Latest news with #Hamlet
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
Stunning UK harbour town with 'haunting' castle home to breathtaking walk trail
Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire boasts some gorgeous scenery and even a castle (Image: Atlantide Phototravel via Getty Images) If you're looking for a sign to get outside and discover the UK's amazing landscapes, consider this your cue. A picturesque harbour town in the UK, boasting stunning coastal views and even a castle to explore, should be on your travel list, as there is so much to see and do there. Stonehaven, located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is an ideal destination for a summer getaway. According to a recent study by CEWE experts, this charming location boasts one of the most scenic walks in the UK. If you've visited before, you'll understand why - the incredible landscape could easily have come straight from a postcard. Each spot on the list was evaluated based on star ratings, review count, and descriptive terms such as 'beautiful', 'stunning', 'amazing', and 'lovely' - words typically linked with photogenic locations that leave lasting impressions. The walk around Dunnottar Castle tied for second place overall with Powis Castle in Wales, surpassed only by Mount Stewart in Northern Ireland, reports the Express. Dunnottar Castle in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire stands as one of Scotland's most precious landmarks, having shaped the nation's story across 1,000 years of history. A walk around the grounds of Dunnottar Castle is a must (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto) Boasting dramatic clifftop panoramas, this remarkable fortress has welcomed legendary figures including Mary Queen of Scots throughout the centuries. The castle has also served as the backdrop for numerous Hollywood productions, including Disney's Brave and Mel Gibson's Hamlet, with its official website noting that the 'haunting' castle has featured on the big screen many times. They said: "Perched on a cliff-top amidst striking scenery with stunning seascape views, it's not hard to understand why the beauty of this outstanding location has been captured on the silver screen on numerous occasions." Positioned dramatically on a towering 160-foot precipice and encircled by sparkling waters, this magnificent structure truly must be seen to be believed. Visitors can venture to the Aberdeenshire coast to secure tickets for exploring the castle itself, or alternatively wander the surrounding grounds whilst admiring the view. Stonehaven is the perfect place to spend a summer staycation (Image: Getty) Dunnottar Castle is about 1.6 miles south of Stonehaven, so it's the perfect place to visit if you're in the area. But aside from the castle, there are so many brilliant things to do in this town. No trip to Stonehaven would be complete without dedicating time to the charming harbour area. There are so many places offering the perfect spots to dine, sip drinks and unwind, whilst there's nothing quite like observing the boats gently swaying in the water. During your stay, make sure to explore the Tolbooth Museum, which is the town's most ancient building and previously served as a jail many years ago. Many original elements remain intact, including the traditional prison cell entrance. And if you're in the mood for a bit of adventure, you could also give paddleboarding lessons a go out on the water. However, if you're not quite up for braving the sea, there's an outdoor swimming pool situated along the seafront that remains open until September.
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
‘Great wall' built to prevent Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T., from falling into the ocean
It took approximately 200,000 tonnes of rock and $50 million, but the 'Great Wall of Tuktoyaktuk' is complete. The wall will protect the Northwest Territories hamlet from further coastal erosion and possibly falling into the Arctic Ocean.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Democrats' ‘Autopsy' Flop
It's hard to know who is currently winning the contest for 2024 ostrichism: A Democratic Party conducting an election 'autopsy' that ignores Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, or the hooting media that ignores everything beyond the Biden/Harris campaign disaster. It is this echo chamber that elected Donald Trump twice, and the question is when the left will remember that voters are the ones who pick the president. The New York Times's revelation that the Democratic National Committee's 2024 campaign autopsy won't touch on Mr. Biden's decision to run again, his coronation of Ms. Harris, or her key decisions, is certainly worth a skewering. As is the news that the report will instead devote most of its attention to 'outside groups,' including the party's main SuperPAC, which apparently lost Democrats the whole kaboodle by misallocating advertising dollars. The Times story sent writers racing for the best comparison put-down. An autopsy that lacked Biden/Harris, said the Times, was like 'eating at a steakhouse and then reviewing