December 19: Last chance
to see Still Life in 20th Century Italy. An overview of the still life genre in
Italy between 1914 and 1960 when there were innumerable schools, personalities and
influences at work from Morandi's great enthusiasm for the subject to its rejection by the
Futurists - who considered it a Northern European 'export' fundamentally alien to
Mediterranean culture. The exhibition follows the fortunes of the genre in works by
Balla, Carrà, Casorati, de Chirico, de Pisis, Rosai, Pannaggi, Pirandello, Severini and
others at The Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art in Islington..
December 15: Disney
and Cameron Mackintosh hold hands in this children's skip-along, sing-along spectacular,
Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre, London W!. But how will it fare and
compare to the best loved movie?
December 15: Flying
in from foreign parts, this is the start of the short Xmas season of Pam Ann at the Soho
Theatre on Dean Street. Perfect seasonal entertainment to keep you in the party
spirit!
December 14-20: The
best of equestrian at the annual London International Horse Show at Olympia.
December 11. A
pre-Christmas treat and a chance to bet on the horses at the Gold Cup, at Cheltenham
Racecourse.
December 8: Don't miss the
very entertaining Varsity Rugby Match at Twickenham. Who will you support?
Oxford or Cambridge?
December 7: Absolutely
fab, Chaplin Operas at the QEH on the South Bank. Silent movies with the London
Sinfonietta live. My idea of real entertainment!
December 6, 2004 - January
6, 2005; Fashion designer Matthew Williamson has designed a decadent Christmas tree that
will decorate the V&A's stunning Grand Entrance over Christmas 2004.
December 4: BLACK
TIE & DIAMONDS WINTER BALL at The Hotel Inter-Continental, Park Lane, London for a
Rare Sighting of the Mercedes Benz CLS Coupe ° Laurent-Perrier Champagne Reception °
Orla Kiely table gifts plus an auction and draw. Table of 12 costs £1500 or an
individual ticket for £140. A portion of the profits will be used to give a better
Christmas to children through The London Irish Women's Centre. The remainder will be
distributed to non-sectarian, non-denominational charities in Ireland and U.K. Call +44020
7378 8373 for more info.
December 2 to January 15,
2005: Illuminating the Past: Stained Glass 1200-1550 Sam Fogg (15d Clifford Street, London
W1) presents a stunning exhibition of some forty pieces of medieval stained glass from
Austria, England, France and Germany. The highlight will be two magnificent and very rare
Austrian panels, until now completely unknown, depicting the Baptism of Christ and the
Adoration of the Magi, circa 1290-1310, which would have been made for a great church or
cathedral. They are the most important stained glass panels to appear on the market in a
generation. The exhibition illustrates the developing style of glass and not only
demonstrate the great technical advancements in the art of glazing but also reflect the
broader social, religious, political and economic changes which took place over a 350-year
period.
December 1: Prize winning
work by leading illustrators will be on display at the V&A as part of this year's
V&A Illustration Awards, the UK's top awards for book and editorial illustration.
November 30-December 5:
Described by the The Observer newspaper 'as the great new hope of the dance world'
Akram Kahn performs 'ma'. Accompanied by musicians and a singer, this is performance
at its best.
November 30: Last
chance to see the culmination of the Bicentenary celebrations of the Royal Watercolour
Society at the Bankside Gallery. 32 works on exhibit and some 90 works on
sale...... so well worth a visit.
Novmber 27: Moscow City
Ballet with the Moscow Ballet Orchestra perform the seasonal Nutcracker for one night only
at the Hackney Empire.
November 25-27: All the
way from York to Cheltenham, the 1200 mile Revival Rally is your chance to spot those cars
in action.
November 25: Moscow City
Ballet with the Moscow Ballet Orchestra perform Sleeping Beauty for one night only at the
Hackney Empire.
November 25 - January 30,
2005: Somerset House Ice Rink is open for action in the beautiful setting of the open
courtyard on the Strand.
November 24: Robert
Delamere will direct the world première of Peter Whelan's The Earthly Paradise.
Previewing from November 18 the show at the highly acclaimed Almedia theatre in Islington
runs until 8 January 8, 2005.
November 22: As
tickets for Chelsea Flower Show 2005 go on sale, organiser the Royal Horticultural Society
(RHS) has made plans to open the show for an extra day, offering visitors more choice of
tickets and a more comfortable show experience. The world famous show, held annually in
the grounds of the Royal Hospital, takes place on May 24 -28, 2005. For tickets -
which must be booked in advance - call +44 870 906 3781
November 21: Sheila
Hancock in conversation with Sandi Toksvig talks about her life with her husband, actor
John Thaw and her new book 'The two of us - My life with John Thaw at the Richmond
Theatre , 7.00pm.
November 20: Last
chance to se Alan Bennet's The Lady in the Van starring Susan Hampshire at the charming
Richmond Theatre in Richmond!
November 18 - July 31,
2005: Avante-Garde Porcelain from Revolutionary Russia is the latest in offer at the
hermitage Rooms in Somerset House. Always a treat!
