WINTER IN THE CITY OCTOBER 2016 TO JANUARY 2017
www.visitthecity.co.uk ART AND EXHIBITIONS FAMILY MUSIC SPECIAL EVENTS THEATRE WALKS AND TALKS
ART AND EXHIBITIONS
| 4 |
FAMILY 9
|
MUSIC 11
SPECIAL EVENTS
| 15 |
THEATRE 21
WALKS AND TALKS
| 24
London’s Night Owls Fire! Fire! Sleepover p.10
Winter may be coming, but that’s no reason to stay indoors this season. The City of London is a hive of activity over the festive period with a variety of events and attractions to keep you warm during the cold nights.
A highlight of every winter is the Lord Mayor’s Show (p.16). This year, not only will visitors be able to enjoy the world’s longest unrehearsed pageant, the Fire Fireworks display that follows the three mile parade will conclude the Great Fire 350 commemorations. Arrive early to be assured a good view and witness the new Lord Mayor take office. As the City starts to cool, the Square Mile gets into full festive swing, with a variety of seasonal events for everyone. St Paul’s Cathedral (p.18) starts the count down with a stunning range of
church and carol services, and Drapers’ Hall is one of the go-tos for Christmas shopping with the City Christmas Fair (p.19). It wouldn’t be Christmas, without the Lady Mayoress Christmas Lights Switch-on (p.18) at Leadenhall Market, and of course, a trip to see Santa’s Grotto (p.19) at the Museum of London.
For more events and information about the City go to www.visitthecity.co.uk or visit our City Information Centre by St Paul’s Cathedral, where our friendly, multilingual staff are ready to help you plan your days out: City of London Information Centre St Paul’s Churchyard London EC4M 8BX
The end of the Christmas period doesn’t mean an end to the fun, though. Broadgate Ice Rink (p.17) keeps its doors open till February, so get your skates on and celebrate the rink’s 30th anniversary.
The information in this leaflet has been researched and compiled in good faith and checked as thoroughly as possible with the relevant sources. It is correct to the best of the publisher’s knowledge at the time of printing (September 2016) and the publisher cannot accept any liability for errors and omissions howsoever caused. No payment was either solicited or received for inclusion of entries (with the exception of the back page advertisement) and it does not claim to be fully comprehensive.
Sign up to the City of London eShot for all the latest news and events at www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
www.visitthecity.co.uk
@visitthecity
/visitthecity
/visitthecity
l
Visscher Redrawn: 1616-2016
On-going
Fire! Fire!
On-going
London’s Baking! Bakers, Cakes, Bread and Puddings from 1666 Taking its inspiration from Thomas Farynor and his bakery, the starting place of the Great Fire, this exhibition tells the story of London’s bakers from 1666 through to the 20th century. The photographs, films and historical documents on display in this exhibition include the recently uncovered plan which shows that Farynor’s bakery was actually located in present day
Monument Street, not the current location of the infamous Pudding Lane. Mon-Thu 9.30am-4.45pm Tue-Thu open until 7.30pm; open one Saturday each month, check website for details FREE London Metropolitan Archives 40 Northampton Road EC1R 0HB www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma T 020 7332 3820
Step back 350 years and experience the Great Fire of London in this interactive and atmospheric exhibition. With immersive displays, hands-on exhibits, eye witness accounts and never-before-seen artefacts, this exhibition will delight children and adults alike. Learn how the City we know today rose from the ashes. Daily 10am-6pm (last entry 4.30pm) Admission: from £8 online; child (under 16) from £4 online; concs from £6.40 online Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk/ fire-fire T 020 7001 9844
5 Arts and Exhibitions
Until 20 November
Claes Jansz Visscher’s 1616 engraving is the image many would say best fits their idea of how London looked in medieval times. It is one of the few visual records of one of the world’s greatest cities before so much of it was swept away in the Great Fire of 1666. Four hundred years on, artist Robin Reynolds repeats the exercise. His version of modern London, arranged to fit the fantastic Visscher landscape is on display at Guildhall Art Gallery alongside Visscher’s original print. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 12noon-4pm FREE Guildhall Art Gallery Guildhall Yard EC2V 5AE www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhallartgallery T 020 7332 1868
On-going
Sculpture in the City The popular public art exhibition returns with a selection of 17 contemporary art pieces in and around the Square Mile. This year’s exhibition includes works from internationally-renowned artists Antony Caro, Giuseppe Penone, William Kentridge, Sarah Lucas, Jaume Plensa and many more. FREE to view at any time Pick up a map from the City Information Centre St Paul’s Churchyard EC4M 8BX Around St Botolph without Bishopsgate, Lime Street, St Mary Axe, Great St Helen’s and Undershaft EC3 www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ sculptureinthecity
Until 30 November
That Dreadful Fire: the Hand of God, a Great Wind and a Very Dry Season
On-going
The City Centre The City Centre is the home of the City of London’s architectural model of the square mile. On a 1:500 scale, it documents the make-up of the City today and also includes many new developments planned for the next 10 years. It offers a rare insight into the future of London’s skyline. The current installation includes 33,000 flowers hung from the ceiling by copper wire. The exhibition promotes and
