The Class of 62
Me trying to be funny--I was born in 1962 and my birthday is 27 April.
So I worked Thursday (my birthday), fourth editing round of Robeco's net-zero case study. Thursday evening collected co-editor Rachael, who traveled from Edinburgh by train/bus/ferry. We had dinner at Common Market then went to the John Hewitt for a natter.
Friday up to Derry for the jazz fest, first event in the Guildhall with Ann O'Dwyer. I got in a few dances with the Swing Belfast crowd, which was a lot of fun after maybe five years away. Then a walk around the walls, then dinner, then two more bands, then home.
It was a long day but fun. Rachael is very well read and we have a lot of interesting conversations about gender issues, writing, Ulster history, etc.
Saturday we each did our own thing during the day and in the evening attended the second event for which Ann provided the tickets. The Linenhall Library commissioned two well known actors to curate a selection of plays that were in some way about the troubles. Seven NI actors did readings from maybe eight or nine plays. They included three that I had seen: A Night in November (Marie Jones), Billy Boy (Rosemary Jenkinson) and Agreement (Owen McCafferty). Some very powerful scenes recreated--it was an intense night. Next stop for me was Neville Staples and his band, which plays the music of The Specials--ska. I danced for a solid hour, quite concerned that my knees would be knackered the next day.
Happy to report they weren't. Rachael and I did a walking tour of Sailortown and Clarendon Docks on Sunday, starting with brunch at Cathedral Quarter and ending at St. George's Market. I then drove her back to the Stena ferry and came home to read and sleep – definitely feeling my age!
Monday had two more cultural highlights. In the afternoon, I went to see Good with Ann at QFT. This is where the National Theatre streams a live broadcast of a West End play into theatres around the UK. Good stars David Tennant in a drama about the impending doom of the nazification of Germany. Tennant's character, an academic, is forced to choose between helping his Jewish friend and fellow academic, played by Elliot Levey, and his career, his wife, his children, and his mistress. It is essentially how he rationalises each step into the Nazi's embrace.
In the evening I saw Catherine Bohart, a comedienne and co-host of The Guilty Feminist podcast. She was absolutely hilarious. Very good at interacting with the crowd. She is Irish but lives in London. Her parents had just visited her for six nights--generating much material. Her mother, at 61 (!), is obsessessed with her death and is labeling all her worldly goods so they will go to her children. Catherine said the children are united in not wanting any of said labeled items. Not funny now, but her delivery and timing were perfect.
27 April - 1 May