SOME RECENT STUFF

Have recently enjoyed Ann Murray singing Dido, stately and passionate, at St John's, Smith Square; terrific Kate Winslett (surely the best of her generation) in Steve Jobs; The charming Beatles in Eight Days a Week; an erudite and pleasing TV programme called Britain's Lost Masterpieces; and the first series of Suits, which is smart and funny and a nice twist on the age-old buddy theme (a comic creation, after all).  Am also reading a thoroughly engaging book by Simon Schama, called 'The Face of Britain'.  Did you know that Victoria, following Albert's death, always slept with a cast of his hand on her pillow?  That Van Dyck's mistress, Margaret Lemon, tried to bite his thumb off? That the 7th Earl of Barrymore was married to a female bare-knuckle boxer?