Brescia – 10 Top Experiences

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Judy

Located in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, not far from Milan, Brescia is a city favoured by Italian holidaymakers for its ancient streets, inspiring edifices and culture-rich surroundings.

Here are my top ten recommendations for Brescia. It’s not all about the pasta (though some of it inevitably is…)

1 Explore the past

Brescia has some impressive Roman sites, including ruins of several villas discovered beneath the nuns’ garden with the Santa Giulia museum and a rather striking structure called the Capitolium, a religious temple and theatre built in AD 73 by Roman emperor Vespasian. It was rediscovered in 1823 thanks to a single visible tower, the rest being buried far below the city’s present level. Today, you can hire special Smart Glasses that offer glimpses into history for an impression of past and present layered over one another.

Sampling the smart specs cr Edith Koechi

Sampling the smart specs with local guide Cristina Boschetti. Pic by Edith Koechl.

To me it brought to mind Daphne Du Maurier’s beautiful novel The House On The Strand, but others may find themselves channelling a certain time travelling Doctor’s sonic specs…

2 Hunt for mermaids

Brescia has a huge number of churches, (25 in the city centre alone) almost all of which are Catholic. One of my favourites is Santa Maria dei Miracoli, the exterior of which is covered with these extraordinary carvings. It’s worth taking a moment to eye up the mythical beasts – intended as warnings of the dangers that could befall you should you dare to stray from the faith. These mermaids are particularly foreboding, with their tiny wings and clawed feet.

3 Seek serenity

While fewer than the churches, there are plenty of convents to visit –even the city Santa Giulia museum is a former Benedictine monastery. This particular one is part of the San Francesco d’Assisi religious complex. Peaceful and austere, these sites provide the opportunity to stroll the walkways and courtyard while contemplating life, love and mortality.

4 Count the cherubs

There are many – inside churches (occasionally swinging from chandeliers in a rather decadent fashion perhaps better suited to the Roman days of feasting), guarding the exterior gates of splendid buildings, and spouting with water from the ornate fountains. I’m not sure why they’re quite so numerous, but they’re amusing, in a slightly sinister way, and very photogenic. This fountain sits behind the church and convent of San Francesco in Piazetta dell Immacolata.

5 Play ‘spot the architectural style’

Brescia boasts examples of architecture from every era imaginable, including pre-Roman, renaissance and stunningly modern. One of my favourites, which resembles a ship about to collide with the facing building, can be seen down an alleyway northwest of Piazza Paolo VI.

6 Watch an astronomical clock strike

In the centre of Brescia’s beautiful old quarter is an elegant square named the Piazza della Loggia and flanked at one end by the Renaissance Palace of the Loggia – now the town hall – and at the other by the astronomical clock. Each hour (or, rather, a little while after – the clock is typically laidback about punctuality), two figures strike the bell atop with hammers to remind you to take your final sip of espresso and get on with your day.

7 Meet the locals

Many Brescia residents are incomparably chic, occasionally dauntingly so, but the dogs are always friendly. This said, be aware that cooing over and petting an Italian’s beloved canine will be greeted with as much warmth as though you’d ruffled their own painstakingly coiffed hair.

8 Feast on casoncelli

This typical local dish is like a form of ravioli made with paper-thin pasta, and stuffed with cheese and breadcrumbs, meat or vegetables. The ones shown here, served at former convent hospice Osteria del Savio, cradle pumpkin, saffron cream and are perfumed with orange. Not so much the peasant fare then.

9 Compare the old with the new

Why have one cathedral when you can have two? In Brescia’s Piazza Paolo VI you can’t fail to spot the elegant white structure topped with one of the tallest domes in the Italy. Work on the Duomo Nuovo began in 1604 when it was decided the Duomo Vecchio, or old cathedral, wasn’t fancy enough. And yet, of the two, the old version, also known as the Rotonda due to its circular shape topped by a conical roof, is by far the more atmospheric. Build in the 12th century on the ruins of a former church, it has an entrance at street level with a flight of stairs leading down into the belly of the building, where services are still held today.

10 Revel in an art duet

Within Brescia’s Santa Giulia museum, you can currently experience a dialogue between two creative greats – Marc Chagall and Dario Fo. The exhibition showcases paintings and sketches from Chagall’s childhood and early adulthood with response pieces created by his devotee Fo. Resembling scenes from colour-drunk dreams, the pairing seems like an artistic match made in heaven. The duel exhibition is on until 15 February 2016.

