Golden Trellick awards modelled Trellick Tower by street artist Zeus
The London Design Festival, 100% Design and London Fashion Week all return to the city this September when Open House Weekend gives nosy Londoners the chance to look inside some of the city's private buildings.
Extended to take place throughout September, Totally Thames is an exciting, month-long arts and cultural celebration of London's river, featuring over 100 river-related events along its entire 42 mile course through the capital. The festival - much of which is free - celebrates the main waterway which winds its way through the heart of the city, through a diverse mix of art, music, and educational events both on the water and along its banks and bridges at various riverside locations from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge and beyond.
Matthew Warchus' inaugural season, stepping into Kevin Spacey's shoes as artistic director of the Old Vic, opens with Future Conditional, a new play by Tamsin Oglesby, featuring a young cast of 23 and starring Rob Brydon. A topical and funny piece of writing from the woman who penned Really Old, Like Forty Five and The Mouse and His Child, Future Conditional tackles the conundrum of British schooling through a myriad of characters including parents, teachers, and Alia, a clever young Afghan refugee with a radical solution for Britain's schools.
One of London's most popular outdoor screening events takes place in September at The Scoop, a 1,000-seat amphitheatre located between HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge in the shadow of City Hall on the south bank of the Thames. Screenings of a mixture of current, classical and cult films, the 2015 line-up includes recent releases The Imitation Game, Paddington and The Theory of Everything as well as old favourites like Ghostbusters and the 1962 classic To Kill a Mockingbird. There are musicals The Sound of Music and Moulin Rouge as well as family film Frozen and poignant drama Still Alice. The More London Free Film Festival is - as the title suggests - a free event, with places going on a first-come, first-served basis. All films start at 7.30pm and there is food and drink - including summer cocktails and Eastern Mediterranean street food - available from the nearby London Riviera. The screenings are part of the More London Free Festival of music, theatre, film and fringe performances that takes place at the same location all summer long.
Created in 1996 as a reaction to the state of the British Film industry, the Portobello Film Festival was set up with the aim of providing a platform for exciting new film-makers and to this day gives daring and ground-breaking directors a chance to get their films seen. The programme usually features around 600 new films split into numerous categories, including art, music movies, documentary and world film, screening films from different countries across the globe. The festival hasn't always had an easy ride and has even found itself without a cinema screen at times but screening in parks, theatres, clubs and bars have all added to the diverse nature of the event. With annual premieres of shorts, documentaries and animations, plus lots of talks and workshops with top film directors, the Portobello Film Festival is an exciting event in any film fanatic's diary.
Following his sensational A View from the Bridge, Ivo van Hove directs a new play by Simon Stephens (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time). Eelco Smits stars as Willem the returning prodigal son in Song from Far Away, a drama for one-actor about a young man's homecoming to an estranged family in the aftermath of the death of his brother. Returning home to Amsterdam, Willem attempts to reconnect with his sibling through a series of letters.
Acclaimed Russian pianist Nikolai Demidenko will perform a one-off concert and a programme that includes Brahms and Prokofiev at St John's Smith Square this autumn. Demidenko, who became a student of Anna Kantor (Evgeny Kissin's teacher) by the age of six, performs Brahms Capriccio from the Op. 76 late piano pieces and the tender Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann. The second half is dedicated to Prokofiev's Visions Fugitives followed by his Sonata No. 2.
Already a firm favourite on Bristol's BBQ calendar, and having recently launched in Manchester, Grillstock finally comes to London in 2015. Europe's biggest BBQ event - 40,000 festival goers are expected to attend over the weekend - it will be held at Chestnuts Field in Walthamstow and offers a weekend of meat, music and mayhem. A major part of the weekend is the legendary eating competitions, with hot dog, chilli and hot wing categories, as well as the official King of the Grill BBQ competition. With dozens of teams showcasing their skills cooking chicken, ribs, brisket and pulled pork, they will all be looking to be crowned the best low 'n' slow cooker. Music comes from the likes of Fun Lovin' Criminal, Razorlight, Grandmaster Flash and Hayseed Dixie, and there will, of course, be plenty of opportunities to feast on the BBQ goods.
The final exhibition of 2015 at the Fan Museum is an exciting collaborative effort between the museum and Hong Kong-based author and collector Edwin Mok. Very fine Chinese export fans from both collections are shown alongside embroidered textiles and ceramics, well timed to coincide with Asian Art in London, which brings together over sixty of the world's top dealers, major auction houses and museums for an annual ten-day celebration (from 5th to 14th November 2015).
Academy award-winning actress Nicole Kidman plays British scientist Rosalind Franklin, the woman who unravelled the mystery of DNA, in the UK premiere of Photograph 51, Anna Ziegler's "largely satisfying" (New York Times) award-winning play. Reuniting with director Michael Grandage - artistic director of the Donmar when Kidman performed in the headline-grabbing 'The Blue Room' in 1998 under the direction of Sam Mendes - the Australian actress and star of 'Moulin Rouge' returns to the London stage after a 17 year absence to reveal the personal sacrifices Franklin made in her pursuit of science and a place in history.
Russian-German pianist Igor Levit launches his Wigmore Hall 'Perspectives' series with a programme combining the works of Muffat, Shostakovich and Beethoven. Opening with the majestic Passacaglia in G minor from Georg Muffat's 1690 anthology Apparatus musico-organisticus, and spanning the vast creative soundscapes of Shostakovich's Second Piano Sonata, the two-hour concert concludes with Beethoven's 'Diabelli' Variations - 33 separate and completely different variations all based on Anton Diabelli's original waltz.
American cellist Yo-Yo Ma, a regular Proms soloist for almost 40 years, tackles perhaps his boldest performance to date performing the complete Bach solo cello suites in a single concert. That's over two hours of music - with no interval - a feat as challenging intellectually as it is physically. Though neglected until the 20th century, the suites represent some of Bach's greatest musical achievements and Ma has played them over many decades and multiple recordings.
The UK's biggest fancy dress Dodgeball tournament comes to Finsbury Park on Saturday 5th September as teams compete for prizes - not just for winning the competition but for the fiercely contested most creatively dressed team. There's a fun, festival atmosphere to the day as teams of eight compete, and with DJs, street food and drink stalls providing much needed refreshment. Proceeds from the day go to learning disability charity Mencap.
