Is anyone else missing The Hour?

I really liked this series!

Yes it got some bad write ups, yes sometimes the dialogue slips up, yes it’s not 100% historically accurate about the mid-1950s, yes the Bel annoyed the crap out of me but I loved it! (and the daily mail hates it so it must be good!)

If anyone who hasn’t seen it (shame on you) the series centres on a new current affairs show called The Hour being launched by the BBC in June 1956, at the time of the Suez Crisis. It isn’t the british Mad Men but the sets and costumes are just as lovely and it’s got a pretty stella cast!

Filmed at the Lime Grove Studios (which is the original home of Doctor Who!) what could have been another period soap became a spy murder mystery thriller!

The Female lead (loosely based on Grace Wyndham Goldie I believe) Bel Rowley played by Romola Garai, is a woman breaking the glass ceiling of the fifties to lead a new topical news show (the hour). She spends half her time working out how to get around the government’s news gag and the other half ruining her career by messing around with a  married co-worker. Garai made such a fantastic clothes horse even vogue noticed! Each episode there was another dress to lust over…

The love-sick best friend,  Freddie Lyon played by Ben Whishaw, who half of the time fights against the Government’s gag with Bel the other half investigating the murder of an old family friend which spirals out of control with spies and all.

And  Hector Madden played by Dominic West as the handsome yet incompetent host who’s wife’s Daddy is a big-wig at the BBC. He forms the third side of the love triangle between Bel and Freddie.

Though the people I enjoyed the most were the supporting characters

Hector’s wife, Marnie Madden played by Oona Chaplin who squares up to her husband’s mistress…

Clarence Fendley played by Anton Lesser as the Head of News who ends up being quite a naughty man but does the more BRILLIANT dressing down of Bel in his office pointing out the stupidity of her affair

as put brilliantly by the guardian… 

Bel and Hector’s illicit romance was a nice garnish, but when Clarence finally pulled Bel into his office to give her an abrupt dressing down over the affair, I almost stood and cheered. If only he had done it in episode three so Bel’s character could have been more involved in the plot rather than simpering at her married colleague.

Angus McCain played by the brilliant Julian Rhind-Tutt as the slimy, sexist, secretly gay press advisor and as a liaison between the government.

And my absolute favourite character Lix Storm played by Anna Chancellor (duck face!)  as war correspondent who got all the best lines and not enough screen time…

“Whisky is god’s way of telling us he loves us and wants us to be happy.”

I felt the series was too short with only 6 episodes but thankfully its been picked up for another one! I will definitely be keeping an eye out for when that blesses the screen again! Now I just need something to fill the hole its left behind!

All the vintage goodness I’m going to miss next weekend!

I’m off to Germany on Thursday to go visit the Boy for a long weekend and it looks like I’m going to be missing SO much vintage goodness I’m almost annoyed!

The shopping I’ll be missing out on…

Bethnal Green’s Affordable Vintage Fair is on the Saturday and if it’s anything like last bank holiday’s fair it will be worth a gander

‘Formed in early 2005, the formula for Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair is a winning one; gathering the UK’s leading vintage purveyors, founder and ex-Selfridges personal shopper Judy Berger set out to create a one-day cosmopolitan marketplace, a celebration of vintage fashion and homewares from the past sixty years. Away from the steep pricing and snobbery of other vintage events, the fair was to be accessible, exciting to every generation and, above all, affordable. Explaining her decision to ensure that no shopper is ever out of pocket, Judy sites a personal reason as well the obvious; “Ultimately, I wanted to create a fair that I wanted to shop at,” she says. To this day, no trader passes through our doors without being scrutinised for affordability and the eccentricity of their stock.

Frock me vintage is back on sunday in Chelsea

The vogue for vintage clothes attracts fashionistas, stylists, models, fashion students, collectors and costume designers for stage and film. Top designers and celebrities can often be spotted amongst the crowds searching for one-off fashion finds.

Frock Me! is the place to find clothes from every era, from 1920s ‘flapper’ style to Fifties glamour, eighties retro-chic or classic 1960s trends with prices ranging from one or two pounds up to several hundred.

Blondie and I have discovered the most fantastic gems from there! its £4 entry but not too expensive if you have a bit of a rummage!

The festival…

The Thames Revival is an annual event that celebrates vintage glamour, classic boats and the golden days of sailing. The event is part of The Mayor’s Thames Festival, London’s largest free outdoor arts festival, taking place annually in September. This looks like so much fun and dead cheap at only £15! With so much going on …

Fashion Show - Retro style and Glamour
Seagull Race - using the famous British outboard motors. Like Maritime Marmite, you either love ‘em or hate ‘em
Sculling Race - with a single oar off the transom, expect to see frustrated men going in circles
How to Avoid Gaff Gaffes - an expert explains why this traditional rig is still going strong
Motor Manoeuvrability - how to turn a boat on a sixpence
Duck Punt - see the ancient art of waterborne duck hunting, just remember your earplugs
Swing Dance Competition - Learn the steps and try your luck
Paper Boat Race - one for the children, who make paper boats during the day and race them at 1600 hours. Winning boat gets a prize

and there is the rest of the festival to go enjoy all along the southbank!

The vintage club night…

I’ve discovered a new group crush in the form of the Vintage Mafia who have this new club night on the saturday VM Presents…The Ric Rac Club (Let’s Misbehave) which looks so good!

This brand-new club night is hosted by the dangerously glamorous Vintage Mafia – a six-strong girl gang who are, in their own words, ‘Always well-dressed, but not always well-behaved’.
Their inaugural club night is aimed at vintage aficionados and newcomers alike, with the focus on socialising rather than partner dancing.Upstairs, we’ll be playing 50s jive and 60s Northern Soul, with guest DJ All Fringe, No Knickers. Northern Soul Dancing mini class and demonstration too!Downstairs will feature 30s and 40s swinging dance band tunes played by none other than Miss Fleur de GuerreA Ukelele turn by Miss G will serenade our guests as they arrive, with a free glass of ginger punch courtesy of our kind sponsors The King’s Ginger for each and every attendee
Our soon-to-be legendary raffle will take place at 10pm sharp, with useful, amusing and ridiculous prizes, including bottles of booze
And if that wasn’t enough, we promise a fun, welcoming crowd of well-dressed guests.
Indoor smoking terrace, amazing atmospheric pub and a super time all guaranteed!

 

 

 

 

Oh I am annoyed now! There is just too much vintage goodness going on and it has to be when I’m away so I will have to live vicariously through you lot!

I’ve also got to work out how to get the Boy to watch the start of the Rugby World Cup… that might be interesting!?