A long awaited exhibition on former Bauhaus teacher Paul Klee takes place at Tate Modern this October and the Frieze Art Fair draws the world's most influential art buyers to Regent's Park. Further highlights include the BFI Film Festival, the London Restaurant Festival and an exhibition on the Male Nude at the Wallace Collection.
Best known in the UK for their 'Powerless Structures, Fig 101' sculpture - the boy on the rocking horse in Trafalgar Square - Scandinavian contemporary artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset have been commissioned by the Victoria & Albert Museum to create a major site-specific installation in the museum's former Textile Galleries. The domestic interior of a fictional architect will be the setting for a new film drama, played out alongside objects from the museum's collection. Elmgreen & Dragset are known for their witty satirical approach, often staging paradoxical scenarios that challenge and sometimes shock. We'll have to wait until Tomorrow to see if that's the case with their latest work.
Sarah Lucas, the Young British Artist who famously set up a shop on Bethnal Green Road with Tracey Emin, is the subject of a major solo exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery in the autumn of 2013. A participant in the landmark YBA exhibitions, 'Freeze' in 1988, and 'Sensation' in 1997, Lucas is widely regarded as one of Britain's leading sculptors, using inanimate objects to create her artworks. In this display iconic works including 'Unknown Soldier' (2003), 'Two Fried Eggs and a Kebab' (1992), 'Au Naturel' (1994), and the more recent 'Bunny' series are presented alongside new works including a tailor-made commission created especially for the Whitechapel Gallery.
Exploring the history of attacks on art in Britain, Art Under Attack demonstrates how religious, political, moral and aesthetic controversy can become platforms for assaulting art. Using paintings, sculpture, objects and archive material the exhibition highlights the history of physical attacks on art in Britain from the 16th century to the present day including works by Thomas Johnson, Edward Burne-Jones, Gustav Metzger, Yoko Ono and Jake and Dinos Chapman. Included in the display will be the pre-Reformation, Statue of the Dead Christ, circa 1500-20, loaned from the collection of the Worshipful Company of Mercers. The Tate Britain exhibition examines how, over the centuries, the desire to break art has been accompanied by the want to make it and how some modern and contemporary artists use destruction as a driving creative force.
Some photographers wait for weeks in order to catch that one great action shot, some set up elaborate timing mechanisms; others have simply seen an opportunity, grabbed a camera and produced a unique picture of the natural world. Canadian Paul Nicklen, last year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year, snorkelled motionless in freezing water in the Antarctic while waiting for the perfect shot of an emperor penguin colony. The annual exhibition at the Natural History Museum consistently shows fresh perspectives on animals, insects, plants and landscapes - capturing brilliantly across a number of categories the most colourful and heart-warming collection of images on display in the capital.
Choreographer and dancer Benjamin Millepied (married to actress Natalie Portman), brings his LA Dance Project, an artist collective co-founded in 2012, to perform their UK premiere - a mixed bill of new works by Millepied and Justin Peck alongside William Forsythe's Quintett - at Sadler's Wells. When the company made its premiere in LA's Disney Hall last year the LA Weekly review noted the, "six exceptional men and women, each with a charismatic and distinct personality" who "all exhibited the explosive energy that Millepied favors". Having choreographed and starred in Darren Aronofsky's award-winning feature film Black Swan (in which Portman also starred), Millepied takes up a new post as Director of Dance at the Paris Opera Ballet in September 2014.
Using inventive but deceptively simple staging, three actors and a musician play 15 characters to create a politically charged take on Hamlet that exposes the plight of the thousands of Bolivians who leave their rural homes for the city in hope of a better life. This physical and stunningly visual production, performed by three actors and a musician who play 15 characters, is brought to the Barbican by acclaimed South American company Teatro de los Andes which makes its first visit to the UK as part of the CASA Latin American Theatre Festival.
The Big Draw takes place nationwide throughout the month of October and museums, galleries, heritage sites, libraries, schools and parks all play host to a variety of events encouraging people of all ages to discover how drawing can connect them with their surroundings and communities. Put together by the Campaign for Drawing, a charity which aims to eradicate the words, "I can't draw", The Big Draw is one of the world's largest drawing festivals and more than 1,000 venues typically take part - last year 22 countries joined the UK in organising events. In the past, London institutions like the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Wellcome Collection, the British Library and Discover children's centre have all hosted events so there's a good chance something will be going on at a venue near you.
The London Restaurant Festival is a celebratory and all-encompassing food affair, showcasing a huge variety of events at venues across the capital. The annual festival takes place during October and incorporates over 800 different restaurants from around the capital. The Gourmet Odyssey is a hugely popular feature, taking diners to three top restaurants to sample a different course at each. Or you can take the Tapas Tour of London's top tapas bars - Fernandez & Wells, Copita and Barrica, El Pirata, El Pirata Detapas and Ametsa with Arzak Instruction included. Added to these are the Cicchetti Trails which take in the best Spanish, Italian and Japanese food and take place over the weekends of the festival. Some of London's finest foodies are taking part in the festival including Angela Hartnett, Theo Randall, Mark Sargeant and Jason Atherton. And there's a special Eat Film at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly event hosted by Jonathan Ross.
Shunga refers to a group of sexually explicit painting, prints and illustrations that were produced in Japan between 1600 and 1900 and the British Museum examines the part these images play in the country's social and cultural history in this temporary and explicit exhibition. The images range from being funny, tender or beautiful and include depictions of sex between humans and animals which explains the age restriction - anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. The exhibition aims to reveal what shunga actually is and how it has influenced Japanese art and culture as well as European artists like Toulouse-Lautrec, Rodin and Picasso.
