With many American family members joining me in London for the holidays it seemed only natural to pay a visit and let them experience Royal Albert Hall (the ‘Hall’) for themselves. As a matter of tradition we used to attend one of the carol services that they offer throughout the month of December, however with older children and new traditions on the rise we have not made an effort in the past 5 years. Having young nieces visiting thankfully put this tradition firmly back on the agenda for this holiday season.
The sing-a-long was everything anyone could want with singing, dancing, a great deal of humour all sprinkled with a magical dose of Christmas spirit. The Hall, already impressive in its unadorned state was indeed splendid, dressed from top to bottom with traditional Christmas decorations. At the close of the performance we exited the building, carol sheet in hand, with the other hundreds of patrons who poured out and most of whom boarded the number 52 bound for Victoria. The sheer volume of people crowded onto the bus on any normal day (I take this bus frequently from the FOCUS office) would have driven me to distraction, but the lively spirit of the Hall seemed to envelop each and every passenger. As Royal Albert Hall faded from my vision into the dark, on the bus the spirit of the event remained very much alive.
So, when I approached the Hall (yes, on the number 52 again) a mere 7 days later the image of the adorned Hall filled with carollers was still very clearly imprinted on my mind. As I made my way inside to take my seat (this time on the opposite side of the Hall) I realised the venue had transformed literally as I slept. Not only were the decorations removed, but where happy families had the week before been seated was a giant mirror of ice lit with snowflakes that seem to fall from the lights above. What followed was a magical production of The Nutcracker on Ice. The manpower necessary, the vision of the set designers and the technicians who bring it all to life is without a doubt awe inspiring. The two hours of skating that followed was so impressive I did not want it to end. Of course, much of this is down to the Imperial Ice Stars who put on the show, but to watch them at Royal Albert Hall was truly exceptional (having seen their performances at two different locations I feel justified in making this statement).
London is a place where there is entertainment at nearly every corner and we are indeed spoiled by the vast choice which includes large venues like Wembley and Royal Albert Hall down to the smallest of cinema’s, pubs and theatres hosting a wide variety of unique events. Don’t forget to take part and marvel at just what these venues can produce!
Oh, and remember to book the carol services at Royal Albert Hall for next winter!
Written by Nancy Dickinson. Nancy is Deputy Executive Director at FOCUS.
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Should you wish to share your expat experiences in the UK, please contact us: office@focus-info.org
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