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ISSUE 120

FORTNUM’S Festive Wines

LUXURY Gif t Guide The most magical gift ideas for 2024

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C hes hesh h ire llo o ves...

Christmas Experiences

Treat the petrol head in your life to an unforgettable motor adventure this festive season. They can get behind the wheel of a Land Rover and explore challenging terrain and refine their driving technique with an all day experience. Drivers will navigate various off-road elements to attain a higher level of confidence that will prepare them for real world environments. For an added treat, you can book the ‘Land Rover & Dinner, Bed and Breakfast Package’ which includes an overnight stay at Peckforton Castle. experience.landrover.co.uk

IMAGES: WAYNE MITCHELSON

Land Rover Experience, Cheshire

Gravity Max, Liverpool Gather your friends or family and make your way to Liverpool for an exhilarating Christmas experience. Gravity Max at Liverpool One offers a dynamic blend of thrilling activities, state-of-the-art facilities, e-karting, immersive experiences and a stunning rooftop bar in Liverpool One, to make your Christmas party unforgettable. gravity-global.com

The Cube, Manchester With 12 unique Cubes, each dedicated to an iconic game, The Cube at Urban Playground will test you and your loved ones both mentally and physically through seven different challenges. Prepare to master skills like balance, speed, judgement, and memory. The perfect festive day out for both competitors and spectators, grab a drink from the bar, some food from The Butcher and see if you can handle the pressure in your attempt to beat The Cube. urbanplayground.co.uk

Welcome aboard! Boeing 747-400 fixed base Flight Simulator and Upper Deck experience

744 Experience, Cheshire A great gift for the aviation aficionado in your life, as they can take control of an original former British Airways B747-400 flight deck and experience simulated flight, with a trained operator/co-pilot to offer one-to-one guidance. Pilots can customise their destination, flight time, route and even weather conditions as well as choose their departure and arrival from multiple international airports. Pilots also get to experience engines start-up, push back, take-off, climb, cruise, descent, landing and shutdown. For those looking for a more relaxed experience, there are also a selection of onboard dining experiences available. 744experience.co.uk

Try your hand at ‘flying’ the iconic Jumbo Jet inside an original British Airways 747 cockpit, a unique experience or gift (no previous flying experience is necessary). Now open near Tattenhall, Cheshire.

To buy a gift voucher or to book your experience, simply scan the QR code here or visit www.744experience.co.uk

Clonter Opera Theatre, Cheshire

Sat 14 December 2024 CLONTER OPERA THEATRE

BOX OFFICE 01260 224 514 www.clonter.org SWETTENHAM HEATH, CONGLETON, CW12 2LR Registered Charity Number 1083903

The herr e’s No Placce Li Pla L ike Oz Oz Mark Fisher caught up with Sarah O’Connor, who plays Glinda, and Laura Pick, who plays Elphaba, ahead of their run of Wicked at the Palace Theatre in Manchester

he smash-hit theatre show Wicked is flying back to Manchester this December. Wicked tells the incredible story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two young women – the popular Glinda and a misunderstood Elphaba – who first meet as sorcery students at Shiz University. Following an encounter with The Wizard, their friendship reaches a crossroads, and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences for her future. What is it like to star in a musical in which the two leads are played by women? Sarah: It’s amazing. It’s important to be telling

stories where women are strong, independent and driven. For Glinda, it’s about where she wants to be in her career and becoming a better person. It’s important people can see that women can have that voice. Laura: Wicked is two strong women making choices and leading this show. The responsibility we take on our shoulders as actors is that we, as two women, are the leads in this company. That’s pretty great. In the relationship that develops between Glinda and Elphaba, do you recognise your real-life friendships? Laura: Yes, in some ways. It helps that me and Sarah are getting on like a house on fire. That strengthens the bond between the characters. It makes any scene that’s feisty more real because you care about each other. When it comes to friendships in general, you can be friends with someone growing up and then

