Our pick of the exciting theatre, dance, opera and art shows opening in London this week
Be There First: London Shows Opening
This week's big names: Simon Callow is Being Shakespeare at Trafalgar Studios from Wednesday. Arthur Darvill gets a chance to show he's more than Rory in Faustus at the Globe from Thursday.
This week's unusual events: Take your pjs to the Barbican Pit and sleepover with Duckie's Lullaby. Ticket includes breakfast. Mexican wrestling live performance show Lucha Future opens at Roundhouse, Camden on Friday night with men in masks, acrobatics, combat, entertainment and comedy rolled into one riotous ball.
This week's tear jerker: Beautiful, heartrending tragic opera Madame Butterfly − you know, the one Miss Saignon is based on − opens at Royal Opera House on Saturday.
For the kids: The Jungle Book opening at Richmond Theatre tonight and the Rose Theatre, Kingston puts on The Gruffalo's Child from Friday with two afternoon performances and late morning and matinee shows over the weekend.
Sneaky peak: If you can't wait for opening night on 19 July, London previews of Ghost The Musical start on Friday at Piccadilly Theatre.
Exhibitions: Proud group open two good things this week. At Strand Gallery see More Guys Hanging by the Gay Photographers' Network as part of the Pride festival. And at Proud Camden from Thursday it's all about The Doors and Jim Morrison.
Elsewhere, the Estorick Collection in Islington displays photographic portraits in United Artists of Italy and the National Gallery opens Forests, Rocks, Torrents from Wednesday.
The summer biggie: Treasures of Heaven: saints, relics and devotion
in medieval Europe opens at the British Museum on Thursday.
Last Chance To See: London Shows Closing
Bette and Joan starring Eastenders' Ange and Greta Scacchi closes at the Arts Theatre on Saturday, Showstopper: The Improvised Musical has its last permutation at Udderbelly on Sunday and the final show of Cocteau Voices, the Royal Opera House new double bill commission of dance and opera is on Saturday.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments.
