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 If you're after a break from West End shows and bank-breaking stadium gigs, fear not! London does, despite appearances to the contrary, have a number of free and fun entertainment options for those seeking an alternative night out. You just need to know where to look...
 Barbican Centre Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS Described by the Queen as "one of the wonders of the modern world", the Barbican Centre has also been voted "London's ugliest building". Ugly or not, this multifaceted performance and arts venue is truly wondrous in that it forms one of the most important cultural sites in the capital. Open 363 days a year, it offers the most diverse program of any London venue. While you do have to pay for many of the events, free concerts, talks, exhibitions and foyer music regularly take place throughout the building. The building itself is a labyrinth and finding your route from the station or car park is an adventure in itself. Staircases twist around each other, directing lost patrons into mysteriously empty mezzanines, where odd snatches of music are the only guide back to the main lobby. One of the pleasures of such a huge venue is to go exploring. The joy of coming across free exhibitions, live music, or talks from a major arts celebrity in some odd corner of the building is a unique feature of this remarkable concentration of artistic talent. Don't be put off by the mass of concrete, this is one of the most impressive and dynamic cultural sites in London. Address: Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS Phone: 020 7638 8891 Nearest Station: Barbican Tube Barbican Centre - Information   Comedy Cafe66 Rivington Street, EC2A3AY Every Wednesday night the renowned Comedy Cafe stage is given over to the city's aspiring comedians and everyone is let in for free. For 'Aspiring New Acts' they throw on eight acts (as opposed to the usual four), so even if someone is really struggling they're not on long enough for total humiliation. On the flipside you can see some utterly hilarious performers without paying a penny. Don't let the gaudy red and yellow paint that mutilates the exterior of this fantastic comedy club deter you from gracing its hallowed floors. The cafe has a reputation as the venue most favoured by performers. This in itself is no small praise. In the past it has been a much loved hang-out for comedic geniuses such as Eddie Izzard, Mark Lamarr and Jo Brand. It's also one of those rare comedy venues that has been purpose-built. Inside it's a hugely laid back, intimate environment. Rafts of small tables have been crammed into a dusky space, with a small, unobtrusive stage for the comic. Between laughs, patrons can guzzle on tasty Mexican food and knock back good value pints. The quality can be a little patchy so if you want guaranteed laughs aim for a Friday or Saturday night - that's when the big acts churn out the jokes. It is a steep £15 on Saturdays but we promise you'll be chuckling all the way home. Address: 66 Rivington Street, EC2A3AY Phone: 020 7739 5706 Nearest Station: Shoreditch Tube Comedy Cafe - Information  Covent Garden Market and Piazza41 The Market, Covent Garden Piazza, Covent Garden, WC2E 8BE Where Covent Garden Market meets the Piazza place there is a large open-air cobbled area where free street theatre, music and performance art take place on a regular basis. Miming and juggling acts are staples, alongside spontaneous displays of magic, music and dance. There are also free big-screen relays of Royal Opera House concerts and ballets during the summer.If you do want to spend some money, the 40ish market stalls sell a variety of quality goods: antiques, craft items, pictures and handmade clothing so it's a great place to find gifts. Address: 41 The Market, Covent Garden Piazza, Covent Garden, WC2E 8BE Timing: Mon to Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 11am-6pm Nearest Station: Covent Garden Tube Covent Garden Market - Information  Leicester SquareWest End, WC2H 7BP With Trafalgar Square to the south, Piccadilly Circus to the west, China Town to the north and Covent Garden to the east, Leicester Square is right in the thick of the West End. It is the beating heart of British cinema. If there’s a big film premier in London, it will be in Leicester Square. Surrounded by the city’s largest cinemas, the square is often bedecked with the latest blockbuster paraphernalia ready for the stars to stroll down the red carpet later in that evening. Premieres happen on a regular basis and attract sizeable crowds hoping to catch a glimpse of their beloved idols (and their outfits). They typically begin at seven o’clock in the evening but it’s best to turn up at least a couple of hours early so you can get that perfect celeb-stroking spot. Address: West End, WC2H 7BP Nearest Station: Leicester Square Tube Leicester Square - Information  Southbank CentreBelvedere Road, SE1 8XX The Southbank Centre is a classic example of brutal 60s concrete architecture. Everyone has an opinion (usually negative) on its distinctive design - famous detractors include Prince Charles, who once described it as a "monstrous carbuncle". Yet, if the West End is the centre of popular culture in London, it is the Southbank Centre that is the centre of true excellence in the arts. Comprising the Royal Festival Hall, and the Hayward Gallery the complex consistently produces classical and world music events and fine art exhibitions of high renown. The centre heaves with lots of free events including music, dance and theatre, most of which take place in the Purcell Room and Queen Elizabeth Hall. Free lunchtime concerts held in the foyer of the Royal Festival Hall offer a relaxed musical experience for casual passersby as do the terraces overlooking the Thames. Rammed with people even in the middle of winter and with regular free performances and events the area seethes with creative activity at