Our pick of the exciting theatre, dance, opera and art shows opening in London this week
Be There First: London Shows Opening
Tonight, in a sublime display of variety being the spice of London's theatre scene, you can choose between the opening of a new Seagull translation at the Arcola, or Shrek at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Tomorrow, Dark Lord Ian McDiarmid and Moriarty actor Andrew Scott lead a cast of 50 in Ibsen's epic Emperor And Galilean at the National Theatre. On the same night, Lend Me A Tenor comes to the Gielgud, a cheesy new musical / farce featuring Matthew Kelly. And you can also test-drive the new Bush Theatre from Wednesday this week, in Where's My Seat?. Kristin Scott Thomas stars in Pinter's 1978 play Betrayal at the Comedy Theatre from Thursday.
Silliness comes to the Vaudeville Theatre from Sunday as The Flying Karamazov Brothers – a quartet of acrobats, dancers, musicians, comedians, jugglers and philosophers – open their London season.
Japanese choreographer Saburo Teshigawara brings his company KARAS to London to present its newest dance work, Mirror And Music at Sadler's Wells from tomorrow night.
Opera and dance comes to the Royal Opera House in Cocteau Voices from Friday: Aletta Collins and Tom Cairns explore the synergy of music, dance and voice along with Cocteau's themes of possession and abandonment. Our other opera pick this week is Peter Grimes at the Royal Opera House from Monday.
Watch Me Move is this week's exhibition highlight: a major showcase of animated imagery by artists, filmmakers and industry pioneers from the past 150 years. It opens tomorrow. On Thursday, Toulouse-Lautrec and Jane Avril: Beyond the Moulin Rouge opens at the Courtauld Gallery. And on the same day, the BP Portrait Award opens at the National Portrait Gallery. (Or you can check out Dazed and Refused at Hurwundeki in Bethnal Green – the artwork refused by the BP Portrait Award, from Thursday.)
Last Chance To See: London Shows Closing
Saturday is your last chance to see American Trade at the Hampstead Theatre, Antigone at the Southwark Playhouse, Blithe Spirit at the Apollo, Lord of Flies in Regent's Park, Macbeth at the Royal Opera House, The School for Scandal and Total Football at the Barbican. If we've missed anything, drop us a note in the comments below.
