Arts Ahead 4-10 Mar

This week's cultural scene in London is dominated by the East Festival. But aside from all those little east-Londony, quirky, arty events, the other three-quarters of the city are keeping their side up too. Take your pick from:

London Shows Opening

Arts wise, Annette Messager's work gets an exhibition at The Hayward from today. Two big names are the subject of curveball exhibitions opening this week: Walter Sickert, usually associated with London, is having his Venice pictures shown at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, and John Constable, usually all about those lovely landscapes, is having his portraits scrutinised at the National Portrait Gallery.

Of course, this Thursday is a First Thursday, so don't forget to head to East London for 100s of arty goings on. And talking of East, check out the whole programme here; we recommend the Barbican's Do Something Different Weekend, the East Swishing, street theatre Drive Ride Walk, and taking part in at least one of the interactive art shenanigans happening as part of the festival.

In theatreland, new musical comedy Austentatious opens at the brilliant pub-based Landor Theatre today, following a sell-out run at the New York Musical Theatre Festival. North of the river, pub theatre Hen and Chickens in Camden opens Obama on My Mind from tomorrow. We'll bring you a review just as soon as we can. The Old Vic welcomes Andrea Corr (yes, her) making her acting debut in 1930s-based Irish family drama, Dancing at Lughnasa, which opens tomorrow.

Last Chance

Shakespeare's tricky Taming of the Shrew finishes its rat run at the Novello on Saturday. Saturday is also your last chance to catch Derek Jacobi's yellow stockings on stage at Wyndham's Theatre in Twelfth Night.

A Little Night Music with Maureen Lipman and Jessie I-didn't-get-to-be-Nancy Buckley closes at the Menier this Sunday. If you didn't get a chance to see it, don't panic: it's transferring to the West End's Garrick Theatre from 28 March.

London's opera world says arrivederci to both La Boheme as it bows out of the London Coliseum on Sunday, and Carmen, which closes at the Royal Albert Hall on the same day.

And this Monday is your last chance to take advantage of Frank Skinner's Credit Crunch Cabaret at the Lyric: the tasty line-up on 9 March includes Dave Gorman, Ian Broudie, Joe Wilkinson and a mystery guest... Have fun.