Welcome to the 2026 CTC Trip to London homepage!
Here you will find general information for the trip, as well as the full itinerary.
Contact Information
Feel free to call or text if you have any questions throughout the duration of the trip!
- Suzy Piper: 715.417.2523
- Vera Lee: 262.960.6227
Getting around London: Transportation
As part of this itinerary, you will find suggested methods of transportation to dinners, shows, and other activities.
Individuals are responsible for getting themselves to each activity.
We suggest using Google Maps or City Mapper to assist with wayfinding.
Theatre Tickets:
Tickets will be distributed the day of the show.
Attire:
While there are no specific attire requirements for the events listed, smart and smart casual are suggested.
Libations:
There will be wine pairings with each group meal. Additional wine, beer, or spirits will be guest’s responsibility.
Hotel Information
The May Fair Hotel, Mayfair London
Stratton St, London W1J 8LT, United Kingdom
Check-in: 3pm
Check-out: Noon
About The May Fair Hotel: Following an inauguration in 1927 by King George V and Queen Mary, The May Fair Hotel became London society’s playground. In the coming years, the young and affluent whirled around the ballroom alongside royalty, providing an oasis of enjoyment for guests to forget the wartime world outside.
Through decades of revelry and Hollywood debauchery, The May Fair Hotel has always set out to light up every guest experience in one of London’s most exclusive and well-known neighbourhoods. Situated moments from luscious Green Park and Buckingham Palace, the hotel is also within walking distance of Piccadilly Circus, Bond Street, Oxford Street, and Green Park underground stations.
Bag Porterage: Included
Breakfast: Breakfast is included in May Fair Kitchen (located within the hotel) each morning. On the mornings of June 12, 13, and 14, a private dining room, directly next to May Fair Kitchen, will be available from 8:30-10:30am for the group to enjoy their breakfast and discuss the previous night’s theatrical production with CTC Artistic Director Rick Dildine.
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
6pm: Welcome Reception and Dinner at Langan’s Brasserie
Langan’s is an iconic Mayfair institution with an unparalleled reputation for sophisticated cuisine, stellar service, and lavish parties. Step into a glittering world of British elegance respecting French tradition.
6pm: Welcome Reception
7pm: Dinner
Address: Stratton St, London W1J 8LB, United Kingdom
2 minute walk from The May Fair Hotel
Phone: +44 20 7491 8822
Website: langansbrasserie.com
Thursday, June 11, 2026
Breakfast at May Fair Kitchen at The May Fair Hotel
Enjoy breakfast at your leisure!
10:30am-12:30pm: Meet and Greet with director Emily Lim at the National Theatre
Emily Lim’s work explores theatre making as a radical form of community activism. She has worked both nationally and internationally in settings ranging from schools and hospitals to theatres and festivals. Directing work includes Pericles and A Declaration from the People at the National Theatre; Yoko Ono’s Bells for Peace for Manchester International Festival; Brainstorm (as co-director) for Company Three; we’re here because we’re here (as Senior Associate) for 1418 Now and National Theatre; The Enormous Crocodile at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and Leeds Playhouse and The Kilburn Passion at Kiln, and most recently A Midsummer’s Night Dream at the Globe Theatre.
Address: London SE1 9PX, United Kingdom
~18 minutes via tube, ~24 minute via taxi, ~36 minute walk from The May Fair Hotel
Phone: +44 20 3989 5455
Website: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/home-us/
4:30pm: Afternoon Tea at Theatre Royal Drury Lane with special guest Greg Banks
Greg Banks has been working as an actor, writer, and director since 1979. His work has taken him from Singapore to Seattle via Moscow, New York, and the Arctic Circle. Whilst building a reputation for making and touring new work in small scale venues throughout the United Kingdom in the 80’s, his work has also been seen in the West End and at the New Victory on Broadway. Previous productions for CTC include his adaptations of Antigone, Huck Finn, Romeo and Juliet, Robin Hood, Sleeping Beauty, A Wrinkle in Time, The Hobbit, and Snow White. Greg will be returning to CTC in the fall for Pinocchio!
