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Wood & Vale - Text only page News Squatters move into Stroud Green houseSQUATTERS have taken over a three-storey council house after the authority left it empty for a year. Fed-up residents have blamed Haringey Council for neglecting the three-bedroom, family-sized home in Nelson Road, Stroud Green, and leaving... Councillors 'in dark' over NHS cutsRhiannon Evans Councillors are asking why they were kept in the dark over changes which have meant thousands of families being deprived of regular health visits. NHS Haringey s health visiting service stopped providing a universal service in July 2008,... Muswell Hill woman, 93, targeted by burglarsELDERLY residents are being warned to be wary of unknown visitors after a 93-year-old Muswell Hill woman was targeted by distraction burglars. Despite a fall in the number of distraction burglaries, police are reminding residents to beware... Whittington health chiefs grilled at heated A&E meetingHEALTH chiefs last night refused to reassure residents that the Whittington A&E department would be spared from closure if there was an overwhelmingly negative response to their consultation. Hundreds of residents packed Greig City Academy in Hornsey last... Plans for phone mast near Muswell Hill schoolA PHONE mast could be built within 400 metres of a Muswell Hill school and scores of homes. Plans have been submitted to put a base station and six 1.1m antennas on the top of 77 Muswell Hill. It would be directly opposite Muswell Hill primary and the L... Teenager stabbed in Hornsey streetA TEENAGER is critical but stable after he was stabbed in Hornsey. Haringey police were called to Hornsey High Street on Sunday at around 7.30pm, after reports of an altercation near the junction with Campsbourne Road. The teen was taken to a hospital in... Campaign for more school funds say MPsTEACHERS, pupils and parents across Haringey should lobby the government for an extra £1,000 per pupil to correct the current funding deficit, leading community figures have urged. An imminent government consultation will review school fu... Auditions underway for talent show that could make you a starTHE first auditions are already underway for the talent show which could see one very talented performer being set on the path to international stardom. By the middle of May one very talented person will have the music world at their feet as their first p... Police searching for Fortis Green pensioner find a bodyPOLICE searching for missing Fortis Green pensioner have discovered a body in Hampshire. A police spokeswoman said the body was found in the Hampshire area in a canal on Saturday. She said: We believe the deceased to be Mr Gelsomino Ronchetti, who went m... March to save Whittington A&E draws 5,000 protestersMORE than 5,000 people marched through north London this weekend to send a clear message to health chiefs – hands off the Whittington A&E. Protesters of all political persuasions and walks of life took part in Saturday's march to save the Whittington A&E.... Letters WHITTINGTON PROPOSALS: My family is indebted to hospitalThe march on the Whittington was supported by local and national organisations and members of the public, and was very well attended. The MP for Islington gave an impassioned plea to fight against the closure. Haringey residents were reminded that a few... WHITTINGTON PROPOSALS: Let's end these secret dealSThe Green Party supports the Defend Whittington Hospital campaign because we believe in local provision of public services. We are also the only elected political party in Camden that supports the Keep the NHS Public campaign. Labour, Conservatives and Li... Reminder: Freedom Pass is nearing its deadlineYour readers may have read recently how the council has renewed its waste and recycling contract. It was a tough tendering process and we drove a hard deal in order to obtain the best value for money possible for the taxpayer. But we have not skimped on... WHITTINGTON PROTEST: Hospital's role in local historyThe Lord Mayor will next month lead a chaingang of London Mayors in marching in the footsteps of Dick Whittington from Whittington Hospital to Mansion House in time honoured fashion. This year of course the occasion will be tinged with sadness as inevita... WHITTINGTON PROTEST: Thank God the A&E was so closeI wish to add my protest against the impending closure of the A&E at the Whittington Hospital. I do so as a father of a daughter who has been rushed to the A&E three times with very severe asthma and if it had not been for the proximity of that A&E on one... IDENTITY REGISTER DEBATE: freedom has a hollow ringIN 1939 Hitler came out of a meeting in Munich, crossed the road and shook six people by the hand. My Tutor at Cambridge was one of those six. Little did Hitler know that he was shaking the hand of the young history student, Hinsley, who was the first to... IDENTITY REGISTER DEBATE: a wake-up call to readersStephen Taylor s article (Every move you make, they ll be watching you, H&H February 11) should be a wake-up call to your readers. Levels of state surveillance and interference are now disturbingly high; we all must fight Transformational Government and t... IDENTITY