A good radio programme, and other entertainments

Michael Frayn's Matchbox theatre  LISTEN NOW!!

Very funny - and beautiful - dialogue between Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam. Also enjoyed David Attenborough as himself.

The Lady in the Van

Miss Shepherd was very unreasonable.

Maggie Smith is actually still very soignee

Alan Bennett makes London look like a village.

Took my mother to see this yesterday - she is a long-time admirer of Alan Bennett. She really likes his Northern accent, his modest demeanour, his down-homeliness. Maggie Smith was amazingly good. She is an old lady playing an old lady - but there is a lot of physicality involved - and a lot of mixed and confused emotion for her to convey - and she is brilliant. I like the post-modern Alan Bennetts talking to each other, and the street of arty people (including the afore-mentioned Roger Allam. I'm afraid I thought it went on too long.

Spectre

this is an excellent Bond with all the usual elements: a car chase, a shoot out, a fist fight, a torture scene, a woman (who is far too young for him; Daniel Craig seems to be embarrassed by his own un-avuncular intentions), an aerial chase, a race against the clock, a life-saving gadget, some humour and a tense visit to the secret headquarters of an evil empire. It takes place in some wonderful locations and, of course, London. It has one unusual element: that is:  Q, M, another scrabble letter and Miss Moneypenny all come out and help Bond when the chips are down. There is something a bit political about it but it is quite subtle: something about not trusting the new just because it's new. A new technology may look slick but have a sly purpose we do not want - very post Edward Snowden.

Suffragettes

This was another script by the amazing Abi Morgan. It showed that women were powerless when they fought for the vote. They had no rights over their own children, they were subject to abuse and couldn't fight back. The vote didn't do everything for them but it gave them a start in winning equal rights. And hoorah for Meryl Streep who came on and showed what a bit of (actually a lot of) charisma can do for a cause.

HBC doesn't often play intelligent and earnest - it suits her.

There are too many people without hats in this film. At this time, everyone wore a hat.