Thoughts from the Bus Stop

The Knitting Gorilla

Screenshot from 'The Kniting Gorilla', via BBC iPlayer

From CBBC's 'World of Happy', a sweet animated tale of how knitting brought a father and son together: The Knitting Gorilla

Being Human returns!

Series 2 of Being Human - tonight at 10pm - can't wait!

* SONG OF THE DAY: Annie Lennox – Love Song For A Vampire *

Lauren Laverne signs teen rock book deal

Lauren Laverne has got herself a book deal with Harper Collins. She'll be writing a teenage fiction trilogy about... a fifteen-year old girl who wants to be a successful rock star! 

I loved Kenickie sooooo much. Their debut album 'At The Club' was such an important record for me! Kenickie were cool in every way - the music, the lyrics, the outfits, the one-liners, the attitude (a member of Kenickie was always good value on Never Mind The Buzzcocks).

Lauren was my favourite, and I'm so glad she's ended doing TV and radio. She's stylish, funny, smart and a breath of fresh air compared to many other female presenters. A true original. Well played, punka.

 
 

Bad Wolf

Image (c) Kristen Bailey 2009

This made me laugh out loud! A rogue Doctor Who fan has graffitied this tree, near Hove Museum.

The Mice on the Mouse Organ make do and mend

Clip from Bagpuss (c) Smallfilms. Via YouTube

The other day I saw a clip from my childhood favourite, Bagpuss, of the mice from the mouse organ singing their little song, and it struck me that they would make great poster children for the credit-crunch era - being very into 'make do and mend':

We will find it
We will bind it
We will stick it with glue glue glue
We will stickle it
Every little bit of it
We will fix it like new new new

Clip of Bagpuss (c) Smallfilms. Via YouTube.

You can buy a CD of songs and music from Bagpuss, which was written by John Faulkner and his co-writer Sandra Kerr, who also voiced Gabriel the toad and Madeleine the rag doll (did anyone else always assume that Gabriel and Madeleine were a couple?)

The Smallfilms website has info about Bagpuss and all the other wonderful series made by Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin, and even shows you how you can make your own Bagpuss pyjama case!

Torchwood is here!!!

Very excited - three Torchwood plays this week on Radio 4 just to whet the appetite - and then... Torchwood: Children Of Earth over five nights on BBC 1 next week!

I understand that this might be hell on toast for the unconverted (I wouldn't fancy five hours of Star Trek, for example) but I do love this show, and I'm not normally a sci-fi fan. Doctor Who is pretty good but what I love most about Torchwood is that extraordinary things happen in very ordinary settings (no offence, Cardiff).

Owen and Tosh are no longer with us, and it'll be weird without them, but interesting to see what the new dynamic is. Gwen's husband Rhys is more part of the team, Jack and Ianto are now together, and we meet Jack's daughter!

Ooh and until I saw this bus stop poster, I'd forgotten the new Harry Potter film was nigh - hurrah!

Wobbly I O!

I know CBBC is not aimed at folk in their thirties, but I often have the telly on in the afternoon, to keep me company while I do something creative, and there's some great shows on there! My latest favourite is Tronji.

Tronjiworld is linked with Peopleworld via a wormhole, powered by brother and sister, Tronji I and Tronji O (below) and a computer with an authorative female 'received pronunciation' voice.

The Great E*!K (above) is in charge of making sure that optimum happiness levels are maintained in both worlds, solving problems with help from kids from Peopleworld. He's a jolly sort of chap, and regularly exclaims, 'Wobbly I O!'.

When 'Double Happiness' is achieved, the Tronji get to sing their happy song and eveything is just lovely!

Stewie goes under a bus

In which Family Guy's Brian serves revenge cold after a beating from Stewie, by pushing him in front of a London bus.

RIP Bananaman

Horne & Corden, via YouTube

So the Horne and Corden show has been patchy when it comes to laughs, but this sketch made me laugh out loud - Spiderman and Superman attending Bananaman's funeral. I love that they got Tim Brooke-Taylor (who narrated the Bananaman cartoons) to play the priest!

Wings for a songbird

A lovely songbird from my church happened to mention on Facebook the other day that she wanted 'multicoloured wings'... so I've made her some - mainly in the hope that she will get me a free ticket when she makes her debut appearance on 'Later...' ;)

Listen to Anna Joy Deuk's Sweet Sounds on MySpace.

* SONG OF THE DAY: Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch - I'll Fly Away *

Reader, I...

...went to see an adaptation of Jane Eyre at the Theatre Royal, Brighton last week. I'm very glad I got to see it - Jane Eyre has been my favourite book since I was a kid and I've never seen it on the stage before - but I can't say I was impressed. Obviously the story had to be abridged, and of course I wasn't expected a whole variety of sets to cover the different places Jane lives in the book, but... it was a bit of a damp squib.

The whole thing took place in one room in Thornfield, important chunks of the story were explained away in a couple of lines of dialogue, it sped along far too fast (the plot should simmer slooooowly), and Peter Amory (Chris Tate from Emmerdale) as Rochester really wasn't very convincing. There were moments of greatness - mainly when one of Charlotte Brontë's original lines was delivered with spirit as part of the dialogue - but I kept being distracted by what was lacking.

