THE X-FACTOR: JEDWARDMANIA!

Ok, let’s throw some perspective at this. The X Factor rarely produces great stars, a lot of OK singers have won it, but only Leona Lewis can really be said to have exceptional talent. Next, it is an entertainment show and if people really don’t like one of the contestants then they shouldn’t vote for them, likewise if they dislike them all, they shouldn’t be watching it, not at this stage anyway.

John and Edward can’t really sing but only about half of all pop stars can- fact! They are liked because, essentially, they are us! Those of us who can’t sing and have no discernable entertaining talent but can enjoy jumping about (you should see TWU editorial meetings, that’s all we do!). They are ordinary kids having a laugh and getting away with it. Plus they have a better image than any of the other contestants- admit it, that hair is spectacular. Plus two, they are funny and fun and a lot of people are tired of more ballads with the so called `Jesus Light` shimmering behind the singer or else serious rappers with their oh so co-ordinated moves. Jedward probably shouldn’t win and almost certainly won’t- I’d be surprised if they last more than another 2 weeks- but they have livened up a format that is becoming predictable and stale and they have entertained us. They’ve got people worked up into an agitated state and divided the nation. I bet Gordon B would love to be that interesting. Will Jedward win, people ask. Folks, they already have!!

THEATRE: OUR CLASS (National Theatre, London to Jan 12)

Described by one critic as the grimmest play he’d seen at the National, Our Class centres on the Polish town of Jedwabne where in 1941, almost all of its Jewish inhabitants were herded into a barn and burned to death. The massacre was carried out by their own Polish townspeople though for years it was blamed solely on the Nazis.

Starting in 1926 the narrative follows 12 classmates, some Polish, some Jews as they are sucked into the maelstrom of first Russian and then Nazi occupation. Tadeusz Slobodzianek’s play is unrelentingly pessimistic about life, even if small acts of courage and loyalty occasionally peer through. He is careful to show that racial divisions exist from childhood in a pivotal scene where the Jewish kids have to go to the back of the class whole the Poles pray. Many of the horrors that follow are pre -shadowed in this sequence. There are no sets or props, the action taking place in a central `pit` surrounded by the audience and every so often a nursery rhyme or the recurring use of the word “classmate” is a chilling reminded that these are the same characters we met playing games at the start. Once the massacre has been carried out in a powerful end to the first half, the rest of the play sees a patch of sand in the centre of the space acting as a constant reminder of what the characters are trying to escape from.

The first half is powerful and dark, offering us no easy explanations and is almost suffocating in it’s descriptions of the stark options these people faced. The second half is less effective and towards the end becomes little more than a litany of frailty and death as the characters move through the decades. A shorter play focussed on just the events leading up to the massacre, the deed itself and some chance meetings decades later might better have served the task. Nonetheless, the ensemble cast are fearless and full of energy managing to convey the desperation and the story is one that needs to be told and seen regardless of how uncomfortable it might make us feel.

NATIONAL THEATRE BACK STAGE TOURS

If you go to the National, it’s worth booking for the backstage tour; it’s only £5 and is an intriguing glimpse into the work that goes into the variety of productions that are staged there. The guides are very enthusiastic and informative and you get to see quite a lot of crafts, props, staging and technical stuff in the cavernous parts of the South Bank building the public never normally see. You can book at the information desk or on the NT website.

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

THEATRE: PUNK ROCK (debut at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, Sep 09/ Now on in Manchester)

For a play that makes effective use of modern tools such as texts, Punk Rock’s setting in a wood panelled and decidedly old fashioned library may be a way of saying that what you’re about to see are perennial problems. Or it may just be a suitably melodramatic setting – with it’s stacks of books rising to the ceiling- for a tale that ends nastily. Teenage angst is best epitomised and examined by intelligent discourse rather than tedious realism and stomach churning hand held camera so beloved of `gritty` indie films. This play is set in the present day (in fact some of the references are a tad too 2009) in the tense time before and after mock exams, the atmosphere exemplified by alarming bursts of distorted music between scenes. Here, the Stockport pupils we meet are playfully clever and articulate yet just as petty, vindictive and confused as any other type of teen. Writer Simon Stephens provides them with funny lines that only serve to underpin the pressure, both within their peer group and from outside. Rarely has bullying been so amusing, nor rebuffed by way of a speech as to how we’re all doomed. The most refreshing aspect is that each of the characters is interesting whether tormentor or victim and that those roles are fairly interchangeable.

A bright cast bristle with the energy Stephens’s words provide and give performances that a film could never bottle; scabrous and edgy yet wry and outright funny. This play is a gift for any young cast but Tom Sturridge excels in the dream role of wiry, compulsive liar William Carlisle. The character is knowingly random, dangerously prescient and obsessed with new pupil Lilly Cahill, played with surly authority by Jessica Raine. She seems to be the main character at first; everyone else’s reactions to her arrival neatly setting the scene but it soon becomes apparent that Carlisle will explode sooner or later. Its just a matter of the trigger and if the narrative’s only weak spot is in making this moment a little too sudden, even for such a character, it brings gasps from the audience that add an even darker tenor to the last 20 minutes. The modern accoutrements and references may date but could easily be amended because Punk Rock is about that period we all go through and does its job better than most that have visited this well.

TV: OFF THE HOOK / LUNCH MONKEYS (BBC3)

You’ve got to hand it to BBC3, they keep trying new comedy shows when every other channel is scaling back production but this also means that there is quite a high failure rate. Both these series debuted in September / October, both clearly aimed at the audience that has made Channel 4’s The Inbetweeners a surprise hit. Off The Hook follows students in their first year at Uni and is notable for including Inbetweener James Buckley in a totally different role as a misanthropic would be songwriter, a part in which he excels and which is very amusingly written. The series sticks to fairly standard comedy situations and scores as a result, the highlight of which is a meal with two German girls. There’s a great rapport between the two lead actors Jonathan Bailey and Danny Morgan while the pre watershed transmission time means writer Dean Craig cannot just rely on rude or gross jokes but has to be more inventive. A surreal edge and some well staged physical comedy add touches of class to the mix. If there’s a second series, this is a promising foundation on which to build.

Lunch Monkeys enters that perilous officecom area, a sub genre which only has about one success every decade and was pretty much sucked dry of material this decade by, er, The Office and in the 1990’s hugely under-rated and absurdly funny Is it Legal? Lunch Monkeys isn’t a patch on either but has its own ramshackle appeal though the efforts of the actors seem to be driven by a desire to out do each other rather than entertain us. The plots are not especially inspired and there isn’t enough variety amongst the characters to provide the vital comedy of opposites that marks out great shows. Like most of the employees of the fictional firm in which it’s set, the series passes the time but isn’t a lot of use.

