{"id":11665,"date":"2017-09-01T10:00:11","date_gmt":"2017-09-01T09:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/?p=11665"},"modified":"2019-02-26T11:07:28","modified_gmt":"2019-02-26T11:07:28","slug":"whats-on-in-london-september-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/renting\/whats-on-in-london-september-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"What&#8217;s on in London &#8211; September 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>When a large part of London is on holiday, a certain media phenomenon occurs. It\u2019s called the \u201cSilly Season\u201d and involves minor news items blowing up into big stories. This summer is no different with everyone debating about what should happen to Big Ben during repairs: \u201cTo bong or not to bong\u201d, that was the question. Could this old hunk of metal be the only thing holding the nation together? Even the Prime Minister chimed in (sorry!). If you\u2019re passing by this giant alarm clock on your way to the O2 or the British Museum and you don\u2019t hear anything, here\u2019s some advice: do what you always do and keep looking at your smartphone.<br \/>\n<!--more--><\/p>\n<div class=\"guide-inner\">\n<h2>Totally Thames Festival \u2013 Various Riverside Venues<\/h2>\n<div class=\"whats-on-left guide-inner-left\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11690 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Fulham-Reach-e1504105111878.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"195\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"whats-on-right guide-inner-right\">\n<p>This annual event is a great opportunity to close out the summer on a high. From the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe to the Strand on the Green in Gunnersbury, the banks of the River Thames play host to a dazzlingly eclectic mix of cultural events. This year sees the festival expand in both size and scope, giving even more visitors the chance to join in the fun.<\/p>\n<p>Events include African choirs, mobile Shakespearean actors and a tidal swimming competition. There are community art installations and plenty of opportunities to get into river conservation which is becoming an increasingly important theme. The festival lasts all month, so it might be wise to catch the earlier weeks before the weather closes in. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"guide-inner\">\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.openhouselondon.org.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Open House London \u2013 Various London Venues<\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"whats-on-left guide-inner-left\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11692 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/knowledge-1052011_1920-e1504105368582.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"whats-on-right guide-inner-right\">\n<p>A significantly large part of London\u2019s history is hidden behind the closed doors of the various private homes, government buildings and colleges that populate the capital. For one weekend only on September 16-17, visitors are allowed in for free in order to uncover these mysteries. Like all the best detective work, the focus will be on gathering clues and this is where the guided tours come in.<\/p>\n<p>Architectural experts, history buffs and culture vultures will all be on hand to help visitors understand the origins and influences of over 800 London venues. Buildings on show range from an eco-terrace to a Buddhist temple and even a fully working sewage works for those with strong stomachs. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.openhouselondon.org.uk\">www.openhouselondon.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"guide-inner\">\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postalmuseum.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">British Postal Museum \u2013 Mount Pleasant<\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"whats-on-left guide-inner-left\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_11683\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-11683\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11683 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Sorted-3-e1504100340234.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-11683\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u00a9 The Postal Museum &#8211; Miles Willis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"whats-on-right guide-inner-right\">\n<p>A century ago, the protection and preservation of the nation\u2019s main means of communication was considered a patriotic necessity. The letters and parcels of the Royal Mail were deemed so important that an underground system was devised and dedicated to its safe storage and transport.<\/p>\n<p>The British Postal Museum has revamped part of the track and fired up some old battery powered engines in order to create an intriguing experience under the streets of Farringdon. Deeper than the Tube network, this subterranean city evokes a certain wartime bravado, when nearly the whole of London\u2019s infrastructure defied the Nazis from half a mile underground. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.postalmuseum.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">www.postalmuseum.org<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"guide-inner\">\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brixtondesigntrail.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brixton Design Trail \u2013 Various Brixton Venues<\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"whats-on-left guide-inner-left\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11694 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/love-538685_1920-e1504106511732.