Mark Reece's Blog, page 21

Review- Giselle ballet

After its recent set of new ballets, the Birmingham Royal Ballet has enacted one of its longer, classical ballets- Giselle, and it was a truly exceptional performance.

The plot concerns a young peasant girl, Giselle, who is seduced by an aristocrat but then heartbroken when discovering that he is already engaged. Distraught, she seizes his sword and kills herself.

In the second act, she is resurrected by a band of vengeful female wraiths, who try to kill her erstwhile lover by dancing him to death. However, Giselle decides to forgive him, and at the end of the performance, she ascends, as if to heaven.

Celine Gittens was beautiful in the titular role. There were rapid changes of mood in the story- at the start, Giselle happily dances through her village, but is shocked when realizing the betrayal of her lover. Later, the wraiths are coldly indifferent to her lover's suffering. Gittens portrays these changes with delicate touch and skill.

The second half of the performance stood out, with synchronized movements by a large number of dancers, making subtle movements on tiptoe. Their veils made the movements more striking, and more strikingly beautiful.

With a repertoire and dancers such as on display here, the Birmingham Royal Ballet is surely in good shape.

Review- The Testaments

The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Another fine book from Margaret Atwood.

This sequel to The Handmaid's Tale is told through documents, from the perspectives of three women. The first is a citizen of Gilead, the successor state to the USA, which continues to be run on patriarchal lines. The second is a school girl from Canada who comes to find that she is connected to events taking place in Gilead. The third is Aunt Lydia, who is in a position of power in Gilead, with responsibility for teaching Gileadian woman their roles in life. However, Lydia has accumulated other powers as well. The novel gives alternating narratives, with the strucutre ACBC. This largely means that the first two characters describe their actions, then Lydia gives an insight about what is 'really happening'.

The nature of Gilead is set out in more detail than was the case in The Handmaid's Tale. In The Testaments, the setting is made more explicitly American- for example The Republic of Texas is referenced, which was at war with Gilead in the recent past. I wonder whether Atwood is being a little mischievous when describing Canada as a refuge that Americans will risk their lives to escape to.

The characterization is very strong and the writing is compelling. The strength of Atwood's writing is that she shows how people act to give themselves agency, even in situations where agency is apparently denied to them. It is a fast paced and thrilling book, particularly in the latter half, where the three characters' stories coincide.

The book is so compelling that it is only when one has finished reading it that the oddities in the plot become apparent, more strikingly, the motivations of Aunt Lydia. For this reason, the postscript is an important part of the book, which casts doubt over the authenticity of the accounts of the three characters. This gives a meta-fictional explanation for the plot leaps, in a way somewhat convenient for the author, one might say.

However, The Testaments is a worthy sequel by an excellent author.



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Review- Birmingham Royal Ballet's mixed programme

Birmingham Royal Ballet has continued to introduce new short ballets with its 'mixed programme', including a world premiere 'A Brief Nostalgia', which was also the standout performance.

Set against a dark stage and a series of white walls that cast shadows of varying lengths, the performance is billed as 'looking at the fragments of our lives'. However, with its dystopian air, the spotlights suggesting loneliness and surveillance, and the looming shadows suggesting overweening authority, the performance reminded me of another recent BRB premier- 'A sense of time'. The dancing is as beautiful as ever, and the atmosphere was tense. I hope the BRB will continue to support these new performances; it will be interesting to see the BRB's focus under its new director.

The second performance was 'the suit', based on a short story by Can Themba, An intriguing premise and plot, although I wasn't wholly convinced by the interaction between the two lead dancers. All relative, of course.

The third performance- 'Nine Sinatra Songs', was definitely the weakest of the three. I'm not sure these sings quite suited the ballet- an attempt to attract a new audience, perhaps? It is noticeable that the short ballets do not attract sell out crowds like the classical performances do. Naturally, not all new ballets are going to work, but hopefully, enough will to encourage new audiences that the theatre needs.

Review- The Edible Woman

The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In some ways, this appears a slight book- a woman in two minds about whether or not to get married, with the plot involving few events other than parties and going to work. However, the power and subtlety of the prose show that a writer such as Atwood can make a compelling story out of any subject matter.

The protagonist of the novel, Marian, is in some ways conservative and conventional. She is shocked when her friend Ainsley talks about having a baby outside of marriage. She is pleased that her prissy landlady considers her trustworthy and respectful. However, her inner monologue suggests something else. She is very whimsical and funny- she calls her group of work friends 'the three virgins', which indicates another attitude altogether.

