Check opening times with Lauderdale House (020 8348 8716) as sometimes Private events close the gallery to the public.
There is a Private View of the exhibition on 26th October.
What are little girls made of?
They are made of the forest floor, the blood of the moon cycle, the fluttering of wings and the turning of keys. They are made of sweat, howling notes and desire. They are made of night scented stock – heady and sweet, the lily and the rose, the knife and the rope.
They are made of all the tales our Mothers told us.
And all the ones they didn’t dare.
Using circus as a physical vocabulary, the award-winning Proteus will translate the fever dream style of Angela Carter’s macabre fairy tales to the stage. The Bloody Chamber is a heady, erotic, and surprisingly funny re-phrasing of some of the most famous folk and fairy tales in Western culture.
At a moment when women and men across the country confront the double standards of safety, sex, and the fears of what goes bump in the night, Carter’s incendiary caustic take on fairy stories as cautionary tales could not be a more formidable challenge to the status quo.
Check opening times with Lauderdale House (020 8348 8716) as sometimes Private events close the gallery to the public.
There is a Private View of the exhibition on 26th October.
Ready for a show that’s not just for kids?
This is a circus cabaret, and it’s for the whole family.
Brain Fools are bringing their fantastic circus friends on stage and showcasing their many talents. You’ll see performers juggle, spin, fly high in the sky and dazzle with amazing feats!
There will be family-friendly acts and exciting acrobatics. With a fabulous compère to keep you entertained between acts.
Brain Fools is led by Finn and Toffy, recent graduates of National Centre for Circus Arts.
Suitable for ages 3+
Ready for a show that’s not just for kids?
This is a circus cabaret, and it’s for the whole family.
Brain Fools are bringing their fantastic circus friends on stage and showcasing their many talents. You’ll see performers juggle, spin, fly high in the sky and dazzle with amazing feats!
There will be family-friendly acts and exciting acrobatics. With a fabulous compère to keep you entertained between acts.
Brain Fools is led by Finn and Toffy, recent graduates of National Centre for Circus Arts.
Suitable for ages 3+
Check opening times with Lauderdale House (020 8348 8716) as sometimes Private events close the gallery to the public.
There is a Private View of the exhibition on 26th October.
Children’s Drawing & Painting Classes
Our children’s art classes run on a termly basis, providing children aged 5-8 with an introduction to the basics of drawing and painting.
Each week children will build on their skills learnt in previous weeks, developing their confidence and ability.
Taught by experienced, supportive, and friendly teacher Aynur Erdal, this class is the perfect opportunity to introduce your child to the world of art.
We welcome any students wishing to join after the beginning of the term and charge a pro rata rate of £17.50 per class until the end of the term. Please contact the office on 020 8348 8716 to book or if you have any queries about the class.
You are also welcome to book an initial trial class at £17.50 ahead of booking the whole term- please call on 020 8348 8716, and we will be happy to help.
Four different bodies collide. A show about how things need to fall apart before they can fall into place.
Their lives are different, but one thing unites them: there’re frustrated with their bodies changing, ageing, breaking, no longer obeying. They climb, hang, balance, slide, collapse, hold and hug. They examine marks life has left on their bodies. Film and audio fragments mirror these marks in the wounds inflicted on our planet. These characters are fighting the grind of what’s expected. And you might feel inspired to do the same.
Delicate is BSL interpreted, audio described and captioned. Delicate is presented by Extraordinary Bodies and co-produced with Figurteatret i Nordland and Theatre Royal Plymouth.
Four different bodies collide. A show about how things need to fall apart before they can fall into place.
Their lives are different, but one thing unites them: there’re frustrated with their bodies changing, ageing, breaking, no longer obeying. They climb, hang, balance, slide, collapse, hold and hug. They examine marks life has left on their bodies. Film and audio fragments mirror these marks in the wounds inflicted on our planet. These characters are fighting the grind of what’s expected. And you might feel inspired to do the same.
Delicate is BSL interpreted, audio described and captioned. Delicate is presented by Extraordinary Bodies and co-produced with Figurteatret i Nordland and Theatre Royal Plymouth.
Children’s Drawing & Painting Classes
Our children’s art classes run on a termly basis, providing children aged 5-8 with an introduction to the basics of drawing and painting.
Each week children will build on their skills learnt in previous weeks, developing their confidence and ability.
Taught by experienced, supportive, and friendly teacher Aynur Erdal, this class is the perfect opportunity to introduce your child to the world of art.
