Last Updated on November 5, 2026

A misjudged riff on famous deaths

Speculation already defines American public life. I am writing immediately after midterm election results; over the last two weeks, all kinds of conjectural graphs, polls and far-flung theories have flashed onto my phone. Speculation still delivers a kick. Marylebone Theatre’s latest play runs with this idea. Stage veteran Trevor Nunn directs Speculations – a political thriller about the theories of investigative journalist Dorothy Kilgallen. Drawing connections between the final moments of Marilyn Monroe, John F. Kennedy and Lee Harvey Oswald, Speculations finds drama in unproven links between these historic deaths. Torben Betts’s script delights in the grey zones between truth and fiction, taking Kilgallen’s writing as permission to speculate about how these deaths really ‘went down’.

We join Kilgallen (Janie Dee – The Truth) in New York, a week before the publication of her bombshell book in which she alleges that Bobby Kennedy (Jolyon Coy – Bird Grove) tried to buy Monroe’s (Natalie Dunne – Pop) silence over state secrets and alleged intimacies with the Kennedy brothers. When Marilyn refuses to give up her diaries, Bobby poisons her and frames the death as suicide. Kilgallen also disputes that Lee Harvey Oswald, the JFK assassin (played by Joseph Potter – Outrageous) and Jack Ruby (subsequent killer of Oswald) acted as lone wolf murderers. Instead, Kilgallen suggests mafia connections to both men and insinuates state-choreographed murder.

These speculations unravel with help from Flo (Gloria Obianyo – Dune), a young babysitter who arrives at the house, and in whom Kilgallen instantly confides. There’s real jeopardy here too: Kilgallen has just received an anonymous phone threat against her family; her allegations have clearly angered someone dangerous.

From here, Speculations jumps between Marilyn and Bobby’s final meeting in Los Angeles, and Oswald’s indoctrination by mafia boss Carlos Marcello (Ferdy Roberts – The Christophers). It morphs into a dot-to-dot history of organised crime and state cover-up that forcefully reframes narratives around historical flashpoints.

The mission of Speculations is to experiment with the dramatic potential of coincidences and concealments, to jolt us into new flights of fancy.  As ex-artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, director Trevor Nunn adapts that well-worn Shakespearean line – “All the world’s a stage” – to a new context. But the trouble with Speculations is that very little feels new. Historical figures are imagined as cardboard cutouts of themselves – Marilyn bemoans the trials of fame; Bobby Kennedy laments the threat of Communism; Oswald pledges allegiance to Marx. Mostly the characters say what we expect them to. In its form the play is speculative; in script it is predictable.

The characters seem to have swallowed their own biographies and got them lodged in their vocal cords. Their lines are often painfully melodramatic. Journalistic conjecture can be a fruitful dramatic premise (think All the Presidents’ Men), but it’s most effective when it does not rely on stock versions of the characters it speculates over. If there is anything new to dramatise about Monroe, Kennedy or Oswald, such figures surely demand sustained, textured character studies, not hypotheticals.

There’s also friction in the relationship between Flo and Dorothy. Flo’s progression from wide-eyed babysitter to world-wise confidant feels incoherent. By the closing act, Flo instructs Dorothy (who never speaks of her journalistic pals or a close circle of any kind) to stay away from the windows. “Promise me you’ll be careful”, pleads Flo in a tone that suggests long-term kinship.

There are things to enjoy in Speculations. Lee Newby’s set cleverly rotates to merge past and present, and the cast give strong performances with what is a challenging text. But in trying to flip the script on cultural icons, Speculations largely repackages the old lines into a new story. Yes, there is fun to be had in the period sets and elegant clothing, but surprising takes on well-known figures go awry.

Speculations runs at Marylebone Theatre from Friday 30 October to Sunday 17 January.

Marylebone Theatre
Rudolf Steiner House
35 Park Rd
London
NW1 6XT

Looking for something different? Check out our review of The Revlon Girl at Park Theatre.

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Last Updated on November 5, 2026

A Hamlet Like No Other From Ben Duke’s Prodigious Imagination

Hamlet is widely considered one of the masterpieces of English literature. So, when theatre director Katie Mitchell pleaded in a radio interview for fewer productions of the play, stating she was tired of “angry, depressed, misogynistic men”, she caught the imagination of quintessential theatre man Ben Duke, the creator and director of Lost Dog. The result was The Last Hamlet, a typically unclassifiable dance-theatre production, which has now reached Sadler’s Wells East, following its debut at the Avignon Festival in the summer.

Anybody who knows Ben Duke’s work knows to expect the unexpected. He was the one who portrayed Romeo and Juliet in dissatisfied middle age, riffed hilariously on the myth of the creation as told in Milton’s poem Paradise Lost, and gave the much-maligned Medea the chance to tell her own story as she stood in the antechamber of hell in his award-winning Ruination. And now, in The Last Hamlet, Duke throws new light on Shakespeare’s work, with the help of two multi-talented performers – regular collaborators Hannah Shepherd and Miguel Altunaga – one folk singer – Anna B Savage – a few stuffed animals, and a little audience participation.

At the centre of The Last Hamlet is Duke himself, part narrator, part actor, part dancer, always a gripping stage presence. We first see him in an ill-fitting overcoat tethered to a wall of cardboard boxes, as a small radio on the stage plays an extract from the controversial Mitchell interview. Faced with the cancellation of his Hamlet and the loss of financial support, he agrees to put on one final performance on the cheap, with minimal sets and actors replaced by stuffed animals. Thus, The Last Hamlet is born.

Needless to say, this will not be a straightforward account of the Dane’s story. One of the Duke’s talents is the ability to create a climate of anarchy in a show that is, nevertheless, tightly produced and controlled. Time means nothing to him, and anachronisms flow freely, throwing fresh light on things we thought we knew.

References to popular culture impinge on the run of the narrative, for example, a suggestion of The Lion King in Duke’s costume, a ratty lion onesie, and that of Hamlet’s father – Altunaga in a vast lion skull under a massive grey mane. Duke’s is now an actor, kicking off proceedings by reciting Hamlet’s famous “to be or not to be” soliloquy, now a narrator, explaining he thought he should get the soliloquy out of the way quickly to spare us anticipating its arrival. And in the work’s few dance interludes, he brings compelling movement to his impressive range.

As Hamlet, he introduces his family: mother represented by a placid, plump goose, uncle Claudius by a snake, Polonius by a large teddy bear kept in its box for most of the show. The other key character, Ophelia, though, resists her representation by an otter; in what is clearly an attempt to give Ophelia greater agency, she is very much a human character, embodied by the feisty Hannah Joseph. In a nod to Katie Mitchell, perhaps, Ophelia confronts Hamlet with his egotism, repeatedly questioning his choices and his treatment of her, and has the final word.

It’s impossible to frame a coherent account of The Last Hamlet, yet on stage everything appears to cohere in a maelstrom of action that jumps from Hamlet’s inane conversation with a bored car hire employee, to the recreation of a secret encounter between his adulterous mother and Claudius, and a fateful conversation with a Spanish-speaking gravedigger. Soutra Gilmour’s set, a wall of cardboard boxes that open to provide windows for a variety of props, is at intervals coloured and animated by Will Duke’s video design, which adds depth to the stage narrative.

Jethro Cooke’s sound design moves wildly between a version of the mourning hymn ‘Lacrimosa’ and the boogaloo hit ‘I Like It Like That’, and much else in between. However, to say that all these disparate elements somehow cohere in Duke’s zany world is not the same as saying that The Last Hamlet rises to the heights of Lost Dog’s previous work. I found that after an ebullient, laugh-out-loud, entirely engaging first half-hour or so, The Last Hamlet began to sag a little and to lose its grip, despite a characteristic tour de force central performance by Duke. It was, on the whole, enjoyable, but somehow it fell a little below my expectations.

