New year, new issue! Up this month… 🍽 Foodie ones to watch in 2020 🛋 Interiors inspo from Cambridge brands 🧖♀️ City’s top wellness spots 🎤 Unmissable gigs 🎭 Theatre highlights & lots more! Pick up a copy around Cambridge or read online!
YOU R MON T H L Y F I X OF LOCA L L I F E
J ANUA R Y 2 0 2 0
THE FOODIE MOVERS & SHAKERS YOU NEED ON YOUR RADAR THIS YEAR ONES TO WATCH
BEAT THE JANUARY BLUES WITH OUR GUIDE TO THE CITY’S BEST BITS
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EDITORIAL Editor in chief Nicola Foley 01223 499459
nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com Chief sub editor Beth Fletcher Senior sub editor Siobhan Godwood Sub editor Felicity Evans Junior sub editor Elisha Young ADVERTISING Group ad manager Sam Scott-Smith 01223 499457 samscott-smith@bright-publishing.com Ad sales manager Ed Grundy 01223 499463 edgrundy@bright-publishing.com Sales executive Lucy McNally lucymcnally@bright-publishing.com 01223 492248 CONTRIBUTORS Alex Rushmer, Angelina Villa-Clarke, Cyrus Pundole, Charlotte Griffiths, Siobhan Godwood, Sue Bailey, Daisy Dickinson, Jordan Worland, Ruthie Collins, Anna Taylor, Charlotte Phillips DESIGN & PRODUCTION Designer Lucy Woolcomb lucywoolcomb@bright-publishing.com Ad production Man-Wai Wong
he arrival of a new year always prompts a bit of self-reflection and planning. We might know, logically, that there’s precious little difference between the last day in December and the first day in January, but that doesn’t stop us from getting swept up in feelings of new beginnings and fresh- slate purposefulness. For many, that means signing up to a gymmembership or swearing off booze for a bit, but inside this issue,
Charlotte Phillips makes an argument for swapping ‘punitive with positive’ when it comes to this year’s resolutions. Looking into the sometimes life-changing benefits of evening classes, she speaks with local teachers and students to find out more about the inspiring, challenging and fun opportunities on offer in Cambridge, from breadmaking to creative writing. Have a read on page 77. When it comes to making a positive change, we’re starting at home, by kicking off our Charity of the Year initiative this month. After much deliberation, we chose East Anglian Air Ambulance as the cause we wanted to support, and we’re pledging to raise £10,000 for this amazing organisation over the course of 2020. Turn to page 53 to find out more about the life-saving work of this incredible charity – and how you can help us reach our goal. Back for another year is our Ones to Watch feature: a round-up of the foodie movers and shakers we reckon will be stepping up to the plate to shape Cambridge’s food scene in the year to come. After a rush of recent openings, there was plenty to choose between this time around, but we think we’ve skimmed it down to the cream of the crop over on page 34. Frommouth-watering Spanish delicacies at Mercado Central to vibrant Indian dishes at Tawa Kitchen, via exquisite coffee, inventive veggie food and a super swish new south Cambridgeshire hotel, there’s definitely lots to look forward to on Cambridge’s dining scene in the coming months. There’s also news on gigs to blast away the Christmas comedown in our After Hours section (page 22), exhibitions and theatre shows
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CAMBRIDGE EDITIONMAGAZINE Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ, 01223 499450, cambsedition.co.uk • All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of the publishers. • Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Cambridge Edition or Bright Publishing Ltd, which do not accept any liability for loss or damage. • Every effort has been made to ensure all information is correct. • Cambridge Edition is a free publication that is distributed in Cambridge and the surrounding area.
for a new year culture fix (from page 9), and a look at some of the city’s most rejuvenating wellness spots on page 67. Enjoy the issue and see you next month! Nicola Foley EDITOR IN CHIEF
This month’s cover illustration was created by Lucy Woolcomb , designer at Bright Publishing
Author illustrations by Louisa Taylor louisataylorillustration.blogspot.co.uk
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9 ● ARTS & CULTURE Exhibitions, books, poetry and theatre highlights for January 14 ● ART INSIDER Ruthie Collins, founder of Cambridge Art Salon, shares her arty picks of the month 16 ● BARBARA HEPWORTH An exhibition featuring the revered artist comes to the Heong Gallery this month 18 ● BOOK CLUB Tessa Hadley’s Sunday Times bestseller Late in the Day is this month’s featured read 22 ● AFTER HOURS The best comedy, gigs and more nightlife fun this month 25 ● LISTINGS Our at-a-glance guide to the top events and goings-on this month 30 ● FOOD NEWS The latest gastro happenings, featuring pop-ups, openings and exciting fresh menus 34 ● GREAT EATS Nicola Foley checks out the fast-rising stars on the Cambridge food scene 44 ● CAMBS ON A PLATE Happy Ginuary! Dr Sue Bailey delves into the history behind our fascination with gin 47 ● CHEF’S TABLE Chef Alex Rushmer discusses all things soup, from simple seasonal offerings to indulgent broths
48 ● RECIPE Alex creates a Tuscan treat, ribollita. And not for the first time, he offers options to suit everyone 50 ● RESTAURANT REVIEW We visit Hotel Felix, a boutique hotel with an excellent reputation 53 ● CHARITY OF THE YEAR Team Edition and Bright Publishing are raising funds for East Anglian Air Ambulance in 2020 57 ● ECO HEROES Zero-waste shop Full Circle has achieved great things in just over a year 64 ● COMMUNITY HUB Community events, charity news and more from your local hub
