BBC Blog Network

User Profile

Raziaiqbal

Listed below are comments made by Raziaiqbal between Thursday, 18th September 2008 and Wednesday, 15th July 2009.

«Newer
Older»

Is culture too London-centric? 11:09am on 15 Jul 2009 sweetsmellofsuccess: my tongue was firmly in my cheek!

and to cping500, i think the definition of "city" is quite flexible, but the bid has to demonstrate that there is a central focus for the cultural programming.
What are your favourite children's books? 10:50pm on 04 Dec 2008 RaziaIqbal: I am excited! Ordered and just took delivery of Nigel Cubbage's "Voice in the Mist". I agree that we should support, independent and preferably local bookshops, but I wanted to get this asap, and see how good it really was. I love the enthusiasm that goes with discovering something you didn't know; will let you know what I think of it once I start reading it .. or maybe I should get my son to put up a post and get him to say what he thinks! I need to persuade him to stick his nose into the book first though! Thanks so much for the recommendation.
Has the Turner found its limits? 4:34pm on 04 Dec 2008 Razia Iqbal here: I can't agree that art is irrelevant. Our engagement with it can be truly transformative, whether it is visual, books, theatre, music etc. I can though, see exactly why some people would attribute its irrelevance to the way the Turner prize and those responsible for how it has developed, crave publicity and sometimes mistake it for the "public's engagement with and discussion of art", to slightly paraphrase Tate. I think some of the artists who have won the Turner prize in the past are truly great artists, but they would be that without the prize.
Meeting Angelina 09:38am on 17 Nov 2008 Razia Iqbal here: thanks for all your comments. to tacrepus: we constantly have the debate about what constitutes art and culture, and what is entertainment. Cinema is clearly an artform, but is also part of the world of entertainment and much of that can be defined as fluff. However, I wrote about meeting Angelina Jolie because I wanted to share some thoughts about how that world of cinema marketing is controlled, and how in some ways we can become complicit in it, just by agreeing to terms set by PR companies. The strength and character in an individual to stand apart from that is noteworthy.
Ted Hughes' schoolbook masterpiece 5:04pm on 21 Oct 2008 Razia here: C-Theo-pio .. sorry it's taken me so long to respond to your question about poetry publishing. There are fantastically strong publishing houses who focus on poetry. Faber, Carcanet and Bloodaxe come to mind immediately. Keep entering competitions. Good luck with it.

And to kitano1: thanks for your comments re the blog..
What are your favourite children's books? 4:57pm on 13 Oct 2008 Razia Iqbal here: Thankyou all so much for sending in your favourite books and ones you read to your children. I have loved reading what has clearly been a trip down memory lane for some and revelling in what you currently love doing, all bound up. My son, now 11, still loves being read to. I just finished reading Jamila Gavin's Blood Stone to him, which i really enjoyed reading too! Am going to try Haroun and the Sea of Stories, by Salman Ruhsdie on him next. That was the first book he wrote after the fatwa in 1989. I don't think there is an age when adults should stop reading to children, though I am always hoping that he will instinctively pick up a book and lose himself in the story. Doesn't happen too often, though was staggered at the way he raced through the last Harry Potter book! Keep the stories coming. Great to provide a resource we can all tap into!
Tennant plays for laughs at RSC 1:30pm on 10 Oct 2008 Razia to Drew_Herzig: sadly it was merely a mundane typo; wish I had thought of the other meaning, because there is surely some truth in it for his female fans!

And to Researcher Dot Dot Dot: I AM in awe of rep actors. No disregard of their commitment intended! Some of the best actors have cut their teeth and had their mettle tested most in rep theatre.
Helen Mirren returns to the National Theatre 1:15pm on 18 Sep 2008 Only my second blog and I manage to misquote Helen Mirren! Correction in place. And a question for you theatre buffs. All time favourite Phedres? Clare Higgins? Diana Rigg? I've read that Dame Edna Everage has always hankered after tackling the role ...

«Newer
Older»

^ Back to top

BBC MMVI

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

BBC.co.uk

BBC Blog Network

Find and talk to the BBC's bloggers.

User Profile

Raziaiqbal