DOUGLAS FIELD relishes the hard-boiled language, satire and humour of the third and last of the Harlem trilogy
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Growing old gracelessly
STEPHANIE BROWN draws attention to the hidden labour of the female embroiderers, and how a 19th century replica made no such error
MIK SABIERS revels in a band that ploughs an idiosyncratic furrow of expletive laden, guitar-driven alt rock
ANDY HEDGECOCK, MARIA DUARTE and ANGUS REID review Synthetic Sincerity, Our Hero, Balthazar, Heartstopper Forever, and A Year In London
The bard invites readers to a gig, raps for Clacton, and lays out the Burnham-Hurzeler conundrum
RON JACOBS recommends an important book that enhances the oppositional theories put forth by Fanon and, in doing so, remakes psychology itself
Trestle
Southwark Playhouse
London
THE SCENARIO of a man and a woman trapped by circumstance and the limitations they place upon themselves is the theme of the big London theatre hit of recent months, David Eldridge's Beginning at the National Theatre, and it bears many more similarities to Stewart Pringle's prize-winning debut play Trestle than just its one-word title.
In Eldridge's play, widower Harry (Gary Lilburn) carries out his retirement duties as chair of Billingham's Improvement Committee with diligence. But there's little excitement to be had. So, when the sparky yet blunt Denise (Connie Walker) turns up for her zumba class, his idle muscles start to reactivate and he even reluctantly dons his own exercise gear at one point.
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