Monthly culture: May 2022
Friday, June 10th, 2022 08:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tamaranth02MAY22: The Northman (Eggers, 2022) (Greenwich PictureHouse)
Based on the saga that inspired Hamlet, this tells the story of Amleth, whose uncle kills his father and abducts his mother. Amleth grows up to be a Viking in Slavic lands, but meets the irritatingly-named Olga of the Birch Forest who reminds him of his vow of vengeance. Many bloody murders, dead dogs, lesbians, magic mushrooms and one (1) naked combat on the edge of an erupting volcano later, vengeance is his. Though he does not get to enjoy it for long.
A nasty, brutish and long film, which was worth watching for the historically-accurate details (the Rus funeral is right out of Ibn Fadlān) and the, mostly Icelandic, scenery. Do not see it for dialogue; character development; Nicole Kidman's performance.
05MAY22: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Raimi, 2022) (Greenwich PictureHouse)
A.k.a. 'the multiverse of misogyny', to which my co-viewer cries 'but Darkhold!'. Wanda Maximoff may be a metaphor for post-partum depression, or she may just be a convenient villain. America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) is excellent, Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) gives a powerful performance for a script that does her no favours, and Strange (Cumberbatch) has started treating his apparel more kindly. Guest spots included Captain Carter and Professor X ...
I think I prefer MCU doing SF: this was distinctly fantasy-flavoured, and I was not super-keen on it. I did like the music battle, and I do wonder how much Marvel are paying the British Museum for all its appearances lately.
12MAY22: Damn Yankees (Abbott / Donen, 1958) (Amazon Prime)
An intriguing take on the Faust legend, in which the devil (here going by the alias Applegate) transforms a middle-aged sports fan into a gifted young player who can propel his baseball team to victory. Applegate's secret weapon is Lola (a stunning and gymnastic performance from Gwen Verdon) who has been granted eternal youth and beauty in exchange for working for Applegate. Some splendid dance numbers, plenty of ... well, is it innuendo if it's this unsubtle? We watched this on Amazon Prime and the quality wasn't great: possibly ripped from VHS... But great fun nevertheless.
13MAY22: Kate Rusby (Cadogan Hall)
A treat for a friend: Kate Rusby is celebrating thirty years of touring and music-making, and this was a warm-hearted gig, much appreciated by the audience. I'm not familiar enough with her work to comment critically on the performance, but it was pleasant and enjoyable.
14MAY22: Everything Everywhere All At Once (Daniels Kwan and Scheinert, 2022) (Greenwich PictureHouse)
A much better multiverse film than that other one. Features an actress over fifty (okay, Michelle Yeoh, whom age shall not wither); a mix of languages; Jamie Lee Curtis being awesomely awful; a dialogue between two rocks; a fight using what I shall euphemistically call 'sex toys' as weapons; a fraught mother-daughter relationship; some fantastical costumes (at one point I swear Joy is cosplaying a coronavirus); depression, a homage to 2001, martial arts and a good soundtrack. Sheer glee.
19MAY22: New Worlds: La Turquie (Academy of Ancient Music, Barbican Milton Court)
Lully, Delalande, Campra and Rameau, with bells and whistles, and expressive soloists, and great acoustics. Part of the whole 'Turkish' flavouring seems to be accelerando. with tinkly percussion. All immaculately performed, much of it new to me: a very enjoyable concert.
The people next to us were quite annoying, until my companion leant over and whispered fiercely "will you shut up? Please?". So British: so effective.
26MAY22: Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saens) (Royal Opera House)
First 'big' opera since the Before Times: it was glorious, especially as I had an excellent seat (Stalls Circle) courtesy of a friend. I'm unaccustomed to watching opera 'on the level'! This performance has also overlaid lingering memories of a less-happy previous experience, which is good.
Saint-Saens' music is luscious and swirling, and the ensemble pieces were splendidly done. The Bacchanale in particular (still in my head after two weeks) was absolutely marvellous, a great dance number as well as quintessentially orientalist music.
SeokJong Baek (formerly a baritone, retrained recently as a tenor) sang the role of Samson, Elīna Garanča as Dalila: both very good, with credible onstage chemistry.
The Philistine bling contrasted nicely with the Hebrew monochromes: the set was simple, geometric and colourfully lit. (I could have done without the marbled lime.) There was a wheeled ziggarut and an unsettling blue head that might have been Dagon.
