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Get Fit On The Move With James Haskell’s Fitness Advice

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Want to get fit but can’t find the time? Here are some tips from James Haskell. James is the health and fitness ambassador for The Healthcounter.

 

Planes, trains and automobiles Exercises to do on the move, don’t let that long haul journey effect your health

 

Lululemon_Yellow_YogaThe obvious one is walking the cabin. If it’s a Jumbo or a large plane you can create a circuit by walking down one aisle and back-up the next. However you might not be too popular with the Air Hostesses if they are working the aisles with the drinks trolley or they are in the galley, when you do your circuit end turns!

Another must-do exercise is stretching, when you get the chance. You can also do some simple exercises to switch muscles on. Like standing, feet slightly apart, one leg to the front the other behind and imagine that you are trying to push the earth apart. Hold this for 20 seconds and then rest for 20 seconds.

You should feel all the muscles in your leg work. You can repeat this with your feet a shoulder width a part. Find a wall or divide in the cabin – put your hands on it and try to either push-in the wall, keeping straight arms, or trying to split the wall down the middle of your hands. Hold all of these for 20 seconds and repeat 4 times

 

Spare 5 minutes? Exercise you can do in your garden, on the beach etc. Simples exercises that will work the all muscles as well as target areas

 

“I would say you should do a 5 minute tabata, which is a form of high intensity interval training. It is a method that is much more beneficial within this specific time frame than regular, moderate intensity training, such as jogging, biking, skipping, and so forth and in my view much more fun!”

 

One suggested circuit which is guaranteed to get your heart rate-up and sweating.

 

10 x standard press-ups

No rest

 

10 burpee jumps – start standing up – feet slightly apart. Then drop down to a crouching position on the floor, with your knees, which should be up to the chest, with your hands either side of the knees, palms to the floor. Then jump out into a press-up position. Then jump back into a crouching position and then jump back up into the air landing back into the standing position. Then repeat

No rest

 

10 Spiderman’s – Position yourself on the ground in a push-up position with hands a shoulder width apart and feet together, resting on your toes. Keeping one’s spine straight. Then using your abdominals, move your leg forward, bring your left leg to your left hand and then back to the neutral position. Repeating for the right leg.

No rest

 

10 sit-ups – Unlike the “Crunch”, which is predominantly a shoulder movement as the lower back should be kept on the ground. The sit-up you lift-up your whole torso off the ground moving through the vertical sit-up position and then back down again.

No rest

 

10 each leg lunge change-up to the other leg

No rest

 

Sprinting on the spot for 10 seconds

 

Repeat as many circuits as you can within the scheduled 5 minutes.

 

James’s top 10 lifestyle changes to get you on the path to fitness

 

1.            Diet is everything. In any successful programme diet will always comprise 70% and exercise 30%. Most people think it’s the reverse. There is a great truth in the saying “You can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet!”

2.            Make small changes and stick to them. Don’t try everything or indeed to do everything in one go. Sadly you will never stick to it.

3.            Have breakfast every day – protein based ideally. Eggs are great

4.            Eat a massive variety of vegetables, put a lot colours into your food. Don’t worry too much about fruit. Vegetables are more important and remember with vegetables you can eat as much as you want

5.            Avoid processed food and ready meals

6.            Try and exercise for at least 10 minutes a day, every day. Get your heart rate-up. Walk the dog; go running, do some body weight work just do something!

7.            Always seek advice and guidance before you start. So may diets and exercise plans fail because people get disillusioned. That’s because they were doing it all wrong to start with and sadly they were never going to achieve what they wanted.

8.            Create a plan. As Scott Alexander says “if you walk into a gym without a game plan then walk straight back out again. Get one sorted and then re-enter the gym with purpose, knowledge and vision. Execute the plan with precision.” So start properly and stick with it for a minimum of 4 weeks. You have got to give anything you do reasonable time to work. Everyone has an opinion, try it and if you don’t get results after giving it a reasonable shot then change. Don’t change every 5 minutes and don’t give up after the first week or two

9.            Preparation is the key. Double-up food when making dinner and put in the fridge for the next day. Hydration is also key, Avoid fizzy drinks, especially the diet ones as they are more often or not worst for you to drink because of the hidden sugar levels.

10.          Keep a record of your results and achievements through pictures and measurement’s. Avoid worrying about the scales.

