June in London 2016

 
 
 
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New Tate Modern Opens

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New Tate Modern Opens
Winifred Knights
Engineering the World: Ove Arup and the Philosophy of Total Design
Coldplay
Ben Folds
Field Day
Phaedra(s)
Alex Katz
Bugsy Malone
Slide at ArcelorMittal Orbit
Slide at ArcelorMittal Orbit
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2016: Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)
Barbu
London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival
The Mid Century Market
Summer Sessions
No Body
Ronnie Scott's at Chiswick House
Giffords Circus
Hampton Court Palace Festival
Hampton Court Palace Festival
Hampton Court Palace Festival
LA Dance Project: Mixed Bill
English National Ballet: Swan Lake
Children's Art Week
Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship
 

© Hayes Davidson and Herzog de Meuron

Elbow lead singer Guy Garvey curates this year's Meltdown festival, Coldplay take to the stage at Wembley and the new Tate Modern opens in June 2016.

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The Deep Blue Sea

Helen McCrory and Carrie Cracknell reunite for this adaptation.

National Theatre: Lyttelton Theatre, South Bank, London, SE1 9PX

Tube: Temple Station , Waterloo Station

 

Dates: 01st June - 21st September 2016

 

After working together on the acclaimed 2014 production of Medea, Helen McCrory and director Carrie Cracknell reunite for an adaptation of Terrence Rattigan's The Deep Blue Sea. Staged at the National's Lyttelton Theatre, the devastating masterpiece contains what is regarded as one of the greatest female roles in contemporary drama. In a Ladbroke Grove flat in 1952, Hester Collyer is found by her neighbours in the aftermath of a failed suicide attempt. Shortly after, the story of her affair with a former RAF pilot and the breakdown of her marriage to a High Court judge soon starts to unravel, developing into a portrait of need, loneliness and long-repressed passion.

 
 
 

London Festival of Architecture

Over 200 events, exhibitions and talks on the theme of 'community' in architecture.

 

Dates: 01st - 30th June 2019

 

'Community' gives the 2016 London Festival of Architecture its theme, fleshed out through three core events - organised by the Royal Academy, Coin Street Community Builders, Kings Place and the Landscape Institute - as well as around 220 more. First set up in 2004 the month-long festival is back for its twelfth year with an exciting mix of events, tours, talks and exhibitions taking place across the city. Razia Iqbal of the BBC chairs the big debate on issues facing architecture today, there's a focus on the rapid development and regeneration of the Nine Elms area and the Royal Institute of British Architects presents 'Constructing Communities', three ambitious 1:1 installations examining how architecture can influence or create communities.

 
 
 

Swan Lake

A "ravishing", "sumptuous spectacle" - The Sunday Times.

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AP

Tube: South Kensington Station

 

Dates: 01st - 12th June 2016

 

The English National Ballet perform Derek Deane's Swan Lake at the Royal Albert Hall with a "superb, no-nonsense professionalism" that manages to make "such an old tale feel so very fresh" (writes Mark Monahan in The Telegraph, reviewing their performance at the London Coliseum last year). Tamara Rojo takes on the lead role for three performances dancing alongside Isaac Hernandez who makes his debut in the role of Prince Siegfried. A "ravishing", "sumptuous spectacle" - The Sunday Times.

 
 
 

Little Feast

The food festival returns for summer 2016.

Shepherd's Bush Yard, Goldhawk Road, London, W12 8HA

Tube: Goldhawk Road Station , Shepherd's Bush Market Station (Hammersmith and City Line)

 

Dates: 04th November - 23rd December 2016

 

After a successful run in 2015, Little Feast returns in June 2016 for their summer edition, bringing six street food kitchens, a bar and indoor and outdoor seating to Shepherd's Bush Yard. Themed around an English walled garden in the Yard and the remanence of an English beach house in the Arch, it brings together climbing evergreens, trellises and trees, oak tables, lush green grass and quaint stone paths with hints of sky blue, white washed woods and beautiful linens. Feast on dishes from Cheeky Burger, Jama Cubana, Nanny Bill's, Bull and Rancher, and The Marshmallowist.

 
 
 

London Bridge City Summer Festival

London's largest free festival, with music, film, food and theatre events.

London Bridge, 203 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2JX

Tube: London Bridge Station

 

Dates: 01st June - 04th September 2020

 

London's largest free festival, the London Bridge City Summer Festival transforms the iconic riverside location into a summer hub of live entertainment, food and drink. Running from June through to October, the summer-long festival presents free live music five nights a week, post-work DJ sessions, fitness and dance classes, street performances, live theatre, film screenings and the showings of the summer's biggest sporting events. There will also be pop-up food and drink experience, London Riviera.

 
 
 
 

LIFT Festival

This festival presents events across theatres, art venues and other London sites.

 

Dates: 25th May - 22nd July 2018

 

The London International Festival of Theatre (or LIFT, if you prefer) returns to the capital in 2016 at theatres, arts venues and other sites around London. There's a huge range of events, including live performances, art exhibitions and installations. Events take place on the streets, squares and promenades of London from Canning Town to Harlesden and major venues include the Barbican Centre, Royal Court Theatre, Southbank Centre and Institute of Contemporary Arts. The 2016 programme includes Stella, a play about Victorian cross dressers Fanny and Stella; The Empathy Museum, presenting a series of installations and events bringing you closer to other people's lives; Depart, the latest piece by Australian circus company Circa; and Everything By My Side, an installation that invites you to get tucked up in bed and listen to childhood stories.

 
 
 

Sundance London

This UK spinoff of America's indie film festival presents four days of original film.

Picturehouse Central, 7-14 Coventry Street, London, W1D 7DH

Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station , Leicester Square Station

 

Dates: 30th May - 02nd June 2019

 

Bringing four days of original film, Sundance returns to London in June, this year taking place at Picturehouse Central. The UK spinoff of America's indie film festival founded by Robert Redford in 1987 will showcase films screened at the Utah-based film festival in January. With screenings celebrating independent filmmakers, the festival presents a series of both UK and world premieres. This year's line-up includes Tallulah, the directional debut of Orange Is the New Black writer Sian Heder, starring Ellen Page; Wiener-Dog from infamous indie film director Todd Solondz, starring Danny DeVito and Greta Gerwig; and The Intervention, a comedy about a weekend getaway for four couples from female director Clea Duvall.

 
 
 

Bernadette Peters

The renowned Broadway star performs songs by Sondheim.

Southbank Centre: Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX

Tube: Waterloo Station , Embankment Underground Station

 

Dates: 03rd June 2016

 

Appearing on Broadway since the age of 11, Bernadette Peters performs songs from some of her greatest stage roles, including Gypsy, Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George in her first UK solo concerts for over 15 years. Coming to the Royal Festival Hall on Friday 3rd June 2016, the renowned Broadway star will perform songs by Sondheim which she has sung on stage in the original US productions of Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George. More recently, she headlined the Broadway revivals of A Little Night Music and Follies, songs from which will also feature here.

 
 
 

Sunset Safari

A new family-friendly late-night event with talks, face painting, acrobats and more

ZSL London Zoo, Regent's Park Outer Circle, London, NW1 4RY

Tube: Chalk Farm Station

 

Dates: 03rd June - 15th July 2016

 

Replacing the ZSL London Zoo raucous Friday Lates, the Sunset Safari is a new family-friendly after-hours event. Visitors will be able to glimpse a tiger prowling at twilight and the giraffes settling down at dusk, as well as embark on self-guided safari trails and enjoy a packed programme of animal feeds and talks. There will also be animal themed acrobats, face painting, smooth jazz, acoustic performances and tempting food from more than 15 of London's independent vendors. For those who don't want to leave when the sun goes down, there will also be a late night Conservation Comedy event, with the likes of Rufus Hound, Katy Brand, Stewart Lee and Robin Ince performing.

 
 
 

Hotel Black Cat

Prima ballerinas, daredevil acrobats and miraculous musicians.

