Sanderson London embarks on a series of tech-focused events this spring/summer, launching with a partnership with Code First: Girls. The series kicks off with a Women in Tech themed panel discussion with Holly Brockwell, editor of female-focused tech website Gadgette.com, chairing the occasion. The discussion will address questions such as 'How are women best placed to get into tech?', 'How can men help and support women in tech?', and 'Is coding essential to success?'. As well as this launch event, the hotel will also host two Cocktails & Coding workshops, demystifying the world of coding in a relaxed atmosphere. Guests will be able to explore topics such as HTML and HTTP while enjoying cocktails rustled up by Sanderson's Long Bar mixologists.
Having been originally produced at the Globe in 2015 and staged at the Apollo in 2016, Jessica Swale's historical Olivier Award-winning play, Nell Gwynn, transfers back to Shakespeare's Globe this year as part of Emma Rice's Summer of Love season. Laura Pitt-Pulford takes the heroic title role for this production, which is part of a national tour presented by English Touring Theatre. The play charts the rise of an unlikely heroine to become Britain's most celebrated actress in the 17th century. Also the mistress of King Charles II, it is uncertain whether her charm and spirit can protect her from the dangers of the court.
This charged story turns the infamous biblical tale on its head, placing the girl we call Salome at the centre of a revolution. Internationally acclaimed director Yael Farber (whose production of Les Blancs so impressed the critics last year - 'near-perfect' said the Guardian) draws on multiple accounts to create her urgent, hypnotic production on the National's Olivier stage. The result: "an adaptation that defiantly challenges what we think we know about the Judean princess who demanded the head of John the Baptist on a plate." (Washington Post).
This five-day event showcases exceptional craftsmanship.
London Craft WeekVarious Venues London,
LondonLondon, WC2N 5DWExhibitions
Dates: 08th - 12th May 2019
A showcase of exceptional craftsmanship, London Craft Week returns for 2017. The five-day event will see galleries across London host workshops that display all forms of talent, from ancient skills to new techniques. This year's programme brings together more than 230 events from all corners of the globe fusing making, design, fashion, art, luxury, food, culture and shopping. From the V&A to The Shard and RADA to The House of Lords as well as hidden studios and bustling workshops, it will take place all across London. Events include a Mulberry leatherworking event, a glassblowing workshops, a Savile Rowe exhibition and a LEGO mosaic masterclass.
Alvis Hermanis directs former ballet star Mikhail Baryshnikov in a one-man show reciting, in Russian, selections from the poetry of Joseph Brodsky, who was a friend of Mr. Baryshnikov. "The emphasis is very much on language" said The New York Times review, "Dance lovers should know that there's nothing really resembling choreography involved in the show" and although there are English surtitles, an understanding of the language will only add to your enjoyment of Brodsky/Baryshnikov.
After its glorious summer last year (the most Instagrammed pop up of summer 2016? - we think so) Pergola on the Roof is back. This time the rooftop food court on top of a car park at BBC Television Centre is bringing a slice of Long Island living to Shepherds Bush. Done up to look like The Hamptons, the al fresco food court also brings in new restaurants with Breddos Tacos joining Patty & Bun, 8 Hoxton Square and Bonnie Gull spin-off 'Salt 'n' Sauce'. With white-washed decking, palm trees and thirteen person day-beds, it's the perfect place to enjoy summer in The Hamptons without leaving London.
James Thierree "has an exceptional artistic pedigree" says the Telegraph. The grandson of Charlie Chaplin, whose parents - Victoria Chaplin and Jean-Baptiste Thiérrée - founded a string of leading French circus companies returns to London with The Toad Knew his latest critically acclaimed creation, featuring a seamless mix of mechanical marvels, music, surreal humour and acrobatic finesse. Altogether, a "tremendously accomplished physical performance" (Telegraph).
The London Original Print Fair, the world's longest running specialist fair dedicated to prints, returns to the Royal Academy of Arts for the 32nd time in 2017, 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. Alan Cristea Gallery presents Royal Academicians Gillian Ayres and Cornelia Parker who gives the annual Printmaker's talk this year, Marlborough Gallery showcases a new tapestry by Paula Rego while ArtChina exhibit a portfolio of 60 contemporary Chinese woodblock prints. Artists Basil Beattie, Tom Hammick, Dr Weimin He and Glenn Brown also give talks at this year's fair. If you're planning on visiting the Fair from outside of London, have a look at our hotel deals near the Royal Academy of Arts for all your accommodation needs.
