Spring In the City 2014

Spring

in the City

SPRING EVENTS 2014 February to April ART AND EXHIBITIONS FAMILY MUSIC SPECIAL EVENTS THEATRE WALKS AND TALKS

ART AND EXHIBITIONS

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FAMILY

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MUSIC

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SPECIAL EVENTS

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THEATRE

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WALKS AND TALKS

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Frost Fair, p18

Warm up and dry off this Spring with special events, blockbuster exhibitions and a great mix of entertainment.

No matter what your tastes, our eclectic range of events are sure to add a glow to 2014.

Look out for the Frost Fair (p18) – a special celebration marking the 200th anniversary of the last time Londoners took to the frozen Thames for a spot of shopping and merriment.

With free ice skating, food and drink, and live entertainment, it’s got all the ingredients of a classic Frost Fair – but without the thin ice.

Special Valentine’s Day events like City of Seduction (p19) will also help you warm up after Winter. Meanwhile, there’s a great range of fashion, style and design events in the City this season – check out the

first major exhibition dedicated to celebrated couturier Jean-Paul Gaultier (p7), Tower Bridge’s look at the Sixties (p6) and discover the Anatomy of the Suit (p5).

Take a look at English Tourism Week (centre pages) to see what you can do to discover more of the City. There’s a wealth of walks, talks, tours, exhibitions and special openings to show you more of what's around you – and all for free. What's more, look out for the great competition to win a treasure hunt around the City.

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

Sign up to the City of London E-shot for all the latest news and events at www.cityoflondon.gov.uk 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 (January 2014) 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.

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Until 31 May 2014

Sculpture in the City

Dressed for Dinner

Wander past some of the City’s most eye-ctaching architecture (the Gherkin, the Lloyd’s Building and the Willis Building) and see on-street artworks by worldfamous artists including Jake & Dinos Chapman, Keith Coventry, Ryan Gander, Antony Gormley, Shirazeh Houshiary, Robert Indiana, Jim Lambie and Richard Wentworth.

FREE to view anytime Around St Botolph without Bishopsgate, Lime Street, St Mary Axe, Great St Helen’s and Undershaft EC3 www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ scultpureinthecity

Look over three centuries of silverware in this selling exhibition of cutlery and flatware styles – handy for dressing up your dinner table or topping up your cutlery set.

Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm; Sat 9am-1pm FREE London Silver Vaults 53-64 Chancery Lane WC2A 1QS www.silvervaultslondon.com T 020 7242 3844

On-going

Art at the Bridge #5 Enjoy the local London art on display in Tower Bridge’s atmospheric Engine Rooms.

Art at the Bridge #5 explores ‘Connections’ through the work of 10 disabled artists from Southwark Arts Forum, and is the fifth exhibition to be held in collaboration with the leading arts charity. Come for a visit and vote for your favourite.

Daily until 31 March 9.30am5.30pm (last admission 5pm); daily from 1 April 10am-6pm (last admission 5.30pm) Admission: £8; concs £5.60; children £3.40; under 5s free Tower Bridge Exhibition Tower Bridge Road SE1 2UP www.towerbridge.org.uk T 020 7403 3761

Until 29 March

The Worshipful Company of Needlemakers Exhibition Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the royal charter granted to the Worshipful Company of Needlemakers, catch this exhibition highlighting the Company’s treasures, history and charitable work.

Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm FREE Guildhall Library, Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1870

Until 27 April

The Cheapside Hoard: London’s Lost Jewels Time is running out to see the blockbuster exhibition on the secrets of the Cheapside Hoard.

This extraordinary and priceless treasure of late 16th and early 17th century jewels and gemstones is on display for the first time in over a century.

Daily 10am-6pm Admission: £10; concs £8 Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844

| ART AND EXHIBITIONS

On-going

Until 1 June

The Anatomy of a Suit With a timeless and instantly British design, the suit has been the definition of refined masculinity for more than a century. Delve into the Museum of London’s fashion collection to explore key elements of the suit and its origins and development in London.

Daily 10am-6pm FREE Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844

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2 – 30 April

9 April – 25 August

CA MATHEW: Photographs of Spitalfields a Century Ago

Shakespeare in Print

The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk

Using Guildhall Library’s Shakespeare collections, this exhibition shows how the Bard gained his legendary status through performance and publishing. Treasures on display include the First Folio, contemporary writers’ quartos, and later editions of Shakespeare’s plays and poetry.

Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm FREE Guildhall Library Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1870

For reasons unknown, on the morning of Saturday 20 April 1912, CA Mathew walked the short distance from Liverpool Street to Spitalfields and photographed the world around him. The streets and people of east London are captured with startling clarity by this enigmatic photographer.

On 5 April, you can also join a special free curator-led guide through the collection.

Mon - Fri by appointment only; Sat - Sun 10am-6pm FREE Eleven Spitalfields Gallery Princelet Street, E1 6QH elevenspitalfields.com T 020 7247 1816

From 14 March

The Sixties Visit this brand new exhibition of iconic images of the Sixties focusing on famous London people, places, events and design.

Daily until 31 March 9.30am5.30pm (last admission 5pm) Daily from 1 April 10am-6pm (last admission 5.30pm) Admission: £8; concs £5.60; children £3.40; under 5s free Tower Bridge Exhibition Tower Bridge Road SE1 2UP www.towerbridge.org.uk T 020 7403 3761

31 March – 11 July

Curiosities from the Vaults: A Bank Miscellany Discover a variety of trinkets, whatsits and unusual treasures from the Bank of England’s vaults.

From archaeological discoveries to the mystery object (above), this exhibition will reveal the surprising stories of many an intriguing artefact.

Mon-Fri 10am-5pm FREE Bank of England Museum Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH www.bankofengland.co.uk/ museum T 020 7601 5545

| ART AND EXHIBITIONS

7 March – 25 April

Explore Jean Paul Gaultier’s fashion world in the first major exhibition devoted to the celebrated French couturier.

The exhibition brings together cutting-edge couture, ready-towear garments, and iconic costumes from the 1970s to the present day.

Sat-Wed 10am-6pm; Thu-Fri 10am-9pm; Admission: £14.50; concessions Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS barbican.org.uk/artgallery T 020 7638 8891

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15 – 23 February

Half-term Time Travels

Beat the Block

Join the time-travelling fun by creating time capsules and your own handbook for time travellers – plus catch an interactive puppet show. Use the museum to travel back in time and discover more of London's past.

Daily 10am-4pm FREE Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844

Follow the varying fortunes of the Tudor women imprisoned in the Tower of London. Who will be lucky enough to escape, and who will meet a grisly fate on Tower Green?

Tue-Sat 9am-5pm; Sun-Mon 10am-5pm Admission included in general entry to the Tower: £21.45; children £10.75; concs £18.15; family (2 adults, 3 children) £57.20 Tower of London EC3N 4AB www.hrp.org.uk/toweroflondon T 0844 482 7777

| FAMILY

15 – 23 February

2 March

Decoda A free family concert featuring Brahm’s Clarinet Quartet. Come and decode classical music using digital technology and explore your imagination.

When: 3pm FREE; booking essential Milton Court Concert Hall 1 Milton Street EC2Y 9BH www.barbican.org.uk/ creativelearning T 020 7638 8891

9 March

Urban Origami Create your own 3D card model using an iPad and taking inspiration from London’s famous skyline. Suitable for children aged 5-11.

When: 12.30-1.15pm, 2-2.45pm and 3.30-4.15pm Admission: £3 per child (accompanying adults free) Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844

20 – 23 February

Peter Rinderknecht – Portofino Ballad A cuckoo clock inside a double bass? Anything is possible in this magical half-term show about family ties, using puppets, music and storytelling.

When: 20, 21 and 23 Feb 11am and 1pm; 22 Feb 2pm and 5pm (show lasts one hour) Admission: £8.50 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 0845 120 7511

7 – 11 and 14 – 17 April

EGGonomics Follow the trail to find the chicks and egg hidden in the Bank of England Museum, then create and decorate your own Easter basket to take home. There is a chocolate egg for every child and eggstra prizes to be won!

Daily 10am-4.30pm FREE Bank of England Museum Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH www.bankofengland.co.uk/ museum T 020 7601 5545

26 February

27 February

BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts at LSO St Luke's

Alumni Recital Series: Tasmin Little

Susan Bullock at St Lawrence Jewry

There's no better way to spend lunchtime than hearing world-class music in intimate and atmospheric City venues.

