A paradox, a paradox, that most ingenious paradox

Advantages: Piratical humour, songs, dance; A great operetta, good to see it re-released
Disadvantages: None

...?Pirates of Penzance? features many of the familiar characteristics of Gilbertian plot twists. Age and time are hopelessly entangled. Logic is upended and sat rudely upon its end. Everyone loves everybody else in an unrequited fashion that is properly requited(!) at the end ? and nobody gets seriously hurt. By the time this operetta opened in London in 1880, Gilbert and Sullivan were taking the world by storm and were reaching the pinnacle of their popularity. They had already set a seal on the renaissance of the English comic opera and had made that medium firmly their own. This, the second of the ?Big Five?, remains after over 120 years one of the most commonly played and is the vehicle for some of England?s finest and most stirring tunes. As well as the opera house, these themes have been heard to issue from the bandstand...

Newfloridian 02.04.2003 · Read review
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Review of Sullivan: (The) Pirates of Penzance; Trial by Jury.

What a tale of cock. What a tale of bull.

Advantages: Full of majestic English themes. A tragi-comedy that was nearly Grand Opera
Disadvantages: None

...with a performance of the Trial By Jury. This was, historically, the genesis of the Gilbert and Sullivan partnership brought together by Richard D?Oyly Carte in 1875 to write a short comic opera as a curtain raiser for ?La Périchole? by Jacques Hoffmann. It is the story of a court case, tried for breach of promise. Although lasting barely thirty minutes all the classic Gilbert and Sullivan trademarks are present. Of note is the Judge?s song ?When I Good Friends Was Called To The Bar? (?I am a Judge ? and a Good Judge Too?). There is the typical mixed up logic from the plaintiff and the defendant; and the Judge finally decides that ?he will have to marry her himself?. YEOMEN OF THE GUARD - Gilbert & Sullivan (1964) The D?Oyly Carte Opera Company The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: Conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent. Soloists: John Reed (Jack Point...

Newfloridian 22.05.2003 · Read review
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Review of Sullivan: (The) Yeomen of the Guard; Trial by Jury

Runaway Jury

Advantages: entertaining film, well acted
Disadvantages: it's been done before

...The Runaway Jury: If you have ever been called up for Jury Service in the UK you know that the first few days at least are pretty boring, sitting in a room potentially for a great portion of the day without your name being called. And even if you do get called there is no guarantee that you will sit on a jury. I've done Jury service twice and I was lucky enough to be called twice, I have to say that it was interesting. As regular Joe public I've no idea about the ins and outs of selection except that if you know the person on trial then you let someone know and they let you go. However in the US it would seem that trying to influence who sits on a Jury seems to be big business, they try to influence verdicts by getting someone who is biased to their cause. The idea of Jury selection of course is too eradicate bias but in reality it...

sjp1966 13.04.2007 · Read review
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Review of Runaway Jury (DVD)

Run, jury-man, run!

Advantages: Some good acting
Disadvantages: Disappointing film adaptation - might be better if you watch before you read the book.

...I think I actually saw the film before I read the book, but I remembered so little about it that it could not have affected my view of the book much at all. Anyway, the film, The Runaway Jury, based on the equally titled book by John Grisham, came on television recently. I must be getting too keen as I actually decided to watch it just so that I could write this review! I have to admit reading the book has influenced my opinion on this film and therefore somewhat had an impact on my review. Perhaps I liked the film better before I knew how good the novel was. Story There are some differences between the book and the film. The book is about cigarette manufacturers being sued for their part in the death of a smoker, whereas the film is about gun manufacturers, being sued for their part the death of a victim of a shooting. I can...

Ayesha- 16.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Runaway Jury (DVD)

An action film pretending to be a crime novel!

Advantages: fast paced, twists and turns abound
Disadvantages: Quite violent, not always believable incidents

...? everything except the loyalty of a couple of old friends, his abilities as a forensic scientist and an amphetamine habit. I haven?t read the previous novel, but the relevant details were conveyed clearly and I never once felt like I needed to know more about something that had happened before. Of course, this could simply reflect a lack of curiosity on my part! Equally, however, I didn?t ever feel like someone who had read the first novel would be irritated by pages of recapitulated back story, since the references to Reuben?s previous life were usually neatly integrated into the plot. ""Plot"" So what is the plot? Reuben, whose inability to let sleeping dogs lie appears to be his major character trait, has been reduced to working in a secret, unorthodox laboratory, testing certain unsuspecting members of the public at the behest of other...

brokenangelkisses 05.04.2009 · Read review
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Review of Trial By Blood - John Macken

The JURYS still OUT.......

