#jemma redgrave imagine

[kinglivv]

Is it Casual Now?

Kate Lethbridge Stewart x reader

Summary: You and Kate are closer than what friends with benefits should really be.

Warnings: Explicit language, explicit sex, dysfunctional relationship

A/N: based off the chappell roan song!

You’d promised yourself you’d stop sleeping with her.

You hadn’t told Kate this of course, but then why would you? It was casual. She’d told you that. She’d made it explicitly clear whenever you’d asked the dreaded “what are we?” question. You’d overheard her say it to Mel. You saw it in the way she never mentioned you to her kids.

The thing was, sex with Kate Stewart could never be casual.

Casual was not thinking about her every waking moment. Casual was not having an album of her in your camera roll. Casual was not baby-sitting her cat when she had a late night at the office.

But that doesn’t seem to occur to her and so, you decide, it’s probably time to stop having sex with your boss.

This plan lasts all of three weeks. Three weeks of ignoring her glances, missing her calls and pretending not to notice her stuff littered around your flat.

And then, as fate has it, you’re assigned to a stake-out with her. It was pure coincidence - you were the only two with enough experience and, as it happens, enough flexi-hours left to work outwith the usual 9 to 5.

You sit in the dark with her in silence for all of 30 minutes, before she turns to you and gives you that look. You know you don’t stand a chance and within minutes, you’re allowing her to clamber into you lap, willingly pushing your seat back and then she’s knee-deep in the passenger seat and her mouth is on you. You come on the expensive leather of the UNIT-issue car and you’re thanking your lucky stars for the tinted windows.

Later, when you’ve got her in the backseat and she’s in your arms, breathing finally evening out, she looks up at you and smiles, “Missed you.”

She doesn’t even realise you’ve been avoiding her. She thinks you’ve just been busy.

And just like that you settle into your old routine.

It used to be a rare occasion. It first happened after a tipsy kiss at the work Christmas do, and then a few months later it happened again after a successful mission when you were both giddy from the adrenaline. Then it became every few weeks. Then, it became every Friday evening. Then it became every Saturday morning, because you kept staying the night.

You talk to Mel about it briefly. She’s the only one who knows there’s anything going on between you and Kate, and she tells you bluntly that you shouldn’t be lusting after a twice-divorced, emotionally unavailable woman who was heading up the most clandestine department in Government. In other words, you’re a loser.

So, you try a different strategy to get over her. Said strategy involves sex with someone else from Tinder following a mediocre date. You can’t find your favourite bralette and although she’s pretty, she doesn’t make you come. It’s only afterwards when she’s fallen asleep that you remember the bralette’s in Kate’s dresser.

The following night, Kate turns up on your front step in a red silk dress and pins you against the door. She’d been at some boring dinner. She told you she liked the idea of your lap, her dress around her waist and your strap dipping in her. Just like that, your plan once again goes out the window.

You meet her mum one morning when you’re leaving Kate’s house for work. Kate mumbles some story about you needing to stay over because you had no hot water, and the old lady takes it at face value. You chat to her at the breakfast table whilst Kate makes coffee, and find you have everything in common. Before you know it, you’ve got an invite to her holiday home in St Ive’s - she’s too old to get down there now and how have you never visited before?

The holiday there with Kate is heavenly. You spent a whole week sleeping next to her in bed. She shows you her favourite lunch spot. You teach her how to plait your hair. You fuck her on the beach. Because your whole relationship revolves around sex. Of course. Obviously.

You argue about it once. Just the once.

You’re watching a movie, bowl of popcorn between you. It’s one of the rare evenings you’ve both managed to get home, and when you’d turned up at her door she’d held up a DVD of the Italian Job and invited you in.

You found yourself gazing at her in the light of the television, the chattering mere background noise.

“I could do this forever, you know,” you confess softly.

She tears her eyes away from the screen, smirks at you.

“No attachments, remember?” She teases.

Suddenly any semblance of peace and relaxation you were feeling evaporates. The anxiety curls up in your stomach like a dead spider.

“Yeah because our relationship is nothing more than sex,” you respond sarcastically.

She looks taken aback. You’re picking a fight, you know, but you’ve been desperate for an opportunity.

“We’re not together, Y/N.” She points out.

“Yeah but you’ll act like it. When it suits you.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“We’re literally sat here watching your favourite movie at 10pm,” you say, “I have keys to your place. You know my middle name. You do know what I mean.”

“I really don’t.” She says, in that flat tone she uses at work when she makes an order. It means she’s right and she’s not entertaining any debate.

“Fuck off, Kate,” you shove the blankets off and hope she hears the door slam behind you.

She pulls you into her office the next day, and apologises for arguing but doesn’t apologise for what she said. She kisses you and you can’t help but forgive her.

The thing is, Kate gets you. She knows exactly what you want. She buys you matching lingerie for your birthday. She brings you coffee at work. She fucks you after a near death experience so you can feel something. She gives you lifts to your pilates class. She moans something suspiciously close to “I love you” when she comes in your shower, and you do your best to forget about it. She helps you choose what colour to paint your kitchen. She gets you off again. And again and again. The cycle is inescapable, all because you’re too weak to say no to those eyes.

The tipping point is some time around the one year mark, when this dilemma of yours is at least 5 months old. You can’t remember how many times you’d mentally called it off.

You’re in her bed (where else would you be?), suitably fucked and lying half on top of her, a strong arm wrapped around your waist. Her phone pings, and you groan as she pulls away to pick it off the bedside table.

“Oh,” she remarks, reading the message. “Charlotte’s cancelled dinner with Gordy and his new girlfriend tonight.”

“What?” You mumble, half asleep and pressing into her neck further.

