Sophie Duncan

Review: HAMLET, National Theatre “Suit the action to the word, the word to the action.” Given the National Theatre’s history with one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, a new production of Hamlet is a natural fit in Indhu Rubasingha...

www.broadwayworld.com/westend/arti... Hamlet National Theatre review.

Thank you so much! Xx

A glorious new Hamlet at the National. Never seen a more heartbreaking portrayal than Hiran Abeysekera’s. With Francesca Mills’ Ophelia at least as affecting. Whole cast impeccable & beautifully staged. Absolute privilege to be there tonight.

We just had the last preview of Hamlet. The best show by the best writer with the best gang in the best place. Angel of a director, gorgeous design and music. Sensational cast. If you’re wise you’ll book soon.

I am working on it so obviously I’m biased, but — yes! I think it’s fantastic & audiences seem to agree so far!

Hello lovely new followers. Glad you’re here. On my way home to wife and sleepy baby post preview FOUR of Hamlet. Noting the show a different vibe when amongst normal audience in row E not the team in back row.

Bacchae at the National Theatre – review Indhu Rubasingham’s first production as director of the National plays on the Olivier stage until 1 November

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ www.whatsonstage.com/news/bacchae...

BREAKING: The police have confirmed they won't be charging any of the violent far-right rioters with terrorism because they only do that for grandmas in wheelchairs who hold up signs they don't like ♥️

The Telegraph protecting the white working class

Didn’t you call them chavs and yobs for 20 years until you realised you could ventriloquise your posh-boy racism through them?

I do think mine is the peak of babies, but I am extremely soppy about them in general. Absolute superstars & sometimes with fellow NICU babies you see them every single day for weeks or months which is a strange and intense thing.

God I love babies. And there’s a particular joy in another mum excitedly shouting “she’s got so LONG” at you while you’re cooing “how’s my gorgeous boy?” at her little chap. And seeing who’s crawling! Who’s sitting! Who’s off the NG or the oxygen! Who’s beaming! They’re masterpieces.

Today we had our monthly post-NICU group at the JR, in which the baby favoured the OT with gorgeous smiles & we saw how big the baby’s lcomrades are getting. She is too, she is LONG & round. A nice thing about having a baby is hanging out with babies, if, like me, you’re a fool for babies.

Which brings us to migration.

Oh, you don't like it? Tsk, what a shame, because the only other option is 4: make a decision to stop all nursing care and pensions. That means for you too, when you're 83. In the meantime you have to give up work to be an unpaid carer for nana.

Also consider this: the ratio of workers-to-pensioners is falling every year as birth rates drop.

1985: 4:1 (4 workers for every pensioner)
Now: 3.2:1
2050: 2:1

By 2050 half your income will pay somebody else's pension. Add police, education, etc, and basic tax will need to be 65% at least.

A word on immigration. Don't prejudge this, just listen to the data, and then consider what the solution is.

The UK has a falling birth rate. This means that - unless things change - each generation will be 25% smaller than the one before.

This is a good idea as I have never seen it!

I am in a sardine tin of 2 carriage awful but we are in a train now. A different one. Fffff.

I had a nice day until my train broke down!!

I may be biased but Hamlet dir Rob Hastie is going to be sensational. Lyttelton theatre. I’ve had a nice day today.

Placards in Dean reading "Fascists not welcome here" and "Vance stop funding genocide"

Placard in Dean reading "Vance you are not welcome"

Placard in Dean reading "Vance go home"

Residents of Dean have erected placards protesting against the arrival of American vice-president J.D. Vance in the tiny West Oxfordshire village. They say that they are “extremely angry”, but that the police presence which has sealed off the village has made a “proper protest” impossible.

My personal entrails will never warm again, thanks

Nick?

It is very nice to be in rehearsals and it’s also very nice to snuggle a spherical baby who has learned to make a variety of appreciative noises (at the lampshade).

yes I am trapped under a sleeping baby why do you ask

A womenswear version of Derek Guy would rock. I have been thinking A LOT about jeans lately as I now own two good pairs, one of which Levi’s has stopped making and one of which used to belong to my mum!

still thinking about the Montana knife maker who said you don't have to worry about tariffs if you buy american. and then three months later, he realized he imports swedish steel and german equipment. and even MiUSA equipment costs $100k more now because of tariffs

I find this sort of thing so funny

Yesterday, I saw a designer cut a calico toile into shape, freehand, while said toile was being worn by an actor. I think this is basically magic.

Finished re-reading A Fairly Honourable Defeat yesterday. Started re-reading it again today. If anyone has any good current fiction recs I would welcome them, as do feel I should read more of that. Instead of just fully obsessing (but Simon and Axel!!!! argh)

Every rich person is going to tell *you* how great AI teaching is while sending *their* kids to the kind of schooling the Ancient Greeks would recognize. I just wish everyone would think about why that is.