Latest news with #HenryV
Time Out
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
A haunting new adaptation of 'The Birds' lands at Melbourne's Malthouse Theatre
It's been more than 70 years since Daphne du Maurier wrote The Birds, the gothic short story that famously inspired Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 film of the same name. Decades later, it remains one of the most unsettling tales ever told. Now, Malthouse Theatre is bringing this classic thriller to the stage in a bold new form: a reimagined one-woman show starring Paula Arundell (Three Furies, Antony and Cleopatra, Henry V). Adapted by Louise Fox and directed by former Malthouse artistic director Matthew Lutton (Picnic at Hanging Rock), the new production blends psychological horror with cutting-edge audio technology to create a truly immersive experience. As the theatre darkens and you don a pair of headphones, prepare for your pulse to race. The stunning sound design by J. David Franzke uses binaural sound – a 360-degree audio technique – to drag you into the haunting tale where a coastal town is under supernatural siege from a flock of birds. Arundell performs with tiny microphones in her ears, capturing every whisper, gasp, flap, screech and swoop as though it is terrifyingly close.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Adrian Lester and Alfred Enoch lead Royal Shakespeare Company's ‘global' new season
Adrian Lester transforming into Cyrano de Bergerac, Alfred Enoch taking on Henry V and a lauded reboot of The Forsyte Saga are part of a new Royal Shakespeare Company season its co-artistic directors say represents a bold 'global' vision for the institution. Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey announced the latest productions on Tuesday, saying the new programme was a celebration of globally inspired stories, 'thrillingly told by the most exciting theatre artists of today'. Lester will star in Simon Evans and Debris Stevenson's new 'quick-witted' version of Cyrano de Bergerac, and follows in the footsteps of Antony Sher, who played the role in a celebrated Gregory Doran-directed production for the RSC in 1997. Enoch, known for his role in the Harry Potter films, will team up with Harvey for her version of Henry V after the pair worked on a critically acclaimed version of Pericles in 2024. Pericles was Harvey's first production for RSC since starting as co-director and she will be hoping for a similarly well-received project. The Guardian's Mark Lawson praised last year's collaboration between Enoch and Harvey, who he said couldn't 'disguise the play's peculiarities but proves its beauties to be equally deep and its political intelligence acute'. A two-part production of The Forsyte Saga, which is based on John Galsworthy's books, comes to the Swan theatre in November 2025 after a successful run last year at the Park theatre in London. Josh Roche's production has won plaudits already, with the Observer praising the minimalist approach. Susannah Clapp said 'the family epic unfolds with intimate clarity on an almost bare stage', adding that – although the two parts could be seen separately – it was 'satisfying to see them in one gulp'. There will be 14 opportunities to see the productions in one sitting during the run, which ends on 10 January 2026. The production isn't without its controversies: a rape scene horrified some viewers when the books were adapted for television by the BBC in 1967 and ITV in 2002. The outgoing artistic director of the Bush theatre, Lynette Linton brings a new musical adaptation of William Kamkwamba's award-winning memoir, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, to the Swan theatre next February. Other productions include Daniel Raggett directing Sam Heughan and Lia Williams, who will star in Macbeth; while Whitney White brings All Is But Fantasy, an ambitious production billed as 'four stories staged across two gig-theatre performances set against a live soundtrack of rock, pop, indie and gospel'. Sign up to The Guide Get our weekly pop culture email, free in your inbox every Friday after newsletter promotion Evans and Harvey said: 'From Malawi or Manhattan, through French fields, Scottish heaths, mythical lands and Giant country, our 2025/26 programme celebrates what we believe a 21st-century RSC can and should be: global in ambition and outlook, open and collaborative in nature and continuously redefining how Shakespeare and great storytelling can bring joy, connection and improve our understanding of one-another. It was recently announced that Ncuti Gatwa, who recently concluded his role on Doctor Who, will star alongside Edward Bluemel in RSC's Shakespeare vMarlowe drama, Born With Teeth by Liz Duffy Adams, which has its West End premiere at Wyndham's theatre in August. The joint artistic directors have previously secured 25,000 tickets at £25 in an attempt to 'throw open the doors' to a more diverse crowd, while James Ijames's Pulitzer prize-winning play, Fat Ham, was part of their spring 2025 season, one of three versions of Hamlet the RSC was staging.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
What British children are REALLY being taught in school: Transatlantic slavery becomes most studied topic in UK history lessons - with only one in 10 students learning about Trafalgar and Waterloo