Check out this series of FREE concerts; check website for full listings Dates and times vary; www.colf.org T 0845 120 7502

The ever-popular series of lunchtime concerts continues its run.

Thursdays at 1pm; check website for full listings Admission: £10; £9 concs Jerwood Hall, LSO St Luke’s 161 Old Street EC1V 9NG www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891

The Guildhall School welcomes back some of its most highlyacclaimed alumni to perform in the new Milton Court Concert Hall. Tasmin Little returns for this special performance, accompanied by Guildhall professor Martin Roscoe.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £15; £10 concs Milton Court Concert Hall 1 Milton Street EC2Y 9BH www.barbican.org.uk 020 7638 8891

9 – 20 February

2 March

UBS Soundscapes: LSO Artist Portrait – Yuja Wang

John Harle & Marc Almond – The Tyburn Tree

4 March

Five concerts, three piano concertos, one solo recital and a masterclass with the gifted pianist.

Dates, times and prices vary; check website for full listings Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891

The darkest stories of London town feature in this collaboration between the Ivor Novello award-winning composer /saxophonist John Harle and singer Marc Almond.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £15-£25 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/music T 0845 120 7511

With an ear for pianistic colour that allows him to create intimacy even in bold and imposing works, Andsnes brings Beethoven’s beautiful and uplifting piano sonatas to life.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £15-£35 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/music T 0845 120 7511

On-going

Listen to the World Catch this continuing programme of performances by musicians, poets and storytellers from areas of conflict or different spiritual traditions.

Dates, time and prices vary; check website for full listings St Ethelburga’s Centre 78 Bishopsgate EC2N 4AG www.stethelburgas.org/ listen-world T 020 7496 1616

6 February

Blow the Bloody Doors Off! Gangsters, bank robbers, Cockney spies and a famous womaniser cemented Michael Caine's reputation as an iconic movie star. Enjoy tunes from his films in this concert of classic 60s and 70s grooves, featuring music

by Sonny Rollins, Quincy Jones, John Barry and Roy Budd.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £17.50-£25 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/music T 0845 120 7511

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6 February – 17 April

City of London Festival Free Winter Concerts

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Until 2 April

Following a week at the National Opera Studio as Artist-in-Residence, Susan Bullock leads a fundraising concert at the beautiful Wren church. The evening features music by Wagner, Britten, Schumann and Strauss, and an interview by Conductor and NOS Head of Music Mark Shanahan.

Admission: £30/£60 St Lawrence Jewry Guildhall Yard EC2V 5AA www.stlawrencejewry.org.uk T 020 8874 8811

Leif Ove Andsnes, Beethoven

30 March, 10 and 13 April

The Adventures of Pinocchio by Jonathan Dove

Dmitri Hvorostovsky

London Symphony Orchestra and Valery Gergiev Music in Colour

This spectacular opera version of the classic fairy tale promises to be one of the Guildhall School’s largest and most ambitious productions in recent years.

Experience its huge orchestral and choral resources, an ensemble of dazzlingly virtuosic principal roles and theatrical touches including a puppet show, a funfair (where unsuspecting boys are turned into circus donkeys) and a touching reunion in the belly of a whale.

When: 7pm Admission: £25; £15 concs Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk 020 7638 8891

9 March

Jóhann Jóhannsson – The Miners’ Hymns The Icelandic composer performs his deeply moving score alongside Bill Morrison’s film about ill-fated mining communities in northeast England.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £12-£17.50 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/music T 0845 120 7511

From intimate romances to an affectionate portrait of a great city, this is music that comes from the soul of, arguably, the finest living interpreter of Russian song.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £15-£45 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/music T 0845 120 7511

Valery Gergiev launches his exploration of Scriabin’s vivid and ecstatic music.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £10-£37 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891

18 March

My Dearest Hedgehog The relationship of composer Richard Strauss and his wife Pauline baffled all who knew them: he was phlegmatic and reserved; she was volatile, tactless, jealous and his ‘hedgehog, all spiny and prickly.’ This recital features songs that Strauss wrote for Pauline, interwoven with a narrative exploring their unlikely marriage.

When: drinks from 6:45pm; performance at 7:30pm Admission: £5-£35 Middle Temple Hall Middle Temple Lane EC4Y 9AT www.templemusic.org T 020 7427 5641

20 March

1 April

Guildhall Symphony Orchestra

Atomic Bomb: Who is William Onyeabor?