The huge roof terrace of the Bussey Building in Peckham Rye is one of four venues for the Rooftop Film Club this summer with a series of films that gets under way on 4th May with a screening of the Hitchcock classic Vertigo. The 5,000 square foot terrace boasts magnificent panoramic views of London, while guests can enjoy zingy Mexican street food and a Caribbean BBQ, a fully licensed bar serving cocktails and cold drinks while they enjoy a selection of classic films shown on a big screen with wireless headphones and comfy seats. The 2017 programme includes The Dark Knight, Mary Poppins and The Matrix, alongside more recent releases The Edge of Seventeen, Hell or High Water and this year's The Handmaiden.
The Queen of Hoxton's seasonal rooftop parties have become a legendary addition to the capital's event calendar and this year is no different with a Viking-themed addition to see Londoners through winter and Neverland inspired offering for the summer. Open from the beginning of May, Bangarang invites generation Peter Pan to a land where dreams are born and time is never planned. Forget adult responsibilities and run away to a world of imagination and escapism, where instead of growing up you can lounge in a seashell with mermaids, refill your glass at The Lost Boy's hideout bar and climb aboard the pirate ship to meet your fate. Sip on special cocktails such as the Mermaid Slushie, made with frozen prosecco, fruit juice and blue curacao; the Floating Fairy absinthe cocktail; or the Blue Lagoon, made with gin, lemon and blueberries. Mermaid shots served in clamshells will also be available as well as Never Never Land Ribs, a Bangarang Burger and Peter Pan Prawns. This is what dreams are made of.
Street food specialists KERB present London's first fried chicken festival, The Bucket List, this May, bringing all of London's best fried chicken together for one finger lickin' weekend. Step into a world of sizzling, bubbling, hot and spicy crunchiness with food from the likes of Mother Clucker, Other Side Fried, Daja Chicken and Only Jerkin. Feast on twice buttermilk soaked Cajun strips, cocoa and maple chicken strips, ginger beer battered jerk chicken and spicy Gochujang Korean wings. As well as chicken, there will also be melted cheese fries, hot waffles, street corn with fermented pineapple hot sauce and fried cassava sticks with spicy coriander and feta. Live band Mariachi El Pinche Gringo will provide the soundtrack, with KERB resident house party DJs taking over late into the night.
The biggest herd of rhinoceros ever seen in the capital comes to London's Heathbrook Park as part of the Wandsworth Art Fringe, two weeks of theatre, art, circus, comedy and free shows in south London. The Rampaging Rhinoceros are just one of the puppet shows at this year's festival which also welcomes Mischief Makers' Metamorphosis - a free colourful family focussed outdoor performance on Roehampton Library Green. In additions, the Locals Art Hut returns to Battersea Park, there's the world premiere of Flutter, Justin Hopper's love letter to the bookies and Theatre N16's The 49, the moving story of the lead up to the Orlando Gay Nightclub massacre. The circus transforms Tooting Tram and Social into a stage for aerial artists, Lobster Quadrille presents Carabet and Blazing Saddles brings a cast of women cyclists to the streets of Balham, to perform the new Bicycle Ballet Show. Look out for free exhibitions in Putney Library and at Tooting Market, OperaUpClose offering Opera Pic ?n Mix in the Henry Prince Estate, jazz at Balham Bowls Club and a whole lot more.
One of London's most eccentric bike rides - surpassed only by the World Naked Bike Ride - The Tweed Run returns for its ninth annual bike ride this May. The quintessential bike ride requires participants to don their finest tweed attire and set off on a 12-mile scenic route that begins in Clerkenwell and takes in some of the capital's finest landmarks and hidden gems. Pit stops along the way allow for a spot of tea in a fine London square and a picnic break in the park. Spectators and riders alike can enjoy a BBQ and Bourne and Hollingsworth cocktails at the finish line. The whole thing ends at a beautiful park for a drink and a bit of a knees up.
Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti, "one of the most highly regarded and distinctive artists of the last century" (The Guardian) "wowed visitors" at an acclaimed exhibition of his portraits at the National Portrait Gallery in 2015. Two short years on, Tate Modern has been given unparalleled access to the Fondation Alberto et Annette Giacometti's collection and archive to create an exhibition which includes some plasters and drawings never seen by members of the public before. Alongside these are more familiar bronze sculptures and oil paintings showing his distinctive elongated figures. The Tate gallery believes, "Giacometti has rarely been explored this fully."