The Last Hamlet is at Sadler’s Wells East 4 – 7 November at 7.30 pm
Dur.: 1 hour 40 mins, no interval. Tickets: £15-35 (+ £4 transaction fee)

Sadler’s Wells East
Stratford Walk
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
London E20 2AR

The post The Last Hamlet appeared first on London Unattached.

Last Updated on November 5, 2026

Brook & Green – All-day Neighbourhood Restaurant on the Chiswick High Road

A new face has arrived on Chiswick High Road. Brook & Green has taken over the former site of Silver Birch, the Michelin-starred restaurant, with owner Tim Price opting for a more relaxed, all-day approach to neighbourhood dining.

As a West London local, I’ve been eating my way along the High Road since my children were young. Back then, it was usually lunch; these days, I also get the chance to enjoy a long, leisurely dinner. But it’s always fun to discover somewhere new, particularly somewhere like Brook & Green, which takes you from breakfast through to dinner.

The interior is contemporary and airy, with industrial ceiling pipes painted in natural tones that blend in with the walls. A bar sits on one side, with a mix of mid-century-style wooden tables and chairs and olive-green banquettes on the other, while colourful, Miró-inspired prints add a splash of colour.

Outside, a terrace should come into its own again when the warmer weather returns. Downstairs, there’s also a Brook & Green wine room, centred around an extensive wine collection.

Having been open for just two weeks, the restaurant was remarkably busy, which I took as a good sign. The team still seemed to be finding their feet, as you might expect with such a new opening.

I’d looked at the menu online before we arrived, and the breakfast and brunch offering, served until 11.30 am, looked rather tempting. But another time, as on this occasion, I was here for dinner, with the à la carte menu available from midday onwards.

We started the evening with cocktails: a classic Negroni for me and a Campari Spritz for my companion. The menu offers a good choice of small plates, alongside larger dishes and sides, making it easy to mix and match depending on how hungry you are.

We shared a couple of small plates to start. The whipped cod roe was heavenly, light and creamy, with a real burst of flavour, served with chunky sourdough toast for scooping it all up. The tuna crudo was equally impressive, its bright colours almost matching the prints on the walls. Fresh pink slices of tuna were teamed with finely sliced fennel, segments of blood orange, capers and a vibrant herb oil.

Accompanied by a nicely chilled glass of Chenin Blanc,  Writers Block, Western Cape, South Africa, – refreshing, fruity, with a zesty citrus finish.

Brook & Green‘s larger plates include several classics. The table next to us was tucking into the chicken schnitzel, which looked very tempting, while the menu also features bavette steak, burgers, and wild mushroom risotto. I opted for the pan-roasted sea bass with brown shrimp butter. The fish was well cooked, with lovely crisp skin and a buttery finish, accompanied by samphire and new potatoes. It was a well-executed dish, though I felt it could have done with a little more flavour to really make it sing.

My companion opted for the slow-roasted pork belly with a grain mustard jus, a warming, wintry dish that was rich and intense. Charred Granny Smith apples and a fresh fennel slaw added sharpness and balance. And a green salad on the side added a touch of freshness.

Desserts stick to the classics, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Crème brûlée and lemon tart are two of my all-time favourites, and both were spot on here.

Brook & Green feels like a welcome addition to Chiswick High Road, particularly if you’re looking for somewhere that works throughout the day. I can see myself dropping in for brunch or a light lunch just as readily as settling in for dinner. Next time, I think I’ll be tempted by that breakfast and brunch menu.

Brook & Green, 142 Chiswick High Road,

London, W4 1PU

Tel: 020 8103 9222

Looking for something different? We also love Napoli on the Road for Pizza and more

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Last Updated on November 5, 2026

The Royal Ballet Honours Ninette de Valois

It’s no exaggeration to say that we owe what British ballet is today to Madam. That’s how everybody within The Royal Ballet universe still refers to Ninette de Valois, the visionary Irish-born woman who, exactly one hundred years ago, founded the Academy of Choreographic Art, which would become the Royal Ballet School (RBS) and spawn two world-class ballet companies: The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Earlier this year The Royal Ballet School marked its anniversary with a glittering programme, A Centenary Celebration, shown on the RBO main stage; now, The Royal Ballet brings to the Linbury a further 90-minutes programme, entitled simply “Madam” – nobody would dare address this daunting, driven woman by name – to flesh out the person behind the soubriquet and illustrate her work and the way in which it has shaped British ballet, not only in the development of its classical technique, but in her attention to choreography, which has been a key part of the school’s curriculum from the very beginning.

In an expansive, yet intimate programme, filmed sequences brought us the memories of some of those who worked with Madam: former principal dancers Monica Mason, who went on to have a long and successful stint as Royal Ballet director, Dame Antoinette Sibley and Anya Linden, now Lady Sainsbury. All remembered how daunted they were in Madam’s larger than life presence, and recalled her vivid imagination, respect for the art form and the way in which her vision was shaped by her spell with Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. As Monica Mason put it, she wanted her dancers to be “theatre creators, not just ballet dancers.” Her association with ballet master Enrico Checcheti helped forge English ballet technique.

Madam’s sharp eye identified the specific talent of each of her dancers, as well as spotting and promoting choreographers, foremost among them the quintessential English dance maker, Frederick Ashton, and Kenneth MacMillan. She herself was an accomplished choreographer, and the core of this tribute programme was made up of six De Valois solos sandwiched between seven pieces, which illustrate choreographic developments post-Madam.

Madam’s diktat about “theatre creators” was evident in all six solos, but particularly in the “Elihu” and “Satan” solos from her ballet Job, set to music by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Their contrasting themes – appolonian and dyonisian – were beautifully danced respectively by Martin Diaz and Marco Masciari, the former with slow movement and beautiful elongated lines, the latter with satanic energy, arms and hands at times giving the illusion of claw-shaped wings.

Also notable was Caspar Lench’s dancing of Vestris, a solo created on Wayne Sleep, whom Madam described as “the greatest virtuoso dancer The Royal Ballet has ever produced”, inspired by the celebrated 18th century dancer Auguste Vestris. Coached by Wayne Sleep, Lench gave an effortless reading of the intricate, playful choreography.

The remaining De Valois pieces were from The Rake’s Progress and her masterpiece Checkmate – the latter would have benefitted from a longer, contextual extract, as we saw in the RBS’s A Centenary Celebration.

The youngest choreographer represented was RBS pre-professional year student Soren Chisholm, whose short, assertive Peace with Honour was a duet set to President Nixon’s 1973 speech announcing the end of the Vietnam war – it showed daring and promise. Marianna Tsembenhoi did Ashton proud with her interpretation of the Ondine Variation, from the eponymous ballet originally created on Margot Fonteyn; time stood still as Yasmine Naghdi and Ryoichi Hirano performed the 2nd Movement of Concerto, set by MacMillan to music by Shostakovich, their slow, unhurried, precise dancing leaving me craving more.

Two contrasting choreographers more recently associated with The Royal Ballet – Wayne McGregor, Resident Choreographer since 2006, and Christopher Wheeldon, Artistic Associate since 2012 – closed the programme.

McGregor was the first choreographer from a contemporary dance background to gain residency with the company, and a much-performed extract from his early work Chroma, exhibits the jagged gestures and hyperextensions we’ve come to associate with his style. It was danced with tremendous engagement by Anna Rose O’Sullivan and Marcelino Sambé. Christopher Wheeldon is an altogether different proposition: a dance maker of Elysian elegance, whose Beautiful Shadow, a pas de deux set to music by Benjamin Britten and dressed by Erdem Moralioglu was danced by guest principal Lauren Cuthbertson and Lukas B. Brændsrød as a masterclass in how to present a thoroughly modern, yet impeccably classic, creation.