At the start of the novel, Marian is in an weekend relationship with Peter, which traipses into marriage when Peter realises that he is the sole remaining bachelor out of all his friends. The power balance in their relationship is beautifully depicted. Peter is not violent or openly abusive. However, whenever Marian puts her hand on his, he puts his free hand on top of hers. He doesn't mind her keeping her job for a time after they're married, but the unspoken understanding is that her work will only be needed until he establishes himself as a lawyer. The conflict between them is incorporated into Atwood's style- when Marian becomes engaged, the narrative turns from first to third person.

Some of the intellectual fashions of Marian's friends, such as Freudianism, seem dated now, although none the less funny. Ainsley is happy to ignore convention in having a baby out of wedlock, until she becomes convinced that the lack of a father figure will mean that her future son will 'grow up queer'. This is an obsession of Peter too, who worries regularly that doing this or not doing that will 'look queer'. Atwood spears a certain type of lower middle class conservatism very humourously.

Marian regains her agency only imperfectly, by taking control of her eating and by developing a relationship of sorts with Duncan- an extremely apathetic student. But this is not a dramatic novel; if Marian was losing herself slowly, then she has to reassert herself gradually too. A powerful and interesting debut novel that foreshadows Atwood's more famous later works.



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Review- Pig Tales

Pig Tales: A Novel of Lust and Transformation by Marie Darrieussecq

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a truly strange book. The (unnamed) protagonist is effectively a prostitute, working as a masseur as a pretext. She is entirely naive and apathetic, describing being assaulted in subordinate clauses, in the same tone that one might expect to describe doing one's shopping. The only thing that seems to upset her is when someone suggests that she might be losing her looks.

There are heavy hints that she is transforming into a pig- as when ham sandwiches start to make her sick. However, unlike in most other transformation stories, there are no real descriptions of the change. Instead, both the protagonist and people around her seem to accept what is happening without comment. In fact, as pig, she is able to interact with humans in a similar way as when she was a human. There are no concessions to realism here.

As the protagonist becomes more and more degraded, a new element is added to the story, in that some kind of authoritarian government comes to power, which is ostensibly committed to cleaning up vice, but that in fact corruptly permits it in secret. This development is introduced out of nowhere half way through the book and makes little sense, except in that the author has given herself licence to say anything. And then the protagonist meets a werewolf.

The book has been compared with Kafka's metamorphosis, although I don't find the two books to be at all similar. Kafka's protagonists have an intense inner life, whereas the 'heroine' of this book is empty from the start. The closest comparable book I can think of is Mirbeau's 'Diary of a Chambermaid', anther story about the degradation of a prostitute, although the narrator of that book tries to resist what is happening to her.

There's a lot of humour here- the narrator describes the system she develops with her werewolf boyfriend- they order pizza, she eats the pizza, and he eats the pizza boy. However, it is probably a good thing that the book is so short, novella length, in truth. The narrator is so mindless that the story would have become wearing if it had lasted any longer.

Too many books like this one would be a bad idea. A few though, done with enough wild energy, are great.



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Dreams of the eternal city- sale

The ebook of my novel, The dreams of the eternal city, will be available at Kobo.com between 12- 25 September 19, at a reduced price of £1.99.

There are plenty of great offers available, so the site is well worth a look.

Review- The discourses of Epictetus

Discourses and Selected Writings by Epictetus

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


In some ways, it is difficult to give a negative review to a book such as this one, which has a significant place in intellectual history. In other, more pressing ways, it is not.

The main positions advocated are a distinction between 'soul' and body, and the opposition of things under one's control to external things. External things are both material goods, and the acquirement of office. One could summarize these things as 'politics'. Epictetus states that one should care about one's 'soul' and be indifferent towards external things.

To Epictetus, becoming indifferent to external things is achieved by reducing desires and becoming indifferent to the world. This will also lead one, in his view, to become largely indifferent to one's self preservation. Many of the discourses indicate that if a person has become a fully stoic philosopher, then they cannot be made a slave regardless of their external circumstances. This is because such a person can still control their own actions and thoughts- they cannot be made to think in a slavish way, even if they are a slave.

Epictetus also makes regular references to God, or Zeus, and states that humans should submit themselves to God's will. God's will is expressed in nature; human nature is granted by God, therefore acting in accordance with nature is to act in accordance with God's will. This means that although God is frequently cited, God is in fact not a necessary component of Epictetus' philosophy. Actions do not have to be taken because God directly grants or requires them; Epictetus' doctrines would be identical, for practical purposes, in the absence of God.

