The Drowned Man - Punchdrunk

A few of us visited the National Theatre/Punchdrunk's excellent 'The Drowned Man' in the mysterious dilapidated building by Paddington Station. I've blogged about it previously, and the first time I saw it was part of the early previews.

My gang of accomplices were also seasoned Punchdrunkers, so when we arrived at the allotted nine pm start time, we were the first through the doors into the black labyrinth which precedes the first view of the film studio.

Suitably masked we were bundled into a creaky 'Tower of Terror' style lift and dispatched onto different floors of the building. The pictures here are Punchdrunk PR shots, I wouldn't take photos in a theatre performance. Rest assured though, that it is possible to get very close to the action and to explore the whole environment.

I noticed that the whole start-up process has been slickened since I last attended and I had a similar feeling about the event as a whole.

I'd also had time to process my prior experiences including that the original Georg Büchner play Woyzeck (on which this is partly based) had been discovered as fragments and then assembled. It seems to fit with this production, which can be likened to the clips of a film, being discovered in a random sequence. There's also a kind of negative and positive reconstruction of the same story, which isn't explained and takes a little while to fall into place.

This time, I arrived in the middle of a set of caravans, in darkened zone close to a mysterious chapel, which was gently leaking a liquid. The moisture heightened a damp underfoot aroma as I made my way through hanging laundry and towards a small woodland. Our group was already dispersed by this time, and I truthfully didn't see two of them again at all until around midnight after the performance.

I decided to get myself further lost and moved away from this initial environment, to a vast desert where two men sat alone playing a slow motion game to win drinks from a bottle of tequila.

There was an advantage to being early to the party, to see a few scenes before the inevitable crowds of spectral viewers arrived.


The play features a madness, and actors sometimes psychotically see the masked people watching them. At other times they look straight past, even in moments of intense close encounter.

For me, this version was very different from previously. I'd arrived at a different point, knew some of the scenes, but was also surprised at how much more there was to see. There were a couple of whole places that I remembered but didn't find again at all on this visit.

Imagine a complex of American movie sets, plus some of the surrounding environment. During the preview it was positioned that the scenes were in the London outpost of the Hollywood studio.

This time it was firmly American. Some of the detailing had been changed, but there was still a brooding ambient soundtrack which sometimes swelled to a full-on movie climax. It was difficult to not be affected by this and at one point I followed sounds which seemed to have been deliberately reversed to further disorientate.

There's a darkness to the storylines too. Movies, power, sex, voodoo, quasi-religion, symbolism, experiments, menace. And if you try to follow the light it can still lead you away from the path.

This time I spent more time discovering further secrets and the hidden passageways that link things together. There's a delight in delving into a changing room wardrobe, wondering what's there and discovering a disturbingly long and winding path through hanging black curtains to another entirely different environment. Or hanging around in a deserted cinema to see if a movie will play - or just as importantly, what is the other side of the screen.

It was a good hour and a half before I found the bar, which is the only place in the whole building where masks can be removed. It was lively and full, with a torch singer and a very cool bluesy/jazzy band playing. A place to hang out in its own right, except there was still more to see and experience.

I'd taken my own route through most of the show, but there were others who would follow a character along and I noticed at various points when a character arrived at the bar another 20 or more people would follow.

It's still a mystery to me how there can be 600 visitors to this performance yet I could be in whole areas alone. As an example I arrived in a vast chequered floored area alone, saw a central column with a postcard, noticed two people lying prone on the floor and then spied a man watching from behind a column. I won't say more, but it takes a moment and some caution to approach the couple.

I realise I'm not really dealing with the story or the narrative here. If I did it could be a spoiler, but in any case I think a large proportion is the immersive experience.

At it's simplest it could be called promenade theatre; I'll suggest it's so much more.

a falling leaf reminds me to check the orange bike

According to the Garmin I've cycled around 4,134 miles so far this year. Last year my target for the year was 3k and the prior year it was 1,600, so I guess I'm doing okay. I still have a weekly target of 40 miles, which I suppose I'm regularly exceeding.

