Details of BBC’s Russell Brand investigation revealed: findings due in ‘weeks not months’ September 19, 2023 The BBC’s Director-General has announced a review of Russell Brand’s behaviour during his time working with the broadcaster, with the outcome due in “weeks not months.” According to a report by Deadline, Tim Davie said to colleagues this afternoon: “We’ll look at any complaints made about Russell Brand’s conduct during his time, what was known [...]
London Design Festival director: the UK government must regulate AI technology September 18, 2023 The first AI-generated buildings have already been built. Adam Bloodworth hears how it’s a hot topic at this month’s London Design Festival, running 16 – 24 September at venues across London Architects don’t need AI,” declared Britain’s most famous architect Norman Foster in May. Three months later, his firm Foster + Partners gave a pithy [...]
‘Like a very, very Loose Women!’ 5 podcasters on the thrill of recording live at London Podcast Festival September 18, 2023 The London Podcast Festival returned this September, bringing the usually solitary exercise of recording podcasts into the public forum. It welcomed audiences to debate topics and involve themselves with conversations as podcasts were recorded live in King’s Cross. It’s an unusual format, so we spoke five people involved in the festival, the founder, three podcasters [...]
Jackie and Spencer filmmaker returns with surreal, comic El Conde September 16, 2023 Oscar winning filmmaker Pablo Larrain is best known to English language audiences for his portrayal of famous women in history, telling the story of a famous First Lady in 2016’s Jackie, and imagining the torment of a princess in 2021’s Spencer. It’s a famous male leader, however, that becomes the subject of his latest work, [...]
The Nettle Dress film review: An intriguing new way to see nature September 14, 2023 If you want to see an extreme example of sustainable fashion, this short and sweet British documentary may be the answer. The Nettle Dress follows textile maker Allan Brown as he talks about his seven-year project making a viking-style dress from locally foraged nettles. It’s an odd starting point for a film, but naturally there [...]
Rally Road Racers review: John Cleese turns racing champion September 14, 2023 Everything about this internationally produced animation feels a little bit familiar. Set in a world of anthropomorphic animals, Rally Road Racers is about a Slow Loris (voiced by Jimmy O. Yang) who dreams of being a racing driver, and challenges the current, arrogant champion (John Cleese) at the forthcoming race. Mentored by an old pro [...]
Ian McKellen said he couldn’t come out as gay because of me, says former lover September 14, 2023 Sean Mathias has directed Ian McKellen in over thirty productions. In this wide-ranging interview, he talks to Adam Bloodworth about the strength of their working relationship, which spans over 30 productions, and thinks back to their personal relationship, as the duo’s new London theatre show, Frank and Percy, opens in the capital There can’t be [...]
Plaza Suite, London: How to get tickets for Sarah Jessica Parker’s West End debut September 12, 2023 Plaza Suite: London theatre debut for Sarah Jessica Parker announces details of ticket release Details have been announced for the ticket release for the Savoy Theatre’s upcoming production of Plaza Suite, the Neil Simon comedy that will mark Sarah Jessica Parker’s West End debut. There will be a priority ticket sale from Thursday 14 September at [...]
A Strange Way of Life review: Pedro Almodovar does Brokeback Mountain September 11, 2023 It’s rare that a 30-minute short finds its way into cinemas, but Pedro Almodovar’s new work has more than a little historical interest. The Spanish arthouse legend was one of the original choices to direct Brokeback Mountain (he turned it down, believing he wouldn’t be given the freedom he wanted), and almost 20 years later [...]
Brilliant Korean drama Past Lives is an early Oscar nod September 7, 2023 Playwright and TV writer Celine Song makes her directorial debut with Past Lives, a film that made a big splash at the Berlin Film Festival, and now comes to cinemas with a huge amount of buzz. It follows two childhood friends, Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), who seem destined to be together [...]