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Isle Of Dogs: How Ballet Nights is blazing a trail at Lanterns Studio Theatre

The finale of the gala performance-style series is set to feature Jordan James Bridge’s Heisei 9

Constance Devernay-Laurence performs Jordan James Bridge’s Heisei 9 at Ballet Nights

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There’s an irrepressible energy about Jordan James Bridge that typifies the atmosphere around Ballet Nights.

It’s an excitement, a genuine thrill at the prospect of the next performance, the work that will be showcased and the moves unveiled.  

For those who don’t know, Ballet Nights is a platform for professional dancers to present pieces in the intimate, eye-level setting of Lanterns Studio Theatre on the Isle Of Dogs near South Quay DLR.

Conceived and compared by Jamiel Devernay-Laurence – formerly of Scottish Ballet – it kicked off its run with two dates in September and another two in October.

Its 2023 season will conclude with performances of its third programme on November 24-25, 2023, and that’s where Jordan comes in.

Having danced himself in the first programme, his work as a choreographer featured in the second and is set for a repeat showing on the forthcoming dates.

“The piece I’ve created is called Heisei 9, which is 1997 in Japanese,” said Jordan.

“The roleplaying computer game Final Fantasy VII – which was released that year – was very much my childhood and it had music composed by Nobuo Uematsu.

Dancer and choreographer Jordan Jams Bridge

“There’s an amazing battle theme in the game called Those Who Fight, so we have pianist Viktor Erik Emanuel playing it live on stage and I created a solo for prima ballerina, Constance Devernay-Laurence, to perform. 

“It’s en pointe and is super agile, swift, athletic and exciting.

“There’s also an amazing, original costume by Stevie Stewart – Constance wears this beautiful catsuit.

“While I created this piece as a solo, I love the connection between musician and dancer on the stage, so in my mind it’s really a duet.

“It’s technically very difficult for Constance and Victor. It’s three minutes, but there’s a lot packed in there.

“There’s kind of a competitive element with them both in the space and the lighting divides the stage quite well.

“It’s also very playful and I wanted to bring that out, because it’s very nostalgic for me. I spent a lot of time playing the game.

“There are not many choreographers who would even touch gaming, but the music was written to be played live.

“People coming to Ballet Nights might be expecting to hear classical pieces, but I believe they will enjoy this just as much as the more familiar music on the programme.”

Having trained at the London Contemporary Dance School, Jordan went on to join Alexander Whitley Dance Company, then Michael Clark Company.

Today, his main gig is as a dancer for Company Wayne McGregor based at Here East in Stratford.

Constance will perform Jordan’s work for a second time at the November shows

It’s a career that all started with an excitable childhood.

“My mum always told me that, when I was with friends in the garden or on the street, everyone else would be doing roly-poly and I’d already be doing handstands,” said Jordan.

“When they were doing cartwheels, I’d be doing front flips. I found dance at secondary school through Keeley Slack, my dance teacher.

“All the boys had two lessons in dance, to see if they enjoyed it, and I did. I was in the studio because I wanted to be there – there was no Instagram.

“I’ve always known that I wanted to create and choreograph as well as dance.

“When I was 16 I had my own small dance company called Imperial Feet.

“I enjoyed the idea of a collective getting together, and I just wanted to make dance – that’s where my brain is going right now too. I’ve been doing this for years.

“I’ve created multiple dance films, some award-winning, and I really enjoy doing dance for the screen.

Jordan James Bridge performing at Ballet Nights earlier this year

“Time constraints mean it’s more difficult for the stage, but I definitely see myself going there more in the future.

“It’s so important to have Ballet Nights because this sort of gala event for dance doesn’t really happen in the UK.

“In Europe there are similar shows in the summer, but not here.  

“The best thing is that at Lanterns, the dancers are only two or three metres away from the audience.

“You can hear their breath and really feel the energy radiate from them – there’s no shying away from the physicality of dance or trying to hide it.

“You see that dance is really hard work, but the performers look exquisite.

“As a performer you can see the audience and that makes it really intimate. 

“There’s an element of nerves which comes from that, of course, but it’s also super exciting and challenging.”

Ballet Nights’ final shows of 2023 will also include duets from Sangeun Lee and Gareth Haw plus Katja Khaniukova and Aitor Arrieta – all of the English National Ballet.

Solo performers will include Ivana Bueno, also of the English National Ballet, Yasser D’Oquendo of Acosta Danza and Laurel Dalley Smith of the Martha Graham Dance Company. 

Doors open on November 24 and 25, 2023, at 6.15pm with the shows starting at 7.30pm.

Tickets start at £65. Programmes are expected to return on a monthly basis next year. 

Acosta Danza’s Yasser D’Oquendo is also on the bill

You can find our more or book tickets here  

Read more: How Level39-based WyzePay offers discounts at MMy Wood Wharf

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Isle Of Dogs: How Craft Central is set to host its Winter Market at The Forge

The Westferry Road venue will see more than 30 makers selling products at its festive event

Craft Central will host its annual Winter Market at The Forge

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The mercury is falling and the faint whiff of spiced pumpkin lattes is receding.

At the time of writing, the buzz of Bonfire Night is everywhere.

The anticipation of the first frost is in the air too – the coming chill that makes the cosiness of the festive season all the more welcome. 

Promising a Japanese pop-up cafe, mulled wine and a warm welcome from more than 30 designer-makers, Craft Central’s annual weekend Winter Market is set to be held this month.

Opening 11am-5pm on November 18 and 19, 2023, at The Forge on Westferry Road, the event offers visitors the chance to get their festive shopping sorted with a wide range of products including accessories, fashion, jewellery, ceramics, stationery, prints and textiles available to purchase.

Craft Central event coordinator, Marguerite Metz, said: “We invite makers from our wider network to come and sell in our gallery space for this annual event, so we have a lovely mix of applied arts and crafts as well as some of the studio holders at The Forge.

“It’s a great community event for locals and people throughout London to come to – we had about 1,000 last year.

“The building itself is quite unusual and lots of people walk past and have no idea what’s inside. 

“It’s not normally open to the public, so this is a chance for people who are interested in what’s going on to visit.

“The makers we have are all lovely and they really enjoy it.

“They like it because it’s easy for them to showcase their products, due to the people who come and also the relaxed atmosphere it has.

“The market is not-for-profit, we do it to support the makers and to show the community the possibilities of making.

“It only works if local people come and take advantage of the chance to visit and support the people trading, so we want to welcome as many as possible.”

Visitors to the market will find a wealth of products on offer

Makers trading at the market will include Diaphane Candles, artist Almha McCartan, Anonoma Jewellery, Ark Jewellery, embroiderer Beatrice Mayfield, Bibba London (jewellery), Brûler Candles and By Kala X (products made with African prints).

 Also attending will be Caroline Nuttall-Smith (printmaker and ceramicist), Elektra Kamoutsis (ceramicist), Forge + Thread (accessories), Frank Horn (leatherwork), Gruff Turnery (wood turning)Heim Design (concrete products) Kam Creates (jewellery) Karn’s Textile design, Kate Hodgson Jewellery, Maria Maya (homeware), Mark Waite Paintings and Morgan Amber (textiles).

As if that wasn’t enough, Mountain And Molehill (lampshades), Noriko Nagaoka Ceramics, Pipet Design (silk scarves), Tomoko Hori Jewellery And Object Sato Hisao (paper crafts), Suzie Lee Knitwear, Tangent Accessories and Ted Houghton Studio (knitwear), will be there too.

The Winter Market will also be hosting two drop-in workshops where visitors can get creative. 

On the Saturday, Funky Jewellery Making will offer participants the chance to transform a variety of vintage objects, images and unusual items into bespoke jewellery. 

