open air cinematics

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 1:54 PM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We all know about the new all-singing, all-dancing Odeon Liverpool One, and I've been a member at FACT since it opened.
But for the next three weeks there is a new kid on the block, and one with a difference.
You may not want an ice cold drink when you go to see the films there, but the atmosphere is likely to make up for the potentially chilly or wet surroundings.
St Luke's, the bombed out church, is being transformed into an open air picturehouse at 4pm daily (except Mondays) between now and Christmas.
This week is Humphrey Bogart week, with Casablanca one of the films being shown (on Saturday).
Next week is "Liverpool" week, and in the week starting December 16 it's Christmas time, with classic It's a Wonderful Life showing on Saturday, December 20.
And best of all - the screenings are free!

willy russell

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 8:38 AM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When Noreen Kershaw stepped into Shirley Valentine's shoes for the first time she garnered rave reviews.
But despite it being such a demanding one-woman role, theatre bosses somehow overlooked the need for an understudy.
So when Noreen was carried off in an ambulance down Hope Street with peritonitis, what could the Everyman do?
Put on playwright Willy Russell to do a one-man reading of his own work on the set.
His recollections of the event formed part of a very entertaining talk organised by Liverpool University at the Philharmonic Hall last night.

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culture survey

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 12:18 PM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

CAPITAL of Culture comes to a close this month.
And today the ECHO has launched a major survey to give you the reader a chance to have your say on the year - the highs, the lows, what you enjoyed and what you missed out on.
2008 has been a year of Superlambananas and spiders, of tall ships and number one hits, of Macca and MTV.
But has Capital of Culture been a success for the city? Has it made Liverpool a better place to live? And what would you like its legacy to be?
Visit our online survey on http://tinyurl.com/culture08 to have your say.

teenage kicks

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 8:19 AM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I went to see the premiere of the final Digital Departures film at FACT last night.
The storyline of Kicks centres around two teenage girls - Nicole and Jasmine - who bond over their love for (fictitious) Liverpool player Lee Cassidy, but when they get obsessive things turn decidedly messy.
And I tell you something, if I was a Premiership player, Kicks would scare the **** out of me!

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the "L" words

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 5:23 PM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The air is full of the "L" word.
No, not love, but legacy.
Actually, there's also look as in look back at the year as well.
Where have the months gone? And why, with five weeks left of 2008 does it feel like Capital of Culture is already coming to a close?
Probably because of the L word, which is now being bandied about with abandon.

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