London – Life is a Cabaret

London is one of my favourite cities in the world.  It has everything, history, architecture, fashion, and entertainment.

I visited recently with a friend who has a love of all things dramatic.  With this in mind we visited Sarasto in Drury Lane.  The restaurant was decorated by a set designer and its super theatrical from the moment you walk in the door, with kitsch swathes of gold and velvet and booths designed like opera boxes.  They also have opera singers and musicians at weekends and being in the theatre District they refer to themselves as “the show after the show”.

I have loved the musical Cabaret since I first watched it, so we treated ourselves to tickets for current run.  I don’t have photos, as all photos and vidography is banned in the theatre.  If you are lucky enough to attend the show you’ll understand why.  From the moment you walk through the door you’re transported to louche decadent 1930s Berlin.  The show is performed in the round and you can actually sit at the side of the stage like it’s a nightclub (these were the expensive seats, we were up in the nosebleeds). Regardless of where you sit, it will blow your socks off.  I think it’s the best live production I’ve  ever seen.  If you find yourself in London, give yourself a treat and go see Cabaret.

The other great thing thing about London is just soaking up the atmosphere.  You can stumble across a girl group filming a music video or wander into China Town for lunch.

While London isn’t the cheapest city you’ll ever visit there is plenty of free stuff to do.  We spent a very pleasant morning in the National Gallery.  You can see everything from beautiful delicate paintings by  impressionists like Monet and Manet, through to the dark violence of Caravagio.  A week in the place wouldn’t be long enough to see the amazing range of works on display.

London never gets old, and like the saying “if you’re tired of London you’re tired of life”