Learning Beer (Properly) with WSET Level 2 Whether you’re someone who enjoys the occasional pint, or you’ve found yourself regularly reaching for different styles to see what’s out there, beer has a way of quietly expanding beyond what you expect. Beer as a drinks "genre" is a huge and diverse place with vastly differing styles and types. One minute it’s a cold lager at the pub, the next you’re debating the merits of a hazy IPA versus something a little more malt-forward. And

There is something deliciously subversive about Churchill’s Urinal, where British politics is turned gloriously inside out. Rosie Holt is superb as a beleaguered Chancellor, balancing razor-sharp wit with moments of real vulnerability, while Michael Lambourne’s vodka-drinking Churchill-voiced urinal is absurdly inspired. Sharp, funny, and unsettlingly timely, this is satire with real bite.

At the beginning of April we spent three days in Rome using the Rome City Pass — and despite a few quirks, it helped shape a magical trip. From iconic sights like the Colosseum, Pantheon and Vatican Museums to hidden gems such as the Case Romane and Vicus Caprarius, the pass offered excellent value, skip-the-line convenience, and a brilliant mix of ancient history, art and quieter corners of the Eternal City.

It’s 1890s Paris and Le Chat Noir is reborn. This five‑star immersive dinner‑theatre delivers sensational cabaret, live musicians, exquisite detail and joyful French anarchy. Come dressed to impress, eat well, drink absinthe and leave exhilarated.

Madrid is made for art lovers on a short break. Three world‑class galleries sit within walking distance, from Goya’s unflinching truth‑telling and El Greco’s otherworldly intensity at the Prado, to Picasso’s devastating Guernica and the calm brilliance of the Thyssen. Highlights there include jaw‑dropping Canalettos, a powerful Holbein portrait of Henry VIII, and a Georgia O’Keeffe I’m still thinking about.

Last Sunday night at the Dominion felt more like a glitter‑splashed anniversary party than a standard theatre trip. I loved briefly meeting original cast members and the enthusiastic, funny fan‑club Q&A, with a shy appearance from Peter Hinwood, the original Rocky, who later left acting for an art‑gallery life. The shadow cast was fun and inclusive at first, Little Nell was a joy, but the constant film heckling wore thin. ⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Joyfully chaotic and packed with nostalgia, Biff To The Future is a fast, funny one-man romp led by a superbly energetic Joseph Maudsley. With pitch-perfect sound cue interplay and inspired audience moments (that air guitarist!), it’s playful, irreverent and all the better if you know the films.

Conceived during Covid-19, TR(IA)L is a tense, claustrophobic sci-fi drama following ‘Subject X’ as she undergoes a mysterious drug trial. Isolated and stripped of memory, she begins to question her reality—and her supervisor. Smart and unsettling, it offers a chilling reflection on control, identity, and modern science

A clever and chaotic musical that flips Cinderella on its head and keeps the laughs coming. With jokes pitched perfectly for both children and adults, standout performances from the Fairy Godfather and Wicked Stepmother, and a pace that never lets up, Apparently Ugly is sharp, silly and hugely enjoyable. ★★★★★

A warm, witty and deeply relatable look at love after sixty, Invisible Me shines thanks to Bren Gosling’s insightful script and a beautifully layered performance from Tessa Peake-Jones. Honest, funny and quietly moving, it’s a refreshing reminder that life’s most exciting chapters can still lie ahead.