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53 YEARS The Number One Magazine for Visitors
Est.1956 No 2733 Friday 20 February, 2009 OLYMPIC CITY 2012
1 2 P E R F O R M A N C E S O N LY
STAGED IN THE ROUND
“hot-blooded energy” EVENING STANDARD
Performed in English by a cast of over 100 and the ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA “Bizet’s masterpiece brought thrillingly to life” THE TIMES
ROYAL ALBERT HALL THURS 26 FEBRUARY - SUN 8 MARCH BOX OFFICE 020 7838 3100 www.royalalberthall.com
Welcome to London February 2009 sees London launch the 25th London Fashion Week in a year celebrating 25 years of British Fashion. Over the past 25 years London has established its reputation as one of the world’s most exciting cities for fashion. Through design and retail you will see innovation and experience the cutting edge of our fashion design talents. You will have heard of iconic British labels such as Paul Smith, Betty Jackson, Vivienne Westwood and Margaret Howell. Make time to get to know our rising stars such as Christopher Kane, Erdem, Marios Schwab, Richard Nicoll, Giles Deacon and Peter Pilotto who can be seen in our leading department stores and style stores throughout London. In London we take fashion seriously. Our style, our designers and our outlook form our cultural and creative DNA. The reach of our industry goes far beyond clothes. I encourage you to buy British, buy our emerging talent and enjoy your time as a Londoner.
CONTENTS
Events
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Music
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Exhibitions
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Theatre
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Publisher Julie Jones Advertising Janet Gardener
© This is London Magazine Limited 42 Conduit Street, London, W1R 9FB. Telephone: 020 7434 1281 www.thisislondonmagazine.com
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Whilst every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine and in the handling of all the material supplied, neither the Publishers nor their agents accept responsibility for any damage, errors or omissions, however these may be caused.
VISITOR INFORMATION Emergencies 999 Police Ambulance Fire 24 Hour Casualty 020 8746 8000 Dentistry 0808 155 3256 The Berkeley Clinic, 19 Upper Berkeley St, W1. Tel: 020 7724 4004 www.theberkeleyclinic.com
Harold Tillman Chairman, British Fashion Council
The Ultimate in Sightseeing Cruise between Westminster, Waterloo (London Eye), Tower and Greenwich Piers. Enjoy the riverside sights with lunch, afternoon tea or a flight on the London Eye
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CARMEN IN-THE-ROUND AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL London will dazzle with fiery passion as Bizet’s classic opera, Carmen returns to the Royal Albert Hall on 26 February for a season of 12 performances. The stunning new cast, who will be performing the opera in English, are set to join the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in one of the most eagerly anticipated performances of the New Year. Sultry, sensual and seductive, Carmen is set in the sizzling heat of Spain and follows a tempestuous journey of infatuation, obsession and lust. The critically acclaimed Cristina Nassif, who has made waves across the Atlantic, and Guildhall-trained Louise Poole, who is a regular at Glyndebourne,
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will be sharing the starring role, leading a cast of hotly-tipped new performers which include David Kempster and the award-winning Elizabeth Atherton. The superb production will be set in-the-round, allowing spectators to be part of the action. Celebrated designer David Roger has creative control of the show and the lavish costumes for the talented cast. Carmen is brought to the stage in a co-promotion between the Royal Albert Hall and the UK's leading classical music promoter, Raymond Gubbay, whose previous collaborations include Madam Butterfly, Tosca, La Bohème and, with English National Ballet, Swan Lake, Romeo & Juliet and, in 2008, Strictly Gershwin. Carmen is at the Royal Albert Hall until 8 March, so there is only a limited time to see the essence of Spain brought to life on the British stage. Tickets are available from the box office telephone 020 7838 3100.
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BROWN’S CELEBRATES ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL BIRTHDAY Alexander Graham Bell first visited Brown's Hotel towards the end of 1876 and made the first successful UK telephone call from the hotel. To celebrate what would have been his birthday, Rocco Forte's Brown's Hotel will be offering all their hotel guests complimentary telephone calls to local numbers on 3 March. Brown's Hotel was the first ever hotel to open in London, in 1837, by James Brown (Lord Byron's butler), and boasts a fascinating history. The then owner, Henry Ford, later recalled that Bell arrived at Brown's carrying 'a large handbag' which contained not clothing, but a weird collection of instruments and wires, declaring it was an invention which would enable the human voice to be carried along a pair of wires. Bell had come to London to try and interest the British government in his invention and was anxious to try it out first. By a stroke of good fortune the Fords had installed a private telegraph line between the hotel and their home in Ravenscourt Park, so Bell fixed up the instrument and after the first complete failure, the inventor tried again between two and three am, when no one was using the line, and they spoke to each other with astonishing clarity. It is understood that many distinguished individuals subsequently visited Brown's to use the telephone and these included Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, JM Barrie, Robert Louis Stevenson and Oscar Wilde. Guests staying in Classic Suites on 3 March will also receive complimentary use of a state-of-the-art Nokia mobile phone, from which they too will also be able to receive and make complimentary local calls throughout their stay. Further information, 020 7493 6020. L O N D O N
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Irina Kolesnikova as Nikiya
LaBayadere in
‘A soulful radiance to her technical brilliance that just reeks of potential greatness’ Sunday Express
Sunday 17th May 2009 LONDON COLISEUM
ST PETERSBURG BALLET THEATRE
www.arts-world.co.uk
www.irinakolesnikova.com
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PARLIAMENTARY PANCAKE RACE IN SUPPORT OF REHAB UK Members of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Fourth Estate will line up opposite Parliament in Victoria Tower Gardens at 10.15 on Shrove Tuesday, 24 February, for the annual Parliamentary Pancake Race in support of the brain injury charity, Rehab UK. The 2009 race, sponsored by British Lion Eggs, will see MPs and Lords fighting back after their 2008 trouncing at the hands of the media. This year, all the sides are keeping their final team selection a secret until the morning of the event, but veteran pancake racers Lord Morris of Manchester, Lord and Lady Dholakia, Betty Williams MP and Steven Pound MP are expected to take part. Rehab UK provides a comprehensive range of specialist services, from vocational and educational assessment and training to case management, and develops bespoke programmes for people in the comfort of their own homes. www.rehabuk.org
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GET SET FOR THE UK’S LARGEST DANCE EXHIBITION – MOVE IT! The UK’s biggest dance event, ‘Move It’, will take place from 6-8 March at Olympia. With over 100 live stage performances and 250 dance classes, this three day extravaganza gives visitors the chance to taste a whole host of dance styles and techniques. From Bollywood to Ballet and Salsa to Swing, there are demonstrations, classes and experts on hand to cater for every age and ability. Informative seminars, fabulous main stage performances and expert practical tutorials are on offer to get you started, whilst the exciting and diverse exhibition displays a host of dance equipment and accessories. The Main Stage will provide a showcase for some of the world’s most exciting dancers, with live performances from the latest in youth talent, urban dance, modern and contemporary styles, dance classics and Bollywood favourites. Hundreds of artists, performing up to five shows a day will ensure visitors get an unrivalled, vibrant and inspiring dance experience. Celebrity choreographers, professional dance tutors and West End stars will be coming together to provide visitors with a wealth of Dance Class options. Tickets cost £10.50 on the day.
