Nothing like a Dame

Can't recall which royal said it - one of the George's I think - but 'bugger Bognor' seems about right. I thought I'd stay in a place on the coast but unfortunately I've chosen Bognor Regis... I've never been here before - if I had I doubt I'd have made that mistake.

To be fair it's like many other British seaside towns - it's a bit down on it's luck and I can't work out whether the large Butlin's resort is a blessing - still attracting tourists - or a curse - it sucks life out of the resort as they never have to leave the Butlin's bubble.

Nonetheless I discover that, like many seaside towns, once you escape the rather run down centre you can come across some nice places - in Margate you have the interesting Cliftonville, in Bognor you have Aldwick and Pagham. I manage to find a wonderful neighbourhood Italian restaurant with great homemade tiramisu and all is right with the world.

So after the 'delights' of Bognor last night, this morning I headed to Littlehampton. Again, like many small seaside towns I can't help but ask what is the point of Littlehampton? What do all the people who live here actually do?

Well, it doesn't matter as it has a certain charm - and the excellent East Beach Cafe. Somewhat surreally, as I tuck in to a lovely lunch, I discover that Dame Maggie Smith is sat a couple of tables away. Interestingly it's not the adults who've spotted her but some of the smaller children - they can spot a Hogwarts professor a mile off. With minimal fuss - most people still don't spot her - she discreetly signs a couple of autographs and is left to enjoy her lunch in piece with her friends and family.

I discover that this is not the only thespian connection Littlehampton has. Apparently Ronnie Barker used to live there and based Open All Hours on a local shop... small world...

Culture in Chichester

Have escaped London for a couple of days and today am in a damp Chichester. Spend the morning going around the excellent Pallant House Gallery with its wonderful collection of 20th century British art - a good selection of work including several by Peter Blake, Patrick Caulfield, and currently showing several pieces by some of the St Ives artists. Following a restorative coffee and chocolate cake - well it was raining and I needed something purely for medicinal purposes - I head to the Chichester Festival Theatre.

By a stroke of luck I've got about the last ticket to Yes, Prime Minister - not a rerun, but a complete new show written by the original team of Anthony Jay and Jonathan Lynn. I'm one of the oldest in the audience - but then it was last on our screens back in 1988!

Written by Jay and Lynn, and directed by Lynn, this is a bang up to date version of the show, complete with references to SpADs, sub prime mortgages and the hung parliament. The writing is as sharp as ever - combining biting political satire with moments of pure farce - as the events unfold over a weekend at Chequers.

I have to admit I was a bit nervous seeing this as the original was so loved - plus could anyone else than Nigel Hawthorne and Paul Eddington play Sir Humphrey Appleby and Jim Hacker? The answer is a clear yes! Excellent casting with the wonderful Henry Goodman as Sir Humphrey, and David Haig (who has also been in the politically sharp The Thick of It) combining bumbling incompetence with political opportunism as Jim Hacker. Full of laughs it has had good reviews and deserves a West End transfer. A wonderful antidote to the damp bank holiday weather.

A local cinema for local people

Spent last Saturday cycling around the Sussex Weald - lovely small villages, quiet country lanes and some disused railway were the 40 mile route I covered. Have to admit I was completed shredded by the end of it so, with trusty cycle safely lashed to the roof bars, I headed in to Uckfield to watch a film.

What a delightful cinema the Picture House Uckfield is. A wonderful local cinema - on the high street, with lots of history (it's been showing films since 1920), and good value. It's clearly a well run, well loved local cinema - such a refreshing change from the 'retail park' chains or the hacked about Odeon's that used to one big screen but have been converted to multi-screen.

Best things were you could take wine into the showing - they had a good slection of red or whites available - and there were no trailers or adverts, straight in to the film. Admittedly I sort of missed of the trailers - but it's was sign that it was run by film fans for films fans - you've come to watch the movie, not the latest Radio 1 advert.

Should you ever be in East Sussex and fancy a film then head here - such gems should be encouraged and supported.

Website of the week

Blogging has been light of late - too much going on - but hope to start reposting a bit more soon.

Anyway, have found one way to save time. Don't know if you're still following Lost and looking forward to the final part when 'all will be revealed' - personally I gave up at the start of season two.

