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Monet (The Restless Vision)/Jackie Wullschlager

This is a comprehensive account of the life of artist Claude Monet (1840-1926). He was born in Paris. As his father Alphonse’s business was supplying ships the family soon moved to Le Havre. As a youngster Monet, known then as Oscar, was a talented caricaturist and – only after meeting [...]

January 30, 2024 // 0 Comments

Thoughts on a great Test victory in India

In an era of Test match decline Ben Stokes has done so much to restore its status. The final day, resulting in an improbable England victory, was as exciting as it gets. So much so that I dared not leave the TV transmission for fear of missing something. Ollie Pope’s 196 put England back into [...]

January 29, 2024 // 0 Comments

American dynasties/The Kennedys – PBS

PBS produces outstanding documentaries and I have particularly enjoyed the one broadcast this week on the Kennedys. There have been innumerable films and documentaries on President Kennedy’s assassination so it’s interesting to see all the Kennedys in context. Joe Kennedy the patriarch was [...]

January 26, 2024 // 0 Comments

Episodes!

I am now into the fifth series of this entertaining production.  Certain characters have made it through from the first notably British scriptwriters Beverley ( Tamsin Greig) and Sean ( Stephen Mangan) , Carol ( Kathleen Rose Perkins)   Merk Lepidis ( John Pankow) and Matt Leblanc playing [...]

January 22, 2024 // 0 Comments

Hitler and the Jews

My favourite podcast The Rest Is History, presented by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook, has run two episodes on Hitler and the Jews and they make for searing listening. For 2,700 years Jewish people had been targeted – initially because of their alleged rôle in the death of Jesus Christ [...]

January 20, 2024 // 0 Comments

Episodes

The other day I was chatting to theatrical folk and complaining about the dire state of television. We have never had more choices of viewing yet with worse content or appeal. My friends suggested the right approach was to watch via “Catch-up” and iPlayer for decent programmes from the [...]

January 16, 2024 // 0 Comments

Feeling “Comfortably Numb” …

Anyone with even a passing acquaintance with – let alone active interest in – the history of rock and popular music will be aware of the English group Pink Floyd, which was essentially active between 1965 and 1994 although from time to time – in various guises – some of its [...]

January 14, 2024 // 0 Comments

Critique of Channel 4

My post today would get me into serious trouble at many work places and on many organs less liberal than the Rust.   Channel 4’s board has criticised itself for its own lack of female representation. This has set me thinking about the achievements of women in high political office or [...]

January 13, 2024 // 0 Comments

Ajax, the Dutch and the War/Simon Kuper

British football reporters – with the exception of Ian Hawkey and before him Brian Glanville of The Sunday Times – are noted for their insularity. There is little coverage of the game outside Britain. One writer I like is Simon Kuper of the Financial Times. Born in Johannesburg, [...]

January 12, 2024 // 0 Comments

Review: NOISES OFF (Chichester Festival Theatre)

Having never been a frequent cinema or theatre goer myself – though no stranger to these art forms I would never describe myself as a devoted fan of either – it would be presumptuous of me to assume the role of critic, which is why in this piece I purport to do no more than record my [...]

January 11, 2024 // 0 Comments

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