Advantages

TLC is a virtual club, a club without a clubhouse.

Membership is open to individuals and we enjoy a close relationship with The Army & Navy Club (The Rag is on the corner of Pall Mall and St James’s Square – perfect for our fortnightly 11.30 Talks), St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club (“one of the most prestigious Tennis Clubs in England”), Riverstone Fulham and Riverstone Kensington (“exceptional London living for the over-65s”), The Hurlingham Club (“one of Britain’s greatest private members’ clubs”), and Battersea Place (“London‘s first luxury retirement community“); TLC is home from home for the London Ladies Club.

A Bit of TLC gives you lots of reasons to join:

• A fully curated programme of theatre, concerts, talks and opera for members as well as Skip-a-generation ideas for grandparent members and their grandchildren
• Events are hosted, like a rolling party
• Band A tickets – YOU benefit from the full group discount
• StageForm reviews and MariaSays ideas about life and London
• Private tours and special access, as well as longer excursions in Britain and abroad
• TLC is a social group and not a concierge service – we are proactive rather than reactive
• Membership costs £120 a year and you can join by clicking here.

TLC provides a rolling programme of theatre, concert and opera evenings (and occasional matinées) averaging about two events each week. This summary of our activities keeps changing (called the ‘Francesca Grid’ after the member who suggested the layout). A megenta date is a new addition, a pink shaded event is summer opera and a blue shaded event is suitable for children, what we call Skip-a-generation, which often appeals to three generations of a family. Full details of the programme appear on our ‘members only’ website (www.tlcmembers.org).

‘Hot’ tickets must be booked months ahead to get good tickets at great prices. We do that for you.

Circumstances can change meaning you can’t use a ticket. We have a Late Returns Register for members whom to call on the day about returns. There are no guarantees but it has worked well.

Allocation is strictly first-come, first-served. Tickets are subject to availability but, if available, you may buy more than one ticket – one member and one guest at the fully discounted price and up to four additional guests at a modest surcharge.

You almost always sit in Band A seats in the stalls for plays and in the dress circle for musicals.

Whenever we can, we accommodate seating needs (such as an aisle seat for a member with a bad back/new hip/dodgy knee). Please tell us and we shall see what can be done.

We offer transport from key points (presently in SW6, SW11, W14 and KT13) to venues and back, which is convenient for many – you can relax on the way there and home. There is a charge to cover the cost.

You have a programme of outings and excursions that last from one to six days. We can keep costs low while maintaining high standards because we negotiate discounts and because we are a virtual ‘club’ and do not have to advertise events externally.

Sometimes you can choose from more than one date because of exceptional demand.

You receive the full discount – to do this we have to charge a £1.50 booking fee per production or event booked to cover the bank charges that we pay.

‘Skip-a-generation’ outings, for grandparents taking their grandchildren, are increasingly popular – you’ll find a small logo on ‘Skip-a-Gen’ events.

Our newsletter, The Latest Copy, keeps you updated. It can be sent in hard copy if requested. So what does membership cost? TLC is a subscription group: the annual subscription is £120 per member, payable on joining and each year thereafter at the prevailing annual rate and you can join by clicking here.

Curating a programme is crucial – picking productions well enough in advance to secure sufficient good tickets at an excellent price, often before they go into rehearsal.

Maria does this as ‘scientifically’ as a tipster picking horses for the Gold Cup at Ascot – in more than 20 years she and I have been to almost 1,500 plays and she has not picked a single dud!

Members have exclusive access to our StageForm tip sheets, which give the reasons for a selection, based on more than five decades of experience and industry gossip.

StageForm reviews are usually published online long before the opening night or the first press reviews have been published; many take her word for it across the board.

For many members it has been the trigger to see a great play they might otherwise have missed.

MariaSays is a ‘blog’ – short articles about the things that we think important, interesting or exciting for members, covering hot topics, places, solutions and products that we believe in.

‘What’s the Buzz?’ is a series of notes about the latest things to do and see.

We never take advertising or write articles because we have been paid to do so.

The opinions in MariaSays are Maria’s or Julian’s. There is no intention to offend or to suggest other views might not work just as well for others. We live by learning. MariaSays steers away from politics, religion and intolerance.

We decided years ago to remain independent and we do not carry advertising or promote places, goods or services because we are paid to do so – and we shall stick to that.