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FLY TO CORNWALL – THE WAY TO GO Newquay Cornwall Airport is again open for business and gearing up for a busy 2009. With 10 routes already in operation and 21 routes planned for the summer, 2009 is set to be a great one for travellers to this beautiful corner of England. Air Southwest flies from London Gatwick and has a new Express check-in service for customers flying with just hand baggage from Newquay Cornwall Airport, allowing check-in just 20 minutes before flight departure time. www.newquaycornwallairport.com EAST FESTIVAL 09 The EAST Festival is to return for its third year, championing the vibrant and unique cultural life of East London over six days from 5-10 March. With over 300 events presented by over 100 organisations, East will put the spotlight on the unique creativity of the area through music, visual arts, theatre, literature, cinema, history and fashion around venues in Whitechapel, Hackney, Spitalfields, Stratford and the Barbican. A new adaptation of Steven Berkoff’s Play – EAST, will take place at The Courtyard Theatre, N1, from 5-8 March. The adaptation looks at the East End in its entirety from the perspective of two eclectic characters. The play uses a variety of language from Shakespearean to the cockney slang of the East End. Sax legend Courtney Pine’s multicultural, multigenerational ensemble The Afropean Jazz Warriors continue the tradition and spirit of the original Jazz warriors. On Sunday 8 March (19.30), at Theatre Royal Stratford East, Pine is joined by acclaimed musicians including Jason Yarde and Shabaka Hutchings (reeds) and Omar Puente (violin). Le Corbusier (1887–1965), widely acclaimed as the most influential architect of the 20th century, was also a celebrated thinker, writer and artist – a multi-faceted ‘renaissance man’. Le Corbusier – The Art of Architecture will be on view at the Barbican Centre from 5-10 March. L O N D O N
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LONDON MAYOR BORIS JOHNSON MEEETS LONDON’S LATIN AMERICANS London Mayor Boris Johnson met with members of London's Latin American community when he paid a recent visit to Elephant and Castle. The event at the Fusion Centre attracted an estimated 2000 people, and was the largest meeting with the Latin American community the Mayor has taken part in since the election. Attendees included Pastor Edmundo Rabelo from the Christian Community Church, one of the largest Spanishspeaking Pentecostal churches in London, and Isaac Bigio, a Peruvianborn journalist, writer and social commentator on Latin American affairs. Boris Johnson said: 'It was a great pleasure to meet with members of London’s thriving Latin American community. I fully want to have a healthy dialogue with Londoners from every background, particularly on key issues such as crime, transport and of course the economy.’ WHEELCHAIR STARS LINE UP FOR FLORA LONDON MARATHON The best athletes ever assembled will line up for the start of the Flora London Wheelchair Marathon on 26 April. Paralympic gold medallists, world record holders, former and defending London champions will race for prize money of more than US$50,000 over 26.2 miles of the capital's streets in a little over two months' time. Beijing hero David Weir, the first man ever to win three London titles in a row, aims for his fourth consecutive victory, fifth in total, against the highest quality field in the event's 27-year history. Weir's top challenger is likely to be his arch rival and double Paralympic Games champion Kurt Fearnley, the Australian he beat in a sprint finish last year. The London Marathon is also playing an important role in identifying wheelchair stars of the future by providing 25 racing wheelchairs to young athletes aged from 11-17 who will compete on 26 April. T H I S
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19-22 February 21-24 February 2008 Thurs: 11am-9pm Fri: 11am-8pm Sat: 11am-7pm Sun: 11am-6pm
St. John’s Smith Square Box Office: 020 7222 1061
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Collegium Musicum of London.
THE THIRD ROME: SACRED CHORAL MUSIC FROM RUSSIA When Zoë Paleologos, the niece of the last Byzantine Emperor, married Ivan III (the Grand Duke of Moscow) in 1469, she promoted and strengthened the Orthodox traditions of the church of Byzantium (which had fallen to the Ottoman invasion earlier in the century) in Moscow. So strong was the feeling that the heritage of early Christianity (originally established in Rome, and transferred to Byzantium following the sack of Rome in the 5th century) had now moved to Moscow, that a Pskov monk at the time remarked 'Two Romes have fallen, but the third stands, and a fourth there will not be.' The Third Rome is a concert exploring the Russian Orthodox musical inheritance from the 18th century onwards, and will include sacred music by Italian-influenced composers of the 18th century, as well as later works by Sergey Rachmaninov (1873-1943), Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908), Alexander Grechaninov (1864-1956), and Pavel Chesnokov (1877-1944). T H I S
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Collegium Musicum of London specialises in performing Russian music and next Saturday will be their 12th concert of such repertoire since 1997. Past performances have included Rachmaninov's All-night vigil (Vespers), The Liturgy of St John Chrysostom (also by Rachmaninov), as well as several concerts in the Third Rome series. In 2001, the choir promoted a highly successful joint concert with The Moscow State University Academic Choir. The concert will take place on Saturday 28 February at St. James's Piccadilly, SW1, at 19.30. Collegium Musicum of London will be conducted by Peter Owens. Tickets available on the door; in advance on 020 8946 7505; on the day of the concert on 07812 599340.
