Good Times: What to see and do in August
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Summer, in particular, always feels like a time for making memories and, now that we have a sunny forecast for the foreseeable, I’m looking to make those memories while soaking up some rays outside. I don’t know about you, but when the sun shines, I just want to be outdoors, so as well as your usual cultural highlights of the month across TV, film, theatre and art, I’ve also given you a bonus section with all the best outdoor activities happening across the country, from outdoor cinemas to opera al fresco and dining on a boat under the stars. What could be more decadent than that?
If you’re in London this summer, there’s not just one but two brand new museum openings that are worth checking out, both family-friendly – no bored kids here!
There are some excellent films coming our way this month, too. When the weather cools down, I’ll be heading to the cinema to watch M. Night Shyamalan’s new thriller, Trap – it looks like edge of your seat stuff!
Read on to discover our number one hot ticket this month, plus the best of the rest from around the country...
THEME PARK: Chessington World of Adventures Summer Festival
When: Until 1 September
Where: Chessington World of Adventures, Leatherhead Road, Chessington, Surrey KT9 2NE
"This summer, families can enjoy ultimate summer vibes at Chessington World of Adventures. I visited with my two sons, Oscar, 6, and Noah, 4, for a jam-packed day out that will certainly be a highlight of their summer holidays this year.
As well as all the thrilling rides and attractions, the summer festival meant we found electrifying family-friendly beats from DJ Cactus and MC Shady that got - big and small! - kids shimmying across the dance floor in an epic foam party. Then we dove into the magical world of Seatopia, an outdoor show where enchanting melodies and vibrant sea creatures bring an underwater fantasy tale to life.
As well as grooving at the silent disco and marveling at the thrilling circus performers, we also enjoyed a variety of party games and live music scattered throughout the resort. My little ones were beside themselves as they met CoComelon and the legendary Gruffalo! Best of all, there was no need to pack lunch because FEASTival Row had even the pickiest eaters covered - we enjoyed bubble waffles, loaded fries and foot-long hot dogs, perfect for keeping us going all day long.
I had two exhausted but very happy boys asleep in the car the whole way home, which I think says it all."
By Angela Trofymova, Head of Testing
Tickets from £35; Children under 90cm tall go free.
SUMMERTIME FUN
Everyman in the Garden at The Grove
Luxury Hertfordshire hotel The Grove welcomes Everyman back to the Walled Garden for its annual outdoor cinema pop-up. Recline on a bean bag, tuck into delicious snacks and drinks and enjoy the unique cinematic experience. The packed schedule includes such family and cult favourite films as Barbie, Top Gun: Maverick, One Life, Anyone But You, Mean Girls (2024), Wonka, The Little Mermaid (2023) and Notting Hill.
Until 18 September, The Grove, Hertfordshire.
Opera Holland Park
"Open for just three months in the summer, Opera Holland Park is one of London’s best hidden secrets," says Emma Justice, Good Housekeeping's Acting Editor in Chief. "Surrounded by the beautiful formal gardens of Holland Park, the canopied open-air auditorium is the perfect place to enjoy critically acclaimed opera. I saw the brilliant Italian double bill Il segreto di Susanna by Wolf-Ferrari and Pagliacci by Leoncavallo - and spotted Stephen Fry in the audience (ends 3 Aug). No doubt the new production of The Yeomen of the Guard, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Shakespearean comedy, is equally thrilling. Then, from 14-17 August, Carnival Culture in the Park takes over the stage for four nights of vibrant Calypso, steelpan and Brazilian music."
Until 17 August, Holland Park, London.
Blank Street Padel Club
If you’re looking for an alternative yet active way to spend an afternoon in London, head to Battersea Power Station, where everyone's new favourite coffee shop, Blank Street, has set up pop-up padel courts with all the equipment you need. Like tennis but on a smaller court, padel is the hottest new racket sport in town, so what better way to try your hand? Players will also receive a free Blank Street Matcha to cool down with post-match.
Until end of August, Battersea, London.
Raby Castle
After six years of planning, renovations and restorations, Raby Castle has reopened its doors and welcomes visitors once more. Discover the remodelled 18th century walled garden and 200 acres of deer park, let kids loose in the The Plotters’ Forest playground, eat in the brand-new 200-seater restaurant, The Vinery, and, of course, venture inside the 14th century castle itself.
