Est 1956 Issue 2765
2 October, 2009 OLYMPIC CITY 2012
53 YEARS The Number One Magazine for Visitors
Kitchen Kitsch 11. Oil 2009. 39.5” x 31.5”
JOHN WEALLEANS KITCHEN KITSCH SERIES 22 September - 17 October
FRANCIS KYLE GALLERY 9 Maddox S treet, London W1S 2QE 020 7499 6870/ 6970 Mo nday -Fri day 1 0 am-6 pm. Saturday 11 am-5 pm
franci s ky l eg al l ery. co m
Offenbach British première
Concert performances, in a new English translation, of this Grand Romantic Opera Opernwelt’s “Rediscovery of the year” in 2005 New Sussex Opera Chorus & Kent Sinfonia conductor Nicholas Jenkins cast includes: Armgard - Kate Valentine Hedwig - Anne-Marie Owens Franz - David Curry Conrad - Quentin Hayes Gottfried - Daniel Grice
Tuesday October 27, 7 pm
Cadogan Hall, London SW1 (Sloane Terrace, 2 minutes walk from Sloane Square underground station)
www.cadoganhall.com 020 7730 4500 (Also Sunday October 25, 6pm, Winter Garden, Eastbourne)
nso
www.newsussexopera.com New Sussex Opera is a registered charity no. 279800
Welcome to London As the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport I’d like to welcome you to London and wish you a wonderful stay in what I believe is one of the most vibrant and exciting capital cities in the world.
CONTENTS Events
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Music
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Exhibitions
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Theatre
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Eating Out
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Proprietor Julie Jones Chairman Terry Mansfield CBE Advertising Janet Gardener Editorial Sue Webster David Jones
© This is London Magazine Limited 85 Tottenham Court Road London W1T 4TQ Telephone: 020 7434 1281
www.thisislondonmagazine.com
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Whilst every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine and in the handling of all the material supplied, neither the Publishers nor their agents accept responsibility for any damage, errors or omissions, however these may be caused.
All around you are the finest examples of culture, heritage and history. You have the chance to view the very best in performing arts, from street dance to ballet, or jazz to opera or spend some time looking round one of the capital’s galleries or museums, the most popular of which offer free admission. But as well as the major attractions and sights there are a wealth of discoveries to be made on every street corner. Try exploring one of the markets at the weekend to get a taste of London that is colourful and full of life. Of course there are the famous markets such as Camden and Portobello Road but there are also lesser known and equally exciting discoveries to be made in Columbia Road’s flower market or the longest outdoor street market in Europe in Walthamstow. Amidst the excitement and bustle there are also plenty of wonderful parks and open spaces to enjoy. Two of our famous Royal Parks, Hyde Park and Green Park, are right in the centre of town but venture further afield and you will find Richmond Park, Hampstead Heath or Greenwich Park, beautiful open spaces which also offer fantastic views back over the city. After all this exploring you’ll obviously need to stop and recharge your energy stocks and London offers you an enormous variety of cuisines from all corners of the world. There is of course traditional British food whether it be a pub meal or fish and chips but a walk round China Town or Brick Lane will also tantalise your taste buds and give you a chance to sample the very best in food from London’s multi-cultural communities. I’m sure that after just a few days here you’ll appreciate that London has a huge amount to offer with so much to explore. There are many of us who experience London life on a daily basis and still make new discoveries, and I hope that whatever you decide to do in this great capital city you’ll enjoy your stay and leave wanting to return for more in the future.
Ben Bradshaw
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
VISITOR INFORMATION Emergencies 999 Police Ambulance Fire 24 Hour Casualty 020 8746 8000 Dentistry 0808 155 3256 The Berkeley Clinic, 19 Upper Berkeley St, W1. Tel: 020 7724 4004 www.theberkeleyclinic.com Heal, Rejuvenate, Thrive – The Natural Way
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Visit London 020 7234 5833 Heathrow Airport 0870 0000123 Gatwick Airport 0870 0002468 Taxis 020 7272 5471 Dry Cleaner 7491 3426 Florist 7831 6776 Optician 7581 6336 Watches 7493 5916 Weather 0870 9000100 T H I S
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LONDON FILM FESTIVAL The Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival opens on 14 October with the world premiere of Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, which will be presented by the director and cast members including Meryl Streep, George Clooney and Bill Murray. It closes with the world premiere of Sam TaylorWood’s Nowhere Boy, charting John Lennon’s teenage years on 29 October. Presenting a total of 146 UK premieres, the Festival showcases new work from established and emerging filmmakers alongside debuts by newly discovered talents. Directors travelling to London to introduce their latest work will include Michael Haneke (Cannes Palme d’Or winner, The White Ribbon), Atom Egoyan (Chloe), Steven Soderbergh (The Informant!), Ang Lee (Taking Woodstock), Jane Campion (Bright Star), Gaspar Noé (Enter The Void) and Joel and Ethan Coen (A Serious Man). They will screen alongside a compelling line-up of British films from directors such as Stephen Poliakoff (Glorious 39), Julien Temple (Oil City Confidential), Penny Woolcock (1 Day), Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas (American: The Bill Hicks Story) and Chris Atkins (Starsuckers), several of which are world premieres.
Festival audiences have a choice of films from 46 countries around the globe including Africa (Souleymane Cissé’s Tell Me Who You Are), East Asia (Bong Joon-Ho’s Mother), South Asia (Shyam Benegal’s The Stolen Well) and the Middle East (Samuel Maoz’s Lebanon and Haim Tabakman’s Eyes Wide Open). For the sixth year running, the Festival will host a free outdoor screening on 22 October in Trafalgar Square. London Moves Me is an evening of more than 20 archive shorts that celebrate transport in London with live piano accompaniment by Neil Brand. Other guests expected to attend the Festival include: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Ray Winstone, Nick Park, Catherine Breillat, Alfred Molina, Emma Thompson, Dominic Cooper and Nick Hornby with many more still to be confirmed. Tickets can be booked online at www.bfi.org.uk/lff or by telephone on 020 7928 3232.
