This Is London - 8 November 2019

CONTENTS 

Events 4 

Armistice Day at the Cenotaph 

The Snowman returns to The Peacock 

EFG London Jazz Festival 

Music 8 

Christmas with the Royal Choral Society 

National Symphony Orchestra 

Scarlet & Gold 

Exhibitions 14 

Tutankhamun at Saatchi Gallery 

The Household Cavalry Museum 

Lucian Freud Self Portraits 

Leonardo: Experience a Masterpiece 

Theatre 18 

Translations 

Sara Bareilles West End Debut in Waitress 

Touching The Void opens 

Proprietor Julie Jones 

Publishing Consultant Terry Mansfield CBE 

Associate Publisher Beth Jones 

Editorial Lucie Henry Louise Kingsley Eleanor Collett 

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Welcome to London 

As the 692nd Lord Mayor of the 

City of London, I am delighted to welcome 

you to one of the greatest and most 

culturally diverse capitals in the world. 

Over 300 languages are spoken in the city, 

which has an enviable reputation as a 

hugely popular visitor destination with a 

global financial centre and a vibrant arts 

and culture scene. 

On Saturday 9 November, tens of thousands of people will line the streets 

of the City of London – otherwise known as the Square Mile, the ancient but 

thriving business district around St Paul’s – for the Lord Mayor’s Show, a 

unique tradition which dates back to Magna Carta in 1215. 

There is nothing quite like it, in terms of size, colour, or ability to bring 

together so many diverse participants – including young people from 

London’s schools and community groups, dancers, musicians, and members 

of the Armed Forces – in one celebratory and inclusive event. Over 6,500 

people, 120 horses and an eclectic mix of decorated floats will feature in this 

year’s three-mile-long procession. For my part, I will be waving to the crowds 

from the golden State Coach, which has been used by the Lord Mayor in every 

Show since 1757. 

It will be my privilege to serve as the global ambassador for UK-based 

financial and professional services and during my year in office, I will focus 

on three key themes – championing innovation, growing our global trade and 

investment, and promoting culture and the arts. 

I wish you an enjoyable holiday in our wonderful capital. 

William Russell, Lord Mayor Elect of London 

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t h i s i s l o n d o n m a g a z i n e • t h i s i s l o n d o n o n l i n e

4 

ARMISTICE DAY 2019 

The annual Armistice Day Service will 

be held on Sunday 10 November at the 

Cenotaph in Whitehall to honour the 

servicemen and women who sacrificed 

their lives for their country. The service 

has changed little since it was first 

introduced in 1921 – hymns are sung, 

prayers are said and a two minute silence 

is observed on the stroke of 11 o’clock, 

the World War One moment of ceasefire. 

Wreaths are then laid by the Royal 

Family, leaders of the Armed Forces and 

politicians. The ceremony concludes 

with a march past of war veterans, an 

enduring gesture of respect for their 

fallen comrades. Visitors will line the 

streets for the service in Whitehall or 

watch the screens in Trafalgar Square. 

Armistice Day is commemorated on 

11 November to mark the armistice 

signed between the Allies of World War I 

and Germany at Compiègne, France, 

for the cessation of hostilities on the 

Western Front of World War I, which 

took effect at the ‘eleventh hour of the 

eleventh day of the eleventh month’ 

of 1918. 

The first Armistice Day service was 

held at Buckingham Palace, with King 

George V hosting a ‘Banquet in Honour 

of the President of the French Republic’ 

during the evening of 10 November 

1919. Armistice Day events were also 

held in the grounds of Buckingham 

Palace on the morning of 11 November 

1919. This would set the trend for a day 

of Remembrance for decades to come. 

HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT TOURS – 

WHERE HISTORY IS MADE 

While the politicians are preparing for 

the General Election on 12 December, 

visitors to London can discover the 

history and heritage of the world-famous 

Houses of Parliament and find out how 

the UK Parliament works as extra tours 

of the building will be available 

throughout November. 

You will travel through the Commons 

Chamber and the Lords Chamber, where 

many passionate debates have taken 

place (and still do), follow in the 

footsteps of Her Majesty the Queen at 

the State Opening, and be inspired by 

Westminster Hall which is almost 

1,000 years old. 

The Lords Chamber. 

Photo: UK Parliament/Roger Harris. 

For 90 minutes, a knowledgeable 

guide will take you on an entertaining 

and informative tour. Alternatively, set 

your own pace using the new 

multimedia guides and choose one of 

the nine language options. Special 

versions of the guided and self-guided 

tours are available for families visiting 

with children. 

Advance booking for tours is 

recommended but not always essential. 

You can book tickets online at 

parliament.uk/visit, by telephoning 

020 7219 4114, or on the day at the 

Ticket Office located in front of Portcullis 

House on Victoria Embankment. 


6 

Photos: Tristram Kenton. 

THE SNOWMAN RETURNS TO THE 

PEACOCK THEATRE 

Raymond Briggs’ festive favourite, 

The Snowman, has whisked generations 

of children off to a wintery wonderland for 

a festive adventure year on year. Now the 

Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s magical 

live stage show journeys back to The 

Peacock to charm both young and old for 

its 22nd consecutive year. 

Based on the much-loved film and 

book, the enchanting stage adaptation 

features exquisite dancing, magic and live 

music, including the unforgettable classic 

Walking in the Air. The family favourite 

follows the story of a young boy’s 

adventures when his snowman comes to 

life on Christmas Eve. Featuring a 

dazzling array of colourful characters 

including dancing penguins, a beautiful 

snow princess, her wicked beau Jack 

Frost and, of course, Father Christmas 

himself, The Snowman is the perfect 

Christmas treat for the family and a 

wonderful introduction to dance for the 

very young. 

Inspired by the film directed by Dianne 

Jackson and produced by John Coates, 

The Snowman has become a must-do 

Christmas activity, ‘guaranteed to melt the 

heart of even the most cynical Scrooge’ 

(The Guardian). Featuring choreography 

by Robert North, direction by Bill 

Alexander, design by Ruari Murchison, 

lighting by Tim Mitchell and timeless 

music and lyrics by Howard Blake, the 

performance has been seen by audiences 

of over half a million at The Peacock. The 

Snowman is visiting The Peacock as part 

of a UK and international Tour, and will be 

performed until 5 January. 

For tickets, telephone 020 7863 8222. 

THE LUNA WINTER CINEMA BACK 

FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON 

The Luna Cinema, the UK’s leading 

producer of open air and pop up film 

screenings, is back with its festive 

cinema, The Luna Winter Cinema, 

offering audiences the chance to enjoy 

classic festive films on the big screen in 

two unique settings. With long winter 

nights fast approaching, nothing puts 

you in the Christmas spirit as much as 

curling up to watch your favourite 

Christmas film on the big screen. 