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"245\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"whats-on-right guide-inner-right\">\n<p>Anybody who has found themselves marvelling at the gleaming towers that now dominate Nine Elms would do well to venture a bit further inland this month. The Brixton Design Trail is part of the London Design Festival and kicks off from Sep 16-24. The theme is \u201cLove Is Power\u201d which is a sentiment that is much needed in this day and age.<\/p>\n<p>Highlights include acoustic arches at the entrance to Brixton Market and camouflaged public seating in Windrush Square. The aim is to get people to slow down enough to talk, exchange ideas and begin to understand each other even under the most trying of circumstances. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brixtondesigntrail.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">www.brixtondesigntrail.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"guide-inner\">\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beavertownbrewery.co.uk\/?post_type=wpa_events&amp;p=2190\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Beavertown Extravaganza \u2013 The Printworks, Canada Water<\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"whats-on-left guide-inner-left\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11684 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/TBE1-e1504100789730.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"192\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"whats-on-right guide-inner-right\">\n<p>Three cheers for the Beavertown Extravaganza! Finally, after a decade or so, someone has come up with a sexy name for a beer festival. Although the title sounds like a Burt Reynolds car chase movie, it is actually taken from the name of the host brewery which is based in Tottenham.<\/p>\n<p>Like the people who patronise them, independent brewers are tireless networkers, so it\u2019s no surprise that beer makers from all over the world are set to attend. Great beers are made by great people and start up operations like Trillium, Jester King and the Stockholm Brewing Company will be flying in from places as far flung as Austin, Texas and Sweden to exhibit their brands, techniques and plans for the future. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beavertownbrewery.co.uk\/?post_type=wpa_events&amp;p=2190\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">www.beavertownbrewery.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"guide-inner\">\n<h2><a href=\"http:\/\/www.britishmuseum.org\/whats_on\/exhibitions\/scythians.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Scythians: Warriors of Ancient Siberia \u2013 British Museum<\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"whats-on-left guide-inner-left\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_11685\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-11685\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11685\" src=\"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/Scythian-rider-e1504101306135.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"234\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-11685\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u00a9 The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, 2017. Photo: V Terebenin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"whats-on-right guide-inner-right\">\n<p>Like other warlike peoples from ancient times, the art and culture of the Scythians often gets overlooked. The beauty of Viking art or Mongol leatherwork has only just started to be appreciated and now it is time for this somewhat mysterious race to receive a critical makeover. Originating from the steppes of modern day Kazakhstan, the Scythians were fierce warriors, skilled horsemen and intrepid seafarers.<\/p>\n<p>They proved to be a thorn in the flesh of the Roman Empire and are even mentioned in the Bible as a formidable force that roamed the Mediterranean Sea, even in the time of the mighty Caesar dynasties. The exhibition focuses on the spectacular examples of gold jewellery that the Scythians excelled in. Being Siberian nomads, their treasures were invariably light and portable and gold was their preferred trading medium.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"guide-inner\">\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/london.homebuildingshow.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The London Homebuilding &amp; Renovating Show \u2013 ExCel Centre (22-24 September)<\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"whats-on-left guide-inner-left\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11686 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/0100_Homebuilding-NEC2016-5006-HighRes-1024x683-e1504101970483.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"whats-on-right guide-inner-right\">\n<p>The fact that home renovation is such big business is due to the fact that, as house prices continue to rise, many owners are opting to maximise their existing property in order to attract top prices. This makes good business sense, providing projects are undertaken with a reasonable budget and a good grasp of time management.<\/p>\n<p>The exhibition brings together the very best expertise, products and suppliers in order to make these projects as painless as possible. From planning permission applications to eco-home building, panels, demonstrations and advice shops take visitors through every vital step. Building from scratch is a phenomenon that is on the rise and is therefore part of the event that will be keenly attended. <a href=\"https:\/\/london.homebuildingshow.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">london.homebuildingshow.