James Haskell is the health and fitness ambassador for The Healthcounter, to see James’s blog topics visit www.thehealthcounter.com”

 

For one night only, discover the Natural History Museum’s hidden wonders

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Science Uncovered, the annual free after-hours extravaganza, returns on Friday 27 September 2013 with more on offer than ever before.

The Natural History Museum is throwing open its doors and giving you exclusive access to its world-class scientists and rarely seen parts of its collections. Science Uncovered is your chance to discover more about the Museum, hear about the latest research and enjoy a drink in the grand setting of the Museum’s Central Hall.

science-uncovered-jellyfish-490_122370_2For many, meeting Museum scientists is one of the most surprising highlights of the evening. Normally behind the scenes, our scientists tackle issues of global importance – from malaria to species loss. Science Uncovered involves 375 researchers from the across the Museum and from other leading organisations, such as the Metropolitan Police Service and the British Antarctic Survey.

Discover what goes on beyond the galleries at this world-renowned centre of research, learn more about the life of a scientist and find out something  unexpected about the natural world. You can get involved in more than 200 different activities on the night, from the Science Bar and Nature Live talks, to visiting the Science Stations and taking part in exclusive behind-the-scenes tours. The evening is also a chance to see some of the extraordinary specimens from the Museum’s collections not normally on display.

New this year:

  • Live link with NASA – the Museum’s resident meteorite expert, Dr Sara Russell, hosts a link-up with the Mars Curiosity Rover team at NASA. Hear what has been discovered one year into the mission and have the chance to ask your burning questions.
  • Get sporty – join the world-leading sport science team from Loughborough University to find out more about the advances in sport, health and their work with the British Olympics team.
  • Predicting weather – meet meteorologists from the Met Office and quiz them about how forecasting is done and what is happening to our weather.
  • Science Fess Up – don’t know what DNA is? Never heard of Alfred Russel Wallace? Sceptical about climate change? Confess your deepest, darkest science secrets and discuss them with our scientist in a private booth.
  • Science Stations – get up close and personal with groundbreaking science at the Science Stations. Check out live animals, including the hedgehog-like Madagascan tenrec, inspect a new 3D map of an ancient human burial site with our world-leading human origins researchers and race maggots with our forensic entomologists.
  • Stamped on Science – collect all six stamps from around the Museum on the night to be in with a chance of joining a field trip to the New Forest. You will get to take part in an important study of British wildlife with Museum scientists and enjoy the great outdoors with a pasty or two.

Science Uncovered is part of EU Researchers’ Night, when institutions in more than 360 cities across Europe reveal the exciting scientific research taking place and celebrate the people who make it possible.

There will be activities suitable for everyone but from 18.00 the event is most suitable for adults. Space is limited for some activities and free tickets for certain events will be available on the night on a first come first served basis.

Date and times: 27 September 2013, 16.00 – midnight
Visitor enquiries: 020 7942 5000
Admission: Free
Nearest tube: South Kensington
Website: www.nhm.ac.uk/scienceuncovered

Get Fit & Flab Free This Summer With The Dukan Diet & Nicki Waterman

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getfitandfabWith 96% of UK women admitting they are unhappy with their bikini body[1] the Dukan Diet and celebrity fitness expert Nicki Waterman have joined forces to help you fight the flab and feel fab this Summer.

Said Nicki Waterman, “What you eat is only one part of the weight-loss equation. Diet alone may help you drop pounds, but you’ll have trouble keeping them off if you don’t exercise. And that’s not to mention the added benefits you’ll miss out on, from improved mood, to better sleep, to disease prevention. The exercise has to be there!”

“It’s understandable that people want to look good on the beach, but it’s more important to be healthy and do this safely” said Dukan Diet creator Dr Pierre Dukan. “Thousands of UK women are still resorting to crash dieting and unhealthy methods because they are so unhappy with the way they look. Crash diets may help you may lose weight in the short term, but you will inevitably regain that weight in the long-term. My diet is the only plan which devotes 50% of the plan to stabilising your weight, for the rest of your life.”


In as little as 8 weeks you can lose up to 1 stone[1] and tone up those wobbly bits with this exclusive diet and fitness advice:


THE DIET PART

The Dukan Diet; a high-protein, low-carb and low-fat weight loss plan, has a huge worldwide following, with numerous celebrities reportedly fans too. No calorie counting, it’s based on protein rich food and veggies you can eat as much as you want of, to give quick results and long-lasting weight-loss.

