Southwark
Life
Winter 2016
Our cultural
borough
We’re all about the arts
Christmas events
Festive fun for everyone
Southwark
on film
Hollywood on your doorstep
Your magazine from Southwark Council
Winter 2016
Contents
4
All the news What you need
8
Southwark takes centre
stage Regeneration bringing
to know in Southwark
the arts to Southwark
12 No business like snow-
business All the Christmas fun
on stage around the borough
14 How the arts changes lives
Former Eastenders star tells us
about her time at Mountview
Academy
17 Cool arts Southwark’s
contemporary galleries attracting
art fans from around the globe
20 A Southwark Christmas How
we celebrated Christmas in the past
22 Hollywood comes to
Southwark See the stars in your
own neighbourhood
24 What’s happening Events from
around the borough
26 To market, to market
Do your Christmas shopping at
one of Southwark’s Christmas fairs
28 London Bubble Exploring the
issues of today in a unique way
30 Art on the street Where to see
street art around Southwark
welcome...
You may not realise it, but wherever you live
in Southwark, the arts are never far from
your door. From internationally renowned
institutions like the Globe Theatre, Dulwich
Picture House or Tate Modern, to the
vibrant burgeoning arts scenes in Peckham
and Bermondsey, Southwark offers rich
pickings, with something for everyone.
This edition of Southwark Life shows the
diversity of our cultural offer and will, I
hope, encourage all our residents to seek
out some of the hugely exciting things
happening locally in our galleries and
theatres, our streets and our libraries, many
of which are free to enjoy.
We look back at the cultural pastimes of
previous generations and highlight plans to
bring even more of the arts to Southwark.
This is also our Christmas edition, and so
there’s a wealth of festive information
about Christmas markets, recycling and
keeping warm and safe in cold weather.
Whatever your plans for the festive season,
I wish you and your families a very merry
Christmas and a happy and healthy new year.
Peter John
Leader of Southwark Council
Contact us
The Southwark Life team
Do you have something to say about Southwark
Life? Write to: Your letters, Southwark Life,
Fourth Floor North, Southwark Council, 160
Tooley Street London, SE1 2QH or email
[email protected]
Editor Louise Neilan
Assistant editors Catherine Simonds,
Meredith Tucker-Evans
Contributors Patricia Dark, Laura Fitzsimmons,
Kim Hooper, Roushanara Islam, Florence
Igbokwe, Miriam McGrath, Daniel Thomas,
Kate Walwyn-Jones
Photography Graham Maxwell, Simon Rawles,
Thinkstock, Sam Nightingale, James Capper:
Prototypes, Installation shot by Damian Griffiths
Design Whatever Design Ltd
Print brokered by Swiss Post
Printed on 100% recycled paper
Distribution London Letterbox
Our cover image is taken from Will Tuckett’s
Nutcracker – see page 13 for details.
All information correct at time of going to press.
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Keep in touch
Southwark Life is a quarterly magazine and
the next issue is due out in spring 2017. You
can contact the magazine at southwark.
[email protected] but for more regular
updates on council news and events, follow us
on social media at
facebook.com/southwarkcouncil
@lb_southwark
Instagram.com/southwarkcouncil
southwark.gov.uk
3
Winter 2016
Need to know...
It’s Christmas! Alongside
all the jolly good fun, find
out how to cope with
overspending, parking,
sniffles and all that wrapping
paper. Enjoy the festivities
in Southwark this year.
For news and events follow us on Facebook and Twitter
or find out more at southwark.gov.uk/enews
Follow us on
Facebook
facebook.com/southwarkcouncil
Follow us on
Twitter
@lb_southwark
Follow us on
Instagram
Instagram.com/southwarkcouncil
Winter Book Challenge
With the nights drawing in there’s no better time to curl
up with a book and lose yourself in a story. From Monday 2
January to Saturday 18 March 2017, children and young people
are encouraged to take part in the Winter Book Challenge –
the theme this year will be winter tales. Children aged four and
under, or aged five to 11 read ten books and 12 to 17 year olds
read five books, with a chance to win stickers, free books and
Amazon vouchers. Visit southwark.gov.uk/libraries for more
information and to join any Southwark library.
Remember you can recycle
your Christmas trees in your
brown bins as well as at a
recycling centre Visit
southwark.gov.uk/recycling
for more information
Bins and recycling date changes
Free
Christmas
parking
To support local
businesses in the
run up to Christmas
and the New Year,
additional free parking
is available with Pay
and Display charges
waived Saturday 3, 10,
17, 24 and 31 December. Permit controls
will still apply for Peckham, London Bridge
and Bankside.
It will change to:
Monday 26 Dec
Tuesday 27 Dec
Tuesday 27 Dec
Wednesday 28 Dec
Wednesday 28 Dec
Thursday 29 Dec
Thursday 29 Dec
Friday 30 Dec
Friday 30 Dec
Saturday 31 Dec
Collections return to normal on Monday 2 January 2017
Carolling at Christmas
The brand new home of Crossways Church at Elephant and Castle
will officially open this Christmas with a special midnight carol service
Saturday 24 December (service starts at 11.30pm). There will also be a
Christmas Day service on Sunday 25 December from 10.30am.
The church, which used to be based on the former Heygate Estate,
has been given a new building at the heart of the Elephant
and Castle community, at Wollaston Close (SE1) as part of the
regeneration of the area. For more information please visit
crosswaychurch.org.uk
When you become unwell unexpectedly it can
be confusing knowing where to go for help.
Whether you’ve sprained your ankle, have a
baby with a high temperature or a range of
other problems, the app Health Help Now
can guide you to the local service that will
help you best.
Avoid getting into
debt this Christmas
Download from the app store or
Google Play or use it online at
southeastlondon.healthhelpnow.nhs.uk
southwark.gov.uk
If your normal collection day is:
When winter bugs
strike get Health
Help Now
Developed by GPs, hospital doctors,
paramedics and other health professionals,
the app is free and easy to use. It helps users
by breaking down symptoms by age group –
baby, child, teenager, adult and older adult.
