Arena - The Journey

England are losing. Good.

BBC's Arena is 700 years old this week. And BBC4 have dug out some classic shows.

This one involves a 1978 pre-eye-patch Roger sorry George Melly going to the Hayward Gallery to see an exhibition called 'Dada - an exhibition of Surrealist Art'. The programme ends when George reaches the gallery. On the way, we get to meet lots of his mates but never hear them speak.

I hate hearing the word 'surreal'. Everybody says it nowadays, even footballers. 'It hit the bar and bounced straight into the keeper's arms - it was surreal'. No, surreal would be if the pitch was dive bombed by a load of bowler-hatted 1950's office workers. Or Mr Benns.

So, the journey was the thing. And this is what I learnt:-

'Dada' means something in every language in the world.
In 1978, punk/new wave band The Stranglers were seen by George Melly as surrealist.

And these were the people I recognised:-

George Melly
Alan Yentob
The Stranglers
Molly Parkin



I once met Molly Parkin on a night school scriptwriting course, which was surreal.

I once saw George Melly on Diss railway station when I was on the way to a scriptwriting course, which was surreal.

I never completed a script which was surreal.