Wharf Life, Dec 13, 2023-Jan 10, 2024 by wharf-life

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Detail from Marcus Lyall’s installation Presence in Royal Docks from 2020

Why a smart watch makes for a perfect gift this Xmas Page 10

how east London artist Marcus Lyall is set to shine animated lasers over Union Square for Winter Lights 2024 Pages 6-9 inside issue 103

Candace Bushnell - Sudoku Elizabeth School Of London Tower Bridge Studios - Rebirth Burger And Lobster - Crossword Poplar Harca - David Lefebvre Sell Royal Docks Centre For Sustainability As She Likes It - Phantom Peak Jack And The Beanstalk Christmas Party Fashion Wharf Life Hacks

celebrating the best of Canary Wharf, Docklands and the new east London people - events - treasure - property - foolishness

awaiting

the

fantastic Image by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

Probate Support or Advice on Wills or Lasting Powers of Attorney Contact Erica John-Marie to arrange a free consultation. Call 020 7205 2783 or email EJohn-Marie@kiddrapinet.co.uk

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feast your eyes on these

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place

GIG | Mud Morganfield Muddy Waters’ son is the closest thing you’ll hear to the blues legend in the flesh and he’s back at Boisdale for a set of his dad’s material. Jan 17 , 9.30pm, from £19, boisdale.co.uk

Welcome to issue 103 of Wharf Life. We’d like to take this opportunity to wish everyone in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Whether you’re celebrating the season at Phantom Peak, taking in a panto or seeking new horizons, this paper’s for you

Find party fashion for those festive bashes in Canary Wharf

Where? Museum Of London Docklands West India Quay

KIDS | Schmatte: A Writing Workshop Poet and filmmaker Leah Thorn is set to lead this session for those seeking to explore a personal relationship to the clothing industry. Jan 21, 1.30pm, £25, museumoflondon.org.uk

How Marcus Lyall is set to project idleness for Winter Lights

Where? Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place

GIG | Loose Ends The R’n’B group return to Cabot Place to tie up a few more classics including Magic Touch, Slow Down and, of course, Hangin’ On A String. Jan 18 , 9.30pm, from £19, boisdale.co.uk

Mayor Of London Sadiq Khan joins the Mayor Of Newham at UEL to officialy unveil the Royal Docks Centre For Sustainability – a new hub for innovation and collaboration in the capital

flash back

Why this burger, an unholy mix of sweet and savoury, is pure genius

the joy of six

24 This is Andrew Ball, CEO of the Bank Of London And The Middle East, which recently relocated to Canary Wharf alongside its digital offering Nomo. The company has decided to base its headquarters at 20 Churchill Place blme.com Scan this code to read our interview with Andrew about the principles of Islamic finance and the move want more? @wharfwhispers

Why Tower Bridge Studios and The Nest are looking to the future

How Rebirth can help refurbish and update your property

Every issue Wharf Life covers six areas surrounding Canary Wharf to bring you the best of what’s going on beyond the estate From Page 24

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Our editorial team works hard to ensure all information printed in Wharf Life is truthful and accurate. Should you spot any errors that slip through the net or wish to raise any issues about the content of the publication, please get in touch and we will investigate

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There’s still time to enter Canary Wharf Group’s daily Advent Calendar prize draw, with winners picked every day until Christmas. Prizes are revealed daily on Instagram and the Canary Wharf app. Contestants can enter once per day canarywharf.com

35 Plans have been submitted for Uber Boat By Thames Clippers to introduce a new ferry service between Canary Wharf and Rotherhithe. Expect fully electric craft and roll-on-roll-off tech if the proposals get the go-ahead from Southwark Council thamesclippers.com

Book the sensational seasonal bamboozlement of Phantom Peak with code WHARF20 and get 20% off tickets into January. Read our review on Pages 28-29 phantompeak.com

How Jack And The Beanstalk is solid silliness at Stratford East

2-4-1

liz line

popping to the Palladium

We sit down with author Candace Bushnell, creator of Carrie Bradshaw and Sex And The City, as she prepares to bring her one woman show to London for a single date at the Palladium

How the Elizabeth School Of London is expanding its operations to cater for many more students at Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs

Head to recently opened Subway in the bowels of Crossrail Place after 4pm, buy any foot long or 6” sub and get a second for free. Available every day subway.com

Book for a show that takes a look at #MeToo via a historic scandal

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BOOKING NOW Brera Lounge Cabot Square Open Daily breralounge.co.uk

words you don’t know you need

Slanta

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We’re a little late to the party on this, but Cafe Brera has upgraded its outdoor space in Cabot Square. Expect to be protected from the elements while enjoying entertainment from live musicians and DJs, puffing on a shisha, sipping a cocktail and indulging in a pizza. Why not splash out on the venue’s truffle extravaganza for £35

The soul of the late, great Shame MacGowan reincarnated as a boozy, loquacious seasonal deity, always ready to raise a Guinness to the Christmas season while delivering songs to the nice boys and girls in lieu of fairytales

50% OFF BBQ Boats West India Quay skunaboats.com

Krampus noun, real, from Austrian

Brexit may have few benefits, but one may be that Austrian folklore villain, Krampus, will need at least a visa before he’s able to come to the UK to steal children who have been naughty and put them in his sack. A deeply disturbing legend

Cafe Brera has upgraded its lounge area in Cabot Square

Have you helped your loved ones to help you?

picture would have you believe

tried and tested

Download our FREE Guide to Making a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)

Vegan Lentil Ragu, Coco Di Mama, £7.25 >> Coco Di Mama (which can be found in Canary Wharf’s Canada Place) has an image problem. While the pictures of its food look tasty enough, somehow the packaging makes its portions look stingy. Order one, though, and you’ll quickly realise they come in pretty substantial tubs. While the rigatoni might not be appropriate for all sauces, this vegan offering played well in a sea of tubes – a filling blanket of a dish for chilly weather. It’s decent value too, easily holding its own against the likes of Scarpetta in Canada Square and Pasta Evangelists in Market Halls. All in all, there are worse ways to spend your cash. Go to cocodimama.co.uk

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FARNHAM

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Skuna Boats on West India Quay is currently offering Christmas cruises for £30pp (minimum of four people) on its electrically driven BBQ Boats. The package includes a glass of mulled wine, a festive BBQ food package – pigs in blankets, rolls, cranberry dip, roasted nuts and mince pies – and hot water bottles and blankets to ensure sailors’ comfort during the 60-minute experience. Runs until Jan 7

More filling than this

Health conditions can change your future and your capacity to make decisions but creating a Lasting Power of Attorney ensures you control who makes decisions on your behalf should you be unable to do so.

AY L E S B U RY

diary dates, listings and ideas to make your Canary Wharf sweeter..

