Arts
Laugh but don’t pop
A tip: go see Martin Creed’s retrospective at the Hayward in the company of a child. I didn’t, but I…
Laugh but don’t pop
A tip: go see Martin Creed’s retrospective at the Hayward in the company of a child. I didn’t, but I…
In praise of the Emperor
Roderick Conway Morris on the influence and legacy of Augustus
Sacred songs
I love a good hymn, so long as I’m not expected to sing it. Lusty declarations of faith sound ridiculous…
Putin’s poison
Sochi 2014 is the least wintry Winter Olympics ever. Yes, there’s a bit of downhill shimmying going on in the…
Brown studies
Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione (1609–64) was, I must admit, unknown to me until I visited this show, the only Castiglione I…
Animal appetite
Last seen clambering over the MDF wheelchair ramps of Laurent Pelly’s Royal Opera House production of Jules Massenet’s opéra comique,…
Inspired by Bach
It appears that J.S. Bach’s music is to theatre-dance what whipped cream is to chocolate. Masterworks such as Trisha Brown’s…
Clooney’s tale
You know that old quip ‘I’m not just a pretty face’? I always thought it was meant to be said…
Bonjour, Benelux!
So long, Scandinavia. Bonjour, Benelux! BBC4, your subtitle-friendly channel, has filled the hole left by Nordic-noir The Bridge with Belgian…
Crossing continents
‘Brown is very good — no Cameron. David Cameron no good,’ he said. Just in case we weren’t sure what…
Glorious gallimaufry
Discoveries: Art, Science and Exploration at Two Temple Place (until 27 April) is like a giant cabinet of curiosities. Maps,…
Glorious gallimaufry
Discoveries: Art, Science and Exploration at Two Temple Place (until 27 April) is like a giant cabinet of curiosities. Maps,…
Glorious gallimaufry
Discoveries: Art, Science and Exploration at Two Temple Place (until 27 April) is like a giant cabinet of curiosities. Maps,…
Inspired by Bach
It appears that J.S. Bach’s music is to theatre-dance what whipped cream is to chocolate. Masterworks such as Trisha Brown’s…
Sacred songs
I love a good hymn, so long as I’m not expected to sing it. Lusty declarations of faith sound ridiculous…
Sacred songs
I love a good hymn, so long as I’m not expected to sing it. Lusty declarations of faith sound ridiculous…
Cultural capital
Could splashing public money on city of culture initiatives make good business sense? William Cook reports
Independent thought
Last year saw the centenary of the London Group, a broad-based exhibiting body set up in a time of stylistic…
Tales from Oxford
Why, oh why, the producers ask, are the national press so reluctant to cover the London fringe? The snag is…
What’s it all about?
Every time there’s a new production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni I have to ask the same question: why is this…
Sympathy vote
Although you’ll have heard that Dallas Buyers Club is fantastic and Matthew McConaughey gives the performance of his career, I…
The real thing
Every musical career has its own narrative, and most of them include at least one comeback. To come back, you…
Untouchable evil
What a vile piece of work Colonel Gaddafi was. For some of you, perhaps, this will be a statement of…
Dramatic week
A double dose of BBC1 drama at the weekend (Silent Witness, Casualty) left me wondering whether there’s a link between…
