Welcome to issue 140 of Wharf Life. This paper is a grand smorgasbord of places to go and things to see, whether its the potent avours of Pittagoras, the sublime terrace at Boisdale Of Canary Wharf or a selection of summer festivals, shows and happenings to get your diaries racing. Make those dates
Canada Square Canary Wharf
FILM | Ghostbusters (2016)
Wharf Where?
Settle in with the all-female reboot of the franchise that sees a group of women scientists team up to battle troublesome shades and tricky spirits. Jun 20, 5pm, free, canarywharf.com
as he brings the great gothic works of Edgar Allan Poe to life using the original 1840s texts as a starting point. Jul 21, 6.30pm, free, canarywharf.com
Check it out bigmammagroup.com
Scan this code to read our interview with Big Mamma Group’s Enrico Pireddu and nd out more about it
Ensemble Festival is set to return to Royal Docks with a rich programme of free performances running across July 26-27, all curated by locally based arts organisation Certain Blacks
Modulus Quarter prepare to play a gig at Theatreship Seeking shared ownership? Consider a home in Kidbrooke
13
on the radar
need to know
Hotel Chocolat is expanding its footprint in Canary Wharf with a new location in Jubilee Place. Opening June 29, its Velvetiser Café will serve up hot chocolate in 18 di erent variations with seating for up to eight guests. Choccies will also be available hotelchocolat.com
25
Just how nice is Liz Guterbock and why is she telling everyone?
We don’t know exactly when yet, but 8 Harbord Square is set to get another new spot. Ong Lai Kopitam, born of the Eat Lah Malaysian street food business is gearing up to open its doors over the summer. We’ll keep you posted on further details as they emerge onglaikopitiam.co.uk
26
Here comes the London Craft Beer Festival, newly minted at Greenwich Peninsula’s Magazine event venue. Turn the pages to get the inside track with We Are Beer’s Greg Wells...
TRIED + TESTED
Tomato, Mozzarella, Pesto Focaccia
Signorelli
signorelli.co.uk
I just knew this would happen. My regular route into Canary Wharf takes me through Union Square in Wood Wharf and, since Italian bakery Signorelli opened its doors earlier this month, there hasn’t been a stroll onto the estate where my head hasn’t been at least partially turned by its inviting tables.
This is partly because what’s within is so tempting. The company’s business model is devastatingly simple. Pile high trays with attractive-looking baked goods and wait for the Wharfers to roll in. Its success is more or less guaranteed
doing the deals
get more for less on and around the Wharf
Get 20% o restaurant bills and 10% o at the deli as Lina Stores celebrates its opening. Deal runs until August 31 and is accessed on the Canary Wharf app canarywharf.com
£5
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It’s time to get all shook up with Bond at Wilton’s Music Hall 24
Get £5 pints of Estrella at Hovarda in Wood Wharf, from Tuesday-Friday although it’s strictly 5pm-6pm so you’ll need to be quick out of the o ce door to take advantage hovarda.london
MAY I HELP YOU WITH YOUR LUGGAGE?
by the fact this cafe has the quality to back up the prettiness of its products. Take its tomato, Mozzarella and pesto focaccia, for example. It’s light, shot through with olive oil and delicate ecks of basil. The bread yields to the tooth, but with a slight resistance that gives the bite a certain rustic edge.
Barbarella might bang on about the glamour of Roman cinema, but this is Italy in glorious, tasty technicolour. It’s generous too. Bread And Tru e nally has some decent competition...
Jon Massey This generous Italian sandwich costs £8.50
write me words you don’t know you need
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noun, fake, from Old French
The slow death of a movie franchise as fewer and fewer people tune in to marvel at the committee-created o erings. It starts with the lms becoming comedies, then selfparodies, then just a turgid mess of half-realised nonsense
verb, real, from Latin
To make petty or unnecessary objections to something in similar fashion to carping. Those engaging in such behaviour often do so simply to have something to say in a demonstrative performance of participation
Immigration Solicitors
SEE IT
The Fantastic Four: First Steps Everyman Canary Wharf everymancinema.com
Another attempt to bring this group of superheroes arrives as Thing, Mr Fantastic, the Invisible Girl and the Human Torch once again go up against the Silver Surfer and his master, the ravenous space god Galactus (and the power cosmic, of course). Perhaps this will be the one that sticks, although Pedro Pascal have their work cut out if previous e orts are anything to go by.
Screening from July 24, tickets £21.40
SUMMER COMING
Nora Park Lane / Union Square @restaurant.nora on Insta
We don’t know much yet, but fresh from the opening of Signorelli, Union Square is set to get another new venue in the autumn. The red hoardings for Nora have now gone up just over the owerbed from the new Italian bakery and promise a venue o ering Turkish cuisine. It’s a sizeable unit, so it’s fair to expect a signi cant new establishment as the area continues to come alive.
HAVE YOUR SAY
DLR Extension to Beckton Riverside + Thamesmead East London t .gov.uk
Our immigration team has earned its strong reputation for providing expert legal advice and practical support on a wide range of immigration issues. Trust us to help you make the right application.
020 7205 2896 kiddrapinet.co.uk
Transport For London is currently consulting on plans to extend the DLR to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead from Gallions Reach and wants members of the public to give their views on the proposals. If given the go-ahead, work could begin in the late 2020s with services potentially running in the 2030s
DIARY DATES
AFK Beach Volleyball Union Square canarywharf.com
Back for an eighth year, the sporting charity pop-up will be in place from July 10 until August 10 with pay-to-play slots costing £15 per person for an hour. Bookings are set to open in June. Companies should also start planning for corporate contest The Beach Volleyball Championships on July 31. As ever, proceeds from all events go to support Action For Kids
virtual viewpoint by
Chris Ezekiel
On February 14, 1990, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft captured one of the most iconic photographs of the space age. Known as the Pale Blue Dot, it shows Earth as a tiny speck within a band of brightness caused by sunlight striking the spacecraft’s camera. It’s also the photo of our planet taken from further away than any other – about 3.7billion miles.
The Pale Blue Dot is a powerful reminder of Earth’s smallness and isolation in the vastness of space. There are an estimated 200billion trillion stars in the universe and about 700quintillion planets exist that can be observed. These are mind-boggling numbers.
With so many worlds it’s easy to make a mathematical case for life, and even intelligent creatures, being ubiquitous throughout the universe. But we still don’t understand how life started and I believe it’s likely Earth is the only place in the universe where this has happened–a truly humbling thought.
Space is vast and, while we are able to do amazing things with physics and technology today, we are nowhere close to being able to travel to the nearest stars in our own galaxy. Therefore, unless an advanced life form is capable and decides to pay us a visit, it’s a debate that will go on for a very long time.
