Michael Jackson: August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009  

Michael Jackson memorial divides opinion

A macabre circus or a fitting tribute? The King of Pop's star-studded Los Angeles memorial polarises opinion

Is this really what he'd have wanted?

It was, in the manner of Michael Jackson's life, a peerlessly odd evening ­ deeply moving but also surreal and random

Jackson an online hit, even in death

Star’s memorial service is expected to break President Obama’s record for attracting the biggest online audience

Daughter's tears end tribute to Jackson

Some of the biggest names in black American music joined his family to give the King of Pop a superstar's send-off

Full Festivals coverage  

Glastonbury: the Times review

It didn’t matter that there was a glut of performances from older hands. Those who entertained were greeted with open arms

Springsteen overrun costs organisers £3,000

Michael Eavis offers to pay fine after the top of the bill musician breached the 12.30am Glastonbury curfew by nine minutes

I deserted you and still feel ashamed

Glastonbury is like your favourite football team: you stand by it. But I have to admit that I am a fair-weather supporter

Michael Eavis to hand Glastonbury to daughter

The festival founder plans to organise the event alongside daughter Emily until 2011 when he will give her full control

Must-watch film: Brüno  

Brüno: ich bin ein superstar - okay?

From fighting Paris Hilton for freebies to dropping in on Eminem, the fashion führer will do anything for attention

Brüno prances proudly into London

Unrelenting foolery as Sacha Baron Cohen’s latest creation, a gay Austrian fashion journalist, hits the big screen

Baron Cohen film hobbled by 18 rating

Strong sexual content has earned an adult rating for Brüno, Sacha Baron Cohen's long-awaited follow up to the film Borat

Why Austria isn’t laughing at Baron Cohen

Comedian’s latest creation, a gay fashionista called Brüno, leaves tourism bosses and state TV fearing the Borat Effect

Must-see TV: Psychoville  

The new home of horror comedy

Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, half of the League of Gentlemen, have moved to Psychoville, the new home of horror comedy

The verdict on Psychoville

The League of Gentlemen do it again with another gallery of grotesques and more dark humour, says Tim Teeman

From Royston Vasey to Benidorm

Tubbs has left the village - but her alter ego, Steve Pemberton, is still a Gentleman at heart, finds Bruce Dessau

Must-see concert: Blur  

Blur rock Hyde Park

Gone are the associations with Britpop and spats with Oasis - great songs, performed by a band at peace with itself, remain

Blur: return of the kings of Britpop

As Blur head the bill at Glastonbury, Damon Albarn and his erstwhile chums talk about fame, drugs and cheese

Blur's five-star return to action

Albarn and friends were always in a class of their own. How could we have forgotten that they were quite this good?

Blur are back after settling six-year spat

The return of one of the definitive Britpop bands was sufficiently unexpected to induce a collective quiver in their fans

Edinburgh Festival  

A film tour and festival in Edinburgh

Gareth Scurlock enjoys the opening of the Edinburgh International Film Festival and a film tour of the city

The Edinburgh Festival refreshes the soul

The Festival reaffirms beliefs in 'things other than material', which is hard to do when materialism is society's driving force

Fancy being in my play tonight?

Mark Ravenhill intends to use special guests to enact segments of the dialogue, though he has no idea who they will be

Who’s the prize joker?

Nica Burns, the theatre impresario, has stepped into the breach to fund this year’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards

Must-see theatre: Hamlet  

Three stars for Hamlet

Jude Law's Hamlet is a sharp thinker, but a bit too chilly to make us really care in this fast-paced production

Hamlet at Wyndham’s: alas poor Jude

If the most glamorous young Hamlets of recent months were rivals, which would be more worth following — Tennant or Law?

Jude Law — to see or not to see?

Comparisons were inevitably drawn with David Tennant’s performance of the role in last year’s Royal Shakespeare Company production

Must-See Exhibition: Henry VIII: Man & Monarch  

Rediscovering Henry VIII

British Library guest curator David Starkey reveals how he went in search of the real Henry

One bad year turned Henry VIII into a tyrant

New history says trauma of 1536 turned king into obese wife-killer

Handwriting reveals Henry VIII’s feminine side

David Starkey claims the king was emotionally dependent on women because his handwriting is so similar to his mother’s