‘Flatpack’ theatres planned by the Royal Shakespeare Company in London
For anyone who has been to the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford-upon-Avon, they will know how enormous the almost 1000-seat venue is. Being one of Britain’s most important and popular theatre companies, which produces approximately 20 productions a year, the RSC makes regular trips to London.
Although when the Royal Shakespeare Company in London, the company is faced with accommodation problems, often struggling to find a venue to house a theatre capacity similar to the RSC’s 975-seat theatre in Stratford. In a perceived ‘solution’ to the problem, the RSC has announced it aims to build large ‘flatpack’ theatres in London when the company plays there.
Talking about the plans for there to be a series of ‘flapack’ replicas of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s home theatre in Stratford as being the solution, Michael Boyd, the artistic director of the RSC, said:
“I would put money on that being part of the future solution. [The Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre, Stratford] is perfectly positioned to be placed within some large four walls.”
Last year, the RSC built a ‘flackpack’ venue in the Park Avenue Armory, in New York City, in an attempt to solve similar accommodation problems when the company puts on big show in New York.
‘Jeremy Deller: Joy in People’ at the Hayward Gallery
Jeremy Deller, a former Turner Prize winner, is an immensely influential character in the contemporary art scene. From 22 February 2012 until 13 May 2012, ’Jeremy Deller: Joy in People exhibition’ at the Hayward gallery will feature paintings, sculpture, photographs, installations, banners, posters and videos of the artist, to portray the breadth of his career so far.
In 2004 Jeremy Deller won the Turner Prize for his film ‘The Battle of Orgreave’, which composed a striking re-enactment of the mining strike of 1984-5.
Another particularly poignant work of Deller’s, whose use of socially engaging practises have been paramount in crafting him as one of the most influential artists of the modern era, was a commission titled ‘It Is What It Is: Conversations About Iraq’.
The three part project was designed by Deller to encourage the public to discuss the circumstances in Iraq. Heartrending objects that symbolised the events in Iraq were displayed at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago in 2009, such as the remnants of a car that was destroyed by a bomb in Baghdad in 2007.
The Jeremy Deller: Joy in People exhibition at the Hayward Gallery is the first major survey of the artist’s work. The Hayward Gallery focuses primarily on contemporary British art, but also houses occasional exhibitions by international artists.
Located in the Southbank Centre, the Hayward Gallery was opened in 1968, and has never housed any permanent exhibitions, instead focusing on three or four major temporary modern exhibitions a year.
Five training tips for the London Marathon 2012
“The essence of the London Marathon is the way it combines elite, fields and the community runner, the fund-raiser and the person who simply wants to complete the race… because it is something they want to do,” Seb Coe, 2006.
Since it was first held on 29 March 1981, when 6255 runners crossed to finishing line, to more than 35000 people participating in the 2011 race, The London Marathon is arguably the most famous and popular marathon in the world.
Being the year of the London Olympic Games, this year, the London Marathon is exuding even more excitement and prestige than ever before, being held just several months before the Games begin.
If you are participating in this year’s highly anticipated London Marathon, you may appreciate some training tips for the London marathon 2012, this world-renowned sporting event.
Give yourself a goal
Even if you have never run a race before in your life, it is important that you give yourself a goal other than merely ‘crossing the finishing line’. Make your goal of what you hope to complete the London Marathon in realistic, and stick to it on the day of the marathon, this way, you will be less likely to start too fast and slowdown in later stages of the race.
Adopt an ‘all-round’ approach to training
According to many fitness experts, the essence of improving fitness levels lies within practising different types of exercise regularly. Of course running is important as you train for the London Marathon, but be sure to undertake other means of exercise, such as yoga, cycling and swimming, to help increase your fitness levels to their optimum.
Avoid weekly long runs
Traditional marathon wisdom always advocated including a weekly run in marathon training, although this is no longer the case. Many coaches are now advising that going for a long run week in week out in the run up to a marathon will only leave you fatigued and more prone to injury. This advice now is typically to go on a long run once a week but take every third or fourth week off.
The Barbican Centre to open two new cinemas in London
If you’re a cinema lover in the city, you will welcome the announcement that the Barbican is to open two new cinemas in London in the City based arts complex in September of this year.
The Barbican is Europe’s biggest multi-arts and conference venue, which presents a diverse mix of art, music, films and events, with its two new cinemas in London aiming to, according to the Barbican’s Press Office, “deliver a world-class programme of specialist, international cinema, live events and quality new releases across all three screens.”
The interiors of the Barbican’s new cinemas are being designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris Architects, and will include a “stunning street-level entrance, two auditoria each with 156 seats, an in-house restaurant and an in-house bar.
Talking about the aims of the new City cinemas, Nicholas Kenyon, the Barbican’s managing director, said:
“Barbican cinemas are uniquely placed offering world class cinema within an international arts centre as well as a local cinema for the City.”
Located in the heart of the City of London, the Barbican Centre itself is home to three restaurants, a library, a concert hall where the London Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra are based, and a conservatory.
Urinal video games in Balham!
The power of pee – Balham Bar installs London’s first ever pee-controlled video game….
Fancy playing a video game with your pee? Well if you do happen to hold such a fetish, you can fulfil such desires in a bar in Balham.
The bar in question is called The Exhibit, which has been fitted out with urinals equipped with sensors that are wired to a screen above the urinal. The Urinal video games are then powered by a gentleman aiming his pee in the urinal – The mind boggles!
Talking about the bars’ inventive – to say the least – new venture, Drew Weatherhead, The Exhibit’s owner, said:
“We’re always looking for innovative ways to differentiate ourselves from the London competition. These units will give us a big edge when it comes to driving new promotions and attracting and retaining new customers.”
Well the south London bar has certainly succeeded in the ‘publicity’ stakes, as if you hadn’t heard of The Exhibit before, you sure have now!
If you like the sound of playing video games with your pee – which could prove fairly dangerous if you’ve had a few pints – the urinal games available at The Exhibit include, Splashing Battle, the aptly named Manneken Pis, The North Wind, and the Sun and Me, whereby players with a more forceful pee-stream can blow up Marilyn Monroe’s skirt with virtual wind! – Definitely sounds like the kind of game that men who are willing to play a pee-controlled video game would like to play!