Considering that our tiny pale blue dot of a planet in the unimaginably large universe may be the only place life exists, makes me think of three main things. Firstly, how we should be taking more care of each other and our planet
harmless
rather than ghting wars. Secondly, that if we manage to avoid wiping ourselves out, we need to reach for the stars and nd another hospitable planet (if one exists) before our own star perishes in about 5billion years. Thirdly, that people are seriously comparing arti cial intelligence with human intelligence.
However, as we don’t understand how the latter works, to me comparing precious, miraculous life with a computer that processes ones and zeros on a piece of silicon, is a pointless exercise.
The photo on the left inspired the title of scientist Carl Sagan’s book, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision Of The Human Future In Space, in which he wrote: “Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us.” Life is astonishing and maybe unique in the universe.
That’s why it’s important for us all to keep this photo and Sagan’s words in mind and work together in harmony, as humankind, harnessing human creativity and endeavour, with physics and technology, to reach for the stars – as that must be the ultimate goal if humankind is to have a future long-term.
Scan this code for more about Creative Virtual or follow @creativevirtual and @chrisezekiel on X
Chris Ezekiel is founder and CEO of customer engagement solutions specialist Creative Virtual based at Canary Wharf’s Cabot Square
Image by NASA/JPL-Caltech
The Earth, as seen from 3.7billion miles away by Voyager 1
how Pittagoras shows how the sum of simple ingredients adds up to a square deal for Wharfers
by Jon Massey
Pittagoras’ name is a fantastically neat way of summing up the Greek restaurant and takeaway, which recently opened up amid the street food businesses at Wharf Kitchen in Jubilee Place.
Co-founder Ilias Georgatos smiles gently as I explain that I’ve worked out the clever pun on Pythagoras (he of the theorem, the hypotenuse and all that half-remembered learning in dreary classrooms). But, as with everything at Pittagoras, there’s an extra level – a deeper layer that comes together from multiple ingredients.
“There is the wordplay with Pythagoras,” said Ilias. “But the name also showcases what we are doing. Our first location was in Tooting in a market and we serve our gyros on bread. Pitta is bread and, in Greek, the word for market is ‘agora’ – literally selling bread in the market.”
In similar fashion, the ingredients list for its signature pork gyros – meat in pitta with garlicky tzatziki, tomatoes, red onions, parsley, oregano and fries – only tells a fraction of the story and, for Ilias, it’s a tale that goes back to his roots.
“I’m originally from Kephalonia in Greece and I’m the third generation of my family to be doing the exact same job,” he said.
“My grandfather brought souvlaki to the island in 1956 and by the age of 10 I was helping my dad in the kitchen.
“After I finished school I didn’t study, I stayed next to my father, but at some point I realised I was sick of the job. That’s one of the main reasons I decided to come to London seven years ago.
“But then I was working in kitchens over here and managing restaurants and I realised the thing I’d decided I hated the most was actually the thing I loved the most. It was at that time I found my business partner – Gianni Perillo – who had a pizzeria in Tooting Broadway and he wanted to invest in my experience and my family’s heritage.
“That’s how we started out with continued on Page 8
Sites now operated by Pittagoras across London including the Canary Wharf
down the
Ilias Georgatos is co-founder of Pittagoras
from Page 6
Pittagoras, about three and half years ago. Now we have four locations in Hackney Wick, London Fields, Tooting and at Canary Wharf.
“This latest opening is the next step for us, the biggest operation and we’ve been doing great here – it’s been very busy right from the beginning.
“The beauty is that it works at all times of the day – we know how much customers love our food. Most British people have been in Greece at least once in their life so they are familiar with our food.
“It’s also a healthy option –you get a complete meal with the salad and the meat.”
You don’t have to spend long with Ilias to realise Pittagoras is all about detail. The meat for its chicken and pork gyros is expertly grilled on large vertical skewers and only shaved with a miniature circular saw when the Maillard reaction has transformed the flesh closest to the heat into crisp, unctuous morsels. Then it’s all about combining the harvest with the right balance of accompaniments in the soft, welcoming embrace of the pitta.
“The first thing to get right is the meat, the bread and the yoghurt, so we bring them all from Greece, although we do use a butcher here in London too,” said Ilias.
“We also make sure we buy the best vegetables we can for maximum taste. It can be hard to find the right quality of tomato in the capital, but we have a trick –we buy them on the vine and then leave them out of the fridge to ripen and get a little sweeter.
“For me, the most important thing is what I learned from my father. It’s the secret of what he does – he thinks that if he doesn’t like what he’s cooking then he can’t sell it. When I’m cooking, the question is: ‘Would I eat it?’. The answer must always be yes.
“To make good food, you need good quality meat, and a simple seasoning – salt, pepper – and for it to be cooked properly. In gyros, nothing can hide, there’s no filler, no restaurant sauces to mask tastes.
“My father is very proud of what we’ve achieved here, especially when I appeared on national TV in Greece. One Sunday, for a TikTok video, I made a giant gyros and it went viral and I was invited to appear. For a month, I went on every channel and it was madness. For someone to appear on TV from the island of Kephalonia, it’s a big thing – a great celebration.
The halloumi wrap costs £10.95
The pork gyros wrap costs £9.95
The chicken gyros salad costs £13.95
“Growing up with my father, we had our ups and downs but we both love what we do and he still has a restaurant on the island.
“He took a little place from his dad and grew the business to 10 locations before the crisis in Greece.
“Now he has one location but makes about the same revenue as four shops because it’s very popular and people queue. He only does a few things – specialising in pork souvlaki – but people really like it, they wait 30 minutes. When I take my family over there in August, the restaurant is so busy we don’t get to spend much time with him so I was actually there last week to catch up. I ended up working next to him and that’s the way to spend time with my dad.
“It’s very interesting because, after seven years in London, sometimes you forget where you started and you need to get back to those traditional recipes.”
Open every day, Pittagoras serves up its flavours in boxes for a little over £15 and in wraps for around £11. It also offers loaded fries for about £12.50 and salad boxes for around £10 or £14 with meat.
The restaurant doesn’t serve
The Canary Wharf opening is the next step for us, the biggest operation and we’ve been doing great here –it’s been very busy
Ilias Georgatos, Pittagoras
pork souvlaki as the charcoal necessary to cook it properly (in Ilias’ view) is a complex ask for a unit in the depths of a shopping centre. However, chicken souvlaki is available.
With Ilias’ partner looking after the business side of things, he’s free to focus on his passion – the cooking and the people.
“My top concern is the food, but also our staff,” said Ilias. “I spend much of my time in our branches and I love talking to our staff and customers. We need to see the impact of what we’re selling.
“It’s a passion. We work seven days a week and I take advice from my father who says that if you do everything the right way, then the money will come.
