Theatre review: Speed the Plow October 10, 2014 Speed the Plow | The Playhouse Theatre | ★★★☆☆ There’s something very patronising about the coverage of Lindsay Lohan’s stage debut in David Mamet’s Speed the Plow. “Didn’t she do well for turning up?”, “Didn’t she do well for only forgetting one line?”, “Didn’t she do well for not being absolutely freaking terrible?” We should, perhaps, give [...]
Film review: Annabelle October 10, 2014 ★★☆☆☆ Annabelle, a creepy, possessed Victorian doll, was one of the stars of last year’s horror hit The Conjuring, despite only appearing in a handful of scenes. So it’s perhaps unsurprising that she takes centre stage in this prequel, which plays like a Buzzfeed list of fright-movie cliches. Creepy children, moving dolls, enclosed spaces, [...]
Film review: The Rewrite October 10, 2014 ★★★☆☆ The Rewrite opens with Hugh Grant playing a charming yet socially inept Englishman abroad, trying to pitch script ideas to film studios. He’s not having much luck because his character Keith Michaels hasn’t written a hit since his Oscar-winning debut Paradise Misplaced. Depressed and nearing bankruptcy, he takes up a creative writing professorship in [...]
Something for the Weekend: City A.M.’s picks for your days off October 10, 2014 For a bite to eat: BBQ Lunch at Stepney City Farm Top chef Ben Tish cut his teeth at Salt Yard bar and charcuterie and this Saturday he’s bringing his meaty treats to Stepney City Farm for a charity barbecue. On the menu will be burgers from his successful new restaurant Ember Yard. Booking [...]
Euro 2016 Qualifier: Roy satisfied as Rooney edges closer to record October 9, 2014 ENGLAND 5 SAN MARINO 0 SATISFIED England manager Roy Hodgson played down the importance of breaking goalscoring records last night after his team maintained their 100 per cent start to Euro 2016 qualifying with the most perfunctory of thrashings. Almost two years to the day since Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck netted in a 5-0 [...]
Club chiefs bemoan concept of Premier League matches abroad October 9, 2014 EUROPEAN football chiefs have poured cold water on talk of Premier League matches being played overseas, insisting they are unlikely to drop their opposition to the plan. Clubs are believed to be re-examining the proposals and could take regular-season fixtures to major international cities such as Hong Kong and New York as soon as the [...]
Schwarzer rues Qatar World Cup October 9, 2014 EXASPERATED Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has launched a scathing attack on governing body Fifa over its decision to give Qatar the 2022 World Cup and its refusal to publish a report into the bid process. Schwarzer, who has 109 international caps, said he had played international matches for Australia in Qatar’s stifling summer heat and [...]
Keane cannot forgive Fergie October 9, 2014 OUTSPOKEN former Manchester United star Roy Keane is unsure whether he could ever forgive old boss Sir Alex Ferguson and admits their fractious relationship is probably beyond repair. Keane spent 12 years at Old Trafford under Ferguson’s tutelage and during his eight years as captain the Irishman led the club to nine major honours, making [...]
Easier Euro draw for champions October 9, 2014 PREMIER League title winners will be guaranteed an easier draw in the Champions League from next season under a shake-up set to be rubber-stamped by European governing body Uefa. The champions of Europe’s top seven leagues – England, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Russia and Portugal – plus the competition’s holders will make up the top [...]
Pietersen blames Flower for bullying culture October 9, 2014 OUTCAST Kevin Pietersen insists the blame for the alleged bullying within the England camp lies firmly with former coach Andy Flower as the fallout from the batsman’s explosive new book KP: The Autobiography rumbles on. Flower’s five-year reign in charge of the national team is regarded to be one of the finest tenures in the [...]