#OscarsSoDiverse
The 2017 awards season marks a change for the Oscars, which are considerably more diverse in their nominations this year.
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Joe Irwin
In Praise of Amy Adams
Amy Adams is at the peak of her dramatic powers. She is currently starring in two of this year’s most talked-about motion pictures. And with awards season on the horizon, she is already an early front-runner for this year’s Academy Award for Best Actress. Although arguably the most consistent actress...
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Christmas songs: what makes them so bad?
It’s that time of year again. I say that; it’s been that time of the year since late September. It took a break around the end-of-October-beginning-of-November period. But, now it’s back and won’t go away until half-way through January. Of course, you all know what I’m talking about. It’s the...
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“Inventive and stirring”: Review of WUDS’ As You Like It
WUDS has achieved an admirable feat in its staging of Shakespeare’s complex comedy. This production is situated within an inventive new devised context and fortified with strong performances, a vibrant original score and stylish choreography. The play begins in the corrupt court, a post-apocalyptic community governed by violence and terror...
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A new era for British tennis
For the first time in history, both the ATP and WTA tours have had a British player in the top ten. Joe Irwin reports on a new era for British tennis.
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MISSING from BBC’s top 100 films of the 21st century
BIRDMAN Film is something I have had a long love affair with. At age 12 my cinema education began with the list of films my dad had long been waiting to show me, and from that moment my adoration of good cinema was instilled. I have seen a lot of...
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Victoria Wood: A tribute
Victoria Wood was an incredibly versatile and multi-talented artist whose inimitable wit and boundless warmth infused our lives with the joyful reassurance that we weren’t the only ones who hadn’t figured it all out yet. She was a comedian, dramatist, composer, singer and actress with a creative output that transcended...
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The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
I know this isn’t the most original choice. It’s probably the most performed, oft-quoted and well-known work in the Shakespearean canon, and a literature student coming out and confessing that Hamlet is their favourite Shakespeare play is barely a revelation. But, however predictable, this play is considered by many as the greatest piece...
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Keeping the BAFTAs diverse
The nominations for the 62nd British Academy Television Awards are out and it’s a pretty eclectic mix. Black, white, gay, straight, rising star or national treasure – it seems everyone has been invited to this party. Of course, diversity is never a bad thing. But combine the diversification of this...
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In defence of Maria Sharapova
Careless ignorance or calculated risk? Joe Irwin believes that Maria Sharapova's positive drug test is not as damning as it appears
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The Night Manager: A Refreshing Update of the Spy Drama
The final episode of The Night Manager is soon to air on BBC1 and I feel it is my duty to urge each and every one of you to take your virtual selves to iPlayer, binge-watch the first five episodes and join me, this Sunday, on the edge of my...
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Review: The RSC presents Arthur Miller’s ‘Death of a Salesman’
Artistic Director, Gregory Doran and British theatre titans, Antony Sher and Harriet Walter reunite to produce one of the most moving and relatable productions of Arthur Miller or any other playwright you will see this year. There’s something about Death of a Salesman that separates it from the rest of...
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Arthur Miller hits 100!
Theatres and audiences alike have rediscovered their love for one of America’s greatest playwrights – and just in time for his centenary. Over the last twelve months, with three of England’s most popular and reputable theatre companies choosing to revive some of his most influential works, Arthur Miller seems to...
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