Category: Culture

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    Tintin at 92: Lessons from my hero

    There is no other fictional character who has shaped me or who means as much to me as Tintin. I first discovered the adventures of the perennially youthful Belgian journalist and globe-trotter in the Sunday Times’ children’s supplement The Funday Times. Every week, they used to publish an episode of his adventures and I devoured…

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    Finding the magic in 2020

    Let’s not sugar coat it; this year has been rough. It has been equal parts trying and tragic, with a global pandemic causing millions of deaths worldwide, domestic lockdowns and a shutdown of international travel, all against a backdrop of social upheaval and division. Businesses have struggled to stay afloat, while everyone has battled with…

  • Top books, film, music & TV of 2020

    Culture has never been more important than it was during this year. Ironically, at a time when the arts were being widely abandoned by politicians here in the UK, they were also providing an escape, a salvation and a lifeline to so many. Artists of all disciplines have been forced to modify their creative output…

  • Jamie Cullum lights up The Rose

    Image by Banquet Records “Food for the soul.” That is how S described Jamie Cullum’s gig at Kingston’s The Rose Theatre yesterday. On the day when the Government announced a hammer blow new closure for theatre’s and arts venues across the capital, Cullum’s back-to-back shows with Banquet Records were a beacon of light for fans…

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    Lockdown Musings

    All lockdown and no play makes Chris a dull boy. All lockdown and no play makes Chris a dull boy. All lockdown and no play makes Chris a dull boy. All lockdown and no play makes Chris a dull boy. All lockdown and no play makes Chris a dull boy. All lockdown and no play…

  • Tom Holland as Uncharted’s Nathan Drake

    It appears that being Peter Parker is not franchise potential enough for Tom Holland. The incumbent Spider-Man recently reignited his web-slinging career after Fox and Marvel stopped throwing their toys out of their respective prams and did a deal for more Spidey flicks. But Holland has got another iconic character in his locker too: Uncharted’s…

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    The Rock: Lessons from the 200 million man

    Dwayne Johnson recently announced that he has passed 200 million followers on Instagram. This makes him the most followed man in America and the most-followed American man worldwide. Whether you have been following the man formerly known as The Rock since his body slams and baby oil days in the then World Wrestling Federation, or…

  • Suiting up for the Emmys

    The Emmys took place last night and, I’ll be honest, for a while I thought my invite had got lost in the post. But then I realised two things: I never get invited to the Emmys Awards ceremonies are virtual this year, so no one is being invited – which means everyone is invited So…

  • The Umbrella Academy Season 2 is on Netflix

    I know it was well promoted, but the first season of The Umbrella Academy on Netflix was something of a sleeper hit for me. I love a graphic novel adaptation, but I was surprised by how hooked I was by the trials and tribulations of the hyper-dysfunctional Hargreeves siblings. The first season ended with a…

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    A man of the time

    Last month, Nicholas Bowman-Scargill and his Fears watch brand gave the world the message we all needed from a luxury brand, taking the lead in a time of crisis. In a social media post and newsletter, sent out to subscribers, Bowman-Scargill sent one simple message – Don’t buy a Fears. It may seem counterproductive, but…