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Arts
Arts
Interpreting the past to change the present: Two Billion Beats is clever, witty and radical
Sonali Bhattacharyya’s new play packs a punch for equality, finds Katherine Connelly
The art of sound: The Tragedy of Macbeth review
Joel Coen’s
The Tragedy of Macbeth
is a visual and aural feast, and while not flawless, shows that Shakespeare can work powerfully well on screen, writes Tom Lock Griffiths
Antigone: a shining example of disability-inclusive arts and thought-provoking theatre - review
Helen Rutherford-Gregory admires an inventive and inclusive rendition of
Antigone
, which creatively draws out the play’s modern relevance
Defend arts and culture: save Stratford Circus
Carole Vincent reports from the launch of a campaign to save Stratford Circus, an important community arts and culture venue which has been closed by Newham Council
Culture under capitalism: Why art is alienated – The Dialectics of Art review
Art is not a reflection of society but is shaped by social production and cannot escape the alienation of capitalist conditions, argues Chris Nineham
The politics of science fiction
Elaine Graham-Leigh, author of science fiction novel
The Caduca
, analyses the utility of the genre for both reactionary and progressive politics
Theatre and the struggle against apartheid
Jacqueline Mulhallen on theatre and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and Britain
The cost of culture: rethink, reboot
The government should be trying to save jobs instead of its crass attacks on those working in the arts and culture sector, argues Floyd Codlin
Why we need to fight for arts jobs
Workers in the arts and culture sector are facing wholesale job and pay cuts - it's time to fight back, argues Floyd Codlin
Small Island - theatre review
This week the National Theatre are streaming their acclaimed production of Andrea Levy's
Small Island
from last year. On Windrush Day, we repost Katherine Connelly's review of that production
Blowing open the past: Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods reviewed
Spike Lee's latest is a powerful and deeply political triumph, finds Chris Nineham
Laugh through the lockdown
Five of the best novels to keep you laughing while you sharpen your critical faculties from John Rees
Macbeth at Greenwich Theatre - review
The Lazarus Theatre Company's take on
Macbeth
attempts to shed new light on the play via marrying the traditional and the contemporary, writes Alia Butt
Stop the cuts at Goldsmiths: the not–so-hidden costs of the higher education ‘market’
Des Freedman reports on students and staff rallying at Goldsmiths against cuts and how it links up with the UCU strike beginning this week
Wuthering Heights at the Manchester Royal Exchange - theatre review
Andrew Sheridan's adaptation of Emily Brontë's
Wuthering Heights
is a powerful re-imagination, strongly performed at the Royal Exchange, writes Martin Hall
Bergman’s Persona: a new stage adaptation - theatre review
Schoolman's staged version of
Persona
is a postmodern car crash, finds Tom Lock Griffiths
The Canary and The Crow at Arcola Theatre - review
Alia Butt reviews The Canary and The Crow, on at the Arcola Theatre until 8 February
Sex/Crime at Soho Theatre - review
Tom Griffiths reviews Sex/Crime, on at Soho Theatre till 1 February
Ibsen in Calcutta: A Doll's House reimagined through the lens of British colonialism
Tanika Gupta's reimagined Ibsen shines a light on the class-based oppression inherent to colonialism, finds Ellen Graubart
Bristol residents join the battle to save Hamilton House
Opposing landlords’ plans to turn a community hub into luxury flats, workers and local residents held a vibrant protest in the streets and marched on City Hall, reports Ross Maidment
May Days review - a fitting tribute to Grenfell and a society fighting back
This staging of a potent poem of our times gives voice to a class realising its own power, finds Cameron Panting
Context is King - exhibition review
John Rees looks at the Royal Academy’s prestige exhibition, 'Charles I: King and Collector'
Walking to Hell
A poem on Grenfell
A Moment of Disbelief: Poems on War, Terrorism, and Refugees - book review
William Alderson’s poems in
A Moment of Disbelief
and
May Days
unite politics and feeling in a brilliant reclaiming of a fine poetic tradition, finds Dominic Alexander
Theatre review: Angel
Angel is the deeply moving and memorable story of a heroic female Kurdish sniper in Syria
The Acting Class review - A necessary declaration of intent from working-class actors
Without the bank of mum and dad as support, opportunities in the arts are becoming non-existent. This new documentary is a cry of anger against this class injustice
Studio: Remembering Chris Marker
Chris Marker, the innovative, left-wing filmmaker, is given a moving and insightful tribute in
Studio: Remembering Chris Marker
, finds Tom Griffiths
'May Days' - poem
A poem by William Alderson on the current state of Britian
The radical cinema of George A. Romero
The late horror director changed the way we see the monstrous Other, writes Jack Brindelli
Film review: Stockholm My Love
A film that draws a powerful link between a city and its inhabitants, writes Tom Griffiths
Theatre review: Richard III
The Arcola Theatre‘s production of Shakespeare‘s play is an unsettling experience
Russian Revolution: Hope, Tragedy, Myths - review
A fascinating exhibition at the British Library paints an ambiguous picture of the events of 1917
Class in the drama class: actors and privilege
Deirdre O’Neill and Mike Wayne explain why they are making a new documentary,
The Acting Class
Theatre review: Othello
The Globe's production of Shakespeare's play is tense and compelling, writes Tom Griffiths
Sylvia: a play about Sylvia Pankhurst
An updated version of Jacqueline Mulhallen’s one-woman play is currently on tour
Theatre review: Hedda Gabler
Ibsen's play isn’t feminist, but the role is still one of the theatre’s most exciting female characters – brutal, mad and vengeful
Culture matters to us all
As libraries, galleries and museums face cuts across the board, Jonathan Maunders reports from the fight-back on the streets
Ken Loach talks Daniel Blake, Jeremy Corbyn and Leon Trotsky
The award-winning film director talks about his latest film, his political influences, and the challenges now facing the left in a wide ranging interview with John Rees
We can be heroes: remembering David Bowie with a purpose
Philosophy Football's Bowie shirts are a fitting memorial for the late artist, writes Mark Perryman
Lost and found Shelley poem
A lost poem by the revolutionary poet Percy Bysshe Shelley has been found. Jackie Mulhallen takes a read and investigates
The surprising truth about Duchamp's urinal
It's been reported that a female Dada poet and artist was in fact behind a famous modernist art work. Sue Tate explains what the fuss is about
#OccupyUAL: our creativity none of your business
Students were taken to court by University of the Arts London for occupying in protest against cuts to further education and Foundation degree courses. Anna Dakin reports