TV DVD: DR WHO - THE DALEK WAR BOX SET aka FRONTIER IN SPACE & PLANET OF THE DALEKS

A bit of an epic do these 12 episodes are perhaps not quite what the modern viewer might expect. The ambition of `Frontier In Space` is in no doubt, but frequently it seems as if achieving it is beyond available resources with lots of grand talk about things we don’t see and rather a lot of cells, holds and cages in which the Doctor and Jo spend the majority of the story. On paper, it bears some resemblance to those fantasy novels of future space empires but such lofty ambitions remain tethered to the ground by the limitations of the production with the Doctor shuffled from one incarceration to another, accusing fingers pointed at him constantly while he moralises his way out of awkward situations. It’s a shame because the larger idea- two space empires tricked into war by the Master- is fantastic. Patches do work well- the scenario on Earth is drawn from the 1970’s industrial and political unrest and the Draconians’ with their polite manners, traditions and excellent prosthetics make a dignified counterpoint.

Whatever the narrative’s shortcomings, there is no doubt about the quality of the production which features some of the old series’ best model work depicting interesting spaceships against azure coloured space. What it lacks in science, it more than makes up for in beauty. The incidental music is strong too, Dudley Simpson doing more than his normal parps and burps to present a suitable backdrop to the militaristic themes of the story. Hulke’s individual characters are as strong as ever, helped by a well chosen cast particularly Michael Hawkins’ grumpy guilt ridden General Williams and Vera Fusek’s humanitarian President. The subtle interplay between the two adds verisimilitude with the single line “we used to be friends once” conjuring up a whole back-story in your head. The Draconians are as well portrayed as they are designed, with a genuine rapport between John Woodnutt’s imperious yet wise Emperor and his more impetuous son (Peter Birrel). Jo Grant remains a much more active companion than she is remembered for; here showing the experience of three years of companion’s duties by getting stuck in. However the main acting honours must go to Roger Delgado who skips through this story affecting an often flippant bravado that makes this his best performance in the show. His Master is wily, humorous and not without an appealing side which equally makes him very dangerous. Few Doctor Who villains have been as well drawn and it’s amazing what both the writers and Delgado made from what originated on paper as a one dimensional character. Hulke gives him tons to do here and he dominates every scene he’s in.

A botched climax leads directly into `Planet of the Daleks` whose continual jungle soundtrack has etched itself on the memory of any child who saw this even if the story itself probably hasn’t. Terry Nation’s usual battery of tunnels, unlikely escapes and quarrelling characters are present as expected. His big new idea is the unintentionally hilarious `Icecano` that floods a miniature Dalek base. “Somewhere on this planet there are ten thousand Daleks…” announces someone without stopping to mention the caveat “...but they’re each only six inches tall!” It’s really Jo Grant’s story in the early episodes as she narrates into a cassette case while trying to find a cure for the comatose Doctor. Katy does this so well you sort of hope the Doctor’s nap will last all 6 episodes. There’s a palpable sense of isolation and a glimpse into what a companion character is thinking while the invisible Spirodons work well thanks to some bizarre purple cloaks and Roy Skelton’s spooky whispering. The more the Daleks intrude, the less interesting matters become and the Thals just seem to spend the whole time bickering. This is personified by angry Prentis Hancock whose character is such a strop you keep expecting Bernard Horsfall’s sensible leader to go and make him stand in a corner. Nation certainly has a vivid sense of place- the planet has a Plain of Stones, lively wildlife and dangerous fauna, but is less sure footed with his plot and characters.

Despite their faults and slightly dated appearance, both these stories are watchable if you’re in the mood to be entertained by the more gentle camber of old telly. Davey T could of course sort out both in about 90 minutes and then go off to the pub with the Draconians (“my round at your command”) and Wester (useful for nicking crisps).

TV DVD: SCARF JACK

Network are not the only company releasing obscure drama, this 6 part children’s serial dating from 1981 is available from Simply Home Entertainment. Set in 1798 where the British army are trying to quell an Irish rebellion, it would no doubt have stirred a few comments at a time when Northern Ireland was at the top of the political agenda. Like many of it’s contemporary series, Scarf Jack does not shirk from the issues it covers even if it does simplify them for younger viewers. The title character is a former Army captain, (called Captain Jack actually!) sickened by the British treatment of the Irish and determined to help the latter by as peaceful a means as possible. Pursued by the brutal Hunter Gowan to England he is rescued from a secret hanging by young Francis and a poacher called Caleb who both assist him escape Gower’s relentless attempts to capture him. A cavalcade of familiar tv actors of the day populate the production including Richard Greene, Richard Russell, Keith Jayne and Bernard Kay giving it the gusto it needs while the direction is brisk and, at times, quite ambitious considering the clear budgetary limitations. The lesser known Roy Boyd plays the title role well, though you understand why movies of this type introduce a romantic sub plot. In its absence, Jack remains a difficult character to read with a surprising revelation coming too near the end to play out properly, though sharp eyed viewers will spot it a mile away. A modest though successful production, Scarf Jack’s sense of period remains throughout and it has a very catchy theme tune that’ll stick in your head too!

FILM: Awaydays

Awaydays is a period drama in which unrequited love is unable to be expressed in violent times. The period may be Liverpool in 1979, the setting drab and urban and the `war` is Saturday football violence but the parallels are striking. Adapted by Kevin Sampson from his book, the film centres on Paul Carty, a junior civil servant is bored with life and in awe of the Pack, an unruly and dangerous mob intent on causing trouble at football matches and he works his way into the gang by befriending it’s most charismatic member Elvis. As the two become closer it seems both want different things from the friendship- for Carty it is the appeal of the violence which offers excitement but Elvis falls for him though cannot express it, possibly not even to himself. Some critics have said Elvis’ infatuation was not emphasised enough but in the hands – or rather the eyes- of actor Liam Boyle, it could not be more clear. Elvis’ bravado masks a more thoughtful, escapist individual who nonetheless takes part in the violence but remains a step apart. Carty, by contrast, becomes obsessed with it and the more he does the more Elvis resents it, trying to control him. Boyle’s the kind of actor who may appear to be doing very little at times but his stillness portrays much more than is written in the script. He contains Elvis’ true feelings amidst bravado and arty pretension, dreaming that the two of them can escape. Near the end, when he cannot even say what he feels, Boyle is fantastic.

It would be wrong to see this as a film about football violence per se- and indeed it offers little by way of an insight into why thugs behave as they do. In particular there’s a wasted opportunity to at least show what motivates 30 year old John Godden (another terrifying Stephen Graham played Scouser) who has a wife and family to want to spend Saturday afternoons instigating mob violence. The fighting we do see is close up and nasty, with Stanley knifes casually splitting skin and boots flying yet from a historical distance it seems a pointless occupation.

