After a list of the career credits of a delicious Belgian chanteuse called Micheline van Hautem we were told that she was
After a list of the career credits of a delicious Belgian chanteuse called Micheline van Hautem, we were told that she was once "prominently noticed by Madonna" at a movie premiere. Prominently noticed - whoah!Brel himself died young, at the age of 49. His music is eclectic and full of drama, a mixture of burlesque and lyric poetry. Early on, one of the (translated) lyrics runs:"If I became the thing I fearA seaside singer on the pier."Luckily, Brel had the nerve to flirt dangerously with this humiliating image.So, when the musical minds at the television stations begin the search for themes for next summer's football show, perhaps they will turn to Brel One of those grand, operatic chansons would work well. So what if he was the Edith Piaf of Belgium - that doesn't exactly cut much ice in these parts.
When William Hague thinks of Brussels, he probably does not think of savage ditties sung by a sad-eyed chain-smoker; but that only goes to show how shrill and narrow is the conversation that we have about Europe in this country.The theatre was nearly empty, which was a shame, as the performers had rehearsed an exuberant curtain call They had also worked hard on the programme notes. Anonymous Society is a show made up of of 19 Brel songs, performed with dash and avant-garde brio by a group of mainly Belgian singers and dancers. It isn't exactly a sell-out - we Britons are scarcely renowned for our fondness for Brussels-based culture - but it is hot stuff, simultaneously sexy and nihilistic, at once plaintive and caustic.Jacques Brel has his admirers here (Julian Barnes is a vociferous fan), but he is not exactly a household name. Perhaps they can make a fuss about Jacques Brel, whose music forms the basis of a terrific new theatrical cabaret at the Lyric Hammersmith in London.
But when England play their crunch Euro 2000 football match against Germany at Charleroi next summer, we will probably be reminded by the commentators that the Battle of Waterloo was fought to defend nearby Brussels (and that, on that occasion, the Prussians - bless them - came swooping in to save the day).Otherwise, there are very few Belgian allusions for the sportswriters to cling to. Maybe it would make a nice birthday present - I don't know.Belgium never gets a very favourable press in Britain, and famous Belges are not exactly ten a penny. I've flicked through the manuals, and they don't say a word about the best time to make children howl in dismay. And did we stop him last year, when he wrote a card to tell Santa that we would be in France for Christmas, so please note the temporary change of address? No we did not.It feels like innocent fun. But all that is left for us now, as responsible, considerate parents, is to choose the exact time to fracture a small boy's faith in magic and ourselves. We're all in it together, I suppose, and I for one am in too deep already. A couple of years ago we put out a glass of wine and a mince pie for Santa (and a carrot for the reindeer).