"Parasite"

Bong Joon-Ho’s “Parasite” tells the story of a poor South Korean family, the Kims, who ingeniously inveigle their way into employment at the home of the wealthy Park family. Just as we seem to be settling into an amiable tale about small-time grifters, however, events take a dark turn…

"Parasite"

Inevitably, given the film’s huge critical and awards success, expectations will be high. Indeed, there is nothing new in the subject-matter of “Parasite” – social inequality and family love; and the directorial style is clever without being flashy – none of the high-tech visuals of Bong’s “Snowpiercer”. The narrative switcheroo raises the emotional stakes considerably, however, with Jaeil Jung’s score creepily evocative, without being manipulative.

Inevitably, there will be talk of an American re-make, but it’s hard to think of a director who could handle the tale’s changes of tone without lessening its impact – and any suggestions might constitute a spoiler.

Suffice it to say, while it is not as dazzling a piece of work as, say, “1917”, “Parasite” is well deserving of the continuing acclaim.

"1917"

Sam Mendes’ “1917”, based on a story from his family’s history, see two British soldiers, played by George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman, tasked with delivering an urgent message from a World War I trench to a nearby regiment, in an effort to keep them from falling into a fiendish trap set by the Hun. Needless to say, there is much unfortunate incident along the way.

The tale is told as though in a single take and in real time (well, almost), and is thoroughly gripping, truly bringing home the horror of conflict, as well as paying tribute to the concepts of duty and comradeship. Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns’ script (along with Thomas Newman’s score) never allows the tension to slip, even during the rare moments of apparent calm; there are plentiful clever visual set-pieces (cinematography by Roger Deakins); and the parade of star cameos is only slightly distracting. Beautifully realised, this is cinema at its most powerfully immersive.

"The King And I" / Best Theatre of 2019

January is generally a barren desert when it comes to theatre-going, so it was good to get an opportunity to see the touring version of the recent Broadway revival of “The King And I” at the Wales Millennium Centre – my first ever live experience of a Rodgers and Hammerstein. Very impressive and pointed, and a reminder of the power of the American musical of the classic era.

The King And I (pic: Johan Persson)

Meanwhile, I contributed the customary Bests of 2019 piece to the British Theatre Guide; delighted to name National Theatre Wales’ “On Bear Ridge” as my production of the year.

Over Christmas, I had my regular appointment to catch up on “Star Wars”, and found “The Rise Of Skywalker” to be surprisingly coherent and dramatically satisfying – but then, I’m not immersed or particularly invested in the culture.

"Knives Out"

I wasn’t a big fan of Rian Johnson’s feature debut, the noirish “Brick”, but I was intrigued to experience his return to the genre, following high-profile excursions into science-fiction. “Knives Out” starts out as a classic country house whodunnit, but then strays into areas of subtle social commentary.

The story begins with the apparent suicide of wealthy crime novelist Harlan Thrombey – Christopher Plummer – the circumstances of whose death lead the police to involve eccentric Southern detective Benoit Blanc – Daniel Craig - in the investigation. Various relatives and in-laws are in the frame – Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Chris Evans, Toni Colette and Michael Shannon all relishing the campness; with Harlan’s Hispanic nurse, Marta – Ana De Armas – a key witness.

Jamie Lee Curtis

In a classy touch, the writer/director appears on-screen at the beginning of proceedings, imploring us not to give away the denouement, but suffice it to say that the plotting is deliciously circuitous, and the visuals subtly stylish. Craig has great fun with the accent, and Lakeith Stanfield is deftly deployed as the exasperated African-American police officer, racial politics being central to the narrative.

“Knives Out” manages to be both playful and substantial; it’s a juicy treat.