the salad.' No, said the Nation, it was like 'a production of Hamlet that leaves out not just the Prince of Denmark but also Claudius, Gertrude, the Ghost, and Ophelia.' Actually, said a Republican consultant in the Hill, it was like 'doing John F. Kennedy's autopsy, and only examining his feet.' Fair enough, if obvious. Of course it mattered that the Biden inner circle chose to spend half of 2024 on a remake of 'Weekend at Bernie's.' Of course it mattered that Mr. Biden then anointed a woman who'd never won a single presidential primary vote, who'd become a liability as vice president, and who then ran a policy-free campaign centered on joy, media-avoidance and accusations of fascism. Obvious, too, because deflection and finger-pointing are now de rigeur in the Democratic Party. In 2017, Hillary Clinton blamed her humiliating loss on sabotage by Russia, sexism, Jim Comey and an insufficiently prostrate press corps. The party blamed its 2022 midterm House loss on the public's failure to understand the brilliance of Mr. Biden's spending and economic agenda. Yet the mainstream media's willful insistence that the loss must be put down solely to Biden/Harris is equally comedic. The coverage is almost desperate to insist that the left's only problem is the messenger—and the means of messaging. Which puts the media in the exact same spot as the 'autopsy' it ridicules, as that document is headed to a finding that the party needs someone who does a better job of 'connecting' and 'explaining,' and who doubles down on organizing. What both camps studiously ignore is the voter verdict. That is, the voters who last year decisively rejected the progressive agenda that defines today's Democratic Party. A real autopsy would focus almost entirely on the unpopularity of the ideas that animate the political left: open borders, unrestrained spending, union power, climate diktats, police-bashing, anti-Israel sentiment, identity politics. It would note not just the polls showing this rejection, but the proof in the form of recent, extraordinary demographic shifts that show a left losing its grip on whole categories of once reliable voter groups. A real autopsy would meditate on the disconnect between a nation that wants the freedom to build, grow and achieve, and a Democratic Party increasingly obsessed with locking up and redistributing a government-micromanaged ecosystem. It might even consider a case study of, say, San Francisco, for some evidence of how its policies fail in practice, and how voters respond on issues like crime or education. A few liberal policy wonks are feeling out a new direction—see the talk of an 'abundance' agenda—yet party leaders have so far resolutely refused to go there. An honest examination would drill in to the failure of eight years of lawfare, the party's decision to weaponize government for political gain. It would ask if the partisan ambitions that fuel the progressive left's calls to end the legislative filibuster, nationalize election laws, pack the Supreme Court or abolish the Electoral College are worth the distrust they sow among average voters who want stability. It would question what internal or cultural dysfunction allowed an entire Democratic establishment to salute a misguided leader, and worse, to excoriate those rare individuals (Dean Phillips) with the backbone to warn of a coming trainwreck. None of this will happen, for a simple reason. The progressive left remains a minority in the liberal movement, but its true believers nonetheless occupy all the positions of power, including the leadership of the DNC (and most Beltway press jobs). They won't criticize their basic world view. If change is to come to the Democratic Party—and it will—expect it to come in the form of a charismatic outsider who shows a new way, not via a pro forma autopsy by an insular claque that has no real regrets over the course that actually lost them an election. Write to kim@
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
The only people who came to my Fringe show were drunks and sea cadets
Fringe veteran Lucy Porter flashes back on how traumatising the Fringe experience can be. 'My first gig turned out to be in a Sea Cadet hut,' she recalls. 'I was going through a Goth phase at the time, so I thought I was prepared to be miserable, but I wasn't. The only people who came to the gig were drunks and sea cadets, who thought the hall was still in use for sea cadet stuff. The other comedians in the hall and me all fell out. At one point I sat on the steps and sobbed and let out a primal scream.' Read more about the Fringe In 1986, Paul Merton played the Pleasance to 'around six people every day.' 'I can remember walking in the rain every day to the venue, but then one day I couldn't remember how to get there. I think my brain was saying 'I'm not taking you there.'' Many performers assumed (wrongly) that consuming sufficient amounts of alcohol could help them deal with the Fringe experience. In 2012 Chloe Petts was a hopeful actor who turned up with a cast of 13 to live in a five-bed flat. Not ideal, admittedly. 