Ragnar Kjartansson at Barbican review: top Icelandic artist explores the point where performance meets reality July 13, 2016 Every five years Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson records a video of his mother repeatedly spitting in his face. So far there are four videos, which play side-by-side in this Barbican retrospective of his work. They encapsulate a question that’s fascinated him throughout his career – where do performance and reality meet? His mother is a [...]
Needles and Opium at barbican review: a surreal jazz noir and absurdist Miles Davis tribute July 13, 2016 Needles and Opium is a surreal jazz noir staged in a giant revolving cube. It’s a revival of a 1991 play by mercurial French Canadian theatre director Robert Lepage, whose past works include Lipsynch, a nine-hour meditation on the human voice. This play begins with actor Marc Labrèche – who also starred in the production [...]
Dustin Johnson targeting hat-trick of wins, Claret Jug and No1 ranking at Troon July 13, 2016 In-form Dustin Johnson believes that his Major breakthrough at Oakmont last month has multiplied his chances of scooping the Open Championship at Royal Troon, which begins on Thursday. Johnson confesses he rarely wants for confidence, but the world No2 says that winning the US Open – and following it up with victory in the WGC [...]
Premier League pre-season fixtures: Tottenham’s travels down under top Manchester City and Manchester United’s trip to China July 13, 2016 Brexit may have cast doubt on the future of UK trade, but there’s at least one British export showing no signs of shrinking this summer: Premier League football. Just this month alone teams will be jetting on pre-season tours to China, America, Australia and Scandinavia where thousands of eager fans are waiting to lap up [...]
England skipper Alastair Cook urges debutant Jake Ball to seize Test opportunity and rip through Pakistan July 13, 2016 England skipper Alastair Cook has backed seamer Jake Ball to rack up the wickets when he makes his international debut in today’s first Investec Test against Pakistan at Lord’s on Thursday. Cook has confirmed that Nottinghamshire quick Ball, who has claimed 96 first-class scalps, has been given the nod over Middlesex rookie Toby Roland-Jones to [...]
Cricket betting: Comeback kid Mohammad Amir to shine – but England to take series July 13, 2016 England swatted Sri Lanka away in an underwhelming start to the cricketing summer and now face a far stiffer opponent in the shape of Pakistan. The two nations have a chaotic cricketing history, littered with controversy and confrontation. If Mike Gatting’s famous finger-wagging with umpire Shakoor Rana in 1987 wasn’t bad enough, Inzamam-ul-Haq then refused [...]
Cricket betting: Forcing a result could be step too far for England at Lord’s July 13, 2016 When Pakistan last played a Test at Lord’s in 2010, three of their players ultimately ended up serving time in jail. Fast-bowler Mohammad Amir, who was convicted of deliberately bowling no-balls in exchange for cash alongside Mohammad Asif, returns to the home of cricket today after serving a five-year ban from the game. The bad [...]
Rory McIlroy deepens golf’s Olympic snub row by saying he may not even bother watching on TV July 12, 2016 Four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy has stoked golf’s Olympic row further by saying he may not even watch the competition in Rio next month because he considers it to be of such little significance. McIlroy pulled out of the Games citing fears over the Zika virus, a position also adopted by Jason Day and Dustin [...]
Bolton heyday shows that England candidate Sam Allardyce is more than just a firefighter July 12, 2016 You don’t need to cast your mind back far if you want evidence of the importance a strong team identity: it was the foundation of a Portugal side that won Euro 2016 even though they were without Cristiano Ronaldo for most of Sunday’s final against France. Portugal weren’t the only team to benefit from a [...]
Chris Froome conserves energy for crucial double-header as Briton retains Tour de France lead July 12, 2016 Britain's Chris Froome concedes he is keeping his powder dry for two crucial stages later this week after preserving his 16-second lead at the Tour de France on Tuesday. Froome finished safely in the peloton, more than nine minutes behind Australian Michael Matthews, who pipped Peter Sagan and Edvald Boasson Hagen in a sprint finish [...]