Left: Aaron Johnson as John Lennon in Nowhere Boy
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THE CLASSICS LABELS IN CONCERT On Monday, 19 October, the directors of The Classics Labels will make their debut appearance at the Wigmore Hall, as Victoria Soames Samek (clarinet), Sebastian Comberti (cello) and Paul Archibald (trumpet) are joined in performance by pianist Juliet Edwards. Individually, they have established themselves as important interpreters of solo and chamber music repertoire and their experience covers a diverse range of styles and genres; from early music played on original instruments through to new music, commissions and performances for blockbuster film scores. This musical collaboration will give the audience a unique insight into the worlds of the clarinet, cello, trumpet and piano; an exciting mix of instruments that is reflected in a superb programme of music designed to engage, entertain and stimulate. All performances are introduced in a relaxed and informal style as the performers guide the listener through this colourful and effervescent repertoire which will include Beethoven Clarinet Trio, Henri Busser Andante and Scherzo, Horowitz Sonatina, Gaspar Cassado Requiebos, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and the World Premiere of Cyclones by Rob Davies. For tickets, telephone 020 7935 2141. www.theclassicslabels.com
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ORIGIN: THE LONDON CRAFT FAIR AT SOMERSET HOUSE This week, the Crafts Council is to present the fourth 'Origin: the London Craft Fair' at Somerset House. Origin provides a unique opportunity to buy some of the finest contemporary craft directly from the people who make it, and all under one roof. Around 300 makers from 18 different countries will be at Origin. Ceramics, textiles, glass, furniture, metalwork and jewellery are amongst the crafts on sale and work ranges from functional tableware and sculptural glassware to classic knitwear and innovative jewellery and millinery. Origin will present a programme of events with a focus on contemporary basketry this year to coincide with the appointment of basketmaker Mary Butcher as the second Crafts Council and V&A maker-in-residence. Each week, Origin showcases the work of 150 different makers in a bespoke pavilion situated in the Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court at Somerset House. The pavilion provides a light and stylish environment in which to see and buy the thousands of objects on offer. Work by established makers such as Angela Cork, Grainne Morton, David Poston and Kaori Tatebayashi will share the space with a new generation of makers including Michelle Aked, Hans Borgonjon, Claire Loder and Christian O’Reilly; all recipients of the prestigious Crafts Council Development Award in 2008. Origin will take place at Somerset House from 6-11 and 13-18 October.
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DUCHESS OF YORK TO ATTEND THE ACLT’S FINAL GIFT OF LIFE BALL This year’s Gift of Life Fundraising Ball, in association with the National Blood Service, part of NHS Blood and Transplant, will mark the 10th year since the charity’s spearhead Daniel De-Gale overcame the odds to receive a life saving bone marrow transplant, whilst also celebrating the 13th anniversary of the ACLT, a charity dedicated to raising awareness of leukaemia and increasing the number of ethnic minorities on the UK bone marrow register. Due to Daniel De-Gale’s untimely death last October, this year will see the ultimate Gift of Life Ball, an event which was created to celebrate a momentous point in the charity’s history, Daniel finding a compatible donor despite an approximate 1 in 250,000 chance because he was an ethnic minority. The fundraiser will be a celebration of his life as well as giving hope and inspiration to those fighting bone marrow cancers such as leukaemia. As a patron of the ACLT since its inception in 1996, the Duchess of York (pictured below) will be attending this glamorous event on 10 October. Tickets for the Gift of Life Ball are available from 020 8240 4480.
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RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL The 17th Raindance Film Festival opened this week with the UK premiere of breakout American indie hit Humpday, starring Joshua Leonard from The Blair Witch Project, with writer/director Lynn Shelton in attendance. The full line-up for the fortnight-long festival includes 75 features and more than 150 shorts, alongside a host of live events, exclusive Q&As and masterclasses. Highlights include the World Premieres of Jamie Thraves’ The Cry Of The Owl, starring Julia Stiles and Paddy Considine, and The Might Boosh Tour Doc, with Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt expected to attend. The Festival closes with the English premiere of The Girlfriend Experience, a tale of sex and the credit crunch from Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh on Sunday 11 October. All screenings will take place at the Apollo West End cinema in Piccadilly Circus. Tickets can be booked online at www.raindance.co.uk or by telephone on 0871 220 6000.
BROADWAY TO WEST END THEATRE CELEBRATION FOR CLIC SARGENT 'Broadway to West End', is a musical theatre celebration featuring songs form classic favourites such as Carousel, Crazy for You and Miss Saigon through to the popular hits Wicked, Oliver!, Mary Poppins and many more. Celebrating the career of awardwinning arranger and orchestrator William David Brohn, the evening will also mark the UK premiere of songs from two new Broadway musicals: Sweet Smell of Success and Curtains. The event will take place at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Sunday 4 October. All proceeds will go to the children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent. Tickets are available through the ticket hotline on 0844 412 4675.
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Nick Ross Orchestra.
NICK ROSS ORCHESTRA – SOUNDS OF THE GLENN MILLER ERA The Nick Ross Orchestra is to bring the Big Band Sound of the 1940s to the West End in a spectacular concert celebrating the Glenn Miller era. The special one-off gala, marking the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War, will be at Her Majesty’s Theatre – home of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ – on Sunday 18 October at 17.30. With a full line-up of saxophones, trumpets, trombones, a rhythm section and top singers, The Nick Ross Orchestra will faithfully recreate the wonderful sounds of such Big Bands as those led by Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Harry James and Tommy Dorsey.
Nick Ross.
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Through such numbers as Moonlight Serenade, In The Mood, Little Brown Jug, Begin the Beguine and Blue Moon, memories of London in the Blitz will no doubt be brought flooding back to life. The music will span almost all the emotions of those difficult times: comradeship, doubt, fear, loss and, most significantly, the hope in love. There have been times in history when composers and musicians seemed to be born to the occasion – none more so than the inimitable Glenn Miller who not only felt instinctively for the mood of the time but almost single-handed created the spirit with which the public faced it. The Nick Ross Orchestra uses arrangements exactly as recorded in the Great Swing Era of the 40’s, coupled with outstanding instrumental and vocal performances. This West End concert celebrating Glenn Miller promises to be an unmissable evening of music and song. Nick Ross, who was only born in 1961, says: ’I am often asked what kindled my interest in the Big Band sound. The obvious answer would be the wonderful music of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie and Ted Heath, but given that I wasn't around in the 1940s, the first Big Band that I actually heard live was The Syd Lawrence Orchestra. And by my early teens, I had become a dedicated fan.’’ Box office: 0844 412 4657. www.nickrossorchestra.com
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SPANISH FIESTA AT ORTEGA Summer may be over but Ortega, with restaurants in Farringdon and Leadenhall Market, is banishing the post-holiday blues with a new menu celebrating the best in Spanish cuisine. The restaurants are serving up an even wider choice of tapas and paella dishes, as well as a mouth-watering selection of grill dishes and tempting desserts. And for those who enjoy a tipple or two, Ortega will also be hosting a Rioja Festival throughout the autumn, inviting diners to taste match variations of the Spanish wines with a variety of tapas. Visitors during Ortega’s Rioja Festival can enjoy a tasting the restaurant’s Rioja selection with matching tapas dishes specially selected to help enhance the flavour of each wine. A tasting of six wines from the Rioja selection, paired with six specially selected tapas dishes, will be available for £15 per person. www.ortegatapas.co.uk
MORAL IMPERATIVES OF THE FINANCIAL CRISIS This autumn, St Paul's Cathedral will hold a series of public debates, services and study days addressing the moral questions raised by the dramatic financial situation and exploring whether opportunities for society's good can come from the economic crisis. The programme will bring together voices from the worlds of government, academia, religion and economics. Public debates will be held at St Paul's Cathedral on 6, 13, 20 and 27 October with free entry and no tickets necessary.