Jaime Martín makes his debut with the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra conducting Bartók’s virtuosic orchestral showpiece, the Concerto for Orchestra, and Brahms’s final symphony, the monumental Fourth.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £10-£15; concs £5 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk T 020 7638 8891

22 – 28 March

Guildhall Jazz Festival & Improvisation Fringe The Guildhall Jazz Festival is back and bigger than ever.

Major visiting artists collaborate with exciting up-and-coming talent to showcase the best of British jazz and improvised music across seven performance-packed days.

Dates, times, venues and prices vary; check website for full listings www.gsmd.ac.uk/events

Discover the infectious electrofunk of this mysterious 1980s Nigerian synth pioneer, performed by a stellar cast of very special guests.

Produced by the Barbican.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £17.50-£25 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/music T 0845 120 7511

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10 March

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4, 6, 8 and 10 March

Get City-savvy this Spring English Tourism Week is the time to take a look around you. Whether you work, live or visit the City, you're in danger of passing worldfamous attractions, hidden gems and some of the most fascinating history in the UK. English Tourism Week provides the opportunity to find out more – and it's totally FREE.

Discover your City

Win with English Tourism Week!

FREE evening guided walks throughout the City FREE weekend tours of Guildhall Great Hall and Crypts FREE lunchtime walks around Cheapside BRAND NEW FREE Curiosities from the Vaults exhibition at the Bank of England Museum FREE lunchtime looks at the quirky and fascinating treasures of Guildhall Library FREE lunchtime talks at Dr Johnson’s House BRAND NEW FREE guided walk run by Curio City from the City to Keats House, Hampstead DISCOVER YOUR CITY: extended opening hours at the City Information Centre

In association with Hidden City, we’ve got 50 team entriesto give away for two exciting new City treasure hunts. Get your team together, fire up your mobile phone, and solve clues by text message as you weave down narrow passageways, rise to rooftop vistas and uncover the City’s history.

Each team is 1-4 people; usual price is £16.

To enter the competition, visit: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ englishtourismweek and sign up to our eShot

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| MUSIC

13 – 14 April

Snapshot Songs Hear the culmination of a project to celebrate London’s zeitgeist. In this final performance, a choir of over 150 performers will be joined on stage by performers from community groups and ensembles including the DrumHeads and the London Symphony Orchestra.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £10; £5 concs Milton Court Concert Hall 1 Milton Street EC2Y 9BH www.barbican.org.uk/music T 0845 120 7511

3 – 5 April

These New Puritans: TNP Expanded See the art rockers venture into more abstract sounds as they present songs from their latest album Field of Reeds, with an expanded line-up featuring the brass, strings, voices and percussion of the Heritage Orchestra.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £17.50-£20 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/music T 0845 120 7511

Bruckner Symphonies Mariss Jansons’ residency sees him explore three of Bruckner’s sublime symphonies.

When: 3-4 April 7.30pm; 5 April 6.30pm Admission: £15-£65 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/music T 0845 120 7511

7 April

15 April

Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano, Esperanza Spalding, Leo Genovese – The Spring Quartet

Benjamin Grosvenor – Escher String Quartet

Four of the most respected jazz musicians on the planet come together to co-lead a spectacular multi-generational quartet.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £15-£30 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/music T 0845 120 7511

26 April 17 April

British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor is internationally recognised for his electrifying performances and penetrating interpretations; in this performance, he will be joined by 2010-2012 BBC New Generation Artists, The Escher String Quartet.

When: 7pm Admission: £5-£40 Middle Temple Hall Middle Temple Lane EC4Y 9AT www.templemusic.org T 020 7427 5641

The Arditti Quartet: 40 Years Young Celebrating 40 years of breaking the boundaries of new music, the Arditti Quartet perform a trio of concerts featuring music for String Quartet by a roll call of 21st-century greats.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £15 Milton Court 1 Milton Street EC2Y 9BH www.barbican.org.uk/music T 0845 120 7511

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| SPECIAL EVENTS

On-going

Food Markets

3 February

Frost Fair Relive the fun of the famous London Frost Fairs this February as we celebrate 200 years since the last-ever Fair took place.