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CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AT ST JOHN’S Cambridge University Symphony Orchestra returns to St. John's, Smith Square on Friday 6 March (19.30) to present a programme of symphonic classics by Beethoven, Sibelius and Rimsky-Korsakov. Beethoven's rugged Overture to Goethe's Egmont, one of the composer's finest and most dramatic works, describes the struggle of Count Egmont against the tyrannical Duke of Albany, leading to the former's martyrdom; the work ends in a triumphant hymn of righteousness. Then follows Sibelius's only concerto, the Violin Concerto (soloist: Catherine Myerscough) of 1903, a rhapsodic masterpiece of burning intensity; Sibelius's virtuosic solo writing for the violin makes this one of the most challenging works technically as well as musically, and his inimitable soundworld makes this one of his most profound musical utterances. Arguably, Rimsky-Korsakov's greatest masterpiece, Scheherezade describes the well loved story of The Book of One Thousand and One Nights and demonstrates the composer's mastery of orchestration, with a tinge of the Oriental. This luscious tapestry of musical invention uses several of the tales told by princess Scheherezade to her husband, among them Sinbad the Sailor, as the starting point for one of the best loved works in the orchestral repertoire. CUSO, founded in 1990, is the premier student-run symphony orchestra in Cambridge. Drawing from the best and most dedicated student musicians, CUSO performs a range of symphonic repertoire with results of consistently high artistic quality. Box Office tel: 020 7222 1061. L O N D O N
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DIVINE PERFORMING ARTS Following the success of four sell-out shows at London’s Royal Festival Hall in February 2008, New York based Divine Performing Arts return to London from 3-7 March with an all-new programme. This showcase of authentic Chinese performing arts is part of a wider global tour and is presented in a spectacular multi-media gala event. Featuring up to 100 performers, including a live
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orchestra, the company evokes spirit, virtue and freedom of belief through an uplifting mix of dance, music and animated projection. Inspired by ancient Chinese culture, performances by Divine Performing Arts have the spiritual heritage of China at their heart. Featuring story-based dances – one of the company’s trademarks – which draw on ancient legends and current topics, the shows are divided into a number of individual acts, each telling a story, or presenting a vision of China’s rich dance heritage. Strictly authentic classical Chinese dance – one of the richest dance heritages in the world – forms an integral part of the Divine Performing Arts show, and is complemented through folk and ethnic dance styles. The gala’s graceful routines range from large-scale dances, with dozens of performers moving in synchronised patterns, to delicate solo performances, all linked through masterful choreography. The shows combine ancient technique and artistry with the latest technology in the form of striking digital background scenery, projecting images, often animated, of rustic Buddhist temples, majestic Chinese palaces and sprawling Mongolian grassland. Each backdrop is custom-designed to match perfectly the choreography of the dance, story line, lighting and music. Tickets telephone 0845 092 0086.
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BRAHMS’S ‘A GERMAN REQUIEM’ AT ST CLEMENT DANES, STRAND Medici Choir, one of London’s bestknown amateur choirs, is to perform a Lent concert at St Clement Danes RAF Church on Saturday 28 February at 19.30. The concert features Brahms’s A German Requiem and the first performance of a new work, Wilderness, by the choir’s conductor and composerin-residence, John Baird. The choir is joined by the Brandenburg Sinfonia, organist David Gostick and soloists Luci Briginshaw (soprano) and Edward Price (baritone). A German Requiem is a one of Brahms’s best loved choral works, a large-scale piece for chorus, orchestra and solo voices, based on text from the Lutheran bible (this performance will be given in its English translation). In contrast to a traditional Roman Catholic Mass, Brahms’s uplifting work places emphasis on comforting the living and encompasses a more secular sacred view of the world. Wilderness is a short work for soloists, chamber choir and orchestra. It tells the story of Christ’s 40-day struggle in the desert and was composed for the choir for performance during the Lenten period. Medici Choir was established as the ‘United Hospitals Festival Choir’ in 1951 to perform during the Festival of Britain and now numbers some 80 amateur singers, performing three concerts each year in central London. It has recently given a well-received performance of Mozart Requiem at the newly reopened St Martin-in-the-Fields with regular collaborators Brandenburg Sinfonia, has recorded popular song trailers for Absolute Radio, and performed in St Wolfgang (Austria), Paris, Venice, Rome, Berlin and Prague. Tickets costing £12 are available on the door. For more information and details of future performances, visit the Medici Choir website on www.medicichoir.org.
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THE BACH CHOIR SINGS MOZART’S ‘GREAT’ MASS IN C MINOR Mozart’s ‘Great’ Mass in C minor will be sung by The Bach Choir on Thursday 26 February, at 19.30, in the Royal Festival Hall. On his death in 1791, Mozart left two of his greatest choral works unfinished and it has been the task of scholars and composers since then to reconstruct the missing parts of both the Requiem and the Mass in C minor. Composer and musicologist Philip Wilby has devoted a number of years to his study of the Mass and has painstakingly completed it using Mozart’s music from his sketchbooks and other sources. The result is a fullscale six-movement Mass containing some of Mozart’s best music. In the first half of the concert, visitors will be able to hear Beethoven’s marvellous Choral Fantasy, a short work which combines virtuoso piano writing with music for chorus and six soloists. Joining The Bach Choir will be an outstanding line-up of soloists including Sarah Fox, soprano (pictured), Elizabeth
Cragg, soprano and Robert Macdonald, bass-baritone, as well as pianist Roger Owens and the world-class Philharmonia Orchestra. David Hill, Musical Director of The Bach Choir, will conduct. Tickets, priced from just £9, are available on 0871 663 2500 or online by following the links from the website www.thebachchoir.org.uk 'Mozart's Unfinished' – Professor Wilby will give a pre-concert talk about his reconstruction of the Mass, in discussion with The Bach Choir’s Musical Director, David Hill. The talk begins at 18.15 in the auditorium and admission is free to ticket holders. The next Bach Choir London concert is on 8 March at the Royal Festival Hall.
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Sarah Fox (soprano).
THE PARKHOUSE AWARD (Registered Charity)
presents
GRIEG TRIO Vebjørn Anvik, piano Sølve Sigerland, violin Ellen Flesjø, cello
BEETHOVEN SHOSTAKOVICH BRAHMS Monday 23 February at 7.30pm
WIGMORE HALL 36 Wigmore Street, W1 Director John Gilhooly Tickets: £22, £18, £14, £12
Tel: 020 7935 2141 www.wigmore-hall.org.uk
Supported by The Gordon Foundation and the Tertis Foundation T H I S
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ISIS ENSEMBLE IN AID OF MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT One of the UK’s finest orchestras is giving a classical concert to raise money for one of the UK’s best loved charities on Thursday 26 February (19.30) at St James’s Church, Piccadilly. Following the immense success of its debut CD last year, the critically acclaimed Isis Ensemble returns to its regular venue to perform a popular programme of Beethoven, Mozart and Kodaly with all proceeds going to Macmillan Cancer Support. ‘In these difficult times people are more reluctant to donate to charities.’ says Jacques Cohen, the orchestra’s renowned conductor. ‘Cancer affects so many of us directly or indirectly and Macmillan does such a fantastic job, so we decided to do something about it.’
