Tom Stoppard's 1982 play The Real Thing begins with exactly the kind of scene that makes theatre fans love or loathe this garlanded elder statesman of British theatre. A married couple are arguing. So naturally, there's an Ibsen-esque door slam that topples a house of cards, an erudite but deeply dated discourse on the fundamental naffness of Japanese digital watches, and an atmosphere so arch it could be used to patch up the Colosseum. But soon, we’re shown this is all a tricksy bit of self-parody, part of Stoppard’s exploration of playwriting and the realities we construct around ourselves.
Denne historien er fra September 05, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
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Denne historien er fra September 05, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
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Hammers seek Potter magic after Lopetegui exit farce
Farewell, Julen Lopetegui. You leave West Ham as you arrived: unwanted by fans, and even by technical director Tim Steidten, it seems.
Spurs subdue Liverpool and dream of Wembley
It’s a bit premature to say this was a night when Tottenham Hotspur’s young team came of age, but this 1-0 victory over Liverpool was an impressive show of maturity when they most needed it. An 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall appropriately settled it, crowning the fine work of fellow teenager Archie Gray.
FTSE 250 and pound slump as UK gilt yields hit a high
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Bodies of father and son hostages recovered in Gaza
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French minister tells Trump Europe will protect borders
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'I did my best to prevent it'
Mother of 14-year-old stabbing victim Kelyan Bokassa tells Barney Davis her heart skipped’ every time her son went out
Brexiteers left infuriated by PM's Foreign Office choice
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Corbyn attacks Starmer on private sector's role in NHS
Jeremy Corbyn has accused Sir Keir Starmer of betraying” the health service by introducing a much greater role for the private sector, which he warns will hollow out the NHS.
Is Britain's future burning as bright as Reeves thinks?
Preparing for her appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos in a couple of weeks, the chancellor declares herself confident that Britain’s economic future is “burning bright”: “I am on a mission to win round the world’s investors.”
Tories refuse to give Warsi back whip after Twitter row
Kemi Badenoch has refused to restore the whip to Sayeeda Warsi, despite her having been cleared of wrongdoing over a tweet calling Rishi Sunak a “coconut”.