Queen Elizabeth II's favorite dogs race for glory in Britain's Corgi Derby
Corgis were often by Elizabeth's side in the decades before her death in September 2022 — accompanying her on official tours, reportedly sleeping in their own room at Buckingham Palace and occasionally nipping the ankles of visitors or royal family members.
Three corgis even appeared alongside the queen as she climbed into James Bond's waiting helicopter in the spoof video that opened the 2012 London Olympics.
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The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Mistress Dispeller review – goodness and vulnerability shine through in candid love triangle doc
An early-middle-aged woman with a bright smile and a nonthreateningly frumpy dress sense, Wang Zhenxi has an extremely specific set of skills. Part therapist, part spy, part master strategist, she helps spouses expunge pesky mistresses and lovers from their partners' lives, hopefully restoring monogamous harmony in the process. She's called a mistress dispeller, which sounds very awkward in English and yet that's a perfectly apt description for the cleansing process that Ms Wang performs. Somehow, director Elizabeth Lo – who must have some killer persuasive skills of her own – managed to talk to Wang, her clients Mrs and Mr Li, and, amazingly, Mr Li's mistress Fei Fei, into taking part in this film. Each corner of the love triangle gets to say their piece, and although the whole setup may seem a little strange what with the hiring of a professional relationship wrecker, ultimately the innate goodness and human vulnerability of these people shines through. The film effectively opens with Mrs Li, who may seem at first steely and sharp, especially judging by her aggressive badminton style, but we see her crying silently while gets her hair done. She's the one who brings Wang onboard, recommended by her younger brother, and soon her husband is all in as well, keen as he is to be rid of his troublesome, emotionally vulnerable mistress, but without breaking the poor thing's heart. This is Fei Fei, a Becky with the good hair, to quote Beyoncé (and she does have stunning hair), and she is no fool. She has worked out that she has opted to have love dispensed in little crumbs once a month from a man who's essentially not available because, deep down, she doesn't believe she deserves anything better. If the film has a fault it's that you don't ever find out exactly why that is, or what makes these people tick on a deeper level. Nevertheless, Lo's camerawork makes what must have been pretty spontaneous situations look elegantly composed, and there's a precise balance here between humour and empathy that keeps the tone always on that anxious cusp between absurdity and sincerity. It's easy to imagine that this could be turned into a streamer series, but as a stand-alone documentary about normal lives and the gossip around them, it's just right. Mistress Dispeller is at Bertha DocHouse, London, from 22 August
Times
4 days ago
- Times
Mary, Queen of Scots review — a wacky look at history's famous monarch
Scottish Ballet has scored a hit with the world premiere of Mary, Queen of Scots, at the Edinburgh International Festival. The company's resident choreographer Sophie Laplane, and her co-creator, the director James Bonas, have fashioned an audaciously bold, assured and sometimes downright wacky take on Scotland's passionate monarch, filtered through the troubled memories of Queen Elizabeth 1. The staging (at the Festival Theatre) is streamlined, dominated by the designer Soutra Gilmour's simple set: a three-sided grey wall that can be raised and lowered as needed. The storytelling is episodic yet fleet, even driven, its stateliness consistently marked by a quirky sense of humour that in no way detracts from the material's emotional gravitas. All of it is lent a great deal of spark by Mikael Karlsson and Michael P Atkinson's original score, an eclectic stream of lively, sometimes dark and always propulsive music played live. • Read more dance reviews, guides and interviews This handsome, stylish Mary is a lot of fun but also has dramatic chops. But be warned: the first act is potentially challenging, especially for anyone with a fuzzy grasp of this period of British history. It commences with a prologue for the aged Elizabeth (guest artist Charlotta Ofverholm in a powerhouse supporting performance) deliriously circling in her underwear. Everything that ensues stems from her troubled mind. We then are plunged into a breathless trot through Mary's personal relationships alongside the political intrigue swirling around and between her and the royal cousin she famously never met. Courtiers come and go, clad by Gilmour in black velvet or pleated lavender, some with mohawk-like helmet plumes and others with bulbous eye coverings. The narrative is, however, largely character-driven. Laplane gives us two genuinely sexy duets, one for Mary (Roseanna Leney, dynamic and elegant) and her second husband Darnley (Evan Loudon) and the other for the bisexual Darnley and his lover Rizzio (Javier Andreu). There is also, in a brilliant touch, a younger Elizabeth, played on opening night with regal yet camp subtlety by the towering Harvey Littlefield in pantaloons, a ruff and, at one point, on stilts. • Edinburgh festivals 2025: the best theatre, music and dance shows The real pay-off in Scottish Ballet's treatment of Mary's life comes in the second act, principally via two scenes: one a beautiful, abstract dance between the proxies of Mary and Elizabeth, and the other the lead-up to Elizabeth's critical decision to execute Mary. By then this fizzing production has expanded and deepened. It is that rare thing, a work I felt I would gladly revisit even as I was watching it.★★★★☆130minTouring to Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen and Edinburgh to Oct 18, Follow @timesculture to read the latest reviews
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
The UK's ‘poshest train' journey with champagne and lavish seven-course lunch set to arrive in Scotland
Find out what is included with the sought-after tickets A RAIL TREAT The UK's 'poshest train' journey with champagne and lavish seven-course lunch set to arrive in Scotland THE UK's "poshest train" is set to arrive in Scotland in the coming months - and it even features a seven-course lunch. The 1930s Pullman-style Northern Belle was once part of the famous Orient Express group. 4 The Northern Belle was once part of the famous Orient Express group Credit: Northern Belle 4 The plush locomotive will once again stop by Scotland this year Credit: Northern Belle Advertisement 4 Lucky guests can look forward to a seven-course lunch and entertainment Credit: Northern Belle 4 The delicious meal is rounded off with an award-winning cheeseboard Credit: Northern Belle And the plush locomotive will once again stop by Scotland this year during a series of magical Christmas journeys. The train will depart from Glasgow's Central Station on Saturday, November 29 and pull into Edinburgh Waverley Station after a trip through the winter countryside. Advertisement The organisers state: "Settle back into your comfortable armchair, pull one of our Christmas crackers and prepare for a sumptuous seven-course festive feast served with the finest wines. "We round the meal off with a delicious, freshly-prepared seasonal dessert before bringing round our award-winning cheeseboard, accompanied by a glass of delightful port. "Finally, relax with a nice cup of Fortnum and Mason tea or a special Northern Belle coffee and some lovely petits fours. "Don't forget, our musicians will be playing some festive tunes to get you in the Christmas spirit, while our onboard conjuror, who wanders from table to table, always has a few festive tricks up his sleeve. Advertisement "It's the ideal way to celebrate Christmas, be you in a couple, with a group of friends and relatives or even just on your own, because you're bound to make new friends." The luxury carriages once featured on Channel 5's 'World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys'. And the train was once named the "Grand Dame of luxury travel" by Hollywood actor Bill Nighy. The Northern Belle is frequently voted one of the world's Top Ten trains. Inside UK's new £160m train station set to open in weeks The comfortable train is traditionally decorated with tapestries, mosaics, and decorative furniture restored from the period. Advertisement One of the individually hand-decorated carriages used to form part of the Royal Train and is rumoured to contain the late Queen Elizabeth's mother's favourite seat. Tickets are £395 per passenger and include a welcome champagne reception with canapés and caviar blinis, a seven-course Christmas lunch, a bottle of wine per couple and entertainment.