People are welcome to bring their own objects to incorporate into their designs or to draw on the selection provided.

Makers will be on hand to sell their creations

All attachments and jewellery findings will be included.

Marguerite said: “Visitors might create surreal pieces of jewellery, with fun items to put together for themselves or make unique pieces that will be perfect for a Christmas gift.

“People are welcome to upcycle odd bits-and-bobs.”

On the Sunday, designer Georgia Bosson will be hosting Festive Block Printing with participants able to create a piece of textile wrapping paper or a Christmas card using hand-carved wooden blocks. The activity is suitable for ages 5+.

“Using textile wrapping paper is a Japanese tradition and it’s sustainable because it’s reusable,”said Marguerite. 

“If they wanted to, people could come on Saturday and make a present, before returning on Sunday to create the wrapping.

“These workshops are part of Craft Central’s duty to help bring craft to people.”

The suggested donation for both sessions, which run from 12.30pm-4.30pm on a drop-in basis, is £5. 

Some makers with studios at The Forge will also be opening these up for visitors to see during the event, including Crushed Pearl (floristry), Pon Studios (ceramics), Tanya Roya (artist), Olive Road,  (vintage fabrics) and SilPhi Glass (jewellery).

Some studios at The Forge will also be open for visitors to view

Craft Central, in addition to being a provider of studio spaces for designer makers at The Forge, is always looking to extend and grow its network. 

To that end, the charity is introducing a new tiered membership scheme with the aim of getting more people involved in its activities. 

Its basic package includes access to an insurance scheme for craft workers and designer makers as well as inclusion in its online directory. The package costs £53 per year.

There’s also an enhanced package for £99, which includes a selection of discounts on markets and activities as well as access to community programmes and business advice.

The top £199 premium package is available to established artists or makers and is by application only. 

It includes a range of substantial discounts as well as use of The Forge’s exhibition and workshop space for free.

“We wanted to offer different options so that people can easily access Craft Central,” said Anne-Sophie Cavil, who handles communications and marketing for the organisation. 

“A graduate, for example, might take a basic membership, while more established makers might choose the enhanced or premium options, that offer a range of benefits.

“The one you choose will depend on where you are in your career.”

Find out more about Craft Central here

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Canary Wharf: How Sticks’n’Sushi’s sustainable recipe for growth is delivering

Danish-Japanese restaurant company continues to build on its foundation of local branches

The Kimono Room at Sticks’n’Sushi

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Cosette Perez is standing in front of a wall of riotous silk.

We’re talking in Sticks’n’Sushi’s Kimono Room, a semi-private event space decorated with richly embellished examples of the garment hung along its walls from poles.

“It can seat 24 and the tables are completely flexible – we’ve done masterclasses here and tastings,” she said.

“It’s great for drinks gatherings, receptions, family groups getting together and people holding all types of events. 

“It has curtains so it can be separated from the rest of the restaurant, but you’re not locked away in a tiny box.

“The kimonos are genuine – bought in Japan – and came to us via Berlin and Copenhagen in a suitcase. Now they’re hanging here.

“It’s a versatile space and we probably don’t talk about it enough.” 

In a sense, the Kimono Room is an expression of Sticks’n’Sushi’s approach to hospitality.

The calm, Scandinavian minimalism is a well-honed backdrop to the vibrant garments that adorn its walls. 

This is similar to the way the wide, open, stripped-back industrial space of the restaurant proper, filled with square tables and simple leather chairs, acts as a counterpoint to the bright colourful food and flavours it serves. 

A balance is struck. But it’s not just between the dishes, muted colours and bare concrete.

“It’s the whole experience, not just the food but the way our staff greet guests,” said Cosette, who joined the brand as UK senior marketing manager three years ago.

“When you walk through the door, you’ll be welcomed in Japanese by the waiters and the kitchen staff.

Sticks’n’Sushi’s Cosette Perez

“We’re really proud of our service – we hope people will be impressed and amazed and that, by the time they leave, they’ll definitely want to come again. 

“Obviously, we serve excellent food, but then you get a really nice goodbye too – it all helps keep people coming back again and again.”

It’s a recipe that has seen the brand, including its Canary Wharf branch, thrive – despite some significant headwinds.

Firstly, Sticks has done well – it was in the vanguard of venues to arrive on the estate in 2015 when Crossrail Place opened.

Back then, a three-year wait was anticipated before Elizabeth Line trains would start running.

The delay turned out to be seven years, with services only arriving in 2022.

Nevertheless, alongside the likes of Chai Ki, The Breakfast Club and Ippudo, Sticks’ has proved a consistent draw for Wharfers in that time and continues to do a bustling trade now that the commuters are also flowing to the north of the estate. 

“Our growth is exciting – we’ve opened a restaurant each year since 2012 and we’ve launched two for the first time this year in Shoreditch and Kingston in quick succession,” said Cosette.

“There are more branches coming too – we’re planning Richmond in early spring and a couple of others that we’re not revealing yet – there’s a lot coming up.

“The thing that’s driving growth is the fact we’re settled in the locations where we’ve already opened. 

“We know what we can offer and we’re received a really warm welcome in those neighbourhoods.

“We have some really loyal customers and we’re trying to reach out to even more people.”

Specifically, Sticks is very much a product of its background.

Sushi at Sticks’n’Sushi

Founded by two brothers and their brother-in-law in Copenhagen, the brand draws on their half-Danish, half-Japanese heritage, bringing sushi together with yakitori on its menu.

The first restaurant opened in 1994 with the business growing to 12 in Denmark, three in Berlin, one each in Oxford and Cambridge and eight in London. 

“It’s a blend of Scandinavian simplicity and Japanese dishes with a twist,” said Cosette.

“We have highly skilled sushi chefs and we like to break the mould – we play with the menu quite a lot, creating specials that follow the seasons.

“If guests really like them, of course, they might always make it onto the main menu.

“Personally, what I order changes with my mood and the temperature. Cold weather calls for miso soup, a couple of yakitori sticks and rice.

“If it’s really nice and sunny, then definitely sushi and perhaps some cerviche. It’s really delicious, fresh and clean on the palate.”

Speaking of seasonal food, the restaurant is all set for Christmas with its Sticks’n’Santa offering available from Monday, November 27.

Promising a Japanese twist on festive classics it’s come up with three menus for revellers to choose from:

The Holly Menu 

a gastronomic journey, £40pp

This menu promises an array of dishes “that redefine festive indulgence” including Miso Sprouts plus Yellowtail Kingfish and Grilled Pepper Nigiris. There’s also the Chicks‘n’Blankets stick – a whimsical take on a beloved Christmas dinner staple.

The Mistletoe Menu 

luxurious festivity, £65pp

For those seeking opulence, this menu promises a symphony of flavours including Wagyu Temaki (a marriage of seared Kyushu Wagyu beef, sushi rice, soy, and crisp nori). There’s also the Aka Ebi yakitori stick – a showcase of Argentinian red shrimp with spicy gochujang and garlic butter.

The Evergreen Menu 

plant-based delights, £40pp

For those who prefer to dine exclusively on plant-based ingredients, Sticks‘n’Sushi has created a special festive menu to ensure all palates are catered for. This option promises a celebration of the best nature has to offer, allowing  the restaurant to demonstrate its commitment to serving everyone’s tastes.  

In addition to these, Sticks will be offering a three wise men-inspired Seasonal Sampler of Wagyu Temaki, Miso Fried Sprouts and Kakiage Tempura with Ikura over the festive season.

Its bar staff have also come up with some special festive cocktails and there’s the further incentive of a free bottle of Telmont Champagne for bookings of six or more on Mondays or Tuesdays.

