The older ones among us can remember the balmy days when there was a place off the Adriatic called Yugoslavia. It was ruled by an enlightened despot called Tito, who, while a Communist, refused to bow down to Moscow. Then, on this day in 1991, Slovenia and Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia and what was once a beautiful country of fine wine (former Yugoslavian red), sunkissed beaches and Medieval castles became a war zone.
What are the Balkans for? Answers please, on a postcard, to Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the Railway Station, Sarajevo.
In other news ...
Isn't it funny how Musicals cause such affront. What was created as a fun entertainment usually upsets somebody. Seven Brides for seven Brothers (written by Johnny Mercer who died today in 1976) is based (albeit loosely) on the rape of the Sabine Women. Showboat and Porgy and Bess exploit black people. Jesus Christ Superstar was blasphemous from note one. Oklahoma seemed to imply that the inhabitants of the Mid West were a wagonload short of a train. Carousel was unkind to Fairground Folk. The list just goes on and on.
And talking of that, why has nobody made a Musical out of Schindler's List yet?
Or have they?
