Square Eyes

After a day spent staring at a screen as I start on my tax return, an unispiring experience where I am shocked at how little I earn, this evening I have turned to the slighter larger screen in the corner of the sitting room. It’s been mainly Channel 4; the news, the Paralympics, The Last Leg, shortly the Paralympics again and I’ll be watching until Ellie Simmonds races just after 11.30. But I had a bit of a break on ITV remembering how much I loved Cold Feet all those years ago, and finding that this return series is again reeling me in.

I didn’t watch the first episode last week. Call me a coward, but I didn’t want all those wonderful memories spoiled by a crass revival. However the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, so tonight I decided to give it a whirl. It is rather wonderful to find that your memories are not rose-tinted, that the writing is tight and the performances warm and convincing. Hermione Wotsit (not her real name, but I can’t think of it at the minute) is great as the buttoned up Karen, now estranged from her husband David, played by Robert Bathhurst as an overgrown prep schoolboy who functions well in high finance but badly everywhere else. Born into a different class he’d could have been Arthur Daley. Widowed Adam has a new much younger wife, who despite the misgivings of his old friends turns out to be a good sort. Pete is crumbling into depression, struggling to make a living and working as a cabby and a carer. His client is a crabby James Bolam, obviously enjoying himself in his role. At the rate I am acquiring TV programmes I want to watch, going to Australia is going to be a bit of a wrench.

My favourite quote from a gold medal wielding Paralymopian today was from the man who said that after doing well in the Invicta Games two years ago he decided to give up smoking and be serious about his sport. Those aren’t his exact words, but they made my jaw drop. My hero, David Weir, didn’t do so well in his first race. “Well that was rubbish,” was his comment. Johnny Vegas has been an unlikely champion of the games, and up for a gold medal as a superfan. My guess is he is going to clear his diary for Tokyo. He made an emotional appeal tonight for someone to get him out of the job he is flying home for as he wants to stay in Rio.

Nadbugs may want to look away now, but breaking news is that GBBO is leaving the BBC and heading for Channel 4. That makes me feel a bit sad. Not too sad to watch it tomorrow if it doesn’t clash with a Paralympic event I want to watch though.

It’s not all television. I have my ticket for King Lear at the Old Vic for 31st October, two nights before I head for Melbourne. After a twenty-five year absence from the stage, and now retired from politics, Glenda Jackson returns to the stage in the title role. This I have to see. Earlier this summer I saw A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Globe. It was a Bollywood influenced production and a number of the charcters had their genders changed; Peter Quince became Rita Quince, Helena became Helenus. It was fabulous. It had its last performance last night and was live-streamed by the BBC. I was with Octavia enjoying our regular Sunday evening debrief and meal. We watched a few scenes which were enough to make me determined to watch it all again when it becomes freely available for a limited amount of time.

We’re enjoying a few hot days and I am not working until Thursday. Ideally I should head for das Boot, but I need to get a few things sorted so I shall stay in London. My current book is Bodies of Light by Sarah Moss. I love it. You know that feeling when the book you are reading still stays with you at the edge of your thoughts whatever else you are doing? like a living, breathing thing? It’s one of those

Advertisement