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Eduardo Niebla performing in Austria.
THE EDUARDO NIEBLA EXPERIENCE AT THE PURCELL ROOM There is a splendid opportunity to hear one of the world's great guitar virtuosos and composers, Eduardo Niebla, in concert at The Purcell Room, Southbank Centre London on Friday 27 February (19.30). Accompanied by Carl Herring (guitar) and Dharmesh Parmar (Indian tabla), Eduardo will present his very latest compositions described by Jazz UK as ‘a stunning collection of originals... showing what Jelly Roll Morton called the Spanish 'tinge' is still a potent force.’ Rooted in flamenco gypsy jazz, they are interwoven with myriad Eastern colours and added to Eduardo's stunning technique – this is world class guitar playing and composition at its very best. Eduardo Niebla's recent concerts have included Kolkata India, The Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi, Spain & the Balearic Islands, Switzerland, Ireland and the UK. In a career spanning over 3 decades, Eduardo has collaborated with many top artists including Nishat Khan (sitar), Adel Salameh (oud), Lol Coxhill (saxophone) Deepak Ram (bamboo flute), George Michael and Craig David. He has composed music for films, documentaries and plays, including for T H I S
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the BBC. He was commissioned by the Ripon International Festival in 2007 to write a collection of pieces, which involved 150 young people and local musicians, plus lyrics by Ian McMillan, and has recorded 22 CDs of his original compositions: ‘A formidable guitarist and a beautifully sequenced disc by a musically fluent master of today's generation, hugely enjoyable, experimental, with many stunning moments. Unbelievably invigorating.’ – Songlines. Eduardo’s career started from humble beginnings: born into a family of 11 children to Andalucian parents in Morocco in 1955; becoming a refugee at the age of 5 when his family fled to Girona in North East Spain where he grew up; and moving to London in 1978 where he has since been regarded as one of the UK's top guitarists. Tickets for 27 February can be obtained by calling 0871 663 2500 or visit www.eduardoniebla.com
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Jacques Cohen. The orchestra comprises the very cream of London’s musical talent, many of whom have international careers as soloists and chamber musicians in their own right. Among them are violinist Susanne Stanzeleit, the orchestra’s leader, and legendary violist Robin Ireland who will be collaborating in one of Mozart’s best loved works, the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola. The rest of the programme will include Kodaly’s evocative Summer Evening and Beethoven’s jubilant 4th Symphony. Tickets are available by telephone 07875 610941 or on the door.
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THE GRIEG TRIO AT WIGMORE HALL The Grieg Trio has established itself as one of the world's leading piano trios. Established in 1987, the trio studied with Andras Mihaly at the Liszt Academy in Budapest and benefited from masterclasses with Norbert Brainin, Martin Lovett and Eli Goren. The trio rapidly attracted international attention, firstly at the 1990 Interforum in Hungary where The Times wrote: ‘Oslo's Grieg Trio should be snapped up at once... so authoritative is their command of idiom, so energetic and imaginative their playing...’ The following year they won the first Parkhouse Award, ‘for their sensitivity, flexibility and, above all, outstanding talent’ and in 1993 they were awarded the prestigious Music Critics Prize by the Norwegian Association of Music Critics. Both their U.S. and Japan debuts took place in the same year and, further, the trio was granted a major Norwegian Cultural Scholarship from Norsk Kassettavgiftsfond. In 1997 the trio received the prestigious Grieg Prize which
was awarded on Edvard Grieg's birthday at his estate Troldhaugen in Bergen. The Grieg Trio has since performed at major venues in most European countries, Israel and New Zealand. During 2002/03 the Grieg Trio presented its ‘Beethoven plus’ project at Wigmore Hall. The cycle, consisting of four concerts, included all Beethoven's piano trios performed with a contemporary piece in each programme. The Grieg Trio will be i n concert at Wigmore Hall on Monday 23 February (19.30), with a programme of Beethoven, Shostakovich and Brahms. Tickets from the Wigmore Hall box office telephone 020 7935 2141.
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The Grieg Trio.
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PICASSO: CHALLENGING THE PAST – MUST SEE EXHIBITION OF 2009 The National Gallery’s first exhibition dedicated to Pablo Picasso, which opens on 25 February, reveals how the greatest artist of the 20th century pitted himself against the great European painting tradition. Picasso: Challenging the Past features over 60 of the artist’s major works and focuses on the enduring themes of European art history and his own career, with sections on the self portrait, characters and types, the nude, still life, models and muses. Every major period of Picasso’s work is represented with loans from the major public and private collections of Europe and North America. To coincide with the exhibition, there is also a free display of fifteen of the artist’s prints. All borrowed from British collections, they expand on the themes of the main exhibition, most importantly, Picasso’s Variations, after masters such as Manet, David, Cranach and Rembrandt. Picasso: Challenging the Past is sure to be the must-see exhibition of 2009. T H I S
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Elke Eder-Eich: Teapot in Landscape with Butterflies, thrown and modelled stoneware.
All talks and demonstrations, plus a fabulous fully illustrated catalogue, are included in the ticket price. Most important of all, if you are looking for that original piece of ceramic artwork, this is the chance to buy direct from the maker. Each piece will have its own little history and, whether you spend a few pounds or a few hundred, you will be gaining something unique. In fact, there is everything you might expect and more, so if you haven’t visited the event before, don’t miss Ceramic Art London 09. The Royal College of Art is in Kensington Gore, near the Royal Albert Hall.
Laurance Simon: The Dream.
Pablo Picasso: Man with a Straw Hat and an Ice Cream Cone, 1938. Musée Picasso, Paris (MP174). © RMN / Jean-Gilles Berizzi / Succession Picasso / DACS 2008.
CERAMIC ART LONDON 2009 Looking for a way to banish the Winter Blues? Head for Ceramic Art London at the Royal College of Art from 27 February to 1 March, where an explosion of colour and talent awaits you with work ranging from small tea bowls to large sculptural ceramic pieces. Build up a collection of contemporary ceramics whatever your budget or inclination. Now in its fifth successful year, Ceramic Art London goes from strength to strength and features both new and familiar ceramic artists. The work on display ranges from Laurance Simon’s whimsical and lyrical pieces inspired by the natural world to Elke Eder-Eich’s surrealistic collages influenced by all kinds of things that she ‘finds’ – glass or wooden buttons or chocolate moulds. As well as enjoying the exhibition, visitors can refresh themselves in the Royal College of Art Café, and take the opportunity to see a display of work from the emerging stars of the RCA Ceramics and Glass department, perhaps before catching a talk by an internationally renowned ceramic artist or potter, this year Sir Christopher Frayling is the guest on Desert Island pots.
