The top five things to do in London this May Day bank holiday weekend, from traditional festivities to urban festivals and unmissable theatre.
1: SEE SHERIDAN SMITH IN OPENING NIGHT
This ill-fated musical about a star having a mental breakdown in the lead-up to the opening of a musical has been forced to close two months ahead of its original planned run. Directed by Ivo Van Hove, it’s a challenging, opaque production that makes few concessions to audience enjoyment – but it’s a striking piece of work and worth seeing for an on-form Smith alone.
2: SEE CRAZY IMMERSIVE ART AT ORIGIN
To be quite honest we don’t really know what this “unique deep listening art installation” actually is but as it is brought to life by former Punchdrunk alumni it has piqued our interest. It runs over four days over the Bank Holiday weekend at World Heart Beat Embassy Gardens in Nine Elms.
3: TAKE PART IN A MAY DAY RAVE
If you really want to get into the spirit of May Day, head to the London College of Fashion, where you’ll find Morris dancing workshops alongside DJ sets, with pearly kings and queens and tarot readings thrown in for good measure. Essentially a celebration of England’s weirdest cultural niches, it sounds endearingly bonkers, in a good way. The perfect way to spend the May Day bank holiday.
4: HAVE A LAUGH AT THE PECKHAM FRINGE
Now into its third year, the Peckham Fringe will be in full swing over the bank holiday weekend. Featuring eclectic comedy from across London and beyond, we recommend checking out Run Black Girl Run (3 and 4 May) and Hatch n Scratch at the Golden Goose Theatre on 5 May.
5: VISIT SOUTHBANK’S BIG SUMMER FESTIVAL
You know it’s summertime when that big pop-up venue on the Southbank between Waterloo and Westminster opens up for business. Between the Bridges returns this weekend, with outdoor drinking spaces, drag brunches, club nights, cabaret and theatre shows, and everything in-between. It’s free to enter so just rock up and enjoy the river views and stellar vibe.