James Lapine’s account of how he and Stephen Sondheim braved bad previews and cast members jumping ship to create a hit musical is fascinatingThis book is a retrospective peep behind the curtain, an account of how a musical was conceived, written, prod…
Cop a load of this: on the beat with the NYPD – in pictures
Between 1978 and 1981, Jill Freedman tagged along with the NYPD as they arrested burglars, picked up stray kids and kicked down doors Continue reading…
Only 2% of blue plaques in London commemorate black people
English Heritage scheme was started in 1866 to honour notable figures who have lived, worked or stayed in the capitalBlue plaques commemorating notable black figures still make up just 2.1% of the individuals honoured across London, according to a Guar…
Arts supremo Kully Thiarai: ‘Break the rules! They need breaking’
The creative director of Leeds 2023 on seeing ‘beyond the chapati pan’ of her working-class background and how British theatre reflects diversity nowWho were your influences and role models?I had a great teacher from when I was 11, who looked out for m…
‘I got my weed from California’: Justin Bieber launches joints named after song
Peaches cannabis products will be available in California, where recreational marijuana is legal for over-21sJustin Bieber has entered the cannabis industry launching $32 (£23.50) packs of pre-rolled joints named Peaches after his recent hit song.Biebe…
Handwritten manuscript of The Grapes of Wrath to be published for the first time
This early version of John Steinbeck’s most famous novel, written in less than 100 days, will be released by SP Books on 7 October The handwritten manuscript of John Steinbeck’s masterpiece The Grapes of Wrath, complete with the swearwords excised from…
BBC staffed by people ‘whose mum and dad worked there’, says Nadine Dorries
Culture secretary attacks ‘nepotism’ and ‘groupthink’ at broadcaster in interview at Tory conferenceAll the latest from the Tory conference – liveNadine Dorries has labelled the BBC an institution riven by bias and staffed by people “whose mum and dad …
Bridgerton Emmy winner Marc Pilcher dies of Covid at 53
The hair and makeup designer, who won for the Netflix show, was double-vaccinated and had no underlying health conditionsMarc Pilcher, the Emmy-winning hair stylist and makeup designer known for his work on Bridgerton, has died of Covid at the age of 5…
For ‘unrecognised black women’: statue of Henrietta Lacks unveiled in Bristol
Lacks, whose cells were used in multiple medical advances, is honoured by the city’s universityThere were tears of joy and pride as the first statue of a black woman created by a black woman for a public space in the UK was unveiled in a sunlit garden …
Erasure review – a heady cocktail of corsets and classics
SEC Armadillo, GlasgowOn the opening night of their first post-pandemic tour, the British synth-pop duo proved they haven’t lost their essenceIt’s hard to tell if Andy Bell spent 18 months or 18 seconds pondering his outfit for the opening night of Era…