GROUPS QUIZ

BEGINNERS/IMPROVERS INTERNET COURSE
Just a progress report from a course which is running well and producing good feedback. There were 9 learners at the first class rising to 12 last Saturday and anticipated to be 15 this week when we will concentrate on email. Unless there are drop outs then the course for 27 Nov is full. Other are asked to register their future interest with Brian Corbett 424702. 
So far we have managed to have perfect balance between the numbers of learners and the number of helpers plus sufficient laptops to provide hands-on experience for each learner. I am particularly thankful for the support of so many helpers who are giving a Saturday morning to share their skills with members just learning - that's what the U3A is all about.

ARMCHAIR TRAVEL
The last meeting of that group was undermined by the very poor projected quality of pictures, in no way the fault of the originals provided by the speaker. Next time Friday 3 December we will use the U3A's own projector which is in perfect order and there should be no repeat of that embarrassing problem. 

Just as well because it is the turn of my wife Joan to talk about our travels by local transport (taxi, moto-rickshaw, bus and train) in the South of India last winter, south from Chennai on the east coast to the tip and back up the west coast to Mysore, then by train to Chennai to complete the circle. Joan has put a great deal of effort into preparing the presentation so we are hoping for the usual good turnout of this group, unaffected by that projector quality setback. Contact Convenor Brian Davies 520927 for details of the venue which is in Sketty Park Evangelical Church, just south of Hazel Court on the very same street Maes y Gollen.



ITALIAN
I spoke last week of the day Italian born tutor Carolina invited us home for lunch, better than that she had waited months so I could be present. At that time I did not have photographs to use but here are a set from Patricia Morgan 207305 the convenor whose enthusiasm is behind the very cohesive nature of this group. Plus another new member today, Howard Sandman. A group growing nicely after two difficult years.

Brian and Jim

 Godfrey and Dave

Murphy and Carolina

 

 Patricia

 Eleanor and Godfrey

BEGINNERS BRIDGE
A new group which seems like an instant success thanks in part to another combination of an enthusiastic convenor Bob Hughes 363875 and an experienced tutor. They have been averaging 24 learners per session on Thursdays at 10am at Mumbles Bridge Club. Such good progress has been made by this years starters that absolute beginners may now it difficult to catch up, but this may make the group more attractive for those who wish to refresh long lost skills.


BRITISH FILM
The next meeting will be at 2pm on Thursday 2 December when Anthea Symonds 206479 will be looking at two films

'Proud Valley' 1939 which was filmed in the South Wales Valleys with Paul Robeson in the starring role.


Plus 'Night Mail' 1935, the greatest documentary ever made in Great Britain, featuring the mail train from London to Edinburgh and the poetry of W H Auden.


SCRABBLE
Next meeting will be Monday 13 December from 10 to 12 in Sketty Park Community Centre. Ring Marian Howells for further information on 477691.


CHESS for FUN
New convenor Harry Lewis has decided to move the Group to Starvin' Jacks a cafe in the centre of the city on Park Street which runs from Oxford Street to the Kingsway - close to M&S. Since there is no room hire this venue is both free and well positioned, they offer a downstairs room with many small coffee tables which should be ideal for Chess. Looking further ahead Harry anticipates playing on their street tables next spring and popularising chess in Swansea once again.

It has been decided to focus the playing time at first into two hours from 10am till 12 every Monday morning. The next session will be Monday 29 November. Please contact Harry Lewis for details on u3achessforfun@gmail.com or 584297


GERMAN
Gislinde Macpherson 403268 has offered to help run a German Group, possibly with the emphasis on conversation in that language. We will first try to establish the degree of interest using the website as with the Spanish conversation group which expect no less than 20 to their next meeting. An email with the subject German to the u3aswansea@me.com will be automatically routed to Gislinde.