November 9: The best
show on Broadway opens its doors in London with Richard Dreyfuss and Lee Evans in the
starring 'Producers' roles at the Drury Theatre.
November 4 to end April
2005: "Calamity Unparalleled: Order Out of Chaos". Florence Nightingale in the
Crimea. A special exhibition marking the 150th anniversary of Florence Nightingale and the
Crimean War at The Florence Nightingale Museum, St Thomas¹ Hospital 2 Lambeth Palace Road
London SE1
November 2-6: Ballet
Rambert at Sadler's Wells.
October 26 to January 23,
2005: Hungary's Heritage: Princely Treasures from the Esterházy Collection at Somerset
House on the Strand is a must for those with eyes for the bright and the beautiful. .
Cupids, gifts of gold cups from the Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, bejewelled Turkish
daggers and pieces associated with Matthias Corvinus, Hungary's greatest king, all drawn
from the Esterházy Treasury make up this dazzling exhibition.
October 22-23: A
revival of the consuming dance piece, Bones in Pages by Saburo Teshigawara at the QEH,
Royal Festival Hall, South Bank and set against 100 books and 100 shoes and a live crow on
stage throughout.
October 22:
Award-winning Broadway show, The producers preview from October 22, and opens November 9
starring Richard Dreyfuss and Lee Evan s at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. A show
stopper and early booker!
October 20 - November 4:
This year's London Film Festival will have to work hard to beat the great selection
of films in 2003. But for film lovers... we expect nothing less from Britain
best film fest!
October 15-18: And now for
something a little different. MWPROJECTS at the Frieze Art Fair 2004 in Regents
Park, London 'show up' with a large sculptural installation and performance during the
three days leading up to the Frieze Art Fair 2004. The Fair features 150 of the world's
top galleries showing the work of over 1,000 young artists and is London's largest
contemporary art show.
October 15-16: Sidi Larbi
Cherkaoui & Les Ballets C de la B at the QEH, Royal Festival Hall, South Bank.
This is one of my very favorite contemporary dance companies and one of my recommendations
for this season's season.
October 14 - February 13,
2005: If you like drawings - particularly life drawings - then don't miss 'The Bone
Beneath the Pulp' , drawings by Wyndham Lewis at Somerset House.
October 14 - January 9,
2005: A small show of two masterpieces: Manet's 'Le Déjeuner' and 'A Bar at
the Follies Bergère'. See Manet Face to Face at Somerest House.
October 14- 17: World
Match Play Golf at Wentworth.
October 9: Stiff Little
Fingers (a blast from the past) play Ocean in Hackney. Doors open at 7.00pm
October 7: The
opening of the Black British Style at the V&A. This will be the first exhibition
in the UK to explore the style and fashion of black people in Britain and their impact on
British culture over the past 50 years. Focusing on dress, fashion and styling across all
aspects of black British culture and life, the exhibits include the black dress from the
1950s, Sunday dressing for church, contemporary street style and fashion from black
music and dance. Don't miss Mis-Teeq's outfits from their 'Scandalous' single and a
selection of trainers from Goldie's private collection; an elegant 'arrival' outfit worn
by Dr Beryl Gilroy when she emigrated to Britain in 1952; and a 'Free Angela Davis'
t-shirt. Should be fab - particularly the featured photographs and film footage!
October 5-9: Merce
Cunnigham at the Barbican.
October 5-6: Autumn Fruit
and Veg alongside Ornamental Plants make this flower show at the RHS Horticultural Halls
in Westminster a little bit more 'appetising' than some of the rest!
October 3: Watch the
great and the good and the not so young play Superset Tennis at Wembley Arena.
October 2004:
Through October 2004, the National Army Museum commemorates the 150th anniversary of the
Crimean War with an exhibit entitled: A Most Desperate Undertaking: The British Army in
the Crimea, 1854-1856. The museum located on Royal Hospital Road, London SW3 is open
daily between 10.00am and 5.30pm.
September 20: Michael
Attenborough directs the world première of Giles Havergal's dramatisation of Graham
Greene's classic novel, Brighton Rock. With original music by John Barry and lyrics by Don
Black, Brighton Rock opens at the Almeida, Islington on September 20 and will run through
November 13. Designs are by Lez Brotherston, with lighting by Tim Mitchell, musical
direction and arrangements by Steven Edis, choreography by Karen Bruce, sound by John
Leonard and fights by Terry King.
September 19: Last
chance to see The BP Portrait Award and Travel Award exhibition at the National Portrait
Gallery. The winner of the BP Portrait Award 2004 is Stephen Shankland for The
Miracle - a portrait of Stephen’s wife Kelly and son Connor, who was born prematurely
in January 2003. Doctors thought Connor might not live through the night but he is now a
healthy 17 month-old child. (fyi.The winner of the BP Travel Award goes to Darvish
Fakhr for his proposal to travel to Iran and paint portraits of local people in the old
Persian bazaar.)
September 17: The
cricket season draws to a close as the teams fight it out for the final of the ICC
Champions Trophy at the Oval.
September 15: Finds
the opening of the latest Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. We wait with baited breath
for the Woman in White at the Palace Theatre, London.