REGISTER DEBATE: sinister desire to regulate livesStephen Taylor raises important issues in his expose of this government s attempts to ensnare us all in their data-trafficking web. One that few have considered is how women will be affected by this sinister desire to regulate every aspect of our lives.... IDENTITY REGISTER DEBATE: Stephen Taylor is not paranoidToday I ve been made aware that Stephen Taylor is not paranoid. When completing the form for the Older Persons Freedom Pass, applicants sign this declaration: I understand that my information may be shared with other organisations (for example, other lo... IDENTITY DEBATE: Legislation must be repealedThanks to the Ham&High for the publicity given to the sinister multi-layered identity management system constructed by this government. Once more it has shown up the national press who have failed, with one or two notable exceptions, to take these issues... Sport Confidence not a problem: Nicklas Bendtner ends the week on topIT TAKES more than a few missed chances to get Mr Confident down. Nicklas Bendtner spurned a glut of gilt-edged opportunities against Burnley s porous defence last Saturday – a worrying profligacy that would have more harshly punished by better teams th... We can still improve, says cautious Arsene Wenger after Porto thrasingARSENE Wenger says his side must continue to improve and eradicate any weak moments after seeing them dismantle Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday night, writes Jem Maidment. The Gunners secured a place in the last eight for the third successive y... Arsenal memories...2000: Do you want Van Nistelrooy?2000: PSV Eindhoven said they were growing tired at waiting for Arsenal to make a bid for their £20m-rated striker Ruud van Nistelrooy. Harry van Raaig, PSV s chairman, said: We cannot wait much longer. They have another four weeks. If they don t make t... Arsenal memories: FA set Wembley date for derby semi-finalThis week in….1991 The FA confirmed Arsenal's FA Cup clash with Spurs would be played at Wembley – the first time the national stadium had ever hosted a semi final. We saw no merit in sending people up the motorway again when Wembley could stage the even... Arsenal memories: Woodcock sinks Hammers in 1986This week in…1986 Tony Woodcock scored a controversial winner as Arsenal beat West Ham 1-0 at Highbury in front of 31,240. The England striker appeared to handle the ball before firing past Phil Parkes and afterwards he admitted: It did touch my hand,... Exclusive: Ramsey horror brings memories flooding back for ex-Arsenal starAaron Ramsey s shocking leg break at Stoke last Saturday evening brought back some unwelcome memories for Arsenal legend Don Howe. It was 44 years ago tomorrow – March 5, 1966 – when the blond-haired fullback flew into a tackle with Blackpool goalkeeper T... Arsenal fans plan banner tribute to stricken Aaron RamseyARSENAL fans plan to unfurl a large banner in support of Aaron Ramsey at Saturday's home game with Burnley, writes Jem Maidment. Supporters group REDAction ordered the 18ft by 15ft tribute after the Wales international midfielder suffered his double leg... Arsenal memories - 2003: Bookies pay out early on ArsenalThis week in….2003 Paddy Power, the Irish bookmakers, declared Arsenal as Premiership champions. They confirmed they would pay out on all bets on Arsene Wenger s team. We are taking a risk here, but this is what betting should all be about, a spokesman... Arsenal memories...1995: Bad break for SeamanThis week in…1995 David Seaman broke a rib for the third time in 10 months and was forced to watch as Arsenal slipped to a 1-0 home defeat to West Ham. It is a severe blow, but we are going to take it day by day with him. There is no cure, only rest, sa... Arsenal memories...1988: Dixon move is offThis week in…1988 Kerry Dixon confirmed he would stay at Chelsea after a move to Arsenal fell through at the 11th hour. West Ham wanted to take him to East London but he rejected their approach to set up a move to Highbury – before Chelsea chairman Ken Ba... Udal's men seek first four-day winMiddlesex 153 & 233 Gloucestershire 342 & 45-1 MIDDLESEX remain slumped near the foot of the County Championship table after a crushing defeat against Gloucestershire at Bristol last week, writes Simon Jackson. The nine-wicket setback means Shaun... Chris Silverwood: Our big wake-up callLAST week s nine-wicket County Championship defeat against leaders Gloucestershire at Bristol was a wake-up call for all of us. If I am brutally honest we were outplayed in all departments. The only shining light was the performance of David Burton, who t... EXCLUSIVE: Chris Silverwood on the season's aimsWE return to County Championship action on Saturday with a trip to Chelmsford to face Essex still looking for our first league win of the season. We drew our first three league games, against Glamorgan, Leicestershire and Surrey, but I ll settle for that... CHRIS SILVERWOOD: A great finish - but third isn't good enoughWHAT a great finale. We followed up last week s excellent victory over promoted Worcestershire with a 93-run victory against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road in the last County Championship match