The Luna Winter Cinema will run from 

15 – 23 December, returning to the 

stunning pavilion of Kensington Palace 

in West London. 

The ultimate festive cinema 

experience gives film fans a chance to 

take a break from the chaos around lastminute 

Christmas shopping and the 

festive party season, to snuggle up and 

enjoy iconic Christmas classics on the 

big screen with friends and family. 

With the chance to enjoy classic 

festive favourites such as ‘Love Actually’, 

‘Home Alone’, ‘It's A Wonderful Life’ and 

‘Elf’, it will be an unashamedly 

Christmassy extravaganza including 

delicious mulled wine, mince pies and 

hot chocolate on offer as well as a full 

bar – the perfect Christmas outing. 

Further information and tickets from 

www.thelunacinema.com 


MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING OPENS 

AT WILTON’S MUSIC HALL 

The prestigious theatre production 

company Shakespeare at the Tobacco 

Factory are celebrating their 20th 

anniversary with a brand-new adaptation 

of Much Ado About Nothing. 

Following a critically acclaimed run at 

the Tobacco Factory in Bristol, the 

production makes its London debut on 

12 November at Wilton’s Music Hall, the 

oldest working music hall in the world. 

In 2017, the company received rave 

reviews for their restaging of Othello, and 

now return with their take on Shakespeare’s 

comedy about the precarious path to 

finding love, and how both innocent 

trickery and treacherous pretence can have 

disastrous consequences. 

Home from war, a group of soldiers 

attempt to put their fighting days behind 

them. But adjusting to civilian life isn’t 

easy, especially when love is in the mix. 

How do you let go of your demons? 

How do you learn to be your real self 

again? And what does that mean for the 

friendships that helped you survive? 

Directed by Elizabeth Freestone and 

set against the stunning backdrop of 

Wilton’s Music Hall, this dark comedy is 

tumultuous, riotous and entirely 

unpredictable. 

Much Ado About Nothing by 

Shakespare at the Tobacco Factory. 

Photo: Mark Douet. 

Terri Lyne Carrington. 

EFG LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL 

The EFG London Jazz Festival returns 

this year for its 27th incarnation, 

running through 15-24 November 

spanning over 350 gigs across 70 

venues around the city and featuring the 

talents of over 2000 musicians. Over the 

course of its 10 day programme, the 

festival – still London’s largest citywide 

music event – presents a wide-ranging, 

thoroughly of the moment curation 

(overseen by Director of Programming, 

Pelin Opcin, now in her second year at 

the EFG London Jazz Festival) which 

cherrypicks the scene’s fastest-rising 

stars alongside shows that revisit vital 

legacy artists and catalogues, presented 

via innovative new interpretations, 

collaborations and formats. 

This year’s festival kicks off on Friday, 

15 November with the Jazz Voice 

signature gala performance, bringing the 

likes of Corinne Bailey Rae, Cécile 

McLorin Salvant, Judi Jackson and 

Cherise Adams-Burnett together for an 

evening at the Royal Festival Hall, 

backed by Guy Barker’s 42 piece 

orchestra. A true icon, Herbie Hancock 

returns to London to play this year’s 

festival, whilst Danilo Pérez (of The 

Wayne Shorter Quartet) will perform the 

European premiere of his new Global 

Messengers project. Chrissie Hynde and 

Iggy Pop will be both performing new 

material from their recent, jazz-informed 

album releases, and Rhiannon Giddens 

(Carolina Chocolate Drops) plays Royal 

Festival Hall, alongside a special 

performance at HM Prison Wormwood 

Scrubs, commissioned and delivered in 

partnership with Koestler Arts. 

This year’s artist in residence is 

multi-Grammy Award winner, Terri Lyne 

Carrington. The drummer, singer, 

producer and activist will celebrate the 

release of her forthcoming new album 

‘Waiting Game’ with a Kings Place 

residency featuring both her own Social 

Science band and guests from the 

forefront of the UK jazz scene including 

Emma-Jean Thackray and Soweto Kinch. 

Mercury Prize-nominee Soweto will also 

headline his own festival show, drawing 

from his forthcoming ‘Black Peril’ project. 

EFG have partnered with the London 

Jazz Festival for over a decade, and in 

2019 has joined forces with Serious to 

launch the EFG Elements Series, a run of 

shows which epitomises the rich creativity 

and variety which the festival showcases. 

Blending some of the best jazz traditions 

with innovative collaborations, this year’s 

selected EFG Elements shows are Jazz 

Voice, Cécile McLorin Salvant & Sullivan 

Fortner, Christian Sands (supported by 

Camilla George) and Scott Bradlee’s 

Postmodern Jukebox. 

www.efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk 

Soweto Kinch. 

7 


8 

CHRISTMAS WITH THE ROYAL 

CHORAL SOCIETY 

The Royal Choral Society has sung 

at the Royal Albert Hall every Christmas 

for over a hundred years. This 

December, the choir returns to its 

spiritual home with a festive programme 

packed full of glorious carols old and 

new – including traditional sing-along 

favourites for the audience to join in. 

The choir will be accompanied by the 

renowned Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 

and the Band of the Irish Guards under 

the baton of Royal Choral Society Music 

Director Richard Cooke. 

This unmissable gala concert on 

10 December (19.30), includes seasonal 

standards Silent Night, The Twelve Days 

of Christmas and O Come all Ye Faithful 

as well as modern classics O Holy Night 

(regularly voted the UK’s best-loved 

carol) and Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia 

on Christmas Carols. It’s the perfect way 

to get into the festive spirit. 

The annual performance of Handel’s 

sacred oratorio Messiah returns to the 

Royal Albert Hall as part of their 2019 

Christmas celebrations. It will be 

performed on 18 December at 14.30 and 

19.30. Having featured on the 

programme since 1871, Handel’s 

Messiah is a true Royal Albert Hall 

tradition. Over a hundred sublime voices 

from the Philharmonia Chorus and the 

majestic sounds of the Royal 

Philharmonic Orchestra are combined 

with the talents of special guest vocalists 

Elgan Llyr Thomas (tenor), Katie Bray 

(mezzo), Natalya Romaniw (soprano) 

and William Thomas (bass). 

The magic of a full choir singing this 

beloved masterpiece in the Hall’s iconic 

auditorium makes this a Christmas 

concert not to be missed. 

For tickets, telephone 020 7589 8212. 

MARIA FRIEDMAN: FROM THE 

HEART AT SOUTHBANK CENTRE 

An unforgettable evening of timeless 

stories and truly exceptional cabaret 

from the West End star of Fiddler on the 

Roof and three-time Olivier Award 

winner, Maria Friedman, will take place 

at Queen Elizabeth Hall on Sunday 

10 November. In a thrilling collaboration 

with musical director Theo Jamieson, 

Maria Friedman’s new show From the 

Heart celebrates some of the greatest 

songwriters and titans of Broadway. 

Friedman explores the full range of her 

creative inspirations in a show that takes 

in Stephen Sondheim, Marvin Hamlisch, 

Michel Legrand, Adam Guettel, Joni 

Mitchell and Randy Newman. The pair 

bring their unique spin to great songs, 

musical theatre classics and some brandnew 

material for an evening of 

reimagining and reinvention. Maria 

Friedman is an actress and director of 

stage and screen, best known for her work 

in musical theatre. She is a seven-time 

Olivier Award nominee, winning three. Her 

first win was for her 1994 one-woman 

show, By Special Arrangement. She has 

also twice won Best Actress in a Musical 

for the original London productions of 

Passion and Ragtime. 

The Royal Choral Society. 


Photo: Matthew Walker at Standout Company. 

Oliver Towse as 'Gatsby'. 

THE GREAT GATSBY IMMERSIVE 

PRODUCTION BRAND NEW VENUE 

The Guild of Misrule’s The Great 

Gatsby, created and directed by 

Alexander Wright, is currently wowing 

audiences in its brand-new West End 

venue IMMERSIVE | LDN, continuing its 

record as the UK’s longest running 

immersive production. It’s the roaring 

twenties – an era of bootleg liquor, red 

hot jazz and hedonistic pleasures. Jay 

Gatsby has invited you to one of his 

infamous parties and that’s not an invite 

you want to turn down... 

The Great Gatsby allows audiences to 

fully immerse themselves into the world 

of Jay Gatsby and the glamour of the 

Roaring ‘20s. With cocktails, dancing 

and scandal, this heart-racing adaptation 

of the seminal jazz-age story puts the 

audience at the heart of the action. 

From 13 November, audiences can 

opt to enjoy a fine dining experience, 

designed by IMMERSIVE | LDN catering 

partners Flavourology, who will also be 

designing and producing the food 

element for all other events in the venue. 

With a menu that includes dishes 

inspired by The Great Gatsby including 

an amuse-bouche made of buttermilk 

fried chicken with champagne 

hollandaise and caviar ‘From St Louis to 

West Egg’, a main of bourbon cured 

salmon with celeriac puree and 

remoulade ‘Bootleg Bourbon Salmon’ 

and a pudding of spotted dick under a 

white chocolate dome with custard 

parfait and salted caramel sauce, ‘Gatsby 

was an Oxford Man’ (all with vegan 

alternatives), audiences will begin their 

journey into the world of Jay Gatsby with 

an unforgettable edible adventure. 

Tickets for the dining experience at 

www.immersivegatsby.com with the first 

service taking place on Wednesday 

13 November. 

Producers Louis Hartshorn and Brian 

Hook, who are currently co-producing 

the immersive production of The Wolf of 

Wall Street, have launched a new 

company IMMERSIVE EVERYWHERE, 

dedicated to developing and staging 

theatre-led immersive experiences, and 

IMMERSIVE | LDN is the newest of their 

network of venues, which will house 

cafes, bars and rehearsal and workshop 

spaces to help the development of new 

work. It is housed in a 32,000sq ft 

historic building in the heart of Mayfair, 

which was home to the Queen Victoria’s 

Rifles Association until 2017. 

First conceived in 2015 when director 

Alexander Wright and producer Brian 

Hook were running The Fleeting Arms, 

a pop arts and community pub in an 

abandoned building in York, The Great 

Gatsby first came to London as part of 

VAULT Festival in 2017 and sold out 

before the show opened. Since then, 

the show has played night after night 

at Gatsby’s Drugstore in SE1, inviting 

audiences into the hedonistic world of 

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s extraordinary tale, 

and in 2018 it became the UK’s longest 

running immersive production. 

9 


10 

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY WITH THE 

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 

The National Symphony Orchestra 

will perform a concert of Mozart 

Requiem and Sinfonia Concertante for 

Violin and Viola on Remembrance 

Sunday at St John’s Smith Square 

(19.30). Two great soloists join forces in 

the first half of the concert to perform 

Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for Violin 

and Viola. Tasmin Little (violin) says; ‘It 

is a magical work, with a divine first 

movement, rhapsodic in places and with 

beautiful interplay between violin and 

viola. The slow movement is very 

profound and this is offset by a terrific 

final movement which leaves everyone 

feeling elated!’ 

Philip Dukes plays the viola part, and 

said ‘Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante 

remains one of my favourite concertos to 

perform. The concerto is unquestionably 

one of Mozart’s finest. Few would argue 

that the slow movement contains some 

of the most exquisite melodies and 

harmony, and the interplay and artistry 

afforded to the soloists in the outer 

movements is both mesmerising and 

absorbing.’ 

The second half of the concert 

features Mozart’s Requiem, sung by the 

Locrian Singers, a 20-strong 

professional choir. Shared amongst the 

full choir and four soloists, the music 

moves between imposing, grand 

gestures and heartfelt intimacy. The 

Requiem encompasses the fears of death 

and judgement, the sorrow of separation, 

yet with a distinct journey towards 

peacefulness and reconciliation – an 

appropriate conclusion for 

Remembrance Sunday. 

The concert also includes Handel’s 

Zadok the Priest. Rimma Sushanskaya 

conducts the National Symphony 

Orchestra (leader: Rita Manning), Robert 

Matthew-Walker of Classical Source 

says ‘... fine playing exudes a sense of 

music-making of rare excellence, fully 

up to the stature of the music... This is 

genuine music-making by wholly 

experienced professionals seeking to 

impart their love of great music’. 

Tickets are available from the Box 

Office on 020 7222 1061 or online via 

the website at www.sjss.org.uk. From 

18.00, the Box Office is open for that 

evening’s concert only. 

Tamsin Little 

Photo: B Ealovega. 

THE ANTIPODES 

Dorfman until 23 November 

Eight people are seated round a large 

glass oblong table in American 

playwright Annie Baker’s third play 

(following The Flick and John) to be 

seen at the National Theatre. In charge, 

at the top of the table, is Sandy with his 

luxuriant almost white hair and, 

apparently, a string of past successes (in 

what field exactly is never made clear) to 

his name. He’s looking for a new 

plotline, and the assembled creatives – 

some old hands, a few new faces – are 

here to brainstorm ideas for the next big 

story to be used in, perhaps, a film, 

a TV series, an advert? 

