SWANSEA JAZZLAND THIS WEDNESDAY, YOGA & MORE

ALAN BARNES QUARTET AT JAZZLAND
If you have not yet tried Swansea Jazzland then don't miss Thursday 3 November at 8 for 8.30, this I swear will be the real thing - unlike last week's mention of The Cherry Orchard - see much later.

Alan Barnes has been a regular visitor to Swansea for over thirty years or since the young prodigy on alto front lined drummer Tommy Chase's hard bob group. Usually he plays with the Dave Cottle Trio but this time he brings his own all star quartet. How that can be done for £10 (£7 for members) is a mystery, one sure not to be repeated after next years slashing of the financial support for arts outside London.

On the other hand they are more or less guaranteed a full house, a rapt audience and a standing ovation, and the audience in turn an exciting evening of music making by incredibly talented musicians (judged by any standards) of a mixture of styles from slow melodic ballads to fast bop - but always music of a high standard.


These days Alan plays a mixture of reed instruments typically alto and baritone sax, clarinet and bass clarinet - we will see what he brings this time. No jazz lover would argue that he is amongst the very finest British reed players.


Jim Hart is surely the best, perhaps the best ever, British player of the Vibraphone. He too has been an annual visitor to Jazzland and accompanied Gwilym Simcock recently at the Taliesin.

Andy Cleydert on double bass is well known as a sideman for Ronnie Scott, and Stan Tracey - the greatest name in British jazz since the war - who knows how to pick out talented sidemen.

Paul Clavis on drums is a new name to me, but has credits like so many of today's jazzmen ranging from Classical to Pop, from Leonard Bernstein and the London symphony orchestras to many great jazzmen including Stan Sultzman and Alan Barnes, and artists like John Williams, Michel Legrand and Elton John. Seems to have particular interest in the avant guard between classical and jazz music.
Marion Harris 206044 is offering to introduce U3A members to jazz concerts in and beyond Swansea, but come along it's full of friendly oldies like us (sadly like to much of the arts - though there are incredibly talented young teenagers here to carry the jazz torch forward).


SHORT TENNIS
Yet another new group takes off. The first session will be Thursday 4 November at LC2 Leisure Centre at 9.30am for a 10 till 12 court booking. Two courts are booked and more are currently available, and 12 rackets have been bought with funds advanced by the Treasurer sufficient for simultaneous use of three courts.

They will play doubles with each couple as far as possible being one male one female. The first hour session will see a couples rotating after each game, mimicking the rotation of partners which has been an essential ingredient to the social success of the Jive Group. Including of course any couples sitting out. The second hour is intended to play ad-hoc games but always incorporating those sitting out at the end of the game.

The initial charge will be £3 a session with rackets provided, after that a50p levy will be added for use of a club racket thus encouraging keen members to buy their own rackets. Rackets cost £8 upwards to buy in Swansea and should measure 21 inches from top to bottom.

Parking is available at LC2, and LC2 will refund half that paid on entry to those showing the second half of the ticket and saying they are there for the U3A Short Tennis, the first half should of course be displayed on the car dashboard. 

It is a vigorous game so Shorts and T-shirt are the best form of clothing, but as in a squash court you must wear non marking trainers. Be sure to dressed ready for play by 9.40am so to select pairs and explain the order of play and the rules.


Good luck sounds great, but I haven't run for years due to joint problems or I would be very keen indeed. When I remember that my mother played badminton at the old leisure centre on her 90th birthday that thought for a competitive sportsman all my life is rather chastening.


YOGA
Two new groups at Hazel Court and both so popular from the outset that we have booked both rooms through to the end of 2011. The only snag is that the Exercise room is really comfortable for only 8 people plus the tutor.
Edna Jones has agreed to run two 1 and1/2 hour classes on Wednesday mornings the first at 9.30 for those who attended her first session last week, the second at 11am for the overflow from last week plus any others. Contact Edna 410649 to book a place or turn up and take a chance on getting in at the second session.