on Saturday. And for the second successive year we ve finis... Texan billionaire swoops into Lord's and sets up world's richest challengeA TEXAN billionaire landed his helicopter on the sacred pitch at Lord s on Wednesday and brought some of football s buzz and bling to cricket. Sir Allen Stanford (pictured) stepped off his chopper at the home of cricket to launch Stanford Twenty20 for 20... Aussie is knocked for six by warmth of Lord's welcomeNOT only is Keith Bradshaw the first foreigner to be chief executive of the quintessentially English Marylebone Cricket Club, he is also an Australian – the bitter arch enemies of England s national cricket team. So you would be forgiven for thinking he h... Ellie gets it spot onPetts Wood 1 Hampstead Women 2 A last-minute goal from Ellie Bard helped Hampstead Women progress to the Russell Cup quarter-finals on Sunday. The visitors took the lead when Val Toro s cross was met by Claire Arnold to head home at the near post. The l... Hampstead rack up sixHampstead Under-14s continued their impressive form in the Harrow Youth League at the weekend with a 6-1 victory over Pinnstars. The under-10 A team went top of the league with a 4-1 win over Harrow St Mary s while the under-12s beat Wealdstone 6-3 and th... Spurs v Arsenal clash named as Premier League game of the decadeTop football commentator John Mottie Motson has highlighted a North London derby as his top Premier League match of the decade. In today s Daily Mail, the legendary BBC commentator list his 10 favourite games of the decade. England s 5-1 win in Munich a... KELLY SMITH: Arsenal Ladies striker speaks exclusively to Ham&Highby Jem Maidment FOR a side who recently chalked up their 100th consecutive Premier League game without defeat, there remains an air of despondency around Arsenal s outstanding ladies side. Losing heavily, 6-0 at Swedish side Umea IK in the last 16 of the Uefa Women s Cup... Jem Maidment analyses Arsenal's 'top of the league' financial positionRecession? What recession? Britain s shrinking manufacturing industry, City institutions and small businesses may be bracing themselves for financially lean times ahead, but Arsenal are truly bucking the trend. Success on the pitch, at least regarding pot... EXCLUSIVE: Terry Neill's love affair with Arsenal and HullArsenal may be his first love, but Hull City, the next visitors to The Emirates Stadium, will always hold a special place in the heart of Terry Neill. The Northern Irishman is the only person to have managed the two clubs and remains, nearly 40 years on,... Modric a danger to England's World Cup hopes - WoodgateJONATHAN Woodgate has picked out Tottenham team-mate Luka Modric as Croatia s danger man ahead of England s vital World Cup qualifier on Wednesday. Woodgate, who was surprisingly overlooked by Fabio Capello for both Saturday s trip to Andorra and in Croat... Camden's silver liningCAMDEN S Alex Tofalides captained the British Cadet Men s Foil fencing team to silver at the European Cadet Championships in Athens last week. Tofalides, a 16-year-old University College School student, also finished in the top eight out of 200 fencers fr... Keothavong: I will fight backCUMBERLAND'S Anne Keothavong has vowed to fight on after Tuesday s traumatic first round defeat at Wimbledon. The British No.1 had a set point at 5-3 in the opening set against the lower ranked Patricia Mayr of Austria but then suffered a total collapse,... Keothavong makes historic leap into semi-finalsCUMBERLAND'S Anne Keothavong became the first British woman since Jo Durie in 1983 to reach the semi-finals of a WTA Tour clay-court event by winning in Warsaw, writes PATRICK MOONEY. Keothavong, the British No.1, crushed Ioana Raluca Olaru 6-0, 6-1 and... 23,000 see Arsenal Ladies edge FA Cup Final victory over SunderlandArsenal Ladies won their fourth successive FA Cup on Monday with a 2-1 win over Sunderland in the final at Derby s Pride Park. Katie Chapman gave the Gunners a 32nd minute lead and Kim Little added the all-important second in injury time in front of an imp... Tottenham fans mourn death of cup winner Jimmy NeighbourFORMER Spur Jimmy Neighbour, part of the Lilywhites 1971 League Cup winning team, died of a heart attack at a Buckhurst Hill hospital on Saturday. At the time of his death Neighbour, 58, had been recovering from a recent hip replacement operation. The Ch... Anne Keothavong bursts into world Top 50 after reaching semisCUMBERLAND S Anne Keothavong has burst into the world s top 50 after her semi-final loss to Caroline Wozniacki in Tennessee at the weekend. Keothavong is up to 48th place in the world rankings despite failing to reach the final of the Cellular South Cup i... Two golds for Bradley - now he can't wait for London 2012MAIDA Vale cyclist Bradley Wiggins was still celebrating this week despite failing to become the first British athlete in 80 years to bag a hat-trick of Olympic golds. The 28-year-old finished up with a brace of gold medals in Beijing after his successes... Harriet, 11, becomes yongest-ever winner of women's finalHarriet Dart became the youngest winner of the Cumberland women s title when she beat Gemma O Donoghue in straight sets on Saturday. Dart, 11, the British No.4 in