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Monochrome: Painting in Black and White exhibition at the National Gallery review ****
Monochrome: Painting in Black and White National Gallery, 22nd November 2017 For as long as there has been Western art there has been black and white painting. Used in preparation for works in colour, to heighten the impact of light on a subject, to “imitate” other art forms such as…
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The Suppliant Women at the Young Vic review ****
The Suppliant Women Young Vic, 21st November 2017 Before I get started let us just remind ourselves what a marvellous place the Young Vic is. I don’t just mean the quality and quantity of its productions, though heaven knows under the artistic stewardship of David Lan, this has risen to…
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The Firm at the Hampstead Theatre review *****
The Firm Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, 22nd November 2017 N.B. The Firm is returning to the Hampstead Theatre Downstairs for another run between the 3rd May and 8th June 2019. The Tourist goes to a lot of theatre in London and, trust him, there is no better value than a preview…
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Rules For Living review at the Rose Theatre Kingston ***
Rules For Living Rose Theatre Kingston, 13th November 2017 The Tourist loves the Rose Theatre. Admittedly it helps that it is just a hop, skip and a jump, (well brisk walk), away from him. It does serve up some interesting theatre though, in amongst the music and comedy, and it…
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Quatuor pour la fin du temps at St John’s Smith Square review *****
Alban Gerhardt cello, James Ehnes violin, Jean Johnson clarinet, Steven Osborne piano St John’s Smith Square, 14th November Shostakovich – Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor Op. 67, Messiaen – Quatuor pour la fin du temps I don’t suppose Olivier Messiaen had any idea, when he composed his chamber…
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Labour of Love at the Noel Coward Theatre review *****
Labour of Love Noel Coward Theatre, 15th November 2017 The Tourist is wracked with guilt. A couple of lovely women who were sat next to him asked his opinion at the interval as to whether James Graham’s Ink or Labour of Love was the better play. He said Ink. By…
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Opera: Passion, Power and Politics exhibition at the V&A review ****
Opera: Passion, Power and Politics V&A, 13th November 2017 You can’t seem to navigate on t’Internet, (all right, the bit that isn’t hate, porn or celebrity, which doesn’t leave much), for confessionals from opera lovers telling you how they came to love the “queen”, or is it “king”, of art…