April in London 2019

 
 
 
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Mary Quant

Mary Quant and models at the Quant Afoot footwear collection launch, 1967

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Mary Quant
Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition
The London Marathon
Boat Races
Damien Jalet & Kohei Nawa: Vessel
Writing: Making Your Mark
Smoke and Mirrors: The Psychology of Magic
Beasts of London
Becoming: An Evening With Michelle Obama
Imaginary Cities
Toast
Horse Meat Disco headline Brixton Disco Festival
English National Ballet: She Persisted
Hito Steyerl: Power Plants
Scotch Egg Challenge
Chihuly at Kew: Reflections on nature
Feast of St George in Trafalgar Square
Sadler's Wells Family Weekend
Marylebone Food Festival
Now Play This
Jude
Oliver Jeffers: Observations on Modern Life
The Spring Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair
Underbelly Festival
Oxford vs Cambridge Goat Race
Roof East
Catch Your Breath
London Transport Museum's Depot Open Weekend - Love Your Line
Dinner Is Coming
Maxine Peake stars in Avalanche: A Love Story
Rosmersholm
Kelsey Grammer as Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha
 

© PA Prints 2008

The V&A relives the sixties with Mary Quant, Stanley Kubrick is celebrated at the Design Museum and the London Marathon takes over the city streets; just three of the best events in London in April 2019.

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Roof East

An event space eight floors up at the top of a multi-storey car park in Stratford.

Level 8 Stratford Multi-storey Car Park, Great Eastern Way, Stratford, London, E15 1XE

Tube: Stratford Station

 
 

On top of a multi-storey car park in Stratford, Roof East is back for spring/summer 2019 with the Rooftop Film Club setting up the sky high cinema from May. Games, street food and three bars serving rum and raspberry cocktails create a rooftop playground for grown-ups. If you like competitive sports choose from VR foosball, Sluggers batting cages , Birdies Crazy Golf or Lane Games - including S liders Curling, De La Bowl and Puck Buddies. For something more chilled, Flow East Yoga leads Vinyasa Flow Yoga classes every week. Street food is by Eat Chay, serving North Indian inspired Kolkati and signature Kati Rolls, as well as The Burger Project run by the King of Pop-Ups, Jimmy Garcia. E ntrance is free, so grab a drink at one of three bars and enjoy t he views over east London - you can see all the way to the Olympic Park with the red, looping curls of the Orbit rising above it. A great spot for a sundowner.

 
 
 

Wonderfest Rooftop

A festival-inspired pop-up with prosecco popsicles, live music, BBQ food and an outdoor cinema.

Fest Camden, Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road, London, NW1 8AH

Tube: Chalk Farm Station

 

Dates: 19th April - 28th September 2019

 

Taking inspiration from the likes of Woodstock and Glastonbury, FEST Camden transforms its rooftop into the Wonderfest Rooftop for a summer of festival-themed fun. With a verdant botanical canopy suspended from a wooden gazebo, an artificial grass lawn, countless colourful umbrellas and an Insta-friendly flower wall, it's a cheerful spot to spend a summer's day in London. Live acoustic performances take place throughout the day before the DJs take over in the evenings, and the Camden Rooftop Cinema Club sees films projected on a large open-air screen. Food comes in the form of a Mediterranean BBQ serving Greek souvlaki and kebabs along with superfood salads, mezze sharing plates, Wonderfest pizzas and vegan Walls ice cream while the playful booze offerings include prosecco popsicles with popping candy, espresso martinis on tap, and frozen bourbon slushies.

 
 
 

William Curley at The Gherkin

The master chocolatier presents a chocolate-inspired tasting menu and chocolate masterclasses.

Helix and Iris, The Gherkin, 30 St Mary Axe, London, EC3A 8EP

Tube: Liverpool Street Station , Aldgate Station, Aldgate East Underground Station

 

Dates: 01st - 21st April 2019

 

Master chocolatier William Curley takes over The Gherkin this April with special Easter chocolate masterclasses and a chocolate-inspired tasting menu. Four-times winner of Britain's Best Chocolatier and the youngest ever patissier in the history of The Savoy, Curley is one of the world's best chocolatiers and this brings the exciting opportunity to sample his creations in one of London's most iconic landmarks. The four-course tasting menu, served in the brand-new Helix restaurant, which sits on the 39th floor, brings together dishes such as cauliflower and Berkshire Blue soup topped with cacao nibs; Rhug Estate venison loin with heritage carrots, spring greens and game chocolate sauce; and the show-stopping Willy's chocolate mousse, brandy snap and Bailey's cream, followed by Curley's chocolate espresso martini cocktails and even more chocolates to take home. Running on Friday 12th April, the masterclasses will see Curley lead participants through the fascinating world of chocolate making. A morning session is aimed at families while the afternoon is dedicated to adults.

 
 
 

London Games Festival

Twelve days of games-related events all across the capital.

 

Dates: 02nd - 14th April 2019

 

Launched in 2016 by the Mayor of London, Film London and Ukie, The London Games Festival is back for its fourth year, with games-related events taking place all across the capital. Highlights this year include Now Play This, a festival of playful work at Somerset House; EGX Rezzed, London's largest games event; The BAFTA Games Awards, back for its 15th year and taking place at Queen Elizabeth Hall; and The Hub, a central home with summits, talks, demos and exhibitions. There is also a cosplay parade, industry talks and many more.

 
 
 

Catch Your Breath

A new exhibition exploring how breathing is far more than just biology.