Festive frippery aside, however, the appeal of Sticks for Cosette is very much in its everyday operation. 

The Canary Wharf restaurant offers a wide selection of dishes

“I’ve been in hospitality for most of my working life,” she said.

“I landed in London from Mexico in 2008. I came for six months and my dad is still asking when I’m coming back. 

“In that time I went from waitress to assistant manager, to manager, and then I got into marketing.

“I came to work at Sticks because I really like the ethos of the company. I’d done a bit of work for the business and read a lot about it.

“I thought: ‘If it walks the walk, as it talks it, then it would be a lovely firm to work for’ – and it is. It’s all about the people and that comes from the CEO.

“All the management is in-house and all the people running the restaurants have been with the company for about five years at least.

“The business has been here for almost 12 years and it still employs the very first person it hired.

“There are head office people who have worked for Sticks for 10 or 11 years.

“The idea is that if you look after the staff, then they look after our guests.

“We also know that it’s harder to recruit someone into a business than it is to promote from within.

“If they carry the company’s DNA and are proud of the work they do, then they’ll always want to do more and give more of themselves – for the business’ part, we always try to pay that back.”

Kids, despite the grown-up design of the restaurants, are also a key part of the strategy. 

“For us they are VIPs – we look after them really well because we know they are the next generation of guests,” said Cosette. 

“We see a lot in our more family-orientated areas like Greenwich and Wimbledon, but also in Canary Wharf on Saturdays and Sundays. 

“There’s a wooden monkey hidden around the restaurant for them to find and they get a chocolate fish if they do.”

Increasingly popular, making reservations is advised whether you’re up for a spot of simian spotting or just going for a selection of seafood delights. 

Find out more about Sticks’n’Sushi here

Sticks serves grilled dishes as well as sushi

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Canary Wharf: How WyzePay offers discounts at MMy Wood Wharf

How the Level39-based fintech startup gets customers who use it to pay, 10%-15% off

WyzePay has teamed up with traders at MMy Wood Wharf to offer customers discounts

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Collaboration is incresingly the lifeblood of the economy – especially when there’s something in it for consumers.

Everyone loves a deal, right? And this is why Canary Wharf-based fintech startup WyzePay’s latest venture should be celebrated. 

The prepayment loyalty app has welcomed 10 traders at MMy Wood Wharf in George Street to its roster of participating local businesses (the Temple Of Art And Music basement jazz club at the venue is coming soon, too). 

That means anyone signed up for WyzePay can get 10%-15% off anything sold by them simply by paying through the platform.

It works like this. Users download the app.

They purchase credit with one of the traders using a credit or debit card with their money going straight to that business. 

As a thank-you for paying up front, the trader gives the user a discount depending on how much credit they buy. 

The more you purchase, the greater the discount.

For example, the user might pay £9 but get £10 of credit if the offer is 10%. 

That balance is then stored in a closed digital wallet and the user pays the trader by scanning a QR code on the trader’s phone through the WyzePay app on their device.

Buying credit and paying take seconds, meaning a balance can easily be topped up to cover a purchase. 

WyzePay head of business development Anya Markitanova

In essence, the system is similar to loyalty schemes, where customers get something for free as a reward for repeat business. 

“It’s basically a smarter way to spend,” said Anya Markitanova, head of business development at WyzePay, which is based at Canary Wharf’s Level39 tech community.

“You use it to get rewards for your money and for your loyalty.

“We all have cards from coffee shops in our wallets with one or two stamps from goodness knows where.

“We forget about them or lose them.

“Sometimes we get all nine stamps and a coffee for free or some other perk.

“What we’re doing is reversing the whole way that businesses interact with customers by allowing companies to reward spending up front.

“There’s no waiting to get a full set of stamps.”

This means there’s always a reward for the customer, however much they spend with a business through WyzePay, with a minimum of 10%.

While the company is already working with the likes of The Grandstand Bar, Obica, Boisdale, 640East, Seoul Bird and Brick Lane Bagel in Canary Wharf, MMy Wood Wharf is something new for the team.

“It’s one of the less well-known locations in the busy ecosystem of the estate – a lot of people do not know that this wonderful, cosy place is there and we’re on a mission to change that,” said Anya.

“It’s our first merchant group on WyzePay because it’s different to the other venues. 

“It’s a marketplace with different traders in the same space so, by definition it attracts various kinds of customer.

WyzePay users can save 10%-15% with 10 traders at MMy Wood Wharf

“That gives us access to a wider audience who might not even know what they want for breakfast, lunch or dinner – whether it’s gelato, pizza or Lebanese cuisine – but they can use WyzePay with any of the traders.”

There is a lot to choose from at MMy.

There’s Fresco La Pizza Napoletana serving, well, pizza, Dez Amore’s freshly made pasta, Bindas Eatery’s richly spiced Indian dishes, Dim Sum Lab’s Chinese dumplings, Maki And Bowl’s Hawaiian-Japanese cuisine and gelato, pastries and coffee from Badiani.

There’s also Levantine food from The Lebanese Table, craft beer from The Italian Job, cocktails from Ethika and fresh food, ingredients and supplies from MM Grocery.

A deal with the venue’s basement jazz club – The Vineyard – run by the Temple Of Art And Music, is also in the pipeline.

Anya said: “Personally, I’m a huge fan of the coffee from Badiani, the diet-friendly poke from Maki And Bowl and the Espresso Martinis from Ethika. 

“Our platform works very well for people who plan what they’re going to spend, but equally for last-minute decision makers.

“It takes a few seconds to buy credit through the app, so you can do it on the spot.

“Loyalty cards would tend to get lost or forgotten, but we all carry our phones with us everywhere so your WyzePay digital wallet is with you all the time.

“All you need is a charger and a connection to the internet.”

The key to WyzePay is that it doesn’t just work for the consumer.

Obviously Cafe Nero hasn’t just been giving away its 10th coffee for free out of the goodness of the late, crazed emperor’s heart.

“We create value for traders and retailers too,” said Anya.

“As a business, it’s always helpful to have cash today rather than tomorrow and the money goes straight to the trader when a user buys credit.

“Then their customers feel good when they spend that credit and that helps the business create a long-term relationship with consumers.

“There can be a misconception, because we operate a closed digital wallet, that WyzePay is a kind of cryptocurrency.

“That’s not the case. We trade online in Pounds Sterling, the official currency of the UK and we don’t hold any money.

MMy Wood Wharf’s sustainable food market is located in Canary Wharf’s George Street

“The digital wallet is just a representation of the balance a customer holds with a particular trader.

“When you buy credit it goes up and, when you spend through the app with the trader, it goes down. 

“The discount with all the traders who have signed up at MMy Wood Wharf is currently 10%-15%, but we actually allow all the businesses to control the level of discount and minimum spend.

“Different discounts can serve different purposes, so the traders can quickly adapt to the ever-changing landscape.

“They might, for example, offer a limited discount at a particular time if they have a seasonal offering.

“People tend to buy less gelato in the colder months, for instance, so it would be possible for Badiani to remind customers they are still there with a bigger discount.

“It’s always more tasty when you get more gelato for your money.”

With WyzePay now live at MMy, it’s hard to see why anyone would pay with a card instead. 

