BACK AGAIN

 KARNATAKA, INDIA

Maharaja's Palace, Mysore (once state capital now part of Karnataka) from last year's album

 Maharaja's Palace, Mysore, floodlit briefly every evening


Last year you may recall we spent January and February travelling around Tamil Nadu and Kerala the two states which comprise the southern tip of India, starting and finishing on the east coast at Chennai (Madras as was). This year we spent the same winter months travelling around the western state which stretches northwards from Kerala. What a state of contrasts from the fast expanding city of Bengaluru (the traffic jammed heart of its IT Industry) to the wonderful unknown centre of the state north of Hampi, and the magic of Indian religious ceremonies in Upudi.


As usual I kept a blog of our travels by way of a diary, though in the less visited areas usable computers were difficult to find and frequent power failures were disruptive. A few readers had access to that blog, for the rest I promise a link once I have published a cleaned up version, inverted the postings into chronological rather diary order and added tasters from our 1000 photograph record.  Karnataka surrounds the tiny ex-Portuguese colony of Goa, a package tourist area at least as well known as Kerala, where we spent two weeks, in a southern part not at all ruined by catering for mass western tourism.

Apart from travellers like us, of which there were few, we discovered two pockets where retired Europeans return year after year to  replace the ice and snow, wind and rain with non stop, unvarying, sunshine. We often asked ourselves before returning would too much heat be better than too much cold. It was a relevant question to ask, the long stayers are anxious to get out before India really starts to warm up in late March. Britain was still cold at the start of March but now our daffodils have taken to flower and it's beginning to feel that spring really is on its way.

Our last night in Bengaluru was spent at the Chinnaswamy Stadium watching Ireland of all countries to annihilate England in the league stage of the One Day World Cup, and claim two world records one of which, only 50 balls for the fastest hundred, will take some beating, to emphasise the context the previous record was 66 balls. We turncoats could not but cheer the Irish on that exciting night, along with the pilot of tomorrow's plane. Sport being what it is it's the battle scarred English who reached the knock out stage, three more victories and they will be world champions.


To a significant extent this holiday was troubled by prolonged ill health and poor sleep patterns, Joan in particular was swearing she would never return to India and convinced her troubles would disappear the moment she reached home - they didn't. Once feeling better and starting to look over the photographs a reassessment will surely begin.

RICHARD 2 Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory - Bristol

We had bought tickets for Saturday's matinee 12 March before leaving for India knowing there would as always be a full house on our return, not bad considering they play daily except Sunday for almost two months. Richard 2 is normally thought of the first of four history plays proceeding to King Henry 4, 5 and 6. In fact it is better seen as a tragedy of the king who acceded to the throne as a minor fully believing in the divine right of kings and found it difficult to adjust to being usurped by a fait accomplis of his cousin Henry Bulingbrooke, who although technically banished had returned to England and won the support of the nobles and the people (The Peasants Revolt). Richard 2 had no choice but to hand over the crown.


Throughout this blog I have always promoted quality theatre. I went initially to the Tobacco Factory because of the rave reviews several years ago for their production of Hamlet directed by Johnathan Miller. Without question Richard 2 was the best production since, the bulk of the casts has always been excellent, mainly older actors trained at the Bristol Old Vic, but this production was absolutely outstanding for the way little known John Heffernan played the title role.



But don't take my opinion on its own have a look at John Morrison's who issues several posting a month on theatre, this on his very first visit to the Tobacco Factory. He is advocating Richard 2 is given a short season at the National Theatre in London. Transfer to the West End was advocated for Hamlet, in fact the other play directed that year by Jonathan Miller that year won out because it had a well known star, Joanna Lumley if I remember correctly. John Heffernan bounded onto the stage like a ballet star ahead of the rest of the cast to receive a standing ovation. He has the range to portray the tortured emotions of Hamlet - if he does I hope to be in the audience
http://blackpig.typepad.com/john_morrison/2011/02/richard-ii-at-the-tobacco-factory.html 