celebrates open space in the City and is accompanied by a map and app detailing the stories behind 34 gardens within the Square Mile. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm (City model exhibition Fri-Sat only) FREE The City Centre 80 Basinghall Street EC2V 5AR www.thecitycentre.london T 020 7600 8362
This exhibition explores the story of the devastating Great Fire through Guildhall Library’s collections, including English and foreign accounts, sermons and public records. Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm; Wed until 7.30pm. Open alternative Sat. FREE Guildhall Library Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1869/1871
View archives on the Great Fire of London up close. The Diary of Robert Hooke, Chief Surveyor to the City of London Corporation after the Fire, is on public display for the first time alongside archives showing how the City of London Corporation set about clearing up and rebuilding the City. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 12noon-4pm FREE City of London Heritage Gallery Guildhall Yard EC2V 5AE www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ heritagegallery T 020 7332 1868
Art in the City An annual exhibition of works of art by artist members of the Worshipful Company of PainterStainers. All works at the exhibition are for sale and refreshments are available. Dating from the 13th century, the Painter-Stainers’ Company is the 5th oldest Guild operating in the City of London and today it awards art prizes and scholarships to young artists, as well as running the national Lynn-Painter-Stainers Prize. Daily 10am-4pm FREE Painters’ Hall 9 Little Trinity Lane EC4V 2AD www.painter-stainers.org/ arts-crafts/painters-fine-art-society T 020 7236 7070
From 13 October
l
City of London Heritage Gallery display
3 – 5 October
7 Arts and Exhibitions
Until 12 January
The Vulgar: Fashion Redefined The first exhibition to explore the inherently challenging but utterly compelling territory of taste in fashion, from the renaissance through to contemporary design, featuring looks from Pam Hogg, Christian Lacroix, Vivienne Westwood and many more. Sat-Wed 10am-6pm Thu-Fri 10am-9pm Admission: £14.50 Barbican Art Gallery Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk T 020 7638 8891
From 20 September
Victorians Decoded: Art and Telegraphy Victorian artists’ responses to advances in communication technology provide the focus of an exhibition to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the laying of the Transatlantic Telegraph Cable. Featuring iconic and never-seenbefore paintings from the City Corporation’s art gallery and other important UK collections, the
exhibition illustrates how cable telegraphy transformed speed of communication and people’s understanding of time and distance. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 12noon-4pm FREE Guildhall Art Gallery Guildhall Yard EC2V 5AE www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhallartgallery T 020 7332 1868
From 17 October
21 October – 6 December
Londinium AD 43
Money and Power
Photographer Eugenio Grosso takes you on a photographic journey through time from the foundation of London to the present day. By overlapping Roman and contemporary maps, a shared geography emerges showing how much of the Roman settlement has been preserved through the centuries. The exhibition displays photographs of areas once home to significant Roman sites providing a new perspective on ancient London. Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm; Wed until 7.30pm. Open alternative Sat. FREE Guildhall Library Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1869/1871
Discover an exciting and eclectic display on the theme of Money and Power from members of the Gay Photographer’s Network. From social and political comment to detailed cityscapes and erotic portraiture, 23 images from 16 talented photographers are on display following a competition judged by Guildhall Art Gallery curators. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 12noon-4pm FREE Guildhall Art Gallery Guildhall Yard EC2V 5AE www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhallartgallery T 020 7332 1868
9 Family
l
From 9 December
Marie Duval: Laughter in the First Age of Leisure
From 24 October
The Big Bang 30th Anniversary On 27 October 1986, a number of radical changes were implemented affecting the market systems and structure of the Stock Exchange, including the introduction of electronic trading. Come and view original documents from the Bank’s archive, revealing fascinating insights into the innovation that transformed the City – 30 years on. Mon-Fri 10am-5pm (last entry 4.30pm) Closed Bank Holidays FREE Bank of England Museum Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH www.bankofengland.co.uk/ museum T 020 7601 5545
An exhibition on Isabelle Émilie de Tessier, more commonly known under the pseudonym ‘Marie Duval’, showcasing her pioneering work in the art of 19th-century comics. Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm; Wed until 7.30pm. Open alternative Sat FREE Guildhall Library Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1869/1871
From 18 January
