Rock legends the Red Hot Chili Peppers are headlining the Isle of Wight Festival. We got this rather awesome, bromance pic of them.
Will you be going to the festival? If so, tell us about your experience there. 
Category Archives: Culture
Love in the Club? Dancefloor Dos and Don’ts
You’re all dressed up in your hottest clubwear ready to take the dancefloor by storm. However, before you get too carried away there are a few dos and don’ts you need to be aware of. There are a huge number of mistakes you can make as you prepare to hit it up and show the club what you’re made of. If you want to avoid potential embarrassment, you’ll need to follow the tips below.
Don’t take up too much space
One thing you’ll notice about club dancefloors is the fact they can become a little crowded. This leaves you with very little space to show off your moves. Now may not be the best time to break out your famous ‘robot’ dance. Ensure you respect the space limitations around you.
Do expect a little bump or two
After one or two drinks, you’re likely to be a little unsteady on your heels. You need to be aware that the other people around you are also in the same position. If somebody bumps into you, try to be polite rather than hostile. Of course, if they’re constantly bumping into you without even a hint of ‘I’m sorry’, there’s justified reason to be annoyed. Likewise, if you’re the one doing the bumping, make sure you apologise and then make a huge effort to control your unsteady pins.
Don’t be self-righteous
You’re going to come across people who test your personal beliefs and lifestyle choices on the dancefloor. According to The Guardian you need to learn to suck it up. Sure the club may say no smoking and there may be one or two people ignoring that particular rule, but you’re not working for the nightclub. Nobody likes a self-righteous person trying to ruin their fun on the dancefloor. Learn to ignore it and just focus on enjoying yourself.
Don’t update your social networking page
The dancefloor is never a place for social networking. If you’re having such an amazing time, why are you on your phone? Put your phone away and do what the dancefloor is designed to be used for – dancing!
Don’t force yourself onto somebody who clearly isn’t interested
Yes you may look hot in your sexy little outfit, but that doesn’t mean everybody will want to dance with you. If someone is clearly not interested, don’t waste your time trying to change their mind.
Don’t attempt a dirty dancing lift
We’ve all seen the film, well most of us anyway. The famous lift scene in dirty dancing is inspiring and incredibly romantic. However, under no circumstances should it ever be attempted in a club. Unless you’ve had specific training with a partner, the dancefloor isn’t the place to be attempting this daring lift unless you fancy a broken ankle.
Do stick to what you know
Are you thinking of experimenting with a few new moves? Don’t! Stick to a routine you know and love and remember to also stick within the set space boundaries. Attempting something completely different could leave you completely shamefaced.
14 Facts About The Queen
The Queen owns no property outside Britain.- She owns at least 30 furs. They are worth a reported £1 million. There is a refrigerated fur store at Buckingham Palace.
- Her estimated worth is more than £100 million.
- Her investments are held by a company called Bank Of England Nominees. It allows heads of states to buy shares anonymously.
- Under the ancient law of Bona Vacantia, The Queen is entitled to the property of those who die without heirs within the Duchy’s realm, the Country Palatine. The Queen still gets this money but apparently gives it to charity.
- She earns at least £1 million a month minimum.
- The Sovereign Grant, the amount of money the Queen gets from the government, was £31 million in 2012/13.
- The Royal Collection consists of 7,000 paintings, 40,000 watercolours and drawing and 150,000 Old Masters prints.
- The royal cars at Sandringham are worth an estimated £7.1 million
- She doesn’t need a passport and is the only person in the United Kingdom who is not required to have a driving licence in order to drive. She also does not require number plates on any of her cars. The official website of the British monarchy says, “As a British passport is issued in the name of Her Majesty, it is unnecessary for The Queen to possess one.”
- William and Harry just call her ‘granny’
- No alarm clock: she wakes to the sound of her personal bagpiper every morning.
- Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms.
- She met Prince Phillip when she was just 13.
I Heart Studios Unveil Ben Sherman Collaboration
I Heart Studios unveil their next collaboration for Week Two of their Shoreditch Art Wall Takeover
Kicking off week two of I Heart Studios’ takeover of the Shoreditch Art Wall, is British heritage brand – Ben Sherman.
From January 29th, the 60 square metre space will showcase the Ben Sherman S/S14 Parachute Collection as portrayed by the creative and conceptual photography of I Heart Studios.
The East London street canvas exhibits the experimental use of product photography that enhances the geometric fabrics and prints used throughout the Ben Sherman Parachute Collection. I Heart Studios have showcased the lightweight and transparent style of the fabric to create an abstract quality to the product range.
