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SY On The Sly - Proper Crim’bo! 2009 is coming to a close and with it, the decade that was The Naughties: We’ll miss you reality TV, see you on the other side War on Terror, hope to hear from you soon iPod. Best to see out the last 10 years with one almighty party then, right? There’s all sorts of fun to be had in Bristol this December and in the middle of it all, don’t forget there’s a little something called Christmas – check out our best recipe and gift ideas – all inside this month’s SY On The Sly!

December sees the eleventh issue of SY On The Sly, the sister publication of Suit Yourself Magazine – Bristol’s number one independent, quarterly magazine which investigates, uncovers and promotes everything that makes Bristol such a fun, vibrant and altogether amazing place to live!

Read away and don’t forget to check out the latest issue of Suit Yourself Magazine, our listings service and our constantly updated blog, all found at:www.suityourselfmagazine.co.ukwww.bristollistings.co.uk

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3/ Proper Crim’bo!

8/ Christmas Recipes

16/ Some of the best presents for under a tenner at the supermarkets

18/ Our favourite wine matches from the supermarkets for under a tenner

21/ Auntie Harper

For those of you pretending to work, you can also read the magazine online at

A Sly look forward at December

43/ Recommended Gigs

46/ Recommended Art

47/ Recommended Clubs

48/ Recommended Stage

51/ Recommended Cinema

A Sly look back at November

23/ The best of Gig

27/ The best of Art

30/ The best of Stage

37/ The best of Cinema

www.suityourselfmagazine.co.ukwww.bristollistings.co.uk

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Wild boar with fig and walnut stuffingStuffing2 c Fresh black figs1 c Fresh date1 c Coarsely chopped, lightly

Meat10 lb Boar hind1 tb Olive oilCrushed thyme to tasteSalt to taste

Sauce2 c Port wine1 c Zinfandel1/2 c Sugar1 c Chopped fresh or dried figs1 tb Chopped shallots2 c Demi-glace (reduced stock)1 tb Unsalted butterSalt to taste

Preparation1.Combine stuffing ingredients in a food processor and chop coarsely. Set aside. 2. Remove the bone from the boar hind and meticulously clean tendons and fat from inside the leg. 3.Stuff with half the stuffing mixture and neatly reform the leg to its original shape. 4.Using butchers twine, truss the boar. Rub the surface of roast with a bit of olive oil; season with thyme and salt. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast in a 350 degree F. oven approximately 1 hour, or until the internal

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temperature reaches 140 degree F. 5.Remove roast from oven and let rest 20 minutes before carving. 6.Sauce: Combine port, Zinfandel, sugar and figs in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook over high heat until the mixture reaches the consistency of a conserve. 7.Puree in a blender, and strain through a fine sieve. Set aside. 8.Combine shallots and a splash of port in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook until almost dry. Add the fig-port syrup and demi-glace. 9.Cook until reduced by half. Season with salt and whisk in butter. 10.Carve roast and garnish each serving with a portion of the remaining stuffing, a bit of sauce and, if desired, fresh black figs

Turkey Ingredientszest of 1 lemon a small handful chopped fresh parsley and thyme 150g softened butter a fresh turkey crown breast 6 fresh bay leaves 6 balls of stuffing 6 slices of bacon 12 chipolatas For the gravy and sauces a splash of white wine a tub of fresh gravy a tub of fresh bread sauce crème fraîche grated fresh nutmeg a tub of plain fresh cranberry sauce

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Method: How to make roast turkey1.Beat the grated lemon zest, the chopped fresh parsley and thyme into the butter.2.Weigh the turkey crown breast and calculate the cooking time at 36 minutes per kg.3.Spread the flavoured butter over the turkey, put on a rack and rest over a roasting tin. Season, then loosely cover with foil.4.Roast for 30 minutes of the calculated cooking time, then reduce the temperature to 190°C/fan170°C/gas 5 and cook for the remaining time – uncover the turkey for the last 30 minutes.5.Baste the turkey regularly.6.Thread the roll of bacon, bay leaf, the ball of stuffing and 2 chipolatas onto a skewer (1 skewer per guest). Roast alongside the turkey for the last 30 minutes.7.Rest the turkey for 20 minutes.Serve with the skewers, gravy and sauces, tangerine halves and parsley and thyme to garnish.For the gravy and sauces1.Drain off all the fat from the roasting tin and sizzle what’s left on the hob with a splash of white wine.2.Add a tub of fresh gravy. Heat through and serve with the turkey.3.Heat up a tub of fresh bread sauce according to packet instructions.4.Add a few tablespoons of crème fraîche and sprinkle with a pinch of grated fresh nutmeg before serving.5.Bring a tub of plain fresh cranberry sauce up to room temperature before serving.

PartridgeIngredients2 young partridge, drawn, livers reservedsalt and freshly ground black pepper10 garlic cloves, blanched for 10 minutes in boiling water4 sprigs fresh thyme6 rashers streaky bacon2 tbsp light olive oil

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100g/4oz unsalted butter2 shallots, sliced250ml/8fl oz brown chicken stock

