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Irish Times
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Sam Tallent's Running the Light: Tale of a god-gifted comedian masquerading as joker and joke
Running the Light Author : Sam Tallent ISBN-13 : 978-1399632898 Publisher : White Rabbit Guideline Price : £20 Writing tutors call it subcultural insider information. Anthony Bourdain blew the lid off the psychic cesspit of restaurant back rooms with Kitchen Confidential. FX Toole exposed all the dirty tricks employed by fight corner cut-men in his short story collection Rope Burns. Now we have comedian Sam Tallent's fictional tell-all Running the Light. If Bourdain's first readers and champions were fellow line cooks, Tallent's original audience was his peers. Running the Light's original incarnation was as an online venture, self-published in May 2020, as Covid snuffed out the last lights of the live circuit. Five years later, White Rabbit are publishing it in physical form. The lag is fortunate. Half a decade ago, the culture was still too censorious and self-righteous to tolerate such a spiritually rotten protagonist as Billy Ray Schafer. We're not talking Richard Pryor or Bill Hicks here. This is the tale of a god-gifted but ageing, violent, alcoholic, drug-addicted comedian masquerading as joker and joke, running on a misery wheel of airport bars, rental cars and cheap hotel rooms for 200 days of the year, solitary but always in service, numbing the ghosts with coke, smokes and booze. Schafer's existence is a netherworld of strip mall Bud bars, of one-nighters spent acting as dancing monkey for good old boys in the secret sanctums of country club back rooms, slouching onstage after terminal cancer testifiers and geek show hucksters peddling duck shit bingo. READ MORE All this would be pointless degradation without the redemptive factor of the craft. Tallent writes exceptionally well about the grind, yes, but also the reason for the grind, the daylong gravitational pull towards showtime, the controlled ordeal of the gig, the large adrenaline spike followed by hours drinking with anyone who'll stand your company, squalid episodes in public restrooms, the desperate lengths the solitary comedian will go to in order to avoid the hollow comedown of returning to an empty hotel room, snorting alone, drinking alone, afraid to face the phantoms of betrayed ex-wives and the contempt of estranged sons. Tallent writes: 'When he was young he could take off on a premise running only to catch up to his own flight of imagination sixty minutes later, his clothes soaked and the air itself crackling with the urgency of what he'd done. Those days were gone, but even drunk and coked and spun and pilled, he still killed harder than the reductive drivel being peddled in theaters and arenas by the skeletons he envied. Despite his failures with sobriety, monogamy, business and fatherhood, he was still funny, and funny is the hardest thing to be.' But this flimsy bravado is laced with toxic self-disgust. This is not Bukowski-lite. The performer's psyche is conveyed here as a volatile cocktail of ego and fragility, a queasy bipolar roundabout of gut-level sadness balanced by resilience: Schafer's kindred are Bad Blake in Thomas Cobb's Crazy Heart or Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler, the modern day equivalents of washed-up pugs looking for one last pay-day, or the old pro too old to rock 'n' roll and too young to die. The only deliverance to be found is in love or family, but it's too late for that. Billy Ray's sins are not too grievous to be forgiven by others, but by himself. As he drives across the southwest over the course of the week that maps this book's plunging narrative arc, he penetrates deeper into America's Heart of Darkness, yes, but also an internal wasteland. He's done hard time for the worst of crimes, but he's too institutionalised to leave the prison of his soul, choking on his own one-liners, the smile becomes a rictus grin. The bottom-out, when it comes, is horrific. Thrown down among the transients, wandering the streets of Denver, he witnesses the entropic pageantry of the 5th Annual Zombie Crawl: 'He had never heard of such a thing but it made sense. As a species, humankind was bored and increasingly bullshit passed for fun. Their mirth disgusted him. Their happiness was ostracizing. Numb to inorganic novelty, he pitied them their false calamity. Their lives – staid, monotonous – were so safe and predictable these people were forced to organise chaos and pretend they were dead. It was disappointing, For a moment he thought he'd made it to Armageddon.' Running the Light is Dante as gag-artist, trapped in a Diabolical Comedy. Or maybe, in the end, a disgraced Odysseus searching for a way back home to contrition and forgiveness. Read it and weep. I did, through my fingers. Peter Murphy is a writer, journalist and spoken word artist. He records and performs under the name Cursed Murphy
The Sun
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I tried out supermarket Tiramisu's – the £3 own-brand winner beat Lidl, Aldi and Tesco
CREAMY, coffee-soaked, sometimes boozy and always moreish, Tiramisu has taken over UK supermarket shelves. Brits can't get enough of the Italian dessert which literally translates as 'pick-me-up'. 