Your digital diary: culture to stream this week: 10 - 17 May
Plays, concerts and world-class dance can all be enjoyed online from the comfort of your home. Here, we bring you day-by-day culture to stream in lockdown
Your digital diary: culture to stream this week: 10 - 17 May. © Detail from The Director’s Choice, created with Moyosa Media © National Gallery, London
London is reawakening from its winter slumber, but for one final week, we're bringing you the best culture to stream from home. If you're not yet ready to embrace the buzz of restaurants, pub gardens and in-person beauty appointments, there's still plenty of great events taking place online – if you know where to look. Here, we bring you day-by-day culture to stream at home.
An Evening with David Hare
WHEN: Monday 10 May, 6:30pm - 7:30pm | WHERE: Zoom
Sir David Hare is one of the best known English playwrights alive today. Renowned for his political storytelling, Hare’s work spans the post-war years up until the Covid-19 crisis, explored in his recent one-man show Beat the Devil, which premiered at the Bridge Theatre in 2020. Here, the award-winning playwright and screenwriter (The Hours and The Reader are also trophies in his portfolio) reflects on his life, career and influence on British theatre. Tickets £15.
Click here for access
Gagosian Premieres: Rachel Whiteread
WHEN: Tuesday 11 May, 7pm BST | WHERE: Gagosian website and YouTube channel
The sixth episode of Gagosian Premieres celebrates Turner prize-winning Rachel Whiteread’s latest exhibition Internal Objects at the Gagosian in London, with a conversation between the artist and curator Iwona Blazwick, as well as performances by composer and pianist Max Richter and poet Mark Waldron.
Click here for access
National Gallery: The Director’s Choice
WHEN: Live now | WHERE: National Gallery website
Ahead of reopening its doors to the public on Monday 17 May, the National Gallery has launched a final digital offering: The Director’s Choice. The virtual exhibition focuses on 20 works selected by gallery director Dr Gabriele Finaldi, who during lockdown, wrote a weekly email exploring a picture of his choice from the collection as a way of staying connected to readers. From Giotto to Monet and Caravaggio to Turner, the online tour spans more than 400 years of art history and allows virtual visitors to navigate around the gallery at their leisure, zooming in on artworks and listening to Dr Finaldi’s audio anecdotes.
Click here for access
Wellness Workshop: Harnessing Herbs for health with Daylesford Organic Farm
WHEN: Wednesday 12 May, 6:30pm-8pm | WHERE: Online
Discover how to harness herbs for your health and wellbeing. Dayeslford’s resident nutritionist Rhaya Jordan, will introduce you to the power of herbs for health, exploring the benefits they can have on our bodies. In this workshop you’ll learn how to use your herbs to make infused water, nutritious tonics and shrubs. You’ll leave the class with Rhaya’s deliciously nourishing shrub recipes and tips for making your own at home. Tickets £20
Click here for access
National Theatre: Life in Stages
WHEN: Thursday 13 May, 7pm | WHERE: National Theatre’s YouTube channel
The National Theatre has announced three new episodes of its Life in Stages interview series, in which titans of the stage discuss their experiences under, or behind, the spotlight. First up, this Thursday, will see award-winning actors Bill Nighy, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Andrew Lincoln – 20 years on from starring together in Joe Penhall’s critically acclaimed Blue/Orange at the National Theatre (2000) and in much-loved film Love Actually (2003) – reunited to discuss and reflect on their impressive acting careers.
Click here for access
London Concertante: Mendelssohn Octet
WHEN Friday 14 May, 7pm - 8:30pm | WHERE: Register via Eventbrite
This most exuberant and optimistic piece for eight instruments by the young Mendelssohn is just the curtain-raiser we need to a new era of live performance, starting next week. Filmed at the atmospheric Asylum chapel, the relay offers a very high standard of sound and visual recording, and the music could not be lovelier. Also on the programme, Tchaikovsky's Souvenir de Florence, the perfect accompaniment to your dreams of a holiday in Italy…
Click here for access
Alex Eagle's Virtual Car Boot Sale
WHEN: Saturday 15 May, 11am | WHERE: Women for Women UK’s Instagram
Alex Eagle has notoriously good taste and a bulging contacts book of fashionable friends, lucky us then that she chooses to use these powers for good, bringing back her charity car boot sale in virtual form in aid of Women for Women International. Eagle has asked a host of her chic friends (Kate Moss, Laura Bailey, Alexa Chung) and designers (Grace Wales Bonner, Rejina Pyo, Simone Rocha) to donate an item each to be auctioned off to raise funds for this worthwhile cause. Register ahead of the event for a peek at the catalogue of items, or head to the charity's Instagram from 11am on Saturday to see the line up of hour-long auction slots throughout the day.
Click here for access
La Scala Ballet: Evening of Great Choreographers
WHEN: Saturday 15 May, 7pm | WHERE: Teatro Alla Scala online
The ballet company of Milan's prestigious La Scala Theatre streams a special gala honouring great choreographers past and present, among them Rudolf Nureyev, Roland Petit and Kenneth MacMillan.
Click here for access
Plan ahead: Live at Worthy Farm
WHEN: Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 May, various times | WHERE: Worthyfarm.live
While its green and talent-filled pastures remain closed to music-loving punters for the second year running, the best of Glastonbury festival is coming to our screens. Live at Worthy Farm, a live-stream concert featuring highlight sets over the past 50 years, is showing in cinemas on Saturday 22 May, with booking for silver-screen viewings opening on Wednesday 12 May. But the celebratory concert is also being made available to stream online on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 May – a chance to catch historic sets from the comfort of your sofa.