Fewer than one in five schools are teaching students about inspirational British victories such as Agincourt, Waterloo and Trafalgar, a study has found. The report discovered that while almost all pupils are being informed about the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the First World War, children are by and large being left in the dark about other history-changing moments. Chief among these are the battles of Waterloo and Trafalgar, with only 11 per cent of UK secondary schools teaching the details to their students, despite their vital roles in the history of the British Empire. The Battle of Trafalgar saw the Royal Navy defeat the French and Spanish fleets in 1805, confirming British supremacy of the seas, while the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the rise of British Empire. Meanwhile only 18 per cent of students are being taught about the Battle of Agincourt in the Hundreds Years' War, which confirmed Henry V as one of England's greatest kings. The report, by Policy Exchange, found that by comparison nearly all schools are teaching children about the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the Abolition of Slavery and the Norman Conquest of England. The data, which focuses on curriculums taught to Key Stage Three students - those aged between 11 and 14 - shows that schools have 'diversified' their syllabus after the Conservative government announced plans to focus on topics of 'cultural change' in 2022. The overhaul was introduced to allow children aged five to 14 to focus on the rich breadth of history, rather than being taught a narrow range of British-centric topics solely in preparation for GCSEs. However, many have said it's gone too far, former history teacher and chairman of Campaign for Real Education Chris McGovern said it was 'clear that the subject has been captured by the Left'. He warned that history is 'seen as a vehicle for undermining and destroying British national identity'. The top five most studied topics are now the Transatlantic Slave Trade (99 per cent), Britain in WW1 (99 per cent), the Norman Conquest (98 per cent), the Abolition of Slavery (96 per cent) and Reformation (95 per cent). Sitting right at the bottom of the list was the Battles of Trafalgar and Waterloo with only 11 per cent of students studying the topic. They were closely followed by the Battle of Agincourt (18 per cent), the Boer War (25 per cent) and the Irish potato famine (26 per cent). The former Secretary of State for Education, Nadhim Zahawi praised the report. He said: 'This thorough report from Policy Exchange demonstrates how much progress has been made over the last fifteen years, with increasing numbers of students receiving a knowledge-rich, chronological history education during Key Stage Three. 'It was heartening to see that core topics such as Magna Carta, the Reformation, the Industrial Revolution, the Slave Trade and its abolition, and Britain's roles in the World Wars are each taught in over 85% of schools. 'Though disappointing that inspiring events in English history such as the Battles of Agincourt, Trafalgar and Waterloo appear to have dropped off the curriculum.' While the report did warn that 'in too many cases this process has gone too far, leading to the teaching of radical and contested interpretations of the past as fact.' It also highlighted positive aspects of exposing students to varied studies, including key areas of British history such as the women's suffrage movement. The report also found that the topics studied at GCSE and A-Level are too narrow and competitive. Policy Exchange recommended a new British history survey paper from 1066 to 1989 to replace the current exams sat at GCSE. In another shocking revelation, it revealed that 53 per cent of people would say their knowledge on British history has been informed by film and television. And a whopping 15 per cent said they learn about history through social media. While as little as 12 per cent say their knowledge comes from newspaper and news media outlets. A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: 'High and rising standards are at the heart of the government's mission to break down the barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start. 'The independent, expert-led Curriculum and Assessment review is considering how to ensure young people have access to a broad and balanced curriculum that ensures young people leave school ready for work and ready for life.'
Time Out
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Henry V
Photograph: Courtesy of the artist | Henry V The populist classicists of Smith Street Stage go once more unto Brooklyn's Carroll Park, my friends, with Shakespeare's stirring history play, in which an untested but charismatic English king lays claim to a corner of France's vasty fields. Artistic Director Jonathan Hopkins helms this 15th-anniversary production, which stars a woman, McLean Peterson, in the title role. (If you think cross-gender casting goes against the spirit of Shakespeare, I have some very bad news for you. ) Thu, Jun 5, 2025 Fri, Jun 6, 2025 Sat, Jun 7, 2025 Sun, Jun 8, 2025 Thu, Jun 12, 2025 Fri, Jun 13, 2025 Sat, Jun 14, 2025 Sun, Jun 15, 2025 Thu, Jun 19, 2025 Fri, Jun 20, 2025 Show more By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. 🙌 Awesome, you're subscribed! Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! Discover Time Out original video
The Age
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Is this the end of the road for John Pesutto?