Written by a female playwright who has chosen to remain anonymous, Manwatching gives a funny, frank and explicit insight into heterosexual female sexual desires. Transferring from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2015 to the Royal Court Theatre, it details the thoughts of one woman during her sexual experiences. The monologue spans masturbation, thoughts on the idyllic male proportions and even erotic Jane Austen fantasies. However, in an intriguing twist, the script is read by a different male comedian each night, who is seeing it for the first time, live in front of the audience. This unique idea allows the performer to laugh along with the audience and puts the topic of sex in the familiar hands of a man. Comedians to perform it at Edinburgh Fringe included Nish Kumar, James Acaster and Nick Helm.
Enjoy a staycation this summer with a visit to Fulham's first Thameside beach, which brings together everything you would want from a paradise island holiday. Complete with white sand, palm trees, pastel painted beach huts and swings, Neverland London offers a unique, affordable alfresco experience. Booze is BYO while street food is provided by the likes of Le Rac Shack, The Duck Truck and Taco Dave. Guests will be able to dine on long feasting tables under a canopy of flowers, bask in the sun in the deck chairs or hire out one of the beach huts. There will also be pop-up shops, ice cream, a chance to create your own cocktails and a Beach Butler service.
London already has festivals dedicated to wine, beer and coffee and now it's the turn of prosecco with Prosecco Springs. The brand new four-day event takes place at Oval Space this May and brings together Italian food, live music and, of course, lashings of prosecco. Eight producers of the tipple will be on hand to discuss their produce and answer any prosecco-related questions you may have. Expert sommeliers from the East London Wine School will also be in attendance to host a series of masterclasses where you can learn about the process from grape to glass as well as discover different types of prosecco and how to pair it with food. Visitors will also be able to feast on Italian dishes such as traditional Venetian cicchetti, risotto al prosecco, charcuterie and cheese, and sharing platters of antipasti while enjoying a soundtrack of live jazz.
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 May 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 £6,000. It's the seventh consecutive year the Affordable Art Fair has come to Hampstead in its 12-year history with artists and gallerists presenting workshops and talks on the theme of The Relationship between Arts & Travel, linking to the topical subject of Brexit.
A wellbeing festival designed to help you on your way to a healthy lifestyle, Balance Festival brings a whole host of London's fitness offerings to one place, The Old Truman Brewery, from 12th to 14th May 2017. An ideal place to dip your toe into the water of wellbeing, you'll meet the people behind Barry's Bootcamp and Triyoga, brilliant Barre classes and collision-style workouts choreographed to a live DJ set. Live cookery classes give practical advice on cooking healthily in the real world, and travel experts advise on yoga retreats as well as hiking, kayaking and surfing holidays. Whether you're a fitness fanatic or if you find all those swanky looking exercise classes a bit intimidating, you'll find healthy living inspiration here.
The Red Light District, an immersive tribute to the world's most beautiful bikes, is a new part of Spin Cycling Festival, a three-day urban focused bicycle consumer show and festival which moves to Olympia in 2017. Cyclists can try out new bikes against a backdrop of light installations at the Day-Night Test Track and hear more than 50 experts - including Chris Boardman, Ned Boulting and CycleHack - talk about bikes on the main stage. As well as browsing 150 stalls pedalling the latest kit there's the chance to learn from custom bike builders while enjoying street food, craft beer, superior coffee and listening to music from live DJs.
Coming to Royal Festival Hall for a one-night performance alt.rock veterans Maximo Park deliver their high-energy hits including Our Velocity, The National Health and Midnight On The Hill. The Geordie dandies owe much of their cachet to their talismanic frontman Smith, renowned for his trademark comb-over (he claims it was a joke that stuck following a photo shoot for the release of their debut album A Certain Trigger) and for his subsequent penchant for bowler hats and suits. His energy and charisma rescued a band that was on the verge of imploding due to lack of direction. After the band hinted that their 2012 offering, The National Health, could be their final album, their new releases and live shows come as welcome news to their fans.
