What’s On in London – January 2016

This production by Patrick Barlow seeks to prove that Dickens meant for the moral of the story to extend far beyond the festive season. Broadbent plays Scrooge, not as a spiteful curmudgeon, but as a somewhat genial pragmatist who exploits the poor in a casual, almost carefree, manner that makes his conversion a mostly internal one.

In Barlow’s adaptation, Scrooge symbolises modern Capitalism which tends to hide its callousness behind a shiny digital facade and although the play takes place in the traditional Victorian setting, the connections are quite obvious. Broadbent’s comedy skills are particularly useful in the ghost scenes with Amelia Bullmore and Samantha Spiro.

It’s an idea so obvious that you’d think that it’s been done countless times before. High tea and red double decker buses are London institutions that have stood the test of time and a fusion of the two is a great way to experience the sights and sounds of the Capital.

The Routemaster buses pick up customers from either Charing Cross or Victoria stations. Instead of the regulation seats there are tables laden with all the delicious treats that go with a traditional English spread. As the bus makes a leisurely circuit around some of London’s most iconic landmarks, passengers can tuck into a selection of sandwiches, cakes and pastries – not forgetting a refreshing cuppa or two.

www.afternoontea.co.uk

Ambitious, colourful and full of eccentric characters, wonder.land(pronounced “wonder dot land”) is the brainchild of a collective led by pop music’s very own renaissance man. Damon Albarn took initial inspiration for this surreal musical from watching his pre-teen daughter withdraw into her own personal smartphone universe.

Combining 21st century obsessions with cyberspace with the bizarre tales of Lewis Carroll, Albarn and Rufus Norris take “Through The Looking Glass” in an exhilarating new direction. Instead of going underground to a parallel universe, Aly goes online and battles cyber bullying and strange avatars. Like its inspiration, wonder.landhas no proper storyline but comes across as a hugely entertaining stream of psychedelic consciousness.

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

As a musical genre, hip-hop has always thrived on its outsider status. Everything from its obsession with gang culture, to a its’ dedication to luxury sports brands has been geared to filter out wannabes and fakes. In this endless quest to “keep it real”, many pioneers of the scene have resisted crossover success and have scorned those who have had big pop hits.

Boom seeks to gather up these popular tracks into one big party night and promises Friday nights full of dance floor fun. Artists such as Will Smith, Black Eyed Peas and R Kelly may not make it onto any hipster’s playlist, but put their tunes through a big sound system and you’ll soon be forgetting all about their terminal unfashionableness.

After the Christmas blowout, minds turn to sunnier climates and getaway destinations start to gain extra appeal. A series of interlinked exhibitions by the Telegraph media organisation seeks to put expert opinion and guidance into the hands of those among us that just don’t have the time to sort through the various options.

Boats, ranging from hobbyist sail craft to ocean going yachts are a subculture unto themselves. The exhibition deals with the purchasing, outfitting and upkeep of such luxury items. Cruises are diversifying from their post retirement demographic and include literary, rock music and extreme sports versions of the genre. The Telegraphs large stable of travel writers will be on hand to help pinpoint the best operators and destinations.

www.excel.london

Vicomte de Valmont (Dominic West) and Marquise de Merteuil (Janet McAteer) are two bored French aristocrats with a common twisted philosophy. Pre-revolutionary Paris is their playground where they wile away their time plotting, scheming and seeking to destroy reputations using sex and gossip as weapons.

But as Valmont is egged on by Merteuil to debauch more and more innocent society girls, he harbours a burning desire to claim her as his prize. Merteuil knows that teasing Valmont is a dangerous game but can’t resist playing it to its logical, if tragic, conclusion. The chemistry between the two leads is essential to the success of this 18th century adaptation and West and McAteer do not disappoint.

www.donmarwarehouse.com

Big concept restaurants are well and truly back in the capital. After a period when the emphasis was on small and cozy eateries, there is now a new wave of grand spaces with dining on multiple levels. The German Gymnasium, owned by the restaurant group D&D (formerly Conran), is the latest big name making big news. Housed in a listed building between Kings Cross and St Pancras stations, the German Gymnasium specialises in Northern European cuisine and therefore has a menu that ranges from smoked salmon and blinis to whole roast goose. Split into main restaurant, cafe and bar area, this is an immaculate venue that is as suitable for business brunches as it is for pre-theatre drinks.Although the German Gymnasium does not actually promote itself as a German restaurant, its Grand Cafe section is where German influences are most prominent. The menu here features a wide selection of hams, wurst and Berliner doughnuts. Glamour fans will enjoy the Meister Bar where oysters and champagne are served with plenty of dash and élan.

www.germangymnasium.com

Somerset House is by far the most elegant skating location that the capital has to offer and every year they seem to surpass themselves. Centrally located with the most beautiful architectural back-drop and handy for a spot of pre-theatre exercise, Skate provides a hassle-free ice experience and additional amenities that will attract even the least adventurous of visitors. As the name suggests, the West wing of the building will house a pop-up version of the famous London shop that will enable skaters to also indulge in their taste for luxury goods.An après-skate restaurant and bar will once more be a popular meeting point and chill out zone and the Polar Bear Club will provide training for youngsters that are new to the ice. The musical aspect of Skate is, as always, very much part of its all-round appeal. Club nights are immensely popular, with sets by renowned DJs and extended opening hours. Ministry of Sound and Island Records are both scheduled to feature.

www.somersethouse.org.uk/Skate