Category Archives: Life & Style

The Married Girls reviewed by Milly Adams

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I chaired a panel of historical fiction authors last year at the lovely Yeovil  Literary Festival (Diney Costeloe was one of the speakers) and met up with Diney for lunch first. Great fun was had but what about the books?

The Married Girls  is the sequel to A Girl With No Name.and those readers who love Diney Costeloe’s novels, and there are many,  will love this follow on. And those who haven’t yet read them, do so. There are lots of twists and turns in The Married Girls, which is well researched and evocative of the period, just what we have come to expect from this author.

Set in the small Somerset village of Wynsdown in 1949. Charlotte Shepherd is happily married and settled into her adopted home having arrived from Germany on the Kindertransport as a child during the war.

However, the squire’s son, Felix, returns to the village with a fiancee in tow. Daphne is beautiful, charming but, much  the same as Charlotte, has secrets. But secrets as we all know have a habit of being unearthed. Characters enter, disruption occurs, how will it all end?

I have no intention of telling you. Read it, immerse yourself, and then, if you haven’t already read all of Dyney’s novels, do so. They’re belters.

 

Best to read The Girl with No Name first.

The Married Girls by Diney Costeloe. pb £7.99

Review: Grimm Tales, Chichester

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Grimm Tales – For Young and Old
Adapted by Philip Wilson
Chichester Festival Youth Theatre at the Cass Sculpture Foundation, Goodwood
Until 19 August

Photo credit: Johan Persson

If you go down to the woods today… Just when it seems impossible for Chichester Festival Youth Theatre (CFYT) to achieve any greater heights they come along and smash it of the park. The sculpture park, in this instance.

The Cass Sculpture Foundation is the perfect setting for Grimm Tales. Woodland paths, tree-lined hollows and sheltered clearings provide a series of glorious natural stages. Greeted by a raggle-taggle band of minstrels beckoning us into the woods, the music throughout is evocative, catchy and haunting. All members of the Youth Theatre, these young troubadours are exceptional and add greatly to both the charm and continuity of the production.

Starting with Little Red Riding Hood and followed at different locations by Hansel and Gretel, Hans My Hedgehog, The Goose Girl at the Spring, The Three Snake Leaves, Rapunzel and The Juniper Tree, these yarns are grim indeed. Adultery, murder, child abduction, cannibalism – Mr Disney may have prettied some of them up for the big screen, but in their original form these fairy tales offer no trace of saccharine sparkle or Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo. Marvellously dark, but not without humour, Philip Wilson’s adaptations are magical, mysterious and utterly spellbinding.

Under the skilful direction of Dale Rooks the acting is uniformly superb. Remaining totally in character even when leading the audience from location to location, even those in minor roles demonstrate the discipline and focus of seasoned professionals. It would be grossly unfair (and almost impossible) to single out any one performance.

Testament to the excitement and enrichment of the experience, the smiles of the cast at the curtain call are wider than that of Grandma’s wolf. With satellite groups across the county, West Sussex children are so lucky to have CFYT available to them. Especially at a time when funding cuts threaten to hack drama and the arts down to almost nothing in some schools.

Ably supported by members of the Technical Youth Theatre, as darkness fell there wasn’t a star in the sky to outshine this supremely talented company.

Tickets: 01243 781312 www.cft.org.uk
There is no parking at the sculpture park, but a highly efficient system of park-and ride coach transport is in operation from Chichester College.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – a chilling adaptation by Nick Lane. by Milly Adams

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The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

Adapted by Nick Lane

presented by Blackeyed Theatre, in association with South Hill Park

UK Tour: September 2017 – March 2018

Greenwich Theatre from Wednesday 4th to Saturday 7th October.

This sounds a thrilling, chilling new adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s noir psychological fantasy, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is adapted by Nick Lane, and presents a unique take on this  classic Gothic horror story..

Doctor Henry Jekyll is a good man. Successful within his field and respected by his peers, he’s close to a neurological discovery that will change the face of medical science forever. However, his methods are less than ethical and when a close friend and colleague threatens to expose and destroy his work, Jekyll is forced to experiment on himself, whereupon something goes very wrong…or very right. Suddenly Jekyll has a new friend, the brutal Edward Hyde.

