Let's start with two important pieces of writing about politics. One is Charles Simic's Bleak house, a short but devastating state-of-the-American-nation piece for the New York Review of Books blog: We have forgotten what this country once understood, that more
I said that I am not going to post a 'review' of Richard II, which opened to a wonderful reception last night in Stratford-upon-Avon (with live cinema broadcasts on and after 13 November). And I'm not. Nor am more
On the day before the press night of Richard II, I am starting a page that I hope will be helpful to us all across the coming month and more. The cinema broadcast Live from Stratford-upon-Avon, in the more
After seeing Roger Michell and Hanif Kureishi's very fine film yesterday (above), with the incomparable Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan, this clip - which I have featured before - picked itself - it's from Jean-Luc Godard's more
If it's Thursday, it must be the first preview of Richard II. My posts from Stratford-upon-Avon towards the live broadcasts to cinemas have been appearing mostly on Mondays, but from now on there will be more than a more
We are thrilled to confirm that Illuminations is to release the BBC cycle of Shakespeare's History plays An Age of Kings as a 15-episode, 5-disc DVD set on 8 December. You can place your advance order here. An Age of more
Now how do I write this latest post in my Richard II series? On Friday last I and others watched a full run of the play in the rehearsal room. On Thursday the production has its first preview. So I more
I like this original video essay by Michael Coresky and Casey Moore about the films of Ingmar Bergman very much; it was made for The Criterion Collection. There are lots more Links below, with thanks this week more
'On Saturday night I saw (and heard) the future of arts programmes.' It is some five and a half years since I started my blog post Live from the Met with that line. The occasion was the first live High Definition more
How fascinating to see three different productions of the same great play in one week. Last Friday I watched a preview of Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts adapted and directed by Richard Eyre at the Almeida (until 23 November). Over more