all hours of the day and night. A happy architectural accident has also made this complex the best spot for skateboarding and BMXing in the capital, meaning it is loved by London's counter-culture as much as by its highbrow elite. Address: Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX Phone: 020 7921 0600 Nearest Station: Waterloo Rail/Tube Southbank Centre - Information  Southwark CathedralMontague Close, Southwark, SE1 9DA Southwark Cathedral is the oldest Gothic church in London (c1220). It has a varied and lively history and houses interesting memorials connected with the Elizabethan theatres of Bankside. There are monuments to Edmund Shakespeare, (the dramatist's brother), and dramatists John Fletcher and Philip Massinger. A range of free concerts (1.10pm-1.50pm) and exhibitions are supplemented by an abundance of bell-ringing and some stunning architecture. Organ recitals take place on Mondays, with classical concerts on Tuesdays. The cathedral is also open during the day for visitors to explore. A chapel commemorates John Harvard, benefactor of Harvard University, and there are regular choral services allowing the cathedral's fine Lewis Organ to display its magnificence. Address: Montague Close, Southwark, SE1 9DA Phone: 020 7367 6700 Timing: Mon to Fri 7.30am-6pm, Sat & Sun 8.30am-6pm Nearest Station: London Bridge Tube/Rail Southwark Cathedral - Information  Speakers' CornerHyde Park, W2 2UH Not strictly classed "entertainment", this bastion of British free public speech and free assembly can prove one of the most absorbingly unique, theatrical activities the city has to offer. Located on the corner of Park Lane and Cumberland Gate, opposite Marble Arch tube, Speakers' Corner is the spiritual home of the British democratic tradition of soapbox oratory. Every Sunday since the right of free assembly was recognised in 1872 in the Royal Parks and Garden's Act, people from all walks of life have gathered to listen to speeches about anything and everything... and to heckle. From Socialism to Sunday trading, sausages to space invaders, the opinions aired here are varied and fascinating. While Karl Marx, Lenin, George Orwell, and William Morris have all used this spot to express their ideals and beliefs, your average speaker isn't quite as high profile. The coherence of the speakers also varies greatly, but as a whole it makes for great street theatre. Come and watch, come and heckle, or, if you have a burning desire to share your opinions with the world, come and spout - take something to stand on and start pontificating. Although Sunday morning is the best time to visit, speakers can now be found on the corner throughout the week. Address: Hyde Park, W2 2UH Nearest Station: Marble Arch Tube Speakers' Corner - Information  St Martin-in-the-FieldsTrafalgar Square, WC2N 4JJ This historic church overlooking Trafalgar Square was designed by James Gibbs and built in 1726. It houses a glorious eaterie - the Cafe in the Crypt - a gift shop, brass rubbing centre, art gallery and a market in the courtyard. Candelit concerts are held from Thursday to Saturday and there are free lunchtime recitals on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. All profits go to support the work of the church, with its particular ministry to the homeless. Address: Trafalgar Square, WC2N 4JJ Phone: 020 7766 1100 Nearest Station: Charing Cross Tube/Rail St Martin-in-the-Fields Church - Information  Trafalgar SquareCentral London, WC2N 5DS Lord Nelson, Britain's greatest military hero, and the mighty lions that surround him, pay testament to the position of Trafalgar Square at the heart of the capital, the heart of the nation, and, at one time, the heart of an empire that controlled three fifths of the world. Yet, though it is dominated by these imperial symbols, and by the magnificent Victorian edifice of the National Gallery, the square is no relic of a bygone age. Instead of statues of military heroes, one of the plinths is now used for exciting and controversial modern art, the first of which was Mark Quinn's nude statue of armless Alison Lapper. Fantastic free outdoor events are held here in summer, highlighting the best of London's multicultural music and dance scene. Summer In The Square sees music, dance and street theatre all play their part in the eclectic, family oriented line-up. Winter sees carol concerts around a huge Norwegian pine tree. Year-round there is often a big screen here broadcasting live major events, including the Wimbledon Charity matches, the First Night of the Proms and VE Day celebrations. The The Fourth Plinth has also now become Britain's most prominent site for contemporary sculpture, with each work given 12-18 months on display. The square also acts as the traditional end point for protest marches and is a key rallying point for British counter-culture. Address: Central London, WC2N 5DS Nearest Station: Charing Cross Tube/Rail Trafalgar Square - Information  TV and Radio RecordingsA unique form of entertainment in the capital is to witness what goes on behind the scenes at a TV or radio recording. A number of companies organise the distribution of free tickets to recordings – many of which are for iconic British shows. The BBC recordings at Television Centre and Broadcasting House are obviously the most famous, however, a host of other channels offer tickets on a regular basis. Try Hat Trick, Channel 4 and the Applause Store. Most companies require that you register your details online and then apply specifically for each of the shows posted on their websites. Check the BBC website and all of the others regularly for a list of shows and to apply. Once you’ve got a ticket entry isn’t guaranteed – they always overbook to make sure the audience is full – so turn up early to avoid disappointment. Radio recordings are often the most enjoyable, encouraging - as many of them do – active audience participation. |
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