Category Archives: Life & Style

Tomorrow May Be My Last – at the Old Red Lion Theatre, London “She carries a fairly threadbare plot on her sheer power” Reviewed by Paul Vates

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If you don’t know about Janis Joplin, you may be excused for thinking you’d entered a strange world. There is 1960s rebellion and references to drug-taking, with live music and a grumpy, drunken woman who we are told is famous. We have to take her word for it. And we do – mainly because of the riveting performance of Collette Cooper.

For this show, which has a residency until May, The Old Red Lion’s theatre is split in two – a ‘stage’ for performing and a ‘backstage’ for reminiscing. Tomorrow May Be My Last is also in two halves – stunning singing and music which is in-your-face and unashamedly loud and proud, then quiet contemplation from a Janis who is drunk on anger as well as Southern Comfort. We constantly flip from on and off stage, something that doesn’t quite work – it’s like there are two plays fighting for dominance and as strong a performer as she is, Cooper genuinely gets the audience during the singing sections, but, although she tries to get us to join in and have fun (to let our hippie hair down, if you like) it is a big ask because she has to keep stopping to return to the room and bring the mood down. What we then learn about her life story, which is strangely told to a bottle and therefore not including us so we feel like voyeurs watching her lonely emotional descent, lingers with us so as to affect how we feel about the next song. But the ninety-minutes do work as a whole – Cooper carries a fairly threadbare plot on her sheer power.

We feel as though we’re witnessing something special – someone special. And I wonder if it’s Collette Cooper that’s the star here, not Janis Joplin.

The live music comes from TSP – a jaw-droppingly good band, working alongside her, pushing her to make each song better and better. She responds and by the end, there is a kind of frenzy in the space. Afterwards, even though I had a great time (if you can say that about watching an unfolding tragedy!) I did wonder what the aim was and whether it worked. I had more questions than answers – but, then, perhaps that is a good thing…

My suggestion, as there’s plenty of time to catch it, is to go and experience the show for yourself!

Photography Robin Pope

Writer/Performer Collette Cooper

Musicians TSP

Producer Thelonious Punk Productions

Running Time 90 minutes (no interval)

Dates until Saturday 6th May 2023

Tuesday to Saturday at 7.30pm, Saturday Matinees at 3pm

Venue Old Red Lion Theatre, 418 St John Street, London EC1V 4NJ

Tickets £15-£25 (including a complimentary Southern Comfort cocktail and

Post-show music at certain shows)

via www.oldredlion.co.uk

Social Media @collettecooper, @thelonius_pp, @orltheatre

Part 1 of Frost Magazine’s interview with Leon Feasey by Alex Bannard, Wellbeing and Wellness Editor

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I first met Leon when he was hosting a workshop I attended last year. Leon is a fully trained & qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Regression Therapist & Life Between Lives Therapist whose mission is to “teach ways of healing a client’s soul”. 

Leon’s sensitivity to the spirit world was something of which he was aware at an early age. Fascinated & passionate about the spirit realm, he shared this information with anyone. Of course, it was not always well received, so wanting to fit in, he dulled down this aspect of his being.

He became a builder & a decade or so ago was living off the land in synchronicity with nature with his wife & kids in Spain when a knee injury caused him to consider whether he could do this forever – perhaps it was time to return to the UK?

Having always relished pushing himself out of his comfort zone, especially in areas in which he is interested & having a spiritual awareness & an understanding of who we are as souls, he knew he was being called to develop this passion & share it in the UK.

And so began a decade’s journey. Leon really resonated with Michael Newton’s work on life between lives but first Leon had to complete his hypnotherapy training, then his past life regression training before he could even consider life between lives training. This involved a great deal of investment of time, energy, resources and some degree of soul searching, because, as parents, we are often uncomfortable with surrendering so much time to something new. 

On his ‘journey’, Leon discovered how powerful past life regression therapy is & wanted to know why – so he also trained as a psychotherapist. Leon explained how being in a trance like state in hypnosis enables some to delve into their spirit realm, gaining insights into their soulful experience in each life through connecting with spirit guides & their soul family.

For many this reveals their soul purpose & creates a deep connection to their soulful self. This becomes really powerful as it helps to reframe the challenges we are going through in this earthly realm into something that is happening for a reason. These are the lessons our soul has embarked upon in this human incarnation to learn from, heal & grow.

The difficulties can become immensely transformative, possibly the most important part of their lives. And this can be very liberating. Others may experience such a deep sense of connection within the hypnotic state that their fears, especially of death, dissolve & there is a sense of freedom.

Reflecting on his problematic knee, Leon explained that at the time he was deeply upset because it limited his building & agricultural activities but he came to realise his knee injury catapulted him into a whole new world & way of being: it was not a problem, but a gift.