Dance Umbrella has been bringing new dance experience to London since 1978 and in 2013 the festival celebrates its 35th anniversary. It's also the last year Betsy Gregory will serve as Artistic Director of Dance Umbrella having completed 16 years in the role. One of the world's leading dance festivals, Dance Umbrella presents a range of affordable and many free-to-view events taking place in unique places and showcasing exciting new and established talent. The 18-day programme of contemporary dance is concentrated in King's Cross and Stratford and includes theatre performances, outdoor events, talks and installations. Robyn Orlin & East London Dance artists present a fun weekend at Stratford Circus, Shobana Jeyasingh Dance perform TooMortal at St Pancras Church, and Freddie Opoku-Addaie is just one of the performers appearing in the purpose built performing arts centre at Central Saint Martins' College.
Originating in New York City in 2000, the Bicycle Film Festival has become a firm fixture in the London calendar and returns for its tenth season in 2013. As well as a programme of short films and documentaries, screened at the Barbican Centre, the festival celebrates the bicycle through a series of quirky events including Roller Racing, the annual Bike Polo tournament, BMX jams, bike rides and interactive activities. With Bradley Wiggins's Tour de France win and last summer's excitement in the Velodrome still fresh in the mind, visitors to the 2013 Bicycle Film Festival could well reach record numbers.
The V&A holds one of the most important collections of textiles and fashion in the world, with around 104,000 items ranging from archaeological textiles to contemporary haute couture. The new Clothworkers’ Centre based at Blythe House will provide world class facilities for the care, study and enjoyment of this outstanding collection and will bring the V&A’s extensive textiles and fashion collection together under one roof for the first time. Designed by Haworth Tompkins Architects, it will provide a spacious new public study room, a seminar room, upgraded conservation studios and modern, custom built storage offering visitors and researchers increased access and improved facilities to study and enjoy this important collection.
This performance by the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra will be the first at Milton Court, the Guildhall School's brand new state of the art performance venue which includes a 608 seat concert hall, a 227 seat theatre, and a flexible studio theatre. Following this Friday night performance of Beethoven's 'Symphony No. 9 in D minor' played by alumni of the school, Milton Court's theatres will open with a Chekhov season with two of the Russian dramatist's major plays featuring actors in their final year.
Ether Festival
This eccentric festival celebrates innovation in music.
The Southbank Centre's eccentric 'Ether Festival' is an annual celebration of electronic music, innovation in music, art and cross-arts experimentation. The festival has evolved over the years, blending mainstream acts such as Brian Eno, David Byrne, Peaches and Royksopp, alongside little-known acts, oddball movements and even some classical artists. Technological pioneers and musical innovators past and present come together for a series of concerts, talks and strange collaborations that often baffle as much as they astound. Last year's schedule included the Mercury prize-nominated Ghostpoet, the Velvet Underground's John Cale, and a handful of events celebrating the 100th anniversary of experimental composer John Cage – not least, a dance performance with a cat.
Veteran soul songstress and TV personality Lulu performs her first London show in a decade at Under The Bridge in Fulham this October. The exclusive one-off show will see the much-loved Scottish singer perform a rock- and soul-influenced set including her debut hit 'Shout' and famous 1969 Eurovision anthem 'Boom Bang-a-Bang', and featuring music from a range of artists that have inspired her over the years such as Otis Redding, Al Green, Joe Cocker and Eric Clapton. At another rare performance in New York earlier in the year, "the wall-to-wall crowd couldn't get enough," according to the NY Times; Lulu now "can't wait to get on stage" with her band to perform songs that she grew up with and mean the most to her. A contemporary of Dusty Springfield and a pre-cursor to Adele, Lulu remains one of Britain's most famous musical exports who has influenced all in her wake.
Now in its sixth year, this popular half marathon takes in four of central London's best loved parks, an iconic stretch of the Thames and some of the capital's most famous landmarks. What's more, at 13.1 miles, it's a manageable run for those still daunted by the colossal feat of April's full marathon. Starting and finishing in Hyde Park, runners pass Buckingham Palace, St James's Park and the Houses of Parliament before following the river to Blackfriars Bridge and back. The next leg takes them under both the Admiralty and Wellington Arches, through Green Park, all around Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens before passing the Royal Albert Hall and across the finish line. An interesting fact: Kenyan middle distance ace John Muriithi won the inaugural run - wearing a rabbit mask. Ballot opens on 28th January 2013.
If you've ever seen the 1988 film Cocktail and wished you had the ability to mix and pour drinks with the style and rhythm that Tom Cruise does, then you're in for a treat at London Cocktail Week. Taking place at more than 100 cocktail bars across London, Cocktail Week offers cocktail lovers tasting sessions, tours, pop-up events, parties and masterclasses in the art of pouring the perfect concoction. Cocktail lovers simply have to purchase a wristband from the official website to be treated to a number of deals and bespoke drinks.
On the back of his second album 'Unorthodox Jukebox', American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars is coming to London's O2 as part of 'The Moonshine Jungle Tour'. Known for his exuberant stage presence and intriguing blend of pop, rock, reggae, R &B, and hip hop, audiences can expect impressive live versions of the chart-topping hits 'Just The Way You Are', 'Grenade' and 'The Lazy Song', as well as more recent songs 'Locked Out of Heaven' and 'When I Was Your Man'.
The first UK retrospective of a major body of work by the Delhi-based photographer, Dayanita Singh: Go Away Closer at the Hayward Gallery is the most important show of her works to date. It's a busy time for the photographer who returned to the Venice Biennale earlier in the year exhibiting her work alongside Ai Weiwei, Romuald Karmakar and Santu Mofokeng in the German pavilion. This October exhibition at the Hayward Gallery sees her exploring and challenging the boundaries and practice of photography as an artistic medium. The exhibition takes its name from her 2007 book, Go Away Closer, "a peerless production", according to the Financial Times who says, "no one is better than the Delhi-based photographer at hinting at labyrinths beyond the image in her lens".
