Week 10

A mini jubilee today as this is my 10th post! Keep reading – I will keep writing.

As Europe was watching Eurovision, I attended Merchants of Bollywood, an Indian dance extravaganza at Peacock Theatre. Expecting traditional Indian love stories, colourful costumes and inspiring dances, I was left disappointed with sparkly dresses, cheap sets and cheesy tunes. It felt like sitting through the agony of Eurovision when only 2-3 numbers out of whole evening were worth watching. Call me a snob, but most West End 'shows' are for people going to toilets in the middle of the performance, loudly rustling through their overpriced sweet treats and laughing at the lamest jokes. Yes, they all were at the Merchants of Bollywood.

Sometimes you don't enjoy the book you read, but the pleasure of it lies in the discussions you have with friends about it. That's what happened with Helmet of Horror by Victor Pelevin written for Canongate's Myths series. I heard that Pelevin is one of the most successful authors in modern Russian literature, so was very excited when my monthly book club chose it for reading. It is written in the form of a chat in the forum where contributors get lost in the labyrinth of the internet. Like most internet chatting, Helmet of Horror was a waste of time. But Tuesday's discussion was so enjoyable, because we shared our thoughts, opinions and understood better what the author wanted to achieve. After the discussion the book didn't seem so bad.

Also this week I watched elegant and erotic Water Drops on Burning Rocks by my favourite French director F. Ozon. I think Tom Ford got lots of ideas for his début from this film. 

Week 9

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to choose a park over an art gallery this weekend, as I'm writing this with my arms and legs sunburnt! But nevertheless, the weather during the week was much grimmer – perfect to have a drink at Hampstead Theatre bar  before seeing Canary. The play is telling the history of gay movement since 1960s through personal stories. It's a typical gay related evening – a bit of humour, a bit of campiness, a bit of seriousness. You've seen one, you've seen them all. However, there were few interesting quotes – "Women and gay people are the litmus test of whether a society is democratic in respecting human rights. We're the canaries in the mine," by Peter Tatchell.

I was left with a similar feeling of 'nothing new' after seeing A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky written by three authors. It's about a dysfunctional family facing the end of the world. There were brilliant moments but it didn't hold my attention as through most of the play I was busy wondering how I would behave in the last weeks before the end. A rather more amusing experience was listening to the actors interpreting their roles and the play in the afterwards held Q&A at the Hammersmith Lyric. A little moan – why people feel the need to go to the Q&A and instead of asking questions talk about their life and give background of their families, etc. The rest of the audience is interested in the family just seen on the stage, not someone's from Northern England.

Also this week: experienced women singing men's parts in the first Vivaldi's opera Ottone in Villa and just couldn't get enough of Goldfrapp new album Head First

week 8

''I hate poor people!'' shouts one of the diners at the Riot Club, a privileged dining society at Oxford University for rich kids. They dress up, get drunk, trash a dining room, abuse a waitress and beat up the landlord – because in the end they can get away with all that by leaving some cash. Or do they? This is a synopsis of the new superb play Posh by Laura Wade, based on the infamous Bullingdon Club of which Cameron, Johnson and Osborne all were members. For me, two hours spent at the Royal Court watching this brilliantly acted show were the best theatre experience this month.

Nearly as impressive was The White Guard at the National based on Bulgakov's work. This is a story of a pro-tsarist family trapped in Kiev just before the Bolsheviks take the city. Bulgakov shows the essence of the Russian people – humour, family values, forced chameleonism and, of course, treating vodka as water. It is my third encounter with Bulgakov and I must say he charmed me with his satire and insight into the human nature.

Thankfully I managed to see Van Doesburg and the International Avant-Garde at the Tate before it closed today. I absolutely loved the paintings constructed from primary colours and clear shapes, bursting with joy.

As the Cannes film festival is in full swing, I treated myself with the winner of last year's Palm d'Or – M.Haneke's The White Ribbon. It is an illustration of life in a small German village before WWI, tainted by cruel crimes happening without reason. The White Ribbon, filmed in black and white, is definitely one of the best movies from the last decade.

Also this week: really wanted to enjoy Peter Pan in the dark Scottish National Theatre production, but felt bored and, again, the same with Gergiev conducting Turangalila for LSO – wanted to like it, but spooky ondes martenot sounds made it a sci-fi soundtrack.