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

Tube: Waterloo Station , Embankment Underground Station

 

Dates: 03rd June - 26th August 2016

 

Step into a bohemian Parisian hotel from the first decade of the 20th century, a place filled with prima ballerinas, daredevil acrobats, miraculous musicians and other stylish reprobates. Hotel Black Cat, presented by The Black Cat Cabaret, winner of 'Best Production' at the 2014 London Cabaret Awards, mixes cabaret with circus acts, comedy and music. Featuring a cast of world-class circus and cabaret performers including Dusty Limits, Katharine Arnold, Florian Brooks and Vicky Butterfly.

 
 
 
 

London Map Fair

The world's largest antique map fair.

Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AR

Tube: South Kensington Station

 

Dates: 04th - 05th June 2016

 

The world's largest antique map fair, the London Map Fair returns in June with around 40 of the leading national and international antiquarian map dealers. Taking place at the Royal Geographical Society, the fair also welcomes hundreds of visiting dealers, collectors, curators and map aficionados from all around the world. A large selection of original antique maps will be for sale, with prices starting at as little as £10 and moving on well up into the thousands. The fair will also feature a special map lecture from specialist dealer Roderick Barron as well as talks by Ashley Baynton-Williams on map collecting for beginners throughout the weekend.

 
 
 

Independent Label Market

The market moves to Uniqlo for its 5th birthday party.

West Handyside Canopy, York Way, London, N1C 4UZ

Tube: King's Cross Station

 

Dates: 24th - 25th February 2018

 

The Independent Label Market returns in June - this time moving to Uniqlo on Oxford Street - with another chance to buy sought after records from numerous labels. Celebrating its 5th birthday party, this year's festival welcomes labels such as Because, Bella Union, Fire, Hospital, Hyperdub, Strut and Kaya Kaya. There will also be DJ sets from Field Work, Tom Furse, Shock Machine and Test Pressing, as well as drinks and more exclusives.

 
 
 

Punkx

A free one-day festival celebrating 40 years of punk.

Granary Square, Good's Way, London, N1C 4AA

Tube: King's Cross Station

 

Dates: 04th June 2016

 

Free one-day festival Punkx at Granary Square in King's Cross celebrates 40 years of punk. Throughout the '90s clubbers flocked to abandoned warehouses ad brick railway arches at King's Cross for legendary parties. Punkx celebrates the experimental and creative scene with punk-inspired performances, fire-breathing cars, live music and plenty of visual spectacle. They'll be a punk makeover station, design t-shirts, album covers and punk guitar hero. Performances will come from Static Kills and the Mutoid Waste Company as well as Firm of Poets and John Osborne while street food will be served by Bish Bash Bangers, Luardo's Burrito and Waffle On.

 
 
 

Nabucco

Verdi's successful opera returns to the ROH.

Royal Opera House, Bow Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9DD

Tube: Covent Garden Station , Leicester Square Station

 

Dates: 06th - 30th June 2016

 

"With this opera, it can truly be said that my artistic career began" were the words of Giuseppe Verdi following the instant success of Nabucco. Having fallen into despair after the failure of his second opera, Verdi vowed never to compose another piece. However, he was convinced by Bartolomeo Merelli, manager of La Scala Milan, to work on Nabucco and its resounding success led to his fame. Offering a romantic and political plot, Nabucco is set to the background of the plight of the Jews as they are assaulted and exiled by the Babylonian King. This revival, directed by Daniele Abbado, is based in the second half of the 20th century and uses large-scale video projections to accompany the action on stage. Epic scores such as the Hebrew Slaves' song of exile 'Va pensiero' the words of which are rumoured to be what inspired Verdi to write music again add to the powerful drama of the piece.

 
 
 

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Likely to be the most successful West End show ever.

Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1A 4AF

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

 

Dates: 07th June - 24th January 2021

 

Judging by the 36,000 retweets Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling got when she announced the Cursed Child on Twitter back in June 2015, Harry Potter the Play is going to be a HUGE hit. Coming in summer 2016, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne (whose theatre credits include Hope and Let The Right One In), and John Tiffany, the Olivier and Tony award winner director of Once. One play presented in two parts, both are meant to be seen in order on the same day (matinee and evening) or on two consecutive evenings. An all-star creative team is behind the production including movement by Steven Hoggett, set designs by Christine Jones, costumes by Katrina Lindsay, music by Imogen Heap, lighting by Neil Austin, sound by Gareth Fry, special effects by Jeremy Chernick, illusions - this is a show about the boy wizard, after all - by Jamie Harrison and musical supervision by Martin Lowe. Theatrical magic.

 
 
 
 

No Body

A performance at London's premiere dance venue without the physical presence of dancers.

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

Tube: Angel Station

 

Dates: 07th - 12th June 2016

 

It might seem strange at one of London's foremost dance venues but for this performance there are no dancers. Without dancers to distract us, No Body shows just how much goes into a dance show, in support of the main performers. The multi-installation experience combines all the elements of a dance performance - lighting, sound, projection - but, remarkably, without the physical presence of dancers.

 
 
 

Richard III

Ralph Fiennes stars alongside Vanessa Redgrave.

Almeida Theatre, Almeida Street, London, N1 1TA

Tube: Angel Station

 

Dates: 07th June - 06th August 2016

 

Ralph Fiennes returns to the Almeida after 16 years to take the lead in the theatre's opening 2016/17 production, Richard III. Taking the title role, Fiennes will star alongside Academy Award-winner Vanessa Redgrave as Queen Margaret in an emotionally wrought staging directed by Artistic Director Rupert Goold. Fiennes will follow in the footsteps of Martin Freeman, Mark Rylance and Kevin Spacey, who all previously tackled the role of the king-to-be who manipulates and murders his way to the throne.

 
 
 

The Quiet House

This new play by Gareth Farr is an unswervingly honest love story.

Park Theatre, 11 Clifton Terrace, London, N4 3JP

Tube: Finsbury Park Station

 

Dates: 07th June - 08th July 2016

 

An unswervingly honest love story, Gareth Farr's new play, The Quiet House, tells the story of Jess and Dylan. An ordinary couple who are completely in love, they want to start a family. That's all they've ever wanted. Things don't run smoothly though and they soon find themselves on an extraordinary journey through the world of IVF, putting their faith in science and their relationship to the ultimate test. The second play from Farr, it follows his Bruntwood Prize-winning debut, Britannia Waves the Rules, and will be directed by Tessa Walker and staged at the Park Theatre.

 
 
 

Ed Byrne: Outside, Looking In

The observational stand-up comedian is back.

Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX

Tube: Leicester Square Station , Piccadilly Circus Station, Covent Garden Station

 

Dates: 07th - 11th June 2016

 

Observational stand-up comedian Ed Byrne is back with new tour Outside, Looking In. Coming to the Leicester Square Theatre in June, the long-haired Irish comedian will take the audience through ailing relationships, family life, medical embarrassments and bad drivers. A regular on shows such as Mock The Week, Have I Got News For You and Never Mind The Buzzcocks, he's a seasoned comic that promises witty punchlines that are sure to bring the house down. NOTE: Ed Byrne's London run has been moved from Shepherd's Bush Empire to the Leicester Square Theatre, on 7th, 8th, 10th and 11th June 2016.

 
 
 

Opera Holland Park 2016

This annual event is a highlight of summer in London.

Holland Park Theatre, Holland Park, Holland Park, London, W8 6LU

Tube: Kensington (Olympia) Station

 

Dates: 04th June - 03rd August 2019

 

The annual Holland Park Opera is a highlight of summer in London, when the temporary structure of Holland Park Theatre is erected in West London's Holland Park and the operatic arias soar over the tree tops. The magical atmosphere of these productions owe a lot to their surroundings but it's also a tribute to a remarkable opera company that has defied expectations and budgets to produce productions of the very highest standard. The 2016 season, which starts on 7th June, includes five brand new main-stage productions as well as a welcome return of family opera 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'. Highlights include Mascagni's Iris, Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades, Die Fledermaus, La boheme, and La Cenerentola - a co-production with Danish National Opera. The Royal Ballet School returns presenting a mix of classical ballet, contemporary and character pieces across four performances.