“Charlotte.” She repeats. “We were meant to be going for dinner tonight with Gordy. He’s got a new girlfriend he wants to formally introduce to the family. But she’s got a migraine, says she’s not coming.”

You were used to the background noise of Kate’s family life. Charlotte and Gordy didn’t feature greatly in your relationship, busy at university, and Kate had purposely kept you at arms length from them. You knew everything about Charlotte and Gordy, but you’d never met them and they’d never met you.

“Do you…” she says hesitantly, “do you want to come? The reservations for four, and you know how much I hate meeting his rotation of girlfriends. I can’t do it alone.”

You look up at her.

“I thought I was a separate thing to your kids?”

“Yeah but, you’re one of my best friends. I’ll tell them that.”

You sigh an agreement, trying not to think of that word “friends”, and before you know it you’re sat next to her in a fancy restaurant opposite Gordy - who is rather disconcertingly the spitting image of his mother - and his timid girlfriend.

Kate’s hand is dancing on your thigh. You’re trying not to think about the suit she’s wearing. Gordy’s looking in between you two suspiciously, and vaguely you wonder if he’s used to his mother’s antics, if you’re not the first girl she’s fawned over.

She excuses herself between the main course and dessert and as she disappears into the bathroom she winks at you. You muster some excuse about needing to check your make up, and then you’re slipping into the bathroom behind her, locking the door and pleased to see there’s a mirror over the sink.

You bend her over it and fuck her from behind (you know that gets her off fastest and time is of the essence here), but you can’t quite bring yourself to meet her eyes in the mirror. Not three minutes later, she’s leaning into back against the sink and you’re straightening out her lapel and wiping away her smudged mascara. She dips down and kisses you, pushes you against the wall, starts to fiddle with the hem of your skirt.

“Wait, Kate. Stop,.” you push her off you. She steps back, frowning.

“What?” She asks.

“You’re not fucking me in a restaurant whilst your son waits at our table.”

She looks crestfallen. Offended, even. Not at your refusal, but rather at the way you’d laid out the reality of the situation so bluntly.

You return to the table - Gordy and his girlfriend seem too wrapped up in each other to have noticed your absence - and you can’t help but feel somewhat bitter and used. The atmosphere is icy. Maybe you are just some colleague she bangs on her sofa when she needs it.

Afterwards, when you’re sat in your car outside the restaurant, you send her the fatal text.

I don’t want to do this anymore.

She doesn’t reply.

[zafirosreverie]

A special interest (Fem!Frollo x F!Reader)

for: @frogs-and-arrows​

________________________

You shifted uncomfortably in your seat for the fifth time in the half hour you'd been there. You didn't like going to church much, but it wasn't like you had much of a choice, not with your mother constantly watching and condemning your every action. Sometimes you thought her real intention was to see how long it would take for the priest to adopt you and make you a nun. As if.

You assumed that your punishments could be worse, your parents could beat you with a stick like many of your friends’ parents did, or publicly humiliate you in your neighborhood like poor Susan (the girl was only 13 years old, she didn’t deserve what they had done to her). But no, your mother had decided that it was better to send you to confess every time you did something “out of line”, as she called it. You were sure that she knew how nervous it made you to be in that place.

And it is that for several months now, you had begun to notice a strange sensation, a chill running down your spine as if you were not alone, as if someone was watching you. But whenever you turned to look for your companion, there was no one.

At first, you thought it was just your imagination, but the feeling became more and more intense until you could no longer ignore it. You tried to talk to the priest, but as soon as he heard you hint that there were spirits in his church, he gave you the look of a thousand devils and you were sure that he would have sent you to the gallows for witchcraft or possession if it weren't for judge Frollo.

The woman, although she was not exactly part of the church as such, commanded respect from everyone who came across her, including the priest and perhaps even the archbishop himself. You felt incredibly small when the woman stood next to you, even though she was only a few inches taller than you, and you couldn't help but blush deeply when she put a hand on your shoulder.

She told the priest that she had caught sight of some altar boys peeking out of the choir entrance and that she believed it was inappropriate for some men belonging to the honorable church to see a chaste and innocent young lady like you with such lustful eyes. You felt your pulse race as she subtly pulled you closer to her, in an almost protective way that woke up something quite dark in your gut.

In the end, the priest had no choice but to accept the explanation, and embarrassed he said that he was going to talk to the altar boys about such unacceptable behavior. It seemed that he, too, felt too small and scared under judge Frollo's piercing gaze. You couldn't blame him. The mere presence of the woman was enough to make your voice shake and just thinking about her made your knees weak. There was something about her that was simply fascinating, beyond her cold tone or her serious expression.

Perhaps it was the confidence with which she walked, knowing that she was in control of herself (something most ordinary women like you could only dream of), or the undoubted fact that this woman could destroy you with just a wave of her hand if she wanted to. You didn't know, but there was a sense of danger and at the same time a fire that threatened to burn you whenever you caught a glimpse of her.

More than once you had chided yourself for having such impious thoughts about the older woman. It wasn’t good and you knew it. If someone knew of the impure desires that the judge aroused in you...well, let's just say that you would be lucky if they ONLY sent you to the stake. You shook your head slightly, feeling your cheeks flush just thinking of her, and mentally berated yourself. You tried to control your breathing and focus on your surroundings. There it was again, the feeling of being watched.

Not caring much for manners, you looked directly around you, hoping to find your stalker, but again there was no one there. It was starting to get frustrating and frankly, scary. Your mother had said that you should be flattered that someone was interested in you, but all you wanted was to be left alone.

"I'm done" you whispered, although, in the empty temple, the echo amplified your voice a little "next time I'll go to the chapel of the neighboring town"

"A long and unnecessary journey for a young lady"

You jumped and spun around, swallowing hard as a pair of brown orbs plunged into yours, nearly scanning your entire soul. Your legs trembled and you didn't know whether or not to thank that you were alone with her.

