City Events Spring 2015

Spring in the City SPRING EVENTS 2015 February to April

ART AND EXHIBITIONS FAMILY MUSIC SPECIAL EVENTS THEATRE WALKS AND TALKS

ART AND EXHIBITIONS

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FAMILY 8

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MUSIC 11

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ENGLISH TOURISM WEEK 14

SPECIAL EVENTS

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THEATRE 24

WALKS AND TALKS

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Maxine Peake in Hamlet, p25

Lighter nights, warmer days – spring is a great time to head outside and shake off those blues. Visit the City this season for a fantastic range of events, concerts, plays, exhibitions and more – there’s plenty to help get 2015 off to fun-filled start.

Spot the on-street sheep with the Shaun in the City sculpture trail (p21). This baa-rilliant idea sees Shaun the Sheep statues interpreted by different artists and celebrities dotted across the City and wider London. If you’ve got the kids with you, pop along to one of the great holiday-time events for families at the Museum of London and Bank of England Museum (p8) – you could even try your hand at the Tower Powerhouses Family Challenge (p20).

Music lovers are in for a treat with the City of London Festival Free Winter Concerts (p11).

These free lunchtime shows take

place in a range of beautiful City spots, including Wren churches and classic Victorian institutions.

If that’s not enough, don’t miss the New York Philharmonic’s residency at the Barbican (p17).

For some extra wow, catch Juliette Binoche in Antigone at the same venue.

Plus, make sure you take advantage of English Tourism Week (centre pages), packed with ways to discover the City of London for free. With this year’s focus on food and drink, you’ll definitely find something to suit your palate.

For more events and information about the City go to www.visitthecity.co.uk or visit our City Information Centre by St Paul’s Cathedral, where our friendly, multilingual staff are ready to help you plan your days out: City of London Information Centre St Paul’s Churchyard London EC4M 8BX

The information in this leaflet has been researched and compiled in good faith and checked as thoroughly as possible with the relevant sources. It is correct to the best of the publisher’s knowledge at the time of printing (January 2015) and the publisher cannot accept any liability for errors and omissions howsoever caused. No payment was either solicited or received for inclusion of entries (with the exception of the back page advertisement) and it does not claim to be fully comprehensive.

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On-going

Art at the Bridge #5

On-going

On-going

Sherlock Holmes

Sculpture in the City

One of the most famous fictional Londoners of all time is celebrated in the first major exhibition of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation to be staged in London for more than 60 years.

Through a combination of film, objects, paintings, photographs, manuscripts and the earliest documentary footage of London, discover Holmes’s unique relationship with London and how he has been reimagined for generation after generation, continuing to enthral audiences worldwide today. Check out the associated Sherlock events on p19.

Daily 10am-6pm Admission: £12 (£10.90 without donation); concs £10; booking fee applies Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk/ sherlock T 020 7001 9844

This popular public art exhibition features a selection of contemporary art pieces in and around the EC3 area. Set amongst iconic architectural landmarks like the Gherkin and the Lloyd’s Building, it transforms the streetscape of an area known for insurance and finance into an urban sculpture park.

This year’s exhibition includes works from the internationallyrenowned artists Cerith Wyn Evans, Lynn Chadwick, Julian Wild, Nigel Hall, Paul Hosking, Peter Randall-Page, Jim Lambie and Richard Wentworth. Over the last four years, Sculpture in the City has showcased over 30 iconic pieces on the City’s streets with more to come this summer.

FREE to view anytime Around St Botolph without Bishopsgate, Lime Street, St Mary Axe, Great St Helen’s and Undershaft EC3 www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ sculptureinthecity

Enjoy the local London art on display in Tower Bridge’s atmospheric Engine Rooms. Art at the Bridge #5 explores connections through the work of 10 disabled artists from Southwark Arts Forum, and is the fifth exhibition to be held in collaboration with the leading arts charity.

Daily until 31 March 9.30am-5.00pm Daily from 1 April 10am-5.30pm Admission to bridge: £9; concs £6.30; children £3.90; under 5s free Tower Bridge Exhibition Tower Bridge Road SE1 2UP www.towerbridge.org.uk T 020 7403 3761

Discover the impact of the legendary Mrs Beeton, still one of the most important figures in food history 150 years after her death, and how she fitted into the world of 19th-century celebrity cooks.

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Celebrity Cooks: Mrs Beeton and her Contemporaries

5 ART AND EXHIBITIONS

Until 11 April

Mon, Tue, Thu and Fri 9.30am-5pm, Wed 9.30am-7.30pm.

