RIP Bob Hoskins

1942 - 2014

Tommy Cooper: Not Like That, Like This

Whenever I have watched old TV shows or clips, featuring the much loved and now iconic Tommy Cooper, I never fail to laugh out loud. Like many others, I do believe that Tommy Cooper was one of the greatest performers of his age, and probably of all time. Consequently, I sat down with a little trepidation to watch ITV's recent drama, telling not only of the man on stage, but also the man off stage. The one-off  programme very much depicts the Tommy Cooper we are all familiar with, but also takes quite a deep look into his private life, depicting aspects of it that some may not be familiar with, I know I wasn't. 

I did worry, I thought this might be a case of ITV messing too much with a legend, and that if nothing else the programme would suffer for it. However I am again happy to say that my early misgivings and preconceptions were wrong. Tommy Cooper: Not Like That, Like This was a pleasant triumph in my humble opinion.

I confess I did not easily recognize David Threlfall as Tommy Cooper. Despite him being a respected and talented actor, he was a relative unknown to me as I have never watched Shameless, which is what he is perhaps most famous for. I also struggled to recognize him because the character transformation was so profound. Not blanketing and all-encompassing, but a lot of subtle details seemed to contribute to him becoming Cooper, and broadly speaking they all worked to great effect.

Also crucially, David Threlfall's performance throughout was by and large an excellent one. His Tommy Cooper came off to viewers as an almost perfect blend of larger than life presence and fragile and vulnerable heart. In essence, he managed to present an incredibly flawed character; not only that but an incredibly flawed representation of a legendary man so many held, and still hold dear. Yes I did find there were one or two moments that strayed into the one-dimensional (I don't think Cooper's threatening/violent side was presented as well as it could have been) but all in all a wonderfully watchable and unique performance I found. What's more, David Threlfall gave life to Tommy Cooper in a very important, and I feel integral way: his comedy. When he portrayed Tommy Cooper doing what he does best (which was quite often) he was incredibly funny, and I was laughing out loud again as if I was watching the great man himself.

Threlfall was not the only shining jewel in this ITV drama however, as he was accompanied by various other very encapsulating performances. Amanda Redman and Helen McCrory are both well established and supremely talented actresses in their own right, and their performances here are quite superb. Redman playing the staunch and matronly wife of Cooper with wonderful zeal and zest, and McCroy playing the fragile, demure yet cheeky mistress Cooper shared a relationship with for nearly twenty years. Each actress and character remarkably different, and each one remarkably brought to life before us. Other brilliant casting gems feature Gregor Fisher as Cooper's long-suffering and cantankerous Scottish agent, and a surprising but very pleasing appearance from Jason Manford as Ken Brooke.

Not Like That, Like This really does hit the nail on the head in many places for me when it comes to Tommy Cooper. Poignant, authentic, sorrowful, comedic, dramatic; it really is a great watch, whether you're a fan of the great performer or not. 

Ashfield House - Grassington

I freely confess I do not really have that much experience of the whole Bed & Breakfast "scene". This isn't really conscious, it is just an area of the hospitality world I haven't really been exposed to that much, as growing up and even now hotels and the odd tent have been much more prominent (read into that whatever you will).  

However, allow me to tell you the tale of Ashfield House, a charming B&B in the equally charming village of Grassington in North Yorkshire. As first (or at least first for a long long time) impressions of a B&B go, for me this could have been a lot worse. As it is, Ashfield House provided a unique, highly hospitable, greatly atmospheric, wonderfully catered evening for me and mine during a recent visit.

Their mantra is heavily publicized as being "There are no strangers here but friends we are yet to meet." This kind of saying immediately sets it apart from the 'bog standard' B&B you might find in a coastal town or tourist-heavy attraction, though not necessarily for the right reasons. To me, seeing something like that leads me to expect, more often than not, people who may try hard but still end up falling into a chasm of predictability and cliched idioms. This time though, how wrong could I have been? Run by Joe and Elizabeth, the former Maltese and the latter American, and with a staff team ranging in origin from Polish to Ecuadorian (again a potential stereotype possibly) their mantra and way of living and working really does hit home when you enter the place.

The results of all their tireless effort and dedication, along with all their obvious and subtle changes and touches, is quite difficult to explain, but I will say it was pretty excellent throughout. As a  guest, either of board and lodgings or just dinner as we were, you are welcomed from the start. Throughout our time there, after being welcomed, we were attended to and monitored almost constantly, but not in an annoying obtrusive way, but subtly, helpfully and hospitably. The restaurant area of Ashfield House is a fairly small and modest affair, but again that just adds to its never-ending charm. The perhaps rustic and home-grown/home-made fare is wonderful to read as it is to consume. My selections included a divine onion soup, a perfectly seared steak, and a remarkable home-spun rhubarb and apple crumble. Again; all wonderful to behold, and all presented to us by a team of fastidious, polite and passionate people to a man.