 
 
 
 

Mary Heilmann

Expect a riot of rainbow hues at this exhibition by the American artist born in California in 1940.

Whitechapel Gallery, 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, London, E1 7QX

Tube: Aldgate East Station , Aldgate East Underground Station, Aldgate Station

 

Dates: 08th June - 21st August 2016

 

Vivid colours mark Mary Heilmann's palette so you can expect a riot of rainbow hues at this Whitechapel Gallery exhibition, the first major solo presentation in a public gallery of the work of the influential New York-based artist in the UK in 15 years. Born in California in 1940, Heilmann studied ceramics and poetry before moving to New York in 1968 and taking up painting. The exhibition will feature vibrantly coloured, abstract canvases, works on paper, furniture and ceramics from her five-decade career.

 
 
 

Winifred Knights

All completed paintings by the first British woman to win the Prix de Rome are reunited for the first time.

Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, Dulwich Village, London, SE21 7AD

Tube: Denmark Hill Station

 

Dates: 08th June - 18th September 2016

 

All of the completed paintings by Winifred Knights, the first British woman to win the Prix de Rome, are reunited for the first time since they were created at the Dulwich Picture Gallery this summer. Here you'll find five major works by the Slade graduate, including the apocalyptic The Deluge, 1920, 'the work of a genius' which won her the prestigious art prize, chosen on the insistence of John Singer Sargent. These five paintings are displayed with close to 120 intricate preparatory studies, illustrations and portraits giving visitors an insight into Knights' background, biography and artistic process.

 
 
 

Beating Retreat

A fabulous floodlit evening of military music with fireworks.

Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall, Westminster, London, SW1A 2AX

Tube: Charing Cross Station , Embankment Underground Station, Westminster Station

 

Dates: 08th - 09th June 2016

 

A fabulous floodlit evening of military music with fireworks including the ceremony of Beating Retreat in which a drum was used to order troops to break off fighting, a tradition dating back to the reign of James II. The Queen usually attends one of t hese annual concerts performed on Horse Guards Parade , set against the beautiful backdrop of St James's Park. Held on the Wednesday and Thursday evenings before the Queen's Birthday Parade, or Trooping The Colour as it's better known, this wonderful display is a chance to see the pomp and ceremony of military history in action.

 
 
 

Alex Katz

A major solo show of the popular American artist.

Serpentine Gallery, Kensington Gardens, London, W2 3XA

Tube: Lancaster Gate Station

 

Dates: 08th June - 11th September 2016

 

American artist Alex Katz's stylised figurative portraits were the subject of several major museum exhibitions in 2015 - at his New York gallery, Gavin Brown's enterprise, and at Atlanta's High Museum of Art - and his popularity continues in 2016 with a major solo show at the Serpentine this summer. Showing paintings, drawings, sculpture and prints from across his 55-year career, the installation includes works which respond and relate to the gallery's spaces. Influenced by films, television, and billboard advertising, Katz began exhibiting his work in 1954 and is still going strong. At an age when retirement is a reasonable option, the 88 year old is painting more than ever. Continually innovating, even now, "He keeps going back to places he's been with a new attack" (Robert Storr, dean of Yale University's school of art, quoted in The Wall Street Journal).

 
 
 

Etel Adnan

The first solo exhibition in a UK public institution dedicated to the Lebanese-American artist.

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

Tube: Lancaster Gate Station

 

Dates: 08th June - 11th September 2016

 

The first solo exhibition in a UK public institution dedicated to the Lebanese-American painter, essayist and poet, Etel Adnan, Serpentine Sackler Gallery presents a survey review of her work. Born in Beirut in 1925, Adnan began painting in the late 1950s, embracing abstract colour and renouncing writing in French as a gesture of resistance to the brutality of the Algerian War. In February 2015 The Wall Street Journal ran a feature on her explaining: "Why the art world has fallen for the 90-year-old Etel Adnan" and describing her as, "a modern-day inheritor of 20th-century avant-garde movements like Dada and surrealism".

 
 
 
 

Hampton Court Palace Festival

Tom Jones, Katherine Jenkins and Art Garfunkel play live in the grounds of the palace.

Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, London, KT8 9AU

Tube: Richmond Station

 

Dates: 08th - 24th June 2017

 

Returning for its 24th year with 10 nights of music, the Hampton Court Palace Festival takes place in the open-air court of King Henry VIII's Palac - a beautiful backdrop for a line-up of acts worthy of the venue. The legendary Tom Jones kicks the whole thing off and plays two nights at the festival. Van Morrison, Katherine Jenkins, Art Garfunkel, George Benson and Caro Emerald are all on the line up which also includes festival favourite Jools Holland & his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Anastacia and the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. Guests can bring their own hampers with champers or take advantage of the pre-ordered picnic options on offer which include a VIP package where you get great seats, a champagne reception with canapes as well as dinner with wine.

 
 
 

Hobson's Choice

A celebration of the 100th anniversary of the first UK production of Harold Brighouse's classic.

Vaudeville Theatre, 404 Strand, Regent's Park, London, WC2R 0NH

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

 

Dates: 08th June - 10th September 2016

 

Marking the 100th anniversary of the first UK production of Harold Brighouse's classic comedy, Hobson's Choice comes to the Vaudeville Theatre this summer. Set in 1880s Salford, the play follows Cobbler Henry Horatio Hobson who has three daughters, all of whom he takes for granted, forcing them to work in his shop unpaid. When the oldest and plainest, Maggie, takes the initiative of marrying his best bootmaker, Willie Mossop, and setting up a rival business, Hobson gets his comeuppance, and the girls get their own back.

 
 
 

Phaedra(s)

Isabelle Huppert returns to the London stage for a rare appearance.

Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS

Tube: Barbican Station , Moorgate Station

 

Dates: 09th - 18th June 2016

 

French screen and stage actress Isabelle Huppert returns to the London stage for the first time in two decades this year, starring in Phaedra(s) at the Barbican . Part of LIFT 2016, the show is a radical take on the Greek myth of Phaedra, who burns with illicit desire for her stepson. She must face the fact that even when in the closest physical proximity, her loved one remains completely inaccessible. Bringing the story into the modern world, Krzysztof Warlikowski's adaptation is based on Sarah Kane's provocative Phaedra's Love.

 
 
 

Meltdown Festival: Guy Garvey

Expect new and undiscovered artists - continuing Guy's work on BBC 6 Music.

Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, South Bank, London, SE1 8XX

Tube: Waterloo Station , Embankment Underground Station

 

Dates: 12th - 21st June 2020

 

Elbow lead singer Guy Garvey curates the marvellous Meltdown Festival in 2016. Launched 23 years ago, the festival puts one well connected music industry figure in the driving seat and gives them free reign to invite whoever they like to the Southbank Centre. With the lead singer of the Mercury Prize winning Elbow in charge we can expect new and undiscovered artists - continuing Guy's work championing such talent on BBC 6 Music. If the band's own 2008 Meltdown performance is anything to go by, there'll be unmissable events like a choir of identikit Guy Garveys joining elbow on stage. We can also look forward to one-off performances and collaborations by well known artists who have influenced the Bury-born lyricist who follows in the footsteps of Patti Smith, David Bowie, Yoko Ono and David Byrne in curating the boundary-pushing festival.

 
 
 

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2016: Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)

The 2016 pavilion sees one temporary structure surrounded by four Summer Houses.

Serpentine Gallery, Kensington Gardens, South Kensington, London, W2 3XA

Tube: Lancaster Gate Station

 

Dates: 10th June - 09th October 2016

 

This summer the Serpentine Pavilion, the annual architectural project commissioned by the Serpentine Gallery, goes beyond its usual scope and presents one temporary structure surrounded by four Summer Houses in Kensington Gardens. Each Summer House is designed by different architects - Kunlé Adeyemi - NLÉ (Amsterdam/Lagos); Barkow Leibinger (Berlin/New York); Yona Friedman (Paris); and Asif Khan based right here in London who was responsible for the musical Coca Cola Beatbox Pavilion design at the London 2012 Summer Olympics. All have been asked to take the nearby Queen Caroline's Temple, a classical style summer house built in 1734, as inspiration. At the heart of the commission is a pavilion designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) - the architects behind Two World Trade Center in Manhattan - allowing space for visitors to sit and relax, learn, debate and enjoy the live events held there throughout the summer.