Royal College Of Physicians, 11 St Andrews Place, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4LE

Tube: Great Portland Street Station , Regent's Park Station, Warren Street Station

 

Dates: 02nd April - 20th September 2019

 

Running throughout the summer, Catch Your Breath at the Royal College of Physicians explores respiration and how breathing is far more than just biology. From crying as a baby to taking our final dying gasps, breath is with us for our entire lives, and this exhibition draws on art, philosophy, anthropology, medicine, history and literature to demonstrate our unique relationship with it. The display will also show how breathing is not simply a bodily function, but a force that allows us to speak, laugh and sing.

 
 
 
 

Pah-La

Abhishek Majumdar's controversial play is finally staged at the Royal Court.

Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London, SW1W 8AS

Tube: Sloane Square Station

 

Dates: 03rd - 27th April 2019

 

Having been withdrawn from the schedule in 2017, Abhishek Majumdar's Pah-La will finally be staged at the Royal Court Theatre in 2019. Set in a remote Tibetan village, the play is based on real stories during the 2008 Lhasa riots. Deshar, a young runaway who has disowned her father Tsering, becomes a Buddhist nun and carries out an act of defiance, which reverberates across the whole country.

 
 
 

Cocktails In The City

The world's finest barmen and mixologists are brought together under one roof.

The Vaults, 10 Leake Street, London, SE1 7NN

Tube: Waterloo Station , Lambeth North Station

 

Dates: 02nd - 04th April 2020

 

Gathering the world's finest barmen and mixologists, from the city's 5-star hotels to its hidden basement bars, Cocktails In The City brings together a selection of London's most exciting and exclusive bars. Taking place in The Vaults of Waterloo, the two-day boozy affair not only offers all manner of cocktails - from champagne cocktails, rum sours and espresso martinis to beer cocktails and slushies - but also has a special series of events including bar battles, tasting rooms and sensory cocktail adventures. Bars taking part include Cahoots, Mr Fogg's, TT Liquor, Ella Canta and Bourne & Hollingsworth while food comes from a range of London street food vendors.

 
 
 

English National Ballet: She Persisted

The follow up to the company's headline grabbing She Said.

Sadler's Wells Theatre, Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TN

Tube: Angel Station

 

Dates: 04th - 13th April 2019

 

Three years after English National Ballet made headlines with She Said, promoting women's voices in dance, the company returns with the follow up, She Persisted. The programme includes the premiere of Nora, a new work by company member Stina Quagebeur, based on Ibsen's A Doll's House. Audiences at Sadler's Wells are also treated to Pina Bausch's Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring). Widely regarded as one of Bausch's masterworks, English National Ballet is only the second ballet company in the world to be allowed to perform it. First premiered in April 2016, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Broken Wings, based on the life of Frida Kahlo, is also revived as legendary ballet star, Irek Mukhamedov, reprise his role as Diego Rivera.

 
 
 

Toast

The tastes and smells of Nigel Slater's best-selling autobiography are brought to the stage.

The Other Palace Theatre, 12 Palace Street, London, SW1E 5JA

Tube: Victoria Station

 

Dates: 04th April - 03rd August 2019

 

Based on Nigel Slater's award-winning autobiography, Toast recreates suburban England in the 1960s as Nigel's childhood is told through the tastes and smells he grew up with. Not only can you see the drama on stage, you can also taste the nostalgia as samples of the dishes and tastes central to his story are offered to the audience during the show. The "bitter-sweet" (Independent) show was well received, earning four stars all round for its world premiere at The Lowry, Salford, in May last year and enjoyed a sold-out run at as part of Traverse Festival 2018 at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. This is the first time London audiences have been treated to this "tender adaptation" (The Guardian).

 
 
 

Roy's People Art Fair

The works of 85 different artists go on display alongside a programme of creative workshops.

Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, Barge House Street, London, SE1 9PH

Tube: Temple Station

 

Dates: 04th - 07th April 2019

 

Created by professional artists Roy Tyson and Sam Peacock, who have both exhibited nationally and internationally over the past five years, Roy's People Art Fair showcases a range of original, affordable artwork from a wide variety of artists with a display aimed towards both collectors and casual art enthusiasts. Taking place at the Oxo Tower Bargehouse, the next fair will bring together the works of 85 different artists along with creative workshops and free goody bags worth over £100.

 
 
 
 

Beasts of London

Exotic beasts, urban creatures and an elephant tell the story of the city they once called home.

Museum of London, 150 Wall, City, London, EC2Y 5HN

Tube: Barbican Station , St. Paul's Station

 

Dates: 05th April - 05th January 2020

 

London may seem like a civilised place (unless you're on a crowded tube in rush hour) but, as Beasts of London shows, animals used to roam freely in the city. The Museum of London, together with the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, brings this menagerie of animals back to life through an interactive digital installation. From exotic beasts imported from all over the world to the native pigeon, you'll come face to face with the animals that once called this city home. Even the enormous elephant is part of the story. Your journey begins before London was created and takes you through the history of the city and significant moments like the arrival of the Romans and The Plague, all seen from an animal's perspective.

 
 
 

Imaginary Cities

This free display fills the British Library's entrance hall with a 3D virtual city.

British Library, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB

Tube: King's Cross Station , Euston Station

 

Dates: 05th April - 14th July 2019

 

Welcoming you to the British Library from 5th April 2019, Imaginary Cities is a free display which fills the Entrance Hall Gallery with a 3D virtual city. The specially commissioned exhibition by British-American artist Michael Takeo Magruder explores the changing nature of archives and collections in the Digital Age. Using images and metadata of pre-20th century urban maps from the library's collection of over a million images, made public on Flickr Commons, the display shows the creative possibilities of digital collections. The exhibition is accompanied by the library's first Algorave where real-time computer coding is mixed with live music and visuals.