Am currently trying to read (I say trying - I've started reading about six books at once, which means I'm making little progress with any of them) Lyndall Gordon's biography, Charlotte Brontë: A Passionate Life. So far it's a bit dry and wordy, am hoping it'll pick up a bit of speed. I first got into Jane Eyre when I was eight and took the audiobook (read by Dame Wendy Hiller) out of the library - Rochester was my first crush! I borrowed those tapes so many times my Mum threatened to ban them from the house. So I read the book, and I've read it every couple of years since then.

Am interested in getting hold of The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde - a fantasy novel based of the story of Jane Eyre, where characters have the power to go into classic books and interact with the characters. And I should re-read Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys' prequel to Jane Eyre, about the early life of Rochester's first wife, Bertha Mason, who becomes 'the mad woman in the attic'.

There are many other filmed versions of Jane Eyre I've yet to see. There's one starring Samantha Morton and Ciarán Hinds, an older BBC version with Zelah Clarke and Timothy Dalton (although this may be the series I remember watching on Sunday teatimes when I was a kid, it's just that he's not the Rochester I remember - he had black hair), a 1970 version with Susannah York and George C. Scott, the 1943 film starring Joan Fontaine and Orson Welles, and a low-budget 1934 film starring Virginia Bruce and Colin Clive. I got the DVD of Franco Zefirelli's Jane Eyre (with William Hurt and Charlotte Gainsbourg) for my birthday, and I watched it drinking green tea from my Jane Eyre mug. Both were spot-on.

The Scotsman: Jane Eyre, Theatre Royal, Glasgow
Ureader: Peter Amory in Jane Eyre - A Review
Wikipedia: Jane Eyre
TimothyDalton.com: In Search of Thornfield Hall

Torchwood #3: Children of Earth

I can't wait for the new series of Torchwood. It can't be long now - the trailer's out - I just wish they'd give us a flippin' air date! I'm only just managing to keep my cravings under control with the DVDs and novels.

It'll be a bit different to the previous two series - this time it'll be one story over five episodes - and of course Owen and Tosh are no more (Jack's left with the two employees he fancies!). I'm nervous... does anyone else face a new series of their fave programme (or new album by their favourite band) with a mixture of excitement and dread... just in case it isn't brilliant?!

Morph flashmob pays tribute to Tony Hart

Image (c) Krypto

A flashmob of Plasticine figures assembled outside Tate Modern this week to form a 'terracotta army' of Morphs in honour of the late, lovely Tony Hart.

There are great photos of the hundreds of different Morphs on the Let's Make Morph page on Facebook, and there's also a wonderful Morph Flashmob photo group on Flickr.

Tony's daughter said she was "bowled over" by this moving tribute to her dad. I think he'd have heartily approved!

Dumplings à la Paddington

Image (c) Roy Bailey 1978

While staying with Mum and Dad last week I ended up going through old photo albums and have picked a few favourites I want to share.

Here I am aged three and a half, 'helping' my dad decorate the spare room for the arrival of the new baby (The Blonde). I'm not sure what I'm wearing on my head but I suspect it's one of Dad's hankies, which have been a constant comfort to me during times of crisis, when he has offered them up to be covered in tears/snot/mascara. (Do men of my generation even carry hankies?)

I am wearing my Paddington apron. I'm surprised Mum has allowed me near wet paint, although I see she has arranged for me to be put on the less messy 'scraping off old wallpaper' detail. I loved Paddington. I was astonished to learn that there was a railway station in London named after him. Pleased for him, though...

'Paddington Bear - Please take care of this bear', via YouTube

I still love Paddington (in his 1970s stop-motion incarnation, not the cartoon version). I got a Paddington calendar for Christmas, and I'm so pleased to see him back on telly, doing the Marmite ads (see how they were made below).

And of course there are all the old episodes on YouTube - just one five-minute application can act as a mild anti-depressant. Just hearing that theme tune and hearing Michael Hordern's gentle narration makes me feel all warm inside :)

The Making of Paddington Bear's Marmite Advert, via YouTube

The Great British PicKnit with Shaun the Sheep

 

Sarah and I spent this afternoon at the Creative Stitches show at the Brighton Centre, and got to see the finished Great British PicKnit. 

The project is supported by Aardman Animations (together with the UK Hand Knitting Association, Simply Knitting magazine and ICHF exhibitions) and the star of the piece is Aardman's own ovine knitter, Shaun the Sheep.

The longer we looked, the more details we spotted - the robin in the tree, the pop bottle knitted from clear plastic, the chicks fighting over a worm, Shaun's iPod! It was fantastic - a real labour of love by hundreds of knitters.

It continues its tour in March and April, visiting Glasgow, Birmingham and Liverpool.