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"guide-inner\">\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theo2.co.uk\/events\/detail\/john-legend\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">John Legend \u2013 O2 Arena (September 12)<\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"whats-on-left guide-inner-left\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-11688 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/John-Legend_Press-Shot_Approved-The-O2-e1504102225993.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"311\" height=\"198\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"whats-on-right guide-inner-right\">\n<p>The heir apparent to the great soul singers of the 60s and 70s breezes into London for a massively anticipated show at the O2 Arena. John Legend combines the moodiness of a mid-period Marvin Gaye with the restlessness of Donny Hathaway and both of these late geniuses inform his songwriting.<\/p>\n<p>His crossover hit \u201cAll of Me\u201d came after a debut album that was produced by Kanye West in his more creative period. West added a slight crunchiness that gave Legend\u2019s smooth balladry a unique slant and the formula has withstood the test of time admirably. The live show will probably be tighter than the slightly lo-if studio sound, but the yearning soulful sound of John Legend\u2019s immaculate voice will be the main draw. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theo2.co.uk\/events\/detail\/john-legend\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">www.theo2.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"guide-inner\">\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.onblackheath.com\/#63Gh36wKXI24tazy.97\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">On Blackheath \u2013 Blackheath (September 9-10)<\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"whats-on-left guide-inner-left\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11687 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/john_lewis_sunday_428-e1504102063368.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"210\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"whats-on-right guide-inner-right\">\n<p>This is the music festival that draws a line under the outdoor summer events in London and is thus a fairly sedate affair; you can leave your flags and glo-sticks at home for this one. There\u2019s a couple of points of interest though. Among the headliners are two Scottish acts that are probably responsible for two of the biggest success stories in today\u2019s music: namely Travis and KT Turnstall.<\/p>\n<p>Travis perfected the kind of heartfelt acoustic stadium rock that has been such a successful formula for Coldplay. Turnstall\u2019s freewheeling guitar plus loop pedal setup was emulated by a certain young Mister Ed Sheeran and the rest, as they say, is history. Another set of pioneers that will be taking the stage at OnBlackheath is the De La Soul rap collective. Seen in the 90s as an antidote for gangsta rap, they continue to influence such conscious acts as The Roots, Jill Scott and John Legend. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onblackheath.com\/#63Gh36wKXI24tazy.97\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">www.onblackheath.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"guide-inner\">\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.phoenixtheatrelondon.co.uk\/evita\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Evita \u2013 Phoenix Theatre<\/a><\/h2>\n<div class=\"whats-on-left guide-inner-left\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11696 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/theater-1477670_1920-e1504106565490.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"whats-on-right guide-inner-right\">\n<p>It has become a recent and, for some, welcome trend for blockbuster musicals to revive themselves for limited runs in the West End. It has the effect of reducing production overheads and avoiding cast and audience fatigue while also leaving the door open for touring opportunities. Evita is the latest vehicle to undergo a quick revamp and fans of Lloyd Webber musicals will be in for a treat.<\/p>\n<p>Emma Hatton plays the role of Eva Peron, who rose from inauspicious beginnings to become a major force in Argentina\u2019s turbulent political history. Hatton brings the same virtuosity to the role as she displayed while playing the former lead role in Wicked. Her voice is ideal for big show-stopping numbers and her acting ability is sublime. Get ready for one of the great renditions of \u201cDon\u2019t Cry For Me, Argentina\u201d. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.phoenixtheatrelondon.co.uk\/evita\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">www.phoenixtheatrelondon.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When a large part of London is on holiday, a certain media phenomenon occurs. It\u2019s called the \u201cSilly Season\u201d and involves minor news items blowing up into big stories. This summer is no different with everyone debating about what should happen to Big Ben during repairs: \u201cTo bong or not to bong\u201d, that was the &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/renting\/whats-on-in-london-september-2017\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;What&#8217;s on in London &#8211; September 2017&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11687,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[442],"tags":[318],"class_list":["post-11665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-renting","tag-whats-on-in-london"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11665"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15879,"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11665\/revisions\/15879"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.benhams.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}