ready for the

how The PA Show is set to offer executive professionals a wealth of attractions as it gears up for 2023

by Jon Massey

The PA Show returns to Excel in Royal Docks from March 1-2 with a new format inspired by its boutique autumn edition in Canary Wharf. Following the one-day event at the East Wintergarden, the main show has been restructured for a “closer, more intimate feel” according to organiser Mash Media, which promises a busy exhibition floor and plenty of networking opportunities over the two days.

Centred around the personal development of PAs, EAs, VAs and office managers, the event will feature five theatres – Keynote, Key Skills, Tech, Personal Development and The Office Management Conference –each aimed at providing executive professionals with skills to enhance their careers.

“The theatres are organised in a way that people can decide to focus their learning in one area or choose a variety of sessions and build their own agenda,” said Lisa Farnfield, sales director at Mash.

“The Keynote theatre provides an overview of the industry whereas the others focus on practical skills to implement in people’s day-to-day roles.

Sessions available include The Power of NO: Strategies To Take Back Control Of Your Time in the Key Skills theatre, Inside The Head Of A CEO: A Deep Dive Into A Successful CEO/EA Partnership (Keynote theatre), Transformative Communication Tools (Personal Development Theatre), ‘Automation: Your Next Best Conversion Tool (Tech Theatre) and Talking Anxiety With Nick Elston (The Office Management Conference).

Lisa said: “We have carefully selected a collection of speakers we feel are relevant and who will support the learning opportunities for our audience.

“They include Lauren Bradley, founder and lead trainer at The Officials, Lindsay Taylor, director at Your Excellency, and Sarah Howson and Marianne Whitlock, co-founders of Strategic PA Recruitment.

“Speakers really understand the industry and challenges as they have typically worked in the roles or are trainers in these skills.”

The show will also feature a networking bar with speed networking sessions to allow attendees to meet relevant suppliers.

More than 90 exhibitors will be in attendance, covering sectors such as venues, restaurants, bars, hotels, business travel, office supplies and corporate gifting. The PA Passport will be returning for the March event.

The system allows attendees to collect stamps from exhibitors and then be entered into a prize draw on the day.

Go to thepashow.com/welcome for more information or to register to attend the event

Exhibitor Spotlight

The Pearson Room, Canada Square, Canary Wharf

The Pearson Room will be one of the businesses exhibiting at The PA Show in March. Located on the second oor of the building above Waitrose overlooking Canada Square, this restaurant and bar serves seasonally inspired cocktails and creative dishes, in the heart of Canary Wharf.

The venue can cater for parties of 10 to 350 people with options for events organisers to host anything from casual drinks to formal sit down dinners, birthday bashes or wedding celebrations.

For PAs, EAs and o ce managers it o ers a exible space that can accommodate business dinners, meetings or away-days and team building.

The Pearson Room has a dedicated events team, committed to tailoring its o ering to meet clients’ needs, whether its a team night out or hire of the full venue for a department or whole-business party for hundreds of guests. The team can be contacted on events@thepearsonroom.co.uk.

For more casual customers, the venue has also recently started hosting live acoustic music fortnightly on Friday evenings by duo Jack & Illy. The next dates are February 24, March 10 and 24, April 14 and 28 and May 12 and 26.

Go to thepearsonroom.co.uk for more information or call 020 7970 0920

Wapping - Limehouse - Shadwell

diary dates as Wilton’s Music Hall unveils a summer season that’s packed with productions

by Jon Massey

Like our readers, we’re a highly organised lot at Wharf Life and love looking into the future and planning our lives. So the fact Wilton’s Music Hall has released news of a blizzard of productions that are set to grace its stage over the summer is most welcome. Here are some highlights to ink in those precious diaries.

Heading up a clutch of musical shows is Opera Della Luna’s production of Sweeny Todd – The Victorian Melodrama (April 25-29), a gothic take on Fleet Street’s closest shave complete with a 10-strong orchestra. This is followed by National Opera Studio and Opera North’s Cautionary Tales (May 2-3), which aims to breathe fresh life into the artform by tackling topics such as gender identity, animal rights and climate change.

The venue will also be hosting an all-male version of Gilbert And Sullivan’s The Mikado (June 7-July 1) before Express G&S (August 15-18) rips through every single one of the duo’s operettas in a mere 75 minutes.