The Dukan Diet is a 4-phase plan; two phases to lose weight and two phases to ensure you keep the weight off forever.

 

Phase 1: A brief ATTACK phase with immediate results – lasting between two and seven days, depending upon how much weight you have to lose, during this stage you can eat as many of the 72 protein-rich ‘approved’ foods as you want in any combination. Approved ATTACK ingredients include fresh fish, shellfish, poultry, lean meats, low-fat dairy products and eggs.  Expect to see quick results during this phase.

Phase 2: As you enter the CRUISE phase now add vegetables. CRUISE continues uninterrupted until your true weight is reached. Dieters alternate pure protein days with protein and vegetable days with anaverage weight loss of 2lbs per week. On average 5 weeks is spent on the Cruise Phase if you have one stone to lose.

 

Phase 3: Once you have reached your target weight the Dukan Diet differs from any other diet as it ‘weans’ you back into eating a balanced diet, ensuring all your hard work doesn’t go to waste. A CONSOLIDATION phase lasting five days for every pound lost is implemented and reintroducesfruit, wholegrains, fats and finally starchy foods to your diet. This phase is designed to reintroduce dieters to the ‘pleasure’ of food whilst prevent the rebound effect that occurs after any rapid form of weight loss. In an 8-week plan and with one stone to lose, you would bethree weeks into your Consolidation phase by the time you go on holiday, enabling you to enjoy a varied diet.

Phase 4:The final stage – STABILISATION – is less of a diet and more of a set of guidelines to live by to counter-act any mild weight gain:

·       Eat 3 tablespoons of oat bran per day

·       Regular exercise (min 20 mins walk per day)

·       Have a Pure Protein Attack day once a week.

To get started – calculate your True Weight on the dukandiet.co.uk’s free online calculator or pick up the Dukan Diet Book (Hodder; £12.99). Additionally, the following code will give you a 15% discount off all products in the online shop for twenty days fromtoday (4th July 2013): FITFLAB15

 

THE DUKAN DIET EXERCISE PLAN BY NICKI WATERMAN

Depending on your level of fitness aim for a minimum of 30mins exercise every day. This can be walking, cleaning the house or dancing to the radio – as long as you’re active.

 

The following exercises and tips are guaranteed to target those troublesome spots and get your body bikini-ready:

 

1.)Add Some Pounds

Adding resistance training to your routine will give you a toned – not bulky – look and increase metabolism.

 

 WALKING LUNGE

Tones your legs, bottom and thighs.

SETS: 3

REPS: 20

HOW OFTEN: Every other day.

Take a big step forward and bond both your knees to 90-degrees, keeping your body upright and feet pointing forward. Push off your back foot and brig it in front of you to go into the next lunge. Walk forward with each lunge

 

2.)Squeeze In A Fast Workout

If you’re short on time, simply do press-ups for a quick, calorie-burning upper- body workout.

 PRESS-UPS:

Tones your arms, chest, shoulders and deep core muscles.

SETS: 1

REPS: As many as you can do.

HOW OFTEN: Every other day.

Lie with your hands beneath your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Brace your stomach muscles and bend your elbows, keeping them close to your body. Lower as far as you can before pushing back up.

 

 

3.)Make Achievable Goals

Making lofty resolutions like deciding to lose 30 pounds in two months is setting yourself up for failure. Instead, make smaller goals you can tackle individually and incorporate into your lifestyle. Try adding a new fitness class to your exercise routine, taking a lunchtime walk instead of eating at your desk or do some simple Step-ups whenever you can.

 STEP UPS

Tones your legs, bottom and thighs and gets your heart pumping

SETS: 3

REPS: 15 each side.

HOW OFTEN: Every day.

Stand in front of stairs, box or a chair at about knee height. Place one foot flat on the stair, box or chair without letting your trailing leg touch down. Return to the start and do all your reps on one leg before repeating on the other.

 

 

4.)Plank It Out

The plank is one of the best moves to tone your core. After mastering the basicplank, you can add more advanced moves. Touching your elbow with your knee while in plank is great for the oblique muscles. To get some extra arm toning in, try the up and down plank: start in plank, come up onto your hands while holding the plank position and then return to the plank and repeat.

 PLANK WITH LATERAL TOE TAPS

Tones your core and upper body.