Capturing the City: Photography at the Bank of England The Bank of England’s photographic collection provides a fascinating record of the Bank, its buildings and staff since the Victorian era. In partnership with the Bank of England Archive, this temporary exhibition takes a look into the Bank’s past, and explores the history of a medium that has come to dominate the world around us. Mon-Fri 10am-5pm (last entry 4.30pm) Closed Bank Holidays FREE Bank of England Museum Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH www.bankofengland.co.uk/ museum T 020 7601 5545
24 – 28 October
The Big Draw – Designs on Your Money
22 – 30 October
London Survives Wars, plagues and fires. This October half term, discover the drama of London’s past with large-scale art workshops, interactive storytelling and object handling, all with a special focus on the Great Fire. When: 12noon-4pm FREE Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk/ families T 020 7001 9844
1, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30 Oct, 20 Nov and 11 Dec
The Great Fire Family Walking Tour Is the baker of Pudding Lane to blame? What did Samuel Pepys bury in his garden? How did they put out the fire? Join the Museum of London on this 45-minute interactive family walk to find these answers and
Explore the new banknote gallery and learn about the various cash security features before designing your own secure banknote. Which new features will you add to make it even more secure? Will you choose a famous character or a landmark to appear on your banknote? Will your notes be printed on polymer, like the new £5 note? Enter a competition to win a variety of prizes, with the winning designs displayed on the Bank’s website. Daily 10am-4.30pm FREE Bank of England Museum Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH www.bankofengland.co.uk/ museum T 020 7601 5545 more. Suitable for children. When: 2pm-2.45pm (British Sign Language interpreted walks 1 & 30 Oct) Admission: £7, concs £5, (BSL Carers free) Outside the entrance to Monument Underground Station Fish Street Hill EC3R 6BR www.museumoflondon.org.uk/ families T 020 7001 9844
11 Music
l
16 & 20 October
LSO & Sir John Eliot Gardiner play Mendelssohn
28 October
22 – 30 December
London’s Night Owls Fire! Fire! Sleepover
Crafty Christmas and creative New Year!
What happens in the museum once the doors close for the night? Trick-or-treat your way through the galleries, solve a spooky crime and sneak into the Fire! Fire! exhibition after hours. Bed down in the museum for lights out at midnight, before a bright and early breakfast and a family friendly film in the morning. When: 6.45pm-9.30am Admission: £60 Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844
Get creative this Christmas with a selection of Museum-inspired crafts. Decorate gold bar moneyboxes, door hangers and masks, the choice is yours. There’s also a chocolate coin for every child. Mon-Fri 10am-4.30pm Closed Bank Holidays FREE Bank of England Museum Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH www.bankofengland.co.uk/ museum T 020 7601 5545
27 – 29 October
And London Burned
13 – 21 December
Sponge Turned On Its Head invites you to roll, squeeze and pop yourself through a malleable show, set to an original 1970’s-influenced score, perfect for babies, young children and adults alike.
Conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner returns to the LSO, accompanied by his Montiverdi Choir, for a programme dedicated to two of the most monumental pieces of Felix Mendelssohn’s career, his Violin Concerto and Symphony Cantata (Symphony No 2 ‘Lobgesang’). When: 7pm (16 Oct), 7.30pm (20 Oct) Admission: £10-£42 (plus booking fee) Barbican Hall Barbican Centre, Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891
When: various times available; check website for full listings Admission: £8.50 (plus booking fee) The Pit, Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre
The Great Fire of London effectively ended on the roof of the Inner Temple Hall, where the last flames were beaten out under the direction of Inner Temple’s Royal Bencher, James, Duke of York. The Temple Music Foundation has commissioned a new opera to mark these extraordinary events with three performances in the historic Temple church. When: 7.30pm (29 & 28 Oct), 6pm (29 Oct) Admission: from £15 The Temple Church Fleet Street EC4Y 7HL www.templemusic.org T 020 7427 5641
27 October, 3, 10, 17 November
Lawrence Power & Friends One of the world’s most charismatic viola soloists, Lawrence Power has been praised for his ‘technical brilliance and emotional depth’ as well as his ‘exceptional expressive power’. In this series of BBC Radio 3 lunchtime concerts he invites a distinguished group of his closest collaborators to join him in an exploration of the many guises of the viola. When: 1pm Admission £12, concs £10 LSO St Luke’s 161 Old Street EC1V 9NG www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891
9 November
Guildhall Symphony Orchestra Perhaps no work of classical music is as famous and iconic as Beethoven’s dramatic Fifth Symphony. Experience a live performance of this spine-tingling masterwork conducted by a rising star graduate of Venezuela’s El Sistema programme, Diego Matheuz. When: 7.30pm Admission: From £10, concs £5 Barbican Hall Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.gsmd.ac.uk T 020 7638 8891
In his Pulitzer prize-winning masterpiece Maus – a moving father-son illustrated memoir about the Holocaust drawn with cats and mice – Art Spiegelman changed the definition of comics. Here he collaborates with Jazz composer Phillip Johnston on a show that further expands the possibilities of the medium. When: 7.30pm Admission: From £20 (plus booking fee) Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk T 020 7638 8891