7 It has starred in a Love Island episode and Starbucks has just launched three new tiramisu-inspired drinks in its stores. But when you want an easy pudding to finish off a meal at home - which supermarket tiramisu is best? I got stuck in to find out. Here's the results... Lidl's Milbona Tiramasu £2.75 for 500g 7 Looks-wise, this is a doppelganger for the Sainsbury's tiramisu, with little domes of cream and cocoa on top. Here, though, the cream layer is heavier and more dairy-tasting than mascarpone. There's a strong coffee smell and nicely-soaked sponge. It's good value but this is the only tiramisu that isn't veggie-friendly. It's got beef gelatine in it, which seems a bit unnecessary when the others don't, and will put some buyers off. 3/5 Italian pastry chef who invented the iconic Tiramisu dessert makes the dish White Rabbit Classic Tiramisu £3.75 for two 95g pots This comes in a dinky little plastic tub, giving off posh picnic vibes. It's gluten-free, so perfect for coeliacs or anyone on a restricted diet, and has no booze either. Lacking the classic Marsala wine might upset the tiramisu-purists, but non-drinkers might prefer the taste, which still has a big coffee hit. The sponge is light and the mascarpone is creamy and smooth, with a decent cocoa top. And it's expensive compared to all the others on sale: the pot is not really big enough to share so you'd have to spend almost £8 on dessert for four. 3/5 Asda Bakery Tiramisu £2.98 for 500g 7 There's no messing about with this strong coffee kick on Asda 's offering. The sponge layer is not particularly thick, but it is oozing with chocolatey coffee flavour. The cream layer is another light mascarpone, dusted with cocoa powder and segmented into grids, it looks very professional (you couldn't pass this dish off as your own) and it is indeed made in Italy. Coming in at a generous 500g, the packaging says this tiramisu serves six but we split it between four and didn't feel overstuffed. 4/5 Tesco Finest Coffee & Amaretto Tiramisu £4.50 for 400g 7 Thanks to the amaretto, there's big, bold almond flavour in this good-looking dessert. It's punchy, but light thanks to the super smooth and airy mascarpone cream. The top, creamy part is melt-in-the-mouth and it definitely dominates. There's only a thin layer of sponge, so if you love that coffee-soaked base, you might feel short-changed. There's a good twist of Marsala wine in this dessert, but it doesn't taste particularly boozy, it's more of a creamy, almondy treat than classic tiramisu. It's from Tesco's Finest range and has quite the price tag at £4.50 but it is tasty and rich, so it does feel fancy. I'd whip this out for a special occasion or having friends round for dinner. The dark choc shavings mean you could just about blag this as homemade if you were able to get it out of its container intact. 4/5 Aldi's Specially Selected Chocolate and Hazelnut Tiramisu £2.49 for two Tirami-who? This is more like a Nutella mousse with coffee vibes. The top layer is chocolate mousse rather than the traditional cream, with crunchy hazelnuts sprinkled throughout, and chocolate chips layered on top. There's a light coffee taste from the soaked sponge biscuits at the bottom, but it's not dominant. It's more Ferrero Rocher than Italian macchiato. This was a delicious, light-tasting summer dessert and probably the most kid-friendly of all the tiramisus. The individual pots make it a super-convenient, no-washing-up dessert for after a barbecue although for a family or crowd, it'd be pricier than most. 4/5 Sainsbury's Classic Tirimasu £3 for 500g 7 A deep tub, piped peaks of cream, dusted with cocoa, and great value at just £3 for dessert for all the family - this is the real deal. The mascarpone is light and sweet, it melts on the tongue, not too boozy but a nice hint of Marsala wine. The sponge is properly soaked in coffee: oozing with flavour, strong and tasty. If you want a tiramisu that sticks close to tradition, this one delivers everything you'd want. Sit in the sun, close your eyes, lift your spoon and you could really believe you're in Tuscany eating an Italian Nonna's best dessert. Delicious. 5/5 How to save on your supermarket shop THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop. You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they've been reduced. If the food is fresh, you'll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time. Making a list should also save you money, as you'll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket. Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too. This means ditching "finest" or "luxury" products and instead going for "own" or value" type of lines. Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they're misshapen or imperfect. For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50. If you're on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too. Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
Metro
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Much-loved UK theme park abandoned for nearly two years set to reopen
A theme park left abandoned for two years after being forced to close has revealed plans to reopen as an adventure park. Adventure Wonderland opened in Bournemouth in 1992, with rides and rollercoasters inspired by Alice in Wonderland. But the amusement park, between the coronavirus pandemic and the cost of living crisis, closed its outdoor rides in 2023. The indoor attractions, including the soft play area, followed the next year. Joining other closed-down parks like Pleasure Island in Cleethorpes and Flambards Theme Park in Helston. 'The current trading climate and steep increase in key costs across the board is not conducive to the existing theme park model,' the park said. The park, on Parley Lane in Hurn, wasn't going to be gone for good though. Organisers hinted that it might be back one year. And this year will be that year. Adventure Wonderland is set to relaunch as a smaller park with attractions such as go-karting, mini golf and a maze. Play zones, splash parks, a pedal tractor track and 'sensory gardens' will also be built. There will also be a café, shops and an 'immersive children's role-play attraction' called Discovery Village, according to the planning application seen by Metro. But the Alice in Wonderland maze will be 'at the heart' of the site, with most of the existing buildings being repurposed. Adventure Wonderland first announced the rebrand in September, with the website now saying it is 'closed for restructure'. An opening date has yet to be announced but the park hopes to welcome visitors this year. Adventure Wonderland began as a pick-your-own-fruit farm before becoming a theme park in the 1990s, welcoming 180,000 visitors a year. More Trending Children spun around in teacups, tore through the waters in the log flume and whizzed around in the rollercoasters featuring characters like Alice, the White Rabbit and the Queen of Hearts. Central to the relaunch will be supporting local charities, the planning application says. It notes it aims ''to create a site which is better adapted for use by the occupants of Merritown, Discovery Village and Diverse Abilities'. 'All of these tenants want to create sustainable spaces which focus on creative outdoor spaces which are stimulating environments with outdoor play, sensory gardens, water play, and utilise the existing external spaces and buildings on site,' it adds. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Ian Wright slams 'soft' Arsenal stars and makes prediction for PSG clash MORE: Huge UK theme park is scrapping entry fees – but you'll need to grab tickets fast MORE: Drayton Manor is offering free entry – you'll need to grab tickets fast
