This Is London

3 

CONTENTS 

Events 4 

The Coronation of HM King Charles III 

Battersea Power Station 

Black Panther at the Royal Albert Hall 

BST Hyde Park 

Music 22 

Coronation Music at Westminster Abbey 

Down for the Count 

Coronation Celebration! with RCS 

Hertfordshire Chorus at Cadogan Hall 

Exhibitions 34 

Affordable Art Fair 

Spring Decorative Fair 

Theatre 48 

Ain’t Too Proud 

Brokeback Mountain @sohoplace 

Pretty Woman UK Tour 

Tina – Q&A with Kristina Love 

Faulty Towers the Dining Experience 

Active 60 

TCS London Marathon 2023 

10 in 10 Challenge 

Proprietor Julie Jones 

Associate Publisher Beth Jones 

Editorial Eleanor Collett Ben Stevens Sue Webster 

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WELCOME TO LONDON 

As Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House here in the heart 

Covent Garden, I am delighted to welcome you to London and to 

this issue of This Is London. 

The Royal Opera House is synonymous with Covent Garden, and we 

are proud that it has played a central role in London’s cultural life for 

almost three centuries. 

Whether you’re visiting us as a member of our audience to see the 

Royal Ballet, Royal Opera or the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House 

perform on either of our iconic stages, or for one of the hundreds of 

events, activities and behind-the scenes tours and insights we run 

throughout the year, or even if you are just visiting for a cup of tea, a 

glass of wine, or dinner at any of our cafes, bars or restaurants 

overlooking the famous Covent Garden piazza, the Royal Opera House 

has something for you. 

This summer we unveil a number of unique, thought-provoking, free 

exhibitions and displays throughout our home which bring our spaces to 

life and invite visitors to delve deeper behind the scenes. These include a 

celebration of the huge talent that was Maria Callas as we celebrate the 

centennial of her birth. 

Whatever the reason for your visit, we very much look forward 

to welcoming you to London and I hope you enjoy your time here. 

Alex Beard 

CEO of the Royal Opera House 

THIS IS LONDON MAGAZINE • THIS IS LONDON ONLINE • www.til.com • @thisislondonmag

4 

Photo: Chris Jackson. 

THE CORONATION OF KING 

CHARLES III 

The Coronation of The King and 

The Queen Consort will be marked with 

events across the country and a concert 

at Windsor Castle. Their Majesties want 

to encourage people to spend the 

Coronation Weekend celebrating with 

friends, families and their communities. 

The Coronation will take place on 

Saturday 6 May. The Service will be 

conducted by The Archbishop of 

Canterbury and will reflect the Monarch’s 

role today and look towards the future, 

while being rooted in longstanding 

traditions and pageantry. 

Their Majesties will arrive at 

Westminster Abbey in procession from 

Buckingham Palace, known as ‘The King’s 

Procession’. After the Service, they will 

return to Buckingham Palace in a larger 

ceremonial procession, known as ‘The 

Coronation Procession’, joined in this 

procession by other Members of the Royal 

Family and will appear on the balcony to 

conclude the day’s ceremonial events. 

On Sunday 7 May, a special 

Coronation Concert will be staged and 

broadcast live at Windsor Castle by 

the BBC. The Coronation Big Lunch, at 

which neighbours and communities are 

invited to share food and fun together, 

will take place across the country, also 

on Sunday 7 May. 

The Coronation Big Lunch aims to 

brings neighbours and communities 

together to celebrate the Coronation and 

share friendship, food and fun. Her 

Majesty The Queen Consort has been 

Patron of the initiative since 2013 and 

has attended Big Lunches all across the 

UK and the world, including in Ghana 

and Barbados In celebration of 

Coronation Big Lunches taking place 

over the Coronation weekend, Their 

Westminster Abbey. 

Majesties have shared a recipe for a 

Coronation Quiche, featuring spinach, 

broad beans and tarragon – perfect for a 

Coronation Big Lunch! 

On Monday 8 May, members of the 

public will be invited to take part in 

The Big Help Out, which will encourage 

people to try volunteering for themselves 

and join the work being undertaken to 

support their local areas. 

King Charles III, formerly known as 

The Prince of Wales, was born in 1948 

and became heir apparent on the 

accession of Queen Elizabeth II in 1952. 

In addition to his official and 

ceremonial duties in the United Kingdom 

and overseas as The Prince of Wales, 

His Majesty has taken a keen and active 

interest in all areas of public life for 

decades. The King has been instrumental 

in establishing more than 20 charities 

over 40 years. 

His Majesty has worked closely with 

many organisations, publicly supporting 

a wide variety of causes relating to the 

environment, rural communities, the 

built environment, the arts, healthcare 

and education. 

Photo: Johan Persson 


WATCH THE CEREMONY ON THE BIG SCREEN IN OUR RIVERSIDE PARK 

WITH LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, GAMES, FOOD POP-UPS AND MORE 

@BatterseaPwrStn 

batterseapowerstation.co.uk

6 

MARVEL STUDIOS BLACK PANTHER 

AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL 

Black Panther will become the first 

Marvel Studios movie to get the Films in 

Concert treatment at the Royal Albert Hall 

when the orchestral extravaganza arrives 

at the venue in May. 

The European premiere of Black 

Panther in Concert on Saturday 27 May 

will feature the 2018 film screened in full, 

accompanied by Chineke! Orchestra 

performing Ludwig Göransson’s Oscar®winning 

score live on stage. 

The show is the headline event of the 

venue’s 2023 Films in Concert 

programme, which will also include 

performances of The Lord of the Rings: 

The Two Towers and Harry Potter and 

the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. 

In 2018, Marvel Studios’ Black Panther 

became a global sensation and cultural 

phenomenon, with Rolling Stone writing: 

‘The film lights up the screen with a fullthrottle 

blast of action and fun. That’s to 

be expected. But what sneaks up and 

floors you is the film’s racial conscience 

and profound, astonishing beauty.’ 

It was soundtracked by Swedish 

composer Ludwig Göransson (Creed, 

Tenet), whose score won both the 

Academy Award and the Grammy. The 

music will be performed by Chineke! 

(pictured right), Europe’s first majority 

Black and ethnically diverse orchestra, 

which was founded by double bassist 

Chi-chi Nwanoku CBE. Their seven 

Black Panther. Disney Concerts © All rights reserved 

appearances at the Hall since 2017 

include a triumphant debut Prom and a 

groundbreaking collaboration with Detroit 

techno pioneer, Carl Craig. 

The show will also feature a very 

special appearance from Senagelese 

talking-drum soloist, Massamba Diop, 

one of the stars of the original soundtrack. 

The Royal Albert Hall’s Films in 

Concert series launched in 2009, building 

on the Hall’s heritage as a place to 

experience cinema with live musical 

accompaniment during the heyday of 

silent film. In the past 14 years, the venue 

has curated a programme of classic films 

whose unforgettable scores have been 

performed by the likes of the London 

Symphony Orchestra and the Royal 

Philharmonic Orchestra. 

Titles have ranged from beloved 

musicals to canonical classics and 

contemporary blockbusters. The 

premiere of Jurassic Park in Concert 

broke all box-office records, selling out 

its 20,000 tickets in just 24 hours. 

Tickets at www.royalalberthall.com 

THE SAVOY CELEBRATES THE 

CORONATION IN STYLE 

As Britain’s first luxury hotel, The 

Savoy has marked some of the most 

important events in British History over 

the past century, including three 

coronations. This May, to celebrate The 

Coronation of His Majesty The King, the 

hotel will commemorate the momentous 

occasion in true Savoy style, with a 

breath-taking floral installation, a 

Nyetimber Bus, and a Street Party like 

no other, with tables laden with cakes 

and savoury treats lining the famous 

forecourt and a coupe fountain flowing 

with Nyetimber English Sparkling Wine. 

For the Coronation Weekend, from 

Friday 5 to Sunday 7 May, Nyetimber's 

famous 1968 Routemaster Bus will be 

stationed on Savoy Court, ensuring there 

is plenty of the finest English Sparkling 

Wine to toast the Coronation. Throughout 

the weekend, guests can book an 

exclusive tasting on the top deck of the 

bus to sample three of Nyetimber's 

renowned English Sparkling Wines. 

On the day of the Coronation itself, 

the hotel will celebrate with The Savoy 

Street Party where long tables will 

stretch across the Savoy’s forecourt on 

the Strand. Throughout the street party, 

entertainment will be provided by the 

dapper gentleman of acoustic roaming 

band, The Travelling Hands. 

For reservations, call 020 7836 4343. 


from the United Kingdom and 

Commonwealth Armed Forces who have 

been on parade that day. The Royal 

Salute will be followed by three cheers 

from the assembled service personnel, 

as a tribute from the Armed Forces on 

parade to The King and The Queen 

Consort on the day of the Coronation. 

7 

THE CORONATION PROCESSION 

On the morning of 6 May, Their 

Majesties will travel from Buckingham 

Palace in The King’s Procession to 

Westminster Abbey in the Diamond 

Jubilee State Coach. Created for Queen 

Elizabeth II to commemorate the 60th 

anniversary of Her late Majesty’s reign in 

2012, the coach has only ever conveyed 

the Sovereign, occasionally accompanied 

by the consort or a visiting Head of State. 

The King’s Procession, accompanied 

by The Sovereign’s Escort of the 

Household Cavalry, will depart 

Buckingham Palace through the Centre 

Gate, and proceed down The Mall, 

passing through Admiralty Arch and 

south of King Charles I Island, down 

Whitehall and along Parliament Street. 

The King’s Procession will travel around 

the east and south sides of Parliament 

Square to Broad Sanctuary to arrive at 

the Sanctuary of Westminster Abbey, 

where the Coronation Service will begin 

at 11 o’clock. 

The procession from Westminster 

Abbey to Buckingham Palace, The 

Coronation Procession, will be much 

larger in scale, taking the same route in 

reverse. The Coronation Procession will 

include Armed Forces from across the 

Commonwealth and the British Overseas 

Territories, and all Services of the Armed 

Forces of the United Kingdom, alongside 

The Sovereign’s Bodyguard and Royal 

Watermen. 

Their Majesties will travel in the Gold 

State Coach. The coach, last seen during 

the Pageant of the Platinum Jubilee of 

Queen Elizabeth II in June 2022, was 

commissioned in 1760 and was first 

used by King George III, to travel to the 

State Opening of Parliament in 1762. 

The coach has been used at every 

Coronation since that of William IV in 

1831. The coach will be drawn by eight 

Windsor Greys and, due to its weight of 

four tonnes, will travel at walking pace. 

Upon returning to Buckingham Palace 

following the Coronation Service, Their 

Majesties will receive a Royal Salute 

The official emblem of the Coronation 

pays tribute to The King’s love of the 

natural world, unifying the flora of the 

four nations of the United Kingdom; the 

rose of England, the thistle of Scotland, 

the daffodil of Wales and the shamrock 

of Northern Ireland. Together, the flowers 

create the shape of St Edward’s Crown, 

with which His Majesty The King will be 

crowned during the Coronation Service. 

THE CORONATION BIG LUNCH 

The Coronation Big Lunch will bring neighbours and communities together to 

share friendship, food and fun. Visitors can be part of history and join millions 

across the UK, and further afield, on the weekend of 6-8 May, or join the fun in June 

as part of the Month of Community. 


8 

CELEBRATE THE CORONATION AT 

BATTERSEA POWER STATION 

As the UK comes together to toast the 

Coronation of King Charles III and 

Queen Camilla on Saturday 6 and 

Sunday 7 May, one of Britain’s iconic 

buildings, Battersea Power Station, is 

inviting members of the local community 

and visitors from further afield, to 

celebrate together at a truly British street 

party. 

Proceedings of the Coronation itself 

will be broadcast live on a big screen in 

the six acre park in front of the Grade II* 

listed Power Station from 11.00 on both 

days so visitors can keep up with all the 

royal action as it happens and the London 

landmark’s iconic chimneys will be lit up 

for the occasion across the weekend. 

As well as celebrating the Coronation, 

the street party will pay tribute to the 

best of British culture with Modern 

Party’s renditions of British music 

classics, Union Jack Flag Dancers who 

will be returning to Battersea Power 

Station for a second spin and live 

performances from Elton John and Spice 

Girls tribute acts. Busk In London, One 

Man Band, the south London based 

music academy charity, World Heart Beat 

and the Battersea Power Station 

Community Choir will also be 

performing during the weekend. 

There will be plenty of fun to be had 

for families with children with Miss 

Ballooniverse who will be creating the 

little ones’ favourite characters from 

balloons, and Bus King Theatre will 

bring their red double-decker bus for 

live puppet shows and interactive theatre 

sessions. Bounce will also be bringing 

some of their popular ping pong tables, 

resident Games Gurus, and pizza truck 

down to the celebrations to add a touch 

of competitive fun ahead of the opening 

of the brand’s newest venue inside the 

Power Station this summer. 

Coronation-themed menus, cocktails 

and offers from the great mix of shops, 

bars, restaurants and leisure venues now 

open at Battersea Power Station including 

Penhaligon’s, British jeweller ROX, 

Superdry, Fiume, Le Bab, Birdies Battersea 

Crazy Golf and Bar and many more. 

Travelling to Battersea Power Station 

couldn’t be easier with the Zone 1 

Battersea Power Station Underground 

station bringing the riverside 

neighbourhood within 15 minutes of the 

West End and the City. Battersea Power 

Station also has its very own Uber Boat 

by Thames Clippers pier and is 

15 minute journey from Embankment, 

20 minutes from Blackfriars, 30 minutes 

from Putney and 40 minutes from 

Canary Wharf. The riverside 

neighbourhood is easily accessible by 

bus, bike, car and train, too. 

To discover more on the activities 

listed above, visit the website at 

www.batterseapowerstation.co.uk/events/ 

kings-coronation-party/ 

Battersea Power Station is an exciting 

new riverside neighbourhood for 

London. The Grade II* listed Power 

Station and Electric Boulevard, a new 

pedestrianised high street, opened to the 

public in October 2022 – further British 

and international brands will open 

throughout the year. The Arcade Food 

Hall, a 24,000 sqft dining experience, 

will also be opening this year with three 

standalone restaurants, including awardwinning 

Taiwanese restaurant, BAO. 

For further information about 

Battersea Power Station, visit 

www.batterseapowerstation.co.uk and 

follow @BatterseaPwrStn to keep up to 

date with the latest news and events. 


10 

BLACKPINK 

BLACKPINK AND GUNS N ROSES 

TO PERFORM AT BST HYDE PARK 

Billy Joel will join headliners 

Bruce Springsteen, P!nk, Take That, 

Guns N’ Roses, Lana Del Ray and 

BLACKPINK on the American Express 

presents BST Hyde Park billing for this 

summer. 

One of the most popular recording 

artists and respected entertainers in 

history, Billy Joel will perform at 

American Express presents BST Hyde 

Park on Friday 7 July. Billy Joel is the 

sixth best-selling recording artist of all 

time and the third best-selling solo 

artist, as well as one of the biggest 

concert draws in the world. Joel’s songs 

have acted as personal and cultural 

touchstones for millions of people 

across five decades. 

Pop icon P!NK is back in the UK for 

two huge shows at BST Hyde Park on 

Saturday 24 June and Sunday 25 June, 

plus further huge UK outdoor shows as 

part of a 2023 European tour. Global 

superstar Gwen Stefani will join her at 

Hyde Park. A multiple Grammy Awardwinner, 

Stefani has achieved global 

success as a songwriter, performer, 

iconic frontwoman of No Doubt, and as 

a multi-platinum solo artist. She has 

sold more than 60 million records 

worldwide including her four-times 

platinum debut solo album Love. Angel. 

Music. Baby. 

Rock phenomenon Guns N’ Roses 

will headline BST Hyde Park for the very 

first time on Friday 30 June. One of 

America’s most influential rock groups, 

Guns N Roses 

Axl Rose, Slash, Duff 

McKagan, Dizzy Reed, 

Richard Fortus, Frank 

Ferrer and Melissa Reese 

will perform for the 10th 

anniversary of BST Hyde 

Park. Having sold over 

100 million records 

worldwide, Guns N’ Roses 

are one of the biggest 

selling acts in history. 

Take That will perform 

on Saturday 1 July, 

reuniting Gary Barlow, 

Howard Donald and Mark Owen for a day 

of celebration. With 12 UK number 1 

singles and 8 UK number 1 albums, Take 

That are a global British success story, 

debuting in 1989, selling over 45 million 

records and scoring Number 1s right up 

to their last album ‘Odyssey’ in 2018. 

BLACKPINK will join the capital’s 

festival bill on Sunday 2 July. Once 

again making history, they will become 

the first K-pop act to headline a major 

UK festival. Over the course of their 

6 year career, the band have released 

2 studio albums, 3 EPs and have 

collaborated with fellow global 

superstars, from Lady Gaga to Cardi B, 

Dua Lipa and Selena Gomez. 

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street 

Band will perform for two immense 

shows on Thursday 6 July and Saturday 

8 July. These London shows will form 

part of Bruce Springsteen and The 

E Street Band’s much anticipated 2023 

international tour. 

Tickets at www.bst-hydepark.com 

A POD FIT FOR A KING! 

To celebrate the Coronation of King 

Charles III, the lastminute.com London 

Eye is offering guests the unique 

opportunity to ‘step behind the royal 

coronation curtain’ and have their very 

own crowning experience 135m in the 

air. Running from Saturday 29 April to 

Monday 8 May, the brand-new 

Coronation Capsule will honour this 

once-in-a-generation moment, 

replicating the grandeur and gothic 

design of Westminster Abbey in a 

London Eye pod, while offering visitors 

a bird’s eye view of the real historical 

church where 38 coronations have taken 

place since 1066. 