13 November
Elza Soares Part of the EFG London Jazz Festival, the unmistakable queen of Brazilian music performs her new album The Woman at the End of the World, with special guest Eska. When: 7.30pm Admission: £17.50-£25 (plus booking fee) Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk T 020 7638 8891
The Donatella Flick LSO Conducting Competition Final
Spitalfields Music Winter Festival
Join the LSO for a spectacular display of young conducting talent. Created by Donatella Flick in 1990, the Competition aims to help a young conductor establish an international conducting career. The winner receives an award of £15,000 and the opportunity to become Assistant Conductor of the LSO for one year. When: 7pm Admission: £10-£24 (plus booking fee) Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891
From Bach to Bollywood, this year’s Spitalfields Music Winter Festival offers an intriguing mix of early and new music, dance events and poetry happenings. Presenting concerts in Spitalfield’s opulent historic locations, including festival favourites The Sixteen and Solomon’s Knot, as well as Shakespeare-inspired programme with The English Concert. Musical explorations into the past and future are on offer, as well as shows for younger ears. Dates, times and prices may vary; check website for full listings www.spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk T 020 7377 1362
16 – 18 December
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra A sumptuous programme of concerts from Barbican International Associates the RCO, featuring sparkling Franco-Russian Romanticism and brooding German works, under new Chief Conductor Daniele Gatti. Musicians from the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain join the orchestra on stage for the prelude to Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg, before leading an NYO Inspire Day on the Sunday. When: Fri 7.30pm, Sat 2.30pm, Sun 4.15pm Admission: From £15 (plus booking fee) Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk T 020 7638 8891
l
Wordless!
4 – 11 December
13 Music
11 November
17 November
19 December
Les Arts Florissants: Messiah Handel’s choral masterpiece always has something new to offer and dedicated interpreters Les Arts Florissants are sure to find its hidden depths in this performance of the staple festive piece. When: 7pm Admission: £15-£55 (plus booking fee) Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk T 020 7638 8891
l
15 Special Events
From 24 October
City of London Police Museum
21 December
A Choral Christmas The LSO’s A Choral Christmas brings together children from the LSO Discovery Choirs, local singers in the LSO Community Choir, and the 120-voice London Symphony Chorus, accompanied by the LSO’s String Ensemble under the inspirational conductor
Simon Halsey. A Choral Christmas promises to warm the hearts of even the most ardent scrooge. When: 7.30pm Admission: £10-£30 (plus booking fee) Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891
14 – 15 January
26 January
LSO – Le grand macabre with Sir Simon Rattle
Guildhall String Ensemble directed by Levon Chilingirian
Sir Simon Rattle and Peter Sellars pit their creative partnership against one of the most formidable and exciting operas of the last 50 years: Ligeti’s Le grand macabre. Set in a land of despots, debauchery and drunkenness, Le grand macabre is a wild journey through the end of the world, bolstered by music from one of the most imaginative composers of the 20th century. When: 7pm Admission: £25-£75 (plus booking fee) Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891
Tigran Mansurian’s spiritual Violin Concerto – composed in 2006 for Levon Chilingirian himself – provides the centerpiece to this concert, bookended by Janáček’s charming Suite for String Orchestra and Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 14, Op. 131. When: 7pm Admission: £15, concs £5 Milton Court Concert Hall 1 Milton Street EC2Y 9BH www.gsmd.ac.uk T 020 7638 8891
1 October – 23 December
Resurfacing the Tower Bridge Bascules Tower Bridge is getting ready for a once in a generation event this autumn: the resurfacing of its bascules and roadways. The road is set to be closed to vehicles from the 1 October – 30 December whilst these essential conservation works take place in order to preserve the bridge for future generations. Tower Bridge Exhibition will remain open as usual throughout and offers a unique opportunity to see the works from the Glass Floor, including the chance to see the bridge remaining raised. When: 10am-5.30pm (bridge accessible all day) Admission: £9, concs £6.30, children £3.90, under 5s FREE Tower Bridge Tower Bridge Exhibition, Tower Bridge Road SE1 2UP www.towerbridge.org.uk/ T 0207 403 3761
Discover the City’s newest museum, a fascinating collection charting the development of the City of London Police Force from its earliest days, through the intrigue of the Victorian era to modern policing challenges like cybercrime and fraud. Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm; Sat 10am-4pm Wed until 7.30pm FREE Guildhall Library, Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ policemuseum T 020 7332 1868
28 October
Museums at Night – Banknotes and Bullion A rare opportunity for an evening visit. As well as all the usual displays, there will be presentations on banknotes in the Museum. Bank staff will also be on hand to answer questions about gold and the Museum’s team will be conducting a variety of gallery talks. When: 5.30pm-9.00pm FREE Bank of England Museum Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH www.bankofengland.co.uk/ museum T 020 7601 5545