LO N DO N

M A IDE N H E A D

S LO U G H

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Canary Wharf - West India Quay

Mango Canada Place Sequins Long Jumpsuit, £89.99 mango.com

Kate Spade Cabot Place What’s Popping Crossbody, £550 katespade.co.uk

Coach Cabot Place Tabby Shoulder Bag, £395 coach.com

sparkle and

Maje Jubilee Place Sequinned Silver Velvet Dress, £279.30 maje.com

‘tis the season to party and frolic, so Jess Maddison has scoured Canary Wharf ’s malls for glamour, style and practicality Sandro Jubilee Place Flame Pattern Shirt, £149.40 sandro-paris.com

Gant Canada Place Tartan Jacquard Crew Neck Sweater, £150 gant.co.uk

Moss Canada Place Slim Fit Mulberry Flannel Suit, £229 moss.co.uk

Wolford Jubilee Place Fading Shine Strapless Midi Dress, £355 wolford.com

Wharf Life Dec 13, 2023-Jan 10, 2024 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf - West India Quay

how east London artist Marcus Lyall is set to illuminate a huge canvas for Winter Lights 2024

Days the Canary Wharf Winter Lights festival will be in place across the estate – from January 17-27. It’s free to visit In addition to his work as an artist, Marcus has created audio visual pieces for the likes of the Chemical Brothers, The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi and Metallica

by Jon Massey

first met Marcus Lyall beneath a flyover in Royal Docks. It was December 2020, the wind was biting and various restrictions were in place thanks to the pandemic’s Christmas-cancelling second wave. As a result, his epic installation Presence was attracting the attention of only a few, shifty passers-by. Nevertheless, the piece remained the most impactful work of that year’s Join The Docks festival – with viewers performing short messages into a microphone then seeing them echo between the concrete pillars of the roadway, with visualisation courtesy of an urgent laser and plenty of smoke machines. Had the times been normal, it would have been a blockbuster – recalling the success the artist had at Canary Wharf’s Winter Lights festival in 2017. Then, On Your Wavelength – a series of 32 square LED-lit portals drew visitors in droves to Crossrail Place’s once empty shopping level. This year, the Homerton resident is set to return to the estate for Winter Lights 2024 – with something much bigger than either of these creations. Idle Time will be projected onto a 50sq m canvas formed by whitewrapped scaffolding behind Wood Wharf’s Union Square. “The idea for it came from our lives today and how we’re encouraged very much to think about optimisation and efficiency – what we can fit into a day,” said Marcus, who works from studios at Fish Island near Hackney Wick. “There have been various anthropological studies of pre-industrial societies and one of the things the scientists noticed when they went to hunter-gatherer cultures was the amount of time that people spent not doing anything. “It feels right now, when everything is being optimised, that there is very little time for not doing continued on Page 8

Marcus’ installation, Presence, in Royal Docks

laser focused

Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

Wharf Life Dec 13, 2023-Jan 10, 2024 wharf-life.com

from Page 8 anything, despite the fact that everything has apparently been made more efficient so we all have more leisure time. To me, it doesn’t feel like that. “The question now is: ‘Are you spending your free time productively?’. With this Idle Time, there are three elements connected to efficiency and productivity. “Firstly there’s the backdrop – Canary Wharf – a global centre of hyper-capitalism, where companies dedicate every moment to trying to extract capital from labour. “Secondly I’m using lasers, which are a hyper-efficient light source. You can use them in lots of ways, but here I’m using them like a big pen to draw and animate an image. With lasers you have the beam and a couple of mirrors that move at something like 30,000 times a second. Projecting 50 or 60 drawings per second lets the eye perceive the image as though it’s moving. “Thirdly, I’m also working with motion capture technology where we have people act out various movements and use the data captured to drive the image. “Normally this is done with dancers, acrobats, stunt people or physical theatre performers – subjects that are incredibly good at moving, so the data can be used to create animation sequences. “It tends to be about capturing stuff that’s exceptional – actors performing the most amazing moves they can. “What I’m doing with Idle Time is deliberately using people who aren’t terribly good at movement as my subjects – they’re mostly artists from the building I share in east London and they are doing things that are not terribly productive. “One of the real pleasures of being an artist is that it’s not all about the effort you put in. A lot of it is about talking and thinking – stuff that’s difficult to quantify or capture. “What I’m trying to do is celebrate the more mundane bits of life, the fact that most of our experience comes through incredibly subtle movement. “Our experience of other people isn’t necessarily about them doing cartwheels. What’s interesting is that, when we’ve done tests on this work, people find these characters we’ve captured quite intriguing. Viewers immediately try to work out what they’re doing and then project characters onto them. It’s leaving a bit of a gap for the audience.” Idle Time is one of 12 temporary installations that will pop up across the estate for Winter Lights 2024. The festival is set

Temporary installations will appear across the estate for Winter Lights 2024

Marcus’ On Your Wavelength in Crossrail Place – a unit now occupied by Marks And Spencer

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Canary Wharf + West India Quay

Idle Time is a bit more of a slow burn rather than a five-minute spectacular. Part of it is getting people to look at how they spend their time Marcus Lyall, Artist

to run daily from 5pm-10pm and is free to visit. Having seen around 1million visitors come to the estate for 2023, new one-way systems have been implemented to help manage numbers, with larger, more crowd-friendly pieces commissioned. Alongside the visiting works, six permanent artworks will be illuminated for the show, including an LED twist on Shine Your Colours at Canary Riverside. Marcus said: “It’s great that Canary Wharf Group is commissioning work and nice that they’re valuing art – it makes a difference. “Idle Time is a bit more of a slow burn rather than a five-minute spectacular. Part of it is getting people to look at how they spend their time, getting people to question whether this constant drive for productivity is the best way to live their lives. “I’m also hoping they feel some sort of empathy with the people they’re seeing, that there’s a connection with them, that they put themselves in those characters’ places. It’s very much about reflection and contemplation. “There’s something nice about the fact that it’s projected onto a building that’s not in use yet – something that’s still going up. “It also feels a little bit subversive to be doing a bit of graffiti with lasers in a part of the estate where people actually live. “Sometimes this kind of work can be more for show, but this has been designed as something people can live with for a while. “It’s ironic – I’m creating something in a hyper-efficient location with hyper-efficient projection technology and hyper-efficient motion capture, where my subjects are actually doing very little.” The perfect antidote, perhaps, to the hustle and bustle of the Wharf – especially during the festival. A full preview of Winter Lights 2024 will appear in Wharf Life’s January 10 issue. Go to canarywharf.com or marcuslyall.co.uk for more details

Marcus Lyall’s Idle Time will be projected on a building under construction behind Union Square

Scan this code to find out more about Winter Lights 2024

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£20

virtual viewpoint by Chris Ezekiel

assessing a sweet collaboration between Crosstown and Burger And Lobster

lies inside

Smartwatches: Time to write to Santa?

