Great Canal Journeys

[nicanary]

Beati Dogu said:

Coneyhurst Blue said:

I love this and am an avid watcher - for me whilst the canals are amazing, the engineering fascinating, the scenery beautiful it is more than that.
For me its a look at marriage, life and a journey two people have taken together. That's the appeal.

Yes, well summed up.

nicanary said:

I'm watching my recording of tonight's episode. They visited the oldest working theatre in the world, and it really was quite amazing. Timothy was spouting Shakespeare (I recognised Lear, but not the soliloquy he uttered on stage (Macbeth?))

Richard II

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/247646

Thanks. I don't think I've ever read Dick 2, but I did Lear for O-level and remember nothing except the "blow, rage" oration.

[Eric Mc]

I actually took part in a professional production of "Richard II" at the now closed Redgrave Theatre, Farnham (the two events are not linked, I hasten to add). It is one of the most interesting of Shakespeare's play. He made sure that, even though Richard is written as the villain of the piece, you do feel sorry for his predicament - quite unlike how he wrote "Richard III".

The most famous speech from "Richard II" is not from the king but from "John of Gaunt" . His speech defining the attributes of "England" as "This Sceptered Isle" has been heard in all sorts of contexts in the centuries since the play was written.

[Beati Dogu]

We did Macbeth at school and went to see a performance "in the round" at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.

My mum used to act and produce plays, so I'd often help her learn her lines. She can quote from stuff she did decades ago as well. Shakespeare has that iambic pentameter rhythm that helps it flow, or so I'm told.

[Eric Mc]

I've been to see lots of Shakespeare plays over the years. I love the outdoor type of performances you get in the summer. I have seen most of the main plays and enjoyed all of them.

[Laurel Green]

A new series with Tim and Pru 'barging' around starts this evening at 8 o'clock (C4).

1/3 Timothy West and Prunella Scales embark on more waterway adventures, beginning west of Venice on the renta.

[nicanary]

Laurel Green said:

A new series with Tim and Pru 'barging' around starts this evening at 8 o'clock (C4).

1/3 Timothy West and Prunella Scales embark on more waterway adventures, beginning west of Venice on the renta.

Brilliant! I didn't think Pru could cope with another series, unless these were filmed concurrently with the Swediah outing. She really is a game old bird - hope she wouldn't mind if she saw this description - doubt if she's a frequent visitor to PH.

[FiF]

Just watched ep1, not sure when it was filmed but glad to see Pru looked better than the last series, still a shadow of former self but even so. Perhaps that's a false impression as there were fewer scenes of her boat handling / crewing skills shown.

On the question of boat handling, Tim old chap, what the jolly old hell were you playing at with the pickle you got yourself into trying to get to La Fenice? As you afterwards observed, a right balls up.

[Eric Mc]

Glad to see this series back. Missed it last night due to watching some obscure nonsense going on in South America. I'll catch up on the Channel 4 on demand service.

[CooperD]

Last night's was a very good episode. These two make great presenters and are the perfect foil for each other. It looks like being a great series and next week they are in Amsterdam.

[Smollet]

I enjoyed it as well but sometimes I find Mr West a bit of an arse. He's an excellent actor it's just sometimes how he behaves towards Sybil irritates me.

[Eric Mc]

The comfort and security of familiarity and knowing each other really well, I think.

[Bonefish Blues]

It's a programme about a love affair punctuated by boating. I find it rather affecting

[spitfire-ian]

Their own narrow boat is moored about 3 down from ours. They are a genuinely lovely couple.

[Laurel Green]

Heads up.

[Laurel Green]

The chap showing them around Amsterdam sure exited the boat smartly after witnessing Tim's boat handling skills.

[The Mad Monk]

What a boring, self-centred, incestuous pair.

They are actors, you know. Did they mention that?

[Eric Mc]

What a strange thing to say. I think they come across very well.

I'd much prefer their canal trips programme than John Sergeant's.

[The Mad Monk]

Eric Mc said:

What a strange thing to say. I think they come across very well.

I'd much prefer their canal trips programme than John Sergeant's.

Tedious couple of luvvies.

[Eric Mc]

I enjoy them and I find their relationship quite moving - especially knowing that Prunella Scales is suffering from detiorating health.

So they are actors. So what?

At least they know how to communicate effectively.

[FiF]

Thread deteriorates into a clone of the Top Gear thread.

There's stuff I don't watch, eg that voted nation's favourite 21st century sitcom, Mrs Brown's Boys, really???!!??? About as funny as watching your house burn down and then the flames extinguished by a river flooding. However I have a solution that works for me, it's the off button, a recommended alternative not used sufficiently frequently, but don't feel the need to insult the cast or crew.