change from stupid 'superhero' movies.

The Sun Has Got His Hat On!

Sunday. 8.05 a.m. Another bright and sunny morning here in Milton Keynes. The digital thermometer currently reads 24ºC. 

I know, the titles I give these blog posts don't often have anything to do with the actual content of what I write in the posts. I just come up with a title, off the top of my head, sort of plucked from the air. I'm not entirely sure that I haven't used this one before, but what does it matter?

I'm reading the novel of 'Les Misérables.' It's the second time I've read it. I have had something of an obsession with the story and the musical, which I have seen twice, the original London production which was at the Palace Theatre, and then again, the touring production, which came to the Milton Keynes Theatre in 2019. It was a completely fresh production, which then replaced the original production in the West End, then playing at the Queen's Theatre. I think I preferred this new production, which utilized digital projection to great advantage, speeding up the scene changes and helping with the flow of the show.

With the original production, the amazing John Napier-designed set stands out, possibly even being a character in itself. Those huge mechanical sections made of wood and a vast array of bits and pieces of furniture which turned and swung down during the various scene changes were a wonder to behold. He also did this set for the Andrew Lloyd-Webber musical, based on 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats' by T.S. Eliot at the (then) New London Theatre (now the Gillian Lynne Theatre, given that new name after the choreographer of 'Cats', which I saw only a few weeks into its original production in 1981. John Napier did the set design for Cats. It was a rubbish dump, but done to represent one from the perspective of a cat, made up of oddments, such as car parts, dustbins and so on. The audience had to be in place well before the show started, because the seating moved round when the overture played. Goodness knows how that structure worked, considering the weight of the audience. I had no idea where the orchestra was, certainly not in an orchestra pit in front of the stage as in a conventional, proscenium theatre. It must have been elsewhere in the building, probably under the stage.

Napier also did the sets for the Royal Shakespeare Company's 9-hour version of Nicholas Nickleby. This amazing production was more than mould-breaking, and I'm more than certain it's why Cameron Macintosh, producer of 'Les Misérables' went to R.S.C. initially because of their experience and challenges of staging such a mammoth production.

I saw a matinée of 'Cats.' Wayne Sleep was in the original cast, which also included Elaine Paige as Grisabella. During the curtain calls, who should walk on stage but the one and only Eamonn Andrews, famous Red Book in hand, to say to Wayne Sleep, 'This Is Your Life'! Which was something of a surprise and made the show even more than memorable.

3.20 p.m. I have taken Alfie to meet the lady who hopefully will be able to look after him when I get to visit my daughter and her husband and the grandchildren in Worcester. I forgot that there was going to be a concert at The Bowl, which is on the route along Chaffron Way, so that was closed off from the roundabout which intersects with Grafton Street, so I had to make a somewhat circuitous detour around Milton Keynes and up onto Tattenhoe Street and round onto Childs Way to get to Shenley Church End. The lady lives on the opposite side of this grid to The Oaktree Centre. Alfie tapped a certain amount, probably because he wasn't getting all my attention, but he did seem to be settled. We have decided that it would be a good idea to leave him with Irene, (the lady dog-sitter) tomorrow, when I go to the Monday Club at the Oaktree Centre, to see how he copes with being left.

The digital thermometer currently reads 29ºC. 

Goodness Gracious Me!

 Friday. 5.25 a.m. It's bright and early, and I've already taken Alfie out. 

Yesterday, after going to The Oaktree Centre for Bible study and help with packing up Acorns, playgroup (I don't go earlier because it opens earlier than it used to. There are two sessions, and the second one finishes at 12.15.) I drove home and immediately went into the shopping centre to have a browse and go into Costa which is opposite Marks and Spencer. I had a cold drink, caramel (not sure what it's called), cheese and ham toastie and banana and pecan cake.  Very tasty. Then into Waterstone's. Bought two books, one from Anthony Horowitz, 'The Magpie Murders'. It's currently being shown on BBC1 and on 'Britbox', although I haven't watched it. I may once I've read the novel. The other, 'This Sweet Sickness', by Patricia Highsmith. I've read a couple of her novels, 'The Talented Mr Ripley' and 'Strangers on A Train' which was made into a film by Alfred Hitchcock. I think her novels are best described as psychological thrillers.

Saturday. 5.05 a.m. Alfie and I were out well before 5 o'clock this morning. He was doing his usual barking when he saw me getting ready to go out. The buildings in the city centre, which are normally seen from Oldbrook Green, were obscured by fog. Completely hidden by grey and gloom, but it was reasonably mild out.

