Wapping Archives - Wharf Life

September 3, 2025September 3, 2025

Anton Lesser set to appear in two shows at Wilton’s Music Hall

Actor will reprise roles in Red Sky At Sunrise: Laurie Lee In Words And Music and A Beautiful Thread: Thomas Hardy In Words And Music at the gloriously ramshackle Wapping venue this September

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Actor Anton Lesser is set to star in two shows celebrating the lives and works of Laurie Lee and Thomas Hardy at Wilton's Music Hall - image supplied by Hambletts Productions — Actor Anton Lesser is set to star in two shows celebrating the lives and works of Laurie Lee and Thomas Hardy at Wilton’s Music Hall – image supplied by Hambletts Productions

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I confess I’m a little nervous ahead of my video call with Anton Lesser.

Despite a varied career on screen and stage, the actor is perhaps best known for playing creepy vivisectionist Qyburn in Game Of Thrones and haughty, sinister Major Lio Partagaz in Star Wars telly spin-off Andor (including a brief appearance in Canary Wharf, standing in for the Evil Empire).

In both roles he has the eyes of a man who sees killing as something necessary, if a little distasteful.

Fortunately, it’s all an act.

There’s no indication suspects are awaiting interrogation in holding cells in the basement of his home.

Instead, Anton is twinkly and animated with a joyful enthusiasm as we talk about his forthcoming appearances at Wilton’s Music Hall in Wapping.

Red Sky At Sunrise: Laurie Lee In Words And Music and A Beautiful Thread: Thomas Hardy In Words And Music are coming to the gloriously tumbledown Wapping venue this month (September 2025) with four performances of each.

Presented by Hambletts Productions, the shows follow a similar format – Anton and another actor performing words to tell the stories of each author with a live soundtrack from the Orchestra Of The Swan under the baton of musical director David Le Page.

Red Sky At Sunrise features actors and musicians - image supplied by Hambletts Productions — Red Sky At Sunrise features actors and musicians – image supplied by Hambletts Productions

Anton Lesser, on taking the stage…

“Quite simply, it’s the most enjoyable thing I’ve ever done,” said Anton.

“When we’re performing it, I feel that I’m part of a single experience.

“It’s not like doing a play, where you’re in a costume, in make-up and you’ve built a character that’s one element of a production.

“Sometimes I’m sitting on stage, surrounded by musicians – who are totally immersed in their instruments and their skill – and I’m so open and vulnerable because of that.

“It feels inspiring in a way that I’ve never felt with other forms of performance and it’s a great privilege to be part of it.

“The words and the lives that we’re trying to illustrate are so moving, so tender, so wonderful and human that it demands the best of you – the greatest honesty.

“The music the orchestra plays, which underscores beautiful words and poetry just calls you into a different space.

“Hopefully that is transmitted to the audience and I think it is because people who have experienced it have said to me they’ve never seen anything like it before.

“It’s neither pure reading, nor acting, but with an immediacy that comes from the huge emotional impact the music has upon the words, and vice versa, and the interplay we as actors enjoy with the musicians on-stage.”

Red Sky comes to Wilton’s following a successful run at the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford-Upon-Avon and a sold-out show at the Wapping venue last year.

Anton takes on the role of Laurie Lee later in life, with Charlie Hamblett playing the author as a younger man as we follow him through Cider With Rosie, As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning and A Moment Of War – a tale that sees him fighting Franco’s fascists with the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War.

Lucia Bonbright will join Anton on stage for A Beautiful Thread - image by Hambletts Productions — Lucia Bonbright will join Anton on stage for A Beautiful Thread – image by Hambletts Productions

enchanted by the authors

Anton, who initially studied architecture before an epiphany in Nigeria while watching a documentary on the RSC, said: “When I was approached, I think there’s a kind of assumption that everyone has read Cider With Rosie at school or somewhere, but actually I never had.

“I opened that book and I was blown away.

“Then you start to read his other stuff, the short stories and poetry. I thought it was incredible, brilliant, a revelation.

“With Hardy, it was similar. I’d seen one or two films – Tess Of The D’Ubervilles or Far From The Madding Crowd – and read a couple of books.

“The revelation there was his verse. He is the most magnificent poet.

“His poems are little dramas.

“When I first read the volume of collected works he produced, I thought I’d turn down the corners of my favourites.

“I ended up turning down all the corners.

“If you’re familiar with Lee or Hardy and you come and see these shows, you’ll have a wonderful time because there will be things you recognise and adore.

“But if you don’t know their work it will be an absolute revelation.”

Charlie Hamblett, Anton Lesser and David Le Page - image supplied by Hambletts Productions — Charlie Hamblett, Anton Lesser and David Le Page – image supplied by Hambletts Productions

Thomas Hardy in words and music

A Beautiful Thread, which has been performed at Stonehenge to much acclaim is an evolution of the form.

Anton, together with recent theatre school graduate Lucia Bonbright bring Hardy to life alongside his mother, Jemima and his wives Emily and Florence as well as George Bernard Shaw, Virginia Woolf and characters from his novels.

Both shows are directed by Hambletts’ Judy Reaves, working alongside writer and adapter Deirdre Shields.

Works by composers such as Vaughan Williams, Walton, Holst, Elgar, Britten, Grainger, Albeniz, Turina and De Falla feature in Red Sky, while audiences will hear from Holst, Warlock and contemporary folk in A Beautiful Thread.

“For me it’s really the joy in the way Judy and Deirdre have constructed these pieces,” said Anton.

“They’re unique in the way we flow in and out of the music and in and out of the characters.

“It’s very unpredictable. The loveliest thing about it is when we seem to inspire the orchestra and the musicians inspire us.

“The relationship is really alive. It’s not a reading followed by some music.

“It’s one thing and it morphs and changes – something that’s very rich and very beautiful.

“David Le Page is the most amazing and wonderful musician – I can’t find the right word to honour him enough.

“I’ll look across while he’s playing some music and he’s completely gone, or he’ll look at me while I’m reading a poem, and afterwards he’ll come up to me and say the same – we’re just absolutely amazed.

“It’s as though we’ve found this great little family.

“My first job was with the RSC and I’ve been very lucky in my career.

“I love it all – the screen, the stage, the audio books.

“But these productions are some of the loveliest things I’ve ever done and I don’t even have to learn lines.”

key details: Anton Lesser at Wilton’s Music Hall

Red Sky At Sunrise: Laurie Lee In Words And Music is set to run at Wilton’s Music Hall from September 15-17, 2025.

It will be followed by A Beautiful Thread: Thomas Hardy In Words And Music from September 18-20, 2025.

Evening performances are at 7pm with a 2pm show on the last day of each run.

Tickets start at £17 with 10% off if both shows are booked together.