The sky-high majestic pod creates the 

illusion of ribbed vaulted ceilings, 

stained glass windows and carved stone 

columns. The Coronation 

Capsule features wooden benches 

inspired by the Abbey’s quire stalls, the 

black and white marble floor motif and 

the intricate blue and gold designs 

featured on the walls as you enter the 

High Altar where the Coronation will 

take place on 6 May. 


GOODWOOD 80th MEMBERS’ 

MEETING 

There is a returning theme each time 

I write about Goodwood – the weather. 

How it happens, I don’t know, but 

regardless of what’s going on weather 

wise elsewhere in the country, it seems 

to be always sunny down near 

Chichester during Goodwood motoring 

event weekends. Lovely. 

This year’s 80th Members’ Meeting, 

was a joyous affair. At the heart of the 

event is the racing, and that means a 

wonderful collection of different vintage 

cars and car types hurtling around the 

famous circuit, drivers squeezing the 

impossible out of their vehicles, lap 

after lap. Who knew classic Mk1 Ford 

Cortinas from the 1960s could put in 

the sort of performance on show on the 

Sunday. 

The weekend’s get-together boasted a 

celebration of 75 years of Porsche, and 

more pertinently, 60 years of the 

legendary 911. An incredible collection 

of pedigree racing 911s was lined up on 

track for an evocative demonstration. 

Really magical stuff. 

And the crowds came. The magic of 

the Goodwood Road Racing Club, or 

GRRC as members adoringly know it as, 

is spreading. GRRC enthusiasts are 

starting younger; and it was clear that 

such passion fires up the joie de vivre 

for those in their more advancing years; 

splendid examples of tweed fashion and 

racing attire everywhere. 

The Members’ Meeting kicks off a 

collection of exciting motoring events for 

the club as the year builds towards the 

famous Goodwood Revival, one not to 

miss. In a year that celebrates 75 years 

of the Goodwood race circuit and 25 

years of the GRRC itself, you can be 

sure that some truly exciting things will 

be planned for the main summer 

activities. If you've yet to make it along 

to a GRRC weekend, I urge you to find 

the time; they are very special. 

James Booth 

Vintage cars at Goodwood 80th Members’ Meeting. 

Music fit for a King! 

A gala of choral classics, including works by 

Mozart, Handel, Verdi, Elgar, Parry, Coleridge-Taylor & Panufnik 

Come and sing Parry’s ‘I Was Glad’ at the Royal Albert Hall 

with the Royal Choral Society and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 

11 


12 

Photo: Jane Hobson 

FAULTY TOWERS THE DINING 

EXPERIENCE 

Faulty Towers The Dining Experience, 

the critically acclaimed international 

immersive phenomenon currently 

celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary, 

has extended its residency in London 

until December 2023. 

When the audience become diners in 

the ‘Faulty Towers’ restaurant, pretty much 

anything can happen, because 70% of the 

show is improvised. The fun starts as 

guests wait to be seated. It then hurtles 

along in a 2-hour tour de force of gags 

and shambolic service as Basil, Sybil and 

Manuel serve a ‘70s-style 3-course meal 

together with a good dollop of mayhem. 

A loving tribute to the BBC’s classic 

TV series written by John Cleese and 

Connie Booth, the show has been seen by 

over a million people worldwide since the 

very first show at the Ridges Hotel in 

Brisbane on 24 April, 1997. Faulty Towers 

The Dining Experience uses its own 

original scripts and format. 

Devised by Alison Pollard- 

Mansergh, Andrew Foreman and others, 

the show has been touring the UK and 

internationally since 2008, having 

appeared in 41 countries to date. It 

recently celebrated its tenth year in 

London becoming London’s longest 

running immersive experience. ‘Perfect 

for all the family to enjoy’ See Do Eat, 

Adelaide Fringe – a great school holiday 

treat! www.faultytowersdining.com 

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS: THE 

IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE 

Visitors to London have a chance to 

join the thousands of people who will be 

experiencing Jeff Wayne’s The War of 

The Worlds: The Immersive Experience 

this year. Team up with friends and 

family as live actors lead you in a 

breath-taking 1 hr 50 min experience 

with 24 interactive scenes, virtual reality 

and multi-sensory effects. 

The experience combines cuttingedge 

technology with live performances 

and stunning detailed sets, all set to Jeff 

Wayne’s iconic score. Guests are thrust 

into the heart of the story from the 

moment they step inside the 22,000- 

square foot multi-level site in The City 

of London. 

Taking part in The War of The Worlds 

is like visiting a West End show, cinema, 

escape room and theme park all under 

one roof. There is a themed restaurant 

and bar, so you can enjoy a complete 

night out of entertainment from 

beginning to end at one venue. 

Jeff Wayne's The War of The Worlds: 

The Immersive Experience is London’s 

No. 1 immersive night and 5 star rated 

on TripAdvisor.* It has won TripAdvisor 

Traveller’s choice for the last 2 years 

running and is the only show in London 

to be recognised as both a Thea Award 

Winner and Gold Winner at London 

Design Awards. 

www.thewaroftheworldsimmersive.com 

CORONATION CELEBRATION WITH 

MUSIQUE SUR LA MER ORCHESTRA 

On Friday 5 May (19.30) at St Johns’ 

Smith Square, there will be a Gala 

Charity Concert in honour of the 

Coronation of HM King Charles III and 

HM Queen Camilla. 

Musique Sur La Mer Orchestra is 

comprised of top professional musicians 

representing the best of both the US and 

UK and has been inspiring excellence, 

leadership, and community service since 

2000. Marcy A. Sudock is the founding 

director (pictured) and Maestro Sudock is a 

violinist, music educator, and conductor of 

note. The mission to empower musicians, 

create peace through the international 

language of music, and community service 

has worked hand in hand with strong 

ethics, responsibility, musicality, education, 

passion and commitment. 

Telephone 020 7222 1061 for tickets, 

proceeds will be donated to Future Talent 

co founded by the Duchess of Kent which 

supports gifted young musicians from 

low-income families throughout the UK. 


ZSL is a charity registered in England and Wales no: 208728 

INCREDIBLE ANIMALS, 

AMAZINGLY CLOSE 

Best value tickets online at 

londonzoo.org 

UNDER 3s 

GO FREE

14 

THE HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS 

2023 WORLD TOUR 

The Harlem Globetrotters 2023 World 

Tour is coming with game like never 

before. Globetrotter stars are bringing 

out their amazing basketball skill, 

outrageous athleticism for a non-stop 

good time. Join the Globetrotters as they 

go head-to-head against the Washington 

Generals, who will stop at nothing to try 

and defeat the world’s best team. 

The Globetrotters will be in London 

on 30 April (the 02) and 7 May (OVO 

Arena, Wembley). THIS IS LONDON 

spoke to Thunder Law about what you 

can expect from a Harlem Globetrotters 

game. 

For those who don’t know, can you 

tell us a bit more about the Harlem 

Globetrotters? 

The Harlem Globetrotters are known 

as ambassadors of goodwill. We go all 

over the world creating memories that 

will last forever, bringing smiles to 

millions of faces. We are known for our 

basketball wizardry, our amazing 

athleticism and our unique and funny 

personalities. 

What can people expect when they 

come to see a show? 

A globetrotter experience is one like 

no other. You can expect to laugh a 

whole lot. We have some of the most 

talented people in the world. Some of 

the greatest dunkers, best ball handlers 

and unbelievable 4 point shooters. Mix 

that with family fun entertainment and 

you have the Globetrotters 

How much training does it take to 

be part of the team? 

Being a great globetrotter doesn’t 

come easy. That is something that’s very 

hard to master, because it’s always 

something to get better at. I personally 

spend countless of hours every week 

working on my craft. 

What do you like most about 

performing in London? 

Growing up as a kid London has 

always been one of my favourite cities. 

The Culture and the scenery is amazing. 

Now that I have a chance to come there 

and do what I love most which is 

entertain and play basketball, it’s a 

dream come true. 

Is there anywhere you’d really like 

to visit while you’re here? 

This is about my fifth or sixth time 

coming to London, every time I always 

go somewhere new. But it’s a must that 

I get fish and chips from a local 

restaurant. 

For tickets and further UK tour dates, 

visit www.bookingsdirect.com 

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL 

UK TOUR 

Pretty Woman: The Musical will 

embark on a UK and Ireland Tour 

opening at the Birmingham Alexandra 

Theatre on 17 October. The West End 

production continues to play at the 

Savoy Theatre where it is booking until 

11 June. 

Big night out. Big. HUGE. Pretty 

Woman: The Musical is Hollywood’s 

ultimate rom-com, live on stage. Once 

upon a time in the late ’80s, Vivian met 

Edward and her life changed forever. Be 

swept up in their romance in this 

dazzlingly theatrical take on a love story 

for the ages – and get to know these 

iconic characters in a whole new way – 

in a sensational show guaranteed to lift 

your spirits and light up your heart. 

The show features original music and 

lyrics by Grammy Award winner Bryan 

Adams and Jim Vallance, a book by Garry 

Marshall and the film’s screenwriter 

J F Lawton, it is directed and 

choreographed by the two-time Tony 

Award winner Jerry Mitchell. Featured in 

the musical is Roy Orbison and Bill Dee’s 

international smash hit song ‘Oh, Pretty 

Woman’ which inspired one of the most 

beloved romantic comedy films of all 

time. Pretty Woman the film (produced by 

Arnon Milchan – New Regency 

Productions) was an international smash 

hit when it was released in 1990. 

Full details at www.atgtickets.com 

Photo: Helen Maybanks 


16 

Photos: Johan Persson, Disney 

BRINGING FROZEN TO LIFE, 

NORWEGIAN-STYLE! 

A journey through the traditional 

fashion, art, culture and ancient 

architecture of Norway cast quite a spell 

over the creative team tasked with 

recreating the world of Frozen on stage. 

When costume and set designer 

Christopher Oram began transforming 

the animated outfits from the film for 

stage, he reimagined the iconic 

costumes with something familiar and 

something new. ‘There’s a lot of 

embroidery in Norwegian work, and a lot 

of the rosemåling. It’s all floral and 

decorative,’ he says. ‘So we’ve 

incorporated a lot of that into the visuals 

of the show. We based Elsa’s magic on 

that, too. When she controls her magic, 

Emily Lane (Anna). 

Samantha Barks (Elsa) and ensemble in Frozen. 

she has a sense of floral quality about it.’ 

Costumes like Anna’s coronation 

dress (a silk taffeta with enhanced 

dimensional embroidery in satin and 

organza) reflect a classic Norwegian 

style of ‘bunad’. Today, the classic bunad 

style is reserved for special occasions. 

‘Holidays and marriages,’ says 

Morten Sohlberg, restaurateur at the 

Nordic cultural centre, Scandinavia 

House, in New York. ‘Traditionally, they 

weren’t white wedding dresses. The 

bunads were the costumes for weddings, 

as they still are in Norway and in other 

Scandinavian countries. 

‘But they’re extremely different from 

area to area, region to region. So, you 

might be just a few kilometres away, and 

you are in another county, so to speak, 

and their bunad would be almost not 

recognisable. Totally different patterns, 

totally different colours and designs 

overall, just by being in a different town 

or city or county.’ 

You can see Christopher Oram’s 

award-winning Norwegian-inspired 

costume designs live on stage at Theatre 

Royal Drury Lane. Frozen will defy all 

expectations on an unforgettable journey 

packed with thrilling surprises, hilarious 

characters and soaring music, including 

twelve new songs, alongside the 

worldwide smash-hit, ‘Let it Go’. Once 

you’ve seen it, you’ll never let it go. 

www.frozenthemusical.co.uk 

DEAR ENGLAND AT THE NATIONAL 

THEATRE 

The National Theatre is to premiere a 

new play by James Graham this month. 

Dear England will tell the story of the 

England men’s football team under 

Gareth Southgate. Directed by Rupert 

Goold, Dear England will play in the 

Olivier theatre from June with Joseph 

Fiennes playing Gareth Southgate. 

It’s time to change the game. The 

country that gave the world football has 

since delivered a painful pattern of loss. 

Why can’t England’s men win at their 

own game? With the worst track record 

for penalties in the world, Gareth 

Southgate knows he needs to open his 

mind and face up to the years of hurt to 

take team and country back to the 

promised land. 

The National Theatre's production of 

The Crucible will transfer to the West 

End for a limited run in June. Directed 

by Lyndsey Turner, this new production 

of Arthur Miller’s parable of power and 

its abuse will play at the Gielgud Theatre 

from 7 June until 2 September. 

A witch hunt is beginning in Salem. 

Raised to be seen but not heard, a group 

of young women suddenly find their 

words have a terrible power. As a climate 

of fear spreads through the community, 

private vendettas fuel public accusations 

and soon the truth itself is on trial. 

Tickets: www.nationaltheatre.org.uk 

Joseph Fiennes. Photo: Gary William Ogle 


A REIGN TO REMEMBER AT 

SHANGRI-LA THE SHARD 

On 6 and 7 May, the British public 

and visitors from all over the world will 

come together in London to mark the 

Coronation of King Charles III at 

Westminster Abbey. Joining the historic 

weekend of festivities up and down the 

UK and marking an occasion that is the 

first in a lifetime for many, Shangri-La 

The Shard, London has created a royal 

array of celebrations for guests to enjoy 

with unrivalled views over London, to 

toast to His Majesty The King in style. 

For those missing out on a stay over 

the Coronation weekend, a new local 

destination experience unlocks the gates 

to the Tower of London for guests to 

marvel at the Crown Jewels before a visit 

to a local distillery to learn about gin 

and the Gin martini, rumoured to be a 

favourite drink of King Charles. 

Join the festive atmosphere of a 

traditional British street party at Bar 31, 

located on the ground floor, as the 

Coronation ceremony unfolds. Guests 

can watch the live stream of the 

ceremony on the large flatscreen while 

enjoying a selection of tasty treats from 

a sharing platter featuring classics 

including sausage rolls and scones with 

jam and cream. As the sound of onstreet 

entertainment echoes through the 

streets of London Bridge, guests can sit 

back with refreshing Pimm's cocktails, 

complete with fresh fruit and mint and 

buckets of ice-cold beers to share. 

www.shangri-la.com 

Princess Elizabeth visits London Zoo in 1939. 

CELEBRATE THE CORONATION AT 

LONDON ZOO 

Visitors are invited to celebrate the 

Kings and Queens of the animal kingdom 

in honour of the Coronation at London 

Zoo this May. From Saturday 6 to Monday 

8 May, zookeepers and volunteers at the 

conservation zoo will join the nation in 

celebration of The King and Queen 

Consort’s historic Coronation, with 

visitors invited to join a jam-packed 

weekend of royal activities. 

Discover the Kings and Queens of the 

animal kingdom at lively animal talks, 

coming face-to-face with more than 

Photo: London Zoo 

14,000 animals from the Queen 

honeybee in Tiny Giants to Critically 

Endangered Asiatic ‘lion king’ Bhanu in 

Land of the Lions. 

Inspired by their day of wildlife, 

young conservationists will also be 

gifted a pouch of ecosystem-boosting 

wildflower seeds to take home, sow and 

watch bloom. In honour of The King – a 

life-long champion of wildlife and ZSL’s 

Vice Patron in his capacity as the Prince 

of Wales since 2014 – these tiny seeds 

will grow into new garden safehavens for 

millions of our country’s insects, birds 

and small mammals. 

Monarchs past and present have 

supported and visited London Zoo, the 

world’s first scientific zoo, since it opened 

almost 200 years ago. The conservation 

zoo was a particular favourite of the young 

Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret during 

their childhood and – since joining ZSL’s 

Exceptional Young Zoologist Club aged 

just 13 – The King has been a long-time 

supporter of ZSL, the international 

conservation charity behind London Zoo. 

All additional Coronation activities 

are included with zoo entry and under 

3s go free, making London Zoo a great 

value royal day out this Coronation 

weekend. Book your tickets online at 

www.londonzoo.org 

17 


18 

FREEMASONS’ HALL WELCOME 

BROTHERS IN ALMS GUIDED TOURS 

A new series of ‘Brothers in Alms’ 

guided tours began last month at 

Freemasons’ Hall in Covent Garden. 

The tours are led by the curator of the 

collection, Brian Deutsch. The exhibition 

tours will run through the year 2023 and 

will take place every third Thursday 

(12.00) of the month. Visitors will find 

rare photographs that span the period 

from the Second Boer War through to 

the end of the Second World War and 

features those who led and those who 

served on the land, sea and in the air. 

Brian Deutsch said, ‘The oldest form 

of written communication is the 

pictograph, the picture telling the story. 

A picture does not need text to explain it, 

for it tells the story better than words. So 

let the pictures do the talking and the 

imagination the meaning. Everyone will 

make their own interpretation of the 

image, and it is up to the individual to 

imagine the story it tells’. 

The new Brothers in Alms exhibition 

commemorates the centenary of ‘peace 

through sacrifice’ at the end of the First 

World War. It celebrates the lives of 

those who participated in the war, from 

the Royal Princes and Generals to the 

ordinary men and women in those 

extraordinary times. It also contains 

images from the beginning of the last 

century until the end of the Second 

World War, featuring those who served 

in both wars, those who led and those 

who served in the field, on land, on the 

sea and in the air, illustrating the vast 

geography of the wars. 

The images illustrate the old-style war 

with horses and cannons and the new 

mechanised war with tanks, motorcars, 

motorbikes and aeroplanes. It shows 

women at the front helping and caring 

for the wounded, driving ambulances 

and being dispatch riders, organised as 

a Women’s Army for the first time. 

The tour includes those freemasons 

who held top military positions, 

including Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 

Britain’s most celebrated soldier at the 

beginning of the First World War, 

who was depicted on the famous 

‘Your country needs you’ recruitment 

poster in 1914. 

