An explosive return for the bad boy of opera February 14, 2013 BALLET MIXED PROGRAMME Royal Opera House **** The Royal Opera House’s mixed programme of ballet, marking the 25th anniversary of renowned dancer and choreographer Frederick Ashton’s death, was bound to be an explosive affair. It saw the dramatic return of Sergei Polunin – the former bad boy of British ballet – to the stage he [...]
The City in full swing with glut of new joints February 14, 2013 New King’s Road launch Upper West channels the spirit of Manhattan clubs like PH-D. The lounge bar boasts a roof terrace complete with olive trees and cascading fountains, while the separate nightclub Madison’s is accessed by a grand staircase and will feature floor to ceiling bronze mirror panelling and a state-of-the-art lighting system. The City [...]
This is 40 minutes too long February 14, 2013 FILM THIS IS 40 Cert 12A ** Half-way through Judd Apatow’s latest, This Is 40, a woman accuses Debbie (Leslie Mann) and Pete (Paul Rudd) of looking like a couple from a bank advert. Its one of the better jokes, not least because it highlights the fundamental problem with the film. Debbie and Pete are [...]
A Good Day to Die Hard is a ludicrous, outdated relic February 14, 2013 FILM A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD Cert: 12A ** John McClane is a family man. When he purged that New York tower block of eastern European terrorists in 1988, he wasn’t doing it out of patriotic or professional duty – he was doing it for his wife who was trapped in the building. A [...]
Great Expectations, below par results February 14, 2013 THEATRE GREAT EXPECTATIONS Vaudeville Theatre ** The Vaudeville seems a fitting space to stage Great Expectations. It was founded in 1870, just ten years after Dickens finished serialising his much loved classic, and Dickens himself – who loved theatre deeply – might have visited had he not died in the year it was completed. Like [...]
Underground success story February 14, 2013 EXHIBITION POSTER ART 150 London Transport Museum **** In this excellent new exhibition at the London Transport Museum, 150 posters have been selected from a collection of more than 3,300. Not only are the posters striking pieces of art, they also offer a unique insight into the history of the transport system that most of [...]
Follow Captain’s orders in tomorrow’s Ascot Chase February 14, 2013 WE are now less than a month away from the start of the Cheltenham Festival and trainers are beginning to put the finishing touches to their charges. The ground is going to be extremely testing all over the country again this weekend, highlighting the need to find horses that truly stay and handle conditions. Ascot [...]
The Road to Cheltenham February 14, 2013 NICKY Henderson has trained more Cheltenham Festival winners than anyone, including a record seven last year. However, he hasn’t been very lucky in the opening Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – his last win in the race came 21 years ago. The performance of My Tent Or Yours at Newbury last weekend suggests this hoodoo may finally [...]
Non-league Hatters can make Lions mad February 14, 2013 BLUE Square Bet Premier side Luton pulled off the shock of the FA Cup fourth round with a heroic win at Norwich and have been rewarded with a home tie against Millwall tomorrow. The Hatters have been through relegation, points deductions and financial difficulties over the past few years, but this season’s FA Cup has [...]
Blue Square Bet Winter Carnival February 14, 2013 We’RE now just over a week away from the Blue Square Bet Sprint Series Grand Final and tomorrow’s racing will be the last chance for a few horses to earn enough points to make the £17,500 showpiece at Lingfield Park Racecourse. Looking at the Blue Square Bet Sprint Series action tomorrow, I have to side [...]