I did give advance warning of the Tobacco Factory's Shakespeare Season but this was the final week of Richard 2.  This twelfth year continues with their second production Comedy of Errors, it will run from Thursday 24 March to Saturday 30 April. Don't miss that too. Incidentally they have now opened a second theatre space at The Brewery, another factory being put to new use 150 metres from the first. The three month Shakespeare season is the highlight, but there is a wide range of productions throughout the year, they might be thought of as more popular fare but its hard to beat three months of full houses for their Shakespeare season. What was encouraging was the age range at that matinee performance, there were plenty of young faces, though almost all above school age, Classical Theatre will thrive whilst there are interpretors like this company and intimate spaces like the Tobacco Factory.


U3A
My thanks to Adrian Crowley who has made such a success of a facelift for the slide presentation before the Wednesday lectures whilst I was gallivanting, and to Mo who has kept communication on Group activities flowing through the monthly Newsletter. Adrian will take over the slide show, though in a reversal of roles I have offered to deputise for his much shorter holiday week.

I have decided not to stand as Groups' Coordinator, or any other role, on the committee at this year's AGM, though I thoroughly enjoyed it for three years I think it is time for new ideas and renewed enthusiasm.
I like to think I helped make a difference and non more so than by the overdue use of computer technology for the first time in this organisation, plus an illustration of the potential for widened communication by this blog. The blog may well continue though without emphasis on promoting new and troubled U3A groups for which it was first conceived, though certainly with comment on U3A activities dear to my heart. 

Without the slightest doubt I recommend the very interesting and rewarding role of Groups' Coordinator to anyone. I am sure that discussions already in progress by the committee will result in a higher profile for groups, their convenors, tutors and helpers, as well as by structured help for the Coordinator. In the longer term I foresee the evolution of internal Group structures being led by small teams of members - though each group needs a single point of contact.


GP LED NHS for WALES?
The only group meeting I have been to since returning drew my interest from its topic, presented by member Vicky Wood, a researcher on NHS matters. It's difficult to imagine a more topical or vital subject. She started the discussion by summarising the major changes which had taken place in the NHS since its foundation by Aneurin Bevan. She said the most relevant to the current discussion was the introduction of GP Fundholding in the early 1990's but follow up research into the effects had shown only mixed results. Since then The Guardian has added to my understanding. In an informative two page spread it added the introduction of practice based commissioning by Tony Blair in 2005 whereby commissioning of hospital care was shared between GPs in cooperation with The Primary Trusts.

When it came to a question of decision by the group as to whether Wales should follow England in respect of GP control unusually there was a big silence from the group. I for one must admit ignorance as to the way the two countries approach to the NHS differs currently, which didn't help. It is the political question of the hour but only one member was clearly in favour of the change and none of the silent majority spoke definitely against, though one was clearly concerned it would be the first step on the road to the unsatisfactory, privatised, far from universal coverage, system in the USA.

A GP friend used to say the fault lines were drawn in the original agreement with Bevan, by which he meant permission for hospital consultants to work privately as well as for the NHS (since constrained). The main thrust of The Guardian articles was that the GPs, who gained big unforeseen increases in earnings from the changes of the Tony Blair era could be the financial beneficiaries of this proposed system, maybe doubling current earnings. It seemed all too plausible to me. Put together it made me wonder if the current objection by BMA members was not based on the same hospital/GP split. 