 
 
 
 

Big Fernand EURO 2016 Fan Bar

A dedicated Euro 2016 fan bar within the French restaurant.

Big Fernand, 37 Thurloe Place, London, SW7 2HP

Tube: Tottenham Court Road Station , Goodge Street Station

 

Dates: 10th June - 10th July 2016

 

French Fitzrovia restaurant Big Fernand is going football crazy and setting up a dedicated EURO 2016 fan bar to celebrate the festival of football taking place in France. A month of football fun kicks off on 10th June 2016 with a screening of the tournament's opening game between the host nation and Romania in the upstairs dining room, transformed into a football fan's dream room with matches played live on the big screen, 'baby-foot' tables and Big Fernand's trademark French burgers. The new bar will be a beacon for French footie fans in the capital and everyone gets a pound off the price of Le Balthazar every time France win a game. Looking for somewhere to watch the first England game on Saturday 11th June against Russia? You've just found it.

 
 
 

Free Range

The UK's largest graduate art, design and fashion show.

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

Tube: Aldgate East Station

 

Dates: 14th June - 16th July 2018

 

Free Range, the UK's largest graduate art, design and fashion show, returns to The Old Truman Brewery in June with around 3,000 exhibitions from 50 leading universities. Since its inception in 2001, Free Range has been showcasing art, fashion, design, graphics, illustrations, textiles and photography from creative graduates from all over London and the UK. The annual event provides college students with the opportunity to showcase their work on an international level. For the public, it's a (free) chance to spot the latest trends and newest talents. What's more, a stone's throw from Brick Lane and its popular markets, Free Range can be part of a wider day out in one of the East End's hippest neighbourhoods. All the exhibitions and displays are free but take note that the fashion catwalk shows are by invite only, while Thursday nights are private viewings.

 
 
 

Field Day

PJ Harvey headlines this year's festival.

Victoria Park, Grove Road, Tower Hamlets, Tower Hamlets, London, E3 5SN

Tube: Mile End Station

 

Dates: 11th - 12th June 2016

 

Field Day returns for 2016 with PJ Harvey as one of the headline acts, who makes her first UK live, full band show since 2011. The festival celebrates its 10th year this June and will also welcomes the likes of Cass McCombs, Deerhunter, Four Tet, Skepta and Goat to the stage. Taking place at Victoria Park , Field Day is perfect for those looking for subdued electro, melancholic folk, bold dance acts and a dreamy summer vibe. After parties at neighbouring clubs keep the vibe going after the main event - curfew at 10.45pm - has closed.

 
 
 

Trooping the Colour

A vibrant display of ceremony and military history to mark the second of the Queen's two birthdays.

Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall, Westminster, London, SW1A 2AX

Tube: Charing Cross Station , Embankment Underground Station, Westminster Station

 

Dates: 08th June 2019

 

A vibrant display of ceremony and military history, Trooping the Colour, also known as The Queen's Birthday Parade, marks the second of the Queen's two birthdays (this is the official one, her actual birthday is on 21st April). It's a spectacular piece of pageantry but also a timely reminder of the role of the armed forces who are - in theory, at least - under the Queen's control. Hundreds of well-disciplined soldiers in full dress uniform march past at the Horse Guards Parade, and a different Battalion gives the Royal Salute each year, all accompanied by stirring military music from the massed bands. On the same day, a 41-Gun Royal Salute takes place in Green Park at 12.52pm and there's a 62-Gun salute at the Tower Of London at 1pm. But if you want to avoid the crush at the Mall, you can see the Horse Guards practicing for the grand parade at two smaller rehearsals in the days leading up to the grand event - namely the Major General's Review on the Saturday before and the Colonel's Review on the Saturday two weeks before the Trooping of the Colour.

TICKETS:
The Ballot for tickets for seated stands around Horse Guards Parade opens in January and closes in February. Applications should be made in writing, during January and February only, enclosing a stamped self-addressed envelope to: Brigade Major, HQ Household Division, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London SW1A 2AX.

 
 
 

Bugsy Malone

Sean Holmes's smash hit production returns for 2016.

Lyric Hammersmith, Lyric Square, 2 King Street, London, W6 0QA

Tube: Hammersmith Station

 

Dates: 11th June - 04th September 2016

 

After reopening the Lyric Hammersmith in 2015, Sean Holmes's smash hit production of Bugsy Malone returns to the theatre this year. With Sir Alan Parker giving rare permission for a professional production of his world famous musical Bugsy Malone, this highly acclaimed theatre version transforms the stage into Fat Sam's speakeasy, with Olivier Award-winning director Holmes bringing the loving musical pastiche of the 1920s Chicago gangsters-and-molls' scene to life. "Children are the stars of Sean Holmes's ebullient, sassy, grab-you-by-the-tear-ducts production," writes Susannah Clapp in The Guardian, praising "the big sweep" of Drew McOnie's choreography and "smart touches" like the "gleaming, foot-pedalled car" and "the face of a pocket-sized, swanking star". In short, this is "razzmatazz perfection" as The Telegraph theatre critic Dominic Cavendish puts it.

 
 
 
 

Junipalooza

A celebration of all thing gin, with distillers from all over the world.

Tobacco Dock, 50 Porters Walk, London, E1W 2SF

Tube: Rotherhithe Overground Station

 

Dates: 11th - 12th June 2016

 

A celebration of all things gin, Junipalooza at Tobacco Dock invites guests to sample unique gins from all over the world. A global gathering of gin makers in London, it will see 40 distillers travel to London especially to take part and will offer category wide masterclasses, music, food, a dedicated cocktails bar and plenty of gin to sample, obviously. Visitors will be able to sample gin from Canada, America, Australia, South Africa and, being a quintessentially British spirit, there will, of course, be plenty of British gin makers in attendance, including Dodd's, East London Liquor Company, Sipsmith, Tarquin and Mews Gin.

 
 
 

Found Festival

House, techno, disco and carefully curated electronic music in Brockwell Park.

Brockwell Park, Norwood Road, London, SE24 0PA

Tube: Brixton Station

 

Dates: 11th June 2016

 

Six stages of house, techno, disco and carefully curated electronic music, the Found Festival lines up a great big long list of top DJs for a full-on party in Brockwell Park. The main stage welcomes Kerri Chandler, Derrick May, Dyed Soundorom, Paranoid London live, Midland, Leon Vynehall, Session Victim live, Willow and The Menendez Brothers while the Find Me In The Dark stage hosts Trade (Blawan & Surgeon) live, Rodhad, Legowelt live, Zenker Brothers, Kassem Mosse live, Ron Morelli, Route 8, Courtesy and Asquith. Art Of Dark's line-up includes Petre Inspirescu aka Pedro RPR, Mara Trax (Maayan Nidam & Vera), Binh, Francesco Del Garda, Laurine and Colin Chiddle, and the Secretsundaze stage hosts Theo Parrish, Ron Trent, Marcellus Pittman, Linkwood and Mr Beatnick. The Feelings stage welcomes Mood II Swing, Wamdue Kids live, Dream 2 Science live, Maurice Fulton, Pender Street Steppers, Beautiful Swimmers, Daniel Wang, Kasra V and Feelings (Ryan Winters & DJ Karl Karlson), and the line-up on the Friends Of Found stage includes 808, Abandoned Silence, Cubed, Funster, Flux Showcase: Desert Sound Colony & Archie, Planetary Notions, ReviverHer, Turf and Yume Records. Phew!

 
 
 

World Naked Bike Ride

The eccentric bike ride returns for its eighth year.

