‘The Goes Wrong Show’ Matthew Stothard A multilingual WWII codebreaker played by an actress who can only speak English, a deer who misses his cue and a whole set rotated by ninety degrees. If that all sounds weird and random, it’s because it is, but it is pulled off brilliantly by Mischief Theatre, the creators…
Board Games
The Game of Life When my family and I fancy an afternoon playing a board game, we usually reach for The Game of Life. It’s fun, easy, and absolutely hilarious when someone lands on a spot and has to give up all their money (it’s usually the sore loser among the group). The Game of…
Games of the Year
Animal Crossing: New Horizons It seems almost impossible to write about the top games of 2020 without mentioning Animal Crossing! The seemingly perfect timing of the game’s release as most of the world was in, or heading into, nationwide lockdowns was probably one of the greatest accidental marketing strategies of all time. The game instantly…
Venue’s albums of the year
Phoenix by Dirty Loops Sam Gardham Dirty Loops have been described as a muso’s wet dream. From Sweden, the three members – singer and pianist Jonah Nilsson, bassist Henrik Linder, drummer Aron Mellergård – are virtuosic classical and jazz-trained pop musicians. Phoenix, their first album since 2014’s Loopified, has been a while in the making…
Favourite Games of All Time
Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors Maybe describing 999 as my favourite game of all time is a bit of an underestimation. It’s way more than that: it’s my favourite story of all time as well. The premise is SAW-like and simple: you play as Junpei, you’re stuck with eight other people on a ship…
The Best Of…
Science-Fiction Matthew Stothard There is a simple reason that ‘Doctor Who’ is the best science-fiction programme: the core concept is genius. By introducing space and time travel and only having a few core characters, it becomes a show of infinite possibility, which can reach into all genres of television. You want emotional drama? ‘Doctor Who’…
Favourite Recent Singles
Travis Scott feat. Young Thug & M.I.A. – FRANCHISE Jake Walker-Charles “FRANCHISE” by Travis Scott, Young Thug and M.I.A is a stand-out track. These artists, who have approximately fourteen US top 10 hits between them, have all been known to push stylistic boundaries. Their unique vocal performances give the song depth and dimension, whilst still…
What have you been playing this week?
Imagine Takeshi’s Castle meets Total Wipeout but with enough people to fill a lecture theatre. That’s Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout. And it’s ludicrous fun. You play as a colourful little bean person (that you can put in outfits! Mine is dressed like a dinosaur!) taking part in “shows”: a series of different games and challenges,…
Poll: Public lacks confidence in the government’s aid for the arts
In a statement, culture secretary Oliver Dowden described the arts as “the soul of our nation.” The arts have huge cultural significance in this country but are also vital economically – the creative sector has grown at twice the rate of the national economy in the last decade. The arts also promote mental health and…
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