A friend sent an image from Europe of a remarkable Hockney painting I had never seen before: David Hockney, "Still Life on a Glass Table," 1971

Tourist child, Sixth Avenue: "Oh, I know this area. We're right by the *bad* pizza place."

Next week’s cover, “After the Comeback,” by Pierre-Emmanuel Lyet, captures the joy on the streets of New York City after the Knicks’ historic win in Game Four of the N.B.A. Finals. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/PiB0E9

I loved this gallery show of Hockney paintings so much earlier this year. To stand there surrounded by these large, bright canvases and think how new they were, how recently he had made them. That he was still at it.

Stop putting up with the lying and the abuse https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jun/12/trump-insults-female-journalists?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Was just walking past the Friedman, where a flustered woman arrived a few minutes past curtain for "The Balusters." Their guy — the best security person on Broadway, not even close — calmed her down instantly with his kind, untroubled welcome. He awes me. Every time.

The West End touring production of Mean Girls has cancelled its Belfast run due to violent civil unrest across the city. Read more 👇

A great line, deep in Ann Patchett’s new novel, “Whistler.”

I don't think I've ever seen Classical Theatre of Harlem advertising in the subway. I'm so happy to see this on the A train.

really hard to be a more dismaying world cup host than Qatar and yet so far the US absolutely smashing it

About that gap between best-play wins by American women: It was 37 years between Wendy Wasserstein in 1989 and Bess Wohl last night, and a still appalling but shorter 33 years between Frances Goodrich (co-author of “The Diary of Anne Frank”) in 1956 and Wasserstein. All three plays won the Pulitzer.

Today in "Absolutely not."

I love this, from Ben Brantley. www.thestage.co.uk/news/theatre...

the most relaxed, confident, and competent host I think i’ve ever seen for this?! it’s so rare to have a Not Thirsty person host the Tony awards and it was profoundly charming - i want to be Pink’s friend so bad.

(gift link) www.nytimes.com/2026/06/08/t...

Pink’s evident comfort in her own skin is, I think, a big part of what made her such a terrific Tonys host. No insecurity, no neediness, no showboating.

If you have any chance to see Joshua Henry in Ragtime, you will never be sorry.

The in memoriam segment is not a time for closeups on the musicians. Jesus.

Ali Louis Bourzgui, for anyone who sees this post out of context. A hell of a speech. Bravo.

This “Ragtime” is just magnificent. Almost shockingly so.

Loved seeing the shout out by Chloe Lamford to working moms at the #TonyAwards 💗

Pluto is an absolute nightmare, every year.

I would like Aimee Mann to write more musicals, please.

Zohran Mamdani plays the Guardian's Bracketology to predict World Cup winner – video

“Who needs the Knicks?” a young woman joked, seemingly surprised at how great her seat was last night at the Delacorte. I wondered: Has basketball briefly made it easier to get into Shakespeare in the Park? And to see it from a prime spot, front and center?

At the New Victory, where "Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock" is about to start, a staffer is offering booster seats to any audience member who wants one, and I suddenly believe quite passionately that this should happen at every theater, especially when a tall person sits in front of me.

@mayor.nyc.gov walking the fine streets of Manhattan today, I have ‘almost’ been hit three times in the last hour by electric bicycles ignoring traffic signals, electric scooters on the sidewalk, I don’t mind bicycles or scooters. I just don’t want to be hit by them.

NOOOOOO www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

One of my core journalistic beliefs — about practicality, not ethics — is that every writer comes with operating instructions, and every editor should make sure to consult those before beginning an edit.

“Creative people want to do their work – which many of them consider a mission, not just a job – in an atmosphere of respect, cooperation and a certain amount of autonomy. … their most closely felt ideals cannot be trampled on.” www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

“‘[Terry] wasn’t unkind but she said: “Oi, oi,” and she continued to say “oi” until the [audience member] looked up and she said: “It takes courage to look each other in the eye.”’”

Question: Should a Knicks championship trigger a James Dolan redemption arc? Answer: Of course not, what are you talking about, get out of here with that nonsense. hellgatenyc.com/james-dolan-...

"Bubba Weiler’s Well, I’ll Let You Go will be recorded on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 for inclusion in the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts." This is good news.

"The decision comes after actor Nastassja Kinski, now 65, told Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper last month that she has spent 15 years unsuccessfully trying to get Wenders to change the film."

I just read a feature I loved, but then at the end there’s a little note saying that an entity that‘s written about in the article had paid for the reporter’s trip. That’s so damaging: the existence of the conflict of interest, the publication’s embrace of it. Disclosing it does not make it okay.

With Second Stage bringing Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ “Gloria” to Broadway next spring, I wonder: How much of the play’s social relevance — even usefulness — is sacrificed in the service of not spoiling its big surprise?

Not the point, but the dismissal of sincere outrage (etc.) as “performative” is a habit we really need to kick.

Wrote a funny thing!!!!! www.newyorker.com/humor/shouts...

“The Sheep Detectives” is just so charming.

So anyway, it would be great to get e-scooters off pedestrian surfaces. The rest of us are not in fact their obstacle course.

Racists are irrational and wrong, but they are also very odd, socially disconnected saddos Make a friend, say hello to your neighbour, have a smile, go on!

Loads of tempting shows on NYC stages this month. (gift link) www.nytimes.com/2026/06/02/t...

‘Catastrophic for creative industries’: Brexit barriers shut UK actors out of EU jobs

I found this story delightful www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

“'Somebody was texting in this part,' she said, gesturing towards a section of the audience. ... 'Maybe it was very important, and maybe you’re a doctor, and you’re saving someone’s life, and I hope you are, but we do see these, we do feel them.'"

Today I ‘interviewed’ Facebook whistleblower on stage at Hay…& she couldn’t say a word. Facebook took legal action to prevent her speaking. What pathetic, pointless vindictiveness. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

It’s true that we need to read beyond headlines. It’s also true that headline writers need to do a better job of reflecting the substance of a piece than of courting rage with clickbait.

Extremely niche observation, but: In two shows this season — Tom Hanks’ “The World of Tomorrow” at the Shed and the current “Fallen Angels” revival on Broadway — wigs that were distractingly unflattering in person looked great on camera. Seems a not great direction for design.

If you haven't seen Is God Is, I highly recommend! I think this may be the last weekend it's in theaters, per Aleasha's insta, and it's worth seeing on a big screen. I love that the weapon of choice is a rock in a sock, b/c everyone in the story exists within a prison of patriarchy

Look at the moon.