Whether you are a B&B regular, or a newbie to the game, or just simply in search of a welcoming venue for a night, I guarantee that Ashfield House will not disappoint. For me, it is a true gem, glistening brightly in the marvelous county that is Yorkshire. 

The Michael McIntyre Chat Show

Another first for this blog I beleive; reviewing a chat show. In this case, we're looking at the latest outing of the mega-popular and endearingly hilarious comedian Michael McIntyre. He has already conquered the comedy stage in recent years (and I don't think by any means he is finished in that arena) and now he has turned his hand to a chat show, which was broadcast on Monday nights on BBC One, and this week it finished its first series, with another promised later in the year. 

So - was it any good? Well I think so, yes. OK, so there were a few faults and foibles but generally I think it was a pretty good effort, and it produced some good results. Of course let us not forget, that in the realm of TV chat shows, there was and is some stiff competition for this newcomer to the game. From Alan Carr: Chatty Man which is now an established show on Channel 4, to legends like Johnathan Ross on ITV, to Graham Norton whose rise has been just as meteoric on BBC One. Maybe this is part of the reason why such a welcomed chat show with such a high-flying host and celebrity guests was placed in such an obscure time slot. And maybe it has done well enough to be given a better one with its second series, who knows?

But the series itself. Well Michael McIntyre certainly did not shy away as a host, but instead put his trademark enthusiasm and affable comedy into this new project of his. Reading interviews leading up to the show's debut, he did seem very very humbled and excited at the prospect, and say whatever else you like about it, week on week this certainly showed. Not only that, to me he was quite god at it. OK, there were times when you did get the feeling that he was getting ahead of himself, and too preoccupied with the audience reaction to him instead of the show and his guests, but by and large I found McIntyre to be a wonderfully and hilariously watchable chat show host. He was still able to show off his approach-ability and comedic talents, when it came to audience interaction, and the always hilarious 'Send-To-All' section of the show. He certainly seemed to grow into the role, and I think he steadily improved, without losing the core of who he is and why millions of fans love him so much. I do beleive that he will go on to set a high standard in his second series.

In terms of the guests Michael McIntyre's brand new chat show managed to attract; well it was a bit of a mixed bag but again generally very good indeed. The quality was certainly there from the off, with well respected and high profile figures such as Sir Terry Wogan and Ray Winstone. There were a couple of damp squids for me along the way though. These included the model and Strictly star Abbey Clancy (who in my opinion comes off as a bit too shallow and self-obsessed for her own good) and sultry TV chef Nigella Lawson, who McIntyre interviewed in a mish-mash of trying to be hard hitting and sensitively caring at the same time; it was OK to watch, but it did feel a bit awkward. Apart from these few instances however, each guest he had produced varied, interesting and funny watching. Personal highlights for me include the wonderful Joanna Lumley, petrol head Jeremy Clarkson and the lovable living legend Sir David Jason. Finally for me, and I think for many other viewers, it all culminated on Monday in an absolutely hilarious and fantastic final show of the series, featuring the brilliant James Corden (and a cracking personalized 'Send-To-All') the brave and beautiful Alex Jones and the iconic Sir Bruce Forsyth.

In essence, Michael McIntyre has presented to us another string to his bow, and the resulting chat show I think is a very enjoyable piece of telly. Done in a way that, whilst aspiring to be very much showbiz, also feels very pleasant, light-hearted and fun, which surely cannot be a bad thing. I confess I was a little worried Michael McIntyre might have harpooned his glittering career when I heard he was venturing into the realms of a chat show. However by and large, I am happy to say I was mistaken.

Posillipo - Canterbury

Like the Red Lion of Stodmarsh, the Posillipo restaurant in Canterbury was found and continued to be frequented by myself and my family, as a culinary bi-product of my time at university. What's more, also like the Red Lion, there have been many visits to this gem within the city walls over that three year period, the last of which was recently the weekend just gone.

Unlike the Red Lion however, the Posillipo story, or at least my experience of it, does not have any real twists and turns; it did not really evolve through my eyes and visits as time went on. Instead, upon pretty much every occasion I can think of, it has provided a wonderful venue full of excellence again and again.

If any noticeable evolution has occurred at all, it is that Posillipo has become even more popular if possible in recent times, than it was when we first found it. And rightly so certainly. 

