Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> writes:

> On Thu, 30 Nov 2023 01:27:31 +0000, Rosie Mitchell
> <rcmitchell@golgonooza.co.uk> wrote:
>
> <snip>
>> (In that terrible
>>1992 OU York Summer School with the murder on the first evening..
> <snip>
>
> Good grief, Rosie, I never realised.

I was about to say that I'm sure I must have said something about it on
umra and I know you were one of the early umrats, Nick, but of course
1992 was BU (Before Umra). Which is weird because a big part of me feels
like umra has been in my life for ever.

> That must haunt you every time you hear the credits for The Archers.

Not sure where the credits for TA come into it to be honest. It does
haunt me in a way, it certainly changed me in a way that defies
definition. I've certainly read (and written) a great deal of murder
fiction since without being traumatised by it. Actually it felt quite a
lot like being in a real-life Agatha Christie country house mystery. We
were offered the chance to go straight home with full Summer School
credits but hardly anybody did. It felt better to stay and cling
together and engage in a lot of black humour. In lieu of the customary
cancelled end-of-week entertainment there was a wave of literary-related
messages on the notice board in increasingly bad taste ("Ted, your
dinner is in the oven. Sylvia")

We were also offered PTSD counselling, which I should have taken up
after I got home again (when it hit me hard) but didn't. I should have
done. The worst bit was being on the university disciplinary committee
which expelled the culprit and having to excuse myself.

Rosie

On Thu, 30 Nov 2023 14:00:13 +0000, Rosie Mitchell
<rcmitchell@golgonooza.co.uk> wrote:

>Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> writes:
>
>> On Thu, 30 Nov 2023 01:27:31 +0000, Rosie Mitchell
>> <rcmitchell@golgonooza.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>> <snip>
>>> (In that terrible
>>>1992 OU York Summer School with the murder on the first evening..
>> <snip>
>>
>> Good grief, Rosie, I never realised.
>
>I was about to say that I'm sure I must have said something about it on
>umra and I know you were one of the early umrats, Nick, but of course
>1992 was BU (Before Umra). Which is weird because a big part of me feels
>like umra has been in my life for ever.
>
>> That must haunt you every time you hear the credits for The Archers.
>
>Not sure where the credits for TA come into it to be honest.

<snip>

Elizabeth Howe was the wife of Jeremy Howe. He wrote a book about
bringing up his children in the aftermath of that horrific event.

Nick

On 30/11/2023 14:00, Rosie Mitchell wrote:
> Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> writes:
>
>> On Thu, 30 Nov 2023 01:27:31 +0000, Rosie Mitchell
>> <rcmitchell@golgonooza.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>> <snip>
>>> (In that terrible
>>> 1992 OU York Summer School with the murder on the first evening..
>> <snip>
>>
>> Good grief, Rosie, I never realised.
>
> I was about to say that I'm sure I must have said something about it on
> umra and I know you were one of the early umrats, Nick, but of course
> 1992 was BU (Before Umra). Which is weird because a big part of me feels
> like umra has been in my life for ever.

I'm pretty sure you have mentioned it on umra as I was aware it had
happened and we haven't had many private conversations ;)

On 30.11.23 12:32, Joe Kerr wrote:
> On 26/11/2023 15:37, krw wrote:
>> On 26.11.23 15:11, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
>>> Very much so.  If she really felt she needed to push him off the
>>> roof, it would have made a far more interesting storyline to have
>>> left him in a wheelchair.  That would have still allowed her pretty
>>> well all the major drama and family tension that killing him off gave
>>> her.  She would also have had some really interesting lines that they
>>> could have explored.
>>>
>> Wassiname from Crossroads did that.  These days they would not allow
>> an able bodied actor to play the part.
>>
> If you are referring to what I think you are (I have never watched it) I
> believe that was a mistake. They gave the character an illness and then
> realised it was incurable, leaving them with the situation rather than
> inventing a non-existent cure that would mislead the public and give
> false hope to those who really did have whatever it was.
>>>
>>>
>>> [1]  Even less probable, when you remember that it's only a subset of
>>> the Ambridge inhabitants who live within reach of the hidden mics.
>>> [2]  The main exception being that Sam Batten was so wooden that he
>>> made a very unconvincing love interest for Ruth.
>>
>> Well I am rarely convinced that Ruth is not also pretty wooden - so if
>> they had ever actually got together and there were two sticks rubbing
>> together there would soon be a conflagration.
>>
>
>

I feel I should apologise and correct the record. On screen the
individual was in a road crash and then largely in a wheelchair.