Advice on a broad range of problems is also
available, such as where to buy children’s
medication when pharmacies are closed, and
links to other useful websites.
4
There may be some changes to your recycling and refuse collection
days over the Christmas period.
Start the New Year
with a new career
If you’re on a low income, work at least
14 hours per week and want to take
home more money, the Southwark
Step-Up Employment Academy can
help. They offer help with CV writing,
matching skills with jobs, provide
one-to-one coaching to help maximise
job chances and job text alerts. The
service is free – for more information
visit www.stepup.london
Salt giveaway
With temperatures dropping and the
winter chills setting in, the council is
helping residents get prepared for
winter challenges.
Southwark Council is offering residents
free 5kg bag of salt to keep their own
pathways and footpaths safe. Residents
are welcome to collect a bag for those
unable to salt their own pavement to
reduce the risk of ice.
The giveaway
will take place
on Saturday 3
December and 10
December. Visit
southwark.gov.uk/
winterweather to
find out times and
locations.
Christmas is a time to be enjoyed but for
some can lead to debt. Following a few
simple steps can help ensure you have a
debt-free Christmas.
• Plan early
•Budget
• Pay your regular bills first
• Keep things simple
If you are struggling with debt, many
organisations offer free advice and
budgeting tools to help you maximise your
money. Visit moneyadviceservice.org.uk
for tools and budgeting advice.
southwark.gov.uk
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Winter 2016
Rough sleepers
People sleeping on the streets in cold weather can be really
vulnerable. Worried about a rough sleeper near you? Call
the St Mungo’s Street Population Outreach Team (SPOT) on
020 7902 7941 or [email protected] 24 hours a day.
Please let the team know the exact location and the time
you saw the person.
Squirrel away with
Smart Savers
Greg’s cooking up a new
career in the kitchen
Having started out working in building construction, Greg is
now constructing meals in the kitchen after completing an
apprenticeship with Brigade Bar and Bistro. Greg is just one of
many people across the borough choosing to start or change
career by taking up an apprenticeship. Greg said: “It’s been
a fantastic opportunity. I’d encourage anyone to do it if you
need to retrain – it can never hurt to gain new qualifications.”
Southwark Smart Savers teaches young
people the importance of responsible money
management – giving them the tools to manage
money well in adulthood. If your child lives in
Southwark and is a year six pupil, they would
already have received a free £20 voucher in the
post to deposit into a new or existing London
Mutual Credit Union Saver Account to help kick
start their saving journey.
Simply take your ID, voucher letter, proof of
address and child’s birth certificate or passport
to any London Mutual Credit branch and
they can do it on the spot. Find out more at
southwark.gov.uk/smartsavers
Apprenticeships are open to people of all ages and many
Southwark businesses are signed up to the scheme. Visit
southwark.gov.uk/apprenticeships
Final call for primary
school admissions
Is your child starting primary school in September 2017?
If you’ve not already done so, you need to apply for a
school place by 15 January 2017. Applications for a school
place must be made online – it’s quick and easy to do. Visit
southwark.gov.uk/schooladmissions for more information
on how to apply.
Southwark LGBT
youth support group
METRO is an equalities and diversity charity
that provides health, community and youth
services across London and the South East. In
Southwark they run Spark, a weekly youth
group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender
and questioning young people aged 16 to 25.
Spark provides a safe space for young
people to meet, be themselves, get support
and take part in workshops and activities. To
get involved and for more information, visit
metrocharity.org.uk
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southwark.gov.uk
7
Winter 2016
Southwark takes
centre stage
Culture, theatre, arts and entertainment
venues are springing up all over Southwark
The Bridge Theatre
W
hether you like a good
drama, singing along with
your favourite musical or
the poetry and romance of
Shakespeare – London has
long been known as the place to see the
best that theatre has to offer.
When people think of theatres in London
they tend to think of those in and around
the West End, which saw almost 2.5
million visitors last year. But over the
last decade the venues south of the river
have been helping south London reclaim
its reputation as being the place to go for
entertainment and culture. Southwark
itself is the home of the Globe Theatre,
built on the site of Shakespeare’s original
theatre and welcoming audiences and
performers from across the world. Just
a few steps away is the Tate Modern,
with its new extension, offering exciting
and challenging new works from worldrenowned artists like Georgia O’Keefe,
whilst in Borough the Menier Chocolate
Photo courtesy of
the Globe Theatre,
Southwark
Factory theatre continues to host headlineproducing off-West End shows like Funny
Girl with Sheridan Smith and currently a
sold out run of Tom Stoppard’s Travesties
starring Freddie Fox and Tom Hollander.
Also on the borough’s doorstep at Waterloo
is the Old Vic, whose five star productions
are attracting some of the most famous
faces in showbusiness, and who the
council has already teamed up with on
a project called Stage Business to give
new opportunities to young people in
the borough for them to gain an
exclusive insight into the exciting
world of arts and culture.
Now Southwark is looking to build
on this growing reputation by using
regeneration schemes across the borough
to build more than just new homes. This
means new culture spaces for theatre, art,
music and cinema are springing up, and
already attracting some of the biggest
names in theatre.
Two of the most influential
names in theatre have joined
forces to found their own
theatre company – and they
are bringing it to Southwark.
Last summer plans were
announced for a new 900seat theatre in the heart of
the new development at One
Tower Bridge, which will be
the flagship venue for the
London Theatre Company, the
new independent producing
company founded by Nicholas
Hytner and Nick Starr,
following their departure
from the National Theatre
after 12 years.
Nicholas Hytner and Nick
Starr said: “It feels like the
time is right for a new theatre
that answers the needs of
contemporary theatre-makers
and audiences. We are thrilled
to make this partnership
with Berkeley Homes and
Southwark, and couldn’t be
more optimistic for the future.”
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
With Oscar-winning Dame Judi Dench as its patron and plenty of
famous names among its former students, the prestigious Mountview
Academy of Theatre Arts has an impressive pedigree. In October
Southwark’s planning committee approved Mountview’s plans to build
a brand new school building and theatres in Peckham as part of the
regeneration of the area. Mountview will stage around 20 plays and
musicals in its two new theatres each year, ranging from Shakespeare
to new writing to classic musicals, and local residents will benefit
from reduced price and free tickets, plus a range of classes and
outreach programmes – and bursaries for local young people.
