12 minute read
2023 PREVIEW
YEARLY PLANNER
Pub grub, folk music, and Tutankhamun – there’s something for everyone in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire in 2023
By NATALIE LI
ROYAL ASCOT
WINDSOR CASTLE
ROYAL ASCOT
Ascot Racecourse 20-24 June 2023
It’s one of the highlights of the sporting and social calendar and the place to be seen: Royal Ascot will return once again in June. As always, thousands of fabulously well-heeled racegoers descend upon Ascot for fi ve days of races and, of course, the chance to observe high fashion and a glimpse of the Royals.
Each year the third day of Royal Ascot, known as Ladies’ Day, features the most glamorous attire and millinery masterpieces. It’s the day of Ascot’s longest surviving race – the Gold Cup.
Other highlights include the Royal Procession every day at 2pm in which the royal family and guests parade up the Straight Mile into the Parade Ring in carriages, known as Ascot landaus, led by four Windsor Grey horses.
Tickets for Royal Ascot are on sale now, with prices ranging from £15 for standing room on the heath to around £80 for seats in the stands.
ascot.com
QUEEN ELIZABETH II’S LIFE AT THE CASTLE
Windsor Castle 2 March-30 October 2023
Out of all her residences, the late Queen Elizabeth II is considered to have been most attached to Windsor Castle. She spent a lot of time at Windsor Castle in her fi nal years, including over her milestone Platinum Jubilee weekend in 2022. Anyone interested in the crown and Her Late Majesty’s life are o ered a glimpse into her time spent at the Castle – during her childhood, the Second World War and during her 70 years on the throne. The Castle was where she spent her private weekends – riding horses and spending quality time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
A new tour o ers private groups an insight into the function of Windsor Castle and how it shaped Queen Elizabeth II’s life.
rct.uk/visit/windsor-castle
THE CASTLE AND THE PHARAOH: GUIDED TOURS
Highclere Castle February-April 2023
In 1922, Highclere Castle and Lord Carnarvon, alongside his archaeologist Howard Carter, were front page news around the world. Their unearthing of the untouched tomb of an ancient Egyptian king Tutankhamun has become the most famous ancient Egyptian discovery of all time. Now it’s your chance to tour the set of the “real” Downton Abbey – the stunning Highclere Castle – and celebrate the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun 100 years ago.
Highlights include a guided tour around the state rooms andgalleried bedrooms to learn about the building, works of art and furniture alongside plenty of anecdotes. Down in the Castle cellars an exhibition catalogues the Earl’s fascination with Egypt, his early excavations from 1906 onwards, his relationship with his friend Howard Carter and the discovery and contents of the tomb, including a reproduction of the sarcophagus. The tour finishes with refreshments and a walk in the grounds of Highclere Castle.
highclerecastle.co.uk
TOWERSEY FESTIVAL
Claydon Estate 25-28 August 2023
Claydon Estate in the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside plays host once again to this year’s charming family-run Towersey Festival. Described by The Guardian as “one of the most bravely adventurous festivals in the folk and world music calendar”, the festival began in 1965 in the village of Towersey as a community event.
The festival, in its 59th year, continues to o er its inimitable style of music, comedy, and family fun. This year
ANCIENT EGYPT WILL BE EXPLORED AT HIGHCLERE CASTLE
THE DIVINE COMEDY HEADLINE TOWERSEY FESTIVAL
headline acts include The Divine Comedy, The Proclaimers and Thea Gilmore.
The festival boasts excellent camping facilities, in addition to the wonderful programme of music and activities for the whole family.
towerseyfestival.com
PUB IN THE PARK
Higginson Park, Marlow 18-21 May 2023
Marlow-based celebrity chef Tom Kerridge serves up another summer of his mouth-watering food and music festival in Marlow and nine other locations across the country.
The inaugural event launched in Marlow in 2017 and has since grown in popularity over the years. In 2022 the biggest Marlow event to date featured 30,000 festival goers in Higginson Park partying across the four-day weekend.
Expect a chart-topping line-up featuring the likes of Tinie Tempah, Clean Bandit, UB40 and Bananarama, plus the UK’s finest chefs, including Tom Kerridge’s best pals, award-winning pubs and restaurants serving tasting dishes showing their signature style.
There’s festival fun for the whole family – with chef demonstrations, the finest produce, and a kids’ area to keep the little ones amused.
pubintheparkuk.com/marlow
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Milton Keynes Theatre 9 February-5 March 2023
Gene Wilder’s odd but iconic Willy Wonka from the 1971 film of Roald Dahl’s children’s classic is certainly stuck in my memory. But a fresh stage version of Roald Dahl’s children’s classic is a chance to immerse yourself once again in a world of pure imagination.
After a successful run in London’s West End and Broadway, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory embarks on its first ever UK and Ireland tour. The musical tells the tale of young golden ticket winner Charlie Bucket and the mysterious confectionary wizard Willy Wonka. After Charlie wins a golden ticket to the weird and wonderful Wonka Chocolate Factory, it’s a chance of a lifetime to feast on the sweets they’ve always dreamed of. But five lucky winners soon realise that everything isn’t quite what it seems.
West End star Gareth Snook plays the eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka in this adaptation, which features memorable songs from the iconic 1970s film and a host of new numbers.
atgtickets.com/venues/ milton-keynes-theatre
21ST JANUARY
Clarence House Chase Raceday
18TH FEBRUARY
Betfair Ascot Chase Raceday
2ND APRIL
Spring Family Raceday
3RD MAY
Royal Ascot Trials Day
12TH MAY
Peroni Nastro Azzurro May Friday
13TH MAY
Peroni Nastro Azzurro Victoria Cup Raceday
20TH - 24TH JUNE
ROYAL ASCOT
14TH JULY
Summer Mile Friday
15TH JULY
Summer Mile Family Raceday
28TH JULY
QIPCO King George Friday
29TH JULY
QIPCO King George Saturday
12TH AUGUST
Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup
8TH SEPTEMBER
September Racing Friday
2023 ASCOT RACEDAYS
9TH SEPTEMBER
September Racing Saturday
6TH OCTOBER
Autumn Racing Friday
7TH OCTOBER
Autumn Racing Saturday
21ST OCTOBER
QIPCO British Champions Day
4TH NOVEMBER
Fireworks Spectacular Family Raceday
24TH NOVEMBER
November Racing Friday
25TH NOVEMBER
November Racing Saturday
22ND DECEMBER
Howden Christmas Friday
23RD DECEMBER
Howden Christmas Family Day
NOW ON SALE
Book now at ascot.com
IMAGINE THAT
Rachel Lancaster, Artistic Director of KURIOS, talks about the new show coming to London from the Cirque du Soleil team
RACHEL LANCASTER
Q How does it feel to be part of the KURIOS family?
A KURIOS is a very special show. We’re a cast and crew of 122 from 27 di erent nationalities and it’s an honour to be part of such a creative and brilliant team. I’ve been with Cirque du Soleil for 13 years now, working on a few di erent shows including Amaluna and CORTEO, and I joined KURIOS as Artistic Director back in 2016. My job is to oversee everything artistic on the show: I work with stage management, wardrobe, coaches and performance medicine, who are all experts in their fields, along with 50 world class artists.
Q Can you tell us a little about the show?
A KURIOS is a show that really celebrates the imagination. We follow the journey of a scientist, who believes that a hidden, invisible world exists. Set in the second half of the 19th century during the industrial revolution, the show takes aesthetic inspiration from this era, which was a time of great invention. It’s about the capacity to invent and dream, and we want people to leave the show feeling like anything is possible.
Q What’s unique about KURIOS?