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Natalie Clein.
GALA CHARITY CONCERT Alderman John White TD (Billingsgate Ward, City of London) has organised a Gala Charity Concert at St. John’s, Smith Square SW1, on Tuesday, 27 October, with the purpose of raising funds for charities supporting disadvantaged youth – namely, The Prince's Trust, The Cutler Trust and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra (Barenboim-Said Foundation). The concert will be followed by a ‘Meet the Artists Champagne & Canapé Reception’ in the Footstool Restaurant. The Prince's Trust needs little introduction, as the great work the Trust
does is well known but the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, founded in 1999 by Daniel Barenboim and the Palestinian intellectual and writer, the late Edward Said, is perhaps, less well known. It brings together young musicians from Israel, Palestine and the other Arab countries of the Middle East with the purpose of fostering mutual trust and understanding through performing music together; a project requiring immense courage, understanding and vision. The Foundation has also implemented a number of scholarships and schemes for musical training with many graduates going on to perform with some of the great international orchestras. A fabulous line-up of outstanding soloists led by Cellist, Natalie Clein, Trumpeter and Cornetist, Roger Webster and Soprano, Alina Buratti, together with the City of London Sinfonia, under the baton of Brad Cohen, will perform a musical programme to delight everyone. For booking information, call the Box Office at St. John’s, Smith Square on 020 7233 1618 or book on-line www.sjss.org.uk
City of London Sinfonia.
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SIMON TRPCESKI RECITAL AT SOUTHBANK CENTRE Macedonian pianist Simon Trpceski has enjoyed a meteoric career, fuelled by his engaging stage presence, dazzling technique and intelligent, sensitive musicianship. He has given successful performances around the globe, both in recital and in collaborations with conductors such as Maazel, Jurowski, Tortelier, Pappano, Ashkenazy, Dutoit, Alsop, and Dudamel, appearing with many of the leading North American and European orchestras. Trpceski is regularly invited by the Philharmonia and London Philharmonic Orchestras to perform at the Royal Festival Hall and has an enthusiastic following in the capital. Declared 'A pianistic talent in a thousand' by The Times, his recital at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on Tuesday 13 October celebrates two of this season’s important composer anniversaries with four of Chopin’s most beautiful nocturnes and Haydn’s great C minor Sonata. There will also be the opportunity to hear some little known variations by Mozart. To book tickets, call 0871 663 2500 or visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk L O N D O N
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Not To Be Missed !!
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Gala Charity
NATALIE CLEIN Cello ‘Clein plays everything with passion.’
Tuesday, 27 October 2009 7:30pm at St. John’s Smith Square London SW1P 3HA
The Times
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Premi um Tickets @ £195 includes ‘Meet the Artists Champagne & Canapé Recepti on’ Booki ng Enqui ri es: 07966-009 386
Box Office tel: 020 7222 1061
Sponsored by:
Alderman John White TD Billingsgate, City of London
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HEAR THE BARCAROLLE IN ITS ORIGINAL SETTING! The British Première of Offenbach’s ‘The Rhine Fairies’ (Les Fées du Rhin/ Die Rheinnixen) will take place at Cadogan Hall on 27 October (19.00), in a concert performance by New Sussex Opera. This extraordinary Grand Romantic Opera was unperformed for 138 years following its truncated initial production in Vienna in 1864. Offenbach withdrew it from circulation, re-using certain passages in Les Contes d’Hoffmann. The Rhine Fairies was restored to its full glory and given its first complete performance in Montpellier in 2002. A sensation at various European opera houses, the work was named ‘Rediscovery of the Year’ by Opernwelt magazine in 2005. It is a searing masterpiece which paves the way for Offenbach’s much-loved final testament Les Contes d’Hoffmann. A distinguished cast has been assembled for this demanding work: Kate Valentine (Armgard) – recent roles have included Constanze in Opera North’s Seraglio, and 1st Lady in The Magic Flute and Cathleen in Riders to the Sea, both for English National Opera. Anne-Marie Owens (Hedwig) – Welsh National Opera’s Azucena and Mistress Quickly, soon to play Fricka in the National Reisopera’s new Rheingold. Canadian David Curry (Franz) – a
Kate Valentine. favourite at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, where he has performed leading rôles in The Fly, West Side Story and Wagner’s Die Feen, he was Marco in ENO’s The Gondoliers in 2007. Quentin Hayes (the villainous Conrad) – a regular principal of the Royal Opera, he has recently appeared at the Concertgebouw, Garsington, Grange Park, and ROH, in operas including L’Elisir, Fanciulla del West, and The Tempest. Daniel Grice – fresh from a sensational performance of Papageno in ETO’s Magic Flute and his Royal Opera House debut in Don Carlo, plays Gottfried, whose love for Armgard is unrequited. NSO Chorus and Kent Sinfonia will be conducted by Nicholas Jenkins Tickets available from the box office telephone 0207 730 4500.
ˇ Simon Trpceski International Piano Series Tuesday 13 October Queen El i zabeth Hal l , 7. 30pm Haydn Sonata in C Minor Hob XVI /20 Mozart Variations on "Salv e tu, Domine" KV 398 Mozart Variations on "Come un agnello"KV 460 Chopin Nocturnes Op.32; Op.48 Tickets £9-£30
0871 663 2500
HITCHCON ’09 On the 30th anniversary of the first publication of The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy by the late great Douglas Adams and the eve of the release of a brand new addition to Adams’ legacy, Southbank Centre and Penguin Books have joined forces to present Hitchcon 09: a day of celebration, spectacle and delight voyaging deep into the Hitchhiker’s Universe on 11 October. The jewel in the midst of this great day will be a one-off radio-style performance of Hitchhiker’s Live! Produced and directed by Dirk Maggs, this show brings together all the surviving original cast members on stage at the Royal Festival Hall. Ticket Office 0871 663 2500. REMEMBERING NUSRAT This week, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, under conductor Michael Seal, will come together with the legendary Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and group to pay tribute to one of the world’s greatest vocalists, the late Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. This exciting and ambitious project will fuse Nusrat’s most loved compositions with the full force of a 75-piece symphony orchestra performing Qawwali classics such as Dum Must Qalander and Yeh Jo Halka. Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is one of the greatest Qawwali singers in history and an important figure who crossed social, cultural and geographical borders in East and West to bring musical styles and people together. As well as his inestimable status in the traditions of Qawwali, Nusrat is also well known for his Bollywood and Hollywood musical scores: he collaborated with Peter Gabriel on the soundtrack to The Last Temptation of Christ and, working with Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, contributed to the musical score of the 1995 film, Dead Man Walking. Performances will take place on 4 and 7 October at the Royal Festival Hall. Box office telephone 0871 663 2500.
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Coming up at ... Sonic Explorations, 1 – 3 October Curated by Jonathan Harvey, the London Sinfonietta presents a snapshot of electroacoustic & electronic music from around the world.