A vendor and purveyor of Italian custom and cuisine (in case you hadn't already worked that one out by now) Posillipo is actually a small but focused restaurant chain around Kent; in Canterbury, Faversham and Broadstairs. In fairness, I perhaps should have visited the latter two, but never got the chance. Happily however, the Canterbury branch provided and does provide more than enough in almost every way. Crucially and markedly to our decision to frequent the Canterbury Posillipo (which is tucked away in a respectable, artisan part of the city just off the King's Mile) is the fact that it has a real and authentic wood-fire pizza oven, whereas Broadstairs and Faversham apparently do not.

I think you will be hard pressed to find many Italian restaurants in Canterbury, Kent, and even further afield who are equipped with such, and can thus provide such remarkable pizzas as a result. Fired and cooked to perfection, made with the finest dough and ingredients, pizza is surely what draws many to the place food-wise. I myself normally go for the Calzone. 

So the food is consistently superb, the location is brilliant, the decor is charming, the staff seem well trained and the atmosphere is often remarkably buzzing and great to sit amongst. Truly, if you have any love for Italian, and plan on visiting Canterbury, Posillipo is well worth a look.

Gambit

No, it's not the X-Men character Marvelites! No, this is my take on Gambit (a 2012 remake of an original 1966 film that starred Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine) when I recently watched it for the first time, on DVD. My opinion in a nutshell? It was alright. It was a bit of a case of -  'nnnng...arrrgh...oh....gah....meh". For me, Gambit is a bit of a dissapointment because from the looks of the trailers and press leading up to this film, it was being sold as a slick, modern remake of a crime thriller with healthy influxes of comedy. I think on both counts, the results were a bit half-arsed. As I say, it was a bit of a let down. Yes there were several positive points but sadly not enough to save the overall result and indeed the film.

In essence, the story of the film is thus. Top art curator Harry Deane (Colin Firth) feels put upon, under-appreciated, and harassed by his powerful, wealthy and ruthless boss Lord Shabandar (Alan Rickman) and thus plots to con him into buying a fake Monet painting, with the aid of Texas cowgirl P J Puznowski (Cameron Diaz).

Three of the crucial saving graces of this film, are the three main characters. All incredibly well known stars, and all capable of supreme acting talent. Yet each of these star performances are tainted by the poorly constructed manner in which they are fashioned and presented to the audience. Directed by Michael Hoffman, written by the Cohen brothers, this film should have been presented if not superbly, at least well enough for its conception and delivery to not be seen as forcible problems for someone watching it. Whether through direction, writing, lack of vision, lack of talent or whatever, the three main stars are rarely, if at all allowed to come into their own.

Colin Firth, who has wowed us with his ability in films such as The King's Speech, alongside thrilling us with his affably comic ability in the Bridget Jones films, is not best presented in Gambit. Yes his Harry Deane is endearing enough, but his mannerisms often seemed stunted and stifled to me, resulting in his character not even being able to fully embrace the comedic and "typically" British aspects of his character.
The same can be sort of said of Alan Rickman, an actor of legendary talent and repute, and deservedly so. Yet here they seem to be deliberately limiting him to either woefully brash and loud eccentricity (which I'm sure he enjoyed regardless) or sly and vaguely venomous quips. This he does well, but you really get the sense that (despite a few sparsely placed pure Alan Rickman moments) that there is so much to give from this character, and the great actor behind him, which is sadly left untapped. 

Finally Cameron Diaz and her role in Gambit seem to have been very closeted to that of a brashly Texan cowgirl to clash with the stereotypical and even politically incorrect British-ness of the rest of the film (including thick Texan accent and 'mindset' that get away from Diaz several times). If not that, then they seem to have gone back to using her as the pretty face of the film. Like Firth and Rickman, this is all well and good I suppose but I, like many others watching this film, know that it really is a case of cheap shots, and it is odd and disappointing when an actor of such fame and quality can do much more.

Apart from these three there were some welcome supporting roles from Stanley Tucci and Tom Courtenay, but yet again I was expecting great roles from greatly talented and renowned actors, and instead the two results were definitely ranging into the stereotypical and poorly construed. Also worth a mention were Pip Torrens and Julian Rhind-Tutt, who lightened the mood briefly as two innuendo-laced Savoy concierges. But even then, their scenes felt lazily done at times and their screen time wasn't nearly long enough. 

I really do feel that the many failings of Gambit lie with the actors/characters, but through not much fault of their own. Watching the film it really does seem to me to be a lot of cases of 50% shown and not much more. All together they are enough to produce quite a good watch for an hour and a half or so, but with such a great cast with possibly insurmountable ability and potential, I do feel that perhaps the writers, directors and producers let this film down. Which is a shame, because as I say, I was ready to really love this one, and as it is I just got to the point of liking it. 