67 ● WELLNESS WONDERS We recommend six places to go to recharge and replenish your soul 71 ● BEAUTY Daisy Dickinson rounds up the beauty products on her radar this month 72 ● INDIE OF THE MONTH We shine a spotlight on The Granary Estates, one of the area’s most stunning wedding venues 77 ● EDUCATION New year, new you? Charlotte Phillips finds learning a new skill is the way to go 83 ● HOME EDITION Tips and inspiration for your home and garden this month
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S L AM POETRY • COSTUME EXHI B I T ION • THEATRE • BOOK CLUB
Claire Foy’s dress from the Coronation episode of The Crown : on display in Ely Cathedral, from 1 February to 15 March
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ARTS & CULTURE
Cambridge crime fiction doyenne Sophie Hannah is celebrating the release of her latest novel with a launch event at Waterstones on 20 January. Described by The Times as “one of the great unmissables of the genre”, Hannah is known for her fiendish thrillers, with her books selling in their millions around the globe. Within the last few years, she’s also picked up the baton of penning Hercule Poirot stories, having been bestowed that honour by Agatha Christie’s estate. Her new novel Haven’t They Grown involves a seemingly impossible situation and takes the reader on a twisty jigsaw journey through an intriguing mystery, which ends with a dark, credible and satisfying resolution. Tickets available via Eventbrite AN EVENING WITH SOPHIE HANNAH
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Promising to serve as the ultimate January blues buster, The Sound of Music comes to Cambridge Arts Theatre for a four-night run on 22 January. Brought to us by Cambridge Operatic Society, which most recently gave us My Fair Lady at the same theatre, it’s a chance to see the beloved (true) story of the seven von Trapp children and their singing governess brought to life on stage, featuring Rodgers and Hammerstein zingers including Edelweiss , My Favourite Things , Climb Ev’ry Mountain , Do-Re-Mi and the title song, The Sound of Music . Don your best lederhosen and join the fun, tickets are available from £18. cambridgeartstheatre.com THE SOUND OF MUSIC
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ARTS & CULTURE
HAMMER & TONGUE
See some of the city’s finest poets and spoken word performers sparring at Cambridge Junction this month when Hammer & Tongue returns on 3 January. The event is part of a national franchise taking ‘slam poetry’ to audiences in cities across the UK, bringing the spontaneity and crowd interaction of a rap battle to the world of spoken word. It’s hosted by local poet and musician Fay Roberts, and includes special guest performers. The gig is one of the Junction’s ‘pay what you feel’ events. junction.co.uk
From Netflix’s The Crown to Hollywood blockbusters like The King’s Speech , Ely Cathedral has taken a starring role on screen many times. But why does it hold such allure for directors and what makes it such a perfect setting for a grand royal drama? Find out at Crowns & Gowns , an exhibition that runs from 1 February until 15 March. It celebrates the cathedral’s cinematic heritage by showcasing costumes, jewels, props and memorabilia from some of the Hollywood movies filmed in the building. Taking place in the Lady Chapel, it’s a chance to ogle intricate gowns from Elizabeth: The Golden Age , The Other Boleyn Girl and Macbeth , which have brought stars including Natalie Portman and Cate Blanchett to our neighbouring city. Don’t miss the chance to see mementos from current favourite The Crown , in which Ely Cathedral stood in as Westminster Abbey as the setting for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s wedding. Standard cathedral admission fee including entrance to the exhibition is £8. elycathedral.org CROWNS & GOWNS
Described by Ian McKellen as “a powerhouse of theatrical expertise”, The Marlowe Society is one of Cambridge’s oldest and most prestigious drama groups. Since its formation in 1907, it’s had a huge impact on British theatre, both by introducing the world to celebrated actors and directors like Trevor Nunn and Peter Hall, and through redefining the relationship between modern dramatists and early modern verse. This month, you can catch this revered university group performing Othello at Cambridge Arts Theatre in a show produced by John Haidar, who returns to the theatre following his acclaimed production of Richard III last spring. See this classic Shakespearean tragedy brought powerfully to life between 29 January and 1 February, tickets are available starting at £18. cambridgeartstheatre.com OTHELLO
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RUTHIE COLLINS, FOUNDER OF CAMBRIDGE ART SALON, GIVES HER ARTY PICKS OF THE MONTH
a gaudy, visual treat for this time of year, too, subverting commercial signage to explore national identity. Accompanying the show, do have a look at the texts in the catalogue, which give further insights. While Britain’s colonial past is not explicitly represented in Homelands , there’s an alternative perspective on this theme to be found upstairs in the Edlis Neeson Research Space, at the exhibition Jim Ede and India . Ede (founder and original owner of Kettle’s Yard) spent a transformative time travelling through India between 1917 and 1919, and described it as giving him the most ‘reverberations of any period’. There are also related objects throughout the house with stories of their own – including a Tibetan yak bell, placed by Ede above the front door. Finally this season, those looking to start the new year with a celebration of one of the UK’s leading performing arts venues, look no further than Lost Nights and Love Songs , a project marking Cambridge Junction’s 30th anniversary this year. I love going to Warning, the UK’s longest running drum and bass night, at Cambridge Junction – so long running, it’s become intergenerational! It’s perhaps little known, however, that Cambridge Junction has its roots in riots, raves and rebellion in the city in response to there being little for ‘town’ young people to do in the 1980s (yes, this even resulted in an overturned police van). Do you have memories of Cambridge Junction that you can share? Have you ever wanted to know how it got its name? Then get involved. There is an active Facebook community sharing
