Watercolour illustration with two painted rectangular mazes overlaid on each other. Positioned in and beside them are two walking human figures, sketched in paint..

Looking back at September

Our monthly Cog Night took us to see The Real Ones at Bush Theatre. Nazma wrote about it in our journal. The nights are drawing in, but that's not stopped us from going out. Read on for mini-reviews of gigs, musicals, talks, exhibitions and an indoor garden party.

...and scroll below those for our recommendations for October and beyond.

Out and about with the Cog team

An image of a white man with short curly hair. He is wearing a black high necked top. He is holding a script in his hands.

The Manikins - a work in progress

Michael has been to see/experience/be part of The Manikins, a show from Deadweight theatre company, devised for a single audience member. Read his review in our Journal.

An image of Gavin Barlow, a white man with short grey hair. Gavin is stood behind a microphone, on a stage, with sheets of paper in his hand. Behind him is a colourful wall, supporting a draped line of pink bunting.

Garden Party
T he Albany

The Cog team enjoyed the annual garden party at our favourite local venue (and client), The Albany, Deptford.

A surreal painting of a scene filled with small skeletons in lively poses. The background is a swirling blend of bright, fiery colours. A red, spiral-like line cuts horizontally across the image, providing a central axis.

Exeter Contemporary Open Exeter Phoenix

Luke got lost in this piece by Nicola Bealing, amongst an eclectic mix of works at the 2024 Contemporary Open.

A modern art installation of abstract sculptures. In the foreground is a structure made of thin, red rods arranged in a grid-like formation. Behind this, a dark stone sculpture with smooth curves is visible. To the left, part of a large, green marble-like form is partially shown. In the background, a light wall with a white door and ornate trim contrasts with the sculptures. The artwork evokes a minimalist and abstract aesthetic.

N. Baghramian
Jumbled Alphabet

Lily visited SLG to see their new exhibition. It went over her head, but she enjoyed the colours and shapes.

The outside of a large stone building with thick spherical pillars. Hanging between the pillars are three long posters. The central poster reads 'Pride & Prejudice* (*Sort of)'.

**Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of)** Theatre Royal

Despite not knowing what to expect, Laura Mc was blown away by this hilarious retelling of the Jane Austen classic.

Round comemorative plates are mounted on a white wall. The two plates featured in this image both have text and images on them. The plate on the left read 'The dirty thirty, no surrender' and has a black and white image on a man with a mining helmet on. The plate to the right reads 'Litterton Miners, 1984 Struggle 1985' and has a busy colourful image of a protest with banners.

One year! Photographs from the Miners' strike

Justin was impressed by this powerful collection of images and ephemera from a key moment in history.

A tiered stage full of orchestral musicians. The stage and its surroundings are lines with wood. Audience members are seated in tears, facing the musicians.

London Symphony Orchestra The Barbican

Laura caught Antonio Pappano’s first week at LSO. She enjoyed hearing Holst’s iconic The Planets IRL.

A colourful display in a museum. In the centre, a sculpture of a man wearing a white turban, a green robe, and blue trousers sits backwards on a grey donkey. The donkey is spring-mounted, giving it the appearance of a rideable playground figure. Behind this there are other sculptures, including a large, multicoloured figure of a person with an animal-like body. Visitors move throughout the space.

MuCEM
Marseille

Laura loved the bringing together of anthropology, archaeology, history and art at Muceum.

An acrylic painting featuring overlapping leaves of different shades of green hangs on a gallery wall. Amongst the leaves there are bright peach toned spheres. On either side of the painting strings of leaves hang in the space.

'CAMOUFLAGE' 'kæməflɑːʒ' Oxford

Jo enjoyed her introduction to Khatoon’s work, which uses abstraction to show hidden experiences of disability.

A large group of people of different ages, sexes and races are gathered in a community garden. There is an oudoor stage framed by a large wooden arch, from which a disco ball is hangs. People have drinks in their hands. Some are chatting, some are dancing.

Creekside Festival
Deptford

Despite living locally, this was Lily's first time attending this multi-venue music festival. She'll be back next year.

A stage full of dancers. The dances are arranged into three horizontal lines across the stage, holding hands. The stage is viewed from a high angle, and is partially obscured by the backs of audience members' heads.

Akram Khan's Giselle
Sadlers Wells

Justin was excited to see this classic production reprised on stage after watching the recording last year.

