Scout London 0014 by Scout London

ART & CULTURE COMEDY FILM FOOD & DRINK MUSIC SHOPPING SMALL SCREEN THEATRE

0014

FREE EVERY MONDAY OCTOBER 29>NOVEMBER 04 2012

scoutlondon.com

f o i He r g o D the RISE

THE OF THE

HUMBLE G O D T

WIN £200 ZIPCAR credit | Chris 0’dowd | breaking bad | ice age live

Southbank Centre presents

a season of magical encounters

SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW Monday 17 December – Monday 7 January After its sell-out season last year, the global theatrical hit returns to the Royal Festival Hall.

‘Subtle, poetic a delightful fam (The Sunday Teleg

l& z ope A. L

For ages 8+

. Via ©V

This Christmas, you have another chance to experience this joyous dream-like world which will touch both your heart and funny bone, culminating in a breathtaking blizzard leaving you literally knee deep in snow!

‘A magical work of wonder.’  (London Evening Standard)

Baby O

Korall Koral

Friday 30 Novembe Sunday 2 December

tickets: 0844 847 9910 | southbankcentre.co.uk/winter

Enter a magical shell-shape for an intimate, entrancing performance of music and son

For children aged 6 months – 3

‘Witness the birth of a new star. She is sensational.’  (The Times)

MEOW MEOW’S

LITTLE MATCH GIRL -Br own

Thursday 13 – Sunday 30 December

ast ing

s. D res s by H

arv ey B

Following a sold-out run at Sydney Festival, international cabaret sensation Meow Meow returns to London with her deliciously dark twist on Hans Christian Andersen’s classic winter tale.

©M

agn u

For ages 15+

CLOUD MAN Saturday 22 December – Sunday 6 January

JULIEN COTTEREAU Imagine Toi

Come on a magical puppet adventure to Cloud Mountain for a rare glimpse of the elusive Cloud Man. You are bound to see something very special indeed. For ages 4 – 7

‘A joy to behold.’ (Glasgow Herald)

Thursday 13 – Monday 24 December A world of pure imagination and wonder with this former star clown from Cirque du Soleil, who will have the whole family in stitches. For ages 4+

‘Cottereau is a force of nature who has to be seen to be believed.’  (Metro) c, extremely funny... mily show’.  graph, Sydney)

MARKETS

Southbank Centre Christmas Market

16 November – 24 December

Wooden chalets filled with festive food, drinks, gifts and treats run along the twinkling riverside. Enjoy mulled wine, bratwurst and gingerbread whilst taking in the sights and sounds of London at Christmas time.

Chocolate Festival

7 – 9 December

Discover the delights of fine artisan chocolate. Indulge yourself or take home irresistible Christmas presents and treat someone else!

Real Food Christmas Market

14 – 16 & 20 – 23 December

Opera:

er – r

ed tent

ng.

3 years

Try and buy mince pies, mulled wine, cheeses, chutneys, charcuterie and all manner of festive bites, ingredients and gifts.

Image: Wellcome Library, London

Open until 14 April 2013 Book tickets at www.museumoflondon.org.uk/dissection or on 020 7001 9844 An online booking fee and timed entry apply. Due to its subject matter, Doctors, Dissection and Resurrection Men is not recommended for children under 12. Media partner

Barbican, St Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Moorgate

scoutlondon.com

Regulars

6 Scouted Secret Cash Machines, Last Chance London and much more

8 Talent Scout Concert promoter Ollie Rosenblatt takes us through his favourite London hotspots

Sections 18 20 27 28 32 34 38 40 48 55

London Food & Drink Shopping Art & Culture Comedy Film Small Screen Music Theatre Competitions

Cover Story

BIG PICTURE: Simon Annand

10 Heir Of The Dog From snazzy sausages to bratwurst with bubbly, the humble hot dog has finally escaped its cheap and nasty leash. We look at the move from hot dog to haute dog, and roundup the finest franks the city has to offer

The Big Picture 50 Mark Rylance as Richard III, coming to The Apollo Theatre

scoutlondon.com Scout London

Village of the banned

here’s nothing like public outrage or the wrath of censors to fuel a film’s cult appeal. And if it gets banned altogether, well, there’s no quicker shortcut to classic status. To mark a century of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), BFI Southbank is hosting a season that looks back over some of the most famous banned and censored films in

the board’s history, as well as some controversial films that it was criticised for leaving uncut. There’ll be gruesome horror, extreme violence and sexual depravity, as well as plenty of censored sequences that seem rather tame by today’s standards – sections of 1962 film Cape Fear, for example, or Bruce Lee kung-fu classic Enter The Dragon. Co-curated by esteemed critic, horror fanatic

Hot hatch Crash

and ‘video nasty’ champion Mark Kermode, the season will also feature films such as Sam Raimi’s cult horror The Evil Dead, Gaspar Noé’s disturbing Irreversible and family classic Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which in order to get a PG rating had a scene removed in which a man’s heart is ripped from his chest – it will be shown in full gory glory this time around. Uncut!, November 1-30, BFI Southbank, bfi.org.uk

Gripping stuff The Evil Dead

Blockbuster Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

What went into scout this week. . . Wellcome Collection expansion News that the Euston museum is to undergo a major, multi-million pound expansion

scoutlondon.com

Always online facebook.com/scoutlondon

Scissor Sisters split Sadness about the indefinite hiatus of pop’s most singular group

Secret Hotel The Secret Cinema gang have added the option of an overnight stay at the next event

Skyfall The best Bond in years, and possibly the best baddie ever

flickr.com/groups/scoutlondon

Scout London scoutlondon.com

Professional pitfalls The humiliation of all turning up to work in the same shirt

IMAGES Courtesy of the BFI

twitter.com/scoutlondon

uk.movember.com Hirsuits you sir The Barfly has undergone a facelift for Movember

//Secret Cash////////////////////////////////////// Machines of London//////////////////////////// HAMMERSMITH////////////// We’ve all been there – you’re running late to meet friends at a gig at Hammersmith Apollo, and you realise that you’re out of cash. While there are a good amount of banks on King Street, there are also large quantities of really drunk people at any given time, which can equate to both queues and vomit. The Broadway Shopping Centre used to be a gem, but their ATMs have been mobbed every time we’ve visited recently. The answer is to stay in the Underground station. Turn right at the top of the stairs on the Broadway exit. There you’ll find a suite of cash machines – one from HSBC, the other from Nationwide – waiting to assist you. Do you know of a secret cash machine in London? Let us know on Twitter @ScoutLondon #secretcashmachines

last chance

LONDON All That Fall Jermyn Street Theatre Closes Sat Nov 3 David Bailey: Papua Polaroids Daniel Blau Closes Sat Nov 3 Dead On Her Feat Arcola Theatre Closes Sat Nov 3 Hollywood Unseen Getty Images Galley Closes Sat Nov 3 Jumpy The Duke Of York’s Closes Sat Nov 3 King Lear Almeida Theatre Closes Sat Nov 3 Margaret Cho: Mother Leicester Square Theatre Closes Wed Oct 31 Mr Brainwash The Sorting Office Closes Wed Oct 31 The President And The Pakistani Waterloo East Theatre Closes Sun Nov 4

getting organised

dumb.me.uk

Mo’ reasons I to save ’tache this month

t’s that time of year again; time to step up, be a man, and not shave your upper lip for what will probably be 30 of the most embarrassing days of your life. That’s right, Movember is back. One of the most entertaining marketing campaigns ever, the moustachioed movement has raised an incredible £184m for prostate and testicular cancer research since its launch in 2003. Everyone should know the drill by now – grow a ’tache through November, get sponsored to do it, get mocked for doing it, laugh along with smug self-righteousness because it’s all for a great cause. So there’s no excuse not to go mo. Furthermore, the incentives are increasing each year. The Barfly in Camden – which has grown its own massive mo for the occasion – will be offering discounts to ‘mo bros’, and Byron burger outlets will give anyone who raises £25 or more a free burger every day from November 7-20. Gentlemen, get grooming.

don’t underestimate my boredom scoutlondon.com Scout London

Ollie Rosenblatt Music promoter

Scout London Cover Stars 0014 Kraggy, 22 Illustrator Peckham

What in London inspires you? It’s probably the journeys I take around London that inspire me the most. I find a lot of my ideas come to me while I am on the bus. Seeing the diverse amount of people, discovering new places, and noticing all sorts of odd things – each with their own story. Just now I saw a single boot on top of a bus stop... there has to be a story there, right?!

Any London secrets to share? Camberwell and Peckham in general. I have lived there for three years now and instantly fell in love with the place. Frank’s Café put it on the map but there is still so much to do all year round. Favourite part of London? It’s probably still the South Bank. I’ve got so many great memories of being there with my mates as teenagers.

cosy, friendly and you can chill out easily there. We’re spoiled for choice then – how about somewhere to eat? Difficult question. I do like a place called Ciao Bella on Lambs Conduit Street. Great, simple but very tasty Italian food. Where’s your favourite outdoor spot? Wimbledon Common or Hampstead Heath. Both are very chilled. Or on a tennis court. I don’t play nearly enough. I’m craving to get back on a court! Where do you get your shopping fix? Anywhere I like the look and vibe of the clothes. Lambs Conduit Street has some good shops and there’s a great place called Pokit on Wardour Street. Where do you go to relax A place called Casa Cigar on Wardour Street. That chills me out. Although I don’t tend to relax that often.

How important is London in your work? Extremely. London has played a huge part in terms of inspiration, contacts and opportunities. What’s next for you? Well it’s only really the start for me (hopefully). I would like to continue freelancing for a bit to help develop and build a strong portfolio. See more at: kraggy.co.uk

Hey there, are you a talented creative? Fancy decorating the Scout London logo that appears on our cover each week? We welcome London-based artists, designers, illustrators, photographers. Get in touch: talent@scoutlondon.com 8

Scout London scoutlondon.com

--------------------

Ollie Rosenblatt has music running through his blood. Related to legendary Beatles manager Brian Epstein (he was his grandmother’s nephew), he’s promoted gigs from an early age, starting at jazz venue the Lund Theatre in Hampstead. Last year he launched Senbla and has promoted gigs all across the UK. Rosenblatt’s upcoming gigs at the Islington Assembly Hall include Nine Below Zero on Nov 16 and Soul II Soul featuring Jazzie B and Caron Wheeler on Nov 29-30. Let’s go for a drink. Scout’s buying – where do you fancy? Well I’ve got a couple, for different reasons. One of them is The Steeles pub in Belsize Park because that’s where I met a lot of jazzers and scouted talent to book when I first started out, so I suppose it helped get me into the world of promoting. I have some good memories from there. Also, the Wrestlers in Highgate. Although I don’t live locally, it’s become my ‘local’ as some of my good friends live round there. It’s

The Serco Prize for Illustration 2012

Secret London

An exhibition of the best entries 13 November â&#x20AC;&#x201C;10 December 2012 London Transport Museum Covent Garden Piazza

Blackfriars Bridge by Mike Stones

Hot Diggity HEIR OF THE DOG

10 Scout London scoutlondon.com

What a wiener The Huge Pole by Big Apple Hot Dogs

There’s a new breed of dog in town and it’s driving London’s foodies barking mad. Ben Norum digs down to get to the bones of our new-found obsession with hot dogs

or years the onion-soaked whiff of hot dogs has wafted over Westminster Bridge. And way before the city’s street food renaissance, it was their vans that ruled the roads. But, in spite of their early dominance, ’dogs catered very much for the starving not the savvy, and for those whose constitutions were stronger than their taste buds. Now, as London’s foodie set edges ever closer to being burgered-out, the time has come for the humble hot dog to follow in the footsteps of its fast food brethren and take centre stage in the fancification of simple dinner fare. Mingling with Michelin chefs and hotting-up the city’s coolest venues, the classic sausagein-a-roll formula is rising through London’s gastronomic classes faster than bubbles in a glass of Champagne. This dog is about to have its day. If one name could justifiably be given in answer to the question “who let the dogs out?”, it is Abiye Cole – the man behind Big Apple Hot Dogs. Serving since early 2010 from his oneman stall near the Old Street roundabout, he admits to us that he had no idea about street food, or even Twitter, when he first started. “It was my customers who explained all that to me,” he says, “I just knew that I was never

going to work for anyone else ever again and that I was going to do my own thing. It was impossible to get decent New York-style hot dogs in London, and I thought there might be something in that.” Fast-forward two-and-a-half years and it’s clear that he was right. What started as a mere seven or eight customers a day quickly grew into a queue stretching almost that many metres every lunchtime. Looking back, Cole laughs at how he used to joke, “Burgers may be big now, but hot dogs will be next”. If he didn’t confess to never actually believing it, we’d accuse him of being clairvoyant. While Cole has been one of the most vocal, there have been plenty of other players in London’s slow-growing love affair with the ’dog. When the folk behind pioneering street food operation Meatwagon – the founding fathers of Marylebone’s Meat Liquor – opened their first bricks and mortar pop-up venue #Meateasy in New Cross early in 2011, their chilli dogs played a distant second fiddle to the muchlauded burgers that have won them fame. But they have gained quite a fan club

all the same, and you can now find them selling more like hot cakes than dogs at their Covent Garden take-out, Meat Market. Elsewhere, beer lovers’ favourite The Draft House claims on its menu that the search for the Holy Grail had nothing on its search for the perfect hot dog. Indeed, the smoked 9in Viennese sausage stuffed with gooey cheese (known as a käsekrainer) that it serves is pretty darn special. And the ever-hip Hawksmoor has adopted the hounds too, its brioche-bunned number topped with chilli and slathered in cheese having stolen the heart of many an avowed steak fan. Hampstead’s Dach & Sons combines hot dogs with burgers, beer and whisky on a stylishly

Sausage dogs Dach & Sons in Hampstead

scoutlondon.com Scout London 11

HEIR OF THE DOG

menu. Eager to go it alone, he took a punt on Londoners being willing to embrace hot dogs the way they had burgers and other titans of the American diet. “There was no market for hot dogs at that time,” he says. “I realised that I had to go in all guns blazing and produce original options with all my own sauces in order to create something special and unique. I also learnt that the devil

King of the pound Cooper Deville at The Dogfather Diner

short menu. And Herman Ze German on Villiers Street by Charing Cross station has proved so popular for its authentic sausages and tonguein-cheek attitude (plus late opening hours) that it’s now on the lookout for site number two. The humble ’dog’s final leap into stardom has come much more recently via Bubbledogs, one of the most hyped openings of the year and the current talk of the town. Ex-Roganic and Noma chef James Knappett and his wife Sandia Chang appear to have hit on solid gold with the concept of matching hot dogs with Champagne. And what better sign could there be of the fast food staple’s soaring social ascension than its pairing with a bit of bubbly?

The Dogfather Taking a step back, it would be criminal not to give a mention to Cooper Deville, the man behind the brilliantly-named Dogfather Diner, who pitches at East Dulwich’s Northcross Road Market every Saturday.

Serving since late 2009, his gourmet ’dogs outdate any you’ll have tried. In fact, we dare say that his genuinely ingenious menu, which features the Slum Dog (sag aloo, mango chutney mayo and onion bhaji flakes), the Snoop Dog (bacon, cheese, BBQ sauce) and the, ahem, Mac My Bitch Up (topped with macaroni cheese), has been quite the influence on other hot dog eateries which have opened after him. When Cooper first moved to London, he worked at Ed’s Easy Diner in Soho, a venue which has a fair few hot dogs on its own Meat and tidy Big Apple Hot Dogs cooking

Doggie Styles Some classic takes on the hot dog, from America and beyond

Chicago Style

Coney Island Dog

Based on a beef sausage, served in a poppy-seed bun, this one is topped with mustard, chopped raw onions, a big slab of dill pickle and tomato slices. A purist will tell you that adding ketchup is sacrilegious, and many Chicago carts won’t even offer it as a condiment.

The most famous variant of chilli dog in New York, this beef sausage is topped with an all-beef, bean-less chilli, chopped onions and a little mustard.

12 Scout London scoutlondon.com

New York System Weiner A native of Rhode Island, this dog features a small, thin frankfurter made from pork and veal. It’s traditionally topped with spiced chilli, raw onions and a sprinkling of celery salt.

Seattle Style Thought to originate from a cart selling bagels, this unique variety is served topped with cream cheese. Pork or turkey (or mixed) Polish-style sausages are the most common.

www.tehbus.com

Fancy frank Jose Dog from Bubbledogs

ILLUSTRATIONS: SAM PROUD / www.tehbus.com

Meat packing The Big Apple Hot Dogs production line

is in the detail, with regard to things like how important it is for the hot dog not to become a big sloppy mess; you have to make sure you get as much liquid out of the onions as possible.” His queues of weekly regulars will testify that he’s tending to that detail rather well, and we’ll put our necks on the line and support his guiding philosophy – that a hot dog doesn’t necessarily have to be a replica of the kind you find in Chicago or New York. “I’m a Londoner,” says Cooper. “I live here and I love it. There’s enough influence from America in the fact that it’s a hot dog. Now I want to put my own stamp on it. Where else in the world but London could you get an Indian-influenced hot dog? I love that.” Indeed, London’s food scene has always been about borrowing concepts from around the world and playing around with them to make them our own – why should a hot dog be any different?

Street sizzler Big Apple Hot Dogs’ Abiye Cole (left)

The Sausage: No Underdog It’s easy to get caught up with the toppings, but it’s the sausage that is the heart of any hot dog. Highly processed by their very nature and varied in style, it’s hard to say what makes a ‘good’ hot dog sausage – except, of course, the taste. “Hot dogs are much harder to make than burgers,” says Big Apple’s Cole. “If you’ve got the right ingredients, anyone talented can make a good burger patty, whereas you need specialist equipment to make a hot dog. As more and more companies start to sell hot dogs, it will be the quality of the sausage that shines through.” It’s his friend who makes the sausages for Big Apple. He is, according to Cole, a “total maverick”, who would, “hide in his little unit and make sausages – he has zero social skills”.

“I found him very difficult to get on with at first,” he adds, “but then I ate his sausages and it was a ‘wow’ moment – a total revelation.” Complete with 40 years experience, this ‘friend’ is now in the process of working to help design a sausage for Whole Foods Market, which sells huge quantities of hot dogs in the States and is hoping to emulate that success at its High Street Kensington store. This sideline of making sausages for others is something Cole can see becoming a big market as Londoners become more ’dog savvy. But not everyone believes in following America’s lead. Dogfather’s Cooper takes Jewish inspiration and buys a kosher variety from a man in Golders Green. And this isn’t the only way the stalls differ. Their future plans perfectly encapsulate the two schools of thought at work in London’s thriving street food movement. Cooper is seeking a site

Montreal Style

‘Completo’ Chilean Dog

Danish Dog

Japanese Fusion Dog

The London Dog

Nicknamed a ‘steamie’, these soft, freshly-steamed sausages are topped with coleslaw as well as onions and mustard.

These will often include mashed avocado, chopped tomatoes, mayonnaise, sauerkraut and cheese in a characteristically packedto-the-brim bun.

The Danish version of a hot dog uses a thick pork-based sausage with a dyed red skin - Røde Pølser. Toppings include fried onions and sliced dillpickled gherkins.

Hailing not from Japan but from the Pacific Northwest area of America, these hot dogs are garnished with Japanese (and other Asian) condiments such as wasabi, teriyaki and kimchi.

While hot dogs are quickly becoming a part of London life, we don’t have a distinct style of our own... yet. We suggest a London hot dog should be based on a British beef sausage, include some bacon and be dressed with HP Sauce. Maybe a gherkin, too. Any other ideas?

scoutlondon.com Scout London 13

HOW TO BOOK You can pick up a real bargain at the TKTS booth. There is a wide variety of London shows to choose from, both for on the day performances and up to a week in advance. All you have to do is check out the shows available at tkts.co.uk or at the booth where our

TKTS.CO.UK

experienced and friendly sales team will be pleased to help with any queries you have. Tickets can only be bought in person at the booth. We accept credit and debit cards, cash and Theatre Tokens. There is a ÂŁ3 booking fee on discounted tickets but nothing if we can only offer full price.

OPEN EVERYDAY: Mon-Sat 09.00-19.00, Sun 10.30-16.30 TKTS is run by the Society of London Theatre. All profits support the theatre industry. TKTS is a registered trademark owned by and used under licence from Theatre Development Fund Inc. There is no other relationship or affiliation between the Society of London Theatre and Theatre Development Fund Inc, a New York not for profit corporation.

HEIR OF THE DOG for a temporary (or permanent) restaurant to work out of, and is currently in talks with a Soho pub about a possible residency. Cole, on the other hand, believes that street food should stay on the streets, and that over-commercialisation is at risk of watering down the very spirit that makes the cuisine so great.

Dog years

doing them badly, we’ll very quickly be back where we started again.” As the market becomes more competitive, quality will hopefully shine through. But creativity will be essential in deciding whose hot dogs sell. Cole is in the process of creating mini ’dogs, which can be served in a similar way

So what does the future hold for hot dogs? Their popularity is spreading like wildfire, and they’re cropping up on more and more menus up and down the country. “They’re going to get more popular for sure,” Cole reckons, “but I don’t think they’ll ever have the same kind of market share as burgers.” Both he and Cooper also agree that it would be a shame if big chains started to dominate the market in the way several do with burgers. Cooper also warns: “The perception of hot dogs is just starting to shift. If we get to the stage where lots of people are doing them and

Flatpack flavour Even Ikea is getting in on the ’dog action

to sliders; Cooper is constantly expanding his range of homemade toppings, sauces and accompaniments to keep his offering exciting. There are exciting times ahead for the hot dog. New breeds of this increasingly-gourmet fast food are popping up by the week, and as the competition hots up, it’s us diners who are the real winners. It just goes to show, you really can teach an old dog new tricks. Big Apple Hot Dogs bigapplehotdogs.com Meat Market themeatmarket.co.uk The Draft House drafthouse.co.uk Hawksmoor thehawksmoor.com Dach & Sons dachandsons.com

LYSINEWF / sam Proud

Herman Ze German herman-ze-german.co.uk Bubble Dogs bubbledogs.co.uk Dogfather Diner dogfatherdiner.com Mass production Demand for ’dogs is growing fast

Cutting the mustard How do you do yours?

Top TOPPINGS

Caramelised Onion Relish The key ingredient here is muscavado sugar – just a touch of it sweetens the relish, making it a good contrast to mustard. £4.95 from Harrods

Heinz Hot Dog Relish A blend of cucumbers, cabbage and mustard, this American import is bursting with flavour.

£2.55 from

melburyandappleton. co.uk

Vadasz Deli Sauerkraut Available at Big Apple Hot Dogs (and soon at shops), this is sauerkraut as it should be – handmade and fermented. Crisp, fresh and totally delicious. twitter.com/VadaszDeli

Senap Mild Posh mustard on a hot dog? No thank you. Ikea’s take-home complement to its in-house Bistro ’dogs is well seasoned and an absolute bargain. £1.20 from Ikea

Tiptree Tomato Ketchup Although hot dog purists might scoff at the idea of ketchup on a ’dog, this offering could have them eating their words. Just the right side of sweet. £1.99 from Waitrose

scoutlondon.com Scout London 15

HEIR OF THE DOG

London's Top 10 Hot D Do 10

These really are the dog’s you-know-whats

B.L.T. by Bubbledogs

Fitzrovia, W1T 4QG

Kasekrainer by Draft House

Various locations

Fitzrovia, W1T 4QG

This 9in, smoked Viennese pork sausage has an injection of cheese running through the centre. Served with sauerkraut.

Kimchi and fermented red bean paste give a Korean-inspired kick to what we reckon is BD’s top dog.