Beyond the Loop, 7 – 10 October British mould-breakers blurring the edges of contemporary classical and electronic music – featuring The Durutti Column, The Bays, John Metcalfe, The Heritage Orchestra + many more.
Schubert and Beyond, 14 – 17 October The Chilingirian Quartet celebrates the works of Schubert and explores some of the most vivid compositions from the early 20th century.
London Guitar Festival, 28 – 31 October Celebrating Origins and Creating Identities – a chamber festival of guitar-based music that brings the past into the future….with Martin Simpson, the Vida Guitar Quartet, Tom Kerstens and Duoud.
Tickets from £6.50 online www.kingsplace.co.uk Box Office: 020 7520 1490
Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9AG
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ROYAL SOCIETY OF MINIATURE PAINTERS’ ANNUAL EXHIBITION While most sectors of the art market are enduring a heavy detox regime, there is one that has never been healthier. The fact is that the recession is having an adverse effect on most of the art market. However, one genre that is definitely bucking the trend is miniatures. The 9th and current President of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers (RMS (www.royalminiature-society.org.uk), Elizabeth Meek, who has been aptly described as 'the Nicholas Hilliard of the 21st century', has over the past decade witnessed a significant increase in demand for contemporary portrait miniatures. She explains: ‘The old adage 'What goes around, comes around' certainly appears to be true when it comes to portrait miniatures. There is something very magical about being able to hold and view closely an inimitable portrait of a loved one. Some clients have expressed it as like owning a Fabergé egg’. The RMS exhibitions of 2007 and 2008 proved to be the most successful since the Society was founded in 1895.
‘Alan Thomas’, by Joy Stanley Ricketts RMS, oil on ivorine, 2" x 3" oval. T H I S
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Miniature painting by Alison Griffin VPRMS: ‘Canterbury Cathedral’, acrylic on board.
There are a number of possible reasons why. With miniatures, being a maximum size of 6 by 4 inches, even a large collection takes up little room. The most uninitiated in art can appreciate their quality and beauty and they are affordable. And while the traditional subject matter of portraiture continues unabated, many of today's artists choose to paint a very diverse range of subjects, including still life, landscapes and animals (thus, something to satisfy most tastes). Contemporary miniatures are now definitely 'cool', proving that during a recession, it's size that really matters! The 115th Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers takes place between 13-25 October at the Mall Galleries (near Trafalgar Square), SW1. Open 10.00-17.00 daily, closed 13.00 last day. Admission free. Tel: 020 7930 6844.
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HEIMO ZOBERNIG MONOCHROMES AT SIMON LEE GALLERY The Simon Lee Gallery will be holding a new exhibition: Heimo Zobernig: Monochromes, from 14 October. This will be the gallery’s first solo show of the highly regarded Austrian artist, and will include paintings, sculptures, and video installation in a survey of monochrome works. Since the 1980s, Zobernig’s practice has playfully married minimalist objects and monochrome colour schemes, with theatrical use of space and a subversive approach to gallery architecture. Among the selected works for this exhibition will be a number of Zobernig’s monochrome paintings spanning two decades. Zobernig’s early work in the 1980s can be linked with the latter constructs of the modernist movement, most commonly in the form of grid painting. This recurring geometric motif, a direct reference to the work of modernist painters Mondrian and Palermo, explored themes of objectivity, minimalism, and abstraction, through a reductive formal language. While the grid paintings hold a structural rigidity through geometric design, the monochrome paintings are removed of all figurative and narrative constructs. Similar to the work of American abstract painters during the mid-twentieth century, the material and process take centre stage. He makes no attempt to hide brush strokes, wood grain or the imperfections of the canvas. Instead what we see are objects and blocks of colour, positioned within a gallery space to varying effect. Heimo Zobernig was born in Austria in 1958, and currently lives and works in Vienna. The Simon Lee Gallery is situated at 12 Berkeley Street, W1. For more information, telephone 020 7491 0100. L O N D O N
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JMW Turner: Dutch Boats in a Gale. Exh.1801. Private collection.
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TURNER AND THE MASTERS Turner and the Masters, which opens this week at Tate Britain, will feature a selection of magnificent paintings by JMW Turner (1775-1851) alongside related works by the old masters and contemporaries he hoped to imitate, rival and surpass.
JMW Turner: Crossing the Brook, exh. RA 1815 Tate
Bringing together around one hundred works of supreme historical significance from collections around the world, this will be the first exhibition to look at Turner’s work in the company of the greatest painters in the preceding history of western art. It will reveal his debts and rivalries in exciting, even unpredictable, ways, and explore his reputation as one of the greatest painters of landscape in the European tradition. The exhibition will pair Turner’s works with major paintings by his predecessors, many brought together for the first time, including works by Canaletto, Claude,
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Cuyp, Poussin, Rembrandt, Rubens, Ruisdael, and van de Velde. There will also be pairings with paintings by Turner’s most important contemporaries such as Constable and Bonington. It will show how Turner’s responses to other artists were both acts of homage and a sophisticated form of art criticism, designed to demonstrate his understanding of great art and his ability to equal and even outshine the most celebrated exponents of the landscape tradition. It was Turner’s strategy, almost uniquely within the history of European art, to enter into direct competition with artists both past and present, whom he considered as worthy rivals to his own fame. Turner built his reputation as an oil painter by challenging the works of old masters, deliberately producing paintings that could hang in their company. Often admired as an independent genius, he was in fact deeply engaged with the works of other artists. The exhibition is running until 31 January. For information, telephone 020 7887 8888 or visit www.tate.org.uk
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SOUTH AFRICA’S LANDSCAPES GLOW IN BONHAMS SALE A stunning collection of Southern Africa’s varied landscapes and peoples glow in Bonhams autumn sale of South African Art on 14 October. Landscapes by Jacob Pierneef, Maggie Laubser, Irma Stern, Hugo Naude, Frans Oerder,Gregoire Boonzaier and John Meyer among others, offer visitors to Bonhams in New Bond Street a privileged view of this vast and beautiful country by artists who were passionate about capturing its views and moods. Prices start from £200,000 for a Pierneef, ‘Hartebeespoortdam’ painted in 1923, a commission done for property developer, Johan Schoeman, who wanted to use it to sell land west of Pretoria. At the other end of the cost spectrum there are also pictures and sculpture for more modest figures around the £2,000 mark.
