Latest news with #JulietStevenson
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Rehearsal to The Ballad of Wallis Island: the week in rave reviews
Sky Comedy & Now; episodes weekly Summed up in a sentence A mind-boggling comedy-cum-documentary-cum-reality show that helps people prepare for big life events by staging hugely elaborate mockups – currently focusing on how to prevent aviation disasters by improving communication in the cockpit. What our reviewer said 'As with season one, the producers have managed to find civilians who are so uniquely awkward that they feel like integral parts of the chaos. These are people who blur the line between committed normie and aspiring actor so well that many have, in fact, been accused of being fake. But they are all real.' Hannah J Davies Read the full review Further reading The Rehearsal: Nathan Fielder makes genius appointment TV … that may spoil you for ever BBC Two; full series on iPlayer now Summed up in a sentence A loving, exhaustive docuseries celebrating the author on the 250th anniversary of her birth, narrated by Juliet Stevenson. What our reviewer said 'The mood is impassioned and enthusiastic without being emetic – suffused with love of the work, and mapping the contours of the specific genius without anyone getting un-Janeishly carried away. You feel she would approve.' Lucy Mangan Read the full review Further reading 'Much darker than Pride and Prejudice!': authors pick their favourite Jane Austen novel Netflix; full series available now Summed up in a sentence Arrogant detective ends up accidentally causing a death, and is sidelined to a dank basement investigating cold cases – only to assemble a crack team. What our reviewer said 'It is all fantastically well, and rigorously, done. The pacing has a leisurely confidence that some may find a touch slow, but allows for a character-first approach, creating a richness that amply rewards initial patience.' Lucy Mangan Read the full review Further reading Dept Q's Kelly Macdonald on her Trainspotting teen highs and hitting her stride in her 40s BBC Two; full series on iPlayer now Summed up in a sentence A deep dive into the life of the entrepreneur, from fly-on-the-wall footage of her starting a lingerie empire, through to an investigative thriller about the PPE political scandal. What our reviewer said 'In some ways, this is a parable of fame. Mone courted it and won it, but eventually learned that once you turn on the faucet of public attention, trying to turn it off again is a sisyphean task.' Rebecca Nicholson Read the full review Netflix; all episodes available Summed up in a sentence A sensitive, sweet modern-day reimagining of Judy Blume's 1975 novel about teen desire which has been repeatedly banned by less tolerant schools and libraries. What our reviewer said 'As a teen drama, it works because, Heartstopper-style, its teenagers actually look and behave like teenagers. The performances are excellent, especially Karen Pittman and Xosha Roquemore as the mothers, but it all rides on whether you can buy into what leads Michael Cooper Jr and Lovie Simone are selling, and they sell it perfectly.' Rebecca Nicholson Read the full review Further reading Judy Blume forever: the writer who dares to tell girls the plain truth In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence Funny/melancholy story of a former folk duo (Carey Mulligan and Tom Basden) who are inveigled into a comeback performance on a remote island for a single superfan. What our reviewer said 'You'll leave wanting your own island, your own gig and your own lock of Carey Mulligan's hair.' Catherine Bray Read the full review Further reading 'There's no chance an American will laugh': Tim Key on his very British new film and the US Office sequel In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan team up in a charming throwback sequel to the 2010 remake, with Ben Wang as the latest kid to don the bandana and learn the age-old secret of kicking ass with a dose of moral philosophy. What our reviewer said 'It's warm, it's breezy – it's a burst of summery family fun that is sure to inspire long looks back at the old movies and Cobra Kai episodes while sparking renewed interest in martial arts apprenticeship. Anyone would get a kick out of it.' Andrew Lawrence Read the full review Further reading Ralph Macchio on kicking it as The Karate Kid for 41 years In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence Affecting drama based on Raynor Winn's memoir, in which Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs undertake a redemptive hike along the English south-west coast. What our reviewer said 'Somehow, they all bring a real sense of meaning and truth to cheap-sounding messages about living in the moment, and the possibility of long-term relationships deepening and growing in ways impossible to predict.' Cath Clarke Read the full review Further reading Walk on the wild side: Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs on their epic hiking movie The Salt Path In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence Complex relationship movie from French director Katell Quillévéré, focusing on the marriage of a single mother and closeted gay academic. What our reviewer said 'The awful