Find out more about the productions here

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July 26, 2025July 26, 2025

Thames River Police Museum is a hidden gem in Wapping

Located at Wapping Police Station, the collection offers a glimpse into the lives of those who look after the safety and security of the waterways

The Thames River Police Museum has a wealth of exhibits from more than 200 years of operation - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — The Thames River Police Museum has a wealth of exhibits from more than 200 years of operation – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

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Gabriel Franks was fatally shot just outside what is today Wapping Police Station.

The murder took place during a riot on October 16, 1798 and, at the age of 22, he became the first serving officer to be killed in the line of duty anywhere in the world.

Today, Gabriel continues to be honoured by the Metropolitan Police’s Marine Policing Unit through the name of one of its fast response vessels.

His is just one of a mountain of stories to be found in the Thames River Police Museum – a room stuffed to bursting point with artefacts, curios, models, weapons, uniforms and documents piled high over the more than 200 years that the world’s oldest police force has looked after the water.

Unfortunately, apart from the odd open day, it’s not an especially easy collection to access because Wapping Police Station is a working building.

The museum’s website still recommends that interested parties send a letter with a stamped, self-addressed envelope so the curator can reply.

Thankfully, there is also an email address to contact.

A rocket-propelled rope launcher at the museum - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — A rocket-propelled rope launcher at the museum – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

a quick visit to the Thames River Police Museum

Even during a brief visit, however, it’s possible to get a sense of the depth within.

There are oil paintings depicting officers policing the river, a handsome portrait of magistrate Patrick Colquhoun, who was instrumental in the force’s establishment, and innumerable pictures of sports teams competing from its ranks over the years.

There are handcuffs, cutlasses and a rocket-propelled device to fire a rope over the water – not to mention plenty of information about the various craft operated by officers over the years.

But then there are deeply human stories – a newspaper article celebrating Marion Dutton, “the only female diver in the Met’s Marine Policing Unit” from The London Paper in 2007.

There’s a signed portrait of Jack Warner as Sgt Dixon of Dock Green, addressed to the unit’s chief superintendent plus a menu from the Catering Department from a time when a pork sausage would have cost a peckish policeman all of 18p.

Just above is a cartoon with the look of Punch about it poking fun at the river cops as “the senior service” with officers enjoying a snooze in a boat on the Thames.

A view of working police boats from the museum - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — A view of working police boats from the museum – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

the grim and the mundane

But there’s tragedy here too among the painstakingly crafted models of boats created by former constables.

On the wall there’s a plaque recognising officers’ efforts to save lives in the aftermath of the Marchioness Disaster as they rescued 50 of the 80 survivors after the ship sank with 131 passengers and crew on board following a collision with another vessel.

There’s also a fingerprinting kit with a strip of red tape reminding officers that it’s suitable for helping to identify dead bodies.

The death of Gabriel Franks in the year the force was established is a stark reminder of the challenges and often grim parts of the job.

While Gabriel lost his life due to the unpopularity of the principle that those stealing cargo from ships docked in London should perhaps be stopped, the river has also seen its fair share of violent crime and tragedy.

The museum neither shies away from this, nor sugar-coats it, simply presenting events cheek-by-jowl with the reality of the men and women tasked with looking after the safety and security of those on the water.

Undoubtedly, the museum in its current form is a treasure – there’s something wonderful in its haphazard presentation that reflects the layers of surprising history within.

Walking its narrow pathways between old blue lamps and diving suits is a singular, unpretentious experience.

It is a shame, however, that more people aren’t able to see this stuff.

Perhaps the Museum Of London Docklands should mount a special exhibition if taking charge of the collection on a more permanent basis would be impossible.

The Thames River Police Museum is locate at Wapping Police Station - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — The Thames River Police Museum is locate at Wapping Police Station – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

key details: Thames River Police Museum

The Thames River Police Museum is currently only available to view by appointment or on occasional open days such as the annual Wapping Shindig.

Find out more about the museum here

Police cutlasses at the Thames River Police Museum - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — Police cutlasses at the Thames River Police Museum – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

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April 2, 2025April 2, 2025

Dear Loll brings a couple’s wartime letters to Wilton’s Music Hall

Adaptation for the stage sees correspondence between Gerard and Alice Fay form the basis of a new show

Rosanna Greenstreet and her husband, Matthew Fay, have worked together to adapt his grandparents’ story for the stage from their wartime letters as Dear Loll - image by Gail Fogarty — Rosanna Greenstreet and her husband, Matthew Fay, have worked together to adapt his grandparents’ story for the stage from their wartime letters as Dear Loll – image by Gail Fogarty

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“Like a lot of people, my journey into the past is through my family,” said Matthew Fay.

“When my parents were moving house, a box emerged from the attic that my dad had kept his whole life, but never opened.

“Inside there were letters from my grandfather and my grandmother, written during the Second World War – hundreds of them.

“They pretty much wrote every day for four years.

“My dad died very soon after that, so he never read them, but I decided to keep them, without really being sure what to do with them.

“During lockdown, I started to get a bit curious about them and the story they told.”

Matthew’s grandparents were Manchester Guardian journalist Gerard Fay and his wife Alice, who he addresses as Loll – short for Lollipop.

While “Ger” was called up to fight in 1940 and spent much time in military training across the country, Loll remained at home in the north of England.

While apart, they communicated pretty much solely by letter, writing once or sometimes twice a day.

“I thought the letters were absolutely fascinating,” said Rosanna Greenstreet – a freelance journalist who has compiled Saturday Guardian’s celebrity Q&A column for more than three decades. She’s also Matthew’s wife.

“They were all jumbled up in the box, sometimes with just the day of the week written at the top.

“So I set about trying to put them in order using references to events in the war, his army stories, her domestic stories and his rise through the ranks to ultimately become a major.

“Then I digitised them.”

Alice and Gerard with their son, Stephen, Matthew’s father, during the Second World War - image courtesy Matthew Fay — Alice and Gerard with their son, Stephen, Matthew’s father, during the Second World War – image courtesy Matthew Fay

publishing the letters

The couple then released the first six months of letters as an e-book and Rosanna published a piece in The Guardian about the rediscovery of Ger and Loll’s correspondence, before being inspired by a trip to the theatre.

“We went to see a fabulous production of Red Sky At Sunrise with Anton Lesser and Charlie Hamblett playing Laurie Lee the older and younger,” said Rosanna.

“It was a biographical work with music from an on-stage orchestra and we felt it was so moving.

“I thought we should approach the director, Judy Reaves, and do something similar based on the letters, so I wrote to her and she went for it.”

The result is Dear Loll – A Wartime Marriage In Letters, which is set to play at Wilton’s Music Hall on the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Adapted by the couple and starring Charlie Hamblett as Ger and Daisy Waterstone as Loll, the play is a tale of physical and mental survival, of the experiences of ordinary people during wartime, of the loneliness of separation.

“For the show, it was a question of finding the narrative arc,” said Rosanna.

“There’s so much of interest in the letters.

“Loll is looking after their toddler, Matthew’s father Stephen, and they then have another daughter and she moves into her own home.

“Then you have Ger’s military career, which reaches a climax when he takes part in D-Day and is wounded.

