It's a sunshine day.

Mutterings continued.

I had to get the RAC patrolperson out this morning to start the car. I then had to get a second patrolperson out to sell me a battery. I can't complain - this is Freddie Ford's 3rd battery in 14 years, so I've done pretty well.

The sun is shining, there's a nice westerly blowing and Milo Tartkitty and Gus Feralcat are on the balcony chewing their way through my plants.

Today's This time last year:


Back at Middlesbrough and up at 6am to get the busses to Newcastle. We've tickets to see the matinee performance of the RSC's The Malcontents with Antony Sher. Mr Sher is a favourite of mine, though he's one of those actors I've read about more than I've seen. His autobiog, "To Play the King", describing the process of creating and playing his interpretation of Richard III, is fascinating.

Speaking of R3, Branagh had played the role in Sheffield to sell out audiences and critical acclaim earlier in the year.

The Malcontents, written by John Marsten in 1603, is your typical drama - betrayal, political intrigue, very bad disguises that no one can see through. And a lot of laughs. Antony Sher is very charismatic and a delight to watch. Act 1 opened with the actors wandering onto the set, a cocktail party, helping themselves to drinks and having a natter, while the audience was still being seated. As we were leaving the Playhouse we saw Mr Sher in the foyer and again outside, chatting to friends and heading to who knows where.

After the play we had a wander around Newcastle, then back on the bus to Midds, just missing the Newcastle FC supporters (aka the Toonarmy) who were spilling, literally, out of the football ground. Newcastle must have won as the fans seemed quite happy and weren't destroying things.