The Brooklyn Brewery Mash Tour returns to London in 2017, transforming into the Beer Mansion. A must for beer lovers, the Mansion is a fully immersive beer festival unlike any other with food, tech, art, games, beats and, of course, beer. Spread across multiple rooms, the two-day experience is a celebration of worldwide beers and will see each room dedicated to a unique flavour profile relating to beer. Head from the Tart of Tropics room, complete with fruit-forward tropical beers, palm trees and Hawaiian shirts, to the gothic roasty and toasty Dark Room. As well as the Brooklyn Brewery offerings, there will also be beers from the likes of 40ft Brewery, Redchurch Brewery and Forest Road Brewing Company.
New one-day event Art Beats launches at Old Spitalfields Market this May. Bringing the top London market to life, the event is hosted by charity Hearts in Harmony, who raise money to help fight heart disease, and will see 50 talented artists produce live art throughout the day to compete for the Art Beats Award. Passers by will be able to admire the work being produced, all of which will follow the theme The Heart of East End. At the end of the day, a panel of five expert judges will select one piece to win the award and a cash prize of £1,000.
They've given us The Dark Side of the Moon, pigs flying over Battersea Power Station and giant inflatable teachers. Now, this spring, these memorable Pink Floyd moments are brought together in one blockbuster exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Album covers and stage sets, performances, instruments, handwritten lyrics and psychedelic prints are among more than 350 objects and artefacts on display. We'll also get to experience never-before-seen classic Pink Floyd concert footage and a custom-designed laser light show. What a fitting tribute to mark 50 years since the band released their first single, Arnold Layne.
Further to the main adult show, Alice's Adventures Underground, the Vaults under Waterloo also hosts the return of the children's version of the production, a sell-out hit in 2015. Adventures in Wonderland is guided by the expertise of Les Petits Theatre Company - the children's offshoot of Les Enfants Terribles - and invites children aged five to 10 to fall down the rabbit hole. A "an exciting, immersive experience" (%u200BUrban Explorer), each child's journey is a unique experience but all will be able to join in on the maddest tea party around and play croquet with Alice herself. Three years in the making, the two productions proved a highlight of the 150th anniversary celebrations of Lewis Carroll's much-loved novel.
The, performing tunes new and old. To celebrate a decade together, The Kooks are staging a 'Best Of' UK tour finishing with a huge show at Alexandra Palace on 13th May. Since they burst onto the scene in 2006 with their unstoppable debut Inside In/Inside Out, which recently went five times platinum, the band has gone from strength to strength. Now, with three more studio albums, massive world tours, awards and critical acclaim under their belts, it seems appropriate that the indie rockers should mark their ten-year anniversary with this big live performance.
An annual favourite for families the Barnes Children's Literature Festival gives you the chance to meet top authors including former Children's Laureates Michael Rosen and Anthony Browne, author-artist Nick Sharratt and Horrid Henry creator Francesca Simon. Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler appears alongside Mog creator and Barnes resident, Judith Kerr, in a special event called When Zog met Mog. They'll be joined by a few famous faces including comedians David Baddiel and Adrian Edmondson as well as popular television presenters Clare Balding and Lucy Worsley. Little Princess creator and illustrator Tony Ross, radio personality Christian O'Connell and a host of other authors will also be there. Experience the interactive Harry Potter show, a new production of Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes set to live music, and an exclusive screening of a short animation based on Jon Klassen's award-winning I Want My Hat Back.
Hoping for a strong wind for their annual kite display, the Streatham Common Kite Day returns for its 19th year. A host of colourful kites soar up to 1,000 feet over Streatham Common and you'll get to see the best kite demonstrators in the UK including Team Spectrum - a father and son team whose synchronised kite flying is choreographed to music - the Flying Fish, a husband and wife double act who first flew at their local common, and NASAman whose kite helps lift him up into the sky. Everyone is welcome at this free community event where there's a hog roast, a bar run by local craft brewery The Inkspot Brewery, live music from local band Groovessence as well as a bouncy castle and face painting. If you want to fly you can make your own or buy all kinds of colourful kites at a stall there - alternatively, if you prefer, simply gaze up at the high-flying entertainment.
This annual Covent Garden May Fayre and Puppet Festival celebrates the red nosed stick-wielding puppet, bringing together dozens of puppeteers in a colourful, highly entertaining afternoon. The annual celebrations in Covent Garden draw puppeteers from all over the country as well as folk music, dancers, clowns, jugglers and stalls. The location is appropriately close to the spot where Samuel Pepys first sighted Mr Punch on 9th May 1662 and recorded the fact in his diary - which is why the birthday celebrations fall on or near to 9th May. The day's events start with a toast to Mr Punch, and a brass band led Grand Procession starting at St Paul's Church garden, a beautiful little oasis in the city centre. There follows a special service with a sermon administered by Rev Mark Oakley and Mr Punch himself. An integral part of British heritage, the puppet with attitude is a wonderful, anarchic figure and this is a top traditional family day out.