Pierneef - Cape avenue. The presence of recent history is never very far away in South African art and an image by Gerard Sekoto, ‘Recollections of Sharpville’ echoes a powerful bleak photograph in the sale showing the serried graves of a Sharpville funeral. The sale includes no fewer than nine very strong paintings by Alexis Preller which coincides with the first book about the artist published in 60 years. It is written by leading South African art specialist Esme Berman and is a lavishly illustrated and beautifully presented work, essential reading for any lover of South African art. www.bonhams.com L O N D O N
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PIERS BROWNE AT 54 GALLERY Landlocked in the high Yorkshire Pennines equidistant from the Irish and North Seas, Piers Browne realised the panoramas he had loved to paint and etch for 35 years were well suited to his love of silken greys, and contained vibrating violets, viridians, even crimsons besides the blues of sea surfaces. A new exhibition of ‘Seascapes’ by Piers Browne will be on view at the 54 Gallery, Shepherd Market, W1, from 6-10 October, open from 10.00-20.00. Piers takes endless pains to get colours hum and allied to the sky above. No more the distant church, winding river, line of trees or exact outline of mountain tops: he believes that to master light itself, one must study the sea whereon sun light is mirrored. He paints and etches with ferocity – when capturing storms, his palette knife literally sweeps onto the canvas. Nearly every year, Piers exhibits many oils and etchings at the Royal Academy Summer Show (his was the fastest selling etching in the 2008 show) and he has exhibited from Malibu to Munster, from Reykjavik to Rome, but his shows are predominantly in Yorkshire, at the Royal Academy and the New English Art Club annual shows in London. Though seldom composing music these days, Piers writes poetry when not creating visual art, and both the Bodleain and Cambridge university libraries have spent many thousands buying single copies of his recent
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Piers Browne: ‘Washed Out on a Mediterranean Beach’.
handmade book, ‘Sonnets For A Siren’, two of which are on show for sale in Mayfair. This is the third totally handmade book of his own sonnets. He won the W H Smith ‘Illustrated Book of the Year’ with his Wordsworth piece. Interestingly, Piers has been painting a few lines of his and others’ poetry into his large oils and uses pure silver foil for the words, as in the large oil ‘Holding Our Eyes Bright Lit Diamonds’, which at £5,000 and 36 square feet in size is the largest oil on show. The view is pure Atlantic Ocean from the westernmost cliff top in Ireland. Each day of the London exhibition, from 13.00 – 13.30, Piers will paint and
demonstrate how colours hum and great, even bland, oceans can be depicted with great accuracy. Piers has also had a musical performed, ‘Danny’s Dream’, co-written with Ivo Mosley and has two children’s books nearly finished after 20 years’ work on and off both. But it is in painting and etching that Browne’s obsession with the vigour and luminosity of water, makes him feel he is only just ‘arriving’ at fulfilling his artistic expression completely. There are many who agree. Prince Charles, who wrote the foreword to Browne’s Trees book, said: ‘Trees also have a unique capacity to lift our spirits, and it is entirely this intangible dimension that Piers Browne evokes so splendidly.’ And from Melvyn Bragg: ‘I am full of admiration for Piers’ lovely work.’ For more information, contact Piers Browne by phone at 07876233310 or online at www.piersbrowne.com
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ROBERT KUSMIROWSKI: BUNKER
For his first solo exhibition in the UK, Polish artist Robert Kusmirowski will transform The Curve at the Barbican into a replica of a World War II era bunker. Renowned for meticulous simulations of historical settings, Kusmirowski’s installations challenge the notion of the real. For two weeks in the run up to the exhibition, from 30 September until 14 October, the public will have a rare opportunity to view Kusmirowski working alongside three assistants on the final touches of this installation. The entire exhibition will then open to the public on 16 October. The Curve is in the Barbican Art Gallery and admission is free.
GUSTAV METZGER DECADES 1959 – 2009 There is to be a major survey of work from six decades by the influential artist and activist Gustav Metzger, on view from 29 September – 8 November at the Serpentine Gallery, W2. Metzger’s practice represents a lifelong involvement in left-wing politics, ecology and the creative and destructive powers of twentieth and twenty-first century industrialised societies. It will be the first time such an extensive overview of Metzger’s work has been presented in the UK. Metzger is working closely with the Serpentine Gallery to examine his own archives and those kept by institutions, identifying milestone works from his career and developing new works specifically for this exhibition. The Serpentine Gallery is in Kensington Gardens, W2. T H I S
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THE NORTH SEA AT LAURENT DELAYE GALLERY Taking its cue from the seminal Hayward Gallery exhibition of 1980, 'Pier + Ocean', a new exhibition at the Laurent Delaye Gallery, 'The North Sea', revisits the work of some of the artists included in that project. The display also reflects Norman Dilworth's original collaboration with Gerhard von Graevenitz on the Hayward exhibition as a way of exploring an Anglo-Dutch sharing of sensibilities rooted in Constructivism, and as the original title hints, the world of Piet Mondrian. 'Pier + Ocean' was a very catholic take on what constructivist tendencies might mean at the end of the 1970´s and a look forward to where such tendencies might lead. The exhibition can be seen at the Laurent Delaye Gallery, 11 Savile Row, W1, until 7 November. For further details, telephone 020 7287 1546.
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‘INHERITORS’ – JOHN SIMPSON AT SIGNAL GALLERY John Simpson is one of those artists whose work appears on first encounter to have a deceptive simplicity, both of technique and meaning. However, the clarity of the images produced by the monotype print medium he uses belie its tricky technicality and the almost fairytale quality of his imagery conceals an underlying tension. His new solo show, ‘The Briar Patch’ at Signal Gallery, will be his third solo show in London and brings together a refined body of new work from 2009. Much of the work in the show borrows ideas from Native American folk law. This is a common theme running through much of Simpson’s work. His concern is to explore the puzzling relationships between man and other animals in order to find subconscious links. Simpson’s ability to capture the physical and psychological qualities of these creatures makes the resulting imagery both disquieting and enchanting. Simpson's primary medium is the ‘monotype’, a process that is recognised as the most direct and painterly form of printmaking. The Signal Gallery show will present a series of these exquisitely executed prints and well as new editions of silkscreen prints. However, beyond the technical demands of printmaking drawing has always been the most important element in Simpson's work. Open to the public from 16 - 31 October. Signal Gallery is at 96 Curtain Road, EC2. KATHRYN THOMAS LIGHTYEARS IN LONDON 2009 Kathryn Thomas Lightyears in London 2009 is more a theatrical performance than a simple exhibition, where all of the characters are played by beautiful and majestic images of skies, stars, ice, fire and planets. Comprising two distinct arenas, a Lightspace and a Darkspace, Lightyears in London is on view at The Gallery in Cork Street from 5-10 0ctober. L O N D O N
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William Foreman.