Leon offers a variety of different healing modalities & you can find out more on his website:  www.innersighttherapies.com

I’ve done inner child healing with Leon & it was the most incredible experience: being in trance was blissful & I was gone, I don’t know where but gone; I connected with my Dad who passed away 45 year’s ago & I discovered some beautiful insights with Leon’s gentle & sensitive guidance, it was magical!

We are spiritual beings having a human experience but when we know everything is happening for us not to us it is incredibly insightful & liberating.

Discover how to connect to your soulful self in this practice on Alex’s YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/IYViQwqLLbk

If you would like more information on how to practice mindfulness, meditation & yoga check out Alex’s website: alexbannard.com

For free resources check out:

Facebook group: Mindfulness & Yoga for Self-Care: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MindfulnessYoga4Relationships

YouTube channel: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCQlKZJ7MeyYc6lqkv6seISw

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexbannard/

Caran D’Ache 849 Colourmat-X Ballpoint Pen – Because Words Are Important – by Award Winning Author Dr Kathleen Thompson

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I remember as a child being gifted a pen for special achievements – passing my school exams, getting into university, winning a competition. A beautiful pen is so special, don’t you think? Light and balanced in your hand, that moment when you first write with it, the thrill of dark ink appearing like magic on pristine white paper – a beautiful signature, a squiggle, it doesn’t matter – so satisfying. And every time one picks up the pen, it conveys the happy memories of someone special, a special occasion – timeless.

So I’m genuinely delighted that, despite this era of index finger-tapped messages, autocorrect and emojis, great pens are still being lovingly sold at Pen Heaven.

Pen Heaven sells all the big names in pens, but with over a hundred years experience, Caran D’Ache are pretty hard to beat if you’re looking for a distinctive gift. The Caran d’Ache 849 Colourmat-X Ballpoint Pen comes in a streamline metal gift box. Even before you open it you know it’s a bit special. The ballpoint itself is light and easy to use, the matt finish really stands out and the sleek space-age design blends tradition with modern. I love it. At just £32 from Pen Heaven it’s perfect, whether as a Mother’s Day gift, birthday or just a treat for yourself. Cheer yourself with a bright colour, maybe yellow, violet, red or blue, or special edition black.

Do check out the Pen Heaven website – they have an amazing choice of top-quality ballpoint and fountain pens, writing paper and journals, in fact everything to do with good old-fashioned writing. They also offer an in-house engraving and embossing service – how brilliant is that?

By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows


http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

PUBLICATION DAY SPECIAL: THE FOREVER GARDEN BY ROSANNA LEY

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I’m a big fan of Rosanna Ley’s books and this was no exception; in fact, it’s one of my favourites. The characters are instantly believable, the descriptions sumptuous and the whole story is perfectly tensioned between three viewpoint characters and two timelines.

The story is told from the points of view of Lara (in the 1940s and present day), her daughter Rose, and her granddaughter Bea, and it revolves around two very special gardens. The first is in Dorset, created by Lara’s mother based on the principles of the Arts and Crafts movement. It is this garden that Lara promises her mother to protect, which is the starting point for the drama that follows. The second garden is one that Lara later creates in Puglia.

The relationships between the women – and their gardens – are beautifully drawn. That Lara left the Dorset garden behind is evident from the outset, but in the hands of such a skilled storyteller, my desire to find out the whys and wherefores made it hard to put the book down. The Forever Garden will not only transport you from Dorset to Italy and back, it’s a journey you cannot fail to enjoy.

I was so entranced by the gardens that I asked Rosanna what her inspiration for them had been, and what her own Dorset garden is like:

 

I’ve always loved gardens. My parents were both keen gardeners and I have happy memories of running around our back garden as a child, playing out imaginary stories, dodging amongst my mother’s washing pegged out on the line and my father’s precious raspberry canes and gooseberry bushes.

Our own garden here in Dorset is not large but it wraps around the house and so I feel cocooned and sheltered – which is good as we live near the sea and it can be very windy! Because of the sea air I have plants that can withstand these conditions such as lavender, rosemary, thrift, hollyhocks and erigeron daisies. I am a fan of the cottage garden and of fragrant plants that attract insects, butterflies and bees – natural gardens and wild gardens. The garden also has two bird baths, two tamarisk trees, a pergola of clematis, honeysuckle and roses and a couple of places to sit and write or think in. And we are very lucky because it also has a sea view…

I was inspired to write about an Arts & Crafts garden after I visited Barrington Court in Somerset. The gardens there were laid out in the 1920’s to a structured design influenced by the famous Arts & Crafts garden designer Gertrude Jekyll. She believed passionately in the beauty of the natural landscape and – like me – valued the ordinary plants familiar to gardeners today, such as hostas, lavender and sweet-scented old-fashioned roses.

