A story about embracing life against the odds, Wilko is a feelgood story featuring Dr. Feelgood’s distinctive guitarist. Wilko “A Christmas Carol with guitars and cancer.” As one of London’s biggest fans of A Christmas Carol (probably), it’s a line that jumped out at me. But although there are parallels (ghosts, enlightenment and so on) […]
A response to the Royal Academy retrospective of Marina Abramović’s work. How does something as ephemeral as performance art transform into a museum exhibit? Content warning: references to violence and sexual acts. Marina Abramović at the Royal Academy In a burst of post-Christmas activity I managed to squeeze in a visit to Marina Abramović, a […]
Ephemeral Ensemble come to New Diorama Theatre with REWIND, a tribute to South America’s desaparecidos and those who have fought to tell their stories. First Some Background: Argentina’s Desaparecidos Where to start with REWIND? It is a desperately sad, visually impressive work of theatre by Ephemeral Ensemble, based on real events. Ephemeral Ensemble are a […]
French duo Stereoptik return to bring more worlds to life in front of an eager MimeLondon crowd with Antechamber. The Return of an Old Favourite When I first came across the London International Mime Festival in 2022 (several decades behind the curve), a performance by Stereoptik was one of the events I saw. 2023 was […]
The Royal Academy exhibition Impressionists on Paper assembles a great selection of artists, media and subject matter. Does it do as well in making the argument that the Impressionists elevated works on paper to the same status as paintings on canvas? Impressionists on Paper We are all familiar with the work of the Impressionists. Even […]
A beautiful work of visual theatre, Last Rites is at Shoreditch Town Hall as part of new curatorial project MimeLondon. Last Rites Grief is a complex process. In this new theatrical work, award winning and diverse-led theatre company Ad Infinitum explore grief, death, complicated familes, and parenthood. The result is something universal yet unique, tender […]
A lot of pre-Roman and Roman history to explore at Verulamium Museum, including some of the best mosaics outside the Mediterranean. The museum is just one part of a Roman day out in modern St Albans. A Short History of Verulamium The Roman city of Verulamium lies almost, but not quite, under the modern city […]
A family tale takes on epic proportions in The Mother of Kamal, spanning multiple decades, countries, and themes of family, love, and difficult choices. Mother of Kamal It’s rare for a play to be so personal and yet so broad in the historic events and themes surveyed. And yet Mother of Kamal, on now at […]
A wintery day is perfect to explore work by Ewrin Wurm both indoors and outdoors at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. A Little History of Yorkshire Sculpture Park, to Begin With For those who are here to read about Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP)’s latest exhibition, never fear – it’s coming very soon. But as many of my […]
Daido Moriyama’s first UK retrospective is a revelation, taking over the Photographers’ Gallery with hundreds of his trademark atmospheric images. Daido Moriyama This is the second exhibition of work by a Japanese photographer I’ve seen in London in recent weeks, and both are interesting for how the artists challenge the potential and limits of the […]