rents in the city – a very personal piece that took me back to the Cambridge city council housing I lived in as a kid. It’s easy to become desensitised to stories of displacement or inequality when they are shrouded in anonymous statistics, but by encouraging people to give voice – with art as a vital platform – we gain urgent catalysts for change. Notions of home, real and imagined, permeate our modern world, increasingly defined and inflamed by borders and boundaries. Showing at Kettle’s Yard until 2 February, Homelands: Art from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan is a boldly curated show that explores displacement, migration and sometimes violent divide in South Asia. It’s notable particularly for its sheer range, exploring these stories with installation, mixed media, film and photography, and comes with its own warning: on entry, one of the pieces produces a ‘loud noise’. On finding Shilpa Gupta’s Song of the Ground Stones, you’d be forgiven for marvelling at its poetic tranquillity. Until the two stones collide. The sound is violent and unpredictable, hinting at simmering tensions, released only with sudden shocks. Highlights of the show also include a new series of paintings by Desmond Lazaro, created in partnership with Cambridge individuals and families who have experienced displacement and resettled in the city, the first time the artist has worked with archives that are not his own family’s. Iftikhar Dadi and Elizabeth Dadi’s neon sculptures of national flowers, part of Efflorescence , are
t’s a new year. Time to start with bold new intentions. Time to ‘live the changes we want to see in the world’ as Ghandhi said. Cambridge is home to some of the worst levels of inequality in the UK, but those most impacted are often the least heard. If that feels like you, then make this the year you speak out. In a fantastic initiative from
Cambridge Commons and environmental arts organisation, Pivotal, those impacted by inequality are invited to come along to a storytelling workshop led by Glenys Newton and Jill Eastland on 4 and 8 January. True Stories for Change will be held in the Escape community room, one of the new units that have been opened up for community use in the Grafton. This initiative is part of a broader project inviting local residents experiencing inequality to work with artists, to produce a public and visual response to the social divide in the city. Cambridge Commons has regular meetups to try and address ‘social inequalities as our overriding priority’ – a forward thinking, much-needed initiative. For more information on Cambridge Commons, check thecambridgecommons. org. Those attending the workshops may spot a text I wrote last year, The Cambridge ABC of Inequality, which narrates the first-person story of a young family made homeless by skyrocketing
thoughts, check #LostNightsAnd LoveSongs (what a fab name), or follow the links here, junction. co.uk/lost-nights. Have a fabulous New Year, all!
“The sound is violent, hinting at simmering tensions”
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BARBARA HEPWORTH
RUTHIE COLLINS FINDS OUT MORE ABOUT A LOCAL EXHIBITION FEATURING WORK BY REVERED ARTIST BARBARA HEPWORTH
series of stunning abstract sculptures by Barbara Hepworth – one of the greatest British sculptors in art history –
can be seen at Divided Circle at the Heong Gallery, Downing College, this month until Sunday, 2 February. A prolific artist, Hepworth created more than 600 sculptures during her life, which can now be found all over the world. Cambridge is certainly no stranger to her work, with pieces on display at the Jim Ede House at Kettle’s Yard, in the garden of Churchill College, and at the New Hall Art Collection. But this is the first time that so many of her works have been exhibited together in one place in the city. A selection of pieces made in the last 20 years of her life, this display demonstrates her work today has the same appeal and freshness as when she first earned recognition as a standout British sculptor within the Modernist movement. The name of the show is inspired by keynote piece, Two Forms (Divided Circle), made in 1969, an extraordinary time for Hepworth. “I at last had space and money and time to work on a much bigger scale,” she said of this period. “I
Many associate Barbara Hepworth with St Ives in Cornwall, but it was a remarkable meeting of artists here in East Anglia – not just with each other but with the natural landscape – that would change the course of British modern sculpture forever. Happisburgh, known to many Cambridge residents for its iconic striped lighthouse, is still full of the same distinctive ‘witch stones’ – pebbles with holes caused by natural water erosion – that fascinated Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore when they stayed there with friends in 1931. This interplay between form and absence still shines throughout
had felt inhibited for a very long time over the scale on which I could work... It’s so natural to work large – it fits one’s body.” You can see the bronze sculpture on the grass outside the gallery, on loan from the Hepworth estate. “She’s playing with our expectations, the shape is a circle from a distance, but the closer you get, you realise they are two forms, they have a force holding them together. I find it fascinating that she called it two forms first,” explains curator, Dr Rachel Rose Smith. “She’s trying to say that it’s both, that’s ok – people will see things differently. People and forms can be complex, that’s enriching.”
