Holly’s Highlights Week 2

For this week’s theatre and comedy, check out The Theatre Guide Dog.

Don’t let anyone ever tell you that Cambridge doesn’t teach you transferable skills. As well as having to deal with zooming from a Chaucer seminar to a Classics lecture this week (switching from Middle English to Classical Latin in 30 seconds = mindfuck), I managed to construct an Argos clothes rail using an instruction sheet that didn’t feel the need to use words. Now if that isn’t versatility, I don’t know what is.

Union

What? Michael Winner

When? 7.30pm, Tuesday 31st Jan

Where? If you really don’t know where The Union is by now, you don’t really deserve to grace its halls.

Why? This week’s choice was a toss-up between Winner and David Miliband (1st Feb, if you’re interested). But I figured if we get Winner to do his ‘calm down dear’ line, we’ll feel like we are in the Commons anyway.

TV

What? Top Gear

When? 8pm, Sunday

Where? BBC2

Why? Jezza’s odious behaviour aside (though, quite frankly, whoever thinks he is ever being serious on television must have the IQ of a blancmange), I love Top Gear. The start of a new series is like Christmas, though instead of getting toiletries and socks, you get fast cars, explosions, races and JC’s so-convoluted-they-are-almost-poetic similes. I won’t hear a word against it.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La7VkZCDSUs

Art

What? Shelf Lives: Four Centuries of Collectors and their Books

When? Until 16th June

Where? The homage to the penis that is the UL.

Why? The trouble with the UL, I find, is that it’s very samey. You go to the history section, and all you get are rows and rows of books about… history.  Thankfully, this term’s exhibition at the UL is gloriously hodgepodge. This homage to the book collector features treasures like Rupert Brooke’s early manuscripts, 18th century Persian gospels, and, my personal favourite, a manuscript of Chaucer’s Cook’s Tale, with the Cook wearing a quite magnificent giant green hat. Motivation to hang onto that old battered copy of Victoria Beckham’s autobiography. Probably.

Like Victoria Beckham, Chaucer’s cook does a neat line in hats.

Film

What? Martha Marcy May Marlene

Where? The Vue, Grafton Centre

When? From Friday 3rd February

Why? It’s a film about a cult, and it blurs the line between memory and dreams, between sanity and insanity, and lots of it happens in woods. And if that wasn’t already creepy, the lead is Mary-Kate and Ashley’s little sister. Mary-Kate and Ashley are now 25, and working in fashion. I wonder how their younger sister, the really rather talented Elizabeth Olsen, was able to so convincingly portray a young adult who went through too much as a child and is now a teeny bit messed up? On what could she possibly have modelled her performance? Hmmm. My money’s on natural talent…

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_k3wCsOgqk

Music

What? King Creosote and John Hopkins

When? Monday 30th Jan, 8pm

Where? The Junction

Why? King Creosote is Scotland’s answer to Nat King Cole. I think. His music is infused with folk and jazz and haggis. Probably. I haven’t made it sound very appealing, but that’s because he’s actually very hard to sum up. He’s a good version of The Rumble Strips, peddling catchy horn riffs with gloomy, effective lyrics set to upbeat music. He’s touring with John Hopkins, the electro-wizard, who should bring a modern twist to KC’s nostalgic style.

Something different

What? Frozen volcano

When? Until 4th Febuary

Where? Michaelhouse Centre, Trinity Street

Why? Loved Frozen Planet? Then talk to someone who has actually been there. Clive Oppenheimer has been carrying out research on Erebus, a 3800 metre high volcano in Antarctica. There’ll be photos of his fieldwork displayed, and Clive himself is giving a talk on the 2nd Feb at 6pm. Guys, be prepared to be dwarfed by a blast of testosterone.