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December 2018 www.weekender.co.uk

inside:

Local gig guide

Pages 6 & 8

Circus 1903 come to Southbank Page 29

Final Countdown to Christmas Pages 15 - 34

2 February 2018

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Cinema ● Theatre ● Comedy ● Arts ● Music ● Food & Drink

WEEKENDER southwark

The elephant in the room Circus 1903 comes to Southbank

Inside:

Final Countdown to Christmas!

December 2018 www.weekender.co.uk

2 December 2018

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Pick of the

Month

Silent Shard discos, foxy markets and nights at the museum

By Laura Burgoine

Editor: Laura Burgoine

Alice in Southwark Park Southwark Park is transforming into Wonderland this winter with a rabbit hole, flamingo croquet, and a Mad Hatter’s tea party to boot. After dark, the park is being lit up with twinkle lights as 35 handmade lanterns of Lewis Carrol’s famous characters bring the quintessentially British tale to life. There’s also a Santa’s Grotto,sleigh rides and 20 stalls with one bar, six food stands, Christmas shops, and a teacup ride. Alice in Winterland Lantern and Light Festival is at Southwark Park, SE16 2TX, from November 21-January 5 from 3pm-10pm each day. Admission: £15 adult, £9 child, £12 concession and disabled, £5 carer. www.aliceinwinterland.co.uk

T

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SILENT NIGHT The Shard’s Silent Disco is back.

Grab a drink from the bar, put on a set of headphones and dance the night away, above the clouds.

Pick your channel and choose your side as three DJs battle it out over separate wireless channels, playing the best in pop, rock and party classics while you take in sweeping panoramas of London at your feet.

December 1-8. Admission: £37.50. www.theviewfromtheshard.com

Weekender Editor: Laura Burgoine Advertising Manager: Tammy Jukes Media Partnerships: Anthony Phillips Advertising team: Southwark & Lambeth: Tammy Jukes Greenwich & Lewisham: Liz Gold Recruitment & Education: Nancy Simpson & Clarry Frewin Sales support: Katie Boyd Reporters: Michael Holland; Holly O’Mahony Design Manager: Dan Martin Design team: Ann Gravesen Finance: Em Zeki Managing & Commercial Director: Chris Mullany Managing & Editorial Director: Kevin Quinn

Night at the Museum Families can sleep next to a tiger and explore the Horniman Museum after dark at a special sleepover. The Forest Hill museum is hosting its first ever family sleepover this December where guests can experience the wonders of the museum long after the doors close to the public. Roll out your sleeping bag in the galleries next to exhibits like the dodo or tiger and participate in activities, exploration, storytelling, crafts and trails. A light breakfast will be served the next morning and Horniman staff will be on site throughout the night.

Horniman Kids Sleepover is on 8 December 7 pm-10am at the Horniman Museum.

Admission: £60 per child, £60 per adult. www.horniman.ac.uk

Offices at: Unit A302, The Biscuit Factory, Drummond Road, Bermondsey SE16 4DG. Printed by Iliffe Print Cambridge Ltd – www.iliffeprint.co.uk News:

Grab a gift Pick up unique, handcrafted gifts for Christmas, enjoy live performances and demonstrations and take part in taster sessions happening throughout the day. Have a glass mulled wine and pick up a mince pie. Performances by Morley’s staff and students will take place in Morley’s Holst Room with flamenco, Tanzthater, piano and music from the school’s jazz soul band. The school is also running a number of tasters to excite and inspire. Interested in taking up a subject for the New Year? Try out a one-hour taster session in bookbinding, Japanese Origami, printmaking, hypnotherapy, embroidery, piano and more. All taster sessions will cost £5. Morley College Winter Fair is from 11am to 3pm on 2 Dec 2018.

Morley College London, 61 Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7HT. www.morleycollege.ac.uk

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FOX HUNTING Crafty Fox Market has a new pop-up at Elephant and Castle’s Mercato Metropolitano on the first Saturday of every month. There’s a new line-up of traders and workshops and it’s also a dog friendly venue. Saturday 1 December from 11am-5pm. Admission: free.

40-42 Newington Causeway, SE1 6DR. The Crafty Fox is also hosting a Christmas market in Brixton, downstairs at the Department Store. There’s a different line-up of trader each day, a bar, DJs, and drop-in workshops.

December 15-16 at 11am-5pm at 248 Ferndale Road, SW9 8FR

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December 2018 3

Photo: Antony Medley

Spotlight

Supping through South London's alehouses T

oday South London, Tomorrow South London arrived in the office like any other book seeking a review, but once freed from its cardboard coffin it strangely came to life more than any other book has, writes Michael Holland...

Was that rubbish title for real?

I got the pun, but… Have they really put the Catford black cat on the cover with that silver thingy from the Elephant & Castle roundabout that people once thought futuristic but now just see as an annoyance that has to be walked round? Yes, they have, and it’s next to a dumped settee! But what is that in her hand? And he looks like he’s holding a beer, plus, a blurb tells me Jenny Eclair deems it ‘Wonderful.’ Inside, an introduction explains that life is far too short so should be spent ‘messing around’ in the search for good beer and good places to drink beer in South London.

And that, my friends, was all I needed to join their quest.

The writers of this toping tome are called Andrew and Vincent, not names available on the Bermondsey estate I grew up on where, of the 3000 males therein, we shared only the names Tom, Mick, Steve, Terry, Bob, Dave and Dan between us all, so I’m guessing Andrew and Vincent hail from places that are called ‘leafy’ in print. However, seeing the error of their upbringings, they gave themselves gang member monickers, Dirty South and Dulwich Raider, and set about cataloguing just about every pub, bar and drinking hole in South London. I loved these guys already, and I still hadn’t got past the pages with Roman numerals!

The book is more or less a series of vignettes that include some history, some tour guidery, a brewery or two, a beer guide you can relate to, pubs and places you know and, in my

4 December 2018

case, people I know. It does not take long to realise that this is not about any of the aforementioned content but about two people having a right laugh doing what they enjoy doing. Each episode is short, sweet and often hilarious - Even laugh out loud funny when one of their pals, Half-life, in a kilt and hobnail boots, opens his mouth; or Roxy rocks up to shock with tales of sex in cemeteries.

In the course of the book they say of a carvery I once had to drag a 500 word review from, ‘By 2pm it’s all been under a heat lamp for hours and value becomes a trial… And yet we loved its commitment to crapness…’ But they also take you to where good cask ales bask hidden down alleys and backstreets in pubs peopled by locals who all know each other.

They take you to places where you need a nutter like Half-life

to keep you safe, because he goes out tooled up for protection - Even to genteel beer festivals in Kidbrooke. They give you the Top Ten inns on roundabouts; taverns for watching horse racing, pubs in polluted blackspots. In fact, these boys have excuses to visit pubs and drink beer for every and any occasion.

For this dodgy little firm a quiet place to smoke weed is also an essential part of their day, so suitable spaces are factored in to their pub crawls. A chapter - Spliff Spots - is even given over to that dreamy pastime and includes balconies at the National Theatre that are quiet in winter; hills with panoramic vistas; and parks (‘away from children and their parents’).

For me, one letdown is no Bermondsey Beer Mile entry, other than to say it is too touristy for them. I suggest going wrapped up in winter when there

are less tourists about. And I take no joy from seeing the errors in their Bermondsey Street report.

But the avoidance of something that loses its attraction when it becomes too popular is one that I fully concur with, just as I agree with how they can sum up a pub with the choicest choice of words.

This on a pub in Chislehurst that Christopher Marlowe may have had a beer in: ‘Today, you can celebrate his poetic spirit with their gourmet chicken burger’.

Genius.

I love Today South London, Tomorrow South London and its rubbish title. I love these two scoundrels and their sidekicks who have made me want to find pubs I’ve not ventured in before and not just play safe on my own manor. I love how each little tale of ale comes to a close with a sketch of a pint glass gradually emptying, so was left high and dry when I saw an empty glass at the end.

Will Andrew and Vincent carry on into North London? Maybe not, but I hope they do.

Today South London, Tomorrow South London is out now on Amazon: £9.99 (paperback), £3.99 (Kindle)

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December 2018 5

Brixton Buzz

Gig guide

Mass Appeal at White Horse 94 Brixton Hill, Brixton, SW2 1QN, 9pm1am, Free A throng of agile DJs will be thrusting down a jiggery-motion making blend of Funk, Hip-Hop, R&B, Garage, House, D&B and Jungle till last orders.

