Watch out for pushy guys

Advantages: Cheap
Disadvantages: Pushy men.

...Bang smack in the centre of Brussels, and with a large terrace, Falstaff is great for watching the world drift by. They serve you "amuses-gueules" with your drinks and beers are cheap, and service good. The only disadvantage to this place is one more for ladies than men. Often pushy men will come and sit down and start talking, and whilst the chat is initially harmless, and they come across as being friendly, they soon start asking very intimate details, and get very person, and are a nuisance. There will also invariably ask for girls' phone numbers and can get very pushy with you. A quick way out is to say that you are only on holiday and leaving the day after tomorrow. It is a shame that this overshadows an otherwise pleasant place to drink....

Morgenhund 28.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Falstaff

Oh, for a muse of fire...

Advantages: Stunning
Disadvantages: None

.... The speech on horseback in the early seige of Harfleur, 'once more into the breech!' is also remarkable. The lines delivered by all the actors are done with care and precision ? Exeter's report to Henry at the opening ('tennis balls', said with great sneer) and to the French party ('scorn', said with so much scorn the word need not be spoken) are but a few examples of this. The film expands upon the play's use of Falstaff's companions as a comic relief, by incorporating what would be flash-back scenes from events in the Henry IV play cycle, premonitions of events currently in the play. Robbie Coltrane turns in a good performance as Falstaff; look for Judi Dench in a minor role as the Mistress, and a very young Christian Bale as the boy. The music for the film is triumphant, foreboding and dark. This is a wonderful score produced by...

frkurt 04.06.2004 · Read review
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Review of Henry V (DVD)

Merry or not?

Advantages: Raucous comedy featuring Falstaff once again
Disadvantages: Some impenetrable scenes

...Shakespeare is one the greatest playwrights of our time, but that doesn?t mean that all his plays are great does it? I was privileged to see this play live last summer, privileged, as it is not often played in this country. I enjoyed it immensely. I do feel, however, that it is a play to be seen. I have read it and found the opening scene not only linguistically impenetrable at first but also, sorry to say, deadly boring. It does gain momentum as the plot wind in, but at first you simple wonder WHY? It is said that Elizabeth the first commissioned this play after her dismay at Falstaff?s demise in Henry V. She asked that he feature in his own play and it be about love ? so The Merry Wives of Windsor was born. The play centres around two families, the Pages and the Fords. Mr and Mistress Page have a beautiful young daughter...

fluffeeder 03.04.2004 · Read review
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Review of The Merry Wives of Windsor - William Shakespeare

Beyond the mat

Advantages: An unusually frank look behind the scenes at the usually secretive WWF; in-depth looks at how wrestling affects not just the performers, but their families.
Disadvantages: The film was in production for a long time, so some footage is dated.

...the ring has on his family. By splitting these sections up, and revisiting each man a few times through the course of the film, as well as interspersing these sections with interviews with other wrestlers (such as Matt Hysen (alias Spike Dudley) who muses on Shakespeare, delivering a line by Falstaff with blood pouring down his face, and New Jack, who admits to having four justifiable homicides during his former career as a bounty hunter), Blaustein manages to create a film which is never boring, and always informative. If you like wrestling, you'll love this. If you don't, chances are after watching this, you just might....

spacemonkey 12.07.2001 (08.03.2002) · Read review
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Review of Beyond The Mat (DVD)

Oh, for a muse of fire...

Advantages: Fabulous acting, sets, costumes; Shakespeare at its finest
Disadvantages: -

...on horseback in the early seige of Harfleur, 'once more into the breech!' is also remarkable. The lines delivered by all the actors are done with care and precision - Exeter's report to Henry at the opening ('tennis balls', said with great sneer) and to the French party ('scorn', said with so much scorn the word need not be spoken) are but a few examples of this. The film expands upon the play's use of Falstaff's companions as a comic relief, by incorporating what would be flash-back scenes from events in the Henry IV play cycle, premonitions of events currently in the play. Robbie Coltrane turns in a good performance as Falstaff; look for Judi Dench in a minor role as the Mistress, and a very young Christian Bale as the boy. The music for the film is triumphant, foreboding and dark. This is a wonderful score produced by Patrick Doyle, known...

frkurt 20.11.2004 · Read review
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Review of Henry V (DVD)

Not a cheeky read

Advantages: Good characters, story and ending
Disadvantages: Slow start, over complicated at times