 
 
 

Underbelly Festival

Over 70 shows and five months of comedy, cabaret and children's entertainment.

Underbelly Festival, Jubilee Gardens, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX

Tube: Waterloo Station , Embankment Underground Station

 

Dates: 03rd April - 27th September 2020

 

The unrivalled Underbelly Festival returns to South Bank, between the Southbank Centre and London Eye, from April 2019, presenting over 70 shows for five months of comedy, cabaret and children's entertainment. In a temporary theatre - surrounded by street food and one of London's biggest outdoor bars - you'll find London's largest programme of affordable circus, cabaret and fringe theatre. Festival highlights this year include a month long residency by Gravity & Other Myths who bring their stripped back circus show to the South Bank. Join Bernie Dieter at the Little Death Club for some debauched kabarett, see drag extravaganza Yummy and listen to a new Podcast Live season with A Gay and A Non Gay and Hoovering Podcast on the lineup. Take the children to see stage adaptations of MONSTERSAURUS!, Shark In The Park and Elmer The Patchwork Elephant, as well as The Gruffalo, The Witch, and the Warthog with Julia Donaldson at the biggest ever Family Fest running throughout the Easter holidays.

 
 
 

Oliver Jeffers: Observations on Modern Life

Comprehensive overview of the artist's sculptural and collage work.

Lazinc, 29 Sackville Street, Fitzrovia, London, W1S 3DX

Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station , Green Park Station

 

Dates: 05th April - 15th May 2019

 

Irish artist Oliver Jeffers is best known for his beautiful picture books - he won a BAFTA for the animated short film of Lost and Found - but he's also a fine artist with a painting in the National Portrait Gallery. At Lazinc, Observations on Modern Life gives a comprehensive overview of the artist's sculptural and collage work from the past decade, featuring approximately 50 pieces. Through humour, Jeffers uses maps and globes addressing the arbitrary nature of the carving up of land and drawing of borders. His works also comment on the speed in which we live and society's rapid consumption of information.

 
 
 

Power UP

This hands-on event invites gaming fans to get their fix with 180 systems and hundreds of games.

Science Museum, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2DD

Tube: South Kensington Station

 

Dates: 04th - 19th April 2020

 

This Easter the Science Museum presents gaming extravaganza Power UP. Returning for its fourth year, the hands-on event invites gaming fans to get their fix with 180 systems and hundreds of games, including video games, computers and consoles from the past four decades. From Pong and Pacman to Minecraft and Mario, there's something for everyone. With PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch sitting alongside SNES, SEGA Dreamcast and BBC Micro - the original educational computer - visitors will be able to see how technology has evolved, with PlayStation VR providing a glimpse into the possibilities of the future.

 
 
 
 

Sweet Charity

Anne-Marie Duff joins Josie Rourke for her farewell production as she departs from the Donmar.

The Donmar Warehouse, 41 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, London, WC2H 9LD

Tube: Covent Garden Station , Leicester Square Station, Tottenham Court Road Station

 

Dates: 06th April - 08th June 2019

 

Anne-Marie Duff makes her musical theatre debut as Charity, reuniting with Josie Rourke for her farewell production as she departs from the Donmar Warehouse. Cy Coleman's musical is choreographed by the world-renowned Wayne McGregor, who reunites with Josie after working on her debut film Mary Queen of Scots. Set in New York in 1967, Sweet Charity tells the story of a dance hall hostess who "runs her a heart like a hotel". After meeting a string of users and losers she encounters Oscar (Arthur Darvill), a mild-mannered tax accountant, and Charity Hope Valentine once again puts her faith in love. Speaking before the production started, Josie said this is, "a joyous way to end a dozen years as an Artistic Director from the Bush to the Donmar."

 
 
 

Mary Quant

A household name in the 1960s, Mary Quant was a byword for high hemlines.

Victoria and Albert (V & A) Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL

Tube: South Kensington Station

 

Dates: 06th April - 16th February 2020

 

Following on from Christian Dior and Balenciaga, both the subject of fashion forward V&A exhibitions in the past few years, in 2019 the spotlight falls on a designer who is closer to home, Mary Quant. A household name in the 1960s, Mary Quant was a byword for high hemlines and pelmet sized miniskirts. With over 200 garments and accessories, including unseen pieces from the designer's personal archive, the exhibition revels in Quant miniskirts and makeup, her famous Bazaar boutiques as well as patterns you could make at home.

 
 
 

A German Life

Maggie Smith stars in a solo show based on the testimony of Goebbels's secretary.

Bridge Theatre, 3 Potters Fields Park, London, SE1 2SG

Tube: London Bridge Station

 

Dates: 06th April - 11th May 2019

 

Dame Maggie Smith returns to the stage for the first time in twelve years to star in a solo show based on the testimony of Goebbels's secretary, Brunhilde Pomsel. A German Life, brought to the Bridge Theatre under the direction of Jonathan Kent, is a new play by Christopher Hampton drawn from the life and testimony of Brunhilde Pomsel. She struggled to make ends meet as a secretary in Berlin during the 1930s, her many employers including a Jewish insurance broker, the German Broadcasting Corporation and, eventually, Joseph Goebbels. She finally broke her silence shortly before she died in 2017 to a group of Austrian filmmakers, resulting in their documentary of the same name.

 
 
 

Now Play This

Explore an enchanted forest and discover over 50 games.

Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA

Tube: Temple Station

 

Dates: 03rd - 05th April 2020

 

A celebration of games and play at Somerset House, popular gaming festival Now Play This expands to nine days and presents over 50 games to get involved with. Coinciding with the city-wide, London Games Festival, this festival of play features immersive karaoke, a light-up quick reaction test and the award-winning interactive love story, Florence, chosen by The Guardian as one the best video games of 2018. Explore an enchanted forest, see a 1980's games console reimagined and take part in two free outdoor games - Zach Gage's 'Labyrinth' and a trail across the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court. Sign up for a Makers' Weekend Pass and you not only get unlimited entry to the festival but also special access to talks, workshops and activities with many of the designers and makers taking part.

 
 
 

Oxford vs Cambridge Goat Race

Two feisty goats - one named Oxford, the other Cambridge - embark on the annual race.

Spitalfields City Farm, Buxton Street, Shoreditch, London, E1 5AR

Tube: Whitechapel Station

 

Dates: 07th April 2019

 

The stakes are high as Oxford and Cambridge once again come head-to-head in a nail-biting and highly competitive race. No, this isn't the famous Boat Race but the equally prestigious (okay, maybe not quite) Oxford vs Cambridge Goat Race. Two feisty goats - one named Oxford, the other Cambridge - embark on the annual race, which takes place at Spitalfields City Farm on the same day as the Boat Race. In the build up to the big race there's live music from mash-up comedy band Rayguns look Real Enough, food and market stalls, beer and cocktail bars, arts and crafts stands as well as a bookie and sweepstake tent.

 
 
 
 

Oxford v Cambridge Boat Races

England's two elite universities take to the water in a nail-biting 4.2 mile rowing race.

Putney Bridge, Between Fulham and Putney, London, SW6 3JD

Tube: Putney Bridge Station

 

Dates: 29th March 2020

 

One of London's oldest sporting events, first raced in 1829, The Boat Race sees England's two elite universities take to the water in a nail-biting 4.2 mile rowing race between Putney Bridge and Mortlake Bridge in southwest London. Thousands of fans line the Thames each year to see Oxford battle against Cambridge. For spectators, there's a great view - and some great pubs - around Furnivall Gardens on the north side of the Thames near Hammersmith Bridge. Head to Putney Bridge, where big screens are put up on both banks, to watch the start of the race. At Bishop's Park behind the South Stand of Fulham football ground Craven Cottage, you'll find food stalls, family attractions and a large beer tent, while the banks of the river around Barnes are another popular spot. The warm-up starts with the reserve crew race between Isis and Goldie held before the main event but the build-up at the river bank starts well before, from 12noon at Bishop's Park and Furnivall Gardens.

 
 
 

The House On Cold Hill

Joe McFadden, Rita Simons and Charlie Clements star in this stage production of Peter James' novel.

Richmond Theatre, The Green, Surrey, London, TW9 1QJ

Tube: Richmond Station

 

Dates: 08th - 13th April 2019

 

As part of a wider UK tour, the world premiere of Peter James' The House on Cold Hill comes to Richmond Theatre this April. Adapted from his best-selling 2015 novel and based on his own real-life experience in the haunted house, the spine-chilling mystery sees the Harcourt family move into their house of dreams, but their dream quickly turns into a nightmare when they realise they might not be the only residents in the house. The production has an all-star cast of Joe McFadden, Rita Simons and Charlie Clements.

 
 
 

The Spring Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair

A wealth of unusual period design, 20th century classics and eccentric accessories.

Battersea Evolution, Battersea Park, Battersea Park, London, SW11 4NJ

Tube: Sloane Square Station

 

Dates: 14th - 18th May 2020

 

Held at The Marquee at Battersea Park in January, April and October each year, the Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair brings together 150 exhibitors from the UK and Europe. This spring the foyer display presents a modern-day dressing room with a touch of the Bloomsbury Set. One of ten new traders is Thurstan, the interiors business by former Soho House designer James Waterworth. There's a wealth of unusual period design, 20th century classics and eccentric accessories. Expect to find anything from vintage French wine glasses to valuable paintings by well-known contemporary artists like Barbara Hepworth and David Hockney with pieces covering every period from the 1700s to the 1970s.

 
 
 

Scotch Egg Challenge

Top chefs from across the UK come together to compete for the coveted culinary trophy.

The Canonbury Tavern, 21 Canonbury Place, Islington, London, N1 2NS

Tube: Highbury & Islington Station

 

Dates: 10th April 2019

 

A selection of London's leading chefs take to the kitchens with the aim of elevating the humble bar snack to new heights in a cook-off and blind tasting to find the nation's best Scotch Egg. Last year's winner Smoking Goat returns to defend its title, competing against Brat, the Holborn Dining Room, The Hero of Maida, The Wigmore and chefs from 22 restaurants who all meet at The Canonbury Tavern in Islington to compete in the famous Scotch Egg Challenge. A must-see (and taste) event for any foodie fan, entrants are judged on three categories - taste, texture and appearance - and there's enough scotch eggs for the audience to feed their faces for free. Previous winners have included the Harwood Arms, Princess Victoria and Holborn Dining Room. With a big screen showing all the action live from the kitchen and VIP tickets available in the seated judging area, this is a truly egg-cellent event.

 
 
 

Edvard Munch: love and angst

The British Museum exhibition focuses on Munch's prints - and there are around 17,800 to choose from.

