Kent

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-tickets">HOT TICKETS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MS-and-SS-2.jpg" alt="Matt Smith and Sarah Snook" class="wp-image-86839" /></figure>



More star power is gracing the West End stage again this month. Battling it out for your attention come opening night (Tue 6 Feb) is Matt Smith and his impeccable jawline in Thomas Ostermeier’s bold reimagining of the classic Henrik Ibsen play&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thedukeofyorks.com/an-enemy-of-the-people">An Enemy of the People</a>,&nbsp;Duke of York’s Theatre(until Sat 6 Apr), and&nbsp;Succession’s Sarah Snook who is turning Oscar Wilde’s dark parable,&nbsp;<a href="https://trh.co.uk/whatson/the-picture-of-dorian-gray/">The Picture of Dorian Gray</a>, into an ambitious one woman show,&nbsp;Theatre Royal Haymarket&nbsp;(until at 11 May).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-foodie">FOODIE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/419908446_777602151078755_3345726833944656818_n-947x1000.jpg" alt="Fortnum and Mason hosting a pop up restaurant St John" class="wp-image-86723" /></figure>



Can we get a drum roll please – stalwart department store,&nbsp;Fortnum &amp; Mason&nbsp;is, for the first time in its 317-year history,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fortnumandmason.com/field-restaurant">hosting a pop-up restaurant</a>. That’s right, East End favourite&nbsp;<a href="https://stjohnrestaurant.com/a/restaurants/fortnumandmason">St. JOHN</a>&nbsp;will be pitching up from&nbsp;Tue 6-Sun 25 Feb&nbsp;serving fan favourites – Welsh rarebits, grilled langoustines, roast bone marrow – while its Smithfield space gets a facelift. The simple, paired back style of St. JOHN’s will be recreated like for like in the Piccadilly dining room – white panelled walls, wooden coat pegs, chunky wooden chairs (no joke) which could be a sink or swim situation with F&amp;M regulars but, for a plateful of St. JOHN’s renowned Madeleines, we can’t wait to find out!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-find-some-zen">FIND SOME ZEN</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/1.-Zheng-Bo-December-2023.-Courtesy-of-Somerset-House.jpg" alt="Artist Zheng Bo and his new installation Bamboo as Method" class="wp-image-86717" /></figure>



Providing some calm among the city hubbub is artist Zheng Bo and his new installation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/zheng-bo-bamboo-method">Bamboo as Method</a>. He will transform the neo-classical courtyard of&nbsp;Somerset House&nbsp;into an edenic space using over 300 locally sourced bamboo and you are invited (for free) to frolic about the shoots, enjoy your lunch and ultimately just disconnect for a while – the only problem might be returning to the real world afterwards (Thu 22 Feb–Wed 28 April).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-opera">OPERA</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ENO-The-Handmaids-Tale-22-ensemble-Emma-Bell-%C2%A9-Catherine-Ashmore-7-1-1000x790.jpg" alt="The Handmaid's Tale opera" class="wp-image-86833" /></figure>



For something a little different, Margaret Atwood’s haunting novel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eno.org/whats-on/the-handmaids-tale/">The Handmaid’s Tale</a>&nbsp;has been turned into an opera by the esteemed composer Poul Ruders’ – if you thought the Republic of Gilead wasn’t brutal enough, throw in some medieval chants, gospel music, a chilling soprano and prepare to be terrified,&nbsp;Coliseum&nbsp;(Thu 1 – Thu 15 Feb).&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kew-orchid-festival">KEW ORCHID FESTIVAL</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/orchid-festival-kew-gardens-london.jpg" alt="A lady surrounded by orchids" class="wp-image-86722" /></figure>



For some February florals, head to&nbsp;Kew Gardens&nbsp;for its stunning annual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kew.org/kew-gardens/whats-on/kew-orchid-festival">Orchid Festival</a>, (Sat 3 Feb-Sun 3 Mar). Madagascar is the country du jour, and with some of the world’s rarest species calling it home, the Princess of Wales Conservatory is set to be packed to the rafters with all manner of vibrant, exotic plants, a ring tailed lemur or two and of course some beautiful orchids. Entry is included with every ticket to the garden just remember to book a time slot, and any tips on how not to kill an orchid, we’re all ears!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exhibition">EXHIBITION</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Untitled-design-2.jpg" alt="Yoko Ono and two of John Sieger Sergent's portraits" class="wp-image-86838" /></figure>



It’s all about the Tate galleries this month with two whoppers breezing into town – first up, a showcase of Yoko Ono at the&nbsp;Tate Modern, (Thur 15 Feb – Sun 1 Sep). The aptly named&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/yoko-ono">Music Of The Mind</a>&nbsp;will span a staggering seven decades and highlight some of her most remarkable pieces including *that* banned&nbsp;Film No.4 (Bottoms)&nbsp;(1966-67) among others. And over at the&nbsp;Tate Britain, it’s all about the portrait artist&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/sargent-and-fashion">John Sieger Sargent</a>&nbsp;and fashion. This exciting exhibit, featuring period dress and 60 of his paintings (including some which rarely travel), will explore the way Sargent used fashion as a tool to reflect his sitters personalities – like an Edwardian Edward Enninful – in paintings which still wow today (Thu 22 Feb-Sun 7 Jul).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kids">KIDS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Starchitects-by-Motionhouse-1.-Image-credit-Dan-Tucker.jpg" alt="five people jumping out of a boxes at Imagine Children's Festival" class="wp-image-86731" /></figure>



February means half term is on the horizon (gulp) but consider the&nbsp;Southbank Centre&nbsp;your school holiday saviour! With over 100 events scheduled between&nbsp;Wed 7–Sat 17 Feb&nbsp;as part of its annual&nbsp;Imagine Children’s Festival, you can pitch up here all week and regain your sanity while the kids are kept thoroughly entertained. Choose from theatre performances like Tom Fletcher’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/family-young-people/theres-monster-your-show">There’s a Monster in Your Show</a>&nbsp;to music from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/family-young-people/yolandas-band-jam-and-friends">YolanDA Brown</a>&nbsp;to story time with fan favourite author,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/family-young-people/afternoon-michael-rosen">Michael Rosen</a>.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-valentine-s-day">VALENTINE’S DAY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/IMG_4609.jpg" alt="The Rivoli Ballroom" class="wp-image-86728" /></figure>



Brockley’s iconic&nbsp;Rivoli Ballroom&nbsp;is hosting another&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rivoliballroom.com/valentines-cinema">pop-up cinema</a>&nbsp;just in time for Valentine’s Day (aww). The plush, red ballroom already looks like somewhere Cupid would feel at home on the best of days, but throw in a romantic movie – Baz Luhrmann’s 90s smash&nbsp;Romeo &amp; Juliet&nbsp;and 80s classic&nbsp;Pretty in Pink&nbsp;– fancy cocktails, ice cream, popcorn and you have yourself a V-day of dreams for you and your val or your gals, (Wed 14-Thur 15 Feb).

It’s fun February! 10 unmissable things to do in London

You may also like