Compartment No 6 continues a fine lineage of train-based romance movies April 10, 2022 If TikTok celeb Francis Bourgeois has taught us anything, it’s that trains can be exciting. Cinema shares that sentiment, with memorable classics including Brief Encounter and Strangers On A Train giving the everyday form of transport a sense of romance. Juho Kuosmanen’s drama Compartment No 6 may not have the same sweeping sentiment, but it [...]
Fever Syndrome at Hampstead Theatre: A family drama with lofty ambitions April 9, 2022 Fever Syndrome has lofty ambitions. It wants to exist in the same space as the great family dramas of Sam Shepard but feels more apiece with the middlebrow family dramas of Sunday evening on the BBC. It is neither a great play nor a terrible one, comfortably carrying its 2 hour 40 minute running time [...]
To Kill A Mockingbird review: Aaron Sorkin breathes new life into Harper Lee’s novel April 9, 2022 Following its critically acclaimed run on Broadway, Hollywood screenwriter Aaron Sorkin’s retelling of this classic of modern American literature hits the West End, and it is not to be missed. Sorkin takes a fresh look at the illustrious tale of defence lawyer Atticus Finch, his children, the mysterious Boo Radley and the falsely accused black [...]
Daddy review: Queer ecstasy and vulnerability in ambitious play with uneven script  April 8, 2022 Wearing Versace as he greets ticket holders outside the Almeida theatre, Jeremy O’Harris looks and acts like the star playwright he’s fast becoming. He has the cultural cache to boot: He’s the burgeoning writer who consulted on the script for Euphoria and broke onto Broadway with the controversial Slave Play, nominated for Best Play at [...]
George the Poet interview: George Mpanga on how to change the world April 7, 2022 It seems almost unbelievable that Harry and Megan’s wedding – global audience: 1.9 billion – was opened by… a podcaster. But George Mpanga, better known as George the Poet, is no ordinary podcaster; he’s a musician and a thinker, pushing the boundaries of the medium so far he’s created a genre all of his own. [...]
The Bad Guys review: Better than average animated fun April 7, 2022 Once the home of giants including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and How To Train Your Dragon, Dreamworks has played it safe over the last few years, with competitor Pixar disappearing into the distance. Films like Boss Baby, Trolls, and The Croods are enjoyable, but they are glossy distractions for children rather than something worth remembering. [...]
Live music and flamenco dancers to transform the City into Waste Land April 6, 2022 Flamenco dancers and DJs playing hip-hop aren’t the first things you think of when picturing the centuries-old churches in the City of London. Nor is Killing Eve actor Fiona Shaw, but this weekend all three contribute to a kaleidoscopic arts and culture festival. The three-day Fragments event is a celebration of the centenary year of [...]
Music festivals are going bigger and better than ever for 2022 April 1, 2022 Roaring from the campsite to the main stage, you take a swig from a friend’s hip flask before the two of you notice that – uh oh – that group over there have the same fancy dress on. Briefly stop, have a chat, compare outfits – then form a lifelong friendship or two. And then [...]
Jon Ronson on fine form in Leicester Square Things Fell Apart show April 1, 2022 It’s hard to categorise Jon Ronson’s live shows. To call them stand-up would imply the presence of jokes but they’re far more involved than a simple book reading. They’re kind of like meandering Ted Talks, complete with slide presentations, delivered by the world’s most endearingly anxious man. This time Ronson brings his podcast series Things [...]
Morbius review: The most pointless, regressive superhero film in a decade April 1, 2022 After the excellent Spider-Man: Far From Home and the gift-wrapped fan-service of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Sony, which owns the rights to the web-slinger but temporarily loaned him back to Marvel Studios, takes the reins once more in spin-off Morbius. And it immediately confirms that it learned nothing from the partnership, taking no notes, perhaps [...]