Viva Lewes Issue #147 December 2018

COLUMN
Lewes Out Loud
Plenty more Henty
It’s ironic really that, having
spent a good part of the last
eighteen months writing,
rehearsing and appearing in
Raymond Briggs’s Sofa – my
radio play tribute to the
remarkable illustrator who
lives locally – I have never
seen The Snowman film
which was first broadcast on
Boxing Day in 1982.
The 26-minute masterpiece
by animator, Roger
Mainwood, who died
earlier this year, won a Bafta and an Academy
Award nomination. It has, of course, become
a perennial seasonal favourite, screened on
British television every Christmas with the
exception of 1984.
Where have I been all of this time I thought to
myself as I visited the exhibition of the same
name at Brighton Museum recently. Here you
can see the original illustrations for Raymond’s
much loved picture book and in one corner, a
screen was continuously showing the film to
a group of young visitors, perched on stools. I
joined them and puzzled even more over having
missed such a magical tale.
The Snowman runs until January 6 (see pg 77)
and, incidentally, my play raised over £1,700 for
local charities and received praise from the man
himself. Raymond penned ‘Congrats. on raising
so much dosh!’. It was a great pleasure and thanks
to Viva readers in both Lewes and Brighton for
their support.
Further irony this month, especially if you can
recall my lavish praise for our local cinema
in November. Friendly staff, good food
and comfortable seating, I wrote, and near
perfection for this occasional
picture goer as I settled down
for a lunchtime showing of A
Star Is Born.
That is until five minutes
into the movie. Enter woman
left, in the dark, clutching
her Smartphone and clumsily
seeking her seat – next to me.
Then she checked her screen
twice before the arrival of
another woman who was
carrying a small container of
strong smelling food which
they proceeded to share.
Despite all this, I enjoyed the film, although
I’m obliged to say that I preferred the 1976
version with Barbra Streisand and no gratuitous
swearing. Why the need for this and indeed,
why the need for reprising such film classics?
Coming soon to Le Depot, Funny Girl and a
revamped Mary Poppins in time for Christmas.
Oh dear! I’m beginning to sound like
Southover’s version of Scrooge and nothing
could be further from the truth. I’ll be
downtown for late night shopping as usual
– checking the chestnuts and sharing some
mulled wine. For Christmas I want a Yuyu hot
water bottle with Liberty cover and adjustable
strap. Over the festive period, the family and
I may be playing an American board game I
acquired in Seaford. It’s called Trump – The
Game and comes complete with 60 Trump
cards, a plastic money tray, game board and
Trump money. Honest!
There is a highly complex rule book but, in
true US Presidential style, I’ll tear that up and
we’ll get the battered Snakes and Ladders box
out as usual! Happy Christmas!
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