IMAGES Hepworth’s work continued to break new ground throughout her life
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BARBARA HEPWORTH
“There are not many artists who are that avant- garde, but also incredibly accessible”
was becoming more destructive. She was willing to say this, her job was to say this when she could, but produce something that was very positive,” says Dr Smith. “The works are monolithic shapes, that could look like standing stones. “There are not many artists who are that avant-garde, but also incredibly accessible. She would have wanted people to go with their own feelings.” As a woman working in what was considered by many to be a man’s world, Hepworth was initially ambivalent towards being labelled a ‘woman artist’. “But from the 1960s, her gender becomes more positive. She writes a lot about the feminine in her work, she does interviews,” explains Dr Smith. With so many stunning works in one show, it’s hard to leave without feeling optimistic. “There’s a sense of going back to earlier forms, a sense of completeness, of doing something more,” explains Dr Smith. “It’s like a pierced stone, but taken one step further.” Divided Circle runs until 2 February at the Heong Gallery, Downing College. dow.cam.ac.uk
part of this desire to remind people of good things. People come away feeling like they’ve had a beautiful experience,” says Dr Smith. As Jeanette Winterson described, for Hepworth, “holes were not gaps, but connections”. Inspired, perhaps by the physicality of motherhood. “Small Hieroglyph is a perfect opener. It relates to the human body and says so much about how clever she is, using forms that refer back to our own bodies,” says Dr Smith of the bronze piece, made in 1959. In today’s modern world, marked by political crises and an escalation, perhaps, of the same sense of destruction that influenced Barbara Hepworth, this connectivity of art takes on a revitalised role. In 1947, Hepworth – fascinated by processes that heal – was invited to observe surgeons at work in a hospital. It’s no surprise that many of the resulting works feel like monuments to a harmonising beauty that unites and uplifts, from the flower-like effervescence of Forms In Movement (Galliard), to the bold, brilliant Miniature Divided Circle. “I was struck by how frequently she mentioned politics of the day, how society
Hepworth’s work. The piercing of form with holes became a signature for Hepworth, and she and Moore packed up four crates of the iron stone pebbles for carving after their holiday. This was also the spot where she fell in love with Ben Nicholson, forming one of British art’s great powerhouse couples. Years later, the ‘pierced form’ remains a sign, of sorts, for modern art, marking a shift for sculpture itself, to invite interaction. “The carving and piercing of such a form seems to open up an infinite variety of continuous curves in the third dimension,” Hepworth wrote in 1946. “Here is sufficient field for exploration to last a lifetime.” She was right. Many of the features that defined her work – curves and polish, a sense of connection to the landscape and material, the enriching relationship between space and absence – were developed throughout her life. “Her later works were really sensual, bringing out our desire to touch things, love things. Emotional desire may come from motherhood, or infancy, like bringing up twigs, taking them home. It’s
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BOOK CLUB
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BRINGING YOU TOP NEW FICTION PICKS, AUTHOR INTERVIEWS, DISCOUNTS AND LOTS MORE BOOK CHAT, THE EDITION BOOK CLUB IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH CAMBRIDGE LITERARY FESTIVAL AND HEFFERS
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LATE IN THE DAY
essa Hadley and her career are a beacon of hope for those carrying novels around in their minds: the writer was first published later in life, after building both a family and a career, and now enjoys widespread and critical acclaim for her carefully considered prose. Recently retired from her position as Professor of Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, Tessa began academic life studying at Cambridge’s Clare College in the mid- 1970s, just a few years after the college started admitting women, and raised her children in the centre of town after graduating. Tessa recalls living in a cottage in the Kite area (now the Grafton Centre), cycling everywhere at breakneck speed, and has fond memories of Arjuna Wholefoods on Mill Road. In conversation, she shares vignettes of her time in our city with the same focus on human experience and domestic, everyday realism that has become a trademark of her work. Late in the Day is Tessa’s seventh novel. It is short but vividly drawn, and unfolds out well beyond its edges. Her calm, beautifully visual prose paints evocative images that are easy to imagine while following the action, though to call it action is slightly misleading – the novel opens with the news of the sudden death of Zachary, one of the four lead characters, but then the following few pages and remainder of the book precisely TESSA HADLEY’S NEW NOVEL IS BOUND TO DELIGHT LONG-TIME FANS AND NEW READERS ALIKE WITH ITS FRESH INSIGHT INTO UNIVERSAL THEMES
IMAGE Tessa Hadley’s seventh novel tackles death and its effect on those left behind
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BOOK CLUB
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chart the sense of bewilderment and utter, almost horrifying stasis that occurs when someone dies. There is admin, of course, and initial melodramatic cross-country dashes as the news is shared – but then there is... nothing. Except long periods of reflection, and grief, and a large absence to bear. Lydia, Zachary’s wife, is left bereft, and moves in with her old friends Alex and Christine (physically getting into bed with them for solace on the first night after Zachary’s death). The book continues by tracing the tale of how this band got together, tightly weaving the tangled threads that held this quartet and their offspring together for 30 years. As the narrative deftly steps from past to present in detached third-person form, we discover that the lead characters’ romantic partnerships – between Zachary and Lydia, and Christine and Alex – are not at all how their journey began. Throughout the foursome’s lives there have been strong, fast-flowing undercurrents of passion that, like water slowly seeping into a house, will not and should not be ignored for long. Questions bubble to the surface throughout, which readers are left pondering between stretches of the novel: are people (especially women, in this case) too dependent on their other halves for identity? Can we ever change the roles we start out playing? As Tessa writes in her book: since that beginning, they had both changed their skins so often. Marriage simply meant that you hung on to each other through the succession of metamorphoses. Or failed to. Later in the novel, memories are shared of the quartet’s visit to Venice, which functions as the perfect setting – an unchanging city sinking beneath the waves due to the weight of its own history, the passage of time and unrelenting forces of nature – to help bring this questioning to a head. Christine, an artist, ponders in conversation with Zachary while visiting the Scuola dei Carmini: “But I mean
“Late in the Day is a gentle yet impactful and deeply thought-provoking book”
change and stasis, following impulse and respecting relationships extends throughout. It shines a light on what happens when we give in to urges, and how ageing and experience – aka late in the day, as the title signposts – can deepen the impact of betrayals that are worn more lightly when they occur at a younger, less responsible age. The novel closes in the same space as it begins, but leaves the characters changed for good. Late in the Day will delight fans of Tessa’s work and is an excellent introduction to her style for those unfamiliar with her novels. It’s a gentle yet impactful and deeply thought-provoking book that will leave you reflecting on your own choices and relationships – and makes a perfect beginning to a new year of reading.