Stephen Jameson, Artistic Director and Principal of Mountview,
said: “Peckham will be the perfect home for Mountview. This central
location will mean visitors have easy access to take part in a class,
visit our café bar for a drink and something to eat and to come and
see Mountview students in one of their final productions.”
mountview.org.uk
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Winter 2016
Spanish Theatre Company
Theatre Delicatessen
As part of the regeneration of Elephant and
Castle, and in recognition of the area’s lively
Latin American community, Southwark Council
has been working with the Spanish Theatre
Company (STC) to find them a permanent home
in the area.
Theatre Delicatessen, is working
with Southwark Council to
transform the Old Library in
Burgess Park into an arts and
culture hub.
The new 90-seat studio Cervantes Theatre will
open its doors in November 2016 in the iconic
Union Yard development, and is London’s
first venue dedicated to showcasing Spanish
and Latin American plays, performed in both
Spanish and English.
spanishtheatrecompany.org.uk
Southwark Playhouse
The Southwark Playhouse is
performing in a temporary venue
at Elephant and Castle but has now
been offered the opportunity to
take on not one but two venues –
a 300-seat, purpose built venue at
Elephant and Castle and the other
back under the inspiring arches of
London Bridge.
Chris Smyrnios, Artistic Director
and CEO, said: “Southwark
has a very varied, vibrant and
vocal community who care about
what goes on and why. It’s a
privilege to be part of that with
Southwark Playhouse.”
The theatre works with schools
in the borough and has three
community theatre companies, all
of which meet regularly and devise
and present projects throughout
the year. The next big project is an
annual Shakespeare for Schools
production of The Tempest,
which will offer 1,500 tickets
and workshops to local schools
completely free of charge.
Their programme, ‘Performers
in the Park’, will open up
opportunities for people from
across the local community to
develop their skills and talent
in music, comedy and theatre
through a series of after-school
and evening activities.
Roland Smith, Co-Artistic
Director of Theatre
Delicatessen, said: “This project
creates the opportunity for
people from across Camberwell,
the Elephant and Castle and the
Aylesbury Estate to get involved
in developing their skills and
creating performances. Our aim
is that this pilot programme
will provide a foundation
for building really exciting
collaborations in the future.”
Theatre Peckham
Now famous as the original stomping ground of Star Wars actor
John Boyega and playwright Anya Reiss, Theatre Peckham has been
encouraging children and young people from Southwark to learn and
train in many theatre disciplines after school and at the weekend.
This December the theatre will open a new centre with a 200 seat
theatre, two studio spaces and offices, all dedicated to performance
and training. The overall £2.5m development cost is being met by
Southwark Council. A small scale capital grant from the Arts Council
England is supporting the fit out of the spaces within the theatre.
Teresa Early, Artistic Director and Founder of Theatre Peckham,
said: “Southwark has always been a great place for artists and
cultural development and increasingly other parts of the borough
are producing their own arts scene, and in Peckham we’re proud
to be part of it. Particularly for young local people and our diverse
communities Theatre Peckham gives us culturally an exciting and
special place to work.”
theatrepeckham.co.uk
theatredelicatessen.co.uk
southwarkplayhouse.co.uk
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southwark.gov.uk
11
Winter 2016
Christmas
magic
Boundless sweet treats, feline friends and a spellbinding
world of magic and mystery are some of the things you
can expect to see at the wonderful Christmas productions
taking place across the borough this festive season
Baddies the Musical
Unicorn Theatre
Tuesday 15 November to Saturday 31 December
What happens when five notorious villains from wellknown fairy tales – the Big Bad Wolf, Rumpelstiltskin,
the Ugly Sisters and Captain Hook – are under threat
of being thrown out of their own tales by the Council
of Bedtime Stories who want to rebrand them? Under
the Council’s critical eye, the Baddies are at risk of
being transformed into bland, sugar-coated ‘Goodies’.
Baddies the Musical returns for Christmas with new
staging and choreography, following last year’s hugely
successful sold-out run. Artistic Director Purni Morell
directs this deliciously artful and mischievously comic
musical about fairytales much feared anti-heroes.
For more information visit unicorntheatre.com
A Christmas Carol
Box Clever Theatre at
Canada Water Culture Space
Tuesday 6 December
to Saturday 17 December
With live musicians, Christmas carols
and even the Macarena, be prepared
to join in with this lively and modern
adaptation of Dickens’ epic festive
ghost story of Christmas past,
present and future. Join Scrooge
this December as he embarks on an
all singing, all dancing journey and
watch as laughter and goodness
replace the ice in his heart.
For more information
visit southwark.gov.uk/
cwcchristmascarol or
call 020 8692 4446
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Kiki’s Delivery Service
Southwark Playhouse
Thursday 8 December
to Sunday 8 January
Kiki is a 13 year old witch and, as
tradition dictates, it is time for her to
leave home and family to make a new
life for herself. Equipped with her ability
to fly and accompanied by Jiji, her
faithful feline companion, she sets out
to find a place where she can use her
powers for the greater good and that
one day she might call home.
A magical tale of growing up and
finding acceptance, Kiki’s Delivery
Service is a story for everyone aged 7
and up and has been adapted from the
bestselling and award-winning book by
Japanese author Eiko Kadono.
Mountview Christmas Concert
St George’s Roman Catholic
Cathedral
Friday 9 December
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts,
one of the UK’s top drama schools, is
moving to a new home in Peckham
in 2018. This Christmas you have the
chance to see their students perform
in Southwark.
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts’
actors, actor musicians and musical
theatre students will be holding their
Christmas Concert in the majestic St
George’s Roman Catholic Cathedral,
opposite the Imperial War Museum.
Performances are at 4pm and 7.30pm
and feature a range of festive
readings and music.
