Jan Leeming - The Official Website

FLORENTINES and WILD

18th February 2009

FLORENTINES  and   WILD

A stone's throw from where I stay there is an absolutely divine Coffee Shop.  It was started up almost three years ago by three lovely ladies who are all partners and one is the Chef.  Good combination as no-one is going to poach the Chef when she's a partner in the business.  Christa is the chef and she produces the most divine cakes.  I don't really have a sweet tooth but it is a supreme effort of will not to indulge.  Not only do they make the most superb cakes but their snacks are second to none.  I have to say that I  commissioned them to make the food for my Father's 92nd Birthday.  It couldn't have been a more enjoyable evening and their food was absolutely superb.  Christa also makes the most wonderful Wedding Cakes - in which I have absolutely no interest!!!!!!!!!!

It's an extremely welcoming place with books to read and delightful produce to buy ranging from Felicity's wonderful jewellery bags to pickles and of course Florentines to die for.  You can buy them but you always get a mini one with your coffee.  

I was one of their first customers and was bowled over by the kindness of one of the partners (incidentally who shares my name) Janet - but hers wasn't shortened by the Australians amongst whom I lived in the 60's.   Florentines  provide magazines and books to read - spread out over a table in front of a squishy sofa.  I was reading a lovely book on Love Letters and hastened down to Exclusive Books to buy a copy - Out of print.  When I told Janet about this, she immediately said 'Please take the book as a gift'.  So began a friendship.

Having a delicious Cappucino in there recently, I picked up a magazine called WILD.  I was attracted to it because the front cover depicted a fabulous Elephant from Addo.  The articles and the photography are super but I couldn't read all the articles whilst having my coffee, so asked Janet if I could borrow it.  (It's being returned tomorrow)  WILD is the magazine produced by Wild which offers you a card for approximately £20 which gives you entry to a whole list of Parks and Wildlife centres throughout South Africa.  Unfortunately you cannot buy the magazine but if you become a member, you can pick up your copy either in one of the Parks or have a copy sent to you for  the cost of the postage.  I'm only here for a few months and couldn't possibly visit even a small proportion of the Parks to which my membership gives me access BUT I have become a member because it is a few more Rand towards Wildlife preservation and conservation and, quite frankly, the magazines alone are worth the Membership fee.

So, if you live in the neighbourhood of Kennilworth, do go visit Florentines, very close to the Robots and you will be hard pushed to get a better coffee.

As I'm talking about Coffee drinking, I'd better say Ciao - if that's the correct spelling - Jan

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - CAPETOWN

17th February 2009

  BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

  Oh, the joys of going to the theatre in Capetown,  particularly at Artscape.   You park in the garage underneath the Theatre Complex and walk up to the auditoria - arriving looking good untouched by the elements.

  I didn't really know what to expect, not having seen Beauty and the Beast in London.  I presumed it would be a bit like 'Phantom' - the love story with the Goody and the Baddy.  In fact it was, in parts, a comedy.

  The sets, costumes and choreography were excellent, particularly a number they did with tankards clashing - it was an exercise in precision and rightly deserved the fulsome applause it received.  It was quite breathtaking.

  I now have a rule that I am not going to buy programmes anymore.  This is partly because you end up with a pile of programmes which mean very little after the show is over.  And partly because, if I am going to criticize shows I've seen, then I remain ignorant of the names of the cast. 

  I collected theatre programmes from the time I first went to theatre - the Old Vic in London which, in my school days was totally devoted to Shakespeare and we were duly taken there as a cultural experience.  Sidetracking - I must tell you that as an impressionable 15 year old we were taken on a school trip to see 'Othello'.  Richard Burton was playing the Moor and John Neville was Iago.  I only had eyes for Mr. Neville and stood at the stage door to get his autograph - the first one in my memorable Autograph book.  I totally ignored Mr. Burton - I ask you!

  My programme collection was finally donated to the Royal Theatrical Fund for them to sell and make some money for the Retired Actors' Home. 