This gripping production is particularly interesting as it takes inspiration from Lane’s own personal journey. Injured by a car accident at the age of 26 that permanently damaged his neck and back, Lane imagines Jekyll as a physically weakened man who discovers a cure for his ailments, a cure that also unearths the darkest corners of his psyche. Lane says, If someone offered me a potion that was guaranteed to make me feel the way I did before the accident, but with the side effect that I’d become ruthless and horrible – would I drink it?

Combining ensemble story-telling, physical theatre, movement and Lane’s razor-sharp script, alongside a new musical score by Tristan Parkes, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde remains true to the spirit and themes of the original novella while offering modern audiences one or two surprises, including a major female character, Eleanor, who drives Jekyll on in the same way Stevenson’s wife urged her husband to complete the novel.

Lane, who was Associate Director and Literary Manager at Hull Truck from 2006 to 2014, comments, I’m incredibly excited to be working with Blackeyed Theatre on The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. To be given the opportunity to revisit a book that I love and adapt it for four terrific actors is an absolute gift for me, and I couldn’t think of a better venue to launch the tour than the Wilde Theatre. I hope people book their seats, and then spend the entire show on the edge of them.’

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (

Running time 120 minutes (including an interval)

Notes Ages 11+ Box Office Tickets are available from individual theatre box office. See www.blackeyedtheatre.co.uk.

Twitter @Blackeyedtheatr, #JekyllandHyde

Romantic Revolution is a ballet collaboration bound to inspire . By Milly Adams

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As a child I had dreams of swooping and gliding across the stage as a world famous ballerina. All rather a damp squib for one utterly without talent and let’s face it – someone who moved rather like Dumbo the elephant. However I must tell you  I was a scarecrow in a school production,  the one who stays motionless in the centre, whilst others perform around them.

Well, far more inspirational than this tale of my ballet adventure  is the collaboration between London Russian Ballet School (LRBS) and the world-famous Bolshoi Ballet and Theatre.

On 18th September Romantic Revolution is to be  performance at the London Palladium. 800 children from Lambeth, Brent, South West and West London, who have never visited a theatre to see ballet and most of whom have never heard of the Bolshoi Ballet, will join the audience for free, with transport provided.

You can see the result of this collaboration in a rather fine video, filmed last month when  LRBS brought a performance to the indoor space at the Kia Oval to entertain local schools with the power of dance and music. Tune into this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NlFfbyZhbo) and see just how much children appreciated this opportunity and how important LRBS’s philanthropic endeavour is to engage these young children in ballet and impart the richness of this art.

I can’t dance but I love watching. I reckon you will too. We need more of these collaborations.

  • Tickets available from London Palladium Box Office and www.londonpalladium.co.uk .

 

 

 

Where should I go for drinks in Newcastle?

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With a stunning quayside, buzzing nightlife and picturesque surroundings, it’s no wonder Newcastle Upon Tyne is thought of as one of the UK’s best locations for a weekend away. Whether it’s a night out with the lads, the girls, a couple’s weekend or a lively stag or hen do, there’s something for everyone.

Whilst visiting the northern city, it’s only natural to want a taste of the famous nightlife. To make sure you’ve got options – whatever the reason for your trip – Newcastle hostel provider Euro Hostels has gathered together a list of some of the best venues so you can head straight oot on the toon.

For a pint with a view

Name: The Free Trade Inn

Summary: As one of Newcastle’s oldest pubs, The Free Trade Inn caters for real beer and ale drinkers. As well as being a cracking boozer, it also boasts one of the best views of the area – looking down at the River Tyne and its bridges. Make sure to say hi to Craig David, the pub cat, too.

Address: 2 St Lawrence Rd, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1AP

Website: N/a
Get social:

 Facebook

 Twitter
 Instagram

Trip Advisor rating: Four Stars

Trip Advisor mentions include:

  •   Free jukebox
  •   Pub cat
  •   Good selection of real ales
  •   Beer selection
  •   Famous view

Opening hours:

  •   Monday 11:00 – 23:00
  •   Tuesday 11:00 – 23:00
  •   Wednesday 11:00 – 23:00
  •   Thursday 11:00 – 23:00
  •   Friday 11:00 – 00:00
  •   Saturday 11:00 – 00:00
  •   Sunday 11:00 – 23:00

 

 

For a casual drink that can last all night

Name: Lady Grey’s

Summary: Situated in the centre of Newcastle, Lady Grey’s is a gem of a pub. There is something for everyone – with cask ales, craft beers, wines – and top-notch pub snacks like cheese boards and sausage rolls. Lady Grey’s is perfect for a sneaky pit stop, or if you’re looking to settle in for an hour or two.