“They row in the letters too and we were very excited when we found the sex, discussion of contraception and pregnancy.”

The letters have now been ordered and digitised - image courtesy Matthew Fay — The letters have now been ordered and digitised – image courtesy Matthew Fay

curating the letters for Dear Loll

Matthew, who works as an academic and teacher, added: “We’d actually been to see another show based on letters from the same period, but they were a lot more formal.

“These aren’t like that, they’re very modern, which I was a bit surprised at given my preconceptions about the era.

“As we have both sides of the correspondence, audiences get two very different experiences of the war and I think that’s something very special.

“The letters are a conversation so the adaptation was about sharpening and highlighting that interaction for the stage.

“One of the things the producer asked us to do was to have a section in the play where it was almost like dialogue, with much shorter extracts from the letters to give it more of a feeling of two people talking.

“The drama is inherent in what they wrote, so it was a question of shaping that and making it clear that there were tensions in the relationship because they were apart and then the joy when they were reunited.

“They were also trying to understand each other’s experiences of the war as he’s trying to learn to be a soldier and she’s learning how to survive as a parent on her own.

“Part of what the audience will experience is a fresh, perhaps myth-busting look, at what it was like to be in the army and also what it was like living in Manchester over those four years.”

Alice, or Loll, with Stephen - image courtesy Matthew Fay — Alice, or Loll, with Stephen – image courtesy Matthew Fay

a showcase of period culture

The letters contain a wealth of cultural references, which Matthew and Rosanna have both taken delight in getting their teeth into and the play will feature music from the period played by the Le Page Orchestra on violin, cello, clarinet, bass and harp.

Rosanna said: “They write about all the books they’re reading, the films, ballet and all the musical concerts.

“They’re cultured, but they’re ordinary people – not the rich writing about the war – and that’s what makes this story so unusual.

“They also both have strong social consciences and they are very aware of what’s going on, and don’t want things to go back to where they were before the war.

“For example, Loll tries to find out if she can donate blood, and she’s also very interested in the Beveridge Report, about family allowance, and she’s asking why the family allowance should be given to the husband.

“One quote from her is: ‘I hope the country can be saved from the upper classes, not for them’.

“At one point, Ger goes on a course with the Dragoon Guards and he’s very dismissive of them and all their horses.”

Matthew added: “I think it’s going to be very interesting and moving to see my family on stage.

“I didn’t know my grandparents as they died very young, within a year of each other.

“Ger was a very big character who became the London editor of the Manchester Guardian. The war was part of his rise from very humble origins.

“He had this very successful career, but his legacy is quite complicated in some ways.

“He travelled everywhere as a journalist, wrote books, but he struggled hugely with alcohol too, so there’s a real bitter-sweetness about that story.

“The trauma of the war was so widespread, people didn’t really talk about it.

“When he was in the army, he was articulate – in his prime – and it’s really nice to be able to put that story on stage.”

Ger, or Major Gerard Fay, Loll's husband and a Manchester Guardian journalist - image courtesy Matthew Fay — Ger, or Major Gerard Fay, Loll’s husband and a Manchester Guardian journalist – image courtesy Matthew Fay

key details: Dear Loll

Dear Loll is set to be performed at Wilton’s Music Hall on May 30, 2025 at 7.30pm and on the following day at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

Tickets range from £17-£22, running time two hours.

Find out more and book tickets here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

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February 10, 2025February 10, 2025

Pride And Prejudice set for Wilton’s shows with GSC book debut

Cast of three will play some 19 roles as Jane Austen’s classic tale of love between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy arrives in east London

Sarah Gobran, Luke Barton and April Hughes disport themselves on stage in Pride And Prejudice - image Mark Dean — Sarah Gobran, Luke Barton and April Hughes disport themselves on stage in Pride And Prejudice – image Mark Dean

Over the course of a mere two hours, Luke Barton, April Hughes and Sarah Gobran will take on 17 roles, plus significant nods to a further two as the trio perform the tale of Pride And Prejudice on stage.

Coming to Wilton’s Music Hall mid March, the Guildford Shakespeare Company (GSC) is touring its 2024 adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel following the show’s successful debut last February and a run at the Jermyn Street Theatre in London last summer.

“It’s been one of those little gifts,” said Sarah, co-founder at GSC and one third of the multi-role cast. “I think it’s captured people’s hearts and that’s special.

“We did it first at Holy Trinity Church in Guildford and then in London – we’ll be in Ipswich this week, back to Guildford for two and then at Wilton’s before we take it on board the Cunard Queen Victoria cruise liner to Bermuda and then to an off-Broadway venue in New York.”

Tickets are already selling fast, so what’s the enduring appeal both of Austen’s story – published 225 years ago – and the company’s presentation of it?

GSC co-founders Sarah Gobran and Matt Pinches - image Matt Pereira — GSC co-founders Sarah Gobran and Matt Pinches – image Matt Pereira

the parts of Pride And Prejudice

“You’d think playing so many parts on stage wouldn’t work,” said Sarah, who adapted the book for the stage along with her fellow GSC co-founder Matt Pinches and director Abigail Pickard Price.

“But the idea came from the balls, where all these young people are constantly meeting and coupling off.

“However, in those days, you always had to have a chaperone present – people were never quite alone.

“That’s where the idea of the cast of three came from.

“It felt like an idea that might work – a circular feeling with the cast constantly swapping characters as they dance.

“Then we worked on turning it into a play and there’s something beautiful about the way it works.

“It’s a story that so many people know and we’ve been very true to the original language in the book – there are so many famous quotes and that’s because of how robustly Austen draws her characters.

“They are so clearly defined that it’s easy to dance across the ballroom, swap a bit of costume, adopt a different mannerism and suddenly become a different character.

“There’s one scene, for example, where I go from Caroline Bingley to Charlotte Lucas with scarcely a step across the stage.

“They are so different – Caroline is such a huge snob, very gregarious and very much a member of the upper class, whereas Charlotte is a modest young woman, not at all romantic, who simply seeks a marriage to someone with a comfortable home.

“It’s a real joy to be able to switch between all those characters, and you see the audience relish it.

“The book is very witty, very sharp – so there’s already so much humour in there, but having three actors play all the roles does have a comic element to it as well.

“That said, it’s about playing these roles with truth rather than sending the characters up.

“We’re in Regency costume in keeping with the setting, so it’s a nice blend of nostalgia and a story that reaches people’s hearts.

“I would like to hope it’s genuine feel-good theatre, which is true to the period but keeps things fresh.”

Sarah and April share a moment - image Mark Dean — Sarah and April share a moment – image Mark Dean

from open air to the stage

The Guildford Shakespeare Company was formed 19 years ago after Sarah came up with the idea of putting on an open air show in the gardens at Guildford Castle and asked Matt to help put on the show.

Both actors, they’ve continued producing work and expanding GSC into a registered charity that stages productions and works extensively with young people.