I Heart Studios Creative Director Martin Winslade comments:- “We’re always inspired by the way product photography can be highly conceptual and experimental so it tells an interesting brand story. We loved the Ben Sherman Parachute collection because of the way it was inspired by fabric and geometric pattern, so we wanted to create images that represented the essence of the product and embodied the contemporary feel of this collection”
Following on from the Spitfire Sunglasses collaboration, which showcased their new S/S 2014 collection, I Heart Studios will continue to display their curated selection of collaborations until February 19th 2014 with Underated London and Fault Magazine.
The collaborations not only illustrate the strong brand relationships held by I Heart Studios, but also the diversity of what the Studios offer. From conceptual and creative product shots to lifestyle and studio based editorial photography, I Heart Studios are pioneers of digital visual content with an instinctive understanding of the market and the rich variety of brands within it.
Celia Birtwell Portraits By David Hockney On Display
Portraits of textile designer Celia Birtwell will be on display during Dulwich Picture Gallery’s major exhibition ‘Hockney, Printmaker’ (5 February- 11 May 2013). The show is timed to coincide with the 60th anniversary of David Hockney’s first print, and will provide an instructive and entertaining overview of the artist’s career as printmaker. Grouped by theme and technique in a series of displays, the exhibition featuring over 100 works will include eight portraits of Celia created between 1973 and 1998.
Celia first saw Hockney in 1968 in Portobello Road, and later met him again through Ossie Clark who was friends with Hockney at the Royal College of Art. After this time she became a regular presence in the artist’s work, including his prints; of which she features in approximately 30, constituting about a quarter of his total printed portrait oeuvre. A shared interest in aesthetics and a fascination with each other’s work and style have drawn them together. Hockney said “She’s playful, funny. When I first met her, I was attracted to the fact that she could make me laugh, and that’s a very big appeal to me”
Hockney’s depictions of her show his attitude towards portraiture in general, that it should be based on a psychological insight into his sitters’ lives, hence his aversion to commissioned portraits. Hockney believes that you can only draw someone when you know them and the closer the relationship the better the portrait.
Many of the Celia portraits reference the private, domestic scenes of Matisse and late 19th century artists such as Degas, depicting women engaged in routine activities, dreaming or sunk in thought. The portraits of her included in the show span a quarter of a century, and we can see that as Hockney grew in confidence, they became increasingly vibrant, energetic and bold, such as An Image of Celia, State II (1984-86). He created his larger lithographs, such as Big Celia Print #2, using long-handled brushes and dilute lithographic inks. The drips and splashes attest to the speed with which the prints were executed; a refreshing contrast to traditional lithographic portraits, which often took days to complete.
Celia Birtwell said:
“We have always felt completely comfortable in each other’s company. We amused each other. I found posing for him to be a very intimate, and silent, affair…Before commencing we have a conversation about how he wants me to look. I could look left or right. He may say, ‘Move your arm.’ ‘Sit further back.’ ‘Look out of the window.’ then comes the moment when he suddenly says, ‘I like that.’ whilst he’s drawing me I can see the intensity, struggle and concentration on his face. The intensity is extraordinary. After an hour or so he’ll say, ‘do you want to take a break, luvvie?’ Sometimes I take a peek at the portrait, other times I prefer to wait until it’s finished. He always says he doesn’t appeal to vanity. Whatever my feelings are, they are always amazing.”
‘Hockney, Printmaker’ is curated by Richard Lloyd, International Head of the Print Department at Christie’s. Loans have been secured from key lenders including Salt’s Mill, Saltaire, David Hockney Inc., David Hockney Foundation, National Gallery of Art, Washington, National Gallery of Art, Canberra, Bradford Museums and Galleries, Tate and Private Collections. A fully illustrated colour catalogue published by Scala accompanies the exhibition and features an illuminating text by Celia Birtwell. It will explore the key themes in the exhibition in the context of the artist’s biography, together with texts from contributors such as Marco Livingstone, John Kasmin, Peter Tatchell and Martin Gayford.
Image: Celia Birtwell sitting for Hockney as he draws Celia with Wind and Snow from his Weather series and Chair – ,- The Colony, Malibu pinned to wall. Gemini G.E.L., artist’s studio, Los Angleles, California. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, gift of Kenneth Tyler 2001.
Czech Actress Petra Bryant Interview
How did you get into acting?
Acting is something I did since I was a teenager but I didn’t start seriously until I moved to London. I took many screen acting courses and did workshops with casting directors in order to be sure that is what I wanted to do with my life. I also did a stand-up comedy course but realized it wasn’t my thing at all! Getting parts in short films has been a great experience and I would recommend that every actor tries that route. Not only you learn how real productions work but you will get a demo reel material.
