Rosemary Waugh

Fact: Dallas’s best hotels set the bar for hotels across the state. It could be something to do with the fact the city is one of the most tourist- and business-friendly of them all, thus, has stays that cater to an international crowd looking for more than just your typical Southern comforts. Or it could be that Dallasites are known for their tastes in the finer things in life, so places to go glam are in abundance. Whatever the reason, we’re glad that Dallas is serving us world-class hotels, many of which boast art collections, phenomenal spas, unbeatable locations (at a fair price), business lounge access and, of course, delicious onsite food and drink. With so much to choose from, selecting the perfect night's snooze may leave some wide awake, so we’ve narrowed down the best spots to rest no matter your individual taste. Whether you’re after sexy interiors, big plush rooms with pampering services, or a place to take the afterparty, there’s bound to be something in our list of the best Dallas hotels that fits you to a tee. RECOMMENDED: The best Airbnbs in DallasThe best things to do in Dallas Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every hotel featured, we've based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate 

Liverpool is one of the UK's coolest cities, so it's a must-see if you're looking for a weekend trip or staycation. Whether you visit for the footie, the Beatles, the shopping or just some Scouse hospitality, Liverpool makes for a great mini-break filled with lots to do and great people. The fact that it has more museums and galleries than any other UK city outside of London doesn’t hurt either, and they're definitely worth exploring for the day (especially if it's raining).  And when it comes to hotels, Liverpool caters to fans of all stripes – and budgets. From big and beautiful to cosy and practical. Here are the best hotels in Liverpool, giving the best in London a run for their money. RECOMMENDED: The best Airbnbs in Liverpool Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every hotel featured, we've based our list on top reviews to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Looking to send a small gift in the mail? You can’t go wrong with a box of delicious and unique chocolates. Whether it’s Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, an anniversary, or a birthday, chocolates are like the edible version of sending flowers to show your special someone that you care. Now, when it comes to American chocolatiers, they’re taking chocolate-making to a whole new level. These top-notch brands not only craft elegant designs but also serve up some seriously amazing (and sometimes surprising) flavors using top-notch ingredients. Picture yourself biting into a smooth, shiny bonbon with rich, dark chocolate and hints of coffee, or a colorful square with a touch of BBQ or a dash of bourbon. It’s enough to make your mouth water just thinking about it. Want to sample these delicious creations? We’ve rounded up the best gourmet chocolate gift box deliveries in the US to help you find the most delicious treats. Whether you’re ordering for yourself (we totally get it) or looking for a gift, these chocolatiers are the cream of the crop in the good old United States. But a friendly warning: these little drops of happiness might just become your new addiction…  RECOMMENDED: 💐 The best cheap flower delivery services in the USA🎄 The best Christmas candy in the U.S. for sweet holiday treats🏩 The 12 most romantic hotels in the U.S. How do we know it's the best of the best? Our lists are curated by our expert writers to offer you the lowdown on the best delivery services in the US

Hawaii: where paradise meets reality. This tropical gem isn't just postcard-perfect; it's a siren song for those seeking an extraordinary vacation. So why not ditch the predictable resort scene for a slice of uniqueness in these captivating Airbnbs? These gems not only offer a more pocket-friendly stay but also weave a tapestry of unforgettable experiences. Seriously, get ready for endless beach vibes. Whether you can picture yourself amid a mango farm, close to a volcanic wonderland, or perhaps in a serene bamboo temple, these retreats offer a reconnection with nature that will leave you awestruck. Prepare for a tidal wave of relaxation that permeates your soul, leaving you yearning for an extended stay. With options like these, you might just find it tough to leave. Here's our curated list of the top Airbnbs in Hawaii. Updated May 2024: If Hawaii has been on your travel bucket list for a while, you deserve to have all the best properties to choose from for your once-in-a-lifetime trip. This is why we've added two new Airbnbs to the list: a jungle yurt and a luxury cabin in the forest with a hot tub.  RECOMMENDED:🌴 Discover the best things to do in Hawaii🏨 Check out the best hotels in Hawaii☀️ Read our essential guide to Hawaii Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on top reviews, hosts, and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content

