At O2 CENTRE, LONDON

A long time ago (40 years to be precise) in a galaxy far, far away (Leeds in Yorkshire) I was a teenager seeking inspiration and hope. Manchester United had just beaten Liverpool in the FA Cup Final, the country was preparing itself for street parties due to the Queen’s Silver Jubilee and the UK, as hosts, had just finished second in the Eurovision Song Contest with Lyndsey de Paul & Mike Moran’s Rock Bottom. What more could I possibly need?

Then I went to the cinema and I fell in love with the genius of George Lucas. It’s an on-off affair I have had ever since. I’m a fan, but not one that goes to conventions or buys the gadgets, posters, figurines, etc. No. Just a fan who simply doesn’t mind Jar-Jar Binks, quite likes the Ewoks and is level-headed enough not to claim my religion as ‘Jedi’.

[The infamous logo]

Yet the film and its sequels and prequels have always given me a slight flutter of excitement. I ask a few people what Star Wars brought to them – off the top of their heads – and they say Darth Vader, Millennium Falcon, the Death Star, scrolling text, lightsabers, music. Ah, the music. My one true hobby. The scores of John Williams have entranced me ever since.

All these things are iconic. Lucas not only changed film-making, raising the bar for others around him, but the world. He introduced us to concepts previously unheard of – not just loveable droids and Wookies, but global merchandising and the feeling of being a part of something new and important.

Every generation has had (and will have) their own version – in terms of escapist entertainment it is currently Game Of Thrones. But franchises today owe so much to Luke and Vader, to C-3PO and R2-D2, to catchphrases like May the Force be with you, I am your Father and The Force is strong with this one.

The stories, although simple good versus evil, reach out and we can empathise with the heroes in their search for identity, love and peace. The creator Lucas himself said “Since Star Wars takes place in a fantasy world, the characters need to be identifiable so that the audience can connect to them. These larger-than-life characters come complete with friends, enemies, values and beliefs.”

I’ve just visited the magnificent O2 and STAR WARS™ Identities: The Exhibition, which is now open.

Produced by X3 Productions and made possible by Lucasfilm Ltd., the exhibition is on a world tour visiting 12 cities in all. It is an exploration of the nature of human identity through the magic of the Star Wars™ universe and its legendary characters. As Lucas confirms, “This exhibition examines how the Star Wars characters are like us, what we may have in common, and what makes up our individual identities.”

I was given a wristband that must be activated by touching various panels throughout the exhibition. From this I can create my own universal character, either keeping it real or going into fantasy. Amidst all the costumes any objects from the films, I learn what it is to be human, based on the latest scientific research.

STAR WARS Identities has divided its study of human identity into three major themes, each presented in a separate zone within the exhibition: my character’s origins, the influences that shaped them, and the personal choices that altered my life. Within these three themes, ten components of human identity are explored: species, origins, parents, culture, mentors, friends, occupation, marking events, personality and values. Science-based video clips explain how each component influences my identity. Here I am…

I even got a full biography of my creature – my alternate ‘human’ identity. Interesting stuff.

The idea behind this is quite serious and amidst the fun of the franchise, there is quite a lot to think about. The exhibition itself was quiet, perhaps a midweek evening is a good time to go to avoid the crowds. I would imagine it’s mayhem at weekends and bank holidays. Certainly a good laugh to go with your friends.

For complete schedule and box office information, visit www.theo2.co.uk/starwars.

Open until September 3rd 2017.

Visitors can begin their adventure in the world of identity at: starwarsidentities.com.

Paul Vates.

And here we all are scratching our heads wondering what on earth to get ‘him indoors’ that isn’t the same old thing yet again. Socks or tie?

Well, we can’t turn him into James Bond (and anyway he thinks he already is). Neither can we buy him a car with an ejector seat and all else, but something not to be missed is the 3^rd in the Folio Society’s glorious James Bond series

Dr No   Ian Fleming Illustrated by Fay Dalton

The Spectator said: ‘Fleming, by reason of his plausibility, sense of pace, brilliant descriptive powers and superb imagination, provides sheer entertainment’

And this edition proves that he, and Fay Dalton deliver in spades.  Because Dr No features the talents of Fay Dalton, who has provided seven images and a stunning slipcase portraying the unforgettable Honeychile Rider.