SETS: 3 sets

REPS: 30, alternating sides

HOW OFTEN: Every other day.

Rest your weight on your forearms and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels. Move one foot out to the side with a straight leg; tap the floor andthen return slowly to the start. Alternate sides.

 

 

5.)Try Some Big Movements

Don’t be intimidated by certain exercises. If you’re looking for all-in-one moves, push-ups, squats and planks are hard to beat. These powerhouse moves work the core, your legs and raise your heart rate.

WIDE LEG SQUAT

Tones your bottom, thighs and core.

SETS: 3

REPS: 20

HOW OFTEN: Every other day.

Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned out. Keeping torso upright and weight on your heels, squat down as far as you can manage, raising your arms fro balance. Hold for a second then push back to the start.

 

 

6.)Work Muscles Together

Don’t want to waste any time at the gym? Combine exercises that incorporate both your upper and lower body, and work multiple muscle groups at once. Try this military press as you come up from a squat.

 SQUAT MILITARY PRESS

Tones your shoulders, arms, abs, bottom and legs

SETS: 3

REPS: As many as you can do for one minute.

HOW OFTEN: Every other day.

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a weight in each hand (half litre bottle of water or cans of beans will do), arms by sides. Squat down and then stand up quickly, bending elbows to bring dumbbells up in front of shoulders, palms facing forward. Immediately press arms straight overhead.

 

 

7.)Target Arm Flab

While genetics decide where your body will store fat (thanks, Mom and Dad), you can spot tone problem areas. To sculpt toned arms, incorporate moves that will work all three of the muscles in your triceps, your biceps and shoulders. Tricepkickbacks, bench dips, overhead presses and head bangers are all great options.

 

TRICEP DIP

Tones the back of your arms.

SETS: 3

REPS: 15 – 20.

HOW OFTEN: Every other day.

Place your palms on a sturdy bench or chair behind you, fingers pointing forwards. Keep your body upright, bum close to the bench and legs out in front of you. Bend at the elbows keeping them pointing back. Lower slowly and push back up.

 

 

8.)Do What You Love

If the idea of traditional exercise makes you shudder, there are other options. Have you always wanted to learn how to do a sun salutation? Try a yoga class. Interested in self-defense? Sign up for boxing lessons. Meet friends for a walk instead of lunch, or bike ride around your town instead of driving. You’re more likely to stick to a fitness routine if you’re enjoying it – and remember, you don’t have to be at the gym for it to count.

 YOGA: THE COBRA

Improves posture.

SETS: 1

REPS: Hold the position for 5 full breaths, then release.

HOW OFTEN: Every day.

Lie on your tummy with your legs spread at hip width and the tops of your feet on the floor. Rest your forehead on the floor and relax your shoulders; bend your elbows and place your forearms on the floor with your palms turned down and positioned near the sides of your head. As you inhale, engage your back muscles, press your forearms against the floor, and raise your chest and head. Look straight ahead. Keepyour forearms and the front of your pelvis on the floor, being mindful of relaxing your shoulders. As you exhale, lower your torso and head slowly back to the floor.

 

 

For more information or to create your free personal weight-loss plan please visit www.dukandiet.co.uk

 

[1] Depending upon how much weight you have to lose

[1]The research for Dukan Diet was carried out online by Opinion Matters between 03 / 05 / 2013 and 07 / 05 / 2013 amongst a panel resulting in 1,715 respondents. All research conducted adheres to the MRS Codes of Conduct (2010) in the UK andICC/ESOMAR World Research Guidelines. Opinion Matters is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and is fully compliant with the Data Protection Act (1998).

South West Hair Loss Salon provides help for women like Nadine Dorries and Esther Rantzen

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South West “Hair Loss” Salon provides help for women like Nadine Dorries and Esther Rantzen who have spoken out about hair loss and thin hair

With celebrities like Esther Rantzen and MP Nadine Dorries highlighting the problems of thin hair and hair loss, more women are seeking out the services of Simone Thomas from Make-up, Wigs and Hair (MWAH) in Bournemouth.

This week Conservative MP and “I’m a Celebrity Get Me out of Here” contestant Nadine Dorries revealed her own hair loss brought on by a stressful year and her reaction to it. She called the condition a “confidence stealer,” likening it to when women have a mastectomy.

She said: “You’re losing your confidence and you’re losing your ability to go out and actually face the world because you think what identifies a woman are her hair and her breasts.”

