At Home He Feels Like A Tourist

Category: London

  • Bach and Telemann: Academy of Ancient Music at Milton Court review *****

    Academy of Ancient Music, Bojan Cicic (director and violin), Rachel Brown (flute and recorder), Rachel Beckett (recorder), Alistair Ross (harpsichord)  Bach and Telemann: Reversed Fortunes, Milton Court Concert Hall, 7th December 2017 I see I am now close to being a Academy of Ancient Music groupie. Not in a sinister…

  • Parliament Square at the Bush Theatre review *****

    Parliament Square Bush Theatre, 6th December 2017 As a few slightly unkind people have pointed out most of the “reviews” I somewhat sadly post on this “blog” are worse than useless as, more often than not, they appear after the event. Fair criticism but I can’t be toddling off to…

  • The Cardinal’s Musick at Wigmore Hall review ****

    The Cardinal’s Musick, Andrew Carwood (director) Wigmore Hall, 4th December 2017 Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c.1525-1594) – Missa Hodie Christus natus est Anon – Gaudete, Hail Mary full of grace, Quem Pastores, Salutation Carol Jacob Handl (1550-1591) – Mirabile mysterium Richard Pygott (c.1485-1549) – Quid petis O fili Tomás Luis…

  • Marnie at English National Opera review *****

    Marnie English National Opera, The Coliseum, 3rd December 2017 I really don’t understand why the serious broadsheet reaction to Nico Muhly’s new opera has been so lukewarm. They generally seem to have admired the score, commended the ENO Orchestra’s playing under new Director Martyn Brabbins, praised many of the performers…

  • The Red Lion at Trafalgar Studios review ****

    The Red Lion Trafalgar Studios 2, 1st December 2017 Patrick Marber is a talented chap. Directing, adapting, writing screenplays, comedy material. Yet he is at his best when he writes original plays, or maybe even, as in this case, where he remakes his own texts. (Having said that his screenplay…

  • The Retreat at the Park Theatre review ***

    The Retreat Park Theatre, 30th November 2017 So here is another offering from the Park which, whilst offering a very entertaining night out, didn’t quite deliver a whole commensurate with the sum of its parts. And very fine parts they were too. Sam Bain, with writing partner Jesse Armstrong, is…

  • Impressionists in London at Tate Britain review ***

    The EY Exhibition: Impressionists in London: French Artists in Exile 1870-1914 Tate Modern, 30th November 2017 Would I pay £17.70, the full adult price to see this. Hmm. Maybe. Different story if you are a member, (as you should be if you can afford it), but, if not, I’d say…

  • Yellowman at the Young Vic review ****

    Yellowman Young Vic Theatre, 29th November 2017 From what I can see American playwrights don’t like to arse about too much with the play, either in terms of dramatic form or the subject, the family history in one form or another. Why not, given the history of American gifts to…

  • Miss Julie at the Jermyn Street Theatre review ***

    Miss Julie Jermyn Street Theatre, 27th November 2017 Grinding my way through the classics of naturalistic drama. Actually not grinding, that makes it sound like too much of a slog, but I can’t pretend it is all unalloyed joy. Turns out that Chekhov is likely the man for me and…

  • Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican review *****

    Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Mariss Jansons, Yefim Bronfman (piano) Barbican Hall, 24th November 2017 Beethoven – Piano Concerto No 4 Prokofiev – Symphony No 5 Concertgebouw, Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, London Symphony, Chicago Symphony. These are the orchestras usually held up as the world’s best. The smart money though also…