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A dancer in traditional Indian dress performs on stage against a black background

Dance

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Bharathanatyam dance is a living exploration of being human

With its origins in 16th-century India, Bharathanatyam remains hugely popular. Here’s a primer to kickstart your enjoyment

by Lakshmi Thiagarajan

A man walks beneath overcast skies down a wet and rutted road past a burned out tank in war-ravaged Ukraine

History of ideas

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Five timeless lessons for life from the Athenian tragedies

In a world filled with grief-fuelled rage, cultivating a tragic mindset can help you to live with grace and dignity

by Andy Owen

A man gesticulates and recites poetry at a club event

Poetry

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Why spoken word poetry is so much more than a poetry reading

As poetry returns to its roots as a performance art, it’s providing many with a powerful source of healing and community

by Erica Fletcher

A couple enjoying a cosy moment, the woman holds a pink mug while the man, in a striped shirt, leans in closely, both smiling softly.

Communication and language

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Here’s the truth about how to spot when someone is lying

From shifty eyes to fidgeting fingers, there are many folk beliefs about the signs of lying – but what does the science say?

by Tim Brennen & Svein Magnussen

Two women in period costumes, one lying on a bed with colourful blankets, the other standing behind her, both in a room with patterned wallpaper.

Theatre and performance

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Why did Ibsen put ‘philosophers in skirts’ up on the stage?

When Henrik Ibsen put ‘philosophers in skirts’ into his plays, he demonstrated a different way of thinking about the world

by Kristin Gjesdal

Black and white photo of a man seated with a watering can and top hat, alongside a standing woman in a dress, in a vintage setting.

Play

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What TikTok videos have in common with Victorian parlour games

TikTok and Insta videos are the Victorian parlour games of today, allowing us to share in the emotional benefits of play

by Kim Beil & Ryan Tacata

Black and white photo of an older man in a suit standing near a railing, illuminated from above, looking slightly upward.

Identity

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Stanislavski’s revelation: we’re more than the parts we play

Stanislavski taught that performance – on stage as in life – is created by analysing a character’s feelings and objectives

by William Justice Bruehl

A man wearing glasses and a brown jacket who is Charlie Watts playing drums in a TV studio.

Music

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True musical virtuosos are minimalists who put roll before rock

Musicians like Muddy Waters and Charlie Watts played fewer notes than showoffs like Jeff Beck, but they were the right ones

by Mike Edison

Photo of three men in jackets and beanies looking intently, with a group of people in the background on a cloudy day.

Theatre and performance

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Much ado about uncertainty: how Shakespeare navigates doubt

‘I know this sure uncertainty’: how Shakespeare’s vision of an unpredictable world can help us live with doubt and error

by Lorenzo Zucca