Hello,
After the rained out weekend at the Edinburgh Festival last week, I needed to go back to it yesterday because there was a show I just could not miss: Simon Callow starring in De Profundis, a performance of Oscar Wilde’s letter to “Bosie” (Lord Alfred Douglas) which he wrote while infamously imprisoned in Reading Gaol.
I’ve seen Callow perform before, so I knew this was going to be pretty good. However, this was my first experience of this particular piece and my introduction to De Profundis (which I re-read in full on the train back home), followed by a little research into the letter.
All I’m saying is that Bosie was a little shit.
Back to the performance…I loved it. It was very moving and while there were the typical Wilde puns, the title of the letter truly reflects the tone of it: Wilde’s insights into his past relationship with Bosie as well as his reflections on his own character. Simon Callow very much managed to release that distressed, angry, and yet loving and forgiving soul that Wilde confined to his own words.
Afterwards I saw one other show and went for a stroll, but I was just too occupied by Wilde’s letter to really pay much attention to any of the other performances. And with that, this year’s Festival is over for me. It was fun to see that the crowds turned out well for the last Festival weekend, tho.
Seriously, check the number of people in the pictures. This is what I mean by the town being “busy” during the festival period:
Anyway, today brought a day full of rain and cold weather so I spent most of the day wrapped in a warm jumper and enjoying books and tea…I came across a lovely little collection of Wilde’s shorter stories while wandering around the Book Festival yesterday. (It contains The Canterville Ghost which I have now earmarked for the Ghost square on my Halloween Bingo Card!)
Oh, yes, and because it has turned quite chilly today, I made some soup. 😀 Nothing fancy, just some very simple vegetable and pasta and veggie pieces (which would obviously work just as well with chicken).
Happy Sunday!
Original post:
BrokenTune.booklikes.com/post/1786071/the-sunday-post-the-last-of-the-fringe-and-soup
Broken Tune's Blog 
I enjoyed this post immensely, and realized that I’m seriously missing out on some Oscar Wilde. I love his stuff but haven’t consumed all of it, and you gave me the mojo to get started on the rest of the Wilde canon. I was in Edinburgh for the last two days of the Festival (for business) and didn’t partake in any of the festivities except the fireworks, but maybe next year…thanks for your insights into it.
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Thank you for your kind words.
It’s a shame you missed the festival. It is such great fun.
And the first thing I did when I got home was to get me to a library and seek out more Wilde! Have you decided on what works of his you’ll read / see, yet?
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No, do you have a recommendation? Most of my Wilde appreciation is from the plays (seeing them live, preferably in London).
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Hm, … The only thing that comes to mind that is not a play and that I would recommend without hesitation are the short stories … including The Canterville Ghost. 🙂
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Man, I can’t WAIT until the weather cools off just enough so I can enjoy a nice hot bowl of soup!
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Soup is much underrated. 🙂
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Do you have any favourite kinds of soup that you’re currently missing?
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Thick, “stew”y type soups. Not sure what the technical difference between stews and soups are, but I like a good thick broth. Barley soups are some of my favorite. Barley is just so filling and yummy!
Will your “sunday soups” posts keep on going for awhile?
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I’m afraid the soup and Sunday posts have been more sporadic than planned, but I am trying to get them back. Summer was not great for soup (and posts about salads just don’t have the same fun-factor…) but now that we’re getting close to putting the heating back on, I’m looking to do more Sunday Soup posts. I’m just not in the mood for being adventurous with recipes sometimes when all I really crave is something tried, tested, and pretty simple.
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I love a good thick soup, too. And…no idea what the technical difference between a stew and a thick soup is either.
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Were you able to watch any of Rose Matafeo’s shows?
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No,…. With so much on, I didn’t even know what to pick, or that her shows were something to look for.
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This sounds spectacular all around. I’m so glad you enjoyed it as much as all that. I need to add Wilde to my TBR (or bump him up the list, as the case may be). I’ve read very little of his work, but I did enjoy what I’ve read.
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It was lovely. And yesterday was well worth the second trip. It is very tiring, tho, especially if one doesn’t like crowds. The atmosphere is brilliant, tho. People were generally in good spirits. 🙂
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I can relate to that. Sounds a lot like how I feel about Scarborough. I deal with the people because the event is worth it. I’d love to experience something like this. I honestly don’t know that we have anything quite like it here in the States.
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It’s a very special event. I can imagine that Scarborough has a similar atmosphere, tho. 🙂
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Similar, but nowhere near as elevated in content or performance from the sound of it. I take what I can get, but I’d love to see this for myself.
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It is absolute madness. I only hope you get a chance to check it out for yourself. 😀
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Someday… 🙂
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