Why caution on Hong Kong is paying dividends October 24, 2019 Prudent investors will have been cautious on Hong Kong for some time, says Henderson Far East Income Fund Manager Mike Kerley; with Asia’s income growth coming from elsewhere. For anyone with an interest in the Asian growth story, the scenes in Hong Kong are very worrying. While no one could have foreseen the scale and [...]
Pressure tells as Johanna Konta feels the heat of Centre Court to exit Wimbledon in the quarter-finals to Barbora Strycova July 9, 2019 Professional sport is an unforgiving environment. When you’re playing well Centre Court feels like a hospitable stage, the points coming at a steady pace, but when you’re struggling suddenly the crowd feels oppressive and the ball unrelenting. To see a sportsperson wither under the pressure is not an enjoyable sight – yet that’s exactly what [...]
England build confidence for the World Cup despite comfortable nature of Afghanistan win May 27, 2019 In the end it wasn’t so much a warm-up as a cool down – an opportunity to get loose before Thursday’s World Cup grand opening. England craved a win after Saturday’s 12-run defeat by Australia, but when it came at The Oval against Afghanistan its nature diminished its significance, the home side chasing 160 in [...]
Betrayal at the Harold Pinter Theatre review: Tom Hiddleston is brilliant in this gut-wrenching play about infidelity March 14, 2019 It’s been a hell of a year for Harold Pinter fans. Over seven productions, director Jamie Lloyd resurrected dozens of the playwright’s one-act works, many of which hadn’t been performed in decades. That series ended last month, but Lloyd, now surely the world’s go-to Pinter guy, has lost none of his enthusiasm, following it up [...]
England show all the strings to their bow as they open the World Cup with dominant win over South Africa May 30, 2019 They waited a long time for the tournament to start, but when it finally did England did not disappoint. The hosts may not have produced their trademark – the gigantic total compiled through aggressive, explosive batting – yet, in a way, this was better. As the world’s best one-day international side for some time, we [...]
Australia v England: Semi-final balanced as World Cup knockout specialists face confident hosts playing at Fortress Edgbaston July 10, 2019 If they aren’t already, England and Australia are going to become very familiar with each other this summer. Having played twice already, and with the small matter of the Ashes edging ever closer, the two sides meet tomorrow in a Cricket World Cup semi-final. The match is an intriguing one, framed by two potentially decisive [...]
Van Gogh and Britain review: Just how much did London inspire the artist? March 28, 2019 You really don’t need much of an excuse to dust off a collection of Van Goghs, but Tate Britain has reached for one all the same with its latest exhibition of twenty of the man’s works. Van Gogh and Britain contextualises the artist’s output around his few interactions with this country, which amounts to a [...]
Stage and screen actress Tracy Ann Oberman on her latest role, being trolled on Twitter and why Eastenders is like the golden age of Hollywood October 4, 2019 Stage actress, Eastenders mega-bitch, social media warrior. With her voluminous blonde mane, practiced side-eye and reputation for being fearlessly outspoken, Tracy-Ann Oberman cuts an intimidating figure. We meet at a bijou cafe just off Hampstead Heath, the kind that sells £400 vintage chairs and is filled with brunching mums and toddlers. She breezes in, fashionably [...]
Money in the pot? The cannabis trend could be the new gold rush November 16, 2018 Is cannabis the new gold? And if so, are we at the gates of a greener and much more lucrative gold rush? Long gone are the days in which the legalisation of marijuana seemed impossible. Across the world, laws have fallen, new laws have been made, and an increasing amount of research has established that [...]
Captain Marvel review: Brie Larson is a revelation in this middling Marvel romp March 7, 2019 It seems almost unbelievable that it’s taken Marvel 20 movies to feature a female lead, especially when Brie Larson makes it all look so effortless. Alongside a digitally de-aged Samuel L Jackson, she brings verve and charisma to what could easily have been a forgettable entry into the Marvel canon. It’s a strange film, showing [...]