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The Marriage of Figaro at the ENO review *****
The Marriage of Figaro English National Opera, 12th April 2018 It isn’t easy to think of a better opera than the Marriage of Figaro. And, as we culture vultures know, when opera works there is scarcely any entertainment to match it. It is just a shame that opera so rarely…
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Isle of Dogs film review ****
Isle of Dogs, 12th April 2018 Many, many years ago, just after the London Docklands Development Corporation was set up in 1981 I had cause to visit the Isle of Dogs, the real one, as part of my academic studies. It was a desolate sh*thole then, with all due respect…
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Humble Boy at the Orange Tree Theatre review ***
Humble Boy Orange Tree Theatre, 11th April 2018 Sometimes it can be tricky to put your finger on exactly why a play doesn’t quite work for you. Other times it is easy. This was one of the latter. For me, writer Charlotte Jones lavishes so much attention on shoehorning in…
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Bryce Dessner and the London Contemporary Orchestra Soloists at Queen Elizabeth Hall review ***
London Contemporary Orchestra Soloists, Galya Bisengalieva (violin), Rakhi Singh (violin), Robert Ames (viola), Oliver Coates (cello) – Bryce Dessner (electric guitar) Queen Elizabeth Hall. 10th April 2018 Bryce Dessner – Aheym for string quartet Mica Levi – You belong to me for string quartet Steve Reich – Electric Counterpoint for…
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Andreas Gursky at the Hayward Gallery exhibition review ****
Andreas Gursky Hayward Gallery, 4th April 2018 Odds are you have seen one of Andreas Gursky’s giant, hypnotic, immersive photographs. He charts the relationship between man and environment, fiddling with perspective, highlighting the repetition of our own industry and locating the beautiful and the ugly, often simultaneously. His viewpoint is…
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Laura van der Heijden and Petr Limonov at Wigmore Hall review ***
Laura van der Heijden (cello), Petr Limonov (piano) Wigmore Hall, 2nd April 2018 Britten – Cello Sonata in C major, Op 65 Shostakovich – Cello Sonata in D minor Op 40 21st December 1960. Britten and Shostakovich are sharing a box at the Festival Hall. That’s right the two greatest…