Roddy Doyle: The beloved author opens up on growing older, Irish politics and why he’s still angry March 11, 2020 Roddy Doyle is one of the most well known and beloved contemporary Irish authors. His work includes the Two Pints series and The Commitments, as well as numerous children’s books. We caught up with him on the eve of a new speaking tour. Hi Roddy. Your speaking tour, Conversations with Roddy Doyle, begins soon. Why [...]
Ikos Aria hotel review: No better place from which to explore the charms of Kos March 6, 2020 Found on the impossibly scenic bay of Kefalos, on the southwestern tip of Kos, the latest hotel opening from Ikos Resorts is the group’s prettiest yet. An ideal place to soak up the sun, get fit – there’s a huge amount of activities in store – or as a base to discover the charms of [...]
Le Farnatchi hotel review: Refined, laid-back luxury in the heart of Marrakech March 6, 2020 Personal space? In the souk, there’s no such thing. Belts. Bags. Trinkets. Shoes. Earthenware. Snakes. All will be thrust under your nose within minutes of entering the old town. Mules kick up clouds of nose-tickling dust. Scooters slalom recklessly through the throng. All around, commerce unfolds as it has done for centuries: aggressive, loud, and, [...]
Among the Trees at the Hayward Gallery: The life of trees viewed through the lens of the anthropocene March 6, 2020 The first recorded use of the term “tree hugger” came in 1730, when a Hindu sect called the Bishnoi tried to stop the maharajah of Jodhpur from chopping down an ancient forest for materials to build his new palace. They died in their hundreds, clinging to branches as the army cut down first the Bishnois [...]
Aubrey Beardsley at Tate Britain review: Delight in these sinister, bawdy drawings that railed against Victorian prudishness March 6, 2020 “I am nothing if I am not grotesque,” Victorian illustrator Aubrey Beardsley once said when asked to explain his art. It’s a fitting summary for the new exhibition of his work at Tate Britain, which takes the viewer on a tour of life’s darker and more sinister corners. Wandering its 15 rooms, you are shunted [...]
I Think We Are Alone at Theatre Royal Stratford East review: Kathy Burke’s influence looms large on heartfelt black comedy March 6, 2020 “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” It’s a quotation from Scots poet Ian McLaren, now being misattributed to Plato on Instagram feeds everywhere. It’s also the message I Think We Are Alone, the black comedy being toured by physical theatre troupe Frantic Assembly to mark its 25th anniversary, wants to [...]
Military Wives review: The Full Monty meets Keep Calm and Carry On in predictable Britcom March 6, 2020 If someone decided to make a film adaptation of the Keep Calm and Carry On poster, it would probably turn out a bit like Military Wives. Directed by The Full Monty’s Peter Cattaneo, it’s a similar tale of good old-fashioned British grit triumphing against the odds – except instead of steelworkers it’s about soldiers’ wives, [...]
Property of the Week: A Camden gothic mansion with ties to surrealist artist Nancy Fouts and Ally Pally March 6, 2020 Slip behind Mornington Crescent station in Camden, take the second left, and you’ll find yourself on Oakley Square. Walking alongside the manicured gardens, you’ll pass a row of stucco-fronted Georgian townhouses, identical save for the odd red door. When you get to the end of the block though, there’s a bit of a surprise. With [...]
Learn how to DIY your decor with these five London interior design courses March 6, 2020 Think of the times you’ve stood in one of your rooms at home that’s driving you mad – is it cluttered, or the paintwork’s dated, or the lighting terrible? Perhaps you’ve just moved and you’ve got a whole house to redecorate? There’s always the big-bucks option of hiring a professional designer. But why not get [...]
Onward review: A magical tale of brotherly love, this is Pixar at its most uplifting March 5, 2020 Pixar’s latest does what Pixar does best. With just a few choice lines of dialogue and a handful of scenes it outlines a rich and vibrant world, rendered with such delicate artistry it’s hard to imagine that each frame was spat out of an unfeeling graphics processor. In keeping with Pixar’s recent slew of gut-punchers [...]