London landmarks are iconic for a reason. You’ve got your London Eye, your Hyde Park, your Big Ben, and even if you’ve lived here for years and have steadfastly been avoiding ‘tourist traps’, you really ought to check these places out at least once. Whether you’re a day-tripper or a local, marvelling at the capital’s museums, galleries, monuments and parks is a London rite of passage – and they’re all really bloody great. But where to begin? We’ve pulled together a list of the best attractions in London for you to start ticking off your bucket list. And the best news? Loads of these must-see London attractions are free, and for those that aren’t, you can book below. Still after some sightseeing inspiration? Check out our list of 101 things to do in London, and find out what’s happening in London today, this week, and this weekend. RECOMMENDED: the best hotels in London RECOMMENDED: the best alternative attractions in LondonRECOMMENDED: the best London bus tours This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Bali is one of the world’s great tropical hideaways. An adventure seeker’s paradise and a spiritual sanctuary rolled into one, it’s a destination that appeals to families and retirees as much as it does to digital nomads and young hedonists. And while there are certain destinations verging on overtouristed, when you venture outside of the usual spots you’ll find that Bali lives up to its reputation as one of the world’s most beautiful islands. So what are the best things to do in Bali? We’ve rounded up a perfect mix of Bali’s best experiences, from the justly popular to the unexpectedly exciting. With enough stuff to inspire the most tireless adrenaline junkie or the most demanding culture vulture, this locally-curated list will turn a visit to the Island of the Gods into a heavenly vacation. RECOMMENDED:🛏 The best hotels in Bali🏝 The best beaches in Bali📍 Where to stay in Bali🎉 Where to party in Bali 🏠 The best Airbnbs in Bali Planning your next trip? Check out our latest travel guides, written by local experts. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Known for its stunning rice terraces, wild jungle adventures, and those Insta-worthy white sandy beaches, Bali is the ultimate spot for an amazing vacation. Picture lazy days lounging by your private pool, epic jungle hikes that take you right to the foot of a volcano, and foodie adventures at the coolest local joints. This place has it all. Now, if you're planning to escape to this tropical paradise, you're probably wondering where to crash, right? Well, lucky for you, Bali is packed with incredible Airbnbs that are basically like stepping into a postcard. From bamboo eco-houses hidden in the jungle to massive beachfront villas where you can practically roll out of bed into the ocean, there's a little something for everyone. To make your life easier, we've put together a list of the top Bali Airbnbs. So, whether you're a solo traveller on a budget or a big group looking to splurge on a Balinese mansion, we reckon you’ll find the perfect place to stay in our expertly curated list. What are you waiting for? Your tropical getaway is just a scroll away… RECOMMENDED:☀️ The 19 best things to do in Bali🌴 The 11 best things to do in Ubud🏖️ The 11 most unforgettable beaches in Bali🏠 The 10 best hotels in Bali🔥 The best places to party in Bali Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on top reviews, hosts, and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial

The West End - one of London's crown jewels - stretches between Regent Street and Covent Garden, from the Thames to the Euston. While no one can quite agree on its exact definition, the area is synonymous with bright lights, Broadway and entertainment around every corner. It’s where you’ll find everything from celeb-magnet restaurants to perfect post-work pubs, as well as much of the city’s best shopping. And yes, when it comes to the best hotels, those with deep pockets are well catered for in the West End, but so too are those on backpacker budgets if you know where to look (that's where we come in). Here's our pick of the best hotels in and around the West End. Looking for more options? Check out London’s best Airbnbs Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Sure, you can stay in a budget hotel and have more spending money for food, experiences, and shopping. But why not treat yourself to one of the best hotels in San Fran? There are plenty of chic and boutique spots in the center of downtown, or historic mansions that overlook the Bay, all calling out your name.  No matter the reason you're visiting the city, you're guaranteed an experience you'll unlikely forget at these luxury hotels. Book a hotel near the best attractions or atop Nob Hill to feel like an 18th-century railroad tycoon. Whether you're looking for 24/7 room services and luxury wine tastings or quirky food and killer locations, it's all here for you. Go on, dive in.  RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in San FranciscoRECOMMENDED: The best cheap hotels in San Francisco Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in every hotel featured below, we've based our list on top reviews and amenities to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

London can be a pretty thrilling place to live – sometimes you spot a minor celebrity in the Tesco Metro near work, for example. Other times you make it onto the last tube home with mere seconds to spare. If that isn’t enough adrenaline for you, though, look no further than our guide to the best theme parks in and around the city. At some of them, you’ll find the nation’s most scream-inducing rollercoasters. At others, you’ll get something a bit more gentle and suitable for little ones. Anyone for a go on the teacups at Peppa Pig World? And if you’re still in the mood for more heartbeat-raising activities, read our list of the best extreme London fitness classes or try these outdoor pursuits that’ll really get your blood pumping. Still not enough to satisfy your daring side? Check out the most splashtastic water parks in and around London and the UK's best theme parks and discover more of the nation's best rides.  This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

When it comes to Sin City, hotels are much more than a mere collection of rentable rooms or suites. So much more. In fact, the best Las Vegas hotels (which happen to double up as some of the best Las Vegas casinos too, btw) are shopping malls, dining destinations and nightlife meccas all rolled into one. Believe it or not, even the best Las Vegas shows call these hotels their stage. To be perfectly honest, you can book in at one of these Las Vegas hotels and barely leave the foyer and you'll pack more fun in than you could find in most cities around the world. All you need to do is remember you're in Las Vegas! Its whole vibe is to serve up some of the most incredible things to do this planet has to offer, so make sure you check out as much of it as you can. And whether you're yet to discover this fascinating place, or you're a seasoned pro heading back for even more, you're going to have a blast. So you better make sure you book the best hotel, right? Well, we're here to help. Oh, a quick word of advice: sometimes all those incredible indoor activities can prove to be a bit claustrophobic, so we thought our list of the best Las Vegas parks might be helpful for your staycation or vacation. After all, it's nice to get some air sometimes, you know? February 2024 update: We've added two new hotels to this list: the Las Vegas Hilton and the Oasis at Gold Spike. Enjoy! Looking for more options? Check out our pick of the coolest Las Vegas Airbnbs or our guide to the best cheap hot

