July’s Culture Fix: 7 Things To Do, See & Watch This Month

The Film We’re Excited For: Barbie

The moment we’ve all been waiting… It’s Barbie month! The highly-anticipated Greta Gerwig movie lands on cinema screens this July, complete with an epic cast line-up featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, pink-hues and plenty of existential crisis moments that Gerwig is known so greatly for. 

Follow as Barbie’s (Robbie) life is turned on its head, going from the utopian pink paradise we know to an internal crisis mode after she’s expelled for “not being a perfect doll”. Driving her pastel pink car into the distance in search of the real world, Ken (Gosling) unexpectedly tags along for the ride.

The New Podcast To Listen To: Into The Dirt 

From the team behind Sweet Bobby, Into The Dirt is a brand new six-part podcast series delving into truths, spies and the stories we tell ourselves. 

Three years in the making, the story centred around Rob Moore, a man who began his career in television until he one day couldn’t dig into his mind for more ideas. But a shady job opening in corporate intelligence came his way and he was tasked to uncover information from an environmental campaign group. It was only once he got to know the campaigners and their cause that he decided to turn on his employers and support the group. 

Neither the campaigners nor his spymasters really knew the truth about him and it’s only when he’s outed that the world he has created become spiraling out of control. Curated by a team of journalists, Into The Dirt is a chance to find out the truth behind Moore’s facades.

The Must-See Exhibition: DIVA

It’s always a good month when there’s a new V&A retrospective and at the top of our hit list this month is DIVA, a celebration of the power and creativity of iconic performers from the 19th century to today. 

Showcasing over 250 objects, the V&A DIVA exhibition will span everything from fashion and costumes to photography, design, music and live performance. 

Expect displays including five Rhianna looks; a stage ensemble worn by Maria Callas; the fringed black dress worn by Marilyn Monroe as Sugar ‘Kane’ Kowalczyk in Some Like It Hot; and costumes from celeb fashion designer Bob Mackie.

The Book Everyone’s Talking About: Talking at Night by Claire Daverley 

For lovers of Sally Rooney’s Normal People, this is the next gut-wrenching tome to get your teeth stuck into. 

Claire Daverley’s debut novel centred around Will and Rosie’s intoxicating love story. Meeting as teenagers, their blossoming narrative begins with secret meetups and late-night phone calls. 

One day, tragedy strikes and their future together doesn’t look so bright. As the years proceed on, they aren’t able to find their way back to one another but a fire in the air sees them strive to rekindle what could have been.

The New Theatre Show: La Cage Aux Folles 

The next summer installment from Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre arrives later this month. It will see a new reignited musical revival of Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein’s classic, La Cage aux Folles. 

Uncover the true meaning of family as you follow Georges, Albin and their son Jean-Michel in this must-see adaptation.

The Series To Binge: The Afterparty Season 2 

The next installment from Academy Award winners Chris Miller and Phil Lord arrives on AppleTV this month, complete with just as much drama and comedy thrown in. 

Each episode tells the story of one fateful evening from a different character’s perspective. Buckle in for season two as it’s set during wedding bells season. A groom is murdered and as a result, everyone joining the ceremony is a suspect. Detective Danner returns to solve the crime and get to the bottom of what happened.

The Event Of The Month: Kaleidoscope 

Landing at Ally Pally this month is the London festival favourite, Kaleidoscope. Taking over the Palace Park on Saturday 15th, expect an epic line-up including Hot Chip, George Fitzgerald, Gaz Coombes, Girls of the Internet and Antony Szmierek. 

More into your comedy? Expect a big-name comics Nina Conti, Joe Lycett, Masie Adam and Barrioke (Barry from Eastenders) to be throwing some jokes at the Fringe Stage.