JENNY FARRELL relishes an intimate memoir about growing up in the household of the great Irish communist and playwright Sean O’Casey
Bee all and end all
SIAN LEWIS relishes a comprehensive account of high rise social housing in Britain by prize-winning social and political historian Holly Smith
SIMON PARSONS feels a little overwhelmed by the joke count of an ebullient production that manages to convey Stoker’s Dracula without corpsing
SYLVIA HIKINS enjoys a varied Scouse alternative to traditional pantomimes
Rereleases from The Pentangle, The Charlie Daniels Band, and Cousins and Willoughby
ANDY HEDGECOCK picks out his cultural highlights of 2025
The Fascinating Adventures of Little Bee
Beans On Toast
BEANS ON TOAST, otherwise known as Jay McAllister, with his catchy alt-folk tunes, has carved out for himself a career of a bit of a north-east London folk hero. But now he’s writing songs for a different type of audience.
His latest studio album, The Adventures of Little Bee, is a bit of a unique one. Bringing some new friends on board — nurse Jaime Adamsfield and teacher Lily Adamsfield, and with help from the animated Little Bee — they have written and illustrated a collection of 10 short stories and songs for kids.
Similar stories
STEVE JOHNSON, CHRIS SEARLE and TONY BURKE review new releases from Steve Knightley, Jupiter & Okwess, Jason Palmer, Lisa Knapp and Gerry Driver, Kin'Gongolo Kiniata, Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey, Dan Sealey, Simin Tande, PAZ
MARK TURNER is staggered by a gifted jazz pianist from the Welsh Valleys
New releases from Black Country, New Road, Anouar Brahem, and Jaywalkers
New releases from Mary Chapin Carpenter, Julie Fowlis, Karine Polwart; The Weather Station; and Sam Amidon