Her announcement comes after Esther Rantzen revealed that she has worn a wig for over 30 years because of her own thin hair, but criticised the quality and staying powers of her own wigs.

[image]Simone Thomas who runs MWAH Bournemouth knows exactly how both these celebrities feel as she lost her own hair twice as a result of alopecia and then cervical cancer. Having worked in TV, Film and Magazine Modelling since the age of 18 Simone was forced to look for ways to cover up her hair loss, but found there was little on the market except for cheap and nasty looking wigs.

After taking several courses in Specialist Hair Extensions & Hair Loss Systems Simone set up a business that provides professional makeup services, hair extensions and hair loss systems to clients all over the UK and Europe. She sources the best products and systems and has a range of clientele that includes celebrities, TV companies, photographers and agents.

Simone has recently moved to Dorset from London and has opened her first all encompassing salon in Bournemouth called MWAH Bournemouth – Makeup, Wigs & Hair. Through her research she found there was nowhere in the South that catered for women who have suffered with hair loss from cancer treatment, thinning hair, premature fine hair, receding hair loss, female pattern hair loss, alopecia, trichotillomania, temporary hair loss or women who want thicker longer hair through safe hair extensions that are glue and adhesive free. With over 3 million dying from breast cancer in the region she identified a real need.

Simone says, “At my salon we don’t just find a solution to the hair loss or thinning but try to help with the underlying causes where we can, sometimes referring the client to a therapist and of course making sure that our products are free from any parabens that are linked to cancer.”

Hair loss is always going to be traumatic for the person involved, but as Nadine Dorries says, there is help available for both men and women who suffer from conditions like alopecia and temporary hair loss. MWAH Bournemouth means that there is now an expert service in the South West to help anyone who suffers from this condition.

Further information from www.mwahbournemouth.co.uk or email: mwahbournemouth@gmail.com or tel: 01202 760 003.

Johnson Cleaners Appeal For Old Wedding Outfits. First Ever Wedding Amnesty

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Vintage_Wedding_DressesBrides and grooms across the country are this month being asked to donate ‘something old’ for charity in the form of wedding outfits, as part of the first ever national wedding outfit amnesty.

 

Building on its established credentials as a dry cleaning specialist within the wedding industry, Johnson Cleaners has teamed up with The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation – which organises and funds weddings for people with terminal illnesses and life limiting conditions – to offer its dry cleaning services as well as to help raise awareness and much needed funds for the charity.

 

The UK’s leading dry cleaning provider is urging people to drop off their wedding dresses and suits, as well as bridesmaids’ outfits, at any of its stores nationwide; all items donated will either be used by prospective brides and grooms being supported by the charity or sold to raise funds for weddings organised by the charity.

 

The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation was set up in 2012 by wedding planner, Naomi Thomas, after she married her partner while suffering from secondary breast cancer; the start of the amnesty also marks Naomi’s first year wedding anniversary.

 

Talking about the amnesty, Naomi said: “We originally approached Johnson Cleaners to help support the charity through cleaning, as well as alterations and repairs to outfits that had already been donated; we were blown away when the team not only agreed to offer these services to us, but also developed a national campaign idea designed to get the whole country talking about the Foundation.

 

“We want to help create the perfect wedding day for as many people with terminal illnesses and life limiting conditions as possible and our partnership with Johnson Cleaners will have a huge impact on helping us to achieve this goal.

 

“Everyone deserves a magical wedding day and a donation to the amnesty could help make this dream a reality for the couples we work with.”

 

The partnership will see Johnson Cleaners altering and dry cleaning up to 10 outfits a week free of charge for the charity.

 

Paul Ogle, managing director of Johnson Cleaners, said: “We were captivated by Naomi’s story and the work the charity is doing within the UK, so we created a campaign that would enable people up and down the country to get involved.

 

“Whether you’re thinking about donating an outfit or you’re looking for an outfit yourself, we want to encourage people to support the amnesty in any way they can.”

 

Any outfits donated as part of the amnesty and not used by brides and grooms working with The Wedding Wishing Well Foundation will be sold at open day events due to be set up by the charity throughout the summer.

 

The amnesty begins today and runs throughout the remainder of the month.

