Bat Out Of Hell

Bat Out Of Hell

If you are looking for a pop musical being used to boost the record sales of a well-known pop group. Meat Loaf’s Bat of Hell is just another example of a long string of such musicals. Although, I would say the Abba musical, and film had a better plot. Meatloaf’s musical, Bat Out of Hell being performed at the New Theatre Oxford, is supposed to be based on a rock  adult version of Peter Pan. The…

View On WordPress

Inland Rail in Australia

Inland Rail in Australia

Inland Rail is an Australian Federal Government rail project of some 1,700km in length. This project will make use of some 262,000 tonnes of steels, which is the equivalent of building five Sydney Harbour Bridges. Inland Rail is designed to provide a direct standard gauge freight railway route, linking the major coastal cities of Brisbane and Melbourne, via the rural regions of the western Snowy…

View On WordPress

A Fly in the Ointment by Thame Players.

A Fly in the Ointment by Thame Players.

A review by Julia Gasper You only have to take one look at the set of A Fly in the Ointment to know what is in store. Two doorways on the left, a doorway and a large walk-in cupboard on the right, and a large sash window in the far wall. Yes, plenty of places for all those unexpected entrances and undignified exits that are essential to the traditional stage farce. The window itself proves to be…

View On WordPress

WATERPERRY OPERA FESTIVAL 2021

WATERPERRY OPERA FESTIVAL 2021

A review by Julia Gasper             Waterperry Opera Festival got off to a flying start yesterday with Donizetti’s comic masterpiece The Elixir of Love. This was a production that was so full of fun that it was like opening a bottle of Prosecco. Repeatedly the audience broke out into spontaneous applause for the comedy and the fine singing.             This production chose to set the story in…

View On WordPress

Priscilla Queen of the Desert pulls into Oxford

Priscilla Queen of the Desert pulls into Oxford

GET ready to be transported on a trip Down Under as the much-loved glittering hit musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert comes to the New Theatre Oxford. The show, which runs from 23 – 28 August, marks the reopening of the George Street venue, which has been closed since mid-March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is being produced by Mark Goucher and first-time producer Jason Donovan,…

View On WordPress

High Speed 2 (HS2)

High Speed 2 (HS2)

By Nicholas Newman Sapsan High speed train Britain has just started construction of a new double track electrified high-speed rail line linking major population centres in the country including London (nine million), Birmingham (1.14 million) with Manchester (553,230), and Leeds (792,525). This project consists  of two phases Phase 1 linking London with Birmingham is due for completion in…

View On WordPress

UNMISSABLE: Glück’s Paris and Helen performed by Bampton Opera.

UNMISSABLE: Glück’s Paris and Helen performed by Bampton Opera.

An opera review by Julia Gasper           Bampton Opera is a well-established Oxfordshire company specializing in 18th-century opera which it puts on in modern productions, with informal settings, and sung in English. Their new summer production of Glück’s Paris and Helen is a treat not to be missed if you can get there. It includes a pre-performance talk and the option to picnic, in idyllic…

View On WordPress

East West Rail Update

East West Rail Update

By Nicholas Newman Across Europe, USA, Canada, and Australia there are proposal to reopen previously closed rail lines to both passenger and freight. Here is just one local example. East West rail line The East West rail line (EWRL) project is designed to reopen a previously closed railway that used to link the university and research cities of Oxford and Cambridge. The line will start at its…

View On WordPress

Solving the railway electrification gap

Solving the railway electrification gap

There are many ways modern railway operators including DB, SNCF and RENFE etc., are seeking to solve the electrification gap. Traditionally  this problem has been solved by many train operators, by investment  in further electrification or to use diesel trains. Here we take a look at some of the options for solving the challenge of replacing diesel trains, currently used where electrification…

View On WordPress

Oxford Jewellery Guide

Today, it is increasingly commonplace to see men wearing jewellery in Oxford, whether it is signet rings, cufflinks, bracelets, luxury watches, torcs, neck chains, etc.. You will find for most men the popular metals used are either silver or gold, or even a mixture of both. One thing to keep in mind is to look for simple designs, as they are ideal, for whatever the occasion including weddings,…

View On WordPress

Visiting “The Trout Inn” Pub in Oxford

Visiting “The Trout Inn” Pub in Oxford

A gastropub review by Jolanta Newman It was Friday today, our traditional weekly fish day, and we went to “The Trout Inn” Pub in Oxford. I knew about this place for a long time, but I never went there. When I was walking on Port Meadow from Jericho side about 10 years ago, somebody pointed out this pub direction and said: “It is an excellent restaurant there”. We have ordered two non-alcoholic…

View On WordPress

A guide to traditional sailing cargo and passenger vessel operators

A guide to traditional sailing cargo and passenger vessel operators

By Nicholas Newman Did you know there are still a few traditional sailing vessels that carry freight operated by such organisations as the Cook Islands based Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation, Dutch owned Fair Transport and French based TOWT? Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation For example, there is the SV Kwai, a topsail ketch registered in the Cook Islands. It has a crew of about 6 and…

View On WordPress

Quod Restaurant at the Old Bank Hotel Oxford

Quod Restaurant at the Old Bank Hotel Oxford

A restaurant review by Nicholas Newman If you are looking for somewhere to breakfast, coffee, lunch, tea, supper or some social or business event. Then this place is a good place to meet. Quod’s restaurant is located on the ground floor of the historic Old Bank Hotel, on the High Street opposite Oxford’s University Church of St. Mary the Virgin. As a regular user of Quods, I have used it for…

View On WordPress

Mondaine Swiss watch review.

Mondaine Swiss watch review.

A watch review by Nicholas Newman If you are looking for a good easy to read Swiss made watch that is easy to carry, then I would suggest a watch from the Swiss watch makers  Mondaine. Unlike the heavy and chunky Rolex, Tag Heuer , Breitling etc, Mondaine watches tend to be affordable, slim, and light to carry. But what makes them stand out is that each watch design is based on the clocks used…

View On WordPress

Bedtime Adventure Stories for Grown Ups

Bedtime Adventure Stories for Grown Ups

Hardcover – 13 May 2021 by Anna McNuff A book review by Nicholas Newman Looking for a good set of adventures to read and enjoy, then I suggest buying this latest book of 178 pages by serial adventurer Anna McNuff, should satisfy your needs. This book available on Kindle and print formats, but not yet on audible contains eight remarkably interesting, funny, amusing, yet different short stories,…

View On WordPress

Fire: The Story of Humanity & the Story of our Earth as Written by Flames

Fire: The Story of Humanity & the Story of our Earth as Written by Flames

A book review by Nicholas Newman of Brendon Long’s new book Fire: The Story of Humanity & the Story of our Earth as Written by Flames published 4 June 2021 If you are looking for a book covering mankind’s use of energy, from its discovery to the present day. This short paperback of no more than 142 pages will provide you with an especially useful background briefing about the impact that energy…

View On WordPress

How to Exercise Safely in the Sun

How to Exercise Safely in the Sun

By Elliot Hasoon, the founder of EH Coaching and host of The Simply Fit Podcast, Exercise in the early and late hours of the day. Exercising in the early hours of the day has many advantages, it’s quieter, it’s before the busyness of the day begins, and it’s a lot cooler. Set your alarm earlier and complete your workout as early in the day as you can to ensure you avoid the higher midday and…

View On WordPress