I have just a few observations
1) Continual upheaval is unwarranted except for very good, well thought out, reasons. The lack of evidence of the benefits of reorganisation  troubles me, and it seems quite the wrong time for large scale risky experiments.
2) It appears from personal observation that the morale of staff in Hospitals was much improved following the large input of finance by the last government including finance to accelerate operations and reduce waiting lists. It was surely that widely held feeling which caused all political parties to say in the last election debates they would protect spending on the NHS. Indeed we know a Swansea U3A member who classes his treatment here far higher than the experiences he had when he lived in France - the exact opposite to that normally cited.
3) Drawing purely from the unrelated unrelated experience of an design and development engineer I suspect that, regrettable though it may be, a majority of GPs, like engineers, would rather exercise their specialised professional skills than dilute them with general management tasks, for which their interest and training has not equipped them anyway. I say maybe regrettable because in industry that was the cause of the top management posts going to accountants, and we all know that Britain's once world renowned engineering industry, still intact in 1945, has virtually disappeared since. The one world class engineer that remains, Rolls Royce, was throughout headed by engineers who really understood both the business, the innovating technology and the necessity to stay in front or fail, though they did need a government bail out to succeed.

THE RISE and FALL of the SOVIET STATE
Last Wednesdays lecture topic, by Dr Neil Harding. We went not knowing quite the approach which would be taken, would we be drawing lines on a map to show the break up? But no it was nothing short of an intriguing attempt in forty minutes to expound the political principles behind the rise and fall of market driven capitalism and that of planned communist approach. Akin to Julian Barnes attempt to write 'A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters', but much more pertinent.

I would like to feel I have retained a fraction of what was said and wish the lecture had been recorded. What I have kept is the idea that political systems (Capitalist or Communist) contain the seeds of their own destruction and that all lead to Militarism to defend their power. What hope for the world? 

What hope for a pacifist like me? Should I become an advocate for Elle - la Revolution Permanente which Georges Moustaki promoted so attractively years ago in his song, Sans la Nommer, but I guess he was an anarchist at heart, he told us his friends were un peu anars. But as Dr  Harding told us tearing things apart is no longer a realistic option given the ever increasing complexity of modern industry, so is there no way to a more sane world? Maybe I'll retreat to study the three main Hindu Gods in more depth, the one who should have constructed but couldn't bring himself to act, the one who did, and the destroyer, there's a trinity for you.

JAPAN
I don't even feel so confident of my previous advocacy of nuclear power given the terrible tragedy in Japan, from natural causes not warfare, though I am sure the engineers will, given the opportunity, eventually evolve safer reactor designs. But we always said if there is a known mechanism for failure sometime it will happen. Building on a well known active fault line sounded crazy yesterday, let alone today. The far bigger danger in my view is nuclear weapons.

SOLAR POWER
My sister phoned this afternoon to say her voltaic roof started generating power this afternoon and her meter was now running backwards but her computer had ceased to work! There's hope for those who can adapt to daylight living.

LIBYA
As a pacifist I must say military intervention is always wrong. Quite apart from that I think the attempt at Regime Change in our Self Interest, to paraphrase David Cameron, is a strategy which may well backfire in the medium term - even though it is backed to an unclear degree by a UN resolution. I doubt that even the UN should be attempting to police the world.

SHORT COMPUTER TRAINING COURSES
Just before Christmas I led a four week course for Internet Beginners, which set out teach how to think logically, calmly and constructively about it. One of the aims was to provide one on one help for the pupils, in which I had sustained help in the true U3A manner of sharing know-how. If there is sufficient interest I will organise a repeat, the benefits will be greatest to those just starting - in fact last time two of the pupils brought their first computers straight out of the packing case.

WINTER WONDERLAND, well it started like that

Takes me back, just 21, winter in Canada, Rugby on ice, no wonder their season was split in two by a lengthy winter break. Minus 20C in the UK - I could hardly believe it for that's colder than I ever experienced during five years in southern Ontario - my record was in northern Quebec, just once outside in minus 40 (F or C which ever you prefer), pee holes in the deep snow we have a little way to go. But except for the relatively infrequent snow storms the cold was invariably accompanied by clear blue skies, just like we had been having. The other day I caught Joan tilt and turn window wide open sitting on the sill and stretching out as though cleaning the outside of the windows - but no, camera in hand, she was trying to capture the sunlight glinting on the snow of Clyne Common. I hope between us we have got some impression of the magic, pale blue and white make a fine pair. Then back again to dismal cloud from the south west, which even though it is a few degrees warmer has broken the spell. No wonder I am now depressed from SAD (Seasonal Affected Disorder)

