SWLondoner provides your weekly round-up of what South West London has to offer.
Looking for something to do this week? South West Londoner provides your weekly round-up of the best action in town…
Momentous Musicals: New Wimbledon Theatre
Thursday 19 July, 7.30pm
Tickets: £22-£27
For one night only, the finest voices of the West End perform Momentous Musicals, a brand new concert celebration showcasing soaring ballads and fondly remembered songs from the most significant musicals of our generation.
Gareth Gates leads this sophisticated homage to musical theatre, featuring the songs, Empty Chairs, Empty Tables (Les Misérables), For Good (Wicked), Why God, Why? (Miss Saigon), Seasons of Love (Rent) and many more. Gareth Gates has sold over 3 million singles in the UK and has had starring roles in the productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Les Misérables.
Gareth is joined by a cast of West End stars including Jonathan Ansell who is best known as a member of G4 who shot to fame on the first series of The X Factor. Previous theatre credits include the lead role of The Man in Whistle Down the Wind. The cast are also joined by Daniel Boys known for his success in the BBC TV show Any Dream Will Do. Previous credits include the title role in the new musical production of Peter Pan and the role of Princeton/Rod in Avenue Q.
Emma Williams and Rachael Wooding complete this fantastic line up of West End stars. Emma made her West End debut as Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Other theatre credits include Luisa in Zorro and Jenny in Love Story. Rachael Wooding played the lead role Mary Delgado in Jersey Boys, previous credits include Amber in Hairspray and Meat in We Will Rock You. Momentous Musicals is produced by Neil Eckersley for Speckulation Entertainment.
Visit http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/momentous-musicals/new-wimbledon-theatre/ for more information.
Dandy Dick: Richmond Theatre
Thursday 12 July – Saturday 14 July, 2.30pm (Saturday) and 7.30pm (Thursday & Friday)
Tickets: £15-£35
Written in Brighton in 1887, Dandy Dick is the inaugural production of Theatre Royal Brighton Productions.
This will be its first major revival for forty years, and stars Olivier Award-winner Patricia Hodge, whose career spans film (Betrayal, Behind Enemy Lines), theatre (Noises Off, Calendar Girls) and television (a BAFTA nomination for Hotel du Lac, The Falklands Play and, of course, Miranda).
Nicholas Le Prevost’s distinguished stage career includes many productions at the National Theatre, including My Fair Lady, for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award. More recently, he was seen in The Misanthrope with Keira Knightley.
Dandy Dick tells the hilarious story of the Very Reverend Augustin Jedd, a pillar of Victorian respectability, who preaches regularly against the evils of the Turf. But a visit from his tearaway sister, herself an habitual gambler, leads him to risk all at the races, much against his better judgement. Mayhem ensues, with romantic intrigue, mistaken identity and a runaway horse… Following his huge success with The Madness of George III in the West End, Christopher Luscombe directs a solid gold cast of comic actors in what is surely the must-see comedy of 2012.
Kingston Rotary Dragon Club Challenge: Canbury Gardens, Kingston
Sunday 15 July, 10am-4pm
A great day out by the river not to be missed. Hundreds of competitors in up to 52 teams battle it out on the river to determine who makes it into the exciting eight boat final for the Challenge Cup. Market stalls, sideshows and bouncy castles plus rides for the kids go to make this a fun filled day, that last year raised over £45,000 for various charities.
Visit www.kingstonrotaryclub.org.uk for more information.
Balham Food Festival: Hildreth Street Market, Balham
Sunday 15 July, 12-5pm
The two week-long event not only showcases the fantastic range of restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, delicatessens and gourmet food retailers in the town centre – it also features activities for children and adults, and musical performances.
Visitors will be able to take part in balloon modelling and street dance workshops as well as see stilt walkers, a magic show and performances from South London Choir and The Balham Ukulele Society.
Throughout the rest of the festival, highlights include Balham’s Big Roast at participating restaurants, wine tasting events at Gazette and The Wine Tasting Shop, children’s cookery classes at Gazette and Dee Light Bakery, a speciality coffee evening at M1Lk, live music at Alter Ega and The Bedford and the Balham Farmers’ Market at Chestnut Grove School.
Selected Balham restaurants will be running exclusive festival menus and there will be festival offers and promotions.
Euphonix lunch-time concert: Rose Theatre Culture Cafe, Kingston
Wednesday 18 July, 1pm
This large community choir, led by Musical Director Dominic Stichbury and accompanied by a small band, will be singing songs from its repertoire of pop, world and folk music in an informal end-of-term concert from 1.00pm in the Rose Theatre Culture Café, High Street Kingston.
Visit www.euphonix.org.uk for more information.
Queen and Adam Lambert: HMV Hammersmith Apollo
Saturday 14 July, doors open 6.30pm and show starts 8pm
Tickets: £65-£75
Queen have announced they are to go ahead with a UK concert appearance this summer. The rock band today announced that the highly anticipated pairing of Queen and Lambert will take place at London’s HMV Hammersmith Apollo over two nights, July 11th and 12th. The announcement comes just two weeks after the shock cancellation of Sonisphere 2012 where they were due to headline with singer Adam Lambert.
BBC Proms: Royal Albert Hall
Friday 13 July – Saturday 8 September
Tickets: £4.25-£44
The world’s greatest classical music festival launches this Friday at the Royal Albert Hall. This summer’s Proms line-up has over 75 Proms which include a mix of all genres. For classical aficionados the highlights include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. For beginners there is Lerner & Lowe’s My Fair Lady and Desert Island Disc’s 70th Anniversary Prom. And to keep the kids entertained there’s The Wallace & Gromit Prom: Musical Marvels! and a family matinee of A Journey to Far Corners of our Musical World.
If you don’t manage to grab a ticket you can watch some of them on BBC channels and listen to all live on BBC Radio 3.
Visit http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/proms.aspx#/page/1/ for tickets and more information.
2012 Dreams: Stables Gallery, Twickenham
14 Jun 2012 – 30 Sep 2012
Free entry
In collaboration with St Mary’s University College, children and young people from across the borough of Richmond have explored the themes of the Paralympic Games: Courage, Determination, Equality and Inspiration. Their collaborative and individual works celebrate the Olympics as part of the wider 2012 Dreams events, showcasing arts, music and poetry by children across the borough.
Visit www.richmond.gov.uk/arts for more information.
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