The Slade

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.

Les Girafes

There's a spectacular show,
which you all must know,
that is coming our way to Woolwich.
No you didn't hear wrong,
There'll be dances and songs,
and all sorts of theatrical carryings-on.

It ends the festival of performance arts,
in Greenwich and Docklands and nearby parts.
The shows (which are free), have already started,
so just click right here and you'll soon see,
that the shows are accessible,
yes, they're for you and for me.

Ice sculpting

Today, tomorrow and Saturday, there is an ice sculpting festival at Canary Wharf. I love the sound of this. If I manage to go along, I won't expect to see anything to compete with the Harbin Ice Festival, but I'm sure it'll be spectacular nonetheless.

Plumstead Common in the snow

We were told about the arrival of the snow and it arrived in great style. Here, I had captured a couple photos during a short blizzard burst and really like the slightly Lowryesque quality. The children from the local school were surely having a gay time.

matchstick men

enjoying the snow

Kapoor's Orbit

I'm a big fan of modern architecture and rather like the work of the sculptor Anish Kapoor, so when I heard that he'd been awarded the commission to create an enormous Olympic tower, my ears pricked up.

Having seen the renders of the tower, I'm actually not too inspired. The tower doesn't say Anish Kapoor to me. Well, there is the trumpet bell shape which was seen at the Tate Modern, and the deep rich red colour, which is a signature of his. That aside, the Kapoorness is dominated by the looping super-structure which is more akin to the steelwork of a modern roller-coaster. I like this in itself, but I don't see it as an Anish Kapoor piece. Given that this tower is sponsored by a steel magnate, it's more like a giant advert for them, saying 'look what we can do!' yet at the same time, riding on the coat-tails of Kapoor's big name in the field of culture.

What I'd like to know is if we'd be able to see it from Plumstead Common. Shrewsbury Lane definitely.

New discoveries

Surfing around last night, I came across a couple of websites I particularly liked.

First up is Lumilyon, an artist who works in the realms of magic realism, objet trouvé, digital art. Lumilyon's work is incredibly evocative, so much so you can almost smell it (I mean that in a nice way of course).

Secondly, and in a very different vein, is Kipkay. This is one super-geek who makes essentially really dangerous things and loves playing pranks. He is basically a schoolboy at heart, messing around in science class refusing to grow up. He harks from the fabulous past before the phrase 'health and safety' was invented. As I lack scientific prowess, I wouldn't like to try these inventions as I'll probably blow the shed up.

Mary Dullea

This evening I had a spare 5 minutes so thought I'd browse around on t'internet.

I like to try and keep abreast of things so thought I'd find out the latest on Mary Dullea, the lady who made national news having been mauled by dogs [I still don't understand why dangerous dogs are the acceptable face of carry a dangerous weapon], on Plumstead Common. I used a popular search engine but couldn't find out anymore on this news item.

Happily though, I discovered that Ms Dullea has a website which gives some insight into her art. Seems very impressive indeed. I know a bit more about contemporary classical music than your average Joe, but I'm no connoisseur. I hope Ms Dullea is well on the way to a full recovery and I'll be interested if she ever plays The Devil's Staircase or Century Rolls. I'll be there.

creative juices

The Sultan's Elephant

Cirque du Soleil

Newport Jazz

Plumstead Common

What connects the dots? Cultural events of course. Well, this Saturday sees talent from all over the World (or Upper Wickham Lane, whichever is the greater), gathered in Plumstead Common for a veritable feast of creative juiciness. An all day event which could dwarf Live Aid. We're talking jaaaaaazzzzzzzz, we're talking drums, we're talking arty farty stuff like wot dey 'as in da Nashnal Galleree innit?

These events don't come round too often, but with our support we might encourage the show organisers to put on more. Remember. Tall oaks from little acorns grow.

Be seeing you.

Is this modern art?

In my vision for Plumsteadshire - nice cafe with evening jazz, restaurant serving basic but quality English dishes, cinema club and localised freecycle centre, is an art gallery. It would be called Tate Common. Well, it would until Nicholas Serota sends a law-suit in the post.

So. Art.

Was David Mach [artist who built a submarine from car tyres], in Plumsteadshire last night?
Look what I saw. Did you? Is this fly tipping of the highest order?

Curiouser and curiouser.........