Cleopatra vs. Caliban
Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller trade off as Frankenstein and the Creature in the National Theatre’s 2011 take on Mary Shelley’s masterpiece
Not His Brother’s Keeper
In his long-awaited memoir, Spare, Prince Harry is reportedly so tough on Prince William that royal experts wonder if the brothers can ever make amends
Ghost Writing
In an excerpt from her posthumously published book, Hilary Mantel reveals how she channelled Thomas Cromwell to write her “Wolf Hall” trilogy
Paul Feig Raises a Glass to 2023
The comedy mastermind stops by Morning Meeting this week to discuss the art of mixology
Reality Check
A lunch with Andy Cohen leads to revelations about James Corden, the late-night-television orthodoxy, and much more in our new podcast, Table for Two with Bruce Bozzi
It’s a Smaller World
Those we lost in 2022—a special Disney remembrance
Lighter than Air
Albert Lamorisse’s 1956 short, “The Red Balloon,” is high art for all ages
A Furshlugginer Great Boss
The life of William M. Gaines, Mad magazine’s unmistakable publisher, was as large as the man himself
A Bigger Splash
More than 300 images, from paintings to oceanographic maps, collected in a new coffee-table book, provide a multifaceted look at oceans and the marine world
Paul Feig Knows a Good Martini
The filmmaker behind Freaks and Geeks and Bridesmaids has re-invented himself as a cocktail connoisseur with a viral pandemic-drink-tutorial series, his own brand of gin, and, now, a book
Luke Millington-Drake
While the British actor is best known for his Keira Knightley parodies on TikTok, his TV career is taking off
The Return of Flaming June
Once derided as an eyesore, Victorian painting is roaring back on both sides of the Atlantic
Step-Mama’s Boy
Verdi’s season-opening Don Carlo from the Teatro San Carlo, Naples
A Different Kind of Holiday
How to enjoy Christmas alone in the big city
Diego Calva
For his first role in an American movie, the Mexican actor stars alongside Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie in the Hollywood epic Babylon
Murder, They Wrote
This month’s best mystery books contain a healthy dose of humor