Located just three hours north of Chicago by car, Madison, Wisconsin, offers football, food tours and music festivals year-round. There’s biking and hiking, award-winning restaurants, and plenty of beer brewed in town, making Madison a delightful destination. Whether you’re visiting for a Badgers game or looking for an escape from Chicago, pass on pricey hotels and see what these Madison Airbnbs have in store. We've hand-selected the best holiday rentals, from countryside stays with lakefront views to cozy cottages.  RECOMMENDED:🏛 Check out our list of the best things to do in Madison🍽 Here are the restaurants you need to try in Madison🏨 Fancy a stay at the best hotels in Milwaukee?  Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every Airbnb featured, we've based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

A state-of-Brexit-Britain portmanteau film is exactly the kind of well-meaning project that could result in a lot of on-the-nose cringeworthiness. But ‘The Uncertain Kingdom’, a collection of 20 shorts made by 20 different filmmaking teams (each with a budget of £10,000), is a largely brilliant, subtle and multifaceted group of timely films. Comprised of documentaries, fictional dramas, animations and a smattering of comedy (ten of the total 20 were shown at the press viewing), the collective aim of ‘The Uncertain Kingdom’ is to give a fair and unjudgmental hearing to the wildly different experiences of UK citizens, from second-generation immigrants in the South East connecting with their heritage through their names, to food bank users in a freezing, dilapidated Blackpool. Highlights include Siân Docksey and Sophie King’s ‘Swan’, a funny slice of satire about an Englishman who voluntarily takes the ‘advanced citizenship test’ and, after passing with flying colours, is granted the honour of being turned into a stunning white swan. Equally, Paul Frankl’s fable-like story of a Bolivian mother trying to save her son’s life with the help of a mystical tree is a compelling bit of magic realism. But the best are ‘Verisimilitude’ (written by Justin Edgar), in which the brilliant Ruth Madeley plays Bella, an actress and wheelchair user employed to tutor a pretentious, non-disabled actor who has to perform as a disabled character on screen, and Hope Dickson Leach’s ‘Strong is Better T

'Afterplay' is cancelled due to Covid-19 A man enters a Moscow café after a hard day’s rehearsal at the city’s opera house. He’s working on Puccini’s ‘La Bohème’ under the guidance of a draconian German conductor, while a teenaged protégé steals the limelight as Mimi. Or is he? Brian Friel’s slight-but-slightly-lovely one-act play is filled with ‘untruths’. The violinist, Andrey (Rory Keenan), and the woman he meets in the café, Sonya (Mariah Gale), are snatched from Anton Chekhov’s ‘Three Sisters’ and ‘Uncle Vanya’. Over thin cabbage soup and semi-fresh bread (him) and cold tea with vodka added to it (her), they construct the stories of their existences. Andrey’s is full of flagrant lies, while Sonya’s is subtly but significantly altered to protect her emotions. For people familiar with Chekhov, Andrey and Sonya start off seeming like pleasantly changed characters. Andrey, pampered and irresponsible in ‘Three Sisters’, appears driven and creative. Sonya, who in ‘Uncle Vanya’ deserves to be called ‘poor Sonya’ for how life always serves her shrivelled, juiceless lemons, also has the markings of a more together person. Seated at the table with her calculations and papers, laced into schoolmarm boots, there’s a no-frills modernity to her 1920s persona. But the most Chekhovian thing of all about Friel’s play is how nothing has changed one bit. Andrey and Sonya (both peripheral characters in their original plays), are eventually forced back to their familiar narratives: she’s cru

Merce Cunningham’s game-changing radicalisation of dance demands an approach to documenting it that goes beyond the traditional. So, director Alla Kovgan’s visual-heavy, 3D attempt makes a lot of sense. For the American choreographer (1919-2009), dance was not a representation of something else, it simply was ‘the thing’, with every interpretation an audience placed on it equally valid. Arguably, then, the best documentary of his output would just be the dances themselves because Cunningham never intended to create work with some kind of ‘story’ hidden behind it. Kovgan basically honours this with a collage of restaged dances in woodlands, concert halls and glass-encased architecture, plus short bits of footage from the earlier stages of Cunningham’s career (1944-1972), including the establishment of the now world-famous company bearing his name. This documentary could never be accused of not letting the dance speak for itself – indeed, the historic and new segments of body-stockinged dancers moving with undulating, freewheeling motions to John Cage’s atonal music are by far the best parts of the film. But the whole thing suffers from relying too heavily on the familiar (and familiarly boring) narrative of: ‘maverick is panned by critics’ followed by ‘world catches up to maverick’s genius’. There’s also crushingly little interrogation of Cunningham’s practice or in-depth analysis of his evolution as a choreographer and dancer. For regulars in the Sadler’s Wells audience, ther

The Victorians: buttoned-up, sermonising, empire-loving sexophobes. And their art? Sentimental pictures of big-eyed children and bigger-eyed spaniels, right? Well, #NotAllVictorians. Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898) did things differently. His slinky black-and-white drawings are filled with sex and death and… well, sex and death mainly. Associated with Oscar Wilde – he produced the illustrations for Wilde’s ‘Salomé’ – Beardsley’s images caused a fair amount of scandal. They also titillated and thrilled, and while it would be false to imagine Victorians up and down the land plastering their bedroom walls with Beardsley soft porn (rather than imagining a smallish group of bourgie art-loving Londoners consuming it), the simple existence of it beautifully disrupts what we think we know about the Victorians. This gorgeous retrospective covers pretty much everything Beardsley did, from early medievalist and mythological subjects through to illustrations for The Yellow Book (a quarterly arts publication) and explicit pictures of Ancient Greeks getting frisky. The earlier pieces are similar to Edward Burne-Jones’s work but while Burne-Jones was crushingly bad at depicting feet, Beardsley is king at drawing heels (an underrated talent if ever there was one). The small curve of flesh below the ankle is, perhaps, the sexiest thing of all in his artworks. The obviously sexy pics, meanwhile – the ones with the extra-large cocks and the woman having a powder puff popped between her bum cheek

