2014/30: Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons

The country for miles, under the blanket of the dark which brought no peace, was in its annual tortured ferment of spring growth; worm jarred with worm and seed with seed. Frond leapt on root and hare on hare. Beetle and finch-fly were not spared. The trout-sperm in the muddy hollow under Nettle Flitch Weir were agitated, and well they might be. The long screams of the hunting owls tore across the night, scarlet lines on black. In the pauses, every ten minutes, they mated. It seemed chaotic, but it was more methodically arranged than you might think. [p.45]

2014/30: Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
Reread, because it is lovely and witty and dry. Flora, orphaned and impecunious, throws herself on the mercy of her Starkadder relatives, who farm at Cold Comfort (somewhere in the South Downs) and incarnate a great many stereotypes of rural life. "'...highly-sexed young men living on farms are always called Seth or Reuben, and it would be such a nuisance. And my cousin's name, remember, is Judith. That in itself is most ominous. Her husband is almost certain to be called Amos; and if he is, it will be a typical farm, and you know what they are like.' Mrs Smiling said sombrely: 'I hope there will be a bathroom. ' "[p. 22]( spoilery review )

September Culture: Medea, Mitch, Unthanks, Kate, Julius, Berlioz

A summary review, because (a) September has been extraordinarily busy (b) I've lost a notebook (c) inertia.

Medea, Olivier Theatre, 2-Sep-14
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Mitch Benn, Junction, 5-Sep-14
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Kate Bush, Hammersmith Apollo, 13-Sep-14
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Unthanks with Sam Lee, Barbican, 18-Sep-14
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Julius Caesar, Globe, 20-Sep-14
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Berlioz Grande Messe des Morts, RFH, 25-Sep-14
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Looking back, I note that the majority of these events were not exactly cheerful. A tragedy, a requiem, a remembrance, another tragedy. Thank heavens for Mitch Benn, and especially Kate Bush.