* SONG OF THE DAY: Henry Hall & His Orchestra - The Teddy Bears' Picnic *

 

 

All images (c) Kristen Bailey 2009

Bryn and Nessa to release 'Islands In The Stream' for Comic Relief

Bryn and Nessa perform 'Islands in the Stream' on 'Gavin and Stacey' (c) BBC Three

'Islands in the Stream' - the Kenny Rogers / Dolly Parton duet - is one of my favourite songs, and I loved seeing Bryn and Nessa performing it at Gwen's birthday party on Gavin and Stacey. Then today I heard that Ruth Jones and Rob Brydon have recorded it, in character, as this year's Comic Relief single!

Bryn and Nessa's version will be known as 'Barry Islands In The Stream' (!) and comes out on 8th March.

Tom Jones and Robin Gibb make guest appearances on the track, and in the video too (filmed at the World Karaoke Championships in Las Vegas) where apparently it's hinted that Nessa and Tom are old flames! I won't lie to you, I'm really looking forward to seeing it, I am!

Tony Hart dies aged 83

Tony Hart in the 'Take Hart' studio. Via bbc.co.uk

This is sad news. Tony Hart was one of my childhood heroes, the only person on childrens' telly at the time who encouraged creative kids to draw, paint, collage, model and print - AND send their creations in to be shown in 'The Gallery'!

He was a warm, modest, friendly presenter and he produced work in all media and on every scale, including huge paintings on the studio floor, filmed from above, which he created using a huge paint roller.

He had great wit too - happy to share his studio with a assortment of odd characters including Mr Bennett the caretaker, crazy inventor Wilf Lunn and of course the show's true star Morph.

Tony Hart's shows went through several name-changes - in 'my' time there was 'Take Hart' and 'HartBeat' (which had a theme tune seemingly produced by The Human League...). They were the highlight of my week and meant so much to me as I was hungry to learn about art and design and while my parents encouraged my creative side, neither of them is artistic so couldn't teach me anything themselves.

So I am very grateful to you, lovely Mr Hart. I only have to hear (theme tune to 'The Gallery') Cavatina to be transported back to your exciting world of creative possibilities!

* SONG OF THE DAY: Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris & Linda Ronstadt - To Know Him Is To Love Him *

Also:
BBC: TV presenter Tony Hart dies at 83
BBC: In pictures: Tony Hart
YouTube: Tony Hart in action in 1976
YouTube: Ricky Gervais meets Tony Hart
YouTube: Matt Lucas and David Walliams pay homage to Take Hart

Summersville

Just before Christmas I came across a wonderful Etsy shop called Summersville, full of handprinted fabrics by Suffolk-based Lucie Summers. My favourite of her prints is called Avenue* - line drawings of houses and trees, available in three of my favourite colours - hot pink, teal and turquoise! So I ordered a piece in turquoise, and some Christmas tree stars she'd made from her Weave and Totem prints.

And what a beautiful parcel Lucie sent! I almost didn't want to unwrap it... but I'm glad I did:

Gorgeous, eh? Lucie also has an Etsy shop for her mixed media work - LuSummers, and you can read all about how her work is developed (and which bit of delicious vintage crockery she has found this week in the charity shop!) on her lovely blog.

* A name I also love cos it reminds me of how Margot in my fave 'The Good Life' says, "Not on The Avenue!" aghast, whenever Tom and Barbara get more livestock!

I will not ever NEVER stop watching Charlie and Lola

 
Charlie and Lola plate (c) Kristen Bailey, 2009 

Look what I got for Christmas!!! Since I started living on my own, I've got into the habit of watching Charlie and Lola on CBeebies at teatime, and I love it to pieces, so my Mum bought me a C&L plate to eat my dinner off!

There's an exhibition of the wonderful author and illustrator Lauren Child's work touring UK museums currently. Green Drops and Moonsquirters: The Utterly Imaginative World of Lauren Child has been at Manchester Art Gallery (check out their minisite for the exhibition) and will be at Sheffield's Weston Park Museum until 15 February 2009. I'm hoping it will come down south at some point but I can't find any info about where it will go next.

Sadly it's eleven months till my birthday, but I will completely definitely be asking for the Charlie and Lola playhouse set and a pair of Charlie and Lola Poseable Talking Dolls!

Also:
Pink Milk: The Charlie and Lola shop
The Guardian: Lauren Child picture gallery
YouTube: Chattering Charlie and Lola video
RogerBorde.com: Oodles of Charlie and Lola stationery

Kirstie Allsopp gets crafty for Channel Four

Kirstie Allsopp (c) Channel Four

Excellent! Kirstie Allsopp (she of Location, Location, Location fame) is presenting a series for Channel Four called Kirstie's Homemade Home, where she will attempt to transform a dilapidated country cottage in Devon into the "ultimate 'homemade' home".

I'm well up for this. The Blonde and I love LLL just for Kirstie and Phil's banter (it's not as if either of will be getting on the property ladder anytime soon). I hope Phil pops in at some point, for homemade cake!

Channel Four says that Lady Miss Allsopp will,"hunt for the "best of handmade inventiveness, design and craft" and visit auction houses as well as reclaiming and restoring pieces of furniture... learn how to create items such as homemade soap, candles, pillowcases and tablecloths... meet all the wonderful artisans who keep the great British tradition for crafts alive from furniture-makers and antique restorers to glassblowers and flower arrangers, and ... learn some of the key skills of the humble craftsman." Can't wait! (Via Crafty Crafty.)

