ALBANY AUTUMN SEASON

After six months of almost total lockdown, the Albany is not only reopening but is planning an ambitious three-month autumn season of drama, music, spoken word, dance and family fun. And some of it will be streamed live online for those self-isolating at home.

Covid-19 regulations mean capacity at the Albany’s venues in Deptford and Canada Water will be reduced to allow for social distancing. And audiences will have to agree to have temperature checks, follow track-and-trace rules and wear masks.

One of the first season highlights comes on 9 October with a gig featuring legendary south-east London composer-drummer-singer Charles Hayward (pictured), audio visual duo Harmageddon, electric violinist Agatha Max and DJ Raimund Wong. The climax of the show will be the live premiere of the lockdown creation Hayward Versus Harmageddon.

Later that month, poet-producer Yomi Sode hosts In Times Of Crisis, an evening of spoken word and conversation with guests on the 23rd, and two days later you can watch Imaginary Millions featuring local musicians.

During half-term week, from 27-31 October, all the family can enjoy Reach For The Stars, a show inspired by Mae Jemison, the first black woman to go into space.

November sees the return – on the 13th - of the Cocoa Butter Club, a night of cabaret with the fabulous motto Decolonise & Moisturise.

Earlier, on the 8th, MishMash present Strange Creatures, a cocktail of music and magical stories, and from the 9th to the 14th you can see 2020Vision featuring commissions by the Sounds Like Chaos Collective who have given a range of youngsters complete creative freedom for new works based on dance, fashion, poetry, drama, music, film and even cakes.

The Albany’s Christmas family show this year is Stuff & Nonsense’s The Man Who Wanted To Be A Penguin. It’s scheduled to run from 29 November to 23 December.

Other autumn dates are yet to be confirmed but will include a return of the brilliant dance drama The Kids Are Alright which is slated to be performed on the Evelyn Estate, an outdoor celebration of love and blackness by Initiative.dkf, a gig by the magnificent Steam Down collective and a family-friendly classical concert by the City of London Sinfonia.

Full details about the season, new dates and Covid rules at https://www.thealbany.org.uk/shows-and-events/