 

For further information visit http://www.johnsoncleaners.co.uk/wish/

 

Living Gluten-Free | Book Review

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livingglutenfreeGluten-Free is the new food trend. And while living gluten-free used to be extremely difficult it has gradually gotten better. The need has met the demand. Gluten-free is now widely available and common in the mainstream media. Living Gluten-free is getting easier but it still has it’s challenges. Can these book help? Let’s find out.

Living gluten-free for dummies is a comprehensive guide to eating gluten-free. It talks you through the medical benefits of eating gluten-free, has almost 100 great recipes, and give you guidance on reading food labels.

The book also has great advice on coeliac disease, tells you about tests and lets you know what misdiagnoses you should look out for. Chapter 3 even has an entire chapter on coeliac disease. I don’t have coeliac disease but it would be a great resource for those who do. In fact 10p from every sale of the book goes to Coeliac UK.

The lists of food with and without gluten is also handy. As is the chapter on making sure food is gluten-free. There is also a table on shopping on a budget. This book is a really good resource on buying, eating and cooking gluten-free food. It certainly makes a daunting task much easier and tastier. The recipes are good. There is something there for everyone and not a horrible, cardboard-tasting meal in sight. For those who miss pasta or bread, there are even recipes to make your own. There is also a good amount of dessert recipes. Yum.

If you love eating out or are away from home a lot there is also a chapter to make sure you don’t fall off the wagon. For those with kids, there is a chapter on raising children gluten-free too.

Living Gluten-Free For Dummies

10 Pairs of Workforce Socks to Giveaway

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Frost has ten pairs of the comfortable, yet sturdy, workforce socks. Workforce socks are a favourite of all of us here at Frost. They have heels and toes that are cushioned for extra comfort AND reinforced. Read our review here.

Workforce socks are specifically engineered to meet the demands of strenuous employment, ensuring you can get on with the job at hand with comfort and protection.

Designed to be strong, durable and the most comfortable socks on the market, the Workforce range includes boot socks, wellie socks, walking socks and socks specifically designed to wear with steel toe cap safety shoes and boots. Workforce have carefully selected the most advanced fibres to ensure the highest levels of comfort, wearability and protection.

Technical features to be found in the Workforce range include knitted arch support engineered for a precise fit and hold, terry cushion panels to provide excellent comfort from shock absorption. Specially constructed ventilation panels aid moisture management, specially treated yarns and bamboo fibres provide natural antibacterial protection.  Many styles include heavy gauge ribbing and fully cushioned soles for total comfort and heel and toe areas are enhanced with polypropylene for maximum durability.

To win follow @Frostmag on Twitter and Tweet, ‘I want to win with @Frostmag’ or like us on Facebook.  Alternatively, sign up to our newsletter.

The competition closes at the end of this month, May 2013.

What’s On At The Pleasance Theatre

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LAMDA Presents Summerfolk by Maxim Gorky

Theatre

Pleasance London » Tuesday 24th April – Friday 26th April, 2pm & 7:30pm

 

At the turn of the 20th Century a group of Russian friends retreat for their annual summer holiday in the countryside. United by their place in history as an emergent Russian middle class, but disparate in their political views and private lives, their friendship will never be the same again come autumn.

Maxim Gorky’s naturalistic masterpiece depicts Russia as it teeters on the edge of social upheaval – exploring the dreams, fears and vanities of one group of friends as they question their value in a transient society.

 

Free

 

 

 

LAMDA Presents Earthquakes in London

Theatre

Pleasance London » Wednesday 25th  April – Friday 26th April, 2pm & 7:30pm

 

How can you live in a state of constant impending catastrophe? Is hope possible, responsible even, when scientists and politicians are predicting an environmental apocalypse? Earthquakes in London tracks the tremors of hedonism, terror and activism through the lives of three sisters and their estranged, misanthropic father.
Written by award-winning Mike Bartlett (Love Love Love), the play premiered at the National Theatre in 2010.

 

Free

 

 

Robert Newman’s Theory Of Evolution: Work in Progress

Comedy

Pleasance London » Wednesday 24th April, 8pm
Join Rob as he tries out material in advance of a major new UK tour. Watch it evolve in front of your very eyes!

