Author Archives: malcolmsmusingscom

In the musical ‘Oliver’… Taken from the workhouse… sold to the undertaker Mr Sowerby… sent to sleep with the coffins Oliver sings: Where is love?Does it fall from the skies above?Is it underneath the willow tree?That I’ve been dreaming of?… Much of the rest of the story asks that question – with Nancy, the ArtfulContinue reading “Where is Love?”

About eighteen years ago my friend Ian asked if I would like to become a director of The Seagull Theatre. I agreed. It’s not as grand as it sounds. As directors we reflect on the building and the people that make up our theatre… how we can best serve our local community… provide opportunities toContinue reading “Seagulls, Directors, and Direction”

The row about pigeons at Norwich Market has continued for several weeks. Market traders and residents said that they’re pests, an unhygienic nuisance, complaining about people who feed and encourage them. Norwich City Council brought in a hawk to scare off the birds… Yesterday, on TV, local pigeon welfare campaigner Jenny Coupland, said the birdsContinue reading “Pigeons, Puritans and Poverty”

When I was a teenager the Beatles were singing about love: She says she loves youAnd you know that can’t be badYes, she loves youAnd you know you should be glad Bob Dylan was singing about peace and freedom: Yes, and how many ears must one man haveBefore he can hear people cry?Yes, and howContinue reading “From Walruses and Penguins to Sheep”

We first had a television in 1961. I remember two programmes about hospitals. One, ‘Emergency Ward 10’ was a hospital-based drama series. I guess it was one of the first soap operas. Its storylines centred on the personal lives of the doctors and nurses; the hospital and medical matters were the context, but all medicalContinue reading “Unsanitised Reality”

There are three sorts of Christmas songs. There are the traditional carols that I was brought up with, there are secular Christmas classics that have nothing to do with Mary Joseph and the baby Jesus, there are modern Christian worship songs that re-imagine the Christmas story and Christian message. I’m discovering there’s a fourth sortContinue reading “Keeping the Dream Alive”

Yesterday afternoon we watched the Co-op Juniors Theatre Company’s, ‘Magic of Christmas’ show at Snape. The publicity material said: ‘Prancing reindeer, rocking Santas, a moving nativity scene, toe-tapping music and dynamic dancing are set to delight audiences…’ They most certainly did. Eighty-five excellent young people, all under twenty-one, were under the spotlights, singing and dancingContinue reading “Under the Spotlight”

‘Don’t you know about Bishop Odo?’ Gus asked me in a far ranging conversation. I had to confess I didn’t and had to ask Mr Google. I learnt that Odo was William the Conqueror’s half-brother. He lent William 100 ships as part of the invasion fleet and fought with him at the Battle of Hastings.Continue reading “Bishop Odo”

Our exceedingly elderly TV was showing its age. We decided we needed a new one. We visited our local electrical appliance store, and chose one. Yesterday two pleasant young engineers fitted it. We chatted. They said they’re from Ipswich. They discussed jobs they’d already done, jobs they were still to do. I asked if theirContinue reading “The Unseen Behind the Seen”

Ahead of last night’s Norwich City game, head coach Philippe Clement said of their opponents Sheffield United, ‘They’re a very aggressive team… We need to be up for that fight. If you only focus on how to stop the opponent, you can’t win the game… There is one pressure here and that is winning’. DoingContinue reading “Doing Good Things”