The programme opened with an ensemble piece by the American choreographer Jessica Lange, inspired by poems by Ninette de Valois herself and danced by 16 RBS pre-professional year students; it premiered in the end of year Royal Ballet School Performance last July. And we saw a short extract from The Royal Ballet’s signature work, The Sleeping Beauty: the Aurora Vairation from Act III danced by the young RBS alumna Aurora Chinchilla.

Live music throughout was provided by pianist Kate Shipway and violinist Melissa Carstairs.

Madam is at the Linbury Theatre 3 & 4 November at 7.30 pm
Dur.: 90 mins no interval. Last few tickets: £6 – 62

RBO
Bow Street
London WC2E 9DD

For further dance suggestions check out our London Dance Previews – July to December 2026

The post Madam, Linbury Theatre appeared first on London Unattached.

Last Updated on November 3, 2026

Fenix Mayfair on the Rise

High-end contemporary Greek restaurant Fenix Mayfair sits just around the corner from Green Park tube on Piccadilly. Head Chef Zisis Giannouras has developed a new seasonal menu, which we have been asked to review that combines traditional elements with ‘subtle Japanese, Peruvian and French influences.’

I had a Greek grandmother and am a great lover of Greek food, so I wanted to see whether these global updates on what is a very traditional cuisine made sense.

Fenix’s interior is ‘rustic chic.’ Low level Aegean beats create a soundtrack for a space that in the evening is a cross between a low-lit nightclub and a sexy taverna. With wooden beams, arches, striking-looking straw light shades, red tiles and lots of greenery, it’s certainly warm and inviting.

There’s also a dining counter that overlooks the open kitchen which adds atmosphere.

Drinks are always on my menu, and a glass of Laurent Perrier Blanc de Blanc with its trademark blend of citrus and crisp minerality was as reliable as ever. More interesting was the Truffle Negroni made with 12-year-old truffled Metaxa brandy, Ottos Athens vermouth and Campari. It was a smoother, gentler drink than a classic Negroni, with the truffle smoothing off some of the drink’s trademark bitterness.

From the Spreads Menu, came with a deliciously light and creamy tzatziki, lifted by a hint of spearmint rather than the usual mint and all mopped up with some hot and fluffy Pita bread. Grilled chunks of aubergine flesh were studded with red pepper and topped with a refreshing feta ice cream. Both dishes were cleverly executed upgrades on classics.

From the Cold Menu, I loved the tuna, truffle and caviar tartare: a collation of tomato salsa and coriander yoghurt, raw tuna, caviar and a Jalapeno cream all dressed with a yuzu, soy and truffle oil sauce. This dish, often disappointingly bland, was a triumph; spicy, fresh and complex. The mineral and white apple flavours of an Assyrtiko ‘Familia’ Hatzidakis from Santorini was a good match.

Moussaka is a Greek staple and at Fenix it sits in the Meze Menu. The chef has deconstructed the dish so spiced short rib came topped with meltingly caramelised aubergine and a pool of Graviera cheese on the side. A classic Burgundy Chablis from Brocard, ‘Domaine Ste Claire’, had enough body to stand up to the richness of the moussaka.

From the Open Fire Menu a 200g beef fillet was tender, tasty and served ‘bleu’ as requested. The accompanying black olive and beef jus was gorgeous and was all mopped up with cumin perfumed mash.

Grilled octopus was soft, full of char flavour and prettily served on an ironically ‘smashed’ plate. I really enjoyed the earthiness of a Fava bean purée with a parsley vinaigrette adding welcome acidity. There are also Pasta and Rice and Sharing Menus if you’re interested.

I was planning to skip dessert, having had two million Tiramisus in the last few weeks. However, I was seduced by another deconstructed dish.  A huge swirl of glorious frozen Greek yoghurt was paired with Loukoumades (deep-fried doughnut balls), candied walnuts, berries and shards of Filo pastry. I am ashamed to say that we finished it.

The original Fenix is in Manchester if you are in that neck of the woods, but I’m really impressed with the quality and integrity of the cooking in the Mayfair branch. There are many ways to recontextualise Greek cuisine. Head Chef Zisis Giannouras has chosen the path of subtle reinvention rather than anything more dramatic, and in this location, that is a smart move. The restaurant is perfect for a hot date or a social or business outing and offers a welcome change from the plethora of Italian restaurants that are so ubiquitous.

Fenix Mayfair 

Stratton House, 80 Piccadilly, London, W1J 8HX
020 37781986

If you’re looking for somewhere different try Bamboo Mat in Canary Wharf.

The post Fenix Mayfair appeared first on London Unattached.

Last Updated on November 2, 2026

A dive into one of London’s cultural hotspots

Why Notting Hill?

The hit rom-com Notting Hill swept US cinemas in 1999. The film broke box-office records, and its leading actors, Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, rebranded Notting Hill, West London, as a magical playground for urban romance.

The film is not entirely untruthful. Notting Hill does boast tall neo-classical homes, cute bookshops and a bustling market. But the area has a much more varied history than its Hollywood persona suggests.

Located in the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, between Shepherd’s Bush to the west and Paddington to the east, Notting Hill has shifted from well-to-do Victorian suburb, through neglected mid-century slum to hyper-gentrified enclave. Wartime bombardment, immigration, musical talent and big infrastructure projects have all shaped the area’s character.

This Guide places contemporary Notting Hill in the context of its varied history and spotlights the most interesting spots in the area today. Read on for recommendations of lesser-known eateries, historic pubs and characterful cinemas. We’ll also take a walk down the famous Portobello Road. This is an introduction to one of London’s most culturally rich neighbourhoods.

The Story of Notting Hill

The earliest recorded mention of Notting Hill can be traced to 1356. As the City of London industrialised and its population grew, Notting Hill morphed from a rural hamlet into a suburb of the capital. The area was an important centre for pig farming and manufacturing at the turn of the 20th century; London’s only standing nineteenth-century tile kiln can still be found on Walmer Road.

From the 1820s onwards, developer James Weller Ladbroke (after whom the neighbourhood’s main thoroughfare, Ladbroke Grove, is named) built large neo-classical houses. He envisaged a fashionable suburb for London’s richest residents. Under Ladbroke’s jurisdiction, large open-plan gardens – or ‘pleasure grounds’ — were favoured over individual garden units. These wide, tree-studded gardens are still a trademark feature of the grandest Notting Hill streets.

In the early twentieth century, the character of the neighbourhood began to change. The number of middle-class households declined, and many Irish workers formed communities in Notting Hill, providing the essential labour force to build London’s expanding road and rail network. The large Notting Hill houses were divided up into tenement flats and, following wartime bomb damage, many residents were forced to live in squalid conditions.

By the early 1950s, Notting Hill had become a focal point for West Indian immigrants of the Windrush Generation. Upon arrival, many incomers were subjected to racist renting restrictions and forced into cramped, dilapidated housing. New arrivals brought vibrant food and music to the area. Caribbean culture persists strongly in the area today, famously in the annual carnival.

Much of the area’s housing was cleared in the late 1960s to make way for the Westway flyover, a raised carriageway connecting central London to western suburbs. Trellick Tower, a now-iconic Brutalist block, went up in 1972.

In the later twentieth century, the grand houses, large gardens and wide streets were again attracting London’s wealthy residents. Since the turn of the century, many of the area’s independent shops have given way to multinational chains, although pockets of Notting Hill’s independent spirit remain.