'I coped by going out and getting drunk every night, mostly ending up blacked out with my face in a bowl of plain pasta. But that night on stage, I felt the Buckfast wield its power, and I threw up. Unfortunately, I had to kiss the other lead, my best friend, who'd just seen me being sick in a bucket. As we leaned in, she viscerally communicated 'I hate you, you stink' with her eyes while I tried to communicate 'I'm so sorry!' with mine. She didn't talk to me for the rest of the run.' Cash, it seems – or the lack of it - is at the core of many performers' stress build up. (The average cost for an adult to stay at the festival for its duration this year is £2,471 on Airbnb and £5,198 on Then there is venue hire, marketing materials and PR, and fees for the producer and director. In fact, last year Mancunian comedian John Tothill decided to mitigate the costs by contracting malaria, signing up for a medical trial that would see him infected with the deadly disease. His £2,500 research fee helped covered his upfront costs. Hyperinflation in Edinburgh during Fringe time has seen Gail Porter axe her show. Even comedy giant Jason Manford said he can barely break even. London critic Holly McMahon was initially delighted to land accommodation in a 'private summerhouse' on the outskirts of the city's West End, a 40-minute walk from the major venues, for only £76 a night. But she was shocked to be berthed in a shed with a chamber pot. Each year, some 400,000 visitors descend upon the city to witness a kaleidoscope of colour and madness, such as the lady who lip-synced using her genitalia. We've witnessed the collection of knitted bible stories. A one-man Hamlet was performed 12 years ago featuring teddy bears and a karaoke machine. There was a Bouncy Castle Hamlet, featuring a blow-up sex doll as the ghost of Hamlet's Dad, with extra points added for using a miniature bouncy castle on the big bouncy castle - to perform the play within a play. Paul Merton, seen here with Ian Hislop, is best known for presenting Have I Got News for You (Image: BBC/Hat Trick/Ray Burmiston) There have been plays featuring every affliction known to man; you are virtually guaranteed plays featuring depression, death, grief, alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling addiction, and every obsessive compulsive disorder imaginable. You can see parody musicals and dramas, spoofs and satires. You can see shows in bunkers, tents, science labs and shipping containers. Or sometimes a theatre. Yet, why would performers wish to compete in such a world of contrived insanity, of often uncontrolled ego? Performer Juliet Myers's nemesis was her attention-seeking tech support. 'She often just chipped in and responded to things I said in the show,' says Myles. 'I had a bit where I pretended I didn't know where Zurich was. She would just shout out, 'It's in Switzerland. You asked that yesterday!' She constantly insisted on making the lighting red or green and when I insisted I didn't want that she'd exclaim, 'It's my show too!'' But hang on; is this compendium of colours part of the reason why performers wish to be part of the melee? Perhaps. Paul Merton maintains that very few achieve fame thanks to appearing at the Fringe. 'It's a myth you think an Edinburgh run can be a launch pad.' Of course, many will hope to emulate the experience of Richard Gadd's Baby Reindeer which began life as an Edinburgh Fringe show, or the success of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag. Some will cite the historical successes of the likes of Derek Jacobi who starred in a sixth form production of Hamlet, comics such as the Monty Python team, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Rowan Atkinson, Rory Bremner and Keiran Hodgson. And theatre colossus Six began life at the Fringe. However, the likes of The Chase's Paul Sinha, who fronted a show themed around Love, Actually, and cancelled two shows due to zero ticket sales, wallow in the challenge. And comic Adam Riches maintains the Fringe experience toughens the spirit. 'I've suffered so many shockers, from multiple walkouts and single-digit audiences to lame promoters and supposedly 'career-threatening' reviews. I was once told a 'one triangle of one star' review was coming out, but 'on the plus side, they were going to be printing a photo'. The fringe is like the shark in Jaws: a cold, brutal killing machine that sleeps badly, eats worse and makes little fringes.' It is indeed a test of grim endurance, and it just may be the (badly lit) place in which dreams may be realised. Yet, it's certainly a month-long examination of character, says writer James Cary. 'It's not just an endurance of physical stamina, ultimately, you will experience emotions and feel frustrations that only happen in this annual cauldron of dysfunctional ambition.' He adds; 'In the Bible, there is a wonderful proverb from King Solomon which runs thus: 'As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly'.' Is Lucy Porter one of those fools? She smiles as she says the Fringe experience may be tough, but it's transcendent. 'It's a constant carnival with things going on all day or night. It's like being in Vegas - but with mime and contemporary dance.' To purchase tickets for the Fringe, please click here