Shot digitally by director Pat Holden the film certainly picks up on grimy period detail (those old buses!). Holden has a superb eye for arresting imagery and making the ordinary seem vital- you’d never imagine watching tankers on the Mersey could look so poetic. In this respect he is echoing Elvis’s view of the world. The measured pace, striking cinematography and Liam Boyle’s strong central performance make Awaydays so much more than another film about violent youth. Like they say “big sky, man”

FILM: The Soloist

In his follow up to the acclaimed Atonement, director Joe Wright chooses a real life story set in LA earlier this decade. Journalist Steve Lopez happens across homeless Nathanial Ayers attempting to play a two stringed violin. Thinking it will make an interesting topic for his daily column, he discovers that Ayers is an accomplished cellist who dropped out of the prestigious Juilliard school of music due to schitzopherinic illness. When a reader sends Lope a cello, the journalist cajoles Ayers to play at a hostel called Lamp, where a collection of the city’s dropouts exist in disharmony and turmoil. Lopez quest becomes an obsession that drives him to become accused of trying to cure Ayers once he tries to get him performing, but is he simply trying to make himself feel better? It’s a not unfamiliar kind of story for a film but being based on true events and in the hands of Wright refuses to travel in the direction or reach the destination you might expect. As Lopez, Robert Downey Jr is excellent, perhaps because he can see something of himself in Ayers’ troubled existence and because the narrative makes the journalist a deeply flawed individual who refuses to confront his own collapsed marriage yet will invest so much in someone he doesn’t know. Jamie Foxx, too, avoids showboating as the muttering, unpredictable Ayers and both actors make the situation seem real. Wright’s instinctive sureness of touch which did much to make Atonement so strong is in evidence again. His mise-en-scene in LA’s homeless district is every bit as effective in conveying a situation as his famed single shot from the earlier film. Time and again he manages to pull a cinematic sleight of hand that would seem pretentious on paper yet really brings the film closer, none more so than when we see Ayers' immersion in music as a series of moving light patterns against a black screen. Questions have been asked about whether the LA disposed are really accurately portrayed here and whether the film’s conclusion is too upbeat but as Lopez wrote the book then it’s his fault if that’s the case. The film itself remains absorbing from start to finish and confirms that Wright is becoming a must see director.

DVD: The Boat That Rocked

This is a weird one; in an introduction to the deleted scenes, writer / director Richard Curtis all but admits that he didn’t really want to cut these bits as they include some of the actors’ best work but the running time of the film was too long. We then see about 40 minutes that knock much of what was included into a crocked hat. They may not, as Curtis attests, be vital for the existing plot but some judicious re-jigging should have found space for them at the expense of some of the tedious sequences in the final cut. For example, Kenneth Branagh’s eye popping minister determined to close Radio Rock is a caricature even for the 1960s setting and should have been pruned to three short scenes. Also, several of the deleted scenes underline something missing from the film itself- the power of music whilst an amusing sequence involving a rival pirate radio station sets the story in a better context- the sabotage the Radio Rock DJs undertake has parallels with the government attempts to shut them down and its omission from the cinema version is badly judged. These could have been included at the expense of the drawn out sinking at the end. So, somewhere in there a decent film is lurking, albeit one suffering under the weight of some misplaced period settings and Curtis’ usual reliance on impossible coincidence. The latter is evident at the conclusion when the sunk DJs are rescued by boatloads of listeners; Curtis obviously equating the idea that anyone who listened to pirate radio lived near the coast and owned a boat!

Some of the individual scenes that have made the film are good, partly due to the calibre of the cast, but while the excellent soundtrack keeps you entertained and the fashions are as 60s as you like, there is little that sets the story in context. As with Love Actually, Curtis over eggs some points with multiple scenes (in this case various listeners all divided neatly into social stereotypes) attempting to encompass too much broadly when it could easily be addressed on a smaller level. There are numerous characters that could provide us with an audience identification point but this is an ensemble film so it never happens leaving the viewer plunged into the day to day life of a pirate radio station when in 2009 radio itself is an outmoded medium for many. As it stands The Boat That Rocked is flawed but there is enough material to create a much better two hour movie if someone has the patience to create it.

CD/DVD: Noah And The Whale - The First Days Of Spring

Universal recognition of the nature of broken relationships can be both a blessing and a curse for any artist. On the one hand, we’ve all been there so will understand where they’re coming from, yet conversely is there anything new to say on such things? Charlie Fink thinks there is and, with his band Noah and the Whale, has constructed both an album and accompanying film to express it. Somehow, they have managed to do pull this off by keeping things simple. The temptation to elaborate with grandiose musical or lyrical gestures has largely been avoided and instead it is a skeletal landscape we are taken into. Impeccably produced in a style that calls to mind latter day Talk Talk with isolated guitar and subtle percussion `The First Days of Spring` has timeless qualities. By keeping the lyrical details remain vague, the emotions distant yet recognisable, the result is something more than just another collection of break up songs. Fink is beaten but not broken and his brooding vocals a perfect match to the mostly slow pace of the music. Occasional bursts of violin and a choir keep things from getting too samey, the latter used more inventively than most attempts by groups to add a choral flourish to their music. The result is a compelling, intriguing and at times moving document of someone trying to find a way forward and the group should be proud of such a defiantly individual piece of work.

The 50 minute film that accompanies the album is perhaps a less successful venture though it does have some visually striking moments and there is no doubt that Fink- who directs - has an eye for the lens. However there is something about the way songs and film fail to connect that makes the end result less than satisfactory. In many ways the music doesn’t need a film to bring it to life and the abstract nature of the latter seems to struggle to mirror the emotions being sung about. By matching the slow burn pace of the songs, the film is also too sedentary and you find your mind wandering. The narrative appears to show the same man at three key stages in life, each of them a disappointment but this suggests the melodrama that Fink wisely steers clear of in the songs and gives the overall impression of excerpts from a very ponderous European film. That being said, is it shot with considerable style and some scenes- mostly those involving `old Ethan` (played by none other than TV’s Captain Yates, aka Richard Franklin!) – spring to life and surprise you none more so than when he is watching younger people at a garden party or during `Love of an Orchestra` which is the film’s most bizarre yet powerful moment.

Ironically, the two extras on the dvd showing the group playing the songs in a loft apartment surrounded by friends proves a more effective backdrop for the material than the film itself and underlines that Noah and the Whale are a rare talent that are on an interesting musical journey. The film’s an acquired taste but whatever you do, get the album.

TV: Wuthering Heights

There have been countless adaptations on this classic Emily Bronte book but if, like me, you’ve neither seen any of them nor read the book itself and your only knowledge is based on the song, then how does it fare? Directed by the talented Coky Giedroyc and awash with atmospheric photography this production certainly looks the part. In terms of casting too, they’re onto a winner with both Tom Hardy (Heathcliffe) and Charlotte Riley (Cathy) putting their all into roles that demand much of them. A strong supporting cast- in particular Sarah Lancashire and Rebecca Night- also contribute much in the way of verisimilitude. Plus the incidental music is a fantastic percussion led melee that does much to underscore the feverish emotions the story pivots around.

It’s a pity then that the end result is so bitty. Until early in part 2 we have a succession of brief scenes with people walking in and out of rooms, or riding from one house to another. The narrative never settles and as a result fails to engage despite the best efforts of the cast. I can only guess what liberties script writer Peter Bowker took with the source material but it’s hard to imagine the text is as casually assembled as this is. Starting near the end of the story and spending much of the time in flashback initially seems clever but leaves us with a low key last fifteen minutes of people dying one after another. The production sparks best in the first half of part 2, where extended scenes allow us into the heads of characters that have hitherto failed to stay still long enough and there is some material for our heads as well as our eyes to appreciate. Yet you’re left with the overall conclusion that both Heathcliffe and Cathy are solipsistic and immature rather than crazy in love and a script that seems designed to appeal to the Twilight generation rather than the rest of us.

