LONDONINIUM: Recent Episodes
Little but Fierce
Londoninium is an audio walking tour of London, exploring the city's hidden places and secret stories.Londoninium is produced by Little but Fierce Theatre for Pop Up London. Pop Up London is brought to you by Battersea Arts Centre and Found In Music with support from the Mayor’s Let’s Do London campaign.
In the first episode, an 18th century oarsman plies his trade on the River Thames, transporting passengers across the river. But he has other, more sinister ways of making money...
Starring Andrew Lawston as Oarsman
Written by Naomi Westerman
Sound editing by Panos Chountoulidis
CLUE for the second location: "Head west past the Tower of London (perhaps pausing to check out the oldest church in London) and keep going. Exploring the side streets, you notice a white steeple peeking out between the office blocks. Can you find the secret garden?"
Exploring some of the true stories of the brave men, women and children memorialised in Postman's Park, a monument to ordinary people who died while saving others.
Starring Andrew Lawston and Melanie Lawston
Written by Naomi Westerman
Sound editing by Panos Chountoulidis
Clue for the eighth location: Return to St Paul's and keep heading West. Keep your eye out for... cheese?? And what eats cheese? Mice. And what chases mice...? A very old cheese marks the passage. You turn right, and are transported to the alleys of 18th century London. Can you find an animal that eats mice hidden somewhere in these little alleys and squares?
Samuel Johnson's maid explains his infuriating fondness for felines.
Starring Naomi Westerman as Housemaid
Written by Naomi Westerman
Sound editing by Panos Chountoulidis
Clue for the ninth location: The next location is a bridge. But you're not walking over it. The bridge isn't secret, but its history used to be.
In Roman Britain, an upper class lady goes to the bathhouse, torments her slave, and suffers a satisfying comeuppance!
Starring Melanie Lawston as Julie and Andrew Lawston as Slave
Written by Naomi Westerman
Sound editing by Panos Chountoulidis
Clue for the fourth location: The next location is minutes away. You spot two familiar characters near the bath - a walrus and a carpenter?? You walk past them up a narrow lane until you come to a main road. Thirsty? You might want to look out for a juice bar. But not for a tall glass of OJ - what you seek is outside. Look very, very carefully. Two tiny mischievous creatures are hiding in plain sight.
Welcome to LONDONINIUM, an audio walking tour of London's hidden spots and secret stories.
Londoninium can be enjoyed as a stand alone audio series, or can be experienced as a walking tour which comprises ten less well-known (and perhaps one or two that are very well-known) spots in central London. Each location is accompanied by a short audio piece, either a monologue or a duologue, bringing to life a real or fictional historical character associated with that place.
This audio trail has been designed to be a scavenger hunt, where you follow a series of clues to discover each location. This prologue episode introduces you to the audio walk, and gives you the clue to the first location which is:
"Wapping is old, and this staircase is the oldest. Head to the river. A beautiful memorial garden catches your eye, but keep going west. You'll find the first location hidden between two buildings. At low tide you can walk down onto the foreshore, and enjoy excellent views of Tower Bridge. "
A full route map and more info (as well as a wheelchair accessible route) can be found on our website: https://www.lbftheatre.com/londoninium
A young actress is haunted by a theatrical ghost.
Starring Maria Austin as Meg
Written by Naomi Westerman
Sound editing by Panos Chountoulidis
Clue for the seventh location: Return to the north side of the Thames. The most magnificent cathedral in London towers above the City. You might want to enjoy it before exploring some of the hidden gems nestled behind it. A alliterative park with many stories within. Do you want to hear some of them?
A young woman working as an engineer during WWII explains why Waterloo Bridge is known as the Ladies' Bridge
Starring Maria Austin
Written by Naomi Westerman
Sound editing by Panos Chountoulidis
Clue to the tenth location: Our final location is in Pall Mall, some distance away. The 15 minute walk takes you down Embankment and through Trafalgar Square. Pall Mall is crowded with fine buildings, but this might be one of the finest. The gold statue above the pillars certainly think so!
Jack Black, Queen Victoria's official rat-catcher, explains his unusual career history.
Starring Andrew Lawston as Jack Black
Written by Naomi Westerman
Sound editing by Panos Chountoulidis
Clue to the fifth location: Keep walking west, until you come to the main entrance of a train station named after a medieval weapon. Tucked away between a Starbucks and a monument to finance is something very very old.
10th May 1941. A young girl shelters from the worst night of the Blitz, and awakens to devastation. But she finds hope in an unlikely corner.
Starring Maria Austin as Girl
Written by Naomi Westerman
Sound Design by Panos Chountoulidis
Clue for the third location: From the garden, walk back down the hill to the main road and turn right. After all that walking, you might fancy a bath!
An archaeologist explores the ancient Roman cult of Mithras, and comes to a surprising conclusion.
Starring Maria Austin as Archaeologist
Written by Naomi Westerman
Sound editing by Panos Chountoulidis
Clue to the sixth location: Our tour now takes a brief detour over the river and back (the trail doubles back on itself so this stop can be skipped if you prefer less walking). Cross to the south side of the river and find the oldest theatre you can think of. No, not the famous one. There's another even older theatre hiding in the Globe's shadows. Can you find it?
The true story of Frank Buckland, the famed eccentric 'hippo man.'
Starring Andrew Lawston as Frank Buckland and Melanie Lawston as Hannah Papps.
Written by Naomi Westerman
Sound editing by Panos Chountoulidis