It’s all go …….again

 I’m making a huge chilli for the above night do. It’s our chance to publish the TCA’s work to the villagers that don’t know what’s happening.

It’s Auntie Glad’s funeral on Tuesday . I heard the male voice choir will be singing at the Church which will be an emotional moment for all , I’m sure. It’s sad that her own Church is closed but fitting the service will take place in the bigger Church of Llanasa, the village she lived in before she was married

Bucket of coffee time is curtailed today , I’m doing overtime at work later

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Detectorists

"Detectorists" is a triumph of beautiful writing and characters with 

real depth and humanity to them. - Rotten Tomatoes

Toby Jones (left) and Mackenzie Crook in "Detectorists"

I was aware of the first series of "Detectorists" when the show was first screened by the BBC in 2014 but I never watched it. The same was true for the second series (2015) and the third series (2017) as well as the Christmas special (2022). For whatever reason I did not run with it. Television does not rule my life and nobody had nudged me by saying, "You must watch it!"

However, in the last month I have managed to watch every episode of "Detectorists" and I must say that it has been a thoroughly enjoyable  marathon. The show is brilliantly innocent and gentle, focusing mainly on two middle-aged men who enjoy nothing better than surveying the local countryside with their metal detectors. They are Lance played by Toby Jones and Andy played by Mackenzie Crook - who rather incredibly wrote the entire show and directed it too.

Everything is intricately woven together. There is a real sense of community and not a gun, a murder or a detective in sight. The sun always seems to shine in the fictional village of Danebury. The humour is delivered like wafer biscuits at a  garden party - not slapped in your face.

As detectorists, Andy and Lance are always hopeful of striking gold but they are also very aware of local history and the business of archaeology.  To a large extent, they are social misfits so their absorbing hobby suits them well.

There is a strong supporting cast too including Lucy Benjamin as Lance's ex-wife and Rachael Stirling as Andy's girlfriend Becky. The members  of the DMDC (Danebury Metal Detecting Club) feature importantly in every episode - more social misfits.

When it comes to comedy and TV drama, we all have different tastes but for me "Detectorists" was magnificent. To see every episode in a relatively short  period of time was a real joy. It contains wise and well-observed understanding of how ordinary humans get along, noting their idiosyncrasies and their weakspots without mocking them. TV drama at its best in my opinion and so very English too.

Lance What you got?

Andy  Matchbox car...Chevrolet Corvette. How in God's name does that get into the middle of a field in Essex?

Lance Dunno.

Andy You know a Roman coin I can understand but a Chevvy Corvette? It doesn't make sense.

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heart

Thank you for your prayers. I covet them. Pray I continue without complaint. Thank you. 

What’s on your heart?

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The Shawshank Redempion

 

Oh I did enjoy my night out with Georgous Dave  last night.

We went to see Owen O Neil and Dave John’s adaptation of the film The Shawshank Redemption at Theatre Clwyd and from the get-go it was clear we were watching a quality piece of theatre.

I think most people know the film, so I won’t worry too much about spoilers , suffice to say we follow the prison life of Andy Dufresne (Jo Absolom) who is incarcerated in the notorious Shawshank Prison during the 1940s. Bright and optimistic and shouting his innocence in the double murder of his wife and her lover , Dufresne strives to change his lot and the lot of his fellow prisoners by making their existence a little more humane even though the Governor, officers and two predatory prisoners all connive to destroy him and his innate goodness. 

Dufresne makes a lifetime friendship with Red Redding ( Ben Onwukwe) who like Morgan Freeman did in the film, narrates the piece with similar chocolate tones but with more of an impish take on the much loved character.

From the get go the play is brutal and compelling to watch. The sets full-fill the brief wonderfully as do the small but very able cast and I loved the ending where the two friends finally meet again against a stunning and unexpected tropical sky, an ending much better than the more talky film ending

Not a dry eye in the house.

So it’s Tuesday, 

College day,

Covid jab no 4

I’m cleaning Bluebell later and am making spiced sweet potato soup 

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