Consumer Affairs

Tristan and Isolde/Glyndebourne

Yesterday I returned to Glyndebourne for the second time in a week for their production of Richard Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde. They are arguably the most famous lovers in opera, that is, if we regard Romeo and Juliet as less the opera of Gounod and more the theatre of William Shakespeare. So [...]

August 3, 2024 // 0 Comments

Sharks narrowly beaten by Warwickshire in One Day Competition

Yesterday I was invited into the Sussex boardroom for a one day game against Warwickshire. Top of the second division of the Championship and in the quarter finals of the T20, our resources are stretched by another competition and it showed. After a platform of 54-0, our batting collapsed. This [...]

July 29, 2024 // 0 Comments

The Merry Widow/Glyndebourne

Franz Léhar’s operetta, written in 1905, is actually a musical and really marked the end of one genre (the operetta) and beginning of another (the musical). The story is simple. Hanna Glawari (Danielle de Niese) is the rich widow from Pontevedro, in Paris for a party at the Pontevedro [...]

July 27, 2024 // 0 Comments

Arundel

Sunday I finally got to Arundel to watch some cricket. Sadly Arundel Week disappeared after the pandemic but a Sussex XI were playing the national county Hertfordshire. Years ago I remember seeing Hertfordshire, then called a minor county, dismissed by Middlesex for 111 runs. The standard has [...]

July 22, 2024 // 0 Comments

Stamford

After a relaxing and enjoyable stay with some old friends, I decided to visit for the first time the Lincolnshire town of Stamford. Stamford was originally the refuelling place for the coach and horses trip to Scotland. It also has the palatial home of William Cecil, Queen Elizabeth I’s most [...]

July 2, 2024 // 0 Comments

Sussex v Leicestershire (third day)

Sussex are now poised for victory against Leicestershire. They declared at 296-6 setting Leicestershire a target of just over 450. At stumps Leicestershire were 139-5, losing their major batters, notably Patel. Confidence oozes through this young Sussex side, who top Division 2 of the Championship [...]

June 26, 2024 // 0 Comments

Welcome to West Sussex

I mostly write about the delights of East Sussex but West Sussex too has much to offer. Yesterday’s post by Bob Tickler neglected to mention his acquisition of a beach hut on the Chichester peninsula and he can be found sometimes with a bottle of bubbly with a grandee, sometimes sharing a [...]

June 22, 2024 // 0 Comments

London/2024

Ten years ago I made the momentous decision to leave London for the south coast. A good friend at the time advised me that if it did not work out – as clearly he thought it would happen then – I would be back within 2 years and have to deal with increased property prices. In fact, [...]

June 21, 2024 // 0 Comments

Carmen/ Glyndebourne

In the 10 years since I have been going regularly to Glyndebourne, first as an associate member and now a full one, the place, experience and productions have all changed significantly. The most significant change is the relaxation of the dress code: one visitor for Carmen last Wednesday was [...]

June 14, 2024 // 0 Comments

Shape of Things/Pallant Gallery Chichester

Once again the Pallant has come up trumps with its latest exhibition showcasing still life. In the past they have resuscitated the reputations of an artist (e.g. John Minton and Glyn Philpott) but this time a genre – still life. For many years still life was below history, portraiture and [...]

June 5, 2024 // 0 Comments

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England v Sri Lanka : bad light , bad decision

September 7, 2024 // 0 Comments

Fact: 44 overs were lost at the Oval yesterday because of bad light. Fact: ticket price for the Oval= £ 80. You might have thought with floodlights , a pink ball and a [...]
Classic Movies/Sky Arts

September 6, 2024 // 0 Comments

This series, presented by Ian Nathan, has returned. No Dr Bonnie Greer, but instead a young American critic and film historian Christina Newland. Neil Norman is also a [...]
Sharks reach finals day

September 5, 2024 // 0 Comments

Sussex Sharks made easy work of beating Lancashire Lightning to reach the final. Lancashire Lightning could not call upon Jos Buttler but still fielded T20 regulars Phil Salt [...]
The Third Man

September 4, 2024 // 0 Comments

The 75th anniversary of the launch of the classic movie The Third Man is being celebrated this month with a re-showing. What made this Alexander Korda/David Selznick [...]
Fulham programmes over the years

September 3, 2024 // 0 Comments

Over the past few weeks I have been clearing out my garage. In one corner is my collection of Fulham programmes over my years of support, nearly 55 now. These were exactly [...]