K-Dawg by Bubbledogs

Bockwurst by Herman Ze German

Chilli Dog by MEATmarket

The Mexican Elvis by The Dogfather DINER

Charing Cross, WC2N 6NE

Covent Garden, WC2E 8BE

East Dulwich, SE22 9EV

A traditional German pork sausage, heavy on the smoke and boasting a lot of bite, as does the crunchy baguette it’s served in.

Big, bold and sloppy with two sausages, onions piled high and lots of mustard to keep the chilli and cheese company.

A chunky beef sausage topped with chilli, cheese sauce, jalapenos, a slice of cheese and fried onions. No half measures here.

16 Scout London scoutlondon.com

SAM PROUD / MICHAEL FRANKE

The predictable bacon and some caramelised lettuce are joined by truffle mayonnaise in place of tomato. Earthy and rich.

Dogs ogs

Chilli Cheese Dog by Hawksmoor Various locations It’s the quality of meat that shines through with this delicious offering from the superstars of steak. Its chunky ’dog is made of beef and pork from Ginger Pig and gets to sit in a brioche bun topped with fiery house chilli. A great combo.

East Dulwich, SE22 9EV Plenty of points for innovation, but even more points for the sheer brilliance of the combination of flavours that is curried mango mayo, saag aloo and onion bhaji flakes. It’s available as a vegetarian option, too.

Chilli Dog by Dach & Sons

The Big Dog by Big Apple Hot Dogs

Hampstead, NW3 1DN

Old Street, EC1V 9EY Slightly smoky and with a pleasing bite, Cole’s sausages are straightforward and served straight-up. They don’t mess with the classic hot dog concept, but do it proud.

Slum Dog by The Dogfather DINER

Walk the dog with our mobile map: j.mp/scouthotdogs

A thicker, ‘meatier’ and more coarsely ground sausage complete with built-in spicing is what makes this the winner here, and the compressed chilli tomato is an interesting take on the often conventional chilli topping.

Feel Like Chicken Tonight? Hot dogs aren’t the only fast food getting the gourmet treatment at the moment. You need only cross the road (ho ho) to find fried chicken with finesse. Here’s our pick of the bunch.

Clucking good Chicken Shop

Chooks, N10 This latest no-reservations new opening is ruffling a few feathers in sedate Muswell Hill, where it’s serving up grilled and fried chicken in retro American-diner surrounds. chooks.me Chicken Shop, NW5 A ‘tongue-in-beak’ opening from Soho House Group, which is also taking on the burger world with its recent Dirty Burger opening. Choose from a whole, half or quarter chicken, add your spices and sides and tuck in. chickenshop.com

The Rotisserie Co Serving on Saturdays at Clapham’s Venn Street Market, Kim rules the roost at London’s original rotisserie chicken stall. therotisserieco.com Wishbone, SW9 The latest restaurant to hatch in Brixton Village, Wishbone is the brainchild of one of the Meat Liquor team and chef/food writer William Leigh. It’s due to open any day now, and will pair fried chicken with craft beer and cocktails from Soul Shakers. wishbonebrixton.co.uk

Hen of iniquity Chooks

scoutlondon.com Scout London 17

Taxing work

Reanimation station Taxidermy students at St Bartholomew's Hospital Pathology Musuem (above and left)

Trends come and go, and now creative young Londoners are making a trend of what has already come and gone, as Laura Martin discovers

f you’ve ever popped into The Hemingway pub near Victoria Park for a drink, you’ll have come face to face with an odd beast: a simian-type animal with fierce teeth, growling out of its wall mounting, with what looks like a long tail hanging from its chin. A visit to the Hemingway’s sister pub, the Hunter S in Dalston, reveals a similar display – giant antelope and deer heads adorning every wall. Down at Les Trois Garcons in Shoreditch, meanwhile, are more stuffed animals that bear down on you as you eat. And then there are the beastly oddities at the Last Tuesday Society’s curiosity shop in Hackney, not to mention the famous Get Stuffed shop on Essex Road. The logical conclusion: taxidermy is experiencing a revival in London. But it’s not just a penchant for dead décor that’s sweeping through hipsterville; keenly-quirky young creatives are taking up the practice themselves – as shown by the sudden popularity of taxidermy classes. The London Taxidermy Academy in Islington hosts busy courses virtually every weekend, and some during the week, specialising in a different animal at each session. And St Bartholomew’s Hospital Pathology Museum hosts the monthly Stuff and Nonsense

18 Scout London scoutlondon.com

taxidermy classes, run by Amanda Sutton from Amanda’s Autopsies and curator Carla Connolly. “It seems to have become really popular this year,” says Sutton, who likes to create amusing scenarios of dressed-up animals. “We did the first class in July and the response has been great. We announce them on Twitter, and the classes sell out in a few days – we even have a waiting list for future ones.” Sutton says the classes – which cost around £50 for half a day – have become popular with young females and those who fancy turning their hands to extreme craftwork.

Say cheese A Cheshire Cat by Amanda Sutton

“People are usually quite squeamish and nervous at first, but once they get into it they say it’s quite therapeutic and relaxing,” she says. Besides the taste for a wacky new hobby – especially one with echoes of the macabre – the current appeal of taxidermy might also have been partly inspired by the celebrity community. Jack White, Dita Von Teese and Angelina Jolie have all recently admitted to creating their own home collections. And then there’s the rise of taxidermy artists such as Sutton and the much-fêted Charlie Tuesday Gates, who creates warped and wonderfully-wacky art pieces with her taxidermy, and whose live shows regularly pack out a variety of cool London venues. Ruth Bartlett, a 29 year-old art director from Hackney, is a one of the many people recently seduced by the draw of the dead. “I was completely obsessed with animals when I was a kid – drawing them, learning about them – and I see this as an extension of that really,” she explains. “I like how intense the process is. It takes a level of concentration that only comes with knowing one slip of your knife will destroy hours of labour.” So is it just the hipster crowd getting in on the taxidermy action? “You get all sorts of people,” says Sutton of her burgeoning clientele. “There are goths and hipsters who want something a bit quirky or morbid. Then there are the art installations that might need a mouse for a piece, and mothers saying, ‘Oh, my daughter’s pet died, could you work on it?’. I’ve done a few bits for the BBC, Emmerdale picked up a hamster recently, and Derren Brown has a couple of my pieces too.” For further details on the classes, go to www.amandasautopsies.com

ONGOING

Up At The O2: Climb Of The Cursed (Over 10s) at The O2 Arena, Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX North Greenwich Oct 27-31, Nov 1-4, 12noon-10pm, £22 & £28, adv booking recommended. Special Halloween-themed climbs of the London landmark with trick or treat surprises at base camp. Until Nov 4.

Monday October 29

Canary Wharf Ice Rink at Canary Wharf, Canada Square, E14 5AB Canary Wharf From Nov 3, Mon-Sun 9.45am-11pm (last session 10pm), closed Dec 25, £12.50, child £8.50, family £32, per one-hour session inc skate hire. Skate beneath twinkling festive lights or head along the skate path through trees that line the perimeter of Canada Square Park. Until Jan 13. Crowns And Ducats: Shakespeare’s Money And Medals at British Museum, Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG Russell Square Mon-Thu, Sat & Sun 10am-5.30pm, Fri 10am-8.30pm, ends Nov 25, FREE. Display of coins that appear in the plays of Shakespeare. Until Nov 25. Natural History Museum Ice Rink at Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD South Kensington From Nov 2, Mon-Wed, Sun 10am-10pm, Thu-Sat 10am-11pm, except Dec 24, 9am-10pm, closed Dec 25, Dec 26, 11am-10pm, Dec 31, 9am-1pm, Jan 1, 10am-10pm, £11.50 & £13.50, child £8 & £9, family £31 & £36. Young and old take to 950-square metres of ice against the dramatic backdrop of the world renowned museum. Until Jan 6.

America Votes: Talk at London School Of Economics, Houghton Street, WC2A 2AE Temple FREE, ticketed, 6.30pm-8pm. With speakers Professor Craig Calhoun, Professor Michael Cox, Dr Pippa Malmgren and Professor Sir Robert Worcester. John Cale In Conversation at Rough Trade East, Brick Lane, E1 6QL Aldgate East w/wristband FREE, wristbands must be collected in advance from the shop, 7pm. The founding member of The Velvet Underground discusses his career and takes questions. What On Earth Is That? at Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD South Kensington FREE, 12.30pm, 2.30pm-3pm. Scientists help identify fossils, bones and rocks and show objects that have been brought in.

Wednesday October 31 Dr Sketchy: Naked Reading Halloween Special: Workshop at The Old Queen’s Head, 44 Essex Road, N1 8LN Angel £15 adv, £20 on door, 7pm-12midnight. Life-drawing with burlesque performers, circus acts and body-builders. Eerie Evening Tours at Kensington Palace State Apartments, Kensington Gardens, W8 4PX High Street Kensington £25, adv booking essential, 6.45pm8.15pm. A tour of the State Apartments. Halloween With Erin Morgenstern and Audrey Niffenegger at Prince Charles Cinema, 7 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BY Leicester Square £8, mems £7, 7pm. Spooky discussion with the authors of The Night Circus and The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Meet Charlie Brooker: Author Event at Waterstones, The Plaza, 120 Oxford Street, W1D 1LT Tottenham Court Road FREE, 12.30pm. The acerbic journalist and screenwriter signs copies of I Can Make You Hate.

Tuesday October 30

Saturday November 3

The Insect Circus at Jacksons Lane Theatre, 269a Archway Road, N6 5AA Highgate £12.95, concs £10.95, family £40, 12noon, 3pm. Aerialists, a contortionist, a knife thrower and a magician dressed as bugs and creepy crawlies. Shaping A Poem: Workshop at Museum Of London, 150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN Barbican FREE, 12.30pm-2pm, 2.30pm-4pm. Create your own shape poem inspired by items on display in the Museum. Thebes, London, Hollywood: Where The Three Roads Meet: Workshop at Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road £30, concs £25, 2pm-5pm. Playwright Colin Teevan shows how to use existing stories to develop original works.

The Day Of The Dead In Mexico: Past And Present: Talk at British Museum, Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG Russell Square FREE, 1.15pm. Independent speaker Elizabeth Baquedano discusses how the holiday is celebrated. Midnight Apothecary Bonfire Night Special at Brunel Museum And Engine House, Railway Avenue, Rotherhithe, SE16 4LF Rotherhithe FREE, adm to Brunel Tunnel Grand Entrance Hall £5, 5pm10pm. Food and mulled wine before the bonfire, flares, sparklers and pyrotechnics. The Regent Street Motor Show at Regent Street, Regent Street, W1B 5SS Oxford Circus FREE, 10am-4pm. Showcase of more than 300 cars spanning 125 years of motoring. Royal Court Pussy Riot Panel Debate at Jerwood Theatre At The Royal Court, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS Sloane Square £8, concs £6, 4.45pm6.15pm. Writers and thinkers discuss feminism in the arts. South Asian Literature Festival 2012: Five Degrees: Anthology Launch at The Bush Theatre At The Old Library, 7 Uxbridge Road, W12 8LJ Shepherd’s Bush £5, concs £4, 5.15pm-6.30pm. Six writers discuss the book, British writing and read their work.

The Ski & Snowboard Show at Earls Court, Warwick Road, SW5 9TA Earl’s Court £20, concs £12, family £35, ages 11-16 £7, under 11s FREE, adv £18, concs adv £10, family adv £25, ages 11-16 adv £5, 12noon-7pm. The largest consumer winter sports show in the world. Until Nov 4. Halloween Under The Sea: Talk at Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD South Kensington FREE, 2.30pm. View some of the weird and wonderful specimens from under the sea at the Museum.

Thursday November 1

RACHEL CLARE

Transport for London travel update

Central line: No service Newbury Park to Grange Hill Mon to Fri. No service Leytonstone to Woodford, via Newbury Park all weekend. District line: No service Putney Bridge to Wimbledon on Saturday. Jubilee line: No service West Hampstead to Stanmore

For a r o of Bon und-up fire events Night j.mp/s go to coutfi re

all weekend. Metropolitan line: No service Harrow-on-the-Hill to Aldgate on Saturday. Northern line: No service Charing Cross to East Finchley & Edgware; Kennington (City branch) to East Finchley & Edgware all weekend. For the latest information visit tfl.gov.uk

Grand Union Youth Orchestra Workshop at Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA Aldgate East FREE, 10.30am2.30pm. Learn about different music cultures and traditions with members of the ensemble. Queer Perspectives: Talk at National Portrait Gallery, 2 St Martin’s Place, WC2H 0HE Embankment FREE, 7.30pm-8pm. Artist Sadie Lee discusses paintings from the collection. An Evening With Will Self at Waterstones Hampstead, 68-69 Hampstead High Street, NW3 1QP Hampstead £5, 7pm-8pm. The journalist and writer discusses his book Umbrella and answers the audience’s questions.

Friday November 2 Family Explorer Backpacks at Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD South Kensington FREE, phone for times. He Said What? at Museum Of London, 150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN Barbican FREE, 11.30am-12.05pm, 1.10pm-1.45pm, 2.45pm-3.20pm. Bring humour and drama to Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist.

Sunday November 4 Herbs, The Garret And Operating Theatre at The Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret, 9a St Thomas Street, SE1 9RY London Bridge £6, child £3.50, concs £5, family £13.90, 2pm. Learn about historical medicines. Real Food Market at Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX Waterloo FREE, 12noon-6pm. Fresh seasonal produce and delicious gifts from across the UK. Telling Tales at The V&A Museum Of Childhood, Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9PA Bethnal Green FREE, 12noon12.30pm, term time only, children must be accompanied. Storytelling session.

scoutlondon.com Scout London 19

That’s Amore Drake & Morgan’s Amore Birra

Do you like piña co-lager? It sounds like it shouldn’t work – but beer cocktails, or ‘beertails’, are really catching on. Ben Norum swaps his Margarita for a Lagerita and uncovers why mixologists are all in a fizz about this new ingredient

e’ve all had a shandy, Snakebite or Black Velvet, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg as far as beer cocktails go. At trendy Bermondsey Street haunt Village East, ‘beertails’ have been around for a while, and they show no shame in serving pun-laden concoctions such as the ‘Lagerita’ – which mixes Corona, tequila and lime; or the ‘Piña Co-

20 Scout London scoutlondon.com

lager’ – complete with coconut and pineapple juice. While these may go down well on a Friday night, the world’s top mixologists are beginning to take beer in cocktails much more seriously than that. Tales of the Cocktail is the world’s most respected cocktail festival and awards, held annually in New Orleans. This summer’s event included the first professional seminar on using

beer in cocktails and saw Chicago mixologist Adam Seger tell attendees: “Beer is the most chemically complex alcoholic beverage in the world and top mixologists around the globe are discovering not only the flavour complexity it adds to a cocktail, but also the magic of its effervescence with elevating aromas and the unique texture it adds.” Along with a group of experts, Seger has helped compile a 10 Commandments-style guide to using beer in cocktails. These range from “never to add beer to a shaker”, to imparting the knowledge that although lagers will add bubbles they contribute little in the way of flavour, and that it’s wise to use egg white in cocktails made using a beer with a foamy head. The work of Seger and other influential US mixologists has no doubt played a part in spreading the beer bug around our own bars as we find ‘beertails’ filtering their way onto the capital’s cocktail menus. Shaky Pete’s Ginger Brew, which mixes London Pride with gin, lemon juice and homemade ginger syrup has become a firm favourite at Hawksmoor. Portobello Star has created a winter warmer by combining Guinness with rum, condensed milk and mixed spice. At its Camden Town bar, Brewdog blends its Hardcore IPA with Sailor Jerry’s rum, ginger beer and fresh lime to create the Hardcore Zombie. And at Drake & Morgan bars all over London – including The Refinery in Southwark and The Anthologist in the City – there’s a whole beer section on the cocktail menu, including the Rhubarb Blonde made with Becks Vier and rhubarb bitters, and the Amore Birra which mixes Peroni, limoncello, Campari, rosewater and basil. Experimental Cocktail Club, The Draft House, Dabbous and Meat Liquor are just a few more of the hip drinking spots which have embraced the beer trend, and with names such as Milk & Honey owner Jonathan Downey lending their nod of approval, we’re drinking to the fact that as far as the beertail is concerned, this really is just the start of the story.

Top Ten craft beer bars

CASK Pub & Kitchen Buy your favourite bottles to take away SW1V 2EE Pimlico

North Pole Has a food offering to rival the beer 2 The N1 7BJ Haggerston & Anchor As welcoming and friendly as 3 Crown a local should be SW9 6AQ

Stockwell

East Working brewpub in the heart of Westfield 4 Tap E20 1EE Stratford

Old Red Cow Plenty of London brews among the selection EC1A 9EJ Barbican

Beer Co Importing rarities from around the world 6 Craft EC1N 7TR Farringdon White Horse, Calm and friendly – unless there’s a 7 The Chelsea game on SW6 4UL Parson’s Green

Euston Tap Boasting the most taps of all NW1 2EF Euston

Rake Well-stocked Borough Market bolt-hole 9 The SE1 9AG London Bridge

Bull Lots of American beers, plus those brewed 10 The on-site paul khera

N6 4AB

Highgate

Boqueria Clapham ££ Spain is the home of tapas and no matter how hard restaurants this side of the Channel try, it’s never quite the same when you eat it on a rainy day in London. That said, the warm glow and tempting smells of Boqueria do a very good job of brightening up dreary Acre Lane. If only the scent could waft a little further out of the hinterland between Clapham North and Brixton to tempt a few more people in, perhaps our visit on a cold weekday night wouldn’t have seen quite so many empty tables. Not that we noticed them once ours started to fill up with food. Addictively garlicky pan con tomate gives the appetite a fullthrottle whetting as we browse the rest of the vast menu, and with over 50 dishes to choose from – many under £5 – it soon becomes clear that gluttony is our only option. Sautéd artichokes come bathed in garlic, parsley and red chilli to set the Mediterranean mood, while the house calamari boasts beautifully-cooked squid which is soft to the bite, though it’s a shame the batter isn’t a little crispier. The classic dish of chorizo cooked in cider is raised a level by the quality of meat, and even the bread with which we mop up the juices tastes particularly homemade. We think we’re starting to be won over by this Spanish outpost. Good times continue with a succulent monkfish dish, served with prawns in a light ‘bravas’-style sauce; and a clever take on

cannelloni which uses rolled aubergines instead of pasta and is stuffed to bursting with creamy goat’s cheese and mushrooms. We can’t imagine a typical Spanish boqueria would serve our next dish, though – a suckling pig roast matched with apple sauce and lemon sorbet. Yes, that’s right: lemon sorbet. If it weren’t for the melt-in-the-mouth pork which tasted great on its own and the huge amount of laughs this combination gave us, we’d suggest it was a bad dish. As it stands, Boqueria has won so much favour through its friendly service and warm hospitality that we’re going to have a word with Heston Blumenthal for encouraging such things and remember to stick to the other 49 or so dishes the next time we visit. Sherry is the natural choice to wash the varied lot down with – sorbet aside – and Boqueria has no shortage on offer. That our waiter is passionately opinionated about what we should choose to go with what we’re eating is a final flurry of loveliness which, along with a pudding made from a sentimentally authentic Spanish powdered drinking chocolate (their equivalent to Ovaltine), is just so very nearly enough to make us forget that we’re in London when we walk out of the door. Ben Norum 192 Acre Lane, SW2 5UL Clapham North

scoutlondon.com Scout London 21

Goode & Wright Ladbroke Grove ££

Sam’s Brasserie Chiswick £££

Portobello Road is a favoured domain of West London’s more eccentric characters, and now this place is among them. What appears on the outside to be a traditional French-style brasserie soon gives way to quirky dishes, buoyantly chatty service and a tendency towards flavour combinations conceived with the mindset of: well, pourquoi pas? Its Duck in a Basket is not only a highlight but a case in point: a soft-poached duck’s egg encased in a toasted brioche; lavishly adorned with cured Spanish ham, grated Parmesan and homemade truffle-infused honey. It’s oozy, it’s indulgent, it’s reminiscent of cheese on toast and it’s recommended as a perfect Sunday brunch if you’re feeling slightly delicate. At under a tenner for most dishes, it’s also good to know that a meal here won’t hurt too much if your bank account is feeling equally worse for wear. BN

The food is as pared back as the warehouse setting at this sister – or should that be brother? – of Sam Harrison’s original restaurant, Harrison’s in Balham. Carefully-sourced ingredients are left to do the talking among minimal fuss, and in dishes such as buffalo mozzarella, black fig and rocket salad they do just that A main course of Norfolk Middle White Loin Cutlet (that’ll be pork then) gives the chef a little more chance to show off, although he does so in a most modest of ways: leaving a daring slither of faint pink within the meat, which certainly does the trick. Creamy, dreamy mustardy mashed potato and some addictive bacon-flecked cabbage seal the comfort food deal. And speaking of deals, take a look at the selection of lunch, early bird and Sunday set menus online for some seriously understated value. BN

271 Portobello Road, W11 1LR

Ladbroke Grove

11 Barley Mow Passage, W4 4PH

Chiswick Park

Antico Bermondsey ££

River Melody West End £

If you manage to make it all the way down Bermondsey Street without being waylaid by one of Antico’s much trendier neighbours, you’ve done well. But while there’s no jazzy wow-factor here (apart from the occasional jazz night downstairs), it is clear that simple, quality ingredients, expertly mastered are all that Antico needs to compete. A plate of Devonshire crab with radish and rocket combines fresh, clean flavours in style, while freshly-made pasta – you can see the chefs in action behind the glass-screened kitchen – adds to the triumphant slow roast pork shoulder tortelloni with sage butter. Homemade gelato may well be a play-it-safe-pud, but here it’s served in deliciously epic scoops, with a hefty scattering of sea salt flakes which really enliven the salted caramel option. Worthy of licking the bowl clean, it’s a good reminder that although Antico isn’t at all ground-breaking or trendy, it does what it does very well indeed. Farah Shafiq

The swinging lanterns, intensive neon lights and twirling, crisping meats of Chinatown are utterly beguiling – for tourist and native. In the heart of the date-territory-hot-spot that is the West End, Chinatown is a good place to chow down before sashaying into the smorgasbord of entertainment on offer. But where to go? The restaurants of Leong’s Legend group – the family behind Goldfish, Koi and many others – provide a reliable and impressive level of quality among some other decidedly hit-and-miss offerings elsewhere, and their latest success is River Melody. With over 140 items on the menu – based on the non-greasy Jiangsu (an eastern Chinese province) cuisine – it caters for the sweet, sour and adventurous. Trust in head chef Yue Ming, who cooked for the Chinese president before moving to London. Tuck in to a plate of scrambled eggs with towel gourd and wolfberry, or shredded sea bass with pine nuts; or – for meat-eaters – the red-braised pig’s snout. Oliver Pickup

214 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3TQ

12 Macclesfield Street, W1D 5BP

22 Scout London scoutlondon.com

London Bridge

Leicester Square

CENTRAL

Parlour 5 Regent Street, NW10 5LG Kensal Green British ££ Taking over The Regent on that ‘other Regent Street’ in Kensal Green is this “all day and late night” venue that’s meant to sit somewhere between a restaurant and a pub. Jesse Dunford Wood, formerly of Notting Hill’s Mall Tavern, is taking charge in the kitchen serving dishes including fishcakes and cow pie. John Salt 131 Upper Street, N1 1QP Angel Bar ££ This new neighbourhood bar and restaurant from ex-Roganic chef Ben Spalding will open next week serving a wide selection of craft beers and small plate food, including ‘chicken on a brick’. A chef’s table opposite the pastry section will allow guests to get up close and personal with their puds.

