Here are our suggestions for getting the most out of London's arts scene this week
I Am The Wind opens at the Young Vic tonight: it's a contemporary fable about man versus the odds by Norwegian playwright Jon Fosse, directed by Patrice Chereau, (the guy behind La Reine Margot and Intimacy). Also opening tonight in theatre are Bette & Joan at the Arts theatre (starring Anita Dobson and Greta Scacchi!), and Brontë at Richmond.
On Wednesday, you can join the audience of just 25 at the Albany Theatre, don forensic suits and explore the world of Reykjavik in search of a love affair. A Delicate Balance comes to the Almeida with a star-studded cast from Thursday, the same day as And I And Silence opens at the Finborough Theatre.
Buddy is on at the Richmond Theatre for six nights from Monday, if you're yet to see the original "jukebox" musical. And Zoë Wanamaker stars in The Cherry Orchard at the National Theatre from Monday.
Dance: from tonight, Flawless, the street dance troupe (? band? gang?) come to the West End with their touring show Chase The Dream. You can see the Dutch Royal Ballet at Sadler's Wells over three nights from Thursday. They're accompanied by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia. Ballo Della Regina / Live Fire Exercise / Danse a Grande Vitesse is at the Royal Opera House from Friday. Finally, the Northern Ballet performs a new full-length ballet about Cleopatra at Sadler's Wells from Monday.
There are two Ai Weiwei exhibitions opening in London this week: Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads opens in the Somerset House courtyard from Thursday, and there's a display of sculpture and video by the artist at the Lisson Gallery from Friday. Over at the British Museum, another Chinese artist's show, Xu Bing's Background Story, also opens on Thursday.
Head to the Science Museum from Thursday, and you can see Conrad Shawcross: Protomodel, five small-scale artworks by the artist in residence dispersed throughout the Mathematics gallery.
We also like the sound of Some Photographs Taken in France at the Diemar/Noble gallery, an exhibition of early photography in France, including images of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec taking a dump on Le Croytoy beach from 1898, which also opens on Thursday.
Last Chance To See: London Shows Closing
The Australian Film Festival comes to a close on Thursday.
Saturday is your last chance to see And The Horse You Rode In On at the Barbican, Chekhov in Hell at the Soho Theatre, new opera Clemency at the Royal Opera House, SOLD at Theatre 503 and Tender Napalm at the Southwark Playhouse.
The Tempest packs up its puppets at the Little Angel Theatre on Sunday. Enjoy.