Today, the area is a wealthy neighbourhood defined by gentrification and tourism. Yet its cultural scene is still thriving and there are many places to eat, drink and soak up the area’s history.

Heritage Walk

Portobello Road, or simply ‘Portobello’, is one of London’s best-known thoroughfares. The road itself runs almost the length of Notting Hill and hosts a popular street market. Popularised by an eponymous song from Walt Disney’s 1971 musical Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Portobello Road is now pedestrianised in places to accommodate almost full-time street sellers. The stalls sell everything from Victorian furniture to vintage jeans to British cabbages. By taking a figurative walk down Portobello Road, we’ll trace some of Notting Hill’s important landmarks.

Beginning in the north at the junction between Golborne and Portobello Roads, look northwest to the skyline. Jutting into the air is Trellick Tower, Notting Hill’s Brutalist marvel. Designed as social housing by Ernő Goldfinger in the early 1970s, the tower soon became a crime hotspot. But by the 1990s, high-rises were in fashion and demand for Trellick apartments soared. Today, the flats are highly sought after (although many of the units are still council-owned).

Turn away from the tower and walk down Portobello Road, taking in the antiques stalls and grand houses along Cambridge and Oxford Gardens to the right.

Immediately ahead stands a massive concrete overpass called the Westway. It was London’s first urban motorway, built in the early 1960s, and its construction caused widespread protests over noise pollution and living conditions.

Much of the previously derelict land under the highway has been developed. For example, Bay66 is one of the capital’s most important skateparks. It sits under the Westway just east of Portobello Road. The click-clack of the skaters can be heard from Portobello on calm days.

Continuing under the Westway, following the jumble of market stalls, Tavistock Piazza emerges on the left. High on the wall, immediately left of La Plaza Tapas Bar, is a blue plaque to Rhaune Laslett-O’Brien, the widely recognised godmother of Notting Hill Carnival. Born in 1919, O’Brien was a local campaigner who fought for renters’ rights. She pioneered the first week-long festival in 1965 to celebrate Notting Hill’s cultural diversity – an event that swelled into the modern-day carnival. Every year, Caribbean food and music light up Notting Hill for an August weekend.

Heading south down Portobello Road, away from Tavistock Piazza, it’s worth turning left onto Westbourne Park Road, about 200 metres down from O’Brien’s plaque. 

The street holds another important landmark. In 1970, nine Black residents were charged with inciting a riot against the police, who were routinely raiding The Mangrove, a local Caribbean restaurant. Although the building no longer serves food, a blue plaque to Frank Crichlow, founder of The Mangrove, is fastened to the site of the restaurant.

Rejoin Portobello Road and continue south until the junction with Blenheim Crescent. A few paces west along Blenheim sits Notting Hill Bookshop, the interior of which became Hugh Grant’s sanctuary in the hit film Notting Hill. The bookshop is a buzzing tourist stop. There’s usually a queue to pose outside its window, and couples often propose here.

Following Portobello Road once again, the stalls start to give way to fashionable vintage shops, food vans and clothes stores. This section of the road is largely pedestrianised, and it’s the last chance to pick up market goods before the road becomes more residential.

After crossing Chepstow Villas, keep an eye out for house number 22. The writer George Orwell lived in the attic room of this house in 1927, spending the winter warming his hands over a candle. Orwell’s first full-length work, Down and Out in Paris and London, was based on his time in this flat and the surrounding streets.

The southern end of Portobello Road meets Pembridge Gardens. From here, it’s a short walk to Notting Hill Gate tube station. In 2010, maintenance workers discovered a sealed-off passageway in the station that still held mid-century posters. It’s easy to jump on the tube from here or turn around and wander back along Portobello. The market always throws up new treats.

Culture and Entertainment

Notting Hill is known for its vibrant cultural scene. Waves of immigration throughout the twentieth century have brought diverse influences to its streets.

The Tabernacle is Notting Hill’s flagship independent arts venue. Built as a church in 1887, it has been adapted for modern performance needs, complete with a bar, raised seating and a large stage. The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd rehearsed in the venue in the 1990s. Mick Jagger strutted through the Romanesque façade countless times to belt out ‘Satisfaction’ and ‘Brown Sugar’ into what was then a neglected Victorian shell of a building. Now, the Tabernacle hosts everything from live music to comedy to community gatherings.

Notting Hill also has a rich cinema history. The Electric Cinema on Portobello Road was one of the first purpose-built cinemas. It opened in 1910 and played films throughout the war. In the 1960s, the cinema screened avant-garde films, and by the 1980s, plans to redevelop the cinema had met fierce local and international opposition. The Electric still screens blockbuster and fringe films alike. Its velvet interior and huge chairs are a treat for any cinema lover.

The Grade II Gate Cinema, opposite Notting Hill Gate tube, opened a year after the Electric. It was damaged during the Blitz, and cycled through various names and owners until, in 2003, it was acquired by the Picturehouse chain. Its lavish auditorium has remained essentially unaltered.

Eating and Drinking

Notting Hill provides all kinds of dining options. The street food scene is strong, especially on market days when pop-up stalls serve everything from jerk chicken to tapas.

There are also delicious permanent food spots. Before walking down Portobello Road, stop in Panella, a family-run Sicilian place on Golborne Road, nestled in the bowels of Trellick Towers. It’s the perfect place for coffee and a mid-morning snack.

Sticking with the street food theme, Secret Sandwich Shop on Talbot Road offers quick lunch options prepared in a former nightclub. Every day between 8am and 3pm this cosy stall serves large, classic sandwiches.

Makan Cafe is another favourite street food spot, perfect for picking up lunch on a walk down Portobello Road. Their authentic Malaysian cuisine is well priced, plus the window offers a satisfying view of walkers along Portobello Road. Just down from Makan, Portobello Health Foods is another lunch gem. Hearty stews, bakes, pastas and salads can all be custom-picked to make a generous food box.

The more expensive eateries are no less impressive. The Pelican pub on All Saints Road was previously a conventional neighbourhood boozer. In 2022, the management appointed a head chef who pivoted the establishment towards fine dining. The Pelican is still a great spot to enjoy a pint of Guinness, but it now offers a refined food menu to boot. The pub also sources much of its ingredients from local producers.

As the sun sets over Notting Hill, Caia restaurant on Golborne Road is a great option for a refined dinner. Blending European and Asian cuisines, Caia offers dishes ranging from seafood to steak tartare. Combined with an ideal location at the top of Portobello Road, this eatery is the gold standard for fine dining in the area.

Where do we hang out in Notting Hill?

London Unattached journalists have long wandered Notting Hill’s streets, soaking up its cultural delights. ULI Restaurant near Notting Hill Gate has been going strong in the area since 1997. In 2019, we enjoyed ULI’s crispy calamari and mochi with ice cream.  In 2025, Dove restaurant on Kensington Park Road was our restaurant of the month. We loved Dove’s selection of small plates and burgers. “Big flavours, large portions, indulgence and inventiveness” is the name of Dove’s game. More recently, we reviewed Via Emilia, an excellent spot for handmade pasta, charcuterie and wine. Nestled on All Saints Road, the restaurant offers a refreshing take on Italian food.

We also keep our fingers on the pulse of Notting Hill’s performing arts scene. Our glowing review of acclaimed choreographer Russell Maliphant’s Maliphantworks4 at the Coronet Theatre was a hit with readers last year. In 2026, a strong adaptation of Dostoevsky’s novel The Gambler again proved the Coronet’s commitment to bold international arts.