“I think that’s where many people go wrong and fail – as soon as the numbers become more important it’s a problem. The day we employ someone who thinks that way is the day I return to Greece. That’s my retirement plan, actually. I would open a little restaurant in Kephalonia and do the exact same thing. My wife thinks I’m crazy, but in some ways this is a hobby for me. I still feel like I’m not really working.
“Pittagoras’ growth has been organic so far – we don’t have investors or loans, just the money we put in. We would like to find another location this year to open, which seems about the right pace.”
key details
Pittagoras is located at Wharf Kitchen on the lowest level of Jubilee Place. The business is open daily from 11am-10pm, with delivery available on the usual platforms.
Go to pittagoras.co.uk for more
Scan this code to nd out more about Pittagoras
Get Dance From Every Angle
Pittagoras is located beside other street food businesses in Wharf Kitchen on the lowest level of Jubilee Place
Years since The Big Lunch campaign was founded by the Eden Project. Up to 2024, £10million had been raised for charity at the initiative’s events nationwide
A special cake made by charity The Felix Project was served at the occasion
getting greener by Sophie Goddard
When we talk about creating thriving neighbourhoods here at Canary Wharf, it’s not just about buildings and infrastructur, it’s about fostering vibrant communities where people and nature ourish together.
Community is one of the things I have come to appreciate most at Canary Wharf. We really are so fortunate to have such dedicated and hard working people around us and to have such strong links to organisations that are doing incredibly valuable work.
Earlier this month, we were delighted to have the opportunity to celebrate this community, welcoming guests to the oating pontoons of Eden Dock for the kick-o of The Big Lunch – an annual campaign started by the Eden Project, which is designed to get people together to meet their neighbours over a meal.
We held the celebration outside on Eden Dock on June 4, where we were privileged to be joined by Her Majesty The Queen, patron of the initiative. She was met there and accompanied by Big Lunch ambassador, the broadcaster Angela Rippon.
Joining them were Lutfur Rahman, the mayor of Tower Hamlets and his deputy, Cllr Maium Talukdar, alongside individuals from organisations delivering incredible work across the borough.
These included representatives from the Circle Collective, Mindful Photo Lab, Beyond The Bias, Stepney City Farm and Positive East.
Over a meal of delicious sandwiches and cakes, The Queen met with nalists of The Big Lunch Recipe Search – a competition designed to uncover and
The ongoing evolution of Canary Wharf – a city within a city –only underscores the importance of community. Neighbourhoods are nothing without the people who live and work in them
Sophie Goddard, Canary Wharf Group
celebrate dishes which re ect the diversity of the UK and to reveal the stories behind them.
The winner, Melanie Booth, submitted a recipe for butternut squash empanadas that originated during lockdown when she got chatting with a neighbour in her native Wiltshire and eventually started swapping home-grown veggies from the garden – a true representation of the spirit of The Big Lunch. Events like the one on June 4 are not solo e orts. Our partners at The Felix Project baked a beautiful cake inspired by nature, featuring summer owers and honey from the Eden Project’s gardens in Cornwall. A local choir – the London Docklands Singers – serenaded guests with a medley of show tunes, while students from Mulberry Primary School in Wood Wharf diligently worked on a scavenger hunt of di erent plant species throughout Eden Dock’s owerbeds. From start to nish, the day reminded
me of the importance of creating connections and the power of what we can accomplish when we work together.
The ongoing evolution of Canary Wharf – a city within a city – only underscores the importance of community. Neighbourhoods are nothing without the people who live and work in them.
We were so fortunate to have the opportunity to celebrate The Big Lunch with our community – a reminder of the importance of getting together, sharing a meal and creating positive impact together.
Sophie Goddard is director of environment, social and governance at Canary Wharf Group – emails to sustainability@canarywharf.com
Go to canarywharf.com for more information
Scan this code to nd our more about the Eden Project’s Big Lunch campaign
Image by Press Association
Image by Sean Pollock
Image by Sean Pollock
The Queen meets members of the London Docklands Singers
Members of the community gather in Canary Wharf for the event
Image by Press Association
The Queen, second from right, enjoys sandwiches and cakes at Eden Dock in Canary Wharf in honour of The big Lunch
how Boisdale Of Canary Wharf has decreed a lush paradise with its
by Jon Massey
The vibrant hues of the tartan carpet that greets visitors to Boisdale
Of Canary Wharf are a direct link to its owner’s heritage – as potent a visual flavour as its oxblood red walls for locating the mind in a space dedicated to hospitality and relaxation.
There’s always been a solidity about the place, which owes a not inconsiderable debt to the generations of Clanranald Scots who came before and begat its singular owner, Ranald Macdonald.
It’s perhaps one of the reasons the restaurant is celebrating 15 years since opening its doors on the estate.
Appropriate then, that Bosidale has chosen to partner a brand that also boasts significant lineage to garland its outdoor space in recognition of the anniversary.
Flor De Caña has been making rum in Nicaragua at the base of the San Cristóbal volcano for five generations and lends both its
flavours and decals to Boisdale’s Tropical Garden Terrace – now open to drinkers and diners.
“We’re lucky to have an extraordinary florist who has helped us create the look,” said Tony Havin, general manager at Boisdale Of Canary Wharf for the better part of eight years.
“Rum felt like the right flavour and then the idea of frozen cocktails came alongside the decision to offer tapas and a menu that’s not so full-on because it’s summer and guests want something lighter. The terrace is really a tropical paradise.
“I love Boisdale, it’s so much more than a restaurant. The only other place I’ve worked at for this long was at Mirabelle for Marco Pierre White.
“In Canary Wharf we offer such a lot – there’s a thousand whiskies, a great wine list, the food in the restaurant, the live music, the cigars and, of course, the terrace. It’s the diversity that first made me excited to work here. Not all amazing places have an outside space and the terrace is so important for us.”
hot summer
Playful as ever, the terrace menu includes four rum-laced Daiquiris and a pair of Rooster Rojo tequila Margaritas all served frozen to take the edge off the heat for £14 a pop. There’s a kiwi juice-based mocktail too for £10.
Light bites come in the form of tapas with salt cod doughnuts, black bean and corn empanadas, ham and cheese croquetas, crispy smoked haddock tacos, prawn ceviche and crispy fried whitebait available.
The Jacobite Lunch Menu offers Wharfers one course for £15 or two for £19 with the option to upgrade to a carafe of wine with continued on Page 21
Tropical Garden Terrace
Price of a classic burger or Scottish pizza (made with Mozzarella from north of the border) at Boisdale in celebration of its 15th birthday
Boisdale Of Canary Wharf general manager, Tony Havin and bar manager, Malika Kirchel-Sharper relax on the venue’s Tropical Garden Terrace
Tropical tapas and wine on the terrace at Boisdale Of Canary Wharf
Image by Jon Massey
Image by Boisdale
from Page 12
the latter for an extra £10.75. But perhaps the most compelling offers come further down the menu.