EAST The Lawn Bistro 67 High Street, SW19 5EE Wimbledon Bistro £££ Chef Ollie Couillaud’s bistro prides itself on its chocolate desserts, among other classical French dishes. If you like the bread basket, visit the nearby Lawn Bakery to take some of the freshly-baked stuff home with you. Burger Breakout 33 New Oxford St, WC1A 1BH Tottenham Court Road ££ Burger Breakout was a success at its one-day pop-up event at St Chad’s Place earlier this summer. Now the man behind it, Dave Aherne (aka Cork Gourmet Guy) has teamed up with the Old Crown pub on New Oxford Street to completely revamp its menu. There are Burger Breakout burgers on the menu along with a selection of ribs, chicken wings, tacos and more.

North

Elk In The Woods 39 Camden Passage, N1 8EA Angel Gastropub £££ Open from breakfast to dinner, the Elk has built up a loyal local following for its homely food, friendly service and more than decent selection of cocktails and beer. Try their homemade ‘Elk sausages’ as you take in the taxidermy.

24 Scout London scoutlondon.com

BrewDog 51 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA Shoreditch High Street Bar ££ BrewDog’s second London bar, following in the footsteps of its Camden venue, is now open on the former site of Mason & Taylor. Expect plenty more punk, and plenty more of their signature beers alongside a simple ‘pub grub’ menu including a selection of burgers. Burger & Lobster 38-42 St John Street, EC1M 4DL Farringdon Burgers or lobsters £££ The third Burger & Lobster restaurant to open following the enormous success (and lengthy queues) at the Soho and Mayfair branches. There’s the same choice of burger, lobster or lobster roll; and the same bibs to wear, too. Interestingly, this is the second site which Burger & Lobster have bought from now defunct Bistro Du Vin. Old Bengal Bar 16 New Street, EC2M 4TR Liverpool Street Bar £££ The bar contingent of the vast new D&D development on New Street. Here classic and creative cocktails are served with the restaurant company’s signature old school charm, next door to neighbours New Street Grill and Fish Market.

SOUTH Del Mercato 1 Bank End, SE1 9BU London Bridge Italian £££ The long-anticipated and long-delayed new restaurant (or three) at Borough Market’s Vinopolis, headed up by Claudio Pulze. Bar Del Mercato serves drinks and snacks, Osteria Del Mercato is a pizzeria, while Restaurante Del Mercato is a more traditional, fine-dining oriented restaurant. Mr Lawrence Wine Bar 391 Brockley Road, SE4 2PH Crofton Park Bar £ Independently owned for over 19 years, Mr Lawrence is a cosy oasis on an otherwise ordinary stretch of south east London road. Alongside a massive wine list, Mr Lawrence is known for its extensive selection of bottled beers, many from surrounding breweries such as Meantime in Greenwich. The Pantry 342 Old York Road, SW18 1SS Wandsworth Town Café £ A greasy spoon for yummy mummies, this breakfast / brunch spot is considerably shiny compared to those in most parts of London. There’s even a deli attached, too if you need to grab items for later in the day. Just don’t expect the bag to be left in your tea, and be prepared for gaggles of children.

The Shed 122 Palace Gardens Terrace, W8 4RT Notting Hill Gate British ££ Sounding a little like a nursery rhyme, the three Gladwin brothers are, by profession, a farmer, a chef and a restaurateur. Why they didn’t think to combine forces earlier, we’re not sure, but now that’s exactly what they’ve done. Richard, who launched Brawn and Bunga Bunga, will manage the place; Oliver, who’s worked at Launceston Place and River Cottage, will head up the kitchen; and Gregory will supply the restaurant with much of its produce. The menu includes home-cured Nutbourne fennel seed salami from their family farm and hot-smoked pheasant breast.

Scout London Price Guide ££££ Over £19 per main £££ £14-18 ££ £9-13 £ Under £9

Thomas Bowles

Kitchen Table 70 Charlotte Street, W1T 4QG Goodge Street Experimental ££££ If you’ve read our hot dog feature, you’ll know all about Bubbledogs by now. This is the other side of the story. At the back of the restaurant, hot dogs are forgotten and all attention is on the ever-changing tasting menu created from the intimate open kitchen by chef-owner James Knappett. Disiac 6 Greek Street, W1D 4ED Tottenham Court Road Seafood ££ Italian seafood and champagne is the focus of this new restaurant from head chef Michele de Rosa, previously of Cecconi’s in Mayfair. There’s also a very ‘on-trend’ raw bar with an open kitchen and a DJ once it gets late. Salaam Namaste 68 Millman Street, WC1N 3EF Russell Square Indian ££ This West End venue from the team behind Camden’s popular Namaaste Kitchen is a much more down-to-earth affair which fills a handy central London curry house gap. Cay Tre 42-43 Dean Street, W1D 4PZ Tottenham Court Road Vietnamese £ This ever-soslightly more glamorous version of the hip Old Street original is proving popular despite the Soho competition. Try the Vietnamese summer rolls (bánh cuon) - they have just hired a chef dedicated to doing these and these alone.

WEST Colbert 50-52 Sloane Square, SW1W 8AX Sloane Square Brasserie £££ The newest venture from serial restaurateurs Corbin and King, Colbert is an all-day brasserie serving dishes which have already proved popular at Zedel and The Delaunay. Norbiton The Albert 57 Kingston Hill, KT2 7PX. Gastropub ££ An old Victorian pub gets a brand new makeover, complete with courtyard. Not that we’ll be using that until spring comes around. It’s a Young’s pub, with classics of the ham hock terrine and fish and chips rubbing shoulders with a large selection wines.

DRINK IN

Purity Vodka

Vodka’s not very trendy at the moment. And they all taste the same anyway, right? Purity Vodka’s founder Thomas Kuuttanen created this product with the aim of disproving this myth. Through a process involving a special recipe of organic wheat and barley, no fewer than 34 distillations but absolutely no filtering, he believes Purity vodka has the heart, soul and character of a whisky. There’s only one way to find out for yourself. From £39, available at Lea & Sandeman stores in west London and online at thedrinkshop.com

TAKE OUT

Yaki Japanese Bakery Sick of sandwiches, salads and sushi? If you work in the Fitzrovia area, there’s something new to bring to your desk in the form of lunchtime take-aways from Yaki Japanese bakery. Their speciality is okonomyaki – a kind of savoury pancake complete with your choice of meat and vegetable fillings, which include bacon, beef and teriyaki sauce. How many can you eat? Place bets now...Banzai! Yaki, 53 Goodge Street, W1T 1TG yaki.co.jp

Two Year Acting Training Short Courses 0207 837 6030 www.thepoorschool.com

Bring the house down

As the nights draw in, house parties take off. Here’s our pick of the essentials

Tension Relief

Hot Fuzz

Don’t argue over who spilled wine on the carpet. Take out your aggression on a piñata – a dinosaur-shaped one at that. Dinosaur Piñata, £12.99 from

Just in time for Movember, these cocktail sticks will lend a distinguished air to your canapés and hors d’oeuvres. Lip Service Party Picks, £8.49 from

partypieces.co.uk

Lakeland

By The Book No idea what to water your guests with? Problem solved with this bible of beverages. The Ultimate Drink Party Book, £9.34 from Foyles Click & Collect

Oriental glow

If you like Pina Colada

Fairy lights are so last year. Pop up a couple of lanterns to get the party swinging. Lantern Rice Paper, £2 from

Every house party should have a punch bowl. Even better if it’s shaped as a pineapple. Pineapple Cocktail Bowl, £17.99 from

tigerstores.co.uk

drinkstuff.com

Bust a move The first rule of a house party: get the music right. This app-enhanced stereo speaker system will help your selection sound top of the pops. Gear 4 Houseparty 4 Evo, £79.99 widely available

scoutlondon.com Scout London 27

The forgotten pioneers A new exhibition at the Royal Collection will celebrate the integral yet often underrated role of northern European artists in the Renaissance, as Alice Wiggett discovers

28 Scout London scoutlondon.com

from northern Europe such as Lucas Cranach the Elder and Hans Holbein the Younger were ground-breaking and in many cases influenced the artists in Italy. There is much more of a crossover than people would first think.” The exhibition has a vast scope, taking in artefacts from armour to tapestry. It covers a period from 1480 to 1600, when northern Europe saw “unprecedented changes in culture and religion, and as a result is one of the most exciting eras in visual culture”, Whitaker explains. “Northern Europe’s break with Rome created religious turmoil,” she adds. “The teachings of the Catholic Church were challenged, and these artists and thinkers were breaking boundaries.”

Another important development that sets the Northern Renaissance apart is the invention of the printing press in Germany in 1450. Albrecht Dürer, whose work is included in the exhibition, was a pioneer of the medium. He found fame through the distribution of his woodcuts and engravings. “People forget that printmaking came out of the Northern Renaissance,” says Whitaker. “It transformed communication, as for the first time ideas were circulated in print form. It became the equivalent of the internet.” The Northern Renaissance: Dürer to Holbein, November 2 – April 14, The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, royalcollection.org.uk

The Royal Collection

hen most people think of the Renaissance, it’s usually Italian painters such as Leonardo Da Vinci who pop into the head. Granted, Italy had a pretty big role to play in the whole affair, but artists from northern Europe were also important. Yet their impact has long been underplayed. The Royal Collection is now hoping to right this imbalance with its new exhibition, The Northern Renaissance, which will reveal the major impact northern European artists had on culture, art and society. “Scholars ask questions about whether the Northern Renaissance actually happened,” says curator Lucy Whitaker. “But, in fact, artists

I It’s spray time From veterans to young upstarts, some of the world’s top street artists are coming together for a major exhibition

n the early 1980s, Blek Le Rat began stencilling images of rats on the streets of Paris, inspired by graffiti he had seen on a trip to New York. Although not the first urban artist by a long shot, the Frenchman is largely regarded as ‘the Godfather of stencil graffiti’ and a major influence on Banksy. Now in his 60s, the Parisian pioneer is coming to London as part of a major gathering of some of the world’s finest street artists. Titled Urban Masters – a reference to graffiti’s now widespread acceptance by the mainstream art world – the exhibition will see 33 street artists from across the globe take over a Victorian factory in Shoreditch (where else) for just over a week. Curated by Bond Street’s Opera Gallery, the show invites the visitors to create new works that pay homage to artists and movements that have inspired them, from Leonardo da Vinci to pop art. And their tributes are expected to take many forms – from canvasses and installations to live art and photography. Among the other famous names taking part are Shepard Fairey, famed for the Barack Obama ‘Hope’ poster he made for the 2008 presidential election, Nick Walker, who was commissioned by Stanley Kubrick to recreate the graffitied areas of New York for Eyes Wide Shut, and Ron English, who was featured in Banksy’s celebrated film, Exit Through the Giftshop. Opera Gallery London Presents: Urban Masters November 9-18, Factory 7, 13 Hearn Street, Shoreditch, operagallery.com  Doggone great Belgian street artist ROA takes an unusual look at animals Workers of the world, unite! by Joe Black is made up of over 9,000 toy soldiers (see detail, inset)

scoutlondon.com Scout London 29

‘Dina Martina goes way beyond drag into some new kind of twisted art!’ John Waters ‘What a gem! Dina Martina is a sparkly spot in our drab world.’ Time Out New York

One of Australia’s biggest names in comedy comes to London for two weeks only!

Soho Theatre and Tim Whitehead present

DINA MARTINA: MORIBUND

Tue 23 Oct – Sat 3 Nov, 9.30pm

‘She is fast, she’s clever and most of all Lucy is very, very funny.’ Sunday Telegraph, Sydney ‘Very, very funny… Lucy rules supreme.’ Herald Sun, Melbourne Soho Theatre & Token Artists present

JUDITH LUCY:

NOTHING FANCY

Mon 19 Nov – Sat 1 Dec, 9pm

TICKETS FROM £10 020 7478 0100 / SOHOTHEATRE.COM

Central

Designed To Win at Design Museum, 28 Butlers Wharf Shad Thames, SE1 2YD London Bridge £10, NUS £6, concs £9, under 12s FREE, Until Nov 18. A celebratory exhibition which looks at the way design and sport have combined. Art Of Change: New Directions From China at Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX Waterloo £9, OAP £8, concs £7, ages 12-18 £6.50, Until Dec 9. Installations and performances by artists including Chen Zhen, Yingmei Duan and Gu Dexin. David Bailey: Papua Polaroids at Daniel Blau, 51 Hoxton Square, N1 6PB Old Street FREE, Until Nov 3. An exhibition of photographic portraits taken in Papua New Guinea. Cecil Beaton: Theatre Of War at Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, SE1 6HZ Lambeth North £8, concs £6, under 16s FREE, Until Jan 1. Historic photographs, drawings and books documenting Beaton’s work for the Ministry of Information during the Second World War. BP British Art Displays 1500-2010 at Tate Britain, Millbank, SW1P 4RG Pimlico FREE, Until Mar 4. The Collection displays at Tate Britain rehung in the western suite of galleries. Click Dot And Silence at The Horse Hospital, 30 Colonnade, WC1N 1JD Russell Square £6.50, adv £5, Starts Thu, Until Nov 1. A multimedia performance exploring the relationship between art, music, surroundings and the creative process. A Family In Wartime at Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, SE1 6HZ Lambeth North FREE, Until Dec 31. Artefacts, images and testimonies which look at how ordinary Londoners dealt with the Second World War. Bruce French at Scream, 27-28 Eastcastle Street, W1J 6QX Oxford Circus FREE, Until Nov 24. Paintings of amorphous, androgynous figures. Brian Grimwood: The Man Who Changed The Look Of British Illustration at Paperwork Bookshop And Work Gallery, 10A Acton Street, WC1X 9NG King’s Cross St Pancras FREE, Until Nov 3. A retrospective featuring archive drawings, paintings, designs and prints. Richard Hamilton: The Late Works at The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN Leicester Square FREE, Until Jan 13. Major paintings and digital images by the artist, some of which were specially commissioned for the show and were not completed before the artist’s death in 2011.

Hollywood Unseen at Getty Images Gallery, 46 Eastcastle Street, W1W 8DX Oxford Circus FREE, Until Nov 3. Revealing and candid photographs of stars of the big screen. George Leslie Hunter: A Life In Colour at The Fleming Collection, 13 Berkeley Street, W1J 8DU Green Park FREE, Until Feb 9. A major retrospective of paintings by the Scottish Colourist. Tom Hunter: A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Purdy Hicks Gallery, 65 Hopton Street, SE1 9GZ Southwark FREE, Until Nov 3. Photographs inspired by Shakespeare’s play and the paintings of Henry Fuseli. Suhasini Kejriwal & Young In Hong: Maximum City at James Freeman Gallery, 354 Upper Street, N1 0PD Angel FREE, Until Nov 10. Drawings and sculpture exploring our relationship with the modern city. William Klein/Daido Moriyama at Tate Modern, Bankside, Holland Street, SE1 9TG Southwark £12.70, concs £10.90, National Art Pass/Art Fund mems £6.35, concs £5.45, Until Jan 20. A chance to compare photographs and films by the artists. Kirsty Mitchell: Wonderland at Quaglino’s, 16 Bury Street, SW1Y 6AJ Green Park FREE to diners, Until Nov 14. Selected works from the fine art photographer’s Wonderland Series. Marilyn Monroe: A British Love Affair at National Portrait Gallery, 2 St Martin’s Place, WC2H 0HE Embankment FREE, Until Mar 24. Photographs documenting the iconic actress’s connections with Britain. Mr Brainwash at The Sorting Office, 21-31 New Oxford Street, WC1A 1AP Holborn FREE, Until Oct 31. Paintings and sculpture inspired by cultural icons. Pre-Raphaelites: Victorian Avant-Garde at Tate Britain, Millbank, SW1P 4RG Pimlico £14, concs £12.20, National Art Pass/Art Fund mems £7, concs £6.10, Until Jan 13. Over 150 works in different media exposing the Pre-Raphaelites as ahead of their time.

Twin Peaks: 20th Anniversary Art Exhibition at Menier Gallery, 51 Southwark Street, SE1 1RU Waterloo FREE, Starts Tue, Until Nov 3. Works in various media paying homage to David Lynch and Twin Peaks.

Shoot! Existential Photography at The Photographers’ Gallery, 16-18 Ramillies Street, W1F 7LW Oxford Circus FREE, Until Jan 6. Images inspired by the fairground attraction of the photographic shooting gallery. Someday All The Adults Will Die!: Punk Graphics 1971-1984 at Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX Waterloo FREE, Until Nov 4. A comprehensive survey of punk and postpunk graphic design. Gavin Turk: Transit Disaster at Paul Stolper, 31 Museum Street, WC1A 1LH Tottenham Court Road FREE, Until Nov 17. Prints of a wrecked transit van, exploring the desensitising effects of repetition, with reference to working-class Britain, inspired by Andy Warhol’s 1979 Shadow paintings and the Death And Disaster series of 1962-3.

North

East Mel Bochner at Whitechapel Gallery, 80-82 Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX Aldgate East FREE, Until Dec 30. Installations, wall drawings and paintings from the last 50 years. Katherine Leedale at The Yard, Queens Yard White Post Lane, E9 5EN Hackney Wick FREE, Starts Tue, Until Nov 11. Photographs of museum interiors, Hackney Wick and the surrounding landscape. The Signature Art Prize 2012 at Degree Art, 12A Vyner Street, E2 9DQ Bethnal Green FREE, Until Nov 11. Finalists from all four categories of the competition, painting, photography, sculpture and mixed media are displayed together. Stephanie Wehowski: Stupa at WW Patio Projects, 30 Queensdown Road, E5 8NN Hackney Downs FREE, Starts Thu, Until Dec 2. Sculpture and installation. Mark Peter Wright: 30 Minutes Of Listening at IMT, Unit 2, 210 Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9NQ Bethnal Green FREE, Starts Fri, Until Dec 2. Mixed works exploring themes of listening, location and time.

South

The Affordable Art Fair at Hampstead Heath, Highgate Road, NW5 1QR Hampstead £12 & £15, Thu 5.30pm-9.30pm £20, concs £10 & £13, adv £10 & £12, concs adv £8 & £10, adv tickets at www. affordableartfair.com, Starts Thu, Until Nov 4. Original paintings, prints, sculpture and photography costing between £40 and £4,000. Arsenal Museum at Emirates Stadium, 75 Drayton Park, N5 1BU Arsenal £6, concs £3, Until Dec 31. Extensive archive of football memorabilia chronicling 122 years of the Gunners’ history. Breeder at Patrick Heide Contemporary Art, 11 Church Street, NW8 8EE Marylebone FREE, Until Nov 10. Works in various media by artists including Sarah Bridgland, Pius Fox and Saad Qureshi. Freud Museum at Freud Museum, 20 Maresfield Gardens, NW3 5SX Finchley Road £6, OAP £4.50, concs £3, under 12s FREE, Until Dec 31. This was the residence of Sigmund Freud after he fled the oppression of Nazi Germany in 1938 and chose a life of exile in England. There is quite a collection of antiques from many different corners of the globe and also many of his papers, his library, furniture and even his famous couch. Melanie Stidolph: The Fall at Campbell Works, 27 Belfast Road, N16 6UN Stoke Newington FREE, Until Nov 4. Contemporary photography and projections. Take Six at Artisan80, 80 Harlesden Road, NW10 2BE Dollis Hill FREE, Starts Wed, Until Nov 24. Contemporary works from the East Finchley Open.

The Cinema Museum at The Cinema Museum, 2 Dugard Way, SE11 4TH Elephant & Castle guided tour £7, child/ concs £5, Until Dec 31. Vast collection of film memorabilia chronicling the history of the silver screen to the present day, including posters, props, a vast stills collection and ushers’ uniforms. Malcolm Jones: Protracting Light at Coleman Project Space, 94 Webster Road, SE16 4DF Bermondsey FREE, Until Nov 18. Contemporary watercolours and canvasses developed over a four year period. John Palatinus at Space Station SixtyFive, 373 Kennington Road, SE11 4PS Oval FREE, Until Nov 18. Pictures of young, American body-builders, from the era known as the Golden Age of Physique Photography.

West Halima Cassell & Kate McLeod: Brian Mercer Residencies 2011 at The Royal British Society Of Sculptors Galleries, 108 Old Brompton Road, SW7 3RA Gloucester Road FREE, Until Nov 2. Contemporary sculpture by artists who spent three months developing their skills in Tuscany. Comica: Comics, Manga & Co: The New Culture Of German Comics at GoetheInstitut, 50 Princes Gate, SW7 2PH South Kensington FREE, Starts Sat, Until Dec 15. Drawings, paintings and books by the original avant-garde German comic artists and the new wave of artists they inspired. V&A Illustration Awards 2012 at Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL South Kensington FREE, Until Dec 31. Book and editorial drawings by winners, entrants and students. Pertaining To Things Natural... at Chelsea Physic Garden, 66 Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4HS Sloane Square £9, NUS/ unwaged/ages 5-15 £6, mems FREE, Until Oct 31. Large-scale sculptural installations and small interventions.

scoutlondon.com Scout London 31

Up the creek It’s been more than a decade, but finally TV comic Alan Davies is back on the road with a new stand-up tour. Chris Beanland chats to the QI and Jonathan Creek star

“W

hat I remember of being a stand-up in the 1990s is you’d stay in some pretty stinky places,” laughs Alan Davies, recalling the last time he was on the road with a tour. In more recent times, the 46-year-old hasn’t really needed to schlep around the live circuit because he’s done so well with his TV work – first as lead character Jonathan Creek in the supernaturally-steeped crime drama of the same name, and then as a permanent guest on enormously popular panel show QI. Now he’s back on the road. And, not surprisingly, things have changed somewhat since his last outing. “It’s different from the last time, but we’re

32 Scout London scoutlondon.com

still getting good crowds,” he tells me in the charming, easy manner that has made him such a popular TV fixture. “Last year in Australia I put this show together as a work in progress. It was a tortuous process but it was the only way I could get the material going. The thing that stopped me doing stand up for all those years is that I didn’t have a show to do.”

