Shark Fishing in the North West of England

I was at University the first time round when Mike Leigh's 'Naked' was released. I thought at the time that it was a magnificent film and David Thewlis's performance was a tour de force! A Mancunian on the run in London similar to Renton's Glaswegian in Trainspotting.



I like people who escape or at least try and escape. I have been trying to escape all my life, mostly my own psyche and the monster that I have created in my mind called Wales. It is like one of Renton's heroin induced hallucinations. It involves a huge Rugby Ball with  Bad Teeth and it belches and sings 'Hen wlad fy Nhadau ' whilst chomping on leaks and daffodils.
 At the moment I am escaping up to Manchester for two days a week until I can work out a permanent, fool proof move! I've had enough of Wales and Wales has had enough of my whingeing. Manchester is a very impressive city. I thought I was in Europe and not in the United Kingdom when I arrived. Trams! Ting a ling Ting! I was back in the Dam.
I was familiar with Liverpool and the myth and romanticism of Liverpool when I lived in North Wales. I understand from a friend from Liverpool that the romanticism was not reciprocated. Residents had been to Llandudno or Rhyl on holiday but that was it. Woollybacks did not register on the Scousers' radar. The only two times I had visited Manchester before was for sport. I went with a friend who was a Man U supporter to see Ipswich when I think Dave Sexton was manager and in 1981 I went with my father to see a very boring 69 runs by Chris Tavare and Geoffrey Boycott for England at the Old Trafford Cricket ground. The following day Ian Botham scored 131 runs! We certainly picked our day.
I digress. I've come off the dole and signed up for an M.A in Playwriting at the University of Salford. The first year that the course has been run. I can see funds running out before long so I am going to have to secure some sort of employment. Scary!

On Wednesday of last week, we arrived in Bolton for a Tour of the Octagon Theatre and to watch J.B Priestley's An Inspector Calls. The first place I recognised was the steps to the Bolton Albert Hall as featured in Peter Kay's Video 'Live at the Albert Halls'. When I saw this video first I was struck by its theatricality. It was stand up comedy but it was also theatre because of the way Kay played with the emotions of the audience. Singing 'Danny Boy' with the audience at the end while his voice was as high as a Helium Balloon and leaving as the audience were still singing with their arms in the air.
Mike Leigh's 'Naked' was wonderfully sad and depressing. It confirmed my world view at the time which is still there and rises to the surface on occasion. Well, first week gone and so far so good. This Blog Post has just confirmed to me how important it is to have a good ending.