Set in the beautiful Union Chapel, Daylight Music is a new concept aimed at opening the gothic venue to a different crowd, giving up-and-coming artists of all shapes and sizes a chance to perform. Weekend events have been running since early this year, and, with a calendar currently booked up until the end of May, there are a whole host of surprises in store for those lazy Saturday afternoons.

“You can walk in off the street, have a warm bite to eat and listen to music you didn’t know you liked,” said Ben Eshmade, creator of Arctic Circle media group, who hosted the event. “It’s fun, unique, and it brings entertainment to people who wouldn’t otherwise hear it.

“We have all kinds of music on offer: electronic, folk, anything and everything. It’s something a little bit different, and all proceeds raised go to charity, so it’s for a good cause.”

Saturday’s Sundown Multimedia gig kicked off with some spoken word from Laura Dockrill and Liz Bentley, followed by a keyboard extravaganza from kooky musician Dave Woodcock. Next up was cutesy comedienne Danielle Ward, who won every heart in the room with her ‘true or false’ game and inappropriately dirty jokes.

Folk trio Deferred Success brought humour, harmonica-playing and some very impressive beards to the stage, before the headline act, the enchanting Langley Sisters, wowed with their Bugsy Malone inspired harmonies and matching red dresses.

Ray Morgan, co-producer of Sundown Multimedia, was pleased with the success of the gig. “We’ve hosted events like this in Southend-on-Sea and it’s always gone down well there,” she said. “Coming to London and playing the Union Chapel has always been a dream for us. We’ll definitely be back.

“Afternoon events like this are great for students because they’re free and you can just drop in. There’s always a little bit of something for everyone.”

Daylight Music runs at the Union Chapel every Saturday, 12-2pm, until 29 May. Admission is free.

She’s on stage with climate activist Tamsin Osmond at Housmans bookshop in King’s Cross in the moments before their talk on Women and Activism. Both speakers admit they are daunted at the huge scope of the event’s subject, billed as “a chance to discuss the roles played by women in contemporary peace and green movements”.

Although they are both young, on paper you couldn’t get two more diverse speakers: Osmond is a privately educated Oxbridge graduate turned environmentalist, now running as a parliamentary candidate for Hampstead and Kilburn. Evans, meanwhile, is a Hackney-born anti-war campaigner and part-time vegan chef, who holds the dubious honour of being the first person convicted under the 2005 Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (for being outside the Houses of Parliament and reading the names of British soldiers killed in the War on Terror).

But despite the gulf between the speakers’ backgrounds and pet political issues, key themes emerge when they share their thoughts on Women and Activism. Evans and Osmond’s talk becomes more about their individual activism, and their observations on how their gender and class have influenced it. There’s anger, frustration and the urgent need to get more diverse people involved in the political system.

A member of the crowd, in the discussion afterwards sums it up neatly: “There’s something lacking in political protest for women. It’s like all the events are planned around a male schedule. But that’s not how the world works, and that’s not what works for us.”

Osmond nods her head, saying in clipped tones: “We’ve tried patriarchy, and it hasn’t worked. It’s time for something new.”

Women and Activism was part of the organised events for International Women’s Day at Housman’s bookshop on Caledonian Road, King’s Cross.

Since they formed in 2007, they have toured all over the world attracting a fan base of more than 50 million people. They have appeared on popular US chat show the Jay Leno Show and have even met George Clooney.

And it all started right here in Islington. 93-year-old frontman Raffaele ‘Alf’ Carretta (pictured) and backing singers Dolores Murray and Rita ‘Robo’ Roberts all call the borough their home.

The Zimmers came together following a BBC documentary called Power to the People, exploring the trials and tribulations of elderly people across the country.

Dolores Murray, 67, of Holland Passage, was contacted by the BBC over her campaign to save the Essex Road bingo hall from closure.

But Mrs Murray, who has been championing the rights of Islington OAPs for many years and whose efforts were recognised with a Mayor’s Civic Award last year, could never have foreseen the rock ‘n’ roll life that beckoned.

“When we were told about the song we started crying with laughter. We didn’t think we could sing for the life of us,” she says as she sips her cup of tea at home.

With less than half a day’s practice the OAPs were taken to Abbey Road Studios, where under the watchful eye of Fame Academy mentors Carey and David Grant, and with U2 producer Mike Hedges on board, they recorded a rendition of The Who’s My Generation. The song, released in May 2007, reached number 26 of the singles chart. On YouTube, the video -  one of the most-watched ever -  is just a few clicks shy of hitting the 5 million mark.

The band has attitude, a quality which Dolores herself also displays. Every so often, the phone rings and she gets busy scribbling away notes for their next appointment. “Don’t have to dress up, do I? …Should I prepare some sandwiches?”she asks.

Apart from the odd photo and the framed hit single proudly hanging on the wall, there is little evidence of fame, much less any bloated egos. “We don’t make any money - that goes to charity. But it’s not about that. I don’t care what I look like or what I sound like - it’s just about having fun. When I’m on stage I just come alive!” Dolores says. Robo nods in agreement, before glancing over at the television screen on which Countdown has been set to record.

Lead singer Alf, who was born in Clerkenwell and has lived in Islington all his life, has proven popular with the ladies. At one gig, young women held placards painted with the words: “We want to have your babies Alf.”

War veteran Alf takes it all with a pinch of salt, but not before adding his own: “If we’re not trashing hotel rooms we’re throwing the TV out the window,” he says, with a chuckle.

