Camden Fringe is back
The annual festival returns for its 18th year this summer, with more than 320 productions taking place at 23 venues across north London. As usual the line-up of performances is wide ranging – including stand-up comedy, musicals, physical theatre, new writing and dance. There are also three new venues participating this year: historic pub theatre the Old Red Lion, the freshly relaunched Kings Head Theatre in its purpose built new home and the recently opened theatre cafe The Libra. Along with improvised TV shows, Shakespeare plays and musicals, expect post-apocalyptic adventures (Tales From the Wasteland), a production based on the works of Neil Gaiman (Mixed Omens), an improv show within an improv show (Understudied), and one that goes in reverse (The Show That Goes Backwards). It runs from Monday 29th July to Sunday 25th August. Follow @camdenfringe for more.
Patron’s garden table: sounds parfait
It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of Patron: just look at how elegant its facade is on that once-grubby stretch of Fortess (pictured below). Now it’s – sort of – summer, “a beautifully laid French table awaits you in our newly opened Secret Garden,” they purred on email recently. Customers will dine “under the stars in a truly unique setting: lush greenery, candles and enchanting lights set the scene.” It’ll be a “culinary journey with a five-course tasting menu (£60) served by the chef himself and topped with a private tour of the restaurant kitchen towards the end of your meal.” We’ve peeked at the menu, which contains delights like salmon tartare, crispy-fried dauphinois and duck confit. Find out more online.
Camden Courtyard launches
In the height of election-day fever we popped by the new Camden Courtyard (main pic, above) for a snoop before its official launch. And, as you can see from our pic, it’s sweet: a slither of a yard, adjoining (and owned by) the legendary Electric Ballroom. The 300-capacity, open-air space has a small outdoor stage, sourdough pizza and frozen slushy cocktails. If you find yourself right down in central Camden gasping for an open-air beverage, this may just hit the spot. Follow @camdencourtyrd
Enter the Fungarium
Jacqueline Freeman is an artist living in north London who is, as she says, “completely fascinated by all things Fungi.” Fair enough. Since 2023 Freeman has been busy working on a series of fungi-related drawings and paintings which will be shown in her very first solo exhibition in July. Entitled Fungarium, it will be held at The Gallery at the Playroom, a new art gallery run by a charity called The Toy Project at 81 Junction Road N19. There will be over 30 artworks on display, as well as prints and cards. A private view is on Thursday 18 July, and Fungarium runs 16th-21st July (11am-6pm).
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