London - Art & Entertainment

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Cinema is centred on Leicester Square, where most of the mainstream chains have their flagship theatres. Close by and much cheaper is the Prince Charles cinema. For an 'Art House' experience try the Gate Cinema, the ICA Cinema, or the National Film Theatre (NFT). There are also frequent film festivals, mostly held at the NFT. One exception is the annual Latin American Film Festival, which takes place in September at the Metro. The BFI London IMAX at Waterloo is the capital's new state-of-the-art screen showing IMAX films on huge screens--a real viewing experience.

Comedy

London cannot be bettered if you're looking for a laugh. The most famous club is the Comedy Store, but also worth a look are the branches of Jongleurs and the Comedy Cafe.

Dance

Dance is on the up thanks to a recent influx of cash. It tends to centre on Sadler's Wells theatre, where contemporary dance, ballet and opera can all be found. However the Royal Festival Hall and the Barbican Centre also house excellent productions, and the ICA is a mecca for experimental dance.

Museums

Museums are abundant and of excellent quality. The Science museum, the Natural History museum and the Victoria & Albert are all located in South Kensington. The Imperial War museum is also worth a look--it isn't just for tank-spotters. Of course there are an absolute myriad of smaller, often fascinating museums throughout London--Pollock's Toy museum, the Design museum and the Horniman museum and Gardens are just a few examples.

Classical Music

Classical music has three main homes in London: the Barbican Centre, the South Bank Centre and the Royal Albert Hall. The London Symphony Orchestra is resident at the Barbican and the Philharmonia is based at the Royal Festival Hall, which is part of the South Bank Centre. The Royal Albert Hall plays host annually to the Proms-a fabulous summer-long festival of classical music.

Rock/Pop/Jazz

Rock/Pop/Jazz music is everywhere in London. Camden Town is always bubbling with Indie vibes. The Brixton Academy is an excellent place to see bands on the verge of stadium-sized fame, and Borderline is good for bands on the verge of Brixton Academy-sized fame. For Jazz you can't beat the legendary Ronnie Scott's.

Nightclubs

Nightclubs come in as many flavours, shapes, sizes and styles as there are people to fill them. The better-known clubs tend to be around the Leicester Square/Charing Cross Road area. For example, LA2 is a flamboyant-friendly, glammed-up favourite; Stringfellows plays host to both strippers and a conventional partying crowd; and Equinox is big, commercial and boasts an excellent light show. Other clubs worth seeking out are The End, The Fridge, and The Ministry of Sound.

Opera

Opera resonates from two sources: The English National Opera (ENO) and the remodelled Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.

Theatre

Theatre in London may be separated into three parts. First there are four repertory companies based in their own theatres: the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, the Royal Court and The Globe Theatre. This is the sophisticated end of the theatre spectrum--plenty of Shakespeare and excellent modern plays.

Then there are the 'West End' shows--this refers to the big productions, not to where they're located. Many of the West End shows can be found on or around Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road. Long-runners which are worth checking out include Les Miserables and the non-musical, Art. But there are many other big-production musicals and plays that make for a great evening out.

The rest are generally known as Off-West End. One of the best exponents of this sector is the Almeida Theatre where film stars Ralph Fiennes and Nicole Kidman have trod the boards. Also regularly putting on good quality productions are The Lyric and the Young Vic.

Soho

Soho is practically pedestrianised (often by sheer weight of numbers) and is packed full of character-filled pubs, cafes, bars and restaurants. It's also home to London's lively gay scene. Do be warned, however; every other establishment is a sex shop.

Islington

Islington is vibrant and hip, with a cafe/bar scene that induces time-wasting and people-watching. Here you'll find Sadler's Wells (for contemporary dance, ballet and opera), the Almeida Theatre (as mentioned above), the London Design Centre, and an excellent antiques market called Camden Passage.

Camden

Camden Town has a friendly, underground kind of feel. There are loads of live music venues here including the Jazz Cafe and the Roundhouse arts centre. There's also a massive, trendy market at weekends, and Jongleurs comedy club.







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Camden Town
London
Camden Town
Imperial War Museum


The people behind our wars
 Lambeth Road
London SE1 6HZ
+44 20 7416 5000
http://www.iwm.org.uk
Imperial War Museum
Fridge


Coolest club in Brixton and beyond
 Town Hall Parade
Brixton
London, London SW2 1RJ
+44 20 7326 5100
http://www.fridge.co.uk
Fridge
Camden Passage


Aladdin's Cave
 Upper Street
Islington
London, London N1
+44 20 7359 0190
http://www.camdenpassageantiques.com/
Camden Passage
Mean Fiddler


Trip the light fantastic
 157 Charing Cross Road
London, London WC2H 0EL
+44 20 8961 5490
http://www.meanfiddler.com/
Mean Fiddler
Comedy Cafe


Laughing With/At You
 66/68 Rivington Street
London, London EC2A 3AY
+44 20 7739 5706
http://www.comedycafe.fsnet.co.uk/
Comedy Cafe
Comedy Store


Comedy kings and unknowns
 1a Oxendon Street
London, London SW1Y 4EE
+44 20 7930 2949 / +44 20 7839 6642 / +44 870 060 2340 (tickets)
http://www.thecomedystore.co.uk/
Comedy Store
Jongleurs Camden Lock


Side splitting
 11 East Yard
Chalk Farm Road
London, London NW1 8AL
+44 20 7564 2500
http://www.jongleurs.com/clubs/cam/
Jongleurs Camden Lock
BFI London IMAX


Big and clever cinema
 Southbank
London SE1
+44 20 7902 1234
http://www.bfi.org.uk/
BFI London IMAX
Lyric Theatre


The old lady of theatreland
 29 Shaftesbury Avenue
London, London W1D 7ES
+44 20 7494 5045 (Box Office)
http://www.londontheatre.co.uk/
Lyric Theatre
Royal Court Theatre


The home of new writing
 Sloane Square
London, London SW1W 8AS
+44 207 565 5000
http://www.royalcourttheatre.com/
Royal Court Theatre
Royal Opera House


London's premiere cultural house is back
 Bow Street
London, London WC2E 9DD
+44 20 7304 4000
http://www.royaloperahouse.org/
Royal Opera House
Royal Festival Hall


Multi-arts venue on the South Bank
 Belvedere Road
South Bank Centre
London, London SE1 8XX
+44 (0)870 380 4300
http://www.rfh.org.uk/
Royal Festival Hall
English National Opera (ENO)


Opera in English
 St Martin's Lane
London Coliseum, Trafalgar Square
London, UK WC2N 4ES
+44 870 145 0200 (Box Office)
http://www.eno.org/
English National Opera (ENO)
Almeida


Hollywood hot house
 Alemida Street
Islington
London, London N1 1TA
+44 20 7359 4404
http://www.almeida.co.uk/
Almeida
Young Vic


Just down the road from the Old Vic
 66 The Cut
Waterloo
London, London SE1 8LZ
+44 (0)20 7922 2922 / +44 (0)20 7928 6363
http://www.youngvic.org/
Young Vic
South Bank Centre


Post-war culture boom
 Belvedere Road
Near Waterloo Station
London, London SE1 8XX
+44 8703 800 400
http://www.southbankcentre.org.uk/
South Bank Centre
Barbican Centre


Multi-arts centre amid the tower blocks
 Silk Street
London, London EC2Y 8DS
+44 (0)20 7638 4141 / +44 (0)20 7638 8891 (Box Office)
http://www.barbican.org.uk
Barbican Centre
Royal Shakespeare Company


The Bard's final resting place
 Barbican Centre
Silk Street
London, London EC2Y 8DS
+44 20 7638 8891
http://www.rsc.org.uk
Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal National Theatre


Three auditoria
 South Bank Centre
Waterloo
London, London SE1 9QA
+44 20 7452 3000
http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/
Royal National Theatre
Natural History Museum


One of London's most popular museums
 Cromwell Road
South Kensington
London, London SW7 5BD
+44 20 7942 5000
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/
Natural History Museum
Science Museum


Hands-On Experience
 Exhibition Road
South Kensington
London, London SW7 2DD
+44 870 870 4868
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/
Science Museum
V&A South Kensington


One of London's best
 Cromwell Road
South Kensington
London, London SW7 2RL
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
http://www.vam.ac.uk/
V&A South Kensington
Design Museum


The impact of design
 28 Shad Thames
Bermondsey
London, London SE1 2YD
+44 20 0870 833 9955
http://www.designmuseum.org/
Design Museum
Horniman Museum and Gardens


Extensive collection of artefacts
 100 London Road
Forest Hill
London, London SE23 3PQ
+44 20 8699 1872
http://www.horniman.ac.uk/
Horniman Museum and Gardens
ICA Bar And Cafe


Cool modern hangout
 The Mall
London, London SW1Y 5AH
+44 20 7930 3647
http://www.ica.org.uk/
ICA Bar And Cafe
National Film Theatre


Cinephiles unite
 Belvedere Road
Southbank, Waterloo
London, London SE1 8XT
+44 20 7928 3535
http://www.bfi.org.uk
National Film Theatre
Prince Charles Cinema


Old-fashioned cool (and old-fashioned prices)
 2-7 Leicester Place
Leicester Square
London, London WC2H 7BY
+44 20 7437 7003
http://www.princecharlescinema.com
Prince Charles Cinema
BBC Proms


Classical Concerts
 Kensington Gore
(The Royal Albert Hall)
London, London SW7 2AP
+44 20 7589 8212
http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms
BBC Proms
Ronnie Scott's


Legendary jazz and blues club
 47 Frith St
Soho
London, UK W1D 4HT
+44 20 7439 0747
http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/
Ronnie Scott's
Jazz Café


Camden swingers and good food
 5 Parkway
Camden Town
London, London NW1 7PG
+44 20 7916 6060 / +44 20 7534 6955
http://www.jazzcafe.co.uk
Jazz Café
Shakespeare's Globe


The world's a stage - theatrical tourist favourite
 21 New Globe Walk
Bankside
London, London SE1 9DT
+44 20 7902 1400
http://www.shakespeares-globe.org/
Shakespeare's Globe
Royal Albert Hall


Home of the famous proms
 Kensington Gore
London, London SW7 2AP
+44 (0)20 7589 8212 (Box Office)
http://www.royalalberthall.com/
Royal Albert Hall
Pollock's Toy Museum & Toy Shop


Ragdolly Anna and Friends
 1 Scala Street
London W1T 2HL
+44 20 7636 3452
http://www.pollockstoymuseum.com
Pollock's Toy Museum & Toy Shop
Sadler's Wells


Shall we dance?
 Rosebery Avenue
London, UK EC1R 4TN
+44 (0)20 7863 8198
http://www.sadlers-wells.com/
Sadler's Wells
Ministry of Sound


World-famous sound
 103 Gaunt St
London, UK SE1 6DP
+44 870 060 0010
http://www.ministryofsound.co.uk/
Ministry of Sound
Borderline


Vibrant music vibe
 Orange Yard
16 Manette Street
London, London W1V 5LB
+44 20 7734 2095
http://www.borderline.co.uk/
Borderline
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