Friday 20 April 2012

Roald Dahl, Sandy Wilson, Telly Savalas and me



Still on songs (and ones from musicals in particular)...

In London the other week we took the young one to see the relatively new “Matilda the Musical”. It's a Royal Shakespeare Company production and it has been getting great press (it started in Stratford-upon-Avon but moved to London's West End at the end of 2011). Our girl loved the original Roald Dahl book and the excellent Danny DeVito movie so it seemed like a good choice of treat while we were down in the big city. Here's probably the stand-out song/tune from the beginning of the second half:



So did we like the whole thing? Does it deserve all the awards it won last week (at the Oliviers)? Well, yes... on the whole we did enjoy it... though if I was being totally honest, I'd have to say that quite a lot of it was a bit frantic for me (and I don't think it's just that I'm over 30). The songs were very good but I wanted to be able to hear them and often it was all so fast and manic that I just couldn't make out all the words (children's naturally high voices don't help with this either of course). Tim Minchin wrote all the songs for the project – hear him talking about the process  below (and remember we played his lovely Xmas song back here):



I like him more and more. I did have a few other little gripes with the show though (like, is it only me who gets uncomfortable when the stupid, horrible parents have OTT cockney accents and the lovely bookish daughter sounds, well, a lot more middle class and a lot less regional... though of course we only saw one of the four girls being Matilda in the current show). I'd say this production is largely made with kids in mind (that's obvious, I suppose and probably as it should be) but still... we parents are still there... and we think about these things (and we pay for the tickets...).

All that said there were some cracking dance numbers, the kids were all formidably good and I really did like most of the songs (there's a good one using the alphabet but that only works with the visuals on stage too). Maybe it's partly being in London that makes me feel weary and not up to the manicness.

On a completely different note I was asked a while ago to speak/read poems at the conference of a local group here called Angus Gold (all to do with activities/courses for the 50+ age group). The theme of the day was the health benefits of continued learning and so I sorted out a few poems I thought might fit the bill. Another song from a musical kept coming into my head though... this one from Sandy Wilson's “The Boyfriend” (girl and I watched the 1971 movie a little while back – it stars Twiggy, see photo above). This was the song in question:




So for the conference event I rewrote the lyrics to match the day (as below). Some bits are straight out of the song – others a bit more tweaked. I read it out in a kind of talking/singing style (think Telly Savalas “If a picture paints a thousand words...”) and it really went very well. People joined in and everything. Here's my version:


Never too late

It's never too late to see what's new

You never know what might be for you

It's never too late to learn something

Boop-a-Doop, Boop-a-Doop, Boop-a-Doop 

It's never too late to turn a page

We're always about more than our age

It's never too late to learn something

Boop-a-Doop, Boop-a-Doop, Boop-a-Doop

If they say you're past new tricks

You should answer "Never!" 

The magic comes as you try out

Another fresh endeavour



The best of us can run and run

There's no such thing as too much fun

It's never too late to learn something

Sez who? Sez me 

Sez you? Sez we. 

Sez both of us together



It's never too late to restart you 

With art or Spanish, tai chi too

It's never too late to learn something

Whack-a-do, Whack-a-do, Whack-a-do

It's never too late to burn so bright

To dance or cook or even write

It's never too late to learn something

Whack-a-do, Whack-a-do, Whack-a-do
 

The younger people of today 

May live on their computers

But some of us know files from docs 

And how to reboot routers


It's never too late to fill your mind

To speed up not be left behind

It's never too late to learn something


It's never too late to roll that stone

To master all the gadgets on your phone

It's never too late to learn something 

Vo-de-o, Vo-de-o, Vo-de-o

It's never too late for storytime

Rhythm or reason, even rhyme

It's never too late to try something

Vo-de-o, Vo-de-o, Vo-de-o 


The modern courses that you see

Are often most confusing

Assertiveness, time management,

Who knows just what you're choosing


It's never too late to open doors

The choice is wide and it's all yours

It's never too late to learn some

Never too late to learn some

Never too late to learn something


RF 2012


It was fun to be back on a high stool, peddling some poetry again.

x

12 comments:

Titus said...