Sorry, I've Got No Head

 
Residents of North Barasay, from Sorry I've Got No Head (c) BBC

When I was eight, my teacher got our class to fill out a questionnaire about our favourite type of TV programmes. I remember wanting to put my tick next to 'Comedy', but giving in to pressure from the other kids on my table, who were all voting for 'Animals'!

So I'm chuffed to bits that there's a fantastic new sketch show specially for kids, Sorry, I've Got No Head. The cast includes Marcus Brigstocke and Mel Giedroyc, as well as several other less familiar faces, (including Anna Crilly, who appears in BBC3's Touch Me, I'm Karen Taylor).

Characters include an easily pissed-off Witchfinder, some very nervy Vikings and a man who can't resist doing the Mexican Wave. My favourite bit is when we visit the tiny Scottish island of North Barasay, where the headmistress goes ahead with sports days, quizzes and school plays despite having only one, not so talented pupil, the hapless Ross. Last Friday's episode saw Dracula being scared off with some garlic bread. :)

Go on, watch some Sorry, I've Got No Head clips on YouTube.

* SONG OF THE DAY:  Basement Jaxx – Where's Your Head At? *

La Clique: Bath Boy

La Clique: David Omer as Bath Boy (via MySpace)


Was watching The Culture Show earlier this evening, with the lovely Lauren Laverne taking in the highlights of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe - in particular burlesque/cabaret/variety show La Clique. All the acts looked amazing, but I nearly fainted when I saw... Bath Boy.

Bath Boy, aka Berlin-based David O'Mer, performs with aerial silks/straps in and over a bath full of water, splashing the front rows as he does. He's a fine figure of a man - a fine figure of a man dripping wet - and it's VERY sexy. Well, it does it for me anyway - and it's all more sexy because he keeps his jeans on throughout. So it's OK for a single, straight, red-blooded, Christian gal to get all flustered about, I reckon. ;)

Sydney Morning Herald: Topless swinger will send you into a swoon

* SONG OF THE DAY: Tindersticks - Bathtime *

Citizens Of Slabovia: Wake Up And Smell The Pig!

If you're at home all day, as I am, it's easy to get sucked into the black hole of daytime telly. Most of it is dire, but you do stumble across surprise gems. KNTV Philosophy is a schools programme shown on Channel Four - I imagine it's aimed at GCSE students, but it's perfect for anyone who needs a basic introduction to the best-known philosophers. And it's a hoot.

"KNTV is presented by virtual hosts Kierky and Nietzsche, two teenage science-obsessed rock thrash musicians from the fictitious communist country of Slabovia. They have built a TV studio in an abandoned secret government research facility, and from here they broadcast their own pirate show of science trivia to the world."

Each episode they examine the life and work of a famous philosopher, demonstrating their theories via clips from the Slabovian version of You've Been Framed. The best bit is when K and N perform the song they have written to help you remember the facts. Take a look at these videos for their songs about Plato, Adam Smith, Marx, Einstein and Freud, and check out the Slabovia TV channel on YouTube ("Watch. Enjoy. Or Be Punished!").

I can't get enough, so I've gone the whole hog and changed nationality. I am now a full citizen of The People's Republic of Slabovia. In the presence of the mighty Slabovian emblem – The Sickle and Pickle – I have sworn allegiance to General Schmerdiakov and adopted a new name - Ellena Fyodorova - and an intense fascination with the potato.

Citizens, wake up and smell the pig! Join with us now in the singing of the majestic Slabovian National Anthem! May your mud always be moist.

The Power of Love: Frankie Goes To Hollywood

via YouTube.com

One of the music channels was showing the video for Frankie Goes to Hollywood's The Power of Love the other day and I found it really moving.

First, there's Holly Johnson's beautiful voice, and the tender lyrics, along with Godley and Creme's nativity-themed video, which (references to vampires and the Hooded Claw aside!) changed the meaning of the lyrics for me from a simple 'human to human' love song to one which speaks about God's 'undying, death-defying' love for mankind:

Feels like fire
I'm so in love with you
Dreams are like angels
They keep bad at bay - bad at bay
Love is the light
Scaring darkness away - yeah

I'm so in love with you
Purge the soul
Make love your goal

The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal

I'll protect you from the Hooded Claw
Keep the vampires from your door
When the chips are down I'll be around
With my undying, death-defying
Love for you

Envy will hurt itself
Let yourself be beautiful
Sparkling love, flowers
And pearls and pretty girls
Love is like an energy
Rushin' rushin' inside of me

This time we go sublime
Lovers entwine - divine divine
Love is danger, love is pleasure
Love is pure - the only treasure

I'm so in love with you
Purge the soul
Make love your goal

The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
The power of love
A force from above
A sky-scraping dove

Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal

YouTube: Holly Johnson sings The Power of Love on Later...with Jools Holland
Official Frankie Goes To Hollywood Website
Official Holly Johnson Website

BBC2 Christmas Idents 2007

BBC2 Christmas ident, 2007. Via YouTube

I love the new papercut / pop-up book idents for BBC Two this Christmas - sort of Tord Boontje meets Rob Ryan. Intricate and atmospheric - beautiful.

