Eh Joe and The Great Gatsby

I didn't make it to much at this year's Edinburgh Festival, what with one thing and another and me being so tired after all the therapies, so it was a huge delight to get to my one and only show, a Samuel Beckett play for TV adopted for stage by Atom Egoyan and presented by the Lyceum Theatre and starring the great, the one and only Michael Gambon, as Joe, one of my favourite actors of all time. I went with my wee brother, who seems to follow me around to all Beckett productions, these days, most of them anyway, or so it seems. It's a pleasure having you on board of course young man, and you do seem to know more about Beckett than anyone else, so an expert in the family is always a good thing to have.

Joe sits in his bedroom, alone, checks the doors, windows and cupboards, draws the curtains, which are even on the cupboards and doors, just like my mother had in Aird Tong. Then he checks under the bed, and who hasn't done the same, just in case the bad man/woman is hiding there? Thankfully I've never come across anyone hiding under the bed, so far, but one can't be too careful with that sort of thing, I could well understand why Joe was being so careful.

We then see him, centre stage on his bed, sideways to the audience, and he hears a woman's voice, an ex-lover, remonstrating with him. His face is projected front stage, at least six feet tall, craggy, saggy, baggy, lined, every movement or no movement, full of depth and meaning, every emotion there, from a to z, as  quietly, revengefully, threateningly, the almost friendly voice, reminds him of his past misdemeanours and tells him the story of another rejected lover who killed herself, very slowly over days. Gambon never says a word, but it's more powerful for that. The disembodied voice is Penelope Wilton, whom we never see, but who dominates the theatre.

Both performances are mesmerising and a little bit spooky, disconcerting and totally engrossing. The words of course are what matter and give all the pleasure.... she says to him "You know that penny farthing hell you call your mind....that's where you think this is coming from, don't you?" and later when she is talking about his father she says to him "mental thugee you called it." though I'm not absolutely certain what or who he/she is referring to.  Neil reckons that by the end Beckett is doubting his atheism, at least I think that's what he meant. If not maybe he will come and tell us.

I've also had my first trip to the cinema since being told of my tumorous colon and very enjoyable it was too. It's so exciting being in the cinema, I forgot how much I missed it. I went to see The Great Gatsby, with my good friend Gordon. Excellent movie and superb performance from DiCaprio, who's matured nicely and looks magnificent. I think he's going to be one of our finest actors. He's been in tow of the best films I've seen this year. Tobey Maguire was perfect as Carraway, and Carey Mulligan was beautiful looking and acting wise. The film was in 3D which I had not expected but seemed to add something to the whole feel of it. Gatsby's parties were terrific in 3D, as was his view across the water to the green light across the bay on East Egg at the end of  Buchanan's dock.

"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter - tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms further... And one fine morning -
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."