I must report on this year's Peterloo commemoration before it slips by. After last year's event, when several hundred people turned up to hear readings by Maxine Peake, Christopher Eccleston et al, we deliberately decided to go for something a little different, not attracting as big a crowd but trying to refocus attention on our primary goal, the ( Read more... )

Happy Birthday to Hermes and communicator! Today has been a cauliflower cheese day ( Read more... )

I really am very sorry that I'm so rarely here now. I was so busy in March that I just stopped trying to keep up with LJ and Dreamwidth, and though I originally hoped to go back and catch up I know I never will now. I have begun to skim-read Dreamwidth, though for some reason LJ seems more difficult to follow ( Read more... )

( Read more... )

Yesterday I sang the Ode to Joy as I voted. What shall I sing today? Es gibt ein ReichI hope the younger generation who voted overwhelmingly to Remain can save something from this wreck. We have failed: we have lost Europe, and we will probably lose the United Kingdom ( Read more... )

I'm sorry I haven't been here recently - I don't suppose anyone who knows me will be surprised to know that I've been campaigning on the EU referendum, standing on street stalls, leafletting and knocking on doors with my Labour comrades. For Remain, obviously - what else could I be? Every instinct in my body (never mind the cogently argued advice ( Read more... )

Appropriately I spent part of my grandfather Allan's 158th birthday in the theatre - indeed, the theatre, the Royal Exchange. Three years ago I posted about how the Royal Exchange Theatre was built in the building where Allan worked, originally as a yarn agent, later as the Manchester Guardian's correspondent on the cotton trade, and which he ( Read more... )

Further to my last post, BBC Radio Four's obituary programme Last Word featured Gareth this week, and should be available here. It's in the last five minutes of the half-hour. Mostly concentrates on his role as Blake; does mention some of his theatre work but not Morgan. Includes nice comments from a friend (Roy Gould) about his extensive ( Read more... )

"I can't bring myself to say 'RIP Gareth Thomas'," a friend said. So I suggested, as an alternative, "Rebel in Perpetuity".


( Read more... )

I seem to have time to post, but not to read ( Read more... )