September 14-15: The
Great Autumn Flower Show is all things autumn and much more at the RHS Horticultural Halls
in Westminster.
September 13 - November 5:
What could be more English than an exhibition of original Flower Fairies
watercolours by Cicely Mary Barker at the RHS Lindley Library Vincent Square, London.
September 12: Last
chance to see the masterpieces in the exhibition at the National Gallery, "Russian
Landscapes in the Age of Tolstoy".
September 11: The Great
River Race offers city workers a chance to swap their mouse for a paddle as 17-man teams
(16 paddlers and 1 drummer) compete in a 22-mile Dragon Boat Race in aid of Macmillan
Cancer Relief.
September 10: Stuff
Happens previews from September 1 and opens on September 1o at the National Theatre.
David Hare provides his take on Bush in the build-up to the US elections.
Review to follow.
September 9: First
night (or catch the previews) of this show from Tim Robbins LA Actors Gang. No doubt
an acerbic analysis of the Bush Government! Review to follow.
September 3-25: First
Night of The Elephant Vanishes at the Barbican performed by the brilliant Complicite.
Review to follow.
September 1-15:
Controlled Democracy is an exhibition in response to Putin calling for 'recentralization'
in response to the the 'wild' market capitalism in new Russia. A fascinating exhibit
to be seen and 'considered' at the White Space Gallery, Vere Street, London W1.
August 30: Last
chance to see *** SHHH...... a journey through the V&A featuring new music by an
eclectic mix of leading musicians and artists who have created work inspired by the
objects and spaces in the museum. The exhibition features work by Gillian Wearing,
Cornelius, David Byrne, Elisabeth Fraser, Faultline, Jane and Louise Wilson, Jeremy
Deller, Leila Arab, Roots Manuva and Simon Fisher Turner. Visitors are invited to pick up
a set of headphones and follow a trail of sounds through the galleries of the V&A.
August 21-30:
Sometimes it's worth the trip outside of London to one of England's finest castles.
Arundel Castle Has 10 days of music, theatre and much more, perfectly located in West
Sussex on the South Coast.
August 18, 19, 22, 23, 25
and 26: The material girl return to plaid as her latest world tour makes a stop-over at
Wembley Arena. Madonna at her very best!
August 1: For an afternoon
treat join Michael Horovitz and guests for a unique celebration of the life and work of
poet and painter William Blake. Music, poetry and commentary starring performance poet
Patience Agbabi, folksinger/songwriter Shusha Guppy, playwright-poet Barnard Kops, and
musicians Peter Lemer and Michael Lukes, as well as jazz poetry from blues
poet-songwriter-singer-kazooist Horovitz.
July 30-31: The 5th annual
designer Village Fete at the V&A will see some of the best of British design. The
line-up this year includes stalls by Carl Clerkin & Gitta Gschwendtner, Bump, Daniel
Eatock and many more of the latest design talent around. A star prize in the goodie-laden
tombola will be an exclusive edra Favela chair by Brazil's hottest design duo, the Campana
Brothers. And Saturday's 'dress as a design icon' children's fancy dress competition
will be a spectacle in itself - past winners include Noah the Arne Jacobsen mixer tap and
Georgie the Sony Walkman. Friday Late 30 July, 6.30 - 10pm and Saturday 31 July, 1-5pm.
July 30: Long distance
legend Haile Gebrselassie is set for a glittering farewell to British track action when he
competes at the Norwich Union London Grand Prix on July 30. The last major event
before Athens, the two-times Olympic champion plans to run his last ever track race on
these shores at the Crystal Palace meeting before stepping up to the marathon after the
Olympics.
July 25, August 8 and 22:
Notes from New York at the Covent Garden Donmar Warehouse brings Paul Spicer and
Julie Atherton back to the West End alongside newcomer Christine Holman to headline the UK
and European première of Little by Little, a musical about love, friendship, hormones and
sex. The show examines the ever-blurred boundaries between friendship and love - (how
modern!) - as three young adults discover hidden depths to their seemingly straightforward
relationships in this fun-fuelled musical full of youthful passion and libidinous longing.
July 21 - 8 August:
For fans of the award winning mind reader Marc Salem, an opportunity to come under his
spell. Salem brings his one-man show Marc Salem's Mind Games to London's Tricycle
Theatre (Kilburn) for 24 performances. Plenty of opportunity to explore the
'paranormal'!
July 21-25: The RHS
Flower Show at Tatton Park in Cheshire is a somewhat more sedate affair that its London
rivals, and it does provide a great day out for fabulous flower fans!
July 18: Last chance to
see the V&A's first major exhibition of the work of Vivienne Westwood. The show
has been extended for one week.
July 17: The
one and only performance from the one and only Pavarotti in the delightful location
of Leeds Castle which - for your information - is located not too far from central London.
July 15: And here's to
you, Simon and Garfunkel as you return to the London stage in Hyde Park.
July 10 -11, 2004: A
build-up to the Athena Olympics as women pentathletes compete in the London Pentathlon in
and around Greenwich.