Matt said: “We still lead the company and are, in the old-fashioned sense, actor-managers as we still appear on stage.

“We began with a very simple mission, to create exceptional theatre in extraordinary places, often working in a site-responsive way and typically not in theatres.

“Over the last 19 years we’ve used castles, galleries, museums, quarries, lakes, West Horsey Place, where they filmed Ghosts for the BBC and even a Boeing 747.

“Wherever it is, we encourage the audience to engage with the space and its history so the shows we produce are more than just something to watch.

“Originally Pride And Prejudice was performed in a Georgian Church where audiences felt they were like guests at the various weddings that take place.

“While Wilton’s will be different, we’ll be working hard to create that same kind of feeling in east London.”

“Our shows are also our shop window, the other part of the work we do is our outreach education, which works with 24,000 people – young and old, across our region in a variety of different settings.

“A large part of that is about engaging socially excluded and least advantaged groups in our community.

“Projects range from primary after-school clubs to families with teenagers living with mental health challenges.

“We have a young carers programme and last year ran a knife-crime awareness project called Put Up Your Swords around our production of Romeo And Juliet.”

The actors all play multiple parts in the production - image Mark Dean — The actors all play multiple parts in the production – image Mark Dean

playing favourites

And who wouldn’t want an evening of fun in support of an organisation engaged in such laudable activities?

After all, Pride And Prejudice is a richly satirical comic blast and while Sarah revels in the rudeness and snobbery of playing Caroline Bingley, there’s one character she especially enjoys inhabiting.

“It’s Mrs Bennet,” she said. “She’s such a treat. Her house is always so chaotic and filled with noise.

“She’s a whirlwind, bombastic and loud, but we have to understand she also has five daughters none of whom stand to inherit their father’s house.

“She has to think about what will happen to the family should Mr Bennet die.

“She’s got to get their children married and that ambition is perfectly understandable, given the way things were.”

key details Pride And Prejudice

Pride And Prejudice is set to be performed at Wilton’s Music Hall in Wapping on March 10 and 11, 2025, at 7pm.

Standard tickets ranged from £12.50 to £27.

Find out more about the show here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

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November 20, 2024November 20, 2024

London Dock unveils homes at Jade Wharf in Wapping scheme

Development’s latest phase includes landscaped gardens as 2,000-home scheme rolls out

An artist's impression of London Dock in Wapping — An artist’s impression of London Dock in Wapping

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The translucent hues of a semi-precious stone much prized across Asia and readily imported over generations by the British, have given the latest phase of residential development London Dock its name.

Jade Wharf in Wapping is part of St George’s 2,000-home scheme and presents buyers with 99 apartments to choose from ranging in size from studios to three-beds.

The properties, which feature open-plan design and outdoor space as standard, are available to purchase off-plan now.

Prospective purchasers can expect floor-to-ceiling windows and kitchens set out with oak herringbone flooring, stone-effect worktops, a choice of colours and integrated smart appliances.

There’s also a Curators Collection of apartments that feature add-ons such as app-controlled security and Alexa-controlled lighting and music.

Bathrooms will boast free-standing marble basins and stone floors.

St George, which is part of the Berkeley Group, will also be undertaking extensive landscaping for residents to enjoy, promising a “calming and tranquil” communal garden with water features, trees, plants and places to sit.

Facilities at the development include The Club, which boasts a gym, squash court, virtual golf suite, swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room as well as a private screening room.

Properties at Jade Wharf feature balconies overlooking landscaped gardens

lounge around

Freshly launched alongside Jade Wharf is the scheme’s Mauretania Lounge, offering residents a wealth of facilities themed on a 20th century ocean liner.

Extending to some 6,000sq ft of space, these include a private dining room, an observation lounge, a drawing room and a Palm Room dedicated to relaxation.

St George managing director, Marcus Blake, said: “The London Docks was a bustling area of discovery and travel in its heyday and we have carefully honed this spirit into the creation of our latest collection of homes in Jade Wharf.

“The combination of artfully designed apartments, private gardens and hotel-style amenities, nestled between two of the largest financial centres in the world, creates a captivating offer for buyers.

“An established and friendly community, London Dock is already home to many residents who love the harmonious balance of living amongst 7.5acres of tranquil open space, just moments from the hustle and bustle of some of London’s most dynamic neighbourhoods.”

The Mauretania Lounge will open alongside Jade Wharf

building a community at London Dock

As a major regeneration project, London Dock already offers a selection of on-site amenities including established hospitality businesses such as Champagne Route, Urban Baristas, Slurp Noodles and Motherdough for pizza.

As well as a pharmacy, there’s E1 Crossfit and the recently launched Club Pilates (see Page 12) for those seeking to boost their fitness levels.

Located within walking distance of Shadwell DLR and Overground stations and Tower Hill Tube, the development also benefits from its proximity to the attractions of St Katharine Docks, Tower Bridge and the Tower Of London.

Residents can also easily walk to Whitechapel or Aldgate East for more restaurants, bars, shops and connections to the Elizabeth Line and District and Hammersmith And City lines respectively.

An artist's impression of the main staircase at the Mauretania Lounge — An artist’s impression of the main staircase at the Mauretania Lounge

key details: Jade Wharf at London Dock

Prices at Jade Wharf range from £715,000 to £1,335,000. Interested parties can call the sales team on 020 3966 6164, email sales@londondock.co.uk or visit the London Dock Sales and Marketing Suite at Arrival Square for more information.

Find out more about the development here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition 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

November 13, 2024November 13, 2024

Club Pilates brings comprehensive fitness offering to Wapping

London Dock development welcomes American chain as the business expands to the UK

Club Pilates' Wapping studio can host classes for up to 12 participants and boasts a wealth of equipment for people to use — Club Pilates’ Wapping studio can host classes for up to 12 participants and boasts a wealth of equipment for people to use

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

It would be nice to think that those living in the prosperous capital of a G7 country would have access to pretty much the best stuff in the world.

But it’s clear London is lagging behind in some areas.

A recent visit to Tokyo left me agog at its bullet trains, spotless streets and high quality cuisine.

Its urban planning makes the City look like a rather unambitious provincial backwater.

Then there’s the astonishing level of hygiene facilities – plentiful and mostly free – in a culture that really wasn’t content for the evolution of the toilet to essentially stop with the invention of the manual flush in 1596.

A trip to Wapping made something else plain – that the UK is also behind on certain health and fitness trends.

Pilates is clearly starting to have a moment in London.

Visit Third Space in Canary Wharf and you’ll find its Reformer Pilates classes consistently oversubscribed.

It’s really the extra kit that makes the difference.

Mat-based Pilates sessions are not so rare in community centres across the country.

But studios that allow groups of people to stretch and strengthen their bodies on equipment such as the spring-loaded reformers, Pilates chairs and springboards are far less common.

Club Pilates has opened its third UK branch at London Dock in Wapping

seeing an opportunity

It’s a niche Club Pilates is looking to fill.

