Small Things Like These: A Movie, A Snowplow, A Thanksgiving Meal

Small Things Like These, a film based on the book by Claire Keegan, is the story of Bill Furlong (Cillian Murphy), a coal merchant, set in 1958 in a small Irish town that contains, on its outskirts, one of Ireland’s now infamous Magdalene laundries. The laundries were run by the Catholic Church for decades; they housed, in total, tens of thousands of young women who had “misbehaved” by becoming pregnant or otherwise flaunting (or maybe just failing to observe) social expectations for women. The laundries were punitive, like prisons, and babies were taken from mothers and set up with or “sold” to adoptive families. In recent years, the history of the laundries has been revealed and recognized for the horror it was.

In Small Things, the townsfolk whisper about the laundry but mostly just ignore it. Not Bill Furlong, who comes face to face with the dehumanizing and cruel treatment of the young women, and the creepiest of Mother Superiors, a chilling character portrayed by the inimitable Emily Watson. Despite threats to his own well-being and that of his family, Bill steps up. What he does is a small thing that is not so small.

Small Things Like These is currently playing at the Nugget Theater in Hanover, NH but unfortunately, according to its website, is available only until this Thursday, November 21. Must step lively, then.

The story takes place almost entirely on Murphy’s face, swimming in the infinite sadness of those ice blue eyes.—Sean Burns, North Shore Movies, 11/18/24

A deliberate film that uses small moments to examine one of the great questions of our time: how good people let bad things happen, and how we might push back against the dark.  —Helen O’Hara, Empire Magazine, 11/13/24

In real life, the Upper Valley is filled with its own people doing not-so-small things:

Rosalind Finn has had a snowplow named after her. In a state program through which schoolchildren can name their local snowplow, names are often clever puns, like “Frosten Powers,” and “Snoah Cahn .” Kids from the Newton School called theirs, simply, “Roz,” in honor of the woman who volunteered for many years “reading to children and then as they became readers, listening to them as they read to her. . .” (Valley News, 11/16/24.) (She also lent her time and talents to the Upper Valley Humane Society, at one time appearing on videos with adoptable cats and dogs. It was my favorite local TV production.) Ms. Finn’s contributions to her community were indeed no “small” things. And to have children name a snowplow after you . . .well, what’s better than that?

Also in the “stepping up” category is the relatively new REDCAN restaurant in White River Junction, Vermont. They will be offering free Thanksgiving meals—turkey with all of the expected sides—to anyone in need. Such good neighbors.

And a small note: In this season of giving thanks, I am grateful for you, my readers. After ending recent posts here with mention of Artful’s steady progression to 3000 subscribers, we have finally reached 3000! Thank you for contributing to Artful’s growth. Much appreciated.

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Thank you! You’re reading Artful, a blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley, and I hope you’ll subscribe (still free) and then share this post with your friends and on your social media.

And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.

Clara’s Tea Returns, and Other Seasonal Events You May Need to Know About Now

Sorry to interrupt what remains of the lull before the winter holiday season with news of . . . the winter holiday season. It’s necessary, and you may thank me, and yourself should you decide to take action. The truth is—if you don’t move now (or soon), you may find your beloved holiday traditions to be sold out. Like what happens with The Polar Express, every year.

And so, coming soon:

Northern Stage’s Disney’s Beauty and the Beast starts with previews on November 20 and will run through January 1. It’s a “show suitable for all ages.” Because the character of Belle is a bookish sort, Northern Stage is partnering with the Children’s Literacy Foundation with Belle’s Book Nook, a designated space in the theater’s Roesch Lobby, where patrons are invited to “cozy up with a book and hot cocoa before the show or during intermission.” Bring your own reading material or select a book from the in-house collection. In a related vein, patrons are asked to bring a new children’s book for Belle’s Book Drive. Books will be distributed to kids in the area after the show’s run. Tickets are here.

Clara’s Dream, an annual production of City Center Ballet will return to the stage at Lebanon Opera House on December 14 and 15. And after having been absent over the last few years for pandemic-related reasons, Clara’s Tea will be held this year at the Lebanon Ballet School on Lebanon’s pedestrian mall. Dancers in costume from Clara’s Dream—including a cadre of little Pastry Chefs—will be serving tea and pastries. The two events are coupled. You will first need a ticket to Clara’s Dream in order to purchase a ticket for the tea. Tea tickets are here, with a link to LOH box office for tickets to the show.