66 It annoyed me

in a way – not a single heckle 99

The end result of that Aussie adventure is Life Is Pain, a tender look at life’s squeaks and squiggles, which comes to London this weekend. I ask Davies about the apparent gloominess of both topic and title. “There was always a fair bit of sadness and bereavement around our family when I was growing up,” he says with a slight sigh. The Essex-born comedian’s mum died when he was young, leaving him and his siblings to be raised by their father. “Everyone’s got their stories. It’s a great source of comedy actually, but I didn’t set out to dwell on bereavement, illness, death and loss. That’s just the way life works.” Life’s ups and downs certainly tested Davies recently after he found himself in hot water after criticising Liverpool FC’s refusal ever to play on the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. “A blogger wrote all this stuff. It was profoundly derogatory,” explains Davies, who made the remarks on the Arsenal FC podcast that he hosts. “He took a few comments out of context and accused me of anti-semitism. Then the tabloids picked it up.” There was an angry response from many Liverpool fans, and trouble was predicted for Davies’ recent Liverpool tour date. “My wife was really worried about me going up there. But it went really well. There was a good crowd – mainly QI fans, people who like me. All of the people who sent me all the threats and abuse – and there was a lot of it – not one of them turned up. It annoyed me in a way – not a single heckle. But it’s unfortunate, because I’ve got nothing against the city, the people or the football club.” Moving on to happier topics, I ask about the future of his TV work. “There’s a new series of QI on now and lots of repeats on other channels – it’s a bit confusing,” he chuckles. “They want at least one more series, so we’ll do that next year.” And Davies’ amiable sleuth Jonathan Creek will be back too: “We’re filming a special in January which will be out sometime next year.” One thing that won’t be coming back is the kitchen-set sitcom Whites, which the BBC canned after its first series. “It’s the best part I’ve ever had,” reminisces Davies. “I’d love to do that again. I thought the potential was there for it to run for three or four series.” I ask him if he resembled Alan Partridge asking for a second series? “Yes! ‘Give me another series you sh*t.’ I turned into that person last year.” November 4 at Richmond Theatre & November 12 at Hackney Empire, atgtickets.com, hackneyempire.co.uk

ONGOING

Dina Martina: Moribund at Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road 9.30pm, Oct 23 & 24 £10, Oct 25-31, Nov 1-3 £15, concs £12.50. Surreal songs and dance by Grady West. Margaret Cho: Mother at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square 7.30pm, Fri-Sun £26.50, Mon-Wed £23.50. Intelligent and provocative humour from the American stand-up. Until Oct 31. Doctor Brown: Befrdfgth at Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road 9.30pm, Mon-Wed £15, concs £12.50, Thu-Sat £20, concs £17.50, phone for availability. Absurd visual humour from Phil Burgers’s impish alter ego, who collected the 2012 Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award. Shappi Khorsandi: Dirty Looks And Hopscotch at Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road 8pm, Tue £10, Wed & Thu £15, concs £12.50, Fri & Sat £17.50, concs £15. Standup from the Iranian-born comedian. Newsrevue at Canal Cafe Theatre, Bridge House Pub, Delamere Terrace, W2 6ND Royal Oak Thu-Sat 9.30pm, Sun 9pm, £10, concs £8.50. Topical sketches and songs. Until Dec 23.

Monday October 29

13th Hour Horror Festival: The Three Englishmen: The Lighthouse Keepers at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square 7pm, £12, concs £10. Sketch comedy from Ben Cottam, Nick Hall, Jack Hartnell and Tom Hensby. The Hideaway Comedy Club at The Hideaway, 114 Junction Road, N19 5LB Archway 8pm-11pm, FREE. With Michael Stranney, Amrik Virk, Steve Roberts, Dan Hooper, Reuben Christian, Kev Quatermass, Vicky Kember, Darren Ford, The Wut Wuts and MC Johnny Armstrong. Rich Peppiatt: One Rogue Reporter at Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road 7.30pm, £15, concs £12.50. Controversial political humour from the former Daily Star columnist.

Tuesday October 30 13th Hour Horror Festival: The Voices In Your Head: Horror Special at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square 7pm, £10. Improvised comedy in which a voice tells the performer what to do next. The Camden Comedy Sessions at The Camden Head, 100 Camden High Street, NW1 0LU Camden Town 7.30pm, FREE. With MCs Joe Hunter and Robin Cousins. Comedy For A Cure... Shake With Laughter at The Bloomsbury Theatre, 15 Gordon Street, WC1H 0AH Euston 7.30pm, £15, concs £12.50. With Rob Deering, Nathan Caton, Tiffany Stevenson and Elis James. Laugh at Ginglik, Shepherd’s Bush Green, W12 8PH Shepherd’s Bush 8.30pm11pm, guestlist £5, mems £3. With Neil Delamere, Ian Smith, Matthew Winning, Suzi Ruffell and MC Barry Ferns. Party Piece at Shaker & Company, 119 Hampstead Road, NW1 3EE Euston 8pm, FREE. Open mic night with MC Tom Webb. Lewis Schaffer Is Free Until Famous at The Source Below, 11 Lower John Street, W1F 9TY Piccadilly Circus 8pm, FREE. Self-deprecating stand-up.

Wednesday October 31

Jenny Eclair: Eclairious at The Bloomsbury Theatre, 15 Gordon Street, WC1H 0AH Euston 8pm, £17.50. The feisty Perrier Award winner takes no prisoners.

Richard Sandling’s Perfect Movie Halloween Special at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square 7pm, £10. With Nick Helm, James Bachman, Gareth Tunley, Preston Nyman, Eleanor Curry, Steve Pretty and Catharine Rodgers.

Pattie Brewster’s Friendship Venture (For Some Friends) at The Camden Head, 100 Camden High Street, NW1 0LU Camden Town 8pm, £3. Surreal humour about trying to make friends, with special guest Mae Martin. Pear Shaped In Fitzrovia at Fitzroy Tavern, 16a Charlotte Street, W1T 2NA Goodge Street 8.30pm, £5. With Angus Lindsay, Glen Lenny Sherman, David Jesudason, Sean Quinn, Kieron Kirkland, Roxy Bourdillion and MCs Brian Damage & Krysstal and Anthony Miller.

Up The Creek at Up The Creek, 302 Creek Road, SE10 9SW Greenwich 8.45pm, £11, concs £8. With Ben Norris, Paul Myerhaug and MC Barry Castagnola. Seann Walsh at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square 7.30pm, £14, concs £12. Observational humour from the charming Brighton-born stand-up.

Saturday November 3

Thursday November 1 The Best In Stand-Up at Comedy Store, 1a Oxendon Street, SW1Y 4EE Piccadilly Circus 8pm, £18, concs £13. With Tom Wrigglesworth, Phil Nichol, Paul Sinha, David Hadingham and MC Ian Coppinger. Crack Comedy Club at The Slug And Lettuce, 1 Islington Green, N1 2XH Angel 8.30pm, £7, adv £6, NUS £4. With Kerry Godliman and Dave Ward. Free And Funny at Camden Head, 2 Camden Walk, N1 8DY Angel 8pm, FREE. With Lenny Sherman, Tim Shishodia, Liaquat Lal, Josh Robins Cherry, James Lacy, Sophie Johnson, Craig Trevitt, Edward Booth, Ben Nolan and Andy Holloway. Joking For Justice at The Bloomsbury Theatre, 15 Gordon Street, WC1H 0AH Euston 7.30pm, £23. With Richard Herring, Ava Vidal, Mark Dolan, Francesca Martinez, Paul Sinha, Catie Wilkins, Vikki Stone, Hils Barker, Andy Zaltzman, Dan Antopolski and MC Kent Valentine. Shambles at Aces & Eights, 156-158 Fortess Road, NW5 2HP Tufnell Park 7.30pm, £5. With Simon Munnery, Nick Helm, Ben Target, Two Episodes Of Mash, Ross Lee, Chris Coltrane, John Kearns, Hatty Ashdown and MC Harry Deansway.

Friday November 2 13th Hour Horror Festival: Paul Gannon: Ain’t Afraid Of No Ghost at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square 7pm, £10. Stories and anecdotes about experiences with the supernatural. Big Night Out at Rumba, 36 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 7EP Piccadilly Circus 8pm-10pm, £9.99-£26. With Nick Wilty, Joe Bromehead and Jeremy O’Donnell. The Covent Garden Comedy Club @ Heaven at The Covent Garden Comedy Club @ Heaven, Under The Arches Villiers Street, WC2N 6NG Charing Cross 8pm-10pm, £13. With Adam Crow, Paul F Taylor, Don Biswas, Nick Dixon and MC James Cook. Foster’s Comedy Live at Highlight, Camden Lock, Middle Yard Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AB Camden Town 8.15pm-10.15pm, £17 & £18. With JoJo Smith, Tanyalee Davis, Lenny Peters, Chris Turner and Babatunde. Gabriel Iglesias: Stand-Up Revolution at The Bloomsbury Theatre, 15 Gordon Street, WC1H 0AH Euston 7pm, £20. Energetic storytelling and sound effects from the American stand-up. Jongleurs Comedy Show at The Sports Cafe, 80 Haymarket, SW1Y 4TE Piccadilly Circus 8.30pm, doors 6.30pm, last adm 7.30pm, £12. With Sean Meo, Tom Price, Markus Birdman and Cole Parker.

Sarah Millican: Thoroughly Modern Millican at HMV Apollo, Queen Caroline Street, W6 9QH Hammersmith 7pm, £20. Wry observations from the Newcastle standup and writer. The Beta Males In...The Bunker at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square 7pm, £10. Sketch comedy about life after the apocalypse. The Boat Show at Tattershall Castle, Victoria Embankment, SW1A 2HR Charing Cross 8pm, £10 & £13.50, concs £11. With Nathan Caton, Iain Stirling, Roger Monkhouse and MC Windsor. Crack Comedy Club at The Slug And Lettuce, County Hall, 5 Chicheley Street, SE1 7PJ Waterloo 8pm, £11, adv £10, NUS £7. With Scott Capurro, Stefano Paolini and Tom Webb. Monkey Business Comedy Club at Sir Richard Steele, 97 Haverstock Hill, NW3 4RL Chalk Farm 8.45pm, £12.50, concs £10. With Spencer Brown, Elliot Mason, Paddy Lennox, Tez Ilyas and MC Martin Besserman. Seann Walsh at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square 7.30pm, £14, concs £12. Observational humour from the charming Brighton-born stand-up.

Sunday November 4 13th Hour Horror Festival: Storytellers’ Club: Horror Special at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square 5pm, £10. With Ewen Macintosh, James Dowdeswell, Yianni Agisilaou and MC Sarah Bennetto. Fascinating Aida: Cheap Flights at New Wimbledon Theatre, 93 The Broadway, SW19 1QG Wimbledon 7.30pm, £19.50. Musical comedy from the Londonbased trio. Sunday Special at Up The Creek, 302 Creek Road, SE10 9SW Greenwich 7.30pm, £6, concs £4. Guest acts take to the stage for an evening of laughter.

scoutlondon.com Scout London 33

‘I wear my heartthrob status like a hair vest’

hris O’Dowd realised he’d become a bona fide star when he received the royal seal of approval from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. “I met William and Kate recently and they had watched Bridesmaids a week after they got married,” he reveals. There is even photographic evidence of the encounter, featuring the Irish actor-writer and his new wife, TV presenter Dawn Porter, with the royal couple – and, naturally, it takes pride of place at his parents’ home. “There’s a picture in my mum’s house that somebody gave me at my wedding, of myself and Dawn talking to Kate. I had clearly told a big joke that they are laughing at – it’s a good one,” he says proudly. “It’s right as you walk in through the door. Kate is blown up to 8ftx10ft. It seems excessive!” The 33-year-old, who first gained recognition as computer geek Roy Trenneman in Channel 4 comedy The IT Crowd, started to find fame across the pond through appearances in Dinner For Schmucks and Gulliver’s Travels. But it was his portrayal of affable cop and principle heartthrob Nathan Rhodes in smash hit comedy Bridesmaids that really got him noticed. “It has definitely opened doors for me. Obviously it’s very helpful, because most people wouldn’t have seen me otherwise,” he says in his rounded Irish brogue. And yet, the Sligo-born, Boyle-raised actor is not comfortable with his growing sex symbol tag. But he obviously but doesn’t mind being described as a “reluctant heartthrob”.

34 Scout London scoutlondon.com

“I wear that status like a hair vest. It’s very fleeting and it’s been fun but I can’t be dealing with all that nonsense, simply because it’s not real,” he says. It’s largely thanks to being spotted in Bridesmaids that O’Dowd was cast in the role of band manager Dave Lovelace by Wayne Blair, in his directorial debut The Sapphires. Based on the stage production of the same name, the musical drama set in 1968 traces the journey of Aboriginal girl group The Sapphires, played by Jessica Mauboy, Miranda Tapsell, Deborah Mailman and Shari Sebbens. “I like to think I was the first choice, after the first six people turned it down,” quips the naturally charming and funny O’Dowd. “I’m big in the indigenous communities, you know? I like the idea that I’ve got a very niche market. Indigenous Australia, that’s probably my future.” The Sapphires, which got a 10-minute standing ovation when it premièred at the Cannes Film Festival, has been a resounding success in Australia (it was the highestearning Australian film on its opening weekend) and was well received when it screened at the 56th BFI London Film

A gem O’Dowd and Deborah Mailman in The Sapphires

Festival recently. Stateside, distribution rights have been snapped up by Hollywood heavyweight The Weinstein Company. “I think it tells a reasonably unknown story to a wide audience and I’m proud that we managed to create a film where people who have been oppressed are celebrated,” says O’Dowd. “These are joyous, sexy, strong, sassy and beautiful women, and these stories are not told as often as they should be.” As Lovelace, the actor belts out soul tracks such as The Temptations’ I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch). “I’m big into soul music and, coincidentally at the time, I had been listening to a lot of soul and gospel – a lot of early Sam Cooke, Al Green and that sort of stuff,” he says. While he didn’t have to take any singing lessons, O’Dowd did, however, have to learn how to play the piano. “I didn’t have a clue how to do it beforehand, so I had to learn it pretty quickly. And far from the romance of the ballrooms in the 1960s, I was teaching myself while I was working on another job at the time,” he recalls. “So I was flying back and forth between Sydney and LA, teaching myself how to play the piano on an iPad app, which didn’t really feel in keeping with the beautiful nature of soul music from Detroit,” he laughs. With four musical females on set – Mauboy is a former Australian Idol finalist – the set was filled with song. “Jess sings all the time, so she would start singing and everyone would join in. It was like we were in an episode of High School Musical.

AP Photo/The Canadian Press

From The IT Crowd to the real-life ‘it crowd’, Chris O’Dowd is now hot Hollywood property. He chats to Shereen Low about his acclaimed new film, The Sapphires

They do the Hokey Cokey... Hit new Australian movie The Sapphires

We sang a lot of Beyoncé, but I let them do the moves.” Having grown up with three older sisters, O’Dowd didn’t mind being outnumbered. “Four beautiful women is my go-to place. I grew up with a house full of women so I felt very comfortable,” he says with a grin. “They were like a little family, and I felt at different times like their younger brother, older brother, their uncle and their drunk cousin. But I

had a great time with them all. They’re just the loveliest women.” Like his IT Crowd co-star Richard Ayoade, the Irish star has branched out into films but hasn’t forgotten his TV roots. He recently starred in BBC series The Crimson Petal And The White and has a recurring role in new US sitcom Girls. He also created and wrote celebrated new Sky TV series Moone Boy, which has been given the green light for a second series. “I really enjoy writing and would love to do a lot more of that,” he says. “In a perfect world, I’d spend half my time behind the camera and half in front of it, so I’ll

do what I can to make that happen.” As for his future big-screen outings, he’s soon to appear tussling with Megan Fox in Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up sequel This Is 40, and taking on Nick Frost on the dance floor in salsa dance-themed comedy Cuban Fury. Off-screen, O’Dowd married Porter in August, and happily reveals that he’s enjoying life as a husband, although he’s yet to fulfil one of his most important initial duties. “I love it. It’s great,” he says, “though we still have to find time for a honeymoon!” The Sapphires opens in cinemas on November 7 scoutlondon.com Scout London 35

new releases

Rust & Bone (15) Marion Cotillard delivers a compelling, awards-worthy lead performance as an aquatic trainer facing adversity in Jacques Audiard’s passionate love story. She plays free-spirited beauty Stéphanie, whose close working relationship with killer whales ends when one of the majestic creatures severs her legs. An earlier onenight stand with bare-knuckle brawler Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts) – a single father keen to rebuild bridges with his six-year-old son Sam (Armand Verdure) – sows the seeds of an unconventional romance. Adapted from a short story collection by Craig Davidson, Rust & Bone eschews sickly sentiment by observing Stéphanie and Ali’s dalliances with cool detachment. Cotillard’s vulnerability contrasts with Schoenaerts rugged masculinity, catalysing electrifying sexual chemistry in their beautifully lit on-screen couplings. DS

The Master (15) If art is judged on its ability to provoke debate then Paul Thomas Anderson makes great art. From his eye-catching Boogie Nights, to the bombast of There Will Be Blood, the Californian writer-director has consistently challenged us. With The Master, he incurs the wrath of the Church of Scientology, which has campaigned vociferously against this emotionally-wrought tale of a cult leader (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who welcomes a sailor (Joaquin Phoenix) into the fold as his “guinea pig and protégé”. What follows is an overlong demonstration of virtuoso filmmaking that is by turns dazzling and boorishly pretentious. Phoenix, Hoffman and Amy Adams, as the leader’s steely wife, will be vying for Oscar consideration. Anderson’s film, though, is far easier to admire than worship. Damon Smith

Keep the Lights On (18) Drawn from the painful personal experiences of writer-director Ira Sachs, Keep The Lights On chronicles a turbulent relationship over the course of nine years, opening in 1998 with Danish documentary filmmaker Erik (Thure Lindhardt) scouting for anonymous sex in New York. One hook-up is closeted lawyer Paul (Zachary Booth), who confesses, “I have a girlfriend”, then becomes a permanent fixture in Erik’s topsy-turvy life. The initial sexual heat between the two men cools as Paul’s crack habit escalates and Sachs’s picture reduces to artful chapters steeped in misery, portraying Erik as either a saint or masochist for continually taking back deeply unsympathetic Paul into his bed. Comparisons to Weekend are inevitable but Keep The Lights On lacks the strong emotional undertow and romanticism of that picture. DS

36 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Also showing

7th London Korean Film Festival

Pink Flamingos (18)

East meets West at this year’s Korean Film Festival, an eclectic showcase of creativity and innovation that proves there is more to the country’s cultural output than Psy and his infernal Gangnam Style. Choi Dong-hoon’s gripping heist thriller The Thieves opens proceedings, welcoming actor Kim Yoon-suk to the red carpet (Nov 1) and festivities reach a close with the European première of Choo Chang-min’s lavish historical drama Masquerade blessed with two performances from the magnetic Lee Byung-Hun (Nov 10). In between, a novelist falls for his pretty student in Eungyo aka A Muse (Nov 6), Park Jung-woo churns stomachs with his tale of a parasite that sparks a national epidemic, Deranged (Nov 8) and Joo Ji-Hoon plays royalty and a pauper in the comedy I Am A King (Nov 9). DS

With the release of this outlandish black comedy, writer-director John Waters confirmed his reputation as the enfant terrible of Baltimore and the master of bad taste. Forty years on, Pink Flamingos still has the power to shock and is an enduring headache for censors with the on-screen onslaught of perversity including a graphic sequence with a live chicken and the infamous closing image involving drag queen Divine and dog faeces. More than two minutes were cut from the UK print before the BBFC granted an 18 certificate and no doubt these screenings will be packed to capacity to see Divine running amok on the big screen as the trailer trash harpy who will do anything to retain her title as The Filthiest Person Alive. Best viewed on an empty stomach. Showing as part of the BFI Uncut season (see p6). DS

Nov 1-10, times and prices vary. ICA and various venues, SW1Y 5AH Charing Cross

Nov 1, 6.20pm, Nov 15, 8.45pm, £5-£10, concs/mems £5-£8.50. BFI Southbank, SE1 8XT Waterloo

[Rec] & The Exorcist

Film Africa

Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza’s ‘found footage’ horror [Rec] witnesses a deadly contagion spreading between terrified residents of a Barcelona apartment block in real time through the lens of a television news crew’s handheld camera. Heavy breathing, bloodcurdling screams and pounding footsteps replace the usual stringheavy orchestral soundtrack, wringing every last drop of tension from the fantastical premise. The absence of any star names means there is no obvious pecking order for survival: every character is fair game. The film is shown as a double bill with a director’s cut of William Friedkin’s seminal 1973 horror The Exorcist for a night of terrifying delights. DS

The UK’s largest annual festival of African cinema and culture crams more than 70 feature films, professional workshops, music nights and Q&As with leading filmmakers into various venues across the capital. The UK première of David Tosh Gitonga’s insightful drama Nairobi Half Life, starring Joseph Wairimu as an aspiring actor who leaves behind the bustle of Kenya’s capital to pursue his dreams (Nov 1) sets the tone beautifully. Other highlights include Oliver Schmitz’s moving Life, Above All, about a girl battling the stigma of HIV in her village (Nov 4) and Oliver Hermanus’s Beauty (Skoonheid), which dissects the thorny issues of homosexuality and racism in modern-day South Africa (Nov 6). DS

Oct 29, 7pm, £12, mems £7 or £6.50, concs £4 per film. Prince Charles Cinema, WC2H 7BY Leicester Square

Nov 1-11, times vary, £4-£14. Hackney Picturehouse and various venues, E8 1HE Hackney Central scoutlondon.com Scout London 37

Co oking up a S torm 27

Fans mobbed the two stars of hit US show Breaking Bad at a recent publicity event in London. Andy Jones was there, and grabbed a little time with leading man Bryan Cranston

38 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Recognise me now? Bryan Cranston making use of a Breaking Bad poster board at the event in London

a suburban drug lord, feared in the area for his eye-popping alchemy skills. “In the beginning, Walter’s behaviour is altruistic,” Cranston tells me at the event. “He missed out on a lot of other things for his family, but this final time he can say to them, ‘Don’t ask where this came from, but I have provided for you’. The whole series asks the question, ‘Could you leave your spouse with no money, having to bring up one disabled child and with another baby on the way?’. It challenges you how far you’d be prepared to go to see them safe and secure. That’s why it all works.” The detail in the series is so exquisite that

fans often have one question above all others, admits Cranston. “Yes, I can now cook meth,” he smiles. “I was taught how to make it way back in the first series by US drug agency chemists. In reality, on the streets meth heads – who are cooking it while high or on the comedown – face real danger. If they miss a step or put two volatile chemicals together, the whole lot goes boom.” Quite understandably, the show skips a few steps in its depiction of the production process. “We never want to make a ‘How To’ video for people,” says Cranston, who has won three consecutive Emmys for the role. But he understands why fans love the ‘Bad Walt’ more than his good side. “He doesn’t want to be a drug dealer, but if he is going to be he wants to make the purest, most scientifically beautiful product he can make. That’s where a lot of the drama and comedy spring from – Walter being this average science teacher, trying to be the most rigorous dealer there has ever been.” As he leaves, after spending hours signing DVDs and posing for pictures with Breaking Bad obsessives, it’s hard not to admire his attention to detail and devotion to his trade. Maybe he and Walt aren’t so different after all. Season 5 of Breaking Bad is available on Netflix UK from November 1. Seasons 1-4 are available on DVD and Netflix UK now.

