Get this: a new exhibition at Salford Museum and Art Gallery about playing out, which takes the form of the least fun flyer EVER. I mean, who'd have thought of employing grey and smog as colours to advertise your new show - which (surely?) is designed to appeal to families at a loose end during the summer holidays?
Wouldn't you rather go to this?
Yes, this image is advertising Videogame Nation at Urbis.
Videogame Nation looks like the craic, doesn't it? Play out! on the other hand, looks about as much fun as swine flu.
Young Arthur liked it a lot when we went. He's been twice now and managed to play on pretty much everything, when the big kids to let him have a go, that is.
Weirdly, it's not got any of the games that I had for my Spectrum ZX+ when i was a kid; stuff like Henry's Hoard and Horace Goes Skiing and Chuckie Egg, but it's got loads of Amstrad stuff, and early detective games. Recommended for a rainy day.
I'll review Play Out! shortly. In the meantime, here is what the website says about the new show.
'This summer, Salford Museum is transforming one of their galleries into a play street. Come and play out all day in the street without cars, and in the back yards and alleyways. Play street games, with balls, bikes and round the lamposts - and find out more about Salford's very own special play streets!'
Reading this, I deduce that it's an exhibition about what is outside your house - the street - only sanitised, and de-weathered.
'Playing out' is something I've been coming to terms with lately. My son, Arthur, has just learnt to ride a bike, and so he can whizz up and down the street on his own. He cycles off to certain points that I let him reach, and then turns around and cycles back.
This usually goes on when I am inside, cooking, cleaning or doing someting that could be regarded as entirely pointless if he was hit by a car. It's impossible to watch your children all the time, but it's impossible not to worry, isn't it? In fact, I'm beginning to see the logic behind Salford Museum's new show...