"Joker"

I’ve long since ceased trying to keep up with comic-book films from the DC and Marvel universes, with notable exceptions (“Wonder Woman”, “Black Panther”); and I only got a few minutes into the first of director Todd Phillips “Hangover” movies before wishing a horrific death on all of its protagonists. But I was drawn to his “Joker”, because of an admiration for the intensity customarily shown by star Joaquin Phoenix, “The Master” and “You Were Never Really Here” being particular favourites.

In “Joker”, which is set in a Gotham City which resembles an autumn-toned New York from the early 1980s, Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck, a failing clown-for-hire and aspiring stand-up comic who is struggling with mental health issues, under stress through looking after his ailing mother (Frances Conroy), and afflicted by a proneness to inappropriate hysterical laughter. Eventually, after one setback too many, he reacts violently and unexpectedly becomes a focus for city-wide protests against the wealthy.

An emaciated Phoenix is simultaneously vulnerable and frightening as Fleck, and one is painfully aware that Arthur’s few lifelines – a crush on his single-parent neighbour Sophie (Zazie Beetz), hero-worship of TV talk-show host Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro in a clever reference to Scorsese’s “The King Of Comedy”) are fragile. It is only when he finally dons the Joker “mask” that Fleck seems fully at ease, albeit in a somewhat maladaptive manner.

"Joker" (Warner Bros)

There are no super-powers on show here, and the only elements of the tale which truly situate us in the “Batman” universe are Fleck’s problematic interactions with the Wayne family. Instead, this is a tale of a deeply troubled man losing touch with reality, with catastrophically violent results. “Joker” is as far from comic-book fluff as it is possible to get; one imagines that the worried reactions of some critics stem from its incisive take on the roots of toxic masculinity.

The bleakness on show makes it hard for one to love “Joker”, but Phoenix is a truly compelling presence, and while the message is hardly novel – bad people sometimes become bad for perfectly understandable reasons – it is a story told with great skill and commitment.

"Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood" / "Annie" / "Club Tropicana"

Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood” is a meticulously assembled love letter to a vintage Hollywood on the brink of change in the late 1960s. It tells the tale of a few days in the real and professional lives of an almost-washed-up action star, Rick Dalton – brilliantly played by Leo DiCaprio - and Cliff Booth, his even more obsolescent stuntman (Brad Pitt), whose lives intersect (eventually) with those of fresh-faced, optimistic Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), and the sinister faux-hippies of Manson family. It is leisurely, almost meditative in tone, at least until the violent, history-rewriting climax. Beautifully done.

Most local theatre-makers appear to have disappeared off to Edinburgh; thus, the only work I’ve got to see in recent weeks are large-scale touring musicals at the Wales Millennium Centre. Most recently was the 1930s-set Broadway classic “Annie”,  which I found quite cheering; a little less so was 1980’s pop-fest “Club Tropicana” – a somewhat more cynical confection.

Craig Revel Horwood in "Annie" (photo: Paul Coltas)

"Yesterday" / "Seen" at The Other Room

Richard Curtis is adept at spinning an entire comedy screenplay out of a one-line idea. “Yesterday” is his latest, based on the idea that after a freak, worldwide power-outage, only one person – failing singer-songwriter Jack Malick, played by Himesh Patel – is able to remember that the Beatles exist, and is thus in a position to pass their classic songs off as his own. Patel is charmingly dorkish and even Ed Sheeran is effective in a cameo (as himself), but the heart of the film is Lily James as Malick’s (inexplicably single) friend/manager. There are plentiful cheesy moments, and the premise isn’t fully explored (perhaps because this would complicate things hugely), but the whole thing is lifted by director Danny Boyle’s trademark visual flourishes. “Yesterday” is really all about the love and power of music, though, and it is this spirit which elevates it into feel-good territory.

"Yesterday" poster

I got the chance to get some more theatre-directing practice this past weekend, working on a short piece by Mike Leitch for an evening of readings, under the “Seen” banner at The Other Room Theatre. In collaboration with young actors Geri McNamara, Robin Harper and T.O.R.’s Nerida Bradley, I think we managed to make the most of an emotionally resonant script, one of diverse trio of shorts (the others being by Nicholas Currie and Claire Boot) which played, as it turned out, to a full house, which was very gratifying.