If Richard Curtis had decided to make indie theatre instead of films, his output might well have looked a little like Sally Abbott’s ‘I Think We Are Alone’. Co-directed by Kathy Burke and Scott Graham, the sweetly sincere – but overly simplistic – play presents a patchwork quilt of London, each square filled with a character. There’s the black mum from Lewisham who’s massively proud of her son for getting to Cambridge, but forgets to ask if her dreams make him as happy as they make her. There’s the white cabbie who recently lost his wife and just wants a passenger who will talk to him, even if it’s so he can tell them the slightly awkward story about the time ‘an Arab’ gave him a £250 tip. There’s the saintly cancer patient who prefers visualisation techniques and positive thinking to ever being angry about her condition. And, finally, there are the two estranged sisters, one working as a chipper hospice nurse and the other as an insomniac HR manager. Swirled into the mix are constant reminders of death and loneliness. Both sisters seek release through getting wasted, one in a blaring techno club and the other at a smart-casual large-glass-of-Picpoul-de-Pinet bar. The Lewisham mother, Josie (played by a brilliant Chizzy Akudolu), talks openly about her dead dog, but can’t even start to process her dead dad. But these people never become more than neat archetypes of different walks of life. Instead of watching a collection of complex, indefinable humans, we’re presented with a

William Shakespeare’s final – and possibly weirdest – play is set mainly on a far-flung island. Its main character, Prospero, is a sorcerer, one of his companions is a sprite named Ariel, and its title refers to a conjured storm. Especially when compared to his weighty history plays, this is Shakespeare in fantasy mode, his Jacobean toe-dipping in the waters JRR Tolkien and others would fully dive into centuries later. Tom Littler’s production for the pint-sized Jermyn Street Theatre hints at the mythological storytelling elements of the play by opening the show in a room lined with rows of books, wooden carvings and an old-fashioned toy boat with handkerchief sails. When Prospero (Michael Pennington) and his daughter Miranda (Kirsty Bushell) first start talking, it could easily be the set-up for an expanded storytime, in which the grave Pennington simply narrates the whole piece from the comfort of his study. The inspiration for the production, in fact, is the artist Paul Gauguin’s travels in Tahiti, although you wouldn’t necessarily know that from simply watching it (perhaps a good thing, given how hugely problematic Gauguin’s output from his Tahitian period is). Instead, the whole thing plays out as a largely traditional, albeit small-scale, staging of the story. The only really notable part is how foregrounded Whitney Kehinde’s Ariel – and her relationship with Prospero – is. Her role in thwarting Prospero’s enemies and controlling the run of events often makes her a more

Antoinette Nwandu’s ‘Pass Over’ is like a radical rewriting of Samuel Beckett’s ‘Waiting for Godot’, with the aged homeless men, Estragon and Vladimir, switched for two young black men, Moses and Kitch, who pass repetitive days on a street corner under an elevated train track. But while Nwandu echoes Beckett’s blend of sharp, crackling comedy and utter despair, there is one major, crucial difference to her play. Beckett’s tramps existed inside an anywhere, anytime vacuum; Nwandu’s young men are grounded in a reality that’s horrifically recognisable. Paapa Essiedu’s Moses and Gershwyn Eustache Jnr’s Kitch kill time through ritualised jokes, routines and daydreams. They tease and playfight; get angry at each other’s presence; and share their imagined versions of heaven, listing its rewards like kids writing to Santa Claus. There’s a beautiful tenderness to their exchanges, the way there often is just below the bantering, back-chatting surface of guys’ friendship. And, as the sun comes up each day, they discuss how they’re going to leave this spot, get up from this kerb and ‘fulfil their potential’. Yet the thing keeping them on the kerb isn’t their motivational skills or a ride out of there, but the lurking presence of the white police officers who keep shooting men like them. Eustache Jnr’s Kitch is the softer of the pair, the one who is more willing to keep playing their childish games each day and who is more instinctively trusting of the bizarre, hyper-American stranger (Al

This show opens with a black blob. An inky, scrawly, looming lump of damp mountainside, like a geological metaphor for impending doom. And from there, it doesn’t get much lighter. Léon Spilliaert was born in Ostend, Belgium, in 1881. He spent most of his life between there and Brussels, and his gothicky, wobbly paintings are filled with the frigid features of the local landscape. The strongest sense conveyed is how freaking freezing it is. Every tiny figure is battered by a bitter wind, each hunched-over human a drastically poor opponent when pitted against the elements. His favoured medium of fuzzy Indian ink washes and gouache makes everything look like it’s viewed through the evening mizzle. This neatly comprehensive exhibition moves through the themes of Spilliaert’s career, including the Symbolist-ish illustrations he made for a couple of books and his woe-is-me self-portraits. But Spilliaert was remarkably consistent. He found his niche and stuck to it. And that niche was: desolation. These are sad, gloomy, lonely images in which even the women he idolises turn their back on poor Léon. There are paintings titled ‘Alone’ and ‘Misery’ (the latter showing a bit of black cloth dripping from a droopy clothes line). The most obvious artistic comparison is with Edvard Munch, but whereas the painter of ‘The Scream’ slapped his bare soul across the canvas, spreading existential angst like Marmite, Spilliaert gives only a sense of emptiness. And that’s the essential problem of

