As we ease out of the austerity, self-denial and penny-pinching of January, so too the arts world comes even further out of its shell. This week sees a whole host of exciting openings. Take your pick; payday's passed and February's just round the corner!
Be the first
Gilbert and Sullivan's hilarious opera about love, corrupt local government, marriage, executions and heroics, The Mikado comes to the Gielgud Theatre from Wednesday. Alistair McGowan stars as The Mikado, alongside Nichola McAuliffe's Katisha.
Also opening
Two rare pieces of Pinter kick off this week. Sexual power games and hidden truths are played out in The Lover and The Collection at the Comedy Theatre from today (Tuesday). Look out for Gina McKee, Charlie Cox (from Stardust) and Timothy West.
Looking for something more site-specific from your performing arts this week? (Aren't we all?) Classic film Brief Encounter gets the live treatment by Kneehigh Theatre Productions at the cinema on the Haymarket from Saturday. The same cinema where Brief Encounter premiered back in 1946, natch. Alternatively, head to Theatre Delicatessen's gutted, crumbling brick warehouse off Regent's Street for a dystopian, anarchic retelling of Shakepeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream which opened yesterday. Tickets start at a tenner.
Cast changes
Alan Dale, who you'll recognise as Jim Robinson from Neighbours, (and The OC, and Lost, and 24, and Ugly Betty), joins the cast of Monty Python's Spamalot on 3 March. Dale replaces Peter Davison, who'll perform the role of King Arthur for the final time on 1 March. He'll play alongside a new Lady of the Lake - the winner of Swedish reality TV show, West End Star. The casting in this show just gets weirder by the week…
Look forward to
Longsighted Londonists will be pleased to hear that the Americans are coming to town. Rothko's coming to the Tate (from Sept 08-Feb 09), then there's the news that American Frank Gehry's going to be responsible for this year's Serpentine Pavillion.
Finally, who isn't thrilled to hear High School Musical is coming to the Hammersmith Apollo for 10 weeks in June?
Still feeling the post-Christmas pinch? Don't forget, we're in the last few days of Get Into London Theatre campaign that should see plenty of prices slashed for some top shows.
By Zoe Griffiths