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SHAH ‘ABBAS: THE REMAKING OF IRAN AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM This week, the British Museum will open the first major exhibition to explore the rule and legacy of Shah’ Abbas, one of the formative figures in the creation of modern Iran. Shah of Iran from 15871629AD, he is remembered as one of the country’s most influential kings and a great military leader, ruling Iran at a time of political renewal, when it succeeded in positioning itself as a world power with a sharply defined national identity. Shah ‘Abbas came to the throne in 1587, the fifth ruler of the Safavid Dynasty. Through trade, patronage and diplomacy Shah ‘Abbas fostered good relations with Europe and ushered in a golden period in the arts, commissioning beautiful works of art and grand architecture. He was a great builder and restorer of major monuments across the country and this architectural legacy will provide the context in which to explore the themes of his reign. The exhibition will feature luxurious gold-ground carpets, exquisite Chinese porcelains, illustrated
manuscripts, watercolour paintings, metalwork and beautiful silks, objects similar to those Shah ‘Abbas gave to important religious sites across Iran. The famous calligrapher Ali Riza ‘Abbasi was a key figure throughout Shah ‘Abbas’s reign and examples of his work will feature prominently in the exhibition. Shah ‘Abbas was a man with a strong sense of personal piety; though Shi’ism was declared the state religion of Iran in 1501, it was Shah ‘Abbas who consolidated its preeminence through the rule of law and the suppression of heterodox Shi’i sects and extremist dervish orders. The clerics in the circle of Shah ‘Abbas established the parameters of Shi’i orthodoxy and in so doing strengthened the role of the religious elite throughout Iran. In association with The Iran Heritage Foundation, the exhibition will feature extraordinary loans never before seen outside of Iran, alongside loans from Europe and the US. The exhibition is the third in a series examining empire and power in different parts of the globe and follows exhibitions on the First Emperor of China and the Roman emperor Hadrian.
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Ceramic Ewer, Mashhad, 1616, with 19th-century metal spout, signed ‘work of Mahmud Mi’mar Yazdi’ and ‘the humble Zari is its decorator’. This ewer combines the fashion in seventeenthcentury Iran for Chinese-style blue-andwhite decoration with the interest in Indian metalwork shapes. From the Mashhad section. © The Trustees of the British Museum.
The Wapping Group of Artists London and its River 63rd Annual Exhibition of paintings Monday 2nd to Saturday 7th March 2009 At The East Gallery The Mall Galleries, The Mall, London SW1 Tel 020 7930 6844 Also available
The Wapping Group of Artists Sixty Years of painting by The Thames A full colour book including history, 200 illustrations and insight into the essence of the Group and its work. T H I S
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Alby Carter -– Spirit of the Mountain
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20/21 INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR The third 20|21 International Art Fair will take place at the Royal College of Art in Kensington Gore, SW7, from 19 – 22 February. Launched to much acclaim in February 2007, the fair features modern and contemporary art from China, Japan, Russia, Australia, the Ukraine, Poland, France and, new this year, from Thailand and New Zealand, alongside a large range of work by British artists. 0ver 50 exhibitors, all of whom are UK based, will offer work by both 20th and 21st century artists: Matisse, Picasso, Miro, Chagall (all works on paper) plus Derain, Marchand and Signac as well as British favourites Peter Blake (CCA Galleries are launching his new print ‘Got a Girl’ at the Fair), Henry Moore, Lowry, Hockney and a whole host of artists who may be new but are well worth discovering. Prices are from a few hundred pounds upwards. London is the most cosmopolitan city in the world and this is reflected in the enormous variety of art on offer from galleries and dealers. The fair gives people the opportunity to appreciate this diversity under one very historic roof. Whilst Picasso is always to the fore, with the imminent opening of the Picasso exhibition at the National Gallery (which has a special print room), there is even more interest. The Fine Art T H I S
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Partnership has a linocut ‘Jeunne Homme Couronne de Feuillage’, dated 1962, at £30,000 and a lithograph of Paloma, dated 1950, at £1,500. Born in 1950 to an ultra religious orthodox family, Gitl Braun did not start art school until she had brought up her eight children. She graduated with distinction at the St Martin School of Art in 2006. Her work is sculpture, using fabrics (from traditional to ultra modern materials) which she then photographs, and crops until the image wanted emerges. The Boundary Gallery is having a one-man show. Julian Machin is showing the work of French sculptor, Jean-Patrice Oulmont, the first time his work has been seen in the UK. He works primarily in oak or olive and the wood is quite literally brought to new life in his hands and nature is lovingly improved upon. He gently re-shapes the wood, hollows it or organises it into strata, while always retaining a suggestion of the tree from which the work derives. Price range £1,200-£1,500. The 20/21 International Art Fair is open Thursday 11.00-21.00; Friday 11.00-20.00; Saturday: 11.00-19.00; Sunday: 11.00-18.00. For further information, telephone 020 8742 1611.
Robert Ryan – Bird Lady.