Legendary comedy actress and author Jennifer Saunders launches her book Bonkers with a one-off appearance and a night of recollections at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall on Tuesday 8th October 2013. Best known as one half of comedy duo, French and Saunders, Jennifer has been one of the UK's most successful female comics for decades bringing much-loved characters like Edina in Absolutely Fabulous to our screens. She has also starred in the Comic Strip and Comic Relief, all of which is covered in her memoir which begins with her childhood on RAF bases where her father was a pilot.
Every October the BFI Southbank and selected cinemas across London host the BFI London Film Festival attracting Hollywood players and Indie film-makers from around the globe. In its 57th year the festival the 2013 programme opens and closes with films starring Tom Hanks. Maritime drama Captain Phillips opens the festival. Saving Mr Banks, a film about the making of Mary Poppins, starring Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as author PL Travers, draws the festival to a close on 20th October. Under new director Clare Stewart, the former Sydney Film Festival who took up the reigns in 2012, last year several new elements were introduced: as well as 225 films (including 14 world premieres) shown over 12 days, gala films and celebrity-studded ceremonies, there was a commendable amount of programme time given over to small independent films, foreign language cinema, documentary work, animation and BFI National Archive classics. An excellent film programme is enhanced by a number of correlating events, such as informal post-screening Q&As, guest appearances, workshops and masterclasses.
Vienna during its time as the capital of Austria-Hungary, from 1867 to 1918, is the subject of a major National Gallery exhibition in autumn 2013 which looks at the works of avant garde artists such as Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele and painter, draughtsman and lithographer Oskar Kokoschka. The period saw a flourishing of modern art in the city and The Portrait in Vienna will reveal how portraiture and how the avant-garde overthrew the traditional imperialist art from the time. The exhibition is divided into six sections including one which examines the use of the portrait to declare love and commemorate the dead, and a final section where unfinished works will be displayed.
Ten dancers perform against a backdrop devised by a collective of artists including lighting designer Lucy Carter and filmmaker Ravi Deepres in Atomos, the latest full-length work by cutting-edge contemporary choreographer and Sadler's Wells Associate Artist Wayne McGregor. Composers A Winged Victory For The Sullen provide the score, and costumes are by Studio XO, whose work includes wearable technologies and digital skins. The dance, which receives its world premiere at Sadler's Wells on 9th October 2013, is timed to coincide with an exhibition at the Wellcome Collection exploring McGregor's collaborative methods which runs from September to October.
Matthew Macfadyen (known for his television roles in Spooks and Ripper Street) and comedian and actor Stephen Mangan (Green Wing, Episodes) star as the clever valet Jeeves and his bungling, aristocratic master, Bertie Wooster, in Robert and David Goodale's comedy, Jeeves and Wooster: Perfect Nonsense Play. Based on and adapted from the writings of P G Wodehouse, the production is largely based on his 1938 book The Code of the Woosters, described by some critics as his best work, and is directed by Sean Foley. Once part of a double act himself, Foley together with Hamish McColl created the Olivier-winning Morecambe and Wise show, The Play What I Wrote, and last year was nominated for an Olivier for The Ladykillers. The play will open in London with a short run at Richmond Theatre from 10th to 19th October before transferring to the Duke of York's Theatre on 30th October 2013.
This 2014 World Cup qualifying clash could well be closer than most expect when you factor in Montenegro's impressive 6-0 away thrashing of San Marino. After all, Roy Hodgson's side only managed to net five goals against the Mediterranean minnows in their old back yard... Star striker Mirko Vucinic of Juventus could be the one to watch at Wembley.
American artist Kara Walker fills the Camden Arts Centre galleries with the process of her art in her first major solo exhibition in the UK. Intimate watercolours, large scale graphite drawings, printed text works and film installations are added to by a new cut paper piece which will be produced on-site. Walker's art is layered with images that reference history, literature, culture, and the darker aspects of human behaviour.
Leading designers, stylists, florists, cake makers, jewellers, and hair and beauty teams are here to give brides to-be all the advice and information they need at Brides The Show. The show, organised by Conde Nast Brides magazine, has everything you need to plan the big day, from gift lists to booking the band for your wedding. The mother of the bride, the groom and everyone in the wedding party can also get ideas for their outfits - as well as advice on booking the honeymoon and writing the speech. See a showcase of all the latest bridalwear trends on the catwalk, book bridal make-up lessons with the Bobbi Brown team, and see a huge variety of ideas on wedding menus, cakes, stationery, gift lists, venues and decorations, all under one roof in Battersea Park. You can also see the wedding dresses worn by Zara Phillips, Darcey Bussell, Coco Rocha and Joan Collins at The Iconic Wedding Dress Exhibition. For the ultimate VIP treatment, book in for the Preview Night on Friday 11th October and get a sneak peak of the show with a complimentary glass of champagne - your ticket also allows you re-entry to the show, either on Saturday or Sunday.
TICKET DISCOUNT OFFER - LondonTown.com readers can get a special 20% discount on tickets to the show. Simply enter the code 'PARTNER' when booking.
Besides some top notch TV crime thrillers, Scandinavia includes some of the most beautiful and stylish destinations in the world - and every October a slice of Nordic essence comes to London with this annual show. Tobacco Dock will be brimming with Finnish music, Danish food, Swedish dancing and much more. Scandinavia is home to many intriguing natural beauties, including Iceland's geothermal landscape, Norway's fjords and of course the Northern Lights, so head to this show for anything from Nordic tales to Swedish style.
This event has been resheduled from its original date in March. All tickets remain valid.
Jesus Christ Superstar returns to London! Arriving at The O2 as part of a UK tour, the rock musical written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber features Tim Minchin as Judus, Melanie Chisholm as Mary Magdalene and BBC Radio 1's Chris Moyles as King Herod. Winner of ITV's 'Superstar', Ben Forster, also returns in the starring role of Jesus, having been chosen by a panel of live show judges led by Lloyd Webber himself. One of the all-time great musicals and a spectacle that simply can't be missed. Book tickets now to see Jesus Christ Superstar at the O2.
