Guts and Gore in Nottingham

Went back up to Nottingham this weekend to start planning the RH2006 2009 Convention. Was invited on a Guts and Gore tour by the guide himself Ezekial Bone. So off I went with Charlotte from the RH2006 forum. It wasn't exactly the weather to be walking the streets of Nottingham, torrential rain and windy, all added to the atmosphere though. There were about another 15 hardy souls who set out from the Galleries of Justice.

The Guts and Gore Tour is not a ghost tour. Instead its a journey through the unsavoury and gruesome past of Nottingham. Starting on the steps (and site of execution) at the Galleries, you are treated to tales of execution, murder, crumbling graves and body snatching in the area around the Lace Market. Your guide is a master storyteller, eyewitness to many events, a rogue but one who can declaim Byron. There are no special effects or rigged frights; just tales to make the hair stand up on the back of your neck, especially in St Mary's Churchyard, where in the dark and wind and rain you can imagine the sight of resurrectionists plundering the nearby graves.

The tour lasted about 1 and a half hours, long enough to give you a taste of Nottingham's less well know history.

Tours are held the first Saturday of each month and you should reserve places. The tours are run by Bone Corporation and you can visit their site here

The End for Robin Hood?

So Jonas Armstrong is to hang up his bow as Robin Hood in the BBC Series at the end of Season 3. I really cannot see how the show can continue after the loss of both Robin and Marian (although many people watch it just for the wonderful Richard Armitage as Sir Guy).

Reading the comments from the makers it does sound, however they are going full steam ahead on a 4th series, so it begs the question what will they do with a show called Robin Hood with no Robin Hood. I can think of a few possibilities:

1. They replace Jonas with a new actor playing Robin Hood
2. A member of the gang takes over the 'mantle' (and the legendary name) of Robin Hood - Much seems a likely candidate.
3. The Gang carry on fighting without a Robin Hood figure.

Number 1 is a problem, yes its been done before in Robin of Sherwood, but that got away with it to a certain extent because of the mysticism of the show. This Robin Hood has always made much of its realism (well okay, not in the costumes), so they wouldn't surely change direction with that angle. The other way could be that Robin has some big fight, which does sound likely and is badly scarred and to be honest I wouldn't put it past the makers to chuck a bit of medieval plastic surgery in (Davina's modern prosthetics, Season 2 Episode 1 anyone!).

Number 2 I don't think would hold people's attention, and the same goes for number 3.

Its had a good run, not been the massive success in the UK, the makers hoped for but with healthy overseas sales, it really needs to quit whilst its still ahead and you never know it could keep the affection that ROS has got from its fans.

Declttering Feels Good

I am very proud of myself. I recently moved to a new bigger flat which is great as I am possibly one of the biggest hoarders in the world. Easy then just to move stuff over. But no, I decided to use the opportunity to have a serious clear out. Result 16 bin bags of clothes to the recycling point, 6 boxes of books, 3 boxes of DVDs, 3 bin bags of clothes, shoes, handbags and other paraphanalia for the car boot sale (when I can get up that early). For sometime now my wardrobes have merely been there to store boxes of stuff and I thought it would be nice to use them for clothes at the new place.



I've decluttered in the past but in a very wishy washy way, but this time I was ruthless. Nothing was safe, not even all the press cuttings, magazines etc about Richard Armitage and Robin Hood of which there were TWO boxes full, and so heavy I had problems lifting them. They have gone on EBay for some appreciative fan to enjoy. I thought long and hard, but then again they had been in the wardrobe in boxes, not being looked at so were added to the list of things to go.



Result is that I am not struggling for storage space. I no longer have to spend time looking at boxes and wondering what the hell is in them and my clothes are nicely arranged in my wardrobes, not just in piles everywhere. Plus my lovely new flat is clutter free.



Now all I need is a nearby car boot sale and an early start!

Richard Armitage is getting into character

Richard Armitage is certainly getting into character for his new role as Lucas North in Spooks. He's using code for his latest message to his fans:). Luckily it's not too hard to decrypt, except possibly for overseas fans. Clue - Barnet is cockney rhyming slang for hair.

You can read the message the The Armitage Army here.

Much squeeing in the land of Armitageshire

After yesterday's confirmation that Richard Armitage is taking the lead role in Spooks. You would have thought his fans would have squeeed themselves out by now. Just as we were coming back down to earth, and realising that a day of excitement meant we hadn't got anything done, like jobs, housework, feeding the cat/dog/rabbit/husband, news came in from a very lucky lady who had woken up to discover Richard filming Spooks at the bottom of her street.

She got a chance to chat to Richard and also take photos. One very lucky lady. It made her late to work, but hey its a much better excuse than public transport problems or simply oversleeping. Who would think of such mundane things like work at a time like that.

She's very kindly allowed the photos to be published on The Armitage Army Forum. You have to join to view, but let me tell you its well worth it. Richard looks gorgeous as ever, and I for one am impressed that she managed to keep the camera steady enough.

Eli ponders if she will ever get anyhting as exciting as RA filming at the bottom of her street instead of gangs of 12 year olds trying to chat you up or asking you for cigarettes.

Richard Armitage to join Spooks

Quickie blog just to say that the lovely Richard Armitage (North and South, Robin Hood, Vicar of Dibley) is joining the cast of hit BBC drama Spooks (MI-5 in the US). He is currently filming in London.

Richard will appear as Lucas North, who has just spent 8 years in a Russian jail. He will replace Rupert Penry-Jones who is leaving the series, as the lead. The series will air on BBC One in Autumn 2008.

You can read all about it at The Armitage Army website here.

And lo there was much squeeing in the Army of Armitageshire

What the ??????

I read the funniest comment today. Well it would be funny if it wasn't so full of crap. Apparently Richard Armitage's fans have taken exception to him receiving agressive mail after his character Guy of Gisborne's action in the TV programme Robin Hood. This is bullshit. Being a member of the RA community I have never seen such a thing. Yes some people say Uh what are those people on, its not real, and others thinking that's the response Richard wanted when he took on the role of the evil Guy of Gisborne.

I wish people would just stick to twittering on about their own fandom, and not carp on about something they have no idea about in an attempt to insult another fandom.