Founded in San Diego in 2007, the business has expanded to more than 1,000 locations globally via a franchising model.

With a target of 50 clubs for its initial UK roll out, it recently opened its third location in the capital at London Dock in Wapping.

Offering classes for up to 12 participants, the Gaughing Square facility is packed with Pilates paraphernalia and offers locals a range of classes to cater for all fitness levels and ages.

Jada-Rae Poku, master Pilates instructor and director of sales, marketing and education at Club Pilates

Club Pilates: a one-stop shop

“It’s an all-inclusive, one-stop shop for all your Pilates needs,” said master Pilates instructor and director of sales, marketing and education at Club Pilates, Jada-Rae Poku.

“We’re an American company, founded in California by Allison Beardsley whose mission was to bring Pilates to the masses.

“Historically, it wasn’t accessible to many people, so, by having more equipment, she could have more people at one time and that brought the price point slightly lower.

“It’s about community and bringing people, who might not otherwise take part, into the practice.”

Jada-Rae is currently splitting her time between the States and the UK, having been with the business for seven years.

“At school I did track and field, and my first experience of Pilates was in rehab from an injury – I was a high jumper,” she said.

“I was planning to become a physical therapist, but found Club Pilates along the way, and now I’m involved in the management of the business as well as teaching the practice.

“Having started on the sales team, I was working to open up branches on the coast of New Jersey, then in Irvine, California.

“I also run a certification course at Wapping for people wishing to become instructors themselves.

“We offer a fully comprehensive Club Pilates certification for everything you can see in our studios and those who complete a course can take those skills wherever they like.”

Of course, with a further 47 branches of Club Pilates expected to create some 900 jobs across the UK, those 500-hour programmes could well be a route to employment with the company as it grows.

Jada-Rae takes a class at the Wapping branch of Club Pilates — Jada-Rae takes a class at the Wapping branch

a little history

That interest in this country is increasing feels especially apt given the exercise system’s roots.

Born in Germany, Joseph Pilates had overcome childhood asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever thanks to a passion for exercise and martial arts.

Having become a gymnast and bodybuilder, he moved to England in 1912 and earned a living as a circus performer and a self-defence instructor for the police.

However, when the First World War broke out he and many other German citizens were imprisoned through the Government’s policy of internment, first at Lancaster Castle and then on the Isle Of Man.

It was during these periods of incarceration, teaching his fellow inmates wrestling and self-defence, that he developed the fitness regimen of mat exercises that evolved into Contrology, the basis of modern Pilates.

He taught thousands of men his methods during these years.

While the evidence is inconclusive, the spring systems used to create resistance in his Reformer machines may have been inspired by those in the frames of the hospital beds he helped to rehabilitate injured prisoners of war on.

He returned to Germany after the war but decided to emigrate to the USA, meeting his future wife on the crossing and dedicating his life to teaching his method and spreading its benefits from their base in New York.

Club Pilates shares that mission as it expands to the country where the exercises it teaches had their genesis.

Exercises on the Reformer are often performed on the back making them accessible to people of all abilities

a warm welcome at Club Pilates

“People can expect super-friendly, smiling faces, here to make sure they have the best experience,” said Jada-Rae.

“There is a lot of equipment and it can be overwhelming, but we’ll make sure you have a full-body workout – that you move your spine, feel good and get stronger – in every class.

“You’ll always be working on the stabilisation of muscles, mobility and flexibility, which are all needed for proper functional movement.

“I go to a gym as well and, when I have a solid Pilates practice, I’m not getting injured as frequently and I’m getting stronger more quickly, because I’m rehabbing my muscles in the Pilates classes.

“You’re able to push more if your muscles are more limber, so it’s great for any movement practice.

“Pilates is life-changing. It’s great for rehabilitation, it’s low-impact, so literally everyone can do it.

“The method is a very controlled and precise way of moving your body – we’re very focussed on the mind-body connection.

“The more you do it, the better you get.

“It’s about engaging every single muscle, so there’s a lot to take in when you start, but it becomes easier and easier.”

key details: Club Pilates in Wapping

Club Pilates is located in Gaughing Square at Wapping’s London Dock development.

New clients can take advantage of an early Black Friday offer and purchase three classes for £30 via the link below.

Membership options are also available with prices ranging from £150 to £299 for unlimited classes.

One-to-one training options are also available.

Find out more about the studio here

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

October 31, 2024October 31, 2024

The Pirates Of Penzance all-male show set for Wilton’s Music Hall

Gilbert and Sullivan classic gets a fresh revival at the Wapping venue, directed by Sasha Regan

The Pirates Of Penzance, complete with an all-male cast, is set to run at Wilton's Music Hall until November 23 — The Pirates Of Penzance, complete with an all-male cast, is set to run at Wilton’s Music Hall until November 23

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BY LAURA ENFIELD

“Close your eyes in the darkened auditorium of Wilton’s Music Hall this autumn and you will truly believe there are virginal Victorian women on stage,” said Sasha Regan.

But, once you open them, you will actually see young men dashing about as swarthy swashbucklers one minute, then fluttering across the stage as petticoated ladies, the next.

We’re talking about Sasha’s all-male version of The Pirates Of Penzance, a reimagining of the beloved Gilbert and Sullivan operetta that debuted as a concept some 15 years ago.

Her new production is set to run at the Wapping venue until November 23, 2024, and challenges its cast to sing everything from falsetto to bass.

“When they become girls, there’s no drag, wigs or fake boobs,” she said.

“They have these little white corsets and skirts and it’s about trying to keep it very innocent and fresh.

“You have to steer them away from the RuPaul idea of what a woman is – really sexualised and quite overt.

“These women are good girls and when they meet these sexy pirates for the first time, that clashing with the innocence is a really lovely moment.

“We had to teach them to walk with books on their heads, like the old days of etiquette and be very dainty, which is where the humour comes from.”

an all-male The Pirates Of Penzance

She got the idea for the show as a 20-something running The Union Theatre in Southwark, a venue she set up in 1998 using a Prince’s Trust loan and that still exists today.

“I think it came from the fact I’d done an all-female version of HMS Pinafore at school when I was about eight,” said Sasha.

“I was trying to find interesting things to do and the beauty of Gilbert and Sullivan is there’s no rights to it any more, so you have freedom.

“I was thinking about how to take something a little bit dusty and refresh it, to bring out the humour. I imagined what it would be like if a boys school put on a production.”

That inaugural show, first performed to an audience of 50, drew gasps of horror from the traditionalists.

“We had Gilbert And Sullivan Society members coming in sitting with scores on their laps and there was a bit of an uproar,” said Sasha.

“But we won them all over and now we’re in their newsletter.

“I think if you respect something and do it well, people can’t complain too much.”

Acclaimed all-male productions of HMS Pinafore and The Mikado have followed and the 52-year-old was recently awarded the Special Achievement Award at the Off West End Awards for her contribution to musical theatre.

The Pirates Of Penzance, the show that started it all, still has a special place in her heart and cast members have returned again and again over the years to return it to the stage.

