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FESTIVAL

special yo u r u lt im at e g u id e t o London's best events

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Cover Story

8 The festival edition Spring is on the way (we promise), which means summer can’t be far off.

So it’s time to start planning your festival season. We’ve got the lowdown on all the best London events, as well as the fashion tips and floor-fillers that’ll make it a summer to (almost) remember

Regulars

Cover Photo: Dan frost / THE BIG PICTURE: Steve Tanner

4 Scouted Date Night, Places That Change Your Life, Book Now, Last Chance London 6 Talent Scout Actress Laura Haddock, star of The Inbetweeners Movie, tell us about her favourite places in the capital

The Big Picture

Sections 16 20 27 28 32 34 38 40 48

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

NoFit State Circus’s groundbreaking new show, Bianco, has just opened at The Roundhouse – page 16

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Back in the Games

It’s not even been a year but that’s no reason not to relive Team GB glories at the Museum of London’s new Olympics exhibition

Dive and kicking Tom Daley’s trunks

# love

Date Night

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emories of last year’s Olympics still send a shiver down many Londoners’ spines.

Between the spectacular Opening Ceremony and the end of the Paralympics came an energetic relay of rousing spectacle, heroic achievement and some of the most stirring patriotic fervour we have seen in living memory.

It’s no surprise, then, that some of the artefacts of those heady two months are already being packaged into a museum exhibition, less than a year later. Opening the Olympics at the Museum of London features a variety of memorable objects, outfits and personal accounts of the Games.

Among the highlights are diver Tom Daley’s trunks and the yellow jersey worn by Bradley Wiggins in the Opening Ceremony. Also included are a Mary Poppins dress and an NHS nurse’s uniform from the Opening Ceremony, as well as

The one where you go monster hunting...

VENUE Hoxton Street Monster Supplies & Le Trois Garcons PRICE ££ PERFECT FOR A Zooey Deschanelor Paul Dano-alike Forget the woods, if you go down to Hoxton today you’re in for a big surprise, for there be monsters.

Nestled down Hoxton Street, near to Greggs and the Poundland is Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, a ‘Purveyor of Quality Goods for Monsters of Every Kind’. Such goods include fang floss, cubed earwax and a tin of the Night Terrors. When you and your beloved are done browsing the creepy

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Facing the crowd The dress worn by a country name bearer

creatures, it’s time to hunt down more static beasts at Le Trois Garcons – a restaurant famed for it’s eclectic taxidermy collection, a 15-minute stroll away. Their lunch menu offers up three courses for a very reasonable £22, for which you can dine under the watchful eye of half a giraffe, a bulldog with fairy wings, a snarling bejewelled leopard or a brown bear. monstersupplies.org lestroisgarcons.com

FACT TO ENTERTAIN

Le Trois Garcons started life as a Victorian pub before the owners bought it to live in, before finally turning it into a restaurant.

Ride on time Bradley Wiggins’s yellow jersey from the Opening Ceremony

a dress worn by one of the country name bearers, all of which were memorably emblazoned with the faces of Olympics volunteers.

Other highlights include one of the Olympic torches and a Mohawk headdress from the Paralympic Opening Ceremony.

How the Games were received by ordinary Londoners is also reflected – both the positive and the negative. As is the supporting experience, through tickets, souvenirs, programmes and tweets.

A designated London 2012 museum is scheduled to open in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park next year. But until then, this exhibition of around 70 objects is a fine way to bask in the memories of Team GB glories and the spirit of one incredible summer.

Opening the Olympics, The Museum of London, until October 31, FREE, museumoflondon.org.uk

BOOK

NOW

Health of the nation One of the nurse’s uniforms from the Opening Ceremony

If you’re ever in south London at a bit of a loose end, get your clogs on and hop down to Brixton Windmill. Yes, that’s right – there’s a giant, flipping windmill in the middle of Brixton, right next to the prison. The windmill started life in 1816 as a flour mill, but was decommissioned in the 1930s. It was opened to the public in 2011 after being given a £600,000 cash injection and has been shortlisted for a Heritage Practically perfect A Mary Poppins outfit from the Olympic Opening Ceremony

Josie Long and friends Hackney Empire June 20 hackneyempire.co.uk

The Royal Ballet: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Royal Opera House

last chance

LONDON

GET IN TOUCH

12: Brixton Windmill

Sigur Rós

Wembley Arena November 21 wembleyarena.co.uk

Quartermaine’s Terms Wyndham’s Theatre

Longing Hampstead Theatre

Rowan Atkinson stars in Simon Gray’s tragicomic play.

A single drama adapted from two Chekhov short stories.

Closes sat april 13

Closes sat april 13

Trelawny of the Wells Donmar Warehouse

Manet: Portraying Life Royal Academy

Pinero’s comedic homage to the stage, directed by Joe Wright.

The first major UK exhibition of the painter’s portraiture.

Jessica Warboys: Pageant Roll Whitechapel Gallery

Closes Sat April 13

Closes Sun April 14

Christopher Wheeldon’s production of the children’s classic.

Closes sat aPRIL 13

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Looped film set to an intermittent soundtrack.

Closes Mon April 15

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award. The tour is worth doing, even if it’s just to say you’ve been in a windmill. And afterwards you can enjoy a drink at the Windmill pub and music venue, which has hosted gigs by various stars on the way up. If you’re so inclined, you can even join the Friends of Brixton Windmill campaign to get the mill back to grinding flour once again. brixtonwindmill.org

Send us your favourite spots of inspiration by email, Twitter or Facebook. You might end up in Scouted.

Richard ll (David Tennant) Barbican Centre December 9-January 25 barbican.org.uk

Stornoway

Barbican Centre December 8 barbican.org.uk

BAD MEANING GOOD

BAD MEANING BAD

Southwark Playhouse will kick-start its first season in a temporary new home near Elephant & Castle with a revival of Trafford Tanzi.

The Union Theatre is among the small Bankside businesses threatened with eviction by Network Rail to make way for new offices.

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Laura Haddock Actress Remember the beautiful blonde who Will somehow managed to seduce in The Inbetweeners Movie? Well that was Laura Haddock. One bottle of hair dye later, and the 27-yearold from Chiswick is now playing a beautiful brunette in hotly tipped TV show Da Vinci’s Demons, about the early life of the Renaissance painter. Haddock stars as Leonardo’s mistress – the female lead – in the grand-scale historical fantasy that has been created by The Dark Knight writer David S Goyer. It’s a major role for the young actress, and builds on an impressive early career that has included appearances in The Colour of Magic and Monday Monday.

Let’s go for a drink – Scout’s buying. Where shall we go?

The Dove in Chiswick. It’s small and so charming and cosy. In the winter you can be all wrapped up next to the open fire, eating a roast dinner, and then in the summer sat out on the balcony watching the sun go down over the Thames.

Scout London Cover Stars 0034 Colleen Brewer, 27, Illustrator, Bow

How important is London in your work?

Intensely. Not just for inspiration, but for the energy and motivation it gives me to constantly create.

my glasses. I’m fairly sure I saw death in a chimney the other day.

Favourite part of the city?

It changes weekly! At the moment its Shoreditch, although I will always have a soft spot for Camden. My What in London inspires you? mum used to take me shopping there I draw huge inspiration from the people of London. I could spend hours when I was little for very baggy jeans and chains! watching people on the tube and making up stories for them. I’m also Any London secrets to share? inspired by the shapes and images I There’s a place in Soho I call Thai see in the pollution stained buildings green curry place, on St Anne’s Court. and houses when I am not wearing

Sounds delightful. Now how about a bite to eat?

The Modern Pantry in Clerkenwell.

It’s relaxed and the food is out of this world. The menu is really exciting, and the chef combines flavours you wouldn’t think to put together.

How about an outdoor spot – any favourite places to amble?

That would probably be Portobello Market. I love wandering round the market stalls and finding little gems to take home with me – normally an old street sign or vintage jewellery.

Do you have any secret tips for Londoners?

I’m not sure if it’s a secret but it’s a new discovery of mine: The Zetter Townhouse in Clerkenwell. A friend introduced me to it recently and I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to move in, it’s so relaxed and cosy. It has a lovely old fashioned feel, and delicious cocktails.

Da Vinci’s Demons begins on Fox on April 19 They do the best Tofu green curry.

Although I’m not sure how much of a secret that is!

What’s next for you?

I’m going to remove some rusty nails from a piece of MDF I found and then draw a raven on it, probably while listening to Stewart Lee. I may have a coffee as well. Beyond that, I really can’t say, I just plan to draw!

See more at: collfacekilla.com

Hey there, are you a talented creative? Fancy reworking 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 6

Scout London scoutlondon.com

London Symphony Orchestra

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LONDON FESTIVAL GUIDE

Put your mind

to fest Y

Hands in the air Lovebox in Victoria Park

ou might still be wrapped up in thermals but, believe it or not, festival season really isn’t that far away.

And there’s no better way to lift the chilled spirits than with some optimistic warm weather planning. Heading off to the countryside for a few days is all well and good,

but our festival guide stays much closer to home, telling you all you need to know about the cracking selection of alldayers right here in the capital. So start those group emails going round, get planning your festival wardrobe, and, most important of all, keep your chin up – winter can’t last for ever.

By Clare Considine

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Scout London scoutlondon.com

LOVEBOX

July 19–21, Victoria Park In a nutshell: Mad dancey fun with one of the season’s most up-for-it crowds Founded by dance music godfathers Groove Armada, this festival is all about the fun. Now in its 12th year, Lovebox leads where others follow, bringing a cross-section of dance, disco and generally upbeat musical curiosities to Victoria Park for a three-day event each summer. This year’s line-up details are still quite thin on the ground, with the main stage acts not yet announced. But you’ll get a taste of what’s in store by checking out who’s in charge of the other stages. This year will see the Annie Mac Presents juggernaut roll into town, with the likes of Disclosure and Lulu James in tow. There’ll also be stages from Noisey, who’ll be hosting Flying Lotus (among many others), and the Red Bull Music Academy, whose so-far-announced include David ‘Ram Jam’ Rodigan, Mark Ronson and DJ Harvey. Each of the three days tends to have a unique character, making it easier to decide which to pick (Sunday is traditionally the unofficial ‘gay day’). Expect lots of outof-towners and plenty of sartorial strutting.

Ridiculous footwear is actively encouraged. mamacolive.com/lovebox

Perfect setting Field Day sunshine

WIRELESS

July 12-14, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park In a nutshell: The biggest pop stars in the world in the capital’s most iconic new outdoor spot If pop big-hitters is what you’re after then Wireless is the festival for you. Taking place in the exciting new environs of the Olympic Park, the event will treat chart fanatics to a bevy of the glitziest stars. It’s a three-day event, so you can get immersed in the whole thing or (more likely) just choose the day with your favourite line-up. Friday will be headlined by none other than the returning Justin Trousersnake, with his decidedly slick new sound; he’ll be joined by Snoop Dogg, who’ll potentially be showcasing some reggae-tinged tunes under his new Snoop Lion moniker; plus there’s the likes of Trey Songz, John Legend and crooner-du-jour Frank Ocean. The behemoth that is Jay-Z is coming back to our shores to headline the Saturday night, with other star turns from Calvin Harris, Rita Ora and Kendrick Lamar.

Finally, the Sunday show is elusively entitled Legends of the Summer, and will be headed up by JT and Jigga performing together. If last year’s Jay-Z and Kanye show is anything to go by, you can expect some impressive A-list guest appearances.

Katy Davies / chris dent

Dress to impress Lovebox revellers

FIELD DAY

May 25, Victoria Park In a nutshell: Hipster bands with hipster fans Perhaps London’s trendiest festival offering, Field Day is brought to you by some of the capital’s most forward-thinking promoters.

It’s a single-day event where you can see some of your favourite bands playing alongside more obscure acts that are ripe for discovery.

Highlights this year include: Solange Knowles, Beyonce’s edgier little sister; the hauntingly magical Bat For Lashes; purveyors of psychedelia-tinged danceable indie, Django Django; and How To Dress Well, bringing a melancholic and experimental edge to R&B. Plus, if you fancy a little respite from the musical offerings there are some fun May Day activities to enjoy also. Head to Caught By The River’s Village Green area for some old-school fete action. Get stuck into the tug of war and sack races or simply wander around the quaint little stalls. This one’s become a biggie on the London social calendar, so once the festival is done you can rest assured that there’ll be topnotch after parties happening all over town. fielddayfestivals.com

wirelessfestival.co.uk

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south west four

August 24-25, Clapham Common In a nutshell: Big DJs playing big tunes from big clubs SW4 is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, so it should be louder and rowdier than ever before. This one is quintessentially for dance music fans, presenting a strictly electronic line-up. Taking place over two days on what will hopefully be a sunny August bank holiday weekend, it’s an opportunity to see some of the world’s most renowned DJs all on one epic line-up. Saturday’s headline slot goes to the legendary Carl Cox, who will be playing back-to-back with electro upstart Loco Dice.

On Sunday, everybody’s favourite motor mouth, Example (pictured), will ensure that the festival goes out with a bang. Other line-up highlights include the man behind this year’s Harlem Shake dance craze, Baauer, Eric Prydz with his only 2013 London show, and techno roof-raiser Boys Noize. southwestfour.com

HARDROCK CALLING

June 29-30, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park In a nutshell: Young upstarts and seasoned veterans rocking out in the shadow of the Olympic Stadium This one does exactly what it says on the tin… well, sort of. The music isn’t exactly ‘hard’, but it is definitely rock. Now in its eighth year, the two-day event offers the opportunity to see some of the loudest and most stadiumfriendly guitar heroes currently gracing the world stage. This year’s headliners see the new and old collide, with Kasabian taking centre stage on the Saturday and Bruce Springsteen (pictured) and his E Street Band playing us out on Sunday. They’ll be joined by the likes of Paul Weller, Alabama Shakes, The Cribs and Klaxons. The event will join Wireless in moving from former home Hyde Park to the exciting new Olympic Park location. Hopefully this will ensure against a repeat of last year’s curfew controversy, in which his Bossness and Paul McCartney were cut-off mid-song. You can expect a mixed and excitable crowd at this one, with young and old uniting to celebrate the great and good of rock’n’roll. hardrockcalling.co.uk

10 Scout London scoutlondon.com

AS ONE IN THE PARK

May 26, Victoria Park

In a nutshell: A new pop-led event and London’s only devotedly gay music festival This brand new festival will take place in Vicky Park the day after Field Day, on May’s second bank holiday weekend. As One in the Park started out as a gay gathering, and this summer is evolving into a full-blown festival. Pop flavour of the month Rita Ora (pictured) will headline the main stage, with rising star Conor Maynard also on the bill. For a requisite dose of high-camp, Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s Holly Johnson will perform classic solo material alongside big hits from the seminal band. Plus, there will be appearances from X-Factor’s one man charm offensive, Rylan, urban songstress Katy B, and Boy George on the ones and twos. The festival is sure to be a flamboyant affair, so dress to impress and leave your inhibitions at the gate. asoneinthepark.co.uk

RANKIN / Lewis Whyld , PA Archive/Press Association Images

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Village Underground Thu 25 April

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out on April 1

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ALSO WORTH A LOOK (AND LISTEN)

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one of the previous lot take your fancy?

Well fear not, for there are plenty more London fests to keep you occupied alll the way into autumn – starting with these.

British Summer Time

July 5-14

Filling the gap left by Wireless and Hard Rock Calling, this multi-faceted affair will see Hyde Park become the home of a range of music, film and sport events. The main event is, of course, the return of The Rolling Stones on July 6, 44 years after their seminal 1969 Hyde Park gig. Joining them will be The Vaccines and The Temper Trap. Comparative whipper-snappers Bon Jovi will kick things off the night before, with Kaiser Chiefs and Bush as support. bst-hydepark.com

Satisfaction guaranteed Keith Richards

Camden Crawl

October – exact date TBA Camden Crawlers will have to travel a little further to get their springtime indie fix this year, with the event re-locating to Dublin on May 3-5. However, it’ll be back in the capital for more venue hopping hedonism in October – a welcome highlight of what can otherwise be a rather dark month. Keep an eye on their website for exact dates and line-up announcements. thecamdencrawl.com

Streetfest LDN

lukas maeder

May 5

Rare UK show American rapper Oddisee London lad Stockwell-born rapper Dot Rotten

This Shoreditch street party brings together urban musicians and artists from across the UK. Curated by tastemakers such as the Urban Nerds club night, it lays on DJs and live acts to keep the party going all day long. The hiphop heavy line-up includes American rapper Oddisee and home-grown talent Dot Rotten. streetfest.net

Apple Cart

date TBA

This is Field Day’s older sister, offering up a more mature (read: less hedonistic) mix of music, comedy, art and cabaret. The one-day event is a great opportunity for all of the family to enjoy a festival experience, with activities for the kids as well as the grown-ups. Details of the date and location are yet to be announced, but keep an eye on the Eat Your Own Ears website to find out more.

12 Scout London scoutlondon.com

eatyourownears.com

Seconds before the giant snooker ball disaster Apple Cart Festival

BEYOND THE M25 (JUST)

If I see anyone not paying attention... High Definition

I

Standon Calling

August 2-4, hertfordshire

f you fancy getting out of London, just not too far, here are some interesting festivals taking place within an hour (or so) of the capital.

This year’s theme at the Hertfordshire hedonists’ hideout is ‘Running Away from the Circus’. The outfits are as important as the artists at this small and cosy gathering. Lineup highlights include De La Soul, AlunaGeorge and Band of Skulls. standon-calling.com

In The Woods

high definition

Red Rooster

This one is for the adventurous spirits among us. Organised by experimental pop outfit Laurel Collective, it’s a one-day party that takes place in a secret woodland location in Kent. Lights and art installations cascade from the trees and a big bonfire acts as the focal point. There are only 750 tickets, so you’ll have to move fast if you want a piece of the woodland action.

Labrinth, Ms Dynamite and Shy FX are among the big names heading to Essex for this popular dance music all-dayer. Four stages will blast out a range of contemporary and old school classics to 10,000 baying hedonists, and all for a very reasonable £25. Also on the bill are the likes of Dot Rotten, Joker, Oneman, Maya Jane Coles and Lee Foss.

This is a specialist shindig for lovers of down and dirty Americana. New to the festival circuit, the three-day event will see the grounds of Euston Hall in Suffolk come alive with classic rhythm and blues, soul, roots and country music. Look forward to sets from the likes of The Jim Jones Revue, Heartless Bastards and Kitty, Daisy & Lewis.

inthewoodsfestival.co.uk

highdefinitionfestival.co.uk

redrooster.org.uk

August 31, KENT

The colour of funny Paint fight at Secret Garden Party

JUNE 29, Essex

September 13-15, suffolk

Secret Garden Party

July 25-28, cambridgeshire

It often feels like the whole of east London has decamped to Cambridgeshire for this annual celebration of eclectic music, high jinx and dress-up. Alongside acts including Django Django, Bastille and Soulwax, this year’s fest will also be brought to life by a plethora of arty offerings from the likes of the Artful Badgers and their immersive feral theatre forum. secretgardenparty.com

andrew whitton

NICK CARO / WHEELZWHEELER / STARTRAKS PHOTO, REX FEATURES

Not a dance craze likely to catch on High Definition

scoutlondon.com Scout London 13

LONDON FESTIVAL GUIDE

NDON FESTIVAL GUIDE

A very Hackney holiday Field Day

INTERVIEW

Field Day’s Tom Baker

F

ield Day is generally considered to be one of London’s most eclectic and experimental festivals, and one of the best places to catch the stars of tomorrow when they’re still wet behind the ears. Organiser Tom Baker tipped us off on the acts to watch out for at this year’s event.

Thomas Mapfumo He’s a Zimbabwean Afro-pop artist with a great live show.

He has lots of energy and is really fun to watch on stage.

In the past we’ve had the likes of Sun Ra on the line-up and world music seems to work really well at Field Day. He’ll be playing on the main stage mid-afternoon – hopefully the sun will be shining and he’ll get everybody up and dancing.

14 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Daphni

Solange

This is a new project for Caribou, who has played to massive audiences at Field Day in the past. This will be a very different experience, as he’ll be playing in the Bugged Out dance tent with a completely new sound. He has only ever done this show once before, in the Bussey Building in Peckham. So for most people it will be their first opportunity to see the show and find out what it entails.

Beyonce’s younger sister isn’t exactly an unknown, but this will be her first ever London festival show, so it will be really exciting to watch. I saw her play at XOYO and she is really brilliant live. She performs with Dev Hynes from Blood Orange and the band are incredibly slick. It’s a wellchoreographed pop show that should go down really well with the Field Day crowd.

Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs

John Cooper-Clarke

This is a new band that I’m really excited about. They’re a lot like early Supergrass – it’s a great London indie sound. They’re not very well known at this stage, but they write really clever and catchy pop songs. I think that by the time the festival comes around a lot more people will know about them.

He is an amazing poet and performer who has supported everyone from New Order to Joy Division to Buzzcocks.

He even worked with Plan B on his recent film project.

He’ll be headlining the Shacklewell Arms tent this year and it’s your opportunity to see one of our greatest living songwriters. He’s a true musician’s musician.

Head honcho Tom Baker Soul sister Solange Knowles

FLOOR FILLERS

FESTIVAL FASHION

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Listen to this playlist: j.mp/scoutfloor

D

ance music is as integral to the festival landscape as wellies and booze. We hooked up with Annie Mac Presents regular and new Radio One recruit Monki (pictured above) to find out what tracks will be big in the dance tents this summer.

2. Joy Orbison – Big Room Tech House This one’s very self-explanatory!

You won’t necessarily hear it at the more commercial festivals but it’s gonna be really popular with the late-night rave crowd.

1. Duke Dumont ft.

A*M*E – Need U (100%)

3. Mele – Confetti Cannons

This track hasn’t even been officially released yet and everybody from Zane Lowe to Annie Mac is already playing it. It’s going to be huge. It’s so listenable – like the Au Seve of 2013. Plus, Skream’s done a disco edit that you have to hear – it’s the best thing he’s done in ages.

Mele wrote this when he got home from Creamfields last year and you can tell. It’s got a really euphoric sound with massive trance chords. It’s coming out on Shy FX’s label, Digital Soundboy. It’s perfect for festivals – I can just picture people on shoulders throwing plastic cups at each other.