Nightwatchers
Broadgate Winter Terrace
Step into the shadowy world of state surveillance, where messages and phone calls lead you around one of the most notorious prisons on this immersive experience; this is your induction into the art of covert investigation. When: various times available, check website for full listings Admission: £20 The Tower of London EC3N 4AB www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/ visit-us/tickets-and-prices/ T 084 4482 7777
From 11 November
Martin Parr Exhibition unveiled at Tower Bridge This winter explore Martin Parr’s photographic collection at Tower Bridge. Parr has spent the last three years documenting the life of the City of London, from private ceremonies to processions and banquets. Coinciding with the Engine Rooms re-opening, don’t miss your chance to see a selection of his collection, on display in the Victorian Engine Rooms. When: 10am-5.30pm Admission: £9, concs £6.30, children £3.90, under 5s FREE Tower Bridge Tower Bridge Exhibition, Tower Bridge Road SE1 2UP www.towerbridge.org.uk T 020 7403 3761
12 November
Lord Mayor’s Show & Fire Fireworks The incoming Lord Mayor of the City of London takes to the streets in a glistening coach as part of a three-mile long ceremony full of pomp and pageantry. The show is a London institution and hasn’t missed a year since Wellington’s funeral blocked the whole city in 1852. The modern procession fills the space between Bank and Aldwych from 11am until about 2.30pm, cheered by a crowd of around half a million people and watched live on the BBC by millions more. The 801st year of the journey will culminate in a special fireworks display to not only mark the Lord
Mayor’s first official day, but also commemorate the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London. Fire Fireworks will provide a spectacular finale to the Great Fire 350 events from 5.15pm, and will launch from floats between Blackfriars and Waterloo. When: 5.15pm Procession from 11am FREE to view From Mansion House to Fleet Street via Cheapside and St Paul’s then back via Embankment; fireworks best viewed from Victoria Embankment. www.lordmayorsshow.org
l
From 14 November
17 Special Events
1 November – 30 November
Visit Broadgate Circle’s sparkling winter terrace this season to discover an array of dining options for all occasions. A stone’s throw from Liverpool Street, Broadgate’s stunning circular amphitheatre will once again be transformed into a festive haven, complete with twinkling lights and cosy blankets. Take a seat at one of eleven resident restaurants to experience seasonal offerings from around the globe, from warming winter cocktails to hearty festive fare. When: various times available, check website for full listings FREE Broadgate Circle EC2M 2QS www.broadgate.co.uk/ winterterrace
From 14 November 12 November
Lord Mayor’s Show face painting Step into the world of Ratty, Mole, Badger and Mr Toad. Professional face painters will transform young visitors into well-known characters from The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, a former Secretary of the Bank of England. When: 11am-5pm (last entry at 4.30pm) FREE Bank of England Museum Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH www.bankofengland.co.uk/ museum T 020 7601 5545
Broadgate Ice Rink The perfect place to skate and dine, London’s longest running outdoor ice rink returns to Broadgate once again this winter. Skate against the backdrop of a stunning City skyline, before refuelling with rink-side street food from some of London’s best traders – popping up at Broadgate ice rink for the very first time. When: 10am-10pm Admission: £13.50, concs £10.90, children £9.50, family £36.50 Broadgate Ice Rink Exchange Square EC2A 2BQ www.broadgate.co.uk/ice T 084 5653 1424
19 Special Events
l
18 November
Leadenhall Market Christmas Lights switch on Join the Lady Mayoress and the Sheriffs for the official opening of Christmas in the City and stay and enjoy the festive food, drinks and entertainment. When: 5pm-6.15pm FREE Leadenhall Market Gracechurch Street EC3V 1LR www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ Leadenhall-market
22 November
Close to the bone From a syphilitic Victorian ‘lady of the night’ to a Georgian gentlemen with more than a few medical conditions, carefully piece together the hidden histories of Londoners who dwelt in the ancient city at different time periods, using only the bones they left behind. When: 7pm Admission: £28 Museum of London 160 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon. org.uk/events T 020 7001 9844
3 – 23 December
1 December – 27 December
Advent and Christmas at St Paul’s Cathedral 2016 Few places are better to enjoy traditional Christmas services and carols than St Paul’s Cathedral. The City of London is renowned for its historic churches, particularly those designed by the celebrated architect Sir Christopher Wren. St Paul’s Cathedral is the centrepiece of the City’s church offer with a stunning range of festive celebrations that are sure to get you in the Christmas spirit. Highlights include George Frederic Handel’s Messiah (1 Dec); Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols (10 Dec); A Celebration of Christmas (15 Dec); Family Carols (17 Dec); Christmas Carol Service (23 and 24 Dec); Midnight Eucharist (24 Dec); and the Christmas Day Eucharist (25 Dec). FREE St Paul’s Cathedral St Paul’s Churchyard EC4M 8AD www.stpauls.co.uk/christmas T 020 7246 8350