The annual one-day Angel Canal Festival is based around the City Road Lock on the peaceful Regent's Canal in Islington and features all sorts of attractions and events for the whole family. Attractions include a children's fun fair, boat trips, regatta, live music, street theatre and a boat rally. With 80 stalls and gazebos arranged along the towpath, there's plenty to choose from - expect to find stalls selling anything from crafts, books, jewellery, food and drink. As well as local businesses, there are a variety of local and national charities on site to raise awareness for their respective causes and to provide entertainment. The festival will be opened, as it is each year, by the Major of Islington, who arrives by boat from the London Canal Museum and gives a welcome speech before starting the Bell-Boat Race in the City Road Basin. Summer may be winding down but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a family day out by the canal.
The London Mela in Gunnersbury Park is a wonderful celebration of Asian music and culture which always draws a big crowd - 80,000 visitors attended last year - with its line-up of British Asian music, Bollywood figures and traditional and classical performances. Entertainment is spread over nine zones, all showcasing different types of music with urban, classical and experimental music, DJs, circus and comedy as well as dance, arts and a Magic Mela family area. There will also be a fun fair and hundreds of stalls selling food and crafts, all of which makes the London Mela a magnet for a multitude of Londoners out for a good time.
The circus comes to the Chrisp Street Festival on Sunday 6th September. Head to the East India Dock Road market for a free day of family-friendly circus-themed entertainment. Aircraft Circus give two 30-minute aerial acrobatic shows on the day, and Circus Square put on dance performances, art, poetry and live music events. You can even join the circus for the day: head to The Big Top when you can take part in acrobalancing, hula hooping, face painting, juggling and plate spinning workshops. Ride on the waltzers, enjoy a game on the coconut shy or a battle with the Strongman, whilst Zanies Way, curated by somewehereto_, play host to magicians. Look out for clown stilt walkers, interactive street art and roaming children's entertainers. All this plus the usual Chrisp Street Market food from the Bite Street Food collective including Spanish dishes from El Marinero, hotdogs by Oh My Dog and burgers from Back Street Diner as well as Cat Food's hand crafted cupcakes best enjoyed with a Black Box Coffee brew.
Billed as "the most ambitious charity fundraising event in the City of London's history", City Three Peaks challenges 40 thrill-seekers to abseil down three of the capital's most iconic buildings: The Gherkin - abseiled down for the first time ever, The Leadenhall Building (also known as 'The Cheesegrater') and 20 Fenchurch Street (aka 'The Walkie Talkie'). Each tower will be descended one after the other and all three buildings add up to a combined height of 1,916ft - that's double that of The Shard. It's not just about adrenaline and abseiling. The aim is to raise a staggering 4 million for The Outward Bound Trust, The Royal Navy and The Royal Marines Charity - given The Descent of The Shard abseil back in September 2012 raised 2.8 million, that's quite a lofty sum to raise in just a few hours. Sponsored by CLIF bar, America's favourite energy bar, each of the participants will be supplied with energy bars and gels to keep them going.
Furthermore, CLIF have partnered with City Three Peaks to give away a hamper packed with CLIF bar goodies and VIP entry for two to the Sky Garden on the day of the event.
To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the following question:
What's the total distance of the abseil?
A: 1,000ft B: 1,5000ft C: 1,916ft
Send your answer to competitions@londontown.com with 'City Three Peaks' in the subject line by midday on Thursday 3rd September 2015. Please also include your full name, contact telephone number and postal address in the body of the email. The hamper will be posted to the winner and their name 1 will be added to the guest list at The Sky Garden on Monday 7th September 2015.
Following a successful first showing at the Barbican in spring last year, the English National Ballet's "clever mix of experiment and accessibility" (The Guardian), Lest We Forget, comes to Sadler's Wells this autumn. Presenting bold new pieces by three of Britain's top choreographers, Akram Khan, Russell Maliphant and Liam Scarlett, all are inspired by the First World War. Scarlett's 'No Man's Land' makes "sensitive use of a difficult Liszt score"; Maliphant's 'Second Breath', conjures the pity of war itself; while Khan's 'Dust' turns the dancers' arms into "a writhing rope" (The Telegraph).
An imposing six metres high sculptural installation comprising of 3,000 bone china shops, created especially for the Victoria and Albert Museum as part of the London Design Festival, stands as a monument to the great British pastime of shopping. In Barnaby Barford's six metre high 'Tower Of Babel' derelict shops, each one depicting a real London shop, lead up to the creme-de-la-creme of London's exclusive boutiques and galleries at the top. And if you like shopping you're in luck - each shop in the Tower is for sale during the exhibition.
The UK premiere of Lucas Hnath's exploration of faith and community in the modern world, featuring a community choir, and asking profound questions about what we believe and why. Pastor Paul, who has been building his church for the last twenty years, now presiding over a flock of thousands preaches a sermon that shakes the very foundations of his followers' beliefs.
The 20/21 British Art Fair offers works for sale by well known modern British artists from the 20th and 21st centuries and distinguishes itself by being the only fair for British art which focuses on Modern and Post-War art as well as featuring contemporary work from the 1970s onwards. It's a chance to see and buy works by highly respected artists like Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and David Hockney, all displayed at the prestigious Royal College of Art. Since the fair first started in the 1980s, art buying has changed from being the exclusive pastime of the rich to being something we can all join in on. Undoubtedly, fairs like this have helped. The big names of the last two centuries are all here with Henry Moore alongside Damien Hirst. But there are also more 'entry level' pieces starting at a few hundred pounds. The focus is on painting and sculpture rather than the wild fringes of conceptualism, and there will be exciting pieces to covet from the brightest talents of recent times.
Each year, the Design Museum gives visitors the chance to see the work of young designers at the beginning of their careers, and this year's Designers in Residence exhibition is based around the theme of migration. The annual show is the culmination of a year-long programme which supports and nurtures four up-and-coming designers who have graduated within the last five years. The show includes specially created new work from the year's finalists and is backed by a series of events and talks, offering visitors the chance to meet the designers while giving them a test-bed for new ideas.
Luke Styles, the first Glyndebourne Young Composer in Residence, has written a one-act contemporary chamber opera of Macbeth, created in collaboration with director Ted Huffman who adapted the libretto from Shakespeare' drama. The opera comes to the Royal Opera House's smaller Linbury Studio Theatre for one night only on Wednesday 9th September 2015 following its debut at Glyndebourne in August.
It was the Gordon Ramsay restaurant where Jason Atherton made his mark - before setting up on his own five years ago and launching Pollen Street Social, Little Social, Berners Tavern and City Social. In its heyday the celeb count at maze was high with diners including Naomi Campbell and Michael Caine, and its Michelin star continues to burn brightly. In celebratory mood, maze marks ten years since it first started with a special seven-course tasting menu. Head Chef Alex Thiebaut's special menu features a selection of maze's most popular dishes - English Breakfast, lobster dumpling, chargrilled octopus among them - and includes sushi from the skilled hands of sushi chef Gohei Kishi.
Clubbing and coffee are the new way to rave as party people from the '90s swap late night dance for an early morning session. Morning Gloryville, a midweek pre-work gathering has spread from London and is now attended by thousands around the world, with the likes of Fatboy Slim and Basement Jaxx taking to the decks on occasion. As well as banging dance floor fillers you get free massages, yoga sessions and a superfood smoothie bar - so clubbers get their high from apple juice instead of class A's. Dressing up is all part of the fun and this month's theme 'One Vibe One Tribe' - celebrating the gods and goddesses in different cultures - gives you licence to raid the fancy dress box and channel your inner deity.
Ned Bennett directs Alistair McDowall's sinister and surreal thriller about a girl called Ollie, who searches Manchester for her missing sister and discovers that all roads lead to an abandoned concrete island called Pomona at the heart of the city. Pomona transfers to the National Theatre's Temporary Theatre following a critically-acclaimed run at the Orange Tree in Richmond when 'Curious Incident...' playwright Simon Stephens described it as "a ferociously bold bit of programming achieved with real force" and Lyn Gardner said, "Pomona is fantastic. Astonishingly slippery and dark thriller, a twisted game or fairytale in which monsters are all too real."
Back for a third time, Africa Utopia explores what can be learnt and celebrated from Africa and the African Diaspora. The Southbank Centre festival looks at how African art and ideas can change the world for the better. Musicians, artists, writers and activists show how the role of music, theatre and technologies can lead the way in thinking about culture, community, industry, fashion, sustainability and ethical wealth creation.
Pairing music and spoken word, singer songwriter and radio presenter Jarvis Cocker presents a late night Prom based on his Wireless Nights - a nocturnal series he hosts on BBC Radio 4 in which the singer has "sat up watching badger colonies, met on-call transplant surgeons and interviewed night-shift workers at the National Grid" (Guardian). Turn up and tune in for an evening Jarvis describes as 'a nocturnal investigation of the human condition', with Maxime Tortelier conducting the BBC Philharmonic.
Vogue's Fashion's Night Out becomes Vogue Loves Regent Street in 2015 as the event focuses on one central location for the first time. Thousands of shoppers will once again join the aspirational fashion mag to celebrate one of London's oldest and best loved shopping streets. Many retailers, boutiques, bars and restaurants are taking part giving shoppers access to one-off events including late openings, styling tips, makeovers and manicures - Max Factor make-up artists will be taking up residency on Regent Street from 6pm to give one-to-one tutorials on how to get your best beauty look. Regent Street stores like Burberry, Longchamp, Jaeger, Hackett, Karl Lagerfeld, Coach, Aquascutum and Watches of Switzerland typically take part and there's often something special going on at Liberty. Enjoy a 'Miss Vogue Manicure' by Perfect 10 at Hotel Cafe Royal where Givenchy-inspired cocktails (8-13 pounds) will be served at the Green Bar and the first 50 guests will also receive a Givenchy lipstick (reservations on 020 7406 3310 or via email: restaurants@hotelcaferoyal.com). For more information go to the Vogue website and follow all the action on Twitter with @BritishVogue.
The annual fair for international art bookmakers, gallery presses and arts publishing houses has a special focus on Scandinavian art publishing for its eighth edition. In 2015 the London Art Book Fair invites Swedish, Danish and Norwegian presses, distributors and independent publishers to present their work in the UK for the first time. Further new additions at the Whitechapel Gallery fair this year include Emin International, featuring Tracey Emin objects and books; emerging London design collective Studio Calm & Collected; and Banner Repeater, one of East London's most exciting spaces, publications and projects.
Those searching for politically engaged new works should head for the Bush Theatre this September where they can see Tanya Ronder's funny and surreal family drama looking at individuals and the environment, F*ck the Polar Bears. Ronder, who penned Dara, Liola and Table, all recently staged at the National Theatre, has been commissioned by the Bush Theatre to write this new play about climate change and the power of the individual.
From Friday 11th September London goes 24 hours - and getting back from a night out in London will get a whole lot easier. Opening on the first weekend of the night tube - when five tube lines stay open for 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays - Night Shift, a new exhibition exploring the nocturnal side of transport at the London Transport Museum, celebrates this new era in London Underground travel. The 24 hour nature of London nightlife is shown in posters advertising the theatres, bars and cinemas of the city, through recognition of the night shift workers, and the shelter the Tube provided during the Second World War. The exhibition is part of 'London by Design', an 18 month programme which includes three major exhibitions, numerous events, and a tie-in with designjunction, all in celebration of London transport's 150-year design legacy.
Cycling Shakespeare troupe the HandleBards pedal across the UK to perform and on 11th and 12th September they bring A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet to the beautiful Chelsea Physic Garden. The HandleBards, who describe themselves as beautifully British and bonkers, are a four-strong, all-male troupe of cycling players who take on 44 characters between them. Described by Sir Ian McKellen as "outrageous" and "uproariously funny", the eccentric troupe use their bikes to power various surprises and contraptions on stage. Doors open an hour before the performance so bring a blanket and leave time to enjoy a picnic and a complimentary Chelsea Physic Garden inspired Beefeater London Garden Gin and tonic.
Flags wave and patriotic hearts beat faster as the annual celebration of classical music comes to a rousing close with a varied programme including Arne's Rule, Britannia!, Elgar's Pomp And Circumstance March No 1 In D Major 'Land Of Hope And Glory' and Parry's Jerusalem. The raucous Last Night of the Proms is traditionally very different from the eight weeks that precede it, following a lighter, 'winding-down' vein and often pandering to popular classics and patriotic anthems. Tickets are almost as hard to come by as Centre Court passes for the Wimbledon finals, but like the tennis, the whole thing is broadcast live on the BBC - and all round the world. Plus on the same night there's the popular Proms in the Park party, hosted by Terry Wogan.
On Blackheath
Elbow, Madness and the Manic Street Preachers play live on Blackheath Common.
After its inaugural year in 2014, music and food festival On Blackheath is back this summer. Taking place on Blackheath Common, home to the start of the London Marathon, its headliners for 2015 are Elbow and Madness, with the Manic Street Preachers, Anna Calvi, Kelis and Laura Mvula also performing. A number of supporting stages will also be on site for a series of alternative music, dance and DJs while a food village hosts a chef's club, pop up restaurants and street food. Additionally, being a family-friendly festival, there's The Playground which presents lots of family fun, an urban arts experience and plenty of surprises.
Britain's largest classical music event, the outdoor BBC Proms in the Park concert in Hyde Park, is a rousing alternative finale to two months of the BBC Proms for those unable to snare tickets to the Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall. While the whole Last Night shebang is broadcast live on the BBC, nothing quite beats experiencing the biggest night in the classical music calendar under the stars in Hyde Park. Families and friends gather with picnic hampers and rugs for five hours of evening entertainment typically hosted by Radio 2 DJ Tony Blackburn and the inimitable Sir Terry Wogan with a sensational firework finale above the stage to cap things off.
Regarded as the rowing equivalent of the London Marathon, the Great River Race covers 21.6 miles from Millwall Slipway in London's Docklands to Ham in Surrey. Bursting with colour, spectacle, intense competition and casual fun, the race challenges crews to row from the industrial cityscape of Docklands all the way along the Thames to the idyllic semi-rural Richmond shores. Since launching in 1987, entries have snowballed from a mere 72 entrants to a massive 300 boats carrying over 2,000 competitors, racing for 35 trophies. Festivities along the river at Richmond will begin at noon with live music, a children's beach, donkey rides and food and drink stalls, finishing with a spectacular riverside party at Ham.
The Journey Home, the acclaimed children's book by award-winning author Frann Preston-Gannon, is brought to life through puppetry, lyrical music and transformative design for children aged 4 to 11. Join Polar Bear as he sets off in search of a new home in this "inspiring and clever approach to environmental issues", according to one audience member at the lovely Little Angel Theatre. The only words spoken are at end, in a message from the now extinct dodo and, "as the only spoken words in 40 minutes they have impact" (Childplays).
The two things that put most people off running a marathon are i) the length of the race, and ii) the habitual banning of iPods and other musical devices. Well, bypass both issues with September's Run to the Beat, London's official music-minded run. Starting and finishing at Wembley Park, the charity race is a mere 10K and not only are iPods encouraged, there are also different musical stages dotted around the course where bands play live music throughout the race in a bid to gee on the participants. As they cross the finish line 12,500 runners, of all fitness levels, will be treated to a fun after party in the Festival Village, with performances from top headline acts to celebrate in style. While DJs for this year's event haven't been announced yet, last year Sigma, Tom Parker and Radio 1's Nick Grimshaw got the crowds going.
A celebration of over 25 years of British rave culture, the United Festival returns to Finsbury Park for its second year in 2015. Even bigger than last year, it boasts 150 acts performing across eight arenas, with 11 hours of drum & bass, old skool, jungle, UK garage, classic house, trance and club classics. The main stage welcomes the likes of Lisa Lashes, The Ratpack, DJ Hype and Deckajam while the other stages also boast a range of live and DJ sets to choose from.
Rod Stewart, Bryan Adams, Will Young (who plays at Hammersmith Apollo later in the year, on 29th November) and Leona Lewis are just four of the music makers lined up to play at BBC Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park on 13th September 2015. The Corrs, Giorgio Moroder and Shaun Escoffery are also on the bill along with six BBC Introducing acts as Radio 2 broadcasts from one of London's favourite parks. The one-day event sees the radio station's regular presenters joined by bands and singers that the broadcaster is associated with.
Wolf Hall actor Mark Rylance reprises the role of King Philippe V when Claire van Kampen's play Farinelli and the King transfers to the West End, transforming the Duke of York's Theatre into the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse with candles, on-stage seating and baroque musical instruments. Featuring a selection of arias first sung by Farinelli in the 18th century, the drama unfolds in 1730s Spain where Queen Isabella Farnese implores the world famous castrato to sing for her husband, the anguished monarch Philip V of Spain, in the hope that Farinelli's heavenly voice will lift the king's depression and insomnia.
A huge coup for Ed Hall's north London fringe theatre, Simon Russell Beale makes his debut at Hampstead Theatre this September in Mr Foote's Other Leg, as a satirist, impressionist and dangerous comedian from the Georgian era. Ian Kelly's riotously funny new play, based on his award-winning biography of Foote, explores our obsession with celebrities, and their rise and fall, through the true story of the Oscar Wilde of the 18th century. Directed by Richard Eyre whose recent credits include Ghosts (Alemida/West End), Pajama Game (Chichester/West End) and Guys and Dolls (National Theatre).
This September, the maestro Bernard Haitink will feature as a guest conductor at the London Symphony Orchestra, teaming up with pianist Murray Perahia and singer Anna Lucia Richter for three blockbusting concerts. In this the first concert Haitink and pianist Murray Perahia combine for a performance of Mozart's Piano Concerto No 24 and Bruckner's Symphony No 7. The following two concerts in the series take place at the Barbican on Sunday 20th September and Wednesday 23rd September 2015.
Five displays exploring the development, character and meanings of British portraiture, created with historian Simon Schama and the BBC, coincide with the broadcast of a five-part TV series on BBC Two and the publication of an accompanying book. Arranged by theme: power, love, fame, people and self, the free Face of Britain display positions Sir Winston Churchill and Baroness Thatcher alongside Elizabeth I to reflect power. A Lewis Carroll portrait of Alice Liddell speaks of love. And all together tell the story of the British from the Tudors to the present day.
More than 200 works will be brought together at Tate Modern for The World Goes Pop, a groundbreaking exhibition that reveals how artists around the world engaged with the spirit of Pop Art. Looking further than the West, the exhibition will also incorporate Latin America, Asia and the Middle East. With many works never before seen in the UK, it will reveal how Pop Art was never simply a celebration of western consumer culture but was also a subversive international language for criticism and public protest.
The Darbar Festival, now a regular fixture, returns to Southbank Centre this September for its tenth anniversary, bringing the best of Indian classical music to London. One of the only festivals globally that bring together the two kinds of Indian Classical music - Hindustani from the North, and Carnatic from the South - the festival includes concerts, music appreciation courses and Indian street food, beer, and cocktails in keeping with the festival theme.
Last year's inaugural London in the Sky event - when adventurous diners were treated to a three course meal 25 metres above Canary Wharf - was so successful that it's back in 2015 for an extended fourteen-day stay. This time the platform will be suspended above St Katharine Docks next to the Tower of London allowing views of landmarks like Tower Bridge, The Shard and the Walkie Talkie. The air-bourne restaurant which seats 22 (strapped in) guests employs some of London's finest chefs including Dan Doherty of Duck & Waffle, Robert Ortiz of Lima, Mark Sargeant of Morden & Lea, Sophie Michell of Pont St, and Mike Reid of M Restaurants. Martin Morales of Ceviche and Andina brings breakfast in the first week, and Tom Aikens of Tom's Kitchen cooks up the last lunch and supper. But it doesn't stop there. Top chefs Calum Franklin of Holborn Dining Room, Chantelle Nicholson of Tredwell's and Peter Weeden from Newman Street Tavern are all serving their signature dishes at the dining room in the sky. It takes 'haute cuisine' to another level.
The Floating Cinema moors at the Canalside Steps, Granary Square, from Friday 17th to Sunday 20th September for four days of sci-fi screenings, cosmic shorts and an open air performance by the band Grimm Grimm. Featuring cult classics and rarities alongside talks and artist installations which explore the race for planet colonisation, visions of cosmic utopias and future intergalactic worlds. Film highlights of the event, part of Open House London, include free open air classic screenings of Silent Running (1972), Metropolis (1927), and Flash Gordon (1980) including fancy dress Flash Gordon fun and prizes for the best dressed.
After a successful year in 2014, the Magners Greenwich Comedy Festival returns to the National Maritime Museum this year, with the beautiful grounds playing host to the Big Top and Apple Top comedy tents as well as a number of gourmet street food and drink stalls. Sponsored by Magners, this year's festival will also feature a Magners Orchard, a cider-centric oasis forming the heart of the festival. Now in its seventh year, the festival is renowned for a great line-up of comedians and this year is no different - in fact, it's probably the best yet - with the likes of Mark Watson, Joe Lycett, Jason Byrne, Rich Hall, Ed Gamble, Reginald D Hunter, Sara Pascoe, Richard Herring, James Acaster and Luisa Omielan all on the bill.
Fiji take on host England in the opening match of the Rugby World Cup 2015 at Twickenham. One of the game's great entertaining sides, Fiji arrive in London for the country's seventh World Cup having beaten the Cook Islands 108-6 in their final qualifying match for the Oceania region. They are hampered by the decision of many Fijian-born players to play for the neighbouring superpowers of Australia and New Zealand, such as Joe Rokocoko and Lote Tuqiri, but still manage to play a brand of rugby that is both threatening and a joy to watch.
Canadian comedy troupe Trailer Park Boys has added an extra date of Saturday 19th September at Brixton Academy due to phenomenal demand. The popular trio, Ricky, Julian and Bubbles, currently enjoying their ninth season on Netflix, present mockumentary-style crime and sketches in the anything-can-happen, uncensored live show. What began as a short film starring John Paul Tremblay (Julian) and Robb Wells (Ricky), first shown at the 1999 Atlantic Film Festival, has blossomed into a live show which sold out the Hammersmith Apollo on their last visit to London. Now the boys are back and promise more drinking, swearing, drinking, hot dogs, music and drinking.
Hofesh Shechter's internationally celebrated dance company presents three different takes on intimacy, passion and the banality of love, bringing together the barbarians trilogy in the UK for the first time. The highly acclaimed and perturbing the 'barbarians in love' opens the evening and, as two more new works unfold, we move into dubstep grooves and a quirky duet.
Acclaimed playwright Laura Wade, responsible for writing Posh, brings Sarah Waters's audacious bestselling novel, the subject of a memorable three-part mini-series produced and broadcast by the BBC in 2002, to the Lyric stage in an electrifying new adaptation, directed by Lyndsey Turner who worked with Wade on Posh. Framing the whole piece "within the language of the music hall and performance", Lyric director Sean Holmes told The Guardian, this stage adaptation of Tipping the Velvet is "a really big theatrical, populist but surprising show".
There's some serious monkey business going on in London this September; back for its 13th year the Great Gorilla Run will be bounding through the streets of the capital. Aiming to raise money to save the world's remaining gorillas, hundreds of people will be pulling on their gorilla costumes and running, jogging or walking the 8km City and Bankside route. Expect to see many humorously adapted costumes, including cheerleading gorillas prancing across Tower Bridge and ballerina gorillas perfecting their poise by the Tate Modern. Runners hoping to participate need to pay a registration fee which can be done through The Gorilla Organisation website (a gorilla costume is included!). Once you're signed up, head to the London Underwriting Centre off Mincing Lane in the City of London where the run starts and finishes and to Agenda Bar, right on the finish line, for the prize-giving ceremony.
For one weekend a year many of London's architectural landmarks open their doors offering us a glimpse behind doors which are, for the rest of the year, closed to the public. The hugely popular Open House London includes more than 850 of the city's sites and buildings - including London landmarks like 'The Gherkin', Lloyd's of London, Battersea Power Station, The View from the Shard and the Bank of England - in this fantastic, free yearly event, now in its 23rd year. There's a wealth of architectural gems to choose from including some of the most beautiful buildings - old and new like the Canary Wharf Crossrail Station. You can also get inside some of the grandest private homes in your own neighbourhood - it's a voyeur's dream come true. For the more serious students of contemporary design, this is a chance to visit spaces by famous modern architects, some of whom give talks and tours of the buildings they've designed. An inspired idea and a real treat whether you're a lover of architecture or just plain nosy. Entry to some of the houses is only permitted via pre-booked tickets acquired through the website www.londonopenhouse.org. You're advised to bring booking confirmation with you.
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is as well known for his political activism as he is for his art - which has seen him filling Tate Modern's Turbine Hall with thousands of handmade porcelain sunflower seeds in 2010, and taking on the role as artistic consultant on the Beijing National Stadium for the 2008 Olympics. He was also one third of the creative team which designed the 2012 summer pavilion for the Serpentine Gallery. From September 2015, China's most famous international artist, as well as its most outspoken domestic critic will be the subject of a landmark exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts where major works spanning his career are shown alongside new pieces including three big installations.
Bermondsey Street Festival returns to South London, bringing street fashion shows, al fresco films and live bands to the area on Saturday 19th September when Bermondsey Street itself is pedestrianised and lined with stalls for the day. The brainchild of Rob Wray, local DJ, filmmaker and the man behind Bermondsey Square's independent Shortwave Cinema, the festival has been successfully bringing a party vibe to the area each September for the past eight years. While details have yet to be announced there is usually a Dog Show - always a popular festival feature - baking competition, two stages featuring live bands, fashion show on the White Cube Gallery forecourt and children's fancy dress parade. Vauxhall City Farm were also there last year bringing their cute residents to the city streets. Make your way from Delfina cafe, up Bermondsey Street towards the Square and you'll see all the attractions extending into nearby Tanner Street Park including maypole dancers, an acoustic music tent, arts and crafts and food stalls.
France play Italy in this qualifying round of the Rugby World Cup at Twickenham. Twickenham is one of 13 venues across England and Wales hosting the Rugby World Cup 2015 which commences on 18th September and concludes with the final at Twickenham on 31st October 31 2015.
