At Home He Feels Like A Tourist

  • The Best Man at Richmond Theatre review ****

    The Best Man Richmond Theatre, 2nd October 2017 N.B. The Best Man has, as I confidently expected, found its way to the West End, to wit the Playhouse Theatre where it opens on 24th February and runs through until 12th May. Well worth a visit and not ridiculously priced, though…

  • Doubt, A Parable at the Southwark Playhouse review ***

    Doubt, A Parable Southwark Playhouse, 26th September 2017 Once again a review of a play whose run is over. Apologies. This revival of Doubt, A Parable, by US playwright JP Shanley, was efficiently directed by Che Walker, but turned out to be a little slighter in form and content than…

  • The Judas Passion at St John’s Smith Square review ***

    Orchestra of the Age of the Enlightenment, Nicholas McGegan, Brenden Gunnell, Roderick Williams, Mary Bevan, Choir of the OAE St John’s Smith Square, 25th September 2017 The Judas Passion is a new work commissioned by the OAE and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra San Francisco, and was composed by Sally Beamish with…

  • Rachel Whiteread at Tate Britain review *****

    Rachel Whiteread Tate Britain, 25th September 2017 If you take even a passing interest in contemporary British art you are probably aware of Rachel Whiteread, and you may well have seen some of her work. Even if you are not interested, or are firmly in the nihilistic, hater camp that…

  • The Unknown Island at the Gate Theatre review ***

    The Unknown Island The Gate Theatre, 23rd September 2017 Saturday matinees at the Gate Theatre  represent an astonishing bargain by “that London” standards (as do Wednesday matinees though they are limited to us economically unproductive types). So I could traipse up to Wembley to watch Spurs stuff Bournemouth for just…

  • Fretwork at the Wigmore Hall review ****

    Fretwork (Asako Morikawa, Joanna Levine, Sam Stadlen, Emily Ashton, Richard Boothby) Wigmore Hall, 18th September 2017 JS Bach – The Art of Fugue – Contrapunctus I-XI, XIV Fretwork are one of those marvellous groups of dedicated adventurers who have brought Early, Renaissance and Baroque music back to life. There was…

  • The Limehouse Golem film review ****

    The Limehouse Golem, 15th September 2017 Now I love a well told Victorian Gothic melodrama and by and large this is what you get here. It is based on the novel, Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem, by the prolific (if occasionally wayward) author, Peter Ackroyd, though the screenplay by…

  • Britten Sinfonia at Milton Court review *****

    Britten Sinfonia, Helen Grime This is Rattle, Milton Court Hall, 20th September 2017 Purcell – Fantasia Upon One Note Oliver Knussen, George Benjamin, Colin Matthews – A Purcell Garland Helen Grime – Into the Faded Air Oliver Knussen – Cantata Helen Grime – A Cold Spring Thomas Ades – Court…

  • Stravinsky from Rattle and the LSO at the Barbican review *****

    London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle Barbican Hall, 24th September 2017 Igor Stravinsky – The Firebird (original ballet) Igor Stravinsky – Petrushka (1947 version) Igor Stravinsky – The Rite of Spring So here is is. The second coming. Sir Simon Rattle kicks off his tenure at the helm of the…

  • My pick of forthcoming London culture

    I am told by friends (and enemies) that I have a tendency to drone on. And I am like the proverbial kid in the sweet shop when it comes to London culture. So the below is an attempt to distil the best of what is on now and what is…