Ground-breaking street theatre recalled

Up at eight, posting the Morning Prayer link to WhatsApp. Clare had already cooked porridge and eaten breakfast. Her back is improving daily now thankfully. I went to the Eucharist at St John's, eight of us were present to celebrate Christ's Ascension. I couldn't stop for coffee and a chat as I had to drive Clare to Splott for her booster vaccination. The roads were busy but we arrived there in good time, and by just after midday we were on our way home again. 

In the news, while I was cooking lunch, the Chancellor announced financial support measures to enable all households to cover the huge rise in energy costs. These benefit poorest households and elderly people most, though every household will get a grant of four hundred pounds towards their increased expenses. It will mitigate the effect of high inflation on household budgets but not eliminate it. Economically it makes sense. A dramatic decrease in everyone's disposable income will impact on consumer spending overall, and risk pushing the country into recession.

After lunch I recorded and edited the audio for next Thursday's Morning Prayer and reflection, then went out for a walk along the Taff. It was windy and there was an unusually fine drizzle at the same time, a bit like having one giant version of one of those mist sprays to moisten the eyes, not enough to dampen my raincoat. I make an effort to walk at a sustained brisk pace, and am disappointed when overtaken by others both young and ten years younger than I. This is what getting old means sad to say.

I watched an episode of 'Art that made us' about the Victorian era on iPlayer, one which I missed, and later watched the final episode in the series on contemporary arts. Both were excellent. The second one showed artists probing the realities of everyday life, posing questions about identity, social exclusion and justice. My only disappointment in the programme was the absence of any comment about the work of Banksy, a major street artist whose witty political satire and social comment touches on the lives and concerns of many who feel marginalised and ill treated by life in today's world.

Actor Michael Sheen recalled the innovative Port Talbot Passion play of 2012, 'The Gospel of Us' in which he played Jesus. It was an amazing piece of street theatre involving ten thousand people, most of them locals. i remember watching a two hour documentary edition of the three day event, but had forgotten that viewing took place in St Mike's a year later in a College event organised by a student in my tutor group. According to Sheen, it was a ground breaking piece of street theatre involving people as both audience and participants at the same time. Many of those present filmed the event on their mobile phones and posted footage on social media, extending the participation virtually perhaps for the first time on such a wide scale. How the world has changed since then!

Art that made us

Last night before going to bed I took a preliminary look at next Thursday's Morning Prayer texts, and then started wondering what I could make of the Exodus passage I'd have to reflect upon. Then I looked at the opening chapters of my novel, still complete in first draft but untouched for more than a year, lacking the motivation to continue. Unfortunately this re-awakened my interest in it, so I had a night of broken sleep with my brain buzzing. I posted today's link to WhatsApp at seven thirty, then dozed until nine. When I got up, I felt as if I'd hardly slept at all.

There were eleven of us at the St John's Eucharist this morning. By the end of it an idea was taking shape to write a reflection for next Thursday, so I didn't stay for coffee, but went straight home and started work on the idea until it was time to cook lunch. After eating I went out to shop for veggies, and took with me a plastic disinfectant bottle to buy a refill from a bring-your-own container bulk buy store. I also bought some dried butter beans, as we don't have any at home, and I enjoy cooking with them. Other kinds of beans are on sale there too. next time, I get something different. The bulk buy store is in the refurbished Corp building, a pub converted into multiple retail units plus a bar. The venture seems to be working well, though I haven't seen it really busy yet.

After an hour's siesta, Clare and I went for a walk in Llandaff Fields. The vacant plinths that were briefly occupied by the Snoopy figures have now disappeared. For good it seems, as I read a news item on-line stating that some of the figures were being re-located to places where they were less likely to be abused or vandalised and five were damaged within days of installation. Altogether, there are forty Snoopys across South Wales. I'm not in the least surprised the Llandaff Fields ones have gone, as they were sited in places with many people passing through, but no CCTV, police patrols or park wardens. Just perfect for mischief makers. 

This evening I watched episode three of 'Art that made us' on iPlayer in the hour before episode four live. Three was about the sixteenth century and impressively gave prominence alongside Shakespeare to Welsh Bible translator Bishop William Morgan as a literary innovator. Da iawn! 

Four was about the seventeenth century, and highlighted architectural innovations plus the remarkable drawings of Robert Hooke who reproduced in fine detail tiny things observed under a microscope, an innovation in his day, opening a new chapter in observational science, looking into the microcosm rather than outwards into the heavens, like Galileo and Newton in the same era. 

I'm loving this insightful exploration of all dimensions of creativity that have been part of the history of Great Britain and Ireland since the Romans left. I missed last week's episode only because we had Kath visiting us. This is telly really worth watching.