The actor was in fact suffering from cancer and when losing his mobility
the crash was invented to explain Sandy's reduced mobility.

I had forgotten the details and perhaps should have checked before writing.
--
Kosmo Richard W
www.travelswmw.whitnet.uk
https://tinyurl.com/KRWpics

Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> writes:

> On Thu, 30 Nov 2023 14:00:13 +0000, Rosie Mitchell
> <rcmitchell@golgonooza.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> writes:
>>
>>> On Thu, 30 Nov 2023 01:27:31 +0000, Rosie Mitchell
>>> <rcmitchell@golgonooza.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>> <snip>
>>>> (In that terrible
>>>>1992 OU York Summer School with the murder on the first evening..
>>> <snip>
>>>
>>> Good grief, Rosie, I never realised.
>>
>>I was about to say that I'm sure I must have said something about it on
>>umra and I know you were one of the early umrats, Nick, but of course
>>1992 was BU (Before Umra). Which is weird because a big part of me feels
>>like umra has been in my life for ever.
>>
>>> That must haunt you every time you hear the credits for The Archers.
>>
>>Not sure where the credits for TA come into it to be honest.
>
> <snip>
>
> Elizabeth Howe was the wife of Jeremy Howe. He wrote a book about
> bringing up his children in the aftermath of that horrific event.

Ah, Of course. But I very seldom hear the credits these days.

Rosie

Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> writes:

> On Thu, 30 Nov 2023 14:00:13 +0000, Rosie Mitchell
> <rcmitchell@golgonooza.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> writes:
>>
>>> On Thu, 30 Nov 2023 01:27:31 +0000, Rosie Mitchell
>>> <rcmitchell@golgonooza.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>> <snip>
>>>> (In that terrible
>>>>1992 OU York Summer School with the murder on the first evening..
>>> <snip>
>>>
>>> Good grief, Rosie, I never realised.
>>
>>I was about to say that I'm sure I must have said something about it on
>>umra and I know you were one of the early umrats, Nick, but of course
>>1992 was BU (Before Umra). Which is weird because a big part of me feels
>>like umra has been in my life for ever.
>>
>>> That must haunt you every time you hear the credits for The Archers.
>>
>>Not sure where the credits for TA come into it to be honest.
>
> <snip>
>
> Elizabeth Howe was the wife of Jeremy Howe. He wrote a book about
> bringing up his children in the aftermath of that horrific event.

Ah, Of course. But I very seldom hear the credits these days.

Rosie

On 30/11/2023 15:54, krw wrote:
> On 30.11.23 12:32, Joe Kerr wrote:
>> On 26/11/2023 15:37, krw wrote:
>>> On 26.11.23 15:11, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
>>>> Very much so.  If she really felt she needed to push him off the
>>>> roof, it would have made a far more interesting storyline to have
>>>> left him in a wheelchair.  That would have still allowed her pretty
>>>> well all the major drama and family tension that killing him off
>>>> gave her.  She would also have had some really interesting lines
>>>> that they could have explored.
>>>>
>>> Wassiname from Crossroads did that.  These days they would not allow
>>> an able bodied actor to play the part.
>>>
>> If you are referring to what I think you are (I have never watched it)
>> I believe that was a mistake. They gave the character an illness and
>> then realised it was incurable, leaving them with the situation rather
>> than inventing a non-existent cure that would mislead the public and
>> give false hope to those who really did have whatever it was.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> [1]  Even less probable, when you remember that it's only a subset
>>>> of the Ambridge inhabitants who live within reach of the hidden mics.
>>>> [2]  The main exception being that Sam Batten was so wooden that he
>>>> made a very unconvincing love interest for Ruth.
>>>
>>> Well I am rarely convinced that Ruth is not also pretty wooden - so
>>> if they had ever actually got together and there were two sticks
>>> rubbing together there would soon be a conflagration.
>>>
>>
>>
>
> I feel I should apologise and correct the record.  On screen the
> individual was in a road crash and then largely in a wheelchair.
>
> The actor was in fact suffering from cancer and when losing his mobility
> the crash was invented to explain Sandy's reduced mobility.
>
> I had forgotten the details and perhaps should have checked before writing.