With a torture-loving villain, a feisty female lead and death-defying feats including a battle with a giant squid, Dr No sees Fleming revelling in the dramatic appeal of his indestructible hero. Having recently recovered from his near-fatal poisoning at the end of From Russia with Love, Bond is sent to Jamaica for a working holiday. To his annoyance, his mission– to investigate the disappearance of two fellow mi6 operatives  – sounds ‘rather like the soft life’.

But the elegant Strangways and his pretty young colleague have not eloped, as M believes. Dispatched by sinister assassins, their bodies lie in a single coffin at the bottom of the Mona Reservoir. And so Bond enters an exotic and perilous world, manipulated by the sadistic Dr Julius No from the desolate Crab Key island.

The Bond novels were born in Jamaica. Returning from a wartime conference there in 1943, Fleming declared: ‘When we’ve won this blasted war, I’m going to live in Jamaica. Just live in Jamaica and lap it up, and swim in the sea and write books.’ True to his word, he built Goldeneye,a clifftop estate on the north coast, and wrote his novels there. Dr No is scattered with evocative descriptions of ‘one of the most fertile islands in the world’, its ‘stuffy, velvet heat’, ‘night-scented  jasmine’ and ‘violet shadows’ bringing the island to vivid life as the setting for one of Fleming’s most revered novels.

Dr No Folio Society  Bound in blocked cloth. Set in Miller Text. 256 pages. 7 full-page colour illustrations. Pictorial slipcase. 9″x 6¼”.  The Folio Society

UK £34.95  US $59.95  Can $74.95  Aus $76.95

Also available in this series are Casino Royale and From Russia with Love.

From Russia with Love  Ian Fleming   Illustrated by Fay Dalton

RRP: £34.95 from The Folio Society

Casino Royale Ian Fleming   Introduced by John Banville    Illustrated by Fay Dalton

RRP: £34.95 from The Folio Society

Try some new exotic flavoured gins from Halewood Wines & Spirits – to celebrate Gin Day. They really do slip down rather smoothly – I know, I’ve tried them. These new and evocative handcrafted gins really do work well on a lovely summer day, or, in fact on a dismal cool one. OK. OK. Let’s just say they hit the spot whatever the day or occasion. Gin does seem to be very popular these days, and with a cold tonic – such a good refresher.

Try these: Whitley Neill Rhubarb & Ginger Gin – Brand New

This is the latest in the handcrafted Whitley Neill premium spirits range, and is a new gin that takes its inspiration from the English countryside – at its height in June.  Created by Johnny Neill, eighth generation in the Greenhall Whitley family of distillers, Johnny drew upon his fond childhood memories of rural England for this classic flavour pairing.

Johnny’s latest creation uses memories from his grandparents’ English country garden, lovingly cultivated for flavours, such as family favourite rhubarb, for gin experimentation. This smooth English gin is perfect over ice or as a cocktail base, with the natural essence of rhubarb giving a tart crisp edge and ginger extract warming the palate for a full-bodied finish.

Whitley Neill Rhubarb & Ginger Gin is available in 70cl (£24.95) on Master of Malt with 20cl and 5cl becoming available in the summer along with a mixed gift pack.

Ginger & Rhubarb Buck cocktail

Ingredients: 50ml WN Rhubarb & Ginger Gin, 50ml Cloudy Apple Juice, 50ml Ginger Ale, 15ml freshly pressed lemon juice

Method: Garnish with lemon wedge and serve in a highball glass over cubed ice.

Whitley Neill Rhubarb & Ginger Gin & Tonic:

Ingredients: 50ml Whitley Neill Rhubarb & Ginger Gin, 100ml Lamb & Watt Original Tonic Water

Method: Serve long over ice and garnish with a thin slice of ginger and a wedge of lemon.

I liked the Whitley Neill Quince Gin. Perhaps because I have memories of Mum’s quince jelly.

Whitley Neill Quince Gin is a premium handcrafted dry gin inspired by the timeless flavours of Persia – the first gin of its kind in the UK.  Inspired by the Whitley Neill family’s travels through Persia in the 1900s, the gin features a complementary blend of heady, exotic botanicals and real quince juice, and boasts a distinctive and alluring taste. Botanicals include juniper, lemon and orange peel, orris bark, angelica root and coriander seeds.  Ideal sipped over ice, served with soda water with a squeeze of lime, or a wonderfully fragrant base for cocktails, Whitley Neill Quince Gin has complex flavours and aromas, and a smooth, sweet flavour.