See also:
Idents.tv: Cutting up Christmas on BBC Two
BBC: BBC Two Idents and Classic TV - BBC Two Ident Videos
BBC: In pictures: BBC Two's distinctive style
BBC: BBC Two Citizen Idents
BBC: BBC Two Idents Wallchart (pdf)

BBC2 Christmas ident, 2007. Via YouTube

Green Wing: Stephen Merchant cameo

Stephen Merchant's cameo in series 1 of Green Wing

"Don't leave! I think I love you!" Comic perfection.

Dame Judi's Lobster for Film Four

Film Four advert for 'Film Free Is Free' campaign

I just love the 'Film Four is free' advert on the telly at the moment. It's a joy, full of beautifully-timed comic moments.

I love it when Lucy Liu mutters, "Muppets..." whilst observing Christian Slater and Ray Winstone's dodgy billboard pasting, I love Willem Dafoe's expression as he encourages Mackenzie Crook and I LOVE the moment when Dame Judi Dench, dressed as a LOBSTER for goodness sake, raises her pinchers aloft and trills, "FREE!" while Ewan MacGregor's confused tomato looks on.

The Convent: Sister Aelred on celibacy

The nuns and their guests at the convent of the Poor Clares, Arundel (c) BBC

I missed the first episode of BBC2's The Covent, but I've watched the second and third and found them both challenging and moving. The bit in last night's episode which really got me was the clip of Sister Aelred talking with her pupil Iona about the challenges of the celibate life, and then speaking directly to camera on her own (video clip here).

Sister Aelred became a nun at 18. Aged 31, she fell in love with someone who had come to work within the enclosure. She spoke about how hard it was to cope with and the understanding she came to later about why God had allowed her to go through this ordeal:

"The choice then began to mean something. You can't vow celibacy from the chin upwards..."

I'm totally with her on that. When I became a Christian, aged 18, I took on celibacy as part of my faith, but my resolve wasn't really tested until I fell for someone hook, line and sinker in my mid-twenties (I'm now 31).

It wasn't that I ever got into a situation with this guy where I almost went to bed with him, but the strength of my feelings for him - and his confusion at finding someone who welcomed his attentions but wouldn't sleep with him - made for a painful couple of years. You can't help who you fall for, and if they seem to reciprocate, it's incredibly tough keeping your distance.

I'm not saying that celibacy has no value if it's untested, but having mine put to the test has certainly reaffirmed my decision to remain celibate outside of marriage (and also not to even date non-Christians). I just love that quote - it sums up things up brilliantly. Sister Aelred, you are one astute lady!

Also:
Convent of the Poor Clares, Arundel
Poor Clares 'The Covent' mini-site
Glandscape Hardening: The Celibate FAQ - "A light-hearted survey of perspectives, links, books on sexual abstinence from a secular perspective."

Sheila's Wheels

I do love the Sheila's Wheels ads - an Aussie girl group in pink sequins driving a fab pink car and singing a catchy tune? What's not to love?

"For ladies who insure their cars
Sheila's Wheels are superstars
Women make the safest drivers
You could save a bunch of fivers
For bonzer car insurance deals
Girls get onto Sheila's Wheels

Girls are bored beyond indurance
Paying too much for car insurance
For bonzer car insurance deals
Girls get onto Sheila's Wheels"

Sure, it's been done by evil capitalists trying to flog car insurance, but I've never even had a driving lesson so am immune to their attempts to sell me their product. I just like the song, and the ad in the bar ("If your name was Florence, and you needed car insurance...") makes me laugh.

According to the press release, the ads were directed by the creator of the Hamlet ‘photo booth’ ads. "

Sheilaswheels.com: Peter Wood and HBOS launch ‘Sheilas’ Wheels’ brand to shake-up car insurance for women

A Kiss Is Still A Kiss

If you're suffering from Green Wing withdrawal symptoms, quick fixes can be found at YouTube - loads of clips and compilations on there now and more appearing every day as Green Wing fans upload their particular favourite scene.

Here's a lovely Casablanca-inspired compilation of Mac / Caroline clips set to As Time Goes By, put together by elledoll. To be taken three times daily. If hot flushes occur, lower dosage.

Barclays: Great idea, Todd

Stills from Bartle Bogle Hegarty's Brainstorm ad for Barclays, 2005

It's rare that a bank advert appeals to me, but I love the Barclays ad which is on the telly at the moment - the one with the staff brainstorm (or 'ideas stew' as the facilitator calls it).

Young Todd arrives late for the meeting, still trying to get his tie on straight - just in time to catch his snooty blonde colleague putting forward her idea for a hover phone.

Put on the spot, Todd suggests, "10% interest on our Regular Saver account?" and is met with snorts of derision from his colleagues, particularly Snooty Blonde.

The facilitator, however, loves it, and the ad closes with a hover phone appearing in shot, intoning, "Great idea, Todd" to the pleasantly surprised young man.

It's a great script and the little visual touches and comic timing are perfect. I love the disgusted look on Snooty Blonde's face as Todd is congratulated and her hair is blown about by the air from the hover phone.

