Lasting impressions
15/03/05: Lasting impressions
What an impressive person Princess Anne is. She'd agreed to come to the Annual County Meeting of Gloucestershire Federation of WIs yesterday, and though the security and forward planning made the organisation of the meeting a headache, I think she more than made up for it by her commitment to the event. Having been sent advance notes about the current work of the organisation (of which she is an associate member) she delivered a clear and stimulating address, revealing a great deal of knowledge and understanding about the issues she mentioned. She spoke for twenty minutes, referring to notes only occasionally, and revealed herself as a truly professional speaker. I think everyone was impressed by her performance.
During the lunchbreak and presentations, she was relaxed and chatted easily with everyone, finding something to chat about and putting the most nervous at ease with her friendly manner.
What a contrast, therefore, to listen to a professional of a rather different kind in the afternoon session. Steve Nallon is known for his impressions, in particular, that of Margaret Thatcher in the Spitting Image TV programme. The budget is usually stretched on these occasions, to include a "name"; someone whom the members will want to come and hear, and who will lighten the balance of the agenda, some of which has to be business. In the past, such speakers as Lady Healey, Kate Adie, Paul Whittaker of Music and the Deaf and Gyles Brandreth have not only entertained us but given food for thought as well. On this occasion, we listened to half an hour of a stage act - indeed, twenty minutes of a stage act, for the last ten minutes were offered for "questions from the floor". How disappointing to have to pay so much for someone who does not come prepared with enough material to fill the half hour he has been given. The occasional amusing impression in no way made up for the fact that much of the talk was weak and relied too heavily on his stage act, giving little insight into the man himself or the art of impressionism. I felt that the half hour revealed how this chap has been overtaken by better, more up-to-date impressionists, and felt that we were watching yesterday's man.
(Originally publlished by Gill)
What an impressive person Princess Anne is. She'd agreed to come to the Annual County Meeting of Gloucestershire Federation of WIs yesterday, and though the security and forward planning made the organisation of the meeting a headache, I think she more than made up for it by her commitment to the event. Having been sent advance notes about the current work of the organisation (of which she is an associate member) she delivered a clear and stimulating address, revealing a great deal of knowledge and understanding about the issues she mentioned. She spoke for twenty minutes, referring to notes only occasionally, and revealed herself as a truly professional speaker. I think everyone was impressed by her performance.
During the lunchbreak and presentations, she was relaxed and chatted easily with everyone, finding something to chat about and putting the most nervous at ease with her friendly manner.
What a contrast, therefore, to listen to a professional of a rather different kind in the afternoon session. Steve Nallon is known for his impressions, in particular, that of Margaret Thatcher in the Spitting Image TV programme. The budget is usually stretched on these occasions, to include a "name"; someone whom the members will want to come and hear, and who will lighten the balance of the agenda, some of which has to be business. In the past, such speakers as Lady Healey, Kate Adie, Paul Whittaker of Music and the Deaf and Gyles Brandreth have not only entertained us but given food for thought as well. On this occasion, we listened to half an hour of a stage act - indeed, twenty minutes of a stage act, for the last ten minutes were offered for "questions from the floor". How disappointing to have to pay so much for someone who does not come prepared with enough material to fill the half hour he has been given. The occasional amusing impression in no way made up for the fact that much of the talk was weak and relied too heavily on his stage act, giving little insight into the man himself or the art of impressionism. I felt that the half hour revealed how this chap has been overtaken by better, more up-to-date impressionists, and felt that we were watching yesterday's man.
(Originally publlished by Gill)
posted by Mark at
12:52 pm
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