Reviews

Reviews of my favourite books, and the plays and films I’ve recently seen

‘What Happened’, by Hillary Rodham Clinton – A Review

In ‘What Happened’ Hillary Rodham Clinton sets out what went wrong – and why – in her campaign to become the first female POTUS. It’s a fascinating read. Like many, I was shocked that she lost. Since then, I have been further shocked by the number of Americans who have told me how much they really didn’t like her. This was news to me, so I was doubly interested to see how she came across in the book. …

Jungle Book – Well Worth Another Look

Jungle Book 2016How many of us have fond memories of the 1967 Disney film animation of Jungle Book? Lots, I suspect. I certainly do. Even with my dreadful memory I can still conjure up images of Baloo performing ‘Bare Necessities’ and Kaa’s hypnotic ‘Trust in me’.  So when I heard there was a new version, part of me wondered: why? But as I love animals, another part of me couldn’t wait. I wasn’t disappointed. …

CATS: That Memory

 

CatsAfter a gap of 30 years I wondered if I’d enjoy seeing the famous musical Cats as much this time round. I saw it in the early 1980s and it was a very special night out. The show was a huge success. Its first run in London lasted 21 years and it was a long-term hit on Broadway too. Over the years it has been performed in many other countries, been seen by more than 73 million people, and won many awards.  Now it is at the London Palladium for a short and final season. I had organised for 14 of us to go to a matinee. Would it live up to my memory? …