A Every Cirque du Soleil show is di erent, and KURIOS is no exception. There are acts in our show that can’t be seen anywhere else in the world. An example of this is Acro-Net… imagine it like the world’s largest trampoline. The inspiration for this act actually came from the safety net of a trapeze act on another show, which was a bit too bouncy. The creative minds took this as an opportunity to explore something never been done before, so for Acro-Net they made a net even more bouncy, to allow a team of six acrobats to propel another performer up 45ft in the air. It’s a thrill to watch and a huge crowd pleaser, when audiences realise what’s happening you can hear the excitement. Much like the show, this idea that just because something doesn’t exist yet, it doesn’t mean it can’t be dreamt up and made a reality.
Q What goes on behind the scenes?
A We have a technical team who are in charge of everything from rigging and automation, to lighting sound, carpentry and props. KURIOS has the most props of any Cirque du Soleil show, 426 at creation, but we’ve also added a few more along the way! Their attention to detail is incredible, from big to small. We have a mechanical hand used in the show, which weighs about 750lbs and is driven by two artists underneath to drive the hand forward, and allow the fingers to move and come to life. Then we have wardrobe, who are a team that collectively maintain over 8,000 costume pieces – it’s phenomenal. The artists also do all their own makeup, which can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours every day.
Q What’s your favourite part of KURIOS?
A That’s a tough question! Acts like Acro-Net, Rola Bola and Aerial Bike are wonderfully acrobatic, but there’s moments of real beauty that come from simplicity too. Continent of Hands is a very special act, where an artist creates a world just with his hands. It’s projected onto a hot air balloon so everyone can see the magic. His grandmother and grandfather were deaf, so they communicated with their hands, and he learnt this craft from them. Non verbal communication is a wonderful part of what we do and what makes our show so accessible wherever we go.
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities runs at the Royal Albert Hall from 13 January to 5 March. Tickets on sale now at cirquedusoleil.com/kurios
My Neighbour TOTORO
Why the RSC's unlikely staging of the Studio Ghibli classic is a huge success
By PENDLE HARTE
Studio Ghibli has become almost as big as Disney for many London children. The Japanese animation studio makes films that are gentle and magical, as well as mysterious and dark, and their appeal is enduring. My Neighbour Totoro is one of the most popular with children of all ages, spawning a vast following and a huge variety of merch: lunchboxes, cuddly toys, stationery and more. It's an animation that features humans alongside fantasy creatures, and not something you'd easily imagine on the stage. But the Barbican's new production makes the transition easily and beautifully, and instantly saw a torrent of excellent reviews and enthusiastic ticket sales.
The story is simple, and there's not much plot – the film is atmospheric and there's not even all that much dialogue. On stage, it's a visual extravaganza of set, puppetry and an orchestra in a treehouse. We open with a father and his two young daughters driving their car through the countryside; they are moving from Tokyo to a new home to be near their mother, who we learn is in hospital. Neighbours imply that their new house is haunted, and there's a lovely scene where the house unfolds and the girls discover 'soot spirits', brought to life brilliantly by a team of on-stage puppeteers. The story makes reference to Japanese folklore, with notions of di erent spirits and creatures in the woods, and the staging makes impressive use of the large space. No publicity photographs exist of Totoro himself, or the breathtaking cat bus, because their unexpected scale and magic takes us all by surprise.
This is a beautiful play worth heading into London for, a tale of growing up that's laced with charm and an undercurrent of sadness. It's a story about sisters, fathers, love and magic, and everything about it creates a sense of wonder, from the music to the simple set design with its illustrated feel, to the energy of little Mei. Don't miss it.
MY NEIGHBOUR TOTORO
Until 21 January 2023, Barbican Theatre barbican.org.uk
DRINK & FOOD
STARS & STAY
THE HAND & FLOWERS The Hand & Flowers has 15 beautifully appointed bedrooms, so alongside two-Michelin starred food from Tom Kerridge and his team, you can enjoy a night away in complete luxury. King size beds, roll top baths and in-room treats, plus some of the rooms have terraces with Jacuzzis, so be sure to snap those up early and start 2023 as you mean to go on! thehandandflowers.co.uk
