The word Gothic evokes horrifying images of ruined castles, vengeful ghosts, murderous maniacs and helplessly imprisoned heroines. But in Sara Wasson’s fine study, Urban Gothic of the Second World War: Dark London, there is no crumbling house of Usher, no supernatural forces and no madmen kidnapping damsels...

‘I will not torture you.  I will reason with you.  Isn’t that what we do?  Have a dialogue?’ So says the Creature to an astounded and fearful Victor in playwright Nick Dear’s stunning, conceptual adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein currently playing at the National Theatre in London.  And what a dialogue it is, with the two protagonists duelling and debating throughout.  Nick Dear’s intention with this piece was to give the Creature his voice back: although Mary Shelley had given him a voice, most adaptations have not, and so the play opens from the Creature’s poin

“The world’s favourite detective has emerged from the fog, this is Sherlock for a new generation”.

With Christmas practically just around the corner, you know it isn't going to be long before you can't listen to the radio without hearing The Pogues along with the late Kirst Maccoll sing Fairytale of New York. This song in spite of its ...