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TREASURES OF THE BLACK DEATH AT THE WALLACE COLLECTION Two extraordinary hoards of jewellery, medieval silver vessels and coins, one discovered 650 years after it was concealed by Jews at the most perilous time in their history prior to the Holocaust, go on display in Britain for the first time this week, in ‘Treasures of the Black Death’ at the Wallace Collection. The two hoards include the three earliest known examples of Jewish wedding rings, inscribed in Hebrew with the words ‘good fortune’ and in the form of miniature houses, symbolising both the marital home and the Temple of Jerusalem. They were discovered in the Jewish quarter of Colmar, France, in 1863 and in Erfurt, Germany, in 1998, close to the town’s 11th-century synagogue, the oldest in Europe. In the 14th century, Erfurt was an important Jewish settlement with a Jewish community well integrated into town life. Members of the community held important positions and were protected by the local bishops and kings. As the Black Death laid waste to vast swathes of Europe, wiping out a third of the population, terrified local people, unable to find a cause for the suffering, searched for a scapegoat. Suspicion and fear immediately fell upon the Jewish population, who were accused of poisoning the wells. Many Jews buried their most precious belongings, hoping to return later, but as a result of ensuing large-scale pogroms throughout Europe, never returned to reclaim them. L O N D O N
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WAPPING GROUP OF ARTISTS’ ANNUAL EXHIBITION The Wapping Group of Artists’ 63rd Annual Exhibition is on view at the Mall Galleries, The Mall, SW1 (near Admiralty Arch) from Monday 2nd to Saturday 7th March. This painting society was originally founded in 1946 as a small and friendly band of like-minded artists, mainly dedicated to recording the working life of London’s docks. The Group can now look back on an unbroken record of over sixty painting seasons and annual exhibitions. The range of painting locations has expanded over the years, but the Group stays true to its Thamesside origins, and the membership, restricted to just twenty-five artists, remains based on the idea of good fellowship above all else. Members meet weekly between April and September by the River or its Estuary. Outdoors, come rain or shine, they set up their easels (seeking shelter if necessary) from the broad expanses of the estuary to the willow-fringed backwaters up-river, taking in the whole of riverside London in between. Some paintings are finished on location in one session, others are completed later in the studio. Their exhibitions are a perpetual delight of tideway and riverbank, sunlight and showers, boats and architecture. Currently the Group’s painting area extends from Henley to the east coast
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Bert Wright PPRSMA, ‘Times Remembered, Rotherhithe’. harbours of Essex and Kent, and includes such perennial favourite spots as Richmond, Strand-on-the-Green, Greenwich, Maldon and many others. This year’s annual show will consist of almost one hundred works, in oils and watercolour, usually in small to medium sizes, all for sale with many at
surprisingly modest prices.This is a unique exhibition of London and Thames-side seen through artists’ eyes. The Group’s website is at www.thewappinggroupofartists.co.uk, and its book, ‘Sixty Years of painting by The Thames’, fully illustrated in colour throughout, will be available at the show.
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THE TALE OF ANGELS AT THE RED MANSION FOUNDATION 'The Tale of Angels', a new group show at The Red Mansion Foundation, features artists Gao Shiqiang, Jiang Zhi, Kwok Ying, Miao Xiaochun, Shi Jinsong, Xiang Jing and Xiao Yu. Angels are first described in the Bible. Created by God as a separate, higher order of creatures than humans, they possess aspects of intelligence, emotions and free will. Today, angels are continuously imagined and represented, both in literature and visually, beyond their theological context and biblical origins; at the same time, the image of angels has been utilised for curiosity, communication or faith. In the history of Western art, there have been numerous images representing angels, usually winged in appearance, implying their nature as God's heralds and flying creatures. In China, these spiritual beings have always been deemed as Western, yet, to many, the contemporary imaginings of angels do not necessarily derive from
‘Christmas Tree’, 2008, by Shi Jinsong. the original source, (their description in the Bible), but instead depend on the visual interpretations of Western art. This new exhibition, The Tale of Angels, which opens this week at The Red Mansion Foundation, aims to set up a framework for discussion, and to encourage and invite Chinese artists to
expand their boundaries, and develop new ideas for visual response. It intends to re-examine not only the theoretical notion of an angel, but also, more significantly, the ways in which angels, particularly in the context of Western culture, could be re-imagined. To the artist Shi Jinsong, the beauty of angels has an innocent quality. At an initial glance, his recent stainless steel installation of a Christmas tree has a glorious metallic shine, but a closer look reveals some fearsome sharpened blades (pictured left). This work exposes the balance between the beauty of angels and their potentially wrathful nature, and more importantly, the conflict between the amiability of 'imagination' and the injuriousness of 'realisation'. Jiang Zhi has imagined another chilling visualization; that of the flayed flesh of an angel, vulnerable in its nakedness and desolation, like a discarded skin. The Red Mansion Foundation is at 46 Portland Place, W1. For information, telephone 020 7323 3700.
A major retrospective exhibition celebrating poster design for the Capital’s public transport network Open late on Fridays www.ltmuseum.co.uk London Transport Museum Covent Garden Piazza, London WC2E 7BB Tel 020 7565 7298
Supported by
Registered charity number 1123122
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ENJOY Gielgud Theatre When it first premiered in London in 1980, Alan Bennett's short-lived ‘Enjoy’ had so many critical brickbats hurled at it, it was buried alive. Despite the fact it resonated with echoes of Pinter, Orton and Beckett, it was an unpleasant and unenjoyable concoction for a West End audience who preferred their Bennett served up in a cosier more straightforward manner. It was also far too long and suffered fatally from a clash of styles. Christopher Luscombe's revival, despite a 15% cut in the text, is still a tad too long, and stylistically still veers all over the place like a drunken navvy. But its time has finally come and it now emerges as a seriously funny social satire on the disappearing life-style of the lower middle-classes. Connie and Wilfred Craven live in a house in Leeds that's about to be demolished. She's on the verge of dementia, he's the victim of an accident that has left him severely disabled, a plate in his skull and no feeling in his left arm. They're visited by a female social worker whose bizarre brief is to observe their way of life with a view to transplanting them to a heritage park where they will become museum exhibits. T H I S
