Here is my "annual" Twelfth Night photo, from the 1987 Royal Shakespeare Company production -- Jim Hooper as Fabian, Roger Allam as a rather svelte Sir Toby, and David Bradley as the dimwitted Sir Andrew Aguecheek. Brilliant, all -- with Harriet Walter as Viola and Antony Sher as Malvolio. I had the good fortune to see this production in Stratford, and it still glows in my memory.
I shall not hazard much of a guess as to where in the play this photo was taken, since it would seriously distract me from getting this post written, but here is as handy a quote as any, I think -- Fabian says to Sir Andrew, talking him into duelling with Cesario (Viola in disguise), "you are now sailed into the north of my lady's opinion; where you will hang like an icicle on a Dutchman's beard, unless you do redeem it by some laudable attempt either of valour or policy," (Act 3, Scene 2) which laudable attempt is unfortunately beyond Sir Andrew's, er, limited capabilities. Bradley was wonderfully dense -- not quite as poignant as Richard E. Grant in the 1996 movie, perhaps -- but very funny, nevertheless.
In knitting news -- because there is some! -- I finished my Spey Valley socks just before Christmas.
This grey wool -- Regia 4-Ply farbe 44 -- is wonderfully hairy and dour, quite Scottish, I thought.
Am delighted with the Vikkel Braid, which is basically just a twisted stitch laid on its side. After you work the twist -- a K second st tbl, K first st maneuver familiar from EZ's January Aran and other projects -- you put the last st worked back on the left needle and repeat. Instead of slanting 45° it slants 90, for a fantastically different effect.
And I started a Vintage Velvet scarf in some delicious "Touch Me" chenille -- very touchable, indeed. I frequently find myself just petting it!