Known for Skins, This Is England, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and The Solid Life of Sugar Water, multi-award winning screenwriter and playwright Jack Thorne reimagines Georg Buchner's Woyzeck in 2017. Staged at The Old Vic, the new production sees Star Wars' John Boyega take on the role of a young soldier in 1980s Berlin. As the Cold War rages and the world sits at a crossroad between Capitalism and Communism, the soldier and the love of his life are desperately trying to build a better future for their child. Will the cost of escaping poverty get in the way?
This May, the Arts Theatre stages Ray Rackham's biographical musical about the life of iconic movie star and chanteuse Judy Garland. Transferring from the Southwark Playhouse after a critically acclaimed run in 2015, Judy! follows the starlet's life through three different ages, creating a poignant and uplifting story portraying the star as a survivor in a man's world. Helen Sheals, Belinda Wollaston and Lucy Penrose share the role of Judy, each taking on a different stage in her life, while a live band bring the show to life.
With her short-lived time as artistic director coming to an end, Emma Rice directs one of her final productions at Shakespeare's Globe this May, taking on the bard's timeless and soulful comedy, Twelfth Night. The mistaken identity comedy sees Viola, who believes her twin brother has died in a shipwreck, disguise herself as a boy and enter the service of Duke Orsino, tasked with wooing Countess Olivia on The Duke's behalf. However, Olivia soon becomes besotted by Viola herself. What could possibly go wrong? There will also be a special midnight staging of the production on 9th June 2017.
Over sixty of the world's top galleries come to Somerset House for four days in May when Photo London returns to the capital for a third year. The photography showcase is not only a selling fair but also includes special exhibitions, installations and a curated programme of talks and presentations. A one-day workshop given by W.M. Hunt is especially aimed at those who have a keen interest in photography. Brett Rogers, director of The Photographers' Gallery, will be in conversation with photographer Jack Latham, and the Whitechapel Gallery hosts a talk series, Prix Pictet Conversations on Photography, featuring leading contemporary photographers from around the world.
A mainstay of summer in London, the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre opens its doors for another season in 2017, opening with On the Town, directed by Olivier Award-winner Drew McOnie. We are then treated to two of Charles Dickens's most popular stories out in the open. Firstly, Matthew Dunster adapts Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities into a new play directed by Timothy Sheader. Secondly, Oliver Twist is created for everyone aged six and over, adapted by Anya Reiss and directed by Caroline Byrne. Jesus Christ Superstar, winner of the BBC Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical in the Evening Standard Awards, and a sell-out success in 2016, returns and runs until 16th September, giving audiences one final chance to see the production in its original home.
Selected by a panel of judges from over 1,000 submissions, these 100 entries shortlisted for the 2017 Prize for Illustration reflect the Sounds of the City. Taking inspiration from the familiar, the curious, the persistent and the distinctive chorus of sounds we hear about us day and night, this is a celebration of the hubbub and the quiet spaces, the songs and the sounds, of our vibrant, diverse, multi-layered cities. On display at the London Transport Museum, in the Exterion Media Gallery, entry is included in the admission ticket, which allows unlimited daytime entry for the whole year.
Returning to the Southbank Centre for 2017, Alchemy is a festival of South Asian culture that has grown to become the largest festival of Indian and South Asian culture outside India. Incorporating comedy, theatre, dance and music, it's an eclectic programme that this year commences with Sukanya, Ravi Shankar's first-ever opera that he worked on just before he died. The special performance will be directed by Curve Associate Director Suba Das with dance choreographed by the Aakash Odedra Company and music from the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
This year's Regent's Park Open Air Theatre commences with New York-set dance musical On The Town. The classic 1944 musical by Leonard Bernstein charts the romantic dalliances of three sailors on shore leave. Accompanying Bernstein's incredible score will be choreography by the Olivier Award-winning Drew McOnie, who is celebrated for his choreography on Jesus Christ Superstar. Featuring the timeless New York, New York, this will be the Open Air Theatre's biggest dance musical to date.