Barclays Newsroom: Barclays Launches New Brand Positioning with National Advertising Campaign

Becks: Four Steps

Becks 'Four Steps' TV advert, 2006. Directed by Dougal Wilson for Leo Burnett Agency

I love the new Becks beer ad on the telly. It's the one with four men doing a dance routine in a dark, grotty street - a marionette, an animation (who reminds me of Phil Daniels), a stop-motion figure and a real person. The music works brilliantly too - It Overtakes Me by The Flaming Lips.

It delights me every time, and yes, sometimes I join in the dance. But I still don't like beer.

Brand Republic: Beck's 'four steps' by Leo Burnett
The Publican: Beck's back on TV with £12m campaign

Green Wing: Radio Times article

Click on the images for larger, readable versions. From Radio Times, sometime last month.

Green Wing: Knitted Finger Puppets

 

Knitted Green Wing finger puppets (c) green-knit-wing.livejournal.com

It had to happen (and I'm very glad it has): knitted finger puppets of the main characters from Green Wing - starring in exclusive episodes! By Rose @ Hullfire.

All Quiet On The Preston Front

The fabulous British Sitcom Guide's newsletter has made my day by informing me that one of my favourite sitcoms ever is coming out on DVD. I taped episodes of All Quiet On The Preston Front off the telly years ago, but have been afraid to watch them lately in case the aging tape finally chews up and I lose them forever. But now I can bin them and watch a shiny DVD!

'Preston Front' was based in a fictional Lancashire town called Roker Bridge, and followed the day jobs and love lives of a bunch of Territorial Army bods. Colin Buchanan, now one half of Dalziel and Pascoe, who played lead character Hodge, who spent most of his time either with best mate Eric, or secret lovechild Kirsty - product of his affair with Jeanetta - played by Caroline Pickles (most recently seen as Shelley in Emmerdale). Geeky teacher Spock was played first by Stephen Tompkinson and then by Alistair McGowan; and Caroline Catz (The Bill, Murder in Suburbia, Doc Martin) played Eric's girlfriend Dawn.

I loved clumsy but well-meaning man mountain Lloydy (Adrian Hood, who later did a lovely turn as Norman the delivery man in Victoria Wood's dinnerladies). One golden moment involved him encouraging Hodge to practice for his driving test in the van from local Chinese restaurant, Roman Holiday:

"Honest Hodge, the gearboxes are dead similar and having that noodle bowl loose on top makes y'concentrate. It's like them Maori women that learn to walk with pots on their heads."

15/06/06 EDITED TO ADD: Series 2 will be out on DVD on July 3 2006!

Newton's Laws of Television: The Preston Front
MBuster: All Quiet On The Preston Front (screen shots from each episode)

Green Wing: Quotes, cast interviews, press coverage, clips, web chats, fan sites and links

I've put together a Squidoo 'lens' for Green Wing - with links to quotes, press coverage, interviews, web chats, fan sites, video clips, photos and info on individual cast members:

Green Wing: Channel 4's surreal hospital comedy

There's lots there so far, and more on the way.

PS: The Cubeshack site has a wonderful collection of screen shots from both series - including all the Mac/Caroline moments - the kiss in the bathroom, the kiss in the lecture theatre...

Green Wing: Paging Dr Mac!

Julian Rhind-Tutt as Dr Mac in Green Wing (c) Channel 4

"...What he does is ask for scalpels in regional accents, and taunt Tamsin Greig into trying to kiss him, then running away..."

The lovely Julian Rhind-Tutt is interviewed by The Guardian. I so enjoyed the first episode of the new series - but I can't believe they've made Mac forget that he and Caroline had got it together!

My Green Wing series 1 DVD arrived today! (Currently cheapest online at Woolies.) I tried to be good and tape the re-runs, but the tape got chewed up during episode four, so the Blonde and I are going Dutch on the DVD.

Also:
Sunday Times: interview with Tamsin Greig, including a bit about her Christian faith.
Manchester Evening News: Tamsin wings in as Doc Caroline
Telegraph: Victoria Pile - Green Wing's midwife and surgeon
Sunday Herald: Michelle Gomez - Ready, Steady, Gomez

I love parsnips

Image by Dave Walker.

Preferably roasted until dead dead crispy.

Nutcracker!

Really enjoyed seeing Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker! on BBC4 over Christmas. I'd seen a traditional version of The Nutcracker in the autumn (my first live ballet), which I really enjoyed, but this was much more my thing. After the initial scenes, in a dingy orphanage, Clara is transported first to a frozen lake and then to Sweetieland, where she tries to follow Liquorice Allsorts, Marshmallow Girls and a salacious Knickerbocker Glory into a party but is repeatedly barred by an Mint Humbug bouncer.

A lot of the reviews I've read - specifically from dance journalists - criticise the choreography, but as I know nothing about ballet and have no special affection for it I wasn't looking at it from the dance angle. The dance looked great to me and the whole thing was a fantastic spectacle - colourful, funny and sexy (I nearly swooned when the Nutcracker took his mask - and his shirt - off, and gave Clara a smouldering look...).

