Live in the Square, Grosvenor Square

This summer, Mayfair’s beautiful Grosvenor Square plays host to the debut edition of Live in the Square – an outdoor programme of cultural events spanning music, ballet and theatre. The programme encompasses three main elements, Ballet in the Square, Theatre in the Square and Live in the Square.

Ballet in the Square

The inaugural summer spectacular kicks off with Ballet in the Square. For one weekend only (27 – 29 July), the English National Ballet will perform a number of renowned dances from their repertoire, as well as offering some of the leading lights from their youth programme, the ENBYouthCo, a platform on which to demonstrate their talents.

Theatre in the Square

Following Ballet in the Square comes Theatre in the Square. The female-led acrobatics company Mimbre presents The Exploded Circus between (2 – 4 Aug) and their Royal Shakespeare commission, Wondrous Strange (8 – 10 Aug).

The Exploded Circus, depicts, well, just that. An exploded circus has been frozen in time, leaving the remnants of a big top suspended in mid-air, along with all the other paraphernalia of a circus. However, the show must go on. Six female performers must come together to turn chaos into order, and in essence, to create a new art form. The show weaves together daring acrobatics with a sensitive, but unspoken exploration of some more earnest themes.

Next up for Mimbre is Wondrous Strange which premiered at Stratford-upon-Avon in April 2016. Wondrous Strange sees some of Shakespeare’s most beloved figures come together in a celebration of the 400^th anniversary of the Bard’s death. In this raucous romp through Shakespeare's most beloved plays, Romeo meets Hamlet, Ophelia floats down the river and kings and queens battle through riotous acrobatics. Wondrous Strange is a celebration of the spirit of Shakespeare and is suited to Shakespeare beginners and aficionados alike.

Live in the Square

Closing the Grosvenor Square summer festival is Live in the Square (15 – 18 Aug), curated in collaboration with legendary Soho jazz institution, Ronnie Scott’s. For the final weekend, live music comes courtesy of a star-studded line-up of acts, including Sister Sledge, St Germain and Submotion Orchestra.