Arts Ahead: What’s On In London 13-19 December

By Zoe Craig Last edited 147 months ago
Arts Ahead: What’s On In London 13-19 December

Here's our pick of the best theatre, dance, opera and art shows opening in the next seven days... It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

THEATRE: Noises Off opens at the Old Vic tonight. Instead of panto, Kevin's gang are going for star-studded farce following last year's A Flea In Her Ear: look out for Janie Dee, Robert Glenister, Celia Imrie and Amy Nuttall among the cast.

Elsewhere, Barbican regulars Duckie are back in town for the festive season, with their Copyright Christmas. It’s a traditionally alternative(!) Christmas show, asking if Christmas means more than just shopping and it tomorrow. From Sunday, you can see Nine Lessons and Carols For Godless People at the Bloomsbury Theatre.

PANTO fans can choose between Cinderella, either at the Theatre Royal Stratford East or at Richmond Theatre (with Jenny Eclair and Gary Wilmot) from tomorrow; Dick Whittington (with Dame Edna) at the New Wimbledon Theatre from Thursday; or get the full mix at Potted Panto at the Vaudeville Theatre from Sunday.

DANCE: BOING! is a fun children’s show at the Lilan Baylis Studio from Thursday; or you can go Christmassy with Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! at Sadler’s Wells from tomorrow

OPERA: From Monday, Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg takes the Royal Opera House back to a Wagnerian, medieval Nuremburg.

ART: The Whitechapel Gallery’s Government Art Collection series continues with a new selection by historian and broadcaster Simon Schama. Entrance is free, and the exhibition, called Travelling Light, opens on Friday. Another free art show opens in More London tomorrow: Inside Out is a series of black and white portraits of local residents taken during the Peckham riots.

If we've missed something you're excited about seeing this week, let us know in the comments below...

We have listings for ongoing shows at London’s top museums on our Museums and Galleries page

Last Updated 13 December 2011