I was intrigued to see how such an epic opera would translate from the stage to the screen and wondered if anything might be lost in the process. I needn’t have worried.

Almost halfway through the current season and The Met are providing a thrilling programme. Verdi’s Nabucco is the story of the Hebrews enslaved by the people who worship Baal and the destruction of the Temple.

As ever there is a love story at its heart, the trials and tribulations of the father and daughter Nabucco (more commonly known as Nebuchadnezzar) relationship, and of course the evil ruler, Abigaille who, due to her jealously, wishes to break up the young lovers by any means, and tries to turn father against daughter.

In many ways the story is the least of it, it is the singing that is sublime and with a full orchestra and large choir it would be possible to close one’s ears and simply let the music wash over you.

However, for those with their eyes open there was much to enjoy. The sets are stunning and used to great effect. The setting fire to the Temple was worth the price of the ticket alone.

Because this was beamed live into cinemas across the world everyone on stage had to continue acting regardless of if they were the focus of the action or not, which greatly added to the spectacle, especially in close up.

I had forgotten just how much choral work was a part of this opera and of course the big song from this opera is the goose bump inducing, ‘Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves,’ sung so plaintively and with such feeling that I cannot be the only one to have a tear in my eye.

The cinema experience is not the same as being in the theatre (in this case at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York) but as that was not available to me, it is very much the next best thing.

In terms of cost and ease of access it is very much the best thing, and in addition we are treated to a variety of interviews with the stars, behind whom we see stagehands and singers rushing around to ensure that the next act begins on time. This is something that you wouldn’t see if you were at The Met.

There are still some gems left in this season, so my advice would be to find the cinemas near you who are showing the Live From the Met Program and treat yourself to some top quality opera.

Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Opera

https://metliveinhd.co.uk/

Carmen (27th January)

La Forza del Destino (9th March)

Roméo et Juliette (23rd March)

La Rondine (20th April)

Madama Butterfly (11th May)

Where to start, oh where to start… Let’s go with The Man from the Ministry by James JD Mitchell – a novel based very much on Mitchell’s family’s life during the 2nd World War. As one who has written extensively about the war, though born after it, I had no idea that a man from the Ministry could turn up at the door of a journeyman’s farming family and order them to move to a different but designated farm – just like that. But he could because the shortage of farmhands meant that the Government had to intervene in order to provide as much food as possible for the population. This meant targets for farmers, and, of course, workers to make this possible.

The Man from the Ministry tells the story of the lives of an ordinary and large faming family who travelled the south west of England in the service of the many grand estates who owned most of the farms at that time. Written in the first person, and in an honest committed style, this is a book that fascinates and resonates in its portrayal of a large almost itinerent family, the pressures it brings, the sense of the seasons, the countryside, the closeness of siblings.

Let’s stick with nostalgia and Richard Littlejohn’s Littlejohn’s Lost world. Those familiar with Littlejohn’s column in the Mail will expect a delicious and funny turn of phrase when considering serious matters. They are not to be disappointed. Born when wartime rationing was still in force (not to be finished until the mid 50s) a world where children ran about freely with friends in the streets, we accompany Littlejohn into his parents’ past, and are with him as he remembers and revisits his own. He found it changed, gone even. I know the feeling because I tried to find the house where I spent many happy childhood years, including the huge, then, pear tree I would climb. All gone, or so changed I couldn’t recognise anywhere, not even the beck where we fished for minnows with jam jars on strings, ate our jam sandwiches, with a bottle of pop to share. As I read I laughed, remembered, grew thoughtful. It’s a funny poignant read. It is a pleasure.

Finally, one of my favourite Australian authors, Peter Temple writing of one of my favourite characters: Jack Irish, in a thriller called White Dog. What can I say? From the backdrop of the Old Boy Fitzroy supporters in the local, and the horse racing trio, to the action: Jack Irish, ex lawyer, is asked to look into Sarah Longmore’s defence he’s happy to do so, after all, when somone as guilty as Sarah appears, it’s bound to be cut and dried. Oh… Oh… read it and discover that all is not as it seems, and best of all, the crime thriller is delivered in Temple’s crisp funny turn of phrase, which when required has the power to move the heart, crack it even.

All these books are available on Amazon.

‘Let’s go to the panto,’ some of the crazier of the Frost Magazine team said. So off they went, tum tum tumpetty tump, and why not when their Drama Critic, Paul Vates was causing mayhem as one of the two Ugly Sisters at the Elgiva Theatre’s production of Cinderella in Chesham Oh no, he wasn’t, oh yes he was.

