What’s On: Cultural highlights to look forward to in autumn 2019

The mornings are beginning to bite and the nights are drawing in. It won’t be long before rooftop drinks followed by a jaunt along the river are but distant memories.

But never fear, slip on a light jacket and enjoy the last few weeks of al fresco dining because Gentleman’s Journal has got you covered. We’ve compiled a list of London’s best cultural pursuits this autumn to keep your social calendar looking robust. Pencil these autumn picks in your diary to avoid being left out in the cold.

Every gentleman knows that the real cinephile eschews the summer blockbuster season in favour of the autumn film calendar — not least because the colder months mark the start of the annual awards cycle. Should you spend your summer trapped indoors watching reboots and sequels? No of course you shouldn’t. But autumn is a different picture altogether — grab your popcorn and head to any number of London’s luxury cinemas to enjoy what Hollywood and the rest have to offer.

And, if you’re looking for a top recommendation, look no further than Pain and Glory. Not to be mistaken for a sequel to Michael Bay’s 2013 gym-heist flick Pain & Gain, Pedro Almodóvar’s latest film is vibrant, full of colour, comedy and bitter sweet themes about life and art intertwining. Already a hit with critics, Pain and Glory stars Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz and is expected to catch the eye of The Academy.

If you’ve spent the summer frequenting all the must-see festivals and concerts of the season, it’s time to usher in the cooler months with a change of pace. EFG London Jazz Festival takes place in November this year, and brings together the finest jazz musicians from around the Globe.

The festival takes place across a number of venues all over London and boasts genuinely ambitious and exciting programming, with fresh thinking and innovative collaborations proving there is more to London’s jazz music scene that the familiar Soho haunts.

Although Blake may now seem firmly couched in the establishment, he was largely unrecognised in his time. Since his death, however, his radical and rebellious nature has inspired countless visual artists, musicians, poets and performers worldwide.

His struggles during a time of political terror and oppression, coupled with his vision and technical innovations give this Tate exhibition a thoroughly contemporary feel. This exciting new exhibition includes 300 original pieces, including his watercolours, paintings and prints — and is the most extensive show of Blake’s work this century. After the summer we have had what better place to head for inspiration?

London’s theatre scene is legendary but with an estimated 18,000 productions a year how do you choose what to see? With the hottest shows selling out faster than you can say ‘Fleabag’, we’ve chosen something slightly under the radar to scratch that theatre itch this autumn — and ensure you look like you’ve got your finger on the pulse.

Glass. Kill. Bluebeard. Imp is on for just three weeks at the Royal Court and is not to be missed. Made up of four brand new plays by the great Caryl Curchill about what, we don’t know. What we do know is that Churchill has a track record of producing modern classics placing her amongst the greats of contemporary drama. A four-for-one? Silly not to.

Heading to Concours of Elegance this week? Don’t go without our ultimate guide…

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