Reflecting days of old when skaters, traders and entertainers took to a frozen River Thames, Broadgate, the Cheapside Initiative and the City of London Corporation have come together to bring you free skating, stilt-walkers and minstrels, as well a host of stalls selling souvenirs, life’s luxuries

and some warming refreshments. Check out this after-work, family-friendly event in Exchange Square and melt away those winter blues the way they did in Olde London town.

When: 5-10pm FREE admission; free skating is subject to availability on a first-come, first-served basis Exchange Square Broadgate EC2A 2BQ www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/frostfair

Pick up fresh produce such as Argentinian empanadas, Spanish meats, handmade chocolates and seasonal preserves from the weekly Friday and Saturday markets at One New Change. You can also enjoy the monthly pop-up international food market on the first Wednesday of each month.

When: Fri 11am-3pm; Sat 11am-5pm; first Wed of each month 11am-3pm FREE admission One New Change EC4M 9AF www.onenewchange.com

14 February

Late London: City of Seduction London has long been a hotbed of the seductive, the saucy and the downright sordid. Join and explore the art of seduction from raunchy Romans to Georgian prostitutes to modern-day mating rituals. With late night bars, hands-on activities and music, this will be a Valentine’s Day to remember.

When: 7-10pm Admission: £10; concs £8.50; combination ticket with The Cheapside Hoard available Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844

13 February – 1 June

United Visual Artists: Momentum

Until 27 February

Broadgate Ice Rink Get your skates on at Broadgate Ice Rink, just a two-minute walk from Liverpool Street Station, then grab a post-skate tipple at rink side BAR BBQ on Ice. Skating lessons and Broomball games available too – see the website for details.

Daily 10am-10pm Admission: £12.50; concs £10; children £8.50 Exchange Square Broadgate EC2A 2BQ www.broadgate.co.uk/ice

Experience a carefully choreographed sequence of light, sound and movement which responds to the unique space of the Curve gallery.

Explore the installation at your own pace and discover how your perception of time and space change.

Mon-Sat 11am-6pm; Sun and Bank Holidays 12noon-6pm FREE Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery T 020 7638 8891

Brides Wedding Show

What do you get when you combine Tonka bean, coumarin and labdanum? After a sell-out event in December, British Master Perfumer Roja Dove returns for a second event. Find out about the creation of British perfumes in this exclusive workshop led by Roja Dove himself. Discover how the exquisite raw materials combine to create sumptuous fragrances, and hear stories of their journey to London.

When: 6.30-8.30pm Admission: £50 Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844

4 – 7 March

Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship & Design Awards 2014 Winners Exhibition Enjoy the culmination of the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council’s annual competition, celebrating skills and achievements throughout the industry. The work of prizewinners is shown alongside that of selected entrants to showcase diverse techniques and inspirational design.

Daily 10am-5pm; FREE Goldsmiths’ Hall Foster Lane EC2V 6BN www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk T 020 7606 7010

1 – 2 March

21 – 23 March

Barbican Weekender: We Create

Swimathon

The Barbican Weekender returns to explore image and identity through arts and technology. How have these shaped how we see ourselves?

Sat 11am-6pm; Sun 12noon-6pm FREE Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/ weekender T 020 7638 8891

Take the plunge and enter the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Swimathon, the UK’s biggest fundraising swimming event that sees thousands of people jumping into hundreds of pools around the country. Swim as an individual or put together a team and lap up the glory.

Various times Admission: £5.50 (adult); £12.50 (team) Golden Lane Sport & Fitness Fann Street, EC1Y 0SH www.swimathon.org T 020 7250 1464

| SPECIAL EVENTS

2 April

Roja Dove: Shimmering Scents

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27 February

Check out this bridal showcase held in conjunction with Brides Magazine. With champagne and canapés courtesy of D & D, there’s an exclusive look at wedding dresses, favours and accessories – all in the setting of a beautiful wedding venue itself.

When: 6.30pm FREE; spaces limited so booking essential via bridesretaileditor@ condenast.co.uk The Royal Exchange Threadneedle Street EC3V 3LP www.theroyalexchange.co.uk

13 April

23 – 24 April

Virgin London Marathon

St George’s Day at Leadenhall Market

Make sure you grab a good spot to cheer on the thousands of runners tackling this year’s worldfamous London Marathon.

Popular viewing spots are Tower Bridge and Victoria Embankment.