Method1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.2. Season the birds inside and out with salt and pepper and place half of the garlic and a sprig of fresh thyme inside each bird. Drape the bacon over each bird and truss into place with string.3. Heat the oil and 15g/½oz of butter in a large ovenproof pan until the butter is foaming and very hot. Add the partridge and fry briefly on all sides, then place in the preheated oven and roast for 30-35 minutes, or until completely cooked through. Test with a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh meat - the juices should run clear. 4. Remove from the oven, turn the birds breast down and allow the birds to rest for five minutes. Remove from the pan.5. Using the same pan that the partridges were cooked in, sweat the shallots in a little butter. 6. Meanwhile untie the birds and remove the bacon and the garlic cloves from the inside of the birds. 7. Chop the bacon into 5mm/¼in pieces. Set aside with the garlic.8. Cut off the legs and the breasts from the birds and keep in a warm place. 9. Chop the partridge bones and livers and add to the shallots. Cook gently for a few minutes.10. Add the stock, thyme and two of the garlic cloves. Simmer for five minutes then strain through a fine sieve into a small pan.11. Boil the liquid until reduced to a sauce consistency that coats the back of a spoon. 12. Whisk in 15g/½oz of butter and season with salt and pepper and a few leaves of fresh thyme.13. To serve, fry the reserved bacon pieces and garlic cloves gently in butter until the bacon is starting to crisp up and the garlic is beginning to brown. Make sure the partridge is still warm and then arrange on warm serving plates. Pour over a little sauce and then garnish with the fried garlic and bacon pieces.

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GooseIngredients5kg goose (if bird comes with fat and giblets - about 1kg for a goose) 2 leeks 2 / 3 cooking apples A few sprigs of thyme or rosemary Goose fat, butter or oil for basting Salt and pepper to season A little flour 2 roasting tins

Method:1. Line your two tins with foil and cut two triangular pieces for the legs.2. If the goose is trussed, untie the string around the parson’s nose area.3. Fill the cavity of the goose with the green top of leeks, chopped and some chopped cooking apples, add thyme or rosemary and seasoning. If you wish you can add stuffing of your choice and put it into the cavity.4. Prick the fat gland under the wing of the goose and around the back of the goose by the parson’s nose. TipMake sure your goose is left to come up to room temperature before you cook it, this gets its enzymes working and results in a juicier bird.5. Melt some goose fat in a saucepan, cool and pour over the legs before you place the foil on top of them or you can use butter or cooking oil if you prefer. 6. Cover the goose with foil and place it into a roasting tray on its back, with the breast upper.7. Put the goose into the oven at 200°C/ 400°F / gas mark 6 for 2 - 2 ½ hours.8. After the first hour turn the goose so the back is upwards. Unwrap the back of the goose to let it brown. Pour over surplus goose fat, this is when you can put the goose into the second tin and then you have the spare fat for roasting your parsnips and potatoes.TipIf you’re ordering your goose in advance you’ll need to know how to store it. Always unwrap the bird and place it either in a refrigerator or cool larder. Place the giblets into a refrigerator. If you want to store longer than two days

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(for giblets) or five days for (geese), it is best to freeze. Geese freeze very well, thawing takes around 24-30 hours. Pat dry with a dry cloth and they will roast to perfection. 9. Remember to keep the legs covered and place back into the oven. Just lightly place a piece of foil on top of the back. 10. Depending on the size of the goose it will need approximately ¾ - 1 hour more cooking. Turn the goose back again so the breast is upwards. Add no more extra goose fat to the tin. Cover with a little flour and salt to crisp the skin of the breast this takes approx. 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the goose and how hot your oven is. Make sure you keep the legs covered, this stops them burning.11. Lift the goose onto a carving dish to rest for approx. 20 minutes before carving - keep the goose covered. 12. Place your stuffing balls, roast potatoes, roast parsnips and put some sage, green bay leaves and rosemary around the edge of the dish to make it look something extra special.

BeefIngredientsFore rib beef (about 4 kgs/9 lbs), French trimmed, boned and rolled olive oilsalt freshly cracked black pepperFor the Yorkshire pudding3 eggs 115g/4oz flour275ml/½ pint milkbeef drippingsalt

Method1. Preheat the oven to its highest setting. 2. Rub the beef with the olive oil, salt and pepper all over. 3. Put a heavy-based roasting tray on the hob and when hot, add the beef.

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4. Sear the beef quickly on all sides to colour and crisp the outside. 5. Transfer the beef immediately to the oven and leave the oven on its highest setting (about 240C/460F/Gas 8) for 20 minutes. 6. Reduce the heat to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and roast for half an hour per kilo for rare, adding another ten minutes per kilo for medium rare, 20 minutes per kilo for medium, and 30 minutes per kilo for well done. 7. Remove from the oven and place on a board or tray for resting. 8. Loosely cover with foil and rest the meat for a minimum of 40 minutes before carving, letting the precious juices that have bubbled up to the surface seep back into the flesh. Also, as the meat relaxes it becomes easier to carve. 9. For the Yorkshire pudding, mix together the eggs, flour and a pinch of salt. 10. Add the milk, stirring constantly, until you have a runny batter. 11. Leave this to rest, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.12. Place 1cm/½in of beef dripping in the bottom of each pudding mould, or if you are using a rectangular roasting tray, place 1cm/½in of beef dripping across the bottom. 13. Heat the dripping in the oven (at 240C/460F/Gas 8) for about ten minutes, until it is piping hot. 14. Remove the roasting tray from the oven, pour in the batter, and immediately return to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown and crispy, making sure not to open the oven door for the first 20 minutes.15. Serve immediately with the carved roast beef.