12.20 p.m. My Sky mobile SIM contract will expire in June. I wasn't aware of this. I was under the impression that it was paid for with my iPhone payments, which are paid in instalments. I had an email informing me that this was about to happen and that I could end my contract or continue. I don't want to change to a different provider, so I telephoned the call centre (I was wondering if it should be open this morning, as it's a Saturday. Fortunately, it was. The young man who answered was extremely helpful. He informed me that I hardly use my data allowance, and he advised me to go for a lower allowance, which would reduce my costs considerably. So, I now have 6 GB of data and cost £7 per month. I also learned that my contract, which pays for the iPhone 12 I currently have, expires in June next year, meaning that I can upgrade to a newer model iPhone when the contract ends and the phone is paid off.

Sunday. 7.00 a.m. I have been up since well before 4 o'clock this morning. The reason was that there was a noise somewhere within Dexter House. I have a feeling an ambulance was called because someone fell over in the corridor, but I'm not sure, and I didn't investigate. Because I couldn't sleep, I read a chapter of my current book, 'Les Misérables.'  I did some clearing up in the kitchen and even cleaned the bath! I know, rather odd, but it's cleaner than it's ever been since I moved into the flat.

I took out Alfie at around 5.15, with him barking outside the bathroom door, where I get dressed. As I write this, the sun is shining and it's relatively mild.

2.45 p.m. I have been watching the National Theatre production of 'Much Ado About Nothing' on the National Theatre At Home app (and shown on my Hitachi HD television.) This production, which was originally in repertoire in the Lyttleton Theatre at the National Theatre's South Bank Home, is set in a 1930s hotel and has Katherine Parkinson as Beatrice and John Heffernan as Benedict. There was an element of a 1930s film musical about it, mixed with that of a Marx Brothers film, with mistaken identity and plenty of visual gags. I have also seen the David Tennant/Catherine Tate production of the same play, and, of the two plays, I think they had a far sense of chemistry than in the more recent National Theatre production.

No Milk Today!

I got up as I usually do. Got dressed, went downstairs and was about to make breakfast. Just cereal in a bowl with a mug of tea. Got the milk out of the fridge. Began to pour it on my cereal and out came what looked like yoghurt! It had obviously gone off, so the cereal went in the bin. I couldn't have anything to eat until the local shop opened, which is around 7 o'clock. I took Alfie for his usual walk around Eaglestone Park. He didn't see a squirrel leaping across the grass. It looked very humorous. Alfie barking as usual, but the fact that he's so low to the ground might explain why he didn't see the squirrel. Probably just as well, because otherwise he'd have been off, chasing it and I wouldn't know where he was likely to end up.

Another bright and sunny day. I have been into the centre again and to the coffee morning at John Lewis. A really lovely friendly bunch of people who make me feel very welcome. The counselling lady from Willen came to talk to us. There is a second group starting up in the Express Bar, which I didn't know existed, which is made up of newly-bereaved people. It would appear that the main group is mostly people whose partners passed away a fairly long time ago. So, in effect, I should be with the other group, but since I've been part of that group I think I shall remain with them. I think the idea is to spread the group out a bit because there will be some 30 or so in both groups and there isn't really enough room where we meet and it gets quite noisy in there, not that it's a problem. It's great to have the support of a group of people who've been through the same thing as me at Willen Hospice.

From John Lewis I walked to Marks and Spencer as I have a short-sleeved shirt to collect which has been on order since Friday. It's a really nice 'Limited Edition' shirt made of cotton and Modal (not entirely sure what that is, but presumably a sort of fibre.) and with the 20% discount with my Sparks card, ideal for wearing with the new short I bought a few months ago.

I've got to find two details for my profile for one of the casting agencies. My hat and glove sizes. I used to know these, but have forgotten. It's quite important if you are doing walk-on/Supporting Artiste work to have all relevant measurements, such as waist, inside leg, hat, glove etc etc. I went to the men's department in Marks and Spencer and a lady measured my head and I got the measurement in inches but as they don't stock gloves in the summer they couldn't do my hand. Never mind. I had a brainwave. I would go back to the men's department in John Lewis.

On Thursday last, as mentioned in a previous blog post, I went to the Milton Keynes Theatre to see 'Les Miserables.' I did actually buy a programme and had it with me for the duration of the performance, but I must have dropped it at the end of the performance when there was a standing ovation. I was somewhat annoyed with myself that I didn't have it when I got home and this morning I was determined to walk to the theatre and ask if I could buy another. When I got there I had intended to ask at the box office, but there was quite a queue of people, no doubt attempting to buy returns for the few performances left this week. But then a lady came out of the box office to talk to a lady and when she had finished I told her I had seen the show but lost my programme. She went back to the office and returned with a programme. I asked how I could pay and she said I didn't need to, which was a real surprise but at least I can now read it and keep it as a souvenir of the show I love so much.

