Some people are old before their time. Others are always young at heart. Yet others don't know how to act their age and instead of retiring quietly and fading into the background, decide to form an elderly arts group and go on tour with a dance show. Like the China-wide Beijing Elderly Art Group (BEAG) and The UK Zimmers
Both groups are made entirely of performers over 65, and for one night only, they will collaborate in East Meets West, a show that is bound to put young lazybones to shame. That's 60 performers, all old enough to be grandparents, high-kicking, dancing and singing on the West End stage. If your mind is suddenly flooded with creaky, cringeworthy great-uncles dancing at weddings and over-enthusiastic grannies doing an ill-judged boogie at the local pub, then you haven't really grasped the specialness of this evening.
East Meets West is at the Queen's Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue this Sunday evening and is basically a face-off between BEAG and The UK Zimmers. BEAG will be tearing up the place with martial arts, traditional Chinese dance and song and a fantastic set of costumes. The UK Zimmers made it to no. 26 in the charts with their first single, a cover version of The Who's My Generation. There will be a special performance of this very song with the BEAG at the end of this one-off evening. Now that's a sight to see, a song to hear.
East Meets West, Queen's Theatre, Sunday 30 March, 6pm. For tickets and more information, go here.