A true celebration of the capital's all-encompassing design industry, The London Design Festival takes in sectors as diverse as fashion, architecture, retail, typography, photography and textiles in an ambitious city-wide project. In 2015 highlights include Frida Escobedo's installation in the V&A's John Madejski Garden, the museum also has Faye Toogood's two-part installation, The Cloakroom, which makes visitors temporary custodians of the V&A. There's a special installation marking the centenary of the birth of Robin Day, Barnaby Barford's Tower of Babel - made of 3,000 bone china London shop facades - and designers Laetitia de Allegri and Matteo Fogale create a colourful installation on the bridge over the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries. Somerset House hosts '10 Designers in the West Wing', and artist Alex Chinneck erects an inverted 35-metre high electricity pylon for 'A Bullet From A Shooting Star' in the Greenwich Peninsula. Dividing the city into seven official Design Districts - with Bankside as a new zone for 2015 - there are hubs in Brompton, Chelsea, Clerkenwell, Islington, Queens Park and Shoreditch. Events within each come in all shapes and sizes whether it's lunch at Lyle's, product launches in tiny boutiques or massive trade shows including designjunction and 100% Design which moves to Olympia this year. A fun, fascinating exploration of cutting edge design across the city.
Cosmonauts: Birth Of The Space Age at the Science Museum looks at Russia's adventures in space in the 1950s and 1960s, revealing the most significant collection of Russian spacecraft and artefacts ever to be shown in the UK. In 1957 Russia launched the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik, into space and four years later sent the first human - Yuri Gagarin. This exhibition will explore the dramatic story of how Russia became the first nation to explore space. On display will be Vostok 6, the capsule flown by Valentina Tereshkova, the first ever woman in space; Voskhod 1, the first crewed spacecraft; and LK-3 Lunar Lander, a single cosmonaut craft built to compete with the Apollo.
Conceptual artist Alex Chinneck elevates everyday structures into extraordinary ones and with 'A Bullet from a Shooting Star', an landmark installation for The London Design Festival, he takes a regular electricity pylon and turns it upside down. Referencing the industrial history of the Greenwich Peninsula - the site once included the largest oil and gas works in Europe - Chinneck creates a 35-metre high steel structure, leaning like the Tower of Pisa. Designed to be seen from a distance, it can be viewed from North Greenwich Station, the Emirates Airline cable car, the Thames Clipper service, Canary Wharf and by passengers on planes flying in and out of City Airport. At night, the illuminated work acts as a literal beacon and project a maze of latticed shadows.
The iTunes Festival becomes the Apple Music Festival in 2015 to mark the launch of Apple Music, and runs for just ten nights instead of the whole month of September. What hasn't changed is the calibre of the acts with Pharrell Williams, One Direction, Florence & The Machine and Disclosure among the headliners at the 2015 festival, and the venue: London's Roundhouse - a wonderfully intimate and atmospheric venue for seeing bands that sell out stadiums. But perhaps the best thing about the festival is it's free, giving those lucky enough to get tickets access to the biggest pop and rock stars without paying a penny. To win tickets UK residents can apply on Apple Music and through partners like the Evening Standard. But don't worry if you don't get lucky, the concerts will be broadcast live and for free on Apple Music.
Over 70 designers are confirmed to show at London Fashion Week which, alongside New York, Paris and Milan, is one of the world's leading designer fashion showcases. Taking place in February and September at Somerset House, the strictly invite-only LFW showcases the industry's most creative designers and businesses, in the UK and internationally, with catwalk shows, exhibitions and award ceremonies. Headline names for the A/W 2015 season include Gareth Pugh who marks his 10th anniversary with a return to the London show schedule, as well as Maria Grachvogel and Sass & Bide. They're joined by newcomers, Molly Goddard, Claire Barrow, Le Kilt & Phoebe English. The exhibition at Somerset House houses over 100 ready-to-wear and accessory designers including the NEWGEN up-and-coming designers. Over 5,000 visitors - fashion buyers, press and photographers - attend and while events are for industry insiders only it's possible to spot top models and designers around town while it's on.
The London Duathlon returns to Richmond Park this September as athletes prime themselves to run, bike and run a little bit more on closed roads in south west London's area of outstanding natural beauty. This double-discipline endurance test is ideal for sporty types who fancy doing a triathlon but are put off by the cold water of the Thames. There are four main categories: Half Duathlon, the 5km run. 22km cycle and 5km run distances make this a popular challenge for beginner and novice athletes. Duathlon (10km - 44km - 5km), Duathlon Relay (10km - 44km - 5km) that sees two or three friends split the disciplines, and the not to be taken lightly Ultra Duathlon, a 20km run, 77km cycle and 10km run over undulating terrain. While a high percentage of the entrants are competing for the very first time, top athletes will also be able to take part in separate elite and junior elite sprint races.
The reigning Rugby World Cup champions are a massive draw whenever they play and on Sunday 20th September New Zealand play Argentina (both teams drawn in Pool C) at a packed Wembley Stadium which hosts the first of its two Rugby World Cup 2015 fixtures. The Kiwis, who triumphed in this tournament in 2011, will be aiming to repeat their success with a victory here but the Argentinians won't go down without a fight.
Decorex, the longest-standing design and interior show during The London Design Festival, returns to Syon Park in 2015, with Robert Adam's Syon House providing an elegant backdrop to the event. This year's theme, 'Future Luxury', is up for debate and reflected in the Pierre Frey fabrics, furniture by David Linley and the champagne bar which in 2015 is designed by Russell Sage. Over 300 companies come together for Decorex, exhibiting new products ranging from contemporary, traditional and bespoke furniture to lighting, floor coverings, fabrics and wall coverings, accessories and bespoke services. While primarily a trade event, members of the public are able to attend the show on the penultimate day.
Back with their long-awaited third album, Florence & The Machine return to the stage with their first full UK tour since March 2012. September will see them embark on a 12 strong string of dates which will take them across the country, culminating with 4 nights at London's Alexandra Palace. It's been a long absence for fans of Florence Welch's band who first found fame back in 2009 with hit debut album Lungs. The album received rave reviews, with The Independent saying: "If Lady Gaga is the next Madge and La Roux the new Kylie, then Welch is nothing short of a 21st-century Kate Bush." Now, six years on, Florence & The Machine are back, playing at Glastonbury and touring the country.
One of Europe's most energetic new period instrument orchestras brings all its verve to three neglected masterpieces of the classical era. French conductor Laurence Equilbey and her Insula Orchestra make their London debut at the Barbican with a concert including works by the Czech baroque composer Zelenka and CPE Bach.
