Things to watch that aren't usually there

[nineveh_uk]

Though first, a low hoisting of the black and yellow flag. I can't say for definite that I have a mild dose of coronavirus rather than adenovirus, and of course there is zero prospect of testing. But someone has to be in the lucky group of mild symptoms sufficient to suspect you've had it, not sufficient to be worrying, and it looks like it could be me. I know that I have been exposed at work and the incubation period is right. I've got minor symptoms only, but most significant is the striking loss of sense of smell and taste despite having no congestion, and it looks like there's some evidence that this is happening in people with mild or even otherwise asymptomatic coronavirus - UK professional ENT surgeons society on the subject. Also crucially, I noticed this first thing on Monday before I knew it was a possible symptom :-) Well there will be no definite answer unless one day we all get a test for the immune response (or in a fortnight's time I get a horrendous cough and pneumonia), but in the meantime I'd be off work regardless and am resting and of course isolating.

Whoever manages to be up to date with everything that they might watch on TV/the internet? I certainly don't. And coronavirus is only making it worse, because a whole rack of art and media companies are making material available for free online. So here's a few I'll be availing myself of. I can access all of these in the UK, but some may not be available outside it.

Norway's state media 24 hour Maine Coon kitten cam: https://www.nrk.no/alltidsammen/ Talk about lifting the national mood! You can stream cats all day and night. (During the day there seems to be great Norwegian sports highlights* at the weekend, radio in the week, but you can click on "Alltid katt")

Previously mentioned in this space, Opera North's amazing semi-staged Ring Cycle was my introduction to Wagner: https://www.operanorth.co.uk/the-ring-cycle/

The National Theatre will be streaming a play a week starting on 2nd April with One Man, Two Guv'nors, which I'm especially delighted about because I missed it in the theatre, and then in the cinema twice (last time in September - I had a ticket, but was ill...) https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/at-home I'm also looking forward to Twelfth Night at the end of April.

OperaVision is an existing programme of free opera from mostly European opera houses. Everything from Glyndebourne to modern Icelandic/Danish opera (no, I haven't watch that one yet)@ https://operavision.eu/en

There's an awful lot on iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer. I suppose it is time for me to watch Fleabag. Meanwhile I might revist the 90s with channel 4 vampire series Ultraviolet: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/ultraviolet/on-demand and Leeds set legal drama North Square https://www.channel4.com/programmes/north-square starring a youthful Rupert Penry-Jones and Helen McCrory.

*Insert obvious joke here.

Comments

[naraht]

Even more additional options...

ROH streaming: https://www.roh.org.uk/news/the-royal-opera-house-launches-a-programme-of-free-online-content-for-the-culturally-curious-at-home

A 30 day free offer for more theatre, opera, dance from ROH, RSC, Bolshoi etc: https://www.marquee.tv

[nineveh_uk]

There's too much, I can't cope!

[(Anonymous)]

You have the dubious honour of being the first person I know personally to get coronavirus. I hope you have the very mildest possible symptomatic form, but if you find yourself getting short of breath, you must summon medical assistance (I know you know that anyway but I can't help worrying about you).

And thank you for the links! Some of those look lovely.

[azdak]

Sorry - that was me - I've forgotten how to use Dreamwidth properly, it's been so long!

[nineveh_uk]

It is an honour that I dreamt not of!

Fortunately at the moment I seem to still have the very mild form, but if I had breathing issues I'd be on the phone in an instant!

On links, the Globe Theatre is also now streaming a lot of material for free.

[philomytha]

Oh dear. Yes, my cousin the GP, who is just getting over it, also reported the loss of smell and taste. I wish you a very mild case and lifelong immunity thereafter!

[nineveh_uk]

Thank you, and I hope your cousin continues to improve!

[alithea]

Hope you stay well and it passes without any more serious symptoms - take care x

[nineveh_uk]

Thank you!

[caulkhead]

I haven't managed to watch anything at all yet, and I speak as one who is far too prone to falling down YouTube rabbit holes. The Maine Coone Kitten Cam may well be an exception to this, though - thank you!

[nineveh_uk]

Yes, my TV watching hasn't particularly leapt up as yet, but now it is the weekend this may be about to change!

You probably already know this, but the ISU is putting the 2018 World Champs up on its YouTube channel this weekend.

[caulkhead]

I did not - thank you! At the moment I am watching my way through the Ring, which is indeed fabulous, and can be more or less listened to while sewing. I wasn't sure I liked Wagner before (I really enjoyed Tristan, but live is always different), but this is changing my mind.

[carbonel]

I am in fact managing to keep up with the current TV shows my DVR is subscribed to. But there's so much more that I have bookmarked or downloaded for future watching that I'm just barely scratching the surface of.

I have the entire BBC Shakespeare, for example. The only one I've ever seen of that series was Hamlet, which made it to US television on PBS.

And several British crime shows, which are a weakness of mine. I recently discovered that there was a fifth season of Scott & Bailey that I hadn't known existed. Now I need to decide whether to rewatch the first four seasons before I do so.

I hope that you recover with minimal additional symptoms, and that your sense of smell returns in good time.

[nineveh_uk]

Yes, I'm more or less up to date with what I was watching, but there is so much out there to choose from!

Thank you, I seem to be continuing to be OK so far.

[green_knight]

Hope you recover soon and that your symptoms stay mild - weeks of isolation sucks but other people not getting it is great.

[nineveh_uk]

Thanks! I am so cheesed off that work didn't take it seriously enough that I'm not prepared to take the slightest risk of infecting anybody else, if it's what I've got.

[lizvogel]

Here's to mild symptoms and a swift recovery. And many many fine things to watch in the meantime.

[nineveh_uk]

Thank you!

[eleanorjane]

Ultraviolet was my first introduction to Idris Elba! I didn't know anybody other than me had ever heard of it -- I managed to track down DVDs (I was going through a mad keen Jack Davenport phase) but 99% of the time when one searches online one gets the godawful Milla Jovovich movie.

[nineveh_uk]

I haven't seen it since, so I'm looking forward to getting my teeth into it again :-) I don't know many people who've heard of it, possibly because it was 1998 and a lot of my friends were at university without a TV (whereas I had a B&W one in order to save on the licence fee!).

[aunty_marion]

I've had it on my Amazon wish-list for a couple of years now - I hadn't realised at the time that it had Idris Elba, because - at the time! - I'd never heard of him...

[mountainkiss]

I'm sorry you're ill, but really glad it's mild.

I can't get the webcam to do cats - am I being stupid?

[nineveh_uk]

You need to click where it says "Alltid katt" next to a little cat emoji. But occasionally it is down with a "gone to lunch" message. I think that this should work as the direct cat link: https://www.nrk.no/alltidsammen/?active-stream=be59f00a-bacc-4062-827b-cbce6e2c4af7

And thank you!

[mountainkiss]

Thanks so much. Really hope all stays mild and you are better soon. Sending good thoughts.

[executrix.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for these links! I wish the RSC and NT would make their entire catalog of filmed performance available as pay-per-view--and use the "box office takings" to support theater workers.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'd happily pay for access to some things, if they set it up in a simple way.