ARTS&CULTURE The Thrill of Love St James Theatre
ACROSS THE POND With Alex Sloane
Until 4 May
Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain, received the ultimate punishment for murdering her unfaithful lover. This gripping new play written by Amanda Whittington and directed by James Dacre, tells the story of single mother and nightclub worker Ruth; she dreamt of fame and stardom and it came to her in the most unexpected way imaginable. 12 Palace Street, SW1, 0844 264 2140; stjamestheatre.co.uk
PAUL MITCHELL
ANDREW BILLINGTON
New York Vanguard
Alfie Boe Royal Albert Hall
8-9 April Heralded as ‘The Nation’s Tenor’ Alfie Boe returns to the capital as part of his largest UK tour yet. With five best-selling albums under his belt as well as a critically acclaimed run as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables Boe’s two day engagement at the Royal Albert Hall is sure to be spectacular. Kensington Gore, SW7, 0845 401 5045; royalalberthall.com
RE:ASSEMBLY The Serpentine Gallery
17-21 April An exhibition by sound art collective, Ultra-red, that has been four years in the making, this unusual and inspiring opera takes place over a number of locations surrounding St Marylebone Church of England School. The thought-provoking collaboration between the collective, and the students and teachers, seeks to explore the relationship between the school and the community, and the issues faced by the children themselves. Kensington Gardens, W2, 020 7402 6075; serpentinegallery.org
One of the things that excites and interests me most about New York’s art scene is how the city is somewhere in which youth and innovation can flourish indeterminate of the art market. Armory Week is a case in point. While The Armory Show itself remains a bastion of market driven work and artists, new fairs like Volta NY, Independent and Spring/Break Art Show give emerging artists and non-commercial work, the chance to be exalted. I am also fortunate to know some exceptional people through my own projects. Attending the opening of I Killed my Father, I Ate Human Flesh, I Quiver with Joy, curated by InvisibleExports at Allegra LaViola Gallery, it was an honour to see Leigha Mason’s new film Spit Banquet exhibited alongside the work of incendiary British art legend, Genesis Breyer P-Orridge. Furthermore, that artists like Marie Karlberg, who I exhibited at the artist-run project space 1:1 (1to1ny. com), featured in the Sunday Sessions event at MoMA PS1 last month, encourages me to think that landmark institutions (and not just independent galleries and fairs) are embracive of the challenges and visions of the noncommercial vanguard. alexsloane.com
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