Starts at 9.20am in Blackheath FREE Route crosses the City; check website for details virginmoneylondonmarathon.com leadenhall

Join in the traditional St George’s Day celebrations in true Leadenhall style with Morris Dancing and live music amid beautiful surroundings.

Various times FREE Leadenhall Market Gracechurch Street EC3V 1LR www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ leadenhall T 020 7929 1073

22 – 25 April

Shakespeare Week To celebrate the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth, Guildhall Library is staging a week of walks, talks, events and an exhibition (see p 7). Find out about Shakespeare’s indoor theatre, what it was like to read a newlypublished Shakespeare play, and hear some sonnet readings.

Dates, times and prices vary; check website for full listings Guildhall Library Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1870

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Hedda

Handspring Puppet Company and director Tom Morris present their first collaboration since War Horse: a magical and laughout-loud production of Shakespeare’s most popular and fantastical play.

When: 7.45pm Admission: £16-£35 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 0845 120 7511

10 – 22 February 5 February – 1 March

Drunk Celebrating one of man’s greatest vices, Drunk is a wickedly delicious cocktail of theatre and dance that takes audiences on an intoxicating journey through some of history’s greatest tipples and the victims who fall prey to their qualities.

Times and dates vary; check website for full listings Bridewell Theatre Bride Lane EC4Y 8EQ www.sbf.org.uk

Henry V and Hamlet Final year actors from the Guildhall School take on two of Shakespeare’s most extraordinary protagonists in new productions staged in the Milton Court Theatres.

Henry V: 10-15 Feb 7.30pm; 11 and 13 Feb 2pm Hamlet: 17-22 Feb 7.30pm; 18 and 20 Feb 2pm Admission (each show): £10; £5 concs Milton Court Theatres 1 Milton Street EC2Y 9BH www.barbican.org.uk T 020 7638 8891

18 – 22 February

Circa/Debussy String Quarter: Opus Jaw-dropping circus meets the stirring music of Shostakovich.

When: 7.45pm Admission: £16-£30 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 0845 120 7511

25 February – 1 March

Mozart Undone – A Theatre Concert Part live rock concert and part visual spectacle, this is a wild take on the musical genius’s music.

When: 7.45pm Admission: £16-£28 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 0845 120 7511

18 – 22 March

The Accrington Pals Accrington was the smallest town in England to raise a volunteer Pals Brigade to fight in the First World War and this poignant play centres on the fate of this tight community.

Mothers, wives, daughters and lovers learn to rely on each other for support.

When: 7.30pm; Sat matinee 3pm Admission: £11-£14 Bridewell Theatre Bride Lane EC4Y 8EQ www.towertheatre.org.uk T 020 7353 1700

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25 March

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6 – 15 February

Join the theatre company Palimpsest for this new, multi-media version of Ibsen’s thrilling masterpiece, Hedda Gabler, told in 75 minutes by a company of RSC/NT actors and award-winning director Patrick Sandford.

When: 7.15pm Admission: £25 (includes drinks reception); booking essential Dr Johnson’s House 17 Gough Square, off Fleet Street EC4A 3DE www.drjohnsonshouse.org T 020 7353 3745

26 – 29 March

Inner Voices (Le voci di dentro) Toni Servillo, one of the leading Italian stage and screen actors, directs and stars in this black comedy of suspicion and betrayal.

When: 7.45pm Admission: £16-£30 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 0845 120 7511

On-going

The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other

Open-City architecture tours

A one-act play without words

by Peter Handke presented by the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

When: 28 Mar – 2 Apr 7.30pm; 31 Mar and 2 Apr 2pm Admission: £10 (£5 concessions) Silk Street Theatre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk T 020 7638 8891

Walk, cycle and photograph London architecture with Open-City’s weekly programme of tours with specialist guides.

Dates, times and prices vary: check website for full listing www.open-city.org.uk/tours T 020 3006 7008

On-going

Guided City walks

2 – 12 April

2 – 12 April

Into the Woods

English National Ballet – Lest We Forget

Stephen Sondheim’s magical musical combines the stories of Cinderella, Jack, Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood with a new tale of a childless baker and his wife. But do they live happily ever after?

