Plum Viewing
Welcome to the latest edition of Plum Viewing, my weekly roundup of arts and culture to enjoy online.
Hello lovely readers. Well, this week’s Pum Viewing will be a little shorter but for good reason: so many theatres, concert halls and outdoor venues are open and people are enjoying live performances. We will not complain about any of this. I hope you’re enjoying live art wherever you are! So, for this week, let’s revisit some of our old favourites. Enjoy!
There is no better place to start than the Stratford Festival. They were amongst the first to open with a beautiful outdoor theatre and if you’re close enough to enjoy Stratford in real life, here’s a full calendar of their performances.
If not, there is Stratford@home which offers access to Stratford’s vast archive of incredible performances, which is such a joy, for just $10 per month. And, you can explore The Meighen Forum Events, a series of special performances, speakers and panels and workshops featuring gems like a conversation with Yo-Yo Ma and a discussion on Shakespeare and race. You can find the full calendar of events here.
London’s National Theatre is also continuing to offer access to its rich archive online as with National Theatre at Home. We are literally spoiled for choice with this gorgeous selection of performances, including Mike Nichols’ Angels in America; Danny Boyle’s Frankenstein and Tom Hiddleston as Coriolanus in Shakespeare’s searing tragedy of political manipulation and revenge. A monthly membership is $17. You can learn more here.
And, of course, we have to include this favourite: Cocktails with the Curator. There are a total of sixty-five episodes of the Frick’s critically acclaimed, award-winning 2020–21 series. In each episode, a Frick curator offers insights on a work of art in the collection with a complementary cocktail. It is truly the perfect start to your Friday evening. You can pick your favourite art and tipple here.
And as it is the summer, here are a few summer reading suggestions — dare I call them Plum Picks (too much?). Anyway, here we go:
Trio by William Boyle. Set in 1968 Brighton, UK and centred around three characters, each with delicious names — Talbot Kidd, Eldridge Wing and Anny Viklund. There is a film being shot in the area, which connects all of our characters in weird and interesting ways. This book is so satisfying. It’s like a great meal that leaves you perfectly content but not too full. Delightful!
Black Rain Falling by Jacob Ross is a page turning thriller set on a fictional Caribbean island and focused around the local ragtag special police force. Our hero is Michael Digson (Digger) who narrates us through a journey of murder and corruption. It’s a gripping cinematic read. Perfect for long summer days.
And, finally, my old favourite: Julia Child’s My Life in France. I re-read this book every year and each time, of course, with Julia Child’s very distinctive voice in my head. It’s pure joy to read her descriptions of Paris, shopping in the markets and of course, learning to learn. I am a firm believer that everyone needs Julia Child in their lives. Especially now!
Enjoy!
See you next week my lovely readers!
And, an ask: While we’re enjoying these wonderful performances, let’s remember that for the arts organizations producing this incredible content, this is their livelihood; not a hobby. If we can, now is our time to continue to support our incredible arts community!
And, if you’d like to receive Plum Viewing weekly, send me a note at maggiefairs@gmail.com and I will add you to my mailing list.