Dispensary 325 Camberwell New Road, Camberwell, SE5 0TF, 8pm-1.30pm. Free Punters are implored to “pop on their party pants” and perambulate down to the Old Dispensary for a night of Reggae, Ska, R&B, Soul, Rock n’ Roll, Stax n’ Atlantic at this friendly, Camberwell boozer.

Sat 1st Dec, SW9

Fri 14th Dec, SW2

Sat 1st Dec, SW2

Trashmouth Records Party at The Windmill 22 Blenheim Gardens, Brixton, SW2 5BZ, 8pm, £5

Burlesque at Courtesan 69-73 Atlantic Road, Brixton, SW9 8PU, 10.30pm, Free

Thu

6th Brixton’s artistic speakeasy sees trained dancer and professional actress Demi Noir delivering her brand of adult humour with sass and style.

Sat 1st Dec, SE5

Open Mic at The Joiners Arms 35 Denmark Hill, Camberwell, SE5 8RS, 8pm, Free Test out your talent in this friendly old school boozer where aspiring comedians, musicians and poets are cordially invited to wow the crowds or die a thousand deaths onstage.

Sun 2nd Dec, SW2

Sunday Jam at the Hand In Hand 61 New Park Road, Streatham Hill, SW2 4LA, 8pm-1am, Free Hosted by fast-rising local musician Ese, this jam session sees talented local musicians and singers take to the stage in a laid back and friendly venue.

Recommended.

Kamaal Williams at Electric Brixton

Tues 4th Dec, SE5

Jazz Jam at The Junction 171 Coldharbour Lane, SE5 9PA, 8pm11pm, Free With an accomplished house band featuring bar manager Luke Fowler getting dextrous on the double bass, expect some top notch musicianship in an affordable, independent boozer.

Thurs 6th Dec, SE27

Brass Band Thurs at The Railway Tavern 7 Station Rise, Tulse Hill, SE27 9BW, 9pm-1am, Free If you love a good parp and a toot, the Railway showcases entertaining brass bands every Thursday.

Fri 7th Dec, SE27

Mambista Christmas Party at Portico Gallery 23A Knight’s Hill, West Norwood, SE27 0HS, 8pm-midnight, £10 The West Norwood gang will be partying hard with Yaaba Funk playing live and DJs doing DJ things in a Hi-Life Afrofunkthemed Xmas celebration.

Sat 8th Dec, SE27

One Too Many Xmas Party at Knowles of Norwood 294 Norwood Road, SE27 9AF, 9pm-2am, Free Housey beats and dance grooves at this free festive Norwood night out.

Sat 8th Dec, SW9

6 December 2018

Sat 15th Dec, SW9

Town Hall Parade, Brixton, SW2 1RJ, 7pm-11pm, £18

Kamaal Williams is the latest project led by prolific South London artist, Henry Wu. As the brainbox behind Yussef Kamaal, Wu released a landmark album for British jazz with 2016’s Black Focus. The collective continues the tradition of fusing jazz with the sound of urban London, ramping up the raw energy levels to near loin-busting.

La Rueda at Pop Brixton 49 Brixton Station Road, SW9 8PQ, 7pmmidnight, Free

Monday 3rd Dec, SE5

Folk Jam at The Old Dispensary 325 Camberwell New Road, SE5 0TF, 8pm-1am, Free This traditional Irish boozer is the perfect setting for a spirited weekly folk jam where anyone can join in with the band and sing, strum, rattle or parp to their heart’s content.

The rambunctious bunch at Trashmouth Records host a Yuletide multi-band bonanza headlined by Madonnatron (“like The Bangles on drugs”), plus Bat-Bike, Afghan Sand Band and Chupa Cabra, with Penny Metal on the ones and twos.

It’ll be messy but fun.

December

Madrid-based musical collective La Rueda bring the Afro-Colombian roots music to on-trend Pop, mixing’n’mashing Caribbean and African native instruments and rhythms with electronic beats. School Of Dance Talentosgroup provide the moves and DJs Cal Jader & Carlitos Niño spin the tunes.

Sat 8th Dec, SE15

Evergreen at Four Quarters 187 Rye Lane, Peckham, SE15 4TP, 9pm-4am, tbc With a spotlight on “female & femmes artists,” the Vix3ns Crew showcase new and upcoming electronica, techno and experimental DJs, producers and artists with the bill including EMA, @lla, light gal and Temple Rat.

Sat 8th Dec, SW9

Dancehall Wonderland at Prince of Wales 469 Brixton Rd, SW9 8HH, 8pm-4am, £12.50

A night of Reggae, Dancehall, Hip Hop, RnB, Afrobeats and Grime spread across the heated roof terrace and main room, headlined by Jamaican-born, Londonbased dancehall singer-songwriter Alicaì Harley.

Kylypso - as championed by BBC Radio 1’s tastemaker Huw Stephens - and melodic indie/folk outfit Bear Paw, who have been picking up rave reviews and primetime airplay.

Sun 9th Dec, SW2

Bec Willbans at Toulouse-Lautrec 140 Newington Butts, Kennington, SE11 4RN, 7.30pm-10.30pm, Free

No Frills Sunday Session at The Windmill 22 Blenheim Gardens, Brixton SW2 5BZ, 7pm, Free With the ale-slurping No Frills Band at the helm, this jaunty, round-the-table candlelit session invites musicians of all abilities to join in with new and traditional songs.

Thurs 13th Dec, SE11

Tues 11th Dec, SW9

The Thumping Tommies at Cable Bar & Cafe 8 Brixton Rd, Oval, SW9 6B, 9pm-11pm, Free Stomping bluegrass and roaring folk will be dispensed in generous quantities by this collection of musicians specialising in old-time Irish and American folk music performed with a distinctly English style.

Weds 12th Dec, SW2

MC Brother Culture at Upstairs at the Ritzy Brixton Oval, Brixton, SW2 1JG, 7pm, Free After a shaky time in foreign climes, MC Brother Culture returns to Brixton to team up with host DJ David Katz for a night of deep roots and contemporary reggae.

Thurs 13th Dec, SW9

Newschool Night at the Dogstar 389 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, SW9 8LQ, 8pm-11pm, Free An essential weekly gig for checking out up and coming bands, Newschool’s last show of 2018 features indie-psych outfit

Sat 15th Dec, SE11

Pink Suits at Duckie Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane, SE11 5HY, 9pm-2am, £6 Aggressive, gender-dabbling, political rock duo Pink Suits perform at this wonderfully offbeat mix of quirky cabaret, drag acts and classic pop.

Sat 15th Dec, SW16

Polar Bears Can Dance at Pratts & Payne 103 Streatham High Road, SW16 1HJ, 9pm-2am, Free DJs serve up soul, disco, funk and reggae in this retro chic bar stocked with lovely real ales.

Tues 11th Dec, SE1

Snow Rave at Ministry of Sound 103 Gaunt Street, Elephant & Castle, SE1 6DP, 10pm-4am, £7 Stuffed full of Christmas-themed tack, the Snow Rave rolls into town, with DJs spinning up a festive frenzy of Hip-Hop, Garage, Ho-Ho-House, Disco and more club classics than you can slip into your bulging sack.

Christmas Pasty at Cafe Cairo 88 Landor Road, Brixton, SW9 9PE, 6pm2am, £6 The deep hip-hop rhythms, bass synths and infectious horns of Rum Buffalo will be soundtracking Cafe Cairo’s Xmas party, with DJ Manafiesta getting jiggy on the turntables, scampering up a set of Electro-Cumbia, Balkan Beat, AfroDiaspora, Jungle and Ska-Punk.

Sat 15th Dec, SW9

London-born Bec has been described as a mixture between “Billie Holiday, Noel Coward and a half Chinese Lily Allen,” so there’s plenty of reasons to check her out her jazzy sounds at this free Kennington show.

Thurs, 13th Dec, SW9

Live Music at Brown Derby 336 Kennington Park Road, Oval SE11 4PP, 8pm, Free Unspecified ‘live jazz and blues artists’ bring the music to this unpretentious, retro-themed boozer right next to Oval tube station.

Offline Xmas Party at the Dogstar 389 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, SW9 8LQ, 10pm-3am, £5 Brixton’s famous Offline Club throws down a swaggering, sweaty, fun packed mix of festive fist-in-the air party bangers, rocking the floor with a no-holds barred celebration of dance monsters, cheeky pop thumpers, drum’n’bass floorshakers and booty-quivering anthems.