So far the only member who has approached me about starting a German Group is Dorothy Little 511127. As leader of Book Group 4 (and temporarily the new Book 5) and I am sure she would help to get such a group off the ground. In the meantime we wait to see how many are interested.e many others. Gislinde by the way belongs to Barbara Ellis's Book 2 and single handed she has to tend a large garden a major time commitment in Spring and Summer. In our house Joan is the gardener and I am a labourer who can scarce be trusted! 


JAZZ
I must go back to that scene because it is so vibrant in Swansea at the moment

SWANSEA JAZZLAND, St James Crescent Social Club, several U3A members were seen last Wednesday at the concert of experimental music by Gilad Atzmon quartet, including non less than Pat Herbert, maybe the first sign of the new Anything Goes group on safari. 

This Wednesday 24 November 8 for 8.30pm features the trombonist Mark Nightingale's Quintet for £10. He, purely by chance, is one of the players cited in my review last week of John Dankworth, though like Alan Barnes he is of a more recent generation. 

If you want a seat to hear Dave Cottle's new star packed 17 piece big band Power of Gower you will need to buy one of the few remaining tickets at £20 for Christmas Party including buffet. Visiting instrumentalists from across the UK like Simon Allen and Lee Goodall of 5 on sax, Steve Waterman one of 4 trumpets trumpets and Sarah Morrow one of 4 trombonists plus two vocalists  including Swansea's own answer to Louis Armstrong Berry Ray, not forgetting the Dave Cottle trio which convinces top UK instrumentalists, often alone, to visit Swansea Jazzland week after week.

The above event will be supported from 7pm by Swansea's amazing jazz quartet of young teenagers, The Tourists, who can also be heard at Noah's Yard in Uplands. 



TALIESIN (Booking Office 602060), 9 piece Jazz Jamaica plus vocalist for £18 (AOPs) at 7.30 on 4 December will surely be an approachable feast for all. Cuba is renowned for music across the world Reggie and Rap are liked so what's not to like about Jamaican music.

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE, from Jill Govier

I am writing to as many people as I can about NTlive. The National Theatre in London are trying to reach out to the provinces and indeed across the world, by simultaneously transmitting a production a month, live, to a Cineworld cinema near you. Although you sit in a cinema seat, they try to make the experience as much like visiting the Southbank as is possible. As you take your seats in Cardiff, you see the London audience take theirs and Emma Freud discusses some aspect of the production while we are waiting, with the director. The camera work we have found to be most sympathetic in 'choosing' what we watch. 'Hamlet' is the next production with Rory Kinnear, and takes place on Thursday December 9th at 7pm, cost £10 a ticket. For more details use: www.cineworld.co.uk/films/event/Ntlive.

 

Cineworld, Cardiff is on Mary Anne Street, off the Bute Terrace (A4160) with an NCP car park across the road from the cinema. It is close to John Lewis, at the back of the St. David's Centre, with restaurants upstairs like Cafe Rouge and Prezzo, plus others to suit all tastes should you wish to eat before hand. The only problem we are having is getting the tickets other than about a week before. The automatic phone line can be very frustrating, the direct line is 02920 667718, if possible hold for an operator. Tickets have always been available on the night, but coming from outside Cardiff, we would prefer to be reassured and have booked out tickets beforehand.

 

NEW MEMBERS COFFEE MORNI NG ++

Bob Hughes as last year provided the introduction in which he emphasised the cooperative learning principle behind the U3A concept and went on to describe much of what the Swansea U3A in particular had to offer, especially now since the creation this year of 10 new groups and the resurgence once more of Chess for Fun. There was a good turnout of both new members and convenors, leading to a very satisfactory balance unlike the previous year.

