Asahina Saburo Yoshihide Wrestles with Two Crocodiles at Kotsubo Beach, Kamakura. By Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1849). Courtesy of American Friends of the British Museum (The Arthur R. Miller Collection)
In London's art world, an exhibition of the work of one of Japan's greatest print artists, Kuniyoshi opens at London's Royal Academy of Arts on Saturday. The online pictures look beautiful. And two great painters come together at Tate Britain this week, as Turner/Rothko opens as part of the BP British Art Displays on Monday. And there's more good news: this is another free one if you're feeling the pinch ahead of payday.
Two of theatreland's big hitters open this week in a bout that most theatre-lovers would die for. In the red corner, the ever-wonderful Dame Judy Dench, Rosamund Pike, and lots of other damn fine women fighting over the legacy of the notorious Marquis De Sade in Madame De Sade at Wyndham's Theatre, which opens tonight. (We'll let you know what we think once we've had the chance to see it.)
Squaring up to these strong matriarchs in a wonderful theatrical showdown, in the blue corner, there's Jason Donovan and crew in Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical, which opens at the Palace Theatre on Tuesday. Watch out for the £1m bus. Altogethernow: "Go on now go, walk out the door..."
Looking for something more obscure and absurd this week? Check out Kafka's Monkey which opens tomorrow at the Young Vic: the amazing Kathryn Hunter plays a monkey playing a man. And there's more animal magic on the London stage from Friday: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe opens at St Stephen's in Hampstead (the newly restored church we told you about earlier this year). It looks like being a magical show.
Over in Richmond, you can catch Anthony Sher's amazing Prospero in The Tempest, a show that's come to London via Cape Town, and successfully draws on African ritual, magic and music to enhance one of Shakespeare's best bits.
Shows Closing
War Horse trots out of the National Theatre tonight. Luckily for those of us who are yet to see the sold-out, acclaim-ridden, award-laden show, it's transferring to the New London Theatre from next week. Get your tickets now, etc etc. Pub theatre oddity Obama on my Mind closes at the Hen and Chickens Theatre on Saturday this week. We didn't like it much. And Mark Ravenhill's Over There comes to an end at the Royal Court on the same day. It's had some good reviews.
Finally, the Royal Academy of Arts blockbuster Byzantium 330-1453 closes this Sunday. Let us know if you're looking forward to something we haven't mentioned in the comments below...
