‘What’s the Buzz?’ Volume 9

Films

We caught up with The Wife – a stunning, Oscar-worthy performance from Glenn Close and a brilliant, ‘I want to throttle him’ turn from Jonathan Pryce. Very amusingly, Glenn Close said they couldn’t find an American actor willing to be in a film titled The Wife!!

And then later in the week we saw Pryce again, as a remarkably similar character, in Florian Zeller’s challenging and wonderfully written play, In The Height of The Storm.

Films

Look out for Colette, which is due to be released in January. Advance reviews say that Keira Knightly is brilliant in the tile role, with Dominic West as her controlling husband, Willy, and co-starring Eleanor Tomlinson (of Demelza Poldark fame). Time to re-read the books.

Books

Read the latest in the Cormoran Strike series – Lethal White by Robert Galbraith aka J.K.Rowling. Critics say this is Galbraith’s finest novel to date. If you don’t have time to read it, I am sure the BBC has already bought the television rights. I cannot imagine anyone else in the title role than Tom Burke and his side-kick Robin played by Holliday Grainger

Theatre

Cyprus Avenue returns to London, at the Royal Court, from 14 February-16 March. Reigniting memories of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, this much lauded play was described as ‘The most shocking and relevant play in London’. Like The Lieutenant of Innishmore, this play uses the blackest of comedy to expose the absurdity of sectarianism. It stars Stephen Rea. Get booking now!

Restaurants

Cora Pearl is the second restaurant from the team behind Kitty Fisher’s. This new hideout is at 30 Henrietta Street WC2E 8NA. Great food, not ridiculously expensive. And you cannot say that very often today about central London restaurants.

Buzzlets

Sometimes, at our age, it is reassuring to have a good news story about health. This one comes with a warning about having regular eye tests at a reliable optician. Julian had irritating floaters in one eye back in March and popped in for a routine test that led to immediate surgery; the consultant reported that, if he’d come in a day later, he would almost certainly have lost the sight in that eye. This year for Eye Health Week the RNIB and Specsavers have put together five two-minute videos to encourage regular eye tests and this one is about Julian.