AUGUST RODIN AND WILLIAM FOREMAN AT HAY HILL GALLERY A superb collection of some of the most iconic pieces of the famed sculptor August Rodin is currently on exhibition at the Hay Hill Gallery. Among the collection of posthumous casts are such iconic works as The Thinker, The Kiss, Eve, Age of Bronze, Balzac, along with many other well-known sculptures. Auguste Rodin is considered the most important sculptor of western man and the father of modern sculpture. A complex and controversial figure, the subject of literally hundreds of books; parts of his life are still an enigma. One key to Rodin’s life was his relationship with women: his strong ties to his sister, a life long union with Rose Beuret whom he married only at the end of his life and a heart breaking affair with Camille Claudel, are born out in his passionate forms. Juxtaposed to the greatest sculpture artist of the 19th century are the latest impressionistic works of William Foreman a member of Who’s Who in Art, the Dictionary of British Art and the Dictionary of Scottish Art & Architecture. ‘Reflections Past and Present’, the title of Foreman’s exhibition, will be held from 19 October to 14 November. The collection of 20 oil paintings is inspired by his love of water, and has been painted ‘en plein air’ on recent trips to the Far East and the South of France. Foreman was encouraged by the Scottish artist, Ian McNab, influenced by the post-impressionists and pointillists; particularly Sisley and Monet. Hay Hill Gallery, 23 Cork Street, W1. Tel: 020 7734 7010. www.hayhill.com T H I S
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THE PEOPLE'S ARTIST OF GEORGIA TO EXHIBIT IN LONDON One of Georgia's most famous artists, Zurab Nijaradze, known also as Piko, a shortened term for Picasso, will be exhibiting around thirty of his latest paintings at The Air Gallery in Mayfair, from 5 to 10 October. A painter with decades of experience, Zurab is also Professor of the Tbilisi Academy of Arts, where he originally graduated, and is an Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Arts. Born in 1928 and now in his eighties, he is visiting London for the first time since the late 1960's. When, although an undisputed great artist, Zurab was a Soviet artist and lecturer at the Tbilisi Academy of Arts; it was then deemed impossible to even dream of exhibiting in London. It was
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however, a dream that forty years later has finally come to fruition. Organised by the English speaking Union of Georgia and curated by Marina Tsitsishvili and George Laliashvili, the exhibition is entitled simply ‘Firebird’. Zurab’s painting revolve around Biblical themes and ancient art with a sense of material and level of generalisation for the desire to achieve an ideal by consciously avoiding vulgarity. His solo exhibitions have all received positive reviews, winning critical acclaim. He has exhibited in Tbilisi, Moscow, Vienna, Prague, Germany, Greece, Austria, the former Yugoslavia, Sweden and Paris and has also regularly participated in Republican, All-Union and International joint Exhibitions throughout his career.
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THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION Wyndhams Theatre Adapting classic movies to the stage isn't a good idea, the main reasons being that, at their worst they never work, while at their best they get by without improving on the original... Think Rain Man, The Graduate, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Swimming with Sharks and All About My Mother, to name a mere handful. The only recent examples I can think of that really worked were The 39 Steps and Brief Encounter as both reinvented their source material strictly in terms of the stage. Of course, musicals adapted from original screenplays often do succeed – like Hairspray, and surprisingly, Dirty Dancing, a bland scene-by-scene copy of the movie – but without the star power. Go figure. Alas, the theatrical version of The Shawshank Redemption isn't a musical, but a diluted replay of the iconic film. On stage the entire action takes place entirely in Shawshank Prison, in an allpurpose set reminiscent of the backdrop for Elvis Presley's Jailhouse Rock number in the film of the same name. But rather than contribute a valuable sense of claustrophobia to the proceedings, it just draws attention to T H I S
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the fact that no one on stage ever seems to age. And even though the narrative clearly indicates the passing of time, exactly what that time period is, remains obscure. Another fundamental problem in stage adaptations of classic films is the casting – and it goes without saying that Kevin Anderson, as Andy, the banker serving life for a double murder he did not commit, and Reg E. Cathey as Red, a fellow lifer for whom he develops a mutual trust and respect, are not as compelling as Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in the film. They're not bad – and even vaguely resemble their counterparts. But neither bring
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anything to the roles to make you forget the originals. That said, the events depicted in Stephen King's novella, and as put on stage by Owen O'Neill and Dave Johns who, juggling the cliches of the prison genre in which we root for the good guys (ironically, the prisoners) and long for the comeuppance of the baddies (the brutal warden and a prison guard) still manage to grip in a visceral way. The audience on the night I attended the show were clearly absorbed and registered their approval with a resounding ovation. The stage solution to the film's terrific denouement, which takes place outside the prison confines, is to have Red narrate what happens after Andy's dramatic escape and his own release, which, of course, can never be as compelling as seeing the action for yourself. But it does allow the director, Peter Sheridan, his one truly original moment when, in the final curtain call for the two leading actors, the one question still hanging over the narrative, is finally answered. In the end, though, the question that has to be asked is: why bother? CLIVE HIRSCHHORN Red.
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NEW CAST FOR HAIRSPRAY The producers of the smash-hit award-winning musical ‘Hairspray’, have announced that Phill Jupitus, Belinda Carlisle and Sharon D Clarke have all signed to join the cast of the musical, currently running at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre. The new cast opens on Monday 26 October, with Sunday performances beginning on Sunday 8 November. Phill Jupitus stars as larger than life heroine Edna Turnblad, who must help her big-haired, big-hearted daughter Tracy fulfil her destiny, if she can just leave the family apartment. Belinda plays Velma Von Tussle, glamorous white supremacist and controller of the local TV station (pictured), who is out to thwart Tracy’s plans, and Sharon is Motormouth Mabel, celebrity DJ and owner of Baltimore’s biggest set of lungs! The show opened on 30 October 2007 to universal critical acclaim and smash hit business. At the 2008 Olivier Awards, ‘Hairspray’ won ‘Best Musical’, as well as ‘Best Actor in a Musical’ for Michael Ball, and ‘Best Actress in a Musical’ for Leanne Jones. Box office telephone 020 7379 5399.
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THE POWER OF YES: A dramatist seeks to understand the financial crisis On 15 September 2008, capitalism came to a grinding halt. As sub-prime mortgages and toxic securities continued to dominate the headlines, this spring the National Theatre asked David Hare to write an urgent and immediate work to be staged this autumn that sought to find out what had happened, and why. Meeting with many of the key players from the financial world, David Hare has created ‘The Power of Yes: A dramatist seeks to understand the financial crisis’, which opens at the Lyttelton Theatre on 6 October, directed by Angus Jackson. It is not so much a play as a jaw-dropping account of how, as the banks went bust, capitalism was replaced by a socialism that bailed out the rich alone. Box Office tel: 020 7452 3000. MANY ROADS TO PARADISE TRANSFERS TO JERMYN STREET Following a sell out season at the Finborough, Many Roads To Paradise, a bitter sweet comedy, will be presented at the Jermyn Street Theatre from Tuesday 6 October for a six week season to Saturday 14 November. In the cast are Miriam Karlin, Amanda Boxer, Gillian Hanna, Tim Stern, Jason Wing and Elizabeth Uter. Across a crowded karaoke bar, chunky travel agent Martin nervously catches the eye of his not-so-young internet stud. At a Jewish residential care home, blind and elderly Stella shares make-up and millinery tips with her Muslim nurse. And in their spacious house, a long-term lesbian relationship crumbles as Helen and her alcoholic partner squabble viciously over fig and honey tart. Six people whose lives are inextricably linked, each searching for some kind of salvation. But with so many roads to paradise, which one will they choose? Jermyn Street Theatre is located at 16b Jermyn Street SW1. Box Office telephone 020 7287 2875.
