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A Tribute to Trader Faulkner at the 1901 Arts Club

Our annual Celestial Birthday party for actor, writer, raconteur and flamenco dancer Trader Faulkner this year takes place in the stylish and convivial surroundings of the 1901 Arts Club, London, on Monday 8 September.

Join pianists Viv McLean, Alex Norton and Tyler Hay, soprano Sofia Kirwan-Baez, and actress Susan porrett – plus a Surprise Celebrity Guest – for an evening of music, words, anecdotes and reminiscences. The programme includes music by Gershwin, Debussy, De Falla, Albeniz, and Medtner.

Tickets £30 (this concert is in support of the ENO Benevolent Fund)

Find out more / book tickets here

Ronald “Trader” Faulkner was an Australian actor, raconteur and flamenco dancer, best known for his work in the UK on stage and television.

Faulkner was born in Manly, Australia, the son of inventor and actor John Faulkner and the Scottish ballerina Sheila Whytock, who had danced in Diaghilev’s company in London and with Anna Pavlova in South America.  He was dubbed “Trader” after being caught stealing his father’s illicit bathtub whiskey with his schoolmates to exchange for marbles.

Resident in the UK since 1950, Trader enjoyed a long theatre and TV acting career.  He was a student and protégé of Peter Finch and worked with many great stage actors of the twentieth century, including John Gielgud, Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier, Paul Scofield and Anthony Quayle.

A renowned Flamenco expert, Trader established his own flamenco company and took lessons in Seville from Enrique El Cojo, the celebrated flamenco maestro.  He also wrote, choreographed and performed in his own tribute to the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, and a result of his translating and performing efforts to the works of carious notable Spanish playwrights as well as Lorca to British audiences, Trader was awarded the Royal Spanish Order of Merit by King Juan Carlos.

He was a great friend and supporter of 7 Star Arts and appeared in a number of our most popular shows, including Classic Gershwin, An Evening with Vivien Leigh, and Cocktails with Vivien.  This concert is a celebration of his life and career in music and words, performed by his friends from the worlds of music and theatre.

Viv McLean
Viv McLean
pianist Tyler Hay
Tyler Hay
Susan Porrett
Sofia Kirwan-Baez
Sofia Kirwan-Baez
Alex Norton

More concerts at the 1901 Arts Club!

Our residency at the stylish 1901 Arts Club in Waterloo, London SE1, continues this autumn. If you have not yet discovered this charming small venue, now is the time to do so! Join us for music and more.

8 Septemer TRADER’S CELESTIAL BIRTHDAY PARTY Our annual tribute to the actor, dancer, writer and raconteur Trader Faulkner from his friends in the worlds of music and theatre. Feat. Viv McLean, Susan Porrett, Sofia Kirwan-Baez, Alex Norton & a Celebrity Special Guest. Music by Gershwin, Debussy, Albeniz, de Falla & more

3 November ANTHONY HEWITT piano. A recital by “remarkably gifted” (Gramophone) pianist Anthony Hewitt, in support of Parkinson’s UK.

21 January 2026 EMANUIL IVANOV piano. Music by Schumann, Messiaen, Hough together with the world premiere of Emanuil’s own work, ‘Dreamscapes’.

 

Alongside these concerts, we return to convivial Cafe Yukari in Kew on 21 November for a concert by Emanuil Ivanov and his wife Irini Chagunava. Before that. we’re back at Ham House Stables with Viv McLean and friends for a special Celebration! concert on 14th October.

Find full details and tickets for all our forthcoming concerts on our Events page.

We look forward to seeing you at our concerts.

 

Trader Faulkner
Anthony Hewitt
Emanuil Ivanov
Viv McLean
Viv McLean
Susan Porrett
Sofia Kirwan-Baez
Sofia Kirwan-Baez
Alex Norton
Irina Chagunava

 

 

 

Divine Fire at the 1901 Arts Club

We are delighted to announce that our acclaimed music and words production Divine Fire receives its 1901 Arts Club debut as part of our residency at London’s most stylish small venue.

Featuring some of Chopin’s loveliest piano works, Divine Fire traces the passionate and at times tempestuous relationship between Fryderyk Chopin and the authoress George Sand, from their first meeting in Paris in 1836 until their parting in 1849.

‘Divine fire’ was Sand’s own description of the intensity of her attraction to Chopin, suggesting a love that transcended the purely physical to a more spiritual plane, a meeting of bodies and minds.

The story unfolds through a compelling, dramatic narration of events by the RSC, National Theatre and TV actress Susan Porrett, interspersed with fiery Scherzos, heartrending Ballades, intimate lyrical Nocturnes and stirring Polonaises, performed by acclaimed concert pianist Viv McLean.

An absorbing, moving and beautifully presented evening of words and music

The Cross-Eyed Pianist

Tuesday 24 June at 7.30pm (doors/bar open 6.30pm)

Tickets £35

Post-concert Q&A and meet the performers

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George Sand & Fryderyk Chopin

SAVE THE DATE! Alistair McGowan at the 1901 Arts Club

We’re excited to announce two dates with comic, actor, writer and pianist Alistair McGowan at the convivial 1901 Arts Club.

Wednesday 22 January 2025

Alistair McGowan : 3-in-1

Poetry, comedy and piano 

Alistair brings you the comedy and impressions for which he is known and loved, plays short piano favourites by Chopin, Grieg, Elgar, Satie and others, and reads from his newly-published poetry collection.  Expect beautiful music, poignant poems and spot-on mimicry. It’s three great shows in one!