4. Rustie – Slasherr This is the first single that Rustie has released since his album last year. It’s got an epic sound that will work well at the festivals. It’s unmistakably Rustie.

one are the days of bumbags and pack-a-macs at festivals (unless worn ironically, of course).

The big summer events now act as your very own muddy catwalk – the perfect place to be seen and snapped in your best attire.

We hooked up with Hannah Bodsworth from the Nicely Turned Out London street style blog for some tips on how to be sartorially savvy this summer.

Guidelines for the Guys

Guidelines for the girls

On your feet - Bold coloured high top trainers keep those ankles mud free, and Converse and Nike do wipe-clean leather.

Tights: A pair of opaque tights can be discreetly removed in event of a heat wave and won’t restrict a good stomp to Calvin Harris like rain-sodden jeans will.

Wear with a thigh skimming dress in this season’s graphic print trends.

Get shirty: In acid wash, dip-dye or chequered, a shirt can be layered, buttoned and rolled to suit the weather.

Head wear: Pull together an ensemble with a white Panama hat or tapestry print baseball cap.

If hats aren’t your thing, Topman have some eye catching leopard print or tie-dye hoodies to protect your barnet.

Avoid: Onesies – see above.

Footwear: The more dedicated fashion follower can be spotted in stacked heels at a London fest, but with Nike Air Max trainers popping up on catwalks and the likes of Hunter and Joules keeping wellies chic, practical needn’t be a drab option.

Statement accessories: Dress up an outfit with one or two statement items. An appliqué bomber jacket, metallic rucksack or oversized Karen Walker sunnies should do the trick.

Strut your stuff Extravagance is good Double act Wear as a pair

Avoid: Play suits – not fun in cramped portable toilets.

Hot to trot Festival fashion at Field Day

5. DJ Snake – Bird Machine This tune is part of a genre that is very popular at the moment, called trap music. The track has bird sounds in it, so very apt for outdoor festivals. It looks set to spawn the next Harlem Shake dance craze – I’ve already noticed people on dancefloors doing bird dance moves to it! scoutlondon.com Scout London 15

16 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Steve Tanner

Swing State

As Bianco, the latest show from contemporary circus troupe NoFit State, opens at the Roundhouse, Caroline Bishop visits rehearsals to find a bunch of regular people doing incredible things

D

own a long corridor, through two sound-proofed doors, in a large rehearsal room in the bowels of the Wales Millennium Centre, something intriguing is happening. Four tall scaffold pillars hold up a huge circular metal lattice, reaching nearly to the high ceiling. Cuboid cages dangle from wires and four large towers, resembling giant kitchen vegetable trolleys, are wheeled into position. Scampering over them are members of contemporary circus troupe NoFit State, who are being directed by Firenza Guidi in the opening sequence of their show Bianco.

“I don’t want you to look false, like someone put you on a Christmas tree,” Firenza calls up to a performer perched on a ‘chair’ on top of one of the trolleys.

“Don’t do it if it doesn’t feel natural.”

Music starts, and the performers begin to move, winding limbs around metal, mock-falling from on high, rushing from trolley to trolley, a cacophony of shrieks and laughter filling the space. It’s like a playground for acrobats – Firenza even has a whistle. “Move faster!” she shouts, grinning. “Put chilli peppers up your ass!”

This is how contemporary circus is created, NoFit State style: with skill, invention, raw energy and bundles of passion.

Founded by a group of student jugglers in 1986, Cardiff-based NoFit State have grown to become one of the UK’s leading contemporary circus companies, with shows including Immortal, Tabu, Labyrinth and now Bianco – which premiered at The Eden Project last summer – praised by critics for their raw physicality and personalitydriven style. For many, NoFit State are an antidote to the slick, finely honed, corporate circus propagated by Cirque du Soleil. This is circus performed not by superhumans but by ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

That’s evident as I arrive at the rehearsal space to find them working on their individual skills. In one corner, two free-runners are bouncing off trampolines onto platforms. Last week, I’m told, one of them came off the trampoline and

hit his head. It looked nasty, but he soon bounced back (sorry). In the centre of the room, several women are practising rope work. One, an American called Sage, her arm a canvas of tattoos, winds the rope around her body and turns upside down.

Firenza praises her for her “muscular, wiry, almost masculine” quality, “which is going against the grain of very pretty dance trapeze”. It’s a quality she’s working to bring out in Sage’s performance.

“Our director works really hard to keep us real people,” says tightwire artist Ariele, who joined recently from Chicago. “Some shows, the performers don’t seem human and you can’t quite relate to them.”

By emphasising NoFit’s performers as regular, fallible people – injuries and all – their skills are even more impressive.

This everyman status is also reflected in their ages. Some, like trampolinist Nat, are fresh-faced newbies – the company runs its own trainee programme and several are performing in Bianco. But many are beyond what you might think the optimum age. Ariele is 35. Marco, whose role involves counter-weighting for Sage, is “definitely over 35!”. With his beard, earring and rugged face, he looks, Firenza says, “lived”, a characteristic she values rather than hides.

This individuality all feeds into Bianco, a show which Firenza says explores the nature of identity. “There is a directness, a feeling of being quite straightforward but also quirky, sensual, seductive, endearing, vulnerable,” she says of the performances she’s trying to extract. “The vulnerability is what they find most difficult, because it’s a lot easier to hide behind make-up or costume than to say, ‘Who am I?’.”

She’s an intriguing individual herself: a petite, middle-aged Italian with a Mary Quant bob, immaculately dressed in a black suit and patterned shirt, she looks too neat and composed to be director of this wildly inventive circus – though her passion is evident even during rehearsals.

She trained as an actress and singer before turning to directing. This is her fourth NoFit State show.

The industry has changed a lot since her first, 2004’s Immortal. “When I

started, [contemporary circus] was still quite new as an artistic language in its own right,” she says. Immortal, for example, was one of the first ‘promenade’ productions (she prefers the term ‘immersive’), allowing the audience “to be actively involved in the narrative” as they walk around and below performers. Since then, new companies have emerged, building on NoFit’s work, reaching new audiences and “putting out there this idea that circus is no longer lions and elephants”.

NoFit may be contemporary in performance, but it’s traditional in other ways. Its annual six-month-long tour doesn’t involve fancy buses and roadies, but a convoy of caravans and a willingness to muck in: everyone, performers and creatives alike, helps to construct their portable performance tent, clean the loos, cook and care for each other. “You get to learn things like welding,” laughs assistant producer Camille. It’s a lifestyle choice, adds Marco, who’s been with them a decade and took his newborn son on tour during his first year. “If you’re not into it, you might as well leave.”

The number that stay is testament to the strength of this circus family. Producer Zoe started as a performer before moving to a production role, as did costume designer Rhiannon, who’s busily sewing in another room. Unsurprisingly, there are no identikit leotards in sight: Rhiannon shows me a selection of vintage bathing suits, a bespoke dress created from two others sewn together, and a red wig of Marge Simpson proportions. The theme is “vintage contemporary”, she says. Isn’t that a contradiction? “Yes,” she laughs.

“But then so is the director!”

Walking back into Cardiff city centre, I pass the company’s base on John Street.

Around the back are a bunch of caravans.

“That’s where I’m living right now,” smiles Camille. ‘Vintage contemporary’ suddenly seems apt for NoFit State: a very modern circus company, living in a traditional travelling community, determined to do things their own way.

NoFit State Circus: Bianco, The Roundhouse, until April 27, roundhouse.org.uk/bianco scoutlondon.com Scout London 17

ZSL London Zoo at ZSL London Zoo, Regent’s Park, NW1 4RY Regent’s Park daily £25, child £18, concs £22.50, disabled carer and under 3s, FREE. The world famous attraction’s £3.6m Tiger Territory exhibit allows visitors to get up close and personal with two critically endangered Sumatran big cats. Until Mar 31, 2014.

Monday April 8 Board Games And Beyond! at Upstairs At The Ritzy, Coldharbour Lane, SW2 1JG Brixton FREE, 6.30pm.

Led by board games champion and enthusiast Charlie Fish.

Tuesday April 9 Roberto Costantini In Conversation With Barry Forshaw: Talk at The Italian Cultural Institute, 39 Belgrave Square, SW1X 8NX Hyde Park Corner FREE, 6.30pm. A talk with the author.

An Evening With Andrew Motion: Poetry reading at Lauderdale House, Highgate Hill, Waterlow Park, N6 5HG Archway £12.50 inc wine, 8pm. The former poet laureate reads his poetry.

From Worm To Wardrobe: Wearing Spitalfields Silk: Talk at Bishopsgate Institute, 230 Bishopsgate, EC2M 4QH Liverpool Street £7, concs £5, phone for availabiltiy, 7pm. Curator Beatrice Behlen discusses making clothes from the material.

Boy George: Bowie Style: Talk at Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL South Kensington £9, concs £6, adv booking required, 6.30pm-7.30pm. The popstar and DJ chats about David Bowie’s influence on the New Romantic scene.

Radical Thinkers: Nina Power On Fiery Brook by Ludwig Feuerbach: Talk at ICA, 12 Carlton House Terrace, The Mall, SW1Y 5AH Charing Cross FREE, 6.45pm. A talk about the German philosopher and his work.

Wednesday April 10 Ireland As Paradise: Huguenot Military, Political And Economic Power: Talk at Bishopsgate Institute, 230 Bishopsgate, EC2M 4QH Liverpool Street £7, concs £5, 7pm. The Very Reverend Dr William McComish discusses the founding of French communities in east London and the country at large.

Soldiers Traumas: From World War Two To Afghanistan at The Frontline Club, 13 Norfolk Place, W2 1QJ Paddington £12.50, 7pm. Talk with journalist Charles Glass and ex-soldier and writer Jake Wood.

Technology, Science And Society From The 18th To The 20th Centuries: Course at The Royal Institution Of Great Britain, 21 Albemarle Street, W1S 4BS Green Park £200, mems £180, inc course materials and refreshments, 7pm8.30pm, ends May 15. Learn about the history of technology with Professor Frank James.

Weekend travel update

Thursday April 11

Saturday April 13

Robert Newman: Book Launch at Waterstones, Islington, 10-12 Islington Green, N1 2XH Angel FREE, 8pm-10pm.

The author and comedian discusses his book The Trade Secret.

A String Of Rites: Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre: The Rite Of Spring & Petrushka at Sadler’s Wells, Rosebery Avenue, EC1R 4TN Angel £12-£38, 7.30pm, Until Sat. Choreographer Michael Keegan-Dolan interprets, and honours, two of Stravinsky’s most famous ballets.

Duty Before Fiction: Conan Doyle In The Boer And Great Wars: Lecture at National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, SW3 4HT Sloane Square FREE, 12.30pm. A talk on how war influenced the great Sherlock Holmes author.

Eric Ravilious: A Travelling Artist: Talk at Bankside Gallery, 48 Hopton Street, SE1 9JH Blackfriars £10, inc glass of wine, mems £8, 6pm. James Russell, author of the popular series Ravilious in Pictures.

Food Allergy: A Modern Plague?: Talk at Highgate Literary & Scientific Institution, 11 South Grove, N6 6BS Archway FREE, 8pm-9.30pm.

Professor Jonathan Brostoff discusses how and why people are allergic to various foods.

A C Grayling: Talk at Waterstones Hampstead, 68-69 Hampstead High Street, NW3 1QP Hampstead £6, mems £4, 7pm-8pm. The author talks about his examination of the Humanist outlook on life.

Friday April 12

District Line No service between Turnham Green and Ealing Broadway all weekend.

Piccadilly line trains call additionally at Turnham Green.

DLR No service between Bank/Tower Gateway and Canary Wharf/Canning Town all weekend. Also, no service between Stratford and Canary Wharf due to planned engineering works.

Northern Line No service between Camden Town and Charing Cross all weekend.

Piccadilly Line No service between Acton and Uxbridge all weekend. Replacement buses operate between Acton Town and Rayners Lane, for Metropolitan line connections. Trains also call at Turnham Green.

For the latest information visit tfl.gov.uk 18 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Alchemy : Gauri Sharma Tripathi & Guests: Classical Departures at Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX Waterloo £10 & £15, concs available, 8pm. A unique evening of kathak and bharatanatyam dance with a contemporary twist, hosted by the acclaimed kathak dance artist.

One Night With Joan Collins at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square £30-£45, 7.30pm, Until Sun. The actress shares stories and secrets of her celebrated career.

A String Of Rites: Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre: The Rite Of Spring & Petrushka at Sadler’s Wells, Rosebery Avenue, EC1R 4TN Angel £12-£38, 7.30pm. Michael Keegan-Dolan interprets two of Stravinsky’s most famous ballets.

Balkanplus at Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regents Park Road, NW1 7AY Camden Town £7, adv £5, 7pm10pm. A variety of music and dancing that has its roots in the Balkan countries.

Big Stamp & Scrapbooking Show at Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, N22 7AY Wood Green twoday ticket £8, child £4, OAP £7, one-day ticket £6, child £3, OAP £5, adv booking required, 10am-5pm, 10am-5pm, Until Sun (but returns later this year). Exhibitors and retailers showcasing products and demonstrations of papercrafts.

From The Sketchbook To The Finished Work: Course at Bankside Gallery, 48 Hopton Street, SE1 9JH Blackfriars £90, mems £80, 11.30am-5.30pm.

A class that centres on using the sketchbook to develop spontaneity and immediacy.

The London Electronic Music Event at Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA Aldgate East weekend £120, day £65, morning £35, times vary, Until Sun. Speeches, lectures and tutorials on electronic music will be held across the two-day event.

Sunday April 14 Michael Faraday at Science Museum, Exhibition Road, SW7 2DD South Kensington FREE, 12.30pm1pm, 2pm-2.30pm. An actor playing Michael Faraday shows his cutting-edge experiments that transformed electricity into something a little more practical.

From The Sketchbook To The Finished Work: Course at Bankside Gallery, 48 Hopton Street, SE1 9JH Blackfriars £90, mems £80, 11.30am-5.30pm. Using the sketchbook to develop spontaneity and immediacy.

Dr Timothy Jones: Talk at Wigmore Hall, 36 Wigmore Street, W1U 2BF Bond Street £3, 6pm. The musician talks about French sacred music of the Grand Siecle.

Masterclass: Make A Jumpsuit Or Playsuit With DIY Couture at The Papered Parlour, 7 Prescott Place, SW4 6BS Clapham Common £77.50 inc refreshments, 12noon-5pm.

Design and make a bespoke all-in-one.

Welcome To Cheese & Wine: Workshop at Vinopolis, 1 Bank End, SE1 9BU London Bridge £50, 1pm. Sample selected wines and cheeses.

Tristram Kenton / Press Association Images

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Aperitivo time Who said Italians do it better? Milan might be sexy, stylish and sunny, but as far as the city’s famous aperitivo culture is concerned, we’re hot on its heels. Ben Norum finds la dolce vita in London

T

he term aperitivo literally refers to an alcoholic beverage consumed prior to a meal with the intention of stimulating the appetite; it is the Italian equivalent of the French aperitif. From this basis, its meaning has grown to encompass a whole way of eating, drinking and socialising, based around sipping cocktails, chatting and enjoying small bites by way of a prelude to dinner.

In cosmopolitan Milan especially, aperitivo has become such a large part of life that, from around 5pm7.30pm daily, almost every bar will offer free food with drinks and run a special happy hour-style limitedtime aperitivo menu. Some venues will bring a board of cheese and charcuterie to the table, others a couple of crostini per drink, and some have a dedicated mini buffet from which drinkers can help themselves.

Unless you count a few salted nuts at the bar, it’s only very recently that we’ve seen anything similar in London. And it’s only in the past six months that it’s really made its mark.

Russell Norman’s hugely popular and 20 Scout London scoutlondon.com

effortlessly trend-setting restaurant Polpo, near Carnaby Street, was an early player with a menu of cicchetti – a kind of Venetian small plate, eaten in a similar way to tapas – that was heavily influenced by the aperitivo style of socialising. With the opening of a dedicated Campari bar downstairs, it revealed its true commitment to the cause.

Campari, Aperol and vermouths such as Martini are the backbone of aperitivo. They are dry, herbal, astringent, bitter drinks that cause salivation, therefore readying the body for the meal to follow. They are

Appetite whetter Aperol spritz

also the drinks responsible for the most common aperitivo cocktails both in Italy and here in London: negronis, aperol spritz and martinis.

These cocktails are the starting point of a more creative list at Theo Randall at the Intercontinental on Park Lane, where a complimentary antipasti platter is given to anyone who orders from the aperitivo menu of an early evening. At Banca in Mayfair, the bar team have devised an entire negroni menu, offering heavier, lighter and sparkling versions of the classic; from 5pm-7.30pm, Tuesday to Friday, they lay food out on the bar for drinkers to help themselves. Portobello Road’s Pizza East restaurant is also in on the act, with boards full of beef carpaccio, lardo and pear crostini, and grilled sardines available to pick at while you drink. Apero restaurant, which opened in the Ampersand Hotel in South Kensington late last year, has a bar and a name dedicated to the aperitivo spirit, and no shortage of creative twists on classic Italian cocktails, while long-standing Italian restaurant Tempo, close to Green

Park, now has a decadent upstairs lounge space reserved solely for aperitivo, though they’re not as strict on timings as they would be across the Channel. The confusingly likenamed Il Tempo, just off The Strand, does aperitivo and only aperitivo in the evenings. Though unshowy, it’s worth seeking out as one of the capital’s most authentic.

Something London hasn’t yet been converted to is vermouth.

We’ll happily swing it into a mix, but rarely enjoy it on its own, as they would in Italy where it’s seen as the ultimate aperitivo drink. The bar team at Soho’s Mele E Pere are trying to change this. Not only have they started making their own, very delicious vermouths, but they’ve also launched a series of vermouth masterclasses through which to pass on their enthusiasm.

Our relatively early dining time compared with Italy means we don’t have as long to get stuck into aperitivo as they do, and in some cases we’re starting to turn what should be a drinks-led social snack into a full-on dining experience, just as we’ve done with tapas. But, nevertheless, aperitivo-style drinks are taking up more and more space on bar menus all around town. Let’s hope that, like true aperitivo, this is just a taste of what’s to come.

Top Ten

aperitivo hour

cocktails

E Pere Homemade vermouth; deep 1 Mele fried olives W1F 9TF Piccadilly Circus

2

Banca An entire negroni menu W1K 6HP Bond Street

Tempo authentic & convivial 3 IlRustic, WC2N 4HS Charing Cross

4

Theo Randall at the Intercontinental Plush platters and sexy surrounds W1J 7QY Hyde Park Corner

It’s all in the name, a 5 Apero dedicated aperitivo bar

SW7 3ER South Kensington

Boudoir meets cocktail den in 6 Tempo the lavish upper room W1J 8PG

7

Green Park

Campari Bar at Polpo Lowlit and rustic but very on-trend W1F 9SB Oxford Circus

East A buffet to tuck into as 8 Pizza you sip W10 5TA Ladbroke Grove

Star Serving one of London’s best 9 Portobello white negronis W11 2DY Ladbroke Grove

10

Cucina Asellina Gutsy snacks at the bar Temple WC2R 1HA

K-10 the City ££ The world’s first conveyor belt sushi restaurant opened in Osaka in 1958, coming about as a sound-minded Japanese solution to several very real problems. It cut down on the number of waiting staff needed, it offered customers more choice through lots of small portions, and it meant that groups of diners could each eat exactly how much they wanted, thus saving on waste. Primarily, though, the conveyor belt restaurant was devised as a way to feed many mouths well under a heavy time constraint.

Being able to do that in the City of London on a weekday lunchtime is enough to make a restaurant memorable.

Welcome to the legend that is K-10.

At times during our comparatively leisurely lunch, it’s hard to know which represents the greatest art form: the intricately wrapped, rolled, dressed and garnished dishes that travel gracefully around the room, or the superbly efficient way suitclad diners are shown to empty seats, allowed to get their fill and then led back out. The atmosphere is somehow both hectic and serene, like watching a 100m sprint in slow motion or a sped-up time lapse of the city played to a slow beat.

There’s only so much time for poetic images, though. Much more pressing is the array of delicacies circulating the room. Beautifully seared sliced tuna benefits from ever-so-slightly crisped edges and a black sesame coating, but remains succulently raw within; glisteningly fresh fatty salmon is wrapped around refreshing cress and cucumber, and topped with red chilli; sea bass

sashimi is delicately creamy, offset by a citrusy yuzu-laced soy sauce and a little coriander.

Hot dishes are ordered separately and much more robust. Soft shell crab is crisp and dry, but yielding moist, fleshy meat; crispy squid has the crunch and saltiness of a prawn cracker but a silken centre; gyoza have pleasantly firm and browned bases, but meltingly soft, steamed upper halves.

In flavour and in texture, it’s all about contrast and it works every time.

A vegetarian ‘nori roll’ swaps seaweed for thinly sliced aubergine and is filled with avocado and sundried tomato. It may be more Mediterranean than oriental, but as someone who despises vegetarian sushi, it says a lot that I’d happily eat it all day.

Plates start at £2 a pop, and the majority of dishes are well under a fiver; bottles from the Camden Town Brewery are a nice addition to the drinks list. Service is especially friendly, but maybe it helps that the staff don’t have to carry plates around all day.

I’ve so far deliberately avoided any comparisons with Yo! Sushi, but I feel it has to be done.

You’ve probably guessed that the quality of fish, complexity of flavouring, intricacy of presentation and level of service here blow the chain out of the water. But you might not have guessed that K-10 is a good deal cheaper, too.

Ben Norum 3 Appold Street, EC2A 2AF Liverpool Street scoutlondon.com Scout London 21

Casa Malevo Marylebone £££

A. Wong Victoria £

Set in the swish part of Marylebone (which has mysteriously acquired the name Connaught Village), Casa Malevo is a homely restaurant that feels like the pad of a particularly stylish friend. It’s doubtful, however, that said friend could rustle up such an impressive starter as the house special, provoleta, a dish of grilled Argentine provolone cheese with tomatoes, peppers and oregano, served bubbling and slightly crisptopped in a cast-iron pan. If they got their hands on some superbly well-hung and marbled rib-eye steak of the kind that follows, they might stand a better chance at the main course, though the combination of crisp, seared beef fat, rare meat, chimichurri dressing and sexy bone marrow gravy is good enough for you not to care who cooked it. We suggest making friends with the chef. Ben Norum

Victoria may be a transport hub, but it’s one of the most barren places in central London when it comes to eating out. So the replacment of an any-old-Chinese restaurant with this modern version, pulling influences from across the whole country, is something to be celebrated. From delicate steamed scallop with ginger and spring onion to punchy gong bao chicken, lavished with peanuts and Sichuan pepper via moo-shu slow-cooked, fatty pork, thinly sliced and served in duck-style pancakes, a clear grasp of flavouring, spicing and seasoning wins over throughout.

