March often feels full of promise - longer, brighter days are on the horizon and spring is just around the corner, bringing with it blossoming trees and flowers in bloom. Your diary is bound to feel full too, as the month ahead is brimming with unmissable cultural highlights - from immersive exhibitions to binge-worthy television and joyful theatre.
Read on to discover our number one hot ticket this month, plus the best of the rest, from around the country.
IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE: Balloon Museum
When: Until 14 April
Where: 1 Old Billingsgate Walk, London, EC3R 6DX
“When was the last time you jumped with unbridled joy into a children’s ball pit? At the Balloon Museum in London, it’s the highlight of any visit and playing around in what looks like a giant swimming pool overflowing with yellow balls, is guaranteed to make you smile.
Called ‘Hyperfeeling’ the ball pit installation (which has a ‘sky’ made of yellow balls as well as a giant sphere featuring psychedelic projections and music) is just one of 20 inflatable artworks in the Emotionair exhibition.
There’s also a series of blow-up heads, a balloon ‘maze’, giant beach balls on strings you can ricochet off each other, oversized rabbits (which look a bit creepy), bubble machines and a series of photo booths to pose in at the end. Each installation can be interacted with on a slightly insane ‘multisensory journey’ through 78,000sq ft of the Old Billingsgate market building on the Thames.
It’s great fun, staff are friendly and timed entry tickets mean it never feels too crowded – even in the ball pit. With other balloon museums now open around the globe (including Naples and Atlanta with Vienna, Berlin and San Francisco coming soon) it’s worth visiting while it remains close to home. More like a giant soft play centre than a museum (but all the more fun for it).”
By Emma Justice, Special Projects Director
Tickets from £32, children under 15 from £18 and children under 4 free.
Theatre
Bhangra Nation: A New Musical
As a Bhangra dance team wait nervously backstage to find out if they’ve made it to Nationals, the real showdown has already begun as team mates Preeti and Mary clash over what Bhangra really means to them, entering them into journeys of discovery about what they stand for and who they want to be.
Showing until 16 March at Birmingham Rep.
Richard, My Richard
This debut stage play from best-selling historical author, Philippa Gregory (brains behind The Other Boleyn Girl, The White Queen), will challenge the reputation of one of history's most enigmatic characters, Richard III, while also exploring the ruthlessness of the Tudor era and illuminating the perspectives of the women of the court as they guide the story.
From 8 - 30 March at Shakespeare North Playhouse, followed by Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, 11 - 27 April.
Whodunnit [unrehearsed] 3
Benedict Cumberbatch, Jodie Whittaker and Gillian Anderson are among the big names appearing in this fully improvised murder mystery at London's Park Theatre.
From 27 March to 4 May.
Film
Our Son
Nicky (Luke Evans) and Gabriel (Billy Porter) have been together for thirteen years and have an eight-year-old son, Owen. Despite appearances, Gabriel is dissatisfied with their marriage and tells Nicky he wants a divorce, leading to a custody battle that forces them to confront the changing reality of their love for each other and for their son.
On digital release from 25 March.
Dune: Part Two
Timothée Chalet returns to our screens in this hotly-anticipated sci-fi sequel. Set around 20,000 years in the future on the planet Arrakis, it follows Paul Atreides (Chalamet) and the Freeman as they fight to take back their land before it's too late.
In cinemas from 1 March.
High & Low - John Galliano
At the helm of Givenchy and Dior, Galliano was widely recognised as one of the most successful fashion designers of the 1990s and 2000s. However, his career abruptly ended in 2011, when he was caught hurling antisemitic and racist insults. Kevin Macdonald’s compelling documentary traces Galliano’s career from fashion student at Central Saint Martins to creative director of some of the world’s largest fashion houses, candidly investigating his struggles with addiction and the industry pressure he faced along the way.
In cinemas from 8 March.
Exhibitions
Grayson Perry: Essex House Tapestries - The Life of Julie Cope
Grayson Perry's tapestries illustrate a story of Julie Cope (a fictional creation of Perry's) and chart her early years from birth to marriage, followed by her later years, another marriage and tragic accident that leads to her death. The tapestries will be accompanied by a specially commissioned audio read by Perry himself.
Opens at The Arc, Winchester on 15 March (until 12 June).
Angelica Kauffman
The Royal Academy of Arts will celebrate the life and work of Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807), a founding member of the Royal Academy and one of the most acclaimed artists of the 18th century. Featuring over 30 artworks by Kauffman and international loans (many of which have never been seen in the UK before), the exhibition traces Kauffman’s artistic career from child prodigy to one of Europe’s most sought-after painters.
From 1 March - 30 June, Royal Academy.
Sargent and Fashion
Celebrated for his striking portrait paintings, this exhibition sheds new light on John Singer Sargent’s acclaimed works. It explores how he used fashion as a powerful tool to express identity and personality and regularly chose the outfits of his collaborators or manipulated their clothing.
Until 7 July, Tate Britain.
Television
This Town (BBC One)
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is back with another brilliant drama. A fictional story of a ska and two-tone band's formation against the political and social unrest of 1981, this six-part series shows how music can offer a second chance in life.
Mary & George (Sky Atlantic and NOW)
Julianne Moore returns to the small screen as scheming 17th-century social climber Mary Villiers, in the scandalous tale of how she moulded her son, George, to seduce King James I and became his lover.
Blue Lights (BBC One)
The first series of this Belfast-based crime drama drew in more than 6m viewers. Now, rookie police offers Grace, Annie and Tommy are dealing with the aftermath of PC Gerry Cliff's death, while grappling with the demands of life on the front line.
Podcasts & Events
Podcast: The Sports Agents
The masterminds behind behind chart-topping and multi-award-winning podcast The News Agents – which recently surpassed 70 million podcast downloads – have created The Sports Agents, a brand-new flagship podcast fronted by Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman, two of the UK’s most respected and popular broadcasters.
Launches on 5 March, followed by new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.
Event: The Grand Expedition
Prepare to delight all of your senses this spring, as Ginger Line returns to London with a new and exciting version of The Grand Expedition, an immersive food experience which transports you all across the globe, combining tasty dining with the thrills of music, theatre, entertainment and audience participation.
Takes place in Dalston, East London, every Wednesday-Sunday until May.
Tickets to book ahead
LaplandUK
Christmas might be the last thing on your mind right now, but trust us, you don’t want to miss the chance to nab tickets to this (genuinely) magical experience.
The immersive adventure takes place in Ascot’s Whitmoor Forest, and was founded in 2007 by husband-and-wife Mike and Alison Battle, who were frustrated by the lack of quality festive experiences for their four young sons (they're now grown up and have each had a hand in the business).
The result is a theatrical extravaganza – think assisting the Elves at Santa's all-important Toy Factory Elves, gingerbread-decorating with Mother Christmas, and a personalised visit with Father Christmas himself – which has welcomed more than 1 million visitors to date, and is now a firm favourite with both celebrities and royalty. Sir Elton John, the Beckhams and the Prince and Princess of Wales have all been known to attend.
The annual LaplandUK ticket drop takes place at midday on 18th March – and it’s not to be taken lightly. Last year’s event saw over 200,000 guests join the virtual waiting room, with all tickets sold in a matter of hours!
The Paddington Bear™ Experience
On 31 May, County Hall at London Southbank will transform into a multi-sensory interactive adventure for guests of all ages, as they enter the world of the nation's favourite bear.
Starting with the hustle and bustle of Paddington Station, guests will be taken on a lively train journey through London’s most famous landmarks all the way to the Browns’ charming house at No. 32 Windsor Gardens, before being whisked into a whirlwind of multi-sensory activities as they need to help Paddington and his family prepare for a very special occasion – The Marmalade Day Festival!
But, be quick - priority booking is available from 1 March, before general sale opens at 10am on 4 March.
![from monumental television frauds sr1pictured: jodie whittaker as sam suranne jones as bert this photograph is (c) itv plc/ monumental television and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned above, or itv plc. this photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by itv plc picture desk. this photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of itv picture desk. full terms and conditions are available on the website www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/termsfor further information please contact:michael.taiwo1@itv.com](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/frauds-sr1-first-look-03-6891d81c2d536.jpg?crop=0.428xw:0.643xh;0.0641xw,0.116xh&resize=360:* "©ITV")