Where to stay
NH Hotel- Brescia www.nh-hotels.com/hotel/nh-brescia

Where to eat
Trattoria La Buca www.trattorialabuca.com/english/start.htm
Osteria del Savio www.osteria-delsavio.com
Signorvino www.signorvino.com/en

Find local guide Cristina Boschetti at www.arnaldodabrescia.com.

Discover more about Brescia at www.bresciatourism.it/en/

Discover Budapest.
Discover Bath.
Discover Barcelona.
Discover Laugharne.

Writing prompt – flotsam

Posted on December 9, 2015 by Judy

You may recall that last week I published a piece on the art of Claire Luxton. I held this particular piece, To The Isle 2, back because it somehow cut to the quick of me.

The way the fragile bones of the woman’s spine show through her translucent flesh suggest she is an integral part of this marine landscape, as though she may well breathe saltwater more easily than air.

Is she shipwrecked, washed up, or simply enjoying the thin sunshine on her skin? What will happen if someone finds her here, while she seems so vulnerable? Or does she have a hidden sting or bite that will keep her from harm?

If you write something prompted by this idea, please send an email to Judy(at)socket creative.com to let me know. With your permission, I’ll publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

Theatre review – Bristol Old Vic Christmas plays

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Judy

The Night That Autumn Turned To Winter cr Jack Offord2

The Night That Autumn Turned To Winter photo by Jack Offord

Fairies, woodland creatures and wise women rampage through Bristol old Vic’s Christmas plays this year, shedding irreverent joy as they go.

I attended the press launch last week, and it was pure pleasure – what better way to spend a drizzly December day than in a theatre crammed with light, cascading streamers and baubles (kudos to the decorator), a gigantic fragrant Christmas tree and even a small bed to take selfies on?

The first treat of the afternoon was The Night That Autumn Turned to Christmas, a visual and musical feast. While aimed primarily at tiny tots, like all the best children’s fiction, it included plenty of humour for grown folks too, thanks to the talents of the three multi-tasking performers, Clare Beresford, on the double base Miriam Gould on the violin, and Dominic Conway playing guitar, banjo and ukulele.

The Night That Autumn Turned To Winter photo by Jack Offord

Miriam Gould and Clare Beresford as opera-singing rabbits photo by Jack Offord

The show is a collaboration between the celebrated Little Bulb Theatre, Farnham Maltings and Bristol Old Vic, and is crammed with moments to treasure, regardless of age. Want opera-singing rabbits? They’ve got those. A moral conundrum between a fly, a frog and a spider? It’s in there. A Scottish owl quoting poetry by Robert Burns? Absolutely (and this one was a particular pleasure). There’s also a smattering of audience participation as we aid the woodland wardens (who happen to be fairies, though not of your usual fey and Disney-fied variety) in helping the animals prepare for the long winter ahead, but just enough to keep the smaller audience members entranced.

As clever lighting shifts the timescale from day to night, one final treat may be in store – a glimpse of the winter unicorn. Give yourself up to the magic of the spectacle and you’ll feel a shiver run down your spine as it finally trots into view…

David Emmings as Prince Percy Photo by Steve Tanner

And then onto Sleeping Beauty, a slightly weightier affair suitable for ages seven and up, directed by the much-lauded Sally Cookson. The scene opens on Prince Percy weeping bucket-loads of tears, and ended, as all the best tales too, with the beginning of a new adventure.

In this version, more than gender is changed. The fairy godmothers, or good fairies, have morphed into wise women – often caught chatting via the clunky telephones they keep in their equally enormous handbags.

The prince’s first birthday is approaching, and a party is planned, the invitations dispersed. Naturally, the invite to wise-women-gone-bad Sylvia (Stu Goodwin on dazzling form) goes unwritten and unsent, with familiar results. The prince is doomed to prick his finger before his 16th birthday.

Stu Goodwin as Sylvia, Joe Hall as King Derek and Lucy Tuck as Queen Vanessa – Photo by Steve Tanner

In fact, the prince’s sleep lasts only to the interval thanks to passerby Deilen, with the whole second half drawing inspiration from a Welsh folktale and taken up with Deilen’s quest to find ‘the leaves that hang but do not grow’. Before she can achieve her aim, wicked Sylvia saunters back into the mix, resulting in the floods of tears we witnessed at the beginning and giving Deilen one more task to perform.