However, this new version by Regan De Wynter Williams Productions – the company Sasha has co-run since 2008 – will feature a line-up of fresh blood, including many recent graduates.

“This is the first cast with only one person that’s been in it before – David McKechnie who plays the Major General – so it’s a whole bunch of newbies,” said Sasha.

“We always do availability checks on previous cast members because it’s a bit of a family but they’re all working right now.

“It wasn’t a choice but it’s really refreshing, because we have almost started from the beginning and brought new ideas in.”

The production is currently running at the Wapping venue

casting the show

Finding actors who were up to the challenge was no easy task.

“They need to be able to play multiple characters – the pirates, the policemen and the sisters- and be able to sing in falsetto and bass and dance, because we treat it like a musical rather than an old fashioned operetta,” said Sasha.

“It means we have to search a little bit harder but casting director Adam Brown did the rounds of the performing arts schools and he had a list of agents it was advertised through.

“When we did the workshops we had them do quite simple things like: ‘You’re these Victorian girls and there’s a muddy puddle and you’ve got to get over from that side of the room to this one’.

“It was quite funny because they were all so high-pitched and I had to tell them we’re not all like that as woman.

“Falsetto was a lot less common when we started, but now it’s part of the voice that people do at drama school, probably for things like Jersey Boys.

“It is getting easier to find men who can do it.

“Sam Kipling, who played Mabel last time and is now in Les Mis, has been popping in and helping this cast and handing down his tools of the trade to the next generation.”

In these days of equality and equity and women fighting for more time on stage, why not stage an all-female version?

“With all-male we can get the full vocal range,” said Sasha.

“If you close your eyes, you wouldn’t know that they’re not girls, which is quite stunning. They are singing top Bs.

“Most of our creative team has been female and mums. We’ve got Lizzy Gee as a choreographer.

“Her baby was about six weeks old when we first created the show and the designer – Robyn Wilson Owen – is now a children’s illustrator and has got children.

“My little one was three when we started.

“So it is a female team looking after their own kids and dealing with childcare at the same time as creating something with a room full of men.

“It is a fun dynamic.”

Men play all the roles, including the women

evolving The Pirates Of Penzance

Sasha said the show had definitely evolved over the years and, this time around, Lee Greenaway from the original cast was working as associate choreographer to help avoid stereotypes.

“Back when we started it was just all a bit bonkers.” she said.

“Some of the boys were wearing pearls and earrings because that was their idea of what a woman should be.

“Now it’s much more refined and less ridiculous.

“The Pirates Of Penzance is already physically funny and then if you’re a male identify person in a white corset, long dress and ballet shoes, that is funny in itself.

“So then you don’t really have to pretend to be that gender or it becomes like Carry On and actually not funny.”

The set is also pared back, using just wooden blocks and imagination to create a pirate ship, with the auditorium as the passageway the sisters take through the Rocky Mountains into the spotlight – Sasha’s favourite moment of the show.

“You can hear them before you can see them,” she said.

“When they all arrive on the stage sometimes we have to stop for a moment to let the laughter finish because the vision of all these boys in skirts is so magical.”

The Pirates Of Penzance is by Gilbert and Sullivan

going against the grain

How does she imagine the late great writers themselves would react if they were in the audience?

“I think they would laugh,” she said. “We totally respect their score and script and they were satirical and poked fun at the government and went against the norm.

“I’ve definitely gone against their norm and I think they would respect that and enjoy it.”

This is by no means her first time at Wilton’s having toured there almost every year since 2010.

But Sasha hopes to attract a new generation to the “magical” theatre with this production.

“I would love to think that when people watch it, they don’t realize they’re watching a really old fashioned piece of theatre written in 1879 because it’s so fast-moving and physical,” she said.

“We do get a lot of return customers.

“People bring their kids or grandkids, because it’s very innocent, old fashioned fun.

“That, for me, is an achievement of knowing these shows aren’t going to die out.

“I haven’t become bored with them yet and our audiences haven’t either so I’m hoping this time we get more young people coming in because we have this younger cast and we can introduce them to Gilbert and Sullivan’s work.”

key details: The Pirates Of Penzance at Wilton’s Music Hall

The Pirates Of Penzance will be at Wiltons Music Hall until November 23, 2024, with shows at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

Tickets start at £10.50.

Find out more about the show here

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

September 11, 2024September 11, 2024

Hamro Maya Nepali street food startup founded on passion

South Bermondsey-based business trades at Canada Water Market, Wapping Docklands Market and Tower Hill Market

Image shows a selection of street food from Hamro Maya on a wooden table in cardboard bowls — Nepali dishes cooked up at Hamro Maya – image James Perrin

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BY LAURA ENFIELD

There is a reason we have so many songs about supporting the one you love – Wind Beneath My Wings, You Lift Me up, Lean On Me. I could go on.

It is because following your dreams can be scary, endlessly exhausting and surprisingly confusing.

Those who succeed almost always have someone cheering them on along the way.

For Laxmi Gurung, that person is her partner Kiyam Lin.

“I’ve always had this passion of having my own restaurant or cooking, but he was my backbone and gave me the confidence to do it,” said the founder of fledgling food startup Hamro Maya.

The business can currently be found at Canada Water Market in Deal Porters Square, every Sunday serving up “under-represented Nepali cuisine”.

“Hamro Maya means ‘our love’ in Nepalese and the business really did start from that, as cheesy as that sounds,” said Laxmi.

Born in Nepal, she moved to the UK with her family aged 12. Kiyam was born in Hong Kong and came here aged two.

The couple, both 31, met in September 2020 and bonded over a “shared passion for food” but were quickly parted again due to the Covid lockdowns.

Love still managed to flourish, however, and Kiyam said it was clear from the start where Laxmi’s future lay.

Image shows Kiyam Lin, left, and Laxmi Gurung of Hamro Maya – a man and woman wearing a grey hoodie and a white top and black apron, respectively — Kiyam Lin, left, and Laxmi Gurung of Hamro Maya – image James Perrin

Hamro Maya – born of a passion for food

“When we first met, I could see she was so passionate about food and suggested she should start a business,” he said.

“But she said: ‘No, I definitely don’t want to’. So, I left it on the back burner.

“But after a while it became really obvious that she really loved making amazing food for all of our friends.

“Every time they came around, she’d make something new and, over time, she realised this was actually a thing that she could really do.

“She’s got the ability, the talent and the passion for it, so I said she should just give it a go.

“Sometimes you need someone else to tell you to just go for it.”

He was also starting his own new chapter, beginning a research fellowship job at UCL in April after studying theoretical physics and completing his PhD.

Laxmi said: “He’s been supporting both of us.

“I left my job in January so I could attend courses and get the business going and I was at the point of breakdown at times.

“I wasn’t sure if I could do it and he’s just been there to support me so well.”

While this encouragement was key, it was that little voice inside Laxmi that finally prompted her to change career.

“I worked in a homeless department at the council and had to talk and listen to people every day about their sorrow – what they’re going through,” she said.

“It made me feel that I am more privileged and also lucky enough to be where I am, just thankful.

“One day I realised I needed to do something about my life.

“I already had what I wanted to do in the back of my head and I just knew I had to make it come true.

“It just hit me that I needed to go ahead and grab that idea and proceed with my passion.”

Hamro Maya trades at three markets in east and south-east London – image James Perrin

from the pans of the father

Her love of making food came from her father, who was previously in the Indian Gurkha army and moved his family to the UK “for a better future”.

“My dad was the main cook of our house,” said Laxmi who grew up in Plumstead.

“Whenever we came home from school or wherever he would be asking: ‘What do you want to eat? What kind of food do you want?’.

“We would pick and he would make it for us.

“He taught us to respect food and what we have been given.”

Laxmi began experimenting with cooking when she went to University in Bath to study biology and business management and then a masters in human resources management.

She went on to work for McDonalds and then Greenwich Council.

Once she decided to leave her office job, she began looking into how to start a business and discovered a free course offered by the Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency (GCDA).

“It was really eye-opening and helped me develop what my aim was, my values,” she said.

“It helped me understand my own business and my own idea better.”

Her menu was developed from home at first, but then she stumbled across Karma Kitchen, which provides space for food production and delivery and has a facility in South Bermondsey where Laxmi lives.

Since July she has been using its shared kitchen space for four days a week to create her dishes, with the aim of transporting customers from the snowy peaks of the Himalayas to the aromatic spices of hillside treats and the bold flavours of the Terai Here.

They include a range of handmade dumplings known as Momo – based on her mum’s recipe – and classics such as chowmein, fried rice and chatpate, inspired by what her dad taught her.

market traders

Hamro Maya launched at The Market Network’s three markets at the start of August – Tower Hill Market, Wapping Docklands Market and Canada Water Market.

Laxmi said the business had quickly become a seven-day job and she was already considering hiring more staff.

“Canada Water is probably the most popular because we have a lot of people from the South Asian community there,” she said.

“But its also been a real pleasure to introduce what Nepali cuisine is to new people.”

Some of her biggest fans are, of course, her parents.

“They’ve been raving about it and bringing their friends and family,” said Laxmi.

“My dad approves my food, but always wants it be more spicy. We do offer our spicy sauce on the side – not everyone can handle it.”

Then there is Kiyam, who had never even tried Nepali cuisine before he met Laxmi.

“Going down to the markets and seeing people paying money for her food and loving it is honestly so crazy,” he said.

“I feel so proud that it’s successful.

“She is flourishing in this new way she’s never done before and it’s amazing.”

key details: Hamro Maya

Hamro Maya is at Tower Hill Market from 11am-3pm on Thursdays, Wapping Docklands Market from 10am-5pm on Saturdays and Canada Water Market from 10am-4pm on Sundays.

Find out more about the business here

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

August 26, 2024August 26, 2024

Artist Ed J Bucknall teams up with The Space Bar to show works

Visitors to the arts centre can now view and buy paintings and prints by the Wapping-based creative

Image shows a painting of The Space arts centre, a converted church made of yellow bricks with a red door by Ed J Bucknall — Ed J Bucknall’s painting of The Space in Westferry Road

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Serendipity played a part in bringing Ed J Bucknall’s art into The Space Bar.

Specialising in capturing views of east London, his native Wapping and especially the Thames, he’d painted The Grapes pub for co-owner Sir Ian McKellen, a work that now hangs in the actor’s riverside watering hole.

That same image caught the eye of Andrew Finnegan, bar board chair at The Space Bar, who saw it on Ed’s stall at Wapping Docklands Market next to Shadwell Basin and decided it would make the perfect present for a friend.

“He drinks regularly in The Grapes and he’s a keen cyclist,” said Andrew. “The painting had a bike outside the pub, so it was the ideal gift.”

Having made the connection and, keen to forge local partnerships for mutual benefit, Ed was duly invited to exhibit some of his work at The Space Bar – the hospitality arm of the Westferry Road arts centre on the Isle Of Dogs.

Completely coincidentally, its patron is Sir Ian.

Image shows Ed J Bucknall sketching in The Space Bar – a man in a red T-shirt with grey hair — Ed is often to be found sketching around Docklands

an amazing building

“It’s an exciting venture for me because The Space is such an amazing building and one that’s not particularly well-known outside the area,” said Ed.

“The bar now has some of my original works on the wall as well as prints that are available, framed or unframed.

“People are buying about one a week at the moment.

“With this collaboration, what I’ve tried to do is capture the local area – pubs, the historic cranes, Millwall, the dock and the Docklands Sailing And Watersports Centre as well as other locations along the Thames.

“My watercolour of The Space itself has already sold and prints have gone off round the world.

“I’ve got loads more pictures in the pipeline and – working in this area, I’ve been introduced to other buildings and other pubs – so this is the start of something that I hope will continue to be a real success.”

Image shows Ed's painting of Millwall Outer Dock with Canary Wharf's towers in the background — Detail from Ed’s image of Millwall Outer Dock

from architecture to painting

Originally an architect, Ed found the increasing digitisation of the profession less than satisfying and began selling his paintings at Wapping Docklands Market in 2021.

He also trades at its sister markets in Canada Water and Tower Hill and sells his paintings through Skylark Galleries on the South Bank, working full time as an artist.

“My work appeals to different people – locals who have lived in the area for many years, people moving into the area, those moving out and tourists visiting,” he said.

“Commissions are a big part of my income too.

“Only this morning, I was talking to a boat-owner about doing a painting of their boat, which is fantastic.

I also recently delivered a big order to Tower Bridge’s gift shop, which is their fourth in the last couple of years, so it’s all going really well

“Thanks to social media I’m now selling work internationally, which I never thought would happen. I’m always out drawing and painting with my sketchbook.

“It’s like when you’re out walking a dog, people come and talk to you and you get a lot of feedback that way.

“I’m planning to do more panoramic views of the Thames which are popular and have already painted the oldest pub on the Isle Of Dogs – The Ferry House – and places like Burrells Wharf, which is where Brunel’s ship The Great Eastern was built and launched from.

“That sold within 24 hours of going up at The Space.”

Ed’s signed prints start at £50, with original paintings available from £295.

These can be purchased at The Space Bar or online via Ed’s website.

Image shows Ed's painting of The Ferry House pub on the Isle Of Dogs, available to buy at The Space — Detail from Ed J Bucknall’s painting of The Ferry House pub on the Isle Of Dogs

key details: Ed J Bucknall at The Space Bar

You can find out more about Ed’s work here and more about The Space Bar, which incidentally does the most incredible chicken burgers, here

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

June 5, 2024June 5, 2024

Magician Ben Hart gears up for astonishment at Wilton’s Music Hall

Illusionist prepares to dazzle audiences at a pair of London dates at the Wapping venue in July

Image shows magician Ben Hart, a man with short dark hair covering one eye with a brightly coloured peacock feather — Magician Ben Hart began performing magic as a child

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As he’s a magician, it is – of course – impossible to completely trust anything Ben Hart says.