Bought by George III in 1762, The Royal Collection has the world's finest group of paintings, drawings and prints by Venice's most famous view-painter, Canaletto. Canaletto and the Art of Venice showcases a spectacular selection of 18th-century Venetian art, displaying Canaletto's greatest works alongside paintings and works by Sebastiano and Marco Ricci, Francesco Zuccarelli, Rosalba Carriera and Giovanni Battista Piazzetta. Visitors will be treated to the delights of 18th-century Venice, including the Grand Canal and St Mark's Square as well as its festivals, theatre and masked carnival.
The weekly Cabbages and Frocks Market hosts the Dog Day Afternoon on Saturday 20th May 2017, bringing together canine couture, dog toys, food, fashion. One of the highlights of the day will be the Good Boy Dog School headed by TV personality Dima Yeremenko, who appeared on 'Britain's Got Talent' and 'That Dog Can Dance!', presenting a new routine at 12 noon and 2pm. If you want to enter your pooch, competition categories include 'A bit of ruff' for mixed breeds, best dog trick, and matching pairs, all judged by Chamois Rose-Wood from the Independent and Rob Alleyne of Dog Owners club who can be seen on BBC3's 'Dog Borstal'. You can also stock up on accessories for your pet, commission a dog portrait or treat your hound to a special stew.
Chelsea Fringe returns for its sixth year this May, running for three weeks across various venues and settings around town. The initiative, which is entirely volunteer run, is independent of the Chelsea Flower Show and is offered as an alternative, community minded garden festival for Londoners to enjoy. This year's line-up features a talk on carnivorous plants followed by the Film: Little Shop of Horrors, a Bat Walk and a Bee Beautiful workshop at King Henry's Walk in London. Edible plants are feasted on at Salad Daze in Finsbury Park and Battersea Power Station's Storybox invites you to enter a classic red London phone box to hear stories told by local residents. Head to Paddington Basin for London's first ever Floating Pocket Park which launches during The Chelsea Fringe.
Back for a third year Urban Village Fete offers a contemporary twist on the traditional summer fete. Roaming acts - think brass band house music and life-sized slinkies - perform alongside Gilles Peterson who DJs all day. Curated designer marketplaces, street food vendors, art and design workshops, pop-ups and talks hosted by BBC Radio London's Robert Elms are all part of the fun. Further activities in the flourishing Peninsula Garden include workshops (we had group hoola hooping and paper hat workshops last year) and the chance to become a DJ for the day with The Charity Shop DJ, all pulled together by HemingwayDesign who are also behind the Classic Car Boot Sale.
The Edinburgh-born singer-songwriter and musician performs pop-rock and folk songs. KT Tunstall - "a Scottish girl doing the whole onstage loop-pedal thing back when Ed Sheeran was still a wee lad" (Rolling Stone) - first came to our attention on Jools Holland more than a decade ago. With hits like the "infectious, foot-stomping" (Rolling Stone) 'Black Horse and the Cherry Tree' and 'Suddenly I See', followed up by new single 'It Took Me So Long To Get Here, But Here I Am', this one off Barbican concert is a rare chance to see KT, winner of the Inspirational Artist gong at the Women In Music Awards, play live.
The Poetry Lover's Garden, a garden inspired by the famous British botanist, Ernest Henry Wilson, and a green space to celebrate 500 years of Covent Garden are just three of the show gardens at this year's Chelsea Flower Show. Regarded as a highpoint of the London summer season, the fragrant flower show is a wonderful showcase of blooms and celebrities - even the Queen attends. Particularly spectacular are the gardens created by eight hundred imaginative garden designers who spend nearly a month creating a horticultural wonderland over the 11-acre site. This beautiful and inspiring show is a real treat, even for non-gardeners.
It's a hard-knock life in 1930s New York during the Great Depression when Miranda Hart makes her West End debut as tyrannical Miss Hannigan in the feel good, Tony Award-winning musical. Based on a book by Thomas Meehan, with music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics by Martin Charnin, Annie the musical charts the journey of the orphan who doesn't know she's really the daughter of a billionaire. Annie and her fellow orphans are forced to live a life of misery at the hands of the drunken Miss Hannigan. The infectious songbook includes Easy Street, I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here and Tomorrow. Directed by Nikolai Foster. NOTE: Miranda Hart appears until 17th September 2017.
