This is an enormously exciting bit of news . Tate Britain has just announced a new exhibition, starting on November 8th, showing the seismic shift in female-led art, politics and culture in the UK. Because it’s not just about Thatcher, The Clash and The Sex Pistols. WOMEN IN REVOLT!ART AND ACTIVISM IN THE UK 1970-1990Continue reading “Preview: Women In Revolt! @ Tate Britain”
Category Archives: Society
The Trouble With Irony
In the first part of this millenium, it seems you couldn’t move for irony. Arched of brow,barbed of zinger, pop culture was dominated by irony. It gave us nu-rave, refurbished arcade games, vintage style, the Burlesque and cabaret revival, and- arguably most prominently – comedy that to many was just plain offensive. I get it,Continue reading “The Trouble With Irony”
Film Review: #Unfit
Directed by Dan Partland, #Unfit :The Psychology of Donald Trump is a compelling, thoroughly absorbing and sobering documentary from 2020, which posits that the Orange Menace may in fact be, as many have long suspected, a malignant narcissist, who is not merely unfit for office, but a global threat. It does allude to The GoldwaterContinue reading “Film Review: #Unfit”
” The Idiots Are Winning “
Created by two British comedy heroes, Chris Morris and Charlie Brooker, Nathan Barley seemed to tap into a truth about how big tech would become, the rise of meme culture, and the lowering of attention spans. It came out in the mid-noughties, but was so prescient about internet trends, years before Tik Tok, Threads andContinue reading “” The Idiots Are Winning “”
Disco Pigs: A Twisted Irish Fairytale
Enda Walsh ‘s Disco Pigs as both stage play and film adaptation, the latter directed by Kirsten Sheridan, launched the career of a certain young Cillian Murphy. I’ve seen a pretty underwhelming recent version of the play, to be honest, but the 2001 film is wonderful: a blistering and beautiful concoction, with Murphy as Pig/DarrenContinue reading “Disco Pigs: A Twisted Irish Fairytale”
The Mumfordisation of Indie
I call them “Lammo bands” (with no disrespect to Steve Lamacq whatsoever, he’s a nice fella) . You know them, the wholesome side of indie. More Jonas Brothers than Joan As Police Woman, more Marcus Mumford than Mark E Smith, they are ubiquitous. They really are. They’re indie with the edges sanded off, nice folksContinue reading “The Mumfordisation of Indie”
Overlooked Classics: Alice In The Cities
We all love Paris,Texas and Wings of Desire. Ask any film aficionado about European cinema and nine times out of ten, Wim Wenders will pop up as an auteur of choice. But as fond as I am of these two classic films, there’s another one which preceded these that’s also wonderful: Alice In The Cities.Continue reading “Overlooked Classics: Alice In The Cities”
Just Step Sideways: Conspirators of Pleasure
Jan Svankmajer had always dabbled in the perverse in his short films, but his third feature film, Conspirators of Pleasure from 1996 goes full tilt. It’s hilarious, pointed and downright unnerving, even by his own surreal standards. All of the main preoccupations are present and correct here: bizarre puppetry; food, ritual and the act ofContinue reading “Just Step Sideways: Conspirators of Pleasure”
Watch With Mother?
I recently reviewed a gorgeous show at Tramway for Fjord Review, a lovely dance website I’ve been writing for since 2015. The show carried a trigger warning, which is fine by me. People have different sensitivities, and if you have kids, some material could be inappropriate or even offensive. Now, I’m not a pearl clutcherContinue reading “Watch With Mother?”
Edinburgh Festival Preview: Americana- A Murder Ballad
This show, premiering at this year’s Edinburgh Festival, couldn’t have captured the zeitgeist more, as headlines about yet more mass shootings and the new firearms law in New York remain fresh in our minds . Written by leading Scottish playwright Morna Young and featuring music composed by Davey Anderson, the production from Pepperdine Scotland isContinue reading “Edinburgh Festival Preview: Americana- A Murder Ballad”
Hit The North 