I looked at the July 2013 National Travel Statistics for comparison.

It says the average number of bicycle miles in Britain is 53 miles per year.


From the report: "In 2012, only 2% of all trips were made by bicycle. There has been a small drop in the number of bicycle trips per person per year from 18 trips in 1995/97 to 16 trips in 2012.

However, in terms of distance travelled, the average number of bicycle miles has increased by 23% from 43 miles in 1995/97 to 53 miles in 2012 – the highest level recorded over this time period.

The decrease in the average number of bicycle trips and the corresponding increase in the average number of bicycle miles has resulted in the average bicycle trip length increasing from 2.3 miles in 1995/97 to 3.2 miles in 2012.

The average distance travelled by bicycle by London residents has increased by 63% since 1995/97; nearly three times the national percentage increase.

People who recorded at least one bicycle trip in their travel diary made 6 trips per week by bicycle in 2012, spent over two hours cycling and covered 20 miles."

I'm not really sure what to make of these published 2013 official statistics. I guess it's the averaging that can make the numbers seem strange. The total mileage of 6.6k miles for all travel seems very low, when the average car does circa 8k miles per year, for example. Same with cycling, the number of folk who cycle is clearly increasing - check out London roads in the rush hour, yet the stats show a decline. I'll just be mystified about these numbers.

I've also noticed a few leaves on the ground. One stuck to my shoe yesterday. Its a signal that now is (gulp) about the right time to examine the bike I'll use in Winter. It'll be heavier because of lights and mudguards and I'd rather be doing those kind of pre-flight checkups in warm weather and outdoors instead of shivering away in the dark.

The orange bike is already in fairly good shape for such expeditions, but I'm looking at my old silver bike with a view to winterising it again. It has all of the little eyelets to fix a rack and so on but is currently in need of overall TLC (Tender loving care).

More of that later.

in praise of Travelpro

The bits arrived yesterday, in a small padded bag from Boca Raton. Zipper parts. Not exciting? They were to me.

They were the parts needed to repair my black wheely luggage bag. It's a bag that has travelled many miles with me. Certainly over a quarter of a million miles. Maybe half a million. Definitely further than from earth to the moon.

Naturally, it has survived many luggage belts and climates in the process. Except the last time.

I can't be sure, but I'd guess that someone threw it by holding the zippers. Not a good move. The two biggest zippers both sighed and one popped out, now lost in some airport handling depot.

Frequent flyer tip: Don't close the zips aligned on the long (throwable) side of the case - always zip them to the top.

It's only a zipper, but it's then that you notice the industrial strength of the fittings on Travelpro. I checked another make of case and by comparison Travelpro is at least one or maybe two sizes more robust. Designed to last. And don't get me started on wheel designs for luggage.


I decided to check the Travelpro website and, sure enough, they had an exploded view of their luggage with all of the parts labelled.

I contacted them by email, explaining the mishap and the part's reference number.

The lovely support person emailed me back. "Don't worry, I'm sending you the parts."

It's all fixed again.

I see more Travelpro luggage in my future.

internet of wearable things: are we ready for the thingiverse?

The little fitbit gizmo has got me thinking about wearable computing again. It's another vanguard of the increasingly wide 'thingiverse' a.k.a. 'Internet of things'.

My bike already talks to the internet and logs what I've been up to. My phone is sending out all manner of data as well although I still don't know what the USB socket on the dishwasher is for. "Continuous Location Data" (CLD) is a buzz phrase around the IT social networking world because of the possibilities it provides around demographics, monitoring, augmented reality and so called lifestreaming.

The challenge for the designers of the new stuff is to figure out how 'personal' they can make it as well as how small. A phone is 'quite personal' but mostly doesn't handle the really personal stuff like healthcare related monitoring.

The challenge for all of us is to decide when it's a Good Thing and when we don't want it. I suspect that this next twist is almost upon us.

It also raises the question of how to persuade people to wear the technology needed to make it all work. Fitbit kind of does this, with its range of monitoring and so do the Nike Fuel and similar bracelet systems.