Christine Bryan had one spare place at 10 am on Thursday and given an overflow would run a second class, like Edna. Note classes are weekly except this week Thursday 4 November when  the class is CANCELLED because there is a prior booking on the room. (Note this a different date to that given on my Update email, apologies for issuing misinformation.)

The cost will be £2 per session, maybe dropping to £1 if there are two full sessions a day. We are very lucky to be able to get tuition from such good teachers for that sort of price. It is really pleasing for me to find two more such enthusiastic leaders epitomising the U3A spirit. A regular attender should offer to keep a register of those attending and collect the money for their session, the person doing the last session of the day should also pay at the desk for hire of the room. That's the least you can do to help. A small float, say £20, should be built up on each day to ensure the £10 weekly rent can be paid without being out of pocket on thinner weeks.


SPANISH
A conversation class is already running monthly in the library but I suspect that it is full enough for now, but contact Alison Burns if interested.


Keith Barry, an experienced tutor is willing to run a Learn Spanish Class, possibly from the very beginning, if there is sufficient interest. We have six people interested at present in addition to the existing conversation group, twelve would be a more desirable number and so I am requesting anyone else interested to speak either to Keith on 795672 or to me personally on 424702 or via email.

However since Keith has an eye operation booked for 20 November the decision has been made to delay the start of any such class until January 2011, though we might well call an inaugural meeting before that to agree date, time and suitable venues.

As usual it all depends on enthusiastic support.


BRITISH FILM STUDIES
The second monthly meeting will be held at Hazel Court at 2pm on Thursday 4 November. I do not have details of the film yet.

CHESS 
Those interested will meet at Hazel Court at 10.30 tomorrow Monday 1 November to decide whether and how to run a successful group. This time for the first time since the start two years ago we have a really enthusiastic group leader, which I have written elsewhere is the key ingredient for getting a successful group. Watch this space.


BEGINNERS WATERCOLOURS
The Group will now be running weekly next year from January (not May) 2011, they will continue meeting when tutor Brenda Sweet is not available including a period with family in Australia. I have been speaking to Val Day about occasional support from her or an experienced member of her group to help give direction to the group's painting.


Brenda tells me she does not see the group long-term as being restricted to watercolours, which is a difficult not easy technique, though it will for a while remain our least skilled class.


I went there last Thursday and was very pleasantly surprised by the feeling of bonhomie in the room, this is clearly a group who enjoy each others company.

GARDENING
Also on Thursday this group had their first meeting under their new management committee which went off smoothly. Pat West, who also does her bit for Armchair Travel, talked about the flowers of Iceland.

ARMCHAIR TRAVEL
Guest Speaker Alan Edwards will talk with Power Point slides about his 'Transit along the Panama Canal', this Friday. This will be in the usual venue of Sketty Park Evangelical Church just south of Hazel Court starting at 2.30 pm on Friday 5 November.


Brian Davies 520927 has given notice of his intention to finish as convenor of this group at the end of this U3A year in September. Please volunteer to take over, well not all at once!!!! 


INTERNET for BEGINNERS
I have now circulated by email the 40 who expressed an interest either via the Questionnaire I issued a few months ago, or on Open Day, with a view to starting Tuesday afternoon 9 November. A disappointing number have replied so far and many of those suggesting I have pitched the syllabus too low for them. Incidentally we would certainly include shopping over the Internet. Perhaps the ones who really need it are silent for lack of basic ability. Anyone else interested please contact me ASAP on 424702 or via email, ideal as envisaged for those who have just purchased a first computer or laptop.


I am often asked for advice on which laptop to buy and will not be drawn. They should however have WiFi for easy connection to the Internet outside your own house. You will also need to factor in the monthly hire of Broadband at home. If you have a library nearby that could obviate the purchase of a computer or broadband.


Those with Broadband who which to avail themselves of free video phone calls all over the world by a free piece of software called Skype should also ensure a new laptop has a camera and microphone. Both can easily be added as separate devices to a desk top computer.


All three WiFi, camera and microphone are standard fittings on many modern laptops.


