Virtual Picks for the week ahead 30th – 6th May 2020
It’s hard to keep up with everything that’s become available, what’s launched and what’s new. Fear not, we’ve done the hard work for you.
We’ve rounded up the best virtual events that you can join from anywhere, as long as there’s Wi-Fi!
If you find it useful, please do share this and sign up to the newsletter. We’ll be sending these out every week.
OUR TOP PICKS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD
Frankenstein at The National Theatre at Home! (available from 30th April, 7pm- 8th May)
Directed by the award-winning Danny Boyle, catch the international sensation, Frankenstein with Benedict Cumberbatch performing as the creature (30th Apr -7th May) and then Jonny Lee Miller (from 1st May – 8th May) at The National Theatre at Home this week. Streaming from 7pm UK time. Available on demand.
Filmed live in 2011 from the stage of the National Theatre in London, this thrilling, sold-out production became an international sensation, experienced by more than 800,000 people in cinemas around the world. Running Time: 2 hours and recommended for 12+.
Royal Albert Home Session: KT TUNSTALL (Thursday 30 April, 8.15pm)
Singer-songwriter KT Tunstall will deliver an exclusive set from her home as part of the Royal Albert Home sessions.KT rose to fame with debut album Eye to the Telescope, an album which spawned a host of classic tracks including Suddenly I See and Other Side of the World and was nominated for the 2005 Mercury Prize.
David Walliams – The Midnight Gang (Thurs 30th April – May 29th)
Enjoy the much-loved 2018 production, The Midnight Gang. This online broadcast will be available for 30 days (until 29 May).
This inventive tale of fun, friendship and the importance of kindness is adapted from David Walliams’s biggest selling children’s book of 2016.
A bang on the head during a cricket match at his boarding school has landed twelve-year-old Tom in the children’s ward of the spooky Lord Funt Hospital. Luckily, he’s not on his own with the child-hating Matron and the scary-looking Porter. George, Amber, Robin and Sally are in there too, and they’re not taking things lying down. When the lights go out and the clock strikes twelve, they’re off. But will they let new boy Tom join their forbidden midnight adventures through the hospital’s labyrinthine realm?
Watch here
Museum of the Home – Home Life under Lockdown Project
The Museum of the Home has teamed up with BBC Arts’ Culture in Quarantine event #MuseumFromHome on 30 April to spotlight Stay Home and capture a broad and honest picture of what home life looks like under quarantine.
Documenting people’s home lives during the coronavirus pandemic in the UK
This new national collecting project will form part of the Museum of the Home’s extensive Documenting Homes archive. And you can become part of it by sharing your experience. You’ll just need to answer 7 questions, share up to 5 photos, provide some demographic information and if you want, share your diary entries. Share your experience here.
Royal Opera’s House – A Winter’s Tale Online premiere (Friday 1 May, 7pm)
Shakespeare’s tale of love and loss becomes the most masterful of narrative ballets in Christopher Wheeldon’s inspired adaptation, with music by Joby Talbot, broadcast free online as part of the Royal Opera House’s #OurHouseToYourHouse series.
Watch here
With jaw-dropping performances from internationally celebrated poppers, lockers, b-boys and b-girls, Breakin’ Convention is the world’s biggest festival of hip hop dance theatre.
Live music meets hip hop dance theatre in an exhilarating performance featuring an incredible big band ensemble of 15 leading jazz musicians, debuting a specially commissioned score by Jason Yarde, with performances by dance artists representing highlights of Breakin’ Convention’s illustrious history.
In 2018, Breakin’ Convention partnered with the prestigious live jazz organisation, Jazz re:freshed, with an innovative collaboration which celebrated the 15th anniversaries of both companies.Watch it on Facebook and Youtube
Following the success of Little Angel Theatre’s broadcast of Jon Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back, we are excited to announce we will be streaming performances of the remaining two titles in the three-book series, This is Not My Hat and We Found a Hat.
This is Not My Hat will be broadcast on Sunday 3 May at 11am BST and We Found a Hat on Sunday 24 May at 11am BST. Both performances will be streamed on the Little Angel Theatre YouTube channel, and will remain available until Sunday 7 June. Both shows will be free to access.
RUSH: Sunday Session
You’ll see young artists who will have submitted and written their own play, got a spoken word piece or song, a monologue or duologue (either original or pre-published) – get involved and get inspired.
Livestream it here Sign-up here to get a email reminder and link nearer the time.
Michelle Obama hosts Weekly Story-time sessions (5pm BST every Monday from 20 April until 11 May)
As part of a collaboration with PBS Kids and Penguin Random House, the former US first lady will take part in a four-week series of videos that will see her read from treasured children’s books the first of which she read is The Gruffalo!
Then There’s a Dragon in your Book and Miss Maple’s Seeds, before ending with The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.Watch here.
Ask a Theatre Professional! (Mon 4th May, 4pm)
Have you got a burning question you always wanted to ask about working in a theatre, but didn’t know where to start or who to ask?
The Watford Palace Theatre team are giving you the chance in their ‘Ask a Theatre Professional’ programme, they’ll be introducing a different member on their Facebook page, giving you the opportunity to ask them anything you like in the Facebook post comments. The following week they’ll respond to your questions via a video posted to our page. Monday 3rd May is Ask a Producer!
Bread Ahead Online Baking Everyday at 2pm on Instagram
Breadahead are baking everyday at 2pm on Instagram live where they’ll be sharing their favourite baking lessons with you. Check out the schedule and list of ingredients needed here so you’re all ready to bake some tasty goodies!
Banana Cake 1st May
Sourdough Pizza 2nd May
Bakewell Tart 3rd May… and many more
ANYTIME….
Royal Academy Family ‘How to’…
Inspired by the RA’s world class exhibitions, leading artists and architects and Collection, here you can find a range of creative activities for you and your family.
Learn How to make a stop frame animation, How to photograph, paint or collage a portrait, or How to collage colourful magnets and so much more with the RA’s step by step guides!
Completely free for all children and families, the extraordinary collection of short stories, poems, essays and pictures has contributions from more than 110 children’s writers and illustrators, including Lauren Child, Anthony Horowitz, Greg James and Chris Smith, Michael Morpurgo, Liz Pichon, Axel Scheffler, Francesca Simon and Jacqueline Wilson.
The collection, published by Bloomsbury, is dedicated to the doctors, nurses, carers, porters, cleaners and everyone currently working in hospitals.
The Book of Hopes is currently available to read online only. Read it here
Bloomsbury intends to publish a gift book based on the project in the autumn in support of NHS Charities Together.
Tutankhamun – Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh at the Saatchi Gallery
Whilst the exhibition remains closed until further notice The Saatchi Gallery have created a taster video tour of this stunning exhibition which includes a selection of their favourite artefacts, that you can take from home! Watch it here
Want to learn Guitar? Play on. Play Through with Play Fender
Now you can join Fender Play and get 3 months of free online lessons! You don’t need to enter any payment details but can enjoy free guitar, bass and ukulele lessons.Join here
Virtual Garden Tours and Visits
The National Garden Scheme and its garden owners are working to bring the gardens to life for you with virtual garden visits, gardening tips and great stories.Sneak a peak at Gardens of the likes of Alan Tichmarsh as well as lots of useful gardening tips and tutorials.