The Merchant of Venice at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse review March 9, 2022 Abigail Graham’s production of The Merchant of Venice, at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, sets out with the stated intention to “reclaim Shakespeare’s disturbing tale”, from whom it is not clear, but it successfully reframes the ancient hatreds central to the text in a way that will sit even more uncomfortably with contemporary audiences. If it [...]
Super League, Mbappe and at loggerheads over lunch: the feud between PSG and Real Madrid March 9, 2022 In the hours before Paris Saint-Germain beat Real Madrid in the Champions League last month, their respective presidents met for a traditional pre-match lunch that summed up the antipathy between the two clubs. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez arrived late to the Pavillon Ledoyen restaurant near the Champs Elysees. Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the Qatari president of [...]
New version of The Batman really puts the ‘dark’ in the Dark Knight March 9, 2022 The new version of The Batman really puts the “dark” into the Dark Knight. It’s the meanest, most sinister take on the character yet, set in a squalid, rain-soaked Gotham full of thugs and perverts, the Batman most definitely among them. Starring the always-excellent Robert Pattinson, it’s a decidedly emo take on a character who [...]
Trevor Steven: PSG’s variety of goal threat gives them edge over Real Madrid March 8, 2022 Paris Saint-Germain take a slim lead to Real Madrid on Wednesday in an epic Champions League last-16 tie and a clash between potential winners of this year’s competition. PSG have spent the last decade bedding in at the top of European club football, reaching the final in 2020 and the semis last year, and are [...]
Saints might need a miracle on their march for the Premiership top four March 8, 2022 When Northampton Saints’s late and potentially game-winning final attack in Saturday’s 35-30 loss to Gloucester ended in a knock-on, it continued a theme fans of the East Midlands club have had to get used to this season. In their last three games, Northampton have lost by a combined total of just eight points after some [...]
Animal Kingdom at Hampstead Theatre is theatre as therapy March 8, 2022 The intimate Hampstead Downstairs is just the setting for the emerging playwright to display their wares – all the more so when the work in question introduces its audience to the very private, innermost space of a family therapy session. From the other side of an imaginary two-way mirror, the audience observes an exposed, unadorned [...]
Premier League suspend broadcast deal in Russia over Ukraine invasion March 8, 2022 The Premier League has today suspended its broadcast deal with Russian broadcast partner Okko Sport over the country’s invasion of Ukraine. The organisation will also donate £1m to support the Ukrainian people. This comes days after Chinese state broadcasters refused to show parts of Premier League games where there would be organised displays of solidarity [...]
Zverev handed suspended ban for umpire chair outburst March 8, 2022 World No3 tennis player Alexander Zverev has been handed an eight-week suspended ban for an outburst against an umpire and an umpire’s chair last month. The German was found guilty of a ‘major offence’ by an ATP review but his ban has been suspended for 12 months. The Olympic champion was fined £31,000 for his [...]
Ali and Ava film review – a wholesome modern British romance March 8, 2022 British director Clio Barnard returns with her first film since 2017’s Dark River, and it’s an uplifting story of a second chance at love. As the title suggests, this is the story of Ali and Ava, two lost souls who seems to find each other in their bustling Bradford community. Ava (Claire Rushbrook) is a [...]
The Duke is a gentle farewell to British cinema great Roger Michell March 8, 2022 A long-delayed film finally getting its release is a weekly occurrence at the moment, but British comedy-drama The Duke arrives with some sadness. It is the final film of Roger Michell, the beloved British director of Notting Hill, Venus, and Enduring Love, coming just five months after his passing. The BAFTA winner’s final bow is [...]