Dishes such as sesame-buttered smoked chicken prove that Chinese food can still be different, exciting and dynamic, and for that alone A. Wong is worth a visit. The menu is short and the portions small, but with incredibly cheap prices, this just means you can taste the lot. BN

23 Connaught Street, W2 2AY

70-71 Wilton Road, SW1V 1DE

Marble Arch

Victoria

Beard to Tail Shoreditch £££

Little Social Mayfair £££

Callooh Callay is widely held to be one of the best bars in London.

Several times we’ve perused the drinks list, plumped for something random and been taken aback by just how good it is. At Beard To Tail, its sibling restaurant, the opposite is true of the food. Dishes that sound exciting on the menu, veer towards the distinctly average upon arrival. An offal salad contains heart, liver, kidney and sweetbreads, but no leaves; the meat is overcooked and slightly tough. Pulled beef is succulent and deep flavoured, but tarnished by an unusually sweet hollandaise. So-called ‘fat daddy chips’ have crossed the threshold into obesity, and are better described as ‘soggy potato wedges’. Pork cheeks are supremely tender and a saviour of our meal, but the accompanying ginger and dill pickles aren’t enough. This is an overpriced and overhyped venue that thinks it’s trendy, but could really just do with a shave. BN

Across the road from its daddy, Pollen Street Social, sits this new opening from Jason Atherton, a slightly less formal and less expensive French-inspired bistro. It’s gone from concept to reality in a particularly short space of time, which is something that certainly can’t be said of the menu’s stand-out ox cheeks. Having benefited from a generously slow cook, they are delectably soft and juicy, crowned with a roast bone marrow and sourdough crumb. If that was winter, a starter of marinated salmon with sugar snaps, radish and sorrel feels like spring, the salmon seared so as to blister on the outside while remaining beautifully raw within. A pig’s head and foie gras terrine is every bit as regal and decadent as it sounds. As the name suggests, Little Social isn’t out to make a massive impact on the London restaurant scene, but the little it does, it does very well indeed. BN

77 Curtain Road, EC2A 3BS

5 Pollen Street, W1S 1NE

22 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Old Street

Oxford Circus

Exhibition sponsored by

pint-sized pieces of history...

T

he George is London’s last remaining galleried coaching inn. A pub probably George Inn Yard, sat on this site 77 Borough from as early as the High Street, 14th century, but SE1 1NH the building which now stands was rebuilt in 1676 after being destroyed by fire. Originally it was a final stop

George Inn

JUST OPENED

JUST STARTED

Brompton Asian Brasserie 223-225 Brompton Road, SW3 2EJ South Kensington £££ Following the successful launch of Russian oligarch Novikov’s first eponymous restaurant in Mayfair over a year ago, he’s gone and opened this new venue in Kensington.

Where the original was split between Asian and Italian food, this new opening will serve European food at breakfast and Asian cuisine at lunch and dinner.

As before, small plates will sit alongside mains; the prices will remain high, but not quite as blisteringly expensive as at the original.

Brunch Beats at Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town 12-16 Artillery Lane, E1 7LS Liverpool Street ££ This subterranean hideaway, entered through the fridge of The Breakfast Club in Spitalfields is no longer the secret it once was. But, they’ve just launched a new Sunday brunch event, combining their signature music and drinks with the breakfasts from upstairs. DJs will be playing from noon onwards each Sunday, with booking advised for tables. Walk-ins are welcome for those just wanting drinks, or willing to take the chance. BOOK

for coachmen before entering the historic City of London via London Bridge, the only river crossing at the time. It’s now split into several bars across three floors; on the ground floor, the Parliament Bar contains a rare Parliament Clock, and what is now The Middle Bar was originally the coffee room, a favourite spot of Charles Dickens, who mentioned the pub in Little Dorrit. It is now owned by the National Trust.

Check On’s ‘Hen Party’ Sunday Lunches The Endurance, 90 Berwick Street, W1F 0QB Leicester Square ££ This month sees the return of the Check On team with a series on relaxed lunches at a Soho pub. The menu is based around top notch freerange Goosnargh chicken and includes: chicken dippers, tea and dumplings, spineless chicken and truffled chips, and eggs and soldiers.

The lunches will run on April 14 and 21, starting at 2pm. Tickets cost £30. Search “hen party” at billeto.co.uk.

THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE

COMING SOON

gossip from the foodie frontline...

Cava is set to be a big thing in London this summer. Spanish restaurant group Camino announced that they would open London’s “first authentic dedicated cava bar” a month or so back, but Aqua Nueva just off Regent Street have beaten them to it, with 15 award-winning bottles already available. Camino’s version is to launch near St. Paul’s in late Spring.

The Fluid Movement team have had to close Dach & Sons in Hampstead due to lack of business. The venue’s unique mix of burgers and hotdogs, whisky and craft beer was bang ontrend when it opened last July, but the popularity was short-lived. Fluid Movement still run Purl in Marylebone and Worship Street Whistling Shop in Shoreditch.

London brewery Meantime is to up its London-y credentials by creating a special brew made from hops grown in the heart of the capital. True Brew of London, as it will be known will have hops for it grown in locations including St James’ Park, Regent’s Park, The Natural History Museum, and Battersea Power Station.

The team behind Taste of London are launching a new show, Lab, at the end of April, to take place at Tobacco Docks, Docklands. It will have a focus on experimental cooking, molecular mixology and modern flavour matching. Names rumoured to be taking part include Ashley Palmer-Watts, Tony Conigliaro and Massimo Bottura.

24 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Tesco is encroaching yet more on our food & drink scene. Already the biggest retailer of food in the UK, the supermarket giant has now bought the popular Giraffe chain with a view to incorporating them into their stores. They also own a 49% stake in Harris and Hoole coffee shops, of which there are several in London including on Tooley Street.

NOW

Seafood Terrace at Babylon Babylon Restaurant, 99 Kensington High Street, W8 5SA High Street Kensington £££ In a move that’s fairly optimistic given recent weather, 7th floor restaurant Babylon set within Kensington’s incredible Roof Gardens has opened its seafood terrace for the summer. Warm, balmy nights may be a while off, but with no end of lobster, crab, king prawns and other seafood, plus English wine, local beers and specially created cocktails to enjoy, the terrace is well and truly open for business.

The Truscott Arms 55 Shirland Road, W9 2JD Maida Vale £££ With ex-Galvin at Windows chef Etienne Bruwer at the helm, this new pub, restaurant and exhibition space is set to make a big impression in Maida Vale. The South African chef makes his own biltong-style bar snacks from British venison, while the upstairs restaurant offers refined British pub food. London-brewed craft beer is joined by a wine list made up of small, artisanal growers from across the world.

Story 201 Tooley Street, SE1 2UE London Bridge £££ This new restaurant from Tom Sellers is probably the most hyped launch of the year so far. Following a sell-out preview pop-up, Foreword, the real deal is opening on April 16. The reservation line is now open. Call 020 7183 2117 to book a table and either a six (£45) or ten (£65) course menu that includes: scallops, cucumber & dill ash; beef cheek, stout & cauliflower yeast; and three bears’ porridge.

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

WIN!

A three course meal for two paired with specially matched beers at newly refurbished Hampstead gastropub The Spaniards TWEET TO ENTER : @ScoutLondon @TheSpaniardsInn #FeedMeScout Winners will be chosen at random. Closing date is April 14 2013.

Must be redeemed by May 31 2013, not valid on bank holidays.

Terms & conditions here: j.mp/compScout

OXFORDIAN WORLD

BOOZERS & BYGONES

DRINK IN

COOK IN

Mozart Black Chocolate

Science Museum Marinade Set

This unique drink is a spirit not a liqueur, which simply means it doesn’t have added sugar. In taste terms, it means it has none of the sickly sweet or overly creamy characteristics that liqueurs often do. Instead, it has notes of dark chocolate, vanilla and caramel, as well as a slight smoky flavour and a bitter, long-lasting finish reminiscent of toasted cocoa beans.

Drink by itself as a digestif, mix into a martini or, to create sprightly spring drink the Mozart Honey Bunny, as is available at The Exhibit in Balham and Camden’s Lockside Lounge, blend 25ml of Mozart Black Chocolate with 15ml dark rum, 10ml caramel sauce, 10ml amaretto, 10ml honey and a small pinch of sea salt.

Drink and enjoy. Responsibly, of course.

Perhaps you take marinating very seriously. Or maybe someone in your life does and you need to get them a gift.

Or you could just fancy yourself as a member of the CSI cast. Either way, let us introduce you to this marinating set from the Science Museum. A stylish flask holds a glass pipette complete with a silicone bulb to draw liquid up out of the flask, and a silicone brush with which to apply the marinade to your food. A second glass bulb towards the top of the pipette also acts as a stopper for the 36cl flask. If you want the most precisely marinated steaks in London, then this should be just the ticket.

£17.49, available at Gerry’s Wines & Spirits on Old Compton Street and other good drinks shops mozart-spirits.com

£16, available at sciencemuseumshop.co.uk

scoutlondon.com Scout London 25

‘One of the most stunning pieces of theatre I have ever seen’ Baz Bamigboye · Daily Mail · 22 Feb 2013

12

First ‘Cabaret’ then ‘Chicago’ and now...

TONY AWARD

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SUSAN AN TROM AVID FRED DTHOMPSON S EBB BOOK

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18 OCT – 23 NOV 020 7922 2922 YOUNGVIC.ORG

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PHOTOGRAPH: CHRIS NASH

Maps not apps Put your phone away and take a different view of the capital with this collection of beautiful, quirky and imaginative London maps

luck of the draw

quirky cartography

the life cycle

Illustrator David Ryan Robinson spent six months sketching his own version of the city, including landmarks such as the Olympic Park and London Zoo, to create this absorbing vision of the capital.

Map of London, £120, from davidryanrobinson.com

Fantastically fun and quirky, this handdrawn map by artist Jojo Oldham shows “the best and the worst” of our fair city, and is full of “crap drawings, musings and mistakes”. But that’s precisely its charm.

We Love You London print, £120, from lovelyjojos.com

The Future Mapping Company produces a variety of uber-stylish maps, including this bike-friendly view of the city. The map is highlighted to show cycle routes, greenways and alternatives to busy roads.

London Map 2012 aqua - champagne apple, £36-£89, from futuremaps.co.uk

Modern vintage

looking underground

mappy days

Among the stunning maps produced by Wellingtons Travel is this beautiful, 19th century-style rendering of the modern capital, hand-drawn by cartographer and artist Anna Butler.

Large Wall Map of London, £64.98, from wellingtonstravel.com

Acclaimed artist Stephen Walter follows his famous map of London (The Island) with this fascinating view of the city beneath our feet – a subterranean world of rivers, Tube lines, bunkers and tunnels.

London Subterranea, £4,000, from tagfinearts.com

A colourful and quirky take on the capital, courtesy of artist Jenni Sparks, this map highlights both landmarks and fun locations such as celebrity birthplaces and favourite pubs.

Hand-Drawn Map of London, £75, from evermade.com

scoutlondon.com Scout London 27

Moving with the times The London Transport Museum is a fascinating place, but the displays barely scratch the surface of its total collection. This weekend it will take visitors behind the scenes at the west London depot that houses the overspill, and reveal even more secrets and stories about the capital’s journey from past to present. Lucy Peden gets a ticket to ride

A

cton might have its charms, but even the locals would concede they’re pretty well hidden.

And yet, it’s here you’ll find the treasure trove of transportation wonders that is the depot of the London Transport Museum. Like many of our city’s great museums, it owns an enormous collection that’s far too large to house in its Covent Garden visitor hub. So it keeps the surplus out here, in a huge warehouse 28 Scout London scoutlondon.com

that looms over you as you emerge from Acton Town Tube.

The depot isn’t usually open to the public. But this weekend the museum is allowing visitors behind the scenes to view some of the 400,000 items hidden away in this Aladdin’s cave of carriages and conveyance. Far from being just a nerdy pilgrimage for trainspotters, the depot offers a fascinating journey into the city’s past.

Included in the hidden collection

are many original works of art that were produced as ad campaigns for London transport, as well as signs, models, photographs, drawings, uniforms and countless other trinkets and ephemera. The major draw, however, are the old vehicles: trains and buses from throughout the ages, in varying conditions, dating all the way back to the mid-19th century.

It’s these that are expected to attract most attention at the open weekend, and one in particular.

Indian country The Guy special bus, designed for narrow rural roads

Leyland mini A young admirer of the 1936 Leyland Cub

steve lancefield / James E Petts

Signs of the times Yes, Tube stations once had public toilets

First class Jubilee Carriage number 353 dates from 1892, and was recently restored by craftsmen at the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway (who are also running a workshop at the depot this week).

Completed in time to mark the 150th anniversary of the Tube earlier this year, the carriage went on a journey All aboard Decommissioned trains in the Acton depot

with a steam train through the old Metropolitan tunnels to mark the occasion, and was admired by the Queen at Baker Street station.

And there are so many other objects and eras to investigate.

Senior Curator Anna Renton has a personal passion for the 20s and 30s. “It’s an interesting period socially, as all these constructs were changing. For the first time, you could travel across the city affordably, no matter how much money you earned. And everything changed for women, because they could travel un-chaperoned when they hadn’t been able to do so previously.”

My personal favourite is the 30s standard class carriage that was retired in the 80s, with all the original advertisements preserved, including posters for London Zoo, various cigarette brands and female facial

time, every line on the tube had an employee football team, and they all played in a league,” explains Renton.

“The buses are also good fun,” she continues, back in the main section of the depot. “You can see how they evolved from being horse drawn to motorised. For a while, there was a law that they couldn’t have roofs on the second deck, which is how the open-top bus came about.

The first advertisement on the top of the bus was a ‘modesty board’, placed to hide the legs of the lady passengers so they didn’t frighten any passing men.”

This and many other fun and fascinating anecdotes await at the depot open weekend, which is titled We Love Steam and will also feature talks, film screenings and rides on the Acton Miniature Railway. There will also be a series of workshops and classes for both adults and children taking place at the depot throughout this week. Check the Transport Museum website for further details.

hair removal. “We do try to make sure that, when trains are retired, all the original advertisements are kept in, as it’s a really great way of dating them,” explains Renton.

The Small Objects room might not sound quite so exciting, but this too is definitely worth investigating.

“This is where you get a real sense of the people who worked on the Underground and on the buses,” says Renton. “The personal objects are donated, so you usually get a story with the exhibit, which is great.”

She shows me an outfit worn to a TFL fancy dress party, made by a woman who was married to a tram driver. She’d sewn tram tickets onto a dress, and even made a matching fan. I’m also shown a football programme advertising a We Love Steam, London Transport match between TFL players and their Museum Depot, April 13 & 14, Parisian Metro counterparts. “For a ltmuseum.co.uk

scoutlondon.com Scout London 29

A ÂŁ3 booking fee is included in the price of discounted tickets. No booking fee on full price.

TKTS is run by the Society of London Theatre. All profits support the theatre industry.

Mike Nelson: More Things (To The Memory Of Honore De Balzac) at Matt’s Gallery, 42-44 Copperfield Road, E3 4RR Mile End FREE, Until Apr 14.

Contemporary sculptures inspired by the notion of the votive effigy.

Rita Nowak at Ritter/Zamet, 80a Ashfield Street, E1 2BJ Whitechapel FREE, Until Apr 20.

Figurative contemporary photographs from the Austrian photographer.

Central

Gate Studios

Rachel Whiteread: Detached at Gagosian Gallery, Britannia Street, 6-24 Britannia Street, WC1X 9JD King’s Cross St Pancras FREE, Starts Thu, Until May 25. A show of latest sculpture from the Turnerwinning British artist.

Chris Bracey: I’ve Looked Up To Heaven And Been Down To Hell at Scream, 2728 Eastcastle Street, W1J 6QX Oxford Circus FREE, Starts Fri, Until Jun 1. The acclaimed London-based neon artist’s first UK solo exhibition referencing popular culture.

Bernadette Corporation: 2000 Wasted Years at ICA, 12 Carlton House Terrace, The Mall, SW1Y 5AH Charing Cross FREE, Until Jun 9. A retrospective of work by the New York collective since their early-90s inception.

John Flaxman: Plastered at UCL Art Museum, UCL Main Quadrangle, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT Goodge Street FREE, Until Apr 19. Drawings, sketches and designs of sculptures from the artist.

From The Shadows: The Prints Of Sydney Lee RA at Royal Academy Of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, W1J 0BD Green Park £3, mems FREE, adm inc with valid tickets for other exhibitions, Until May 26. A retrospective of the works of the British painterprintmaker.

Candida Hofer: A Return To Italy at Ben Brown Fine Arts, 12 Brook’s Mews, W1K 4DG Bond Street FREE, Until Apr 12. Photographs of the interiors of palaces, opera houses, libraries and theatres in Northern Italy Alan Kane: Punk Shop at Ancient & Modern, 201 Whitecross Street, EC1Y 8QP Old Street FREE, Starts Wed, Until May 18. Contemporary installations and conceptual assemblages created by the London-based artist.

Andre Kertesz: Truth And Distortion, Master Prints From A Private Collection at Atlas, 49 Dorset Street, W1U 7NF Baker Street FREE, Starts Thu, Until May 25. A display of over 400 signed prints by the late Hungarian-born photographer.

Flying Eye At Foyles at Foyles, 113-119 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0EB Tottenham Court Road FREE, Until Apr 29. A union between traditional children’s books illustration and graphic art.

Graham Nash: Life On The Road at Proud Camden, The Horse Hospital, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AH Camden Town FREE, Until May 26. A selection of rock n’’ roll portraits.

Eddie Peake: Adjective Machine Gun at White Cube Bermondsey, 144-152 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3TQ London Bridge FREE, Until Apr 21.

Performances, installations, paintings and sculpture by the London-based postgraduate artist.

Study: Eyes: Martin Boyce at David Roberts Art Foundation, Symes Mews, NW1 7JE Great Portland Street FREE, Until May 11. A folded, metal mask made by the 2011 Turner Prize-winning Scottish artist in 2012.

Katsutoshi Yuasa at Mark Jason Gallery, 1 Bell Street, NW1 5BY Edgware Road phone for prices, Until Nov 5. Contemporary monochrome prints from the Japanese artist.

Gwon Osang: Postmodern Times at HADA Contemporary, 21 Vyner Street, E2 9DG Bethnal Green FREE, Until May 31.

An installation of sculptures set in three series.

Lisa Oppenheim: Heaven Blazing Into The Head at The Approach, 47 Approach Road, E2 9LY Bethnal Green FREE, Until Apr 21. Photography and film

East Mary Fitton: Riverbed Rotherhithe at Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, E2 6HG Bethnal Green FREE, Until Apr 30.

A display of 50 photographs and found objects from the Thames.

Charles Mason at Union Teesdale Street, 94-96 Teesdale Street, E2 6PU Bethnal Green FREE, Until May 11. Precariously balanced structures in ceramic tiles, concrete, metal, rubber and wood.

West Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum at Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum, St Mary’s Hospital, Praed Street, W2 1NY Paddington £4, child/NUS/OAP £2, mems FREE, Until Dec 31. A reconstruction of the laboratory where Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928, plus displays and video footage illuminating this historical moment in medical research. .

Hubert Blanz: Homeseekers at Austrian Cultural Forum, 28 Rutland Gate, SW7 1PQ South Kensington FREE, Until Jun 7. Photographs and audiovisual works by the Austrian media artist.

North Serena Korda: Aping The Beast at Camden Arts Centre, Arkwright Road, NW3 6DG Finchley Road FREE, Until May 5. Films and performances, which explore animal symbolism and folklore, including a centrepiece latex monster puppet.

Alan Scales: Paris In The Sixties: Some Decisive Moments at theLOCALgallery, 14 Avenue Mews, N10 3NP East Finchley FREE, Until Apr 13. A series of black and white photographs depicting Parisian life during the 1960s.

Elements at ArtEco Gallery, 533 Old York Road, SW18 1TG Wandsworth FREE, Until Apr 13. Group installation featuring works by Lise Wulff, Mat Chivers, Sidsel Christensen, Hyojun Hyun and Kyounghee Noh. Modern Masters In Print at Wandsworth Museum, 38 West Hill, SW18 1RX East Putney £6, child under 6 FREE, concs £5, Until Apr 21. An exploration of print works by four leading 20th-century artists, including Dali and Picasso.

Evelyn De Morgan: The Lost Paintings at The De Morgan Centre, 38 West Hill, SW18 1RX Putney East FREE, plus admission £3.60, with gift aid donation 4, child/Wandsworth Museum Friends £3, Until Apr 20. Drawings and studies of the lost paintings by the English preRaphaelite painter.

Pae White: Too Much Night, Again at South London Gallery, 65-67 Peckham Road, SE5 8UH Elephant & Castle FREE, Until May 12. Large-scale installation comprising large quantities of coloured yarn crisscrossing the gallery space.

Raw Skin at Karin Janssen Project Space, 213 Well Street, E9 6QU London Fields FREE, Starts Sat, Until Apr 21.

Confrontational sculptures, photographs, drawings and paintings. installation works created by the New York artist investigating the ways pictures are remembered.

SPILL Festival Of Performance: Martin O’Brien: Last(ing) at Artsadmin, Toynbee Studios, 28 Commercial Street, E1 6AB Algate East £10, concs £8, Starts Thu, Until Apr 11. Performance work depicting themes of physical hardship.

Dorothy Bohm: Sixties London at Proud Chelsea, 161 Kings Road, SW3 5XP Sloane Square FREE, Until Apr 28. Images portraying the photographer’s vision of 1960s London.

David Bowie Is at Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL South Kensington £17.30, NUS/child £10.60, child under 12 FREE, family of 3 £26.20, family of 4 £40.70, OAP £14.10, Until Jul 28. The first global retrospective of the career of the musician, actor, designer and pop culture icon.

