I’ve only ever suffered a punch to the face – a proper bare-knuckle blow, powered by malice – on one occasion. A one-off event like that is always likely to stick in the mind. But it was also memorable for its sheer strangeness. Thankfully there’s no trauma surrounding the incident. I guess technically what happened […]
‘Mr Brave,’ or On Being Punched In The Face Read More »
I’ve visited impressive galleries of all sizes over the years. But none of those collections – not the National Gallery, not the Louvre nor MoMA – delivered an experience as unique and memorable as the gallery I visited in late December 1999. This collection wasn’t open to the general public. It no longer exists. It
The $88M masterpiece and the private penthouse gallery Read More »
Sam Shepard often seemed more of an American myth than a man. His short, surreal prose pieces both unpack and undermine that frontier persona… “He’s like a Sam Shepard character.” This, somewhat recursively, is how I first heard Sam Shepard described. I knew nothing of his work until I heard theatre critic Mel Gussow explain
Sam Shepard road trip: Super Cowboys and Strange Motels Read More »
It feels like I’ve spent half my life at the dentist, despite diligent brushing and flossing. From explosive vomiting to epic extractions, join me on this surreal journey. Open wide… What they say about New York City is also true of my mouth: it will be a great place – if they ever finish it.
A hypnagogic journey through my lifetime in the dentist’s chair Read More »
The 1968 debates between Gore Vidal and Willam F Buckley have already been litigated in print and documented on film. What can be learned from bringing Best of Enemies to the stage? It’s said that politics makes for strange bedfellows. Best of Enemies, currently showing at the Young Vic, proves that it can make for
‘Best of Enemies’ stages a Buckley-Vidal rematch Read More »
I rarely sleep well, but some nights are more gruelling than others. This is a record of an especially restless night: messages from the frontier of sleeplessness… It’s like this some nights: the land of sleep is a nightclub with an implacable door policy. That’s one way I visualise my insomnia: I’m queuing alone outside
Insomnia Land: Eight Restless Dispatches from the Lonely Frontier Read More »
I hate birthdays, especially ones that involve chasing homicidal animals at the beach… It’s my birthday and I’m at the beach. This is surprising, because I really don’t like going to the beach. What’s even more unusual is the size of the crowd that has turned out to celebrate with me. My dad, my wife
Dream: The Fox and the Hand Saw Read More »