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Told to act naturally and ignore their visitor's invasive presence, Connie commences a one-sided conversation with the woman who remains silent throughout but takes the occasional note. What's clear to see is that this is a loveless marriage. They've two grown-up children – a son who is gay and has been disowned by Wilfred, and a daughter whom Wilfred adores, believing her to be a high-powered secretary instead of the prostitute she is. Predictably, Bennett's writing is at its blissful best when nailing the foibles and mores of the working classes. The funniest scene in the play is a set piece in which Wilfred, having had his steel plate punched by a local teenager, is pronounced dead by a visiting
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neighbour whereupon his wife removes his trousers, sponges down his private parts, and ruefully remarks ‘I haven't seen some of this for years.’ There is, however, a darker more ambiguous side to the comedy, with Bennett viciously critical of his characters' inability to make more of their wasted lives while at the same time feeling nostalgia for a community that no longer exists. Into the mix he adds a touch of surrealism, a dash of expressionism, a pinch of pathos, and a soupcon of absurdism. Not all the ingredients work, but for the most part it's certainly a flavoursome combo, expertly cooked by director Christopher Luscombe and vigorously performed by Alison Steadman and David Troughton as Connie and Wilfred, Josie Walker as their sluttish daughter and Carol Macready as their know-it-all neighbour. The atmopsheric set is by Janet Bird. Enjoy is hardly a re-discovered masterpiece, but it's a much more compelling play than the version I saw nearly thirty years ago. CLIVE HIRSCHHORN
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PLAYS
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THREE DAYS OF RAIN A major revival of Richard Greenberg’s play, starring James McAvoy and Nigel Harman, explores how the private worlds of one generation are reinterpreted by the next. Evgs at 19.30. Mats Weds & Sat at 15.00. APOLLO THEATRE Shaftesbury Avenue, W1 (0870 890 1101) THE 39 STEPS Maria Aitken’s tongue-in-cheek adaptation of John Buchan’s whodunnit has four actors playing 150 parts and includes all the legendary scenes from Hitchcock’s movie. Evgs at 20.00. Mats Tue at 15.00, Sat at 16.00. CRITERION THEATRE Piccadilly Circus, WC2 (0844 847 1778) BE NEAR ME Adapted for the stage by Ian McDiarmid from The Booker Prize nominated novel by Andrew O’Hagan, a compelling story of love, morality and regret. Mon-Sat at 19.30. Mats Thurs & Sat at 14.30. DONMAR 41 Earlham Street, WC2 (0870 060 6624) PLAGUE OVER ENGLAND A new play by Nicholas de Jongh, based around the controversial 1953 conviction of Sir John Gielgud, which played a small, but distinct part in the battle to make homosexuality legal. Mon-Sat at 19.45. Mats Wed & Sat at 15.00. DUCHESS THEATRE Catherine Street, WC2 (0870 890 1103) A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE Major revival of Arthur Miller’s classic play with Ken Stott and Mary Elizabeth Mastrontonio. Lindsay Posner directs. Mon-Sat at 19.30. Mats Wed & Sat at 14.30. DUKE OF YORK’S St. Martin’s Lane, WC2 (0870 060 6623) THE WOMAN IN BLACK An innocent outsider, a suspicious rural community, a gothic house and a misty marsh are the ingredients of this Victorian ghost story, now in its 17th year. Mon-Sat at 20.00. Mats Tues at 15.00, Sat at 16.00. FORTUNE THEATRE Russell Street, WC2 (0870 060 6626) ENJOY Famously Alan Bennett’s first theatrical failure when it premiered in 1980, director Christopher Luscombe has triumphantly re-visited the play to universal critical acclaim. Evgs at 19.30. Mats Wed & Sat at 14.30. GIELGUD THEATRE Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2 (0844 482 5130)
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Ian McDiarmid in a scene from Be Near Me at the Donmar.
Royal National Theatre (Plays In Repertory) OLIVIER THEATRE WAR HORSE Powerful and imaginative adaptation of the children’s novel by Michael Morpurgo, about a boy who pursues his horse to the trenches in the First World War. Feature magnificent, life-sized puppets. Suitable for 12+yrs. ENGLAND PEOPLE VERY NICE A riotous journey through four waves of immigration from the 17th century to today. The emerging pattern shows that white flight and anxiety over integration is anything but new. EVERY GOOD BOY DESERVES FAVOUR A play for actors and orchestra by Tom Stoppard and Andre Previn. A dissident is locked up in an asylum, sharing his cell with a real lunatic who believes himself to be surrounded by an orchestra. LYTTELTON THEATRE BURNT BY THE SUN Poised at the beginning of Stalin’s Great Terror, the play shows a brutal future encroaching on the last days of a fading world. THE PITMEN PAINTERS Following sell-out seasons, Lee Hall’s new play returns to the Lyttelton. A humorous, deeply moving and timely look at art, class and politics. COTTESLOE THEATRE MRS AFFLECK Samuel Adamson’s new play takes Ibsen’s ‘Little Eyolf’ as the inspiration for a passionate and tragic tale of obsessive love, set in 1950 England. DIDO, QUEEN OF CARTHAGE The wit and sheer poetry of Christopher Marlowe’s first play is set on the shores of Carthage and tells the story of Dido and Aeneas. NATIONAL THEATRE South Bank, SE1 (020 7452 3000) TAMING OF THE SHREW The Royal Shakespeare Company present Conall Morrison’s iconoclasic take on one of Shakespeare’s most problematic comedies. Mon-Sat at 19.15. Mats Thurs & Sat at 13.00. NOVELLO THEATRE Aldwych, WC2 (0870 950 0935) M A G A Z I N E
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COMPLICIT Oscar winning actor, Richard Dreyfuss, stars in world premiere of Joe Sutton’s new play, directed by Kevin Spacey. A powerful play which explores our current political climate. Mon-Sat at 19.30. Wed & Sat at 14.30. Ends 21 Feb. OLD VIC The Cut, SE1 (0870 060 6628) THE MOUSETRAP Agatha Christie’s whodunnit is the longest running play of its kind in the history of the British theatre. Mon-Sat at 19.30. Mats Tues at 15.00 & Sat at 16.00. ST MARTIN’S THEATRE West Street, WC2 (0870 162 8787) ENTERTAINING MR SLOANE Originally staged in 1964, Joe Orton’s wickedly biting comedy stars Imelda Staunton and Mathew Horne. Evgs at 19.30. Mats Thurs & Sat at 14.30. TRAFALGAR STUDIOS Whitehall, SW1 (0870 060 6632) ON THE WATERFRONT Best known as the multi-Oscar winning film starring Marlon Brando, a major production directed by and starring Steven Berkoff with a 12 strong ensemble and his trademark style of bold physical theatre. Mon-Sat at 19.45. Mats Thurs at 14.30, Sat at 15.00. THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET Haymarket, SW1 (0870 400 0626) WOMAN IN MIND Alan Ayckbourn’s most personal and powerful play which tells the mesmerising tale of a woman’s struggle with her imagination. Evgs at 19.45. Mats Wed & Sat at 15.00. VAUDEVILLE THEATRE Strand, WC2 (0870 890 0511) TWELFTH NIGHT Shipwrecked and fearing her twin brother dead, Viola is swept onto the shores of Illyria. Shakespeare’s comedy of cross-dressing and mistaken identity, with Derek Jacobi as Malvolio in this Donmar Warehouse production. Tues-Sat at 19.30; Mats Weds & Sat at 14.30. Sun at 15.00. WYNDHAM’S THEATRE Charing Cross Road, WC2 (0870 950 0925) continued on page 22 I S