Check website for Saturday openings FREE Guildhall Library Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1870 See back page advert for more details

On-going

Tower Bridge Glass Floors Experience a unique view of London life through the new spectacular glass floors in Tower Bridge’s high-level walkways. See the Thames, road and pedestrian life, all moving at pace 42 metres below. Lucky visitors may even witness the magic of the bridge raising for a river vessel beneath their feet!

The glass floors are the latest addition to the Exhibition, which tells the history of the bridge through animations and displays in the towers and engine rooms.

Daily until 31 March 9.30am-5.00pm Daily from 1 April 10am-5.30pm Admission: £9; concs £6.30; children £3.90; under 5s free Tower Bridge Exhibition Tower Bridge Road SE1 2UP www.towerbridge.org.uk T 020 7403 3761

From 12 February Until 26 April

Tower Bridge: A Celebration of 120 Years 1894-2014 To celebrate the 120th anniversary of Tower Bridge, Guildhall Art Gallery presents an exhibition which explores the bridge as an enduring source of artistic inspiration. The display brings together paintings, prints, photographs and rarely seen

Until 30 April

London Gothic From terrible crimes to gruesome legends, London has long been the backdrop to horrifying tales which quickly take root in popular imagination. Explore dreadful wrongdoings and brutal punishments, from witch trials and alleged hauntings to the spectacle of public execution at Tyburn in this exhibition that uncovers the gothic in many guises. Taking in architecture, London’s first Goth club and the gothic imagination, it digs into the depths of London’s archives to present documents and images which record both fact and fiction, including manuscripts put on public display for the first time.

Mon 9.30am-4.45pm; Tue-Thu 9.30am-7.30pm; see website for Saturday openings FREE London Metropolitan Archives 40 Northampton Road London EC1R 0HB www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma T 020 7332 3820

archival material, showcasing captivating images of the bridge from every decade of its history.

Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12noon-4pm FREE Guildhall Art Gallery Guildhall Yard EC2V 5AE www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhallartgallery T 020 7332 3700

Magnificent Obsessions: The Artist as Collector Throughout history, artists have collected objects for many different reasons. Ranging from mass-produced memorabilia and popular collectibles to one-of-akind curiosities and rare artefacts, Magnificent Obsessions provides a unique insight into their inspirations, influences, motives and obsessions.

Sat-Wed 10am-6pm; Thu-Fri 10am-9pm Admission: £12; concs £10 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery T 020 7638 8891

4 – 7 March

Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship & Design Awards 2015 Winners Exhibition This beautiful exhibition is the culmination of the Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council’s annual competition which celebrates the achievements of Britain’s top goldsmiths and silversmiths. Prizewinning work is shown alongside other highly commended pieces to showcase diverse techniques and inspirational design.

Daily 10am-5pm FREE Goldsmiths’ Hall Foster Lane EC2V 6BN www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk T 020 7606 7010

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Trevor Jones A Retrospective

7 ART AND EXHIBITIONS

20 March – 10 April

An exhibition of the work of arguably the most original and influential book binder of the 20th century. With many of the bindings having come from a private collection and never before seen on display, the show coincides with the publication of a new book about Trevor Jones’ life in bookbinding.

Telephone in advance if you’re planning a weekday visit to check availability.

Mon-Sat 10am-6pm FREE St Bride Foundation Bride Lane EC4Y 8EQ www.sbf.org.uk T 020 7353 3331

From 23 March

Flora and Fauna A rich array of plants and animals have adorned, protected and served the Bank of England through the ages. Discover a menagerie from elaborate floral banknote designs and fierce sculpted lions to the real-life creatures that still keep the Bank safe.

Mon-Fri 10am-5pm FREE Bank of England Museum Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH www.bankofengland.co.uk/ museum T 020 7601 5545

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21 March

Sherlock’s Night Owls Sleepover Explore the Museum of London over a fun-filled night as you become a young Sherlock Holmes and discover what happens in the museum once the doors are closed.

Suitable for ages 7-11.

When: 6.45pm-9.40am Admission: £52 Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844

Young Sherlock Holmes – Creative Writing Workshop

Easter Holidays

Join author Andrew Lane as he explains how he creates vile villains and creepy crimes in a creative writing workshop.

Suitable for ages 10 and above.

When: 11am-1pm Admission: £4 (includes a copy of Death Cloud by Andrew Lane); advance booking necessary Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk T 020 7001 9844

Listen to some fascinating true stories about gold narrated by a costumed storyteller, taking in tall tales of the California gold rush right through to the sewer man who found his way into the Bank’s vaults nearly 200 years ago.

There’s also a special gold trail around the museum.