Today when people ask 'am I sorry to have left Canada, would I go back'? The answer is a clear 'no' because I could not face the long cold winters where snow comes in December and never thaws until March (four days rather than four months is already awakening the same vulnerability). It was great fun to learn to ice skate by playing ice-hockey on the frozen Lake Ontario (well we did buy boots and sticks, which acted as a support to disguise the lack of skill), and on the areas of flat parkland which were flooded for the winter so as to form huge ice rinks. I remember snow too cold to form snow balls.

One of the world's great spectacles is the heaving and breaking of thawing ice confined by river banks. New arrival, Joan, shared the sight with me in early April at Valleyfield, Quebec, following a tributary along the road which would cross the soon to be opened Saint Lawrence Seaway. In summer Cunard sailed to Quebec City but at this time of year it ended at at Halifax Nova Scotia where she was met by my best Irish friend who was commissioning an Ice Breaker whilst I battled the cold with the new Seaway lift bridges in Montreal and Valleyfield. The Seaway was another case of too little too late, a great idea whose time had passed - a few years later 100,000 ton ore bulk carriers were docking at the new tidal  Port Talbot harbour. An attempt to automate the new unloaders was my first failure in the Steel Industry - but an unforgettable insight into 'simple' harmonic motion, think of the swing when accelerating the pivot point of a mannerly pendulum whilst drastically changing its length so as to haul iron ore out of a boat by grab crane and deposit it in a fixed hopper on shore.

TAKING STOCK
For the past couple of years Swansea U3A has been characterised by steadily increasing numbers of members but high turnover from year to year and my belief is that we never involved those who left after a single year. So far that trend seems to be even worse this year, which seems surprising given the large increase in new activity groups formed during the year all bar one of which are well and truly launched. But read further and learn how much of the dynamism needed to run new groups is coming from new members

Is the real problem one of communication and getting the bulk of new members to take their first step? I meet a lot of people who are delighted with the friendship and interests they find here. but in this blog I am almost certainly preaching to the converted. However the  take up by this year's new members is disappointingly low, one hopes it is balanced by increased reliance on the website as the prime source of electronic information. The future for communication is electronic for any 700+ member organisation.

If you want to find out more about a group then phone the contact given with you membership card, voice contact is best for initial contact, or email the same person via the website just quoting the group's name in the subject of the email, or phone me the Groups' Coordinator Brian Corbett on 424702 or Mo Ellard 363465 who is deputising.


In the old days everything revolved around the Wednesday afternoon lectures at the University, they still exist and are if any thing improving in quality and diverse interest but the numbers attending have dropped off a bit - perhaps as a result of the alternatives within our organisation, perhaps as a result of the tendency away from thought provoking activities towards the comfortably social. A major obstacle is undoubtedly car parking and the answer is greater reliance on buses for the university is excellently served by the new metro-line from the north, the orange 82 bus university service and many more from the new Quadrant and points west. Park and ride is perhaps the best option from the east of the city.


GROUP NEWS

PHYSICAL FITNESS, includes three new groups
We are well served here by a variety of very popular groups from the long standing Walking Group which meet at 10.30am on alternate Thursday mornings and has rambles often in the Gower followed by a Pub Lunch.
Now in its third year the Jive Group meets at 11am every Wednesday in the Monkey Cafe in the centre of Swansea. Both of these are excellent places for new members to start if only because they are fairly large diverse groups and by their very nature it is easy to make informal contact, with other members and find out about many of the other happenings.

Tai Chi, two years old, restarts 7 Jan 2011 with the usual three one hour classes, 9am, 10.30 and 12 on Friday mornings at Hazel Court. They help improve control of body movement and practise memorising lengthy complex routines - also true, in a more vigorous style, of Jive.
Yoga has been introduced this year for the first time and we are lucky to have two excellent class leaders who are members of the U3A, which keeps the cost down. Choose between two classes on Wednesday morning at 9.30 and 11am with Edna Jones, and a class on 10am Thursday morning with Chris Bryan.