Week 7

It is not easy to find a classic comedy on London's stage today, but London Assurance greatly fulfils all the absences. Sir Harcourt, a Belgravia's dandy in his late fifties, goes to the country to marry a much younger relative he never met. By accident his son turns up there as well and a farce follows with super camp Hartcourt falling for cigar smoking Lady Gay Spanker. The play is set in 19th century with all character stereotypes broken and doesn't leave a single viewer not laughing out loud in the full Olivier hall. Apparently the original play is much duller, but the director improved the text and it is performed so vibrantly by the cast including Fiona Shaw and Richard Briers. Lines like ''My wife left me with my best friend – oh, how much I miss him!'' do bring the house down and I can't remember when was the last time I left theatre with such a broad smile lasting the rest of the night.

I was left in a totally different mood after watching Fish Tank on DVD – one of the best British movies from the last year, which won Prix du Jury at Cannes. It's a grim story of a teenager living in a derelict Essex estate with a single mother, deep poverty and nearly no prospects. Swearing, drinking, anger outbursts, etc is everyday life here. It's striking how realistic this film is and you are left wondering what little the future holds for the real kids growing up on Woolwich and Poplar estates. And a prospect of the Conservative government with its cuts on social services would make life even worse for them (if it could be any worse) (sorry to go all political yet topical here).

Also this week: started reading Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd (one of the best living writers, but, I fear, this book will be his worst!), admired Italian Renaissance drawing at the British Museum.

Week 6

In my book club we talked about My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok. It's a book about a genius artist growing up in the ultra-orthodox Jewish community in 1950s New York. I loved the book because it portraits what happens inside the artist's mind so well – every artist-to-be should read it to test himself if he is a real artist. Another theme – a fight between art and religious world. I was happy that the main character perused his career despite many obstacles from his religious community.

The Artist And His Mother by Arshile Gorky was printed on my edition of My Name Is Aher Lev and what a coincidence that Tate Modern had a retrospective of the artist. So I rushed to admire Cubism and Abstract Expressionism inspired works by the Armenian-born American painter. Many of his pictures have thick layers of paint because Gorky didn't believe in the endings in art and would rework the paintings over the years. His works are very emotional with lots of deep meaning.

Latin music festival was taking place in London this week and we managed to go to the Viva El Mariachi! - a night devoted to the saddest music in the world (that's what the programme said). Actually it was one of the most lively and entertaining gigs I ever been to! All female Mariachi Femenil Nuevo Tecalitlán in full Mexican gear with guitars and trumpets charged the evening with music heard so many times in the Latin soap operas from my childhood. The senoritas worked the crowd with a mariachi version of My Way among others and left everyone in a brilliant mood and many tunes to hum on the train home.


Also this week: saw a preview of Holding The Man – a gay play from Australia and sat through  one of the most boring plays recently – I Went to the House but Did Not Enter.

Week 5

This week started with a superb political thriller The Ghost by Roman Polanski, based on the also brilliant Robert Harris' book under the same name. In a nutshell, it's a story about a ghost writer hired to produce memoirs of retired British PM. As the plot proceeds, a political conspiracy unfolds. I liked that the film is close to the book – the plot, the characters and style. Beautifully filmed and it's gripping, even though I knew what was going to happen. It is an intelligent movie and for the voracious news consumer in me it was a feast (the PM is loosely based on Tony Blair and also other characters are reminiscent of British politicians). Olivia Williams was my favourite as the PM's sarcastic wife!

The National Portrait Gallery is hosting a retrospective of American fashion photographer Irving Penn work. His career has spanned for seven decades since 1940s and in this exhibition over 120 portraits of major cultural figures are on display. His work is very distinctive and, to my eye, did not change over the years (nevertheless, it's brilliant). On display here is like a picture Who's Who of the 20th century art world. For those living in Rome, the exhibition is coming there 1st July.

I was lucky enough to see a preview of Women Beware Women by Middleton at the National Theatre. I am not a fan of 17th century drama, but this production was quite good. I particularly liked the costume and set design. They had a live band playing jazzy tunes. So the production is modern, but the play is ancient and there were quite a few gaps in the plot. One moment a character is in love with her husband, in the next scene – she hates him. You are left wondering when and why that happened.

Also this week: saw Lucia, a movie about opera by Don Boyd, and listened to the premier of Jörg Widmann Lied performed by the BBC SO.

Week 4

Canadian storyteller/performer Laurie Anderson filled the Barbican theatre for 5 consecutive nights this week. In the 90 minutes long show Delusion she spoke of her personal life mixing in recent news stories and fairy tales. All that accompanied with a screeching violin. I wanted to be excited about the performance as much as the audience and critics were, but I couldn't help feeling bored. A storyteller should grab your attention and give you either immense pleasure or a wealth of knowledge, but Laurie Anderson provided non of it.

I kept putting off a visit to the French artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot's instalation in The Curve (in the old good Barbican) due to long queues. Long queues because the installation is actually good or just because it's free? The boast on the poster that it's inspired by youtube hit clip doesn't sound too appealing. And yet it's worth waiting to get in. A flock of zebra finches fly around and from time to time land on electric guitars producing strange sounds. Sometimes they succeed in something rhythmic and even beautiful. The beauty is standing and watching the birds zooming around you and composing this soundscape.

Also this week: looked at the Staffordshire Hoard at the British Museum, (It's the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found and yet every piece is so tiny that a magnifying glass is needed to display them.), listened to the BBC Symphony Orchestra playing Mahler, enjoyed Boom Boom Club cabaret at the Bath House.

Week 3

The high point of the week – a survey of  Ron Arad's work at the Barbican. What has been seen in numerous design blogs and magazines, is recognized in this exhibition. Arad is a genius who creates beautiful steel chairs that look so inviting to sit on and yet you are not allowed to touch. How satisfying is to enter the next room with sofas and shiny tennis tables to try out. Good design not only looks great but also is comfortable.

Sweet Nothings at The Young Vic was a disappointment. The fact that we were sitting next to the sound controller who was typing loudly on his Facebook profile didn't help. The highlight of the play – Micheal Sheen and Ian McKellen spotted in the crowd. Otherwise it was an overacted and rather boring love story between a poor girl and a rich young man.

When King George V first heard Strauss's Elektra performed by the Band of Grenadier Guards in the courtyard of Buckingham Palace in 1910, he sent a note to a bandmaster: ‘His Majesty does not know what the band has just played, but it is never to be played again’. I remembered this story while listening to the world premier of The Earthy Paradise by Ian McQueen performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra. I'm always fascinated with the feeling that contemporary classical music gives to the audience. It's so difficult to understand, and nearly impossible to enjoy. But then the time passes and tastes changes and perhaps The Earthy Paradise will be played again just like Elektra is still being performed. Good thing they had some Elgar in the first part.

Also this week: watched Good Bye and Good Luck on DVD, visited Van Gogh exhibition at the Royal Academy and admired  Købke  Copenhagen landscapes at the National Gallery

Week 2

Relationships between men and women as told through dance – that's the main theme of KONTAKTHOF from Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. Originally created in 1978 in Germany, now it is performed in Barbican by two casts one with people over 65 and the other teenagers over 14. I saw the teenagers. The performance talks about desire, courtship, relationships. It's full of beautiful steps, unexpected turnouts and humor – and full of abuses (women are as bad as men). Action takes place in a dance hall with 1930s music. It sounds like it should be a feast to the eyes, but we left after the interval. So much filler, pauses, repeats, sexy talking... and all that done by teenagers. It is like an extended school play. I wasn't convinced that the young dancers felt passion, pain, love and joy that relationship brings to life. Critics rave about over 65s performance and so I made the wrong choice to see youngsters.

In my monthly book club we discussed A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood – a wonderful book about a gay man in the 1960s USA. It's a brave book for that period and not only because of open homosexuality, but also of condemnation of politics and American lifestyle. Everyone in the group loved the book and felt sympathetic to the main character – he's lonely and in mourning, but he believes that the future could be bright. Inevitably, comparisons with Tom Ford's movie were drawn. The film is so bleak and shallow, without any positivity and stereotyped characters. It is a beautiful Gucci advert under the same name as the book, but nothing else.

Also this week: watched Kick-Ass, started The Believers by Zoe Heller and listened to Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2 on Spotify

Week 1

Last week started with the Macbeth by Cheek by Jowl at the Barbican. I have to admit, that I struggled to understand the language and the staging didn't help (no decorations or props, only 1 two hours long part). My friend and I left in the middle. Only later after reading reviews and watching some TV discussions I realised what we missed – it was a brave and original interpretation of Shakespeare's play.

Another play in the Barbican later in the week left a different experience. Psychosis 4.48 by Sarah Kane performed in Polish by TR Warszawa was a depressing yet powerful experience. It is about a woman in deep depression trying to end her life. You see what she and people around her go through, how this disease shatters relationships and lives. After the final suicide the stage is left empty and actors don't come back for the applause and audience is left in confused, dark mood. Some people attempted to clap and end the gloomy atmosphere, whereas I felt that by not coming back actors extended the theatrical spell and I left theatre sunk in deep thoughts.

In the books department, I am towards the end of The Three Emperors by Miranda Carter. Carter tells the story of Russian, German and English monarchs before the WW1. It is a fascinating account of the last glorious days of European monarchy before the war which changed everything. The author provides details not only about politics, but also draws convincing portraits, describes behind the doors scenes and allows just enough space for the gossip. A joy to read, although the bias towards English could be sometimes too obvious.