A walk through Spitalfields and Brick Lane reveals that Bengali history in the East End extends much further back than twentieth century migrations. The East End: Basically Like A Layer Cake Yes it is, isn’t it! Thanks to the resources from Tower Hamlets Council, we have been able to explore several of these layers. We […]
A review of the V&A’s Alice in Wonderland-themed summer exhibition. A blockbuster without the crowds (at least when I visited)! Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser This exhibition at the V&A has been highly anticipated. Including by me, who had tickets earlier in the year which I had to reschedule when dates kept shifting. So it was […]
A review of …cake, a new play by babirye bukilwa on now at Theatre Peckham. This is a play that wears its intersectional heart on its sleeve, but initial strengths shine less brightly in a more charged second half. …cake – Posing Challenging Questions …cake is a play unlike others that I have seen recently […]
A review of a recent visit to the Queen’s House in Greenwich, including the Armada Portraits and Woburn Treasures. A friendly Front of House team make the visit a real pleasure. Welcome Back To The Queen’s House This isn’t the Queen’s House as in Buckingham Palace, and shouldn’t be confused with the Queen’s Gallery. No, […]
An illustrated walk around Paddington, once a distinct village, and now very much part of the behemoth that is London. Nothing remains of Paddington prior to the late 18th Century, but the faintest traces of a lost village atmosphere are still in the air. Paddington – Not What I Would Call A Village Well these […]
A walk around the former precincts of Blackfriars Priory. There is very little left of what was once an important institution in London, but its mark on the city can still be seen today. Blackfriars? What are we talking about here? We have briefly visited the Blackfriars area, on this walk along the Thames. These […]
An illustrated walk from Aldgate East to Stepney Green, focusing on Jewish history. This is a continuation of our earlier walk which explored Spitalfields and Brick Lane. Picking Up Where We Left Off If you want to refresh yourself on Part I of our Jewish history walk in the East End, you can find it […]
A review of the Alfred Fagon play The Death of a Black Man at Hampstead Theatre. A period revival that covers a lot of ground, from cricket to death via capitalism and pan-Africanism. Reviving A Hampstead Theatre Original: The Death of a Black Man My outing this week was the first time I’ve ever been […]
A review of the English National Ballet (ENB)’s programme of short works at Sadler’s Wells. In which I am back at a live performance, and couldn’t be happier! Reunited (With The ENB) And It Feels So Good! Yesterday marked the first time I have been to a live indoor performance since December. Coincidentally that was […]
A part-live, part-recorded, gameplay, Zoom call version of Romeo & Juliet has me feeling a little conflicted. Theatre Truly Embraces The Online Channel It feels somehow apt to be reviewing a forward-looking online version of Romeo & Juliet on the day that theatres and other cultural venues reopen in England. The last 18 months have […]
