Movie review - "52 Pick Up" (1986) ***

 One of the better films from Cannon Picture it's pretty grim. Roy Scheider is a businessman blackmailed by three genuinely interesting villains over an affair he's having with Kelly Preston. Scheider refuses to go to the police and as a result Preston dies, wife Ann Margret is raped, and both almost die. He doesn't get much come uppance to be frank.

Nice to see Ann Margret in a decent film but her part isn't much. Scheider is fine, John Glover and Clarence Williams are superb, Robert Trebor good too. I love how Glover is into the financial books.

Movie review - "Shine" (1996) ***1/2

 Hadn't seen this since it came out. Has aged quite well esp in its depiction of neuro diversity. Stunning acting from Geoffrey Rush, Noah Taylor and Armin Mueller Stahl. I forgot Sonia Todd was in this. Such a clever script - every section has a character who is nice to David (the music teacher, Googie Withers, John Gielgud, the old ladies, Sonia Todd). 

Play review - "Darkling" by Titas Halder (warning: spoilers)

 Great set. Moving topic. Lead actor played it in one note. Text maybe needed to use names for characters we don't see. A lot of description and repetition and I zoned out a bit. The final section is strong but you can't go wrong with disaster and a dead baby.

Play review - "The Children" by Lucy Kirkwood

 This was really strong once it got going - but it took about 30-40 minutes for the plot to kick in i.e. that Kerry Fox wanted the other two to come with them to the nuclear plant. Once it did it was fine. Three well defined characters, a decent dilemma.

Play review - "Affluenza" by Andy Sandberg

 Knew nothing going on. Enjoyed it a lot. Felt there was more to be mined about the defence of affluenza, but maybe they figured the Ethan Crouch case was sufficiently well known. It kept me guessing. Noah Schapp's first appearance was silly, walking in and drinking wine and walking out. The play wasn't that well directed - transitions bad, the ending confusing. 

Musical review - "Thelma and Louise" (2026)

 A half success. Great leads and some first rate songs but doesn't quite click. Needed to set up their existing lives more. Why give songs to the detective? Also why give the song during Thelma's first proper sex to the guy and not her? The musical number with the pool is silly. The one about Texas is brilliant. This needs more work and less silly dancing but it has a lot of potential and emotion.

Play review - "Table 17" by Douglas Lyons (warning spoilers)

 A relationship in flashback at a dinner - we get to know the couple and various people played by the one actor (a secretly romantic gay waiter, a scene stealing character; a sleazy bartender who I would have liked to have seen more of; a sleazy airline guy). Nothing super new but a fun night out and I liked the open ending.