This month I've managed to fly out for a one-day business trip and come back home ten days later. I boarded 5 flights and visited 4 countries, while keeping at it with only cabin luggage by my side - I’m still impressed I’ve survived without a proper wardrobe. I should try practicing this more, since the feeling of going somewhere straight out of the airplane is priceless. Instead of blaming myself all the time for life being life, and my chosen lifestyle and job not lending themselves to stability, I’d rather say that my decision to make these Summer Goings-Ons instead of monthly ones was pretty smart, and I’m glad this Substack is still free - sure, I haven’t become a millionaire yet, but at least I don’t feel too bad when I disappear for 2 weeks whenever I need to accompany some deals or dive into more research.
Today’s dispatch explores 4 theater performances, 8 exhibitions, 2 concerts, 1 opera, 1 ballet and 1 talk in London, Edinburgh, Chatsworth and Norwich. I know, I know, there is much more to talk about, but Substack says this letter is already ‘too long‘.
Until 3 Aug / Theater / Romeo and Juliet feat Tom Holland and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers / Duke of York's Theatre
A rare moment when I’m at a loss for words. A story that needs no introduction with the cutest Brit of the current acting generation - Tom Holland (I loved him a lot in The Crowded Room, 2023)
Until 27 Jul / Theater / The Marilyn Conspiracy by Vicki McKellar and Guy Masterson / PARK200
It’s strange to consider that Marilyn’s seductiveness still remains a point of fascination for newer generations - just as strange as the fact that she lived to only 36, but remained a sex symbol for twice as long. Anyhow, this production was created in 2018 and it rocked the stage. Now that it’s back, it seems to be perfect entertainment for city summer days.
22 Jun - 10 Aug / Theater / Mnemonic by Simon McBurney/ National Theater
I hold conflicted feelings towards Simon McBurney due to his political choices. Nevertheless, we still consider Wagner a genius, and I can’t take that away from McBurney. This play is dark, it features strong language and discusses very urgent themes of climate disaster, migration, violence and death.
Until 26 Jun / Exhibition / Michaël Borremans: The Monkey / David Zwirner London
Borremans is one of those artists who need to have a big retrospective showcased somewhere in Europe - wherever it ends up, I’m definitely going to plan a trip there once I see the announcement. For now, there is this small but beautiful show set in one of the greatest galleries (in my humble opinion).
Until 3 Mar 2025 / Exhibition / Naomi / V&A
I’ve never seen a museum show dedicated to a model. Nevertheless, this model (or supermodel, as we millennials used to call Naomi) deserves every bit of this attention. I’ll definitely pay a visit to explore her immense impact on the fashion industry and beyond.
Until 5 Jan 2025 / Exhibition / Fragile Beauty. Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection / V&A
Another V&A’s exhibition, which has already been acclaimed as a blockbuster. I do have to admit that the name of the collector obviously stimulates public interest, but the collection itself should be just as big of a factor. Nan Goldin, Robert Mapplethorpe, Cindy Sherman, Diane Arbus, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, Juergen Teller and many others.
Until 10 Aug / Theater / People, Places, and Things by Duncan Macmillan featuring Denise Gough / Trafalgar Theatre
Emma was having the time of her life. Now she’s in rehab. Her first step is to admit that she has a problem. But the problem isn’t with Emma, it’s with everything else. She needs to tell the truth. But she’s smart enough to know that there’s no such thing. When intoxication feels like the only way to survive the modern world, how can she ever sober up?
5 Jul - 23 Feb 2025 / Exhibition / Barbie / The Design Museum London
Before the movie I would have never even thought of recommending this show. But since the movie pierced my heart straight through, I’m actually curious to see the exhibition. Imagine almost seven decades of social changes, revolutions, female rights, diversity and many more important shifts through the history of one doll!
