A spectacular opening night for City Lights in Tokyo!

24 Oct 2026

On 23 October 2026, the world premiere of Alastair Marriott’s ballet adaptation of Charlie Chaplin’s film City Lights at the New National Theatre, Tokyo, was met with a standing ovation and seven curtain calls — a wonderful celebration of Chaplin’s timeless artistry.

With Chaplin’s exquisite music, beautifully arranged by Timothy Brock and performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Marriott’s inventive choreography, stunning designs by Dick Bird and evocative lighting by Ellen Ruge, the magic of City Lights found a beautiful new expression through ballet.

At the heart of it all is the beloved story of the Little Tramp and the Blind Flower Girl — full of humour, tenderness and that extraordinary ability Chaplin had to make us laugh one moment and move us to tears the next.

Congratulations to the National Ballet of Japan, the entire creative team and everyone at the New National Theatre, Tokyo, on such a memorable premiere.

More than 90 years after the film first touched audiences, Chaplin’s world continues to inspire artists and move hearts across generations and around the globe.

City Lights runs at the New National Theatre, Tokyo, until 1 November. If you’re in Tokyo, don’t miss it!

Photos by Takashi Shikama

Help Save the Cinema Museum: £500,000 to Buy Its Home

01 Oct 2026

The Cinema Museum in London, housed in the Grade II listed former Lambeth Workhouse, where a young Charlie Chaplin was sent as a boy with his stepbrother and mother, needs to raise £500,000 by December to buy the building it has occupied for decades. It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring 40 years of uncertainty to an end.

The Cinema Museum is dedicated to the experience of going to the cinema. It is entirely volunteer-run and receives no public funding.

Its collection includes art deco cinema seats, vintage projectors, ushers’ uniforms and classic film posters. The museum also hosts independent screenings, local events and educational tours, and provides free or subsidised space to local charities and community groups.

According to the Cinema Museum, for years, property developers and changes of ownership have put the museum at risk of closure or eviction. It has now secured an option to buy its buildings, but only if it can raise the money in time. As the organisers put it, the finish line is in sight; they just need to cross it.

If you’d like to help, you can:

Donate via the campaign page.

Share the campaign with friends, family, film clubs and anyone who loves cinema.

Spread the word on social media. Even a single repost could help the campaign reach someone who can make a difference.

Any funds raised beyond the target would go towards long-overdue repairs and development, opening the museum to the public daily, and expanding its wellbeing, environmental and education work.

Places like this are rare. Once a collection is scattered and a building like this is lost, it can be very difficult to bring them back together. If you’ve ever loved a night at the pictures, please consider chipping in.

Disclosure: We are not affiliated with The Cinema Museum or its fundraising campaign. We simply want to see the museum succeed and are sharing the campaign because we truly believe it is worth supporting.

Support The Cinema Museum’s campaign.

Chaplin socks by MuseARTa

29 Sep 2026

New, fun, high-quality knit socks from MuseARTa, licensed by Bubbles Inc. Just right for this fall.