her age group, lived up to her top seeding, winning 6-3, 6-1. Dart also reached the final... MCC prepared to mount underground mission at Lord'sMiguel Cullen The MCC is considering using underground rail tunnels beneath the hallowed Lord s turf to house cricket nets. Two disused Underground tunnels, once used by the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines, could now be put to a different use, if a deal b... Spurs to get official reception but victory parade looks unlikelySpurs fans will be given several chances to get even closer to the Carling Cup following Sunday s epic 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Wembley. The trophy will be displayed at the Spurs Megastore on Tottenham High Road this weekend and will also be shown off... Hampstead hit the cup trailHampstead & Westminster booked their place in the semi-finals of the EHL Cup with a convincing victory over Old Loughtonians on Sunday. Facing a team from the division below them, H&W had it all to lose but put in a solid all-round performance to take the... UCS blow it at the deathUCS Old Boys 16 Chiswick 25 UCS saw their promotion hopes dashed by a late Chiswick try on Saturday. Despite leading 16-15 with 15 minutes remaining, the Old Boys conceded a late try and penalty to give the visitors a vital victory. The loss sees UCS drop... Wasps are a fly in the ointmentWasps Amateurs 24 Hendon 12 Hendon failed to capitalise on their dominance as they slipped to defeat in their Herts/Middlesex League One match against Wasps Amateurs. The visitors controlled much of the game but saw two efforts held-up over the try-line... Belsize lose their cool but turn up the heatOld Isleworthians 8 Belsize Park 53 Belsize Park ran in nine tries as they overcame ill discipline to beat Old Isleworthians. The visitors suffered two successive yellow cards late in the first half to leave them down to 13 men for a short period...... Sam again please as Rovers returnSPURS have the perfect opportunity to put the pressure on their rivals this weekend – they are first up on Saturday, and they could not ask for a kinder fixture. Blackburn are far from the worst team in the division, and they currently sit 10 points clear... Sam again please as Rovers returnSPURS have the perfect opportunity to put the pressure on their rivals this weekend – they are first up on Saturday, and they could not ask for a kinder fixture. Blackburn are far from the worst team in the division, and they currently sit 10 points clear... Now Palacios must play his cards rightBy Ben Pearce FORMER Spurs captain Tim Sherwood admits that Wilson Palacios is walking a tightrope as he struggles to avoid a costly 10th booking against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. Sherwood, who made 93 appearances for the Lilywhites between 1999 and 2003, is now... Sam again please as Rovers returnSPURS have the perfect opportunity to put the pressure on their rivals this weekend – they are first up on Saturday, and they could not ask for a kinder fixture. Blackburn are far from the worst team in the division, and they currently sit 10 points clear... Dawson's Shaw to be hurt by England snubBy Ben Pearce FABIO Capello has been a frequent visitor to White Hart Lane this season and, as he prepares to name his World Cup squad, he is sure to be back in N17 in the coming weeks. However, as he has cast his eye over Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Je... Fulham v Spurs: Can Cottagers avoid hitting the wall?FULHAM fans continue to pinch themselves as they enjoy arguably the most successful season in the club's history. Despite qualifying for the inaugural Europa League last season with a best-ever seventh-placed finish...... Dawson: X-Factor can block Spurs' return to WembleyMICHAEL Dawson is urging Tottenham to respect their formidable former team-mates as Spurs travel to Fulham in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday. The Lilywhites have won just one of their last nine trips to Craven Cottage...... Kranjcar: Time to test Spurs' strength in depthTHE time has come for Spurs to put their money where their mouth is and prove the strength of their squad, according to Niko Kranjcar. The Lilywhites are facing a midfield injury crisis, with Tom Huddlestone, Jermaine Jenas, Aaron Lennon...... Bassong gears up for biggest months of his lifeSEBASTIEN Bassong admits that he is entering the most important five months of his life so far, as he targets a Champions League spot and a place at this summer's World Cup. The Cameroon international is well aware of the expectation around...... White Hart Lane to see more of Dos Santos Mexican flair?HARRY Redknapp has hinted that Giovani Dos Santos could finally get a run at the first team following Jamie O Hara s departure to Portsmouth on loan. The Mexican midfielder was given his third competitive start under Redknapp in the 5-1 Carling Cup victor... What's On Mat Collishaw, Tracey Emin and Paula Rego: At The FoundlingBY ALISON OLDHAM Brit artists Tracey Emin, Paula Rego and Mat Collinshaw put the issues raised by the Foundling Museum – and which still continue today – into even sharper focus The most poignant items in the collection at Bloomsbury s Foundling Museum