Regent's Park, Inner Circle, Hyde Park, London, NW1 4NR

Tube: Regent's Park Station

 

Dates: 08th June 2019

 

There's a good reason why professional cyclists wear Lycra: to hold their privates in the right place so as to avoid unnecessary (not to mention painful) chaffing (or entrapment) with the saddle. For naturists and exhibitionists who are prepared to risk getting all tangled up when pedalling on two wheels, the World Naked Bike Ride is just the job. Last year more than 1,000 people took off their clothes and rode around the capital nude to raise awareness of the need for more tolerance of bicycles on the roads of the city. Part of a unified world event, the London Naked Bike Ride, now in its eighth year, does make exemptions for those a bit too shy to reveal all, with a "go as bare as you dare" policy implemented above a stringent cry for nakedness. The actual ride is easy and relaxed, with participants often decorating their torsos with body paint and bikes with environmental protests against oil dependency and car culture. There are six events to choose from, each with an individual start point, and all routes eventually merge together at the end. Similar rides in the UK take place in Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, York and Southampton.

 
 
 

Moet and Chandon's Now Or Neverland Party

The flagship event of Moet Party Day.

Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square, London, WC1B 4DA

Tube: Holborn Station , Russell Square Station

 

Dates: 11th June 2016

 

The flagship event of Moet Party Day on 11th June, which marks the date of the first ever celebratory champagne spray back in 1967, the Moet & Chandon's Now or Neverland Party invites guests to step into an immersive world of spontaneity, celebration and the spectacular. With the event taking over the whole of Victoria House, you'll be able to roam through numerous rooms, with live sets from acclaimed DJs, an intimate underground performance and hedonistic activities through to the early morning. The party is just one of many celebrations on the day, with parties in Paris, Hong Kong and Mexico City, and spontaneous bottle openings set to take place at bars and restaurants throughout the UK. Sure to be a glamorous affair, this party is not to be missed.

 
 
 

Children's Art Week

Get arty at the Abbey, do printing in Peckham and join Chris Riddell at the NPG.

National Portrait Gallery, St Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE

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

 

Dates: 10th - 18th June 2017

 

Children's Laureate Chris Riddell invites you to spend an afternoon with him at the National Portrait Gallery on Sunday 19th June, as part of Children's Art Week. Hosting an interactive session, he explores his favourite paintings and encouraging children to create some of their own. From Hendrix to Handel, Printing in Peckham, or Tweeting in Twickenham there's something to appeal to kids of all ages. For two Saturdays in June (11th and 18th) children can 'Get Arty at the Abbey' in Westminster Abbey. The V&A will stage free children's events on both weekends of the week, Platform Press House hosts drop in learning sessions in Peckham and Orleans House Gallery is encouraging arty fun for the Twickenham Carnival.

 
 
 
 

Highgate Fair in the Square

As close as London gets to a village fete.

Pond Square, Highgate Village, London, N6 6BP

Tube: Highgate Station

 

Dates: 17th June 2017

 

Local pupils from Hornsey School for Girl's Steel Band, amateur dancers and musicians and the cast from Upstairs at the Gatehouse are all putting on shows for the annual free Fair in the Square in Highgate Village. Morris dancers, Punch and Judy shows and over a hundred colourful stalls fill Pond Square in the heart of the historic Hampstead village for one Saturday in mid June. See who's on stage on the grassy knoll in front of The Flask pub and in between acts you can browse among the stalls selling gifts, jewellery, crafts, clothing, plants and every type of food from cupcakes to BBQ food provided by The Duke's Head. Given that Highgate is famous for its village-y atmosphere, the Fair in the Square is as close as London gets to a village fete.

 
 
 

Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

The fun part for visitors is choosing a favourite.

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

Tube: Green Park Station , Piccadilly Circus Station

 

Dates: 10th June - 12th August 2019

 

Anyone can submit to the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition which gives it a wonderful element of surprise. Over 12,000 pieces are sifted through from relative unknowns to famous artists and members of the RA. The fun part for visitors is choosing a favourite and, with the majority of works on sale at varying price ranges, you can even buy one if you really fall in love with it. First held in 1769, the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition is the largest regular contemporary art exhibition in the world. It's an impressive show that gives an excellent cross-section of contemporary art every summer and each year, a prominent sculpture greets visitors to the exhibition as they walk through the Royal Academy's great courtyard.

 
 
 

No Villain

Sean Turner presents Arthur Miller's long lost first play.

Trafalgar Studios, 14 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2DY

Tube: Charing Cross Station , Embankment Underground Station

 

Dates: 14th June - 09th July 2016

 

Arthur Miller's long lost first play, No Villain, transfers from the Old Red Lion to the Trafalgar Studios this June. Discovered by Sean Turner after he noticed a mention of the piece in Miller's memoirs, No Villain is an autobiographical look at the late playwright's own life, written in 1936 for the Avery Hopwood Award for Writing. The play sees a son pit against his factory proprietor father during a garment industry strike. The cast will be made up of David Bromley, Nesba Crenshaw, Kenneth Jay and Stephen Omer.

 
 
 

1984

The smash hit adaptation returns for a limited run.

Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2N 5DE

Tube: Embankment Underground Station , Charing Cross Station

 

Dates: 14th June - 03rd September 2016

 

Olivier Award-winning director Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan revive their production of George Orwell's seminal novel 1984 this year. After premiering at the Nottingham Playhouse in 2013 and touring internationally, 1984 was staged at the Playhouse Theatre last year and now returns for a limited run. Though "not an easy watch" (Guardian), Headlong's version of George Orwell's novel on surveillance and censorship uses a book club from the distant future discussing Winston Smith's diary to makes the story more relevant today than ever. This smash hit adaptation returns to the Playhouse Theatre in London's West End for a three-month run beginning on 12th June 2015.

 
 
 

Coldplay

Chris Martin and friends play four nights to a sold-out Wembley crowd.

Wembley Stadium, Empire Way, Wembley, London, HA9 0WS

Tube: Wembley Park Station

 

Dates: 15th - 19th June 2016

 

Say what you like about Coldplay, there's no denying that they've hit the stadium formula on the head. If proof were needed they've added a fourth and final London date at Wembley Stadium and they're top of the bill at the headline-grabbing Super Bowl 2016 Halftime Show. Here Chris Martin and his friends play four nights to a sold-out Wembley crowd not long after releasing their seventh album A Head Full Of Dreams. " It's about love and acceptance and embracing what happens to you," Martin told Rolling Stone magazine. "It's quite a hippie album. All of our records were a journey to get to this one." Even the band's harshest critics cannot deny that a live Coldplay performance is right up there with a U2 arena show - and these four nights should be a case in point.

 
 
 
 

Barbu

Canadian circus troupe Cirque Alfonse are back with a brand new show.

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

Tube: Waterloo Station , Embankment Underground Station

 

Dates: 15th June - 25th September 2016

 

Wowing audiences in 2013 with their London debut of the madcap lumberjack circus Timber!, Canadian circus troupe Cirque Alfonse are back at London Wonderground with a brand new show. Barbu takes their signature style of edge-of-your-seat, off-the-wall entertainment to a whole other level with dare-devil acrobats and sexy circus acts performing to frenetic electro-trad band.

 
 
 

Summer Sessions

The sound of opera and All Saints fill the grounds of Chiswick House.

Chiswick House and Gardens, Burlington Lane, London, W4 2RP

Tube: Turnham Green Station

 

Dates: 15th - 19th June 2016

 

Building on Chiswick House's already popular evenings of open-air opera, this year will see classical, jazz, pop and rock music added to the repertoire, as well as a family day for younger visitors and families to enjoy. Offering five events over four days, the Summer Sessions festival begins with two nights of opera as Puccini's tragic classic Tosca is performed by award-winning Tasmanian soprano Jassy Husk and Welsh National Opera's Simon Thorpe. Nineties girl band All Saints headline the Saturday night line up, Sunday day is family time with Peppa Pig and PAW Patrol and on Sunday night Ronnie Scott's Jazz Orchestra is joined by special guest, Chiswick-born trumpeter, arranger and composer Guy Barker who has played with musical greats including Frank Sinatra.