Click here for access
An Evening with David Hare
WHEN: Monday 10 May, 6:30pm - 7:30pm | WHERE: Zoom
Sir David Hare is one of the best known English playwrights alive today. Renowned for his political storytelling, Hare’s work spans the post-war years up until the Covid-19 crisis, explored in his recent one-man show Beat the Devil, which premiered at the Bridge Theatre in 2020. Here, the award-winning playwright and screenwriter (The Hours and The Reader are also trophies in his portfolio) reflects on his life, career and influence on British theatre. Tickets £15.
Click here for access
Gagosian Premieres: Rachel Whiteread
WHEN: Tuesday 11 May, 7pm BST | WHERE: Gagosian website and YouTube channel
The sixth episode of Gagosian Premieres celebrates Turner prize-winning Rachel Whiteread’s latest exhibition Internal Objects at the Gagosian in London, with a conversation between the artist and curator Iwona Blazwick, as well as performances by composer and pianist Max Richter and poet Mark Waldron.
Click here for access
National Gallery: The Director’s Choice
WHEN: Live now | WHERE: National Gallery website
Ahead of reopening its doors to the public on Monday 17 May, the National Gallery has launched a final digital offering: The Director’s Choice. The virtual exhibition focuses on 20 works selected by gallery director Dr Gabriele Finaldi, who during lockdown, wrote a weekly email exploring a picture of his choice from the collection as a way of staying connected to readers. From Giotto to Monet and Caravaggio to Turner, the online tour spans more than 400 years of art history and allows virtual visitors to navigate around the gallery at their leisure, zooming in on artworks and listening to Dr Finaldi’s audio anecdotes.
Click here for access
Wellness Workshop: Harnessing Herbs for health with Daylesford Organic Farm
WHEN: Wednesday 12 May, 6:30pm-8pm | WHERE: Online
Discover how to harness herbs for your health and wellbeing. Dayeslford’s resident nutritionist Rhaya Jordan, will introduce you to the power of herbs for health, exploring the benefits they can have on our bodies. In this workshop you’ll learn how to use your herbs to make infused water, nutritious tonics and shrubs. You’ll leave the class with Rhaya’s deliciously nourishing shrub recipes and tips for making your own at home. Tickets £20
Click here for access
National Theatre: Life in Stages
WHEN: Thursday 13 May, 7pm | WHERE: National Theatre’s YouTube channel
The National Theatre has announced three new episodes of its Life in Stages interview series, in which titans of the stage discuss their experiences under, or behind, the spotlight. First up, this Thursday, will see award-winning actors Bill Nighy, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Andrew Lincoln – 20 years on from starring together in Joe Penhall’s critically acclaimed Blue/Orange at the National Theatre (2000) and in much-loved film Love Actually (2003) – reunited to discuss and reflect on their impressive acting careers.
Click here for access
London Concertante: Mendelssohn Octet
WHEN Friday 14 May, 7pm - 8:30pm | WHERE: Register via Eventbrite
This most exuberant and optimistic piece for eight instruments by the young Mendelssohn is just the curtain-raiser we need to a new era of live performance, starting next week. Filmed at the atmospheric Asylum chapel, the relay offers a very high standard of sound and visual recording, and the music could not be lovelier. Also on the programme, Tchaikovsky's Souvenir de Florence, the perfect accompaniment to your dreams of a holiday in Italy…
Click here for access
Alex Eagle's Virtual Car Boot Sale
WHEN: Saturday 15 May, 11am | WHERE: Women for Women UK’s Instagram
Alex Eagle has notoriously good taste and a bulging contacts book of fashionable friends, lucky us then that she chooses to use these powers for good, bringing back her charity car boot sale in virtual form in aid of Women for Women International. Eagle has asked a host of her chic friends (Kate Moss, Laura Bailey, Alexa Chung) and designers (Grace Wales Bonner, Rejina Pyo, Simone Rocha) to donate an item each to be auctioned off to raise funds for this worthwhile cause. Register ahead of the event for a peek at the catalogue of items, or head to the charity's Instagram from 11am on Saturday to see the line up of hour-long auction slots throughout the day.
Click here for access
La Scala Ballet: Evening of Great Choreographers
WHEN: Saturday 15 May, 7pm | WHERE: Teatro Alla Scala online
The ballet company of Milan's prestigious La Scala Theatre streams a special gala honouring great choreographers past and present, among them Rudolf Nureyev, Roland Petit and Kenneth MacMillan.
Click here for access
Plan ahead: Live at Worthy Farm
WHEN: Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 May, various times | WHERE: Worthyfarm.live
While its green and talent-filled pastures remain closed to music-loving punters for the second year running, the best of Glastonbury festival is coming to our screens. Live at Worthy Farm, a live-stream concert featuring highlight sets over the past 50 years, is showing in cinemas on Saturday 22 May, with booking for silver-screen viewings opening on Wednesday 12 May. But the celebratory concert is also being made available to stream online on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 May – a chance to catch historic sets from the comfort of your sofa.
Click here for access
TRY CULTURE WHISPER
Receive free tickets & insider tips to unlock the best of London — direct to your inbox