There is a reason why the formula for the perfect date has stood the test of time. ‘Dinner and the theatre’ is a top-tier evening, and I can’t be convinced otherwise.

Last week I had the perfect evening with one of my favourite people, Emma Brown. Emma is the queen of finding interesting things to do in London. She never disappoints, so when she told me to meet her for dinner and a show, I slapped on my red lippy and made my way down to Covent Garden.

Buns & Buns

Located inside the famous Covent Garden Piazza building, it was a great place to start the evening. The menu is Dim Sum, and their speciality (as you may have guessed from their name) is all about the pastry. We went a bit wild because the menu was concise yet well-curated, so every item seemed like a must-have. We had the calamari, Asian chicken salad, spring rolls and the duck bun. The duck was such portions. I washed down my meal with a beautiful crisp pinot grigio, and Emma had a cheeky lychee martini. Okay, fine. We had two each—I trust that this is a judgement-free zone.

The ambience was London in the summer at its best, with large windowpanes creating a perfect frame for the piazza view, letting us vibe to the sights and sounds as we were serenaded by the performers from the square just beyond.

It was the perfect way to start proceedings, and it was a slightly buzzed Ods that took a 10-minute meander to the theatre nearby on The Strand.

Six – written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss – Vaudeville Theatre

Looking back, it was a sign of my horribly insular ways that I had not heard of this show before. The show has won two welldeserved American Tony Awards for best original score and best costume design and has a solid cult following.

Before I say anything else, let me just say it was spanking gorgeous, bloody awesome, and a must-see. The play is everything you wish for in great West End theatre. Real laugh-out-loud moments, witty banter of a manner that only the British can execute efficiently, a high-energy original music score (that will leave you in no doubt about why they won a Tony Award) and some great interactive bits. The whole room got on their feet for the encore and the applause was deafening.

With all that said, I should probably tell you a little bit about the play. The six wives of Henry the VIII. Before seeing this show, the most I ever associated with them was to vaguely remember their names and sing: divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. Ironically enough, that is how the play starts, because unless you are a history buff, that is about as much as you would remember.

This show encourages you to look deeper. These were, after all women with full lives, hopes, and dreams who suffered love, loss, injustice, and the same infamous ex! It’s a riveting HER story in a manner never seen before. After every song, I would lean into Emma and whisper “this song is my favourite!” A badass all-female band and fabulous customs… There were no mistakes made here. Definitely add to your “to watch list”.

Odun Ogunbiyi
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Odunayo Ogunbiyi is an ex pharmacist with a passion for food and pampering. Writing about her exploits wherever in the world she may find herself is just her way of staying sane in this zany world.