The other night we had a Mamma Mia night in our local pub – a lovely gathering of mostly women (no surprise there) plus Himself as the Token Male. It came about because Jane, the landlady, must be one of the few women over 50 who hadn't managed to get to see Mamma Mia. Other persuading factors included Februrary being a highly (that should be lowly) depressing month, and business in pubs everywhere is dire. So I got hold of a copy of the DVD, we all told our friends, and turned up at the pub at 7.30.
We had a quick natter beforehand and then snuck into a corner of the pub to watch the DVD and have a few more drinks. To get into the spirit of things, the chef even sent us up bowls of popcorn. We ignored the ribald snorts of derision from other drinkers (not many, and they obviously didnt know what they were missing), got out our hankies and settled down for two hours of blissful escapism.
This was my third time of watching and I wept and laughed my way through it and enjoyed it just as much as the previous two times. As my American friend Izzy said, “there'd have to be something seriously the matter with you not to come away feeling good”.
BUT – and I wouldn't have noticed this where it not for my observant husband - at the end, the daughter says goodbye to her three (possible) fathers and gets into the boat. By herself. Boyfriend isn't there.
So what's that all about? At the non-wedding,she decides to go off travelling with boyfriend – so where's he?
Himself thinks that she is doing what Piers Brosnan said she should do – which is what Donna did: go away from the island and see life and then come back and settle down.
What do you think?
Showing posts with label Mamma Mia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mamma Mia. Show all posts
Sunday, 22 February 2009
Monday, 22 December 2008
The Best Party Ever
Yesterday was a busy day for us. I wanted to get another walk done for the magazine, but the weather was overcast with those heavy banks of cloud that aren't going to budge, so Rebecca Taunton (friend and photographer) didn't come as the light wasn't good enough to take any pictures.
She is a fount of knowledge of wildlife, vegetation and geology, and we missed her company, too. Mind you, the walk – at Daymer Bay – was largely over a golf course and sand dunes which are pretty short on vegetation or anything geological. Not much birdlife either. We got lost on the golf course, at which point Himself rang to say he was in the Rock Inn. Upstairs. “OK,” I said. “I'll see you there when I get there.”
We finally made it to Rock, but having reached the bottom of the golf course drive, didn't know which way to go next. Where was this pub? Rang Himself. No answer – phone switched on but no reply. Where was he?
Turned left. Found another pub. Wrong one. No one to ask. Walked a bit further and decided to turn back.
Rang Himself again. Still no reply.
Ten minutes later, by which time my temper was becoming a little Short, and there was still no reply from errant husband, I espied the Rock Inn, past the Green Tomato Cafe (no comment).
Having vented my spleen (whatever that is), we had a pleasant drink and packet of crisps before Moll and I returned to Daymer Bay via the sand dunes. Windblown and covered in sand, but happy.
An hour's drive back home, then a quick collapse before setting out to the Singalong version of Mamma Mia. I should explain that Himself is a Mamma Mia virgin, but having expressed a desire to see the film (he is brave enough to admit to enjoying Abba songs), I decided that tonight was the night.
Sadly, owing to the flu epidemic ravaging Falmouth, the cinema wasn't quite full, but the audience was more than appreciative. A crowd of young children ran up to the side whenever one of their favourite numbers came up, and danced happily in the aisles. The rest of us – aged 50+ - sang quietly or, in my case, loudly, and wept (in my case) throughout most of it.
We emerged at 7.30 to walk up to meet some friends in the pub for supper. My head was ringing with music but Himself was rather quiet so I asked, rather hesitantly, if he'd enjoyed it.
“How could you not?” he said giving me a big cuddle. “It was like going to the best party ever.”
She is a fount of knowledge of wildlife, vegetation and geology, and we missed her company, too. Mind you, the walk – at Daymer Bay – was largely over a golf course and sand dunes which are pretty short on vegetation or anything geological. Not much birdlife either. We got lost on the golf course, at which point Himself rang to say he was in the Rock Inn. Upstairs. “OK,” I said. “I'll see you there when I get there.”
We finally made it to Rock, but having reached the bottom of the golf course drive, didn't know which way to go next. Where was this pub? Rang Himself. No answer – phone switched on but no reply. Where was he?
Turned left. Found another pub. Wrong one. No one to ask. Walked a bit further and decided to turn back.
Rang Himself again. Still no reply.
Ten minutes later, by which time my temper was becoming a little Short, and there was still no reply from errant husband, I espied the Rock Inn, past the Green Tomato Cafe (no comment).
Having vented my spleen (whatever that is), we had a pleasant drink and packet of crisps before Moll and I returned to Daymer Bay via the sand dunes. Windblown and covered in sand, but happy.
An hour's drive back home, then a quick collapse before setting out to the Singalong version of Mamma Mia. I should explain that Himself is a Mamma Mia virgin, but having expressed a desire to see the film (he is brave enough to admit to enjoying Abba songs), I decided that tonight was the night.