Address: Shakespeare Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 6AQ

Website: www.ladygreys.co.uk
Get social:

 Facebook

 Twitter
 Instagram

Trip Advisor rating: Four stars

Trip Advisor mentions include:

  •   Sausage rolls
  •   City centre pub
  •   Sunday fayre
  •   Guest beers
  •   Real ale
  •   Friendly atmosphere

Opening hours:

  •   Monday 11:00 – 02:00
  •   Tuesday 11:00 – 02:00
  •   Wednesday 11:00 – 02:00
  •   Thursday 11:00 – 02:00
  •   Friday 11:00 – 02:00
  •   Saturday 11:00 – 02:00
  •   Sunday 11:00 – 02:00

 

For gin lovers

Name: Pleased To Meet You

Summary: PTMY appreciates the craftsmanship of the perfect gin and tonic – it’s truly a gin-lovers paradise. Here, you can design your dream G&T – choose from over 50 gins, add a tonic (anything from herbal to lemon) and finish with a garnish of coffee beans, rose petals, cherries and more.

Address: 41-45 High Bridge, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 1EW

Website: www.ptmy-newcastle.co.uk

Get social:

 Facebook

 Twitter

 Instagram

Trip Advisor rating: Four stars

Trip Advisor mentions include:

  •   Gin menu
  •   Great decors
  •   Sharing platter
  •   Great cocktails
  •   Saturday night
  •   Gins
  •   Fab

Opening hours:

  • Monday 11- 01.00
  •   Tuesday 11:00 – 01:00
  •   Wednesday 11:00 – 01:00
  •   Thursday 11:00 – 01:00
  •   Friday 11:00 – 02:00
  •   Saturday 11:00 – 02:00
  •   Sunday 11:00 – 01:00

 

For dining and drinks

Name: Lola Jeans

Summary: When you need a pit stop from shopping, Lola Jeans is the perfect spot for drinks and lunch to re-charge your batteries. This pub is perfect for lovers of a ‘quirky’ décor, with delicious food (gourmet steak sandwich, anyone?) and cocktails at its core.

Address: 1-3 Market St, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6JE

Website: www.lolajeans.co.uk

Get social:

 Facebook

 Twitter
  Instagram

Trip Advisor rating: Four stars

Trip Advisor mentions include:

  •   Steak
  •   Triple cooked chips
  •   John Dillinger
  •   Audrey Hepburn
  •   Sharing board
  •   Lovely window seater

Opening hours:

  •   Monday 12:00 – 00:00
  •   Tuesday 12:00 – 00:00
  •   Wednesday 12:00 – 00:00
  •   Thursday 12:00 – 00:00
  •   Friday 12:00 – 02:00
  •   Saturday 12:00 – 02:00
  •   Sunday 12:00 – 00:00

 

 

For a bit of live music

Name: Tyne Bar

Summary: For live music and a choice of real ales, visit the Tyne Bar – located in Newcastle’s Ouseburn. Especially popular on sunny days, this pub has a chilled-out vibe and is situated under a bridge arch, which adds to its independent style.

Address: 1 Maling St, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1LP

Website: www.thetyne.com

Get social:

 Facebook

 Twitter

 Instagram

Trip Advisor rating: Four and a half stars

Trip Advisor mentions include:

  •   Sunny day
  •   Beers and lagers
  •   Outside seating area
  •   Free jukebox
  •   Excellent atmosphere
  •   Real ale
  •   Lovely food

Opening hours:

  •   Monday 12:00 – 23:00
  •   Tuesday 12:00 – 23:00
  •   Wednesday 12:00 – 23:00
  •   Thursday 12:00 – 23:00
  •   Friday 12:00 – 00:00
  •   Saturday 12:00 – 00:00
  •   Sunday 12:00 – 22:30

 

The top ‘must sees’ for families visiting New York

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New York is a great choice for families. Right from the food – which kid wouldn’t love to eat at a typical New York deli or one its perfect pizza parlours? – to the many attractions, there’s bound to be something to keep your littles ones entertained with a vacation in the Big Apple.