No problem. As I said, I have never watched the program, so it has no
significance for me. I read an article at some point in the distant past
which stayed with me. Either my memory is a little faulty[1] or whoever
wrote the article may have got things a little wrong (or both).

[1] I suddenly get an image of diminutive Basil rugrats in my mind.

--
Ric

On 29-Nov-23 22:25, John Ashby wrote:
> On 29/11/2023 22:06, Nick Odell wrote:
>> On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 19:02:40 +0000, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On 29-Nov-23 18:54, Vicky wrote:
>>>> On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 16:02:46 -0000 (UTC), Mike McMillan
>>>> <toodle.pip1@virginmedia.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> krw <krw@whitnet.uk> wrote:
>>>>>> On 29.11.23 11:46, Serena Blanchflower wrote:
>>>>>>> Things which might have worked really well on TV but were
>>>>>>> incomprehensible when you couldn't see what was going on or who
>>>>>>> was there.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> That was down to a lack of understanding of radio drama - something
>>>>>> which the Beetle did know about and is now a lost art.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> There is a lot to be said for employing blind producers for radio
>>>>> production I feel.
>>>>
>>>> Hear hear
>>>
>>> They would have to.
>>
>>
>> BTN!
>>
>> N.
>
> Accepted,
>
> Watch out for an important announcement on Friday (if I don't umbrella)

Gosh. I'm pretty sure that's my only nom of the year.
Must be losing my grip on all things tasteless.

--
Sam Plusnet

Penny <spam@labyrinth.freeuk.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 11:54:42 +0000, krw <krw@whitnet.uk> scrawled in the
> dust...
>
>> On 28.11.23 01:33, Penny wrote:
>>> could you tell the difference
>>> between Ivanhoe, Simon Templar and James Bond
>>
>> But they were all goodies - so of course they are the same. Did he play
>> any villains?
>
> Probably not, he was much too pretty.

He played a villain in The Man Who Haunted Himself. He is the doppelgänger
of the hero, also played by Roger Moore. There are some really bad
moustaches. https://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3927615769

On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 14:47:50 +0000, Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca>
scrawled in the dust...

>On Tue, 28 Nov 2023 01:33:15 +0000, Penny <spam@labyrinth.freeuk.com>
>wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 26 Nov 2023 21:27:30 +0000, Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca>
>>scrawled in the dust...
>>
>>>I have my own theory wot is mine about why there is a perceived
>>>reluctance to cast or be cast in a part that is contrary to the
>>>physical attributes of the actor and that is because I'm afraid that
>>>although there are a few spectacularly wonderful actors around, there
>>>are an awful lot who are not. So, should casting always play safe and
>>>stick to type or should directors and audiences expect mediocre
>>>performers to up their game?
>>
>>Sometimes it is difficult to tell if an actor is good at their job or you
>>just really like the character they are playing. Until you've seen/heard
>>them in other parts. I continue to be astounded by David Tennant and
>>Michael Sheen (not together). Whereas Roger Moore can only ever have been
>>cast for his looks (and maybe his voice) - could you tell the difference
>>between Ivanhoe, Simon Templar and James Bond?
>>
>>Hm, does this mean I only like actors who can do different voices?
>
>I like Bill Nighy very much but I'm still waiting for him to play a
>part which isn't Bill Nighy.