For more information and to book
tickets visit mountview.org.uk
Will Tuckett’s Nutcracker
The Printworks London
Wednesday 30 November to Sunday 8 January
This winter, the worlds of classical ballet and
immersive theatre will fuse for the first time,
as Will Tuckett’s Nutcracker receives its world
premiere at The Printworks London, Canada Water.
The production will invite audience members
to explore Tchaikovsky’s Christmas classic in a
360-degree immersive environment.
The production will unite the best of classical
ballet choreography with new immersive theatre
techniques, allowing the audience to interact
directly with the story and the characters by
offering an alternative to traditional Christmas
entertainment.
For more information visit
immersivenutcracker.com
Visit southwarkplayhouse.co.uk
or call 020 7407 0234
southwark.gov.uk
13
Winter 2016
“Access
to the arts
changes lives”
Lindsey Coulson is familiar to many of us as the feisty but warmhearted Carol Jackson in Eastenders. She started her career as a
hairdresser before studying acting at the Mountview Academy
of Theatre Arts, which has recently announced plans to move to
Peckham. Since then her career has gone from strength to strength,
with screen, stage and radio performances, and most recently a
leading role in the ITV detective drama The Level. In this exclusive
interview, Lindsey talks to Southwark Life about acting, the arts
and, of course, Christmas
Your acting journey started at the
Mountview Theatre School which is
moving to Southwark. How did your
time there shape your career and
equip you for life as an actor?
Mountview changed the whole course
of my life. It gave me an incredible
opportunity to challenge and explore
who I was in a safe environment
which is vital when starting out as
an actor. The training I received was
invaluable and laid the foundation for
all of my work in the theatre, TV and
film and I made life long friends!
As a former student of the school
what do you think about the move to
Peckham, and the opportunities
it will bring for local people?
I think it will be a fantastic
opportunity for Peckham. It will
create an exciting and creative hub
in the heart of an already vibrant
and diverse community. Bringing new
people into the area will impact on
all the local businesses. Having access
to the arts changes lives.
Londoners have the world’s best
theatres, museums and venues on
their doorsteps, but not everyone
feels the arts are for them. How can
we all help to make the arts more
accessible for everyone?
We have to make sure that the arts
do not disappear from our education
system. We need governments to
understand how the arts matter
and how vital it is to explore and
challenge ourselves through drama
and to be able to do it in safe
environments which ultimately
impacts on all of our communities. We
also have to make sure that a lot more
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of our theatre is affordable which
means more government subsidies to
help theatre companies manage this.
You are best known, of course, for
your role in Eastenders, but you’ve
had a very varied career. What has
been your favourite role and why?
My latest role as DCI Newman in
“The Level” for ITV was particularly
enjoyable, however I have been very
lucky to have played a variety of
characters. I embrace the challenge of
creating somebody new. It would be
difficult to single out one particular
character or role because they all
bring their different challenges and
rewards, but there will always be
a special place for ‘Carol Jackson’
because I have played her on and off
over a long period of time.
Some of your storylines in Eastenders
have tackled sensitive issues, like
breast cancer. Do you think the arts
have the power to challenge and
change the way we think about
important issues?
The arts definitely have the power to
challenge and change the way people
think. I have seen it first hand in my
role as Patron and Ambassador at
Haringeyshed and Chickenshed theatre
companies. I have seen young people’s
lives changed through the power of
performance. Another great example
is the brilliant and inspiring film
maker Ken Loach’s work which tackles
difficult and important social issues
through his films. He shines a much
needed light on society and opens
up the debate to a wider audience
especially with his latest film “I Daniel
Blake”. One of his first films “Cathy
Come Home” highlighted the plight
of a homeless couple which shocked
the nation and actually had a hand in
changing the laws on how homeless
people were treated. Story telling is so
important and powerful, it’s how we
make sense of our lives and the world.
Do you have any words of advice for
budding young actors?
Always be prepared, keep fit, see as
much theatre as possible. When a
metaphorical door opens you must be
ready to step through it. Challenge
yourself constantly, always be curious.
Ask lots of questions, watch and
learn. Listen. Be on time ALWAYS and
know your lines inside out. Remember
people’s names and try to see their
work. Always look for the truth. The
hardest time is when you are not
working and that will be a lot of the
time – it’s part and parcel of being
an actor. Learn another skill that you
can do when you are not working, it’s
easy to lose your self esteem, that is
why keeping fit helps you change the
way you feel. Rejection is hard but it’s
something you have to learn to live
with, try not to take it personally! I
have never lost the passion and it’s so
important that you have the passion
as it will sustain you through the
difficult times. Believe in yourself.
And finally, what are your plans for
Christmas and the festive season?
I love spending time with my family
and friends at Christmas but I detest
how more and more commercial it
has become and it seems to start earlier
and earlier each year. I try to keep it as
simple as possible and not get caught
up in all the greed and gluttony.
southwark.gov.uk
15
Winter 2016
Southwark’s
coolest
contemporary
galleries
UNDERDOG
UNDERDOG
CGP GALLERY
SEEN15
Southwark attracts art fans from around the world
to its major attractions and galleries, many of which
exhibit work from artists of international significance
A
s as well as the
established
centres like
Tate Modern,
White Cube,
South London Gallery and
Dulwich Picture Gallery,
hundreds of smaller
galleries and up-andcoming artists have made
their home in what’s fast
becoming a centre for
contemporary art.
Here’s three to see now:
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UNDERDOG
is a ridiculously cool
arts and live music venue, studio
space, gallery and café.
Set up by Sammy in 2006, Underdog
moved from Old Kent Road to
underneath the railway arches in
Bermondsey in 2011. Originally a highend gallery, Underdog expanded to
offer space for street and urban art,
film screenings for amateur producers,
plus a space for some eclectic gigs. It
recently took part in London Fashion
Week, with Vivienne Westwood’s team
camping out in the appropriately
punk-styled venue. When asked how
he would encourage other start-up
arts businesses, Sammy advises: “Go
with what you believe in and what
you like yourself. If it doesn’t work
out, stick with it.”
theunderdog.london
UNDERDOG
SEEN15 Seen Fifteen, based in the
Bussey Building, Peckham, is the
brainchild of East Dulwich resident
Vivienne Gamble who gave up a
successful career in marketing to pursue
her dreams of running a gallery.
