Barbu review: A sexy, hairy and acrobatic exploration of the history of circus June 27, 2016 ★★★★★ | Spiegeltent, London Wonderground An acrobatic circus and dance act from the most hirsute recesses of Quebec, Barbu dismantles preconceived notions of masculinity and then rebuilds them into something new using hula hoops, see-saws, ribbons and swings. Several large, beautiful men cavort and spin about the stage, like lumberjacks trapped in a salad spinner, [...]
Painters’ Paintings at the National Gallery review: a thought-provoking exhibition featuring Freud, Matisse, Degas, Reynolds and Van Dyck June 27, 2016 ★★☆☆☆ | National Gallery Painters’ Paintings is a highly unusual exhibition in that it imposes a context onto its collection that many visitors may never have considered before; it is surprising to learn that the National Gallery possesses some 70 paintings that were owned by the other painters it displays. It takes as a starting [...]
Miss Revolutionary Idol Berserker at the Barbican review: An exotic explosion of cabaret that won’t be to everyone’s taste June 27, 2016 ★★★☆☆ | Barbican Fancy spending an evening in a sweltering sub-basement – where the room and all its furnishings are wrapped in plastic? How about if you are too? Kitted out in earplugs and a disposable plastic poncho, which acts as your own uncomfortably sticky sauna? And what if you’re screamed at, serenaded, spat upon, and [...]
New films out this week: reviews of Secret Life of Pets and Elvis Nixon June 27, 2016 Elvis Nixon | Dir. Liza Johnson | ★★★☆☆ A comedy about the real life meeting between Presley (Michael Shannon) and Nixon (Kevin Spacey) that resulted in the US National Archive's most requested photograph. The film makes no bones of the fact that this is a mostly fictional portrayal of how their meeting transpired, and so aims [...]
Euro 2016: Who are England’s last 16 foes? Stats and facts on Iceland June 27, 2016 UNFAMILIAR FOES The Three Lions have only crossed swords with Iceland twice. The last meeting was a Euro 2004 warm-up clash at the City of Manchester Stadium which England won 6-1. Skipper Wayne Rooney scored twice that day, while Iceland were captained by Former Chelsea, Tottenham and Fulham forward Eidur Gudjohnsen. The only other meeting [...]
Hungary 0, Belgium 4: Wilmots welcomes Chelsea’s Eden Hazard to Euro 2016 party after stunning solo goal June 27, 2016 Belgium boss Marc Wilmots welcomed Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard to the Euro 2016 party as a stunning individual performance during their thrashing of Hungary on Toulouse stoked his side’s passage to the quarter-finals. An early header from Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld failed to open the floodgates and it took until late in the second period for substitute [...]
England boss Roy Hodgson cools talk of rift between skipper Wayne Rooney and striker Jamie Vardy June 26, 2016 England boss Roy Hodgson was forced to rubbish suggestions of a rift between skipper Wayne Rooney and Three Lions striker Jamie Vardy on the eve of his side’s Euro 2016 last-16 clash with Iceland in Nice on Monday night. Hodgson stepped in to douse the claims as Rooney was asked about reports asserting he had grown [...]
Britain’s Tyson Fury denies allegations of doping as reports surface of probe into world heavyweight champion June 26, 2016 Promoters for world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury insist they are mystified by allegations that the undefeated Briton is embroiled in a doping investigation. Reports today suggested that traces of a banned anabolic steroid had been found in a sample given by Fury last year, claims that brought a swift response from Fury’s camp. Fury, 27, last [...]
France 2, Republic of Ireland 1: Martin O’Neill fumes at Euro 2016 hosts’ favourable scheduling as Les Bleus progress to possible quarter-final with England June 26, 2016 France 2, Republic of Ireland 1 Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill blamed unfair Euro 2016 scheduling after his 10-man side gave France an almighty scare but ran out of steam against the hosts in Lyon. A second-minute penalty from Robbie Brady gave Ireland a shock lead but the last-16 match turned in 10 second-half minutes [...]
Plenty more titles to come, reigning champion Novak Djokovic tells Wimbledon rivals June 26, 2016 World No1 Novak Djokovic has warned his rivals that he has an insatiable appetite for silverware as his quest for a third straight Wimbledon crown begins tomorrow. Djokovic, who currently holds all four grand slam titles following his maiden French Open victory earlier this month, will start his tournament defence against Britain’s James Ward on [...]