and back to the weather!

snow falls, snow gets compacted underfoot, temperature rises, 

snow melts slightly, temperature drops, 

water freezes to skating rink consistency, grit is spread, temperature rises, 

ice melts slightly, grit sinks, temperature drops, 

water freezes with grit below, process repeats.... then as the temperatures rise more often, the water from the defrosting gutters and drainpipes gets trapped between the buildings & the ice - unable to get to the roadside drains.... so.... the people who look after the buildings cut little pathways through the ice on the pavements so the water can run away... isn't it pretty?

But painful if you slip on it...

and this is when people start talking about spring coming! 

 and of course icicles start to form & fall! 

 

OUCH!

King Lear - LIVE!

WOW!

Derek Jacobi must be SO fit! The stamina of a 72 year old to keep up that energy through several hours of powerful performance in such an intimate space (nowhere to hide) is just astounding!

The simplicity of the staging, the costumes, the almost complete lack of props all seemed to magnify the characters. The whole event is visually intimate, small, simple and neutral. The play itself, the words, the actors, the energy all filled the space and emanated across the globe - I felt it almost 1400 miles away! 

Oh, it was wonderful!

Shakespeare in Finland

Over the last year or so I have been enjoying occasional glimpses of English Theatre right here in Turku. The National Theatre in London has been broadcasting live performances into cinemas all over the world. Many countries are broadcasting live but because of time differences some are shown days after the live performance. 

As we are only 2 hours ahead of GMT, our viewings are late in the evenings but not normally too late to enjoy. I recently decided not to go to Hamlet, though - 3 hours plus an interval, starting at 9pm on a "school" night was not a good idea!! 

BUT This week I am going to see King Lear from the Donmar Warehouse, starring Derek Jacobi and this time I have had the opportunity to add something extra to the experience. As a member of the FinnBrits, I was invited to attend a lecture at the University. The English Philology students were offered the chance of extra credit if they attend the performance, a pre-performance lecture and a post performance debrief and then write an essay.

I went along to the first lecture with a fellow FinnBrit and found only one student in attendance - an English Translation student, not even Philology! She is, in fact someone I have met at another NTLive performance... 

So the Lecturer spoke to just the three of us. He is, in fact, someone else I know through other circles and is a very private person, so I won't name him here, but it was an interesting session and I feel like I woke up a few brain cells I had forgotten... those I used to use when I worked in the theatre - in my previous life. I am so looking forward to Thursday's performance with my newly reawakened brain cells and the debrief next week.