Play

Photo of hands playing a piano keyboard, showing close-up of fingers and a ring on one finger against dark background.
PLEASURES AND PASTIMES
16

Feel free to stop striving: learn to relish being an amateur

When I rekindled my relationship with the piano and tapped into my inner amateur, I discovered a quiet room of my own

by Xenia Hanusiak

Photo of a person practising golf swings in a cobbled alley with bikes, yellow balls, and a basket in view.
PLAY

The achievement society is burning us out, we need more play

This is about more than a self-help switch – it will take structural changes to reject capitalism’s productivity obsession

by Alec Stubbs

A film still of a man in a black suit airborne above a white staircase under bright stage lights against a dark background.
DANCE

How the acrobat and choreographer Yoann Bourgeois plays with gravity and time

Directed by Raphael Wertheimer

Photo of a surfer riding a large wave in the ocean with cloudy spray, capturing the power and movement of the sea.
MEANING AND THE GOOD LIFE
7

What surfing says about the importance of serendipity in life

What surfers call the elated state of ‘stoke’ is really a celebration of life and the meaningful serendipities it brings

by Aaron James

Abstract watercolour painting of figures walking in different directions on a white background.
PLAY

An Oscar-nominated animation that celebrates walking with humans

Directed by Ryan Larkin

Black and white photo of a man in a top hat with a watering can seated, woman standing in period attire, vintage interior.
PLAY

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

Photo of a person dusting flour on a dough ball with a rolling pin nearby on a flour-covered surface.
FOOD AND DRINK

If you don’t fancy mindfulness, then try cooking instead

When overwhelmed I schedule in a cooking day: playful, daring and full of memories. Beats any other stress-reliever for me

by Chloe Faure

Black and white photo of a man in a suit standing by stairs in dramatic lighting.
IDENTITY

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 person in a yellow jacket skipping stones at the beach during sunset, with calm water and rock formations in the distance.
PLAY

All you need to know to start skipping stones like a pro

With the right attitude, stone skipping is a rebellious act that will leave you feeling like you have glitter in your veins

by Julie Benda

Miniature garden diorama with sand paths, small rocks, and a hand adjusting elements, captured in a photo.
PSYCHOTHERAPY

Sand-tray therapy can reach feelings at the ‘edge of awareness’

Originally developed for use in child therapy, sand trays are now helping adults with their difficult thoughts and emotions

by Doreen Fleet

Black-and-white photo of photographers taking pictures of a meerkat at a zoo, with onlookers in the background.
ANIMALS

The zoo is a funhouse mirror that reflects and refracts the peculiarities of being human

Directed by Bert Haanstra

Photo of a person in a dim room holding a smartphone and a credit card, phone screen showing a betting app.
ADDICTION
5

How to control your gambling

What’s fun at first can all too easily get out of hand. Learn the warning signs and use these tips to rein things in

by Luke Clark

Photo of people using virtual reality headsets and controllers at a gaming event with a vibrant yellow background.
PLAY

A game is not a game without a special kind of conflict

From 5,000-year-old boardgames to last year’s video-game blockbusters, all games feature a kind of collaborative conflict

by Eric Zimmerman

A child in a yellow shirt and red shorts pushing a tire uphill on a steep, gravelly incline against a clear sky backdrop.
PLAY

A cobalt mine becomes an unlikely playground for children in Congo

A film by Francis Alÿs

Photo of people roller skating on a wooden rink under neon lights in an indoor facility.
PLEASURES AND PASTIMES

The joyful groove never stops at a legendary Chicago roller rink

Directed by Benjamin Buxton