Reading challenge book 10: Play to Kill by P.J. Tracy

P.J. Tracy is the pseudonym for a mother-daughter writing duo

Book 10 in my challenge to read one book (I haven't read before) a fortnight in 2012 is Play to Kill by P.J. Tracy.

Sometimes I love to curl up with a good murder mystery, and if you're looking for a focus on the crime solving with a lack of faffing around, then P.J. Tracy is the way to go. 

P.J. Tracy is the pseudonym for mother and daughter P.J. and Traci Lambrecht, who have produced a series of linked books.

The authors have a knack of stripping down all of the extraneous rubbish you find in many murder mysteries and crime tales, and just getting right to the point.

There are two heinous murders to open the book, before we even get to see the crime solving going on. And even then, we find out that the murders we viewed weren't the first.

While the personal lives of the characters involved in solving crimes are important and inform who they are as investigators, they're not the most important thing in Play to Kill. The crime is. And because that's the case, we somehow manage to find out more about our characters than if we'd spent entire chapters reading about their personal lives.

There are instances where we see interactions between the characters outside of the crime solving set - Magozzi and Rolseth's friendship is a great read, and Magozzi and Grace's interactions are always interesting, since he's in love with her and we don't know quite what she feels for him, but neither of them are sitting around crying endless tears over it all.

The other thing I really liked about Play to Kill was that there was none of the red herring type stuff you find in some murder mysteries, where the reader - and the characters - are constantly being led down the wrong path only to discover a red herring. It was good to read something where there wasn't too much of a wild goose chase, and it seemed more realistic.

In Play to Kill the two groups investigating the series of murders at the centre of the book don't interact much. Monkeewrench stay largely in their mansion running clever computer programmes, while Rolseth and Magozzi spend most of their time in the office with their fellow police detectives or in their car travelling between murder scenes and the police station or occasionally visiting the Monkeewrench offices.

My favourite character is Rolseth, who seems like your typical doughnut eating cop, but is actually fiercely intelligent and loyal, and makes a brilliant support character to Magozzi. Even then, you can't really say Magozzi is the main character here. Although he's been in previous books in this series by Tracy, the writing is such that it's really more like an emsemble than anything else.

There's a brilliant twist at the end, which I didn't see coming, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the murders I'd just spent 300 or so pages reading about.

For me, Play to Kill was the perfect murder mystery. It was to the point, devoid of meaningless interactions and all about the crime, yet still with brilliantly formed characters.

Review: Up at The O2

Looking towards Stratford from Up at The O2.

I'm sitting on a cold, hard bench in a dark room. On screen a video is about to start - it's shaky for a few seconds and then a man comes into focus.

He looks like he's just been caught in a gust of wind, and he starts talking dramatically about a journey he has just undertaken, and which I am about to go on.

Okay, I'm not scaling Everest, and neither is Rupert, the guy in the video. Instead, I'm climbing over the roof of The O2, as part of the entertainment venue's latest venture - Up at The O2.

The experience involves walking on a blue tensile fabric walkway - I would describe it as bouncy plastic - over the roof of The O2. In the centre is a viewing platform, where you can take in views across London in all directions.

But first, there's the safety video starring Rupert (I imagine this is now a bit boring for the instructors, who have probably seen it a hundred times), and an introduction by our guide for the climb, a fresh-faced guy called Adam.

After signing a waiver (eek) the group I'm in is led through to a corridor to pick up our kit. There's an attractive black and blue jumpsuit, hiking boots (it's been raining so Adam recommends we wear their boots instead of our own trainers), and a harness, as well as the equipment we'll be using to hook ourselves up to the walkway's rail.

Once we're all kitted up, it's time for another safety check before we climb the stairs up to the start of walkway, where we practice for a few minutes hooking ourselves up with a carabiner type thing to the rail.

And then we're off. Walking up is simple. You hook the metal thing onto a rail and pull it along with you as you climb, holding on to the handrail if you wish. We go up in stages, stopping every few sections so everyone can catch up.

The climb is pretty easy, although the walkway surface itself takes some getting used to, as it's not often you walk on bouncy surfaces.

It looks like we've reached the top a few times, but there's always more walkway ahead, until finally we're at the viewing platform. It's pretty big - there's a group of 15 already there, and there's still loads of room to move around and get the photographs we want.

The views are stunning, especially since we lucked out with the weather. You can see the Olympic Park - the ArcelorMittal Orbit and Aquatics Centre are clearly visible, with the Stadium tucked in between two skyscrapers in the distance.

