Saturday, 20 December 2014
Christmas Concert - Methodist Church
Another of Mr. Bobb's efforts, with four young boys - the four Js - the stars of the evening.
Sunday, 14 December 2014
Goodwine Choir sings at St. Botolph without Bishopsgate
St. Botolph's without Bishopsgate is just a few minutes from Liverpool Street Station, and although there are no services there on Sunday, it is open all day during the week, with lunchtime services for the local workers.
The church was beautifully lit and decorated for the concert, and had just the right atmosphere for a Christmassy event. I got there quite early, in case it was crowded - the friends I was meeting had the same thought, and were already there when I arrived.
The church was beautifully lit and decorated for the concert, and had just the right atmosphere for a Christmassy event. I got there quite early, in case it was crowded - the friends I was meeting had the same thought, and were already there when I arrived.
Carol concert - Indian Cultural Centre
The Indian Cultural Centre in Castleton Road has a Christmas event every year. When I went before, it was very good, and it was equally good this year.
We all arrived just before it started at 1.00 p.m., and were lucky to get such good seats, with an excellent view of the stage.
The programme began with a children's choir, all in very colourful costumes, singing variations on well-known Christmas carols. Unlike some children's choirs, they all sang beautifully and were obviously well-rehearsed.
That was followed by two very different items of Indian dancing, again with all the participants in beautiful costumes.
And as usual the programme ended with food in the hall - delicious Indian vegetarian food with a glass of mango juice.
We all arrived just before it started at 1.00 p.m., and were lucky to get such good seats, with an excellent view of the stage.
The programme began with a children's choir, all in very colourful costumes, singing variations on well-known Christmas carols. Unlike some children's choirs, they all sang beautifully and were obviously well-rehearsed.
That was followed by two very different items of Indian dancing, again with all the participants in beautiful costumes.
And as usual the programme ended with food in the hall - delicious Indian vegetarian food with a glass of mango juice.
Saturday, 6 December 2014
Carol Service - St. John the Baptist Holland Road
Instead of their usual Saturday evening Mass, there was a well-attended carol service, held in conjunction with St. George's, Camden Square - and it was obvious that the majority of the congregation came from St. George's.
The programme featured all the usual carols and readings, with the choir processing round the church before returning to the front. Unfortunately, after all the candles had been blown out, I found it very difficult to see the words of the carols - I kept mine going as long as I could, but eventually it accidentally went out and I was left straining my eyes to try and see. However I then discovered that if I moved a couple of places along the pew, I could get enough light to see the word. Very dim lighting may look lovely, but it does make things difficult for people to see - and not everyone has a mobile phone with a light.
The programme featured all the usual carols and readings, with the choir processing round the church before returning to the front. Unfortunately, after all the candles had been blown out, I found it very difficult to see the words of the carols - I kept mine going as long as I could, but eventually it accidentally went out and I was left straining my eyes to try and see. However I then discovered that if I moved a couple of places along the pew, I could get enough light to see the word. Very dim lighting may look lovely, but it does make things difficult for people to see - and not everyone has a mobile phone with a light.
Friday, 5 December 2014
Puccini's Tabarra
Performed at St. Matthew's Church, Sinclair Road, this featured the music from Puccini's opera, though without most of the acting and costumes. However, the programme notes explained the story, leaving the audience free just to lsiten to the music.
Thursday, 4 December 2014
Graphic Chemistry
A fascinating talk at the Chemistry Society, about the use of comics for spreading scientific information. The speaker was an expert on the subject, and led us through the was comics of various types have been used to educate people and dissimulate information. One normally thinks of comics and fiction for children; however they have been used extensively to get information to adults, and in places like Japan, are a very popular way of reaching the general public.
Tuesday, 2 December 2014
Corpus Christi Plays
The Players of St. Peter have now moved to St. George in the East, which is further to go, but is still quite easy to get to, as it is quite near Shadwell Station.
I went to the 6.30 p.m. performance, as I had nothing else on that evening - they always have two performances, one at 6.30 p.m. and the other at 8.30 p.m. throughout a whole week at the beginning of December.
Their previous home, in St. Clement Eastcheap, where they had been for several years, was very small and far from ideal - there were no toilets or catering facilities, and seating was limited and not terribly comfortable. Also there was nowhere to wait indoors if you arrived early for the second performance - if it were raining, as it sometimes was, you just had to wait outside in the rain. St. George's, on the other hand, is a large church with every facility, including a much bigger stage.
The production was, as usual, excellent - and this time there were refreshments at the interval, including, of course, mince pies.
The Players of St. Peter were formed in 1946 in St. Peter-upon-Cornhill, which was where I first saw them perform. St. Peter's had atmosphere, but again wasn't really ideal, though they were there for forty years, before moving to Holy Trinity Sloane Square for a ten year stint, from which they later moved to St. Clement Eastcheap in the City.
The plays themselves are as faithful as possible to the originals of six hundred years ago, thought with some modern innovations such as electric lighting and an organ. The language used is as far as possible the same, with a few adaptations to make it comprehensible to modern audiences - thought it is remarkable just how little the language had changed in all that time.
I went to the 6.30 p.m. performance, as I had nothing else on that evening - they always have two performances, one at 6.30 p.m. and the other at 8.30 p.m. throughout a whole week at the beginning of December.
Their previous home, in St. Clement Eastcheap, where they had been for several years, was very small and far from ideal - there were no toilets or catering facilities, and seating was limited and not terribly comfortable. Also there was nowhere to wait indoors if you arrived early for the second performance - if it were raining, as it sometimes was, you just had to wait outside in the rain. St. George's, on the other hand, is a large church with every facility, including a much bigger stage.
The production was, as usual, excellent - and this time there were refreshments at the interval, including, of course, mince pies.
The Players of St. Peter were formed in 1946 in St. Peter-upon-Cornhill, which was where I first saw them perform. St. Peter's had atmosphere, but again wasn't really ideal, though they were there for forty years, before moving to Holy Trinity Sloane Square for a ten year stint, from which they later moved to St. Clement Eastcheap in the City.
The plays themselves are as faithful as possible to the originals of six hundred years ago, thought with some modern innovations such as electric lighting and an organ. The language used is as far as possible the same, with a few adaptations to make it comprehensible to modern audiences - thought it is remarkable just how little the language had changed in all that time.
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