Excellent review with many pictures.
Based on the saga that inspired Hamlet, this tells the story of Amleth, whose uncle kills his father and abducts his mother. Amleth grows up to be a Viking in Slavic lands, but meets the irritatingly-named Olga of the Birch Forest who reminds him of his vow of vengeance. Many bloody murders, dead dogs, lesbians, magic mushrooms and one (1) naked combat on the edge of an erupting volcano later, vengeance is his. Though he does not get to enjoy it for long.
A nasty, brutish and long film, which was worth watching for the historically-accurate details (the Rus funeral is right out of Ibn Fadlān) and the, mostly Icelandic, scenery. Do not see it for dialogue; character development; Nicole Kidman's performance.
05MAY22: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Raimi, 2022) (Greenwich PictureHouse)
A.k.a. 'the multiverse of misogyny', to which my co-viewer cries 'but Darkhold!'. Wanda Maximoff may be a metaphor for post-partum depression, or she may just be a convenient villain. America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) is excellent, Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) gives a powerful performance for a script that does her no favours, and Strange (Cumberbatch) has started treating his apparel more kindly. Guest spots included Captain Carter and Professor X ...
I think I prefer MCU doing SF: this was distinctly fantasy-flavoured, and I was not super-keen on it. I did like the music battle, and I do wonder how much Marvel are paying the British Museum for all its appearances lately.
12MAY22: Damn Yankees (Abbott / Donen, 1958) (Amazon Prime)
An intriguing take on the Faust legend, in which the devil (here going by the alias Applegate) transforms a middle-aged sports fan into a gifted young player who can propel his baseball team to victory. Applegate's secret weapon is Lola (a stunning and gymnastic performance from Gwen Verdon) who has been granted eternal youth and beauty in exchange for working for Applegate. Some splendid dance numbers, plenty of ... well, is it innuendo if it's this unsubtle? We watched this on Amazon Prime and the quality wasn't great: possibly ripped from VHS... But great fun nevertheless.
13MAY22: Kate Rusby (Cadogan Hall)
A treat for a friend: Kate Rusby is celebrating thirty years of touring and music-making, and this was a warm-hearted gig, much appreciated by the audience. I'm not familiar enough with her work to comment critically on the performance, but it was pleasant and enjoyable.
14MAY22: Everything Everywhere All At Once (Daniels Kwan and Scheinert, 2022) (Greenwich PictureHouse)
A much better multiverse film than that other one. Features an actress over fifty (okay, Michelle Yeoh, whom age shall not wither); a mix of languages; Jamie Lee Curtis being awesomely awful; a dialogue between two rocks; a fight using what I shall euphemistically call 'sex toys' as weapons; a fraught mother-daughter relationship; some fantastical costumes (at one point I swear Joy is cosplaying a coronavirus); depression, a homage to 2001, martial arts and a good soundtrack. Sheer glee.
19MAY22: New Worlds: La Turquie (Academy of Ancient Music, Barbican Milton Court)
Lully, Delalande, Campra and Rameau, with bells and whistles, and expressive soloists, and great acoustics. Part of the whole 'Turkish' flavouring seems to be accelerando. with tinkly percussion. All immaculately performed, much of it new to me: a very enjoyable concert.
The people next to us were quite annoying, until my companion leant over and whispered fiercely "will you shut up? Please?". So British: so effective.
26MAY22: Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saens) (Royal Opera House)
First 'big' opera since the Before Times: it was glorious, especially as I had an excellent seat (Stalls Circle) courtesy of a friend. I'm unaccustomed to watching opera 'on the level'! This performance has also overlaid lingering memories of a less-happy previous experience, which is good.
Saint-Saens' music is luscious and swirling, and the ensemble pieces were splendidly done. The Bacchanale in particular (still in my head after two weeks) was absolutely marvellous, a great dance number as well as quintessentially orientalist music.
SeokJong Baek (formerly a baritone, retrained recently as a tenor) sang the role of Samson, Elīna Garanča as Dalila: both very good, with credible onstage chemistry.
The Philistine bling contrasted nicely with the Hebrew monochromes: the set was simple, geometric and colourfully lit. (I could have done without the marbled lime.) There was a wheeled ziggarut and an unsettling blue head that might have been Dagon.
Excellent review with many pictures.
