I know, I know. Like me, you can’t quite believe that it’s already autumn in London either.
We’re now heading back into the cooler months after what can only be described as the crappiest UK summer on record. In London, this means trading weekend festivals, outdoor parties, and European beach holidays for indoor club nights, festive events, and, most importantly, Halloween. Yes, the only annual event that can safely challenge Eurovision for the title of ‘gay Christmas’.
So, let’s shake off our post-summer depression, book a few queer things to do and cross all our fingers that we don’t end up back in another lockdown before the end of the year.
When does autumn start?
It starts today!
Most people in the UK go by the astronomical seasons, which change slightly every year. This approach surprised me when I first moved to London. I was used to the very structured meteorological seasons that set autumn in the Northern Hemisphere as 1 September – 30 November every year.
However, having lived here for over a decade, the astronomical seasons make more sense. This year, autumn in London will run from Wednesday 22 September to Tuesday 21 December 2021 (wrapping up just before Christmas).
What’s so great about autumn in London?
Autumn is probably my favourite time of the year to be in London. It’s so wonderfully atmospheric and festive as everyone prepares to celebrate the season and hunker down for winter.
Autumn in London whizzes by in a flurry of fun stuff between the fireworks, Halloween parties, and endless Christmas celebrations. Some of the best parties of the year happen during this season. With summer finally out of the way, the city re-embraces what it does best with a fantastic line-up of shows and exhibitions.
So, pull your cosiest jumpers out of the back of your wardrobe and make the most of the season with these fabulously queer things to do this autumn in London.
📷 above image: Glamrou: from Quaran to Queen at the Soho Theatre.
Move your body
London is getting a queer clubbing festival, and it looks AMAZING! Making its debut on 9 October, Body Movements will take place across a whopping 16 different venues across Hackney Wick, with a line-up including the likes of Lakuti, Jaye Ward and DJ Paulette.
Dreamt up by producer/DJ Saoirse Ryan and Clayton Wright from Little Gay Brother, this day to night festival has been carefully curated to include over 40 queer, non-binary, and trans artists – both established and emerging talents. And the best thing? Even though tickets originally sold out like wildfire when they were first released, you can now catch some resales on Resident Advisor (keep checking back for cheaper options).
Literary treats
Having known beautiful Bimini since they first started doing drag, I’m so stoked at how the past year has seen them rocket into the queer celeb stratosphere. Their “queer self-help manifesto” Release the Beast is released on 14 October, and you can catch Bimini (and a copy of their book) that night in person at the Hackney Empire.
The lovely Alan Cumming, who has been in everything camp from Spice World to Burlesque and The L Word, also has their memoir coming out in October. You can catch them at the Barbican on 3 November, talking about Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life and all things Liza, X-Men and mental health.
If you loved Tales of the City (the Netflix series or the 1970s books that inspired it), I strongly recommend seeing Armistead Maupin in conversation with actor Russell Tovey at the Southbank Centre on 6 October. I saw Maupin at a similar event (with Laura Linney) in late 2019, and it was enchanting to hear stories about San Francisco in the 70s from one of our queer elders.
LGBTQ+ book nerds will be delighted to know that The Polari Prize is back again for another year. Previous winners include two of my favourite queer books from recent years: Amrou Al-Kadhi’s memoir Life As A Unicorn and Kate Davies’ novel In At The Deep End. You can attend this year’s awards at the Royal Festival Hall on 30 October for only £5.
Something to sing about
Fresh off the back of staring in Chicago Opera Theater’s queer version of Carmen, mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton is back in the UK after that iconic Pride flag moment at 2019’s Last Night of the Proms. This time she’s teaming up with composer Jake Heggie for an evening of music celebrating its capacity for emotional expression, including their lockdown project, What I Miss the Most.
Olympic eye candy and Strictly star Louis Smith is hitting Queen Elizabeth Hall this December with Bring It On the musical. Meanwhile, Festoon Theatre Company is bringing Rent to The Vaults in October, and Sadler’s Wells is staging a production of The Rocky Horror Show at their Peacock Theatre near Holborn.
Looking beautiful
Tate Britain is launching a multi-media installation from the queer artist, dancer and choreographer SERAFINE1369 (formerly Last Yearz Interesting Negro). These three videos works explore the sense of being haunted through the use of mythological archetypes.
In November, the V&A is launching an eye-catching exhibition featuring the work of Carl Fabergé. Renowned for his opulent eggs (which Elton John once claimed to own more of than the Russian Kremlin), this collection will feature a kaleidoscopic display of Fabergé’s expensive treasures, alongside the story of how London and the Russian Revolution shaped his brand.
After the success of her Portraits collection, legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz is back with a new anthology. Wonderland turns its gaze towards fashion, featuring photos of Lady Gaga, Matthew Barney and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. To launch this book, Leibovitz will be appearing at the Barbican on 29 November to discuss how her work has evolved over the past 50 years.
Reclaiming the stage
Thirty-five years since its UK premiere, the National Theatre is bringing the landmark HIV/AIDS drama, The Normal Heart, back to the London stage this autumn. Starring Ben Daniels (who played Antony Armstrong-Jones in The Crown) and directed by Dominic Cooke (who helmed the Olivier award-winning production of Follies), this play is a time capsule from a painful but important moment in queer history.