egular readers of my column may recall that I declared a while back that my smartwatch (combined with noise cancelling earbuds) was my favourite gadget. And so it remains. I cannot recommend it highly enough as a festive gift. On a typical weekend, assuming one of my toddlers hasn’t already awoken me, my watch gently vibrates to wake me up. Glancing at my watch it tells me how much sleep I’ve had and lets me know if any important messages have arrived overnight. It’s even monitored my heart rate and temperature while I slept. I put my running gear and headphones on, select some songs from the millions available to stream and am ready to go. My watch tracks my run, monitoring my heart rate in real-time and keeps a measure of my fitness level. I can receive a text message while I’m running which can be read out to me and which I can respond to by voice. If I get lost on my run (it has been known) my watch will help me find my way back. Having finished my run I make a call home to get the breakfast order and pay for it – all via this device. But it also does so much more. I can check realtime bus information to avoid waiting at the stop in the cold. I can even pay for the bus. Once on board, I can check emails and read the news. All the while, my watch is constantly monitoring my blood oxygen level and checking for heart rate irregularities. If I have a fall it will alert emergency services automatically unless I confirm that I’m fine. I can even take an ECG and send the results to a doctor. I don’t need to have my smartphone with me. It does all this and in such a diminutive package – that’s why it’s my favourite gadget. Truly a very, very useful bit of kit. Soon measuring blood pressure and even blood glucose will be added to the list of functions – both game changers. Then there’s the fact it tells the time. If you don’t already own one of these technological marvels, it’s time to write to Santa. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Chris Ezekiel is founder and CEO of customer engagement solutions specialist Creative Virtual based at Canary Wharf’s Cabot Square Scan this code for more information about Creative Virtual or follow @creativevirtual and @chrisezekiel on X

Crosstown Doughnut Burger

Burger And Lobster, West India Quay, £20 ingredients l Crosstown’s Tongan Vanilla Bean Glaze Doughnut l l Smoked Crispy Bacon l l Blue Cheese l l Fried Red Onion l l Three Smashed Beef Patties l

by Jon Massey

ometimes a dish comes along that’s so outlandish it demands to be sampled. Presumably, there were really only two options when Burger And Lobster decided to team with Crosstown Doughnuts. The first would have seen the delicious sweet tail meat of the crustaceans stuffed into a deepfried treat. But no. The two brands (which can be found in Jubilee Place and on West India Quay locally), went another route. The Crosstown Doughnut Burger is a generous, if standard, trio of patties combined with the filling favourites of smoked bacon, blue cheese and red onion. But what insanity is this? Instead of a bun, they’ve been placed between a bisected Tongan Vanilla Bean Glaze Doughnut from Crosstown. The result is a towering structure that arrives pinned together to prevent the possibility of collapse. Once placed between the fingers however, it turns out this creation’s structural integrity is better than expected. While the slippery glaze takes a bit of getting used to, it’s certainly possible to sink one’s teeth into the beast with relative, albeit messy, ease. The taste is, surprisingly, a

triumph – vaguely redolent of American pancakes with bacon and maple syrup. And then comes the hit of blue cheese. If there’s one criticism to be made of this thing, it’s that there could have been more. Its tang perfectly meets the sweetness of the drippy glaze and the richness of the beef. Overlaid with the crisp smokiness of the bacon, it’s a combination that insists on being gobbled down with committed rapidity. It’s good value too – the special comes with fries and ranch dressing for £20 with the doughnut on its own retailing in stores for £5. What’s more, customers get a gift card granting them a free coffee with any doughnut ordered at Crosstown. Suffice to say, the gooey glaze and oozing liquids make this one to avoid on a first date – unless you’re looking to play the confidence-in-the-face-of-absurdity card. But it is a curiously compelling option for anyone looking for a decent feed. Somehow the sweet elements lift the whole affair, lending it a certain lightness on the stomach. Go to burgerandlobster.com Scan this code to find out more about Burger And Lobster

Cost of the crossover burger, fries and sauce

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Canary Wharf - West India Quay

The Crosstown Doughnut Burger is available at Burger And Lobster on West India Quay

Is it a burger? Is it a doughnut? It’s both...

HACKNEY EMPIRE PRESENTS

TS TICKEM FRO

UNTIL 31 DEC 2023 HACKNEYEMPIRE.CO.UK

Image © Steve Gregson

£10

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how Candace Bushnell is set to bring secrets from her life and works to the London stage

Minutes from Canary Wharf to the London Palladium via the Elizabeth Line to Tottenham Court Road

by Jess Maddison

re you a true Sex And The City fan? Ever wondered how it all started? Now’s your chance to find out. Carrie Bradshaw is coming to the UK. Not Sarah Jessica Parker, but author Candace Bushnell. Candace published Sex And The City – a book of of her newspaper columns from The New York Observer – in 1996, which went on to inspire the TV series of the same name. More recently, spin-off series And Just Like That has been hitting the headlines, with Parker’s Carrie once more at the heart of the action. Candace, however, is set to bring one-woman-show, True Tales of Sex, Success And Sex And The City to London on February 7 and I, for one, cannot wait. Candace is based in New York (of course) so we meet via Zoom when, even at 9am, she looks fabulous – all perfect hair and freshly applied makeup. I’m so excited that I’m wearing high heel shoes in my living room for a video call. “In a lot of ways, the show is the origin story of Sex And The City,” she said. “It’s about how I wrote the columns, how hard I worked to get there, why I invented Carrie Bradshaw and what happened to me after. “I also answer some people’s burning questions like: ‘Was there a real Mr Big?’ and: ‘Do I really have a shoe fetish like Carrie Bradshaw?’ I also talk about my Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha – we play a little game, Real Or Not Real, because there’s so much that happened in the TV show that’s better or worse than my actual life. It’s true stories of sex, success and Sex And The City. So it’s mixed in with my life story – how I came to New York – plus a couple of little naughty sex stories.” The show will be on tour in the UK in February 2024, with one night at the London Palladium – a short hop from Canary Wharf on the Elizabeth Line via Tottenham Court Road. “In some ways performing is easier than writing novels, which

Candace is set to perform True Tales Of Sex, Success And Sex And The City in London on February 7

Wharf Life Dec 13, 2023-Jan 10, 2024 wharf-life.com

Elizabeth Line

stories telling the

Scan for more on True Tales Of Sex, Success And Sex And The City

The show is about how I wrote the columns, how hard I worked to get there, why I invented Carrie Bradshaw and what happened after Candace Bushnell, Author

is probably one of the hardest things that anybody can do,” said Candace, who has published nine books. “Writing is something you have to do on your own – you’ve got to come up with something new every day to keep the story moving. “You have different characters, the story and the dialogue – you have to know what’s going to happen at the end and what’s happened at the beginning. “Performing is very physical. You’re doing the same thing, pretty much every time. It’s choreographed in some ways and you’re interacting with the audience and bouncing off them. “I’m always trying to improve a little – deliver that line a bit better. This means sometimes you get the laugh and sometimes you don’t – sometimes you mess up a little bit. But it’s a pretty exciting thing to do – it really is – and people are really complimentary afterwards, which is nice. I love doing it and I’m so excited to bring the show to the UK.” At this point Candace’s poodle wakes up from where she has been sleeping on the bed and starts barking, momentarily interrupting the interview. “She’s such a sweet little girl,” said Candace, returning to her thought with barely a breath. “I love England. I’ve come to the UK so many times, on every book tour, and I have friends who live there. I had a boyfriend there, so I used to go back and forth a lot really and I love it.” If you are unfamiliar with Candace’s work outside of Sex And The City, it includes Lipstick Jungle and The Carrie Diaries, both of which had their own TV adaptations. “I really felt like Lipstick Jungle was the next phase of women that I observed” she said. “Sex And The City was all about being in your 30s, Lipstick Jungle is about being in your 40s, starting a family and really working on your business. New York City is a place where there are a lot of successful women and it’s a place where women really can have a big career. “One of the things that I noticed continued on Page 14