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Some of the best presents for under a tenner at the supermarkets Gifts for the GirlsChocolate lovers bubbles – AsdaCandle gift set – AsdaSpa smellies – TescosLuxury champagne chocolates - WaitroseStunning Soaps – Waitrose Gifts for himTop Gear mug – AsdaCheese Block and knifes – MorrisonsNibbles bowls and bamboo set - Morrisons Gifts for KidsChocolate Money Pig – WaitroseHannah Montana creative set – WaitroseHot Water bottle - TescoMake your own finger puppets - Morrisons Gifts for the familyTrue or Bluff - Asda Memory Game – Asda For price information and more detailed descriptions please log onto www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

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TurkeyAsda - Extra Special GewurztraminerTesco - Finest White Burgundy, France, WhiteMarks and Spencer - Chablis 2007Morrisons - Italia Primitivo

PartridgeAsda - Extra Special Pinot Noir 2008Tesco - Finest Vina Mara Rioja, Spain, RedWaitrose - Zalze Shiraz/Mouvedre/Viognier Morrisons - Blason de Bourgogne Mercurey

Wild BoarAsda - ES Cotes du Rhone VilllageTesco - Cotes du Rhone Villages, FrenchWaitrose - Château du Gazin 2006/07 Canon-Fronsac, Bordeaux, FranceMorrisons - Chianti Classico Riserva Uggiano

Our favourite wine matches from the supermarkets for under a tenner

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BeefAsda - Extra Special Marques del Norte Rioja 2004Asda - Extra Special BarberaTesco - Ringbolt Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia,Marks and Spencer - Gold Label Cabernet SauvignonMorrisons - M Best Reserva Rioja

GooseAsda - Extra Special BaroloTesco - Ocean’s Edge, New Zealand, WhiteMarks and Spencer - Burra Brook SauignonMorrisons - Gigondas Valclair

Just Drinking?Canape/SparklingTesco - Reserve Riesling Gewurtzraminer, Australian, White Tesco - Villa Garducci Sparkling Rose, Italian Sparkling Rose – Only 5% ABV so perfect for at partiesWaitrose - in Partnership Cava, Spain, Sparkling Wine Marks and Spencer - M&S Prosecco

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Auntie HarperHe answers your questions

1. What the hell do I get my parents for Christmas?

When I saw your mum last she was looking really hot.

I’m in to milf, but your mum is something else. Get them a little gofer

for the bedroom. I think your mum is into double pen and I know a guy

who can come round on Christmas Eve for a good price.

2. Where shall I go for New Year’s Eve - not just the normal?

You can spend the evening with me if you like. I’m going to Swindon

with my mate Simon for a few beers and then we’re planning on stealing

a tractor and heading off to Ipswich. It’s the annual Badger Bating

Festival this year. Yes, it’s true! Auntie Harper is random as fuck!

3. Christmas makes me sick. I can’t stand it. Help me Harper - how do

I cope? Lighten up you loser and stop being such a Scrooge. Put on

that Christmas strap-on and join in on the festivities like the rest

of us.

To put your queries to Auntie Harper just

email: info@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

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A SLY look back at november

Reviews of all the best gigs, art, clubs, stage and cinema over the last month in Bristol

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Bring Me The HorizonWednesday 18th November 2009 @ Academy, Bristol

Headliners, Bring Me The Horizon, are one of those love them or hate them bands but I have been a fan ever since they released Suicide Season. As they came out onstage I was nearly defend by the high pitch screaming of nearly every girl in the room as they caught a glimpse of frontman, Oli Sykes. The band opened the set with one of my personal favorite songs, Chelsea Smile, while huge letters - B M T H – flashed constantly behind the drummer. By the time Sykes had sang the opening line, “I have a secret…”, the crowd had broken into a mass frenzy which infected the whole bottom floor.

Bring Me The Horizon showed that they are very accomplished musicians with an exciting, energetic set. They too were a little sloppy but Sykes worked the crowd well and a one point got down off the stage and sung along with the front row as they waved their arms around to touch him. Next he encourage the floor to open up and perform a wall of death; the room parted and then crashed back together as the song dropped into an intense beat down. Half way through their performance there was a gap which was suddenly filled with heavy dub step which brought everyone up again as it was so diverse from the band playing on stage - everyone loved it!

www.myspace.com/bmth

Chloe Jackson and Gareth Bowden

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Ojos De BrujoSunday 22nd November 2009 @ Colston Hall, Bristol

Ojos de Brujo had obviously not brought the weather with them from Barcelona but they certainly raised the temperature inside the wind and rain battered Colston Hall with an electric, flamboyant performance. The nine-piece band, whose name translates into English as ‘Sorcerers Eyes’, describe their fusion style as jipjop flamenkillo – flamenco with a hip-hop twist – although lots of other influences from Arabic to Afro-Cuban could also be detected. The same description could have also applied to lead vocalist Marina Abad’s outfit; a beautiful traditional polka dot flamenco dress, bright feather boas and headscarf accompanied with a pair of Puma trainers.

The majority of the set consisted of songs from their latest album Aocaná that included Tantas Flores, which infused the Middle Eastern sounding tabla with the traditional flamenco guitar and if that wasn’t enough, DJ Panko added some scratching for good measure. The set also included well-known favourites Calé Barí and Tiempo de Soleá from the album Barí that had the crowd singing and clapping along, or mouthing words that sound similar, as was the case for much of the monolingual Bristolian crowd. There appeared to be a large Spanish contingent in the audience, easily identifiable by their rhythmic dancing and cries of ‘Ole’ throughout the night, as opposed to the rest who were clapping offbeat and shuffling in a very English way.