It has an ABV of 43% and is available in select bars and from Ocado 70cl (£26).

 Wearing my other hat – Milly Adams – I’ve been writing a novel about the war, and my research shows that nettles feature frequently  in the rationed wartime era. And here are nettles  again.

J.J. Whitley Nettle Gin – Brand New

As the freshness of the nettle disperses, the palate is left with an unmistakable and somewhat nostalgic finish of a classic gin with a light and zingy kick. Available online at Master of Malt and Amazon.com (around £20).

There are many more, all as celebratory as one another:

Liverpool Valencian Orange Gin Master of Malt, 70cl (£42.99).

J.J. Whitley Elderflower Gin Available in selected Tesco stores, £18 (70cl).

Marylebone Gin: Marylebone Gin  launched exclusively in Selfridges recently

Selfridges, 70cl (£55).

Whitley Neill Gin: This award-winning gin features premium African botanicals, including Cape gooseberry and the much in demand super-fruit, baobab, which is derived from South Africa’s native baobab tree, fondly dubbed ‘The Tree of Life’

Available in Selfridges and Sainsburys (from £24).

Rachel Bright and Jim Field announced as winners of Oscar’s Book Prize 2017 for “The Koala Who Could”

LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 15: (L to R) James Ashton, Claudia Winkleman, winning author Rachel Bright, Princess Beatrice of York and Viveka Alvestrand attend Oscar’s Book Prize 2017 in association with the London Evening Standard at The Ned on May 15, 2017 in London, England.
Pic Credit: Dave Benett

The Koala Who Could by Rachel Bright and Jim Field was announced as the winner of Oscar’s Book Prize 2017. Chosen from a shortlist of five titles in a search for the best book for under-fives that have been published in the past year, Oscar’s Book Prize is a celebration of children’s literature supported by Amazon and the National Literacy Trust.

Penned by Rachel Bright in Dorset and illustrated by Paris based Jim Field, the pair are no strangers to Oscar’s Book Prize, having been shortlisted for the award in 2016. Beating out 70 other titles to the top, the winning story tells the tale of Kevin the Koala, an incredibly relatable character, who learns that change can bring new and wonderful things.

Princess Beatrice, the royal patron of the prize, awarded the £5,000 prize to Rachel Bright last night in an award ceremony at The Ned in London. Thanking all the entrants to the prize, Princess Beatrice said, “They are all treats for the imagination and we’re here to celebrate the opportunities that come when you give a child that sense of wonder. With my struggles with dyslexia over the years, it was the power of story that got me to where I am today.”

The judging panel included presenter Claudia Winkleman, Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of the 2015 memoir The Last Act of Love, Dan Mucha, Director of Books at Amazon and Oscar’s parents Viveka Alvestrand and James Ashton.  Praise for the winning book:

• Dan Mucha – “The pictures are so endearing and I love the story’s idea that you can’t control everything around you – and that it’s not so bad.”
• James Ashton – “I loved the lush outback, all the lead characters and how you can sympathise with Kevin. ”
• Cathy Rentzenbrink – “A pleasure to read aloud. A really good message that enables children to think that to be frightened is OK which is why it’s so lovely. The idea that you can’t eradicate fear but can learn to manage it is a complex message made wonderfully accessible.”

Commenting on the award, panel judge Claudia Winkleman said, “I was really impressed with the quality and quantity of entries this year. They were all full of warmth and wit and we had an incredibly tough time choosing the winning title as they all set our imaginations alight.”

The award was created in honour of Oscar Ashton, who passed away at the age of three and a half from an undetected heart condition in 2012 by his parents James Ashton and Viveka Alvestrand. Looking for the best in children’s stories, stories that would capture the imaginations of children everywhere, and stories Oscar himself would have loved, the prize is now in its fourth year running. For more information on Oscar’s Book Prize visit: www.oscarsbookprize.co.uk

Michael is not only an occasional contributor to Frost on gin review matters, but the organiser of the annual Chesham Lowndesbourne – The Town Picnic: a programme of opera and classical music. I’ve been there and loved it, so why not hussle him off with Paul to get his take on The Secret Marriage?

Over to Michael Rowan:

If you have ever wondered if the surtitles fully translate what is being sung onstage, Pop up Opera may well provide the answer.