SAM PROUD

this particular moment, Bryan Cranston isn’t a humiliated science teacher, a terminal cancer sufferer or – to the disappointment of 100 or so gathered British fans – a crystal meth-making drugs lord. In fact, watching the star of Breaking Bad work the room at a UK publicity event is quite disarming. First off, he actually has hair. Second, he is loaded with jokes, easy charm and incisive thoughts about exactly why his dishevelled character, Walter White, has become the working man’s ultimate anti-hero. As he presses the flesh at The Gallery Soho, it’s clear that Cranston couldn’t be more different from the bespectacled, Y-fronts wearing putz he has grown inside for the last four years. Even those unfamiliar with Walter White will have likely endured a strong-arming from friends or work colleagues trying to get them hooked on the series. It tells the story of a struggling, depressive science teacher who, upon finding he has terminal cancer, resolves to create a nest egg for his pregnant wife and disabled son in the only way open to him: making crystal meth. As Walt embarks on his unlikely get-richquick scheme – meticulously cooking ‘meth’ in a caravan in the baking New Mexico heat with former student and sidekick Jessie (Aaron Paul) – viewers watch his gradual transformation into

Brazil with Michael Palin

Available on BBC iPlayer

Your Sister’s Sister (15)

Available on iTunes, Blu-ray and DVD now

Sisters are doing it for themselves but not each other in Lynn Shelton’s well-observed relationship comedy, which continues the battle of the sexes waged in her provocative 2009 feature Humpday. Here, the helter-skelter of destructive feelings begins when Iris (Emily Blunt) dispatches her slacker best friend, Jack (Mark Duplass), to her family’s cabin to privately mourn his brother. A boozy late-night encounter with Iris’s lesbian sister, Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt), leads to a half-hearted offer of sex. “I haven’t been on that bicycle for some time,” she responds tartly. The

next morning, Jack and Hannah are roused from their slumber by the arrival of Iris with groceries. Embarrassment turns to intense discomfort between the siblings when Iris makes a heartfelt confession and asks Hannah for her advice. Your Sister’s Sister boasts sparkling chemistry between the leads and Shelton rewards her cast with natural, flowing dialogue that cuts to the bone. However, the emotionally pat coda is surplus to requirements. Damon Smith

The so-called ‘nicest man in Britain’ has jetted off yet again, this time to Brazil. He is, as ever, engaging and affable company; the quintessential English gentleman. And each destination so far is either fascinating or mesmeric. There’s a sense that we’re not seeing Brazil at its loud and lairy best, but we’re still only one episode in. Roll on Wednesday. Ray Lamothe

Ottolenghi Stick Tennis

Available on ITunes, Blu-ray and DVD now

iTunes App store, Googleplay and Amazon Apps, FREE version available

Based on an original screenplay by leading man Noel Clarke, this gore-slathered sci-fi horror is littered with undernourished characters and predictable twists. Slick make-up effects and a couple of fizzing oneliners compensate for a paucity of edge-of-seat scares. And characters are slain in grisly close-up at regular intervals to satisfy gore hounds. DS

If you’ve been hooked on Stick Cricket – the fiendishly simple hit-it-and-run game – then you should have a pretty good idea what’s in store with this new tennis version. Easy to control but tough to master, it’s ridiculously addictive, and if you’re anything like us you’ll be hooked in minutes. Clear some space in your diary and warn your friends you might be late for the next few weeks. James Edwards

Storage 24 (15)

Smash – Season One Boxset out now

The comparisons with Glee are inevitable for this musical drama that follows songwriting duo Tom Levitt (Christian Borle) and Julia Houston (Debra Messing) as they prepare a stage show based on the life of Marilyn Monroe. Anjelica Huston lends a touch of class to proceedings as the show’s formidable producer, but it’s the rousing cover versions of Rihanna, Adele and Snow Patrol that hang in the memory. DS

iTunes App store, iPhone £4.99 from Monday

Featuring 50 recipes by chefs Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi (both original dishes and some from their bestselling cookbooks), this app enables you to recreate your favourites at home. There’s a touch-free mode for iPhone 4/4S users, so they can refer to the recipes mid-prep. The database can be searched by ingredients and complexity levels, plus it’s packed full of vibrant photos. If all else fails, use it to book a table at Ottolenghi’s Soho restaurant NOPI. DS

scoutlondon.com Scout London 39

A Hood for business

Tinchy Stryder is a rare breed of star – not only has he sustained a long career in the often short-lived world of pop, he also has established himself as an astute businessman. James Edwards chats to a man shaping up to become the 'British Jay-Z'

he fact that Tinchy Stryder has been making music for well over a decade is a little hard to get your head around. In pop terms, this is approaching Rolling Stones levels of longevity – and all the more impressive when you consider that he's still only 26. But the Bow-born rapper's career hasn't always been quite so chart-bothering. Many will know him for hits such as Never Leave You and Spaceship. But as a teenager in the late 90s, Tinchy (real name Kwasi Danquah) cut his teeth in east London’s grime scene, in groups such as Roll Deep (which also featured Dizzee Rascal) and Ruff Sqwad. It was his collaboration with N-Dubz on the 2009 single Number 1 (which actually went to Number 1) which brought about his transformation into the major chart star we know today. And with commercial success also flourished his now renowned business acumen.

40 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Tinchy’s sound is much more American than former Roll Deep colleagues Dizzee Rascal and Wiley, but so are his business interests. Not only does he have a successful clothing label, Star In The Hood, plus a brand of headphones, he also co-owns the Takeover Roc Nation record label with Jay-Z – the all-conquering king of the rapper-turnedbusinessman model, who Tinchy cites as a major influence. While this path is fairly welltrodden among American hip-hop stars, it's rarely emulated on UK shores. But it's a sensible route to take, says Tinchy. “It’s really tough out there for musicians, so I think it’s important to have an understanding of business,” he tells Scout London “I can understand why some musicians don’t want to get involved with the business side, because the music industry can be very tough and you don’t want that to impinge on your creativity. Also, you just want to get in the studio and record and create,

so the other stuff can be seen as a distraction. That’s why it’s important to have a good team around you.” Stryder keeps a strong creative interest in everything his companies produce. Although not necessarily involved in the full creative process, he insists on signing off all final designs, because, as he says, “at the end of the day, it’s my name and my brand on it”. “Everything that’s come up that I’ve invested in has felt natural," he adds. "I’ve turned things down because they didn’t feel right.” Prior to his upcoming show at Under The Bridge (based at Chelsea FC's Stamford Bridge stadium), Tinchy has been on an arena tour supporting Cheryl Cole. “She’s really cool,” he smiles. “I’ve met her before – I was doing a TV show and she was in the green room having her make-up done. I went over and introduced myself and we really got on. “The fact that we have met

before and get on means it makes it so much easier on tour – I’ve always said that, whether it’s a headliner or a support act, it makes it so much better if you all get on.” On the face of it, it's not a pairing one might normally make. But it was yet another astute business move for Tinchy, exposing thousands of Cheryl fans to his music and, crucially, to his brand. The success he has now achieved must seem a world away from his east London background. Did he ever imagine he’d be in this kind of position?

THE TINCHY TIMELINE 1986 Born Kwasi Danquah III in Ghana 1995 Moves to Bow, east London 1997 Starts making music, rapping in the playground with school friends 2000 Makes his first appearance on pirate radio with Dizzee Rascal and Wiley 2002 Grime crew Roll Deep formed, including Tinchy and Dizzee Rascal 2006 Launches Star in the Hood clothing line 2006 Signs deal with independent record label, talent agency and management company Takeover Entertainment 2007 Tinchy's debut album, Star in the Hood, is released. It is critically well received but doesn't chart in the Top 40 2008 Creates his own global publishing company, Takeover/Cloud 9 as a joint venture with EMI Music Publishing

Cattermole/Getty Images

2009 Second album, Catch 22, is released and makes it to Number 2 in the UK charts “I used to dream about playing this venue or that venue, or having an album out," he recalls. "But I certainly never dreamed I’d have a headphones brand. But it’s the little things you really appreciate the most.” One not-so-little thing that he certainly seems to appreciate is his fanbase. He’s very active on Twitter and regularly interacts with his almost 600,000 followers, responding to messages and joking with them. “It’s really hard to keep up with it,” he confesses. “I’m just one

person and I only have one phone – I’ve got my life to live, sound checks, business things, interviews, but I try and respond as much as I can, but sometimes you just have to turn it off.” Taking a break from social media is one thing, but the rest of his life is much harder to put on hold. It's not easy being a popstar... or a business mogul-inthe-making. Tinchy Stryder, November 1, £12.50, Under The Bridge, underthebridge.co.uk

2010 He is appointed Chairman of Takeover Entertainment 2010 Signs a joint venture with Jay-Z to bring Takeover Entertainment Ltd together with Roc Nation LLC, creating Takeover Roc Nation 2011 Forms audio division of Goji Electronics to release the branded Tinchy Stryder headphones

scoutlondon.com Scout London 41

Jack White

November 2 &3, Alexandra Palace, £30 Bluesman extraordinaire and prodigiously-talented songwriter Jack White has been captivating fans since his groundbreaking band The White Stripes burst onto the scene in 1999. Since then, he has wowed audiences with both The Dead Weather and The Raconteurs. His debut solo album, Blunderbuss, continues the theme of gritty, blues-soaked rock, and single Sixteen Saltines is a particular stand-out. Alexandra Palace Way, N22 7AY Wood Green

Also this week:

November 4&5, The Forum, £22.50 The Canadian post-rockers with a

penchant for awkward punctuation have a seriously devout following – and with good reason. With haunting, flowing, epic soundscapes, we defy anyone not to get lost in the swell of their music. If the name isn’t familiar, the music will be – they’re behind the outstanding East Hastings, famously used in 28 Days Later. 9-17 Highgate Road, NW5 1JY Kentish Town

42 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Michael Nesmith Oct 30, Union Chapel, £30 Nicki Minaj Oct 30, The O2 Arena, £40 & £46 O Children Oct 29, The Garage, £8 Robyn Nov 1, O2 Academy Brixton, £20 Rolo Tomassi, Oathbreaker, Goodtime Boys Oct 31, XOYO, £10 Ruts DC, Case Oct 30, Islington Town Hall, adv £17.50 & £20 Skinny Lister Oct 31, The Wilmington Arms, adv £8 Sweet Billy Pilgrim Nov 3, The Troubadour, £6-£8 Tame Impala Oct 30, O2 Academy Brixton, £17.50 The Heavy, Elle King Oct 31, The Scala, phone for availability adv £11 The Walkmen Nov 1, HMV Forum, £17.50

Four Tet, Caribou Nov 2, O2 Academy Brixton, phone for availability

Efterklang and Northern Sinfonia October 30, Barbican Centre, £15-£22.50

Danish pop-experimenters Efterklang have been pushing boundaries for a decade now. In order to perform songs from forthcoming album Piramida at this special show, the band worked with classical arrangers to help fully integrate the new material with the set-up of the 35-piece Northern Sinfonia. Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS Barbican

Jo McCaughey / Eva Vermandel / Andreas Koefoed

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Animal Collective Nov 4, Roundhouse, £22.50, adv £20 Blue Veils, Jimmy Hawk, The Emily Tree, The Hazeltones Nov 4, New Cross Inn, £3 Bright Light Bright Light Oct 30, Cargo, adv £8 Bryan Adams Oct 29, Royal Albert Hall, £75 Conor Maynard Oct 29, O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, returns only Death In June Dec 15, Electrowerkz, adv £15 Delphic Nov 1, Village Underground, adv £15 Diana Krall Oct 30 & Oct 31, Royal Albert Hall, £37.50-£75 Dizraeli And The Small Gods Nov 3, The Jazz Cafe, £11.50 Django Django Oct 31, Nov 1, Heaven, £12 Doom, Rodney P, Yungun & Mr Thing, Thunderbird Gerard, Lazy Habits Nov 2, Village Underground, adv £27.50 Dry The River Nov 1, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £12 Hacktivist, Visions Nov 4, O2 Academy Islington, £7 Heaven 17 Nov 3, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £22.50-£27.50 Here We Go Magic Oct 30, Dingwalls, adv £10.50 Jakwob, Bebe Black, Dems Nov 1, Cargo, adv £8 Lionel Richie Oct 29, The O2 Arena, £40-£65

Scout Stereo

DJ Shadow & Little Dragon The Less You Know, The Better A pairing to rival pancakes and maple syrup

2 Day of the Dead Festival

October31-November 3, Old Vic Tunnels, £31-£41

he Polyphonic Spree do T Rocky Horror Picture Show October 31, The Forum, £22.50

With more members in the band than Victoria Beckham has shoes, The Polyphonic Spree will turn their choral attention to songs from cult musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show for this special Halloween concert. What’s more, if you turn up in fancy dress, you get a free drink – Frank N Furters not included. 9-17 Highgate Road, NW5 1JY Kentish Town

Marking the Mexican Day of the Dead festival, when people who have passed away are fondly remembered, this four-day event organised by restaurant chain Wahaca will see a barrage of Mexican music, food, art and film flood the atmospheric Old Vic Tunnels. Each night will be headlined by virtuoso guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela, who perform a unique instrumental blend of metal, jazz and world music. Station Approach Road, SE1 8SW Waterloo

Chicken Lips She Fish – The Main Stem Country Fishing Trip Slow tempo house vibes from another galaxy

Beth Hart Bang Bang Boom Boom

Gravelly-voiced, smokey soul-blues from LA wonder

The Lemonheads The Outdoor Type

Chicago I’m a Man

A great hymn to awkward, exertion-shy slackerdom

It’s all about the drums. Whatever you’re doing, the drums help you do it better

Listen to our playlist: j.mp/scout0014

Vitalic

November 3, Fire, £14 adv The successful Fire: In Session series of shows at this top Vauxhall club continues with a night of heavy electronic delights. Headlined by France’s Vitalic, it also includes the French-sounding (but actually British) Hervé’s Machines Don’t Care – a collaboration between the much-feted UK producer and fellow bass masters Sinden, Trevor Loveys, Affie Yusef, Toddla T, Fake Blood, Detboi & Drop the Lime. Elsewhere, there’s wonky basslines from Foamo, Dismantle and Russ Chimes. Merveilleux!

BitBoy

South Lambeth Road, SW8 1RT Vauxhall

scoutlondon.com Scout London 43

ABC Dec 18, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, £35-£75 Adam Ant & The Good, The Mad And The Lovely Posse, Georgie Girl & Her Poussez Posse Nov 30, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, adv £28.50 Aimee Mann Jan 28, Southbank Centre, £15-£25, concs £7.50-£12.50 Akala Dec 2, Cargo, adv £11 Alabama 3 Dec 8, HMV Forum, £20 Alabama Shakes Nov 16, The Coronet, adv £18.50, Nov 17, HMV Forum, £18.50 Alanis Morissette, Athlete Nov 28, The O2 Arena, £35 & £45 Albert Lee & Hogans Heroes Nov 23, The Borderline, £18.50 AlunaGeorge Nov 22, Hoxton Square Bar And Kitchen, £8 Amy MacDonald Nov 6, Southbank Centre, £22.50-£35 And So I Watch You From Afar Nov 8, The Garage, £11 Anti Nowhere League Nov 24, The Underworld, adv £12.50 Archive Dec 4, Heaven, £15 Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti Nov 9, York Hall, adv £16 Asia Dec 22, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £22.50 Aslan Nov 17, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £24.50 Athlete Nov 10, The Albany, £21 Bad Manners Dec 21, 229 The Venue, £20 Band Of Horses Nov 20, HMV Apollo, £22.50 Band Of Skulls Dec 7, O2 Academy Brixton, £17.50 Bellowhead Nov 7, Roundhouse, £22.50 Ben Folds Five Dec 4 & Dec 5, O2 Academy Brixton, £37.50 Ben Howard, Willy Mason Nov 28-Nov 30, O2 Academy Brixton, £17.50 Beth Orton, Sam Amidon Dec 5, Union Chapel, phone for availability £22.50 Billy Talent Nov 11, Roundhouse, £18.50 Bloc Party Feb 22, Earls Court, adv £29.50 Brian May And Kerry Ellis Nov 11, Union Chapel, adv £39.50 Caravan Palace Nov 21, KOKO, £19, adv £16 Carter USM, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin Nov 10, O2 Academy Brixton, £25 Charli XCX Nov 15, XOYO, £10 Chas & Dave Dec 8, IndigO2, £20-£45 Christmas With Steps Dec 2, London Palladium, £22.50-£50 Coheed And Cambria Nov 7 & Nov 8, KOKO, £20 Converge, Touche Amore, A Storm Of Light, The Secret Nov 25, KOKO, adv £15 Cradle Of Filth Dec 19, HMV Forum, £15 Crystal Castles Nov 24, O2 Academy Brixton, £17.50 DJ Yoda Nov 10, HMV Forum, £19.50£22.50 Dappy Dec 20, HMV Apollo, £18.50 Death Grips Nov 7, Electric Ballroom, adv £12.50 Destroyer Nov 13, Village Underground, £14.50 Django Django Dec 21, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £15

44 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Dodgy, Mark Moriss Dec 14, O2 Academy Islington, £17.50 Donny And Marie Jan 20, The O2 Arena, £45-£75 Dreadzone Dec 13, The Garage, £15 Dropkick Murphys Jan 18 & Jan 19, HMV Forum, £21 Dub Pistols Nov 14, The Jazz Cafe, £12 Duke Special Dec 20, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £15 Easy Star All Stars Nov 15, The Garage, £18 Elbow, Here We Go Magic Dec 2, The O2 Arena, £29.50 & £32.50 Electric Discharge Machine Nov 24, The Barfly, Camden, adv £5 Electric Six Dec 15, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, phone for prices

Gary Barlow Nov 27, Royal Albert Hall, £35-£95 Ellie Goulding Dec 12, O2 Academy Brixton, £25 Elvis Costello & The Imposters Jun 4 & Jun 5, Royal Albert Hall, £45 Emeli Sande Nov 11, Royal Albert Hall, £22.50-£37.50 Enter Shikari, Cancer Bats, Engine-Earz Experiment Dec 16 & Dec 17, Roundhouse, adv £20 Eric Clapton May 17, May 18, May 20, May 21, May 23, Royal Albert Hall, £70 & £85 Europe Dec 1, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £20 Example Feb 23, Earls Court, £28.50 Fear Factory Dec 18, KOKO, £16 Feeder Nov 23, O2 Academy Brixton, £23 Finley Quaye Nov 16, The Jazz Cafe, £17.50 First And Forever Festival: Tribes Nov 15, The Barfly, Camden, FREE, ticketed, apply at store.drmartens.co.uk/t-festival.aspx Florence + The Machine Dec 5 & Dec 6, The O2 Arena, £29.50 Gabby Young And Other Animals Nov 15, Bush Hall, £17.50, adv £14.50 Gary Numan Dec 7, HMV Forum, £28 Gentleman’s Dub Club Nov 20, Hoxton Square Bar And Kitchen, adv £12 Glasvegas Dec 1, The Garage, £18 Happy Mondays Dec 19 & Dec 20, Roundhouse, adv £32.50 Huey Morgan & The New Yorkers Nov 7, Bush Hall, £16.50 Imelda May, Patti Austin, Juliet Roberts Nov 9, Barbican Centre, £15-£35

Inspiral Carpets Mar 22, KOKO, adv £19.50 Jack Savoretti Nov 6, The Scala, adv £12 Jason Mraz Dec 1, The O2 Arena, £32 Jessie J Mar 9 & Mar 10, The O2 Arena, £25 & £33.50 Jessie Ware Mar 13, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £16.50 Jessie Ware Nov 13, Electric Brixton, £12.50 Joey Bada$$ Nov 14, XOYO, adv £12 Kairos 4Tet, Omar, Emilia Martensson & Eric Legnini Nov 17, Kings Place, £12.50, adv £9.50 Keane Nov 30, The O2 Arena, £27.50 & £45 Kindness Nov 7, Heaven, £10.50 Kool & The Gang Nov 29, Electric Brixton, £35 Kris Kristofferson Dec 7, Southbank Centre, £35 & £40, concs £17.50 & £20 Kwes Nov 20, The Sebright Arms, adv £6 Ladyhawke Nov 14, HMV Forum, £16 Lambchop Nov 9, Cadogan Hall, £23.50 Lawnmower Deth, Beholder Dec 15, The Garage, £15 Lemar Dec 15, IndigO2, £19.50-£45 Lianne La Havas Mar 11 & Mar 12, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £15 London Afrobeat Collective Nov 7, The Barfly, Camden, adv £8 London Jazz Festival: Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade Nov 17, Barbican Centre, £10-£50 London Jazz Festival: Herbie Hancock Nov 12, Southbank Centre, £10-£45 London Jazz Festival: Jazz All Stars Nov 18, Southbank Centre, £10, concs/under 16s £5 London Jazz Festival: Sonny Rollins Nov 16, Barbican Centre, £10-£75

Hit Factory Live Christmas Cracker Dec 21, The O2 Arena, £49.50 London Jazz Festival: Soweto Kinch Nov 16 & Nov 17, The Albany, £12-£14 London Remixed Festival Nov 24, Various Venues Shoreditch, wristband £10 Loudon Wainwright III May 3, Southbank Centre, £25-£35, concs £12.50-£17.50 Lucy Rose Nov 22, Electric Brixton, £11 M83 Nov 8, O2 Academy Brixton, £22.50 Madness Dec 14 & Dec 22, The O2 Arena, £29.50-£47.50 Marc Almond, Jeremy Reed Nov 23, National Portrait Gallery, FREE Mark Lanegan Band Dec 4, HMV Forum, £18.50 Martha Wainwright Dec 2, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £28.50 & £30 Matt Goss Nov 21, Bush Hall, £100

Leona Lewis May 8 & May 9, Royal Albert Hall, £35-£65 Maximo Park Nov 7, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, adv £17.50 Meursault, The Pumpkin Seeds, Rob St John, Withered Hand Nov 6, Islington Town Hall, £10 Michael Kiwanuka Dec 5, Southbank Centre, £17.50 & £20, concs £8.75 & £10 Mika Dec 13, Roundhouse, £25 Monster Magnet, Spine Of God Nov 23, Electric Ballroom, £20 Motorhead, Anthrax, Diaries Of A Hero Nov 17, O2 Academy Brixton, phone for availability Mumford And Sons Dec 11 & Dec 18, The O2 Arena, £29.50-£32.50 Mumiy Troll Nov 10, Surya, £15.40 Mystery Jets Nov 29, Southbank Centre, £15 & £17.50, concs £7.50 & £8.75 Mz Bratt Nov 7, The Borderline, £9 Neurosis, Godflesh Dec 2, HMV Forum, £20 Neville Staple From The Specials Dec 14, The Albany, £12-£16 Noah And The Whale, Lucy Rose Nov 24, St John At Hackney Church, phone for prices Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds Nov 13, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, phone for prices Noisettes Nov 13, KOKO, adv £16 One Direction Apr 1, Apr 2, Apr 4, Apr 5, Apr 2, The O2 Arena, £25 & £33.50 One Direction Feb 22 & Feb 23, Feb 23 & Feb 24, The O2 Arena, £25 & £33.50 Orbital Dec 14 & Dec 15, O2 Academy Brixton, £30 P!nk Apr 24, Apr 25, Apr 27, Apr 28, The O2 Arena, £42.50-£55 Passion Pit, Chad Valley, Churches Nov 20, HMV Forum, £16 Pepe Deluxe, Husky Rescue Nov 12, The Scala, adv £17.50 & £19.50 Peter Hook And The Light Jan 17, KOKO, £20 Public Service Broadcasting Nov 27, XOYO, £8 Rancid, Cock Sparrer Dec 14 & Dec 15, HMV Forum, £30 Richard Hawley Nov 21, St John At Hackney Church, phone for prices Rizzle Kicks Nov 15, Roundhouse, £17.50 Rizzle Kicks Nov 16, O2 Academy Brixton, £17.50

Classical

Benjamin Grosvenor Oct 31, Southbank Centre, £10-£28 Academy Becket Ensemble Nov 2, Royal Academy Of Music, FREE Andrea Bocelli Nov 14 & Nov 15, The O2 Arena, £45-£120 BBC Symphony Orchestra Nov 10, Royal Albert Hall, £8-£36 Carols By Candlelight Dec 2, Bush Hall, £7, adv £6 Diana Galvydyte And Christopher Guild Oct 31, St James’s Church, £3.50 donation

Julian Lloyd Webber Nov 3, Wigmore Hall, £7, child £5 Imogen Cooper And Adrian Brendel Nov 8, LSO St Luke’s, £10, concs £9 Katherine Jenkins, National Symphony Orchestra Dec 10, Royal Albert Hall, £29-£70 London Chamber Orchestra Nov 7, Cadogan Hall, £15-£28, under 16s FREE Male And Female Voice Choirs Nov 3, Royal Albert Hall, £10-£20 Michael Cayton Nov 5, St MartinIn-The-Fields, FREE, donations welcome Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment Nov 22, Southbank Centre, £9-£38, concs £4.50-£19 The Mediaeval Baebes Dec 21, St Sepulchre-Without-Newgate, adv £17.50