it, I’m serious, listen. Sometimes these days I almost think I can do without the present. The past is enough for me, it’s enough for my life. Does that sound insane? I could only say it to you… I’m not saying that the past was good… or fair, or better, or anything. But nothing will ever be more beautiful than this, will it? It’s surpassingly beautiful. It surpasses anything I could have imagined. It fulfils me, it’s enough for me.” There’s an emphasis throughout the entire tale on experiencing and enjoying as much as possible while one is able to – or, as Zachary puts it: “I find I’m quite ashamed… of not having sinned, now that we’re here in Venice. It seems unworthy… of all the incitements to pleasure.” The wrestling match between past and present,
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NIGHT L I F E
NOW BOOKING
THE NIGHTLIFE EVENTS NOT TO MISS THIS MONTH
DAVID BADDIEL
5 FEB, CORN EX, £30 A show based on the comedian’s online fightback against internet trolls
JANUARY COMEDY
If you need a good laugh during the Christmas comedown, the Junction is hosting a trio of top comedians this January. After a brief hiatus, Josie Long returns with a show that covers the mind- bending intensity of motherhood and more about everyday kindness, gentleness and joy. Josie is unusually optimistic compared to many comedians, but there’s still plenty of edge – with silly voices thrown in, too. Catch her at Cambridge Junction on 17 January, tickets £18. Who do we need to bring people together in these uncertain times? Well, Stephen K Amos aims to bring peace by reminding us what we all have in common. He’s at Cambridge Junction on 24 January, with tickets £20. Following a year of appearances on 8 out of 10 Cats and Mock the Week , Maisie Adam returns to live dates with a show at Cambridge Junction on 10 January that zeroes in on why we’re so focussed on blame. Tickets are £13.50. junction.co.uk
JAKE BUGG 5 MAR, CORN EX, £28 Bugg will play Kiss Like the Sun , a taster from his yet-to-be-released fifth album
Get ready for multiple guitars and fretboards as the axemen cometh to the Classic Rock Show on 24 January at the Corn Exchange. The show has been touring for years and packs in all the greats you can think of, featuring cuts by Led Zeppelin, Dire Straits, Steely Dan, Eric Clapton, AC/DC, Queen, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac and more. CLASSIC ROCK SHOW
LOUISE REDKNAPP 25 MAR, JUNCTION, £25 New album Heavy Love , out on 17 January, is her first new release since 2003
Tickets from £29.50. cambridgelive.org.uk
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NIGHT L I F E
Gig Guide JORDAN WORLAND FROM LOCAL MUSIC WEBSITE SLATE THE DISCO GIVES HIS TOP LIVE MUSIC PICKS FOR THE MONTH AHEAD
appy New Year! 2020 is shaping up to be a stellar year for live music in Cambridge, with a host of great acts scheduled to play over the next 12 months. We can expect some of the
finest emerging acts, as well as more established names, and we can’t wait! January is always a quieter month in the music calendar, but we have put together a list of shows that are well worth your time. Our first pick is the seductively off-kilter pop sounds of Rozi Plain, who plays The Portland Arms on the 28th. Rozi, who doubles as the bass player in This Is The Kit, has also released four solo albums. Her latest album, What a Boost , was released last spring and is arguably her finest offering to date, a collection of classy yet abstract pop. One of the biggest comebacks of 2020 will surely be Bombay Bicycle Club, who return with new album Everything Else Has Gone Wrong on the 17th of this month; their first LP in six years. Bombay Bicycle Club have continued to grow, develop and evolve since the release of their debut album, I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose back in 2009. Rarely in recent years has there been a British guitar band who have the craft and ability to avoid categorisation while uniting hundreds of thousands of fans across the globe. To coincide with the album’s release, they play a string of UK dates, starting in Cambridge on 20 January. Staying at the Corn Exchange, Parisian electronic alchemists Caravan Palace play here on Saturday 25th. Expect a fusion of hedonistic house and old school jazz from the instrumentalists and studio wizards. A very busy month at the Cambridge Junction includes two of the UK’s biggest hip-hop artists, Mitch and Skeamer, appearing at the venue on 24 January. The event is being hosted by DJ Tukka and features sets from rap duo Dreadz x SG’, as well as rappers Rocco and Pronto. Della Mae, meanwhile, bring their charismatic take on Bluegrass and Americana to the J2 on the 22nd. Redefining the modern folk genre with pop hooks, deep acoustic groove, trance-like trad breakdowns and three-part harmonies are The East Pointers, who play the J2 on the 21st. Possibly the biggest folk name gracing us this month is husband-and-wife
Tired from the festive revelry? Well relax, as The Brass Funkeys wait until the end of the month to pound their up-tempo marching-band jazz into the Junction, on 31 January. A whole range of styles combined with some choice cover versions – including Gorillaz’ Dirty Harry – mean the London eight-piece offers tunes for all and guaranteed foot-stomping. Tickets are £11.50. junction.co.uk BRASS FUNKEYS
Electro swing favourites Caravan Palace are festival regulars, having played the main stage at Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, Boomtown, Wilderness and more. They’re known for their unique, vintage-meets-modern sound and fun live performances. Don’t miss the Corn Exchange gig on 25 January, tickets £28. cambridgelive.org.uk CARAVAN PALACE
duo and four-time BBC Radio 2 Folk Award nominated Megson. Expect an infectious mix of heavenly vocals, lush harmonies and driving rhythmic guitars. Join us next month when we preview Sorry, Dry Cleaning, PINS and Nada Surf’s February shows.