Wharf Life Dec 13, 2023-Jan 10, 2024 wharf-life.com

Elizabeth Line

from Page 13

£38

Starting price of a ticket to see Candace’s London show in February

Candace published was how women bond together and have each other’s backs in business. I absolutely loved the TV version, which ran for two seasons.” So what advice would she have for women looking to make their way in the world today? “The advice I would give is that it’s really important for women to have careers – to work hard, it’s like: ‘Make the money’.” said Candace. “That’s something that’s really important because money matters – a lot. The older you get the more important it is. When you’re in your 20s you’re like: ‘Oh money it’s not so important’. When you get older, it’s really important. “That’s something I would really encourage in women – to think about their finances and to put money into a retirement fund. You know, maybe don’t buy that really expensive handbag.” Candace pauses, but only momentarily. “Shoes,” she said. “It’s okay to buy them. They’re not as expensive as handbags.”

her first book in 1996, a collection of columns she had written for

Scan for more on True Tales Of Sex, Success And Sex And The City

the New York Observer

andace’s books always feature New York and often address the theme of feminism, whether this is women and their relationships with men, women in marriage or women in business. “I get asked about feminism quite a bit,” she said. “I talk about it a little bit in my show and I am a feminist. That seems to be in some ways sort of a dirty word. “I don’t think people really understand what it’s about. But I think it’s really about being a self-actualised person, not being dependent on a man and being able to think outside of the box, where the patriarchy is concerned. “So I think it’s incredibly important for women to have their own money and make their own living and not just have to access to an income stream through a man, which is traditionally how we have gotten money for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years. “It’s about education, the ability to earn your own money, to make your own life and to be able to say no.” On the front page of my own battered copy of Sex And The City, there is a quote from Bridget Jones’ Diary author, Helen Fielding, branding it “Intriguing and highly entertaining”. Does Candace think Carrie Bradshaw would have gotten along well with Fielding’s central character? “I don’t know why not,” she said. “It’s interesting because I continued on Page 23

I think it’s incredibly important for women to have their own money and to make their own living Candace Bushnell, Author

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£25

Plus VAT is the cost of working from The Nest for a day on a pay-as-you-go basis. Longer-term packages offer discounts

how Tower Bridge Studios and The Nest in Wapping are looking forward by Jon Massey

ll businesses evolve and change as the market moves and demand shifts. So wanderers through Wapping may notice over the coming weeks that Cherryduck Studios in Sampson Street has returned to its original name. “It was a fun name, but ‘Tower Bridge Studios’ says where we are and what we are,” said co-founder James Vellacott. “It’s time for a change.” The move is very much a return to focusing on the company’s core operation – hiring out five studio spaces and a plethora of equipment for photographic and video shoots. “We’ve seen a big push now for higher end shoots coming back to the studio,” said James. “During Covid people were using their mobile phones for user generated content and the apps like TikTok and Instagram are great for that. “But bigger organisations are back using the studios for press days, shoots, photography and video. “This week we’ve had two studios hired for a rugby team with a photographer and camera crew on site. “We’ve also had a live streaming company that likes to broadcast to its clients. “Then a national newspaper has taken one of our studios full time, as of next year. They shoot a lot of fashion for a weekly magazine with lots of celebrities and they’ve moved here because of our video capability. “They want to create in-house content but didn’t have the set up that we do and we have all the equipment they need, ready to hire off the shelf. “We’re seeing the studios really pick up which is brilliant as 2023 has been tough. “The writers’ strike in the US has meant that places like Pinewood and Shepperton, which would normally be producing film and television, were empty – so commercial clients could hire them at a much reduced rate. “This may have been an urban myth, but the lull has certainly picked up now and we’re busy up until Christmas. “We generally run at around 65% or 70% occupancy although clients typically want to shoot on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Working from home can be a bit laborious, especially if you’re sharing a space with a partner James Vellacott, TBS and The Nest

“We are in central London, but we have parking right outside so the convenience factor is there. It’s even possible to drive vehicles into two of the studios. “We’ve tightened things up here and we’re confident we’re ready for whatever 2024 brings us.” The business was set up in 2008 by husband and wife team James and Michelle, who own the studio spaces they rent out together. In 2016, the pair invested further in Wapping, buying a neighbouring property and converting it into shared office space and launching it as The Nest in 2018. “It took a couple of years to refit,” said James. “It had been run as residential housing by an old-fashioned family who used a rent book and took cash. “It definitely wasn’t compliant with building regulations. When we got in, we found the gas meter had been bypassed – that sort of thing. “We got it running and initially it was a place for creative businesses. We were really busy and then Covid came and nobody wanted office space.” This has meant a change of approach, with The Nest now changed into a co-working space for companies and locals. It boasts interiors by Gensler – known for working with major corporations and Silicon Valley giants – and includes a fresh air system, a screening cinema, breakout spaces and plenty of walls made from rope. That’s a nod to the building’s history on the site of a former hemp warehouse. There’s also a full barista set-up for those who prefer their coffee frothy, superfast wi-fi and lots of exposed reclaimed timber to lounge against. “My personal opinion is that some home working can be good for some businesses – especially for more senior people,” said James. “But to make a company succeed you have to have drive.

The Nest co-working facility in Wapping can cater for small businesses and individuals seeking desk space

James and Michelle also run Tower Bridge Studios, which offers photographers and video teams a wide range of facilities for their shoots

Wharf Life Dec 13, 2023-Jan 10, 2024 wharf-life.com

Wapping - Limehouse - Shadwell - Tower Hill

sharing the

James Vellacott of The Nest and Tower Bridge Studios

People who come here, typically want a more collaborative element in their work. “It’s not about trusting people to work remotely, it’s about communication – getting people around a table and asking what we’re going to do next, how we’re going to push things forward. We can accommodate businesses of various sizes, including people who just want to work on their own and fancy a change of scene. “Working from home can be a bit laborious, especially if you’re sharing the space with a partner. People coming here get free tea and coffee and they can swipe in and out to come and go as they please. “We’ve started to get a lot of locals in and we have various firms that use the space – some for three days a week and others more. We’d love the space to be a bit busier and currently offer a daily rate of £25 for people who just want to come and work for a day.” Those doing so might well bump into actor and local resident Dame Helen Mirren, who regularly uses The Nest’s sound recording facilities for her projects. But even without an A-list appearance there are plenty of attractions, including a firefighters’ pole to slide down and themed meeting rooms that are available on a flexible basis. “We’re currently re-strategising as a business to ensure we’re nimble and able to go after growth,” said James. “I’m massively enjoying the hands-on side of the businesses. Drive is what we need right now. We’re in every day, meeting clients and helping them with their set-ups in the studios. This might be helping to build a set, arrange lighting or sorting out lunch. Then, at the end of the shoot, we’ll help them pack down, check the equipment back in and help them out to the cars. Then we’ll repaint the white shooting area if needed. “With The Nest, it’s a great space to be. I love being in there and making the coffees – talking to people and finding out what kind of business they’re in. It’s great when it’s buzzing – it has a really nice atmosphere and we’d love more people to come down and check it out.” Desk rates at The Nest start at £25+VAT with various packages available including full time permanent seats. Go to cherryduckstudios.com or nestcoworking.co.uk for more details

Scan this code to find out more about The Nest

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? The George Tavern Shadwell