South

Dor Guez: 40 DAYS at The Mosaic Rooms, Tower House, 226 Cromwell Road, SW5 0SW Earl’s Court FREE, Starts Fri, Until May 31. A solo exhibition featuring a multi-channel video work and photographic series on the destroyed graves in the Christian Palestinian cemetery in Lod.

Birds, Beasts And Beyond at The Cuming Museum, Old Walworth Town Hall, 151 Walworth Road, SE17 1RS Elephant & Castle FREE, Until Aug 31. A display of ceramics made by the Victorian pottery manufacturer, the Martin Brothers.

Tehran Calling London/London Calling Tehran at London Print Studio, 425 Harrow Road, W10 4RE Westbourne Park FREE, Until Apr 20.

Print, illustration, conceptual art, video, painting, new media, sculpture and photography.

scoutlondon.com Scout London 31

Next week sees the return of Udderbelly, a three-month festival of top-notch comedy, circus and theatre, all housed in a giant, purple, upside-down cow tent on the South Bank.

There’s a load of great stuff happening, but here are our top comedy picks. By Tim Clark Abandoman May 17 & June 17 Fusing an improvised comedy routine with rap isn’t the easiest way to make people laugh, but since breaking through with victories in the Musical Comedy and Hackney Empire Awards in 2010, Abandoman have gone from strength to strength.

Fresh from supporting Ed Sheeran in 2012 and a recent tour of Australia, the Irish duo of Rob Broderick and James Hancox are heading back to London with their latest show of high-end hip-hop hilarity.

Andrew Maxwell May 31 From live gigs in maximum security prisons to breaking into Area 51, there is little that Andrew Maxwell won’t cover either on stage or off. He returned to form at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2011 with his show, The Lights Are On, and followed that up with current show That’s the Spirit.

One of the sharpest wits on the live circuit, little escapes Maxwell’s open, honest and highly amusing attention.

32 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Austentatious - An Improvised Jane Austen Novel May 22 Improv comedy has many forms but this show is at the forefront of a current style that aims to avoid mindless games and instead creates an entire hour-long storyline based on audience suggestions. Taking Jane Austen as their inspiration, the sketch troupe’s discovery of a ‘lost’ work is the premise for the piece.

While the results might not be on a par with Austen’s many classics, an hour of high drama and top-notch character comedy is guaranteed.

Tony Law April 20&27 Scooping two recent Chortle Awards for Best Live Show and Best Club Comic has added to Law’s reputation as one of the hottest comedians currently on the circuit. With a style that mixes pure chaos with adventurous Viking odyssey, Law is akin to a Dr Parnassus of comedy, able to conjure up the ridiculous yet irresistible and transport you to his own imaginarium for an hour of unique stand-up.

Ardal O Hanlon July 12&13 His Father Ted character, Dougal McGuire, may not have been voted in as the new Pope, but Ardal O Hanlon is still a hot ticket when it comes to comedy – particularly when it’s a brand-new show. Like his TV persona, Hanlon has an ability to deliver stand-up under the affable guise of child-like wonder, while mixing it with a fair amount of cutting satire. All delivered with an innocence that befits a child-man of the cloth.

Michael Winslow April 30-May 4 We may all know him solely as Sgt ‘Motor Mouth’ Jones from Police Academy, but Michael Winslow has enough self-generated sound effects up his sleeve to create an action movie soundtrack single-handed.

From traditional helicopters to adlibbed Star Wars scenes, Winslow’s vocal dexterity rolls so naturally off his tongue that it’s easy to forget that it’s only one man producing the cacophony of sound on stage – and his rendition of Jimi Hendrix has to be seen to be believed.

Boy With Tape On His Face June 25-July 14 Silent comedy isn’t usually a popular choice with audiences, but such is the appeal of Sam Willis’s show, Boy With Tape On His Face, that it managed to break through into the West End with a critically acclaimed run last year. Gagged with tape, which serves as a novel way to introduce the mime routine, Willis works with his eyes, telling the story of a man desperately trying to cope while his audience guests create chaos on stage.

Glenn Wool July 9 One of Canada’s finest comedy exports, Glenn Wool has a knack for telling a yarn that can seem both preposterous and plausible at the same time. From being stuck in Indonesian customs to explaining the banking crisis through the prism of an Iron Maiden concert, Wool shows us the ridiculousness of human nature through his eyes.

A must-see show.

Udderbelly, April 12- July 14, Jubilee Gardens, South Bank, udderbelly.co.uk

STEVER / mark nixon /

Milking the laughs

ONGOING

Pappy’s: Last Show Ever at Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road Mon-Sat 9pm, ends Apr 20, Mon-Wed £12.50, concs £10, Thu-Sat £15, concs £12.50, £10. Sketch comedy from the ever-popular Matthew Crosby, Ben Clark and Tom Parry ahead of their TV series. Until Apr 20.

Doctor Brown: Befrdfgth at Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road From Mar 25, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, ends Apr 20, Mon-Wed £15, concs £12.50, Thu-Sat £20, concs £17.50. Absurd visual humour from Phil Burgers’s impish alter ego, who collected the 2012 Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award. Until Apr 20.

Lewis Schaffer Is Free Until Famous at The Source Below, 11 Lower John Street, W1F 9TY Piccadilly Circus Tue & Wed 8pm, FREE. Self-deprecating standup. Until Apr 24.

Monday April 8

The Comedy Project at Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road 8pm, £10, concs £8. The writing and performing team present two pieces of new comedy writing.

Michael McIntyre at Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road 10.30pm, £5, phone for availability. TV superstar runs through a few of his greatest hits in a rare intimate performance.

Paul F Tompkins: Crying And Driving at Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road Mon-Sat 9.30pm, Mon-Thu £15, concs £12.50, Fri & Sat £20, concs £17.50. Storytelling and extended anecdotes from the American stand-up.

Wednesday April 10

Thursday April 11

Simon Brodkin: Works In Progress at Downstairs At The King’s Head, 2 Crouch End Hill, N8 8AA Finsbury Park 8pm, £5. The character comedian tries out some new material.

Friday April 12

Tuesday April 9 Heffernan & Fletcher Present The Competition at Etcetera Theatre, 265 Camden High Street, NW1 7BU Camden Town 7.30pm, Until Thu, £10. Character comedy.

Steve Pretty Makes Entertaining Noises at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square 7pm, £8, concs £6.

Musical and stand-up act.

Gareth Richards: Introvert: Never Been To Disneyland at Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road 9.15pm, Until Weds, £12.50, concs £10. Stories and gags mixed with musical comedy from the Omnichord-playing stand-up.

Alexei Sayle at Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road Tue-Sat 7.30pm, Tue & Wed £15, concs £12.50, Thu-Sat £20, concs £17.50. Alternative stand-up from the Liverpudlian veteran.

Fits And Giggles at Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane, SE11 5HY Vauxhall 7.30pm-10pm, £8. With Zoe Lyons, Adam Kay and MCs Chris Fitchew and Emma Packer.

Gerry Howell: A Duck On My Shoulder And Other Observations at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square 7pm, phone for prices, phone for availability.

Brand new show.

Shaun Keaveny: Live And Langourous! at Pleasance Theatre, Carpenter’s Mews, North Road, N7 9EF Caledonian Road 7.30pm8.30pm, £9, concs £8.50. The radio DJ presents special wit, satire and special guests.

7pm, £9.50, Until Sat, concs £6.

Sharp observations and swearing-free storytelling.

Harry Hill: Sausage Time at Hammersmith Apollo, Queen Caroline Street, W6 9QH Hammersmith 8pm, £30. Madcap, surreal stand-up and character comedy.

The New Wave at The Invisible Dot Ltd, 2 Northdown Street, N1 9BG London Kings Cross 7.45pm9.45pm, £8. With Liam Williams, Jamie Demetriou, The Pin, Claudia O’Doherty, Tash Demetriou and Will Andrews.

Jeremy O’Donnell: You Can’t Buy Pyramid Teabags In Egypt at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square

Richard Herring: Talking Cock: The Second Coming at The Bloomsbury Theatre, 15 Gordon Street, WC1H 0AH Euston 8pm (also on Saturday), £15. Stand-up revealing the truth about men.

Nish Kumar: Who Is Nish Kumar? at Soho Theatre, Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court RoadThuSat 9.15pm, £12.50, concs £10. The comedian in an original show about being proud of your roots and ashamed about everything else.

Mark Restuccia: The Diary Of A Serial Internet Dater: Work In Progress at Hen & Chickens, 109 St Paul’s Road, N1 2NA Highbury & Islington 9.30pm, £4. Stand-up based around his many and varied experiences of internet dating.

Saturday April 13 Amused Moose Soho at Moonlighting, 16-17 Greek Street, W1D 4DR Tottenham Court Road 8.20pm10.30pm, £10. Comedy shows from Ian Stone, Markus Birdman, Mark Dolan, Romesh Ranganathan and Garrett Millerick.

The Boat Show at Tattershall Castle, Victoria Embankment, SW1A 2HR Charing Cross 8pm, £13.50, concs £11, standing £10, £26 inc meal. With Rob Deering, John Moloney and MC John Ryan.

Comedy Carnival at The Clapham Grand, 21-25 St John’s Hill, SW11 1TT Clapham Common 8pm-10pm, £14.

With Jeff Innocent, two guest acts and MC Pete Jonas.

Crack Comedy Club at The Slug And Lettuce, County Hall, 5 Chicheley Street, SE1 7PJ Waterloo 8.30pm, £11, adv £10, NUS £7. With John Robins, Barry Castagnola and Tom Toal.

Rob Delaney at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Shepherd’s Bush Green,

W12 8TT Shepherd’s Bush 6.30pm, £20. Award-winning improv all the way from Los Angeles.

Foster’s Comedy Live at Highlight, Camden Lock, Middle Yard Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AB Camden Town 8.15pm-10.15pm, £17 & £18. With Topping & Butch, Barry Dodds, Danny Ward, Chris Turner and Richard Hunter.

The Funny Side...Of Covent Garden at The George, 213 Strand, WC2R 1AP Temple 8pm, £12.50. With Martin Beaumont, Felix Dexter, a guest act and compere Jonny Freeman.

Funny Women London Nights at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square 9pm, £10, concs £8. Guest acts take to the stage.

Jongleurs Comedy Show at Sway, 61-65 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5BZ Holborn 9.15pm, €40. With Markus Birdman, John Moloney, Jeff Innocent and one other act.

Jongleurs Comedy Show at The Sports Cafe, 80 Haymarket, SW1Y 4TE Piccadilly Circus 8.30pm, £15. With Tom Price, Mark Maier, Jeff Innocent and The Noise Next Door.

Monkey Business Comedy Club at Sir Richard Steele, 97 Haverstock Hill, NW3 4RL Chalk Farm 8.45pm, £12.50, concs £10. With Andy Zaltzman, Ian Cognito, Stefan Gaphausen, Emily Rose, Matthew Highton and MC Martin Besserman.

Up The Creek at Up The Creek, 302 Creek Road, SE10 9SW Greenwich 8.45pm, £16, adv £15. With Dave Fulton, Tom Deacon, Paul Myrehaug and MC Damian Clark.

Wahala: The Uk’s No1 Stand Up Comedy Show at IndigO2, Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX North Greenwich 7pm, £25-£30. With Toju, Funbi, Babatunde, Slick Nick, Slim, Felicity Ethnic, Kane Brown and Shabba.

Sunday April 14 Central London Comedy Club at Theodore Bullfrog, 28 John Adam Street, WC2N 6AS Charing Cross 8.30pm-10.30pm, £5. With Eric Hutton, Tony Marrese, Andrew Watts, Harriet Kemsley, Julian Deane and MC Ramsay MacDonald.

Comedy Store Players at Comedy Store, 1a Oxendon Street, SW1Y 4EE Piccadilly Circus 7.30pm, £17, concs/ NUS £12. Improv from six acts.

Comedy Trumpet at The Antelope, 76 Mitcham Road, SW17 9NG Tooting Broadway 8pm, £6, NUS £5.

Lewis Schaffer’s American Guide To England at Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square 5pm, £10. Controversial humour from the New York stand-up.

Sunday Special at Up The Creek, 302 Creek Road, SE10 9SW Greenwich phone for times, £6, concs £4. Guest acts take to the stage.

scoutlondon.com Scout London 33

Good girls gone bad F

alling into disgrace is almost starting to become a rite of passage for Disney child stars.

Britney Spears started out as an all-singing, all-dancing kid on TV show The Mickey Mouse Club before becoming a pop princess.

Having achieved global stardom, she became the epitome of the teenage dream, but it all became too much and she suffered a very public breakdown. And Lindsay 34 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Lohan – now more famous for court appearances than movies – also entered the spotlight young, in fun family film The Parent Trap.

But Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens, the latest Disney starlets to rip apart their wholesome image, have chosen to do it in fiction, in daring new film Spring Breakers.

Gomez, 20, has garnered a legion of young fans from her Disney TV show, Wizards of Waverly Place, plus tweenie movies and a bubblegum

pop career. Hudgens, 24, has already had a few more edgy roles, but she is still remembered as one of the faces of the long-running worldconquering Disney mega-franchise, High School Musical.

So starring in controversial director Harmony Korine’s new movie, Spring Breakers, might seem like a form of rebellion for the pair – a way of growing up and spreading out.

But the actresses just see it as a way of getting the world to accept that

they are no longer little girls.

“I don’t think it was me getting rid of any sort of image,” insists Gomez. “I think I had an incredible four years as part of Disney. It was my family, it was the reason that I got to do everything I love. But at the same time, I’m now wanting to do what I really love, which is acting – becoming somebody else, escaping my reality and putting myself into these kinds of movies.”

Sitting together in a Paris hotel

-

Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens have shed their clean image to star in dark new film Spring Breakers. They tell Albertina Lloyd about the crazy Florida shoot, and why they’re far more tame in real life

-

Break time is over! Ashley Benson, James Franco and Vanessa Hudgens

seems very tame – Hudgens, Gomez and their co-stars, Ashley Benson and Rachel Korine (the 40-year-old director’s 26-year-old wife), smiling in bright bikinis.

The cutesy, fun image suggests a typical story about a group of friends going on holiday together, letting their hair down for a few days and learning some life lessons.

But Korine’s dark, psychedelic film is actually a poignant satire of the typical coming-of-age movie.

The opening scenes are reminiscent of a documentary about Brits going wild on holiday.

Girls dancing topless on the beach, grinding against men, making lewd gestures at the camera and pouring beer down each other’s throats.

We’ve seen it all before in TV programmes exposing the behaviour of the binge-drink generation on holiday in Ibiza (or wherever this year’s Med island is). But by casting Gomez and Hudgens, Korine has delivered a significant twist.

We’ve seen these actresses grow room, the girls whisper and giggle as up on screen – they were sweet, they pass notes to one another, but innocent little girls and wholesome are very earnest when it comes to teens. They could be our sisters discussing the film. or our daughters. So to see them Hudgens has already shown she drinking until they vomit, snorting has something of a wild side, when cocaine and urinating in the street is in 2007 nude photos she took of genuinely quite shocking. herself were leaked on the internet.

So what would Gomez’s young High School Musical mania was at fans (or their parents) make of its peak at the time, and she had to the R-rated movie? “I do specific apologise to fans over the incident. things in my career that are tailored But she is less apologetic about for a specific audience,” she taking on such a daring role. “I’m says. “Obviously I have a younger 24 now, I’m a young woman and I generation that looks at me - and want to push myself and grow as an I really appreciate that. And I just actress, and this movie allowed me to did an animated movie, so I want to do that. I’m so proud of what we did. respect that and still do things that And if people want to call me a bad will earn me that respect. But I also ass, that’s awesome.” want to do things that challenge me The poster for Spring Breakers and put me out of my element.”

Both girls laugh off the idea that they are anything like as crazy as their characters. “I speak for myself when I say I’d rather sit at home, take a bath, light candles and read a book, than go out to a club,” says Hudgens.

Spring Breakers features a group of four students who set off on their dream holiday to Florida, funded by money robbed from a diner.

After several days of wild partying, they meet a crazy gangster, played by James Franco, and suddenly the vacation begins to spiral out of control.

It’s a bit like Crossroads (Britney Spears’s film debut about a group of friends who dream of pop stardom on a road trip) meets True Romance.

There are several references to Spears in the film, including the girls belting out one of her hits on a drunken night out.

“She’s a kind of forebear to this idea of pop dreams and this allAmerican girl, pop sensation,” muses Korine. “This dream of ideology that’s taken a more twisted path. But also, I just like her songs.”

Filming on location in Florida really did become a bit like a girls’ holiday. “Harmony just had us hang out and become best friends,” says Hudgens. “On the very first

night we were in Florida we all had a sleepover and we created this amazing bond.”

And just to be sure they knew what they were getting themselves into, Korine would email them shocking images of what he wanted to recreate. “I can still remember all of them,” says Gomez, giggling.

“I remember thinking, ‘This is crazy!’,” she adds, blushing.

“After I auditioned, he said, ‘Just be prepared to leave the life that you’re living behind for a little bit, and just come with me and go into this other world’.”

Knowing Gomez and Hudgens were filming, the paparazzi descended on Florida’s beaches.

The actresses were followed by helicopters and pictures of them riding scooters in bikinis appeared all over the internet.

For good girls in the public eye, maybe this is the closest they’ll ever come to one of those wild holidays?

“None of the girls or I have ever experienced Spring Break before,” Gomez reveals. “And I think we experienced the craziest one we could ever have. We got it out of our system!”

Spring Breakers is in cinemas now

Pout on the town Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, Vanessa Hudgens and Rachel Korine

scoutlondon.com Scout London 35

new releases

The Place Beyond The Pines (15) The sins of fathers are revisited upon their sons in Derek Cianfrance’s doom-laden triptych, which reunites the writer-director with his Blue Valentine star, Ryan Gosling. He plays daredevil motorcyclist Luke Glanton, who rob banks to provide for an ex-girlfriend (Eva Mendes) and baby son. Ambitious cop Avery Cross (Bradley Cooper) is in the right place at the right time to apprehend Luke. Then, 15 years later, the men’s wayward offspring (Dane DeHaan, Emory Cohen) are thrown together with violent consequences. The Place Beyond The Pines is a slow-burning meditation on crime and punishment, that never quite revs its engine at full speed. Eye-catching performances paper over cracks in the haphazard plotting but Cianfrance treats his morally flawed characters with sensitivity, never judging them for their reckless actions.

Damon Smith

Oblivion (12A) Based on a graphic novel by Joseph Kosinski and Arvid Nelson, Oblivion is a big-budget, post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller set in a futuristic metropolis that hovers above the surface of a devastated planet Earth.

Drone maintenance officer Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) defies the orders of his tech operator (Andrea Riseborough) to rescue a mysterious woman (Olga Kurylenko) from a crash site. This act of chivalry brings the former marine into contact with grizzled resistance leader Malcolm Beech (Morgan Freeman). “They lied to you, Jack, it’s time to learn the truth,” growls Malcolm, hinting at a massive conspiracy that provides Cruise with the perfect excuse to perform death-defying stunts and acrobatics amid a blitzkrieg of expensive pyrotechnics and digital effects. DS A finished cut wasn’t available as Scout went to press

The Gatekeepers (15) In times of bitter and bloody conflict, morality is sacrificed to secure the tiniest victory. Directed by Dror Moreh, The Gatekeepers is an engrossing documentary, which gently lifts the veil of secrecy that shrouds Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, and revisits the group’s triumphs and devastating failures through the eyes of its six surviving directors: Avraham Shalom, Yaakov Peri, Carmi Gillon, Ami Ayalon, Avi Dichter and Yuval Diskin. These men are refreshingly candid about their roles in history and their conflicted feelings, reliving dark days like the 1995 assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Moreh intercuts these revealing interviews with archive footage and dramatisations that attest to the ruthlessness and resolve of the agency directors, and the deep emotional scars they must now bear. DS

36 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Also showing

Withnail & I (15)

Lawrence Of Arabia (PG)

The death of avuncular actor Richard Griffiths on Good Friday robbed our screens and stages of one of the country’s most beloved talents.

While modern audiences will remember him fondly as Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter films, his greatest cinematic legacy will surely be the lascivious Uncle Monty in Bruce Robinson’s seminal 1987 comedy, costarring Richard E Grant and Paul McGann. They play the failed actors of the title, whose life of squalor is slowly wearing them down. When Monty offers the duo the run of his countryside retreat, they readily accept but are unprepared for the attentions of the crazed locals or indeed Monty himself, who famously tells McGann’s wastrel: “I mean to have you, even if it must be burglary!” DS

The original 222-minute cut of David Lean’s sweeping historical epic, which recounts an adventurer’s extraordinary life in flashback after his accidental death, has been digitally restored and looks absolutely stunning 50 years after Lawrence Of Arabia swept the Academy Awards, collecting seven golden statuettes. Peter O’Toole is imperious as British Army lieutenant TE Lawrence, who is stationed in Cairo during the first world war and urges Prince Faisal (Alec Guinness) to launch a surprise attack on Aqaba by sending his men across the seemingly impassable Nefud Desert. Sherif Ali (Omar Sharif) and a platoon of 50 men accompany Lawrence on the arduous trek across a sea of baking hot sand, set to Maurice Jarre’s melancholic score. DS

Apr 14, 8pm, £4, mems free. Roxy Bar & Screen, 128-132 Borough High Street, SE1 1LB Borough

Apr 14, 2pm, £8.50, concs £7.50. Riverside Studios, Crisp Road, W6 9RL Hammersmith

Fringe! Film Fest

Deliverance (18)

For the third year running, east London embraces gay culture with a four-day programme of film screenings, discussions, performances, art exhibitions and club nights, plus the heady thrills of sex workshops in an old Catholic girls’ school and a pop-up genderqueer barber shop. The festival opens with the European premiere of Alan Brown’s balletic love story, Five Dances (pictured). Other treats include Stu Maddox’s acclaimed documentary, Gen Silent, about older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people living in isolation (Apr 12), a quotealong screening of Tina Fey’s sassy teen comedy, Mean Girls (Apr 12), rumbustious romantic comedy, Let My People Go! starring Carmen Maura (Apr 13), and the closing night gala of Julia Ostertag’s electro hip-hop music documentary, And You Belong (Apr 14). DS

Messing about on the river has dire consequences in John Boorman’s brutal thriller, which screens as part of a season of the director’s work at BFI Southbank. Four city slickers (Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox) escape the pressures of life in the city for a weekend of macho exercise and the relative calm of a canoeing expedition down the Georgia river. Clashing with the locals, the four buddies are soon fighting for their lives against unimaginable odds, turning to violence as their only means of escape. Boorman elicits commanding performances from his cast, ratcheting up the tension when one of the quartet suffers a horrific ordeal at the hands of a sadistic hillbilly (“I bet you can squeal like a pig!”). As Reynolds, in his star-making role, puts it: “Survival is the name of the game”. DS

Apr 11-14, free-£10. Rio Cinema and various venues, 107 Kingsland High Street, E8 2PB Dalston Kingsland

Apr 14, 8.30pm, Apr 20, 8.40pm, £5-£10, concs/mems £5-£8.50.

BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XT Waterloo scoutlondon.com Scout London 37

Still mad for it Cult 60s drama Mad Men is returning to our screens this week, so expect more office politics, family dramas and fabulous outfits. But the cast aren’t giving much more away, as Keeley Bolger discovers

copywriter Peggy Olson, is certain the melancholy tone will persist. Peggy started as Don’s secretary before climbing the ranks as a writer, eventually leaving the safety of long-time mentor Don to join a rival company. “I don’t think this season’s going to get any lighter,” says Moss. “If anything, it goes a bit more in depth into why these characters are so dark.”

Creator Matthew Weiner is also giving little away, though he admits there’ll be more comedy.

“Don is dealing with demons that he has dealt “The tone in this season is very internal,” he says. f Mad Men actress Jessica Pare had her way, “It has all the tension we usually have but it’s also with for a long time,” says Hamm, who remains her TV persona Megan would be blissfully very funny. It’s easy in a serious environment like happy with husband Don Draper, played by Jon tight-lipped on plot detail. “That is part of his this to forget you’ve got to entertain in every way.” journey and [in this season] we realise more and Hamm. But, as Pare says at the LA premiere Weiner, who has a framed letter from of the sixth series: “That would be the most boring more why this guy got to where he’s got and why President Obama praising Mad Men on his wall, is he is how he is. The more we learn about his past, TV show in the world.” Fortunately for fans, the astounded by the way it has taken off. “I’m floored the more we realise he’s a pretty damaged guy.” new series promises to be anything but. by the success,” he says. “I told them [the TV Don’s personal life may be laden with woe but Set in early-60s New York, Mad Men centres commissioners] it would be a success because I’m the firm is on the up. Or it was, until anguished around enigmatic advertising executive Draper, accountant Lane Pryce, played by Richard Harris’s a salesman, but I really never expected it.” a partner in cut-throat agency Sterling, Cooper, Hamm is similarly bowled over by its global Draper, Pryce. Since moving to New York, the self- son Jared, killed himself at the end of season five.

And then there was the matter of office seductress reception. “It’s amazing that what seems a story made man has adopted a new (and, until series Joan Harris sleeping with a wavering client. “When about period in American culture has resonated three, secret) identity and earned a substantial throughout the world,” he says. “There’s just we last saw the firm, things were looking up,” keep writing seductive advertising slogans. While something global about the way men and women says Hamm. “We had issues with how Joan was the home front might seem rosy – though the fifth series picked up on tension between him and treated and the unfortunate passing of Lane but it deal with each other and personal lives, private was an upward trend. We’ll see if that continues.” lives and professional lives moulding together, that idealistic second wife Megan – there’s no chance Elisabeth Moss (pictured above), who plays rising speaks well in many languages.” of him jumping for joy in series six.

The scripts and internal politics surrounding Black and white era Mad Men crew dress to impress Mad Men’s characters might account for a huge chunk of its appeal, but the coveted costumes are just as vital. Indeed, even the actors get a little doe-eyed around the glam garments. But Hamm’s devotion might wane if he were required to dust off his flares and take Don into the next decade. “I don’t know if Mad Men gets to the 70s,” he says.

“Hopefully we won’t. I lived through them and I’d rather not get into those clothes again.”

Mad Men returns to Sky Atlantic HD with a double episode on Wednesday April 10 38 Scout London scoutlondon.com

Press Association Images

I

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (12)

Tinker Bell And The Secret Of The Wings (U)

Available on DVD, Blu-ray and iTunes

Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) lives in the Shire, where he encounters Gandalf The Grey (Sir Ian McKellen) and a 13-strong company of dwarves, who intend to reclaim their lost gold from the dragon Smaug. Bilbo agrees to accompany them on their perilous mission. “Axe or sword – what is your weapon of choice?” dwarf leader Thorin asks him. “Well, I do have some skills with conkers,” meekly replies the hobbit. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey reunites director Peter Jackson with cast and crew of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, including cinematographer Andrew Leslie. The writer-director employs the same visual lexicon: sweeping aerial shots over New Zealand landscapes, close-ups of ethereal figures in deep contemplation. Jackson and co-writers Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro embellish JRR Tolkien’s novel to the point of obesity. Visually stunning flashbacks, which fail to advance the plot, are roughly hewn into a sprawling narrative that doesn’t kick into second gear for a good 45 minutes.

Freeman brings a touch of humour to his pint-sized weakling, while McKellen and co ease back into familiar supporting roles. Damon Smith

Being Human: The Complete Fifth Series (15)

Warner Bros and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures / PA Photo/2012 Disney

Available on DVD and Blu-ray box set The first series of BBC Three’s supernatural drama comedy since the departure of the original lead cast comprises just six episodes, but creator Toby Whithouse and his co-writers bring the same humour to these climactic instalments. Here the demonic pensioner Captain Hatch (Phil Davis) manipulates Mr Rook (Steven Robertson) and torments aristocratic vampire Hal (Damien Molony), werewolf Tom (Michael Socha) and ghost Alex (Kate Bracken) from his lair at the Barry Grand Hotel. All of the blood-letting and inner turmoil culminates in a titanic battle between good and evil that decides the fate of mankind… at least until someone commissions a moneymaking spin-off to appease the fans. DS

Available on DVD, Blu-ray and iTunes

In the magical realm of Pixie Hollow, ruled by Queen Clarion (voiced by Anjelica Huston), fairies complete the final shipments of baskets for the Winter Woods. When the time comes for the animals to cross the rubicon, Tinker Bell (Mae Whitman) watches with envy as the four-legged charges magically sprout winter fur. “There’s a whole other world over there,” coos Tink, who’s forbidden from crossing into the kingdom. But curiosity gets the better of the mischievous fairy and she hitches a ride to the Winter Woods, where she discovers she has a sister, Periwinkle (Lucy Hale). This fourth computer-animated feature based on JM Barrie’s fairy is lightweight enchantment, contrasting the colourful flora of Pixie Hollow with the snowy landscapes of the woods. Unfortunately, imaginative flourishes are in short supply and the animation merely adequate. The plot is as flimsy as one of Tink’s wings, though vocal performances are solid. Whitman is suitably chirpy and Huston and Timothy Dalton (as Lord Milori) bring gravitas to their roles as the guardians of neighbouring fairy realms. DS

Heading Out: Series 1 (15)

Available on DVD and Blu-ray box set Life begins at 40 in this cosy comedy written by and starring Sue Perkins, which is so oldfashioned you imagine it’s been sitting on a shelf for 20 years before a producer dusted it off to capitalise on Perkins sudden popularity as pithy co-host of The Great British Bake Off. If Heading Out were a cake it would be a Victoria sponge: sweet and airy, casting Perkins as skilled vet Sara, who hasn’t yet revealed her sexuality to her middle-class parents.

Over the course of six gently effervescent episodes, she musters the courage to come out, supported by a nutty inner circle of friends (Steve Oram, Dominic Coleman and Nicola Walker) and an eccentric life coach, played by Joanna Scanlan. DS

Hungryhouse

Free download available from Apple App store Home-cooking might be trendiest (and usually healthiest), and eating out’s most fun, but sometimes only a take-away will do. Whether it’s after a busy day at work or just a Friday night treat in front of the TV, life’s too short never to dial and dine. Or, click and dine, if you prefer.

Hungryhouse.co.uk, the website that enables users to search for local take-aways, read reviews and order online, launched on iPhone a while back, and more recently on Android, meaning ordering in has never been quicker and easier. Linked with over 9,000 eateries across the UK, it aims to become the nation’s most trusted source for take-aways.

Abi Jackson

scoutlondon.com Scout London 39

Kate Nash had just turned 20 when she released her debut, Made of Bricks. Now, at the ripe old age of 25, she’s set up her own record label to release third album Girl Talk, and couldn’t be happier to be going it alone, as she tells Andy Welch

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Nash back 40 Scout London scoutlondon.com

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K

ate Nash has just woken up. Not metaphorically.

She was asleep moments before this interview, having only returned from the US the previous evening. On the plus side, she’s happy her most recent Stateside tour sold out – no mean feat considering she hadn’t performed over there for more than two years prior to the shows.

On the downside, she’s completely exhausted, having shared the bulk of the driving with her manager. She’s no longer signed to major label Polydor, with whom she released her first two albums, Made of Bricks and My Best Friend Is You. So luxuries such as tour buses and fancy hotels have disappeared.

“It probably goes without saying, but America is such a big country,” she begins, still yawning. “And there were a lot of really cheap motels along the way. But there were loads of highlights.

“It’s really nice to go there and realise that the support is still there,” she continues. “Especially now I’m on my own. Leaving Polydor, things feel very different now. I’m still figuring things out, who to work with, the right things to do. But I’ve got seven years’ experience now, I feel like I’m able to handpick the right team.”

Nash’s third album, Girl Talk, was recorded a year ago in a deserted mansion in LA hipster district Echo Park.

“It was a really gothic-looking place that used to be a convent,” she says. “The lady who owns it now has loads of taxidermy on the walls. She had guard dogs too, so you always felt really safe, but it was a spooky place to be.

“There was a lot of angst in my writing before, a lot of aggression, but going there, and walking down to the orchard every day to get fresh fruit, or sitting somewhere beautiful to write my diary... I think I found a lot of acceptance. Just us there, me and my band, it was like being in a girl gang.”

The resulting album is Nash’s best yet: a mixture of influences,

ranging from the 60s girl groups she loves to Bikini Kill-style feminist punk, all topped with her proven ear for a melody. It’s the album she has always threatened to make, but for whatever reasons – fear from the label mainly – fallen short of.

“I was more inspired by films than anything, writing this album,” she explains. “Quentin Tarantino, mainly.

There’s a track called Death Proof that is named after one of his films.

Plus Russ Meyer, who made Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! Both wrote really strong women who were sexy, but it wasn’t to please anyone. Tarantino really knows how to portray women, they’re all quite real, no matter what they do as a job, and he really celebrates strength.”

When it comes to being ‘dropped’ by her record label, Nash has no hard feelings and, while she doesn’t know the exact reasons, is happy to accept it was “just business”.

“It’s a weird situation, but at labels there are bosses and bosses and bosses, and they all have an eye on profits.

You can’t take these decisions personally. The record industry is in such a messy place, it’s not a surprise they’re scared of taking risks, and I think I definitely took a risk with this new album, in the sense that it doesn’t sound anything like what’s getting played on mainstream radio.

This makes me sound so old, but I listened to the radio the other day and it all sounds the same. I shouldn’t be saying ‘kids’ music these days...’ at 25, but I don’t know anything about that culture anymore.”

After Nash finished the album, she spent the rest of the year going back and forth between London and LA. “I loved being there,

and I had loads of really intense stuff going on,” she says, reluctantly. “A close friend of mine died, and I just needed to get away. Working on the record and dealing with personal things took up most of last year. It felt like a transitional year, like a time that actually makes you a different person. I have a different head on my shoulders now, particularly from when I made my first album. It’s being more sure of who I am.”

Many of the reviews for Girl Talk have praised her lyrics, which detail her own take on feminism and often have female empowerment at their core. She’s long held these views, famously saying during her acceptance speech after winning Best Female at the Brits in 2008 that she wanted to banish the misconception that “female is a genre, and it’s not”.

“I guess I didn’t realise how much people would pick up on the lyrics, but it’s just how I feel.

I didn’t think it’d be seen as controversial. There’s a massive way to go, and getting people talking about these issues is a big deal.”

This isn’t the end of Nash’s activism.

She was involved in the Featured Artists Coalition with members of Radiohead, which aimed to create more transparency in the music industry and protect the rights of artists and fans. She’s also worked with international charity Because I Am a Girl, which creates programmes for girls to work on in developing countries. And she manned stalls after the London riots, collecting donations for the newly homeless and driving gifts around town to those who needed them.

“I saw a video at school when I was really young about missionaries in Africa and thought then and there that it was what I wanted to do. I just had this sense that I wanted

to help make the world better in any way I could. If I’ve been given a platform because I’ve had a couple of successful albums and people are looking at me, then I’m going to use that.

“Everyone has to do whatever they can.”

Kate Nash’s third album Girl Talk is out now. She plays the 100 Club on Oxford Street on May 1

EXTRA TIME KATE NASH

Kate Marie Nash was born in Harrow in north west London on July 6, 1987.

Initially Nash wanted to be an actress, but learned to write songs after breaking her foot and being confined to the house when she was 17.

She released her debut single Caroline Is A Victim in February 2007, while her first single proper, Foundations, went straight to No2 in the singles chart.

Nash recently wrote a song with Willow (daughter of Will) Smith, called I Am Me. She has a number of acting roles to her name, including one in forthcoming biopic Greetings from Jeff Buckley, alongside Gossip Girl star Penn Badgley. scoutlondon.com Scout London 41

THIS WEEK

Jose James April 9, XOYO, £14 Jose James was the guy in the peaked cap and the baggy pants who brought jazz to a whole new audience when he was trumpeted by Giles Peterson five years ago. His silky voice and tight-as-aTory-chancellor band educated a younger set to the joys of jazz. And now he’s back with a more pop-leaning LP on Blue

Note Records, No Beginning No End. Whether it’ll please the purists remains to be seen.

But one thing is for sure – this east London show is sure to be a jaw-dropping musical showcase of the highest order.

CC Cowper Street EC2A 4AP Old Street

Kitty Daisy and Lewis April 12, The Bull & Gate, £10 There are two very good reasons to haul yourself to Kentish Town this Friday.

Firstly, it’ll be one of your last chances to catch a show at The Bull and Gate, one of London’s most legendary gig venues, which is set to close as a live music destination in May. The hallowed stage that has hosted the fledgling talent of everyone from The Manic Street Preachers to Coldplay

will be no more, and the pub will be converted into a gastropub. The second reason is to catch this stupendously talented three-piece, whose bluesy, Hawaiian-tinged R&B is sure to lift the spirits even with the venue’s impending demise.

Clare Considine Kentish Town Road NW5 2TJ Kentish Town

Meatloaf – The Farewell Tour April 10, O2 Arena, £48.50–£57.50 Let us stop and take a second to consider what it means for modern culture that Meatloaf is about to embark on a farewell tour. He is the not-so-glam rock juggernaut who gifted us the most melodramatic music video of all time, a back catalogue that could single-handedly sustain the karaoke industry and those inordinately massive Fight Club 42 Scout London scoutlondon.com

man boobs. And he drove a bus in Spice World. So, Mr Loaf, we salute you. Get along to this show and enjoy the lusciouslocked monster of rock one last time because, like a bat out of hell, he really will be gone when the morning comes. CC Peninsula Square SE10 0DX North Greenwich

Scout Stereo

YADi April 9, Birthdays, Free It seems our appetite for young female songstresses is growing – and good thing too, for they’re some of the only artists currently able to drag the mainstream music industry out from under its blanket of beige. The newest recruit is YADi, who arrives cloaked in media hype but is so far managing to live up to it, with songs that take in both her British and North African heritage. Debut single The Blow is a pitchperfect slice of alternative pop produced

by The Very Best’s Johan Hugo and Ariel Reichstadt. Expect to be rubbing shoulders at this show with a range of buzzy celebs and industry bigwigs. CC Stoke Newington Road N16 8BJ Dalston Kingsland

1

Wildcookie On The Road

2

Dennis Coffey I Bet You (feat. Mick Collins & Rachel Nagy)

3

Darkness Falls Timeline

4

Lana Del Rey Summertime Sadness (Asadinho Mix)

Just one terrific track from an album full of them, from label Tru Thoughts.

Brilliant comeback for Coffey with this version of the Funkadelic classic.

Haunting, ethereal and sinister as funk.

A squelchy, upbeat remix of one of Lana’s loveliest tunes.

5

Jin Choi You’ve Done Me Wrong Chirpy yet understated deep house vibes with this 3am spin-out anthem.

Listen to our playlist: j.mp/scout0034

Also this week: Steve Mason

Kevin Morosky / janette beckman

April 11, Village Underground, £17 You’ll recognize Steve Mason’s warmly enticing vocals and meandering folky hip-hop beats from the work of late-90s trailblazers The Beta Band, for whom he was lead vocalist and a founding member. After a spell as Black Affair, he recently released his second solo LP, Monkey Minds in the Devil’s Time, and is gradually creeping back into the

limelight, attracting a raft of new fans as well as old members of the Beta Band faithful. Mason’s recent work is as politically outspoken as it is musically impressive, so expect an intimate yet highly charged affair. CC Holywell Lane EC2A 3PQ Shoreditch High Street

Adam Green And Binki Shapiro Apr 9, Village Underground, £12.50 Alan Price Apr 11, Bull’s Head, £14 Andreya Triana Apr 11, Hoxton Square Bar And Kitchen, phone for availability Angel Apr 15, Under The Bridge, £11, 7pm Courtney Pine, The Portraits Apr 10, Jamm, £15, adv £13 Emeli Sande Apr 8, 9 & Apr 10, Hammersmith Apollo, £25-£29.50 phone for availbility Fimber Bravo Apr 9, The Social, phone for prices Fun Apr 12, Hammersmith Apollo, £18.50 James Blake Apr 9, Heaven, £15, phone for availability Johnny Winter Apr 14, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £25 Martin Rev, Gallon Drunk Apr 9, Corsica Studios, £10

Palma Violets Apr 9, Electric Brixton, phone for prices TY, BREIS, Akala, Durrty Goodz, Native Sun, Mystro And Pumpkin Apr 10, The Jazz Cafe, £12.50 The Blockheads Apr 13, Blackheath Halls, £22, adv £20 The Fratellis Apr 11, Electric Ballroom, £20

scoutlondon.com Scout London 43

BOOKING AHEAD

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead Apr 25, O2 Academy Islington, £14 5ive, Atomic Kitten, B*witched, Liberty X, 911, Honeyz May 14, The O2, phone for prices A$AP Rocky May 21 & May 22, O2 Academy Brixton, £20 Akala Jun 3, XOYO, adv £12 Alexandra Burke Jun 4-Jun 8, Royal Albert Hall, £37.50 Alice Russell Apr 17, The Scala, adv £15.50, early bird £12.50 Alicia Keys May 30 & May 31, The O2, £39.50 & £45 Alison Moyet Jun 26, Bush Hall, £11.50, and Oct 15, Southbank Centre, £25-£45, concs £12.50-£22.50 All Tomorrow’s Partiesr: I’ll Be Your Mirror 2013: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Grizzly Bear May 4-5, Alexandra Palace, day ticket £59, two-day ticket £110 Alt-J, Princess Chelsea May 16, O2 Academy Brixton, £16 AlunaGeorge Jun 20, Electric Brixton, £14.50 Gregg Allman And John Paul White Apr 27, IndigO2, £25-£35 Angel Haze May 7, The Scala, adv £12.50, and 9, Heaven, phone for prices Anti Nowhere League Oct 18, The Underworld, adv £12.50 As One In The Park: Rita Ora, Katy B May 26, Victoria Park, £35 Atoms For Peace Jul 24, Roundhouse, £49.50 Barbra Streisand Jun 1 & Jun 3, The O2, £65-£450 Ben Harper And Charlie Musselwhite Jul 16, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £26 Ben Howard Jun 13, Hammersmith Apollo, £25 Beyonce: The Mrs Carter Show Apr 29May 1, May 3-May 5, The O2, £55-£85 Big Daddy Kane Apr 24 & Apr 25, The Jazz Cafe, £20 Blondie Jul 7, Roundhouse, £37.50 Blue May 3, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £25

44 Scout London scoutlondon.com

City And Colour Jun 5, Bush Hall, £25 Counting Crows, Lucy Rose Apr 22 & Apr 23, Hammersmith Apollo, adv £37.50 Crosby, Stills And Nash Oct 8 & Oct 9, Royal Albert Hall, £55 & £65 Crystal Fighters May 23, KOKO, £14, phone for availability Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip Jul 18, Birthdays, £12.50 Daughter Oct 29, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £17 David Byrne & St Vincent Aug 27, Roundhouse, £35 David McAlmont, Annabel Williams And The Hideaway 007 Orchestra Apr 18-Apr 20, The Hideaway, £10

De La Soul May 8, The Forum, £22.50 Dead Can Dance Jul 2, Roundhouse, £30 Deep Purple Oct 16 & Oct 17, Roundhouse, £35 Depeche Mode May 28 & May 29, The O2, £40 & £50 Dexys Apr 15, Apr 16, Apr 18-Apr 20, Apr 22, Apr 23, The Duke Of York’s, £26-£41 Dick Gaughan Jun 15, Cellar Upstairs Folk Club at The Exmouth Arms, £8, mems £7 Dub Pistols May 23, XOYO, adv £12 Dwele Apr 17-Apr 19, The Jazz Cafe, £22.50 Edwyn Collins Apr 24, Union Chapel, £25 Elvis Costello & The Imposters Jun 4-Jun 6, Royal Albert Hall, £45

Classical

Leif Ove Andsnes Apr 9 & Apr 10, Wigmore Hall, £18-£35 Budapest Festival Orchestra With Imogen Cooper Apr 22, Southbank Centre, £12-£45, concs £6-£22.50 Crouch End Festival Chorus/ London Orchestra Da Camera Brass And Percussion Ensemble/ Coldfall School Choir/Rhodes Avenue School Choir Apr 27, Barbican Centre, £12.50-£28 English Chamber Choir May 26, Conway Hall, £9, under 16s FREE James Gilchrist And Anna Tilbrook Apr 11, St John’s, Smith Square, £16, concs £10, mems £14.40

