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Precious is a new-style weepie but one that is much more bracing than depressing
Precious
Theatre
Ian McKellen is captivating throughout. He delights in the play’s gallows humour, yet is also maudlin and poignant
Waiting for Godot
Theatre
Slight quibbles notwithstanding, this will set the West End’s stock riding high
Enron
Utterly, utterly brilliant. You really are in for a treat
Though 'Trilogy' has won rave reviews, I personally found myself exasperated after about an hour
We went on a quiet sunday evening and the food was excellent, but the experience let down by the service and ambiance
London,
Jack Massarik's rating
Reader rating
Description: The award-winning London-based jazz pianist performs tracks from his album Perception.
Phone: 0207437 9595
Website: www.pizzaexpresslive.co.uk
Trains: Tube: Tottenham Court Road 
Extra info: Food, Air Conditioning
In a good week for home-grown talent, tenorist Dave O’Higgins and his mighty US guest Eric Alexander are at Ronnie Scott’s opposite singer Claire Martin, watched admiringly on Monday by Prince Harry. “Not bad for a gal from Colliers Wood,” gulped Claire. London’s leading pianists, meanwhile, discovered two new Steinways on this rival Dean Street bandstand.
Old master John Taylor and young pretender Gwilym Simcock were invited by manager Ross Dines “to release the colours of these superb instruments” after an opening set by altoist Peter King and tenorist Mornington Lockett, which was more duel than duet.
Their saxophone technique remains dazzling yet their high-speed routines are less enjoyable now than when these were fresh. As for their faithful solo party-pieces, Lush Life (King) and Chelsea Bridge (Lockett), please have mercy.
No such problems faced Taylor and Simcock, whose zestful versions of Maiden Voyage, Everything I Love, Black Narcissus and The Song Is You were full of two-handed originality. Better listeners than the saxmen, they dovetailed brilliantly without parroting each others’ phrases and also devised satisfying endings, something else beyond the reedmen, even with only two notes to think about.
Tonight: US vocal doyenne Sheila Jordan. (020 7439 0747).
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
