The NEWS...
On the AIR...Brian and David were guests on Matt Duggan's Resonance radio show about magic, Smoke & Mirrors on 21 April.
You can listen to a pod-cast of the programme ('Episode Two') here.Brian was one of the contributors to The Narnia Code, a television documentary screened on BBC 1 in April.
The Narnia Code was inspired by the book, Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C S Lewisby Dr Michael Ward.
The book and the programme explore the theory that Lewis' celebrated cycle of children's novels, The Chronicles of Narnia, are based on medieval cosmology with each of the seven volumes having a mystical connection with a different planet that provides the key to its meaning and symbolism.
The programme was so well received it is being given a very early repeat on BBC FOUR on Monday 18th May at 19:30.Brian contributed to a BBC Radio 4's Last Word, talking about the magician and President of The Magic Circle, the late Ali Bongo
Brian contributed an obituary to Ali in The Independent
And a fuller tribute in the May 2009 issue of GeniiBrian's much-loved, almost-annually repeated seasonal entertainment, And Yet Another Partridge in a Pear Tree... starring Penelope Keith was heard on BBC during the last festive season.
This 'Cautionary Tale for Christmas Showing that it is Better to Give than to Receive' recounts the experiences of Miss Cynthia Bracegirdle who is the hapless recipient of the gifts listed in the well-known Christmas song, 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'.A classic Christmas radio dramatisation by Brian of The Fox at the Manger, an exquisite fable by Mary Poppins author, P L Travers, also received a repeat on BBC Radio 7. The play which starred Dame Wendy Hiller and Alec McCowen was heard on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day morning.
Brian also researched and wrote a two-part tribute to the late Bill Cotton, the man responsible for some of BBC television's greatest hits including The Generation Game, Jim'll Fix It!, Morcambe and Wise, The Two Ronnies, Dad's Army and Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Showman and Star Maker - A Tribute to Bill Cotton was presented by Paul O'Grady and featured, among others, Bruce Forsyth, John Cleese, Val Donican, Cilla Black, Rolf Harris, Des O'Connor, Jimmy Saville, Sue Lawley, Michael Parkinson, Terry Wogan, Sandie Shaw, Paul Daniels and Vera Lynn. The programmes werebroadcast on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
In the SALE ROOM...Brian contributed an introduction to 'That Sort of Bear', the catalogue of Sotheby's sale of E H Shepard illustrations for A A Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh books. The sale took place on 17 December 2008 and you can buy a copy of the catalogue here
In the PAPERS...The Lady, 12 May 2009, carried an article by Brian on the work of artist Norman Thelwell, famous for his Punch cartoons featuring little fat ponies and their little fat riders... Read the article here
The May 2009 edition of SFX carried an article by Damien McFerran in their 'Time Machine' column on the 1981 BBC radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings based on a lengthy interview with Brian giving the background to the making of the "timeless radio classic". You can read it here
A tribute to Ali Bongo by Brian appears in the May 2009 edition of Genii: The Conjurors' Magazine.
You can read it hereBrian contributed an obituary on his friend, the illustrator of The Chronicles of Narnia, Pauline Baynes to The Independent. And you can read his blog tribute here
Sir Cliff Richard talked to The Times about his faith, his fifty years in showbusiness and the new book 50 Favourite Bible Stories written by Brian (see below)
Brian was extensively quoted in a feature article by Alice Jones in The Independent about the creation of Cruella De Vil, 'How Cruella became a De Vil woman'.
And when the film that rocketed Cruella to stardom - Walt Disney's 101 Dalmatians
- was added to the studio's Platinum Edition DVD series it featured an appearance by Brian on the accompanying 'extras'
More...
On the BOX...Brian can also be seen on the extras to just-out 70th Anniversary DVD release, Pinocchio
At the MOVIES...Brian is currently to be seen in a new documentary film, The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story which examines the career and the strained sibling relationship between songwriting brothers, Richard M Sherman and Robert Sherman.
The Sherman Brothers wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Slipper and the Rose and provided songs for countless Disney movies - Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Jungle Book, Winnie-the-Pooh to name but a few - as well as many of the Disneyland attractions such as 'It's A Small World'.
Here's a trailer for The Boys and you'll hear Brian's voice towards the end.
On the WEB...Read Brian's entry on Wikipedia
Read Brian on the BBC Today website talking about Mickey Mouse at 80
Several of Brian's photographs of Venice are now appearing on the website of his favourite hotel in the city, Hotel Ala
In addition to those on the Home Page, others will be found on the pages devoted to 'Location' and 'Reservation'.
