Spaghetti Western Orchestra?!

This past weekend I had the chance to see the Spaghetti Western Orchestra at Harbourfront.

The Spaghetti Western What-estra? I hear you thinking. Orchestra is a bit of an overstatement if you judge by their number of performers (5), but perhaps not by the instrumentation (100+) or talent they bring.

In addition to the copious array of traditional instruments, you will find a Theremin, beer bottles, corn flakes, baby boots, rubber gloves, scripts, clocks, plants, coat hangers, and many many more.

The show combines a story line based on the old spaghetti westerns; the music of the composer of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly; sound effects; comedy; audience participation; and sing-a-long. Even the mistakes are choreographed. It's well put together and enjoyable.



For more on the SWO including more video clips and their US tour schedule, check out their web site.

More Scouting possibilities in Hut 33?

I got to thinking about how Scouting and Guiding worked into the plot of several Hut 33 episodes. That led naturally to thoughts of future possibilities and connections.

All of this depends on the biographies of the main characters, which haven't been published. Writers need some kind of biographical outline of their characters but unless they're writing a complex novel it doesn't make sense to make them too detailed. In fact too much detail could stifle creative possibilities. What we need is to get an idea of the age of the characters to see if they could have fit into early Scouting. So let's see if we can read between the lines ...

We know Gordon is 17, born in 1924, and his involvement in Scouting is alluded to in "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?" and firmly established in "Royal Visit". But the facts about the other characters are not so well established.

• My first thought was that Charles was probably too old to be in Scouting. We know from "Careless Talk" that he had travelled to the Balkans in 1914. However, assuming he was at least 18 and probably in his early twenties at the time, that would make his birth before 1897 and leaves him about the right age (11-16) to become a Scout in 1907. Charles might be older, but he could still have been involved even if he was born as early as about 1890. That would put him between 44 and 51 in 1941. My guess is that he was born in 1892. This leaves the possibility of a 50th birthday party in 1942 and that he could have been one of the first Scouts at Brownsea Island! Both possibilities could provide fertile ground. Where would he sew on all those language strips?
• We know Josh is a Capricorn, but beyond that we have few clues as to how old he is. We know he's younger than Charles who was a professor when Josh attended school. We know a bit about his military family and father, the General, all of whom got to their positions without merit. I'll guess the General is very close to retirement age and that Josh was born in the few years just before WW I, say around 1911-1912. We know from "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?" that Josh is familiar with the Jungle Book; although, this is meager evidence. In any event, his Scouting experiences could be hilarious. Besides the series really could use a variety of other Josh gaffs.
• When Archie applied to Cambridge, he was rejected by Charles. I seem to recall this was given as 1927 (but I could be imagining it) 1928 (as we find out in "Where Boffins Dare"). This would put Archie's birth around 1907 or later which would give him ample time to be a Scout. There is the issue of Archie's atheistic or agnostic non-belief and if it would have been a problem in early Scouting. However; he could easily have come to that after he started Scouting.
• We know virtually nothing about Winstanley's background. In fact, have we seen him since series one?
  
• Mrs. Best must be close to Charles in age. But is she younger or older? We know she was in Berlin in WW I and in Paris in the twenties. An early date for her birth would be about 1890. Girl Scouts came in 1909 but there was experimentation with (or at least debate around) girls in Scouting during the early years. I'd guess her birth was between 1890 and 1898. For her to be involved in the Girl Scouts, she'd need to have been born later in this time frame. Somehow, part of me wants to see that she and Charles share a birthday. While there are hilarious possibilities here, we've already had a reference to Mrs.B and BP.
• Lastly we have Minka. On one hand she doesn't seem all that familiar with Scouting having seen them as a junior defence league. But that could just be her tilted perspective. We know that Poland had a healthy pre-war Scouting movement. And there is a possible heroic role model for her in Olga Malkowskamay. Again, frighteningly hilarious possibilities exist.

Of course, I've been thinking of the characters direct involvement as youth or young assistant leaders. A broader canvas is available if their potential roles as adult leaders is considered.

I hope that James Cary will further explore Scouting connections in season three. I think there are some very funny possibilities here.

Hut 33 and Astronomy

Hut 33 (and here) is a BBC radio comedy set in 1941 at the super secret code breaking organization at Bletchley Park. Although fictional, the code breakers of the Hut are brilliant and occasionally quirky much like the real people who worked there. This group is a bit more dysfunctional.

In the inaugural episode of Hut 33, a young and naive Gordon (the prodigy) found himself on a Valentines day date with Minka. A very nervous Gordon seeks advice on this sensitive topic. On Mrs. Best's advice to talk about the stars and her eyes, Gordon prepares himself.

Just before the date, Archie asks Gordon about how he's prepared for the date. Gordon indicates he has lots of material about the stars and eyes ... "They're created through an equilibrium between the compressional force of gravity and the outward pressure of radiation ...". Panic and hilarity ensue.

In later episodes we find out Gordon was a Cub Scout. See "Hut 33 finds Mowgli" and "Hut 33 returns with more Scouting connections".

Great news, Hut 33 was just approved for a third series.

Update: Hut 33 Series 1 is being replayed on BBC4, see here. Episode 1 is set for August 5th @ 6:30pm. Episode 2 will play on the 12th. Presumably episodes will play weekly. You can catch up for up to a week on "Listen Again" off the series page or here.

Hut 33 returns ... more Scouting connections

Hut 33, the BBC radio comedy, has returned for a second season.

In the final episode of season one, we find out enough to suspect that Gordon had been a Cub Scout, here. We also know that Archie and Josh were either in Scouts or at least acquainted with the Jungle Book.

In season two's opener, "The Royal Visit", we find out more about Bletchley's scouting and youth group connections:

• Gordon was indeed a Cub and earned every badge but one. There's one like him in every pack. (Well almost.)
  
• Minka gets involved with a Brownie group and brings her efficiency and unique interpretations to the movements principles. (Be very afraid Brown Owls.)

The entire Scouting and Guiding sub-story is hilarious. I just can't say more without giving away too much.

A word of warning to parents: Hut 33 is typical of a number of British radio comedy shows having some risque bits.

For more on Hut 33 see: the BBC page, this Wikipedia page, this comedy page, and the Hut 33 blog.

I can't help but wonder if we won't hear more about Scouting later in the series.

Hut 33 finds Mowgli

The BBC premiered a new radio comedy called Hut 33 based on a group of code breakers at Bletchley Park in 1941. Very funny stuff from James Cary.

Here's a snippet from episode 6 "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?" where we find out that Gordon may have been a Cub. Gordon and Archie are both codebreakers. Josh, the head of the hut, has a good heart; although, he's a bit out of his depth when it comes to details, concepts, directions, and codebreaking.

Gordon: Archie's very cynical about religion.
Josh: But Archie, our whole fabric of society is based on the teachings of the Bible. There's a very inspiring story of that baby who grows up to be really really famous.

Archie: You mean Jesus.
Josh: No, no, no, no. It starts with an M. I think he's separated from his parents and brought up by wild animals.
Gordon: Are you thinking of Mowgli!?
Josh: That's it! Which book is that in?
Archie: Jungle Book!
Josh: You mean, The Book of Jungle. Is that the old or new testament?

Hut 33 was extended for another season.