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L I ST INGS
YOUR AT-A-GLANCE GUIDE TO EVENTS AROUND CAMBRIDGE THIS MONTH
TILL 5 JANUARY THEWIND INTHEWILLOWS Catch the Junction’s Christmas show before it’s gone. Figs in Wigs present Wind in the Willows for the venue’s traditional untraditional festive show. Expect an all-singing, all-dancing anarchic show for the whole family. Times vary | Cambridge Junction £15.50, £10 concession, 15% off group of four | junction.co.uk
1-4 JANUARY ST PETERSBURGBALLET
14-15 JANUARY ALLWRAPPEDUP Unwrap a world of imagination with Oily Cart’s mischievous wintery show for under fives. Magical characters, hilarious creatures and mysterious lands are brought to life through light, shadow and music. 10.30am, 1pm | Cambridge Junction £10, £6 children, 15% off group of four junction.co.uk 15 JANUARY AAM: SACRED CANTATAS Baritone Benjamin Appl is one of the most exciting lieder singers, and he’s curated a programme for the Academy of Ancient Music’s latest concert, featuring Bach and more. 7.30pm | West Road Concert Hall | From £16, £5 children/students | cambridgelive.org.uk A tribute to the velvet voice behind hits such as Never Too Much , Give Me the Reason , Stop to Love and The Best Things in Life Are Free . 7.30pm | Cambridge Corn Exchange From £27.50 | cambridgelive.org.uk 17 JANUARY JOSIE LONG The three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee is back with a new show, reflecting on motherhood, gentleness, kindness and joy. Expect silly voices and to leave feeling more optimistic. 8pm | Cambridge Junction | £18 junction.co.uk 20 JANUARY BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB After a break, the group return with their follow-up to 2014’s So Long, See You Tomorrow and a 13-date UK and Ireland tour. 16 JANUARY LUTHER VANDROSS: ACELEBRATION
A new staging of Sleeping Beauty on 1 and 2 January, followed by Swan Lake on the 3rd and 4th, rounds off the company’s Cambridge Corn Exchange residency for another year. Times vary | Cambridge Corn Exchange From £18 | cambridgelive.org.uk
13-18 JANUARY MY COUSINRACHEL
TILL 11 JANUARY CINDERELLA
Helen George ( Call the Midwife ) stars as Rachel: is she a murderer, seducer and thief – or merely intent on survival? A classic Gothic romance set on the wild Cornish coast. 7.45pm, 2.30pm Thursday and Saturday Cambridge Arts Theatre | From £25 cambridgeartstheatre.com
Last chance to catch the biggest traditional panto in Cambridge, with Cinders centre stage. Wayne Sleep, Liza Goddard and Matt Crosby return. Various times | Cambridge Arts Theatre From £19 | cambridgeartstheatre.com
Husband and wife folk duo Debbie and Stu Hanna have been nominated four times for Radio 2 Folk Awards. They boast intelligent songwriting, fine musicianship and a touch of humour between songs to boot. 7.30pm | Storey’s Field Centre | £17 | junction.co.uk MEGSON 24 JANUARY
7.30pm | Cambridge Corn Exchange From £32.50 | cambridgelive.org.uk
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L I ST INGS
22-25 JANUARY THE SOUNDOFMUSIC Cambridge Operatic Society revives the beloved musical, in which life-loving Maria leaves Salzburg’s nunnery to tutor Captain von Trapp’s seven children. 7.30pm, 2.30pm Thursday and Saturday Cambridge Arts Theatre | From £18 cambridgeartstheatre.com
24 JANUARY THE CLASSICROCK SHOW
It’s back! Duelling guitars fill the stage as hit after riffing hit from the rock greats is powered through. Featuring the music of Led Zeppelin, Dire Straits, Steely Dan, Eric Clapton, AC/DC, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, The Who and more.
8pm | Cambridge Corn Exchange From £29.50 | cambridgelive.org.uk
28 JANUARY ROZI PLAIN
Blissed-out off-kilter pop from a singer and musician who has had time to tweak and refine her third album, What a Boost , while spending a year touring as part of This Is The Kit. 7pm | The Portland Arms | £13.20 cambridgelive.org.uk 29 JANUARY SANDI TOKSVIG Following a misunderstanding with a friend, Sandi (host of QI and co-presenter of The Great British Bake Off) decided she wanted to become a National Trevor – the name she’s given to this tour. Expect tall stories, silly jokes and a quiz. 8pm | Cambridge Corn Exchange | From £20 cambridgelive.org.uk
24 JANUARY STEPHEN K AMOS
Comedian Amos is on a mission to bring about world peace. Or, at least, an evening of peace, one venue at a time. 8pm | Cambridge Junction | £20 | junction.co.uk
29 JANUARY – 1 FEBRUARY OTHELLO
31 JANUARY THEBRASS FUNKEYS Rolling from spirited revelry to soulful jazz funeral marches to pumping brass-driven funk, the group’s second album Rabble Rouser features a mix of originals and covers, including Gorrilaz’s Dirty Harry . 7pm | Cambridge Junction | £11.50 junction.co.uk 31 JANUARY EUROPEANUNION CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Saxophonist Jess Gillam has won rave reviews for putting her instrument back in the classical spotlight, she stars in an eclectic programme featuring Marcello, Glazunov, Mozart and Haydn.
ENDELLION STRING QUARTET 29 JANUARY
The Marlowe Society returns to the Arts Theatre following Much Ado About Nothing and Romeo and Juliet . Othello has married Desdemona in secret. Iago has a vendetta to deal with. All three are caught up in a web of lies. 7.45pm, 2.30pm Thursday and Saturday Cambridge Arts Theatre | From £18 cambridgeartstheatre.com SPACES/THREATENEDPLACES Composers are often concerned with the world and their place in it. The University of Cambridge New Music Group play new works by students and John Luther Adams, Kaija and Grisey. 7.30pm | Museum of Zoology | £12 cambridgelive.org.uk 31 JANUARY ZOOLOGY LATE: ACOUSTIC
As part of their final season, Endellion play three of Beethoven’s 16 string quartets. 7.30pm | West Road Concert Hall £28, £6 children cambridgelive.org.uk
7.30pm | Cambridge Corn Exchange From £28, £17 no view, £5 concession cambridgelive.org.uk
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ONES TO WATCH IN 2020 • HOTE L F E L I X REV I EW • NEW YEAR RECI PES
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A MONTHLY ROUND-UP OF GASTRO GOINGS-ON AROUND CAMBRIDGESHIRE
January might be the most cash-strapped month of the year, but there’s deals aplenty at the city’s eateries if you fancy a meal out. Loch Fyne on Trumpington Street is offering 50% off main courses throughout January, so you can sample its menu of seafood delicacies at a bargain price, or for tasty Thai food, make a beeline to Quayside restaurant, Thaikhun, which is offering 40% off its menu of dishes inspired by Bangkok street food, plus pinto, salads, soups and cocktails. The offer is valid Sundays to Thursdays, from 5 to 30 January and for a maximum of six people. Also offering discounted deliciousness is Carluccio’s: if you buy one full-price main, you can get the second for just £1 between 2 January and 11 February. JANUARY DINING OUT DEALS
BURNS NIGHT FUN
Burns Night, the celebration of Scotland’s great poet Robert Burns, takes place on 25 January. We might be more Fenland than Highland in Cambridge, but there are a few options for enjoying the fun and feasting. Have a wee dram at Cambridge Wine Merchants, which is hosting a Scottish whisky tasting with on-theme nibbles on the 25th at its Cherry Hinton Road branch, or head to The Mitre for a slap-up Scottish feast of haggis, neeps and tatties and traditional dessert cranachan. It’s available from 21 to 26 January. Loch Fyne is also getting in on the fun with a feast that includes cullen skink (smoked haddock, potatoes and rye sourdough), queen scallops and smoked salmon.
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WASSAILING AT TRUMPINGTON ORCHARD
Celebrate the new year with the medieval ritual of wassailing – an ancient tradition of drinking and singing to help ensure a good cider apple harvest. Originating from the Anglo-Saxon phrase ‘waes hael’, which means ‘good health’, wassailing falls into two categories: visiting an orchard, carolling and reciting incantations to promote good bounty, or (less recommended in present-day Cambridge) going door-to-door, singing and offering a drink from the wassail bowl in exchange for gifts. Join the fun at Trumpington Community Orchard on 12 January, where there will be a wassail celebration complete with music, wassail carols, dancing and mulled apple juice between 2.30pm and 5.30pm.
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Taking place on numerous Sundays over the course of the year, Cambridge Vegan Market makes its first outing of 2020 on 26 January. Running between 10.30am and 4pm at the Guildhall, the event showcases all kinds of traders and plenty of inspiration for a plant-based lifestyle, including vegan fast food, sweet bakes, craft cheeses, handmade v-friendly cosmetics, ethical clothing and charity stalls. Entry is £2. veganmarkets.co.uk CAMBRIDGE VEGAN MARKET
Need something to look forward to after the Christmas comedown? There’s an evening of indulgence planned at Midsummer House, our city’s double Michelin-starred restaurant. Taking place on 30 January, the event is being hosted in celebration of the release of Nyetimber Wines’ 2010 vintage of its Prestige Cuvee 1086, and features a sumptuous tasting menu plus a perfectly paired flight of sparkling English wines fromNyetimber’s collection. Tickets are £250 per person and include welcome canapes, a seven-course meal, the wine flight, and tea and coffee to finish. midsummerhouse.co.uk MIDSUMMER HOUSE X NYETIMBER 1086 DINNER
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IN THE FIRST IN A NEW SERIES, ENTHUSIASTIC VEGAN CHELSEA FEARNLEY GIVES THE LOWDOWN ON THE TASTIEST PLANT-BASED EATS IN THE CITY
smashed avocado on toast. If you fancy something unusual, opt for the celeriac and potato hash. This feast of fungi will have mushroom lovers rejoicing in its earthy complement of mushroom ketchup, spread beneath the pan-fried hash, wild chanterelles and enokis. Many eschew eating out for lunch after the money-draining Christmas period. But if you find yourself in the Grand Arcade and your stomach starts to grumble: Marks & Spencer, Pret a Manger and Boots have some lovely vegan sandwiches. Not just the tired hummus and falafel wrap, either – plant-based versions of British classics, like the BLT and cheese ploughman. M&S even does a ‘no turkey feast’ and, unlike the meat version, it stays in stock all year round. Pho, with its assortment of Vietnamese hot broths, rice and noodle dishes, is a welcome break from Christmas stodge. Try the goi cuon to start. These delicate rice paper rolls are brimming with fragrant herbs, vermicelli and pickles, and are served with a gooey peanut dipping sauce that is good enough to eat on its own. Although famous for its pho, the cà-ri is not to be missed. This subtly spiced coconut curry is a hug on a plate: it is warm, comforting and leaves you longing for more. Another dinner option is Meatless. Usually found in Cambridge with sister food truck Guerrilla Kitchen, and a firm favouite at foodPark, this pop-up takes a residency at Ta Bouche from the 6 January and is serving healthy junk food to show that you can still eat vegetables, without compromising on taste. The menu has burgers and kebabs, as well as worldly dishes, such as Korean bibimbap and Thai larb salad, inspired by owner chef Jay Scrimshaw’s travels.
n addition to being an unapologetic hippie, fuzzy feminist and one step away from joining a commune and singing Kumbaya, I am also a vegan – an unlikely position for a girl who was raised by a meat-loving chef. When I went vegan in 2013, eating out was impossible. It wasn’t easy a few years ago either. I had to call restaurants ahead of time, hoping for something more than a mere side salad called a ‘meal’ – this notion often extended to family members and friends, too. Being vegan sure felt like being a nuisance. Fast forward to 2020 and menus are awash with tasty plant-based alternatives to dishes you know and love, as well as exotic-sounding foods you have yet to try. Fear not: seitan is not a misspelling of the devil. It’s a wheat gluten that imitates the taste and texture of meat. So, with the festive season now well and truly under our belts – a notch looser than they were one month ago – why not consider avoiding resolutions you won’t keep (are you really going to go the gym five times a week?) and give veganism a go? There hasn’t been a better time to try it and you may even find yourself having to punch new holes into your belt, too. overwhelming; we’re convenience-driven people living in a fast-paced world. Time spent on planning where to eat is time wasted. That’s why I’ve collated a list of my faves for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Cambridge. We’ll start with breakfast. Locals know – or at least have heard of – Hot Numbers. This cosy indie offers a selection of meals to kick-start your day, including the vegan-friendly spiced porridge, cherry coconut granola and TAKING THE PLUNGE Making the switch may seem
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Ones to Watch NICOLA FOLEY CHECKS OUT THE UP-AND-COMING STARS OF CAMBRIDGE’S FOOD SCENE GREAT EATS
TawaPower
werve the chain cafes that clutter Station Square and turn your feet to Tawa Kitchen, a newly opened Indian eaterie tucked around
IMAGES Tawa offers a change from the Indian food that many of us are used to; colourful, vibrant and light enough for every day
the corner on Station Road. Promising to change perceptions of Indian cuisine with its menu of vibrant, fresh dishes, it’s the brainchild of owner Vilas Patel, who previously ran Cambridge Blue Sandwiches. “I felt there was a market for proper Indian food,” she explains. “Many Indian restaurants that we have in Cambridge are very commercialised – serving up chicken tikka masala and things – but that’s not the kind of food we eat at home. People have got this vision that Indian food is just curry and rice, that it’s very heavy, that it’s not something you can have during the daytime. I wanted to change that vision, so we came up with the idea of Tawa, to say – this is the kind of food we eat at home, it’s healthy, you can have salad with it too, it’s not just meat and stodgy food. We’re bringing a different kind of Indian food: a clean, modern place to eat, but with an Indian twist.” The name comes from the traditional flat plate on which dishes are cooked, with
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diners invited to choose a protein as a base (such as chicken, lamb or a ‘superfood cauliflower’), adding in roti, rice and salads as they wish. There’s also spiced sausages on thick Indian flatbread with egg omelette and bloody mary ketchup at breakfast, along with rainbow fruit salads, oat pots, juices, smoothies, Brew Project coffee and more than 15 teas to choose from. As Vilas notes, the concept makes it ideal for a speedy bite during your lunch break or before you hop on a train – which was part of the reason the station area appealed to her. “I’ve been watching this area grow over the last five years, and I think it’s got good potential,” she says. “There’s lots of big companies here, and it’s a good location for a lunchtime grab and go, as an alternative to a sandwich. This area has really transformed, and it will be interesting to see what happens over the next two or three years.”
“I felt there was a market for proper Indian food”
And as for the future of Tawa Kitchen, Vilas has ambitions to grow the brand through both outside catering and a possible expansion beyond Cambridge. “This is our first branch, but we’d like to expand in the future to different cities, once this is established,” she concludes. “It’s a good concept.”
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Luxurious Lodgings
t’s a little bit of London in Duxford,” laughs Philippa Infanti, when asked to sum up her uber hip new South Cambs hotel, The Lodge. “I would love it to feel like a home from home, sort of traditional with a creative twist. With the co-working space and cafe during the day, and the bar and restaurant in the evening, I want it to have a buzz around it the whole time.” Together with her husband and his business partner, she took on the property in late 2018, seizing the opportunity that arose after the hotel that used to sit at the site went into administration. “It was pretty run-down,” she says. “Peach walls everywhere, avocado bathrooms – you get the picture! We managed to nab it and had the best time doing it up. It was such a blank canvas – and we could get away with slightly more daring things like dark, moody walls, mad lights, artworks – every room has its own identity.”
There’s no denying they’ve done a phenomenal job, deftly blending the character and history of the building with modern touches to create a gorgeous boutique hotel. There are 17 bedrooms, plus you’re welcome to drop by just to eat or enjoy drinks in the bar. Food-wise, head to the basement for Graze, a funky cafe serving lunches and brunches, or in the evening, book into Scoff, where you can find a more refined menu. All ingredients are sourced from within a 30-mile radius and you can expect simple, beautifully presented dishes that sing with flavour, such as Gressingham duck with apple and celeriac, or salt-baked celeriac with heritage carrot. There’s ample parking, or the train station is a short walk if you fancy taking advantage of the delightful cocktail menu. For 2020, the hotel has ambitions to put itself on the map as a wedding venue, with plans to host a dedicated fair in the new year to show off features like the landscaped gardens and courtyard, outdoor bar and alfresco pizza oven, all of which would lend themselves brilliantly to big day celebrations.
IMAGES Duxford Lodge has a varied food and drink offering as well as its 17 bedrooms for overnight stays
“I would love it to feel like a home from home, traditional with a creative twist ”
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