“I am completely in awe of Robert Newman. Of his talent, his passion, his intelligence, and the way he turns them to comedy with real firepower. If this world could be saved by a Superhero whose Superpower was Comedy, that hero would be Robert Newman.” Kate Copstick, The Scotsman

 

Tickets £10

 

 Joe_and_Eleanor

Joe Lycett / Eleanor Thom: Work in Progress

Comedy

Pleasance London » Thursday 25th April, 8pm

 

Joe Lycett Celebrity Juice & 8 out of 10 Cats):

Join award-winning sparky stand up Joe Lycett as he workshops material for his second hour show. Expect it to be rough round the edges, interactive, potentially slightly awkward, but most of all bloody good fun. Last year’s show got nominated for Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer so it can’t be all bad.

Eleanor Thom (Lady Garden, Absolutely Fabulous & Live At The Electric)

 

“The BBC said to me, ‘Bev, you need a vehicle’, so I’ve got one. Inclusive of drinks trolley. Get onboard.”

 

‘Britain’s funniest woman’ Sunday Telegraph

 

Tickets £5

 

 

Alan Davies: Work in Progress

Comedy

Pleasance London » Friday 26th April – Sunday 19th May, 8pm

 

Alan Davies returns to the Stagespace where, in 2011, he spent several evenings developing his last stand-up show. Life Is Pain toured throughout the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and will be out on DVD in time for the PGP (Prime Gifting Period or Xmas).
It’s now time to see whether there is any new material coming along that may be worth taking out of the borough in 2014…

 

Tickets £5 – £6

 

 

Ben Miller – My Million To One

Comedy
Pleasance London » Friday, 3rd May

What is My Million To One? – Well, you know your ‘bucket list’ or ‘100 things to do before you die?’ My Million To One is about helping you to achieve those goals/dreams. So we’ve asked lots of industry leaders to help us and they have. In Ben’s case: he wants to offer confidence to the UK’s aspiring comedians.

 

Tickets Free

 

 

The London Cuckolds

Theatre

Pleasance London » Wednesday 1st May – Sunday 12th May, 4pm & 7:45pm

 

Let Them Call It Mischief present
The London Cuckolds by Edward Ravenscroft
The London Cuckolds tells the story of three City boys, their bored housewives and two frisky young cads, all intertwined in a caper filled with sex and intrigue.

 

Calamitous and bawdy, this is a rarely performed gem from the restoration era transported to the sparkle and glamour of 1920s London.

 

Tickets £10 – £12.50

 

 

Adam Kay and Enemies

Comedy

Pleasance London » Friday 10th May, 7:30pm

 

Amateur Transplants frontman Adam Kay is delighted to bring his brand new monthly residency to The Pleasance. Alongside his uniquely depraved pop music re-imaginings, Adam is joined on stage by special guests he doesn’t particularly get on with, but are funnier than him. He’ll probably do the London Underground Song.

This month’s guests are comedy superstar Ardal O’Hanlon and the supremely talented Adam Hess. 

“Bracingly intelligent… enormous fun.” * * * *  Times
“This made me very, very happy” Stephen Fry

Tickets £12.50

 

 

 

Murray Lachlan Young – The Incomers

Theatre

Pleasance London » Monday 13th May – Saturday 18th May, 7:30pm

 

It’s Gordon and Celia’s wedding anniversary.  They’ve asked their oldest and dearest friends Zach and Jane down from London.  The only problem is that Zach and Jane aren’t Zach and Jane anymore.  Jane has gone and Julia, the twenty five year old, French burlesque dancer, has taken her place.

Written entirely in his characteristic verse by BBC 6 Music poet in residence Murray Lachlan Young it will have you gasping and roaring with laughter in equal measures!

 

Tickets £10 -12

 

 

Finding Libby

Theatre

Pleasance London » Tuesday 14th May, 7:45pm

 

At the heart of Finding Libby is one of the many heartbreaking stories of young women for whom the 1960s were less swinging than swingeing – a hidden pregnancy, a premature birth, the death of a tiny scrap never referred to again and a life stalled. Pauline is now in her early sixties and has been persuaded by her neighbour to take her first holiday, on a canal boat. We follow her from worrying whether anyone will meet her at the station, to the unexpected turn in the journey that forces her to face her past and to finding that it is never too late for a fresh start.

 

Tickets £8 – £10

 

 

Rehearsed Reading of Making News

Theatre

Pleasance London » Wednesday 15th May, 7:45pm

 

Rehearsed reading of Making News the new play by Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky.
It’s the start of a 24-hour news cycle and Rachel Clarke has been promoted as the BBC’s newest Head of News. When a crisis erupts, she has to confront rivals from within and without, and decide how to report on a story that could bring down the Corporation itself.

