At Home He Feels Like A Tourist

  • 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…

  • Murder on the Orient Express film review ****

    Murder on the Orient Express, 27th November 2017 Stage or film, acting, managing, directing or producing, Sir Kenneth Branagh always makes sure he is right at the centre of things. Always has done. I bet he even pops out to Starbucks when it is his turn to get the lattes…

  • 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…

  • Poison at the Orange Tree theatre review ****

    Poison Orange Tree Theatre, 28th November 2017 Sometimes all you want from a play is for it to do exactly what it says on the packet. No sub-plots, symbolism, pointless characters, formal invention, stilted message. Just a powerful and involving story, well told. This is exactly what renowned Dutch playwright,…

  • The Lady from the Sea at the Donmar Warehouse review ***

    The Lady From The Sea Donmar Warehouse, 23rd November 2017 I have an uneasy relationship with Henrik Ibsen and this is the first time I have seen The Lady From The Sea, (though I note that plenty of the usual Ibsen obsessions are on show in it). So I may…

  • Age of Terror exhibition at the IWM review ***

    Age of Terror: Art since 9/11 Imperial War Museum London, 24th November 2017 The IWM has a splendid collection of war art which is always worth seeing and reflecting on when it is exhibited. Here the curating team has assembled 50 or so works from 40 or so artists to…

  • Natural Selection exhibition at the Former Newington Library review *****

    Andy Holden and Peter Holden: Natural Selection Artangel at the Former Newington Library, 24th November 2017 This might just be the best exhibition I have seen this year. The Former Newington Library was new to me I confess, and reeks of institutional instruction, which matched the tone of this “installation”…