A quirky, psychological drama, Cat Person takes its time to ignite but comes into its own in the third act. Margot (Emilia Jones) is a diligent, 20-year-old university student, specialising in anthropology, who has a vivid imagination. She works part-time at the candy bar in an old-style movie theatre. Into the cinema walks tall, dark,…
Our selection of the best new music across a range of genres from the week ending 24 November 2023. A New is a curious title but one that makes total sense when Jamie Hutchings explains that the album reminds him of spring, a theme echoed in the vivid artwork by Reuben Wills (Infinity Broke, Mark…
One of the most lauded plays of the 20th century, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a high stakes cat and mouse game. Husband and wife adopt a take no prisoners’ attitude to the unfolding conflict. Before this is over, both will be metaphorically beaten up, as will their unwitting younger guests who become part of the…
Evocative, eviscerating, engaging – these are the hallmarks of a group therapy session in which participants are figuratively filleted. They are encouraged to open up about all their traumas, about their fears and frustrations, their anger and angst, their despair and derision. They beat up on themselves and lash out. They writhe and contort, they repel and…
Imagine if the world had all but come to an end and you were the last person left on Earth. Global warming has sparked a hellfire and only you survived – at least until now. Your demise is but days away. You are 33 years of age. Tortured images grip what little sleep you get. You continue to…
Ridley Scott has never been afraid to take risks. That much is evident from his many canonical films including Alien, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator and Blade Runner. But for every Gladiator, there’s a Robin Hood. He seems to have a tendency to always shoot for the stars, sometimes succeeding brilliantly but sometimes falling short. His…
Men behaving badly towards women and the consequences of excessive drinking are themes running through The Royal Hotel. Director and co-writer (alongside Oscar Redding) Kitty Green first saw the documentary Hotel Coolgardie as an Australian film festival jury member. That 2017 doco was her inspiration. She was taken by the story of two young Scandinavian…
What a magical, beautifully constructed and executed show The Old Vic’s A Christmas Carol is. Conceived and directed by Matthew Warchus, Jack Thorne has reimagined the Charles Dickens’ classic tale to mesmerising effect. It is dramatic and melodic with humorous flourishes. It recounts Dickens’ famous 1843 novella with relish and a fresh perspective. I saw it last year…
Mike Adams at His Honest Weight found the titular Adams recording with help from some of his touring band on the 2019 release, There Is No Better Feeling, but for last year’s Graphic Blandishments, the multi-instrumentalist took advantage of his home studio’s multi-track utility to record on his own, layering instruments and vocals to create…
David Diop, winner of the International Booker Prize for At Night All Blood Is Black, returns with a novel that explores colonialism and the slave trade. Beyond the Door of No Return (translated by Sam Taylor) opens in France in the early 19th Century but the bulk of the novel is set in Senegal over…