I did a years Tai Chi last year with Mike Hart but have now homed in on Yoga, neither of which I had previously tried.  Exercises I have done all my life but always vigorously and with multiple repetitions with the goal of keeping fit and strong. Yoga has been an eye opener as practised here it is well suited to our age group, the emphasis is on retaining flexibility by gentle deep breathing, persistent rather than vigorous stretching and twisting, and, the regain of a balance which was once second nature. I started with Chris in the summer and have continued with her since (there will be an extra vacant spot at the start of 2011 during my winter in India). She is delaying restart until Thursday 27 January to give herself a well deserved break.

Last week, the end for 2010, I was surprised by how effective virtually the same movements were without floor exercises, just standing or sitting in an upright chair. The thought occurred to me that such an approach would open the sessions to those who for various reasons find it almost impossible to get on and off the floor, like for instance my wife Joan who has two artificial knees and can no longer kneel. I am sure Chris would be prepared to cater for such members within a more fully able class, or if the demand was high enough as a second session on Thursday mornings. Call Chris to discuss it on 301938.


As far as sport is concerned we have added this term two hour sessions of Short Tennis on Thursday mornings at the Leisure Centre (LC2). This is played on a badminton court with a soft ball which is hard to hit hard and therefore is a game without service aces but continual retrieval can be quite vigorous. Contact David or Judy Jones on 410484 who are keen to reproduce what they brought from Maidenhead. Given that there are six badminton courts available of which only three are currently used this group could be doubled in size. The two existing Indoor Bowls groups n have been nearer to capacity for some years but there is some turnover so the persistent eventually get their turn. Contact Angela re the Monday pm session, or Dudley re the Tuesday morning sessions - both at the West Cross Community Centre

Pat Herbert has now undertaken to give a trial run to a Fitness Class on Tuesday 18 January, watch the website or Wednesday lecture slides for more information. 

CREATIVE GROUPS
In this category I count the writing classes run by Jill Govier on Mondays at 10am and John Barber on Tuesdays at 10.15 both at Hazel Court. These courses are the source of many articles which are published in our annual magazine The Chronicle.


Then there are the three painting groups, Mary Lane's well established group meets every Tuesday afternoon in Mumbles, Val Day's Art/Painting group which meets on the 3rd Monday of each month in Fforestfach, and the newest a Beginners Watercolour group run weekly on Thursday afternoon by Brenda Sweet, though she tells me she does not intend to remain restricted to Watercolours which is often thought of as the easy option but which in many ways is the most difficult technique.


READING, one new group
Literature group run by Lawmary Champion studies the chosen books more thoroughly spending longer on each and meeting on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday afternoons of the month at Newton Village Hall.
There is variety in the approach of the other five Reading groups. I now understand that Vicky Wood, who is already involved with the Gardening group, has taken over as convenor of Reading 5.

READING 1

READING 4

LANGUAGE, one new group with two more probables
There is a very strong French Group which divides into two parts, those wanting to gain confidence with French grammar who work in one half of the room with convenor Gilly Jordan, and the other more advanced half who are led by ex teacher Beryl Edney, with new member Jean Cunniffe (a graduate in French) taking sessions to allow Beryl some time off. Not until the morning of their Christmas Dinner did I realise our Membership card gives my phone number by error against the name of convenor Gilly Jordan, it should of course have been 01269 824876

Italian used to be my biggest headache but has truly found a niche under Italian born ex DACE teacher Carolina Rosati-Jones and enthusiastic convenor Patricia Morgan. Last week we men (a badminton player, a bee-keeper, a blogger, a bridge player, and an ever young squash player outnumbered the ladies 5:2. Is this a record for a U3A group? Perhaps this accounts for the recent run of 'complaints' from next door that they cannot concentrate on their painting for all the laughter coming from the Italian class, and it's us who are in the Dry side of the Craft Room! More likely it derives from  Carolina an award winning creative writer with a penchant for stories and humour and, as she demonstrated last week, with a fine singing voice and a deep love of sound of the Italian language.

