In this edition of MQ Things To Do I focus on interactive exhibitions and theatre. For those who prefer to enjoy the show from a safe, non-interactive distance, do not fear, the levels of participation in these activities are minimal, voluntary and vary from investing in art, playing with light, helping solve a crime to having a go on the catwalk!
NAOMI: In Fashion
This is the most recent in a series of fashion focussed exhibitions at the V&A. The first images are of Naomi walking the cat walk in what has come to be recognised as her own distinctive style. Pay attention, later in the exhibition Naomi provides hints and tips on how to walk the cat walk and visitors get the chance to have a go for themselves. All I can say is that it’s much harder than it looks and watching the video recording of my attempt brought tears to my eyes!
The exhibition traces Naomi’s path from young adulthood when she was spotted by a fashion scout to her years as a supermodel and on to present day as a collaborator and mentor for emerging designers. Many of the outfits on display are visually stunning, and seen close up it’s hard to believe that they were made for a person rather than a mannequin, her body was astonishing. Whilst on the subject of mannequins, apparently the ones used for the show were specially made echoing Naomi’s body shape and skin tone.
The recreation of a typical room used at Claridges was co-created by Naomi and the museum team – clothes, shoes, jewellery; it’s a busy space. It gives a great insight into the less glamorous side of the life of a model on tour.
Key moments from her career are displayed using a variety of video clips and magazine covers. The inclusion of the scene where Naomi fell over in a pair of Vivienne Westwood shoes was a nice touch.
NAOMI: In Fashion, is on at the V &A South Kensington until Sunday 6th April 2025. Tickets cost £16 without donation; concessions apply. There is no extra charge for the catwalk experience.
Anthony McCall: Solid Light
It takes a few minutes to get used to the darkness of the exhibition space created at the Tate Modern for Anthony McCall’s exhibition “Solid Light”. Gradually my eyes adjusted and I was reminded of childhood days at the cinema watching flecks of dust float through the beam of light coming from the projector. I then watched as visitors moved in and out of the light creating unique shadows. Many were recording the newly created images on their phones. It didn’t take long before I joined in the fun, experimenting with the effect of interrupting the stream of light coming from each of the four works which make up this exhibition.
McCall is one of the pioneers of experimental cinema and installation art. The exhibition starts with his 1973 piece “Light Describing a Cone” and finishes with “Split Second Mirror” (2018). To my untrained eye, the installations seem deceptively simple. However, by including McCall’s sketches and photographs for the work as part of the exhibition I began to understand more about the complexity of the work that I was enjoying playing with. There was a progression from use of a film projector and 16-millimetre film to incorporation of haze machines which add mist to the air through which the light is moving. This gave the work a more tactile quality. Adding a mirror to interrupt the light in the final piece provided multiple perspectives from which to view the work, and in my case, play with it!
Solid Light runs at the Tate Modern until 27th April 2025. Timed tickets cost £14 for adults and £5 for children. Under 12s go free.
The Mystery of Little Angel Theatre
Those of you who were able to attend the Barbican Summer Garden Party will have already met the star of this show, the remarkably talented, award-winning storyteller Danyah Miller.
The Mystery of Little Angel Theatre is a brain-teasing, puzzle-solving interactive theatre show. This is Danyah’s latest production, following a string of West End, national and international successes including her adaptations of Michael Morpurgo’s I Believe in Unicorns and Astrid Lindgen’s Pippi Longstocking.
Danyah, our super sleuth, invites the audience to uncover hidden clues, unravel riddles, meet intriguing suspects and curious objects, to see if together we can discover whodunit?
We caught up with Danyah in rehearsals at the end of July at Islington’s Little Angel and asked her for some insight into what makes this show a must see for families.
‘All our shows are devised and improvised during rehearsals. Since this is our first full week of rehearsals, we’re in the process of playing, exploring and problem solving. It’s super exciting to see the plot and shape of the show emerging… we have a victim and five suspects, but who did it?
As part of the process, we’re working with a group of 6 – 10 year old ‘super sleuths’ from local primary schools who love a good murder! They already have some brilliant ideas which we’re weaving into the storyline.
This week, children’s fiction author Robin Stevens (best known for her hugely popular Murder Most Unladylike series) is in the room with us. She’s our Writing Consultant and we couldn’t be more thrilled.
I know you’re going to love it… using special theatre magic, we’ll captivate both children and adults who enjoy the twists and turns of a good mystery. We definitely need your help to uncover the truth!
I’m buzzing and can’t wait to share this new production with you.’
The Mystery of Little Angel is at Little Angel Studios, Sebbon Street, London N1 2EH from 21st September to 17th November .
Tickets:
Adult £15 | Child £13
All tickets £8 for Previews Sat 21st & Sun 22nd September
All tickets £10 at 4.45pm on Fridays & for relaxed performance Sat 9th November
Box office: 020 7226 1787
£7 per ticket for school groups (£8.50 for fee-paying schools) for weekday performances before 3pm in Islington term-time.
Barbican Life readers can buy a Family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) at the specially discounted price of £50, just enter the code BARBICAN50 at the checkout ( one discount order per customer)
Sarah Needham’s: The Earth Beneath Her Feet
Sarah Needham’s most recent collection was the result of a 2 year project during which she visited villages across England and Scotland where women had been accused of witchcraft. She collected materials and earth from each location reducing them down into pigments from which she then produced a series of 12 abstract paintings and the wooden installation “100 names”. The installation is made up of 100 small pieces each of which can be viewed from the front and the back . On the front is a small painting using pigment from specific villages . The back of each piece opens to reveal the name of a woman and the village she lived in.
Whilst the exhibition took place in August, 100 Names will be the focus of a travelling exhibition touring the villages where the pigments were collected. Sarah is inviting sponsors to support the tour with sponsorship starting at £1 . All sponsors will receive a signed postcard of one of the pieces. Sponsors sponsors offering £100 will receive a signed limited Editions giclee print of one of the pieces and the 100 most generous donors will each receive one of the original names pieces once the exhibition has travelled.
To see the images of the collection and to find out more about 100 names see www.sarahneedhamartist.co.uk
Haegue Yang: Leap Year
Finally, there is Haeng Yang’s forthcoming exhibition which seeks to presente a visual and sensory experience using installation, sculpture, collage, text, vídeo, wallpaper and sound. Whilst this exhibition has not yet opened, it fits well with the theme of interaction. The newest piece in the exhibition is Sonic Droplets in Gradation – Water Veil. On arrival, visitors will be invited to walk through a curtain of blue and silver stainless steel balls which trigger sonic reverbertions signalling their arrival. The exhibition will conclude with a large scale Venetain blind installation using light, colour and music. It sounds intriguing!
Haegue Yang’s Leap Year will be showing at the Hayward Gallery, from 9th October to 5 January. Tickets £19, concessions available .