We welcome any students wishing to join after the beginning of the term and charge a pro rata rate of £17.50 per class until the end of the term. Please contact the office on 020 8348 8716 to book or if you have any queries about the class.
You are also welcome to book an initial trial class at £17.50 ahead of booking the whole term- please call on 020 8348 8716, and we will be happy to help.
Join Insieme, our Chamber Opera Ensemble in Residence, for a festive feast of music making!
An early Christmas treat! Insieme return to Lauderdale House this December for a night of beautiful musical gems. Featuring Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante and scenes from Engelbert Humperdinck’s seasonal favourite, Hansel and Gretel, you can expect plenty of audience participation to get you in the festive mood.
Children’s Drawing & Painting Classes
Our children’s art classes run on a termly basis, providing children aged 5-8 with an introduction to the basics of drawing and painting.
Each week children will build on their skills learnt in previous weeks, developing their confidence and ability.
Taught by experienced, supportive, and friendly teacher Aynur Erdal, this class is the perfect opportunity to introduce your child to the world of art.
We welcome any students wishing to join after the beginning of the term and charge a pro rata rate of £17.50 per class until the end of the term. Please contact the office on 020 8348 8716 to book or if you have any queries about the class.
You are also welcome to book an initial trial class at £17.50 ahead of booking the whole term- please call on 020 8348 8716, and we will be happy to help.
Every year a magical Christmas grotto springs up in Lauderdale House as the man himself (Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Père Noël, Saint Nick) pays us a special seasonal visit. Kids of all ages can come along to meet him!
Select a half-hour slot. Within your booked time slot, children will take it in turns to meet Father Christmas with the adults accompanying them.
£11 per child, parents go free.
‘One of London’s top five Santas’ (Time Out)
Every year a magical Christmas grotto springs up in Lauderdale House as the man himself (Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Père Noël, Saint Nick) pays us a special seasonal visit. Kids of all ages can come along to meet him!
Select a half-hour slot. Within your booked time slot, children will take it in turns to meet Father Christmas with the adults accompanying them.
£11 per child, parents go free.
‘One of London’s top five Santas’ (Time Out)
Children’s Drawing & Painting Classes
Our children’s art classes run on a termly basis, providing children aged 5-8 with an introduction to the basics of drawing and painting.
Each week children will build on their skills learnt in previous weeks, developing their confidence and ability.
Taught by experienced, supportive, and friendly teacher Aynur Erdal, this class is the perfect opportunity to introduce your child to the world of art.
We welcome any students wishing to join after the beginning of the term and charge a pro rata rate of £17.50 per class until the end of the term. Please contact the office on 020 8348 8716 to book or if you have any queries about the class.
You are also welcome to book an initial trial class at £17.50 ahead of booking the whole term- please call on 020 8348 8716, and we will be happy to help.
Take a break on a Tuesday lunchtime and enjoy 45 minutes of gorgeous classical music performed live by our resident pianist Stephen Hose upstairs in the beautiful Long Gallery overlooking Waterlow Park.
Stephen trained at the Royal Academy of Music where he held a Vaughan Williams scholarship, and has worked extensively as a Musical Director, conductor and pianist in London and regional theatre. He has played at most of the London concert halls and has performed in France and Germany. He is currently Pianist in Residence at Lauderdale House, Highgate.
Projects abroad have ranged from the English Theater of Frankfurt to The Lost Colony at the 2,000 seat outdoor theatre on Roanoke Island, USA. TV work has included being the pianist on Channel 4 ‘s Titanic, The Mission, accompanist for The Choir, and 5 years as Musical Associate/Director for TV productions of Christmas Glory. He was Chorus Master for Jessye Norman’s Ellington’s Sacred Songs at the Barbican Theatre and Epidavros, Greece.
His work as Music Director for OperaUK has included Barber of Seville, Cosi fan Tutte, La Traviata, the Merry Widow, Olé and El Amore Brujo. For Merry Opera work includes La Traviata, The Magic Flute, Kiss Me, Figaro!, The Barber of Seville and La Belle Hélène (aka Troy Boy). He has also conducted over 50 performances of their unique staged Messiah.
With incredible strength, a pole and a lot of humour, this powerful solo performance explores identity, objectification and what it is to be a gay, ‘barely visible’ woman in a raw and physical journey of empowerment.
With elements of physical theatre, pole and contemporary dance, Rowena Gander, and acclaimed physical theatre director, Elinor Randle, bring playfulness, authenticity, and boldness to this mesmerising work.
“Gander is an incredible physical theatre performer” Number 9
One of the best-reviewed and most in-demand debut shows of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, from the award-winning Julia Masli.
★★★★ “Properly bonkers… very funny.” The Scotsman
Julia is an Estonian-born, London-based clown. She trained at the Ecole Philippe Gaulier, and now is a visiting teacher there. CHOOSH! is her absurd homage to migration, in which a hungry Eastern European clown voyages to America for a hot dog.
★★★★ “Julia Masli is a performer of such charm, wit and invention that Choosh! is a delight: adorable, unaffected, funny, surprising – and flush with creative, low-fi scenes that will linger in the memory.” Chortle
Professor Slug’s House of Bugs is a show all about bugs. Professor Slug is an eccentric expert on invertebrates who helps bugs out with their buggy problems – and you can too!
Get as strong as an ant! Teach a bee how to buzz! And help a dung beetle make a pooey perfume for its big date…
The House of Bugs is fully booked with all sorts of bugs seeking help from Professor Slug and his fellow bug experts (that’s you, the audience!) But can all these buggy problems be solved before the Queen Bee arrives, or will a swarm of honey-hungry wasps wreak havoc?
From the co-creator of the award winning One Duck Down, this interactive show is packed full of colourful puppets, catchy songs, and educational info about the wonderful world of bugs.
The puppets are designed by Georgia Hill (CBeebies) with music written by Catriona Gisby (Elle & the Pocket Belles).
Professor Slug’s House of Bugs is proud to be supported by charity partner Buglife.
Suitable for ages 3+
Poised between dance, circus and performance art, Lighthouse is a multi-disciplinary piece by solo artist Hazel Lam. Hazel uses the idea of gentleness as a tool in the face of great adversity and change. She explores feminine movement, giving it centre stage, and reacts to modernity’s harsh realities and urban construction.
Coils of PVC tubing are treated it as a companion. The duet of an organic body versus the inanimate tubes is playful yet antagonising. The tension between the two escalates throughout as she asks, is it there to hold her, entice her, keep her safe or restrain her?
Plastic has become one of the major environmental concerns in recent years. This piece is a reflection of how our generation is born into a plastic overflowing world and our role within it. The title is a reference to Virginia Woolf’s novel To the Lighthouse.
★★★★ “It is impressive how much she manages to convey using so little” Upper Circle
Slapstick humour meets Beckett head on in a quest for life’s meaning and purpose.
After an exciting few years making and touring shows all over the world, Mercè and Patricia have somehow lost momentum and hit rock bottom. They always knew that making theatre would be difficult, but when they have to dress up as flamingos in a shopping centre to make ends meet, they seriously consider giving up.
Can their shared dream of staging Waiting for Godot get them back on track or will their long held ambition be strangled by red tape? A hilarious and sometimes moving exploration of companionship, co-dependency and what motivates us to keep going, even in the face of failure and bureaucratic brick walls.
Suitable for ages 14+
Content warning: Contains strong language, occasional loud noises and some stylised/staged fighting
Ernie’s Journey is a magical circus theatre adventure for family audiences. The seamless integration of circus, physical theatre, stage magic, poetry and puppetry is a truly dazzling spectacle.
An original live harp score takes the tale from the dreamy realms of distant shores to the most raucous sea shanties!
It felt like nobody really believed in Ernie and sometimes he wondered whether he even believed in himself. He discovers that being himself and following his own dreams can lead to all kinds of wild adventures, but it is the people we love who make it all worth it.
This show has been designed to connect audiences with the waterways around where they live and how they feed into national and international ocean systems. Ernie is a young boy from Haringey who finds an old pirate ship on the banks of the Thames.
Our partnership with Somerset Wildlife trust has informed the content of the show and workshops.
Suitable for ages 4-11
Two shows: 11am and 2pm
60 minutes each!
Brain Fools pride themselves on being an environmentally conscious, family-friendly circus show that you can enjoy as much as your kids do. They are also committed to highlighting issues surrounding homelessness and migration in London through their work — they want everyone to learn, and everyone to be part of the change they want to see in their communities.
The show is called Lucky Pigeons because it’s about how hard it can be for people living on the street, but also because it’s about how much hope there can be for them too. Through physical performance and social commentary, they will take you on a journey through different aspects of life as a person on the outskirts of society—from the challenges they face just trying to fit in and be accepted, all the way through finding love and happiness despite everything else going on around them.
Lucky Pigeons came to Jacksons Lane in October 2021 as a work-in-progress.
Think about a classroom. How is everyone sat? Everyone is sat at their desks, facing the same way. What is left deals with spatial structures that shape human communication culture. We see it in theatres, while waiting to be served at counters, the hierarchy in a courtroom, in school and church, as well as from advertising screens in underground stations. All these spaces not only demand, but also structure the gaze attention of bodies in space.
International award-winning dance and circus company Overhead Project bring their new show What is Left to the UK. Mixing contemporary dance with group acrobatics, the show explores our relationship with different spaces and how they influence our communication.
Reminiscent of a catwalk or military parade, five performers occupy the space and are simultaneously consumed by it. A rhythmic, energetic, sometimes intimate, and exhilarating performance.
Contains: nudity
Think about a classroom. How is everyone sat? Everyone is sat at their desks, facing the same way. What is left deals with spatial structures that shape human communication culture. We see it in theatres, while waiting to be served at counters, the hierarchy in a courtroom, in school and church, as well as from advertising screens in underground stations. All these spaces not only demand, but also structure the gaze attention of bodies in space.
International award-winning dance and circus company Overhead Project bring their new show What is Left to the UK. Mixing contemporary dance with group acrobatics, the show explores our relationship with different spaces and how they influence our communication.
Reminiscent of a catwalk or military parade, five performers occupy the space and are simultaneously consumed by it. A rhythmic, energetic, sometimes intimate, and exhilarating performance.
Contains: nudity
Expect a heady mix of love, drugs and Islam. This unique and complex take on circus, performed on two Chinese poles, is emotionally candid with moments of humour and joy set to a banging soundtrack.
The Chosen Haram deals with themes of sexuality, faith, addiction and connection. The story of two gay men and their chance meeting through a dating app, portraying the highs and lows of their relationship and the barriers they face, social, cultural and personal in seeking happiness and personal fulfilment.
The Chosen Haram is based on a combination of lead artist Sadiq Ali’s personal experience, as well as interviews with members of the LGBTQ+ community who identify as (ex) Muslim. The show is an exploration into the personal struggles faced by many people whose upbringing contradicts their personal truths, and how this can lead to self-destructive behaviour.
Something that is “Haram” is forbidden by Islam.
The Chosen Haram returns to Jacksons Lane following it’s sell out run in February 2022 as part of the London International Mime Festival.
s.o.l.o, which stands for Situations of Ones Life’s Obsessions, is a multimedia, and multi-discipline, circus theatre performance which creates a moment which we all experience together.
Australia-born and Belgium-based performer Simon-James Reynolds initially trained as a gymnast, working towards the Olympics. But in the run up to London 2012, a change in his family’s financial circumstances meant he had to set those dreams aside. Based on Simon-James’ personal experiences, s.o.l.o depicts a life, its struggles, losses and hopes that we must all face: solo.
Sur Mesure is a collective of musicians, instrument makers, woodworkers and circus performers. Together they work on new creations. The collective consists of making performances, but they also have a wood workshop where all kinds of furniture are made.
Guerrilla Gardening
Events 2023
Sat 22nd April: 2:30-4pm: Meet at Jacksons Lane Community Centre, N6 5AA
to help with their garden (EARTH DAY EVENT)
Mon 8th May (bank holiday): 2:30-4pm: Meet outside 10A South Grove, N6 6BS to garden in Pond Square
(BIG HELP OUT EVENT)
July, September, October and November events: Details to be confirmed. We
are happy to assist other groups in starting up clean-up events in their local
areas of Highgate, as we did last year. Please let us know!
We will provide rubbish bags and a limited number of gardening tools.
Please bring protective gloves, secateurs and forks if you have these.
From the peaceful pleasures of Ratty’s beloved river bank to the fearful frights and wicked weasels of the Wild Wood, join Mole and Ratty on their marvellous adventures, along with gruff old Badger and magnificent Mr. Toad.
“Their beautifully crafted micro-shows are like collector’s items.” The Stage
A beautiful new adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s much-loved classic by award winning theatre company Box Tale Soup, featuring wonderful puppetry, innovative theatre and a charming original score.
“They are wonderful.” The Times
Suitable for ages 4+
Two shows: 11 am and 2pm
When Belle is feeling down she slips into her grandfather’s basement and discovers his old dusty instruments. But far from being junk, the Instrumentals are pure funk, and they teach Belle to ‘get down’ in a whole new way. Bursting to life with brilliant puppetry and bold music, The Instrumentals is full of love and laughter, about the memories we hold and how we celebrate life.
This is a show for all children with characters, story and inspiration from the African-Caribbean diaspora. It’s full of uplifting original music with soulful sounds and seventies grooves. Combined with innovative puppetry and lots of comedy, this fun musical journey will have audiences dancing in the aisles!