toxicity of love … is an underground stream that has become very much an overground stream in this new, heartfelt movie.' Peter Bradshaw Read the full review Sky Cinema and Now; available now Summed up in a sentence Jesse Armstrong's post-Succession uber-wealth satire about four plutocrats on a lodge weekend that goes awry when the planet descends into chaos. What our reviewer said 'More than any comedy or even film I've seen recently, this is movie driven by the line-by-line need for fierce, nasty, funny punched-up stuff in the dialogue, and narrative arcs and character development aren't the point. But as with Succession, this does a really good job of persuading you that, yes, this is what our overlords are really like.' Peter Bradshaw Read the full review Review by James Smart Summed up in a sentence Her latest autofictional work finds the great graphic novelist exploring midlife contentment. Our reviewer said 'Writing about herself from a greater fictional distance seems to have given Bechdel more room to have fun: dramas and mishaps unspool with a lightly comic charm that belies the darkness in the world outside.' Read the full review Further reading Alison Bechdel: 'The Bechdel test was a joke… I didn't intend for it to become a real gauge' Review by Blake Morrison Summed up in a sentence Coming of age in 70s England. Our reviewer said 'Toy soldiers, conker fights, fizzy drinks, Wall's ice-creams, chicken-in-a-basket pub lunches, swimming lessons (plus verrucas): Dyer's recall of period detail and brand names is exceptional.' Read the full review Further reading Best seat in the house: writer Geoff Dyer on why sitting in a corner is so satisfying Review by Arin Keeble Summed up in a sentence Migration and heritage are explored through one woman's life, in 60s Italy and present-day Ireland. Our reviewer said 'A powerful and beautifully written story of family, friendship and identity.' Read the full review Further reading Novelist Sarah Moss: 'Hunger numbed my shame and humiliation' Review by Stuart Jeffries Summed up in a sentence A peek inside the seaborne world of the super-rich. Our reviewer said 'It's not just how big your superyacht is, but what you put inside it. The latest fashions include Imax theatres, ski rooms where guests can suit up for a helicopter trip to a mountaintop, and hospital equipment.' Read the full review Review by Kitty Drake Summed up in a sentence A cultural history of female friendship. Our reviewer said 'In this book, Watt Smith trawls through the archives to trace the history of imperfect, ordinary friends – who hurt and disappoint each other, but keep striving for connection regardless.' Read the full review Further reading The big idea: should you dump your toxic friend? Out 13 June Summed up in a sentence Jazz artist Halvorson is one of the most exciting guitarists in North America. Her new album features one of her largest backing bands to date. What our reviewer said 'Recently discussing Robert Wyatt in Jazzwise magazine, Halvorson said she loved his ability to blend 'the weird with the beautiful'. She wouldn't dream of it, but she could have been saying much the same of herself.'. John Fordham Read the full review Further reading Jazz guitar 'genius' Mary Halvorson on cocktails, tarot and making music that combusts Out now Summed up in a sentence After the blockbuster success of Flowers, Cyrus clearly has carte blanche to do what she wants – and has billed her new album as psychedelic and healing. What our reviewer said 'It's all about as psychedelic as a baked potato. But it's still all very well written and well made.' Alexis Petridis Read the full review Out now Summed up in a sentence This Scottish indie-folk artist has been creating some sizeable buzz around their spellbindingly beautiful voice and arrangements. What our reviewer said 'These story songs – about youthful infatuation, reckless hedonism and one-sided obsession – are brittle and wounded, each zeroing in on a different strain of disappointment or heartache.' Shaad D'Souza Read the full review Further reading One to watch: Jacob Alon Out now Summed up in a sentence Marking the 400th anniversary of the death of English pre-baroque composer Gibbons, this is a set of his works with a new piece by American composer Muhly at its centre. What our reviewer said 'Muhly's composition, with its urgent string figures, contrasts beautifully with the flowing imitations of Gibbons' fantasias around it.' Andrew Clements Read the full review O2 Academy, Glasgow; touring to 7 June Summed up in a sentence On her first tour since 2018, the Walsall soul-R&B-garage singer shows off how adventurous her songcraft has become. What our reviewer said 'Her searing, smoky voice is used sparingly to start, sometimes even drowned out by the power of the band's two drummers. But by Feelings, Smith drops the wall. She beams megawatt charisma through the track's lyrically chilly push-and-pull, and slinks between risers, glamorously at ease.'. Katie Hawthorne Read the full review
The Independent
3 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Child victims of Gaza onslaught remembered in Westminster vigil
