Latest First Night Reviews  

Messiah

English National Opera’s attempt to stage a masterpiece wasn’t Messiah. It wasn’t even shocking. Just embarrassingly lame

Three stars for The Antlers

Although their album is garnering glowing praise, the Antlers were not able to do it justice on stage, says Lisa Verrico

Treasure Island

Northern Broadsides’s adaptation of Treasure Island is ragged and confused, although it does have some fine puppeteering

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Nelsons

Never before have I heard such warm, veiled, ethereal beauties from these players, or indeed from Symphony Hall

The best of the Noughties

The 100 Best Films of the Decade

Our pick of the best movies released in the Noughties. Do you agree with our selection? What were your favourites?

The 100 Best Books of the Decade

Described by Nicholas Clee, Kate Saunders, Tom Gatti, Erica Wagner, Rachel Campbell-Johnston, Paul Dunn and Richard Whitehead

The ten best jazz albums of the Noughties

As the decade comes to an end, John Bungey looks back on the jazz albums that stood out during the Noughties

The ten best classical albums of the Noughties

As the Noughties draw to a close, Neil Fisher and Richard Morrison look back on the best releases of the decade

Must-see film: A Serious Man  

Four stars for A Serious Man

The Coen brothers at their best, wringing a sacrilegious amount of gallows humour from the trials of a latterday Job

A Serious Man - the Sunday Times review

This film from Coen brothers Joel and Ethan plays out like one of those smart, offbeat and funny HBO television series

A Serious Man at the London Film Festival

In their latest production the Coens have spun the camera round and trained it on the nature of God, with bracing results

Must-watch TV: The X Factor  

‘It’s The X Factor, not The Singing Factor’

They may have been voted off, but John and Edward Grimes are shaping up to be the real winners of this year’s talent show

Jedward in line to win £2m consolation prize

The twins could be the X Factor’s biggest winners, despite being voted off, as publishers and TV executives show interest

Jedward: the conspiracy theories

Are they aliens, an artworld joke or the lovechildren of Simon Cowell? We seek the real story behind John and Edward

Calvin Harris slams X Factor after stage invasion

Dance star claims he crashed stage with pineapple to "make a mockery" of the competition and its "terrible" music

Must-see exhibition: Moctezuma - Aztec Ruler  

Moctezuma: the Times review

The latest exhibition at the British Museum, on a semi-divine ruler of the Mexicas, looks set to be an autumn blockbuster

‘Excrement of the gods’ to go on display

Gold treasures crafted by the Aztecs in the reign of Moctezuma will be on show for the first time at the British Museum

British Museum’s ambition hits new heights

Neil MacGregor’s attempt to tell the story of the world in 15 minutes has its dangers but shows a welcome sense of adventure

Aztec temple could yield golden treasures

Archaeologists believe they are close to unearthing the first tomb of an Aztec ruler inside the pyramid of Moctezuma II

The Turner Prize  

Turner Prize proves diverting

History repeats itself as late addition to prize exhibition diverts viewers’ gaze from fellow nominee Lucy Skaer’s work

Turner’s Prize

A new show confirms Turner as Britain’s greatest artist, with few rivals anywhere

Turner Prize: thought provoking, not shocking

Traditionalists who turn up will find a few art works to make them harrumph - there are the usual mad concepts

Recognisable art makes Turner shortlist

Roger Hiorns joins Enrico David, Lucy Skaer and Richard Wright as a finalist after transforming flat into crystal cave