Face time
The inimitably pukka voice of Jacob Rees-Mogg echoed through Radio 4 on Thursday morning. He was not, though, talking about…
Rockies horror show
Tin Star, the latest Sky Atlantic drama, has a comfortingly familiar premise: Jim Worth (Tim Roth), an ex-detective from London…
Northern rock
A fortnight ago, the debut album by a young British guitar band entered the chart at No. 6. You might…
DIY Bohème
The Royal Opera’s one production that, it has always confidently been claimed, need never be replaced has been replaced. John…
Age concern
Stephen Sondheim’s Follies takes a huge leap into the past. It’s 1971 and we meet two middle-aged couples who knew…
2327: Exhibition
Five unclued lights are titles of works by a person whose name is formed by two unclued lights. Three clues…
2324: In the frame
11, 42 and perimeter entries are titles of COMPUTER-ANIMATED FILMS. First prize B. Midgley, Ettington, Stratford-upon-AvonRunners-up Arabella Grandage, Bradenham, Bucks;…
High life
I’m in Venice for the film festival that just ended and, as an American humorist once wired his paper: ‘Streets…
Puppet masters and useful idiots
A few years ago I returned to Sydney after nearly a life-time spent working in England. With my interest in…
Bestie or baddie?
An article appeared two weeks ago in this magazine entitled ‘Iran is our natural ally’. Images came to mind of…
The Senate is dysfunctional
Look across the entire democratic world and you will notice that some countries have only one legislative chamber. New Zealand…
Popping down to Winki Pop
Surfers were the last of this planet’s great explorers. They followed the paths forged centuries earlier by missionaries and colonisers,…
Testing can be positive
The federal government’s proposed drug testing trial for selected unemployment benefits claimants has been greeted with depressingly predictable objections from…
Low life
The army patrols at Nice airport go around three abreast, steely-eyed, fingers on the trigger. They walk slowly and scrutinise…
Why did you do it, Roy?
Poor old Roy Hodgson, why did he take on Crystal Palace? He was having lunch at a Côte in a…
Do what they do, not what they say
Last month, two law professors named Amy Wax and Larry Alexander published a piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer praising ‘bourgeois’…
The turf
Racing moves off the back pages only when its opponents have bad news to gloat over. Two examples lately have…
Red Tories
Jeremy Corbyn has never been very keen on parliamentary democracy. He may be changing his mind now. The British electoral…
Vivica Genaux
Founded in 2002, Pinchgut Opera has presented 19 rarely performed works with such distinction that its audience has grown along…
Kiwi notes
Rugby, Aliens, Strippers and Dunnies Just when we really needed some light relief, with the general election campaign in full…
Melania notes
It’s hard not to feel bad for Melania Trump. One doesn’t exactly get the impression that she wanted to be…
Arts notes
I don’t know how many were present a week ago at The Speccie prolonged lunch but do know that I…
The City still leads the financial world but faces a fight on all fronts
Should we place faith in a survey, conducted in June but published this week, that says London is still the…
The African bush took me back to my boyhood
Entering the Bulawayo Club, you step out of the blinding African sunshine on that safe and friendly city’s wide streets,…