For £29.95 per person, pairs of diners can order the Surf’n’Turf sharing platter with a whole lobster and a 600g sirloin steak to fight over.
Then, in celebration of the restaurant’s 15th birthday it’s turned the clock back to 2010 price-wise with its classic burger and Scottish margherita pizza both available for just £8.
Andrew Donovan, executive head chef at Boisdale, is the man marshalling the pans behind the scenes to deliver flavours on the plate.
He said: “I’ve been working here for more than 10 years and the Wharf has changed. Boisdale was always an oasis in what was quite a sterile, corporate environment back then.
“But now, as the area has become more residential, it’s been humanised. There’s open water swimming, go-karting and rooftop gardens where once there was barren concrete.
“Our terrace has never been more beautiful and that’s because every venue here has had to step up its game. Boisdale has always been about being true to itself – an eclectic collection of things that shouldn’t necessarily work together but do.
“We want people to come here and enjoy it whether it’s for a cocktail, some tapas or a threecourse meal. You can have all that here and more.
“My favourite dish on the terrace menu is the haddock tacos. We take the fillets and trim them down to little goujons that are deep-fried and then served in the little wraps – built so you can enjoy all the elements and the garlic aioli comes through. What’s better than a fish finger sandwich?”
Dirty vodka Martini devotee Malika Kirchel-Sharper is responsible, as Boisdale’s bar manager, for the refreshment of those frequenting its terrace.
She said: “The highlights are the frozen cocktails including the sweet Manzana Loca, a pineapple and apple daquiri made with Flor De Caña sever-year-old rum. The quality of the syrups we are using to make these is really fantastic.
“I’ve been here since 2019 and it’s a brilliant place to work. After university I began my career working in pubs including the one that was used to film Bridget Jones in Borough. It was lovely, but didn’t really offer cocktails so I came to Boisdale to explore that. I love making Martinis, although I’m not a fan of a Pina Colada.”
£14
Frozen daiquiris are now available on Boisdale’s orally festooned terrace
There are sharp options with maraschino and grapefruit, bitterness with pomegranate and Campari and even a fiery chilli-laced tipple that’s billed as “like snogging fire”.
All can be enjoyed before 7pm on weekdays at double the volume during Boisdale’s Tropical Hour where it’s buy-one-getone-free on frozen Daiquiris and Margaritas – two for £14.
“We wanted to create something that felt like a true escape,” said Ranald Macdonald, founder of Boisdale. “The Tropical Garden Terrace captures the essence of summer – sun, flavour, music, and good company – right in the heart of Canary Wharf. This is our way of celebrating the summer and our 15-year milestone with the people who’ve made it all possible.”
There are few better ways to escape than via a frozen tipple or two.
key details
Boisdale Of Canary Wharf’s Tropical Garden Terrace is now open, overlooking Cabot Square from the restaurant’s lower level. Go to boisdale.co.uk for more details
Scan this code to nd out more about Boisdale Of Canary Wharf
Price of two frozen cocktails on Boisdale Of Canary Wharf’s Tropical Garden Terrace before 7pm on weekdays
Boisdale executive head chef Andrew Donovan Surf’n’Turf
Burger + pizza for £8 each
Smoked haddock tacos with lime
Food and drink images by Boisdale Image by Jon Massey
Price of a ticket to attend Modulation #1 at Theatreship on July 18 £23.66 playing with
The Modulus Quartet are set to perform the rst in a series of concerts in east London
how the
Modulus Quartet
are set to deliver a feast for the senses below decks at Theatreship on the Island
by Jon Massey
The work of the Modulus Quartet comes with signifi ant, literal dept . e ve perfor ed down mines and in natural caves as well as down Sir Marc Brunel’s Thames Tunnel shaft at the Brunel Museum in ot er it e and on floating nightclub Thekla in Bristol – taking newly wrought music out of concert halls and into unusual spa es around t e .
In ul , t e ense ble are set to pla t eir first on ert at eatre s ip on t e Isle f ogs wit t e dept s of West India out o k below.
“ ur w ole pro e t is to a
pion o posers w o are writing for string quartet and want to get their music heard – that’s our core et os,” said raig tratton w o pla s se ond violin in odulus.
“We like to perfor in unusual venues to keep t at onte porar feel. We also feature fil in our on erts, w i a o panies u of t e usi and is spe ifi to t e pie es we re pla ing.
“ at er t an aving progra e notes in t e audien e s ands, we also like to showcase the o posers t e selves on video des ribing t eir pie es.
“It gives people a personal onne tion wit t e o poser we like our concerts to really be a team event featuring t e o posers, t e fil akers and us.
“We re earse t e pie es wit t e
Isle Of Dogs - Poplar
composers before we play them and develop these collaborations and connections.”
Modulus comprises Craig, Jonathan Truscott on violin, James Hogg on viola and nick Allen on cello, with the ensemble releasing its first albu 12 Seconds Of Light in 2017.
“The four of us have known each other for a few decades, having graduated from music colleges around the world. I was in Prague, John was in Romania, Nick was in London and I met James on a course in Vienna in the mid 1990s,” said Craig. “We’ve all known each other in past endeavours and concerts, but I guess we formed Modulus because we all have a similar outlook. We thought: ‘There are plenty of quartets out there playing Beethoven and Mozart, why don’t we play music people haven’t heard?’.
“That way we’ve been able to showcase the work of budding composers and established writers who don’t get enough performance time on stage.”
Modulus are currently working
Our whole project is to champion composers who are writing for string quartet and want to get their music heard – that’s our core ethos
Craig Stratton, Modulus Quartet
on a second album, Evolutional, set to be released later this year, which includes pieces by Eliot lo d ort and eera u i composers whose work will also be played by the quartet during t eir first perfor an e at eatre s ip Modulation #1 on ul 1 .
This will also feature music by Nicholas De Carlo, Malcolm Lindsay and Siobhan Connellan.
“I’ve actually just interviewed Siobhan for the video that will be used as part of the performance and in promotional material in the run up to t e on ert,” said raig.
“We’ll be playing her piece August on the night. Another highlight will be a work by South African composer Eliot Lloyd ort it s in t ree ove ents and is really great, slightly minimalist but music that goes down well.
“Audiences can expect not just to sit down and listen, but to have an experience in an unusual venue wit fil and o poser interaction. All your senses will be stimulated in what is an intimate venue we like to talk to our audiences too.
“We want to build a community of composers and listeners that we hope will turn into something really interesting.
“We felt Theatreship itself would be a great venue for that and we’ll be doing at least two concerts there, this one in July and another in October.
