Don’t let the typical British weather put you off - wrap up this weekend and make it your business to tick off our cultural round-up of the best (and festive) things happening right on your doorstep.
Words by Liz Connor
THEATRE: Russell Brand’s Trickster Tales
Is there anything Russell Brand can’t turn his hand to? From stand-up comedian, to Hollywood actor, to red top commodity, to messiah of popular revolt - there’s barely plate the cockney jester can’t spin.
This week the Brand celebrates the release of his first foray into the world of children’s literature, The Pied Piper of Hamelin, with a special live event at The Royal Albert Hall. Delve into the fantastically aberrant mind of a national treasure.
royalalberthall.com, Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP
GOING OUT: Natural History Museum Ice Skating
No winter in London is complete without a customary trip to one of the city’s ephemeral ice rinks. Every year we return with hopes anew of channelling our inner Blades Of Glory; every year we cling on for dear life whilst we flounder our way around the outskirts of the rink.
Regardless, an afternoon spent in the splendour of The Natural History museum is a happy exchange for the hilarious mortification endured.
nhm.ac.uk, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 5BD
FILM: The Imitation Game
Ever since that interview in our December issue (read it here), we can’t get the thought of Benedict Cumberbatch out of our heads. Luckily, he’s back on our cinema screens this weekend with a leading role as genius mathematician and cryptanalyst Alan Turing in The Imitation Game.
Taking us back to World War II, Cumberbatch retells Turing’s revolutionary wartime work that helped to crack Nazi Germany’s Enigma code… alongside, y’know, being totally dishy.
Various cinemas nationwide
FESTIVAL: Southbank Centre Winter Festival
Southbank’s annual Christmas market has long established itself as a firm favourite with Londoners during the festive season, and this year the winter festival promises to be bigger and better than ever.
A fistful of fun pop-ups include a Scandinavian lodge courtesy of Rekordelig cider, a huge Christmas tree maze, bankside winter express trains and a Festive Flyer fairground ride. Don’t forget to look out for the Jeff Koons-style giant rabbits popping across the site too.
Southbankcentre.co.uk, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX
GOING OUT: Night Tales
Forward-thinking party hosts, Night Tales are back after a short siesta, with a seven-week long residency at a 10,000 sq/ft Shoreditch car park over the festive season.
Roaring log fires, twinkling canopies, wild gardens and private chalets are just some of the quaint elements to expect, with all kinds of inventive cocktails to be sipped alongside to-boot. Top-notch grub comes in the form of Patty & Bun burgers, Caribbean fare from Rum Kitchen and pizza by the slice from Voodoo Rays.
Nighttales.co.uk, 288 Old Street, London.
EXHIBITION: Witches and Wicked Bodies
If 2014 blockbuster Maleficent whet your appetite for all things occult, head down to The British Museum this weekend, which opens it’s most malevolent exhibition to-date with an in-depth examination of the portrayal of witches and witchcraft in art over the past 500 years.
From Dürer to Delacroix, chart the witches’ progression in popular consensus from demented beast to exotic siren.
britishmuseum.org, Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG
FOOD: Urban Food Festival
Oh food, we love you so. So much so that we’re impatient to see the return of Urban Food Fest – a night market extravaganza featuring food trucks serving gourmet global street food, craft beers and urban cocktails.
Whether a beer and a burger or paella and prosecco, head down to Shoreditch Euro Car Park this Saturday with an empty stomach and a curious palette.
urbanfoodfest.com, 162-175 Shoreditch High St, Shoreditch, London E1 6HU
GIG: Damon Albarn at The Royal Albert Hall
One fourth of Blur, one half of Gorillaz - and now, one whole of himself. See Damon Albarn perform tracks from his solo album Everyday Robots at his first performance at The Royal Albert Hall this weekend.
Special guests include De La Soul, Graham Coxon and Vic Mensa.
royalalberthall.com, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP
GOING OUT: Cullberg Ballet
As part of the Northern Light season, acclaimed ballet company Cullberg Ballet makes its Sadler’s Wells debut with the UK premiere of Plateau Effect.
In this new production, the dancers form a community that is constantly on the move as they progress through a series of disorienting and intriguing large-scale environments. A perfect wintry night out for both seasoned ballet fans and dance rookies too.
sadlerswells.com, Rosebury Avenue, London EC1R
SHOPPING: Hyper Japan Christmas Market
A taste of Tokyo comes to Olympia National this weekend as Hyper Japan Christmas Market opens its fantastically kitsch doors.
Don’t miss the chance to get a head start on Christmas shopping with some truly unique gifts; from food and drink to videogames, anime and fashion.
olympia.co.uk, Hammersmith Road, London W14 8UX
FITNESS: Healthy Brunch with Fish Market x FRAME
Both the health-conscious and lazy weekend brunchers will be satisfied with the latest offering from Shoreditch fitness studio FRAME and the Fish Market, who’ve teamed up to launch a new exercise experience that combines winter-warming, healthy dining with a full workout session.
Join the team at Old Bengal Bar’s studio for an hour-long power yoga session, followed by a healthy brunch menu full of guilt-free, delicious dishes including spicy baked duck eggs and buckwheat blueberry pancakes with coconut yoghurt.
Plus, it's 50% off brunch this Saturday. We'll see you there.
Moveyourframe.com, 16 New St, London EC2M 4TR
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