The names of thousands of innocent children, killed in Gaza, have been read out by dozens of artists and supporters in a vigil outside the Palace of Westminster. Actors including Steve Coogan and Juliet Stevenson stood in the shadow of the Elizabeth Tower to help read out the names of more than 16,000 children as part of the Choose Love-organised campaign to 'honour' those killed in the last 19 months. Later, they described what is happening as a genocide and said that people should stand up and protest if they do not agree with what the UK Government is doing to try and stop it. Coogan said he was took part to 'highlight the plight of starving children in Gaza who are having their aid blocked'. He said: 'I am here to bring attention to that, and not only that, but the lives of all the children who have been lost in this conflict, in this bombing which has been largely indiscriminate bombing. 'It is to shine light on the fact that these were real people, real children and they should be remembered. 'We are reading out the names to remember them as human beings and not just a statistic. 'I don't know these children of course, but when you read the name, you realise they were someone who had a life, albeit a short one and had nothing to do with the conflict. 'They were the innocent victims of the conflict, and that the vast majority of the families had nothing to do with this conflict, even where their families did, it doesn't justify that kind of response.' He described what is happening as 'not only immoral, it's illegal under international law, and lots of mainstream news outlets would rather this went away and would rather ignore it'. Up to 16,000 names, of children under 18 who are confirmed dead were read and up to 20,000 children are also reported as missing, the organisers said. The readers stood in front of a banner which read: 'Gaza: Actions Not Words'. It was made up of the names of 1,700 babies, who are one year old or younger, who who have been confirmed as dead. Each speaker, including actors Toby Jones, Emily Watson, Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa and Andrea Riseborough plus presenters Dawn O'Porter and Nadia Sawalha, read out approximately 300 names. Coogan also said it is 'appalling' the press have not been allowed into the war zone for 18 months to report on what is happening, saying 'if they had nothing to hide, they would let the press in. On Thursday Stevenson said: 'It is every child who name we know but, of course, there are so many children whose names we don't know who are buried under the rubble. 'Every child whose name is known is being read because they are not numbers. 'Each child that has been killed, had a name, a family, had passions, had loves and fears as do all our children. 'There is no difference and they now have had their lives taken away. 'It is a genocide and I have just been horrified by what has been going on.' The organisers are calling for a halt to arms sales and export licences to Israel, full humanitarian access to Gaza and a commitment to an immediate and lasting ceasefire 'to end the starvation and slaughter of children'. Khalid Abdalla, who played Dodi Fayed in The Crown, described the vigil as 'a very moving tribute to the number of children who have been killed, there's an ongoing genocide'. He added: 'It's heartbreaking that each of these children only gets to have their names for them as you read the names you have just about touched on the world of who they might have been. 'I was reading for half an hour almost, and all the children's names that I read out were five years old. 'I was hoping I would get to a change in number. 'There was no change in number. 'The point is thousands upon thousands of children have died and we don't even know the final number because it is ongoing.' The vigil comes after more than 300 actors, musicians, activists and others used an open letter to call on the Prime Minister to 'take immediate action to end the UK's complicity in the horrors of Gaza'. As well as suspending UK arms sales to Israel, the group urged Sir Keir to 'use all available means' to ensure humanitarian aid gets into the territory and 'make a commitment to the children of Gaza' that he would broker an 'immediate and permanent ceasefire'. Signatories included Gary Lineker, who left his role presenting Match Of The Day earlier this month following a controversy over one of his social media posts about the conflict in Gaza, actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Brian Cox, along with Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlin, singers Paloma Faith and Annie Lennox, plus Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos. A Government spokesman previously said: 'We strongly oppose the expansion of military operations in Gaza and call on the Israeli Government to cease its offensive and immediately allow for unfettered access to humanitarian aid. 'The denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Gaza is unacceptable and risks breaching International Humanitarian Law. 'Last year, we suspended export licences to Israel for items used in military operations in Gaza and continue to refuse licences for military goods that could be used by Israel in the current conflict. 'We urge all parties to urgently agree a ceasefire agreement and work towards a permanent and sustainable peace.'