Five barbie dolls representing the British girl band The Spice Girls are lined up in a display case. From left to right is Ginger Spice (dressed in iconic union-jack mini dress with red platform boots), Scary Spice (dressed in a matching leopard print set with midriff on show), Posh Spice (dressed in a black mini dress), Sporty Spice (dressed in tracksuit bottoms and a vest top) and Baby Spice (dressed in a baby pink mini dress with her hair in high pigtails).

Young V&A
Bethnal Green

Justin's trip to this recently revamped museum brought back plenty of fond childhood memories.

Six white actors lined up on stage for curtain call. They are dressed in dated costumes, infering the play is set in the past. They are holding hands in a chain and smiling.

Giant
Royal Court

Michael enjoyed this all-star context setting of Roald Dahl’s antisemitic outbursts. Shocking to hear.

A group of people inside an exhibition space, standing and sitting on benches. They are viewing a series of large black and white text-based artworks with red accents, which are displayed on the walls. The artworks focus on various social and political issues, with phrases related to issues such as police shootings and education.

Gilbert & George Centre Spitalfields

To close this year's Open House Festival, Emma enjoyed an architect led tour of the recently opened gallery.

A red, cross-shaped stage in a theatre. The audience is seated all around the stage in a circle. The seating extends to multiple levels, with viewers on both ground level and a balcony above. The stage is elevated slightly on white pedestals. The stage is empty.

Death of England
@sohoplace

Michael completed the trilogy of Clint Dyer and Roy Williams' extraordinary state of the nation plays.

A dark stage, full of musical instruments. The musicians can barely be made out due to low lighting. Behind them on a screen are two images of forest fires.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor T roxy

Michael went to see his favourite grumpy Canadian anarchists. They brought the noise.

An empty stage, lit from the bottom and sides by dark bluish lighting. The backdrop in the centre of the stage features an image of white female comedian Fern Brady dressed in biblical looking red and blue swathes of fabric.. She is clutching one of her breasts, a fountain of milk is spurting from it, towards a kneeling man dressed in robes. A sign behind her reads 'I gave you milk to drink'.

Fern Brady: I Gave you Milk to Drink

Laura Mc cried tears of laughter along with the rest of the house at this one woman show by the Scottish legend.

A head and shoulder image of Michael Smith, a white skinned man with a short grey beard, wearing a virtual reality headset which resembles a pair of opaque ski goggles. In his hand he is holding some kind of white circular controller. He is in a high ceilinged building with white walls.

Goliath
Shoreditch Town Hall

Michael donned VR kit to explore the power of gaming communities in an immersive true story of ‘schizophrenia’.

Ugly Sisters
New Diorama Theatre

Piss Carnation deconstruct the meeting between a trans woman and Germain Greer – Michael loved it.

An image of a wall fitted with panels showing a panoramic photograph of a black and white sprawling cityscape on the coast line. Above the panels text printed on the wall reads 'MAGNIFICENT VIEWS'.

Kingston Museum
Kingston-on-Thames

Justin learned about Kingston native Eadweard Muybridge at this charming local history museum.

A sketchbook page which features abstract, hand-drawn illustrations and scribbled text. The text includes phrases like ‘Excavator OR?’, ‘Tents abandoned’, ‘Evidence of invisible life’, ‘Someone’s balled up knickers’, and ‘Who, what?’. The style is messy, scrawling and chaotic.

Hidden Oxford
Old Fire Station

Jo explored this collaborative sketchbook, created as an alternative guide to the city of Oxford.

A round blue plaque set into the wall of a white stone building. The Plaque reads: Greater London Council, Vincent Van Gogh, 1853-1890, Painter, lived here, 1873 - 1874'. Out of focus in the foreground of the image is a caucasian hand, clutching a silver tally counter between index finger, middle finger and thumb.

Van Gogh House Stockwell

To kick off two weeks of Open House, Emma volunteered at hidden gem Van Gogh House in Stockwell.

An outside wall plastered in posters which read 'A Face in the Crowd, a new musical, with music by, Elvis Costello, and book by, Sarah Ruhl'.

A Face in the Crowd
Young Vic

Michael sat far too close and was trodden on by Broadway star Ramin Karimloo during this Elvis Costello musical.