Pouring Rain!

As I wake up this morning (Wednesday) I can hear the sound of rain on the bedroom window. I am attempting to get up a good deal later, regardless of what Alfie thinks. So, for the first time ever, we haven't been out for the routine early-morning jaunt around Eaglestone Park. Alfie is laying on the sofa as I'm sitting here in my armchair with the MacBook on my lap, writing this, and no doubt wondering if we will ever go outside and go for a walk! Some hope, because it's still raining and I don't want to get wet and, even worse, Alfie when wet is a sad little dog. He doesn't like water and doesn't like rain, so why does he expect to go out in pouring rain? I hope it stops before the day is much older. But it doesn't look as if it is going to stop any time soon.

I had an email from A.T.G., that's the Ambassadors Theatre Group, the company who manages Milton Keynes Theatre a few days ago. I have already booked my ticket for Les Miserables, which visits Milton Keynes later this month. I didn't have to think twice about booking a ticket, even though it cost considerably more than I would normally be prepared to pay. I'm going to a Thursday matinee on 30th May. I know the show well, having seen the West End production at the Palace Theatre, and enjoyed it thoroughly, have seen the film and have the 25th Anniversary DVD. I know most of the songs so the thought of missing it when it was on tour didn't come into it. I usually receive the Milton Keynes There brochure when it comes out twice a year, and it seems I haven't received the most current one which features Les Miserables on the cover. I was therefore somewhat surprised when I received an email from ATG two days ago and, glancing at it, I noticed that Bernadette Peters was going to be touring her one-woman concert to Great Britain and only five concerts where to be performed, one of them in Milton Keynes. I am something of a fan, as she's a definite legend, a Broadway superstar you might say, and I was determined to see if I could get a ticket, but I wasn't prepared to pay top prices for such a ticket. I want to bed thinking about it, but had to come downstairs to the lounge and have a look at the theatre website and see what availability there was. I did attempt to buy a ticket at the lower end of the price range but couldn't get the site to work, so this morning I decided to go into the centre of Milton Keynes and visit the theatre.

I knew the theatre wouldn't be open until quite late in the morning, so I went to Sainsbury's to pick up one or two items and to order a repeat prescription at Lloyd's pharmacy, which is within the store. Poor Alfie was expecting his usual walk and was looking at me as I put on my jacket and shoes in preparation to leave the house for Sainsbury's and must have been thinking 'I thought we were going for a walk. Why isn't he taking me?' Well, as it was still pouring with rain, it didn't seem such a good idea. I came back after the shopping trip and put the few items away and then got in the car to go into the shopping centre. I took some cash out of my Nationwide account to put into my recently-opened Metro savings account, which is there to eventually buy a new puppy when the time is right. Hopefully another Yorkshire Terrier similar to Alfie. Then I walked the length of the shopping centre and went across towards the theatre, only to discover that they weren't open until 12 midday. I was a bit annoyed, having walked all that way. The last time I went to book the Les Miserables ticket, they opened at 10a.m., so a good hour and a half later or thereabouts (probably near enough 2 hours. I had fortunately put 2 hours on the parking ticket when I had parked the car, so sufficient to not have to go back and put more on the car in the carpark. Not that difficult as I have a Ring-Go app on my iPhone so I don't need to use cash or put a paper ticket on the car.) So I returned to the shopping centre and walked through, stopping at several stores on the way, one being HMV, as I wanted to find the DVD of the first series of Game of Thrones as I haven't seen any of this television series. No luck, so I walked on. I went into W.H.Smith and then on towards Pret A Manger where I had something to eat and drink, which meant I could waste the time before heading back along the shopping centre to arrive at the theatre again where I had to wait outside until they were open. I was surprised to see a notice on the door telling customers for the need to not abuse staff and other paying customers. What is it with people these days? Why is there so much abuse of other people? Can't you even go to the theatre these days without someone being abusive or aggressive to other people? I hope if that happens, the theatre staff have those awful people thrown out. It really isn't acceptable behaviour. I managed to get a seat for the Bernadette Peters concert, but it was way up in the top tier of the circle, although I'm not really bothered where it is because I just want to see her concert.

I finished in the shopping centre and returned to the car. I seemed to have walked miles today. I checked my step counter and found it was near enough 4,000 steps. About double, or even treble, the number I walk on a normal day.

