tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post9013412418705537843..comments2024-03-28T20:46:22.875+00:00Comments on Clothes In Books: Opening Night by Ngaio MarshClothes In Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-40851758951689348402017-05-03T15:29:47.844+01:002017-05-03T15:29:47.844+01:00Yes, it would have been interesting to see her do ...Yes, it would have been interesting to see her do something else. I think the reverse of Angela Thirkell -she's very good at keeping track of where everyone is without making it Marsh-y boring, so should've done crime!<br /><br />OK, yes, I bow to what you say about Rollo and Holly. And 'correctly daft' is my new phrase of the week.Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-69896111029891785572017-05-01T12:50:45.836+01:002017-05-01T12:50:45.836+01:00I'm fond of a good murder (if you see what I m...I'm fond of a good murder (if you see what I mean!), but she always writes more enthusiatically about the stage. Like I was saying about Christie, it would have been fascinating to see Marsh try something outside the crime genre, where she didn't have to shoehorn in all the interviews and alibis.<br /><br />Rollo just sounds like he should wear a cravat and have his monogrammed tankard under the bar of the local pub. Rollo and Holly are both daft names for a bloke, but Holly seems more correctly daft.<br /><br />ggaryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-74625535787171882522017-04-30T19:08:18.228+01:002017-04-30T19:08:18.228+01:00... it's not going to be the book to convince ...... it's not going to be the book to convince you about Marsh... Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-8029931237121307122017-04-30T19:07:57.356+01:002017-04-30T19:07:57.356+01:00Good point about the name - it is very 'other&...Good point about the name - it is very 'other', we need a New Zealander to tell us whether it would sound outlandish there... <br />Glad you agree about the fancy dress ball. Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-33280976228800439742017-04-30T19:07:05.307+01:002017-04-30T19:07:05.307+01:00It's not clear exactly where you stand, but I&...It's not clear exactly where you stand, but I'm all for more 'putting on a show' and less of the murder!<br />I actually wrote - on the blog and in the Guardian - on the very topic of Rollo versus Holly here with a link to Guardian: http://clothesinbooks.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/dress-down-sunday-third-man-by-graham.html<br />- and you'll see that I preferred Rollo. But now I'm not as certain as I claim to be there: maybe Holly is better... <br />Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-89474019917066286262017-04-30T16:34:56.822+01:002017-04-30T16:34:56.822+01:00A pass from me, unsurprisingly.A pass from me, unsurprisingly.col2910https://www.blogger.com/profile/06422138069939709043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-83116571765889695802017-04-30T16:16:33.643+01:002017-04-30T16:16:33.643+01:00Oh, for some reason, I thought Martyn set the char...Oh, for some reason, I thought Martyn set the character off as from the Antipodes or "not from around here". I am a pushover for Cinderella stories so I loved this one but you are right about not getting to the fancy dress ball. A severe disappointment.Aubrey Hamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10303347209631781652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-73106742708851829082017-04-30T01:18:19.163+01:002017-04-30T01:18:19.163+01:00I do find with the Marsh theatrical mysteries that...I do find with the Marsh theatrical mysteries that she's much more interested in the whole 'putting-on-a-show' set-up, but feels a bit lost without the murder and Alleyn. You're right about keeping the murder and inevitable investigation until late on, as it does give her less opportunity to indulge in all her worst habits with endless boring interviews with the suspects.<br /><br />Naming characters is an art. I remember reading the original screen novella that Graham Greene wrote for THE THIRD MAN. The character played by Joseph Cotten in the movie was originally called Rollo Martens rather than Holly Martens, and there's no doubt in my mind that the movie name works better. It's hard to say exactly why, but it just it.<br /><br />ggaryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-66320360366162647072017-04-29T23:00:26.288+01:002017-04-29T23:00:26.288+01:00Thanks for coming by. Yes, exactly, you put it so ...Thanks for coming by. Yes, exactly, you put it so well: you can call your characters whatever you want, but you may have to give a word of explanation...Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-35175816642988270832017-04-29T22:59:40.281+01:002017-04-29T22:59:40.281+01:00I disdained Jacko because of my disappointment ove...I disdained Jacko because of my disappointment over the fancydress costumes, however cheesecloth-y. You're never in doubt with Marsh as to which characters you are expected to like... <br />Green hat and yellow gloves.Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-16395714941265367362017-04-29T22:55:14.400+01:002017-04-29T22:55:14.400+01:00Yes, and a good theatrical mystery is always a jo...Yes, and a good theatrical mystery is always a job even if it's not perfect - same applies to academic mysteries in my view.Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-86668169734415980292017-04-29T05:40:15.869+01:002017-04-29T05:40:15.869+01:00I didn't actually sign up to anything just to ...I didn't actually sign up to anything just to comment here because good old Anon is quicker but for decades I have wondered the same thing about "Martyn"'s name - why does no-one remark on it, or explain her father always wanted a son, or something, anything.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-7966857545695907372017-04-28T14:31:26.069+01:002017-04-28T14:31:26.069+01:00Her invented plays all sound awful - except perhap...Her invented plays all sound awful - except perhaps for The Rat and the Beaver, in the Cat and the Canary genre. You forgot to mention a character called Jacko who speaks in broken English and whom we are supposed to love. And his fancy dress costumes are all made out of cheese cloth and painted cardboard... but perhaps fabric was still rationed.<br /><br />Is it Parry Percival whose hat is of "too bright a green"?<br />Lucy R. Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08632983296994349550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-86102832217899414732017-04-28T12:47:43.180+01:002017-04-28T12:47:43.180+01:00This may not be Marsh's best, Moira, but as yo...This may not be Marsh's best, Moira, but as you say, still enjoyable. She's done better characters, in my opinion. But you know, I did like the atmosphere she created with the Vulcan itself - the theatre building. Nicely done, I thought.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com