Florencia Cordeu spends a considerable portion of ‘Autoreverse’ in a hazmat suit, the kind a person wears on a nuclear site or at a fresh crime scene. She breathes through a surgical mask and snaps on latex gloves before delving into a box. The cassette tapes she picks out are each in their own zipped plastic sandwich bag, like pieces of evidence.The set-up works as a visual metaphor for Cordeu’s whole autobiographical performance. The past needs preserving in small, sealed chunks before it disintegrates; it also risks contaminating the present, spreading like buried radiation detected years later with a Geiger counter.Cordeu and her family fled Argentina for Chile when she was one year old to escape the military dictatorship. Her uncle is one of the ‘disappeared’ citizens thought to have been murdered by the regime, although her family have never fully understood what happened to him.This one-woman show, co-created and directed by Omar Elerian, makes heavy use of cassette-tape recordings of family life before and after they left Argentina. They contain the usual childhood episodes such as make-believe games with superheroes, a funny anecdote involving a very fat cat falling on to the roof of a soft-top car and reflections on the adults’ secretive political life.It’s palpable how much this show means to Cordeu and how it’s part of her quest to make sense of the missing men, country and memories in her life. There are some lovely small passages evoking South America: the peach

Wine, book, paper bag, nail varnish, thermos, cups, sheets, mushrooms, pebbles, orange juice… there sure is a lot of stuff on stage at the opening of ‘Persona’, and you notice it because the rest of the stage design is sleek, cool and metallic. The household detritus stands out the way it would if you emptied the cupboard under the stairs and dumped its contents in the middle of a modernist office boardroom. This adaptation of Ingmar Bergman’s film, directed by Paul Schoolman, is unafraid of add-ons in other ways. An extra character, known as The Narrator, provides a sort of meta-commentary for the story itself, using extracts from Bergman’s own writings. There’s also a live soundtrack performed on something called an earth harp. Officially the world’s largest playable stringed instrument, this beast has one end of its strings attached to the back auditorium wall and the other to a great wooden curve embossed with the words ‘EARTH HARP’.The fundamentals of the story, however, are basically the same. Elisabet Vogler (Nobuhle Mngcwengi, who brings by far the most nuance to the entire show, simply through facial expression) is a famous actress who becomes a selective mute and is admitted to hospital. A strange co-dependent relationship develops between Elisabet and her nurse, Alma (Alice Krige), who is obsessed with the actress.But the psychological intricacies that make the original film so fascinating are absent here. The interjection of Bergman’s words brings little insight a

Back in 2015, Miriam Battye’s ‘Trip the Light Fantastic’ played at the Bristol Old Vic for just over a week. It was about a young man teaching an old man to ballroom dance and they performed it in the basement with a couple of plastic chairs. Despite seeing literally hundreds of plays since, I still, every so often, find myself thinking about this little treasure of a show, cuddling the memory of its understated brilliance. Fast-forward five years and, glory be, Battye’s at the Royal Court! And, true to form, it’s with a play that’s every shade of lovely. As with ‘Trip the Light’, there’s nothing in a basic description of ‘Scenes with Girls’ that suggests it’s going to be as gorgeous as it is. Tosh (Tanya Reynolds) lives with Lou (Rebekah Murrell) and they’re occasionally visited by Fran (Letty Thomas), their sort-of smugly engaged chummy mate. As it says on the tin, the play is made from little snapshots of their lives, each scene gradually filling in the backstory while dragging them towards an emotional earthquake.  The rest is just ‘them’. All the ridiculous, hilarious, half-spoken things that fill their heads and world. Things like Tosh’s dream of decapitating Henry VIII and planting flowers in his severed spinal cord; Polly Pockets embedded in thighs; cocks with the aroma of omelettes.  They speak with the assurance of bored, over-educated women – Tosh is writing a thesis – checking in with each other about ‘the narrative’ and what’s ‘normative’. It’s very, very funny a

Theatre The blockbuster ‘The Burnt City’ Punchdrunk are the gods of immersive theatre, their intense, gloomy, hyperdetailed epics making most other immersive theatre shows look like glorified fancy dress parties… which to be fair, they basically are. After a long absence from the UK, Punchdrunk returned in 2022 with their gargantuan Trojan War epic ‘The Burnt City’.One Cartridge Place, Woolwich. Until Apr 16 2023. From £56.50. The Insta fave ‘The Great Gatsby’ Party like it’s Prohibition with a visit to the immersive version of F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel. Guests are encouraged to fully embrace the 1920s vibe with flapper-style clothing and plenty of bootleg booze. London’s longest-running immersive show, it finally leaves town early in 2023 as its building is being redeveloped, though a comeback is possible.Immersive LDN. Until Jan 7 2023. From £41. The niche one ‘The Witches of Oz’ The Vaults has carved out an unexpected niche as a home for queer immersive dinner theatre fabulousness. ‘The Witches of Oz’ sees the team behind improbable smash ‘Mulan Rouge’ – that's a mash-up of ‘Mulan’ and ‘Moulin Rouge!’ – join forces for a brand new show riffing off Frank L Baum’s ‘Oz’ books that follows the adventures of Dorothey in an enchanted kingdom. The Vaults. Booking to Jan 14. From £20, or £45 dining. Photograph: Christoph Bolten Art The blockbuster ‘Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience’ From ‘The Starry Night’ to those joyful sunflowers, this 360-degree VR experience takes you in