It was threatening further rain and I thought, as I drew into the drive at home, that a small Yorkshire Terrier would love to have a stroll across the park. So that is what I did and he seemed to enjoy the walk. Though, I say 'walk,' it was more of a 'trot,' and as we walked along a large rottweiler was being exercised and Alfie just HAD to rush up and say 'hello!' I was eager to retrieve Alfie, even though he is always keen to make friends with the dogs he meets, it's perhaps best to be a bit cautious, because, who knows? The other dog might not appreciate a smaller dog like Alfie, sniffling and wanting to make friends. After all, this dog was considerably larger than Alfie, so one snap and Alfie could be dinner. So, I swept up Alfie, not an easy matter, as he wasn't in the mood for being caught and held. And he was somewhat damp, having run about in long, wet grass. The wriggled, and once the other dog was out of the way, I was able to put him back on the ground.

Winter Weather, Viewing and Reading

Sunday started off with quite a shock to the system when I took Alfie our for his early-morning walk around Eaglestone Park this morning, because there was a more than usually very sharp frost. I had to make sure I was layered up, with a T shirt on and then one of my long-sleeved Rugby shirts and then my red Regatta fleece, topped off with my Regatta jacket. Last of all, gloves. It's not a good idea to get too cold when you have had a heart attack. Likewise, if it's too hot, as it was for a long period during the summer. Can infact be quite dangerous. I have already sprayed the car's windows with de-icer, although, by the time I took Alfie out, it was freezing up once more. So, running the engine of the car and having the heated windows on and the interior heater on should do the trick. I don't relish the through of driving with the windows either frozen up or misted over.

As the day wore on, the sun came out, but it was deceptive because it was still fairly chilly.

The BBC1 weather forecast at just before 6 o'clock this evening says that we can expect 'a short frost.' So, it's likely to be extremely cold over-night and even colder when I eventually take Alfie out tomorrow morning. Never mind, I'll just have to wrap up warm.

I'm currently reading a book called 'A Classless Society: Britain in the 1990s,' by Alwyn W.Turner. I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I'm endeavouring to read about this country from around the end of the Second World War right up to the present day (if at all possible.) This latest book covers not just the politics of the era, from the downfall of Margaret Thatcher and her successor, John Major, but the popular culture, such as pop music, television and cinema.

I've also been reading 'Nutshell' by Ian McEwan. It's loosely based on a section of Shakespeare's play 'Hamlet.' It's told through the voice of an unborn child. A very clever concept for a murder. I won't say any more, but it's a well crafted piece of writing which draws you in cleverly. Well worth a read and written by one of our finest novelists.

Television drama. We're really spoilt for choice at the moment. There isn't anything better than getting caught up in a really good drama series. In some ways television has the advantage over cinema, because you've got an almost endless playing length. A film can only be a certain length, say 90 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes. Television drama is usually served up in one hour segments, which is a far more comfortable length for the average viewer to endure. I've been lent the DVDs of the first season of 'The Crown.' I don't have a Netflix subscription, the company behind this show. I'm really enjoying this series. It has really held my attention.

I'm watching the BBC1 adaptation of 'Les Misérables.' I've seen the musical, the original West End production, which I loved, as well as the movie which came out in 2012. I have also read the novel by Victor Hugo, upon which it is based. A good 1,500 pages. The new Andrew Davies-scripted adaptation opens up the narrative and gives far more context to the story. It's extremely gritty and realistic which makes it far more hard-hitting. It is being adapted in 6 hour-long episodes, which means there is plenty of time to do real justice to the story and the characters.

Plenty of history documentaries to keep me occupied. I've subscribed to a streaming service called 'History Hit,' which I have through my Amazon Fire Stick. Really spoilt for choice. Original documentaries and material first shown on BBC channels. The popular television historian Dan Snow is involved with this project. He fronts several documentaries on the platform, some under the title 'Snow On The Road.'

I was looking forward to Sky's adaptation of Sue Townsend's novel, 'The Queen and I.' I have read the book and enjoyed it, but the actual film adaptation was, for me at least, a real let-down. The acting was generally rather weak, the whole thing more like a weak cartoon caricature that anything else. I gave up watching after about half way. Heavy-handed direction and a somewhat limp script didn't help. The same could be said of 'The Discovery of Witches,' based on the novel by Deborah Harkness. Just not the sum of its parts. The concept of the show had real potential but it didn't warrant the investment in time and effort to watch so I didn't see it through to the end of the series. Just a bit limp and uninspiring, unfortunately.