Following our initial Mindfulness Workshops organised in celebration of our 10th year, Megan Mattravers returns to deliver free online workshops on Sunday 7th January 2024 via Instagram Live with the idea of concluding the year on a positive note and seeing in the new year with good intentions. Timings are the same as before, 1pm/1:30pm with sessions lasting 30 minutes in total.

Our initial workshops included mindful writing – an exercise encouraging us to stay rooted in the present moment and pay attention to our 5 senses, and a body scan – an exercise again keeping us in the present moment (this is a scan of the body mentally, bringing awareness to any tensions within the body) and cultivating calmness. There were opportunities to share thoughts and feelings if you wanted to throughout, with participants feeling mentally energised for the week ahead.

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Infamous for their tumultuous love affair, which consisted of both marrying each other twice, Golden Globe winning actor Richard Burton CBE and Academy Award winning actress Elizabeth Taylor rise to prominence in the golden age of Hollywood. Burton going on to perform a record-breaking sell out run of Hamlet on Broadway directed by esteemed actor Sir John Gielgud. The Motive and the Cue – a line from the play Hamlet observes the run up to one of Burton’s greatest theatrical feats, now a play reflecting on this significant part of theatrical history.

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A pantomime favourite, the classic fairytale with a Robin Hood-style core continues to intrigue imaginations. The tale of a working class family struggling to make ends meet a particularly fitting tale to explore in light of the current ‘Cost of Living Crisis’ post lockdowns. Updating the classic tale to echo the experiences of the South London located Catford, located in the London Borough of Lewisham, Joy Productions and Catford Broadway Theatre delight with an infectious, upbeat and entertaining retelling of the tale.

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TodayTix, the digital gateway to cultural experiences, announces the launch of its annual Boxing Day Sale. From 21 December, audiences will have the chance to access tickets starting at £15 and save up to 55% on London’s hottest shows this festive season.

With over 50 incredible productions taking part, ranging from brand-new shows to all-time favourites including Disney’s Frozen, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, A Christmas Carol and Nutcracker, there is something for everyone to enjoy throughout the end of December and into the new year.

“With so many theatre lovers looking to experience new shows in the New Year, or to give the gift of theatre tickets to loved ones over the Christmas period, TodayTix’s Boxing Day Sale is a great way for them to get access to the tickets they want,” said Stephen Crocker, General Manager at TodayTix. “This year our sale is bigger and better than ever, with new and unmissable productions joining for the first time. Anyone who is wanting to see more of London’s fantastic shows in 2024 should book now to get the best possible seats at these great prices.”

Participating shows available include: A Christmas Carol,A Mirror, A Very Very Bad Cinderella, Afterglow, Backstairs Billy, Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett, Bronco Billy, Cirque Du Soleil: Alegria, Choir of Man, Cockfosters, Cowbois, Cruel Intentions, Double Feature, Dreaming and Drowning, Edward Scissorhands, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, F**king Men, Finding Santa, Disney’s Frozen, English National Ballet’s Giselle, Guys and Dolls, Hamnet, Humbug, In Clay, Jason Robert Brown, Jenufa, Kim’s Convenience, La Clique, Nachtland, Nutcracker, Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, Peanut Butter & Blueberries, Peter Pan: The Arena Adventure, Rehab, Sh!tfaced Showtime, Shifters, Showstopper!, Showstopper! Kids, Shrek, Side Show, Sister Act, Sleeping Beauty, SPIN, The Ballad of Hattie and James, The Barber of Seville, The Enfield Haunting, The Frogs, The House with Chicken Legs,  The King & I, The Little Big Things, The Magic Flute, The Most Precious of Goods, The Snowman, The Time Traveller’s Wife, This Might Not Be It, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, The Play That Goes Wrong, Two Strangers…, Unbelievable, We’ll Have Nunof It, Wishmas, Wild About YouandYou Lie In April.

For more information about TodayTix’s exciting Boxing Day sale promotion and to purchase tickets, please head to the TodayTixapp or todaytix.com.

In a move that seeks to break away from the tradition of ‘giving something up’ in the new year, Riverside Studios invites Londoners to discover something new with a specially curated programme of cultural and community events.

From dancercise and yoga to brand-new cinema, music and theatre, the venue is inviting its existing community and new visitors are invited to take part and #TryJanuary at Riverside Studios.

Kicking off in the first week of January with not-for-profit yoga with Lumi Foundation and the weekly series of ‘LIVE Next to the Apollo’ stand-up events, the month’s line-up embraces the concept of ‘trying out’ new life experiences. A wellbeing weekend on 13-14 January sees two brand-new events for those seeking a healthier, more mindful 2024: Sound Bath: total relaxation and Colour & Sleep Therapy sessions offer fresh perspectives from experienced wellness experts.