British Museum, Great Russell Street, Bankside, London, WC1B 3DG

Tube: Tottenham Court Road Station , Russell Square Station, Holborn Station

 

Dates: 11th April - 21st July 2019

 

Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, famous for his haunting depictions of raw human emotion - think of Munch and you'll soon think of The Scream - is the subject of a major British Museum display, at the Sir Joseph Hotung Exhibition Gallery. Edvard Munch: love and angst focuses on Munch's prints - and there are around 17,800 to choose from - including a self portrait showing the artist with a skeleton arm framing the foreground. The display highlights how his artistic vision was shaped by personal experience of tragedy. The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were also a time when radical ideas were being expressed in art, literature, science and theatre in Europe. With a large number of loans coming from the Munch Museum in Oslo, the exhibition presents a rare opportunity to see the colour lithographs and woodcut prints here in the UK.

 
 
 
 

Smoke and Mirrors: The Psychology of Magic

The secret world of magicians is revealed from Derren Brown to Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee.

Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BE

Tube: Euston Square Station , Euston Station, Warren Street Station

 

Dates: 11th April - 15th September 2019

 

Mind games and masters of deception, the secret world of magicians is revealed at Smoke and Mirrors, a free exhibition at the Wellcome Collection which focuses on the relationship between magic and psychology. Artefacts from Derren Brown, Tommy Cooper, Paul Daniels, Debbie McGee and Harry Houdini illustrate the world of magic as the exhibition seeks out the truth about deception. Discover how bias and suggestion affect our senses and decisions, explore spirit photography and psychology experiments to understand how magic works on - and in - your mind.

 
 
 

Hito Steyerl: Power Plants

Art to make you leave your comfort zone and question your surroundings.

Serpentine Sackler Gallery, West Carriage Drive, Kensington Gardens, London, W2 2AR

Tube: Lancaster Gate Station

 

Dates: 11th April - 06th May 2019

 

Named "the most influential person in contemporary art" in 2017 by ArtReview in its Power 100 list, German filmmaker and visual artist, Hito Steyerl, explores ideas and predictions at the meeting point of artificial intelligence and human testimony. This project, on display at the Serpentine Sackler Gallery and online, kicks off with Actual RealityOS, a collectively produced digital commission, and Power Walks, a series of guided neighbourhood walks, leading to this exhibition opening in spring 2019. Taking the area local to the gallery, Steyerl uses data about wealth, social housing and austerity to chart real-life inequality forcing you to leave your comfort zone and question your surroundings.

 
 
 

Hot Sauce Society

A whole day of hot sauce themed activities.

Copeland Park, 133 Copeland Road, London, SE15 3SN

Tube: Denmark Hill Station

 

Dates: 13th April 2019

 

This spring, London's first hot sauce festival, the Hot Sauce Society, comes to Peckham for a whole day of activities themed around the condiment. More than 30 independent hot sauce producers from around the UK will come together at the event to showcase their products with samples of sauces, chutneys and chilli jams all available. Visitors will be able to learns about the makers, their story and what goes into their hot sauce. There will be also hot sauce inspired games and craft workshops with Frank's RedHot offering bottles of their sauce at their all-American games, which include beer pong and cornhole with lots of sauce prizes. Further food will come from kebab specialists Babek Brothers and street food experts Lord of The Wings, and several bars will serve everything from local craft beer to rum cocktails. A line-up of DJs will provide the music and there will also be Chilli Karaoke.

 
 
 

The London Artisan

Browse jewellery, ceramics, glassware, textiles and more at this artsy shopping event.

The Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL

Tube: Aldgate East Station

 

Dates: 14th - 15th March 2020

 

Fifty contemporary designers come together at the Old Truman Brewery this April for The London Artisan spring edition. Billed as 'a design event like no other', it offers a diverse and quality shopping experience that puts the focus on independent producers and makers with the aim of 'embedding the social back into shopping'. Visitors will be able to browse jewellery, ceramics, glassware, textiles, homewares, graphic design and children's products, and meet the designers who are behind the unique produce.

 
 
 

Chihuly at Kew: Reflections on nature

32 glass artworks add a new dimension to Kew's glasshouses, vistas and galleries.

Kew Gardens (Royal Botanic Gardens), Kew, Richmond, London, TW9 3AB

Tube: Kew Gardens Station

 

Dates: 13th April - 27th October 2019

 

Luminous glass artworks by Dale Chihuly - whose giant glass Chandelier greets you as you enter the V&A - go on display in Kew Gardens. Turning the gardens into an outdoor gallery, the glass pieces are placed across the grounds, in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art and, for the first time, in the Temperate House where a work has been specially designed for the space. Featuring pieces never seen before in the UK, the display includes the vibrant blue masterpiece Sapphire Star which welcomes you as you walk through Victoria Gate. At weekends and during the school holidays, the Chihuly Family Trail booklet helps children and their families explore the exhibition while exclusive night-time events allow you to these installations illuminated by an entirely different light.

 
 
 
 

Becoming: An Evening With Michelle Obama

Inspiring words from the former First Lady.

The O2 Arena, Peninsula Square, London, SE10 0BB

Tube: North Greenwich Station

 

Dates: 14th April 2019

 

After Michelle Obama's book tour talk at the Southbank Centre in December 2018 sold out within minutes it quickly became clear she would need a bigger room. The O2 should do the trick. On Sunday 14th April 2019, the former First Lady talks about her memoir, Becoming: An Intimate Conversation with her honest reflections on the experiences and events, both public and private, that have shaped her. If the Royal Festival Hall talk is anything to go by, she'll discuss her family, upbringing, black womanhood and path to the White House, as well as offering advice for young women.

 
 
 

All My Sons

Sally Field, Bill Pullman and Jenna Coleman star in this production of Arthur Miller's play.