“We have plenty of music to show the world and then we’d love to have an ongoing residence at the venue in the future.”
key details
The Modulation #1 programme is set to be perfor ed at ea treship on the Isle Of Dogs by odulus uartet on ul 1 fro p . p . i kets ost £ . and are on sale now. The second concert, Modulation #2, will take place on October 17.
Go to theatreship.co.uk or modulusquartet.com for more details
Scan this code to nd out more about Modulation #1
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
EVENT |Contemporary Dance For Girls Girls aged 10-15 are invited for an hour-long class where they will learn how to blend contemporary and modern moves and express themselves. Jul 8, 4.30pm, £4, poplarunion.com
STAGE | The Witching Hour The nation’s hottest gameshow is set to take justice against magical folk to new levels with biting satire, absurd humour and celebs all playing a part. Jul 18-20, 7pm, 8.30pm, from £10, space.org.uk
about London’s nance industry, screened here in the hope of promoting a live show. Jul 10, 7pm, £7.85, theatreship.co.uk
Image by Diego Barraza
FILM | Canary Wharf: The Rock Opera Australian composer Nicole Skeltys has conceived and lmed a rock opera
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
GIG | Gilberto Santa Rosa
Where?
Troxy Whitechapel
Fans can expect hits such as Que Alguien Me Diga, Vivir Sin Ella and Conciencia when the Latin star comes to Limehouse to showcase his musical talents. Jul 13, 7pm, £82.27, troxy.co.uk
Where?
The George Tavern Whitechapel
GIG | JoeJas’ Left Handed Bandit Tour
The rapper and producer who blurs genre lines with his self-start approach to hip hop, creativity and branding. Expect zany tunes. Jul 16, 7pm, £5.50, thegeorgetavern.london
SCREEN | Wimbledon
Where?
St Katharine Docks Wapping
Cries of “let” and “fault” will ring out around the docks as the oating screen and bar return to show the entire tournament from the end of the month... Jun 30-Jul 13, times vary, free, skdocks.co.uk
Residents of Tower Hamlets, Southwark and the City Of London can explore all Tower Bridge has to o er for just £1. Tickets include access to the exhibition, walkways and the crossing’s engine rooms towerbridge.org.uk
Scan this code to read our interview with Tower Bridge’s Amy O’Rourke online at wharf-life.com
£10.50
Starting price to see Bonding at Wilton’s Music Hall
Cyril Blake stars in his one-hander Bonding, coming to east London in July
Limehouse - Wapping - Whitechapel - Tower Hill
how Cyril Blake is set to explore the myth, legend and legacy of 007 in Bonding at Wilton’s Music Hall
by Jon Massey
Wheeling through misogyny, bottomless bullets and shaken drinks, Cyril Blake’s Bonding is set to showcase 60 years of Bond in 60 minutes.
Central character Stephen is a 30-year-old 007 fan who desperately wants to be his hero. He has the tux, the fancy watch and eschews stirring his beverages. But is becoming the world’s most
famous spy really a good idea?
After all, his attitudes are nothing if not archaic. Cyril, as writer and performer, takes his character on a journey though masculinity as we nd out how manly he can get without it all getting a bit toxic.
Having sold out its Edinburgh Fringe performances, the show comes to London under the directorial in uence of two-time O e winner Matthew Parker. Cyril himself is a regular on the fringe circuit and recently starred in the London premiere of
Going For Gold at the Park Theatre.
key details
Bonding is set to play for one night only at Wilton’s Music Hall on July 11 at 7.30pm. Tickets start at £10.50 and the show lasts an hour with no interval For more information go to wiltons.org.uk
Scan this code to nd out more about the show
Price of a ticket to see Liz Guterbock:
Liz promises to be pleasant during her south-east London gig
Euros
The venue has partnered with Pepsi to show every match in the UEFA tournament on its big screen. Fizzy cola merch will also be on sale. Jul 5-31, times vary, free, cornercorner.com
doing the
how The Pen Theatre in South Bermondsey is set to come over all Nice with comic Liz Guterbock’s show
by Jon Massey
American comedian Liz Guterbock is set to perform a work-in-progress show at The Pen Theatre in South Bermondsey – a venue that specialises in giving a platform for those developing creative works. Having won plaudits for her Edinburgh Fringe debut in 2023, entitled Geriatric Millennial, she’s back ahead of the festival with fresh jokes.
Liz Guterbock: Nice promises to explore what it means to be a pleasant person, how it feels being an American abroad and that “one time” she was mean.
She said: “In a world where people (Presidents) get social traction from being nasty, come see someone try to be kind while telling jokes. It’ll be nice. Promise.”
Having received favourable press from the likes of The Scotsman, Festmag and Chortle as well as four-star reviews in Funny Women, The
Mumble and Pepper And Salt, her south-east London gig o ers a chance for audiences to see an act on the rise.
It’s also an opportunity for the comedian herself to work on the ideas for the show, test out the laughs and see if she can replicate the form that saw her gags named amongst the 10 best jokes at the Fringe.
key details
Liz Guterbock: Nice is set to be performed at The Pen Theatre in South Bermondsey on July 22 at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £7.21. Go to thepentheatre.com for more information and bookings
Scan this code for more information about Liz’s forthcoming show at The Pen Theatre
take a breath
by David Lefebvre Sell
Longing for boredom: Why we need strategies to deal with overwhelm in the modern world
God, I miss boredom. My daughter was so bored the other day that she decided to start learning Russian. How wonderful is that? When so much of adult life swings between frantic work, paralytic procrastination and desperate sleep, I want to be so bored that I have to create something for myself to do.
The opposite of that is the experience of overwhelm, which probably needs no introduction. But – in case you are some blessed individual that has never experienced it– overwhelm is the result of too much stress over too long a period.
You might feel confused or more forgetful and nd it harder to concentrate. You might recognise it through low energy and a lack of interest in things you used to enjoy, or over thinking and diculty sleeping. And, if you’re thinking, “I thought that was just adulthood”, bingo.
This can be brought on by having too many responsibilities, too many stressors, nancial troubles, health troubles and by a breakdown in our coping mechanisms. Not to mention, world events. I would also like those to be more boring, please and thank you.
If you’re fairly well adjusted, then you already have strategies for overwhelm that you might not even think about. You try to focus on positives, you invest time in things and people that bring you joy. You might self soothe with food or alcohol, you might listen to music with lots of screaming to externalise your torment. Whatever.
One self check-in I always do is to ask if I could be managing my time better, or if there’s anything I can say “no” to. Because if you can delegate or are not making good use of your time, that’s on you – there’s no point complaining about being busy.
If that’s not the case, however, then do some breath work to manage your stress, take time for mindfulness practice, try to have a laugh where you can and, if you’re going through hell, keep going and ask for help along the way.
