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Celebrated, award winning artist Bobby Baker is well known for her performances and art works, in particular her Wellcome Collection exhibition, which has toured widely, and formed the basis of her book, 'Diary Drawings: Mental Illness and Me' which won MIND Book of the Year in 2011.
It recently came to my attention that she, via her disability led organisation Daily Life Ltd, was planning a two day micro-festival, set to take place next week in East London. I sent some questions over to Bobby, to find out more. You can read it here.
The Expert View Micro-Festival takes place Thursday 7 May and Friday 8 May. For more info and to book tickets see the Daily Life Ltd website here.
TOM SALINSKY: KINGMAKER
We first stumbled across 'Kingmaker' up at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe last year, when one of our rather impressed writers gave the show a glowing review, so I was thrilled to see new London dates in the offing.
The satirical play, focusing on a seemingly bumbling former London Mayor (sound familiar...?) and his bid for party leadership, is the work of Tom Salinsky and Robert Khan. I put some questions to Tom, ahead of the show's upcoming three week run at The Arts Theatre. You can read it here.
'Kingmaker' is on at The Arts Theatre (Above The Arts) from 4-23 May. See the venue website here for more info and to book.
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COMEDY: Sara Pascoe Vs History | Udderbelly | 1-2 May (pictured)
Sara Pascoe brings her Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award-nominated show to the Udderbelly for two nights. In it she explains how “wars, witches, Kim Jong-il and your ex” are all interlinked, through examinations of existential theory and her own romantic history. Details and tickets here. COMEDY: Tim Burton Comedy Night | Camden Comedy Club | 1 May Tim Burton is taking up stand up comedy for the night. OK, he'll look like actual stand up comedian Matthew Highton, but don't let that bother you. Alongside Helena Bonham-Carter (Gabby Best), Johnny Depp (Joz Norris) and an array of excellent alternative comedians, he'll bring his films to life right on stage in front of you. Details and tickets here. MUSIC: Villagers | Barbican | 1 May Indie-folk musician Conor O’Brien will perform tracks from his recently released third album 'Darling Arithmetic' and more at this show in the Barbican Hall. Support comes from Luke Sital-Singh. Details and tickets here. |
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COMEDY: Vikki Stone - Instrumental | Soho Theatre | 1-2 May
Vikki Stone has blagged, stolen and borrowed 20 musical instruments. Can she play them? You can't see, but I'm screwing my face up and doing that wobbling-your-hand motion that signifies when something's a bit hit-and-miss. What's not hit-and-miss, however, is the show she has built around her playing of those instruments, in which each sparks a story that connects a tale of love, loss and music. Details and tickets here. EVENT: London Coffee Festival | Old Truman Brewery | 30 Apr - 3 May Sleeping, what's that all about? I have no interesting in sleeping, which is why I'll be at the London Coffee Festival this weekend sampling all 250 odd coffees on offer. Then I will tour the food stalls, barista demonstrations, workshops, cocktail bars, live music and more with eyes wide. Details and tickets here. FILM: Frozen Sing-A-Long | Prince Charles Cinema | 26 Apr - 25 Jul (pictured) It seems the appeal of singing the songs of Disney's 'Frozen' has not worn off for a significant portion of the UK population, both children and adults. Thankfully, the Prince Charles Cinema is rounding all those people up and putting them in a room where they can sing along with the film without bothering the rest of us. Just kidding, I'm all for it. Do you want to build a snowmaaaaaaaaan? Details and tickets here. |
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CHILDREN'S SHOWS: Comedy Club 4 Kids | Udderbelly | 3 May - 12 Jul
The first in a weekly slot at the Udderbelly for Comedy Club 4 Kids kicks off with a line-up featuring Keith Farnan and Rayguns Look Real Enough, with Luke Toulson compering. How will they fare in front of a roomful of pre-teens demanding to be entertained? There is only one way to find out. Details and tickets here. EXHIBITION: What Is Luxury? | V&A | 25 Apr - 27 Sep What is luxury? Just what the hell is it? That's what this exhibition explores, looking at the production, future and the very concept of it, through historic objects and contemporary art and design. Details here. MUSIC: Nick Cave | Royal Albert Hall | 3 May (pictured) The last in a run of five rare solo shows around the UK for Nick Cave will see him perform a selection of songs from his vast catalogue. He'll be joined on stage by four of his Bad Seeds bandmates, Warren Ellis, Martyn Casey, Thomas Wydler and Barry Adamson. Details and tickets here. |