I immediately loved the Arts & Crafts concept of the garden being a continuation of the house, and of that garden being made up of several small rooms – each one with its own character and flavour. After all, when we go into a garden, we don’t always want to do the same thing. We might want to grow vegetables and be in the mood for some hard-core digging, or we might want to sit quietly in a soft and beautiful space that enables us to reflect, read a good book or just watch the birds go by.

In an Arts & Crafts garden, plants are sometimes chosen for their colour. A white garden, for example, can create a sense of tranquillity through the green of the foliage and the white flowers which are often considered healing for the mind and spirit. Or they might be chosen according to season. In ‘The Forever Garden’ there is a spring garden full of early bulbs such as daffodils and tulips which represents hope and new beginnings; this symbolism becomes very important to Lara in the story.

I like to think of the ‘Forever Garden’ as an important character in the book. For Lara it is both prison and sanctuary. The garden saves her and it also sets her free.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Institution by Helen Fields

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The Institution is an absolute triumph of a book. I didn’t race through this book because I wanted to savour it. I wanted to reread pages, and I didn’t want it to end. It’s a tense and atmospheric crime novel. It transports you to The Institution and then scares it out of you. This is a dark, haunting read that stays with you long after you have read it. I loved it and remain in awe of Helen Fields talents. A five star read. 

the sound of being human

They’re locked up for your safety.
Now, you’re locked in with them.

Dr Connie Woolwine has five days to catch a killer.

On a locked ward in the world’s highest-security prison hospital, a scream shatters the night. The next morning, a nurse’s body is found and her daughter has been taken. A ransom must be paid, and the clock is ticking.

Forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine is renowned for her ability to get inside the mind of a murderer. Now, she must go deep undercover among the most deranged and dangerous men on earth and use her unique skills to find the girl – before it’s too late.

But as the walls close in around her, can Connie get the killer before The Institution gets her?

A claustrophobic, haunting crime thriller that will keep you up at night, perfect for those who couldn’t put down The Sanatorium and Amy McCulloch’s Breathless.

The Institution is available here.

Margaret and Dick talk about their FREE 1st Collection of The Misadventures of Margaret and Dick and the trials and tribulations of bringing them up to scratch.

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Blood sweat and tears… This has been the situation at Chez Graham as Margaret and Dick put together the FREE 1st Collection of The Misadventures of Margaret and Dick. as requested. Well, let Margaret rephrase that: Margaret did endless proof edits, while Dick did the clever stuff of actually putting it into various forms of ebook etc.
Why did Margaret do endless proof edits? Because everytime she thought the 55 episodes were perfect, she discovered they were not. This led to bad behaviour; stamping, language, ‘Never again’, despair, sniggers as Margaret found her jokes quite funny as she always does, then sulks, until it was decided as Dick ducked a flying duster, that the final one was good enough, so very there.
Finally, finally the book jacket: a photo taken on a walk by a daughter who takes brilliant images. Then Dick pointed out the rounded shoulders… This was not appropriate Margaret pointed out in her turn, because she had been leaning forward, driving a serious point home to Dick though she can’t remember what.
It was decided to let the matter lie, though there does seem to be a general bracing of Margaret’s shoulders during discussions these days, which actually makes Margaret feel considerably more forceful. Dick is wishing he had said nothing.
Anyway, they tell Frost Magazine you can find the various  FREE formats on www.margaret-graham.com and a huge thanks to Dick, who Margaret notices has changed the title to the one he preferred, when in fact Margaret had said: Margaret and Dick’s Misadventures. (just saying). Though Dick’s is better, she has to admit.
Next collection will be nearer Christmas, which will entail much drinking of wine during the proof editing process.

Prue Leith Interview

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Your glasses are now a key part of your look/personality – but have you always liked wearing them?

Only since I could get bright coloured stylish ones.

How many pairs of glasses do you own – and how do you decide which ones to wear each day?

About 20, although my range has 75 variations of colour and style. I start each day by choosing my specs and necklace, and then add the clothes to match.

Can you describe your favourite pair?

Turquoise, lime green and white. Very spring-like. But the most useful, because I wear red a lot, are red with small white and blue flashes.

Who would you pick as your style icon of glasses wearers and why? 

Well, Elton John did more for glasses-wearers than anyone. But of course, I think my own range is the best.

Pru Leith, interview, glasses

What are your top tips for choosing the right pair of frames? 

Just try a pair a touch bolder than you feel comfortable with at first. Just a bit brighter, bigger, bolder, and you’ll be surprised how good they look. Don’t be timid.

Tell us about your collection with MAC Eyewear – how did it come about?  I’ve had my own range of specs for a while and MAC used to distribute them. Then last year we decided to go into business together. I’m very involved with the design, especially the colours, and so far, so very good.

Where do you think eyewear ranks in terms of the elements of a fashion wardrobe? 

