Established 1890

A bit fragile today, after a late night out to celebrate R's birthday. A good evening with many of the cast of Jerusalem and other theatre friends. Anyway we left the pub late and then stayed up later still after we got home. So it was a rather late start to the day. We dropped off a garden chair at the theatre that they will use in Jerusalem and then L and I went to see the UK premiere of a film in the little cinema at the Brass Monkey! This is L outside the traditional barber's shop on the same street as the pub. The film we went to see was called Ni Sisi and was set in Kenya. A film with a strong political message for peace in the country in the lead-up to another election and based on a touring play the same group had taken around the country. The film itself included some footage of stage performances in front of passionate and enthusiastic crowds. And it was all made really quickly, in a matter of months so that it could be shown before the election earlier this year. And it seemed to work, or at least be part of a process towards more peaceful democracy. Despite another close, and contested result, the 86% turnout produced a result that was confirmed by the courts, and accepted by the defeated candidate despite his reservations and so far at least without the same explosion of tribal violence that marked the last election in 2008.