Open now, Raby Castle, County Durham.
The Lightship
"Overlooking Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard and Spinnaker Tower, The Lightship at Haslar Marina is a unique dining destination set inside a restored 1940s lightship," says Megan Geall, Homes Writer. "Emerald green soft furnishings and warm lighting create an intimate atmosphere for dining in the restaurant, while the views over the water offer the perfect setting for cocktails at sundown (we recommend the Lemon Lights – limoncello, vodka, lime and vanilla syrup). This summer venue boasts an impressive menu of delicate seafood dishes including whole lobster, locally sourced halibut and cod and British oysters. Finish up with the dark chocolate delice – trust me, it’s amazing.
This summer, there’s a packed schedule of live music events, including Friday night sundown sessions, 1940s jazz evenings and ‘DJ on the deck’, bringing Ibiza vibes to the middle of Portsmouth Harbour. And if you can’t soak up enough coastal air in one evening, you can extend your stay at the quaint onshore rooms just five minutes' walk from the boat. Summer nights don’t get much better than this."
Open now, The Lightship at Haslar Marina, Portsmouth.
TV
Dame Judi & Jay: The Odd Couple
Join unlikely friends Dame Judi Dench and Jay Blades as they travel across the UK in the heart-filled show. Born nearly forty years apart, the pair struck up a friendship for life after a chance encounter three years ago, and now they embark on a journey to explore the places and people that shaped each of their vastly different lives.
Watch on Channel 4.
Tom Jones
Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham turns her hand to period drama as the vengeful Lady Bellaston in this reimagining of Henry Fielding’s 18th-century novel. House Of The Dragon’s Solly McLeod is the titular hero, who falls in love with his neighbour Sophia. Expect lots of scandalous antics.
Watch on ITV1.
Sherwood
One of the most-watched dramas of 2022 is back. Set in present-day Nottingham, where a small ex-mining community is still scarred by divisions caused by the 1980s miners’ strike, this series sees two new families embroiled in rivalry and betrayal. Lesley Manville and David Morrissey reprise their roles.
Watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
FILM
It Ends With Us
Colleen Hoover fans will be pleased to hear that the film adaptation of her bestselling romance novel is coming to cinemas. Blake Lively plays Lily Bloom, a seemingly happily married woman whose life is turned upside down when her first love, Atlas Corrigan, walks back into her life at the same time as her marriage begins to sour.
In cinemas from 9 August.
Trap
In this thriller from celebrated director M. Night Shyamalan, Josh Hartnett plays Cooper, a dad taking his teen daughter to a pop concert. But when police surround the arena, Cooper realises they’re actually at the centre of a sinister event - the concert is a trap to catch notorious serial killer, The Butcher.
In cinemas from 9 August.
Borderlands
An all-star ensemble cast, including Cate Blanchett, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Hart and Jack Black bring the hit video game of the same name to life in this action-adventure film. Set on the planet of Pandora, an unlikely team of misfits must band together on a mission to save a missing girl with unimaginable power, fighting alien monsters and dangerous bandits along the way.
In cinemas from 9 August.
THEATRE
Lío London
"If you enjoy a ‘dinner and show’, Spanish entertainment brand Lío takes the format to a glamorous new level," says Emma Justice, Good Housekeeping's Acting Editor in Chief. "With residencies in Ibiza, Mallorca, Mykonos and London (with Dubai, Marbella and Las Vegas to come), it’s the perfect destination for a decadent summer night out. Lío’s home in London is in the former Café de Paris near Piccadilly Circus, a historical theatre club in the heart of the West End where everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to Elton John and Kate Moss have partied. Lío’s beautiful singers, dancers and acrobats will keep you entertained throughout your Mediterranean-inspired dinner (the slow-motion boxing routine was a highlight as was the dancing to Vogue). And, after a few Sweet Kisses (cocktails that is) you won’t be able to resist getting on stage and dancing with them afterwards."
Until 31 October, Lío London.
The Birthday Party
Olivier Award, Tony Award and BAFTA nominee Jane Horrocks (Absolutely Fabulous) and TV star John Marquez (Hotel Babylon, Doc Martin) lead the cast in this brand new production of Harold Pinter’s classic comedy of menace. An innocent birthday party in a rundown seaside boarding house turns into a nightmare when two sinister strangers arrive out of the blue.