You can download the WyzePay app here

WHAT TO BUY FROM MMy WOOD WHARF’S TRADERS

RAJASTHANI LAMB CURRY

Bindas Eatery

This powerfully spiced dish comes with plentiful rice and will leave your mouth tingling and your soul burning for just one more rich forkful

  • Full price: £15 
  • WyzePay: From £12.75

BAKED HALLOUMI FONDUE

The Lebanese Table

One for the cheese lovers, this hot pot is a truly enormous quantity of silken, melted delight, served with plentiful flatbread and garnished with black cumin seeds. The headline halloumi retains its structure, sat in a stretch bath of cheese just waiting to be mopped up 

  • Full price: £11.90
  • WyzePay: From £10.12

PIZZA DIAVOLA

Fresco La Pizza Napoletana

Classic Naples-style pizza served with great rapidity and a wealth of fresh ingredients strewn across its surface. While spicy on the tongue, this expression of a fiery stalwart also features an endearing sweetness in the mouth

  • Full price: £14.40
  • WyzePay: From £12.24

REWIND, SIGNATURE BREW

The Italian Job

While this friendly, gluten free IPA isn’t enough to blow the bloody doors off at a comforting 4.7%, its complex blend of pine and citrus notes should satisfy – especially at up to £1 off per pint, when paying with the app

  • Full price: £6.90
  • WyzePay: From £5.87

MEDIUM CUP (TWO FLAVOURS)

Badiani Gelato

Already a Wharf favourite since its arrival on the estate opposite Waitrose, the gelato is thick and creamy and the sorbet smooth and sharp. The combination of pistachio and lemon in my cup is a winner, but then what do you expect from a brand that takes its heritage from a store in Florence that started serving top quality ices in 1932?

  • Full price: £4.80
  • WyzePay: From £4.08

TAGLIATELLE TOMATO AND BURRATA

Dez Amore

This is luxury in a bowl. It seems pasta and sauce simply wasn’t enough for the chefs at Dez Amore, who decided to dump a fat lump of burrata in the centre of this dish. If you’re already on track to ordering, adding bacon (£1.40) and Parmigiano (70p), is a natural progression and well worth it

  • Full price: £14.70
  • WyzePay: From £12.50

GNOCCHI

MM Grocery

This store is packed with all manner of fresh and dry ingredients, also offering sustainable shampoo and wine from the barrel. The fresh gnocchi is as soft as a cloud on the tongue, ideal paired with fresh pesto

  • Full price: £3.20
  • WyzePay: From £2.72

BUILD YOUR BOWL

Maki And Bowl

The poke revolution has swept through London and it’s easy to see why. The combination of raw fish and fresh ingredients is pretty hard to resist, especially when it looks like this

  • Full price: £12.50
  • Wyze: From £10.63

PRAWN DUMPLINGS

Dim Sum Lab

Dumplings are, when done well, one of those comfort foods that are far too tempting. These soft, juicy parcels fall into that category – the kind of plate that disappears all too quickly, necessitating a top-up on Wyze and a fresh visit to the counter

  • Full price: £9
  • Wyze: From £7.65

MARGARITA

Ethika

For those in the know, Ethika has long been a go-to for quality cocktails on the estate. Snuggled in a corner of MMy Wood Wharf, this excellent bar mixes a sparkling menu with the enthusiasm and charm of its staff. Its salt-rim Margarita is an ethereal, light-touch take on a classic that slips down all too easily. Expect delicate shards of lime slicing neatly through the alcohol

  • Full price: £12.50
  • Wyze: From £10.63

Find out more about MMy Wood Wharf here

Read more: Sign up for the Santa Stair Climb at One Canada Square

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Canning Town: How Husk is turning on the craft beer taps in Docklands

Royal Docks brewery expands with Brunel Street Works taproom and new site at The Factory Project

Husk has opened a new taproom in Canning Town – image Matt Grayson

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Power is the thing on the mind of Christiaan Van Der Vyver.

The co-owner of Husk Brewing Ltd is a laid back, jovial man, but there’s at least mild frustration that he’s currently unable to make beer. 

Formerly located in a unit under the Silvertown Way flyover, the business has had a challenging few years.

Founded in Royal Docks in 2015, it built a passionate local following and had upgraded its taproom with a mezzanine and permanent food offering just in time for the pandemic to shut everything down.

Then the spur of North Woolwich Road outside its door was closed for work on the Silvertown Tunnel, shutting off crucial footfall and custom from passing cyclists. 

“We thought it would just be for one year and we could have survived that – but it turned out it was six and then the location didn’t make sense any more,” said Christiaan, who runs the business with his wife Marta. 

Then some good fortune.

The couple were increasingly sceptical about full relocation to The Factory Project because of its comparatively remote location on the Tate & Lyle site in North Woolwich.

However, the scheme’s CEO, Nick Hartwright, revealed he’d taken on commercial spaces at Brunel Street Works right next to Canning Town station. 

It was settled. The brewery would open at The Factory Project and supply a new taproom on a bustling street in a densely populated location.

Christiaan Van Der Vyver runs Husk with is wife Marta – image Matt Grayson

A few weeks ago, Husk opened its new taproom at the location and is very much looking to the future. 

The only catch so far is that, until the National Grid hooks up a high voltage power supply, the brewery can’t make any beer, so it’s currently having to buy in kegs from elsewhere.

Delays notwithstanding, though, the early signs are very positive and there’s a lot more to come. 

“There have been a lot of delays – but in the end we love the new taproom,” said Christiaan.

“It’s a big, open space and we’re running it at the moment as a 40-seater while we build up a bigger team.

“Then we can bring that up to 70 seats. 

“We’ve got regulars coming almost every day and we have people who have followed us from our previous location.

“We’ve always been a community-minded business and we’ve got to know everybody in the area.

“There are some amazing people here, very diverse – we attract a really mixed crowd from people in their 20s to their 70s.

“We love this community and it’s interesting to see how it’s growing and changing. When I first came here, none of these residential buildings existed.

“It was just dilapidated old warehouses. It’s been transformed – it seems like it takes only a year to build a tower these days.”

Husk serves up pints of craft beer, burgers and fries – image Matt Grayson

With the neighbouring Brunel Street Works marketing suite set to be removed, Husk will have the opportunity to expand into landscaped outdoor space with plans for an American-style smoker.

It’s also expected that TfL will open an access point to Canning Town station that’s practically at the venue’s back door, ensuring even greater footfall. 

For now, though, the focus is on serving up pints, with Marta heading operations in the kitchen to produce sustaining burgers and portions of fries, both with a multitude of toppings.

 “We make great beer but we also wanted to do food,” said Christiaan, who came to the UK from South Africa in 1996 and used to run a nightclub and late night restaurant in South Kensington.

“We wanted to offer something that complements beer, and burgers are a perfect choice for that.

“We buy all our meat from small producers who rear rare breeds of British cows, which are allowed to graze naturally.

“For our patties, we mix in 5% bone marrow to help intensify the flavour of the meat and the juiciness.

“We can run at a lower profit margin, making sure the prices are reasonable by subsidising our sales with what we make on the beer.”

While Husk is currently buying in tipples from other craft producers, Christiaan can’t wait to get making the stuff again, having acquired extra capacity from the demise of Three Sods Brewery in Hackney.

The taproom is very much a temple to its creations, with mascots of beers such as Dock Life Pale Ale, Lockdown Sour and Delivery Tax Saison adorning its windows.

Independent brewers have had a tough time lately, with Brexit and a changing marketplace seeing many close their doors.

That taproom will have a capacity of about 70 seated – image Matt Grayson

With strong demand at the new site, however, Christiaan is optimistic. 

“The whole market has changed, but making sure you’re the right size has always been a tricky one,” he said.

“Before, they used to say that you should get as big as you can, but the problem is that if you get a 10 or 20 barrel brewery, you would need to shift 200 kegs just from one batch of one beer.

“If you’re selling to craft pubs, then they want a range, so they’ll only take a couple of kegs of one beer.

“If you’re smaller, like us, you can brew more styles and it’s easier to sell the product.