Santa’s Grotto
3 December
Come and Sing Flex your vocal chords at an evening choral workshop with members of St Bride’s Choir, followed by a performance. When: 6.30pm Admission: £28 workshop, £17 Student, £10 Concert Only St Bride’s Church Fleet Street EC4Y 8AU www.stbrides.com T 020 7427 0133
3 December
Queer Time; Queer Place; Queer Action: Sexualities and Localities Join a day of talks, workshops and discussion that will explore the ways that sexual identities have been formed and expressed across different times and places. Contributors will include: the Raphael Samuel History Centre, the Sexualities and Localities project and Queer Tours of London – A Mince through Time. When: 9am-5pm Admission: £15, concs £10 London Metropolitan Archives 40 Northampton Road EC1R 0HB www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma T 020 7332 3851
Join Santa in the Victorian Walk – a life size recreation of a Victorian London street. Each child who meets Santa receives a special gift, with the option to take home a photograph of the magical moment. When: various times available, check website for full listings Admission: From £7, (optional photograph £8) Museum of London 160 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844
5 December
City Christmas Fair Enjoy a festive shopping experience at the City Christmas Fair in aid of Wellbeing of Women. Browse over 50 amazing stalls filled with luxury items – with everything from exquisite jewellery to delicious food, unique gifts and fabulous stocking fillers – you’ll be sure to find gift inspirations and last minute buys. Unwind with a glass of fizz at the Champagne Bar, place a bid in the very popular silent auction and buy raffle tickets for a chance to win fantastic prizes When: 11am-8pm Admission: From £10 (discounts available, check website for details) Drapers’ Hall Throgmorton Street EC2N 2DQ www.wellbeingofwomen.org.uk T 020 3697 7000
l
21 Theatre
6 – 15 October
Michael Clark Company
10 December
Tour the Thames: river and fire Take a boat trip down the Thames led by Meriel Jeater, curator of Fire! Fire! and Hazel Forsyth, Senior Curator of Medieval and Post-Medieval Archaeological Collections. The tour goes from Westminster Pier to the O2 and back again, revealing how the city was shaped by the events of the Great Fire of 1666. When: 1.15pm Admission: £38 Starts from Westminster Pier, Victoria Embankment www.museumoflondon.org.uk/ fire-fire-events T 020 7001 9844
13 December
Feeling the heat: the race to investigate the Great Fire Prepare for an evening like no other where you will travel back in time to uncover what really caused this devastating inferno. From analysing replica human remains to stepping inside a portion of a room blackened by soot and smoke, piece together the clues and run your own forensic analysis to uncover one of the darkest events in the city’s history. When: 7pm Admission: £20 Museum of London 160 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844
19 – 23 December
Leadenhall Christmas Market Whilst you shop for those last few gifts, soak up the live entertainment and festive drinks at Leadenhall Market. Bars, shops, music and events will get you in the Christmas mood. When: 12noon-2pm FREE Leadenhall Market Gracechurch Street EC3V 1LR www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ Leadenhall-market
22 December
Fleet Street Carols Traditionally an occasion for the printing, publishing and news groups in the area, it has now become an event for all. Featuring St Bride’s professional choir, brass quartet and fine organ, it’s a great way to get in the festive spirit. When: 12noon and 5pm FREE St Bride’s Church Fleet Street EC4Y 8AU www.stbrides.com T 020 7427 0133
This autumn, see the fruits of a slow rebuilding of Michael Clark’s dance company, the evolution of his own dance technique, and his return to stage as he embarks on his second decade as a Barbican Artistic Associate. Winning rave reviews for his technical rigour, experimentation, intense and fine-tuned choreography, Clark remains an innovator and defining cultural figure. When: 7.45pm (6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 Oct); 3pm (9 Oct) Admission: £16-£45 (plus booking fee) Barbican Theatre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 020 7638 8891
10 – 15 October
August On a remote farm estate in Wales, the quiet domestic routine of the Davies family is dislocated by the arrival of a pair of glamorous and distinguished relatives from London. Wyn Jones directs Guildhall School actors in Julian Mitchell’s adaptation of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya.
When: 7.30pm (matinee 11 & 13 Oct, 2pm) Admission: £10, concs £5 Milton Court Studio Theatre 1 Milton Street EC2Y 9BH www.gsmd.ac.uk/events T 020 7638 8891
The Crucible Arthur Miller’s disturbing and thrilling ‘take’ on the Salem Witch-hunts of 1692 still resonates today with the threat that besets us from irrational ideologies and mass hysteria. Mike Alfreds directs Guildhall School actors in this landmark work. When: 7.30pm (matinee 18 & 20 Oct, 2pm) Admission: £10, concs £5 Milton Court Theatre 1 Milton Street EC2Y 9BH www.gsmd.ac.uk/events T 020 7638 8891
31 October – 17 December
Cymbeline The Royal Shakespeare Company presents the comingof-age romance stunningly retold for the 21st century. An ineffectual Queen Cymbeline rules over a divided dystopian Britain that is alienated, insular and on the brink of disaster.
