Introducing Blue Pages
Your weekly cultural guide for London
Welcome to our first Blue Pages newsletter. Every Monday, we’ll be publishing our pick of cultural events in our hometown London and sending them directly to your inbox.
Maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner, that I love London town. But I’m always surprised that, with so much to discover in our city, there’s nowhere that points me in a reliable direction in a straightforward way. We’ll ask friends—both writers and artists—to contribute their takes for your weekly itinerary. It helps to stay informed in a city where there’s so much noise, and so we’re keen to make the most of the information from these well-placed Londoners.
You can expect lots of film, but we’ve also looked at art galleries, theatres, and even shopping guides. Be patient with us. These picks might seem broad at first, but over time we’re going to curate it even more intricately with insider tips from those truly in the know. In this edition, Jack Stanley from London’s go-to food and produce magazine SLOP gives us the choice restaurant opening and Anna Cafolla, news editor at US Vogue tells us about what to shop, as well as other contributions from our team.
–Chris Cotonou, Deputy Editor, A Rabbit’s Foot
Week 2nd March 2026
FILM
Arriving in cinemas only a handful of months after Guillermo Del Toro’s Netflix hit Frankenstein, Maggie Gyllenhaal latest movie The Bride has big shoes to fill when it opens on Friday 6th. Rather than return to the original novel by Mary Shelley, however, Gyllenhaal is—perhaps wisely—putting a different monster under the microscope, taking inspiration from the 1953 Horror classic The Bride of Frankenstein.
If blood-curdling screams aren’t on your menu this week, stop by The ICA on the 4th, instead, for Lana Dahar’s powerful Do You Love Me—an affectionate, archival journey through the audiovisual history of Lebanon—while those seeking more traditional cinematic thrills should catch the new restoration of John Woo’s Gun-fu masterpiece Hard Boiled, which will be screening at the British Film Institute on Friday 6th and Saturday 7th. Starring Chow Yun Fat as über cool police detective “Tequila” Yuen, the film is often hailed as one of the greatest action movies of all time. (Luke Georgiades, features writer, A Rabbit’s Foot).
DINING
Like pretty much everyone else, I’ve been excitedly looking forward to the opening of Osteria Vibrato, Charlie Mellor’s new spot in Soho. The menu is all bangers, drawn from every corner of Italy, but perhaps more importantly than that is the old school Soho vibe of the place, with great drinks and great hospitality meaning you could quite easily lose an afternoon in there. (Jack Stanley, editor of SLOP magazine)
SHOPPING
Spazio Leone, the much-loved east London design gallery and vintage furniture dealer, is known for its distinctive curation of Italian-forward cult classics and historic deep-cuts, holistically shown with contemporary works. Founder Gennaro Leone is also behind Hackney neighbourhood Italian restaurant Dalla, with soulful home-style cooking eaten in an equally chicly-designed space.
Cresting on the wave of experimental design galleries blending the worlds of art and design, Spazio Leone officially opens a larger, sun-dappled showroom on Dalston’s Shacklewell Lane, in an old Victorian Textile Factory, this weekend. Step into spring and pick up some wrought iron objects by Carlo Rizzarda or a sculptural Carlo Scarpa table, by appointment. A presto! (Anna Cafolla, Vogue)
THEATRE
At Sadler’s Wells and only between the 5th and 8th, lucky spectators will be able to watch the acclaimed Scottish ballet Mary, Queen of Scots in London. Created by Sophie Laplane, Scottish Ballet’s choreographer-in-residence, with co-creator James Bonas (The Crucible), the work blends classical ballet with modern theatricality. Laplane’s dynamic choreography reframes one of history’s most iconic tales with sharp emotional clarity and striking originality.
Soutra Gilmour’s striking, contemporary set is complemented by dazzling costumes that capture the grandeur of the era, with nods to haute couture and punk. New music, by the team behind 2022 hit Coppélia, is performed live by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra. A breakout hit at the Edinburgh International Festival, Mary, Queen of Scots earned standing ovations and was awarded Best International Festival Show at The List Awards. (CC)
ART
Our pick is the Esben Weile Kjaer show at Albion Jeune. One of the most important contemporary Danish artists, Esben presents FOOL until 21st March, an exhibition that features five stained-glass works alongside one inflatable sculpture, all on public display for the first time. He is returning with an entirely new body of stained glass and inflatable sculpture. The acts of emotional expression in each of Kjær’s stained-glass works, though depicting imagined figures in historical dress, are immediately poignant to the contemporary viewer. Each of these scenes is influenced by Kjær’s training and practice in performance art. (CC)
BOOKS
Our good friends at Eland—the premier travel book publisher—have released Peter Fleming’s News from Tartary: A Journey from Peking to Kashmir. Fleming, brother of Bond author Ian, and considered to be 007’s most likely inspiration, writes his account of a 1935 bid to travel the ancient trade route from China to India. His journey along the Silk Road feels even more prescient in a world that is more and more divided. (CC)
MUSIC
I love World Music. Few performers are more globally-acknowledged than Ara Malikian. The virtuoso violinist is currently on his World Tour at the Barbican and tomorrow is the last chance to see him in London (so act fast). What can you expect? An energetic journey, from flying pianos to imaginative landscapes—multicultural sounds that embody his childhood and a repertoire that spans classical masterpieces, original compositions, and traditional melodies from around the world. What Malikian does best is transmit real emotion. (CC)
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