Dougray Scott
“I am currently performing in the critically acclaimed production of ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’, by Edward Albee, at Theatre Royal Bath. Directed by Lyndsay Posner. I'm playing the character of George. Elizabeth McGovern, Charles Aitken and Gina Bramhill also star. It is widely regarded as one of America's greatest ever plays. It plays until Feb 11th.
My favourite things to do in February are to catch up with reading as the weather is usually not so great and I tend to spend more time indoors. I'm usually always working but I'll try to go to the gym as much as I can also. Long walks with dogs and family and dreaming of warmer times!”
Dougray Scott, Actor
Restaurant: Joia
If you haven’t been to the new multi-million pound redevelopment of Battersea Power Station yet, then stop what you’re doing and go right now. Walk through the iconic buildings and take it all in, indulge in a little retail therapy and then head up to the 15th floor to discover the exciting new restaurant concept created by two Michelin-Starred Portuguese chef Henrique Sá Pessoa. JOIA, meaning ‘jewel’ in Portuguese, is chef Henrique’s London debut. You can dine and indulge in the dramatic views overlooking the iconic Battersea Power Station and enjoy Henrique’s vibrant, unique, and fresh take on traditional plates using the best of British and Iberian produce. Dishes include Salted cod crudo, pickled onions, tomatoes and olive oil caviar, Grilled carabineiro, orzo bisque, tomato and coriander, Braised Iberian Pork Cheeks and finish off with a sumptuous Iberian cheese platter with red pepper jam. JOIA Bar is a destination in its own right where you can choose from a selection of elegant and inventive drinks from the carefully curated menu. This all opens on the 21st February but you can go ahead and book now to be one of the first to experience Joia.
TV: Hello Tomorrow
Debuting on the 17th of February is a brand new must see show, co-created by Amit Bhalla and Lucas Jansen, called ‘Hello Tomorrow!’. Starring Emmy and Critics Choice Award winner Billy Crudup (The Morning Show) the show is set in a retro-future world (think 1950’s styling but with robots and futuristic touches) and follows a group of traveling salesmen hawking lunar timeshares. Crudup stars as Jack Billings, a talented and ambitious salesman whose unshakeable faith in a brighter tomorrow inspires his coworkers and revitalizes his desperate customers. However, it also threatens to leave him dangerously lost in the very dream that sustains him. In addition to Crudup, the cast includes Haneefah Wood, Alison Pill- a dissatisfied housewife ready to bolt to the moon , Nicholas Podany, Dewshane Williams, Hank Azaria who plays a salesman with a gambling problem, Matthew Maher, and Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver. The first three episodes will be made available on February 17, followed by one new episode weekly.
Art: Beyond The Streets
Beyond The Streets opens at the Saatchi Gallery this month, a celebration of society's most creative misfits, whose impacts are undeniable but often overlooked. From defiant train writers to powerful large-scale muralists, over 100 international artists will be featured in the exhibition, supported by adidas Originals, will be the most comprehensive graffiti & street art exhibition to open in the UK, and is set to take over all three floors of London’s iconic Saatchi Gallery. Following successful exhibitions in Los Angeles & New York, the London entity will feature new works, large-scale installations, original ephemera and extraordinary fashion that capture the powerful impact of graffiti & street art across the world. Curated by graffiti historian Roger Gastman, Beyond The Streets examines the fundamental human need for public self-expression, highlighting artists with roots in graffiti and street art whose work has evolved into highly disciplined studio practices, alongside important cultural figures inspired by this art scene. Each of the exhibition’s chapters will explore exceptional moments in the history of this artistic movement; including the emergence of punk; the birth of hip-hop - marking its 50th anniversary in 2023; and street culture’s strong influence in fashion and film.
Book: Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor
Age of Vice by Deeoti Kapoor is an incredible page-turner fuelled by seductive wealth and chilling corruption. You’re hooked already aren’t you. Us too. Age of Vice sees the lives of a watchful servant, a playboy heir and a journalist grappling with a moral dilemma entwine, as the reality beneath the glitz and glamour of New Delhi’s elite world starts to unravel. Put simply, pleasure and power are everything, and the family ties that bind can also kill. The reader is transported to New Delhi at 3 a.m. A speeding Mercedes jumps the kerb, and in the blink of an eye five people are dead. It's a rich man's car, but when the dust settles there is no rich man at all, just a shell-shocked servant who cannot explain the strange series of events that led to this crime. Nor can he foresee the dark drama that is about to unfold. Kapoor has you hooked in this epic, action-packed story propelled by money, corruption and a dash of bloodthirsty violence. Equal parts crime thriller and family saga, she transports readers from the dusty villages of Uttar Pradesh to the urban energy of New Delhi, Age of Vice is an intoxicating novel of gangsters and lovers, false friendships, forbidden romance, and the consequences of dishonesty. It is binge-worthy entertainment at its literary best.