David Lefebvre Sell is a Greenwich-based psychotherapist and Yoga instructor who teaches at Third Space in Canary Wharf
Follow @davetheyogi on X and Instagram and @DavidLefebvreSellYogaAndPsychotherapy on FB
Scan this code for information about David’s work as a transpersonal counsellor and psychotherapist
how the London Craft Beer Festival is all about putting ne beverages in visitors’ glasses plus food and diversion
by Jon Massey
Good beer,” are the words on the lips of Greg Wells as we talk about the 13th edition of the event he co-founded in celebration of the beverage. It’s a category that’s grown and keeps growing, meaning the organisers of the London Craft Beer Festival had to look for a larger venue.
“When we started, we attracted 2,000 people, now it’s 20,000 and there are still new people coming into the industry and doing amazing things – it’s brilliant,” said Greg, managing director of We Are Beer, which runs events in Manchester and Bristol as well as the capital.
“The decision to move to Magazine London on Greenwich Peninsula gives us a lot more outside space and that’s what our partners want so they can do bigger and better things.
“We’ve moved on from Tobacco Dock slightly south of the river, although with the way the Thames wiggles we’re actually a little further north than we used to be.
“We’ve worked with Broadwick, which owns the venue, for a long time and this is a purpose-built event space with a showground. You have the A2 right there and the transport links via the Jubilee line are brilliant – Canary Wharf is one stop across the water for the DLR and the Liz Line and we’re directly connected to Stratford and London Bridge.
“Our audience comes from London and the commuter belt around the city so it’s a good spot and it made sense to make the move.”
So what’s in store for the festival as it expands further east on the banks of the Thames?
“It’s grown,” said Greg. “There will be more than 200 traders there including 150 drinks brands.
“Craft beer remains the core of what we do. When we started there were about 20 breweries in London and there are something like seven times that number now.
“As a category it started as 0% of the market and now it’s 10% nationwide. It’s still the second fastest growing category, but it has inevitably slowed, with post-pandemic and the cost of living.
“There is some consolidation happening – some of the smaller
operations are joining together –but the main thing is that it’s now 50% of the beer market in London.
“When you go to a restaurant or a pub in the capital, the selection is often brilliant. It used to be ard to find so et ing idden but now it’s in every supermarket.
“We’re about celebrating good beer and that’s why we have some of the more traditional brands like Timothy Taylor and exciting brewers from Europe.”
On the face of it, the London Craft Beer Festival is a relatively simple proposition. The ticket price covers entry and all beer with the chance to try more than 800 creations from scores of breweries.
The list is extensive, but the festival will include a strong showing from some of London’s celebrated brewers including DEYA (voted top at last year’s inaugural Top 50 UK Beers awards), Verdant and Tiny Rebel.
There will be international visitors too with beers from the USA, Europe and Australasia including New Zealand’s Garage Project new for this year.
Beyond the beer, there will also be plenty of spirits brands represented as well as wine and even sake and alcoholic tea.
In addition to the drinks, the festival offers a wealt of street food options and plenty of entertainment for those who like to dan e off t eir drinks or even play crazy golf with Ballers.
There are four festival sessions to oose fro , ea lasting five hours on the afternoons and evenings of the two days. These start at 11am or 6pm. Groups of four can also buy entry together for a discount.
For parties of eight or more, the festival offers roup ospitalit Tickets. Alongside all beer and cider, these also include fast track entry, a main dish and side per person from the food traders, two vouchers for non-beer drinks (think cocktails and spirits), a guided festival tour with a beer sommelier on arrival and a dedicated meeting point and host for your group.
“We’re going to be a Magazine for the foreseeable future as we continue to grow the event,” said Greg. “We want to become a part of the Greenwich community and for as many people in Canary Wharf and the surrounding areas to join us as possible.
“We’re very much an event that’s hitting the mainstream – at
Days the London Craft Beer Festival takes place over, with four sessions for enthusiasts to choose from
quality on putting
Greg Wells is
co-founder and managing director of We Are Beer
Craft beer has always been welcoming – it’s never been about being super specialist. Our latest festival is going to be a whirlwind
Greg Wells, We Are Beer
13 we’re through the toddler years and into the angry teens.
“Thinking back, craft beer used to be about being dragged along b our afi ionado friends to spe ifi establis ents.
“ ow, fro er ondse to Walt a stow t ere are w ole clusters and neighbourhoods where it runs deep – beer, brewing and the whole culture around it is integrated into the city.
“People continue to change ,as well attitudes to drinking, w ere onsu ing beer a not be the centre of the experience w en visiting a venue. ut t ere are an ot er angles and t at s going to be a big part of the next decade – those who get their taproo s rig ts will be t e ones t at flouris .
“ onsu er dis ern ent re ains reall ig people want quality. If you look at areas like casual dining or fast food, the options available now are way ore nutritious and flavourful than they were 20 years ago.
“I don’t think that’s going to go away, although people will always be looking for value too. Craft beer as alwa s been wel o ing it’s never been about being super spe ialist and t at s t e sa e as our event.
“It’s going to be a whirlwind, a kaleidos ope of flavour wit beer, food, usi and ore. o e and join us, it will be brilliant.”
key details
The London Craft Beer Festival runs at aga ine ondon fro July 18-19. Individual tickets cost £64.50 per person with other options available for a five our session.
Group tickets for four people cost £59.50 per person. There are also options for fast-track entry and hospitality packages for larger groups including drinks and food. Tickets cost £105 per person.
For more information or to secure tickets go to londoncraftbeerfestival.co.uk
Scan this code to nd out more about the London Craft Beer Festival
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
GIG | Judas Priest + Alice Cooper
Metal royalty are set to show up in North Greenwich with support from Welsh rockers Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons, late of Motörhead. Jul 25, 6.30pm, from £85, theo2.co.uk
STAGE | Musical Moments: Past And Present The Jac Jossa Academy presents ‘a journey through song’ celebrating well-known songs with performances by its students aged seven-18. Jul 12, 2.30pm, 7.30pm, from £23.50, greenwichtheatre.org.uk
STAGE | Out Of The Shadows Enjoy an uplifting afternoon of close-harmony music from a choir that performs everything from Bohemian Rhapsody to Gershwin. Jul 13, 2.30pm, £19.25, woolwich.works
Tickets are now available for Greenwich Comedy Festival with an extensive series of gigs coming to Old Royal Naval College from September 17-21. Entry costs £29.50 to see each of the seven gigs greenwichcomedyfestival.co.uk
Scan this code to nd out more about the Greenwich Comedy Festival or to book tickets
Images by London Craft Beer Festival / We Are Beer
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
RAVE | A State Of Trance
Where? Silverworks Island
Royal Victoria Dock
Featuring three stages packed with performers, the dance music festival returns to Royal Docks. Armin Van Buuren, Cosmic Gate and Hannah Laing will appear. Jul 13, noon-10pm, from £45, silverworksisland.com
Where?
Excel London
Royal Victoria Dock
EVENT | Elvis Evolution
Layered Reality bring the King to Royal Docks, promising an immersive experience that allows audiences to relive iconic Elvis moments. Jul 1-Nov 30, times vary, £75, excel.london
CLUB | Donato Dozzy
Where? Fold Canning Town
The Italian techno DJ and producer, who specialises in hypnotic soundscapes, plays his rst six-hour set in London. Fewer than 600 tickets available. Jul 12, 4pm-10pm, £32.50, ra.co
reaching out
Richard House Children’s Hospice, the rst of its kind in the capital, is celebrating 25 years in Beckton and is asking for support to ensure its vital work can continue and its operations can grow across east London richardhouse.org.uk
Scan this code to read our interview with the charity’s CEO, Paul Richards, online at wharf-life.com
Young people recruited locally, trained and paid to work on the production of Ensemble Festival 2025
back with a Miss High Leg Kick will present Palais De Dance as part of Ensemble Festival
Image by Certain Blacks / Ensemble Festival
how Ensemble Festival in Royal Docks promises to be bigger and better as it takes over a weekend
by Jon Massey
Certain Blacks’ Ensemble Festival is set to return to Royal Docks for two days of “excitement, entertainment and a bit of education over the last weekend in July.
“Right now it’s quite hectic,” said Clive Lyttle, artistic director at Royal Docks-based Certain Blacks, which curates the event.
“We’ve got two new directors on board and we re training staff to work on the festival.
“We’ve got 10 young people who we recruit locally for the event – we try not to use volunteers because we know those living in the East End don’t necessarily have the ability to say they’ll do it for free and we want to give as many people as possible a bit of experience working in the arts.”
That focus on diversity is at the core of Ensemble Festival Returning for a sixth time, the event is an outdoor celebration of circus, dance, physical theatre and street art – free at the point of delivery and as accesible as possible.
“The festival represents everything we’re about at Certain Blacks,” said Clive. “There’s education alongside the shows and opefull visitors will find out some new things and they’ll be mesmerised and entertained while that happens.
“Everyone needs a bit of a smile with everything that’s going on at the moment, and we hope they’ll get out and enjoy the wider area as well.
“This year, we’re working in partnership with the Royal Docks Team, which will be launching its free Summer Splash lido on the Sunday.
“The festival itself is going to have a bigger footprint too including performances outside City Hall on the greens so we’re growing it. We’ve got some really fantastic shows and I’m very excited about it.”
Certain Blacks is part of a network called Without Walls, a national consortium of more than 35 organisations presenting arts outdoors to people in towns and cities across England. It works to commission and develop new work each year that can then tour the country and is supported by the Arts Council, where Clive worked for many years with
While we’re a festival for locals, we also attract people from across London –that’s one of our big aims
Clive Lyttle, Certain Blacks
a special focus on Newham. He’s also a local resident, living opposite Excel in the Flying Angel, a former seaman’s hospital for more than a century before its conversion to apartments.
“While we’re a festival for locals, we also attract people from across London – that’s one of our big aims,” said Clive. “We always try to book the best, diverse artists available.
“The biggest show will be Tell Me, a whole programme from Without Walls about the experience of being diagnosed with HIV and living with that. It features circus artists and really large red cubes – the acrobatics are spectacular.
“It’s presented by the Sadiq Ali Company and features breathtaking Chinese pole work.
“We also have Waiting Song from Mish Weaver, where two trapeze artists perform to live music. The two artists ask the audience what they are waiting for in the workplace and they chat to each other.”
The latter, billed as a “lyrical exploration of how anticipation shapes our emotions and actions” as the acrobats engage mid-air in “a melodic conversation about their hopes for the future” exe plifies t e p si al nature of many of the shows.
Other highlights include Hug by Levantes Dance Theatre, with an artist soaring about the docks on a sway pole, Holy Dirt by Vidya Productions and David Glass, which blends live percussion and Indian performance styles with modern physical theatre and NoMo by Tiago Fonseca – a clown show about addiction to screens featuring juggling and body language.
Ensemble Festival is often about radical movement then, but also a bit of a laugh.
“When the Mayor Of London moved in, they were a bit cautious about having shows right outside
City Hall,” said Clive. “But we’re working with the Royal Docks Team, which is based inside and this time we’ve got a great water installation that’s going to take place on the grass right next to the beach area. If the weather’s as hot as it has been recently, it’s going to be really amazing summer entertainment.”
Artizani and Tenderfoot Theatre’s Hydropunk promises a chance for the public to get up lose to t e wet stuff as a “ aoti , yet playful water machine cranks into motion”.
The show is intended as a metaphor where everyone participating must work together to recycle the liquid and keep the fun flowing.
“We’ve also got quirkier acts, such as Palais De Dance,” said Clive. “This show looks back to the Festival Of Britain, the 1950s and the whole dancehall culture, which we hope will speak to more of our older audiences.”
Presented by Olivier Award-winning live artist Miss High Leg Kick, aka Francesca Baglione, the spectacle promises a ulti sensor flas ba k wit a twist to an era of celebrity appeal and the excitement of teenage nights out both then and now.
Other shows presented include The Hide, by Tilly Ingram, an installation and audio experience led by the artist that takes inspiration from birdwatching and refle ts on idden disabilities and Roots To Rise, a combination of poetry, movement and music that represents a call to ecological action from Nandita Shankardass. en, rounding t ings off, there’s Truth from Ramshacklicious and Hijinx, which will only be performed on the Sunday.
This “joyful street revolution” features a mixed cast of disabled and non-disabled performers and promises a riotous show that combines clowning with physical theatre and original music in an interactive, partly improvised happening with a message of hope.
key details
Ensemble Festival is set to take place from noon-8pm on July 26 and 27 at Royal Victoria Dock. All performances and activities are free to attend and no booking is required.
Precise times and locations will be available online prior to the festival and event stewards will be on site to guide visitors. Go to certainblacks.com for more information
Scan this code to nd out more about Ensemble Festival in July
Show images by Certain Blacks / Ensemble Festival
Image by Jon Massey
Certain Blacks’ Clive Lyttle
Hydropunk
Holy Dirt
Tell Me
how Kokin serves food at peak quality that’s capable of dancing with diners’ emotions and delivering a dose of fun
by Jon Massey
Hiraeth, a Welsh word, has no direct translation in English. It’s used to express a deep longing for a home or place that’s become idealised in the mind – a kind of yearning nostalgia tinged with melancholy. It expresses connection.
Last year I was lucky enough to travel to Japan and experience just a few of its wonders. The trip included a visit to an area riddled with hot volcanic springs – onsen – that the locals bathe in and use to gently boil eggs.