Old Vic Theatre, 103 The Cut, London, SE1 8NB

Tube: Waterloo Station , Southwark Station, Lambeth North Station

 

Dates: 15th April - 08th June 2019

 

The second in an Arthur Miller double-bill, The Old Vic presents an all-star production of All My Sons. Co-produced with Headlong and directed by Jeremy Herrin, the production sees Sally Field, Bill Pullman, Jenna Coleman and Colin Morgan star in the piece that cemented Miller's reputation as one of the most influential playwrights of the 20th Century. Set in 1947 America, the play follows Joe and Kate Keller, who have beaten the odds to raise two sons and establish a thriving business. However, nothing lasts forever and long buried truths are forced to the surface, threatening the end of the family's American dream.

 
 
 

Damien Jalet & Kohei Nawa: Vessel

Near-naked dancers inhabit a flooded stage filled with 7,500 litres of water.

Sadler's Wells Theatre, Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TN

Tube: Angel Station

 

Dates: 16th - 17th April 2019

 

Filling the Sadler's Wells stage with 7,500 litres of water, Vessel is a striking collaboration between Olivier Award-winning Damien Jalet, who choreographed Hussein Chalayan's Gravity Fatigue at Sadler's Wells in 2015, and Japanese experimental sculptor Kohei Nawa. Inspired by the body's composition predominately being made up of water, the piece blurs the lines between the human form and its environment. Near-naked dancers inhabit a flooded stage, reflected and hidden by its mirror-like surface. Seven beings perform strange rituals to an electronic score by Marihiko Hara and Ryuichi Sakamoto.

 
 
 

Merce Cunningham: Night of 100 Solos

The Barbican stages the world premiere of Night of 100 Solos.

Barbican Theatre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS

Tube: Barbican Station , Moorgate Station

 

Dates: 16th April 2019

 

On the day that the giant of US choreography, Merce Cunningham, would have turned 100, the Barbican stages the world premiere of Night of 100 Solos. 75 dancers across three venues - the Barbican Theatre, BAM in New York City and UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance in Los Angeles - perform 100 solos choreographed by Cunningham, with live music and bespoke set design. Nearly half of the performers are former company members, led at the Barbican by Londoner Daniel Squire. To complement the performance, If the Dancer Dances (a 2018 documentary directed by Maia Wechsler) is screened in Cinema 2. It's all part of the official celebration of the Merce Cunningham Centennial which also brings Not a moment too soon to Silk Street Theatre.

 
 
 

Dinner is Coming

Get fully immersed in Game Of Thrones as the final series airs.

The Vaults, 10 Leake Street, London, SE1 7NN

Tube: Waterloo Station , Lambeth North Station

 

Dates: 09th April - 02nd June 2019

 

Game Of Thrones fans can get fully immersed in their favourite show. As the final series airs Dinner Is Coming brings a spoof dining experience at The Vaults under Waterloo. A delicious feast of indulgent food combined with theatre, comedy and an unhealthy dose of murder, the experience recreates the world of the Several Kingdoms deep in the Vaults' underground tunnels. Come for an experience full of dark twists, allegiance challenges and ominous royal celebrations and hear the story of a marriage between the heir to the Several Kingdoms, Jaffrey Bearathon, and Margarine, the beautiful daughter of the noble Trywell Family. You're encouraged to wear clothes suited to your chosen house - either a richly decorated lord or lady from Easteros, an armoured warrior or a poorly dressed peasant. NOTE: Suitable for ages 18 and over; contains nudity, violence, strong language and dragons.

 
 
 
 

Little Death Club

A night of dangerously funny kabarett, breathtaking circus and fire-breathing sideshow.

Underbelly Festival, Jubilee Gardens, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX

Tube: Waterloo Station , Embankment Underground Station

 

Dates: 18th April - 23rd June 2019

 

The darkest, funniest and most debauched kabarett club this side of Berlin! A Weimar-punk jazz band soundtracks a night of dangerously funny kabarett, breathtaking circus and fire-breathing sideshow at its most inappropriate, provocative and hilarious best. Join multi-award-winning Bernie Dieter, Queen of Weimar punk kabarett, as she introduces whisky-soaked, fire-breathing bearded lady Kitty Bang Bang and disgruntled mime Josh Glanc. Vocalist Myra DuBois, gender bending contortionist and aerialist Beau Sargent and hair hanging supremo Fancy Chance complete the line-up at the Little Death Club, coming to London as part of the Underbelly Festival on the South Bank this spring/summer.

 
 
 

Sadler's Wells Family Weekend

London's leading dance venue opens its doors to the whole family.

Sadler's Wells Theatre, Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TN

Tube: Angel Station

 

Dates: 10th - 11th April 2020

 

Spilling out into the foyer, the Family Weekend really opens up Sadler's Wells to a new generation of dance lovers. Not just for kids, the annual two-day dance festival is aimed at audiences aged 4 to 104 and in 2019 the multi award-winning Spanish company Aracaladanza presents Play, a performance relaying a magical world full of puppetry, balloons and fantastical costumes. The shows on the main stage are complemented by fun activities taking place across the entire building including dance workshops for parents and children, a stay and play session with the performers and free arts and crafts activities in the foyer.

 
 
 

Feast of St George in Trafalgar Square

Head to the heart of London for patriotic celebrations and traditional English food.

