Poetry
Two Poems for Gaza
Writers and S&C Cultural Editors Sue Harper and Paul Valentine present two poems both entitled ‘Gaza’. Sue Harper Yahweh knocks on your door there is blood in his hair his teeth are [… read more ]
Paul Valentine
Poetry
Portsmouth Performers for Palestine: ‘Gaza’ by Paul Valentine
There are ten days to go before the Portsmouth Performers for Palestine event and tickets are still available. In advance of the event, which is brought to you in association with Star & Crescent, the [… read more ]
Culture
Mighty Brahms Review: Portsmouth Guildhall
S&C’s classical music commentator Paul Valentine shares his experience of an evening with Weber, Prokofiev and Brahms at Portsmouth Guildhall on 30th March 2023. When I saw the size of tonight’s orchestra and reminisced about [… read more ]
Culture
Controlled Screaming and Sublime Effort: Mahler’s 5th at Portsmouth Guildhall
The finest concert Paul Valentine has attended to date is Walton’s Viola Concerto and Second Symphony performed by the LSO and conducted by the late André Previn. Walton was in attendance looking on from the [… read more ]
Culture
Review: Shostakovich’s Mighty Concerto
S&C‘s classical music critic Paul Valentine was impressed by a recent performance of Scriabin, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) at Portsmouth Guildhall. This programme, directed by Alexander Shelley, establishes the BSO [… read more ]
Reviews
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra – Back to the Future
Like many other art forms, classical music was forced off the stage by Covid-19. Paul Valentine was all the more thrilled to be able to get out and see the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s performances of [… read more ]
Culture
Wanted: Your Creative Writing
We are thrilled to announce that we have appointed two Literary Editors to the team, Prof Sue Harper and long-time contributor to the site, Paul Valentine. Sue and Paul are keen to read work submitted [… read more ]
Editorials
What do the Assange Hearings Mean for Democracy?
S&C reporter Paul Valentine takes a look at the case of Julian Assange, and asks what the strange circumstances of his ongoing extradition hearing means for our democracy, and future freedom of the press. The [… read more ]
Culture
Portsmouth Writers’ Season: Review of Plague by Sue Spiers
S&C‘s Paul Valentine finds much to appreciate in Portsmouth poet Sue Spier’s new book of haikus. Like many, I have tried haiku and then left its comforting warmth. But I have a tremendous respect both [… read more ]
Culture
Book Review: The Dark Nest by Sue Harper
S&C Arts Correspondent Paul Valentine is impressed by a funny, irreverent, macabre and inventive new book of short stories by Sue Harper, local author and Portsmouth University Emeritus Professor of Film History. If you thought [… read more ]