I was thinking about Bill Nighy just after I posted that. I like him a lot
and have enjoyed most of the things I've seen/heard him in, but I went to a
Wednesday matinee film staring him, at the local theatr recently and was
extremely bored by the whole thing. Introverted accountants trying to find
out what 'fun' is, are just not him.
>>
>>Ray and I used to watch an American drama series called The Mentalist. His
>>main reason for liking it - all the actors looked like real people.
>
>If it's actors who look like real people that you want may I recommend
>Australian Drama? Almost any Australian drama - except the soaps -
>will do. The Australian acting profession may have turned out the
>occasional glamorous superstar (I'm looking at you, Dame Edna) but the
>Mel Gibsons or Nicole Kidmans are IMO the exceptions, not the rule.

Yes, I've been enjoying all the Australian drama BBC have been showing
lately. Some of the actors are quite pretty but the balance is good. The
less attractive are not grotesques, as they are in much of the USian
product.

--
Penny
Annoyed by The Archers since 1959

On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 18:35:17 +0000, Serena Blanchflower
<nospam@blanchflower.me.uk> scrawled in the dust...

>I think that a large part of the reason that minority actors[1] get
>upset about minority parts being played by actors who aren't from that
>minority, is precisely because very few casting directors would consider
>casting a disabled actor to play a part which wasn't explicitly
>disabled. If there's only a small pool of parts available for disabled
>actors (or those from any other minority), it really grates if those
>parts are given to able bodied (or other majority) actors.

I think they are doing much better than they used to. But I was shocked to
learn that Hugh Grant is playing an Umpalumpa in the new Willy Wonka.
--
Penny
Annoyed by The Archers since 1959

On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 21:14:54 +0000, Vicky <vicky.ayech@gmail.com> scrawled
in the dust...

>On Wed, 29 Nov 2023 18:35:17 +0000, Serena Blanchflower
><nospam@blanchflower.me.uk> wrote:
>
>>I know there's been a lot of discussion about colourblind casting, so I
>>hope things are improving for non-white actors. I suspect though that,
>>where the scriptwriter hasn't specified these characteristics, casting
>>directors are likely to automatically cast able-bodied white actors.
>
>The new film version oh Charlie and the chocolate factory has a black
>female Charlie.

It's pre-chocolate factory. Is she called Charley?

>>I'm sure that Judy Dench is able to make people forget both her age and
>>her visual impairment when she's on stage - unless they're relevant to
>>the part and she wants you to see them.
>>
>I didn't know she had one?

Macular degeneration, I think.
--
Penny
Annoyed by The Archers since 1959

On Thu, 30 Nov 2023 14:56:12 +0000, BrritSki
<rtilburyTAKEOUT@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 30/11/2023 14:00, Rosie Mitchell wrote:
>> Nick Odell <nickodell49@yahoo.ca> writes:
>>
>>> On Thu, 30 Nov 2023 01:27:31 +0000, Rosie Mitchell
>>> <rcmitchell@golgonooza.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>> <snip>
>>>> (In that terrible
>>>> 1992 OU York Summer School with the murder on the first evening..
>>> <snip>
>>>
>>> Good grief, Rosie, I never realised.
>>
>> I was about to say that I'm sure I must have said something about it on
>> umra and I know you were one of the early umrats, Nick, but of course
>> 1992 was BU (Before Umra). Which is weird because a big part of me feels
>> like umra has been in my life for ever.
>
>I'm pretty sure you have mentioned it on umra as I was aware it had
>happened and we haven't had many private conversations ;)
>
Fair enough!

As you pointed out in the resurrection of an earlier thread, this has
been discussed before. But given that I sometimes have difficulty
remembering what happened two minutes ago, I might be forgiven for
failing to recall a conversation from 22 years ago. And this was
before Jeremy Howe joined TA: I wonder if some of the gruelling scenes
he's put us through might be attributed to his own gruelling
experiences?

Nick