These are left bobbing in specially built pools by the side of the path with passers-by welcome to take one and pay via an honesty box system.
The memory was just one of a heap of glittering jewels from that trip, but one that rose to the surface sat in a recently opened restaurant in Stratford upon seeing the words “onsen tamago” as part of the accompaniment to its wagyu beef. The trip to Japan was taken in the wake of my mother’s death and in grief we look for signs. e flas of iraet came both from the recall of place but also that the meat’s place of origin – Miyazaki – is the surname of the director who made one of her favourite animations, the joyful My Neighbour Totoro
While these are deeply personal coincidences, I mention them because Kokin and the dishes of chef Daisuke Shimoyama are so beautifull put toget er, so finel oned in fire t at t e are ore than capable of living up to the kind of perfection hiraeth expects. n t e plate a pie e of fine white porcelain softly glistening with a pattern based on ice crystals – the wagyu is simply perfe t. deli ate uddle of fles and vegetables bathing gracefully and butter-soft on the tongue, it’s deep, rich and savoury. This really is cooking of the very highest quality and, like any restaurant at that end of the scale, Kokin has the power to dance with emotions – and dance it does.
Our meal actually begins not with beef but with extraordinary joy – quite probably the prettiest platter of starters available in east London (or perhaps the whole city). This tray of wonders includes oysters snuggling under
a blanket of apple and jelly, single bites of steaming tofu, grilled tuna with egg yolk curry sauce, smoked mackerel sushi and chawanmushi – a wonderful savoury ustard. e tastes and flavours are as bright as the garland of flowers de orating t e tra .
It’s a thrill of a platter, each little bowl revealing new dimensions to t e world, different textures and colours. Daisuke is a subtle chef. His dishes are simple on paper, beautiful to look at but astonishingly complex on the tongue. While the presentation may appear chaotic at times, there’s little doubt that every ingredient, each little ferny leaf of garnish, is present intentionally and is part of the palette in a wider painting. Wild bluefin tuna fro ortugal is the star of the show. We eat it as sashimi, on the bone in a dish of t e fis s ollar and in e ae a make-your-own sushi course with three cuts blended in a kind of salad with the orange pearls of salmon roe.
Time and again we’re transported as plates arrive. Flavours and smells evoke memories and stir feelings of fun and excitement that confound the expectation of straig t la ed fine dining.
Wood fired i e rea ba boo zles the senses in a lake of fermented raspberries. A tray of “chef’s desserts” land somewhere between afternoon tea and jelly for a kid’s party.
roug out, t e staff are faultless, rapid and smooth delivering these culinary wonders with accuracy and dedication.
Kokin is not cheap, but it is exceptional value, so worth saving up for. Set lunch menus start at £26, but with cooking of this quality it’s worth setting aside a budget and really going for it. With an open heart, you won’t be disappointed. ★★★★★
key details
Kokin is located on the seventh floor of e tratford otel in east London and is open from noon-2pm for lunch and from 5pm for dinner every day except Mondays. Go to kokin.co.uk for more information
Scan this code to nd out more about Kokin
joy dishes of
Floors above the ground Kokin sits in The Stratford building in east London
Miyazaki wagyu with onsen tamago
Stratford - Bow - Hackney Wick
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
Where? London College Of Fashion Stratford
SEE | UAL Undergraduate Class Show
Featuring work from LCF’s design, communication and business schools, the college’s designers o er exhibits to illustrate their visions of the future. Jul 14-19, 10am-5pm, free, ual.ac.uk
Where? Sadler’s Wells East Stratford
DANCE | Songs Of The Bulbul Aakash Odedra Company interpret an ancient Su story about a captured bulbul, which sings an exquisite tune before perishing from despair. Jul 17-19, times vary, from £15, sadlerswells.com
Where? Hackney Wick Various Venues
GIG | Multi Multi Festival Get your x of house, techno, electro and more at Secretsundaze’s event. Set across a range of Hackney Wick venues, including Hackney Bridge. Jul 12, noon-10pm, from £40, ra.co
ash back
Stratford International might be about to live up to its name as Gemini Trains aims to start running services to Paris and Brussels from east London in 2029 thanks to fresh capacity through the Channel Tunnel geminitrains.com
Scan this code to read our interview with Gemini CEO Adrian Quine as the rm plans for the future
Wood- red ice cream
Chef’s desserts
Temae sushi
The starter platter costs £35 per person
Fresh sashimi
Tuna kama
Sudoku
How to play
To complete Sudoku, ll the board by entering numbers one to nine such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.
More to play
You can nd more Sudoku puzzles and a wide selection of other brainteasers available to download for free at puzzles.ca
Notes
crossword
Down
2. Agree the money (5)
3. ____ speech, ticket, hair? (7)
Take a break from that phone Across 1. Those who put themselves in the middle (11) 9. Lennon’s plea for mental creativity (7)
beating the whether you’re cryptic sleuth or synonym solver in it for quick wins, this should satisfy
Cryptic Quick
4. Annoy people with a point (6)
10. This bear begins with a knockout (5)
11, 20. Enthusiasm for a departure (3,2,3,2)
12. AA slang for partially confused pasta? (7)
13. The opposite of that football rule supports (6)
15. Expert in wordplay? (6)
18. Machine to cheer your success? (7)
20. See 11 acc.
22. Meat for improving your musical skill, perhaps (5) . top t e blood fir l
24. Controls for a clock? Get away! (11)
5. Use these ‘lads-abouttown’ in the garden? (5)
6. Boosted the battery to make an attack (7)
7. Uncertain about Roman gods? This is how to find out 11
8. Feline award? It’s a disaster, we hear (11)
1 . ariti e offspring add flavour an ti e of the year (7)
16. United Nations in onfli t obod knows. (7)
17. Sounds like the sailors are marooned, of course! (6)
19. Motoring tales are mixed up (5)
21. Pastry to mess with your head (5)
Henrik ____ (5)
Notes
(6)
Keen (5)
Slow drip (7)
See 2 dn.
Holidays at home (11)
Brisk tempo (7)
Stupidity (7)
Crams (6)
. roofing ark
Frisson;
Soothsaying.
Down: 2, 7 David Copperfield; 3 Utrillo; 4 Treats; 5 Eager; 6 Trickle; 7 See 2 Dn; 8 Staycations; 14 Allegro; 16 Inanity; 17 Stu s; 19 Caret; 21 Ibsen.
Across: 1 Egocentrics; 9 Imagine; 10 Koala; 11, 20 Get Up And Go; 12 Lasagna; 13 Onside; 15 Pundit; 18 Toaster; 20 See 11acc; 22 Chops; 23 Staunch; 24 Escapements.
