Tarantulas, temples and tall tales: Vietnam to Cambodia on the Mekong river is a soul-stirring delight September 23, 2024 Alexandra Pereira enjoyed profound human connections along the Mekong river On the first night of my journey along the mammoth Mekong ‘mother- water’ River, I watch on aghast as my companion crunches down on a large tarantula. He washes it down with a negroni, a sundowner like no other, and barely makes a sound or [...]
The ultimate weekend in Sussex, with wild swimming, wine and Monet’s lilies September 23, 2024 Sussex’s latest opening has wild swimming – and warm hot tubs, finds Justine Gosling THE WEEKEND: One of the UK’s most diverse counties and easily reached by car or train in under an hour from London, West Sussex spans the coast and the South Downs National Park, encompassing hills, the city of Brighton, harbours, farmland [...]
The Jazz Cafe Festival is a great addition to the London festival scene – review September 20, 2024 Music lovers will know about the Jazz Cafe, a mainstay of London’s music scene for the past 35 years. But this year, the Camden venue hosted their first music festival in Burgess Park. The line-up was one of the most interesting and eclectic at any of London’s day festivals, with a staggering variety of artists [...]
Waiting for Godot review: Ben Whishaw finds joy in Samuel Beckett’s wondrous misery September 20, 2024 Waiting for Godot review and star rating: ★★★★ Waiting for Godot has been called ‘the play of the 20th century,’ but that accolade doesn’t make staging Samuel Beckett’s most significant piece easy. The Irish playwright, who died in 1989, banned tampering with the set or script in adaptations. It hampers creativity somewhat, but even so, [...]
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio review: A blast from the fast September 20, 2024 After nine years, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio should probably be shuffling off arthritically into the sunset. Instead, this old stager has come out fighting, with a second facelift designed to keep it competitive with the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C63. A case of too little, too late? The Guilia has always been beautiful, so [...]
Sally Rooney Intermezzo review: Normal People author’s shift to the male perspective comes at a cost September 19, 2024 Moody men take the spotlight in Sally Rooney's Intermezzo, leaving the women as martyrs in the process, writes Anna Moloney.
A five-star natural facelift at Sofitel London St James September 19, 2024 If you’re looking for non-invasive luxury, Su-Man’s Skin Reborn Sculpting Facial at the Sofitel Spa is where it’s at.
Strange Darling film review: Like a modern Quentin Tarantino September 19, 2024 Independent hit Strange Darling’s grindhouse titles, 35mm film presentation, and use of the Miramax logo gives it the feel of something that might have been made in the mid-90s by Quentin Tarantino or Robert Rodriguez. It is, however, a modern story with an inventive twist on the serial killer thriller. Told in out-of-order chapters, the [...]
The Substance review: Demi Moore in best film of her career September 19, 2024 The Substance | ★★★★★ There were plenty of standing ovations at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, but one film in particular had everyone buzzing. Coralie Fargeat, who came to prominence with her 2017 thriller Revenge, blew audiences away with her latest piece, The Substance. Set in a garish, 80s-style Hollywood, Demi Moore stars as Elizabeth [...]
The Goldman Case film review: a crime drama unlike any other September 19, 2024 The Goldman Case review and star rating:★★★ A real life French crime saga is played out in this biographical drama which puts the audience in the juror’s chair. The Goldman Case recreates the 1975 appeal hearing of Jewish far-left activist Pierre Goldman (Arieh Worthalter). He is serving a life sentence for the crime of four [...]