Articles by Peter Beck



'Bond,' 'Downton' at Moscow's English Theater

The Moscow English Theatre launches it's new season this weekend with two one-man comedies — "Bond: An Unauthorized Parody" and "The Only Way Is Downton" — that were hugely successful at this year's Edinburgh Festival.

Giles Bringing Back the Blues to Moscow

Blues rocker Danny Giles, playing this weekend in Moscow, is starting to make a habit of coming to Russia's capital city.

Russia Should Host the 2018 World Cup

It's hard to keep your mind on prospects for the World Cup in Russia in four years' time when the main news is a passenger plane being shot out of the sky, the victims left to rot in a field while a gang of camouflaged thugs tries to organize a cover-up.

Photographer Chris Shaw Makes Present Seem Like History

At the opening of his exhibition "The Night Porter" at Moscow's Multimedia Art Museum, photographer Chris Shaw said he had little interest in seeing the historic center of Moscow.

Moscow English Theatre Enters Second Year With New Production

When the Moscow English Theatre resumes its association with the Mayakovsky Theater this coming weekend for the Moscow premiere of Joe Penhall's award-winning drama "Blue/Orange," artistic director Jonathan Bex is optimistic that he has chosen the correct production to advance the company's already considerable standing with Moscow's theater-going public.

Bex Marshall Rocks the Blues in Moscow

"I think if you have a good record then you should make sure you give it a good walk," says Bex Marshall, and this week the highly-acclaimed singer/songwriter/guitarist will prove her point when she brings the music she is talking about to Moscow for three shows as part of the ongoing "Great British Rhythm 'n' Blues Invasion" festival.

The Year of British Rhythm & Blues

According to legend, the blues were born when Robert Johnson struck a bargain with the devil at a Mississippi crossroads in the 1920s.

Patricia Kaas Sings Piaf in Moscow

When the internationally acclaimed French chanteuse Patricia Kaas brings her current show, "Kaas Chante Piaf" to Crocus City Hall in Moscow on Tuesday, she will be renewing the bonds of a musical friendship that has lasted for a quarter of a century.

Moscow Bands Are Rockin' Around the Clock

There is only a sparse audience upstairs at the Rhythm & Blues Cafe on this Tuesday night, but Valery Setkin is not holding back as he launches into a rollicking version of "Devil In Disguise."

Fall Season Begins at the Moscow English Theater

Buoyed by the success of their first sold-out run earlier this year, the Moscow English Theater, or MET, returns to the Mayakovsky Theater to present a total of eight performances of two different shows starting this Friday, Sept. 27.

Albion Pub Opens With Fanfare in New Location

The "Albion" is back. Having been forced to close their popular English-style pub in its previous location opposite the Kremlin at short notice, Dmitry Nikonov and his partners re-opened it Saturday night at 7 Durasovsky Lane, just off the Boulevard Ring.

Amid Controversy Over Gays, a Ship of Tolerance Sails to Moscow

As Russia battles winds of Western anger over anti-gay legislation, a ship of tolerance is sailing into Gorky Park in time for Moscow's City Day celebrations this weekend.

Russian, English Royals Exchange Gifts in London

It's safe to say that relations between Russia and England have had many ups and downs since the English sea captain Richard Chancellor, on a mission to discover a northeast passage to the Orient, found himself stranded at the mouth of the Northern Dvina River in 1553 and was then escorted to the court of Moscow under Ivan the Terrible.

Learning the Russian Language By Solving a Mystery

Though he doesn't aspire to rub shoulders with the likes of Boris Akunin or P.D. James, Ignaty Dyakov nevertheless had good reasons to make a foray into the world of mystery writing.


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