Scotland, Spitfires, Secrets: Review of Kirsty Wark’s The House by the Loch at Durham Book Festival

Kirsty Wark is often seen on our screens fronting Newsnight, a programme driven by serious factual reporting, but readers know that Wark is not averse to making things up, too, as the author of two works of fiction with a third in the offing. Hannah Piercy was at Durham Book Festival to hear how she...

Resistance and Repetitive Beats: Review of Dave Randall’s Sound System at Durham Book Festival

From the Devil's Interval to rave to grime, music has always provided more than just a soundtrack to political events - it has actually changed their course. Martin Gleghorn is galvanised by Dave Randall, who appeared at a Durham Book Festival fringe event organised by People's Bookshop. Culture is a political battleground: it always has...

Listen to What We Say: Review of Miss Julie, Produced by Elysium Theatre Company

Strindberg's play Miss Julie caused controversy when first performed in 1888, with its transgression of class differences and gender norms. Kate Foy finds that a new production by Elysium Theatre Company continues to capture the difficulty of speaking across divisions in society. From the cheerful strains of homespun music that open in the foyer, to...

Watermarks: Review of The River, Produced by Elysium Theatre Company

Through its watery metaphors, Jez Butterworth's play The River reflects on how our idealised memories of the past can prevent us from flowing with life in the present. Although a short performance, it feels broad thanks to numerous literary and musical allusions. Tom Bristow tracks these through the recent, brilliant production by Durham-based Elysium Theatre Company, directed by...

Herd Mentality: Review of The Secret Life of Cows at Durham Book Festival

Having spent many years nurturing her herd in the Cotswolds, Rosamund Young has learned to appreciate the unique personalities of cows. Her book The Secret Life of Cows, which she recently presented at Durham Book Festival, argues that these intelligent animals speak to society about the need to rethink our habits of consumption. Barbara Dick...