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Abandoned UK theme park set to reopen after huge transformation - with new rides and splash zones
A much-loved attraction in the UK that closed down in 2023 is getting a brand-new lease of life - and it's set to reopen later this year as a 'creative' and 'stimulating' adventure park. Adventure Wonderland, located right next to Bournemouth Airport, first opened in 1992 and quickly became a family favourite with its Alice in Wonderland themed rollercoasters and classic rides. But after more than 30 years of fun, rising costs forced the park to shut its outdoor attractions in 2022, and the indoor play area followed suit the year after. The theme park released a statement at the time, blaming 'the current trading climate' and 'steep increase in key costs across the board' for its closure. However, it appears previously-hinted plans for a downscaled attraction have now been put into action, and the park will reopen this year after undergoing a huge transformation. The park is set to relaunch as a smaller adventure park with attractions such as go-karting, mini golf, and a maze. There will also also be a café and shop opening as part of the site, which will continue to support local educational groups already based there. As most of the buildings are staying put and being repurposed instead of rebuilt, the park's remodelling is expected to be fairly quick. While there's no confirmed opening date yet, the plan is to have the attraction up and running later in 2025. The park took to its Instagram page in September 2024 with an update that reads: 'With the Alice in Wonderland maze at the heart, we are working on a lovely new concept with children's play areas, sensory and wildflower gardens and beautiful outdoor spaces for children and adults to enjoy quality time together.' As reported by the Mirror, a statement from the planning application said the goal is to 'create a site which is better adapted for use by the occupants of Merritown, Discovery Village and Diverse Abilities. 'All of these tenants want to create sustainable spaces which focus on creative outdoor spaces which are stimulating environments with outdoor play, sensory gardens, water play, and utilise the existing external spaces and buildings on site.' Originally a pick-your-own fruit farm, Adventure Wonderland expanded into a full-on theme park in the 1990s. At its peak, it welcomed around 180,000 visitors a year, and featured notable atmosphere characters such as Alice, the White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter, and rides like a rollercoaster, teacups and a log flume. In 2005, the park added 'Wild Thing' - a huge indoor play area that became a big hit with younger kids. The site's exciting reopening comes after Chessington World of Adventures announced it will be home to the first and only Paw Patrol-themed land. The new multi-million pound land will be Chessington's largest attraction for preschoolers. Set across 1.4 acres, it will feature four thrilling rides - including an entry-level 'My first rollercoaster' - as well as play areas, and interactive character 'meet and greet' events. Guests will also enjoy a dedicated food and beverage outlet and picnic space, plus a customised retail store. The Paw Patrol land will open in spring 2026, but kids don't need to wait until then to meet their favourite pups. Chase, Skye and Rubble will be at Chessington from this May, helping to oversee the construction of the new land.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
As the Devil May Cry anime soars up Netflix's most-watched list, the DmC games on Steam are getting a boost of up to 20 times the player count
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Netflix's new Devil May Cry anime has proven to be incredibly popular on the streaming service, making it to number four in the top ten global English-language shows. It also seems to have inspired people to go and play the games, as Devil May Cry 5 and more have seen a huge spike in players. The new anime follows game protagonist and half-demon Dante before we ever met him on consoles. In the show, he's a demon hunter for hire who has to save the world from a demonic invasion and the White Rabbit, a foe we only saw in the Devil May Cry 3 manga previously. So, this is a much younger Dante than we're used to. As spotted on ResetEra, the anime is only behind Arcane for the number of hours watched in its first week. It's even ahead of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and that show drew loads of people back to the sci-fi game, just like Devil May Cry is doing with, well, Devil May Cry. Since the show was released, the number of people playing Devil May Cry 5 on Steam has gotten about ten times higher. It's even pushed the game into the global top sellers, which is pretty impressive considering that's ranked by revenue and the game is currently 75% off. Other games in the series have benefitted too. The confusingly named DmC: Devil May Cry is up about five times its normal player count, and the HD Collection which contains 1, 2, and 3, is up more than 20 times what it was before the anime aired and even has a new all-time concurrent player peak. In Devil May Cry 5, you can control Dante, Nero, and a new character called V, so it's worth a go if you've not played anything from the series in a while. For more, check out our Devil May Cry review and our list of the best anime on Netflix if you'd like even more watching material.