“It’s also a problem if you’re selling to mainstream pubs because many are tied to breweries.

“If they’re worried about their targets, then they will close their lines to smaller producers to ensure they hit their targets for their two-year contracts.  

“These days you have to have a taproom to survive and then it becomes about how many sites you can open.

“When we’re up and running at The Factory Project, we’ll be able to produce 8,000 pints a week, so then we’ll start looking for a site for another taproom.

“That’s really what we want to do.

“We’d love that to be close by because we live in Britannia Village in Royal Docks and I love that I can cycle to work.”

With craft beer breweries increasingly being swallowed up by big business – think Beavertown, Meantime and Camden – it’s refreshing to find one that’s making it work in east London.

  • Husk is currently on the lookout for staff, including chefs for its taproom in Canning Town.

Contact details are available on the brand’s website. 

The venue also boasts a fine selection of board games

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Isle Of Dogs: How Naru Naru went from positive Instagram posts to fledgling brand

Angelo Ramessar and Shannon Hayes still developing the narwhal-based characters

Isle Of Dogs residents Angelo Ramessar and Shannon Hayes create Naru Naru together

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It all started with a doodle of a dinosaur.

It was as a pupil at St Angela’s And St Bonaventure’s sixth form in Newham, that graphic designer Angelo Ramessar first began drawing a cute little cartoon character.

Back then he had spikes down his spine and forearms like a T-Rex.   

“My teacher didn’t really like it because it wasn’t traditional art – painting portraits or things like that,” said Angelo.

Things could well have come to a rest there.

Angelo went on to study graphic design at Ravensbourne University in Greenwich, going on to launch a freelance career first, before moving on to work for Savills estate agency.

Today he’s senior creative and visual designer at agency Aesara – but along with his partner and former schoolmate Shannon Hayes, he’s also something else.

The couple were living in East Ham when lockdown struck and decided to dust off Angelo’s old character.

Freshly fashioned into a narwhal, they started chronicling Naru Naru’s adventures, posting cartoons on Instagram with positive messages. 

The couple have exhibited at numerous shows including MCM Comic Con

“We decided to give him a facelift and a bit of a reboot,” said Shannon, who did a foundation course in art at Ravensbourne before completing a degree in jewellery at the London College Of Fashion. 

“The idea was to draw him as a cute little character, to spread a little bit of joy and cheer everyone up.

“Before we knew it, we had thousands of followers worldwide, so we decided to keep going. It was all about positivity and posting these sweet little drawings and last year, we decided to expand a bit and began making some merchandise.”

Naru Naru started on Instagram with posts spreading positivity

That journey has seen Shannon leave her role as a teaching assistant to concentrate on developing the brand full-time from the couple’s home on the Isle Of Dogs.

With mugs, pin badges and notebooks in their range, Naru Naru has been a hit at events such as MCM Comic Con, Hyper Japan and Brand Licensing Europe and the couple are just about to launch their latest range of plushie toys.

“We were so hyped up. When we did the first Comic Con – we had a few people who followed us on Instagram who came to see us, but most people had no idea who we or Naru Naru were – they didn’t know anything about us but it resonated with them straight away,” said Shannon.

Naru Naru’s latest plushie toys

“The plushies were flying off the shelves.

“We now have a new, improved plushie and we’re always trying to improve everything we do.

“Because we did so well initially, we can reinvest back into them, make them look even better and work on more merchandise.

“The upgraded toys should be on the website at the end of November.”

The couple both draw Naru Naru and have now expanded the brand to five characters.

A children’s book is in production and they’ve also had success licensing the brand to NFT project Yummi Universe. 

The five Naru Naru characters the couple have created

“It all started because we wanted to spread some positive messages,” said Angelo.

“They are these strange little narwhal characters – they are based on the whales, but they have arms and legs because they look cute and so that they can do more things.

“Naru Naru has gone through various iterations – the limbs have got bigger so they can do things like play the guitar.

“We’ve already written the main story for the book, which centres on the characters collecting spirit crystals. 

“It’s the tale of a villain who is locked up in a crystal – he’s being freed over time and, to reseal him back in, five spirit crystals left by a king must be collected.

“I would say to anyone who feels like they want to create their own character, that they should go on this journey. 

“It’s an amazing experience and it’s something you can be really proud of – to work on a character you created and to have your own product.

“You can still work a full-time job and develop something you truly believe in, enjoy and love.

The couple are now working on a children’s book to help grow the brand

“I feel like everyone should be like Blue Naru – he’s brave enough to make that jump and do it. He believes he can do anything if he puts his mind to it.

“He also believes in everyone else and their ability to do whatever they want to do in life.

“We made no money from what we were doing at first.

“We were doing it for fun on Instagram and people were saying it was great.

“That was enough for us. 

“We used to think when we reached 2,000 followers that we’d make some pin badges, then some T-shirts.

“Then we took the leap to make some plushie toys and they sold out immediately at Comic Con.”

Shannon added: “We try to make the posts on Instagram as relateable as possible so everyone can see themselves in Naru Naru. 

“It might be things like lying in bed and dropping his phone on his head.

“Or there’s one where he’s holding up a sign saying: ‘You can do it’.

“One of our most popular ones is him hanging on a little tree branch, saying: ‘Hang in there’.”

The couple said their characters appealed to people of all ages, with the most popular posts and merchandise featuring cheekiness or violence.

“Especially at Comic Con, there’s an audience for something really cute doing something not so cute,” said Shannon.

“Because we have such a broad age range in our fans, Naru Naru is in some ways nostalgic for adults – the kids just love the plushie toys.

“We like to create things to cater for all our followers and we also love to follow trends and attract new people.

“We do work really well together – our personalities match and we bounce off each other with ideas for posts and products.”

Angelo added: “It’s just a good time – part fun, part funny.

“We throw silly ideas around about what we should post.

“We both love living on the Island – what more could you ask for?

“There’s lots of inspiration all around us – it’s a very peaceful place to live and work.”

The couple’s immediate priority is the production of their story book, with both agreeing that the ultimate aim would be a TV show or movie to explore the Naru Naru world in greater depth. 

Until then, expect to see plenty more from these little creatures as the brand grows and develops.

Find out more about Naru Naru here

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Canary Wharf: How the Boisdale Music Awards showcase talent at the venue

Evening saw recognition for the Alabama 3, Mud Morganfield, Polly Gibbons, PP Arnold and more…

The Alabama 3 play the Boisdale Music Awards 2023

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What connects a single that spent seven weeks at No. 1 in the US, the voice of Muddy Waters, the theme song to The Sopranos, The First Cut Is The Deepest, celebrity gangster Dave Courtney  and Jools Holland? 

It’s Boisdale Of Canary Wharf, as the restaurant, bar and live venue celebrated its annual music awards on September 20, 2023 – showcasing the breadth and depth of the kind of artists who regularly perform there on the stage above Cabot Square.

Hosted by Jools and celebrated jazz saxophonist Yolanda Brown, the annual event brought together a host of talents – some starting out, some well established and others who’ve enjoyed whole lifetimes in the business. 

That meant an evening where two-time Grammy winner, Gregory Porter, performed Hoochie Coochie Man with Nick Reynolds of the Alabama 3 in front of Mud Morganfield – Muddy Waters’ son, Snow belted out his 1992 global platinum hit Informer and Dave Courtney’s daughter, Courtney Courtney, won the rising star award.

PP Arnold was a vibrant presence on stage

Other highlights included Mud taking the stage himself (again with Reynolds), Kid Creole And The Coconuts’ energetic rendition of Annie I’m Not Your Daddy and a potent set from the Alabama 3, making good on their promise to deliver upbeat, acid house country all night long.

In short, the atmosphere was electric, warm and wild – as unpredictable as Boisdale always is at its best under the singular leadership of owner Ranald Macdonald.

This year’s winners were as follows:

Reggae Artist

UB40 

Best Album

Suzi Quatro and KT Tunstall 

for Face To Face

Global Icon

Snow  

Outstanding Contribution 

To Music

Gregory Porter 

Scottish Artist 

The Cuban Brothers

Canadian rapper Snow performed Informer after winning the Global Icon award

Lifetime Legend

Kid Creole And The Coconuts 

Blues Artists

Alabama 3 

+ Mud Morganfield

Soul Artist

Shalamar 

Instrumentalist

Bluey

Rising Star

Courtney Courtney

Band

The Brand New Heavies 

Jazz Artist

Polly Gibbons 

Female Artist 

PP Arnold

Male Artist

Howard Hewett

UPCOMING GIGS AT BOISDALE OF CANARY WHARF
 
PP Arnold
OCT 25- 9.30pm
From £19, show only. From £69, with dinner
A living legend in the soul world and this year’s best female artist, audiences can expect hits such as The First Cut Is The Deepest, Angel Of The Morning and It Won’t Be Christmas Without You. Critically acclaimed, she’s worked with everyone from Stevie Wonder and Ike And Tina Turner to Nick Drake to the Small Faces.


Citrus Sun ft. Imaani
NOV 15 - 9.30pm 
From £19, show only. From £69, with dinner
Formed by musician Bluey in the late 1990s, this group are set to present music from their latest album with inspiration from guitarist Jim Mullen. Expect jazzy numbers such as Mais Uma Vez and Calling Mr Wolf from the rhythm section and star of Incognito, fresh from winning the Instrumentalist award at Boisdale.


Jools Holland's Boogie Woogie Spectacular
APR 24, 2024 - 9.15pm 

From £149, with dinner (there is no show-only option)


This might be a way off, but Jools Holland’s Boogie Woogie And Blues Spectacular always sells out with the band leader allowed to indulge in his great passion for tickling the ivories. The evening will also feature the talents of Neville Dickie, the hair of Axel Zwingenberger (google him) and the slick playing of Ladyva.

With unexpected collaborations, dancing on the tables and a spirited address from rapper Big Narstie, it was an event to remember.

Here’s what a few of the winners had to say:

Gregory Porter

Outstanding Contribution To Music

“It’s wonderful to win this award. The community of musicians and artists here are some of the best, so I’m really honoured. 

“Having Muddy Waters’ son in the audience and performing one of the songs that made his name was incredible – it’s the history and the lineage of the music and I’m appreciative of Boisdale for that.”

Dave Courtney’s daughter Courtney Courtney warms up during the sound check

Courtney Courtney

Rising Star

“My mind’s a little bit blown, to be honest. I’ve always sung.

“My brothers and my cousins all make music but I’ve only recently started to write my own stuff.

“I’m testing the waters. People seem to be enjoying what I’m making and so I’m going to keep creating. 

“I write with my best friend – he’s been through every major life event with me and that’s amazing. 

“At the moment, heartbreak is my inspiration – it’s one of the only emotions I’ve processed and healed from and it’s easier to write when you’re on the other side of something.”

Mud Morganfield 

Blues Artist

“It’s fantastic to be recognised in this country.

“I’ve pretty much spent my whole life in music and I’d give anyone starting out the same advice – you don’t need a drink or drugs to play better, don’t believe the hype.

“You just need what God gave you.

“The blues is everything to me, it’s life. You can run but you can’t hide. It might not catch you today, but it’ll catch you tomorrow.

“I had this music running through my head since I got to this world. A lot of my music is my father’s – a lot of people didn’t get a chance to see Muddy Waters and I just hope I can give them a glimpse of what that might have been like.

“I don’t think anyone gets the style quite like I do and I’m proud of that.” 

Gregory Porter performed Hoochie Coochie Man with the aid of Jools Holland and the Alabama 3’s Nick Reynolds

Rob Spragg aka Larry Love

Blues Artist

“When the Alabama 3 started, it was very much with this kind of awards ceremony in mind. We’d go to the Brit Awards and pretend we were from Alabama, not Brixton.

“Now we’ve risen to the heights of Boisdale in Cabot Square. I was totally spooked out by seeing Mud perform – we sampled Muddy Waters on Woke Up This Morning, which became the theme song for The Sopranos on TV.

“The blues allows for a certain raggedy-ness that the world needs alongside earthy rock and roll.

“Hopefully, this award puts us on the ladder of success after years of dirty gigs and tours – maybe we’ll wind up in some penthouse in New Jersey or something.

“For us, creating music is about the community you put yourself in and what you absorb.

“We’re very blessed by the stories that Brixton generates and all those things that come out at 4am in the pubs – then we put it all together in the studio.”

Muddy Waters’ son, Mud Morganfield in full flow

Polly Gibbons

Jazz Artist

“I’ve never won an award before so I’m very pleased. It’s lovely to have been considered and even better to have won.

“I’ve just released my ninth album, although in some ways it feels like my first, because this is the only one to feature all my own songs and arrangements.

“It’s called As It Is and the song I performed was Man Of Moderation, which is about my dad and features my family on backing vocals.

“He was diagnosed with Parkinsons but was quite a dynamic person – he played electric bass, got me into the blues and founded a festival called Green Belt.

“The disease has brought him to his knees – he was 6ft 2” and is now about 5ft 8” and it’s my observations as a daughter of a life very well lived.”

Howard Hewett

Male Artist

“I’ve been singing since I was 10 years old – inspired by my mum.

“She was a gospel promoter in Ohio and that’s how I cut my teeth.

“As an artist and lead singer of Shalamar, the thing I want to communicate to my audience is integrity.

“There’s a whole lot of crap out there right now, so it’s about quality not fads.

“Connecting with people when you’re performing is a really great feeling. That’s what we need.”

  • The Boisdale Music Awards takes place annually, usually in September.

Find out more about the venue here

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Leamouth: How Uber Boat By Thames Clippers is cutting emissions of the river

CEO Sean Collins on the launch of hybrid vessel Earth Clipper and forthcoming cross-river services

Uber Boat By Thames Clippers CEO Sean Collins

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The passenger craft Sean Collins has been running on London’s great river have always had a futuristic edge to them.

Starting with three Hydrocats in 1999 – each able to carry 62 people from Greenland Pier in Rotherhithe into the City – the zippy little twin-hulled craft helped carve out an image of Docklands’ modernisation that boosted the area’s ongoing regeneration.

As Canary Wharf, east and south-east London have grown and developed – so too has the river bus service, now based at Trinity Buoy Wharf.

Today, the vessels in Uber Boat By Thames Clippers’ fleet are larger – long slender craft that hug the water as their engines blast them rapidly along. 

While to the untrained eye, the sleek lines of the 220-passenger vessels might appear similar, don’t be fooled.

There’s change afoot – a journey that started with the arrival of Venus Clipper in 2019 as the service targeted green improvement. 

The next step on that path, somewhat delayed by the pandemic, was the recent launch of Earth Clipper – a vessel that is aesthetically similar to the rest of the fleet, but is also completely different.

Earth Clipper runs purely on battery power in central London

Firstly, at 40 metres long, she can carry an extra 10 passengers. 

But this is a mere tweak in comparison to the main difference – the way she is propelled. Earth Clipper uses a hybrid combination of electric power and biofuel power to slice through the brown waters of the Thames.

In central London, she uses only an electric motor with a biofuel engine kicking in out east to recharge her batteries and push water through her jets.