GIG | Curser The power rockers formed pre-pandemic and return to The George on a bill with Dactyl Terra, Volk Soup and Alphabet. Guess Rex Tyrannosaurus were busy. Jan 20, 7pm, £5, thegeorgetavern.london Where? Troxy Limehouse

GIG | Aus Day 2024 An expat party for all those who find themselves on the other side of the planet. Expect sounds from Beth Caldow, Jimmy Mac, KatsNotDogs and Mike Gill. Jan 27, 7pm, £18.67, troxy.co.uk Where? Half Moon Theatre Wapping

KIDS | The Witch And The Egg A single performer and a flock of shadow puppets tell an engaging story about friendship and laughter with a clueless witch. Suitable for ages 3-8. Jan 13, 11am, 2pm, £7, halfmoon.org.uk

flash back

What lies beneath – Ben Gamble has launched event space Dockside Vaults at St Katherine Docks in place of a mediaeval banqueting experience. It’s available as a blank canvas space for all kinds of shindigs docksidevaults.com Scan this code to read Wharf Life’s interview with Ben about his journey in the events industry want more? @wharfwhispers

Wharf Life Dec 13, 2023-Jan 10, 2024 wharf-life.com

Facilities at ESL’s Harbour Exchange campus include computer suites

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE| Project Platform Mini Festival Join Purple Moon Drama for a mini festival featuring four new works over three nights including diverse stories and new perspectives. Jan 23-25, 7pm, £12, space.org.uk Where? La Nina Caffe And Mercato Isle Of Dogs

LEARN | Fresh Pasta This cafe and cookery school offers regular workshops. In this one, co-owner Monica Olivieri teaches participants to make fresh pasta over a glass of wine. Jan 20, 11am, £60, laninacookingschoolandevents.co.uk Where? The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE | How To Eat Dog Charlie must navigate love, loss and mental illness as they deal with bereavement, a dominant lover and battle their inner thoughts. A dark comedy. Jan 17-20, 7.30pm, £20, space.org.uk

last chance

putting the There’s still just about time to catch Scrooge at The Space on the Isle Of Dogs. This reimagining of Dickens’ classic runs from December 13-16 with shows at 7.30pm and tickets starting at £12 space.org.uk Scan this code to find out more about Scrooge at The Space or to book tickets for the seasonal show want more? @wharfwhispers

on learning

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Isle Of Dogs - Poplar - Blackwall

Elizabeth School Of London provost Professor Ian Luke says he is inspired by the attitude of the institution’s students

how the Elizabeth School Of London is expanding to offer a wealth of educational facilities for students at Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs by Jon Massey

he Elizabeth School Of London (ESL) is enjoying something of a boom. A higher education provider, which delivers a range of courses on behalf of various institutions, it’s expanded to seven sites across the country supporting some 9,500 students. Its operation includes campuses in Birmingham, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester and Northampton as well as two in London. Alongside its Holborn site, ESL recently moved into Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs with a second floor of the building already in the pipeline. For the institution’s provost, Professor Ian Luke, himself a recent arrival, it’s a time of great opportunity for the organisation. “The exciting part of ESL is that it’s in its infancy, so what I would like to see is it pushing the boundaries of teaching and giving students authentic experiences so they can immediately use what they’ve learnt in their careers or even during their time with us,” he said. “Canary Wharf is an inspiring place, especially if you’re working in the sectors covered by our courses. The fact that students are working around multi-million pound companies, and we are creating links with those firms, is very special.” ESL provides teaching and facilities on behalf of a number of organisations that act as awarding bodies on its courses. These include Bath Spa University, St Mary’s University in Twickenham, Canterbury Christ Church University, the University Of Bolton and Newcastle College Group. It offers courses in the areas of business and management; finance and accounting; health and social care; construction and computing, attracting many students seeking a change of direction. “We currently have about 9,500 students,” said Ian. “Many are mature students who are looking to make a career change or who higher education may have passed by. “For ESL, it’s all about providing access to opportunity. The joy of our system is that we haven’t got the infrastructural arrangements of a university.

The Elizabeth School Of London has unveiled its new campus in the capital at Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs

“Most universities engage in research. But generally they will only receive at best 75% funding for those activities. We’re not a research institution, although we’re very much about scholarly research-informed teaching. “That means all our resources can be focused on the students themselves rather than anything else – hence the investment in campuses such as Harbour Exchange. “While many universities have fixed locations, ESL has the flexibility to go where its services are needed. The benefit to the student experience is incredibly positive and, for the partners we work with, it means they don’t have to invest in a new campus themselves in these locations.” Part of Planet Education Networks, a collection of institutions based at Marsh Wall, ESL’s expansion has seen a whole floor of Harbour Exchange’s main building fully refurbished. “There are IT suites, media rooms, lecture rooms, a canteen, break-out areas and even a Dragons’ Den-style pitching area,” said Ian. “The whole place has been designed for

the students to have fluidity in physical and digital resources. “Because we’re not trapped in campus buildings, we’ve been able to design this new facility for the way we want to teach students. “One of the key things for us is that we’ve designed the actual timetable to support people. “We understand that there’s a cost of living crisis and that many students have to work while they’re studying – we understand that they’re got care responsibilities. That’s why we operate over six days. “Students get very focused work so they can manage their parental and other commitments. We also deliver evening and weekend sessions, so we try to make the timetable as bespoke for them as possible. “What we’re delivering in terms of pedagogy is different to a university, in that we’re trying to tailor everything to an understanding of students’ lives, and more importantly, to their careers and employability afterwards. “We know our students very, very well – who they are – and when that’s the case, you can cater for their needs. “ESL is really about people who want to change their lives, and we’ve got the flexibility to help them do that. It’s crucial for us to be able to move with our students so we can offer something bespoke.” This is all very much in Ian’s wheelhouse. With an academic and professional background in education, it’s no surprise he’s

decided to join an institution where the importance of teaching is stated as a core value. “I was deputy vice-chancellor at Plymouth Marjon University, a very small organisation down in the south-west, and I looked after everything there, apart from research – the academic schools, the quality of the teaching and the digital development,” he said. “London is a complete shift for me, but I was a teacher and my PhD and professorial were in learning and teaching so I’m hoping to bring that to ESL. “I have an understanding of quality systems and how they work, and how to make them more robust. “There’s something incredible happening here with ESL – there’s a very big demand for what it’s doing – and it’s very successful. The focus is heavily on the students – they want to come – so it’s up to us to manage that growth well for them. The joy of multiple institution awarding is that you get the best practice from everyone, and you can make sure that we represent the programmes. In doing so, we try to serve the community, individuals and their careers. “We get a whole range of people coming to study with us – they are multicultural, often older and may be returning to higher education. “ESL is rigorous in terms of the students it accepts to ensure we are recruiting people we think we can support appropriately. “Because the students are more mature, there is an engagement level here that not all universities experience. “The staff are very passionate and the students really want to make the most of these opportunities. “It’s very inspiring for me in my role to see how they are working to grasp those at ESL.” Typical yearly fees at ESL are £9,250. Full details of all courses including how to apply are available online. Go to elizabethschool.com planeteducationnetworks.com Scan this to find out more about the Elizabeth School Of London