Kezrena James as Deilen is an independent, strong-minded, believable heroine who serves as a strong antidote to the usual female fare of fairytales and pantomimes alike, while David Emmings’ Prince Percy is kind-hearted and just gutsy enough not to be irredeemably annoying.

But, (along with the musicians Brian Hargreaves, Ruth Hammond and Pat Moran who deserve a special mention for sweeping the action along) it’s the wise women who steal the show – hats, handbags, oversized feet, wings and all. They’re a delight joy to watch – old biddies doing their best for the young prince they’re determined to see find a happy ending.

Sleeping Beauty is at Bristol Old Vic Theatre until the 17 January 2016.
The Night That Autumn Turned to Winter is on until 10 January 2016.
Find out more at www.bristololdvic.org.uk.

A meeting of minds

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Judy

I’m an ardent admirer of the inspiration one art form can fuel in another. Occasionally these prompted pieces can take the form of a dialogue with the original works, adding meaning and verve to those earlier pieces.

At the Santa Giulia museum of Brescia, a duel exhibition is performing just this feat, showcasing 35 works by 1997 Nobel prize winner Dario Fo created in direct response to the work of his hero Marc Chagall.

Rather like a duet of piano and cello playing out to exquisite effect, with one passage of notes echoing and building on the other, the exhibition features celebrated pieces by Chagall reflecting moments from his youth and early adulthood, with dreams and impressions woven into the paintings and sketches, many of which have never been displayed before.

I entered this gallery first, accompanied by dozens of members of the Italian press, all jostling for a closer look and a quote from curator Eugenia Petrova and artist Dario Fo.

The images, which include stunning early works from Chagall’s childhood in Russia, resounded against the walls of the narrow space, presenting scenes of farmland against portraits of Jewish workers – this is the artist whose painting The Fiddler inspired the musical Fiddler on the Roof, a detail I rather love, and which demonstrates the visceral energy of his work.

Fo, you may recall, is most celebrated for his work in the theatre (as a playwright, set and costume designer, director and even composer) explaining in part, perhaps, this match made in heaven.

Many of Chagall’s works speak of love, too, which is also an enduring theme for Fo.

In a separate hall, I strolled amid the 20 works by Dario Fo, each created especially for the exhibition. Accompanied by 15 preparatory paintings, the companion pieces draw from Chagall’s work but also Fo’s own life.

They fizz with vigour, revelling in their colour-saturated canvasses. Even pieces depicting traumatic events (such as this one by Fo showing the new-born Chagall being plunged into an ice-cold bath to shock him into breathing), are packed with humour.

There’s a wonderful sense of Dario’s personality imbuing the pieces, a wry wickedness and a glint of mischief. This is, after all, the man who muddled together European languages to create a brand new theatre experience.

While Dario (pictured left) claims to have learnt storytelling from fisherfolk and glassblowers, his passion for the work of Chagall means much of his mark-making has been influenced by the artist described by Pablo Picasso as “the only painter left who understands what colour really is.”

It’s a legacy that lifts both segments of the conjoined exhibition, along with a passion for the fantastical and surreal.

Dario Fo was born in March 1926, and discovered Chagall’s work when he was only in his twenties.

It’s such a happy and harmonious union that I can only wonder that this collaborative exhibition didn’t happen earlier, and be glad that it happened at all.

Marc Chagall. Russian years 1907-1924: with a story in pictures by Dario Fo is on at the Santa Giulia museum in Brescia until 15 February 2016. I can’t think of a more delightful excuse to flit over to this beautiful Italian town than an exceptional spot of culture. Find out more about Brescia at www.bresciatourism.it/en/

A Chagall-inspired writing prompt.
A Chagall-inspired play.

A sky-themed tale

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Judy

My short story Altitude has reached dizzying heights with publication at Flash Frontier‘s sky-themed November 2015 issue.

The online literary magazine’s remit is to publish tales no more than 250-words in length, accompanied by gorgeous artwork to enhance the reading experience. My particular flash fiction piece took the thought of sky and paired it with the desire-driven risks we take, and perhaps regret. It was prompted by gazing up at one of the elegant old cranes situated at Bristol’s harbourside.