...as the extra marital goings on, numerous fires are started mysteriously. This spurs talk of ghosts from the past and a character known as 'Firebrand or Falstaff'. Diana and Amos share the secret of the pleasure garden the importance of which becomes clear within the story. The story is very complicated. But by the end of the book it is all explained. I have only touched on the characters within the book. There are numerous others all with their own past and secrets. Is it any good? - As I said at the beginning this book took me a long time to read. I have hardly ever put a book down part way through. I always try to get to the end no matter how hard I find it. A few chapters in, I was tempted but I persevered and eventually it got going. I enjoyed the second half of the book more. The end of the book bought all the bits together...

kirkytracy 25.09.2007 · Read review
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Review of Tongue In Cheek - Fiona Walker

Keep love for youth and violets for the Spring

Advantages: sweet original breath
Disadvantages: anymore than one maybe a little sickly

...'Let the sky hail kissing comfits' declares Falstaff in Shakespeares Merry Wives of Windsor, referring to the perfumed sugarplums Elizabethans used to sweeten their breath before snogging the life out of their chosen desires, and as we all know there appeared to be a lot of snogging back then. With spring officially here I need a basket of these perfumed sugarplums to refresh my breath for all the kissing action I intend to do. Yet lugging a basket of plums around with me sounds rather unappealing, I need something a little more portable that can I can slip into my purse and retrieve at ease. 'A packet of mints' I hear you cry. Yes mints would seem to be the option but which type of mints to choose? Peppermint? coolmint? extra strong mint? So many options and I feel I do not want my mouth to taste of a tube of toothpaste. I want...

PERFIDIOUS 21.03.2003 · Read review
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Review of Swizzels Parma Violets

Not exclusive and not necessarily expensive!

Advantages: Good and often outstanding performances, plus the sight of the English picnicking in dinner jackets and long dresses
Disadvantages: Getting there, unless you live near Brighton; getting a ticket - you need to be persistent

...Glyndebourne is a country house near Lewes in Sussex (not far from Brighton) with a full scale opera house attached. The Glyndebourne season (late May to early September) is world famous and runs (typically) six different fully produced operas in repertory. The unique (until recently, it has been copied!) formula is that the opera starts late afternoon and there is an 80-minute "dinner interval", when many people picnic in the beautiful gardens. The other unusual aspect is that nearly everyone "dresses" - black tie is encouraged. If you already like opera this is not to be missed as an experience. If you are new to opera some of the Glydebourne productions are a very good introduction, some of them a very bad introduction. There is little attempt at populism. So fight for a ticket for Falstaff or for most Mozart productions. Avoid...

jonathan-wild 01.09.2000 · Read review
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Review of Glyndebourne Festival Opera - Glyndebourne Festival Opera

Sweet Smelling Violets!

Advantages: Sweet smelling breath
Disadvantages: very perfumey

...I saw these today in our local WIlkinsons - they were 25p each or 5 packs for £1 - well i hadnt had them for years and so treated myself to 5 packs!! The violet sweets i remember as a child were exceptionally tiny and exceptionally violety and i dont really remember liking them very much - my Nan or somebody always smelled of them and i was never paricularly keen - which makes me wonder why on earth i picked them up today?!? Apparently - just as a side note - some of our favourite sweets have their origins in Elizabethan times. In Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor, Falstaff declares "Let the skyà.hail kissing comfits" - he was here referring to the sweets lovers used to sweeten their breath before approaching the object of their desire. Swizzels Matlow's Parma Violets are a modern version of Elizabethan kissing...

freaklikeme 28.03.2004 · Read review
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Review of Swizzels Parma Violets

~Luscious Lamb With A Crust.~

Advantages: Tender, Succulent and Totally Additive Free.
Disadvantages: May Not be Suitable For Some.

...tomatoes, chives, rosemary and of course Tewkesbury mustard. For those who are unfamiliar with Tewkesbury mustard (I was), I have learned that it is simply a creamy blend of mustard and grated horseradish root resulting in a medium hot tasting condiment. It was developed in the Gloucestershire town of Tewksbury back in the 17th Century, where it became an essential addition to store cupboards in most of the households. This mustard even gets a mention in Shakespeare's Henry1V where Falstaff has the line "his wit was as thick as Tewkesbury Mustard " This product won't be suitable for everyone as it contains cow's milk, wheat, Gluten and of course mustard. I am also pleased to say it is totally additive free. No E numbers, stabilisers, preservatives, colours, flavourings or sweeteners. It is as my husband would say "Good Honest Grub...

tune57 17.01.2008 · Read review
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Review of Marks & Spencers Lamb Topside with Tewkesbury Mustard Crust