An explosive return for the bad boy of opera February 14, 2013 BALLET MIXED PROGRAMME Royal Opera House **** The Royal Opera House’s mixed programme of ballet, marking the 25th anniversary of renowned dancer and choreographer Frederick Ashton’s death, was bound to be an explosive affair. It saw the dramatic return of Sergei Polunin – the former bad boy of British ballet – to the stage he [...]
The City in full swing with glut of new joints February 14, 2013 New King’s Road launch Upper West channels the spirit of Manhattan clubs like PH-D. The lounge bar boasts a roof terrace complete with olive trees and cascading fountains, while the separate nightclub Madison’s is accessed by a grand staircase and will feature floor to ceiling bronze mirror panelling and a state-of-the-art lighting system. The City [...]
This is 40 minutes too long February 14, 2013 FILM THIS IS 40 Cert 12A ** Half-way through Judd Apatow’s latest, This Is 40, a woman accuses Debbie (Leslie Mann) and Pete (Paul Rudd) of looking like a couple from a bank advert. Its one of the better jokes, not least because it highlights the fundamental problem with the film. Debbie and Pete are [...]
A Good Day to Die Hard is a ludicrous, outdated relic February 14, 2013 FILM A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD Cert: 12A ** John McClane is a family man. When he purged that New York tower block of eastern European terrorists in 1988, he wasn’t doing it out of patriotic or professional duty – he was doing it for his wife who was trapped in the building. A [...]
Great Expectations, below par results February 14, 2013 THEATRE GREAT EXPECTATIONS Vaudeville Theatre ** The Vaudeville seems a fitting space to stage Great Expectations. It was founded in 1870, just ten years after Dickens finished serialising his much loved classic, and Dickens himself – who loved theatre deeply – might have visited had he not died in the year it was completed. Like [...]
Underground success story February 14, 2013 EXHIBITION POSTER ART 150 London Transport Museum **** In this excellent new exhibition at the London Transport Museum, 150 posters have been selected from a collection of more than 3,300. Not only are the posters striking pieces of art, they also offer a unique insight into the history of the transport system that most of [...]
The white shirt: it’s a classic for a very good reason February 13, 2013 Since MAD Men’s Don Draper breathed new life into the white shirt back in 2007, it has been a wardrobe staple for the distinguished man about town. But picking the right one isn’t easy. Few people expect to walk into a shop and immediately find a suit that fits – the same goes for shirts. [...]
Team IT with these top accessories February 13, 2013 John Lobb Oxford shoes, £655 mrporter.com Bottega Veneta Curved intrecciato cufflinks, £270 mrporter.com Mulberry Heathcliffe leather briefcase, £895 mulberry.com
The future looks cloudy for this Sauvignon Blanc February 12, 2013 bottle.opener@cityam.com Once the wine of choice, Cloudy Bay now has some real competition Whatever HAPPENED to Cloudy Bay? A few years ago the release of the new Cloudy Bay Sauvignon vintage was greeted with excitement amongst wine lovers. After all, this was a wine to celebrate – a taut yet ripe Sauvignon Blanc with real [...]
A cynic’s solution to not loving Valentine’s day February 12, 2013 City A.M.’s cocktail expert Call ME a cynic, but there is only one thing worse than being single on Valentine’s Day and that is being forced to sit with your significant other in a bar or restaurant, spending hand over fist in a vain attempt to quantify your affections. And every year the expectations for [...]