Theatre: Dirty Dancing Is The Number One Stage Show In The UK
July 2, 2009
Nearly three years after it opened at the Aldwych Theatre in London’s West End, Dirty Dancing is still the Number One show in the UK.
According to theatre ticket comparison website SeatChoice.com, in the last three months there have consistently been more searches for Dirty Dancing tickets via their website than for any other show in the UK. The production, based on the cult film starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, will be three years old in September but is still playing to packed houses. (more…)
TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN, a dramatic new musical of a fictional account of the last year in the life of Ernest Hemingway, has its World Premiere in London’s West End this summer, opening at THE COMEDY THEATRE on Thursday 16 July for a strictly limited 8 week season (Press night: Friday 24 July). 
On 15 September 2008, capitalism came to a grinding halt. As sub-prime mortgages and toxic securities continued to dominate the headlines, this spring the National Theatre asked David Hare to write an urgent and immediate work to be staged this autumn that sought to find out what had happened, and why. 
The open air Minack Theatre, perched on top of the Cornish cliffs, installed a live streaming webcam a year ago. Over the last year a growing audience around the world has been able to both watch activity at the theatre and take in the beautiful views out into the Atlantic. The spectacular views can be seen at 
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is getting ready for the summer holidays with a new interactive exhibit at Action Stations, featuring the Royal Navy Aircraft Carriers of the future. First Sea Lord (Commander in Chief of the Royal Navy), Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, ceremonially opened the Queen Elizabeth Class Carrier Experience – ‘Carrier Strike’ back on Monday 15th June. 
Ashdown Park Hotel & Country Club in East Sussex is inviting its guests to take advantage of scrumptious picnic offerings this summer whilst exploring the hotel’s idyllic surroundings, from where A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh hails. Just 40 minutes drive from London; guests can grab a rug and locally produced picnic 
One in three Brits will be holidaying in the UK this summer, spending an average of £567 and looking to get away from it all with a seven day break. These are amongst the key findings of a new holiday index published today; which also discovered that Cornwall is the number one UK holidaymakers’ destination of choice this summer. 
1. Slovenia is bordered by four countries; Austria, Italy, Croatia and Hungary 
The Road Less Travelled
Upper Coquet Valley – Flowering Now! 
What could be better than a weekend of great walks, beautiful countryside, fantastic beer and excellent entertainment? The Black Sheep Brewery has opened entry to its 8th annual Boots and Beer Festival in anticipation of what is expected to be the “biggest and best” yet.
Britain’s leading guided walking tours operator, Ramblers Worldwide Holidays has been awarded the coveted Most Innovative Product to Norway for 2009 by Innovation Norway - The Norwegian Tourist Board, in London on Thursday 11 June.
A weekly guided tour of the Stade*, Hastings’ historic fishing quarter, has just been launched. The tour takes in a number of attractions which include not only the picturesque fishing beach but the Fishermen’s Museum and the Shipwreck & Coastal Heritage Centre.
Whatever your age nothing should stop you enjoying the amazin’ things in life, whether it’s walking, jogging, gardening, shopping or just being with your family. This leaflet from Transvasin is full of tips to help you feel even more amazin’ and enjoy life to the full. 
Keeping active and regular exercise helps keep us fit and healthy but as we get older, our bodies need a little help, support and a bit of TLC. Radian-B can help with this as it offers a complete range of topical analgesic treatments for the effective and express relief of everyday muscular aches and pains. Applied directly to the skin, 
This stunning compilation features some of the most beautiful songs in the world that are recognised as having a special, personal value to many people. The title of the compilation is taken from the chart-topping single that propelled Andrea Bocelli to global stardom and is just one of the wonderfully sentimental pieces of music included. Other hugely popular highlights include “Over the Rainbow”, “Hallelujah”, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and Amazing Grace”.
• 175TH Birthday Concert: Handel’s Messiah
Julian and Cynthia Lennon return to Liverpool to launch White Feather: The Spirit of Lennon Exhibition tells the story of life as the family of the Beatles legend.
Learn to relax
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has launched a poll to find out how gardeners became gardeners – and it needs your help to fill in the blanks.
Last month (June), the Government’s Digital Britain report outlined stricter penalties for people accessing ‘pirated’ music online but online music jukebox We7 has found that two in three (64%) consumers are only listening to and sharing music illegally online because they do not know how to do so legally.