"M-my lady" you said, getting up from the wooden bench to make a quick respectful bow "I-I didn't hear you coming, I apologize."

She just looked at you intensely for a few seconds, as if she was looking for something in you. Your cheeks flushed again and you had to use all your strength not to bite your lower lip. The effect that woman had on you with her mere presence was incredible.

Finally, she nodded, as if you had just passed a test that you had no idea about, but just the approving look from her allowed you to breathe with something close to normal again. You were at least a little proud that whatever she was seeing in you, she liked.

"Come with me, Miss Y/L/N" she said with a low but firm voice.

She didn't even wait for your response, simply turned on her heel and started walking, letting you fight your emotions as your feet shuffled behind her. You weren't sure what one of the most influential women in Paris could want with a clumsy little girl like you, but you weren't going to disrespect her by saying no.

You walked behind her in silence out of the temple, trying to ignore the way your heart seemed to want to jump out of your chest. Suddenly, you were all too aware of the sound of your heels against the cold marble of the floor and the need for air was too much, even though you were in the open.

You allowed yourself to look at her for a second. She seemed lost in her thoughts and you almost thought you saw the shadow of doubt and fear in her eyes, but you quickly dismissed the idea. Claudine Frollo was not afraid of anything, there were those who whispered that even death was afraid of her.

"You're of age, aren't you, miss Y/L/N?" she asked suddenly

You were surprised when she abruptly stopped in her footsteps and were grateful that you were a couple of steps behind her, allowing you to stop before you slammed into her. However, there was no way to stop your blush at her words and you looked at the ground, playing with the edge of your sleeve.

"Y-yes, my lady" you replied

"And still single as far as I know"

You swallowed and felt the shame quickly engulf you. You wondered how she knew so much about you but remembered that her position probably meant that she had to know a lot if she wanted to keep it. Still, it didn't make you feel any less nervous, because you knew what the next question was.

"Yes, my lady"

"Why? No suitor meets your expectations?"

"...more like I don't meet theirs" you whispered

"Pardon me?"

You sighed and forced back the tears that were beginning to pool at the corners of your eyes. You didn't know why, but you didn't want to appear weak in front of the judge as if it was a bigger sin than all the ones you were hiding because of her.

"I'm too wild" you shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant "my father hasn't been able to find me a suitor"

"Wild?" she asked, almost sounding amused at the thought "what makes them think so?"

"I read, I know mathematics, a little medicine, I play chess and I don't usually follow the rules very much" you said

"So they are fools who are afraid of an intelligent and beautiful woman" she said with a smirk "nothing new"

Your breath caught in your throat as she smiled at you and something in your gut churned as you realized she had called you beautiful. For some reason, coming from her it felt like the highest compliment you could ever hope for.

"Still, you would do well to be careful" she added.

You looked at her and frowned curiously. Apart from constantly tripping over even your own dress, you really didn't have much to worry about…right? The older woman must have understood your doubt because she sighed softly and moved closer to you.

"My dear girl" she said "This world can be very cruel, and I assure you that there are men more than willing to sin and condemn you for your beauty, dowry or not"

You swallowed softly and really tried to focus on her words and the great truth they contained…but it was too hard with her so close, staring at you like you were the most fascinating thing in the world.

"Devils are always hunting little angels like you" she added, caressing your cheek.

It took all of your self-control not to close your eyes and lean into her touch. Her hands were a little rough, probably from riding so frequently in pursuit of criminals, but they still had a warmth that melted your soul.

"You said you played chess" she said, taking a step away as if she felt you were short of breath.

"Y-yes my lady" you stuttered, almost unable to hear her due to how hard your heart was beating

The woman looked at you for a moment, as if she was considering her next words, trying to make sure it was a safe move. Because Claudine Frollo never took false steps.

"I'll tell you what" she said after a moment "if you don't get a suitor by the end of the month, I'll take you on as an assistant"

Your eyes widened and you gasped silently, looking at her in disbelief. The judge had never, ever taken an assistant in all the time that... well, that you've lived. And now she was offering it to you, just like that.

"M-my lady, I would be honored but... what could I offer you? I'm just a clumsy girl" you said embarrassed 

"I doubt that" she replied seriously "besides, I'm curious to see if you can beat me at chess, Miss Y/L/N"

"I-...thank you for the honor, my lady" you replied, making a quick bow.

Your mind was working like crazy trying to catch up on that news. Assistant of Judge Claudine Frollo? It was better than any suitor your father found could offer you.

"I don't know if my parents will believe me" you whispered, but she heard you

"Don't worry about that, mon agneau" she said "I'll send a letter to your father with my seal"

"T-thank you my lady" you replied "although I don't know why you would go to such trouble with me"

As soon as the words left your mouth you regretted it. No one questioned Judge Frollo! Much less when she was giving you such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You were sure that you had spoiled everything, but she just looked at you with something almost close to tenderness (you weren't entirely sure if the woman was capable of feeling something like that) and again invaded your personal space to caress your cheek.

"I am a woman who always fulfills her duty" she said "and it is my duty to protect a jewel as precious as you, isn't it?"

You felt a fire ignite inside of you and your breathing quickened as she brought her face closer to yours. Her eyes never left yours, as if she was gauging your reaction, and you were sure that with how close she was, even she could feel your heart about to jump out of your chest.

You closed your eyes by inertia and her lips barely touched yours when she moved away as fast as she had come into your personal space. You immediately felt the cold of the day, your body missing her warmth. You opened your eyes, trying to recover, and were thankful that she didn't show signs of being as affected as you were.

"I'll see you later, Miss Y/L/N" she said with the same firm tone she used to address everyone.