DR WHO DVD: THE BLACK GUARDIAN TRILOGY starring MAWDRYN UNDEAD, TERMINUS & ENLIGHTENMENT (1983)

Unlike the `classic` chugging automobile in which we first see signs of new companion Turlough’s duplicity, Mawdryn Undead motors along rather swiftly. People rush from one place to another as they attempt to traverse Peter Grimwade’s awkwardly staged script. He has a great central idea but the story labours as it strives to avoid getting to that idea before part 3 meaning there is essentially a whole episode’s worth of superfluous material to yomp through. Grimwade, perhaps with his director’s hat on even though it’s Peter Moffatt behind the cameras on this occasion, services the melodramatic tendencies of the show. Early on the Black Guardian declares “I may not be seen to act in this” and true to his word doesn’t. His pedantic villainy seems as ridiculous as the stuffed bird perched on his head (I keep waiting for it to say something but it never does) and impractical in plot terms. It leads to a risible cliff-hanger resolve at the start of part 2 and an equally expansive performance from Mark Strickson. Add in Janet Fielding’s ever moany character (would you travel more than 5 minutes with someone like Tegan?) and you have a recipe for disaster. Fortunately there is some subtlety at work elsewhere. While Moffatt fails to convince us for a moment that the school has more than 3 teachers and 10 pupils, he does succeed in drawing out fine performances from Messrs Davison, Courtney and Collings. Sometimes they appreciate that what’s not said is just as important as what is- watch the Doctor’s reaction when Turlough first starts spouting technical stuff a human would never know or Mawdryn’s sly looks in part 3. The story also includes the fabulous part 2 cliff-hanger, a most English affair with restrained emotion, re-worked title music and ending with the distant thwack of a cricket ball and polite applause. Indeed, throughout all 4 episodes Nick Courtney retains the urbane dignity of the Brig in what is a textbook example of how to resurrect an old character and stay true to their roots.

Mawdryn’s gang are atypical of DW villains of the day; while a more modern reading would draw out the loneliness of their quest far more, David Collings’ body language (despite the hindrance of having to wear spaghetti on his head half the time) betrays those feelings well enough. His sly revelations in part 3 regarding the Doctor’s fate are far more chilling than the Black Guardian’s taunts. At the time it was broadcast, there was much talk of this story’s clattering soundtrack but hearing it today, perhaps because we’re now so used to Murray Gold’s epic approach, it doesn’t seem out of place at all. As a soundtrack to some majestic sets it works in context, even if there is a little too much of it. Watch with the new CGI and that terrible black and green chessboard effect is replaced by a far better swirly blue thing; sadly there is no animating the stuffed bird.

Do I have to watch Terminus? I suppose I do though I haven’t since the time it was broadcast and it remains one of those rarely commented upon stories of which there’s usually one per season. Lacking the vigour of `Mawdryn` or the imagination of `Enlightenment`, it’s as dull as the sets in which it takes place. It never settles down into anything interesting while some production decisions further hamper its effectiveness. Ostensibly the tale of Nyssa’s departure, even that landmark is fumbled by her sudden calling and the way it is just presented to us in part 4 out of the blue. While at least the lighting isn’t overly harsh, direction is as ponderous as the narrative with too many lingering reaction shots and poor use of the multi level sets. However much Steve Gallagher moans in the accompanying documentary about the production values, he seems to have provided few ingredients that would inspire any director. The Vanir who look after Terminus are one note characters while the two raiders seem wholly unnecessary to the story as for that matter do Turlough and Tegan who spend the time exchanging dull speeches. As for the Garm, it’s actually one of the few intriguing elements of the story however leadenly it’s realised yet we never discover who it is or why it’s there. The test of a good alien environment in Doctor Who is whether you can imagine it being there both before and after the adventure which in this case you can’t. Still, it was nice of someone to cheer up the Lazers with pictures of skulls on the doors wasn’t it?

Enlightenment is the real gem in this box. An interesting tale, well told, it’s quite sophisticated for the 80s, offering more than your standard running around / monster template. It could almost be a story from the modern series, with a inspired visual signature of the sailing ships in space, an intriguing look at a race who cannot understand emotions and a busy Doctor leading the way. Some smart individual performances, particularly Keith Barron, underscore what is a thoughtful narrative. Perhaps more could have been made of the race itself - and less of the Black Guardian’s increasingly tedious interruptions- but what the production does achieve is a sense of wonder about space travel. Far too often in the 80s stories, the TARDIS takes the role of the local bus, getting our heroes form point A to point B without stopping to think how amazing it all is. The Eternals are perfectly sketched, their origins left for us to guess at with the non blinking deliberately blank detachment seeming far more alien than many a dodgy prosthetic. The climax of the story is unfortunately given over to the Guardian’s end of the Pier behaviour and some more of Turlough’s eye rolling, all of which threatens the air of mystery that leads to it, though the idea of such a final choice is strong enough. Very high production values don’t really need a modern assist so while the enhanced special edition does look more colourful it’s questionable what it adds to an already rich, well defined 90 minutes. Now a 15 minute edit of `Terminus` on the other hand…

FILM: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

The most human and least showy of the Potters to date, Half Blood Prince is an unlikely summer blockbuster. Its action sequences briefly visit what is an intimate, atmospheric piece which often feels far more modern than its predecessors. JK Rowling’s overfull book has been successfully trimmed down to the key elements and we spend much more time in the company of Harry, Ron and Hermione and their love lives than we do fighting Voldemort and co. This does give all three actors- in particular Daniel Radcliffe- the opportunity to show just how much they can do- but it also means the drama resembles a TV series rather than a movie. It’s not a strong story either though it’s weaknesses are all Rowlings so there’s little that can be done about those; at it’s heart this is a filler, padding it’s way towards pointers for the last book with little meat of it’s own. The incredibly convenient memories and the handy text book remain lazy plot devices while not enough it made of the significance of the Half Blood Prince. The promising attention spent on Draco Malfoy (clearly relished by Tom Felton) is rewarding but the rug is pulled from under both actor and character during the crowded climactic sequence which Harry is ridiculously placed watching from below. Still, Michael Gambon is excellent in Dumbledore’s swan song, Helena Bonham Carter proves an evil whirlwind in her too short screen time and Jim Broadbent has fun as the ebullient Horace Slughorn. Visually the film possesses a Dickensian sheen and when the action does come in short bursts it is compelling, in particular the attacks on London and the Weasley’s house which capture much of the menace of the Death Eaters that is unfortunately missing later on.

THEATRE: Phedre @ National Theatre, London

The classic `myth of desire` has been through many versions; this is a new interpretation of poet Ted Hughes’ adaptation of Racine’s 17th century version and stars Helen Mirren at the head of a distinguished cast. She plays Phedre, Queen of Athens whose husband Theseus has been missing for six months during which time she has fallen for Hippolytus, his son from a previous liaison. He, on the other hand, is in love with Acacia the sole survivor of Theseus’ massacre of a rival family. The play is fast moving- in two hours these situations are portrayed and begin to unravel when the King turns up after all. It’s often visceral emotional content is centred on several lengthy scenes in which Hughes’ more contemporary words underscore the madness. It’s hard to understand why Phedre behaves as she does- at first the suggestion is she’s gone mad – but in Helen Mirren’s hands the character holds the stage with able support from Margaret Tyzack as her nurse and confident and John Shrapnel’s strong willed counsellor.

