The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) by Margaret Atwood

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

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