2009 is proving to be the year that kitchen gardening goes mainstream with a huge increase in the number of people growing their own fruit and veg. Since the start of the year UK-based website 
Award Winning East Horsley based garden designer Fiona Stephenson returns to Hampton Court Palace Flower Show after winning a silver gilt medal in 2007 for her show garden – “Growing Together” This year’s garden is entered in the ‘Sustainable Gardens’ category and has been inspired by the Prince’s Rainforest Project: 
The Gloucestershire Steam & Vintage Extravaganza makes a welcome return to Kemble Airfield this year, taking the show in to its 35th year (Friday 31st July to Sunday 2nd August 2009). The power of steam, traditional crafts, classic vehicles, children’s attractions and non-stop live action makes this three day extravaganza one of the UK’s best value family outdoor shows.
CIWEM’s Environmental Photographer of the Year is one of the fastest growing photographic competitions in the world, sharing images of environmental and social issues with international audiences. This exciting competition has already received hundreds of entries from photographers in over 30 countries, including Hungary, Poland, Bangladesh, Serbia, Israel, Bulgaria, Pakistan, The Netherlands, Zimbabwe and the UK, but photographers only have until 31st July 2009 to enter. 
A unique research project into the highly sensitive problem of domestic violence towards older women is appealing for more volunteers to come forward to share their past or present experience confidentially.
The UK’s most inspiring companies are being urged to showcase their talent by entering a top national business award that could open doors – with the most accomplished UK firm winning a £50,000 cash boost.
When times are tough it is important people know where to turn to get all the help and advice they need during an economic downturn. That is why the Government has today launched a booklet for pensioners and those over 60 that pulls together all the help that it available to them in one place.
Ahead of a recent debate in Parliament, the National Association Pension Funds (NAPF) wrote to a number of MPs to urge them to re-think changes announced in the Budget on pensions taxation, saying the changes will have a negative impact on pension saving.
Rising unemployment and a shrinking economy are painting a gloomy picture for the UK jobs market. But there is hope - from an unexpected quarter. For many of the 1.5m unemployed people in Britain, caring for the elderly is an overlooked opportunity. That’s according to one of the country’s leading elderly care specialists. Nick Bruce, co-owner of Nightingales Retirement Care, is calling on the government, schools, colleges and jobcentres to promote looking after our older citizens as a career worth pursuing. 
International best-selling novelist and highly valued supporter, Frederick Forsyth has donated an exceptional auction prize to Leonard Cheshire Disability – a rare and exciting opportunity for fans to name a character in his next book. The highest bidder will not only be supporting the charity’s work, but will also be buying a prize that will be read by millions for years to come.
Independent British publisher How To Books is pioneering a new business model by putting the full text of 150 titles on the web for free, with no registration or subscription required. The company advertises physical copies of the books alongside the electronic content. Director Chris McVeigh says: “There is enormous unmet demand for free books online. We see a perfect opportunity to align ourselves with the Internet’s forté – sharing expert knowledge and ideas freely.”
Transworld Publishers and Random House Children’s Books are delighted to announce the publication on 16th July of Slumgirl Dreaming: My Journey to the Stars by Rubina Ali, the nine-year old who captured hearts worldwide in her role as the young Latika in the multi-Oscar winning film of Vikas Swarup’s bestselling novel Slumdog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle.
There’s not a toad, a rat or a badger to be seen in the winning entries to a competition launched by the River & Rowing Museum (
Enjoy the company of your friends and give them something to remember, light up the barbecue, and try out these unusual ideas on them, why not cook it outdoors and eat in, or put on a jumper and brave the elements.
Afternoon tea is pouring back into fashion! The most traditional of British rituals once associated with aristocrats and the elderly is back en vogue thanks to fashion glitterati, Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham and Madonna having all been recently spotted enjoying this afternoon indulgence. What’s more, it’s not just celebrities who are enjoying this British tourism institution: findings from a new consumer report revealed that six out of ten* Britons will also be planning to enjoy an afternoon tea this summer.
Are we finally coming to terms with the need to know more about the food we eat?
Penderyn, Wales’ only and award-winning distillery, opened its doors to the public for the first time last year with the launch of its elegantly styled new visitors centre on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. 
There can be few places in the world to rival the Adelaide Hills in South Australia for growing and enjoying wine. It truly is a land of plenty as it has everything going for it. It is scenically beautiful with superb old trees and rolling hilly countryside that seems to blend naturally with the fields of vines and other crops, yet the beach is only a few minutes away as is the sophisticated but laid-back city of Adelaide with its shops, restaurants, arts and sports (it boasts one of the world’s finest cricket grounds).