Let's face it, not everyone wants to wear a plastic bracelet that looks a bit like one of those french curve things from technical drawing. Some of the early ideas like foot pods have mainly dropped by the wayside and the chest strap style Heart Rate Monitors are really for workouts and sport.

So what to do?

Along with the demise of the landline for phone calls (except to parents and freephone numbers), the wrist watch has faded from much day to day use. I still use one, but many people don't, instead referring to their phones. I still think that in business world, the art of reading someone else's watch to know the time can be almost as useful as being able to quickly read upside down.

So the space vacated by the wrist watch is being targeted for the next generation of wearable technology. Not just a calculator like the old Casio type multi function watches, and not something geeked-out with buttons, but some kind of quiet technology to provide monitoring and interaction with useful information.

But there are obvious problems with this. Style, glare, complexity, battery life, compatibility spring to mind.

For style, the challenge with is whether to go visible or not?

Some of these devices pack some bulk. Something really good about the fitbit is that it can be invisible.

Two of their three models can just slip into a pocket or hook unseen onto clothing. Proper 'quiet technology'.

As soon as the object is visibly wearable, it's enduring appearance starts to become significant again. Remember the old iPod Nano watches as an example?
They need to deal with having a full iPod Nano width as well as a holder case. An attempt, but possibly technology over style such that many wouldn't adopt it. And what about the complicated LCD watches? Fine if you needed the function, but mainly used by people running or for other specific purposes. Remember those cellphone 'gun holsters'? They didn't last long.

And those posh supplements that market expensive watches may create a reaction to both complexity and bulk. Even the newer experiments like Pebble may suffer the same 'bulk' issues.

So I'm still wondering how they are going to solve the wearable conundrum. Something so compelling that people will forgo any style issues? But then, what if they all look the same, like mini iPhones?

Or something hidden, but then the function needs to be suitably addictive? And hopefully something reliable, so we don't have another device that requires a specialist to reset. And don't get me started on ANT+, Polar, Bluetooth 4, WiFi and all the various linkups.

It's an interesting period, akin to the recent past before mobile phones became pervasive and potentially with an even faster cycle time.

Pass me the charger.

Thursday 13-ish binge series list

Some of use have been batting around lists of television series to watch. Mainly the type that can be binge watched, through box-sets or streaming.

It also means there's a few that get excluded because of their ubiquity on normal television. Friends, Frasier, Doctor Who, Torchwood, Startrek spring to mind because they are always on normal television, often being shown out of sequence.

Here's my quick list of a few series I've watched/re-watched largely in blocks of viewing. I won't rank them, instead add a few comments.

• Weeds : The one about the housewife who sells weed to support her family. It starts in a 'Little Boxes' housing estate in suburban USA and after various mishaps moves to the Mexican border and further beyond. A few years old, quite funny and handling a few taboo subjects. At various stages it gets new things thrown in to keep the mix running. I've not seen the last two series because of non-UK availability. Would definitely re-watch.
• Breaking Bad: Ostensibly similar plot to Weeds, stepped up to crystal meth lab but played more earnestly than Weeds. Shows the spiral of a regular teacher as he crosses further to the dark side. Some very sharp writing. On its last few episodes now. Quite intrigued by how the end may play out. Seeing the last few shows makes me think I'll need to watch it all the way through at some time.
• The Sopranos: One of the original binge sets. I remember sometime in the last century(?) getting the first set on DVD when it was the only set available. Then I missed 2-3 series because of work schedules but decided I'd need to watch it from the start. I only managed this after the last series had finished. Along the way it played around with most of the Goodfellas and similar movie ideas and then finished in a clever way. I'm not sure of I'd watch it all again though. There were some characters that I found too irritating (like Tony's mum).
• Orange is the new Black : A kind of 21st Century Tenko set in a womens' prison in upstate New York. Much acclaimed although I struggled through the first five or so episodes. Up to the one with the chicken, where it started to settle in and became quite good. The first few episodes were almost trying too hard but then it settled into a more thoughtful style whilst still taking a run at many subjects. It's only run one series through to an unfestive climax although I'm sure I'll watch the next.
• House of cards : The Kevin Spacey remake of the UK series, extended in an American context from 3 episodes to around 13. I was surprised how good this was, even with the similar storyline and some slightly cliched sections. I may well watch it again at some time, although I watched the UK version after I'd finished the US series.
• Green Wing : About a UK hospital. Somewhat bonkers and surreal. I keep this for emergency entertainment on my iphone.
• Black Books : How could so much fun be had with a bookshop and a few bottles of wine. Also on my emergency humour ipod playlist
• Spaced : A rather north London comedy which references US films and genres. Very funny but might not travel well. I hear they tried to make a US pilot, but it would be a very odd concept. Really moment in time
• 24 : Jack Bauer making 100s of decisions in every episode. Intense and one of those series that inevitably gets watched in multiple episode chunks. "just one more" but can be exhausting. Maybe I'll go back to the furniture showroom episodes at some point.