It also highlights the great charitable 

work by freemasons both during and 

after the war in building and supporting 

hospitals and rehabilitation housing and 

providing pensions for veterans. 

During the war, three hospitals were 

founded in London by the Freemasons 

for the benefit of all the wounded, 

whether or not they were Freemasons. 

Many others throughout the country 

were established or expanded through 

the generous donations of their 

members, who were known to ‘give 

quickly and with both hands’. 

The Freemasons played a significant 

role in war and peace throughout the 

first half of the last century. From the 

leaders of men to the rank and file, Field 

Marshals to privates, they fought bravely 

during the conflicts and supported the 

afflicted and downtrodden when peace 

came. Remarkably, one in six Victoria 

Crosses in the Great War were awarded 

to Freemasons for their bravery beyond 

the call of duty. Due to this, many of 

their comrades in arms joined Masonic 

lodges after the wars. 

For further information and details on 

upcoming events, visit the website at 

www.ugle.org.uk 

UK TOUR OF 42nd STREET COMES 

TO SADLER’S WELLS 

David Ian for Crossroads Live and 

Jonathan Church Theatre Productions 

have announced that Samantha Womack 

will star as Dorothy Brock, alongside 

Michael Praed as Julian Marsh, Faye 

Tozer as Maggie Jones, Les Dennis as 

Bert Barry and Nicole-Lily Baisden as 

Peggy Sawyer in the UK tour of 42nd 

Street which plays at Sadler’s Wells from 

7 June until 2 July. 

This iconic song-and-dance 

spectacular features a hit parade of toetapping 

songs, including the title 

number, ‘We’re In The Money’, ‘Lullaby 

of Broadway’, ‘Shuffle Off To Buffalo’ and 

‘I Only Have Eyes For You’. 42nd Street 

is a timeless and inspiring showbiz fairy 

tale that combines breath-taking tap 

dance routines, backstage intrigue, 

classic romance and delightful comedy 

to dazzling effect. 

Fresh off the bus from small-town 

America, young and beautiful Peggy 

Sawyer arrives in New York City 

dreaming of her name in lights. She 

quickly catches the eye of a big-time 

director and lands a spot in the chorus 

line of Broadway’s newest show... and 

when the leading lady gets injured, 

Peggy gets her shot at stardom. 

42nd Street is a larger-than-life, 

massively entertaining celebration of 

musicals and the irrepressible spirit of 

Broadway that’s guaranteed to lift 

anyone’s spirits. 

The show was originally produced on 

Broadway by David Merrick. 


ALL HAIL 

THE QUEEN 

OF 

ROCK 'N' ROLL

20 

© Disney 

DISNEY’S THE LION KING ROARS IN THE WEST END 

Disney’s award-winning musical The Lion King explodes 

with glorious colours, stunning effects and enchanting music. 

It follows the powerful story of Simba as he journeys from 

wide-eyed cub to his destined role as King of the Pridelands. 

Now in its 24th year at London's 

Lyceum Theatre, director Julie Taymor’s 

acclaimed reimagining of Disney's 

beloved film has and continues to redefine 

a generation’s expectation of theatre. 

The Lion King is famous for the use of 

puppetry, with the animals even entering 

the audience at some points in the show. 

There are more than 232 puppets, 

including rod puppets, shadow puppets 

and full-sized puppets. It took director 

Julie Taymor and her team 37,000 hours 

to build the original puppets and masks. 

There are 25 kinds of animal species 

represented in the production, with the 

longest animal being 

the elephant at 

4 metres long by 

3.5 metres high and 

2.75 metres wide. 

The tallest animals 

are the 5.5 metre 

giraffes in the song ‘I 

Just Can’t Wait to be 

King’ and the 

smallest animal in 

the show is the 13cm 

trick mouse at the 

end of Scar’s cane. 

www.thelionking.co.uk 

GREENWICH PENINSULA URBAN 

VILLAGE FETE 

The Urban Village Fete returns to 

Greenwich Peninsula on 14 May for its 

7th year, with a line-up of entertainment, 

DJ’s, workshops, and talks – all free of 

charge. Alongside a packed programme 

of entertainment throughout the day, 

there’s a star-studded line-up of DJ’s 

keeping the party going, with headline 

sets from special guests, Mr Scruff and 

Bradley Zero taking over Central Park. 

After dark, party-goers can head to 

Canteen for more drinks and dancing on 

a heated indoor terrace. 

Kicking off at 11.00, there will be live 

performances, arts and crafts, food, 

markets, music and more with 

something for everyone to enjoy and get 

involved with throughout the day. Hosted 

in the heart of Greenwich Peninsula, a 

riverside neighbourhood with art and 

culture embedded in its fabric, the event 

attracts thousands of people from all 

over London for a day out like no other 

in the capital. 

Design District will once again host 

Robert Elms in the Talks Tent, to lead 

insightful conversation and spark debate 

across a range of topics from Sport to 

Sustainability. For those wanting to fill 

their bellies as well as their brains, 

Canteen Food Hall offers an eclectic mix 

of street food from 6 different vendors, 

along with freshly shaken cocktails, cold 

beer and plenty of fizz to quench the thirst. 

The food quarter at the Fete extends 

beyond Canteen, through the Bureau 

restaurant and along the park where 

hungry visitors can feast on homemade 

and locally sourced goodies from the likes 

of Cakehole and Pasta e Basta. 

For those wanting to get their hands 

dirty, this year’s programme of 

interactive workshops will not 

disappoint. From origami to knitting, 

and even a canine circus, big kids, little 

kids and furry friends are all invited to 

get involved, and bring the spirit of the 

Fete alive through participation and 

collaboration. 

Find them on Instagram at 

@greenwich.peninsula or Twitter at 

@thepeninsulist or visit the website at 

www.greenwichpeninsula.co.uk/urbanvillage-fete 


Untitled-4 1 18/01/2023 11:21 

THE GUNPOWDER PLOT – TRAVEL 

BACK IN TIME TO 1605 

Since opening in 2022, over 52,000 

people have experienced The 

Gunpowder Plot, making it one of 

London's top rated attractions. 

The Gunpowder Plot transports you 

back to 1605 to join Guy Fawkes and the 

plotters as if you are actually there. 

Using a unique mix of interactive 

scenes, Virtual Reality and multi-sensory 

effects, you'll feel as though you're 

actually escaping by rope swing across 

London, meeting Guy Fawkes in person 

and rowing gunpowder up the Thames! 

From the moment you step through 

the doors, 1605 London explodes all 

around you as you are plunged into the 

world of the plotters. Everything you see 

will take you back in time to Jacobean 

England. 

The Gunpowder Plot stars Tom Felton 

as Guy Fawkes in virtual reality. Tom 

Felton (best known for playing Draco 

Malfoy in the Harry Potter films) leads 

the digital cast which also includes Gary 

Beadle (Eastenders). The show is written 

by Olivier nominee Danny Robins. 

The sets have been designed and 

built with full interaction in mind. Feel 

the spray of the Thames, the biting wind 

on the parapets, and the cold stone of 

your cell in the White Tower. 

Each room is filled with a custom 

scent to transport you back to Jacobean 

London. From the Thames docks, to a 

safehouse, to the vaults under the 

Houses of Parliament, the scent of each 

room of the experience will convince 

you that you are really there. 

Audiences aren't just watching, they 

are right in the action, actively 

participating in one of the greatest 

stories in British history. Recruited as 

spies, the guest's mission is to go 

undercover, infiltrate the plot and 

become part of history's most daring 

conspiracy. 

The Gunpowder Plot is open now in 

Tower Vaults at the Tower of London. 

Tickets are on sale at 

www.gunpowderimmersive.com 

The Gunpowder Plot Immersive Experience 

21 


22 

Sir Antonio Pappano. 

CORONATION MUSIC AT 

WESTMINSTER ABBEY 

Twelve newly commissioned pieces of 

music will be performed at The 

Coronation of Their Majesties The King 

and The Queen Consort at Westminster 

Abbey on Saturday 6 May, showcasing 

musical talent from across the United 

Kingdom and the Commonwealth. 

A life-long music enthusiast and 

champion of the arts, His Majesty has 

overseen, influenced and been personally 

involved in the commissioning process 

and the detail of the music programme, 

which will showcase and celebrate 

musical talent from across the United 

Kingdom and further afield. 

The musical commissions offer 

contemporary interpretations of 

centuries of musical tradition, bringing 

together world-class composers, who 

are some of the most esteemed living 

artists from across the Classical, Sacred, 

Film, Television and Musical Theatre 

fields. They have taken varied 

approaches to their compositions – 

whether for orchestra, solo voice or 

choir – resulting in a diverse and 

accessible musical programme. 

Six of the new commissions have been 

composed for orchestra and will be 

performed before the Service, prior to 

Their Majesties’ arrival at the Abbey, 

complemented by a programme of mainly 

British music spanning 350 years. 

At His Majesty’s request, performing the 

orchestral commissions is the Coronation 

Orchestra, whose membership comprises 

some of the world’s greatest musicians 

drawn from eight leading orchestras of The 

former Prince of Wales’ Patronages, from 

across the UK and Canada: the 

Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal 

Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC National 

Orchestra of Wales, Regina Symphony 

Orchestra (Saskatchewan, Canada), English 

Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Chamber 

Orchestra, Royal Opera House Orchestra 

and Welsh National Opera Orchestra. 

The Coronation Orchestra is conducted 

by Sir Antonio Pappano, Music Director 

for the Royal Opera House and is led by 

Vasko Vassilev, Principal Guest Concert 

Master, Royal Opera House Orchestra, by 

arrangement with Trittico. 

The Coronation Orchestra will be 

joined by the Royal Harpist, Alis Huws, for 

Sir Karl Jenkins’ ‘Tros y Garreg (Crossing 

the Stone)’. Reflecting The King’s abiding 

affection for and support of Welsh culture, 

the piece is a new arrangement of Jenkins’ 

beloved and emotional setting of a Welsh 

folk song, a luxuriant combination of harp 

and strings, commissioned by The then 

Prince of Wales over two decades ago. 

As The Prince of Wales, The King revived 

the traditional role of the Royal Harpist in 

2000. 

Classical and film composer Sarah 

Class was commissioned by The former 

Prince of Wales in 2021 to compose the 

anthem for His Majesty’s Terra Carta 

environmental initiative. For the 

Coronation, Class’s ‘Sacred Fire’, which 

will be performed by acclaimed South 

African soprano Pretty Yende, conjures 

imagery from the Bible with its powerful 

lyrics. Through music, the composition 

evokes a bridge between the angelic and 

human realms. 

At the request of His Majesty, in 

tribute to his late father His Royal 

Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of 

Edinburgh, Greek Orthodox music will 

also feature in the Service performed by 

the Byzantine Chant Ensemble. 


24 

VOICES OF SWING WITH DOWN 

FOR THE COUNT ORCHESTRA 

The 30-piece Down for the Count 

Orchestra and vocalists will perform a 

‘sonic ride back to the sounds of Capitol 

Studios in the 1950s’ (DownBeat 

Magazine) as they play timeless classics 

from The Great American Songbook. 

‘Voices of Swing’ will take place at 

Cadogan Hall on 13 May (19.30). 

Expect to hear hits such as I’ve Got 

You Under My Skin (Cole Porter/Frank 

Sinatra), Stardust (Hoagy Carmichael 

/Nat ‘King’ Cole), ‘S Wonderful (George 

Gershwin/Ella Fitzgerald) and many 

more in a joyful celebration of some of 

the best music of the 20th Century, all 

performed by some of the UK’s top jazz 

musicians and arrangers under the baton 

of musical director Mike Paul-Smith. 

Down for the Count Orchestra is 

embarking on a UK tour this spring. 

Conducted by Mike Paul-Smith, the 

orchestra has recently been making waves 

on the UK jazz scene with their warm, 

engaging and energetic performances. 

One of the few UK swing ensembles to 

perform with a string section, Down for the 

Count’s show features recreations of 

Capitol Studios recordings from Frank 

Sinatra, Nat ‘King’ Cole and Ella Fitzgerald, 

alongside rarely heard British dance band 

music written by the grandfather of 

orchestra member Rose Hinton. The 

orchestra started life as a group of school 

friends in Buckinghamshire in 2005 in the 

inspiring environment of the Aylesbury 

Music Centre, and have since gone from 

strength to strength. For tickets, visit 

www.cadoganhall.com 020 7730 4500. 

WHEN WINSTON WENT TO WAR 

WITH THE WIRELESS WORLD 

PREMIÈRE 

Katy Rudd is to direct Stephen 

Campbell Moore as John Reith and 

Adrian Scarborough as Winston 

Churchill in the world première of Jack 

Thorne’s play When Winston went to 

War with the Wireless which opens at 

Donmar Warehouse on 13 June. 

In May 1926, Britain grinds to a halt, 

as workers down tools for The General 

Strike. With the printing presses shut 

down, the only sources of news are the 

government’s The British Gazette, edited 

by Chancellor of the Exchequer Winston 

Churchill, and the independent, fledgling 

British Broadcasting Company, led by 

John Reith. What follows is a fierce 

battle for control of the news and who 

gets to define the truth. 

Photo: Johan Persson. 

At a time when the BBC is faced once 

again with the challenges of impartiality, 

When Winston went to War with the 

Wireless is a gripping new play about 

the birth of a great British institution. 

Jack Thorne said: ‘So delighted to 

announce this wonderful cast. Adrian is 

going to dazzle as the younger Churchill 

we’ve barely seen before, and Stephen 

will delight in bringing all the Gary 

Lineker shades in Reith. The BBC has 

constantly found itself pinched by 

Government crows, this was the first 

pinching and it feels an ever more 

apposite time to bring it to the stage.’ 

Box Office telephone 020 3282 3808. 


MUST END 18 JUNE ♥ AHEAD OF UK TOUR 

Photography Daniel Kennedy 

SAVOY THEATRE ♥ PRETTYWOMANTHEMUSICAL.COM

26 

HERTFORDSHIRE CHORUS AND 

WILL TODD AT CADOGAN HALL 

Twenty one years, ago David Temple 

and the Hertfordshire Chorus – one of 

the UK’s finest symphonic choirs – 

commissioned a young composer, Will 

Todd, to write a modern setting of the 

Latin Mass. His Jazz Mass, later 

renamed Mass in Blue, has now become 

one of the most popular and successful 

commissions in modern choral music. 

Its dynamic and upbeat rhythms have 

been performed by hundreds of choirs 

across the world, often accompanied by 

Will and his band. 

In celebration of the 20th Anniversary 

of its first performance, Hertfordshire 

Chorus, under the baton of Musical 

Director David Temple MBE, are reunited 

with composer Will Todd for a very 

special performance of Mass in Blue at 

Cadogan Hall on Sunday 14 May at 

16.30. The choir is accompanied by 

Will on piano, his band, the Will Todd 

Ensemble and soprano soloist Hilary 

Cronin. A party not to be missed! 

Also on the programme, in complete 

contrast, is the sublime Mass in E 

Minor, by Anton Bruckner. Written for 

Wind Band and eight part choir, it is full 

of beautiful harmonies and contrasting 

textures, and is considered to be one of 

the composer’s finest works. 

Tickets are available on the website at 

www.hertfordshirechorus.org.uk or at 

www.cadoganhall.com 

THE WIZARD OF OZ SOARS INTO 

THE LONDON PALLADIUM 

Michael Harrison and the Really 

Useful Group will present Jason 

Manford and Ashley Banjo in the 

The Wizard of Oz, the musical based on 

the iconic story by L. Frank Baum, which 

will play a limited season at the world 

famous London Palladium this summer. 

Jason Manford, who is a multiaward-winning 

stand-up comedian, 

actor, singer, writer, radio and television 

presenter, will play The Cowardly Lion. 

Well known for his critically acclaimed 

live stand-up tours, Jason also has 

musical theatre credits that include 

Signor Pirelli in the Olivier-winning 

production of Sweeney Todd alongside 

Imelda Staunton and Michael Ball in 

2012 and Leo Bloom in Mel Brooks’ 

The Producers across a UK tour. 

Ashley Banjo is the founder, creative 

director and choreographer for the dance 

group Diversity who found fame in 2009 

after winning Britain’s Got Talent. He will 

make his West End musical debut in The 

Wizard of Oz in the role of The Tin Man. 

Featuring the original score from the 

Oscar-winning MGM film, including 

Over The Rainbow, Follow The Yellow 

Brick Road and We're Off To See the 

Wizard – with additional songs from 

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice – 

this spectacular production will be a 

magical experience for all the family. 

www.wizardofozmusical.com 

MICHAEL BALL RETURNS TO 

ASPECTS OF LOVE 

34 years after having starred in the 

original West End production, Michael 

Ball returns to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 

celebrated musical Aspects of Love at 

the Lyric Theatre on 25 May, this time 

playing the role of George. 

In ravaged post war France, beautiful 

actress Rose Vibert finds herself 

homeless and penniless after her hopedfor 

career break play closes early. Invited 

to a country villa by a love struck young 

American, Alex Dillingham, she 

impulsively accepts. When unexpectedly 

interrupted by Alex’s distinguished uncle 

George, everything changes. 

So begins a tumultuous 20-year love 

story, entwining the three of them and 

George’s mistress, the feisty artist 

Giulietta. Everything changes once again 

when Rose’s daughter Jenny turns 18. 

From the cobbled streets of Paris, 

through the French countryside to the 

splendours of Venice, Aspects of Love is 

a sweeping romantic story of passion, 

love, betrayal and heartbreak across 

three generations. 

With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber 

and lyrics by Don Black and Charles 

Hart, based on the novel by David 

Garnett, Aspects of Love is directed by 

Jonathan Kent and produced by Nica 

Burns, by arrangement with The Really 

Useful Group Limited. 