I can never understand why women spend so much money on shoes and handbags when they spend most of their time in the cupboard or under the table.  Specs are, literally, “in your face”, right where people are looking. They are your most important accessory.

As a cook, is wearing glasses a hindrance? Have you ever had any glasses-related mishaps in the kitchen?  

No, but they have to be well designed so they don’t slip down your nose when you get hot and sweaty.  I’ve never dropped them in the soup, but on stage the other night, flinging my arms about while telling a funny story, I hooked them off my face and sent them flying.

www.100percentoptical.com/

Chef, restaurateur and TV presenter, Dame Prue Leith, has been announced as a special celebrity guest at next month’s 100% Optical show at ExCeL London. 

She and her stylist/producer Jane Galpin will be at the show to help promote Specs by Prue, the eyewear range which she launched in July 2022 with independent eyewear supplier MAC Eyewear.

https://www.maceyewear.co.uk/collections/specs-by-prue/

Week 31 of the CCA refurbishment and the centre is looking ready for a great deal of action…

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The Columbia Community Association team had a welcome surprise last Saturday when the scaffolders arrived in force. Happy to work round the centre’s buzzing day the blokes got down to it and in no time the scaffolding was secure with all H & S aspects adhered to. Without a pause the team were then up and at it, delivering letters to their neighbours apprising them of the up coming situation.

Of course, within the four walls  the business of the week continued without pause, with the MBC amazing everyone as usual with their fantastic ceramic creations; bird feeders. Most appropriate as Spring is ‘just around the corner.’ Margaret was tempted to sing it for you, but how unkind that would be. Not content with MBC, Cultural Creatives were also strutting their stuff. The team is in awe of all this talent operating under their roof. Frost Magazine is pretty impressed too. Even the dads joined in!

Jim Benson, Principal Designer (H & S) nipped in to see how things are progressing, and the lovely Pam Telfer popped in to collect some computer cartridges. Meanwhile the bloke with the Red Shoes, Bob, shredded paper for the hampers Marion intends to make and raffle for the Ukrainian appeal. She has posted on social media asking for food donations, knowing that her community never lets them down, and sure enough, donations are coming in. But more very very welcome.

Marion was thrilled to see the roofer here at the crack of dawn during the week, and work was well under way on the Air Raid shelter roof. All the while, within the centre, the good fun continued, with a birthday pary and disco, not to mention the quizzes and laughter on Wednesday. Lord, so many eggheads, and clearly thinking is thirsty work. Tea! I mean. No gin in sight.

The Warm Spaces users were all eager to take part in the anonymous Sunderland City Council surveys, the results of which will be analysed, responses identified and future WS projects developed accordingly to meet all needs.

Aimee and her dancers were using the school holidays to get some extra tuition time and Marion can’t get over how they invent new shapes with their bodies.

On Thursday, morning meetings filled all rooms, though the afternoon belonged to the Forever Young ladies, with their homemade scrumptious cakes, and Bingo. Linda told Marion she was going to give the standup bingo a try. More the merrier, and each of these events are certainly merry and fun filled.

Meanwhile, Red Shoes Bob was still shredding, and Marion was filling boxes, seven finished so far, but there is a real problem sourcing boxes. Melanie, who has just taken delivery of her Scentsy order provided a few, and to Marion’s utter delight, even it must be said, hysterical delight (pull yourself together, pet) Christine Thirlaway from the local store sent hubby Graham to deliver a massive donation of gorgeous food. ‘Another Brady Square lass who never lets the community down,’ says Marion.

As always, there was the food to order for the Friday coffee morning: mince pie, quiche, double cream… and Phil told Marion his cook Claire has a big surprise for us. Di’s Diner is really so good to the CCA and it is VERY much appreciated.  Phil has even promised to sell some raffle tickets for the CCA – ‘Now that’s what community is all about,’ says Marion who wanted Frost Magazine to make clear that the Apple turnovers were delicious and barely saw the light of day.

Frost Magazine thought it interesting that Chris Todd, of Sunderland College, slipped in during the week to explain that he would like to offer a variety of training to the community. Marion, of course, bit off his hand, and asked for more details. When she has them you will be told.

Equans have just delivered a new 600 wall unit for the office; ‘Thank you so much we are delighted, Liam,’ said Marion, explaining to Margaret that Liam is the easy on the eye joiner though Margaret remembers that fact very well. After today the team can store their files away. Well, let’s rephrase that: they can once the decorating is done, the new flooring down, blinds are up… But the important thing is that the CCA is definitely ‘getting there’.

It sounds as though it was a manic week, but as Marion says again and again,  it is great fun, and she’ll be back on Monday, batteries charged, and ready for the fray.

Information: Columbia Community Association  Columbia uk Community Forum

Memories of Brady Square