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BOOK REVIEW: Ednapeadia: Dame Edna

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Dame Edna

Our all-time favorite, witty and ruthlessly honest Dame has kindly take some time out of her very busy schedule to dictate a history of Australian in 101 objects. Taking us from the Alexander technique to Zinc cream via Possums, Neighbours and Germain Greer, Dame Edna spares no one and nothing, especially the truth, in her quest to explain why Australia is the best darn place in the whole world.  With her trademark honestly and subtle delicate prose Dame Enda, world famous housewife, chanteuse and satirist shows us  why she is Australia’s most famous export.

It’s very rare that we see the emergence of a completely original idea in the world of books. Dame Edna Everage’s masterly history of Australian civilization isn’t one, but, possums, you will never think of historical writing in the same way again. ‘From our dainty gum nuts and towering Uluru to our world-class sharks and Opera House, marauding possums and poets, taking in game-changing inventions such as the dual-flush toilet and zinc crea”, you will be amazed at what her sunburnt country has contributed to modern civilization.’ Barbies. Bex powders. Bogans. Feral Koalas. Plastic banknotes. Thongs, Uggs and utes. Not to speak of the Great Barrier Reef, goon and Nellie Melba. Considered by herself as one of the world’s most distinguished thinkers and cultural personalities, Dame Edna Everage has inspired generations of Australian artists and icons, from Kylie Minogue to Shane Warne and back again…

barry-humphries-dame-ednaAs tasteful as it is cheap, out now £16.99

For more information or to buy the book see the publishers website here: 

REVIEW: Sunny Afternoon@Theatre Royal

Due to my confusion over ‘60s summertime hits I had the vague idea this was a musical celebrating the life and work of Mungo Jerry. Luckily it turns out that Sunny Afternoon is actually based on the far superior back catalogue of the Kinks.

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With as much energy as I’ve perhaps seen on one stage the show takes us on a journey from working-class Muswell Hill to the group’s concert in Madison Square Gardens. It’s a great story of the vicissitudes of rock’n’roll with Joe Penhall’s book confidently balancing the showbiz melodrama with the emotional damage that constant touring can inflict. Two magnetic leads, a brilliantly designed set, some truly classic songs given barnstorming performances and a riot of costume changes make Sunny Afternoon a thrilling musical experience.

We start off when the group were known as the Ravens, playing backing for posh crooner Robert Wace (Joseph Richardson) who fills his club with stockbrokers and debutantes. In the middle of his embarrassingly staid gyrations his band kick out the jams and play I Gotta Move and thus the Kinks are born. Wace and fellow posho Grenville Collins (Tomm Coles) become the band’s managers at rates very favourable to themselves. In fact this seems to be a recurring problem the Kinks have to continually face: from managers to American unions everyone seems to be squeezing them for as much cash as possible.

As important as the music is the central relationship between the two brothers. Ryan O’Donnell is spellbinding as Ray Davies, suggesting a soulful genius who perhaps even thinks in song. Mark Newnham gives us a mischievous, dandified and slightly camp Dave, at times coming across like a prototypical Pete Shelley. While it’s Ray who gets burned out by touring and has some kind of breakdown, it’s Dave who will wander home in a slinky black cocktail dress, the result of a drunken swap at some party. Sunny Afternoon presents the tumultuous relationship the two brothers had and artfully condenses it as they sing Long Way from Home to each other – at first with some rancour, but it movingly ends in an embrace. There’s also sterling support from Michael Warburton as their avuncular yet ruthless manager, Robert Took as the boys’ father and Richard Hurst as yet another manager – and former teen sensation – Larry Page.

The songs are presented with a thrilling vibrancy which sometimes makes you feel you’re at a concert rather than the theatre. Early on the band play You Really Got Me in the Top of the Pops studio whilst dolly birds dance in Op art mini skirts – it feels so authentic it’s pretty much like time travel. The ballads are handled equally well; there’s a beautiful a capella version of Days and O’Donnell’s version of Too Much on My Mind – on the quieter songs he sounds so much like Ray Davies it’s uncanny – will bring a lump to the throat.