Howard Jones Nov 29, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £28.50 Engelbert Humperdinck May 10, Royal Albert Hall, £38.50 Everything Everything Oct 24, The Forum, phone for prices Fairport Convention May 10, The Borderline, £24 Field Day Festival: Bat For Lashes, Solange, Animal Collective May 25, Victoria Park, £49.50 Fleetwood Mac Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 27, The O2, £80-£125 Ghostface Killah, Doom Apr 18, 100 Club, FREE Ghostpoet May 30, Village Underground, adv £15.50 Green Day, Kaiser Chiefs, All Time Low Jun 1, Emirates Stadium, £45-£65 Haim Apr 24, Heaven, £10, and May 30, KOKO, phone for availability Hank Wangford, Brad Breath, Spanner Robinson May 31, The Green Note Cafe, £12.50 Hard Rock Calling: Bruce Springsteen, Kasabian Jun 29-30, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Sat day ticket £45, Sun day ticket £62.50 Hugh Laurie Jun 14, Hammersmith Apollo, £35 & £40 Hurts Oct 26, Troxy, £18.50 Iamamiwhoami May 30, Electric Brixton, £15

Thomas Gould Apr 10, 100 Club, adv £10 Katerina Mina, Kate Howden, Iain Milne, Alex Otterburn And Philip Voldman Apr 13, Royal Academy Of Music, £20, concs £15 Kausikan Rajeshkumar Apr 11, Southbank Centre, FREE Le Concert Spirituel Apr 14, Wigmore Hall, £15-£30 London Symphony Orchestra Apr 13, 16, 18, 21 Barbican Centre, £10-£85 Orchestra Of St John/OSJ Voices Apr 24, St John’s, Smith Square, £10-£26, mems £9£23.40 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: The Great Classics Jun 7, Royal Albert Hall, £5-£38 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Apr 11, Cadogan Hall, £15-£40, mems £20-£35

Felix Broede for EMI Classics / james arnold

Action Bronson Jun 7, KOKO, adv £16.50

Bonobo Nov 23, O2 Academy Brixton, phone for prices Boyzone Dec 20, The O2, phone for prices, and Dec 21, Wembley Arena, £37.50 Brian May And Kerry Ellis May 1, Royal Albert Hall, phone for prices British Sea Power Apr 17, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £15 British Summer Time: Bon Jovi Jul 5, Hyde Park, £65 Bruno Mars Oct 8 & Oct 9, The O2, £39.50 Built To Spill Sep 23, Electric Ballroom, £17.50 Burt Bacharach Jun 26, Southbank Centre, £30-£75, concs £15-£37.50 Buzzcocks Jun 21, Electric Brixton, £20 Caitlin Rose Sep 12, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, phone for prices Camper Van Beethoven May 29, Dingwalls, adv £17.50 Cerys Matthews May 25, Southbank Centre, FREE Charli XCX, Yadi Apr 17, The Old Blue Last, phone for availability Chris De Burgh Apr 24, Royal Albert Hall, £35-£50 Christy Moore And Declan Sinnott Apr 17 & Apr 18, Southbank Centre, £25£37.50, concs £12.50-£18.75 Chvrches Apr 29, Village Underground, phone for prices Cold War Kids, Milo Greene May 9, The Forum, adv £15

Pieter M Van Hatten. / Soren Solkaer Starbird

Janet Devlin Sep 25, O2 Academy Islington, phone for times Iron & Wine May 31, Barbican Centre, £18-£22.50 JLS Dec 21 & Dec 22, The O2, £25 & £33.50 Jah Wobble & Bill Sharpe Apr 26, Islington Assembly Hall, £17.50 & £20 Jake Bugg Oct 23 & Oct 24, O2 Academy Brixton, £20 Janet Kay, Carroll Thompson May 31, Islington Assembly Hall, £22.50 & £27.50 Jimmy Cliff Jun 25, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £27.50 Joe Cocker May 13, Hammersmith Apollo, £30-£40 Josh Ritter Jul 23 & Jul 24, Village Underground, £20 phone for availability Journey/Whitesnake, Thunder May 29, Wembley Arena, £48 Julia Fordham Jul 4, Bush Hall, £25 Junip May 13, Village Underground, phone for prices, and Sep 18, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £16 Jurassic 5 Jun 13, O2 Academy Brixton, £32.50 KMFDM, Sheep On Drugs Apr 20, O2 Academy Islington, £16 Karl Hyde Apr 25, Union Chapel, £25 Katie Melua Oct 2, Roundhouse, £37.50 Ke$ha Jul 15, O2 Academy Brixton, £28.50 Killer Mike May 21, XOYO, adv £12 Kings Of Leon Jun 12 & Jun 13, The O2, £57.50 Kinky Friedman Apr 24, 229 The Venue, adv £22.50 La Linea: The London Latin Music Festival: Ana Moura Apr 20, £15-£22 Barbican Centre, Buika Apr 18, Union Chapel, £22.50, Mala Rodriguez Apr 18, Village Underground, £18 Lana Del Rey May 19 & May 20, Hammersmith Apollo, £28.50

Laura Mvula May 1, Islington Assembly Hall, £13.75, phone for availability Laurel Halo Apr 25, XOYO, adv £12 Leona Lewis May 8 & May 9, Royal Albert Hall, £35-£65 Level 42 Sep 20, IndigO2, £28.50£38.50 Low Apr 30, Barbican Centre, £17.50£22.50 Madeleine Peyroux Apr 29-May 1, Ronnie Scott’s, £60-£80 phone for availability Madness Sep 28, Alexandra Palace, £38.50, disabled £19.25 Major Lazer, Ms Dynamite May 4, Roundhouse, £17.50 Mark Knopfler May 27-Jun 1, Royal Albert Hall, £37.50-£52.50 Matthew E White Apr 26, Southbank Centre, £12.50 & £15, concs £6.25 & £7.50, and Sep 4, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £17.50 McFly May 18, Wembley Arena, £31.50 Melba Moore, Meli’sa Morgan May 2 & May 3, The Jazz Cafe, adv £25

Penny Rimbaud’s Last Amendment Apr 29, The Vortex Jazz Club, Dalston Culture House, £8 Pet Shop Boys Jun 18, The O2, £35 Peter And The Test Tube Babies Dec 28, New Cross Inn, £7 Peter Gabriel Oct 21 & Oct 22, The O2, £40 & £50 Peter Murphy Jun 19, O2 Academy Islington, £20 Phoenix Apr 22, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, phone for availability Queensryche, Aeon Zen Apr 15, O2 Academy Islington, £25 Rascal Flatts Jul 10 & Jul 11, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £25 Rick Springfield Jun 4, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £27.50-£29.50 Rod Stewart: Live The Life Tour Jun 4 & Jun 6, The O2, £60-£70 Rodriguez Jun 7 & Jun 8, Hammersmith Apollo, £10-£29.50 Rudimental May 2, Electric Brixton, £12 Rush May 24, The O2, £60 & £75 Sandy Lam Apr 21, Hammersmith Apollo, £45-£128 Santana Jul 19, Wembley Arena, £38.30-£65.80 Saxon, The Quireboys Apr 27, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £20 Shreya Ghoshal May 6, Royal Albert Hall, £35-£75 Shuggie Otis May 11, The Forum, £20 & £25 Sigur Ros Nov 21, Wembley Arena, £25 & £32.50 Simple Minds Nov 30, The O2, £39.50£55

KT Tunstall Jun 20, Islington Assembly Hall, £22.50 Mic Righteous May 24, The Garage, £10 Miss Kittin May 1, XOYO, adv £12.50 Mudhoney, Meat Puppets Jun 8, The Forum, adv £18.50 Neil Young & Crazy Horse Jun 17 & Jun 19, The O2, £45-£65 Onyx Apr 16, The Jazz Cafe, adv £17.50 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark May 3, Roundhouse, £33.50 Paloma Faith Jun 7, The O2, £22.50 & £28.50 Patti Smith And Her Band Jun 18 & Jun 19, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £27.50 Peace, Superfood Apr 30-May 3, Birthdays, £10

The Breeders Jun 19, The Forum, £27.50 Stereophonics Nov 28, The O2, phone for prices Steve Earle And The Dukes May 21, Southbank Centre, £15-£32.50, concs £7.50-£16.25 Steve Hackett May 10, Hammersmith Apollo, £27.50, and Oct 23, Royal Albert Hall, £32.50-£45 Steve Winwood Jun 20, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £32.50

Summer Series: Alex Clare Jul 11, Band Of Horses Jul 12, Basement Jaxx Jul 21, Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros Jul 19, First Aid Kit Jul 15, Goldfrapp Jul 20, Jessie Ware Jul 18, Lianne La Havas Jul 13, Of Monsters And Men Jul 16, Richard Hawley Jul 14, Tom Odell Jul 17, all Somerset House, £27.50 Tame Impala Jun 25, Hammersmith Apollo, £19.50 The Abyssinians May 23, The Clapham Grand, £25 The Blow Monkeys Nov 8, Bush Hall, £17.50 The Flaming Lips May 20 & May 21, Roundhouse, £32

Vampire Weekend May 8, Troxy, £27.50 The Jim Jones Revue May 10, The Sebright Arms, phone for prices The Mission, Fields Of The Nephilim Dec 18, O2 Academy Brixton, adv £28.50 The Specials May 28 & May 29, O2 Academy Brixton, adv £37.50 The Tragically Hip Jul 2, KOKO, £25 The Vaccines May 2, The O2, £27 The Waterboys Dec 18, Hammersmith Apollo, £29.50-£32.50 The Weeknd Nov 26, The O2, £28.50 & £30 The Who Jun 15 & Jun 16, The O2, £60£70, and Jul 8, Wembley Arena, phone for prices Todd Rundgren Jun 15, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, £24.50-£29.50 Tom Odell May 23 & May 28, Electric Ballroom, £11 Tricky May 21, Heaven, £20 Unknown Mortal Orchestra May 16, Village Underground, £12 Wireless Festival 2013: Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Emeli Sande Jul 12-Jul 14, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Fri/Sat day ticket £57.50, Sun day ticket £75, Fri & Sat two-day ticket £110, weekend ticket £190, under 16s must be accompanied, tickets on sale Feb 22, 9am ZZ Top Jun 24, Hammersmith Apollo, £45

scoutlondon.com Scout London 45

C LU B B I N G The Jump Off at The Scala, 275 Pentonville Road, N1 9NL King’s Cross St Pancras £15, £12 before 10pm, adv £8, 9pm-2am. Hip hop and rap courtesy of Rap 6, Charlie Sloth and DJ Manny Norte.

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.

The Silver Bullet Presents at The Silver Bullet, 5 Station Place, N4 2DH Finsbury Park £7, guestlist £3, 7pm.

Rare groove courtesy of 2 Dam Funky, Flowerz-Constantine, Yanki and MCEmix.

Stampede at Escape Bar, 10A Brewer Street, W1F 0SU Piccadilly Circus £5, £3 before 1am, £1 before 11pm, FREE before 10pm, 9pm-3am. DJ Laurence Rene spins pop-punk, alternative, rock and ska, with hosts Oli Sandler and Matt Boland.

Tuesday April 9 Desire at Covert, 65 Albert Embankment, SE1 7TP Vauxhall £8, w/flyer £6, 3am-11am. DJs Steven Geller, Bruno Nouer and Sven Jon spin house and electro records.

I Throw Shapes 4 St Mungo’s Charity at Cargo, 83 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY Old Street £4, 6pm-1am. House and techno courtesy of Saytek, Unai Trotti, Samantha Blackburn, Adam Cotier, Riaz Dhanano and It’s Eliva, with all proceeds going to the St Mungo’s homeless charity.

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.

Ruby Tuesdays at Candy Bar, 4 Carlisle Street, W1D 3BJ Tottenham Court Road FREE, 9pm3am. DJ Sandra D and guests spin hits.

Tuesdays at The Ladybird Bar at Ladybird Bar, 70 Upper Street, N1 0NY Angel FREE, phone for times. Resident DJs spin electro-swing, nu jazz, funk, soul and retro.

Tuesdays at Storm, 28a Leicester Square, WC2H 7LE Leicester Square phone for prices, 10.30pm-3am. Resident DJs spin dance, house, bashment, old skool, R&B and garage.

White Heat at Madame Jojo’s, 8-10 Brewer Street, W1F 0SE Piccadilly Circus £5, concs £4, 10.30pm-3am. DJs Matty, Olly and Marcus supply electro, techno and indie.

Wednesday April 10 Anything Goes at Charlie’s, 9 Crosswall, EC3N 2JY Tower Hill ladies FREE, phone for times. The residents play pop and rock from four decades.

46 Scout London scoutlondon.com

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. Beach Bum at Ladybird Bar, 70 Upper Street, N1 0NY Angel FREE, 9pm2am. DJ Larry Sun plays a mash-up of dance, hip hop, electro and party.

Cheapskates at Moonlighting, 16-17 Greek Street, W1D 4DR Tottenham Court Road adv £5, 9pm-3.30am. Resident DJs and guests supply indie, electro and old-school vibes.

Choke at The Roxy, 3-5 Rathbone Place, W1T 1HJ Tottenham Court Road £5, guestlist £3, NUS/w/flyer £4, 10pm-3am. Resident DJs play hip hop, drum’n’bass, electro, indie and grime.

Dub Me Always at Upstairs At The Ritzy, Coldharbour Lane, SW2 1JG Brixton FREE, 8pm-11pm. DJ David Katz and Bid Mosaku play vintage reggae.

Factory Afterparty at Covert, 65 Albert Embankment, SE1 7TP Vauxhall £6, w/flyer/mems £4, 1am-8am. Resident DJs play house, nu-disco, electro and techno.

Hot Wuk Wednesdays at The Social, 5 Little Portland Street, W1W 7JD Oxford Circus £7, £5 before 10pm, 7pm-1am. Residents play bashment, reggae, dub, dancehall, soca, one-drop reggae, grime and UK funky.

Musical Bingo at Lucky Voice, 173-174 Essex Road Upper Street, N1 1RG £12, adv £8, 7pm-11.30pm. DJ Helix spins pop, indie and rock, plus bingo with host Jess Indeedy.

Seahawks Boat Party at The Big Chill Bar, Drury Walk, E1 6QL Liverpool Street phone for prices, 7pm-12midnight. Tye and Pete Fowler play 1970s, disco, groove, shoegaze and yacht rock.

Trannyshack at Madame Jojo’s, 8-10 Brewer Street, W1F 0SE Piccadilly Circus £5, w/flyer £3, FREE in drag or suitable attire before 12midnight, 10pm-3am. Miss Dusty O, Tasty Tim and Lady Lloyd spin commercial dance and pop at a weekly celebration of glamorous polysexuality.

Thursday April 11

CB Radio 2am at Charterhouse, 38 Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6JH Farringdon phone for prices, 10pm2am. DJs Kojock and Robbie Rob Dimba play pop, dance and indie.

Chick Habit at Candy Bar, 4 Carlisle Street, W1D 3BJ Tottenham Court Road FREE, 9pmlate. DJs Amy B and CeCe spin pop and classics from the 1990s, plus music by girls in the basement.

Globetronica at The Player, 8 Broadwick Street, W1F 8HN Oxford Circus £5 after 9pm, 8pm-2am. Resident DJs and guests supply house, dub, broken beat, nu jazz and world beats.

London Lyricist Lounge at The Lockside Lounge, 75-89 West Yard Dock, NW1 8AF Camden Town FREE, 7pm-12midnight. Hip hop and R&B from DJ Sai and LeeN with support from MCs, poets and freestylers.

On:1 at Euphoriom, 1-3 High Street, Acton Central FREE W3 6NG before 11.30pm, 10pm-3.30am. Resident DJs supply drum’n’bass, dubstep, future garage, house, old skool and hip hop.

Secret Thursdays at Orleans, 259-261 Seven Sisters Road, N4 2HZ Finsbury Park £5, FREE before 11pm, phone for times. DJs Radlett, Hitman and Jay Shaw play bashment, club classics, hip hop, house, R&B and Afrobeat.

Thursday at The Big Chill bar at The Big Chill Bar, Drury Walk, E1 6QL Liverpool Street phone for prices, 8pm-1am. Sonny Delight spins funk and soul, plus hip hop from guest Tinribs.

Thursday at Jamm, 261 Brixton Road, SW9 6LH Brixton £10, £8 before 12midnight, adv £5, 9pm-3am. DJs Bossola, Sudanim, Ondisting, Just Tips and Grady Steele play garage, jungle, hip hop, house and drum’n’bass.

Thursdays at Ladybird Bar, 70 Upper Street, N1 0NY Angel FREE, 9pm2am. Fabricio spins vinyl funk and soul.

Traumatik at East Village, 89 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3HX Old Street guestlist £5, 9pm-3am.

House music courtesy of Clouded Judgement, Adam Banks and Danny Lawson.

Your Mum’s House at The Nest, 36 Stoke Newington Road, N16 7XJ Dalston Kingsland £7, £5 before 12midnight, FREE before 10.30pm, 9pm3am. Resident DJs spin pop and disco.

Friday April 12

Pure Intec Launch Party at XOYO, 32-37 Cowper Street, EC2A 4AP Old Street adv £12, 10pm-3am. DJs Carl Cox (pictured), Jon Rundell, Silky and Barber play house and techno.

Acidic Records at The Rhythm Factory, 16-18 Whitechapel Road, E1 1EW Whitechapel £10, adv £7.50, 10pm-6am. DJs Moros, Dan.de’Lion, Dutty Moonshine, Beaton, Ben Phaze, Cell Suicide, Person3, Herukajon, MeonMeown, Wingnut and Silly Pundit spin hip hop, dubstep, electro swing, drum’n’bass, jungle, glitch hop, house, techno and bass music across two rooms.

The Big Bamboo at Sugarcane, 247249 Lavender Hill, SW11 1JW Clapham Junction FREE, 4pm1.30am. Retro, old school, hip hop, R&B, rock and funk courtesy of the residents.

Egg Presents at Egg, 200 York Way, N7 9AX King’s Cross St Pancras £20, adv/NUS/mems £13, 10pm-8am.

House courtesy of Wankelmut (pictured), Popof, Julian Jeweil, Pele and Shawnecy.

Club NME at KOKO, 1a Camden High Street, NW1 7JE Mornington Crescent £5, 10pm-late.

Resident DJs play rock and indie tunes, with a live performance from Nat Jenkins.

Club.The.Mammoth at The Old Blue Last, 38 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3ES Old Street FREE, 8pm2am. Resident DJs play rock and metal, plus live performances from Horsefight, The Diamond Lights, Good Dangers and Tail Feather.

Departure at Elixir Bar, 162 Eversholt Street, NW1 1BL Euston FREE, 8pm1am. The resident DJs play darkwave, new wave, industrial, synthpop, EBM and 1980s.

Exit Records 10th Birthday at Fire, Arch, 39-43 Parry Street, corner South Lambeth Road, SW8 1RT Vauxhall adv £16-£25, 10pm-6am. Bad Company, dBridge, Calibre, Breakage, Marcus Intalex, Fabio, Doc Scott, Klute, Skeptical, Dub Phizix, Krust, Die, Jubei, Loxy, Fierce and Ryme Tyme spin drum’n’bass, jungle, old skool and bass music, plus MCs DRS, Strategy, Skittles, LX One, SP:MC and Justyce.

Fabriclive at Fabric, 77A Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ Farringdon adv £22 inc cd, £18, adv £17, mems £13, NUS £12, £9 after 3am, 10pm-7am.

Pearson Sound, Ben UFO, Pangaea, Will Bankhead, Akkord, Al Tourettes, Call Super, Kowton, Alex Coulton, AnD, Rhythmic Theory and The Kelly Twins spin dubstep, garage, techno and bass music across three rooms, with live performances from Actress, Throwing Snow and House Of Black Lanterns.

Feeling Gloomy at The Phoenix, 37 Cavendish Square, W1G 0PP Oxford Circus £6, NUS £5, adv £4.50, 10pm-3am. Resident DJs play indie, rock, Morrissey and The Smiths tracks.

Friday Got Soul at The Blues Kitchen, 111-113 Camden High Street, NW1 7JN Camden Town £4, FREE before 10pm, 7pm-3am. Resident DJs play vintage soul with a live performance from Miss Hoodoo And The Delta Boys.

Ben Wolf

Monday April 8

Fridays at The Ladybird Bar at Ladybird Bar, 70 Upper Street, N1 0NY Angel £3, FREE before 11pm, 9pm-4am. Larry Sun plays garage and hip hop.

Friday Disco at The Masons Arms, 665 Harrow Road, NW10 5NU Kensal Green FREE, 9pm-11.30pm.

Resident DJ Billy Idle spins an eclectic mix retro sounds and present day party tunes and hits.

Friday at The Nest, 36 Stoke Newington Road, N16 7XJ Dalston Kingsland £7, 9pm-4am. New cutting-edge producer Bondax and Frank B spin house.

Friday Night Disco at The Social, 5 Little Portland Street, W1W 7JD Oxford Circus £5, FREE before 9pm, 7pm-1am. Anna Greenwood And Friends spin pop, rock and disco tunes.

Friday at XOYO, 32-37 Cowper Street, EC2A 4AP Old Street £20, £15 before 10pm, adv £12.50, 9pm-3am.

Hercules, Love Affair Soundsystem and Horse Meat Disco spin house and disco.

Rootikal at East Village, 89 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3HX Old Street £9, £7 before 10pm, adv £5, 9pm-3.30am. Chris Peckings, Soul Jazz Soundsystem, David Hill, Mr Faso and Stuart Patterson spin reggae, dub, ska, soul and jazz, with live performances from reggae legends Dennis Alcapaone and Winston Francis.

Scroobius Pip Presents at The Book Club, 100-106 Leonard Street, EC2A 4RH Old Street £5 after 9pm, 12noon-6pm. The spoken word artist takes charge for the night.

Video Bar at TR Bar & Club, Basement of The Plaza, 234 Trafalgar Road, Maze Hill FREE, phone SE10 9ER for times. Resident DJs play house, dubstep, R&B, garage, hip hop and dance, with a music video projector screen.

Saturday April 13

A Night With Graeme Park at The Basing House, 25 Kingsland Road, E2 8AA Liverpool Street £10-£15, 10pm-4am. The DJ spins house, dance and club classics.

