Juliet Shardlow

Juliet Shardlow

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‘Divine Proportions’ review

‘Divine Proportions’ review

4 out of 5 stars
It’s 8pm and I’m already clutching a cocktail and dancing along wildly to ‘Like a Prayer’ in some dark corner of the Waterloo Vaults. The atmospheric venue’s latest immersive show, Shotgun Carousel’s ‘Divine Proportions’, is part stand-up, part-cabaret, part dinner party. And in short, it’s an absolute blast.In a tantalising pre-dinner preamble, we’re introduced to a troupe of actors in character as ‘the Maenads’, who rove around the audience, making small talk about our clearly inferior outfits while we’re standing around in one of the downstairs bar areas. Two things immediately stand out: the overtly boozy cocktails (we’ll forgive that for the exceptionally tasty Smoky Old Fashioned) and the sheer heat of the covered archway setting. It’s rare that we’d advocate being naked during a show, but this is one of the rare occasions where the humidity might suit the free-your-inhibitions vibe.We’re then led upstairs to a three-course bacchanalian feast, which is tasty enough. Carnivores are served guinea fowl and the veggie option is stuffed courgette with beans. But if you’ve booked a ticket based solely on the dinner, prepare to be distracted. A striptease by Aphrodite (Molly Beth Morossa), and wax-dripping performance by Persephone (Charlie Bouquett) are in-your-face funny and sexy. Given that the room is so tiny, it’s enough to divert you from your meal.But its really the overwhelming talent of Dionysus (Helen White) that leaves the best taste in our mouth, dragging us from o

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Alicia Vikander: the new Lara Croft on ‘Bake Off’, and being hit by a London bus

Alicia Vikander: the new Lara Croft on ‘Bake Off’, and being hit by a London bus

It’s impossible not to like Alicia Vikander. The Danish Girl star – actually Swedish, confusingly – has a combination of charm, smarts and talent that she’s now augmenting with running around, jumping from stuff and generally showing off new-found action chops in ‘Tomb Raider’. She’s so nice, if she robbed your tomb, your relatives would probably help her. As cinema’s newest Lara Croft, she’s headlining a franchise reboot that adds an origin story to the usual brew of kinetic action, larceny and fighty bits. We went to ask her about filming in London, her favourite spots in her adopted hometown, and her love of ‘The Great British Bake Off’. 'Tomb Raider' is in cinemas from Fri Mar 16. Planning a cinema trip? Here are ten more March films to get excited about.