Arts REVIEW: The Handmaid’s Tale @ English National Opera The ENO’s revival of The Handmaid’s Tale, depicting the story of one ‘handmaiden’ Offred in this totalitarian, theonomic, and neo-Puritanical regime, is taken from Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel, veers away from too much direct graphic brutality but is a scary view of what might be, and is unremi By Eric Page • 4 min read
Arts BOOK REVIEW: Panic Response by John McCullough This is superb LGBTQ+ poetry, poems from a queer voice of the highest quality, a book to return to, to open at random, to let into your mind to cavort. McCullough is also (and I’ve said this before) a bloody good read. By Eric Page • 3 min read
Arts REVIEW: I AM THEY @Sallis Benney Theatre The film is engaging and interesting without being preachy and using this young couple’s obvious and romantic personal experiences and relationship as the main narrative thrust allows us to keep the focus on them, and the daily struggle they face and the struggle they have to marry – something the r By Eric Page • 3 min read
Arts BOOK REVIEW: No Fear No Shame by Alice Denny This new collection of poems from Alice Denny, like herself, is slim but packs a punch. There is an essential contradiction in all Denny’s poems; like all poets she’s both startlingly intimate and ruthlessness private, exposing and hiding, showing and telling, letting us feel the throb of blood in h By Eric Page • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: Room with a View@Theatre Royal It’s not often you get to mention firm male butts, swift flashed cocks and Felicity Kendal in the same sentence, not even with the breadth of social life that your reviewer enjoys, it’s even rarer to see naked men and the divinely poised Ms Kendal on a stage together but last night at the Theatre Ro By Eric Page • 3 min read
Arts THEATRE REVIEW: Rehearsal for Murder@Theatre Royal I’m not going to spoil the ending for you, I’ll let the writer do that instead but it’s worth knowing it’s all a huge wet pail of red herrings with not a decent dénouement in sight. By Eric Page • 4 min read
Arts REVIEW: Peppa Pig’s Surprise@Theatre Royal It’s a lovely day and Peppa is playing outside with her friends. Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig have got a surprise for her and George – they can’t guess what it is, can you? Peppa Pig, George and their friends are back in this brand new live stage show, Peppa Pig’s Surprise. By Eric Page • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: Anything Goes It’s highbrow and lowbrow married together beautifully and Porter’s wonderfully clever puns, rhymes and lyrics are mostly allowed to shine out and dazzle. By Eric Page • 4 min read
