Some stuff from my travels last week. As I mentioned, I was in the United Kingdom -- London to be exact. Earlier, I posted where I was staying at Hampton Court Palace. It was nothing short of amazing. We were staying in the "Georgian House," which was actually used as the pastery shop when Henry VIII was there. Anyway, it was a fantastic place to visit.
I was lucky enough to get tickets to Michael Frayn's new play, "Democracy." Frayn is one of my favorite playwrights who wrote "Noises Off," which was turned into a movie in 1992... but see it on stage...
He also penned one of my favorite plays ever, "Copenhagen," which is the re-imagining of the mysterious wartime meeting between two Nobel laureates to discuss the atomic bomb. It sounds dense, but it is amazing. Here is a link to some reviews.
"Democracy" follows a similar vein. It is about the chancellor of what was then West Germany, who made the initial efforts to reconcile with communist East Germany. Again, it sounds dense, and if it was anybody other than Fryan, it would be, but he just makes this subject sing. The play is wonderfully acted. But it is the way the production is written and crafted that makes this otherwise stoggy subject a dramatic powerhouse.
Don't take my word for it.
Here is the UK Telegraph's review...
The Telegraph's political reporter loved it too...
And a story about Fryan himself...
The NYT did one as well...
Some of the UK news while I was over there...
So you think housing here is expensive????
In U.K., fears that the roof will fall [IHT]
A few weeks ago, a steel magnate, Lakshmi Mittal, paid what is believed to be the highest price ever recorded for a home anywhere in the world, forking over £70 million for a mansion in West London that was previously owned by Bernie Ecclestone, the head of Formula One auto racing.
The big news during the week was British PM Tony Blair announcing that he would change course and put the UK's participation in the EU up for a referendum.
Blair stakes his future on Britain's place in EU [UK Telegraph]
No Reverse Gear, Please [Newsweek International, 5.3.2004]
Blair relishes being a passionate advocate of Europe to his wary countrymen
The Economist opines...
Britain's referendum on the EU constitution [The Economist]
Why Tony Blair is right to propose a national referendum on the draft EU constitution
One UK media note...
UK publisher Richard Desmond went on an extraordinary, anti-German tirade during what was supposed to have been a routine business meeting with executives.
The WSJ actually opines on the issue...
Fleet Street Uber Alles [WSJ, 4.26.2004]
There was tech news in the UK papers as well...
ID card technology trial launched [BBC]
Home office minister Des Browne demonstrates the proposed ID card
A trial of identity card technology was launched on Monday involving 10,000 volunteers.
And, of course, Iraq...
But more on that later... plus more on the AI travesty that occured while I was away.
Overall, a good trip, but I'm glad to be back.
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