The six authors shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize come together at the Southbank Centre to read from their books. The 2013 shortlist comprises literary stars Colm Toibin, Ruth Ozeki, NoViolet Bulawayo, Eleanor Catton, Jim Crace and Jhumpa Lahiri. This special evening event, chaired by renowned journalist and author Mark Lawson, offers a rare chance to see all six authors under one roof. The winner will be announced on 15th October 2013.
Comedian Alexander Armstrong (famously one half of comedy duo Armstrong & Miller, and host of TV quiz show Pointless) makes his cabaret debut at the inaugural London Festival of Cabaret, a month-long festival taking place at various venues including The Crazy Coqs, The Pheasantry, Soho Theatre and St James Theatre. The comic, who has always had an interest in music, will be performing with his band, playing a new show created especially for the festival - Celebrate The Great British Songbook which includes everything from Benjamin Britten to Spandau Ballet. Other well known acts appearing at the festival are Michael Feinstein who is joined by Elaine Paige and Julian Ovenden at the Palace Theatre, Kit and McConnel, Steve Ross, and musical star Janie Dee. There will also be free masterclasses from Maria Friedman and Barb Jungr, and a night celebrating emerging performers and songwriters.
The third week of October sees the nation celebrate one of womankind's (and some men's) great loves: chocolate. Chocolate Week is a nationwide celebration and London embraces this with a number of sickly sweet events across the city. Last year saw famed chocolatier Hotel Chocolat team up with The Botanist and The Chiswell Street Dining Rooms to offer 'choctails', Mexican restaurant Benito's Hat served a chocolate feast throughout the week, more chocolate cocktails were served at cabaret bar Volupte, and the finale of the week was ',Chocolate Unwrapped', - a two day festival that invited the world's top chocolatiers to display their finest work.
Given the amount of Poles in London, there should be quite a good turnout at Wembley Stadium for England's World Cup qualifying match against Poland. Let's hope it goes better for Roy Hodgson's side than the corresponding fixture in Warsaw last October: a waterlogged pitch saw the game postponed 24 hours before a jaded England were held to a limp 1-1 draw.
Tate Modern's major autumn exhibition is a long overdue solo exhibition dedicated to Paul Klee, the influential Swiss-born artist who taught at the Bauhaus school in Germany in the 1920s. The exhibition - the first in the UK in over a decade - reveals Klee as a unique artist whose "cold Romanticism" style - as he defined it in the catalogue of his first major solo exhibition in 1914 - drew on expressionism, cubism, and surrealism. Leaving behind his diaries and abundant correspondence, including his lectures 'Writings on Form and Design Theory', Klee's influential theories on modern art are still significant today.
This six day festival in swish Bloomsbury boasts more than 200 free cultural events taking place in the garden squares, museums, shops, pubs and other venues in the area. Celebrating the longstanding culture and arts community of the area in London made famous by the Bloomsbury Set of writers of the first half of the 20th century, the Bloomsbury Festival has a bit of everything for all ages. In 2013 Senate House becomes the Ministry of Communication for the duration of the festival, there are new After Work Sessions - including a masterclass in musicals from Sir Tim Rice, and Store Street will be shut to traffic on Saturday afternoon for the Shore Street Shindig street party. On Sunday enjoy jazz with gin cocktails, lawn games and afternoon refreshments at Bedford Square. And see some 'Extraordinary Moments in the Square' at the weekend-long event in Russell Square. Venues across Bloomsbury take part from well known institutions like The Foundling Museum, the Wellcome Collection, and the British Museum to more intimate pubs and galleries including the Harrison Arms, October Gallery, and One KX, part of Central YMCA.
The Birmingham Royal Ballet returns to Sadler's Wells this year with two contrasting evenings: The Sleeping Beauty and three short works from Artistic Director David Bintley. Audiences will meet a colourful host of animals who are seeking shelter from the storm in 'Still Life' at the Penguin Café. While Tombeaux is David Bintley's homage to classical ballet and E=mc² provides an exhilarating exploration of Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity through music in dance. In their production of the classic tale of The Sleeping Beauty, original choreography by Marius Petipa is set to Tchaikovsky's classical score. Book tickets for the Penguin Café Triple Bill/The Sleeping Beauty at Sadler's Wells today.
Over 70 objects relating to the American artist James Whistler go on display at the Dulwich Picture Gallery when it hosts an autumn exhibition of paintings from his first sojourn in the capital which began in 1859. The first major exhibition in London dedicated to this period of Whistler's life, 'Whistler in London: Battersea Bridge and the Thames' showcases paintings, etchings and drawings produced between 1859 and 1903 and includes many of his most famous scenes of London and the Thames. Familiar London landmarks include the River Thames, Chelsea, Battersea Bridge and Wapping, the painting of which Whistler kept secret from rivals such as Courbet for fear that his ideas would be stolen.
The first-ever international fair dedicated to modern and contemporary African art, 1:54 takes place at Somerset House during Frieze week with an area specially designed for the event by acclaimed Ghanaian-born British architect David Adjaye. Taking its name from the 54 countries on the continent, 1:54 will showcase modern African art, reflecting the diversity in artistic practices rooted in Africa. Bringing together more than 15 selected galleries representing over 70 artists, the contemporary African art fair promises to offer art buyers a cross-sectional insight into art from the world's second-largest and second-most-populous continent with curated exhibitions and discussions. Highlights include talks with Chris Dercon, Director of Tate Modern and with the fair's designer David Adjaye whose work includes the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo and the future home of the National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington DC. His London designs include the Whitechapel Idea Store, for which he was shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2006, the White Cube Gallery, Hoxton Square, and Rivington Place in Shoreditch. He was awarded an OBE for services to British architecture in 2007.