At times the stage set – simple Mediterranean yellows and very strong lighting- takes away some of the drama leaving actors stranded in huge spaces from which they sometimes seem lost. Nonetheless it’s a play that keeps us enthralled by the emotions on display and the sense we the story is hurtling towards tragedy.

TV: Torchwood - Children of Earth/Day Two to Five

And didn’t we all think they couldn’t possibly match the first episode? Well, not only have they matched it but the makers of this astounding production actually better it. Every time it looked like it could falter, the narrative switches a gear, every time they teeter on big sci-fi stuff, things become painfully human again and each time we think we’ve been shaken to our emotional core Russell T and co shake us even more. `Children of Earth` is a very simple title when you think about it but it sums up what we hold most precious- our future. Telefantasy has had its fair share of gut wrenching sequences and surprising developments, but here they play out in a scenario so familiar that we can understand every nuance. RTD – yes, there are other credited writers but we know the score now- spins his best yarn since he first rejuvenated Doctor Who and his targeting is merciless. There may be a nasty alien demanding our kids, but the real enemies are home grown. The duplicity of politicians, the ruthlessness of the military and the modus operandi of Torchwood itself; these prove more lethal than the thrashing tentacles in Thames House. The script is vicious in it’s depiction of the way decisions are made, the self justification and the scapegoats that result. It seems all the more prescient with a potential swine flu pandemic around the corner- how many of us will be more wary watching official government reassurance from now on? Perhaps the most harrowing example is the Cabinet discussion on how to come up with 10% of British children to give to the aliens. Then there’s John Frobisher whom Peter Capaldi imbues with such a controlled inner panic and gradual guilt that he becomes, oddly enough, our hero. And Eve Myles, bless her, is so huge in this; she wears the real emotions of the country caught up in the unfolding chaos; she expresses it and does whatever she can. You’re unlikely to see two better performances on British TV this year.

Mind you, they have the material- RTD’s obsession with the `modern` world works far better here than it’s often clumsy use in Doctor Who and his mastery of twists and memorable characters mark this as one of the best things he’s ever written. It’s got lots of `moments` too, things that anyone who sees this will always recall- the chanting kids in particular is such a simple yet chilling idea. And some of the stuff in parts 4 and 5 are harrowing to watch. In short, `Children of Earth` is a triumph, the final evolution of Torchwood into the true adult series it was always supposed to be but beyond that simply a brilliant, thrilling, shocking five hours of television. I do hope it’s coming…back.

Full review of `Children of Earth` to follow in the next issue of This Way Up.

TV: Torchwood - Children of Earth/Day One

It’s taken 27 episodes, two major reboots plus a channel hopping journey few programmes get to make but just when it looked like this would be the end of Torchwood the series finally delivers. `Day One` is not only - by a considerable distance- the show’s best episode to date but it actually deserves and thrives in it’s new 9pm peak time slot. Suddenly it isn’t struggling to carve an identity of it’s own but a bold series full of absorbing, clever, witty and scary moments. Directed with vigour by Euros Lyn, what is actually quite a talky episode flies by and is edited to maximise the mystery and tension. Lynn’s superbly shot sequences of the children speaking or screaming in unison is all the more stunning for its simplicity. In fact, budget busting FX are mostly left at the door and after the weight of the recent two overstuffed Doctor Who specials it’s a relief to see the actors taking the strain, conveying the worry and fear and providing the big moments.

This economy stretches to the three leads whose restrained performances and improved dialogue add more than two whole previous series have done, particularly in the case of Ianto whose every awkward nuance is on display and Gwen whose feisty earthiness is mixed with a zeal for adventure. Some of the most memorable moments are small- Gwen’s discovery of her pregnancy, Jack and his daughter’s talk, the weariness of command that passes across Peter Capaldi’s face. The story is taut enough to draw out an intriguing mystery while the swirl of government activity recalls the better episodes of Spooks. Russell T Davies’s script is doggedly realistic (the only slip up perhaps is showing us a PM who isn’t Gordon Brown which undermines the feel of the episode), peppered with little continuity references and prone to left turns that are genuine surprises, none more so than developments in the hospital. And as for that cliffhanger...

The biggest shock of all is that people were talking about it on Tuesday as a tv event and we never imagined that could happen to Torchwood. It’s been a long road but this is a series that is, at last, finding its feet in a most assured and exciting fashion.

Michael Jackson: 1958 - 2009

Just about the only regular aspect of Michael Jackson was his name. Everything else seemed to arrive from another planet whether the talent or the eccentricity. Just like a stranger amongst us, Jackson was prodded and pushed from one stage of his career to another by family, managers, advisors and even his own lack of worldliness. Considering his latter day appearance and experiences the only puzzle about his death is that it didn’t happen sooner. Regardless of guilt or complicity, has any other star been quite so hounded and pressured from all sides, so poorly counselled and so naively placed himself in the firing line?

Two things stand out from the past week. One is the enormous sales of Jackson’s music because you’d assume by now that anyone with an interest would already own the biggest selling albums of all time. These same albums that were lying in discount racks or available to buy online for very little. Is it perhaps that we cannot mourn a celebrity without buying something; whether a bunch of flowers, an album or in some cases plane tickets to places that are already becoming shrines?

Secondly, the endless re-playing of his songs has reminded us what a fantastic voice he had. Few of his contemporaries can match the feeling he put into his vocals, whether it was the sadness on `She’s Out Of My Life`), the joi de vivre pouring out of `Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough`, the sheer confidence of `The Way You Make Me Feel`, `Scream`s tensed up anger and frustration or the pleading of `Earth Song`. This lifts his music to another place which, when mixed with his undoubted presentational skills goes some way towards explaining his self appointed moniker `King of Pop`. Albums like `Thriller` or `Off The Wall` and even later material like `Black or White` certainly make that title seem less an affectation and more a fact. Whatever happened later- and despite the circus that’s already starting up now- you can’t take those performances away. It does still sound like he’s singing “Annie, eat your oat cake” on `Smooth Criminal` though!

TV: Robin Hood Season 3

By the end of its second season, Robin Hood had exhausted all the permutations of its limited scenario and there was some doubt as to whether a third would be commissioned. That it turns out to be the most accomplished of the series is quite a surprise even if some of its developments were down to actor unavailability.

For sure, weaknesses remain: some of the plot logic makes little sense, either in context or sometimes factually (was the River Trent ever so tiny?). There is still under-use of some of the principal cast; Joe Armstrong is despatched cheaply in part 12 after barely getting a look in while the hitherto verbose Much goes though some episodes hardly saying a word. Even Tuck- a strong presence early on thanks to David Harewood’s approach- seems to have less and less to do as time passes. Some of the plot developments stray close to soap opera territory (who’d have guessed Robin and Gisbourne would turn out to be half brothers? Probably nobody working on season one!) and after all the angst of part 1, Robin seems to get over Marion’s demise soon enough to end up having two potential romances on the go.