Established in 2015, Seen Fifteen is
dedicated to contemporary photography,
video and installation art, and has
exhibited a range of emerging artists
exploring issues like migration, race
and power. Their next exhibition, Maya
Rochat’s ‘Give Me Space’, challenges
traditional notions of photography by
playing with invented chemical processes,
surprise layers and daring installations
which refuse to conform to the confines
of the gallery wall. It runs from 1
December 2016 until 22 January 2017.
Unit B1.1, Bussey Building, Peckham
seenfifteen.com
CGP GALLERY began in
1984 in its current location
in Southwark Park, after the
Bermondsey Artists Group – a
group of artists and neighbours
who met locally over drinks in
the Mayflower pub – decided to
make their ideal space a reality.
Bermondsey at the time was
dominated by empty docks after
the decline in the shipping
industry, but provided an
affordable place to live for
young artists. The group took
over a derelict café in an old lido
in the park as space to show their
work and the rest is history.
The gallery is an open book of
every discipline from fine art
painting to video installation,
commissioning ambitious
international projects as well
as its annual open show, now
in its 32nd year. Its founder
members have gone on to forge
successful careers, and 10% of
admissions to the Royal Academy
are still Bermondsey Arts Group
members. With the likes of
Richard Wilson, Grayson Perry
and Marcus Coates gracing the
space, the gallery goes from
strength to strength.
But CGP gallery stays true to
its roots and ethos, as Judith,
Director of CGP Gallery, explains,
“Right from its very first
exhibition, the gallery was set
up in order to give local artists
a place to show their work. ‘Art
for all’ is still our underlying strap
line. We will always want to see
artwork from both well known
and emerging artists together,
side by side.”
cgplondon.org
southwark.gov.uk
17
18
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southwark.gov.uk
19
Winter 2016
A Southwark Christmas
Astoria interiors
a box full of food and toys. When
Mrs Dare asked who the gift was
from, the four would-be elves simply
replied “Santa Claus”.
Christmas was also time for a trip
to the panto at the Elephant and
Castle Theatre. Pantomime is a
quintessentially British institution,
a child-friendly theatre form
full of word-play and audience
participation; by the last third of
the 19th century, it had developed
into the format we know today.
Camberwell Odeon, premier of
London Borough
Essoldo cinema c.1964
Christmas has always been a special
time of year. Here we look at how it was
celebrated and where local people went
for entertainment in years gone by
M
emoirs in the Southwark Local
History Library and Archive
(SLHLA)’s collection, like Wally
Horwood’s A Walworth Boy,
make it clear that this season
was a special time even in many of the poorest
households. Savings clubs helped families
spread out the cost of presents and festive
meals; Horwood noted that his family went
to the market for their turkey on Christmas
Eve just before closing time, partly because
20
southwark.gov.uk
Camberwell Palace of Varieties 1899
it was cheaper, and partly because, without
refrigeration, meat wouldn’t keep long. That
turkey was the only poultry the Horwood family
ate all year, making it extra special.
Schools and youth clubs used to put on parties
for local children, complete with decorated
trees and presents – a simple way to ensure
that even kids from the poorest families had a
Christmas treat. People used the holiday spirit
to help neighbours as well, as an incident in Jean
Dare’s memoir, My Bermondsey, shows. After her
husband’s sudden death in 1937, Jean’s mother
was left penniless, with four children aged 12 to
three months. Christmas that year was saved by
a knock on the door, and four young men with
But theatre in Southwark has
a far longer history – the first
theatre in the borough, the Rose
in Bankside, was built in 1597. By
the early 1600s, other Bankside
theatres, like the Globe and the
Swan, eclipsed it, and it faded into
obscurity until rediscovered during
building works in 1989. Music hall
was a type of theatrical variety
performance that could include
vocal performances, comedy acts,
dance, magic, ventriloquism, or
circus skills; it was one of the most
popular theatre forms from the mid19th century until the middle of the
20th century, and provided a great
deal of inspiration to modern panto.
The Elephant and Castle Theatre
– now the Coronet Theatre – in
New Kent Road opened on Boxing
Day 1872 with a performance of
the panto Fairyland. In 1878 a fire
destroyed this first theatre; its
replacement was finished in May
1879, and rebuilt again in 1892 and
1902. Southwark had a number of
other music halls, large and small,
including the Camberwell Palace of
Varieties on the corner of Orpheus
Street and Denmark Hill, the Star
Astoria interiors
Music Hall in Abbey Street, the
Surrey Music Hall (two, actually,
one in Walworth and the other in
Tower Bridge Road), and the South
London Palace.
However, by the early 20th century,
the popularity of music hall was
fading as cinema increased in
popularity. Cine-variety theatres,
which could handle both cinema
and live performances, were
popular. Some cine-variety theatres
were retrofitted music halls: the
Star had become the Star Kinema
by 1920, and the Elephant and
Castle Theatre and Camberwell
Palace were both converted by
ABC cinemas in 1932. Others were
purpose-built. The Essoldo Cinema
in Denmark Hill opened in 1913,
while Tower Cinema in Peckham
opened in 1914 – its basement
was an air raid shelter in the First
World War. A number of cinemas
opened in the 1920s and 1930s.
These include the Rialto in St.
James’s Road (1926), the Gaumont
Palace in Peckham (1932), and the
Odeon Camberwell at the corner
of Denmark Hill and Coldharbour
Lane (1939) – which held the 1955
premiere of A London Borough,
one of the archival films in the
SLHLA collection. The Trocadero
at the Elephant and Castle, where
the Metro Central Heights now
stands, was perhaps one of the
grandest “movie palaces” in the
country when it opened in 1930.
It was designed by George Coles
for the Hyams Brothers; they
also collaborated on the Trocette
Cinema on Tower Bridge Road,
which opened a year earlier.