Co-directed by Baker and designer 

Chloe Lamford (who stacks one corner 

of the thrust stage high with cases of 

Perrier to sustain them during the 

lengthening sessions), the unhurried 

pace of this more or less plotless two 

hours won’t be to everyone’s taste. 

But there’s considerable humour to be 

had in this finely acted production as, 

encouraged by Conleth Hill’s 

manipulative and increasingly absent 

Sandy (he’s banned all mobiles except 

his own, on which he receives a stream 

of disconcerting messages from home) 

they recount details of their first sexual 

encounters and talk of monsters and 

regrets in what seems destined to be a 

futile search for a suitable story. 

Stuart McQuarrie’s uncomfortable 

Danny M2 tells a poignant tale involving 

his experience with chickens whilst 

Matt Bardock’s Danny M1, like Arthur 

Darvill’s Dave, is a far more brash and 

eager contributor. 

Sinead Matthews’ token woman 

embraces the situation as she knits and 

snacks healthily on eggs, whilst Fisayo 

Akinade’s Adam is a consistently 

thoughtful presence. And obliging PA 

Sarah (Imogen Doel) pops in and out to 

organise takeaway food – her ever 

changing outfits marking the passage 

of time. 

Louise Kingsley 


12 

Julia Imbach (Kostantina) and AJ Bentley (Adam) in 

MAMMA MIA! The Party. Photos: Helen Maybanks. 

MAMMA MIA! THE PARTY 

Let’s face it, when has anyone been to a 

celebration of any sort – birthdays, 

weddings, you name it – when toes have 

not tapped, nor dance floors resounded, 

to the legendary songs of ABBA? The list 

is endless, Dancing Queen, Super 

Trouper, Voulez Vous and Gimme Gimme 

Gimme, to name just a few. It was an era 

of uplifting anthems which a succession 

of generations came to know and love. 

Escapism – certainly; a phenomenon of 

true musical talent – without question. 

As we all know, the songs became 

Mamma Mia! The Musical on stage, and 

two spectacular film successes, which 

have now effortlessly transformed into 

Mamma Mia! The Party at The O2 London, 

a joyful celebration of good food, singing 

servers, familiar storyline and a singalong 

medley of the famous ABBA hits enjoyed 

by packed houses on a nightly basis. 

The concept is the vision of ABBA’s 

Bjorn Ulvaeus who set the story to the 

music he wrote with Benny Andersson, 

(some with Stig Anderson). Along the 

way, Björn shared his dream for Mamma 

Mia! The Party with producer Ingrid 

Sutej, added the wit of Sandi Toksvig, 

and the show was born. 

We begin with Adam and Konstantina, 

who have fallen in love on the Greek 

Island of Skopelos. There’s a catch, 

though, as Konstantina’s father doesn’t 

approve of her new English love for fear 

he will take his daughter away. The story 

is an exploration of Niko’s journey to 

acceptance of his daughters choice, with 

a few external factors (such as a very 

stern looking Grandmother observing 

from the balcony) helping him along the 

way. The performances are all very 

strong and young actress Julia Imbach 

as Konstantina vocally steals the show. 

The plot is a little tenuous but there are 

some great one liners – ‘there’s nothing 

camp about ABBA’ springs to mind. 

However, that isn’t what Mamma Mia! 

The Party is about. 

Go for Elin Andersson’s impressive 

acrobatics or for the terrific band who 

play the songs of ABBA faultlessly. The 

finale is really something to behold, with 

more sequins and glitter than you can 

imagine and all the greatest hits meshed 

together in a fabulous singalong. The 

audience is encouraged to jump out of 

their seats and party with the cast, an 

opportunity which most grabbed with both 

hands. It’s enormous fun. 

And, good news, there are still tickets 

available for visitors who want to see the 

hottest new show in town. 

Lucie Henry 

BODY WORLDS LONDON 

FIRST ANNIVERSARY 

Body Worlds London, the exhibition 

that uses real human bodies preserved 

through Dr Gunther von Hagens’ 

‘Plastination’ process to teach visitors 

about anatomy and truly allows them to 

explore the beauty under our skin, 

celebrated its first anniversary at the 

beginning of October. 

Since it first opened its doors in 

Piccadilly Circus, the exhibition has 

had a jam-packed year. Having been 

endorsed by some of the UK’s biggest 

health organisations, Body Worlds have 

made it their mission to educate the 

general public on how best we can look 

after our bodies. The attraction has also 

made its mark on London’s tourism and 

cultural map, winning the 2019 Trip 

Advisor Travellers Choice Award. 

Body Worlds is the only exhibition of 

real human bodies with its own 

established donor programme. 

Currently, there are over 18,000 Body 

Worlds donors worldwide who approved 

to donate their body for public display 

and educational purposes. 

Peter Tabernal, CEO of Body Worlds 

London said: ‘We are so proud of 

everything we have achieved in just one 

year here at Body Worlds London and are 

so excited to look forward to the future, 

with more great partnerships in the 

pipeline. Becoming part of this great city’s 

cultural landscape has always been so 

important to us, and we feel we’ve done 

just that through our incredible ventures 

and collaborations that reach out to so 

many different parts of the community.’ 


14 

TUTANKHAMUN; TREASURES OF 

THE GOLDEN PHARAOH 

Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden 

Pharaoh which opens at the Saatchi 

Gallery this week is the final chance to see 

these glittering world heritage artefacts 

before they return to Egypt forever. 

Visitors will explore the life of King 

Tutankhamun, and the storied discovery 

that captivated the world. 

To commemorate the 97th 

anniversary of the discovery of 

Tutankhamun’s tomb on 4 November, 

CityLights, an immersive entertainment 

company, have partnered with IMG to 

debut a ground-breaking art virtual 

reality experience Tutankhamun: Enter 

the Tomb at the Saatchi Gallery. 

Audiences who opt for this add-on will 

experience the impossible – flying 

through a photorealistic version of the 

legendary pharaoh's tomb, as Howard 

Carter would have uncovered it in 1922. 

‘We are so delighted to have the 

opportunity to glimpse at these 

‘wonderful things’ in London. This 

extraordinary discovery, nearly 100 

years ago, was the first global media 

event, capturing the imagination and 

fascination of every generation in every 

country. It is about exploration, works 

of art and the passion for antiquity,’ 

commented George Herbert, the 8th Earl 

of Carnarvon and his wife, Lady Fiona 

Carnarvon. 

London is the third stop in a ten-city 

world tour, which broke records in Los 

Angeles before becoming France’s most 

attended exhibition of all time with more 

than 1.4 million attendees. 

Tutankhamun: Treasures of the 

Golden Pharaoh is presented by Viking 

Cruises and produced by the Egyptian 

Ministry of Antiquities and IMG. 

www.tutankhamun-london.com 

THE HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY MUSEUM 

The Household Cavalry Museum in 

Whitehall holds the history of some of 

London’s most well-known and 

recognisable soldiers, the Queen’s Life 

Guard and the Blues and Royals. Known 

by the distinctive red and white plumes 

on their helmets, they stand guard both 

on foot and horseback in Whitehall and 

at St James’s Palace. 

Formed in 1660 by King Charles II, 

the Household Cavalry has served both 

on and off the battlefield, always 

accompanied by their horses. Originally 

composed of three regiments, the Life 

Guards, the Royal Horse Guards or 

‘The Blues,’ and the Royal Dragoons or 

‘The Royals’, the soldiers’ purpose was 

to act as a bodyguard for the King and 

preserve the peace. 

Museum visitors should arrive early to 

attend the daily changing of the guard at 

11.00. Part way through the ceremony, go 

back inside the museum and watch the 

horses being brought back into the 

stables. This perspective offers a close up 

look at the horses and soldiers dressed in 

full uniform and is only available to 

museum visitors. 

Emma Skahill 


16 

Leonardo da Vinci, 'The Virgin of the 

Rocks', about 1491/2-9 and 1506-8 

LEONARDO: EXPERIENCE A 

MASTERPIECE 

The National Gallery is to become a 

painting studio, an imagined chapel and 

a room-sized experiment in a new 

immersive exhibition that leads visitors 

through the mind of Leonardo da Vinci 

to explore his masterpiece, ‘The Virgin 

of the Rocks’. The secrets of Leonardo’s 

masterpiece are revealed in four distinct 

spaces. Each space invites you to look at 

the painting in a new way. 

'The Virgin of the Rocks' is a complex 

and mysterious painting which has 

intrigued people for centuries. For an 

artist who notoriously left works 

unfinished and from whom even fewer 

survive, this is a rare example of one of 

his large-scale paintings. It gives an 

insight into some of Leonardo’s groundbreaking 

scientific observations, 

demonstrating techniques and innovations 

which transformed Italian painting. 

Leonardo began his painting career in 

Florence, but in the early 1480s he 

moved to Milan in search of new 

opportunities. Shortly after his arrival in 

the city he received the commission to 

paint ‘The Virgin of the Rocks’. The 

painting was to be part of a grand 

altarpiece which included a wooden 

statue of the Virgin Mary. The altarpiece 

was destined for the chapel of the 

Immaculate Conception of the Virgin 

Mary in the church of San Francesco 

Grande, the principal church of the 

Franciscan Order in Milan and the 

largest church in the city after the 

Cathedral. It was commissioned in 1483, 

but wasn't completed to the 

Confraternity’s satisfaction until 1508, 

twenty-five years later. A dispute over 

money led Leonardo to sell his first 

version of the picture – which is now in 

the Louvre, Paris. The confraternity 

finally managed to come to an 

agreement with Leonardo, and he began 

work on a second version of the painting 

which is now in the National Gallery 

collection. 

The idea of Mary’s Immaculate 

Conception was much debated in 

Medieval Europe – the Franciscan order 

supported it, while the Dominicans 

contested it. Supporters of the 

Immaculate Conception argued that in 

order for Christ to be born without 

original sin (which originated at the 

moment Adam and Eve disobeyed God 

in the Garden of Eden), his mother, 

Mary, also had to be free of sin. It was 

therefore necessary for the Virgin to 

have been conceived by God even before 

the creation of the world – and so before 

original sin. 

In 1476 (less than a decade before 

‘The Virgin of the Rocks’ was 

commissioned), Pope Sixtus IV at last 

adopted the feast for the Western church. 

The subject was still so new there was 

no standard way of showing it, giving 

Leonardo free rein to create a new 

composition. 

In his final version he painted the 

Virgin, the infant Saint John the Baptist 

(a gilded cross under his arm), and an 

angel, kneeling behind Christ – a 

chubby cross-legged child. The three 

figures communicate with each other 

through their hand gestures and directed 

gazes while the angel acts as a heavenly 

witness to the scene. 

DISCOVER! CREATIVE CAREERS AT 

THE NATIONAL THEATRE 

The National Theatre is one of over 

500 organisations taking part in 

Discover! Creative Careers Week 

(18-22 November), a national initiative 

backed by the Department of Culture, 

Media and Sport in England to 

encourage diverse new talent for the 

country’s booming creative industries. 

National Theatre Young Technicians. 

Photo: Dan Weill Photography. 

The creative industries employ over 

3 million people and the sector is 

growing three times faster than the rest 

of the UK economy. The National Theatre 

will be welcoming 130 state secondary 

school students from across Greater 

London on Wednesday 20 November to 

an action-packed day that will shine a 

light on backstage and offstage roles to 

inspire the next generation of talent. 

BRIDGET RILEY AT HAYWARD 

GALLERY 

A major retrospective exhibition 

devoted to the work of celebrated British 

artist Bridget Riley is on view at the 

Hayward Gallery. Spanning 70 years of 

the artist’s working life, it is the largest 

and most comprehensive exhibition of 

her work to date. Bridget Riley is one of 

the most distinguished and 

internationally renowned artists working 

today. Her pioneering approach to 

painting involves the skilful balancing of 

form and colour, yielding a continuous 

but highly varied enquiry into the nature 

of abstraction and perception. 


LUCIAN FREUD: THE SELF- 

PORTRAITS AT ROYAL ACADEMY 

The Royal Academy is presenting an 

exhibition focusing on Lucian Freud’s 

visceral self-portraits until 26 January. It 

will be the first of its kind spanning the 

artist’s career of almost seven decades 

though the media of paint, etching and 

drawing. The display will feature over 50 

works charting his artistic development 

from early, more linear and graphic 

works to the fleshier painterly style that 

became the hallmark of his later work. 

The majority of pieces on display are 

from private collections and many have 

not been seen publicly for decades. 

The exhibition reveals his unexpected 

and wide-ranging exploration of the 

self-portrait and his dedication to the 

cause of art. ‘Drawing’, will focus on 

Freud’s early works in the 1940s. They 

reveal a playfulness in his presentation 

of his own self-image that was 

especially evident into the 1960s. 

‘Transition’ focuses on the 1950s noting 

a gradual transition towards a mature 

style, prompted in part by changes to his 

working method. Freud’s intense 

friendship with Francis Bacon also 

contributed to his development, seen in 

works such as Self-portrait, (c.1956). 

The exhibition charts a life’s journey, 

from young boy to old man in a detailed 

study of the artists own ageing process. 