A black-and-white photograph framed on a white wall. The photograph is of a white man and a white woman closely embracing. The man is resting his head on the woman’s shoulder, while the woman gazes into the distance. Both have serious expressions.

Sergio Strizzi: The Perfect Moment

Justin enjoyed this collection of photos from the golden age of Italian cinema, featuring images of Alain Delon.

A dark stage with a large screen hanging above it. The screen reads 'typo' is huge white lower-case letters.

Circular 22 launch
l’art hotel

Michael enjoyed hearing from designers Jim Sutherland and Domenic Lippa about the 22nd issue of this publication.

A gallery space featuring several fabric-based artworks displayed on the walls. The pieces, resembling hanging tapestries, are decorated with bold text in different colours. One piece is wrapped around a large white column in the centre of the room.

Making Poetry: Astra Papachristodoulou

Marta was captivated by inventive object poems, where tactile beeswax pieces blurred poetry and sculpture.

A dimly lit stage featuring various sculptures on square pedestals, illuminated by overhead spotlights. Above the sculptures, a large grid of suspended rectangular blocks hangs from the ceiling. The scene has a smoky, atmospheric background, with soft light casting shadows on the floor.

Coriolanus
National Theatre

David Oyelowo brought history to life with a huge cast. And Michael really loved the scale of Es Devlin’s set.

A London cityscape view from a balcony. The balcony is bordered by ornate metal railings with intricate geometric patterns. Shadows from the railings fall on the tiled floor, mirroring the railing’s pattern. Above the railing, there are transparent window decals of repeating circular geometric shapes.

Aga Khan Centre
Open House Festival

Nazma bagged a spot on this much coveted tour. A beautiful building with amazing views of London.

A line of actors stood on a stage, holding hands and bowing. The stage is dressed with scaffolding on each of its sides. The stage floor is lit by spotlights, the back stage wall is black.

House
Barbican Theatre

Michael watched overlapping accounts of life in the occupied West Bank from La Colline - théâtre national.

The pipes of a large cathedral organ, viewed from a low angle. The organ pipes are fitted inside a light grey stone building with high pointed arches.

Carlisle Cathedral
Carlisle

A few hours to kill between trains, Laura explored Carlisle Cathedral’s impressive walk through organ.

A stone buildingwith protruding square windows. Behing it is a square clock tower from which two flags are flying.

Ljublijana Castle Slovenia

Emma was blown away by the restoration of the castle that sits atop the city, it even includes a Jazz Club.

The inside of the National History Museum in London. The large skeleton of a whale hangs from the ceiling. A statue of a hippopotamus stands on a low plinth. People walk through the space. The ceilings are high and the room is full of light.

The Natural History Museum

Alex and son paid a visit to see the dinosaurs and whales. The new garden was a highlight for them both.

Five actors stand in a line on a stage, their feet together. They are dressed in dated looking clothing. The stage is dressed with retro patterned wall paper, and living room furniture.

Abigail's Party
Stratford East

Tamsin Outhwaite was terrific and Michael really enjoyed Pandora Colin in this classic Mike Leigh restaging.

A Black woman with long curly black hair stands on a stage holding a microphone in one hand. Behind her are a grand piano and a drum kit. In front of her an audience is sat, their hands together in applause.

Alex Newell in concert Cadogan Hall

Nick saw the Tony Award-winning broadway singer blow the roof off with their first London solo concert.

A theatre stage with actors standing in a line during a curtain call, with one performer in the centre bowing. The cast, dressed in colourful contemporary casual clothing, applauds as they face the audience.

Dear Evan Hansen Nottingham Playhouse

Nick caught this exciting new production of the Olivier, Tony & Grammy winning musical on its first stop of its UK tour.

The inside of Union Chapel in London. A stage is set in the aps, underneath a rose window. Two women are on the stage. There is a small screen on a stand giving off a green light. Audience members sit in rows of chairs in front of the stage. Through the rose window we can see it is getting dark outside.

Katy Hessel, Union Chapel

Emma got to hear the inspiring historian Katy Hessel talk about her book, The Story of Art without Men.

The outside of a large building on Piccadilly Circus in London. A screen is wrapped around the curved outer wall of the building. The screen reads 'CIRA PRIZE 2024'. On street level trafic and people pass by. It is night time, and the screen illuminates the darkness.

Circa Prize 2024 Piccadilly Circus

Nazma had the pleasure of seeing her friend’s short film on the big screen as part of the Circa Prize 2024.