 
 
 

Taste of London 2016

An al fresco festival of all things foodie.

Regent's Park, Inner Circle, London, NW1 4NR

Tube: Regent's Park Station

 

Dates: 17th - 21st June 2020

 

Five days of top flight food, drink and entertainment at Regent's Park, Taste of London is a wonderful al fresco festival of all things foodie. Indulge in some delicious gluttony as over forty of London's best restaurants, including a flurry of Michelin stars, show off their culinary handiwork. Work your way through a range of miniature speciality dishes - bought with the event's currency, 'crowns' - hot off the plates from London's top restaurants. Well known chefs - who have included such luminaries as Michel Roux Jr, Nuno Mendes, Bobby Chin, Jose Pizarro and Salt Yard head chef Ben Tish - also attend, while the civilised sounds of live jazz and opera will fill the air and aid digestion at this gourmet grazing picnic extraordinaire.

 
 
 

Affordable Art Fair Hampstead

The little sister of the Battersea fair.

Lower Fairground Site, East Heath Road, London, NW3 1TH

Tube: Hampstead Station

 

Dates: 02nd - 06th September 2020

 

The second Affordable Art Fair of the year in Hampstead is the little sister of the Battersea Park original, which takes place earlier in the year in March. Held in a marquee on the Lower Fairground Site on Hampstead Heath over a June weekend, there are over 100 galleries under one roof, exhibiting paintings, original prints, sculpture, etchings and photography from both established names and emerging talents - all priced from £100 to £5,000. It's the sixth consecutive year the Affordable Art Fair has come to Hampstead in its 12-year history, attracting around 20,000 people for what should be a perfect summer's day out in north London.

 
 
 

Henry V

Robert Hastie directs this production at the Open Air Theatre.

Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, Inner Circle, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4NR

Tube: Regent's Park Station

 

Dates: 17th June - 09th July 2016

 

Opening on 17th June, Henry V is the second production in the 2016 Open Air Theatre season. Commemorating the legacy of Shakespeare 400 years since his death, Robert Hastie will direct the production that tells the story of Henry V as he becomes one of the great warrior kings when England triumphs at the Battle of Agincourt. Currently an Associate Director for the Donmar Theatre, Hastie recently enjoyed critical acclaim for Splendour by Abi Morgan and My Night With Reg, which then transferred to the Apollo Theatre.

 
 
 
 

New Tate Modern Opens

The new gallery gives 60 per cent more space, two new public squares and a public viewing platform.

Tate Modern, Bankside Power Station, 25 Sumner Street, London, SE1 9TG

Tube: Blackfriars Underground Station

 

Dates: 17th June 2016

 

A striking new Tate Modern building will open to the public on Friday 17th June 2016 created by architects Herzog & de Meuron to give the gallery 60 per cent more display space, two new public squares and a public viewing platform on the 10th level. The vast Turbine Hall will become the heart of the new Tate Modern which will include t he existing 6-storey Boiler House on one side and the new 10-storey Switch House rising above the Tanks on the other. The grand u nveiling will coincide with a complete re-hang, positioning much-loved works from the collection alongside new acquisitions. School children from around the UK will be invited to a special preview a day before the new galleries open to the public and young people will also be invited to celebrate the opening weekend.

 
 
 

Jack Pack

The vocal harmony quartet perform live.

Islington Assembly Hall, Upper Street, London, N1 2UD

Tube: Highbury & Islington Station

 

Dates: 17th June 2016

 

The vocal harmony swing quartet who made the finals of Britain's Got Talent in 2014, Jack Pack have performed to over 40,000 people at BBC Proms in The Park and now play at Islington Assembly Hall. They have also appeared on the Xtra Factor, on Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two and played in support of Katy Perry. At this one off show they'll be classics like The Doors' 'Light My Fire', Jay Hawkins' 'I Put A Spell on You' and Frank Sinatra's 'My Way'. NOTE: This is the rescheduled concert originally planned for Wednesday 25th May at London Indigo O2 which has been moved to Friday 17th June at Islington Assembly Hall. Fans are able to exchange their tickets to the new dates via their ticket agent.

 
 
 

Open Garden Squares Weekend

This annual event provides a rare opportunity to peep in London's private gardens.

 

Dates: 08th - 09th June 2019

 

From the iron-fenced residential parks of west London to the landscaped churchyards of the City, hundreds of garden squares play a vital part in maintaining London's status as one of Europe's greenest cities. The wonderful Open Garden Squares Weekend is the one time of the year when these gardens open their gates to everyone - many of these private spaces are not accessible to the public for the rest of the year. More than 200 gardens are taking part in 2016, including The River Cafe, Ham Yard Hotel and The Roof Gardens. If you have youngsters in tow, many of the gardens stage activities for families too. Tickets allow entry to all participating gardens.

 
 
 

Engineering the World: Ove Arup and the Philosophy of Total Design

Large-scale prototypes, digital animations and models show Ove Arup as a pioneer of engineering.

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

Tube: South Kensington Station

 

Dates: 18th June - 06th November 2016

 

He made ambitious designs for the Sydney Opera House and the Penguin Pool at London Zoo a reality and now influential engineer Ove Arup is the subject of a career review at the V&A. Part of the South Kensington museum's 2016 Engineering Season, which also includes a site-specific installation in the John Madejski Garden by engineer and architect Achim Menges, Engineering the World: Ove Arup and the Philosophy of Total Design focuses on the design philosophy of Ove Arup, revealing his ideas of collaborative working. Large-scale prototypes, digital animations and models show Arup as the pioneer of a multidisciplinary approach to design that is still practiced today.

 
 
 

Macbeth

Iqbal Khan directs a new production of Shakespeare's brutal classic.

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London, SE1 9DT

Tube: Mansion House Station

 

Dates: 18th June - 01st October 2016

 

Iqbal Khan directs a new production of Macbeth at the Globe in 2016, reviving the story of Shakespeare's most brutal creation. The Scottish play sees Macbeth and Lady Macbeth embark upon a murderous journey of power, treachery, paranoia and suicide after he is informed by three sisters that he is fated to be King of Scotland. An acclaimed opera and theatre director, Iqbal has many previous associations with the Royal Shakespeare Company and English National Opera, with his credits including Othello, Much Ado About Nothing, A Slight Ache and Broken Glass.

 
 
 
 

Bushstock

The one-day festival returns with more up-and-coming stars.

 

Dates: 18th June 2016

 

West London festival Bushstock is back for its sixth year in 2016, offering another one-day line-up of talent from 'The Bush' and beyond. The brainchild of Communion record company, the festival began as a monthly night at the Notting Hill Arts Club and has now expanded to a multi-venue event. With more than forty bands performing, it's the perfect chance to enjoy something a little less mainstream, somewhat folksy and a little bit raw. Performers in previous years include the likes of Jack Garratt, George Ezra and Michael Kiwanuka, so this could be your chance to see the next big thing. This year's line-up includes Bear's Den, who will headline, Charlie Cunningham, Dean Lewis, Harry Foxx, Hidden Charms and Safia.

 
 
 

The Hive

A unique way to experience the world of the British bee.

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

Tube: Kew Gardens Station

 

Dates: 18th June - 30th December 2016

 

Towering 17 metres high and twisting out of the ground in a shape suggestive of a swarm of bees, The Hive is a unique way to experience the world of the British bee. Wolfgang Buttress' award winning installation, conceived as the centrepiece of the UK Pavilion at the 2015 Milan Expo, comes to Kew Gardens from 18th June 2016 and hosts a series of 'Hive Lates' - September events and talks held in The Hive as dusk falls. Visitors will be drawn into space via a wild flower meadow as though they are bees returning to the hive. Once inside, thousands of flickering LED lights will bring this 40 tonne lattice structure to life, while an orchestral arrangement replicates the hum of bees in a symphony of vocals and cello. Sound and light within the space changes as people move about, just as the energy levels in the real hive fluctuate, giving visitors an insight into the life of a bee colony.

