Image: Ncuti Gatwa and Edward Bleumel – Born With Teeth – photo by Johan Persson

One of the best theatrical productions this year, The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Born With Teeth directed by Daniel Evans imagines a meeting between William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe, two great playwrights of their time.

In this two-hander, Ncuti Gatwa as Christopher Marlowe (Kit) and Edward Bluemel as William Shakespeare (Will) give mesmerising performances in a play where author Liz Duffy Adams explores one of literature’s most persistent questions: What if Shakespeare didn’t work alone? The actors are on stage for virtually the entire 90 minutes which, with witty and sometimes comical dialogue, imagines the discourse between the two men.

In the world of late-Tudor England, Queen Elizabeth 1’s England was fighting for survival. The country protected itself from enemies abroad with ferocious treason laws and surveillance techniques. The writers are seen in the back room of a pub collaborating on the three Henry VI plays penned early in Shakespeare’s life. The drama confirms the contentious issue of Marlowe’s literary importance to Shakespeare and vice-versa. Their co-writing refutes many theories as well as highlighting two contrasting temperaments brought into one another’s orbits amidst a larger climate of political, social and even sexual cunning.

More info:

Only on for a very short run, the play finishes on Saturday, 1 November 2025.

Performance times: Monday – Sat 7.30pm, Wed & Sat 2.30pm

Audio described performance: Saturday 20 September 2.30pm Captioned performance: Saturday 4 October 2.30pm

Wyndham’s Theatre, Charing Cross Road, London WC2H ODA.

Book online: www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk Tickets from £25

2,000 tickets available at £10 for 16-25 year olds, sponsored by TikTok

The post Born With Teeth review – Wyndham’s Theatre, London appeared first on The Travel Magazine.

I had never been to Dumfries, but I hear good things about the 1610 Restaurant, so that seems like a good excuse to visit. The town sits on the River Nith in Scotland’s southwest, just over the border from England. It was here that Robert the Bruce killed his rival and also that Robert Burns, the national poet, spent his final years, weaving Dumfries into Scotland’s cultural fabric forever.

But Burns is more than museum pieces here; he lingers in the air. The Globe Inn, one of his favourite haunts, still serves pints to thirsty visitors. In the Burns Rooms, see the poet’s chair plus other artefacts, and you can almost hear his laughter. Now, the stables have been transformed into the 1610 restaurant, named after the date the pub was founded. It’s one of only six in Scotland to be listed in the Michelin Guide.

Wooden tables line both sides of this narrow, intimate space, complete with dark timbered panelling. Stained glass murals, depicting the story of Tam O’Shanter, run along one wall. At one end, by the entrance, is the bar offering one of the UK’s largest single cask single malt collections.

The menu is a celebration of Scottish produce, reimagined with modern, creative flair and vibrant presentation. The head chef, Fraser Cameron, brings Michelin-inspired techniques to the table, fusing traditional roots with innovative dishes. You can choose from the à la carte menu or go for an eight-course Degustation with matching wine pairing. Of course, that’s what we chose.

Tasting Menu

CANAPES – I love the Fish and chip canape with cod roe.

BREAD – curry, parmesan and apricot. Two thick slices of extremely delicious warm bread, and well-presented butter. Delicious as it is, I make sure I don’t eat too much.

1st Course AMOUSE BOUCHE – Green pea gazpacho with loads of mint, feta cheese and barley. This is wonderfully minty and the crunchy barley at the bottom of the bowl gives extra texture.

2nd Course SEA BASS mi-cuit w hollandaise. A symphony of colour with thin discs of different beets, green beet leaves, dark cucumber chutney, and yellow hollandaise.

3rd Course PORK EN CROUTE. A slice of belly pork in moist pastry and a cylinder of celeriac mash topped with prune and pickled walnut. It’s hard to beat a good pork pie and this is one of the best.

4th Course COD ROULADE. The fish is wrapped in a carrot shaving, there’s parsnip and carrot puree, plus a single carrot with honey and mustard sauce, topped with lovage. A nice surprise is the horseradish tartlet, giving an extra buzz,

5th Course GALLOWAY BEEF. Square of meat is nicely rare in a rich jus with a slice of parmesan hash browns. Another tartlet here, this time artichoke and mushroom, a very tasty bite.

6th Course YUZU. A fresh citrusy palate cleanser on a bed of almond granola with blood orange does the job perfectly.

7th Course MILLE FEUILLE. Exquisite layers of pineapple and coconut with banana and rum ice cream on the side. Brilliant.

8TH Course CHEESE. Imagine a cheese clock with 9 different cheese where the numbers should be. A great choice, served at exactly the right temperature and comes with a crib sheet detailing the different cheeses. I leave the accompaniments of apple slices, grapes, dehydrated pear, biscuits and honey almost untouched

PETITS FOUR. Three, all delightful.

As you can see from the pictures, the presentation is excellent and the service was attentive and efficient. What I like about the food is the distinctive combinations of flavour in each dish, with excellent use of local and seasonal products. Every course has that element of surprise due to the inventive use of vegetable garnishes, both fresh and preserved. 

Verdict: In my opinion, it’s well worth a special trip to border country.

 

1610 Restaurant at The Globe Inn 56 High Street, Dumfries DG1 2JA

Open for lunch and dinner, Wednesday to Saturday.

The post 1610 Restaurant Review, Globe Inn, Dumfries, Scotland appeared first on The Travel Magazine.

Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, has partnered with AGEOP Ricerca to bring moments of joy and comfort to young cancer patients in Bologna. As part of this initiative, 200 backpacks and activity books have been donated to children receiving treatment at the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Department of IRCCS Policlinico di Sant’Orsola.

AGEOP Ricerca is an independent association that has supported children with cancer and their families since 1982. Young patients from Italy and abroad come to this centre to access therapies that are not readily available in their hometowns.  This collaboration reinforces Emirates’ commitment to ‘connecting communities’ by building enduring relationships and making meaningful differences in the destinations it serves.

Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve celebrates 10 years of crafting rare journeys in the spiritual heart of Ubud, on 28th August 2025. In commemoration of this milestone, the resort also unveils a collection of limited-time experiences around gastronomy, wellness, and sustainability from July 2025 to July 2026, centered on the well-preserved culture of Bali.