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never speak to them again. I’ve got someone I was inseparable from at school and then we just grew apart. Wicked explores how friendships can grow with age or circumstance. Sarah: Relationships aren’t simple. They take time, effort and nourishment. There is a massive part of the story where Glinda and Elphaba aren’t with each other, but they are still thinking about each other and still in each other’s lives. There are parts of Glinda and Elphaba in us both. We’re not just one or the other. They represent all parts of you in two different people. That’s why they become such a force of nature. Their differences pull them together like polar opposites. Do you enjoy singing together? Laura: Yes, you really have to listen to each other. The first time we had to sing For Good together, both of us were tearing up. Looking into someone’s eyes you find a way to communicate without using words. You reassure the other one. There are moments that nobody would even know, but they’re there. You have to connect, blend and be cohesive – especially with For Good because it can be emotional and you have to support each other. Singing is such a special thing, especially when the voices sound nice together. Sarah: Elphaba and Glinda are so different from each other vocally. Glinda is a soprano and Elphaba is epic. They are two very different vocal worlds to put together, so when it blends it can be magic. I spend the whole musical listening to Laura singing and she is just ridiculously good, but when we get to For Good we’re thinking more about story. She’s telling her part of the story, now it’s my turn to tell my part. Do you see your younger selves in Wicked’s coming-of-age story – the sense of finding a place and an identity as you grow up? Laura: Yes. I’m only realising as I get

older how much I struggle going into groups with big personalities. I was anxious the day before starting rehearsals, not about doing the job but about all these new people I was going to meet. We all, at some point in our lives, feel like an outsider. Elphaba turns up at school thinking, “Right, I’m going to be accepted here,” but she is not. I’ve never experienced anything to that level but we all sometimes feel we don’t fit in. That’s why so many people connect with the show and so many people come night after night. It is their safe space and they feel seen. Sarah: That’s such an important thing about theatre. It is a safe space to feel creative and to escape. When you’re creative you tend to stand out because you’re all over the place thinking of something new and you don’t quite know how to fit in. That doesn’t feel particularly nice. But every character has something we can identify with: Doctor Dillamond being an animal they want to get rid of or Madame Morrible who looks confident but is trying to get to the top and feel accepted. Glinda is pretending she’s absolutely fine but she doesn’t know who she is. She thinks she’s one thing and becomes another, and she needs Elphaba to bring it out. Do your own friends change you in the way the characters in Wicked change each other? Sarah: Friends can change your views on things. They can form you into a slightly different person. You teach each other, learn from each other, give each other confidence, encourage each other to go for that job or do that travelling. They’re all smaller things than, “I’m going to give you confidence to be who you want to be and now I’m going to take over a whole city!” But yes, the people in my life do things for me and I grow from them, for sure. Laura: I’ve had people who are new influences 27

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F east o n Enterr tainmen Ente tainmentt thii s Festiv th Festi ve S eason Welcome to The Mezz – one of Manchester’s most exciting bar and restaurant experiences located in the world-famous AO Arena

A CULINARY COLLABORATION TAKING CENTRE STAGE

lavour is everything when it comes to indulging in a dining experience to keep the long winter nights at bay. Hearty produce and ingredients guided by seasonality, coupled with sophisticated drink pairings to match, can elevate a night out to one that is truly memorable. But what if that experience was served up as an inspiring starter to an unforgettable evening of entertainment? The Mezz is for those with discerning tastes providing guests the chance to upgrade and elevate their entertainment experience to enjoy the best acts, artists and shows. And as the clock counts down to Christmas and the festive party season, The Mezz is just the ticket to treat a loved one with an early gift or entertaining a client ahead of the holidays.

