Timothy Spall excels in The Old Vic’s The Caretaker April 7, 2016 The Old Vic | ★★★★☆ Harold’s Pinter’s first big hit, The Caretaker, is a frenetic comedy about three social outcasts, all woefully incapable of communicating with each other. This claustrophobic play takes place inside a leaky loft conversion strewn with lofty piles of newspapers and a host of unfinished DIY projects. It’s exhausting just looking [...]
Football betting: Harry Kane able to help Tottenham Hotspur end home hoodoo against Manchester United April 7, 2016 Nothing better sums up Tottenham’s Premier League home record against Manchester United than one of their most memorable encounters 15 years ago. After the hosts raced into a 3-0 first half lead over the Red Devils in 2001, it only took a few words from Sir Alex Ferguson at the interval to rejuvenate his side, [...]
X at the Royal Court review: a terrifying, claustrophobic space horror that comes unravelled April 7, 2016 Royal Court | ★★★☆☆ The best science fiction is virtually always a vehicle for social commentary, a metaphor for talking about the here and now. Alien can be read as an advocation of abortion; Dune reflects the geopolitics of the Cold War-era oil industry; Dawn of the Dead is a critique of consumerism. But, crucially, you [...]
Whistler at the Fine Art Society shows an artist who was rightly considered thoroughly radical April 7, 2016 James McNeill Whistler is best known for his painterly concern for harmony of tones and mood, rather than overtly symbolic or moral content. This is famously evident in his Arrangement in Grey and Black No.1 of 1871, commonly known as Whistler’s Mother. What is less known is that he was also an extraordinary pioneer both [...]
Anthony Joshua v Charles Martin: Callow Joshua insists he is ready to seize first world title chance April 7, 2016 British heavyweight Anthony Joshua admits he is taking a risk by challenging for a world title just 15 fights into his career but insists he is ready to dethrone IBF champion Charles Martin. London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Joshua, who has won all of his fights by knockout since turning professional, clashes with American Martin at [...]
New photography exhibition seeks out the implausible in the everyday April 7, 2016 Photographer Stephen Shore’s most striking work comes from his epic tour across 1970s America in search of what could be called the “extraordinary ordinary”. Many of his pictures depict the everyday life of Americans that, frozen in time, divorced from the mundanity of life, seem unbelievable. Badlands National (pictured) shows a tiny, unremarkable house, a [...]
West Ham v Arsenal: Arsene Wenger defends Jack Wilshere’s dedication following nightclub controversy April 7, 2016 Aresnal manager Arsene Wenger has defended Jack Wilshere’s dedication after the injury-plagued England midfielder was caught up in an apparent row at a West End nightspot last weekend. Wilshere, 24, is yet to play this season after fracturing his calf bone in August but is set to make his comeback for the club’s under-21s on [...]
Paris Saint-Germain 2, Manchester City 2: Shaky City ride luck as Pellegrini demands end to mistakes April 7, 2016 Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini insists a second-leg repeat of the defensive mistakes on show at the Parc des Princes last night will scupper his side’s hope of making further history and reaching a first Champions League semi-final. A second-half Fernandinho strike drew City level after goal-machine Zlatan Ibrahimovic and midfielder Adrien Rabiot turned the [...]
Forget all the World Twenty20 despair and Stokes sniping, this England side is something special April 6, 2016 So much of the fallout from Sunday’s World Twenty20 final defeat has focused on all-rounder Ben Stokes and England despair, but Eoin Morgan’s side deserve a huge pat on the back for getting that far in the competition. This England team is starting to become something very special. Getting to the final proved that, it’s [...]
Former US Open champion Rose content to fly under Masters radar in bid for Green Jacket April 6, 2016 Britain's Justin Rose is content to begin the Masters incognito as he bids to be become the first European player to win a Green Jacket at Augusta and win the US Open. Much talk leading into the first Major of the year has focused on the big three – defending champion Jordan Spieth, world No1 [...]