Tag Archives: James Bomford

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN: Philip Pullman’s Grimm Tales

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This review will be unusually brief, as the feelings of intrigue and mystery created by Philip Pullman’s masterful reimagining of the fairy tale is better experienced than described. This is theatre-in-the-round at its best, with characters weaving in and out of the clusters of audience members scattered throughout the perfectly eerie performance spaces. The performers’ fluid transition from narration to acting creates a seamless chronicle that flows at a good pace. This pace is what makes the minimalist storyline fly, unencumbered by the trappings of modern storytelling like backstory and description. To borrow from Einstein, storytelling “should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler”. Suffice it to say that, of the five stories, the ones you think you know beforehand you’ll see in a new light, and the ones you hadn’t known existed previously – here I am specifically thinking of the half-man half-hedgehog who rides on the back of a cockerel, playing his bagpipes – will be left engrained in your memory. Get yourself down to the Shoreditch Town Hall basement, and let yourself be carried away by the ambience, the acting, and above all the reinvention of stories handed down generation to generation.

Continues until 24 April, book here.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, James Bomford.

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN: An Evening with Sylvester Stallone, The London Palladium

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Photo credit: Jonathan Brady/PA

There are few pieces of music more iconic, more guaranteed to provoke a reaction than Eye of the Tiger. How many of you have trained, jogged or self-improved in some way with it blaring from your earphones, or accompanying the imaginary progress-montage playing in your head? I confess I have not heard this song in years, so it was somewhat surreal to hear it again, as Sylvester Stallone strode out onto the stage of The London Palladium. Greeting him was the inescapable Jonathan Ross, and this began one of the most bizarre and surprising hours of my life.

Time and action sequences may have weathered the man’s complexion to a point somewhere between handbag and tree bark, but he remains a man with one of the most impressive Hollywood careers to date. Rocky earned him the honour of becoming one of only three men to be nominated for Best Actor and Best Screenplay for the same film, alongside Orson Welles and Charlie Chaplin. Try finding another sentence which applies to all three of them. Writer, director, producer, it became clear that Sly is much more than we might assume from his physique.

The interview rolled happily from topic to topic, guided by Ross’s now expert hand. It touched on Stallone’s childhood in New York’s infamous Hell’s Kitchen neighbourhood, where his mother danced at clubs, ran a gym (named barbella’s) and promoted female wrestling. Covered also was Stallone’s time working in cinemas as an usher, where his obsession with writing, and the structure of films developed.

Rivalry with Arnie, comparing himself to De Niro, and Kirk Douglas’s rewrite suggestions for First Blood were all topics of discussion. The final segment of the evening saw questions from the audience, which saw me put well and truly in my place. The question regarded whether Stallone might at some point have a crack at some Shakespeare, and if so then which. No sooner had I finished expressing my doubts over how much of The Bard’s work Sly might know to my intrepid photographer than the mahogany man strode across the stage and delivered a perfect stream of Richard III. Consider this my humble apology, Mr Stallone.

“There’s not that much more I can do in action, except explode”. While this is true, there is so many more strings to Stallone’s bow. He is in a new film, Grudge Match, starring opposite De Niro. If you need a new fix of Sly, then by all means go. Judging by the trailer, however, I shall be dusting off the Rambo and Rocky box sets.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, James Bomford.

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN: Marquess Tavern, Highbury & Islington

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The first thing that strikes you about the Marquess Tavern is the wonderful location. Positioned on a quiet corner, a 10 minute saunter from Highbury & Islington tube station, the small patio at its front provides a wonderfully laid back setting in which to take advantage of the final rays of autumnal sunshine before the long dark months arrive for good.

Fear not though, as the interior provides the perfect setting for an evening of food and drink to ward off the cold. Recently refurbished, The Marquess Tavern is tastefully decked out for everything one might ask from a pub, from a bright, open space for dining to intimate tables tucked round corners with comfortable sofas.

On our visit, we found ourselves in a private room towards the back right of the bar, which would be perfect for any event from a private dinner to drinks at the beginning of a raucous evening. Our tipple of choice last night was a selection of cider from Aspall, the oldest independent cider producer in the country. To complement our three-course meal, we had three different ciders, each with its own unique taste and quality, perfectly matched to the various foods presented to us on the plate.

Our first course of potted pig’s cheek with cyder jelly, pickles and sourdough toast was adequate if slightly safe. A touch more seasoning was required, but as a light starter it ticked most of the boxes. The cider paired with the pig’s cheek was the Harry Sparrow Cider from Aspall, a robust number that packs a punch powerful enough to stand up to strong flavours such as pork or pickle. It went down a treat.

Main course was the highlight, as we tucked into a pan-roasted chicken with a butternut squash and coriander purée, served with a crunchy and refreshing apple and kohlrabi salad. Textures complemented each other perfectly, from the crispy skin on the chicken to the smooth purée and crunch of the coriander seeds. We accompanied the chicken with the Draught Suffolk Cyder, which is the standard fare that Aspall produce, a crisp refreshing pint for any occasion, but one which works particularly well with the chicken and sweet vegetables we had been served.

Our dessert, a strawberry and clotted cream mille feuille, was slightly underwhelming, and as Mary Berry mentioned in this week’s Great British Bake-off, “I’m not sure fresh fruit quite works in a mille feuille”. The undoubted star of the final course was Peronelle’s Blush Cyder, a sweeter offering from Aspall. Named after the matriarch of the Aspall dynasty, Peronelle’s Blush is blended with some blackberry juice picked from the hedgerows surrounding the farm down in Suffolk.

All in all, The Marquess Tavern offered a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere, and with a menu changing every couple of months, and new seasonal delicacies on offer all the time, it’s well worth a return visit. While you’re there, finally, it would be silly to pass up one or more of the Aspall options available to you there, or indeed at many other Youngs pubs across London.

More information here.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, James Bomford.