Tag Archives: London Events

Sundance Film and Music Festival returns to London

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This year’s Sundance Film and Music Festival is set to take place at The 02, London. The Sundance Festival offers four sensational days of live music and the UK premieres of American independent films, fresh from the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Park city, Utah.

This year’s film festival boasts, amongst a variety of extraordinary films, Lake Bell’s award winning “In a World….” which is the story of an underachieving vocal coach, who is motivated by her father to pursue her aspirations of becoming a voice-over star which sets her on a path to change the voice of a generation.

Musically, Sundance London presents a fantastic range of genres, including newcomer Alex Burey, a 17 year old soul singer from Croydon and Lesley Pike who is known across Northern America and the UK for her engaging and comical live shows of electronic music which hold a hint of a 1980s influence.

Alongside film and music, Sundance London offers a range of special events which are designed to bring a unique experience to festival goers, one such event is the Filmmakers Hub Talk which is an exciting opportunity to have a sit down talk with some of the festival’s filmmakers.

The bonus to this amazing experience is that it is affordable, individual screenings cost £14 which includes a booking fee. However, if you’re an avid film enthusiast, you might be more interested in the festival’s packages; such as: the sky superscreen pass which is £280.

Just a 25 minute, no fuss train journey from the hotel to the o2 Arena, DUKES London is a great place to stay while attending this remarkable festival. You can take the opportunity to wind down after the excitements of the day in our infamous bar or alternatively you can relax in one of our luxurious suites.

THE LONDON MARATHON RETURNS TO THE CAPITAL

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Later this month, Virgin will once again be sponsoring the world renowned London Marathon. This phenomenal marathon is one of the world’s largest fundraising events, with a record number of 37,227 people finishing the marathon in 2012.

The London Marathon is one of the world’s best sporting experiences, not only for athletes and charity enthusiasts but also for the spectators.

This occasion unites people from all over the world with the simple notion of charity fundraising and support. The fundraisers are represented by the runners and the support is evident in the masses of spectators, not letting anyone give up and cheering until the last runner.

Each year, the race grows in size, stature and popularity whilst never losing the intrigue and excitement that encompassed the first race on the 29th March 1981. Using the Thames as a handrail of sorts, the marathon starts in Greenwich Park and ends in The Mall, which means the runners pass by many of London’s familiar sights; such as Tower Bridge, the Docks, The Embankment, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace.

Simply put, this event is a charity marathon but it is much more than that. This annual event gains popularity each year because people want to do more than just donate money; they want to showcase their support in a number of ways.  Let us not forget that the participants not only run but do so in fancy dress! This introduces a whole new aspect of fun to one of life’s great challenges. The London Marathon is an interactive and engaging fundraiser, bringing with it an opportunity to unite the community.

Why not treat your family to a great afternoon tea after the run? Whether you’re a participant in the race or simply giving your support, Dukes London provides a tranquil and relaxing place to settle after a hard day on your feet.  Come along for a well-deserved drink in our bar and treat yourself to one of our infamous martinis.

 

Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza

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The New Year in the Capital has started with a bang as the Royal Albert Hall welcomes back the Cirque du Soleil. They return with their highly rated show ‘KOOZA’ for the first time in the UK. KOOZA is a touring circus production which consists of a combination of acrobatics and clowning performances set in what has been described as an electrifying and exotic world.

The story is centred on a character called The Innocent, a lonely outsider searching for himself in the world he has been lost in for many years. His story and inspiring journey is demonstrated with trapeze-artists, high wire performers and the stunning wheel of death throughout the show.

The show cleverly mixes up a variety of different acts throughout which help contribute in developing the story and engaging the audience. Cirque du Soleil’s talented performers take to the stage presenting some incredible acts allowing the audience to capture the amazing and complex anatomy of a human body and to what lengths it can be pushed.

The Red, White and Gold coloured fabrics used to design the stunning costumes are inspired by the traditional circus and burlesque colour schemes. With more than 175 costumes, 160 hats and all together an impressive 1,080 pieces of wardrobe it is safe to say a lot of effort has gone into creating the outfits.

All aspects from costume to music and atmosphere have been considered to create a show which promises to exceed all expectations. If you fancy being a part of The Innocent story you can grab tickets from now until 14th February.

Afterwards, why not take a moment to relax in our exclusive Dukes Bar where our very own world-famous barman Alessandro Palazzi will conjure up the perfect drink for you to unwind in our idyllic surroundings.
Here is a video preview of what you can expect from the show.