Live music comes in the form of Liza Pulman Sings Streisand (May 4) with various arrangements of the singer’s hits, followed by The Swingles Vocal Weekender (May 5-6) a two-day belter of workshops, events and pop-up performances from the ve-time Grammy winners.

Storyteller and songstress Camille O’Sullivan is set to bring her concert Dreaming to the Wapping venue’s stage from May 30-June 3, while drag performer Miss Hope Springs will tickle the ivories from May 19-20. Amy Key and Sorana Santos will discuss their lifelong love of lyrics in Rules to Live By: Joni Mitchell And Poetry on May 22, while there’s Bowie cabaret from Ashes To Ashes on July 19-20, Indonesian dance and ritual with Kabaret Nusantara on July 27 and a racy nonnet with Tricity Vogue’s All Girl Swing Band from July 13-14. Further highlights include dance from Martin Bisi And Friends on July 7, a comic retelling of Die Hard from Yippee Ki Yay from April 18-22 and Olivier award-winning actor Guy Masterson’s sonorous version of Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood (May 9-13).

The bard will also be occupying the boards with Martin Parr’s musical version of Twelfth Night hitting Wilton’s from July 10-11 and a slew of silent movie nights from Lucky Dog Picturehouse including Safety Last, Speedy, The Freshman, The Navigator, Seven Chance and Battling Butler with various dates in July and August.

While this isn’t a comprehensive list of all the shows that are coming up, hopefully some will turn your head.

Go to wiltons.org.uk for more information

Scan this code to nd out more about the events listed above and a whole host of other shows at Wilton’s Music Hall

Cautionary Tales

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

Where?

Troxy Limehouse

GIG | Dexta Daps

The Dancehall returns to the UK for his Trilogy tour. Curated by the man himself, who is doing VIP meet and greets from 5.30pm, this is sure to be popular. Mar 10, 13, 5.30pm, from £58.20, troxy.org.uk

Where?

Half Moon Theatre Limehouse

KIDS | The King Of Nothing

Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s Emperor’s New Clothes, this show is billed as a wild puppet musical. People can be made to believe anything... Mar 11, 11am, 2pm, £7, halfmoon.org.uk

Where? Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping

STAGE | Ruddigore

Surreal comedy meets spooky chiller in the familiar pomp of this Gilbert And Sullivan classic. Expect ghosts, sailors and bridesmaids all over the stage. Mar 14-25, 7.30pm, from £15, wiltons.org.uk ash back

This is Limehouse-based lmmaker Mark AC Brown whose latest feature Dead On The Vine is gearing up for its UK premiere, having won three categories at Kevin Smith’s inaugural Smodcastle Film Festival in the USA markacbrown.com

Scan this code to read our interview with Mark, covering his journey to become a writer and director want more? @whar ifelive

3,000+ what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

Where? Poplar Union Poplar

EVENT | Women United

This ladies-only evening of entertainment will feature live performances from singer songwriter Grace Fleary, plus DJs, poets and open mic slots. Mar 17, 6pm, FREE, poplarunion.com

Where? Poplar Union Poplar

GIG | Teakyz + Hani

Reading-born solo artist Teakyz showcases her vibes alongside east London r’n’b singer Hani at Jordan O’s regular Friday Sessions, hosted by Soul MC. Mar 10, 7pm, FREE, poplarunion.com

Where? Craft Central Isle Of Dogs

SEMINAR | Marketing For Makers

The Design Trust’s Patricia Von Den Akker will lead a session aimed at helping designer makers understand how to get more sales of their products. Feb 24, 10am-1pm, £54 (non-members), craftcentral.org.uk ash back

Theatre maker Matthew Jameson is bringing his contemporary comic and entertaining slant on the Russian Revolution – 10 Days – to The Space’s stage from March 14-25. Expect drama and a warning from history space.org.uk

Scan this code to read our interview with Matthew and to nd out more about his latest work, 10 Days want more? @whar ifelive

Square footage of Lantern’s dance oor, which is regularly used by major production

Jamiel Devernay-Laurence has created The Ignition Platform at Lanterns Studio Theatre on the Isle Of Dogs to showcase the work of talented choreographers and dancers locally