You nodded gently and gave a quick curtsey that she returned with a nod, before turning on her heel and leaving you alone again. You took several breaths and closed your eyes to keep from getting dizzy. You no longer knew if it was better to keep trying to find a suitor or just wait for the end of the month.

_____________________

You were surprised at how quickly the letter arrived. Your parents were concerned when they saw the judge's seal, wondering what they could have done to deserve some punishment. However, their faces changed as soon as they read the first lines, and your father looked at you in amazement while your mother fell to the ground crying and thanking God for such a great blessing. You tried not to smile too much or blush as you read the letter your father gave you with trembling hands and one line caught your eye:

"I have developed a special interest in your daughter, who has shown extraordinary gifts of intelligence..."

Well, it looked like you'd have to practice chess for the rest of the month if you wanted to be a worthy rival to Claudine Frollo.

[anhed-nia]

BLOGTOBER 10/24/2023: DREAM DEMON (1988)

This is one of those movies I really deeply enjoyed, but if you asked me what it was about you'd think I was lying because I'd have a hard time telling you! It has kind of a Freddy Kreugerish premise as you might expect, in which a pair of young women are dragged bodily into one another's nightmares where they are pursued by deranged perverts; they have to unravel the mystery of what is causing this phenomenon, which has something to do with the dark history of the house where they are staying. The actual solution to this mystery is really confusing, and so is the path to the final revelation, which is mostly pretty aimless--but thankfully it is also tense and terrifying, with wonderful makeup and special effects and overall great design sense, and honestly two of the most adorable gal pals you have ever seen.

I feel to need to say that I'm a straight woman and so when I speak about the adorableness of Jemma Redgrave and Kathleen Wilhoite, I'm not being infantilizing or just boning out. I realize I'm being very "no homo" right now, but there's plenty of film fans whose viewing habits are directed by the fact that certain performers make them horny, which is like normal and all but I think not a very interesting way to watch movies or even enjoy performances. Unless we're talking about Jeffrey Combs or Peter Cushing or someone I personally think is hot, then all bets are off obviously. But Jemma Redgrave and Kathleen Wilhoite are just so very adorable! It is just a fact.

Meanwhile Jimmy Nail and Timothy Spall are extraordinarily frightening and intense, but especially Timothy Spall. I love that he's a sophisticated enough actor to be in things like SPENCER and LIFE IS SWEET, but also fully capable of playing horrible fucking creatures in weird genre movies. I like imagining that the Queen had to watch all of his movies including DREAM DEMON before making him Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

And speaking of the Queen, the characters Nail and Spall play are incredibly sinister, intrusive paparazzi who prey upon "Diana" (Redgrave), the pretty, virginal blonde fiancee of an aristocratic Falklands War hero. It's impossible not to assume that this was inspired by Diana Spencer's ill-fated induction into the royal family in 1981, and chilling to think that DREAM DEMON was made 9 years before her essential murder at the hands of the press. All of the scenes with Spall and Nail are thoroughly hair-raising--the one thing this movie has over ELM STREET is that we have to sort of backburner Freddy's pedophilia in order to enjoy that series, while the sexual violence and scenes of child abuse in DREAM DEMON are right in your face and highly effective; but the paparazzi thing becomes really disturbing because of the real-life event that it seems to foretell. Basically, I'm saying that I highly recommend this movie, even if it's hard to describe what it is literally about!

[pers-books]

Star-studded Opening night for Wilko World Premiere at the Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch.

A dazzling Opening Night unfolded on Saturday, marking the world premiere of Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s inaugural show for their spring season. Wilko is a production skilfully written by renowned journalist and TV broadcaster Jonathan Maitland, playing until 24 February.

The star-studded event drew in illustrious personalities, including Jemma Redgrave, celebrated for her roles in Dr Who, Holby City, and Grantchester. Currently sharing the screen with Jason Statham in The Beekeeper, Jemma expressed her enthusiasm: “I absolutely loved it. It’s brilliantly written, exceptionally well-performed, and the music is fantastic. Come and see it!”

John Michie, known for his roles in Holby City, Coronation Street, and Taggart, revealed his admiration for the Canvey Island legend, saying, “I’m a big fan of Dr Feelgood. I loved Wilko Johnson, and this cast tonight absolutely nailed it. The music was spot on. It’s a great show; I highly recommend it!”

Patrick Gibson (Shadow and Bone, The Tudors),Richard Gibson (‘Allo ‘Allo), and Penelope Rawlins(award-winning voice artist) praised the evening as “the best evening imaginable,” commending the amazing cast and the performance of fantastic music.

Sadie Nine of BBC Essex Radio described the show as “absolutely fabulous” and urged those near Canvey Island to attend.

The list of VIPs included Richard ‘Kid’ Strange, founder of the mid-1970s proto-punk band Doctor of Madness, and Rebecca Harris MP for Castle Point.

From standing ovations to heartfelt commendations, audiences have showered praise on the world premiere of this rock ‘n’ roll extravaganza. Its enchanting blend of humour and emotion has captivated viewers, who lauded the cast’s brilliance, the well-crafted script, and the superb staging.

Here’s a glimpse of the audience’s acclaim for “Wilko”:

• “An extraordinarily brilliant show. It had integrity; amazing performances, fabulous music, and much to say about life…go see it!”

• “Great show. Brilliant cast. Very well written and staged. Went last night and will be back for sure.”

• “Anyone who is a fan of Dr Feelgood or Wilko Johnson should see it.”

• “It’s brilliant. The actor who plays Wilko is great. All the cast are fantastic. Some laughs and some tears.”

• “Take my hat off to the writer who gave us great insights into Wilko’s life and career.”

• “10/10 – I want to see it again!”

