A great month for art after a bit of a famine of late. I’d never heard of Wyndham Lewis until the exhibition of his portraits at the NPG which are simply stunning; they are a surreal crossover between art deco, soviet realism and cartoons. At the same gallery, the Portrait Award exhibition is the best [...]
Archive for July, 2008
The Rest of July
Posted in Art, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Film, Opera, Theatre, tagged Art, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Film, Opera, Theatre on July 31, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Monkey : Journey to the West
Posted in Art, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Dance, Opera, Theatre, tagged Art, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Dance, Opera, Theatre on July 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Well, I never thought I’d end up at Covent Garden watching an adaptation of a 16th century Chinese tale designed by a British ‘pop artist’ with music by Brit Pop’s leader, performed by 38 Chinese actors, acrobats and martial artists…..and what a breath of fresh air it is!
Damon Albarn’s east-meets-west score sounds Chinese but is more [...]
Fat Pig
Posted in Theatre, tagged Theatre on July 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I have a bit of a problem with Neil LaBute plays; I find them rather cynical. This is better than his worst (Mercy Street); it’s more human, a touch compassionate.
I occasionally felt uncomfortable, when he shows the worst side of human behaviour but also when the characters are saying / doing what you’ve said / [...]
The Female of the Species
Posted in Theatre, tagged Theatre on July 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
In all the fuss about what Germaine Greer thinks about a play that may be based on an event in her life that she has neither seen nor read, we seem to be forgetting that this is A NEW PLAY IN THE WEST END, a rare and endangered species which should be welcomed.
It’s not a [...]
Street Scene
Posted in Opera, Theatre, tagged Opera, Theatre on July 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The only other London production of this that I can recall was at the ENO in the 80s and my recollection was that is was good – but I don’t remember being wowed. Well, I was certainly wowed last night!
This is a terrific and timeless piece of musical theatre with a score packed with [...]
Bosnia Hertzogvina – July 2008
Posted in Travel, tagged Add new tag, Travel on July 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Bosnia Hertzogvina…..rather trips off the tongue…..conjours up Eurovisions…..
I almost cancelled this trip after BA stranded me in Belgrade in April and changed the Sarajevo flights from daily to twice per week meaning a 5 or 7 night stay rather then the planned 4. Well I’m so glad I didn’t as it has been a quite extraordinary [...]
Black Watch
Posted in Theatre, tagged Theatre on July 15, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I’ve wanted to see this again since it thrilled me in Edinburgh in 2006 and two years has, if anything made it even more powerful.
The theatricality of it is spell-binding and includes some truly innovative staging (telling the history of the regiment by choreographed costume changes is just one). The performances are passionate, as [...]
Is It Curtains For The Critics? – Interviewed by The Observer
Posted in Art, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Dance, Film, Food & Wine, Opera, Photography, Theatre, Travel, tagged Art, Books, Classical Music, Comedy, Contemporary Music, Dance, Film, Food & Wine, Opera, Photography, Theatre, Travel on July 13, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
This is an article from The Observer on 13th July for which I was interviewed. You’ll have to scroll down to para 28 to find my few words of wisdom, but I’ve hightlighted them for you in case you haven’t got time !
IS IT CURTAINS FOR THE CRITICS?
An army of arts bloggers is posting internet reviews on [...]
Afterlife
Posted in Theatre, tagged Theatre on July 9, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
How does one of Britain’s best playwrights turn a clearly interesting life into such a dull play? The answer seems to me to lie in the sructure; Frayn has tied his hands behind his back by choosing to weave the biographical story in and out of casting, rehearsals and productions of Reinhart’s morality play Everyman, [...]
Judging by last night’s cheers the critics are, yet again, out-of-synch with the audience.
This is an operetta / musical not an opera. It was considered a musical comedy when it was first mounted at a time when ‘the American dream’ was in the bloodstream of America and much of the rest of the world. Here [...]
