By the time December arrives, London can only be described with one word: FESTIVE! The temperature drops to allow for fuzzy ear- muffs and cups of mulled wine, and the city magically transforms into a wintery playground teeming with activity unique to this time of year. Without fail, you can find numerous activities, both indoors and out, that will help keep you entertained. If you are looking to add some fun into your December, perhaps one of these events will become an annual favourite!


Lights


Light displays are never out of place ahead of Christmas, and London is never with- out its options. Some might find it strange that the major light displays that deck out the large high streets are conducted with a celebrated 'switch on ceremony' as early as 6 November. With Bonfire Night, cele- brated on 5 November or the weekend closest to it, this leaves the calendar open for Christmas to begin right after it. Once you have your fireworks, you can legiti- mately switch on the Christmas lights. Individual stores have had their


Christmas lights for decades, with Selfridges having a lighting display since 1935. Te store has 27 windows, and is known for its creative, innovative and sometimes confusing window displays for which staff begin planning as early as March. Te shopping streets themselves began the tradition of lighting as decora- tion during the 1950s, with Regent Street organising its lights in 1954, and Oxford Street following suit in 1959. Each year there is a theme to tie the dec-


oration together. In recent years, these have become opportunities to launch or tie-in with new films or merchandise. Tis may seem a bit tacky, but it is executed with care and probably assists in funding such elaborate designs. To get your fill of twinkling and bling, here’s where you’ll want to go: Oxford Street, Regent Street, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Sloane Square/King’s Road/Duke of York Square, Bond Street, Marylebone High Street, Waterloo/Southbank, Canary Wharf, Charlotte Street and Fitzrovia. If you are feeling in a Christmassy


mood, the American Tour Guide has a walking tour that takes in the beautiful Christmas lights plus film locations from the movie Love Actually. It’s called the Love Actually Christmas Lights tour, and it’s a great way to stroll around to soak up the atmosphere.


www.focus-info.org Panto


Te British have their quirky traditions; think Morris dancing, Swan Upping or Horn Dancing. By far, one of the best is pantomime which was developed in England in the Middle Ages from some- thing called the Mummers’ Play, which featured a sword fight and was performed by amateur actors or audience members. Today’s pantomime has all of the tradi- tional ingredients: a boy hero, his mother (known as the dame and played by a male actor), the hero’s love interest, a comedic character who engages with the audience, and a villain (known as the baddie). Te stories are based on traditional fairytales, so you’ll see performances such as Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Hansel and Gretel. To look at pantomime, you would think


it is a play aimed at children, but you will quickly discover that the jokes are just as entertaining for adults. Outrageous cos- tumes, dancing and singing, and jokes about current events will keep you en- thralled. Audience participation is often re- quired, with characters encouraging the audience to yell out phrases in unison. Recent years have seen certain pantomime performances offer a career-boost to celebrities. Henry Winkler (Te Fonz), Baywatch’s Pamela Anderson, Olivier- award winner Sharon D Clarke, Julian Clary, Sir Ian McKellan and Warwick Davis have all performed in pantomime. Hackney Empire has become the trendy


place to attend pantomime, but other smaller theatres like Te Peacock Teatre, Charlton and Hoxton Hall all have great performances. Te London Palladium is the West End’s pantomime HQ, but have a look at any local theatre in your area for their upcoming performances. Te shows begin in December and stretch through the first weeks of January.


FOCUS The Magazine 5


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