"Rocketman"

Elton John’s remarkable work in the early 1970s has been somewhat overshadowed by his subsequent “tantrums and tiaras” public image. Thus it is a relief to report that while Dexter Fletcher’s bio-pic “Rocketman”, co-produced by Elton, is an all-out musical extravaganza, complete with dance routines and hallucinogenic fantasy sequences, it also pays due homage to his musicianship.

It starts as it means to go on, with Taron Egerton’s Elton, dressed in demonesque red costume, striding into rehab, finally facing up to his issues; and goes on to detail his upbringing, with a distant father (Steven Mackintosh), warmish mother (Bryce Dallas Howard with an impeccable accent), and encouraging grandmother (Gemma Jones); early entry into the Royal Academy of Music; life as a touring soul musician; and pivotal relationships with lyricist Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell), music publisher Dick James (a hilariously profane Stephen Graham) and cynical manager and lover John Reid (Richard Madden).

Elton’s sexuality is front and centre, his torment over being gay – or rather, other people’s attitudes towards it – leading to isolation and substance abuse. Throughout, his songs, imaginatively and respectfully arranged by Giles Martin, comment on the action, with little respect played to chronology (e.g. the relatively recent “I Need Love” soundtracks a heartbreaking childhood moment). Lee Hall’s script is sharp, funny and cleverly structured, with only occasional moments of cheesiness (and unavoidable rewriting of history – Long John Baldry doesn’t even get a look-in).

Taron Egerton as Elton John

The film belongs to Egerton, however; his Elton is often petulant and self-pitying, but resolute in his determination to hide the shy Reg Dwight behind multiple flamboyant onstage personas. Fletcher’s film deftly and triumphantly walks the fine line between crowd-pleasing entertainment and merciless character study.

"Us"

I’m not a fan of contemporary horror films, life being scary enough as it is. I recently caught up with Jordan Peele’s much-acclaimed “Get Out”, however, and was duly impressed with its clever use of genre clichés to tell a profound story about race in America. Thus I took the opportunity to see his new film, “Us” in the cinema, where it belongs.

This is the story of an ordinary family (who happen to be African-American), taking a beach-side vacation, only to be assailed by their apparent doppelgangers. This is put into context by a framing narrative featuring a traumatic event which marked the childhood of the mother of the family, Lupita Nyong’o’s Adelaide; its relevance only gradually becomes apparent.

As with Peele’s previous film, “Us” falls into a number of horror categories – in this case, zombies, home invasion, spooky children, pandemics etc. Thus, there are plenty of the jump scares, gory moments and incongruous wisecracks which followers of the genre will appreciate, alongside excellent performances, particularly from Nyong’o and Elisabeth Moss as a holiday neighbour.

Peele’s script is clever, and his direction very slick, but inevitably “Us” has less of an impact than “Get Out” because it falls more squarely into the “horror” category, and its message re the consequences of social exclusion is slightly less pointed. Still, it’s an impressive piece of work.

"Stan & Ollie"

It’s hard for someone of my generation to believe that there are people who don’t even know who legendary comedians Laurel and Hardy were, having been brought up in a world where, apparently, copyright issues kept their films off mainstream TV for many years. If there’s any justice, Jon S. Baird’s “Stan & Ollie” will help remedy this woeful situation; as well as being a beautiful work of art in its own right.

The film, scripted by Steve Coogan’s long-time collaborator Jeff Pope, takes some liberties with historical fact, showing Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, some years after the peak of their Hollywood popularity, touring relatively small venues in the U.K. in the hope of resurrecting their film career. As well as money worries, the relationship between the two is a tad fractious (although not nearly as poisonous as that of other famed comedy duos), and Oliver’s health is failing.