are the tokens... Crash into the strange world of JC BallardThe provocative, visionary writer JG Ballard claimed that he turned to science fiction in the 1950s because he didn t want to write the Hampstead novel. The great thing about science fiction was that nobody in it lived in Hampstead, he said. The Gagosi... Are you captured on camera?The historic, ever-changing district of King s Cross is the focus of three artists projects commissioned by Camden Arts Centre. The thought-provoking work produced in 2008-9 goes on display at the centre next weekend. Art and architecture collective publ... Freud’s granddaughter explores his artistic sideHard as it may be to imagine the world today without the contribution made by Sigmund Freud, that is just what his great-granddaughter Jane McAdam Freud has done in her exhibition Atonement at the London Centre for Psychotherapy in Kentish Town. She explo... A challenge to myth of Van Gogh as lunatic geniusLetters that accompany the paintings at the Royal Academy s show reveal the painter as sensitive, well-read and hard-working Did Van Gogh ever come to Hampstead or Highgate? We don t know that he didn t, according to Martin Bailey, author of Young Vince... Wild animal genes brought to surface in Man's Best FriendBy Alison Oldham Jon Buck says his mask-like sculpture Man s Best Friend, with its primitive teeth of nails, is reminiscent of a tribal artefact: The position of the hand so close to those jagged teeth also reminds us that although man s best friend is the old... Capturing the verve of dancers in performanceTo Milein Cosman, master of the illusion of movement, runs Ernst Gombrich s inscription in a copy of his seminal work Art And Illusion which he gave to his fellow Hampstead resident in 1962. Her powerful portrait of the Austrian art historian was in the... Masters of photographyIn her seminal book On Photography, Susan Sontag says: What is written about a person or an event is frankly an interpretation, as are handmade visual statements, like paintings and drawings. Photographed images do not seem to be statements about the wo... Subtle comment on city dwellersWrite about what you know best is traditional advice for would-be authors of fiction. For figurative painters of contemporary life, sensitivity to telling details in the appearance of subjects can be more important than familiarity with their milieu or... Superlatives and expletives in the life of Wyndham LewisBY ALISON OLDHAM The iconoclastic artist-writer Wyndham Lewis drew superlatives – and undoubtedly expletives – from those who knew him. TS Eliot said he was the greatest prose writer of my generation . Walter Sickert described him as the greatest portra... Alice, Alice - where the heck is Alice?Alice in Wonderland 3D (PG) Director Tim Burton Starring Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas 108 mins Two star rating BY MICHAEL JOYCE Though he works in a rather a narrow range ( you can have it... Erotic thriller Chloe is too much of a parodyChloe (15) Director Atom Egoyan Starring Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, Max Thieriot, Meghan Heffern 99 mins Two star rating People in glass houses shouldn t get involved in Fatal Attraction-style erotic thrillers. This latest film from... Tolstoy’s life comes from Russia with loveThe Last Station (15) Director Michael Hoffman Starring James McAvoy, Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer, Paul Giamatti, Anne-Marie Duff 112 mins Two star rating Towards the end of his life Tolstoy (Plummer) renounced private property and advocated cha... Lovely book, shame about the movieBY MICHAEL JOYCE The Lovely Bones (12A) Director Peter Jackson Starring Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Michael Imperioli 125 mins Two star rating Imagine a version of Psycho with a wishy-washy new age narration by Janet Leig... A Chinese girl’s experience of the UKShe, A Chinese (18) Director Xiaolu Guo Starring Lu Huang, Wei Yibo, Geoffrey Hutchings, Chris Ryman 98 mins Released February 26 Three star rating China s single child policy may be a laudable contribution to tackling the global population explosion... Feel good with a crazy little thing called loveCrazy Heart (15) Director Scott Cooper Starring Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Robert Duvall, James Keane, Ryan Bingham 115 mins Three star rating Doddering, ambling, forgetful, careful to avoid any sudden shocks – this is a film that very effec... Mel Gibson’s latest film takes credibility to the very edgeReview bv Michael Joyce Edge of Darkness (15) Director Martin Campbell Starring Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, Bojana Novakovic, Shawn Roberts. 