Now, scroll down here to the Galleries to see even more photos of this incomparable city.Brian's new book of 50 Favourite Bible Stories (see below) is discussed on the Official Cliff Richard Website and the book gets a nice on-line review at The Good Bookstall
Read Brian's interview on Winnie-the-Pooh's iconic status on ICONS: A Portrait of England
Off the PRESS...Out of print for several years, Brian's guide to J R R Tolkien's map-making will be republished on 28 May as The Road Goes Ever On and On: The map of Tolkien's Middle-earth.
The revised hardback edition will have new illustrations by John Howe as well as John's colour version of the map in a pocket at the back of the book.
On his web-site, the artist writes: "I did new black-and-white illustrations for the booklet, since I couldn't locate the ones I'd done for the first edition (they were pretty bad; had I located them, I might well have chucked them out and done new drawings anyway)."
You can order your copy hereA new paperback edition of Phantastes, George MacDonald's 1858 novel of the fantastic is published at £7.99 by Paternoster with Arthur Hughes' original illustrations and an introduction and annotations by Nick Page. The book carries endorsements from C S Lewis, W H Auden, G K Chesterton - and Brian Sibley who writes: 'Phantastes is a haunting, provocative and disquieting novel that links the dreams of medieval romance with the new awakenings of the Victorian era and - in opening a long-lost door to the realm of Faerie - stands as a daringly challenging forerunner to the modern fantasy novel.'
OTHER RECENT PUBLICATIONS...WOW! 366: Mini writes from MASSIVE writers!
Brian is one of the authors represented in this unique anthology that is crammed with fantastic stories, each told in just 366 - that's as many words as there are days in this leap year!
Other contributors include Roddy Doyle, Michael Morpurgo, Charlie Higson, Anne Fine, Jeremy Strong, Nina Bawden, Ian Whybrow, Paul Stewart, Michael Bond, Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Tom Fletcher from McFly... and that's just for starters.
Published in paperback at £6.99, all profits go to the NSPCC.
Brian's story has the further distinction of actually being about the number 366! Intrigued? Order now!It's in aid of a fine cause.
50 Favourite Bible Stories
retold by Brian, illustrated by the brilliant young artist, Stephen Waterhouse and read on three CDs by Cliff Richard as part of the musical star's celebration of fifty years in show-biz
More...The Golden Compass: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion Brian's book tells the behind-the-scenes story of The Golden Compass, the first film based on Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.
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And...Mary Poppins: Anything Can Happen If You Let It
This book chronicles the journey of everyone's favourite nanny from page to stage: P L Travers immortal character as she appeared in the original books, in Walt Disney's unforgettable film and, most recently on the Broadway and West End stage...
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The BIOGRAPHY...
The LIFE and TIMES
Brian Sibley's biography: all you've never needed to know!
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The WORKS...
The BOOKS
The BACK-STORY
How (and Why) those books got written
More...The BOOK-LIST
All the Sibley tomes and volumes brought to book -- and listed!
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The SHOWSNEW! The SHOW REPORT
The back-stage, off-air story of Brian Sibley's shows and programmes
More...The PRODUCTION NOTES
A full schedule of the Sibley output for stage, radio and television
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The RECORDINGSThe FILM-LIST
Sibley appearances and commentaries on DVD
More...The TRACK-LIST
Sibley Works on CD and Cassette
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The GALLERIES...
A series of Photo-Essays by Brian Sibley & David WeeksThe VENICE ALBUMS
Venice Observed View...
Snapping the Cliché-Ridden View...
Venice: The Bizarre Bazaar View...
Observed by Venice View...
MORE ALBUMS COMING SOON!
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The FEATURES...The Bradbury Machine
Sci-Fi legend, Ray Bradbury, talks about his life and books...
MoreThe Ring Goes Ever On
The Making of the BBC Lord of the Rings
More......And Yet Another Partridge in a Pear Tree
The script of Brian's popular Christmas monologue
More...Meeting Mr Wonka
Memories of encountering Roald Dahl
More...How I Got Walt Disney's Autograph
A book-collector's dream story
More...Remembering the Bear Necessities
Recollections of Disney's The Jungle Book
More...Heaven on Earth
In Praise of Emporios on the Island of Kalymnos
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The BLOGS...Brian Sibley: the blog
Random Thoughts on the Ups-and-Downs & Round-Abouts
of the Carousel of Life
More...Brian Sibley's Likely Stories
A Collection of Terrible Tales and
Freaky Fables
More...Ex Libris: Brian Sibley
Volumes taken at idle moments
from my bookshelves
More...Window Gazing
A gallery of images looking at, into,
or out of windows...
More...button's blog: a rabbit's ramblings
memorable photo-moments from his globe-hopping life
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Original images© Brian Sibley and David Weeks, 2008/9
All rights reserved
