‘Art says things that history cannot’ explains González Beatriz González, who passed away in January 2026, sadly did not live to see the opening of her first retrospective show in the UK. She had, however, previously walked around the rooms of the Barbican art gallery, discussing the layout of the show, and asked whether the […]
Bird Grove – Hampstead Theatre
Finding a voice amidst societal expectations Bird Grove is the story of a young woman, fascinated by books and ideas, who breaks free of societal expectations to pursue a career as a writer. That writer was George Eliot, but she does not yet assume that identity in the course of the play. Written by Alexi […]
Iolanthe – Charles Court Opera at Wilton’s Music Hall
Lords and Fairies Frolic in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe Walk through the large wooden doors into Wilton’s Music Hall, and you’ll find a rabbit warren of bars serving cocktails, beer, wine and food. It’s an intimate, atmospheric setting with stripped-down wood, bare plaster, and mismatched chairs and tables, making it a great place to meet […]
UK/Brazil Season of Culture Highlights
Promoting greater mutual understanding Mention Brazilian culture in the UK, and most people should be able to come up with, at the very least, samba, ‘The Girl from Ipanema” and extravagant Carnival parades. Oh, and Pelé, of course. I’m not sure what a counterpart inquiry in Brazil would yield. I hazard a guess at […]
Deep Azure at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
A hip-hop-infused epic with timely resonance Actor and playwright Chadwick Boseman is internationally known for his 2018 role in Marvel’s Black Panther blockbuster. Boseman died in 2020, two months before George Floyd was suffocated by Derek Chauvin, a Minnesotan police officer, sparking the global Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. While Boseman’s play, Deep Azure, was […]
Chiharu Shiota and Yin Xiuzhen-Hayward Gallery
Threads of Life meets Heart to Heart in double bill show There are many galleries and museums showing women artists this year, with the Hayward Gallery opening with a double bill. Chiharu Shiota and Yin Xiuzhen share an interest in memories and produce sculptural pieces that are adventurous and experimental. Their works invite viewers to engage […]
Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny – ENO
English National Opera at the London Coliseum Presents Brecht and Weill’s City of Mahagonny in a New Production In the hedonistic city of Mahagonny, almost everything is allowed. Eating, sex, fighting and getting drunk are celebrated. But everything has its price. A designer town, built from scratch by three criminals on the run from justice, […]
Seurat and the Sea – Courtauld Gallery
This historic exhibition provides an engrossing display of Seurat’s singular approach and talent Seurat and the Sea: Exhibitions of Georges Seurat’s (1859 – 1891) work are few and far between. Having died at the young age of 31, Seurat left a small number of works and those who have them guard them jealously. So it’s […]
Ballet Icons Gala 2026
An Impressive Array of International Ballet Stars at the Coliseum A gala is a gala. It’s there to celebrate, not to challenge. So, it’s to the credit of Ballet Icons, the organisation behind the annual Ballet Icons Gala, which marked its 20th anniversary at the Coliseum on Sunday, that, side by side with gala staples […]
Giselle – Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House – Review
In The Royal Ballet’s latest revival of Giselle, the dancing makes this performance unforgettable. Giselle is all about the dance. The eponymous heroine is in love and dances her way through the first act with youthful exuberance and through the second with devoted passion, with one male lead dancing himself to death and the other […]