Once again we take a look at two plays currently on at the National Theatre. This time we have The Normal Heart, a passionate and heartbreaking play written during the AIDS epidemic, and East is East, the first production in the National’s Lyttleton theatre since early 2020. All Three Theatres In Action Once More! I […]
A whirlwind introduction to the British monarchy through royal portraits turns out to be refreshingly frank and interesting. A good avenue for the National Portrait Gallery to present their collection in a new way while they renovate their own building. Am I At The National Maritime Museum Or The National Portrait Gallery? A few institutions […]
A review of a free exhibition on now at the National Gallery. Bellotto: The Königstein Views Reunited is a good opportunity to see how this celebrated Venetian artist approached an unusual German commission. Bellotto’s Königstein Views I am really getting into these one-room exhibitions at the National Gallery in London. Last year I saw Sin, […]
Soho tales of love and heartache unfold in The Midnight Bell. Matthew Bourne more than achieves his aim of showcasing the different love stories that dance can explore. The Midnight Bell Although Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell is based on the works of Patrick Hamilton, this is an exercise in world-building rather than a straightforward […]
Hiding in plain sight, this small London museum is a wonderful discovery. And a guided tour is the perfect way to get to grips with the history of the Order of St John, and peek behind the scenes. The Museum Of The Order Of St John That’s quite a mouthful – what does it really […]
A review of a visit to the Grant Museum of Zoology in London. It’s quirky and historic, just what you want a museum of zoology to be! Grant Museum of Zoology The Grant Museum of Zoology is one of several museums which are part of University College London. Another is the Petrie Museum which we […]
Join me for a walk through South East London’s suburbs, looking at the city through the lens of its green spaces. We follow one of the itineraries from Paul Wood’s book London Tree Walks. A Tree Walk? What Is That? Some of you may recall that, during the winter lockdown, I was doing a lot […]
A review of Mozart’s Magic Flute, on now at the Royal Opera House. A lavish production to expand my 2021 repertoire of Mozart operas. The Magic Flute – A Lavish ROH Production What a year for the Salterton Arts Review and the operatic works of Mozart. We saw The Marriage of Figaro on a rainy, […]
A review of Camp Siegfried at the Old Vic. Despite some top notch acting, I wasn’t quite feeling the magic of this American Nazi summer camp play. Wait… There Were Nazis On Long Island? Camp Siegfried, a play by Bess Wohl, is a curious one about a little-known piece of Long Island’s history (or at […]
A review of Masterpieces from Buckingham Palace, now on at the Queen’s Gallery. A chance to see the Queen’s best paintings close up and outside of the usual limited summer opening of Buckingham Palace. Masterpieces From Buckingham Palace Now this is an exhibition that does what it says on the tin. It is no secret […]