The other cost to factor in is the annual cost of Anti virus protection, typically Norton, and in spite of the cost it will be worthwhile as it could well save you expensive software repair costs. No-one should work on the Internet without such protection it's asking for trouble. A Firewall, the other essential software protection is built into modern Windows systems. I and many others use free software for these purposes but I wouldn't advise anyone going down this free software route for protection until they feel comfortable with their know-how and ability.

After that it is largely a question of size and weight and price. No need to go to the expensive end of the market in terms of speed GHz of the processor, memory capacity GB of RAM or Disc, or a separate video card unless you are intent in playing the latest fast moving video games. If still in doubt why not look at the appropriate Which Magazine, they used to keep copies in the old Reference Library

THE CHERRY ORCHARD
Not that I recommended anyone to go, I just said I was going to the Taliesin on Friday. It was disappointing for a landmark classical play, so much so that immediately it ended a tall brown suited gentleman (if that's the word) stood up and walked without even allowing others in the row time to stand up - treading on Joan's toes on the way out!


Having said that my first reaction was to want to go home and read the text, though that was not to hand and the urge has now passed. I could hardly have a better example of why Swansea is not in the same league as Bristol - those disappointed would surely have loved the production at the Bristol Old Vic last December of Uncle Vanya (another great play of Chekhov) from Andrew Hilton the director in the same city of  the three month 'Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory' season from 10 February to the 30 April. Next year he is starting with a season of 'Richard 2nd' and finishing with 'The Comedy of Errors'. A month later I think than last year perhaps a reflection of the disruption caused by snow and ice, which we then as now intend to miss. One can easily take in a matinee in Bristol travelling either by train or by National Express.

www.sattf.org.uk 
Bristol Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory website
or phone 0117 902 0344


Nevertheless the uniqueness and quirky nature of this production caused Joan and I to keep on reflecting on why they had chosen this and that route.

First the easy one. Did the back projection of video on the backcloth of the stage help? As far as I am concerned most often it was a distraction which took my eye off the actors although there were times especially when the video was a live close up of the individual actor when it did work. Most importantly it was a distraction at the start when I was trying to identify the key individuals, who was returning from Paris in the case of Lyubov herself and her 17 year old daughter only was it clear, which of the upper class had been left behind, who were the servants. That I was never certain of the roles being played just shows how badly the production worked for me.


Why were so many faces  in white as though it was mime not live theatre, I never understood. Why did her brother or butler (played by the same actor carrying a skeleton on his back? Why did the adopted aristocratic daughter Varya wear wings unless cynically it was because she wanted to advertise her suitability for future casting as the spirit Ariel in Shakespeare's Tempest. Varya (Teifi Emerald) impressed me as a very talented performer both acting and for her voiced sound effects, maybe her hip-hop early on were telling me 'while the cat's away the mice do play' and party.


Why did Varya and Dunyasha wear exaggerated ballet skirts? It was unfortunate that the wealthy man Lopakhin was played by a woman, as Joan, but not me, adapted because she was wearing trousers. In fact the gender identity was confusing me throughout.

It was also unfortunate that the complimentary program told us nothing of the Directors Ideas, the truncation of a four act play into a single act, some of the problems posed as I have mentioned. A paragraph or two might have clarified a lot.

Just one last thought, Chekhov apparently viewed the play as a farce though every director, including the first, has  treated it as a tragedy

However the overriding lessons are two fold, the vital importance of the text - that is why plays written as plays are so much more satisfactory than adaptations of say a novel; and yet again the personal reminder that I need to familiarise myself with a classic play before attending, not wait to try and sort it out afterwards!

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE
Jill Govier has come up with a very interesting piece of information, namely that the National Theatre in London are now filming several of their productions with the objective of as far as possible reproducing the experience on film of being in their theatre.


Cineworld in Mary Anne Street Cardiff, an easy walk from the station with plenty of parking nearby, are preparing to show these films. Those so far scheduled are
HAMLET on 9 December
FELA on 13th January 2011
FRANKENSTEIN on 17 March
CHERRY ORCHARD so far without a date

ntlive.com
for details of the National Theatre scheme

www.cineworld.co.uk/films/3759
for details of the Cardiff cinema program or 02920 667718