As the country's leading contemporary art fair, the Frieze Art Fair draws the world's most influential art buyers to Regent's Park each October. Specially commissioned art works are exhibited alongside curated exhibitions as well as the pieces for sale presented by 173 of the most highly respected contemporary art galleries in the world. Among the paintings and installations in Regent's Park there's an amazing jumble of the comical, the beautiful and the shocking. You can expect site-specific projects, short films, a prestigious talks programme and an artist-led education schedule all presented in a captivatingly chaotic atmosphere. It's packed into a vast temporary structure in the park with work by around 1,000 contemporary artists crammed in. 'Frieze Masters', a showcase of Old Masters and art up to the 20th century, is expected to return this year following its successful inaugural show last year. Click here to see our feature on events in London during Frieze Week.
Returning to Berkeley Square in Mayfair for a seventh year, the PAD London Art Fair, or Pavilion of Art & Design London if you prefer, brings together exceptional works of modern art, design, decorative arts, photography, jewellery and tribal art from 1860 to today. With 50 distinguished international exhibitors from Barcelona, Brussels, Cologne, Geneva, London, Milan, New York, Paris and Zurich, select galleries from around the world exhibit at this exclusive art fair each year. PAD London, which takes place at the same time as the 'Frieze' and 'Moniker' art fairs, helps to attract the world's most influential art buyers to London each October.
'Moniker' Art Fair returns in 2013 as a reminder of the international scope of street art and beyond. Putting east London on the art fair map the buying exhibition features works by international artists and challenges traditional conventions with a variety of gallery exhibits and further signature project spaces ready to whet the appetite. 'Moniker' has established a positive reputation among art collectors, critics and lovers alike with over 10,000 people attending. As well as the main art fair, 'Moniker Projects' commissions a series of off site projects including public artworks, film screenings and educational workshops, offering the public plenty of opportunities to get involved.
One of two Chekhov dramas to christen the new Milton Court theatres, 'The Seagull' is played out at the Milton Court Studio Theatre by final year actors from the Guildhall School, directed by Christian Burgess.
This exhibition concentrates on the German artist's journeyman years (1490-96), during which he travelled widely and was exposed to a range of new influences. The exhibition explores how Albrecht Durer reinvented artistic traditions through an ambitious new approach to the figure rooted in the study of his own body and features outstanding early works by Durer as well as rare drawings and prints by his contemporaries, many of which have never been seen in the United Kingdom.
Tamzin Outhwaite returns to Hampstead Theatre this autumn to star in the debut play by actor Simon Paisley Day, Raving, an intelligent comic study of modern parenting and matrimonial tribulations. The former EastEnder actress plays new mother Briony who, along with husband Keith, is treated to a relaxing weekend away from all the trials and tribulations of parenthood. Their friends, the delightful Ross and Rosy, organise the trip to Wales where there will be absolutely no children. But what should have been a peaceful getaway turns into total chaos as other characters come into the mix. Outhwaite previously appeared at the Hampstead Theatre in Di and Viv and Rose and has established her theatre credentials with acclaimed performances in Sweet Charity and Boeing Boeing, the 2007 French farce in which Mark Rylance also starred.
Featuring up to 150 masterworks from the Gold Museum in Bogota, Colombia, alongside pieces from the British Museum's own collection, this exhibition examines the ritual that lies behind the myth of El Dorado and the 'Lost City of Gold' that kept European explorers fascinated for more than two centuries. The legend of a lost city of gold in South America was in fact inspired by a ritual which took place at Lake Guatavita, near modern Bogota. The newly elected leader, covered in powdered gold, dived into the lake and emerged as the new chief of the Muisca people who lived in the central highlands of present-day Colombia's Eastern Range. Beyond El Dorado displays some of the fascinating objects excavated from the lake in the early 20th century including ceramics and stone necklaces dating back as far as 1600 BC.
The two-day WIRED conference hosted by the science and technology magazine, WIRED, aims to shed light on the people disrupting the status quo. A diverse line-up of high profile speakers in 2013, the third year event is being held in London, includes Bjork, Lang Lang, Dame Ellen MacArthur and Lord Martin Rees. Not just for IT boffins, the event attracts entrepreneurs, investors and key industry figures to Tobacco Dock for two days of seminars, workshops and talks. Packed with stimulating content, networking opportunities, savvy ideas and inspiring talks from 40 international speakers, WIRED explores the ideas, innovations and people that are reshaping the world - and typically attracts a sell-out crowd of 450 delegates. A wide range of topics is covered from science and politics to business and pop-culture. For those at the cutting edge of ideas, technology, culture and business, this is a must-attend event in the diary.
A great, neglected Verdi opera, Les Vepres Siciliennes is brought to the Royal Opera House for the first time in an imaginative new staging by Norwegian director Stefan Herheim who replaces 13th century Sicily with Paris in 1855. In a co-production with the Royal Danish Opera, Copenhagen, the lengthy performance, which lasts about 4 hours 30 minutes including two intervals, includes 32 dancers with four principals from The Royal Ballet dancing alongside four principals from The Royal Danish Ballet. Verdi's tale of revenge, family relations and patriotism is sung in French with English surtitles.
Following its successful debut last year Frieze Masters, a showcase of Old Masters and a spin-off of Frieze Art Fair, London's leading contemporary art fair, returns to London's Regents Park in October 2013. Located in a bespoke structure on Gloucester Green, to the north east of Regent's Park, it's a short walk from its contemporary sister event, and the two fairs together present a unique perspective on the relationship between old and new art. Frieze Masters present over 90 of the world's leading galleries, with 79 in the main section and 22 in Spotlight. A programme of talks accompanies the fair, bringing together leading international artists with the directors and curators of renowned historical and encyclopedic museums. As well as works by great artists like Warhol and Basquiat, Avedon and Hockney, Rubens and Picasso there will be a pair of monumental marble sculptures (estimated price £1.2 million) by the Italian sculptor and architect Giovanni Battista Foggini, displayed by Tomasso Brothers Fine Art.
