Measure For Measure: This buy-one-get-one-free Shakespeare is a sadly failed experiment October 23, 2018 Until 1 Dec It’s a strange coincidence that London last week saw the debut of two major Shakespeare productions in which two plays are staged back to back. In othellomacbeth at the Lyric Hammersmith, the Moor of Venice segued into the Scottish play, with the female victims of the first transformed into the preternaturally powerful [...]
The Inheritance at the Noel Coward Theatre: A virtuoso piece of theatre that ranks among the modern greats October 23, 2018 Until 19 Jan The Inheritance, set in New York’s gay community a generation on from the Aids epidemic, draws natural, inevitable comparisons to Angels in America. And while Matthew Lopez’s two-part, seven-hour epic is certainly worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as that superlative play, to think of it as merely a kind-of [...]
From cricket paté to worm salad, insects are the planet-saving diet of the future October 23, 2018 The health trend is a peculiar thing. Societies have long been captivated by the latest in-vogue recipe or ingredient, often for calorie-reducing and appearance reasons. From the Victorian fad of adding arsenic to diet regimes, to 1920s tobacco companies promoting cigarettes as appetite-suppressants, trends designed to help the public lose weight have long been popular – [...]
The Kenyan island of Rusinga is considered to be the cradle of humanity. Today it’s an archaeologist’s playground October 22, 2018 "Whose baby is this?" I asked a crowd of fifty children, one of whom had just handed me a baby younger than some of the food in my fridge. They all laughed and pointed, and I began to worry that I’d somehow been tricked into becoming an adoptive father. But before I could start making [...]
Fahrenheit 11/9 film review: Michael Moore’s latest documentary is a brash left-wing polemic but its passionate punches still land October 19, 2018 The same debate has been swirling around Michael Moore’s documentaries for 30 years. From his first film Roger & Me, about General Motors’ abandonment of his hometown Flint, Moore’s formula has remained largely unchanged: brash left-wing polemic, spiced with stunts and gags. To his fans, he’s a gifted ironist with a cause. To his critics, [...]
Wise Children at the Old Vic review: Emma Rice’s latest show is a celebration of all things theatre October 19, 2018 Emma Rice has named her new theatre company after its very first production, which is ballsy, a bit like getting your partner’s name tattooed across your chest, or calling your child Susan B Successful. Had her fever dream adaptation of Angela Carter’s last novel been a resounding flop, the name Wise Children would haunt Emma [...]
Focus On Borough: Huge change is coming to the ancient part of central London. Is it time to buy? October 19, 2018 In many ways, Borough is typical of London. Some parts of it are eye-wateringly old, like foodie haven Borough Market, which celebrated its 1,000th birthday this year. Other parts are tediously touristy, like London Dungeons. Other parts are so recharged, they’re unrecognisable, like Hays Galleria or anything within 100m of The Shard. It’s a muddle, [...]
Interiors: We learn about Ikea’s new retail strategy behind the scenes of its first store on the UK high street October 19, 2018 What, no meatballs? The opening of Ikea’s first foray into the UK high street, which has just opened on Tottenham Court Road, is a new concept for the uber retailer. The Swedish brand’s familiar blue and yellow sign now reigns over the former Multiyork site just along from Goodge Street station. It’s Ikea, but not [...]
Legal Q&A: I want to extend the lease on my flat, and have been reading about changes to leasehold legislation. Will the changes benefit my situation or should I wait? October 19, 2018 The Law Commission has recently published a Consultation Paper on proposals for a major overhaul of the existing leasehold regime, where people who own property on a long lease may extend their lease or buy the freehold. Among the proposals are several which could benefit you as a leaseholder looking to extend your lease, including: [...]
Opinion: Would a People’s Vote inspire investors to take a punt on London or would it just cause more uncertainty? October 19, 2018 This weekend sees the People’s March come to London, with thousands of people set to take to the streets to demand a People’s Vote on the final Brexit deal. As a buying, I’m often asked about the impact of Brexit what the prospect of a People’s Vote could have on the prime London property market [...]