"Stan & Ollie"

As good as Coogan is as Stan, John C. Reilly is the real revelation, simply disappearing (under significant quantities of make-up) into Oliver, Pope’s script cleverly allowing the pair to riff on their comedy business in real-life scenarios. Shirley Henderson and, more showily, Nina Arianda, are excellent as their supportive wives, and Rufus Jones is suitably smarmy as impresario Bernard Delfont.

This is a flawlessly realised tale of love and respect between two men; that rare film which has you laughing with tears in your eyes.

"The Favourite"

One wouldn’t expect a conventional historical drama from Yorgos Lanthimos, given the matter-of-fact surreal creepiness of his oeuvre (“Dogtooth” being a personal favourite, with “The Lobster” - basically a documentary about being single - almost too painful to watch); “The Favourite” doesn’t disappoint.  

It focusses on a crucial period in the life of Queen Anne (1665-1714), last monarch of the House of Stuart. Olivia Colman stars as the much-bereaved and ailing ruler, whose long-time (very) intimate friend and political advisor, Rachel Weisz’s Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, finds herself in competition for royal favours with her own cousin, the impoverished Abigail, played by Emma Stone, who is more interested in her own well-being than matters of state.

Olivia Colman

Colman is alternately monstrous and pitiable as the floundering Queen, with Weisz on excellent glacial form, and Stone also highly impressive as her desperate and subtly manipulative rival. The 18^th century interiors are beautifully photographed, Lanthimos’ lush visual style and use of music echoing that of Peter Greenaway; he also injects numerous dislocatory elements, such as inappropriate dancing and anachronistic dialogue.

Ultimately this is a tragic-comic portrait of a lost woman, privileged but isolated, and ill-used by all who surround her. “The Favourite” is crudely beautiful, and well worthy of all the awards for which it is being tipped.

"Sorry To Bother You"

Boots Riley’s “Sorry To Bother You” is that rare thing – a film by an avowedly socialist American writer-director which offers a coherent, satirical critique of capitalism.

It stars Lakeith Stanfield as Cassius “Cash” Green, a discontented young black man who takes a soul-sucking job at a call-centre and, by learning to use his “white” voice, manages to make enough sales to see him promoted to the next level in the company – a level where the product on offer is something rather more sinister than magazine subscriptions.

"Sorry To Bother You" 

The film manages to skewer several aspects of capitalism – ruthless exploitation, the incorporation of dissenters, public acceptance of its excesses – all the while maintaining a down-to-Earth tone of surreal humour which calls to mind Lindsay Anderson and Alex Cox as much as Spike Lee. Refreshingly, for an African-American film, it does not focus on guns, gangs and racism, although these are tangible elements of the background; and the soundtrack, largely by Riley and Tune-Yards, is more hippyish indie than hip-hop. 

The supporting cast – including Tessa Thompson as Cassius’ artist girlfriend, Steven Yeun as his revolutionary workmate, and Armie Hammer as the ultimate dude/boss (alongside an all-too brief appearance from Danny Glover) – is impressive, and the comedy is pointed and bitter rather than shallowly uproarious, leaving a bad taste in the mouth for all the right reasons. And the turn towards nightmarishness is a masterstroke.

October 2018 etc

Again, much theatre-going in the past few weeks – largely themed around female talent, as it happened. There was Alan Harris’ “This Incredible Life” at Chapter, starring Welsh legend Sharon Morgan as a feisty former journalist afflicted by dementia; two touring productions at The Other Room – Isley Lynn’s startlingly frank, vaginismus-oriented “Skin A Cat”, and “Lands”, from Antler Theatre, a friendship-themed comedy-drama with a clever trampoline motif; “Street” and “Izzy’s Manifestos” a double-bill of monologues by Susan Monkton and Kevin Jones at A.J.’s Coffee House; and, on a somewhat more epic scale, the all-female version Nigel Williams’ adaptation of William Golding’s “Lord Of The Flies” at the Sherman.

