A Parisian protest to poo in the Seine isn’t just a joke – it’s political June 26, 2024 People are willing to defecate in the river Seine. It speaks to the political malaise that is polluting France, writes Lucy Kenningham
Worst (political) jargon of the week: The ‘working people’ June 20, 2024 Working people. What does it mean? People who work – GOTCHA. It can’t be that simple and sure enough, it isn't.
The Taming of the Shrew: Weirdness doesn’t solve the problem of misogyny June 19, 2024 Any director bold enough to tackle Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew is faced with a pretty big problem. The plot – and title – depicts a headstrong woman who is “tamed” by a man into submissiveness. Whatever the Bard’s intention, his script plays on the dichotomy between two sisters – one perfectly docile, the [...]
The politics of surprise: Macron’s election gamble June 11, 2024 Why has Emmanuel Macron called a snap election, three years early, when his party is being thrashed in the polls?
Washed away: The strange, nostalgic world of public swimming pools June 8, 2024 The swimming pool is a place of both solitude and community, a strange human ritual practised from Manchester to Montpellier and New Delhi
Inside the fight to save Britain’s ‘ugliest’ phone booths June 7, 2024 A campaign to save Britain’s ugliest phone booths highlights the subjectivity of beauty, writes Lucy Kenningham
A Manifesto for London: Bins, beer, Uber boats and free chickens June 4, 2024 The General Election will undoubtedly feature many pledges, but will they prioritise London? City A.M. is here to stand up for the capital with a Manifesto for London
Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck: Review June 4, 2024 Fate and freedom are at loggerheads in this mesmerising portrayal of an abusive relationship that crumbles alongside the Berlin Wall
Book off! There are too many books – here’s a solution June 3, 2024 The world now contains over 145m different titles, with 1.4m more published each year. The deluge dooms us to suffer from decision paralysis.
Filth, violence and vermin – what life is really like at Wandsworth Prison May 23, 2024 Wandsworth Prison is a national disgrace, with 80 per cent of prisoners sharing a cell and most men staying in their rooms for 22 hours a day.