I'll do this in reverse order. So Sunday night first.

I came back from Dumfries, despite every mean thought that has passed through my head since - well, let's see - approx the start of December, full of new love for the TheATer.

So settled in to watch Le Gout des Autres. Year: 2000. Genre: world cinema. Dir: Agnes Jaoui.

It promised to be a tale of a "successful industrialist who, out of boredom, allows his wife to drag him to an amateur stage show. Much to his surprise he is overwhelmed by the power of the lead actress, Clara (i.e. he fancies her something rotten). He becomes so infatuated with her that he goes back to the play night after night."

Actually, he went back to the theatre twice. Adding up to a sum total of three visits.

And this was my main source of disappointment with how The Others Tasted (yes, yes, I know that's not a good translation).

I had envisaged a film full of the beautiful French that essentially depicted my weekend in Dumfries. Except featuring a cast that was more beautiful (if that's even possible) and French.

What I got was the usual slightly inpenetrable slightly ponderous and apparently without point French film with a couple of scenes briefly located backstage at a very smart little studio theatre with a few people wearing slightly clumsy costumes milling about in the background.

Agnes Jaoui needs to get herself along to the Masonic Hall - I'm sorry. I mean to say Secret Venue - in Dumfries.