"Lord Of The Flies" (photo: Sam Taylor)

Added to this, there was Alun Saunders’ “Tuck”, a musical drama about mental health issues amongst the drag-queen community, which kicked off the latest Performances For The Curious season at the Wales Millennium Centre; plus, again at the The Other Room another Kevin Jones play, the darkly nostalgic (well, 1990s) “Cardiff Boy”, which is turning out to be one of the most-praised productions of the year. Then there was National Dance Company Wales’ “Roots” at the W.M.C.’s Dance House – three short pieces intended to provide a painless introduction to contemporary ballet.

"Cardiff Boy" (photo: Kirsten McTernan)

The biennial Artes Mundi Prize has returned to the National Museum of Wales. This time round, it comprises two video installations (Bouchra Khalili’s take on Jean Genet’s supportive visit to see the Black Panthers in 1970; a fairly static piece by Apichatpong Weerasethakul; two 3D installations (Anna Boghiguian’s reflections on the steel industry; a tapestry twinned with a circular metal construction from Otobong Nkanga), and what I found the most immediately appealing exhibit – Trevor Paglen’s photography which finds ironic beauty in defence/aerospace technology.

The Made in Roath Festival was also taking place – I was lucky enough to be part of a well-attended Roathbud screening of short films, with “The Good Girl”.

"The Good Girl" by Lucy Logsdon from OTHNIEL SMITH on Vimeo.

There have also been a couple of visits to the cinema. I was impressed and moved by the latest remake of “A Star Is Born”, Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut (he also co-wrote the screenplay and some of the songs, and stars, of course). The style is quite cine-verité, and he and Lady Gaga are both highly convincing as Jackson, the alcoholic country-rock star on the skids, and Ally, the struggling, insecure club singer with whom he hooks up. There are some excellent supporting turns, especially from Sam Elliot as Jackson’s much older half-brother. The musical performances are believable as well, with Jackson’s rootsy “authenticity” cleverly contrasted with Ally’s shift from earnestness into choreographed commercial pop. Inevitably, there are few surprises in terms of narrative, but it still hits home, emotionally.

I also went to see Steve McQueen’s “Widows”, his adaptation of the 1980s’ TV series which I never saw) about the wives of slain robbers carrying out a heist. Stylishly done, if a little slow to begin with, with a script which deftly (but unsubtly) links organised crime with urban power politics. Some excellent performances, too, led by powerhouse Viola Davis, but with Elizabeth Debicki luminous as an abused woman finally finding herself, and Daniel Kaluuya as an extremely unpleasant bad guy.

"Solo" / "Mydidae" / "Peacekeeping"

Recent reviewing assignments included a double-bill of new short operas in the Ffresh Restaurant at the Wales Millennium Centre, “Peacekeeping” / “The Filmmaker And The Organ Trader”, which made up in musical inventiveness for what they lacked in narrative subtlety. Rather more involving was “Mydidae”, Jack Thorne’s intense drama about a troubled relationship, set entirely in a bathroom, presented by OtherLife, a company working out of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, at The Other Room – traumatic and compelling.

 

"Mydidae" (photo: Jack Willingham)

Being only a lukewarm follower of the “Star Wars” franchise, I went to see “Solo – A Star Wars Story” as a fan of sci-fi cinema generally. It’s the relatively straightforward tale of how Alden Ehrenreich’s young Han Solo develops from low-level thief to a slightly-higher-grade space pirate, picking up a surname, a furry friend, and some romantic cynicism along the way. Director Ron Howard (who replaced the “Lego Movie” team of Lord and Miller) reliably provides high-tech action and humour, and the story benefits from the absence of the mysticism and mythology of the series proper, although the shadow of The Empire is ever-present. As ever, the inevitable shoot-em-up sequences test the attention-span; but the film as a whole is more than entertaining enough.