The costumes were amazing - there were even a few frocks I'd wear myself... I'd especially love the Sugar Plum Fairy's pink dress (for formal occasions) or Clara's blue polka dot one (for a summer wedding?). I've gone a bit mad posting pics as I love them all - and there are more good ones here and here.

Designing stage costumes was one of the gazillion things I considered pursuing when I was at art college. I don't have a sweet tooth, but the colours, patterns and textures I'm most drawn to are very 'sweet shop'. Come to think of it, I did make some shoes which would have fitted right in to this Nutcracker. Ooh, it'd be lovely to be given free rein with a theme. Darn it, I need to find some up-for-anything mates with a band they want styling! Wonder if Scissor Sisters need a wardrobe gal?...

New York Times: Frankencracker? A Hero Toy Turns Monster
Guardian Nutcracker!
danceviewtimes: Characters and Cartoons: A Disagreeable 'Nutcracker'
Los Angeles Times: Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker
Ballet-Dance Magazine: Earth To Planet Nutcracker

Dara O'Briain Clocks On

Excellent! Dara O' Briain's getting his own chat show (well, if the pilot goes well). Ever since I saw him do a fantastic guest slot on Jack Dee Live At The Apollo, I've wanted to see him live. Missed him at the Comedy Festival the other month cos it was a mate's birthday, but hopefully he'll be back in Brighton soon - maybe in May for the Fringe.

A Bonkers Barnet and BBC Four's Bus Night

Now, anyone who knows me knows I love buses... have spent years riding around on buses, fell for a band who wrote songs about buses, wrote a fanzine about them called Bus Stop (named after two favourite songs), have a Cardiff Buses bus stop sign propped up at home (rescued from a Cardiff pavement by a wellwisher)... so it made me smile to hear that a south Wales bus driver has spruced himself up for Christmas by having a mini fir tree woven into his hair.

And this Saturday (December 10th) is Bus Night on BBC Four:

"On Friday 9 December, the most famous bus in the world - the Routemaster - will take its final journey through the streets of London. BBC Four and Arena celebrate the transport icon.

On TV, Robert Elms, the son of a clippie, presents an evening of bus programmes including a new Arena film, while on the website we've unearthed Routemaster video clips from the BBC archive."

Preview clips include Jimmy Saville fixing it for a woman to drive a Routemaster on the skid pan and a boy gets to be a bus conductor, Blue Peter's Lesley Judd donning a London Transport uniform as she becomes a bus conductor for a day, and - my favourite - a clip from The Good Life, where Tom chases Lenin the chicken onto a Routemaster...'One and a cockerel for the next stop.'

The Return of Green Wing - on TV and DVD

At last! News of the second series of Green Wing! Via Vogue, of all things - a double page spread in their 'things to look out for this winter' special. I've been checking Amazon for a Green Wing DVD every week since the first series ended, but still no joy - but this gives me faint hope, that it might be released when the new series airs.

Then an update comes in from the excellent British Sitcom Guide:

"Channel 4 have now confirmed with us that series two will be broadcast in the UK in March 2006... We've also got a spokesman at C4 to confirm that they will indeed be repeating the first series in the weeks leading up to the broadcast of series 2.

We've also asked Channel 4 about the DVD and now have a firm answer from them. I think we're the first source to break this news: The DVD will be out March 2006. For sure. Although its been a bit of a wait the DVD certainly won't be a let down. When the boxset does eventually arrive not only will it have all the episodes on but will also be crammed full of bonuses. The extras, we can exclusively reveal, will include some brilliant deleted scenes, a really interesting behind the scenes documentary and loads of other funky things like, for example, a video of the writers playing Guy Ball."

Apparently Doon Mackichan, Sally Phillips and Darren Boyd from Smack the Pony (which I loved) are joining the cast this time round.

Here's a great article about Green Wing from Gelf Magazine (flagged up by the British Sitcom Guide): Winging It

How many bishops can you fit in a Smart car?

This and many other questions answered in last night's Emmerdale, when Ashley and Laurel finally got married!

Laura Cantrell's NYC Subway Map

I was dead chuffed to see that Laura Cantrell, one of my favourite singers, has renamed the stations and lines on the NYC Subway Map to pay tribute to her musical heroines (most of whom I'm ashamed to say I've never heard of) and flag up the free download of 14th Street, a track from her latest album, Humming By The Flowered Vine:

"This map places some the women artists I most admire along the subway lines of New York City, where I live. There isn't much organizing principle, other than the color-coded categories and the kick of seeing Rose Maddox's line crossing Hazel Dickens en route to Brooklyn..."

I love maps, and art made from or about maps. There's Simon Patterson's The Great Bear (1992), which I think was the first instance of someone renaming the stations on an underground map. (The title refers to the constellation Ursa Major, a punning reference to Patterson's own arrangement of 'stars'.) I also like JP 233 In CSO Blue, where he's renamed stars and constellations.