Having said that, there is a confidence on screen this time round; directors have learned to use tighter shots that don’t betray the budgetary limitations so much, the action sequences are harder, faster and look more spontaneous. The sound mix is superb- you can hear every creak of leather, crack of metal on metal, thundering of hooves. With Keith Allen out of the picture fairly soon, a couple of guests liven proceedings on the villains’ side- Toby Stephens’ camper than Xmas Prince John is a hoot flouncing about the castle yet proving extremely dangerous. Despite a confusing plot line, Lara Pulver’s Isabella is a powerful sensual presence as well as being a pivotal character with a real chemistry with her co-stars.

Jonas Armstrong was never a conventional Robin Hood, his modern earthy approach just didn’t seem to fit the period yet this year sees him raising his game considerably and starting to seem more like an inspirational folk hero. Until that is Clive Standen arrives a few episodes from the end as another half brother named Archer and in about five minutes clearly is Robin Hood. A more charismatic presence with a sense of the levity required Standen is presumably taking over the lead if there is a fourth series and seems a good choice. The final 2 parts - in which Allen returns to twirl his beard one more time and several characters perish - is an engaging denouement topping a season which consistently delivers.

THEATRE: Lost Monsters

“The world would be a better place if we were all bees” runs the strap line for this new play by Laurence Wilson, debuting at Liverpool’s Everyman Theatre. A trio of fruit machine scamster runaways- Scouse hard case Mickey, his pregnant goth girlfriend Sian and their autistic accomplice Jonesy – seek refuge in an old house after a run in with yobs. The house- perched incongruously between two motorway lanes- is packed with unusual items, not least a collection of jars containing preserved examples of over a hundred different species of bees. It also turns out to be the home of the enigmatic Richard, a fifty something drop out hiding from what he perceives as the horrors of the modern world. Inventive staging and enjoyable banter between the characters marks out a pacy first half. There are some odd moments such as Mickey being unable to open any of the cupboards or the tinned food Richard offers them being each of their favourite meals that hint at a dreamlike, abstract quality to the house. As each of the three becomes more affected by Richard’ s subtle challenging of their own lives, so the audience wonders what his true purpose is. The latter part of the play doesn’t quite match the promise of its first hour; Richard’s sense of isolation is thawed by his visitors but we never learn enough about him to know why he feels like he does. The play is full of allusions to the insect world –bees in particular- but this never quite connects with the characters themselves. Is Richard a `spider` luring them into some kind of trap or perhaps a guardian angel figure? We don’t really find out and the denouement is both inconclusive and too suddenly sprung following an outburst that seems at odds with the rest of the play. Each of the four actors bring enough light and shade to their characters to keep us interested and sometimes challenged with Joe McGann impressive as the intelligent but paranoid Richard and Kevin Trainor exceptional as he revels in Jonesy’s hyperactive energy and tongue twisting dialogue. If the ending is a little disappointing it is still worth seeing for the performances and Wilson’s excellent turn of phrase.

TV: Britain's Got Talent Final

It says something about the entertainment industry that this kind of show is the only route through which so called less glamorous but talented people can attain public recognition. From the moment she first appeared to a sniggering undercurrent, Susan Boyle’s talent shone through in a similar way to that of Paul Potts two years ago but it’s been a rocky road. She seems the sort of person who simultaneously craves recognition yet hates attention, a difficult cocktail that isn’t helped by the intense media and public focus. Her subsequent reaction to losing out in the final isn’t surprising given the way she’s been lauded. In her head, her win was promised and when it didn’t happen she looked relieved for a second but it didn’t take long for her to behave in a way that shows how little prepared she was for either eventuality.

Her defeat may also owe something to the increasingly familiar phenomenon of phone voters defying judges in these kinds of shows. This most famously reared its head last year when John Sargeant’s hapless trotting made steady progress through Strictly Come Dancing despite being routinely pilloried by the experts. Interestingly he was knocked out the week he appeared just a little too smug about his prospects. Is this just a manifestation of people not liking to be told what to do?

While the Dancing judges at least know their stuff, it’s unclear what makes either Amanda Holden (an actor) or Piers Morgan (a tabloid man himself who’d be baiting Susan Boyle in another life) qualified to be any better judge of talent than you or I. Simon Cowell, who at least knows a thing or two, looked bored throughout as well he might. Perhaps the judges should play a more tactical game next year because until the final trio (interestingly also the top 3; is it just that the public have short memories?) we had to sit through some acts whose passage to the final defies any logic. It’s hard to say which was the worst; the generation spanning 2 Grand whose entire song was out of key and a tad creepy, the father and son who stomped around the stage as you might your living room if playing on your Wii or kids whose `talents` might pass muster in the school play but who need to take a decade to hone them. It wasn’t until Susan Boyle’s voice sailed out from the stage that we saw real talent and despite Diversity’s lose limbed Transformers routine, there was a considerable gap between her and the rest. She’s the real winner of course but whether, for her, that’s a good thing or not remains an unfinished story we shall be watching – let’s hope it’s a happy ending.

FILM: Star Trek

In a Nutshell: `Start Trek` - back to the beginning with Kirk and co and there’s even a nifty alternative timeline plot to ensure they can go their own way form hereon.

Best Bit: Kirk and Sulu fight a couple of Romulans on top of a small platform suspended hundreds of miles in the air. The photo realism and direction are so good that you feel every lurch.

Key Performance: Karl Urban nails ratty Bones McCoy and steals the film.

Comments: A hugely enjoyable movie whether or not you like Star Trek. All the accumulated baggage is burned away – and not in a gimmicky way either- to leave the essence of what everyone loved in the first place. The detail is exquisite yet never intrudes on what is a rip roaring adventure; Trek has never swooped or hollered like it does here. Perfectly cast and cleverly written – with just enough emotion pulling referencing- to include all fans and non- fans would want, it’s nearly perfect, save for a slight sagging at the end. Most excitingly it could be the start of a fresh- and, crucially, deserving- franchise.

FILM: Angels And Demons

In a Nutshell: More religious shenanigans taken from the book by the adult’s JK Rowling- Dan Brown.

Best Bit: Tom Hanks is trapped inside a sealed, high tech library and has to smash the impenetrable glass before the air runs out. Tightly coiled Ron Howard direction maximises the tension.

Key Performance: Ewan McGregor turns down the dial to play the papal assistant wracked with self doubt on the cusp between belief and personal ambition while hiding a crucial secret.

Comments: You can almost smell the incense as cardinals scuttle about in impressive fresco lined passages doing their best to ignore the twin threat of four of their number being kidnapped and the Vatican faced with possible destruction by anti matter. It’s bonkers of course but in a good way as everyone takes it very seriously and the script ensures constant forward motion on what sometimes seems like a madcap holiday tour round holy places. Of course Tom Hanks is unconvincing and the attention to detail is occasionally thrown out by some glaring gaps yet there is much more excitement than you’d expect. It’s surprisingly nasty in places, never tires of another turn and though it goes just a bit too far in it’s over baked climax, the film is never less than involving, provided you buy into the idea. Course, the suggested debate about science vs religion never occurs and for all the fuss the Church has kicked up, the story suggests Dan Brown is happy to wallow in religious tradition yet make scientists look either crazy or stupid.

FILM: Watchmen (March 09)

The reverence with which the original graphic novel is treated by fans means many will follow its writer Alan Moore’s lead and stay away from this cinematic interpretation. Those of us unencumbered by such expectations can only judge what we see which is an absorbing and often clever narrative sometimes hindered by presentation. Its set in an alternative 1980s in which Nixon remains President thanks to his Vietnam victory, achieved due to the involvement of the Watchmen, a shadowy group of self styled `masked avengers` already renowned for bagging many villains. Now, though, the public has turned on both parties as the country faces the threat of nuclear war. This, despite the efforts of ultimate weapon Dr Manhattan the only Watchman with special powers courtesy of a nuclear accident which made him omniscient and all powerful, the ultimate deterrent. He’s still working while the other Watchmen are retired but what brings them back together is the fact that somebody seems to be killing them off one by one. Cajoled by Rorschach, narrating in true gumshoe style, the former heroes have to find out who is after them while they can.

Anyone who recalls the 80s will recognise the tenor of the tale and if some of the alternative time line stretches credibility (could Nixon really have lasted that long whatever happened?) there is no doubting the film successfully evokes the worry of impending nuclear annihilation. It varies in style covering detective noir, superhero action, a sprinkling of wry (rather than funny) comedy and a climax in an Arctic Pyramid that could be from a James Bond movie. It plays with familiar iconography but delights in subverting it. By meeting the heroes in middle age, we find them nostalgic, bitter, idealistic and regretful, often all at once and like a sports film some of them emerge to don the old costume one more time and realise how much they’ve missed it. Yet there’s also a sense of guilt for some of the things they did- this is brought out particularly well with The Comedian whose violent death in the first ten minutes does not stop him from being the fulcrum of the whole film and an object lesson in not judging characters too harshly till you know the full story. Occasionally, David Hayter and Alex Tse’s screenplay teeters on soap territory but the acting overcomes that, especially in the central duo of Nite Owl (Patrick Wilson) and Silk Spectre (Malin Ackerman) who are such an ordinary, unremarkable couple at heart that they draw you into the bizarre world comfortably. Jackie Earle Hayley is exceptional as Rorscrach too while both Billy Crudup and Matthew Goode manage to wrangle difficult roles successfully. The main problem, with parts of the film at least, are the constant tricks that director Zack Snyder employs which seem to belong somewhere else. Slow motion, daring stunts, the noise and fury of superheroes machines- yes, we’ve seen them all before but they are surely beneath what is essentially a story of ordinary people with extraordinary lives. Snyder’s violence seems at times over graphic too, while the one sex scene is embarrassing. Another thing too is that, despite an army of flashbacks and voice overs, the balance seems to tilt towards stating what we might otherwise gather and leaving out things we might question. Its overlong by half an hour because of this very random storytelling device which might work in the original but film is a completely different medium.

What undoubtedly works though- and this is a surprise because very few films in the superhero genre manage it- is the climax. The revelation of the villain’s identity seems like pure Agatha Christie but it’s a surprise nonetheless and what’s more the `evil` deeds are well justified and make sense within context. After you’ve seen this you’ll realise what a lot of hot air The Dark Knight really was in comparison. Of course I have no clue whether this version of Watchmen satisfies those dedicated fans but that’s hardly the point. It’s a clever, occasionally frustrating but always involving movie that refuses to compromise to type. Be seeing it!

FILM: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

For an idea with such potential span, this ends up as a curiously un-involving journey that straddles the best part of three hours without really getting off first base. Benjamin’s circumstances owe everything to random chance yet the opportunity for him to observe life’s foibles from a different perspective is avoided to the extent that he had develops less insight than Forest Gump, who at least came so some sort of conclusion. Benjamin just seems to bob from one thing to another without development or resolution and thus becomes a cipher for other, more interesting characters each of whose stories would, you feel, be more interesting. The narrative struggles with its temporal conceit; Benjamin is growing backwards yet we’re frequently left to ponder where and when we are simply by how much prosthetic Brad Pitt is wearing rather than any insight into the changing times. The result is an episodic canter around the edges of history that never grows into anything conclusive.

Pitt seems out of his depth, hiding beneath his masks rather then making them come alive; his performance is never enough to draw us into the story or make us feel anything for Benjamin. A more nuanced actor could have made more of admittedly awkward material than gives the character few opportunities to express what he’s thinking. There are certainly plenty of moments when director David Fincher creates images that hint at the greatness this film might have been- some amusing vintage footage, the bone rattling world war two sea attack sequence and the tranquil seventies interlude. In his present day scenes, Fincher imbues a drab hospital room with expectation by having a hurricane raging outside throughout. Both this, and the opening motif of the large backwards winding clock, hint at a mercurial ending that never materialises. Had the fantasy based possibilities been more prominent it might have breathed some life into the tale. Those modern scenes are better if only for the excellent performances from both Cate Blanchett and Julia Ormond though it takes some dramatic reach to accept a daughter would know so very little about her mother. Tilda Swinton almost steals the movie in a mid section that is probably worth a separate film in itself.

You expect some swelling emotional or fantastical climax but after all that time the film putters out, as if nobody knew quite what to do for a finish. The viewer is left with a sense of disappointment and anticlimax - no wonder it didn’t win all those Oscars.

TV: Demons (Jan-Feb 09)

You’d never imagine a series about fighting monsters in London could be so dull and derivative but Demons somehow manages it. The premise is rather liberally borrowed from Buffy against which is always going to look second best and nowhere near as smart. Most of the main roles are casting own goals, in particular Christian Cooke as the supposed hero Luke. He has a demeanour that suggests he’s too cool to get involved leaving a void at the centre of the show further exaggerated by Philip Glenister’s thinly written mentor Galvin who’s a standard grumpy American persona.

The action stuff, which should at least be strong, is surprisingly limp with over choreographed fights and little sense of real danger thanks to our heroes having a stash of weapons with them. The scripts are incident rather than plot or character led, dragging us from one place to another to battle villains whose purpose seems indistinct. Further more, the show wastes it’s more promising arc stories cheaply, resolving both Galvin’s past connections to Luke’s father and Mena’s pats without really adding to the intrigue of either. All the more surprising is that two of the producers are also involved on Merlin because that does everything right that Demons fumbles so badly. If by some slim chance Demons wins a second season, a complete reboot id the only answer.

TV: The Victorian Farm (Jan-Feb 09)

As we all know, history can be dry and dull or it can dance itself alive in front of us and this six part series certainly does the latter. Three archaeologists opt to spend a year working a Victorian farm – the tools, the clobber, the animals, the lot. Its hard work too, not in the sense that people today consider hard work but actually really hard work. Chopping, planting, milking delivering baby animals, trapping rabbits, making cogs and pulleys achieve minor miracles, it is fascinating to watch. And instead of spending the time bickering or going on about how difficult it all is, our intrepid trio bask in the effort, eager to learn and try things out, ambitiously making things happen whatever is involved. They’re helped by a phalanx of similarly enthused experts, as if they have uncovered some little tract of 19th Century England in a time bubble. Nothing modern intrudes – if they want to waterproof their boots they have to makes the substance to achieve it. It bring home how pampered and easy our lives are, yet also how technology of some sort will always make things easier. You’d never imagine the building of a gate and fence to keep pigs and sheep apart could be quite engrossing. Perhaps if they really want to achieve something, future Big Brother contestants should be similarly plonked in a historical setting and left to get on with it!

