Sir Nick prioritised Robert Peston over HBG so we all dutifully waited for him to arrive. Whilst waiting we were not idle, we endorsed….
ENDORSE IT:
TV: Atlanta (iPlayer) written by & starring Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino)
TV: Parks and Recreation (Amazon TV)
FESTIVAL: The Great Escape 2018 (x 2 endorsements)
FOOTBALL: Unai Emery - new Arsenal FC manager
BOOK: Can't Stand Up For Falling Down: Rock'n'Roll War Stories by Allan Jones
BOOK: Happy by Derren Brown
BOOK: All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
BOOK: King Rat by China Mieville
FILM: The Florida Project (2017)
FILM: A Quiet Place (2018)
PLAY: The Ferryman at The Gielgud Theatre
PLAY: Flying Lovers
PERFORMANCE: Shut Down, Vincent Dance Theatre at Brighton Festival 2018
WILDLIFE: Tawny Owls in Partridge Green
TALK: Arnhem talk by Antony Beevor
DRINK: Tarquin’s Gin from Cornwall
COMING UP NEXT TIME:
Thursday 21st June 2018 (Tristan's choice)
Twisted Fairytales
MUSIC: I Gemini - Let’s Eat Grandma
FILM: A Company of Wolves
BOOK: UnderMajorDomo Minor by Patrick deWitt
And so, finally, a breathless and bedraggled Nick arrived to discuss his "Dystopian Futures" selections…
BOOK: The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) by Margaret Atwood
MUSIC: Dog Man Star (1994) by Suede
FILM: Blade Runner 2049 (2017) dir by Denis Villeneuve
BOOK: The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) by Margaret Atwood
‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, Atwood's chilling tale of a concubine in an oppressive future America, was generally very well received by HBG.
Keith deemed it assured
Nigel identified it as fiercely political and bleak, yet witty and wise
Nigel identified it as fiercely political and bleak, yet witty and wise
Tristan opined that it is a cautionary tale with ever more prescience and relevance
Robin muttered it was post-feminism writ large, but dismissed the characterisation as weak and unconvincing
Roland concluded that it was claustrophobic and domestic
Nick, controversially, going last, declared it hard to put down
Nick
|
7.5
|
Tristan
|
6.5
|
Keith
|
8
|
Robin
|
6.5
|
Roland
|
8
|
Nigel
|
7
|
MUSIC: Dog Man Star (1994) by Suede
 |
| Roland needed a lie down |
Robin and Nigel had enjoyed an audience with Brett, Suede’s singer and lyricist, by way of preparation. Caps were doffed and forelocks tugged.
Keith and Nick adore Dog Man Star.
Roland was troubled by the lack of slap bass and the histrionic vocals. After one listen he needed a lie down
However, everyone else was firmly in favour, impressed by the sheer degree of ambition and the demented, doomed, destructive folly.
FILM: Blade Runner 2049 (2017) dir by Denis Villeneuve
Robin didn’t watch it. More fool him.
Everyone else, aside from Roland, who was slightly underwhelmed in the cinema when it was released, was blown away by this visually stunning film: a narcotic spectacle of eerie and pitiless vastness, by turns satirical, tragic and romantic. Blade Runner 2049 riffs on the first film, to our collective approval
 |
| Tristan disappearing into the Hove night |
Nick
|
9
|
Tristan
|
8
|
Keith
|
7
|
Robin
|
-
|
Roland
|
6
|
Nigel
|
9
|
And with that, we disappeared wraith-like into the Hove night
