Caroline Whiteley

‘Bagbeard’ begins with an announcement: ‘“This is a story of hope, love, and monsters.’ More precisely, the second show from rising narrative sketch comedy trio Crybabies – whose 2019 debut ‘Danger Parade’ bagged them an Edinburgh Fringe Best Newcomer nomination – is a satire of sci-fi tropes full of twists and turns, held together by a bonkers plotline and a bevy of gags delivered at rapid speed.  Wide-eyed teacher Chris Mystery (played charmingly by Michael Clarke) is a wannabe scientist with dreams of being accepted into the Institute of Brilliant Scientists. The townspeople mock him for his ambitions – after all, his mentor was driven mad by this pursuit. Chris’s fate takes an unexpected turn when he discovers a monosyllabic alien (James Gault, donning a plastic bag for a beard) in the middle of the woods. He hatches a plan to use his new extraterrestrial ‘friend’ to help him receive the recognition from the IBS he craves, but Victor Valentine – a Men-in-Black-esque hitman played by Ed Jones – is already on the hunt for the eponymous creature Clarke, Gault, and Jones each play multiple characters in an ambitious show full of complex shifts. In typical sketch comedy fashion, there are plenty of silly puns and wordplay, balanced by the odd whip-sharp moment of social commentary. In one scene revealing Bagbeard’s backstory, his extraterrestrial parents search for a new world to send Bagbeard away from their doomed planet. Worrying about whether their child will adjust to his

Exiting the shiny Battersea Station tube is like entering a glossy ghost town. A Monday night in January might be a decidedly off-peak time to expect a neighbourhood to be bursting with life. Still, walking down the squeaky-clean pavement dubbed ‘Electric Boulevard’, it felt difficult to imagine the area pulling in upwards of 30 million visitors per year, as was expected when the £9 billion restoration of the grade II-listed Battersea Power Station and its surroundings was unveiled last year. It’s here you’ll find Tozi Grand Café, nestled in the art’otel London Battersea Power Station. This rather impersonal and corporate vista is redeemed by Spanish designer Jaime Hayon’s décor: felt sculptures dangling from a round skylight, warm lighting and playful tapestries sectioning off the booths dotted along the floor-length windows add an intimate touch.  Dinner kicked off with a Torbato cocktail: a superbly balanced splash of jasmine tea, passion-fruit cordial, Sardinian white grape, apricot soda, vodka and prosecco. We chose the mocktail version, perfect for dry January. Seeing as the pistachio tiramisu received unanimous praise online, I knew I had to give it a go. It didn’t disappoint  Tozi Grand Café’s food menu calls to mind Cecconi’s, with hearty Italian classics like calamari and zucchini fritters, focaccia, meatballs, veal milanese, ricotta ravioli, and tuscan bean stew. We whetted our appetite with creamy burrata atop a rich caponata served with black olive and crunchy p

Nestled behind Goodge Street station, Pollock’s Toy Museum’s whimsical exterior and collection of over 4,000 antique toys from around the world instantly brings to mind a scene from a Victorian novel. It even appeared in ‘Miriam Margolyes’s Dickensian Christmas’ on Channel 4. The whimsical institution is the oldest toy museum in the UK and has been at its Fitzrovia location since 1969. But Pollock’s future is under threat as it says it’s being forced to shut its current location after the shop failed to negotiate a new contract with the building owners. Jack Fawdry-Tatham and Emily Baker, who run the museum and the Pollock’s Toy Museum Trust, said their famous collection, which includes toy theatres, teddy bears, dolls, games and toys, is all temporarily in storage. They have launched a fundraiser to cover expenses and move to a new venue. ‘We are looking for another long-term home for the museum, where we can welcome visitors back again soon,’ they said.  Nevertheless, it’s a huge loss. After all, what made the museum so captivating wasn’t just the charm of its collection but the old building itself, with its peculiar narrow corridors and winding stairs. But Fawdry-Tatham and Baker assure visitors that they have ‘already started exploring possibilities for a secure future for the museum and collection in a location that will preserve its character while providing more space’.  Whether a new location – if Pollock’s is successful in securing the required funding for its move –

Looking for an extraordinary dining experience? Well, we’ve got just the trick. An annual ranking of the UK’s greatest restaurants has just been released – and the number-one spot looks well worth the schlep. Andrew Fairlie, the world-renowned restaurant at The Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland, just claimed the top spot on food guide Harden’s annual ranking of the country’s best places to eat. The only restaurant in Scotland with two Michelin stars was praised for its luxurious ingredients, masterful preparation and knowledgeable staff. The guide described it as ‘a memory to be treasured’ and lauded its ‘impeccable skill and creativity’. Head chef Stephen McLaughlin, who has been at the helm of the restaurant since its founder Andrew Fairlie passed away in early 2019, said his team remains committed to maintaining ‘his incredible legacy’. Several London establishments also made the Harden’s list. Evelyn’s Table, a snug 12-seater in Soho, came second, and others that ranked highly were Endo Kazutoshi’s exclusive spot in the rotunda of the former BBC Television Centre, and Notting Hill restaurant Core, run by three-Michelin-star chef Clare Smyth. In Cornwall, fine-dining fans are apparently spoiled for choice: the county had the most entries in the top 500 overall. You can check out the full list here. Stay in the loop: sign up to Out There, our free newsletter about all the best stuff to do across the UK.