But if you need a quick catch up - then see the first 5 seasons condensed in to 10 mins here as done by the wonderful Reduced Shakespeare Company.

How old is too old?

A strange couple of days for various reasons. Generally feeling a bit 'restless' with a few things on my mind. Wondering a bit about age - probably something to do with being the 'awkward age' of 39. For example;

• on Sunday I was wondering at what should a man give up wearing hooded tops - unless you're a monk?
• yesterday, for the first time ever, I gave my 'business card' to a couple of people. They were sort of 'homemade' - thank goodness for the variety of stationery Ryman offers - to save the public purse. Surely I'm too old to be giving business cards for the first time?
• Today I phoned a recruitment firm about a job advert I'd seen a couple of days ago. Another first, but it was an interesting looking job and they'd advertised the salary as 'competitive'. The discussion showed it wasn't as 'competitive' as they thought - but am I now too expensive?
• been thinking about 'age' for a couple of other reasons as well.

As I said - a strange week so far - and it's only Tuesday!

That was the week that was

Well, it's been a surprising week and not quite what a lot were expecting. Have to admit I'm very surprised that it's a formal and full coalition government rather than a 'supply and confidence' agreement. Could be a genuinely new era in politics. My observations so far;

• credit where due. All three party leaders were at their best - all 'statesmenlike' and pretty clear and open,
• Given coalition is new territory for Westminster politics we managed to get a pretty quick answer to the government question - credit to the staffers and the Cabinet Office teams,
• Gordon Brown looked a new man - a weight lifted. For once we saw his warmth. Sense he feels a burden lifted and who could begrudge him that? May he enjoy time with his family - for whom he showed real warmth,
• surprised David Cameron has given so much up - five Cabinet posts and various ministerial roles - did he need to? Then again, such a full coalition could be a very clever political move as it could neutralise the 'lunatic fringe' of both parties
• notice how on going to Buckingham Palace Gordon Brown had police outriders and a rolling roadblock, but on leaving he didn't? It's the little things that former ministers will notice in the coming days - no Private Office organising your diary and telling you where you should be, no ministerial car and driver, and for some like the ex-PM, the return to having to sit in traffic jams

Be very interesting to see how the next few weeks pan out!

What happens next??

Some thoughts on an interesting past 12 hours and what may happen next.

When anybody talks about ‘moral authority’ or ‘moral victory’ it’s because they don’t have the actual authority or victory. Each of the parties have flawed claims to become the government and here’s why.

• Conservatives – yes they are the biggest party and got the most votes. But the electorate hasn’t given them a clear mandate – it’s almost as if the electorate wanted change, but were not entirely convinced by the Conservatives so didn’t hand them a clear victory in order to ‘keep them honest.’ Also have the problem that they only have one MP in Scotland – so not a clear UK wide mandate either.

• Labour – clearly the electorate doesn’t want them as the sole party in power, or indeed in power at all. A massive loss in their vote – both in seats and percentage terms. Also have the issue that 41 of their 258 MPs are Scottish and would be able to vote on issues that affect England (and Wales) but, with devolved government, have no impact on their constituency; the tricky ‘West Lothian question’ posed by Tam Dalyell. To remain in government when clearly rejected by the electorate, and be supported by so many Scottish MPs (and possibly the SNP as well) to such an extent, raises issues about their ‘mandate’.

• Lib Dems – seem to be kingmakers but have been compromised. According to the polls people wanted to vote for them, but they couldn’t actually bring themselves to do so once in the voting booth. If they came to support Labour, who have been rejected, they leave themselves open to accusations of selling out to gain office and propping up a busted government. Supporting the Conservatives won't be popular within the party.

So it’s tricky... what should happen?

Well, if I was Nick Clegg I’d say that the Lib Dems will abstain in the vote on the Queen’s Speech – the first vote of ‘confidence’. That puts the decision back to Labour – do they brazen it out and risk defeat? In effect you’re offering Labour the chance to ‘do the honourable thing’. It shows that you’re not going to sell out just to gain power, won’t risk a split your party, and is not denying the result of the electorate. Above all it allows a space to breathe and then puts the onus on to the Conservatives to try to form a government, but is also telling them not to do anything stupid.

What will happen?

Still think a Conservative minority government - with a 'confidence and supply' arrangement with the Lib Dems is the most likely option – but may not happen for a few days.