Theatre Royal Drury Lane: A Dramatic Interpretation
In 2021, the Theatre Royal Drury Lane reopened after a three-year, £60-million renovation project that has restored the historical grandeur of a theatre which first opened in 1812. The Grand Saloon was also returned to its former splendour, complete with high ceilings, chandeliers and elegant ceiling mouldings. It’s the setting for an afternoon tea which takes inspiration from the theatre itself, served in two main ‘Acts’, one savoury and one sweet. The usual snacks and cakes are enlivened with playful names like ‘The Hero’, ‘The Chorus’ and ‘The Lovers’.
Address: Catherine St, London WC2B 5JF, United Kingdom
~14 minutes via tube, ~17 minute via taxi, ~27 minute walk from The May Fair Hotel
Phone: +44 20 3925 2998
Website: https://thelane.co.uk/
7pm: Paddington: The Musical at Savoy Theatre London
Hold on to your hats! Paddington: The Musical is now playing in London’s West End.
When a small, lost bear from Peru arrives in London in search of a new home, a chance encounter with the Brown family leads him to the wonderful world of Windsor Gardens.
But London isn’t all afternoon teas and friendly faces—and even the happiest families have their cracks beneath the surface. So when a mysterious and vengeful villain sets her sights on Paddington, the Browns embark on a thrilling rescue mission, realising they need this special bear as much as he needs them.
Packed with show-stopping songs, dazzling choreography, mishaps and mayhem at every turn—and of course, marmalade sandwiches—Paddington: The Musical is based on the iconic characters from Michael Bond’s books, with a story inspired by the award-winning 2014 film.
Directed by Luke Sheppard, with original music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, and book by Olivier Award-winner Jessica Swale.
Runtime: Two hours and 45 minutes with one intermission
Address: Savoy Ct, Strand, London WC2R 0ET, United Kingdom
7 minute walk, 7 minute taxi ride from Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Website: www.thesavoytheatre.com
Friday, June 12, 2026
8:30-10:30am: Breakfast in May Fair Kitchen
Meet up for breakfast and discussion of last night’s show Paddington: The Musical with Rick Dildine in the private dining room next to May Fair Kitchen.
5:30pm: Dinner at Milk Beach
Milk Beach is a modern Australian restaurant and bar located in the beautiful Ilona Rose House building, found down a passageway off Greek Street in Soho, London. Australian cuisine is wonderful combination of Mediterranean ingredient-led cooking; southeast Asian heat and flavours; fresh seafood; and a culture of cooking over fire.
Address: Ilona Rose House, Manette Street, London, W1D 4AL
18 minute taxi, 16 minute tube, 21 minute walk from The May Fair Hotel
Phone: +44 204 599 4271
Website: www.milkbeach.com
7:30pm: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind at Soho Place
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a musical based on William Kamkwamba’s internationally bestselling memoir. This beautiful new musical follows William, a 13-year-old boy whose Malawian village is facing hunger and famine. The adults around him are struggling to keep hope and themselves alive as William turns to the only resource he knows: books. Within them, he attempts to find a solution using scraps of machinery and a restless desire to save his village. Piece by piece, William constructs a windmill that could change the future of his entire community.
Runtime: Two hours and 30 minutes with one intermission
Address: 2 Soho Place, London, England, W1D 3BG
3 minute walk from Milk Beach
Phone: +44 330 333 5961
Website: sohoplace.org/
Saturday, June 13, 2026
8:30-10:30am: Breakfast in May Fair Kitchen
Meet up for breakfast and discussion of last night’s show The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind with Rick Dildine in the private dining room next to May Fair Kitchen.
5pm: Dinner at Locatelli (Located within the National Gallery)
A celebrated Italian restaurant in the heart of London, just steps from Trafalgar Square, located in the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery. Rooted in tradition and inspired by the rhythms of contemporary London, Locatelli offers an exceptional menu rooted in heartfelt Italian traditions and elevated by seasonal ingredients, brought together by authentic flavours in a casually sophisticated setting. Whether you’re visiting for a leisurely lunch, or enjoying an espresso accompanied by maritozzi from Bar Giorgio for breakfast, Locatelli is a place to linger—where food is savoured and moments shared. Located in one of London’s most iconic cultural districts, Locatelli brings the spirit of Italy to London to lovers of Italian cuisine and art alike.
