What should we talk about today?
The world according to Kirkey
The Great Pyramid of Giza – the only remaining Great Wonder of the World – has captivated me ever since I can remember. At school I devoured every reference book chronicling the unique chapters of the exquisite and enchanting Egyptian civilisation. Spanning nearly thirty centuries, its history encompassed four dynasties: Early, the Old Kingdom, the … Read more
The Book of Mormon engages with the terrains of disinformation, religious ideology, and hope; influences that affect everyone, but most just doff their hats in the general direction and conveniently shuffle away. Intertwined with female genital mutilation, dysentery and fucking frogs, the show manages to be both hilarious and powerfully thought-provoking. Sticking a finger up … Read more
Standing solemnly on a cold, dark evening I heard the words of the politicians, and maybe if I’d been asked to make a formal speech I too would have reiterated the importance of reflection, reconciliation and reverence. But I had a nagging and growing doubt about the sincerity of the pledges. Attended by a handful … Read more
Sitting minding my own business, drinking a cuppa, the general hubbub of Starbucks was occasionally perforated by the shrill call of a name: “Oscar!” then another, “Sherlock!” and finally, “Hugo!” I was, on one hand, glad that my own kids have grown up and left home, but on the other, I was perplexed. This group … Read more
The Imperial War Museum stands proudly in the leafy suburb of Lambeth, South-East London, protected by two magnificent naval guns pointed upward and poised to thwart an imaginary foe. My previous visits to this iconic structure have always left me feeling incredibly proud of our armed services, and in particular how we stood resolute against … Read more
According to Aristotle, “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” If I had shared a beer – or more fittingly a slug of Kykeon ─ with the eminent Greek philosopher, I would have sought to clarify his baffling supposition. I have always struggled with the … Read more
American writer and Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck concluded, “People don’t take trips… trips take people.” His encapsulation – succinct and sweet – accurately reflects my own personal adventures, although I am the first to acknowledge that I am privileged to have the means and opportunity to explore our amazing planet as frequently as I … Read more
I am not by any stretch of the imagination a petrol head. I have never attempted to change the oil, replace an air filter, and I always fuck up a windscreen wiper blade change, although to be fair I once swapped a set of spark plugs and have changed a couple of wheels in my … Read more
I vividly recall, as a young cop, being locked in a police cell in Bracknell police station. The prank was orchestrated by a couple of the shift elders and was part and parcel of the rituals of being accepted into the fold. Scaring new recruits shitless was a 1980s tradition that typified the slow transition … Read more
Swearing my oath of allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II all those years ago was, at the time, a purely symbolic act; the rite of passage into my previous career as a cop. At the conclusion of this pledge I became a servant of the Crown. This heavyweight commitment was memorable for a unique … Read more