Not quite the brightest

It’s review time!

Eddie Izzard

Maybe I’m a bit biased since I absolutely adore the man but the show was brilliant. I laughed until I gave myself a headache. Quite an achievement actually.

There was one issue though.

The audience.

I know we’re rather a reserved bunch when it comes to musical events (which has always dismayed me a bit) but considering the price the tickets for Eddie cost, I was expecting something better for this. I was completely let down. Yes, there were many people who were happily enjoying it, but there was quite a few people who looked like they had been turned to stone and were incapable of laughing. Like the pair sitting in front of us.

This middle aged couple were sitting so still and quiet throughout the show that when we got an interval I was actually surprised to see them get up and move – up until that point I had assumed they were cardboard cutouts or very well made mannequins.

Maybe this is the reason we don’t get many phenomenal international acts. For them, it must feel like they’re performing at a funeral. Get some life into you people, for fucks sakes, you were paying almost R600 each to be there.

I also didn’t realise that some people were so incredibly slow on the uptake either. But having jokes go over your head because you’re daft is an issue for another day.

But yes, Eddie was brilliant. I loved all his teeny tiny references to his earlier work…and to movies. Of course, I probably would have been happy if he had just come on stage, said hello and then buggered off again. Really. I know this because when he came out, I cried.

I do that from time to time. When I got to see the Offspring live? I cried.

Top Gear live? I cried.

Meeting Macauley Culkin? Well, I didn’t cry because I didn’t actually know at the time. But if I had known, I would have cried. In fact, since I was about 10 years old, I probably would have done a lot more than cry and the whole experience would have been a lot different. At which point I must say, yes the kid did silly things in those Home Alone movies, but he was actually a really lovely person to talk to. And his parents. And one of his brothers, I don’t actually know which one.

Anyway, the point is, I tend to cry whenever I get to see something live that I never thought I’d ever see. Now that, ladies and gents, is appreciation.

Now, our other review.

The Brightest Star in the Sky

This is Marian Keyes latest novel.

What’s it about?

At 66, Star Street in Dublin, someone is watching over the lives of the people living in its flats. But no one is aware of it – yet… One of them is ready to take the plunge and fall in love; another is torn between two very different lovers. For some, secrets they want to stay buried will come to light and for others, the unveiling of those secrets will have tragic consequences. Fate is on its way to Star Street, bringing with it love and tragedy, friendship and heartbreak, and the power to change their lives in the most unexpected of ways…

It’s not quite her usual fare. In fact, it feels like she’s feeling the pressure of all this interest in paranormal romance and what not and tried to include a bit of it in her writing. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work.

Her earlier books all had me sitting HAVING to finish them in one sitting. I HAD to know what happened next. Sometimes, I laughed so much that I had to take a moment to compose myself.

This one however, doesn’t have quite the same draw. I mean, it’s not so bad that you’d just put it down and not finish it. It holds your interest enough to ensure that you want to get to the end, but it’s fairly predictable at times and there wasn’t actually any moment where I laughed out loud. It isn’t exactly that type of book. There are a few issues dealt with here that you can’t really joke about. They’re a bit sensative. I mean, I joke about them, but normal people don’t.

Another problem is that some people find this particular brand of storytelling confusing. You see, the book starts off on Day 66…or Day 61, I can’t quite remember…and then moves onto Day 65 (or Day 60). This made some people think that they were reading the book in reverse, i.e. time was going backwards. Of course, if they didn’t realise this wasn’t the case by chapter 3, then they’re bleeding morons, but whatever, we’ll just say the countdown can confuse some people.

Then there are the characters. Because there are so many, you’re chopping and changing between them with quite a bit of regularity and at times it was really hard to connect with some of them, a problem I’ve never really faced before with Marian’s books.

The message in the book though, well, that’s a very good, life affirming one. That’s what I love most about her books. You always walk away feeling better about life despite the bad/terrible/devestating things that can happen.

So to give it an actual rating, hmm…I’d say about a 5/10. It’s not bad, but it’s not brilliant either. It’s…average. *shrug*

And with that, have a happy happy weekend and all that jazz.