All these cinemas would have had
a single screen and a similar basic
format: a rolling programme with
a main feature, a second feature, a
newsreel, and a comedy, cartoon, or
travelogue. Although patrons had
to queue to get in, they could stay
as long as they liked. Most cinemas
also had live variety performances,
including illusionists, jugglers
and musicians as part of the
programme. Cinemas provided
cheap, good-value entertainment
for people of all ages, but as
television began to dominate news
and entertainment, cinema declined
– most of the old “movie palaces”
closed by the 1960s, and a trip to
the cinema became the occasional
treat it often is today.
southwark.gov.uk
21
Winter 2016
Hollywood comes
to Southwark
On any given day in Southwark, there’s a good chance a
Hollywood A-lister like Renée Zellweger or Tom Hiddleston
is hard at work filming their next blockbuster on our streets.
Locations around the borough have featured in many films
and TV shows, including Bridget Jones’s Baby, Absolutely
Fabulous and the last two Bond films, Skyfall and Spectre
O
n our screens now,
Netflix’s royal
drama The Crown
(reported to be
the most expensive
television show ever made)
filmed some interior scenes
in Southwark Cathedral.
Southwark’s film office, run by
Film Fixer, handles all manner
of film requests in the area. “If
someone is going to be filming
in your neighbourhood, you’ll get
a letter through your door with
all the details,” said Film Fixer’s
director, Andrew. “We really
encourage people to contact
us if they’ve got any issues or
concerns, or even if they want
to suggest their home as a
possible film location or want
to get involved as an extra.”
Having a film crew in your
neighbourhood can be quite
exciting, as the residents of
Caroline Gardens found out
earlier this year when Marvel’s
latest film Dr Strange (starring
Benedict Cumberbatch and
Tilda Swinton) shot some scenes
in their chapel. To thank the
residents for their patience, the
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Get into film
filmmakers invited everyone to a
slap-up meal.
“They put on a fish and chips
lunch for 101 of us,” said Tony,
of the Caroline Gardens Residents
Association. “This was just a
brilliant thing for them to come
out for.”
Tony is becoming an old hand
among A-listers, having loaned
his home to Tommy Lee Jones to
use as his green room a couple
of years ago while he was filming
Criminal in 2014.
The benefits of having a film crew
in your garden can be more than
just the excitement factor though
– in the last year, residents
associations, community groups
and others received donations
of more than £17,000 from film
production companies.
So lookout for that letter through
your door, or get in touch
with the film office to see what
might be going on in your area.
You can find them online at
southwarkfilmoffice.co.uk or
call them on 020 7620 0391.
If you’re a local
filmmaker, check out
the council’s Southern
Exposure – since 2005
they’ve helped local
people produce 49 films,
taken 41 interns from
local higher education
establishments, entered
films into over 60
festivals and won
15 prizes including
last year’s I Used To
Be Famous (shot in
Peckham) which was
shortlisted for a BIFA
(British Independent Film
Award). Visit southwark.
gov.uk/southern_
exposure for more.
Want to see more of Southwark on the screen?
• Bridget Jones’s Baby – Borough Market
• The Night Manager (BBC) – Cathedral Square and the
Blue Fin building
• Luther (BBC) – Southwark Bridge Road
• Guardians of the Galaxy – Bankside, near Tate Modern
• Transformers: The Last Knight – Tower Bridge
• Thor 2: The Dark World – Butlers Wharf, The Shard
• New Tricks: Bermondsey Boy (BBC) – Bermondsey Street,
Shad Thames
• Lucky Man (Sky 1) – Greenland Dock, Southwark Park
• Mr Selfridge (ITV ) – Southwark Street
southwark.gov.uk
23
Winter
Events calendar
Blue Christmas
Crafty Fox Market
With an ice rink, donkey rides,
Santa’s Grotto, a Freddie Mercury
tribute and Millwall Club stall,
there’s something for everyone at
this event sponsored by The Blue
Bermondsey BID.
Sunday 4 December
12pm to 5pm
Blue Market Square,
Southwark Park Road
SE16 3UQ
Before and After.
Photographic studies of
psychiatric patients taken
by Henry Hering in the
19th century
Between 1857 and 1859 Regent
Street portrait photographer
Henry Hering made several visits
to Bethlem Royal Hospital, then
at St George’s Fields, Southwark
to photograph patients. Explore
his work in a free exhibition
at the Maudsley Hospital Long
Gallery.
Until 16 January
Daily 8am to 7pm
Unique shopping with over 55
different designer/makers and
artists taking part each day
alongside an inspiring mix of
workshops, with mulled wine
and DJs for a brilliant festive
shopping experience.
10 and 11 December
11am-5pm
Carols and festive cheer: School
choir, staff, children and parents
come together for the fourth
successive year and welcome
newcomers and neighbours to
sing along. Mince pies and mulled
wine available.
Friday 16 December
6pm
Free
Goose Green, East Dulwich Road,
SE22
www.goosegreenprimary
school.org
24
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Herne Hill Christmas Fair
Join us every Sunday afternoon
for artist-led, playful, hands-on
workshops which explore themes
from the current exhibition. The
informal drop-in workshop is ideal
for children aged 3-12 years and
their parents or guardians.
Discover this annual Christmas
fair with local crafts, seasonal
produce, vintage goods, hot food
and live music.
Every Sunday (with the
exception of Easter Sunday,
Christmas and New Year).
2pm to 4pm
Outside Herne Hill station
Railton Road, SE24 0JN
Free
 @hernehillmarket
Free
South London Gallery, Clore Studio
www.southlondongallery.org/
page/sundayspot
1920s Jazz Age Fashion and
Photography
Roman Ondak:
The Source of Art is
in the Life of a People
Explore the work of designer and
artist Josef Frank (1885-1967) in
the first-ever UK exhibition of
his textiles. The Austrian-born
architect moved to Sweden in
1933, where he developed his
colourful brand of modernism,
working with Estrid Ericson on
furniture, glassware, lighting and
interior design ideas.
Jack Frost
A magical, wintry production
brings Jack Frost to life through
puppetry, live music and enchanting
storytelling. Moon On A Stick reimagine this well-known Nordic
legend, perfect for children 3+.