"Ready Player One" / "Inheriting Gods" / "All But Gone"

Not being a video-games aficionado I initially had no interest in seeing “Ready Player One”. However, given the good reviews, and the proven story-telling acumen of Steven Spielberg, I figured, correctly as it turned out, that it would at least be a visually stimulating experience. The story involves the inter-connectedness between a hellish real world of high-rise trailer-park slums, and a CGI realm of 3D gaming with real-life consequences. There is a quest, involving a group of “virtual” friends, led by Tye Sheridan and Olivia Cooke, seeking a set of keys which will allow them to take control of their universe and impeded by the villainous Ben Mendelsohn. It’s all very entertaining, with echoes of “Charlie And The Chocolate Factory”, plentiful positive undertones (inclusivity, little people rising up against The Man, the rise of the geeks), too many clever 1980s movie references to take in, and some good jokes. I suspect it won’t live long in the memory, however.

"Ready Player One" (Warner Bros)

My most recent theatre-reviewing assignments were Carmen Stephens’ likeable “Inheriting Gods” at Chapter, a two-hander about a Welsh girl on holiday in America making friends with a native American youth, and both of them reconnecting with their ancestors’ legacies; and the latest at The Other Room: Matthew Trevannions’s “All But Gone”, all about small-town relationships and life-long regrets – very emotional.

"Inheriting Gods" (photo: Kirsten McTernan)

"All But Gone" (photo: Kieran Cudlip)

"Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri"

As any writer will attest, it’s the easiest thing in the world to come up with an eye-catching premise; it’s quite another to weave a compelling story from it. In “Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri”, a woman puts up said notices in order to highlight what she believes is police ineptitude in investigating the horrific rape and murder of her daughter several months earlier. The fact that the story develops in a deeply involving and not entirely predictable manner is a testament to the genius of writer-director Martin McDonagh.

"Three Billboards..." (Blueprint Pictures)

The lead role of Mildred Hayes is a gift for Frances McDormand, all coldly righteous fury mingled with grim wit, but this is only one of several laudably complex characterisations; most controversially, Sam Rockwell, playing a laughably unpleasant idiot cop who just may be good at his job. Woody Harrelson does excellent work as the embattled police chief; indeed the entire supporting cast is given the opportunity to dig deep, mining humour and pathos from subtly written archetypes (e.g. Peter Dinklage’s unhappy town dwarf, John Hawkes as Mildred’s violent ex-husband, Samara Weaving as his “bimbo” girlfriend).

This is a film about the deleterious and sometimes energising effect of grief and guilt, which also prompts one to reflect on the nature of goodness and justice. As well as serving us a good few narrative curveballs, McDonagh also makes exemplary use of the bleached, Southern landscape, natural beauty co-existing uneasily with human misery and drabness. 

“Three Billboards…” is a powerfully told, compassionate, brutally beautiful film whose emotional impact lingers long after the credits roll.

"The Disaster Artist" / "Wind In The Willows" / Flossy & Boo / "Cut & Run" / "The Chimes"

Like most people, I guess, I haven’t seen Tommy Wiseau’s “The Room” in its entirely, the clips that are available on Youtube having done enough to ensure me that it truly is one of the most inept films ever released. I was heartened, then, to see that “The Disaster Artist”, James Franco’s lightly fictionalised documentation of its production, is funny in a warm and sympathetic rather than a derisive way. The chemistry between him as Wiseau and Dave Franco as co-conspirator Greg Sestero is palpable (they are brothers, after all), and the portrait of obsessive ambition steaming ahead despite deficiencies in terms of talent is all too easy to relate to. A highlight in a year of strong, diverse films.