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Child victims of Gaza onslaught remembered in Westminster vigil
Child victims of Gaza onslaught remembered in Westminster vigil Actors including Steve Coogan and Juliet Stevenson stood in the shadow of the Elizabeth Tower to help read out the names of more than 16,000 children as part of the Choose Love-organised campaign to "honour" those killed in the last 19 months Steve Coogan (Image: Ian West/PA ) The names of thousands of innocent children, killed in Gaza, have been read out by dozens of artists and supporters in a vigil outside the Palace of Westminster. Actors including Steve Coogan and Juliet Stevenson stood in the shadow of the Elizabeth Tower to help read out the names of more than 16,000 children as part of the Choose Love-organised campaign to "honour" those killed in the last 19 months. Later, they described what is happening as a genocide and said that people should stand up and protest if they do not agree with what the UK Government is doing to try and stop it. Coogan said he was took part to "highlight the plight of starving children in Gaza who are having their aid blocked". He said: "I am here to bring attention to that, and not only that, but the lives of all the children who have been lost in this conflict, in this bombing which has been largely indiscriminate bombing. "It is to shine light on the fact that these were real people, real children and they should be remembered. "We are reading out the names to remember them as human beings and not just a statistic. "I don't know these children of course, but when you read the name, you realise they were someone who had a life, albeit a short one and had nothing to do with the conflict. "They were the innocent victims of the conflict, and that the vast majority of the families had nothing to do with this conflict, even where their families did, it doesn't justify that kind of response." He described what is happening as "not only immoral, it's illegal under international law, and lots of mainstream news outlets would rather this went away and would rather ignore it". Up to 16,000 names, of children under 18 who are confirmed dead were read and up to 20,000 children are also reported as missing, the organisers said. The readers stood in front of a banner which read: "Gaza: Actions Not Words". It was made up of the names of 1,700 babies, who are one year old or younger, who who have been confirmed as dead. Each speaker, including actors Toby Jones, Emily Watson, Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa and Andrea Riseborough plus presenters Dawn O'Porter and Nadia Sawalha, read out approximately 300 names. Coogan also said it is "appalling" the press have not been allowed into the war zone for 18 months to report on what is happening, saying "if they had nothing to hide, they would let the press in. On Thursday Stevenson said: "It is every child who name we know but, of course, there are so many children whose names we don't know who are buried under the rubble. "Every child whose name is known is being read because they are not numbers. "Each child that has been killed, had a name, a family, had passions, had loves and fears as do all our children. "There is no difference and they now have had their lives taken away. "It is a genocide and I have just been horrified by what has been going on." The organisers are calling for a halt to arms sales and export licences to Israel, full humanitarian access to Gaza and a commitment to an immediate and lasting ceasefire "to end the starvation and slaughter of children". Khalid Abdalla, who played Dodi Fayed in The Crown, described the vigil as "a very moving tribute to the number of children who have been killed, there's an ongoing genocide". He added: "It's heartbreaking that each of these children only gets to have their names for them as you read the names you have just about touched on the world of who they might have been. "I was reading for half an hour almost, and all the children's names that I read out were five years old. "I was hoping I would get to a change in number. "There was no change in number. "The point is thousands upon thousands of children have died and we don't even know the final number because it is ongoing." The vigil comes after more than 300 actors, musicians, activists and others used an open letter to call on the Prime Minister to "take immediate action to end the UK's complicity in the horrors of Gaza". As well as suspending UK arms sales to Israel, the group urged Sir Keir to "use all available means" to ensure humanitarian aid gets into the territory and "make a commitment to the children of Gaza" that he would broker an "immediate and permanent ceasefire". Signatories included Gary Lineker, who left his role presenting Match Of The Day earlier this month following a controversy over one of his social media posts about the conflict in Gaza, actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Brian Cox, along with Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlin, singers Paloma Faith and Annie Lennox, plus Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos. A Government spokesman previously said: "We strongly oppose the expansion of military operations in Gaza and call on the Israeli Government to cease its offensive and immediately allow for unfettered access to humanitarian aid. "The denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Gaza is unacceptable and risks breaching International Humanitarian Law. "Last year, we suspended export licences to Israel for items used in military operations in Gaza and continue to refuse licences for military goods that could be used by Israel in the current conflict. Article continues below "We urge all parties to urgently agree a ceasefire agreement and work towards a permanent and sustainable peace."