Towards the end of an evening in Notting Hill, you’ll find London Unattached journalists relaxing in the Knight of Notting Hill on Ladbroke Grove, swaying to a live music set and sipping one of their craft cocktails.

Transport to and from Notting Hill

Getting to Notting Hill is easy. The northern end of Portobello Road is just a few minutes’ walk away from Westbourne Park tube station (Hammersmith & City and Circle Lines). The southern tip is served by Notting Hill Gate tube station (Central, Circle and District Lines). The neighbourhood is also well served by buses: numbers 7, 23 and 94 all connect central London with the area.

The Oxford Tube – London’s regular direct bus service to Oxford – also stops at Notting Hill Gate station, so it’s possible to combine a morning in Portobello with sightseeing at the UK’s oldest university.

Notting Hill Take-aways

Whether you’re a vintage clothes trader, collector of Victorian furniture, food enthusiast or history nut, Notting Hill has something to offer. Its arc from upmarket nineteenth-century suburb to neglected slum to exclusive enclave makes the neighbourhood a fascinating snapshot of social change in London. There are still affordable treats in Notting Hill, from vintage bargains to cheap cinema tickets to big street food portions. I can think of few better ways to spend a winter morning than sipping hot coffee and rummaging through R&B records in the shelter of the Westway flyover.

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Last Updated on November 1, 2026

Tosca-Art as Resistance

ENO brings Tosca, this titan of the opera canon to a contemporary, vaguely ’80s Eastern European, setting. In its most successful moments, it is rousing and infused with urgency, but the dramatic punch of Act Two doesn’t land, and the cast is uneven.

The entire drama is set in a concert hall. At the outset, it is an easy going space, full of innocuous comings and goings. In spite of the appearance of Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner, the atmosphere is not a tense one, and the political turmoil feels remote. From here, Act One is one slow crescendo towards a reckoning with the dark political landscape. For the finale, the choir assemble as bombs explode in the distance, and thuggish guards beat up civilians. The choir sing on. It is a moving portrait of everyday life struggling on in the face of terror and conflict. With Puccini’s monumental score, it is stirring stuff. Act Two really does need a change of scene though. The dogged (or cash strapped) insistence on staying in the concert hall starts to battle the libretto, and common sense. Cavaradossi is arrested, tortured and waits for his death sentence. It takes substantial suspension of disbelief to accept that this would remain within the concert hall and not move to a jail or police station. It is also too innocent a space to really feel the jeopardy of Cavaradossi’s situation, the torture scene was quite unmoving.

Our Tosca, Axelle Fanyo, brings a captivating stage presence as the iconic diva. A true singing actor, she grasps the complexities of the role with utter conviction, presenting her initial jealous mood swings with warmth and humour, and negotiating the later horrors with great sensitivity. Vocally she is at her best when unleashing her full, soaring upper register and in some coy, giggly diminuendos. The iconic Vissi d’arte (in English) is very moving, not especially beautiful, but raw and desperately anguished. There is, however, a distracting problem throughout, and that is the text, or rather lack thereof. It is very indistinct. The problem is not so much underpowered consonants, but the way Fanyo chews on the text, with warped and wandering vowels. 

Indeed, the evening speaks volumes on the relationship between singing and text. While Fanyo struggles, Christopher Purves (Scarpia) and Alaric Green (Angelotti) deliver a masterclass in flawless diction. Surtitles are quite redundant with these two. What a shame they’re both dead by Act Three. The fact that the production is in the vernacular, and with a particularly good translation, means that there is the opportunity for real emotional immediacy. Poor diction squanders this. Furthermore, the colour of the vowels is a part of the music. Pure, stable vowels give a clean contour to the sound, when they wander the waters are muddied. 

Diction aside, Alaric Green’s gloriously resonant, powerful voice is quite something to behold and Christopher Purves is a skin-crawingly nasty Scarpia. This Scarpia is understated in his evil, which is coldly institutional rather than flashily psychopathic. His crisp, direct voice carries effortlessly over the orchestra. He could be speaking right in your ear, and what a horrible thought that is. 

Chaz’men Williams-Ali delivers a passionate Cavaradossi. Initially swallowed up the orchestra, he soon warmed into it. Despite some signs of flagging stamina, his Act Three aria was stunning, particularly with the heartbreakingly plangent clarinet solo. He brings authenticity and pathos to the role, and his chemistry with Fanyo is one of the highlights of the evening. They find passion and tenderness, and bring an endearing humour to their bickering. 

The chorus are on fine form, and it is fantastic to see that the children’s chorus is drawn from a state primary  (Marlborough Primary School). They are perfectly drilled but more importantly exude unbridled, electric enthusiasm. It is heart warming to see these kids, many of whom had never encountered opera before, experience its exhilarating power from within.

The standout performance comes from the ENO orchestra under Ben Glassberg, who embody every ounce of the majesty of Puccini’s score. Glassberg carves out broad phrases full of swooning, swelling passion. The sound is unfalteringly lush and warm, but also bombastic and red-blooded for the martial motifs, and thunderingly dramatic for each jaw-dropping plot twist.

On the strength of this, and a grand finale that will make your eyes pop out of your skull, it is worth seeing, but not an unmitigated success. 

Tosca

5th November – 11th December

English National Opera

London Coliseum, St Martin’s Lane, London, WC2N 4ES

All photos © Ellie Kurttz

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Last Updated on November 1, 2026

A convivial evening of English game dishes matched with wines from Tbilvino winery in Georgia

If I were to ask you to name some top European wine-making countries, I am sure that France and Italy would immediately spring to mind, followed perhaps by Spain or Germany. Few people would think to mention Georgia, a small wedge of a country in the Caucasus on the eastern edge of Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and Turkey to the south.

But despite its relative obscurity on the modern world wine stage, Georgia is the country with the oldest winemaking history in the world and home to over 500 different indigenous grape varieties. A recent dinner at The Jugged Hare pub and restaurant featuring a British game-based menu paired with wines from the Tbilvino winery in Georgia was a delicious introduction to the unique wines and winemaking styles of this underrated wine-producing region.

The earliest known evidence of grape-based wine production in Georgia dates back to 6,000-5,800 BCE, meaning that the country has an 8,000-year-old continuous winemaking tradition: the oldest in the world. Its isolated geographic location far further east than the wine-producing regions of western Europe also meant that the species of grapes that thrived there faltered elsewhere.  The tradition of small production, family-owned wineries making very individual wines also meant that a great diversity of grape varieties flourished (hence the 500 indigenous grape varieties!). 

But the feature that most distinguishes Georgia from other wine-producing countries is its use of qvevri (also spelt kvevri): large egg-shaped clay vessels which are buried in the ground.  Rather than fermenting the crushed grapes in wooden, concrete or later stainless steel tanks, Georgian winemakers fermented, aged and stored their wines in these vessels.  They are both porous enough to allow for slow oxidation as well as temperature-controlled because of being underground – perfect for winemaking. In fact, in 2013, UNESCO recognised the ancient Georgian qvevri winemaking method as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

One of the main reasons that Georgia disappeared almost entirely from the world wine stage was its invasion by Russia in 1921 and subsequent incorporation into the USSR.  Under Soviet rule, Georgia was designated as one of the main wine production regions to supply the USSR with wine.  Vineyards/wineries were all nationalised and organised into collective and state farms with centrally-set production targets. Volume and uniformity were emphasised rather than regional varieties and character, meaning that traditional family winemaking, local styles and many indigenous grape varieties became marginal.

When Georgia regained independence after the fall of the USSR in 1991, the huge USSR demand for its wines disappeared overnight and it is estimated that 30% of its vineyards were uprooted in a search for more lucrative crops.  But enough of the old traditions, grape varieties and qvevri survived among small family wineries to enable the growth of a thriving modern wine industry that is once again ready to make its mark on the international wine world.