Sun 16th Dec, SW9

George FitzGerald at Phonox 418 Brixton Rd, Brixton, SW9 7AY, 4pm-4am, £22

Fri 14th Dec, SE15

Incognito Radio at The Bussey Building 133 Rye Lane, Peckham, SE15 4ST, 11pm-5am, £10 Incognito Radio host two international DJs at the CLF Art Cafe, with producer, live performer and DJ Emika rustling up the dubstep while Chicago’s DJ Skull turns up the house to eleven, with DJs Coe and Trixalade bringing up the rear.

Fri 14th Dec, SE5

Son Of A Gun Sounds at The Old

One of electronic dance music’s most preeminent figures, Berlin-dwelling George FitzGerald was brought up on a

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December 2018 7

diet of garage and dubstep, progressing from DJ to producer with a reputation for banging out techno-inspired club classics.

His 2015 debut album melded melodic, slow-burning electronica interspersed with melancholia, with his ‘All That Must Be’ follow up revealing a maturing and mellowing talent.

Tues 18th Dec, SW2

The Soothsayers at Effra Hall Tavern Kellett Road, Brixton, SW2, 9pm-11.30pm, Free

Brixton Buzz

Gig guide

Mon 31st Dec, SW16

Fri

Soul Club NYE at White Lion 234 Streatham High Road, SW16 1BB, 8pm-4am, £15 A veritable panoply of DJs will be on hand to smooth your transition from 2018 to 2019, with two rooms hosting vinyl fiends from Colourful Radio, London Soul Radio, Soul Brother Records, Streatham Soul Club and more.

14th December

Mon 31st Dec, SW2

Colossal Party Anthems NYE Party at Effra Social 89 Effra Road, Brixton, SW2 1DF, 9pm3am, Free It’s going to be the biggest free NYE party in town with Brixton Buzz DJs slamming down a night of arms-in-theair, genre-thrashing, decades-mashing party anthems. We’re talking Cyndi Lauper, Beyonce, Bon Jovi, A-Ha, Dolly, AC/DC, Oasis, Whitney, Rihanna, Queen, Bowie, Outkast and more, Expect balloons, confetti cannons, videos, dress up prizes and madness.

Get there early as this is a guaranteed sell out.

Glug down a Guinness in this old-school Brixton boozer and enjoy splendid original Afrobeat and reggae-influenced grooves from local legends, The Soothsayers. “One of the finest slices of Anglo Caribbean fusion since The Specials in their prime,” purred Uncut magazine.

Weds 19th Dec, SW9

Brixton Late Night Jam at Club 414 414 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, SW9 8LF, 10pm-3am, £3 A great place to listen to talented local musicians, and maybe step up on stage to take a turn, you can hear a stirring selection of jazz, and reggae till very late in a super friendly venue.

Thurs 20th Dec, SE17

Worldwide FM Xmas Party at Corsica Studios 5 Farrell Court, Elephant & Castle, SE17 1LB, 10pm-4am, £10 Worldwide FM join forces with Choose Love for a Xmas charity night. All profits from ticket sales go to Help Refugees, with the team of top notch DJs all playing for nuppence.

Mon 31st Dec, SE15

Amps&Decks NYE party at Canavan’s Peckham Pool Club 188 Rye Lane, Peckham, SE15 4NF, 10pm-5am, £11

Mrs Mills Party Night at the Effra Social 89 Effra Road, Brixton, SW2 1DF, 9pm-1am, Free

South London’s rowdy singalong tribute to the much-loved queen of the honky-tonk piano, the Mrs Mills Experience return to deliver an ale-spilling, Cinzano-clinking, dancefloor-filling selection of authentic, working class tunes delving into the music hall tradition up to more modern singalongs. The band proved a massive hit first time around, being featured on the BBC, headlining a Beautiful Days festival stage and supporting the mighty Chas and Dave on a seaside knees-up. One reviewer said: “Imagine 350 ravers going nuts for “roll out the barrel” and you’re halfway there - it’s unlike almost anything you’re likely to see... just a brilliant night.”

Sat 22nd Dec, SW16

IDMC Gospel Soul Choir at Hideaway 2 Empire Mews, Streatham, SW16 2BF, 9pm, £20

Sat 22nd Dec, SE27

The Massive Christmas Party at The Railway Tavern 7 Station Rise, Tulse Hill, SE27 9BW, 9pm-2am, Free Our favourite Tulse Hill boozer is going to be rammed for this monster Xmas party with Offline Club DJs banging out festive disco, dance and indie tunes while the legendary Mrs Mills Experience will be pounding out rowdy singalong pub favourites on the stage. Expect to leave with a silly hat on your head and a grin from ear to ear.

Sat 22nd Dec, SE24

Remembering Joe Strummer at Off The Cuff 301-303 Railton Road, Herne Hill, SE24 0JN, 7.30pm-midnight, £10 Local band 48 Thrills celebrate the life of the mighty Joe Strummer, playing songs from The Clash, the 101’ers and The Mescaleros. Loud and fast garageband Goon Squad support, plus Brigadé Junk, Comrade X and Axilya, with Ray Gange spinning the tunes.

Sat 22nd Dec, SW8

Green Rock River Party at The Cavendish Arms 128 Hartington Road, SW8 2HJ, 7.30pm11.30, £7 If you’re into banjos, trombones, fiddles, spoken word, poets and, err, ‘bants,’ you’ll be in the right place, with the Green Rock River Band and Unchained Poetry hosting their annual Christmas shindig at the Cavendish. Profits got to Working With Men Charity and the Red Box Project Lambeth.

8 December 2018

at The Half Moon, with prizes for the best dressed folks.

Dance off the mince pies with the Audiowhore Boxing Day Special at Fire with an almighty list of DJs including Tim Baresko, George Smeddles, Martin Ikin, Mirror Arch, Sammy Porter, Lightbox, Mark Radford and Pioneer b2b Supa D.

Weds 26th Dec, SW9

The IDMC Gospel Choir belt out a bill of Christmas carols, traditional and contemporary gospel songs and inspirational melodies.

Sat 22nd Dec, SW2

Funky House at Gremio de Brixton St. Matthew’s Church, Effra Road, Brixton, SW2 1JF, 9pm-2am, Free DJ Yvette Lindquist spins funky vocal house and Latin beats, accompanied by an unspecified sax player

Weds 26th Dec, SE1

Audiowhore Boxing Day at Fire Arch 39 - 43 Parry Street, Vauxhall SW8 1RT, 10pm-6am, £11

Dub Shotta at Jamm 261 Brixton Road, Brixton, SW9 6LH, 10pm-5am, £20 Benny Page’s critically-acclaimed Dub Shotta label unleashes a festive lardshaking bill of D’n’B, Ragga, Jungle and Dancehall titans at Jamm, with a monster bill including General Levy, Benny Page & Sweetie Irie and Ed Solo with the Ragga Twins & MC Sye hosting.

Thurs 27th Dec, SW2

Roots Rock Reggae at Hootananny 95 Effra Road, Brixton, SW2 1DF, 9pm2am, £3 Cecil Reuben rolls out another roots rock reggae special, with a Barry Melody Creation EP launch backed by the Thunderbird Band, plus DJs keeping t’ings moving all night.

Fri 28th Dec, SW16

Vinyl DJ at the Rebel Inn 78A Streatham High Road, London SW16 1BS, 9pm-midnight, Free We’re not sure if it’s a DJ made of vinyl or someone playing proper old-school 45s, but we like the boozer so it’s worth a Friday night punt.

Sat 29th Dec, SW4

Saturday Sessions at Gigalum 8 Cavendish Road, Clapham Common, SW4 9DW, 8pm-midnight, Free A night of deep house and commercial house delivered via Gigalum’s beefy Funktion One sound system with resident DJs banging out a half ton of classic tunes

till close.

Sat 29th Dec, SW9

Pre-Pre-NYE Dance Party at Market House 443 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, SW9 8LN, 10pm-3am, £5 There’s going to be another jam-packed night upstairs at the Market House as DJ Editor and Jizzy Rascal pump out their trademark genre-mashing selections of dance zingers and pop tunes.

South East London collective Amps&Decks - veterans of the UK Garage, House, Drum & Bass scene launch their residency at Canavan’s with a NYE bash rocking till 5am.

Sat 29th Dec, SW4

Mon 31st Dec, SW11

Northern Soul DJs at Bread & Roses 68 Clapham Manor Street, Clapham, SW4 6DZ, 9pm-12.30am, Free The Shakeup sprinkle the finest Rare & Northern Soul all over the dancefloor at this Trade Union owned boozer.

Sat 29th Dec, SE27

Festive Reggae at Book & Record Exchange 20 Norwood High St, SE27 9NR, 8pm1am, £3 DJs playing vinyl-only Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, Dub, and Dancehall at this fully licensed record shop. Platter selectors include Sherrine (Rootz Of Reggae), Ringo and DJ Low Battery.

Sun 30th Dec, SW9

Grass Roots Live Music at Club 414 414 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, SW9 8LF, 10pm-3am, Free/donations Expect a night of live uplifting Blues, Reggae and Ska in front of a busy, old school mixed Brixton crowd. It’s open till late and a big hit with locals.

Mon 31st Dec, SE24

Back To The 80s at The Half Moon 10 Half Moon Lane, Herne Hill, SE24 9HU, 6pm-2am, £10 Go fully retro with a night of 80’s music

Foreverland NYE party at Clapham Grand 21-25 St John’s Hill, Clapham, SW11 1TT, 9pm-4am, £30 The Grand is throwing everything but the kitchen sink into their NYE bash, transforming the Victorian theatre into enchanted forest populated by DJs, walkabout characters, mythical beast puppeteers, and inflatable creatures battling confetti cannons and lagered up lads.

Mon 31st Dec, SW9

Life’s A Movie - NYE at the Dogstar 389 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, SW9 8LQ, 10pm- 6am, £20 Dress up as a hollywood star for the Dogstar’s three-floor NYE special, with DJs spinning club club classics, pop bangers, bashment, Afrobeats, funky house and garage.

Mon 31st Dec, SE27

Swinging Sixties at the Railway Tavern 7 Station Rise, Tulse Hill, SE27 9BW, 8pm-3am, £20 This Swinging Sixties Hollywood House Party sees the gaff go full-on Austin Powers, with live turns from The South London Jazz Orchestra, Thidius, Septabeat plus guest DJs.

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December 2018 9

10 December 2018

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Arts

Horniman's merman off to New York for Harry Potter exhibition

T

he Horniman Museum’s famous Ningyo Merman is taking a trip to New York for the Harry Potter: A History of Magic exhibition this winter at the New York Historical Society Museum.

The exhibition celebrates the twentieth anniversary of Harry

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Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone being published in America and features centuries old objects and original drafts and drawings from J.K. Rowling’s personal collection.

In the exhibition, the merman is displayed with a manuscript from the British Library and a book from the American Museum of Natural History

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that both feature illustrations of mermaids and other mystical creatures.

The merman and manuscripts were chosen to be a part of the exhibition because the images and merman match the description of the mermaids featured in the Harry Potter films, which have grey skin and yellow eyes.

The merman is a popular item at the Horniman and has travelled domestically eight times since 2011; however, it has not been outside the country since 1982. The Horniman Museum has created a special mount designed to make transporting the merman easier.

The Harry Potter exhibition

was on display in the British Library and after its success, announced that it would go on tour to New York.

The Harry Potter exhibition will be on display in New York until 27 January 2019.

The Merman will be back in the Horniman in February 2019. www.horniman.ac.uk

December 2018 11

Theatre

The man behind Seussical the Musical

J

Mr Tobias now lives in Leighton Buzzard but those years constantly circling the globe has translated to constantly working, with two pantomimes in production this Christmas, The Amazing Adventures of Pinocchio next spring, for which he has written the book and lyrics, and his bucket list dream of directing Seussical the Musical happening very soon. But more of that later.

James’ initial attraction to the theatre was seeing the Mexican production of Grease.

“As a child I was obsessed with Grease,” he says with a nostalgic twinkle lighting up his eye as he remembers that first theatrical experience. “I was in awe of it all: the music, the actors, everything.

That’s when I knew theatre was what I wanted to do.”

With a grandmother who encouraged James to pursue his passion and a mother who wanted her son to have a “back-up plan”, he trod a fine line between the two women in his life. “Having been involved in the music industry, I think my mother knew the instability and challenges a career in the arts would bring.”

Upon arriving in the UK, however, James took drama at college and “became involved in as many

Photos: Adam Trigg

ames Tobias was born in Spain, spent some formative years as a child in Mexico, lived in several other countries, went to college in Eastbourne and university in Carlisle. I’m hoping that the family was on the run from incompetent baddies like those in Home Alone, because anything else to explain the continuous moving around would be far less exciting, writes Michael Holland...

amateur dramatic productions as I could, and found myself able to at last feed my obsession for the stage.”

James and his producing partner, Rochelle Parry, set up Immersion Theatre as a vehicle for their acting careers but over time his passion shifted from performing to directing

and producing. He explains: “The buzz was less from taking a bow and more from sitting in a theatre, watching an audience enjoy a show you’ve created, knowing that they’re all there because of you and the work you’ve put in. There’s no greater feeling.” After years of doing multiple jobs to keep the

company going Immersion became their full-time jobs, and a UK tour of Our House attracted three What’s On Stage nominations. The hard work put in eventually paid off, dreams

came true and James is confident that “as long as you put the work in, I truly believe you can achieve whatever you set your mind to.”

That belief and effort has led to him directing Seussical the Musical – a dream waiting to happen for 15 years. “I remember watching an amateur production in college and falling instantly in love. I adore everything about it – not least what it has to say and what it stands for. My passion is family theatre and this show is family theatre in the truest sense. It has been created for audiences of all ages and boasts one of the most electric scores I’ve come across, largerthan-life yet painfully relatable characters which will resonate with everyone in the audience and addresses a number of issues in a sensitive and intelligent way. I cannot stress enough, whether you’re a child, a parent, a young adult with no children…you will absolutely connect with this show and leave having had an amazing time and feeling inspired.” The love James Tobias has for this piece of work was unmistakable and I am now as excited as he is. I can’t wait to see what will definitely be one of the standout Christmas shows in London.

Seussical the Musical is on at the Southwark Playhouse (the Large), 77-85 Newington Causeway, SE1 6BD from Thursday 22 November – Saturday 29 December at 7:30pm (TuesdaySaturday) and 3pm (Saturday and Sunday). Admission: £25, £20 concession, £14 previews.

Phone: 020 7407 0234. southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

Louise is part actress, singer and puppeteer!

Actress, singer and renowned puppeteer, Louise Gold, first wanted to be a ballet dancer but, she tells me, “luckily my mother realised I would be much too tall at 5’ 9”, writes Michael Holland...

Louise has lived in and around London all her life and now lives back in East Sheen where she grew up. Her mother was an actress and at the age of 11 she went to the Arts Educational Stage School. “I never considered doing anything else but act,” she says.

But then something happened that took Louise’s acting career in “a whole different direction,” she recalls. “I got sent to an audition for The Muppet Show by my acting agent. They wanted someone

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tall, I got the job, they trained me and that was the beginning of my puppeteering career,” she says matter of fact. This led to working on several series of The Muppet Show, Muppet films, Sesame Street and on to become one of the founders of the legendary Spitting Image show. Modestly she doesn’t consider any of this a ‘big break’.

Conversely she claims “most of the

jobs I thought would be big breaks were disasters!”

To balance out being unseen by viewers as she brought various puppets to life, Louise has been a West End regular in some of the most famous musicals, and says she feels “incredibly blessed to be able to go between the two.”

And Ms Gold obviously loves the work that she does, even with the precariousness of never knowing what is on the horizon. “I never know what I will do next and that is part of the joy of what I do – It’s scary too. I don’t know any performer who doesn’t think that every job might be their last; I’ve just finished a long puppeteering job and I’m now back in the theatre; I am very, very lucky.”

Her work has also brought her

together with other stage icons.

She tells of a wonderful lesson learnt from Dame Judy Dench who directed her in a play in Regents Park. “She did whatever was necessary to make the show work, including helping paint the set!

What I learnt was that the most successful people are the ones who work the hardest!”

And hard work is something that Louise is more than willing to do because she is now rehearsing under the direction of Trevor Nunn for the Menier Chocolate Factory’s Fiddler On The Roof. “I am loving rehearsals, the thing I enjoy most about acting is trying to put yourself into other worlds and lives,” she says excitedly. “My father was Jewish and my grandparents came from Russia and Poland, so this

story has great resonance for me.”

Louise plays Yente the Matchmaker, “an essential part of the community,” she emphasises before her big finish. “Fiddler on the Roof is a wonderful show.

It is an absolute classic musical for very good reason. It’s funny, moving and truthful…This story of a community in a state of change really is for everyone, and it has beautiful music. What’s not to like?”

Nothing at all, and my tickets are booked.

Fiddler on the Roof is on at The Menier Chocolate Factory, 53 Southwark Street, SE1 1RU from 23 November- 9 March at 8pm (Tues-Sat) and 3:30pm on weekends. Admission: £45 – £57.50. Phone: 0207 378 1713.

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The Final

Countdown to Christmas

2018 Your guide to what’s on across south east London this festive season!

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December 2018 15

The Final

Countdown to Christmas

CANDLELIT CAROLS AT THE CATHEDRAL

2018

By Laura Burgoine

Sing your favourite festive songs in a setting with an unbeatable atmosphere. The Feed the Minds’ annual carol concert at Southwark Cathedral is a mix of classic singalong carols alongside beautiful performances by the renowned Quorum Chamber Choir, all in the majestic setting. Proceeds go to support the charity’s work helping people living in extreme poverty to get a new start at life. Every year the concert sells out with over 600 seats so don’t miss out and get your tickets early before they go.

Tuesday 11 December at 7:30pm. Admission: £10-£32 with a mulled wine and mince pie reception included. www.feedtheminds.org/get-involved/carol-concerts-2018/southwark/

LOWE-HO-HO What better Christmas gift than a night with Hollywood heartthrob Rob Lowe?

The chiselled actor is bringing his hit one-man show to the Southbank Centre, where he’ll share stories with the audience about his four decade career –from the Outsiders to his ‘80s Brat Pack days to the West Wing and Parks and Recreation. Drawing from his two best-selling memoirs, Rob promises no topics are off limits: Hollywood, fame, fatherhood and marriage.

Royal Festival Hall, on Saturday 1 December at 7:30pm.

Admission: £40-£180.

MAKE A WREATH AT THE FARM Due to popular demand, Vauxhall City Farm’s Christmas wreath-making course is back for a third year. People can make a wreath using natural foliage and a range of trimmings from orange slices and ribbons to cinnamon sticks, pine cones, berries and baubles. Whatever your style, let your imagination run wild and leave with a beautiful and unique festive wreath and the feel-good factor of knowing that all profits from the workshops go towards supporting the farm’s work for the local community.

Each workshop lasts two hours and includes a mince pie and refreshments whilst you perfect your masterpiece.

December 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16 at 165 Tyers Street, SE11 5HS. Admission: £19.95. www.vauxhallcityfarm.org

A VERY CHOCOLATEY CHRISTMAS Tantalise your tastebuds this Christmas at a family workshop at Brixton’s Chocolate Museum.

The whole family can learn to make sweets and truffles to take home from industry professionals. Guests will learn to temper chocolate, shape ganache and fudge and get creative with Christmas decorations.

All creations go home with you as a souvenir. The workshops start at 11 am and the exhibitions of the museum are open to you after the class.

The event is on December 27 and 28 and January 3 and 4. Tickets: £12. Eventbrite.co.uk For unique Christmas presents look no further: the Chocolate Museum is hosting a chocolate jewellery workshop.

Make chocolate earrings and necklaces with special guest artist Kriwo who will teach you how to use Jackson Pollock’s drizzling and dipping techniques.

More details about the event will be released on the website www.thechocolatemuseum.co.uk

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The Final

Countdown to Christmas

FESTIVE HAPPY FEET

2018

By Laura Burgoine

SEA LIFE London has hatched the perfect Christmas plan with Penguin’s First Christmas. Following the birth of its Gentoo penguin chick earlier this year, the south bank attraction is inviting guests to celebrate Christmas with the aquarium’s residents as they prepare to give the chick a first Christmas to remember.

Guests in search of snow and seasonal fun will have the chance to help a group of elves find the missing gifts for the feathered fledgling which have been lost inside the attraction. As well as tracking down the presents, guests can waddle over to Penguin Point for a fun festive show.

There will also be the chance to learn all about the infant chick with themed talks, whilst weekend guests can warm up their vocal chords ahead of the big day with themed Christmas carols.

Alongside the seasonal activities, guests can also enjoy everything else SEA LIFE London has to offer, including the creepy crawlies of the new Rainforest Adventure, Ocean Invaders: Enter the World of Jellyfish, the Ocean Tunnel and Shark Walk.

The Penguin’s First Christmas show and activities run from 17 December- 31 December. Tickets: www.visitsealife.com/

Santa lands in Shrek’s swamp Get ready for a festive misadventure this Christmas at Shrek’s Adventure! Visit the magical Grotto in Far Far Away where Santa has landed his sleigh Boulders are being swapped for baubles and mud pies for mince pies as a magical Grotto is set to open with a special visitor this Christmas at Shrek’s Adventure!

Step through the doorway to Far Far away and get ready for a wonderful journey through the swamp where Santa Claus has landed his sleigh.

All young misadventurers who visit the Grotto will receive a shrektacular gift and photo opportunity with Santa himself.

Your adventure begins as you board a magical 4D flying bus to Far Far Away, with the loveable, yet mischievous Donkey.

Journey through Shrek’s Swamp, then down Drury Lane and even

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pop by the Muffin Man’s house, as you become part of an incredible interactive escapade featuring some of your favourite characters including Puss in Boots, Rumpelstiltskin and Pinocchio. Calamity, chaos and endless fun are the name of the game so strap in for a brilliantly bonkers and immersive walkthrough experience, which the whole family can enjoy.

The Grotto is open on Saturday 24th November, Sunday 25th November, Saturday 1st December, Sunday 2nd December, Saturday 8th December, Sunday 9th December, Saturday 15th December, Sunday 16th December then every day from 17December until Sunday 24 December For more information and to book your tickets early for £5 per child visit: www.shreksadventure. com/london/

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December 2018 19

Advertorial

Life. Catch them all from

Elephant’s newest cinema

Moving Pictures Cinema is the newest Cinema located between Elephant & Castle and Borough, within the Mercato Metropolitano.

Founded by two filmmakers, Moving Pictures Cinema offers a unique cinema experience.

Showing all the latest movie releases, in our new state of the art cinema, experience “Big Screen” and “Big Sound” entertainment in a truly unique setting. We are proud to say we have the largest screen in London for an independent cinema. Come and enjoy a drink in our new bar and lounge, with a range of cocktails, wines, beers and food.

We are more than just a cinema. Showcasing the newest film releases, blockbusters, family films, weekly kids’ club, comedy nights, classic movies, independent and much more.

Come and see the brand new Fantastic Beasts movie, The Crimes of Grindelwald. Disney’s new The Nutcracker and Mary Poppins, and the highly anticipated Bohemian Rhapsody and A Star is Born and a range

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of family/kids’ films such as The Grinch.

Snuggle up in our cosy cinema with a hot chocolate and nibbles for our Christmas Movie nights... our range of classic Christmas films includes; The Nightmare before Christmas, Home Alone, Love Actually, Disney’s Christmas Carol, Elf, Miracle on 34th Street, The Holiday and It’s a Wonderful

the 10th of December.

Come and enjoy an evening out with us! Dinner and Movie.

Visit us at Mercato Metropolitano, a vibrant space where everyone shares the same passion for food and social relationships, Mercato is the London’s first sustainable community market with Italian soul.

Moving Pictures Cinema is also in partnership with The Film Media Network. We will be running masterclasses and courses, on all aspects of film making. These courses range from Producing, Directing, Writing to Acting classes. It is a space for creative inspiration, education, learning and exploring. We look forward to seeing you there.

You can sign up here: www.thefilmmedianetwork.com Join Our mailing list for a full list of weekly movie listings and events.

BOOK TICKETS ONLINE: www.movingpicturescinema.co.uk Tel. 0203 383 0380 Visit us @ Mercato Metropolitano, 42 Newington Causeway, SE1 6DR

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Gifts for her, him & the kids

Sexy Lips, Charlotte Tilbury, £24 www.charlottetilbury.com

Creme de Corps Gold, Kiehl’s, £37 www.kiehls.co.uk

Illuminating Sculpting Powder, Clarins, £31 www.clarins.com

Skin Caviar Essence-In-Foundation, La Prairie, £148 www.harrods.com

Lavish Luxuries, Sanctuary Spa, £20 www.sanctuary.com

Seventh Heaven, thisworks, £15 www.thisworks.com

Ultimate Dreamy Sleep Collection, NEOM, £100 www.neomorganics.com

Superfood Super Skin Gift Set, Elemis, £65 www.elemis.com

Once Upon A Star, RMG, Royal Museums Greenwich Shop, £11 www.shop.rmg.co.uk

Star Embellished Skater Dress by Oasis with Royal Observatory Greenwich, £60 www.shop.rmg.co.uk

Chrome Moondial Pocket Watch, Royal Museums Greenwich Shop, £125 www.shop.rmg.co.uk

Toy submarine, Royal Museums Greenwich Shop, £14 www.shop.rmg.co.uk

Adventurous Experiences Bath And Shower Gift Set, Molton Brown, £55 www.moltonbrown.co.uk

Lip balm, Paul & Joe, £14 www.feelunique.com

Patrón Silver Limited Edition Heritage Tin, Harvey Nichols, £54 www.harveynichols.com

White Moss & Snowdrop Deluxe Candle, Jo Malone, £126 www.jomalone.com

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Silent night Fantastic products that work while you sleep

Elemis Pro-Collagen Overnight Matrix, Elemis £145 www.elemis.com

La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream Remastered,

Emulsion All Nighter, Emulsion, £22 www.emulsion.co.uk Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate Kiehl’s, £38 www.kiehls.co.uk

Clarins Extra-Firming Night Cream, Clarins, £62 www.clarins.com

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Night Cream, Charlotte Tilbury, £100 www.charlottetilbury.com

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Theatre & Pantos

A Pair of Pantos takes a fresh look at identity

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his Christmas there’s a new kind of panto in town, one that represents and embraces Trans, non-binary and queer identity. Writer and director Hester Chillingworth created A Pair of Pantos after seeing a gap in the market, writes Laura Burgoine...