Wilko is a striking biographic play with live music celebrating the extraordinary life of Dr Feelgood co-founder Wilko Johnson. In 2012 the iconic rock star was told he had inoperable cancer and a year to live. Refusing all treatment, he decided to spend his last months living meaningfully: seeing the people, places and things which meant most to him during his remarkable life. Then, a miracle happened….  This new play is a mixture of words, rock ‘n roll, and quotes from the man himself – tells the amazing, uplifting true story of Wilko, the Essex legend. 

Tickets from £19 (plus 65p QNext fee), under 26s £8 (age guidance 11+). To book, call the Box Office on 01708 443333 or visit queens-theatre.co.uk 

[and-to-you-its-just-words]

So I was rewatching ‘The Kill List’ (as you do)

And I think I have the answer to everyone’s most thought of question: how many takes did it take Jemma Redgrave to close those blinds while kissing Catherine Russell?

So to be fair, I don’t have an exact number because I wasn’t there when they shot it. BUT! In rewatching it, something occurred to me which leads me to think it probably didn’t take them that many takes. Probably way less takes than you would think.

First up we have the shot of JR and CR kissing and Jemma goes for the blinds. I imagine they ran through this once or twice so Jemma could get the feel of where the cord was. When you shoot a show, we do blockings which are for cast and crew to get a sense of where everything plays. The camera trainee will put down marks using tape for the focus puller and camera op so they know where to be and what to pull. It also helps the cast know where to be so they’re in focus and in the right light. In this instance it could also be used to help Jemma be in the right spot to grab the cord. They test it in blocking, they test it in rehearsal and then they shoot.

But then! This is where I had my epiphany. We don’t actually see the blinds close on this shot. We see them close on THIS shot:

Which is Jules’ (who plays Jason) coverage. Here we only see the back of Jemma’s head and Catherine’s hands holding her face. And we were always going to see this coverage because we know that Jason set the two of them up and that he’s been watching to see how it goes, so of course we’d see his reaction. Given that we’re not seeing Jemma’s face, she could have her eyes open, letting her see what she’s actually doing while she closes the blinds. Which gives us two scenarios:

A) Jemma and Catherine are actually not making out in this shot but simply standing like they are so that Jemma can pull the blinds closed

Or

B) They are making out but Jemma has her eyes open and is half focused on closing the blinds.

I personally lean more towards option B because that gives Jules something to actually react to and I imagine that both JR and CR prefer to give that to their scene partner.

Given that we’re not seeing their faces it also means that Jemma and Catherine don’t have to kiss so enthusiastically which would give Jemma a better chance at closing the blinds. Also, the majority of the scene takes place in the office so if I were to guess how they shot it, I would assume they shot everything they needed in the office first, which includes Jules’ coverage, then move outside the office to get the shot over his shoulder of the kiss. Which would mean that Jemma had already successfully closed the blinds and didn’t have to worry about it on her and Catherine’s coverage, meaning they could give the kiss a good go.

So in a long winded way, all that is to say that assuming the blinds didn’t get caught, it probably only took Jemma a take or two to get the blinds down.

[batnbreakfast]

Zoom, Booze, no Doom

Hi friends,

it's Saturday again!

Let's Zoom together and meet at our usual time:

UK 8pm

Germany 9pm

Wisconsin 2pm*

We're taking another detour towards the theatre and will be watching the National Theatre production of Hansard with Lindsay Duncan and Alex Jennings, because we unfortunately can't get the Jemma Redgrave and Simon Slater reading version. But we can imagine!

It might help that Hansard has a truly horrible man.

Looking forward to seeing you all!

*Our clocks have changed!

[denimbex1986]

We didn’t want David Tennant to go, and it was time for Ncuti Gatwa to finally take the Tardis keys, but in a twist we got both of them at once. It was no surprise, though, that Neil Patrick Harris was a scene-stealing romp, revelling in silly accents, closeup card magic and imaginative cruelty.

The Toymaker’s violence-dealing dance scene at Unit HQ to the Spice Girls rivalled the Master’s Rasputin routine in the Power of the Doctor, and seemed like the new Russell T Davies era writ large: bright, bold and knowingly silly, but with an underlying political message.

Shirley Anne Bingham (Ruth Madeley) was back too, and the barb a possessed Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) aimed at her, that she had seen her getting up out of her wheelchair, was oddly prescient. It was filmed months and months ago, but echoed the ludicrous discourse after Madeley’s first appearance about whether a character in a wheelchair could be capable of crossing their legs. Online discourse like that was one of Davies’ real-life targets with this script, with its not-too-subtle messaging that having every human online and 100% certain they were right about everything was a recipe for global chaos.

A return for former companion Mel (Bonnie Langford) meant she finally got to show that her character really had been, as described, a computer programmer, and not just an eternally-in-distress 1980s damsel. And Langford got to use her singing and dancing skills for plot-driven reasons too.

At its heart, for the first 40 minutes, this was about Tennant and Catherine Tate (Donna). At times tender, at times dry or sarcastic with each other – “I’m already running!” – but always friends. When Donna so effortlessly negotiated a future job at Unit, you feared the worst for her – that it would be another fantastic dream she would never get to have, but she ended up with her family life, and an unexpected plus one in the shape of a grounded 14th Doctor.

Gatwa’s entrance, due to the show’s first ever “bi-generation”, appears to be acting as a character cleanse for the Doctor and a potential soft timeline reset for the show as a whole. It meant a huge tonal shift for the final third, leaving the demise of the Toymaker almost an aside as the Doctors stood together, using the 60th anniversary to wave goodbye to the past and usher in the future.

Sum it up in one sentence? The Toymaker returns to drive the human race to distraction with a doll, only to find they’ve gifted the Doctor a home.

Life aboard the Tardis We got the awkward conversation that happens every time a current companion meets an earlier one – “but you’d never mentioned them”. And the Toymaker’s puppet replay of the grisly fates of Amy, Clara and Bill rammed home how life on the Tardis has become a hazardous occupation in the modern era.

