Here's our pick of the best of London's cultural calendar for this week:
THEATRE: Tonight’s starry opening is The Lion In Winter at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Robert Lindsay and Joanna Lumley lead the cast in this story of a family Christmas that leads to a family war. Ex opens at Soho Theatre too tonight, a new musical of twisted love lives.
Over at the National, Irish drama Juno And The Paycock opens at the Lyttelton on Wednesday, bringing the chaos of the Irish Civil War to the South Bank venue. On Thursday, Neil LaBute’s Broadway hit Reasons To Be Pretty opens at the Almeida Theatre, starring Billie Piper. From Friday, you can see How The World Began at the Arcola Theatre: a science teacher clashes with a devout pupils in the American Deep South.
If you like promenade theatre, look out for The New World Order at the Barbican: five of Harold Pinter’s miniature masterpieces open on Sunday. And from Monday, we highly recommend seeing James Corden and co as they transfer to the West End in One Man, Two Guvnors. It’s a great comedy.
DANCE: This week’s dance picks are the Rambert Dance Company at Sadler’s Wells from tomorrow, and mixed bill Asphodel Meadows / Enigma Variations / Gloria at the Royal Opera House, starring the lovely Sarah Lamb, from Saturday.
JAZZ: Something in the region of 60 London Jazz Festival concerts have flown by but there is plenty jazz left to experience. There are some excellent mid-week offerings at LJF. Brilliant British pianist Gwilym Simcock is at 606 Club in Chelsea tonight with his trio and Italian keyboard powerhouse Stefano Bollani is at the Barbican on Wednesday. But possibly the most mouthwatering offering is on Thursday at the Queen Elizabeth Hall: veteran saxophonist of the late Coltrane era, Archie Shepp, who is supported by hot young band Empirical. Full programme here.
CLASSICAL: Tonight at Cadogan Hall, off Sloane Square, the English Chamber Orchestra - with set of young up-and-coming singers, including soprano Ruby Hughes - performs Handel's opera Acis and Galatea. Meanwhile, over at Southbank Centre on Wednesday evening, star Dutch violinist Janine Jansen play the Tchaikovsky concerto with the LPO with a meaty Bruckner symphony.
EXHIBITIONS: The Terence Conran exhibition at the Design Museum opens on Wednesday. You can see the 16th Winter Exhibition at the Illustration Cupboard from Thursday: including some pieces to peer at and some to purchase, from Beatrix Potter, EH Shepard, Quentin Blake and Raymond Briggs. (Prices start from £50.) Friday is the start of RCA Secret at the Royal Colllege of Art, another chance to buy, this time a post-card sized piece of work, with the creator a mystery. Can you spot a new master?
If we've missed anything you think sounds amazing and opens this week, please let us know in the comments below...