I went on to emphasise the two routes into this U3A of weekly lectures on a variety of topics held in the Grove Lecture of Swansea University, and the activities available through the through the various interest groups. They are not mutually exclusive and members were encouraged to try them both - but it was stressed that it was vital to get involved early, those who did rarely left. As regards information about U3A activities the first pace to turn to was our new website, those who attended a Wednesday lecture would see a slide show of imminent activities of activities. Comment and information was available via this blog and those who signed up will receive the 'Blog alerts', others will need to email me permission to hold their email addresses personally. The last and possibly underutilised source of current information for those without computers was the monthly Newsletters produced by Mo Ellard which should be made available in paper form to those attending any group meeting. The cost of communicating regularly by ordinary mail with individuals was too expensive in terms of both time and effort to contemplate.

Adrian demonstrated the capability and use of the website on his computer. The Social committee volunteers plied us with coffee and tea, not to mention the hard early work to set out the tables before anyone, including me, had arrived. All told it was generally agreed to have been another successful day, but the acid test will be the integration of the new members.


ITALIAN GROUP
After two years of struggle convenor Patricia Morgan and tutor Carolina Jones have created a very good group who
enjoy learning together, and Carolina has developed an informal relaxed style of teaching in which all participate all the time. At times last year attendance had dropped to three people but last Monday there were eight of us, and not only because Carolina had invited us back to her home to feed us on genuine Lasagna as per her mother's recipe!


Insisting that home made pasta was best, something I have never challenged since learning to eat Italian style on Sundays in the home of my Sicilean landlady in Hamilton Ontario. But making pasta is physically hard work for old hands and so Carolina has developed a style of making the lasagna sheets not as pastry but, using exactly the same mixture of ingredients to form a batter for making pancakes. The pancakes were then lightly fried (not browned) until they solidified and looked like sheets of lasagna, and used as such. The other noticeably difference was the use not of a strong tasting cheese, say Parmigiano or Cheddar, but a much softer mix of Ricotta and Mozzarella. The group supplied the Italian wine and all are honour bound to turn up next week with their translation of the dictation they took down last week. Our attempts should make for amusing reading, since only by the half way stage had I established what the piece was about and by then it was too late!


SHORT TENNIS
This has taken off as I expected, no less than 16 turned up for the very first week, but there are more courts available for hire and so new members are encouraged to turn up and try. The charge is only £3 per two hour session, plus car parking at half price of £1.50 for 3 hours.

The game was initially aimed at introducing tennis to children but it is very appropriate for our age group. The big attractions are that although played with a somewhat shorter version of a tennis racket the ball is soft and bouncy, thus will not hurt, and it is nigh on impossible to develop the speed to serve an ace, indeed under-arm serving is as effective as over-arm.

BEGINNERS/IMPROVERS INTERNET
The first course given to 9 pupils in Hazel Court last Saturday seems to have been well received. We should be particularly thankful that they were matched by as many experienced members who were prepared to give their time and in many cases to loan additional laptops. Another 5 pupils, who could not make it last week, are expected this Saturday which will bring us to a full house. Those interested in a similar course next year should contact me and I will start a list for a possible future course.


Adrian Crowley helped by giving an introduction to our website and Roger Knight gave an introduction to the excellent teach yourself interactive modules provide by the BBC. Google 'BBC first click' to get the link. It is well worthwhile, indeed may be as good - or better - than our attempts, and if nothing else it is complementary to and will help reinforce our efforts.


This Saturday 20 November Anthony Hughes will take the class through actual purchases from Amazon and a supermarket.

AN ENCOUNTER and Jazz
Over the past years I have spent a good deal of effort into creating a usable address book for mass mailing which was incorporated last year into the  Records held by the Membership Secretary. Just one was causing problem so I phoned John McDonald thus establishing it was his email and quickly correcting the reference. However he started by talking of my parents church Christadelphian who I had mentioned just once in this blog saying he not realised they had been supportive of the Jews. So somebody reads what I write, a very gratifying thought. In fact in order to allow my mother to go out in the evening, presumably to a church meeting, a teenage Jewish refugee used to baby sit for me and my younger sister and read us bedtime stories, no doubt helping her English in the going. Lisa I gather is now herself a Christadelphian.