Fear factor The scenes inside the Toymaker’s shop had a creepy dreamlike feel to them, with the dolls at times evoking horror movie vibes – albeit a horror movie you can show to eight-year-old kids on a Saturday teatime.

Mysteries and questions The Meeps’s reference to its boss in the first special, and the Toymaker saying there was a thing hiding in the universe that even he was afraid to challenge, but would be somebody else’s game, seem to be setting up a big bad for Gatwa’s first full season. And the Master couldn’t really be trapped for all eternity in a gold tooth? Of course not. That was surely the hand of the Rani picking up the tooth after it dropped.

Deeper into the vortex * There were too many callbacks to count, but the biggest was the Toymaker, who, as briefly glimpsed in colourised clips, first appeared played by Michael Gough in a 1966 story with William Hartnell. Gough was due to reprise the role in The Nightmare Fair, a 1986 Colin Baker story, but BBC bigwigs had other ideas, put the show on hiatus, and we ended up with Trial of a Time Lord instead. The 1966 story has three episodes missing from the archive, but an animated version using the original audio soundtrack will be released next year. Though from the trailer it looks like it was animated in Roblox, so YMMV. * As Kate Stewart, Jemma Redgrave has now appeared in stories featuring the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and War Doctors. That equals or eclipses the number of Doctors that her character’s father, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, appeared with, depending on how pedantically you count them. * Russell T Davies has said that one of the reasons he thought of casting Harris as the Toymaker after working with him on It’s a Sin was because the actor is a magic enthusiast and has done his own standup magic routines before...'

[lonelier-version-of-you]

Okay, so, tonight’s episode... hm. It wasn’t as good as I’d hoped from the spoilers and from it being written by Ed Sellek. It wasn’t bad, by any means, it was just sort of... meh. Maybe that’s just because I feel “meh” on the storylines, though.

The Dylan storyline is interesting, but I’m sad we only had Jemima for a few scenes. Also - why’d they have to name her Jemima Hargrove? That’s a name begging me to misread it as “Jemma Redgrave”, I swear, lmao.

I guess I just would’ve liked to see more of Dylan and Jemima, like we’ve seen him with his other mentors (Miriam and Zsa Zsa). The fact that their dynamic was so lovely made me want to see more of them even more.

I’m a bit frustrated with how this feels more like a mystery/sensationalist sort of storyline than an issue-based storyline. I guess I was sort of hoping for the latter based off everything they’ve said about this story. That said, it’s very early days and we’ll have to wait to see how the story progresses.

It’s obviously not gonna be Jemima’s son that’s the abuser, that’s way too easy - he feels more like a red herring. I think he really does just have a bad relationship with his mum and that’s it. It’s got to be a staff member at the care home, I’d imagine. Probably tied to why Jemima’s friend was hiding in the cupboard - trying to get away from the staff member. And Jemima’s notebook would be documenting the abuse in the home. (Plus, it being someone at the home, abusing multiple residents, would probably be more fitting for the thing Jon Sen said about the storyline involving Dylan discovering abuse in the community.)

Anyway, regardless of my scepticism about the storyline itself, William Beck was great tonight and so was Souad Faress as Jemima.

When we got the earliest spoilers about the storyline with Rash, I figured it was heading in this direction, and indeed the Digital Spy spoilers went on to prove me right. It’s an interesting storyline. All the actors involved are very good (Shobu Kapoor - Mona’s actress - was particularly great in this ep), so that helps.

I didn’t like that it gave us a vehicle for a Charlie Lecture, though.

Anyway, yeah, I don’t have a lot to say about that storyline, it’s another one we’ll have to wait and see how it plays out.

They are taking the incidental music way too far. It’s one thing in dramatic scenes (and often overused even for those), but now we’ve had Comedy Incidental Music at least twice - this episode, and the Paul/Adi fight a few months back - and I hate it. The music is alright in dramatic scenes in small doses, but that’s it.

Dylan at the management seminar thing was extremely relatable. I love him.

I still hate that Faith is on the show, and I still hate that she’s still sharing scenes with Dylan. If she gets involved in this care home plot like a couple of articles have been suggesting she might, so help me. Faith is nothing more than an abusive monster and I am sick and tired of the show trying to portray her otherwise.

It looks like they’re finally starting to set up Ethan’s exit, what with that whole little scene with the care home worker asking Ethan about his career. I’d been wondering when they’d start setting that up.

Anyway, yeah, that’s all I have to say about this episode.

[starfleetwitch]

Listen lads. Yes I have a temperature. Yes I'm drowsy. And yes! YES I'm board af. But I'm sorry, the idea of Zoe Evans trying to stop a run away tractor is the funniest fucking thing to me right now. If this is the admission that proves my insanity I want it to be known that @iordio put the thought in my head and I've been crying ever since.

[authorsmortuary]

But close ain't close enough 'til we cross the line

Summary: DI Jill Raymond and Reader fuck in Jill's office after Reader could have died

Click here to Read

[fairytalepages]

https://youtu.be/AF4HHa8bXgg

Silent Witness: Time

[kinglivv]

Is it Casual Now? (Part 2)

Kate Lethbridge-Stewart x Reader

Summary: After you call things off with Kate, you realise that no matter how much you avoid her, your feelings won’t go away.

Warnings: Implied sex, explicit language

You don’t speak to her for a month, which is impressive considering you’re under her command. She’d tried to call you once or twice, you’d caught her staring in a few team meetings, but other than that it was like the past year had never happened. You delete the photos off your phone, shove her things into shoe box under your bed and attempt to erase any reminder of her from your personal life.