Then there's my longterm favourite Tom Phillips (see his 20 Sites n Years project), and Harry Beck, not a artist but a draughtsman - the man who designed the London Tube map. And ever since I heard about how Damon Albarn from Blur wrote the gorgeous This Is A Low by looking at the names on a shipping forecast map hankerchief, I've wished I had one (see item 80 on this page for a full explanation). It was from Stanfords in Covent Garden - one day I'll get round to going along to see if they still stock them.

Finally, I can't resist quoting some underground map-based innuendo from Friends (when they were all in London for Ross and Emily's wedding):

Judy Geller: Oh sorry we're late, my fault. I insisted on riding the tube.
Jack Geller: Judy? The kids...
Judy Geller: Jack, that's what they call the subway.

NYC Transit: Official NYC Subway Map
Going Underground: Geographically Correct London Underground Map
Amazon.co.uk: Mr Beck's Underground Map

Morph perishes in Aardman blaze

BBC: Fire hits Wallace and Gromit sets. Farewell, old friend...

And it's goodnight from him...

"The toilets at a local police station have been stolen. Police say they have nothing to go on."

Sad news today - Ronnie Barker has died. Ronnie and his comedy partner Ronnie Corbett were a big part of my childhood. The Two Ronnies and Porridge were regular viewing in our house, but most beloved was Open All Hours - still one of the finest British sitcoms ever written, starring Barker as Yorkshire shopkeeper Arkwright and David Jason as his hapless nephew, errand boy Granville. The phrase 'like Arkwright's till' has entered familial vocabulary - used to describe any dangerously belligerent (seemingly) inanimate object.

BBC: Comedy legend Ronnie Barker dies
BBC: Obituary: Ronnie Barker
BBC Comedy: Ronnie Barker profile
Guardian Unlimited: Remembering Ronnie: Barker's best gags

Gloriana!

Oh joy - it's an Elizabeth-fest! Tonight it's the first part of Channel Four's Elizabeth I, starring Helen Mirren.

Then in January Anne-Marie Duff (Fiona from the genius Shameless) plays Elizabeth in the BBC series Elizabeth I: The Virgin Queen. This will cover Elizabeth's life from her teens to her death at the age of 70.

And it's possible that Cate Blanchett will reprise her role as Elizabeth in The Golden Age, a sequel to Shekhar Kapur's 1998 film Elizabeth, which is probably one of my top five films ever (and along with David Starkey's biog and TV series, responsible for getting me hooked on Bess). But I'm not holding my breath on this one.

As Empire says:

"It could be second time lucky for Cate Blanchett at the Oscars if this goes ahead. However, everything depends on Blanchett returning, and preferably the rest of the cast with her, and the script working out. We'll get excited if and when it all comes together."

The Makeup Gallery has a fantastic page of photos of actresses who have played Elizabeth on TV and in movies, linked to individual pages where their make-up jobs are gone into in detail - including some who agreed to shave their hairlines in order to get an authentic Tudor look... eeeshk!

Great balls of fire!

It's been a cracking week on Emmerdale - two hour-long episodes packed with suspense and plot twists... Patsy Kensit's Sadie turning up in the middle of Zoe's flight from the law, to secure Home Farm for the hated Kings by blackmail; Zoe's trial and surprise aquittal; Scott going loopy with a shotgun; and finally, just as Zoe leaves Home Farm for the last time with her kids, and the triumphant Kings arrive to take over, a delicious close-up of a disconnected gas pipe and a timer ticking away... and the place goes up in a gigantic soap explosion as Zoe looks on from the distance.

I can't bothered with any other soaps but I do love Emmerdale. Even when it's not morphing into Dynasty.

KT Tunstall at the Mercury Music Prize

KT Tunstall performing at the 2005 Mercury Music Prize (PA)

I am agog having watched KT Tunstall's performance at the Mercury Music Prize the other night. I didn't see it live but I was listening to it on the Mark Radcliffe show and he was chatting with her about how she'd performed without her band this time - though her performance definitely sounded like she'd had backing singers and percussion.

The video of the performance on the BBC site revealed all - the gal's got this tightly choreographed routine where she starts off doing a couple of bars of guitar, and puts it on a loop by kicking a box near her feet, then going on to do the same for handclaps, tambourine and 'ooh-oohs'. And she never missed a beat.

Maybe this is an old trick, but I've never seen it done before and am dead impressed! And I liked her frock. And her homepage reminds me of the set for Bjork's Human Behaviour vid...

* SONG OF THE DAY: KT Tunstall – Black Horse And The Cherry Tree *

Camilla: A Very Stylish Girl

I thought Camilla looked lovely on her wedding day, particularly the outfit for the blessing, which was stunning. The long pale blue and gold coat really came into its own as she walked back down the aisle with Prince Charles after the ceremony and it billowed out softly behind her.

Sarah Buys, Tom Parker Bowles's lady, had the stand-out outfit of the day. Granted, her very short skirt was a bit extreme for such a high profile occasion - she did nearly come unstuck getting back on the coach after the civil ceremony - but she was definitely the most stylish family member (from either side - not that we expect much from the Windsors in the fashion stakes). I like a girl who'll mix black and white polka dots with pink patterned shoes.

Hilary Alexander, The Telegraph: Stylish Camilla's flamboyant and faultless display