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MUSICALS JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic family musical based on the Biblical story of the errant son and his jealous brothers. Includes the hit song, ‘Any Dream Will Do.’ Mon, Wed-Sat at 19.30, Mats Wed & Sat at 15.00. ADELPHI THEATRE Strand, WC2 (0870 403 0303) DIRTY DANCING Based on the ‘80s movie, this famous tale involves a daddy’s girl and a dance instructor at a New York holiday resort during the long, hot summer of 1963. Evgs at 19.30. Mats Fri & Sat at 15.00. ALDWYCH THEATRE Aldwych, WC2 (0870 4000 704) WICKED THE MUSICAL Hit Broadway story of how a clever, misunderstood girl with emerald green skin and a girl who is beautiful and popular turn into the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch in the Land of Oz. Evgs at 19.30. Mats Wed & Sat at 14.30. APOLLO VICTORIA THEATRE Wilton Rd, SW1 (0870 161 1977) CHICAGO A dazzling mixture of sinuous bodies, tough broads, murder and fickle fame, the Ebb-Fosse musical goes from strength to strength in this monochrome production. Mon-Thurs at 20.00. Fri at 17.00 & 20.30. Sat at 15.00 & 20.00. CAMBRIDGE THEATRE Earlham Street, WC2 (0870 890 1102)
WE WILL ROCK YOU A unique collaboration between the legends of rock and Ben Elton, reflecting the scale and spectacle that marked Queen’s live performances. Mon-Sat at 19.30. Mats Sat at 14.30. Extra show last Wed of month at 14.30. DOMINION THEATRE Tottenham Court Rd, W1 (0870 169 0116) ZORRO THE MUSICAL Inspired by Isabel Allende’s bestseller ‘Zorro – A Novel’, this musical retells the dramatic story of the wealthy caballero and master swordsman in Spanish California, who defends the people against injustice — to the beat of the Gypsy Kings. Evgs at 19.30. Mats Thurs & Sat at 15.00. GARRICK THEATRE Charing Cross Road, WC2 (0870 890 1104) I S
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THE LION KING Disney‘s phenomenally successful animated film is transformed into a spectacular stage musical, a superb evening of visual delight. Tues-Sat at 19.30. Mats Weds & Sat at 14.00. Sun at 15.00. LYCEUM THEATRE Wellington Street, WC2 (0870 243 9000) THRILLER – LIVE Spectacular, high octane show celebrating the career of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5. Tues-Sat at 20.00. Sat at 16.00. Sun at 15.30 & 19.30. LYRIC THEATRE Shaftesbury Avenue, W1 (0870 890 1107) STOMP This British theatrical sensation has enthralled audiences across the world with its combination of theatre, dance, comedy and percussion. Mon, Thur-Sat at 20.00. Mats Thur & Sat at 15.00. NEW AMBASSADORS West Street, WC2 (020 7369 1761) AVENUE Q An unholy comedic alliance of humans and puppets tells the story of life on the wrong side of the tracks in this Tony Award-winning musical by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx. Mon-Thur at 20.00; Fri at 17.30 & 20.30; Sat at 17.00 & 20.30. NOEL COWARD St Martin's Lane, WC2 (0870 850 9175)
SUNSET BOULEVARD A new and intimate production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s highly acclaimed musical, which opened at the Adelphi Theatre in 1993 and ran for almost four years and played to nearly two million people. Mon-Sat at 19.30. Wed & Sat at 14.30. COMEDY THEATRE Panton Street, SW1 (0870 060 6637)
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THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Long running epic romance by Andrew Lloyd Webber, set behind the scenes of a Paris opera house, where the deformed phantom stalks his prey. Mon-Sat at 19.30. Mats Tues & Sat at 14.30. HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE Haymarket, SW1 (0870 890 1106)
BLOOD BROTHERS Willy Russell’s powerful musical about twins from Liverpool, separated at birth, whose paths cross in friendship and finally in bloodshed. Mon-Sat at 19.45. Mats Thurs at 15.00 & Sat at 16.00. PHOENIX THEATRE Charing Cross Road, WC2 (0870 060 6629) GREASE THE MUSICAL Inimitable slice of 50s Americana, bursting with denim, cheerleaders and well-oiled quiffs. MonThur at 19.30; Fri 17.30 & 20.30; Sat at 15.00 &19.30. PICCADILLY THEATRE Denman Street, W1. (0870 060 0123) LA CAGE AUX FOLLES Major revival of the classic Jerry Herman musical, which became the biggest new American musical of the decade when it opened on Broadway in 1983. A timeless and deliciously funny tale of family values and the need to be proud of who we are, and where life is never a drag! Mon-Sat at 19.30. Mats Thurs & Sat at 14.30. PLAYHOUSE Northumberland Ave, WC2 (0870 060 6631)
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JERSEY BOYS Rags to riches tale of four blue collar kids working their way from the streets of Newark to the heights of stardom as Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Features such hits as ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ and ‘Sherry’. Evgs at 19.30. Mats Tues & Sat at 14.30. PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE Old Compton Street, W1 (0870 850 9191) MAMMA MIA Hit musical based on the songs of ABBA, set around the story of a mother and daughter, on the eve of the daughter’s wedding. Mon-Thur at 19.30. Fri at 17.00 & 20.30. Sat at 15.00 & 19.30. PRINCE OF WALES THEATRE Old Compton Street, W1 (0870 850 0393) LES MISERABLES Much praised and spectacularly staged version of Victor Hugo’s epic novel. Mon-Sat at 19.30. Mats Weds & Sat at 14.30. QUEENS THEATRE Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2 (0870 950 0930) CAROUSEL The story of the love affair between Billy Bigelow, a smooth-talking carousel barker, and Julie Jordan, a naïve young mill worker, the show is set to one of the most ravishing and celebrated scores of all time, including The Carousel Waltz, If I Loved You, June is Bustin’ Out All Over and You’ll Never Walk Alone. Mon-Sat at 19.30. Mats Thurs & Sat at 14.30. SAVOY THEATRE Savoy Court, WC2 (0870 164 8787) HAIRSPRAY THE MUSICAL Tracy Turnblad, the big girl with the big hair and an even bigger heart goes from 60s style dance show to a downtown rhythm and blues record shop in this musical based on the John Waters movie. Evgs at 19.30. Mats Thurs & Sat at 15.00. SHAFTESBURY THEATRE Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2 (020 7379 5399) OLIVER! Cameron Mackintosh’s revival of Lionel Bart’s classic musical, starring Rowan Atkinson as ‘Fagin’, along with a ‘Nancy’ and ‘Oliver’ chosen by the British public. Mon-Sat at 19.30. Mats Wed & Sat at 14.30. THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE Catherine Street, WC2 (0870 890 1109) BILLY ELLIOT - THE MUSICAL The hit British film is transformed into a thrilling stage musical by its original director, Stephen Daldry, with music by Elton John. Mon-Sat at 19.30. Mats Thurs & Sat at 14.30. VICTORIA PALACE Victoria Street, SW1 (0870 895 5577)
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