Up In The World

Now I know that the Christmas market and fairground rides are very colourful, but I wanted to see what they would be like in sepia.

This shot for example looks quite Victorian with the snow covered roof of the gift stall, to the dominance of the helter skelter.

Carry On Christmas

On occasions I will participate in with the City Daily Photo contest. This month's theme is shop window.

Quite oddly enough, yesterday I wrote about a local charity shop window that had been decorated in a Christmas theme, complete with small Dickensian figures.

So I thought I would show a couple more; a paperboy and musician, who seems to have lost the rest of his band.

A Winter Wonderland

I've never really been a great fan of Christmas. Especially these days, when shops start filling their shelves with cards etc from about the end of August. Far too early.The summer isn't even over yet.

One of the things I do like however, is seeing how the smaller shops decorate their windows. Using their initiative, as they haven't the budgets like the big stores have.

A local charity shop called Treetops has done a lovely job when I saw it on Saturday morning, as part of my weekly shopping trip to Beeston.

They have taken the Victorian theme and dressed some mannequins in old fashioned clothes. Which looks nice, but I was more taken by some tiny Dickensian figures and a snowy townscape.

So cycling home tonight, I thought I would have a look at whether the window display was lit up in any way, so I could take a photo or two, without the glare of the glass. And here's the result. I think the golden balls of bokeh are reflection from the Sainsbury's sign opposite.

Ran Out Of Steam

Went to check on the Victorian railway arches that are sadly being knocked down after standing there for all these years.

It's been said that they have to come down as the area is being developed. Personally, if I was the architect, I would incorporate them into the new building as a feature, as I hate to see old buildings knocked down, as they have much more character then modern soulless buildings.

There's a prime example In my photo here, the green and gold building on the left is the Contemporary art gallery, which you must admit looks awful and stands out like a sore thumb, compared to the former church, now the Pitcher & Piano bar, and the other old buildings that make up part of the Lace Market.

The Train At Platform One

A bumper crop of photos today, as Nottingham Railway Station was reopened after being under wraps for the past year.

They've spent the best part of £50million in updating, cleaning up and renewing the station. Take the photo above; this used to be a taxi drop off point and small car park. It was a bit grimy and not very welcoming. But now look, it's light, airy and full of character. It will be even more exciting when the shops open sometime soon.

This is the Booking Hall. Doesn't it look wonderful, now it's been rejuvenated and showing off it's Victorian splendour with a fantastic parquet flooring.

Finally, I was in the right place at the right time, as some of the engineers involved in the revamp posed for an official photograph.  So of course I had to take one as well.

Criminal Activity

Another trip to the theatre tonight. This time to the Playhouse and to see a production called "Charles Peace, His Amazing Life", which was the story of an infamous Victorian burglar and murderer, who lived in Nottingham for a time; bizarrely enough very close to old the county gaol, which is now the Galleries of Justice.

Talking of which, they presently have a small exhibition about Peace, and a model of the set design for the actual play, which you can see above. Neat isn't it, and the real one looks quite close in concept.

So on to the play itself, and it was actually very good. Former Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan (1980-84) played Charlie with some aplomb and Norman (we the management) Pace played the showman and narrator, as the action moved from Peace's hometown of Sheffield, to Nottingham, then to London and finally to jail where he meets his maker courtesy of the hangman's noose.

There was plenty of action and interesting set pieces.  There was also a clever use of video projections; especially that of a moving train. Giles Croft has done a great directing job in keeping the story flowing, and without any dull bits, that you sometimes get in plays.

It's a world premiere too from local writer Michael Eaton. Who has done a nice job of piecing together the life of this criminal, who by all accounts was quite a ladies man, despite having a face that would curdle milk.

Charlie Peace is running to the end of next week, and is worth seeing for a number of reasons, and not just to see Peter Duncan do something else besides making things with sticky backed plastic and a loo roll.