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Nov 1, Southbank Centre, £9-£42

Rob Zombie/Marilyn Manson Nov 26, The O2 Arena, £30-£37.50 Robbie Williams Nov 22-Nov 24, The O2 Arena, £50-£90 Rodrigo Y Gabriela Nov 29, HMV Forum, £25 Ronan Keating Jan 26, The O2 Arena, £35 Rufus Wainwright Nov 18, HMV Apollo, £37.50-£50 Sam And The Womp Dec 6, XOYO, £9 Scroobius Pip, Kate Tempest, Brian Gittins Dec 10, The Garage, £12 Seal Nov 6, HMV Apollo, £35-£55 Sebastien Tellier, Kyla La Grange Dec 5, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £17.50 Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Jazzanova, Matthew Halsall Nov 23, HMV Forum, £19.50, adv £12.50 Sigur Ros Mar 7-Mar 9, O2 Academy Brixton, £30 Soulwaxmas Dec 21, O2 Academy Brixton, £27.50 Spear Of Destiny Dec 2, O2 Academy Islington, adv £15 Speech Debelle Nov 14, Village Underground, £12 Spiritualized Nov 5, Roundhouse, £23.50 Steel Panther, Falling Red Nov 15, Hammersmith Apollo, £19.50 Stefan Redtenbacher’s RB Funkestra Nov 2, 606 Club, £12 Steve Harley Dec 13, HMV Forum, £22.50 Tegan And Sara Nov 15, HMV Forum, £20 Testament Nov 30, KOKO, £18 The Black Keys Dec 12 & Dec 13, The O2 Arena, £30 The Civil Wars, The Lumineers Nov 6, Roundhouse, £19.50 The Damned Dec 15, Roundhouse, £20 The Dandy Warhols Nov 22, Heaven, £24.50 The Divine Comedy Nov 7, Southbank Centre, £15-£25, concs £7.50-£12.50 The End Festival 2012 Nov 16, Various Venues, Crouch End, London, £20 The Killers, Tegan And Sara Nov 16 & Nov 17, The O2 Arena, £35 & £45 The Others Nov 16, Surya, £8 The Pogues, Frank Turner And The Sleeping Souls Dec 20, The O2 Arena, £45 The Rasmus, The Dirty Youth Dec 14, Electric Ballroom, £14 The Raveonettes Dec 3, Village Underground, £14.50 The Rolling Stones Nov 25 & Nov 29, The O2 Arena, £95-£375 The Script Mar 22 & Mar 23, The O2 Arena, £29.50 The Spinto Band, Casablanca Nov 20, O2 Academy Islington, £15 The Wedding Present Nov 23, KOKO, £16 The Wildhearts Dec 17, HMV Forum, £20 The Wonder Stuff, Pop Will Eat Itself, Jesus Jones Dec 19, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, phone for prices The X Factor Live Tour 2013 Feb 7, The O2 Arena, £32.50 The XX Dec 16, O2 Academy Brixton, adv £25 Therapy? Dec 7, KOKO, adv £17.50 Trey Songz Jan 30 & Jan 31, HMV Apollo, £30 & £35

Tulisa Nov 17, G-A-Y Bar, w/wristbands £4 Tyler James Nov 21, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £12 White Powder Gold, The Lafontaines, Bakery Boys, Feng Shui Nov 1, The Barfly, Camden, phone for prices Willy Mason, Nick Mulvey Dec 5, The Scala, adv £15 Window Seats, Stanmore, Bedlam Crooks, The Move-Ons Nov 16, 100 Club, £10, adv £8 With One Last Breath Nov 22, O2 Academy Islington, £6 Within Lost Words, Pull Peddler, Apollosurvivor, Becky Holloway Nov 25, New Cross Inn, £3 Wizz Jones, Banana Nov 4, The Green Note Cafe, adv £9 WolfSword, Arivmia, Medusa, CitiesWillFall Nov 2, Dublin Castle, £7, concs £5 Words Of Purvis, Human Effort Oct 30, O2 Academy Islington, phone for prices World Party Nov 1, Royal Albert Hall, £25£55 World Sanguine Report Nov 30, Southbank Centre, FREE Wye Oak Dec 11, The Scala, adv £12 Yarah Bravo, Roxxxan, Let Drum Beat Oct 30, Rich Mix, £7, adv/concs £5, adv concs £3

Plan B Feb 9, The O2 Arena, £30 Yasmin Levy, Tanja Tzarovska Nov 7, Barbican Centre, £15.50-£24 Yeasayer Dec 4, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £17 Yellowcard Feb 26, KOKO, £15 Yes Cadets Nov 5, Bull And Gate, £6, adv/w/flyer £5 Yiannis Ploutarhos Nov 18, HMV Forum, £35 & £45 Yolanda Brown, Empirical Jan 5, The Jazz Cafe, £27.50 Young Man, Grass House Nov 12, The Borderline, £6 Yu Sakai, AJ Unity, Nate James Nov 11, The Jazz Cafe, adv £10 Zappa Plays Zappa Nov 10, Roundhouse, £31.50-£36.50 Zechs Marquise, Humanfly, The Physics House Band Oct 30, The Old Blue Last, £7 Zodiac N Black, Night By Night, Mollys Daggers, Sub Couble Dec 12, 100 Club, adv £8

Win an epic adventure on America’s iconic West Coast Visit our Key To The City app on Facebook to find out how facebook.com/ o2academyislington

Monday October 29 Glamorous Afterparty at Covert, 65 Albert Embankment, SE1 7TP Vauxhall £7, w/ flyer £6, 5am-11am. Deep house and electro courtesy of DJs Kaos Kid, Marlon K and Francko Harris. It’s Britney Bitch! at The Shadow Lounge, 5-7 Brewer Street, W1F 0RF Leicester Square £5, 10pm-3am. DJ Tuomo Fox and special guests spin pop, R&B and chart hits under the watchful eye of MC Patrick Lilley. Service Industry Night at Rumba, 36 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 7EP Piccadilly Circus £7, £5 before 12midnight, w/payslip FREE before 12midnight, 9pm-3am. Colin Russell and Donald Sweeneey provide R&B, hip hop and chart.

Tuesday October 30 Desire at Covert, 65 Albert Embankment, SE1 7TP Vauxhall £8, w/flyer £6, 3am11am. DJs Steven Geller, Bruno Nouer and Sven Jon spin house and electro records. Juicy London at Proud Camden, The Horse Hospital, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AH Camden Town £3, FREE before 9pm, £1 before 10pm, 7.30pm-1.15am. Residents spin hip hop, classic R&B and bashment. Panic at The Roxy, 3-5 Rathbone Place, W1T 1HJ Tottenham Court Road £5, NUS/w/flyer £3, guestlist w/flyer FREE before 10.30pm, 10pm-3am. Max Panic, Gaz Panic and That Perfect Fumble spin indie, electro, retro and pop.

Wednesday October 31 Back To My Roots at Zen Sai, 16 Inverness Street, NW1 7HJ Camden Town FREE, 9pm-2am. Paul Trouble Anderson spins 1970s to 1990s jazz, funk, hip hop, disco and R&B. Grimly Rad 3 Floor Halloween Special at The Queen Of Hoxton, 1-5 Curtain Road, EC2A 3JX Shoreditch High Street £4, 7.30pm-2am. Radio 1’s Jen Long, Rockfeedback DJs, Danny ‘Mad Eyes’ Prescott, Dan Spinney and Wigwambam spin indie and rock, with live performances from Death At Sea, Wolf Alice and Honey. Morricone Giallo Halloween Night Special at Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA Aldgate East £16, adv £14, 7pm-11pm. DJs Fiona Staniland, Nick Ramm, Alex Keen, Jonathan Unsworth, Jon Gingell, Jon Scott and Gerry Hunt spin 1960s psychedelia, jazz and avant garde. Oxjam Halloween Horror Show at 93 Feet East, 150 Brick Lane, E1 6RU Liverpool Street £5, 6.30pm-11pm. Alex Evans and Peter Jordan spin electro and house, plus burlesque and cabaret from Stage Door Johnny, Sherry Trifle, Scarlett Daggers and Mr B, comedian Gavin Thain.

Thursday November 1 Bones Brigade Thursdays at Zigfrid, 11 Hoxton Square, N1 6NU Old Street FREE, 9pm-late. DJ Francois spins upbeat rock, pop and 1990s dance. Chick Habit at Candy Bar, 4 Carlisle Street, W1D 3BJ Tottenham Court Road FREE, 9.30pm-late. DJs Amy B and CeCe spin pop and classics from the 1990s, plus music by girls in the basement. Cowabunga Presents at The Barfly, Camden, 49 Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AN Chalk Farm FREE, 7.30pm. DJ Billy Clark spins indie, rock and electro.

46 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Zulu Tea Party - Mexican Day Of The Dead at The Big Chill House, 257-259 Pentonville Road, N1 9NL King’s Cross St Pancras FREE, 7pm-1am. Customise an El Jimador mask as DJ Format spins hip hop with support from Yo Mama DJs and residents Roalfy, Heir Max, OK Jones and Mr Gillard. Haunted House at The Basing House, 25 Kingsland Road, E2 8AA Liverpool Street £5, ladies FREE before 11pm, 2pm-12midnight. DJs Sef kombo, Lance Morgan, Jack Jones and Dan Formless spin deep house records. Kent Records Birthday Party at 100 Club, 100 Oxford Street, W1D 1LL Oxford Circus £18.75, adv £18, 8pm2am. DJs Ady Croasdell, 6TS DJ and Tony Rounce spin soul and funk, with a live performance from 60s and 70s Chicago soul legend Darrow Fletcher. Out & Down at The Dogstar, 389 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8LQ Brixton FREE, phone for times. DJs Buch and Benji play funk, hip hop, house, disco, bashment and dubstep. Radio at The Roxy, 3-5 Rathbone Place, W1T 1HJ Tottenham Court Road £5, NUS/w/flyer £3, FREE before 9pm, 10pm-3am. The Radio DJs play 1980s pop, indie and disco. Sugar at The Penthouse, 1 Leicester Square, WC2H 7NA Leicester Square £10, adv £5, 10pm-3am. DJs Paffy and Andy Smith play dance anthems and R&B.

Found: Streets Of Beige at Hidden, 100 Tinworth Street, SE11 5EQ Vauxhall £12, £8 & £10, 10pm-late. Octave One, Luke Hess, 19.454.18.5.25.5.18, Gerry Read and Tom Kerridge spin techno records. Funkyzeit Present at Crucifix, 7-9 Crucifix Lane, SE1 3JW London Bridge £10-£15, 11pm-6am. Federico Molinari, Dorian Paic, Oli Low and Mikail spin electronica, house and techno. History: Halloween Special at Euphoriom, 1-3 High Street, W3 6NG Acton Central adv £4 & £7, 10pm-6am. Nineties jungle and drum’n’bass courtesy of Nicky Blkmrkt, Funky Flirt, R Type, Junior Buzz, Soundproof-Reaction, Skatman B, Getaway, Maph, Charlie Turbo, MC IC3, Det, Shabba, JMDC, Style One and B Kind, while Katty, Sci Fi, Arfur, Bubbley, Fox, Mini Mac, Mazer, Kaz, Stan Da Man, One Tonn, Andy E, Solja Dan, B Star, Marcus B, Mc Hyperactive and Danger K spin house and garage in room two. I Love Pacha at Pacha, Terminus Place, SW1V 1JR Victoria £12, 11pm-late. Bam Bam and James McLaughlin spin electro, house and dance in the main room, while Abstract Sounds play experimental and progressive pop in the Global room. Oh What A Lovely Recession at The Peacock Cafe, 148 Falcon Road, Clapham Junction FREE, SW11 2LW 8pm-2.30am. DJ David Diskojuice and DJ Tubby spin hits from the 1970s and 1980s and funky house, plus burlesque performances. Play>Time at Lo-Profile, 84-86 Wardour Street, W1F 0TQ Leicester Square £10, £8 before 12midnight, 10pm-4am. Weekly gay dance party hosted by porn star Jay Roberts with special appearances. The Gallery at The Ministry Of Sound, 103 Gaunt Street, SE1 6DP Elephant & Castle £14, 10.30pm-6am. Cosmic Gate, Simon Patterson and Lee Osborne spin trance, house and techno with support from Mark Wilkinson, Semi Stef, Matt Weeks and Lizzie Curious. The Loft welcomes Deux Spin, Mike James, Watkis, Ghe Ghe, Krit Morton, Adrian Nitu and Tricks-a-Fix.

Friday November 2 Bedrock at The Borderline, Orange Yard, Manette Street, W1D 4JB Tottenham Court Road £7, w/flyer £5 before 12midnight, 11pm-4am. DJs Little Chris and George spin indie, electro, rock, retro and pop. Big Fun at The Star Of Bethnal Green, 359 Bethnal Green Road, E2 6LG Bethnal Green FREE, 9pm-2am. Phil Youngman and Will Nicol spin old skool house, rave, hip hop and indie. Black Butter Records Takeover at XOYO, 32-37 Cowper Street, EC2A 4AP Old Street £12, 9pm-3am. Rudimental, Zinc, Bondax, Two Inch Punch, Kidnap Kid, Clean Bandit, Lulu James, DJ Rum and 2nd Drop spin drum’n’bass and house. Fabriclive at Fabric, 77A Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ Farringdon £17, adv £16, £21 In CD, NUS £12 before 12midnight, £8 after 3am, 10pm-6am. DJs Marky, Breach, Storm, Enei, Kasra, Foreign Concept, Ed Rush, Phace and Dub Phizix spin drum’n’bass, jungle and dubstep across three rooms, plus MCs SP:MC, Lowqui, GQ, DRS, Strategy and more.

YQT Presents at East Village, 89 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3HX Old Street £10 (all proceeds go to Muscular Dystrophy Campaign), 8pm-3am. Benefit night featuring Park Ranger (Trouble Vision/More Music), Hungry Man (Jump Music), Will Weaver (Cola Wine), Live R4T, James Hoste and live set from Papa and The Jim Jams.

Propaganda at O2 Academy Islington, N1 Centre, 16 Parkfield Street, N1 0PS Angel £5, 10.30pm-3.30am. DJ Dan and guests spin an eclectic mix of indie, electro, pop, dance and drum’n’bass. Saints Don’t Sleep at Jamm, 261 Brixton Road, SW9 6LH Brixton £7, adv £5, 10pm-6am. James Fox, James Welsh, Schumen, Action Jackson, Andrew Hill, Alex Crescent, Eniz Menendez and Lukas Lyrestam spin house and techno. Sin City at Electric Ballroom, 184 Camden High Street, NW1 8QP Camden Town £7, NUS/mems £5 before 11.30pm, w/flyer £5 before 12midnight, 10.30pm-3.30am. DJs Adam Lightspeed and Sleazy H play alternative rock and metal in the main room, with classic rock and old skool metal in room two. The Upfront Project Presents: Apogee at The LightBox, 6a South Lambeth Place, SW8 1SP Vauxhall £5, 10pm-6am. Dub, disco, house and techno courtesy of Will Saul, Pariah, Greymatter, Medlar, Cameron Smith, Kag, George A G and James Winter. X Project Halloween Special at Egg, 200 York Way, N7 9AX King’s Cross St Pancras £20, £15 before 12midnight, mems £13, NUS £15, 11pm-7am. Timo Maas, Mark Jenkyns, Ten Story, Ben And Oscar, Amos, Fundamental, Danny Fry, Michael Bibi, Kansas, SQUA and Tony Stephenson spin deep house and techno across two rooms.

Saturday November 3 21st Century Noise at The Lexington, 96-98 Pentonville Road, N1 9JB Angel adv £6, 7.30pm. Resident DJs spin electro guitar remixes, plus guests My Tiger My Timing, YYZ, Fast Forward and Roxanne de Bastion. Adamski Live Presents Neo-Waltz at Chats Palace Arts Centre, 42-44 Brooksby’s Walk, E9 6DF Homerton £10, 6.30pm-12.30am. Electronica and neo-waltz courtesy of DJ Adamski and Richard Torry, with live performances from Viktoria Modesta and David McAlmont, plus dance lessons. Back To 95 Bonfire Special at The Sidings, 51-53 Southwark Street, SE1 1RU Southwark adv £17.50, mems £15, early bird £13.50, 10pm-6am. Old skool classics courtesy of DJ Spoony, Matt ‘Jam’ Lamont, Pied Piper, Mike ‘Ruffcut’ LLoyd, Ramsey And Fen, Chris Lavish and Listener in the Main Arch, while DJs The Firin Squad, Funky Flirt, Lloyd Life, Sammy Confunktion and Selly J spin 80s soul, R&B and jungle in Arch Two. Cheeky at Thirst, 53 Greek Street, W1D 3DR Tottenham Court Road £5, FREE before 10pm, 5pm-3am. Resident DJs play pop, indie and dance. Christmas Club at The Borderline, Orange Yard, Manette Street, W1D 4JB Tottenham Court Road £7, w/flyer £6, 11pm-4am. Indie and retro pop disco with DJ Tom Smith. Duckie at Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane, SE11 5HY Vauxhall £6, 9pm-2am. Resident DJs spin pop and indie hosted by the inimitable Amy Lame, plus cabaret performances. Endurance at The Waiting Room, 175 Stoke Newington High Street, N16 0LH Stoke Newington £5, FREE before 10pm, 9pm-4am. DJs Chris Flatline, LVR, Unaesthetic and Pony-Girl play industrial,

Larry Tee’s Charity Monster at XOYO, 32-37 Cowper Street, EC2A 4AP Old Street £20, adv £15, 9pm-3am. LE1F, Autokratz, Larry Tee, Jodie Harsh, Carmen, Xtravaganza, Allis Pelleschi, Attack Attack Attack, Long X DJs, Nympha and Gallack spin hip hop and electro to raise funds for two local charities, London Friends and Antidote. synthpop and electronic body music, plus a live performance from Noi Kabat. Halloween Masquerade: Fancy Dress Party at Euphoriom, 1-3 High Street, W3 6NG Acton Central adv £10, 10pm-5am. Afrobeat, party classics, R&B, hip hop and bashment courtesy of Neptizzle, Larizzle, Sam Supreme, Drima Boiz and Trapstar. Hotflush Warehouse Party at Oval Space, 29-32 The Oval, E2 9DY Bethnal Green £15-£20, 10pm6am. Scuba, George FitzGerald, Lando Kal, Locked Groove and Chris Stanfordn spin electro, techno and house, plus a live performance from Scuba. Inferno at The Shadow Lounge, 5-7 Brewer Street, W1F 0RF Leicester Square FREE before 11pm, 10pm-3am. Dress to impress as Andrew Elmore spins funk, house and dance, occasionally bowing down at the altars of Kylie, Madonna and Beyonce. Lost And Found at Madame Jojo’s, 8-10 Brewer Street, W1F 0SE Piccadilly Circus £8, 10pm-3am. DJs Andy Smith and Dave Crozier spin rhythm’n’blues, Northern soul and rockabilly. I Love The 80s at The Jazz Cafe, 5 Parkway, NW1 7PG Camden Town £7, NUS £5, w/flyer £5 before 11.30pm, 10.30pm-3am. Jake Armstrong and Martin2Smoove play pop, indie, disco, cheese and rock. Marketing Music Night at East Village, 89 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3HX Old Street £10, concs £8, FREE before 10pm, 9pm-3.30am. Cosmo Vitelli, Tim Paris and Alex Egan spin electro, house and techno in the basement, while Neil Thornton, Jac The Disco and guests spin disco in the lounge. Mulletover Halloween Fancy Dress Special at Secret Location, Wallis Road, E9 5LH Hackney Wick £30, adv £25 & £27.50, earlybird £12.50-£20, 10pm6am. Kerri Chandler, Cassy, Deetron, Subban, Boddika, Huxley and Geddes spin house and techno across two venues, with spooky attire actively encouraged.

Naughty But Nice at Raduno, 85 Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ Farringdon £15 gents, £10 ladies, FREE ladies before 11pm, 10pm-late. R&B, hip hop, soca, bashment, funky house, old school garage and club classics, courtesy of DJ Hypeman, Lyrical Louix and Live Linq. Neon Noise Project at Fire, Arch, 39-43 Parry Street, corner South Lambeth Road, SW8 1RT Vauxhall £14, adv £12.50, 10.30pm-5am. Herve’s Machines Don’t Care, Dismantle, Foamo, Russ Chimes, Grum and Moullinex spin dubstep and house across two rooms, with a live performance from Vitalic. Pendragon & Escape From Samsara at The Coronet, 28 New Kent Road, SE1 6TJ Elephant & Castle adv £10, 10pm6am. DJs Mark Sinclair, Beamish, Liquid Ross, Tim Samsara, Andy Force and Chris Liberator spin trance and techno, plus a live performance from Proteus Vs A+D+A+M Lab 4. Pukka Up: Ibiza Reunion Party & Boat Party at Pacha, Terminus Place, SW1V 1JR Victoria £40, 10pmlate. Sam Walker, Chris Wright and Mark Robinson spin dance, electro and house. Pure Old Skool at HMV Forum, 9-17 Highgate Road, NW5 1JY Kentish Town £18, adv £10, 10pm4am. DJs Rat Pack, Mat Jam Lamont, CKP, Nicky Black Market, Philgood And Ram, Kanga and Bullsy And Peck spin old skool, hardcore and drum’n’bass. Ride at Proud Camden, The Horse Hospital, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AH Camden Town £10, guestlist £10 before 9pm, £8 before 10pm, guestlist FREE before 9pm, 7.30pm-2.15am. Filthy Few And Friends, Broken Jam and Cat lovers spin Motown, commercial and house, plus a live performance from Box of Ghosts. Saturday Night Diva at Cellar Door, Zero Aldwych, WC2E 7EN Temple FREE, 9pm-late. Amanda Pet plays swing, jazz and retro classics, plus a burlesque and cabaret performance from Bettsie Bon Bon. Saturday at The InSpiral Lounge, 250 Camden High Street, NW1 8QS Camden Town FREE, 9.30pm1.30am. DJ Matt Doors spins electronica, dubstep, downtempo and music from film soundtracks. Saturday at Love & Liquor, 34 Kilburn High Road, NW6 5UA Kilburn High Road £10, £7 before 12midnight, FREE before 10pm, 8pm-3am. DJs Ben Cain and Carly Foxx spin dance, house and garage. Saturday Sessions Presents at The Ministry Of Sound, 103 Gaunt Street, SE1 6DP Elephant & Castle £18, 11pm-7am. Kaskade, Adrian Lux, NO_ID, A1 Bassline, Kraushaar And Gradmann, Karma, DeeAfro, Synan, Jimmy Slick, QuestionmarQ, Giraffi, Graffite, New Sense and Sao Paolo Cowboy spin house and electronica. Saturday Night at The Purple Turtle, 6165 Crowndale Road, NW1 1TN Mornington Crescent £6, NUS/w/ flyer £4 before 11.30pm, 10.30pm-3am. Resident DJs spin pop, R&B, hip hop and dance. The Season’s After Party at Horse And Groom, 28 Curtain Road, EC2A 3NZ Shoreditch High Street £5, guestlist £3, 10pm-4am. Andy Lemac, Daniel James, Deep Innazone, Mr Lingo, Powercut and Les Go spin house, funk, electro swing, soul, hip hop and mash-ups.

