Entertainment

By Emma Silverthorn @HouseOf_Gazelle The cast and crew of Unbroken couldn’t be much more stellar; with Angela Jolie directing, the Coen brothers adapting Lauren Hilldenbrand’s memoir of Louis Zamperini’s life into the screenplay, and the exceptional Jack O’Connell in lead. O’Connell lives up to the hype that’s been surrounding him of late, and though he’s received some critical acknowledgement since 2007’s Skins, this is surely his breakthrough role. The film doesn’t disappoint in terms of delivering a gripping, emotive and...

By Will Bateman, Music Reporter After releasing 2001’s genre defining Is This It? with The Strokes Julian Casablancas has struggled to match its impact, and more importantly appeared to struggle with his own artistic satisfaction with their output. His first solo outing, the synth-pop heavy Phrazes for The Young seemed to be a move in the direction of creative freedom, but even then struggled with the powers that be. Expressing in hindsight a lack of gratification stating he’d wanted to...

By Harry Bedford, Music editor @TLE_Entertain Famed musical collective and electronic sound pioneers Radiophonic Workshop, best known for defining the use of sound effects and pioneering sound design across popular TV, film and music over the past 50 years, release new material through Society of Sound, an online music platform from British audio innovator and manufacturer Bowers & Wilkins. Having come to recognition as the founding members of the BBC’s world famous electronic music department (BBC Radiophonic Workshop), the group...

By Jack Peat, Editor of The London Economic  At the back of Turnham Green tube station is one of those cultural gems that reaffirms your choice to live in the cramped, hectic and pricey urban sprawl that is London. The Tabard Theatre lies above the Tabard Pub in Chiswick and has developed a good reputation in its short history for new writing with in-house shows enjoying success on the West End and on the national circuit. On a chance Saturday...

By Thom James thomjames.info @thxmjames On July 24th, I became friends with most celebrated, controversial copycat poet of the last few decades, perhaps even history. And when I say ‘friends’, I actually mean that we became friends on Facebook. We had 16 mutual friends. That’s probably risen by one or two by now. Three if he’s lucky. I sent him an emoticon on chat. He read it an hour later. This is the kind of thing I do. I somehow come...

By Will Bateman Jamie T submerged from the London streets in 2007 as a scruffy, gap-toothed,Kronenbourg-swigging street-poet with Panic Prevention. After 5 long years of excruciating silence after 2009’s Kings and Queens, he takes to the stage to a sold-out Alexandra Palace to promote the recent release of his reflective and matured third album Carry On The Grudge. Diving straight in with album opener ‘Limit’s Lie’, and met with a roar applause and relief from a 10,000 strong crowd of...

By Harry Bedford, Music Editor Folk music has been around forever. It touches the soul in ways that soul music could only dream of. Through the greats such as Woody Gutherie, Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger, but also through the ordinary man, folk music is humane music in its purest form. It’s about life. The good, the bad, the happy, the sad, the rough times and the joyous times. Bellowhead are a folk band very much concerned with the joyous...

By Isla Watton and Holly Carter Guests were greeted at the Dominion Theatre on Wednesday night by a shower of fake snow pouring out of the front of the building. This festive display perfectly established the mood for the evening ahead. Set in the 1950s, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas follows the story of Phil Davis (Tom Chambers) and Bob Wallis (Aled Jones), two ex-army pals with a flair for putting on a good show, who now work as successful entertainers....

Mirrorcity – London Artists on Fiction and reality. By Isla Watton, Arts Reporter In early October a council painted over some allegedly racist graffiti. This standard procedure on the streets of Clacton-on-Sea hurled Tendring District Council into the national spotlight and set the fingers of arts critics and bloggers ablaze as it emerged that what had actually been removed was a satirical and valuable Banksy painting. Perhaps on this occasion fiction sat a little too close to home and some...