2-31 August; Theatre Royal Bath.
My Son's A Queer, (But What Can You Do?)
The award-winning production comes to Manchester’s HOME. Written and performed by Rob Madge, it tells the story of the time a 12-year-old Rob attempted to stage a full-blown Disney parade in their living room for their Grandma, donning wigs and costumes to play Mary Poppins, Ariel, Mickey Mouse and Belle, and roping in their dad as stage manager, sound technician - and Goofy. Expect belly-laughs and heart-wrenching moments aplenty.
19-25 August; HOME, Manchester.
EXHIBITIONS
Paradox Museum
"You don’t have to wait for space tourism to take off to experience ‘zero gravity’ anymore, just take a trip to the brand new Paradox Museum in London’s Knightsbridge," says Bethan Rose Jenkins, Assistant Features Editor. "The mind-bending experience museum presents a medley of clever illusions perfectly tailored to a smartphone generation. Every exhibit presents a photo opportunity which will leave your friends and family baffled when they see the results, and there’s a QR code you can scan to learn the secrets behind each seemingly impossible installation. There’s funfair classics like the mirror maze as well as ‘headless’ and ‘body-chopping’ photo ops, and, of course, the ‘zero gravity’ room. A fun, engaging and original museum for all ages."
Open now, Knightsbridge, London.
Moco Museum
There’s not one but two brand new museums opening in London this month, making a cultural trip to the capital a must this summer. Exhibiting a wide range of modern, contemporary and digital immersive art by the likes of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Yayoi Kusama, Andy Wahrol, Banksy and many more, the new museum in London’s Marble ARch opens with a solo exhibition from esteemed pioneer of performance art, Marina Abramović.
Opens 10th August, Marble Arch, London.
Money Talks: Art, Society & Power
A major new exhibition at this Oxfordshire museum explores how currency and art intertwine in design and culture. With over 100 objects, including work by Andy Worhol, Banksy, Grayson Perry and Paula Stevens-Hoare, discover the role and influence money has had on the world of artists, and how it influences our own views on the world.
9 August - 5 January 2025, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
EVENTS
The Big Feastival
Dance the night away to the likes of Snow Patrol, Cat Burns, Kate Nash and Ella Henderson at Blur bassist Alex James’s annual festival. Actor Simon Pegg will take to the decks for a DJ set, and top chefs will serve up tasty treats.
23-25 August; The Cotswolds.
Roots Dining Experience at Tewinbury Farm
Get close and personal with the source of your food with this ultimate farm-to-fork experience. Sit in the picturesque vegetable garden and tuck into a feast made with ingredients picked seconds away from the table and lovingly prepared by chef Lee Maycock, who has an extensive background in Michelin-starred kitchens around the world. Delectable delights on the menu include wood-fired beef brisket, charred spring greens & warm potato salad, ‘half the garden’ hummus, wildflowers & carrot top pesto, and roasted butternut squash cheesecake.
9-22 August, Tewinbury Farm, Hertfordshire.
Meadowland at Wakehurst
Wakehurst transforms into Meadowland this summer, as visitors are invited to reconnect with nature and dive deep into the grasses and wildflowers of the breathtaking meadows. Here, you’ll discover spectacular art installations inspired by the beautiful environment that surrounds you – how about seeing life through a bee’s eyes, or listening to ‘voices’ from nature? Surely the most relaxing way to take in some art.
Until 10 September, Wakehurst, Sussex.
TICKETS TO BOOK AHEAD
Katherine Ryan: Battleaxe
Get ready to laugh until your stomach hurts as the comedian returns with a new live show. Three years after her last sellout tour, Katherine has entered her 40s – aka her ‘battleaxe’ era – and she has plenty to say about it.
5 September to 27 June 2025; various UK venues.
Michael Palin: There and Back
The bestselling author and comic legend is hitting the road for a UK tour. Bringing to life the latest volume of his diaries, There And Back (out 26 September), he’ll share insights into an important decade of his life, with rarely seen photos and video.
15 September to 15 October; various UK venues.
Never Let Me Go
The stage adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s bestselling novel premieres in London, before touring the UK. Set in a dystopian version of 1990s England, it follows three friends who learn they only exist to donate their organs.
20 September to 30 November; various UK venues.
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