Anne Boleyn, Betrayal & John Martyn
Just back from London, where we visited friends with a new baby and saw two excellent plays: Howard Brenton’s vastly entertaining ‘Anne Boleyn‘, revived from last year at The Globe, with a superb central performance by Miranda Raison and the terrific production of ‘Betrayal’ at the Comedy Theatre, starring Kristen Scott Thomas, Douglas Henshall and Ben Miles. Like many men my age, I’ve had a bit of a crush on Kristen since seeing her in the dreadful Prince movie, ‘Under The Cherry Moon’ and it was a joy to see her acting her socks off, becoming youngier and sexier as the play progresses (the story has a reverse chronology, which was nicked for the famous Seinfeld episode of the same name). Henshall is excellent as her lover but it’s Ben Miles in the most difficult part as the husband who impresses most. An unmissable production.
I’ve written about John Martyn on here before. There’s a spotify playlist of my favourite Martyn songs, but it doesn’t include any numbers from the recent posthumous album, which was going to be called ‘Willing To Work’ before his death, and is now ‘Heaven And Earth’. I’ve listened to it several times and it’s a good, if not great, Martyn album. My favourite track from it is below. Next month sees the release of a tribute album, 2cds of covers, and, if the two tracks I’ve heard are any indication, it should be a loving, enjoyable project that will introduce John’s work to new listeners. Johnny Boy Would Love This should also remind others of the depth and range of John’s work. You can support John’s official website by ordering the album here. Below is Beth Orton’s lovely version of ‘Go Down Easy’ from ‘Solid Air’, the first John Martyn album I heard, back in 1973. And if you’d like to read an interview I did with John more than 33 years ago, look no further.
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