Local Area News
Apr 2024Madam Butterfly - Royal Albert Hall
Puccini's great tragedy comes to London to be performed in the round after receiving rave reviews around the world. Madam Butterfly tells the tale of two star-crossed lovers, separated by a massive cultural divide and family expectations. A young geisha falls for a dashing American soldier and vows to wait for his return when his superiors summon him back to the states. Having given birth to their son, she continues to wait when all others have given up hope.
Her steadfastness is rewarded when she sights her lover's ship in the harbour, only for her world to be shattered when he appears with an American wife in tow. The scene is set for a harrowing finale as, realising that she is to lose both her one true love and her precious son, Madam Butterfly elects to take her own life. As a study of the joy and pain of sacrificial love, this opera has few equals.
www.royalalberthall.com
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Cirque Du Soleil: Kooza - Royal Albert Hall
The organisation that kickstarted a circus revolution is determined not to sit back and let pretenders and copyists steal its thunder. In Kooza, they return to the roots of the circus by combining the twin disciplines of clowning and acrobatics to jaw-dropping effect. Dispensing with high-octane rock scores and distracting pyrotechnics, Cirque Du Soleil relies mainly on the incredible flexibility of the human body.
The story follows a mythical innocent who journeys to a strange kingdom filled with bizarre creatures, some which are friendly and some which are otherwise. You could take out the storyline which is refreshingly free of the usual new age pretensions and still have plenty of thrills to talk about. The "Wheel of Death" has got to be the highlight. This involves two daredevils running, jumping and climbing around two enormous circular, revolving treadmills suspended from the ceiling. Such stunts are tailor-made for performing in the round and are therefore perfect for the Royal Albert Hall.
www.cirquedusoleil.com
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Founders Arms - Bankside
A pub with a view is not an uncommon occurrence in London but a pub with one as a majestic as this is definitely worth a visit or two. Sited between Blackfriars Bridge and the Millennium foot crossing on the southern shore of the Thames, the Founders Arms is an ideal pit stop for those rambling along the South Bank. Visitors to the monolithic Tate Modern museum will also be able to obtain a welcome snack and a friendly pint before pressing on to the Globe theatre or the London Eye.
Those looking for more substantial fare will find a lot to choose from from the exhaustive lunch and brunch menus. Steak, fish & chips, and various pasta dishes are cooked and served with skill and efficiency leaving guests free to enjoy the unrivalled views of the City, St Paul's and Tower Bridge. As the evenings close in, the atmosphere gets livelier as students, artists and City workers add to the social mingle.
www.foundersarms.co.uk
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