Michael Ball. 


28 

Daniel Mays (Nathan Detriot). 

Photos: Manuel Harlan 

GUYS & DOLLS EXTENDS BOOKING 

AT THE BRIDGE THEATRE 

Nicholas Hytner’s critically acclaimed 

immersive production of Guys & Dolls 

is extending booking to 24 February, 

2024, at the Bridge Theatre. Guys & 

Dolls – a musical fable of Broadway, 

based on the story and characters of 

Damon Runyon – opened on 14 March 

2023, marking Hytner’s first musical 

presented at The Bridge. 

Celinde Schoenmaker (Sarah Brown) 

and Marisha Wallace (Miss Adelaide). 

MAMMA MIA! NEW BOOKING 

PERIOD 

Producer Judy Craymer has extended 

the booking period for global smash hit 

musical Mamma Mia! at London’s 

Novello Theatre until 2 March. Since 

premiering in London in 1999, the 

irresistible feelgood musical has 

captured the hearts of millions around 

the globe. The sunny, funny tale of a 

mother, a daughter and three possible 

dads on a Greek island idyll, all 

unfolding to the magic of ABBA’s 

timeless pop masterpieces, has now 

been seen live on stage by 65 million 

people across the world and turned into 

two record-breaking movies – Mamma 

Mia! The Movie and Mamma Mia! Here 

We Go Again. 

Mamma Mia! originally opened in 

London at the Prince Edward Theatre on 

6 April 1999, before transferring to the 

Prince of Wales Theatre in 2004, and 

then to the Novello Theatre in 2012. 

The London production of Mamma 

Mia! has been seen by over 10 million 

people, played over 9,300 performances 

and has broken box office records in all 

three of its London homes. It is the fifth 

longest running musical in West End 

history. Mamma Mia! is produced by 

Judy Craymer, Richard East & Björn 

Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association 

with Universal. 

www.mamma-mia.com 

CITY OF LONDON SINFONIA 

NEURODIVERGENT EXPERIENCES 

On Sunday 14 May, City of London 

Sinfonia will present two concerts at 

Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth 

Hall, of composer Amble Skuse’s 

specially commissioned soundscapes, 

which explore neurodivergent 

experiences and identity. 

Entitled Divergent Sounds, the project 

is a collaboration between the orchestra 

and King’s College London. Musical 

pieces are based on a series of focus 

groups with neurodivergent people, where 

topics such as neurodivergent experiences 

of the world, the ways in which 

neurodivergent people's brains may work 

differently, and the strengths and 

challenges that come with being 

neurodivergent in a neurotypical world 

were discussed. 

Themes that emerged throughout these 

discussions were reviewed by dramaturg 

and librettist Jen McGregor and composer 

Amble Skuse to create sonic and verbal 

explorations of neurodivergent identity. 

The sound-scapes will convey a sense of 

all the multi-faced and diverse ways of 

being which exist in this world. City of 

London Sinfonia will perform these 

musical soundscapes that weave together 

musical interpretations of neurodivergent 

perceptions and experiences with 

recorded excerpts of neurodivergent 

voices from the focus groups. 

The Bridge transforms for one of the 

greatest musicals of all time. It has more 

hit songs, more laughs and more 

romance than any show ever written. The 

seating is wrapped around the action 

while the immersive tickets transport you 

to the streets of Manhattan and the bars 

of Havana in the unlikeliest of love 

stories. Join them on Broadway for the 

explosion of joy that is Guys & Dolls. 

Guys & Dolls has music and lyrics 

by Frank Loesser and book by 

Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, with 

choreography by Arlene Phillips with 

James Cousins. www.bridgetheatre.co.uk 

Josie Benson (Tanya), Mazz Murray (Donna) & Gemma Goggin (Rosie) in MAMMA MIA! 

Photo: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg. 


CORONATION CELEBRATION! WITH 

THE ROYAL CHORAL SOCIETY AT 

THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL 

Music fit for a King! On Coronation 

Sunday, 7 May at 14.30, join the 

Royal Choral Society at the Royal Albert 

Hall for ‘Coronation Celebration!’ – 

a glorious choral music extravaganza 

to celebrate the crowning of King Charles 

III and the choir’s own 

150th anniversary. 

If you sing, then you’ll be able join in 

‘beltissimo’ for Parry’s coronation anthem I 

Was Glad, together with the Epiphoni 

Consort, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 

and the mighty 9,999-pipe organ, all under 

the baton of the choir’s Music Director, 

Richard Cooke, and presented by author 

and broadcaster Zeb Soanes. 

Since its inaugural concert in the Hall 

on 8 May 1872, the Royal Choral Society – 

named by Queen Victoria herself – has 

been conducted by some of the world’s 

greatest composers, including Verdi 

(Requiem), Dvorák (Stabat Mater) and 

Elgar (The Dream of Gerontius). This 

celebratory afternoon concert will showcase 

these highlights of their choral repertoire, 

alongside music by Handel (Zadok the 

Priest, Hallelujah Chorus), Mozart (Ave 

Verum Corpus), Coleridge-Taylor 

(Hiawatha), Rachmaninoff (Ave Maria) and 

Panufnik (A Cradle Song), plus a few 

The Royal Choral Society at the Royal Albert Hall. 

surprises along the way. 

Parry’s I Was Glad will bring the concert 

to a glorious finale, with a choir on stage 

and in the auditorium of more than 1000 

voices. Download the music to I Was Glad 

from the Royal Choral Society website, 

www.royalchoralsociety.co.uk 

Tickets at www.royalalberthall.com 

29 

CORONATION CELEBRATION CONCERT 

Musique Sur La Mer Chamber Orchestra, USA 

World Premiere: “March for the Double Coronation” 

- by Paul Gibson - 

Friday, May 5th @ 7:30PM | St John’s Smith Square London 

£15 Tickets. Concessions Available. Call 020 7222 1061 

Proceeds donated to FutureTalent.Org 

Musique ue Sur La Mer 

Chamber Orchestra 

California, USA 

Marcy A. Sudock 

Conductor 

Music Director 

Special 

Guest Star 

Kimaya Stewart 

Vocalist 


30 

Photo: Tristram Kenton 

AIDA AT THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE 

Princess Aida has been kidnapped: a valuable prize in a war between Egypt and 

Ethiopia. Meanwhile, the ambitious soldier Radames wrestles with his feelings for 

her. As they draw closer together, each must make an agonising choice between their 

loyalty to home, and their love for each other. 

In the new production of Aida at the Royal Opera House (5 May – 1 June), 

director Robert Carsen situates Verdi’s large-scale political drama within a 

contemporary world, framing its power struggles and toxic jealousies in the 

apparatus of a modern, totalitarian state. Mark Elder conducts Verdi’s glorious, 

monumental score. For tickets and full details on the Royal Opera House season, 

visit the website at www.roh.org.uk 

MATILDA THE MUSICAL 

The multi-award-winning production 

of Matilda The Musical is now booking 

through to 26 May 2024, with tickets for 

the new dates on sale at the website 

www.matildathemusical.com 

A tonic for audiences of all ages, this 

anarchic production about a strong and 

determined heroine with a vivid 

imagination has now won 101 

international awards including 24 for 

Best Musical. 

More than a decade since the multi 

award-winning production opened in 

London, this iconic British musical has 

been seen by 11 million people across 

more than 90 cities worldwide. 

The current adult cast includes: 

Lauren Byrne (Miss Honey), Rakesh 

Boury and Amy Ellen Richardson (Mr 

and Mrs Wormwood – pictured) Elliot 

Harper (Miss Trunchbull – pictured) 

and Landi Oshinowo (Mrs Phelps). 

Photos: Manuel Harlan 

EUROVISION WATCH PARTIES AT 

EVERYMAN CINEMAS 

On Saturday, 13 May, the campest 

competition of them all is coming to the 

UK, and Everyman cinemas will 

celebrate in style with screenings of the 

highly anticipated final across 35 of its 

venues nationwide. So if you don’t have 

tickets to the live show in Liverpool, you 

can still enjoy a night of Eurovision 

chaos from the comfort of the cinema 

with Eurovision Watch Parties in 

London, Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, York, 

Leeds and Edinburgh. 

Doors for each screening event will 

open at 19.15, where there will be an 

evening of cocktails, dancing and, of 

course, the live screening of the 

sensational spectacle that is the 

Eurovision final. 

Guests are also encouraged to go 

along in Eurovision fancy dress and 

bring your most chaotic dance moves 

for an evening to remember. Tickets 

available at www.everymancinema.com 

NEW CHILDREN’S THEATRE 

FESTIVAL 

Acclaimed children’s drama school 

Perform will present Central London's 

first ever children's theatre festival, 

opening this summer in Coram’s Fields, 

Bloomsbury. The six-week festival 

includes four musicals, including two 

original productions and opens on 

28 and 29 July, with previews from 

22 July and running until 28 August. 

The line-up includes, The Three Billy 

Goats Gruff, Lost The Plot Theatrical’s 

hit musical adventure for 2-7-year-olds. 

For 3-8-year-olds, Elephant and Piggie’s 

‘We are in a play!’ will be staged, based 

on Mo Willems book Elephant and 

Piggie, and directed by Steve Elias. 

Following this, Perform’s brand-new 

Caribbean adventure titled Mermaids & 

Pirates, will be presented for ages 4-11 

and, for ages 7-14, they have produced 

another original show, The Dream, 

inspired by Shakespeare’s A Midsummer 

Night’s Dream, rebooted for a new 

generation. 


WICKED WELCOMES NEW LONDON 

CAST AT APOLLO VICTORIA 

There was a big welcome from 

audiences and celebrities at London’s 

Apollo Victoria Theatre last month for 

the new cast of Wicked, the West End 

and Broadway musical phenomenon that 

tells the incredible untold story of the 

Witches of Oz. Leading the company is 

Alexia Khadime as ‘Elphaba’, returning to 

the role she previously played to 

universal acclaim, and The Phantom of 

the Opera star Lucy St. Louis as ‘Glinda’. 

Caitlin Anderson makes her West End 

debut as ‘Nessarose’, and current 

ensemble cast member Joe Thompson- 

Oubari takes over the role of ‘Boq’. 

Curtain Call for the new cast of WICKED. 

Photos: Dave Benett 

31 

Free Concert 

From the united States of America 

Iowa State University Ensemble 

& 

From the united Kingdom 

The imperial College Wind Band 

‘One of the most successful musicals 

of all time’ (BBC News), Wicked is now 

in its 17th year at London’s Apollo 

Victoria Theatre where it has already 

been seen by more than 11 million 

people. The ‘hugely popular show’ (The 

Times) has won over 100 international 

awards including three Tony Awards, two 

Olivier Awards, and a Grammy. 

Based on the novel by Gregory 

Maguire, Wicked imagines a beguiling 

backstory and future possibilities to the 

lives of L. Frank Baum’s beloved 

characters from The Wonderful Wizard of 

Oz and reveals the decisions and events 

that shape the destinies of two unlikely 

university friends on their journey to 

becoming Glinda The Good and the 

Wicked Witch of the West. 

Whilst continuing its open-ended 

London run, Wicked will fly to cities in 

England, Scotland, Wales, and the 

Republic of Ireland from December 

2023, with the cast led by former West 

End ‘Elphaba’ Laura Pick. 

19:30 | thursday 18th may 2023 

Get your 

tickets 

here! 

Holy sepulchre church, 

Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2DQ279 

& 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ticketsiowa-state-university-wind-ensembleimperial-college-wind-band-inconcert-557734487867 

more information: music@wenstravel.com 


32 

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY WIND 

ENSEMBLE & IMPERIAL COLLEGE 

WIND BAND IN CONCERT 

All the way from Iowa, the Iowa State 

University Wind Ensemble is to perform in 

London on 18 May, where they will share 

the stage with the Imperial College Wind 

Band at Holy Sepulchre Church (19.30). 

The Iowa State University Wind 

Ensemble features sixty of the finest 

student wind and percussion players on 

the Iowa State University campus. Its 

repertory includes challenging music 

from the sixteenth to the twenty-first 

centuries, from smaller chamber groups 

to the full ensemble. 

Under the direction of Michael Golemo 

since 1999, the Wind Ensemble has 

performed in Minneapolis’ Orchestra Hall, 

Chicago’s Orchestra Hall and Omaha’s 

Holland Center for the Performing Arts. 

They have also performed for the Iowa 

Bandmasters Association convention. 

Imperial College Wind Band is a 

talented group of fifty woodwind, brass 

and percussion players comprised of 

Imperial’s study body and alumni. Under 

the guidance of Alan Shellard, the Wind 

Band performs a wide variety of music, 

from John Williams’ film scores to 

Martin Ellerby’s modern pieces for band 

in termly concerts and during an annual 

tour to Europe. 

Tickets can be reserved for free by 

visiting www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ticketsiowa-state-university-wind-ensembleimperial-college-wind-band-in-concert- 

557734487867?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&k 

eep_tld=1 

GÖTEBORGSOPERANS 

DANSKOMPANI AT SADLER’S 

GöteborgsOperans Danskompani is to 

present the UK premiere of SKID/SAABA, 

an evening of works by French Belgian 

choreographer Damien Jalet and Sadler’s 

Wells Associate Artist Sharon Eyal in 

Sadler’s Wells Theatre from 11-13 May. 

SKID’s set features a dance floor tilted 

at 34° to challenge the dancers beyond 

gravity. Epic, humorous, and moving, 

Damien Jalet’s work creates a new 

landscape of physical possibilities. The 

slope, created by New York artist Jim 

Hodges and Carlos Marques da Cruz, is 

inspired by the measurement of earth’s 

gravitational acceleration of 9.8 meters 

per second squared. There are only two 

entrances and exits to the performance 

stage, one above and one below. 

SAABA is a mesmerising dance 

blending muscular and sensual 

choreography with a hypnotic, pulsating 

power. 

www.sadlerswells.com 

HAMILTON TO TOUR UK WHILE 

SELL-OUT LONDON RUN CONTINUES 

Producers Jeffrey Seller and Cameron 

Mackintosh are to tour the multi-award 

winning Hamilton, opening at 

Manchester Palace Theatre on 

11 November, for a 15 week season until 

24 February, followed by a run at the 

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh from 

28 February – 27 April 2024. In the first 

few weeks of the show going on sale in 

Manchester and Edinburgh many 

performances are already sold out with 

both theatres seeing unprecedented 

levels of ticket sales. 

Following Manchester and Edinburgh, 

Hamilton will visit Bristol Hippodrome, 

Birmingham Hippodrome, Bord Gáis 

Energy Theatre, Dublin, Wales 

Millennium Centre, Cardiff, Alhambra 

Theatre, Bradford, Mayflower, 

Southampton, Liverpool Empire), 

Sunderland Empire, Theatre Royal, 

Plymouth and Norwich Theatre Royal. 

The Olivier, Tony, Grammy and 

Pulitzer Prize-winning musical opened at 

the newly re-built and restored Victoria 

Palace Theatre in London in December 

2017 where it continues to play to sellout 

houses and is currently booking 

until 2 March. 

The production continues to play to 

record breaking houses on Broadway at 

the Richard Rodgers Theatre, throughout 

North America, in Toronto, Australia 

and Germany with forthcoming seasons 

in New Zealand and an International tour 

also planned. 

Hamilton is the story of America then, 

told by America now. Featuring a score 

that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and 

Broadway, Hamilton has taken the story 

of American founding father Alexander 

Hamilton and created a revolutionary 

moment in theatre – a musical that has 

had a profound impact on culture, 

politics, and education. 

Tickets and further touring 

information available through the 

website at www.hamiltonmusical.com 


34 

Hannah Gilson, Bowie, screen print and 

bespoke frame, Air Contemporary at the 

Affordable Art Fair. 

AFFORDABLE ART FAIR RETURNS 

TO HAMPSTEAD HEATH 

Discover a world of inspiring art at 

Affordable Art Fair Hampstead this 

spring (11 - 14 May) with the best in 

contemporary art of all styles and genres 

from over 100 exhibiting galleries. 

From the chance to snap up a big 

name artist with works by Damien Hirst 

(via De Medicis Gallery) and Quentin 

Blake (John Iddon Fine Art), to exciting 

emerging artists 

from across 

University of the 

Arts London in 

Made in Arts 

London’s showcase 

and finalists in the 

prestigious 

Jackson’s Painting 

Prize 2023, 

Affordable Art Fair 

Hampstead is a 

must-see event in 

London’s art 

calendar, set amongst the iconic 

surroundings of Hampstead Heath. 

This year’s edition will feature 

irreverent and thought-provoking 

installations from artist David 

Bellingham titled ‘Everyone Play 

Together’, curated collections including 

Art Fit for a King marking King Charles 

III’s Coronation; The Power of Words, a 

celebration of typographical artworks, 

and top Finds Under £500, in 

partnership with JM Finn. 

The fair will also offer a new Art 

Consultancy service to help collectors, 

investors and interior designers find the 

right artwork for them. Guests can enjoy 

a host of delightful bars, cafés and 

foodtrucks, Summer Lates during the 

week with music, art and drinks until 

21.00, and Family Hour at the weekend. 

One of the only events of its kind to 

take place on the Heath, Affordable Art 

Fair is the art lover’s perfect 

spring/summer day out. 

The Affordable Art Fair also has a 

long-held tradition of supporting 

emerging artists to establish their career. 

For further details and information on 

accessing the Fair, visit the website at 

www.affordableartfair.com 

CORONATION EVENTS AT ROYAL 

MUSEUMS GREENWICH 

The National Maritime Museum and 

Queen’s House will host a series of free 

events marking the coronation of King 

Charles III over the bank holiday 

weekend, including royal-themed tours, 

picnics on the lawns and a screening of 

the coronation. 