Unfortunately, as this is the UK, the party couldn’t continue until the early hours of the morning – they would only just be warming up in Spain. So, like a matador soaking up the adoration of his fans, Ojos de Brujo left the stage to a rousing farewell after a sublime live performance.

www.ojosdebrujo.com

David Higgs

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The MotherloadFriday 27th November 2009 @ The Cooler, BristolWith Support From: Light Of Words, Hi-Fiction Science

Must say, I’ve always liked The Cooler as a venue. Nice staff. Nice tunes. Good bands. As I meander in, there is a nice relaxed atmosphere as the bands playing tonight sound check. There are three bands on the bill: Headliners are The Motherload but first up are Hi-Fiction Science, with Light Of Words the middle men.

Hi-Fiction Science have a sense of the epic with their music sounding like there are howling wolves in the background. I managed to chat with the band before they played and they cited their influences as being instrumental Krautrock (Can and Neu) with a twist on the standard. Their vocalist couldn’t make it tonight, but the tunes were still strong.

Light Of Words also sound progressive and experimental, reminding me of The Eels – the soft thud of the drums balancing the bin-lid twang of the guitars. Using synths to provide that kind of underlying electronic sub-beat which sounds like your ears are popping when your flight begins its decent to land.

The Motherload move much more into the indie frame. Modern traditionalism? Traditional in the sense that they’ve cut themselves back to the classic, three-piece, post-punk new-wave band. Keeping it tight. No need for excess. The lead guitar work reminds me of The Cure’s first work. Picked out melodies remind me of 10:15 on a Saturday Night. The rhythm section brings to mind Queens Of The Stone Age; a joyful but menacing thud-thud-thud. The Motherload combine these two diverse styles well and create their own musical vision.

www.myspace.com/hitthemotherload

Mike Clarke

PLATFORMSaturday 3rd October until Sunday 29th November 2009 @ Arnolfini, Bristol

Entering the Arnolfini nowadays is something like opening marmite for the first time; you know it is strong, you know that you will either love it or hate it and there is unlikely to be any middle ground. The Arnolfini likes their flavours to be intense and leave little room for sitting on the fence. Their PLATFORM season therefore, was surely to be as bold a challenge to some convention or other as any art can be. With a little apprehension, an intrepid explorer of modern representative art is sure to go to this two-month programme of climate change protest events full of joy at the artist/activist onslaught on display. The 25 events use various forms of performance and expression, one for every year that this group of artists have worked together. What they have done with these 25 years is move things around. Put a shed inside a room. Actually, put a boat in a room; those quick off the mark can head to the first floor and see a wooden boat marooned in mid-gallery.

So it all attracts attention for being bizarre but once again results in the Arnolfini trying too hard. In October alone we had shadow poets, African poets, public drawing days - it’s impossible to list these all individually without sounding like an event programme. They have made an impression as art not climate changers. The Arnolfini feels suitably on edge, but this is unlikely to be due to PLATFORM. After a month, the chalk scribbles on blackboards and large outside-brought-inside exhibits are starting to wear thin. It’s becoming more obvious that nothing has actually changed - Greenpeace protests are less worthy than violent as a rule and so art sharing the same raw emotion can surely only exasperate its targets. Sadly, although you can spend hours being interested in plans to create a “Walking Forest” (next arriving on November 14th) and other novelties, the tagline ‘How did you get here and where are we going?’ is not so much answered by the exhibits as the brochures. It’s also a shame that Johanna Billing’s brilliant unemotional discussion of emotion and human interaction in ‘I’m Lost Without Your Rhythm’ (running simultaneously until 8th November) was so much more polished and engaging.

www.arnolfini.org.uk

Katy Austin

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Day Of The Dead BallFriday 6th until Sunday 8th November 2009 @ Bridewell Island, Bristol

A deceased mime artist, a dead member of Kiss and four skeletons met outside the old fire station on Silver Street. The ticket collector was painted; a good start. They exchanged tickets for lime green wristbands and entered into another world…

Inside, Bridewell Island was elaborately decorated with Day Of The Dead graffiti and hangings, offerings to Royal Mail and mullets, and skulls on bicycle seats. A giant corpse bride and groom stood in a giant coffin. The immense effort on show in the decorations was matched by tonight’s crowd; pretty much everyone in attendance had painted themselves up as skeletons or zombies and those stragglers left over could venture upstairs to have the brush of death passed across their faces.

The atmosphere was beautiful. Wondering through the labyrinth one could warm their hands by a fire in the courtyard and be serenaded by a violin playing skeleton Mariachi. In a performance space, the MC, who you may remember from such events as Carny-ville and The Bristol Do, introduced hospital acrobats and a lady called the Black Widow who had a penchant for climbing ropes while singing Metallica’s Enter Sandman. The audience of dead revellers audaciously applauded and some fabulous music from the Pulp Fiction soundtrack was put on.

Our Lady Of Guadalupe rocked by with a halo constructed of neon yellow straws. She was the best dressed but no amount of searching could locate her again, she joined the disappeared. And then something brilliant happened: The giant corpse bride and groom were lifted from their coffins by puppeteers who then walked them to the dancefloor and the MC announced; “the dead walk among us.”

In another room, some wonderful retro-espionage-esk music was playing and the dead rejoiced until 3am when sadly it was time to rejoin reality. Please send a letter to the council asking that they let the best thing that’s ever happened to Bristol’s nightlife continue.

www.invisiblecircus.co.uk

Sophie Collard

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Uncle VanyaFriday 30th October until Saturday 21st November 2009 @ Bristol Old Vic, Bristol

Anton Chekhov was a Russian short-story writer and playwright in the late 1800s and his four plays have arguably been the most lasting and influential of modern times. First performed in 1900, Uncle Vayna was the second of Chekhov’s plays and this trage-comedy follows the fortunes of a once wealthy family living in rural Russia during industrialisation; as the landscape falls into decline around them, so do the family’s internal relationships.