The Red Lion, Stodmarsh ~ The student-viewed three year legacy of a quintessentially quirky Kentish pub

Another restaurant/eatery/location-esque one here then, but this time it is with a bit of a difference, and for me a bit of a back story. Regular readers of this here blog, specifically the 'ABOUT ME' section, will know that though I am a Lancashire lad through and through, I am also a graduate of the University of Kent, Canterbury and thus spent three years down there. Of course, being a student I often spent time embracing some perhaps "stereotypical viewpoints" of what student life is, specifically when it came to budgeting for food and living costs etc; I was in a very fortunate position in many instances, but I was still on a budget and mostly tried to live modestly. Yet every now and again, often with the timely arrival and generous financial and logistical contributions of my father when he came to visit from up north, I would get the chance to venture far and wide into the county, discovering pieces, places, and people of Kent that I would not normally get to see. This also included several eatery gems, and the Red Lion Inn, a charming pub in the equally charming Kentish village of Stodmarsh was one of them, and the northern father and son returned there several times over three years, the most recent visit was this weekend just gone, during a flying visit to the county itself.

But I must digress firstly, as I believe this particular Red Lion to be so unique, that I must first explain a little about how we first found it, and how we continued to find it. Though the Red Lion is a widely used and very respectable name for such an establishment, it quickly became known by another name to us. Rather oddly and uncouthly perhaps, but we referred to the place as 'F**k A Snake' (apologies, but I did say it was uncouth) Now please please do not misunderstand me, this was not derogatory in the slightest. This was simply because, having met the erstwhile, eccentric yet to us very endearing landlord Robert Whigham, and having explained that my father had traveled all the way from Lancashire to visit, his response was memorably, oddly yet hilariously - "F**k a snake!" Now, if you were to Google the Red Lion in Stodmarsh and Robert Whigham a bit, you will see that his rather healthy appetite for alcohol has been published somewhat in the press, apparently reaching up to 15 pints of ale a day. This was rather obvious upon our first visit, as it was every time we visited and saw Robert since. Now I do not know what effect this had on the running of the pub (though he apparently was landlord for 15 years plus) his life, or that of those who knew him day to day, nor would it be proper of me to cast speculation or opinion. What I will say, is that each time we entered the Red Lion in Stodmarsh, about two or three times a year for three years on average as I say, Robert at the very least was quiet, polite and reserved, and at other times at the very most was incredibly inebriated but wonderfully and hilariously hospitable and welcoming. 

As for the rest of  the Red Lion - the feel was consistently a mix of the traditional, eclectic and quirky. The staff were warm and welcoming. And the food was always to a very high standard. Apologies, as I cannot give you a more detailed description of our three year history with the place, but rather understandably my memory of that time is rather obscured by the memorable personality of that unusual landlord. However he and everything else came together to present a wonderful experience; one to celebrate, and a consummate example of what the British pub is all about.

What I can report upon, is our last visit to the Red Lion, which as I say took place this weekend past. Change had occurred, profoundly and markedly. Gone were  the more traditional, old-fashioned adornments, gone was the completely at ease and laid back feel, and gone was Robert Whigham. Our first thought admittedly, was that perhaps his excessive drinking habits had finally and tragically caught up with him. Yet thankfully we were informed by a very attentive, polite and pretty young lady (who I beleive might have been April, daughter of the new owners but I am not sure) that Robert had retired finally after many long and I imagine happy years of service and that in late 2013, the Red Lion had passed into new ownership. The results of this as far as I could see and experience, included a slightly more streamlined yet still quintessentially unique and traditional feel/appearance to the pub, as well as what appeared to be a slightly more driven, passionate and ambitious workforce. Yet the overall effect was still pleasantly the same, and still pleasantly intrinsic to the Red Lion. The new staff were still warmly welcoming, the atmosphere was still wonderful, and the quality and standard of the food and drink provided was still reasonable yet reaching a superb standard in my view (I myself starting with an intruiging duck breast salad, then a superbly cooked Guinea-fowl, finishing with a deliciously moorish gypsy tart).

So yes, for me it was and is still a heartfelt thank you that is three-years in the making, to all who have served at the Red Lion, and all of those who have worked and striven to fashion it into what it is today. Perhaps to some it may not seem as special as I have described, yet to me the three year long, multi-faceted and incredibly pronounced experience of the Stodmarsh was such that I reccomend it heartily to anyone Keep up the good work! And rest assured, if I am ever again in Kent, I shall certainly be back.

RIP Mickey Rooney

1920 ~ 2014