Did you always know you wanted to be an actor?
When I was a child I wanted to be a doctor, designer, writer, model and an actor. I have realized I could be all those if I became an actor. Bingo! But deep down I always knew that it was what I wanted to do. It took many years to get where I am today and I still have a long way to go.
What was your big break?
I think landing a role of Empress Faustina in Fallen Eagle has been the biggest break so far. But since the film is in pre-production status, I will say that it is ‘The Last Scout’. ‘The Last Scout’ is a British sci-fi. Playing the ship captain ‘Melissa’ feels like a real acting role at last!
How do you get into character?
It really depends on what kind of character I am playing and whether I can identify with it. I usually like to watch similar movies to the one I am about to make. It helps me get in the mood and I get inspired by other actors. I also think of all the little details from the character’s life and make them my own, slowly building on the character. Eventually I start thinking like the character and merging with them. I also have to get physically into shape for each role.
What is your favourite film that you worked on?
I am sure my answer will be different by the end of 2014 but for now I choose ‘The Disappearance of Lenka Wood’. This is my first film as the female lead. I almost feel like we did two separate films as part of the story is set in New York and another in Turkey. I liked that my character Lenka is very different from me and that I had lots of freedom in creating the character. At times it was also a pretty physical role to play and I had to push my own boundaries. I am scared of heights and water and it took some convincing to get me jump into the swimming pool for a scene! But I am so glad I did it.
Tell us about your upcoming films.
Both ‘The Disappearance of Lenka Wood’ and ‘The Last Scout’ are in post-production but 2014 will be a busy year for me. I start with the film ‘White Collar Hooligan 3’ and a little short film. The next up is a sci-fi ‘Abduct’ where I get to play a Russian UFO Specialist. I am really excited to be a part of another sci-fi! My spring and summer will be spent in Malta and Los Angeles filming ‘Fallen Eagle’ and a rom-com ‘Looking for George Clooney’. There are other projects on the horizon but I can’t talk about them just yet. I am so happy that I am working, doing something I love.
Does being Czech help or hinder your career?
I would say it helps for sure. My accent is not typically Czech so that means I can play other Europeans. At the same time I would love to be able to perfect British or American accent to broaden my role spectrum. But for now I am more than happy to use being Czech into my advantage. I love playing the’ token European’!!
What is your ideal role?
I am a huge comedy fan and playing a goofy clumsy superhero would be amazing. I think I might have to write my own part one day.
What’s next?
Well apart from all the films I have lined up this year, I am also writing my first book. It has taken me a long time already. I have actually ripped the first draft apart and now I am rewriting the story in a different style. I am driving myself crazy with it! Once this is done and dusted, I want to self-publish and turn it into a script. I love writing and would love to produce TV series with my finished product.
I hope people will like my films and I continue to be a working actor! I love making movies but I am very attracted to TV as there are some brilliantly written shows out there!
Entertainment on the Move: The Best Movie and TV Streaming Apps
If you’re slightly lazy like us, the chances are that you consider the biggest benefit of smartphones to be not the Sat-Nav, the e-books and the ability to work from home but simply the fact that it’s now possible to stream South Park whilst sat in the bath. In a tribute to that level of sloth, we’re going to take a look at what we think are the very best TV and Movie streaming apps currently available on the Android market. These should work on everything from a Windows-based system to a tablet PC by Lenovo.
Netflix
Oh, god bless it. At less than a tenner a month, Netflix offers the ability to stream an unholy (and unlimited) amount of different content right to your phone or tablet (as well as to your Xbox or Laptop). There are literally hundreds of shows and movies available to watch immediately. What is available will depend on whereabouts you are – Netflix is region specific, so the UK area has access to a number of classic British comedies, with the US having exclusive rights to some of their own standout shows. The only thing worth noting is that Netflix doesn’t always update straight away – other streaming devices might get the latest shows more quickly.
Flixter
Originally, Flixter wasn’t actually a streaming app – it was purely based around information, operating in much the same way as IMDB does. However, it now also streams movies purchased through Ultraviolet. Ultraviolet itself is actually a bit fiddly to sign up for (it’s certainly more time-consuming than singing up for Netflix, say), but once that’s sorted it’s a very enjoyable app. It’s worth observing here, though, that there are some devices that it won’t work on – it’s a good idea to double check before handing over any cash, possibly using the free movie that they give you when you sign up.