John went on to say he was just listening to The Berlin Philharmonic on BBC 4 and this was to be followed by a program on The Dankworths so I rushed downstairs with the thought I was not alone in my eclectic attitude to quality music.

In fact it was a thoroughly engaging program not only of alto sax player Johnny Dankworth but of so many others of his era via clips from Jazz 625 (the HD of its day as it improved on 400 lines) at the outset of BBC2. Some others also sadly deceased like Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Scott, and Trumpeter (later BBC TV comedian/singer/dancer) Roy Castle. Other artists featured including alto Pete King, tenor Bobby Wellins, trombonist Mark Nightingale and son Ben Castle (tenor sax) all have played recently at Swansea Jazzland. Such is the quality at that jazz club.


Tomorrow at 8.30 they will feature Gilad Atzmon and The Orient House Ensemble £10, his great band from London. 
On Friday 9 November Tina May sings with her own quartet at the Taliesin OAPs £12, my favourite jazz vocalist with a tuneful repertoire who appeared at the club this spring and memorably at Mumbles Jazz and Blues festival on a simply beautiful spring day a year earlier. If Alan Barnes who appeared there just two weeks ago is alto John Dankworth's heir, then Tina May is singer Cleo Laine's. Take your pick or better still follow us to both this week's fine
concerts.

VERTICAL ROAD
Yesterday it was Vertical Road at the Taliesin a quite superb dance drama. Exceptional modern dance, described as from 'Gravity to Grace', by the Akram Khan Company unusually five male and three female dancers. They got a tumultuous applause from the virtually full auditorium, for once notably youthful, not afraid to pay top Taliesin prices to see an outstanding company give their only performance in Wales. Well done Taliesin.


The impressive lighting effects, the often very loud percussive mood music specially composed for the show. To my eye a transition in image from this mad rat race, from chain gang to soldiers worming their way across the stage on their bellies to clashes between men, between and men and women eventually resolving eventually in harmonious copulation as a couple rolled their way beautifully around the stage and finally to the dance of the whirling dervishes, one arm towards heaven the other down, head to one side as the Dervishes Whirled their way to a closer union with God. Rather than the slow prolonged whirl of the dervishes as they circle the stage, this interpretation in the hands of expert young dancers accelerated and accelerated.

It was this association with poet and philosopher Rumi, born in Afganistan, and  the Sufi tradition that first attracted Joan, since this was one of the highlights of our time in Turkey at Konya where he made his home. The Mevlana museum there is a shrine to Rumi and was packed with Turkish pilgrims. His movement was spread throughout the Ottoman, until that empire and this amongst its many traditions was finally severed by Attaturk fresh from his triumph in Gallipoli, the founder of modern secular Turkey in 1925. 


What a week this has been, starting with a visit to the Moscow Ballet Swan Lake in Carmarthen to celebrate Joan's birthday, on to a brilliant performance of Hamlet in the Arts wing of the Grand Theatre by the Fluellen Theatre Company with Peter Davies, directing a theatre in the round production which featured his 23 year old son Huw as Hamlet. The whole cast was superb but Huw was undoubtedly the star and like Vertical Road they made good use of strong mood music especially effective in the (Peter Davies) ghost scene. Once again, glad to note, the youthfulness of the audience, and that for Shakespeare there is hope yet that the classics will survive.


On to Sunday and the second of the Shakespeare workshop in the Dylan Thomas Centre for 4 hours study of King Henry 5th, by Peter Davies and an embarrassingly small audience of just six to watch a presentation that was little short of a sililoquy by Peter as he strolled around the stage and talked about the play, his experience of it as director, and illustrated by reading many famous speaches in faultless Shakespearian tones. 


Anything Goes our latest group note the last of this series of Shakespeare 'workshops' ( a misnomer 'study' would be better). Then Peter Davies will examine Twelfth Night on  Sunday 5th December from 10am till 4pm for £10 - a bargain.