Suitable for ages 4+
Two shows at 11 am and 2 pm.
Jazz in the House is back! Programmed by Blow the Fuse for the first time, we kick off our spring season with Small Print, featuring Norma Winstone.
An off-shoot of acclaimed group ‘The Printmakers’, the members of Small Print have played with the likes of John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler and Vince Mendoza, to name a few! Featuring singer Norma Winstone, pianist Nikki Iles and Mark Lockheart on saxophone, join us in the beautiful, informal setting of Lauderdale House as we kick off the new season of Jazz in the House with an unforgettable evening of music.
Tickets:
Standard £15.50
Unwaged Concession £12.50
(This concession applies to guests with disabilities and those not in work. There are no senior concessions for Jazz in the House)
Under 35s Concession £8
Doors open at 7:30pm
Guest speaker: Dan Carrier
Journalist for the Camden New Journal
and previously for the Guardian and
Evening Standard. He is author of Untold
London: Stories from Time Trodden
Streets, Doctor Zipp’s Amazing
Octo-Com and his recent book Locks,
Bolts and Bars – a Life Inside. In his
spare time he is a DJ for Boogaloo Radio.
Doors open at 6.45pm and the meeting will commence at 7pm
ADMISSION FREE
Members and non-members welcome
Jacksons Lane,
269a Archway Road, London N6 5AA
Deputy London Mayor Joanne McCartney (our London Assembly Member) will be the guest speaker at our AGM 2023. We have asked her to focus on how the Mayor and the GLA are addressing the Climate Emergency and making London greener. Do join us at 7pm on Monday 15 May at Lauderdale House.
One to one help with computers tablets and phones!
John Etheridge and Art Themen have often appeared together in recent years. Neither musician needs much introduction – Etheridge, one of UK’s most eminent guitarists and Themen, a doyen of saxophone over a career of six decades.
Together with Pete Whittaker and George Double they draw from the bluesier end of jazz. Groovy, spiky and lyrical by turns. Mature and vigorous music making!
Performers:
John Etheridge – Guitar
Art Themen – Saxophone
Pete Whittaker – Organ
George Double – Drums
Tickets:
Standard £15.50
Unwaged Concession £12.50
(This concession applies to guests with disabilities and those not in work. There are no senior concessions for Jazz in the House)
Under 35s Concession £8
Limited numbers!
Doors open at 7:30pm
Alan Barnes and Dave Newton have been playing and recording together for over 40 years! With Andrew Cleyndert and Matt Fishwick completing the line-up, we can’t wait to welcome this world-class quartet.
Alan Barnes is a prolific international performer, composer, arranger, bandleader and touring soloist. He is best known for his work on clarinet, alto and baritone sax, where he combines a formidable virtuosity with a musical expression and collaborative spirit that have few peers. Alan’s unique musicianship, indefatigable touring, and warm rapport with audiences have made him uniquely popular in British jazz. He has received over 25 British Jazz Awards, most recently in 2014 for clarinet, and has twice been made BBC Jazz Musician of the Year.
David Newton was voted best Jazz Pianist in the British Jazz awards for the thirteenth time in 2014 and was made a Fellow of Leeds College of Music in 2003. His reputation as an accompanist is unparalleled, and he has featured on numerous recordings since the mid-80s.
Performers:
Alan Barnes – Saxophones/Clarinet
Dave Newton – Piano
Andrew Cleyndert – Bass
Matt Fishwick – Drums
Standard £15.50
Unwaged Concession £12.50
(This concession applies to guests with disabilities and those not in work. There are no senior concessions for Jazz in the House)
Under 35s Concession £8
Limited numbers!
Doors open at 7:30pm
Save the date for this wonderful event.
Join us for a special, outdoor edition of Jazz in the House on our Tea Lawn!
Picnic make absorbing and life affirming music. Join Deirdre Cartwright, Annie Whitehead, Alison Rayner and Winston Clifford for some inspirational, upbeat jazz with South African, Latin and Reggae influences.
Performers:
Deirdre Cartwright – Guitar
Annie Whitehead – Trombone
Alison Rayner – Bass
Winston Clifford – Drums
Tickets:
Tea Lawn £15.50 per person
Bench £60
(Group of 4)
Picnic Table £90
(Group of 6)
Unwaged Concession £12.50
(This concession applies to guests with disabilities and those not in work. There are no senior concessions for Jazz in the House)
Doors open at 7pm
One to one help with computers tablets and phones!