If you’re planning your family visit to the city, here are some ‘must sees’ to put on your list:

American Museum of Natural History

One of the biggest museums in the world, the AMNH is guaranteed to tap into the imagination of your children. The showstopping exhibits that they’ll enjoy most are probably the dinosaurs. Don’t miss the fairly new addition to the fold – the 122-foot long Titanosaur is so big that it doesn’t fit into one room and is the largest creature ever to walk the earth. The 94-foot long blue whale model is pretty impressive too – and the Discover Room is especially good as a hands-on area for intrepid 5-12 year olds.

Broadway

The theater really isn’t just for the adults. In fact, if we’re honest, the best Broadway shows offer a heady mix of fun for all the family. Aladdin, Wicked, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Lion King are among the many shows on offer – book yourself in and prepare to be blown away.

Central Park

There’s hours of fun to be had in Central Park – the picturesque heart of this otherwise fast- paced city. Kids will love the ice skating rink in the winter – which doubles as an amusement park – and Tisch Children’s Zoo has a cute collection of potbellied pigs, goats and sheep as well as the opportunity for your little ones to unleash their inner animal by crawling, jumping and climbing until their heart’s content.

Rockefeller Center

From the Lego Store and Nintendo NY through to the NBC Studios tour right up to the awesome views at the Top of the Rock – the Rockefeller Center is full of fun for all the family. In the winter, you can enjoy its world famous ice rink too.

Children’s Museum of Manhattan

If your kids like to get stuck into some creative fun, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan is the place to be. Primarily for younger kids, there are five floors to explore here – offering workshops, exhibits, performances and parties galore.

Coney Island

Coney Island is where it’s at if you’re young – or young at heart. There’s the beach, an amusement park featuring 50 rides and attractions and the New York Aquarium. Oh, and lots of hot dogs. Adults find it fun in a ‘hipster retro’ kinda way, kids just find it fun, period.

Bronx Zoo

With more than 5,000 animals in a 265-acre site, there’s plenty to keep your kids entertained at the Bronx Zoo. The gorillas are a constant favorite – and quite right too – while there’s a chance to feed the penguins and sea lions, see pandas and elephants on the Wild Asia Monorail and ride the bug carousel.

 

By Patrick Vernon.

How Are UK Dinner Trends Changing?

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With 66% of all UK adults describing themselves as passionate about food and drink, the UK is becoming a foodie nation. We Brits love our grub, and we’ve got big opinions on our favourite meals, how they should be eaten and with whom. What’s our attitude to dinner in particular? Oldrids & Downtown, providers of dinner sets, finds out.

Britain’s favourite dinners

Opinions differ across the UK when it comes to the nation’s favourite dishes – different surveys tend to reveal different results, so we’ll try and give you an overall picture.

According to the Spruce, Britain’s Top 10 favourite British foods are:

  •   Bacon sandwiches
  •   Roast dinners
  •   A Cup of Tea
  •   Fish and Chips
  •   Yorkshire Pudding
  •   Full English Breakfast
  •   Cornish pasties
  •   Strawberries and cream
  •   Teatime Treat, Crumpets
  •   Beer

 

As reported by The Express, a survey commissioned by Welsh Lamb discovered that British food still came out on top – roast dinners and shepherd’s pie are dishes that UK diners favoured when asked which cuisine they would choose. Italian food scooped second place, with dishes like spaghetti Bolognese and pasta, followed by Indian, Chinese and Thai cuisine. The report also found that 56% of Brits are sourcing their food more locally, and paying more attention to where their food comes from.

Family dinners. 

Whilst we are progressively becoming a foodie nation – it seems traditional meal times are becoming a thing of the past, with research showing that fewer British families than ever are eating together, and those that do so tend to eat in front of the television. Over 20% of British families only sit down to dinner once or twice a week, and one in five has family meals in front of the television.According to 60% of parents, ready meals are a preference, as they provide a quick and simple solution when faced with time constraints.

Should we make time for family dinners?

There are a number of benefits in sitting down to eat as a family, according to Health.com.

  •   Children may eat their vegetables. Research has found that children who eat with their families are more likely to eat fruit and vegetables.
  •   More fruit and vegetables means a healthier family. By eating together, a family has a greater chance of eating fruit and veg – making them healthier overall.
  •   Get time to catch up on your day. Eating dinner together as a family is time well-spent. It gives everyone a chance to catch up on their day and talk and listen to each other’s news.
  •   Save money by cooking dinners. As well as being healthier for you, cooking nourishing family meals is much cheaper than eating out. With a little planning – and a little batch cooking – you can make sure you grab a bargain and prepare nutritious meals.