This is Shakespeare At The Tobacco Factory’s second dabble in Chekhov, only the second time the theatre company have performed outside the pillars of their beloved Tobacco Factory Theatre and is also the company’s first every co-production. But as well as being a big step forward for the company, this play is an important signal that the Bristol Old Vic theatre in an effort to turn its fortunes around is willing to look inwardly at Bristol to work with the people and companies that are already here, rather than say sourcing successful shows from London, and this surely is a recipe for recovery.

The play itself is an absorbing adaptation with some very engaging performances. The set is bathed in calm pastel colours, effectively creating a feeling of time standing still, and design elements like furniture dust sheets often do better at subtly mirroring the characters’ worn-out ambitions than the script itself, the tiresome metaphor of the stagnating forest particularly springing to mind.

The pace is a little slow and takes some patience but is prone to hilariously and violently bursting into life, especially with the fluctuating temper of the increasingly desperate Vanya; Simon Armstrong is fiery and passionate when he needs to be but also manages to excellently portray the broken man, forever in the shadow of his brother-in-law. Paul Currier too, after having a string of minor parts in SATTF’s last few productions, is given centre stage and excels as the passionate and intelligent Doctor Astrov; his strengths often showing up Alys Thomas, playing Yelena, opposite him. Thomas is effective in Acts 1 and 2 as the cold, emotionless wife but when the script requires her to become daring and instinctive, the acting is a little off kilter with a distracting amount of over the top gesturing.

Uncle Vanya is a step away from SATTF’s usual minimalist style but they still manage to superbly retain the intimate, honest and effective storytelling for which they have become famed for.

www.sattf.org.uk

Matt Whittle

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Welsh National Opera: Madame ButterflyOpera running Tuesday 10th until Saturday 14th November 2009 @ Hippodrome, Bristol

There are a lot of things most people don’t know about Puccini’s operas: One is that tonight was the Welsh National Opera’s 200th performance of his 1904 masterpiece Madame Butterfly; an impressive feat in itself. A more interesting fact is that Puccini wrote three versions. In this long-running production, Joachim Herz has combined the optimum elements of them all to create a beautifully lyrical 2hours 50minutes of pure drama. At the Bristol Hippodrome for only two performances in 2009, WNO’s Butterfly still maintains the magic it held on its Cardiff opening in 1978.

It doesn’t take an expert to gauge that Puccini was capable of writing opera scores which are extremely attractive to the ear; WNO can also make it extremely attractive to watch. As the curtain rose on this performance, layers of netting and silk blossom wrapped the deep stage with in glowing light. The stage itself had stage presence, although the browns chosen by Zimmerman appeared rather dated and produced an eerie effect something like watching a black-and-white film. This was then enhanced by the fantastic attention to detail in a minute, sprawling model city at the foot of the stage. It didn’t take much though to keep our eyes fixed on Russell Thomas’ immensely powerful Pinkerton. His lyric tenor voice took some time to warm up but once he had become settled, even the odd lapse in time keeping with the orchestra did not detract from the sheer quality of his tone and intonation. Thomas clearly enjoys this role and this was absorbed easily by the audience.

He has been strangely matched with Judith Howarth for this stage of WNO’s tour; despite her maturity, a little more freshness or a lighter tone might suit Cio-Cio-San’s charm better. Having said this, Howarth’s performance was sturdy, as was that of her servant, Suzuki, played by the feisty Claire Bradshaw. In fact, it is not difficult to foresee Bradshaw eventually filling the title role. This aside, the cast delivered admirable performances and delivered the climaxes Puccini inserted so effectively with panache. The final scene deserves particular praise; with the stalls so near to the Hippodrome’s orchestra pit, the timpani held nothing back to rapturous applause.

It’s not difficult to see why Herz’s Butterfly has been continued for so long. It is engaging, the cast and orchestra conduct proceedings at a comfortable pace and the set is elegant and silky. One can’t help coming away from this performance with the notion that it might be time for a few fresh ideas though; a little re-invigoration would do this opera no harm at all.

www.bristolhippodrome.org.uk

Katy Austin

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The Winter’s TaleMonday 23rd until Saturday 28th November 2009 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol

We are introduced to The Winter’s Tale early on by Mamillius; “A sad tale’s best for winter: I have one of sprites and goblins.” What follows is a dark, tragic fairytale of a king whose jealous imagination provokes him to cast off his best friend, imprison his wife and neglect his son and newborn daughter to their deaths. It’s not all doom and gloom though; for all the dark violence here, Shakespeare throws us several comic characters and some scenes of frivolous gayety. This stylistic to-ing and fro-ing, combined with the action being set across two very different lands and two acts that are set 16 years apart, makes for quite a difficult, “problem” script but this co-production clears all these hurdles impressively and manages to get the balancing act just about right.

The production’s shining light is the quality of its performances across the board. The actors have been well cast and (ignoring James Buller’s wooden Polixenes) all put on faultless performances, with particular mention for the fiery Vince Leigh, who manages to weigh the anger and sorrow of King Leontes perfectly, and also the hilarious John Hodgkinson whose cheeky and charming Autolycus is a joy to watch.

The show however is let down in its detail: The lighting design is poor and really doesn’t work in the Tobacco Factory’s small theatre and, irritably, there seems to be no consistency whatsoever between the show’s set, props or any of its costumes. In large scenes this is particularly distracting as we are presented with a confused mishmash of 1920s dinner jackets, modern summer dresses, charity shop woollen hats, American pinstriped suits, worn out English twee jackets and the odd costume that looks like it’s been rented from a cheap fancy dress hire. At one point Autolycus pickpockets two different characters and ends up with modern paper dollars in one hand and classical gold coins in the other! You are forever left guessing what era or country we are supposed to be in.