To enjoy wines from a country steeped in traditional winemaking techniques, what better venue than a pub that specialises in very traditional British game dishes: The Jugged Hare, tucked into a quiet corner of the City behind the Barbican centre. The pub takes its name from the dish of jugged hare, where the word jugged refers to the cooking method known as jugging.

The dish is made by placing pieces of hare (a larger cousin of the rabbit that is shot in the wild rather than farmed) in a tall earthenware jug or covered vessel, which is then filled with red wine and herbs, placed in a pan of hot or boiling water and cooked slowly for many hours. This long, slow cooking helped to tenderise what could often be a tough, lean meat but also imparted rich flavours depending on the aromatics and cooking liquid involved.

A recipe for this dish is recorded in Hannah Glasse’s classic cookbook The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy in 1747, and the dish was very popular in 18th- and 19th-century Britain.  But it fell out of favour as urbanisation increased, the popularity of hunting declined, and people became uncomfortable with strongly flavoured meat. But at the Jugged Hare the tradition lives on!

At the recent wine and game dinner, we enjoyed a five-course menu in the private dining room and were joined by representatives from Tbilvino, one of Georgia’s most prestigious and pioneering wineries.  Established in 1962, Tbilvino employs both modern stainless steel tanks and traditional qvevri and is regarded as bridging the gap between tiny natural wine producers making only a few thousand bottles and huge Soviet era wineries.  The winery has become an important ambassador for Georgian wine internationally, and from the first glass we had, it became apparent why. 

Our welcome drink was a glass of Tbilvino Mtsvane, which was the only stainless steel tank fermented white we had all night.  The name of this indigenous grape in Georgian simply means green, and the wine was a perfect opener for the night. It showed notes of citrus, green apple and white peach with refreshing acidity, falling somewhere between the sharpness of a Sauvignon Blanc and the perfume of a Riesling.

Starters soon appeared in the form of a plate of muntjac deer tartare, impossibly thin potato waffle and root vegetable chips and bone marrow toast. This was one of the loveliest tartares I have had in ages – the gaminess of the meat was spiked with mustard, and the physics-defying crisps lent a welcome crunch.  Sourdough toast slathered with bone marrow was also a revelation – why are all restaurants not doing this? A decadent, earthy delight. 

This was paired with Tbilvino Rkatsiteli Qvevris an orange wine fermented in clay qvevri. Orange wine is essentially white grapes vinified like red grapes in that they are fermented on their skins (rather than limiting skin contact as you do with most whites).  This gives the wine the flavour profile of a white wine with the tannic structure of a red wine.  Rkatsiteli (“red stem” in Georgian) is Georgia’s flagship white indigenous variety, hugely adaptable and able to be vinified into a variety of styles.

When made in stainless steel, it produces crisp whites, but when, as in this case, made in qvevri it produces an amber coloured wine with an intriguing nose of tea leaves, citrus peel and notes of honey. On the palate, it is grippy with good tannic structure and an intriguing nutty palate with hints of spice and sweet tea. But what I loved most about it was that it is “clean”, not made in the cloudy and funky “natural wine” style of many orange wines. It was a great pairing with the tartare, standing up well to the robust flavours of the dish.    

This was followed by a fish course of crispy cod cheeks with smoked roe, buttermilk and dill dust.  I loved the contrasts at play in this dish: yielding, fleshy cod cheeks encased in crisp breadcrumbs; and the mild creaminess of the buttermilk offset by the salty, smoky pops of the smoked roe.

The wine pairing was another orange wine:  the Tbilvino Kisi Qvevris, the white flagship of the Tbilvino range.  This one is made from Kisi grapes and had an even deeper amber colour than the last. The nose was more expressive with stone fruit and blossom aromas, while the palate was less tannic, more rounded and packed a punch of apricot and orange peel with a spicy, tea-like finish.  It is a truly delicious wine and its more supple tannins and riper fruit made for a good match with the subtle flavours of the cod cheeks.

And then came the main event: the eponymous jugged hare.  It is such an impressively presented dish here, arriving in a tall earthenware jug accompanied by a bowl of ridiculously creamy nutmeg mash and one of steamed cavolo nero. We dished up mash and cavolo nero and poured the stew over both: first the pearl onions and carrot balls tumbled out, followed by tender chunks of meat and an unctuously thick gravy.  And if I was in any doubt as to whether this was a wild hare, I found a pellet of shot in one mouthful – photographic evidence below!

Such a robust dish calls for a substantial wine, and we were treated to two examples of Georgia’s iconic red grape: Saperavi. The first was the Tbilvino 2022 Twin Vineyards Saperavi, the winery’s benchmark premium expressions of this grape.  It is made primarily in stainless steel, with some oak ageing, rather than in qvevri, aiming to showcase the fruit and structure of Saperavi.

There are vegetal and spicy notes on the nose, but also lush dark fruit and berries. The palate does not disappoint – it’s wonderfully fruit-forward and full-bodied, with concentrated dark fruit, spicy notes and well-rounded tannins, but balanced by a fine acidity. 

The other Saperavi was the Tbilvino 2021 Plot #3, made with the intention of showcasing the specific terroir where the grapes are sourced.  This wine is also oak-matured for two years, meaning that the intense raisiny palate of dark cherries, blackberries and blackcurrants is balanced by spicy vanilla notes and some minerality. I was also surprised to hear that the ABV on these wines was 15% and 15,5% – they are so well made and finely balanced that the alcohol never dominates.

A cheese course came next, consisting of a selection of cheeses, smoked curds, lightly pickled carrot slivers and spectacular orange honey.  Highlights included Cashel Blue from Ireland; Rosary Ash goat’s cheese from Wiltshire; and Black Cow Cheddar from Dorset – my favourite. 

The cheeses were paired with a third red wine, made this time with another indigenous grape: the Tbilvino 2024 single vineyard Aleksandrouli.  Whereas the Saperavi had both been a deep velvety purple and almost opaque, this was an attractive deep ruby in the glass. The nose was also very different, featuring ripe red berries and damsons.  The palate is dominated by red fruits like strawberries and redcurrants with ripe, integrated tannins and a lingering fruity finish. It was a good match for the cheese and not as heavy as the ports or dessert wines that sometimes fight with the strident flavours of the cheeses.

Our final course was described as warm chocolate mousse served with a milk chocolate and cognac brownie, blackberry jam and vanilla ice-cream. 

The brownie was probably my least favourite dish of the night: there was simply too much going on with the berries, the jam and oddly crunchy bits that I never quite managed to identify. But the warm chocolate mousse served in a little Kilner jar with instructions to pour it over the brownie was a revelation. Imagine the love-child of a Mars Bar chocolate sauce and a souffle, and you are heading in the right direction! It was decadently warm, chocolatey and caramelly but had the light consistency of soft peak egg whites.  I could easily have taken a jar home to enjoy later – they should seriously sell the stuff!

Paired with this was a glass of Tbilvino Rkatsiteli Chacha, a clear white spirit drink made from “chacha”, the Georgian word for the leftovers of winemaking: the skins, pips and stems remaining after pressing. These are distilled into a clear white spirit along much the same lines as grappa.  The overwhelming impression on the nose and palate is alcohol, but once you get beyond that there is a surprising complexity: white pear, green apple skin and dried herbs, with a long clean, warming finish. 

We finished the evening with petit fours in the form of delightful blackcurrant and red wine jellies served on a stand in the shape of a brass hare, a neat encapsulation of the evening’s two themes. The dinner was a wonderful introduction to Jugged Hare’s excellent seasonal game offering as well as a glimpse into the rich variety of world-class wines that Georgia produces.