Address: Sainsbury Wing National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN
8 minute taxi, 12 minute tube, 17 minute walk from The May Fair Hotel
Phone: 44 020 7367 9012
Website: https://locatelliatnationalgallery.co.uk/
7:30pm: Grace Pervades at Royal Theatre Haymarket
David Hare’s latest play explores the lives of two real legendary performers from the Victorian era. Academy Award-nominee Ralph Fiennes stars as Henry Irving, the first actor ever to be knighted, and Miranda Raison as Terry, the era’s most adored actress. Their bond is the true heart of this story, but the play also follows the complicated children who would inherit their theatrical legacy, Edith Craig and Edward Gordon Craig. The performance spans over decades as the drama examines themes of love, ambition, and legacy.
Runtime: Two hours and 30 minutes with one intermission
Address: Theatre Royal Haymarket, Haymarket, London. SW1Y 4HT
3 minute walk from Locatelli
Website: https://trh.co.uk
Sunday, June 14, 2026
8:30-10:30am: Breakfast in May Fair Kitchen
Meet up for breakfast and discussion of last night’s show Grace Pervades with Rick Dildine in the private dining room next to May Fair Kitchen.
2pm: My Neighbour Totoro at Gillian Lynne Theatre
My Neighbour Totoro tells the captivating story of sisters Satsuki and Mei, who discover a magical world of spirits, sprites, and other mischievous creatures as they adjust to a new life in the Japanese countryside. Perhaps it’s all a dream…or perhaps they really are best friends with a giant, playful protector of the forest named…Totoro?
Featuring “blockbuster” (Time Out) creations from Puppetry Director & Designer Basil Twist and Puppetry Associate Mervyn Millar (War Horse), My Neighbour Totoro is presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company and Executive Producer Joe Hisaishi—in collaboration with Improbable and Nippon TV—and adapted by Tom Morton-Smith (Oppenheimer) with direction from Phelim McDermott.
Runtime: Two hours and 40 minutes with one intermission
Address: 3166 Drury Ln, London WC2B 5PW, United Kingdom
16 minute tube, 20 minute taxi, 27 minute walk from The May Fair Hotel
Website: https://lwtheatres.co.uk/theatres/gillian-lynne/
5pm: Farewell Sunday Roast at Lamb & Flag with Special Guest Vicki Amendume
Vicki Dela Amedume has been performing and creating aerial and circus-based work in the UK and worldwide since 1997. She founded Upswing to bring new artists and experiences to the stage, and to reflect a dynamic and diverse world. Always looking for innovative ways to stretch the art form, Vicki Dela is a dedicated leader in the sector. She works widely to develop established and emerging artists, with projects like the Flex Lab residency and the award-winning short film Circus Flavours On Screen. In addition to her role at Upswing, Vicki Dela is Creative Director at The Albany, most recently supporting the delivery for Lewisham’s London Borough of Culture Programme ‘We Are Lewisham’. She is Associate Director of The New Vic Theatre, Chair Designate of The Baring Foundation, a trustee of the Coutts Foundation, and in 2022 Victoria was awarded an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for ‘services to circus’.
Lamb & Flag: Great London pubs don’t get much more historic than this. The very first mention of a pub on the Lamb & Flag site is in 1772, when it was known as The Coopers Arms (the name changed to The Lamb & Flag in 1833). The building’s brickwork is circa 1958 and conceals what may be an early 18th century frame of a house, replacing the original one built in 1638. The pub acquired a reputation in the early nineteenth century for staging bare-knuckle prize fights, earning it the nickname ‘The Bucket of Blood,’ and the alleyway beside the pub was the scene of an attack on the poet John Dryden in 1679 by thugs hired by John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester, with whom he had a long-standing conflict.
But now, though less bloody, it still boasts a cracking Sunday roast, perfect for a farewell to London!
Address: The Lamb & Flag, 33 Rose Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9EB
8 minute walk from Gillian Lynne Theatre
Phone: 44 020 7497 9504
Website: https://www.lambandflagcoventgarden.co.uk/
Monday, June 15, 2026
Breakfast at May Fair Kitchen
Enjoy breakfast before your travels!
Noon: Checkout of The May Fair Hotel
Safe travels!
For those on the Delta flight that departs Heathrow at 12:25pm, or if you have a different flight that leaves from the same airport at around the same time, transport will be arranged from The May Fair Hotel.