England series is great preparation for World Cup but tour meant more October 2, 2022 England’s highest-ranked batter Dawid Malan hit 78 not out as Moeen Ali’s Twenty20 side won the final match of their tour to Pakistan and claimed a highly competitive seven-game series 4-3 last night. With the series on a knife-edge following three matches in Karachi and three in Lahore, everything came down to this match at [...]
Manchester City 6, Manchester United 3: Haaland and Foden hit hat-tricks in rout October 2, 2022 Manchester City may not have the title wrapped up – they may not even be top of the Premier League yet – but on the evidence of this rout of Manchester United it’s a fait accompli. That is not to diminish leaders Arsenal’s impressive start to the season, continued in a deserved win over Tottenham [...]
London Marathon: Yehualaw and Kipruto win in the capital October 2, 2022 Both the men’s and women’s London Marathon races were won by maiden victors today as Kenya’s Amos Kipruto and Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw claimed inaugural titles on the Mall this afternoon. In one of the biggest marathons on the circuit – which has seen 42,000 mass participants – the African duo managed to break away in [...]
Where to eat, drink and sleep in Birmingham for Tory Party Conference October 2, 2022 On 2 october, Tory Party Conference kicks off in Birmingham. It remains to be seen whether the city famous for its Bull Ring will witness any blood sport following the fallout from the chancellor’s mini-budget. But whether it’s toasting the new PM or ruefully navel-gazing over Keir Starmer’s poll lead, the city’s hotels, restaurants, bars [...]
Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the ROH is a mixed bag of a production October 2, 2022 Mozart’s Don Giovanni is famously difficult to stage, what with its intricate combination of comedy, tragedy, and a Don Juan who is so completely grotesque that he makes Daemon Targaryen look like a saint. If you are thinking that no review that starts like this can signal a five-star show, you’re right. This revival of [...]
Blonde review: Marilyn Monroe biopic is exploitative and dull October 2, 2022 Another year, another lengthy Netflix Oscar hopeful. Blonde has been in development since 2010 with Naomi Watts and Jessica Chastain attached to star at various points. Can one of Hollywood’s hottest newcomers do justice to its eternal icon? Brought to the screen by director Andrew Dominik (The Assassination of Jesse James), the film is an [...]
Aida at the ROH is a thrilling opera set against a bleak backdrop October 2, 2022 Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida is an opera usually characterised by unabashed spectacle. When the original production opened in Cairo in 1871, the stage was adorned with all manner of ancient Egyptian finery. Many contemporary productions follow this original formula, more or less, but director Robert Carson swerves away from it in this brand-new Royal Opera House [...]
Eureka Day Review: Helen Hunt shines in culture wars drama October 2, 2022 When playwrights take aim at the culture wars, it’s usually those on the right they have in their sights. But Jonathan Spector’s barbs point towards the liberal left and the ludicrous situations that can arise when political correctness really does go mad. Eureka Day takes place in the titular primary school, a progressive Californian institution [...]
Driven to suicide by blindness: How a woman finds a second chance at sight and life October 2, 2022 | City Talk Losing one’s sight is terrifying and daunting. It leaves the visually impaired person reliant on those around them to assist them in navigating their way through the world. Without the help and generosity of others, it can lead to a loss of hope and tragically sometimes life. 55-year-old Chyo Maya Praja lives high up in [...]
Discrimination against Dalits: How status can affect eye health September 30, 2022 | City Talk The Tej Kohli & Ruit Foundation has recently set up camps in Nepal where members of the highly discriminated against Dalits received cataract-curing surgery. Many cultures have systems of hierarchy entwined in their makeup. In the United Kingdom we have had the hierarchy of Kings and Queens, Knights and Noblemen, followed by merchants and peasants. [...]