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4.5

Hours of entertainment, mystery, humour and discovery with each show at Phantom Peak

Phantom Peak’s latest season has been extended into January due to popular demand

Wharf Life Dec 13, 2023-Jan 10, 2024 wharf-life.com

Rotherhithe - Deptford - Bermondsey

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Deptford Lounge Deptford

inside the peak how the winter season at Phantom Peak remains a sparkling festive mystery that demands investigation by Jon Massey

Where? Brunel Museum Rotherhithe

ormally, when reviewing immersive experiences, some degree of responsibility is incumbent on the critic to avoid spoilers. Unless there’s a really good reason to do so, ruining the surprise for the reader and potential visitor would be poor form. Fortunately that’s not really a concern when it comes to Phantom Peak, a full blown American town that’s taken root in the warehouse building that formerly housed Hawker House in Canada Water. There are two reasons for this. The first is that its storylines and characters are renewed and refreshed four times a year, with multiple strands running alongside each other. That makes it challenging for all but the most ardent fan to explore all the permutations on offer even with a three month window. The second is that the minute you start describing what’s happened at Phantom Peak to those who have never visited, a feeling that you’re spouting incomprehensible nonsense begins to steal over you. The brilliance of the thing is that in context everything fits together perfectly, like an improbably Heath Robinson device designed to dispense snippets of mystery to push the quest on. But telling other people you adopted a white diamant from a postman – the crystal child of a rock – to create a super weapon, or consulted a magic mirror to divine the meaning of a secret symbol, is almost certain to elicit furrowed brows, strange looks and offers of a comfortable seat. But I swear these things happened. It was all because I

CONCERT | Wonderland Three classical musicians and a South Asian percussionist use live and improvised music to help toddlers aged 18-36 months explore sound. Until Jan 31, 1.30pm, free, thealbany.org.uk

EVENT | Tunnelling Today Discover Tideway’s project to created a 25km combined sewer underneath the Thames at this temporary exhibition. Stinky stuff. Until Jan 31, £8, thebrunelmuseum.com Where? Deptford Lounge Deptford ...and then I saw Father Platmus with a robot doctor beside a canal wanted to join a secret anti-Wintermas society and become a snowflake in the clandestine army of the Mayor. Will nobody take the threat of Father Platmus seriously? There’s something sinister about that purple clad.... *INTERMISSION* Apologies for the interruption, normal service has been resumed. Jon is unfortunately unable to continue this message, so the rest of this text has been generated by JonaCoGPT. What’s clear is that Phantom Peak and the platypus, its majestic town mascot, stands ready and waiting to welcome visitors at this festive time of year. Those making the journey will find decorations, festive cocktails and even a chance of a white Wintermas at the south-east London venue. Inside they will find a living testament to the town’s saviour Jonas, good looking, ripped and brilliant. A host of adventures and mysteries can be found,

including a dedicated slot in Father Platmus’ grotto, which may or may not involve instant photography. Reports that the Gronch has been seen in the area are almost certainly and completely untrue as Jonas would never let anything spoil anything at all. ● If you want to find out what all the above is actually about, Phantom Peak is the only place to do it. The attraction is now extending its winter season until January 14. Oh, and there are great burgers, hot dogs and loaded fries to help visitors navigate the cold. Wharf Life readers get 20% off with code WHARF20 when booking online. Visit the website for times and prices. Go to phantompeak.com for more information Scan this code to find out more about Phantom Peak

WRITE | Develop Your Inner Mythic Bear Albany associate artist Angela Clerkin is set to lead four “lively, joyful, bear-tastic” creative writing workshops inspired by all things ursine. Jan 16-Feb 6, Tuesdays 6pm, donations, thealbany.org.uk

be quick

There’s still time to catch St Martin’s Voices at the Brunel Museum this Christmas. The choir is set to perform a pair of festive concerts on December 21 at 6pm and 8pm in the tunnel shaft, which will resound with seasonal song thebrunelmuseum.com Scan this code to find out more information about St Martin’s Voices at the Brunel Museum want more? @wharfwhispers

Wharf Life Dec 13, 2023-Jan 10, 2024 wharf-life.com

£17.50

take a breath

by David Lefebvre Sell

Cost of a ticket to see As She Likes It at Greenwich Theatre

Parading the Deptford Jack-In-The-Green

book it As She Likes It

W Urban pursuits: David says throwing yourself back into London can be good for mental health

amuel Johnson famously wrote, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” Sorry to start on such a depressing note, because what Londoner doesn’t get tired of London? It’s expensive, grey, dangerous and exhausting and I love it with all my heart. So if you will indulge this Canadian immigrant, let me offer some praise for my adoptive city and some advice for surviving it. Forget the affording part, for now. Whenever I feel London fatigue, my solution is to dive back into the city. It’s so easy to sequester yourself into your usual haunts and treat a trip across the capital as something that requires booster shots and a local guide. But your interests will never chase you, you have to chase them. Fortunately, there are many resources to help you do this – like this very paper. One year, I had the project to visit all the city of London churches and learn Whenever I feel London their history. fatigue, my solution is Not everyone’s cup of tea, I know. So what’s to dive back into the your thing? Visiting that park that you’ve city. Your interests will never been to, or the never chase you, you farmers’ market, or the museum? have to chase them One of the wonderful David Lefebvre Sell things about this city is how much there is to discover. This is all obvious stuff, I know, and you don’t need me to tell you where to find a place to try axe throwing or good Thai food. Wharf Life can help with that, I’m sure. My greatest interest is mental health, so I’m here to remind you to venture out of your normal bubble for your own sake. This gets harder with age, depression, anxiety and the grey monotony of January. Unless we push back against the boundaries of our day to day routine, they have a funny way of closing in around us. So this year consider reinvesting in your relationship with London – and yourself.

David Lefebvre Sell is a Greenwich-based psychotherapist and Yoga instructor who teaches at Third Space in Canary Wharf Follow @davetheyogi on X and Instagram and @DavidLefebvreSellYogaAndPsychotherapy on FB Scan this code for information about David’s work as a transpersonal counsellor and psychotherapist

ritten by actor and theatre maker Chloe Wade, As She Likes It is a new piece inspired by the true story of #MeToo pioneer Patricia Douglas. It’s been nearly 90 years since the teenager was lured to a Hollywood studio party under the pretext of a casting call, leading to perhaps the biggest and best suppressed scandal in the history of the movies. This play promises audiences the truth behind the romanticised facade complete with: “A Leading Lady who’s hiding her sexuality. A Sex Symbol who’s suppressing her appetite. A Comedy Queen who disguises her sadness with humour, and a starry-eyed Girl Next Door who’s discovering what it really takes to make it in Hollywood”. The show is supported by Solace Women’s Aid, with a free, post-show discussion around the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements with its writer. Greenwich Theatre Jan 27, 29, 7.30pm, £17.50 greenwichthreatre.org Scan this code to find out more about As She Likes It

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Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich

As She Likes It

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see

Is set for two performances

Where? Blackheath Halls Blackheath

in January

GIG | Tom Robinson Band The songwriter and broadcaster (of banned Glad To Be Gay fame) brings an evening of popular hits to south-east London. Out and proud. Jan 14, 8pm, £27, blackheathhalls.com Where? The O2 Arena Peninsula