“I’ve been to see a few pantos recently and I was really struck –not in a good way- by how old school they are,” Hester told the Weekender. “The main gag is the panto dame, which is the idea that a man in a dress is inherently funny.”

“What gave me the drive to want to create an alternative is I’m aware of how many families are in the audience and Christmas is the time of year they’re most likely to see theatre. So if they’re going and that’s all they’re seeing, it’s a real shame. It’s also problematic that pantos are often transphobic and racist and framed in this celebratory holiday guide.

I wanted to put a different offer out there. I thought if I was

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taking some kids to a panto, what would I want to see?”

This production is made up of two pantomimes. “The different characters think they’re in opposing pantomimes: Dick Whittington and Jack in the Beanstalk,” Hester said. “A lot of queer pantomimes are aimed at adults but the important thing is this is a family show.”

The title came from the idea that “if you’re gender non-conforming, how much underwear is a problem,” Hester said.

There’s four performers, including Hester, and a couple of people behind the scenes.

“It’s a pocket-sized panto. All the performers do multiple things,” the writer/director said.

The performer comes from a theatre background and -ten years ago- moved into live art and experimental theatre.

“I came up via theatre and I’ve always had that love for acting and the artefact of play or show. I like to break it open and shake it around a bit but whatever I do it will always be in celebration of theatre.”

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A Pair of Pantos is commissioned by Malborough Theatre in Brighton, whose mission is to make and support queer and Trans work. “Coming from that frame is really helpful

and I think there is a bit of an appetite for an alternative Christmas offer,” Hester said.

A Pair of Pantos is at Canada Water Theatre, 21 Surrey Quays Road, SE16 7AR, on Friday 21

December at 7pm and Saturday 22 December at 1:30pm and 7pm. Tickets: £12/£8 concession / £34 family ticket. www.thealbany.org.uk

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Theatre & Pantos

Callow and Dickens reunited for Christmas

S

imon Callow, Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol are the holy trinity of the theatre world at this time of year. After sell-out seasons in 2011, 2012 and 2016 the traditional Christmas staple of Charles Dickens’ much loved novel returns to the West End stage starring Simon Callow in this critically acclaimed adaptation that Dickens made for his own public performances, writes Michael Holland...

Simon Callow together with director and designer Tom Cairns, has conjured up a moving, funny and fast-paced one-man theatrical spectacular that is both intensely dramatic and profoundly heart-warming.

Dickens takes us on a man’s astonishing journey through his past, his present and (terrifyingly) his future, led by his three ghostly guides. Will Ebenezer Scrooge, tight-fisted, cruel

A Christmas comedy

and bitter, finally re-join the human race and learn to embrace the true generous and humble spirit of Christmas?

From the miser’s dank and creaking house filled with shadows to cosy hearths, from stark graveyards to joyful festivities, this treasured story offers a celebration of goodness, a plea for justice and the promise of redemption.

National treasure Simon Callow is stepping back into Charles Dickens’ shoes following previous performances as the author in the stage productions The Mystery of Charles Dickens at the Playhouse Theatre, Dr Marigold & Mr Chops at Riverside Studios, the film Hans Christian Andersen: My Life as a Fairytale, on television in the BBC’s An Audience with Charles Dickens, and Doctor Who in 2005 and 2011. Callow has even written two books about his hero, Dickens’ Christmas in 2003 and Charles Dickens and the Great Theatre of the World in 2012.

The enduring popularity of A Christmas Carol, both as a novel and on stage, is testament to a story that transcends over centuries and it has never been out of print. Within two months of its original publication in 1843, eight stage productions were known to have been mounted, and Dickens himself chose the story to perform not only at his first public reading in 1853 but also at his farewell performance in 1869.

A Christmas Carol is on at the Arts Theatre, 6-7 Great Newport Street, London, WC2H 7JB fromDecember 8-January 12 at 3:30pm and 7:30pm (Tuesday-Sunday). Admission: £20£56.50. Phone: 020 7836 8463. www.artstheatrewestend.co.uk

The night before

Pasek and Paul’s A Christmas Story, the Musical receives its European Premier at Waterloo East Theatre this Christmas.

The song-writing team behind smash-hit Tony Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen and Academy Award-winning films La La Land and The Greatest Showman are bringing the ‘80s holiday movie to life on stage.

Set in the 1940s in the fictional town of Hohman, Indiana, the story follows young Ralphie Parker as he schemes

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his way toward the Christmas gift of his dreams, an official Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200Shot Range Model Air Rifle.

With a delightful versatile score ranging from gentle ballads to show-stopping numbers A Christmas Story is a musical for the whole family.

November 28-December 23 at Waterloo East Theatre, Brad Street, SE1 8TN. Admission: £23/£20 concession/£55 family.

Phone: 0207 928 0060. www.waterlooeast.co.uk

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It’s Christmas Eve. Gary’s not feeling the Christmas spirit. He’s promised his son some Power Ranger figures but he hasn’t quite found the time to deliver them, and now his ex-wife is on the attack. And that’s not even the worst of it. Some tiny idiot has broken into his warehouse and Gary is pretty sure this isn’t just a festive coincidence.

With no-one else but his grouchy pal Simon to help him decide what to do, could Christmas be cancelled forever?

This is an un-merry extravaganza jam-packed with drugs, debauchery and dirty jokes, all rolled in glitter. A brilliantly dark mash up of South Park and Miracle on 34th Street by way of Scrooged, Gary’s story unfolds as he grapples with a big (or actually quite little) secret that may well save him and, more importantly, Christmas itself.

November 28-December 29 at 8pm (3:30pm matinees) at Southwark Playhouse, 77-85 Newington Causeway, SE1 6BD. Admission: £20/£16 concessions/ £12 previews. Phone: 020 7407 0234. southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

Photo: Martyn Andrews

Anthony Neilson’s anarchic, anti-festive black comedy the Night Before Christmas is being revived for the first time by director Alex Sutton with an all-star cast at Southwark Playhouse.

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Theatre & Pantos

Old school circus the modern way D

avid Williamson is a giant in all that he does. He waves away the numerous awards received for his magic skills in a dismissive “if you hang around long enough they feel they have to give you something.” But I don’t believe that. This man has worked with the best because he deserves to; he is the complete showman and that will be evident when he comes to town as the Ring Master in Circus 1903, writes Michael Holland...

I wanted to know what happens in life to make someone become a magician, and found that all the signs were there. David comes from a small town called Xenia in Ohio and as a 7-year-old in Mrs Moore’s class he read a book about Harry Houdini that taught a coin trick which he performed to his classmates. “Mrs Moore pointed at me and said, “David, maybe someday you’ll be a magician,” and that neural pathway was then burnt into my brain.” A travelling magician visited the school soon after and Mrs Moore asked if their “little magician” could help carry the

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props. The following Christmas, David got a magic set from Santa and he was hooked. “I had a pack of cards under my desk in class and used to practise all day, every day,” remembers the man who has performed alongside the greatest conjurors. “I had to make sure I didn’t shuffle them too loudly, or drop them all,” he laughs. Aged 10 he told his mother, “I’m going to be a professional magician,” and by 13 he was going to festivals and conventions on his own. It was during these formative years that he met the ‘masters of magic’ who were very generous with their advice and guidance. “They could see I was keen,” he recalls vividly. “They could see my passion.” He now pays that help forward when young magicians approach him at conventions.

A succession of school talent shows was followed by a job with a troupe of belly dancers that eased the young David into the world of show business. He says, “I was dressed as a genie, and while the belly dancers did their thing on stage I would go around the tables doing tricks to the drunks.”

Magic and trickery has been around for all time and with so

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many young performers coming up its future is guaranteed, but there must be a tremendous pressure to keep up with the game. David and others of his generation see new magicians on the internet displaying a great deal of knowledge and expertise, but he tells me that there is no real rivalry and that knowledge and ideas are shared amongst them all. David himself is always inventing new tricks, some of which can be seen in his current show, Circus 1903.

Circus 1903 looks like it will be quite magical with puppetry from the award-winning team behind War Horse and those who produced The Illusionists, the world’s biggest magic show, alongside a huge cast of the most unique, amazing and dangerous circus acts. From acrobats to contortionists, jugglers to trapeze, high wire performers and much more, this show should amaze, captivate, and transport audiences of all ages back to a Golden Age of circus.

David Williamson was part of the Illusionists when the show toured, and one of the producers told him that he was thinking about creating “a retro circus show with life-size elephant puppets and all

the talent out front and centre.”

“I thought he was mad,” reveals David, “just a modern day Barnum talking up a big game with no way he could pull it off.

And sure enough, two years later I got the call asking if I’d like to be the Ring Master. ‘Our elephants are ready and the circus is coming to town,’ he said, and I jumped straight on board.”

Circus 1903 has now toured Australia, the US, Singapore and had a six month residency in Las Vegas. Next stop is London where it will certainly brighten up many people’s Christmases.

The Ring Master reveals that the show has tried to recreate what circus was like in the early part of the 20th century and tells of the Russian Cradle act, and the 6th generation of Italian acrobats still doing what their forefathers did. He piques my interest with inside info on those from Cirque du Soleil and how these are “hardcore circus acts who with each generation take the act further artistically and physically and now do it at a much higher level.”

At the end of our talk I gave this wonderful man the last word. “Our show is a theatrical circus and families may not be prepared for

the emotional experience of it all because we tell the whole story of a circus coming to town… The first half you see us getting the big top ready and rehearsing and caring for the elephants, with little vignettes that give back stories to the performers, and you add this to the music and lights and it is a real theatrical experience, so people get really caught up in it. In the second half we do the circus with sideshow segments…

It is thrilling, exciting, hilarious, a little scary, sweet, it’s touching, heartwarming, and people leave the theatre buoyant.” He took a breath. “And what I’ve seen in the audiences,” he started up again, “is three generations of families all sitting together, enjoying the same thing, which is rare these days as most families are spread between different rooms looking at screens on their own. No Marvel movie will capture people flying through the air in front of you like in this show. This is old school done the modern way.”

Circus 1903 is on at the Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX from 19 December – 5 January at 7.30pm, 11am and 3pm matinees. Admission: £25 – £99.50. Phone: 0203 879 9555.

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Dashing through the snow The most wonderful time of the year is almost upon us, so kick off Christmas at a canter with the London Santa Dash!

Open to all, you can run, jog, walk or wheel around the 5km or 10km Clapham Common fun run route and then celebrate all things Christmas in the post-race village with brass band and mince pies aplenty.

Registration fee includes a Santa suit and finisher’s medal and covers the cost of hosting the event. There’s no official fundraising target but organisers ask all participants to try to raise a minimum of £100, which goes towards the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity’s work.

Sunday 9 December from 10am-2pm (race starts at 11am). Adults: £20, children: £12, infants (four and under): free. www.gosh.org

SOUTHBANK IMP Catch the UK premiere of this retelling of beloved family fairy tale Rumplestiltskin, reimagined with lashings of magical mayhem, rocking music and supreme silliness. In this groundbreaking theatrical spectacle, audiences can wonder at the visually stunning costumes, hyper-modern set and larger-than-life characters.

Underneath the lavish exterior lies a vital lesson on the price of greed and revenge, and how love triumphs over hate. The mercurial Australian singer and cabaret legend Paul Capsis stars as a shape-shifting imp whose thirst for vengeance may well undo him.

He joins the team behind the award-winning Pinocchio.

December 13-January 6 at Queen Elizabeth Hall. £20-£40. www.southbankcentre.co.uk

upwards. Previews begin on November 27. Admission: £12£67.50. www.oldvictheatre.com/

GIANT STEP FOR MANKIND This festive season, step into a theatrical world where giants are your neighbours and a once beautiful garden is stuck in everlasting winter.

Explore an extraordinary friendship, and how even the grumpiest giant’s heart can melt when spring finally comes.

Following last year’s Offie award-winning Christmas show, Omnibus Theatre presents an enchanting new adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s celebrated short story The Selfish Giant. In a heart-warming reimagining, the play combines captivating storytelling with spellbinding puppetry, original music and a sprinkling of festive magic.

WHAT THE DICKENS

GIANT FIND

Matthew Warchus’ smash hit production of Charles Dickens’ timeless classic A Christmas Carol is returning to the Old Vic for an encore run. Music, merriment, mince pies, and the ghosts of Christmas past combine in this magical show.

Recommended for ages 8 and

Grinter is a giant. She lives happily alone in her huge cold house, surrounded by her huge snowy gardens, enclosed by her high, frost-covered walls. She shuts out the world, because long ago, the world shut her out, and so she hides, safe and quiet in her peaceful, icy home.

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Outside the towering walls of her enormous garden, the world has been changing and there is very little green left. One day, the children – tired of playing on hard roads and grey rooftops – find a gap in the giant’s wall and climb through, changing the course of the children’s and Grinter’s lives forever. For schools and larger group bookings please contact Ellen Wilson on practitioner@ omnibus-clapham.org The Selfish Giant is at Omnibus, 1 Clapham Common North Side, SW4 0QW from November 28-December 24. 11am and 2pm

weekends, 10:30am and 1:30pm weekdays. Admission £10 adults, £8 concessions. www.omnibus-clapham.org

BUMPER CARS ON ICE! Bumper cars just got cooler.

People can get on the ice at Castle Square this Christmas with ice-skating and London’s only bumper cars on ice. The Elephant and Castle ice-skating experience also has street food and live DJs. There’s a whole host of exciting

events, including festive film screenings and themed skate nights.

Bookings are taken separately for ice skating and bumper cars, and the rink is available from the end of November right up until January, so visitors can unwind after Christmas enjoying some last family time before the children head back to school after the holidays.

29 November – 6 January, Castle Square, 40 Elephant Rd, London SE17 1AY. Book your tickets now: www.elephantandcastle.org/uk/ icerink

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The Final

Countdown to Christmas

2018

By Laura Burgoine

There are plenty of spots to meet Santa this Christmas.

Here’s out guide of where to go to find a grotto, writes Hannah Kanik...

Greenwich Market

Where: 11 Durnford Street, Greenwich Market When: Every weekend in December Price: £5 per child In the spirit of Christmas, give back to the community this holiday season. Greenwich Market is donating all proceeds to the Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice. Guests will walk through the historic Greenwich Market to find Santa’s Grotto with elves guiding you through the grotto and arts and crafts before meeting Father Christmas himself.

Tickets: www.communityhospice.org.uk/

Dulwich Park Where: Dulwich Park When: December 1- 24 on select days Price: £22.50 per child The Whippersnapper Winter Wonderland Experience is offering an hour long Christmas adventure with treats and sweets, face painting and gingerbread

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decorations. Kids can drink hot chocolate and eat mince pies, and adults can enjoy mulled wine, while they await their meeting with Santa.

City Cruises

Where: River Thames, from Tower Pier When: December 1- 16 Price: £16 for kids, £28 for adults For something a bit different this winter, check out Santa’s river cruise. Set sail down the Thames with Santa for an afternoon of storytelling, hot chocolate and presents. There will be soft drinks and cookies for kids and mulled wine and mince pies for adults. There’s also a café bar for additional refreshments.

Tickets: www.citycruises.com/

Southbank Shrek’s Adventure

Where: Shrek’s Adventure, Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7PB When: November 24–December 24 Price: £7.50 Santa and Shrek collide head on at Shrek’s Adventure on the south bank. Perfect for a fun day out during the festive season,

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the whole family can explore the wonder of Pixar and make their way through the fairy tale themed shows. Guests will meet Shrek and other fairy tale favourites before making their way to Father Christmas. There, kids get to sit on Santa’s lap and all children receive a present.

Tickets: https://southbanklondon. com/Shreks-Adventure-Grotto.

Take a break from Christmas shopping at the Broadway Shopping Centre and pop into Santa’s Grotto.