A panorama of the view from the viewing platform of Up at The O2 (click to view bigger).

Maritime Greenwich is close by, and you can also see the ExCeL popping up, as well as the Shard (although you can see the Shard from a distance without climbing up the roof of a building), and further out in every direction.

Adam tells us that he spoke to someone who could even see the arch of Wembley on a good day, which is some distance.

Once we've all photographed the view to our heart's content, it's back down, this time on the other side.

The vast majority of the descent is pretty easy going, and at a good angle. But the final section is much steeper, and requires a sideways crab-style walk to get down. That's because the walkway goes right down to the ground, unlike at the start of the journey, where we began on a walkway suspended above the ground.

As we get to the bottom and look back up, there's no sign of the platform, indicating just how high up we climbed.

Up at The O2 is a great experience, although hardcore adventurers may be left wanting. For a novice climber though, it's enough excitement, and the main draw is the views, which will leave anyone impressed.

Review: Prometheus Awakes at GDIF

The human net in Prometheus Awakes.

Where do I start with the spectacular that was Prometheus Awakes at the Greenwich+Docklands International Festival?

Here's what I want to say (in a high pitched voice really fast): Oh my goodness, it was amazing, I loved it!

But I realise that I'm writing a review, so I should probably be a little less teenage girl, and expand a little more on my views.

The production was put together by disabled-led theatre company Graeae and Spanish company La Fura dels Baus, famous for their outdoor work and puppetry.

Prometheus Awakes started with projections on the Queen's House.

Prometheus Awakes melded the three myths of Prometheus - he created man, he invented fire, his liver was eaten by an eagle and then it regrew every day as a punishment from Zeus - seamlessly into one.

Prometheus awakes.

The production in the grounds of the Royal Museums Greenwich started with a boom and projections on the Queen's House, with the final ones showing the puppet Promethus and spelling out his name in both letters and in sign language.

In the audience our gaze then moved to the right, as the 25ft tall puppet of Promethus was slowly lifted from a lying position into a crane and then lit up. Six volunteers (and the crane) then steered Prometheus through the crowd.

While we were still busy gasping over this stunning spectacle Prometheus came to a stop, and our attention was once again diverted, this time to a bag being hoisted by a crane right over our heads. First glitter came out of the bag onto the crowd and then a woman appeared - the first human.

A trio of dancers on the balcony of Queen's House took our attention, and the first human soon joined them. As Prometheus made his was towards her - going around the back of the crowd - it was time for the fire. Flames leapt up into air before volunteer performers carrying flares walked purposefully through the crowd.

The human censer.

This was all stunning enough, with more projections of the Queen's House of fire and eagles adding to the thrill thrumming through the crowd. Then it was time for another of Graeae's set pieces - the human censer, which rose high above the crowd with performers on it doing daring dancing moves.

Prometheus Awakes also featured a giant hamster wheel of sorts, which rolled back and forth between the crowd, with the performers inside wowing everyone, and then all bursting into a shrill type of shrieking as the tale of Prometheus reached its dark point - Prometheus, in love with the first human, thought he was being rejected by her (I think) and she left the stage.

Moments later she reappeared, climbing up the body of Prometheus to rest at his shoulder and watch the play's stunning finale - a net of humans raised into the air to swing over the crowd to thumping music.

The cheers and clapping as the performers that made up the net danced only grew louder and louder, and the looks of joy on their faces as they took in the reaction of the crowd only fueled more applause.

Prometheus Awakes was a stunning production. It was truly interactive outdoor theatre, with an audience made up of everyone from young children to teenage friends to couples and families and more.

There was no need for barriers and stewards, as the audience moved seamlessly with the performers, knowing instinctively when to move out of the way and where to look - and we almost became a part of the production ourselves.

Graeae and La Fura dels Baus should be applauded for the work they did, as should all the performers, disabled and non-disabled. When I spoke to the play's co-director Amit Sharma, he said he wanted people to leave Prometheus Awakes thinking it was a great production and not thinking about how good it was in relation to it being disabled-led. He has succeeded. I didn't give a thought to whether the performers in front of me were disabled or non-disabled, for me Prometheus Awakes was just a hugely successful, hugely thrilling piece of outdoor theatre which I'm still thinking about hours later.

Prometheus Awakes will be performed once more at the Stockton International Riverside Festival on Thursday, August 2 at 10pm. Click here for more information.

Review: Jack Savoretti at Bush Hall

"This is the weirdest gig I've ever been to."