Oh What A Lovely Recession at The Peacock Cafe, 148 Falcon Road, SW11 2LW Clapham Junction FREE, 8pm-2.30am. DJ David Diskojuice and DJ Tubby spin hits from the 1970s and 1980s and funky house, plus burlesque performances.

Pinup Peepshow at Proud Cabaret, 1 Mark Lane, EC3R 7AH Fenchurch Street £5, 8.30pmlate. Resident DJs spin swing, jazz and electro, plus live burlesque and cabaret performances including Miss Betsey Rose, Beau Rocks, Slinky Sparkles, Velma Celli and Teddy Boy. The Prince Fatty Sound System at The Bedroom Bar, 62 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY Old Street £12, adv £10, 8pm-3am. Mike Pelanconi spins reggae and dub.

Rockit Science Soundsystem at The Big Chill House, 257-259 Pentonville Road, N1 9NL King’s Cross St Pancras phone for prices, 9.30pm-3am. Ryu Rockit, Collins303 and The101Connection and guests play disco, house, electro and funk.

Jump Jive and Shout Jive Night at Kennedy’s Bar, 297 Caledonian Road, N1 1EG Caledonian Road & Barnsbury £5, 8pm-12.30am. DJ Jeniffer Jackson spin blues, jive and rock’n’roll with a live performance from The Dice People.

Paparazzi Central at IndigO2, Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX North Greenwich £15, 11pm-5am. R&B, hip hop, party classics, old skool garage, dancehall and house courtesy of Firing Squad, Rampage, Ace, DJ Quincy, Love Connexion, Stamina, Mr Suey and DJ Milktray.

Paradise at O2 Academy Brixton, 211 Stockwell Road, SW9 9SL Brixton phone for prices, 9.30pm-4am. DJs Jamie Jones, Lee Foss, Richy Ahmed, Art Department, Infinity Ink and PBR Streetgang play house music, plus a full live show from Hot Natured.

The Gallery 18th Bday: Part 2 at The Ministry Of Sound, 103 Gaunt Street, SE1 6DP Elephant & Castle phone for prices, 10.30pm-6am. Electronic, dance and house music courtesy of Paul van Dyk, Eddie Bitar, Fabio XB, Gavyn Mytchel, Jay Deep, Matt Weeks, Daniel M, Lenny Raveney, Ideal Nu-Breed, Mac White, Maxquerade, Dale Potts, DJ Essell, Shane Fernandes, Wrighty and Our House, In House.

Great Big Kiss at Buffalo Bar, 259 Upper Street, N1 1RU Highbury & Islington adv £6, mems £4, 9pm-4am. Resident DJs play Northern soul and 1960s girl groups.

Fabric at Fabric, 77A Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ Farringdon £21, adv £20, In CD adv £25, NUS/mems £15, £10 after 4am, 10pm-6am. DJs Craig Richards, Terry Francis, Cari Lekebusch, Joseph Capriati and James Priestley spin underground house and electro with a live performance from Third Side.

Paris Is Burning at The Lexington, 9698 Pentonville Road, N1 9JB Angel £7, adv £4, £3 after 11pm, 8pm-4am.

Resident DJs play indie, pop, rock, disco and electro with live performances from Le Common Diamond, AOU and Lullabies.

Saturday Sessions: Defected In The House at The Ministry Of Sound, 103 Gaunt Street, SE1 6DP Elephant & Castle £22, 11pm-7am. DJs Dennis Ferrer, Noir, Copyright, Nice7, Lovebirds and Sante spin house and techno.

45 Revs Per Minute at Zen Sai, 16 Inverness Street, NW1 7HJ Camden Town FREE, 4pm-8pm.

Resident DJs supply rock’n’roll and retro.

Annie Mac Presents at KOKO, 1a Camden High Street, NW1 7JE Mornington Crescent £16.20, 10pm-4am. Drum’n’bass, dubstep, house and electro courtesy of Sub Focus, Dismantle, Shift K3y and Monki.

Bust Yo Nut at Dalston Superstore, 117 Kingsland High Street, E8 2PB Dalston Kingsland £5, FREE before 10pm, 9pm-3am. Toby Grimditch and Martyn Fitzgerald spin hip hop, R&B, house and techno.

Coco Loco at Salsa!, 96 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0JG Tottenham Court Road phone for prices, 6pm-2am. DJ Jorge Andre plays Latin, pop and commercial floor-fillers.

The Doctor’s Orders : 250 at The Scala, 275 Pentonville Road, N1 9NL King’s Cross St Pancras adv £12.50 & £17.50, 10pm-5am. Hip hop courtesy of DJ Jazzy Jeff, Skillz, The Nextmen, Rich Medina, Mr Thing, Spin Doctor, Chris P Cuts, Mo Fingaz, Chris Read, Nickname and MC Prankster.

Saturdays at 64th & Social, 64 Clapham High Street, SW4 7UL Clapham North phone for prices, 9pm-late. DJ Dauncey spins funk, disco, house and party classics.

Saturday Night Lick at Moonlighting, 16-17 Greek Street, W1D 4DR Tottenham Court Road £12, w/ flyer/ladies mems £10, ladies mems £2 before 12midnight, 10pm-5am. Resident DJs and guests provide R&B, soul, funky house, reggae, hip hop and bashment.

Saturday Social at The Social, 5 Little Portland Street, W1W 7JD Oxford Circus £7, concs £5, 6pm1am. Resident DJs spin soul, rock’n’roll, funk, disco, house, pop, boogie, psychedelia and classics from the 1960s and 1970s, plus a live performance courtesy of The Infinite Wilds.

Scared To Dance at Moustache Bar, 58 Stoke Newington Road, N16 7XB Dalston Kingsland £6, mems £4, 10pm-3am. Resident DJs play indie, 1960s pop, new wave and lo-fi.

Shake at Electric Ballroom, 184 Camden High Street, NW1 8QP Camden Town £10, NUS/mems £8 before 11.30pm, 10pm-3am. Disco and pop from DJ John Osbourne and Paul C in the main room, while DJ Milo plays party anthems in room two.

Stumblin Slims at The Blues Kitchen, 111-113 Camden High Street, NW1 7JN Camden Town £6, FREE before 9pm, 7pm-3am. Resident DJs spin rock’n’roll and soul, with a live performance from The Beekays.

Sunday Seance at Cellar Door, Zero Aldwych, WC2E 7EN Temple FREE, 7pm-late. DJ John Sizzle spins an eclectic mix of pop, blues, rock’n’roll, jazz and electro from the 1920s to the 2000s, with burlesque performances from Beatrix Von Bourbon United & Strong Fest Part III at Jamm, 261 Brixton Road, SW9 6LH Brixton £18, adv £15, 7pm-6am. Hardcore Punk and rock from resident DJs, plus live performances from The Oppressed, Blaggers ITA, Brigade Flores and Non Servium.

We Fear Silence Present at Cable, 33A Bermondsey Street, SE1 2EG London Bridge adv £11 & £13, queue jump £23, mems £13, NUS £11, 10pm6am. DJs Phaeleh, Girl Unit, Lil Silva, Deadboy and Scratcha DVA play dubstep, breaks, drum’n’bass and electronica.

Sunday April 14

Wet Yourself! at Fabric, 77A Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ Farringdon £12, adv £7, 11pm-6am. Resident DJs Peter Pixzel, Jacob Husley and Cormac play house and techno, plus a live performance from AlexKid (pictured).

An Afternoon With Satta at Bar Music Hall, 134-146 Curtain Road, EC2A 3AR Old Street FREE, 2pm-7pm. Resident DJs and guests spin reggae, dub and roots vinyl.

GlobalFaction at Upstairs At The Ritzy, Coldharbour Lane, SW2 1JG Brixton FREE, 8pm-11.30pm. Hip hop courtesy of DJ Snuff and guests, with open mic.

Industry Night at Fiesta Havana, 490492 Fulham Road, SW6 5NH Fulham Broadway FREE, phone for times. Resident DJs spin Latin, funk and soul, plus live 10 piece Latino band.

Orange at Fire, Arch, 39-43 Parry Street, corner South Lambeth Road, SW8 1RT Vauxhall £12, £10, w/flyer £5 before 1am, 10pm-late. The Oli, Paul Martin and The Sharp Boys spin house in room one, while Gonzola Rivas, David Jiminez and Hi Fi Sean provide minimal techno and tech house in room two.

The Two Gerbils at Gigalum, 7 Cavendish Parade, Clapham Common South Side, SW4 9DW Clapham South FREE, 7pm-late. House music courtesy of the DJ duo.

Tutti Frutti at Dalston Superstore, 117 Kingsland High Street, E8 2PB Dalston Kingsland FREE, 8.30pm2.30am. Soul, disco and house courtesy of DJ Squeaky.

scoutlondon.com Scout London 47

Once the Musical triumphed on Broadway and is now opening in the West End. Playwright Enda Walsh chats to Caroline Bishop about adapting the charming Irish film for the stage, and what he’s learnt from working on this small show with a big heart

48 Scout London scoutlondon.com

manuel harlan / jorge alexanadre pereira

Once in a lifetime

E

nda Walsh laughs at the notion that he’s a romantic. “No, I’m not at all, I’m terrible! I care about my friends and my wife and my kids dearly but in terms of gestures and that I’m a f**king disaster!”

It’s not surprising really. This is a playwright known for penning dark, brooding stories about characters stuck in desperate situations. His first success, 1996’s Disco Pigs, portrayed the agony of teenage life through a pair of over-reliant friends heading for self-destruction.

Last year’s Misterman centred on a violent, mentally unstable religious zealot with a mother complex.

Between the two he wrote about a polio sufferer, siblings interned by their father, and a group of selfimprisoned suitors awaiting inevitable death. Romantic? Not so much.

Which is why it’s rather strange that Irishman Walsh is the writer behind Once the Musical, an adaptation of John Carney’s 2006 film about a Dublin busker and a Czech pianist who fall for each other through a shared passion for music.

“I thought it was a pretty terrible

manuel harlan / jorge alexanadre pereira

Nevertheless, this idea when I heard about small ‘anti-musical’, it,” says Walsh. The developed offdraw was director John Broadway, went on to Tiffany, a long-time play the Great White friend and collaborator.

Way and beat the big The initial request was boys at the 2012 Tony for just two days, to Awards – its haul of help shape the show in Playwright Enda Walsh eight gongs included a New York workshop.

Best Book of a Musical for Walsh.

So he agreed. “But after three hours of listening to songs and reading bits It continues to run there as a new production arrives at London’s of the screenplay, I thought it would Phoenix Theatre, after opening be a really great thing for me to do. to enthusiastic reviews in Dublin The notion of being in a rehearsal room with loads of musicians playing, in February. Why has it worked?

Precisely because it’s so understated, I thought it would be good for my feels Walsh. “We believe in actors heart and my head.”

Like Carney’s film, the musical is and the strength of seeing someone start playing and singing, and they a small, understated affair, enacted all blend together in an extraordinary by 14 actor-musicians on one set, which evokes a Dublin pub complete sound. All that seems like enough alchemy without making something with working bar where audience members can order their interval pint terribly flashy.”

The process has been a revelation (it even stocks Guinness). Walsh for Walsh, who says he’s “never had a says designer Bob Crowley wanted reaction to any of my shows like this”. to capture the feel of “stories that are passed around in a bar”. He adds: As a non-musician, he’s been floored by the talent of the cast and the “There’s no ‘show’ about it; it’s so emotional clout of music in theatre. underplayed that you forget you are in a musical. It’s very anti-musical in “It’s been an absolute joy to do, but that way, it’s not desperate to get to also a little bit surprising,” he says.

“It’s taught me a lot about theatre. the next number.”

Previously, I’d been terribly snobbish about musicals. Now it’s like, they’re sort of tricky to get right but they’re worth chasing down, because emotionally you can end up telling something that’s really strong.”

Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová’s songs, taken from the film, are like “soliloquies”, he says, expressing something “much larger than I could throw down in words over two hours”.

Walsh reveals that 40s classic Brief Encounter “was the touchstone for this piece – it has that ache”. And working on the show with colleagues more open to romance than him has softened Walsh, too. “Any cynicism I have has been completely bashed out of me,” he laughs.

Screen to stage

into a cheesy but highly enjoyable stage show that played in the West End in 2006.

These very different films have all been turned into stage musicals, with varying degrees of success.

Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)

Footloose (1984)

The musical film starring a young Kevin Bacon as dance-crazy teenager Ren (and also featuring an early appearance by Sarah Jessica Parker) was made

The plot of this Madonna film, set to the music of 80s New Wave popsters Blondie? It never sounded like a winner, and indeed it closed after just four weeks in 2007. Its creator has since written a one-man comedy show, Desperately Seeking the

Which way out? Stage disaster Desperately Seeeking Susan

While he’s unlikely to shake off his dark side altogether – he’s currently writing “a f**king insane” play for Cillian Murphy – musicals are set to lighten his doorstep again. He’s collaborating with Rufus Wainwright on a movie-musical and another stage project is in the pipeline.

Whatever happens, Once will retain a special place in his now more romantic heart. “I don’t know if I will ever have anything like this again,” he says. “It was such a shot in the arm for me.

It’s been really good for the heart and soul and it’s fired me up for more.”

Once the Musical, Phoenix Theatre, from April 9, oncemusical.co.uk

Exit, about the whole misadventure.

Sister Act (1992)

Ghost (1990)

of Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical (1994)

The Whoopi Goldberg film of nuns on the run from Hairspray (1988) the mafia was made into Actress-turned-chat show a 2009 West End show, queen Ricki Lake starred co-produced by Goldberg as the big girl with the big herself and featuring an heart in this film about original score by Disney dancing and civil rights. composer Alan Menken.

The 2002 Broadway Reviews were mixed, but it musical version shovelled lasted over a year. up awards, and was eventually remade into The Adventures yet another film.

Dave Stewart lent his composing talent to this classy adaptation of the Demi Moore/ Patrick Swayze film about a murdered man who haunts his girlfriend’s pottery wheel. Illusionist Paul Kieve supplied the impressive visual tricks.

This Australian hit about a trio of drag artists on a mission in the outback was perfect fodder for possibly the campest musical to ever grace a London stage, with Jason Donovan shaking his tail feathers as Tick.

scoutlondon.com Scout London 49

PR E V I E W S

The Life of Stuff Theatre 503 April10-May 4, £10-£15

Director Howard Davies and adaptor Andrew Upton know how to make the most of a fruitful partnership. Their productions of European classics at the National Theatre have made for highly enjoyable and – especially in the case of 2010’s Olivier-winning The White Guard – unexpectedly hilarious nights out at the theatre. Following 2007’s Philistines, the duo returns to Gorky with this production of his

darkly comic play about Russia on the brink of revolution. Regular collaborator Bunny Christie, who won a Best Set Design Olivier Award for The White Guard, works her magic on the Lyttelton stage once again. Caroline Bishop SE1 9PX Waterloo nationaltheatre.org.uk

Beautiful Thing Arts Theatre April 13-May 25, £20-£45 Jonathan Harvey’s story about two young men falling in love on an inner city housing estate became an instant classic when it premiered in 1993. It’s revived in its 20th anniversary year by a cast including Suranne Jones, Oliver Farnworth and Zaraah Abrahams, as well as two newcomers playing the loved-up teens. CB WC2H 7JB Leicester Square beautthing.com 50 Scout London scoutlondon.com

SW11 3BW Clapham Junction theatre503.com

My Daughter’s Trial Browns Courtrooms April 8-25, £10-£20 A unique site-specific event taking place in the former Westminster County Court (above Browns in Covent Garden), Jabine Chaudri’s play follows a young Muslim barrister facing personal and professional dilemmas. CB WC2N 4AG Leicester Square sohotheatre.com

Ubu Roi Barbican Centre April 10-20, £21-£26 Masters of multi-lingual European theatre Cheek by Jowl take on Frenchman Alfred Jarry’s 1896 absurdist satire about greed and the abuse of power, playing as part of the Barbican’s Dancing Around Duchamp season. CB EC2Y 8DS Barbican barbicantheatre.org.uk

RICHARD HUBERT SMITH / Michael Lidbetter

Children of the Sun National Theatre, April 9-May 19 £12-£34

Head to Battersea’s Latchmere pub to catch this revival of Simon Donald’s award-winning 1993 comedy about a small-time crook whose best-laid plans unravel in spectacular fashion.

The production launches a programme of plays that were hits in their day but haven’t been revived until now. CB

The Table The Shed, April 9-May 18, £12-£20 While its third space, the Cottesloe, undergoes a major renovation and rebirth as the Dorfman, the National Theatre has created a new pop-up venue on its front lawn. The Shed aims to house experimental, inventive work that perhaps wouldn’t find a home on the NT’s more traditional stages. The programme kicks off with a new collaboration between husband and wife team Rufus Norris and Tanya Ronder.

Norris, who had such success with London Road at the National, directs Ronder’s epic, generation-spanning tale of one family over 200 years, exploring belonging and identity. CB SE1 9PX

Waterloo nationaltheatre.org.uk

RICHARD HUBERT SMITH / Frank Bauer

#AIWW: The Arrest of Ai Weiwei Hampstead Theatre, April 11-May 18, £14.50-£29 Playwright Howard Brenton enjoys recreating history on stage, from his famously controversial 1980 play The Romans in Britain through the story of Anne Boleyn at Shakespeare’s Globe to the political and personal journey of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in Never So Good at the National Theatre. He turns his attention to more contemporary affairs with this play about the 2011 arrest and twomonth imprisonment by the Chinese government of artist and political activist Ai Weiwei (pictured), for alleged tax evasion. Weiwei risks further clashes with the Chinese authorities over the play, which is based on interviews he gave while under house arrest. CB NW3 3EU

Swiss Cottage hampsteadtheatre.com

L I ST I N G S

Untold Stories: Hymm & Cocktail Sticks booking until Jun 15 2013, Duchess Theatre, 3-5 Catherine Street, WC2B 5LA Covent Garden £12-£59.50, concs available, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 3pm. Alan Bennett looks back over his childhood and recalls memories of his late father, in this double bill featuring Alex Jennings as the writer.

The Audience booking until Jun 15 2013, Gielgud Theatre, 35-37 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 6AR Piccadilly Circus £10-£59, concs available, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.30pm. Peter Morgan’s fictional renditions of private meetings between the Queen and her Prime Ministers.

Beautiful Thing Starts Sat, booking until May 25 2013, Arts Theatre, 6-7 Great Newport Street, WC2H 7JB Covent Garden £20-£35, From Apr 13, Mon-Sat 8pm, mats Thu, Sat 3pm (press night Apr 17, 7pm). A love story between two classmates and neighbours on an inner city estate, written by Jonathan Harvey.

The Book Of Mormon booking until Sep 21 2013, Prince Of Wales Theatre, 31 Coventry Street, W1D 6AS Piccadilly Circus £37.50-£67.50, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.30pm, no perf May 31. Musical satire chronicling the misadventures of two missionaries in Uganda.

A Chorus Line booking until Jan 25 2014, London Palladium, 8 Argyll Street, W1F 7TF Oxford Circus £19.50£65, Feb 2-18 previews £10-£55, MonSat 7.45pm, mats Wed, Sat 3pm. Revival of Michael Bennett’s award-winning musical.

The Inferno booking until Apr 12 2013, Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square £12, concs £10, Apr 8-12, 9.30pm. Nick Pelas directs an adaptation of Dante’s Divine Comedy.

Jersey Boys booking until Mar 2 2014, 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, Sun 5pm, mats Tue, Sat 3pm.

Musical drama about the career of Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons.

52 Scout London scoutlondon.com

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. Musical based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel.

Let It Be booking until Oct 5 2013, Savoy Theatre, Savoy Court, Strand, WC2R 0ET Charing Cross £20£60, Mon, Wed-Sat 7.30pm, Sun 7pm, mats Sat & Sun 3pm. Marking 50 years since the release of their first single, The Beatles are celebrated in this musicalnarrative, created by RAIN Productions.

The Lion King booking until Sep 29 2013, Lyceum Theatre, 21 Wellington Street, WC2E 7RQ Covent Garden Tue-Thu £25-£62.50, Fri, Sun £27.50£65, Sat £30-£67.50, Premium Seats £70-£95, Tue-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat & Sun 2.30pm. Musical based on the Disney film about a cub’s journey to pride leader.

The Lion King Lyceum Theatre, 21 Wellington Street, WC2E 7RQ Covent Garden £25, Sun 1.30pm.

An autism-friendly performance of the musical about a cub’s journey to pride leader.

Macbeth booking until Apr 27 2013, Trafalgar Studios, 14 Whitehall, SW1A 2DY Charing Cross Tue-Sat £24.50-£54.50, Premium Seats £65, £10 day seats available in person at the box office from 10am on the day of the performance, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 2.30pm. James McAvoy and Claire Foy headline Jamie Lloyd’s staging of Shakespeare.

Mamma Mia! booking until Oct 26 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. Musical comedy based at a family wedding and set to the ABBA songbook.

Quartermaine’s Terms booking until Apr 13 2013, Wyndham’s Theatre, Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0DA Leicester Square £25-£58.50, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 2.30pm. Rowan Atkinson’s stint as the teacher St John Quartermaine in Simon Gray’s tragicomic play enters its final week.

Matilda: The Musical booking until Dec 22 2013, Cambridge Theatre, Earlham Street, WC2H 9HU Covent Garden Until Dec 22 2013 £19-£58.50, disabled £28.75, Tue-Thu under 18s £19-£48.50,, Tue-Thu under 18s £19-£52.50, Tue 7pm, Wed-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.30pm, Sun 3pm. Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin’s musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s tale.

Monty Python’s Spamalot booking until Dec 2 2013, Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue, WC2N 5DE Charing Cross £15-£85, Mon-Sat 8pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.30pm. Eric Idle and John Du Prez’s musical comedy featuring Stephen Tompkinson as King Arthur.

The Mousetrap booking until Dec 21 2013, St Martin’s Theatre, West Street, Cambridge Circus, WC2H 9NZ Leicester Square £16-£42, Premium Seats £61, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Tue 3pm, Sat 4pm. Agatha Christie’s murder mystery.

