Bizet’s opera Carmen holds a special place in my heart.  Not only was it the first opera I saw, but Matthew Bourne’s danced version – The Car Man – was the first time I really understood how a story could be told so well only by movement. So, when I heard that the King’s Head were presenting a new version of the story, I leapt at the chance to go. This new English version, with …

I enjoy writing, but I’m certain nothing I write will ever change the world, and that’s probably true of most writers. However, in 1897, a certain Irish author by the name of Bram Stocker wrote a book that not only changed the world but also set the standard for every book, play, radio show, film, etc that followed. The book was, of course Dracula and 121 years after first being published a new version of …

Back in 1940, Walt Disney decided that for his third animated feature film he was going to do something different. So, unlike Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio which were based on fairy tales, Disney went for the idea of putting together a movie consisting of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music. The film was, of course, Fantasia and now, 78 years later this unique movie has been reimagined and …

There’s often nothing better than a new play that covers some well known moment in history from a new, and possibly unknown angle. A case in point is the latest offering from the Arrow and Traps Theatre Company who are presenting Ross McGregor’s new play The White Rose at the Jack Studio Theatre in Brockley. Munich 1943 and Sophie Scholl (Lucy Ioannou) is sitting in an interrogation room. Sophie looks worried and seems to become …

Most of us will have heard of Quentin Crisp. Although I knew virtually nothing about him, growing up it just seemed to be a name I recognised, even if I wasn’t sure why. Well, thanks to a visit to the Jack Studio Theatre in Brockley, and the wonderful Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope I have a much better idea. The show is written and performed by Mark Farrelly and covers two distinct self-confessed ‘stately homo of …