Art: Action, Gesture, Performance: Feminism, the Body and Abstraction
Over at The Whitechapel Gallery right now you’ll find a new exhibition called Action, Gesture, Performance: Feminism, the Body and Abstraction. The exhibition focuses on pioneering dance and performance practices by women artists who were using their bodies to explore freedom of expression, subjectivity and politics. For example, renowned American choreographer Martha Graham developed a new language of movement, which influenced Abstract Expressionist artist Judith Godwin whose stark, bold gestures in paint find an echo in Graham’s choreography. Similarly, Pearl Primus created a new approach to movement based on African-American, Caribbean and African dance. In New York, Carolee Schneemann’s early paintings in the 1950s were influenced by Abstract Expressionism before she went on to explore the act of painting with her body as both tool and ground. We could go on. This free exhibition is simply worth a visit and is open until May allowing us all plenty of time to soak up the brilliance.
Restaurant: Jacuzzi
Oh yeah Mamma, they’re back! Big Mamma Group have done it again and this time, it’s Jacuzzi, the latest installment from the ever popular eatery giants. Set across three floors of a former bank, the decadent decor is all big Murano glass chandeliers and light features, sumptuous greenery draped across the interior, red velvet banquettes and an enormous lemon tree in the middle of the action. And the food is as unsubtle to match with bold appearances from truffle, caviar, burrata and all sorts of indulgent deliciousness. They refer to the venue as a ‘Villa of Worldly Pleasures’ which pretty much sums up any kind of operation that will serve up innumerable carbs, cheese and ITalian delights. Jacuzzi is the first from the group to open in West London (Kensington High Street) and they’ve travelled the globe to find the best ingredients to serve up including the finest Culatello di Zibello PDO painstakingly cured by Mattia Zambroni; from the coast off Sicily, sweet Mediterranean ‘Gambero Rosso’ red prawns; and black diamonds, Italian white sturgeon Transmontanus caviar from Veneto. Neapolitan maestro Chef Manuel has gone even further than ever with secondi, a menu rolling out Lobster Risotto ai Fruitti di Mare, delicately breaded giant La Gran Cotoletta Alla Milanese, designed to share, alongside a next-level Basque grill section with the finest of steaks. We. Cannot. Wait.
Event: Bernie Sanders, It’s ok to be angry about Capitalism
On the 23rd of the month at the Southbank Centre, you can find Bernie Sanders in conversation with Emma Dabiri, discussing his new book ‘It’s ok to be angry about capitalism’. In the book Senator Sanders takes on the 1% and speaks blunt truths about a system that is fuelled by uncontrolled greed, and rigged against ordinary people. He asks questions such as ‘How can we accept an economic order that allows three billionaires to control more wealth than the bottom half of our society?’ and ‘How can we accept an energy system that rewards the fossil fuel corporations causing the climate crisis?’. It's OK To Be Angry About Capitalism presents a vision of what would be possible if a political revolution took place, if we would finally recognise that economic rights are human rights, and work to create a society that provides them. This isn't some utopian fantasy; this is democracy as we should know it. Is it really too much to ask? Presented in association with Penguin, this is just the latest in a long line of political heavyweights brought to the Southbank Centre with Sanders following in the steps of names such as Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton. Tickets start at £15 from the website and don’t forget to pick up a copy of the book while you’re there!
Charity of the Month: Children’s Mental Health Week
The 6th to 12th February marks Children’s Mental Health Week, created and powered by Place 2 Be, the charity that provides mental health counselling support and training to schools to improve the emotional wellbeing of pupils, families, teachers and staff. The theme for this year is ‘Let’s Connect’. Human beings thrive in communities, and this connection is vital for our wellbeing, and our survival. When we have healthy connections – to family, friends and others – this can support our mental health and our sense of wellbeing. And when our need for rewarding social connections is not met, we can sometimes feel isolated and lonely – which can have a negative impact on our mental health. Let's Connect is about making meaningful connections for all, during Children's Mental Health Week - and beyond. We want everyone to encourage people to connect with others in healthy, rewarding, and meaningful ways. You can head to their website now to download free resources for primary and secondary schools, and for parents and carers. These include assembly guides, slides, group activities, top tips, and more to help schools and youth groups explore the importance of meaningful connections. Place2Be launched the first ever Children’s Mental Health Week in 2015 to shine a spotlight on the importance of children and young people’s mental health. Now in its ninth year, they hope to encourage more people than ever to get involved and spread the word.
App of the month: Voice Enabled Make Up Assistant
This newly launched and innovative app from Estee Lauder offers audio feedback on the user’s foundation, eyeshadow and lipstick application, creating a more accessible beauty experience for the Blind and visually impaired. How It Works: The AI-powered Voice-enabled Makeup Assistant leverages facial recognition, machine learning and voice instruction technologies to learn your preferences and provide audio feedback when you ask. After you apply your foundation, eyeshadow or lipstick, the app will use your phone’s front camera for a face scan. Using artificial intelligence, it identifies the makeup applied to your face, eyes and lips and assesses the uniformity and boundaries of application and coverage. If there are suggested areas to touch up, the virtual Makeup Assistant identifies them and makes audible recommendations so you can adjust your look. After your touch up, the app does another face scan and provides feedback on the accuracy of application. This is a game changer for anyone with eyesight problems and visual impairment. Bravo Estee Lauder.