August: Osage County
National Theatre, London
SINCE the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States, there’s been a new atmosphere of hope radiating out of that country. Quite suddenly, America’s international image has got a really big boost. But how does the best American drama see that divided country? An interesting answer is provided by Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County, which was a massive Broadway hit and is now visiting the National Theatre in London.
The Oxford Handbook of Criminology edited by Mike Maguire, Rod Morgan and Robert Reiner
Oxford University Press, £36
THIS is the leading modern text in criminology, comprehensive and authoritative, written by 35 distinguished British contributors and edited by Mike Maguire, Professor of Criminology at Cardiff University; Rod Morgan, chairman of the Youth Justice Board of England and Wales and Professor Emeritus at Bristol University; and Robert Reiner, Professor of Criminology at the London School of Economics.
Holst – Perfect Fool, Ballet; The Golden Goose; The Morning of the Year: BBC National Orchestra of Wales Joyful Company of Singers/Richard Hickox
Chandos
Bach/Stokowsky – Bach Transcriptions Two (with music by Palestrina, Byrd, Clarke): Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Jose Serebrier
Naxos
THE sudden, tragic death of Richard Hickox in Swansea last year will be terribly felt. His pioneering contribution to British music and British musical life cannot be estimated. He had leading responsibilities in musical life in Australia, Wales and Italy. It’s impossible briefly to give a survey of his career, but mention would have to be made of a few landmarks. He founded the City of London Sinfonia and the Richard Hickox Singers and Orchestra, he was director of music at the Endellion Music Festival for six years; and he was organist and master of music at the parliamentary church, St Margaret’s, Westminster. In addition, he was director of the London Symphony Chorus and Bradford Festival Choral Society and, among other responsibilities, was director of the Northern Sinfonia.
THREE weeks into 2009, the abiding emotion is fear: economic fear with job losses and repossessions but above all the unimaginable fear of the Palestinians in the densely populated Gaza strip with its 1.5 million inhabitants packed into a space equivalent to two cities the size of Washington. And there is the fear of the southern Israeli people from rocket attacks.
Alan Ritchie says there are great opportunities to boost health and safety in Britain, but time is of the essence
Andrew McWhirter says it is ridiculous for film writers tend to be so under-valued as there would be no billion-dollar industry without them
WHEN choosing the highlights of 2008, most people I know were unanimous: Barack Obama’s victory over John McCain, with all its associated symbolism, was their favourite pick. The American election galvanised many on this side of the Atlantic as well as in the United States. As a fellow Tribune contributor I met at a public meeting in London on the eve of Obama’s triumph put it: “Of course I’ll be watching. I want to know who’s going to be running our country.”
AND on the third day, Gordon Brown and his Cabinet ascended into Liverpool, where they sitteth in the public gaze to no very great effect. The Government’s grand tour of the provinces yielded little in the way of hoped-for positive headlines, because the media concentrated on how much the event cost, rather than ministers’ virtuous efforts to get closer to the voters.
Michael Meacher describes new roles the state could and should take on in and after the credit crunch
DAVID CAMERON says he sometimes feels like shaking Gordon Brown. The Prime Minister need not be too worried, since the Tory leader should be more concerned by his own involuntary quivering. In fact, he has not stopped wobbling for months. His latest wobble has been further to the right as the recession bites.