Events
Totally Thames Festival
Various Locations – 1st September – 1st October 2023
The annual celebration of the Thames makes a splash with its mix of art festivals, community events, regattas and river races. This year look out for an immersive exhibition about the planet’s simultaneous beauty and fragility with satellite views and a live performer, plus creative workshops and a climate cabaret.
Prom 71 – Last night of The Proms 2023
Royal Albert Hall – 9th September 2023
Two great names in classical music come together to host the biggest musical party of the year. Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and soprano Lise Davidsen join conductor Marin Alsop and the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus for an evening of opera and wVVorld premieres, as well as all the traditional favourites.
British Art Fair
Saatchi Gallery – 28th September – 1st October 2023
Top dealers from London and across the UK gather at Saatchi Gallery once a year to present the very best Modern British art and tell visitors all about the artists, their work and give specialist advice on collecting. Galleries are installed throughout all three storeys of Saatchi Gallery, London, creating an elegant museum-like atmosphere.
Exhibitions
The Missing Thread
Somerset House – Until 10th September 2023
Spanning from the 1970s to the present day, The Missing Thread charts the shifting landscape of Black British culture and the unique contribution it has made to Britain’s design history. The exhibition will examine how the cultural and socio-economic backdrop of the 20th & 21st centuries have shaped Black style & mainstream fashion.
Ranjani Shettar: Cloud Songs On The Horizon
Barbican – Opening 10th September 2023
The artist’s first major institutional show in Europe, will feature a series of new, large-scale suspended sculptures across the entirety of the Conservatory’s 23,000 square foot space. The Conservatory is home to 1,500 species of plants and trees. Shettar’s sculptures are handcrafted and draw inspiration from the complexity of nature.
Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto
V&A, South Kensington – Opens 16th September 2023
The first UK exhibition dedicated to the work of French couturière, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, charting the establishment of the House of CHANEL and the evolution of her iconic design style which continues to influence the way women dress today.
Our Theatre Recommendations
Pygmalion
The Old Vic – 6 September 2023 – 28 October 2023
Two great acting talents star in this new version of George Bernard Shaw’s play: Bertie Carvel has shone both on screen and in the theatre (memorably one of the best headmistresses there’s been in ‘Matilda’); and Patsy Ferran has deservedly, and quickly, become one of the strongest young actors out there (recently Olivier nominated in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’). The presence of these two ensures the success of this much-told tale about a professor vowing to make a Cockney girl talk proper. Intelligent, witty and thought-provoking – it’s a truly excellent play.
The Old Man and the Pool
Wyndham’s Theatre – 12 Sep 2023 – 7 Oct 2023
Mike Birbiglia, the American comedian and storyteller, brings his latest one-man show to the West End, following sell-out performances across the U.S. It’s described as a coming-of-middle-age story: we get taken through Birbiglia’s past as he shares a series of humorous flashbacks and sharp one-liners. His doctor tells him to adopt a healthier lifestyle, including swimming, which brings back particularly unsavoury memories. The show is a blast, extraordinary actually. This man is so funny, so talented – he’s a joy to watch.
Old Friends
Gielgud Theatre – 16th September 2023 – 6th January 2024
After Sondheim’s death in 2021 Cameron Mackintosh produced a one-off gala performance last year to celebrate his greatest work. Now the concert is back for a full season at the Gielgud Theatre. A host of big musical stars including Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga – sparkle their way through songs from his best shows. Sweeney Todd, Gypsy, West Side Story. If you enjoy Sondheim’s work you will be in seventh heaven. It’s very special!
New Restaurant openings
Bocconcino
Soho
Bocconcino is opening a new space in which to indulge in cicchetti, homemade pasta and wood-fired pizzas made fresh from pizzaiolos using a traditional Roman technique and dough. Choose from the upper-level dining area with its open-plan kitchen, counter seating or the lower-level bar with a speakeasy vibe.
Daroco
Soho
Daroco have Italian restaurants in Paris’ 2nd and 16th arrondissements and now they’re getting ready to open in London too. They’re promising fresh handmade pastas and pizza amongst a Renaissance-inspired design, and a separate cocktail bar too.
Bébé Bob
Soho
Bébé Bob will be Bob Bob Ricard’s more casual alternative. In spite of this, it will not be lacking in the luxury that underpins the original Bob Bob Ricard mission. Its menu is centred on rotisserie chicken and mixes in some tableside caviar service too.
