Year: 2009

September at the BFI

27 July 2009 Rob Buckley 2 Comments

Time for our regular look at what TV’s on at the South Bank in London in September. Most of it is going to be taken up with a Coal season (oh joy) and part two of the Stage to Screen season. BUT there is going to be a preview of the new series of Merlin.

  • 3rd: Richard II: Live From The Globe
    The first live broadcast of a theatre production in over 30 years
  • 4th: A Day in the Death of Joe Egg
    Starring Eddie Izzard, Peter Nichols’ play recorded on stage in front of a live audience
  • 6th: Merlin + Q&A
    The first episode of the new series of BBC1’s Merlin, together with a panel discussion involving cast and crew.
  • 8th: Vincent in Brixton
    A play about Vincent Van Gogh’s stay in Brixton
  • 13th/21st: The Price of Coal: Meet the People
    Ken Loach and Tony Garnett’s play about a royal visit to Milton Colliery
  • 17th: Changing Stages + Panel Discussion
    The first episode of the series dicussing the development of British theatre, followed by a panel discussion with Mark Lawson, Richard Eyre and Ben Stephenson, BBC controller of drama
  • 19th/20th: The Wars of the Roses
    All 11 parts of John Barton’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s history cycle from Henry VI to Richard III
  • 21st/29th: Which Side Are You On? + The Miners’ Film
    Two documentaries, one by Ken Loach and another made in 1975 but updated during the miners’ strike 10 years later
  • 26th: Theatre Night: Miss Julie
    Janet McTeer and Patrick Malahide star in Strindberg’s play

On at the Mediatheque: The Miners’ Picnic (Ken Russell BBC Documentary about a colliery band competition) and Ken Loach’s Meet the People.

Members’ priority booking opens: 11.30am August 4

Public booking opens: 11.30am August 11

Prices
£7.60 (members)
£5.25 (member concs)
£9.00 (non-members)
£6.65 (non-members concs)
Under 16s £5.

All shows are £5 on Tuesdays. Conc prices are available to senior citizens, students, unwaged and disability visitors. Proof of eligibility may be required.

As always, visit the BFI web site for more details

Monday’s post Comic-con news

27 July 2009 Rob Buckley 2 Comments

Doctor Who

Film

British TV

Canadian TV

US TV

Audio and radio play reviews

Review: The Companion Chronicles 3×10 – The Magician’s Oath

24 July 2009 Rob Buckley 2 Comments

Magician's OathThere’s been a bit of a gap in my Companion Chronicles coverage. Sorry about that, but there’s far too many podcasts on my iPhone as it is, and the mainstream Doctor Who releases, which take priority anyway, seem to be getting longer and longer.

Anyway, I’ve listened to the last three of the third season and I’ll gradually be putting the reviews up over the next week. Woo hoo?

The Magician’s Oath features someone, like Sara Kingdom, who is only debatably a companion (the next one’s even more debatable but more on that next time). It’s Captain Mike Yates, the potential UNIT love interest for Jo Grant during the Jon Pertwee era, who went a bit looney after looking in a crystal and seeing some dinosaurs.

Here, though, he’s in fine form, telling us all how a PJ Hammond-esque magician was more than met the eye.

Continue reading “Review: The Companion Chronicles 3×10 – The Magician’s Oath”

Sitting Tennant

Friday’s Sitting Tennant (from Ms Rullsenberg): Something in an asylum

24 July 2009 Rob Buckley 10 Comments

Ms Rullsenberg's Sitting Tennant

Roll up, roll up. Come one, come all. It’s time for Friday’s Sitting Tennant. This week’s winner in the coconut shy of life that is pictures of Scottish actors on load-bearing surfaces is Ms Rullsenberg, who has successfully provided us with this piece of insanity to fend off Sister Chastity’s advances on her position. Where is it from, I wonder?

  1. Rullsenberg: 43.5
  2. Sister Chastity: 40
  3. Jaradel: 27.5
  4. Rosby: 2.5
  5. Amy: 2
  6. Persephone: 1

Meanwhile, over in witty captions, Toby returns to fight anew with a pun on cheeks which wins him this week’s 10 points. At least, I think it was a pun.

  1. Marie: 142.5
  2. Toby: 141.5
  3. Rullsenberg: 92
  4. Jane Henry: 70.5
  5. Persephone: 45.5
  6. Jaradel: 38.5
  7. Electric Dragon: 31
  8. Rev/Views: 25
  9. Scott 2: 14
  10. Joe, Sister Chastity: 10
  11. Scott: 3
  12. Aaron: 2
  13. almostwitty.com: 1
  14. Stu_N: 1

Remember, you can submit as many captions as you like for today’s picture, with the wittiest getting 10 points next Friday.

Got a picture of David Tennant sitting, lying down or in some indeterminate state in between? Then leave a link to it below or email me and if it’s judged suitable, it will appear in the “Sitting Tennant” gallery.

Every photo displayed on Monday (one per person who sends one in) gets a point, with a bonus point if it’s from the latest DT production; the best pic in the stash each week will appear on Friday and get three points.

You can also enter the witty and amusing captions league table by commenting on Friday’s Sitting Tennant photo, the best caption getting 10 points.

What have you been watching this week (w/e 24 July)?

24 July 2009 Rob Buckley 6 Comments

I think you know what I’m asking, by now.

This week, I caught up via the S4C web site with the first episode of the new series of Caerdydd – only five more to go. Perplexed by recasting of Adam and Siwan Morris’s new/old hairstyle, but enjoying its bleak moodiness and the dumbness of Natasha.

Keep forgetting what happened in previous week’s Royal Pains/Burn Notice, but I’d say Burn Notice is probably having its best season so far, while Royal Pains is proving the deserved hit of the summer. Burn Notice is really shaking up the formula for the better this year. I also have minimal recollection of this week’s Top Gear but I definitely remember laughing a lot.

Dragons’ Den is becoming quite fluffy this series. I think the ending of this week’s episode was probably the loveliest of all the series so far, with Peter Jones being ever so nice, and wasn’t that woman from Sutherland desperately impressive and clever?

The second episode of the second series of Leverage was basically just an advert for MMA fights, which even to my martial arts-loving heart, was way too much. The con was moderately cleverer than normal, was still too telegraphed to really be a surprise. And it’s interesting how Christian Kane’s character has been downgraded from ‘absolutely indestructible and incredible’ in the pilot to just ‘a pretty good fighter’ over the last two series.

I’ve still got Dark Blue and the last episode of Valentine to watch, as well as lots of Samantha Who?. Wish me luck then tell us all what you’ve been watching.

As always, no spoilers unless you’re going to use the <spoiler> </spoiler> tags, please