At Home He Feels Like A Tourist

Category: Culture

• Culture Theatre

  My top ten theatre shows of 2018 … and top ten to look forward to

  Right even by the standards of the drivel that the Tourist usually posts on this site this is an utter waste of your and my time. Weeks too late, built on flaky foundations of understanding and appreciation and precious little use to anyone. Except maybe me that is, as an…

  January 13, 2019
• art Church Culture Early Music Exhibition History Literature London Medieval Monarchy Politics Religion

  Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms at the British Library review *****

  Anglo-Saxon Kingsdoms: Art, Word, War British Library, 30th December 2018 I mean it isn’t all books. There are charters and letters as well. And pottery, coins, art and jewels. But there are a lot of books. Oh my word though, what beautiful books. If you are at all interested in…

  January 13, 2019
• Baroque Classical Music Concert Culture Italy London Venice

  Venice Baroque Orchestra and Avi Avital at Wigmore Hall review *****

  Venice Baroque Orchestra, Avi Avital (mandolin) Wigmore Hall, 22nd December 2018 Francesco Geminiani Concerto Grosso in D minor after Corelli’s ‘La Follia’ Op. 5 No. 12 Vivaldi – Concerto in D for lute and strings RV93 Vivaldi – Sinfonia in G RV146 Vivaldi – Concerto in A minor Op. 3…

  January 9, 2019
• Biography Culture Germany History London Politics Syria Theatre War

  Borders (*****) and Games (****) at the Arcola Theatre review

  Borders and Games Arcola Theatre, 22nd December 2018 I had only seen one of Henry Naylor’s acclaimed plays prior to this double header and that was Angel at this very venue. That was enough to know that I like the cut of his jib. Mr Naylor, prior to writing plays,…

  January 8, 2019
• Culture Fiction Horror London Theatre

  The Tell-Tale Heart at the National Theatre review ***

  The Tell-Tale Heart National Theatre Dorfman, 21st December 2018 No panto for the Tourist and family. This year’s entertainment was to be Anthony Neilson’s adaptation of the (in)famous Edgar Allan Poe short story about a writer who, let us say, loses a little bit of perspective. Some concern from our…

  January 7, 2019
• art Culture Exhibition Hayward Gallery Installation London Minimalism Sculpture Space Shifters Technology

  Space Shifters exhibition at the Hayward Gallery ***

  Space Shifters Hayward Gallery, 21st December 2018 Here is another one of the cleverly constructed exhibitions from the Hayward team which brings together a variety of visual works (20 in total), in different media, from different artists which delight, intrigue and entertain. The works span some five decades, (with some…

  January 4, 2019
• Baroque Classical Music Concert Culture Georgian London Oratorio

  Handel’s Messiah at the Barbican review ****

  Britten Sinfonia, Britten Sinfonia Voices Handel’s Messiah, Barbican Hall, 19th December 2018 Jacqueline Shave (violin/director), Sophie Bevan (soprano), Iestyn Davies (countertenor), Allen Clayton (tenor), Roderick Williams (baritone) Christmas on the way. Full house at the Barbican. MSBD as wingman. Messiah. A quartet of outstanding soloists. The Britten Sinfonia Voices. The…

  January 3, 2019
• Comedy Culture London Shakespeare Theatre

  The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Barbican Theatre review *****

  The Merry Wives of Windsor RSC, Barbican Theatre, 13th December 2018 Confession. This was the first time I had ever seen a production of The Merry Wives of Windsor. The Tourist can’t remember there being an opportunity, RSC or otherwise, in those few periods of his intensive theatre-going in the…

  January 1, 2019
• Classics Culture Egypt History London Rome Shakespeare Theatre

  Antony and Cleopatra at the National Theatre review ****

  Antony and Cleopatra National Theatre Olivier, 11th December 2018 Simon Godwin is a director who has shown he has a bit of a way with the sprawling masterpieces in the dramatic canon in recent years. Especially from the Bard. His recently opened Timon of Athens at the RSC, albeit with…

  December 30, 2018
• Classical Music Concert Contemporary Classical Culture Italy Literature London Structuralism

  The Swingling Sixties: the LPO at the Royal Festival Hall review *****

  London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski, The Swingles, London Philharmonic Choir Royal Festival Hall, 8th December 2018 Elizabeth Atherton – soprano Maria Ostroukhova – mezzo-soprano Sam Furness – tenor Joel Williams – tenor Theodore Platt – baritone Joshua Bloom – bass Stravinsky – Variations (Aldous Huxley in Memoriam) Stravinsky – Threni…

  December 28, 2018