SPANISH
Alison Burns, new this year - better known for work with Amnesty International, was keen to start a conversation group and is succeeding, they are currently trying out free venues so be sure to contact her  on 290260 if interested in attending. She keeps contact with the group via email alisoneburns@yahoo.co.uk  There were around 10 of us on the awful winter day well down on the previous session. I am sure they would welcome the leadership of someone really secure in the grammar and the spoken language, a feature we have in 'spades' in the other two language groups. Anyone out there willing and able to contribute?


One of my other local interests as a frequent travellor in Latin America is via ALAS (Asociacion Latinoamerica de Swansea) which over the past decade has held annual festivals at The Dylan Thomas Centre. Memorable ones include the early Latin American film only festivals which started in a decade ago in the Dylan Thomas Theatre, one with a top Salsa Band from London, a memorable weekend including a book drawn from Welsh oral history of the Spanish Civil War. More recently there was one on the Cuban revolution including its modern political history and response to the crisis caused there by the disintegration of its great supporter the USSR, under Yeltsin two decades ago. Interposed with which there have always been documentaries on the political oppression of socialists in South America, which presumably brought many of the ALAS founders to Swansea. I remember my eldest Jim recounting the arrival of Chilean girl to his form in Bishop Gore 35 or so years ago.

In the New Year from 6pm Friday 18 Feb  2011 it starts with a Madrid theatre performance of a play for voices Tejas Verdes (with English sub titles) recording one woman's fate in the military overthrow of the Allende government of Chile in 1973; through dinners, films, dances, to a piano concert and reading from Pablo Neruda's poetry to 7pm Sunday 20 Feb. 

Their website is www.alas.org.uk but this does not currently appear to provide a link to the detailed program which is available by email on request to  alas_wales@hotmail.com


BRITISH FILM
The new British Film study group run by Anthea Symonds (206479) meet at 2pm Ground floor Hazel Court on the First Thursdays, next one 3 February will start a term exploring wartime films from the 1940's. Joan relayed to me what an well presented, amusing. topic it was. So I accompanied her to the last session on a dreadful winter day, she still drew an audience of 18, to a study of Proud Valley with Paul Robeson set in the Welsh valleys and what she described as the best documentary ever made the night train with sorters on board and snatched pick up of mail bags in the old days of mechanical automation, featuring a poem of W H Auden to the rhythm of a train.  


Night Train by W. H. Auden (1907 - 1973), first verse only


This is the Night Mail crossing the border,
Bringing the cheque and the postal order,
Letters for the rich, letters for the poor,
The shop at the corner and the girl next door.
Pulling up Beattock, a steady climb:
The gradient's against her, but she's on time.
Past cotton-grass and moorland boulder
Shovelling white steam over her shoulder,
Snorting noisily as she passes
Silent miles of wind-bent grasses
Birds turn their heads as she approaches,
Stare from the bushes at her blank-faced coaches.
Sheep-dogs cannot turn her course;
They slumber on with paws across.
In the farm she passes no one wakes,
But a jug in the bedroom gently shakes.

Then Anthea goes on to amuse us by quoting a modern 'spoof version' she found on the Internet - I think it was this one

The Modern Mail by Jeff Green (after W D Auden)

Second class mail is getting much slower
Standards of service now even lower,
Most of it junk mail heading for landfill,
Or charity mailshots trading on goodwill.
The van's slowing down fry-up is calling
Delays to the mails are something appalling

Stamps cost a fortune come in a book
Is this the right one where can I look?
Packages, parcels, low business rate
All in one post van and all of it late
Card from your Mother, "Best Wishes" son
Just has you guessing "Now what have I done?"
Postie is dawdling, stops for a fag
Chats to a neighbour, has a good drag
Clatter of envelopes crash to the mat
Most are for next-door, he's scared of their cat
Catalogue filled with ladies undressing,
Study that later, I don't mind confessing!
Bill for some services I haven't had
The late Birthday Present I bought for my Dad.