The Jugged Hare is open 7 days a week, 11h00-23h00. They also do a Sunday roast sharing menu and run regular wine-themed evenings, with the next one being a Beaujolais Nouveau dinner in November.

If you’re looking for somewhere else to enjoy traditional game dishes this Autumn, why not read our review of Wilton’s?

The Jugged Hare
49 Chiswell Street
London
EC1Y 4SA

Tel: 020 8161 0190
E-mail: info@thejuggedhare.com

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Last Updated on October 31, 2026

A pick of autumn experiences in the Alpes Vaudoises, Switzerland

The stunning Alpes Vaudoises are located in western Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, easily reached by train from Geneva Airport.

Autumn is an excellent season to visit this picturesque area in Switzerland. It is much quieter after the peak summer months, making it an ideal time for a short break. The scenery is breathtaking, the cheese delicious, and the wine produced in Vaud is well worth sampling. Switzerland produces a lot of wine, something people may not realise, as most Swiss wine is sold and consumed in the home market.

We were on a short trip exploring the Alpes Vaudoises, visiting some of the key attractions. From Geneva airport, we caught the train to Rougemont in the Pays d’Enhaut, the country above. The train is the best way to travel within Switzerland, as there is an excellent, punctual rail network. With a change at Montreux station, we boarded the stunning GoldenPass Belle Époque train heading towards Interlaken.

The journey was a luxurious and memorable experience: plush, spacious seats resembling armchairs in a roomy, highly ornate carriage with large windows perfect for soaking in the scenery. I have never had a more comfortable train journey.

Rougemont

Rougemont village, known as one of Switzerland’s most beautiful villages, is located in a valley surrounded by mountains not far from Gstaad in the neighbouring Canton of Bern. The train journey to Gstaad is a short seven minutes. Rougemont, taking its name from the red hue of the mountains in a certain light, is famous for its centuries-old, beautifully preserved wooden chalets, many of which line the main street.

The carved exteriors are exquisite, bearing traditional religious inscriptions on the frontage; some feature two wooden staircases to gain entrance. Small wooden tiles, or tavillons, cover the roofs. 

The Rougemont church is worth a visit. This small but charming church dates back to the eleventh century when it was constructed by the Cluny monks. The interior has been beautifully restored; today it is a delightful venue for concerts as well as worship. Rougemont church is designated a Swiss cultural building of national importance.

Rougemont was home to the Institut Alpin Videmanette, a women’s finishing school, teaching lessons in French. Its most famous attendee was Diana Spencer, albeit for a very short period.

Cheese-making demonstration at Le Chalet

The village of Château d’Oex, renowned for its annual hot air balloon festival, lies a short train journey from Rougemont. Visit Le Chalet restaurant for lunch, where you can sample a tasty, regional alpine dish, such as rösti or fondue, with a live cheese-making demonstration. The cheesemaker slowly stirs the milk in a large copper pot over flames in the traditional manner before straining off the whey and compressing the curds in a mould to form the cheese wheel. This is a highly entertaining meal.

Maison de l’Etivaz

From Château d’Oex, catch a bus to the cheese cellars at Maison de l’Etivaz where you can see the racks of artisan cheese wheels slowly maturing. L’Etivaz is a hard cheese, similar to Gruyère, made in the summer months in the surrounding mountains. The farmers move up into the pastures with their cows in the summer, living in small mountain houses called Alpages.

The cheese is made by hand over a wood fire, with the wheels transported daily down to the cave where they are soaked in brine for twenty-four hours before being stored on long shelves to mature. The cheese is aged for at least one hundred and thirty-five days to meet the AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) standard. The average maturation period is eighteen months. The tour ends with the chance to sample a selection of the cheeses. Etivaz cheese is hard and fruity, with a floral hint and delicious.

Château d’Aigle

Visit the town of Aigle, dominated by the medieval Château d’Aigle. This charming castle is surrounded by Chablais vineyards. The view from the top of the château ramparts is stunning, with vineyards stretching out into the distance.

The building, formerly a prison, now houses the wine label exhibition, an intriguing collection of wine bottles showcasing their colourful and quirky labels. 

Wine tasting at Cave Alain Emery

The Chablais vineyards produce wine from the Chasselas grape, the predominant vine throughout Switzerland. A visit to a wine cave in Aigle to sample wine from local vineyards is not to be missed. Cave Alain Emery, in the centre of Aigle, holds regular wine-tasting sessions. This local family wine producer has been growing vines on parcels of land around Aigle for five generations. Although Chassalas grapes are mainly used for white wines, you can taste a variety of wines, including a light and fruity pinot noir.

Bex salt mines

A short distance from Aigle are the Bex salt mines, the oldest salt mines in Switzerland still mining salt. Take a guided tour of the mines and discover more about their fascinating history.

You board a small train which takes you deep into the impressive darkened interior of the mines through one of the tunnels. There is a labyrinth of tunnels, shafts and open galleries, an astounding fifty kilometres in total. Originally discovered by a shepherd with his goat, in a time when salt was a much-prized commodity, the mines have been extensively developed.

Nowadays, the salt is mined using the latest equipment, a long cry from the harsh conditions the first miners experienced working in a dark, damp and dangerous environment. A visit to the Bex salt mines is an interesting and illuminating experience.

Les Diablerets

No trip to the Alpes Vaudoises is complete without mountain experiences. There is no better place to stay than Les Diablerets, a mountain village at the foot of a striking mountain range, the highest in the Alpes Vaudoises. In the olden days, people believed the high alpine mountains were scary places inhabited by devils; Les Diablerets means “little devils.”

The Peak Walk by Tissot

At an altitude of one thousand and twenty metres in the village from the Col du Pillon base station, a two-stage cable car system takes you up the mountain. In just fifteen minutes, you reach the Scex Rouge summit and The Peak Walk by Tissot at Glacier 3000.

On the day of our visit to Glacier 3000, there was an inversion fog in the valley. When we took the cable car ride, we rose up through the clouds. The weather at the top was sunny; the clouds were already dissipating below to reveal outstanding views.

The Peak Walk by Tissot is unique, being the only walk on a suspension bridge between two mountain peaks in the world. A short set of stairs takes you to the start of the bridge; you can feel the effect of the altitude at this point. The bridge is a magnificent sight; it may be frightening if you are afraid of heights, as it moves slightly when you walk across it.

Set into the rock at the other side of the bridge is an impressive large Tissot clock face, showing the correct time, of course. The views are stupendous in all directions. The Peak walk by Tissot was a highlight of our visit to the Alpes Vaudoises.

Rando-Raclette Walk

From the village of Diablerets, you can walk along Le Grand Eau, the river flowing through its centre. There are marked walking paths leading in all directions. A leisurely stroll by the river is delightful, rewarding you with views of the majestic mountains towering above. A fun thing to do is a Rando- Raclette walk, where you hire a raclette kit, containing a small portable burner with cheese, local sausage, bread and beer, from the Tourist Office. Outdoor picnic tables dotted about in the valley are the perfect spot to stop and tuck into a raclette al fresco.

The Alpes Vaudoises are a beautiful destination in autumn. The scenery is spectacular, with the foliage slowly starting to change colour. You can sample some local Vaud wine, indulge in cheese experiences, and enjoy the exhilaration of a high mountain walk as well as an underground visit to the salt mines in Bex. The Alpes Vaudoises will not disappoint.

Where to stay in the Alpes Vaudoises

In Rougemont, Le Hotel de Commune, originally an old coaching inn, is centrally located a short walk from the station. The hotel has comfortable rooms, a spacious bar and restaurant.

