Virtual Picks for the week ahead 14th – 20th 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 this week from Julie Andrews weekly reading, Cats the Musical being streamed for free for the first time and the 30 day Lego Challenge.
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OUR TOP PICKS FOR THE WEEK AHEAD
Elaine Paige and Sir John Mills star in this production, which also has an eighty piece orchestra and choreography by Gillian Lynne and contains such famous songs as Mr. Mistoffelees, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer and, of course, Memory.
The London production ran for 21 years, making it the sixth-longest running West End musical. Watch here.
Blackeyed Theatre’s acclaimed Jane Eyre (10th -17th May)
Watch Blackeyed Theatre’s acclaimed production of Jane Eyre. This captivating, brooding and intensely powerful, Jane Eyre is a moving and unforgettable portrayal of one woman’s quest for equality and freedom, and lives as one of the great triumphs of storytelling. The production toured the UK from September 2019 until it was forced to close prematurely in March 2020 as a result of the lockdown. There’s also a ton of great content with interviews by the actors and director. Found here.
The performance is streaming for free from 7.30pm on Sunday 10 May and it’s available to watch until 11.30pm (UK time) on Sunday 17 May.
Running time is 133 minutes. Recommended for age 11+.
Watch it here
A Night at the Movies..Together (Sat 16th, 6pm)
Every Saturday Night Lionsgate Live streams a film for free. This Saturday sees the much loved Bend it Like Beckham and next week will be The Hunger Games.
You can donate money for the NHS Charities Together and The Film and TV Charity Covid-19 Emergency Response. Stream it live here.
Virtual Chelsea Flower Show: (Mon 18th – Sat 23rd May)
The world’s greatest flower show is going digital to bring you an exciting line-up of world-leading designers, plant experts and practical gardening advice – all from the comfort of your home.
Well-known garden designers, florists and gardening personalities will share new videos and inspirational articles with top design tips, favourite planting combinations and gardening trends. There’s a packed timetable, but here are a few highlights:
- A daily School Gardening Club with activities for families to grow plants and connect with nature
- Interactive lunchtime Q&A sessions with RHS Advisors and special guests
- Behind-the-scenes tours from award-winning nurseries
- Daily videos from well-known gardening presenters and experts
- Vote for your favourite plants, products and gardens
Konnie Huq – Weekly You Tube Video
Konnie has a great website full of useful resources including downloadable activity packs for science experiments – including a lemonade fountain, a potato clock and even your own solar system! Check them out here Now she’s releasing a weekly video on subjects such as Solar systems, your memory and there’s an upcoming interview with David Walliams too!
Watch it here
The Winter’s Tale at Shakespeare’s Globe (Premiering Mon 18th, 7pm)
The Globe’s Playing Shakespeare with Deutsche Bank 2018 production of The Winter’s Tale was created especially for young people. The Winter’s Tale is one of Shakespeare’s problem plays, filled with psychological drama as a family war it out.
The Winter’s Tale (2018) premieres on YouTube Monday 18 May, 7.00pm. Available until Sunday 31 May.
Watch it here
Live Q&A with Steve Backshall (09.30 Wednesdays)
Live Wildlife Homeschool with Steve Backshall.. There are no silly questions! (But you can try!…) Live Lessons every Wednesday morning 09.30 UK time on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Youtube is probably the least technically challenging. Check it out here
Julie Andrews Reading Library (Every Wednesday)
Every week Julie Andrew and her daughter will settle into the reading nook for a new story. With previous readings such as Marilyn’s Monster and Bears Don’t Eat Egg Sandwiches.
Watch here
Adapted by the award winning TanikaGupta’s new take on Ibsen’s classic text explores gender politics, ownership and race in 1879, Calcutta.
The screening is free with the Lyric asking for those who can to donate to the Lyric Recovery Fund to support the theatre during its period of closure due to Covid-19.
Anytime….
Design Museum – Create and Make at Home
Enjoy a family Create and Make workshop at home. Colour, cut and build to create your own design project.
This week is: Make your own DIY Banjo! Get musical with this amazing home-made instrument. It has a step by step video and list of things you’ll need – all found in the house!
There’s lots of other activities to get stuck into with downloadable worksheets to Custom Build the Vehicle of your dreams, Design a Town or Build a Box house or design your own exhibition.
Experience the Postal Museum’s Mail Rail from Home
Whilst the museum is closed, The Postal Museum is opening Mail Rail for everyone to experience from home. Their virtual tour captures the sights and sounds of Mail Rail, for a unique experience deep beneath the streets of London. You are invited to make a donation. Check out more here.
The Tate’s Kids Games and Quizzes
Play a range of games for different ages from Spot the Difference, Guess the missing Object, Tate paint and Street Art – Street Artists use rollers, spray paint and stickers to make their art! Here’s your chance to make your own!
If you live with LEGO fans, issue them a 30-Day LEGO Challenge and let their imaginations run wild!
Sometimes, it only takes a little bit of a prompt to get the creative juices flowing. The prompts included in this printable LEGO calendar do just that! For each day, a specific LEGO building idea is presented from Building a Space Rocket for Nasa to building a treehouse.
There are a multitude of ways to use it: every morning say, have a race to complete it, take a photo of every creation and create a collage.
The World of Ghibli opens up with a Virtual Tour of the Museum
The world-famous museum has opened up a YouTube channel for Studio Ghibli fanatics to take virtual tours of the magical world.
On a normal day, you’dl face stiff competition and queues for tickets to see the museum. But these videos enable anyone to get a peek. From the colourful artwork to the bright buildings, to a gorgeous nighttime view.
Then you can watch all the films again on Netflix. As for the first time in history, all twenty-one of Studio Ghibli’s major films will be available for streaming online, as they’ll be on Netflix over the course of the next few months.
Use background of BBC Sets for your Video Conferencing and Quizzes
How fun is this!
Who hasn’t wanted to host a pub quiz from the Queen Vic, conduct a job interview from the confines of Fletch’s cell, or catch up with friends and family from the bridge of the Liberator in Blake’s 7?
Now you can give your video calls a makeover, with this selection of over 100 empty sets from the BBC Archive. Whats more is it really does sound simple to download the image and upload a new you!
Check it out here.