All that I'm waiting for hasn't arrived;
Of toys and amusements I'm sadly deprived.
The train doesn't bring them it's all done by van;
Delays and diversions where-ever they can.
Somewhere in his grave I can hear Auden spinning
And no-one can doubt why it's email that's winning!!!

Plenty of room though visibility of large but low TV screen could be a problem, Anthea (new this year) merits a big audience. 

PRE-CONCERT TALKS
Cecily Hughes (363875) has arranged five such lectures by Chris Weekes (lecturer in music for DACE) on Monday afternoons in the Council Chamber at the Civic Centre starting on 31 January with an introduction of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra.
Space in this wonderful venue is virtually unlimited and the talks are only 2 pounds, but if you decide to attend you will need to buy your own tickets for the concert in the Brangwyn Hall

ARMCHAIR TRAVEL
They have had to change venue and have decided to go to the large ground floor room at Hazel Court. The very first there at 2.30 on the Friday 7 January will be by Brian Davies, the current convenor, presenting the La Loire, the beautiful French river famed for its Chateaux. Here's hoping he will do as well for France as he did for Swansea and Gower as a short notice replacement for the final Wednesday lecture of last term.


The room has been booked through to December 2011, but remember Brian Davies is finishing as convenor this summer, after several years in charge. Group members should think about a replacement for this well attended group.


POLITICS and CITIZENSHIP GROUP
Another excellent group thriving under the new leadership of Gabrielle Suff. Her last coup was to persuade Peter Black, AM and Swansea Councillor, to talk to us on Coalition Government.
The groups interest was clearly evident from the extensive questioning. I would certainly go along with his view that the Liberals had no option but except to join a coalition with the Conservatives in order to provide the stable government which the country so obviously needed. We should be grateful they have stuck to their task, think of the chaos when Ireland was forced into an early General Election by dissolution of their weak coalition. Clearly they have been able to strengthen the liberal wing of the Tories notably Ken Clarke, who ironically like the Liberals must be thanking the day we stayed out of the Euro and preserved the freedom to devalue by 25%, or depreciate as Peter Black would have preferred to say - though it seems little more than a semantic distinction to me.


The one area where the Liberals have not gained noticeable moderation of Tory policies is in the area non of the parties dare discus in their electioneering, the Economy. We have so far avoided a double dip recession but as he admitted on answer to another question any cuts to date have been those put in place by the outgoing Labour Government. The end of the financial year 2011/12 will for me be the very earliest time to evaluate if we have escaped unscathed from their current single track emphasis on reducing spending, in a doomsday scenario we could end up increasing our debt under collapsing paid employment.


This will make the current furore about Tuition Fees look like the minor feature it is. I, a long supporter of the merits of some contribution for university education coming from the students themselves, because I believed they needed to value and not enter lightly into such education. No I am simply horrified by the huge increase in scale of student debt implied by the current proposals. It was excessive debt that got us here in the first place, now we are ingraining it into the next generation. Bear a thought for those students who achieve full time employment above the median wage, 25,000 pounds a year in 2010, by the time they are thirty and wanting to start family life. (If 50% of the population go to university then many graduates will, almost by definition, end up under the median full time wage, though many more will end up as well paid bankers, lawyers, accountants, doctors, scientists and engineers whose costs will have been refunded by their parents or employers - 'it's fair' - pull the other leg.)  


If there is one factor which to me is even more disturbing which seemed to have disappeared from the political landscape and that is for incoming governments to dismantle the policies of their predecessors. One day a new Aneurin Bevan will see fit to restore public services. Why dispense with regulatory control, of drugs by NICE, of schools by publicly accountable authorities, hand food safety issues to manufacturers.