116 mins Two star rating Last year it was Russell Crowe in State of Play; this year it is Mel Gibson s turn to make of movie... Back to old-fashioned fun as Disney returns to basicsThe Princess and The Frog (U) Directors Ron Clements and John Musker Starring the voices of Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jim Cummings 97 mins Three star rating The latest movie from Disney is a something entirely unex... A Precious film that will make you laugh and cryPrecious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (15) Director Lee Daniels Starring Gabourey Sidibe, Mo nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz. 109 mins THREE STAR RATING Sometimes a film will come along that no matter how much... Dogging is really just a very British love storyDogging: A Love Story (18) Director Simon Ellis Starring Luke Treadaway, Kate Heppell, Richard Riddell, Sammy Dobson, Justine Glenton, Michael Socha. Released on Boxing Day 103 mins Three star rating In the awkward lull while I wait to see if I m goin... The art of smoking survives at Manchester Street, MaryleboneIntroduced to his first sophisticated smoke by writer Roald Dahl, Joseph Connolly rediscovers the pleasure at Marylebone s latest bijou hotel which boasts a splendid terrace specially dedicated to the art This, gosh, is my 50th restaurant review for the... GRAPEVINE with LIZ SAGUES: A bunch of real Australian charmersIt would be less than honest to fail to admit that wine writers rely quite considerably on public relations companies – for details of who sells which wines, photographs to illustrate articles, background information, and more. Westbury Communications is... Russian here for some decent comfort foodJoseph Connolly experiences the glory of being a tsar and meets a Russian spy, all without leaving Chalk Farm! I went to Russia the other evening. Well all right, then… more the Chalk Farm end of Regent s Park Road. Da. Where there nestles a restaurant... LIZ SAGUES: Delicious wines that are fairly tradedSo much for suffering in the the pursuit of good intentions: you can now drink Fairtrade wine and enjoy it. Of course, that s far too superficial a statement. Decent Fairtrade wine has been around for ages, but you had to pick and choose. You still do, bu... Gordon Ramsay brings listed inn back to lifeFOR years, the York and Albany was a crumbling architectural gem on English Heritage s at risk register . Part of Nash s scheme for Regent s Park, its listed status meant it couldn t be bulldozed. But after decades lying derelict, who would have the cash... GRAPEVINE with LIZ SAGUES: £7 Aussie fizz wins friends worldwideAsk Islay Kennedy about the wine project which has succeeded way beyond her wildest expectations and the words bubble out in a glorious stream. That s entirely appropriate: it s all about a £7 fizz which has won Kennedy a lot of friends. And crucially for... Our High Streets are overflowing with Christmas treatsThere s no need to tear your hair out among the crowds on Oxford Street, there s plenty of delicatessens and markets in north London which are overflowing with Christmas treats, says Frances Bissell Think you have left it too late to do your Christmas s... You can have your cake and eat it too, at Claridge’sI don t do tea – the drink or the meal – but just last week I did, my God I did. I m actually still rather full, you know. It s a lovely tradition though, isn t it? English afternoon tea: foreigners can t get enough of it. And in one of London s grand hot... Poetry is all the rage again, but Poem failed to scanJoseph Connolly pens an ode to a missed opportunity at Mediterranean bar and grill Poem Poetry is on a roll – it’s all just so-o-o very trendy again. This happens, from time to time, the last occasion being possibly when that W.H. Auden tear-jerker was read out in Four Weddings And A Funeral – and now, just recently, we have T.S. Eliot voted the nation’s favourite poet. Yes, I know: T.S.Eliot.... Freemasons fare is far from being poetry in motionNovelist Joseph Connolly dashes into the Freemasons Arms for a bite to eat and to shelter from the pouring rain after a day out at Keats House Steak House. Just been there. So very subtle, with its pastel washes, perfectly set in Old Hampstead tranquilit... REVIEW: Crouch End Festival Chorus, Haydn s Creation, BarbicanFor all that it sounds like something from a Monty Python sketch, the Crouch End Festival Chorus is the most accomplished of the large-scale outer London choirs and flourishing at the moment... REVIEW: Venus and Adonis Dido AND Aeneas Hampstead Garden Opera Upstairs at the Gatehouse HighgatePurcell s Dido and Aeneas and John Blow s Venus and Adonis are contenders for the title of first genuine English opera and fit together well in a double-bill. Both... REVIEW: GeNIA St Mary s Munster SquareGeNIA (so spelt, no surname) is a young Ukrainian pianist distantly related to the uber-pianist Horowitz; and the draw of her recital in this new Regent s Park concert series run by Markson Pianos was the inclusion of music... Choral Society rises to toughest of challengesREVIEW: HIGHGATE CHORAL SOCIETY – ALL HALLOWS, GOSPEL OAK. Because music critics tend not go to concerts that begin with the 1812 Overture, we tend to forget what an extraordinary score it is - with qualities beyond the rabble-rousing and moments you c... FIRST NIGHT REVIEW: Julian Lloyd-Webber at St Jude'sIt's quite an achievement to be at the same time one of Britain s most popular musicians and one of its most undervalued; but it s true of Julian Lloyd Webber who, apart fr... Brahms brings balmHampstead and Highgate aren t short of star residents – some of whom throw themselves into community life, some of whom don t. But one who does is the internationally