The opera, The Secret Marriage or Il Matimonia Segreto by Cimarosa, is rarely performed in the UK, possibly because it does not possess a show stopping aria or choral piece, but don’t let that put you off.

The company bring so much charm, wit and energy to their performance and marry it with excellent singing that it was very easy to forget that we were sitting in a church in the heart of the Buckinghamshire countryside.

I am a sucker for any opera sung in Italian and the six singers were so good that it would be unfair to single out any individual. However special praise for the pianist who plays throughout and fully deserved her applause.

The story of crossed lovers, unrequited love, misunderstandings and arranged marriage for material advancement, all works out in the end, in the grand tradition of opera.

There was so much to enjoy in the sheer brio of the company, but it was the aforementioned surtitles utilised to such effect that had the audience laughing with delight.

Rather than the sometimes dry translation deployed by some opera companies Pop up Theatre use images as well as words to underpin the comedy and bring the piece up to date with some modern references and use of British idioms, making this 18^th century opera fully accessible to a 21^st Century audience.

Whether you are unsure if opera is for you, or are a regular visitor to Glyndebourne or the Royal Opera House, my advice would be to check the Pop up Opera website. www.popupopera.co.uk to see if they are appearing anywhere near you and bag yourself a ticket

-Up Opera’s Il Matrimonio Segreto (The Secret Marriage) by Domenico Cimarosa

at Christchurch C of E Church, Chorleywood, Hertfordshire

“…a wonderful and safe introduction to opera.”

The audience came pre-prepared. Most had had picnics beforehand in the adjoining church hall, as though it were a normal Saturday event.

The bubbly was popping, the hubbub quite raucous. Yet, next door, the church sat quiet and dignified, politely waiting. At the appointed time, the crowds surged in and an excited anticipation filled the air.

[The aisle leading to the performance space, with surtitle screen above it]

In front of the altar, alongside four coloured chairs and minimal props, Berrack Dyer sat at the piano and off we went. She played magnificently throughout, leading the ensemble through two hours of organised operatic anarchy.

Cimarosa’s The Secret Marriage is rarely performed – a hidden gem, perhaps. Although it has a few plotline flaws and sags in the middle of the second act, it is basically the farcical story of Paulino having secretly married his employer’s youngest daughter, Carolina. Both are superbly played and sung by Peter Kirk and Chiara Vinci respectively.

[Chiari Vinci and Peter Kirk, in rehearsal]

Before they can come clean, British Count Robinson enters, in cycling helmet (didn’t get that reference) and union jack waistcoat. Typically eccentric, he’s sniffing after Elisetta’s, the elder sister dowry, but once he arrives, as one would expect, he shuns her, falling head over heels for Carolina. David Mitchell look-a-like Matthew Palmer plays the Count with wonderful comedic timing. Heather Caddick’s Elisetta is dowdy and prim to perfection.

[Matthew Palmer]

There is a wonderful scene where Elisetta has a coming-of-age chat with her bumptious aunt Fidalma, played by Helen Stanley. The Joy of Sex appears and Elisetta is appalled (at first). Fidalma’s secret is her lust for Paulino.

Trying to run the madcap household is the father figure, Geronimo, played by a booming and bewildered Peter Willcock.

[Peter Willcock]

The amplified keyboard was marvellously balanced to work with the six voices of the performers, who were all strong and clear up and down the aisles, in and around the very appreciative audience.

Yet they were all purposefully upstaged by the surtitles (written by Harry Percival) that allow the non-Italians to follow the action. Using a variety of pictures, cartoons and witty captions, we had a mixture of topical images (Trump, Brexit, Ronaldo) and very funny statements. This eighth member of the company could so easily steal the show, but for me, Chiari Vinci’s acting, singing and sheer presence, shone the brightest.

[Chiari Vinci]

Pop-Up Opera tour to a wide variety of venues, but churches must appeal. The architecture gives the performances so much depth and potential. Do check out the company’s website for the tour’s stopping points – a fun evening for all the family and a wonderful and safe introduction to opera.

Paul Vates.

Running time                         2 hours 10 minutes, plus a 30-minute interval

Website                                   www.popupopera.co.uk

Twitter                                                @PopupOperaUK

Facebook                                 /popupopera

Director                                   Max Hoehn

Producers                               Fiona Johnston and Clementine Lovell

Musical Director                     Berrak Dyer

Rehearsal Photographer       Lidia Crisafulli