Liberals widely accept there is little to no chance of holding Hawthorn. At the recent federal election, polling booths for the federal seat of Kooyong wholly within the state seat of Hawthorn swung against the party. One Liberal Party member forecast the attitude of Hawthorn electors if they were forced back to the polls in a by-election as: 'We are going to have to attend a by-election because the Liberal Party bankrupted their former leader.' Already there is speculation that the Liberal candidate for Kooyong, Amelia Hamer, could be asked to stand in Hawthorn. What a chance of a lifetime that would be! And parallel speculation that Rob Baillieu, son of ex-premier Ted, and a local city of Boroondara councillor, would stand in the byelection. But not as a Liberal. As a teal independent. If he were to win it would be a further humiliation for the party, leaving leader Brad Battin with an even bigger mess to clean up. Dreyfus' week of hasty exits Melebrities did not know which way to turn on Wednesday night. Bell Shakespeare's stirring production of Henry V staged its Melbourne premiere at the Arts Centre and ex-attorney general Mark Dreyfus, recently deposed in a ghoulish and unedifying bit of factional skulduggery, was a prominent attendee, grinning happily as he queued for his ticket. Perhaps a little too happily. Dreyfus exited the post-performance drinks at great speed, quicker than he did cabinet last week. Melbourne Theatre Company artistic director Anne-Louise Sarks exited the auditorium and positioned herself by the stairs, immediately snagging richlister and former MTC chair Jane Hansen on the way out with her spouse and fellow richie Paul Little. Deputy Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell attended with her journalist spouse James Campbell, while the Myer family squad was represented by Rupert Myer, chair of the MSO Edgar Myer, and Andy Myer and spouse Kerry Gardner. We also spotted singer-songwriter Paul Kelly. Neighbours star Tim Kano was the tallest guy in the room, save maybe for barrister and Bell Shakespeare chair Philip Crutchfield, who was accompanied by his lawyer spouse Amy Crutchfield, winner of the Prime Minister's Literary Award for Poetry. NGV trustees chair Janet Whiting was in fine form, seemingly all is forgiven after CBD snubbed her at the Formula 1 grand prix in favour of Luke Sayers, newly emergent after a summer social media scandal. And on Thursday lunchtime, a postscript, when Dreyfus walked out of the Commonwealth Offices Building at Treasury Place. As Dreyfus departed the executive offices in the company of a group of unidentified women, we hear that his name was being erased from the directory board in a manner as brutal as King Henry's obliteration of Lord Scrope. A representative of The Australian newspaper followed him all the way down Treasury Place for comment but to no avail. Stay classy, Mark. Gang of Four Meanwhile, political Melebrities flocked to the first birthday anniversary party of FMRS Advisory, formed a year ago by Dan Andrews' fantastic four gang of former advisers (in no particular order): Adam Sims, Ben Foster, Jessie McCrone and Lissie Ratcliffe. Friends, supporters and admirers flocked to the No Vacancy gallery in QV, including Felicity Pantelidis, deputy chief executive of law firm Maurice Blackburn and her spouse, Lord Mayor Nick Reece. Also there: serving ministers Harriet Shing, Danny Pearson. Former ministers Lisa Neville, Luke Donnellan, Martin Foley. Arnold Bloch Leibler partner and lawyer of the multiverse Leon Zwier was spotted, former major events minister and incoming Crown Resorts chair (*subject to regulatory approval) Martin Pakula, soon to be ex-Vic Chamber boss and soon to be new Melbourne Football Club chief executive Paul Guerra, secretary of Victorian Trades Hall Council Luke Hilakari, Fox family consigliere Ari Suss and national Nine News TV boss Hugh Nailon. Spectacular queues At the same time, the 'arena spectacular' of Les Miserables opened at Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday night with pretty much the usual suspects. With big queues for entry 10 minutes before show time, a CBD operative spotted Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley zipping straight in through a VIP entrance. Well, he is kinda the host, we guess. We did enjoy hearing about the zealous usher who directed patrons to 'act like it was the tennis' and not move around. Clearly, they have never been to a Kyrgios match. Ubiquitous red-carpeter Matt Preston was there of course, RuPaul-adjacent comedian Rhys Nicholson, ABC escapee Sammy J, Neighbours icon Stefan Dennis and that bearded comedian whose name we always forget. May Meltdown The Liberals made Sussan Ley their first female leader this week, but the party's standing among female voters remains grim after successive electoral drubbings. The party's latest May Meltdown was a source of particular frustration for Liberal women who've spent decades calling for the party to improve female representation in the party's parliamentary ranks. This week, a petition has been circulating among party members calling for an introduction of gender quotas, started by former staffer Charlotte Mortlock, founder of Liberal women's organisation Hilma's Network. Other co-creators include former NSW planning minister Rob Stokes and his finance executive wife Sophie Stokes. For years, even the suggestion of implementing gender quotas has enraged parts of the party's right flank. Former PM Scott Morrison suggested he was open to the idea four years ago and, well, it's been four years. But the Liberals are a broad church, and among the few hundred signatories to the latest petition, CBD spotted a few surprising names. Among them, former Liberal VP Teena McQueen, last spotted celebrating Donald Trump's election victory at Mar-a-Lago with her new boss Gina Rinehart, before firing off a WhatsApp message in defence of Alan Jones when the broadcaster was charged with indecent assault offences (which he is fighting). Not who we'd expect to be fighting for gender quotas in the Liberal Party, but again, broad church, etc. Was it actually Teena signing the letter? If so, she never returned CBD's calls. One 'signatory' we did hear back from was former Howard government minister turned Sky News firebreather Gary Hardgrave, who told CBD he rarely signed petitions, and didn't sign the one on gender quotas. To be fair, his post-election tweet about 'left faction saboteurs' killing the Liberal Party and leaving it in a 'woke choke' made his position fairly clear. Also among the signers – former test bowler Nathan Bracken, who unsuccessfully ran for the Liberals in the 2023 NSW election, probably unaccustomed to the swing going against him.