If you’re into fine dining or simply love food brimming with flavour and seasonal integrity, then you have come to the right place. In a unique and exciting collaboration, Executive Head Chef, Tim Kewley, has designed a menu for The Mezz Bar and Restaurant at AO Arena in partnership with two of the UK’s most celebrated chefs, acclaimed restaurateur and pioneer of the farm-to-fork movement, Simon Rogan MBE and chef and owner of Manchester restaurant Skof, Tom Barnes. Together they have created a distinctive autumnwinter menu which draws inspiration from shared culinary philosophies where ingredients take centre stage to produce memorable dishes served up in a stylish atmosphere perfect for festive overindulgence. Simon and Tom have each created an exclusive dish for the The Mezz Restaurant, showcasing homegrown produce from Simon's Our Farm located in the Lake District’s Cartmel Valley and a small selection of sustainable suppliers. Upon arrival through a dedicated VIP entrance, guests to The Mezz Restaurant are treated to Parmesan Biscuits and Nocellara Olives aged balsamic and lemon verbena offering subtle whispers of Italian summers past. Celebrating the spirit of the season, the menu’s starters including Native Lobster Roll with fennel and caviar and a Radish Tart of ricotta, black garlic and alyssum are for sharing and connecting over conversations for the entertainment to come. For those with an appetite to match their pre-show

excitement, dishes on the main menu feature a diverse mix of rich and hearty flavours fit for the season. Brown Butter Poached Hake with baked potato velouté, brown shrimp and sea vegetables and the Corzetti Pasta featuring honey-roast squash, Ribblesdale goat’s cheese, amaretti, sage, pineapple weed vinegar are joined by a Salt-aged Dukesmoor Rib-eye cooked on the bone, braised cheek, dripping potatoes, beef-bone béarnaise. There is also a dish created by Simon himself, the Cartmel Valley Game is brought to life with root vegetables including grilled onions, Boltardy beetroot and beautiful chestnuts. To freshen up the palette, the menu’s curtain call delivers a breadth of signature desserts ranging from luxurious indulgence to zesty flavours. The Manchester Bee is a 64% Manjari chocolate mousse imbued with pear and elderflower, as well as Bez’s buzzin’ honey provided by AO Arena’s friend and local icon, Bez from the Happy Mondays. Whilst the Lightly Set Woodruff Cream showcases the very best of Tom Barnes’ technique and flavour with blackberries, caramelised white chocolate and roasted almond.

ELEVATING THE ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE After enjoying pre-show libations, guests at The Mezz can sit back and relax or throw their hands in the air like they just don’t care from the comfort of their premium seats which offer panoramic views of the stage. There is something for everyone on the festive bill which offers a truly immersive experience. Topping the bill with his first shows in 12 years is the one and only Peter Kay set to deliver a residency like no other and the perfect comedy Christmas gift. Disney on Ice is perfect to treat the family featuring a delightful afternoon tea with festive surprises to keep the kids smiling all the way home, whilst Pete Tong’s Ibiza

Classics offers a mid-winter escape to the Balearics with a celebration of dance culture through the generations supported by a Dave Haslam Afterparty in The Mezz Bar. Capping off an incredible roster of talent and world class entertainment, Human League will deliver a trip down memory lane for 80s synth-pop connoisseurs and one not to be missed is the classic musical phenomenon Les Miserables which follows the tumultuous journey of Jean Valjean - a former convict seeking redemption during the French Revolution. No matter what show you attend, after the entertainment is finished the party doesn’t stop there. Head back to The Mezz for one last tipple in comfort before heading home, totally converted and ready to make every event a premium one. Book now to upgrade your experience or reach out via email to hospitality@ao-arena.com to find out more how you can elevate your experience. Visit ao-arena.com for more information on upcoming shows and entertainment coming to Manchester.

Human League - 6 December, 2024: All-inclusive drinks and food package with access to exclusive afterparty with Rusty Egan

Pete Tong - 7 December, 2024:

All-inclusive drinks and food package with access to exclusive afterparty with Hacienda legend Dave Haslam

Disney on Ice - 11 – 15 December, 2024: Early access, Christmas Afternoon tea experience, face painter and other magical surprises.

