Take a break from essays with eye-catching and thought-provoking shows
Now that you’ve settled back into university, it’s the perfect time to leave your bedroom and explore more of London’s arts and culture scene.
There are so many new shows and exhibits to see before the end of the semester. Don’t know where to start?
Here are some upcoming art shows and plays you can attend this winter without leaving with an empty wallet:
Photo courtesy of the UCL Drama Society.
Machinal by the UCL Drama Society
UCL’s own theater company is releasing a rendition of Treadwell’s Machinal, a play inspired by the trial and execution of murderess Ruth Snyder. It follows the story of a young woman who increasingly resists domestic expectations.
“The most obvious difference between our production and any other time that Machinal was produced has to be the ’80s setting,” the company told The London Tab. “We’ve tried to capture the electrical energy of the technology boom that’s coming to life – and play with a plethora of neon, pop, expressionism and styles the decade is famous for.”
Expect the shoulder pads, acid-wash jeans, and pink eyeshadow of the “ultimate ’80s party sensation” to shine through the overall fierce game.
But the special thing about this version is that it will be a queer production. “We have changed the ‘man’ responsible for instigating the young woman’s breach of liberty to a woman,” the Society said. This show is a must-see for anyone interested in gender, sexuality, the digital age, and the power of those who feel powerless. So catch it at the Bloomsbury Theater on November 18th, 19th and 20th!
Apart from that, the society will present its annual Pride Showcase, which will bring together small plays and acts centered around LGBTQ+ identity. Some examples of her performances are Midsummer Night’s Dream, Achilles and Giovanni’s Room.
Aren’t the photos too great to miss the show?
Free exhibitions in UAL galleries
UAL has seven free galleries that showcase the work of famous artists and designers, as well as students and staff. Some of their galleries are currently closed, but through December 3, The Camberwell Space is showing a new work called Platitudes by 2020 Vanguard Prize recipient Niccolo Binda.
There is also an upcoming exhibition at Lethaby Gallery which runs from November 23rd to January 22nd. It’s called (In)Visible Processes and has the theme of making PhD studies and research in public arts accessible to the general public. It will showcase the work of PhD students at the University’s Central Saint Martins campus.
UAL’s Central Saint Martins campus.
Unique show at 180 The Strand
LUX: New Wave of Contemporary Art is a new art exhibition at 180 The Strand with an experience like no other. The collaborative show “brings together 12 of the world’s most celebrated artists to push the boundaries of immersive art and blur the lines between the physical and virtual worlds.” So grab your chance to in until December 18 for £13 gaze at an endless sunset, or sit and enjoy the relaxing waves around you.
The Wellcome Collection – a UCL standard
Most UCL students have probably been to the Wellcome Collection at least once. Located right by Euston Square Station, the free museum has recently opened two new exhibitions.
The first, which runs through next January, is called Tranquility and explores feelings of peace and balance while offering critiques of the current wellness industry. The other is called Joy and explores “the variety of euphoric experiences and the effect of positive emotions on the body”. It runs until next February.
They also have permanent exhibitions including Medicine Man and Being Human – which again most UCL students should have seen in addition to the usual visits to the British Museum.
Support your art graduates in London at the Saatchi Gallery
The Saatchi Gallery is holding an exhibition called London Grads Now. 21 to highlight the emerging artists whose graduate shows have been canceled due to the pandemic. Part of the Mayor’s Let’s Do London campaign, it features more than 200 works by graduates from the city’s leading art schools such as Goldsmiths, UAL, Royal College of Art and Kingston School of Art.
You can visit and support your London arts graduates until January 16th.
🚀MA-GRAD BACK TO #SAATCHIGALLERY🚀
London graduates now. 21 will return on November 4, 2021
✨ Everything under one roof!🏛️7 leading London art schools, over 200 artists with MA degrees, 8 curators, over 200 artworks – on 50,000 m² of gallery space✨
🎟️Book now! Tickets from €5. Members are free pic.twitter.com/oEh2hbUQEU
— Saatchi Gallery (@saatchi_gallery) September 30, 2021
Profiles in feature image and first three photos are provided by the UCL Drama Society and are used with permission from the UCL Drama Society.
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