"The Disaster Artist"

Theatre experiences lately have included “Unspoken”, a double bill of mental illness-themed plays from Eno Theatre at the University of South Wales, and a number of festive offerings: The Sherman’s main stage production of “Wind In The Willows”, which was great fun; my first experience of local surreal comedy duo Flossy and Boo in their “Alternativity” at The Other Room; and Charles Dickens’ “The Chimes” – an adaptation of one of his Christmas novels, taking place in St John’s Church near Chapter, and featuring people who have experience of homelessness amongst the ensemble – highly effective, if a little unsubtle in terms of spoon-feeding contemporary relevance.

Flossy & Boo (photo: Llyr Attala)

And most recently, at Chapter, there was a Dirty Protest development (i.e. script-in-hand) performance of Branwen Davies “Cut And Run”, starring Catrin Stewart. Given that it’s the tale of a Welsh Londoner returning to spend the festive period at home, it could almost be a companion-piece to their previous success, Matthew Bulgo’s “Last Christmas”. The similarities end here, however; it is very much a woman’s story. There is dark humour and poignancy in equal measure; and its prospects should benefit from the fact that the narrative leaves Wales and Christmas far behind.

Stalin Paddington Lehrer Dance Maiden Tiger Glass

Armando Iannucci’s “The Death Of Stalin” is even more brutally funny than one might expect from a famed political satirist, since it is based in verifiable fact. It depicts the jockeying for political position following the protracted passing of the post-Revolutionary Soviet leader, with Simon Russell Beale brilliantly loathsome as security chief Beria, and Steve Buscemi on excellent form as Kruschev, the voice of reason. The casting is flawless as a whole, with Jeffrey Tambor, Andrea Riseborough and Jason Isaacs also especially effective. Furthermore, it avoids the trap of being about a lot of men shouting in darkened rooms via some witty camerawork, not to mention all the shootings. Perhaps the most shocking element, however, is the depiction of Stalin’s popularity amongst his people – which may or may not impact on the film’s chances of ever being shown in Russia.

There were more reflections on dictatorship in Fio’s production of Ariel Dorfman’s “Death And The Maiden” at The Other Room, in which a former political prisoner confronts the man she suspects of being one of her torturers; very tense and nightmarish.

Lisa Zahra in "Death And The Maiden" (photo: Kieran Cudlip")

A tad more light-hearted was Adam Kay’s “The Remains of Tom Lehrer”, in the sophisticated surroundings of the Ffresh Restaurant at the Wales Millennium Centre – an excellent show, in tribute to the work of one of the cleverest – and darkest - musical satirists of the 1950s and 1960s.

There have been several other notable events at that venue in the past couple of weeks. The ambitious, large-scale musical “Tiger Bay”, set in multi-cultural Cardiff in the early part of the 20^th century, boasted an impressive cast and score (and a slightly puzzling sub-plot), and seems to have been a hit with local audiences.

"Tiger Bay" (photo: Polly Thomas"

Most recently, there was the visit of the Clod Ensemble with “Under Glass”, in which we are put in the role of scientists, observing the lives of several individuals in glass cases, as though they were specimens. Very clever, if occasionally obscure.

There was also “Roots”, at the Dance House, round the back of the Centre – in which the National Dance Company of Wales offered four short, diverse, and very satisfying pieces, as part of Cardiff Dance Festival 2017.

Also part of the Festival, but at Chapter, was a double-bill comprising Liz Roche’s “Wrongheaded” – a piece rooted in the politicisation of women’s bodies, particularly in Ireland, but, obviously universally applicable – and Laïla Diallo’s “In This Moment”, a solo rumination of the concept of our experience of time. Also striking was a piece which contained only a modicum of actual dance – “Hardy Animal” by Laura Dannequin, in which she reflected on her experience of chronic back pain and its effect on her career and self-perception.

"Hardy Animal"

The latest “A Play A Pie and A Pint” production at the Sherman was “The Burton Taylor Affair”, which was a well acted but disappointingly shallow take on the lives of two great actors. Somewhat more inspiring was an evening of playlets and music put on at the nearby AJ’s Coffee House by Gareth Ford-Elliot’s Eno Theatre.

