West End – The Cultural Exposé

Photos: a weekend wander along Berwick Street

Matilda — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 12:00:21 +0000

In the space of a year, I’ve gone from carrying my Canon 5D in my bag every single place I go to…

…occasionally forgetting I even own an SLR.

Not good.

Not good at all.

What’s happened? A lot, not least a dependence on my iPhone 5s to capture moments on the fly before whacking them onto Instagram – rather than upgrading to a camera that has Bluetooth so I can sync the phone and present a world with alot more CLARITY.

2017 will be the year of the upgrade, believe.

Until then, I will cherish the moments when I do remember I own an SLR and have the time and mental space for us to just go out for a little wander together.

This went down a few weeks ago when I got an invite to look at Berwick Street with a fresh pair of eyes. I know this street well. When I used to work at Gap Oxford Circus in my uni days, Berwick Street was the spot where I could find one of those Chinese places that used to let you eat all you could for a fiver. It was also the place where I bought some fabric for a project that was way out of my budget. That’s still the same, but that feast for a fiver naturally left with the early noughties.

That’s not all that’s changed. Though stalwarts like the Sister Ray vinyl shop and Misan Fabrics are still reppin’, the Berwick Street Market is soon to be privatised, the Gosh! Comic shop commands queues and there’s a load of alternative clothing shops like Nudie Jeans (a dope Swedish company that will fix your jeans FOREVER) and slick cafes and restaurants like the wonderful Polpetto (which does the best tiramisu). But for now, the independent vibe still lives on, with the characters to match. Here’s a round-up of a pics from my recent visit:

Thanks to Sister London for the visit!

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The Lion King musical: a visual jubilee 16 years on

Matilda — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 07:45:26 +0000

I’d never seen the Lion King. Not the film obviously – that happened when I was probably too old to be watching Disneys but couldn’t help but be charmed by the loveable tale of a kid who thought he knew everything (much like my precocious 13-year-old self). But the musical, like most cultural and historical institutions on our doorstep that us Londoners shamefully take for granted, has been chilling out on my never-ending bucket list.

Disney’s The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre, London. Photo by Brinkoff and Mogenburg

It’s ironic then, that as I mark 16 years of living in the capital, I finally get to see the UK version of this infamous Broadway musical that also celebrates its 16th birthday in London. And like most awesome things in life, it was worth the wait.

The heartwarming animated tale translates to nearly 3 hours on stage, and it’s told through a colourful spectacle of technical puppetry and energetic showmanship that never lets up. There’s clearly a reverence for the music and traditions of African culture too, and talking drums and dance are as pivotal to the show as the wonderful Simba who we see go from a kid to a king. By the end, I realised I hadn’t stopped smiling since Rafiki opened the proceedings with The Circle of Life. And once I got home, I was all over YouTube, looking for a sing-a-long for that problem-free philosophy Hakuna Matata. I know for a fact that I’ll be buzzing from all of that feel-good energy for the next week, at least.

Disney’s The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre, London. Photo by Johan Persson

There’s no doubt I’ll be watching this again. Tickets for the musical are currently on sale until March 2016 for individual bookings and July 2016 for groups – so if that sounds like West End’s best-selling stage production could be seeing its last days, you’ll probably want to tick this off, stat. You’ll hardly regret it.

THE LION KING plays at the Lyceum Theatre (21 Wellington Street) Tuesday to Saturday at 7.30pm with matinee performances on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2.30pm. For more details call the Box Office number: 0844 871 3000 or visit www.thelionking.co.uk.

Many thanks to The Corner Shop for the invite!

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What we’ve been up to… Thriller Live at Lyric Theatre

The Cultural Exposé — Tue, 03 Sep 2013 10:50:43 +0000

If Michael Jackson was still alive, he would have recently celebrated his 55th birthday. It’s an age which would’ve easily been acceptable for retirement given his riches, achievements and line of work (although the late James Brown thought otherwise, still pulling out the odd shuffle and shimmy up until his 73rd birthday, bless him). Yet, despite Jackson’s ambitions with the 2009 This Is It tour passing away that same year, many would agree that his best years would always remain in an era where the brilliance of the music preceded the fancy footwork, as iconic as it would later become. It’s a point made in Thriller Live, a fun, feel-good two and a half show that celebrates the King of Pop’s music and legacy, with the help of rotating singers/hosts, dancers, a kid (playing lil’ Michael of course) and a pretty convincing impersonator in singer David Jordan. Though the rest of the leads are a bit hit and miss at times (with the exception of the sensational Miranda Wilford and Britt Quinton), the dancers never skip a beat, pulling off amazing displays to bring to life hits like ABC, Shake Your Body, Don’t Stop Til’ You Get Enough and Can You Feel It in Act 1.

In Act 2, the crowd are treated to a mix of songs from Bad, Dangerous and HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1 – with Smooth Criminal and Billie Jean being the undeniable highlights of the section – but the Thriller performance makes its mark, with zombies running through the audience and that legendary dance executed to perfection. The show doesn’t end here, however, and there’s an extra performance of Bad and Black or White before a sensational reprise of Smooth Criminal and Thriller wrap up what’s not only been an amazing sing and dance-a-long, but the sort of heartfelt tribute that Michael Jackson himself would have been proud of – especially as it’s his music that does all the work. One for the weekend.

For more info, visit: www.thrillerlive.com

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What we’ve been up to… Patty & Bun

Matilda — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:00:53 +0000

It may be a couple of years since a new kind of gourmet burger (big, messy, tasty et cetera) has invaded the capital, but we’re still loving ’em – especially as many of those roving sensations like Meat Liquor and Honest Burger are not only living up to the hype, but to the joy of comfort-food lovers, settling down with permanent locations. Patty & Bun – which made their debut in West London November 2011 – followed suit at the end of 2012 by acquiring a tiny 30-cover locale in Marylebone, and on a visit last week, we discovered its quirky style and hip soundtrack (think Guru and Busta Rhymes) definitely matched the swag of their delicious and innovative sandwiches.

There’s a decent variety of burgers to choose from, but we went for the ‘Lambshank Redemption’ burger (£8) with its nice chilli kick and the ‘Hot chic’ Chicken burger (£7.50) – that had a twist of tarragon that took the flavour up a notch – plus a side of rosemary fries (£2.50) we could have eaten twice over. But be warned: we queued over 70 minutes (!) to get into this hotspot on a Wednesday evening, and they like to move people in and out quickly – but we can safely say, we tried some of the best burgers we’ve had for a while. They don’t take reservations so visit late lunch time or early evening to beat the rush – and top off your meal with a choc ice (we were too full to try!).

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