celebrated pianist Stephen Kovacevich, who not only turns up at local concerts – you ll... Classical pianist passes on his talents in HampsteadA CLASSICAL pianist, who finely tuned his playing with tuition from some of France s greatest talents, has returned to Hampstead to pass on his technique. Michael Stembridge-Montavont, 48, has played in concerts across Europe and accompanied the singer Ta... SPRINGFEST REVIEW: Curlew RiverThe centrepiece of this year s Hampstead and Highgate Springfest, Benjamin Britten s Curlew River was if nothing else a proof of what a spectacular venue the restored St Stephen s is turning into. Grandly atmospheric in the gathering dark, it was perfect... Organ music can be wackyNorth London isn t short of organs, but some are more distinguished than others. And one person qualified to know is the eminent British organist Jennifer Bate. She was virtually born and raised at the console in St James s Muswell Hill – a great beast of... REVIEW: La Boheme English National Opera London ColiseumIt may seem as though Jonathan Miller is in permanent residence at ENO. But the truth is that the shows you see with his name attached tend to be revivals – old productions which come around and around again without any great involvement on his part. He... REVIEW: Ghosts, Duchess Theatre near Covent GardenTwo star rating To put Ibsen into the West End shows courage, especially when it s Ghosts – a play described on its first reception as an open sewer . Ibsen may not be seen as a perpetrator of filth, but those two double o words gloom and doom stick... A meeting of minds in an accountant’s officeFormer banker John Steinberg and TV director Ray Kilby were introduced through the man who did their books – now they have written a farce about the perils of greed. Bridget Galton talks to them A FORMER banker is satirising ruinous greed and money ob... REVIEW: The Dead School Tricycle Theatre, KilburnFour star rating Pat McCabe s adaptation of his own novel depicts 70s Ireland as a dark, twisted place, stalked by mental illness and haunted by the past. Repressive, traditional values cannon into the individualism and liberalism of educated, pot-smoking... REVIEW: JERUSALEM Apollo Theatre Shaftesbury AvenueFour star rating Jez Butterworth s contemporary vision of the English countryside features no farmers or foxhunters – just sad, mad and dangerous people getting off their heads on drugs in the woods. It s the annual St George s Day village fair and a rag... Tradition and liberalism prove an explosive mixA small town Irish classroom provides the setting for an investigation into what happens when past and present values collide. Sean Campion, who plays the old school headteacher, talks to Bridget Galton THE clash between traditional values and modernisa... Something of today this way comes to Hampstead TheatreA play exploring what happened next in the land of Macbeth is a metaphor for our present-day conflicts, finds Bridget Galton SHAKESPEARE S Macbeth ends with the tyrant slain at Dunsinane Castle and Malcolm pledging to bring order to a troubled land. B... REVIEW: RITES OF PRIVACY New End Theatre HampsteadTWO STAR RATING David Rhodes is a lanky shaven-headed actor who was born into a Jewish family with a cruel but charming father. He delighted in secretly dressing up in his mother s clothes from an early age and, in this one-man show, he gives thumbnail sk... Edward Hall named as Hampstead Theatre's new artistic directorHampstead Theatre has named its new Artistic Director. Edward Hall will lead the company from the end of January and his inaugural season will be announced later this spring or early summer, to open in autumn 2010. Dame Jenny Abramsky, Chair of the Board... REVIEW: Detaining Justice Tricycle Theatre, KilburnThree star rating Detaining Justice is the last in the Tricycle s Not Black and White Season, a look at British society today from the perspective of black writers, and is, inevitably, politically charged. Bo... This Oliver provides a disturbing picture of the 19th centuryOLIVER TWIST Lion and the Unicorn Theatre Kentish Town Four star rating Billed as Oliver Twist as you ve never seen it before! A sort of antidote to Lionel Bart, this is Ray Shell and Giant Olive s second venture into the seamier world of Dickens. Trev... Tim Burton finds the dark side of Alice's WonderlandThere are many film adaptations of Lewis Carroll s classic but Tim Burton has put a new spin on it by featuring an adult Alice. He and wife Helena Bonham Carter, who stars in the film, talk to Marianne Gray There must be more than 20 film versions of Le... JULIAN CLARY: feeling absolutely fabulous at 50IN HIS 25-year career, Julian Clary has done prime time TV, made a cameo appearance in Neighbours and played panto in Crawley. He s also written one autobiography, two novels, and been the target of a Daily Mail outcry for that Norman Lamont gag at the 19... Michael Foot on why he loved his dog DizzyIn this article, first published in the Ham&High in August 1996, the late Michael Foot explains his affection for his dog Dizzy, his constant companion on Hampstead Heath. The article later appeared in The Uncollected Michael Foot, Essays Old And New, 195... Organic life