A favorite of mine—the Vermont Almanac—is available for pre-order here. If you’re unfamiliar, it describes itself as “stories from and for the land.” Of Vermont, and rural life, that is. It’s got a little of everything, the literary equivalent of Dan and Whit’s: essays about farming, photos of maple sugaring, recipes, historical pieces, artwork, poetry. In fact, this year’s volume (Vol. 5) features cover art by William B. Hoyt, an Upper Valley artist who lives in Hartland, Vermont. This is real sit-by-the-fire-and-savor-the-pages stuff, for yourself or for gift-giving.

Be a hero. A Book Angel, to be exact. The Norwich Bookstore (photo, above) continues the tradition. From a holiday wreath, you can choose a paper angel that will prompt you about a specific child’s wish and then choose a book yourself—and the bookstore staff are ever so helpful with recommendations—that will be delivered to that child. If you’re too busy to browse, you can also make a simple monetary donation to the program while in the store or online.

For many years, we've partnered with community members to help get books to kids in need around the Upper Valley during the holiday season. We work directly with local organizations and agencies to field requests from the kids they serve, and ensure that every child on our list receives a book.—Norwich Bookstore

Too early, like me, to get your head around the upcoming holiday shopping? Two words: 19 Days. Since 2013 and beginning with Dan and Whit’s, 19 Days of Norwich and now, the Upper Valley, has raised money for the Upper Valley Haven. Shop local at participating businesses and they will donate a percentage of the profits. Begins December 1. Check here for more info and a list of businesses (coming soon). It’s a community thing. Be the light.

(Photos courtesy of Northern Stage and Norwich Bookstore)

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Thank you! You’re reading Artful, a blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley, and I hope you’ll subscribe (still free) and then share this post with your friends and on your social media. We are now ever-approaching 3000 subscribers. Help push Artfulover the top (we are so close, and getting closer) by sharing this post with a holiday shopper or otherwise arty friend.

And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.

At The Movies: The Nugget Theater

See Conclave, and other films, in the company of your neighbors.

Last weekend, I went to the movies.

I did not sit, per usual, on my very comfortable couch, scrolling through Netflix or HBO and hitting “play.” I put on adult clothes, drove to the Nugget Theater in Hanover, NH, bought Sunday matinee tickets, ordered up two popcorns and a bottle of water, and settled into two on the aisle to watch Conclave. And, had a fabulous time that caused my husband and I to muse upon the experience and offer this suggestion to ourselves on the drive home: Let’s become regular movie-goers.

According to General Manager Jeff Graham, Conclave has been putting numerous posteriors in the seats, which is one measure of how well a movie theater is doing. It’s a good film with an all-star cast dominated by the gripping performance of Ralph Fiennes and the glow and grit of the incomparable Isabella Rossellini. But the Nugget, like all movie theaters, could benefit from larger audiences overall. Unfortunately, in these times, movie-going sounds like a quaint activity that often served as a proper date, proper dates being another cultural phenomenon that could use some resuscitation.

Cultural changes aside, COVID did not help the bottom line, closing the Nugget for eighteen months, followed by the Hollywood actors’ and writers’ strikes of last year, which according to Graham has resulted in a dearth of films in the pipeline. For patrons, cost is an issue: our tickets and concession stand purchases—because who would be without their popcorn—totaled approximately thirty dollars for the two of us. And the obvious factor is the presence of numerous streaming platforms that for a modest fee allows access to just about an unlimited number of films that can be viewed while parked on that convenient and, again, very comfortable couch. There’s also that pesky parking problem that haunts Hanover, especially the 2-hour meters near the theater that don’t jive with a common movie length of 2 hours plus.

General Manager Jeff Graham calls the Nugget “an iconic main-street movie theater.” It has had three locations in Hanover since it began in 1916 on West Wheelock Street (in the space with the building “on stilts” which was once a bookstore). When the original structure burned to the ground, the theater was hosted in Webster Hall before finding its current home on South Main Street.

Of the course the question I posed to Jeff was “What do you say to someone who asks, given the fact that I can watch a movie at home, why would I come to the theater?” He responded that “it’s getting out of the house, seeing a film on the big screen, eating popcorn with real butter . . . And supporting a local business.” The Nugget is owned by a non-profit, The Hanover Improvement Society; money from ticket sales and concession purchases is funneled back into the community.

I admitted that had Conclave been available on Netflix, it is likely I would have chosen to watch it at home. But it wasn’t, and I am glad that it lured me to the Nugget. The cinematography, for one, would not have been served by viewing it on my iPad screen. More importantly, however, was this: Conclave is a suspenseful movie with more than one twist and turn. There is nothing like company when you’re on the edge of your seat. “You could hear a pin drop,” said more than one review of this film. Except of course when, at several points during the screening, you could hear the sharp and spontaneous intake of breath, your own and everyone’s around you. And when the lights went up, people nodded to each other, faces quizzical and delighted, as if to ask, “wasn’t that a surprise!”