10 November – 23 December
Poppy
King Lear
Back again by popular demand at a poignant time of the year, The London Ballet Company are marking Remembrance Day with the much loved production, Poppy. The London Ballet Company’s production starkly portrays the havoc wreaked by global war on ordinary people. Seen through the innocent eyes of the child Poppy, we follow a family struggling to come to terms with the cataclysmic turn of events of 1914, as they seek to do their duty and rally to their nations cause. The turmoil of family life forever changed, innocence lost, Poppy remains, like the flower for whom she was named, a symbol of hope and of remembrance. Tues-Fri, 1pm Admission, £7 advance, £9 on the door The Bridewell Theatre Bride Lane EC4Y 8EQ www.sbf.org.uk T 020 7353 3331
RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran directs Antony Sher in one of the greatest parts ever written by Shakespeare. King Lear, who has ruled for many years decides to divide his kingdom among his children, to live out his days without the burden of power. Misjudging his children’s loyalty, he soon finds himself stripped of all the trappings of state he has taken for granted. When: 7.15pm; 1.30pm (26 Nov, 1, 10, 15, 23 Dec); 7pm (15 Nov) Admission: From £10 (plus booking fee) Barbican Theatre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 020 7638 8891
When: 7.15pm; 1.30pm (5, 19, 24 Nov, 3, 8, 17 Dec); 7pm (3 Nov) Admission: From £10 (plus booking fee) Barbican Theatre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 020 7638 8891
25 – 30 November
Great Expectations Charles Dickens’s enduring masterpiece is brought to life in a brilliant stage adaptation by Nick Ormerod and Declan Donnellan which offers an opportunity for a large ensemble of actors to share the telling of this classic coming-of-age story. When: 7.30pm, 2pm on 28 and 30 November Admission: £10, concs £5 Silk Street Theatre Guildhall School, Silk Street EC2Y 8DT www.gsmd.ac.uk T 020 7638 8891
l
17 – 22 October
23 Theatre
1 – 11 November
5 – 16 December
Jack and the Beanstalk: Lean, Green and Fully Erect The festive 50 minute lunchtime panto returns with a new take on the magic beans mix up. Full of frippery, innuendo and sheer naughtiness. Tues-Fri, 1pm Admission: £7 advance, £9 on the door The Bridewell Theatre Bride Lane EC4Y 8EQ www.sbf.org.uk T 020 7353 3331
13 – 17 December
Sherlock Holmes A Victorian Christmas treat starring the world’s most famous detective. Watch the original stage play penned by Conan Doyle himself, directed by Andy Marchant and performed by the Tower Theatre Company. When: 7.30pm (3pm Sat matinee) Admission: £10-£14 The Bridewell Theatre Bride Lane EC4Y 8EQ www.sbf.org.uk T 020 7353 1700
Guildhall Library Evening Events
City of London Guided Walks
Learn something new about London, history and literature – and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine – at one of Guildhall Library’s regular evening events. Highlights include: Fraud: From the Confidence Trickster to the Cyber Criminal (8 November); Forensic Investigation: Murder and Mayhem (24 November); Crime and the City (8 December); Marie Duval Exhibition: Launch and Late View (13 December). When: 6pm-8pm Admission: £5 (plus booking fee, please book in advance at www.ghlevents.eventbrite.co.uk) Guildhall Library Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1869/1871
The City of London is the historic heart of London with almost 2,000 years of history. Behind its street facades are alleyways with nooks, crannies and hidden depths. A great way to explore them is with an experienced, qualified guide who can give you unique insights into the City’s architecture, history, customs and pageantry, as well as a range of entertaining stories. Daily 11am & 3pm Admission: £7, concs £6 Walks leave from the City Information Centre St Paul’s Churchyard EC4M 8BX www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/walks
On-going
Guildhall Library Afternoon Talks Find out something fascinating about London at one of Guildhall Library’s free talks. Highlights include: London’s Library History (22 November); Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square (24 November); Even Curiouser (9 December); History and Treasures of Guildhall Library (15 December). When: 2pm-3pm FREE (Please book in advance at www.ghlevents.eventbrite.co.uk) Guildhall Library Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1869/1871
On-going
Gresham College lectures Each week you can pop into free public lectures on a huge variety of subjects at Gresham College. This season’s highlights include: The Treatment of Cancer (26 Oct), Is One Individual’s Radicalism Another’s Right to Free Speech? (24 Nov), The Curious Case of the Decapitated Frog (1 Dec), Schooling Singers in the Cathedrals (8 Dec), Something in the Air: The Insidious Challenge of Air Pollution (12 Jan), America’s Advents (26 Jan). Dates and times vary; check website for full listings FREE Gresham College Holborn Viaduct EC1N 2HH www.gresham.ac.uk T 020 7831 0575
l
On-going
25 Walks and Talks
On-going
Until 11 December
Billingsgate Roman House & Baths tours Explore this fascinating insight into ancient City life and discover the remains of the Roman Bathhouse which lies hidden beneath office buildings. When: various times available; check website for full listings Admission: £8, concs £6 Billingsgate Roman House & Baths 101 Lower Thames St EC3R 6DL www.museumoflondon.org.uk/ bathhousetours T 020 7001 9844
11 October
27 October
What have Mathematicians Done for Us?