You think you can manage. UNIT’s a good job - the best job in fact, the sort of thing you’d dreamed of since you were small. You work with aliens, you save the world, you’re challenged every day. Surely all of that balances out the pain of seeing her on the regular?

Avoiding her is easy, you tell yourself. You simply make sure you’re assigned to projects she isn’t leading on, stop going for after-work drinks and keep your head down at your laptop.

It’s when the rumours about her and Colonel Ibrahim start that you realise perhaps it actually won’t be so easy. Donna mentions it to you in passing one morning, mid-gossip over the coffee machine.

“Have you heard about the Commander and the Colonel?”

You stop stirring your coffee.

“No?”

“Mel was saying she saw him pick her up from work yesterday.” Donna’s grinning like she’s caught the scoop of the century. Usually you’d have been just as invested, but instead you feel like you’ve left your body and are stood watching a stranger have this conversation with Donna.

“Oh,” you manage. “That’s funny.”

You hurry off to your next meeting, hands trembling and barely able to concentrate. It couldn’t be true, could it?

You can’t bring yourself to ask Mel. You don’t want to know, and as long as you don’t know you can convince yourself it’s not happening. You go through the motions, pretending that you don’t see the intimate whispers between Kate and Christofer on the command deck, pretend you don’t notice them sat too closely together in meetings.

Your delusion is shattered after Sutekh. You’re brought back to life rather dizzingly after being disintegrated into sand, and of course the first person you think of is Kate. Except when you look over, the Colonel’s already with her, helping her up and there they are sharing that look again. She manages to spare you a cursory glance but then… then she’s holding his hand. In front of everyone.

Your stomach rolls. You want to throw up. You think you physically feel your heart break in two and you rush off home early, skipping the debrief and breaking protocol in the process.

You thought you could do it but she’s making it impossible. You hate her. How could she? A whole year together and she was over it in a month, moving onto someone she was happily displaying around the office like she was in love. Worst of all, the staff were happy for her, leaving you her dirty secret, some mere side piece that had meant nothing.

You knock on her office door the next day and place your resignation letter on her desk.

“What’s this?” She looks over the top of her reading glasses at you. Those eyes used to make you melt and now you feel nothing but cold hard resentment.

“It’s my four weeks notice,” you tell her plainly.

“Why?” She frowns.

“I’ve decided it’s time to move on from UNIT,”

“Don’t be silly, Y/N,” she takes off her glasses and sits back in her chair. It’s the first time you’re alone together since you fucked her in that restaurant bathroom. “I’m not accepting it.”

“You can’t not accept it.”

“Watch me.”

“I’m not playing whatever game this is.” You turn to leave, but she’s up and moving around her desk, grabbing your arm. You’re immediately transported back to the last time you’d argued in here and how you’d given up the fight as soon as she’d kissed you, forgiving her for everything.

Not this time.

“Is this about us?” She hisses the “us” like it’s a bad word.

“Of course it’s about us.” you shrug her off.

“Y/N, you’re one of my best soldiers. I’m not letting you walk out of here over something so petty.”

Your face burns.

“Yeah well you’ve got plenty other soldiers to choose from haven’t you?”

Realisation dawns on her face.

“This is about Colonel Ibrahim isn’t it?”

“That and a million other things, Kate.” You tell her. “You’re insufferable.”

She has a the decency to look hurt, adopting that face of hers that looks like a slapped puppy. You had a sharp tongue and you knew how to use it.

“I can’t sit here,” you tell her, “and watch you parade your new toy boy around the office in front of everyone like we didn’t basically date for a year.”

“You’re the one who called it off.”

“Because you were hiding me from everyone!”

“I was trying to protect you!”

“From what, Kate?” You say exasperatedly, “I was in love with you and you knew it, and yet you still let our friends-with-benefits thing carry on for your own amusement. The only thing I should have been protected from is you.”

She stares at you, and maybe her eyes are a little wet. You don’t allow yourself to linger on them.

“I’ve left your stuff in a box in my locker if you want to grab it,” you tell her matter-of-factly.

“I don’t want my fucking stuff, Y/N,” she sighs, leaning against her desk - slumping against it, even. “I want you.”

“You should’ve treated me like it.”

“I thought you’d come back,” she confesses, wiping away a stray tear.

You feel your anger subside slightly, replaced by confusion. You’d never seen her cry before.

“You loved me?” She asks hoarsely.

“Don’t act like you didn’t know.”

She doesn’t reply and looks down at the floor guiltily.

“Do you still?”

“You think I’d be resigning if I didn’t feel anything for you?”

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I didn’t think it would get this serious.”

“We went on holiday together. I slept in your bed for days on end. You let it get serious.”

“I know, I know,” she admits, “pure self-indulgence. I shouldn’t have led you on when I wasn’t ready for it.”

It’s the most you’ve ever gotten out of her on this subject, and still she isn’t reciprocating your feelings.

“Self-indulgence?” You repeat.

“I…” she waves her hand searching for the words. “I wasn’t ready to be in love again after my divorce. And I didn’t to have to put my kids through another one of my tumultuous relationships. And I didn’t want you to get stuck with someone twice your age and your boss. And… I didn’t want to stop seeing you. I could give you a million excuses, Y/N. They wouldn’t make up for how I’ve made you feel.”

“That’s what you mean by protecting me?” You ask, “You didn’t think I might want a say?”

She grimaces.

“Was it just sex?” You ask softly, because you have to know, once and for all.

She shakes her head.

“And Christofer?”

“A rebound.”

“Have you slept with him?”

She nods and your heart plummets again.

“Just the once,” she says, “I was trying to stop thinking about you. Trying to kid myself I could forget about it.”

You want to hate her for it but you can’t. After all, you’d slept with someone whilst you were with Kate, trying to distract yourself from your feelings. It would be hypocritical to expect differently of her.

