It's an exciting Summer full of culture and it's started.

The excellent Greenwich & Docklands International Festival starts today and runs until 30th June. There's far too much to list here, but Prometheus Awakes looks like a very exciting free theatrical event. Check your diaries quick because it's happening tomorrow night by the Queen's House in Greenwich Park. It doesn't start until 10pm so too late for young children which is a shame as it looks pretty stunning.

This weekend, continue to bombard yourself with culture and entertainment and more Greenwichness as it's the Greenwich Fair. Every nook and cranny of the town centre will be taken over by street theatre and quirky performances. Should be great whether it rains or shines. Not sure which shows I'd pick out, but The Pig looks intriguing and worrying at the same time.

As if that's not enough, the Laban Dance Centre in Deptfordshire is hosting The Big Dance Picnic on 23rd June from 12pm. It's more about dance, circus arts and performance than picnic, but there should be enough movement for everyone's appetite. There will alos be a multi-sensory tent which sounds like a must-do.

Madam Butterfly in Woolwich

General Gordon Square is THE cultural centre of Woolwich. Following on from Les Girafes on Saturday evening, tonight we have a live broadcast of Madam Butterfly direct from the Royal Opera House. Yes folks, we can watch a live performance from one of the top opera companies in the World and we don't have to pay £200 for the privilege.

Madam Butterfly is one of the most popular operas around, and would you believe it, you WILL know some tunes from it, so come along and hum along.

Monday 4th July. 7.30pm. General Gordon Square, Woolwich.

Children's Theatre Festival

I've been meaning to blog about the Greenwich Children's Theatre Festival but something called Easter got in the way. Isn't that a pip?

Sounds like a lot of great children's shows and many happening at The Tramshed in Woolwich Village. Yes, that's pretty much on our doorstep. Wahooo...... Don't know if they're all booked out or not, but worth asking. I have taken a poll around the offices of Plumsteadshire HQ and 'Penguin' comes out on top. It's a brilliant little show with excellent songs. None of that plinky plonky tosh played on a Casio VL-Tone that is just condescending to toddlers. This is the real deal.

Penguin. Thursday 8th April. 11am & 2pm. Tramshed

I really wanted to see Tales From Old Japan, but the requirement of going to work sunk that idea.

This Saturday afternoon promises something special. A puppet show called Panfilo Pipintu will be performed in General Gordon Square and beamed direct to the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood where Tom Cruise will......

...... oh, my mistake. It will be shown on the big television screen in General Gordon Square. Take a picnic along, sit on the grass and pretend you're at Glyndebourne.

iPhone radio

The iPhone is a wonderful gadget and not a bad phone either, but one of my big gripes is the lack of a radio, something I really miss from my old Sony Ericsson.

Fortunately, I've discovered an excellent iPhone application called Tunein Radio. Now I can listen to Gardener's Question Time when I'm out and about. Not only that but I can also listen to radio stations from as far away as Hebden Bridge! Actually, this is internet radio so I can listen to stations from all over the World. It's amazing.

I told my co-worker about it and she searched for her favourite station in Sao Paolo.
Bingo.
We were listening within seconds. I then surfed around sampling radio from all over the globe. Zambia. Hong Kong. Hawaii. Osaka. Didn't know what they were saying but to have a taste of feeling like I'm there in real time is great.

Peter And The Wolf

Apple iTunes has been offering free music, games and stuff as part of its' Twelve Days of Christmas' promotion. Yesterday, it gave away the award winning short animation, Peter And The Wolf. Man alive, I thought Christmas had come early.

I downloaded and have just watched it. An absolutely brilliant adaptation of Prokofiev's musical drama which every child should be brought up with. If the animation isn't your cup of tea (as it's quite a dark version), then do listen to the music, introduce your children to different musical instruments of the orchestra and enjoy a short story at the same time.

Happy new year me dearios.