Shake at Electric Ballroom, 184 Camden High Street, NW1 8QP Camden Town £10, NUS/mems £8 before 11.30pm, 10pm3am. Disco and pop from DJ John Osbourne and Paul C in the main room, while DJ Milo plays party anthems in room two. The Slightly Late Halloween Fancy Dress Ball at Jamm, 261 Brixton Road, SW9 6LH Brixton adv £14, concs £12, 11pm-6am. Krome And Time, Pigbag, Mickee Kay, Swifty, DJ Mozie, G Magikal and DJ LongMan spin early 1990s hardcore, while Gary Headfunk, Reevo, Mystique, Poison DJ, Richie Fingers, Mark Ruston and DJ Ped spin old skool house. Supa Dupa Fly at Plan B, 418 Brixton Road, SW9 7AY Brixton £8, concs £7, adv £5, 8pm-4am. Resident DJs Cronikal and Sharpey spin hip hop, R&B, dubstep and garage, with guests Big Ted, Emily Rawson, Cronikall and JJ, plus live performances from Kings Of The City, Obscene Locals and The Dub Ratz. Torture Garden Halloween Mass at Electric Brixton, 1 Town Hall Parade, Brixton Hill, SW2 1RJ Brixton adv £30, mems £25, 10pm-6am. DJs Janette Slack, Allen TG, Jimmy Mofo and David TG spin house, electro, dubstep and drum’n’bass in the Haunted Palace Club Arena, while The Roustabouts, The Secretary and Tony Trauma play swing, electro and R&B in the Night of the Dead Ballroom, plus burlesque and cabaret. The Unity Agency Showcase at Bar Music Hall, 134-146 Curtain Road, EC2A 3AR Old Street £5, 9pm-3am. Pablo Contraband, Ben Monk and Lloyd Wakeman spin disco and soul. We Fear Silence Present Stanton Sessions at Cable, 33A Bermondsey Street, SE1 2EG London Bridge £15, adv £12, earlybird £10, 10pm-6am. Stanton Warriors, Scratch Perverts, Kito, Ed Solo, Deekline and Mafia Kiss spin breakbeat, electronica, drum’n’bass and hip hop in the main room, while Room 2 welcomes Jurassik, Reveal, B-Roll and Miss Monument.

Familia Launch Party at Egg, 200 York Way, N7 9AX King’s Cross St Pancras £20, mems £15, NUS £13, adv £15, 10pm-11am. DJs Cristian Varela, Mendo, Art A Part, Nick Tcherniak, Borja Pena, Jay Tempest and Huntleys And Palmers spin house and techno.

We Love Soul at Hidden, 100 Tinworth Street, SE11 5EQ Vauxhall adv £12.50, 10pm-7am, last adm 4am. DJs Aitch B, Jigs, Victor Anderson, Sammy Confunktion, DJ Skins and DJ Vybz spin soul, R&B and party anthems in room one, while DJs Colin Scott, Gordon Mac, Lee Drummond and Sticko Zaza play funk, disco and soul in room two, plus Paul Anderson, Bobby And Steve, Neil Pierce, Clemy Riley, Jazzi Q and Stumpi mix house classics in room three. Wessex Forplay at Wessex House, 1a St John’s Hill, SW11 1TN Clapham Junction adv £8, 10.30pm3am. DJ Ben Adiktion plays party classics, pop and old school hits. What’s My Name? at The Macbeth, 70 Hoxton Street, N1 6LP Old Street FREE, 7pm-late. Brock Diamondquartz, And Ko, Miguel Dare and Scarlett Valentine spin pop, hip hop and R&B.

Sunday November 4 Brasil Brasileiro at Guanabara, Parker Street, WC2B 5PW Holborn £5 after 8pm, 5pm-late. DJ Bruno Camargo and Ailton ET spin funk, Latin and house, plus a live performance from Zeu Azevedo And Forrodaki. Disco Loco at Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, Pollard Row, E2 6NB Bethnal Green £3, 3pm-6pm. DJs Earl Gateshead, Toby Kidd, The Lovely Emily and Reverend Milo Speedwagon spin reggae, plus MC Chu-i and hosts M. Johnny Southside and Daddy Cool. Free Your Soul at Madame Jojo’s, 8-10 Brewer Street, W1F 0SE Piccadilly Circus £5, £3 before 11pm, 10pm-2.30am. Resident DJs spin old skool, disco, jazz, soul, house and Latin. Harajuku! Halloween Ball at Proud Camden, The Horse Hospital, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AH Camden Town FREE, 7pm-12.30am. Resident DJs play Japanese pop and indie, with a Cosplay theme, karaoke and gaming. Horse Meat Disco at Eagle, 349 Kennington Lane, SE11 5QY Vauxhall £6, 8pm-3am. Residents Jim Stanton, Luke Howard, James Hillard and Severino spin disco and house on rotation. Missing at 333, 333 Old Street, EC1V 9LL Old Street £8, £5 before 10pm, ladies FREE, 8pm-2am. Deep techno and house courtesy of Jordan Rutter, Daniel Mitchell and Kemi Oshi. S.L.A.G.S / CHILL-OUT Sundays at Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane, SE11 5HY Vauxhall £8, £5 before 7.30pm, 2pm-12midnight. Simon Le Vans, Andy Almighty and Sean Sirrs spin disco, electro and house, plus The D E Experience performs live. The Social at Candy Bar, 4 Carlisle Street, W1D 3BJ Tottenham Court Road FREE, 8.30pm-12.30am. Resident DJs spin pop, chart and retro. Soulvolution at Zen Sai, 16 Inverness Street, NW1 7HJ Camden Town FREE, 9pm-2am. Terry T-Rex, Jeffrey Hinton, DJ QBee, David Rosen and Johnny Rogue play soul. Star Life!! at Rumba, 36 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 7EP Piccadilly Circus gents guestlist £7, ladies guestlist £5, gents £5 before 10.30pm, ladies FREE before 10.30pm, 10pm-3am. Resident DJs spin chart, R&B and hip hop.

scoutlondon.com Scout London 47

Two million years in th As Ice Age Live! prepares to take London by storm, James Glavin shoots the sub-zero breeze with co-director Michael Curry and the prehistoric stars themselves about their truly mammoth adventure How would you describe the show in a nutshell? This is always tough. It’s part circus art, part comedy, part musical. In fact, music plays a much bigger role in Ice Age Live! than it does in the films. Let’s call it a ‘character spectacular’, I quite like that. It seems like it will have a broad appeal. That’s definitely our intention. I’m a family man, I have children who have grown up with this story and I use them as advisors now they’re teenagers. For me, if I can have a grandparent, a parent and a child smiling equally at our show, I’ve succeeded. How faithful is the show to the plots of the films? We’ve done what you could call a mash up – taking some of the plotlines of the films and turning them into one story. We wanted to build in different performance textures such as acrobatics and martial arts, so we’ve also introduced a few new characters. We’ve introduced some foxes, four evil birds and polar bears. And we have an aerialist, who we’ve created an evil predator bird character for, called Shadow.

OTHER ANIMATED FILMS WHICH made it to THE STAGE 48 Scout London scoutlondon.com

shrek

Quite logically, there’s ice skating involved. But surely huge creatures and ice skating don’t mix? I’ve done quite a few ice shows including the Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Salt Lake City, so I’m experienced in putting big creatures on ice! I quite like it, the friction is less, the reflective surface… It’s the smoothest stage you’ll every work on. It sounds like a huge undertaking. How long has it taken to put it all together? The production time is relatively quick. We like to have a year and a half to do a show, and we’ve done this in about 14 months so it’s not only been a big challenge but one that’s moving very quickly. You must have a good team to deliver something on such an epic scale. Yes, it’s a good group. It’s a good fit for us in terms of the size of the show too - all told there’s 32 characters to build. A big challenge has been that they are all mostly covered in fur, which is an interesting material to work with. I’ve been doing this job for 28 years and have rarely used fur. Even in Lion King I didn’t use it.

It didn’t set Broadway alight, but the musical reworking of Dreamworks’ film has enjoyed a fairly successful West End run. It will close in February after 20 months, then head out on a UK tour.

Why the fur aversion? Because it can look tacky? Exactly – the world of the mascot character. We’re very proud of how we’re creating fur in a way that looks like the film. We’ve discovered a lot of cool techniques about how to make the fur behave, how to dye it, how to trim it. We have two women who’ve become experts in giving these creatures haircuts. We’ve found a way to get the fur to reflect the form and muscles so it doesn’t look like a costume but rather a living creature. You’ve clearly become an authority on fur. That’s what happens in theatre! You’re an expert for the year you’re working on a show, then it’s on to the next thing.

beauty and the beast

Based on the 1991 Disney film, this highly successful stage adaptation was only in the West End for two years, but lasted 13 on Broadway and has grossed more than $1.4bn worldwide.

the lion king

The king of them all, this acclaimed adaptation of the 1994 Disney film is one of the most successful theatre shows in history, and the highest-grossing Broadway show of all time.

he making

London’s coolest tourists What about the stars themselves? Scout met Sid, Manny and Diego to get their thoughts on London and the show We’re excited Ice Age Live! is coming to London – what can we expect? Sid: It’s so great to be here, we’re all having such a cool time already and the shows haven’t even started yet. I even saw Manny smile this morning. The shows are a mixture of everything you’ve seen in the movies all rolled into one incredible live adventure including ice skating, acrobatics, flying, and maybe even some funny bits, thanks to me of course.

So what do you each bring to the adventure? Sid: Well I certainly bring charisma and style. Manny: Sid, you bring the chaos, which is kinda funny I suppose. Diego: We are the heroes of the adventure, something terrible happens and it’s up to us to come to the rescue – even Sid.

the little mermaid

A comparative flop next to some of the other Disney adaptations, this reworking of the beloved 1989 film closed on Broadway after 19 months and never even made it over to the West End.

tarzan

Another poor performer from the Disney stable, this 2006 musical of the 1999 film barely lasted a year on Broadway and never came to the West End – even though Phil Collins did the music.

What’s the best thing about being in the show? Sid: Touring the world with my buddies, definitely! Diego: The catering is to kill for... just kidding.

What three words best describe you? Manny: Big, I suppose. I’m huge. It’s been so long since you saw a Mammoth, I don’t think you guys realise just how big I am! Sid: And grumpy, you’re grumpy Manny. Diego: And hairy. Sid: He smells too. Manny: Hey! Watch it! If you could be any other animal in the world, what would it be? Sid: A grumpy Mammoth. Manny: Sid! What else are you hoping to do while you’re in London? Sid: I just cannot wait to meet the Queen. Manny: Sid, they don’t let just anybody meet the Queen. Sid: Oh, well that’s a shame, I had a whole speech planned. I guess I’m looking forward to seeing the sights too – Big Ben, St Paul’s. And of course I’ll be looking for tips in Scout London if I’m bored. Thanks for the plug! Finally, what’s your favourite ice related song? Vanilla Ice? Sid: Oooh, that’s a good one! Diego: How about You’re as Cold as Ice? Sid: You think we could work them into the show? Manny: I don’t think so Sid

Ice Age Live!, November 1-3, Wembley Arena, iceagelive.com

scoutlondon.com Scout London 49

People National Theatre October 31-February 9, £12-£47 Whatever else might be happening in London theatreland, the arrival of a new play by Alan Bennett will always be an ‘event’. The 78-year-old is widely regarded as one of our greatest living writers – for both stage and screen – and will follow recent hits such as The Habit of Art and The History Boys with this new offering, his sixth for the National. The wonderful Frances de la Tour will play the lead role, joined by screen and stage veterans Selina Cadell and Linda Bassett, in a production directed by the National’s artistic director, Nicholas Hytner. As for what it’s about, well, it has something to do with an attic sale. Outside of the inner circle, little more than that is yet known. But let’s face it – it’s a new Alan Bennett, and it’s going to be popular whatever the subject matter. SE1 9PX Waterloo nationaltheatre.org.uk

Twelfth Night & Richard III The Apollo November 2-February 9, £25-£55 Richard III. And not only that; in Twelfth Night, audiences will also have the privilege of watching Stephen Fry (pictured) as the sniveling and obsequious Malvolio – worth the ticket price alone. The two productions have already had audiences pouring praise on them during their runs at the Globe this summer – even when the weather itself was pouring all over the open-air audiences. They now transfer to The Apollo for what is sure to be a sold-out winter run. At least they’ll be indoors. W1D 7ES Piccadilly Circus nimaxtheatres.com simon annand

Much like the above-mentioned Alan Bennett, Mark Rylance is a name that will have crowds flocking whatever the context. Rylance reading from the phone book in Helmand? Just watch it sell out. Doing impressionistic mime in the depths of the Sahara? They’ll be queuing round the dunes. Fortunately, you only need head to the West End to see in action a man now widely considered the greatest stage actor of his generation. Rylance will resume his role as Olivia in Twelfth Night – a part he quite famously played 10 years ago – while also taking on the contemptible lead character in

50 Scout London scoutlondon.com

But I Cd Only Whisper Arcola October 31-December 1, £12-£16

Where The Wild Things Are & Higglety Pigglety Pop! The Barbican

Beau Willie Brown is a black Vietnam veteran torn apart by his wartime experiences and cast aside by the society he thought he was fighting for. In Kristiana Colón’s poetic play we meet this deeply troubled man after psychological torment

has driven him to commit a brutal crime. The production addresses difficult issues – from mental illness to the demonisation of black men in art and literature. E8 3DL Dalston Junction arcolatheatre.com

November 3, £15-£25 A special treat for families this weekend, the Barbican is staging this double bill of Oliver Knussen’s charming operatic versions of Maurice Sendak’s much-loved children’s stories. Featuring specially-commissioned multimedia backgrounds,

and with accompaniment from the Britten Sinfonia, each production promises to be a beautiful and beguiling experience whether you’re a child or just one at heart. EC2Y 8DS Barbican barbican.org.uk

Home The Last Refuge

October 30-November 17, £8-£12 Raising Peckham’s cultural stock still higher is this new theatre and rehearsal space, connected to all-round arts hub the Bussey Building. Among the impressive offerings included in its debut season is this UK premiere of Samm Art Williams’s Tony Award-

Khadija is 18 Finborough Theatre Robert Workman / Heidi Sheppard

October 30-November 24, £10-£14 This gritty story “from the frontline of multicultural Britain” follows two teenage refugee girls living in the East End. It’s the professional debut of hotly-tipped new playwright

Shamser Sinha, with celebrated director Tim Stark at the helm. SW10 9ED West Brompton inboroughtheatre.co.uk

nominated play, about a young black man trying to overcome a litany of social and personal obstacles in 1960s southern America. SE15 3SN Peckham Rye thelastrefuge.co.uk

Happy Birthday, Wanda Jane Old Red Lion October 30-November 24, £12-£15 “This is a simple-minded play about men who enjoy killing, and those who don’t.” So begins Kurt Vonnegut’s only work for the stage, which tells the story of a macho, hunting-obsessed war hero who returns home after having been presumed dead to find that his son has

turned into a wuss and that his wife is engaged to a hippie. Set during the volatile 1960s, it’s a caustic portrayal of a man who doesn’t recognise the country – or the life – he has returned to. EC1V 4NJ Angel oldredliontheatre.co.uk scoutlondon.com Scout London 51

WEST END

Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain! (Over 6s) booking until Jan 6 2013, Garrick Theatre, 2 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0HH Charing Cross £10-£14.50, Thu & Fri 1pm, Sat 10.30am & 12noon, Sun 2pm & 4pm. A look at all the nasty, crazy things British people have done to each other over many years. 13th Hour Horror Festival: Crimson Skye: Death Row Diva Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square £10, Nov 4, 3pm. Burlesque performer declares her love for a severed head. 13th Hour Horror Festival: School Of Fright Starts Fri, booking until Nov 3, Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square Fri £25, Sat £12, concs £10, Nov 2 & 3, 9.45pm. Improvisational theatre troupe The School Of Night creates horror stories from audience suggestions. The 39 Steps booking until Mar 30 2013, Criterion Theatre, 218-223 Piccadilly, Piccadilly Circus, W1J 0TR Piccadilly Circus £15-£55, Mon-Sat 8pm, mats Wed 3pm, Sat 4pm, no perf Dec 26, Dec 24, 4pm. John Buchan’s thriller. Billy Elliot - The Musical booking until Dec 21 2013, Victoria Palace, Victoria Street, SW1E 5EA Victoria £19.50-£65, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 2.30pm. An adaptation of the film. Blood Brothers booking until Nov 10, Phoenix Theatre, 110 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0JP Leicester Square £20-£65, Mon-Sat 7.45pm, mats Thu 3pm, Sat 4pm. Willy Russell’s musical. Cabaret booking until Jan 19 2013, Savoy Theatre, Savoy Court, Strand, WC2R 0ET Charing Cross £35-£85, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.30pm, no perf Dec 25. Will Young stars in Rufus Norris’s re-vamped production of Kander and Ebb’s musical. Chariots Of Fire booking until Feb 2 2013, Gielgud Theatre, 35-37 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 6AR Piccadilly Circus £26-£55, Premium Seats £85, MonSat 7.45pm, mats Wed, Sat 3pm. Mike Bartlett’s stage version of the race to compete in the 1924 Paris Olympic Games. A Chorus Of Disapproval booking until Jan 5 2013, The Harold Pinter Theatre, 6 Panton Street, SW1Y 4DN Piccadilly Circus £10-£53.50,

52 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Premium Seats £85, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.30pm, no perfs Dec 2426, 31, extra mat perf Dec 28, 2.30pm. Alan Ayckbourn’s comedy about an amateur opera company’s back stage problems surrounding the imminent staging of The Beggar’s Opera. Dreamboats And Petticoats booking until Jan 19 2013, Wyndham’s Theatre, Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0DA Leicester Square £10-£75, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu 3pm, Sat 4pm, except Dec 24, 3pm only, no perfs Dec 25 & 26, Jan 1, extra mat perfs Dec 28, Jan 2, 3pm. Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran’s musical. Ghost - The Musical booking until Apr 20 2013, Piccadilly Theatre, 16 Denman Street, W1D 7DY Piccadilly Circus Mon-Wed/Thu mats £25-£65, Thu eves/ Fri & Sat £25-£67.50, Premium Seats £85, £25 day tickets available Mon-Fri from the box office from 10am on the day of the performance, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 2.30pm. A stage adaptation of the 1990 film. Hedda Gabler booking until Nov 10, Old Vic, 103 The Cut, SE1 8NB Waterloo Oct 1-31, Nov 1-10 £11-£50, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.30pm. Henrik Ibsen’s classic drama about a young woman’s yearning for independence, adapted by Brian Friel. Jersey Boys booking until Feb 17 2013, Prince Edward Theatre, 28 Old Compton Street, W1D 4HS Tottenham Court Road Tue-Thu £20-£65, Fri-Sun £20-£67.50, Premium Seats Tue-Thu £85, Fri-Sun £95, Tue-Sat 7.30pm, mats Tue, Sat & Sun 3pm, no perf Dec 25, Dec 30, 3pm, extra mat perf Dec 27, 3pm. Musical drama about the career of Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons. Jumpy booking until Nov 3, The Duke Of York’s, St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4BG Leicester Square £15-£52.50, student £25, OAP £29.50, adv OAP £32.50, Premium Seats £75, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.30pm. April De Angelis’s family drama, featuring Tamsin Greig. Les Miserables booking until Oct 26 2013, Queen’s Theatre, 51 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 6BA Piccadilly Circus £20-£85, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.30pm, no perf Dec 24 & 25, extra mat perf Dec 27, Jan 3, 2.30pm. Musical drama. The Lion King booking until Jan 6 2013, Lyceum Theatre, 21 Wellington Street, WC2E 7RQ Covent Garden Tue-Thu £30-£60, Fri, Sun £32.50-£62.50, Sat £35-£65, Sep 2-Dec 31, Jan 1-6 2013, Tue-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat & Sun 2.30pm, Wed & Thu, Sat 2.30pm, no perf Dec 25, no mat perf Dec 26, extra mat perf Dec 27, 2.30pm. Musical. Loserville booking until Mar 2 2013, Garrick Theatre, 2 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0HH Charing Cross Oct 17-31, Nov 1-30, Dec 1-31, Jan 1-31, Feb 1-28, Mar 1 & 2 Mon-Thu £10-£45, Fri & Sat £10£49.50, Tue & Wed 3pm & 7.30pm family £32.50, Oct 1-16 previews £10-£29.50, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 3pm. Musical about a computer geek, set in 1971, written by Elliot Davis and James Bourne. Mamma Mia! booking until Apr 13 2013, Novello Theatre, 5 Aldwych, WC2B 4LD Covent Garden Mon-Fri £15-£64, Sat £15-£67.50, Mon-Sat 7.45pm, mats Thu, Sat 3pm, no perf Dec 24 & 25, extra mat perf Dec 31, 3pm. Musical comedy.

Matilda: The Musical booking until Dec 22 2013, Cambridge Theatre, Earlham Street, WC2H 9HU Covent Garden Oct 25 2011-Dec 22 2013 £19-£58.50, disabled £28.75, Tue-Thu under 18s £19-£48.50, Feb 14 2012-Feb 17 2013 £20-£62.50, disabled £31.25, Tue-Thu under 18s £19£52.50, Tue 7pm, Wed-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.30pm, Sun 3pm, extra mat perf Nov 1, 2.30pm. Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin’s musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s tale. Miss Ophelia Starts Wed, booking until Nov 7, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS Barbican £8.50, Oct 31, Nov 1 & 2, 4, 11am & 2pm, Nov 3, 1pm & 3pm, Nov 6 & 7, 10am & 12noon. Physical theatre adaptation of Michael Ende’s children’s book. The Mousetrap booking until Dec 15, St Martin’s Theatre, West Street, Cambridge Circus, WC2H 9NZ Leicester Square £15.60-£41.60, Premium Seats £60.60, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Tue 3pm, Sat 4pm. Agatha Christie’s murder mystery. The Mystery Of Charles Dickens booking until Nov 10, Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue, WC2N 5DE Charing Cross £15-£55, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.30pm. One-man drama, starring Simon Callow. Nosferatu Starts Wed, booking until Nov 3, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS Barbican £16-£35, Oct 31, 9pm, Nov 1-3, 7.45pm. A dark telling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, from Polish director Grzegorz Jarzyna. Performed in Polish with English surtitles. NSFW booking until Nov 24, Jerwood Theatre At The Royal Court, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS Sloane Square Mon £10, Tue-Sat 7.30pm £12, £20, £28, under 25s £8, Thu, Sat 2.30pm/concs £15, £23, MonSat 7.30pm, mats Sat 2.30pm, Nov 15, 22, 2.30pm (press night Oct 31, 7pm). A sharp comedy by Lucy Kirkwood, on power games in the media and elsewhere. One Man, Two Guvnors booking until Aug 31 2013, Theatre Royal, Haymarket, 18 Suffolk Street, SW1Y 4HT Piccadilly Circus £15-£55, premium seats £85, concs available, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.30pm, except Dec 24, 2.30pm, Dec 26, 7.30pm only, no perf Dec 25, extra mat perfs Dec 27, Jan 3, 2.30pm. Richard Bean’s comic tale, based on Carlo Goldoni’s The Servant Of Two Masters. Our Boys booking until Dec 15, Duchess Theatre, 3-5 Catherine Street, WC2B 5LA Covent Garden Oct 3-31, Nov 1-30, Dec 1-15 £20, £45, £65, Mon-Sat 7.45pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.45pm. An account of the trials and terrors faced by young injured soldiers, written by Jonathan Lewis. People Starts Wed, booking until Feb 9 2013, National Theatre: Lyttelton, South Bank, SE1 9PX Waterloo £12-£47, Mon-Fri under 18s £19 & £23.50, other concs available, press night Nov 7, 7pm, mats Nov 8, 17, 29, Dec 6, 15, 20, 29, 31, Jan 5, 12, Feb 2, 9, 2pm, Jan 6, Feb 3, 3pm. Alan Bennett’s drama about the owner of a British stately home contemplating a sale of the house’s contents. The Phantom Of The Opera booking until Oct 26 2013, Her Majesty’s Theatre, 57 Haymarket, SW1Y 4QL Piccadilly Circus £22.45-£85, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 2.30pm. Musical.

