Time Of My Life by Alan Ayckbourn at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough

When Alan Ayckbourn’s 45th play transferred to the West End in 1993, the critics were a little underwhelmed and disappointed. It had done well in Scarborough but for some reason it failed to excite the passions of the metropolitan taste police.

i Newspaper
 
TheIPaper
The Independent around the web
E-break Time
Independent Crossword

Waitrose feasts on Eurovision boost

If you’re going to stay in for an evening of cheesy pop, camp presenters and political voting à la Eurovision, you may as well munch on the continent’s finest cuisine.

Postcard from... Berlin

Not just desserts: Bill Granger's moreish chocolate treats

Guilty pleasure? Should I? Oh, if you insist… Stop pussyfooting around, says Bill Granger, and make these chocolate snacks a treat in their own right...

Pop your colour: neon on the spring/summer catwalks courtesy of Simone Rocha for women

The brights on spring

There’s colour on the horizon for men and women this  season and fluorescent highlights are an easy way to bring a ray of sunshine to spring wardrobes

So what is an affenpinscher?

We've learnt a new word. Affenpinscher. Sounds great, right? It’s also nice to say, with a satisfying mouthfeel. But what on earth is it?

Grace Dent on TV: Ripper Street, BBC1

Sperm deposits, wombs in ribbons and ripped-out Fallopian tubes... Who enjoys this?

Premier extends licence for Cadbury cakes

Premier Foods yesterday extended its licence with Cadbury to continue making cakes under the chocolate company's brand through to 2017.

Ice cream pottery? The beguiling world of Charlie Harry Francis

Interview with an ice cream entrepreneur

Two cakes Cameron: the birthday boy and his favourite Caterpillar

Food: David Cameron's love affair with Colin (the caterpillar)

Taking to his new Twitter account, this week David Cameron uploaded a picture from the Tory party conference. "Thanks to my team for squeezing in a quick birthday celebration on this v hectic day," he wrote, alongside a photo of him behind two chocolate logs with candles.

Postcard from... Bologna

For those of you who like a little culture but find museums rather dry and academic, the little town of Anzola dell'Emilia has served up a rather tastier history lesson.

The Pig and Butcher offers a short, sublime menu

The Pig and Butcher, 80 Liverpool Road, London N1

Unlike its predecessor, the Pig & Butcher lets you enjoy its food as you please.

Sundae worship

As a wave of retro ice-cream parlours tickles the country's tastebuds, we have the scoop on the coolest cones and brightest bowls

Raw lasagne from 42°Raw

On The Menu: 42°Raw lasagne; Standard Hotel; The Mall Tavern; Greenhalgh's crumpet loaf

This week I've been eating... raw lasagne

1. Cuisinart Deluxe
£69.99, lakeland.co.uk
This machine is small in stature, but big on features and can produce two litres of ice cream, sorbet or frozen yoghurt in less than half an hour.

The 10 Best ice-cream machines

With sunshine (fingers crossed) on the way, we've got the scoop on the coolest ways to keep the family sweet this summer

Career Services

Day In a Page

Independent Travel Shop See all offers »
Lake Como and the Bernina Express
Seven nights half-board from £749pp Find out more
Dubrovnik and the Dalmatian coast
Seven nights half-board from only £859pp Find out more
Prague city break
Three nights from only £199pp Find out more
Budapest city break
Three nights from only £229pp Find out more
Paris by Eurostar
Three nights from £259pp Find out more
'To farm I have to rape the countryside. It’s got to be wrong': The true effect of the badger cull

The true effect of the badger cull

'To farm I have to rape the countryside. It’s got to be wrong'
Theatre review: Daniel Radcliffe gives an admirably honest performance in Michael Grandage's The Cripple of Inishmaan

First night: The Cripple of Inishmaan

Daniel Radcliffe gives an admirably honest performance in Michael Grandage's comedy
Girls Guides drop religious reference but pledge to self and the Queen

Guides drop religious reference but pledge to self and the Queen

After 103 years, organisation changes oath to welcome 'all girls, of all faiths, and none'
Steve Tongue: Joe Kinnear was one of the boys and a breath of fresh air... 21 years ago

Steve Tongue

Joe Kinnear was one of the boys and a breath of fresh air... 21 years ago
Chris Froome: Free from 'pain in neck' after Bradley Wiggins' exit

Chris Froome: Free from 'pain in neck' after Wiggins' exit

Sky's lead rider says he is in fantastic form for the Tour and happy pecking order debate is over
Hannah England: I've got the right times – now to focus on the chess

Hannah England: Keeping Track

I've got the right times – now to focus on the chess
Beards, brawn and body art

Beards, brawn and body art

Meet London’s new batch of male models
Scandi-geeks descend on Nordicana for fan-convention

Scandi-geeks descend on Nordicana for fan-convention

British love of shows such as The Bridge, Borgen and The Killing shows no sign of fading
Behind the rhetoric what is really being done to combat desertification?

The Great Green Wall of Africa,

Behind the rhetoric what is really being done to combat desertification?
Laughter Inc: the cheering growth of the chuckle industry

Laughter Inc

The cheering growth of the chuckle industry
The bad science scandal: how fact-fabrication is damaging UK's global name for research

The bad science scandal

How fact-fabrication is damaging UK's global name for research
To the manor born: The female aristocrats battling to inherit the title

Female aristocrats battle to inherit the title

A passionate protest is gathering pace among the women of Britain's aristocracy, who believe that men should no longer automatically inherit the family pile and title.
Love struck: Photographs of JFK's visit to Berlin 50 years ago reveal a nation instantly smitten

In pictures: JFK's visit to Berlin in 1963

Photographer Ulrich Mack accompanied Kennedy on the entire trip. The results are an astonishing record of a watershed moment.
Eat shoots and leaves: Mark Hix gets creative with fresh peas, mangetouts and sugar snaps

Mark Hix gets creative with English peas

English peas and their offsprings, such as mangetouts and sugar snaps, are great tossed into a salad, says our chef.
Ceviche with a smile: Chef Martin Morales has turned South America's elegant cuisine into one of London's hottest food trends

Chef Martin Morales: Ceviche with a smile

Morales has turned South America's elegant cuisine into one of London's hottest food trends