No one disputes Lloyd Webber's talent for promotion. He always opens in London and wins over British audiences before heading to the vastly more expensive Broadway stage. The result is a criticproof show.

The embankments forming the lineside forest are also a cause for concern, as landslips can block the line for days or even weeks.

There's a strong case for replacing the present system of anonymous testing with mandatory reporting of new infections, and vigorous contact tracing of sexual and needle-sharing partners.

In the leather industry skive has another connotation, concerning splitting the skin perpendicularly to its thickness into thin layers. Imagine now being able to skive at the nanoscale.