Peter Kay Live - shows available until summer 2025:

Various packages available, ranging from 3-course a la carte dinner in The Mezz restaurant to bar snacks in The Mezz bar and early access options

Les Miserables - 26 – 29 December, 2024: Early access, all-inclusive drinks and food package

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UNWRAP R oya oyall anca a ste sterr L anc L o ndo ndon n Celebrate Christmas and New Year in the capital at Royal Lancaster London; your home away from home this festive season

ake a wintery stroll through Hyde Park, which is on the hotel’s doorstep, enjoy some family fun, or head for a spot of Christmas shopping, before returning to the luxury of your hotel room and enjoying the breathtaking views of the iconic London skyline in its winter coat. For New Year’s Eve, wave goodbye to 2024 in the heart of the city with a fabulous stay in one of the hotel’s rooms or suites – the team will have a bottle of Champagne ready for you to countdown to 2025 and watch the famous London fireworks in style.

Enjoy Christmas In The Capital Make Royal Lancaster London your home away from home this festive season with a cosy escape to the capital, including a luxurious overnight stay with breakfast and an indulgent festive treat on arrival.

Take a stroll through stunning Hyde Park to the Royal Albert Hall for a festive show, head to Knightsbridge or Oxford Street for some Christmas shopping or experience the magic of a Christmas market, before returning to the warmth and sparkle of a hotel that makes Christmas its own. What’s included: • Overnight stay in a beautiful bedroom with a delicious breakfast • Indulgent festive treat on arrival and a cuddly toy for little ones • Guaranteed views of Winter Wonderland and 2pm late check-out the next day

Winter Wonderland A trip to London at Christmas is always magical and it wouldn’t be Christmas in London without a visit to Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland. Enjoy a luxurious overnight stay for two with breakfast, plus two VIP tickets to Winter Wonderland which allow you to visit at any time on a pre-selected date of your choice.

Festive Afternoon Tea At Hyde Café Royal Lancaster London’s enchanting Festive Afternoon Tea is pure indulgence. Relax and enjoy an irresistible assortment of delicately crafted sandwiches, warm baked scones and deliciously sweet delicacies accompanied by a selection of the finest Camellia’s Tea House teas, served in the beautiful Hyde Café.

What’s included: • Overnight stay in a beautifully designed bedroom with breakfast • Indulgent festive treat on arrival • Two VIP tickets to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland • Guaranteed 2.00pm late checkout • Guaranteed views of Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland

New Year’s Eve Countdown: Overnight Stay, Champagne & Fireworks

Bottomless Brunch To celebrate the most wonderful time of the year, join Royal Lancaster London on Christmas Day and Boxing Day for a decadent feast in the beautiful Park Restaurant, perfectly accompanied by the soulful sound of a live jazz trio and wintery views of the Italian Gardens in Hyde Park. To start, indulge in a hot breakfast buffet, followed by a fresh sushi, seafood and salad selection, plus all of the traditional festive fare you would expect at Christmas, including roast turkey and pigs in blankets and to finish; a very indulgent selection of desserts. Guests can also enjoy unlimited white and red wine.

London is one of the best cities in the world to celebrate the New Year and Royal Lancaster London puts you at the heart of the festivities. Countdown to 2025 with a fabulous stay in one of the hotel’s elegant rooms and toast to new beginnings in style, with incredible and farreaching views of the London skyline! You’ll be treated to a bottle of Champagne to cheers to the end of 2024 at midnight and the next morning there’s no need to rush, the hotel is offering a 3pm late check-out, so enjoy a much needed lie-in and a delicious breakfast in bed. What’s included: • Overnight stay with a delicious breakfast • A bottle of Champagne to toast in the New Year • A guaranteed late 3pm checkout • Spectacular views of the London Eye

royallancaster.com