Spectator
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
Brilliant rewrite of Shakey: Hamlet, at Buxton Opera House, reviewed
'There is good music, bad music, and music by Ambroise Thomas,' said Emmanuel Chabrier, but then, Chabrier said a lot of things. I adore Chabrier – who couldn't love the man who wrote España and turned Tristan und Isolde into a jaunty quadrille? – but it doesn't do to take him too literally. Thomas ended his career as a notoriously crusty director of the Paris Conservatoire, and when the French musical establishment puts you on a pedestal younger composers invariably start hurling the merde. Scraps of Thomas's music survive in all sorts of odd corners (a snippet from his opera Mignon crops up in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp). I've always found it rather appealing. The Buxton International Festival's production of Thomas's 1868 tragedy Hamlet confirms that it is, indeed, extremely listenable. The libretto is based on Alexandre Dumas's version of Shakespeare, and it's calculated to turn Bard-worshippers puce. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are cut and Polonius and Horatio are barely walk-on parts. Brilliantly, Thomas and his librettists Carré and Barbier also rewrite the ending so the Ghost gatecrashes Ophelia's funeral like the Commendatore in Don Giovanni, while Hamlet survives to be acclaimed King. And if you think that's sacrilege, you can't have been to Stratford-upon-Avon recently. In any case, Thomas's score, which can feel a little polite on disc (think Gounod and soda), is actually very effective in the theatre. With Adrian Kelly conducting the orchestra of Opera North it's trim, it's passionate, and you still get all of old Shakey's juiciest bits: the gravediggers, the play-within-the-play and a stonking coloratura mad scene for Ophelia – sorry, Ophélie (Yewon Han). At one point in the Buxton production Hamlet – sorry, 'Amlet (Gregory Feldmann) – even addresses himself to a skull, and the fact that the director, Jack Furness, manages this without self-consciousness speaks volumes. Furness engages with Thomas's opera on its own terms, and plays it for what it is. So it's updated – suits and evening wear – but you barely notice, with the chorus gliding around like predatory caterers. Sami Fendall's set designs are minimalist (not much more than a flight of steps) but they're so skilfully lit (by Jake Wiltshire) that they evoke the whole noir-ish, shifting world of Elsinore: shadows, corridors and blasted wastes. The appearance of the Ghost (Per Bach Nissen), meanwhile, is a real coup de théâtre. The atmosphere is as compelling as it is oppressive, and with Hamlet as a sort of tormented hipster amid the upscale couture of the court, Furness lands hit after palpable dramatic hit. Certainly, Feldmann and Han seemed to be giving their all, in a pair of enormously extended and taxing leading roles. Feldmann conveys Hamlet's seesawing naivety and angst as vividly as anything you'll see at the RSC, but he's got vocal stamina too, sounding nearly as fresh at the start of the final scene as he had three hours previously. The same goes for Han's touching Ophélie. Her voice had a shaded, poignant undertow that added multiple layers to her huge, virtuosic final aria – which was received in icy silence by the Buxton audience. They're hard to please in the High Peak. Alastair Miles was a proud, oaky-sounding Claudius and Allison Cook, as Gertrude, found powerful reserves of nuance and pathos. Like everything about this production, they delivered more than the sum of their parts. The singing and the playing are also the thing in Opera Holland Park's new staging of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. Cecilia Stinton's meat-and-two-veg production doesn't spring any particular surprises, but if you like BBC period dramas you'll enjoy the tailcoats and stovepipe hats (Stinton has updated the action to the era of Walter Scott). Three graves dominate the front of the stage, to remind you that this is not – despite the evidence of the costumes – a revival of Oliver!. OHP does have one killer card to play. This company has always excelled at casting, and pretty much everyone here is the genuine bel canto article, pouring out those long aching melodies at fever heat. In fact for large parts of the evening Morgan Pearse, as the heartless Enrico, sounds even sexier and more lustrous than Jose de Eca (as a Heathcliff-like Edgardo) – though when Eca hits his full-throated stride, it's more than worth the wait. The big news, though, is Jennifer France's role debut as Lucia. It's dangerous for a critic to have too many preconceptions, so take it as you will when I say that the hushed intensity of her singing in the quiet passages and her absolute control in the mad scene exceeded my (high) expectations. The rest of the cast (and indeed the City of London Sinfonia under Michael Papadopoulos) were audibly inspired by France's singing, and her final scenes – bloodied, bedraggled and caked in mud – are the kind of theatre that stays with you.
