Buxton - day the third
After posting to my blog last night, I went to the Buxton Opera House to watch the Tokyo Theatre's production of 'The Mikado'. Someone has carefully translated the entire thing into Japanese (then translated some bits back so that we get at least some of the jokes).
On my way there, I hear an anonymous voice saying "But it's in Japanese - what if I don't know what's going on?" After a brief pause for reflection, the person realises that they will probably be able to follow the story regardless.
My impression - the voices are superb (well, they have brought their national opera company over), the costumes are outstanding and even though it is in Japanese (mostly), it is still very funny. Some familiar Japanese terms and helpful gestures make it clear (well, sort of) that the Mikado orders immoral young men to commit hari-kiri, instead of having them beheaded - in the Mikado's list of people deserving cruel and unusual punishment are:
* karaoke bar owners (I think most people got that one)
* sudoku puzzle writers (probably about half the audience got that one)
* hard-core pachinko players (it's only thanks to Clive James that I had any idea what the hell they were going on about, and even then I am not entirely sure).
The production was insanely popular. I decided to get a proper dinner as a treat (the local Co-op supermarket has been doing a roaring trade in salad sandwiches and I wanted a change). The Old Sun Inn doesn't open for meals until 6:30 - too late. I went up the hill a bit further to Firenze - it was packed. I tried The Pavilion (next door to the Opera House) - also packed. I tried The Clubhouse over the road - same story. I was wandering back to the main street, and found a coffee shop in the Old Courthouse building. The waitress seemed concerned and stressed that they only had panini. It was about 7pm, so I didn't see the problem. Unfortunately, I also nearly didn't see the panini - it was extremely tasty, but it was also about the same size as an Aussie chocolate eclair - not exactly a hearty meal. On the way home, I braved a hideous death from salmonella to buy a kebab. The kebab shop owner is a major fan of 'The Crocodile Hunter' and similar programs. I agree cheerfully with everything he says, as he appears to have a bullet scar on his shoulder. Nodding and smiling wins me a grade A kebab, so I have no complaints.
Everyone agrees the following day that their Katisha was actually very attractive, despite having gone to a great deal of effort to play it down - she had two of the most amazing kimono and one English line, where she summed up about seven lines of the original dialogue by announcing that she was 'as beautiful as the Princess Camilla'. The SavoyNet cast all agree that there is no contest, and several wondered why the hell Nanki-Poo bothered to run away.
More notes on the production are available at the Festival website (http://www.gs-festival.co.uk/FestivalHighLights/?HL=3) - for those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about when I mention parts of the plot, there is a summary available on the web (http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/mikado/html/summary.html).
It is still raining, it hasn't stopped since the night I arrived. This morning, I have rehearsals until about midday. I also help out pinning up costumes - pity the poor chorus members who receive something I've worked on!!
At about 2pm, I'm free, so I head off to do a bit of touristing. A bit further up Greens Lane, there is a famous cave, Poole's Cavern. A cave sounds warm and dry, so I head up there and do the tour. There are some very interesting rock formations, including one area where the rock formations are largely the result of industrial pollution... For more information, check out the link (http://www.poolescavern.co.uk/PCintro.html). When I come out, the rain seems to be slacking off, so I go for a walk in the 100-acre wood (Grinlow Wood) that has been planted over the limeworks that used to surround the cavern. The wood is quite pretty - I climb up to the top of the old quarry, and find myself looking out over an excellent view and also a caravan park. One holiday maker is driving around in circles, I presume they are trying to work out the best site to build an Ark.
Naturally, when I am in an exposed spot with no shelter, it begins to rain harder. I go back into the 100-acre wood and try to find my way to Solomon's Tower (http://www.buxtononline.net/Buxton-Online98/Buxton-Online-Derbyshire-Peak-District-Community98/solomon.htm). This involves walking most of the way down the hill - did I mention that the 100-acre wood is on a 45-degree angle? - and back up again. When I get to the top, I encounter my first stile. Over the first stile is my first view of an old lime burning area. Those of you who know Bendigo will understand if I say 'green mullock heaps'. For the rest of you, there are a lot of holes in the ground. It actually makes me think of Tolkein and his hobbits - apparently lime-burners did live in the old kilns and in caves dug into the ash-heaps and so forth.
Where there are stiles, there are also cows. Very, very unhappy cows crowded under a tree. I'm not worried about them charging me, because they'd kill themselves falling into a pit if they did. I am worried about falling into a pit myself, so I try to pass the limeworks along the fence. The cows obviously prefer this option. I walk very carefully and watch the ground.
When I get to Solomon's Tower, I realise that this Grade II monument also provides excellent shelter for cows. I climb up the stairs for panoramic views of Buxton and rain. I climb down the stairs for panoramic views of fertilizer. Thank God it is not a hot summer. It begins to rain even more heavily, so I go back to the B&B. Tonight's festival offering is Iolanthe - I can live without another Iolanthe just yet, so I plan to get dinner at the Old Sun Inn, which is well recommended and just over the road from the internet cafe. Hopefully they have a fairly liberal dress policy, as my hiking boots are back at the B&B, soaking wet and covered in cow poo. I must add though, I'm rapt that I paid the money for proper boots - my feet stayed warm and dry right through, despite the fact that I was walking through little runnels of water pretty much all day. I am now resplendently clad in my only jumper, my workout pants and a pair of sandals. If they don't let me in, I plan to beg...
