All the News.

On Saturday I tried to read all the news in all the newspapers that could be purchased from the newsagents near the Arnolfini. It was part of the We Live Here weekender. I then spent around thirteen and a half hours in the basement sitting in a comfy chair and reading. The results- I was hallucinating mildly after finishing, and had read all I ever want to read on the subject of Snow, had come to the conclusion that the only paper offering any actual news is The Financial Times, the rest are at best simply voyeurism, propaganda, pornography, stupidity, horror, filth and degradation. Oh and if you need some light relief try the Angling Times.

Sunday was a great day, in particular Paul Hurley's performance in the foyer of the Arnolfini and the dockside. Powerful, resolute, honest, painful, disturbing, visionary. At several points it made me cry. By the end the audience had abandoned him and his hands, arms, shoulders, neck, face and lips had turned purple from the cold. For more on him try his Theatre Bristol profile.

Dani D'Emilia performed 47 Bone in the auditorium, for me this is a work that exists in it's own space, at the centre of a Venn diagram representing life, death, spirit and matter. A quick Google brings up this- The Solvents showing some of her other video work.

But Arnolfini didn't have the monopoly on culture this weekend, Bristol Old Vic Writers Room presented 5 script in hand performances of new writing. The two I saw were Meat and Right by Shiona Morton and Muscle by fellow Residence member Tom Wainwright. The former played out the power struggle of a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law. Whilst the latter was a study of masculinity, obsession, power and sexuality set in a gym. Of course I'm biased, but I think Tom's piece was great- funny, cutting, and with real insight. For more info check out www.bristol-old-vic.co.uk or to follow The Writers Room on Twitter- twitter.com/thewritersroom