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COMEDIANS OPENS AT LYRIC HAMMERSMITH In his first production as the Lyric Hammersmith’s Artistic Director, Sean Holmes directs a stellar cast in Trevor Griffiths’ award-winning Comedians. Keith Allen as Bert Challoner and Matthew Kelly as Eddie Waters are joined by Mark Benton, Billy Carter, David Dawson, Michael Dylan, Kulvinder Ghir, Simon Kunz, Paul Rider and Reece Shearsmith in Griffiths’ darkly humorous and satirical classic which captures the moment when six budding comics prepare for the most important evening of their lives. Set in 1970s Manchester, Comedians follows a group of six men attending an evening class for aspiring stand up comics led by one-time comedian Eddie Waters. But as their chance for stardom grows ever closer, tensions begin to run high threatening to reveal home-truths that aren’t so funny after all.
First performed at the Nottingham Playhouse in February 1975, the original production of Comedians transferred to the National Theatre based at The Old Vic and then to Wyndham’s, prior to moving to Broadway in 1976, winning a Tony Award for Jonathan Pryce in the role of angry young comic Gethin Price. The production is running at the Lyric Hammersmith from 7 October to 14 November.
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PRICK UP YOUR EARS Simon Bent’s darkly funny and moving play tells the story behind the domestic life of playwright Joe Orton and Kenneth Halliwell. Stars Matt Lucas (co-creator of Little Britain), directed by Daniel Kramer. COMEDY THEATRE Panton Street, SW1 (0844 871 7622) THE 39 STEPS Maria Aitken’s tongue-in-cheek adaptation of John Buchan’s whodunnit has four actors playing 150 parts and includes all the legendary scenes from Hitchcock’s movie. CRITERION THEATRE Piccadilly Circus, WC2 (0844 847 1778) SPEAKING IN TONGUES Seemingly random confessions of a group of strangers are pieced together in the investigation of the disappearance of a leading psychiatrist. DUKE OF YORK’S St. Martin’s Lane, WC2 (0870 060 6623) THE WOMAN IN BLACK An innocent outsider, a suspicious rural community, a gothic house and a misty marsh are the ingredients of this Victorian ghost story, now in its 17th year. FORTUNE THEATRE Russell Street, WC2 (0870 060 6626)
Plays In Repertory OLIVIER THEATRE MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN Fiona Shaw takes the title role in Bertolt Brecht’s uncompromising masterpiece, one of the most astonishing stage creations of the twentieth century. LYTTELTON THEATRE THE POWER OF YES Not so much a play as a jaw-dropping account by David Hare of how, as the banks went bust in 2008, capitalism was replaced by a socialism that bailed out the rich alone. COTTESLOE THEATRE THE BLACK ALBUM Hanif Kureishi’s witty stage adaptation of his striking prescient novel, humorously considers how the events of 1989 have shaped today’s world, where fundamentalism battles liberalism. OUR CLASS Polish playwright, Tadeusz Slobodzianek, confronts his country’s involvement in the atrocities of the last century. NATIONAL THEATRE South Bank, SE1 (020 7452 3000)
WAR HORSE The National Theatre’s new epic based on the celebrated novel by Children’s Laureate, Michael Morpurgo. Actors work with magnificent life-size puppets on a gruelling journey through history at the time of the First World War. NEW LONDON THEATRE Drury Lane, WC2 (0844 412 4654) AN INSPECTOR CALLS The National Theatre production of J B Priestley’s classic thriller returns for a strictly limited eight week season. NOVELLO THEATRE Aldwych, WC2 (0844 482 5070) CALENDAR GIRLS The true story of the members of the Woman’s Institute who shun their usual cake baking and jam making in order to produce a nude calendar to raise money for charity. NOEL COWARD St Martin’s Lane, WC2 (0844 482 5140) INHERIT THE WIND Major revival of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E Lee’s play, directed by Trevor Nunn and starring Kevin Spacey. Two legal titans clash when a community puts freedom of thought on trial. OLD VIC The Cut, Waterloo, SE1 (0844 847 1722) THE MOUSETRAP Agatha Christie’s whodunnit is the longest running play of its kind in the history of the British theatre. ST MARTIN’S THEATRE West Street, WC2 (0844 499 1515) BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S New stage adaptation of Truman Capote’s classic novella, set in New York City 1943, with Anna Friel as charming and vivacious good-time girl, Miss Holly Golightly. THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET Haymarket, SW1 (0845 481 1870) OTHELLO Love, jealousy and desire are the themes of Shakespeare’s great tragedy, performed by the Northern Broadsides and West Yorkshire Playhouse, with Lenny Henry in the title role. TRAFALGAR STUDIOS Whitehall, SW1 (0870 060 6632) THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION Based on Stephen King’s 1982 novella about Andy Dufresne, a man convicted for a double murder and sentenced to life in Shawshank prison. Stars Kevin Anderson and Reg E. Cathey. WYNDHAM’S THEATRE Charing Cross Road, WC2 (0844 482 5120)
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LA CAGE AUX FOLLES Major revival of the classic Jerry Herman musical, which became the biggest new American musical of the decade when it opened on Broadway in 1983. PLAYHOUSE Northumberland Ave., WC2 (0870 060 6631)
THE RAT PACK LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS Celebrates the incredible talent of three world famous performers whose contribution to 20th century music is second to none – Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior and Dean Martin. ADELPHI THEATRE Strand, WC2 (0844 847 1722) DIRTY DANCING Based on the ‘80s movie, this famous tale involves a daddy’s girl and a dance instructor at a New York holiday resort during the long, hot summer of 1963. ALDWYCH THEATRE Aldwych, WC2 (0870 4000 704) WICKED THE MUSICAL Hit Broadway story of how a clever, misunderstood girl with emerald green skin and a girl who is beautiful and popular turn into the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch in the Land of Oz. APOLLO VICTORIA THEATRE Wilton Rd, SW1 (0870 161 1977) CHICAGO A dazzling mixture of sinuous bodies, tough broads, murder and fickle fame, the EbbFosse musical goes from strength to strength. CAMBRIDGE THEATRE Earlham Street, WC2 (0870 890 1102) WE WILL ROCK YOU A unique collaboration between the legends of rock and Ben Elton, reflecting the scale and spectacle that marked Queen’s live performances. DOMINION THEATRE Tottenham Court Rd, W1 (0870 169 0116) AVENUE Q An unholy comedic alliance of humans and puppets tells the story of life on the wrong side of the tracks in this Tony Award-winning musical by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx. GIELGUD THEATRE Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2 (0844 847 1722) THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Long running epic romance by Andrew Lloyd Webber, set behind the scenes of a Paris opera house, where a deformed phantom stalks his prey. HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE Haymarket, SW1 (0870 890 1106) THRILLER – LIVE Spectacular, high octane show celebrating the career of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5. LYRIC THEATRE Shaftesbury Avenue, W1 (0870 890 1107) T H I S
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The Gore Hotel has introduced a series of Opera Nights in the stylish setting of Bar 190. The next performance will take place on 8 October at 190 Queen’s Gate, SW7. Tel: 020 7584 6601.