On my way there, I hear an anonymous voice saying "But it's in Japanese - what if I don't know what's going on?" After a brief pause for reflection, the person realises that they will probably be able to follow the story regardless.
My impression - the voices are superb (well, they have brought their national opera company over), the costumes are outstanding and even though it is in Japanese (mostly), it is still very funny. Some familiar Japanese terms and helpful gestures make it clear (well, sort of) that the Mikado orders immoral young men to commit hari-kiri, instead of having them beheaded - in the Mikado's list of people deserving cruel and unusual punishment are:
* karaoke bar owners (I think most people got that one)
* sudoku puzzle writers (probably about half the audience got that one)
* hard-core pachinko players (it's only thanks to Clive James that I had any idea what the hell they were going on about, and even then I am not entirely sure).
The production was insanely popular. I decided to get a proper dinner as a treat (the local Co-op supermarket has been doing a roaring trade in salad sandwiches and I wanted a change). The Old Sun Inn doesn't open for meals until 6:30 - too late. I went up the hill a bit further to Firenze - it was packed. I tried The Pavilion (next door to the Opera House) - also packed. I tried The Clubhouse over the road - same story. I was wandering back to the main street, and found a coffee shop in the Old Courthouse building. The waitress seemed concerned and stressed that they only had panini. It was about 7pm, so I didn't see the problem. Unfortunately, I also nearly didn't see the panini - it was extremely tasty, but it was also about the same size as an Aussie chocolate eclair - not exactly a hearty meal. On the way home, I braved a hideous death from salmonella to buy a kebab. The kebab shop owner is a major fan of 'The Crocodile Hunter' and similar programs. I agree cheerfully with everything he says, as he appears to have a bullet scar on his shoulder. Nodding and smiling wins me a grade A kebab, so I have no complaints.
Everyone agrees the following day that their Katisha was actually very attractive, despite having gone to a great deal of effort to play it down - she had two of the most amazing kimono and one English line, where she summed up about seven lines of the original dialogue by announcing that she was 'as beautiful as the Princess Camilla'. The SavoyNet cast all agree that there is no contest, and several wondered why the hell Nanki-Poo bothered to run away.
More notes on the production are available at the Festival website (http://www.gs-festival.co.uk/FestivalHighLights/?HL=3) - for those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about when I mention parts of the plot, there is a summary available on the web (http://math.boisestate.edu/gas/mikado/html/summary.html).
It is still raining, it hasn't stopped since the night I arrived. This morning, I have rehearsals until about midday. I also help out pinning up costumes - pity the poor chorus members who receive something I've worked on!!
At about 2pm, I'm free, so I head off to do a bit of touristing. A bit further up Greens Lane, there is a famous cave, Poole's Cavern. A cave sounds warm and dry, so I head up there and do the tour. There are some very interesting rock formations, including one area where the rock formations are largely the result of industrial pollution... For more information, check out the link (http://www.poolescavern.co.uk/PCintro.html). When I come out, the rain seems to be slacking off, so I go for a walk in the 100-acre wood (Grinlow Wood) that has been planted over the limeworks that used to surround the cavern. The wood is quite pretty - I climb up to the top of the old quarry, and find myself looking out over an excellent view and also a caravan park. One holiday maker is driving around in circles, I presume they are trying to work out the best site to build an Ark.
Naturally, when I am in an exposed spot with no shelter, it begins to rain harder. I go back into the 100-acre wood and try to find my way to Solomon's Tower (http://www.buxtononline.net/Buxton-Online98/Buxton-Online-Derbyshire-Peak-District-Community98/solomon.htm). This involves walking most of the way down the hill - did I mention that the 100-acre wood is on a 45-degree angle? - and back up again. When I get to the top, I encounter my first stile. Over the first stile is my first view of an old lime burning area. Those of you who know Bendigo will understand if I say 'green mullock heaps'. For the rest of you, there are a lot of holes in the ground. It actually makes me think of Tolkein and his hobbits - apparently lime-burners did live in the old kilns and in caves dug into the ash-heaps and so forth.
Where there are stiles, there are also cows. Very, very unhappy cows crowded under a tree. I'm not worried about them charging me, because they'd kill themselves falling into a pit if they did. I am worried about falling into a pit myself, so I try to pass the limeworks along the fence. The cows obviously prefer this option. I walk very carefully and watch the ground.
When I get to Solomon's Tower, I realise that this Grade II monument also provides excellent shelter for cows. I climb up the stairs for panoramic views of Buxton and rain. I climb down the stairs for panoramic views of fertilizer. Thank God it is not a hot summer. It begins to rain even more heavily, so I go back to the B&B. Tonight's festival offering is Iolanthe - I can live without another Iolanthe just yet, so I plan to get dinner at the Old Sun Inn, which is well recommended and just over the road from the internet cafe. Hopefully they have a fairly liberal dress policy, as my hiking boots are back at the B&B, soaking wet and covered in cow poo. I must add though, I'm rapt that I paid the money for proper boots - my feet stayed warm and dry right through, despite the fact that I was walking through little runnels of water pretty much all day. I am now resplendently clad in my only jumper, my workout pants and a pair of sandals. If they don't let me in, I plan to beg...
posted by Andrea at
10:57 AM
1 Comments:
Thank you for your feedback! No idea how long ago you left it... but thank you anyway! :-)
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