Oh what a riot, what a joy… There we were sitting in the 2^nd row, with our Christmas jumpers on throughout, laughing, booing, trying to catch the toilet rolls (tell you later) shouting he’s behind you – good grief how could they not see the gorilla??! Sometimes we wondered if we should have borrowed a child to fit in a bit better, but why not be a kid again? As our Medical Correspondent, Dr Kathleen Thompson, said to our editor, ‘You behave like a child most of the time, so why change the habits of a lifetime.’ ‘Well, I’m most certainly do not,’ our editor retorted, sticking out her tongue, to which our Medical Correspondent stuck her thumbs in her ears, waggled her fingers, and then she, yes she did, she stuck out her tongue until Dick who tends to keep them in line, told them both to stop talking – NOW or there would be no ice creams. So on with the show…

Let’s kick off with the lovely Fairy Godmother who did what Fairy Godmothers do – make all things better. Nicki French, ladies and gents, is superb: a lovely voice, such a twinkle, and who wouldn’t remember her Total Eclipse of the Heart which topped the charts around the world. Oh how lucky we were to see her in Chesham.

Prince Charming, aka Adam Pritchard made a great panto debut. What a voice – our editor who cries when moved, almost did… Around the team the children listened, transfixed. Of course, Adam is trained in musical theatre performance so we should not be surprised.

Dandini, the aide de camp, played by Callum Stephenson, says he is thrilled to be entertaining you all this Christmas, and let me tell you, he does this most ably.

Chris Edgerley whose blue eyes played havoc with the Frost Magazine team played Buttons and was so funny, and of course, loyal to Cinders. Good grief, he was even pleased for Cinders when she found her Prince though he probably wanted to kick the Prince’s shins. His performance was probably not far distant to presenting his hit children’s TV Show Hi-5 which aired on CiTV/ITV4/Cartoonito/and Boomerang Channels for many years. Chris loves Panto and we LOVE him, so very there.

Cinders was played by the glorious Laura Bazely with the 100 watt smile, swishing and twirling in her rags (wonderful costumes ElgivaTheatre, simply fantastic) and how we longed for her Prince to come, and the Uglies to get their comeuppance. Boo, boo. Laura sings like an angel too, no wonder she previously won a “Best Principle Girl” award as Princess Beauty. And now onto the rascals of the production: Boo Hiss.

The Baroness was played to perfection by Gemma Brodrick who owned the panto stage, frankly, when she was being the worst she could be. But having come fresh from the 2023 UK tour of Blood Brothers (Margaret cried at that too) we weren’t surprised.

On to the Ugly Sisters, Tess and Claudia, played by Paul Vates and Alexander Smith absolutely blasted it. Paul was as extravagantly and appallingly attired as Alexander and these two kept up the pace of the show until the final curtain, and had us roaring with laughter as they coaxed all the right responses from us, not necessarily in the right order! Absolutely fantastic, I’m laughing as I write this.

Paul Vates has, over the years, done an awful lot of theatre, television, voiceovers and comedy. As a playwright, his last work – Voltemand and Cornelius are Joyfully Returned – won the prestigious People’s Play Award at the People’s Theatre in Newcastle. Dr Kathleen Thompson and Margaret were at the launch, and were so proud. He is currently working on a new project. It all sounds very serious, but heavens, he can mince and pinch bums with the best, and throws toilet rolls like a man possessed.

Alexander who ran away to theatre as a child(!? ) Really? is thrilled to be returning to panto this year, having had a most wicked time as Abanazar in Aladdin last year at the Princess Theatre, Torquay. Was it there he learned to flounce and stamp about in the required most awfully over the top manner? Thanks heavens for it.

Then the gorilla… Oh my… such a classic panto moment, quintessentially British and ridiculous as the gorilla comes along behind the line up, the audience screams ‘He’s behind you,’ again and again, and no-one in the line up sees the gorilla, until it is too late. How hoarse we all became.

Ah yes, the toilet rolls. A version of the Twelve days of Christmas, ‘my true love gave to me’. On the 5^th day it is toilet rolls, which end up winging out across the audience, only to land, to be thrown back, unrolling as they go, and again, and again. The Andrex dog would have loved every minute, but not as much as the audience at the Elgiva.

Did the Frost Team enjoy it? Oh, that’s not quite the word: you see, we realised we truly had never grown up, and neither had any of the adults in the audience. What a triumph, what fun, what pace and what on earth has happened to our voices – they are almost gone after so much joining in, so many boos, so many warning shouts, so much hysteria. But what else should we expect at a pantomime, but are frequently disappointed. Not this time though!

We loved it, and the dancers, led by Molly Mae, were the icing on the top. All such a cornucopia of delights…Book now, it’s on until the end of December. https://elgiva.com/book-a-show/theatre/ Images courtesy of Caroline Taylor.