Balance Jan Issue 2018 - 81

W H AT ' S O N

Culture Vulture

expand your mind

If ever there was a time to try new things, it's January. Here are some
events you really shouldn't miss embracing art, dance - and death
G
RISIN
STAR

A nomination for best newcomer at last year's Edinburgh
Festival is just the beginning for this new comic talent

NAME: Lauren Pattison USP: voice of working-class comedy
Geordie comedian Lauren Pattison has
swapped Newcastle for London. Here
she tells us about her comedy ascent...
WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO GO
INTO COMEDY?
I did a lot of drama as a kid and always
much preferred making people laugh
to doing anything serious. My drama
group set up some stand-up comedy
workshops and I went along when I was
15 thinking it would just be a bit of fun
but well and truly got bitten by the bug.
YOU'VE HAD A METEORIC RISE:
WHAT'S THE SECRET?
Work your t*ts off. Never expect
anything to be handed to you, or wait
for opportunities to come to you - go
out there and find them yourself. Don't
give up, even when you feel like it.
Travel, gig everywhere, in every kind of
room, because pushing yourself is the
only way you're going to grow, improve
and ultimately progress. Ultimately, just

HOW IS 2018 LOOKING SO FAR?
I am incredibly excited. I'm at a point
where I feel like hard work is paying off
and I'm so looking forward to seeing
what the year brings. I've got a six night
run at the Soho Theatre in London
with my debut show Lady Muck, and
then I fly off to Australia - to Perth,
Adelaide and Melbourne. I've never
got the chance to travel because I've
always been so busy trying to carve
out a comedy career, so now my
career is allowing me to travel I'm over
the moon. I'll also be returning to
Edinburgh with my second show and
there's lots of other exciting bits and
bobs in the pipeline too...
Lauren Pattison is taking her
show Lady Muck to the Soho Theatre
29 January - 3 February 2018
(sohotheatre.com)

brief encounters

London to
Edinburgh via
Australia - not the
most direct route but
quite probably the
most interesting

keep going. Even if you don't have a lot
of self-belief, just keep going.

WELLNESS

DANCE

ART

EVENT

FILM

'Lost: one mojo. If found,
please return to one fairly
listless owner.' If this
sounds like you, the Best
You Expo is a must.
Spearheaded by NLP
expert and Balance
favourite Bernardo Moya,
this two-day event is
packed with seminars, talks
and exhibitions to put that
spring back in your step.
16-17 February; Olympia;
thebestyouexpo.com/uk

Same sex salsa classes. If
this makes your soul soar,
Bar Salsa! has created a
great new opportunity for
LGBTQ+ couples. If you're
a lithe, snake-hipped love
machine, great; similarly,
if your best moves are
reminiscent of Clark Kent
in Superman III you're
equally welcome. Just be
sure to enjoy yourself.
26 January; Temple Place;
bar-salsa.com/temple

Art's for everyone, which is
why this is such an
important date in the
cultural calendar. A range of
contemporary art is
available both to peruse
and purchase in what is
London Art Fair's 30th
outing. You'll find art from
around the world, alongside
the best of British.
17-21 January; Business
Design Centre, Islington;
londonartfair.co.uk

If there's ever a time to
let in some light, it's gloomy
January. Various locations
across the capital (including
Westminster Abbey, above)
are lit up by more than 40
artists, enabling you to see
them in a different light
(pun very much intended).
For the first time, locations
both north and south of
the river will feature.
18-21 January;
visitlondon.com/lumiere

Death is never an easy topic
to discuss with children.
Here, Pixar and Disney
positively celebrate it with a
gleeful journey into the
Mexican afterlife as
12-year-old Miguel Rivera
(Anthony Gonzalez) defies
his family to pursue his
dream of playing the guitar.
Being Pixar/Disney,
grown-ups should have
their hankies ready.
In cinemas 19 January B

WORDS: JAMES GILL

THE BEST YOU EXPO

LONDON ART FAIR

BAR SALSA!

January 2018 BA LA N CE

LUMIERE LONDON

COCO (U)

81
http://www.sohotheatre.com http://www.thebestyouexpo.com/uk http://www.bar-salsa.com/temple http://londonartfair.co.uk http://www.visitlondon.com/lumiere
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Balance Jan Issue 2018