After reading a few pages of this book, it quickly becomes apparent how poorly developed the arguments are. In fact, there is often very little argument at all. It is asserted that God exists. The 'soul'/body divide is asserted, the desirability of reducing desire and living in accordance with nature is asserted (which seems a formal naturalistic fallacy). And once asserted, they are reasserted, frequently. One can only compare the philosophy (that is, the structure and quality of the argument) of these dialogues extremely unfavorably with, for example, the Euthyphro dilemma, which assesses the relationship between God and morality in a way that is absolutely superior to anything written here.

This lack of argumentation makes me inclined to consider Epictetus more of a moralist than a philosopher. And the morality being advocated is one of tired Conservatism. One should not go to parties in case one loses one's honour. One should not laugh too often in case one goes down in one's friends' estimation. Of course, as Epictetus repeatedly points out, once one becomes a properly stoic philosopher, it is wise not to associate with one's previous friends, in case they ruin one's character with too many parties and too much laughter.

Of course, it is good to bear whatever suffering is inevitable stoically, using the commonplace meaning of the term. But to make a principle out of this requires that human welfare/flourishing is never attended to. A philosophical individual does not 'seek office'- then who does? There is no significant political philosophy at all here- plainly, someone is going to seek office, and Epictetus' only counsel as to how they should govern is indifference.

The style also falls flat. Possibly, part of this was to do with the translation- there are a lot of modern idioms that sound bizarre, as in this passage from page 196:

"... if you value dignity and restraint over being called a 'sport' by your old mates..."

Not having read the original, I can't attest to the accuracy of this, but it doesn't seem very redolent of the speech of a Roman in the second century. Such quirks aside however, the text is simply dull, certainly in comparison with other ancient philosophers. Of course, this may have been Epictetus' intention- better dull and repetitive than risking making the listener laugh, perhaps.

One wonder what the end game in all of this is- to have more dullards leading lives bereft of passion? It is in this sense that the book feels most contemporary. There are plenty of people making assertions without evidence and giving tritely moralistic advice in the modern world, too.



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Review- The Changeling

The Changeling by Victor LaValle

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The Changeling is a type of adult fairy tale in which the protagonist, Apollo Kagwa, sets off on an adventure after his wife commits an inexplicable crime.

This is a curious novel to review, as the tone was very uneven. Much of the first part of the book is taken up with descriptions of how Apollo becomes a doting father. He acknowledges that new parents' interest in their children is often dull- reading about it has the same problem. These passages are extremely long for the plot they contain.

The story gets going when Apollo's life is overturned, and some of the sections where he is trying to work out what has happened are fast paced and intriguing. However, when he reaches his destination, the story suddenly feels very long again. The resolution seems contrived and cliched- I think I would have have preferred Apollo not to have found any answers, if those were the only kind of answers available.

Overall, there was some good writing, but I didn't like this story.



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Review- I will never see the world again

I Will Never See the World Again by Ahmet Altan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I will never see the world again is a set of essays written by Ahmet Altan, largely about his arrest and subsequent sentencing to life imprisonment for supposedly offering logistical support to the Turkish coup plotters in 2016.

This is a great book, and one that cries out to be read over a short period of time. The writing is urbane, and the subjects discussed are varied. Altan is a writer's writer- he quotes or alludes to a wide variety of literature, largely from memory, and the tone of the book is not only reminiscent of other prison literature but also of dystopian fiction.

Some of the essays are only a few pages long, giving anecdotes about the petty mean-spiritness of prison doctors or the sentencing judges; other essays give longer expositions about the act of authorship and prison life. The tone is transparently honest, light and even whimsical- bitterness never intrudes, and that only heightens Altan's distance from, and superiority to, the oppressive environment he finds himself in.

At one point, he writes:

Anyone on earth who finds a listener has a story to tell. What is difficult to find is not the story, but the listener. I was the listener in that cage.

One suspects that his words will be remembered long after his tormentors have been forgotten.



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Review- Stung with love

Stung with Love: Poems and Fragments by Sappho

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This selection contains Sappho's poems where more than a phrase survives. Even so, the poems are highly fragmented, giving them a gnomic quality. Aaron Poochigian gives a very useful introduction and set of notes, explaining the context and historical importance of the poems.

When hearing the value that contemporary poets ascribed to Sappho, the slightness of this volume fills one with considerable sadness. Although her name is often associated with love, the surviving fragments indicate something of a role in public life- for example, in poems that celebrate marriage, and that detail the heroic events involving the gods of the ancient Greek pantheon.

The fragments are elegant, sumptuous, and passionate:

Moon and the Pleiades go down.
Midnight and tryst pass by.
I, though, lie
Alone.

The beauty is only glimpsed, making the loss poignant.



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