The production is not without its faults and there were a couple of clichés in the directing I could have lived without but it is saved by its very strong acting, impeccable storytelling and, on balance, it is a very enjoyable watch.

www.tobaccofactorytheatre.com

Matt Whittle

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Harry BrownShowing November 2009 @ Showcase De Lux, Bristol

Here we are 55 years on from the elegant Zulu and we can still experience the 76 year old Michael Caine hosting a fire arm, as he acquires the role of hard-nut Harry Brown. We admit the world of Harry, an-ex serviceman who lives deep in the heart of the run down south London. Gangs of “chavs” seem to dominate the area and making some of the public to petrified to even leave their own homes. This is nothing that concerns Harry too much though until the death of his close friend. Promptly after this we ride a rage filled inquisition of vengeance as he deals with these rowdy street thugs in his own way to pinpoint the murderer. If you’re a supporter of revenged based plots like Outlaw and the ever so unique Gran Torino then this will most indubitably tick a box for you.

With a risky cameo from Plan B and an unheard of director Daniel Barber, Harry Brown is most positively taking a plunge into the unknown, but don’t be alarmed; I believe that at this present age in film making that’s what we need - a risk to take us somewhere unfamiliar, something fresh and most essentially inspiring. This project more than meets these needs and feels completely contemporary in every field. The only bitter aspect for this motion picture is that with such a substantial hype shadow birthed by prodigious films such as Twilight: New Moon, which is abducting cinema attendants all across the globe, will this modern treasure be acknowledged by many? I sure hope so.

www.harrybrownthemovie.co.uk

Andrew Dex

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9November 2009 @ Showcase De Lux, Bristol

Another animation film? Yes that’s correct but do not distress as disguised behind the works of this thought replenished exploit is Tim Burton as the producer. This should already clamp in a specified and wide audience of die-hard fans who will most surely be enthralled.

The world has again ceased to continue this winter as humans have created a robot species that has outdone and eradicated all life on their planet. What’s left is 9 scanty robots who each harbour a piece of a scientist’s soul; surprisingly the scientist is the one who invented the world destroying robot but also accommodates the solution to salvage everything. In an act to be slightly adventurous, we cherish the character 9 as he is awoken into this post apocalyptic nightmare. For the first couple of minutes he can’t speak and this is where we really get to undertake the moving and awe-inspiring visuals. As he then locates a fellow associate to him, 2, this is where the gratification and experience really begins to erupt to life.

My thoughts are that this is possibly not the most incomparable of Tim Burton’s productions as he already has accomplished such instalments as The Nightmare Before Christmas and the celebrated Edward Scissorhands but it will not be the least and attains its position as being a concealed delight in his collection. In our generation where we are pretty much swamped with 3D and animation films, 9 is a pretty supreme example to many, and will most surely never be disregarded.

www.showcasecinemas.co.uk

Andrew Dex

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Bunny And The BullFriday 27th November until Thursday 3rd December 2009 @ Watershed, Bristol

Stephen is a twenty something recluse; a wet drip who’s forgotten how to live life. After his heart is broken for the umpteenth time, to take his mind off it, his best and only friend, Bunny, drags him travelling across Europe. All sorts of anarchy ensues and Stephen and Bunny experience all the best and worst of Poland, Switzerland and Spain. Stephen takes a little time to be coaxed out of his shell but Bunny jumps into the experience headfirst, daring himself on at every opportunity: Bunny races crabs; Bunny sleeps with girls; Bunny has eating competitions; Bunny swims through frozen rivers; and eventually, Bunny fights a bull.

Bunny & The Bull is the feature length debut from Paul King, director of The Mighty Boosh, and the sense of fun and surreal adventure that made the TV-show such a success is apparent throughout. Sadly though, the film is a bit overindulgent. King is so eager to jump straight into the story and start showing off all the interesting techniques, animation and shooting styles he’s used that he’s forgotten to put in nearly enough jokes or any kind of character depth. Stephen and Bunny are pretty hollow characters and far from being charming and driving the story forward, they become boring and irritating.

However, the beautiful scenery that has been creatively manufactured out of everyday objects (like the motorway built from newspaper piles) is enough to make the first half interesting. As you’re counting the minutes down to the film’s predictable ending though, the film is dragged in a sharp u-turn and the last 30minutes are delivered with such passion, heart, soul, charm and depth that it redeems everything you’ve just watched and you leave Bunny & The Bull on a complete, mesmerising high!

www.watershed.co.uk

Matt Whittle

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Paranormal ActivityDecember 2009 @ Showcase De Lux, Bristol

After its release date in 2007 at a minor film festival, Paranormal Activity has finally exploded out from the closet to raise hairs across the UK; it’s already been let loose in the US where it has reached a higher position in the box office then the latest instalment of Saw. How did it go so far? Well, to be impetuous - it’s complete cult jubilation.

Micah’s girlfriend Katie has the concentrated belief that she has been haunted ever since she was a child. Equipped with his gloriously exorbitant camera and bucket loads of confidence, Micah attempts to record the paranormal developments to hopefully prove to Katie that the old floorboards are just creaking from the wind. Unfortunately for him, this is not the case. Several horrendous and iconic moments occur at night and you will soon be sheltering for relief behind your bucket of popcorn.