On Monday 8 May, Sea Cadets in 

Greenwich will attempt to break the 

Guinness World Record for the ‘World’s 

Largest Boatswain’s Call Lesson’. 

The royal connections to Greenwich 

date back to Humphrey, Duke of 

Gloucester, the brother of Henry V, who 

built his home in the fifteenth century on 

the site that Charles II gave for the Royal 

Observatory Greenwich. Greenwich was 

the birthplace of Henry VIII and Elizabeth 

I, and in the seventeenth century the 

Queen’s House was built for the Queen 

Consorts of James I and Charles I. 

The National Maritime Museum was 

opened in 1937 by the King’s grandfather, 

George VI, two weeks’ before his 

own Coronation. He was accompanied 

by the eleven year old Princess Elizabeth 

on one of her first official engagements 

as heir to the throne. 


Luxury and power 

Persia to Greece 

4 May – 13 August 

Members/under 16s free 

Open late Fridays 

Book 

now 

Supported by 

American Friends of the British Museum 

Gilt silver rhyton with winged griffi n, 

Turkey, 5th century BC.

36 

AN EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS BY 

NICK WILLIAMS AT 54 THE GALLERY 

A two week exhibition of paintings by 

Nick Williams at 54 The Gallery, 

Shepherd Market, will be explosive in 

colour and rich in narrative as the artist 

explores the wonder of Cuba, his 

subtropical gardens, exotic scenes from 

films and more. 

In 1999 Nick spent a month in Cuba, 

so captivated by the exquisite 

architecture and sublime interiors, this 

visit was to influence his art for the next 

two decades. The artist says he 

constantly finds himself ‘returning to 

these images which are so evocative’ 

and this is a significant theme in his new 

exhibition. In other areas of the 

exhibition, we see the same eye for 

colourful scenes, whether its travel 

inspired scenes or the lush subtropical 

garden he created. 

Nick says: ‘Our subtropical garden was 

started ten years ago and features a 

swimming pond and sunken garden. The 

mild climate and our coastal situation 

enables plants to flourish. Most 

extraordinary are the vast battalions of 

echium pininana which can grow up to 

twenty feet tall. They produce astonishing 

purple flowers in the summer, and the 

bees worship them. They originate from 

the Canary Islands. We were invited to 

join the National Garden Scheme last year 

and will be opening the garden to the 

general public on 24 June and 22 July to 

raise money for charities, notably Marie 

Curie.’ 

The garden features throughout the 

exhibition as a place of escape and 

wonder for the artist. Nick also has the 

ability to take you inside an intriguing 

space to apply your imagination to the 

scene – to interpret the relations 

between the people, the conversation 

being had, the scenario, bringing it 

further to life. 

Perhaps his most intriguing work is 

what came from the artist becoming the 

primary carer for a pair of snakes; every 

couple of months when they shed their 

skin, he would use the sheddings in his 

paintings. 

An Exhibition of Paintings by Nick 

Williams will be at 54 The Gallery, 

Shepherd Market, W1J 7QX and runs 

from 1-14 May (11.00-18.00). 

LONDON CRAFT WEEK 

London Craft Week returns this 

month for its ninth edition with a rich 

and varied programme of events taking 

place across the capital from 8-14 May. 

The festival will feature over 400 curated 

workshops, immersive experiences, 

pop-up stores and original exhibitions, 

and showcase works by more than 700 

artists, designers and makers from 

around the world. Spanning the fields of 

craft, art, design, luxury, fashion and 

accessories, London Craft Week 

showcases the best of craftsmanship, 

the latest developments in material 

innovation, treasured heritage 

techniques and some of the world’s most 

intricate and beautiful objects. 

Pepper pot pavilion in the Terrace 

Garden, Highgrove. Photo: Robert Smith 

Coinciding with the Coronation of 

His Majesty King Charles III, London 

Craft Week will present a dedicated 

programme providing an insight into the 

story of craft behind the Coronation and 

the tradition of Royal patronage working 

with and celebrating craftspeople. 

Guy Salter, Chairman of London Craft 

Week said: ‘Our ninth London Craft 

Week builds on the post- Covid appetite 

for unique live experiences, which drove 

our record visitor numbers at last year’s 

festival, and celebrates unsung creative 

communities. More than ever this year, I 

hope we’re proof of London’s enduring 

international cultural pulling power – 

and a tangible demonstration of human 

ingenuity and diversity’. 

For further details, visit the website at 

www.londoncraftweek.com 


38 

Panagyurishte Treasure ©Todor Dimitrov, National Museum of History, Bulgaria. 

LUXURY AND POWER: PERSIA TO 

GREECE AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM 

A new exhibition, Luxury and Power: 

Persia to Greece at the British Museum 

explores the relationship between luxury 

and power in the Middle East and 

southeast Europe between 550-30 BC. 

This was a period when the Persian 

empire of ancient Iran clashed with the 

cities and kingdoms of Greece before it 

was conquered by Alexander, king of 

Macedon, known to history as 

‘Alexander the Great’. 

The exhibition moves beyond ancient 

Greek spin to delve into a more complex 

story of luxury and power in ancient 

Iran, Athens, and the world of Alexander. 

Drawing on exquisite objects from 

Afghanistan to Italy, it explores how the 

royal Persian court used objects of 

exquisite luxury as markers of authority, 

defining a distinct style that was copied 

by different social classes throughout 

the empire. Early democratic Athens 

rejected Persian culture as decadent yet 

adopted luxury in intriguing ways. 

Alexander then swept aside the Persian 

empire and ushered in a new age in 

which eastern and western styles of 

luxury were fused. 

Among the loans to the exhibition is 

the Panagyurishte Treasure from 

Bulgaria. Accidentally discovered by 

three brothers in 1949, these treasures 

are outstanding examples of ancient 

metalworking and demonstrate the 

influence of Persian and Greek luxury 

across the Balkans. The Treasure 

consists of nine richly decorated gold 

vessels: eight rhyta used to pour wine 

and one bowl to drink it. 

The exhibition will also feature 

objects from the British Museum 

collection including a gold wreath from 

Turkey, similar to those found in elite 

tombs in the kingdom of Macedonia. 

Gold wreath © The Trustees of the British Museum. 

The gold oak wreath, consisting of two 

branches with a bee with two cicadas, 

showcases the spread of luxury across 

the region and how styles evolved into 

the period after the death of Alexander in 

323 BC. 

Hartwig Fischer, Director of the 

British Museum, said: 'Luxury and 

power: Persia to Greece provides a 

fascinating opportunity to look at the 

ways luxury influenced political power 

across Persia and Greece. The exhibition 

explores the people of the past and their 

way of life, from the highest elite of the 

Persian court to the ordinary citizens 

who were affected by them. 

'I would like to express my gratitude to 

our exhibition supporters the American 

Friends of the British Museum; 

BullionVault; Julie Fitzgerald and Stephen 

Fitzgerald; and Steven Larcombe and 

Sonya Leydecker. I’d also like to extend 

my thanks to the Bulgarian Ambassador 

H.E. Marin Raykov as well as the National 

History Museum in Sofia. Without their 

support, we would not be able to present 

such exhibitions, allowing visitors to 

discover and experience cultures from 

around the world.' 

Information on Luxury and Power and 

details on the British Museum collection 

www.britishmuseum.org 


11 – 14 MAY 2023 

Hampstead Heath 

London 

Book your tickets at 

affordableartfair.com 

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 

Short Friday and Other Stories 

by François du Plessis, £2,990 

Chiefs and Spirits Gallery 

GET CLOSER TO ART

40 

THE SPRING DECORATIVE 

ANTIQUES & TEXTILES FAIR 

One of the most beautiful events of 

the spring, The Decorative Antiques & 

Textiles Fair has its second edition of the 

year in Battersea Park from 9 to 14 May. 

Amongst over 130 stands of traditional 

and informal antiques, 20th century 

design and works of art is a seasonal 

focus on garden-related furniture, 

objects, planters and statuary. 

Exhibitors come from across the UK to 

display their carefully gathered collections 

of country house antiques, art nouveau 

and deco designs, mid-century classics, 

glass and silverware, decorative textiles, 

out of the ordinary lighting and mirrors, 

collectable curios and unexpected 

treasures, shown alongside art and 

sculpture of all eras and styles from 

traditional to contemporary. 

Among objects you might find for sale: 

a Swedish modernist armchair in Svenkst 

Tenn floral upholstery, a fine Regency faux 

bamboo painted chest of drawers c1820, a 

pair of C19th porcelain parrots, a Queen 

Anne candlestand table c1700, a Carolean 

wainscot chair c1640, a ceramic horse by 

contemporary Spanish artist Luis Vidal, a 

late C18th French folk art painted marriage 

casket, or a George III mahogany fretwork 

stool with period needlework c1760. 

A frequently observed and unique 

aspect of the Fair is the breadth of stock 

available across every period and style, to 

suit every budget; in fact it is possible to 

decorate any room in any type of house 

from top to toe, in myriad tastes, from 

extraordinary to understated, opulent to 

folksy, formal to fun. Prices at the Fair 

range from under £50 to over £50,000. 

Shop for sustainable, expertly crafted 

heirloom designs that have stood the test 

of time, and bring a unique sense of 

history to interiors and exteriors alike. 

The Decorative Antiques & Textiles 

Fair has a relaxed and laid-back 

ambience, where professional designers 

and trade buyers rub shoulders with 

private clients and international 

collectors of all ages. 

Celebrities and international royalty 

are often seen at the Fair in a private 

capacity, enjoying the freedom of 

browsing in peace. Among recent wellknown 

faces have been, from the acting 

world, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and her 

film-directing partner Martin McDonagh, 

Eddie Redmayne, Jack Dee, Griff Rhys 

Jones, David Beckham, Guy Ritchie and 

Sir Paul Smith. 

Find yourself a truly unique memento 

of your trip to London at this prestigious 

fair. Courtesy shuttles run between the 

Sloane Square Hotel and the Fair four 

times per hour. Check further travel 

details at www.decorativefair.com 

Instagram: @decorativefair 

Panter & Hall Decorative: Royal Guests Arriving. Mixed Media on Paper. 

Anthea AG Antiques: Pansy earrings by 

JAR, Somerset House collection 2002, 

aluminium and enamel. 

FIRSTS, LONDON’S RARE BOOK 

FAIR RETURNS FOR 66th EDITION 

Firsts: London’s Rare Book Fair, 

organised by the Antiquarian 

Booksellers' Association, will return 

from 19-21 May for its 66th edition, with 

over 100 international dealers exhibiting 

at the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea. 

This year’s theme, ‘Shakespeare: 400 

Years of Influence’, is inspired by the 

400th anniversary of William 

Shakespeare’s First Folio, and the widereaching 

impact his work has had on 

subsequent writers throughout history. 

The items on display will showcase how 

Shakespeare’s works have affected 

popular culture, and the many writers 

who have followed his supreme 

achievements. 

A highlight of the fair will be a copy 

of Shakespeare’s Third Folio – this is the 

rarest of the four Shakespearean folios 

published in the 17th century, as most 

copies are thought to have been 

destroyed in the Great Fire of London. 

There will also be a first edition of 

Madagascar, the first book of poems by 

Shakespeare’s godson William Davenant. 

Other extraordinary books, 

manuscripts and ephemera on display 

include one of E H Shepard’s original 

drawings from The Wind In The Willows, 

a first edition of Herman Melville’s Moby 

Dick, a rare signed presentation copy of 

Karl Marx’s Capital, and T E Lawrence’s 

personal proof copy of his memoir 

Seven Pillars of Wisdom. 


DOMINIC HARRIS AT THE HALCYON 

GALLERY FLAGSHIP SITE 

A groundbreaking exhibition by the 

pioneering British artist Dominic Harris 

will be the inaugural show at Halcyon 

Gallery’s new flagship site at 148 Bond 

Street. Entitled Feeding Consciousness, 

the exhibition presents 18 powerful new 

artworks that upgrade the role of the 

visitor from viewer to participant. 

By interacting with the works, visitors 

are empowered to shape landscapes, 

communicate with ancient gods, 

manipulate kaleidoscopes of butterflies, 

and even step into worlds that are 

thousands of miles removed from the 

hustle and bustle of Bond Street. The 

result is an exhibition that is as 

aesthetically breathtaking as it is 

profoundly thought-provoking - and 

which presents a new parameter of 

contemporary art. 

Harris, who has exhibited at major 

institutions such as The Victoria & Albert 

Museum and Dublin Science Museum, 

uses the latest technology to consider 

eternal subjects. He said: ‘The artworks 

I create are about interactive storytelling. 

By using technology in ways that were 

previously impossible, I draw the viewer 

in to become immersed in the artwork. 

The ultimate objective is to stimulate the 

viewer to feel more deeply, and in doing 

so to reveal 

something about 

themselves.’ 

By employing 

AI, machinelearning, 

and 

other cuttingedge 

technologies 

to pursue his 

practice, Harris’ 

enchanting and 

immersive works 

provoke fresh 

considerations of 

subjects including nature, national 

identities, capitalism, deification, and 

discourse. 

The exhibition’s namesake work, 

Feeding Consciousness, is a 10-foot 

sculpture composed of 180 screens 

constructed in a spiraling array. Taking 

inspiration from the story of the Tower of 

Babel, Harris reflects on the impact of 

social media and global discourse in 

today's society. His sculpture is fed with 

constant updates on the latest trending 

and most-searched content from Google. 

Another piece, Limitless, is an epic 

screen visualisation of the ceaseless ebb 

and flow of the FTSE share index. An 

ever-shifting, ever-growing golden tower 

is constantly added to with new ‘blocks’, 

each of which is stamped with the logo of 

companies whose shares are being traded 

on the markets to which the artwork is 

digitally connected. When the viewer 

touches the artwork, the faces of the CEOs 

of the companies are revealed, reminding 

us that the market is not an impersonal 

force, but rather a product of human 

action and decision-making. 

Five works are presented in an entirely 

immersive space, specially cocooned 

within Halcyon’s new home, that allows 

Harris’ worlds and characters to 

completely envelop the viewer. Endurance 

is a 360 degree immersion into a 

hyperreal Antarctic landscape imagining 

the terrain traversed by renowned explorer 

Ernest Shackleton. While conventional VR 

environments requires the viewer to don 

headsets and other sensory proxies to 

transport the human subject into its digital 

space, Endurance needs no hardware. 

Harris places the human as the master of 

that environment: upon his or her actions, 

which are registered and interpreted by 

sensors and code, the viewer is witness to 

their own influence on changes in climate 

and wildlife, consequently exposing the 

fragility of these pristine environments. 

In his immersive multi-sensory 

installation, Elements, Harris focuses on 

his beloved butterflies, which for the first 

time have taken on unique identities 

representing the five fundamental 

components of the universe: Elements of 

Wood, Earth, Water, Fire and Metal. As the 

butterflies move and interact, they remind 

us of the interconnectedness of all things 

and the need for harmony in our 

relationship with the natural world. The 

viewer’s sense of total immersion within 

the artwork is completed with a spatialized 

interactive soundtrack in which each of 

the 5 elements are sonified, and the 

collective shifting of butterflies translated 

into a dynamic audio landscape. 

When it opens on 25 May, Feeding 

Consciousness will be Halcyon’s 

inaugural exhibition at its new flagship 

gallery at 148 New Bond Street. Formerly 

home to The Fine Art Society, this historic 

address has been subject to a 

comprehensive redesign and 

refurbishment in order to transform it into 

a cutting-edge 21st century artspace in 

order to optimally showcase Halcyon’s 

community of contemporary artists and its 

catalogue of masterworks from artists 

spanning Impressionism to Pop Art. 

Images: Nicholas Dawkes Photography 

41 


42 

Nigel Henderson,1917-1985. UNTITLED 1953 Vintage 

Gelatin Silver Print 20.3 x 20.1 cms, 8 x 7 7/8 ins. 

CORONATION STREET PARTIES, 

1953 EXHIBITION 

James Hyman Gallery to present an 

online exhibition of early works by Nigel 

Henderson that depict street parties in 

East London at the time of the Coronation 

of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. 

Photographed near the Henderson's 

home in Chisenhale Road in Bethnal 

Green these rare photographs – most of 

which have never been exhibited before – 

focus on childhood celebrations and 

combine casual photographs with 

amazing group portraits. 

After leaving the Slade School of Art 

Henderson began to experiment with 

photography, and for a short period 

between 1949 and 1952 he took 

numerous documentary photographs of 

Bethnal Green in east London, where he 

was then living. At that time photographs 

were not editioned and most of 

Henderson's negatives were never even 

printed. The rare vintage prints that do 

exist are usually single prints or are one 

of two or three known prints. 

Known for his documentary and 

experimental photography and 

imaginative use of collage, Henderson 

was a founding member of the 

Independent Group in 1952, with which 

he regularly exhibited, 

notably in This Is 

Tomorrow at the 

Whitechapel Art 

Gallery (1956). 

Nigel Henderson 

was a major figure in 

the radicalisaton of 

post-war British art. 

Placing photography 

and collage at the 

centre of his work, he 

was a key part of the 

Independent Group 

along with friends 

such as Edouardo 

Paolozzi and William 

Turnbull. His work is 

comparatively rare as 

much of it is in 

museums, including 

Tate which holds a major archive of his 

photographs. 

Art critic, David Sylvester, described 

Henderson as 'a seminal figure in postwar 

British art' and 'an artist who took 

photographs'. 

