Culture Trip Week 6: Is the end in sight?

Week 6 is finally here, which means I must congratulate you all on making it through the dreaded Week 5. The end of term is near, and a special mention must go out to all those who are now officially more than halfway through their degrees. Congratulations!

For some us, the blues may still be lingering, whilst others can’t help being joyful as the sun has been shining and the government has tantalisingly offered a provisional date for normality’s return. However you’re feeling, we’ve got cultural picks of the week for you all. We hope you enjoy them!

Art: Love Art After Dark (4th of March, 5-8pm)

(Image credit: Author’s own photo)

In true 2021 spirit, the Fitzwilliam Museum Society and Fitzwilliam Museum’s much-loved annual event is going online. Featuring 6 expert speakers exploring the museum’s renowned collections, this exciting event is sure to satisfy your cultural cravings. With FREE tickets, what’s not to love?!

Album: Mamma Mia! The Movie Soundtrack (2008)

Back when CDs were a thing! (Image credit: Author’s own photo)

Just hear me out on this one. If you are in need of something uplifting to help bring you out of the blues of last week, there is no better soundtrack to get you smiling, dancing, and belting. Remember: you are a dancing queen! Now that Boris has laid out his end-of-lockdown roadmap, many of us are starting to fantasise about having a real summer. In the meantime, the Mamma Mia! soundtrack is an ideal substitute. From the first notes of ‘Honey, Honey’, you will instantly feel like you’re living your best life on a Greek island full of beautiful people singing ABBA songs…is it summer yet?

If, for some strange reason, you do not already own a copy of the CD like I do, the album is of course available on Spotify.

TV series: Good Omens (2019)

(Image credit: Author’s own screenshot via YouTube)

The end of term is now in sight and the end of lockdown doesn’t seem a million miles away either. While we’re on the subject of the end of things, why not watch a comedy about the end of the world? Good Omens is a delightful adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s book about the unlikely friendship between a demon and an angel, spanning their 6000 years on earth. This very silly tale follows the forces of heaven and hell, witch-hunters and witches, a loveable hellhound called Dog, and the 11-year old antichrist, as they all face the looming prospect of Armageddon. Good Omens is sure to put you in a good mood with its banging Queen soundtrack (in case, inexplicably, you’re not feeling the Mamma Mia! this week) and help you forget about all the essays you have to write.

If over lockdown you’ve fallen in love with David Tennant and Michael Sheen from Staged (or do I mean Lagging?), this is definitely for you: the pair play stylish demon Crowley and foodie angel Aziraphale, respectively. All six episodes, a nice bingeable length, are available on Amazon Prime Video.

Theatre: Small Island (2019)

(Image credit: Author’s own screenshot via YouTube)

This moving adaptation of Andrea Levy’s 2004 Windrush novel is part of the National Theatre Collection, an archive of recordings you can access with your Raven login on Drama Online. Performed on the grand Olivier stage, this production is epic and fragile in equal parts, a story tackling escape, insularity, and intimacy, that is sure to resonate.

Book: Our Ancestors, Italo Calvino (1960)

(Image credit: Author´s own)

By acclaimed Italian novelist Italo Calvino, Our Ancestors contains 3 short stories: “The Cloven Viscount”, “Baron in the Trees”, and “The Non-Existent Knight”. The perfect bitesize length for a busy student, these mystical moral fables form an intriguing trilogy exploring modern identity.

Film: Pride (2014)

(Image credit: Author’s own screenshot via YouTube)

The last week of LGBTQ+ history month is a great time to learn about this heart-warming true story of solidarity. Pride is wonderful feel-good film that follows an activist group called Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners as they aid a small mining community in rural Wales during the 1984 strikes. If you’ve binged It’s A Sin, this is an especially good watch as it tackles the AIDS epidemic and Thatcherite Britain, with a message of joy and friendship at its core. With a fantastic ensemble cast, hilarious quotes, and nuggets of wisdom (did you know that all lesbians are vegetarians?!), Pride is a really fun film to boost your Week 6 mood, and learn some LGBTQ+ history at the same time.

That’s everything for Week 6. We hope to help ease your way through the rest of term. Have a wonderful week and join us again for Week 7!

Cover image credit: Rachel Armitage

Related stories recommended by the author:

• Culture Trip: Everything you need to battle those Week Five Blues

• We asked STEM students what was the last book they read

• Creative Spotlight: Grace Beckett on dancing through Cambridge