An exhibition space with deep blue walls. Islamic art is hung on the walls, geometric patterns on parchment.

Seven Pavilions of Love Aga Khan Centre

A small but beautiful exhibition. Nazma loved the film showing the techniques behind the paintings.

A close up of two musicians on a stage. One has both arms raised and their mouth open in front of a microphone on a stand. The other has their head down, focusing on the guitar they are holding. The guitarist is wearing a medical mask which covers their mouth and nose. The stage is lit by pink and purple lighting.

Melt-Banana
Exeter Cavern

The absolute finest noise rock left Luke smiling so hard his face hurts for hours after they'd finished their set.

6 brown skinned actors stand in a line on a stage dressed with a large decorative rug. The stage is lit by a warm, reddish light. The back of the front row of the audience is in view, they have their hands together in applause.

Vitamin D
Soho Theatre

After seeing this when it was touring regional theatres last year, Nazma was thrilled to see it again at Soho Theatre.

Things to do in October

On now...

Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Our Country’s Good Lyric Hammersmith, until 5 Oct
Graeae's Jenny Sealey directs Romeo & Juliet Shakespeare North Playhouse, until 5 Oct
National Changgeuk Company of Korea: Lear Barbican, until 6 Oct
Get Connected with Stereo MCs Koko, 11 Nov
The Lieutenant of Inishmore Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, until 12 Oct
Ranjit Singh: Sikh, Warrior, King Wallace Collection, until 20 Oct
Ins Choi’s Kim's Convenience, transfers from Park Theatre Riverside Studios, until 26 Oct
Paul McGann stars in the revival of Jez Butterworth's The River Greenwich Theatre, until 27 Oct
Funnelwick Limb's Chronicles of Atom and Luna Theatre Hullabaloo, until 2 Nov
Headlong and RSC present David Edgar's The New Real The Other Place, until 2 Nov
Yayoi Kusama: EVERY DAY I PRAY FOR LOVE Victoria Miro, until 2 Nov
Yoshida: Three Generations of Japanese Printmaking Dulwich Picture Gallery until 3 Nov
BRACE BRACE a story of who we become in the face of catastrophe Royal Court, until 9 Nov
Loads of celebs star for one night each in White Rabbit Red Rabbit @sohoplace, until 9 Nov
Lowry and the Sea Newcastle Gateshead, until 13 Oct
A Tupperware of Ashes is a new play by Tanika Gupta National Theatre, until 16 Nov
Inspiration Lecture Series exploring identity and faith St Martin in the Fields, until 18 Nov
Atri Banerjee directs Look Back in Anger Almeida, until 23 Nov, playing alongside...
...Arnold Wesker's Roots both plays star Morfydd Clark Almeida Theatre, until 29 Nov
Amy Gledhill's award winning Edinburgh show on tour, until 29 Nov (at Leicester Square Theatre)
The Fear of 13 stars Adrien Brody in his London debut Donmar Warehouse, until 30 Nov
People's Art a celebration of folk art by unnamed artists Sunderland Culture, until 1 Dec
Michael Craig-Martin fills the halls with colour Royal Academy, until 10 Dec
Donmar's Macbeth with David Tenant and Cush Jumbo Harold Pinter Theatre, until 14 Dec
Ben Whishaw and Lucian Msamati in Waiting for Godot Theatre Royal, until 14 Dec
Inside/Outside and All In Between Migration Museum, until 15 Mar
Jason Wilsher-Mills' show Jason and the Adventure of 254 Wellcome Collection, until 12 Jan
Scran! A history of Food & Drink Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, until 25 Jan
Towards New Worlds is a large-scale exhibition at MIMA, until 9 Feb
Immortal Apples, Eternal Eggs Hastings Contemporary, until March

On this month...

The Imaginary Institution of India: Art 1975–1998 Barbican Art Gallery 5 Oct – 5 Jan
Neneh Cherry discusses her memoir A Thousand Threads Southbank Centre, 6 Oct
Hofesh Shechter’s Theatre of Dreams Sadler's Wells, 9–12 Oct
The ever wonderful BFI London Film Festival London-wide, 9–20 Oct
Dance Umbrella is back with a strong programme London-wide, 9–31 Oct
Statues, written and performed by Azan Ahmed Bush Theatre, 9 Oct – 9 Nov
UK premiere of Forced Entertainment’s Signal to Noise Queen Elizabeth Hall, 10 & 11 Oct
Jack McNamara directs a new stage version of St Maud Live Theatre, 10 Oct – 2 Nov
Francis Bacon Portraits National Portrait Gallery, 10 Oct – 19 Jan
D’Filth Drag presents Identity Kaleidoscope Theatre Deli, 11 & 12 Oct
Odyssey '84 is an epic re-telling of the 1984 Miners’ Strike Sherman Theatre 11–26 Oct
Ride playing their incredible set from Reading '92 Hackney Church, 12 Oct
Visionary looper Cosmo Sheldrake Koko, 16 Oct
Daniel Kitson has snuck in a new show – Pith Royal Exchange Theatre, 17–26 Oct`
The Wild Duck by Henrik Ibsen The Coronet Theatre, 18 Oct – 2 Nov
Finn Beames & Company: Quiet Songs features Ruth Negga Barbican Pit, 22 Oct – 2 Nov
Walk amongst the player in The Orchestral Forest at St John's Smith Square, 24 Oct
The World of Tim Burton Design Museum, 25 Oct – 21 Apr
“Queers in classrooms!” After the Act musical in Ipswich New Wolsey, 29 & 30 Oct
Rights not Charity: A Fundraiser for Graeae, with silent auction Rich Mix, 30 Oct
K-Music Festival 2024: Black String King's Place, 30 Oct
Shown and Told performance collage from Tim Etchells and Meg Stuart The Place, 31 Oct

Halloween specials...

Danny Robins explores the existence of ghosts, Into the Uncanny Conway Hall, 4 Oct
Immersive Witchcraft Tour: Pendle to Prescot Shakespeare North Playhouse, 8–31 Oct
Ghostly Goings On an interactive murder mystery Floral Pavillion, 19 Oct
Southend Halloween Parade returns to the seafront, 26 Oct
Spooktacular Spectacular A Musical theatre Cabaret The Other Palace, 28 Oct
London Month of the Dead: talks, tours and concerts, the whole month of October
Bats in the Belfry free daytime family activity Museum of the Order of St John, 30 Oct
Twilight Tricks - Halloween Late-Night Special The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, 30 Oct
The Crucible performed by graduating actors and actor musicians Leeds Playhouse, 31 Oct
Halloween All-Nighter 20 films fill a night of pure cinematic terror, Tyneside Cinema, 31 Oct
Spooky horror-comedy Andrew Doherty: Gay Witch Sex Cult, Soho Theatre, 30 Oct – 2 Nov
Gothic Opera presents the chilling Maria de Rudenz, Battersea Arts Centre, 31 Oct – 2 Nov

We're booking early for...

Gazelle Twin and London Contemporary Orchestra British Library, 1 Nov
The incredible Kae Tempest Koko, 5 Nov
Tim Etchells teams up with Bert & Nasi in L'Addition Battersea Arts Centre, 5–16 Nov
EFG London Jazz Festival London-wide 15–24 Nov
What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank Marylebone Theatre, 18 Nov
Photographing 80s Britain: A Critical Decade Tate Britain, 21 Nov – 5 May 2025
K-Foundation's The People's Day of Death celebrates MuMification Liverpool, 23 Nov
The wonderful, Cockpit Open Studios is back for '24 Bloomsbury, 24 Nov; Deptford, 29 Nov
Julia Masli's exceptional: ha ha ha ha ha ha ha is back Soho Theatre, 3 Dec – 11 Jan
Roy Williams’ wonderful adaptation of The Lonely Londoners Kiln Theatre, 10 Jan – 15 Feb
Cate Blanchett and Tom Burke star in Chekhov’s classic, The Seagull Barbican, Feb '25
Lynette Linton directs Michael Abbensetts’ Alterations National Theatre, 20 Feb – 5 Apr '25
James Graham's excellent Punch transfers to London Young Vic, 1 Mar – 12 Apr '25
Hamlet x Hail To The Thief Aviva Studios, 27 Apr – 18 May; RSC 4–28 Jun '25
Penn & Teller 50th Anniversary Tour London Palladium, 13–24 Sep '25

Image credits

Jenny Tarr created our wonderful illustration, using actual paintbrushes. See more work on their website.

Other images are provided by members of the Cog team, with due credit to those who created the works we have photographed.

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