This trip down the rabbit hole was set to be one of London’s cultural highlights last summer. The V&A’s highly anticipated ‘Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser’ exhibition was due to welcome fans in June 2020, but for obvious reasons, its opening was delayed. The immersive show will now debut this very weekend.  Designed by the award-winning Tom Piper, creator of the Tower of London’s poppies installation, ‘Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser’ will chart our continued devotion to all things Alice over the past 157 years.   Zenaida Yanowsky as the Red Queen, and artists of the Royal Ballet in The Royal Ballet production of ‘Alice's Adventures in Wonderland’ © Johan Persson/ Royal Opera House / ArenaPAL   We now know the displays will feature the original concept art for Disney’s 1951 animated version, plus sketches and costumes from Tim Burton’s deliciously weird 2010 film. These include Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter outfit and Mia Wasikowska’s Alice costume, both designed by the Oscar-winning Colleen Atwood.  © Victoria and Albert Museum, London.jpg Other star attractions from the 300-plus items on display are John Tenniel’s iconic original illustrations for Lewis Carroll’s story and sketches by Ralph Steadman, former collaborator of Hunter S Thompson. Photographs by Tim Walker are also going to be on show, plus fashion designs by Vivienne Westwood and Viktor & Rolf. For more details and to book tickets, click here. Check out the V&A’s kimono exhibition online.For even more of a trip, t

ウサギの穴から始まる不思議の国への旅は、この夏のロンドンで見逃せないイベントの一つになるはずだった。しかし、2020年6月に予定されていたヴィクトリア＆アルバート博物館における「不思議の国のアリス」をテーマにした展覧会『Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser』の開催が、2021年3月末まで延期されることになった。 この展覧会は157年にわたり愛されてきた『不思議の国のアリス』の全てを網羅。展示のデザインを担当したのは、ロンドン塔でのポピーを使ったインスタレーションなどの仕事で知られるトム・パイパーだ。   Zenaida Yanowsky as the Red Queen, and artists of the Royal Ballet in in The Royal Ballet production of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, to music by Joby Talbot, with set and costume designs by Bob Crowley. Premiered at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden on 25 February 2011. ARPDATA ; ALICES ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND ; Music by Talbot ; Zenaida Yanowsky (as the Red Queen) ; The Royal Ballet ; At the Royal Opera House, London, UK ; 25 February 2011; Credit: Royal Opera House / ArenaPALJohan Persson     展示の目玉は、ディズニーが1951年に公開したアニメ作品のために制作されたコンセプトアートの原画。また、ティム・バートンが監督した2010年公開の映画『アリス・イン・ワンダーランド』のスケッチのほか、デザイナーのコリーン・アトウッドがデザインし、ジョニー・デップが演じた帽子屋やミア・ワシコウスカが演じたアリスが着てオスカーを獲得した衣装もフィーチャー。さらに、ジョン・テニエルがルイス・キャロルの原作本のために描いた挿絵の原画、ハンター・S・トンプソンとの仕事で知られるラルフ・ステッドマンによるスケッチ、ティム・ウォーカーによる写真、ヴィヴィアン・ウエストウッドやヴィクター＆ロルフによるファッションデザイン作品など、300点を超える展示物が一堂に会する。   © Victoria and Albert Museum, London.jpg   展覧会期間は2021年3月27日（土）から12月末までの予定。ソーシャルディスタンスを確保しながらの開催になるため、十分な会期が設定されている。アリス展のチケットはまだ販売されていないが、ヴィクトリア＆アルバート博物館はすでに段階的に営業を再開。現在は、訪れる時間帯を予約すれば、無料の常設展を見ることが可能だ。 原文はこちら 関連記事 『ジブリ美術館が9月に一般客受け入れを再開』 『ハリポタの世界に旅へ、テーマパークについて現在分かっていること』 『ロンドンに世界最大のイラストレーション展示施設が誕生』 『世界の美術館のアートマスク9選』 『アートは飛躍するのか』

On the morning of March 16, 90-year-old Diana Cohen travelled from Norfolk to King's College London's Bush House in London for the opening of ‘Alfred Cohen: An American Artist in Europe’, a retrospective of her late husband’s work and the first public exhibition of it since 2001, the year he died. But by that evening the show had been formally closed to the public as part of London’s coronavirus lockdown. The product of 20 years work, and a labour of love on the part of Diana Cohen and Max Saunders (the artist’s stepson and co-curator of the show), it had been open less than 24 hours. Alfred Cohen was born in Chicago in 1920, the son of Latvian immigrants to the United States. His American art education preached the virtue of all things French and, not long after the Second World War, he moved to Paris, the first step in a new life that ended with his permanently relocating to Britain. His paintings – many of which are landscapes – are a pool of different influences swirling together. There are river views bearing the wispy imprint of Impressionism; a patchwork of blocky, boldly coloured rooftops in a borderline abstract manner; and a parade of joyfully creepy carnivalesque characters completed along the wobbly, whimsical lines of Marc Chagall.  Best of all, he painted countless images of London and the Thames, filled with nods to Whistler and Monet, but imbued with something more modern and melancholy. They’re empty, quiet vistas – and they feel weirdly appropriate for right