Trafalgar Square, Central, Westminster, London, WC2N 5DS

Tube: Charing Cross Station , Leicester Square Station, Embankment Underground Station, Piccadilly Circus Station

 

Dates: 18th April 2020

 

The official Mayor of London's St George's Day celebrations fill Trafalgar Square with tea, cake and live entertainment on Saturday 20th April 2019. It's all part of the patriotic celebrations on the Saturday closest to 23rd April, the actual feast day of England's dragon-slaying patron saint. The square is decorated in red and white for the festival with stalls selling traditional English food - including Britain's favourite dish: chicken tikka masala - while live music is played by pop and folk groups.

 
 
 

Marylebone Food Festival

Top restaurants, cafes, bars and food traders from the chic central London neighbourhood.

 

Dates: 21st - 26th April 2020

 

Returning for a second year, the Marylebone Food Festival brings together top restaurants, cafes, bars and food traders from the surrounding area. Launching with 'dinner part with a difference' The Marylebone Menu, a seven-course dinner with dishes from the likes of Michelin-starred restaurants Texture and Trishna, and celeb hangout Chiltern Firehouse. Further events in the four-day festival include special menus, exclusive masterclasses, one-off collaborations and food tours.

 
 
 

London Original Print Fair

A chance to see exquisite etchings, engravings, linocuts and lithographs.

Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Mayfair, London, W1J 0BD

Tube: Green Park Station , Piccadilly Circus Station

 

Dates: 25th - 28th April 2019

 

The London Original Print Fair, the world's longest running specialist fair dedicated to prints, returns to the Royal Academy of Arts for the 34th time in 2019, gathering 50 of the world's leading print dealers together at the prestigious London art gallery. It's a chance to see exquisite etchings, engravings, linocuts and lithographs from all periods of printmaking, from the earliest woodcuts of Durer to the latest additions by contemporary masters. Galleries including Bernard Jacobson, Alan Cristea, Eames Fine Art and Rabley Gallery take part, showcasing works by Royal Academicians and high profile artists - including Old Master prints by Durer, Goya, Warhol, Ruscha and Hockney as well as new works by Cornelia Parker. One highlight is Worton Hall's new project by Sir Peter Blake, Ways of Making, which includes etchings, screenprints and aquatints. If you're planning to visit the fair from outside London, have a look at our hotel deals near the Royal Academy of Arts for all your accommodation needs.

 
 
 
 

Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition

Props, costumes, films and scripts by the director of A Clockwork Orange.

Design Museum, 224-238 Kensington High Street, London, W8 6AG

Tube: High Street Kensington Station

 

Dates: 26th April - 17th September 2019

 

In 2019 the Design Museum stages its version of the Deutsches Filmmuseum's hugely successful exhibition - which began in Frankfurt in 2004 and has since travelled to 16 cities across the world - with an exploration of Stanley Kubrick's life and work. The exacting film maker spent most of his time living and working in Britain. It was here that he created the battlefields of Vietnam for Full Metal Jacket, an orbiting space station for 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Dr Strangelove's war room. So it's only appropriate that the exhibition is staged in the UK capital, showing props, costumes, films and scripts by the director and exploring his work with designers including Hardy Amies, Eliot Noyes, Ken Adam and Saul Bass. At the same time, the BFI is hosting a Kubrick Season throughout April and May 2019 showing 2001: A Space Odyssey, Barry Lyndon and Eyes Wide Shut on the big screen.

 
 
 

Writing: Making Your Mark

Tracing the evolution of the written word, from hieroglyphics to emojis.

British Library, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB

Tube: King's Cross Station , Euston Station

 

Dates: 26th April - 27th August 2019

 

"Writing is so much more than words on the page - it is how we communicate across time and space" says Adrian Edwards, lead curator of Writing: Making Your Mark at the British Library. Tracing the evolution of the written word, from hieroglyphics to emojis, this landmark exhibition examines the act of writing across five millennia and five continents. Over 30 different writing systems are on display including an ancient wax tablet containing a child's homework and a Chinese typewriter from the 1970s. Rare items like Caxton's 1476-7 printing of the Canterbury Tales - the first book printed in England - show how writing is one of humankind's greatest achievements.

 
 
 

Jude

This new play is loosely based on Thomas Hardy's novel Jude the Obscure.

Hampstead Theatre, Eton Avenue, London, NW3 3EU

Tube: Swiss Cottage Station

 

Dates: 26th April - 01st June 2019

 

The world premiere of Howard Brenton's new play, Jude, comes to the Hampstead Theatre this April. The last production that Edward Hall will direct during his tenure as artistic director, the play is loosely based on Thomas Hardy's novel Jude the Obscure, with this production offering a modern tale of unexpected genius. On the verge of being fired from her cleaning job due to being caught stealing a volume of Euripides, Jude saves herself by translating the ancient Greek on the spot, turning her employer's anger into shock and admiration. The employer, a Classics teacher, recognises the talent and helps Jude realise her life-long ambition of studying at Oxford University. But will her background hold her back?

 
 
 

Brixton Disco Festival

Horse Meat Disco is joined by London's coolest choir, Some Voices.

Electric Brixton, 1 Town Hall Parade, Brixton Hill, London, SW2 1RJ

Tube: Brixton Station

 

Dates: 27th April 2019

 

Horse Meat Disco and Some Voices Choir get the party started at Brixton's multi-venue disco extravaganza. Playing disco classics, Italo disco, house, oddities, and punk funk for 16 years, Horse Meat Disco is joined by London's coolest choir, Some Voices who present an immersive experience of Studio 54. They bringing disco vibes to Electric Brixton on Saturday 27th April as part of Brixton Disco Festival, joining a stellar lineup that includes Evelyn 'Champagne' King, Greg Wilson, Francois K & Cosmo, Low Life with Bill Brewster, Frank Broughton, and the Brixton Disco Festival Orchestra. The disco fever spills out into the venues surrounding Brixton's Windrush Square, including Electric Brixton, the Prince of Wales and the Ritzy with food and drink at Windrush Square Street Food Market.

