Picnic at Pemberley

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-lymepark

Taking advantage of this brief warm weekend, Sig Other and I visited Lyme Hall, the scenic location used as Pemberley in BBC's Pride and Prejudice. You'll instantly recall it as soon as I mention Colin Firth and wet white shirt.

Sunny though it was, Sig Other was not moved to replicate this iconic scene, but in a romantic gesture soon after we first met, he took me to see 'Pemberley' in December when the frost glinted on the lawns and the little lochan (what's the English version of lochan?) was iced over at the edges. Again, no C.F. or any other exhibition of manly drippiness.

Today the Hall was open as part of the Heritage Open Days, so this time we saw round the house and gardens after picnicking in the grounds near the mill pond.

http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/

For aficionados

http://www.pemberley.com/

Darcy Disappoints

Normally I find TV programmes boring, trite, insulting and overly focussed on men and balls (aka sport). Last night, however I was treated to time travel fantasy of the most diverting sort. Lost in Austen began with the first of a four part series where a 21st century gal is transported to Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice novel.

From an entirely non Bobby Ewing style shower, Lizzie Bennet emerges into Amanda Price’s bathroom and convinces her to go through the door into her life.

Fair enough to say it was a clunky beginning, but all time travel fantasies are like that. I don't want to get too negative with a 'can't do' attitude, but as far as I know it is not possible to travel though time, so it is not going to be realistic. The only way is to get it over and done with, with the minimum amount of explanation and get straight into the story. It was the same with both series of Life on Mars and audiences by and large stuck in there. Readers/viewers will either accept this or they won’t and if you want to enjoy the rest of the plot you suspend disbelief and critical thinking. The clue is in the word … Fantasy!

I liked Miss Price’s mutterings to herself and these contained the best lines, especially when she mused about meeting Mr Darcy and reminded herself that he wasn’t going to be Colin Firth, with the line “even Colin Firth isn’t Colin Firth, they had to change the shape of his head with make up.”

As ever the actor failed to live up to my image of Darcy. I don’t have an exact image in my head of the perfect Darcy, but I am convinced I’ll recognise it when I see it. Even Colin Firth didn’t succeed in meeting my expectations, but this Mr Darcy really let the side down. I’m not keen on dark brooding heroes and this one crossed the line from Byronesque into Neanderthal so prominent is his brow and scowling demeanour. Bingley was better, if a bit twee.

Dismal Darcy notwithstanding, the programme is excellent and I look forward to the next 3 episodes.

http://www.itv.com/Drama/perioddrama/LostInAusten/default.html