SISTER ACT Based on the smash hit movie, the new stage musical follows disco-diva Deloris Van Cartier as she goes into protective custody in a convent, featuring a score by 8-time Oscarwinner, Alan Menken. LONDON PALLADIUM Argyll Street, W1 (0844 847 1722) THE LION KING Disney‘s phenomenally successful animated film is transformed into a spectacular stage musical, a superb evening of visual delight. LYCEUM THEATRE Wellington Street, WC2 (0870 243 9000) STOMP This British theatrical sensation has enthralled audiences across the world with its combination of theatre, dance, comedy and percussion. NEW AMBASSADORS West Street, WC2 (020 7369 1761) PRISCILLA THE MUSICAL Based on the Oscar award winning film, a glamorous Sydney based performing trio take their show to the Australian outback. PALACE THEATRE Shaftesbury Avenue, W1 (0870 895 5579) BLOOD BROTHERS Willy Russell’s powerful musical about twins from Liverpool, separated at birth, whose paths cross in friendship and finally in bloodshed. PHOENIX THEATRE Charing Cross Road, WC2 (0870 060 6629) GREASE Inimitable slice of 50s Americana, bursting with denim, cheerleaders and well-oiled quiffs. Summer Nights, Hopelessly Devoted to You, You’re The One that I Want and many more get audiences dancing in the aisles. PICCADILLY Theatre Denman Street, W1 (0870 060 0123) M A G A Z I N E
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JERSEY BOYS Rags to riches tale of four blue collar kids working their way from the streets of Newark to the heights of stardom as Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE Old Compton Street, W1 (0870 850 9191) MAMMA MIA Hit musical based on the songs of ABBA, set around the story of a mother and daughter, on the eve of the daughter’s wedding. PRINCE OF WALES THEATRE Old Compton Street, W1 (0870 850 0393) LES MISERABLES A spectacularly staged version of Victor Hugo’s epic novel about an escaped convict’s search for redemption amidst the tumult of Revolutionary France. One of the world’s most popular musicals, featuring a score by Claude-Michel Schonberg. QUEENS THEATRE Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2 (0870 950 0930) DREAMBOATS AND PETTICOATS Inspired by the smash hit albums comes a brand new musical featuring some of the greatest hits of the rock ‘n’ roll era. This feelgood production takes you back to when each week brought another classic track. SAVOY THEATRE Savoy Court, WC2 (0870 164 8787) HAIRSPRAY THE MUSICAL Tracy Turnblad, the big girl with the big hair and an even bigger heart goes from 60s style dance show to a downtown rhythm and blues record shop. Based on the John Waters movie. SHAFTESBURY THEATRE Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2 (020 7379 5399) OLIVER! Cameron Mackintosh’s revival of Lionel Bart’s musical masterpiece, starring Rowan Atkinson as ‘Fagin’. The legendary songs include ‘Consider Yourself’, ‘Food Glorious Food’, ‘I’d Do Anything’ and ‘As Long as He Needs Me’. THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE Catherine Street, WC2 (0870 890 1109) BILLY ELLIOT – THE MUSICAL The hit British film is transformed into a thrilling stage musical by its original director, Stephen Daldry, with music by Elton John. VICTORIA PALACE Victoria Street, SW1 (0870 895 5577) I S
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CORRIGAN’S MAYFAIR It was a while ago now: Richard Corrigan was a rising star, a humble Irish lad who worked his way up to head chef of a string of elegant London restaurants, including Stephen Bull’s Blandford Street and Fulham Road, where he won a coveted Michelin star. By the time I glimpsed him in the charming little Soho terrace known as Lindsay House in the late 90s, he was on his second consecutive Michelin star and evidently wearing himself to a frazzle in that narrow, four storey temple to Victorian quaintness. Pig’s trotters, black sausage, lobsters and oysters – all the earthy treats came out of Corrigan’s below stairs kitchen then, and pity the poor waiters who had to ferry them up and down. The great man never rises above his art, however, unlike some starry chefs we could mention, who probably have a nice sit down in the evenings while minions make money for them. There he was the other night, shucking oysters at alarming speed behind the bar of his latest venture, Corrigan’s Mayfair. We were surprised. He said he was ‘showing new staff how to do it’, but he was also obviously enjoying himself and, no, he does not have his name embroidered on his chef’s whites. Perhaps he cusses his sous-chefs behind the scenes, but as far as we can tell the man is an excellent exemplar of someone who leads from the front. Not everything is perfect yet in this new temple to gastronomy. The dining room is wonderfully glossy – all dark browns and the dull sheen of gold muddled with gamebird feathers – and though Corrigan finds it ‘very New York-y’ it has to be said the prices are very Mayfair. Well, fair enough – after all T H I S
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this is Mayfair and one doesn’t go there to slum it. You have to swallow the fact that game pie (for two) costs £60 and the wine list makes your eyebrows shoot up, even if you don’t want them to. We thought the layered potato and goat’s cheese (£14), which was a slice of pie with tender salad leaves and slices of summer truffle on the side, was heavenly. There was a grammatical error with the spinach and curd ravioli (£15) - it was a raviolo, but at least it was the size of a doll’s pillow and very fresh pasta with grilled crayfish tail sitting on top. A game pie – for one, not two – was a special on the day, and cut open to allow a waft of a very game-y fragrance, so I was glad I had not ordered this, but
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my friend was pleased with it. Was I wrong to want a little more spice with my fish? Fillet of black bream, ‘Indian spiced aubergine and mint yoghurt’ (£23) somehow made me think a mildly fiery dish was coming my way, yet all was quite bland. Perhaps it served me right for not choosing the pig’s trotter, which is probably the chef’s forte and the fish only put on the menu as a sop to girlies. Side dishes are thoughtful, for example goose fat chips or runner beans with garlic and chilli. We had spinach with raisins and pine nuts (£4.75) which was better than its ilk in Catalunya. Desserts were brilliant. Rhubarb soufflé (£7.50) was a revelation; macerated plums deliciously alcoholic and they came with nutty biscuits and spiced ice cream. You could also have ‘cheese from our islands’ and the little drawings of fish, rabbits, grouse and pumpkins on the menu make you think perhaps you should. Still, there’s only so much one can eat. The good news is that lots of wines are available by the glass, so you don’t have to break the bank, and the special menus are fantastic value: at lunch during the week three courses and a 250ml carafe of wine costs £27, and there is a new tapas menu of four courses with sommelier matched wines for £45, lunch or dinner in the bar. That’s what we like – Mayfair sustenance at Soho prices. Lovely. Sue Webster CORRIGAN’S MAYFAIR 28 Upper Grosvenor Street, W1 Tel: 020 7499 9943 L O N D O N
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