Reflection (Self-portrait), 1985 

Oil on canvas, 55.9 x 55.3 cm 

Private collection, on loan to the Irish Museum 

of Modern Art © The Lucian Freud Archive / 

Bridgeman Images. 

VALUING ART BY THE CENTIMETRE! 

If one considered the commercial 

value of art by the square centimetre, it 

might be a surprise to learn that some of 

the world’s most expensive paintings are 

portrait miniatures. 

The ‘Art of Limning’ goes back to at 

least medieval times when sumptuous and 

beautiful illuminated manuscripts painted 

in watercolour on vellum were being 

produced. From these writings developed 

the highly skilled art of portrait miniatures. 

The art form flourished until the arrival of 

daguerreotypes (the first publicly available 

photographic process) in the late 1830s. 

The fall from fashion of miniatures was 

quick and profound. 

However, in 1896, the Society of 

Miniature Painters mounted their 

inaugural exhibition which brought 

about a dramatic renaissance of the 

genre. Having been granted the Royal 

Charter in 1904 by King Edward VII, the 

Royal Society of Miniature Painters, 

Sculptors and Gravers (RMS) are to 

present their 124th Exhibition, or as it 

was described in the 1920s ‘an academy 

of work in little’, between 28 November 

and 8 December at the Mall Galleries. 

With a maximum frame size of 15.24 

x 11.45cm, today’s miniaturists explore a 

wide variety of subjects, including 

portraits, landscapes, still-lifes, interior 

scenes, marine, wildlife and stunning 

sculptures. 

SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH’S 

OUR PLANET SPECIAL EVENT 

Six months ago, Netflix launched its 

landmark series ‘Our Planet’, which took 

viewers on an emotional journey; 

showcasing Earth’s breath-taking wildlife 

as never before, whilst putting a 

spotlight on conservation for the first 

time in documentary filmmaking. 

It’s thanks to Sir David Attenborough 

and series like ‘Our Planet’ that the world is 

waking up to the rapid decline of wildlife 

and the urgent need to address threats 

such as climate change, with conservation 

playing a crucial role in preserving the 

world for future generations. 

The Whitley Fund for Nature, a charity 

that champions outstanding grassroots 

conservation leaders, has joined forces 

with ‘Our Planet’ Series Producer 

Alastair Fothergill to host a special event 

exploring the making of the documentary 

and the conservation taking place behind 

the camera. Alastair – who is also an 

Ambassador for WFN – will be joined by 

Whitley Award winner Jayson Ibañez, a 

WFN supported conservationist whose 

work to protect the Philippine Eagle is 

featured in the documentary. 

The event will take place on 

Wednesday 4 December at the Royal 

Geographical Society. Guests will enjoy 

a lavishly illustrated and entertaining 

talk, as Alastair reveals behind-thescenes 

footage from the making of this 

ground-breaking series. 

Alastair Fothergill. 

17 


18 

Photo: Catherine Ashmore. 

A scene from Translations by Brian Friel – foreground Ciaran Hinds, Julian Moore-Cook. 

TRANSLATIONS 

Olivier Theatre 

Ian Rickson’s revival of Brian Friel’s 

play is set in County Donegal with piles 

of drying peat (part of the Irish psyche) 

carved from the bogs lining the external 

walls of a house whilst giving a sense 

of an era long gone. The fantastically 

detailed Olivier set with sounds, lighting 

and odour of burning peat, evokes a 

feeling of west coastal Ireland and hits 

the senses. 

The play involves the clash of 

cultures and language of 19th Century 

England and Gaelic speaking Ireland 

with the arrival of British soldiers 

carrying out the task of modernising 

maps and place names, the anglicising 

of Irish place names and the purpose of 

the map being linked to a land tax (the 

source of provocation and conflict for 

the indigenous inhabitants). Most of the 

play is set in an unlawful hedge school 

and Ciarán Hinds’ reprise of his central 

role as an alcoholic teacher is certainly 

felt. The plot centres around a love story 

between a non-English speaking native 

girl and English officer, Maire and 

Yolland. 

A play concerning the differences 

between the two languages involved might 

be something of a struggle to follow for 

non-Gaelic speakers and could be off 

putting. However, the play is entirely in 

English. The conflicts and 

misunderstandings between the two 

languages are beautifully expressed by the 

central actors. In particular, the devices 

used in the scene between Maire and 

Yolland where they describe their feelings, 

with each failing to understand the other’s 

words, enables the audience to grasp the 

romance and humour of the situation. 

At times, funny and, at others, deeply 

sombre in mood. The live musical 

accompaniment has a strong modern 

Celtic tone and seems appropriate. 

Translations has an appeal to anyone 

with an interest in clashes of British and 

Irish politics, and indeed any clashes of 

cultures. Even in modern times, this play 

contrasts events which have continued to 

echo the recent history of the ‘Troubles’ 

from the 1970’s and remains relevant 

today to the extent that the British 

interface with Ireland still plays a major 

role in current politics. 

Eleanor Collett 

SARA BAREILLES WEST END DEBUT 

IN HER HIT MUSICAL WAITRESS 

International bestselling artist Sara 

Bareilles who wrote the music and lyrics 

for the hit musical Waitress will be 

making her West End debut in the New 

Year and will be reuniting with Olivier and 

Tony Award-winning actor Gavin Creel 

following their hugely acclaimed reception 

in the Broadway production. Sara Bareilles 

will perform in the lead role of Jenna with 

Gavin Creel as Dr Pomatter from 

27 January to 7 March. 

Sara Bareilles first achieved 

mainstream critical praise in 2007 with 

her widely successful hit Love Song, 

which reached No 1 in 22 countries 

around the world from her debut album 

Little Voice. Since then, Sara has gone on 

to receive seven Grammy® nominations, 

two Tony nominations and three Emmy 

nominations. Making her Broadway debut, 

Sara composed the music and lyrics for 

Waitress, and made her Broadway acting 

debut in 2017 by stepping into the show’s 

Sara Bareilles in Waitress. 

lead role. On April 5, 2019 Sara released 

her fifth full-length and first album of 

original material since 2013, entitled 

Amidst The Chaos, to rave reviews. For 

this latest body of work, she joined forces 

in the studio with legendary Academy® 

Award-winning producer T Bone Burnett. 

Photo: Shervin Lainez. 


20 

PLAYS 

GHOST STORIES 

After exhilarating audiences across the world, 

Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson’s worldwide 

cult phenomenon is back to haunt the West 

End, and it’s more spine-tingling and terrifying 

than ever. 

AMBASSADORS THEATRE 

West Street, WC2 (020 7395 5405) 

THE LION THE WITCH & THE WARDROBE 

Step through the wardrobe this winter into the 

magical kingdom of Narnia for the mystical 

adventures in a faraway land. 