Sex, Scandal and Life Writing: the experiences of Dr Johnson, James Boswell and Irish courtesan, Peg Plunkett
This lecture by Gresham Professor Chris Budd will celebrate the contribution of mathematicians to our lives – including Maxwell and the mobile phone, Florence Nightingale and statistics, Pythagoras and music, Euler and Facebook, and Cayley and Google. When: 6pm-7pm FREE Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.gresham.ac.uk/lecturesand-events/ T 020 7831 0575
Meet in the atmospheric Garret of Dr Johnson’s House to hear historian Julie Peakman explore the biographies, memoirs and autobiographical material of Johnson, Boswelll and Plunkett, illustrating how their life experiences were completely skewed by their gender. Part of Museums at Night. When: 6.15pm-8.30pm Admission: £10 (includes a complimentary glass of wine) Dr Johnson’s House 17 Gough Square EC4A 3DE www.drjohnsonshouse.org T 020 7353 3745
27 Walks and Talks
l
1 November – 31 December
Twilight Tours Join our Yeoman Warders on an exclusive twilight tour of the Tower. Take in world famous sights such as Traitor’s Gate, the scaffold site and Bloody Tower, and be appalled and amazed by tales of prisoners and past residents. When: 7pm–8.30pm Admission: £27.50 The Tower of London EC3N 4AB www.hrp.org.uk/ tower-of-london/visit-us/ tickets-and-prices/ T 084 4482 7777
9 November
Leonardo, Rapunzel and the Mathematics of Hair
7 November
Art, video games and digital worlds 3 November
Dr Johnson, America’s ‘Yelps for Liberty’ and the Indian Origins of US Foreign Policy Jonathan King, Von Hügel Research Fellow at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, will talk about Johnson’s attitude to America, slavery and Native Americans, and how the need to pay for the American revolution shaped the Treaty system with Indian Nations. When: 7pm Admission £10 (includes complimentary glass of wine) Booking required Dr Johnson’s House 17 Gough Square EC4A 3DE www.drjohnsonshouse.org T 020 7353 3745
Can art be considered a game? Digital arts expert Dr Magnus Moar (Middlesex University) will be joined by artists Seth Kriebel, Michael Takeo Magruder, and Blast Theory’s Ju Row Farr, to explore this complex and contentious debate. Preceded by The Unbuilt Room, a 20 minute performance by Seth Kriebel. Part of the City | Space | Video games series. When: 3pm-4pm Admission: £15 (with performance £25) Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk/ events T 020 7001 9844
From Leonardo da Vinci to the Brothers Grimm our fascination with hair has endured in art and science. Join Professor Raymond Goldstein for a lecture on whether we can take a more quantitative approach to hair, to explain its macroscopic properties in terms of the behaviour of individual hairs. When: 6pm FREE Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.gresham.ac.uk/lecturesand-events/leonardo-rapunzeland-the-mathematics-of-hair T 020 7831 0575
13 November
Blitz: Remembrance Day walk The Blitz of 1940-41 destroyed much of the City, but also uncovered much of its history. Learn more on this guided walk. When: 2pm Admission: £12.50 (book in advance) Museum of London 150 London Wall EX2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk/ walks T 020 7001 9844
19 November
East of the City Tour: Moorgate to Aldgate From the City Centre’s architectural model of the Square Mile, through the Bank Conservation area, via the iconic shapes of Leadenhall’s shiny sky-high pavilions to finally the developments south and eastwards at Aldgate, enjoy an in-depth tour of the eastern side of the City of London. When: 2pm-4pm Admission: £18, concs £14 The City Centre 80 Basinghall Street EC2V 5AR www.thecitycentre.london T 020 7600 8362
8 December, 12 January
Guildhall Tours Take a tour of the iconic Guildhall complex, including the Great Hall and its crypt. When: 11am-12noon Admission: £7 (must be booked in advance) Meet guide at Guildhall Art Gallery Guildhall Yard EC2V 5AE www.cityoflondonguides.com T 020 8398 4715
ULLO, ULLO, ULLO,
WHAT’S ALL THIS THEN? A fascinating collection charting the development of the City of London Police force from its earliest days through the intrigue of the Victorian era to modern policing and current challenges like cybercrime and fraud. Opening in the Guildhall in October 2016 Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm; Sat 10am-4pm; Wed until 7.30pm
cityoflondon.gov.uk/policemuseum Share your experiences #CityPolice