We're at Bush Hall in Shepherd's Bush, standing in the midst of a crowd of Jack Savoretti fans while the man himself is on stage. My friend, let's call her V, has just turned to me and said the above. What prompted her?

Well, some random guy in the audience has, in the lull between songs, just yelled for everyone to hear: "I'm having a great time, Jack."

I'm having a surreal time, and so is V (and my other friend F). This isn't like any gig I've been to before either.

For a start there's the strange demographic of the crowd. Aside from the guy who's having a great time, there are a bunch of Jack Wills-wearing Oxbridge types, plenty of older couples, a load of "yummy mummies" and lots and lots of men who keep shouting about having a great time, or just making general yelling man noises showing they're having a great time.

V's theory is that Savoretti is the kind of guy inspires bromance among the fellow members of his sex, that he makes guys feel how Bruce Springsteen makes guys feel - that kind of guys hanging out, being cool together vibe. I can sort of see it (Savoretti wears a Springsteen-esque half unbuttoned shirt and he's got that confidence), but, and I really like Savoretti, I'm still reluctant to buy into that theory. Still, it goes some way to explaining the men clapping really, really loudly, yelling and sticking their arms in the air in that pop rock way while they sing along.

The other thing leading me to have a surreal time is the double bass player in Savoretti's band, Tom Benzon. He's really, really talented, but really, really distracting. There's no delicate way to put this - he makes come hither faces while he plays. And caresses his double bass like it's a woman (or a man). And there may have been hip movement.

Still, apart from the strange make up of the audience, the men shouting how much they love Savoretti (I expect to hear someone yell: "Come on, my son") and the distracting double bass player, it's a great gig (for me, V's not a fan).

Savoretti has a brilliant energy, which is perhaps why the crowd gets so whipped up - there's a moment when everyone goes nuts at the opening chords of Dreamers after Savoretti dedicates it to "all the old friends".

I don't have to wait too long before Savoretti plays Vagabond, which is my favourite song off the new album, Before the Storm. Yes, it wasn't among the two favourites I was debating about when I reviewed Before the Storm, but since then it's shot to the top of my playlist.

Savoretti does play those two previously favourite songs of mine - For the Last Time and The Proposal. He gives For the Last Time a sharp twist, infusing it with much more anger than on the album. 

Take Me Home features vocals from a girl called Rebecca (I think) who won a competition to try and find the best cover version of the song. She's sweet but looks terrified, and only relaxes when Savoretti throws smiles at her.

Savoretti's voice is, if possible, huskier in person than it is recorded, but that's no bad thing in my opinion, and judging by the opinions of the shouting masses around me.

This might be the most surreal gig I've been to, but it's also pretty fun - a great support act (Melodica, Melody and Me - I'm definitely going to find out more about them), a crowd that makes me laugh (if only for weird reasons) and a talented musician on stage.

Hey, Jack, I'm having a great time...

An interview with...Amit Sharma, co-director of Graeae's Prometheus Awakes

Prometheus Awakes is Graeae's latest production. Picture: Tia Lomas 

Graeae's offices are, to put it mildly, pretty flipping cool.

Located in Hoxton, next door to the Geffrye Museum, the building has large windows in archways along the front. In each of the windows sits one letter of the word Graeae in giant blocks of varying colours and textures.

Inside there is plenty of colour and light, and in the centre sits a glass walled conference room which has the word door spelt out in large braille letters on the doors.

Chairs of different styles surround the table, the light switches are edged in red, and all the rooms are on one level with no annoying lips to trip over in the doorways.

So why all the snazzy fixtures and fittings?

Graeae is one of the UK's leading disabled-led theatre companies, if not the leading, and its offices are built to be fully accessible.

I'm here to meet Amit Sharma, co-director of Prometheus Awakes, Graeae's latest production. It's just days before the performance, and we're supposed to talk over lunch, but the food goes ignored as we get carried away talking about the company, the work it does and how Graeae is working to change perceptions of people with disabilities.

Prometheus Awakes - a reinterpretation of the myth of Prometheus - will go a long way to ensuring people see no differences between performers with disabilities and those without. It will be performed on Friday night in the grounds of the Royal Museums Greenwich.

There are no words, instead all the action will be played out visually by actors and volunteers, with projections on the side of the Queen's House and soaring music playing during the show.

It's a huge production - literally. 

Working with Spanish company La Fura dels Baus (with whom Amit has had a lot of loud conference calls) Prometheus Awakes features a 24ft tall Prometheus, which is operated by six people and manoeuvred around by a crane.