A free, live outdoor screening direct from the Royal Opera House to Trafalgar Square. The last of three BP Big Screen events in London this summer, on Tuesday 22nd September Kenneth MacMillan's production of Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, is a classic of 20th-century ballet, and a heartbreaking match for Prokofiev's score. Created for The Royal Ballet in 1965, it's a key work in the company's repertory and a rare chance to see the live performance for free.
For two days during the London Design Festival, Lyle's award-winning head chef James Lowe cooks up a special menu on new enameled sand-cast iron Crane Cookware, served at the Very Good & Proper table. Designed to be shared communally by up to 10 people at a time, food is from a special set menu, served on plates by Owen Wall and ceramicist Skye Corewijn with seasonal flowers from Electric Daisy Flower Farm. If you appreciate good food and beautiful design, this special two-day collaboration is a one-off chance to experience both.
Not only are tickets virtually half that of the New Zealand-Namibia clash at the same venue 24 hours later but this is "a fixture rich in history," according to The Guardian. France has a long history of playing against Romania dating back to 1924 when Les Bleus won rugby silver at the Olympic Games - appropriately enough, given the Olympic Stadium venue for this match - with Romania claiming the bronze and that year. Don't dismiss Romania - they are among 12 countries to have taken part in every World Cup.
Moving to a new venue in 2015, 100% Design, the commercial cornerstone event of The London Design Festival, exchanges Earls Court for nearby Olympia. Further new features for 2015 are the luxury and modern British sections, adding to the four previous categories of interiors, workplace, kitchen and bathrooms, and design and build. More than 400 exhibitors showcase design innovation - over 1,000 new products were launched at the show last year - and quality products. Attracting architects, interior designers and industry insiders from all over the world, the event is the best place to marvel at the newest and most innovative designs from an emerging and exciting talent pool. If that's not enough, there's also a great programme of in depth seminars running throughout the four day programme including talks by industry influencers like designer Ilse Crawford and Dutch architect Winy Maas, responsible for the recent Markthal in Rotterdam.
Along with the main London Fashion Week event, the open-to-all London Fashion Weekend is returning to Somerset House this September. This fashion-focused weekend is an opportunity for everyone to get access to the latest designer trends - even if they don't have a stylist's little black book. The frenzied London Fashion Week is all about work for models, buyers and fashion editors who run around at breakneck speed. But this consumer show which takes place on the weekend after the main event offers savvy shoppers the opportunity to check out the latest fashions at a far more leisurely pace. Tickets are on a timed entry basis to make sure the crowds never get 'first-day-of-the-sales' busy. And with over 150 London Fashion Week designers offering their clothes at cheaper than retail prices you can find some real bargains. But it's not just about the latest clothes, you also get makeovers and styling tips while sipping on a champagne cocktail - very stylish.
DesignJunction returns to London for a fifth year and divides its operation in two: at The College, the former home to Central Saint Martins; and across the road at Victoria House, the Grade II listed building becoming a shopping destination hosting 35 design-led pop-up stores. Held during, and a big part of, the London Design Festival, designjunction gives visitors an exciting insight into some of the most innovative creations to emerge from the design world. The cutting edge show includes a seminar programme, large-scale installations and places to eat including a restaurant next to a life-sized pop-up Underground station made entirely from wood, created in partnership with Transport for London. Added extras include a late night shopping event with special discounts, free fizz, a design masterclass from 2 Lovely Gays, live demos and music.
Staged in the smaller Maria studio at the Young Vic, a couple meet in a hotel lobby to finalise their divorce and trade sweet memories in La Musica, a revival of Marguerite Duras's lyrical study of fractured relationships. Both exes are on the verge of new marriage but dark revelations about their shared past come to light in the first London revival of the play in two decades, directed by Jeff James (Stinkfoot, One for the Road) with design by Ultz (Jerusalem).
Given New Zealand's five-year status as the world's number one ranked team, coupled with the fact that, of the 20 participants at Rugby World Cup 2015 Namibia are the only team yet to win a match in the tournament's history... well, we wouldn't want to predict the outcome.
London's newest literary festival comes to Kew in September 2015 bringing leading writers like Booker Prize-winning novelist Margaret Atwood and travel writer Bill Bryson to the botanical gardens in west London. With talks and events covering all genres from fiction to poetry, Write on Kew features Ella Woodward, author of the best selling cookery book of the year, Deliciously Ella, and much loved children's writer, author of the Tracy Beaker books, Jacqueline Wilson, among others.
Multi-disciplinary festival Art Social returns for its second year in 2015, once again taking place at non-profit members club The House of St Barnabas. A festival of art, creativity and discovery, the week-long event aims to explore how art relates to human needs, in a creative and accessible way. A week of installations and film screenings lead up to the festival's main focus: a weekend of events, talks, pop-ups, lectures, parties and gigs. The magazine Oh Comely will host Feast of Creativity artist workshops; a performance, film and video installation will feature work by Jeremy Deller and Laure Prouvost; and there will be a silent disco under the stars, curated by Tony Nwachukwu of CDR fame. Plus, there are tie-dying workshops, a geometric sculpture by Keef Winter in a secret courtyard garden, and a large-scale installation in Soho Square by Hester Reeve.
Competition:
LondonTown.com is giving away a free pair of weekend tickets to Art Social, which include access to the festival, workshops and silent disco in the secret garden.
To enter, all you have to do is email competitions@londontown.com with 'Art Social' in the subject line by midday on Wednesday 23rd September 2015. The winner's name 1 will be put on the guest list on the door from Saturday morning.
Through its new exhibition the Foundling Museum explores the myth and reality of The Fallen Woman in Victorian Britain through paintings and popular media of the period. In an age when sexual innocence was highly valued and it was only deemed appropriate for women to have sex within marriage, the loss of chastity of an unwed woman had multiple repercussions. The figure of a 'fallen' woman has since been mythologised through contemporary art, journalism and literature, many of which will be brought together in this exhibition. Works by artists Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Richard Redgrave, George Frederic Watts and Thomas Faed will go on display.
This four-hour work is based on the classic structure of an extended meditation, with Rolf Hind's music exploring the points of contact between sound and silence in music and meditation. A singer and seven musicians accompany the audience on an inner journey of mindfulness, with periods of meditation, rest, communal eating and a gentle yoga session.
Rupert Goold directs Kate Fleetwood in Rachel Cusk's new version of Medea, which forms part of the Almeida's Ancient Greeks season. Coming at a time when Europe frets about the Grexit, Euripides's seminal play cuts to the heart of gender politics and asks what it means to be a woman and a wife. One of the most disturbing of all Greek myths, Media sees a scorned wife take revenge on her faithless husband, delving into a world of witchcraft, betrayal and poison.