TV: Big Chef Takes On Little Chef (Jan 09)

In which the notoriously iconoclastic chef Heston Blumenthal takes on the challenge to rebrand the Little Chef chain which has been suffering from falling sales and reputation for years. It looks like a mis-match from the start; the company’s stock in trade is cheap, quickly grilled meals and their kitchens don’t even have pots and pans. Blumenthal creates unusual fusions wit his ingredients and that doesn’t come cheap. And for a while there is a lack of mutual trust; he can’t get the LC boss to reveal any financial details necessary for such an enterprise, the latter rejects the initial new menu because it isn’t adventurous enough. He keeps repeating that what he wants it “blue sky thinking”. It’s engrossing stuff lacking the foul mouthed tension of Ramsay but equally showing just how the two sides edge to a compromise. Using one restaurant for a trial period, what surprise is just how enthused the regular staff there are by Blumenthal’s approach and if the end menu isn’t a million miles from traditional, at least it’s cooked much more healthily and served with knowledgeable verve. Blumenthal proves that you don’t have to shout and swear at staff to motivate and inspire them. As for that blue sky thinking, he cheekily has the ceiling of the trial restaurant painted blue with clouds!

DVD: Robin Hood - The Complete Season 2

Did the first series successfully reinvent an already well worn story? A clue: No. In fact it failed to convince on several levels; the cast seemed awkward and under served, the plots repetitive and even the direction was unsuited to the action it was trying to portray. Had it not been for Keith Allen’s wonderfully manic turn as the Sheriff of Nottingham, the whole thing didn’t seem worth making as it added precious little to the legend. Thankfully the second season attends to these deficiencies in a briskly effective manner. We may still not know Robin’s gang as well as we should but at least they are separate characters now with thoughts and feelings. The plots become much more inventive and tied to an overall arc involving the Sheriff’s plans to overthrow the absent King Richard which seems certain to succeed when Alan a Dale starts working for him. The seasons twists and turns initially on Alan’s betrayal and once he is exposed there is a simmering resentment that builds like an approaching storm to a surprisingly strong conclusion. Marion’s story runs in between all of this; the closer she and Robin become the less likely it looks as if they can be together while brooding Gisbourne is forever the unwelcome gooseberry in their relationship. This is all threaded through each episode skilfully with real thought to the developments and how they affect individual characters. The direction too is up several notches, now as zesty and dynamic as the action it is showing and the viewer ends up immersed in the world rather than the season one feeling of watching a dodgy amateur play.

Allen again threatens to dominate, his cruelty matched by his comedic asides to create a memorable telly villain complete with signature front tooth selection and catchphrase. Richard Armitage meanwhile has turned Guy into an even more brooding figure yet not without a human side best demonstrated by his continued rolling eyes and wry looks that underscore the character’s barely concealed dislike of some of his bosses antics. Jonas Armstrong delivers a far better performance this time round though I still think he’s miscast – Robin should be a very charismatic figure to inspire his followers but while Armstong is OK with his gang – and has developed a strong rapport with Lucy Griffiths as Marion and also Sam Troughton’s Much- put him in the room with the villains or various guest actors and he’s never the one you’re watching. Joe Armstrong makes a laconic traitor and brings something different to the show while Lucy Griffiths’ Marion remains one of the better versions of a role that is too often a plot device rather than a person.

Overall this second season is hugely enjoyable and remarkably there isn’t one duff episode with the busy script keeping the viewer entertained. Plus you’ve got to love a show which manages to find a convincing reason to have the Sheriff declare; “We’ve got to stop the pigeon, stop the pigeon. Now”. Classic!

QUANTUM OF SOLACE

This is very much a cinema film to be seen on the biggest screen you can find because it’s all about power and speed, violence and stealth. Strip the stylish flourish and breathtaking stunts away and Quantum of Solace has a plot you could sum up in a sentence. What set pieces they are though; the opening car chase is worth the ticket alone but we are led through a whole series of intricately set up yet seemingly spontaneous fights, punch ups and escapes that grab your attention. In particular there is an amazing tussle on two adjoining scaffolding towers that you might need to stand on your head to see properly! However as the film progresses in its circuitous fashion the cumulative effect starts to pall and you begin to yearn for something of more substance to support the tumble and twirl. There is some clipped dialogue between Bond and M which both Daniel Craig and Judi Dench imbue with a wry mutual respect but little else to stimulate the thinking side of the brain. Then, the climax is rushed and the villain’s lair gets blown up before we’ve had a proper guided tour which is very un Bond. Daniel Craig is an icily cool Bond and handles what he has to do very well but with no redeeming levity elicits little sympathy. What separates him from being a cold blooded killer like the villains? Very little actually, which may be the point but the script never even bothers to ask the question though M does wonder if 007 is on a revenge spree but any ambiguity as to his motives is lost in the melee. It will be interesting if, as the end suggests, Craig’s third outing will be of a more conventional nature because it would be interesting to see how this version of the iconic character ticks. As it is the difference between the current James Bond and the Terminator is virtually indistinguishable. The end result is a spectacle that will definitely thrill but leave no lasting impact.

BRITANNIA HIGH Eps 1 & 2

Come on! Has nobody a good word to say about this bold ITV show? Is it just me, or haven’t we all been involved in a spontaneous song and dance routine at a bus stop or somewhere equally random? Oh, it’s just me. Britannia High is a curious colourful amalgam of 80s leg warming perennial Fame and early 90s BBC show The Biz with a dash of High School Musical chucked in (it’s a UK performing arts school but check out that American logo). Gary Barlow may well be the credited head songwriter but every ditty so far sounds like S Club 7 and I say this as a good thing. The show is so cheesy, well intentioned and drama school cute that to hate it is like wishing harm to a fluffy toy penguin. The premise is that talented teens have descended on Britannia High, a stage school run by the lugubrious Mark Benton to sing, dance and become famous. The first episode, granted, is a bit of a weak start with every conceivable cliché of the genre wheeled out right down to the dramatic collapse, the girl who can’t cope till she learns about positivity and dialogue so wan it makes Robin Hood look like I Claudius. However, none of that matters because it has several ace routines, a cracking opening sequence and a Simon Cowell gag that is funny. Overall though, I thought to myself “I probably won’t watch this show again” A week later I watched this show again because every day since I had woken up with a chorus that went “This could be the start of something…” in my head and I was compelled to see and hear more. Turns out episode 2 is better written, better acted and altogether tighter. Though I’m not sure even the starriest wannabe would believe that a kid could go through school and be accepted to BH without his dyslexia being noticed. The cast are settling into their roles none of which are groundbreaking but all talented especially the two DJ guys (played by Matthew James Thomas and Marcquelle Ward) who deserve their own show, preferably fighting aliens and monsters. That was an idea I just had and copyrighted by the way. I don’t know why this show is getting terrible reviews even from people who watch boring old soap operas and un intentionately hysterical so called serious drama. Surely there is a place for escapist old nonsense that isn’t sci-fi. I’m going to stick with Britannia High anyway and I’d encourage everyone to, you know, get footloose. TV can be fun as well.

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