Entangled Pasts, 1768–now: Art, Colonialism and Change ★★★★ Royal Academy | Feb 3 - Apr 28, 2024


In the courtyard of Burlington House, Tavares Strachan's impressive sculpture, "The First Supper (Galaxy Black)" (2023) brilliantly announces this thought-provoking exhibition. It is an extraordinary work that provides the perfect introduction to what proves to be a moving meditation on imperial history. Entangled Pasts, 1768–now addresses some formidable and complex issues looking at race, colonialism, immigration and slavery. These subjects are viewed through a variety of lenses: chronology, a dialogue between works past and present, and the perspective of the Royal Academy's own history. Through ten galleries, the subjects are traced via three themes "Sites of Power," "Beauty & Difference" and "Crossing Waters." For the viewer the challenge is coping with the very scope of this show. The subject matter runs from the slave trade in the Caribbean through the colonial exploitation of India, and the timeline extends from the 18th century to the present day. It is almost too much to take in. Personally, we focussed on the fascinating contrasts set up between contemporary works and historical models. For us, the comparison of Kehinde Wiley's "Portrait of Kujuan Buggie" (2024) with Joshua Reynold's "Portrait of a Man" (c. 1770) set up a juxtaposition that reverberated throughout the show. Another challenge here is that so many works merit individual consideration. While they are enriched by the complicated contexts that are being set up, they can also seem overwhelmed by them. Our caveat for this exhibition is to give yourself lots of time and, perhaps, to consider making repeat visits as you seek to disentangle the subtly interwoven fabric of artistic reflections on British imperial history.

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Image: Installation view of the ‘Navigation Charts’ exhibition at Spike Island, Bristol, 2017, showing Lubaina Himid RA, Naming the Money, 2004. © Lubaina Himid. Image courtesy the artist, Hollybush Gardens, London and National Museums, Liverpool. © Spike Island, Bristol. Photo: Stuart Whipps

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD, UK

Most Popular

It Runs in the Family ★★★★ The Mill at Sonning | Feb 13 - Apr 12, 2025

Image
Ray Cooney's 1987 farce, It Runs in the Family , is still an audience pleaser. The absurd shenanigans of Dr David Mortimore as he tries to deliver an important lecture to his fellow neurologists, while simultaneously hiding from his wife the newly discovered 18-year-old son who is the result of a liaison with a former nurse at his hospital, still strikes the funny bone in 2025. Indeed, as things get more and more inane, the theatre echoes with laughter at the philanderer's plight and the ever more elaborate web of lies that he weaves. Human nature and its follies don't change or go out of fashion. The skewering of hypocrisy and the mad lengths to which dishonesty can go, are the staples of this comic genre, and Cooney manages to satisfyingly strike both notes in his light-hearted confection. For the cast and director, this kind of thing is all about timing, and Ron Aldridge gets the pacing just right while the actors nicely manage to walk the tightrope of always taking them...
Full Details »

Statues ★★★ Bush Theatre | Oct 9 - Nov 9, 2024

Image
Ostensibly about the relationship between English teacher, Yusuf, and his recently deceased father, Mustafa, Azan Ahmed's Statues actually presents that personal reality in a larger political context: the perception of men of Pakistani origin in British society and the heavy-handed behaviour of National security services. Only after his father's death does Yusuf learn that Mustafa once aspired to be a rap artist, ultimately retreating into himself and becoming a "statue" when that dream goes unrealised. Ironically, at the same time as he has this revelation, Yusuf, is teaching Hamlet (a character who notoriously had his own father issues), and he encounters a challenging young student who interprets Shakespeare's protagonist as a "radical." The teacher then makes a choice that has unexpected and unfortunate consequences for the student in question and creates a situation that actually parallels the experience of Yusuf's father. Azan Ahmed's work...
Full Details »

St. Martin in-the-fields: Lunchtime Concerts ★★★★ FREE

Image
Maybe the best musical value in London. The lunchtime concerts at St. Martin's are always a wonderful way to escape the hustle and bustle that is London and the sensory overload that is Trafalgar Square. This is a beautiful setting with great acoustics, and a church pew hard enough to make sure you don't nod off. Reviewed by J.C.  Our score:    ☆☆☆☆  WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE: Mon & Fri: 1 pm - 1:45 pm ( occasionally Tues & Thurs)  St. Martin in-the-fields, Trafalgar Square Nearest tube: Charing Cross https://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/whats-on
Full Details »

Howerd's End, Golden Goose Theatre - ★★★★★ - Until October 31, 2020

Image
Mark Farrelly's outstanding new play, Howerd's End , brings to life the humour and clandestine gay relationship of one of Britain's best loved comedians – Frankie Howerd. Author Farrelly also brilliantly plays Dennis Heymer, the man in Howerd's life for forty years, who here conjures up the ghost of the comic. It is made abundantly clear that enormous work went into Howerd's act with every tiny moment being predetermined; it is equally apparent that just as much work has gone into Simon Cartwright's wonderfully realistic assumption of the role. Each nuance is perfect without becoming a caricature. Helped by impeccable sound and lighting, and as directed by Joe Harmston, we are conducted through the two men's lives both on stage and off. Farrelly and Cartwright hold us enthralled from the moment Frankie's lugubrious face first peers around a corner to the sad ending which manages to avoid that 'tears of a clown' cliché. Howerd's nonconformist ...
Full Details »

