Arts Ahead: What's On In London 1-7 April

By Zoe Craig Last edited 179 months ago
Arts Ahead: What's On In London 1-7 April

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The Whitechapel reopens this Sunday

This week's big news in the art world is the reopening of the Whitechapel Gallery this Sunday.

There are a whole host of exciting things going on: more than we can tell you here. We're excited about Social Sculpture, Archive Adventures, The Whitechapel Boys and Isa Genzken: Open, Sesame!, but there's plenty more to choose from. Even if you can't make it over to the Whitechapel, check out their pretty new website: it's lovely.

Elsewhere, and from another era, Baroque 1620-1800: Style in the Age of Magnificence opens at the Victoria and Albert Museum on Saturday; in contrast, a collection of Mark Cowper's photographs of the flats in Ethelburga Tower called At Home In A High-Rise opens at the Gerffrye Museum next Tuesday.

Fighting its way to the top of the theatrical excitement pile this week are Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso at the Barbican. Presented as three separate events, this is Dante's Divine Comedy Romeo Castellucci-style:

Using a profoundly visual style, Castellucci creates a deeply unsettling world forcing audiences into a hauntingly beautiful nightmare, engaging the senses in an experience you are unlikely to forget. This is highly visceral theatre, not for the faint-hearted.

As a result, you've gotta be over 18: sounds terrifying, and unmissable.

There are three big newcomers to the West End this week. The National Theatre's award-winning War Horse opens in its new stable at the New London Theatre on Friday, and those naughty old Calendar Girls open their robes to the West End at the Noel Coward Theatre on Saturday. Finally, A Little Night Music takes its waltz-time tunes and top-flight reviews to the West End's Garrick Theatre this Tuesday. Transferring from the Menier Chocolate Factory, this show stars Maureen Lipman among others, and is booking until 25 July.

London Shows Closing

There's very little in the way of shows closing this week, but if you're looking for some last minute action, we suggest:

The much-praised Deep Cut, a study of the events at Deepcut Barracks between 1995 and 2002 closes at the Tricycle Theatre on Saturday. Popular Tchaikovsky ballet Swan Lake also swans out of the Royal Opera House on Saturday. And last but not least, the story of a concert violinist with MS, Duet for One, starring the lovely Juliet Stevenson, also closes on Saturday at the Richmond Theatre. (But it's transferring to the West End in May, so you'll get your second chance to see it if you miss out this week.) Let us know what you're up to, and most of all, have fun!

Last Updated 01 April 2009