I still don't know if I really fancy Matilda (children singing! Lots of children singing!) but I did enjoy what I can remember of The Boyfriend, and who didn't love Kojak?

I was desperately trying to conjure you doing Telly doing 'If'
but it wouldn't come. Really enjoyed lyrics though, and this bit particularly:

Sez who? Sez me 

Sez you? Sez we. 

Sez both of us together

It's never too late to restart you

With art or Spanish, tai chi too

I was definitely coming over all University of the Third Age when I read it.

And yeah, get back on that stool.

Rachel Fox said...

Almost Trunchbullesque there for a moment ("children! horrible little children!). But I know what you mean. We watched the "Matilda" movie again tonight with a little friend who's not seen it before. It is really, really good. Hard to beat.

The "Sez who..." bit is just straight from "the Boyfriend" song. Not the restart or the tai chi though (there were tai chi workshops on offer at the event today, as it happens). Had to get back to walk the dog myself.

x

The Bug said...

I enjoyed both songs - but I really think there might need to be a recording of you doing your piece. Can I do the Boop-a-Doop, Boop-a-Doop, Boop-a-Doop part? :)

Rachel Fox said...

I didn't have time or chance to record it yesterday... maybe some time I will though.
x

Dominic Rivron said...

Some pretty good boop-a-dooping there! We definitely need a recording!

Over 50s???? I'm 54, you know. I got worried when I drove past some bl****y club in the Lake District advertising free cups of tea for the over 50s. It's beginning to sound like there's people out there itching to lay on occupational therapy for me.

Perhaps I'm being unfair - when I think about it, there may well be good reasons for "spreading the net" on the young side. However, it still sends a chill down my spine.

Rachel Fox said...

Funny - I feel quite the opposite... can't wait for a bus pass! I did youth so thoroughly (and for so long!) that I am totally prepared for the other end of the spectrum. Bring on the tea and biscuits! The concessions! I draw the line at bingo but everything else I'll take gladly.
x

Rachel Fox said...

Though I still have 5 years till I'm old enough for Angus Gold...

hope said...

As someone who works with that age group daily...standing ovation!

When the Intern shadowing me asked, "Um, how do o-l-d-e-r people contribute?" I smiled. Why they're walking history books, a virtual encyclopedia of what to do/not do based on experience. Intern looked amazed.

And yet, I still squirm that our brochure claims seniors are 50+. Um, no. I find 65+ a better starting point. Which probably explains why they got an shocked, "No!" from me when they asked if I'd be "joining" them when I turned 50.

No thanks, not yet. Dominic and I are in the same club...and of the same mind.

So Rachel, thank you for the wonderfully inspiring words....and kindly feel pity for me when I have to call 10 games of Bingo each Tuesday. :)

Rachel Fox said...

I suppose there are many reasons for having a looser age group... to make sure people who do need the services earlier don't feel excluded for a start. Angus Gold is mainly about learning (not bingo) I should add. People were talking about these things called Discovery Awards that they are involved in, for example, and how via them they are doing all sorts of challenging activities (learning languages, researching histories, doing sports and arts and crafts... as well as all kinds of voluntary community work with the young, the older... one person was working in a guide dog puppy creche). Details here

http://discoveryawardscotland.co.uk/

I should think many of the participants are over 60 but there will be some people (women who've not worked outside the home for example) who find their occupations disappear before they're ready to stop being active. Plus this is a rural county to a large extent too and it's easy to get isolated in places like this. The minibuses yesterday were picking people up from all over the place - it was a very lively and interesting event and the audience a completely mixed set.

Eryl said...

Angus Gold sounds marvellous, we could do with something like it here, do they have a website? I'll google. Kudos for getting involved, X

Rachel Fox said...

There is some info about AG here

http://www.angusgold.com/

It's run by the local council. Your local council probably has something similar.

x

Edinburgh Flats said...
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