Has the Royal Ballet found its hero?
The Royal Ballet is a company in search of a prince. It has no lack of dancing princesses. You could…
Intelligent, unfussy, literate – the West End needs more plays like this: Switzerland reviewed
I know nothing about Patricia Highsmith. The acclaimed American author wrote the kind of Sunday-night crime thrillers that put me…
The story of the cook who spent 10 years preparing food for those on death row
You don’t need headphones to appreciate, and catch on to, the unique selling point of radio: its immediacy, its directness,…
A major missed opportunity: Disobedience reviewed
Disobedience is an adaptation of Naomi Alderman’s novel about forbidden, lesbian love in orthodox Jewish north London, starring Rachel Weisz…
Human evolution: a short essay
This makes Brexit take a back seat: hints of ancient life have appeared on Mars. Carbon building blocks and other…
Only a Leaver would be stupid enough to go to the wrong airport
Three of us on a cold metal bench waiting for the bus. It’s almost dark. Winter arrived yesterday and we…
I was right; the vet was wrong; and the scary sexy dentist sorted out the horses
The horse dentist is handsome, with blond windswept hair and a weather-beaten face. There is something Heathcliffian about him, something…
Bridge
It’s been six months since the legendary Martin Hoffman died, but I’m still not sure if I’ve quite registered the…
Atticus
The Epistle to Dr Arbuthnot by Alexander Pope contains a memorable excoriation of his fellow wit and former friend Joseph…
no. 534
Black to play. This is a variation from Caruana-Carlsen, World Championship (Game 10), London 2018. The black queen is trapped…
Bad romance
In Competition No. 3076 you were invited to submit seriously misguided love poems. You seemed to embrace this task especially…
2387: On the spot
Two unclued lights give the name of a location and another a means of arrival and -departure. Other unclued lights…
to 2384: bang!
Unclued lights, individually or as a pair (38/9), are FIREWORKS. First prize F. Whitehead, Harrogate, North YorksRunners-up I. Livingston, Wilmslow, Cheshire;…
Why we’re lying to ourselves over trans rights
On 21 November, a debate took place in the House of Commons about proposals to reform the Gender Recognition Act…
Talksport, cricket’s new radio stars
‘And I need a wee,’ said the former England fast–bowling legend Darren Gough, as tension built up during the Sri…
Dear Mary: How can I stop chatty friends from phoning when I’m meant to be working?
Q. May I pass on a tip to anyone facing large family house parties at Christmas? I always used to…
A cruise-ship menu inside a giant Venetian cake: Caffè Concerto reviewed
Caffè Concerto is a chain of Italian cafés sprouting, lividly, across London and the world. There is one on Piccadilly,…
Word of the week: ‘Granular’, a word used to suggest in-depth analysis
‘Just two sugars,’ said my husband as I passed him his tea. He is cutting down. I doubt he would…
Battle of Britain, MkII
The European Union has never tolerated democracy. It preaches it to its member states and lectures about it to the…
Quit Paris, halve migration
The Victorian election demonstrates a desperate need for powerful leadership based on principle, something last seen in the 2013 Abbott…
The waffly centre won’t hold
I am writing this the morning after the Liberal party’s election fiasco in Victoria. And yet again we have more…
Cursed by their own art
Why do all our favourite, talented (e.g. Jim Carrey, Richard Gere), much acclaimed film stars (e.g. Meryl Streep, Sally Field)…
Teaching notes
TEACHER’S VOW TO TURN KIDS OFF LIBS: so read the lesser front-page headline of the Australian on November 21. From…
We don’t need no enculturation
What is the purpose of education? The question is rarely asked as school funding dominates the debate along with the…
