Support Staff
In the course of the day, we were privileged to hear a run through of the latest work of the Maestro, which, in the immortal words of Jack Lindsay, would bring tears to the heart of a hard boiled egg. This was lovely, and a reminder of what we’re all here for. It also took place in his university office, which contains the usual office stuff, but also a piano. The top of said piano is littered with an eclectic variety of mascots. Surveying this field of mysterious objects, I commented on a largish Moomintroll, once the serious bit was over, and he explained that these were gifts from students. ‘And there’s this’, he said: concealed behind the piano lid was a remarkable piece of movie kitsch, a plastic model of Gandalf as if on the Bridge of Khazad-Dum from the movie version of Lord of the Rings. He jiggled it or something, upon which it roared, ‘You - shall not - pass!!’ At which point the Maestro gave us his satanic little giggle, and said, ‘he comes in useful at resits’. Oh, if only.