Simon Russell Beale goes on pointe, a plea to concert-goers and former culture secretary Lord Smith talks cuts
Simon Russell Beale debuts with the Royal Ballet
The world awaits the arrival of Lauren Cuthbertson as Alice, the star of Christopher Wheeldon and Joby Talbot's new two-act work for the Royal Ballet, which premieres on 28 February. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Actually, the world awaits with breath that is equally bated the debut of Simon Russell Beale on the ballet stage. In Alice, he'll be dancing the childcare disaster-zone that is the Duchess ? the narrator, in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, of the immortal lines: "Speak roughly to your little boy/ And beat him when he sneezes/ He only does it to annoy/ Because he knows it teases."
It was, according to Nicholas Hytner, the National theatre's artistic director, Russell Beale's bravura comic performance last year in London Assurance that got him his first part on the stage once graced by Nureyev. In Boucicault's thigh-slapping farce, he got to do some spirited pirouetting as the foppish Sir Harcourt Courtly opposite Fiona Shaw's Lady Gay Spanker. According to Hytner, "Chris had cast him by the end of the first-night party." The balletic workout, Hytner added, has apparently caused Russell Beale to lose a mighty three stone. "Sweated off," he said.
(Don't) Rattle your jewellery
Aside from the opening of Frankenstein at the National theatre, the cultural week in London is dominated by the visit of the Berlin Philharmonic. Having seen half the concerts in Berlin last week and catching up with the rest here, I have a home truth to impart: UK audiences are rubbish. In Berlin's Philharmonie, you get the feeling people would rather impale themselves on their Mahler box sets than clear their throat in a concert; I received an incredibly stern Teutonic telling-off for turning the page of my programme. At the Barbican on Monday, the hall was alive with the sound of a thousand coughs delivered over the delicate pianissimos of the Adagio of Mahler Four, and a special performance from the lady in stalls seat S62, whose gold bangles deafeningly clashed together to provide unscored percussion.
Lord Smith on cuts
Lord Smith, the former culture secretary, makes a speech tonight at St Ethelburga's, London ? the first of a series called What Is the Point of Art Now?, organised by the theatre company Jericho House. Smith will urge the incumbent, Jeremy Hunt, to "lay the groundwork" for pushing the Treasury to reform the tax system in favour of getting more and simpler tax relief for those who donate money to cultural causes. "I am all in favour of the government's push to encourage philanthropy, but people won't give out of the kindness of their hearts," he said. He is also extremely worried, he said, by arts funding cuts by local authorities. Back in his days as culture secretary, the idea of placing a statutory responsibility on local authorities to fund culture was "thought long and hard about" ? and, in the end, rejected. "I believe it is worth looking at it again," Smith said. "Local authorities have a responsibility towards the wellbeing of their communities, and the arts are part of that."
ipod touch ipod touch 16gb ipod touch 2nd generation ipod touch 32 gb
No comments:
Post a Comment