Mon-Fri 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.

FREE Bank of England Museum Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH www.bankofengland.co.uk/ museum T 020 7601 5545

February Half Term Become an adventurer of the City with craft, drama, storytelling and art workshops all about exploration throughout the February half term.

Suitable for ages 0-14.

FREE Daily 10am-4pm Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk/ halfterm T 020 7001 9844

30 March – 2 April and 7 – 10 April

EGGstraordinary Fun! Follow the trail to find the chicks and egg hidden in the museum.

You can then decorate your own Easter animal finger puppet to take home. There is a chocolate egg for every child.

Mon-Fri 10am-4.30pm FREE Bank of England Museum Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH www.bankofengland.co.uk/ museum T 020 7601 5545

18 February 14 – 22 February

Step back in time this Easter to find out more about Victorian London with craft, drama, storytelling and art workshops.

Suitable for ages 0-14.

FREE Daily 10am-4pm Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk/ holidays T 020 7001 9844

FAMILY

Striking Gold Stories

28 March – 12 April

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16 – 20 February

16 February

National Theatre Encore: Treasure Island A thrilling new stage adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s tale of murder, money and mutiny.

Suitable for ages 10 and above.

When: 2.30pm Admission: £17 booking fee applies; Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/film T 020 7638 8891

Lunchtime Classical Concerts The Bishopsgate Institute continues its programme of free classical music concerts, including Guildhall Chamber Orchestra, Sasha Grynyuk, Sarah-Jane Bradley and more.

FREE Check website for full listings Bishopsgate Institute Bishopsgate EC2M 4QH www.bishopsgate.org.uk T 020 7392 9200

5, 12, 19 and 26 February

On-going

BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts: Natalie Clein & Friends

Song in the City

Natalie Clein, one of Britain’s leading cellists, invites a cohort of guests for her own curated miniseries of lunchtime concerts.

When: 1-2pm Admission: £10; concs £9; booking fee applies LSO St Luke’s 161 Old Street EC1V 9NG www.lso.co.uk T 020 7588 1116

Enjoy in this series of continuing free lunchtime concerts in the heart of the City dedicated to taking classical music out of its comfort zone by using innovative and often challenging themes.

FREE Dates, venues and times vary; check website for full listings www.songinthecity.org

8 February

Miscontinuum Jan St Werner, one half of German duo Mouse on Mars, performs his new electronic opera in London for the first time, featuring contributions from Dylan Carson (Earth), Markus Popp (Oval), Taigen Kawabe (Bo Ningen) and Kathy Alberici (Drum Eyes).

When: 7.30pm Admission: £15; booking fee applies LSO St Luke’s 161 Old Street EC1V 9NG www.barbican.org.uk/ contemporary T 020 7638 8891

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On-going

11 MUSIC

13 February – 1 April

CITY OF LONDON FESTIVAL FREE WINTER CONCERTS Enjoy a free lunchtime concert in a stunning City location with the City of London Festival’s Winter Concert programme.

Highlights include:

13 February

Robbers, Rebels & Royals 800 years ago, events in the City of London proved to be the tipping point in the long-running battle between King John and the Barons. Early medieval musicians Joglaresa perform songs that challenge the authority of kings, and highlight the lives, loves, imprisonment and taxation of ordinary folk (…or barons…) at the time of Magna Carta.

18 February

Juice Vocal Ensemble This female a capella trio is at the forefront of the UK’s experimental/ classical scene, performing a programme which draws on classical, world music, jazz, folk, pop, improvisation and theatre.

25 February and 25 March

City of London Sinfonia – Émigré The City of London Sinfonia explores emigration, a constant theme for musicians throughout history, through a programme of classical music by Golijov, Bartok and Piazzolla (25 Feb) and Handel and Arvo Pärt (25 March).

11 March

Max Baillie Extraordinary instrumentalist Max Baillie (violin/viola) brings the immortal music of JS Bach off the page with two solo works, framed by his own folk-style improvisations.

1 April

Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar Tap your toes to the infectious sound of young folk stars Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar, which combines poetic vocals with skilful guitar and driving fiddle.

All concerts 1.05-1.55pm; check website for venues and full details FREE www.colf.org T 020 7583 3585

Europa Galante

Dance of the Gypsy Violin: Roby Lakatos

Vivaldi’s dazzling Venetian carnival opera L’Oracolo in Messenia was only rediscovered in 2011 by director Fabio Biondi, whose reconstruction here is performed by a hand-picked cast.

When: 7pm Admission: £15-£45; booking fee applies Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/music T 020 7638 8891

2, 4, 6 and 9 March

Arnold: The Dancing Master and Donizetti: I pazzi per progetto A double bill of comic opera in which madness, misunderstandings and mistaken identity come to the fore. Sir Malcolm Arnold’s The Dancing Master (1952) receives a longoverdue world stage premiere eight years after the composer’s death. Donizetti’s I pazzi per progetto (Madmen by Design) is farce in its purest form - here receiving its UK stage premiere.

When: 7pm Admission: £25; concs £15 Guildhall School Silk Street Theatre EC2Y 8DT www.barbican.org.uk T 020 7638 8891

3 March

The Gloaming The Gloaming collective bring their contemporary take on rich Irish folk tradition to the Barbican stage.

When: 8pm Admission: £15-£25; booking fee applies Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/ contemporary T 020 7638 8891

12 and 15 March

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5 March

13 MUSIC

20 February

Michael Tilson Thomas 70th Birthday Gala

The Hungarian Romani virtuoso Roby Lakatos brings along his band to join forces with the London Symphony Orchestra for a lively and eclectic evening of great music, from Brahms and Bruch to Johann Strauss, Franz Lehar and modern jazz.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £10-£38; booking fee applies Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891

Share the joy and celebrate the 70th year of one of the LSO’s closest collaborators, Michael Tilson Thomas, who presents two concerts alongside rising star of the international piano world Yuja Wang.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £10-£38; booking fee applies Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.lso.co.uk T 020 7638 8891

8 March

19 March

22 March

Unsuk Chin’s Alice in Wonderland

Guildhall Symphony Orchestra

Strata-East Live with Gilles Peterson

The imagination of Lewis Carroll meets the glittering, fantastical sound world of Unsuk Chin with magical results in one of the mosttalked-about operas of recent years. Expect an exhilarating, eye-popping production from director Netia Jones featuring illustrations from gonzo-artist Ralph Steadman.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £10-£30; booking fee applies Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/ music T 020 7638 8891

Catch Sibelius’ grandiose Second Symphony performed by the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra under rising young Finnish conductor Pietari Inkinen.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £10-£15; concs £5 Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk T 020 7638 8891

Join BBC 6 Music DJ Gilles Peterson for an evening with Strata-East’s founders, Charles Tolliver and Stanley Cowell, master bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Alvin Queen, plus live music from special guests.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £15-£25; booking fee applies Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/ contemporary T 020 7638 8891

21 – 27 March

Guildhall Jazz Festival & Improvisation Fringe From Billie Holiday to Kenny Wheeler, vintage jazz to improvised, Guildhall musicians celebrate the best of the genre over seven performancepacked days.

FREE Check website for full listings www.gsmd.ac.uk/events

Discover the City of London for FREE

English Tourism Week is an annual festival that showcases the best of what the UK has to offer – all for free – and, this year, it takes on the delicious theme of food and drink. This is your opportunity to see, hear, and sample something new and different from 14 to 22 March across the City of London.

FREE weekend tours of Guildhall Great Hall and Crypts FREE lunchtime talks on food and drink including a gin-tasting day FREE exhibition about the eccentric Mrs Beeton FREE walking tours with City of London Guides FREE walking tours of Viking-age London TREASURE HUNT filled with tastings and mementoes by londonist.com

Win a treasure hunt!

We’ve teamed up with Hidden City to give you the chance to see if you’ve got what it takes to crack the clues and solve the riddles on a treasure hunt through

the City’s streets. We have 10 team tickets to give away, each for 1-4 people, so head to www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ englishtourismweek to enter now!

For details of all the events in the City see www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/englishtourismweek

LSO International Violin Festival

Chilly Gonzales & Kaiser Quartett

Twelve of the world’s very best violinists take to the stage this spring for the first ever LSO International Violin Festival, beginning with Leonidas Kavakos, Gil Shaham and Midori.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £10-£38; booking fee applies Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.lso.co.uk T 020 7588 1116

The all-round entertainer and piano virtuoso presents a new intimate experience in a mini residency with Hamburg’s Kaiser Quartett.

Daily 8pm Admission: £15-£20; booking fee applies Milton Court Concert Hall 1 Milton Street EC27 9BH www.barbican.org/ contemporary T 020 7638 8891

11 April

David Sanborn Band, John Scofield and John Cleary A jazz double bill featuring legendary jazz saxophonist David Sanborn and a duo of jazz guitar hero John Scofield and vocalist/ pianist Jon Cleary.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £15-£30; booking fee applies Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/ contemporary T 020 7638 8891

13 April

Sinéad O’Connor The acclaimed Irish singersongwriter returns to the Barbican to perform material from her brand new studio album ‘I’m Not Bossy, I’m The Boss’.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £20-£30; booking fee applies Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/ contemporary T 020 7638 8891

11 – 25 April

English National Opera: Between Worlds A sensitive, spiritual and ultimately uplifting journey inspired by the events of 9/11. Composer Tansy Davies collaborates with librettist Nick Drake and director Deborah Warner on this world premiere.

Daily 7.30pm Admission: £16-£50; booking fee applies Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 020 7638 8891

NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC BARBICAN RESIDENCY

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11 – 13 April

17 MUSIC

8, 12 and 30 April

17 April

19 April

New York Philharmonic and Joyce DiDonato

Petrushka

To open the New York Philharmonic’s Barbican residency, Alan Gilbert conducts a ravishing programme. Together with Joyce DiDonato, the orchestra will perform sensuous, colourful scores by Strauss, Ravel and Esa-Peka Salonen.

New York theatre company Giants Are Small turn the New York Philharmonic into the fairground: conductor Alan Gilbert transforms into a magician and – with puppets, dancers, and electronic visuals – Petrushka and his fellow marionettes come startlingly alive. There’s also a special Young Person’s Concert version earlier in the day.

18 April

CONTACT! Concert CONTACT! – the New York Philharmonic’s dynamic contemporary music programme – sees the Orchestra’s leading players bringing new scores from New York to London.

Locations, times and prices vary; check website for full details www.barbican.org.uk/music T 020 7638 889

25 April

Mexrrissey – Mexico Goes Morrissey Camilo Lara, the force behind Institute of Sound, and Sergio Mendoza (Orkesta Mendoza/Calexico) present an audiovisual tribute to Mexico’s love for Morrissey.

When: 7.30pm Admission: £15-£25; booking fee applies Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/ contemporary T 020 7638 8891

For die-hard fans, join the Museum of London and Film Hub London for a dress-up Sherlock film night. With prizes for the most inventive costumes and a late night bar, settle in and get your fill of Sherlock film classics.

When: 7-11.30pm

Until 26 February

3 and 6 March

Broadgate Ice Rink Try something new this year and get your skates on at Broadgate Ice Rink. Dancing on Ice coach Robert Burgerman offers lessons to help you dance like a star, and there’s an adrenalin-filled Bromball tournament for you to take on friends and colleagues.

Watch all the action on the ice at rink-side bar and smokehouse, The Tasting Room.

Daily 10am-10pm Admission: £12.50; concs £10; children £8.50 Exchange Square Broadgate EC2A 2BQ www.broadgate.co.uk/ice

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Sherlock Film Night

19 SPECIAL EVENTS

10 April

SHERLOCK HOLMES EVENTS AT THE MUSEUM OF LONDON

Sleuthing with Sherlock 13 February

Late London: Bohemian City A Valentine’s late-view which, in honour of Mr Holmes, rejects romantic convention and embraces London’s bohemian soul. With installations, performances, discussions and workshops plus late night bars and the chance to see the exhibition after hours.

When: 7-10pm

23 February, 16 March and 6 April

Totally Sherlock Join the curators of Sherlock Holmes in conversation as they discuss the ins and outs of the exhibition, the stories behind their favourite objects and the revelations discovered along the way. Plus visit the exhibition after-hours with experts on hand to answer your questions.

When: 7.30-10pm

Learn the techniques of Victorian fingerprinting versus modern day methods in this immersive event, and put them both to the test in two different crime scenes.

When: 7-10pm

27 March On-going

Sherlock and Beyond

CITY OF LONDON SPORTS TOURNAMENTS Join in the fun and games this spring with a series of sports competitions, team try-outs, fun days out and health and fitness programmes. Highlights include: London Youth Games Cricket 2015 Annual Cricket Competition; for children in Year 8 and under City of London Aquathlon – Adult Series; suitable for ages 16-160 City of London Aquathlon – Junior Series; open to ages 13–17 City of London Walking Football Tournament; open to all over 50, with no experience necessary Check website for full listings www.goldenlanefitness.com

14 February and 28 March

Sleeping with Sherlock Experience the Museum of London and the Sherlock Holmes exhibition like never before with this first ever all-night event.

Including a three-course dinner, comedy performances grizzly ghost stories in the thick of night, a movie marathon and a full English breakfast – you’ll have no time for sleep!

When: 7.30pm-9.30am

27 February

Who’s the Best Watson?

Following on from ‘Who’s the best Holmes?’, join in the debate and hear three Sherlock experts state their case, question them and vote. You might just leave with a new favourite…Plus, visit the exhibition after hours.

When: 7.30-10.30pm

Join best-selling authors Ann Cleeves, Laura Wilson, and Mark Billingham for this lively debate looking at the enduring popularity of Sherlock Holmes and the genre of crime fiction, hosted by crime fiction expert and journalist Barry Forshaw. The authors will be among the audience, giving you the chance to question them. Plus, visit the exhibition after-hours.

When: 7.30-10.30pm Advance booking necessary Check website for full details Museum of London 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN www.museumoflondon.org.uk/ sherlockevents T 020 7001 9844

Food Markets

Valuation Day

Pick up fresh produce such as Argentinian empanadas, Spanish meats, handmade chocolates and seasonal preserves from the weekly Saturday market at One New Change. Also enjoy gourmet treats at the weekly artisan food markets every Friday as well as on the first Wednesday of each month.

When: Wed (first of each month) 11am-3pm; Fri 11am-3pm; Sat 11am-5pm FREE admission One New Change EC4M 9AF www.onenewchange.com

Expert professional and independent valuations for your jewellery, watches and silverware.

When: 9am-4pm Admission: from £49.95 Assay Office, Goldsmiths’ Hall Foster Lane EC2V 6BN www.assayofficelondon.co.uk T 020 7606 7010

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27 March

21 SPECIAL EVENTS

On-going

8 March 15 February, 8 March and 29 March

Sherlock Holmes See a selection of landmark silent films about the legendary detective, with atmospheric live musical accompaniment by Neil Brand, Stephen Horne and John Sweeney.

Admission: from £10.50 Check website for full listings Barbican Cinema Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/film T 020 7638 8891

Tower Powerhouses: 5km Family Challenge For 1,000 years the Tower of London has stood sentry over the City of London. It was the home of the King’s menagerie, the treasury and Crown Jewels, the mint, ordinance office and observatory. Discover its history and its connections to the City of London with this 5km clue-ridden course through the City, suitable for 5-11 year olds and their families. The course will challenge any intrepid adventurer with conundrums that stretch youngsters’ numeracy and mathematical reasoning, literacy and language skills in accordance with Key Stage 1 & 2. You’ll finish on the moat lawn with a picnic lunch and free entry into the Tower, making this a

fun-filled family-focused day out.

Participating groups will be asked to pledge to raise a suggested contribution in aid of London’s Air Ambulance and Historic Royal Palaces.

When: 9am-1pm Admission: £25 per group (max 5 people per group) Tower of London EC3N 4AB www.hrp.org.uk/challenge

From 28 March

Shaun in the City Hit the City’s streets to follow a trail of Shaun the Sheep sculptures! Giant figurines of Aardman Animations’ internationally-acclaimed character Shaun the Sheep will be flocking to the City this spring, each having been ‘ewe-niquely’ designed by a line-up of artists and celebrities.

The sheep will remain on-street until May, and in late autumn will be auctioned for Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Charity, raising money for sick children in hospitals across the UK. Make sure you visit the City Information Centre by St Paul’s Cathedral to pick up your Shaun in the City Trail Map. www.shauninthecity.org.uk

Cityread London 2015

Virgin London Marathon

Celebrate the capital’s annual reading festival when the whole city will be sharing Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch.

Read the book and pop along to any of the themed events: highlights include City Guide river walks, a talk and book signing by author Ben Aaronovitch, and a Cityread launch event at Barbican Library.

Check website for full listings Barbican Library Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ barbicanlibrary

Grab your place in the crowds to cheer on thousands of runners as they tackle a route through the heart of the City. Popular viewing spots are Tower Bridge and Victoria Embankment.

FREE to watch Route across the City; check website for map www.virginmoneylondonmarathon. com

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26 April

23 SPECIAL EVENTS

2 April

volunteer at the Virgin London Marathon?

City of London Sports Development is looking for 100 volunteers to keep the Marathon running at the 23-mile water station.

Email csd-col@fusion-lifestyle.com

Want to

14 April

A Taste of Spring – An Edible Exhibition Eat your way through the exhibits in this innovative exhibition!

Using original recipes, Guildhall Library and Marjory Szurko, Librarian of Oriel College, Oxford, are tracing many sweet dishes through the ages from the 15th century onwards, including food served to royalty and the origins of gingerbread. While you’re here, check out the related ‘Celebrity Cooks: Mrs Beeton and her Contemporaries’ exhibition (see p5).

When: 6-8pm Admission: £5; advance booking necessary via www.ghlevents.eventbrite.co.uk; booking fee applies Guildhall Library Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1870

Plan your summer

Magna Carta 800 15 June marks the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta, one of the most important landmarks in the rule of law and personal freedoms.

Discover the origins, impact and legacy of this remarkable document, as well as its special connections with the City of London, with a summer packed full of events to inspire and educate.

23 April

St George’s Day at Leadenhall Market Leadenhall Market plays host to traditional Morris dancers, their very own St George, and special English food and drink.

Check website for full schedule Leadenhall Market Gracechurch Street EC3V 1LR www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ leadenhall T 020 7929 1073

Highlights include: Shakespeare’s ‘King John’ at Temple, 10 – 19 April FREE guided walks, daily from 1 June – 20 September, running from Temple to the Heritage Gallery and tracing the story of ‘bad’ King John The Huguenots of Spitalfields Festival from 1 June Magna Carta on display at the City of London Heritage Gallery from 5 June A childrens’ medieval architecture competition, Magna Crafta, as part of the Archikids Festival on 26 – 27 July The City of London Festival creates a Magna Carta for the 21st Century on 8 July A son et lumiére display at Guildhall Yard, 19 September For all the details, head to www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/mc800

17 – 21 March

25 – 28 March

Théâtre de la Ville–Paris: Six Characters in Search of an Author

Twelfth Night

The Devils

What She Will

Illyria is a Land of Delusions where the sands are always shifting and no-one is quite what he – or is it she? – seems. Presented by final year Guildhall School actors.

Daily 7.30pm; Tue and Thu matinee 2pm Admission: £10; concs £5 Milton Court Theatre 1 Milton Street EC2Y 9BH www.barbican.org.uk T 020 7638 8891

Based on a real case of mass hysteria in the French city of Loudon in the 17th century, a young charismatic priest is accused with consorting with Satan. This 1960 stage play was partly adapted for Ken Russell’s notorious 1971 movie.

Daily 7.30pm; Sat matinee 2.30pm Check website for prices Bridewell Theatre Bride Lane EC4Y 8EQ www.sedos.co.uk T 07580 170 172

Devised by Jane Jones from the works of William Shakespeare, and presented

by Theatre in the Square, What She Will explores Shakespeare’s real and imagined worlds. Who were the women in the life of the world’s greatest playwright?

Wed-Fri 7.30pm; Sat 5.30pm Admission: £12-£15 Bridewell Theatre Bride Lane EC4Y 8EQ www.theatreinthesquare.org T 07522 79161

This dream-like production releases the mystery, chaos and darkness at the heart of Pirandello’s absurdist classic as a dysfunctional family disrupt a play’s rehearsal with the strangest of claims.

When: 7.45pm Admission: £16-£38; booking fee applies Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 020 7638 8891

3 – 7 March

The Habit of Art Composer Benjamin Britten, sailing uncomfortably close to the wind with his new opera, seeks advice from his former collaborator and friend, poet W H Auden. Alan Bennett’s imagined meeting of these two great men sees them observed and interrupted by, among others, their future biographer and a young man from the local bus station.

Daily 7.30pm; Sat matinee 3pm Admission: £10-£14 Bridewell Theatre Bride Lane EC4Y 8EQ www.towertheatre.org.uk T 020 7353 1700

9 – 14 February

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Shakespeare’s classic play sees a Duke woo a conquered Queen, the King and Queen of Fairies fight over a changeling boy, four lovers finding their love tested, and some amateur actors rehearsing a play. Presented by final year actors from the Guildhall School.

Daily 7.30pm; Tue and Thu matinee 2pm Admission: £10; concs £5 Milton Court Studio Theatre 1 Milton Street EC2Y 9BH www.barbican.org.uk T 020 7638 8891

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16 – 21 February

25 THEATRE

4 – 7 February

23 March

Hamlet - Live Theatre Broadcast From its sell-out run at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre comes a stripped-back, fresh and fast-paced take on Shakespeare’s tragedy starring BAFTA nominee Maxine Peake.

When: 7pm Admission: £17; booking fee applies Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/film T 020 7638 8891

27 March – 1 April

Machinal 4 – 28 March

Antigone Juliette Binoche stars as Sophokles’ famous tragic heroine Antigone in a brandnew version by groundbreaking director Ivo van Hove.

Daily 7.45pm Admission: £16–£55; booking fee applies Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y 8DS www.barbican.org.uk/theatre T 020 7638 8891

An Expressionistic classic inspired by the sensational trial of Ruth Snyder, a Long Island housewife who murdered her husband and died in the electric chair in 1927. Nine actresses share the role of the Young Woman in an exploration of the explosive pressures of American industrial life. Presented by final year actors from the Guildhall School.

