May is here, live and kicking with many delights to occupy, entertain and pump you up good and proper. Get out there and network, be creative and learn – this is your time, so hop to it…
Scratch that itch
On 18 May, the theatrical charity Acting for Others will hold a brilliant pop-up: the West End Flea Market at St Paul’s Church. Get over to Covent Garden to nab signed posters, props, and photos from top West End names, many of whom will be manning the stalls – including from Hamilton, Les Mis, and The Book of Mormon. There will be signings, auctions, and plenty of glitz and glamour on display so get down there. (Free)
READ: So You Want to Act in the West End?
Have a ball
Drinking, dancing, having fun while also networking – sounds good, right? At the Raindance Independent Filmmaker’s Ball on 1 May, you can do it all, set to a live 1930s swing-era soundtrack. Join 600 film industry professionals at the swanky Café de Paris to raise money for a good cause and celebrate independent film, while also partying the night away. (Tickets from £20)
Have a think
Over at the Royal Academy on the 2–6 May they’re hosting a Festival of Ideas, where you can hear from big arty brains like the Young Vic’s Kwame Kwei-Armah, film directors Ken Loach and Clio Barnard, plus choreographer Hofesh Shechter talk about their creative process. Bound to be enlightening! (Tickets from £15)
READ: Why Is the Young Vic Theatre So Influential?
There ain’t nothing like a dame
Theatrical legend and TV sitcom stalwart Dame Patricia Routledge has had quite the career, and on 5 May she wants to tell you all about it. Focusing primarily on her work in musicals, this one-on-one interview with the 90-year-old Tony- and Olivier-winning actor is bound to be anecdote-filled. (Tickets from £20)
Party in the park
Kicking off on 24 May is the brilliant All Points East musical festival and the unofficial start of the summer music season. If you’re a fan of The Strokes, The Chemical Brothers, Christine and the Queens, James Blake, or Hot Chip then get over to Hackney’s Victoria Park for a three-day aural extravaganza. (Tickets from £59)
For more from Backstage UK, check out the magazine.