Canalside Music and Theatre

London’s best talent, open air, on-board and virtual specials.

With a full-length stage, sound system and wraparound stainless steel bannisters, Molly Anna springs into action as an outdoor stage when weather and Covid-19 restrictions align. Like the fictional Scottish Highlands village of Brigadoon, we materialise canalside with music and theatre for the enjoyment of unsuspecting passersby, and those who buy tickets for very limited seating in advance.

The pandemic requires London’s entertainment industry expand its outdoor performance capacity. In a place as crowded as London, the canals offer an obvious alternative. The logistics are complicated, with diverse stakeholders’ needs to be considered. Together with our spinoff, Your Canal Boat Community Interest Company, we identify candidate sites and activate them, in concert with with Borough officials, the Canal and River Trust, private business and residents.

You can keep informed of upcoming shows by liking our Bards on Boats Facebook page, and following us on Instagram.

To bring live outdoor music and theater to your neighborhood, become a Bards on Boats member. A £25 annual membership gets you one show, participation at free quarterly events, and a seat at the table when we look around and try to figure out where we go next.

A Cosy Concerts sampler, recorded on board the Molly Anna