The Zimmers will be performing in neighbouring Hackney this Saturday. Dolores Murray will also be speaking out on behalf of pensioners’ rights on The Daily Politics on Friday BBC2, 12-2pm.

Asa, 12, who lives in Islington, plays Norman in the sequel to Emma Thompson’s family-friendly film. “Making the film was really fun – apart from all the mud,” he said. “It’s good coming to a cinema near my home to see a film with me in it, but seeing the poster with my face on it is so weird. It’s like, ‘oh my god, that’s me’.”

The young star, a pupil at Islington Young Actors Theatre in Barnsbury, has just been cast as the lead in the latest Martin Scorsese film.

The 36-year old comedian was watching Fleetwood Mac founder and guitarist Peter Green perform at the Islington venue.

Fielding, who has compared his new hair style to Myra Hindley, said: “Yes it’s new, I dyed it blonde. I fancied a change.”

The star is most known for playing the role of Vince Noir in surreal BBC Two and BBC Three comedy that he co-wrote, The Mighty Boosh.

He is to perform at a Teenage Cancer Trust gig at the Albert Hall tomorrow night alongside Islington resident Jimmy Carr.

Photos: John Stevens

READ MORE: Cheryl Cole enjoys kung-fu in Islington

Film director John Boorman with Kim Cattrall

A star-studded gala performance at the Almeida Theatre has raised £100,000.

The one-off performance of Shakespeare’s Women featured some of the country’s finest actors including Sinead Cusack, Juliet Stevenson, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Meera Syal.

Celebrities attending included Elle Macpherson, Patrick Stewart and Green Wing actor Stephen Mangan who hosted an auction after the performance. The prize of a dinner date with Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall, who was in attendance, went for £8,500.

The money raised from the evening will support the theatre off Upper Street and Almeida Projects, a programme to encourage young people from Islington to participate in the arts.

Photo: Simon Annand

The Girls Aloud star was reportedly at the performance by 17 monks from the Shaolin Temple in China on the lookout for dancers for her next video.

Cole, who broke up with Chelsea footballer husband Ashley earlier this month, has been dancing since she was at school. She has demonstrated impressive flair for complex dance routines in her two singles Fight for this Love and Parachute.

Comedian Rufus Hound won BBC 1’s Let’s Dance for Sport Relief with a parody of Cole’s number one hit, Fight for this Love.

Cole’s appearance at Sadler’s Wells suggests that she is looking for yet another different dance style for her next single.

Sutra, choreographed by iconic dancer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, runs at Sadler’s Wells until Saturday 27 March.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gjkooijman/ / CC BY-ND 2.0

READ MORE: Noel Fielding shows off new blonde look

Described as “French and Saunders for the Facebook generation” after their success at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, Octavia Mackenzie and Ashley McGuire perform a lively sitcom for the stage. Although the script is unoriginal at times, their slick comic timing and flawless acting cry out for a series.

The hour-long dialogue begins at the end, as the audience settles with Savannah, played by Mackenzie, stretched out in front of us, light from a stained-glass window dappling her forehead. From a flimsy lectern, Alison, played by McGuire, says her friend lived an energetic life, which she wants to share with us.

Suicide by cake

It’s a varied and funny production, meandering through the women’s friendship which starts at Sunnyside Rehabilitation Retreat. Alison’s here for depression after trying to commit suicide by gorging on cake; Savannah has heard voices since she was four. Although this pessimist and dreamer make an unlikely duo, their friendship provides stability while the rest of their lives become increasingly uncertain.

But the play takes some getting used to. The lectern is unnecessary and distracting, while Alison’s sporadic narration jars the play’s tempo and gives the performance an amateur air. And at first the jokes are uninspired - “What’s the name for an Eskimo?” “Inuit.” “No, I don’t know it” - and fail to tickle the audience.

“Sexually repressed Scot”

Yet when the two actresses play different characters along Savannah and Alison’s journey, showcasing their impressive acting repertoires, the audience thaws.

Mackenzie is particularly impressive as she morphs seamlessly from a wide-eyed bohemian to a crotch-thrusting rude boy then to a sexually repressed Scot. And despite a shaky start, the duo wins us over.

But the beginning has told us how it’s going to end. Alison’s tears at the lectern give way to a slap-stick film of their friendship which is projected onto the stage. It’s here that their differences are truly stark. And, it’s true: their similarities with French and Saunders are uncanny.

Although, with a flimsy set and uninspiring costumes, the evening was unpolished, the performances were strong, putting this double act on the map.

3 stars

5 stars

The rococo opulence of the costumes worn by the players in Britten’s adaptation of the Shakespeare classic was a reminder of the Victorian pomp of the Hackney Empire, and also a great contrast to the modern ambience of Sadlers Wells.

A spokesman for the English Touring Opera said: “From the audience’s perspective coming over from Hackney isn’t too much of a problem, supporters don’t mind making the trip.

“It’s one of 16 venues we’re going to this season so we’re used to moving from one place to another. It was the biggest show this season, and we sold it out, which is just under 1,500 seats. In contrast, we’re going to much smaller places, and our production team are used to overcoming these difficulties.

“We got good feedback from audience members and the critics and we’d love to go back to Saddlers Wells, but we have heard that there is no space next year.

The English Touring Opera, which is showcasing three different productions - Don Pasquale, The Marriage of Figaro and A Midsummer Night’s Dream - this season, performs in Exeter this week.
Image credit - Richard Hubert Smith