I know. It's as if they think that taking off the collar makes them invisible!

Except you can always spot barristers - here in the sticks anyway - because they have a flash suit but a shirt with no colour (and usually a small trolley bag).

They stand out a mile.

I think it’s impossible to say which is best - I've loved so many productions (including McTeer/Rylance), often for different reasons.

And so many regrets about productions that I missed.

And may I add to the birthday wishes - avoiding an inappropriate emoji.

I mean, I wish them the best, but... it's a bit like the Count in 'Figaro' - a man behaves appallingly and we're expected to believe a drastic change. Really.

And Bea and Ben (if I may be so familiar) are brilliant, partly because they are both flawed. As are we all.

But, yes, 'Much Ado' should head the list. It shows the misogyny but then challenges it. It is definitely NOT a rom-com (I don't give Claudio and Hero much of a future), but an exploration of imperfect relationships (as they all are).

And I've only seen one production I didn't like...

As somebody put in the comments in the Guardian, the history plays work well as a while. I think 'Henry IV' is OK, but when I saw it immediately after 'Richard II', it was much, much better. (I saw them all on a Saturday, and on another Saturday saw 'Henry VI' and 'Richard III'.

I had energy then.

ENO unveils 2026-27 Season - ENO

The new ENO season is a bit of a mix. I see 'Tosca' and 'Traviata' are topping the bill again. The Sullivan double bill ('Trial by Jury', brilliant; 'The Zoo', not so much) might be fun, with the rest of the season being somewhat serious.

But will it work?

www.eno.org/news/eno-unv...

And putting 'Twelfth Night' (with its incredible, unresolved cruelty) above 'Much Ado...' is just asking for a fight.

And Branagh's stage version of 'Much Ado...' (directed by Dench) was everything the film wanted to be.

And as for 'Henry IV' at number 1, words fail me.

The Guardian - UK & World News – Apps on Google Play Independent global news, opinion and analysis, sport, podcasts and puzzles.

I've completed Guardian Cryptic Crossword 29987 in 11 mins and 28 secs.

And there was a lot of guesswork in that!

Get the Andoid app here play.google.com/store/apps/d...

Joyce DiDonato and Rucketleider is tempting for me, as is Four Last Songs. And Marvin Gaye. And Ariadne.

BBC Sounds will be getting a lot of business from me.

Marina Hyde is awesome, and that just adds to her awesomeness.

The Northern Soul one was, indeed, a stunner.

I've never been into prog rock, and I'm not convinced that a Prom will change my mind, but you never know...

But which five? Or six? There is so much good stuff - and so many great performers.

I could dither for days on this.

And (no need to whisper, McGowan!) some of the non-classical stuff looks really enjoyable.

At times like this, I ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️ the BBC.

a man in a black sweater says " nice move " Alt: Joey from Friends in a black sweater smiling smugly. The caption reads "nice move "

I've just cancelled this week's Ocado order - and bought a few plants instead.

I liked it when it started, but it jumped the shark pretty quickly.

Some stories that should be quite interesting lose something - a lot - when they are presented as breathless sensationalism.

The results page for a a Wordiply game. It reads, Your scores. Length score. Your best guess was more than 100% as long as the longest common word. Smarty pants.

Still a smarty-pants.

Some things - some people - never change.

I've seen it described as an Americanism, so you may want to blame your neighbours. For everything.

The 'please' suggests it's a request - with the option to deny that request.

Removing the'please' makes it an instruction.

Generally, I'm not authoritarian, but in this case I might make an exception.

Alternatively (maybe), 'Don't forget to use your headphones with your phone.

I hope that she made him see sense - a tall order, but not impossible.

I'd actually prefer to think that he saw the error of his ways and signed up.

a black and white photo with a caption that says you can always put that award where your heart ought to be .. Alt: A black and white image from All About Eve with Bette Davis, dressed in black, holding on to Anne Baxter, dressed in white. The caption reads you can always put that award where your heart ought to be ..

Some years ago, a colleague described a work situation as "a bit 'All About Eve'". (The reference was lost on the youngsters.)

I thought it was unfair, but rewatching the film, I realise how accurate the comment was - and how it went beyond simple manipulation. And how I was taken in at the time.

Being grown up means:

If I decide that I want cherry crumble for my evening meal, I can have cherry crumble for my evening meal.

Hell, it’s one of my five-a-day, isn’t it?

I don’t want to cause more trauma, but...

I believe his partner - a much more sensible woman - WAS in the pension scheme.

I wonder how that will play out at retirement. (Assuming they stay together.)

When I was in my 30s (last century), a colleague - we were both in local government - said he didn’t join the pension scheme because you end up paying for things that pensioners get free. And if you needed things, you could get them on benefits.

I wonder how that looks now.

Oh, yes - add that to the list.

Don't start me on 'criterias'.

Then you'd better not start using the aubergine emoji willy-nilly. So to speak...

I'm glad you enjoy your work. 😉

I won't embarrass my friend who, when sent a good suggestion, thought it was "a peach" - an expression she would use - and so responded with the peach emoji.

Whoops!-

(This was some time ago, so perhaps more understandable then than now, so it's probably best that I don't refer to it again...)

I think I'd blame Hylda Baker.