England play Wales at Twickenham on Saturday 26th September in the crucial 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool A game. With Australia most likely to go through from the pool, this game is a significant one for both teams as Wales or England's fate will be decided when they meet in this match - each team's second tournament game - on 26th September 2015.
With themes of adultery and murder, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk is a powerful work made even more so thanks to Shostakovich's fast-paced and dynamic score. Mark Wigglesworth, who begins his first season as Musical Director of the English National Opera this September, conducts this new production of the 20th-century opera, directed by Dimitri Tcherniakov. Given that the conductor is "The finest Shostakovich interpreter of his generation" (BBC Music Magazine) and Tcherniakov is one of the most in-demand directors currently working in opera, this new production promising a bold and contemporary setting is certainly one to relish.
The annual autumn weekend at the London Transport Museum Depot in Acton, one of the few occasions when the west London depot is open to the public, is part of the 18-month 'London by Design' season in 2015. The Design Uncovered weekend gives train and Tube enthusiasts and families a chance to uncover the stories behind London transport design classics, from the development of the first tube map to the distinctive moquette fabric design on the tube seats. The original printing blocks used for the Johnston font - London Transport's iconic typeface - will be there and will be used to inspire drop-in workshops. Discover how the seat covering on the tube is made with a talk from Harriet Wallace-Jones, explore the depot through family tours, enjoy film screenings from the museum's archive and hear expert talk about the iconic vehicles held in the Alladin's cave that is the Acton depot.
Each year, on the last Sunday of September, London's Pearly Kings & Queens come together to welcome the new season in style - and boy what a style they have, with extravagant Smother Suits covered top to toe in sparkly buttons, badges and glitter. The free festival starts in the afternoon at 1pm at Guildhall Yard before a parade to St Mary-le-Bow church for a harvest festival service. No doubt the celebrations will then continue with some pints of ale and plates of jellied eel at an East End boozer - perhaps interspersed with a spot of Morris dancing. Offerings are donated to the Whitechapel Mission, a charity aiming to help those caught in poverty. A second Pearly Kings & Queens Harvest Festival is held in October in Covent Garden, at St Paul's Church.
Joe Schmidt's men take on the Romanians as Ireland and Romania, both in Pool D for the Rugby World Cup, face each other in their second pool match at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 27th September 2015. Ireland have played Romania previously in a Rugby World Cup match, claiming a 44-14 win in a 1999 pool fixture and beating them 45-17 in Australia four years later.
The Philharmonia Orchestra marks its 70th birthday in 2015/16 with a celebratory season of 44 orchestral concerts, six small ensemble performances and a new series of free pre-concert chamber music events, performed at the Southbank Centre. Principal conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen headlines the season and the 70th anniversarys flagship series, Myths and Rituals, which centres on five all-Stravinsky orchestral programmes exploring the themes of Rituals, Tales, Myths, Faith and Tragedy. The free contemporary music showcase, Music of Today, is curated by composer Unsuk Chin. Other highlights include the Orchestra's 70th Anniversary Gala Concert on 27th September 2015, led by Christoph von Dohnanyi, opening the season with a performance of Beethoven's Choral Symphony.
After a sell-out success in January, Fare Healthy is back this summer and it's moving to Borough Market, doubling the capacity to 1,500. A feel-good festival of food, fitness and wellbeing, the festival brings together some of the most inspiring people in these industries. The line-up includes renowned blogger Deliciously Ella, chefs Hemsley Hemsley, nutritionist Amelia Freer, Russell Bateman, healthy café The Good Life Eatery, and organic beauty brand Pai Skincare. The majority of Borough Market will be taken over for the event, with food demonstrations, nutrition talks, exercise classes, including Skinny Bitch Collective and Frame's signature classes, and pop-up eateries.
Kings Road children's shop Trotters are throwing a big party to celebrate 25 years of trading. Held at Duke of York Square, across the road from their celebrated shop, activities on the day include a petting zoo and pony rides, a Victorian carousel, cookery classes, live music and children's performances. Little ones can get involved in the baking and biscuit decorating competition with Partridges, there'll be entertainers, face painting, arts and crafts, posh hot dogs from Manicomio, ice creams, candy floss and traditional fete stalls. There's storytelling and book signing by some of Trotters favourite children's authors, hosted by publishers Harper Collins. And if all that sounds too hectic, mummies can seek solace in the quiet corner where the team at Liz Earle will be administering much-needed pampering.
PJ Harvey performs new songs and Terry Gilliam makes an exclusive appearance at Royal Festival Hall as the Southbank serves up its annual dose of world class literature. Playing it for laughs comedians Tim Key and Mark Watson appear in Comedy Couplets and there's a four-day performed reading of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick where members of the public are invited to take to the stage for a reading slot. First Look Book Club allows readers to try books before they're even published and Global City shows us London inside out, featuring "king of London psychogeography" (The Guardian) Iain Sinclair. Now in its ninth edition, this autumn festival also celebrates some of the best new writing, including both the Forward Prizes for Poetry and the Man Booker Prize readings.
The Sadler's Wells company presents a dance piece created by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Chinese dance artist Yabin Wang, known for her dancing in the feature film House of Flying Daggers. Set to live music with roots in Africa, India, Japan, China and Poland, 'Genesis' is a philosophical examination of the idea of life and death, looking at pressures on the individual to conform.
Kung Fu masters the Shaolin Monks return to the UK for the first time in seven years with a brand new show sure to delight the whole family. The twenty-member cast performs incredible feats, combining traditional Shaolin Kung-Fu, choreography and dramatic lighting which takes audiences on a journey through the mystical history of this ancient martial art.
Richard Egarr conducts the Academy of Ancient Music, the period instrument Cambridge based classical music orchestra, in a concert performance of Monteverdi's Il ritorno d' Ulisse in patria. Already a proven success - The Arts Desk called last season's Poppea "wonderful" and a "vivid and utterly engaging spectacle" (Alexandra Coghlan) - this is the final instalment of the group's three year Monteverdi cycle. With a world-class cast including Ian Bostridge in the title role, this should be a Ulisse to remember.
Conceptual artist, activist, poet, and archivist Emily Jacir, who focuses on the plight of the Palestinian people in her art, is the subject of a major solo show at the Whitechapel Gallery. The first UK survey of works by the multimedia artist known for her reflective works of art that are both extremely personal and acutely political, a highlight of the show is the UK premiere of Material for a Film (2004-ongoing), winner of a Golden Lion Award at the 2007 Venice Biennale and Hugo Boss Prize (2009).