“Earth Clipper has been just under three years in the making.

“We started working on the specification in 2019,” said Sean, CEO of Uber Boat By Thames Clippers.

“We needed extra capacity, to be able to serve our routes with the expansion down to Barking – the increasing volumes that were there and those in the pipeline, such as Battersea.

“We’d just commissioned their predecessor – Venus Clipper – and we were already focused on reducing weight and therefore power in that vessel.

“That was already a 20% emissions improvement on the core boats in our fleet for the same carrying capacity.

The boat is similar to other vessels in the fleet but produces 90% less CO2 emissions

“With that one, we were asking how we could make the boat lighter while providing an enhanced level of comfort and all the facilities our passengers expected.

“We worked on that whole design with 123 Naval Architects and came up with Venus.

“From that, we decided we had to move it on to the next level.”

The drive to do that came from the company’s goal to cut carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and to achieve net zero for the overall business by 2040.

Sean said: “Boats have to last 25-30 years – they haven’t got a similar shelf life to most other above ground vehicles. 

“With that in mind, to reach our sustainability goals, we realised we had to have a significant step forward.

“We looked at the options, took a lot of data from the operating profile of Venus and used it to establish what might be achieved by using a hybrid model. 

“From that, we realised we were not going to be able to achieve 100% battery power at high speeds, but that we could when going more slowly, as we do in central London.

“We formulated a specification and went to the shipyard that had built our previous five vessels and signed contracts to move on with building Earth Clipper.

She has a biofuel engine that charges her batteries and provides power outside the centre of London

“It does exactly what we wanted it to do.

“The model has resulted in a 90% reduction in our CO2 emissions and a 65% drop in oxides of nitrogen and sulphur.

“Those are figures based on measurements we’ve taken during actual running on the Thames.

“There are two more in build – Celestial and Mars – which will both have joined the fleet by spring 2024.

“We all have a duty of care and a duty to deliver on improving the environment.”

There are other benefits too.

Earth and its two sister ships hail from the Wight Shipyard Co on at East Cowes on the Isle Of Wight – a boost to the local economy with 65 people involved in their construction, including 14 apprentices. 

There are also other operational benefits closer to home – welcome news as passenger numbers are already exceeding levels seen in 2019.

“Earth is significantly quieter and smoother on battery and that’s even the case when the engine is running,” said Sean.

“From a noise perspective, it’s a significant improvement and there’s absolutely no compromise at all from the customer’s point of view.

“The seating is also an upgrade in design – we’ve managed to make all 230 lighter, improving the efficiency of the vessel.

“We had to add nearly nine tonnes of additional weight with cabling, batteries and the motor to enable us to use this method of powering the boat.

“So that’s a process we’ve been through with every component.

“When stepping on Earth Clipper, we feel a sense of achievement.

“We’re really inspired by feedback from the public and also the crews that are working on the boat.

“They really love it – the technical advances and the sense of having taken that step forward.”

The use of battery-only power in central London equates to an extra 16.5% reduction in emissions in comparison to using the biofuel engine alone.

In the future, Sean said hydrogen would likely provide further cuts in emissions as electrical power was currently impractical as a way to deliver high speed services on the river, given the charging times needed.

Earth Clipper can carry 10 extra passengers

A Rotherhithe – Canary Wharf Crossing

However, Uber Boat By Thames Clippers is also pressing ahead with plans for an all-electric cross-river service for pedestrians and cyclists.

The aim is to have this up and running on the company’s Rotherhithe-to-Canary Wharf route by spring 2025 and then use it as a template for similar services elsewhere.

Sean said: “We’re committed to delivering that as part of our plans to invest £70million in new boats up to 2030.

“There are also opportunities between Silvertown and Charlton as well as Thamesmead and Barking in the east.

“We’re also aiming to add more stops including a pier that has planning permission at Blackwall Yard, which the developer will hopefully build over the next few years.

“One of the things that happened over the pandemic is that more people discovered the river and we’ve had three record days this year. 

“Our figures for 2022 were higher than 2019 and Canary Wharf, for example, is thriving. The footfall at that pier is exceeding pre-Covid levels.”

Find out more about Uber Boat By Thames Clippers here

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Canary Wharf: How the Mandala Lab aims to transform emotions into wisdom

Installation by The Rubin Museum at Union Square on Wood Wharf is based on Buddhist philosophy

Tim McHenry of The Rubin Museum Of Art in New York

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Tim McHenry’s job is essentially to get people interested in things.

A lithe and slender man with a strong shirt game, the chief programmatic officer of The Rubin Museum Of Art in New York is an erudite guide as he takes me round the institution’s Mandala Lab in Canary Wharf.

The cylindrical installation popped up in Wood Wharf’s Union Square in September, is free to visit and opens daily from noon until 6pm (8pm on Thursdays).

It’s set to remain in place until November 25, 2023 – but what on Earth is it?

“As the name might indicate, it’s an experiment,” said Tim.

“All we do at The Rubin is inspired by the significant body of Himalayan art we have in our collection – it’s an exploration of mind and a negation of life and death, the deep stuff.

“In order to welcome people into that, we thought we might want to bring them into the shallower end of the pool until they learn to swim.

“It needs to be accessible, not only because the wheelchair ramps work, but also because if you look at a painting in the collection, you might not understand it.

“Walk inside this version of a painting that we’ve created here in Canary Wharf, however, and its meaning becomes clear because it’s a visceral journey, and it will help you see what it is about you that you have the capacity to change.

The Mandala Lab is located in Union Square, Canary Wharf

“The experience is based on a Tibetan Buddhist painting in The Rubin’s collection – a mandala, which in Sanskrit means circle.

“It has no beginning and no end, it’s all encompassing. This is a microcosm of your mind.

“Your embarkation point is on the outer rim and you’ve got to find your way to become the middle.

“At the centre is all-encompassing wisdom, but this only comes about by fully understanding what ignorance is.

“The Lab has four segments, each of which has a portal, the green room for envy, blue for anger, yellow for pride and red for attachment.

“You can enter through any of them.

“We’ve represented the mandala in the painting physically so people can step inside – it’s a metaphorical embodiment of the principles in the painting.

“All we’re doing is asking that people step inside – like Mary Poppins and Bert jumping into chalk on the pavement.”

For Envy, visitors synchronise their breathing with a pulsating light

The experience comes in four parts.

  • Envy sees visitors synchronise their breathing with a light, together with others in the same space.
  • Pride is a chance to look at oneself in a distorted mirror before deciding which of four categories one fits into.
  • Attachment is an opportunity to explore scent and memory.
  • Anger is a chance to hit a gong before lowering it into a tank of water and seeing the furious vibrations quickly dissipate in the calming liquid.

Incidentally, the gongs have been designed by various prominent individuals including celebrated percussionist Evelyn Glennie and Peter Gabriel, formerly of Genesis.

Tim and The Rubin are more than happy to call in celebrities to further the museum’s reach and expose more people to the ideas in its collection.

“Since joining The Rubin when it opened just over 20 years ago, it’s been my job to make Himalayan art accessible and popular, using many techniques including high profile people, contemporary artists and culture,” said Tim who ran events for the New Yorker magazine prior to his role at the museum.

“What was really transformative was recognising that Buddhist art is largely about an exploration of the mind and with that came the interesting idea of looking at this philosophy in comparison to what we understand about how our brains work – the latest neuroscience. 

For Attachement, visitors explore smell and memory

“We ran a series called Brainwave where we would have a scientist on stage with someone from a different walk of life and we’d try to unpack our behaviour and the choices we make by virtue of the context. 