The Nugget Theater’s website contains its schedule of films (click here.) As the late film critic Roger Ebert used to say, perhaps, (in my case, most likely at a matinee), “I’ll see you at the movies.”

(Photo, top, historic photo of the Nugget, courtesy of the Nugget Theater. Photo, above, cast of Conclave: Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Stanley Tucci, and Isabella Rossellini)

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Thank you! You’re reading Artful, a blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley, and I hope you’ll subscribe (still free) and then share this post with your friends and on your social media. We are now ever-approaching 3000 subscribers. Help push Artful over the top (we are so close, and getting closer) by sharing this post with a film-loving or otherwise arty friend.

And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.

Vote! And 4th Grader Artwork

I just voted. My “I Voted” sticker was designed by 4th grader Jacob, of Auburn NH. In Jacob’s design, the state of New Hampshire is happily fishing.

Designs by fourth graders Grace of Milton NH and Rilynn of Mont Vernon NH were also featured on “I Voted” stickers.

Here’s the story, (click) complete with all three stickers.

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Thank you! You’re reading Artful, a blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley, and I hope you’ll subscribe (still free) and then share this post with your friends and on your social media. We are now ever-approaching 3000 subscribers. Help push Artfulover the top (we are so close, and getting closer) by sharing this post with a civic-minded or arty friend.

And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.

Singing On: Opera North Reveals Three Productions for Summerfest 2025

Opera North is wearing its 42 years with verve, and with bold plans for the upcoming season.

Before a crowd of well-wishers at AVA Gallery on Tuesday night, this professional opera company that makes its home in the Upper Valley announced the line-up for Summerfest 2025. Louis Burkot, Artistic Director, did the honors:

THE LITTLE PRINCE is a relatively new opera by Rachel Portman based on the well-known book of the same name by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Burkot described the opera as a mix of “new age, classical, and fantasy.” Two items of particular note: 1) As it did in its recent production of Carmen, ON will partner once again with the Upper Valley Music Center to include children in the performances. 2) Circus artists (who have previously appeared in partnering roles in a kind of variety show format with opera singers) will, under the direction of Mark Lonergan (Big Apple Circus), be integrated into the actual production.

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO receives an update, set in the 1920s (“think Downton Abbey,” advised ON Director Evans Haile.) Though a recent production of this classic opera was an unusual version featuring a single performer, ON’s will be more traditionally cast.

THE MAN OF LaMANCHA. Who doesn’t love it? Sing along, maybe just in your head, to The Impossible Dream.

Opera North has been a long-standing tradition in the Upper Valley, and has transformed itself under Haile’s directorship with its acquisition of Blow-Me-Down Farm in Cornish NH as a performance venue. It’s opera under the “big top,” and it has become more inclusive and family-friendly. In fact, when opera seems to becoming the province of those of us with gray (ok, or graying) hair, Haile noted that ON audiences in recent years have changed the demographic, partly because of families who bring children to the performances. There is often a food truck or two on site to facilitate picnicking before the show.

The Metropolitan Opera has succeeded in lowering the average age of its audience from 57 to 52, presumably by including new, more contemporary operas by living composers. Average age of opera goers varies by location. In Paris: 48 years, in Houston, 65 to 72 years. Broadway audiences are considerably younger at 40 to 45.

Consistently impressive is the talent. Some well-established opera singers are brought in for certain key roles but the heart of ON is its Resident Artists Program. Burkot travels the country “from Boston to Bloomington, Indiana” and places between and beyond, auditioning young singers—approximately 700 of them—who are starting out in their opera careers before he chooses a dozen or so each season. Attendees at AVA Gallery’s fete were treated to a performance by Carlyle Quinn, a Resident Artist from ON’s previous season. She was mesmerizing and soulful; more than one audience member wiped away tears while listening to her sing.

Subscriptions for the 2025 season go on sale on November 15, and despite the fact that summer seems eons away, it’s never too early! Performances are often sold out. For more information, click here to view ON’s website.

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Thank you! You’re reading Artful, a blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley, and I hope you’ll subscribe (still free) and then share this post with your friends and on your social media. We are now ever-approaching 3000 subscribers. Help push Artful over the top (we are so close, and getting closer) by sharing this post with an opera-loving or otherwise arty friend.

And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.