Unicorn ★★★★ Garrick Theatre | Feb 4 - Apr 26, 2025

Image
An acting masterclass! Nicola Walker and Stephen Mangan are a long-time married couple who are now considering bringing a third person into their relationship. The premise is an interesting one, and Walker and Mangan take us through the stages of titillation, apprehension and negotiation with a humour and humanity that is both touching and challenging. They expose their characters' façades and vulnerabilities in a manner which is always engaging. Matching these two virtuoso performances and managing to hold her own when playing against this talented duo, Erin Doherty, as the wise-beyond-her-years "unicorn," also definitely deserves plaudits. She creates an intriguing and believable character. Mike Bartlett has written a play which explores a controversial and complex subject with extraordinary wit and insight. However, there are so many pithy remarks and sharp aphorisms delivered so quickly that one often doesn't have enough time to consider them. In fact, these peopl...
Full Details »

The Magic Flute ★★★★★ Wilton's Music Hall | Feb 25 - Mar 8, 2025

Image
Mozart in the jungle! This revival of Charles Court Opera's version of the composer's enigmatic classic is set in the Peruvian rainforest, and in this rendition of the epic quest a well-meaning Tamino is exploring that strange, new terrain. The production neatly maintains the integrity of the original work while also making a series of judicious emendations which allow it to run at about two hours including an interval. David Eaton's English translation of the lyrics is clever and captures all the fun of the original, while John Savournin's translation of the book deftly brings out Mozart's Enlightenment message. On the humorous side of the ledger, Matthew Kellett does a simply outstanding job as Papageno. He brings to the craven bird catcher not only a fine voice, but some wonderfully exaggerated acting chops and a not inconsiderable athleticism. Indeed, his search for a companion is in danger of stealing the show from Martins Smaukstelis' restrained and earnes...
Full Details »

Outlying Islands ★★★★★ Jermyn Street Theatre | Feb 6 - Mar 15, 2025

Image
When young ornithologist, John, falls through the door of an abandoned chapel on an uninhabited island in the Outer Hebrides, he actually tumbles into a complex world that will test both his conventional moral values and his belief system. On this ostensibly "scientific" sojourn intended to catalogue the birdlife of the island, he is accompanied by his fellow ornithologist and super-nerd Robert. The latter represents a dispassionate, scientific approach to life that is often humorous, and he curiously finds common ground with Ellen, the niece of the island's owner, who is significantly named Kirk. While the latter represents the judgmental, religious ethos of society, his niece comes to embody the pagan, passionate and artistic side of life. Robert accepts his immediate animal attraction to Ellen. John, on the other hand, is torn between his desire for her and his conventional conservative upbringing. While Robert's rational, amoral and scientific approach to sexualit...
Full Details »

The Last Laugh ★★★★ Noël Coward Theatre | Feb 25 - Mar 22, 2025

Image
While apparently waiting to go on stage, three funny men from Britain's golden age of comedy share jibes, insights and memories. This is a show that is laden with nostalgia, but it also works for those who are not familiar with the work of Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse. The jokes still draw gales of laughter, and the personifications of the trio by Damian Williams, Bob Golding and Simon Cartwright are magical. Each of them display a slick professionalism and a near-perfect comic timing as they bring to life their popular personae who have a well-deserved place in the public imagination. Their discussions about the nature of comedy, their varying degrees of self-awareness and their deep commitment to the curious career they have chosen become fascinating. The talk ranges from what constitutes humour to the sense of personal fulfilment they derive from making others laugh, and it is all laced with sharp and silly sallies, old and new. From the meticulous, almost peda...
Full Details »

The Marriage of Figaro ★★★★ London Coliseum | February 5 - 22, 2025

Image
As soon as any lover of farce sees the four doors that dominate Johannes Schütz's set, they know they are in for a good time, and Joe Hill-Gibbins’ production of The Marriage of Figaro doesn't disappoint. It wonderfully captures the comic spirit of Mozart's masterpiece. It is light, frothy and delightfully silly. It also has a particularly strong cast. David Ireland is in fine form as the rascally Figaro, and Mary Bevan is a charmingly artful Susanna. However, it is Nardus Williams as the Countess who absolutely dominates the stage whenever she appears. Her voice is simply extraordinary, and her two arias are definitely the high points of the evening. Also, contributing to the fun and displaying considerable vocal talents, as well as some slick dance moves, is Hanna Hipp as the infatuated Cherubino. Full marks also to US baritone Cody Quattlebaum as the lascivious and ultimately outwitted Count. Unfortunately, Johannes Schütz’s set which at first appears so clever later b...
Full Details »

The Bowie Show ★★★ Lyric Theatre | February 10, 2025 & UK Tour

Image
The Bowie Show covers over twenty of the star's legendary songs, and it is not so much a tribute show as an attempt to create a rock concert experience. Indeed, the audience etiquette is definitely the latter. Loud talking, open mobile phones and walking about during the performance are all part of the ambience. The music itself is blasted out without attempting to achieve any of the nuance that characterises some of Bowie's work, and unfortunately the words are often lost in the cacophony. The experience features three singers, eight dancers and a five-piece band, plus some superb video work. In fact, it is the videography that carries, and almost steals, the show. The choreography is fun and nicely inventive while also clearly referencing the era. The costuming is terrific in numbers such as "China Girl" and then just becomes weirdly distracting on other occasions. There were some moments that hit the mark like "Rebel Rebel" and others that missed it like...
Full Details »

The City Life Magazine | Reviews & Ratings