The human net. Picture: Andreu Adrover

Other set pieces include a net of humans that is winched 25 metres up into the air; a human censer (think of the thing Catholic priests wave in front of them which lets out incense); and a massive wheel, which will contain actors and roll through the audience.

Unsurprisingly, it's the biggest outdoor production Graeae has ever done, and what makes it even more amazing is that the company will only get to do a few rehearsals in situ before the performance itself.

Amit says: "This is the first time in the UK this is being artistically led and done by disabled people.

"It is such an amazing undertaking. It's about the wow factor."

The human censer. Picture: Tia Lomas

Prometheus Awakes is first and foremost about putting on a good show, but being produced by Graeae does mean the fact that it is a disabled-led performance will be in people's minds.

Amit says: "I hope people go away from the production and say they have seen an amazing piece of outdoor theatre.

"You can look at all the politics about disabled people but we want to create a work where people go: 'That's fantastic.'

"Having said that the opportunity for disabled performers here is great. We want people to go away saying 'wasn't that person amazing?' or 'wasn't the music great?'"

The production gives Graeae the chance to bring disabled-led arts to the forefront, particularly in a year when the Paralympic Games are coming home. 

Graeae has been working on productions featuring disabled and non-disabled performers since 1980. 

In any other year the company's artistic director Jenny Sealey would probably be running around the offices, but this year she's hidden away in a secret location somewhere (I imagine) putting together the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in her role as co-artistic director (the other director is Bradley Hemmings, artistic director of the Greenwich+Docklands International Festival).

It's an honour for Graeae that Jenny has been chosen to help lead the opening ceremony, and a mark of just how valued the company is amongst the theatre world.

And the hope is that the Games will leave a lasting legacy on disabled-led theatre. One of the ways that is being done is through Unlimited, the UK's largest programme celebrating arts, culture and sport by deaf and disabled people which has commissioned a number of works to celebrate the inspiration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Amit says: "Unlimited has been so important because there has been some fantastic work created through programmes recently, which have got the profile to audiences that would never have experienced that type of art before.

"The key now is the legacy. It is a starting point for deaf and disability art. It's going to inspire people of all abilities."

And you'll be hard pressed not to leave Prometheus Awakes feeling inspired.


Prometheus Awakes is part of the Greenwich+Docklands International Festival. The show starts at 10pm on Friday, June 22 and is free. For more information click here.

Album review: Before the Storm by Jack Savoretti

Jack Savoretti's new album is Before the Storm. Picture: Claire Nathan

How is it that I'd never heard anything by Jack Savoretti before listening to his new album Before the Storm?

Savoretti plays exactly the kind of music I like best - plenty of heartbreak, lots of guitars and piano, and lyrics that are poetry.

Before the Storm is a mix of styles, with Savoretti segueing effortlessly between folk, country, classic pop and rock, sometimes using more than one genre in just one song.

The second track on the album, Take Me Home, has a great guitar riff and highlights Savoretti's husky voice, which has that quality you can't quite put your finger on but that just makes you believe every word he's singing.

Take Me Home is a song to make you melt, with its pleading chorus: "Take me home with you tonight/I'm not going to make it down this lonely street/Take me home with you tonight/I'm not going to make it on my own."

It's a toss up between the upbeat The Proposal and the mournful final track For the Last Time as to which is my favourite song on the album.

The Proposal is hopeful despite its metaphor of building a bridge and watching it burn, and it also contains my favourite lyrics on the album: "Living in your absence/I see memories when I cry/I hear songs in the key of silence/I'm not ready yet to die."

But then there's For the Last Time, a song which just makes me feel every emotion Savoretti is singing about - heartbreak and grief and resignation and determination. It's beautifully crafted and the perfect piece of grown up angst.

Knock Knock is a fun track, which with its lyrics and its rhythms conjures up images of old-style saloons from those westerns that tend to be on television on long Sunday afternoons.

It's not just Knock Knock which shows Savoretti is good at forming pictures with his lyrics. Vagabond, with its poetic chorus - "the life of a vagabond/searching for a fool's gold/with the eyes of a gypsy/and the life of a rebel soul..." - makes me think of the endless road Savoretti sings about.

Before the Storm is really one long love song with all its ups and downs, but despite tracks like the aforementioned Take Me Home and album opener Not Worthy ("I'm not worthy of your love/I'm barely keeping up), Savoretti sounds far from desperate on Before the Storm. Rather, he comes across as a brutally honest songwriter, unafraid to expose his deepest emotions. It's an attractive quality and the one which makes Before the Storm such a good album.