Daily 7.30pm; Mon and Wed matinee 2pm Admission: £10; concs £5 Guildhall School Silk Street Theatre EC2Y 8DT www.barbican.org.uk T 020 7638 8891

Guildhall Library Evening Events

Gresham College lectures

Learn something new about London, history and literature – and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine – at one of Guildhall Library’s regular evening events.

Highlights include: Death In Disguise: the Amazing True Story of the Chelsea Murder (12 February); A History of the English Cookbook from Beowulf to Mary Berry (17 February); and Soyer and Thackeray – A Tale of Food and Class (12 March).

When: 6-8pm Admission: £5; advance booking necessary via www.ghlevents. eventbrite.co.uk; booking fee applies Guildhall Library Aldermanbury EC2V 7HH www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhalllibrary T 020 7332 1869

Each week you can pop into free public lectures on a huge variety of subjects at Gresham College.

This season’s highlights include: The Nature of Human Violence (4 Feb), Is Human Evolution Over?

(11 Feb), The Novel & Psychology (24 Feb), Locally ‘Green’: Does it Make a Difference? (2 Apr) and Restoration and Reaction: Palaces of the Restoration (22 April).

Dates and times vary; check website for full listings.

FREE Barnard’s Inn Hall Holborn EC1N 2HH www.gresham.ac.uk T 020 7831 0575

On-going

Guided City walks Hear about the City’s rich history on one of these guided walks that leave from the City Information Centre every day.

There are plenty of themes to choose from, including City Highlights, the Great Fire, and Wren’s churches. You can also take a guided tour of Guildhall and its famous crypts on 5 March and 23 April – check the website for the full schedule.

Daily 11am and 2pm Admission: £7-£8; concs £6 Meet at City Information Centre St Paul’s Churchyard EC4M 8BX www.cityoflondonguides.com

18 February, 18 March, 15 April and 23 April

Smithfield Market Tours Experience the hustle and bustle of London’s worldfamous meat market first hand on this unique early morning tour of Smithfield Market. The rich tradition, architecture and atmosphere of this fascinating functioning market are explored, and you’ll get to meet the characters and traders who bring it to life.

Bring your cool bag in case you see a bargain!

When: 6.45-8.30am Admission: £12.50; concs £10; advance booking necessary www.cityoflondonguides.com

On-going

19 February

Gin Distillery Tours Discover the history of gin in the City of London and how it’s made in the present day in the City’s only working distillery.

Choose from a 45-min daytime tour or a special one-hour evening tour complete with gin sampling and a miniature.

Mon-Fri 12noon; Mon, Wed and Sat 6pm Admission: £10-£25 City of London Distillery Bride Lane EC4Y 8DT www.cityoflondondistillery.com T 020 7936 3636

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On-going

27 WALKS AND TALKS

On-going

Harmony in the Lowest Home: The Guitar and the Labouring Poor

13 February

Freaky Friday Gruesome tales and an exploration of 18th-century corpse medicine makes for a suitably grisly Friday the thirteenth, in an evening led by Dr Lindsey Fitzharris.

When: 7pm (doors open 6.15pm) Admission: £10; concs £8; includes a glass of wine; advance booking necessary Dr Johnson’s House 17 Gough Square off Fleet Street EC4A 3DE www.drjohnsonshouse.org T 020 7353 3745

A social history of England in the 1830s, told through the new instrument that was sweeping the country – the guitar. Professor Christopher Page and musicians tell the story of working class self-improvement, privileged class snobbery, and the instrument at the heart of it all.

When: 1-2pm FREE St. Sepulchre Without Newgate Holborn Viaduct, EC1A 2DQ http://www.gresham.ac.uk/ lectures-and-events T 020 7831 0575

LIBRARY

The Library of London History

MRS BEETON AND HER CONTEMPORARIES Guildhall Library presents a programme of events and exhibitions celebrating both the life and legacy of Mrs Beeton and the delightful history of English cooking

JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL LATE VIEW OF THE EXHIBITION ON 17 FEBRUARY AND ENJOY A DRINKS AND CANAPÉ RECEPTION. A range of accompanying events will cover different aspects of English cooking, featuring topics including Alexis Soyer and William Thackeray, and Georgian Chocolate Houses, as well as an afternoon lecture on ‘Food and the City’, based on a photographic exhibition by artist-in-residence Simon Gregor.

Check out our website for more details and how to book.

Guildhall Library

UK - tripadvisor.co.uk

Aldermanbury, London EC2V 7HH 020 7332 1868 / 020 7332 1870 guildhall.library@cityoflondon.gov.uk www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/guildhalllibrary Follow

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