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New Year’s Eve is always a time for parties, and this year is especially noteworthy as we will be seeing the 20’s in, and might crave the escapist decadence of the 1920’s. So, dust off your best clothes – as these cocktails demand the suave elegance of a 20’s soiree – pour yourself a drink and enjoy. In this party spirit, these drinks follow the course of the night. Continue reading Cocktails to See the ’20s Back In.
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“Dear Evan Hansen,
Today is going to be a good day and here’s why…”
After winning six Tony Awards in 2017, a West End run for Dear Evan Hansen became a highly anticipated inevitability – even more so because it’s a creation of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the minds behind La La Land and The Greatest Showman. The show grapples with teen suicide and mental health by following Evan Hansen, a lonely high-schooler with (nearly) crippling social anxiety, whose bully, Connor Murphy, kills himself. Through unfortunate coincidence, Evan is caught up in the aftermath when Murphy’s parents are convinced he was their son’s best friend. He falls into perpetuating and expanding this fabrication of friendship as he grows closer to the family, goes viral online, and his dreams start to come true. But with everything built on the world wide web of lies, can Evan handle it? Continue reading Review: Dear Evan Hansen @ Noël Coward Theatre, West End
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“A confusing combination of giddy childhood excitement and disappointed resignation” is how I described The Rise of Skywalker as we left the theatre at 2.30 AM. I had decided that an eight-hour triple bill would be the only worthy cinematic environment in which to conclude my lifelong journey with the Skywalkers, and honestly I did have a great time. As a Star Wars purist, the new trilogy had never really been my cup of tea, but the final instalment was an enjoyable, exciting film to watch. The film was as beautiful as ever, with interesting character developments and a well-navigated farewell to Carrie Fisher. I really enjoyed the continued exploration of Kylo Ren, and this final film has cemented him as one of the most intriguing, multi-faceted characters of the Star Wars universe. Not only this, but the dynamic between Kylo Ren and Rey which was so interesting in The Last Jedi is further explored with emotional depth and maturity, although ending on a rather strange note. Continue reading Review: The Rise of Skywalker
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From bold typography exhibiting confidence, to delicate minimalism, the interplay between image, colour and type are arranged in design to celebrate a book. While it is important not to judge a text solely by its cover, our preconceptions often originate from the visuals we see on a book. But covers provide more than this; they are something to physically hold in your hand and in this sense, they form a part of the association and experience of reading a text. The best covers emulate a narrative in original and often powerful ways. Here is a list of some of the most striking book covers I have come across in the 2010s. Continue reading The Best Book Covers of the Decade
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Christmas is a time of festivities and, as people tend to be celebrating at home, it is also a time for homemade cocktails! Most of these need three ingredients or fewer, and are all simple to prepare.
Continue reading It’s BeGINning to look a lot like Christmas Cocktails
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Cavetown @ The Fleece, Bristol, 10/12/19
For any of you who don’t know, Cavetown (aka Robin Skinner) started making music on YouTube in 2012, singing a mix of ukulele covers and original songs from his bedroom. Now, at the age of 21, not only does he have over a million subscribers on his YouTube channel, but he has also self-released three studio albums and amassed nearly three million monthly listeners on Spotify. That means, when we arrived at his gig 20 minutes before doors opened, the queue to get in already snaked around the building and down the street (the YouTube cult is committed, and kind of terrifying…). Luckily, after a little too long standing in the rain, which the wind was helpfully blowing into our faces, we managed to get in just as the first support act was beginning their set and wiggle our way towards the front. Continue reading Review: Cavetown @ The Fleece
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Until recently, all that I knew about the plot of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew was what I had seen in 10 Things I Hate About You: the frosty, hostile Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) softens when she accidentally falls for the slightly intimidating Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger). On my way to London, to see this production I felt reasonably excited by the prospect of watching the original play. The idea of going to see a performance at the Barbican over the Christmas period sounds enticing – especially when it is to watch something as cultured as a Shakespeare play. Little did I know that I would not be so pleased afterwards. Continue reading Review: The Taming of the Shrew @ The Barbican