After a bit of escapism? Paradise City, the latest immersive cinematic experience from Backyard Cinema, opens on April 17 and it’s tropical-themed. Concealed behind a retro launderette that guests will enter through, the neon-soaked, plant-filled interior will form the backdrop to screenings of classic films, live performances and light shows. Housed in Backyard Cinema’s permanent space in Capital Studios, Wandsworth, Paradise City invites Londoners to watch a film while reclining on giant beanbags and sipping luxury cocktails (including champagne slushies). They will also be able to buy food and snacks from Honest Burger and Mother Clucker, plus artisan pizzas and vegan dishes.  Photograph: Backyard Cinema The line-up of movies is crammed with feelgood hits, including a good dose of kitsch in keeping with the setting. Along with singalong screenings of films including ‘The Greatest Showman’ and ‘Grease’, the bill features popular favourites like ‘Dirty Dancing’, ‘School of Rock’, ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ and ‘Moulin Rouge!’.  Previous Backyard Cinema experiences include The Winter Night Garden, The Lost World and Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Romeo + Juliet’ in a church with a live choir. This latest enterprise ensures at least one bit of London will resemble a tropical paradise in late spring, no matter what the weather is doing outside. Paradise City is on from Apr 17 at Capital Studios. Click here for more details and to buy tickets. For the best films to see in cinemas across Lo

London’s V&A Museum of Childhood has announced plans for a major makeover. The Bethnal Green landmark will reopen in 2022 with a radically reimagined interior by AOC Architecture, including three new galleries and a re-configured central space. Colourful, playful and filled with natural light, the £13million refurb has the needs of little ones at its heart: the new displays and interactive exhibits are all being designed according to how children aged 0-14 years learn best. The museum closes on May 11 2020. To mark the start of its new phase of life, three-day free festival RE-INVENT will be on across the May bank holiday. Visitors will be able to explore specially commissioned art installations, live music and drop-in events. The museum is also partnering with Ideas Store Whitechapel and local schools to hold events and activities during its two-year closure. The shiny new space features three galleries: ‘Imagine’, ‘Play’ and ‘Design’. ‘Imagine’ is an ‘Alice in Wonderland’-inspired display bringing together the most famous characters from myths, legends and storybooks – from the Loch Ness Monster to Paddington Bear. It will also include the itsy-bitsy National Collection of Dolls’ Houses.   'The Stage' area of redesigned V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green Photograph courtesy of V&A Museum of Childhood   In ‘Play’, children and their families will make their own fun with interactive exhibits showcasing the weird and wonderful world of games, whether that’s soft play,

While it feels like winter isn’t going anywhere fast, it’s time to cast your mind forward to the summer. The design for the Serpentine’s annual pavilion has just been announced and this year it has a special London focus. The temporary structure, which opens on June 11, is designed by Johannesburg-based architectural studio Counterspace. The all-female team of Sumayya Vally, Sarah de Villiers and Amina Kaskar (who, incidentally, were all born in 1990, making them the youngest ever architects to get the prestigious commission) have created a structure integrating ‘places of memory and care’ from Brixton, Hoxton, Hackney, Whitechapel, Edgware Road, Peckham, Ealing, North Kensington and elsewhere in the city. The completed pavilion will include small, moveable parts that will first be on display in those London neighbourhoods as part of a series of community events. The pieces will then be incorporated into the main structure in Hyde Park throughout the summer months. The geometric shapes making up the main bulk of the dark grey and pink-tinted construction are also inspired by existing London spaces used by migrant and other marginalised communities. Counterspace’s design marks the twentieth anniversary of the Serpentine Pavilion. The first, in 2000, was designed by Zaha Hadid and since then the commission has famously embraced bold, experimental designs. Last year, Japanese architect Junya Ishigami’s design involved a cooling, black slate roof sweeping dramatically across th

What’s your favourite London-related song? The Kinks’ earworm hit ‘Waterloo Sunset’? Taylor Swift’s seismically divisive ‘London Boy’? Nick Cave’s gloriously gloomy ‘Brompton Oratory’? Or perhaps you instantly answered that question with The Clash’s seminal ‘London Calling’. Whatever tune best captures London for you, the simple fact is that our fair city has served as inspirational fuel for a lot of musicians. And, thanks to a new art installation at the London Mithraeum, you can now choose between 70 London-themed tracks on a specially created jukebox. Artist Susan Hiller, who passed away in 2019, completed the ‘London Jukebox’ project over ten years from 2008-2018 (meaning: no Taylor Swift on the tracklisting).  The featured songs dart through London’s neighbourhoods from Kilburn High Road to New Cross, Hammersmith to Mile End, plus a fair old whack dedicated to central and the West End. The artist intended the compilation to be a homage to all the different areas, people and sounds of the capital.  Visitors to the London Mithraeum, an ancient Roman temple restored to where it was originally excavated, can listen through headphones to a track of their choice or hear one selected by someone else.  But first – how many of those 70 can you guess in advance? ‘London Jukebox’ is on at the London Mithraeum Bloomberg Space until Jul 11 and is free to visit. Click here for more details. And for more great art exhibitions to visit, check out our guide to all the latest openings.