Until 1 Sept / Exhibition / Francis Alÿs: Ricochets / Barbican
For the past two decades, Alÿs has travelled around the world to film the critically acclaimed series Children’s Games: from ‘musical chairs’ in Mexico, to ‘leapfrog’ in Iraq, ‘jump rope’ in Hong Kong, and ‘wolf and lamb’ in Afghanistan.
Until 20 Oct / Exhibition / Expressionist: Kandinsky, Munster and The Blue Rider/ Tate Modern
Any career of an art historian or curator is going to have shifts between different periods. I started with contemporary art, then switched to modernism and went back to contemporary again. During my romance with modernism I saw so much of it. I kind of regret it now, but The Blue Rider is something I still would love to explore. The Blue Rider is a circle of artists around Wassily Kandinsky and Gabriele Munter, who were interested in the experiments with colour, sound and light - what we call Expressionism today.
23 July / Concert / Late Night Italian with Jakub Josef Orlinsky / Royal Albert Hall
Polish operatic countertenor and one of the hottest guys in the opera world is on tour through Europe. There is one concert in London, and another one as a part of the Edinburgh Festival.
8 Aug / Talk / Elif Shafak: There Are Rivers in the Sky / Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall
Elif Shafak is one of my favorite contemporary authors. Outside of my admiration for her extraordinary literary talent, I do feel a close bond with her due to our similar background (i.e. Eastern roots meeting Western culture). This talk is dedicated to the presentation of her new book, which I’ve put in my reading wish list a while ago and can’t wait to get my hands on.
Until 20 Oct / Exhibition / Erdem: Imaginary Conversations / Chatsworth
Sometimes in order to reveal the beauty of some objects you need to place them in the right context. Some will always say that the environment can be strong enough by itself for the objects to not even matter. But just look at this exposition - it's worth an escape from London!
Until 4 Aug / Exhibition / Jeffrey Gibson: No Simple Word for Time / Sainsbury Centre
Jeffrey Gibson is representing the USA at the Venice Biennale this year. I find him extremely promising and even though he might be playing with Warhol’s heritage a bit too overtly, I think he still gets it right.
16 -18 Aug / Opera / The Marriage of Figaro by Kirill Serebrennikov / Festival Theatre
Having just premiered in Berlin, Serebrennikov’s new production finally takes the spotlight of world-wide fame. There are going to be only three performances during Edinburgh International Festival, and this is definitely a highlight of the program.
18 Aug / Concert / Royal Scottish National Orchestra & Elim Chan / Usher Hall
Guided by conductor Elim Chan, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra meets two dazzling soloists. First, Alison Balsom performs the Scottish premiere of Wynton Marsalis’s playful Trumpet Concerto. Jazz, blues and classical music combine in this bold exploration of everything the instrument can do. Then, Pierre-Laurent Aimard turns to Arnold Schoenberg's inventive Piano Concerto, which the composer wrote while exiled in the United States during World War II.
22-24 Aug / Dance / Assembly Hall by Kidd Pivot / Festival Theatre
This beautiful performance started its international tour at the beginning of February and is close to coming back home from its travels very soon. If you haven’t caught the performances of Crystal Pite’s company, this is one of your several last chances.
These two weeks have been full of events that I can’t even recall anymore (maybe I should start a diary already?), but I still managed to watch I Am Love, 2009 (What a movie! OMG!), Mother’s Instinct, 2024 (a combo of Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway can’t be slept on), Bullet Train, 2022 (how could I miss it??!), Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, 2024 (a show about Dior made me hate Chanel, while this one made me love Yves Saint Laurent) and Elsbeth, 2024 (if you are a fan of The Good Wife and The Good Fight - you will enjoy this hilarious spin-off). I also finished reading This Must Be the Place by Maggie O’Farrell and The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal. If I haven’t mentioned something interesting here, it is because I simply forgot. If any of it comes back to me, I will make sure to put it on the list!
Enjoy the week and we will talk very soon!
Yours,
Miri