Silk Dreams, Troubled Road by Jonny Bealby By Steve Rudd

The third and final travel book in a fascinating and most exhilarating trilogy, this epic account follows Jonny across the mountains of heaven on the Old Silk Road, from Kashgar to the Caspian Sea. Or thereabouts, given that the horses on which Jonny and 'friend' travel are often beset by physical inadequacies, and certain border controls - as always - often get the better of Jonny's best-made, wistfully romanticized plans. This book was actually written to coincide with a TV 'documentary' that he filmed on the way and that came to be aired on Sky's Discovery Channel, with the original spin in the concept revolving around the fact that he purposefully chose a travel partner that he'd never before met prior to such a huge, life-enhancing trip.

In mock Big Brother style, Jonny - whilst en-route - recorded how he got on with his new travelling partner once they'd been selected.. the partner in question being called Sarah.

The book title bluntly etched in mind, naturally very little goes to plan, yet all the ups and downs of the trip are captured exquisitely by Jonny's way with prose-writing, with this book following on from the critically acclaimed success first of his Running With The Moon story (of how he biked around Africa), and then his engaging and genuinely touching For A Pagan Song that had Jonny relay the power, glory and ever-present danger of trekking through Afghanistan and Pakistan. Jonny really does seem to one of those ultra-rare travellers who is totally fearless: an Indiana Jones type who stops at nothing in the name of good old-fashioned adventure.

What's more, he narrates his tales with such detailed clarity that the reader cannot help conjuring up vivid images of the landscapes that he literally manages brings to life through his writing.

The journeys that he tends to undertake are by no means easy, and in this way they are hardly glorified. Yet he always uses his intuition and is thoroughly persistent, even when he has a whole wad of money blatantly stolen and his relationship with Sarah doesn't develop quite how he would have preferred. But that, as Jonny realises full well, is life for you. And there are few better experiences than travel that brace you for life in all its glory. Few travel books, meanwhile, are quite as humbling as Jonny's.

He rides on the wild side, and is a better man than most for having the balls to both do so AND say so.. 5/5 ISBN 0-09-941469-4 (first published in 2003 by ARROW BOOKS)

Reviews, Theatre - Up 'n' Under at Hull Truck Theatre with Cast Interview 23/07/2004 By Andy Dykes
	John Godber's play 'Up 'n' Under' has enjoyed widespread success for twenty years. So it's obvious that the story, although I have to admit I don't really know it, does not need to be reviewed. So I realise that if this report is going to be of any worth at all, tonight I need to review the performance. Read more...

Reviews, Books - Ash Wednesday by Ethan Hawke By Steve Rudd
	The definition of grace is the ability to accept change. I needed to start calculating my masculinity not by the amount of pussy I could grab, or how many girls I could bang, but by how true I could be with one girl. How infrequently I could lie. How often I could show up when I was needed. Read more...

Reviews, Theatre - Up 'n' Under at Hull Truck Theatre By Nicholas Boldock
	Once upon a time, there was a young boy called James Crossley. James liked to play sport and did a lot of exercise. He bought himself some weights and trained hard until he became big and beefy. When James grew up he grew his hair all silly so that he looked like a blond spaniel. Then he became famous Read more...

Reviews, Events - Renegade Writers; A Review of Sorts By Alexander Porter
	First off, this is not an objective review, having never been to a performance by this motley crew before I had expected a bunch of pretensions twenty something spouting angst, instead I got a pirate, an extremely pleasant surprise, second only to finding an entire packet of fags at three in the Read more...

Reviews, Theatre - Up 'n' Under with Talkback at Hull Truck Theatre By Elsie Creek
	So, it's twenty years ago that John Godber showcased this, his first play for Spring Street Theatre, for which he won the Laurence Olivier Comedy of the Year Award. There has been a lot of water under the bridge since then, as we were reminded in the post-show talkback with director and cast. Both Hull Truck Read more...

Reviews, TV - Big Brother Exposed By Lee Cassanell
	If Kittens revolution had been supported by the rest of the housemates this years Big Brother could have been one of the greatest television shows of all time. Unfortunately, due to the anaemic sailor persona and an amazing lack of charisma, the bi-sexual Che Guevara never quite managed too inspire Read more...

Reviews, Opera - Gilbert & Sullivan The Mikado at Middleton Hall, Hull University By Nicholas Boldock
	Dagger Lane Operatic Society are old hands when it comes to Gilbert & Sullivan. - in fact, they've been performing their operettas for 20 years now. Way back in 1984 their inaugural production was HMS Pinafore. This year, for their twentieth anniversary show, it was the most celebrated Gilbert & Sullivan Read more...

Reviews, Books - Lovely Green Eyes By Arnost Lustig By Steve Rudd
	This is truly an extraordinary novel, written by a man who survived the horrors of Auschwitz, and who lived in fact to tell his tale. Bizarrely though, this isn't so much his tale as a girl's story.. a 15-year-old girl called Hanka who lies about being a Jew to survive, and who becomes a prostitute in due course. Read more...

Reviews, Films - Fahrenheit 911 - Moore heat By Martin J Deane
	I announced this film to cheers at The Welly when Sam Ahmed and his band invited us to speak, on 4th July, Independence FROM America Day. Michael Bush-whacker Moore takes us on a roller-coaster ride through the Republicans stealing the 2000 election - with shameful scenes of one black Representative Read more...

Reviews, Theatre - UpN'Under Hull Truck Theatre 13th July By Michelle Dee
	A near capacity audience at the Spring Street Theatre attended the twentieth anniversary performance of John Godber's Rugby League comedy on Tuesday evening. A remarkable testament to the extraordinary pulling power and appeal of his work. There was an audible buzz of excitement among the crowd as we sat down to enjoy Read more...

Reviews, Theatre - Be My Baby at The Hull Truck Theatre Saturday 12th June By Cilla
	I'm not a regular theatre goer. Not at all. It's like a different world to me. And frankly in the past I'd say that overall I felt disappointment and (perhaps imagined) exclusion from that scene. My sister could appreciate it, enjoy it even but I always thought of myself as not the type to go Read more...