Period Drama &c: June 2015

Sunday, 21 June 2015

The Janeite Tag

Edit: I recieved this tag a shockingly long time ago - it's finally here!]

My sister, Elizabethany, tagged me

for the Janeite Tag. Thanks, Beth!

[

I love this picture.

The Rules:

~Thank and link back to the person who tagged you.
~Tell how you were introduced to Jane Austen and share one fun fact about your Janeite life (this fun fact can be anywhere from "I stayed up all night reading Emma," to "I visited Chawton and met Anna Chancellor.").
~Answer the tagger's questions.
~Write seven questions of your own.
~Tag as few as one or as many as seven other Janeites and let them know you've tagged them.

I was introduced to Jane Austen via my first viewing of P&P95 at about age 10. Since then I have read P&P, Northanger Abbey, and most of S&S and parts of Emma.

Janeite Fun-fact: I plan to attend an English Country Dance in October; at another dance we danced a version of the dance Lizzy dances with Mr. Collins in P&P95. (My sister nick-named it "The Collins Caper"!)

Elizabethany's questions:

1. Who is your least favourite Jane Austen character and why?

That's a hard one. Maybe Willoughby or Wickham. Because they're both villains. But Willoughby more, because he broke Marianne's heart. :(

2. Where would you rather live: Pemberley or Donwell Abbey?

Probably Pemberley.

"I do not think I have ever seen a house more prettily situated." - Lizzy, P&P95

3. Which is your favourite of Austen's books?

I actually quite like Northanger Abbey.

4. If you could choose to invite 3 Jane Austen characters for tea, who would you choose and why?

Emma Woodhouse and Lizzy Bennet, because they're my two favourite Austen heroines, and Mr. Knightley, because he's one of my favourite Austen heroes. (And he's really funny)

5. If you were one of Austen's heroines, where would you choose to spend the summer: Bath, London, or Brighton?

London. I would LOVE to go to London!

6. Who do you think are the most sensible parents in Austen's novels?

I think Mr. & Mrs. Morland, from the ones I've read of.

7. Do you 'ship' any of the minor characters from the books/movies?

My sister and I once jokingly shipped Caroline Bingley and Officer Saunderson from P&P95!

And my sister invented Mr. Collin's cousin for Mary Bennet!

I am tagging whoever wants to do it :)

My questions for them:

1. How many of Austen's novels have you read?

2. Which Austen film do you like best?

3. Mr. Darcy or Mr. Knightley?

4. If you could visit either Jane Austen's house at Chawton, or the set of Pemberley in Pride & Prejudice, which would you chose?

5. Which is your favourite Austen quote?

6. If you could cast anyone to play Mr. Darcy in a dream cast Pride & Prejudice, who would it be?

7. Which Austen film costume is your favourite?

Wednesday, 17 June 2015

Tag. Again.

Evie was tagged with this tag and left it for any followers to do, so I decided to take it up!

Rules for this tag:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.

2. Put the Award logo on your blog.

3. Answer the ten questions sent to you.

4. Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer.

5. Nominate ten blogs.

Evie's questions:

If you were going to write a book, what would you call it and what would it be about?

Ah. Yeah, well, I've tried countless times to write a book, but have never gotten past the first few chapters. I'm not much of a writer. If I could write, it might be a Les Mis fan-fic sequel.....called....something. I dunno.

What’s one of the scariest things you’ve ever done?
That's a hard one. I haven't done many scary things in my lifetime. I really don't know. The scariest thing would probably be performing a skit in front of 200+ plus, which isn't that scary, really.

If someone were to make a movie about your life, who would you hope would play you?

I'm not that particular as long as whoever it was looked like me and understood me and what I'm like. :)

What’s one of your favorite questions to ask new friends or to get a conversation going?
Have you heard of Les Miserables? Um, well, I might ask that, but I don't really know. Maybe "Do you like reading?" or some other such question relevant to who the person is or where we are.

If you could learn one random skill, what would you learn?
Knowing how to ride a unicycle would be cool.

Or one-handed clapping. :)

Just 'cos.

Yeah.

Anyway...

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

Somewhere in the middle, but more introvert.

Have you ever taken a personality test? (How did the results turn out?)

Only movie ones, in which I have been Lizzy Bennet and Aragorn, and I don't know who else.

Production picture from the BBC television production of Pride and Prejudice

Just a random pic there.

What’s your favorite part about today so far?

Ringing my BFF, because it's her birthday today! :)

Who in your life has influenced you the most? How did they do it?
My parents. For bringing me up and teaching me (almost) everything I know. (But then, they taught me to read, which then taught me most of everything else I know!) And they still are :)

What’s your favorite joke?

I don't really know if I have a favourite joke, to be honest. I always get stuck when asked for a joke.

But I like text-jokes, especially Les Mis ones.

Yeah, anyway....

Here are my questions:

1. When did you start blogging?

2. What's your current favourite song/piece of music?

3. Favourite movie?

4. What's the last book you read?

5. What are the two things on the top of your bucket list?

6.Who's your favourite child actor/movie character?

7.What's your favourite quote?

8.If you could spend two months in any country, where would it be?

9. If you could play any character in a musical, who would it be?

10. Would you rather go for a bike ride in the rain or a run when it's really hot?

I'll tag whoever sees this post and wants to do it!

So, anyway, signing off now.

I'll just add, if you have any ideas for future posts, questions, etc, please let me know in the comments!

Movie Review - Our Zoo

I am determined to go about this review in an ordinary manner. Given that this series is fairly new, I shall do my best to keep spoilers to a mild minimum. :) I will just add, however, that this series is based on a true story.

