Rebuilding Stonehenge...

Rebuilding Stonehenge in 1954. Yes, 1954.

Over the past 100 years Stonehenge has been completely overhauled. Stones were hoisted up and it was made to look all neat and tidy as people thought it might have looked. Unthinkable to do that today to such a treasured monument but they moved much of it around. Now they don't tell you *that* in the guidebooks!

 The first major rebuilding of Stonehenge started in 1901 and continued over the next 50 or 60 years. A big fuss was made in 1901 (letters to The Times!) So after that, much of it was then done on the quiet. Only comparatively recently have people campaigned to have the various restoration works included in official guidebooks and histories of the site. You can judge for yourselves the rights and wrongs of the situation. Should broken relics be repaired and if so how and by whom?

This from 1954.

This from 1877.

This from 1920.

The Queen Of Spades...

Last Friday night Stuart and I went to see the English National Opera production of Tchaikovsky's The Queen Of Spades at The London Coliseum in London glitzy West End.

This great opera has had people walking out though. So what gives?

Apparently the main cause of their dissatisfaction has been the lesbianism, gay sex threesomes and the stupid animal outfits. So yes, you've guessed right - it's a rather gimmicky production. I can just hear that the first production meeting, "Not too gimmicky is it? The chicken costume?"

There was lovely singing though - especially by the Brits in Acts I & II. Those two yanks were a bit unnecessary - plenty of UK baritones could have done just as well. The Countess was remarkable though in Act III.

By the time the flaming wheelchairs appeared we were laughing 'at' rather than 'with'.

But when we were subjected to the needless rape/oral sex scene in Act III it had got me quite angry - so angry that we were all for leaving rather like many of our fellow patrons did. Not clever.

Shame on the ENO. Great opera, poorly executed.

Angel, Islington...

Angel, Islington, Lyons Cafe and Restaurant 1936. The creators of Monopoly shopped for tea there which is why Angel Islington is on the UK version of the board.

"Yes" Vote...

I was quite looking forward to a "Yes" vote in the Scotland Independence Referendum. In the rest of the UK the average rainfall would have gone down by 20cm,, average life expectancy up by 2 years, average income up by £3000 and average sunshine longer by 13 mins. So we would have been drier, live longer, richer and brighter.

Homophobia in Football...

Oh look. It's me in The Independent!

Homophobia In Football and what Gay Gooners are doing about it.

Full article here...

The Difference Between the UK, Great Britain, and England...