My story begins: The air seems different up here, Dan thinks – thinner, hungrier. It bites at him as he shudders; nibbles with sharp teeth and lapping tongues. Inside his head, he can hear its snarl.

Read Altitude in its entirety, and all the other stories in this issue, at flash-frontier.com/2015/11/19/november-2015-sky/.

Leave your hat on

Posted on November 20, 2015 by Judy

Totterdown Front Room Arts Trail gets underway today with a hat-themed extravaganza of art, music and lots of cake.

This year there will also be free taster sessions in a range of creative pastimes, from silk painting to needle felting to (ooh, dizzy with anticpation!) messy art play for adults!

Turning the hat theme on its head, I’m sticking my foot in with a scattering of mini-socks emblazoned with positive messages (and an assorted of tootsie-related puns – thanks Zan!) that I’m hoping will make people smile. If you spot one, feel free to take it home with you to remind you that there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful. Even better, tweet me @JudyDarley with the hashtag #happytoes to let me know.

Totterdown Front Room Arts Trail is on from 20th-22nd November 2015. Find full details at frontroom.org.uk.

Book review – Nora Webster by Colm Tóibín

Posted on November 17, 2015 by Judy

Drawing on the months and years after the death of his father, Colm Tóibín has created an elegant, honest portrayal of grief – not his own but his mother’s.

By shifting the point of view he edges from memoir into fiction, but the truths remain. Nora Webster has lost her husband Maurice, the man she’d intended to spend her life with, and now has to re-learn herself without him.

Through the novel Colm captures the sense of small town Ireland in the sixties, where to have your hair dyed is borderline scandalous and wearing a red coat to the first day on a job is regarded as distastefully showy. Nora is a quiet woman who left much of the opinion spouting to her husband, but now he’s dead she realises she has beliefs and ideas of her own. Continue reading →

Writing prompt – unexpected

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Judy

I often walk over this bridge on my way into town, and one day glanced down to see this face smiling to itself.

What an unexpected encounter! It reminds me of films like Labyrinth, when any supposedly inanimate object might wake up and spout an opinion, invited or not.

In Norse mythology, Bifrost, the bridge to heaven, is guarded by a watchman called Heimdallr. Apparently his hearing is so keen he can listen to the grass growing on the earth, the wool growing on the sheep, which may be why he has his eyes closed and such a beatific expression on his face.

What everyday items in your story could surprise your protagonist by coming to life? What advice or warning might they offer? Are they wise, mischievous or downright evil? Will your character heed them? With what consequence?

If you create something prompted by this, please let me know by sending an email to judydarley(at)gmail.com. With your permission, I’d love to share it on SkyLightRain.com.

Writing prompt – studio

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Judy

Tonight I’ll be reading two short tales inspired by art at the Written from Art event taking place at Carol Peace’s sculpture studio.

Actually, one is inspired by art, the other more by artists, the space they inhabit and the tantalising mess they create. As a child I loved to creep into my mum’s painting studio, inhale the aromas of chalk and dust and ink, and eye-up the glorious miscellany that cluttered that light-filled space.

This week, using the photo above (showing Carol’s studio at Paintworks) as your starting point, write a piece about an artist from the point of view of someone who hasn’t met them but is discovering them through the studio where they spend much of their time.

If you write something prompted by this idea, I’d love to know. Just send an email to Judy(at)socket creative.com. With your permission, I’d love to publish it on SkyLightRain.com.

Distant storms

Posted on October 20, 2015 by Judy

I’ve been subscribing to Mslexia for many years, and have been relishing the little ms newsletter that goes out to subscribers ever since its launch. It’s full of ideas, inspiration and quirky nuggets of information. Each one includes a flash card – an image you’re invited to turn into a 100-word story.

IMAGE © GABCZI and SHUTTERSTOCK via Mslexia

They’re fantastic writing prompts, and when I saw the one shown to the left, a story crept into my mind. I wrote a version that was twice as long as it needed to be, cut it down, polished the sentences, rearranged a few, replaced some with others and finally had a piece I liked, so sent it in.

When I opened the October little miss, I discovered to my pleasure and surprise that my tale had been chosen to appear! Such a joy.

Here is the first sentence for all those none subscribers (and I urge you to subscribe at once!).

Distant storms

It’s almost a decade since anyone came by our flooded city, so when the smoke went up, a bruised tower against the sky, my heart jumped in my chest…