Who knows – perhaps Caroline Lucas should be asked to try and form a rainbow coalition...

How good were my predictions??

Not bad - but not good.

No Cabinet Ministers lost their seat, BNP didn't win a seat and I overstated the Lib Dem share of the vote. Got the Balls and Bercow races completely wrong.

Pretty good guesses for the number of Cons seats, and the Cons share and Labour share of vote. Also pretty accurate on turnout and that the Greens would win a seat.

So, marginally better than a chicken pecking random guesses on a piece of paper...

One aside. Was dissappointed that Dr Richard Taylor, the local doctor who was the truly independent MP for Wyre Forest, wasn't returned as an MP. He only just lost out to the Conservatives. Whatever your politics he was an intelligent, independent and local voice in a Parliament that is largely media focussed on national issues and with few characterful and individually thinking MPs. He will be missed.

Vote early, vote often?

Well, it's V day (or E day??) - time to make your mark.

Voted earlier - interestingly there was quite a queue - never had that before.

Final predictions...

• Share of vote - Con 38%, Lab 27%, Lib Dem 27%, Other 8% - mainly I think the polls still understate the Conservatives
• Turnout - 65% - up on last time but not a massive amount. For those engaged by the debates I suspect there are nearly as many who are even more turned off by the whole process for a variety of reasons
• Largest party - Cons but short of an overall maj. My guess is 305 seats
• The 'it's not fair' moment - Lib Dems still won't get nearly as many seats as their vote warrants. I think such a perverse result will mean this will be the last 'first past the post' election with a move to the Alternative Vote
• Shocks - three Cabinet Ministers will lose their seats; BNP and Green will each get a seat.

For a different take to the telly - it might be worth dipping into http://tweetminster.co.uk/ once in a while.

See you 'on the other side'...

Kick Ass

I've real mixed feelings about this film. A graphic novel with a cult following becoming a movie that was initially turned down by all the major studios but has been very successful sounds like a good story.

The basic premise about how super heroes are really just ordinary people deep down is interesting.

It's well made with a good cast - Nicolas Cage, Mark Strong - and has good special effects. It should be a good popcorn movie - so why did it leave me with a bitter taste, so much that I'd actually say this is a movie to be avoided?

I think I felt uncomfortable due to the cartoon, yet graphic violence. The character of 11 year old Hit Girl left me really uneasy with her love of violence and 'potty mouth'. Perhaps I'm just gettting old, perhaps I'm just really out of touch and not as open or liberal as I thought - either way it just didn't feel right. I certainly don't think it should have received a 15 certificate.

The 'majority view' of the critics is that this is a pretty good film - see Peter Bradshaw's Guardian review. Time Out offers a middling review here. Interestingly Roger Ebert, the doyen of US critics, is not a fan and even calls it 'morally reprehensible' (see here) - which is very strong stuff from him.

See it and make up your own mind - but personally I think it's one to avoid.

Website of the week

Sometimes you just want to watch a stadium blow up as part of a controlled demolition.

No? Just me then? OK, well you won't want to click here then.

Whip It!

You're a very successful actress who has starred in some of the biggest movies of all time. You're a very sucessful producer who has produced some of the biggest hits in recent years. You're part of a family that is a holiday dynasty. You want to make a directorial debut and someone pitches you a movie set in small town Texas about female roller derbies. This comes across as a good idea?

Who ever persuaded Drew Barrymore to make her directorial debut with this film may have at first seemed a bit mad - but they weren't, it was a surprisingly good idea.

Set in small town Texas Whip It is a female coming of age film where an intelligent young teen finds more to life than beauty pageants by stumbling in to female roller derby. It should be dreadful - it isn't. Gentle and amusing, but with a little bite in the script, it really benefits from a strong cast which includes Barrymore, Ellen Page and Juliet Lewis.

It is not flawed - it could be 20mins shorter, a couple of characters aren't really developed as well as you might like, and Jimmy Fallon's character as the roller derby MC could have been consigned to the cutting room floor in its entirety without losing anything - but it's different. You get involved. You what to know what happens. You engage with the characters, especially the parents who are particularly well drawn. It's an unexpected delight.

Worth watching - and any film that includes a T shirt of 80s Christian metal rock band Stryper as a plot point can't be bad.