River Weekender with Watermans

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Celebrating the life of those on or in the river

Watermans is delighted to announce The River Weekender, part of Totally Thames 2016 - a season of 150 unmissable events which brings London’s river to life throughout the month of September with an exciting programme of arts, cultural, archaeological and river events

The River Weekender at Watermans is a weekend festival of the arts celebrating the life of those on - and in - the river. There are loads of free events too so there really is something for everyone to enjoy! Swim with sharks, learn how the Thames saved us in the Great Fire of London, explore the riverbank in free guided walks, take a trip down memory lane with an Ella Fitzgerald tribute and help us create our very own Brentford riverboat community. Or why not enjoy some outdoor cinema on our lovely riverside terrace.

A highlight is Home Sweet Home by the River, in which we will create our very own mini Brentford river community made out of cardboard and decorated and brought to life by you, the audience! Claim your own plot of riverbank and a home to decorate to your heart's content and join us for a street party to celebrate on Sunday.

Renowned Kai Hoffman brings her vocal tribute, Cry Me a River: A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, to West London. USA-born Hoffman is a UK favourite, including an 8-year residency at Ronnie Scott’s: grab a drink and take a trip down memory lane with her. Or catch some outdoor cinema on our lovely riverside terrace: we’re showing Purple Rain (Fri) and Titanic (Sat).

It is estimated that over a thousand people live afloat on the Thames between Teddington Lock and the Barrier. Exhibition Life Afloat tells their rich and, until now, untold histories. Totally Thames present this vibrant exhibition drawing from photography and oral history. Join free guided river walks too, to discover more about Brentford, Chiswick and Hammersmith riversides.

There’s lots more including the chance to take part in creating a giant river canvas with local artist Andrea Tierney in Paint the Thames, find out how the Thames saved us in children’s musical workshops Saved by the River Thames!, and enjoy family comedy with the return of the brilliant Comedy Club 4 Kids – comedians on the circuit come and do their thing for kids.

And if after that you need a rest, settle down on a deck chair and watch the kids play in our Giant Sandpit aka the Watermans River Beach. Bring along buckets and spades and dig to your heart’s content.

With a large café, car park and playground in the park next door, Watermans makes a great day out.

RIVER WEEKENDER EVENTS FOR EVERYONE

Sat 17, 11am-5pm
Sun 18, 11am-4pm
Home Sweet Home by the River by Subject to Change
Age: All ages
Price: £2-4 per property purchased
Description:
Home Sweet Home Estates invites you to become a resident of Brentford River Homes, a cardboard community of house boats and barges just waiting to be turned into homes. On arrival, you will select a plot of riverbank and a mini flat-packed boat or building (cost between £2 and £4 per item) to decorate to suit your taste. Come and go as you please and return for a street party at 4pm on Sunday.

Sat 17 Sept, 8pm
Cry Me a River: A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald by Kai Hoffman
Running time: 90mins + 20min interval.
Tickets: £12.50 (conc £10)
Description:
Cry Me a River is Kai Hoffman’s vocal tribute to the First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald, an homage to the great woman who inspired her to sing with energy and joyful abandon, taking her talents around the world. Originally from the USA, Kai Hoffman is a favourite performer at top UK venues including Ronnie Scott’s where she had an 8-year residency, the Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall, the London Jazz Festival and more. Grab a drink and take a trip down memory lane.
“Hoffman is a born performer, who effortlessly connects with her audience” - Fringe Review
“The Queen of Swing!” - Ian Shaw (BBC Radio)

Fri, Sat & Sun
You Might Come Out of the Water Every Time Singing? by Kaffe Matthews
Age: All ages
Running time: All day
Price: FREE
Description:
Swim with sharks without leaving West London! You might come out of the water every time singing is an immersive sound installation that takes you beneath the waves to experience how it might feel to be a shark. You’ll be taken into an underwater world with sounds that swoop and fall, created by the journeys of six sharks through the Galapagos Islands.

Fri, Sat & Sun
Life Afloat by Totally Thames
Age: All ages
Running time: All Weekend
Price: FREE
Description:
It’s estimated that over a thousand people live afloat on the Thames between Teddington Lock and the Thames Barrier. These floating villages have a rich and, until now, untold history. Based on photography, archive research and oral history interviews, this exhibition draws together the past and the present, tracking the evolution of houseboat life on one of the world’s most vibrant rivers. Photography by Katherine Fawssett; Oral history film by digital:works.

Life Afloat is part of Totally Thames that runs from 1-30 September. We are delighted to host the exhibition at Watermans. Supported by Heritage Lottery Fund
Sat & Sun, 11am-7pm
Paint the Thames by Andrea Tierney
Age: All ages
Price: FREE
Description:
Join artist Andrea Tierney in her artist’s studio to create a 5m view of the Thames. Bring along your own images and memories of the river: past and present photos of Brentford or the Thames, objects found along the river bed or just your imagination. Work on the canvas with acrylic colours to transfer the images to canvas. No experience necessary but remember to wear clothes you don’t mind getting mucky!
If you enjoyed making our recent exhibition ‘What’s in a line’ with Andrea then you will love this

RIVER WEEKENDER EVENTS FOR FAMILIES

Sat 17 Sept, 11am, 1.30pm 3.30pm
Saved by the River Thames! The Great Fire of London by Music House for Children
Age: 3-7 years
Running Time: 50 mins.
Tickets: £5 per child
Description:
A musical tale of the Great Fire of London and how the River came to our rescue. Action packed musical adventures with song, instruments and dancing all woven around a historical London tale. Takes place on our terrace on the banks of the Thames itself. [20 per workshop, children ticketed only]

Fri, Sat & Sun
Giant Sandpit
Running time: all day
Price: FREE
Description:
Settle down on a deck chair and watch the kids play in our giant sandpit aka the Watermans River Beach. Bring along buckets and spades and dig to your heart’s content!

Sun 18, 3pm
Comedy Club 4 Kids by Making Projects
Age: 6+ Years
Running time: 60 mins
Tickets: 8 (conc £7)
Description:
They brought the house down at the Shakespeare Reloaded Weekender and they’re back! Since 2005, Comedy Club 4 Kids has been getting the best stand-ups and sketch acts from the international circuit to do their thing for an audience of children and their families… but without the rude bits! It's just like a normal comedy club, but it's on during the day, kids are in the audience, and thus there is a higher than usual chance of heckles. Now, how funny can they make the River?!

OUTDOOR CINEMA

Fri 16, 8.30pm
Purple Rain (15)
Tickets: £10 (conc £9)
Desctiption
A victim of his own anger, the Kid (Prince) is a Minneapolis musician on the rise with his band, the Revolution, escaping a tumultuous home life through music. Prince’s first foray into film is all about the music. Enjoy it with a drink on our gorgeous Riverside Terrace, and sing along.
Sat 17, 8pm

Titanic (12)
£10 (conc £9)
Description:
A young Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio star in this 1997 classic, perfectly set on our deck on the banks of the River. Grab a drink, settling into a deckchair and feel the warm breeze, as you get the hankies at the ready. We can’t wait!

September 9, 2016