HBO GO
This app’s popularity will be primarily based around two things. First, whether or not you’re in the good ol’ US of A. Secondly, whether you actually like HBO! This app – as you might have guessed – is based solely around the US channel and can only be used by those that have a cable service that already has HBO included. Those complexities aside, for those that do like HBO (and given that the channel has produced Game of Thrones, the Wire, Boardwalk Empire and the Sopranos amongst others, everyone really should like it) the app is a must-have.
Sky GO
Just as HBO is for the Americans out there, so Sky Go is for the British. Unlike HBO Go, though, Sky’s app can actually be paid for with a separate subscription, meaning that you can sign up for it on a per month basis and end the contract whenever you like. As well as showing a large amount of comedies and dramas (not to mention the standard channels) Sky Go offers two main things: sport and movies. Both genres have four different channels each, all of them filled to the brim with everything from cricket to baseball and from everything from Harry Potter to the Human Centipede (not that anyone would want to watch that). For sports and movie fans, the Brits need look no further.
In The Middle With You – Trinity Laban Theatre | Theatre Review
In The Middle With You – Trinity Laban Theatre
Reviewed 23/01/2014
Trinity Laban Theatre, London, SE8 3DZ
A broken watch can be two things. For two seconds a day it is perfectly right, and in its own internal world it stretches each of those seconds to 12 hour lengths. This broken watch lives its entire life repeating the same cycle of movement, repeating itself every second, every hour, every 12 hours but now it’s frozen in this single moment. Hagit Yakira’s In The Middle With You has echoes of this concept, focusing on the repetitive nature of our lives and exploring what happens when we need a break from it.
Yakira has designed the piece to be an exploration of the subtle moments between “depression and boredom”, between explosive emotion and mundanity, between the everyday and the real or imagined breakout paths that one can take to recharge ones soul. These moments are often tiny, but here we can luxuriate in the idea of a single moment stretched to breaking point. We can let a emotion run its course rather than have it constrained by discourteous time cutting it off.
The five performers use expansive physicality, loud movements, to take us through what could be a person’s lifetime in microcosm, or a single moment crammed with twitching, reflexive thoughts. Loneliness, friendship, reliance on others, grinding repetition of daily tasks set against frequent desires and thoughts of escape to a more colourful and spontaneous world. That grinding nature of life is shown holistically through the spoken words of the piece, the dance and the music. Persistence is the name of the game here in the face of bleak odds. In the extraordinary “swimming” scene, we see Sisyphean repetition from one dancer which is then supported, replicated and experienced by the rest. Time again here is stretched so the repetition and occasional moments of beautiful synchronicity become hypnotic before we crash into the exuberant and uplifting ending.
Each of the five performers (Takeshi Matsumoto, Sophie Arstall, Mariana Camiloti, Ben McEwen, Kiraly Saint Clare) has a distinct personality, and it is an interesting choice to let their true personalities shine through rather than create characters for them. It’s refreshingly honest to see the dancers become tired, to see them laugh, to embellish and to support each other so fully. Throughout the performance there is a motif of interpersonal support, catching each other when spinning out of control, steadying each other when falling (vital to point out that they are, of course, not actually falling over and bumping into each other and are, in fact, graceful and highly proficient dancers) which provides a warm bedrock above which the cold repetition of the mundane can exist without damaging the characters too much.
With permission granted to the audience by Hagit, by the music and by the performers to let go of time and revel in its disruption, the lack of control is an odd feeling. There will be a divide between an anxiety that a moment has been overextended and a serenity that comes from having all the time in the world to just look at people doing powerful things in front of you. The various movements, or sections, are quite different from each other which is, unfortunately, at times a little jarring. It takes a little while to regain the shows theatrical momentum when the sections shift but it’s not really a problem to worry about.
It’s a dynamic piece that allows an audience and performer the time to reflect on what each movement means to them. At times it’s funny, at times quite sad. It is a well thought out and intelligently realised bit of work and at under an hour for a performance it is one that affords no excuse to decline an opportunity to witness it.
The show had been shown in full at Laban Theatre in November 2013 to a sold out audience and this showcase was a way to raise press interest and get more momentum going before the British Dance Edition in Edinburgh next week.
There are two more dates confirmed after BDE:
Wednesday 5th February 2014, 7.30pm
Quad South Hall, York St John University, York, Yorkshire, YO31 7EX Arts Faculty
Box Office 01904 876433
Thursday 13th February 2014, 8.00pm
Square Chapel Centre for the Arts, 10 Square Rd, Halifax, HX1 1QG
Box Office 01422 349422
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Images by Rachel Cherry