 But back to Beauty and the Beast.  It was an excellent production with some very memorable performances.  To be honest, most of the characters were excellent and it is difficult to single out anyone for particular praise but I have to say the chap playing the Baddie - Gaston - was absolutely superb  - his timing was perfection and his caricature outstanding, as was the performance of his side-kick.  All the strange  characters in the Castle of the Beast were great.  Let me explain - the spell which has condemned the Prince to be a Beast until or unless he is released by love, has also condemned those living in the castle gradually to metamorphose into inanimate objects e.g.  the housekeeper, Mrs. Potts is becoming a Teapot, the Major Domo a Clock and the Valet a Candlebra.  Instead of hands the Valet, Lumiere, has candles which regularly come alight with flames.   I think he was  my particular favourite with his lovely French accent  - fey, camp and gorgeous.

 The lead lady was lovely but in her high notes she had what I have dubbed the Andrew Lloyd Webber voice.  By this I mean the strangulated and strident top notes which come from the shoulders rather than the diaphragm.  This is a totally subjective comment.  Having worked in theatre and learned about Intercostal Diaphragmatic Breathing - the voice should come up through the body using the mouth as an echo chamber and then you get the rich resonance.  The Lloyd Webber singing certainly achieves the high notes but, I think, at the expense of the richness and roundness of tone.

 She was, however, a lovely actress and brought a tear to my eye and a lump in my throat, with her reaction to the Beast.  Sadly, the Beast for me was one of the weakest characters in the production - I don't think his voice was up to it.  And though it was no fault of his, I didn't think the make-up etc made him look fearsome enough. I thought he looked like those make-up faces they do on young children at Craft Fairs and Exhibitions.

 There are no memorable songs in the show - as is the case with so many musicals.  As a friend of mine once commented - you come out 'singing the scenery'.

 But the show was totally and absolutely enjoyable - a wonderful romp.  The costumes were breathtaking as were the sets and the cast were very strong indeed.

 If you haven't already booked, do try and see it - it's on till mid March I think.

 VERDICT -  A totally wonderful evening at the theatre.

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 Sadly Pieter-Dirk Uys is not performing at the moment.  I'd go a long way to watch any of his shows.  How he  has got away with his irreverence, and not been clapped in irons, beats me.  He is a marvelous performer.

Our next outing is to see Barry Humphries aka Dame Edna - don't forget to bring your Gladdies!!

 I have noticed that the hits on my Website from South Africa have gone up in leaps and bounds from a standing start of 2. Well the only way is up isn't it.  So I hope all you lovely people will keep tuning in and I shall attempt to entertain and enlighten you.

 You live in a wonderful country and are much blessed to be doing so.

 Bye for now.  Jan
 

ALEX HENSHAW - MEMORIAL BANQUET

17th February 2009

ALEX HENSHAW - MEMORIAL BANQUET

Some friends, John Romain and his wife,  came over on Thursday to attend  a Memorial Banquet in honour of the late Alex Henshaw.  It took place at Ysterplatz - the Airforce base here in Capetown.**  They are only on a whistle-stop tour  so I'm taking them out tomorrow and will try and squash in as many of the beauties of the Cape as is manageable before they catch their plane back to England.  It will only be the briefest glimpse of what Capetown and the Cape can offer but hopefully will be enough to bring them back for a longer visit.

John  owns and rebuilds Spitfires in the UK out at Duxford Air Base.  He is the gentleman who two years ago at Shoreham Air Show  offered me a  flight in a Spitfire.  We have been trying to link it to a Charity to ensure maximum publicity but so far our plans haven't materialised.  Perhaps 2009 will be the year when Leeming does make it in a Spitfire.  I'd love that.

**  Alex Henshaw was a remarkable Test pilot who, in 1939 broke the record for a flight to Capetown and back.  Look him up on the Internet.  Probably the best and most comprehensive piece is the second on the list of the search which is his Obit. in the Telegraph.

This coming week, a group of us are going to see Beauty and the Beast at The Artscape Theatre in Capetown.  I've been told that this production is even better than London.  It wouldn't surprise me.

