You may have heard of people talking about The Scoop and thought, "What's all that about then?" And there's also a chance you've never even heard of it. So allow me to explain.
The Scoop is part of a new development called More London on the south bank of the River Thames, located in the shadow of the splendid Tower Bridge.
Besides a hotel, offices, shops, cafes and restaurants, More London also has something which looks a bit like a giant has come along and scooped a chunk of land out of the ground. Ah, that'll be The Scoop then.
So, you see, The Scoop is an outdoor sunken amphitheatre with seating for 800. Each summer, The Scoop puts on free events for everyone to enjoy.
Running until the 4th of September, you can catch a fabulous theatrical production for the princely price of nothing at all.
Award-winning theatre company The Steam Industry is bringing two wonderful productions to The Scoop over the coming month. All you need to do is go along and park your bum on a seat - no need to book.
At 6pm every evening you can enjoy Around the World in Eighty Days, adapted from the novel by Jules Verne. This humorous and enchanting story is bound to delight the entire family, from little Johnny to ageing Auntie Able.
Once the show's over, this tireless theatre group doesn't swan off to the pub for a post-performance pint. Far from it. This lot have got entertaining to do. So at 8pm, it all kicks off again.
The 8pm show is The Mother, a play penned by the late German playwright Bertolt Brecht.
Described as a
"warm and witty portrait of a family and neighbourhood in crisis, [and a] timeless exploration of what leads ordinary people to stand up for their beliefs," the play, written as Hitler was gaining prominence in the 1930s, was considered by the Nazis to be so subversive that they ended up arresting the leading actor, thereby preventing the play from being performed (
The Mother - Press Release).
If The Mother sounds a bit heavy for viewing on a pleasant summer evening with a light breeze blowing through your hair, think again. The Steam Industry is promising "
an exciting new version" for your enjoyment.
So there you are. That's the scoop on The Scoop. Free theatre. Outdoors. Great entertainment.
Oh, and don't forget - The Scoop is in a superb location, so before you settle down to watch a play, you might want to consider visiting the Tower of London,
Tower Bridge, or
HMS Belfast, all just a short walk away.