 
 
 

Vaisakhi Festival 2019

A colourful way to welcome in the Sikh New Year.

Trafalgar Square, Central, London, WC2N 5DS

Tube: Charing Cross Station , Leicester Square Station, Embankment Underground Station, Piccadilly Circus Station

 

Dates: 27th April 2019

 

Each year London's official Vaisakhi Festival celebrations take place in Trafalgar Square in the heart of the city centre. A colourful way to welcome in the Sikh New Year, this fun, free event is a celebration of Sikh and Punjabi tradition, heritage and culture. There's traditional and modern Asian music and dancing, turban tying and an array of exotic culinary delights on offer. Live performances include music such as Kirtan (spiritual music), as well as modern dance music and DJs. In previous years crowds of 30,000 have attended the celebrations, which typically end with a final prayer for the good and well-being of the whole of humanity. Have a go at sports, arts events and fun activities for children and sample vegetarian food prepared by the Sikh community and on sale during the afternoon.

 
 
 
 

London Transport Museum's Depot Open Weekend - Love Your Line

The open weekend celebrates the District Line's 150th anniversary.

London Transport Museum Depot, 2 Museum Way, London, W3 9BQ

Tube: Acton Town Station

 

Dates: 27th - 28th April 2019

 

Only open twice a year, London Transport Museum's Acton Depot invites you in to explore the inventions, innovations and people behind the story of transport in London. In the year that the District Line celebrates its 150th anniversary, the event takes the theme Love Your Line to pay homage to the iconic London Underground network and particularly the District, Victoria, Jubilee and Overground lines. From their architecture and design to the stories and communities around them, a packed programmed of talks, tours, demonstrations and family activities will celebrate the whole story of the network.

 
 
 

Avalanche: A Love Story

Maxine Peake tells the story of a woman who goes through IVF treatment.

Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS

Tube: Barbican Station , Moorgate Station

 

Dates: 27th April - 12th May 2019

 

Maxine Peake stars in this adaptation of Julia Leigh's book, which follows the journey one woman takes through IVF treatment. Avalanche: A Love Story, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks, tells the story of a woman who rekindles an university love in her late 30s. Married and madly in love, they decide to have a child together and, like countless other couples, make a visit to the IVF clinic, full of optimism. So begins a long and costly journey of medical procedures, nightly injections, rituals and the oscillation between high hope and the depths of despair. A co-production with the Barbican, the play is the centrepiece of Fertility Fest, the arts festival devoted to the subjects of modern families and the science of making babies.

 
 
 

The London Marathon

Attracting 40,000 runners and even more spectators, the marathon is the largest fund raising event in the world.

The Mall, Westminster, London, SW1Y 5AH

Tube: St James's Park Station

 

Dates: 04th October 2020

 

The largest fund raising event in the world, the London Marathon, returns to the capital in April. One of the top five international marathons, it sees around 40,000 runners - serious competitors, celebrities and charity fun runners - flood the streets of London to tackle the gruelling 26.2 mile route. Attracting thousands of spectators, the course comes alive to the sounds of bands, cheering crowds and pounding feet. The race kicks off at Greenwich Park and Blackheath with a loop around Charlton and Woolwich, continues through Rotherhithe and Bermondsey, crosses the Thames on Tower Bridge before circling Canary Wharf and the City ahead of the showpiece finish along the Embankment, past Parliament Square and onto The Mall in the shadow of Buckingham Palace.

 
 
 

Rosmersholm

Strike actor Tom Burke stars in Rosmersholm, directed by Ian Rickson.

Duke of York's Theatre, St Martins Lane, London, WC2N 4BG

Tube: Leicester Square Station , Charing Cross Station, Covent Garden Station, Piccadilly Circus Station, Embankment Underground Station

 

Dates: 24th April - 20th July 2019

 

Tom Burke, the actor who plays detective Cormoran Strike in the BBC series based on JK Rowling's crime novels, and Hayley Atwell (a familiar face from the BBC's Howard's End) star in Henrik Ibsen's Rosmersholm, adapted by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Ian Rickson (who so memorably brought Jerusalem to the stage). Rickson directs a strong cast, which includes Giles Terera who won an Olivier Award for his performance in Hamilton, in this gripping political drama about an idealistic man torn between ghosts of his past and the flickering hope of the future.

 
 
 

Man of La Mancha

Kelsey Grammer and Nicholas Lyndhurst star in the musical inspired by Don Quixote.

London Coliseum - English National Opera (ENO), St Martin's Lane, London, WC2N 4ES

Tube: Charing Cross Station , Leicester Square Station, Covent Garden Station, Embankment Underground Station

 

Dates: 26th April - 08th June 2019

 

Dreaming 'The Impossible Dream', Kelsey Grammer comes to the London Coliseum, making his West End debut in this Tony award winning musical inspired by Miguel de Cervantes's Don Quixote. In a collaboration with English National Opera, Man of La Mancha also stars Nicholas Lyndhurst, who plays the Innkeeper and the Captain, and the international opera star and soprano Danielle de Niese who shares the role of Aldonza and Dulcinea with Cassidy Jonson. Lonny Price, who directed the acclaimed London production of Sunset Boulevard starring Glenn Close, directs this classic tale of knighthood, love, loyalty and adventure set in 16th century Spain.

 
 
 

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