There was a vivid illustration of the curative power of theatrical performance last night on the Jonathan Ross Show.

Quentin Tarantino was being interviewed (most entertainingly by the way) about his latest movie, Kill Bill. He and Kill Bill star Uma Thurman were in the middle of a huge and hugely strenuous Euro-tour to boost the movie. You know the stuff, thirty interviews in one day, giving the same answers to the same questions (as sent up in Notting Hill where Hugh Grant asks on behalf of Horse and Hound if there are any horses or hounds in the movie he's asking about, which turns out to be set in space).

Anyway, Tarantino's throat had gone. It was all he could do to make much of a noise at all, although he managed, and even seemed to enjoy things. At least Ross' questions were not the usual ones, and added some excellent analysis of the yellow tracksuit with black vertical stripes at the side that Uma Thurman wears in Kill Bill. Apparently it was what Bruce Lee was seen in during the very last piece of movie-making he ever did, and Ross even owned a costume just like it, which his wife had given him. He shown some photos of himself thus adorned, to the apparently genuine amusement of Tarantino and Thurman . So Tarantino seemed to be having a good time, but he was still struggle to say things.

ANYway. At one point in Tarantino's performance, he did an imitation. I wasn't paying much attention so I missed who it was or why who it was was saying what who it was was saying. But get this. Tarantino's voice was suddenly working full blast! It was quite amazing. And then when the imitation had finished, he went back immediately to croaking and choking, as if nothing had happened.

Usually when you see a performer thus afflicted, you either get him in "real life" (or what passes for real life with such people) and he can hardly say a word. Or you get him on the stage, and hear everything, and never realise that there's much of or even any problem. So for us theatrical civilians to witness this contrast on nationwide TV was really something. We've all heard about this thing, those of us with any interesting at all in theatrical performance. But it's not something we usually get to see and hear for ourselves.

Having TV on in the background, as wallpaper, is an underestimated form of entertainmnent, in my opinion. The chat show is a format which can be particularly effective as entertainment when taken or left in this way. At its worst the chat show is abysmal, wall to wall clichés and lies and insincerities and tedia. At it's best it can be truly sublime.

As for the movie itself, it scares me. Blood everywhere, apparently. But the stills they're hawking around are wonderful, especially this one above, which you can see full size here. I also like this one of Thurman and Lucy Liu having a fight. Liu looks like your granny, doing her limited best but doomed. Very comical. It's the costume, but also the gawky way she just happens to be looking at her (presumably) soon-to-be executioner.