For the fifth edition of The Other Art Fair the exhibition moves to a new venue: The Old Truman Brewery sharing the space with Moniker Art Fair. What's more, the fair will take place between 17th and 20th October 2013 - Frieze week, the busiest week in the UK's art calendar. So, a new venue but the original ethos remains the same: this is an art fair where unrepresented artists can showcase their pieces, and visitors can take something home without breaking the bank. Don't be mistaken though, you won't be presented with any old paintings; all the artists have been chosen specially by a selection of committee experts. In the past they have included iconic British light artist Chris Levine and Dazed & Confused editor Francesca Gavin. With more than one thousand pieces starting at £100 as well as many arty events such as curated walks and live music, this is more of an art experience than an art fair. In its new location, The Other Art Fair promises 100 artists and 1000s of artworks and brand new features, to be revealed soon.
In this major exhibition the Museum of London will use new research and state of the art technology to showcase the insights that the 'Cheapside Hoard' offers on Elizabethan and Jacobean London. Discovered in 1912, this extraordinary collection of 16th and early 17th century jewels and gemstones had been buried in a cellar on Cheapside, London. Now displaying the collection in its entirety for the first time in over a century, the museum will explore the mysteries behind the jewels that were lost among the cataclysmic events of the mid-17th century: who did the Hoard belong to, when and why was it hidden and why didn't anyone ever reclaim it?
It's 1931, nine young black men aged between 12 and 19 are travelling on a train through Scottsboro, looking for a new life. The Scottsboro Boys reveals how, at the end of the journey, their lives have been changed forever when they are falsely accused of rape, by two white women. John Kander and Fred Ebb's provocative musical drama, which has already played to sold out houses in Philadelphia, San Diego and San Francisco, received 12 Tony nominations. "One of the most stunning pieces of theatre I have ever seen" says Baz Bamigboye in the Daily Mail reviewing the original Broadway production directed by Susan Stroman who now brings the production to London's Young Vic this autumn.
Mozart's choral masterpiece crowns a sublime evening of his greatest works performed by the English Chamber Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall. Left unfinished at the time of his death, Mozart's enigmatic, seductive and deeply religious 'Requiem' is one of the most recognisable choral pieces in sacred music, with reverberations throughout modern day popular culture, from 'The Big Lebowski' to 'X-Men'. The programme also features the composer's 'Piano Concerto No. 21' with its famous three part 'Andante', and the lively but haunting 'Overture to Don Giovanni'.
Returning for a ninth year - and a second at the Barbican - 'Battle of Ideas' is a weekend of high level, thought-provoking public debate. Guest speakers exchange views on some of the biggest issues facing the world, covering a range of topical themes in a mixture of interactive talks, sessions and open discussions. Visitors are invited to do battle in a war of words in which free speech is the primary weapon.
The first play to be performed in the main theatre of Milton Court, the Guildhall School's new state of the art performance venue, Chekhov's 'The Three Sisters' features final year actors from the Guildhall School and is one of two of the Russian dramatist's major plays at the theatre; 'The Seagull' is performed at the smaller Milton Court Studio Theatre from 17th to 24th October. Wyn Jones directs.
Mark-Anthony Turnage's precocious first opera, Greek, returns to Linbury Studio Theatre at the Royal Opera House with all of its original cast from 2011, including Marcus Farnsworth who received critical acclaim as Eddy, the anti-hero. Greek is a raunchy re-write of the Oedipus myth set in London's East End. Michael McCarthy's production received the UK Theatre Award in 2011 for Outstanding Achievement in Opera. Greek is based on a play by Steven Berkoff. The wide frame of stylistic reference, ranging from rock and jazz to high-art, and vivid drama have turned Greek into a contemporary classic.
Fresh from its UK premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe physical theatre, BLAM! brings its incredible stunts, breathtaking physical feats and exhilarating parkour to Sadler's Wells Peacock Theatre. Performed by Neander, an award-winning Danish physical theatre company that has toured worldwide under the artistic direction of Kristjan Ingimarsson, BLAM! sets about transforming a dull workplace into an environment filled with superheroes and aliens and featuring stunts and acrobatics. BLAM! recently won one the Special Jury Prize at the Reumerts, Denmark's most prestigious theatre awards.
Ashley Page, former artistic director of Scottish Ballet, presents a world premiere, a striking new work set to music by Aphex Twin and award-winning composer Mark-Anthony Turna. Part of a mixed bill presented by Rambert Dance Company at Sadler's Wells, the premiere is followed by a piece by Barak Marshall, one of Israel's most celebrated choreographers, who has created a new commission for the company. Completing the programme is The Comedy of Change by Rambert's artistic director Mark Baldwin, originally created to commemorate Darwin Year. All three works will be accompanied live by the Rambert Orchestra.
A comprehensive survey of the Pop Art movement, Pop Art Design explores the intensely productive exchange of ideas between the worlds of art and design that occurred from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s. The Barbican exhibition featuring works by leading Pop Art exponents such as Richard Hamilton, Andy Warhol, Peter Blake, Claes Oldenburg and Roy Lichtenstein with a particular focus on the contribution of British artists and designers to Pop. Highlights include Studio 65's Leonardo sofa which has rarely been exhibited since it was first produced in 1969; The Bishop of Kuban by Eduardo Paolozzi; and Richard Hamilton's iconic The Gold Guggenheim, one of six reliefs he produced in different finishes between 1965 and 1966 based on Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim Museum in New York.
1984
Headlong's version of George Orwell's novel on surveillance and censorship.
