JUNE; THE STORY OF LONDON


Saturday 27th June at 2.00 pm
Part of the 'Lives of Buildings Weekend'
“The Story of St Thomas’ Church - survival and change”
The story of the 18th century St Thomas’ Church, the oak beamed Herb Garret and its
conversion to surgery in the 19th century.

Sunday 28th June at 2.00 pm
“Hands On Herbal Medicine”
Discover how simple plant-based medicines were made in the past, including a cure for
insomnia you can prepare at home. A few methods will be demonstrated -
if you are feeling brave … try the results!'

JULY; THE LONDON BRIDGE FESTIVAL

The Poem Reincarnating Theatre: Incisions and Excavations at the Old Operating Theatre
 
An Occurrent Glow production in association with South Bank Poetry
 
Incisions and Excavations has brought five poets, three directors, twelve performers, a visual artist and a composer to the operating table for the creation of an immersive and magical hour of site-specific theatre within one of London’s most atmospheric museums.

Their patient: poetry. We invite you to hold a stethoscope up to seven poems, exploring their beats and resonances as they emerge with new, theatrical forms born out of their connection with the Old Operating Theatre in London Bridge.

Grafted into the roof of St. Thomas’s church, this 19th Century women’s surgery played host to amputations and childbirth in its day, and provided medical students with a raked auditorium from which they could scrutinise the operating table at its heart. The hospital apothecary practised his scientific art in herb garret next-door, and it is through these two spaces that we hope to lead you on an evocation of life and love, death and delusion.

Occurrent Glow is a new company, set up to encounter the possibilities of poetry in play.

Performances: Friday 17th July (7pm), Saturday 18th July (5pm), Sunday 19th July (2pm, 5pm)

Tickets are available through http://www.wegottickets.com/event/51982 
 
Ticket price: £5.60. Includes a copy of South Bank Poetry magazine, with 40 poems.  

Please note: this is a promenade event; audience will be standing and moving throughout the show. 

Lunchtime event;
Thursday 23rd July and Friday 24th July at 1pm
“London ; Glamour & Grime”
Reading Performance by Greg Gallant of the shortlisted entries for the eponymous writing
competition inspired by the versatile and contradictory city of London.
The event is supported by The Times Literary Supplement.

Special Event:
Saturday 25th July at 2pm

 “Inspector General James Miranda Barry.
Man Surgeon/Woman Surgeon.

On the anniversary of the death of Miranda “James” Barry, the Old Operating Theatre celebrates
her pioneering career as a surgeon in a time when women were not allowed to study surgery
and other medical disciplines. 

Disguised as a man she became the first woman to graduate as a British doctor.
Join us for this revealing talk including a surgical demonstration using the harsh instruments
with which she would have had to work. 

Discover her strange story!

 

And Coming in late July;

Bones Bones Bones!
"The Importance of Bones in the Archaeological and Forensic Sciences"
with Anastasia Tsaliki

and coming this summer

The Gore Tour
and The Horror Hospital Trail

 

PLEASE NOTE:

We strongly advise booking, as places are limited and often in great demand.