It’s a grey day in London when I call him on a cruise ship in Mykonos where he’s performing.

He assures me the weather is equally crap off the Greek island.

Maybe it is, maybe he just wants to make me feel better.

Making people feel things is Ben’s trade.

At 16 he was awarded The Magic Circle’s Young Magician Of The Year in 2007, having started practising tricks as a kid.

One of 300 members of the organisation’s Inner Magic Circle, his career since leaving school has seen him perform all over the world.

He’s been a finalist on Britain’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent: The Champions as well as teach the likes of Tom Cruise close-up illusions for the latest Mission Impossible.

He’s set to appear at Wilton’s Music Hall in his latest show, Jadoo, with performances on July 15 and 16, 2024.

While we chat about his return to London, he casually mentions he’s just been helping Russell Crowe and Rami Malek accrue skills.

These have been used in their forthcoming movie Nuremberg, for a scene where US military psychiatrist Lt Colonel Dougals Kelley shows Hermann Göring a coin trick.

Images shows a man in a white shirt with sand running through his fingers from an unseen source above — Ben aims to astonish his audiences

Ben Hart – teaching the teacher

“I really enjoy teaching other people,” said Ben.

“Part of my work is consulting, and it wouldn’t be possible for me to be a performer if I wasn’t still teaching because the process really teaches me.

“These people are titans – I’ll be showing them a simple piece of magic and suddenly I’ll see something I didn’t expect – weaknesses or strengths that I can incorporate into my own work.

“With movies, I’ve been really interested in when people blink.

“Actors rarely do it because their faces can take up so much space on a screen that movement can be a big statement that might not be necessary.

“In my own work I’ve realised that I blink all the time – even when I’m doing something sneaky, which is a bit of a tell.

“That’s the kind of lesson you learn. Then, when I’m designing work for other magicians, their creativity informs what I’m doing in a symbiotic way.

“Any artist has to collaborate at some level.

“By tradition, magic is very solitary and that’s detrimental to it as a form.

“By collaborating, I’ve broken down some of the self-inflicted barriers I’ve made for myself.”

Image shows Ben with his fingers steepled, surrounded by light bulbs — Magician Ben Hart says he finds it easier to interact with an audience when there’s a script

Ben Hart – an outsider

Nevertheless, Ben paints himself as a an outsider.

On the cruise ship he tells me he goes for breakfast with his cap pulled down: “The audience is a bit too captive.

“There’s nothing worse than being famous and having an audience that can’t leave.

“They just want to chat but, like any performer I rely on my scripts and I don’t like environments where I can’t do that”.

It’s part jest, but also part truth.

He paints a picture of a man “trapped” by his own talent and early success – at once fascinated by the research and plagued by the ideas for tricks that will take years to realise or perhaps will never be performed.

Should we take him at face value, or is his apparent honesty all part of the patter?

Image shows Ben Hart with symbols painted on his hands running sand through his fingers — Ben says he aims to unlock people’s sense of wonderment through his performances

why magic is a painful process for Ben Hart

“Making new work can be quite a painful process,” he said.

“What happens is, you think of an impossible idea – anyone can do that – and then you do research to see how you can edge yourself closer to that becoming a trick.

“That process for me now takes longer and longer – it can be years.

“There’s usually no light bulb moment.

“A magic trick is a synthesis of compromises – magic is not possible, so you have to make accommodations and work out how the audience can see them as I want.

“It’s also a process that’s difficult to talk about, because the magician’s canvas is the bit nobody sees – that they shouldn’t even be aware of.

“My job is to host an evening of entertainment – all of my choices are about making sure the audience’s experience is amazing.

“I’m not interested in how hard it is to fool them, it’s more about getting them to a place where they can go on the journey.

“I’m like a tour guide who can take them somewhere where they might be able to experience something amazing.

“As a magician I want to reveal to the audience a feeling of astonishment which is already inside them.

“Everyone knows we’re capable of feeling wonderment, but it’s infrequent that we get to do it. I create this environment.”

That’s exactly what audiences at Wilton’s can expect when Ben takes the stage, albeit with limited props.

Image shows Ben wearing a white suit jacket with his wrists crossed in shadow play — Ben says he insisted on performing at Wilton’s Music Hall as it’s his favourite venue in London

a special venue

“It’s really one of my favourite venues in the whole world,” said Ben.

“I’ve been lucky enough to perform all over the place, but having a venue that’s old and full of atmosphere is incredible – I really love it.

“It’s also a very good venue for magic in terms of audience sight lines.

“Because it’s so stripped back, there can’t be any feeling that there are people hiding anywhere.

“My show is rooted in storytelling and I hope the magic I do has a bit more power behind it than people might have experienced before.

“I have stripped back all the cheesy Paul Daniels stuff.

“There are no sequins – I don’t insult the audience’s intelligence by getting them to think that a box is empty or anything like that.

“Coming at it from a contemporary stance, I’ve managed to create the kind of magic show you might have seen 100 years ago, but you would seldom see now.

“Almost everything I do depends on objects borrowed from the audience, so they know they’re legitimate – not fakes.

“I think magic is an incredibly direct and creative form.

“I can get a gasp of amazement from an audience within 60 seconds of the show starting and that’s amazingly efficient theatre.

“The audience goes on a sort of magical rollercoaster during the show – it’s like a theme park level of emotion.

“An object you thought was there, isn’t, or that something isn’t what you thought it was.

“Magic is a kind of mind-hacking, really playing with people’s perceptions and how they remember things – it’s fascinating stuff.

“It reminds us that you can’t trust everything in the world.

“Magicians can hold a lot of emotional power, which can be neglected.

“We need to remember we’re all living in an illusion and this is a magical thing.”

creating new tricks

As for the future, Ben says he has at least 10 tricks that he’s continuing to slave over, although that number just represents the ones where there’s a chance of completion.

“There are loads of things I’d love to do in front of an audience,” he said.

“Most are miles away from being finished.

“I’ve also got a list of stuff I’ve been working on since I was a kid, which I don’t think will ever be performed.

“I’d especially love to do a version of an old Indian street magic trick called the Mango Tree Illusion.

“A seed is planted and – over the course of a 30-minute show – it grows into a tree, complete with fruit.

“The magician then cuts the mangoes off so people can see they’re real.

“The traditional secret is to swap out the trees when the audience isn’t looking.

“There have been many takes on it and I’ve been working on mine for years but whether I’ll ever solve it, I don’t know.”

key details: Ben Hart at Wilton’s Music Hall

Ben Hart: Live is set to be performed on July 15 and 16, 2024, at Wilton’s Music Hall in Wapping.

Both shows start at 7.30pm and last 90 minutes plus an interval.

Tickets start at £12.50.

Find out more about the show here

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