The James Hyman Gallery is in 

Mayfair, for further information visit 

www.jameshymangallery.com 

Sir David Attenborough 

BBC EARTH EXPERIENCE: SEVEN 

WORLDS, ONE PLANET 

BBC Studios, Moon Eye Productions 

and Live Nation are presenting the 

BBC Earth Experience – a groundbreaking 

new attraction offering visitors 

the chance to experience the 

extraordinary diversity of our seven 

unique continents, on the most epic 

scale, featuring bespoke narration from 

David Attenborough. 

BBC Earth Experience will showcase 

footage, and music from the BBC 

Studios Natural History Unit television 

series Seven Worlds, One Planet, 

projected on multiple multi-angle 

screens using the very latest digital 

screen technology. This new London 

attraction which spans 1608m 2 offers a 

truly transformative experience that will 

allow audiences of every age to feel like 

they’ve stepped into the natural world, 

losing themselves in boundless wonder 

as they travel to far flung places. 

Visitors will take a majestic 

360-degree audio visual journey as they 

marvel and explore iconic landscapes 

and connect with mesmerising animals 

on this epic adventure bringing 

environments. 

Alex Board © BBC NHU 


THE 

DECORATIVE 

FAIR 

BATTERSEA PARK 

LONDON 

SPRING 

9-14 MAY 2023 

ANTIQUES, DESIGN & ART FOR INTERIOR DECORATION 

DECORATIVEFAIR.COM

44 

DESIGN MUSEUM UNVEILS 

AI WEIWEI’S LEGO ARTWORK 

In advance of his first ever designfocused 

exhibition, the Design Museum 

has unveiled a major new work by 

celebrated global artist Ai Weiwei. 

Constructed entirely of Lego, the work 

is a recreation of one the most famous 

paintings by French Impressionist 

Claude Monet. It is the largest Lego 

artwork Ai Weiwei has ever made. 

Titled Water Lilies #1, the work is over 

15m in length and will span the entire 

length of one of the walls in the Design 

Museum gallery. It is made from nearly 

650,000 studs of Lego bricks, in 

22 colours. 

Water Lilies #1 recreates Monet’s 

famous painting, Water Lilies (1914-26), 

a monumental triptych which is currently 

in the collection of the Museum of 

Modern Art in New York. 

In the original painting, Monet 

depicts one of the lily ponds in the 

gardens of his home in Giverny near 

Paris. It is an image that has become 

world-famous for its 

depiction of nature’s 

tranquil beauty. 

However, the pond 

and gardens were a 

man-made construct, 

designed and created 

by Monet himself at 

the turn of the 

20th century. He had 

the nearby 

river Epte partially 

diverted in order to 

create this idealised 

landscape. 

By recreating this 

famous scene, 

Ai Weiwei challenges 

our ideas of reality and 

beauty. The new image 

has been constructed 

out of Lego bricks to 

strip away Monet’s 

brushstrokes in favour 

of a depersonalised 

language of industrial 

parts and colours. These pixel-like 

blocks suggest contemporary digital 

technologies which are central to modern 

life, and in reference to how art is often 

disseminated in the contemporary world. 

Ai Weiwei has been using Lego bricks 

in his work since 2014, when he used 

them to produce portraits of political 

prisoners. But Water Lilies #1 is his 

largest ever creation in this medium. 

Water Lilies #1 will be seen alongside 

another major new Lego artwork by 

Ai Weiwei, which is also making its 

international debut at the Design 

Museum. First announced in 

January, Untitled (Lego Incident) is part 

of a series of five expansive ‘fields’ 

where hundreds of thousands of objects 

will be laid out on the gallery floor. 

Other highlights of the exhibition 

include dozens of objects and artworks 

from throughout Ai Weiwei’s career that 

explore the tensions between past and 

present, hand and machine and precious 

and worthless. 

RETURN OF THE CHELSEA 

BARRACKS SPRING FAIR 

From the 24-27 May, Belgravia’s 

Chelsea Barracks will have its outdoor 

public areas transformed to celebrate 

the Chelsea Flower Show. The 

development, which at its core 

champions British craftsmanship and 

design, will host the second edition of 

the Spring Fair. 

There will be a series of insightful 

keynote seminars every morning from 

Wednesday to Friday, in conversation 

with best-in-class tastemakers in 

interiors, art, design and gardens. 

Chelsea Barracks will also offer a full 

programme of interactive workshops 

curated by internationally renowned 

landscape and garden designer, 

and RHS Chelsea Flower Show gold 

medallist, Jo Thompson. 

To champion independent makers, 

The Artisans’ Market will also return this 

year. Curated by Chelsea Barracks and 

House & Garden, Mulberry Square will 

be transformed once more into a marketplace 

for all to enjoy. 

Alongside the Spring Fair, Chelsea 

Barracks’ Sculpture Trail, curated by 

Marshall Murray, will be on display and 

visitors can explore a variety of work 

from world-class female artists. Chelsea 

Barracks’ third trail is helping to 

promote equality within the art world by 

providing a platform in a central London 

public space to showcase their work. 

From the array of British brands to 

explore to the insightful seminars, 

engaging workshops, sculpture trail and 

host of food and beverage favourites, 

Chelsea Barracks will be transformed 

into a cultural hub for the second edition 

of the Spring Fair. 


AN EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS 

BY 

NICK WILLIAMS 

54 THE GALLERY 

SHEPHERD MARKET 

MAYFAIR 

LONDON W1J 7QX 

MONDAY 1ST MAY - SUNDAY 14TH MAY 11am - 6pm 

www.nickgwilliams.com

46 

TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF ROYAL 

SOUVENIRS: MUSEUM OF BRANDS 

As we head towards the first 

coronation in the UK in 70 years, the 

Museum of Brands will celebrate with a 

weekend of activities in Notting Hill. The 

Royal family is Britain’s unique brand 

and, in the past, commemorative mugs, 

tins, magazines, flags, and plenty of 

bunting has been produced in their 

honour. A fascinating picture emerges, 

creating a visually stimulating and 

thought-provoking experience, and for 

many an emotional and nostalgic 

reunion with their past. 

By the time of the Coronations of 

King George VI in 1937 and Her Majesty 

Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, special 

celebratory chocolate bars from Frys, 

KitKat, Aero, Nestle and Bournville were 

available. Indeed, there were more 

coronation tins for tea and coffee in 

1953 than ever before. 

‘Please Touch’ object handling 

sessions, and a royal scrapbooking 

activity will take place over the 

Coronation weekend from Saturday 6 to 

Monday 8 May. Visitors will have the 

chance to handle and explore objects 

from the 1953 Coronation and the 1977 

Silver Jubilee and create their own 

souvenir scrapbook using images from 

the collection and the Royal Scrapbook. 

www.museumofbrands.com 

LIFT 109 AT BATTERSEA POWER 

STATION 

Lift 109 is set to become one of the 

most unique experiences in London, 

treating guests to a one-of-a-kind glass 

elevator ascent 109m up to the top of one 

of the landmark’s iconic chimneys where 

they will take in a spectacular 360-degree 

view of the city’s skyline. 

The Lift 109 experience will begin in 

the Power Station’s magnificent Art Deco 

Turbine Hall A where, through a carefully 

curated ensemble of 

original records and 

multi-media displays, 

visitors will delve into 

the building’s rich 

history, architectural 

significance and 

enduring presence 

in popular culture. 

State of the art 

features include a 

giant interactive 

multiplayer 

touchscreen through 

which guests will be 

encouraged to 

collectively ‘generate’ 

energy while a 

lighting installation 

above whirls and 

glows brighter with 

every touch. 

Continuing onwards and upwards, 

guests will enter the unique circularchimney 

glass elevator; Lift 109. Rings 

of light and a soundscape reminiscent of 

rising energy will guide the way as the 

lift makes its ascent of the Power 

Station’s north-west chimney. Upon 

reaching the top, guests will enjoy a 

panoramic vista like no other along with 

a very special bird’s eye view of the 

historic landmark that is Battersea Power 

Station. 

The experience concludes at the 

curated Lift 109 Shop where guests will 

have the opportunity to purchase a 

keepsake of their visit. 

The Grade II* listed building’s first 

two chimneys were built in the 1930s, 

with the fourth and final chimney 

completed in the 1950s. After many 

years of service, Battersea Power 

Station’s four iconic chimneys were 

rebuilt between 2015 and 2017 due to 

their state of disrepair, when they were 

painstakingly reconstructed using the 

exact same methods utilised in the 

original build more than 60 years ago. 

The LIFT 109 tickets are available 

through the website at www.lift109.co.uk 


48 

The cast of Ain’t Too Proud at the Prince Edward Theatre. 

AIN’T TOO PROUD 

Prince Edward Theatre 

The Temptations, for those who don’t 

know, are an American vocal group from 

Detroit, Michigan, who released a series 

of incredibly successful singles and 

albums with Berry Gordy and Motown 

Records in the 1960s and 1970s. Their 

work with producer Norman Whitfield 

pioneered psychedelic soul, and was 

significant in the evolution of R&B and 

soul music. Having said that, there aren’t 

many people who can’t hum the tune of 

‘My Girl’ or ‘Pappa Was a Rollin’ Stone’ 

– they had 4 Billboard Hot 100 and 14 

R&B number one singles, and their 

music has stood the test of time. 

Ain’t Too Proud is an expertly 

performed journey through the life and 

times of the Temptations – bringing it 

right up to the present day (the band still 

perform, albeit it with an entirely 

different line up). The Broadway import 

navigates its way through the intensely 

complicated story of the Motown 

quintet, with playwright Dominique 

Morisseau attempting to cover a lot of 

Photo: Johan Persson 

ground in a running time of 2 hours 

35 minutes. 

The original five-piece Otis (Sifiso 

Mazibuko), Paul (Kyle Cox), Eddie 

(Mitchell Zhangazha), Melvin (Cameron 

Bernard Jones) and David (Tosh 

Wanogho-Maud) perform the early hits 

with evident vocal prowess. They never 

miss a note, and deliver the silky tones 

of the breakout hits including 

‘My Girl’. Tosh Wanogho-Maud is the 

stand out here, his numbers towards 

the end of the first half are spine-tingling 

good. 

As the second half unravels, the 

Temptations start to struggle with the 

impact of fame and racism in the 

American South as they perform US 

tours. The hits do keep coming, but the 

band starts to fall apart, with each 

member suffering their own daemons. 

If you like the music of The 

Temptations, you’re going to love Ain’t 

Too Proud. It’s a real treat to see such 

talent on stage performing some of the 

greatest Motown hits of our time. 

Lucie Henry 

MRS DOUBTFIRE OPENS IN LONDON 

The new comedy musical Mrs 

Doubtfire, based on the iconic movie, 

will celebrate its first night at the newly 

refurbished Shaftesbury Theatre on 

Thursday 22 June. A hilarious and 

heartfelt story about holding onto your 

loved ones against all odds, Mrs 

Doubtfire is the musical comedy we 

need right now. 

Out-of-work actor Daniel will do 

anything for his kids. After losing 

custody in a messy divorce, he creates 

the alter ego of Scottish nanny 

Euphegenia Doubtfire in a desperate 

attempt to stay in their lives. As his new 

character takes on a life of its own, Mrs. 

Doubtfire teaches Daniel more than he 

bargained for about how to be a father. 

Produced by Kevin McCollum and 

Jamie Wilson and presented by special 

arrangement with Buena Vista Theatrical, 

Mrs. Doubtfire has been created by a 

transatlantic team of award-winning 

artists, with original music and lyrics by 

Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick, 

and a book by Karey Kirkpatrick and 

John O’Farrell (team behind the hit 

musical Something Rotten!). 

Mrs. Doubtfire will introduce Gabriel 

Vick (Avenue Q) as Daniel Hillard. He 

will be joined by Laura Tebbutt (School 

of Rock) as Miranda Hillard and Carla 

Dixon-Hernandez (Matilda the Musical) 

as Lydia Hillard. 

www.mrsdoubtfiremusical.co.uk 


“transforming a night at the 

movies into something special” THE MAIL

50 

Photo: Mark Seliger 

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN 

Brokeback Mountain, a new play with 

music, written by Ashley Robinson with 

songs by Dan Gillespie Sells based on 

Annie Proulx’s short story, will open at 

@sohoplace on 18 May. 

Directed by Jonathan Butterell, 

Brokeback Mountain stars Mike Faist as 

Jack and Lucas Hedges as Ennis, both 

making their West End stage debuts. 

The production sees Jonathan Butterell 

and Dan Gillespie Sells reuniting with 

Producer Nica Burns. 

Wyoming 1963: a wild landscape 

where people live in extreme rural poverty 

in tight, insular and conservative 

communities. When Ennis and Jack take 

jobs on the isolated Brokeback Mountain, 

all their certainties of life change forever 

as they flounder in unexpected emotional 

waters of increasing depth. Dan Gillespie 

Sells’ beautiful Country and Western 

songs weave heartbreakingly through this 

intense tale of an irresistible and hidden 

love spanning twenty years and its tragic 

consequences. 

Producer, Nica Burns, said: ‘I am 

excited that our fourth production 

@sohoplace, Brokeback Mountain, is 

our first world premiere. In the intimate, 

intense auditorium that is @sohoplace, 

our production concentrates on the 

relationship between our two lead 

characters with Eddi Reader’s memorable 

voice adding to the heartbreak as the 

soundtrack of their lives.’ 

For tickets, visit the website at 

www.sohoplace.org 

JASON DONOVAN & PETER ANDRE 

RETURN TO GREASE 

Lead Producer Colin Ingram has 

announced that Australian stars Jason 

Donovan and Peter Andre will return to 

Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey’s iconic 

musical Grease at the Dominion Theatre 

following their highly acclaimed 

performances last year. Jason will play 

the role of Teen Angel at certain 

performances from 14 August to 

28 October and Peter will take the roles 

of Vince Fontaine and Teen Angel, again 

at certain performances from 29 August 

to 19 October. Louise Redknapp will 

play Teen Angel from 2 June to 29 July, 

excluding Mondays. 

In 2022, the show was seen by over 

500,000 people in the West End, making 

it the Dominion Theatre’s most 

successful summer run since We Will 

Rock You. 

Grease originally opened in Chicago 

in 1971, followed by a move to 

Broadway in 1972, where it received 

seven Tony Award nominations, 

including one for Best Musical. During 

the show's eight-year run at the time, 

little known actors including Peter 

Gallagher, Patrick Swayze and John 

Travolta all appeared in the production, 

with Richard Gere understudying many 

roles before going on to star as Danny 

Zuko in the 1973 London premiere. 

It was first performed at the Dominion 

Theatre in 1993 before transferring to 

the Cambridge Theatre in 1996 and 

returned to the West End, opening at the 

Piccadilly Theatre in 2007. 

The 1978 film adaptation starring 

John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John is 

the fourth highest-grossing live action 

musical of all time. The musical features 

enduring songs, including Summer 

Nights, Greased Lightnin’, Hopelessly 

Devoted To You and You’re The One That 

I Want. 

Playing at the Dominion from 2 June 

until 28 October. Box Office telephone 

0345 200 7982. 

THE PRINCE AKATOKI LONDON 

INTRODUCES NEW COCKTAIL MENU 

London’s intimate cocktail bar, The 

Malt Lounge & Bar, at the Prince 

Akatoki, has introduced a curated new 

cocktail menu, ‘A Journey Through 

Japan’, that celebrates the best of 

Japanese flavours and aromas. Each 

cocktail is inspired by a distinctive 

prefecture of Japan, concocted from 

local ingredients, sourced directly from 

that region. The menu will be adapted 

seasonally to reflect each ingredient at 

its optimum, from spring to winter. 

Inviting guests to experience the 

sophistication of Japan, The Prince 

Akatoki exemplifies Japanese hospitality. 

Famous for their striking and simplistic 

cocktails inspired by single Japanese 

ingredients such as Lotus and Sesame, 

the bar staff have gone above and 

beyond to find the perfect balance in 

taste aromas. 

Experimenting with new lab 

equipment, such as the GiroVap to 

extract all aromas and a PacoJet 

machine to create a unique whisky and 

cherry ice cream, all cocktails are 

studied in detail to extract the full extent 

of undiscovered flavours within each 

ingredient. 

www.theprinceakatokilondon.com 


CELEBRATING OVER 

10 YEARS 

IN THE WEST END 

‘FANTASTIC!’ 

WHATSONSTAGE 

‘A RIP-ROARINGLY 

HILARIOUS NIGHT’ 

THIS IS LONDON 

‘OUTRAGEOUSLY 

FUNNY’ 

BROADWAY BABY 

THOUSANDS OF 

5-STAR REVIEWS 

FAULTYTOWERSDINING.COM/LONDON

52 

Photos: Marc Brenner. 

OKLAHOMA Wyndhams Theatre 

For so long, it was Howard Keel and 

Oh What a Beautiful Morning where 

‘the corn is as high as an elephant's eye’ 

that beckoned the audience to a benign 

place of certainty, deftly encasing Rogers 

and Hammerstein’s wonderful songs. 

As the world has become more 

menacing, so revivals have evolved into 

new narratives, challenging perceptions 

and, in some instances, introducing 

theatrical effects which can be 

uncomfortable. That being said, the 

award-winning and newly transferred 

production of Oklahoma is not a place to 

spill the beans but it is very different 

from the original. 

Oklahoma! was the first musical 

written by Rodgers and Hammerstein 

and the first Broadway transfer of its 

kind to London’s West End. Based on 

Lynn Riggs’ 1931 play, Green Grow the 

Lilacs, it is set in farm country outside 

the town of Claremore, Indian Territory, 

in 1906, and tells the story of farm girl 

Laurey Williams and her courting by two 

rival suitors, cowboy Curly McLain and 

the sinister farmhand Jud Fry, so the 

show always had dark undertones. 

The original Broadway production 

was a box office hit in 1943 and ran for 

an unprecedented 2,212 performances, 

followed by award-winning revivals, 

national tours, overseas productions and 

the Oscar-winning 1955 film. 

