There is a word that now dominates British politics so completely it can justify almost anything, end almost any argument, and absolve almost everyone of responsibility. That word is safety. It is endlessly flexible. It can mean protecting children from genuine harm or protecting ministers from embarrassment. It can mean physical security or the far softer business of ensuring nobody feels unsettled. Crucially, it never needs defining. It is not measured, tested, or defended.

There is a particular kind of confidence required to work with history. Not the bravado of imitation, nor the nostalgia of replication, but the quieter assurance of knowing when to listen and when to reinterpret. At Saint Petersburg’s Evgenievsky residential quarter, Babayants Architects approach heritage not as something frozen in time, but as a living foundation for contemporary life. Set within a restored cultural landmark, the project reimagines public interiors as spaces

Meticulously researched, this historical play produced by a Liverpool-based theatre company is a Faustian re-imagining of the real-life story of Professor Gerhard Kittel, a renowned theologian who rose to the highest ranks of Third Reich academia. Family man and celebrated scholar, Kittel was a world authority on Jewish scripture, culture and history. He was admired by Christian and Jewish scholars at home and abroad. Yet in 1933, he joined the Nazi party and wrote his infamo

Priority on sale:  (venue members and Fane priority bookers) Thursday 18th December at 10am General On Sale: Friday 19th December at 10am www.fane.co.uk/the-archers   BBC Radio 4’s long-running drama ‘The Archers’ celebrates 75th anniversary and steps out of the studio for a new live theatrical experience,  touring the UK from June–November 2026. First airing on 1st January 1951, BBC Radio 4’s The Archers  is the world’s longest-running drama. Today Fane is delighted to annou

God, The Devil and Me  is a bold, darkly imaginative new play arriving at The Lion and Unicorn Theatre, London, from 6-10 January 2026, plunging audiences into the chaotic, tender inner world of Gabe - a music-obsessed teenager whose mind becomes a battleground for two intrusive voices: God and the Devil. Written by Fionnuala Donnelly and inspired by their own lived experience of psychosis, the play blends humour, discomfort and raw honesty to explore what it feels like when

Following a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe,  ROTUS : Receptionist of the United States transfers to London’s Park Theatre for its London debut. The show explores contemporary American conservatism through the fictional character of White House press aide Chastity Quirke. In this interview, the show’s creator, Leigh Douglas discusses refining the work for a London theatre audience, the evolving political landscape since the show’s debut, and how recent developments in

From rude fairy tales to gloriously silly chaos, Brick Lane Music Hall’s pantomimes have built a loyal following for their unapologetically grown-up take on the form. Writer and director Lucy Hayes is back for 2026 with Jack and His Giant Stalk  — a camp, farcical reimagining of the classic story that leans hard into audience complicity, joyful disorder and the anarchic spirit of British Music Hall. Following last year’s Pinocchio and His Wooden Whopper , Lucy talks to us abo

Live music has always felt like one of humanity’s purest exchanges. A room, a stage, a shared moment that feels temporary yet unforgettable. What most of us never see is the environmental shadow cast behind the scenes. For the first time, that shadow has been measured in its entirety. MIT Climate Machine, working with Coldplay, Warner Music Group, Live Nation and Hope Solutions, has released the first full annual emissions tally for the live music sector in the United States

Sloane Street never does the festive season quietly. This year the celebrated Kensington and Chelsea destination has gone one step further, illuminating the entire stretch with over thirty four kilometres of botanically inspired lights. The result is a winter boulevard with a quiet glamour that feels made for December evenings. It is the sort of place where shopping becomes an experience rather than a task, and where the smallest details carry the unmistakable ease of luxury.

Let’s start with an uncomfortable truth. I was not just somewhere near the machinery of political messaging. I helped run it. I wrote the lines meant to distract you, calm you down, nudge you in the “right” direction. I watched weak ideas polished into saleable products and bad ideas buried under something louder. If anyone ought to be numb to political spin, it should be me. I know the tricks because I used them. Which is why the current moment should worry you. If someone w

People Director at Sir Robert McAlpine joins the Board at a pivotal moment, strengthening governance as Seven Dials Playhouse continues to develop its long-term model. Seven Dials Playhouse has announced the appointment of Michael Divers to its Board of Trustees. His appointment comes at an important moment for the organisation, while the Charity Commission’s statutory inquiry continues. The charity is focused on strengthening its governance, developing its long-term model, a

Nadezda Stupina is not an artist who paints to fill a canvas. She paints to reveal herself, to chart the contours of her soul, and to offer a window into the way she experiences the world. From the earliest days of childhood, when she found herself torn between art, singing, and writing, Stupina recognised that the language she was most fluent in was visual. Supported by parents who encouraged her and her twin sister to pursue their passions, she embraced painting with a clar

Seven Dials Playhouse is delighted to announce  Extraordinary Stories , the new Spring Season running from  3rd February - 29th March 2026,  that spotlight the vast, complicated and often surprising narratives that shape our lives. From drug-trial confessions to queer history, dementia’s shifting realities to the fervour of fandom, Extraordinary Stories brings together artists  delving into remarkable experiences, individual journeys, or the extraordinary stories hidden in ev

There are places in the world that feel less like destinations and more like memories. The Brioni Islands, scattered like polished stones along Croatia’s Adriatic coast, belong to this rare and evocative category. They rise from the sea as emerald fragments, where pine forests soften into gentle meadows and Roman ruins sit patiently in the grass, untouched by the rush of passing centuries. To wander through Brioni is to feel suspended in a dreamlike interval, poised somewhere

Potsdam is preparing for a landmark year in its cultural calendar as DAS MINSK Kunsthaus unveils an exhibition program that feels both deeply reflective and provocatively forward looking. Under the direction of Anna Schneider, the institution continues to establish itself as a place where the past is read through a contemporary lens and where art becomes a bridge that connects histories, ideas and communities. The 2026 line up speaks to this mission with clarity. It brings to