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The beginning of the summer, and the weather is not yet to be trusted. The plus side of this is that when you do get out to the parks, gardens and open air theatres of the capital, you usually have a bit of space to yourself to enjoy them.
 Shakespeare's Globe Season - Totus Mundi Shakespeare's Globe, SE1 9ED 23rd April 2008 - 5th October 2008 The magic of Shakespeare's Globe is not just a consequence of its Elizabethan beauty (though it is certainly one of the capital's most romantic summer spots). It also comes from the unique way the theatre works: with most of the audience standing mere inches from the stage there is a real sense of participation, and the crowds can be noisily appreciative. With standing tickets available for around a fiver, it is also one of the cheapest top class theatres in the world. This summer's season is called 'Totus Mundus', and features new productions of King Lear, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Timon of Athens and The Merry Wives of Windsor. There are also world premieres of two new plays The Frontline and Liberty. Whichever production you choose, it's a fantastic step into London's theatrical past, full of blood and thunder with the audience drawn deep into the action by imaginative staging. Venue: Shakespeare's Globe Address: 21 New Globe Walk, SE1 9ED Phone: 020 7401 9199 Date: 23rd April 2008 - 5th October 2008 Time: Mon to Sat 2.00pm, 7.00pm, Sun 1.00pm, 6.00pm Pricing: £15 - £33 (seated), £5 (standing) Nearest Station: Southwark Tube Shakespeare's Globe Season - Totus Mundi - Information   Glyndebourne Festival Opera 2008Glyndebourne, BN8 5UU 18th May 2008 - 31st August 2008 There's something gloriously courtly about Glyndebourne; the venue and its annual opera-goers seem to have been lifted right out of an Austen novel with a number of Mr Darcys on show at the season's "must-attend" event. The tradition of dressing up and taking the air with a picnic in the stunning gardens has not gone out of fashion and there's a long interval in which to soak up the atmosphere at twilight. But, of course, the real reason for heading to the countryside is the opera. The 2008 season kicks off with a new production of Monteverdi's 'L'Incoronazione di Poppea', with Danielle de Niese as the scheming Roman Empress. The highlight of the season will probably be the return of the celebrated 1994 production of Tchaikovsky's 'Eugene Onegin', with Vladimir Jurowski conducting. The other shows in the season are Englebert Humperdinck's lyrical fairytale 'Hanse und Gretel', Britten's 'Albert Herring', a new commission from Peter Eotvos, 'Love and Other Demons', and a big revival of David McVicar's marvellous production of 'Carmen'. Venue: Glyndebourne Address: Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 5UU Phone: 01273 813813 Date: 18th May 2008 - 31st August 2008 Time: Various Pricing: £35 - £190 Nearest Station: Lewes Rail Glyndebourne Festival Opera 2008 - Information  Chelsea Flower ShowRoyal Hospital Chelsea, SW3 4SR 20th May 2008 - 24th May 2008 Founded in 1913, the Chelsea Flower Show is extraordinary - famous around the world as the premier event of its kind. Eight hundred of the greatest exponents of imaginative garden design spend nearly a month creating a wonderland over an 11-acre site in Chelsea's Royal Hospital gardens. Most of London society, including the Queen, regards the Chelsea Flower Show as a highpoint of the London summer season, so if you get bored of the blooms you can have a great time celeb-spotting. The 20,000 glasses of Pimms consumed over the five days confirms it as a very sociable, very British event. This beautiful and inspiring show is a real treat, even for non-gardeners. Venue: Royal Hospital Chelsea Address: Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4SR Phone: 0870 906 3781 Date: 20th May 2008 - 24th May 2008 Time: Tue to Fri 8.00am - 8.00pm, Sat 8.00am - 5.30pm Pricing: £41 (Adults All Day), £23 (Adults Afternoon), £18 (Adults Eve), £13 - £46 (RHS Members) Nearest Station: Sloane Square Tube Chelsea Flower Show - Information |
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