Rain stops play ...

[Anne Brooke]

It was nice getting back into the swing of the Glyndebourne (http://www.glyndebourne.com) season last night, but I have to say that Lord H and I were rather disappointed in their production of "Macbeth". Though, whatever they do, the play will of course be more powerful and more human than anything in the known universe ... The singing was first-class, as ever (as far as I can tell anyway - the singer playing Lady Macbeth was particularly good, and Macduff had his moments), but the settings were rubbish and the use of the chorus more than inane in some respects. And everything was so irritatingly Scottish. I mean, if you're going to insist on using 101 different tartans, at least divide people into recognisable clans to give the audience a fighting chance to work out who's on whose side. But, over and above anything else, if you're going to do "Macbeth", you really, absolutely, utterly have to choose a man to act/sing the title role who has overflowing charisma and an NVQ level 5 in sexiness & power. Otherwise - and trust me on this one - it just doesn't work. The audience has to fall in love with him and want him to succeed somehow even though you know he doesn't, and you have to have a shit-hot physical passion between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Last night's man could sing - no disputing that - but had no charisma or sexiness or power at all, and seemed to look on Lady M as some kind of distant half-sister he'd had no contact with for several years. Therefore, in dramatic terms, it just didn't work.
Ah well. Mind you, dinner was nice. And I asked the waitress to bring me extra pouring cream for my chocolate slab of joy (I don't think that was the official dessert title, but it might as well have been) which already came with its own great dollop of clotted cream. She did too, Gawd bless 'er. Well, it's the healthy option, you know ...

Today, Lord H and I were supposed to be going to see a polo match we had free tickets for (no, don't laugh - I've been practising my posh-git County Class accent for weeks, dammit), but decided to give it a miss as the weather is such shit. It's rained so much even the wasps haven't come out today - so, hey, there's always a silver lining (to every rain-filled cloud).

Instead, Lord H has been busy with his next theology essay, and I - sound the trumpets and open the nearest wine-bar! - have made a start on my next novel, The Bones of Summer. Honestly, the start of a novel is one of the best, most exciting things in the world and I feel tingly now just thinking of it. I love this stage in the game - where I can see the scenes in my head and am just scrabbling around like a mad woman in the attic (oh, sorry, I am the mad woman in the attic ...) trying to get the stuff down. Before the heat fades into obscurity sometime around the 20,000 word mark and I'm thrown back to the snarling wolves and my own meagre resources. Hey ho, what a life.

Ooh, and we watched our video of last night's "Dr Who" (oh, perr-lease, not the doctor falling in love again - just get over it already, can't he??), and I then watched the wonderful, gripping double bill of "Ugly Betty". How I love that programme. What the hell am I going to do when it's not on any more?? Only two more episodes to go before the end, and my life with be bereft of the glorious B. Groan!

And I've been noble and rung Mother. And I didn't mention anything about Mr Perfect Cousin either (not that I'm bitter and twisted, ho ho ...) - so I should really be showered with Daughter Points galore. Hmm, don't wait up then, eh. She also asked about church (she knows something of the fiasco - but as little as I can get away with really), so I told her we'd left in April, and we're not looking for a replacement for a while. Possibly longer. Think she was surprised, but didn't make a fuss - so also gains Mother Points. My, what an award-winning pair we are today indeed.

Tonight, we've having Chinese - as we're into holiday mode now (see below) - and beer, and lounging like slobby lizards in front of our "The Last Detective" video. Bliss. And I've packed, though of course Lord H won't pack until two minutes before we're due to set off tomorrow, and will still remember everything. Dammit. Sound of wife grinding teeth due to marital packing injustices ...

So, have a great week, people - we're off for a week's (rainy??) golfing, and we'll be back on Saturday. Probably quite late. Hope the weather is good for us all ...

This week's haiku is:

The rain starts slowly,
easing the wires in my flesh,
silencing the wasps.

Today's nice things:

1. Starting The Bones of Summer
2. TV
3. Chinese & beer.

Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.pinkchampagneandapplejuice.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk