The Last Week

It has been awhile since I wrote in here. I am now in Vilnius trying to settle in. We managed to find a new home in less than a week, what is left  now is to find a job and start enjoying a rich cultural life in Vilnius. We are only walking around and looking at posters, but there seems to be numerous galleries and theatres, concerts in churches and concert halls. Vilnius has a vibrant cultural life, much livelier than I remember. I should consider starting a blog about Vilnius and its rich arty pickings. Maybe later. Now I would like to say thank you to all my readers for following me and your kind comments and all support. It's been an intense and very enjoyable cultural year. Good bye!

Week 45

It's official! My partner and I are moving to Lithuania. In a month's time! This means very little time left for cultural stuff and even less for this blog. However, I am determined to carry on until the last day. 

Before it closed, I visited Shadow Catchers at the V&A a couple of weeks ago. It was quite a small display of camera-less photography. It took a while to get my head around this unusual concept. There is a number of techniques to this sort of photography, but for me they mostly sound like variations of printing. Nevertheless, some of the picture were stunningly beautiful. I particularly enjoyed Pierre Cordier's work. In 1956 he invented 'chemigram' process – a method of directly manipulating photographic paper with light and dyes. Cordier creates abstract metallic images with narratives inside, which unravel stories the longer you look at them.

We gave another shot for Philharmonia Orchestra at the Southbank. Yet again I admired the building and appreciated the conductor directing his orchestra without notes. But a programme of Schumann and Weber works made me snooze again. It's not the orchestra to blame, it just confirms once again that my tastes lie with the 20^th century. Give me Shostakovich, Ginatsera and Gershwin. Sorry Bach!

Also last week: highly enjoyed Ian McEan's first novel The Cement Garden. It brought me back to childhood. 

Week 44 - Frankenstein; The Heretic

As I am writing this, the BAFTA awards are on the TV. It looks like a homage to The King's Speech, which was brilliant but it is a pity it takes away any chances from other equally good films. But what really strikes me is the inability of actors to present the nominations. All they have to do is come up on the stage and read the script. But this is exactly what they do – reading it woodenly and making forced jokes.

Yet another play about climate change on London stage opened last week. The Heretic at the Royal Court tells a story of a sceptic scientist at a provincial university. The tensions within the department about her beliefs and a possible funding from pro-climate change corporation are mixed with the family drama and young students' concerns. So there is a case for a great show, especially with Juliet Stevenson in the main role. But the jokes are lame, the other actors are rather weak and static and most of the science on stage is a fairy tale. 

Even higher expectations were for Frankenstein at the National. The adaptation of Mary Shelley's book is directed by Danny Boyle and the cast includes one of my favourites, Benedict Cumberbatch. I saw a preview in which Cumberbatch was playing The Creature (the role is alternated with Johny Lee Miller who was in Frankenstein's shoes that night). He was mesmerising, especially in the opening scene where the monster was given birth. Unfortunately, his performance alone didn't save the night, as nearly everything else was terrible! Other actors were rubbish, decorations simplistic and the narrative beyond boring, although the lighting was fantastic!

Also this week: a brief visit to the British Museum and a confusing visit looking for art in the Gabriel Orozco exhibition at the Tate Modern.

Week 43 - Greenland; The Knowledge; King Lear; The King's Speech

Finally, The King's Speech was seen! It is a good movie, but not the best. However, I loved to see many real life people portrayed (amongst others, Churchill, Mrs Simpson, Chamberlain), many actors I saw recently on stage (for example, Derek Jacobi playing Archbishop earlier this week was king Lear on the Donmar stage), fashions and men's haircuts, exquisite décors and the inside life of the royal family.

King Lear completely sold out even before it started. The main reason for this that it was Jacobi's career defining performance. As you know, I am not a big fan of Shakespeare, but my friend Zois assured me that this was 'a once in a lifetime experience'. So thanks to the Discovery scheme I managed to acquire a ticket last week before the end of the run. In deed, the performances were excellent, and could admire Shakespearian language, but I wasn't gripped. 

I was definitely gripped by The Knowledge at the Bush. A simple story of a new teacher struggling with a difficult class and her career was written so well by John Donnelly and performed brilliantly by the cast, that I didn't want the night to end. The play contains the essential ingredient for a good play about contemporary issues – sharp humour. That is what is lacking in Greenland – a play about climate change written in collaboration by four playwrights at the National. On a bare stage an ensemble of 15 actors show us separate stories of different people something to do with the climate change – eco-warriors, politicians, scientists, etc. There were a lot of moralising and fact-providing, but after two hours I left without any new information or enjoyment of dramatic experience. In fact, I left with a miserable thought that we are all doomed. 

Week 42

Britain's gone crazy over The King's Speech. I was so excited when I saw a trailer for it last year and couldn't wait to see it. Finally in my busy diary there was an easy week and on Wednesday we braved the crowds in the cinema. Please note, that in the UK Wednesday is a 2-4-1 night in cinemas, so they always are packed, as people take advantage of a good deal. But this week the queue was extra long in Islington Vue and as we were midway they announced that all showings were sold out. Instead of a movie we headed for a pub (a wonderful Angelic on Liverpool Road).

Saturday night at home is a sad thing, so we rushed off to the cinema. Well, King's Speech was again sold out, which is actually not that surprising – all the middle class royalists in Muswell Hill came in droves to see Colin Firth stammering. But all films were sold out for the night! And so we find ourselves in Blockbuster across the road – the most depressing store on the high street. There are lots of third rate comedies and action movies with never-heard-of heroes. We settled on It's Complicated staring Meryl Streep. The trailer looked fun, yet I heard critics slating it. But what do they know – Meryl Streep doesn't do kaka! Unfortunately, this was kaka, so boring with one or two laughs. This is a sort of movie my boss loves – no offence, no deeper meaning, no sense and a happy ending.

That was all this week. But I have some goodies waiting next week.

Week 41 - When We Are Married; Becky Shaw; BBC SO

One of the first plays which took me aback was Time and the Conways at the National a few years ago. It is written by J.B. Priestley and since then I always try to see his production on London stage. However, none have yet repeated the awe inspiring feeling. The same applies to When We Are Married currently running at the Garrick Theatre. It did have some good laughs and an amazing set on stage, but the play didn't touch my heart. The cast contained lots of 'local celebrities' (I didn't recognized anyone) who performed well, but boozy singing and old men acting drunk diminished the comedy element. 

A much better, actually superb, evening was spent at the Almeida in Islington. After the UK première of Becky Shaw, a satire of contemporary American life, I was left with a feeling equal to that after Time and the Conways long time ago. The action was fast, the characters sarcastic and the ending unpredictable – a perfect recipe for a great modern play.

The week finished with a great concert by the BBC Symphony Orchestra. I am always careful with this SO, as they play a lot contemporary and unknown music to me and very often their concerts can be dull. This weekend the programme sounded like it could one of those. However, it was an evening of discovery and beautiful moving music. They played de Falla, Piazzolla and Ginastera creations. These three composers are from Argentina and Spain and their music contains many ingredients of the southern cultures. I particularly enjoyed Ginastera's Estancia dances, which the orchestra played with real passion. 

Week 40 - Deathtrap; Gauguin; Diaghilev

The major autumn gallery shows end in the begging of January and last week I had a lot of catching up to do. On the bank holiday we went to the Tate Modern to see Paul Gauguin, Maker of Myth. A big mistake – not only the end of exhibition, but also a bank holiday means an immense amount of people. A queue to see every painting and by the time you reach the last room you don't really care what's on the wall. All you want is to escape. That could be my New Year's resolution – not to leave until last minute to see exhibitions. Anyway, back to Gauguin. His paintings are pleasant on the eye but none of them struck me as masterpieces. Actually, I wouldn't hang them on my walls. His praised paintings from Tahiti tell a false tale of contemporary times as they illustrate pagan rituals and myths, although at that time Tahiti was already a Christian country.

At the V&A the last days of exhibition on Diaghilev's talents also draw in massive crowds. When Diaghilev started his celebrated Ballet Russes in Paris in 1908, he transformed the world of dance. The exhibition features the costumes, the brochures, the sets and everything looks so luxurious and exotic even to today's audience eyes. The impresario worked with the biggest names of those days – Stravinski, Chanel, Picasso, Satie. After the Great War, when the dance company struggled financially, their annual summer residence in London would provide enough funds for new productions. The crowds at the V&A prove that the British are fascinated with the Russian culture now as much as they were in Diaghilev's days.

Deathtrap is also ending its run at the Noel Coward theatre and I am so happy I managed to get tickets for this comedy thriller with as many twists as laughs in it. The laughs were provided by the magnificent Simon Russell Beale acting and the twists by Ira Levin's writing. 

Week 39 - Cinderella; Crazy for Gershwin

Matthew Bourne's Cinderella at Sadler's Wells was a great start to 2011. It was a characteristic Bourne's piece – lots of twists on the plot and fabulous decorations. Just a few examples of the plot twists – the action takes place in the London Blitz, Cinderella in addition to her sisters also has three brothers and her soldier finds her in hospital, not by trying the shoe on every girls' feet. The godmother became a shiny white haired mischievous man, who looked quite off-putting. There were a few fantastic dance movements and clever ideas. For instance, I didn't know there are so many ways to illustrate a clock with the human body. Unfortunately, there also were lots of miming. In fact, the third act was just that. When the lovers found each other, I was expecting a grand love dance, but we just got some flapping on the stage. 

During the festive period we had a chance to experience some pop classical music. Critics might dismiss his productions but Raymond Gubbay is a brilliant impresario in bringing classical music to the masses . Crazy for Gershwin at his annual Christmas Festival at the Barbican was a prime example of his talent to please the people. The crowd was mainly the Daily Mail readers with the best of perm hair and fleece jumpers. On the stage a big band played while some second rate singers and dancers tried to impress the crowd. I do love Gershwin, but all this seemed over the top and spoiled the music. Credit is due to Mr Gubbay for getting the people to the concert halls, but for me this experience was enough and I will keep avoiding his productions. 

The Review of the Year 2010

Oh, what a year it was! I don't think I will ever again have such a packed cultural year, sometimes an event a day. It's been a true pleasure and here are my best of the best:

Venue of the year must be the Barbican. Not every production there is great, but their generous schemes allow to broaden the mind with international theatre and abundance of classical music. And of course, I love the architecture with its mixture of ancient and brutalist.

I must agree with most critics that the National and the Royal Court had superb year with nearly every production on top form and I was lucky enough to catch most of them. Just a few to mention – London Assurance was the funniest play I have ever seen, Laura Wade's Posh explained the roots of the current political establishment, Clybourne Park talked about race like no one before.

The discovery of the year belongs to the National Gallery for it's guided tours – can't get enough of them.

War Horse and Secret Cinema disappointed the most. Secret Cinema is such a great idea, but they outgrew themselves and became a massive disorganised money spinning machine. The puppets at the War Horse were impressive, but the story and everything else is as ordinary as anything in the West End.

In the art galleries I most enjoyed the splendid Treasures from Budapest at the Royal Academy of Arts and Van Doesburg and the International Avant-Garde at the Tate Modern. While I visited my friend Sima in Rome in February, we saw a fantastic retrospective of Caravaggio's work. When she came over to London, we both loved something a bit more modern – a survey of designer Ron Arad's work at the Barbican. 

My books of the year are Ian McEwan's Amsterdam and Colm Toibin's Brooklyn. One Day by Davis Nicholls was charming and funny and sad – a guilty pleasure. 

Week 38

As the festive period is in full swing, not much time left for culture when you have all those parties to attend. Nevertheless, I found some time in my packed diary for the brilliant Les Parents Terribles at the Trafalgar Studios, part of Donmar's West End season. I can't remember the last time I laughed so much. The main lead acted by Francis Barber was fantastic. Barber’s Yvonne is a Parisian bourgeois mother with Oedipal syndrome - her son Mikey is her life. However, he is 22, falls in love and is ready to leave the gypsy caravan, as their home is known. The twist is that father, a failed scientist, had an affair with the same girl. All the secrets and scheming is conducted by Yvonne’s sister, whose precision and love for order contrasts with the mess in everyday life of this family. The playwright Jean Cocteau created Les Parents Terribles in 1938 and borrowed many devices from Chekhov and Molière. Originally the play caused an outrage and even in this modern production the family looks sinful.

Another week, another prize winner book. This week I read Anita Brookner's 1984 Booker prize winner Hotel du Lac. A lyric little story how a woman in her late thirties escapes London to a sleepy Swiss resort and solves her unimportant problems. I appreciated Brookner’s style, but there was so little action and I couldn’t feel sorry for any of the upper middle class characters. Thinking about it, out of all Booker prize winners I read, only a few were great. Mostly the winners are quite mediocre… but maybe it’s just my taste.