The Independent
4 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Steve Coogan reads out names of children killed in Gaza at Westminster vigil
Actors and activists, including Steve Coogan and Juliet Stevenson, gathered in London to read aloud the names of thousands of children killed in Gaza. The vigil, organised by Choose Love, took place in the shadow of the Elizabeth Tower outside the Palace of Westminster. Participants sought to honour the more than 16,000 children who have died in the last 19 months. Standing in front of a banner which read 'Gaza: Actions Not Words', Coogan said he participated to "highlight the plight of starving children in Gaza who are having their aid blocked". Attendees described the events as a genocide, urging the public to protest against the UK Government 's approach to the conflict.
Telegraph
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius, review: lifeless reconstructions aside, plenty for Janeites to tuck into
' Jane Austen changed fiction forever.' For once the hyperbole is apt. Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius (BBC Two), following similar series on Shakespeare and Mozart, considers the woman who permanently reset the course of comic fiction. The edutainment format established by 72 Films offers, once again, a mixed grill of clips, talking heads and dramatic reconstruction, with Juliet Stevenson's reassuring voice-over. Austen's compact canon and wide fan base make her a neat fit for a three-part treatment. Northanger Abbey gets its proper due, as do the juvenilia and the unfinished works, while knowledge of her novels is spread nicely among academics, authors and actors, not to mention the odd admiral. It's fun and mainly illuminating to hear from writers, notably Helen Fielding, who still extract inspiration from Austen. Meanwhile, with furrowed brows, the scholars line up to explain how the life links to the work. Best at presenting Austen's depths with a contemporary relish is Bee Rowlatt, who talks of 'boss moves' and 'stonking bangers' with a brainy swagger suggestive of Emma Thompson. Austen is the cause of a great lexical panoply in her admirers. On the one hand, there's Colm Tóibín's graceful delineation of narrative subtext. Here, on the other, is Tom Bennett on playing a rich suitor from Lady Susan: 'He's a f---ing idiot.' Sam West talks with twinkling wisdom about the novels' timeless empathies. 'He does what a partner should do,' he says of Captain Wentworth, 'he relieves you of your burden.' From a personal perspective that doesn't feel out of place, Greg Wise – the caddish Willoughby in Sense and Sensibility – reflects movingly on Austen's death in the arms of her sister Cassandra. There are of course plenty of adaptations to cite. The choice is sometimes right. For Emma's cruel humiliation of the chatterbox Miss Bates on Box Hill, the best version finds Gwyneth Paltrow being haughty to a quite brilliant Sophie Thompson. And sometimes wrong: the canonical version of Persuasion is Roger Michell's from 1995, not the recent Netflix misfire used here. NB to Janeites: there's no sign of Colin Firth. Whatever the version used, the edit skips breathlessly from clip to clip as if swiping right on the apps. As for literary analysis, there's not quite enough on the supple glories of Austen's prose. The profound innovations of free indirect speech and the unreliable narrator are dispatched in haste. Not that its own narrative is always reliable, especially on Mansfield Park. Cherie Blair is on hand to explain the titular allusion to the Mansfield Judgement, which delivered the first limitation on slavery in England. But nobody mentions that Austen makes only one passing allusion to the slave trade. Quoting from Patricia Rozema's very free adaptation from 2000, the implication is that Fanny Price is expelled from the grand house for having the temerity to talk of emancipation. This feels disingenuous. Still, even if you feel you know the work, there's enough here to tuck into. But you'll require a tolerant digestive tract to stomach the inert reconstructions of Austen's life. The credits reveal that Jane is wordlessly embodied by one Emőke Zsigmond, while Hampshire is played by Hungary. She'd find that comical.