Following the release of their award-winning memoir, Life as a Unicorn: A Journey from Shame to Pride and Everything In Between, the phenomenally talented Glamrou is appearing at the Soho Theatre for six nights this October. Their solo show, Glamrou: from Quaran to Queen explores their experience as a Muslim drag queen in a world that isn’t fond of contradictions. This production is one of my must-see recommendations for queer London this autumn (which is why I already have my tickets)!
Queer crip artist Dan Daw is returning to Sadler’s Wells at the end of this month with a new show exploring kink, shame and pride. Blurring the divide between theatre and dance, The Dan Daw Show comes with a list of content warnings (including humiliation and “sexy disabled people”), which indicates that this is an excitingly progressive piece.
Initially scheduled for summer 2020, Straight White Men is finally receiving a four-week run at Southwark Playhouse this November-December. Scripted by Korean American playwright Young Jean Lee, this is an amusing exploration of identity, privilege and the traditional father/son dynamic. Most excitingly, the events are shaped by certain Persons in Charge, played by Kamari Romeo and the sensational Kim Tatum (aka Mzz Kimberley).
Transformative experiences
Harpies are back! This iconic strip club, which celebrates queer and trans+ bodies, has moved home to the White Swan in Limehouse and relaunched itself in style last Saturday. Keep an eye on Resident Advisor for upcoming dates. You can also catch this crew at Dalston Superstore every Wednesday for TransVisions, hosted by the iconic Lucia Blayke.
Fresh from its feature in BFI Flare’s 2021 programme, the documentary Colors of Tobi is being screened at the Barbican next month, followed by a Q&A with Tobi and the director. This film explores the evolving relationship between a mother and their non-binary child against the backdrop of Hungary’s growing transphobia.
Support your local queens
With a new season of Rupaul’s Drag Race UK starting this week, we all know this autumn will be dominated by the drama that unfolds on our screens every Thursday night. Looking for the perfect screening party? It doesn’t get better than The Karaoke Hole’s weekly offering with Just May, Tete Bang and Mahatma Khandi at the helm (and a singing sesh at the end).
The ever-talented ShayShay has written and directed this festive seasons’ unmissable immersive dining experience. Mulan Rouge is taking over The Vaults from October until early 2022 with this colourful cabaret. Cleverly combining Disney’s Mulan and Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge, this show promises sensational drag shows, burlesque and comedy, accompanied by a four-course meal.
Finally, after a two-year hiatus, London’s renowned drag queen competition, Lipsync1000 has returned to The Glory. Heats kicked off late last month, with queens competing for a spot in the final at the Clapham Grand on 21 October. Did I mention I received a standing ovation from judge Will Young in the 2019 Grand Final? No? Well, let’s just say my opinion is completely unbiased when I tell you that this is the UK’s best drag queen competition.
Queer theatre in London this autumn
- The Normal Heart @National Theatre. 23 September – 6 November.
- Joe Sutherland: Sour @ Soho Theatre. 29 September – 2 October.
- Curious @ Soho Theatre. Until 16 October.
- Xposed @ Southwark Playhouse. 3 October.
- Glamrou: From Quran to Queen @ Soho Theatre. 4-9 October.
- Mulan Rouge @ The Vaults. Opens 7 October.
- Straight White Men @ Southwark Playhouse. 10 November – 4 December.
- This is a Love Song @ Southwark Playhouse. 21 November.
Fabulous exhibitions in London
- Sophie Taeuber-Arp @ Tate Modern. Until 17 October.
- Paula Rego @ Tate Britain. Until 24 October.
- Faberge: Romance to Revolution @ V&A Museum. Opens 20 November.
- Mixing It Up: Painting Today @ Hayward Gallery. 9 September – 12 December.
- Phantoms of Surrealism @ Whitechapel Gallery (free). Until 12 December.
- How We Live Now: Reimagining Spaces with Matrix Feminist Design Co-operative @ Barbican (free). Until 23 December.
- Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser @ V&A. Until 31 December. Read my review.
- Summer Exhibition 2021 @ The Royal Academy. Until 2 January 2022.
- Yoko Ono: MEND PIECE for London @ Whitechapel Gallery (free). Until 2 January 2022.
- Serafine1369: From Darkness Into Darkness @ Tate Britain (free). 24 September – 3 January 2022.
- Noguchi @ Barbican. 30 September – 9 January 2022. Read my review.
- Bags: Inside Out @ V&A. Until 16 January 2022.
- Elizabeth and Mary: Royal Cousins, Rival Queens @ British Library. 8 October – 20 February 2022.
- On Point: Royal Academy of Dance at 100 @ V&A (free). Until 1 May 2022.
- Wildlife Photographer of the Year @ Natural History Museum. 15 October – 5 June 2022. Read my review.
- Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirror Rooms @ Tate. Until 12 June 2022.
Fabulous musicals in London this autumn
- Rent @ The Vaults. 13-16 October.
- The Rocky Horror Show @ Peacock Theatre. 20-30 October.
- Bring It On @ Queen Elizabeth Hall. Open 8 December.
- Tina: The Musical @ Aldwych Theatre.
- Everybody’s Talking About Jamie @ Apollo Theatre.
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