The historic Hotel du Pillon is situated in a small hamlet close to the village of Les Diablerets. It is a cosy, homely and unique hotel, set above the road up on a hillside, with sweeping views down to the valley and the mountains beyond.

I flew from London Heathrow to Geneva with Swiss Air. In Switzerland, I travelled by train and bus with a Swiss Pass. I was hosted by Pays d’Enhaut and Vaud Promotion.

Why not check out our feature on Swiss lakes and mountains by train with the Swiss Travel Pass.

Factbox

For more information on the Alpes Vaudoises as a destination.

For details of the cheesemaking demonstration at Le Chalet in Château d’Oex.

Find out more about La Maison de l’Etivaz.

Click here for Cave Alain Emery in Aigle.

For opening times and more information on the Salt Mines of Bex. Whilst tours are in French and German, a downloaded SmartApp guides you through the journey in English.

For ticket information and cable car times to access the Peak Walk by Tissot.

Interested in discovering more about the Rando-Raclette, visit Les Diablerets Tourist Office.

Switzerland Tourism

For more information on Switzerland, visit switzerland.com

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS)

SWISS connects Switzerland with the world, offering more than 160 weekly flights from London Heathrow, London City, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh to Zurich or Geneva. One-way fares start from £76 to Zurich and from £54 to Geneva, and include all taxes, fees and surcharges, one piece of checked luggage weighing up to 23kg and one piece of hand luggage. SWISS are also happy to transport your first set of ski or snowboard equipment and boots free of charge in addition to your standard free baggage allowance subject to availability (excluding hand-luggage-only fares). swiss.com

Travel Switzerland

Travel Switzerland’s Swiss Travel Pass offers international visitors to Switzerland unlimited travel on consecutive days across the rail, bus and boat network, plus scenic routes (seat reservation fees apply) and local trams and buses in around 90 towns and cities. It also includes the Swiss Museum Pass, which grants free entry to 500 museums and exhibitions. Prices start from £254 for a three-day second-class ticket. swisstravelpass.com

The post A great autumn visit to the Alpes Vaudoises appeared first on London Unattached.

Last Updated on October 30, 2026

Costa-Jackson Brings her Signature Swagger to Damiano Michieletto’s Carmen

Director Damiano Michieletto’s take on George Bizet’s Carmen opened last night for its third outing at Covent Garden. Italian-American mezzo-soprano Ginger Costa-Jackson as fiery Carmen and American tenor Russell Thomas as the jealous and despairing Don José are heading up a top-notch cast. Carmen is one of the most powerful operas in our cultural landscape, a combination of groundbreaking operatic ‘verismo’ (realism) set in the structural frame of ‘Opera Comique’, yet infused with the spirit of the Zarzuela, the Spanish musical theatre style that helped define the country’s national identity.

Taken from Prosper Mérimée’s novella then turned into a libretto written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, Carmen received its premiere in 1875 at the Opéra-Comique in Paris and was not immediately successful. Tragically Bizet didn’t live long enough to see the opera become a central pillar of the repertoire.

Set in the sultry heat of Seville, the opera’s narrative is constructed around the tragic love affair between Carmen, a gypsy, and Don José, a lower-ranking soldier. He is imprisoned for helping Carmen to escape incarceration for her part in a fight. On his release she convinces the naïve soldier to run off with her and join a band of smugglers. The other two main protagonists are Don José’s childhood sweetheart Micaëla, an orphan who has been brought up by his mother and who acts as the maternal mouthpiece, and Escamillo, the local star bullfighter who has the hots for Carmen. She leaves Don José for Escamillo and the inevitable tragedy ensues.

Michieletto and set designer Paolo Fantin have located the drama in a deracinated fantasy 1970s world that’s a million miles away from the Andalusian elegance of Seville and the gloomy high-ceilinged grandeur of the city’s real tobacco factory. There are kids riding choppers and playing cowboys and Indians, the buildings are single storey concrete or corrugated iron sheds. A listless, dusty yellow heat is generated by lighting designer Alessandro Carletti’s kinetic lighting array of a hundred parcans. It could be Spain, it could be Southern California – but really it’s opera design world – a transparent conceptual frame to give the production dramatic coherence.

Michieletto’s prime dramatic innovation is to integrate Don José’s mother as a central (mostly) non-speaking role into the drama. Ruth Alfie Adams floats around wraith-like in a black mantilla shuffling and brandishing tarot cards. The character creates a opposite pole of virtue and morality to the wayward Carmen. Don José never stands a chance, crushed between these two powerful women and was always going to run back to his mummy like a good Catholic boy, killing his chances with the wayward Carmen.

The issues that Carmen faces feel just as real. She is oppressed by her ethnicity, gender and class and can only assert herself through an oppositional stance to authority, whether it be state or patriarchal. The first two iterations of this production saw Russian mezzo-soprano Aigul Akmetshina in the role. Akmetshina was sensational and I described her as being “the defining Carmen of her generation.” Ginger Costa-Jackson is older than Akmetshina and is another singer whose career has been shaped by the role. Costa-Jackson looks fantastic and brings a more contemporary edge to her performance than Akmetshina, seemingly channelling Amy Winehouse and Winehouse’s inspiration Ronnie Spector. Initially decked out in designer Carla Teti’s viridian boiler suit, Costa-Jackson brings a masculine swagger to the part whilst offering a profound sexual threat. Her voice is warm and focused but with plenty of power in its upper register. Unafraid to stretch the rhythm in the habanera “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” and the seguidilla “Près des remparts de Séville” this was a complete performance that made both dramatic and musical sense.

The casting of Russell Thomas as Don José was a masterstroke. His Don José has both passion and self-knowledge and there is a real sense of his toxic and fatal attraction to Carmen. Thomas’s voice has a profound lyricism as in his signature Act 2 aria “La fleur que tu m’as jétée” but there is also vocal power which makes sense of the character’s trajectory.

Guatemalan soprano Adriana González became the diva of dowdy in the role of Micaëla, Don Jose’s pious homegirl. It’s not a glamour part and González gives her all, literally dragging Don Jose away from the temptations of Carmen. However, Bizet writes some fabulous tunes for the character and González has a ravishing lyric soprano voice that glistens in its top register in her duet with Don José “Parle-moi de ma mère!”.

Russian bass Alexander Vinogradov oozes self-confidence as Escamillo. He is the grown-up in the room, completely in control and able to manage Carmen in a way no-one else can. Vinogradov’s voice is rich and resonant and his trademark “Toreador Song” is a celebration of his macho cool.

Jette Parker Artists South Korean soprano Seohyun Go and British mezzo-soprano Ellen Pearson sparkle in hot-pants as Carmen’s girlfriends Frasquita and Mercédès. Their trio “Les tringles des sistres tintaient” is a vocal highlight and their flamenco-disco dancing adds value. A special mention is necessary for British bass Barnaby Rea who brings his strong physical presence and warmth of tone to the role of Captain Zuniga.

Sesto Quatrini conducts Bizet’s electrifying and sensual score at an energetic pace with the Prelude taken at a breakneck tempo, but the band sound tight and well balanced and rehearsed with the singers given room to breathe.

A special mention must go to the children’s chorus who were well-drilled, vocally secure and charming.
This is a top-class Carmen that is worth seeing with an ensemble cast singing and acting its socks off. With Ramona Zaharia and Valentyn Dytiuk taking over the lead roles later in the run I might have to go twice!

Carmen
29 October – 21 November 2026

Royal Opera House, Bow Street, WC2E 9DD

Check out our guide to the 2026 autumn/winter opera season.

All photos ©2026 Mihaela Bodlovic

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