Tuesday 11 March 2025 

Alistair McGowan : “Erik Satie : his words, his music, your ears”

Using Satie’s own surreally comedic writings and extracts from his letters as well as playing many of his best known short piano works, Alistair tells the story of Erik Satie’s bizarre, brave and lonely life. With vocal contributions from soprano, Charlotte Page. “A perfect Edinburgh show” (Stephanie Merritt, The Observer) 

Tickets will be on sale soon. If you haven’t yet discovered the 1901 Arts Club, an intimate salon-style small venue close to Waterloo station, now is the time to do so! (See our listings for other concerts at this exquisite gem of a venue).

https://www.1901artsclub.com

Alistair McGowan
Music salon at the 1901 Arts Club

Events

Yvonne’s Birthday Gala Charity Concert

VIV McLEAN piano
ANTHONY HEWITT piano
SOFIA KIRWAN-BAEZ soprano
IRINA CHAGUNAVA piano
GIGI KUO piano
GLENN KESBY counter tenor

Tickets £30 

Supporting Parkinson’s UK

THEME: The Jazz Age / DRESS CODE: Extreme glamour, red & gold

Doors/bar open 6.30pm for 7.30pm start

BOOK TICKETS

 

 

 

 

 

Tyler’s Tantalising Tunes at the 1901 Arts Club

TYLER HAY piano

Rising star pianist Tyler Hay explores challenging, rare and surprising piano pieces by composers including Mozart, Clementi, Chopin, Thalberg, Czerny, Kalkbrenner and Field.

Tickets £30

Doors/bar open 6.30pm, concert starts at 7.30pm

This concert is in support of the ENO Benevolent Fund

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Tyler Hay

TRADER’S WORLD at the 1901 Arts Club

A celebration of the life of Trader Faulkner – film and tv actor, writer, director, translator, raconteur, acrobat and Flamenco dancer.

Performers include:

VIV McLEAN piano

SOFIA KIRWAN-BAEZ soprano

TYLER HAY piano

Tickets £30
In support of the ENO Benevolent Fund

So glad I didn’t miss it! An all- star line-up from @7stararts celebrating the special genius of the late Trader Faulkner with an ace evening of music, dance & drama – from Gershwin & Vivien Leigh to Shakespeare & Noel Coward with a fabulous touch of Flamenco – they did Trader proud!
Gyles Brandreth on X, 2021

 

In his long, colourful, extraordinary career, Trader Faulkner worked with the greats of twentieth century theatre, including Peter Finch, Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, Anthony Quayle and Paul Scofield, many of whom became life-long, close friends, and had encounters with a broad array of characters including Pablo Picasso, Marlene Dietrich, Hattie Jacques, Noel Coward, Martin Amis and Christine Keeler

Propelled by enchanting stories from his biography “Inside Trader”, read by his friend actor and writer Bill Roberts, we ‘put a girdle round about the earth’ in 90 minutes – from Australia to London to New York, to France and Andalusia, illustrated with the music of Debussy, Fauré, Gershwin, De Falla, Albéniz, Piazzolla… and the poetry of Shakespeare, Lorca, Coward…

Ronald “Trader” Faulkner (7 September 1927 – 14 April 2021) was an Australian actor, raconteur and flamenco dancer, best known for his work in the UK on the stage and television. A colleague and friend to stars like Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud, he was also a great supporter of and friend to 7 Star Arts, appearing in many of our shows, including our sell-out Cocktails With Vivien.

Trader Faulkner

 

 

ALISTAIR McGOWAN ‘3-in-1’ at the 1901 Arts Club

BAFTA-winning Alistair McGowan – impressionist, comic, writer and pianist – brings you the comedy and impressions for which he is known and loved, plays short piano favourites by Chopin, Grieg, Elgar, Satie and others, and reads from his newly-published poetry collection.

Expect beautiful music, poignant poems and spot-on mimicry.

It’s a unique evening and three great shows in one!

Tickets £30 
Doors/bar open 6.30pm for 7.30pm start
This concert is in support of the ENO Benevolent Fund
 

 

DANIEL LEBHARDT ‘HIDDEN GEMS’ at the 1901 Arts Club

7 Star Arts proudly presents a recital of Hidden Gems of Piano performed by Daniel Lebhardt, described by the New York Times as playing with ‘…power, poetry and formidable technique’.
Tickets £30 
Doors/bar open 6.30pm for 7.30pm start
This concert is in support of the ENO Benevolent Fund
 

 

 

ANTHONY HEWITT (piano) at the 1901 Arts Club

ANTHONY HEWITT piano
PROGRAMME
Beethoven Fantasia Op.77
Liszt Liebestraum No.3
Kreisler/Rachmaninoff Liebesleid
Schumann/Liszt Widmung
Schumann Fantasie in C, Op.17
Prokofiev 10 Pieces from Romeo and Juliet Op.75, Nos 2-6
Rachmaninoff Sonata No.2 in B flat minor (1931 version)
Programme subject to change 
7 Star Arts proudly presents a recital by “remarkably gifted” Anthony Hewitt

Tickets £30

This concert is in support of the ENO Benevolent Fund.

Doors/bar open 6.30pm, concert starts at 7.30pm

Meet the artist in the bar after the concert

 

BOOK TICKETS