A landmark exhibition, California at the Design Museum is the first to examine a state's current global reach. From LSD to iPhones, the ambitious project presents the idea that California has pioneered many tools of personal liberation. Starting in the 1960s, it charts the journey from the counterculture to Silicon Valley's tech culture through political posters, personal computers and self-driving cars. Additionally, it will go beyond hardware to examine how user interface designers in the Bay Area are influencing common day-to-day activities, revealing how this culture of design and technology has, in a way, made us all Californians.
Without Japanese printmaker Katsushika Hokusai, "Impressionism might never have happened", so says Jason Farago, writing for the BBC. It's a claim backed up by none other than the British Museum whose exhibition examines "the moment when European art started turning Japanese". Looking at the last thirty years of Hokusai's career, from around 1820 to 1849, it features a broad selection of works - from the iconic blue and white wave print to major paintings, drawings, woodblock prints and illustrated books.
Welsh playwright Gary Owen addresses the topic of violent computer games with his new play, Killology. The play imagines a controversial new gaming experience in which players are rewarded for torturing victims, scoring points based on the creativity of their torture. The creator, however, insists that the game isn't sick and it is marketed as a deeply moral experience, allowing players to live out their deepest fantasies in a digital world. On the streets it's a different story, with growing violence and viciousness. Staged at the Royal Court, the provocative drama is directed by Rachel O'Riordan.
Founded by DJ and yoga trainer, Jessica Skye, Fat Buddha Yoga presents an inspiring way to start the day - with an early morning rooftop yoga session. Starting from Thursday 18th May and running every Thursday morning until September, the high energy yoga sessions take place in the rooftop garden of Coq d'Argent, offering spectacular views over the city. After the class you can complete your healthy start with a breakfast of Greek yoghurt or eggs Benedict at the restaurant.
For their fifth anniversary We Are FSTVL offer on-site camping for the first time with Morning Gloryville to help start the day as you mean to go on - with a rave. Big hitting names like Craig David, Dizzee Rascal, Carl Cox, Basement Jaxx, and Wiley are on the line up which lists 300 DJs, set to play across 30 stages in and around a private aerodrome in Uxbridge, 20 minutes from central London. Happy campers who choose to spend the whole weekend on site can enjoy hot tubs, a woodland spa, tall ball pool, giant pillow fights, silly sports, a Glitter Palace, Blowdry Bar, campfire and pop up restaurants.
The first UK exhibition of illustrations for classic sci-fi anime films comes to The House of Illustration this May. Focusing on handmade background illustrations, it will feature drawings and paintings from some of the genre's most influential productions, including 1995 film Ghost in the Shell, which led to Japanese anime films becoming the heart of global pop culture. Hiromasa Ogura's watercolour paintings for the pioneering anime epic, which inspired the likes of Avatar and The Matrix, depicts the striking contrast between a derelict Chinese town and ruthless urban development. The exhibition also features works from Patlabor: The Movie and Metropolis.
He shunned publicity, was rarely seen and gave only one full interview in his life yet Christian Dior called him "the master of us all". Spanish designer Cristobal Balenciaga, the king of haute couture in the 1950s and 1960s, is the subject of a V & A exhibition, marking the 100th anniversary of the opening of his first fashion house in San Sebastian. 80 years after the opening of his famous Paris salon in 1937, Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion takes an "almost forensic" look at the craftsmanship and skill that made his creations so special. Around 100 beautiful garments and 20 hats go on display, representing the work of Balenciaga and his followers. Sketches, photographs and fabric samples are shown alongside the garments and patterns, x-rays, toiles and film to reveal how they were made.
When Simple Minds announced they were taking their new album, Simple Minds Acoustic, on the road the first London gig, at the London Palladium on Saturday 27th May, sold out and a second date had to be added, at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Sunday 4th June. The tour will see them perform a career spanning collection of songs acoustically for the first time and they will be joined by special guest The Anchoress. "Don't be fooled by the acoustic tag!" Jim Kerr has reassured us, and with MOJO magazine declaring it "their best album in 30 years" these shows will be just as energetic as their rock n roll performances.