Sadly, owing to the flu epidemic ravaging Falmouth, the cinema wasn't quite full, but the audience was more than appreciative. A crowd of young children ran up to the side whenever one of their favourite numbers came up, and danced happily in the aisles. The rest of us – aged 50+ - sang quietly or, in my case, loudly, and wept (in my case) throughout most of it.
We emerged at 7.30 to walk up to meet some friends in the pub for supper. My head was ringing with music but Himself was rather quiet so I asked, rather hesitantly, if he'd enjoyed it.
“How could you not?” he said giving me a big cuddle. “It was like going to the best party ever.”
Friday, 22 August 2008
The Feel Good Factor
First of all a huge WELL DONE to my two oldest nieces who have done brilliantly in their As and GCSEs. Well done girls! We're so proud of you!
But to other matters. On Wednesday night I organised a Girls Night Out to see Mamma Mia. Eight of us, ranging in age from late twenties to late sixties. When we got to the pub to meet up, we found yet more women – all enjoying a glass of wine and getting In The Mood. This was sisterhood at its best.
Having had a hectic day I was exhausted and felt most unlike going out – a glass of wine, a collapse and an early night was more what I felt like. But I had something to eat, picked up a friend and we walked into town together. It’s her 60th birthday next week so we were talking about her celebrations and got down to the pub where we met more friends, and by the time I’d had a few glasses of wine – well, I was raring.
The film is just terrific. I had expected it to be good but it was even better than I’d imagined. The location is fabulous – the Greek island of Skopelos, the cast is terrific – Meryl Streep excelled herself, as did Julie Walters and oh, the lovely Colin Firth. (A nice twist at the end there, with the lovely Colin.) Piers Brosnan was – well, Piers Brosnan, but he looks good in close up and the entire two hours went by in a flash.
At one point, as I dashed down to the loo, desperate to miss as little as possible, I thought, “I don’t want this to stop. I want this film to go on and on.”
The audience – mostly female – were a great lot. We sang, laughed, cried, clapped and I was dancing as well as you can sitting down. (Try it, it’s fun.) We emerged into the dark August night and grinned at each other, exchanged our favourite bits of the film. We all agreed that we wanted to go straight back and watch it all over again. But as it was late, we walked up the hill with smiles in our hearts, dancing in our feet and music in our heads.
I didn’t sleep much – I had too much music roaring round inside me. If you haven’t seen this film – GO! It will remind you that life can be terrific, that mothers and daughters are special, that friends and laughter are so important, and that love really does make the world go round.
And you know the best bit? That wonderful warm feeling stayed with me for the whole of the following day. It’s still with me now. Forget Prozac – go and see Mamma Mia. I'm hot footing off to get the DVD as soon as it hits the shops, so I can have a top up whenever I need it.
But to other matters. On Wednesday night I organised a Girls Night Out to see Mamma Mia. Eight of us, ranging in age from late twenties to late sixties. When we got to the pub to meet up, we found yet more women – all enjoying a glass of wine and getting In The Mood. This was sisterhood at its best.
Having had a hectic day I was exhausted and felt most unlike going out – a glass of wine, a collapse and an early night was more what I felt like. But I had something to eat, picked up a friend and we walked into town together. It’s her 60th birthday next week so we were talking about her celebrations and got down to the pub where we met more friends, and by the time I’d had a few glasses of wine – well, I was raring.
The film is just terrific. I had expected it to be good but it was even better than I’d imagined. The location is fabulous – the Greek island of Skopelos, the cast is terrific – Meryl Streep excelled herself, as did Julie Walters and oh, the lovely Colin Firth. (A nice twist at the end there, with the lovely Colin.) Piers Brosnan was – well, Piers Brosnan, but he looks good in close up and the entire two hours went by in a flash.
At one point, as I dashed down to the loo, desperate to miss as little as possible, I thought, “I don’t want this to stop. I want this film to go on and on.”
The audience – mostly female – were a great lot. We sang, laughed, cried, clapped and I was dancing as well as you can sitting down. (Try it, it’s fun.) We emerged into the dark August night and grinned at each other, exchanged our favourite bits of the film. We all agreed that we wanted to go straight back and watch it all over again. But as it was late, we walked up the hill with smiles in our hearts, dancing in our feet and music in our heads.
I didn’t sleep much – I had too much music roaring round inside me. If you haven’t seen this film – GO! It will remind you that life can be terrific, that mothers and daughters are special, that friends and laughter are so important, and that love really does make the world go round.
And you know the best bit? That wonderful warm feeling stayed with me for the whole of the following day. It’s still with me now. Forget Prozac – go and see Mamma Mia. I'm hot footing off to get the DVD as soon as it hits the shops, so I can have a top up whenever I need it.
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