Here are our picks of what's new and what's due to close in the coming week on London's cultural calendar.
Be There First: London Shows Opening
Tonight is all about Dorothy and her trip over the rainbow: The Wizard of Oz opens at the London Palladium: time to find out if Danielle Hope can cut it as Dorothy, if Arlene Phillips' choreography can come back from Flashdance defeat, and if Andrew Lloyd Webber's got another hit on his hands.
Elsewhere in theatre, you can see musical The Sapphires, based on the true story of four Aboriginal sisters who sang for troops in Vietnam at the Barbican from tomorrow; The Fabulous Flutterbys returns to the Little Angel Theatre also from tomorrow; and the award-winning The Red Shoes at BAC from Thursday. On Monday, Mogadishu opens at the Lyric Hammersmith: the story of a teacher accused of racial harassment.
Dance fans should check out Alice's Adventures in Wonderland at the Royal Opera House from tomorrow.
Our opera pick for this week is OperaUpClose's Laurence Olivier Award nominated La Boheme at the Kings Head Theatre from tonight.
In art, you can choose from Watercolour: A Celebration of Three Centuries of English Art at the Chris Beetles Gallery from tomorrow. There's also the chance to revisit the 1970s New York Downtown Scene at the Barbican Centre from Thursday; or take a trip back in time at the British Museum in Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World, also opening on Thursday. (We had a sneak preview this morning: there are some quite stunning objects on display.) Another show opening on Thursday is Past Poems and Personalities at the Hampstead Museum: an exhibition of Hampstead's well-known poets, including John Keats, John Masefield and WH Auden. It runs until June.
From Friday, you can check out an exhibition of photography, artwork and documentary footage at the Ministry of Sound, celebrating 20 years of the superclub.
Last Chance to See: London Shows Closing
Lucrezia Borgia comes to a close at the London Coliseum on Thursday; Anna Nicole plays at the Royal Opera House for the last time on Friday.
Saturday is your last chance to see Becky Shaw at the Almeida Theatre; By Jeeves at the Landor; A Flea In Her Ear at the Old Vic; Ordinary Days at the Trafalgar Studios; Penelope at the Hampstead Theatre; and Water at the Tricycle.
Book of the Dead closes at the British Museum on Sunday, as does Drawing Fashion at the Design Museum. Enjoy. And if we've missed anything, let us know in the comments below.
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