“We had Jake Gyllenhall on dreams, for example, and Whoopi Goldberg on time, which brought The Rubin attention – particularly secular – that it might not otherwise have had given that the art is largely Tibetan Buddhist and to some degree ritualistic in that it’s an exercise of the mind.”

That’s exactly the point of the Mandala Lab and you don’t need to be famous to experience it – although, incidentally, actor Brian Cox (Logan Roy in the excellent Succession) did pop up at the launch party to bash a gong in anger.

It’s intended as a journey of self discovery – a series of activities designed to provoke thoughts about the self, our place in the world and our relationship to others. 

“Envy, for example, is devoted to this exploration of this rather sharp-elbowed, competitive thing that sometimes inhabits our minds and hearts,” said Tim.

Percussionist Evelyn Glennie performs at the Mandala Lab launch

“Why did someone else get a pay rise and I didn’t? Whatever it is, it’s something that we feel we lack in ourselves – it’s always self-centric.

“Here the exercise is super simple – if the first thing you did in your life was take a breath, then it will probably be the last, and that’s all we’re asking people to do.

“They breathe in time with a light source. 

“One of the most interesting advances in psychology and neuroscience is the idea of entrainment, where individuals sit in the same space and do something at the same pace. 

“Their heartbeats start to align and that starts to develop that subliminal bond and, over time and repeated exposure, will start to foster pro-social behaviour, because we think of ourselves as one.

“When that happens, there’s nobody left to be envious of. It’s a metaphor, but it’s an experience metaphor, and this is what Mandala Lab is all about.”

Over the course of the four segments, visitors are gently exposed to the idea that we are all connected, that we are all the same and that we are also all different and individual – that these things are all true at the same time. 

Actor Brian Cox watches his anger dissipate at the Mandala Lab

“It’s about establishing these teachings which are all about how we navigate our emotions – how we can harness the energy that we expend on maintaining them into a greater understanding of how we can deal with life,” said Tim.

“The aim is that we’re not buffeted by these reactive feelings of anger, attachment, envy and pride, which we find hard to control. Indeed, when we can’t control them, we tend to lash out and damage others and ourselves, which can lead to grief. 

“Those behaviours can become habitual patterns that are ultimately harmful.

“What we’ve experienced in New York with the Lab is a move to a more selfless nature – from the individual to the community – that’s something we could certainly do with a little more of.

“I hope this installation is a spur to understanding for people on the Wharf – it’s free to everyone so come on down.”

Find out more about the Mandala Lab here

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Greenwich Peninsula: How Björn from ABBA welcomes Antony from Blue to Mamma Mia! The Party at The O2

Ulvaeus and Costa talk music, Greek heritage and performance as a new Nikos arrives at the venue

Antony Costa and Björn Ulvaeus at Mamma Mia! The Party in The O2

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Björn Ulvaeus is in a jovial, reflective mood – surprising, perhaps, for a global megastar who’s already spent much of his morning being interviewed by a merry-go-round of journalists at The O2 before I get to him.

He’s at the Greenwich Peninsula venue to mark the arrival of Antony Costa – best known as one quarter of boy band Blue, who has just joined the cast of Mamma Mia! The Party, which has been playing in its own dedicated space within the giant tent since 2019. 

There’s a feeling of serendipity about the whole thing.

ABBA – namely Björn, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad – reportedly gave their first impromptu performance on a beach while on holiday in Cyprus.

Antony has Greek Cypriot heritage and is the first person in the London run directly connected with the culture to take on the role of taverna owner Nikos, whose establishment is the setting for the immersive show.

Antony performing in the show

Sat in the vast space, completely transformed into a restaurant on Skopelos with hundreds of seats, it’s impossible not to wonder what moments of fresh serendipity might take place under the lights as Antony and co dance, sing and entertain the expectant crowds.

Who might be inspired? What might they do?

“Everything with ABBA was so organic, it happened by chance,” said Björn.

“Benny and I happened to meet each other, then we happened to meet those ladies and they happened to be singers.

“They could easily have been something else.

“We never thought about forming a group until two or three years into our relationships – we were just two couples.

“Then, again by chance, Agnetha is a true soprano, and Frida is a mezzo – it’s when she strives to get up to where Agnetha is and they sing in unison, there’s a strange kind of metallic, longing sound which you can hear from miles away.

“That is the sound of ABBA. It has a quality that, when the song is a bit sad, in a minor key and the lyrics are dark, the voices seem to be jubilant, so happy and sad at the same time.

Performers sing and dance among the audience

“It’s very Nordic and it was probably very exotic to the rest of the world.

“Then, at the same time, Benny and I were determined to become very good songwriters and to record our music as well as we could. 

“ABBA was the most wonderful vehicle to communicate those songs though, so it was a combination of all of those things that led to our success.”

One of the best-selling groups in the history of popular music, next came Mamma Mia! the jukebox musical, a film adaptation – then a second – each adding fresh waves of popularity and further cementing the presence of hits such as Dancing Queen, Super Trouper, The Winner Takes It All and Waterloo in the public consciousness.

Mamma Mia! The Party, however is different.

Conceived after a visit to Skopelos to see the film set, Björn set about creating an immersive experience that would serve as a sequel to the movies – initially opening in Stockholm – before bringing the show to London.

The show takes place in a giant Greek taverna

“That’s the thing about this – it’s so real,” he said.

“It’s a real restaurant. The audience are eating, it has an owner, he’s called Nikos and the family are working here.

“The movies are fiction, but this is real and that’s what people feel when they come.

“People would stand up, sing and dance at the end of the stage musical and I wondered how we could make this immersive.

“It feels great because you can see people enjoying the music, singing all the words and it’s real.”  

Antony, who hails from Barnet in north London, said: “The idea is that people leave their troubles at the door, they just enjoy the vibe, the music and the story.

“Nikos and his wife Kate (Gemma Maclean) have had this idea that they will make some money off the back of the movies.

“ABBA is popular, so they decide to use the songs.

Performances include a Greek meal

“They trade off the taverna as a location and that’s how the story begins. It’s my second immersive show and it’s amazing.

“You have to be in character but you can go up to the tables and ask the guests how their food is.

“They’re always sending their compliments to the chef, they love it.

“My dad’s family are all Greek-Cypriot, so when I lived in Cyprus as a kid, I used to see it all the time – gran peeling the potatoes, dad smoking and cooking the barbecue – and that makes it real.

“I was actually a bit emotional that someone had taken the trouble to write something set in the motherland.

“It really brought me back to living in Cyprus as a kid and going to the taverna with the whole family. 

“I feel very honoured to be performing these songs and to have Björn watching and for him to say: ‘Well done’ – I can die happy. I saw his face light up and that was better than any applause.”

Following the establishment of Mamma Mia! The Party, the eastern half of the capital is busy with the band’s footprint thanks to ABBA Voyage – a holographic concert venue featuring avatars of the four members – that opened in 2022, not far away in Stratford.

Guitarist Luke Higgins performs on a Bouzouki

“London is where all the infrastructure and talent is, so it was a no-brainer to bring the party here in 2019 after Stockholm,” said Björn.

“There’s a huge audience here, all prepared to try something new – an experiment, which this is, in essence.

“From here, we’re going to take it to other places around the world – perhaps New York and Sydney.

“Seeing Antony as Nikos was very special because he gives his own interpretation of the role.

“As the first person to play the role in London who comes from a Greek background, he completely understands who Nikos is and that is great – I loved seeing it.”

Mamma Mia! The Party runs Wednesday to Sunday at 6.30pm with noon matinees at weekends.

Tickets start at £108 off peak with various upgrades available.

You can find out more about Mamma Mia! The Party here.

Read more: Sign up for the Santa Stair Climb at One Canada Square

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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