By David de Winter  @davidjdewinter  @TLE_Lifestyle There’s something about fringe theatre that really appeals to me.  The close proximity of the audience to the action gives the drama an extra dimension that one does not get from the larger and more established West End theatres.  There is an immediacy of performance and an intimacy which is quite unique and it can be incredibly moving and effective.  So I was more than happy when TLE sent me down to the Tabard...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Monday 15th June at the Royal Albert Hall will be a night to remember, celebrating the life and works of legendary blues guitarist Lead Belly. Van Morrison, Jools Holland and Laurence Jones had already confirmed some time ago, but now a number of great new artists have joined the an ever-growing lists of acts. Billy Bragg, Eric Bibb and Walter Trout are just a small selection of musicians, that have now announced their intentions to play. Lead Belly Fest is a...

Reviewed by Miranda Schiller @mirandadadada A village in Ethiopa, 1996. As 14 year old Hirut is walking home from school, she is kidnapped by a group of young armed men. One of the men rapes her and leaves her to sleep on the floor of his house. She has fallen victim to a tradition still observed in rural Ethiopia at the time: Men kidnap and rape girls they want to marry, overthrowing the family’s refusal to give their daughter in...

By Matt Keay @MattAdamKeay In the opening minutes of Gerard Johnson’s sophomore effort, Hyena, the audience is presented with a bravura neon-lit nighttime raid, set against foreboding music, a sense of dread permeating the screen. The men they see appear to be policeman, but they are so far removed from the friendly beat bobbies the majority of the public recognise that they could be forgiven for expecting their uniforms to be some sort of disguise; a ruse for nefarious criminal...

By Emma Silverthorn @HouseOf_Gazelle Kim Longinotto's documentary Dreamcatcher has I suspect used up my full years supply of tears. Longinotto is an almost entirely silent presence behind the camera, which feels right for the stories she documents; giving, ex-prostitute and current Dreamcatcher Foundation advocate Brenda Myers-Powell, as well as the numerous women Brenda supports, the space to tell their own stories. The Dreamcatcher Foundation, as their site states fights to end human sex trafficking in Chicago. And the stories told...

Sport News 24/7 By David de Winter - Sports Editor & Richard de Winter @davidjdewinter  @rgdewinter  @TLE_Sport The boys review/preview the latest round of Six Nations matches, ask why English clubs continue to struggle in Europe, question Manchester City's recent form and debate the bat vs ball conundrum at the Cricket World Cup. https://soundcloud.com/the-london-economic/tle-sports-podcast-050315

 By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor @TLE_food The city of London seems to have been following a real trend for high-altitude dining within the Square Mile, over the past few years. And joining the impressive skyline’s restaurants in postmodern structures such as The Shard (Aqua, Oblix, Hutong), Heron Tower (Duck & Waffle, SUSHISAMBA) and Tower 42 (City Social), is the newly opened Sky Garden that’s located across the top three floors of 20 Fenchurch Street – AKA The Walkie Talkie. With...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor PMQs began with both leaders arguing about how many immigrants are entering the UK. The assumption appears to be we that don’t want more people in the country, if that’s the case then both parties have failed; the Conservatives more recently. Luckily both leaders’ were saved by Farage, who had used his flagship speech earlier in the day to scrap his proposed 50,000 quota, and now looks as confused as everyone else, about immigration control....

By Esin Huseyin (@Esin_Huseyin) Bush Hall, London, 26/2/15 Grant Nicholas took to the stage last week to showcase his debut solo album Yorktown Heights. This full UK tour follows on from his sold-out shows earlier this year. The venue was beautiful Bush Hall, an intimate and decadent Victorian music hall - perfect for the likes of Grant Nicholas. The crowd slowly shuffled into the room awaiting the support act, only instead of five-piece WINTERHOURS we were greeted by one fifth...