A fast-moving satire about the BBC starring Suki Webster, Hal Cruttenden, Sara Pascoe, Liam Williams, Dan Starkey and Phill Jupitus as the Director-General.

 

Tickets £5

 

 

Tiny Tempest

Theatre
Pleasance London » Monday, 20th May – Sunday, 26th May, 4pm & 7.45pm

 

Shakespeare’s fantastical tale of magic, murder and monsters retold in an explosive new actor-musician adaptation. Tiny Tempest is a visual feast featuring thrilling physicality,slapstick storytelling and live music and songs. Mini Mall present their world premiere production that promises to be a Tempest like no other.

 

Tickets £7.50 – £9

 

 

Voices in Your Head: The Phill Jupitus Experiment

Comedy

Pleasance London » Sunday 26th May, 8pm

 

Deborah Frances-White’s fringe hit returns to London, but this time with only one special guest performer taking to the stage.

Phill Jupitus goes head to head with a disembodied Voice on a microphone who will interrogate, provoke and cajole him to create dark-hearted comedy mayhem. See the hidden depths of the human unconscious pushed to their illogical conclusions in this unforgettable, unmissable, electrifying and hilarious show. Voices in Your Head just got even freakier.

“Inventive, funny and wildly ambitious – you’ll never see anything quite like it.”’
* * * * * The Skinny

 

Tickets £12

 

 

The Trench

Theatre
Pleasance London » Tuesday 28th May – Thursday 30th May, 7:30pm

 

After a sell-out five star run at the Edinburgh Festival Les Enfants Terribles tour the UK with their new award-winning show, The Trench. From the team behind The Terrible Infants, Ernest and the Pale Moon and The Vaudevillains, comes a new play inspired by the true story of a miner who became entombed in a tunnel during World War One. As the horror threatens to engulf him, he finds that not everything in the darkness is what it seems as he starts to discover a new, strange world beneath the mud and death. Setting off on an epic journey of salvation, the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur as he questions what’s real, what’s not and whether it even matters?

 

‘The overall vision stays with you like a strange, significant dream.’ Times

 

Tickets £10 – £12

 

 

Voices In Your Head

Comedy
Pleasance London » Friday 31st May, 8pm

Deborah Frances-White’s fringe hit returns to London as a cast of comedic performers go head to head with a disembodied Voice who will interrogate, provoke and cajole them to create comedy mayhem. Previous guests have included Phill Jupitus, Hannibal Buress, Russell Tovey, Mike McShane, Sara Pascoe, Humphrey Ker among many others.

This time the line-up includes Miles Jupp (star of Rev, The Thick Of It & Have I Got News For You) and Thom Tuck (Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee & star of Radio 4’s The Penny Dreadfuls) plus special guests.

Tickets £10

 

 

Laugh Your Farce Off

Theatre
Pleasance London » Sunday, 2nd June, 7pm

 

After its second sell-out show ‘Laugh Your Farce Off’ is back in Pleasance Main House, with another smash lineup…

 

Little Bear has challenged 5 award winning writers each to write a short but perfectly formed farce.

 

The only brief: ‘3 doors…’ – imagine the trouser dropping, mistaken identity mishaps and general all round chaos that will ensue!

Curated by Ursula Early with sensational new work from: John Luke-Roberts, Andrew Doyle, Caitlin Shannon, Charlie Partridge and Hannah Rodger – this is a night of sheer lunacy you can’t afford to miss!

Tickets £9 – £10

 

Parade

Theatre
Pleasance London » Friday, 14th June – Sunday, 16th June, 2:30pm, 3pm & 7:30pm

 

The tragic, true story of the trial and lynching of a man wrongly accused of murder is brought to emotional and theatrical life by acclaimed playwright Alfred Uhry (Driving Miss Daisy) and Jason Robert Brown (13, Songs for a New World). Daring, innovative and bold, PARADE won Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Original Score, as well as six Drama Desk Awards.

 

Tickets £12 – £15

 

The Fantasist

Theatre
Pleasance London » Tuesday, 25th June – Wednesday, 26th June, 7:30pm

 

In the mind of the fantasist, the real and the fanciful become dangerously blurred. As Louise gazes into the night her fancy takes form. Objects move, time changes … and a seductive stranger opens up a world of exhilaration and magic.

 

Tickets £10 – £12