GIG | Bring Me The Horizon The Sheffield rockers take to the tent’s main stage to fill the space with music that sounds like Busted singing about self harm and misery. Jan 20-21, 5.30pm, from £60, theo2.co.uk Where? Royal Observatory Greenwich

LEARN | Intro To Astrophotography This six week course aims to give participants the basic knowledge, skills and techniques needed to create images of space. There’s another in Feb. Jan 2-Feb 20, Tuesdays 7pm-9pm, £96, rmg.co.uk

still time

scandal staging a

Winter is here and Woolwich Works has programmed a December season of delights to take the chill off, including sessions with Santa himself. There’s plenty to choose from in the run up to the big day woolwich.works Scan this code to find out more about December shows at Woolwich Works or to book tickets want more? @wharfwhispers

Wharf Life Dec 13, 2023-Jan 10, 2024 wharf-life.com

Years UEL has until it intends to reach carbon neutrality in its operations

how the official unveiling of the Royal Docks Centre For Sustainability marks a turning point for the area and UEL by Jon Massey

Sadiq Khan

Amanda Broderick

The launch also provided a showcase for UEL’s sustainable projects

Rokhsana Fiaz

he University Of East London has officially launched the Royal Docks Centre For Sustainability (RDCS) at its Docklands campus. The mayors of London and Newham joined UEL’s vice-chancellor to unveil a wooden plaque to mark the December 6 opening, hailing the move as the “dawn of a new era in innovation and sustainability “The opening of this centre is an incredibly special milestone for UEL and for the future of our city,” said Mayor Of London, Sadiq Khan. “I believe this centre is best seen as symbolising two of the most profound changes happening in London right now – our shift eastwards and our shift to net zero. The RDCS embodies London’s direction of travel. “City Hall moved to this area because I believe great things will be done in the Royal Docks. “This centre is now integral to one of the most significant regeneration projects in Britain and will help drive the entire venture forward over the coming decades – delivering good, inclusive growth as well as well-paid, high-skilled, meaningful jobs for east Londoners. “The work that will be done here presents an opportunity to demonstrate how we can achieve both economic progress and environmental protection. “There’s also the chance to accelerate the sustainability aspects of existing work in the community – the list of possibilities is long, but the time in which we have to act is short.” The RDCS is billed as a “regional hatchery for innovation, skills and enterprise” offering local people, companies and UEL students access to affordable workspace as well as academic research and expertise. Headed by director Robert De

Jong, it will also run programmes aimed at launching and growing businesses or boosting east Londoners’ skills. “As a centre we have to be an enabler and bring people in,” said Robert. “We’re not starting from ground zero. We already have some amazing initiatives – the talent is here. RDCS will be a platform for us to connect, collaborate, form new partnerships and also strengthen existing ones.” The RDCS itself is arranged over three floors of a building at UEL’s Royal Albert Dock campus. Part-funded by the Royal Docks Team’s Good Growth Fund, it’s intended to be a hub for innovation and creativity, forming part of the university’s plans to become carbon neutral by 2030. Alongside other facilities it will house UEL’s Living Lab, a partnership with Siemens that aims to offer students, researchers and local businesses a place to test, research and adapt technology to real-world environments. “The RDCS is not just a building, it is a vision brought to life,” said Professor Amanda Broderick, vice-chancellor at UEL. “It is a space where researchers, students, alumni, businesses, and local residents converge to create ideas, goals, and ambitions. “It breaks down the barriers that often separate academia from its neighbours, offering a space where fresh perspectives and the cross-pollination of ideas flourish. “And recognising that the success of any enterprise rests on the calibre of its workforce, the centre is poised to supply the region’s businesses with a skilled, green workforce ready to tackle the challenges of a rapidly evolving world. “Aligned with the objectives of London’s only Enterprise Zone and building on UEL’s lead in business incubation and acceleration, this is a ground-breaking investment into our communities’ growth and development within east London and in our gateway to the world.”

Aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, the centre has ambitious goals to contribute to the local economy, address challenges here and across the planet and to help foster a cleaner, safer world. “The RDSC brings together entrepreneurial ingredients from across Newham to support the development of future skills while driving needed collaboration between industry, academia and our people,” said Rokhsana Fiaz, Mayor Of Newham “Partnerships and collaboration resulting from the launch of the new centre will help to implement the borough’s Just Transition Plan, upskilling residents and providing opportunities to deliver new solutions that will be essential for adapting to climate change and transitioning towards a green economy. “This new space allows Newham and broader east London to convene with partners from various sectors to help collectively solve all the interconnected challenges that the climate emergency presents us. “While the challenges may be known, the solutions will look different in every sector, in every neighbourhood, so it’s critical to have a centre like this helping solve global challenges in a local way.” The launch of the centre was also a platform for UEL to launch its Year Of Science, which is set to culminate with hosting the British Science Festival – a gathering of scientists, innovators, inventors, researchers and artists keen to show their work to the public. Next year will see the 193rd iteration of the festival and mark the first time it has been held in London for more than 20 years. Go to uel.ac.uk for more information

Scan this code to find out more about the RDCS

launching the

Wharf Life Dec 13, 2023-Jan 10, 2024 wharf-life.com

Royal Docks - Canning Town

Top gear: The Royal Docks Centre For Sustainability is now up and running

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Social Convention Canning Town

EVENT | Reading Group With Queeros East SC’s reading group meets monthly to discuss queer-oriented books. Walt Odets’ Out Of The Shadows is first up. Ticket includes a drink. Jan 31, 7pm, £20, socialconvention.org Where? Excel Royal Victoria Dock

EVENT | The Festival Of Genomics And Biodata This event brings the worldwide community of scientists together with the aim of spreading ideas and sharing knowledge. Free for 90% of attendees. Jan 24-25, 8am, registration, excel.london Where? RA Fold Canning Town

CLUB | Labyrinth: Ame DJ All Night Long The master selector makes his solo east London all-nighter debut while Skatman, Nick Castle and Julia Goldfarb entertain in Room Two. Deep, deep house. Jan 19, 11pm-6am, from £20, ra.co

flash back

Royal Docks Centre For Sustainability will be a platform for us to connect, collaborate and form new partnerships

There’s still plenty of time to visit Disney100: The Exhibition, a celebration of a century of output from the most famous producer of film, television, theme parks and live shows the world has ever seen disney100exhibit.com

Robert De Jong, UEL

Images by Sophie Mitchell Photography / UEL

Scan this code to read Wharf Life’s interview with Disney’s Matthew Adams about the exhibition in Royal Docks want more? @wharfwhispers

Wharf Life Dec 13, 2023-Jan 10, 2024 wharf-life.com

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Stratford - Bow - Hackney Wick