Advantages: Outstanding disabled facillites.
Disadvantages: Not worth £70.00 per night.

...I had the great honour of attending the Scottish meet (review to follow) and, because Scotland is not on my doorstep, I decided it would be better if I stayed over. As I had to work on the Saturday night I stayed the Friday. I wanted a central hotel and, after much deliberation and talks with my lovely friend and fellow Ciao mate Pauline99 aka Pauline, we jointly decided on The Jury's Inn. Booking. ********** This could not be simpler. The website is easy to follow and your room reservation can be made in about one minute. First Impressions. ******************** The hotel is situated on a main road and is very close to the River Clyde. The view over the bridge is wonderful. The front of the hotel is well appointed and gives the impression of a large modern building. There is a ramp up to the large double glass front doors...

Mayclair 28.08.2006 · Read review
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Review of Jurys Inn, Glasgow

The jury is out on this one

Advantages: Gene Hackman
Disadvantages: Worst adaptation of a Grisham story

...When a lawyer is murdered in a gun massacre, his widow decides to take the gun manufacturer to court. She blames them for the murder, due towards their irresponsible attitude towards people owning guns. She hires Wendell Rohr (Dustin Hoffman), an idealistic and honest lawyer, to oversea the case for the prosecution. Pulling the strings on the defense team is ruthless jury consultant Rankin Fitch (Gene Hackman) who is famed for achieving the desired results no matter what. With such a high profile case and with what could be a very expensive outcome, the importance of the perfect jury is crucial to both teams of lawyers. As the trial commences, the two teams are in for a huge shock, as they discover that there is one juror, Nicholas Easter (John Cusack) who is able to manipulate the jury in your favour, as long as the price is right. But...

christianfilmcritic 19.02.2006 · Read review
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Review of Runaway Jury (DVD)

Jurys inn - Cheap hotel in Leeds

Advantages: Cheap, presentable hotel, good location
Disadvantages: Soulless, very noisy from outside

...Jurys Inn, Leeds is a reasonably priced hotel that is a 10 minute walk both from the train station and shopping centre of Leeds. We stayed here one weekend in August 09 and it cost us £60 per night for a room with a double bed and a sofa bed (though it would have been squashed with 3 of us). We found the hotel clean and presentable, with reasonable facilities, but very soulless. The staff were polite, although reserved rather than warm. It is part of a chain of hotels, and I got the impression that probably every other hotel in this chain is exactly like this one. Checkout was at 12, though you could extend this (at a price). The facilities in the room were fairly standard for a budget hotel chain - there was a fair selection of tea and coffee, a desk with internet connection point, a television with more channels than we could hope to...

beckyXX 14.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Jurys Inn Leeds, Leeds

The Jury's out on this one...

Advantages: Good acting, tense thriller
Disadvantages: Formulaic perhaps

...reluctantly turns up at the court-house on the first day of the trial for jury selection. The trial just happens to be one of the biggest New Orleans has ever seen. Dustin Hoffman plays Wendell Nohr, a lawyer for a small-ish local firm. He is representing a woman whose husband was one of eleven victims of a workplace shooting two years previously. The shootings were carried out by a disgruntled ex-employee of the company who finally turned the gun on himself but the case is being brought against the manufacturing company of the weapon that was used. The claim is that the weapon was specifically marketed towards the criminal fraternity and the case is based upon the allegation that the manufacturers are aware that underhand methods are being used for the sale and distribution but do not care so long as they are making money. The case carries...

fizzytom 12.01.2004 · Read review
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Review of Runaway Jury (DVD)

Jurys Inn Nottingham

Advantages: Economical, clean, modern, good value for money
Disadvantages: No hotel car park

...LOCATION Jurys Inn Nottingham is located between bridge over the river and a water channel on the London Road , southeast of the city centre, close to the railway station and within a two-minute walk of the tramway system. First Impression On arrival to the Jurys Inn in Nottingham city centre, me and my partner were greeted by a modern, quite impressive looking, 8-floors high building. Although the building looks a little unfinished, the reception area looked spotless and shiny marble flooring as well as dimmed lightning and colour scheme added to a very glamorous look. The receptionist welcomed us and checked us in in a fairly informal manner. Unfortunately, we were not given any directions on how to get to our room, where the hotel facilities are or any restaurant/bar opening times. FACILITIES Car Park The Inn didn...

evina25 25.01.2007 · Read review
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Review of Jurys Inn Nottingham