“I tell him to piss off.” She pleads, “Say it was nothing. Hell, I’ll even find a way to fire him if that’s what you need to forgive me.”

“I couldn’t ever not forgive you Kate, that’s kind of been my ongoing issue for the last year.”

She huffs a laugh, reaching out to take your hand. You gaze at her, taking in all her familiar features that you’ve abstained from for a whole month. You’re leaning in and then… she pulls back.

“No.” She says and you want to scream but then: “This isn’t just a quick fuck. We should do this properly. Let me take you to dinner?”

She’d taken you to dinner a dozen times before but this felt different.

“Oliveli?” She suggests, “With your favourite pasta and the really good french martini’s?”

You nod.

“And then,” she suggests, rubbing her thumb over your hand, “and then maybe it’s time I sat the kids down and had a chat to them about you.”

It’s the closest admission to love you’d ever heard from her. You can’t help the smile creeping onto her face.

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

Her hand falls to the desk and crumples up your notice. Without tearing her eyes away from yours, her perfect aim lands it in the bin across the room.

[zafirosreverie]

"I just met your father"

You looked up from your book when Kate sighed and sat next to you. You giggled as you kissed her forehead "my father uh?"

"UNIT captured him"

"Still a bad guy i see" you sighed

"I think it's a family thing" Kate smirked

"Hey! I am well behaved, thank you very much" you said, pretending to be offended

The blonde just laughed as she cupped your face and gave you a proper kiss

[fraks]

i am, quite frankly, appalled that there isn't a single miranda cleaves/kate stewart fic out there.

[pers-books]

Review

Sep 26, 2023 - Written By Diana Feng

Review:

OCTOPOLIS, Hampstead Theatre

Photo credit: The Other Richard

Octopolis is a witty two-hander with a playful spark in its fiery humour and a thrilling emotional journey tucked away within.

Professor George Grey (Jemma Redgrave), a world-renowned behavioural biologist, best known for her pioneering research into octopus intelligence, is grieving over her recently deceased husband. She spends every day with her research subject: Frances, who resides in a large, purpose-built tank in George’s campus accommodation. Their world is disrupted when ambitious anthropologist Harry (Ewan Miller) arrives, seeking to test a groundbreaking theory on Frances.

Entering Downstairs at Hampstead Theatre, Octopolis dresses the theatre in an oceanic ambiance. Blue velvet curtains, blue carpet, blue wash lighting, accompanied by David Bowie’s iconic songs; it feels like diving into the ocean with a Walkman plugged into our ears – delightful and liberating.

Blackout, the blue velvet curtain opens to reveal a sophisticated minimal set designed by Anisha Fields: a wall of built-in aquarium-like light boxes, lit up with a gradient of blue, filling with haze to suggest the motion of water. Two actors dress in matching hues, dancing on stage in an iconic, almost pulp fiction-like movement. No set, no props, just a bench and the water tank. A projection appears on top of the water tank: “The Future,” and quickly, we are immersed in the world of George and Harry.

The fast-paced dialogue between the two actors works like a charm. Marek Horn’s humorous text injects academic jargon with just the right amount of zest. Though the two researchers often speak in long, complex sentences, it maintains emotional resonance throughout.

The story is compelling. The octopus has always been a mysterious, intelligent creature that fascinates mankind. Its curious nature draws parallels to the curiosity building up between George and Harry. Redgrave’s performance is strong, grounded, and endearing. Her wittiness and assertive body language make the audience fall in love with her. It’s not hard to see why a young, passionate man like Harry would find her as fascinating to observe as the octopus. Miller exudes fiery playfulness in his performance. There’s no doubt we can see his obsession with his work. However, we wish there’s a clearer moment for us to see how Harry's feelings sprout for George.

Director Ed Madden strikes a balance between playfulness and sophistication, fuelling the audience's imagination. The overall quality and atmosphere give an aristocratic ease. The 'third actor,' Frances the octopus, is vividly present without ever being seen on stage. Thanks to the cast and creative team's artistry, we feel as if she’s right there in the tank with us. The imagination takes us exactly where we need to be.

Jamie Platt's interactive lighting design takes a creative stance on stage. The water tank/aquarium changes from one colour to another, like colourful ink extractions, adding depth, mirroring the characters' emotional journeys, and emphasising the octopus' presence. It prompts contemplation about sensory experiences. Who says we cannot feel colour?

There’s something captivating about two professional observers observing a subject as well as their personal lives from an intimate yet slightly removed standpoint. It’s as if the audience is looking into an aquarium, observing the two characters, just as they observe the octopus or even themselves. Octopolis touches on big intersecting ideas about religion, existence, human behaviour, and evolution through the lens of academia and emotional connection. It’s all very fascinating; we only wish it carried more weight than an inciting incident. Perhaps exploring how these big ideas impact the relationship itself would be an even more thought-provoking journey for the audience. Though time goes by quickly and it doesn't feel like an hour and forty minutes, there are bits that feel a little repetitive and could use some tightening overall.

Angela Gasparetto’s movement and intimacy direction and Esther Kehinde Ajyai's sound design infuse a playful spirit into the often logical and conceptual dialogues. The fun, quirky dance moves and the retro iconic music draw us closer to the characters' humanity over their intellectual minds.

Octopolis is a theatrical delight that skilfully blends humour with profound emotional depth. It immerses its audience in a captivating world of imagination, wit, conceptual challenges, and emotional depth. A gem for theatre enthusiasts.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Diana Feng

Octopolis plays at Hampstead Theatre until 28 October, with further information here.

Octopolis - Hampstead Theatre

(If anyone's interested, the book of the play's available from Nick Hern Books or from the theatre itself.)

[tebarambles]

Me? A fangirl? Whatever can you mean…