Have you heard about the West End musical hit based on the life of the County Durham teenage transvestite? Everybody’s talking about it, says Jenny Needham

It was a hit West End musical based on the life a County Durham schoolboy who wanted to be a drag queen that drew us down to London for the weekend – that and the opportunity to see our daughter’s flat for the first time since she moved down to the smoke. Both were hugely successful; the former fab and flamboyant, the latter a lovely opportunity to catch up.

I worked in London for three years in the late 1980s, but finally tired of the daily commute and fled back to the part of the country I call home. Now, while I wouldn’t want to live there again – even if I could afford a toe-hold in the city – I do love a weekend of culture… and different cultures. And it’s so easy to get there from the North-East – less than two-and-a-half hours by Virgin Trains from King’s Cross, it’s almost commutable. So much less hassle than driving, and both journeys, there and back, were spot on time too.

After an afternoon being amazed by the endless treasures of the British Museum – begged, borrowed and stolen from all over the world – we checked into Nobu Hotel Shoreditch, a clever fusion of the area’s creative energy with the understated luxury of this well-known and respected chain. The area, a bustling hub of tech start-ups, ad agencies and independent galleries, is the perfect location for Nobu’s first European’s hotel venture.

A blend of black joinery and concrete with flashes of bronze, the rooms are simple and elegant, with a traditional Japanese tea set, floor-to-ceiling sliding blinds and industrial light fittings. To add to the sense of tranquillity, the hotel also boasts a lovely spa, which offers a comprehensive range of results-focused facials, massages and body treatments.

The mix of East End heritage and modernity combined with Nobu’s East meets West philosophy continues in the public areas of the hotel, and downstairs, in the bustling bar/restaurant with out-door courtyard. Food is what Nobu is world-famous for – an innovative Peruvian-Japanese fusion – and if you are staying at Nobu Shoreditch, the new brunch menu is stupendous. In addition to a buffet-style Brunch Bar or a five-course Family Style taster menu, there’s also a limited à la carte menu and freshly prepared sushi. Dishes include such delights as Jalapeño Salmon Pastrami Oshizushi and Braised Oxtail and Cheek Open Ravioli with Tarragon Red Miso Sauce. The set menu cost £55, including a glass of chilled sauvignon, and I’m already looking forward to booking in when we’re next in Lon-don.

After brunch some fresh air was needed so we travelled down to Battersea Park to watch our daughter play hockey. I was slightly baffled by a loud squawking from above towards the end of the first half. It turned out to be some of the city’s feral parakeets passing overhead. There are various tales about how they came to be flying free – that a flock of the birds escaped from London’s Ealing studios during filming, that a container of the birds fell open at Heathrow airport, that a large aviary collapsed during the storms of 1987 – and it’s estimated that 6,000 individual birds now live in the city.

Then it was back into town for a supper in Soho, before the musical at the lovely Grade-II listed Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue. If you’ve not already heard about Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, it’s a musical is based on the real-life story of Jamie Campbell and his experiences of growing up as a transvestite teenager in County Durham. Jamie – star of a BBC3 documen-tary called Jamie: Drag Queen at 16 – grew up in Toronto, near Bishop Auckland. The show is on in the West End until April 21, and it’s well worth a trip down to London to see it. Fantastic dahling!

A couple of drinks in a Soho pub later and we were ready to sit down and relax. Scarfes Bar, in our second hotel of the weekend, the Rosewood London, was the perfect retreat. This is a re-fined lounge with a clubby atmosphere, leather sofas, a roaring fire and shelves full of antique books. The cocktail menu is superb, there are 200 single malts to choose from, and there’s complimentary live jazz to enjoy on most evenings.

The five-star 1914 Edwardian Belle Epoque building itself is huge – you could spend hours exploring and still get quite lost. An eye-watering £85m was spent on its restoration. It’s tucked away through a grand carriageway off bustling High Holborn, and you instantly leave the hubbub behind as you pass into the beautifully restored Grade II-listed Edwardian courtyard to be welcomed by staff in country house-style outfits.

The interior is grand without being gaudy, luxurious and stylish, with modern art and playful touches, such as live budgies in big gilded cages on the extraordinary Pavanazzo marble staircase. We eschewed the lift on a number of occasions to walk up and down it.

The corridors are dark and atmospheric, the rooms restrained and comfortable, in a soothing palette of neutrals. Bathrooms are impressive with marble aplenty and lots of mirrored surfaces to lend a sense of space and light.

Breakfast – completely a la carte – is taken in the Holborn Dining Room, an Art Deco, brasserie-style space with red leather banquettes. My husband declared his full English perfectly cooked, but there are plenty of healthy options such as the Mira Manek special of saffron blossom honey compote with cinnamon granola. Classic British dishes with a twist are served in the Holborn Dining Room throughout the day, and it’s also home to the Gin Bar, the city’s largest collection of gin.

Rooms at the Rosewood don’t come cheap, but this is an ultra-luxury hotel, brilliantly located just a stone’s throw from Covent Garden, and a real treat for a special occasion. If you win the Lottery, you might even want to book into the Grand Manor House Wing, an exclusive six-bedroom suite with its own private entrance, and the only suite in the country with its own postcode!

TRAVELFACTS

  • Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN. Double from £415. T: 020-7781-8888; W: http://rosewoodhotels.com/en/london
  • Nobu Hotel Shoreditch, 10-50 Willow Street, London EC2A 4BH. Deluxe from £195; suites from £395. T: 020-7683-1200; E: enquiries-shoreditch@nobuhotels.com; W:http://nobuhotelshoreditch.com
  • Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue until April 21.
  • Virgin Trains East Coast: Single Standard Class fares between Darlington and London from £17; First Class from £53.50. Typical journey time two hours 22 minutes. On a typical weekday, Virgin Trains East Coast operates 31 services from Darlington to London. W: http://virgintrainseastcoast.com