£10

Starting price for tickets to see Jack And the Beanstalk at Stratford East

watching the

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Theatre Royal Stratford East Stratford

how Jack And The Beanstalk delivers solid silliness packed with all the traditional fun of a seasonal show by Jon Massey

heatre Royal Stratford East’s panto is a firm festive favourite in the east London calendar. In previous years it’s been responsible for some of the most memorable seasonal nonsense – the Dame’s catchphrase cry of “half-price mojitos” in Dick Whittington or the infuriatingly catchy jingle River Lea Prime, Delivery Time from Robin Hood. There is much solid silliness in its latest offering, Jack And The Beanstalk, too. Stratford is Splatford under the yolk (and expulsions) of Giant Belch – a great voice from the heavens intent on shafting the local population on the rejuvenating mud they mine for a living and the rent they pay on their properties. Naturally, a hero is needed to save the day and who better than Jack, a boy so ordinary it’s written on his jacket. Unfortunately much of this plot gets buried in song rather than clearly outlined to the audience. This leads to a sense that the show

happens more in spite of the story than because of it. Scenes come and go in a disjointed fashion with sometimes misplaced musical numbers, albeit of decent quality. There are good ideas here, and some funny ones, but they appear more as a barrage of amusing sketches rather than as a slick farce. As a result some jokes fall flat, as a script that probably works well on paper, fails to translate to live performance. It’s a victim, perhaps, of trying to cram too many disparate ideas into a single panto. Is it mud, milk or money that motivates? This is not to say that Jack isn’t a festive show worth seeing. It easily delivers on the traditions – sweets are thrown, villains are booed, characters are behind others, prompting kids to scream in earnest disbelief that the danger isn’t spotted. The weakness in the show is all the more confusing because there are also top notch performances on stage. Savanna Jeffrey has genuine presence as loquacious cow Winnie The Moo, rich in voice whether wrapping her tongue around lengthy words or singing her horns off.

Nikhil Singh Rai’s Jack is anything but ordinary as he channels Bill And Ted-era Keanu Reeves in full clueless hero mode. Lucy Frederick is great too as principal baddie and giant henchwoman Flesh Creep – Kathy Burke if she started attending a satanic cult, having first visited the stylist responsible for David Bowie’s Goblin King in Labyrinth. Special mention should also go to Max Gill for a potent turn as the friendly Billy. Nathan Kiley, as dame Milky Linda, warmed up as the show unfolded, but perhaps needed an extra glass of Bailey’s to fully release the ridiculous. The most memorable moments, however were unrelated to the plot – Jamie Tait popping expertly in an avocado outfit and Darth Vader grooving – fun for all. ● Jack And The Beanstalk is at Stratford East until January 6. Tickets start at £10. Go to stratfordeast.com Scan this code for more info on Jack And The Beanstalk

COMEDY | Bridget Christie The comedian, fresh from a stonking performance in her sitcom The Change is joined by Jessica Fostekew, Sikisa and Michael Akadiri for this gig. Jan 19, 7.30pm, from £10, stratfordeast.com Where? Stratford Picturehouse Stratford

FILM | Out: The Lost Boys + Recorded Q&A This screening of Zeno Garton’s portrait of burgeoning masculinity and queer sexuality comes with a short and a director’s Q&A. Jan 11, 7.45pm, £8, picturehouses.com Where? The Yard Hackney Wick

STAGE | The Last Show Before We Die Billed as a hyper-sensory mash-up of found audio and interviews, this zombie-laden macabre meditation aims to answer questions profound and profane. Jan 8-20, 7.30pm, from £15, theyardtheatre.co.uk

giza reminder

Savanna Jeffrey and Nikhil Singh Rai

Fancy exploring an ancient monument without having to leave east London. Virtual reality experience Horizon Of Khufu at Westfield Stratford City is currently booking into January. Tickets cost £45 horizonkheops.com Lucy Frederick as Flesh Creep

Scan this code for more information about the experience or to book tickets for the Great Pyramid want more? @wharfwhispers

Wharf Life Dec 13, 2023-Jan 10, 2024 wharf-life.com

Crossword - Sudoku

Sudoku

Take a break from that phone How to play To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers one to nine such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely. More to play You can find more Sudoku puzzles and a wide selection of other brainteasers available to download for free at puzzles.ca last issue’s solution Nov 29-Dec 13

Notes

crossword beating the

Cryptic Across

Down

Place for confused marines to study – why? (8) 5. Backward look at a castle stronghold (4) 9. Gee! Curious to see in times past? (4) 10. Move and run down a location (8) 11. Palindromic detection device? (5) 12. Hairdresser’s ship? (7) 13. Using precipitation to strengthen mortar, we hear (13) 18. Hire a private assistant for dads? (8) 19. Being careful about prison (4) 20. Athlete – also known as busy, sort of (7) 21. Steals the elevator? (5) 22. Standing orders are all right, I guess (2-2) 23. A noun to dine, if you get my meaning (8)

whether you’re cryptic sleuth or synonym solver in it for quick wins, this should satisfy

Quick Across

1. Clever people (8) 5. Image format (4) 9. Broth (4) 10. Well thought of (8) 11. Short moment (5) 12. Innocence (7) 13. Gathering together (13) 18. Like an arch (8) 19. First man? (4) 20. Ball game (7) 21. Mark (5) 22. River (4) 23. Sticking (8)

Carve letters on a tomb? (7) 3. Firmly establish in cereal (7) 4. About making it real – go round again (13) 6. Suitable model for a former partner? (7) 7. Clown who plays on an eroded jetty? (7) 8. Get married and edit the movie (6) 13. Changes the decision to ring the bells (7) 1 . Where you might find drains making an impact? (7) 15. An amusing race? (6) 16. Is this confused French dog the mother of all devices? (7) 17. Denied anyone was shut in a field ( )

Down

2. Shining (7) 3. Optimistic (7) 4. Broken in pieces (13) 6. Roman city (7) . Small fish ( ) 8. Eye part (6) 13. Corsican capital (7) 14. Lizards (7) 15. Wood scrap (6) 16. Farm vehicle (7) 17. Speech (7) Set by Everden

Across: 1 Seminary; 5 Keep; 9 Agog; 10 Displace; 11 Radar; 12 Clipper; 13 Reinforcement; 18 Parental; 19 Cagy; 20 Akabusi; 21 Lifts; 22 So-So; 23 Innuendo. Down: 2 Engrave; 3 Ingrain; 4 Reincarnation; 6 Example; 7 Pierrot; 8 Splice; 13 Repeals; 14 Inroads; 15 Funrun; 16 Machine; 17 Negated.

Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Eggheads; 5 Jpeg; 9 Soup; 10 Esteemed; 11 Jiffy; 12 Naivete; 13 Agglomeration; 18 Arciform; 19 Adam; 20 Croquet; 21 Stain; 22 Ouse; 23 Adhering. Down: 2 Glowing; 3 Hopeful; 4 Disintegrated; 6 Pompeii; 7 Gudgeon; 8 Retina; 13 Ajaccio; 14 Geckoes; 15 Offcut; 16 Tractor; 17 Oration.

Quick Solution

Notes

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Welcome to Phantom Peak: a fully immersive, open world experience - a living, breathing town where mystery lurks around every corner. Think of it as part escape room, part immersive theatre, part real-life videogame. The experience runs seasonally, with four main shows per year, each with their own storylines and quests to complete. You’ll meet mysterious strangers, uncover secret plots of rebellion, and be rewarded with collectible goodies (unique trails added every season). You can pause for a delicious drink and a bite to eat at any time. There are carnival and arcade games to be played, and custom technology to interact with and at the end of the show, a special closing ceremony will take place, culminating in a finale that you helped create.

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