The series is set in Post-WWI Chesire.

Firstly, I'll talk about the characters. At the end, I'll highlight the main reasons I love it so much.

Anyway, Characters.

George Mottershead

The main character, George Mottershead, is husband to Lizzie, and father of two daughters. He lives with his family at his parents house behind their shop. Having served in the War, he still has bad days, flashbacks, scars both emotionally and physically. He also (in case you couldn't guess) loves animals.

He has a strong will and determination, and is sometimes called stubborn. He has a strong vision for building his own zoo, but has trouble explaining to others who simply don't want to know.

Lizzie Mottershead

At first Lizzie doesn't quite understand her husband's ideas, but she soon gets behind him and supports him as much as she can. She tends to be the practical/sensible side of the plans.

Muriel (Mew) Mottershead

The elder of the two daughters, Muriel is a bit like your typical teenage girl, who loves lipsticks, dressing up and listening to records. So she's not exactly thrilled about the whole zoo idea, but she grows into it, and finds herself enjoying it :)

June Mottershead

June has a sweet relationship with her father and is always behind him. She loves animals as much as he does, and adopts one of the first animals they get (above), Mortimer the monkey.

"Gran" Lucy Mottershead

Gran is the most against the zoo of anyone at first, it's a wonder they got anywhere! She misses her other son, George's brother, who didn't return from the War. In time, she realizes George's dream, and comes to like it herself.

"Grandad" Mottershead

It was Grandad who helped to set the zoo in motion, by selling his shop and helping George purchase a large house and grounds for the zoo. He doesn't always understand his son, but he is always right behind him and ready to knuckle down and do some hard work to get it done.

Billy

Then there's Billy, Lizzie's brother. Billy is funny, though sometimes a little reckless, but nevertheless a strong supporter of the zoo. He assists George on one or two of his animal capturing adventures, and acquires the group of penguins. He likes Frankie, from the Council, and she helps him when they are having the court hearing for planning permission for the zoo.

Archie

Archie the post-boy is the shopkeeper's son. His father died during the war and he lives with his mother and helps her run the shop. He likes Muriel.

Archie is very funny but sweet.

Then there's Archie's mum, the shopkeeper. She is one of the townspeople most in opposition to the Chester Zoo. Later in the show, however, I felt really sorry for her....for reasons I shall not reveal at present, :)

Lady Catherine Longmore

Lady Catherine Longmore is the next-door neighbour, who is very kind, and most certainly in favour of the zoo.
At first I wasn't so sure about her, but she is very nice - I grew to like her more as the show went on.

Rev. Aaron Webb.

Now, this guy. Well, he pretends to be nice, but, as I tell my sisters, "*I* always distrusted his appearance of goodness! Ay, and told the girls [my sisters]; but would they listen?" *Sorry shake of the head*

Anyway, yes, after the fashion of Mr. Collins, a clergyman who you don't really like. But he was worse than Mr. Collins - spiteful, in fact. Anyway, *no more spoilers* I'll try :)

Dr. Barnaby Ford.
He was nice enough; he didn't always favour the zoo, but that was mostly because so much of the town was opposed to it, he could well lose business. But I like him anyway, 'cos, well, he's also Joly.

Then there's Frankie, the girl who works at the council. Billy and she like each other.

She's very kind, and does what she can to help them - she even brings them a snake she rescued from being taken away after it was found in the council building!

I just love the characters! (most of them)

Reasons I love Our Zoo so much:

1. The accents and just the general British-ness of it.

2. Archie

He's so funny and sweet!

3. ~~Joly~~ Dr Ford. Dr. Ford is played by Hugh Skinner - Joly from Les Miserables!

A doctor. Joly! Do you not see the resemblance? Joly was studying to be a medical student!

4. The costumes.

I love the costumes - I don't like all of the styles, but I like the vintage-y look, and especially the formal dresses they wear!

I quite like some of Lady Catherine's outfits! Her hair's pretty!

Yes, and Celia Imrie (Lady Glenmire of Return to Cranford) makes a small appearance.

So, to wrap it up, I absolutely LOVED this series, and would definitely recommend you see it!

Monday, 15 June 2015

Another Book Giveaway!!

Hamlette is hosting another giveaway, everyone!!! Click on the button to see the details!!

(P.S. Our Zoo review coming soon!)

Friday, 5 June 2015

Happy Barricade Day!

It's Barricade Day! (I named it that - more or less)

Today is the 6th of June. (The date of this post will say the 5th, but where I live it is actually the 6th).
The anniversary of the June Rebellion

in France, told of in Les Miserables. (If you like history, or just this topic in general, check out the wikipedia page on it here. There are links in that article to Victor Hugo, General Lamarque....(on an extra side note, they also have articles on the ABC and Enjolras, Gavroche, Jean Valjean.... - I was inpressed!))

Anyway, 183 years ago today, the June Rebellion took place in Paris, France.

If you go by the Les Miserables calendar, yesterday was Lamarque Day (also my own naming),

the day of Lamarque's funeral and the beginning of the rebellion (Do You Hear the People Sing and Night of Anguish)

Today is Barricade Day (Dawn of Anguish, The Final Battle, etc.)

(Have you SEEN this gif?!^ *chills*)

Anyway, I am resolved not to post any more depressing pictures, but instead, I've decided to give you some links you might find interesting, of some great Les Mis articles and posts you might like to read, if you're in that sort of mood, like I am.

I will now add in random Mis-related pictures as I go.