Arts Ahead 7-13 January

By Zoe Craig Last edited 182 months ago
Arts Ahead 7-13 January

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The 6th London Short Film Festival opens on Friday
Ah, early January. It ain't a time to be launching or opening. (Ask Woolworths.)

So there isn't a lot of fresh blood on the London arts scene this week. But you can fight the cold currently freezing your cultural brain with the following:

Two festivals brighten the January gloom: The 6th London Short Film Festival opens on Friday. A varied programme of shorts will be on show at the Curzon Cinemas in Mayfair and Soho, the ICA and the super-cute Roxy Bar & Screen in Southwark. The London International Mime Festival joins in the fun, proving silence is golden from this Saturday until 25 January. Again the ICA's involved, as is the Barbican, the Royal Opera House, the Southbank Centre, and the funky Shunt Vaults.

Richard Dreyfuss and David Suchet start in previews of Complicit at the Old Vic today. We'll bring you a review soon.

Also in theatre, Ruby in the Dust brings us a dramatic production of Dorian Gray at the Leicester Square Theatre from Friday, and the timely Roaring Trade by Steve Thompson tackles short trading among a bunch of bond traders at the Soho Theatre from Monday (with previews from today).

Last Chance to See:

So, deep breath: if you don't want to miss anything, there's a lot to catch up on this week. Cildo Mireles closes at the Tate, as we've already warned you. Cold War Modern: Design 1945-1970 at the V&A also ends on Sunday. (Our tip? You'll need more than a couple of hours if you want to take it all in.)

Lovers of all things shiny and sexy should head to the Dazzle jewellery exhibition at the National Theatre before it closes on Saturday.

Saturday sees the end of lots of Theatreland's recent big hitters. The Cordelia Dream and Hamlet both close, as does the Donmar's The Family Reunion, Mother Goose at the Hackney Empire (the critics' panto choice), The Nutcracker, the ill-fated Treasure Island (despite plans to run until February. Sorry Keith Allen, it wasn't any good.), and finally, Wig Out wigs out of the Royal Court on the same day.

Check out the Get Into London Theatre tickets offers if there's something in that list you're desperate to see before curtain-down. You might be in luck.

Christmas is finally laid to rest on Sunday, as The Gruffalo, Peter Pan and The Snowman are all over for another year. Finally, the Lost and Found Orchestra also toots its goodbyes at the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday.

Last Updated 07 January 2009