I know there's more, including some generally popular ones. I won't include Arrested Development (didn't like it) nor Portlandia (wanted to like it but couldn't get into it). I didn't really like The Office (UK nor US versions) either and wouldn't watch blocks of it.

I can think of others that should be included but I haven't ever watched in blocks. X-files, West Wing?

There's some UK shows like Faulty Towers or The Young Ones which are more a part of heritage. I wouldn't seek them out but still laugh when I see an episode of them.

And I could have mentioned The Killing (which I enjoyed, but watched close to the episodes being broadcast) and Top of the Lake (ditto). The French series 'The Returned' started well but lost my interest by the end when it started to turn into an alpine version of Shaun of the Dead.

So that's my starter list...Anything else I should have mentioned?

a question of balance

I've got too many air-miles to get properly jetlagged. I suppose it used to happen, but for as long as I can remember I just slam myself into the new time zone.

The soul takes a while to catch up, but the basic functionality is there from landing, through car collection and to whatever.

It's apparent when doing one of those red-eyes back to an office after a short night. London to Moscow. San Francisico to New York. Europe to Tel-Aviv. The night somehow just goes missing. Like after a good party, but less fun.

The dreams aren't fooled that there is still a need for adjustment.

Some people say they can't tell whether they dream in colour or monochrome. I know I dream in colour, with occasional lapses into bird-vision. Added spectrum and extra wide. I know, it's useful for finding berries.

The peculiar part of post flight catchup is being asleep and knowing it's a dream but not being able to break out of it. It can sound a bit Christopher Nolan, but it's odd to have that awareness of being asleep and in a dream.

Detached. Waiting for the soul to catch up.

fitbit one experiment

I was in the Broad Chare in Newcastle a few weeks ago when we started talking about the gadget telemetry we can all use. I didn't start the conversation, although we did talk about the Garmin bike stuff that I use for heartrate, cadence, speed and similar.

We started by talking about those little pedometer systems (Ages ago I tried the Nike footpad thing, for example) and we got onto the newer ones like Fitbit.

They work on the pedometer principle, and use bluetooth to send information to the internet. I know people who use them and who target the 10,000 steps a day target.

Fast forward to the Apple store in Santa Barbara and I found myself buying one as an experiment.

10,000 steps in a day. Can't be that hard?

I tried it the next day. 2,500 steps. Hmm, maybe a rethink required. Admittedly it was holiday time so a bit lazy on beaches and around pools.

Next morning I'd decided to take an early stroll along the beach. Before 7:00 I'd clocked 2,800 steps. Not even had a cup of coffee. Surprisingly, I'd also walked a couple of miles, but it hardly felt like it. This was interesting.

It's a pretty easy care kind of system. As long as the pen-cap sized device is somewhere on me, it seems to detect the steps and quietly resychronises without me even taking it from a pocket.

