BOOKNOTES
Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson
I thought Kate Atkinson’s Life after Life was a tour de force of a novel and I loved it. I started Shrines of Gaiety about a month ago, read about a third, and then set it aside. I wasn’t sure I’d finish it, but every time I picked it up again, I read a few chapters, getting to know the characters better and very much appreciating the writing. In short, I finished the novel and am glad I persevered.
Overall, it’s a period tapestry, a portrait of a particular time in London in 1926 when nightclubs and glitzy parties were the rage. Nellie Coker, owner of a string of clubs and mother of six adult children, rules strongly over her fiefdom. The reader is introduced to all the children and to Detective Chief Inspector Frobisher and one time librarian, now aspiring detective, Gwendolen Kelling.
Gwendolen comes to London to try and locate Freda Murgatroyd, a sister’s friend who has disappeared. Frobisher is involved in investigating the case of several missing girls who may be connected to dancers at these clubs. Beneath the gaiety and glitz of the clubs (shrines to a good time), is a seamier crime-laden slice of London life.
While the reader gets to know Niven, Nellie’s oldest son, I found the other characters more sketchily drawn. There’s a large cast of notables and undesirables and layers of society both royal and aspiring interact. Nellie is based on the real Kate Meyrick, an owner, and queen of Soho London clubs. I didn’t love this novel, but I was engaged enough to read it through.
LOCAL THEATER & DINING
The Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help at Asolo Repertory Theatre
As always, the sets and the overall staging of The Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help were excellent. The problem as the Chief Penguin and I saw it, was with the material, the play itself. Set in 1973, it is a memory play built around a series of key moments in one week. The narrator, older daughter Linda O’Shea, is the focal character in this family of mother, father, and younger sister, along with live-in aunt Terri and grandmother. Practicing Irish Catholics, the O’Sheas’ morality and their reputation are monitored by the local priest. Father Lovett takes a very personal interest in his flock. The incident of the title arises after Linda gives her sister Becky a talk about the facts of life.
Parts of the play are very funny, but I found the first act overdone and enjoyed the second act more. The coda summing up everyone’s future life and death was of interest, but not relevant to the heart of the play. I’d give the cast credit for their performance, but don’t think this play was Asolo’s finest dramatic choice.
The Ringling Grillroom
We returned to The Ringling Grillroom for another pre-theater dinner. We’ve had several lunches here and one dinner. The food is consistently very good and much superior to the fare when it was known as Muse. The hummus starter was creamy and fresh, and my blackened salmon was excellent. The fish had just the right amount of blackening and spices, and the rice with red pepper bits, okra pods, and corn was different and tasty. The Chief Penguin enjoyed shrimps and scallops on a bed of polenta with a side dish of blistered cherry tomatoes in a shallot sauce. Highly recommended!
TOP NOTCH CHEESE SHOP IN OUR BACKYARD!
In her latest e-mail, Louise Converse, owner of Artisan Cheese Company in Sarasota, reported that Wine Enthusiast has named them one of the top ten iconic cheese shops in the country. That’s in all of America. Opened in 2012, the store moved to its larger space in the Rosemary District in 2018. Here’s what Enthusiast wrote:
Its expansive selection includes such all-American standard-bearers as Jasper Hill and Point Reyes, as well as hard-to-source European producers like Switzerland’s Gourmino and England’s Neal’s Yard. The airy, industrial digs also feature beer, natural wine, salumi and more, and the café serves grilled cheese, crostini and other small plates.
As my regular readers know, the Chief Penguin and I are great fans of and regular patrons of Artisan Cheese! With their red walls, they are unmissable! Do stop in.