Perhaps the highlight of the month, if not the year, was “Paddington 2” – a beautifully cinematic and warm-hearted return to a universe in which a small, well-meaning bear can wander about spreading light wherever he goes. Excellent performances from Hugh Grant, as the pantomime villain, and Brendan Gleeson, too. Jolly fun, with a lightly handled theme of positivity and inclusiveness.

"Blade Runner 2049"

Like all right-thinking people, I consider Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner” to be a masterpiece, having seen it in the cinema shortly after its initial release (in those pre-home-video days when films were occasionally given another chance on the big screen). Let’s face it – no great film (or novel or play) needs a sequel. Nevertheless, having been impressed (and baffled) by “Arrival”, I was keen to experience Denis Villeneuve’s take on the tale.

Ryan Gosling stars as a detective whose role, in a not entirely pleasant but high-tech future world, is to find and destroy rogue and obsolete androids. On a routine mission, he uncovers a mystery the solving of which may shed light on his own past.

The look of the film is impeccable (the cinematographer being Roger Deakins), the doomy soundscape powerful, and the presence of original screenwriter Hampton Fancher on the team ensures that no liberties are taken with the universe of the narrative. The performances are also excellent, Gosling suitably stoical, and late arrival Harrison Ford giving full rein to his patented “what the hell is going on?” expressivity, his raddled presence putting to bed one of the original film’s enduring mysteries.

Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford

If the film has a real flaw, it is its length. During its 164 minutes, there are several over-long scene-setting sequences during which tension drains away. And while the theme – what it is to be human – is meaty enough, the fairly straightforward plot does not provide much for us to puzzle over; not necessarily a bad thing.

“Blade Runner 2049” is a fine, serious entertainment. Inevitably however, its impact is dulled by the fact that it is merely an adjunct to a classic. Like Danny Boyle’s “Trainspotting”, Scott’s film was a phenomenon; like Boyle’s “T2”, this is just another perfectly decent film.

"England Is Mine"

Morrissey bio-pic “England Is Mine” seems not to have stormed the box-office, perhaps unsurprisingly, since non-Smiths lovers will all have steered clear, casual fans will be disappointed by the absence of Smiths music, and others may have been put off by some of the singer’s more intemperate political comments of the past few years. Also, reviews have tended to be lukewarm. I have to say, however, that I loved it.

The story follows Stretford’s Steven Morrissey from his days as a writer of self-important letters to the NME, via a false start to his rock star career alongside Billy Duffy (later of The Cult), and a number of reverses which see him slump into stasis, to the very start of a creative partnership with chirpy young Johnny Marr (Laurie Kynaston). Mark Gill, who co-wrote the screenplay with William Thacker, shows an assured directorial touch, finding poetry in glum Manchester locations which, frequently and inevitably reference future Smiths lyrics (cemeteries, fairgrounds, iron bridges etc).

Jack Lowden, unrecognisable from his turn as a fighter pilot in “Dunkirk”, is a more robust Morrissey than the fey eccentric of caricature, reflecting the hero’s portrayal of himself, in his excellent autobiography, as having been sporty in early adolescence. He is also surrounded by women, most notably Jessica Brown Findlay as Linder Sterling; and although he shows no interest in them, the only hint of other sexual preferences here is in his choice of cover version for his debut gig with the Nosebleeds.

Jessica Brown Findlay & Jack Lowden

The supporting cast is excellent, especially Simone Kirby as his supportive mother; not to mention Graeme Hawley as the exasperated boss in Steven’s Inland Revenue job who is well aware that the constantly tardy youth is spending much of his time filling notebooks with reflections on how idiotic everyone is other than himself.

Rather than a conventional rock star tale, this is the story of a young man with big but vague ideas slowly growing in confidence. Perhaps it misses a trick at the very end by avoiding a triumphal tableau; this, though, is in tune with the tone of the whole film - inspirational in a determinedly low-key manner.