BRIDGE THEATRE 

One Tower Bridge, SE1 (0843 208 1846) 

THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY 

One enormous diamond, eight incompetent 

crooks and a snoozing security guard. What 

could possibly go right? 

CRITERION THEATRE 

Piccadilly Circus, (020 7492 0810) 

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG 

A Polytechnic amateur drama group are 

putting on a 1920s murder mystery and 

everything that can go wrong... does! 

DUCHESS THEATRE 

Catherine Street, WC2 (0330 333 4810) 

TOUCHING THE VOID 

The 30th anniversary of the publication of 

Joe Simpson’s best-selling memoir, charting 

his extraordinary struggle for survival on the 

perilous Siula Grande mountain in the 

Peruvian Andes. 

DUKE OF YORK’S THEATRE 

St Martin’s Lane, WC2 (020 7492 1552) 

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. 

FORTUNE THEATRE 

Russell Street, WC2 (0844 871 7626) 

NOISES OFF 

With technical brilliance and split-second timing, 

Michael Frayn’s comedy looks behind the scenes 

with a company of actors in a hilarious tribute to 

the unpredictability of life in the theatre. 

GARRICK THEATRE 

Charing Cross Road, WC2 (0330 333 4811) 

IAN McKELLEN ON STAGE 

Ian McKellen brings his one-man show to the 

West End for a limited run following a UK tour 

celebrating his 80th birthday this year. 

HAROLD PINTER THEATRE 

Panton Street, SW1 (0844 871 7622) 

Royal National Theatre 

Plays in repertory 

OLIVIER THEATRE 

TRANSLATIONS 

Following a sold-out run in 2018, Ian Rickson’s 

production of Brian Friel's masterpiece returns. 

MY BRILLIANT FRIEND 

Based on the celebrated novels by Elena 

Ferrante, an epic story of love, violence, 

ambition and self-destruction. 

LYTTELTON THEATRE 

HANSARD 

The official report of all Parliamentary debates. 

A witty and devastating new play by Simon 

Woods. 

'MASTER HAROLD’… AND THE BOYS 

Athol Fugard’s masterwork explores the nature 

of friendship, and the ways people are capable 

of hurting even those they love. 

DORFMAN THEATRE 

THE ANTIPODES 

Pulitzer Prize-winner Annie Baker returns to the 

National Theatre with her latest extraordinary 

play. 

NATIONAL THEATRE 

South Bank, SE1 (020 7452 3000) 

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED 

CHILD PARTS I & II 

Stage play based on the Harry Potter franchise 

written by Jack Thorne, based on an original 

story by J.K Rowling. 

PALACE THEATRE 

Shaftesbury Avenue, W1 (0330 333 4813) 

DEATH OF A SALESMAN 

Marianne Elliott co-directs Arthur Miller’s 1949 

classic, bringing a unique vision to one of the 

greatest plays of the twentieth century, seen 

through the eyes of an African-American family. 

PICCADILLY THEATRE 

Denman Street, W1 (020 7452 3000) 

THE MOUSETRAP 

Agatha Christie’s whodunnit is the longest 

running play of its kind in the history of 

British theatre. 

ST MARTIN’S THEATRE 

West Street, WC2 (0844 499 1515) 

A DAY IN THE DEATH OF JOE EGG 

Peter Nichols’ funny and moving masterpiece 

is the extraordinary play inspired by the 

author’s own experience of raising his 

daughter. 

TRAFALGAR STUDIOS 

Whitehall, SW1 (0844 871 7632) 

Celebrating the countdown to Christmas 

at Hamleys with the cast of the RSC’s 

award-winning Matilda The Musical. 

GROAN UPS 

First show in Mischief Theatre’s residency at 

the Vaudeville Theatre, Groan Ups is a brandnew 

play which looks at how people grow up. 

Are we the same at 30 as we were at 13? 

VAUDEVILLE THEATRE 

Strand, WC2 (0330 333 4814) 

THE MAN IN THE WHITE SUIT 

Stephen Mangan, Kara Tointon and Sue 

Johnston in the world premiere of the 

hilarious, classic Ealing comedy, 

WYNDHAM’S THEATRE 


MUSICALS 

WAITRESS 

Hit Broadway musical brought to life by an 

all-female creative team, featuring original 

music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles. 

ADELPHI THEATRE 

Strand, WC2 (020 3725 7060) 

TINA 

New stage musical reveals the untold story 

of Tina Turner, a woman who dared to defy 

the bounds of her age, gender and race. 

ALDWYCH THEATRE 

The Aldwych, WC2 (0845 200 7981) 

WICKED 

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 Road, SW1 (0844 826 8000) 

EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE 

New feel good musical – supported by his 

mum and friends, Jamie overcomes prejudice, 

beats the bullies and steps into the spotlight. 

APOLLO THEATRE 

Shaftesbury Avenue, W1 (0330 333 4809) 


SIX THE MUSICAL 

Tudor Queens meet Pop Princesses in a 

musical retelling of the six wives of Henry 

VIII. A celebration of sisterly sass-itude, 

powered by an all-female band. 

ARTS THEATRE 

Great Newport Street, WC2 (020 7836 8463) 

MATILDA 

Critically acclaimed Royal Shakespeare 

Company production of Roald Dahl’s book, 

directed by Matthew Warchus. 

CAMBRIDGE THEATRE 

Earlham Street, WC2 (0844 800 1110) 

WHITE CHRISTMAS 

A brand new production of Irving Berlin’s 

seasonal favourite. This feel-good family 

musical lights up the Dominion for a strictly 

limited season from 19 November. 

DOMINION THEATRE 

Tottenham Court Road, W1 (0345 200 7892) 

LES MISERABLES – CONCERT STAGED 

Concert staging starring Michael Ball, Alfie 

Boe, Carrie Hope Fletcher and Matt Lucas. 

GIELGUD THEATRE 

Shaftesbury Theatre, WC2 (0844 482 5151) 

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 

Long running epic romance by Andrew Lloyd 

Webber, set in Paris opera house where a 

deformed phantom stalks his prey. 

HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE 

Haymarket, SW1 (0844 412 2707) 

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 (0844 871 3000) 

THRILLER – LIVE 

Over two hours of the non-stop hit songs that 

marked Michael Jackson’s live performances. 

LYRIC THEATRE 

Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2 (0330 333 4812) 

SCHOOL OF ROCK 

Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage musical with 

lyrics by Glenn Slater adapted from the film. 

GILLIAN LYNNE THEATRE 

Drury Lane, WC2 (020 7492 0810) 

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. 