Dinner parties

The formal-style dinner parties of the 80s and 90s has disappeared, according to the Telegraph. Traditional dinner parties of the past had a focus on everyone eating the same meal, with prawn cocktail and fondue on the menu and wine on the table.

As trends shift, dinner party menus are more flexible now to incorporate dietary requirements, with diet-conscious salads, meat and grains and locally-sourced ingredients.

Throwing a dinner party

Despite the shift to a more relaxed, informal style of dining, dining with friends is still popular with Brits. Here are a few tips to hosting a 2017 dinner party.

 

  •  Go for food you can prepare earlier in the day so you can spend time with guests. Stick something in the slow cooker like a stew or curry that can cook while you enjoy yourself.
  •  Put everything in serving dishes and let guests help themselves. Think big salads, rice dishes, assorted meats and sides.
  •  Don’t be afraid of short cuts. If it’s easier for you to buy the bread and use shop-bought pastry just do it.
  •  Make a playlist to set the mood. Cater to your guests and make it varied and fun – you can even include some songs for a sing along/dance off, depending on the liveliness of your guests.
  •  Relax. If you’re at ease, your guests will feel at ease, and everyone will have a better time for it.

 

Sources:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/597667/Family_Food _2015-09mar17.pdf

http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/food/694587/Britain-top-five-favourite-cuisines-revealed-food- roast-dinner

https://www.thespruce.com/britains-top-favourite-foods-drinks-435511

https://www.thesun.co.uk/archives/news/183424/more-than-a-quarter-of-uk-families-dont-eat-a-meal- together/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/features/death-of-the-dinner-party-the-ultimate-guide-to- hosting-a-modern/

 

A Break From Business: Holiday Reading: Jane Cable on fiction from Cornwall, her adopted county

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The question I’m asked most frequently since moving to Cornwall is ‘so are you going to write a Cornish book now?’ The answer is that I’m in no hurry to, but in that I seem to be alone and with so much fiction set in the county I thought I’d pick out a few which would make great holiday reading.

Old favourites

I would have to start with Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, in many ways the ultimate in romantic fiction with a seriously heavy twist of suspense. The beautiful house by the sea, the spooky aged retainer and the dear departed wife in the background, it has it all – especially as it didn’t resolve in the way I expected.

Also a classic is Rosamunde Pilcher’s The Shell Seekers which is in part set in Cornwall and known to readers of this column as my favourite book. The characters are so superbly drawn they could break – or make – your heart every time. But almost as good and often forgotten is Pilcher’s Coming Home, a saga which starts in Cornwall in the late 1930s and follows the heroine and her adopted family through the Second World War.

Another writer from my youth associated with the county is Mary Wesley. Camomile Lawn is her most famous Cornish novel and always a popular choice but I enjoyed Harnessing Peacocks far more. I like her heroine Hebe’s unconventional take on life – it seems especially suited to a backdrop in Cornwall.

In a totally different vein is Patrick Gale’s Notes From an Exhibition which perfectly captures (for me, anyway) the artist community at St Ives. The book tells the story of a family coming to terms with the dazzling genius of their late mother. At times a harrowing tale of depression, the wonderful language Gale uses lifts us and takes us to a completely different place.

New friends

Cornwall is now famous for chicklit and romcoms, a trend surely started by Judy Astley with her Just for the Summer, a sharp, witty read about Londoners who decamp to their Cornish second homes for the holidays.

Among those new out this summer, which means I haven’t actually read them but they may well appeal, are these:

Confetti at The Cornish Café by Phillipa Ashley – the third book in this hugely successful series sees the café become a celebrity wedding venue. Described as warm, funny and feel good by doyenne of romantic fiction Katie Fforde.

The Returning Tide by Liz Fenwick – the latest from a writer who has a built a career based on Cornish novels, this time with a saga of sisters and a wartime betrayal that spans the generations.

The Cornish Hotel by the Sea by Karen King – a heart-warming novel from my April Business of Books guest. Ellie returns to help her widowed mother keep the family hotel afloat, but will she succeed or will love intervene?

Dying to Take The Tour by Chrissie Loveday – a murder mystery set against the backdrop of a Poldark sightseeing tour. Cosy crime from a writer who I have to admit is a Cornish neighbour and is also published by Endeavour Press.