Wednesday – Thursday
7-8 December at 10am, 11.15am,
1.45pm and Saturday
10 December at 2.30pm, 5pm
Internationally acclaimed artist
Roman Ondak presents an
exhibition lasting one hundred
days that brings together a new
body of work exploring ideas
around the passage of time and
the intertwining of present and
past.
Until 6 January 2017
Tuesday to Sunday 11am to
6pm, Wednesdays 11am to 9pm
Free
South London Gallery, Main Gallery
www.southlondongallery.org/
page/romanondak
£5, £3 (concessions and Southwark
residents)
Blue Elephant Theatre, Camberwell
www.blueelephanttheatre.
co.uk/jack-frost
CANDID
CANDID is a ‘performance-ritual’
about complexities of female
friendships, opening the space
for audiences to experience,
contemplate and celebrate longlasting bonds, a radical alternative
to modern day culture and
tendencies of bullying and isolation.
Wednesday 14 December, 8pm
£9, £8 (concessions), £7 (Southwark
residents)
Blue Elephant Theatre, Camberwell
www.blueelephanttheatre.
co.uk/candid
Josef Frank Patterns
Furniture-Painting
Candle-Lit Carols
Saturday 3 December
10am to 4pm
Free Entry
The CLF Art Cafe, Bussey Building,
Peckham
www.craftyfoxmarket.co.uk
Free
The Maudsley Long Gallery,
Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill,
London, SE5 8AZ
www.slam.nhs.uk/longgallery
Friends of Goose Green
School host Carols on
the Green
The Sunday Spot
Winter 2016
A glittering display of haute
couture and ready-to-wear
fashion from 1919 to 1929.
Women’s clothing in the 1920s
reflected dizzying social change
on an unprecedented scale.
23 September to
15 January 2017
Open Tuesdays to Saturdays,
11am to 6pm.
Thursdays until 8pm. Sundays,
11am to 5pm. Last admission
45 minutes before closing.
Closed Mondays
£9.90 adults* / £7.70 concessions*
/ £6 students * Includes 10% gift
aid. Children under 12 are free
The Fashion and Textile Museum.
83 Bermondsey Street, London,
SE1 3XF
www.ftmlondon.org
28 January to 7 May 2017
Open Tuesdays to Saturdays,
11am to 6pm. Thursdays until
8pm. Sundays, 11am to 5pm.
Last admission 45 minutes
before closing. Closed
Mondays
£9.90 adults* / £7.70 concessions*
/ £6 students * Includes 10% gift
aid. Children under 12 are free
The Fashion and Textile Museum.
83 Bermondsey Street, London,
SE1 3XF
www.ftmlondon.org/ftmexhibitions/josef-frankpatterns-furniture-painting
In the beauty of Sir John Soane’s
St Peter’s Church, everyone
is welcome to our Candle-Lit
Carols with favourite Christmas
Carols and the story of Christmas
told by readers from across the
community. Warm up afterwards
with mulled wine or juice and
mince pies.
Sun 18 December
5pm
Free, everyone welcome
St Peter’s Church, Liverpool
Grove, London SE17 2HH
www.stpeterswalworth.org
[email protected]
Free family Christmas fun
Free family-fun Christmas
activities at The Elephant and
Castle Shopping Centre, including
children’s face painting, Christmas
bauble and cookie workshops,
free photos in a giant snow globe
and visit from Santa Claus and his
helpers!
21 to 24 December
Daily 12pm to 5pm
Free
Elephant and Castle Shopping
Centre
www.elephantandcastle
shopping.com
Crib Service 4pm,
Midnight Mass 11.30pm
On Christmas Eve, everyone is
welcome to our ‘live’ Crib Service
in church where we all get to tell
the story of Christmas together!
Later in the evening is the joyful,
solemn, candle-lit Midnight Mass
with favourite Christmas Carols.
Sat 24 December
4pm and 11.30pm
Free, everyone welcome
St Peter’s Church, Liverpool
Grove, London SE17 2HH
www.stpeterswalworth.org
southwark.gov.uk
25
Winter 2016
To market,
to market…
Surrey Docks Farm
Christmas Fair
Pexmas
Saturday 3 December,
11am to 4pm
Not got your Christmas tree yet? Pick
one up at the Surrey Docks Farm
Christmas Fair while the kids meet the
animals or make their own Christmas
wreath. Lots of festive goodies on offer
from the craft and food stalls, or warm
your hands on some tasty roasted
chestnuts.
Shop local this Christmas and discover unique gifts or
treat yourself while soaking up the atmosphere at one
of the amazing Christmas markets on your doorstep
surreydocksfarm.org.uk
East Dulwich Christmas Cracker
Christm
as
Saturday 3 December, 11am to 5pm
Saturday 10 and Sunday
11 December, 11am to 6pm
For a day of festive family fun head to the East Dulwich
Christmas Cracker, with local bands and choirs, theatre
groups and festive entertainers, fabulous market stalls,
delicious foods plus arts and crafts workshops. Don’t miss
exclusive offers from our local traders.
southwark.gov.uk/christmascracker
A Dulwich Christmas
– Winterlights
6 to 18 December,
6pm to 10pm (Tuesday to Sunday)
Competition
Win a family tic
ket for Winterligh
ts by entering
our photo compe
tition – share yo
ur favourite pic
of Christmas in So
uthwark on Twitt
er or Instagram
using #Southwar
kChristmas by 9
December.
@lb_southwark
@southwarkcou
ncil
Winterlights is a stunning lights spectacle at Dulwich
Picture Gallery this December. Follow a dazzling trail
along winding paths and explore explosions of colour
and light in trees and secluded nooks, with lanterns
and bespoke lighting adding to the enchanted
atmosphere. Be entertained by carollers and
children’s storytelling with plenty of mouth watering
food options. Get your tickets at the website below.
Artisan market
10 to 11 December and 17 to 18 December,
10am to 5pm
Wander the pathways through the Gallery’s
beautiful grounds and enjoy over 50 high-quality
stalls selling handmade crafts, jewellery, local
produce and lots more.
The much loved Pexmas returns
to Warwick Gardens, Peckham.