With a tiny budget, Paranormal Activity strongly resembles the Blair Witch Project and the zombie berserk REC brand of horror but this film consumes its audience and will be listed by many as one of their most precious film of the year if not one of their best scares of the decade. Katie Featherston and Micah Slot are both unfamiliar actors to anyone watching but are very compelling and convincing and the film’s director, Oren Peli, excels even though he has no other movies to his name. His next project, Area 51, will have a significantly bigger budget and it will be interesting to see what he can do with it.

Paranormal Activity will leave you too shocked to even sleep with the light off but, on the bright side, more than delighted that your money has been well spent.

www.paranormalactivity-movie.com

Andrew Dex

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Bright StarFriday 6th November until Thursday 3rd December 2009 @ Watershed, Bristol

A film presuming to use Keats, one of the greatest English poets of all time, as its main character invites criticism out of principle; how could any director do justice to an individual of such enigmatic genius? Jane Campion’s method of negotiating the arrows of scorn from literaphiles is, sadly, to skirt the issue of the poetry itself and focus instead on the stormy relationship Keats perpetuated with his muse, Fanny Brawne. Abbie Cornish pouts and struts her way around the screen with a fantastic ‘fashionista’ presence yet she is one of many characters whose constant melancholy is not punctuated by enough pace to save our eyes drooping slightly. Having said this, it is exactly what Campion had been aiming for. The film is pitched as a slow-burner and it succeeds in unravelling the tribulations of Keats’ agonised countryside life with the right sense of unfulfilment and frustration with the bounds of society and bank accounts.

Perhaps the problem, then, is that this was not ideal film material. Romanticism is concerned with what lies beyond appearances and the poetic mind’s superior knowledge of the real world. It’s difficult to convey any of this in film. After all, the appearance of things to the eyes and ears is what matters most in a movie and we were treated to some beautiful costume, scenery and acting by the director of The Piano and Emmy Award-winner Ben Whinshaw. This aside, Campion did not achieve sufficient insight into what Keats himself was really about; there were few connections established between his poetry and the events of the drama. Sadly this proved to be the missing link.

www.watershed.co.uk

Katy Austin

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A SLY look FORWARD at december & January

Reviews of all the best gigs, art, clubs, stage and cinema over the NEXT month in Bristol

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Sheelanagig & FriendsMonday 21st December 2009 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol

Due to unprecedented demand, the gypsy-flk circus that are Sheelanagig return to the Tobacco Factory Theatre for their second Christmas celebration as they are united with top musicians, including The Scoville Units, Moscow Drug Club, the stunning Pepino and the earth-shatteringly-hip beat-boxing Belatrix.

www.sheelanagig.co.uk

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The New York DollsThursday 3rd December 2009 @ Anson Rooms

AthleteThursday 4th December 2009 @ Anson Rooms

The Rinky DinksFriday 4th December 2009 @ The Grain Barge

Tommy EmmanuelSaturday 5th December 2009 @ Colston Hall

Good ShoesSaturday 5th December 2009 @ The Cooler

Other Recommended Gigs for December in Bristol

The HorrorsSunday 6th December 2009 @ Bristol Academy

BabelSaturday 12th December 2009 @ The Thunderbolt

Bristol Music ShowcaseSaturday 12th December 2009 @ St George

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Recommended Art for December in BristolArt PresenceSunday 29th November until Wednesday 23rd December 2009 @ CentrespaceIf you’re looking for unusual, affordable Christmas presents then this is the place for you. Now in its fourth year, Art Presence hosts some of Bristol’s most talented arts and crafts creators for this varied, recession busting show.www.centrespacegallery.com

Unusual And Abstract PhotographsFriday 4th December 2009 until Friday 8th Januray 2010 @ The Folk HouseJade French: Some are close up shots taken on a mobile phone of things that you would not usually find attractive, but are surprisingly beautiful when viewed up close and out of context. The other half of the exhibition is unusual views of ordinary things. www.clikpic.com/urbanincidental

Wildlife Photographer of the YearSaturday 5th December 2009 until Sunday 10th January 2010 @ Bristol City Museum and Art GalleryOne of the world’s most prestigious photography exhibitions is back this winter and promises nearly 100 stunning images of wildlife and nature taken by the world’s top amateur and professional photographerswww.bristol.gov.uk

Group ShowFriday 11th December 2009 until Sunday 10th January 2010 @ Weapon of Choice galleryWeapon of Choice bring you some of the finest artist’s from around the South West for this Xmas group show. In this advent calendar style exhibition, artwork can be taken away on the day of purchase, revealing a bigger mural by the artists involved on the walls behind, so arrive early or you could miss the whole show! www.weaponofchoicegallery.co.uk

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Recommended clubbing for December in BristolMicro_Rave: Level 6Saturday 5th December 2009 @ Bridewell Island

Drawn Recording Christmas party SpecialThursday 17th December 2009 @ Mr Wolfs

Penguin Dance Xmas PartyFriday 18th December 2009 @ LAB

NYE Masked BallThursday 31st December 2009 @ Trinity Centre

Masked Bollywood BallThursday 31st December 2009 @ Tobacco Factory

Socialism vs. Pressure – NYE Titanic All Nighter!Thursday 31st December 2009 @ Thekla

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Ali Baba And The Forty ThievesWednesday 9th December 2009 until Sunday 17th January 2010 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol

The Tobacco Factory Theatre and the superb Travelling Light are working together to present a brand new re-telling of the much-loved folk tale, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. The story, part of The Thousand and One Nights, is about two brothers: For the good-hearted Ali Baba, a poverty-stricken woodcutter, life is all toil and hardship but for the proud Kasim Baba, married to a Merchant’s daughter and as rich as trees are rich in leaves, life is easy. The two brothers are alike as chalk and cheese. Then, quite by accident, Ali discovers a secret and from then on life for the two brothers will never be the same again... Money, contract killers, heroic servants and disobedient donkeys take this a long way from a tale of everyday family life.

www.tobaccofactorytheatre.com

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Other recommended stage for December in BristolThe Middle BitThursday 3rd until Saturday 5th December 2009 @ Bristol Old Vic

www.bristololdvic.org.uk

Hansel and GretelFriday 4th December 2009 until Saturday 23rd January 2010 @ Bristol Old Vic

www.bristololdvic.org.uk

Snow White And The Seven DwarfsFriday 11th December 2009 until Sunday 10th January 2010 @ Bristol Hippodrome

www.bristolhippodrome.org.uk

How Cold My ToesTuesday 15th December 2009 until Saturday 16th January 2010 @ Bristol Old Vic

www.bristololdvic.org.uk

Peter CliffordFriday 18th December 2009 until Sunday 3rd January 2010 @ The Brewery

www.tobaccofactorytheatre.com

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Recommended Cinema for December in BristolUnmade BedsFriday 11th until Wednesday 23rd December 2009 @ WatershedAlexis Dos Santos (Glue) brings his visionary Latin American New Wave spirit to this tender anti-romance of two rootless young drifters on separate journeys to discover the meaning of life and love in bohemian East London. www.watershed.co.uk

HumpdayFriday 18th December until Thursday 31st December 2009 @ WatershedA hilarious, oddly poignant film about the complexities of the male ego, old friendships, new spouses and the search for (not only sexual) identity with some wonderfully nuanced, improvised performances.www.watershed.co.uk

Fantastic Mr. FoxSunday 20th until Tuesday 22nd December 2009 @ CubeA rousing adventure following Mr. Fox and his quirky band of animal friends as they try to outwit the human farmers on their tails; a magnificent fusion of Roald Dahl’s and Wes Anderson’s creative minds. Anderson regulars Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman join a star-studded cast which features George Clooney and Meryl Streep as Mr. and Mrs. Fox.www.cubecinema.com

Book your party at The Golden GuineaThe Golden Guinea is a fully restored pub with an eclectic interior incorporating exposed wooden floorboards, reclaimed furniture and baroque mirrors. It has a relaxed and genuine pub feel.It is the perfect place for a party or birthday celebration and it is FREE to hire.Give us a call on 07971 560 313 to to book your FREE table or room.

• Live graffiti and live music coming soon.• Come and try ‘Blackbeard Cider’, a strong medium sweet cider specially produced for The Golden Guinea. (8.4%)• Check out the new website for more information.

www.thegoldenguinea.co.ukThe Golden Guinea, 19 Guinea Street, Bristol, BS1 6SXTel: 0117 987 2034 Mobile: 07971 560 313Email: info@thegoldenguinea.co.uk

CUT HERE

Enjoy a measure of Sailor Jerry Rumwith a mixer for only £1.00Present this voucher at the bar.

Enjoy Sailor Jerry Rum responsibly. Offer ends 31/1/2010.Offer only open to over 18s. One voucher per person per night.

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Ho-Ho-Horoscopes by Merry Old Mystic Ginger

Sagittarius: A tragedy this year when your snowman melts on Christmas day. You should never have left him outside by himself. Mystic has called Social Services.

Capricorn: A white Christmas for you this year, Capricorn. A white light at the end of a tunnel, and all kinds of Christmassy angels to carry you home. Lucky.

Aquarius: Romance has brown hair and shiny shoes at the office Christmas party for you this year! Unfortunately that’s all you remember about them – till the Facebook photos go up…

Pisces: An interesting end to the party season when you finally discover who your secret Santa is – in the library, with the lead pipe. Surprise!

Aries: Neptune, planet of taking things literally, is ruling your chart this month. A disturbing surprise flavour awaits you at a Christmas party. Your unlucky dessert: Yule log.

Taurus: Oh dear, Taurus – things go in threes this year. Dead turkey in the kitchen, dead pine tree in the living room, and what’s that waiting in the bathroom? Clue: it wasn’t on your Christmas list.

Gemini: Your Christmas wish comes true! Unfortunately, it’s the one you shout at your Mum at the end of the charades-argument. And now you have to solve the riddle of the Christmas elf to get your family back. Tricky.

Cancer: An overly-jolly grandmother could instigate a frightfully festive knees-up this year. Better get your running trainers on. Your lucky bottle: smashed.

Leo: Make sure you eat your Brussels sprouts this Christmas dinner. You will have to – it’s all there is. That’s the economic downturn for you.

Virgo: Jingle Bells, Virgo smells, your Gran will come to stay. The dog knocks over the Christmas tree, your Dad comes out as gay! Happy Christmas.

SY On The Sly – December IssueEditor: Matt Whittle / matt@suityourselfmagazine.co.ukCEO: Faye Westrop / faye@suityourselfmagazine.co.ukDesign and Illustration: James Penfold / penfold@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the

permission of Suit Yourself Magazine.

Suit Yourself Magazine and SY On The Sly are independent publications distributed throughout

Bristol.

Advertising Enquiries: faye@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Contributors for Issue:Katy Austin, Gareth Bowden, Mike Clarke, Sophie Collard, Andrew Dex, Anna Freeman, James Harper,

David Higgs, Chloe Jackson, Faye Westrop, Matt Whittle