George Orwell's seminal novel, 1984, is adapted by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan for Headlong Theatre company which is renowned for its innovative approach to important cultural texts - it has previously staged productions of Faustus, Six Characters in Search of an Author, King Lear, Medea and Romeo and Juliet. In Headlong's version of George Orwell's novel on surveillance and censorship the audience gets an insight into the story of Winston Smith and why it is more relevant today than ever. This new adaptation opens on 13th September 2013 at the Nottingham Playhouse beginning a UK tour which takes place in eight theatre across the country arriving at Richmond Theatre from 22nd to 26th October 2013 before closing on 16th November 2013 at West Yorkshire Playhouse.
Two years ago, the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig's Beethoven symphony cycle at the Barbican was described as "one of the musical pinnacles of the year" by The Guardian, with The Telegraph praising the "wizardry" of musical director Riccardo Chailly and the "courage and unabashed energy" of his orchestra. This autumn, the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig is back at the Barbican, this time to perform a complete cycle of Brahms's symphonies and concertos for their second International Associate residency. The acclaimed orchestra is joined by Leonidas Kavakos for the Violin Concerto (30th October), by Pierre-Laurent Aimard for Piano Concerto No 1 (29th October) and by Arcadi Volodos for Piano Concerto No 2 (23rd October). Leonidas Kavakos and Enrico Dindo also perform the Double Concerto for violin, cello and orchestra (22nd October). To complement the main cycle, the Gewandhaus Quartet performs Brahms's String Quartets No 1 (23rd October) and No 2 (30th October) in the Guildhall School of Music & Drama's new Milton Court Concert Hall.
OperaUpClose, the company behind the Olivier Award winning production La Boheme - which won the 2011 Olivier Award for Best Opera Production - brings Verdi's tragic drama about a scandalous love affair set in 1850s to the King's Head Theatre, a small-scale off-West End alternative to London's two mainstream opera houses. La Traviata tells the story of Violetta who sacrifices her own happiness for the sake of her lover's family and future. This is the company's second co-production with Malmo Opera following their successful staging of Tosca which was first shown at the King's Head in 2012 and transferred to the Soho Theatre in August 2013. Robin Norton-Hale, one of the three founders who along with Adam Spreadbury-Maher and Ben Cooper set up OperaUpClose in 2009, directs.
Ooh la la! The Male Nude is the subject of a free exhibition at the Wallace Collection from October 2013 for which close to forty drawings from the late seventeenth to the late eighteenth centuries have been loaned from France's equivalent of the Royal Academy, the Ecole nationale superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Students at the Academy could only progress to drawing the nude figure after they had mastered all the other skills so this exhibition shows superior studies by artists such as Rigaud, Boucher and Jean-Baptiste Isabey, the leading painter of miniature portraits in early nineteenth-century France. The influence of the all-male Academy was far reaching, producing alumni like Jean-Jacques Bachelier who went on become Director of Design and Decoration at the Sevres porcelain factory, influencing many of the pieces in the Wallace Collection.
LIAF is a showcase of creative animation taking place throughout the city with gala premieres, Q&As, workshops and the Best of the Festival screening. The Festival aims to dispel the myth that animation is little more than cartoons for children by screening a broad range of entertaining and provocative films from across the planet. LIAF features a comprehensive ten day programme featuring the best of the international indie animation scene, encapsulating every style, genre and technique possible.
With the finishing touches being made to The Feeling's fourth album, we can expect a few new tunes to be played at this Shepherd's Bush Empire gig, part of a postponed UK tour which is now taking place in October 2013 - the band's first since 2011. Announcing the tour, The Feeling frontman Dan Gillespie Sells has said: "We had such a great summer, playing festival shows and working on the new album. Now that it's almost ready, we can't wait to get back out on the road to play some new songs and all the old favourites. It's going to be a blast." And the Friday night hometown show at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire will be the last blast.
The BRIT and Ivor Novello award-winning, Sheffield-born quartet perform their riff-orientated brand of post-punk revival and indie-rock in support of their fifth studio album, AM. Six years after their first appearance at Glastonbury, the Arctic Monkeys performed at this summer's festival to critical acclaim, with The Guardian claiming they were "a more powerful act than ever". Alex Turner and his band, however, kept a lot of their new material under wraps, and so this Earls Court gig will be a good chance for fans to hear AM for the first time live. If the new single 'Do I Wanna Know?' is anything to go by, then the forthcoming album should be a treat. Support comes from the young four-piece The Strypes.
See some of the finest examples of Chinese painting at the V&A's autumn 2013 exhibition 'Masterpieces of Chinese Painting', the most comprehensive exhibition on the topic since 1935. Over 100 works from the beginning of the 8th to the end of the 19th century are brought together for this display which includes some of the earliest surviving Chinese paintings. Evolving themes and aesthetic preferences developed over the centuries are examined through rare works including figure paintings on silk for tombs and temples, and small scale works by monks. A show of this scale and nature hasn't been seen in the UK since the well-received International Exhibition of Chinese Art at the Royal Academy in 1935.
The French printmaker, caricaturist, painter, and sculptor, Honore Daumier, described by his contemporary the poet Charles Baudelaire as, "one of the most important men, not just of caricature, but of modern art", is the subject of a solo exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in the autumn of 2013. The leading satirical draughtsman of the left wing journal, La Caricature, was working during a time of great political and social change in France and the broadly chronological exhibition explores themes of judgement, spectatorship and satire. Paintings, drawings, watercolours, and lithographs reveal Daumier's observations of modern life and stinging attacks on the bourgeoisie.
