28 Friday Oct 2016
Posted in David Bowie, Inspired by Labyrinth, Jim Henson
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My book is back from the printer – and William the Worm approves!
Labyrinth – One classic film, fifty-five sonnets retells the story of the cult film in verse. It’s been a labour of love and I’m thrilled to see it in print – and looking so pretty.
Available now from Troubador.
17 Monday Oct 2016
Posted in Labyrinth in popular culture
I’ve loved Labyrinth for thirty years – but I’ve loved Doctor Who for even longer. So I was delighted to find the two combined in Titan Comics’ Doctor Who Eleventh Doctor (issue 11 May 2015, written by Al Ewing) where a character called the Talent Scout takes on a familiar form:
The story-line also features a character called Jones – an alien chameleon rock star…
And Bowie fans may appreciate the cover of the latest Titan Comics’ Doctor Who Twelfth Doctor (issue 9 August 2016):
10 Monday Oct 2016
Posted in David Bowie
I’m just back from Winchester, and the Chesil Theatre 10 x 10 New Writing Festival. Each year they put on ten new one-act plays on a specific theme, and this year the theme was David Bowie.
The building was originally a 12th century church (it’s the oldest building in Britain that’s in use as a theatre) and stone arches are still visible at the side of the intimate auditorium – so it seemed like the perfect place to leave some leaflets plugging my book.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect going in, and did feel a bit choked-up when the image of the Brixton Bowie mural was projected onto the stage. Thankfully most of the plays were very good, and some, such as Strangers When We Meet, were quite moving – although some of the plays were more Bowie-related than others (The Golden Years, though very funny, had nothing to do with Bowie at all apart from the title).
David Who? was probably my favourite. Two rather dense Doctor Who fans try to decide if regeneration is the same as reincarnation, and wonder whether Bowie will come back – as a piece of lino! Don’t ask – very silly, very funny – though I think I was the only person in the audience who got the Caves of Androzani reference. One of the characters was wearing a Labyrinth T-shirt (the only nod to the movie all evening – one of the other plays had a character billed as Jareth, but he didn’t look/act like him in any way).
I also enjoyed Try To Get It On Like Once Before – inspired by the song Drive-in Saturday, it’s about a man and woman from the future taking part in an experiment, trying to figure out how to people used to have sex – by watching 21st century porn. Christina Pye and Felix Price were absolutely hilarious in this. Their reactions to watching the (unseen) porn were priceless, and I know that from now on I’m going to smile whenever I hear that song.
Modern Love was another play that didn’t really feature Bowie (just a quick quote or two) but it deserves special mention just for Holly Truslove, as Tallulah – a young woman who finds her one night stand’s mobile phone and starts ringing his contacts to tell them what she thinks of him. She was alone on stage for virtually the whole thing, and managed to make all those conversations totally convincing – a brilliant comic performance.
08 Saturday Oct 2016
Posted in Inspired by Labyrinth
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The hardback of my book Labyrinth: One classic film, fifty-five sonnets will be available from November – soon I’ll be surrounded by books!
(Not a picture of me – well, not quite…)
If you subscribe to NetGalley, it’s available there until 27 October – thank you Chantale for my first review!
05 Wednesday Oct 2016
Posted in Inspired by Labyrinth
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As it’s Poetry Day, here’s an extract from my book – Labyrinth: one classic film, fifty-five sonnets:
The goblins heard. The goblins came. Strange calm
descended swiftly on the baby’s room
and Sarah, fearful of some eerie harm,
searched for her half-brother, in the half-gloom.
Beneath his blanket, someone – something? – stirred.
She drew it back – but there was nothing there.
Then low unsettling noises could be heard,
behind, around her – goblins, everywhere!
A shadow, a reflection somehow strange,
a glimpse of tail, of helmet or of horn.
A white owl, flapping at the window panes,
attempted entry through the long French doors.
One more lightning flash, a blast of thunder –
she turned, to see the windows flung asunder.
The owl became a man; his majesty
such that the very air did seem to sing.
And Sarah wondered if she should curtsey,
for surely this was Jareth – Goblin King.
His windswept hair, a mane of tawny blond.
His eyes most magical; one dark, one light.
His face a mask of mischief, cruel, yet fond.
His garments, darkness; blue, his cloak of night.
Black were his boots, his gloves, his collar high,
and breastplate leather, with accents of bone –
upon his chest, a pendant triangle
with curving arms, wrought of silver, of gold.
Though Sarah tried her rash words to retract,
“What’s said, is said” he uttered – stating fact.
Want to read more? Buy my book!
E-book available now, hardback book coming very soon.
01 Saturday Oct 2016
Posted in Labyrinth official merchandise
I pre-ordered some Funko Pop vinyl Labyrinth figures from Amazon back in August, but they still haven’t managed to fulfill the order – it seems, like so many others, they’ve under-estimated the appeal of Labyrinth.
Anyway, today I went into Dark Side Comics in Chelmsford. It’s their third birthday, so the place was packed with people in costume – but what caught my eye? Yes, near the top of a towering stack of Pop figures was Jareth, in all his plastic glory! I took the Goblin King home with me (thirty years I’ve wanted to do that LOL).
Here he is – so cute!
But the best part is the box. I giggled at the warning that said:
“Not intended for children. Unsuitable for anyone under the age of 14.”
Then I read this:
“Warning! Choking hazard. May contain small parts.”
LMAO