I've seen Phantom many times but enjoyed it more here in Capetown where I could SEE the whole show and actually HEAR the words.  The accoustics at Artscape are excellent and so is the rake of the seating - nor do they over amplify - all three faults appertaining to many of the London Theatres.

Till my next epistle.  Au revoir,  Jan

TANGO NIGHTS & LA SYLPHIDE

14th February 2009

TANGO NIGHTS    &     LA SYLPHIDE

One of the many aspects of life in Capetown which I love is the access to a large range of entertainment at very affordable prices.

Last week we went to see 'Tango Nights' - a most enjoyable evening with fantastic Tango music. However, we were disappointed to have an announcement that there would be understudies.  The young lady in the lead was a good dancer but lacked the emotional fire needed for the Tango even when danced in a ballet form.  Unfortunately, her partner was just too chunky in build to carry off this most sexual of routines.  To my unpractised eye, his whole body was the wrong build for ballet - even jazz ballet.  The Corps de Ballet were predominantly very good - mostly tall and graceful performers but sadly, most of the men were just too short in stature to create an artistically good 'picture' on stage. Instead of gazing seductively into the eyes of their female partners, most of the chaps had their noses in the dancers' cleavage!   I didn't have a programme so names will have to remain a mystery.  

But overall, the choreography, sets and music made for an enjoyable, if short, evening's entertainment.  At the curtain call, a young good-looking and be-suited man came on stage and did a somersault or a back flip or some such.  I presume he was the choreographer and on that front, he'd done a superb job.

Then on Sunday we went to see La Sylphide at the Open-Air Theatre at Maynardville.  Again, it was announced that there would be understudies,.  The prima ballerina was delightful but the lead male dancer was unemotional and unconvincing though his footwork was excellent.  I know there are exceptions to every rule but, I think, there used to be acceptable  heights for both male and female dancers and, to my way of thinking, for good reason.  The young lead on Sunday was so tall he looked almost ungainly next to his tiny co-star.  The Corps de Ballet were excellent and moved as if they were one - you couldn't fault them.

It's a short ballet with a rather silly story but in the magical setting of a balmy, Moonlit night at Maynardville, one felt that all was right with the world.  It was the night of a full moon and as it crept up over the trees, it looked as though it were part of the set.   It can be rather chilly sitting outside but on this occasion, the weather was excellent and added to the enjoyment of yet another inexpensive and lovely evening.

Bye for now,  Jan

CAPETOWN

3rd February 2009

CAPETOWN

Hi folks. 

Sorry I didn't write last week but I've had endless troubles with the Internet.

Came back to stunningly beautiful Capetown and found that virtually all my methods of communication were up the spout.  Anyway, I hope it's all sorted now.

Yserfontein -  Friends took me to lunch at Yserfontein which is about an hour north of Capetown on the West Coast.  We ate at The Beaches which is almost on the Beach and what a fabulous view we had.  I love Paternoster - a fishing village about another half hour up the road and Yserfontein is very similar with it's deserted sweeping beach.

We saw a flock of birds, which my sharp eyed friend Denise said was a Flock of Oyster-Catchers.  I thought they were only ever seen in pairs but Oyster-Catchers they were and about 14 of them.  Quite an unusual sight so I've added a picture for you.  And the weather was absolutely perfect making me feel really guilty for all the friends and family I've left behind in the snow.

Went on Sunday with a friend to Simonstown and renewed my acquaintance with Just Nuisance.  He

was a Great Dane adopted by the navy and the story goes that he would travel on the train with the sailors when they

went into town and, after their night out with some the worse for wear,  he wouldn't get back on the train until they

were all safely aboard  The Rail Company objected to a Dog travelling on their train so he was made an Honourable

Able Seaman.  He was much loved and became something of a legend so there's a life-size Bronze statue of him at

Simonstown and people stroke his muzzle rather like one strokes the Boar in Florence and the Horse in Cannes

at the Hotel de Paris - hoping for a stroke of good fortune.

Thank you for visiting the site.  Until next time.

Au revoir, Jan