The Gold Edition’s Festive Culture List: What To Book In & Around London
THE CHRISTMAS FAIR:
Hampton Court
Hampton Court Palace will transform its courtyards into a food-lover’s Christmas wonderland for this year’s Festive Fayre. Soak up the spirit of the season with delicious street food, warming festive drinks and even the odd sing-along around the bandstand. Visitors will be able to browse a selection of stalls, offering plenty of foodie Christmas treats and special presents for everyone on your list. Admission is included as part of a standard entrance ticket to Hampton Court, which starts from £27.20 per adult.
Hampton Court Way, Molesey, KT8 9AU; Friday 6th & Friday 13th December
Visit HRP.org.uk
THE EXHIBITION:
Electric Dreams at Tate Modern
From immersive installations to legendary art pieces from the pre-internet age, Tate Modern is set to open an exhibition that explores digital art from the 1950s to the 1980s. Electric Dreams highlights pioneering artists who pushed the boundaries of perception, blending science, technology and creativity to create immersive sensory experiences. Visitors can explore psychedelic environments and see how artists embraced early digital technology in the 70s and 80s, experimenting with machine-made art and home computing systems.
Bankside, SE1 9TG; 28th Nov-1st Jun
THE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE:
The Lost Estate’s A Christmas Carol
If you’re looking to shake up your Christmas traditions – and the grandchildren are too old for pantos – The Lost Estate’s immersive take on A Christmas Carol is the perfect alternative. Returning for its seventh year after six sell-out seasons, this year’s edition transports you to Victorian London on Christmas Eve in 1843, where you’ll experience Dickens’ classic tale like never before. The production combines stunning performances, cinematic live music and a lavish Victorian feast crafted by executive chef Ashley Clarke (Gordon Ramsay Group, SmokeStak). Highlights include corn-fed chicken, confit Gressingham duck and Twelfth Night cake, with vegetarian and vegan options available.
7-9 Beaumont Avenue, West Kensington, W14 9LP; 8th November-12th January
THE THEATRE SHOW:
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, Almeida Theatre
Following in the footsteps of her Normal People co-star Paul Mescal, Daisy Edgar-Jones will be taking to the stage in a reimagining of another Tennessee Williams play. Instead of A Streetcar Named Desire, Daisy will be taking on another classic, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, alongside Kingsley Ben-Adir (Bob Marley: One Love) and Lennie James (Mr Loverman, The Walking Dead). The 1955 play, which scored Williams his second Pulitzer Prize for drama, follows a wealthy but disintegrating Southern family who have gathered to celebrate bullying patriarch Big Daddy’s birthday. Rebecca Frecknall – who has made her name reviving Williams’ classics – directs, bringing new levels of social insight to the play.
