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The Green, Green Grass of Home: Mr Jones An Aberfan Story - Finborough Theatre

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A life of hope and promise, interrupted, lies at the heart of Mr Jones: an Aberfan Story. The play follows two young people in Aberfan before and after the disaster that killed 144 people, including 116 children. It’s an emotional coming-of-age tale of intersecting lives, family, love, and the shock of tragedy. With two vivid performances and strong characterisations, you feel immersed in 1960s Welsh small-town life. It’s now running at the Finborough Theatre , after performances at the Edinburgh Festival and across Wales.  The Aberfan disaster is well known in the UK but perhaps less so elsewhere. The facts of the tragedy are confined to the programme notes rather than in the piece. On 21 October 1966, the catastrophic collapse of a colliery spoil tip on a mountain above Aberfan engulfed a local school, killing many. The play avoids the causes and negligence, instead focusing on those working and building lives in the town.  Writer-performer Liam Holmes plays Stephen Jones, a...
Music: André Previn and the LSO

Tuesday night caught André Previn and the LSO performing Mozart's Piano Concerto No 24 in C Minor and Shostakovich's Symphony No 10 in E Minor. Previn's 75 this year (or he may be 76 but little facts like that get in the way of pressing schedules) and as a tribute to their former music director, the LSO have been holding a series of concerts to mark the occasion.

It was an amazing performance. Previn played the piano for the concerto as well. The Mozart was probably a little too light after a busy day in the office, but there was no chance the Shostakovich would send you to sleep. At times it was like it would wake the dead.

Whatever his age may be, he has been a prominent figure for so many years it is easy to remember most of the photos around of him are often a decade (or two or three) old. But today, on Tuesday night, he was quite an old man. He shuffled on stage with his head arched low. He changed glasses for conducting and playing the piano. At one point it looked as if like he wasn't so stable on his feet. But through all this you could also see that he was having a tremendous time. Just before starting the Shostakovich he looked up over the orchestra and smiled at them all before giving the upbeat. It looked like it was all fun for both conductor and the orchestra.

As a "bonus" for the Tuesday evening, the LSO also presented a new short work as part of its Sound Adventures programme. It was a piece of a lot of noise and was interesting the sounds a big symphony orchestra could make. It was also written by a very talented new British composer. But it did sit a little oddly next to the Mozart. Nevertheless judging by the reviews most of the punters thought this way of introducing new music to the public was a smashing idea. Well sort of anyway... Well giving the punters new music was never going to be easy...

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