WOLF HALL

Mantel's writing seems to provoke extremes.  Many don't appreciate her style,  not to mention her revisionist portrayal of Cromwell, while others, myself included, find her skill and vision breathtaking.  I'm always nervous about seeing dramatisations of literature I admire, so it was with some trepidation I watched the first episode.  After being in two minds for the first five minutes, I was completely won over. Like the books, the programme is spare in dialogue and explanation, generous in the portrayal of domestic detail, body language and internal struggles. The final scene when Cromwell encounters Henry in the garden literally took my breath away.  You witness both men caught between the thrall of unbelievable power and its terror.  The casting is clever. A masterly portrayal of a time when life was so fragile, glorious and brief - I loved it. 

Busy old day before then.  Lots of admin to clear before holiday, students booking on courses, new projects to cost, deals to be done, curtains to be hung and issues to be sorted. Thank goodness I don't have an errant king to advise as well.