Arts Ahead 14-20 January

By Zoe Craig Last edited 182 months ago
Arts Ahead 14-20 January

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Rowan Atkinson as Fagin in Oliver! Photo by John Swannell
We slope firmly into January and for the London Arts scene, it's as if all that Christmas craziness never happened. This month sees a lot of change-overs in the capital's big exhibition spaces: if you're hoping to catch all last year's blockbusters before they close, you could be in for a busy weekend.

Shows Opening:

Oliver opens today at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with a cast and crew list that reads like a page from a theatrical Who's Who. Andrew Lloyd Webber's behind it; Rowan Atkinson and Burn Gorman are in it. Cameron Mackintosh produces this restaging of Mr Kate Winslet, Sam Mendes' 1994 production, now directed by current hot name in theatreland Rupert Goold, and choreographed by the grown-up Billy Elliot, Adam Cooper. And that's before we get to these four from the BBC's "I'd Do Anything." We're surprised Norton's not in it. (But he isn't, he's in this, from Monday.)

In London Theatre's more sober shadows, madness and truth meet in Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (by our favourite modern-day geniuses Tom Stoppard and Andre Previn) at the National Theatre from Friday and The Royal Shakespeare Company's A Midsummer Night's Dream opens at the Novello next Tuesday.

Catch one of just six performances of Eliot's Four Quartets at the Donmar accompanied by a string quartet from the Philharmonia Orchestra performing Beethoven's opus 132 from today. New OBE Katie Mitchell directs; Stephen Dillane reads; the rest of us dream of securing Donmar tickets.

In London's art world, we've already warned you about the London Art Fair. It opens today, and runs til Sunday.

Last Chance to See:

There are lots of things leaving London this week. In a Dark Dark House closes at the Almeida on Saturday: we thought it was rather good.

This Sunday is your last chance to see Edward Scissorhands at Sadler's Wells, the Turner Prize 08 at Tate Britain; Andy Warhol: Other Voices, Other Rooms closes at The Hayward, The Revolution Continues: New Chinese Art finishes at the Saatchi and Renaissance Faces closes at the National Gallery. We warned you it'd be a busy time if you're playing catch-up.

Finally, the uber-funky GSK Contemporary, the Royal Academy of Arts' contemporary arts season ends on Monday. Enjoy yourselves!

Last Updated 14 January 2009