Once booking until Nov 30 2013, Phoenix Theatre, 110 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0JP Leicester Square £19.50-£67.50, Premium Seats £95, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 3pm (press night Apr 9, 7pm). The romantic stage musical of the 2006 Irish film, about an Irish busker and young Czech immigrant and their shared love of music.

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. Richard Bean’s comic tale, based on Carlo Goldoni’s The Servant Of Two Masters.

Peter And Alice booking until Jun 1 2013, Noel Coward Theatre, 85-88 St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4AU Leicester Square £10, £27.50, £57.50, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat 2.30pm. John Logan’s drama about the chance meeting between Alice Liddell Hargreaves and Peter Llewelyn Davies, the original Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. 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.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Gothic musical about a masked man and his dangerous obsession.

Robin Windsor And Kristina Rihanoff: Burn The Floor booking until Sep 1 2013, Shaftesbury Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2H 8DP Holborn £16£57, Mon, Wed & Thu 7.30pm, Fri & Sat 8pm, mats Thu 3pm, Sat & Sun 4pm. An entertaining dance spectacular featuring two of the professional stars of Strictly Come Dancing, and special guest Karen Hauer.

Rock Of Ages booking until Nov 2 2013, Garrick Theatre, 2 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0HH Charing Cross £25-£65, Mon-Sat 7.45pm, mats Fri & Sat 3pm. Chris D’Arienzo’s musical celebrating Los Angeles rock culture.

Singin’ In The Rain booking until Jun 8 2013, Palace Theatre, 109-113 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 5AY Leicester Square £15-£65, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 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. Steve McNicholas and Luke Cresswell’s percussion-based spectacular.

Third Finger, Left Hand booking until Apr 27 2013, Trafalgar Studios, 14 Whitehall, SW1A 2DY Charing Cross £15-£30, Mon-Sat 7.45pm, mats Thu, Sat 3pm. A poignant, 1970s-set drama featuring a music soundtrack of Northern Soul sounds, written by Dermot Canavan.

Thriller Live booking until Oct 15 2013, Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 7ES Piccadilly Circus £26£87.50, Tue-Fri, Sun 7.30pm, Sat 8pm, mats Sat 4pm, Sun 3.30pm. A celebration of the music of Michael Jackson.

Top Hat - The Musical booking until Apr 27 2014, Aldwych Theatre, 49 Aldwych, WC2B 4DF Covent Garden £20£65, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 2.30pm, Feb 28 Q & A session with Linda Emmett, daughter of Irving Berlin, after mat perf, Jan 1 2013-Apr 20 2013, Mon & Tue, Thu-Sat 7.30pm, Sun 4pm. Irving Berlin’s romantic musical.

Viva Forever! booking until Feb 14 2014, Piccadilly Theatre, 16 Denman Street, W1D 7DY Piccadilly Circus £20£67.50, Mon-Thu, Sat 7.30pm, Fri 5pm & 8.30pm, mats Sat 3pm, no perf Dec 25, extra mat perf Dec 23, 31, Dec 24, 27, 3pm. Jennifer Saunders’s comedy musical, featuring the Spice Girls’ songs.

War Horse booking until Feb 15 2014, New London Theatre, 166 Drury Lane (corner of Parker Street), 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 about a farm horse caught up in the horrors of the First World War. We Will Rock You booking until Oct 26 2013, Dominion Theatre, 268-9 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7AQ Tottenham Court Road £15-£65, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat 2.30pm, Apr 24, May 29, Jun 26, Jul 31, Aug 28, Sep 25, 2.30pm. Futuristic musical set to the hits of Freddie Mercury’s Queen.

The Woman In Black booking until Dec 14 2013, Fortune Theatre, Russell Street, WC2B 5HH Covent Garden £16.50£48, Tue-Sat 8pm, mats Tue, Thu 3pm, Sat 4pm. Adaptation of Susan Hill’s ghost story.

OFF WEST END #Aiww: The Arrest Of Ai Weiwei Starts Thu, ends May 18 2013, Hampstead Theatre, Eton Avenue, NW3 3EU Swiss Cottage Apr 17-30, May 1-18 Mon, Wed, Sat 7.30pm, 2.30pm & 3pm

Jayne West

WEST END

£22, Tue-Sat £29, Wed, Sat 2.30pm & 3pm OAP £15, concs £15, £18, Apr 11-16 previews £22, From Apr 11, MonSat 7.30pm, mats Wed 2.30pm, Sat 3pm (press night Apr 17, 7pm). Howard Brenton’s play is based on conversations between the Chinese artist Al Weiwei and Barnaby Martin.

13: The Musical: Centre Stage Starts Tue, ends Apr 12 2013, Artsdepot, 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, N12 0GA Finchley Central £12-£15, Apr 9 & 10, 12, 7.30pm, mat Apr 12, 2.30pm. A high-energy musical about growing up.

Before The Party Ends May 11 2013, Almeida Theatre, Almeida Street, N1 1TA Highbury & Islington £8£32, concs available, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat 2.30pm, extra mats Apr 10, May 1, audio described perf Apr 27, 2.30pm, captioned perf May 2, 7.30pm.

Rodney Ackland’s drama about a family struggling to rebuild shattered lives.

Carnaby Street Ends Apr 14 2013, Hackney Empire, 291 Mare Street, E8 1EJ Hackney Central £10£27.50, Tue-Sat 7.30pm, Sun 5pm, mats Sat 2.30pm (press night Apr 10).

Keith Pattinson / Johan Persson

The Billie Holiday Story booking until Jun 1 2013, Charing Cross Theatre, The Arches, Villiers Street, WC2N 6NL Embankment £12.50-£35, MonSat 7.30pm. Nina Kristofferson’s onewoman musical play, about the jazz singer known as ‘Lady Day’.

Sid Owen stars in this musical set in the iconic London street during the 1960s.

Written by Carl Leighton-Pope and Robert Johns.

Children Of The Sun Starts Tue, booking until May 19 2013, National Theatre: Lyttelton, South Bank, SE1 9PX Waterloo £12-£34, Apr 9-13, 15, 17 & 18, 23-25, 30, May 1-4, 10 & 11, 17 & 18, 7.30pm, press night Apr 16, 7pm, mats Apr 17, 24, May 1, 4, 11, 18, 2.15pm, May 5, 12, 19, 3pm. Andrew Upton’s version of Maxim Gorky’s drama, set in prerevolution Russia.

Dancing Around Duchamp: Ubu Roi Starts Wed, booking until Apr 20 2013, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS Barbican £21-£26, From Apr 10, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat 2.30pm.

Alfred Jarry’s satire about greed and the abuse of power. Performed in French with English surtitles.

Gibraltar Ends Apr 20 2013, Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin Street, E8 3DL Dalston Junction £17, concs £12, Mon-Sat 8pm, mats Sat 3pm. Hardhitting drama by Alastair Brett with Sian Evans, based on the shooting by the SAS of three unarmed IRA terrorists in 1988.

The Life And Sort Of Death Of Eric Argyle Ends Apr 20 2013, Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road Apr 8-20 £15, concs £10, Tue-Sat 7.15pm, mats Sat 3.30pm, no perf Apr 16, 7.15pm. 15th Oak Productions presents a tragicomic play about Eric, who is still in his pyjamas and died at 11.42am, two days ago. Not suitable for under 12s.

Longing Ends Apr 13 2013, Hampstead Theatre, Eton Avenue, NW3 3EU Swiss Cottage Apr 1-13 Mon £22, concs £15, Tue-Sat £29, concs £18, Wed, Sat 2.30pm & 3pm OAP £15, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed 2.30pm, Sat 3pm. A single drama adapted, by William Boyd, from two short stories by Anton Chekhov.

The Low Road booking until May 11 2013, Jerwood Theatre At The Royal Court, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS Sloane Square Mon £10, Tue-Sat £12-£28, concs available, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat 2.30pm, Apr 18, 25, 2.30pm, no perf May 6. A modern fable on modern, savage capitalism, written by Bruce Norris.

Mies Julie Ends May 19 2013, Riverside Studios, Crisp Road, W6 9RL Hammersmith £25 & £26, Tue-Sat 8pm, Sun 6pm, mats Sat 2.30pm. An award-winning modern reworking of August Strindberg’s drama, adapted and directed by Yael Farber. Contains nudity and scenes of a sexual nature.

Moby Dick Ends May 4 2013, Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin Street, E8 3DL Dalston Junction Apr 6, 13, 20, 27, May 4 2.30pm £16, concs £12, May 1-4 Mon-Sat 7.30pm £18, concs £14, MonSat 7.30pm, mats Sat 2.30pm. A play adapted from Herman Melville’s novel.

My Perfect Mind Ends Apr 20 2013, Young Vic, 66 The Cut, SE1 8LZ Waterloo £19.50, Apr 3 & 4 preview £10, Mon-Sat 7.45pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.45pm. A two-man comedy drama, fusing Shakespeare and the experiences of a stroke victim.

Narrative booking until May 4 2013, Jerwood Theatre At The Royal Court, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS Sloane Square Mon £10, Tue-Sat £20, concs £15, Mon-Sat 7.45pm, mats Thu, Sat 3.30pm (press night Apr 10, 7pm). Anthony Neilson’s latest play, a play about stories, features Zawe Ashton and Oliver Rix.

Narrative Starts Fri, booking until May 4 2013, Jerwood Theatre At The Royal Court, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS Sloane Square Mon £10, Tue-Sat £20, concs £15, From Apr 5, Mon-Sat 7.45pm, mats Thu, Sat 3.30pm (press night Apr 10, 7pm, no mat perf Apr 6).

Anthony Neilson’s latest, a play about stories, features Fresh Meat’s Zawe Ashton (pictured) and Oliver Rix.

NoFit State Circus: Bianco Ends Apr 27 2013, Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8EH Chalk Farm Apr 8-9 previews £20, concs £17.50, Apr 10-27 Mon-Thu/Sat & Sun 7.30pm & 2.30pm £25, concs £22.50, Fri & Sat 7.30pm £29.50, concs £27.50, Tue-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat & Sun 2.30pm (press night Apr 10). An exciting mix of modern circus, aerial acrobatics and live music.

Our House: Centre Stage Starts Thu, ends Apr 13 2013, Artsdepot, 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, N12 0GA Finchley Central £12-£15, Apr 11, 13, 7.30pm, mat Apr 13, 2.30pm. A fast moving romantic comedy about Joey Casey, his mates, his girlfriend and the night he commits a petty crime to impress her.

Paper Dolls Ends Apr 28 2013, Tricycle Theatre, 269 Kilburn High Road, NW6 7JR Kilburn Mon/Wed 2pm & 8pm £14, Tue-Thu/Sat 4pm & 8pm £20, concs £18, Fri & Sat 8pm £22, concs £20, Mon-Sat 8pm, mats Wed 2pm, Sat 4pm, no perf Apr 22, extra mat Apr 28, 3pm. Philip Himberg’s drama adapted from the film by Tomer Heymann.

Proof Ends Apr 27 2013, The Menier Chocolate Factory, 53 Southwark Street, SE1 1RU London Bridge £31, Premium £35, Meal Deal £39, concs £27.50, Tue-Sat 8pm, mats Sat & Sun 3.30pm. David Auburn’s award-winning drama is directed by Polly Findlay.

Quasimodo Ends Apr 13 2013, King’s Head, Islington, 115 Upper Street, N1 1QN Angel Apr 1-13 £15-£25, Tue-Sat 7.15pm, mats Sun 3pm, Apr 13, 3pm. The last musical written by the composer Lionel Bart.

Say It With Flowers Ends May 4 2013, Hampstead Theatre, Eton Avenue, NW3 3EU Swiss Cottage £12, concs £10, Mon-Sat 7.45pm & 9pm, Sat 4.30pm, mats Sat 3.15pm, Apr 17, 7.45pm. A selection of American modernist Gertrude Stein’s writing is performed in this ensemble piece.

SPILL Festival Of Performance: Empress Stah In Space Starts Wed, ends Apr 13 2013, Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, W1D 3NE Tottenham Court Road £12, concs £10, Apr 10-13, 10.45pm. Interconnected actions spring into life through 3D animation and video mapping, as Empress Stah continues to try in her quest to create performances in outer space.

SPILL Festival Of Performance: The Salon Project booking until Apr 14 2013, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS Barbican £35, Apr 8-12, 14, 6pm, 6.30pm, 7pm, timed entry. An immersive promenade theatre piece set in a 19th century Parisian salon.

Table Starts Tue, booking until Apr 18 2013, National Theatre, South Bank, SE1 9PX Waterloo Stage and Gallery Level £20, Gallery Restricted View £12, From Apr 9, Tue-Sat 8pm, mats Sat & Sun, Wed 3pm (press night Apr 12, 7pm, no mat perf Apr 14). An epic tale covering 115 years of one family’s life, love and ghosts, written by Tanya Ronder.

This House booking until Apr 8 2013, National Theatre: Olivier, South Bank, SE1 9PX Waterloo £12-£47, Apr 8, 7.30pm. A political drama set during the year of 1974, written by James Graham.

Three Birds Ends Apr 20 2013, The Bush Theatre, 7 Uxbridge Road, W12 8LJ Shepherd’s Bush Apr 8-20 Mon-Sat 7.30pm £19.50, concs £12, Wed/Sat 2.30pm £15, concs £10, Mar 20 & 21 previews £15, concs £10, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat 2.30pm, Apr 17, 2.30pm. An award-winning, darkly comic play by Janice Okoh, on childhood and fantasy.

Trelawny Of The Wells Ends Apr 13 2013, Donmar Warehouse, 41 Earlham Street, WC2H 9LX Covent Garden Apr 1-13 £10-£35, standing £7.50, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Thu, Sat 2.30pm.

Arthur Wing Pinero’s homage to the stage, directed by BAFTA award-winning director Joe Wright.

Vanessa And Virginia Ends Apr 14 2013, Riverside Studios, Crisp Road, W6 9RL Hammersmith Mar 26 & 27 £10 preview, Mar 28-31, Apr 2-14 £15, concs £12, Tue-Sat 8pm, mats Sun 4pm.

Drama about the writer Virginia Woolf and her artist sister Vanessa Bell.

The Winslow Boy booking until May 25 2013, Old Vic, 103 The Cut, SE1 8NB Waterloo Apr 1-30, May 1-25 £11-£50, Wed/Sat 2.30pm OAP £26, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, mats Wed, Sat 2.30pm. Classic drama written by Terence Rattigan about principles and the powerful establishment.

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FRINGE 3 For The Price Of 1: Brotherly Love/ Counting The Days/Blackout Starts Tue, ends Apr 13 2013, Barons Court Theatre, The Curtain’s Up, 28A Comeragh Road, W14 9HR Barons Court £12, concs £10, Apr 9-13, 7.30pm. A trio of sparkling new plays.

The Accrington Pals Starts Tue, ends Apr 14 2013, The Courtyard, Bowling Green Walk, 40 Pitfield Street, N1 6EU Old Street £12, concs £10, Apr 9-14, 7.30pm. Drama about the First World War’s impact on a close-knit community.

The Arrival Starts Tue, ends Apr 13 2013, Jacksons Lane Theatre, 269a Archway Road, N6 5AA Highgate £14.95, concs £12.95, Apr 9-13, 8pm, mat Apr 13, 3pm. The story of a man who sets off on a voyage to a smog-filled metropolis across the sea.

A Class Act Ends Apr 13 2013, Landor Theatre, 70 Landor Street, SW9 9PH Clapham North £20, Tue-Thu, Sat 7.30pm, Fri 7pm, mats Sat & Sun 3pm.

Musical celebrating the life and works of lyricist Edward Kleban.

Darling Of The Day Ends Apr 20 2013, Union Theatre, 204 Union Street, SE1 0LX Waterloo £19.50, concs £17.50, Tue-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat & Sun 2.30pm. Jule Styne, Yip Harburg and Nunnally Johnson’s award-winning musical.

Godspell: SEDOS Ends Apr 13 2013, Bridewell Theatre, Bride Lane, off Fleet Street, EC4Y 8EQ Blackfriars £15, concs £12.50, Apr 8-13, 7.30pm, mat Apr 13. Reimagined version of the religious musical, set during the Occupy protest.

Hamlet Ends Apr 27 2013, The Drayton Arms Theatre, 153 Old Brompton Road, SW5 0LJ Gloucester Road £13, concs £11, Tue-Sat 8pm. Shakespeare’s tragedy as presented by The Ouroboros Players, is set during the Swinging 60s.

I Didn’t Always Live Here Ends Apr 20 2013, Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, SW10 9ED West Brompton Tue-Sat 7.30pm, mats Apr 13 & 14, 20, 3pm. Stewart Conn’s drama set in 1970s Glasgow.

SIRO-A booking until Apr 22 2013, Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX Leicester Square £15-£17, family £40, Apr 8-11, 16 & 17, 19 & 20, 22, 7pm, Apr 11-14, 16 & 17, 19-22, 4.30pm, mats Apr 10, 13 & 14, 18, 21, 2.30pm, ends Apr 22. A dynamic, interactive feast from Japan, which fuses video mapping, projections and other optical illusions.

The Life Of Stuff Starts Wed, ends May 4 2013, Theatre 503, The Latchmere Pub, 503 Battersea Park Road, SW11 3BW Sloane Square £15, concs £10, From Apr 10, Tue-Sat 7.45pm, Sun 5pm, captioned Apr 20. A comic fly-on-the-wall snapshot of eight lives careering out of control.

Love Explosion! The Sebright Arms, 34 Coate Street, E2 9AG Cambridge Heath FREE, Apr 14, 7pm-9.30pm. Friendly Fire presents an improvised comedy drama.

Marie Curie Science Museum, Exhibition Road, SW7 2DD South Kensington phone for prices, Apr 11, 12.30pm-1pm & 2pm-2.30pm. This drama role tells the story of Curie’s turbulent life and her incredible scientific discoveries.

The Merchant Of Venice Starts Tue, ends Apr 14 2013, The London Theatre, New Cross, 455 New Cross Road, SE14 6TA New Cross £12, Apr 9-13, 8pm, Apr 14, 5.30pm. A production of Shakespeare’s classic tale of greed, power, passion and revenge.

My Daughter’s Trial Ends Apr 25 2013, Browns Courtrooms, Above Browns Restaurant, 82-84 St. Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4AG Covent Garden Apr 8 preview £10, Apr 9-11 £15, concs £10, Apr 12-25 £20, concs £12.50, Cash On The Door Only, Mon-Sat 7.30pm, press

night Apr 9. Jabine Chaudri’s drama about a young Muslim female barrister facing personal troubles, presented by Kali Theatre.

My Favourite Madman Starts Tue, ends Apr 13 2013, Tristan Bates Theatre, The Actors Centre, 1a Tower Street, WC2H 9NP Leicester Square £12, concs £10, Apr 9-13, 7.30pm. Set in Baku city in 1995, this is a rollercoaster ride of anarchic fun.

No One Ever Spoke of It Etcetera Theatre, 265 Camden High Street, NW1 7BU Camden Town £6, Apr 8, 7.30pm. This exciting piece explores what is said behind closed doors.

The Octoroon Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, E15 1BN Stratford FREE, Apr 11, 7.25pm. A live radio recording of Dion Boucicault’s 1859 melodrama, a play that sparked debates about the abolition of slavery and the role of theatre in politics.

Rope Starts Tue, ends Apr 27 2013, Brockley Jack Studio Theatre, 410 Brockley Road, SE4 2DH Honor Oak Park £13, concs £10, From Apr 9, Tue-Sat 7.45pm. Patrick Hamilton’s thriller in which two students set out to commit the perfect murder.

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Film Reviews Damon Smith

Editor Dan Frost

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Editorial editorial@scoutlondon.com

Contributors Abi Jackson Nicky Williams Clare Considine Caroline Bishop Tim Clark Keeley Bolger Albertina LloydLucy Peden Andy Welch

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

Sub-Editor Steve Yates

The Revenge Of Sherlock Holmes!

Starts Wed, ends May 10 2013, Hoxton Hall, 130 Hoxton Street, N1 6SH Old Street £20, concs £18, From Apr 10, Wed-Sat 7.30pm, Sun 6pm, mats Sat 3pm, Sun 2pm. A music hall-style musical written by Leslie Bricusse.

Richard III Starts Tue, ends Apr 13 2013, The Lion & Unicorn, 42-44 Gaisford Street, NW5 2ED Kentish Town £12, concs £8, Apr 9-13, 7.30pm.

Shakespeare’s drama updated, reimagining Richard as a woman.

Streets Project Ends Apr 21 2013, The Cockpit, Gateforth Street, NW8 8EH Marylebone Apr 6-21 £15, concs £12, Tue-Sat 7.30pm, mats Sat 3pm, Sun 4pm. A group of friends try to create better futures, in this musical drama.

Tartuffe Starts Tue, ends Apr 27 2013, Canal Cafe Theatre, Bridge House Pub, Delamere Terrace, W2 6ND Warwick Avenue £12, From Apr 9, Tue-Sat 7pm, mats Sat 3pm. Moliere’s satirical comedy on hypocrisy, presented

by Paradigm Theatre.

The Trial Ends Apr 27 2013, Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, EC1V 9LT Old Street £30, book via barbican. org.uk, Tue-Fri 4pm-7.40pm, start times at 20 minute intervals, Sat 2pm-7.40pm, Part One. A large-scale, immersive theatre piece from RETZ. Truth’s Vision Ends Apr 12 2013, Bridewell Theatre, Bride Lane, off Fleet Street, EC4Y 8EQ Blackfriars £7, advance £6, Tue-Fri 1pm. A musical comedy about a woman and her two sides of personality, written by Lily Lowe-Myers.

When The Rain Stops Falling: University Of Cambridge Ends Apr 14 2013, Rosemary Branch Theatre, 2A Shepperton Road, N1 3DT Old Street Tue-Sun £12, concs £10, Mon £7.50 preview, Tue-Sat 7.30pm, mat Sun 4pm, Mon 7.30pm preview. In Alice Springs in the year 2039, fish are almost extinct but one lands at the feet of Gabriel York.

You And Me Ends Apr 27 2013, Blue Elephant Theatre, 59a Bethwin Road, SE5 0XT Elephant & Castle Apr 2 & 3 previews £8.50, Apr 4-27 £12, concs £10, Tue-Sat 8pm. A physical comedy piece exploring issues of old age and the effects of dementia, from Merce Ribot and Patricia Rodriguez.

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