Rock Of Ages booking until Feb 17 2013, Shaftesbury Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2H 8DP Holborn Mon-Thu £20£57.50, Fri & Sat £20-£65, Mon-Thu 7.30pm, Fri 5.30pm & 8.30pm, Sat 8pm, mats Sat 4pm, no perf Dec 25, Dec 31, 3pm & 7pm, extra mat perf Dec 27, 3pm. Chris D’Arienzo’s musical celebrating Los Angeles rock culture. The Royal Ballet: Viscera/Infra/Fool’s Paradise Starts Sat, ends Nov 14, Royal Opera House, 45 Floral Street, WC2E 9DD Covent Garden £3-£37.50, Nov 3, 7pm, Nov 5, 7 & 8, 12, 14, 7.30pm. Three 21st century ballets including the first British staging of Liam Scarlett’s Viscera.

La Fille A La Mode booking until Nov 9, Theatre Royal, Haymarket, 18 Suffolk Street, SW1Y 4HT Piccadilly Circus £12.50, Oct 23, 25 & 26, 29, Nov 1 & 2, 5, 8 & 9, 2.30pm & 4pm. A musical promenade celebrating ‘It’ Girls through history, directed by Daphna Attias and Terry O’Donovan. Scenes From An Execution booking until Nov 15, National Theatre: Lyttelton, South Bank, SE1 9PX Waterloo £12-£47, Mon-Fri under 18s £19 & £23.50, other concs available, Nov 2 & 3, 5 & 6, 13-15, 7.30pm, mats Nov 2, 15, 2.15pm, Nov 4, 3pm. Howard Barker’s drama on the artist Galactia’s painting the carnage of the Battle of Lepanto. Scrooge The Musical booking until Jan 5 2013, London Palladium, 8 Argyll Street, W1F 7TF Oxford Circus £27-£69, child £22-£53, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 3pm, Dec 28, 3pm (press night Nov 6, 7pm, no perf Dec 24-26, Jan 1). Leslie Bricusse’s musical based on Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. Shakespeare’s Queens & The Madness Of King Lear booking until Nov 3, Arts Theatre, 6-7 Great Newport Street, WC2H 7JB Covent Garden Oct 16-31, Nov 1-3 £16.50-£28.50, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 2.30pm. Two short Australian plays, from Straylight Australia and CW Productions. The Showstoppers booking until Dec 23, Charing Cross Theatre, The Arches, Villiers Street, WC2N 6NL Embankment £17.50-£27.50, Sun 7pm, mats Nov 4, Dec 16, 3pm. Improvised musical comedy from the acclaimed troupe. Shrek - The Musical booking until Feb 24 2013, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Catherine Street, WC2B 5JF Covent Garden £20-£65, Wed & Thu eves family of four £99-£150, additional seats £29.50 (upper circle) & £45 (best available), Premium Seats £95, Mon, ThuSat 7.30pm, Wed 7pm, mats Thu, Sat & Sun 3pm, Dec 24, 31, 3pm. Musical based on the celebrated 2001 Dreamworks film, starring Richard Blackwood.

Singin’ In The Rain booking until Sep 1 2013, Palace Theatre, 109-113 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 5AY Leicester Square £14-£84, £25 day seats available from the box office from 10am on day of the performance, Oct 1-Aug 31 2013, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mat Oct 1-Aug 31 2013, Wed, Sat 2.30pm, no perf Dec 24 & 25, 31, Jan 6, Dec 26, 5pm, extra mat perf Dec 27 & 28, Jan 3, 2.30pm. Musical based on the MGM film about the end of silent movies. Stomp booking until Dec 22 2013, Ambassadors Theatre, West Street, WC2H 9ND Leicester Square £20-£49.50, Mon, Thu-Sat 8pm, Sun 6pm, mats Thu, Sat & Sun 3pm, no perf Jul 27, Aug 12, Dec 25, no eve perf Dec 24, Jan 1. Steve McNicholas and Luke Cresswell’s show. Tape booking until Nov 10, Trafalgar Studios, 14 Whitehall, SW1A 2DY Charing Cross Oct 12-31, Nov 1-10 £27.50, concs £24.50, Mon-Sat 7.45pm, mats Thu, Sat 3pm. Stephen Belber’s suspenseful drama, featuring Marc Elliott as Vince. This House booking until Dec 1, National Theatre: Cottesloe, South Bank, SE1 9PX Waterloo Oct 1-31, Nov 1-30, Dec 1 £12-£32, Mon-Fri 2.30pm & 7.30pm under 18s £12-£20, Wed & Thu 2.30pm OAP £12-£22, Oct 29-31, Nov 16 & 17, 19 & 20, 26-30, Dec 1, 7.30pm. A political drama set during the year of 1974, written by James Graham.

The Time Out booking until Nov 4, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS Barbican £12, Oct 30 & 31, Nov 3, 7.45pm, Nov 2, 7.15pm & 9pm, Nov 3 & 4, 2pm & 5pm. A personal interactive performance set in a swimming pool’s changing rooms. Presented by non zero one. Top Hat - The Musical booking until Sep 28 2013, Aldwych Theatre, 49 Aldwych, WC2B 4DF Covent Garden £20-£65, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 2.30pm, no perf Sep 4-5, Dec 25, extra mat perf Dec 30, 2.30pm. Irving Berlin’s romantic musical. Twelfth Night Starts Fri, booking until Feb 9 2013, Apollo Theatre, 31 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 7EZ Piccadilly Circus £25-£55, Nov 2 & 3, 7-10, 15 & 16, 20, 23 & 24, 27, 29 & 30, Dec 1, 4, 7 & 8, 11, 14 & 15, 18, 21 & 22, 26-29, Jan 4 & 5, 8, 11 & 12, 15, 17-19, 22, 25 & 26, 29, Feb 1 & 2, 5, 7-9, 7.30pm, press night Nov 17, 7pm, mats Nov 4, 11, 18, 25, Dec 9, 16, 23, 30, Jan 6, 13, 27, Feb 3, 3pm, Nov 14, 21, 28, Dec 5, 12, 19, Jan 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Feb 6, 2pm. The award-winning actor Mark Rylance plays Olivia, in this allmale production of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy. Uncle Vanya booking until Feb 16 2013, Vaudeville Theatre, 404 Strand, WC2R 0NH Embankment £38.50£76, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 2.30pm (press night Nov 2, 7pm). Anton Chekhov’s comic tale on the tribulations of the human condition.

Let It Be booking until Jan 19 2013, Prince Of Wales Theatre, 31 Coventry Street, W1D 6AS Piccadilly Circus £20, £40, £60, Mon, Wed-Sat 7.30pm, Sun 5pm, mats Thu, Sat 3pm. Marking 50 years since the release of their first single, The Beatles are celebrated in this musical-narrative, created by RAIN Productions. War Horse booking until Oct 26 2013, New London Theatre, 166 Drury Lane, WC2B 5PW Covent Garden £15£55, Premium Seats £85, Mon, Wed-Sat 7.30pm, Tue 7pm, mats Thu, Sat 2.30pm. Michael Morpurgo’s story. We Will Rock You booking until Mar 23 2013, Dominion Theatre, 268-9 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7AQ Tottenham Court Road Mon-Fri £27.50-£55, Sat £27.50-£60, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat 2.30pm, Oct 31, Nov 28,

Dec 26, Jan 31, Feb 27, 2.30pm, no perf Dec 24 & 25, extra mat perf Dec 27 & 28, 31, Jan 1-4, 2.40pm. Musical. Wicked booking until Apr 27 2013, Apollo Victoria Theatre, 17 Wilton Road, SW1V 1LG Victoria Mon-Fri eves/mats £15-£62.50, Sat eves £15-£65, 24 front row day tickets priced £27.50 each released 10am at the box office, maximum two per person, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.30pm, extra mats Dec 27 & 28, 30, Jan 3, Feb 21 2013, 2.30pm, no perf Jul 27, Dec 25, Dec 26-29, 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Dec 30, 2.30pm. Musical. The Woman In Black booking until Dec 14 2013, Fortune Theatre, Russell Street, WC2B 5HH Covent Garden £16.50£45, Premium Seats £55, Tue-Sat 8pm, mats Tue, Thu 3pm, Sat 4pm. Adaptation of Susan Hill’s ghost story. The World Of Hugh Hughes Starts Sat, booking until Nov 4, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS Barbican FREE, Nov 3 & 4, 11am. A retrospective of the performance artist’s childhood. Yes, Prime Minister booking until Jan 12 2013, Trafalgar Studios, 14 Whitehall, SW1A 2DY Charing Cross £26.50, £46.50, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 2.30pm. Comedy based on the TV series. You Can Do It Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square £17.50, Nov 4, 7.30pm. Roger Wright, recent finalist in ITV1’s search for ‘Jesus Christ, Superstar’, and West End performer Paul Hazel star in this soul classics-based musical.

OFF WEST END

55 Days Ends Nov 24, Hampstead Theatre, Eton Avenue, NW3 3EU Swiss Cottage Oct 22-31, Nov 1-24 Mon £22, Tue-Sat £29, concs £15, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat 3pm, Wed 2.30pm. Howard Brenton’s historical drama, with Mark Gatiss as King Charles I. All That Fall Ends Nov 3, Jermyn Street Theatre, 16B Jermyn Street, SW1Y 6ST Piccadilly Circus Mon-Thu £18, Fri & Sat £20, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 3.30pm. Michael Gambon and Eileen Atkins star in Samuel Beckett’s radio play, directed by Trevor Nunn. BALL & Other Funny Stories About Cancer Artsdepot, 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, N12 0GA Finchley Central £12, concs £10, Nov 3, 7.30pm. A witty and provocative comedy drama written and performed by Brian Lobel. Not suitable for ages below 14. Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom Starts Wed, ends Nov 1, New Wimbledon Theatre, 93 The Broadway, SW19 1QG Wimbledon £13.50-£17.50, Oct 31, 1pm & 4pm, Nov 1, 10am & 1pm. Adaptation of the award-winning television animation. Berenice Ends Nov 24, Donmar Warehouse, 41 Earlham Street, WC2H 9LX Covent Garden Oct 2-31, Nov 1-24 £10-£32.50, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 2.30pm. Alan Hollinghurst’s version of Jean Racine’s play, featuring Anne-Marie Duff. Blackta Ends Nov 17, Young Vic, 66 The Cut, SE1 8LZ Waterloo £10, £15, Mon-Sat 7.45pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.45pm (press night Nov 5, 7pm, no mat perf Oct 31). A satirical drama on the highs and lows of making it as a black actor, by Nataniel Martello-White. Blue Sky Ends Nov 10, Hampstead Theatre, Eton Avenue, NW3 3EU Swiss Cottage £12, concs £10, MonSat 7.45pm, mats Sat 3.15pm. A fast-paced thriller which questions as to what might be happening in the English countryside during the night, by Clare Bayley. But I Cd Only Whisper Starts Wed, ends Dec 1, Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin Street, E8 3DL Dalston Junction Mon, WedSat £16, concs £12, Tue pay what you can, From Oct 31, Mon-Sat 8pm, mats Sat 3pm. Drama about a returning black Vietnam war veteran accused of a crime. Written by Kristiana Colon

54 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Charley’s Aunt Ends Nov 10, The Menier Chocolate Factory, 53 Southwark Street, SE1 1RU London Bridge Oct 1-31, Nov 1-11 £31, £39.50 inc meal, concs £25, TueSat 8pm, mats Sat & Sun 3.30pm. Mathew Horne features as Lord Fancourt Babberley, in Ian Talbot’s production. Cross Purpose Ends Nov 11, King’s Head, Islington, 115 Upper Street, N1 1QN Angel £10-£25, Sun & Mon 7.15pm, mat Nov 11, 3pm. French author Albert Camus’s absurd tragedy is translated by Stuart Gilbert. Dangerous Lady Ends Nov 17, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, E15 1BN Stratford Oct 24-Nov 17 £5£20, concs £5-£15, Fri & Sat eve £12-£24, concs £10-£18, Tue-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat 2.30pm, captioned mat perf Nov 10, audio described & signed mat perf Nov 17, post show talk eve perf Nov 8. Adaptation of Martina Cole’s gangster novel. Dead On Her Feet Ends Nov 3, Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin Street, E8 3DL Dalston Junction Mon-Sat 7.30pm £20, concs £14, Sat 2.30pm £18, concs £12, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat 2.30pm. A physical tale written by Ron Hutchinson, set around a dance marathon, famous in the 1930s. Desire Under The Elms Ends Nov 10, Lyric Hammersmith, Lyric Square, King Street, W6 0QL Hammersmith £12.50-£35, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed 1.30pm, Sat 2.30pm. A rare staging of Eugene O’Neill’s drama of lust and redemption, featuring Morgan Watkins as Eben Cabot. Dr Brown Brown Brown Brown Brown And His Singing Tiger Starts Tue, ends Nov 3, Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road £10, family £30, Oct 30 & 31, Nov 1-3, 1pm. Physical comedy show aimed at families. House Of Corrections Starts Wed, ends Nov 4, Riverside Studios, Crisp Road, W6 9RL Hammersmith £20, concs £18, Oct 31, Nov 1-3, 8pm, Nov 4, 6pm, mat Nov 3, 3pm. Humorous drama exploring the impact of the jailing of a family member. The Kingdom Ends Nov 17, Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road Oct 27-31, Nov 1-3 £12.50, concs £10, Nov 5-17 £15, concs £12.50, Mon-Sat 7.45pm, mats Sat 4pm (press night Oct 29). Colin Teevan’s lyrical drama which draws on the myths of ancient Greece. London 2012 Cultural Olympiad: King Lear Ends Nov 3, Almeida Theatre, Almeida Street, N1 1TA Highbury & Islington £8-£32, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mat from Sep 15, Sat 2.30pm. Jonathan Pryce plays Shakespeare’s doomed monarch. Meet The Adebanjos Starts Fri, ends Nov 3, Hackney Empire, 291 Mare Street, E8 1EJ Hackney Central £15-£25, eve concs £12-£22, mat family £45, Nov 2 & 3, 8pm, mats Nov 2 & 3, 4pm. Adaptation of the TV sitcom about a Peckham family. The Man Who Had All The Luck Starts Tue, ends Nov 3, Greenwich Theatre, Greenwich Crooms Hill, SE10 8ES Tue preview £10, Wed-Sat eves £12.50£17.50, concs/Sat mat £12.50, Oct 30 & 31, Nov 1-3, 7.30pm, mats Oct 31, Nov 3, 2.30pm, preview perf Oct 30. Sell-A-Door Theatre presents Arthur Miller’s drama. The River booking until Nov 17, Jerwood Theatre At The Royal Court, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS Sloane Square Mon £10,

Tue-Sat 7.45pm £20, no tickets available for advance purchase; all tickets on sale on day of performance, Mon-Sat 7.45pm, mats Thu, Sat 3.30pm. A bewitching tale set in a remote cliff-top cabin, written by Jez Butterworth. Salad Days Ends Mar 2 2013, Riverside Studios, Crisp Road, W6 9RL Hammersmith £25, concs £20, Premium Seats £30 & £35, Cafe Seats £40, Tue-Sat 7.45pm, mats Thu, Sat & Sun 3pm, except Dec 24, 3pm only, no mat Dec 22, no perfs Dec 25 & 26, Jan 1, extra mat Dec 31. Julian Slade’s and Dorothy Reynolds’s sunny and romantic musical. South Asian Literature Festival 2012: Elements: New Writing On Stage The Bush Theatre At The Old Library, 7 Uxbridge Road, W12 8LJ Shepherd’s Bush £7.50, concs £5, Nov 2, 7pm-8.30pm. A performance of works linked to South Asia. Terror 2012 Ends Nov 3, Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road Oct 30 & 31, Nov 1-3 £17.50, Tue-Sat 7.30pm. Dark cabaret and chilling tales to celebrate Hallowe’en.

Pussy Riot: The Final Verdict Jerwood Theatre at the Royal Court, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS Sloane Square £15 inc access to debate, Nov 3, 2pm-4.30pm. Discussion, readings and theatre in support of Russian feminist group.

FRINGE Autumn Music Ends Nov 11, Pentameters Theatre, Three Horseshoes, Heath Street, NW3 6TE Hampstead £12, concs £10, Tue-Sat 8pm, Sun 5pm. Comedy about a widower who refuses to grow old gracefully. Belvedere Ends Nov 11, White Bear Theatre, 138 Kennington Park Road, SE11 4DJ Kennington £14, concs £10, Tue-Sat 7.30pm, Sun 6pm. A witty drama by Ana-Maria Bamberger about the battle between the head versus the heart. Boy George’s Taboo Ends Dec 23, Brixton Clubhouse, 467 Brixton Road, SW9 8HH Brixton £10, £25, Meal Deal with top price ticket only £32.50, Tue-Sun 7.30pm, mats Sat & Sun 3pm. Boy George’s romantic musical set during the era of the New Romantics Bunnies Ends Nov 3, The New Diorama Theatre, 15-16 Triton Street, NW1 3BF Great Portland Street £12.50, concs £10.50, Tue-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat 3.30pm. A darkly-comic play written by Kieran Lynn. Contains swearing and violence.

Calendar Girls Starts Sat, ends Nov 10, The Questors Theatre, 12 Mattock Lane, W5 5BQ Ealing Broadway £12, child/ NUS £6, concs £11, Nov 9 & 10 £14, child/ NUS £7, concs £13, From Nov 3, Tue-Sat 7.45pm, mat Nov 4, 2.30pm. Members of a very ordinary Yorkshire WI group spark a global phenomenon by persuading one another to pose for a charity calendar. Dim Sum Nights Starts Fri, ends Nov 3, The Albany, Douglas Way, SE8 4AG Deptford incl. Dim Sum taster £12, concs £10, Nov 2 & 3, 7.30pm. Short and snappy works by British East Asian writers, accompanied by Dim Sum and tea. Elegy Ends Nov 3, Theatre 503, The Latchmere Pub, 503 Battersea Park Road, SW11 3BW Sloane Square £14, concs £9, Tue-Sat 7.45pm, Sun 5pm. Devised drama exploring homophobic murders in Iraq. Forever Crazy Ends Dec 24, South Bank, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX Waterloo standing £35, silver ticket £45, gold ticket £55, platinum ticket £65, Tue & Wed 8.30pm, Thu-Sat 7pm & 9.30pm, Sun 7pm. The Parisian cabaret Crazy Horse presents its entertaining cabaret show. Happy Birthday Wanda June: Act Up Starts Tue, ends Nov 24, Old Red Lion, 418 St John Street, EC1V 4NJ Angel Tue-Sat £15, concs £12, Sun £7, From Oct 30, Tue-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sun 3pm. Kurt Vonnegut’s drama which updates Homer’s Odyssey. The Horror! The Horror! Ends Nov 7, Wilton’s Music Hall, 1 Graces Alley, off Ensign Street, E1 8JB Aldgate East £17.50, Mon-Sat 7.30pm & 9.30pm. Something nasty has been unearthed in this site-specific horror show. The Jess Docker Show Barons Court Theatre, The Curtain’s Up, 28A Comeragh Road, W14 9HR Barons Court £10, concs £8, Oct 29, 6pm & 8pm. Comedy drama about a pair of film-makers. Lot And His God Starts Sat, ends Nov 24, The Print Room, 34 Hereford Road, W2 5AJ Notting Hill Gate £20, concs £15, From Nov 3, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat 3.30pm (press night Nov 8). A reimagining of the biblical story, with writer Howard Barker looking at a marriage on the brink of seismic destruction. Nightmare Ends Nov 10, The Space, 269 Westferry Road, E14 3RS Mudchute £15, concs £12, Tue-Sat 7.45pm, mat Nov 10, 4pm. Peter Snee directs Roger Moss’s horror thriller. The President And The Pakistani Ends Nov 4, Waterloo East Theatre, 3 Wootton Street, SE1 8TG Waterloo Oct 10-Nov 4 £15, concs £12, Oct 9 pay what you can, Tue-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sun 4pm. Drama based on an incident in the life of the young Barack Obama. Shelf-Life Ends Nov 10, Theatre Delicatessen, 35 Marylebone High Street, W1U 4QA Baker Street £16, concs £12, Mon-Sat 7pm & 8.30pm. HalfCut Theatre invites you to take part in its interactive, promenade work, a journey which searches for the meaningless of life. Victor/Victoria Ends Dec 15, Southwark Playhouse, Shipwright Yard, corner of Tooley Street and Bermondsey Street, SE1 2TF London Bridge £10-£22.50, cabaret tables tickets £27.50, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat 3pm (press night Nov 1). Crossdressing, 1930s-set musical comedy, based on the 1982 Julie Andrews movie.

WIN Zipcar membership and £200 credit Scout London and Zipcar have teamed up to give away a Zipcar for Business membership for a whole year to one lucky reader, plus £200 worth of car rental in a model of their choice. Zipcar for Business is a convenient, cost-effective and sustainable transportation alternative to car rental, taxis and complex car reimbursements. There are over 1,800 Zipcars in London that are yours when you

want them – available by the hour or by the day. Best yet, fuel, insurance, Congestion Charge and 40 miles per day are included with your rental. Zipcar for Business offers a range of vehicles - from Polos, Golfs and Audis to Tourans and vans. Whatever your business needs, there’s a Zipcar to suit. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning this great prize is answer the question to the right.

How many cars does Zipcar have in London?

To enter text SCOUT ZIPCAR and your answer to 88010 or head to scoutlondon.com/win

A) 1 B) 10

Texts cost £1*, and count for TWO entries!

C) 1,800

* TERMS & CONDITIONS: Messages cost £1 each + standard network rate. 18+ bill payers only. Send STOP to end. Number may show on bill. A2B 08700460138. Closing date Nov 4 2012. Prize consists of a free account and £200 worth of credit, which must be used within three months. The promotion is open to residents of the UK except employees of the Promoter, their families, agents or anyone connected with the promotion. Promotion limited to one entry per person. Responsibility is not accepted for entries lost, damaged or delayed as a result of any network, hardware or software failure of any kind. For full T&Cs for all competitions, visit scoutlondon.com/win

Creative artwork@scoutlondon.com

Staff Writer Alice Wiggett

Creative Director Sam Proud

Food & Drink Editor Ben Norum

Scout London Omnibus Business Centre 39-41 North Road London N7 9DP

Designer Tom Plumstead

Film Reviews Damon Smith

Editorial editorial@scoutlondon.com

020 7998 1901

Editor James Drury

Contributors Chris Beanland James Glavin Abi Jackson Andy Jones Shereen Low Laura Martin

hello@scoutlondon.com Publishing Director & Founder Jim Zambrano Chairman & Managing Director, Ask Group of Companies Ltd. Sudhir Sharma

Deputy Editor Dan Frost

Advertising advertise@scoutlondon.com Media Pack: sayhellotoscout.com Public Relations Parker, Wayne & Kent Ask Group Head of Sales Erika Haag Print Production Webmart Distribution Emblem Group Please send all listings to listings@scoutlondon.com

Scout London is published by Ask Prints and Publications Ltd. Registered company number 08201672. Scout London is a registered trademark. Reproduction in whole or part is forbidden. Copyright of all original content is held by Scout London. Scout London makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information it publishes, but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from errors or omissions. Please confirm with the venue before setting out.

scoutlondon.com Scout London 55