Max Deveson

"Years and years ago, there was a production of The Tempest, out of doors, at an Oxford college on a lawn, which was the stage, and the lawn went back towards the lake in the grounds of the college, and the play began in natural light. But as it developed, and as it became time for Ariel to say his farewell to the world of The Tempest, the evening had started to close in and there was some artificial lighting coming on. And as Ariel uttered his last speech, he turned and he ran across the grass, and he got to the edge of the lake and he just kept running across the top of the water — the producer having thoughtfully provided a kind of walkway an inch beneath the water. And you could see and you could hear the plish, plash as he ran away from you across the top of the lake, until the gloom enveloped him and he disappeared from your view. And as he did so, from the further shore, a firework rocket was ignited, and it went whoosh into the air, and high up there it burst into lots of sparks, and all the sparks went out, and he had gone. "When you look up the stage directions, it says, 'Exit Ariel.”

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

Comic. Panels up to the 10-year point are grayed out. New panels since the Ten Years comic, which chronicles the first ten years of PERSON 1's journey with cancer: (1) [two people in bed] PERSON 1 (woman): One more chapter? PERSON 2 (man): Don’t we both have to get up early? PERSON 1: Nnnnnggggh PERSON 2: Sure, good point. (2) [many people wearing masks, walking while looking at graphs on their phones] (3) [birds landing on people] PERSON 2 in beanie and scarf: Hah! They like *my* seeds best. PERSON 1 in scarf holding phone with a bird sitting on it: Wait, how do I take a picture of this one? (4) [two people rowing boats with tree landscape] (5) [Person 1 carries overflowing stack of things to Person 2 in bed] PERSON 1: I brought you honey lemon tea, more pillows, a cinnamon roll, Tylenol, another blanket, a– PERSON 2: It was just Appendicitis, I’m really– PERSON 1: *It is my turn to take care of you and I am going to do it right!* (6) [Two people in car] (7) [still in car) PERSON 1: Oh my god. PERSON 2: Oh my god. (8) [car driving] PERSON 1: Pull over! PERSON 2: I am! (9) [both people get out of car] (10) [Large colored panel of aurora borealis over water with both people looking on] (11) [Person 1 sits against tree while Person 2 lies on the ground] PERSON 1: Fifteen years. No sign of the cancer. (12) I *am* having some weird symptoms. Joint pain. Fatigue. I think I’m losing my close-up vision. PERSON 2: Yeah. Me too. (13) PERSON 2: I think we’re getting old. (14) PERSON 1: I guess that’s okay. PERSON 2: It’s all I wanted.

Fifteen Years

xkcd.com/3172/

Mani of The Stone Roses

R.I.P. Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, bassist of #TheStoneRoses and #PrimalScream

buff.ly/qN3AvUA

“That barometer stopped at his exact time of death, so it can’t have been the Rear Admiral” etc

Sorry but I have now copyrighted the cosiest IP of them all: a weatherman solving crimes, using shipping forecast names for the book titles. Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll cut you in.

#bbcglobaleye really is a fantastic advert for BBC News worldwide, every Monday at 7pm.

I like how the caption on this photo reads as if he's making a claim that could not be independently verified.

Ah I thought it looked moor-ish

Taking the idea of a Bluesky post very literally! :-) These are beautiful, where are they taken?

Try Aargh though!

1817 map snipping, "Well. Well. Well."

Look what we have here then.

🙃

Could it be “Today” by Talk Talk? Which, um, repeats the word “Today”. But fits the vibe you describe perfectly.

Gif from Steven Moffat’s breakthrough show “Press Gang” in which Spike played by Dexter Fletcher expresses frustrated dismay

I came across this user comment while looking for some Nick Drake demos on YouTube just now. Have a read - it's rather magical. Original link: youtube.com/watch?v=fBdb...

This gave me shivers! Thanks for sharing.

Surely you could make your fortune as a tribute act? Fibreglass McCombs?

Little guitar cover of Missionary Bell from the new Cass McCombs album

I only listened to this shimmering gem of a song because of your excellent cover and now it's an obsession. Thank you for introducing me to my song of the year!

I love that song of theirs, Henry the Hoover Dam

Simon Jenkins should be focusing more on this egregious cultural vandalism

Can we have *that* Internet back please, thanks

Don't you dare switch channels #talisman

You were right!

OK proper glacial valley

Proper gorge

Piggy Stardust?

YouTube video by BBC Newsnight Duncan Weldon investigates Twin Peaks - Newsnight

No generic high street shots or stressed traders in this one! (But arguably a… stretched visual metaphor)

youtu.be/iftldQWkqYs?...

Thanks so much for this thread. Invaluable.

Great public service thread here for Oxfordshire folks from @oxfordclarion.bsky.social - results of the local elections as they are announced