It also checks for flights of stairs, which I thought was pretty clever - more exertion climbing than walking flat. It says it uses an altimeter and initially I didn't believe the description, because my mental picture of an altimeter involved big mechanical parts.
Of course, nowadays with Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) both a three plane counter and an altimeter are readily available. Presumably they'll get put into phones along with the GPS and other direction finding gear.

So the little tracker unit is counting changes of altitude of 20cm or more accompanied by exertion. Every 3 metres upwards = 1 flight of stairs. It can tell the difference between me walking up stairs, using an escalator and being on a plane (which it ignores).

Altogether, pretty good.

It just sent me an email to say I'm 1,800 steps short of 10,000 today. I reckon I'll make it.

final approach to London

Sunrise above the clouds. Over the U.K. and heading back for London.

Passing the shard, as we turn around towards the airport.

Soon enough onto final approach over a few familiar landmarks, the City, the Thames.

Maybe the Houses of Parliament.

And then Battersea Power Station and Chelsea Bridge Wharf. Almost back.

Leaving Los Angeles

A sort of combined post today, covering the return trip from L.A. to London. In the other direction we had those fancy seats with the beds and the fold down screens, more like a little room. On the way back we were by the window, so here's a few snaps as a sort of geography test.

Here's just after takeoff from L.A. That's probably Anaheim somewhere in the middle of the picture. I can't see Disneyland though.

The next one is of the edge of the San Bernadino mountains, before we head off into the desert.

I'm guessing that this is Diamond Valley Lake, just around the hills from Palm Springs. They flooded the valley to get extra water reserves for L.A and San Diego.

...and then some proper desert, around Barstow. Spot the train line too.

Or maybe this one will help. Quite a few freight cars. We're at 36,000 feet now so it's quite a long view.

This one is easy. Its the area created from the Hoover Dam. I've driven over the Hoover Dam at night; it arrives out of the desert and reminded me of an encounter with the X-Files. The dam itself is about where the slightly chunky bit is at the top of the 'larger' lake. It's surprisingly small from the air.

The next one is the edge of Arizona, looking towards the Grand Canyon area. We didn't fly over the canyon, but it's on the edge of the shot.

And then clouds below us.

And the moon from above the clouds.

Next post I'll add the London end of the flight. Dinner and breakfast in between.

Catching up with Breaking Bad's last few episodes

I've been watching Breaking Bad through all of the series and there's only a few to go now.

The proposition is of a teacher with cancer who goes into the drugs business to make quick money for his family. He hooks up with a waster guy and they create a crystal meth lab, initially in a camper van.

It's one of those series in the debate about changing viewing habits as people consume whole series from streaming libraries now instead of watching advertising riddled real-time television.

It's not got the same level of buzz in the U.K. compared with America, where there's all manner of spin offs for the last few episodes.

An example is the idiots' guide for the first four series, which give a usable recap of the show.

To go with the last few episodes (Series 5, Part 2), there's been various television appearances including the main character, Bryan Cranston, who walked around Comic-con wearing a mask portraying his character, to avoid identification.

The series creator, Vince Gilligan, was interviewed in the UK a few days ago on Front Row about the show and admitted that the first series had low viewing figures when originally released, but it then picked up via the streaming offers.

Vince Gilligan is an interesting guy, having originally created some X-Files episodes, after he sent a script in on spec, and then later won the first series of Breaking Bad. He's also been interviewed extensively in the US, including this in-depth one. He explains the trail blazing of other series like Sopranos but also the need to make Breaking Bad's lead different. A regular guy who goes darker as the series runs.

As well as the serious trailers and interviews, theres a whole series of mini spin offs including the "Breaking Bad as a Sitcom" (try adding a laughter track and it does go a bit weird), "Breakbad Mountain", a variant of Downton Abbey called "Breaking Abbey" and various appearances of Breaking Bad characters in cartoon series.

Here's the sitcom, and a few outtakes.

And maybe a few outtakes from Series Five.

I'm up-to-date, but theres' still a few episodes to go. Anything could happen. Crooked lawyer Saul could even get a spin-off show...

I'm expecting it to feature in the Emmys.