Last year, a genius art project took over an old Walthamstow bank and started printing its own money. Featuring local community heroes instead of the Queen, Bank Job’s artwork banknotes were sold for a total of £40,000. Half of that went to charity and the other half towards abolishing more than £1 million of high-interest debt in the community, which had been written down in value by being resold on the secondary market. The UK economy is turbocharged by debt. It’s created by banks in the form of loans to people and companies, then sold and resold in the financial market. But while the banks get bailed out in times of crisis, it’s estimated that more than half a million Londoners are in problem debt – often as a result of taking out predatory payday loans. This project wants to tackle that. And so Bank Job has big plans for 2020, including the release of a full-length documentary about debt. But now it’s been asked to leave the ex-bank it has run as a community space since 2018. Support the project by treating yourself to one of its artwork bonds or coins, or head to its website to find out how else you can help Bank Job stay on the high street and fight for economic justice – with art! Sign up here to get the latest from London straight to your inbox.

From the tiniest creepy crawlies to giant roaring beasts, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year award captures the awesomeness of the entire animal kingdom. This year’s winners were announced this week and they include a startled Chinese marmot, a spider disguised as an ant and a pair of super adorable horned sheep. You can see all the winners, plus many more entrants, at the Natural History Museum’s annual exhibition, which opens today (October 18). To get you excited, here’s a peek at some of the winning images – and yes, firework-watching sound effects are necessary throughout. Overall winner and joint behaviour – mammals winner: 'The Moment' by Yongquing Bao © Yongqing Bao / Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019  Animal portraits winner: 'Face of Deception' by Ripan Biswas © Ripan Biswas / Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019 Mammals behaviour joint winner: 'The Equal Match' by Ingo Arndt © Ingo Arndt / Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019 Invertebrates behaviour winner: 'The Architectural Army' by Daniel Kronauer © Daniel Kronauer / Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019 Amphibians and reptiles behaviour winner: 'Pondworld' by Manuel Plaickner © Manuel Plaickner / Wildlife Photographer of the Year Birds behaviour winner: 'Land of the Eagle' by Audun Rikardsen © Audun Rikardsen / Wildlife Photographer of the Year Animals in their environment winner: 'Snow-Plateau Nomads' by Shangzhen Fan © Shangzhen Fan / Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Pho

The Maurizio Cattelan exhibition at Blenheim Palace this autumn has received more publicity than it could ever have wished but, unfortunately, for the wrong reasons. Two days after opening, one of the artworks – a solid gold, fully working toilet titled ‘America’ valued at £4.8million - was stolen in a smash-and-grab raid.     America, 2016, Victory is Not an Option, Maurizio Cattelan at Blenheim Palace Photograph: Tom Lindboe/courtesy of Blenheim Art Foundation   The bling loo was intended for public use, but sadly visitors are now limited to the manor house’s regular facilities. But don’t let regular ol’ ceramic toilets stop you from visiting this year’s exhibition before it closes on October 27 – there’s still plenty of reasons to make the trip.   Untitled, 2018, Victory is Not an Option, Maurizio Cattelan at Blenheim Palace Photograph: Tom Lindboe/courtesy of Blenheim Art Foundation   Cattelan’s conceptual installations cleverly riff on the oddities found in an English estate of this sort, including the monumental pieces of taxidermy and heroic battle scenes adorning the walls. It’s disconcerting, fun and completely different from seeing his art in a normal white-walled gallery.   Photograph: Pete Seaward/Blenheim Palace   And when you’re done with that, head out for a walk in the expansive grounds. The rose garden is an ‘Alice in Wonderland’-style paradise, with lots still blooming at the start of autumn, and The Cascades (basically a mini waterfall) is picture-per

Forty London museums and galleries are being taken over for a mix of late-night gigs, tarot readings and DJ sets. How many can you make in one night? London, meet Emerge, a brand new festival that’s breaking down the doors of more than 40 iconic museums and galleries for a brilliant programme of lates spanning 11 boroughs (Fri Sep 27-Sat Sep 28) . You’ll only need one ticket per night whatever you choose, whether that’s an Ady Suleiman gig at the Horniman, gothic fairytales at Strawberry Hill House or poetry in a former convent. Queues are inevitable, and with miles separating some of these venues, you’ll need to plan your night wisely. Put on your plimsolls, you have a lot of ground to cover…  Friday Ice Sound Bath at London Canal Museum Cool off with an arctic dip in the sonic soundscape of Tom White. The electronic musician layers sound samples from an ice factory and the waterways of London to create a chilling immersive experience. The cleverest part is how it references the Victorian ice business, which transported boatloads of frozen stuff along the canals. Ice, ice, baby. London Canal Museum. Tube: King’s Cross. 6pm. Can’t make it Friday? This one is on the Saturday too!  Number One London House of Scandal at Apsley House Slip on some silk stockings and ramp up the face powder, we’re on our way to Regency England. Held at Apsley House, former home of the Duke of Wellington, this party takes you back to when pamphleteers were the Twittersphere and the servants knew you