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No country for old women: Old Ladies - at Finborough Theatre

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The day after seeing The Old Ladies at the Finborough Theatre , I was describing the play to someone in great detail: about three old ladies who lived in a rickety house in southern England in 1935. Based on Hugh Walpole’s novel and adapted by Rodney Ackland, it is the sort of story with enough believability, humour and mild thriller to stick in your mind. Perhaps it is the lure of this dark, forboding tale of a life without money, to be alone and to be old, that makes you feel attracted to this poverty porn. But then again, given the state of the world, the cost of living, an ageing population, or just the fact that it’s a dog-eat-dog world, it might as well be an every little old lady-for-herself, too. It’s a well-acted and staged piece that moves at a brisk pace, so there isn’t much time to think about it too much. And in the intimate (or should that be claustrophobic?) space of the Finborough, there’s nowhere to avert your eyes. Even if you wanted to.  The scene is a grim Cathe...

News: The weather

As the Guardian blogged, there is nothing like a cold snap to bring out the cliches... News stories this past week will feature at least one of the following:
  • Talking about the winter spirit that evokes memories of the blitz. Since when is Jack Frost a Nazi?
  • There really is community spirit after all... Although this only occurs after people realise the government is not going to do something for them first...
  • Fear of running out of grit. Birmingham will run out in 48 hours. Death will ensue after.
  • Take matters into your own hands and clear a pavement. And then you will be sued.
Oh and BBC weather reporters must have a dress code for crumpled or ill-fitting suits... Won't somebody think of the dry cleaners?

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