What To Book, Watch & Listen To This Month
THE MUSICAL:
Twiggy
One of the 20th century’s most enduring figures, Twiggy has inspired a generation of designers, make-up artists and cultural icons. Now, there’s a musical about her life and rise to stardom, opening at the Menier Chocolate Factory later this month. It tells the story of a skinny kid from Neasden who became the most famous teenager on the planet and the face of the 60s. It’s the story of a young working-class woman who faced snobbery and sexism in a pre-Me-Too world and yet achieved her dreams without ever compromising on who she was. Directed by Ben Elton, the show features a score with hits from Twiggy’s life. Tickets start from £30.
53 Southwark Street, London Bridge, SE1 1RU; 18th September-18th November
THE EXHIBITION: REBEL:
30 Years of London Fashion at the Design Museum
The Design Museum in Kensington is one of our favourite galleries in the capital, so we were pleased to hear the venue is about to open an exhibition celebrating London’s contribution to contemporary global fashion. Opening to coincide with London Fashion Week, the exhibition will be one of the most wide-ranging surveys of contemporary fashion culture ever staged in the UK, with nearly 100 innovative looks from debut and early collections, many of which have entered pop-culture history – and launched design careers. Highlights include the swan dress controversially worn by Björk at the 2001 Oscars, Harry Styles’ Steven Stokey Daley outfit from his video for ‘Golden’ and a unique replica of Sam Smith's inflatable latex suit from this year’s BRIT Awards.
224-238 Kensington High Street, Kensington, W8 6AG; 15th September–11th February
Visit DesignMuseum.org
JW ANDERSON
IMAGE: MICHAEL SINCLAIR | STYLING: OLIVIA GREGORY
THE INTERIORS EVENT:
London Design Festival
London Design Festival celebrates and promotes London as the design capital of the world. This month, the festival returns to venues and institutions across the city. Must-see events include a drinks evening and talk by One Hundred Shoreditch hotel designer Jacu Strauss, with Vinterior’s Lucy Ward and other designers (19th September); styling workshops and private shopping with brand OKA (21st September); and various design presentations at Liberty (16th-21st September). Don’t miss the talk on art collecting with expert David Henty at Chelsea Design District (21st September). Tickets are free, otherwise talks start from £5.
Various locations; 16th-24th September
Visit LondonDesignFestival.com
THE LIVE RECORDINGS:
London Podcast Festival
London Podcast Festival 2023 kicks off this weekend with its first batch of live recordings. Taking place in front of an audience at Kings Place in King’s Cross, the annual festival will showcase some of the UK’s most popular shows – and there’s something for everyone. Highlights over the next two weeks include a recording of ‘I Weigh’ with Jameela Jamil (Friday 8th September), an evening with the hosts of ‘The Divorce Social’ podcast (Saturday 9th September) and an episode of ‘Fame’ with Jo Elvin and some of her famous friends (Saturday 9th September). Tickets start from £9.
90 York Way, King’s Cross, N1 9AG; 7th-17th September
Visit KingsPlace.co.uk
THE THEATRE SHOW:
Death of England: Closing Time
The ‘Death of England’ series by Clint Dyer and Roy Williams explores racism and friendship between Black and white working-class people. It started back in 2020 with a powerful monologue by Rafe Spall. The latest in the series stars Jo Martin (Doctor Who) and Hayley Squires (I, Daniel Blake) as Denise and daughter-in-law Carly in this thought-provoking drama that explores family dynamics, race, colonialism and cancel culture. Grieving the loss of the family shop and their dreams destroyed, the two women are left to pick up the pieces of their relatives’ mistakes. Will all be forgiven?
Upper Ground, South Bank, SE1 9PX
Visit NationalTheatre.org.uk
THE HOTEL:
La Nauve Hôtel et Jardin, Cognac
After a four-year restoration, Hotel group Almae Collection has opened La Nauve Hôtel et Jardin in Cognac. Set in a former cognac distillery, the boutique hotel is set on the banks of the river Charente where guests can enjoy boat rides to visit the famous Château de Cognac. The property itself has been carefully restored with grand interiors and a twist of contemporary style – expect to see bespoke Murano glass chandeliers, a grand central staircase and furniture made from local materials. There are 12 rooms with elegant and neutral interiors, as well as 12 acres of gardens for picnics and yoga classes. Guests can also enjoy meals at the destination fine dining restaurant, Notes, explore the surrounding areas using the hotel’s electric bikes and sample 70 bottles of Cognac from the hotel’s own collection.
Visit Almae-Collection.com
THE BOOK:
The Seventh Son by Sebastian Faulks
Sebastian Faulks’ highly awaited novel explores a topical subject: surrogacy and medical ethics. When a young woman named Talissa answers an advert to carry a child, she cannot begin to imagine the consequences. Behind the doors of the Parn Institute, a billionaire entrepreneur plans to stretch the boundaries of ethics as never before. Through a series of IVF treatments, one they hope no one ever discovers, they set in motion an experiment that is set to upend the human race as we know it. When baby Seth is delivered to hopeful parents Mary and Alaric, his differences start to mark him out from his peers. Then the unwanted attention begins…
Visit Waterstones.com
THE HOME TOURS:
Open House London
Celebrating London’s unique architecture and neighbourhoods, Open House Festival takes place across the capital from today until Tuesday 12th September. Visitors can tune into talks, take part in guided tours and drop into studios – with some great chances to look inside some of the city’s coolest buildings. Highlights include a self-guided tour of the Victorian Crystal Palace Subway (Friday 15th September), a tour of Haberdashers' Hall in Barbican (Saturday 16th September) and a tour of a design-led Victorian mid-terrace house in Walthamstow (Saturday 9th & Friday 15th September).
Various sites.
THE PODCAST:
Fearless by Trinny Woodall
Not content with a bestselling beauty brand, a YouTube series and an upcoming book, Trinny Woodhall has launched a podcast. In each episode of ‘Fearless’, Trinny interviews people who have overcome challenges and fears in their lives in order to thrive. She also discusses her own journey and valuable life experiences along the way. Episode one is with Queer Eye’s Tan France, who candidly talks about finance, relationships and the importance of harnessing your ambition to overcome fears. Other guests in the series include actor and activist Deborah Messing, and The Real Housewives of New York City star Dorinda Medley.
Listen here
THE TALK:
Succession: An Evening with the Writers at Southbank Centre
Succession fans, this one’s for you. Show writers Tony Roche, Jon Brown, Lucy Prebble and Georgia Pritchett will give a talk at the Royal Festival Hall on Wednesday 13th September. Hosted by screenwriter Jesse Armstrong, audience members will gain insight into the creation, writing and development of the show. To mark the publication of the complete scripts, the conversation will take you behind the scenes on creating the Roys, from alternative dialogue and character directions to some of the most pivotal moments in the twisting story of shifting familial, political and financial alliances. Tickets start from £15.
Belvedere Road, South Bank, SE1 8XX
Visit SouthbankCentre.co.uk
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