Building on the earlier Show Boat, 

Oklahoma epitomised the development 

of the book musical, a musical play in 

which songs and dances are integrated 

into the story, with serious dramatic 

goals evoking genuine emotions. In 

addition, Oklahoma! features motifs that 

recur throughout the work to connect the 

music and story, as in the dream ballet 

which reflects Laurey's struggle with her 

feelings about Curly and Jud. 

It is not a night for traditionalists but 

stimulating entertainment for openminded 

theatre-goers willing to embrace 

change. 

Jemma Court 

SHORT STREET PRODUCTIONS 

After over 25 years producing and 

general managing over 100 shows in the 

West End, nationally and internationally, 

Mark Rubinstein is joining forces 

with Dave McNeilly and Sarah Edwards 

to form Short Street Productions Ltd. 

McNeilly has been Executive General 

Manager with Mark Rubinstein Ltd for 

9 years and has over 20 years in the 

business and Edwards has over 20 years 

of accounting and finance experience, 

including senior finance roles at Sonia 

Friedman Productions and Ambassador 

Theatre Group. 

Short Street Productions combine the 

extensive expertise of the directors 

alongside a talented team, offering first 

class management of productions, 

production accounting and corporate 

finance expertise, executive producing 

and development support, as well as 

developing and producing new shows. 

Mark Rubinstein, Sarah Edwards and 

Dave McNeilly. 

This new structure and team will 

allow the directors to continue to 

represent the company at the highest 

level with clients and creatives, while 

working alongside and developing a new 

generation of producers and managers. 

Further information from the website 

at www.shortstreet.co.uk 


overcome, but what is at the center of 

the human story is the power of 

enduring hope and perseverance – that 

is what Tina’s story reminds us to hold 

onto. In the end, love and hope always 

win. 

53 

Photo: Manuel Harlan 

TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL 

Kristina Love is currently performing 

in the West End production of Tina – 

The Tina Turner Musical to share the title 

role with Elesha Paul Moses. Love joins 

the Company having previously played 

the title role in Hamburg to great critical 

acclaim. The show continues at the 

Aldwych Theatre and has recently 

extended booking to 3 September. 

Caleb Roberts continues as Ike Turner. 

THIS IS LONDON spoke to Kristina 

about her new role. 

What excites you the most about 

joining the West End company of 

Tina? 

One thing I am most excited about 

when thinking of joining the West End 

company of Tina, is having the honor of 

telling this story in my mother tongue 

after having played it for the last four 

years in German. I also cannot wait to 

join the bright talent of London’s world 

premiere company. 

Do you have any pre-show rituals? 

I do have a few pre-show rituals, and 

one of the most important to me is 

beginning the show by saying a prayer 

on stage for my cast, for myself. It’s a 

moment where I ground myself, casting 

doubt, fear and any anxiety aside and I 

pray simply to be a vessel. Above all, 

my desire is to tell the story as honestly 

as possible. 

What is your favourite number to 

perform in the show? 

My favourite number to perform in 

the show is ‘Disco Inferno’. The 

costumes pay homage to Tina’s Vegas 

days of donning fabulous Bob Mackie 

masterpieces, and the groove of the 

song just makes me so excited. 

What have you learnt working on 

Tina so far? 

I jokingly tell people after my tenure 

at Tina – The Tina Turner Musical that I 

will have earned a bachelor’s degree in 

Tina Turner! It’s hard to sum up the 

invaluable lessons I’ve learned from this 

show, but I think one of the most 

important pieces of advice came directly 

from something Tina Turner said 

personally to me and has been cemented 

in my performance of the role ever since: 

use your voice to say what you really 

mean, how you really feel and don’t be 

afraid of that, because at the end of the 

day, even if it costs you opportunities, 

friendships, even loved ones, losing 

yourself is much worse. Be true to you, 

be honest, even if it’s scary. 

Why do you think Tina Turner’s 

story is so important? 

I believe that Tina Turner’s story is 

important because it is timeless and 

incredibly relevant. Every decade, every 

epoch in time has presented its own 

unique set of trials and circumstances to 

Why should people book tickets to 

come and see the show? 

I believe people should book tickets 

to see the show because they will have a 

well-rounded night witnessing the magic 

of theatre. They will laugh, they will cry, 

they will be challenged and most of all, 

they will go home happy and inspired by 

the beauty of Tina’s story. 

Tina is currently playing at the 

Aldwych Theatre. Tickets at 

www.tinathemusical.com or telephone 

0345 200 7981. 

ABUELO CAFE 

Abuelo, the Australian café-meetsrestaurant, 

opened its doors in 2018 and 

since its launch has remained at the 

forefront of the Australian coffee wave and 

ever growing popular brunch spots. It 

combines Australian and Latin American 

themes as a nod to the founder’s 

backgrounds in both the food, drinks and 

interiors. The food style combines 

Australian brunch classics with a twist of 

bold Latin American flavours and colours. 

The dishes are all designed to be beautiful 

while remaining tasty and casual. The 

menu is produce-led and focuses on 

showcasing quality fresh ingredients with 

all the food designed to be enjoyed with 

coffee or a crisp glass of wine or cocktail. 

www.abuelocafe.co.uk 


54 

PLAYS 

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN 

World premiere of a new play with music, 

written by Ashley Robinson with songs by 

Dan Gillespie Sells and based on Annie 

Proulx’s short story. Opens 10 May. 

@sohoplace 

4 Soho Place, W1 

THE MAKINGS OF A MURDERER 

Investigating the UK’s most notorious serial 

killers with Detective David Swindle, who 

caught infamous killer Peter Tobin. 

ADELPHI THEATRE 

Strand, WC2 (020 7557 7300) 

VARDY V ROONEY: 

THE WAGATHA CHRISTIE TRIAL 

What went on behind closed doors in the case 

that turned social media sleuthing into high 

drama, in the words of Rebekah Vardy and 

Coleen Rooney. Until 20 May. 

AMBASSADORS THEATRE 

West Street, WC2 (020 7395 5405) 

WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION 

Based in a unique court room setting inside 

London’s County Hall, a landmark production 

of Agatha Christie’s gripping story of justice, 

passion and betrayal. 

COUNTY HALL 

Belvedere Road, SE1 

BLEAK EXPECTATIONS 

The riotous story that Charles Dickens might 

have written after drinking too much gin! And, 

crucially, had lived for another 152 years! 

CRITERION THEATRE 

Piccadilly, W1 (020 7839 8811) 

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG 

A Polytechnic amateur drama group are putting 

on a 1920s murder mystery and everything that 

can go wrong... does! 

DUCHESS THEATRE 

Catherine Street, WC2 (0330 333 4810) 

SHIRLEY VALENTINE 

A life-affirming story of the woman who got 

lost in marriage and motherhood with a secret 

dream. Starring Sheridan Smith (pictured). 

DUKE OF YORK’S THEATRE 

St. Martin’s Lane, WC2 

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 

Matthew Modin plays Atticus Finch in Aaron 

Sorkin's new play based on Harper Lee's 

Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Until 20 May. 

GIELGUD THEATRE 

Shaftesbury Avenue, W1 (0844 482 5151) 

THE LEHMAN TRILOGY 

The Tony Award-winning Best Play makes a 

triumphant return following a highly lauded run 

on Broadway. The story of a family and a 

company that changed the world. Until 20 May. 

GILLIAN LYNNE THEATRE 

Drury Lane, WC2 (020 3925 2998) 

A LITTLE LIFE 

Visionary director Ivo van Hove stages the 

English language premiere of his acclaimed 

production of the million-copy bestseller 

by Hanya Yanagihara. Until 18 June. 

HAROLD PINTER THEATRE 

Panton Street, SW1 (0333 009 6690) 

2:22 A GHOST STORY 

A spine-tingling tale returns to the West End. 

In this supernatural thriller, something 

otherworldly happens every night at 2:22am. 

Transfers to Apollo Theatre 14 May. 

LYRIC THEATRE 


National Theatre 

OLIVIER THEATRE 

DANCING AT LUGHNASA 

Brian Friel’s Olivier Award-winning play is an 

astonishing evocation of a family’s world on 

the brink of change. Until 27 May. 

LYTTELTON THEATRE 

THE MOTIVE AND THE CUE 

Sam Mendes directs Johnny Flynn as Richard 

Burton, Mark Gatiss as Sir John Gielgud and 

Tuppence Middleton as Elizabeth Taylor, in a 

fierce and funny new play by Jack Thorne. 

DORFMAN THEATRE 

DIXON AND DAUGHTERS 

A new play by Deborah Bruce. Over a 

tumultuous two days, a family is forced to 

confront not just their past, but themselves. 

NATIONAL THEATRE 

South Bank, SE1 (020 7452 3000) 

PATRIOTS 

1991. The Fall of the Soviet Union. With the 

dawning of a new Russia, there are winners 

and losers, and today’s patriot can fast 

become tomorrow’s traitor. From 26 May. 

NOEL COWARD THEATRE 

St. Martin’s Lane, WC2 (0344 482 5151) 

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE 

Directed from the Almeida Theatre, Rebecca 

Frecknall’s acclaimed revival of Tennessee 

Williams’ masterpiece transfers to the West End. 

Until 6 May. 

PHOENIX THEATRE 

Charing Cross Road, WC2 (0333 009 6690) 

FAULTY TOWERS THE DINING EXPERIENCE 

Inspired by one of Britain’s greatest ever 

comedy series, a 2 hour production is set in a 

restaurant where the audience are the diners. 

PRESIDENT HOTEL 

Guilford Street, WC1 (0845 154 4145) 

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM 

Shakespeare’s deliciously disruptive comedy, 

with Artistic Director, Michelle Terry, as Puck. 

SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE 

New Globe Walk, SE1 (020 7401 9919) 

THE MOUSETRAP 

Agatha Christie’s whodunnit is the longest 

running play of its kind in the history of 

British theatre. 

ST MARTIN’S THEATRE 

West Street, WC2 (0844 499 1515) 

MUSICALS 

BACK TO THE FUTURE 

Musical adaptation of the film that immortalised 

the time-travelling DeLorean cars. London 

premiere. 

ADELPHI THEATRE 

Strand, WC2 

TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL 

The untold story of Tina Turner, a woman who 

dared to defy the bounds of her age, gender 

and race. 

ALDWYCH THEATRE 

The Aldwych, WC2 

WICKED 

The West End and Broadway musical 

phenomenon, which tells the untold story of 

two unlikely friends’ extraordinary adventures 

in Oz, on their journey to becoming Glinda 

The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West. 

APOLLO VICTORIA THEATRE 

Wilton Road, SW1 (0333 009 6690) 


WITH SPECIAL GUESTS 

THE PRETENDERS 

THE DARKNESS 

LARKIN POE 

PLUS MANY MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED 

FRIDAY 30 JUNE 2023 

-HYDE PARK LONDON- 

BST-HYDEPARK.COM

56 

A STRANGE LOOP 

The ground-breaking and critically acclaimed 

winner of every ‘Best Musical’ award on 

Broadway, and the Pulitzer Prize, bursts onto 

the stage this summer for one time only. 

BARBICAN THEATRE 

Silk Street, EC2 (020 7870 2500) 

MATILDA 

Critically acclaimed Royal Shakespeare 

Company production of Roald Dahl’s book, 

directed by Matthew Warchus. 

CAMBRIDGE THEATRE 

Earlham Street, WC2 

DIRTY DANCING 

The hit film comes to life in this emotional 

stage show, featuring 35 hit songs. 

DOMINION THEATRE 

Tottenham Court Road, W1 (0345 200 7892) 

BONNIE AND CLYDE 

Frances MayliMcCann and Jordan Luke 

Gage return for a limited West End season of 

the cult-sensation. Until 20 May. 

GARRICK THEATRE 


THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 

Long running epic romance by Andrew Lloyd 

Webber, set in Paris opera house where a 

deformed phantom stalks his prey. 

HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE 

Haymarket, SW1 

CABARET 

Award-winning revival of Kander and Ebb’s 

iconic musical. Stars Aimee Lou Wood and 

John McCrea. 

KIT KAT CLUB 

Northumberland Ave., WC2 (0333 009 6690) 

THE LION KING 

Disney‘s phenomenally successful animated film 

is transformed into a spectacular stage musical. 

LYCEUM THEATRE 

Wellington Street, WC2 (0844 871 3000) 

ASPECTS OF LOVE 

34 years after having starred in the original 

West End production, Michael Ball returns 

to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s celebrated musical, 

this time playing the role of George. 

LYRIC THEATRE 


MAMMA MIA 

Hit musical based on the songs of ABBA, set 

around the story of a mother and daughter on the 

eve of the daughter’s wedding. 

NOVELLO THEATRE 

Aldwych, WC2 (0344 482 5151) 

Mamma Mia! The Party at the 02. 

GROUNDHOG DAY 

A comic parable of love, hope and 

transformation, the Olivier Award-winning 

musical sensation based on the 1993 hit film. 

From 20 May to 12 August. 

OLD VIC 

The Cut, Waterloo, SE1 (0344 871 7628) 

MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL 

A world of splendour and romance, of eyepopping 

excess, of glitz, grandeur and glory. 

PICCADILLY THEATRE 

Denman Street, W1 (0333 009 6690) 

AIN’T TOO PROUD 

From the creators of the award-winning Jersey 

Boys, the exhilarating new musical following the 

remarkable journey of The Temptations. 

PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE 

Old Compton Street, WC2 (0344 482 5151) 

THE BOOK OF MORMON 

A crude, satirical show telling the story of two 

young and naive mormon missionaries. 

PRINCE OF WALES THEATRE 

Coventry Street, W1 (0344 482 5151) 

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND 

A story of love, grief, faith and hope, tells of 

peasant girl Ti Moune, a boy called Daniel, 

and a union that prejudice forbids. 

REGENT’S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE 

Inner Circle, NW1 ( 0333 400 3562) 

PRETTY WOMAN 

One of Hollywood’s most romantic stories, 

featuring direction and choreography by two-time 

TonyAward® winner Jerry Mitchell . 

SAVOY THEATRE 

Strand, WC2 (0333 009 6690) 

MRS DOUBTFIRE 

Hilarious and heartfelt story about holding 

onto your loved ones against all odds. Direct 

from sold-out crowds in Manchester, the new 

comedy musical is ready to dazzle and delight 

SHAFTESBURY THEATRE 

Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2 

LES MISERABLES 

Cameron Mackintosh’s legendary production 

of Boublil and Schönberg’s musical. 

SONDHEIM THEATRE 

Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2 (0344 482 5151) 

MAMMA MIA! THE PARTY 

Theatrical experience that takes place 

through-out Nikos Taverna. The story unfolds 

in front of you, behind, below and above you! 

THE 02 

Peninsula Square, SE10 (020 3995 6288) 

FROZEN 

Disney’s fantasy film is brought to life on stage, 

inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale 

‘The Snow Queen’. 

THEATRE ROYAL 

Drury Lane, WC2 

ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES 

Written by the late, great John Sullivan, the 

critically acclaimed home-grown British 

musical spectacular returns. Lovely Jubbly! 

THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET 

Haymarket SW1 (020 7930 8800) 

JERSEY BOYS 

Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and 

the story of their lives and careers. 

TRAFALGAR STUDIOS 

Whitehall SW1 (020 7321 5400) 

NEWSIES 

The true story of the 1899 newsboy strike in 

New York, songs by Alan Menken. 

TROUBADOUR WEMBLEY PARK THEATRE 

Fulton Road, HA9 

SIX THE MUSICAL 

Tudor Queens meet Pop Princesses in a musical 

retelling the six wives of Henry VIII. 

VAUDEVILLE THEATRE 

Strand, WC2 (0330 333 4814) 

HAMILTON 

Lin-Manuel Miranda's multi award-winning 

musical, based on one of America’s Founding 

Fathers, Alexander Hamilton. 

VICTORIA PALACE THEATRE 

Victoria Street, SW1 (0344 482 5151) 

OKLAHOMA! 

Daniel Fish reimagines Rodgers and 

Hammerstein’s American musical. 

WYNDHAM’S THEATRE 



ESCAPE THE MARTIANS TOGETHER 

“Mind blowing in every way. 

A perfect mix of action, VR and music.” 

Jade O, Tripadvisor 

BOOK NOW… BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE 

THEWAROFTHEWORLDSIMMERSIVE.COM

58 

Photo: Johan Persson. 

Siobhan McSweeney (Maggie), Blaithin Mac Gabhann (Rose), Louisa Harland (Agnes), Justine 

Mitchell (Kate) & Alison Oliver (Chris) in Dancing at Lughnasa at the National Theatre. 

DANCING AT LUGHNASA 

National Theatre 

Like some gorgeous, sepia-toned 

photograph, the bucolic set for this new 

production of Brian Friel’s drama is 

dominated by a winding path up a hill 

full of trees and long grasses where the 

characters appear and disappear, fresh 

from adventures beyond the little cottage 

which comprises their hearth and home. 

This is Ireland in 1936. The stove is 

fed with turf cut from the fields outside 

and supper is often eggs laid by invisible 

hens, which seem nonetheless quite real 

whenever Maggie, one of five grown up 

sisters, goes out to feed them. Dancing at 

Lughnasa (the name refers to a harvest 

time celebration) is more than an exercise 

in mere nostalgia though. It’s a family 

saga, full of troubles as well as joy. 

Narrated by the love child of the 

youngest sister, Michael – now grown 

up and speaking from the periphery of 

the stage – one of the myths in this 

family surrounds the lifelong Christian 

sacrifice of brother Jack. After working 

as a priest in a leper colony in Uganda 

for decades, he has returned home in ill 

health, to be sweetly waited upon by his 

adoring and reverential sisters. Yet he 

may have lost his mind, or his faith, or 

both. Certainly his muddling of his 

sisters’ names with that of his former 

houseboy and his tales of apparently 

thrilling pagan rituals have a mildly 

horrifying effect on his pious sisters. 

