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  Wine-mine review - March 2002
Digging up great ideas for wine lovers...
This month we reviewed a book: Hic!
 It's amazing what you can do with a decanter, a glass of wine and a few well-timed flourishes. Julian Curry, accomplished actor and inveterate wine-lover, proves as much in his one-man show which combines history, literature and hard vinous information. If the idea of formal theory leaves you cold, take comfort: Hic! contains nuggets of necessary knowledge, but couches them in an engaging ramble through the many ages of wine. If only all learning could be as pleasurable as this!
A veritable gallery of characters, from Dionysus to Myles na gCopaleen (see the show or buy the book to find out what he's got to do with it), is brought to life with a judicious gesture here, an accent there, and an occasional sip of wine for good measure. Within two minutes of the start, the room is drawn in with a hearty "Cheers!", and Curry manages to pitch the drama at a level which will appeal to wine experts and novices alike. Appreciative murmurs of recognition greet Madame Bollinger's description of Champagne, empathetic groans accompany Bertie Wooster emerging from a mortal hangover, minds are transported wistfully as Claude Erskine-Brown (Curry's character in TV series "Rumpole of the Bailey") tells of "some stony slope in Tuscany, or a village by the Gironde."
The art of Hic! lies in the careful selection of curious stories and apposite quotes, and their memorable evocation on stage. To supplement his own rummaging through the annals, Curry's debt to the scholarship of Hugh Johnson's Story of Wine is freely acknowledged. Indeed it is one of Johnson's vinous escapades which provides the continuous thread running through the script. Without wanting to spoil the surprise for those who don't know about HJ's experience of ancient German Steinwein, suffice it to say that all's well that ends well, and miracles do happen.
Luckily for those who see Hic! and want more, or can't get to a performance in the first place, the show's script has been published, with hilarious cartoons by Chris Duggan ably replacing the live experience. Both show and book have been a classic word-of-mouth success, so why not email hic@onetel.net.uk to find out where you might partake of this excellent vintage?
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| Title: |
Hic! Or the Entire History of Wine (abridged) |
| Author: |
Julian Curry with illustrations by Chris Duggan |
| Price: |
£7.00 |
| Type: |
book & live performance |
| ISBN: |
0954105001 |
| Publisher: |
Vinum Bonum, London, 2001 |
| Rated: |
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| Tasting note: |
Dark red robe; substantial core with lighter periphery. Hints of spice. Full-bodied, complex and well-balanced. Satisfying finish, leaves you wanting more. To be savoured; will reward further sampling. Goes down a treat! |
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