revolves around the fruit and veg stallFor more than 10 years, Michael Render has brought fresh produce to South End Green and provided an important place for people to meet. Sadly, he s leaving – but all is not lost, discovers Matilda Moreton One stall can make a village. The Organic Fruit... DAVID MORRISEY: An illuminating journey from actor to directorFor some time, David Morrissey had been searching for a film he could set in his hometown of Liverpool. After finding a script by chance, he then faced the task of bringing it to screen, he tells Marianne Gray David Morrissey was born and brought up... Auditions underway for talent show that could make you a starTHE first auditions are already underway for the talent show which could see one very talented performer being set on the path to international stardom. By the middle of May one very talented person will have the music world at their feet as their first p... Ambition marches on for Hampstead Theatre's founderJames Roose-Evans isn't capable of resting on his laurels. Anyone else who founded a major institution like Hampstead Theatre might put their feet up in their 80s. But he still has the energy, vision and passion to found a new theatre – appropriately tit... Comedy writer is back in the thick of itWww.jesuit. humor.blogspot. com is a largely unfunny anthology, mainly involving homily-enhancers and laboured puns about obscure religious orders. However, the Jesuits do have their own crucial moment in British comedy. Back in 1991, two unknown comedy w... GERALD RONSON: tough tycoon reveals allFOR the first time in his 55-year career, it seems that tycoon Gerald Ronson is hinting that retirement may be hovering somewhere, albeit very faintly, on the horizon. Although it is not surprising for most men of 70 to be talking about leaving the workin... Jools Holland gears up for Kenwood concertHE is a familiar presence on our televisions as the warm and genial host of his music show, Later, but what Jools Holland really relishes is playing concerts with his band. His Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, who are performing at Kenwood on August 15, combin... REVIEW: Ghosts, Duchess Theatre near Covent GardenTwo star rating To put Ibsen into the West End shows courage, especially when it s Ghosts – a play described on its first reception as an open sewer . Ibsen may not be seen as a perpetrator of filth, but those two double o words gloom and doom stick... REVIEW: The Dead School Tricycle Theatre, KilburnFour star rating Pat McCabe s adaptation of his own novel depicts 70s Ireland as a dark, twisted place, stalked by mental illness and haunted by the past. Repressive, traditional values cannon into the individualism and liberalism of educated, pot-smoking... WHO'S WHO: Laurence Higgens, community workerLaurence Higgens is the new manager of the Community Association for West Hampstead which was formed after the closure of the previous community centre. The 30-year-old has been working there for only a couple of months but is already enjoying the area.... LIZ SAGUES: Delicious wines that are fairly tradedSo much for suffering in the the pursuit of good intentions: you can now drink Fairtrade wine and enjoy it. Of course, that s far too superficial a statement. Decent Fairtrade wine has been around for ages, but you had to pick and choose. You still do, bu... REVIEW: JERUSALEM Apollo Theatre Shaftesbury AvenueFour star rating Jez Butterworth s contemporary vision of the English countryside features no farmers or foxhunters – just sad, mad and dangerous people getting off their heads on drugs in the woods. It s the annual St George s Day village fair and a rag... WHO'S WHO: Ian Davis, dentist and photographerfIan Davis is a dentist in Golders Green. Passionate about photography, he has decided to combine his work with his favourite hobby by shooting artistic photos of moulds of his patients mouths being treated by tiny models of workmen. He has been working... Auditions underway for talent show that could make you a starTHE first auditions are already underway for the talent show which could see one very talented performer being set on the path to international stardom. By the middle of May one very talented person will have the music world at their feet as their first p... WHO'S WHO: medical consultant Malcom VandenBurgMalcom VandenBurg is a consultant in general and pharmaceutical medicine specialising in internal medicine, drug abuse, addiction and sexual health. He has lived in Hampstead for 40 years and before that, he was neighbour to Hollywood star Jean Simmons in... WHO'S WHO: SUZI MARTIN, singer, songwriter, landladySuzi Martin, landlady of the Torriano pub in Kentish Town, is trying to avoid the closure of her business. Singer of The Torrianos, a band composed of herself and of two other staff members, she has written a song in a bid to help to save the pub. She ha... REVIEW: SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION The Old Vic, WaterlooTWO STAR RATING JOHN Guare s 1990 play won stacks of awards and introduced us to the rather empty pop philosophy that we are all just six removes from everyone on the planet. But despite fine performances,... Return to London24 home page |