Ai Weiwei: Making Sense at the Design Museum is a triumph April 6, 2023 There is a saying among locals in the Chinese city of Xi’an that the worst thing that could happen during a trip there would be to miss the world famous Terracotta Army. The second worst thing would be to see the Terracotta Army. You see, despite this lifesize army of clay soldiers being a genuine [...]
Fake QAnon Shaman falling off his bike: A frame-by-frame analysis April 5, 2023 As Donald Trump arrived in New York to be charged with falsifying accounts, his rag-tag bunch of MAGA supporters were out in force. One of them looked familiar: a man dressed as the infamous QAnon Shaman, who was part of the raiding party that stormed the White House after Trump lost the last election. We [...]
Portraits of Dogs at the Wallace Collection will make your tail wag April 5, 2023 From taxidermy to Hockney’s adorable dachshunds, Portraits of Dogs, a new exhibition at the Wallace Collection, explores how the portrayal of our canine friends has changed over the centuries. Three huge portraits greet you as you enter: George Stubbs’ ‘aristocratic dogs’, which are among the exhibition’s finest pieces. More than almost anyone else on display [...]
9 wines to try this Easter weekend April 5, 2023 Whether celebrating with friends, hosting family, or hiding eggs from chocolate smeared children, there has always been a lot of food associated with the celebration of Easter (see page opposite). Lamb is probably the best-known meat at this time of year, pre-dating Christianity as the main meal of Jewish Passover, a tradition continued by the [...]
New Harry Potter TV series is happening with JK Rowling on board, reports say April 4, 2023 A new TV series based on all seven Harry Potter books is due to go into production if the deal can be finalised. HBO Max is reportedly finalising a deal with Potter author JK Rowling who retains creative control over the way her books are adapted for the screen. Rowling is in talks to work [...]
Gwyneth Paltrow: What her ‘courtcore’ appearance says about dressing for your trial April 4, 2023 I’m going to bet that most of you have never followed a trial at Utah’s 3rd District Court in Park City before. You had probably never even heard of Kent R. Holmberg, a 65-year-old judge appointed to the bench six years ago. But last week Judge Holmberg’s courtroom was the setting for a civil suit [...]
I went to Auschwitz with Holocaust survivors. It was shocking, but so memorable April 3, 2023 Survivors, now in their 90s, return to Holocaust sites to take visitors on tours for the annual March of the Living. Daniel Edward went along I’m not generally a nervous traveller, it would be something of a professional impediment, but I must admit to being nervous of visiting some of the most horrific sites of [...]
A Streetcar Named Desire, Phoenix Theatre, review: Paul Mescal isn’t the best bit April 3, 2023 A Streetcar Named Desire, Phoenix Theatre, review and star rating: ★★★★ Paul Mescal’s cheeky grin has saved us on many an occasion: once from lockdown in the pandemic-defining drama Normal People, and then in Aftersun, the rumination on fatherhood that got him an Oscar nom and made everyone go ‘He’s not just Connell with the [...]
Akhnaten returns to the ENO – it’s amazing but it’s already sold out April 3, 2023 “His sun hath risen’ – Akhnaten returns!” The English National Opera’s now famous production of Philip Glass’s opera has been here, there, and everywhere since its first appearance in 2016, and has once again returned to the London Coliseum stage, with its brilliance thankfully intact. Akhnaten is Glass’s final opera in his trilogy of biographical [...]
In the Middle review: Documentary about being a referee hits the net April 3, 2023 In the world of football, the way referees are treated is a hot topic of conversation. This month Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has been charged by the FA after he appeared to push referee Chris Kavanagh during an FA Cup match; a heavy punishment seems likely, with The Referee’s Association asking what influence this will [...]
