Tag Archives: Alan Bennett

Carpe Diem

Posted on December 30, 2023 by lesleyjonesberry

There is an old Fry and Laurie sketch, Shakespear (sic) Masterclass in which the pedagogic lecturer, Fry, employs fresh-faced actor, Hugh, to work on a passage from Troilus and Cressida: Time hath, my lord, a wallet at his back,Wherein he … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Health, Moving on | Tagged Alan Bennett, Ted Hughes, TS Eliot | Leave a comment

Life is of a mingled yarn

Posted on March 5, 2023 by lesleyjonesberry

Alls Well that Ends Well, Act IV Scene iii My best friend is working as a test knitter. This is when experienced craftspeople work through a new pattern to make sure it is accurate and comprehensible, and that the designer’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Moving on | Tagged Alan Bennett, Crafts, Fassett, Peter Korn, Sarah Corbett | Leave a comment

Work in Progress

Posted on November 27, 2022 by lesleyjonesberry

Sometimes it seems I am just beginning to learn how to live: that, until now, I have muddled through by accident. As a child I recall grown ups saying “if only I knew then what I know now…”, which I … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Health, Moving on | Tagged Alan Bennett, Dante, Four Quartets, History Boys, Philippa Perry, Rowan Williams, TS Eliot | Leave a comment

I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be

Posted on June 5, 2022 by lesleyjonesberry

I encountered T.S. Eliot when I was about 17; Shakespeare I’d known a little longer. Lines like these – allusions which I could actually catch (and Eliot was hugely allusive, especially in his earlier work) – played a part in the thrill of recognition I felt on first reading him. I still, vividly, remember starting to read the Four Quartets for the first time – at home, in the ‘front room’ as we called it (a whole socio-economic digression possible in that term. I will resist). Continue reading →

Posted in Moving on | Tagged Alan Bennett, bridge theatre, Four Quartets, Hamlet, Jamie Parker, literature, Michael Pennington, Samuel Barnett, Shakespeare, T.S. Eliot, Tom Wilkinson | Leave a comment

Anticipation

Posted on September 2, 2020 by lesleyjonesberry

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse’ The Night Before Christmas By Samuel Clemens In the library at my primary school, there was a book which contained just … Continue reading →

Posted in Moving on, Theatre | Tagged Alan Bennett, bridge theatre, Live performance, Nick Hytner, Theatre | 1 Comment

Quick now, here, now, always.

Posted on December 2, 2016 by lesleyjonesberry

Moving to London meant leaving my job – obviously – and I am searching for work. Writing applications is laborious (oh, the irony that hunting for work is itself hard work) and disquieting. I cannot know how long this process … Continue reading →

Posted in Moving on, Theatre | Tagged Alan Bennett, Hamlet, literature, Live performance, narrative, Shakespeare, Simon Russell Beale, TS Eliot | Leave a comment

Homeless, with a good book

Posted on February 9, 2016 by lesleyjonesberry

I found myself with an enforced absence from home. My son had requested a birthday party. He is a young adult, a ‘bounce back’ after university, so he didn’t want us to organise it. Rather the opposite: he asked if … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged Alan Bennett, Broad Chalke, Curious Friendship, East Coker, Edith Olivier, Ian Kelly, literature, Mr Foote's Other Leg, Queens Head, Samuel Foote, Tommasson, TS Eliot, Wilton | Leave a comment

Pass it on

Posted on April 13, 2013 by lesleyjonesberry

I was trying to write a blog contrasting quantitative and qualitative approaches to research and posed the example question “Why has Nick Hytner been good for the National Theatre?”. Quantitatively, one would look at revenue and audience numbers, but the post was entirely hijacked by … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Theatre | Tagged Alan Bennett, Alex Jennings, Globe Theatre, Jamie Parker, Live performance, National Theatre, Nick Hytner, Samuel Barnett, Shakespeare, Simon Russell Beale | Leave a comment

He stars eternally

Posted on March 30, 2013 by lesleyjonesberry

I love The History Boys – although explaining how and why I love it is probably another blog. This weekend, any thoughts of that wonderful production are dominated by our loss of the colossal, inimitable Richard Griffiths.

Posted in Theatre | Tagged Alan Bennett, Jamie Parker, National Theatre, Samuel Barnett | Leave a comment

Suggestive reading

Posted on April 28, 2012 by lesleyjonesberry

I keep a note of books which look interesting (from reviews, friends’ suggestions and such like) and last weekend I converted this list into requests on the Library reservation service. A few days ago I received notification that the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged Alan Bennett, books, libraries, literature | Leave a comment

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