The Critic Magazine

31 July 2025

The Critic magazine’s summer double issue provides 112 pages of quality writing and stimulating insight — the ideal reading matter to accompany your holiday season. Henry Hill argues that Reform is ill-equipped to become the new Conservative Party but is well placed to destroy it, Charles Saumarez Smith salutes the life and tastes of Sir Roy Strong, David Butterfield finds that the life of the Oxbridge fellow has lost much of its conviviality, and Lola Salem applauds a new initiative to encourage Early Music while Stephen Simmons asks, ‘Where’s the soft power in the demolition of the magnificent British embassy in Bangkok and its relocation to the twelfth floor of a tower block?’ Also, Jonathan Glancey admires the design aesthetic of Britain’s V-Force aircraft, Henry Jeffreys enjoys Rhône whites, Alexander Larman thinks the new play Stereophonic hits the right note, Norman Lebrecht fondly remembers Alfred Brendel, and Marcus Walker finally detects reasons to be cheerful for the Church of England.