A fire in Rome...

[fajrdrako]

Interesting Doctor Who and David Tennant news from the Sun. Contains potential spoilers. How reliable is this likely to be? If true... interesting on all counts.

And a serious question: How likely am I to be able to go to England in 2008?

Comments

[cyberducks.livejournal.com]

Well, the part about the huge fire at the Cincetta studio is true. That was in Variety. And of course it's been rumoured from different sources that Tennant is leaving at the end of series 4 for a while now, but they haven't found his successor yet. If he were to leave during series 4 - which I doubt - they would have to really scramble right now to get his replacement lined up. Of course they had to scramble when Eccles left, so they are used to it.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'd be willing to bet good money that Tennant will stay to the end of series 4, but I'd be surprised if he stayed beyond that. Interesting if Tennant and Davies leave at the same time.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

I can't think it would be that hard to schedule shooting around a run of Hamlet. Shakespeare runs don't tend to be all that long.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I wondered about that, but who am I to question? Goodness knows Tennant has managed to time Doctor Who schedules along with other movies and miniseries work he has done over the past two years. The bottom line is that they probably don't know what his plans are - or maybe someone hopes for a really, really long run of Hamlet.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Scotland would be better. ;-D

I'm wondering if I'll ever have a holiday again! Still, have an interview coming up…

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I don't really know if I'll ever have a holiday again either! Six months ago I'd have said 'no'. Now... hopes and fantasies creep back into my life.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

I want to go back to Strasbourg and to Montferrat. And I'd love to go to Paris; I've only been to Charles de Gaulle Airport, which has good shops, but doesn't really count.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Why Strasbourg? I'd love to return to Italy. I've been to Paris several times - I like it, but would currently be more interested in seeing other parts of France.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

I've been there twice on European Heritage Days co-ordination conferences. It has wonderful Gothic and Jugendstil architecture, an eminently walkable Altstadt on the island in the Ill, with half-timbered buildings, great food (flammkuchen; liver dumplings with noodles; choucroute/sauerkraut, kugelhopf(sweet or savoury)…) There are some great shops, too, for books, unusual CDs (I got a 3-disc set of the Carmina Burana), & c.

It has a marvellous cultural mix. It was one of the great cities of the HRE, and only became French in Louis XIV's time, changing hands again a few times after that. Most of the best architecture actually comes from its 2 main German periods: pre-mid-17C, and the Jugendstil. The local dialect language is a form of German. Frederick Barbarossa held court there a few times, and Gutenberg is a local hero. (I stayed in the Hotel Gutenberg). At the same time, there's also the Palais Rohan, associated with the Bishops, including the one who was gulled in the Diamond Necklace affair. One can see Napoleon's bedroom there. And it's where the March of the Army of the Rhine (now known as the Marseillaise) was composed.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Ah, well, then - add Strasbourg to my list of places I'd like to see! Even if only for the food. And the half-timbering.

[rosiespark.livejournal.com]

In response to your serious question: my first thought was, I wonder if I can meet her there? Where in the UK are you thinking of going?

Not clicking on the spoilers. Don't want to know. I got slightly spoiled for something that happens in HP and the DH yesterday, through not averting my eyes fast enough. It's very hard to stop reading fast enough when you read something telling you that the next sentence is a spoiler. ::gnashes teeth::

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't really know about England in 2008, though I wouldn't say it's impossible - it's France in 2009 with the Dunnett crowd that I really have had my eye on. Mind you. In answer to the 'where', my plan would be to go to wherever the item in the article is available, whenever it is available. London, at a guess? And I don't know what other diversions would be beckoning, but in England it seems there's always good theatre somewhere.

The idea appeals. I am loving such an ascetic life these days - surely my debts will be cleared soon?

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

I have spent my whole life avoiding London unless absolutely necessary. It's always been too far away and too expensive to travel to. I've only had 4 fleeting day trips, except for just passing through to get to Heathrow.

I can fly to Italy quicker than I get to my parents in Hull by rail. (Which isn't as far as London).

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

From Canada, London is one of the easiest and cheapest destinations - easier and cheaper to get to than many places within Canada or the States. And I loved living there, when I did.

The problem is, what to do once you get there - accommodation costs a fortune.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Yup. But rail fares here are extortionate, and long coach journeys, though cheaper, are uncomfortable. I think I flew to Turin and back more cheaply than I could have got a train to London and back.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

rail fares here are extortionate

While railways are becoming extinct here. They cost more than buses, and are usually slower and less efficient - with a few rare exceptions. They're still more comfortable, though likely to break down in any given trip. Once in midsummer I took a train to Montreal that had no air conditioning - excruciating. That might sound trivial, but as the temperature mounted... it wasn't. Not something to lightly forget.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I meant 'living' not 'loving' the ascetic life - not that it's bad, just that I'm doing it to be practical rather than to be virtuous.

And I also want to buy a new computer. This wonderful creature that I'm working on is just so old and tiny.

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

if you are in London, any thoughts about hopping over :-)

if you are living the ascetic life a go you can come camping in my place.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Well, I'd love to visit you! England and Europe sometimes seem so far away... and sometimes so close. We shall see.

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

well, you should certainly let me know if you manage to be in the neighborhood. If you have the time, you can get really cheaply from London to Amsterdam (by bus, so comfy is otherwise, but still, practice some yogapostures that you can do on a chair) (And the busstop is 10 minutes from my place)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

A bus from London to Amsterdam - what a cool idea! When I lived there it was necessary to take a ferry, and I discovered I could get seasick.

So how long does the bus trip take?

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

yes, there is a tunnel now!

The bus takes about 10 and a half hour. And there is always the train...

The bus has special promo tickets at the moment 9 euro for a one way trip, which is like nothing (less than a China exhibition). The train is more comfortable but also more expensive.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

9 euro for a one way trip

That's impressive!

Trains are more comfortable, and in Europe (unlike Canada) likely to be on schedule and get where they're going.

These are all things for me to keep in mind as I save my money and pay off my debts.

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Here's the Variety article. The sentence about DW filming there is at the very bottom:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117970034.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Here's the studio's official site, if you're interested:
http://www.cinecittastudios.it/public/index.cfm?changeLang=2

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Good links - thanks. I can't help thinking of the burning of Rome in Nero's time - maybe this is a good moment for them to do a Nero biopic?