The Foodies Festival returns to Syon Park this spring, taking place on the second Bank Holiday weekend in May. This year's line-up features a range of culinary elite, including the likes of Christian Edwardson of Bonnie Gull, Gary Angler of Angler, Atul Kochhar of Benares and Dhruv Baker of The Jolly Gardener. Great British Bake Off winner Candice Brown will also be in attendance as well as former MasterChef 2016 winner Jane Devonshire, TV chef Rosemary Shrager and Crème de la Crème winner Mark Tilling will also be in attendance. There will also be the chance to enjoy the creations of expert mixologists and sommeliers in the Drinks Theatre, stock up your kitchen at the Artisan Producers Market, and feast on flavours from around the world at Street Food Avenue. Further highlights include a children's cookery school, a chilli eating challenge and live music. Foodies Festival London 2017 dates: Syon Park 27th-29th May | Blackheath 7th-9th July | Alexandra Palace 26th-28th August
With a debut album featuring the likes of Rita Ora, Ella Eyre, Ella Henderson, Maverick Sabre, Paloma Faith and Labrinth, Sigma have certainly proved that they're good at networking. Having sold out at venues like Brixton Academy and The Roundhouse, the dance music duo - consisting of Cameron Edwards and Joe Lenzie - has have promised something special for the Royal Albert Hall: "For one night only we're going to turn the place into a giant rave". Expect a showcase of exclusive material from their forthcoming new album, alongside their extensive run of hits.
The most famous cup competition in world football reaches its finale at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 27th May 2017 as the two sides who have battled through to the FA Cup Final go all out to claim the last major trophy of the English season. With Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-finals, one or other will face either Arsenal or Manchester City in the big final.
Back for a second year, Gala brings together the very best of south London's restaurants, bars and parties for a one-day festival set against the backdrop of Brockwell Park. Kicking off the summer with a top line-up of jazz-funk, groove, soul, tropical and world beats, the fete welcomes disco from Studio 54 and Paradise Garage, headlining alongside Crazy P with a full live band while Horse Meat Disco are curating their own stage with guests to include Honey Soundsystem and Mood II Swing. Plus, feeding London's hunger for quality street food, there will be dishes from Kricket, Kitchen Shop, Made of Dough, Bill or Beak and Fatties Bakery, as well as drinks by Brixton Brewery, Canopy Beer and Peckham's Brick Brewery among others.
Launched to celebrate London's transformation into a pizza-mad metropolis, the London Pizza Festival returns this May. Taking place at Borough Market, the festival invites some of the capital's best-loved pizzerias to throw their dough into the ring in an attempt to be crowned the festival favourite. Pizzerias on the line-up include Radio Alice, L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele, Napoli on the Road, Addomme and Made of Dough, who return after winning the crown last year. There will also be a selection of craft ales to quench your thirst.
Bijan Sheibani directs the National Theatre's co-production with Fuel and West Yorkshire Playhouse of Inua Ellams' dynamic drama, which explores the timely concerns, personal trials and tribulations of the customers and staff of barber shops in London, Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala, Lagos and Accra.
Jeremy Herrin directs DC Moore's darkly funny drama starring Anne-Marie Duff as incorrigible rogue and thief Mary, who becomes embroiled in a battle for England's lost land as smoke of the industrial revolution belches out from the cities. This National Theatre staging of Common is a co-production with Headlong, co-starring Trevor Fox and Cush Jumbo. The play opens on 30th May and runs until 12th July giving the Shameless actress time to prepare for her next role as Lady Macbeth opposite Rory Kinnear at the National in spring 2018.
Award-winning actor Edward Fox, whose distinguished career includes roles in Oscar winning film Ghandi and Oh! What a Lovely War, stars in Hugh Whitemore's celebration of the life of celebrated poet John Betjeman. One-man play Sand in the Sandwiches travels through the wordsmith's life from boyhood and adolescence to Britain's poet laureate. Directed by Gareth Armstrong with set designs by BAFTA award-winning Fotini Dimou, the play brings Betjeman's poetry, sharp wit and vivacious personality to life.
The Arts Theatre invites you to take a trip back to the Roaring Twenties with the return of The Great Gatsby. Hosted in a secret central London location, the production recreates the era known for bootleg liquor, red hot jazz and hedonistic pleasures and presents an immersive adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald's seminal jazz-age novel, putting audiences in the heart of the action. Step into your dancing shoes and watch the story unfold around you.
The word 'desh' comes from the Bengali word meaning 'homeland', themes of land and nation feature heavily in this highly personal solo performance from Akram Khan, which is showing at Sadler's Wells Theatre this summer. The multiple tales shift between Britain and Bangladesh and Khan intertwines tales of memory and myth in a surprising and surreal way. Desh sees Khan join forces with Oscar-winning visual artist Tim Yip, who worked on 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', Olivier-Award winning composer Jocelyn Pook and slam poet Polar Bear in this critically acclaimed contemporary production.