One word of advice: toward the end of the evening me and my companion were getting tense as it seemed the show was going to end without a performance of Lola. Don’t worry as the song which is perhaps the Kinks’ finest makes the perfect close to the evening in a wonderfully spirited version.

Continues until Saturday, December 31

For more information and tickets click here.

 

Rescue dog stars in RSPCA Christmas video

Viewers crown the RSPCA’s video their ‘favourite ad this Christmas’ with 180k views on YouTube.

Bridie
Bridie

As Christmas approaches, the country’s biggest animal welfare charity last week released a heartwarming video to celebrate the nation’s love of animals.

The RSPCA’s festive video, Give A Little Love, which shows a dog finding her forever home and passing on the love to other rescue animals, features real life RSPCA success story dog, Bridie.

The video, launched on December 6 has already been viewed over 180,000 times on social media, sparking thousands of shares and more than 10,000 comments and reactions.

The short film was made by the charity’s broadcast team and filmed at two RSPCA centres in November. The video features several staff members and a number of rescued animals currently looking for homes, aiming to highlight those animals who have been rescued from cruelty and neglect.

Making her film debut in the starring role is real life RSPCA rescue dog, Irish Setter Bridie, She attends local training classes at Billingshurst Dog Training Club but otherwise has had no special preparation for her role, illustrating the potential that so many dogs awaiting adoption in RSPCA centres can offer their new owners.

Amie Hill, video producer said: “We are absolutely amazed at how popular our video has been, and are just so happy that the public has taken Bridie’s story into their hearts – some on Facebook have said it’s their favourite ad this Christmas. We wanted to make a heartwarming Christmas video for our supporters to enjoy, and to have beautiful Bridie star in the film is fantastic, particularly given her own story.

“We are very proud that everyone involved with the film works for the RSPCA at the Horsham head office, from the production team of three, to the staff appearing in the film – even the singer who wrote and performs the song. And, of course, all the animals featured are genuine RSPCA rescues.”

Bridie in 2014
Bridie in 2014

Bridie was discovered in 2014 with thirteen other fully-grown Irish Setter dogs, crammed into squalid puppy cages kept between the filthy kitchen, bathroom and the garden shed at the home of a dog breeder in some of the worst conditions the inspector had ever seen. The front of the shed was barricaded shut with wooden pallets and posts, and the dogs had no food, water or bedding.

Bridie was covered in faeces, had various untreated injuries and her coat was matted and filthy, a far cry from her new life with owner Dr Julia Wrathall, who rehomed Bridie.

Julia, who is Chief Scientific Officer at the RSPCA, and also features in the video as Bridie’s owner said: “Bridie is a fabulous example of how, when shown a little love, animals can be completely transformed, leaving behind the past and giving so much back to us. When she was first rescued, Bridie was terrified of the outside world and very nervous and skittish. But she has blossomed into a fantastic, friendly, affectionate, and happy dog. She is a testament both to the inspectors, vets and animal centre staff who rescued and cared for her, and to her own resilience and willingness to give life – and humans – a second chance.

“Her wonderfully positive nature has shone through, despite the horrors of her former life. I am delighted that Bridie has featured in this video. She is so inspiring and I feel really privileged to have her in my life.”

The original song featured on the video, called Give A Little Love, comes from UK songwriters Alistair Gavan and Lucy Ellie Cooper – who allowed the charity to use the song free of charge. It was both written and performed by Alistair, a musician and record producer from Brighton and Sussex-based country singer Lucy, who also works for the charity.

The short festive film forms part of the RSPCA Love Animals, Hate Cruelty Campaign. Last winter the charity received one call every four minutes about neglected animals, and this year expects to take in somewhere in the region of 19,000 animals.

To support the campaign, share the story on social media.

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