Alice Jones

Dec 4, 2024 | blogpreston.co.uk | Alice Jones

A Leyland teacher has won a BBC award. Greg Smalley has recently won the Gold Winner of the Award for “Unsung Hero” in teaching awards, featured in last month’s episode of The One Show. From Aurora Woodlands School in Darwen, Greg was announced Gold Winner on BBC’s The One Show.

Nov 18, 2024 | thetimes.com | Henry Bird |Clive Davis |Neil Fisher |Alice Jones

Fetch your broomstick, fly to the multiplex: Wicked is about to come to cinemas and, even by Hollywood standards, it’s been a wild ride. Wicked, the story of how the green-skinned villain from The Wizard of Oz became a baddie, is Broadway’s second-highest grossing musical and has been running in the West End since 2006. The film adaptation of Stephen Schwartz’s musical was announced in 2012, but the yellow brick road to this month’s cinematic release has been exceptionally windy.

Jul 18, 2024 | thetimes.com | Alice Jones

In her first scene in Lady in the Lake (Apple TV+), Natalie Portman’s elegantly dishevelled lead, Maddie Schwartz, goes to market to buy some kosher lamb for Thanksgiving. As she carries it to her car, the butcher’s package leaks, leaving a bloody stain on her mustard tweed two-piece. As portents go, it’s not great.

Jul 16, 2024 | thetimes.com | Alice Jones

“Things are always happening to me. I’m that sort of bear.” So said Paddington on his debut in Michael Bond’s A Bear Called Paddington 66 years ago. But even the Peruvian spectacled bear might be surprised by where he’s ended up this time — the star of a 26,000 sq ft immersive experience opposite the Houses of Parliament on the South Bank.

Jun 29, 2024 | thetimes.com | Alice Jones

I directed Blithe Spirit, having never seen Blithe Spirit, when I was about seven years old. There were a lot of net curtains and turning off and on of the lights and we charged 2p for the privilege. We did it in the front room of Val Johnson, the mum of my friend Catherine Johnson who went on to write Mamma Mia! We grew up in the same village (Wickwar in Gloucestershire). My first role at school was playing the wicked queen in Snow White.