Watford hire Spanish coach June 5, 2015 WATFORD have confirmed the appointment of Europa League-winning former Atletico Madrid manager Quique Sanchez Flores following their promotion to the Premier League. Sanchez Flores, who has also coached Benfica, Getafe and Valencia, succeeds Slavisa Jokanovic, who could not agree a new contract with the club he led into the top flight. The 50-year-old’s playing days [...]
Wawrinka beats Tsonga to keep French waiting June 5, 2015 WORLD No9 Stan Wawrinka ended hopes of a first French male finalist at Roland Garros for 32 years when he saw off Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets yesterday in Paris. The Swiss stayed on course for a second grand slam title, having claimed the 2014 Australian Open, with a 6-3, 6-7 (1-7), 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 [...]
Theatre review: Kafka on the Shore June 5, 2015 Barbican | ★★★★★ Haruki Murakami’s novel Kafka on the Shore is an ever-shifting mirage where dream and reality, past and future, here and there all twist and collide. It’s a book about ideas, encompassing western philosophy, Greek tragedy, psychoanalysis and science fiction. It should translate horribly to the stage, but legendary Japanese theatre director [...]
Theatre review: Bradley Cooper’s physical performance is a little too good in The Elephant Man June 5, 2015 Theatre Royal Haymarket | ★★☆☆☆ Bradley Cooper’s performance in The Elephant Man is an impressive feat of physical acting that’s a little too good for a largely uninspired play. In one of the few genuinely innovative scenes, we first see Cooper as a near-naked, barrel-chested vision of human perfection. As Joseph Merrick’s many [...]
Film review: Melissa McCarthy is hampered by her co-stars in Spy June 5, 2015 Cert 15 | ★★☆☆☆ Bounteous as Melissa McCarthy’s comedic gifts no doubt are, do they justify a resuscitation of the spy-spoof genre? In a word: no. In Spy she plays a desk-bound CIA operative working in partnership with field agent Bradley Fine (Jude Law) with whom she is not-so-secretly in love. Despite finishing top [...]
The Premier League will have no sponsor for a season after failing to find £60m backer June 5, 2015 The Premier League will be without a title sponsor for a season after it parts ways with current backer Barclays next year. Read more: Fifa sponsors celebrate Sepp Blatter resignation The competition reportedly wants to be known simply as "The Premier League", replicating the "clean" brand image seen in American sports such as the NFL [...]
Art review: Agnes Martin brings peace and quiet to Tate Modern June 4, 2015 Tate Modern | ★★★★★ When we think of 20th century abstraction we tend to think of great male painters who divided the canvas into blocks (Mondrian, Rothko) or set colours against each other in explosions of warring pigment (Pollock). Agnes Martin’s approach was different. She ruptured the chains of figuration only to find another [...]
Something for the weekend June 4, 2015 WATCH! MORE LONDON FREE FESTIVAL This weekend the More London Free Festival returns, bringing a varied programme of arts and events to the concrete amphitheatre next to the Mayor’s building. See everything from child-friendly adaptations of Greek tragedies to a French Riviera-inspired pop up restaurant. Visit morelondon.com PERUSE! MAP FAIR What better way to add [...]
From Field Day to the Chelsea Fringe, the best of summertime in London June 4, 2015 The summer season is finally upon us! This means music festivals, rooftop drinking and lounging around in the park. Don’t wait for the weather to arrive, take advantage of all the adventures you can have outdoors this weekend Field Day Saturday and Sunday, Victoria Park, fielddayfestivals.com This may have been Field Day’s [...]
Andrew Flintoff: ‘I can’t remember England this strong’ June 4, 2015 Ex-England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff tells Ross McLean how he expects his old side to beat Australia and regain the urn Former captain Andrew Flintoff insists the current England side is the strongest he can recall and one that is primed to regain the Ashes which were unceremoniously surrendered 18 months ago. England head [...]