Page 196 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - England's South Coast

194  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

ENTERTAINMENT

London is unrivalled for the diversity and interesting things to do and experience in
quality of its entertainment, with countless the summer months. There are arts festivals
shows, films and concerts to choose from, but in Bath, Brighton and Ramsgate, among other
programmes at regional theatres, opera houses locations, as well as classical music, pop and
and concert halls should not be overlooked. rock festivals. Ticket prices can vary substantially
Bristol, Brighton, Bath and Chichester have a but are usually much cheaper outside the
lively arts scene and the coast buzzes with capital and when booked well in advance.

Cinemas
Major cities usually have a more
varied range of films, including
foreign-language productions,
often shown in arts or repertory
cinemas. Mainstream English-
language films are shown by the
big chains such as ODEON and
Cineworld. Ticket prices vary; look
out for family discounts. Book in
advance for new releases.
Pop-up outdoor cinemas are
popular in the summer, notably
at London’s Somerset House and
in Brighton. Luna Cinema has
Open-air performance at the clifftop Minack Theatre in Cornwall screenings in Leeds Castle (see
p70), Rochester Castle (see p68)
Sources of Information
dramatic tradition: its Theatre and on Hastings Pier (see p195).
To find out what’s on at the Royal (see p126), home to the
theatre in London and the rest Bristol Old Vic company, is Music
of southern England, check Britain’s oldest working theatre.
the websites of WhatsOnStage Some of the best productions are The south of England has a
and London Theatre Guide. shown at Chichester Festival diverse musical repertoire across
London’s free newspapers, Theatre, where the National a variety of venues. Church choral
Metro and Evening Standard Theatre company was founded. music is an English tradition, and
(available Mon–Fri), and listings Cities such as Bath and Brighton many churches host concerts,
magazine Time Out (available also have a reputation for good including Winchester, Salisbury
Tue), give an overview of the drama. Open-air performances and Exeter cathedrals. London,
capital’s cultural programme. The include productions at Cornwall’s Bristol and Bournemouth all have
arts sections of the broadsheet dramatic clifftop amphitheatre, their own excellent orchestras,
newspapers (see p207) publish the Minack Theatre. and there is a highly regarded
comprehensive reviews and Ticket availability varies from annual opera festival at
listings of countrywide events. show to show. For a midweek Glyndebourne (see p28).
The specialist magazine NME matinée, you may be able to buy The South is the heartland of
gives up-to-date news of the a ticket on the day, but for a the English festival scene, with
pop music scene. West End show tickets have
For information on LGBT to be booked well in advance.
events, check the monthly GT Beware of tickets sold by touts
and the online Pink News. as these may be counterfeit.
For dance-lovers, London offers
outstanding ballet productions
Theatre and Dance
at the Royal Opera House,
England’s theatrical tradition London Coliseum and Sadler’s
dates back before Shakespeare Wells. The English National
to the medieval Mystery Plays. Ballet performs at the Mayflower
There are more than 60 West End Theatre, Southampton.
and fringe theatres in London, The contemporary dance
not including the many pubs company Rambert takes
that regularly host drama. The exciting new works by many
theatres range from sumptuous choreographers to numerous
Georgian to bold Modernist locations, including Brighton, Performance of Mozart’s 18th-century
buildings. Bristol also has a long Bath, Plymouth and Truro. opera La finta giardiniera, at Glyndebourne

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