The modern world in old Ladybird books. Eating on trains, 1974. Artist: Frank Humphris

News Viktor Orban is conceeding the Hungarian election and Rachel Zegler won an Olivier Award coming in at the same time :)

As the misspelt church banner said ‘Chris is Risen!’

!!!!

Bet he wishes he’d thought of that..

Not to be an apostrophe person but wonder which student they asked..

Train delayed. At least 4.5 hours to go. Thank gawd at least after uhhming and ahing over whether I needed a physical copy I brought Alan Bennett’s latest diaries at the station 📖

Saw Arcadia last night then didn’t sleep for ages thinking obsessively about why Stoppard’s play is so perfect.. 💔

New Romeo and Juliet with Sadie Sink and Noah Jupe was great fun, with lots of unexpected turns even in such a well know story. Been there, done that, got the pleasingly daft promotional scarf 🧣

New Romeo and Juliet with Sadie Sink and Noah Jupe was great fun, with lots of unexpected turns even in such a well know story. Been there, done that, got the pleasingly daft promotional scarf 🧣

Whatever you possibly think this could be, it’s even better. All in the delivery.

‘I have concluded my work here is done, as optimal communications have been achieved’

“The Prime Minister begged me not to advise him to appoint Peter Mandelson. He didn’t want to take the advice but I advised him to do so.”

I’m loving the attitude in the marginalia to this copy of Griffith’s Morality of Shakespeare’s Drama Illustrated (1775).

One of the funny* things about the Jenrick defection is his articles basically amount to "Reheated Thatcherism and bungs to pensioners have broken Britain, and that's why I'm joining the Reheated Thatcherism and Bungs to Pensioners Party".

Take a look at The Telegraph's view on Trump. Every single 'columnist' (I use the term loosely) utterly wrong and totally disproven. Never read again.

The Prime Minister of Belgium speaks:

Interview with Paul from the Chuckle Brothers in the Guardian asks if he'd ever like to do Shakespeare. He says, "To me, or not to me, that is the question."

My favourite Chuckle Brothers gag: Barry: It's a lovely church, Vicar. Vicar: It's Norman. Barry: It's a lovely church, Norman.

dont talk to me or my son or my sons son or my sons sons son ever again

Happy Twelfth Night friends

amazing how the entire machine can pivot within 24 hours. no need to slowly upsell the argument; just issue new marching orders

Rubbish reception here so it might take a while for this to send but hope everyone has a brilliant 2020! Happy New Year All!

Got my 2026 diary ready

Went out to find a sandwich Found an open bookshop Spent £48 on books Meh, it is Christmas

Excellent present from my brother Glow in the dark too! Gonna party like it’s 1999

@nutedawn.bsky.social Thought you’d enjoy this splendid Christmas gift I got..

Mr Tumnus having a book called ‘Is Man a Myth?’ on his shelf made me laugh as a kid and still amuses me now

Passed a charity stall selling pigs in blankets..

A Simpsons nativity graces the bookshelves

And 24th and finally - it’s Kodos dressed as Father Kristmas

Finished wrapping before about 11pm on Christmas Eve and feel it might be the achievement of the year..

Day 23 Christmas Eve Eve is a Kristmassy Kang or Kodos

Day 22 is one of my favourites so far - Bart’s pathetic attempt at a snowman of himself using the snow left under the car

Day 20 is retro - one of the Happy Little Elves

Day 15 is a cardboardbread/ gingerbread Marge and Maggie

Day 17 is…exactly the same - another Power Plant cooling tower ‘I’m seeing double here! Four towers!’

The general failure - among politicians and media - to push back against this stuff is reprehensible.

Day 14 is another legend - Santa’s Little Helper

Day 13 is a goodun - Grandpa (Fashioned in plastic as was the fashion at the time)

‘Why not eat your Christmas dinner at your desk this year? That way no valuable work hours will be lost to your employer!’

Day 11 is a small piece of cardboard (Reminding me of Bart’s $350 limited edition Itchy and Scratchy animation cel)

Day 7 is Snowball I complete with tyre marks. Too soon?

Day 6 is the man himself - Homer! ‘There’s only one fat guy who brings us presents and his name ain’t Santa’

It’s the most wonderful time of the year - a glorious round up of the best rip-off Christmas Laplands scandals from The Guardian www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Day 5 is Bart as a Happy Little Elf (Elf Barto?)

This year’s overpriced advent calendar is….The Simpsons (How could you Krusty?! I’d never lend my name to an inferior product)

Eleven years ago, I wrote to Tom Stoppard to ask about this coup de théâtre from 1949. It took me down an unexpected rabbit hole - in memory of Stoppard, here's what I found.

A few years ago Prunella Scales sent out Christmas cards to people who donated to one of the many charity projects she and Timothy West supported - obviously I kept it and just dug it out (I enjoy the repeated amendments to make certain people knew who they were from)

Love a special offer