NOVELLO THEATRE 

Aldwych, WC2 (0844 482 5170) 

COME FROM AWAY 

UK Premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical 

which tells the remarkable true story of 7,000 

stranded air passengers in the wake of 9/11. 

PHOENIX THEATRE 


FIDDLER ON THE ROOF 

West End transfer of the revival directed by 

Trevor Nunn, starring Andy Nyman as Tevye. 

PLAYHOUSE THEATRE 

Northumberland Ave WC2· (0844 871 7631) 

MARY POPPINS 

The story of the world’s favourite Nanny is 

spectacularly brought to the stage with its 

famous and unforgettable songs. 

PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE 

Old Compton Street W1 (0844 482 5151) 

THE BOOK OF MORMON 

A crude, witty and satirical show telling the 

story of two young and naive mormon 

missionaires. 

PRINCE OF WALES THEATRE 

Coventry Street, W1 (0844 482 5110) 

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL 

Based on the much loved movie and making its 

West End debut, Dolly Parton’s musical comes 

to London for a strictly limited season. 

SAVOY THEATRE 

Strand, WC2 (020 7492 0810) 

&JULIET 

A hilariously irreverent new musical that 

proves when it comes to love, there’s always 

life after Romeo. Told through pop anthems 

of the last three decades from legendary 

songwriter Max Martin. 

SHAFTESBURY THEATRE 

Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2 (020 7492 0810) 

ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES 

The landmark, record-breaking and top-rated 

television series written by the late, great John 

Sullivan, becomes a new British musical. 

THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET 

Haymarket SW1 (020 7930 8800) 

AMELIE 

Based on the five-time Oscar® nominated 

film, starring French-Canadian stage and 

screen star Audrey Brisson as ‘Amélie 

Poulain’. From 29 November. 

THE OTHER PALACE 

Palace Street, SW1 (020 7087 7900) 

HAMILTON 

Lin-Manuel Miranda's multi award-winning 

musical, based on one of America’s Founding 

Father, Alexander Hamilton. 

VICTORIA PALACE THEATRE 

Victoria Street, SW1 (0844 248 5000) 

Touching The Void ®. 

Photo: Michael Wharley. 

TOUCHING THE VOID OPENS AT 

DUKE OF YORK’S 

War Horse co-director Tom Morris’ 

production of Touching the Void will 

open in the West End at the Duke of 

York’s Theatre this week, previewing 

from 9 November with opening night 

on 14 November. 

The production marks the 30th 

anniversary of the publication of 

Joe Simpson’s book, charting his 

extraordinary struggle for survival on the 

perilous Siula Grande mountain in the 

Peruvian Andes. Alongside this struggle 

is the appalling dilemma of his climbing 

partner Simon Yates, perched on an 

unstable snow-cliff, clinging onto the 

rope tying him to the severely injured 

Joe. Unable to recover Joe from the 

void, Simon is faced with the agonising 

decision to cut the rope that binds them. 

The first ever stage version of 

Touching the Void, adapted by The 

Lyceum's David Greig from the awardwinning 

memoir by Joe Simpson, which 

also became a BAFTA- winning film. 

They are joined by Designer Ti Green, 

Sound Designer and Composer Jon 

Nicholls, Lighting Designer Chris Davey, 

Movement Director Sasha Milavic 

Davies and casting by Jill Green CDG. 

21 


22 

ST JAMES BAR AT SOFITEL LONDON 

Having recently undergone a full 

redesign, St James Bar at Sofitel London 

St James is set to make an impressive 

mark on London’s drink scene with an 

exciting new cocktail menu entitled 

‘Passport’ launching this week. 

The new menu is a collaborative effort 

from the team behind St James Bar and 

will take guests on an inspirational flavour 

journey across the globe. New cocktail 

compositions will showcase unusual or 

indigenous spirits from the countries they 

represent and others will conjure nostalgic 

memories of unforgettable trips and life 

defining moments. The menu itself will 

resemble a real passport and each cocktail 

will have a stamp of the country it is 

inspired by, inviting guests to escape to 

exotic and far-flung corners of the world 

without having to leave the luxury of 

St James Bar. 

Drawing inspiration from the famous 

blossom season of Japan, Shodu 

infuses delicate Japanese tea flavours of 

black cherry, green tea and apricot to 

make a sweet syrup which is then 

combined with Japanese Roku Gin, 

lemon and egg white. 5 to 7 is a nod to 

the sacred national concept of Aperitivo 

and mixes Campari-infused coffee, 

Amaro Montenegro, pink grapefruit and 

soda to make a refreshing Italian spritz. 

1st Step remembers one of America’s 

greatest feats – man’s legendary first 

steps on the moon. Notes of grapefruit, 

strawberry and orange Curacao offset 

Maker’s Mark rich Lunar Bourbon and 

are finished with a twist of black pepper 

and a puff of edible dark spray. Similarly, 

Heaven Howler is a tribute to Iceland’s 

prohibition period which blends local 

Icelandic Himbrimi Old Tom Gin with a 

pale ale adding refreshing herbal 

flavours of rhubarb and thyme. 

The bar snacks pairing menu has 

been created in collaboration with 

Anthony Demetre of Wild Honey 

St James. He has worked closely with 

the bar team to create a series of 

delicious small dishes designed to 

complement the flavours of the countries 

represented in the drinks menu. 

HAWKSMOOR LAUNCHES FIRST 

NEW COCKTAIL LIST IN A DECADE 

Hawksmoor has launched a new 

cocktail menu consisting of twenty six 

drinks for the Winter season. The new 

list follows Hawksmoor’s second win for 

Best International Restaurant Bar at Tales 

of the Cocktail in New Orleans earlier 

this year. 

Hawksmoor’s new cocktail ethos is a 

result of six months of travel, tastings 

and tinkerings by world-class teams of 

bartenders led by Liam Davy 

(Hawksmoor Head of Bars) and 

legendary cocktailian Nick Strangeway 

who created their original list back in 

2006. On their travels, they came across 

a word coined in Renaissance Italy that 

seemed to sum up their approach: 

sprezzatura – a certain nonchalance, so 

as to conceal all artistry and make 

whatever one does seem uncontrived 

and effortless. The result is a set of 

deceptively simple-seeming drinks that 

belie the hours of painstaking research 

and technique that has gone into them. 

This festive season, a Christmas 

burger will be available at Spitalfields 

Bar. There will also be Beef in Blankets, 

maple roasted parsnips and bacon, 

sprouts with chestnuts, Christmas Eve 

pudding as well as Carla’s mince pies on 

the menu. www.thehawksmoor.com

This Is London - 8 November 2019

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