Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
performances, one hour prior to matinees; 10-minute walk north of Baker Street Tube,
near Queen Mary's Gardens within Regent's Park; detailed directions and more info at
Fringe Theater:
London's rougher evening-entertainment scene is thriving. Choose
from a wide range of fringe theater and comedy acts (generally
£
12).
For easy, cheap, or free concerts in historic churches, attend a
lunch concert,
especially:
• St. Bride's Church, with free half-hour lunch concerts twice a week at 13:15 (usually
Tue and Fri—confirm in advance, church tel. 020/7427-0133,
www.stbrides.com
).
• St. James's at Piccadilly, with 50-minute concerts on Mon, Wed, and Fri at 13:10 (sug-
gested
£
3.50 donation, info tel. 020/7381-0441,
www.sjp.org.uk
).
• St. Martin-in-the-Fields, offering concerts on Mon, Tue, and Fri at 13:00 (suggested
£
3
donation, church tel. 020/7766-1100,
www.smitf.org
)
.
St. Martin-in-the-Fields also hosts fine
evening concerts
by candlelight (
£
8-28, sev-
eral nights a week at 19:30) and live jazz in its underground Café in the Crypt (
£
5.50,
£
9,
or
£
12, Wed at 20:00).
Evensong
One of my favorite experiences in Britain is to attend evensong at a great church.
Evensong is an evening worship service that is typically sung rather than said
(though some parts—including scripture readings, a few prayers, and a homily—are
spoken). It follows the traditional Anglican service in the topic of Common Prayer,
including prayers, scripture readings, canticles (sung responses), and hymns that are
appropriate for the early evening—traditionally the end of the working day and be-
fore the evening meal. In major churches with resident choirs, this service is filled
with quality, professional musical elements. A singing or chanting priest leads the
service, and a choir—usually made up of both men's and boys' voices (to sing the
lower and higher parts, respectively)—sings the responses. The choir usually sings
a cappella, or is accompanied by organ. While regular attendees follow the service
