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Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 16m

And to repeat what I've been saying yet again:

If this is the end of the war (still big if), it will be in spite of Trump, not because of him. All he's achieved is a partial reversal of this year's escalation, which was his bloody fault in the first place.

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 27m

The next few days are going to tell us a lot about who truly wants peace and who really wants revenge.

Whether you like it or not, this is a situation where you can't have both. Time to choose.

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 2h

Good news for once:

* Sarah Bond's acclamation for Seagulls.
* Scarborough Fringe's winter edition
* @bohoarts.bsky.social phase 1 goes ahead
* Lumiere programme announced (but there's a catch)
* @claybodytheatre.bsky.social stays at the Dipping House chrisontheatre.wordpress.com/2025/10/08/o...

Odds and sods: September 2025

A major nomination for Sarah Bond, Winter Scarborough Fringe, Boho Arts, Lumiere and Claybody Theatre’s Dipping House.

chrisontheatre.wordpress.com

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 2h

New blog post: Odds and Sods for September 2025.

As always, I catch up on all the non-fringe news since my last odds and sods for June.

chrisontheatre.wordpress.com/2025/10/08/o...

Odds and sods: September 2025

A major nomination for Sarah Bond, Winter Scarborough Fringe, Boho Arts, Lumiere and Claybody Theatre’s Dipping House.

chrisontheatre.wordpress.com

1

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 4h

Of course, it's only a real Casino Royale if it comes from the French region of Burgundy.

Everything else is just a sparkling betting shop.

3

Reposted by Chris Neville-Smith

Live Theatre @livetheatre.bsky.social · 1d

From Eastlake Productions don't miss #BigAnge from Thu 6 - Sat 22 Nov!
Blue jeans, a whistle, & a Neil Diamond playlist — Big Ange, the dinner lady has got this in this brand new play exploring growing up in a fractured political world. With footy (obvs).
Book now at www.live.org.uk/whats-on/big...

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Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 1d

My favourite Youtube adverts are adverts for miracle AI products - tagged on to a video about the latest fuck-up caused by dependence on miracle AI products.

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 1d

September Odds and Sods written up, will publish tomorrow.

And, for once, all five stories are good news.

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks!

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 2d

I never thought I'd say this, but Kemi Badenoch seems to have pushed the Tories into being even more batshit insane than Reform.

And that's saying something.

3

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 2d

Unless, of course, you've doubled down so far on two tier justice you have to invent a cause to back up your imagined double standard.

In which case, it makes perfect sense.

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 2d

It doesn't even make sense. The sentencing council sets rules for everybody. Judges set the actual sentences against individuals.

Should it turn out someone got an unduly lenient (or unduly harsh) sentence for being a minority, it would be down to a biased judge, not a biased sentencing council.

The Secret Barrister @barristersecret.bsky.social · 2d

This is a lie.

There are many criticisms you might sensibly and truthfully make of the Sentencing Council and the Sentencing Guidelines. I’ve been making them for years.

But this is an outright lie. Pure fabrication. A fraud on the public.

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Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 2d

Okay, sorry for the delay. Had a couple of family things to co-ordinate and wasn't sure which dates I'd be free. But plan A is now fine:

If you book me in for the Northern Stage perf on 25th Oct I'll get to that one.

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Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 2d

Antisemites celebrate two years of being able to say the quiet bit out loud.

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 2d

Describe your Bluesky account in a single image.

(Are animated GIFs allowed?)

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 3d

One bit of news I've missed with Lumiere:

It's scaled down this year. Three days instead of four, and fewer installations. Look under pressure from a funding squeeze.

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 3d

This one's okay: it's festivals Edinburgh, the umbrella organisation for the Fringe, Festival, Tattoo etc. We should listen to what they say.

But articles like these give equal prominence to partisan think tanks and bury the source. The very first question we should always ask is: who said that?

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 3d

Small request: can you please put in headlines who actually wrote this "report". Otherwise, that could be anything.

www.thestage.co.uk/news/edinbur...

Edinburgh festivals under threat due to increasing costs – report

The exorbitant cost of accommodation is putting pressure on the “very feasibility” of Edinburgh’s arts festivals, according to a recent report

www.thestage.co.uk

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Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 4d

Are there subliminal messages in Sopranos frames on order we need to be aware of?

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 5d

IDK, if the catchy chant you use at your demo is also being used as a racist dog-whistle, you should probably think of a different catchy chant that isn't.

That is, if you think said racist dog-whistle is a bad thing.

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 5d

And, yes, this means Donald Trump takes the credit as a peacemaker when the reality is he's done way more harm than good. And all sorts of other downsides.

But it's by far the lesser of two evils.

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 5d

I am VERY cautious about this. We've been here before and been disappointed.

But I really really hope this is the end of dreadful chapter.

www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Hamas says it agrees to release all Israeli hostages under Trump Gaza plan

Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of U.S. President Donald Trump's Gaza proposal, and signalled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.

www.reuters.com

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Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 6d

Awful lot of replies to this making excuses to do nothing.

I'm pretty sure in in the aftermath of 9/11 we had no trouble opposing the perpetrators of 9/11 AND 9/11-driven racism at the same time. It's really not that hard.

Nadine Batchelor-Hunt @nadinebh.bsky.social · 6d

1/4 Antisemitism is not taken seriously enough in progressive spaces or in pro-Palestinian activism spaces - that is simply a statement of fact

Week after week we saw antisemitic elements at pro-Palestine protests, shouting hatred with protesters walking by saying and doing nothing about it

Chris Neville-Smith @cns-theatre.bsky.social · 6d

Happy Mean Girls Day to those who celebrate.

Reposted by Chris Neville-Smith

Nadine Batchelor-Hunt @nadinebh.bsky.social · 6d

1/4 Antisemitism is not taken seriously enough in progressive spaces or in pro-Palestinian activism spaces - that is simply a statement of fact

Week after week we saw antisemitic elements at pro-Palestine protests, shouting hatred with protesters walking by saying and doing nothing about it

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