The Critics

The universal appeal of self-pity

Zeinab Badawi’s ‘The History of Africa’ (BBC World News)

Learning to love Big Brother

A contemporary political drama uses the double whammy of Covid and Brexit to reanimate older, primeval forces

His own best character

A new Netflix release has been trailed as a masterpiece, with myriad claims to Oscar recognition, says Christopher Silvester

Carving out a new genre

Digital theatre is now beginning to offer stalls-starved audiences the kind of quality work they would have queued to see live

Stars, stripes and dollars

Michael Prodger on the artists who make huge sums for painting the US flag

Tunes of glory

How do you love a song you disagree with?

Do not go gently

Opera has treated the subject of cancelling the pleasures of others in some depth

The Russians aren’t coming

New music was not officially muted in the Soviet Union. It just got left at home, says Norman Lebrecht

Fond memories of Sean Connery

I struggle to think of a more glorious spectacle than the sight of Sean flashing that winning smile

Smart work from the Old Vic

The Old Vic shows the way