When: 7.30pm; Sat matinees 2.30pm; no show Sun and Mon Admission: £13.50-£22 Bridewell Theatre Bride Lane EC4Y 8EQ www.sedos.co.uk

Marking the centenary of the First World War with new works by Akram Khan, Russell Maliphant and Liam Scarlett.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £10-£50 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 0845 120 7511

9 – 26 April

‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore Cheek by Jowl present a spicy production that shows a brother and sister’s passionate descent into Hell, as shocking and controversial today as it was almost 400 years ago.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £21-£26 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 0845 120 7511

Hear about the City’s rich history on one of these guided walks that leave from the City Information Centre every day.

There are plenty to choose from including City Highlights and London’s Burning. You can also take a guided tour of Guildhall and its famous crypts on 6 March – check the website for schedule and prices.

Daily 11am and 2pm Admission: £7-£8; £6 concs Meet at City Information Centre St Paul’s Churchyard EC4M 8BX www.cityoflondonguides.com

25 | WALKS AND TALKS

28 March – 2 April

On-going

Guildhall Library Afternoon Talks Find out something fascinating at one of Guildhall Library’s free and regular afternoon talks.

Highlights include: Valerie Colin-Russ discussing the suspicious circumstances of Christopher Marlowe’s death (13 March); the story of writer

Joe Orton’s malicious damage to library books (25 March, see pictures above and left); and Pete Smith showing there’s more to Greenwich than you thought (26 March). The Library also runs regular evening events to help you lean something new about London – check the website for details and prices.

When: 2-3pm FREE; book in advance Guildhall Library Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1869

Each week you can pop into Gresham College and hear free lectures on a variety of subjects.

Dates, times and prices vary; check website for full listings Gresham College Holborn EC1N 2HH www.gresham.ac.uk T 020 7831 0575

Tales of Dr Johnson and Love

Women in Red

Catch a Valentine’s Day treat with a special candlelit-tour of Dr Johnson’s House. Explore Johnson’s often contradictory views on love and ‘the fairer sex’, and discover his love-life, his views on marriage and the ladies who made an impression on him – from the respectable to the scandalous.

Admission: £8; £7 concs; booking essential Dr Johnson’s House 17 Gough Square, off Fleet Street EC4A 3DE www.drjohnsonshouse.org T 020 7353 3745

A free public lecture from Professor Lynda Nead on the morality and modernity of fashion in the 19th century, the politics of fashion and the colour red in London and Paris, from high fashion to the fallen woman, courtesan and prostitute.

When: 6pm FREE Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844

10 April

We Fainted Alternately on the Sofa

5 February – 26 March

Twilight Tours Explore the Tower when all other visitors have left for the night.

Join a Yeoman Warder and hear tales of torture and woe from the last 1,000 years, and stand where many have lost their heads – if you dare.

Wed 7pm Admission: £25, over 12s only; advance booking essential Tower of London, EC3N 4AB www.hrp.org.uk/toweroflondon T 0844 482 7777

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Gresham College lectures

4 March

27

On-going

14 February

19 March

Dr Johnson and ‘domestick privacies’

19 February, 19 March, 9 April and 21 May

Smithfield tours Experience the hustle and bustle of London’s famous meat market in the flesh on this unique early morning tour of Smithfield Market. Get to meet the traders who bring the market to life, and don’t forget to bring your cool bag if you want a bargain.

When: 7.00-8.30am Admission: £8; £6 concs; advance booking necessary via diane@cityoflondonguides.com www.cityoflondonguides.com

Dr Johnson famously enjoyed biographical works: the ‘part of literature’, he told Boswell, ‘I love most’ – especially those that ‘lead the thoughts into domestic privacies, and display the minute details of daily life’. This talk by Dr Jane Darcy, teaching fellow at University College London, will examine the profound appeal to Johnson of accounts of other people’s lives, and in particular, of lives of suffering.

Admission: £7.50; booking essential Dr Johnson’s House 17 Gough Square, off Fleet Street EC4A 3DE www.drjohnsonshouse.org T 020 7353 3745

A one-hour look at Jane Austen’s ‘Juvenile Works’ by actor and speaker Karin Fernald. Based on the rumbustious short works of the teenage Austen from the 1790s, when she was much influenced by family theatricals, we explore the imagination of the young woman and encounter the themes for which she found fame.

Admission: £7.50; booking essential Dr Johnson’s House 17 Gough Square, off Fleet Street EC4A 3DE www.drjohnsonshouse.org T 020 7353 3745