 
 
 

The Royal Opera: Werther

Joyce DiDonato and Vittorio Grigolo lead the cast in Benoit Jacquot's production of Massenet's operatic tragedy.

Royal Opera House, Bow Street, London, WC2E 9DD

Tube: Covent Garden Station , Leicester Square Station

 

Dates: 19th June - 13th July 2016

 

Joyce DiDonato and Vittorio Grigolo lead the cast in Benoit Jacquot's production of Massenet's operatic tragedy, Werther . Based on a novel by Goethe, the opera tells the tragic story of Werther's doomed love for Charlotte and the sad consequences of his actions. The production, which returns to the Royal Opera House after a staging in 2011, boasts elegant stage designs by Charles Edwards while Antonio Pappano conducts.

 
 
 

Ronnie Scott's at Chiswick House

Ronnie Scott's moves from Soho to the open air theatre of Chiswick House.

Chiswick House and Gardens, Burlington Lane, London, W4 2RP

Tube: Turnham Green Station

 

Dates: 19th June 2016

 

For one evening only, as part of the Summer Sessions, Ronnie Scott's moves from Soho to the open air theatre of Chiswick House & Gardens for an evening of jazz, blues and swinging tunes. On this one-off night the orchestra is joined by special guest, Chiswick-born jazz trumpeter, arranger and composer Guy Barker who has played with well known musical stars including Frank Sinatra. Guest vocalists include three-time UK number one jazz singer, Georgie Fame whose hits include 'Yeh, Yeh' and 'The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde'. BBC Radio 3 presenter and seven-time British Jazz Award winner Claire Martin performs live and Vanessa Haynes, best known as lead singer with Incognito, ups the tempo with her powerful, soulful voice.

 
 
 

Ben Folds

Marrying pop with classical music, the singer/songwriter performs with the classical sextet yMusic.

London Palladium, 8 Argyll Street, London, W1F 7TF

Tube: Oxford Circus Station

 

Dates: 21st - 22nd June 2016

 

The multi-platinum selling Nashville based singer/songwriter and producer Ben Folds - whose career took off 20 years ago with his pop trio Ben Folds Five - returns to the UK in 2016 stopping by the London Palladium for two nights in June. Touring with the classical sextet yMusic, these concerts follow a successful appearance last year at the Royal Opera House the release of "his particularly bold new album" (The Independent) 'So There' which features his 21-minute concerto for piano and orchestra as well as 8 new chamber rock songs recorded with yMusic. Marrying pop with classical music, the arrangements are "straight up rock using the odd instrumentation of piano, cello, viola, violin, flute/piccolo/alto flute, trumpet/French horn and clarinet/bass clarinet, with no bass," says Folds.

 
 
 
 

That Catholic Thing

A dark comedy exploring religion and disability.

Camden People's Theatre, 58-60 Hampstead Road, London, NW1 2PY

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

 

Dates: 21st June - 17th July 2016

 

The Sky Blue Theatre Company is granting the wish of terminally ill playwright Anne Bartram by producing her first full-length play, staging it at the Camden People's Theatre this summer. Inspired by Anne's own experiences of disability and views of religion, That Catholic Thing is a dark comedy that explores the pomp and ceremony of religion and its historical attitude to disability and mental health. Tackling issues such as alcoholism, homelessness and incest, it adds humour to tragic scenarios.

 
 
 

Painters' Paintings: From Van Dyck to Freud

The art works once owned by famous fellow painters.

National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN

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

 

Dates: 22nd June - 04th September 2016

 

Among the treasures of the National Gallery, one group of pictures stands out: the works once owned by fellow painters - the 'Painters' Paintings'. Van Dyck's Titian, Reynolds's Rembrandt, Matisse's Degas and Lucian Freud's Corot are all major works in their own right, but they have an added cachet by association with their famous owner. Divided into sections devoted to a particular painter, the exhibition takes around 60 works and looks at Degas, Lawrence, Reynolds, Matisse, Van Dyck and Freud, juxtaposing their collected works with their own creative output. These pairings shed new light on possession and painterly creation.

 
 
 

BP Portrait Award

One of the most prestigious prizes in the world for portrait painting.

National Portrait Gallery, St Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE

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

 

Dates: 13th June - 20th October 2019

 

The increasingly popular BP Portrait Award returns for a 37th year at the National Portrait Gallery. The highly successful annual open competition, which attracted a record 2,748 portraits from a record 92 countries last year, is one of the most prestigious prizes in the world for portrait painting. The three shortlisted portraits are shown alongside around 55 selected works in a free exhibition which returns to the National Portrait Gallery for three months this summer. Prizes include the BP Travel Award, BP Young Artist Award, open to 18 to 30 year-olds, and the £30,000 first prize but this competition is not just about money, it's also about prestige; many previous winners have gone on to gain important commissions. Craig Wylie, for example, who won the award in 2008, was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery to create a portrait of Dame Kelly Holmes.

 
 
 

Faith Healer

Stephen Dillane and Gina McKee star in Brian Friel's play.

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

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

 

Dates: 23rd June - 20th August 2016

 

Following her productions of Fathers and Sons and Philadelphia, Here I Come!, Lyndsey Turner returns to the Donmar Warehouse in 2016 to direct Brian Friel's Faith Healer, starring Stephen Dillane and Gina McKee. A play about the possibility of genius and the certainty of failure, it follows healer Frank Hardy has he travels the corners of the British Isles offering the promise of redemption to the sick and suffering.

 
 
 

Jimmy Carr: The Best Of, Gold, Ultimate, Greatest Hits Tour

The comedian blends his best jokes with new material for the ultimate night in comedy.

O2 Academy Brixton, 211 Stockwell Road, London, SW9 9SL

Tube: Brixton Station

 

Dates: 24th June 2016

 

Possibly proving that old jokes are in fact the best, Jimmy Carr is going on a 'best of' tour in 2016, performing at Brixton Academy mid-year. The Best Of, Gold, Ultimate, Greatest Hits Tour will see him take the best of his back catalogue and put it together with some new material, aiming to create the ultimate night in comedy. Renowned for his razor sharp one-liners and cut-throat jokes, Carr has built quite the collection of laughable material over the years and even his biggest fans would be pushed to remember them all, meaning that this gig should, hopefully, still be refreshingly funny.

 
 
 
 

Slide at ArcelorMittal Orbit

The world's longest tunnel slide comes to East London.

ArcelorMittal Orbit, Olympic Park, Stratford, London, E20 2ST

Tube: Stratford Station

 

Dates: 24th June - 01st May 2017

 

ArcelorMittal Orbit designer Anish Kapoor has collaborated with Belgian artist Carsten Holler, who gave us the big slide outside the Hayward Gallery in summer 2015, to create a giant slide down the side of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park landmark. When it opens in May 2016, the slide will be the world's longest and tallest tunnel slide, measuring approximately 178m long and will be 76m high. The descent will take about 40 seconds with sliders averaging a speed of six metres a second, or around 15mph. There are transparent sections on the slide so you can marvel at the view on the way down.

 
 
 

Greenwich and Docklands International Festival

The nine day festival opens with an epic outdoor spectacular: The House.

Greenwich, , London, SE10 9HF

Tube: North Greenwich Station

 

Dates: 21st June - 06th July 2019

 

The whole of Greenwich comes alive for the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival, a nine day free festival of street performances, art and dancing in the streets. The festival always opens with an epic outdoor spectacular and this year The House, by video artist Tal Rosner and German outdoor theatre company Pan.Optikum, marks the 400th anniversary of The Queen's House and its re-opening this year. There's more street theatre from Polish company Teatr Biuro Podrozy who perform the premiere of Silence, a mix of physical theatre, fire, puppetry and music at Bethnal Green Gardens. Don't miss the two-day Greenwich Fair where more than 22 productions bring circus, theatre, dance, street games, cabaret, live art and mass participation to Greenwich. Highlights include Block, a new show from NoFitState Circus and Motionhouse Dance; Ye Gods, in which an apocalypse is unleashed across the houses and streets of a model village; and a 21st century morality play, Peregrinus, from Polish theatre company KTO.