Harry Potter star Rupert Grint makes his London stage debut in Mojo, Jez Butterworth's play about the Soho underworld of the late 1950s. Rupert, who played Harry's best friend Ron Weasley in the wizard films, stars alongside Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey), Ben Whishaw (Skyfall, Hamlet, Peter and Alice) and Daniel Mays (Trelawny of the Wells, Mrs Biggs) in the play which is produced by Sonia Friedman and previews at the Harold Pinter Theatre on 26th October 2013. Ian Rickson, who directed the original 1995 production at the Royal Court, returns to direct the all-star revival. Grint fans be warned, this play about Soho's murky underbelly is about as far from Harry Potter as it gets. Preview tickets go on sale on 26th July 2013 to the Mojo priority mailing list. Tickets for general release go on sale in September 2013.
The NFL International Series returns to London for a seventh consecutive year with the Jacksonville Jaguars taking on the San Francisco 49ers at Wembley Stadium. The Jaguars will play one regular season home game in London every year until 2016, with this year's game being the first. The 49ers will be making their second appearance at Wembley, having hosted the Denver Broncos in 2010 when 83,941 fans saw them take the game 24-16. American Football at Wembley is seen as a showpiece event in the UK, with fans flocking to north London in order to catch a glimpse of a sport that they are rarely able to see this side of the Atlantic. Crowds have tended to top the 80,000 mark every year since the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins played the first NFL game at the new Wembley back in 2007.
Known as the festival of lights, Diwali has religious significance for Hindus, Sikhs and Jains and is celebrated by many of the capital's South Asian communities. The Diwali Festival gives Londoners a chance to come together and celebrate at a free concert with backing from the Mayor's office. This annually occurring event in Trafalgar Square has become a major fixture in London's calendar with colourful decorations, Indian music and theatrical displays all adding to the sense of occasion. Contemporary and traditional dances including the energetic Garba and Dandia are traditionally performed to celebrate Diwali and people of all faiths are welcome at this celebration of the victory of light over darkness.
The Affordable Art Fair
The art fair that proves you don't have to be a squillionaire to have original art on your walls.
The Affordable Art Fair is a well-loved institution in Battersea Park, an event that strips away the pretension of the art world and gives buyers a chance to pick up some really great art at fair prices, ranging from £50 to £3000. Previous years have seen some works sold for hundreds of pounds by artists who nowadays would not get out of bed for that kind of change. It's a fun, family event which is accessible to connoisseurs and the merely curious. This year paintings, sculpture, photography and original prints will be exhibited by 120 galleries at the four-day event - an ideal antidote to the relative excesses of the Frieze Art Fair one week earlier. There's a free creche, printmaking workshops and a dedicated section of art by recent graduates, so that you can have fun trying to identify the next Damien Hirst or Paula Rego - and maybe even buy some of their work.
Cheeky northern bloke all-in-this-together comedy isn't everyone's cup of (Lancashire) tea but Jason Manford has built up quite a large following in recent years. A TV panel show regular, Manford is also a talented opera singer who has toured with Alfie Boe and performed in musicals on the West End. His last visit to the Apollo was somewhat soured, however: it was married Manford's first major appearance since quitting as co-host of the BBC's 'The One Show', amid tabloid revelations of text and Twitter flirting with female fans (his wife was pregnant at the time). Heckled mercilessly, Manford managed to hold his own - and returns to the scene of his grilling with a new show for 2013. "He's blessed with the sort of laid-back charm and sharp turn of phrase you can't manufacture," says The Telegraph (and anyone who follows him on Twitter).
Planning to hit the slopes next winter? Before you take off for snowier climes you'd be wise to put in some pre-ski prep work at the Ski & Snowboard Show which turns Earls Court into a giant snow dome. This snow show, which has been running for 40 years, is almost as much fun as the real thing and makes for a great day out with families and friends. As well as the chance to buy all the latest gear and clothes, there are bargain ski trips, ice skating, ice sculpting and practical advice on how to indulge your passion for skiing without giving up the day job. Centre stage is the main slope - where expert skiers perform and compete. It's a great spectator sport. Take the kids along - anyone under 11 goes free and there's a free crèche as well as ski lessons, penguins and a pop up cinema.
The latest work by the choreographer and composer Hofesh Shechter, "one of our sharpest contemporary choreographers" (The Independent), Sun, is given its UK premiere at Sadler's Wells, performed by a company of 14 dancers. The 38-year-old Israeli not only choreographs but also composes - and often plays - his own music, giving his work a unique signature style best described as 'urban-guerrilla edginess' - he did a small piece for the opening of the second series of Channel 4's teen-drama Skins. Writing in The Telegraph, Mark Monahan describes, how "The thrilling, simian energy of choreographer Hofesh Shechter has given modern dance a kick up the backside."
Keith Warner's directorial debut at the Royal Opera House, this staging of Wozzeck received an Olivier Award in 2003 for Best New Opera Production. Returning over a decade later, the production probes the psychological depths of Berg's 20th-century operatic masterpiece. British bariton Simon Keenlyside sings the title role of Wozzeck, a poor soldier who tries to support his girlfriend Marie, played by Finnish soprano Karita Mattila. When the brutal Drum Major (German tenor Endrik Wottrich) seduces Marie, the consequences are violent and terrifying.
The arts flourished during the 45-year reign of Elizabeth I, who attended the first performance of William Shakespere's A Midsummer Night's Dream. However, the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallary is as much an illustrated social history of a period economic prosperity, when explorers Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh's maritime discoveries led to new trade routes in the East Indies and Middle East and an age of colonisation.As well as lesser-known portraits of The Virgin Queen herself, the exhibition incorporates images of courtiers William Cecil and Bess of Hardwick, poet John Donne, Francis Drake, and, most curiously, the first ever portrait of a guinea pig. Clutched in the hands of a child from a wealthy Spanish family, the exotic pet would have been brought to Europe by traders travelling between South America and Spain. Other characters represented in the exhibition include Elizabethan lawyers, goldsmiths, merchants, playwrights and artists, who represented the wealthy middle class that burgeoned during her reign.