How much do rugby players get paid? New RFU deal with England players boosts match fee to £22,000 November 11, 2016 England rugby captain Dylan Hartley said the national team's players had got a "fantastic deal" after the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Rugby Players' Association (RPA) agreed a new four year contract from 2016 to 2020. The contract between players called up to Eddie Jones' England's Elite Player Squad (EPS) is believed to be worth £22,000 per [...]
The Radical Eye: Modernist Photography at the Tate Modern review: Elton John’s personal photography collection is astonishing November 11, 2016 In a moment of irony at this exhibition of Elton John’s personal photography collection, a security guard berated a woman for taking a picture on her iPhone. It was a neat reminder of how saturated and disposable this medium has become in the 21st century, clogging up social media feeds, propped up by technology that [...]
King Lear at the Old Vic review: Glenda Jackson’s return to the stage is a triumph November 11, 2016 Glenda Jackson has spent the last 25 years researching the intricacies of political life especially for this role (she’s been the MP for Hampstead and Highgate). It was worth it – and what a loss to the stage the last quarter of a century has been. Her gender-switched Lear is by turns viperous, bawdy and [...]
Here’s everything that happened in the sixth episode of The Apprentice November 11, 2016 This week’s Apprentice sent the final 12 on a wild goose chase around London in a classic task – the treasure hunt challenge. They were given all night to find every object on a list, which shouldn't have been too hard considering London is now a 24-hour city. Perhaps a more difficult challenge before the advent [...]
Moeen Ali reveals mature side as he and Ben Stokes turn screw on India November 10, 2016 All-rounder Moeen Ali admitted the embarrassment he felt from past instances of surrendering his wicket proved the inspiration for his century as England surged into a commanding position on day two of the first Test against India. Moeen advanced his overnight score from 99 to 117, while Ben Stokes struck an imposing ton as England’s [...]
South Africa hold no fear for my England team, insists head coach Eddie Jones November 10, 2016 England head coach Eddie Jones insists his side have the weapons to disarm South Africa’s much-vaunted physicality and outwit the Springboks in other facets of the game during their autumn showdown on Saturday. Jones showed his hand on Thursday and, as expected, centre Elliot Daly is set to make his first England start in place of Jonathan [...]
Cymbeline at the Barbican review: Epic, thrilling and bold to the core November 10, 2016 Shakespeare is the still the master of blending the personal and the political. And nowhere is this showcased more effectively than this production of Cymbeline by the RSC, set in “a dystopian Britain not too far in the future” (the programme’s words, not mine). In a symbolic act of self-sabotage, our green and pleasant land [...]
American Pastoral review: The American Dream dissolves into a bleak nightmare in this all too relevant film November 10, 2016 A film exploring the frailties of the American Dream couldn’t be more relevant, yet there’s little that rings true in this adaptation of Philip Roth’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about the generational shifts in post-war American politics. The novel occupies a profound place in the US literary canon, so it seems an odd vehicle for Ewan [...]
Arrival review: This is Close Encounters for the Interstellar generation November 10, 2016 Language is both a bridge and a barrier in Arrival, a film in which a dozen gargantuan alien ships appear around the world and cause global existential upset. These obsidian-black sentinels hover metres above the earth, silent, still and towering, and in an effort to figure out the intentions and nature of their occupants the [...]
F1 driver Sergio Perez dumps sponsor over tweet mocking Mexicans following Donald Trump’s election November 10, 2016 Force India driver Sergio Perez has dumped one of his sponsors after they issued a tweet mocking his fellow Mexicans following Donald Trump’s election as United States president. Perez was left unimpressed as sunglasses manufacturer Hawkers made reference to Trump’s promise during his campaign that he would be minded to build a wall between the [...]