Review of The Other Boleyn Girl by Philppa Gregory

Philippa Gregory is my favourite historical novelist, researching the period she writes about in great detail. Most of all, she is a wonderful story teller: bringing to life well-known events and people whilst weaving in absorbing narrative throughout.

By and large the fiction fills in the gaps of the known historical record and brings it to life. Philippa Gregory

Most of us know about the fatal story of Anne Boleyn, but few know that it was her sister, Mary, who was the Henry VIII’s mistress first. It is even possible the King fathered her two illegitimate children, including a son. The two sisters and their brother George were born into a ruthlessly ambitious and conniving family who used their children to advance their position. The narrative is told from Mary’s perspective how her life was filled with greed, jealousy, scheming, betrayal and eventually, true love. Mary’s relationship with Anne is depicted more as a one of rivalry and duty than of sisterly love and loyalty.


The book is compelling page turner, it’s fast paced, easy to read and incredibly interesting. It’s a poignant and thought provoking romp through a fascinating period of time.

www.philippagregory.com

Inspiration for Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

Tucked into a loop of the broad-flowing Tees, the landscape around Barnard Castle does not look like the setting for cruelty or violence. It's a beautiful market town in a stunning setting. However, in Victorian England, reports of abuse in cheap Yorkshire boarding schools catering for unwanted - often illegitimate - children, started to spread .

It is not surprising then that Charles Dickens turned his attention to the deplorable conditions common in these institutions, denouncing them as examples of "the monstrous neglect of education in England". He must have read about the trial of Shaw’s Academy in Bowes and its headmaster, William Shaw, who had been convicted of negligence against some boys in his care some years earlier. Dickens set off to research the story for his novel Nicholas Nickleby, the story-line of which had been agreed in advance with his publisher. The novel was to serve as a vehicle for exposing the dreadful conditions in the Yorkshire schools.

Depend upon it, that the rascalities of Yorkshire schoolmaters cannot be easily exaggerated, and that I have kept down the strong truth and thrown as much comicality over it as I could.

Charles Dickens on his finished novel Nicholas Nickleby

Anne Boleyn

Anne Boleyn was only queen for three years but remains one of the most famous; still inspiring books and films 500 years on. She was the mother of Elizabeth 1st; the first English queen to be publicly executed and was indirectly responsible for the formation of the Church of England. What I find incredibly interesting about her, was that in a time when women were often used as pawns to advance a family’s position, she shrewdly played the game her way, and won, for a while.

Anne’s father, Sir Thomas Boleyn was ruthlessly ambitious and even his marriage to the well-connected Lady Elizabeth Howard seemed to work to his advantage. His three children, George, Mary and Anne, were all well-educated and formed part of his master plan to attain greater power and status.

Eva Peron

“You must want! You have the right to ask! You must desire!”

Eva Peron

I first became intrigued by Eva Peron when I was in Argentina. The legend of “Evita” seems to be admired as much as it is maligned. Nearly sixty years after her death there is still graffiti on the walls in Buenos Aires and flowers left at her tomb. To her supporters she was a saint who strove to overcome poverty and injustice. To her critics she was a controversial figure, who was driven by ambition and vanity.

Eva Duarte was born in 1919 in rural poverty, as the illegitimate daughter of a ranch manager and his mistress. At fifteen she escaped her “miserable dry and sleepy town” for the bright lights of Buenos Aires to become a famous actress.

Within three years Eva had achieved her goal and had carved out a career as a radio and film actress. In 1944, Eva encountered a politician named Juan Perón at a fund-raising concert organized to help earthquake victims: a “marvellous day” she would later recall. Within weeks, she was sharing his apartment and the following year they married. Eva worshipped Peron and devoted her life to her husband’s career.

Old Durham Town

"I got off at Durham... and fell in love with it instantly in a serious way. Why, it's wonderful - a perfect little city.... If you have never been to Durham, go there at once. Take my car. It's wonderful." Bill Bryson

I grew up in Durham, a beautiful historic city and home to the world class university. However, as a teenager I thought it was exceptionally selfish of my parents to have moved to a place with just two nightclubs and an aptly named pub called the “Fighting Cocks”. However, I remember driving back home one Christmas from university and saw the stunningly beautiful cathedral and castle lit up against the night sky and realised how privileged I was to call this home.

Review of Evita the musical

I have just been to see Evita at the Wycombe Swan.

I love the music as well as the film with Madonna and Antonio Banderas. Banderas gave a very powerful performance as Che. Madonna was excellent too, even demonstrated some threads of good acting!


So back to the musical Evita... Rachael Wooding as Evita was superb. The transformation as a silly young girl, to ambitious actress, to powerful and charismatic leader was beautifully portrayed in her body language and voice. However, the show was stolen by Carly Bawden, playing Peron's jilted mistress singing "Another Suitcase". She received the loudest applause of the evening.


I also love these lyrics from the song:


Time and time again I've said that I don't care
That I'm immune to gloom, that I'm hard through and through...
...Call in three months time and I'll be fine, I know
Well maybe not that fine, but I'll survive anyhow


My only - minor - criticism was Seamus Cullen as the narrator, Che. He did create a rapport with the audience and has an impressive voice, but he just came across as an actor in a khaki costume! I could see him as a good Joseph but he just didn't have that kind of charisma required for this role. I imagined being the Director and yelling "butch it up, you are a revered and reviled revolutionary leader". Also, I was looking forward to seeing how the tango between Che and Evita would be done, as in the film it was charged with the steaming sexuality of Madonna and Banderas. The actual "waltz" in this musical was about four pathetic steps and as sexy as two virginal teenagers being forced to dance at a wedding infront of their parents.


Overall though, I thoroughly enjoyed it.