Friday, June 27, 2014

The Remains of the Day - film, then book

We watched the film with Anthony Hopkins in the role of Stevens, the butler to Lord Darlington during the post World War I period, and later to his American successor.

A fascinating performance as Stevens rationalises his life in service to a man who becomes an apologist for Hitler's regime for the best of motives - promoting peace and understanding among nations. Alongside this runs the story of the unresolved relationship between Stevens and the housekeeper  Miss Kenton.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Playboy of the Western World by JM Synge



I thought this was excellently performed by Stamford's Shoestring Theatre company.  I was quite able to suspend disbelief and be carried along by the story of Christy Mahon and his fearsome murderous deeds.  I particularly enjoyed the Widow Quin character, though all were well-played. The scenery of the shebeen, with a view of the Mayo coast beyond was perfect too.


Interesting too to read about the play's reception when it was first performed in 1907.  It seems political correctness is by no means a modern invention.  Nationalists claimed it wasn't political enough, and others saw the use of the word "shift" as a reference to Kitty O'Shea's adultery with nationalist leader Charles Parnell, and as an insult to the women of Ireland. And the premise of the play - that a village would idolise a man who claimed to have killed his father - was taken as a terrible insult to Irish peasant life.

All in all though - very entertaining and full of humour.  And I hadn't realised that "playboy" meant "trickster.