News, comment, links and observations

Ticciati soars in Scotland

Robin Ticciati: big ideas for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Britain's most exciting wunderkind conductor since Simon Rattle first emerged - and, no, I haven't forgotten Daniel Harding - has big plans for his first full season with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Robin Ticciati is one of the new-generation firebrands determined to change the face of concert planning, hoping to achieve wonders similar to what Vladimir Jurowski has already stage-managed with the LPO.

Become a film producer for £10

Making movies has never been cheaper. Learning how to make them is another matter altogether. Film courses abound, but they invariably cost many times more than, say, Marc Price claims he spent on Colin, his £45 zombie flick. Mindful of this, the East End Film Festival is offering impecunious would-be producers a chance to learn the business for a mere tenner. Subsidised by Skillset, the one-day course takes place on 28 April and consists of "training, mentoring, peer review and networking". There are just 10 places, so hurry while stocks last. The application form can be downloaded here and the deadline is 16 April. The EEFF itself kicks off on 22 April.


Lost Films of World War Two

Retro channel airs new 10-part series

From Monday 12 April, retro channel History is airing a 10-part series called WWII Lost Films. It will present the story of the Second World War from the viewpoints of 12 Americans involved in the war effort, using a newly restored stash of rare and unseen colour footage.

Wainwright's Prima Donna IS Anna Russell

Those of us who shied away from the Manchester world premiere of Rufus Wainwright's first opera, Prima Donna, last year are biting our nails about the first London performance at Sadler's Wells Theatre on Monday. Fond as we are of some masterly songs on his albums, we wonder if he's boxing above his weight in indulging his love of opera... and in French, too (OK, he grew up speaking it, but even so, it's pretentious French for English-speaking audiences). This evening, Radio 3's In Tune featured an interview with our Rufus and a preview performance by top-notch soprano Janis Kelly of her stage heroine's final "aria".

They didn't make them like that then either: Simon Gray back on screen

Every generation is inclined to moan that they don’t make them like they used to. It’s a favourite refrain of television dramatists. It scarcely seems credible now that a theatre animal like Simon Gray could regularly write single plays for television and attract audiences of millions.

Royal Opera House hits low note

The Royal Opera House's website in stasis
As anyone on the Royal Opera House's mailing list will no doubt be aware, today is the first day you can book for the new season. In theory.

Pina on screen

Rare films of Bausch's dances to be shown alongside live performances

Film of Pina Bausch’s dances is rare, but linked to the London performances by Tanztheater Wuppertal this week the Barbican centre is showing a season of films about her theatre as well as her working methods, capped by the famous 1985 film of Café Müller, her evocation of the restaurant in which she grew up, and in which she danced.

Forster's Maurice takes a longer journey

Sure-footed direction and first-class acting in Forster adaptation

Above the Stag, an unpromising-looking, ominously shuttered gay pub in the ungainly heart of Victoria, a little miracle has been taking place. Word of mouth quickly sold out an intelligent adaptation of E M Forster's great coming-out novel Maurice, so the run has been extended until this Saturday. At the time of writing there were a few seats left for the final performance; as for a transfer, who knows?

Friends bought tickets for this one, so I came to it fearing all that's bad about pub theatre (and from some I've seen, it couldn't be much worse). How wrong I was. Roger Parsley and Andy Graham have selected nearly all of Forster's most significant one-to-ones. The clarity of his prose keeps datedness or sentimentality at bay, and it's much assisted by Tim McArthur's sure-footed direction as well as some first-class acting from Adam Lilley's ambivalent hero - excellent in conflict with poor sister Ada (Persia Lawson) - and from Jonathan Hansler in two consummate cameos. Unless you're fixated on the image of Rupert Graves's gamekeeper in the cagier Merchant-Ivory film - I'm not - then Stevie Raine's Alec is all that could be desired. Further details from Above the Stag Theatre's website.

The ballerina who tweets while she dances

New York star Ashley Bouder gives contemporary insight into ballet via her iPhone

How does a ballerina feel during Swan Lake? Find out instantaneously from the New York ballerina who tweets while she dances. Ashley Bouder is one of the most exciting dancers of the new generation over there - and new-generation she is.

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