The Band’s Visit, Donmar Warehouse, review: Great musical performances October 14, 2022 The Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra have been booked to appear at the opening of an Arab cultural centre in Petah Tikva, part of metropolitan Tel Aviv. But a misunderstanding while ordering bus tickets at the airport finds the band stranded overnight in Bet Hatikva, a fictional nowheresville in the middle of the Negev Desert. What [...]
The Boy with Two Hearts, National Theatre, review: Poignant tale of love October 14, 2022 The Boy With Two Hearts is a true story turned into a book by Hamed and Hessam Amiri, about their own journey from Herat to Cardiff, focusing on their brother Hussein and his chronic heart condition. Transformed into a play by Phil Porter and the Wales Millennium Centre, it is a poignant tale of love [...]
Blues for an Alabama Sky review: A comic picture of The Great Depression, but not a cohesive one October 14, 2022 Who knew a play about The Great Depression could, and frankly, should, be this funny? We laugh or we cry, goes the old adage, and Pearl Cleage’s 1995 play is an uneven but often joyfully comic celebration of some of the vulnerable, brash and foolhardy characters who lived through it. We meet Angel who dreams [...]
Inside BFI London Film Festival’s ‘explosion’ of virtual reality film programming October 13, 2022 Kristen is deciding whether or not to have an abortion. Sat directly opposite me, her hair is dyed blue, her denim jeans are ripped and she’s opening up about her personal story. “How are you feeling?” I ask her, as luscious animations illustrate her changing feelings. She appears genuinely lifelike during our one-to-one conversation, but [...]
Amsterdam film review: An A-List cast can’t save this messy film October 12, 2022 David O. Russell has built a reputation as a boom or bust director, with award-laden films like Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle alongside infamous bombs like I Heart Huckabees and Joy. But the hits are clearly enough to attract big names to new projects: his latest film, Amsterdam, has a jaw-dropping ensemble cast. Set [...]
Stephen Frears on Kings, Queens and ‘catastrophic’ politicians October 11, 2022 “You think you’ve reached the bottom and somehow the Tories manage to effortlessly make it worse.” This observation is delivered as soon as I enter the annex of the Soho hotel where I’m to interview lauded director Stephen Frears. Here to promote his new film about finding the remains of Richard III, he’s installed himself [...]
James Bond locations: become Bond by sinking martinis at these worldwide filming destinations October 10, 2022 Your mission, 007… Visit these James Bond locations around the world. From St James to Jamaica, so much of Bond is about escaping to the planet’s most gorgeous corners The view from the private balcony of The Duke of Clarence Suite at DUKES Hotel offers Green Park so close up that you could throw a [...]
The Doctor West End review: Juliet Stevenson mesmerises in play for our times October 10, 2022 Say the name Juliet Stevenson to those that don’t go to the theatre and it may not mean much – but on the stage, Stevenson has A-List status. In riveting Robert Icke play The Doctor, she lays out every reason why. The piece, which first opened at the Almeida in 2019, is a damning character [...]
Werewolf by Night review: An interesting style experiment from Marvel October 9, 2022 With Werewolf By Night, Marvel Studios have unveiled what’s essentially a Halloween special for the Disney+ network. Based on their Werewolf By Night comics, Marvel aren’t ofay with making these sorts of one-offs, but it comes with low risk. If it doesn’t work, the show can be forgotten as quickly as those Marvel One Shot [...]
Sh!t Theatre review: Evita Too is the most fun you’ll have in the theatre this year October 7, 2022 Sh!t Theatre’s latest completely ridiculous but utterly barmstorming show begins with a question. Would you rather hear a Wikipedia page recited as context for the performance, or watch founders Louise Mothersole and Rebecca Biscuit roller skate around the theatre naked? You can guess how the show opens, and it’s classically barmy stuff from the trope [...]