Opportunities to create continue with an introduction to Sculpting from sculptor, illustrator, and ceramicist, Maria Trupia. Riverscribes provides an open and creative space for developing new writing, led by award-winning actor and writer, Nadine Gray. A new course, Riverscribes: Writing Short Stories, brings four weeks of expert-led sessions—led by established author Dr Rachel Knightley—on capturing and creating compelling stories, with first-hand advice on how to approach and work with agents and publishers.

Affordable cinema for all: As part of its #TryJanuary line-up, the venue has reduced weekday cinema tickets for standard screenings to £6.50, encouraging as many people as possible to come and discover great film in the new year. From classic and arthouse cinema to new Hollywood blockbusters, the venue offers something for every taste and area of interest.

Artistic Director Rachel Tackley said: In 2023 we welcomed over 410,000 visitors to Riverside Studios with a broad range of work in our theatres, cinemas and exhibition spaces. As we look ahead to 2024, we thought it would be fun to have some new years’ resolutions – for ourselves and for our community.  So this New Year, we want to bring new experiences to more people than ever before. Whether it’s seeing a brand new show, treating yourself with a new wellness regime, or simply learning a new skill, there truly is something for everyone”

The unlimited pass for new theatre: January also offers theatre enthusiasts the chance to get their pass for entry to every show in the 2024 Bitesize Festival programme, taking place in February, with dates and programmes to be announced.

Throughout December and January, Bitesize attendees can save money by purchasing a Festival Pass for £50 which can be redeemed against pairs of tickets to all of the festival shows. With plans for over 20 productions spanning theatre, cabaret, musicals and comedy, the pass seeks to make theatre as financially affordable as possible, whilst supporting early-career and young artists.

To find out more about Riverside Studio’s programme, visit here…

Developing a sense of self, particularly when having endured a traumatising life journey brings with it a sense of pride. The trials and tribulations endured seeming never ending when experienced, the bonds we form and the choices we make amongst this claustrophobic backdrop the much needed difference between a life of pain or a life of hope. Originally published in 1982, and winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1983, Alice Walker’s The Color Purple has gone onto become a real source of hope snd inspiration to women within hostile situations. 40 years on, the original film adaptation is reimagined for a 2023 audience, writers Alice Walker, Marsha Norman and Marcus Gardley penning the modern classic, which director Blitz Bazawule validates with an authentic visual eye.

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LONDON, DECEMBER 2023 — TodayTix, the digital gateway to cultural experiences, is thrilled to announce the launch of its first ever TodayTix shop at the Leicester Square Underground station in London. Known for delivering unparalleled value for theatre tickets and cultural events to audiences across the globe, the global e-commerce leader will now have a dedicated store with the opportunity to shop exclusive prices only available in person.Opening its doors this December, the TodayTix shop will offer incredible inventory to West End and Off-West End’s best shows.

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Michael Grandage today announces the recipients of the seventh annual MGCfutures Bursaries awarded across a range of theatrical disciplines including directing, writing, producing, designing, performance-makers, and for the first time a puppet maker and a theatrical shoemaker. A registered charity, MGCfutures offers both financial and ongoing mentoring support to the recipients who come from across the UK.

This year’s recipients are Tom Bailey, Jessica Brigham, Nur Khairiyah Bte Ramli, Sarah Burton, Ruth D’Silva, Sharon Kanolik, Lubna Kerr, Roisin McCay-Hines, Louise Orwin, Em Spoor, Eleanor Taylor, Nikhil Vyas, and Alice Ortona Coles and Nicola Holter who receive Stephanie Arditti Bursaries, and Carys-Haf Williams who becomes The Other Room Production Manager Placement.

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Over 1,000 cultural organisations, leaders and practitioners have added their voices to a Global Call to Action which happened in advance of this year’s COP 28 in Dubai, which started on 30 November and runs until 12 December. They are urging the UN Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) to adopt a groundbreaking ‘Joint Work Decision on Culture and Climate Action’ to ensure culture-based solutions to climate change are recognised and implemented.

Existing climate policies have proven inadequate and left the world struggling to meet Paris Agreement targets. Culture-led solutions that are inclusive, rights-based, place-specific, demand-oriented, and focused on people and nature are already abundant. Yet in spite of its potential, culture has not yet been integrated into climate policy and planning.

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National Theatre at Home, the theatre streaming platform where global audiences can enjoy the best of British theatre, celebrates its third birthday this Friday 1 December.

National Theatre at Home launched in 2020 after the National Theatre hosted weekly free streams of archive productions during the summer lockdown when theatres around the world were closed, garnering over 15million views in 173 countries.

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