In the meantime if 20:1 is an appropriate salary range from very top to bottom for public employees (David Cameron's figure not mine) why not in the private sector too?

ANYTHING GOES
A new venture by Pat Herbert (405920), Barbara Ellis, Marion Harris and Joy Gillard to encourage support for events at local clubs and businesses. Joan and I joined them for their first get-together at the so called Vanilla Restaurant run at Gower College in Tycoch by trainees. Excellent value for a well cooked meal, though being last to order I just missed out on the most popular dish, Plaice.

They are starting the New Year at 11am on 18 January with coffee/wine in the Grape and Vine restaurant on the top floor of our skyscraper.


Already there are a few new faces at Jazzlands, although there were a number of regulars in ones and twos. Why not become members at the beginning of January £25 with two stand-out events Mornington Locket (tenor sax) on Wednesday the 5th and then Jim Mullen (guitar) with Stan Sulzmann (reeds and flute) on the 12th.


CHRISTMAS PARTY AT SWANSEA JAZZLAND
This was held on 15 December as previously advertised and what an event, never before have so many talented jazz musicians appeared together in Swansea. The evening started with a hour by a band of teenagers now calling themselves The Gents (previously The Tourists) and led by fabulously talented fourteen year old Sam Vine on keyboards, a name to watch. His brother Tom is on bass guitar,  Tom Duggan played alto sax and Tom Goldring drums, with the somewhat older James Duggan (tenor sax) guesting later on. You can hear them any Monday from 8.30 till 11pm at Noah's Yard in Uplands.

But the real feast was to come the inaugural performance of Dave Cottle's 16 piece Big Band. They started with Grandstand as though we were in for an evening of Premiership football, everything was clearer on noticing the music stands were from grandstands.com . All but two played solos of whom the pick were top British jazz stars Steve Waterman on trumpet and Simon Allen on tenor sax, though two of the the biggest cheers of the night went to Tom Harris on Baritone and Tom White and Sarah Morrow with their trombone duet.

The majority of the rest hailed from South Wales. Oliver Nezhati from Llandeilo was not too long ago being praised at Jazzland by top UK trumpeter Bruce Adams for being unfairly good for someone so young, he set the night off with a barnstorming solo on tenor. I was impressed by young Nick Mead on trumpet who read as accurately and played as confidently as Steve Waterman at the opposite end of the trumpet line up when some were at sea on a complicated piece by Mendoza and Dave Cottle had to give up piano and conduct. Nick, a new face to me, was said to come from Gower.


THEATRE
Please support Peter Richards director of the Ffluellen Theatre who gave a well attended 'Theatre in the Round' production of Hamlet in the Arts Wing of the Grand Theatre in November. He also ran three day long 'Discovering Shakespeare Workshops' at the Dylan Thomas Centre on, Macbeth, Henry the 5th, and Twelfth Night. Joan and I enjoyed all three which got better and better, if only because there was a more complete study of the plays, despite a dismal turnout. We can safely assert that we gained a deeper insight into those plays in a day than good language teachers conveyed at school in a term - the reason coming from his life time as actor and the last 10 years as director of Shakespeare and other plays. To call them workshops was perhaps misleading, since they were essentially theatrical monologues drawn from a lifetimes thought and experience.


He intends to run three more workshops in the Dylan Thomas Centre in the spring followed by a Ffluellen Theatre production of Cymbeline in the autumn.

SHAKESPEARE AT THE TOBACCO FACTORY
Another recommendation on a similar theme Richard 2nd and then The Comedy of Errors at The Tobacco Factory, Bristol, every night except Sunday from 10 Feb to the 30 April. Theatre in the Round performances under director Andrew Hilton which regularly rate supportive revues in the national press. Matinees are held on Saturdays and some Thursdays and can be incorporated in a day-trip by rail or National Express. This is the 12th annual season of Shakespeare At The Tobacco Factory www.sattf.org.uk

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.

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