Such character-based comedy 

demands finely nuanced performances 

and the cast embrace the challenge with 

both subtlety and gusto. Here is Agnes, 

normally a dour and intense knitter of 

gloves, kicking up her heels to the brand 

new wireless and proposing that they all 

return to the dance at Lughnasa – 

dragging the sisters to their feet around 

the kitchen table to practise Irish dance 

steps, a rare moment of exhilaration and 

optimism. The music and mood are 

infectious – it’s hard not to join in from 

the stalls. 

Yet there is Kate, the eldest and most 

proper, dashing their hopes of the outing 

with her Catholic strictures. There’s a 

bittersweet undertone to Friel’s play. The 

empty promises of Michael’s errant 

Welsh father, who turns up once a year 

alleging to have bought him a bicycle; 

the casual scrambling of three eggs for a 

supper to feed seven people; the spectre 

of unemployment implied by the arrival 

of a new glove factory – these are all 

nails in the coffin of a way of life long 

since abandoned. 

It's a rare pleasure then to be 

immersed in this tender depiction of 

rural Ireland before the war, even with all 

its upsets, its loves and losses. Bravo! 

Sue Webster 

THE KING & I RETURNS TO WEST 

END IN JANUARY 

The musical sensation The King & I 

is set to return to London’s West End 

next January starring Call The Midwife’s 

Helen George as Anna Leonowens 

following its current sold out UK tour. 

Directed by Bartlett Sher (South Pacific / 

My Fair Lady / To Kill A Mockingbird), 

this Rogers and Hammerstein majestic 

masterpiece musical will open at 

London’s Dominion Theatre on 

20 January for a six-week season. 

Helen George (pictured), known to 

millions over the past decade as Trixie 

in the hugely popular BBC One drama 

series Call The Midwife, will return to 

the stage to reprise the lead role she is 

currently playing to sold out theatres on 

tour across the UK. 

Set in 1860s Bangkok, The King and I 

tells the story of the unconventional and 

tempestuous relationship that develops 

between the King of Siam and Anna 

Leonowens, a British schoolteacher 

whom the modernist King, in an 

imperialistic world, brings to Siam to 

teach his many wives and children. 

The King and I is a sumptuous, 

timeless romance from the golden age of 

musicals, adored by the public and 

critics alike – and boasting one of the 

finest scores ever written, including 

Whistle a Happy Tune, Getting to Know 

You, and Shall We Dance. 

www.kingandimusical.co.uk 


CORONATION WEEKEND COCKTAILS 

From being a dedicated fan of Royal 

Family to simply enjoying a luxurious 

drink, Pacha’s Lío London (recently 

transformed from the iconic Café de 

Paris) has the coronation weekend 

cocktail selection to leave you royally 

impressed. Lío’s carefully crafted a range 

of cocktails inspired by the regal themes 

and tastes of the monarchy feature 

premium ingredients. Each drink has 

been expertly designed to create a 

unique and indulgent drinking 

experience, fit for a king or queen. 

Cocktails include: Long Live The 

King: Tanqueray No10, skinos, with 

citrus notes and raspberry; Queen’s 

Passion: Ciroc summer citrus with 

tropical passion fruit and sweet vanilla; 

The Heir to the Throne: Singleton 12yo, 

mixed with raw honey and red sour 

cherries; King of Soho: Kind of Soho 

Gin, yuzu and citrus notes, herbs and 

lemonade and The Duchess: Casamigos 

reposado accompanied with Grand 

Marnier, fresh lime and rhubarb. 

And, if you really want to splash out, 

there is Crown Jewel (served in an 

actual crown): Johnnie Walker blue, with 

macadamia nuts and chocolate. 

Lío London offers a unique concept, 

so while you are sipping on your 

cocktail you can enjoy the impressive 

cuisine, music and a modern 

reinterpretation of a cabaret show. 

KING’S HOUSE ON KING’S ROAD 

CELEBRATES THE CORONATION 

What better way to celebrate the 

Coronation than at King's House on The 

King's Road! To mark this momentous 

day in the way Londoners know best, 

with a proper knees up, Kings House 

Chelsea is hosting a royal flush 

of Coronation Parties throughout the 

weekend in its brand new Garden Bar. 

To kick off the celebrations on the 

Saturday, guests can enjoy a screening 

of the ceremony, enjoy a special 

Coronation brunch and sip on royal 

themed cocktail in the sun. 

Throughout the weekend, anyone 

called Charles, Charlie or Charlotte or 

with the surname, Charles, will be given 

the royal treatment and offered a 

complimentary Royal Cocktail. 

A royal brunch featuring the Kings 

House breakfast classics and famous 

pancakes will be served across both the 

Saturday and Sunday, with two special 

Coronation stacks created especially for 

the occasion. 

On the Sunday, in true Tudor feasting 

style, guests will be treated to a free Hog 

Roast from 18.00 onwards in the 

garden. Slow cooked to perfection for 

over 10 hours, the Hog Roast's 

succulent cuts will be topped with sweet 

and tangy apple sauce and served in a 

crunchy bread roll. Later, King's House 

will go into party mode, with live DJs 

playing until the wee hours. 

BUNGA BUNGA PIZZA MAKING 

PARTY 

Bunga Bunga’s Pizza Making Party is 

the ultimate way to spend a Wednesday 

evening. Kicking off at 19.00, the 

immersive pizzeria on London’s Drury 

Lane opens its doors to budding 

pizzaioli for a feast for the senses 

featuring dough-tossing, up-close 

entertainment, dinner and a welcome 

Aperol Spritz. 

As the celebrations commence, 

guests receive a delizioso selection of 

authentic Italian antipasti, as they 

discover Bunga Bunga's secret family 

pizza recipe before showing off doughtossing 

skills. All the while, La Famiglia 

will keep the drinks flowing with Bunga 

Bunga’s cocktail menu. 

Diners will then enjoy one of the 

famous Bunga pizzas, while they 

experience live entertainment from 

Mamma Bunga herself – who will be 

singing her heart out whilst keeping a 

very close eye on guests’ skills in the 

pizza department. 

Guests are then given their own 

personal portion of dough kit to-go. 

Whether you like yours impossibly 

cheesy, extra saucy or with a touch of 

spice, visitors will get the chance to put 

into practice La Famiglia’s top tips and 

make your very own Bunga-style pizza 

at home. Perfect for experienced pizza 

aficiona-doughs, or for those only just 

starting. Bunga Bunga’s Pizza Making 

Party is held every Wednesday. 

59 


60 

TCS LONDON MARATHON RAISES 

£58.3 MILLION FOR CHARITY 

The 2022 TCS London Marathon, 

which took place on 2 October last year, 

raised £58.3 million for charities. This is 

the highest total since the current world 

record of £66.4 million for an annual 

one-day fundraising event was set at the 

2019 London Marathon. 

A total of 40,643 participants 

completed the 2022 TCS London 

Marathon on the streets of the capital, 

with a further 8,518 completing the 

virtual event on the course of their 

choice anywhere in world between 

00:00 to 23.59 BST on Marathon Day. 

Hugh Brasher, Event Director for 

London Marathon Events, said: ‘It is 

fantastic to have raised £58.3 million for 

thousands of charities and it's wonderful 

to see charity fundraising back to 

approaching pre-pandemic levels. 

Charity income was hugely impacted by 

the pandemic at the time when their 

support and services were needed most. 

We would like to thank every single 

person who took on the challenge of 

completing 26.2 miles and raised money 

for their chosen charity.’ 

The 2023 TCS London Marathon on 

Sunday 23 April had more than 45,000 

participants with more around the globe 

taking on the virtual edition. 

ADIZERO ADIOS PRO SHOES WIN 

MOST WORLD MAJOR MARATHONS 

The Adizero Adios Pro family of 

shoes received the most wins during 

2021 World Major Marathon Events 

(Tokyo, Berlin, London, Chicago, New 

York and Boston). 60% of 2021 World 

Major Marathon wins were by athletes 

wearing Adizero Adios Pro 2. 

The latest edition, the Adizero Adios 

Pro 3 is the ultimate long-distance road 

racing shoe, for fast runners looking to 

take their performance to the next level 

and run after new records. The midsole 

consists of 2 layers of resilient 

Lightstrike Pro foam providing 

cushioning. With optimized Energyrods 

2.0 embedded in the midsole, the shoe 

is designed to give runners the optimal 

level of stiffness and energy return. The 

new lightweight upper provides specific 

support where athletes need it most, 

finished off with a Continental rubber 

outsole with traction to help take corners 

at a fast pace. 

Whether you’re looking for a Parkrun 

Personal Best or to take on the Marathon 

distance in maximum comfort, the 

Adizero Adios Pro range provides a 

smooth and stable base to help you 

reach your goals. 

The full range is available at 

www.adidas.co.uk 

NIGHT OF THE 10,000M 

Following the success of previous 

years, Swiss sports brand On has again 

teamed up with the unique running event 

Night of the 10,000m PB’s, as part of the 

brand new global series, On Track 

Nights, which promises fast times, loud 

crowds and festival vibes. A high octane 

evening of running, the Night of the 

10,000m PB’s attracts world class 

athletes and thousands of spectators 

with its unique atmosphere and 

spectacular festival style entertainment. 

The World Athletics Silver event is 

free for all spectators to attend, and 

takes place at Parliament Hill Athletics 

track on 20 May. The Night of the 

10,000m PB’s follows ‘Track Fest’ in 

Los Angeles as the second event in On’s 

new global series ‘On Track Nights’. The 

series provides a platform for high 

performing and passionate runners to 

beat their PBs, gather valuable points for 

World Championship and Olympic 

qualification and most importantly, to set 

the standard for a new kind of athletics 

event that brings its stars closer to fans. 

The evening plays host to 8 

spectacular track races, culminating in 

the Women’s and Men’s UK Athletics 

10,000m championships, starting at 

20.45 and 21.25 respectively. 


THE WIZZ AIR HACKNEY HALF 

24,000 runners have signed up for 

the hugely popular Hackney half 

marathon, which is part of the annual 

two-day Hackney Moves festival, and the 

only way to secure a place now is by 

running in support of one of the event’s 

charity partners. A limited number of 

places are still available via Alzheimer’s 

Society, Cancer Research UK, Shelter, 

Macmillan Cancer Support, St Mungo’s, 

and Single Homeless Project. 

The Wizz Air Hackney Half Marathon 

takes place on Sunday, 21 May, and will 

take in all the sights and sounds of 

Hackney. Starting and ending on 

Hackney Marshes, the run includes 

Broadway Market, the famous town hall, 

Hackney Wick, Hackney Picturehouse, 

Victoria Park, and the Hackney Empire. 

The race takes place on the final day 

of Mental Health Awareness Week and 

organisers are hopeful as many people 

as possible will take the chance to sign 

up, enjoy all the physical and mental 

health benefits which being active 

brings, and do their bit to support a 

charity. 

Craig Dews, CEO of LimeLight Sports 

Club, said: ‘The Wizz Air Hackney Half 

Marathon is one of the best half 

marathons in Europe – and it is 

extremely positive news for the entire 

industry that such a significant mass 

participation event has sold out in 

record time... The fact that so many of 

our runners also chose to support 

charities doing such great work in 

Hackney and across London is the icing 

on the cake.’ 

www.hackneymoves.com 

TAILWALKING AT THE LONDON 

MARATHON 

The London Marathon is one of the 

World Marathon Majors, and the biggest 

fundraising race in the world. It’s packed 

with brilliant people raising money for 

worthy causes and the atmosphere is 

always electric. I wanted to be a part of it 

in any way I could, so I put up a desperate 

tweet to see if there was anything that 

needed doing on the day. I had a response 

from Jo Gennari, who was looking for 

people who were willing to help with the 

8-hour pacing at the back of the pack. It 

meant I would be able to experience the 

course in a totally different way and I 

couldn’t wait. 

For the last three years, the organisers 

of the TCS London Marathon have 

arranged for a group of people to stick at 

the back of the race to assist people who 

might be struggling, for whatever reason. 

We met at Blackheath Tea Hut for a team 

briefing and headed off to our start areas, 

there were about 30 of us in total. It was a 

dull and rainy start to the day as we waited 

for the final late arrivers to cross the line, 

then the tailwalking team started the race. 

As someone who is used to running at 

around a 4-hour pace, it took some getting 

used to. It’s a walk – and actually not a 

particularly fast walk – doable for people 

who may be suffering with injuries or are 

worried that they’ll be left behind. 

Pretty soon we encountered Tom, who 

was aiming to complete the Marathon 

walking backwards – he had raised 

£63,000 for charity over 7 marathons. He 

was moving at a slow pace, so two tailwalkers 

dropped back to support him on 

his journey. The rest of us kept going, 

making sure that everyone we met along 

the way was supported with water, snacks, 

drinks and of course plenty of 

encouragement. As soon as someone 

dropped behind the 8-hour pace, they 

were joined by two friendly tail walkers so 

that they weren’t alone. 

Tower Bridge was the change-over, 

where I jogged on a bit to find my sister-inlaw 

who had signed up to tail walk the 

second half. Miles 16 to 26.2 were joyous. 

We paced at 7.30 hours, and spoke to 

inspirational people along the way. Many 

were struggling with injuries but had raised 

money for charity and didn’t want to give 

up, others were battling mental daemons 

and needed that little boost to get to the 

end. It felt like we were making a difference, 

which was so rewarding. 

As we reached Embankment, there was 

a feeling of euphoria. Many supporters had 

stayed to support those who were going at 

a slower pace, and lots of the charity 

stands were still there. Crossing the line 

wasn’t at all different to crossing it earlier in 

the day, so everyone was able to have the 

same experience. 

The TCS London Marathon prides 

itself on being the most inclusive race in 

the world, and this is testament to that. 

There were people from all walks of life 

facing totally different challenges, and 

they were all supported by an amazing 

group of people willing to give their time 

and energy to help others reach their 

goal. Tom, the backwards walker, 

finished at 23.30! A really fulfilling day, 

a class act from the London Marathon. 

Beth Jones 

61 


62 

Cat Bells and Derwentwater. Photo: Gordon Wingfield 

ANNUAL 10 IN 10 CHALLENGE FOR 

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS 

Visitors from all over the world will 

be familiar with the glorious Lake 

District, just 3 hours’ by train from 

London. The scenery is magnificent, 

with the round of hills from Keswick to 

Buttermere and back by Cat Bells 

perhaps one of the most familiar to walk, 

run, stroll, stagger... but all great fun! 

It is here that the annual 10in10 

challenge takes place, designed and 

created by Yvonne Booth in 2011, in 

response to her husband Duncan’s 

diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis in 

2010 at the age of just 39. An elite rock 

climber, Duncan was a full-time teacher 

in a local primary school, with three 

young sons. He spent his life outdoors, 

putting new routes up rock faces that 

haven’t been repeated since. His name is 

against a number of first ascents in the 

Lake District and overseas. 

As a wife and mother, Yvonne wanted 

to do something positive and help raise 

money for research into this debilitating 

neurological disease with no cure. Over 

ten years on, she has done just that, 

aided and guided by Duncan himself 

who has shown the way year after year 

by completing different challenges 

within his own capabilities. New 

treatments for MS are now available, 

often staving off the onset of symptoms 

when diagnosed at an early stage. 

Now, every June, usually around the 

weekend of the longest day of the year, 

hundreds of people of all ages, shapes 

and sizes, walk over ten beautiful 

Lakeland mountains in ten hours or five 

mountains in five hours (for the young 

and young at heart). From elite fell 

runners to children scrambling up 

Causey Pike with Granny and Grampy, 

and everyone in between, it is a joyful 

day with safety barcode zapping on each 

summit, home made eats en route and a 

delightful finish barbecue and music at 

the Swinside Inn. As well as the annual 

event, there is now the opportunity to 

tackle one of the three 

classic 10in10 routes 

at any time of the year 

in either Borrowdale, 

Newlands or 

Buttermere. In 

addition, Duncan’s 

brother, and top class 

fell runner, Simon 

Booth, introduced a 

39 mile Challenge 

‘No Cure Always 

Hope Ultra run’ in 

2016, with 17,000 ft of ascent to 

encourage other fell runners to help 

raise money for the MS Society UK. 

Yvonne has been recognised as 

‘fundraiser of the year’ by the MS 

Society UK and works tirelessly for the 

cause which is the UK's largest charity 

for people affected by multiple sclerosis. 

Duncan’s blog says you can’t polish a 

turd but maybe you can – they are 

currently heading for a million pounds! 

So, go up to the Lakes and walk, run or 

clap them on – and enjoy the scenery. 

The event is on Saturday 17 June, 2023. 

www.10in10.org.uk 

TOWNHOUSE MINIMALIST EDIT 

Townhouse, the UK's leading nail 

salon, has launched ‘The Minimalist 

Edit’ with six new nail art designs for 

SS23. Inspired by the latest nail and 

beauty trends, these new stylish and 

eye-catching designs are about to steal 

the spotlight. The collection offers a look 

for every occasion, from the understated 

and elegant ‘Minimal Muse’ to the fun 

and playful ‘Animal Attraction’, there's a 

design to suit everyone. 

The first branch opened in St Paul’s 

(One New Change) in early April, followed 

by Marble Arch in mid-April and 

Northcote Road in late April. Each salon 

will offer the same high-quality 

treatments, chic interiors, expertly 

executed nail art and welcoming 

atmosphere that Townhouse is known for. 

To book, visit the website at 

www.townhouse.co.uk or find them on 

Instagram at @mytownhouseuk 


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This Is London

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