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CHILDREN'S SHOW: Shlomo's Beatbox Adventure For Kids | Udderbelly | 4 May (pictured) Join master beatboxer Shlomo on a sonic adventure into sound, as he creates all kinds of noises and music using only his mouth and a microphone. Details and tickets here. COMEDY: Alex Horne - Monsieur Butterfly | Soho Theatre | 4-16 May Nominated for the 2014 Fosters Comedy Award for Best Show, Alex Horne takes on the task of building his own real life version of the classic boardgame 'Mousetrap' in just 60 minutes. Will he manage to turn himself into Monsieur Butterfly? You'll have to come along to find out. Details and tickets here. THEATRE: Kingmaker | Arts Theatre | 4-23 May Given a four star review at last year's Edinburgh Festival by ThreeWeeks, this fast-paced political comedy follows Tory MP and former London mayor Max Newman as he makes a bid for leadership of his party and the position of Prime Minister. The problem, possibly, is his past. Details and tickets here. |
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COMEDY: Harry Hill & Friends - Experiments In Entertainment 2 | The Invisible Dot | 5-9 May Harry Hill begins a run of warm-up dates for his next tour at The Invisible Dot. As well as Harry's own experiments, there will be a set from a one of Harry's stand-up comedian friends each night too - tonight it's the brilliant Mae Martin. Details and tickets here. EVENT: Comedian's Comedian Podcast Live - Nina Conti | Soho Theatre | 5 May (pictured) The second in a run of live recordings of the brilliant Comedian's Comedian podcast sees ventriloquist Nina Conti interviewed by host (and fellow stand-up, of course) Stuart Goldsmith. If you missed last month's interview with Des Bishop, listen to what you missed out on here. Details and tickets here. THEATRE: A Mad World My Masters | Barbican | 29 Apr - 9 May Set in Soho in the 1950s, Thomas Middleton’s comedy A Mad World My Masters comes to London for a short run, following high acclaim the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon. Details and tickets here. |
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MUSIC: Laura Moody | The Old Church, Stoke Newington | 6 May (pictured)
Inventive cellist Laura Moody is touring unusual and intimate venues around the UK, seeing her take in laundrettes, chapels, boats, bike sheds and bookshops, to name a few. Tonight brings her to Stoke Newington's Old Church, where she'll no doubt turn in an exciting and incredibly physical performance. Details and tickets here. THEATRE: Blood | Soho Theatre | 28 Apr - 17 May Caneze meets Sully in the college canteen and a romance blossoms over a Nando's, but as their relationship blooms neither is prepared for the lengths her brother will go to in order to keep them apart. Details and tickets here. THEATRE: My Children! My Africa! | Tristan Bates Theatre | 28 Apr - 16 May Athol Fugard’s ‘My Children! My Africa!’ is set in 1985 South Africa, the country still very much operating under Apartheid. The story focusses on Thami Mbikwana, a young black man torn between taking action against the system through education or something more violent. Find out more in this TWL interview. Details and tickets here. |
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COMEDY: Andy Zaltzman - Satirist For Hire Election Special | Udderbelly | 7 May (pictured) A special edition of Andy Zaltzman's 'Satirist For Hire' show is the first of our three General Election-related tips for tonight. Andy will be joined by Josie Long and Tiernan Douieb to satirise anything of the audience's choosing. Details and tickets here. MUSIC/COMEDY: Jonny & The Baptists - Rock The Vote | Soho Theatre | 6-7 May Jonny & The Baptists tackle the big issues of the 2015 General Election with a mix of songs, satire and silliness. With 'Rock The Vote' they aim to find a reason, any reason, to vote at all. Should they succeed, that doesn't give you much time after they finish if you see it tonight. Details and tickets here. THEATRE: A New Play For The General Election | Finborough Theatre | 26 Apr - 12 May A brand new play written in response to the General Election by award-winning actor/director Chris New. Using material generated through a process of research, improvisation and writing, the play focusses on a moment of desperation by an opportunistic loner presented with a one-in-a-million opportunity to come face to face with the ruling elite. Details and tickets here. |
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