Bucket List: A day in Kingston

A recent day in Kingston upon Thames made for a perfect cultural double bill.

The morning began at Kingston Museum to see the Eadweard Muybridge collection. Muybridge, born in Kingston, was a pioneer of motion photography, and the museum holds an impressive selection of his work. Seeing the original handpainted glass and of galloping his horses and gaining an insight into the man and hisprocess was fascinating – the very beginnings of what would become cinema. Worth popping by if you are in the area, and are into pre-cinema.

I paired the exhibition with a matinee of Our Town, starring Michael Sheen – surely seeing Sheen live is on everyone’s theatre bucket list! The play is simple but moving, and Sheen’s presence makes the intimate theatre feel even more engaging. Well worth the visit!

En route between station and the musuem, I stumbled across the astonishing installation Out of Order on Old London Road. Twelve red telephone boxes tumble down a slope in a whimsical and iconic display by David Mach, in place since 1989.

Morning and matinee done, Kingston proved to be a brilliant spot for a compact but richly cultural day: iconic photography, quirky public art and excellent live theatre.