Discover original festive gifts from
independent designers, makers,
foodies and more. There will be
carols, street food, a post box for
Santa raising money for Peckham
Food Bank and much, much more.
Lights
Come
along
to East
Friday
Street
25 Nov
Marke
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on of t
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heir Ch ber at 4pm
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ristma
Road S
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E17 1E
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pexmas.com
Parking
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make the mos
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Southwark on
parking around
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3, 10, 17, 24 an
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on Bridge and
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Christmas at
Borough Market
Borough Market comes alive with the familiar sights and smells of
Christmas during December. Find fantastic gifts from across the world,
from gingerbread to nutmeg jam while listening to seasonal songs
sung by a local community choir during the run up to Christmas.
The evening of Wednesday 14 December is a must for dedicated
cheese lovers – don’t miss the chance to sample and buy from an
amazing selection of cheeses and quiz the cheese experts.
boroughmarket.org.uk
dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk
26
southwark.gov.uk
southwark.gov.uk
27
Winter 2016
Tearing up the script
Working out of two re-purposed sacking factories in
Rotherhithe, London Bubble is a dynamo of theatre making
involving people of all ages in projects that explore pressing
issues and breathe life into local spaces
B
ubble’s productions
cover a dizzying
range of topics from
plays about chocolate
factories to The
Blitz and knife crime. As well as
community projects, commissions
from public and private companies
help create this unique melting
pot of theatre. Last year, the
council launched its domestic
abuse campaign with a Bubble
together is theatre. Georgia
Bowers, who works with the
Creative Elders, says, “We don’t
start with a set agenda of where the
production will go, which makes it
really exciting and also means we
are all equals. Everyone involved
takes ownership of the project.”
and there is no pressure on them
to act in a certain way.
Amelia Bird, who coordinates the
project said, “One of the most
satisfying moments was a teacher
telling me that one of the shyest
children had actually been cheeky
in class. Not that we encourage
naughtiness, but it was amazing that
their confidence had improved so
much that they were being too loud!”
play called Michelle’s Story, which
explored the dynamics of an
abusive relationship. For this kind
of work Bubble often uses a forum
theatre approach where the play
is performed twice. On the second
run through the audience can get
involved and change the direction
of the play. What would happen,
for example, if the friend was more
supportive of her mate struggling
in an abusive relationship?
This innovative approach to what
theatre is can be seen across
the huge variety of programmes
they run. Speech Bubbles is a
programme aimed at primary
school children who are struggling
to communicate, perhaps electively
mute or very shy. Each week one
child gets to make up a story and
everyone acts it out, adding their
own ideas. They don’t have to speak
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southwark.gov.uk
At the other end of the age spectrum
the Creative Elders programme,
including Tea Break Theatre, the
Creative Homes groups (of Chocolate
Factory fame) and the Rotherhithe
Shed bring older people into the mix.
The Rotherhithe Shed does exactly
what it says on the tin, it allows
older men to tinker with projects in
a sociable but relaxed environment.
While some people might not see
this as art, the team passionately
believe that any story that develops
confidence and brings people
This belief in letting participants
call the shots can also be seen with
the Bubble Young Theatre Makers,
made up of 18 to 25 year olds with
time during the day. They may
have sought Bubble out themselves
or been referred by the probation
service or school, and the theatre
they create reflects what is relevant
to them.
Mental health, masculinity and
knife crime are just a few recent
topics. Marie Vickers, who works
with them, says, “Through the
safety of a character, people can
reflect on and work through what
they are actually experiencing.
You see young people progress in
a route they wouldn’t have thought
possible a few months before.”
This focus on the people making
the theatre drives everything
Bubble does, and results in some
of the most eclectic and interesting
productions in the borough. As
Georgia puts it, “There is only one
Bubble theatre”, and they definitely
are a class act.
To find out more about
Bubble Theatre go to
londonbubble.org.uk
If you are aged six or over,
Bubble has something for you.
Call 020 7237 4434 or email
[email protected]
to get involved.
“You see young people progress in a
route they wouldn’t have thought
possible a few months before.”
southwark.gov.uk
29
Winter 2016
Taking art
to the streets
Wandering around the streets of Southwark, you’ll be hard
pressed to not spot an intriguing piece of art. If you’ve ever
wondered who the artist is behind the murals and how they
came to be, we’ve brought you the backstories of
the borough’s best. To those of you who have ever
wondered who the artist is behind the murals
and how they came to be, we’ve brought you
the backstories of a few of the borough’s best
If you’ve spotted
any hidden art
gems in the
borough, share
them with us
via our new
Instagram page
instagram.com/
southwarkcouncil
We’ve partnered with the Tower Bridge Road
Alliance and the artist Helen Marshall of The
People’s Picture to create a new artwork. ‘The
Eye on the Road’ is funded by the council’s High
Street Challenge initiative, a scheme set up to
boost local businesses.
The giant photo mural is made up of 1,955
photos reflecting the local history and present
day activities in and around Tower Bridge Road.
Well known for his Berlin Wall
masterpiece, French street artist
Thierry Noir has created a vibrant
mural in Meeting House Lane,
Peckham. The striking piece is the
second artwork by the artist in
Peckham. The keen eyed amongst you
may have spotted Noir’s adaptation
of the French painter, Nicolas
Poussin’s masterpiece The Triumph of
David, on a small wall at the top end
of Bellenden Road in Peckham and
is part of the Dulwich Outdoor
Gallery initiative.
Members of a local children’s group based
on the Sceaux Estate, Tiny Rebels With
Attitude, gave Keepmoat’s site hoardings a
splash of colour after attending a free workshop
in August, where they learnt how to create a
graffiti style mural with spray paints.
The completed mural will remain on the site’s
hoarding where it can be seen by the entire
estate until the project’s completion.
A railway arch under a bridge on the
South Bank has been given a dramatic
makeover thanks to street artist
Jimmy C and William Shakespeare.
In the year of the 400th anniversary
of Shakespeare’s death, Jimmy has
sprayed a colourful image of the great
playwright just around the corner from
The Globe theatre.
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31
Winter 2016
southwark.gov.uk
32