There will be queue entertainment and a special gift for each child.

Tickets: www.communityhospice. org.uk/

Museum of London

Ruxley Manor

Where: 150 London Wall, London EC2Y 5HN When: 1 December to 23 December Price: From £10 per child The Museum of London offers the traditional Christmas experience against the backdrop of a Victorian village and festive decorations. Kids can walk down the historic, decorated roads to find Santa and receive a special gift and souvenir photo.

Tickets: www.museumoflondon.org.uk/

Bexleyheath Christmas Grotto

Where: Broadway Shopping Centre Bexleyheath When: 17 November to 24 December Price: £5 per child

When: 19 November – 12 December Where: Ruxley Manor Price: from £10 Spend 45 minutes enjoying the magic of Christmas at Ruxley Manor. Guests will be led by elves and mother Christmas to play the ‘coconut shy game’ in the grotto entrance. Then, there will be arts and crafts that guests can bring home, such as magical reindeer food to sprinkle on your lawn on Christmas Eve and an elf hat. Then, guests will be led to meet Father Christmas. They are offering special sessions for children under two called My First Grotto, as well as reduced capacity time slots for those with special needs.

Tickets (maximum of two adults per child): www.ruxley-manor.co.uk

Brixton Windmill Where: Windmill Gardens off Brixton Hill SW2 5EU When: 16 December from 2pm5pm Price: suggested donation of £3 per child Wander into a winter themed windmill and meet Santa and his reindeer at the Brixton Windmill.

The Windmill gardens will be full of fun activities like making Christmas decorations and colourful Christmas wreaths.

There will be a face painter there and festive refreshments.

Join in in carol singing and browse the stands for last minute Christmas presents. You can even meet Santa’s reindeer in the garden.

Tickets: www.brixtonwindmill.org/

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Food & Drink Blues Kitch en

40 Acre Lan e SW2 5SP Phone: 020 7 274 0591 www.bluesk itchen.com

Story of the Blues Way down yonder in New Orleans is where I thought I was for most of the night in the Blues Kitchen eating gumbo, cornbread, pumpkin pie and everything else that was on Elvis Presley’s last supper wish list, writes Michael Holland...

Myself and Janet were there to celebrate Thanksgiving in this American diner, without a clue what Thanksgiving was or how we should be celebrating it. Fortunately for us there was a fixed menu with a fixed price, so we didn’t have to trouble ourselves too much other than to say to a wonderful procession of cheerful serving staff, ‘bring it on! And bring it on they did.

Who knew that gumbo was a delicious stew of tender meat in gravy, with okra and rice involved, or that the cornbread that we’ve heard Americans talk about in films for years is just like the cake they used to hand out for school dinners.

However, in the Blues Kitchen they liven the cornbread up with a little jalapeño, which I thought was a stroke of genius. It was that small addition that exposed

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Janet as someone who can’t handle a little bit of chili. Through weeping eyes she asked the waiter ‘Can I have the recipe, please, but without the hot stuff included…!’

We were both impressed with that opening number. And equally impressed with our wines. I opted for a nice, fullbodied Malbec, while my dining companion had a Sauvignon Blanc.

Next a large sharing platter of food appeared between us.

Wow! That was a lot of food.

And a lot of it was unknown to our English eyes but with the menu and our taste buds we eventually worked out what it was we were eating. The deepfried turkey was nice and juicy, the mac and cheese seemed out of place, the stuffing worked, as did the cranberry jelly, but the crispy onions were not something we thought we would order again. Too crispy and not oniony enough. But we both thought the green bean dish was exceptionally nice. Overall, this was a night for friends to gather round tables full of food and drink to catch up and give thanks to being young and in

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Brixton. And that is a winning combination because the Blues Kitchen was full of young people having a good time. What’s not to like?

Another glass of wine each was called on, a few more Blues and R&B tracks played out, and two Pumpkin Pies landed, loaded up with mini marshmallows. This was the food of the American heartland rather than the east and west coasts where they count the calories of air. This was traditional food. I don’t know how close it was to that first dinner of Thanksgiving when the Pilgrims sat round a table and felt good about their new life but it was good enough for us.

I had some of that lovely turkey boxed up for a carry out, so I can once more give thanks to turkey and the Blues, and think of that Mayflower crew who, like Janet and myself, came from Rotherhithe.

Food (1-5) 0 0 0 0 Ambience (1-5) 0 0 0 0 0 Value (1-5) 0 0 0 0 Disabled access YES Disabled toilet YES Booking no

Beer and sausage - The great Bavarian breakfast comes to the Elephant

German Kraft are starting weekends off on the right foot by introducing the Bavarian Breakfast at Mercato Metropolitano.

A weekend only beerbased start to the day, the Bavarian Breakfast is a fully ‘balanced’ meal designed to get Saturdays and Sundays off to a great start. The Breakfast includes two sausages, a traditional handmade pretzel and a pint of delicious wheat beer to wash it all down.

Weiss, or wheat beer, is traditionally drunk at breakfast time in Bavaria along with deliciously simple sausages and bread. Sipping on the vitamin-rich amber liquid is the perfect start to the day, according to Felix Bollen of German Kraft.

“Our Kraft Beer is high in vitamins and uses the purest water,” said Felix.

“Available every weekend at our Mercato Metropolitano it’s a relatively new concept for London – but a very familiar one back home in Bavaria.”

That doesn’t mean that breakfast just brings forward the beginning of the journey that ends with a hangover.

“We really don’t expect anyone to treat breakfast as the start of a long beer session,” explains Felix. “We think locals will relish the prospect of a hand-made breakfast at a good price and then go back to their normal weekend routines.”

German Kraft is pioneering the way in which beer is brewed in London by fusing traditional 400-year old recipes together with a modern water-distillation process to purify water before beer is brewed, which is sustainably powered through waste heat from the brewing process. After the water has been distilled various minerals are added to the water to customise the perfect brewing water for each beer type.

The Bavarian Breakfast costs £10 and includes two sausages, a pretzel and a pint of beer and is available from when the market opens at 11am.

The German Kraft brewery is located at Mercato Metropolitano at 42 Newington Causeway, Elephant & Castle, SE1 6DR. https://germankraftbeer.com

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7 Ways to Wellbeing #1 Be Active!

Do you, or someone you care about, wish to be more active, so as to improve your health and wellbeing? We can help - with general exercise programmes, a specialist gym equipped for people with disabilities and with social activities.

Aspire Wellbeing offers adults with short or long term physical disabilities, and individuals with learning disabilities, services and opportunities to improve your overall quality of life, and to gain and regain the skills and abilities that will enable you to live as full and healthy a life as possible.

To discuss how we can support you towards greater wellbeing, please call us on 020 8265 1125 or email health@aspirewellbeing.org

Aspire Wellbeing 1 Park Hall Road, West Dulwich, London SE21 8EH.

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December 2018 37

Advertorial

Give your child the best start at Oak Tree Day Nursery, Streatham Hill

Oak Tree Day Nursery Streatham Hill, aims to provide each child the opportunity to achieve their potential in a safe and stimulating environment.

T

he nursery follows the EYFS curriculum and have state-of-the art ICT equipment with touch screen and educational programmes for the children’s use. The nursery also offers extra curricular activities such as French, Music and Movement and Fun sports at no extra cost.

The nursery has a sensory room and a large garden, which offers the children plenty of opportunity for exploration, play and learning. The garden is divided into two sections; one with an impact resistant surface with adventure playground equipment and the other, a natural surface with bark where there are pots for planting vegetables and fruits and also a mud kitchen. The children enjoy outings to places such as the local library, fruit & vegetable stalls, parks, farms and Polka Theatre.

“Children feel secure and settled in this homely nursery. Specialist teachers in French and music visit the children regularly to teach language and music; this enriches children’s learning.” Comments by Ofsted For more information, please contact the nursery on 02086744844 or email enquiries@oaktreedaynursery.com.

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Promote your service in by far the highest circulation of 50,000 newspapers across Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark and Lambeth + ONLINE to over 50,000 unique visitors each week.

Prices start from just ÂŁ25. Call Clarry on 020 7232 1639 or email: clarry@weekender.co.uk All ads run in two weekly papers and online la u n derette

CL I N IC AL T RIAL

family me d iatio n

pr o perty

Promote your service in by far the highest circulation of 50,000 newspapers across Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark and Lambeth + ONLINE to over 50,000 unique visitors each week.

Prices start from just ÂŁ25. Call Clarry on 020 7232 1639 or email: clarry@weekender.co.uk news@weekender.co.uk /

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February 2018 3

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