UK’s first queer museum founder: ‘It’s not just another bar, you know?’ May 5, 2022 Queer Britain, the UK’s first ever queer museum opens its doors today, taking over the grand old industrial building in King’s Cross’s Granary Square that was once home to the House of Illustration. The intimate space is the first iteration of Queer Britain, with director and co-founder Joseph Galliano hoping to gain funding for a [...]
Jerusalem review: Mark Rylance proves he is the leading actor of a generation in juggernaut play April 30, 2022 After Jerusalem premiered at the Royal Court in 2009 it began to generate a reputation as the greatest play of the 21st century. It’s hard to do justice to the level of prestige which has surrounded the show since; within theatre circles it is untouchable and nothing since – at least, no plays – have [...]
Prima Facie review: from Villanelle to victim, Jodie Comer is a ferocious force on stage alone April 28, 2022 Jodie Comer became one of the world’s most popular British acting exports as psychopathic predator Villanelle in Killing Eve, dispensing of victims with garden hoses, piano tuners, and dressed as a clown. In her West End debut in Prima Facie, a new play by Suzie Miller, Comer has done what all self-respecting A-Listers do when [...]
Koko founder on £70m relaunch: ‘Camden’s always gonna have edge’ April 28, 2022 Camden’s iconic Koko venue – closed for three years and the victim of a devastating fire in 2020 – finally reopens tomorrow following a £70m renovation. To put that into context, that’s one fifth of the cost the original contractor quoted for building The Shard. It’s a staggering renovation for the historical venue, which has [...]
Ed Sheeran set to headline Jubilee concert as organisers unveil £15m celebrations April 26, 2022 Ed Sheeran is set to be the centrepiece for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee as preparations are made for the “people’s pageant”.
Happening film review: An indie gem worthy of its accolades and hype April 26, 2022 The winner of the prestigious Golden Lion at last year’s Venice Film Festival finally hits UK cinemas, with Happening, the second film from journalist-turned-director Audrey Diwan, arriving with a hive’s worth of buzz. Set in France in 1963, Happening is the story of Anne (Anamaria Vartolomei), a promising student with a bright future ahead of [...]
Scandaltown review: Satire on cancel culture falls flat April 25, 2022 Imagine having three plays opening in London at once. Mike Bartlett, writer of the huge TV hit Doctor Foster, is that guy right now. Cock, starring Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey, is on in the West End, and he’s also commanding two of the biggest off-West End theatres with The 47th at the Old Vic and Scandaltown [...]
The Corn is Green review: A twee revival at the National Theatre April 25, 2022 The National Theatre’s revival of Welsh actor and playwright Emlyn Williams’ The Corn is Green – the first major production in London since the mid-80s – is a comforting, middle-brow ITV period drama plopped onto the stage. The beats of this semi-autobiographical tale of an impoverished boy propelled from the pits to the cultural elite [...]
The Unbearable Weight of Talent: Nicolas Cage shines as Nicolas Cage April 25, 2022 In recent years, Nicolas Cage has joined that exclusive club of beloved cult stars. Like William Shatner, Christopher Walken, and Jeff Goldblum before him, the actor has a balance of craft and eccentricity that makes him a fascinating pop culture figure. Also like those stars, Cage is embracing his oddball reputation. He turned heads with [...]
Marys Seacole at the Donmar Warehouse review: Dazed and confused April 25, 2022 Mary Seacole, a British-Jamaican nurse who, among other endeavours, cared for wounded British soldiers during the Crimean War, has only recently been given the recognition she deserves. With her new play, Sibblies Drury transcends the single history of Mary Seacole, and presents us with a number of Marys, across various time periods and settings. Mary [...]