 
 
 

LA Dance Project: Mixed Bill

The final instalment of Benjamin Millepied's Gems Trilogy.

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

Tube: Angel Station

 

Dates: 24th - 25th June 2016

 

Choreographer and dancer Benjamin Millepied and the LA Dance Project present the final instalment of his Gems Trilogy and the acclaimed Hearts & Arrows, set to the music of Philip Glass. The Los Angeles-based artistic collective founded in 2012 by Millepied, former Director at the Paris Opera Ballet, returns to London following its stage premiere here two years ago. Completing the bill is Harbor Me, choreographed by Sadler's Wells Associate Artist Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.

 
 
 

Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic Music with Damon Albarn

The former Blur frontman reunites with the orchestra for a special Southbank concert.

Southbank Centre: Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road, South Kensington, London, SE1 8XX

Tube: Waterloo Station , Embankment Underground Station

 

Dates: 25th June 2016

 

The Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic Music reunites with Damon Albarn and guests in a special Southbank Centre concert, co-commissioned by 14-18 NOW, the UK's arts programme marking the centenary of World War One. The orchestra and former Blur frontman first performed in Damascus in 2008 before appearing on a Gorillaz record and Albarn later joined the group on a world tour which included shows in Syria and Lebanon. This reunion concert, part of Africa Express at the Southbank Centre, will be the 90-piece orchestra's first concert since the war in Syria began in 2011.

 
 
 

Pride in London

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

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

 

Dates: 27th June 2020

 

With growing numbers year on year, the Pride in London Parade is back for 2016 for another colourful occasion of dancing, marching and rollerskating through London. Celebrate the people and organisations who've contributed to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights over the years and join the parade as it marches proudly from Baker Street, along Oxford Street and Regent Street, ending in Trafalgar Square with a concert featuring chart acts, musicians, dancers, West End stars and other performers.

 
 
 
 

London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival

40 teams paddle furiously in a bid to win one of four cups.

London Regatta Centre, Docklands Road, London, E16 2QT

Tube: Canning Town Station

 

Dates: 30th June 2019

 

Everyone - whether an amateur, corporate or club member - is invited to take part in the day-long Dragon Boat Festival which returns to the London Regatta Centre in Docklands for its 21st year. 40 teams are given their turn in the dragon boats - human-powered paddled water craft, typically manned by 17 people, 16 equipped with small paddles, and the 17th beating a drum - as they battle it out for one of four cups. Out of the water, there's traditional Chinese lion dancing, live music, martial arts displays, and a food festival serving Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indian cuisine making this a free, family-friendly, fun day out for both participants and spectators.

 
 
 

The Mid Century Market

1950s fashion, records, jewellery and glamour.

Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regents Park Road, London, NW1 7AY

Tube: Camden Town Station , Camden Town Station

 

Dates: 26th June 2016

 

High quality vintage from the 1950s as well as reproduction brands, Mid Century Market comes to Cecil Sharp House in Camden town, giving vintage and rockabilly enthusiasts a raft of treasures to browse. Runner up in the best vintage fair category of the London Vintage awards after only three events, the Mid Century Market is a great place to pick up some unique clothes and homeware, records and jewellery, all either inspired by the fifties or true vintage pieces. Bethan Soanes, the woman behind these markets, has a real passion for the fifties and makes sure that only the highest quality stall holders get a space.

 
 
 

Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship

The grass surface makes for fast, breathless duels.

Wimbledon: The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, London, SW19 5AE

Tube: Wimbledon Park Station

 

Dates: 29th June - 12th July 2020

 

Wimbledon, the famous tennis tournament and the most watched event in the Grand Slam calendar, brings thousands of visitors to the All England Club with the live action played out on big screens at Murray Mound and all over London. Many tennis pros covet the Wimbledon crown above all others and the grass surface makes for fast, breathless duels. Tickets can be applied for through the public ballot on the website, if however you're not lucky enough to get hold of one it is easy to get in to the grounds if you queue up in the morning. However, there are only 500 tickets for the centre courts available, so you have to turn up seriously early - or queue overnight - to be certain of getting to see the biggest matches. But in the first week the outer courts still have some of the world's greatest players and you can grab tickets for them if you arrive by about 9am.TRAVEL:The most convenient tube station for getting to Wimbledon is 'Southfields' on the District line, the station before Wimbledon Park. Southfields is closer, has marshalls, a lift and the shorter walk is fully signposted.

 
 
 

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Pixie Lott steps into Audrey Hepburn's shoes.

Theatre Royal Haymarket, 18 Suffolk Street, Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4HT

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

 

Dates: 29th June - 17th September 2016

 

Pixie Lott steps into Audrey Hepburn's shoes as good-time girl Holly Golightly, who dazzles the style-conscious men and women of 1940s New York City, in a sparkling stage play with music, adapted by Tony and Olivier Award-winning playwright Richard Greenberg and directed by Nikolai Foster. Based on Truman Capote's masterwork, Breakfast at Tiffany's is set in New York in 1943. Fred, a young writer from Louisiana, meets Holly Golightly, a charming, vivacious and utterly elusive good-time girl. Lott called landing the role "a dream come true".

 
 
 

In Parenthesis

The Welsh National Opera celebrates its 70th anniversary with a brand new opera.

Royal Opera House, Bow Street, London, WC2E 9DD

Tube: Covent Garden Station , Leicester Square Station

 

Dates: 29th June - 01st July 2016

 

The Welsh National Opera celebrates its 70th anniversary with a brand new opera from acclaimed young British composer Iain Bell. In Parenthesis , to be staged at the Royal Opera House , is Bell's third opera and sees David Antrobus and Emma Jenkins prepare the libretto from Welsh poet David Jones's masterful poem set during the Battle of the Somme. Inspired by Jones's personal experience as an infantryman during World War I, the poem tells the story of the embarkation of Private John Ball and his comrades from France. Bell's opera marks the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.

 
 
 
 

Daydreaming with Stanley Kubrick

An exploration of one of the most influential filmmakers of all time.

Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA

Tube: Temple Station

 

Dates: 06th July - 24th August 2016

 

In a unique summer exhibition, Somerset House explores the impact of one of the most innovative and influential filmmakers of all time. Daydreaming with Stanley Kubrick, in partnership with Canon, welcomes some of today's most talented creatives, both established and emerging, to showcase work inspired by the celebrated genius of cinema. The likes of Sarah Lucas, Joseph Kosuth, Gavin Turk, Doug Aitken and Charlotte Colbert will respond to a film, scene, character or theme from the Kubrick archives, creating new perspectives on his work. Joseph Kosuth will create an installation of text based on the language of Kubrick's work; Doug Aitken presents Twilight, a public pay phone bathed in a luminous glow inspired by the Dr Strangelove scene where Mandrake attempts to make a collect call to the President of the United States; and Gavin Turk creates The Shining, a model of a maze of mirrors reminiscent of the hotel hedges from Kubrick's horror film.

 
 
 

Giffords Circus

The eccentric circus troupe is back with a brand new gun slinging show, The Painted Wagon.

Chiswick House and Gardens, Burlington Lane, London, W4 2RP

Tube: Turnham Green Station

 

Dates: 30th June - 18th July 2016

 

The family-run vintage Giffords Circus returns in its signature burgundy and gold wagons to Chiswick House following a popular run here last year - their first time at a London location for ten years. Back with a brand new show, The Painted Wagon, Giffords are treating us to a wild west extravaganza which promises to be a whip-crackin', horse-wranglin', hell-raisin' show. Known for their idiosyncratic shows and English eccentricity, Giffords welcomes newcomers gun-slinging, rope-spinning teenage Cowgirl Lilian Konyot, along with two beautiful aerialists, Duo Lyrical Lyra. Giffords regulars Madame Nancy Trotter-Landry, rodeo rider Dan Fortt, jugglers Bibi and Bichu, El Gifford and funny man Tweedy the Clown all make a welcome return.

 
 
 

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