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 Disbeliefand 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

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Arts

Arts

Sonali Bhattacharyya’s new play packs a punch for equality, finds Katherine Connelly

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

Helen Rutherford-Gregory admires an inventive and inclusive rendition of Antigone, which creatively draws out the play’s modern relevance

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

Art is not a reflection of society but is shaped by social production and cannot escape the alienation of capitalist conditions, argues Chris Nineham

Elaine Graham-Leigh, author of science fiction novel The Caduca, analyses the utility of the genre for both reactionary and progressive politics

Jacqueline Mulhallen on theatre and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and Britain

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

Workers in the arts and culture sector are facing wholesale job and pay cuts - it's time to fight back, argues Floyd Codlin

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

Spike Lee's latest is a powerful and deeply political triumph, finds Chris Nineham

Five of the best novels to keep you laughing while you sharpen your critical faculties from John Rees

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

Des Freedman reports on students and staff rallying at Goldsmiths against cuts and how it links up with the UCU strike beginning this week

Andrew Sheridan's adaptation of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights is a powerful re-imagination, strongly performed at the Royal Exchange, writes Martin Hall

Schoolman's staged version of Persona is a postmodern car crash, finds Tom Lock Griffiths

Alia Butt reviews The Canary and The Crow, on at the Arcola Theatre until 8 February

Tom Griffiths reviews Sex/Crime, on at Soho Theatre till 1 February

Tanika Gupta's reimagined Ibsen shines a light on the class-based oppression inherent to colonialism, finds Ellen Graubart

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

This staging of a potent poem of our times gives voice to a class realising its own power, finds Cameron Panting

John Rees looks at the Royal Academy’s prestige exhibition, 'Charles I: King and Collector'

A poem on Grenfell

William Alderson’s poems in A Moment of Disbeliefand May Days unite politics and feeling in a brilliant reclaiming of a fine poetic tradition, finds Dominic Alexander

Angel is the deeply moving and memorable story of a heroic female Kurdish sniper in Syria

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

Chris Marker, the innovative, left-wing filmmaker, is given a moving and insightful tribute in Studio: Remembering Chris Marker, finds Tom Griffiths

A poem by William Alderson on the current state of Britian

The late horror director changed the way we see the monstrous Other, writes Jack Brindelli

A film that draws a powerful link between a city and its inhabitants, writes Tom Griffiths

The Arcola Theatre‘s production of Shakespeare‘s play is an unsettling experience

A fascinating exhibition at the British Library paints an ambiguous picture of the events of 1917

Deirdre O’Neill and Mike Wayne explain why they are making a new documentary, The Acting Class

The Globe's production of Shakespeare's play is tense and compelling, writes Tom Griffiths

An updated version of Jacqueline Mulhallen’s one-woman play is currently on tour

Ibsen's play isn’t feminist, but the role is still one of the theatre’s most exciting female characters – brutal, mad and vengeful

As libraries, galleries and museums face cuts across the board, Jonathan Maunders reports from the fight-back on the streets

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

Philosophy Football's Bowie shirts are a fitting memorial for the late artist, writes Mark Perryman

A lost poem by the revolutionary poet Percy Bysshe Shelley has been found. Jackie Mulhallen takes a read and investigates

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

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