By Christine Swan
I adore visiting London, so am happy to find any excuse to do so. Last September, I noticed that The Gentle Author was presenting a lecture at St Bartholomew’s church in Smithfield, on the subject of the Cries of London, as part of the local festival. I booked this, and then wanted to find other activities to fill a weekend with wonderful things. I stumbled across the Open House festival which looked very intriguing. The organisers, Open City, have a simple manifesto – promote architecture to anyone who is interested. This most excellent organisation organises events for students to encourage them to learn more about the buildings around them and the work that architects do.
The magnificent gateway of St Bartholomew’s Church, Smithfield
It’s not just historic buildings that are promoted, there is an appreciation of many diverse styles including Brutalism. Having worked in a Brutalist building for twelve years, I could tell you a great deal about how clever they are. For example, the architect of the building that I worked in, did not want the exterior lines to be impeded by drainpipes. Consequently, these were internal. When it rained, they would sing as the water flowed down. The building was also designed with internal structural strength which permitted alterations and reconfiguration by creating partitions, or removing them to create a larger space. The large foyer and atrium was wood-panelled and must have looked very modern in its day. At the top of the stairs was a room with a view, a balcony to be precise, that presented a magnificent panorama of the River Severn. Whilst much maligned, and frequently ignored, Brutalist buildings are definitely worthy of a closer look.
Birmingham’s Brutalist library gets the chop in 2015
And so it was that I booked my itinerary of visits, spanning a rather warm Saturday in September 2023. My first visit was the Guildhall Art Gallery specifically to view the Roman Amphitheatre. A guide met us in the entrance and took us on a brief tour of notable artwork before we descended to view the oldest part of the display. Lit with a green and black backdrop that illuminates the missing lines of the original structure and our guide explained where the gladiators would have stayed and even where animals were kept. Fascinating stuff and I am fairly certain that many are unaware of the history beneath London’s streets that can be viewed today.
The Roman amphitheatre in the Guildhall Art Gallery
Another interesting exhibit are drawings and models of St Paul’s Cathedral. My scientific brain is very good at devising solutions to problems but I cannot think and design without some parameters. Sir Christopher Wren’s design is as awe-inspiring as it is impressive and you can begin to appreciate the immense undertaking of construction without the aid of modern lifting equipment and Health and Safety legislation.
A cardboard model of St Paul’s Cathedral dome and a display of design drawings
The finished article
I had planned to visit the Roman Bathhouse too but soon realised the enormity of my own undertaking so headed off to the Museum of the Order of St John headquarters and museum which was the next visit planned on my list. This historic and pervasive organisation has hospitals and temples around the world. I have visited one in Cyprus and lived nearby to one in Kent. In historic Clerkenwell, the headquarters are an impressive gatehouse plus the crypt was also open as part of the festival.
I planned to jump on the Tube at Farringdon to head North to my next visit to Hoxton Hall. However, despite standing on the sweaty tube train at Moorgate for several minutes, it soon became obvious that it was not likely to move for some time, so, I abandoned the journey and began run-walking to reach Hoxton. I emailed ahead to inform them of my late arrival and that I would miss the start of the tour and then set about running again. This was a monumental task in the heat of the afternoon but eventually, through Hoxton Market and out the other side, I saw the old Music Hall that was my destination. The staff on the reception desk had read my email, and the previous one announcing my great interest in Victorian Music Hall and my family connections to it. I was instructed to wait in an upstairs room for the tour to join me and then we would continue together. A display from Pollock’s Toy Museum was set up there and I soon realised that some of the exhibits were from school days gone by. Imagine my delight when I swapped stories with the curator who had also been a teacher for many years.
Hoxton Hall
I almost lost myself in school ephemera until I heard footsteps and the conversation of tour party heading my way. Led by the Queen of Hearts in her beautiful dress and make up, I was welcomed to the group and more information was given about the room and the building. The Queen of Hearts was aware of my connections and, to my immense pride, we learned, and sang a song, that Nellie Estelle would have known. Buildings have a strong connection to the past and it was as if she was standing next to me singing along. A powerful moment indeed. Hoxton Hall does great good with its legacy, offering its spaces for education and community performance as well as professional entertainment. Additional crafts such as set design are taught and although its funding is tenuous, it is a wonderful community facility.
The view from the gallery
The group were led to the gallery which gives a fantastic view of the stage. The lighting and sound decks are located here too so we learned how these elements of performances are controlled.
We carefully negotiated the back stairs that led down to the stage. I was surprised that it didn’t appear to be very deep but was very tall. Yoc can see the height from the gallery but to be on the stage made me feel a little like Alice after having drunk the shrinking potion. I have stood on many stages, in my adult life, usually talking about teaching rather than performing, but here I was, with Nellie in spirit beside me, singing our little song again: “Let’s all go to the Music Hall”. The lights were very bright so that you could barely see whoever was in the auditorium. You could lose yourself in your own performance and forget about the world. How marvellous it was. So much so, that I felt a tear run down my cheek and my lip trembled. This was Nellie’s world, and I was living in it. I looked down at the stage boards and imagined her dainty dance as she pirouetted across. I heard the applause – but that was us, at the end of our performance.
We were then treated to a Victorian paper theatre pantomime performance courtesy of Pollock’s Toy Theatre. This included a Harlequinade which was an essential component of Victorian pantomime. The tiny figures moved across the miniature stage and the performers gave them voices, each one different and a reflection of their character. At the conclusion, we applauded warmly, bid our farewells and I stepped out into the still bright sunshine to head to my final venue.
The Victorian paper theatre pantomime in full swing
195 Mare Street is a grand building that had recently been purchased by an artist and was in the process of sympathetic renovation. The bare walls and floors provided a perfect gallery setting for the variety of artistic installations for our amusement and interest. I was particularly enamoured by the slowly rotating silver umbrellas, mounted on a plain wall. I could have watched them for hours. The consensus was that this was another historic building in good hands, fit for the twenty first century, but still sympathetic to its past.
Fascinating and thought-provoking art at 195 Mare Street
I do intend to visit the Open House Festival again this year and I thoroughly endorse Open City’s aims. It is not commonplace for schools to get kids excited by the built environment around them, but we should. Even those of us rather longer in the tooth, benefit from stopping, looking, and contemplating. There is a fine line-up of venues again this year, most are free but those that charge a modest fee, do so for the upkeep of their charge. I cannot recommend the Open House Festival more highly to you and urge you to consider attending this year too.
Further information
Open House Festival 2024 – https://open-city.org.uk/open-house-festival-2024
The Roman Amphitheatre at the Guildhall – https://www.thecityofldn.com/directory/londons-roman-amphitheatre/
The Museum of the Order of St John – https://museumstjohn.org.uk/
Hoxton Hall – https://www.hoxtonhall.co.uk/
Pollocks Toy Museum – https://www.pollockstoymuseum.co.uk/
195 Mare Street, Hackney – https://www.195marestreet.co.uk/
All photographs by the Author
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